CMH Gourmand – Eating in Columbus & Ohio

(closed Summer 2017)

I loathe Easton. Everything in my essence is pre-disposed to have my skin crawl at the thought of an area dedicated solely to the pursuit of consumer goods in a suburban environment. I have gone to great lengths to avoid the lifestyle zone with a few exceptions. I would go at off-peak hours to visit the Apple Store when it was the only location in town. I made trips to the Container Store on the periphery to appease my inner need to organize, but even that was reluctantly. And the only time I was ever recruited for job was at the Ocean Club, it was an exceptional meal even for a person allergic to fish. As a person that has never been reluctant to visit the rough parts of the city, or the world for a good meal, the aura of Easton was enough to make me hesitant to stuff my face. With that as a background, when I received an invitation to visit KDB, I was game to go. KDB is in the former space of Gameworks. I had been hankering for some good old-fashioned video shot em up action and when a chance to do so to my hearts desire had me on board. My expectations were low. My expectations were exceeded within moments of stepping in.

The space has been completely redesigned with emphasis given to showcasing all three aspects of the name. Kitchen: these guys are serious about their food. There is a pride in what is on the menu. The pizza/flatbread dough is made in-house. Den: Forget man cave, this space is filled with games grouped together by type: racing, first person shooter, sports, etc. Many of the materials are repurposed. The furniture is set up to be inviting and comfortable with our a frat boy eye for fashion. Bar: Local Craft beer are more than an afterthought here and you will be hard pressed to find a better Bourbon selection in town. To the point that they could change the name to KDBB. And they might add an extra D for decor, this place is not some dark man cave, it is set up to be an inviting bar, a cosy eatery and an arena for the arcade.

Back to the Kitchen. With the D and the B, the place could slide on the Kitchen component but that did not happen. This is no place to park the kids while you sneak a drink, this is a spot where everyone gets what they want without having to compromise the quality in the food, games or spirits. I tried the flatbread and have it two thumbs up. The crust was perfect and the topping were generous and of very high quality. The wings are not something frozen dumped out of a bag and the options here are more than typical, you can choose dry rubs like old bay or lemon pepper or wet rubs such as the standard buffalo of the off the beaten path spicy sriracha or curry. The whole menu is pub grub on the high-end.

So, and this is a big deal, I’ll be back to Easton for KDB.