CMH Gourmand – Eating in Columbus & Ohio

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Pistachio – a sweet kitchen – aka a yummy bakery

Posted by CMH Gourmand on October 1, 2006

Pistachio – a sweet kitchen

Pistachio

Tuesday – Friday 10 AM – 6 PM
Saturday 9:00 AM to 5 PM
Pistachio is tucked away on Pearl Alley in the Short North – but it’s off the beaten path location has not kept customers or local and national media away, this bakery has become the darling of the culinary press and rightly so. Pistachio does everything right – product, presentation, and people – exceptional staff. The second I walk through the door, I am happy (and that is not my nature). Everyone is sincerely perky and maybe a bit pumped up about their premiere pastries, cookies, and cakes.

Cookies
The Lemon Iced Ginger Cookie (above) is my current favorite – small and simple but quickly addictive.

 

Here is a peek into the showcase

 

 

pistachio baked good

 

 

 

And a taste of what the “Pro’s” are saying.

 

Modern Baking

 

 

Post Posting (March, 2007)

Pistachio is moving to German Village in September 2007
The Short North will be losing a favorite spot for many residents and visitors sweet tooth. Pistachio has announced that they are leaving their Pearl Alley location and moving to German Village at 541 South Third Street. The new location will give them more parking and an outside garden courtyard. And there is a new name – Pistacia Vera.

(Thanks to the Short North Insider Blog)

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

Avalanche Pizza

Posted by CMH Gourmand on September 24, 2006

While trolling around in Athens, OH I drove by Avalanche Pizza and noticed the place was voted best Pizza in Athens 4 years in a row. When I got home I did a little research and found their site –

Avalanche Pizza

(Update 10/12/07 – The Lancaster location is closed). (I did have take out from the Athens location in June 07 – it was mighty good)

Lucky for me, they have a location in Lancaster, OH and I was going there to help some friends move into a new apartment. My friends were kind enough to reward the moving team with a variety of Avalanche Pizzas.

The topping combinations Avalanche offers are impressive. Listed below are the descriptions of three of the pizzas I sampled.

Crouching Kimchi, Hidden Chicken
This oriental creation starts with our Secret Marinara sauce and a half pound of mozzarella and provolone cheeses. Then we add Roasted Chicken, Korean Kimchi, juicy Mandarin Oranges, crunchy Cashew Halves, and finish it off with a swirl of General Tso’s Sauce.

Ted Nugent “The Nuge”
This gives Meat Lover’s a whole new meaning! We pile Genoa Salami, Peppered Pastrami, Roasted Chicken, Italian Meatballs, Premium Bacon, Pepperoni, and juicy Ham on top of our signature marinara sauce, melting mozzarella and tangy provolone cheeses.

Pesto Chicken Pizza
Roasted Chicken, lean Bacon, fresh Roma Tomatoes, crunchy Cashew Halves, sweet Asiago Cheese, and swirls of Basil Pesto. All atop our secret Marinara Sauce and special blend of Mozzarella and Provolone cheeses.
All the pizzas were good. The toppings are top notch. The crust and sauce were a bit above average. The Crouching Kimchi, Hidden Chicken was a love or hate experience. I loved it – others hated it. But all tasters were able find something they could rave about.

Avalanche has been featured on the Food Network and won “Best Pizza in the USA” at the 2004 World Pizza Championship in Salsomaggiore, Italy. If you are in Lancaster or Athens it would be worth the effort to pick up a pie.

Posted in food, Ohio, pizza, restaurants | Leave a Comment »

What Columbus needs – a sandwich.

Posted by CMH Gourmand on September 16, 2006

The current issue of Columbus Monthly asks many of the “annointed” ones of the city what Columbus needs. Columbus has always had a community inferiority complex – wary about not being noticed enough, always adding an Ohio to Columbus when mentioning the city, and apologizing to east coasters about being in the Midwest. So what does Columbus really need to be recognized.. or remembered. (An attitude adjustment – stop worrying about it). What I want – is viable public transportation.

But what Columbus NEEDS is a sandwich. New York has the Reuben; Chicago – Italian Beef; Philly – Cheesesteak; Boston – Roast Beef, Miami – Cubano, (Springfield – The Horseshoe) :>; Pittsburg – Primanti Brothers / Chipped Ham / Devonshire, and Louisville – The Hot Brown. Memorable cities have their own sandwich. If we make it – they will eat.

So my question – what should be in a Columbus sandwich? It can not be too wild. Potato Bun or white bread. After that – what else? It can not be too flashy – start your comments – let’s save Columbus.

Posted in Columbus, food, sandwiches | 2 Comments »

Another scoop on Cowlumbus Ice Cream – Reposting an old article

Posted by CMH Gourmand on September 10, 2006

I am being lazy and reposting an old article.

http://www.columbusunderground.com/articles/icecream.html

Ice Cream Capital of the World
by Jim Ellison

This is my observation: we live in the best all around place to get ice cream anywhere on this planet. I am talking quality, variety, proximity, and any criteria that makes a difference. I have had fine ice cream in 24 states, DC, Puerto Rico and 14 countries. Bo Knows sports; I know ice cream, so read on.

Columbus is located dead center in one of the top five ice cream producing states. Whenever top ten lists of the best ice cream places in the USA are compiled either Handels or Graeters make the list and most often both appear. Columbus is the only city that has both of these two ice cream superstars.

Graeters is the oldest continuous maker of ice cream in the country, making small batches using a labor-intensive French Pot process since 1870. Their ice cream was super premium before the term existed – low in air, high in flavor, large chunks of chocolate, and so on. Graeters was born in Cincinnati but the cry for it in Columbus was too great so stores opened here in 1989. Since then locations have popped up all over and continue to do so. Favorite flavors include Black Raspberry Chip, Cookie Dough Chip, and Buckeye Blitz (peanut butter and chocolate mixed together).

There are a dozen of Graeters in town, check their site for locations: http://www.graeters.com.

Handels started out in a former garage in Youngstown Ohio. People have driven long distances for scoops of Chocolate Pecan and Cherry Vanilla. No need to hit I-71 anymore, Handels has been here for a couple years with more locations coming.

More information at: http://www.handelsicecream.com.

For most people, these two spots would be ample but there are so many more to choose from. The best way to appreciate ice cream is with a lot of taste testing.

Denise’s Ice Cream is a recent immigrant from Boston. When the owner’s wife moved to Columbus so did the scoop shop. Denise’s was a local favorite in Beantown, with several awards and rave reviews in a highly competitive market. Cool flavors include Guinness, Bailey’s, Green Tea, Red Bean, and Mango. There are plenty of “normal” flavors as well.

2899 N. High Street
Columbus
614 267 8800
http://www.denisesicecream.com

Jeni’s Fresh Ice Cream is gourmet for ice cream gourmands. Jeni Britton scoops out creative flavors made with the finest ingredients at her North Market stand. A customer favorite is the Salted Carmel – other flavors come and go based on the season and Ms. Britton’s creativity. If you want to learn more about Jeni’s and ice cream in general take a look at the book Everybody Loves Ice Cream by former Columbus resident Shannon Jackson Arnold.

59 Spruce Street
Columbus
614 228 9960
http://www.jenisicecreams.com

These are my favorites but there are many more that are worth mentioning including Johnson’s in Bexley and Reynoldsburg, Tin Roof Frozen Custard in Grandview, Brusters (several locations), Mardi Gras in Dublin, Rita’s Italian Ice, more than twenty Dairy Queens and more. July is national ice cream month and (July 2004) marks the 100th anniversary of the ice cream cone – so get licking, the average American consumes 23 quarts per year, but who wants to be average.If this has whetted your appetite, get more ice cream information at:

ICE CREAM OHIO

http://home.netcom.com/~ellisonj/icomain.html

If you gain too much weight verifying the accuracy of this article consider taking a long bike ride to Utica and the Velvet Ice Cream Ye Olde Mill. See details below.

http://home.att.net/~pkovacs/icecream.html

Posted in Columbus, food, ice cream | Leave a Comment »

Triangles and Squares – Columbus Pizza

Posted by CMH Gourmand on September 9, 2006

Slice of Columbus will be on September 13th at the LC Pavilion, in the Arena District. This event was known as the Pizza Challenge during the first sixteen years of existence and was at Victory’s for many years. This competition allows people to try pizza from about 20 or more different local pizza slingers. The proceeds go to benefit Children’s Hospital. I went to 5 or 6 of these in the past. It is worth going but now I have a better alternative. My friends and I do our own pizza “buffet” every year. Each person brings a type of pizza from a different place and with 30+ plus people – we have a lot of variety. Below is a list of the pizzas I would suggest you consider if your decide to do the same. This list is based on my favorite pizzas from my own eating adventures – but supported by empty pizza boxes at the yearly Hoffman Pizza Buffet Party and People’s Choice awards at the event formerly known as the Pizza Challenge.

Adriaticos

Bexley / Gahanna Pizza Plus

Catalfinos

Flying Pizza – New York Style

Hounddog’s Three Degree Pizza – Go with Smokin Joe’s Style (Spicy sauce – garlic crust)

Iacanos

Mama Mimi’s Take and Bake – Primo Vegetarian (roasted garlic sauce, zucchini, spinach, artichoke hearts, roma tomatoes, chopped onions, and mushrooms) (( I usually replace the romas and onions with sun dried tomatoes and scallions.))

Northstar Cafe – Flat bread Pizza

Pizza House – Meatball

Portofino’s – Giant 30 inch pizza (49 slices) $23 for one topping. The 24 inch is only $18.

The Rossi – a simple cheese pizza – to go is not an option – but on a slow night, when the hipsters are not around – heaven.

Rotolos – (feels like a pound of cheese in each slice)

Whole World – Herb and Guacamole or Oregon Apple (apple sauce, apples, raisins, provolone and sunflower seeds)

And a quick note about pizza style – there are several recognized styles of pizza – Neopolitan, New York, Chicago, New Haven, and California. There is a good argument that there is a Columbus style. Columbus style pizza is thin crust that is cut into squares. People from both coasts get angry when they encounter this style. The best local examples of this style are found at Massey’s and Donatos.

If you want to learn more about pizza styles – click below

Pizza Today – June 2006 – Regional Pizza Styles 

Posted in Columbus, Columbus style pizza, food, pizza, restaurants | 4 Comments »

Exhibit B – Cowlumbus is World Ice Cream Capital

Posted by CMH Gourmand on September 6, 2006

Exhibit B – more people noticing and respecting the powerhouse that is the Columbus Ice Cream Scene. Columbus is to ice cream what Seattle was to music. Jeni’s Fresh is one of my favorites and has been recognized by Gourmet Magazine, two books, Roker on the Road (TV) and many other media outlets. Of course it is in Ice Cream Ohio. Here is yet another endorsement. Click below to see this article from Apartment Therapy – all the kids rave about Apartment Therapy – maybe they are right.

– Jeni’s Fresh Ice Cream –

Posted in Columbus, food, ice cream | Leave a Comment »

Big Fun with Dim Sum at Little Dragons

Posted by CMH Gourmand on September 3, 2006

Little Dragons
1508 Morse Road (Morse and Karl)
846 – 9114
Sunday to Thursday 11 AM to 10 PM, Friday / Saturday 11 AM to 11 PM

There are plenty of average Chinese places in town. Little Dragons flies above the peasants and offers decent Chinese food at an affordable price. The restaurant remodeled in 2005. Most people order carry out. It took me many visits to discover the secret Chinese menu – which is generally not made available to western looking types like myself except on request. One day I noticed the other diners had food very different than what I had seen before. Also, I noticed that 95% of the customers dining in are Asian. I then discovered the secret Chinese menu (with English translations – written on the side) and started to unlock the mysteries of it. Some of the offerings scare me – most leave me very excited. After crossing this line, I found out about the Dim Sum on Sundays. Basically, Dim Sum could quickly be described as Chinese tapas or appetizers. Dim Sum is quite the experience in “real chinese” restaurants expecially those on the West Coast. The offering and presentation are scaled down here in the heart of the Midwest but the items available on both the English and Chinese menus were good and not to be found elsewhere in Columbus. I have never had a bad meal at Little Dragons and I consistently enjoy the pot stickers and Crab Rangooon.

Posted in Columbus, food, restaurants | Leave a Comment »

Ice Cream Capital of the World – Preview of coming attractions

Posted by CMH Gourmand on August 28, 2006

I will be writing more about ice cream in Columbus and Ohio. My mission – help Columbus insiders and outsiders learn that Columbus is an ice cream wonderland. In my mind, among the top five ice cream towns in the USA – if not the best.

Click below to see this article from the Denver Post.

– Columbus, Ohio, is ice cream heaven –

Posted in Columbus, food, ice cream, Ohio, restaurants | Leave a Comment »

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