CMH Gourmand – Eating in Columbus & Ohio

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White Castle Exhibit Needs Beefed Up

Posted by CMH Gourmand on June 13, 2007

 

An old White Castle box

 

I made an excursion to the Ohio Historical Center for a serving of fast food history – an exhibit on White Castle Hamburgers. It was interesting however, if the exhibit was the sole purpose of a person’s field trip – I think most people would have a beef.

Admission to the Historical Center is the equivalant of a couple sacks of Slyders – that might hurt if you are not also interested in Ohio History, First Ladies, and Native American artifacts. On the plus side – parking is reimbursed via a token and each admission comes with a coupon for a free White Castle hamburger. Here is a peek of what you will see – reading this post will take about the same amount of time as viewing the exhibit in person.

 

 

White Castle Display

I hope the exhibit gets beefed up over time. There is room to do so and even though White Castles are small and the company is not a mega chain – White Castle is critical in the culinary history of the country and Columbus.

White Castle 101

White Castle was the first fast food chain ever. The first location opened in 1921 in Wichita, Kansas with 5 seats. In 1934, the company moved the headquarters to Columbus due to the prime logistics of our fair city. The Company continued to grow and develop innovative techniques in food preparation, marketing, and building materials as well patents on several food related items. All White Castle locations are company owned and operated – no franchises. You can find White Castles in 11 states. The company started a division for building materials and construction to build and design their locations (originally using porcelain). White Castle was ahead of the times in hiring women and minorities. This small (in comparison to our other local fast food capital burger chain Wendy’s) company has done some big things. If you are intrigued – grab the book Selling ’em by the Sack by David Hogan.

For more web information – here is the wiki on White Castle.

A couple more noteworthy tidbits.

White Castle copyrighted the term Slyders in 1994.

For the special someone, many White Castles offer a candlelit table for two on Valentines Day. Hamburger Today provides the low down on this treat.


The Ohio Historical Center/ The Ohio Historical Society has all kinds of White Castle Corporate information

The Ohio Historical Center is closed on Mondays.

Hours are:

Tues, Wed, Fri, and Sat 9 AM – 5 PM

 

Thurs 9 AM – 9 PM

 

Sunday and Holidays Noon – 5 PM

If you want to get more information on White Castle beyond the exhibit – the library and archives have plenty of things to look at.

Hours are:

Weds and Sat 9 AM – 5 PM

Thursday 1 PM – 9 PM

Posted in Columbus, culinary knowledge, restaurants, sandwiches | 1 Comment »

Campus Culinary Landmark Lost…and a history lesson

Posted by CMH Gourmand on April 15, 2007


The first BW-3 opened on the OSU campus in 1982. It closed last year.

BW3 window

I have never been a big fan on their wings – but BW-3 wimpy wings are great way to deliver sauce. The campus BW-3 was a source of many of my college and early 20’s post college memories. It was often the initial meeting place for the evening. I also remember the employees talking about parties in the upstairs hot tub after closing for the night. It was near The Out R Inn – which is one of the few remaining pre Campus Partners bars. I recall heckling Shucking Bubba Deluxe and watching a guy named Pat perform his famous churning the butter dance.

BW# closed

A new improved campus location opens at the corner of Lane and High Street on June 25th 2007, so I am sure they will make all of their money back in one football season.

So here is little serving of BW-3 History with a very long URL –

BW 3 History

Here is a good recipe and more information on the history of Buffalo Chicken wings.

The Kitchen Project

 

What does BW-3 stand for? Buffalo (the city in New York) Wild Wings and Weck. So what the heck is weck? Weck is short for a kummelweck bun, which is essentially a kaiser roll, sprinkled with caraway seeds and course salt. In the very early days BW-3 had beef on weck sandwiches. Outside of a small section of New York – no one has even heard of these sandwiches.

And now some sandwich history, Buffalo gave us more than wings.

Journal of New York Folklore


Here are some old Beef on Weck Notes from my friend Cliff – (Cliff Notes)– in case you ever hit the greater Buffalo area on a quest for weck.

In no particular order…

Schwabl’s – Really good, I’ve only had the Beef on weck…I’d like to try
some of the other stuff on the menu…old restaurant…old school.

Bar Bill – The rave in the very small village of East Aurora…it’s a 30-40
minute drive from the mainland, a very good sandwich, but if you need a fix
there are equally good sandwiches with a shorter drive…the only reason I
had ever been there was because my grandparents lived out there.

Swiston’s – Been there a few times….consistency isn’t always there. Their
best efforts top the charts, but I’ve had an occasional average sandwich
there…one recent complaint someone told me about was too much fat on the
sandwich…I’m torn about that comment.

Anderson’s – Original location on Sheridan Drive has expanded into I believe
8 locations in WNY. Still a decent quality sandwich, but would only be my
first choice if I was going to top it off with some of Anderson’s frozen
custard.

Anacone Inn – I haven’t been here in some 15 years, the neighborhood has
gone way downhill, I’d like to give this one a shot again, but I would want
to bring a posse along. BTW, they had a really good sandwich.

Charlie the Butcher – Strangely, this is probably one of the most talked
about Beef on Weckers, but I hadn’t tried it until this past summer…I was
not impressed…Beef was a bit dry and not piled on very high….will
probably try one more time just to confirm an unsupervised rookie didn’t
make my sandwich. (Update -Cliff tried again in 2007 – and has removed from his list)

Brunner’s Tavern – One of my favorites, mostly because of location, quality,
atmosphere…I always run into friendly faces. The big draw on Saturdays is
actually the Brunner’s Steak Sandwich, which they actually took off the menu
this past summer when the beef prices became prohibitively high and the
owners didn’t feel right charging $16.95 for a sandwich just to break even.
Even at that price popular demand won out and the Steak Sandwich was
re-introduced…I believe over Thanksgiving the price was down to 12.95.
The Steak Sandwich is great….highly underrated is the beef on
weck….usually only served on the weekends and only one big roast is served
per day…when it’s gone it’s gone….it’s not a heaping sandwich but good
size, if you’re really hungry you’ll want two. The meat is always done
perfect (bloody) and the chef (bartender) takes his sweet time making the
sandwich because he is slicing the meat off ever so thin right in front of
your eyes…it’s almost as fun watching as it is eating…and it melts in
your mouth.

Jolly Jug – This hole in the wall is notable because it serves a decent Beef
on Weck until 4am, I don’t know anywhere else that does. My guess is there
may only be 1000 people that know about this place, 500 people that have
been inside, 250 people that would admit they have been inside, and 100
people who have thought to eat there….I only knew because an alcoholic
took me there.

Eckl’s – Noted Snowbelt restaurant, been there once. Would certainly go
again, another place that’s a bit of a hike.

Metzger’s
Very good. A high quality roll can put a Beef on Weck into the upper echelon...

Two new places Cliff plans to try summer of 2007 ….Steve’s Pig and Ox Roast in Lackawanna and Franks’ Bar in Lancaster.

Posted in bar, Columbus, culinary knowledge, food, restaurants | Tagged: | 4 Comments »

A Tale of Two Burgers: Gahanna Grill and Thurman Cafe

Posted by CMH Gourmand on March 25, 2007

Filmmaker George Motz is working on a book about hamburgers which brought him to Columbus. He was gracious enough to let me join him on his eating tour.

George did a documentary on eight great hamburger joints in the USA. It was really well done. It snagged the interest of a publisher who asked him to write a book on the best (100 or so) places.

Hamburger America

More about George at his web site

We met at The Gahanna Grill. I also met his wife Casey – although she is a 5 month pregnant vegetarian, she enjoys tagging along with George watching him eat burgers, take photos, and experiencing the Midwest. George and Casey are great so I hope we cross paths again.

Gahanna Grill

The Gahanna Grill
82 Granville St
Gahanna
614.476.9017

George and I each had a Beanie Burger.

 

Beanie Burger
(Named for Beanie Vessner who has grilled these for 30 plus years)


1/2 pound patty
American cheese
Bacon
Sautéed onions
Lettuce
Tomato
Homemade Cole slaw
Served with a side of fries

beanie Burger

The Gahanna Grill has changed hands a couple times since the 1990’s but Beanie has remained and so have the fiercely loyal regular customers. The new owner used to have a pizzeria in NYC and was private chef to Rudy Giuliani (really). He retained all of the character of the place while upgrading the facilities. In fact, Gahanna Grill has not changed much since I last wrote about it.

Gahanna Grill a la City Search

The thing to do at the Gahanna Grill is to have a Double Beanie Burger. If you can eat all of it – you get a T-Shirt with an image of Beanie on the back as well as your photo on the Wall of Fame (I am on there twice from previous forays to the Grill).

Gahanna Grill

Our next destination was The Thurman Cafe in German Village.

Thurmans

Thurman Cafe
183 Thurman Ave
(German Village)
614.443.1570

Web site

George and I each had the Thurman Burger.

Thurman Burger
At least 1/2 lb of beef
What seems like one pound of ham
Mozzarella
American Cheese
Lettuce
Tomato
Mushrooms
Sauteed Onions
a heap of pickles
Jalapeno peppers
Mayo
(Served with Chips and a pickle spear)

Thurman Burger

The Thurman-ator – twice the meat – we opted not to get that. Casey ordered some of the fabulous Thurman’s Steak Fries. Thurman’s has been around since 1937 and has always been a family operated place. It is oozing with character – wooden booths, the bar is plastered with all types of old photos, beer themed novelty items, signed dollar bills and more. There are many great spots to eat in German Village but Thurman’s is a true Columbus culinary destination.

The Thurman Burger is big – tall and wide.

This is my technique for the successful eating of the burger (works on a Double Beanie Burger as well).

1 – Place hand on Top Bun press down hard.

2 – Flip the burger over so that the bottom (very soggy by this point) bun is on top

3 – Cut the Hamburger in two equal pieces

4 – Grip firmly and don’t let go of the burger down until you finish your flipped half hamburger

George Motz

George Motz at work on a Thurman Burger

Buy George’s Book when it comes out in 2008!


FYI (Food of Your Interest) – More about Hamburgers

Business Week 2005 – Menches Brothers and the Ohio Hamburger Connection

Our Ohio – more on Menches

The National Hamburger Festival is July 21 and 22, 2007 in Akron. It will feature a Hamburger Eating Championship, the Burger Queen Pageant, and restaurants will compete to be the best hamburger in the nation.

Hamburger Festival

Ohio Magazine did a nice overview of Ohio hamburger history. Check out the article below.

Ohio Magazine on Ohio hamburgers

Posted in Columbus, hamburgers, restaurants, sandwiches | 10 Comments »

The Original Wendy’s Closed on March 2nd. Where’s the Grief?

Posted by CMH Gourmand on March 6, 2007

There was a lot of national media buzz about the Original Wendy’s on Broad Street closing last week. I visited during the final days to observe the passing of another bit of Columbus history. The manager reported business was 5 to 10 times more than a typical day. It was very crowded and many people were taking final photos. This Wendys was a Columbus landmark for years. It was filled with all types of historical Wendy’s knicknacks. Wendys was born the same year as me – so we grew up together. Much of the memorabilia will be moved to the corporate office in Dublin. So here is a last look before this disappears forever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Columbus, restaurants | 4 Comments »

Just Pies…. Just Do It, for the Holidays

Posted by CMH Gourmand on November 23, 2006

Just Pies
Just Pies web site

Worthington
5525 N. High Street
614 888 0021
Closed Sunday and Monday

Westerville
736 – 1 Northfield Dr
614 818 9300
Closed Sunday and Monday

Just Pies, just does … pies. But what a great job they do. They have gotten the attention of Oprah and the Food Network due to their baking prowess and now ship pies all over the country. However, it is much easier to just drop in one of the stores to pick up a fresh pie. On most days you can pop in and get a wide selection of pies to select from but from mid November to Christmas plan on ordering in advance.

Pecan Pie

Just Pies makes about 40 varieties of pie with over 20 types available each day – including several very good no sugar added pies. Pies are 6, 8 and 10 inch. Some standouts are Pumpkin, Pecan, Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookie and Buckeye.

Posted in bakery, Columbus, pies | Leave a Comment »

Spain Restaurant

Posted by CMH Gourmand on November 7, 2006


Spain Restaurant
Spain Restaurant link

(Note. The location in this post closed and a new location opened in 2011)
76 Powell Rd (High St. / SR 23 and Powell Road)
Lewis Center, OH 43035
(740) 548-6900

When I am at Spain, I am afraid it will be my last time. It is rarely busy even on some weekend evenings. The location – inside a Best Western Hotel, within a suburban strip that is tricky to navigate, which is in a part of town, that is no longer “hot”. The restaurant business is usually about location and such is not the case here.

Basically, patrons fall into two categories –loyal regulars who love the place and mildly surprised hotel guests that are shocked to find a restaurant like this next to the reception desk (and once they walk through the door are a bit disoriented when they were expecting a cafeteria style meal or lukewarm hamburger).

The same 3-4 servers are there every time I am. These guys are true professionals – dressed in tuxedos and maintaining playful formality. The restaurant is semi upscale in décor and adornments but the atmosphere is very informal – patrons are often in jean or shorts and you can see hotel patrons flocking to the pool as you look out the interior windows of Spain. Service is top notch – you will see some theatrics when your sangria is served and never expect an empty water glass. The server may practically taunt you into getting dessert. For a touch of Spanish character – there is a mural of a matador on the wall.

The menu features the flavors of Spain – several types of Paellas as well as steaks, seafood, veal and chicken dishes with Spanish flavors and aromas. The paellas are an exceptional value and for most people one dish can easily feed a party of two (which Spain will do for a slight surcharge). The menu also includes authentic Tapas, homemade Sangria and exceptional desserts, including one of the best flans, I have ever had. The extensive wine list features many Spanish wines (which are now coming into style). All meals (lunch and diner) are served with fresh rolls with whipped butter and the soup of the day. Dinners are also served with a side of vegetables and thinly sliced potatoes. For your first visit – order a paella. I also suggest the Salmon Relleno – a filet of salmon stuffed with crab, scallops, and shrimp. Lunch is an incredible deal. The menu is more limited but the prices are great – nothing over $10.95, including the paella.

Paella 101

Paella is a typical Spanish dish. It is named for the paellera – a round flat pan with two handles – that the meal is cooked in. At Spain the dish is 13 inches wide and 5 inches deep.

At Spain the Paella includes a bed of saffron rice cooked with onions, bell peppers, olive oil, garlic, sea salt and a few peas. Added to this are mussels, shrimp, clams, scallops and langostinos (Spanish for prawns). This version is called Paella Marinera. Spain then adds Spanish Chorizo (spicy sausage) and chicken for the combination known as Paella Valenciana.

[paella]

 

Churrascaria – Brazillian Stye Grill (No Chupacapra here)

If we eat there more often and ask frequently – maybe this will come back!

Churrascaria is a Brazilian style of cooking and serving skewered meat. Spain did this on Friday and Saturday evenings for quite a while but stopped in October 2006 due to low turn out. The meats included – pork sausage, roast pork loin, both breast and boneless leg of chicken, lamb, NY strip and top sirloin. Cost was $21.95. It was fun. I would love to see this come back. Let’s make this happen.

Another Surprise – Spain Night Club?

Spain also has a separate, enclosed bar that offers salsa, bachata and merenge for local latin dance lovers.

Sad postscript – Owner Jorge Michalowski passed away in January 2007.

Posted in Columbus, restaurant reviews, restaurants | 6 Comments »

Basi Italia … it really is all that and more.

Posted by CMH Gourmand on October 25, 2006

Basi Italia
811 Highland St (Cross Street: Buttles Avenue)
(Victorian Village / Short North)
(614) 294-7383

Basi Italia web site
Lunch
11:30 am – 2:00 pm
Tue. – Fri.

Dinner
5:00 pm to 9:30 pm
Tue. – Thurs.

5:00 pm to 10:30 pm
Fri. – Sat.

closed Sunday

Basi has been a favorite of the culinary underground as well as mainstream foodies for several years. You get a feel for the philosophy of the restaurant while scouting out the menu on the web site. The layout and format of the site mirrors the feel of the restaurant – simple – yet subtlety elegant, – efficient but not frenetically paced, lots of depth in a compressed small space with many personalized touches that reflect the personalities and values of the owners.

Basi is tucked away, in an alley like street just off Buttles – but is easy to find due to the large valet parking signs which ask that you respect the parking privileges of the people that actually live in the neighborhood. No worries if you do not want to pay the $3 for valet parking – just park at the shopping center at Neil and Buttles which is a very short 2-3 minute walk away.

The place has the feel of a friend’s house. Some tables are tightly spaced and seating is at a premium – if you need to wait – it will be outside. If you have a coat or any type of extras – you will need to put them on the coat rack – there is no extra room for anything that is not a permanent part of you.

Some outdoor seating in available in warm weather – on a nice looking patio which would be the best way to experience Basi since the restaurant itself seats 26.

The style of the food and the place is simple and unpretentious with some touches of upscale without the annoyances of doing things for appearances. For instance the wine is served in stemless glasses – which may be for the practical reason of saving space as well as minimizing the danger of spilling glasses in tight quarters.

In discussing service – I have to specifically mention Katelin (sorry if I misspelled the name). She is exceptional. Let me count the ways: professional, knowledgeable, intuitive, non invasive, an air of friendliness and detachment with a dash of culinary cool. She showed up at the right times with the right things – in the right way. She let CMH Gourmand and companion sample a single pumpkin ravioli because we did not have room for three entrees. Katelin executed everything perfectly without any forced formality. She is best server I have encountered in years.

Sampled on the initial visit –

primo

 

grilled endive & roasted pear
gorgonzola dolce & toasted pistachio

 

roasted beets
arugula, goat cheese, spiced walnuts & pomegranate

secondo

 

rigatoni salumerie
tomato, sausage, raisins, pine nuts & fennel

centercut porkloin chop
apple sage stuffing & maple-cherry jus

Pork Chop

Dessert

Chocolate Trufffles served with a drizzle of chocolate, a sliced strawberry and a sliced fig.

All were good. Just offering beets is a point in my book. Some of the bites of pork were a bit too salty – but it aged well as leftovers and tasted exquisite the next day.

The web site states the restaurant focuses on being “an approachable
relaxed dining experience”. Basi delivered that. It offers a nice mix of traditional and innovative cuisine. There is a special menu before 6:00, daily entree specials, and exceptional desserts, which vary by the day. Basi is worth the effort – make sure you make reservations – these are essential.

Posted in Columbus, restaurants | Leave a Comment »

Jeni’s Fresh Ice Cream – Lick it Up!

Posted by CMH Gourmand on October 19, 2006


Jeni’s Link

North Market
59 Spruce Street
Columbus
614 228 9960

1281 Grandview Ave.
Grandview Hts
614 488 3224

Jeni’s Fresh Ice Cream is gourmet ice cream for gourmands. And it is plain old great ice cream for the rest. Jeni Britton scoops out creative flavors made with the finest ingredients that can be found – and about 50% of the time these are obtained locally in central Ohio. Jeni is an ice cream artisan and craftsperson. The mix of ingredients that combine in her Carpigiani Gelato machine are her medium for artistic expression. Fortunately, this “art” is greatly appreciated and led her on the path of a successful businesswoman. Her dedication stirred her to take the respected Penn State Ice Cream short course as well as to study with an Italian gelato maker. Jeni knows ice cream. It is nice to see a sweet person and product achieve sweet success as well.

Flavors vary by season and inspiration. The quality of Jeni’s ice creams earned accolades from the national press including Gourmet, Food and Wine, various web sites, some TV programs, every local media outlet, and at least two books. Jeni’s has melted the hearts of culinary critics on both coasts and put Columbus on the culinary map for ice cream. There is strong buzz that Columbus is the ice cream capital of the country – (an argument that this writer can support with scoops of objective facts and subjective tastes). Putting Columbus on the gourmet radar is due in part to the raves that Jeni’s ice cream continues to receive, which in turn is supported by a growing online ordering business to supply the demand for this treat.

OK, so maybe I sold you on the possibility that this ice cream is fantastic and worth taking a lick at. Lucky for us – we just need to drive to get our fix. For people afraid of things like candied beets, Kentucky bourbon, lavender and other exotic extracts infused in their dairy products, Jeni’s also dishes out more mundane tastes for the Midwestern palette.

One customer favorite flavor is Salty Caramel – other flavors come and go based on the season and Ms. Britton’s creativity. These are a few of the signature flavors you can expect to see each time you peek in the ice cream cooler.

Dark Cocoa Gelato
Pistachio & Ashland County Honey
Black Coffee
Thai Chili
Queen City Cayenne

Depending on the season or sometimes, the day – you can expect up to 30 flavors to choose from – hard choices. However, another advantage we have here in ‘Cowlumbus” is that we can get free tastes of these ice creams before deciding on a scoop. Jeni’s also does combined half scoops to cater to those wanting to sample with abandon.

An added bonus, at least at the Grandview parlor, is the ability to order an ice cream sundae – consider this little treat as a preview of sundae attractions.

One Night in Bangkok
Thai chili ice cream
caramel sauce
sliced bananas
pineapple
a bit of white chocolate
(billed as the ultimate phad thai )

Sundae

Jeni’s is served at several fine restaurants in Columbus but is best experienced in an ice cream cone while strolling around the North Market or in a sundae dish in Grandview.

Ice Cream for Icy days and coughing nights –

Some think only hardcore ice cream hounds eat ice cream in the winter – if that is how you feel – it is time to review that life choice – Jeni’s serves up – Influenza Sorbet (fresh lemon juice, whiskey, and honey) as a preemptive strike for the common cold. (Note – I have not seen this flavor around for a while and not yet this season – so keep call ahead if you are hoping for this flavor – it may have just been a flavor fling of the past.)

Jeni's Fresh Ice Creams on Urbanspoon

Posted in Columbus, ice cream | Tagged: | 1 Comment »

A Sugardaddy you might want to hook up with…..

Posted by CMH Gourmand on October 13, 2006

Sugardaddy’s (Sumptuous Sweeties)

Factory Store
1347 Cameron Ave (Polaris Parkway)
Lewis Center, OH 43085
614 888 4491

Sugardaddy’s

Sugardaddies Brownies

 

TBDBITL – OSU fanatics know what this stands for but people outside of Columbus know TBDBITL as “The Best Damn Brownies in the Land“. Sugardaddy’s gourmet brownies got a lot of media buzz (check out the press info in their web site) in the last year and are the featured treat for guests on the Ellen show (um – swell…) among other celebrities.

These really are great brownies and we here in the capital city have some extra perks. The factory store sells “pocket change“. The brownies are cut in circles so the left overs – the corners and extra pieces are pocket change – bagged up and sold for $4 per bag – if there is a big run of brownies that day – then you might get buy one, get one free for these bags of goodies. These pieces are a little difficult to serve as is – but with some forks or dumped on a sundae – really tasty. Also – if you show up between 5 and 6 PM – everything left for the day is 1/2 price.

I sampled as many brownies are possible from the 12 + varieties on display. All were good – some were exceptional. I liked the uniqueness of the Tahiti – Blonde Sweetie Brownie (a blonde brownie with pineapple, semi sweet chocolate chunks, white chocolate chips, cashews, shredded coconut, and a hint of vanilla. My favorite was the Nutty – with cashews, almonds and pecans with a strong dash of salt for a salty / sweet flavor.

Any brownies that are not sold for the day are donated to the foodbank – good for you Sugardaddy’s.

A little pocket change for ya….

Pocket Change

 

Posted in bakery, Columbus | 1 Comment »

El Arepazo – Latin Grill

Posted by CMH Gourmand on October 7, 2006


El Arepazo

Arepazo sign
47 North Pearl Street
Columbus (Pearl Alley – between Broad and Gay Streets)
614 228 4830
Monday – Thursday 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Friday – 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Saturday – 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM

Arepa is white corn meal. This is cooked into a cake which is used for a bun to make a sandwich called an AREPA The sandwich fillings can vary depending on the locale and availability of ingredients. In Venezula – these little sandwiches are usually cooked on a grille. Carlos Gutierrez and Eliezer Molina had great success selling these sandwiches at the Columbus Latino Festival so they took the leap and opened a very popular spot in Pearl Alley. The signature dish – is an Arepera – hence – El Arepazo.

sandwich

The menu features Venezuelan and Colombian dishes with a some other specialties thrown in. The Latino fare features a variety of items including Mexican Sopes, Tilapia (grilled fish), Chuzo (marinated steak), Plantains, Burritos, Empanadas, Carne Asada and Flan as well as daily specials.

Service is friendly and quick. The dining area is small but there is outdoor dining available. The inside is cozy and seats about twenty. The decor is simple and bright with some interesting latin themed artwork to look at. Many downtown diners get their food to go. The price range is $3.50 to $8.00. I have only sampled the place a few times but everything sampled (Chicken, Pork, and Beef items were tried out) was good. The best bet so far – seems to be the Venezuelan Platter (Pabellon Crillo) – rice, black beans, shredded beef, a fried plantain and a arepita (small / little arepa cake). I’ll be trying this out again.

El Arepazo Latin Grill on Urbanspoon

Posted in Columbus, restaurant reviews, restaurants | 7 Comments »