DODO DONUTS

↓ Ciara Auddino Barnum (Owner), Giselle Quezada, & Jorge Auddino

How one new miniature donut maker is taking over Columbus →

By Jack McLaughlin / Photos by Allison Grimes

For reasons still unbeknownst to contemporary science, the miniature donut often just tastes better than its full-sized counterpart.

Maybe it’s the completeness each bite brings, or the satisfying way they fit neatly into our palm.

Whatever the reasons, the hottest spot in Columbus to pick up some of these tiny treasures is Dodo Donuts. This new confectionary—which operates from a refurbished trailer— only opened several months ago in mid-May, but it’s already established itself as a local powerhouse.

“I remember, my husband and I went on a trip to New York City and we were floored by this little kiosk selling mini-donuts,” Owner Ciara Auddino-Barnum said. “But all I could think about was, ‘OK, how can I make these, but better?’”

Because baking is nothing new to Auddino-Barnum, whose family owns Auddino’s Italian Bakery, located just west of OSU campus, her experience helped her craft what just might be the perfect mini-donut recipe. And it all starts with the dough.

“It’s a cake donut base, and it uses an old Italian family recipe, so the denseness is there,” she said. “They get a little crunchy on the outside and are soft and fluffy inside, very similar to funnel cake. Especially when they’re still warm.”

Dodo Donuts also stands out in its ability to incorporate a bevy of fun and innovative flavors. Their fixed menu features favorites like PB&J, lemon, blueberry, trail mix, double chocolate Oreo, and powdered sugar with berry basil jelly.

But that’s not all, as the mobile confectioner also offers an array of even wilder one-off and seasonal varieties. This summer, keep your eyes out for monkey business (candied banana, peanut butter and →

← Double Chocolate Donut

→ Powdered Sugar with Mixed Berry Basil Jelly

↓ Ciara Auddino Barnum showing off delicious mini donuts

chocolate), Piña Colada (dried pineapple and coconut with warm spices and a whipped conduct glaze), lemon lavender, mango tajin, and more.

For many of their flavors, Dodo Donuts actually dries and processes fruit into a fine dust for another layer of both flavor and intrigue.

With swirls of caramel sauce or bursts of freshly- powdered fruit, both the presentation and flavors AuddinoBarnum creates feel fresh and new. But really, she’s drawing on something older every time she serves a customer: nostalgia.

Whether it’s recollecting a bag of hot Tom Thumb donuts from the Ohio State Fair, or a boxed dozen from the corner bakery you grew up on, she wants to draw out these memories, while creating new ones for younger Columbus donut-lovers as well.

“We wanted something that was super nostalgic and relatable. We’ve had plenty of older customers compare our donuts to ones they had had when they were young,” she said. “It’s been so cool to touch on childhood memories and to introduce new ones in such a unique way.” ♦

" We wanted something that was super nostalgic and relatable.

New Italian eatery is keeping things simple—and Columbus is eating it up →

By Jack McLaughlin / Photos by Allison Grimes

While some Michelin-starred restaurants in the midwest serve apple-flavored balloons or a salad still rooted in a mound of dirt, the new Italian, Powell eatery Novella Osteria, keeps it much more straightforward.

“Whether it’s food or design, it’s always been less is more for me,” said owner and head chef Matthew Phelan. “We keep things super simple.”

A quick glance around the sparse but tastefully designed interior—well-lit and brimming with the charm (and stonework) of an Italian villa—will confirm this.

As will a quick glance down the menu. They’re known for house-made pasta like the classic cacio e pepe (Italian for simply “cheese and pepper”) which is elegant in its simplicity, containing only bucatini pasta, black pepper, and pecorino.

Non-pasta dishes like their Burrata also display this philosophy. The dish, which flirts with sweetness, acidity, and savory notes in a single bite, still remains simple in terms of composition: it’s made of peaches, tomato vinaigrette, basil, and Italian vinegar.

According to Phelan, another reason he opts for simple dishes has to do with ingredients. Using fresh, local purveyors such as Hershberger Farms, Coastal Local Seafood, and Dee-Jay’s Custom Butchering, he wants to ensure the quality and nuance of their flavors aren’t overshadowed by superfluous additions.

“The connection I have with those vendors →

means everything to me,” Phelan said. “Because really, it’s about the product first. What they have, that’s what dictates what we’re putting on the menu.”

The young head chef recalls a recent instance when he was purchasing produce from Hershberger Farms and discovered they were selling squash blossoms at the time. “I bought the entire truckfload of them,” he said with a laugh. “We eventually fried and added them to our ravioli, it created this great textural element.”

And even though its food recalls the faraway flavors of Italy, Novella Osteria is able to retain the warmth and character of a truly local restaurant.

Much of this likely comes from the fact that Phelan is himself a native son of Central Ohio, hailing from nearby Dublin.

And the rest of that charm? That comes from Phelan’s ability to slow down and embrace what’s around him; to live simply. Just like he cooks.

“People are catching onto what we’re doing here and liking it. That’s a pretty cool feeling to be honest with you,” he said. “Because ultimately, we’re a good neighborhood restaurant, and we’re not trying to be anything more than that.” ♦

↑ Bar area at Novella Osteria

People are catching onto what we're doing here and liking it. That's a pretty cool feeling to be honest with you. "

Popsicle shop incorporates kale, cauliflower, and more into these naturally sweet treats →

By Jaelani Turner-Williams / Photos by Ally Schnaidt

↑ Ali and Anique Russell with their son and employees

← Tropical Blue Pop

→ Watermelon Rhubarb Mint Pop

Ali and Anique Russell had zero professional culinary expertise. But what they did have was a passion for incorporating organic treats into their family’s diets, as well as finding a sweet way to resist chronic health diseases.

“We hope to change the narrative and normalize ‘healthy choices’ as being the main choice,” says Anique.

Ali, creator of the pops, sought to make the palette of Too Good Eats colorful, prioritizing a striking taste that would turn the nostalgic treat into a timeless classic.

“Ripe fruit is naturally sweet and when it’s frozen, we naturally preserve the sweetness and nutrients even more, our taste buds have been trained to love added sugar and we really don’t need it, especially in a frozen pop,” says Anique. “Our inspiration comes from seasonal ingredients, rare and forgotten fruits and veggies that people don’t normally consume and transforming them into an enjoyable frozen treat.”

The Too Good Eats menu boasts nontraditional choices remixed into a decadent selection of island-inspired flavors to veggie-fueled delights. For a Caribbeantinged kick, opt for the Tropical Juicy Fruit, a citrus blend of cashew milk and jackfruit. For subtle, creamier pastures, the Raspcherry is a sweet concoction of raspberries, cherries, orange juice, cauliflower and bananas. →

↑ Ingredients for some of the pops

“Our Too Good Green—crafted with kale, mango, banana, apple, and lemon— this pop is a fan favorite for sure,” says Anique, admitting that making just one selection is tough for newbies of Too Good Eats. “First-time customers should also try our Pineapple Hibiscus Punch—it’s crafted with pineapple, blackberries, hibiscus, and spices.”

Forgoing added sugar and water for no-filler ingredients, Too Good Eats also offers a monthly mix-and-match subscription and popsicle party kits and juice pop resets for a quick cleanse. With summertime pop-ups around Columbus, popsicles aren’t the only speciality of Too Good Eats—the unique and bold taste of their Creamy Coconut Cold Brew and Blueberry Lavender make for perfect cool down drinks.

“Frozen pops are a classic treat,” says Anique. “And we’ve found a way to transform the popular treat into something unique and healthy.” ♦