August 25, 2013
Northstar is just one of those go-to places that I find myself back at every few weeks. Partly that's because it's so close, partly because the food is so good, and partly because it's largely locally-sourced and organic. http://www.thenorthstarcafe.com/
My complaints? The cost, which is roughly double for everything on the menu from 8 years ago when they opened. I don't think the cost of inflation can justify that. And I realize this might be controversial, but more and more places now are putting a tip line on the receipt when you order at the counter. This is particulary maddening at Northstar, where since they opened they have crowed that there is no reason to tip--"there just isn't". So, what's changed? Yes, they bring it to your table and yes, they're always pleasant, even downright friendly. But really? Why has this just started at all the order-at-the-counter locales? I have a bigger beef (yes, ironic since I'm a vegetarian) with the tip thing at Jeni's. Don't get me wrong. I love Jeni's. But come on, the size of the scoops has halved in size in the past five years and the cost has increased by about a dollar a scoop. What am I tipping you for? Doing your job, which is serving ice cream? What gives? Okay back to my complaints about Northstar: the crowds, which are good for business, but bad for the diner looking for a seat. I had hoped to snag a patio table, but arriving after noon on a Sunday, I was pretty assured that was not going to happen.
That said, the food rocks. The fresh-squeezed orange juice is amazing. I was in Florida for a week years ago and never did find fresh-squeezed. Ironic. The simple salad is always tasty and satisfying. It's fresh and just enough. Northstar, while not exactly experimental in their variety, at least does what they do well. And the roasted yukon potatoes with rosemary were tasty and filling; just the right start to a beautiful Sunday off in Columbus.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Seventh Son Brewing Co.
August 25, 2013
Summer, the time to hang out on patios as much as possible and soak up the atmosphere, and maybe some alcohol while you're at it. Thus did I find myself at Seventh Son http://seventhsonbrewing.com/ a few nights ago with my prime drinking buddies. Those of you who know me know I'm not exactly the Iron John kind of guy who goes out with other men and howls in the woods, but I will say this was a high-octane affair. I mean the alcohol, of course.
We met up at the corner of Fourth Ave. and Fourth St., a kind of new hub of hip activity. The converted garage comes complete with roll-up doors, revealing a massive concrete bar and pleasant, cool servers. There was no food on premises, but a food truck sat dutifully nearby.
I started with the Rabbit something (hey, I was drinking and it just says Rabbit on the receipt) Farmhouse Ale and it was a pleasing Belgian-style beer with a nice ruddy amber color. Nice balance of hops and mellow. This was a 5% beer, so nothing too potent, but nice for a beautiful Sunday evening out with the guys.
Next came the Oubliette, which I must say earns its name. For those French-challenged out there, this comes from a word meaning "to forget" which is quite a-propos (yes, that's French too) considering the 10.2% whopping effect of this darker, richer, very tasty quaff. And to make this even more interesting, an oubliette was a medieval dungeon with only an opening in the roof. Get it? Those French connigits (I mean knights) throw you in and forget about you. This was a much more pleasant experience.
We ate on the patio at narrow picnic-type tables and had a fine evening of it. Ah, camaraderie (French) and beer! Bien sur!
Summer, the time to hang out on patios as much as possible and soak up the atmosphere, and maybe some alcohol while you're at it. Thus did I find myself at Seventh Son http://seventhsonbrewing.com/ a few nights ago with my prime drinking buddies. Those of you who know me know I'm not exactly the Iron John kind of guy who goes out with other men and howls in the woods, but I will say this was a high-octane affair. I mean the alcohol, of course.
We met up at the corner of Fourth Ave. and Fourth St., a kind of new hub of hip activity. The converted garage comes complete with roll-up doors, revealing a massive concrete bar and pleasant, cool servers. There was no food on premises, but a food truck sat dutifully nearby.
I started with the Rabbit something (hey, I was drinking and it just says Rabbit on the receipt) Farmhouse Ale and it was a pleasing Belgian-style beer with a nice ruddy amber color. Nice balance of hops and mellow. This was a 5% beer, so nothing too potent, but nice for a beautiful Sunday evening out with the guys.
Next came the Oubliette, which I must say earns its name. For those French-challenged out there, this comes from a word meaning "to forget" which is quite a-propos (yes, that's French too) considering the 10.2% whopping effect of this darker, richer, very tasty quaff. And to make this even more interesting, an oubliette was a medieval dungeon with only an opening in the roof. Get it? Those French connigits (I mean knights) throw you in and forget about you. This was a much more pleasant experience.
We ate on the patio at narrow picnic-type tables and had a fine evening of it. Ah, camaraderie (French) and beer! Bien sur!
Alana's
Thursday, August 29, 2013
8/23/13
Ah, Alana's! She is always known for her local, natural, individual approach to fine dining in a relaxed atmosphere. I managed to get a prime porch seat with my date under a fern after the heat of the day had cooled to a comfortable temp with a nice breeze.
We were treated to a vegan amuse bouche that was simple and tasty, but technically required more than one bite. I'm not complaining, though.
I was quite disappointed to learn from our pleasant server that Alana would not under any circumstances alter her famous Tomato Stack to be vegetarian. Taking out the crab meat seems like a no-brainer, but I have unfortunately found in the past that, though Alana's claims to be flexible for vegetarians, the reality is actually quite far from that.
We ordered the savory martinis, apparently all the rage now, but when they came we were underwhelmed with both their weak flavor and weak alcohol. My Tomato Martini with basil was just bland, both flavor-wise and in its potency. Same for my partner's Cucumber Martini. Honestly, Jeni's cucumber water has more cucumber essence than this. And at $9 apiece, they were very disappointing.
Next came the soups. My Tomato Soup was fine...fresh, tomatoey, and tasty enough, but it didn't knock my socks off. It included a few croutons. My partner's Chicken Soup was by all accounts also fine.
When our main dishes came, she enjoyed her Risotto du jour, and I was treated to a very fresh Simple Salad. It was a bit too simple for my taste, however. The greens tasted freshly-picked, so kudos there. But the dressing was nearly nonexistent and consequently lacking in much-desired flavor. There was also some shaved parmesan, so that helped some.
I ordered the bread, something which used to be free, but is now $2. It was tasty and fresh, but nothing to write home about.
None of the desserts appealed, but after-dinner drinks sounded good, so we imbibed. My date's Irish coffee was apparently drinkable, but lacked whipped cream. I believe that is a required ingredient of Irish coffee. And my True Spirit, mixing many liqueurs with coffee, was potent, but surprised me with its coffee, which was not clear from the menu.
Overall, a much more enjoyable evening meal on the patio for the company than the food and drink, but it will not prevent return attempts.
http://alanas.com/
Ah, Alana's! She is always known for her local, natural, individual approach to fine dining in a relaxed atmosphere. I managed to get a prime porch seat with my date under a fern after the heat of the day had cooled to a comfortable temp with a nice breeze.
We were treated to a vegan amuse bouche that was simple and tasty, but technically required more than one bite. I'm not complaining, though.
I was quite disappointed to learn from our pleasant server that Alana would not under any circumstances alter her famous Tomato Stack to be vegetarian. Taking out the crab meat seems like a no-brainer, but I have unfortunately found in the past that, though Alana's claims to be flexible for vegetarians, the reality is actually quite far from that.
We ordered the savory martinis, apparently all the rage now, but when they came we were underwhelmed with both their weak flavor and weak alcohol. My Tomato Martini with basil was just bland, both flavor-wise and in its potency. Same for my partner's Cucumber Martini. Honestly, Jeni's cucumber water has more cucumber essence than this. And at $9 apiece, they were very disappointing.
Next came the soups. My Tomato Soup was fine...fresh, tomatoey, and tasty enough, but it didn't knock my socks off. It included a few croutons. My partner's Chicken Soup was by all accounts also fine.
When our main dishes came, she enjoyed her Risotto du jour, and I was treated to a very fresh Simple Salad. It was a bit too simple for my taste, however. The greens tasted freshly-picked, so kudos there. But the dressing was nearly nonexistent and consequently lacking in much-desired flavor. There was also some shaved parmesan, so that helped some.
I ordered the bread, something which used to be free, but is now $2. It was tasty and fresh, but nothing to write home about.
None of the desserts appealed, but after-dinner drinks sounded good, so we imbibed. My date's Irish coffee was apparently drinkable, but lacked whipped cream. I believe that is a required ingredient of Irish coffee. And my True Spirit, mixing many liqueurs with coffee, was potent, but surprised me with its coffee, which was not clear from the menu.
Overall, a much more enjoyable evening meal on the patio for the company than the food and drink, but it will not prevent return attempts.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Hoggy's
Yeah, I know, you don't expect to see Hoggy's in something called Dandy's Green Scene, but I have to say, for comfort food later on a cool Friday rainy evening, it was a nice respite. We walked in to the location at Dublin and sat down to what we have come to enjoy every now and then. We got two Elevator Nut Brown Ales to start with, which seemed like a good way to start the meal and the weekend.
Candy ordered the sirloin, and while she said it was fine, she may have been spoiled by Rigsby's a couple weeks ago. A side salad with iceberg and some greens accompanied for a little extra.
I got the sides as I always do, and they are really quite good. The Mac-N-Cheese is cheesy, thick, filling, and tasty with both ziti and macaroni elbows. The Mashed Potatoes with skin on and made with cream cheese are likewise tasty, filling, and creamy. And for a little balance, the asparagus was moderately fresh, with candied almonds and flavorfully grilled.
We drove home filled and warmed on a drizzly night.
Candy ordered the sirloin, and while she said it was fine, she may have been spoiled by Rigsby's a couple weeks ago. A side salad with iceberg and some greens accompanied for a little extra.
I got the sides as I always do, and they are really quite good. The Mac-N-Cheese is cheesy, thick, filling, and tasty with both ziti and macaroni elbows. The Mashed Potatoes with skin on and made with cream cheese are likewise tasty, filling, and creamy. And for a little balance, the asparagus was moderately fresh, with candied almonds and flavorfully grilled.
We drove home filled and warmed on a drizzly night.
Mellow Mushroom
I have to say, these guys do this right. Candy, Tom and I headed there last week for some pizza, and they delivered! (I mean, on the quality, not to our door) We walked in the location in Dublin near Sawmill and were greeted by the warm smell of pizza.
Candy got a Breckenridge Vanilla Porter, very mellow and rich, and I got the Magic Hat #9 Apricot cider, which was very refreshing and crisp. Tom's bottomless lemonade was a good deal, which he appreciated.
I won't comment on his Might Meaty Pizza, or Candy's Philosopher Pizza, but my Kosmic Karma Pizza was really tasty and filling. Here's how they describe it: "red sauce base with mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, feta, romas, and a pesto swirl" Yum! The only thing missing were kalamata olives, which I added for a little extra. The crust was chewy and dry, and everything went well together.
Even though it was just 10", it was so well-topped that it was more than I wanted to eat at one sitting, and we all took leftovers home. Great casual place for the whole family with great pizza!
Candy got a Breckenridge Vanilla Porter, very mellow and rich, and I got the Magic Hat #9 Apricot cider, which was very refreshing and crisp. Tom's bottomless lemonade was a good deal, which he appreciated.
I won't comment on his Might Meaty Pizza, or Candy's Philosopher Pizza, but my Kosmic Karma Pizza was really tasty and filling. Here's how they describe it: "red sauce base with mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, feta, romas, and a pesto swirl" Yum! The only thing missing were kalamata olives, which I added for a little extra. The crust was chewy and dry, and everything went well together.
Even though it was just 10", it was so well-topped that it was more than I wanted to eat at one sitting, and we all took leftovers home. Great casual place for the whole family with great pizza!
Betty's
Ah, Betty's! We have had many good, and often late, meals there over the years. Always good for that go-to neighborhood hangout. We dropped in Easter Sunday, knowing they'd be there for us. The dark interior, surrounded by vintage risque prints, is always well-filled.
Our experience this time around was a bit below normal, but I can't count off too much for that. Service was good, as always.
Candy got the Pesto Potato soup of the day, which was hearty enough with potato pieces and fairly tasty, but light on the pesto. The Tuscan Tomato was likewise hearty with chunks of tomato and veggies, but a bit acidic to my stomach that day.
I believe Candy's Veggie Burrito with black bean hummus was fine, but I will let her comment on that, if she cares.
My Grilled Tofu Steak was a disappointment. At $11 and a description like this: "Marinated slices of tofu steak topped with a tangy onion sauce made with tomato, cilantro, garlic and curry" you would expect big taste and big slabs of tofu. Unfortunately, three smallish pieces of average tofu greeted me covered with bland sauteed onions. The black beans were likewise bland and as much as I like broccoli, served plain with the other relative tastelessness, this dish left me wanting something really flavorful. I realize this was a vegan meal, but Candy mercifully offered to give me some of her broccoli with cheese sauce, and that helped greatly.
We left a little underwhelmed, but we'll be back because we love Betty's and all the Betty's incarnations.
Our experience this time around was a bit below normal, but I can't count off too much for that. Service was good, as always.
Candy got the Pesto Potato soup of the day, which was hearty enough with potato pieces and fairly tasty, but light on the pesto. The Tuscan Tomato was likewise hearty with chunks of tomato and veggies, but a bit acidic to my stomach that day.
I believe Candy's Veggie Burrito with black bean hummus was fine, but I will let her comment on that, if she cares.
My Grilled Tofu Steak was a disappointment. At $11 and a description like this: "Marinated slices of tofu steak topped with a tangy onion sauce made with tomato, cilantro, garlic and curry" you would expect big taste and big slabs of tofu. Unfortunately, three smallish pieces of average tofu greeted me covered with bland sauteed onions. The black beans were likewise bland and as much as I like broccoli, served plain with the other relative tastelessness, this dish left me wanting something really flavorful. I realize this was a vegan meal, but Candy mercifully offered to give me some of her broccoli with cheese sauce, and that helped greatly.
We left a little underwhelmed, but we'll be back because we love Betty's and all the Betty's incarnations.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
G. Michael's
We've been talking about going to G. Michael's in German Village for years. After finally going last night, we're kicking ourselves for not going sooner. Everything was top-notch, from the food to the service to the atmosphere. And though it's upscale, the portions were very generous.
For those who've not had the pleasure of supping at G.Mike's, let me describe the ambience: Imagine your favorite neighborhood bar. Now imagine a conservatory, filled with windows and light. Now imagine a romantic alcove with dimmed lights and Rosemary Clooney on the stereo. All three of these environments are found at this charming establishment, believe it or not! While we dined in the plush and secluded back room, I'm looking forward to checking out the other vistas as well. Great atmosphere and fantastic flavor profiles orchestrated by Executive Chef (and fellow Miami grad) David Tetzloff equal a new favorite dining destination. :-)
We started with soup. I chanced the chilled cucumber soup and found it delicious. There was a dollop of creme, a hint of garlic, and it was all fresh.
There was only one vegetarian entree on the menu, and my only suggestion would be that they consider adding more. What I had was very tasty: Spinach-stuffed Portobello Mushroom with roasted garlic grits and sundried tomato cream sauce. The texture was good, the flavor not too mushroomy and the grits and flavorful sauce balanced the sizable amount of tasty spinach.
I chose one of the specials: venison scallopine, resting on a hash of purple potatoes, squash and peppers. The cutlets were tender and complimented by the goat cheese and herb spread that capped the plate. Not vegetarian, to be sure, but an excellent choice for a carnivore not afraid to commune with plant-based yumminess. I assure you that Bambi did not die in vain. ;-)
For those who've not had the pleasure of supping at G.Mike's, let me describe the ambience: Imagine your favorite neighborhood bar. Now imagine a conservatory, filled with windows and light. Now imagine a romantic alcove with dimmed lights and Rosemary Clooney on the stereo. All three of these environments are found at this charming establishment, believe it or not! While we dined in the plush and secluded back room, I'm looking forward to checking out the other vistas as well. Great atmosphere and fantastic flavor profiles orchestrated by Executive Chef (and fellow Miami grad) David Tetzloff equal a new favorite dining destination. :-)
We started with soup. I chanced the chilled cucumber soup and found it delicious. There was a dollop of creme, a hint of garlic, and it was all fresh.
Knowing that the chef has an affinity for Southern cuisine, I couldn't resist good old ham 'n bean soup. Made with country ham and including swiss chard in a tomato base, it packed a flavorful wallop and more than a little heat. This ain't your mama's bean soup, let me tell ya!
Salads next. I had the Spinach Salad with red onion, chevre, and fried sunchokes with lemon-poppy dressing. The healthy-sized plate was well worth the price and the fresh spinach went perfectly with the ultra-creamy chevre. The fried sunchoke was a nice surprise, adding a flavorful crispy topping reminiscent of leeks. And the dressing complemented the rest nicely.
Ah, if only all house salads were as complex as G. Michael's! The greens were deep, dark and lovely. Topped with tangy poached pear slices, spiced pecans and a generous sprinkling of gorgonzola (for an extra $1.00), it was nearly a meal unto itself. Bonus points for a light hand with the creamy gorgonzola dressing.
There was only one vegetarian entree on the menu, and my only suggestion would be that they consider adding more. What I had was very tasty: Spinach-stuffed Portobello Mushroom with roasted garlic grits and sundried tomato cream sauce. The texture was good, the flavor not too mushroomy and the grits and flavorful sauce balanced the sizable amount of tasty spinach.
I chose one of the specials: venison scallopine, resting on a hash of purple potatoes, squash and peppers. The cutlets were tender and complimented by the goat cheese and herb spread that capped the plate. Not vegetarian, to be sure, but an excellent choice for a carnivore not afraid to commune with plant-based yumminess. I assure you that Bambi did not die in vain. ;-)
And finally, the piece de resistance, which we didn't even try to resist: the coffee cheesecake. Creamy cheesecake drizzled with Irish coffee sauce, topped with mascarpone whipped cream, on a graham cracker crust, accompanied by fresh red raspberries and blueberries. It's one of those delights that never stops delivering the flavor, from the first bite to the last.
Umm...what he said. It rocked! For those leery of an overpowering coffee flavor (think: amateur attempts at tiramisu), there's no need to worry. Perfectly balanced flavors have allowed this dish to edge to the top of my favorite desserts EVER list.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)