Jason's of Dublin

Venturing out to Dublin on a cold Thursday, Dandy was treated to a fine experience.

She says: We were seated promptly in the front dining room, but were not approached by a server right away. Although I feared this would set the tone for the evening, Shawn happily proved me wrong once he greeted us. He was attentive, personable and willing to go the extra mile for his customers.

I selected the Parker Station pinot noir for my evening's libation, an acceptable (if not outstanding) choice. I adored the lobster bisque, which was expertly seasoned and accented with creme fraiche. Accompanying this delightful introduction to Jason's cuisine was warm foccacia, dusted with flour and served with tomato-infused olive oil. I also enjoyed the strawberry pecan salad, but found it a bit heavy on the "sweet" side. The combination of strawberries (surprisingly fresh for wintry Ohio), candied pecans, and sweet and sour vinaigrette dominated the greens, even when combined with robust Gorgonzola cheese.

I could easily have limited my meal to the above selections, as the portions were generously sized, but I decided to avail myself of the daily risotto selection, shrimp risotto. While a bit under-seasoned (dare I say, bland?), it was texturally pleasing. The shrimp were well-cooked and imparted some much needed flavor to the dish. Being a risotto fan, I look forward to future visits and different specials. On an environmental note, it was fortunate that we brought our own containers, as the restaurant provided the dreaded clamshells for guests with leftovers.

We concluded with the creme brulee, nicely browned and garnished with shortbread and berries. All in all, a delightful experience!

He says: To start I chose the Cotes de Rhone Guigal, a nice complex red. The menu did not look promising for vegetarians, but tofu was listed under Asian Fare as a substitution (not prominently labeled). Upon asking I was told they could be flexible with certain dishes, especially the daily risotto. The black bean soup was unfortunately not vegetarian. The house salad was mesclun greens, fresh roma tomato, cucumber, sunflower seeds, strong gorgonzola, green pepper, and red onion with Italian dressin: quite good. The fresh foccaccia rolls were soft, warm and tasty, with a very flavorful herb/tomato extra virgin olive oil. I asked to substitute spinach for shrimp in the Pasta Diavolo, and our server offered to add broccoli and snow peas. It was delicious: tightly-spiralled gemelli pasta with a zesty tomato cream sauce, red peppers, scallions, pine nuts and parmesan cheese. Creme brulee was our dessert, with nice crusty brown top, creamy inside. It was accented with a shortbread cookie, blueberries and strawberries. The hardwood floors, stained glass and funky-chic decor were pleasant, with paper-over-cloth tablecloths, and comfortable chairs. A very nice dining experience!

Max & Erma's brunch

Dandy ventured out to Max & Erma's on Henderson Rd. on Sunday to partake of the brunch.





He says: We were promptly seated in a dimly lit area decorated with vintage posters and paraphernalia and then climbed the steps to the food area. Arrayed before us was a wide variety of choices, only some of which were veggie options. This was not targeted at vegetarians. I started with the flavored fried potato sticks, cheesy potatoes, self-made croissant sandwich with cheese (watch the slices of meat adjoining!), lettuce and tomato, creamy coleslaw, tomato cucumber salad with thick Italianate dressing, and creamy mildly chocolate hot chocolate (free refills, but drinks not included in the brunch price). I continued with baked ziti, waffles topped with chocolate sauce, whipped cream, chocolate chips and strawberry sauce, ending with a layered chocolate mousse in a champagne flute. In general the food was fine but lukewarm. From a veggie standpoint, there was enough to eat, but not a whole lot of variety and what was there was fine but not hot enough. From a value standpoint, it was pretty pricey compared with other buffets I've been to.

She says: Folks, buffets of this nature are all about quantity, not quality. With that in mind, Max and Erma's puts on a decent spread. There are plenty of options, especially for carnivores, and it's all-you-can-eat. If that's what you're looking for, then that's what you'll get. What you'll give up, unfortunately, is flavorful food served at an appropriate temperature.

There were a few bright spots. The fruit I selected (canteloupe and pineapple) was relatively fresh for mid-winter Columbus. Max's potatoes offered an upgrade on the ubiquitous hash browns by including a cheesy sauce flavored with onion; the benefits were offset, however, by the lukewarm temperature. The best dish by far? The previously mentioned chocolate mousse, with a crunchy wafer layer in the middle. Attractively presented and gratefully enjoyed by this diner.

Barley's

Saturday evening Dandy walked down to the friendly neighborhood microbrewpub and had themselves a swell feast.

He says: Sitting in the booths across from the bar so as to avoid the deafening din of the back room, we could actually hear each other. We ordered two pints of the wonderful MacLenny's Scottish ale and perused the menu. The award-winning beer features a carmelized malt which gives it a warm butterscotch/toffee taste, balanced with a hint of hops. It goes down smooth, let me tell you. I never liked beer before I tried this, and it never disappoints. The Pile High Nachos did not disappoint either: red and yellow crispy tortilla chips topped with white and yellow cheese (pepperjack and cheddar?), black beans, tomatoes, scallions, and jalapenos with sides of sour cream and salsa. I was diappointed by the absence of black olives, which used to be included, but my better half did not mind this. I also got the nice-sized "small" Greek Salad which included fresh mixed greens, generous feta cheese, roasted red peppers, kalamata olives, pepperoncini, red onions and a side of tzatziki sauce. The salad had no other dressing, so the garlicky yogurt sauce was a must. We finished off with a New York Creme Brulee Cheesecake with strawberry topping, whipped cream and cocoa powder. It was creamy and good, but not strong on the carmelized sugar taste. It did have bits of vanilla bean, but was a bit pricey for the size. From a green perspective, points off for plastic containers for the salsa, sour cream, tzatziki and cheese for my date's chili. The service was good, however, and the seats comfortable. We'll definitely be back!


She says: Unlike Dan, I have liked beer for a long, LONG time; like Dan, however, I agree that the Scottish ale is an exceptional brew. In fact, I may go so far as to say that it is my favorite beer of all time (except for the delicious Barley Wine produced by Meister Eckhart, also featured at Barley's during the previous year). I also enjoyed sharing the nachos, although I underestimated the amount relative to my hunger. Be consoled with the certainty that these bar munchies taste just as good following a quick warm-up in a toaster oven.



I decided to keep warm with a bowl of the Pale Ale chili in addition to the nachos. The chili seemed to fall prey to a common trap of spicy foods - it sacrificed nuanced flavors for "heat", most likely generated by an overabundance of chili powder. The chunks of ground beef were a little large for my preference, and I could not discern any undertones of the advertised Pale Ale. The addition of shredded cheese did improve the taste for this reader, but oh, how I enjoy a dish that doesn't require any additional accoutrements. Also, the soup came with 3 unrequested packages of saltines, which seems an unnecessary addition, not to mention a little "diner-esque". Lest anyone think I am against greasy spoons, I am emphatically a fan of these establishments...I just don't expect their unique charms to pop up in a microbrewery.

Chile Verde - 1/2/09

After a last minute change of plans due to the gall of the Gauls (closed on January 2 -hmmph! - who does La Chatelaine think it is? The Library?), Dandy ended up at the tucked away Tex-Mex treasure that is Chile Verde.

He says: Last night my better half and I fell into Chile Verde after finding favorite La Chatelaine closed for the holidays. It was a good choice, and we had good meals. We both started with the house gold margarita, blended with triple sec, on the rocks. They were tasty, sweet and potent, just like my date. I was glad to see the menu included a note encouraging diners to tell their server if there are dietary preferences, including allergies and vegetarianism. Also, the side dishes and sauces had helpful notes designating vegetarian where applicable, but this system was oddly not continued throughout the menu. Our server did inform us that they had made some changes that had not been reflected on the menu yet, so hopefully this trend will continue. There was also a sign indicating they will be expanding in March, so hopefully this will alleviate the crowded entrance and wait time (which wasn't bad, arriving at 8pm on a Friday).

We had a basket of crispy chips and chunky fresh salsa (just the right amount of heat with a pleasing punch) placed in front of us while we waited, and both were good. The corn chowder was made with chicken stock, so I began with a cup of the southwest tomato bisque, which was tasty with a hint of cilantro and/or cumin, but a bit small for the $3.50 asking price. The tomato was nicely balanced with the cream. Our server worked with me on the entree and I settled on the organic blue corn enchilada stuffed with onions, peppers, zucchini, mushrooms, (not one of the options listed) and topped with melted cheese. It was topped with a vegetarian Ranchero sauce, which was tomato-y, somewhat sweet, if a little runny. I didn't mind. It came with a side of peppered pinto beans (noted vegetarian) which were nicely textured and flavorful, though not very peppery. I also got a side of the rich mashed redskin potatoes (in place of rice, which was made with chicken stock), which added a nice counterbalance to the mild spiciness of the rest.

The presentation was standard for Mexican food, but Fiestaware added a pleasing color to the experience. The choice of one enchilada was a good one, as I left feeling nicely full and satisfied.



She says: Walking into a foyer packed with folks was daunting, but I was impressed by how quickly the staff was able to seat us (easily within the 20 minute window we were promised). Had we been required to wait longer, we could have been comforted at the nearby bar that yields the aforementioned dangerously delicious house margarita. I'm not a fan of the"Woo-Hoo - MARGARITA!!" variety favored by bachelorette party attendees, and I really appreciated a drink that didn't need a salt rim, crushed ice and cheap tequila to disguise an essential lack of flavor. I can certainly see why this drink was once voted "Best Margarita in Columbus."

Since the night was brisk and my drink was cool, I decided to try the sopa de la dia (?) - corn chowder. I agree with Dan that the size was a little disappointing (more of a demitasse cup than a "cup" cup), but appropriate for my underwhelming soup. While I enjoyed the fresh peppers and corn, the creamy soup felt gelatinous in my mouth and is not something I would seek out again. I ordered a simple chicken enchilada with the mild vegetarian Ranchero sauce, which I liked. The sauce was almost reminiscent of an Italian dish and, in fact, included some small-ish cooked tomatoes. I felt that the pinto beans provided a nice textural (if not particularly flavor-packed) addition to the meal; my other side dishes were the unremarkable Spanish rice and ubiquitous lettuce/chopped tomato garnish that is the unwanted parsley of Mexican meals.

Brava to the (mostly) female staff, who were attentive, knowledgeable and engaging. As the management continues to develop Chile Verde's operation with expanded seating and menu revisions, I urge them to consider removing mushrooms as one of the primary ingredients in the vegetarian selections. Although I am an admitted fungus hater, I also am perplexed concerning the relevance of this ingredient to Mexican dishes. I fear that, rather than being the result of a flavor-based decision, this is an attempt to make vegetarian options seem more "substantial".

New Year's Eve in Barcelona

...the restaurant, that is. Dandy celebrated the last day of 2008 with a scrumptious meal at local favorite Barcelona. Here are our observations on what it's like to ring in the New Year at one of the most popular joints in town:

She says: From our vantage point near the back of the restaurant, we could see the well-dressed crowd trickle in for a festive night out. Service, as always, was very attentive, friendly and efficient (in an effort to keep those tables turning over, no doubt!). We were offered an amuse-bouche soon after being seated, but it was a duck confit with no apparent vegetarian alternative. Fortunately, I was able to represent for the carnivores and prevent the offering from being wasted. Kudos for the amuse-ing tidbits, but Barcelona could take a page from Alana's and present an alternative for the herbivores.

I will let my better half share more thoughts from the veggie POV, since I went meaty, beaty, big and bouncy last night (That's a Who reference, Dan). The Caesar salad featured large leaves of green with some perfectly browned croutons - a tasty beginning, and one that I washed down with a somewhat bland lemon drop martini. Due to a recent brush with some admittedly inferior paella at another establishment, I opted for one of the New Year's Eve specials - prime rib with cheesy scalloped potatoes. The meat was good and cooked appropriately, but I was a little overwhelmed by the richness of the cut. I think my tastes have tilted toward the lean in the last few years. Rounding out the meal was a vanilla bean creme brulee -yum! - and Irish coffee to keep the cold at bay.

He says: Coming in from the cold, I found the warm brick and wood interior a welcome respite. Accordingly, I opted for a warm-sounding drink, the carrot cake martini. It did not disappoint. Rich butterscotch schnapps and Bailey's Irish Creme blended with shaved almonds and perfectly-blended spices to create a memorable drink.

Next came the nicely-balanced tomato basil soup with a cheddar tosta, adding to the warmth. This went well with the freshly-baked bread and olive oil with tomato infusion. I noticed that the entrees included no vegetarian options, something that never ceases to disappoint me. Our server offered the option of a veggie paella, but something about it did not appeal at the time. I will sample that at a later time, I'm sure.

The only other sizable offering that could be made vegetarian was the tapas platter, which normally comes with jamon serrano, and I opted for this, sans ham. It contained redskin potato salad (mayonnaisey), hummus (bland but passable), spiced olives (good selection), roasted tomatoes (fine), fresh mozzarella (good), and marinated salads (including a too-large portion of mushrooms for my taste).

The creme brulee was done right and accompanied by strawberries, a cranberry, whipped cream, and a tasty chocolate biscotti, all drizzled with chocolate. Neither of us was able to finish our meal, and we were pleased to see environmentally-friendly cardboard take-home containers. Service was very good on such a busy night, and we whisked back into the dark and cold, filled and warmed inside.