CMH Gourmand – Eating in Columbus & Ohio

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Neither Wind, Nor Rain, Nor Lack of Light….

Posted by CMH Gourmand on September 24, 2008

So what did I do when the lights went out last week? In case of emergency….eat.

Sunday

You may have noticed the the Beer Wench is now an out of town blog. Ashley’s Bon Voyage party was at Tip Top Kitchen and Cocktails. Tip Top was one of the few restaurants open for business that night and it was BUSY. Thanks to Tim Lessner for great hospitality and for creating the limited edition Beer Wench Shot. Luckily most of that concoction was gone before I arrived. Adios Ashley.

Monday

Gahanna Grill for a birthday bash for Roland – a prolific poster on Columbus Underground. Roland was defeated by the Double Beanie Burger. The restaurant was one of few open in the area so adding about 20 people as a group was nice (we had reservations). I was there from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Through the picture window in Gahanna Grill I watched the non- stop line of cars going through the Wendy’s drive thru the entire night.

Tuesday

Columbus State Community College still had power so the show was on for Taste The Future. Thanks to CSCC for tickets to the event – I took my friends Colleen and Bear from Slow Food along for the ride – and it was a good one. Restaurants represented at the event included: The Refectory, G. Michaels (great Shrimp and Grits), Cameron Mitchell Restaurants, and the like. The best desserts were cheesecake on a stick from Sanfillipo Produce – a local restaurant supplier and the best health conscious cookies ever from Cookie Cop (the baker used to be a police officer). You can buy his cookies at Soup Man, Raisin Rack, Luck Brothers Coffee, and some Kroger stores.

Columbus Foodie did a great post on the event so check it out.

Wednesday

Hurricane Party – to eat Bear and Colleen’s melting food.

The power came on late in the afternoon at Slow Food headquarters and we continued with our potluck dinner anyway. It was a perfect night of food, wine, whiskey, and conversation. Hungry Woolf posted about this night so you see some of the photos there.

Thursday

Another party – power came on an hour before we started – I was bummed. I was looking forward to candles and quiet. We thanked the workers that fixed the power lines – they drove 22 hours from Oklahoma to help.

Friday

My power came back. I took the day off, but did pop inside Northstar to sample their new fare for a very late lunch.

Saturday

Slow Food Shake the Hand that Feeds You Locavore Dinner at Flying J Ranch in Johnstown. We camped on the farm overnight, which was no big deal since I had been roughing it all week. There are posts about this night on the Hungry Woolf blog and the Slow Food Columbus blog. Kent and Tasi Rigsby were there. I had a great conversation with Kent about his efforts to source local produce and meat for Rigsby’s – he is doing a great job at this.

You can also listen to an interview with Dick Jensen from Flying J. Farm in Episode 20 of Columbus Foodcast – it should go live on September 25th.

Posted in Columbus, culinary misadventure, events | Leave a Comment »

Slow Food Columbus – Scotch Tasting

Posted by CMH Gourmand on September 22, 2008

Bear from Slow Food teams up with Ken from Wings Restaurant for a Single Malt Scotch taste education workshop. Both of these esteemed gentlemen know their Scotch and Ken has an absolute passion for it. One might not expect a great scotch (and beer) selection at a Chinese restaurant, but that is part of the joy – if you love Scotch, you won’t have to fight crowds to get it. Appetizers, multiple tastings, good information and great conversation are included in the evening.

Friday September 26th
8pm – 10pm

Click the Slow Food link at the left side of this Blog for details and registration. There are still some spaces left.

Posted in bar, culinary knowledge, events | Leave a Comment »

Granville Goodies

Posted by CMH Gourmand on September 19, 2008

Welcome to Granville, home of Dennison University and a street lined with great dining destinations. This is the perfect sleepy little college town for an afternoon frolic any season.

The downtown looks like it was pulled out of a Norman Rockwell painting with a touch of Mayberry thrown in for good measure.

Del Mar

Del Mar
136 North Prospect St
740.587.4701

The Del Mar will be a favorite for fans of the Rossi and Club 185. If you like these restaurants you will find the best of both in Granville. The Del Mar has the same owners. The food a fusion of both menus with a few extras and specials thrown in. The bill of fare includes pizza, the Club 185 burger, macaroni and cheese, and several daily specials.

The decor inside is urban cool. Looking out the window, the view is hometown Ohio – old houses and the local fire station.

I ordered the pizza because I love Rossi’s pizza – Del Mar’s is close but something is missing – maybe it is the oven or the way they toss the dough, but I found the pizza to be a B+ compared to the Rossi’s solid A.


Above is a view inside the Del Mar.

Brews Cafe and Deli
128 Broadway East
740.587.0249

Brews is a local favorite and standby. If you if have not been back to brews recently, the owners changed the menu in August but everything else is the same – crowded booths of regulars, beer, and pub food. If you get there at the right time, you might score one of the balcony tables with ancient ceiling fans to help a brew, or two, cool you off as you watch people pass by on Prospect Street.


Whits Frozen Custard
138 Broadway East
740.587.3620

Whit’s has just a few standard flavors and a flavor of the week – but the combination of choices is large – multiple types of cones and sundaes. This is worth skipping dessert at the other places. A scoop of custard is the perfect prop for a walk down Prospect.

Buxton Inn
313 Broadway East
740.587.0001


There isa famous Inn in town – The Granville Inn. Across the street is the Buxton Inn, a bit smaller but a lot more fun. There is a cool bar in the basement that serves as a nice respite on a cool or cold evening. The Inn has been around almost 200 years – they know what they are doing.

Just bit south of downtown, there is a new restaurant worth checking out.

Short Story Brasserie
923 River Road
Granville
740.587.0281
Web Site

Hours:
TUES-WEDS 5:00-9:00
THURS-SAT 5:00-10:00

Luke from the restaurant was kind enough to send me an e-mail about this place which inspired me to head back to Granville after a long hiatus. Since his e-mail did such a good job convincing me to make a visit I am going to post a part of it below – maybe this will inspire you as well. Fate keeps getting in my way for plans of having a meal here – but I have a trip planned in October – so I will let you know all the details next month.

We offer fine food in a casual setting and our concept comes from the way Hemingway used food to bind together his stories. Our chefs are use classic french techniques (they have been at The Refectory, l’Antibes, Handke’s Table) but our food encompasses many culinary styles. We also have a 100 bottle wine list with many available by the glass.

We share some of the same favorites that are not too well known around Columbus. I really like Spain and Alana’s too and recommend them all the time. Our GM worked at Alana’s as well, so we have a nice tie to them.

The owners have a handy second business behind the building.

The Wine Cache
925 River Road
(Closed Sunday)

Posted in Ohio, restaurants, Road Trip | Tagged: | Leave a Comment »

ZAGAT Zips Back to Columbus

Posted by CMH Gourmand on September 13, 2008

The print version of the Zagat Guide has skipped Columbus for several years. Columbus rejoins it’s rightful place in this ubiquitous restaurant guide when Zagat 2009 is released this October. Let’s make sure Zagat does not diss Columbus again. Buy a guide for a friend or check out the Zagat website to drive up their Columbus website traffic. Columbus is a top restaurant city and Zagat can always use more evidence to support that reality.

(I don’t get kickbacks from Zagat – but do want Columbus to show we deserve to be in the guide.)

Posted in Columbus, restaurants | 1 Comment »

Taste the Future…..Again! September 16th

Posted by CMH Gourmand on September 10, 2008

Taste the Future

Update – September 16th – This event is still a go – they have power and the show will go on!

Columbus State Community College invites Columbus to their 20th annual culinary gala, Taste the Future.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

5:30 – 9:00PM

Taste the Future features tastes from over 50 of central Ohio’s best culinary spots. Many of the chefs have a connection to the Columbus State Culinary program as past graduates, employers of graduates, or long time supporters of the event.

Taste the Future takes place on the downtown campus of Columbus State Community College with all proceeds from the event funding CSCC scholarships and special projects. The money raised at the event helps hundreds of students build their future with a college education.

This year Taste of the Future features Napa Valley wines produced by 1972 Columbus State graduate (which was then Columbus Technical Institute), Bill Wolf, owner and operator of Eagle Eye Wines in California. Bill and his wife Roxanne will be at the event.

If you to learn even more, listen to Columbus Foodcast Episode 19.

Columbus Foodcast

Posted in Columbus, events, restaurants, wine | Leave a Comment »

Columbus Microbrew Festival at the North Market – this weekend

Posted by CMH Gourmand on September 8, 2008



COLUMBUS MICROBREW FESTIVAL

For more news on what is going on this fall at the North Market, listen to Columbus Foodcast at the web site or go to i-Tunes.

The Third Annual Columbus Microbrew Festival will be adding Friday evening to the festivities this year. The Columbus Microbrew Festival will be held outside the North Market on Friday, September 12th from 5 – 9pm. On Saturday, September 13th from noon -7 pm, the beer will be served on the second floor.

(Stolen from the North Market promo e-mail below:)
Returning for the event are Barley’s Brewing Company (Ale House No. 1), Barley’s Smokehouse & Brewpub (Ale House No. 2), Columbus Brewing Company, Elevator Brewing Company, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant, Hoster Brewing Company and Weasel Boy Brewing Company. Representatives from each microbrewery will be on hand to pour samples of their signature drafts.

The list of brewers should be no surprise to anyone that strolls through or drinks in the Short North and the Brewery District. There is a wild card in this mix of microbrews. The odd barrel out in this group is from Zanesville – Weasel Boy Brewing. This brewery has been around for just over a year but there is a lot of experience behind their craft beers. Take a look at their web site to get a bit of back story, it may make you appreciate their brews even more.

Weasel Boy Brewing

Beer tasting admission is $15 and includes a commemorative pint glass and 10 tasting tickets. Discount coupons good for $2 off the tasting admission fee will be available at all participating microbreweries. Extra tasting tickets will be available for 50¢ each. Tickets are available at the door each day. The event is free to anyone not tasting beer.

Music and other activities are featured each day.

Local artist Clinton Reno creates the North Market poster artwork. The poster for the Microbrew Festival event looks great this year. The posters are available for sale. This one would be worth buying to have a piece of the North Market at home.

Posted in beer, events, markets | 2 Comments »

Beer Battered Burger – Nova Restaurant, Delaware OH

Posted by CMH Gourmand on September 6, 2008


Nova Restaurant
5 North Sandusky Street
Delaware
740 362 4810

I made mention a while back during my Delaware Dining Detour, that I was unable to go to Nova Restaurant. I did head back with two things in mind – case out the place and eat their beer battered burger.

Nova has a great look. The decor features include raised booths, stainless steel fixtures, two cool U-shaped countered bar areas – that have a diner feel about them, and plenty of hard wood. The place looks great.

The menu is mostly “American Cuisine” with eclectic additions thrown in such sweet potato fries and deep fried macaroni and cheese bites.

The beer battered burger is big – as in tall and wide. The burger is cooked to order, then battered and deep fried – served with two onion rings on top and a mix of two cheeses to hold it all together. You might feel some mild chest pain when you take your first bite but you will get through it.

On my burger scale – which I am creating right now – I give it a 9.5 out of 10 for creativity and sass. I give it an 8 for flavor and cravability. If you are in the neighborhood, this is worth driving for.

Beer Battered Burger

Posted in CLOSED | 3 Comments »

Rant Away: Prototype Restaurant Rating Scale

Posted by CMH Gourmand on September 2, 2008

The need for a restaurant rating scale for CMH Gourmand has been on my mind for a while. I found a scale on an English food blog that sparked my muse but it needed more refinement. Using a star scale just seems too limited. Here is a my primordial prototype – let me know what you have to add to this work in progress – everything is open to debate – except food getting the most total points. (Special thanks to my Beta test group including: Bear, Liz, Andy, Heather, and Craig).

10 point rating scale for Food – because food is the most important part of the experience.

Food

10 – My last meal before dying
9.5 – I want to eat here almost every day
9.0 – I want to eat here once per week
8.5 – Near Perfection, one of my top 5 favorites
8.0 – Great Food
7.5 – Very Good – with a couple of my all time favorites on the menu
7.0 – I’ll be back – some entrees I liked and some were average
6.0 – Good (or a good fast food place -Three Guys Burgers and Fries, Inn and Out Burger)
5.0 – Average – everything is fine – nothing worth writing about
4.0 – Good enough to eat
3.0 – I will eat here in an emergency
2.0 – Bad – I ate it to live
1.0 – I would rather starve

Service

5 – Wow – I feel like royalty!
4 – The server must do this as their chosen profession.
3 – I was served my food and my check on time.
2 – I received my check when I asked for it.
1 – I left the restaurant for the safety of myself and others

Environment / Atmosphere / Ambiance

5 – Everything is perfect
4 – Feels nicer than home…because it is clean
3 – Everything is OK – nothing special
2 – Better than camping
1 – Welcome to the Jungle

And one final category. I have not found a word for this yet. There are places that we crave where the food is just OK, the place is a dump, or small, or crowded, or the service is hit or miss….but yet we love it. A local example was Nancy’s – decent food, diner decor, and decent service – but yet the whole was greater than the sum of the parts. I can not find a single word to describe this restaurant rating missing link.

The French phrase – je ne sais quoi = “an intangible quality that adds or makes something attractive or alluring”, is as close as I can get to the concept. Thanks to local Columbus Underground reader Andy D for helping with that concept. Another term might be mojo.

Everything gets tallied up – and there you go.

This is a community work in progress so feel free to add your two cents.

After some healthy debate – I will clean up this scale, re-post as a link on the blog and use for it restaurant reviews…..(which I have not done in quite some time).

Posted in culinary knowledge, restaurant reviews | Tagged: | 4 Comments »

One Million Dollars of Wine: Columbus Food and Wine Affair

Posted by CMH Gourmand on August 24, 2008


The Columbus Food and Wine Affair
Friday, September 5th
6:30 PM – 10:00 PM
Franklin Park Conservatory

www.foodandwineaffair.com

$100.00 per person admission includes:
Food from over 30 of our best restaurants, plenty of wine pours (at least 450 wines), and a souvenir Riedel wine glass.

This event began in 2003. Benefits go to the Central Ohio Restaurant Association, WBNS 10TV Family Fund, Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital, United Way of Central Ohio, Adventures for Wish Kids, and the Ian Adams Van Heyde Scholarship Fund.

Dine, Drink and Dance (well, maybe in the hallways) for a wonderful cause.

Posted in Columbus, events, wine | Leave a Comment »

Tropical Nut and Fruit Company – Outlet Store

Posted by CMH Gourmand on August 20, 2008

Tropical Fruit and Nut

Tropical Fruit and Nut Company
6580 Huntley Road (in between SR 161 and Schrock Rd)
Columbus
614.431.7233

Open: Monday to Friday 9 AM to 5 PM

Tropical Fruit and Nut company has four outlet store locations: Atlanta, Nashville, Charlotte, and Columbus. Skip their web site, the prices are more expensive and the cute tropical background noise on the site will drive you nuts after about 30 seconds.

(Update: 2018 – please note the Central Ohio Outlet store is now at: 3150 Urbancrest Industrial Dr, Grove City, OH 43123)

If you are able to drop in during the week, you will find your extra effort is worthwhile. There are reasonable prices on a wide variety of nuts and dried fruits as well as bulk chocolates and candy. I go to cruise the bargain and overstock tables, I always find some good bargains especially on the mixed nuts / trail mixes the company puts together. The company supplies many retail establishments – restaurants, coffee shops, ice creameries, and such so you can expect a lareg variety of items and name brand candies – Ghirardelli chocolate, Jelly Belly, and so on.

Tropical Sign

Posted in Columbus, culinary knowledge, markets | Tagged: | 3 Comments »

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