Here is the thing. A good number of people like Deepwood. Unfortunately it seems they never show up at the same time. Well… with the exception of my lunch this past Wednesday. I arrived during what may have been a (Columbus) Alive and Crave afternoon pow-wow / retreat. Other than us, Deepwood was Deadwood. Crickets. Tumbleweeds. Spagetti western music was faintly playing in my subconscious.
I would describe Deepwood as subdued. Unlike Cheers, where everyone knows your name when you walk in the door, at Deepwood, you will receive a pleasant, faint smile and nice service. Subdued. I like it. It aids the digestion. It is relaxing.
The is Dine Originals Restaurant Week, a time for many of our local independent restaurants to shine and show off the best they can do to lure in new customers and shake things up for loyal regulars. Looking for a deal of deals, the various $10 menus are what I target. My old standby was the Pistacia Vera sampler but that has been off the rotation for the last two cycles (Anne and Spencer….think about the children, they need more than Shirred eggs).
I have always sought out the value of the Deepwood lunch but unless you work downtown and actually know where Deepwood is (that was the quiz part of the post) this special experience is limited to a few. If you are reading this early Friday morning, you still have some time to call in sick and give this menu a shot. For the rest of you who can never have this experience, allow me to share.
Here is the menu for $10.
Your choice of any of our sodas
The Deepwood-Our version of the Classic & Colossal Dagwood
Meats, Cheeses and Condiments Layered between House-Made Pepper Jack Bread, House-Made Corned Beef, Tasso Ham and Mortadella Schmear, Roasted Turkey. House-Made Mozzarella, Smoked Gouda. Roasted Tomato, Pickled Peppers, Chef’s Garden Leaf Arugula, Mustard Aioli, Red Onion Jam, Fried Olive Skewer. House-Made Potato Chips
or
Tasting of Signature Petite Sandwiches
New England Lobster Roll with Hand Cut-Fries, House-Made Pastrami with Potato Chips, Lentil Patty with Deepwood Tavern Pickled Vegetables
and
Lemon Meringue Pie
At this point regular readers of CMH Gourmand know what happened. Fearing the Sophie’s Choice of having to decide between choices for this rare lunchtime visit, I played it safe and got both.
The Verdict? Reread the menu above. The size of the description matches the quality and satifisfaction of the Deepwood Dagwood. What a good sandwich! It was easily the winner of the two choices. Exceptional cuts of meat, good flavor. The chips were incredibly good with some house made ketchup I reallocated from the French Fries. Hard to see in the photograph but the mini battered and fried olives of the skewer were really well executed. I am sure they elicit a faint, subdued smile in the backroom. If you have to choose go with the Dagwood.
The Petite Sandwiches are worth the price. Chef Brian definitely had a fun time creating both offerings but I was not as emotionally satisfied after the signature sandwiches. I will state a case for the lentil burger patty sample as better than the hallowed Northstar Veggie burger patty. Really. Serious. The fries are pretty close to perfect. Keep frying Deepwood, you do it well.
As for the pie, if by pie, one means a mini biscuit sized puff of homemade goodness on a stick….OK, but let’s call this a pie pop on the next online menu.
If you feel a little cheated after reading this, knowing that you will not have such an experience for this Dine Originals Week, then I give you this task. Go to Deepwood this month and tell the staff you would like them to serve lunch on a Saturday for the next Dine Originals Week.
If you have missed out on Deepwood, give them a shot. The beer selection, house crafted cocktails and entrees are all well executed. Maybe those that are inclined, could give up not going to Deepwood for Lent.
CMH Gourmand - Eating in Columbus & Ohio 