Archive for the ‘restaurants’ Category

The Crest Gastropub Makes the Grade

Posted by CMH Gourmand on July 13, 2013

About two months ago, the night before I dined at the Crest Gastropub for the first time, I had a quick meeting with a well-known Clintonville Curmudgeon. We sat at O’Reilly’s as I shared that I had tried to get into the Crest but it was too crowded. To which he said (at least the gist, I was not taking notes), “Yeah, the place is OK, but it does not deserve to bear the name of the Crest.” “That place is just the shell of the building, everything else is different”. I could feel the pangs of nostalgia in his words. Unfortunately I could not share his feelings, I never connected with the Crest in my visits there. It always seemed like a place that could be much more than it was with little effort. I know from oral history there were many high points and a great community within those walls in the decades it was open but I never viewed the place as an asset to the community or I place I would want to go. (Pauses….waiting for the outraged comments to come).

When new owners took over there was a lot of excitement about Gastropub. Advance renderings were shared with the public, there was plenty of information shared about the food, the beer list and the plans to use lots of local, organic goodness throughout. Although some were concerned I was being a hater, I merely disagreed with one aspect of their marketing. I drove by daily watching the progress. After the Gastropub opened I drove by at night to see the place packed. That makes me happy.

One my first visit, the past and the present intermingled again. As I was finishing my meal a late 50’s chronic alcoholic couple walked into the Crest and joined me at the bar. They admitted they were already drunk and acted accordingly. They both had the emaciated look and smell of deepwoods methheads. The couple was intent on loudly sharing their stories of their 42 years of patronage of the former Crest. They knew one set of past owners, admired the work that has been done on the place, asked how the rehab went as far as dodging around the old Edison era wiring and etc. They generally annoyed the undying shit out of me. The purpose of their trip seemed to be to sniff out the place, get a quick shot (of booze) and offer some suggestions on improving the parking woes. Their rightfully true observation was….this place is not the Crest. No siree. As the Clintonville Curmudgeon had stated the day before, “this is the Crest in name only”. (Please note, I am not typing to typecast former Crest patrons just showing that yes….things have changed). I will also note the staff handled these potential customers and definitely lifetime neighbors very well and professionally. Even though some have commended my own patience, I would have been hard pressed to endure these two professional drinkers for any size tip or any length of time.

The building was gutted and rumor has it nearly one million dollars was invested in the building to make it something that is absolutely not the old Crest Tavern and very definitely a Gastropub in look, feel, decor and mission. The interior is full of recycled, repurposed and re-imagined items. Other than the exposed bricks in the walls and few critical structural pieces, I doubt much of the former Crest remains. RIP The Crest. All Hail The Crest Gastropub.

The place received a lot of attention in the early weeks. A little too much attention in my opinion. You can’t judge a book by its cover and you can’t critique a new restaurant based on what they can or can’t do in the first week of operation. For a place like this – with all of the pre-opening expectations and the ongoing love affair with the place and space – multiple trips over time were warranted.

Let me run through my observations, my meals and why I believe The Crest Gastropub makes the grade.

The beer and spirits menu is deeply stocked full of local and Ohio craft beverages. In my visits I have counted 15 – 20 at any given time. The beverage list changes…. a lot. That can be frustrating to some and on occasion, I have had my heart set on having one beverage only to find it was gone. However in the world of multiple taps (60 here) – beer than moves fast stays fresh and tastes better. Also, that means the Crest is probably making money, that helps with sustainability. When you have just dropped a giant wad of cash on a business…..sustainable profit is great. You can be idealistic later after you pay the bills. In addition to a host of buckeye brewed beers the menu features local favorites likes Brothers Drake, Middlewest Spirits and Watershed Vodka. You will find a few wines on the list as well. Cheers!

Speaking of the bar, it looks good. It looks inviting, it looks…..expensive. The bar top is copper-topped. The chairs are sturdy and comfortable. There are six 32 inch television screens mounted near the ceiling, so there is enough to support people who want to watch a game but not so many that it feels like a sports bar. To counter balance the TV’s – there are purse hooks strategically mounted at knee level at bar side. Purse hooks are important, all of my female friends tell me so. As for the rest of the decor, the bathrooms look great – small but functional with lots of tile. They (well at least the men’s room) have the look of a 1930’s tavern in the heart of Chicago or London. The inside dining area is a mix of high-backed booths, high topped tables and lower placed four tops. There are plenty of seating styles and arrangement to meet the needs of the solo gourmand, the party of seven or the family of three. All of the spaces are filled with items such as windows from a former school, wood from a barn and so on, creating a place that while just a few months old has a character of an establishment much older. The patio is perpetually filled and covered with plenty of umbrellas for protection from the elements. On the outside there is a bike rack (which seems continually full) to comfort bike enthusiasts and Millennial hipsters alike. So The Crest Gastropub may sound busy to readers and let me assure it is….to the point where the neighbors have grown a bit irked by the lack of easy parking access in front of their homes. The owners have made an effort to be good neighbors to their neighbors by asking guests not to park on certain streets near the business.

Some of you, maybe several of you, wince at the term gastropub. And according to the traditional definition of a gastropub the Crest….fits the mold. The menu is varied with choices suited from brunch, lunch, dinner or bar snacks. The ingredients are simple. Presentation is upscale. The end result are selections that are very good most of the time. Two items I would like to highlight are the Ohio Cheeseboard (with jams and nuts) and the Brezel Pretzels…with a twist (insert groan).

The Crest Gastropub makes an effort to source locally as often as practical which is reflected and showcased on some menu items. They do have a roof top garden, as well as a patio and parking lot community garden so they have put their money as well as a lot of soil as well as a parking space or two where their mouth is. Some of those garden greens are starting to make their way onto plates now. More than just a gimmick, the gardens add to the character of the business and the aesthetics of the exterior. Throw in some rain barrels and a ladder that leads to the rooftop garden (not sure how sustainable that aspect is) and they have added quite a bit of green to urban Clintonville.

The kitchen is on the smaller side but it packs a punch. The menu is reasonable in size but limits choices to one page which is a good idea for any restaurant but especially a tavern with limited cooking capacity. The best and most consistent bets will be the burger selections. The honey-glazed cheese balls (that would be with flash fried goat cheese) are my consistent starter of choice. The only main menu item I have been disappointed in so far was the grilled cheese. The grilledness (my own invented word) of the bread and how the varied ingredients comingle do not quite mix together.

There are two things I can’t reconcile about the Crest Gastropub. It is really hard not to say….The Crest instead of the proper name of The Crest Gastropub. I am not sure how to resolve that. Three words is too much but just saying The Crest seems to be tempting the ghosts of the bar of the past and hurting the feelings of the Clintonville Curmudgeon. The second aspect of the Crest Gastropub I have a hard time abiding is the serving of most items on wooden cutting boards. It looks kind of cool but it is not practical, is probably a bitch to clean all of those and just too bulky on the tables. I have not been back in a while so maybe those were 86’d. Another note, service has been a bit spotty (especially if you read Yelp) but I would expect that for new staff in a new place and when I had less than ideal service I always felt the server was trying to the best of their ability. Overall a very promising start for a place I think will continue to improve and refine over time.

2855 Indianola Ave
Clintonville
614.261.7128
FB: TheCrestGastropub

Posted in bar, Clintonville, Gastronomic Stimulus, Locally Sourced, restaurants | Tagged: The Clintonville Curmudeon, The Crest, The Crest Gastropub | 7 Comments »

Explorer’s Club Food Truck & New Additions to the Restaurant

Posted by CMH Gourmand on July 6, 2013

Facebook: explorersclubmv
(to find the next location for the truck and more on the restaurant)

The Explorer’s Club Restaurant is about eighteen months past the day the doors opened. While other restaurants entered the mobile food world before Explorer’s Club, the team behind the wheel started preparing back in 2012.

Shortly after the restaurant opened, they started to rent a food cart on occasion to help get the word out about the Explorer’s Club and to support community events. They did well and saw the advantages of going mobile including having extra kitchen space in a building where cooking quarters are tight as well as a much easier way to build out a catering business. The truck launched in late May of this year and has been keeping busy doing corporate lunches, events, late night and weddings.

Like the restaurant, the menu is eclectic. While it often has a southwestern / latin themes the sky is the limit for what one might find on the menu on any given day. A few examples are posted below.

A few examples are shown below. Tots one of the most sought items on mobile food menus are frequently on the menu and in many of the Explorer’s Club Menu items. The example below is the Sloppy Jose Burrito which includes mac and cheese, Ropa Vieja (shredded beef), seasons tots and some saucy goodness.

Tacos in various forms are frequent flyers on breakfast, lunch and dinner menus, but always tacos with a twist of one sort or another.

For breakfast, this truck has the best options in the business including breakfast burritos, chorizo sausage Biscuits and gravy and one of my favorites an egg sandwich on Cuban bread with Swiss Cheese, jalapeno mayonnaise and jalapeno slaw.

For vegetarians, there is typically one or more strong options on the menu. For fans of the restaurant, many of the menu items are based on core ingredients at The Explorer’s Club but this is not a recycling of menu concepts, the items are meant to be served fast and friendly to eating on the go.

So that is the news on the truck. Here is what is new at the restaurant. It closed down for the first week of July to paint, clean and add ceiling tiles to reduce the noise level in the main dining area. Added to the space since my first post in October 2012: a second dining room / large party room, a small patio, an outdoor herb and vegetable garden, a cool bike rack, new artwork on the inside and outside and plenty of things I have forgotten. I can say that my favorite addition has been the pomegranate margarita which just happened to be 1/2 price on Tuesdays.

Posted in CLOSED, cocktails, restaurants | Leave a Comment »

CLEWeek – CROP: Where the Art and Science of Food Connect

Posted by CMH Gourmand on June 15, 2013

CROP is a great restaurant. It has the writeups and awards to prove it. The modern menu is constantly transforming, morphing, refining and becoming more local so writing about what I had before won’t help you make plans for what to order now. The elements of a good restaurant are the core values of CROP: attention to detail, presentation, a focus on working with superior purveyors, a commitment to customer service, etc. I’ll pop in a few photos below to whet your appetite and then we will move on to the things you may not know about CROP.

Let’s cover a few of the basics before moving on to the elements that establish the uniqueness of CROP. The name: CROP stands for Customized Restaurant Operations Platform. That name might create a disconnect for those that experience the menu today but I’ll explain why that makes sense later. Take solace in knowing that CROP also focuses on finding the best of crops (of everything) everywhere. As a cheat, take a look at this short video from CROP about what they do – cheat is linked here. A picture is worth 1000 words, well the video I linked will save me about 10,000 of those (which for you means 2-3 typos, some witty phase and some horrible rhyming phrase averted).

The man behind, and as you read further, underneath CROP is Steve Schimoler. Looking at his work history, any single restaurant or project on the list would be notable. All of those experiences combined: culinary training, food science, concept development working for large and small organizations created the base for CROP. A job with Nestle brought him to Cleveland in 2005 but a quick connection to and love for the community made him want to stay. CROP is part of Rolling Fire Enterprises a concept development company that focuses on food initiatives as well as the Rock and Roll heritage of the city via Cleveland Food Rocks! At this point, you may be getting the sense that CROP combines a lot of parts into it’s whole.

An appreciation of CROP starts at the curb. The United Bank Building has been an iconic landmark of the neighborhood since 1925. The building had long since passed its glory days of the roaring 20’s but Schimoler saw great potential in the edifice. The large space featured murals, marble and other classic features of a building waiting to be reborn with a lot of hard work and creativity.

As impressive as the upstairs looks, it is the basement that got me excited. Part of this underground lair houses a culinary lab where the science aspects of the business are pursued with passion and vigor. Water is a big deal for cooking. The type of water used in beer, bread and even bagels give foods part of their distinctive flavor. Water adds to the Terroir . Buried in this basement is a water system that can replicate any type of water from tap drawn water of New York that gives a Jewish bagel it’s characteristic crunch to Bay Area H2O that makes sourdough a little bit better when baked in San Franciso. Water seems like a generic element in a recipe, but it turns out, this little thing, makes a big difference. That is one example of the “underground” work going one here.

The basement is also used as extra production and event space. The centerpiece is a 5000 square foot vault. At one time it was one of the three largest in the country. The multiple feet of concrete, the many inches of steel and the craftmanship of a bygone day make this vault virtually impenetrable both to burglars and cell phones. The locking mechanism and elaborate designs of the door make this as much a work of art as a practical form of protection. If the end of the world is coming, you want to book a dining room and dinner in the vault because you are likely to survive anything other than a direct meteor hit (and you will have plenty of food & water to sustain you in the aftermath).

Schimoler was a generous host, sharing everything on all levels. He clearly has found his calling mixing the art and science of the culinary world together in one place. Yet another example of the many things going on above and below ground in Cleveland.

CROP
2537 Lorain Avenue, (Ohio City) Cleveland
(corner of W. 25th Street & Lorain across from West Side Market)

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

Value Meal / Defining Old School: Back to T.A.T

Posted by CMH Gourmand on May 15, 2013

It has been a couple of years since I visited TAT Ristorante di Famiglia. No surprise that nothing has changed at this classic eatery but my appreciation of the place has grown. Due to a craving for Midwestern Italian comfort classics and not being able to think of many restaurants in town that really deliver the goods, I did two back to back visits to TAT.

There was a golden era of restaurant dining in America from the 1950’s to the 1970’s. Booths were big, so was the hair. The economy was good and dining out became a common habit instead of an occasional custom. In particular, Italian restaurants were trending high after America’s appetite for the fare changed after World War II. Think of the movie Big Night, well think of the feel of a place, not the cuisine, Primo would have gone ballistic looking at The TAT menu. To set the scene, there was a time when most of the staff in a restaurant was from the same family, when you would have the same server every visit, when there really was a family recipe and something cooked from scratch in the back by grandma and when customers wore fine garments for fine dining.

The above might be referred to as “Old School”. I was trying to think of places that were true “old school in Columbus. I could not think of many. To many, old school might mean old-fashioned, out dated or inauthentic cuisine. To that I say hooey. Old School has its place especially for natives of the Midwest who were reared with this as our model for “exotic” food. There is something more than comforting in regards to comfort food. For some, there is a lot of comfort that comes from cottage fries, chicken livers and cottage cheese on the main menu. TAT still feels like stepping back to 1978 or even 1958. On my visits, I looked around and saw neither the customers or staff had changed since my last visit in 2011. I could not spot a server under 50. Most of the customers are families that interact with staff like they have been coming here for decades and probably always ordering the same thing. There is something nostalgic about this type of atmosphere and again, something comforting about this culinary time capsule. They don’t make them like this anymore and they probably can’t. I hope that all of these elements can carry on as the 4th and 5th generations of the Carrova family take over the front and back of the house. And I hope the children and the grandchildren of the current customers keep coming back to preserve this culinary classic. On my first revisit, I saw several older couples dressed in suit and tie or cocktail dress. The clothing may have been a bit worn or out of fashion, but I admired the dedication these couple made to make a night out special. I also saw a couple of kids come in for prom, also dressed to the nines, who came to TAT for a special night and special meal. I struggle to paint the scene in words but trust me that no other place in town can replicate this environment. I also observed that the older couples were wrapping up their early bird specials and I resolved to check that out myself on my next visit.

Talk about a blast from the past. Other than MCL Cafeteria, I can’t think of another eatery that can dish out the array of offerings that TAT can for their Early Bird Special. It is featured 3:30 to 6 pm Tuesday to Sunday. The entrees are reduced portions of customers favorites from the regular menu. However, for $10.95 this is a real feast. The four course meal included an appetizer (often soup), salad, an entrée and a (scaled down) dessert, often a slice of homemade cake. Bread (with crackers) and butter service is included as well. I am often asked by younger folks about a family friendly place they can take their grandparents, kids or more “conservative” eaters. This is the place and this is the meal that will fill that void for old school, “safe” eating in the capital city. The food is good, the atmosphere is unique and the experience is priceless.

And now for some bonus content. While I was there, and having been identified as a regular by having visited twice in the same month, I was given an insider tip about breakfast at TAT. Longtime readers know that I view breakfast as my fifth favorite meal, so I did not check this out, but maybe you will or one of our Columbus Breakfast bloggers. Photos below are my pictorial contribution to your breakfast knowledge.

Posted in restaurants | Tagged: TAT, TAT Restaurant, TAT Ristorante di Famiglia | 2 Comments »

Amuse Bouche: Alana’s Events and Items of Note

Posted by CMH Gourmand on March 7, 2013

What is an Amuse Bouche you might ask? It is a small taste offered for free by a restaurant as a sample of what they can do. Alana’s is one of the few places in town that offers these, 99% of the time, presented by Alana herself.

On that note, there are a few developments at Alana’s which warrant bringing to your attention.

Dine Originals is observing their Tenth Anniversary next week and as such, they are doing more than the typical Restaurant Week. So of course Alana’s has taken this as another opportunity to do anything other than typical. For the first time ever, at least officially, lunch will be served for one day only – Friday March 15th. It promises to be a great meal for $20.

It may be sold out by the time you read this, but Alana’s will be hosting a fund-raising dinner for WCBE for the fourth year in a row on March 18th. The price is $57 per head to match the number of years WCBE has been on the air. Much of the meal will be served family style. Your servers will be from WCBE (but not me unless there is an emergency). Find more details -> HERE <-

I spoke with Alana and Kevin about this last week and they were really excited to offer a meal and support WCBE again. They both find they enjoy the evening as much as their guests.

What else is new?

A new door mat:

The image above is also on new business cards and magnets for the restaurant. The card is pretty cool with some visual trickery going on. I tried to capture some of this in photos.

Notice the change to the color of the text and the size of the eyes as you are being hypnotized! This is the same card being manipulated by me. I did not capture the eyes changing but they do. I am sure a card like this costs a little extra, but it is a lot more fun, not unlike the restaurant it markets.

Alana’s is a seriously good restaurant that does not take itself too seriously. The cards are inspired on the ongoing themes of Paul Volker whose works are found in the restaurant. They are also at least a nod to Kevin’s (the front of the house and wine guy) keen fascination with the humor of the Simpson’s and of the world in general.

Posted in restaurants | Tagged: Alana's | Leave a Comment »

High Beck Corner Tavern (Hi Beck)

Posted by CMH Gourmand on February 21, 2013

Before we begin…..let’s have a quick history lesson. The Brewery District has seen the best of the boom times and could have been classified as a ghost town in other eras. Long ago, before prohibition, it really was a Brewery District supporting over 600 bars and Taverns in Columbus and more elsewhere and business was very good. The High Beck opened in 1921, after Prohibition started, during the “meh” era of South High Street. In the early 1990’s to early 2000-aughts, it was the boom times and the Brewery District was THE place to be. Parking was scarce, Victory’s was the premiere meat/meet market to be for the gold chained, polo shirt wearing, pegged jeans and big hair crowd while the pre-dawn of hipsters were hanging out at Hoster’s and the Columbus microbrew world was experiencing the first renaissance that did not persist. At the epicenter of this, at least for many I knew, was the High Beck. (We called it the Hi Beck, as per the sign on the south side of the building). Often crowded beyond comfort, this joint, was the place to go for great local music and good beer. While I saw a few good bands here in the 1990’s, I never really hung out there otherwise and promptly forgot about the place. But then, the area fell out of favor again and many businesses went bust and the district faltered. The area is taking off again, but during the limbo era in between, the High Beck Corner Tavern survived the lean times while Victory’s, BW-3, The Clarmont and others bit it.

Why High Beck? The tavern is at the corner of South High Street and Beck Street, hence the name. Why has the High Beck survived? Regulars can answer that question better than me – and they are much of the answer I am sure, so if the High Beck is, your spot, please post here to enlighten me. The joint still features live music but not as much as in days gone by. As far as how the tavern came back on my radar the answer is easy….pizza. During of the Pizza Gran Prix events I used to do, some wonderful person brought in a SmokeHouse Combo Pizza from the High Beck. The Smokehouse features both the house made Texas BBQ brisket and hickory smoked pulled pork on top, house made BBQ sauce at the base with some mozzarella mixed in so it can be called a pizza and not a sandwich. This was easily one of my favorite speciality pizzas and more importantly, it ages well for next day consumption. However, I always had the pizza to go and never experienced it in house. It has taken me years to get back to the High Beck and the pizza got me through the doors. However, this delay on my part still lacks any rational reason. On Mondays, the tavern offers FREE pizza from 4 pm and after. On Tuesdays….FREE coneys….and yet, contrary to all things that define me….I never made it there for free food.

The BBQ itself is worthy of mention. The house made sauce can be found in squirt bottles on the tables. The menu tells us that the house BBQ is created by Tiny. Tiny’s BBQ was perfected over 15 years in the south now to find itself in the land that spawned the war of Northern Aggression piled on top of an Italian Pizza Pie. This may seem like an odd twist of fate yet I have no complaints. I know many people (mostly of the female persuasion), that hate BBQ pizza as an abomination to the purity of the pizza concept. I do not. There are many foods I would add BBQ to if social constructs were more forgiving, but I usually know how far to push things. Well, sometimes I do, maybe not for food. Tiny, keep making BBQ and find more stuff to pile it onto.

But if BBQ is not your thing, the High Beck has some belly busting chili cheese fries that will balance out two or three beers with no effort at all. Or, maybe you would like to try out their make your own bloody Mary Bar? Finally maybe food means nothing to you (so why are you reading this?) if that is the case you will find a good selection of beers, ping-pong, foosball, darts and a pool table to pass the time and wonder why you keep thinking about getting a BBQ sandwich.

The High Beck Corner Tavern
564 S. High St
Brewery Distrct
614.224.0886

Posted in bar, BBQ, beer, restaurants | Tagged: Hi Beck, High Beck, High Beck Corner Tavern | Leave a Comment »

Quickbyte: Cumin

Posted by CMH Gourmand on January 27, 2013

Visual Cliffnotes for this entry below:

Some parties have heard me say: “I like me a good buff–ette, I does, umm hum” – in my best Slingblade voice. That statement is somewhat correct but with a big ass disclaimer. The typical buffet sends shivers down my spine. I recall trips to a remote region of West Virginia where the highlight for my father would be a value meal at one of two restaurants in town, both of which were buffet based. Knowing that my only other option was to wipe out my emergency supplies of beef jerky or hitchhike fifty or more miles to the nearest other eatery, I acquiesced and accepted my choices from among eighty pre-made, microwaved selections.

There is a place for buffets in this world, but in my world, the only time is don’t wince is when I am gorging myself on an ethnic buffet. The buffet minimizes the likelihood that my lack of knowledge of another culture will cause me to select the one bad option on a menu. I am not enough of a risk taker to blow my one roll of the ordering dice. I want to try everything, so I can get a broad understanding of the cuisine in question and pretend my massive consumption is fueled by a desire to expand my horizons, not my waistline. That is what I tell myself and others. I can sell it, even when I come back with my third plate of choices piled beyond a reasonable height for transporting.

In all seriousness, if the cuisine is Ethiopian, Somali or Indian – I hope for a buffet. I don’t know enough about these cuisines to order well and when I do find something I like I can either not recall what it was or how to pronounce it. For any other buffet, with the possible exception of the Lost Planet Pizza and Pasta buffet of a decade ago or the annual high-end Chinese holiday buffet, I will always say no to the buffet card. If it is Indian, I will always say yes.

I really enjoy the offerings of Banana Leaf and Udipi Cafe….but since one of my life missions is to incite others to boldly go where their palettes have not gone before, the missing link in my informal tours of culinary discovery has been a meat eaters tour of India. I can lure the wary to a vegetarian restaurant or an Indian restaurant….but trying both is pushing the line too far.

I recently encountered an individual that had never had an Indian buffet experience….ever, and it had been too long for me. As it turned out, my to dine list included Cumin which highlighted buffet options that were meat-centric.

However, there was a snag, we would both have to fight through some hangups to get there. I would have to journey to the greater Polaris area. My partner in dine, would have to engage in ethnic buffeting.

Ok. Time to take a pause. First, let me apologize to you, the reader. The quickbyte series is generally that – a short paragraph about something – usually one thing – worth eating. But the wind up on this one has been long and windy. Let’s now get to the meat of the matter.

Cumin offers an Indian buffet or a la carte experience that is safe for the neophyte. The surroundings are new, spotlessly clean, upscale…. bordering on elegant. There is no language barrier or cultural awkwardness. These folks have acclimated to the Midwest and deliver their cuisine in a culturally sensitive manner – large portions, lots of good visuals and fluent American English. Minus the aroma of cumin and curry, one might think they were in a Cameron Mitchell concept restaurant. The service is impeccable. The staff monitor each table like hawks, waiting and watching for the hint of a possibility that a diner might need anything. You could easily envision a slow motion scurry with a server launching themselves through the air at the exact moment your beverage hits 84% capacity. My partner in dine and I were asked no few than five times if we needed more naan.

Not to knock my other Indian buffet choices, but they typically lack decor, decorum and might not be the places that exude optimal dining for someone who is already pushing their comfort zone.

My thoughts on Cumin. The food was great. I would travel back to the Polaris area during non peak times to dine there again. This would be my suggested place for a first Indian experience (with training wheels) without sacrificing flavor.

Cumin
1025 Polaris Parkway
Lunch Buffet
Monday to Friday
11:00 am to 2:00 pm
Saturday and Sunday
11:30 am to 3:00 pm
614.854.0775

Posted in CLOSED, Gastronomic Stimulus, restaurants | Tagged: Cumin | 1 Comment »

(The Magic of) Melt: The New Bomb Turkey & The Cleveland/Columbus Connection

Posted by CMH Gourmand on November 21, 2012

In this season of Thanksgiving, I give thanks to the fine city of Cleveland and the gifts it has given me over the years – friends and food. I was a late arrival at fandom for Melt, but when it hit, it hit big. I had my first Melt encounter in 2011 and so far every trip back has been an award winner. The two locations I sampled were equal in eating experience. That is no easy task.

Melt Bar & Grilled, in the simplest sense, comes down the a simple concept. People like bread and people like cheese and they want it grilled. Add in a beer, or two, or a gourmet pop and contentment can be had for less than $20. However, few places really make a grilled cheese that is memorable or craveable. Melt does deliver the goods and gets people to come back for more.

What is the magic formula the makes this place so universally loved and appealing? Clearly not just something but many things must click with the concept to attract the likes of Man vs. Food, Diners, Drive- In’s and Dives and CMH Gourmand.

The first Melt opened in Lakewood in 2006. Matt Fish, the chef/owner concocted a formula that taps into our distant memories of childhood, what we liked best about our early twenties and the character of Cleveland’s communities that Melt melts into. What Fish created was the type of bar he would want to go to – that had gourmet comfort food that was good, creative and fun.

Let’s start with the gourmet. The key to any good sandwich is the bread. Melt’s bread is made fresh daily. Other items made in-house include the dressings and soups. Bratwurst are sourced locally. Many of the monthly specials source from local purveyors and all can be transformed into vegan or vegetarian versions with no loss of flavor or hipness. The sandwiches themselves are portioned large with combinations ranging from creative, to envelope pushing and downright crazy. But maybe crazy like a fox, or Fish, as the case may be. Take the Parmageddon: 2 potato and cheese pierogi, napa vodka kraut, grilled onions and lots of cheddar cheese on thick Texas Toast style bread served with hand cut fries and house made sweet slaw. The price? – $10.50 American. That is a meal. The rest of the menu reads like this including items such as lasagna, mixed berry preserves, hand breaded eggplant, house made crab cakes and fried tofu.

Okay, to track back a bit, I guess I covered some of the creative part already but let’s look at the elements of the space that show the creativity component. The menu’s are presented on old LP album covers. The walls and pretty much everything is covered and coated in Cleveland paraphernalia, each monthly special seems to try to top the previous offering with a bold assortment of flavors that maybe should not go together….but do. Want to save 25% on your meals for life? Get a Melt Tattoo on your body to become a human marketing machine. Seem to gimmicky to you? It has worked on 400 plus people. Old (one might call them vintage) movies play in the background while local rock and sports memorabilia line the walls and bathroom stalls. There is a lot to eat at Melt and even more to look at.

Now, moving on to the fun aspect of the place. Every observation I have made in my visits and every review I have read has noted that the staff at Melt are friendly and seem to genuinely enjoy what they are doing and where they are working at. The servers are all able to express their individuality and many say they hang out at Melt in their off hours. There seems to be something infectious to the place that puts people on all sides of the house at ease.

Maybe one of the things that adds to the relaxed feel is the bar part of Bar & Grilled. Melt has a lot of beer. And as the Dining Duder said on one scouting trip “not only do they have a lot of beer, but it is all good beer”. The Dining Duder is not one to experience irrational exuberance over a comfort food restaurant beer list – his refined tastes ask more than that and he was not giving the compliment away. Fish started out with over 100 beers on his opening day menu and has added more over time. The beer list is a bit overwhelming but the depth is impressive. Many a local or regional brew is present as well as other harder to find microbrews from everywhere else.

The place(s) has character and seem to hire many characters to work in the business. Even though there are four locations, it does not feel like a restaurant empire, each place feels like a neighborhood hangout.

Do I like the place – well, of course I do, but I like it maybe a little more than I should, and I am Okay with that. Melt is the girlfriend that serves you her homemade meatballs not the one that tries to stop you from trying the Melt Challenge. Melt is a keeper.

But let’s finally stop beating around the bush and talk about the title of this piece and the first photo. What is the New Bomb Turkey? It is a sandwich offered every November as a toast to Thanksgiving and a tribute to the New Bomb Turks. Most of the members of the band hailed from Cleveland but the band formed in Columbus and still calls the home. I know this because I know them all and watched them rock out at Little Brothers and Beachland Ballroom. Matt Fish was in several bands in the Cleveland punk scene of the same era so the sandwich name and the music in the background are Fish’s hat tip to his roots and one of his inspirations.

How about another Columbus connection? Melt is coming to Columbus…..soon. Will the spirit and spunk of Cleveland be able to replicate itself in the capital city? I am not sure, but the New Bomb Turks survived the transition, maybe we will too.

Many of my readers are Cleveland transplants. A few (CLEGourmand fans) live in Cleveland. I encourage you to try a New Bomb Turkey while there is still time this season or make a commitment to do so went Melt opens in Columbus in 2013. Let me know what you think of the sandwich. And let me know if you believe Melt will melt the hearts of the capital city or have a meltdown. I know what I am hoping for and where I want that location to be.

Melt Bar & Grilled
(Four Locations, details below)
Website

Posted in CLEGourmand, restaurants, sandwiches | Tagged: CLEGourmand, Melt, New Bomb Turkey | Leave a Comment »

The Dine Originals Week Dare: (For November 12th to 18th)

Posted by CMH Gourmand on November 11, 2012

It is Dine Originals Week again. As you might know I have a tradition of going to Pistacia Vera to wrap up my Dine Originals Week. Unfortunately the sampler is not the feature this time but the Quiche and Coffee choices are still a great deal for $10. Another tradition for me (when possible) is the Deepwood Lunch menu if I can sneak downtown for an afternoon meal. Here is the menu for all of the Dine Originals Restaurants and what they have to offer for the week. Take a long look first before reading on.

Many of you have heard of Taco Bell’s 4th Meal, which is what the company terms late night eating. I might call this the duder dinner or Jill’s Meal Deal (Chili Dooog!!!!). Many of my more literate or nerdy readers may be familiar with the eating habit of Hobbits, which I have adopted. The concept of second breakfast is well-known to Lord of the Rings fans. Those of you who follow me on Twitter know from my recent adventure in Athens that I am an advocate of 4th Dinner (O’Betty’s, Casa Nueva, O’Betty’s Number Two, and then the wild card of Jackie O’s, Burrito Buggy, or Miller’s Chicken). Tolkein scholars will say that Hobbits eat six to seven meals per day. This is what I have found to be the Hobbit meal structure:

1st Breakfast
2nd Breakfast
Elevenses
Luncheon
Tea
Dinner
Supper

Okay, so having reviewed all of this information, tell (in the comments section) me how you would play out your seven meals in one day using the Dine Originals menu. The best answer wins a Dine Originals Gift Certificate. If they are all incredible answers (which is my expectation of my fans) then I will draw a winner at random. The challenge will run until November 18th. Good Luck. I can say that I did do three Dine Originals meals in a day during the premiere year and was a better person for it.

Update: The entries were drawn at random (although I did disqualify Chairman L for not following the Hobbit Model). The winner is J. Novak who will receive a Dine Originals Certificate.

Thank you to all to all that entered you really did a great job at picking out places.

Posted in Gastronomic Stimulus, restaurants | 6 Comments »

Susie’s Sub Shop….and The Sub-Dude Series

Posted by CMH Gourmand on October 21, 2012

March 2019 update: Susie’s has moved to-> 3739 Karl Rd, Columbus, OH 43224

Original Post below

Susie’s Sub shop is not in one of the showcase neighborhoods of Columbus. It is buried on Weber Road in an area that is lightly traveled other than by those that call the area home. The place came to my attention when an acquaintance who lives a block away said he had heard it was a great place but had not visited in the eight or more years he has lived near by. I did a few drive-bys and noticed a couple promising indicators: the sign says family owned since 1959 and I see cops eating there. These two elements combined mean the place is Old School in a good way.

I first time I tried out Susie’s was in the winter on the way home from a very long day at work. I called and asked a few questions about their subs. The guy on the phone told me I should start at the top and get a Big John. This is their standard traditional sub with smoked Italian Sausage piled on top.

When I arrived, the sub was still cooking and the place was dead so I had an opportunity to case out the vibe of the establishment. The decor is late 1960’s or early 1970’s. Neither the inside or the outside are distinguishing and might be described as a bit run down. There is nothing fancy about the place. There are two high serving counters, no one in a uniform and almost all the business is carry out. The guy behind the counter was friendly and happy to share some facts about the shop. Susie’s has not been in the same location since 1959 (it has that character) but the business has always been in the neighborhood. They use locally produced Auddino’s rolls and buns purchased fresh every day. They purchase the Italian sausage from a local company as well – it is a lot more expensive than the competitions but they continue to carry it because the customers love it so much.

What really struck a chord with me was the montage of hundreds of customer photos that permeate the place. You can see a lot of photos taken over time showing fans at different ages and seasons hugging employees. The community connection ad loyalty this little sub shop has is not what I would have expected to see from either side of the counter if I was just driving by.

On my first trip, I picked up a small pizza (good), a pasta dish (serviceable) and a Big John. The Big John is the epitome of what I want, need and expect in a classic cub. It is served on good, toasted bread which crunchy on the outside but still soft and chewy on the inside. The cost per portion size is a great value. The ingredients are well-distributed throughout the submarine. The meats and cheese are cooked just to the point before being overcooked. The ham salami and pepperoni have a great flavor and grilled appeal. The cheese is melted with some crunchy and charred sections clinging to the butt ends of the sub. The sausage is grilled, then placed on the sub and sliced in half. It is well spiced and seasoned. This is a manly meal.

I made subs at my first place of employment as a teenager. I had two years to experiment and play with subology so I have high standards. Susie’s Sub Shop meets and exceeds any standard I have so I am using this business to launch the Sub-Dude Series. In the past year, I decided that the sub of the common man deserved a reevaluation so I have tried to sample as many as I could think of in town. I found a few good ones, a few bad ones and one great one….which is at Susie’s Sub Shop. This is the standard by which all other subs will be held to as I write about some of the best ones over the next six to twelve months. This time you are starting at the end of the story with the results of my research instead of sharing the journey with me along the way.

Posted in restaurants, sandwiches, Sub Dude | Tagged: Susie's Sub Shop | 8 Comments »

« Previous Entries

Next Entries »

	Marines Michalowski on Spain Restaurant
	Steve on Columbus Pizza History: A Slic…
	Sharyn Smith Skelton on Columbus Pizza History: A Slic…
	Linda shaw on Ding Ho, Wor Sue Gai: Columbus…
	BoomerGenX on SKY Gourmand: The Cooker is Ba…
	Betty on R&M Bakery – Newark…
	scottalberts on Columbus Pizza History: A Slic…

CMH Gourmand – Eating in Columbus & Ohio

Dining, Donuts, Dives and Diatribes

Subscribe

Email Subscription

After Dinner Reading

Columbus Food Blogs

Recent Tweets

Recent Comments

Categories

Top Posts

Archives: August 2006 to Now