Archive for the ‘CLOSED’ Category

Nelsonville: The Flying Dog with a side of Snowfork Cafe

Posted by CMH Gourmand on September 7, 2009

(Sorry both of these places are closed)

Flying Dog
99 Watkins Street
(on SR 33)
Nelsonville, OH
740.753.3647 (DOGS)

I have driven by the Flying Dog for at least two years on my various trips to Athens for fun and for work. I figured it was a just a local bar in a spot that has been a string of short lived restaurants. While Nelsonville is small, it is prone to traffic jams at certain points in the day such as evening rush hour heading north out of Athens or when an old junker with a maximum speed of 36 miles per hour decides to lurch along on SR 33. On one of these days I decided to pop in to the Flying Dog to use their restroom. I spied Elevator Beer on tap as I walked in which inspired me to sit myself down on a stool and sniff around to see what this place was about.

I noticed friendly staff that seemed to know their customers well. I also noticed an assortment of hot dogs on the menu including a fried dog, Boston (BBQ sauce and baked beans), Texas (BBQ sauce, Cole Slaw and pickle), West Virginia (chili sauce, cole slaw, mustard and onions) and a Chicago dog.

The fare also includes wings, chicken, sandwiches and an assortment of sides. The eclectic menu borders on the exotic with items including Poutine and a Caprese Panini.

Sitting at the bar I struck up a conversation with a loquacious gentleman. We talked food, travel, traveling for food and the food scene in Nelsonville. As it turned out I was speaking with the owner Steve Holtel (whose business card lists him as an “economic slave”).

I asked him about the menu and the restaurant since both had turned out to be a pleasant surprise for me. Steve has owned the site for years and watched several restaurants fail. He finally decided that he would own and operate the restaurant and offer the things that he liked to eat and hope that others did to. So far his choices are paying off. He is active in his community and the dollar dog days/daze on Tuesdays help build a following for the rest of the week.

It is hard to pull myself away from my Athens choices but the Flying Dog is with a drop in instead of a drive by.

Snowfork Cafe
161 East Canal Street
Nelsonville, OH
740.753.9990

Just a block down on SR 33 a new restaurant opened in August at a site that had been empty for years. The place serves up typical Midwestern diner fare such as Country Fried Steak, a Fishtail sandwich, and Open Faced Roast Beef. What caught my eye was the pie. Some beautiful pies are on display in the pie case. I was told the three generations of women that work in the cafe make pie using old family recipes passed down for years. They make good pie.

Even on the way to my culinary heaven of Athens, I still have to stop and look around..... I never know what I might find.

Posted in CLOSED, hot dogs, restaurants, Road Trip | Tagged: Flying Dog Nelsonville | 4 Comments »

(A) Bakery Gingham (B) Columbus Cupcake Culture (C) Both

Posted by CMH Gourmand on May 18, 2009

There are two big trends going crazy in the capital city in 2009: cupcakes and bacon. You can get bacon cupcakes at Surly Girl Saloon as well as a “Bacon is the New Black T-Shirt”. But Bacon is for later, let’s cut to the cupcake chase.

We begin with B – Cupcake Culture. And the other B – Bacon Cupcakes.

Surly Girl Saloon hosted not one but two sessions of Cupcake Camp on May 9th. Take a gander at the cupcake capers that ensued via these links:

Cupcake Camp coming to Columbus – on Columbus Underground

52 Weeks of Baking and Cupcake Camp

Skreened Blog

Columbus on the Cupcake Radar at “Cupcakes Take the Cake” Blog

The (ultra cool) categories for cupcake competition at Cupcake Camp included:
Best Use of Alcohol
Best Use of Bacon
Best Vegan
Most Creatively Decorated

If you dig deep into the Cupcakes Take The Cake blog you will discover a hardcore cupcake culture in our country that is well represented in Columbus. One might say our cupcake crafters are cutting edge.

Maybe it is time you support the motto bacon is the new black, bacon on a cupcake, or both.

Surly Girl Saloon was a excellent site for this event. Carmen Owens and Company have been crafting exotic cupcakes and pairing them with beer for over a year (see my 2008 posts). Jenni from Pattycake was there as well along with many of the of Columbus creme de la creme of cupcake crafters. The only big name missing was Anna Fraizer from Mt. Gilead.

I look forward to the next Cupcake Camp. Maybe it should be semi annual? (See the comment from Kiesha – looks like it is.)

Meanwhile, on the Columbus cupcake culture front.

Bakery Gingham
189 Thurman Ave
German Village
614.449.2253 (CAKE)

Bakery Gingham on the web
Bakery Gingham Blog

Thurman Ave. is busy these days. The Thurman Cafe has been packed everyday since it was featured on the show Man Vs. Food. Right next door, Bakery Gingham is packing them in as well after five months at the new location. Amanda Ellis started out in 2007, tucked in a small space attached to the Brown Bag Deli at the opposite end of Schiller Park. It was a small operation with a fervent fan following. In the early days her mom would occasionally sell cupcakes for her out front as she baked in the back. Things have progressed since then. Think Pink. And think Red as in Velvet – one of her signature cupcakes. You can not miss the signature pink inside and outside of the store.

a leftover from a previous occupant

Bakery Gingham is best known for gourmet cupcakes. If you visit the web site, a menu is available with a weekly line-up of featured creations. There is a larger variety of baked goods in the new space but it is still the cupcakes that keep people craving in. One of my favorites is the Buckeye Nation (with a peanut butter and chocolate buckeye baked inside). Pictured below are: Elvis Has Left the Cupcake – Peanut Butter icing on a banana cupcake and a Haute Chocolate – chocolate, lots of it.

How does poping off $2.50 or more per cupcake keep me contented? After some significant research, it is my opinion that it is the icing. I am not sure what type of pixie dust Amanda places into her icing ingredients but the result is rich, dense, light and flavorful without being too filling.

What goes good with a cupcake, other than another cupcake? Ice Cream! Starting on May 22nd, Bakery Gingham will have Hartzler Dairy Ice Cream. This is a bold move in the ice cream capital of the world (Jeni’s, Denises, etc.) and the home of a huge fan club for Snowville Creamery milk. However, Hartzler churns a good ice cream which I have some previous experience tasting.

Posted in CLOSED | Tagged: Bakery Gingham, Cupcake Camp Columbus | 3 Comments »

Dinner at Deepwood

Posted by CMH Gourmand on April 14, 2009

Deepwood
511 North High St
Short North
614.221.5602

Deepwood Restaurant

Deepwood Road (Blog)

Lunch:
Tuesday – Friday 11:00 am – 3:00 pm

Dinner:
Monday – Thursday 5:00 pm – Close
Friday & Saturday 5:00 pm – Close

Happy Hour (Deepwood – An American Tavern):
Monday to Friday 3:00 pm to 7:00 PM

Deepwood has been ranked as one of the ten best restaurants in Columbus. In spite of the accolades and after one year of operation, the restaurant continues to stay just a bit beneath the radar. Deepwood’s sign is muted although the site is in a high profile location in the Short North, surrounded by many recognizable signs and well known names one could not miss. I think a bit of restraint suits Deepwood just fine. As fate would have it, I deleted my Deepwood photos in a devastating error so this “words alone” review will be a bit restrained as well. Not having photos is a shame. My recollection of my photos is they were really good and I went to great lengths to get them just right. My words will not do justice to my meal – the photos might have come close.

Deepwood is divided into two sections – Restaurant and Tavern, the menu is divided that way as well. The tavern menu is small but value priced while the restaurant menu is larger and leans toward high moderate pricing. The decor is deeply devoted to wood – lots of wood everywhere. The atmosphere is relaxed and pleasantly quiet. The approach to service is thorough yet comfortable applying a tag team approach to each course and in between settings to ensure a smooth transition from plate to plate.

I will begin with a shout out to my server, Amanda, she was excellent and she will be the benchmark for my best server of 2009 (In 2008 it was Christina at Tony’s). Amanda knows the menu. She also has significant industry experience, she was previously at L’Antibes for years. She gets points for not dropping her jaw when I ordered a second set of donuts (I was kidding, she was not). Now on to the meal.

The evening began with the soup selection – Beer and Cheese. Looking at the rest of the menu (even the Tavern Menu), the soup seemed a slip-up in contrast to the rest of the supper fare. However, Amanda’s eyes lighted up when she listed it and her enthusiasm for the soup after she mentioned she tasted it sealed the deal. It was a perfect start for a frosty night.

The house-made breads included a cranberry walnut bread, black bread and with a crispy, crunchy, crusty cracker – served with homemade butter and a dash of sea salt. The breads were all very good. I have become a bread snob in the last year and I do not want to be bothered with bread from a freezer bag – this was all fresh. The cranberry bread made a great base for breakfast the next day. The remaining crusts from the bread basket came in handy for the next dish.

The Mussels were served with a wonderful large slice of toasted bread already soaking away in the broth. This was a good dish, but it was overshadowed by the other operner a Warm Spinach Salad. The salad was an assortment of baby spinach leaves in warm bacon vinaigrette, roasted mushrooms with a sunnyside quail egg on a circle of brioche toast in the center. The egg was perfectly prepared as were the mushrooms.

The piece de la resistance was split for two. Slow Poached Maine Lobster served out of the shell on a bed of spring pea risotto with pea shoots and a trail of Bellini sauce. This is the finest entree I have had in 2009. Lucky for me it just debuted on the Spring menu. Unlucky for me it is $42. When I ordered, I thought it was the price of at the another entree (and I was thinking wow – a bit pricey at $26) on the menu. My designated diner saw the actual retail price but was in too much shock to tell me. (Shock that frugal gourmand was going all out on the meal). I am glad she did not say a word. I would not have ordered the dish for $42, but now that I have had it, I will gladly order it any time. The spring peas popped in my mouth, the risotto was riveting and the Bellini Sauce (peaches, lemon and champagne/prosecco) begat just the right amount of muted sweetness. The lobster was cooked to pure perfection, slow poached is the way to go – the claw even tasted good.

Some drinking was going on while all of this eating was going down. My new drink of choice (tied with the Amaro Mio at Details) is the Ginger Bulleit (Bulleit Bourbon, Ginger Syrup and house made Ginger Ale). Bulleit is pronounced Bullet in case you wondered. The drink is smooth and refreshing and potent all at once.

Now to dessert.

Chocolate is the name given of their chocolate cake. This is where my lack of photos is a disservice to my readers. Here are the ingredients: Chocolate-glazed cake filled with malt-chocolate mousse with Blackberry port compote and a drizzle of mint syrup on the plate. The glaze was thick and rich and all of the flavors blended together nicely.

Easier to imagine, but harder to forget were two house-made doughnuts with house-made Coffee ice cream. The donuts were hot out of the oven with a balanced amount of sugar glaze coating the outside. The ice cream was served at the right level of coldness but not so cold that the flavor of the coffee did not perk out or that I had to use much force on my spoon to slide the ice cream from cup to mouth. I fancy myself an ice cream expert so I can say Deepwood delivers an excellent ice cream which ranks with the best scooped out here in the ice cream capital of the world.

So that was dinner, sans photos. I can’t believe I deleted them. I can believe I will be heading back for lobster, donuts, a bulleit or two and a taste of the tavern menu. Amanda mentioned some special beer tasting menus are on the horizon so I will keep an eye out and an ear open.

Posted in CLOSED | Tagged: Deepwood | 4 Comments »

The Details on Details

Posted by CMH Gourmand on February 9, 2009

Details sign

My report on Details has been lingering around on my MacBook for a month. I keep getting bogged down in the details and stumped about what to expand on or what to cut out. However, the time has come to go with what I have after 5 trips and let the pictures serve their worth at a thousand words or more apiece. For a small space, I find Details has a lot to offer. The Cliff Notes on Details read: it is the perfect hangout if you take food in any form seriously and you want to enjoy the journey to your plate as much as the arrival to your palate.

Details had a quiet opening in December. The lounge is the offshoot of Rosendales. However, this is no culinary step-child or a waiting area for patrons pining for a table in Rich Rosendale’s restaurant. Details has an identity and style of it’s own. The first story features a well adorned and fully stocked bar. I walked the length of the bar many times but I never sat on a stool long enough to appreciate the first floor. The second level seats about 20. The core of Details is upstairs at a six seater minibar facing the kitchen/alchemist’s lair/culinary workshop.

The heart of Details is Chef de Cuisine Drew Garms. This minibar is a showcase for how fine food may come in small packages as well as proof that little details do make the difference in a great experience.

Some of the gadgets

Chef Garms knows his craft. He is a CIA graduate. Like several staff at Rosendales, he perfected the art and science of cooking at The Greenbrier an acclaimed restaurant and hotel not far from where my parents grew up in West Virginia. At the Greenbrier, he earned ten ACF (American Culinary Federation) medals and was Chef Richard Rosendale’s apprentice on the 2004 national culinary team in Erfurt, Germany. Upon completing his apprenticeship in 2005, Chef Garms was promoted to Saucier at the Greenbrier. In 2007 Chef Garms became Sous Chef and helped Chef Rosendale and his culinary team with the opening of Rosendales (info in italics courtesy of the Details website). In October 2008 Garms returned to Erfurt, as a member of the United States Regional Culinary Olympic Team.

A quick glance at the menu might make one think bar food. Such is not the case. Take a long look behind the bar at the small workspace and molecular gastromy gadets; you may wonder what you are in for. When two cooks are working this space, their motions mirror an olympic synchronized swim team but with flamebursts, cocktail crafting, negative eighty degree flash-freezing, anti-griddling and other Iron Chef activity going on.

Here is a sampling from the regular menu. The complete menu is online at the Details web site.

Details Burgers Miniature Angus Beef Sliders, Black Sesame Brioche, Plum Tomato, Lettuce, House Made Ketchup and Mayonnaise

Details Burgers: Three Miniature Angus Beef Sliders, Black Sesame Brioche, Plum Tomato, Lettuce, House Made Ketchup and Mayonnaise

Steak Fries with a trio of sauces

Tuna Tar Tar Tacos with Avocado, Pickled Scallions and Ginger

House Made Charcuterie (meats), Bread & Butter Pickles, Dijon Mustard with Crusty Bread

House Made Charcuterie Specialties, Bread & Butter Pickles, Dijon Mustard, Crusty Bread

Smoked Paprika Potato Chips

I do not have a photo of the Spanish Chorizo Chili (Black Beans, Scallions, Avocado Butter, and Fried Plantains Chips – I have found a garbanzo bean or two in here as well – and yes – there is Chorizo – Spanish style sausage). It is the perfect dish to kill the cold of winter.

The menu satisfies. Several small details make this minibar menu a fine dining meal. Let’s begin with maple syrup. A basic ingredient. Drew smokes his maple syrup which serves as the coating for his house made pastrami. He gave me a small syrup sample that ensured perfection in a slice of French Toast at Chateau Gourmand as a day after long night meal of atonement.

Now let’s move on to ketchup. Who cares about that? Chef Garms does. I am a convert as well. The tomatoes in the base are smoked and then mixed with other ingredients to create the finest condiment on the face of our planet. Few places make their own ketchup which makes sense, who has the time for a condiment? Well when the chef cares about his ketchup – imagine the effort he puts into everything else. I would order a 20 ounce glass of the house ketchup and drink it straight. I now ask for three servings of ketchup instead of a trio of sauces with my steak fries.

Ketchup...smoked Ketchup

Speaking of drinking. The absolute awesomeness of the cocktail menu finely complements the cuisine. These are old school cocktails which have no better in Columbus, perhaps no peers this side of NYC (with the exception of Highland Estates).

The description of the martini demonstrates the Details approach to cocktails.

Martini

We are unabashed purists.
Your choice of Gin and a healthy pour of dry vermouth.
On the rocks if you must. Optional Olive or Twist.
Not available in Vodka

The quality of the alcohol selections demonstrate the respect Details cocktails deserve. The Aviation includes Creme de Violette and Maraschino Liqueur. My new found friend St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur finds a home in the Wry Smile. There is a respectable selection of high-end bourbons and cognacs. My current favorite is Amaro Mio: Raisin-infused Grappa shaken with Amaretto, Cointreau and Espresso.

cocktail menu

Old Mule

Wry Smile

Mojito

Champagne Cocktail

If there are 5 people you want to share a great evening with, set up a Detailed Experience. There are two seatings each evening, at 6:00 and 9:00, for up to six people. Reservations should be at least twenty-four hours in advance. Chef Garms will greet you at the mini-bar with a cocktail then serve a series of tasting plates, blending elements from the menu, his own inspirations and feedback from your party. The price is $55.

Some of the usual suspects and I reserved a tasting menu on New Years Eve. I did not take any notes and this post is getting really long so I will defer to the photos.

reserved

Chef Garms on the right

nye cocktail

Red Hot Pork Rinds and Wasabi Peas

mixed fried

Mixed Fried: Plaintains, Wontons, Potato Chips, Sweet Potato Fries

burger and fries

fries

during

after

cocktail and meatball

meatball

Caesar with a twist on pate

toast and cheese

the lineup

dessert 1

dessert 2

fin

At Details (and some other kitchens in town), there is a movement afoot to redefine, refine, and promote a Columbus food culture that is not fast food but fabulous food.

Details
791 North High Street
Short North
614.298.1301

Details Lounge

Posted in CLOSED | Tagged: Details Lounge, Drew B. Garms | 12 Comments »

Bacon is the New Black – Surly Girl Beer Tastings are Back!

Posted by CMH Gourmand on November 26, 2008

The Girls at Surly Girl Saloon are not surly at all – if anything they are sweet – especially when they make cupcakes. Carmen Owens, co-owner, is one of the hardest working and most creative restaurateur’s I know. She has an eye for great cupcake combos. The last SGS beer tasting was a blowout success (and it was on my birthday no less). We may see the return of the bacon cupcake if all goes well and if not another killer cupcake of the non bacon variety.

Here is the lowdown:
Dateline November 26th, from SGS

Sunday, November 30, 5pm – Beer Tasting with The Beer Chick

Kris Eley, one of the Top 50 women beer raters in the world, will lead you on a tour of 7 of Surly Girl’s draught beer styles, paired with fruits, cheeses, and a few Surly standards including a savory cupcake. $30 at the door. $25 if you buy a ticket at the bar ahead of time. Space is limited.

Surly Girl Saloon

1126 N. High St.
Short North
614.294.4900
Hours 11 am – 2 am

Update 12/01/08
We had bacon and blue cheese cupcakes.

Posted in CLOSED | Tagged: Surly Girl Saloon | Leave a Comment »

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 »

Delicacies by Sheri – (High Street Bakery Hop, Stop #1)

Posted by CMH Gourmand on April 17, 2008

Sheri's Photo

5320 North High St
Columbus, OH 43214
614.431.2800

website

This is the type of place a person drives by each day and it just falls off the radar. I passed by this business twice a day during the work week for years and never dropped in. Due to the screens on the windows, the place usually looks closed and the parking lot is not ideally accessible. Every once in a while I would think I should pop in but I never acted, it was not convenient. However, fate intervened, the weekend before Thankgiving, I strategically picked up two pies from Just Pies; pumpkin and pecan. Try getting a good pie the last couple days before Turkeyfest – it is damn hard. Fun to watch but demoralizing to live through. I had learned the hard way in the past so I was not going to get pie in my face again. I got my pies before the crazed last minute rush.

I let my dad house sit for me that weekend. I came home Sunday evening to find one empty shell of a pumpkin pie in my refrigerator…. my dad said it was great! I knew I was screwed. I was a day late and a pie short

The following Tuesday, I remembered Delicacies by Sheri – it was worth a shot!. When I burst in at closing time, they had two pies left – no pumpkin pies but a very good looking cherry crumb pie. As I waited for my selection to get boxed up, I picked out a few cookies and read an older article about Sheri’s Grandma B’s Peanut Cookie. Things looked promising and if not – at least I had something. The peanut cookie was great. The cherry crumb pie was a 9.8 on the Pie Goodness Scale (PGS). I now drop in from time to time to sample new cookies. They mix up their mix of cookies frequently so you never know what they will have. They rarely have much else available on the fly – everything is made from scratch and usually on request. They will stock a few pies and other things before big holidays for walk in traffic – which they would love to see more of. However, they make their bread and butter on specialty cakes. I have not tried one yet – that is another post.

Posted in CLOSED | 2 Comments »

Quadruple Hamburger – Circleville Roadtrip, Part 1

Posted by CMH Gourmand on April 1, 2008

The Original Hamburger Inn
125 Watt Street
Circleville, Ohio
740 747 1233
(Closed the business in November 2008 – please let me know if they reopen)

I heard about the Original Hamburger Inn in Circleville for a couple years. I was passing through town one afternoon while coming back to Columbus after doing some work for “the man”. I popped in for a quick hamburger and found it to be very tasty. While I was there I noticed a little sign titled Josh Dares You. I am all about dares – they typically get me into a lot of trouble.

In case you can not read the bottom line – it says – Don’t be a pansy, no sharing please!

As it turns out, for $10, Josh dares you to eat a quadruple hamburger – with cheese if you like, unlimited fries and free refills on Pepsi. Um….duh, how could I not want to do that – it is a bargain. I was determined to come back and get my ten dollars worth.

A few weeks later I was back with two friends in tow. The Quadruple hamburger was really good and not so big as to cause illness. There is no way Josh is making any money on this ten dollar steal. Josh is the owner, he dropped by about every 5 minutes refilling my fries. There was almost a sense of panic if my beverage was less than 3/4 full. My non foodie friend Chris had a quad burger as well and thought it was great.

Josh reports that the “Josh Challenge” is popular on the weekends, 3-6 people will come in for the dare and most usually finish their burger. During the Circleville Pumpkin Festival 10 or more quadruple burgers are ordered each day. The most memorable consumption was two quadruple burgers, a load of fries and a piece of pie by an out of town visitor during a past Pumpkin Festival. There are also Pumpkin Burgers for the festival. Really!

The Original Hamburger Inn has been around since 1930. Josh has owned and operated it with his family for about 6 years. It is a Circleville local landmark and worth the drive for the experience of eating in a small town eatery where everyone knows everyone by name. This would be a good summer or fall adventure. Circleville is about 30 minutes from Columbus depending on where you hail from. There are several farmers markets along Route 23 you can check out on your way there or back to mix up the drive.

Josh dares you, so do I – hit the road and get that hamburger.

Posted in CLOSED, hamburgers, Ohio, restaurants | Tagged: The Original Hamburger Inn | 7 Comments »

MACA January Wine Dinner – A Field Correspondents report

Posted by CMH Gourmand on February 1, 2008

MACA
5 South Liberty
Powell
614.436.1212

www.macahome.com

I meet Orv and Gloria at the Hills Market Wine and Cheese event in December. They are a great couple with great food experiences to share. We ran into each other again when the Hills Market was hosting a special event for a cable television show in mid January. They mentioned they were going to a wine dinner at Maca in Powell. I had not had an opportunity to go to Maca yet so I was anxious to hear all about it. They sent me a great report and were nice enough to let me post a version here. Thanks Orv and Gloria.

Gloria and I attended MACA’s intimate dinner a couple evenings ago. Norman and Susan Carmichael are the owners and the primary MACA team. Norman chefs and picks the wines. Susan runs the front (there really is no front differentiated from the rest of the restaurant space which seats 30 to 35 including seats at the bar). The Carmichaels were assisted by 3 associates. Maca has a very laid back feel and atmosphere.

The toasts included diced eggplant and capers. Fresh artichoke hearts were battered & fried. Anything fried is tasty but there was not a lot of flavor. The Cream Sherry, served in a small liqueur glass, was an excellent accompaniment.

The layered puff pastry tort was very good and held together well. The pastry where the cheese melted and crusted was especially good. And, the Sancerre La Crele 2006, served in stemless ware was mildly acidic with fresh citrus flavors and just the slightest whiff of grassiness. I found the wine on Winesearcher and the lowest 375ML bottle price was $13.95. The Carmichaels do retail their wines at state minimum so I guess I need to find out how much they are charging. (Note: Maca does sell wine to go – often by the case and they have some good distributors to work with C.M.H.G.)

After trimming the excess fat and crisping the duck, it was finished using indirect heat so that the duck stayed tender and moist. The breast was sliced and presented with the mixture of chopped/diced winter root vegetables. After tasting the caramelized vegetables, Gloria commented “I could easily become a vegetarian”. The wine was full flavored with soft tannins which stood up to the richness of the duck.

The finely diced apple & nut tart had just a hint of Rosemary. Again, the tart crust was outstanding. And the Moscatel was somewhat restrained without the cloying sweetness you sometimes find with Muscat grape wines. The Moscatel was served in liqueur glasses.

The Winter Dinner menu may appear to be a limited amount of food but believe us, we were more than satisfied. The servings were very appropriate.

Overall, we were impressed with this husband and wife team who work long hours and who both spend time with their guests and make each guest feel at home.

We had been to MACA twice, impromptu both times, in January 2008 after driving by the restaurant numerous times without stopping. The Saturday when we first stopped was 4 wine pours (approximately 2 oz each?) for $5.00 plus Tapas could be ordered off the menu at a very reasonable price. Norman came around and poured the wines intermixed with his cooking duties. He gave a detailed description of the wine region, grapes and characteristics of each wine. An unbelievable bargain.

We also stopped with two other couples a couple Friday nights ago about 9:20PM and had desserts with port.

We plan to go back.

Gourmand update: I went to Maca on January 25th and had a great experience. I spoke with both owners as well as their bartender. Everything sampled was really good. The red peppers stuffed with goat cheese were my favorite. The menu does change from time to time, especially in the dessert category. Another wine dinner is in the works for February.

Columbus Monthly recently listed Maca as one of the 10 best new restaurants in town – they earned it (Marcellas did not – sorry Cameron). This is a small place so to limit your wait time try to visit during the week.

Posted in CLOSED | Leave a Comment »

A real good deal from CBC…

Posted by CMH Gourmand on December 18, 2007

CBC – Columbus Brewing Company jumped into my top ten in 2007. Here is a deal that may make a first trip to CBC more appealing to you.

The info in italics is from an e-mail sent to people on their mailing list.

Give Columbus Brewing Company
Gift Certificates this holiday season –
We’ve brewed up a delicious deal!

Receive a $10 complimentary certificate with the purchase of $50 in gift certificates.
Receive a $25 complimentary certificate with the purchase of $100 in gift certificates.
Receive a happy hour party including complimentary appetizers for up to 50 guests with the purchase of $200 in gift certificates.

Hmm… so for $200 you get $250 in gift certificates ( a 25% return on investment) as well as free appetizers for 50 people. The appetizers at CBC are really good. So do the math. Figure about $1 per appetizer each person eats. OK – now do the math again splitting with 4 people or 50. You have a cheap party at a great restaurant.

Another option is to go to the Dine Originals website, click on gift certificates and see if there are any available for CBC (or another great Columbus dining spot). Typically a $25 certificate costs $17.50.

Hoppy Holidays

Posted in CLOSED | 2 Comments »

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