CMH Gourmand – Eating in Columbus & Ohio

I have eaten many interesting proteins in my time including but not limited to: yak, venison, quail, shark, kangaroo, ostrich, emu, alligator, ants, slugs (Australian Bush Tucker Tour), a fly (not on purpose) and so on. Considering the many Chinese restaurants I have dined at, it is mildly shocking that I’ve never sampled frog legs.

I wrote about the Rice Bowl last November after my first trip there. Now that I have had a chance to work though much of their Americanized menu, I decided that I wanted to see how their traditional menu fared. I asked several of the servers and a few dishes were consistently suggested. Every staffer I spoke too strongly endorsed the frog legs. I was game for it. My order of 8 to 9 frog legs (I lost track) was more than I bargained for. While billed as an appetizer, it is easily a meal by itself. The legs are served on a deep bed of sautéed and strongly seasoned onions and fresh jalapeno peppers. The long-legged frog parts are meaty and much larger than I expected. They also tasted much better than I was prepared for. As for the flavor, the best approximation I could share would be 85% perfectly cooked and moist chicken blended with a bit of crawfish. The breading on the frog legs was the best I have encountered on any fried product in a very long time. The seasoning included a good amount of black pepper. For texture and taste the best example my palette could backdate in my memories was the KFC original recipe of my youth (not what exists now).

If are looking to expand your bucket list of animal parts eaten, this is a an easy path to take. As for the mainstream menu items I tried (on my first Rice Bowl carry our order), the eggs rolls are still my favorite in town. They are served with a small amount of the house citrus / orange dressing. The sauce is so good. SO GOOD! I also tried the house lo mein, the noodles were clearly homemade and the mix of several meats and vegetables was generous.

So to update for those tracking my adventures. I have had four perfect visits to the Rice Bowl and my first frog legs were so good, I doubt I will find any better in town.