Archive for the ‘Sub Dude’ Category

Sparanos: The Secret of San Margherita & Home of the Heavy Duty Pizza

Posted by CMH Gourmand on January 30, 2017

Until just a few months ago I had limited experience with Sparanos. I think I tried them once when they had a location in Grandview near the old location of Bono Pizza. I recall it being good but the service was apathetic at best. I may have tried a piece at a Pizza Grand Prix back in the day. So while I was aware of Sparanos my memories gave me no incentive to seek it out. I knew they once had a location on Hague Ave which another pizzeria took over but closed less than a year later. They seemed to have some history but I could not find out much about them.

A few months ago, I received a call from Smokehouse Brewing letting me know their power was out. Since I had a tour scheduled there in a few hours, this caused some significant trepidation. As I formulated some back up plans I called the guests only to find out one had a birthday that day and several were on the Interstate in the middle of a three-hour drive to get to Columbus just for the tour. The show MUST go on. I contacted Craig at Sideswipe Brewing to ask for a favor. Could he open an hour early for me and did he know a pizza place that delivered to his brewery. He had a few but mentioned that customers really seemed to like Sparanos. So that made my plan.

I called in the order, prepped my guide and joined to the group at Sideswipe to pay for the pizza and make sure all went well. While I did not have a chance to try the pizza it looked great. The guide said the group loved it and wanted more information on where they could find a location for more. This boded well so when I had a planned substitution for Smokehouse the following month, I decided to try the same plan again. However, my professional code of conduct dictated that I throughly sample Sparanos if I was going to intentionally feature them with Sideswipe.

On my first research mission, I had a hard time finding the Sparano’s. It is tucked in the middle of a bargain built retail strip with a bar on one side, a gaming store on the other and minimal signage. It would be easy to drive by and never know it was there.

I tried a Meatball Sub and a medium pizza with pepperoni. Both exceeded expectations. The meatball sub featured very good (fresh, flavorful, probably house made) meatballs, tasty sauce and a perfectly toasted and fresh bun. The pizza was well-balanced. What caught my attention was the crust. The dough was cooked just right in the base and had just enough crispness in the outer crust ring.

As I was waiting for the order above, I noticed the place was pretty spartan, five or six small two top tables lining the edge of the kitchen. The walls displayed multiple 1st, 2nd and 3rd place banners for wins at Slice of Columbus competitions spanning over ten years. So it seemed other people liked this place too.

A delivery for a side project took me back to the same part of town the next week so I figured I would give Sparano’s another try on the fly. I was in a rush so I ordered a Heavy Duty Pizza instead of a Heavy Meat Pizza. The Heavy Duty is pepperoni, sausage, ham, mushrooms, onion, green peppers, banana peppers and extra cheese. Sparano’s is pretty serious about the Heavy Duty, they trademarked the term. The Heavy Meat (what I meant to order) is Pepperoni, ham, ground beef, sausage and extra cheese. So the two are not that different unless you are me. I hate green peppers and onions and I hate them the most when they are on a pizza.

Having figured out my mess up after the pick up, I was mildly despondent. However, the sub I ordered cheered me up quickly. The Michael Angelo is Sparano’s special recipe sub and as my quick consumption confirmed it is also a work of art. I was not able to break the code of the special recipe but the sub had a great bun (once again), fresh ingredients and a lot of meat. Based on this one eating, I’m firmly convinced this sub is a firm tie for first with Susie’s Sub Shop as the best sub in town.

Now back to the Heavy Duty and the travails of my tasting preferences. I’m not sure how Sparano’s cooked the Heavy Duty but I suspect it is a two part process. It was incredibly easy for me to pick the onions and green peppers off of the pizza. They were barely integrated into the cheese, in most cases they just had a sear to them like something shish kabobed instead of the typical wilted vegetables that are so integrated into cheese that the cheese looses flavor as it merges withe the (wretched) flavor of green peppers and onions. Like playing doctor in the game operation I was able to remove the offending toppings with surgical precision and enjoy the my lightened version of the Heavy Duty. What really stood out to me among the remaining toppings was the sausage. It is perfectly cooked, neither over nor under done, had a balanced amount of spice and is loaded on in moderately bite sized pieces. I look forward to trying the Heavy Meat next time.

On my way home from the second trip I took a different way home. I noticed that Johnnie’s is almost right across the street from Sparano’s! And just over the train tracks and around the corner is Casa di Pizza. All three of these spots are located within a small section of town known as San Margherita. This area has a lot of history to offer and three great places to eat.

The proximity of these three businesses creates a great hobbit style triple lunch opportunity which in my case would be Sparano’s Michael Angelo sub with a 10 Inch Heavy Meat Pizza, a Johnnie’s Roast Beef sandwich and some ribs from Casa di Pizza all to consume at my leisure on top of Shrum Adena Mound. That would make for a great afternoon and a wonderful extended meal.

Posted in Best Pizza in Columbus, pizza, Sub Dude | Tagged: Home of the Heavy Duty, Secret of San Margherita, Sparanos, Sparanos Pizza | 3 Comments »

The Best Sub in Clintonville….is not at India Oak Bar and Grill

Posted by CMH Gourmand on March 26, 2015

Since my return to being a full-time Ville-Billy, I have heard mention that the best sub in Clintonville is ballyhooed as coming from the India Oak Bar and Grill. There may have been a time when I might have bought into that proclamation. I ate a lot of subs at the Oaks in the 1990’s but that was a different time with different owners. I’ve had the sub there recently, a couple of times in fact, and while it was respectable, I can’t pull out anything from my experiences that would suggest it would be the best. Granted there are not a lot of candidates for the title in Clintonville, but seeing as there are more than one to contend for the honor, I decided to revisit some places to see if my standards are flawed or if the bar had just become lower.

As many of you know, I’ve written about O’Reilly’s more than a few times and they have a very good sub. But I am an O’Reilly’s loyalist so my objectivity could be compromised. Therefore, it became critical to even out the field. I recruited Mrs. Gourmand who never lacks for an interest in a submarine sandwich. I asked her to join me to sample four other Clintonville (traditional) subs and she gladly accepted. She recently stated “I can never be a vegetarian” and has been observed eating more fruits and vegetables that is her norm. That combined with her state due to her pregnant nature, she has had a lot of hankerings for meats and bread. She was hungry for some subs. It also helps that she is Italian-American so she has plenty of experience in all things Italian and high expectations for sub consumption.

There are not many sub purveyors in Clintonville, but I did find four others that seemed worthy of consideration. I called in all of the orders and picked them up in the order of when orders were placed.

Patrick J’s – Indianola Italian Sub
Hot ham, hard salami, ham, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and banana peppers with Italian dressing. Served with a side of kettle chips and a pickle for $7.50.

Gatto’s Pizza – Italian Sub
Salami, pepperoni, ham, provolone, tomato, banana pepper and lettuce for $5.50.

Dante Pizza – Hot Sub
Cappacola, salami, pepperoni, lettuce, tomato, banana peppers with their special house made salad dressing for $6.25

Smith’s Deli – Super Sub
Ham, salami, pepperoni, provolone cheese, mozzarella cheese, Romano cheese, spices, lettuce, tomato, hot peppers, onions and dressing for $6.19. I oped for this over their Roman Sub which seemed light on the meat and cheese.

To maintain the highest level of objectivity – Mrs. Gourmand watched me unwrap the subs and cut each into pieces to be evaluated. All were still warm to the touch when delivered and were all picked up by me within 5 minutes of each other. I ate in a separate room, recording her observations as she shouted them out. I made my observations silently. These are our field notes from our submarine adventure.

Patrick J’s had the best presentation of all four subs. It was cut in half with great visuals and a big pile of chips with a pickle placed in the the center of the styrofoam carrier.

Gatto’s was clearly the best value of the pack. It was 69 cents less expensive than the second lowest priced sub and it was not smaller or less tasty than it’s peers.

Neither Mrs. Gourmand or I felt that our recollection of the India Oaks sub was clearly better than any of the four we tried in this tasting. Therefore their title of best sub in Clintonville is officially revoked.

We found all of the subs to be of good quality with none radically better that the other. With contention being very tight, my favorite sub was The Gatto’s Sub and my second favorite was Dantes. Mrs. Gourmand liked Smith’s sub more than the other three and she gave second place to Gattos.

These are our tasting notes. All of the buns appeared to be from Auddinos. All of the subs were baked in an oven and had a crusty, toasted texture. Smith’s was the most toasted and Patrick J’s was just lightly toasted. In the case of Patrick J’s the veggies were applied after cooking so they were not cooked with the other ingredients. That manner of vegetable placement is my preference going back to my sub making days at Knight’s Ice Cream. I also liked that the bun at Patrick J’s was not sliced all of the way through so it had a clam shell-like quality to it, which can help with consumption.

Patrick J’s was Mrs. Gourmand least favorite sub mainly due to the possible presence of mayo or a dressing she did not like and because the hot ham was too fatty for her liking.

We both liked Gatto’s sub because the bread had a garlic bread flavor and quality to it. I liked Dante’s because all of the meats had distinctly strong and fresh flavor to them – more that the other subs. Additional diagnosis determined that Mrs. Gourmand liked the Smith’s sub due to the extra cheese embedded throughout the sandwich. I found that I liked this sub as well.

All in all, we did not have a clear winner, but I think we have established that there are some great subs in Clintonville that are not at India Oaks. I was also happy that none of the subs sucked, they were all significantly above the average marker so that is a great benchmark to judge from.

Posted in Clintonville, culinary misadventure, Food For Thought, sandwiches, Sub Dude | Tagged: Dante's, Gattos Pizza, India Oak Bar, Patrick J's, Smiths Deli | 2 Comments »

O’Reilly’s Revisited Again: Daily Specials and Subs

Posted by CMH Gourmand on December 14, 2014

I’ve written about O’Reilly’s before to acclaim their burgers and heap on accolades about the wings. I also wrote about a Clintonville cocktail I tried to invent with some inspiration from O’Reilly’s and I’ve mentioned a few epiphanies that occurred in the booths there.

Although O’Reillys has been around just over thirty years and I’m a life long Clintonvillian I’m a late comer to the place, having only started visiting ten years ago. I found a post from 2011 where I mention an awareness of their daily specials but it has only been recently that I started to explore them. The daily specials are offered Labor Day through Memorial Day and are posted on a board weekly. The specials are offered Monday to Saturday and change each week. The only constant I have noticed so far is the presence of the two chili dogs and chips. This is offered one day each week with the day changing each week. Other specials I have seen, but not quite weekly include: stuffed green pepper soup, tuna noodle casserole, meatloaf with mashed potatoes and veggies (vegetables at O’Reilly’s are typically canned green beans or canned corn), Sloppy Joes, Meatball Sub and Chili Mac with a side salad and roll. There are other specials to choose from as well. All are priced well under $8.

During the summer the specials disappear but Tuna and Egg Salad return. I’m still deep in my investigation of the daily specials but initial research has been promising. Something not related to the food but equally important is the vibe. Enjoying one of these meals, especially at lunch time reminds of the community feeling that I experienced when Cindy King was still with us serving Chicken and Noodles, with a side of commentary and advice from behind the counter at Nancy’s. There are regulars that come to experience a “family” meal with the staff and other regulars. Many of the recipes at O’Reilly’s have a back story.

Many of the recipes are based on what was on the menu at placed called Tangos, which was popular in the 70’s/80’s, the recipe for tuna salad came from Cindy King’s mom, the “crack sauce” for the sweet potato fries was passed along by Tim Lessner from Tip Top Kitchen and Cocktails. Most of the staff has stories are well, many have been there for decades and many knew Marty, the owner, when then they were kids. There is a lot of history at O’Reilly’s and it is just not on the walls, it is in the relationships among those that work there.

There are two of the specials I’ve tried during my research to date, the first is meatloaf with mashed potatoes, corn and a roll.

The second special is chili macaroni with a salad and roll.

I’ve also branched out (a bit) on my exploration of the regular menu. The two most noteworthy items are the chicken tenders and the Italian Sub. The chicken tenders have never disappointed me. They are always substantial and while a choice of sauces are available, the best option is buffalo sauce paired with a side of blue cheese. As for the subs, Mrs. Gourmand fancies herself an expert on subs and this is one of her favorite in Columbus (the best for her so far seems to be at Thurman’s, while I’m still inclined towards Susie’s Sub Shop). The O’Reilly’s sub adheres to all of the rules for a good submarine sandwich: the bun is toasted, the meat is grilled, the ingredients are ample and there is just enough crunch to the bread and the cheese.

One final note, O’Reilly’s finally has a local craft beer on tap, Brass Knuckle Pale Ale from Four String Brewing. I’m looking forward to seeing more local beer on the draft menu there. As for what to do in between bites. The Galaga video game I mentioned in a previous post is gone but there is still plenty to entertain guests. There is always the option to people watch as well as a mix of board games and a few books including The Complete Irish Pub Cookbook. You won’t see any of those recipes on the menu but you will experience the feel of an Irish Pub at O’Reilly’s.

I hope that I have given you at least one reason, if not more to give O’Reilly’s a visit.

Posted in Clintonville, Sub Dude | Tagged: O'Reilly's | 3 Comments »

The Road Warrior: Angelo Signorino Jr. – Brewer, Biker, Beloved!

Posted by CMH Gourmand on February 21, 2014

I debated whether to write about Angelo. Not because he doesn’t deserve a wagonload of kudos but like, me, he’d rather stay out of the spotlight and the limelight and practice his craft quietly. I mean he does work underground for part of the week. A couple of things tipped the scale for me. First, I recently wrote about Dan Kraus from That Food Truck and in the process of that I decided to add a new occasional series with the category heading – Fooderhero. There are many people in our community that have been quietly growing and planting seeds of greatness and Angelo is definitely at the top of the list.

The other thing that guided my decision was a story that Angelo recently told. He rides his bike to work nearly everyday, even in the weather we have had this year. As he was sharing the story, he described how he had the snowy Olentangy bikeway to himself and while riding along appreciating solitude and scenery he saw a Blue Herron. He then observed, for some people having a moment like that would be the highlight of their day as they commute to a job they don’t love. However, Angelo does pedal to a job he loves and he engages in his craft with a passion that is infectious. Angelo bikes to Barley’s Ale House #1 a few days a week and to Barley’s Smokehouse and Brewpub a few other days per week. At each destination he creates exceptional beers served from towers, engines, casks, barrels and firkins.

Angelo serves as a role model in many things he does. He has biked to work for years, commuting by two wheels long before others considered making that type of commitment. As for brewing, he has engaged in that trade for over twenty years. And while the volume of award-winning beers he has helped craft are well worthy of the accolade of being a Fooderhero, what really tips the scale is all of the encouragement and support he gives the rest of the brewing community. I’ll provide a few examples. If you see a bike parked in front a brewery afterhours, there is a good chance Angelo is inside sampling a beer, buying a growler or sharing beercraft lore with someone. There is also a good chance he is laughing. In the not so distant past, he was en route to meet his wife for dinner and just before his destination, he noticed that the lights were on at Four String Brewing so he popped in to see how Dan Cochran was doing. At that time, Dan was working fulltime during the day and then fulltime at night brewing and growing his own business. Angelo, without a prompt, spent 30 or more minutes helping Dan mash (that is the pre beer mixture that requires a lot of intensive physical work) while he waited for his dinner to get plated. As a third and final (but a mere drop in the bucket for what Angelo has done in the craft community) example, as much as Angelo loves people, he (like me) is an introvert so spending time in the public eye on a brewing day is not the most energizing activity he could engage in. Yet he does it like a pro. For Columbus Brew Adventures, Angelo walks guests through the history of Barleys in the course of four beers. Each beer has a great story and Angelo is a master storyteller. Interspersed with the information is the most memorable, distinctive laugh I’ve ever heard. It is a laugh of pure joy, passion, inspiration and celebration. And by the second beer there is not a person in the room that does not love Angelo. I have listened to him speak about the beers Barley’s brews over twenty times and I could listen to the spiel another 200 more. Each time to shares his tales, I learn something new and I get the satisfaction of watching 14 people transformed from casual observers to passionate craft brewing evangelists in less than 30 minutes.

As if the above was not more than enough there are a few more things I would like to share. Angelo started in beercraft as a part-time worker at the Winemakers Shop, which inspired two generations of home brewers and more than a handful of the brewers in practice at breweries around town today. Angelo is a lover of food and a long time supporter of the local restaurant scene, but it is in the arena of Food Trucks that he has excelled as a supporter. You are as likely to see his bike parked at a food truck as at a brewery and he offers the same infectious support to these new businesses as he does to every brewer he crosses paths with.

So as a tip of the hat to Angelo, I am only showing his bike in the post, instead of one of my many photos of him in action so he can stay under the radar. Cheers!

Posted in beer, beverages, culinary knowledge, FooderHero, Sub Dude | Tagged: Angelo Signorino Jr | 3 Comments »

Back to Kuhlwein’s for a Sub

Posted by CMH Gourmand on December 25, 2013

In the summer I wrote about my trip to Kuhlwein’s in Hilliard in search of their spectacular sub sandwich I had heard so much about. I vowed I would head back to try it sometime and I did have a chance to do so last week. Looking at their deli counter, I was convinced I had missed out again but I was happy to discover that they had plenty of ingredients in the back room to make one for me. As part of the occasional Sub Dude series I feel a duty to find the best sub in town. So far I think Susie’s Sub Shop and Neighbors Deli are in the lead but Kuhlwein’s is in the running for top 5.

So let’s break down a few of the basics of a good sub first. As important as what is in between the bun is the bun itself. Good bread is the foundation for a great sandwich. For a hot sub, the key is to toast the bread just enough that it is crunchy but not too hard. If cheese is a component, I prefer that is cooked just enough to burn a bit on the edge of the bun so you can taste the burnt cheese and still enjoy the gooey melted mass in the middle.

Kuhlwein’s meets these criteria when they craft a sub. So what else do they do well? The ingredients are (mostly) fresh. The only disappointing part of the sub is the lettuce. Kuhlwein’s gets the most out of their product by shredding it finely to extend the life of the lettuce. This adds bulk to the sub but no flavor. I would say this is neither a plus or a minus just a break even.

The meats are freshly cut and each sub is made to order. Perhaps most importantly, the sub makers practice an art that I learned long ago at my first job. When making a sub, you want to heat the bun, meat and cheese, but let some of the ingredients stay cold – such as the sauces, tomato, onion, and etc. Kuhlwein’s does a fine job of balancing the yin and yang of hot and cold on their sub. I also like the combination of mayonnaise and house dressing on the sub. Another addition is a very non traditional sprinkling of black olives.

And Kuhlwein’s is still one of a handful of places that carry Jami’s Cheesecakes – which is always a welcome dessert option.

Posted in Sub Dude | Leave a Comment »

Kuhlwein’s Farm Market and & Deli

Posted by CMH Gourmand on July 30, 2013

As some of you know, I have often said that there are only two reasons to go to Hilliard: Starliner Diner and Olive Tree. I have now added a third – Kuhlweins. I went there in search of two items. Jami’s Cheesecake and the Kulhwein’s Sub. I was only able to get one, we will get to that in bit.

Kuhlwein’s has evolved from a farm stand to an almost-suburban farmers market destination. The market is located next to some of its fresh produce, in particular, farm fresh corn. Visitors have come to that for years. The recently expanded their deli and it’s offerings to include a wider range of sandwiches and lunch meats. My goad was the Italian sub, but they were out of subs. How could this be? Well it seems that they serve the sub with a special multi-herb and seasoned Italian dressing that uncle Kuhlwein has crafted about 6 months ago (according to his nephew). This is liberally doused onto an Auddinos (home of the cronut) sub bun then piled high with freshly sliced deli meats, fresh lettuce and tomatoes then topped with mix of mozzarella and provolone cheeses which melts while the bun is toasted. They start making them fresh daily at 11:00 am.

Sounds like the perfect sandwich right? Well, as it goes, it may be. However, I did not eat it. They generally run out of sauce and ingredients early in the day so it is suggested that you order ahead. I was told they would make more sauce but they have two people picking corn full-time right now and if they had enough people they would have two more out there. So no extra hands to increase sauce production. The sandwich was described to me by a combination of employees and nearby customers – they all love the sub and say they have sworn off all other subs.

I’ll be back for that sub.

Also at Kuhlwein’s are large scoops of ice cream, a lot of produce. homemade baked goods from many nearby bakers, canned and pickles vegetables, groceries, a lot of corn, on the day I arrived a sign for free rabbits and much more.

I did find Jami’s Cheesecake – there were a few left. I sampled the Oreo. It was exquisite. Dense, moist, fresh, with a very tasty crust. Every rating area on my cheesecake index scored in the 10 out of 10 level. Thank goodness they had the cheesecake. And thank you Jami – whoever you are, you make a great product.

When I have the sub sandwich, I am sure I will tweet about it and hope to write about it too.

1859 Walker Rd
Hilliard
614 876-2833
Kuhlweins.com

Posted in bakery, culinary misadventure, desserts, pies, Road Trip, sandwiches, Sub Dude | 4 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 »

Quick Byte: Indochine Cafe, Banh Mi

Posted by CMH Gourmand on September 23, 2012

There is a lot to write about Indochine but today the topic is the staple sandwich of Vietnam, the Banh Mi. As presented and prepared at Indochine, I might refer to it as the Asian Value meal. I have tried most of the Banh Mi’s in town and by volume of consumption alone, I might lean towards the Mi Li Cafe Version. But after additional reflection, testing and retesting, I give the edge to Indochine. My scientific equation goes something like this: size of sandwich + value of pricing + helpfulness of the staff + an Andes Mint with the tab = The Banh Mi winner.

Ultimately, the key to a great sandwich and in particular, the Banh Mi, is the bread. The authentic version of this sandwich features a baguette – a French style torpedo roll. Not all baguettes are created and baked equally. I tried to pull out the source of Indochine’s bread from the owner on several occasions but she was on to me in a second and became evasive in a friendly way. Their baguette is big, chewy, dense, crunchy and crusty concurrently. Several versions of the sandwich are served with a variety of meats – I have tried all versions and found them delightful but the best of the bunch is the traditional sandwich with pork.

I have looked at the rest of the menu but paid no heed to it. I would assume that it is good and reviews of Yelp and other sites would confirm my hunch. I can say that my observations include a staff that has a hard-core group of regulars they know by name and order. The cuisine is focused on Vietnam with a few Laotian items creeping in. I mentioned the Andes mint earlier – each person gets one with their bill, in my book, three cents of good will goes a long way. The location is in a former fast food franchise building repurposed into a bastion of diversity on the east side of central Ohio. Go for the Banh Mi – it will fill you up then order something to go so you can be more diverse than me.

Indochine
561 South Hamilton Road
Whitehall
614.231.7357

Posted in sandwiches, Sub Dude | Tagged: Indochine Cafe | Leave a Comment »

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