And not to muddy the message, don’t forget about Rachel Widomski and the Haiku Help Fund.
Thanks to Bear from Slow Food Columbus for passing this on. Read the thread below about James a server at Alana’s. As is the case for many in the restaurant trade he has no health benefits and unlike many of his peers he had unexpected major health problems.
There may never be another Mexican buffet at Alana’s – so that alone has to be of some interest.
Archive for the ‘restaurants’ Category
Special Benefit Dinner at Alana’s on July 13th
Posted by CMH Gourmand on July 6, 2008
Posted in Columbus, restaurants | Leave a Comment »
Detour: Downtown Delaware Dining
Posted by CMH Gourmand on June 26, 2008
Sometime between 2001 and 2007, I forgot about Delaware. I recently decided to head back to check on the status of downtown Delaware dining. I am happy to report that there is a lot to choose from. My only disappointment was that I was not able to go to Nova, a great (newer) addition to the downtown scene. Here is a stop by stop account of my tour. I had some help with the eating part of this – thank goodness.
Dairy Depot
390 N. Sandusky St
Delaware, OH 43015
740.363.5297
I am sure there are many good things at the Dairy Depot. I made my first stop at this ice cream station in 1995 or 1996. Each time I go I order a small Orange and Vanilla twist cones and 2-3 “Lil” Cheeseburgers. Why mess with perfection?
The ‘lil” cheeseburger is basically a slider/white castle type burger. The meat is fresh and just a bit thicker than a white castle patty. The cheese is thick and the pickle is a dill. I don’t crave White Castles but I do sometimes crave the “Lil” Cheeseburger.
Gulla’s Hot Dogs
12 W. William St.
740.369.9040
Gulla’s – “By Golly It’s a Gula”
Gulla Hot Dogs is a very popular spot in Delaware. It is usually crowded. The staff are very friendly and the food is decent hot dog diner fast fare. The Original Gulla’s in Bellaire has been going strong since 1929. The Delaware location opened in 2006 The Gulla sauce is a family recipe which is ladled on their hot dogs and famous fish sandwiches. Gulla’s also well known for their deep fried pickles.
Above are the chili cheese fries. The chili is homemade with big chunks of beef and peppers. I have to admit a was a little bummed out on this visit. There was a place called Gullas in Grandview for a couple years and they offered great build your own hot dogs in a cramped little spot. I thought I was walking into the new location of the Gullas I knew….unfortunately such was not the case. It was still good but not the Gulla I was hoping for.
Bun’s Restaurant
14 W. Winter St.
740.363.2867
Buns has been a Delaware institution since 1864. Yep the civil was was still going on when this place began. An arson in March 2002 took Bun’s off the Delaware bill of fare for about two years but the community rallied around the restaurant and the place is back and better than ever now. It remains a local fixture today and is a must visit for any one new to town.
Cover of the Bun’s menu above.
Above is the Bunwich. This is no gimmick, it is a really good sandwich. The ingredients are slices of baked ham, American or Swiss cheese, Crunchy cabbage, salad dressing and grilled rye bread. Buns makes all of their breads and baked good in house. The Buns and other baked goodie are favorite take home items after a meal.
Buns just has a great, comfortable feel about the place, you feel at home here. This may be why they can “get away with” shirts like the one they sell below. It is not what you might expect from a “senior” (140+ year old) restaurant.
* Intermission *
28 E. Winter St
740.363.4914
All that eating can make you need a break, so how about seeing a movie at one of the best movie houses in Central Ohio!
Hamburger Inn
16 N. Sandusky St.
740.369.3850
Hamburger Inn is another local institution. The counter and stools snake around on the inside to seat about 50 people but you can still expect a wait here for the good hamburgers and famous breakfast items. And come early – because this is a breakfast and lunch spot.
The Brown Jug
13 W. William Street
Delaware, Ohio 43015
740.369.3471
My loyal fans…. I failed you. I have never been to the Brown Jug. The locals seem to like it. It is named after a race you may have heard of the…The Little Brown Jug. I was too full to eat at the Brown Jug and I was trying to save room for Ollie’s Fine Ice Cream just a few blocks away.
Posted in Ohio, restaurants | 1 Comment »
Support Your Friendly Neighborhood Foodcast
Posted by CMH Gourmand on June 12, 2008
We have hit twelve episodes of Columbus Foodcast. The podcast is not a fluke any more, we are now getting down to the business of delivering good content. Our sound quality improves with episode 6. My favorite episodes are 4, 7 and 10. You can find us on iTunes as a free download. Our artwork is now up on both iTunes and our podcast web site. The art was created by local artist Robert Patricy in 1995 for my first attempt at food writing and has finally found a home on the world wide web.
Listed below is an episode guide as of June 12th. I hope you enjoy at least some of the podcasts. Let us know what you want to hear in future episodes.
Episode 12 – An Ice Cream Road Show: Jeni’s, Denise’s, Mardi Gras
Episode 11 – On Mindfulness and Diet, It’s About Stealing from Webercam (Eating Healthy)
Episode 10.(point)5 – Columbus Foodcast Live! (Our first attempt at live podcasting – not for the weak)
Episode 10 – Grilling With Dave (Grill tips from Dave of Webercam)
Episode 9 – Latitude Adjustment (Jim about his Australia adventures as well as local markets)
Episode 8 – Freeform: Beer and Carrot Cake
Episode 7 – Food Parties (and some bonus bloopers) – with the Beer Wench
Episode 6 – Big Eats – (Large sandwiches and big pizzas)
Episode 5 – The Beer Show
Episode 4 – Storytelling through Food – with professional storyteller Kevin Cordi
Episode 3 – Pizza, Pizza, Pizza
Episode 2 – The Three C’s: Chili, Chicago & Chocolate
Episode 1 – 48 hours to Eat in Columbus (Intro to Jim and Zach)
Look to the left column of this blog at the link for http://www.columbusfood.tv in the Columbus Food Blogs section.
Posted in beer, Columbus, culinary knowledge, food, restaurants, wine | Tagged: Columbus Foodcast | Leave a Comment »
Spain Restaurant, Denise’s Ice Cream and a Social Media Experiment
Posted by CMH Gourmand on May 22, 2008
Spain Restaurant
888 E. Dublin Granville Rd
Columbus, (161 and Huntley – hidden in the Best Western Hotel)
614.840.9100
I have been doing occasional dinners out for groups, mostly people I have met through Columbus Underground and the Columbus Social Media Café. Many of my culinary cronies are regular posters at Columbus Underground. There was a recent Other Paper article discussing the “power of Social Media” while profiling the Columbus Underground and The Columbus Social Media Cafe. Our “ilk” was described as young, affluent professionals…thank you – I would really like to be young and affluent.
My second “Dine Out” targeted Spain Restaurant, hidden in the Best Western Hotel on 161. See my post way back in November 2006 for details on this great spot. Nothing has changed at Spain since I last wrote about this restaurant. The food is still good, the service is attentive and professional, and for the price you get more than expected in serving size and quality. You do not often experience tuxedoed servers and tablecloths at restaurants that offer entrees at the price point Spain dishes out.
This is one restaurant I am quick to tell anyone about (some spots I hold to myself to avoid lines) because Spain needs the business, they always have. I am sad to say I still do not have to wait for a table whenever I show up – because there are always plenty available.
On the plus side, this is the perfect place to take a large group of people because there are so many tables to choose from. I had planned on having a group of six to eight people, as word got out about the “Dine Out” our group grew. When I arrived I had no idea about how many to expect, so our table for 10, became 12, then 14, then 15, then 16….. Manager Andres Casal was more than gracious about this and let us each order on separate checks as we kept adding tables and orders. Many of us ordered the Paella – something Spain really does well. In my opinion any of their three paellas are better than Barcelona’s offering. A few others agreed with this assessment and gave Spain high points.
By report, everyone enjoyed their meal and several already plan to come back. None of us had room for dessert – something Spain always excels at. Their after dinner offerings feature several tempting choices including, on occasion, Tres Leches. My Social Media Experiment was intended to introduce people to Spain and convert a few new fans; I believe I accomplished my mission. I asked my dining companions to write their own reviews of the place so I could post here, however, either I did not present my hopes for a mega-review clearly or everyone was disoriented by the food and sangria we consumed. My friend Jessica did report the next day that she had enough leftovers for two lunches.
As we were heading for the parking lot, about 8 of us decided that we might be able to squeeze in some Denise’s ice cream. Denise’s is about a ten-minute drive away in Clintonville so by the time we got there, we figured, we might have room. Many of us ordered Coffee flavored ice creams – with Coffee Oreo being the most scooped. Denise’s (Stan Zafran) makes some great ice cream that often gets overlooked in our Jeni’s and Graetersocentric city. If you have not been to Denise’s then you should drop in to experience one of the three best ice cream shops in central Ohio. They have several new flavors to try out. My current favorites are carrot cake and sumatra.
Denise’s Ice Cream
2899 North High Street
Clintonville
614.267.8800
At the end of a slow Tuesday night, I introduced several people to meals, people, and places they might not find on their own. That is the power of Social Media and why I write this blog. I am a much better person for it. Social Media is about communities and conversations – old school media is about reading what someone else thinks.
Posted in Columbus, culinary knowledge, ice cream, restaurants | Tagged: Columbus Social Media Cafe, Columbus Underground, Denises's Ice Cream | 4 Comments »
Burrito Trifecta: Tres Burritos – Un Dia
Posted by CMH Gourmand on May 16, 2008
My friend Craig inadvertently started me on a quest. The concept – can a man live on burritos alone? I searched for the burritos that would cover me for three square meals. It was a wonderful search.
BREAKFAST
Cucos Breakfast Burrito
chorizo
refried beans
salsa
sour cream
rice
potatoes
cheese
This was a tough decision for me. Starliner Diner came in as a close second. Cucos wins out for price and ingredient density. This tortilla is tightly packed with all the goodies I listed above. Cuco’s serves up free chips and salsa for breakfast as well. Their self serve salsa bar helps you enhance your burrito any way you like it. I also like their potatoes – they are cut small in a kind of mini French fry style. I typically cannot finish my breakfast burrito here, that is a rare occurrence anywhere, anytime.
Cucos Taqueria & Grill
2162 Henderson Road
Columbus (Henderson Rd – between Sawmill and Dierker)
614.538.8701
Cucos Web site
(has a dinner coupon)
Hours (?)
The web site and the menu are in conflict.
Monday to Saturday 8:00 AM to 10 PM or 10 AM to 10 PM (I walked in at 9 AM)
LUNCH
CBC Cuban Trio Burrito
beef
pork
chicken
seared red cabbage
corn
red peppers
black beans
pablano peppers
onion
Fontina chesse
Provolone cheese
Parmesan cheese
smoked chili sauce…
in a honey wheat tortilla
covered with more smoked chile sauce
chive aioli
The only downside with the Cuban Trio Burrito is that it is a lunch only item. CBC does not do lunch on Saturday or Sunday. This means I have to take the day off work or do a three-hour lunch to pull this off. The burrito + chips + plantains makes up the trio as do the three meats and the three cheeses. The smoked chile salsa (as addictive as crack) is the value added bonus. This is currently my most craved meal as well as the one I have the least access to. The plantains are the best in the Columbus metro area – no doubt about it. Serving Suggestion: CBC Beer Flight chased with a pint of Apricot Ale.
(Update May 21 – I am in heaven. I just saw the new CBC menu – the Cuban Trio Burrito is on the dinner menu and they have added BBQ Plantains as an appetizer. I have not tried BBQ Plantains before but I will as soon as possible. If someone (Andrew) beats me to this – please post here.)
CBC (Columbus Brewing Company)
525 Short St
Columbus (Brewery District)
614.464.2739
www.columbusbrewingco.com
(See my post on CBC from October 2007)
DINNER
Northstar Cafe Thai Burrito
roasted chicken or seared tofu
(If you ask they will mix both together – that’s what I do)
peanut sauce
crunchy slaw – with carrots
brown rice
tortilla chips and salsa
There is a lot going on in this burrito. It is a fine blend of Southern California and Southeast Asia. You feel so healthy after eating it you could almost order another. But you don’t, you just rationalize ordering a peanut cookle or praline scone to go. Yum. An insider secret – skip the chips and replace with a simple salad for no extra charge. All you have to do is ask for this switcharoo.
Northstar Cafe
Short North – 951 North High Street 614.298.9999
Beechwold – 4241 North High Street 614.784.2233
One day, three burritos. Just do it.
Posted in breakfast, culinary misadventure, restaurants | Tagged: Columbus Brewing Company, Cucos, Northstar Cafe | 4 Comments »
Three great evenings of food, fun, wine and good causes
Posted by CMH Gourmand on April 25, 2008
Three events are coming up that allow you to support good causes while sampling wonderful wine and fine food.
Taste of the Independents
Thursday, May 1
Smith Bros. Hardware Building
580 N. 4th. St.
6:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.
http://www.dineoriginalscolumbus.com
Features thirty plus local independent restaurants (including Basi, Refectory, CBC…)
In additional to food, the evening includes micro brewed beers, wines from small vineyards and a special Mango Maytini. There will also be a 3 piece band from the Columbus Jazz Arts Group for background music.
Member Restaurants are listed below:
http://www.dineoriginalscolumbus.com/database/restaurants.php
Proceeds go to the Buckeye Ranch
The Grape Event
Friday, May 2nd
COSI
Benefits the ALS Association of Central and Southern Ohio
An evening of fine wines with hors d’oeuvres. The Grape Event also hosts a live and silent auction featuring wines, sports memorabilia, electronics, and other gift packages. Each year local artist Robert Patricy creates a special wine themed painting as the logo for the event. The original canvas oil painting is auctioned off. Prints from prior years are also for sale. Bob is my friend and I have two prints in my house. (This is my disclaimer.)
North Market Apron Gala
Saturday, May 17
7 to 10 PM
http://www.northmarket.com/featured_event.php
The 12th Annual North Market Apron Gala!! Run amuck in the North Market eating, drinking and making merry with your apron on and your mouth open for the goodies galore in store for you. Items come from the North Market merchants. There is also beer from CBC and music from the Eileen Howard Trio. A silent auction for great gift packages is featured as well.
And – another North Market event worth going to…while on the subject.
Cinco D’Ohio
Saturday May 3rd
Not to miss – the salsa, taco, and hot sauce taste offs. Yum.
Posted in Columbus, food, markets, restaurants, wine | Tagged: Dine Originals Columbus, Grape Event, North Market | Leave a Comment »
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)
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 »
A Short North Sunday – L’Antibes
Posted by CMH Gourmand on February 15, 2008
772 N. High St.
Short North
614.291.1666
Brunch at L’Antibes is reasonably priced, relaxed and feels really European… a great way to start a lazy Sunday. The price is fixed at $15. Here is a sample of what to expect.
First Course
Crème fraiche with warm lingonberry jam
and brioche toast
Assorted cheese plate
and brioche toast
Assorted cheese plate
*
Second Course
Poached Eggs Normandy, spinach and hollandaise
Quiche with boar bacon and asiago with young greens
Lobster Potato Gratin with “sunnyside up” egg
French Toast with fig jam and vanilla bean syrup
Poached Eggs Normandy, spinach and hollandaise
Quiche with boar bacon and asiago with young greens
Lobster Potato Gratin with “sunnyside up” egg
French Toast with fig jam and vanilla bean syrup
Brunch is Sunday only from 11AM to 3PM. This is a fine introduction to this restaurant and should be enticing enough for you to want to come back for a special lunch or dinner. The servers are well versed in the menu. They are more than happy to guide you through the menu or go in to detail on an item. L’Antibes puts the fun in French.
Posted in restaurants, Short North | Leave a Comment »
A Short North Saturday – Rigsby’s Kitchen
Posted by CMH Gourmand on February 15, 2008
Rigsby’s Cuisine Volatile
698 North High Street
Short North
614.461.7888
Saturday afternoon is a great time to explore the Short North. I like to experience Rigsbys when the restaurant is a little less crowded and more laid back. My new discovery (of something not so new) is the Cichetti Menu (venetian style small plates). There are some change ups to the menu but what is listed below is what you could / should expect to see:
Devilled Eggs with Shallots and White Truffle Oil
Greek Meat Balls with Tzadziki
Fried Picholine Olives
Empanadas Ernesto
Arancine with Prosciutto and Mozzarella
Prosciutto di Parma with Fig Jam and Fett’unta
Smoked Salmon Crostini with Horseradish-Chive Cream
Spicy Shrimp Bruschetta with Garlic and Raddichio
Steamed Mussels with Spicy Garlic Tomato Broth
Calamari Fritto
Greek Meat Balls with Tzadziki
Fried Picholine Olives
Empanadas Ernesto
Arancine with Prosciutto and Mozzarella
Prosciutto di Parma with Fig Jam and Fett’unta
Smoked Salmon Crostini with Horseradish-Chive Cream
Spicy Shrimp Bruschetta with Garlic and Raddichio
Steamed Mussels with Spicy Garlic Tomato Broth
Calamari Fritto
Baked Oysters with Parmigiana and Crisp Breadcrumbs
Pizza Quattro Formaggi with White Truffle Oil
Pizza Quattro Formaggi with White Truffle Oil
The twelve items on the menu add up to just over $100. Seems possible for two motivated people with a bottle of wine.
*
An asian mother and daughter duo come in at least once per month to share this menu with two ceasar salads at the same corner table by the window – what a great idea! I have not attempted this yet – but throw in two glasses of wine and this experience sounds like a perfect afternoon to me.
My favorite on the menu is the Steamed Mussels in Spicy Garlic Tomato Broth for $11. The friendly servers know the menu and have the expertise to help you scale down your choices if you can not decide what you want to order.
Posted in restaurants, Short North | 1 Comment »
Small Byte and Short Hike; Cafe Shish Kebab and Hayden Falls
Posted by CMH Gourmand on February 8, 2008
Cafe Shish Kebab
1450 Bethel Road
(Bethel Centre)
614.273.4444
M-F 11 AM to 10 PM
Sat 12 AM to 10 PM
Sun 12 AM to 9 PM
If you take a peek inside the Bethel Centre you will find an unexpected diversity of good food finds – Flying Pizza, an Indian restaurant, Morone’s, Nanak Bakery, several other spots and a terrific Turkish Restaurant – Cafe Shish Kebab.
The exterior looks drab and generic. Inside, it is obvious the ownership spent a lot of time, energy and thought to create an authentic and comfortable dining environment. The interior is delightfully Turkish – paneled wooden walls, artwork and plenty of small touches to transport you to Istanbul or Constantinople….
The best way to sample the cuisine is to share the appetizer sampler with a friend or two while splitting the mixed grill kebab (shish kebab, chicken kebab, adana/ground beef kebab, and doner/lamb kebab).
Finish things off with the Keskul (almond pudding) topped with chopped almonds and pistachios. A great lunch or dinner.
If you feel bit bloated, less than three miles down the road is Hayden Falls (SR 33 and Bethel Road) A short and scenic hike leads to a waterfall hidden away in the burbs. The park has finally added a sign, stairs and a walkway to make this mini natural nook more accessible to non-rappelers.
Posted in restaurants, Vegetarian Friendly | Leave a Comment »
CMH Gourmand - Eating in Columbus & Ohio 