Stock & Barrel: Fall 2018 by 614mediagroup

18 Fall 2018 â&#x20AC;¢ FREE

BLUE COLLAR BURGERS | BE THE BUTCHER | URBAN FARMS | TIKI COMEBACK

From the Editor

f you’ve been following these letters over the past four years, you’ve probably noticed a theme. At the very least, you can see it in the accompanying photos, which, again if you’re paying attention, never show me bespoken, poised over a plate of squid ink paella. I’m a bit of a basic dude, you could say. When we first started this magazine as an offshoot of our regular monthly (614) Magazine coverage, it was a necessary extension of a rapidly growing Columbus culinary space. As a result, mine and our tastes have naturally have elevated, but I’ve still maintained a role of learner rather than lecturer. More experience than expertise. Part of the fun for me is turning our readers on to new tastes, trends, and tips, while also filtering it through my own expanded horizons. We’re like dining companions/drinking buddies, you and I, and each time we sit down to print a seasonal edition of this magazine, I try to take stock of how much I’m creating new challenges or breaking rigid habits. As a result, I’ve been creating some new rules for myself:

CEO/Publisher Wayne T. Lewis Editor-in-Chief Travis Hoewischer Associate Editor Jeni Ruisch Contributing Writers Steve Croyle J.R. McMillan Mitch Hooper Aaron Wetli Hollen Campbell Valerie Belt Lyndsey Teter Regina Fox Andrea Taylor Macon Overcast Linda Lee Baird LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Tommy Feisel

Find one new cuisine a month, and dive in I’m sort of embarrassed to admit that this summer, I had Ethiopian for the first time. The textures and flavors quite foreign to my palate, there’s an element of thrill and discomfort when it comes to going outside your usual fare. The verdict: Not really for me. Also not the point. I figured out it was far more embarrassing to say I’ve never had Ethiopian. Next up: Nepalese. Lose control A huge part of the fun with this job is something any of you can do: put yourself in the hands of capable chefs and bartenders. Sure, it’s not the appropriate thing to do on a busy Friday night with your drink order, but often times, you can learn a lot by engaging with a cocktail maker and letting them spin the wheel on your favorite spirit. Even better: take advantage of people like Josh Dalton and Tyler Minnis eliminating menus altogether. Eat more burgers Okay, maybe this one was obvious from the photo on the cover, and on this page, but there’s so many good, no-nonsense burgers that are super affordable lunch options and also bring the flavor in ways that ultra-cheap fast food doesn’t. Plus, fancy pub burgers sometimes get muddled up with an absurd amount of toppings. Is it good for your diet? I dunno—probably not. But, hey, you shouldn’t reading this for dietary advice. How about this? Unless you’re eating clean all the time, maybe just start by switching out your next fast casual burrito with a killer blue-collar burger. It’s just as easy on your wallet, and often is a good way to keep those handful of dollars local. Which leads me to…. Feeding the hungry establishments Hey, business is business and life isn’t fair. But if you don’t wanna be one of those suckers that laments when your favorite mom-and-pop shop goes out of business, you gotta put your money where your mouth is. To that end, extra points for seeking out good food and drink

PHOTO Editor Brian Kaiser Contributing Photographers Megan Leigh Barnard Collins Laatsch Robert Berry Matt Massara Chris Heidel Photo by b r ia n ka iser

suffering under the shadow of constant construction. For you, it’s a driving/parking hassle; for them, it may mean not making rent. When we tapped some Short North construction workers to pose for photos with Preston’s burgers, their foreman sent me this unprovoked review: “All we hear is the negative feedback. We are hurting the businesses by removing their walk and now customers can’t get in; or their route is now altered. We spend our hard-earned money in these establishments to replenish what they claim the loss was. This establishment is so comfortable that we not only come in for lunch but we also come in for after hour food and drink as well. We give them 10 out of 10 on service, food, and companionship.” Without our photoshoot idea, maybe the team at Preston’s wouldn’t have known how much their food meant to those customers, and vice versa. And without this magazine I wouldn’t get to be a part of such a satisfying cycle—and get to eat so many goddamned amazing burgers. Eat up, Columbus—for Columbus. Cheers,

Travis Hoewischer, Editor-in-Chief

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graphic Designers Ryan Caskey Sarah Moore Jess Wallace Hugo Albornozz Advertising director Meggin Weimerskirch Senior Account Executives Derek Landers Liza Worthington ACcOUNT EXECUTIVE Becky Hart Manager of audience development Stephanie McFarland VP of Sales/Marketing Lindsay Press

(614) Magazine 458 E Main St., Columbus, OH 43215 Office: (614) 488-4400 Fax: (614) 488-4402 Email submissions to: editor@614columbus.com www.614columbus.com

A Dog’s Life 14

The Scottish craft beer crew in Canal Winchester have brewed up an entirely new stay-away-from-home

Tiki Forever 18

Many years after the closing of the Kahiki, Columbus bartenders are keeping the flames of a cocktail tradition burning bright

Craft Class 28

As different anniversaries approach, Stock & Barrel examines what’s next for three different Columbus brewing operations

My Old School 36

Last call before the wrecking ball? This football season, fill up on classic campus dives before some go the way of the dodo

Super Fresh 72

Matt Miner brings a fresh new perspective to produce with his new North Market spot

Free Sample 76

A Linden man combines passion and podcasting through his microgreen farm

Whole Hog 84

What happens when two journalists from Columbus move back home and start raising pigs? We get bacon and education...

Blue Collar Burgers 90

Welcome to the next phase of Columbus burgers—which is a lot closer to the way the old-school staple started

Setting the bar 42

Paying tribute to the places who have the most inviting spaces to imbibe

App Hop 52

Lead photographer Tommy Feisel and his wife Meredith pack three date nights into one evening at Columbus’s high-end restaurants

You’ll Have What You’re Having 60

Ever the adventurer, Veritas chef/owner Josh Dalton is going where no man has gone before—and without a menu

White Castle in the Sky 102 How do no-frills sliders fit in the fancy Short North? The answer: White Castle never goes out of style...

The Little Corner That Could 104

Bagel joint? Coffee shop? Local deli? Sushi spot? Charming Clintonville spot can be many things to many people

Fresh Tastes 108

Columbus never stops opening new bars and restaurants—here’s a rundown of what’s hopping this season Cover Photo of Preston’s Burgers by Tommy Feisel Styling by Brian Kaiser; special thanks to Mike Napper and Crew

Fall 2018 614columbus.com

contents

614columbus.com fall 2018

C alendar 1

By Stock & Barrel staff

10.13

9.24-29

10.5 – 7

10.13

(614)’s Burger & Beer Week

The 39th Annual Columbus Italian Festival

Yellow Springs Street Fair October

Location: Varies Time: Varies Admission: Free Web: eat614.com Here at Stock & Barrel, we’re always trying to host events that strike at the heart of what makes this city so special. When it comes to Columbus, it has to incorporate craft beer, and affordability is always a plus. That’s just what you’ll be getting with Burger and Beer Week, co-presented by the Ohio Beef Council. With more than 75 of the top restaurants in Columbus participating, you’ll have your selection of some of the best burgers in the city for just $6, plus your choice of local craft beers from breweries which includes Seventh Son Brewing, The Actual Brewing Company, and more. It’s looking like the end of September might be the next perfect date night for you and your boo!

Location: 720 Hamlet St. Time: Starts 5:30 p.m. Friday; noon Sat/Sun

Admission: $5 Web: columbusitalianclub.com If you find yourself hanging out in the trendy Italian Village these days, you also might find yourself asking the question: So …. Where’s all the Italian? Well, it mostly trucks in for one glorious red, white, and green weekend in October. Nearing four decades of celebrating all that Italia has to offer us back here in the states—and most known for its record-breaking World’s Biggest Meatball a few years back—The Columbus Italian Fest is a can’t-miss, even if a few too many Peronis have you seeing double on the bocce court.

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Location: Downtow Yellow Springs

Time: 9 a.m. Admission: Free Web: yellowspringsohio.com Ohio’s favorite little hippie town, Yellow Springs, is joining in on all the fall fun with its nearly all-day affair complete with vendors, food trucks, and two stages with live music. The event starts at 9 a.m., but how else are you going to drink all day if you don’t start early? The Music and Beer stage kicks off at noon with Mojo Power while the Soin Point stage will start the entire day off with Kat Stewart on stage. Of course, you’re free to sip on some Yellow Springs Brewery beers and never leave the beer garden, check out the street performers, or make your way to a food vendor for second helpings, but the only thing you cannot do is bring your pet. Sorry, fido, you’ll have to be a good boy somewhere else.

Monster Bash 2018 Location: German Village Time: 7 p.m. Admission: $75 Web: germanvillage.com You’ll still be going door-todoor on this night, but it’s probably best you leave the kiddos at home. The Monster Bash 2018 is a Halloween party for adults so instead of sugary snacks that’ll rot your teeth out, you’ll be making your way through 12 stops in German Village where you can snag some treats more suited for your matured, adult taste buds. Once the trick-or-treating draws to a close, the party will be moved to the Meeting Haus for ghoulish drinking and monster mashing. (Plus, there’s a photobooth, too). And it’s Halloween party, so break out your best costume and you might just win the costume contest!

10.17-20

11.3

The Circleville Pumpkin Show

Science Uncorked

Location: Downtown Circleville

Time: 10 a.m. Admission: Free Web: pumpkinshow.com Is it really Autumn if you don’t go to at least one pumpkin show? We don’t think so. And if you are restricting yourself to just one pumpkin show for the season, the Circleville Pumpkin Show three-day event should be at the top of your list. From massive pumpkins that seemingly defy the laws of agriculture (think anyone can top the 1,964 pound pumpkin from 2014?) to pumpkin parades to Miss Pumpkin pageant shows, if there’s a way to make it pumpkin-themed, they found it. Of course this event also doubles as a great way to spend the day with the kids, with pumpkin carving stations and spots to paint gourds.

Location: COSI Time: 6 p.m. Admission: $25-35 Web: cosi.org You gotta hand it to COSI. The classic kids’ center is always trying to find better ways to get the big ones involved. And ya, know, a little booze always helps, especially when it means getting into the science of wine, which has been around for as long as science has! (we were just as iffy about history as we were science in school). This event will include a tasting of wines from all over Ohio, as well as an $18 all-youcan-eat buffet, if you so choose. We think you should—you’ll have plenty of knowledge (and spirit) to soak up.

A Dog’s Life BrewDog crafts the perfect place for beer nerds to lay their head

By Regina Fox • Photos by Megan Leigh Barnard

Imagine a world where beer is king and open container is enthusiastically encouraged. A world where man and mutt roam freely in perfectly harmony from untamed land straight into luxury. Imagine drinking at BrewDog all night and then crashing in a badass beer hotel just a few short steps away. Imagine a beer fridge within arm’s reach of your shower. This is a world that BrewDog dreamed up years ago and now it’s a reality — one that myself and photographer Megan Leigh Barnard were invited to sink into just before racing to the end of this deadline. Welcome to The DogHouse, lads. Let’s start drinking.

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614columbus.com fall 2018

1a.

1b.

5a. 1a - b. I got set up in a suite (mom, I’ve made it!), more specifically, the Elvis Juice suite. As any good beer hotel should, the door opens right into a beer tap. So, I poured myself a perfectly chilled Grapefruit Infused IPA, nodded to the “Party Like a Punk” marquee that illuminated the metal shelving above the tap, and proceeded into my new pad. Overall, I would liken the joint to a beer can—cold and hard on the outside but its contents offer a pleasant surprise. The seating area was inviting enough with its low backed gray sectional and a coffee table made by local woodworking business Edgework Creative who also provided the large, dark, round wooden table and end tables for the room. On the other side of the room, a big solid bed topped with gray bedding and mass-ive pillows sat flush against a wall covered in a lesson on brewing beer and a neon “The Good Ship Brewdog” sign. The room also touted two TVs, perfect for football season... or a simultaneous The Bachelor and Real Housewives marathon.

2a.

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5b.

2a - b. Perhaps the most novel feature of the room was the view it offered. Rather than looking out at the ocean or a chic lobby cocktail bar, The DogHouse hooked their guests up with a view of their handsomely stacked fermentation barrels against a gaily painted aquatic mural. Where some may have seen a warehouse, I saw potential—these barrels will be used in BrewDog’s sour endeavors once the hotel secures its footing. I threw open the garage door-style window in my room and filled my lungs with the yeasty smell that wafted throughout the entire hote; a smell that reminds you exactly where you are in the event you wake up from an Elvis Juiceinduced stupor with nothing but your ID and a hangover.

2b..

5c. 3. Every one of hotel’s 32 rooms is equipped with a shower beer fridge because there should literally never be a time during your stay when you don’t have a can in your hand. Slurp down your craft beer as the rainfall shower head douses you, baptizing you of all the shitty beer you’ve abused your body with over the years. For those pesky, hard-to-reach sins (I saw you zamboni that spilled Rolling Rock off that disgusting countertop in ‘04), lather up with The DogHouse’s complimentary beer-themed shampoo and body wash. 4. Other than the shower beers, personal tap, and a unique view sure to drive a beer enthusiast to drink, The DogHouse offers what few other hotels can: an entire campus of entertainment. An attached brewery, a beer museum, shuffleboard, corn hole, room to roam, a huge parking lot, and so much more right at your fingertips What’s more: dogs are as common as people (even inside the hotel!) and you’re the odd man out if you’re not waltzing from place to place with a drink in your hand. So by all means, soak up the suds in your hotel room but get out there and smell the hops!

5a - c. The DogHouse has the neon light game on lock. They also have other games on lock, too, like Connect Four and Yahtzee, which guests can play in the lobby. The entrance of the hotel is more watering hole than lobby with its ample seating options, BrewDog decor, hip bar that converts into a continental breakfast each day at 8 a.m. and, of course, the fact that the check-in counter is literally the bar. Less steps, more beer. Well done. 6. Some display trophies as a form of accomplishment and decor. The DogHouse opts for empties. BrewDog poured blood, sweat, and booze into this hotel and they’re not going to pass up an opportunity to show off all the bottles and cans they crushed to make this fantasy a reality. Thanks for all you do and drink, BrewDog. •

614columbus.com fall 2018

Fall 2018 614columbus.com

Bartenders in Columbus try to keep the spirit of the Kahiki and beyond alive By Gr e g B u r n e t t | P h o t o s By T o mm y F e i s e l Editor’s note: The culture and care surrounding tiki drinks goes far

beyond just whimsical glassware and wacky names. Here in Columbus, where more than a half century ago the Kahiki made national news, creative cocktail artisans are committed to making sure the tradition is understood and preserved.

elcome to the world of Tiki, whose very nature and meaning is explored at length on every platform in which it is discussed. Trying to define it is a lost cause—what makes Tiki so special is the bones of the thing. Tiki is transportive. It’s immersive. It’s tactile and present, yet mysterious and intoxicating. Tiki is community. Tiki is an escape, and like jazz, it is a purely American form of expression. What we call Tiki today we largely owe to two intrepid adventurers, and to grasp where it stands, we must consider Tiki’s forefathers. Ernest Gantt, who eventually changed his name to Donn Beach, opened Don’s Beachcomber in Hollywood in 1933. He had spent Prohibition bootlegging rum from the Caribbean and then sailing the South Pacific. When he returned, Donn Beach opened a bar that was decorated with the souvenirs of his travels, and brought the rum, spices, and fruits of these exotic locales to life in his cocktails. Shortly after, and much inspired by the success of Donn Beach, “Trader” Vic Bergeron transformed his own bar into a Tiki paradise in Oakland, California, and so, Trader Vic’s, another Tiki giant, was born. These two did much to create and solidify the Tiki standards, but they kept the ingredients of their cocktails jealously guarded secrets, even from their own bartenders, who often had to pour mysterious mixes from unlabeled bottles. Still, Tiki spread in a rabid way. All across the country people were swept away to hidden coves, sultry lagoons, and grottos fraught with danger, even if only for the evening. Special occasions were celebrated and family traditions solidified. In 1961, during the height of Tiki madness, the Kahiki Supper Club opened on East Broad Street. It was a gigantic, luxurious, and mesmerizing temple to all things exotic, where two giant Moais with flaming heads stood guard at the front door. While many legendary bars like the Kahiki left an entry in the hallowed tome of Tiki, the bloodlines began to thin. Nearly every Tiki bar had a Zombie or Mai Tai, but the original recipes were still closely guarded secrets. And so, with the rise of disco and the overly sweetened drinks of the 1970s, Tiki, hand-in-hand with the classic cocktail, died a slow death by daiquiri. In 1998, hero and historian Jeff “Beachbum” Berry published Beachbum Berry’s Grog Log, a book of recipes teased from the relatives and former employees of Tiki giants. In this way, and somewhat parallel to the revival of classic cocktails, Tiki drinks were brought back from the dead. But, unlike most classic drinks, Tiki drinks have to strike a more delicate harmony: the drinks must balance on more axes than the average drink, built on the tensions between sour, sweet, strong and weak; between exotic spices and tropical fruit. The textures vary wildly. Curious names, bizarre vessels, and romantic garnishes suggest the dangerous and exotic. • 614columbus.com fall 2018

We want things that are real. Things you can hold. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re becoming dissatisfied pouring our lives into a four-inch screen to expel reality. We are no longer content swiping through the noise. We want texture and aroma, ambiance and flavor. We want to be transported; we want to be enveloped. We want to be washed away.

A good bartender knows, though, that even the best drink is just a toolâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; one to help create a memorable experience and to bring your guests joy. These days you can enjoy wonderful Tiki-style drinks, from bartenders who know their work, in cocktail bars all over the world. But, to get that truly immersive and memorable experience, you must be situated squarely in a Tiki Bar. You simply must be among the music specifically tailored to this environment, with sounds of water in the distance, with the lighting dim and decor busy with the art and idols from (seemingly) far-flung corners of the globe. You must be amongst the aromas and ephemera. Then you will be immersed, transported, and present. Only then will you have escaped. In Columbus, we have three wonderful pillars of Tiki. The Grass Skirt is a beautiful downtown destination. This sanctuary to all things exotic checks all the boxes in presenting an urban paradise, and the patio boasts George the Monkey, a gigantic fountain that was once situated within the Kahiki. The Fraternal Order of Moai is the second pillar, and has 20

Fall 2018 614columbus.com

lent the use of the fountain to the Grass Skirt. The Order is a charitable organization that aims to give back to the community while preserving tiki culture. It was formed in Columbus after the Kahiki was bulldozed in 2000, and has chapters across the country. The third pillar is the Hula Hop, the yearly parking lot party thrown by the Grass Skirt and Fraternal Order of Moai. There are bands, dancers, food and drink, as well as vendors and tiki carving demonstrations. We believe the rebirth of Tiki is a cultural movement. It has connections, both graceful and cumbersome, to other movements. The renewal of classic cocktails and craft bartending, probably, come to mind first, and for good reason. Tiki has had the great fortune of resurfacing during a time when bartenders are honing their skills to a razor’s edge. The resurgence and elevation of rum and other cane spirits enjoys a bit of tense symbiosis with the Tiki movement, both serving, at times, to lift the other. The Ohio Rum Society continues to lift cane spirits as a category in our fair city. Most importantly, we see the return of Tiki not as a passing fad, but as a marker for a shift in cultural identity. Parallels can be drawn to cultural shifts in music, as well. Not only the thunderous wave of new surf rock we’ve been enjoying in recent years, but a slide towards analog music and the resurgence of vinyl. We want things that are real. Things you can hold. We’re becoming dissatisfied pouring our lives into a four-inch screen to expel reality. We are no longer content swiping through the noise. We want texture and aroma, ambiance and flavor. We want to be transported; we want to be enveloped. We want to be washed away. •

Burnett is part of a local pop-up tiki concept called 614Tiki, along with Rebecca Monday and Sara Rose, which breezes into Little Rock Bar again October 8 (“Tikigeddon”). Follow @614tiki for sneak peaks. 614columbus.com fall 2018

Bubblin’ Clintonville keeps alive a trendy, traditional drink

R.I.P Momo2. Anyone who’s lived in Columbus long enough may share my fond memories of the bubble tea-andbowling gem at University Village. I’d travel back home from college to join my friends at Ohio State for bowling or karaoke, scanning the aisles filled with an excess of Hello Kitty merchandise, and of course, enjoying a tasty bubble tea. I’d never had one before, and I was instantly hooked.

By Andrea Taylor • PHOTOS BY COLLINS LAATSCH

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When Momo2 closed, it left a bobashaped hole in my heart. Luckily, Columbus boasts its fair share of restaurants and cafes offering the tapioca ball-filled goodness. The latest shop to specialize in bubble tea is Fairy Ville (2899 N High St.), a new, brightly decorated bubble tea joint in Clintonville. While bubble tea is their thing, they also sell fruit juices and fruit teas, milk caps, and an array of authentic Chinese street food, including egg puff waffles. I ordered the Jasmine Milk Tea and while waiting, I was offered my choice out of an array of Chinese snacks: chocolate cups with biscuit sticks, Sachima (basically a Chinese Rice Krispies Treat), and many others. The bubble tea was perfect; the flavor of the jasmine tea blended smoothly with the milk, and of course the chewy boba. I also tried the Mango Jasmine Tea Slush, which had a hint of jasmine flavor beneath the frozen mango concoction. It’s the perfect drink for a hot day. Not only was the decor quaint and fairy-like, featuring a painted mural and fairy candles on the tables, but they were also showing a Dota 2 tournament on the big screen, something any gamer can appreciate. It was like an alternative coffee house: a tea shop with games, manga, and Chinese candy. Turns out, Clintonville has more than one spot for bubble tea. Cornerstone Deli & Cafe sports a modest bubble tea selection amid their bagel sandwiches, salads, and sushi bowls. My absolute favorite is their Honey Dew Bubble Tea, which has the perfect amount of sweetness. And if you prefer to order a bubble tea while waiting on scrumptious Chinese food, you might check out the newly-renovated Lucky Dragon. The Original Milk Tea pairs perfectly with an orange chicken or fried rice. If you’re already hip to the bubble tea trend, you probably know about Bubbles Tea & Juice, a long-standing staple of the North Market which specializes in bubble tea, smoothies, and cold-pressed juices. If you like options when it comes to flavor, this is your bubble tea joint. They have the traditional milk and plain teas, but in a variety of flavors from fruits to coffee to chai. My personal favorite is the Thai Milk Tea, which blends two of the best types of tea, Thai iced tea and bubble tea. Whether you’re looking for a classic milk tea or have never given those strange orbas in a beverage a chance, Columbus has a place for every fix. Bounce around to find the right bubbles for you. •

614columbus.com fall 2018

Roomto Ramble Local bottled cocktail line tries to uncork national funding By R e g i n a Fox P h o t o s b y B r i a n K a i s e r a n d A m y At w e l l

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f you’re a ramblin’ man or woman, trying to make a living and doing the best you can, then listen here because I’ve got a proposition for you: Bottled cocktails. Columbus’s own Rambling House has rung the opening bell on their brand new crowdfunding campaign, unleashing more opportunities for growth and inviting the public inside the company. “We’ve made being part of our community a focus since opening,” said John Lynch, founder, day-to-day operations manager and one of the “60 Coolest People in Food and Drink” two years running according to Daily Meal. “The crowdfunding platforms really seem like a natural way to reach out to people who support what we are trying to do.” What’s important to understand from the jump is that investing in Rambling House is not investing in the intimate music bar in SoHud called Rambling House Soda. Lynch describes the neighborhood watering hole

as a great testing grounds and marketing vehicle for the beverage company, Rambling House Cocktails; what your shareholder dollars would actually be supporting. Rambling House Cocktails began as a small-craft soda company five years ago. Then, in 2017, Lynch and his team pivoted to ready-to-drink spirits made from their meticulously crafted ginger beer with which they bottled their crown jewel cocktail: the Moscow Mule. Hopefully, this is only the beginning. “It really can take a lot of work to try to break through and get noticed, so if you find something that’s unique and awesome you really should tell people about it,” said Lynch. Which brings us to their recent crowdfunding campaign. I could bore you with things like “capital,” “shares,” and “distribution” but instead, with the help of Lynch, I’ll use this ink to convince you of why supporting the local beverage biz—be it investment opportunities or simply patronage—is so important. • 614columbus.com fall 2018

The quality The success of Rambling House stands largely on the shoulders of their ginger beer recipe. With such an important job came a great responsibility for the soda scientists, and they did not rest until they had perfected the elixir. “We went through more than 10,000 pounds of fresh ginger to create a ginger beer recipe that balances sweetness with a spicy kick,” Lynch explained. When it came to their flagship bottled cocktail, Rambling House set a neighborly example by leaving the other half of the Moscow Mule—the vodka—up to the local experts at Watershed. Together, the adult libation is naturally gluten-free and low-calorie without compromising taste. “We feel it tastes better than a cocktail you get at 99 percent of the bars in town, better than a lot of beers and wines,” boasted Lynch.

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The pioneering There’s no “First in Flight” debate here: Rambling House Soda was the first ever to create and distribute a ready-to-drink cocktail in Ohio. Their first batch of premixed Moscow Mule rolled off the line in February 2017. A short two months later, it hit retail shelves. In the first year, 19,000 bottles were enjoyed by the public. “From the start, we signed a deal with Kroger that puts us in almost every one of their Ohio stores [200 in total],” said Lynch. “We also signed with Southern Glazer’s, the largest wine and spirits distributor in the U.S. to help expand our retail footprint.” Now, in 2018, they’re the first to jump another hurdle. “We are going to be one of the first central Ohio businesses to try out this new possibility for raising capital,” said Lynch. And with the funds raised, Rambling House can boldly go where few craft players have gone before: Into the belly of the direct sales ready-todrink market.

Sharing the love You love Rambling House, I love Rambling House, but does Joe Schmoe in New Jersey love Rambling House? No, because, sadly, he’s doesn’t have a clue whether that’s a hip new band, or a used clothing shop, or a beverage company. In this instance, what he doesn’t know does hurt him. “$500K could be enough to expand into other states,” explained Lynch. The way he sees it, if Rambling House can top out at its goal of $500,000 in backing, they could onboard a marketing team, infiltrate outof-state markets without raising their budget, and continue to shift beer and wine drinkers towards bottled cocktails Then, ol’ J. Schmoe in Jersey can enjoy an ice cold, ready-made Moscow Mule just like you and me.

Another round Rambling House will focus a majority of their crowdfunded capital on marketing efforts but a piece of the pie will be allocated to new product development AKA more tasty drinks for us to slurp. “We have a new drink—a bourbon-based Kentucky Mule made with the same ginger beer—in the works now that should be released in late 2018,” explained Lynch. “By adding this to our product line, we’ll be able to acquire more shelf space, spread our distribution footprint, and grow to a national ready-to-drink cocktail brand.” Without even getting into the nickels and dimes of it all, there is a wealth of reasons to support your local beverage company as it embarks down a path few have tread before. So, I raise my bottled Moscow Mule to the achievements and dreams of Rambling House Cocktails and pour one out for all the fallen ginger homies who sacrificed their lives so that we could get to where we are today. •

Learn more about Rambling House Cocktails at ramblinghousecocktails.com/ and donate to the Wefunder at wefunder.com/rambling.house.

614columbus.com fall 2018

Craft E ClasS Breaking down three Columbus breweries as they reach separate milestones By S t e v e C r oy l e & M aco n Z . Ov e r c a s t

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very so often, we like to sit back and survey the the landscape of the world that is craft beer, and how Columbus fits. When (614) and Stock & Barrel started out, you could count the number of craft breweries in Central Ohio on one hand, now, even the Ohio Craft Brewers’ Association has trouble keeping track. Even as we convene on this abridged roundup of sorts, there are four breweries on the verge of existence, and that’s not counting Seventh Son’s passion project at South High Antiques. In other words: It’s a wonderful time to be alive. Craft brewers push envelopes and challenge conventions. It’s not always good, but the market is forcing brewers to do things they wouldn’t have considered 15 years ago. Columbus Brewing, for example, bottles its beer for public consumption, but select offerings sold in sports venues magically find their way into cans. But, as fall approaches, we will focus on three breweries gearing up for their anniversaries who have found different ways to approach the business.

Wolf’s Ridge Brewing • 215 N Fourth St. turning 5 Sept. 29

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When Wolf’s Ridge first started out, the beer was, well, not exactly up to par with the food coming out of the kitchen, and co-owner Alan Szuter will readily admit that the restaurant supported the Brewery in those early days. Considering how much Seth Lassak’s dishes have become a respected part of the culinary scene, that is less slight to the brewer, than compliments to the chef. Still, they brought in Chris Davison, a young brewer with an old soul, committed to the purity of the business. It’s actually surprising that such a persnickety brewer, who takes great pride in the clarity and subtle wonder of their Gold Standard Helles Lager, would sign off on the kind of craziness found in beers like Cinnamon Toast Brunch, but Wolf’s Ridge has found a creative balance between outlandish concepts and spot-on representation of the classic styles. Even inside of those strange variants of their flawless cream ale, you will find tremendous integrity. Wolf’s Ridge is the brewery for beer snobs. It’s highly unlikely Davison will ever dump a whole apple pie into a fermenter without carefully considering the consequences. The deliberate method pays off when Wolf’s Ridge offers barrel aged beers or releases sours. Now, the brewery is matching the excellence coming out of the kitchen. Plus, with the rarity of having one of the best taprooms and best restaurants in the city, their popularity is surging as they hit their anniversary, opening a new venue space attached to both called the Hickory Room.

What’s next: After five years in business, how else should Wolf’s Ridge Brewing celebrate than killer bites and it’s-so-good-we’re-crying beer? It’s hard not to visit their gastronomic Eden again and again, and you won’t have a better excuse to stop by than for their anniversary on September 29th. Wolf’s Ridge upholds the meaning of “craft” throughout their brand. Clean, precise, and consistent, this Columbus brewery still inspires the whole spectrum from novice beer drinkers to veteran palates. You can experience their commitment to methodology yourself on November 11 when they host Beer 101, an introduction to the science/art that is craft brewing. Sign up in advance to learn the principles of brewing and a brief history of Wolf’s Ridge from 12-2 p.m. Included in the $25 admission is a tour of the brewery, selected 5 oz. samples of their iconic brews, flavor profile training, and a pint of one of their 20 drafts. Their Dire Wolf Imperial Stout remains a local craft inspiration to this day. For more, visit wolfsridgebrewing.com.

614columbus.com fall 2018

Land-Grant Brewing Co. • 401 W Town St. turning 4 Sept. 29

Land Grant brews good beer. They have a solid IPA (Stiff-Arm), a thirst-quenching Session IPA (Greenskeeper), and a pretty good Kolsch (1862). Nothing’s going to blow your socks off, and that’s just fine— because Land-Grant is built around making good beers at a good price that you can find everywhere around town. If we’re being honest, Land Grant’s model for success is built around a really strong marketing campaign. Have a beer with anybody in graphic design and they will applaud Land Grant’s sleek packaging, organically done by co-founder/owner Walt Keys. They embrace negative space, sport a clean, yet distinctive logo, and adopt naming conventions that easily slide into the company’s branding guidelines. You’re purchasing their personality along with every pint at Land-Grant. That’s not to say they aren’t delivering the goods when it comes to the beer, or the tap room experience, which is a blend of bier garden and sports bar, with perhaps a touch of backyard bonfire on the patio and newly constructed beer garden. A recent partnership with Ray Ray’s solidifies the theme. Land-Grant was built around hype. Long before they opened, they saturated the market with a ubiquitous crowdfunding campaign. They had a strong social media presence a year before they brewed a beer. Today, you can believe the hype. Land-Grant delivers on what they promise. Local craft beer you can enjoy at a ballgame, or a cookout. (Not to mention, in the rapidly changing Franklinton neighborhood, they’ve proved a consistent and conscientious community partner through myriad fundraisers and company donations).

Fall 2018 614columbus.com

What’s next: Anyone who has been to LandGrant Brewing Company knows of its impressive size. It’s a giant operation, but they make time to hosts tours every Saturday at 3pm for the curious and thirsty. For tours, no ticket purchase or RSVP is even necessary (can I get a collective yessss from my fellow schedule challenged, beer-loving flakes?), but you should show up 20 minutes early. Just as impressive as the brewery itself is Land-Grant’s commitment to local causes. Before its fourth anniversary party on September 29th, LGBC is hosting a number of events that support the Columbus ethos. Hate cancer and love beer? Support the Ohio State University Medical Student Pelotonia cycling team, fondly known as the Spin Doctors, by buying beer on September 15th. A portion of your drink cost will help fundraise for their participation in Pelotonia, the famous ride that has raised upwards of 150 million dollars for cancer research. Still feeling generous? Stop by the End Hunger and Poverty fundraiser, a cooperation with Columbus CROP Hunger Walk on September 24th. A percentage of your beer cost will support local hunger and poverty advocacy agencies (more information on the Columbus CROP Hunger Walk Facebook page). Land-Grant Brewing Company is in it for the long run, and it’s making sure Columbus is too. Stop by for a beer from a brewing company that doesn’t just see the big picture, but crafts it.

For more, visit landgrantbrewing.com

614columbus.com fall 2018

Four String Brewing Co. • 985 W Sixth St. turning 6 Oct. 27

Four String, Columbus’s original “Rock and Roll Craft Beer” was the first of what has become a tsunami of new beer flooding the market, and maybe being the first wasn’t the best thing. Veteran Columbus musician and homebrewer Dan Cochran kicked open the doors to his operation on a shoestring budget, and overcame a shortage of brewery equipment for smaller brewers by improvising on dairy equipment. Like Land-Grant, he tried to build a strong brand, and it was successful enough to justify an optimistic expansion. Then the market corrected, and craft beer consumers began to change their buying habits. Regional brewers felt the sting of slumping sales, and Four String was reeling. What did Cochran do? Like any good stage hack—he improvised. He went back to his roots, and decided to brew what he loved: American Lager. He’s never apologized for it, but he never consider brewing one until he was trying to figure out how to carve out his share of the market. Why can’t a craft brewery embrace the most popular style of beer in the world? So, Hilltop Heritage Lager was born. Cochran squeezes his margins to offer his beer in six-packs of 16-ounce talls at a price not too far off what PBR normally goes for. The gambit was successful enough to justify this year’s release of Hilltop Light, and Four String is putting the final touches on HUG, their new line of radlers—a refreshing style of light beer blended with fruited soda. (If you don’t know about radler—ask your friendly neighborhood bike/beer nerd). Four String hasn’t given up on the craft beer standards, but Hilltop and Hilltop Light are selling well, proving Cochran’s theory that people who drink domestics will support local brewers—especially if the local brewers offer them something they enjoy. 34

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What’s next: In addition to their October 27 anniversary party, the rock n’ roll brewery hosts a litany of other events throughout fall. Interested in consuming their alcoholic ambrosia while local musicians channel their inner muse? Check out Four String’s open-mic night at their Grandview location. It’s every Tuesday starting at 7 p.m. and lasts until the performance list dries up. A ninepiece brass band with musicians pulled straight from the Columbus Symphony have made a habit of showing up the first Tuesday of every month to blow the socks off of both attending and non-attending neighborhood sock wearers alike. Interested in straight-up brew culture? Every Saturday at noon, Four String wheels out a specially flavored cask for devout craft beer disciples to imbibe. Go to enough Cask Clubs, buy enough beers, and you just might earn the right to flavor your own cask for your fellow yeast-laden compatriots at a Cask Club down the line. It’s true—you can get yourself a Cask Club card to track your beers and earn tiered rewards. The bottom line, whether you’re listening to a kickass trombone solo at open-mic, or you want to become a Cask Club hall-of-famer: Get. A. Damn. Beer.

For more, visit

fourstringbrewing.com.

It’s fascinating to examine brewers at this level, and explore such different approaches to success. Four String is taking on Big Beer with a direct frontal assault, Wolf’s Ridge is embracing the fussiness of the business, and Land-Grant wants to be the craft beer that washes down hot dogs and ribs while you scream at your favorite team. • 614columbus.com fall 2018

My Old School • Mama’s Pasta and Brew

While the wrecking ball of your collegiate life still looms, these four campus classics keep OSU history alive— for now BY AAR ON W ET L I • P HOTOS BY R O B E R T B E R RY

Fall 2018 614columbus.com

Peace Out, Papa Joe’s. Bye, bye Bernie’s. Later, Larry’s. Hit the road, Heidelberg. Sayonara, Sloopy’s. The Dube? Denied.

ampus bar life at The Ohio State University sure has changed in the last 20 years (and the last 20 months). Gone are the High Street drunk ropes that corralled the underaged and overserved, and the bars that made the drunk ropes necessary have been replaced by mixed use developments, chain restaurants, big box retailers, and constructions barrels. If you were the owner of a North Campus Video card, heard that “Help is on the way,” remember Neutron Man, or had the pleasure of moving a 75-pound, 30-inch tube television up three flights of Inn-Town Homes’ stairs, you remember the good ol’ bars that used to dot High Street. Let’s relive our glory days and visit the following campus haunts and talk about their environments on game day—especially considering we don’t know how long each bar will remain on campus.

The Varsity Club • 278 W Lane Ave.

et’s start with the king. The VC was built in 1959 and has been owned and operated by Joe Mollica since 1973. Everyone knows the VC—odds are you have been there for a game, graduation party, or maybe even for a wedding reception. In his 45 years at the helm Mollica has seen it all, and has no plan on slowing down anytime soon. The key to Mollica’s success? “I’ve kept everything 99 percent the same and I keep things clean.” Sounds simple enough. But there has to be more to the formula. I imagine some of the success has to do with the VC’s proximity to both Ohio Stadium and the Schottenstein Center. But more than that, the success has to do with the VC’s warm vibe of coming home, pouring a hot bath and drinking a can of Miller Lite. On my recent happy hour visit, I would venture to say that the minority of patrons were students, and the majority were alumni or Ohio State staff enjoying after work drinks and pizzas. During game day, Mollica reports that 100 people are on staff to help serve the estimated 10,000 (total for the day) fans in attendance. You are only old if you think you are too old to fight for a game day seat at the VC. •

614columbus.com fall 2018

The Library Bar • 2169 N High St.

uaint, cozy, and comfortable, this location has been a bar since 1972 and owned by David “Cricket” Shaw since 1986. What does Shaw, who has only missed three home football games since 1976, think about the changing face of campus? “It’s tough,” he said. “The culture has changed. The mom and pops are gone, and so is the character.” This opinion can easily be verified from the sidewalk in front of The Library, by viewing Wilson Place, a mixed use building on the southeast corner of Lane & High which will contain a Starbucks and Chipotle in the lobby. It’s hard to say The Library doesn’t have a rich history to match its retro neon beer signs. What other bar on earth can lay claim to OSU basketball legend Greg Oden buying a round for the bar, comedian Dave Attell filming a Comedy Central segment and classic rock royalty Cheap Trick drinking a few rounds after a show at The Newport? Still, Shaw marches on and has no plans of quitting the game. It’s not difficult to find a seat at the bar during the game, but before and after is a different story. Perhaps just stop by on a weeknight with the kids and play some darts, pool, shuffle alley, pinball or foosball. Someday, they’ll appreciate the fact that you did.

Fall 2018 614columbus.com

Mama’s Pasta and Brew • 23 Campus Pl.

he most intimate bar on the list, and the only bar slinging spaghetti, is Mama’s Pasta and Brew, a campus institution since 1977. That’s the fun part. The not so fun part? The fact that the end of the road is within sight—November 30th, 2018, to be precise. Personally, I was hopeful that demolition would be after January 7, as the Buckeyes are scheduled to play in the National Championship Game on that day, but the November 30th deadline does leave room for one final game against That Team Up North. Sporting three taps and top shelf liquor and serving pasta with a side of character, Mama’s is certainly unique. During my conversations with owner Brian Galensky, he waxed poetic and proudly boasted, “in my 18 years of working at Mama’s, I’ve never had a bad day at the office.” Galensky’s favorite memory? That would be the time former Ohio State University President E. Gordon Gee popping in to chat, glad-hand, and toss a game of darts. At the end of the evening, Gee discovered that his vehicle had been towed. Parking Pass Karma is a funny thing. During game day, the crowd has a familial vibe as alumni, former employees, and families stop in to watch the game and enjoy a spaghetti dinner and a Coors Light draft. Make sure you do the same this season— odds are it will be your last chance. • 614columbus.com fall 2018

Bier Stube • 1479 N High St.

hh, the Stube. If you’ve never been, but always heard you should, this is the season to make it happen. The only south campus bar in this article (and arguably only south campus bar left), the Stube has been serving drinks since 1966. A standalone building that truly stands alone, The Stube offers a blend of neighborhood regulars, students and alumni, a boatload of whiskey and an old school jukebox that is full of Buckeye fight songs. Like many of the other owners in this piece, Craig Kempton worked his way up the ladder (doorman, bartender, manager) and would eventually become owner. His favorite part of owning the Stube? “Being part of a historic and classic bar that caters to everyone,” he said. And the Stube is exactly that—classic and historic. You need to catch the Buckeyes? Done. You need a post-finals shot and draft? Check. You

Fall 2018 614columbus.com

want to make friends or be left alone to read? The Stube has you covered there as well. Kempton is gonna keep the Stube just as is, aware that he’s carrying a legacy as important as ever in the constantly changing campus area. “The days of dive bars in Columbus are over,” he said. “Everything has to be new and fancy now. The Stube is a look into the past of Ohio State. I’m proud of that and I wouldn’t change a thing.”

“ The days of dive bars in Columbus are over. Everything has to be new and fancy now. The Stube is a look into the past of Ohio State. I’m proud of that and I wouldn’t change a thing.” To a man, every owner interviewed vowed to stay in their current location as long as possible and fight to the bitter end. And who could blame them? Each bar offers its own unique stories and each has made the fabric of not just campus, but Central Ohio more rich and lively. Every owner also had a similar favorite part of owning their respective bar. That part? Meeting longtime married couples who come back to celebrate anniversaries at the place where they met or had their first date. It’s even better when those couples bring in their children and grandchildren to help recreate photos from the past. It doesn’t get any better, or old school, than that. •

614columbus.com fall 2018

SETTING THE BAR Y

our friends have probably said “Hey, let’s go to this cool bar.” But how many times do they say, “Let’s go sit at this cool bar?” For many, it’s just a place to sit while you sip, and as long as the drinks are flowing, it might as well be the bathroom. It’s just there to hold up your pint. Or, for weirdos like me, it’s the bar that makes the bar. It’s the place you prefer to eat, a perfect way to chat up strangers or the bartender, and sometimes the best people-watching spot in the joint. Here’s a tribute to the 10 most inviting/unique/ comfortable/cool/classic bars you can belly up to in Columbus.

Fall 2018 614columbus.com

• Soul at the Joseph by Brian Kaiser

By Stock & Barr e l Sta ff

Lindey’s • 169 E Beck St.

When it comes to some of the finest service in the city, an awe-inspiring patio, and consistently stellar food, it might be easy to overlook one of the more underrated aspects of the German Village mainstay. Under the backlit wine bottles on display, waited on by the impeccably dressed bar staff, we find something just a little bit cozy and casual about slipping in for a quick cocktail whilst the busy dining room rushes behind you. Grab some of the best French Onion soup in town for a quick fill-up. Let’s call it Epicurean, Express.

Beck Tavern • 284 E Beck St.

At ... the …. dark end of the street...is often where you can find Stock & Barrel’s staff after hours. Affectionately known to regulars as “Low” Beck, the bar is essentially the entire establishment, its shape filling up most of the small, memorabilia-decked space. You can keep an eye on whoever’s on the other side of the bar, order a pizza from anywhere right to your seat, and maybe could even throw a dart or two from there, too—just ask Mike or Jenn for permission first.

Soul at the Joseph • 620 N High St.

Just like at Lindey’s, sneaking into the bar here feels like getting away with some discount decadence. Even if your pockets are a little less deep than the top-shelf travelers lodging in the Le Meridien hotel, you can still set up shop at the lobby’s pristine marble top, basking in the massive flat-screen hovering above it. Snag some cajun confit wings and a Toki-O Highball, sleep in your own bed with enough left over for a solid tip.

St. James Tavern • 1057 N Fourth St.

No TVs. Sort of a window. Tons of tap handles and one of the best jukeboxes in town, not to mention the grandparents-house-like wood paneling, the Saint is the perfect place to disappear for a little or long while. You could retire to the side room for pool and Pac-Man, which is all fine and good, but most days, you’d be well-served to sidle up the the bar, shooting the shit with owner Michelle or any of the establishment’s other wise, weary bartenders.

Rehab Tavern • 456 W Town St.

While High Street might be cleaning up all the dive bars that still remain, Rehab Tavern is sticking to their roots. The blue-collar art bar on Town St. is simple. There’s a plethora of local and non-local options on draft as long as the keg doesn’t run dry, and if it does, they have plenty of back up beer options in a can. The interior and patio features a limited seating options, and you won’t have to waste much time finding an opponent for the pool table. The food menu is small as it offers bites like cheese stix for $5.25, and if nothing is really popping out at you, ClusterTruck delivers to the area and they have a little bit of everything, from tacos to Thai red curry bowls for your tipsy and hungry heart. •

614columbus.com fall 2018

The Hey Hey Bar & Grill • 361 E Whittier St.

Going to the Hey Hey is just as much of a treat of grabbing drinks as it is a place of community. While the bar is stocked with local craft brews like BrewDog Elvis Juice or Rhinegeist Truth, the minute you step up to the bar you are greeted and introduced to the bartender, Pat. He’s not your typical bartender in the sense that he isn’t just slinging drinks—he’s making connections. Sure, he’ll make sure your pint glass never stays empty, but he’s also taking the time to get to know each and everyone of his patrons on a first name basis. That’s not something you can get at any old bar. Even if the Hey Hey only served warm Coors Light on Tuesdays, popping into spend a few minutes with Pat is worth it enough.

Oddfellows Liquor Bar • 1038 N High St.

With a floor and bartop made of century-old recovered hardwood from Louisiana, you know Oddfellows is big on throwbacks. But though their style borrows heavily from tradition and vintage accoutrements, their style is all their own. There’s the Beerador, a cask-shaped beer refrigerator from 1916 that was one of the first beer refrigerators in existence. The ancient, handcarved bar was brought in from Cincinnati, and has a history all its own. Then there’s the giant, hypnotic, perfectly round, bared boob of the largerthan-life, wooden carved bust of the lady of the night that catches our eye every time (looking at the Lushie machine, we swear). There’s so much to look at while you’re there for trivia, drunk spelling bees, or just to sip some cocktails with your fellow strange birds. We take comfort in knowing we’re not the only weirdo there. With mannequin legs sticking out of a clawfoot bathtub, barely frosted windows in the single-person bathroom doors, and the most dog-friendly attitude in the city, Oddfellows know who they want to patronize their bar, and they’re not afraid to be themselves.

Fall 2018 614columbus.com

• Zeno’s Bar by Megan Leigh Barnard

Citizens Trust • 11 W Gay St.

Cozy and casual it is not, but the former bank is unrivaled as far as its wideopen splendor above the new downtown Veritas space. It’s part lounge, part luxury, and like its sister restaurant, the capable and creative bartenders are more than happy to steer you in the direction of a new favorite. Special shoutout to Logan Demmy, Columbus’s erstwhile bar star, just returned from a few years’ sojourn wowing guests at 28 Hongkong Street in Singapore, where he helped them earn Best Bar in Asia in 2015.

Dick’s Den • 2417 N High St.

Here at Stock & Barrel, we abhor pretense. And this means that Dick’s Den is right up our alley. There’s nothing fancy about Dick’s, and that’s how we like it. Our favorite point about this bar is that our parents used to hang out there, and we’re fairly certain that nothing has changed in the decades since. The stage is set nearly every night of the week with the sharpest chops in music playing jazz, and some of the best bluegrass in the city. The photos lining the walls tell of local lives well-lived, and generations of people who have played on the pool table behind the stage. The intimate floor space means you’ll be dancing with your neighbor in no time.

Zeno’s Bar • 384 W Third St.

It takes a village to run a bar, and no better example serves than Zeno’s, who’ve been keeping Vic Vill real for 37 years. Did you know they have the longest bar in Columbus? Is that official in any way? Probably not. No matter. Swing by on a Sunday sit down next to a long line of regulars in Game Day gear, enough room for fans of damn near the entire AFC. Order a Dick Allen, in honor of a recently lost legend in the city’s bar industry and thanks us (eight hours, and several beers) later. •

614columbus.com fall 2018

I’m sure the Wonder Twins are good people individually, but the magic happens when they activate. That’s what these mashups are about: taking already awesome local favorites to extra by pairing them with new friends. Here are some of the ones I think are home runs.

HOT CHICKEN TAKEOVER + DESTINATION DONUTS

Boneless Hot Chicken + Red Raspberry Hibiscus Donut Pick your heat level; warm, hot, or holy; and sandwich it between the bright and fruity raspberry donut. It’s got everything in one bite: spicy, sweet, tart and heat.

KREMA NUT COMPANY + KATALINA’S

Orangesicle Peanut Butter Sandwich + Sweet Spicy Bacon First things first. If you haven’t had a Krema PB&J, you need to remedy that immediately. Lots of combinations would work, but I love the Orangesicle PB&J. The citrusy orange marmalade, fresh peanut butter and sticky sweet and spicy bacon from Katalina’s just work together harmoniously.

HELEN’S ASIAN KITCHEN + HELEN’S ASIAN KITCHEN

Cauliflower Stir Fry + Spicy Dumpling + Xiao Long Bao My chef friend Kate told me about this wonderful place and their cauliflower dish. The name “Cauliflower Stir Fry” does not do it justice. It’s stir-fried hot and fast with garlic, spices, and the Sichuan peppercorns that make it lip numbing delicious. I order the cauliflower and mix it into whatever else I’m eating. My favorite combo is the cauliflower, spicy dumplings, and steamed pork dumplings, called xiao long bao. Leftovers? Add the cauliflower and chili oil to a flatbread pizza, or pita with garlic hummus. 46

Fall 2018 614columbus.com

L E F T: P HOTO BY CO L L INS L AATC H R IGHT: P HOTO BY BR IAN KAISER

RAY RAY’S HOG PIT + CONDADO’S TACOS

Ray Ray’s Pork Rinds + Guacamole Light and crispy pork rinds are the perfect scoop for the smooth and creamy traditional guacamole at Condado’s Tacos. I have yet to try it with the pineapple and chipotle guac, but I’m betting it would be good stuff. Maybe next time.

ANGRY BAKER CAKES & PASTRIES + JENI’S ICE CREAMS

Vegan Trail Mix Cookies + Salted Honey Ice Cream This combo is practically a health food. Two scoops between two cookies and freeze. Want to go full vegan? Try the double chocolate chip cookies with Jeni’s Blackcurrant Lambic or Dark Chocolate Truffle.

SCHMIDT’S + TIP TOP KITCHEN

Bahama Mama + Ohio Nachos Housemade potato chips, melted cheese, and the full fat and flavor of a Schmidt’s Bahama Mama, sliced on top. It’s meat and potatoes, folks. The diced tomatoes, green onions, jalapenos and sour cream top it off perfectly. Another option is the Haystack, same thing but with french fries for the chips. Ain’t nothing wrong with that. •

Bakes of

Art

Fall 2018 614columbus.com

by J eni Ruisch

h e process of making a Bakes by Lo cookie is not like your average Tollhouse recipe on the back of the chocolate chip bag. Cookier Laura Young makes the dough, lets it chill, rolls it out, cuts out her shapes, bakes them, makes the icing (still with us?), colors the icing, decorates, and lets dry completely. Then she can bag, seal, and label. She’s been known to spend three hours on a batch of a dozen. This attention to detail is what takes this baker’s creations way beyond… cookie cutter. (Forgive us…) In a time when carbs are becoming villainized, Young has created a living out of the good old fashioned sugar cookie. The simple joy her clients find in her tiny creations is undeniable. As is the colorful attention to detail that every single cookie receives from Young’s hand, and piping bag. Her Instagram feed boasts finely decorated sugar cookies that follow clever themes, and great attention to detail. Bouquets in Ball jars, diamond rings, fruits and veggies, even a child’s favorite toys. Young relishes the thematic concepting part of her process. She works with her clients to interpret the visions of sugar cookies that dance in their heads. And each and every one is a tiny work of art. “My favorite part of baking cookies is that every week I get to decorate something different. The beginning of the week usually starts off the same, where I spend time gathering ingredients, and making and baking dough for the week. The rest of the week is solely for decorating. A cookie takes no time at all to consume but I may have spent anywhere from 1-5 minutes decorating just one.” •

614columbus.com fall 2018

Growing up in Cleveland, her house usually smelled of something baking in the oven. She came to the capital city to attend OSU, and made Columbus her home. Young comes from a large family of skilled cooks and bakers, and she’s wielded a spatula since she was a tot. After college, she worked at a dental office while baking on the side. Word of her adorable and customizable sweets spread. Young found herself having to turn down orders because there just weren’t enough hours in the day for her to handle the volume along with her day job. At some point, she realized that the sleepless nights were an indicator that she was ready for the next step. She said goodbye to the 9-5 in June and hasn’t looked back. Young finds these picturesque pastries to be an outlet for her creative side. Edible artwork for her clients to enjoy. “Decorated sugar cookies appealed to me because I loved the idea of combining my other passion, art, with baked goods. I used to spend my time with a canvas and a paintbrush, but now it’s with a blank cookie and a piping bag full of icing.” The requests she gets for custom designs change with the times. Lately wedding requests have been filled with a neutral color palette and plenty of greenery. The clean, crisp, and dainty look of them is Young’s jam right now. But she waxed nostalgic about a design she’s had cooking (Baking?) in her imagination. She wants to do a set of Peter Rabbitthemed water colored cookies. “I love painting with food coloring on top of blank white icing. Plus, how nostalgic and sweet is Peter Rabbit?” Her design ideas don’t stop flowing. When asked about Ohiothemed cookies, Young excitedly ideates about Ohio shapes with hearts over Columbus, Short North arches, the Ohio State Fair, and our various sports teams. The sky’s the limit, it seems, for her sweet ideas. • 50

Fall 2018 614columbus.com

Check out Youngâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work on IG @bakesbylo. To order, visit her website at bakesbylo.com 614columbus.com fall 2018

â&#x20AC;˘ Short North Sunset and Four Peel Peat from Gallerie Bar & Bistro

Fall 2018 614columbus.com

A reverse crawl from youngest to oldest, of the city’s finest high-end restaurants

When I first moved to Columbus a decade ago, it seemed like every six-to-nine months a new, exciting restaurant would open. Oh, how times have changed. With a slew of new and exciting gastropubs, microbrewers, distilleries, and aprooms we’re in a constant tornado of options. Feel like tacos tonight? Condado went from one to five locations in Columbus in just four years. Got a hankering for oysters? Check out the happy hour at The Guild House. Want some pizza while watching a live sketch comedy and rock and roll show? Shadowbox Live is your answer. It’s a fine problem to have, but, if you’re like me, you want to try it all—you want to find the all the new places and hidden gems. You want to taste the difference in how one chef prepares shrimp and grits versus another. That’s when an AppHop becomes your favorite way to explore the city. An App Hop is like a bar crawl, but without the hangover. This is all about the food. Choose a handful of restaurants in close proximity to each other, order a few unique appetizers (or share an entree), a round of drinks if you so desire, and move on to the next place. It’s a great way to try new spots you haven’t been before, or revisit old favorites, all in one evening. And I can tell you from over a decade of experience, it’s a great date night idea! This time around, we decided to go the high-end route. Highend doesn’t always translate to the most expensive, but it must be a calculated, well-executed experience. Where the food is as visually appealing as delicious. Where the ambiance sets the stage and the service is second to none. It’s when all three of these come together in some sort of harmonious dance that the customer walks away with a memory and not just a meal. With that in mind, on this Hop we decided to start our evening at Service Bar, followed by Gallerie Bar and Bistro, and ending at M at Miranova. For the past year, Chef Avishar Barua and his team have been setting a very high bar for what a culinary experience in Columbus can be in the restaurant space of the newly remodeled Middle West Spirits. If the build out of Service Bar doesn’t impress you (and if it doesn’t I don’t know what will) then the food most certainly will. Avishar’s kitchen takes an unpretentious approach to modern cuisine, using techniques and equipment usually found in a lab moreso than a kitchen, to serve up beautiful dishes that appease the eyes and the palate. We ordered the Cheese & Poof, Oxtail Gnocchi, Panang Scallops, and sipped on the Yozu Sour and Sonic Bloom. •

614columbus.com fall 2018

• The Foie, M at Miranova. RL Valley Beef Tartar, Gallerie Bar & Bistro •

After losing of two of my favorite cocktail joints in the city in the past couple months (Curio and Blind Lady) I was so excited to see that cocktails in Columbus are alive and well. The Yozu Sour, with OYO Michelone Reserve Bourbon, Yuzu, and Orange Cream Citrate was citrus tart, but creamy and well balanced. The bourbon was just under the radar, so it was present, but not alcohol forward. Very nice, but as nice as that was, the Sonic and Bloom topped it. Vim and Petal Gin, Amaro Braulio (a herbal liqueur), St. Germain, Manzanilla Sherry, Lemon, Dandelion Molasses, Lavender Bitters, and Orange Blossom Spritz. That’s a lot of ingredients, but the showstopper of this one is the Orange Blossom Spritz which gets sprayed on a small flower and sat on top of a single cube of ice. The fragrance that it gives off is the first thing you notice before you even take a sip of this fantastic drink. The Cheese & Poof is seriously the best pork rind that I think I’ve ever had. Clean in flavor, airy and crispy—these things were popping and crackling as they cooled down, or until we shoved them in our mouths. Served with a fire roasted pimento spread spiked with a barrel aged hot sauce, they’re like an elegant buffalo dip a billionaire would serve at a tailgate. I always appreciate a good gnocchi, but the elongated gnocchi that we had in the Oxtail Gnocchi has reinvigorated my love of them. An herbal, homey dish that will remind you of grandma’s pot roast—but so much better. (Shhh...we won’t tell grandma if you don’t.) That leaves my favorite 54

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Where the food is as visually appealing as delicious. Where the ambiance sets the stage and the service is second to none. It’s when all three of these come together in some sort of harmonious dance that the customer walks away with a memory and not just a meal.

of all three, the Panang Scallops, which are perfectly seared scallops that surround a ring of puffed farro, which in turn holds in a puddle of panang sauce—perfect for dipping the scallops in. After a wonderful hour or so at Service Bar, we headed down High Street to Gallerie Bar and Bistro at the Hilton. Don’t let the idea of a hotel restaurant dissuade you from thinking this isn’t one of the top spots in the city. Because it is. Chef Glover and Chef de Cuisine Josh Kayser have been on top of their game ever since opening in 2012, and for good reason— the pair have known each other for 20-plus years. That kind of symbiotic relationship is gold for a restaurant. We ordered the Short North Sunset and the Four Peel Peat for drinks and the Shrimp and Grits, RL Valley Beef Tartar, and the Grilled 72-Hour Short Rib. •

614columbus.com fall 2018

Sonic Bloom and Panang Scallops from Service Bar â&#x20AC;˘

Fall 2018 614columbus.com

Gallerie is one of those places that really cares about its ingredients. When you start with top-shelf ingredients, sometimes you don’t need to do much to them in order to let them shine. For example, the shrimp in the Shrimp and Grits is caught, flash frozen, and flown to Columbus the next day. They’re cooked in just butter. Nothing else. And they’re fantastic. Paired with a crispy polenta and you have one hell of a take on the traditional southern dish. Gallerie sources their beef from RL Valley Ranch down in Athens, which they break down in house into primal cuts for a variety of different plates. They use what’s left over to make the tartar that’s served with a fried quail egg, soy pearls, togarishi, and delicate rice crackers, made in-house (of course). You could order four of these for a table of two and still want to order more. That being said, the favorite at Gallerie was the 72-hour Short Rib. Short ribs need a low-and-slow cooking process in order to soften the otherwise tough meat. No better way to do it than to sous vide it, allowing it to braise in its own juices until it’s perfect. Gallerie does it for 72 hours...72 hours! They artistically serve it up with a Thai chili glaze, sunchoke puree, fried kale, demi-glace, tempura sweet potato, smoked almond and cilantro. I especially enjoyed the sunchoke puree under the meat, as well as the smoke and crunch of the almonds. To end the night we headed over to Cameron Mitchell’s M at Miranova. You can’t talk about a high-end experience in Columbus without bringing up M. We ordered the Three Cones and Foie Gras to eat and the Peach Bourbon and Black Orchid to sip on. The Three Cones are a trio of lobster salad in sweet waffle like cones topped with various caviar and a small side of salmon gravlax. The Foie, a tasty morsel of foie gras served on a toasted brioche with a wonderful pairing of black pepper honey. The Black Orchid was delicious and elegant with it’s presentation of an orchid frozen into the ice. We ended up with the Strawberries Under Glass, which was my favorite at M that night. Fresh strawberries sit on layers of vanilla panna cotta and strawberry gelee, with poppy seed cake. Sugar glass sits on top of the glass, holding up a dollop of lemon curd. A very cool presentation for a very satisfying desert. Who says you can’t have it all—even when eating high-end. That’s exactly what an AppHop is for. • 614columbus.com fall 2018

By Linda Lee Baird

LOC A L F L AVO R

Photos By Brian Kaiser

Chopping it up with Vaso chef David Belknap about Columbus cuisine, cooking in New York City, popping the question on TV

y now, you’ve probably heard about Vaso, the rooftop lounge at the AC Hotel in Dublin. Hopefully you’ve had a chance to sample the tapas while taking in the incredible view of the rapidly-developing riverfront. I sat down with Executive Chef David Belknap to learn about his journey from Columbus to New York and back, working at Vaso, and popping the question on Chopped.

You were raised in Columbus and spent some time elsewhere. Tell us about the time you spent away. I was in Columbus until about 2001 when I left to go to culinary school in Pittsburgh. After culinary school, I went down to Florida for about two years. [Eventually I] started at the Ritz Carlton… I ended up in Naples, Florida, when my ex-wife decided that she wanted to move to New York. We moved [and] found jobs as soon as we could. I was at a steakhouse, but I had two friends at (Thomas Keller’s restaurant) Per Se. They hired me… That was a whole new eye-opening experience for me because I was cooking food I had never cooked before, and I was working at the top level. When I was there… [the restaurant was rated] the seventh best in the world... I was like holy crap, this is insane... the cuisine they create, the artistry that goes into it, the chemistry that goes into it, it just blew my mind. It was next-level intensity… You come in at noon, you have five hours to come up with a brand-new menu and be ready for 100 covers. But then it grates on you... I started looking around for chef jobs in New York and saw two guys that wanted to open this funky little oyster bar on Fifth Avenue [the L&W Oyster Company]… Over the course of four years we developed it into a pretty popular little restaurant. What made you decide to make the transition back to Columbus? Now that I had a son, I wanted to raise him in a city that I felt comfortable in. I just felt at the time that if [my girlfriend and I] were going to make such a dramatic move and step away from everything that we knew, I’d like to be somewhere where we knew somebody… That’s why we chose Columbus. Because my family was here. I found the job ad for Vaso… I got thrown into the fire. How would you describe Vaso’s food? Spanish-inspired tapas. I feel that the Spanish influence has many many tentacles; a lot of the things we do are from Spanish-influenced countries, things from the Caribbean, things from Mexico. Anywhere where Spanish culture has touched, I consider that fair game. Would you say the Columbus food scene has changed since you left, and how is it different now? I think the beer scene has really been the forefront of the Columbus dining scene. That’s the thing that I’ve noticed—how many microbreweries 58

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there are in Columbus now. With that, you’re getting a lot of cool chefs and restaurateurs that want to do cool things besides just a traditional brewery serving jalapeno poppers. Chefs are able to play around, and I’ve seen a little bit more forward motion. You’ve talked about being accommodating as a chef to special diets like gluten-free or vegan. How do you do this? We have to embrace the change that a lot of the clientele is going to be gluten free. When I wrote the menu, I tried to make as many things as possible gluten-free or vegan. I wanted to have something for everyone in that sense. Let’s talk about your recent appearance on Chopped. What was it like cooking in that environment when you know you’re on camera and you have people cooking on all sides of you? I felt strangely comfortable. This is what I used to do everyday… I would just look around, find an ingredient, and say, oh look, I haven’t seen this in awhile… and just made stuff up off the top of my head... When It came down to the judging and they chopped me, I was kind of dumbfounded, because both of the other dishes were not nearly as technically advanced as mine. But there’s more to the story… I had an idea a few weeks before about proposing on camera... When we finally got down to filming, they ask, if you win the $10,000, what are you going to do? and I was like, probably buy a ring for my girlfriend, and then they were like, is there something you want to say to your girlfriend right now? And then they pointed the camera in my face. I didn’t have preparation, I didn’t know they were actually gonna film it, and I was like... can we reshoot that?.. And then I had to wait eight months to find out if they were even gonna air it! I had a viewing party [at Vaso], with the intention that this was going to be my proposal, but in the back of my mind I’m like, holy crap, what if they don’t air it?... I said the “will you marry me part,” and she didn’t see it! So everybody in the room is like, Oh my God! And she’s like, what?... So then I dropped down on one knee and proposed in real life. And with that, Chef Belknap became the big winner on Chopped—no matter what the judges said. •

This conversation has been edited for length and clarity. Vaso is located at 6540 Riverside Drive in Dublin. For more, visit vasodublin.com. 614columbus.com fall 2018

You’ll Have What You’re Having

By T r av i s H o e w i s c h e r • P h otos by To mm y F e i s e l Fall 2018 614columbus.com

Veritas undergoes revolution by reduction with new tasting-menu-only approach

t’d be easy to hear a handful of quotes from Veritas owner/chef Josh Dalton and get the wrong idea. A rigid ideology. Fiercely-trained specs on quality control. A less-than-light dusting of profanity lacing his passionate, on-thefly speeches about culinary excellence—in Columbus and beyond. He cares about his staff more than he does his reputation, and now, in a move that many are already defining as “ballsy,” he’s doing once again trying to set a new tone for chefs and restaurateurs in the city. He’s getting rid of his menu. I don’t mean he’s changing it for the season. It’s gone. 86’d. From this fall on, when you walk into Veritas, you’re in the capable hands of Dalton and his talented team’s two tasting menus; the only question you’ll need to answer is: how much money and how many dishes. As much as moving entirely to a no-choice menu might seem to indicate an egotist lording power over his plebian patrons, it’s actually quite logical, coming from Dalton’s vantage point. With each tasting menu being dictated by the season’s offerings and what’s on-hand and fresh, Dalton insists his staff will be able to care for the customer better—but not having to cater to each of their individual preferences. Part of that is weighted in Dalton’s preference as a customer, where other restaurants, in his mind, are his chance to turn-off-and-tuck-in to someone else’s cooking. “You have enough shit to worry about throughout the day,” he said. “What time do I need to pick this up? What time is this meeting? Why don’t you just stop, relax, and enjoy the company that you’re with and let me worry about the next two hours of your life?” Veritas, who made their much heralded move downtown from their mini-but-mighty space in Delaware, is also partially making the adjustment after beginning this phase with an a la carte menu riding shotgun with a pricier, multi-course tasting menu. Often diners would order a la carte by the pair, and in a desire for more, would sometimes order two more, and two more after that, causing havoc in a kitchen that’s also potentially following a nine-course meal for diners at different time intervals. “The hard thing here is we don’t really know [what] to prep for,” he said. “On one night we’ll have four tasting menus and then you start putting in ala carte and now people are waiting longer and it really wasn’t the experience we wanted to offer to people. So by taking it down and doing these tasting menus, we really get to dictate and determine what menu they want, exactly how long it should take, what kind of portions are coming out, and when to fire things.” Translation: the new plan replaces guesswork with guest work. “I want everything to be looked at or scrutinized,” Dalton said. “I want us to be making the decision; I don’t want the guest making the decision.” This is where an interview with Dalton always gets fun. Some may find it a little prickly, but I often find it refreshing. He’s doing something very specific, but also something he’s passionate about sharing with a large audience. His stridency on principles and approach appear to be as much about setting healthy expectations as anything. And for those who have been, or may be off-put by such limited choice in their meal, there is a quintessential Dalton response to that, too. He gets it—but that doesn’t mean he’s prepared to change it. • 614columbus.com fall 2018

“I do believe that sometimes it’s good to ‘fire’ a customer,” he said. “It’s good for business and it’s good for the morale of the team. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m not in the habit of asking people to leave, but sometimes [whether] it be they don’t understand what we’re doing, or they just want to complain or they treat the staff like shit, it’s okay to say, ‘You know what? This isn’t a relationship that is going to be positive.” He’s fielded those complaints a few times since Veritas’s opening, happy to point them in the direction of other like-minded chefs like Watershed’s Jack Moore or Service Bar’s Avishar Barua, for those wanting creative fare, but through a traditional infrastructure. “There’s only so much space in this building that you can’t offer everything to everyone,” he said. “You gotta find what your principles are and stick to them. We know we’re not for everybody, but there’s a difference between giving everyone what they want and hospitality. We are in the hospitality business. We need to care about people, we need to consistently meet their needs. It’s not a matter of them being right, or us being right, or them being wrong, or us being wrong—I think that’s where people have that offset connection. This is the hospitality business. My business is to make sure that you are taken care of and that you enjoy your time. “We sell experience—that’s the most important thing.” Oh, and you’ll be sold some of the finest food anytone is serving in 62

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Central Ohio, consistently for half a decade now heralded as the best in the region. There’s no telling what the menu will be from now until the end of the year, as Dalton is clearly unafraid of tweaking his own formula. It’s about the guests and the food, equally, and if diners enjoyed the brown butter ice cream topped with caviar as much as we did, it’s an experience that will your belly with something more memorable that that clamshell you forgot about in the fridge. In a way, increasing quality by limiting choice has already been embraced by Columbus, as evidenced by the appeal of food trucks and popups that now dot the culinary landscape. “If you go somewhere and there’s 30 things on the menu, you should probably get up and leave because how are they going to make all 30 of those things at least decent?” Dalton said. “If there’s four things on the menu— that’s where you want to eat. Those four things are going to be amazing.” •

Veritas is open at 11 W Gay St. For more about the new menus (a small five-course menu and a larger 8-12 course), available after Sept. 24, visit veritasrestaurant.com. 614columbus.com fall 2018

Fall 2018 614columbus.com

No Menu Minnis The best way to taste Chef Tyler’s food? To trust him. s t o r y B y T r av i s H o e w i s c h e r p h o t o s b y m at t m a s s a r a a n d c h r i s h e i d e l

bq eel parisian gnocchi! Za’atar biscuits! Moroccan tomato jam! If you show up at The Market Italian Village’s No Menu Mondays, you don’t really get to hear Tyler Minnis yell out his adventurous concoctions in reality—but why are you taking our imagination out of our culinary adventure? As Columbus ratchets up its thrill-seeking palate, and chefs continue to evolve what a truly seasonal menu is driven by, we’re drawn to concepts like Minnis’ NMM, even if he’s not yelling for his sous chef to prepare the carrot cake with goat cheese vadouvan icing and tamarind ice cream. It’s truly all about seeing what Minnis, ever the envelope pusher and food efficiency expert in his days as co-owner of Angry Bear Kitchen, can do with what he’s got at his disposal. Each week he preps a new menu on the fly based on what’s still bouncing around the market after weekend service. Think of like a Chopped episode—where challenges are self-inflicted and the judges are regulars. “I don’t usually purchase new product for a Monday menu,” he said. “I basically just walk around the kitchen and see what ingredients we have onhand—especially if there’s anything we have an abundance of. I also harvest out of our garden the day before, as well as see if any of the other chefs in A&R Creative Group have some things they want taken off their hands. This allows for minimal waste in the kitchen and drives me and my team to create new things out of ingredients that are already at our fingertips.” A little nerve-wracking? Sure, but that’s what chefs like Minnis and his team live for in the kitchen. “The vast majority are new dishes that I’ve never made or tested before, but we always seem to come up with some winners,” he said. “My favorites are almost always the ones that I’m surprised that are so well received because I like those dishes that push the boundaries of everyone’s comfort level.” We do, too. That’s why we caught Minnis a day after one of his No Menu Mondays to get a little taste of why it’s important to keep pushing Columbus into new tastes. •

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With No Menu Mondays, are you trying to carry over a little bit of that outside-your-comfort zone mentality that seemed to be a big part of Angry Bear’s mission? The common denominator in both restaurants is I’m creating the menu, so that outside-your-comfort-zone mentality will always be lingering over every menu I create—it just depends on the canvas on which I’m painting. I try to restrain myself into the limitations of Italian/Mediterranean cuisine at the Market, whereas ABK was no holds barred. The quirky creations were certainly more prevalent when it was just one big “modern American” melting pot of food to pull inspiration from. That mentality is just the way I think and like to cook. Mondays it naturally comes out because I’m on such a time crunch. I don’t have time to think too much, so my first instincts are the ones we go with, and my personality comes through those dishes a little bit more. You’ve been able to travel a lot with A&R Creative Group. Do you think a specific country’s cuisine or style of cooking has inspired you? As I grow older, I find that my cooking keeps getting simpler—almost more rustic. My dishes revolve and start with vegetables and I strive to be ultra-seasonal. I find it more difficult to properly cook a vegetable, versus a piece of meat. I enjoy that challenge, as well as paying homage to the farmer that worked hard on his crops. That being said, the 10 days I spent traveling the country of Lebanon [were] very inspiring. The people there are so generous when it comes to educating visitors about their fruitful country. Almost every family has their own garden and it’s a way of life to preserve the changing seasons in order to enjoy them throughout the entire year. I saw a lot of different Mouneh rooms (pantries) throughout my trip. They take a lot of pride in their work and how and what they decide to put in jars. Their flavor profiles, dishes, spices, and mentality towards treating food certainly struck a chord with me, which I find somewhat surprising because I was never very interested in middle eastern cuisine until I experienced it first-hand. Now, I find myself drawing inspiration from their beautiful cuisine without even thinking—it just happens naturally. 66

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What Ohio produce item do you favor the most? If I had to pick one it would have to be big juicy ripe tomato. I only eat and cook with them when they’re in season. I’ve found that this makes a lot of people upset, but I just don’t see the point in using them when they aren’t being grown in our own backyards. They just don’t taste the same. I’ve probably had 30 tomato sandwiches this summer. Hershberger Farms sweet melon was probably the best thing I had all summer. It was so surprisingly sweet and delicious; I literally couldn’t get enough of them. We made ice cream, sorbet, granita, and put them in a panzanella salad. It was a fantastic product that I look forward to using next summer. One dish forever. What would it be? That’s a tough question because I will try and love a lot of different foods. However it seems like I’m always in the mood for sushi. I just can’t get enough of it for some reason. The best sushi I’ve ever had was probably in LA and Barcelona, Spain. I usually go to Akai Hana here in town. When you get a chance to try out other chefs’ work, who do you feel is also pushing tastes forward in Columbus? My colleague Justin Wotring, the chef of Hoof Hearted Brewery, does something similar to my NMM. He does “Flights and Bites” every Friday and pairs food with Hoof beer, so he’s always coming up with new dishes and pushing himself to be creative every week. I also like what Chef Jack Moore is doing at Watershed, as well as Josh Dalton at Veritas. I’m happy that they made it downtown. Columbus is obviously undergoing a pretty rapid evolution in the way we approach food—from both chef and consumer standpoints. To you, what is the biggest shift in what Columbus diners are looking for? Is this the right time to start asking Columbus to trust in the tastes of its chefs and go on an adventure? I think they’re looking for answers. Educated diners in Columbus have been around for a long time now. I think that we are just starting to see more and more of them, especially with the younger demographic. Traceability of one’s food and ingredients is so important these days. The consumer is going to ask about their food—there’s no doubt about it—so you might as well source responsibly and locally when it’s feasible, or else you’re going to get caught with your pants down. I think the Columbus community is realizing that you don’t need to live in California, the Pacific Northwest, or the Southern part of the United States to find really great seasonally-driven regional cuisine. It’s right here at their fingertips; they just need to seek it out a little bit, dine with an open mind, and support the local businesses instead of the chains that have saturated our town. – Hollen Campbell contributed to this story •

614columbus.com fall 2018

To -MA Y-to, To-MAH-to

Lo ca l to m at o farm er sp ea ks so f tl y and carr ies a bi g tr ad iti on Story and Photos by J.R. McMillan

Fall 2018 614columbus.com

ew foods are as fabled or fickle as the tomato. Too much water and they spot, too much sun and they rot, and the ones in the grocery store always pale in comparison to those you buy off a tailgate or on the side of the road. That’s where you’ll find Dick Capuano most days from late April to early September. His homegrown tomato stand adorned

“I love tomatoes, and once people have a homegrown one, they keep coming back for them.” in traditional Italian green, white, and red is on the same stretch of land his ancestors settled more than a century ago. “I grew up here. Mom and Dad always had a garden, so I always had a rototiller in my hands,” he recalled. “I love tomatoes, and once people have a homegrown one, they keep coming back for them.”•

You won’t find San Margherita on every map, and if you drive through too fast, you might miss it entirely. The tiny unincorporated village, just west of the Scioto River, was founded by Italian immigrants who toiled in the nearby quarry. They eventually built homes and planted gardens along the edge of what is now Trabue Road. Most of the original settlers had ties to the same province in the old country, whose patron Saint Margaret inspired the name of their new community. “Everyone who lived here between the two tracks grew something, and maybe had chickens, a hog, or a cow. It’s how they got by and survived,” Capuano explained. “It’s how San Margherita stayed San Margherita. Everyone had their own grapes and made their own wine, they grew plenty of vegetables, and they all had plenty to eat.” Development is slowly swallowing those plots of land and the heritage of those who once lived there. There are only a handful of descendants of the first families still living or working in San Margherita. Some of the land remains idle, and still supports farms like Capuano’s, where his better years have boasted upwards of nearly 2,000 plants. Most of these are varieties of tomatoes, but various peppers and signature grapes are always in high demand. “My time is up October 15, which is after the end of the season,” he explained, hoping that the land’s new owners might let him keep planting depending on their timeline for development. “I really don’t know what’s going to happen next year.” It’s not the first time Capuano has faced such uncertainty and seeming futility. During his tour in Vietnam, it was his responsibility to remove roadside mines and clear the way for convoys, only to do the same thing the following day after fresh mines were planted under the cloak of night. A firefight earned him a Purple Heart, but he’s put more than his share of blood and sweat into his tomato stand only to see it threatened by another invisible enemy. “I used to sell out of the garage,” he recalled. “But in 2005 I moved closer to the road and the stand has been here ever since.” Capuano keeps it simple and predictable. Crops grow on the same 70

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soil year after year. He turns under the plants to go back into the soil over the winter and repeats the process the following spring, planting fresh tomato plants entirely by hand. Only tomato enthusiasts can truly appreciate the depth of his bench, like baseball cards lined up on a giant table waiting to be discovered by a new generation of loyal fans. From contemporary classics like Early Girls and Carolina Gold to vintage heirloom varieties like Kellogg’s Breakfast and Gigantesque, if you can’t find the perfect taste and texture of tomato, you’re just not looking. “I pull them before they get too big and start to split, then let them ripen the rest of the way on my porch before bringing them to the stand,” he explained. “But the rain we’ve had the past couple of weeks combined with the heat means this is the last of them.”

“When I retired, I decided to go into my garden as my little hobby, and it just kept growing.” Don’t count Capuano out too soon. His cousin Joe still has a plot of land just down the road, and though it’s increasingly hard for anyone his age to plan too far ahead, one year at a time is as good a plan as any. He’s technically been retired as a carpenter for nearly three decades already, and despite the long hours and hot days in the field and at the stand, he’s not quite willing to let it go just yet. “When I retired, I decided to go into my garden as my little hobby, and it just kept growing,” he said. “It’s hard work in the field, but it’s also peaceful here in the shade. I guess you could call it my man cave.”• 614columbus.com fall 2018

Inside the mind of Matt Miner, the North Market’s newest produce peddler

By Travis H oew i sc her P hotos by B r i a n Ka i ser

Matt Miner is the kind of

cultural chameleon that has come to define Columbus. With equal parts experience on metal and punk stages as in the food industry, he’s the perfect new addition to the North Market—a building itself adjusting to a rapidly evolving city and its cultural and culinary needs. His new “bodega-style” produce market, Mini-Super, is a natural extension of his two decades in produce (Wild Oats, Whole Foods), even if the skateboarder-turnedsupermarketer saw himself doing more shredding than stacking back 72

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when he moved here from Marietta. You’ve been in this industry 20 years. What ways are we approaching produce differently than in the past? How does that play into your approach at Mini-Super? Urban America is much more food-conscious than it was 20 years ago. Foodie culture did not exist when I got into this business. I doubt I had even eaten an avocado in 1998. Now every kiddo eats avocados from birth. That being said, since healthy eating has been vogue, produce and natural foods has become more specialized and artisan. How many farmers markets are raging across America every weekend? With Mini-Super I try to tap into that world by buying from those unique growers, then presenting it in my own way. Why do we have so few of the mini markets you see in other countries or larger cities? That bodegastyle way of shopping is so appealing to me, but it’s frustrating you can find them in places like German Village, OTE, etc. Columbus is still coming into its own as a bigger city. We seem to be embracing the growth now. Hopefully we will see some fresh produce on the streets in those areas soon to counter all of the plastic developments popping up all over town. How important is visual merchandising in a business like yours? I know America gets a bad rap for valuing aesthetic beauty so much that some perfectly good produce never makes the shelves. Then again, you still need to sell product, lest it find a similar fate in the bin. How do you balance that? Or does it matter? Visual merchandising is massive in this business. How do you make it look sexy? I fashion police every grocery store I’ve ever stepped foot in! Abundance sells produce, but on the flipside of that coin, it creates waste. I have to walk that line to stay afloat, but I designed the space to maximize visual impact and minimize waste. It’s working out so far. Mini-Super also gets support from a few restaurants around the area, [who] buy our produce before it turns. I feel like the best way to buy produce is to try to buy for single meals, considering how much we all end up letting a tomato or a pepper go bad sitting around on a counter somewhere. How do you shop for produce? I kinda let the produce talk to me. Whatever I want to try at the time. I’m not a big meal planner or recipe follower—I just wing it. When I buy for the shop, it’s seasonally focused but I’m always trying to source the most interesting stuff I can. There is always room on the shelves for something weird. Is that mentality part of what you want to encourage with the bodega-inspired market? Absolutely. Mini-Super is more of a these are our offerings spot as opposed to we try to have everything. •

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“ When I buy for the shop, it’s seasonally focused but I’m always trying to source the most interesting stuff I can. There is always room on the shelves for something weird. “ What are the unique challenges of being one of the true “markets” in a place that has moved, in some ways, more toward a food court model? Trying to figure out what the convention traffic wants to buy. The volleyball convention digs Mini-Super more than the Dungeons and Dragons convention. Columbus has changed a lot in the last 20–actually 10—years. Where do you think we’re headed, from a food production/ consumer standpoint? It certainly would be nice to see more restaurants in Clintonville, OTE, Linden and South of I-70! Seems like there are alot of opportunities in those neighborhoods. Certainly more farmer’s market and CSA action going on. I would like to eat a roti sandwich in Columbus, but I’ll keep dreaming.

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Can you tell us some of your favorite chefs/restaurants in town? Maybe even the ones you feel make good and inventive use of fresh produce in town? Are some of them your customers? Sean at Brassica is great. I really admire his dedication to his craft. I think he said he made 30 different hummus varieties before he settled on his recipe. That’s nuts! Steve Nicholson at Flatiron is an old friend and BBQ master. Everything at Flatiron is killer. If I need cooking advice, I text him. Perrie Wilkof from Dough Mama has the the best breakfast around. Proud to say they all shop at Mini-Super! Okay: a weird one. Let’s play free association. A handful of your go-to fruits/vegetables and your favorite albums that best represent them… Melvins’ Bullhead is one of the best records ever and features a technicolor fruit basket on the cover. And those are honeycrisp apples in that basket. I always associate mangos with reggae music so Burning Spear, by Marcus Garvey, my favorite roots reggae album on the Mango Label. CAN’s Ege Byamyasi has a picture of okra on the cover and features the robot-funk classic “Vitamin C.” That’s my Joint! Okra is OK, too. •

Mini-Super is open 9 a.m. – 7 p.m Tues-Sat., 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sun-Mon. For more, visit facebook.com/minisupernorthmarket.

614columbus.com fall 2018

Free Sample Linden farmer sees big picture with microgreens

By J.R . M c Mi lla n P h otos by br i a n ka i s e r

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icrogreens are the original petite cuisine. Dainty and delicate atop any dish, served at some of the most revered restaurants in Columbus, the highfalutin alternative to salad or sprouts might have an unlikely source. Drew Sample supplies a select set of chefs throughout Central Ohio, eager to acquire his premium small-scale produce, from an equally smallscale farm he operates on a tiny lot in North Linden—a neighborhood hardly known as a hotbed of horticulture. “For me, urban farming really was a political act, it’s showing what you’re about instead of what you’re against,” he explained. “Decentralizing the food system and helping to create a different relationship between people and what they eat is essential.” An intriguing addition to an otherwise sanguine salad, those diminutive doses of arugula, mustard, and cilantro aren’t meant to make your plate pretty. Microgreens have all of the nutrient density and flavor intensity destined to become a mature plant, just harvested in days or a couple of weeks instead of months.

“Decentralizing the food system and helping to create a different relationship between people and what they eat is essential.”

“They’re more than an upscale garnish, but sometimes folks don’t know where to begin beyond salad. I think burgers are the way to go,” he explained, noting how he tries to help chefs get creative. “They add so much color and texture. My dad surprised me by putting micro-radish on mashed potatoes, it’s peppery. So now I’ve converted several people to microgreens with this photo he sent me of his mashed potatoes.” Hailing from Toledo, with family roots in Kentucky, Sample returned to Columbus in his late 20s, having spent a stretch of his formative years here from adolescence to early adulthood. But a soul-crushing corporate sales job and suburbia never quite fit his free spirit or sense of purpose. “I learned something from every job I’ve had that helped me go into business for myself. But most of the time, it seemed like I was just getting paid to deal with irate customers,” he revealed. “I was looking for a business to fall back on and farming was something I knew I could do.” Sample’s inspiration and knowledge of farming came firsthand from his grandfather, who, as a farmer left Appalachia looking for the promise of urban life, only to find a different kind of struggle. It’s a work ethic that rubbed off from an early age, and when the opportunity arrived, it was seed money from his grandfather that helped him start Capital City Gardens. “I harvested yesterday and I’m going to deliver everything today. That’s my edge over bigger companies that charge more for a lower quality product,” he explained. “A lot of farmers charge a delivery fee. I live in the city, so I don’t have to—and if chefs let me know they need something I happen to have, I can add it to the delivery.” There are no slick brochures or advertising budget. Capital City Gardens is as organic as marketing gets. Clients vary widely, but his business is built almost exclusively on personal referrals, from the Refectory and the Ohio State Faculty Club, to The Guild House, M at Miranova, and Cameron’s American Bistro. A couple of breweries also round out the list, but he’s always looking for customers, with a soft pitch and a smile. •

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“You go where you’re deserved, not simply where you’re needed. It’s why I’m happy to donate my produce and time to people who hustle and work hard to improve their own communities.”

“I picked up The Little Kitchen food truck at a farmers market,” he explained. “I just asked her where she got her microgreens, offered her some of mine, and she started buying.” Sample originally started by volunteering with a community farm on the south side of the city, harvesting and working the farmers market on the weekends. You’ll still find him lending a hand at the Westgate Farmers Market, even beyond operating his own booth. “Farmers markets are built on ground-up innovation. For me, it’s easy to just set up and not worry about how to take SNAP. I can just tell people I accept anything you have for food,” he explained. “You go where you’re 78

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deserved, not simply where you’re needed. It’s why I’m happy to donate my produce and time to people who hustle and work hard to improve their own communities.” But once-weekly markets alone weren’t enough to build a business, and by the end of his first summer, economic realities started to set in. “Last season, most of my income was coming from farmers markets. So when it ended, I was in a lot of trouble,” he admitted, even working at a pizza joint as a side gig while growing his roster of restaurants. Now they’re the majority of his business, and OH Pizza and Brew is a client. “Restaurants have to pick and choose what they buy locally, so I work with chefs to understand what they want before I plant.” His margins are lower, and so is his surplus, growing just enough to sell or share with family, friends, and neighbors—who’ve all become less suspicious and skeptical of his unlikely grow operation. Spoilage is so low, he doesn’t even bother trying to write it off on his taxes, or carry crop insurance, the safety net standard for most farms. Worms turn what little is left into the next crop of greens. Capital City Gardens isn’t entirely a one-man operation. Sample still gets his hands dirty, but credits his farm manager Rich Fraztel with allowing him more time to focus on building customer relationships while keeping the growing pains of expansion to a minimum. “People who go into business for themselves focus too much on the money. Success comes from building relationships,” he opined. “If you take care of your customers, the money will be there. That’s what makes the difference.” Once the weather worsens, Capital City Gardens transforms exclusively to an indoor endeavor. The converted basement allows for tight control of

light, temperature, and humidity with crops on rolling racks rotated for consistent quality and maximum yield. While the rest of the world waits for enough private investment and government subsidies for vertical farming to finally take off, Sample is just making it work by intuition and necessity. Urban farming isn’t Sample’s only political passion project, nor is his pioneer persona tethered to the terrestrial. He also hosts The Sample Hour, a prolific podcast started on a whim back in 2012 to chronicle the conversations he and his friends were already having on topics profound and obscure. From self-reliance to permaculture, Thomas Sowell to topsoil, it now attracts guest interviews from Mike Michalowicz, former Wall Street Journal small business columnist and folk hero for would-be entrepreneurs everywhere, to Thaddeus Russell, the disavowed academic whose A Renegade History of the United States was published as a response to being tossed off the faculty of Banard College. His podcast churns opinions and electrons as easily as he turns the earth, and for the same reason—daring to cultivate something novel in the age of ordinary. Sample’s pivot from microgreens to macroeconomics comes naturally, an approachable iconoclast who thinks labels are for canned vegetables and rhetoric, not people or ideas. It’s another trait he inherited from his grandfather, who passed away recently, but whose grounding influence and relationship with the land lives on in Capital City Gardens. “Toward the end, we’d sit and I’d read him excerpts from Wendell Berry I knew he’d appreciate. It was invigorating for both of us,” Sample revealed. “Like any farm, it would be nearly impossible if I couldn’t do it on my own land. He’s the one who allowed me to do this. This is his legacy.” • For more of Sample’s podcast, visit samplehour.com.

614columbus.com fall 2018

CITY as folk Fermenting vegetables? Making soap? Adopting a new pet goat? This clintonville shop has what you need. By Linda Lee Baird | Photos by megan leigh barnard

eople often come in the first time for eggs. They’re in a modest-sized refrigerator in the back. To get there, you have to walk past the bags of chicken feed and the composting bins, turn right at the shelf of seasonal seed packets surrounded by garden tools, go through the doorway situated between the bat houses and beehives, and try to resist turning into the jewelry store selling impossibly cute treasures that occupies the corner space. Got it? Now, the eggs: you can choose from several varieties, all Ohio-raised and hormone free. While you’re deciding, you may also want to consider the raw milk, cheese, or yogurt, and since you’re getting eggs anyway, you might as well get some free-range chicken too, and—wait is that bison? Also have you considered how you’re going to cook those eggs? Because there’s refurbished cast iron for sale just around the corner… Such is a walk through City Folks Farms Shop, a “homesteading store” selling “a little bit of everything,” in the words of co-owner Brandy James. It’s also the reason new customers often leave with more than they intend to. James and her husband co-own the store with Nicole Graf and her wife Paisley Nash-Dooley. After the James’ worked at City Folks under the previous owner, with Brandy selling her own brand of herbs and remedies

Fall 2018 614columbus.com

in the shop, the couples took over ownership of City Folks in July. They plan to continue the “community-minded” spirit of the store by hosting regular workshops around the shop’s large wooden table, made from the original owner’s family barn. City Folks is designed “to support people to do things on their own,” Graf said, following the practices in her and Nash-Dooley’s home. “We try to keep things simple and non-consumeristic, we don’t buy a lot of things, we make and we build.”

“I think people are really trying to get away from big box stores and trying to do things on their own and be more self-sufficient. And I think in doing that, they’re learning one of the easiest places to start is with food, and growing your own food,” Drawing on this expertise, the staff can help get almost any project started. “If you say, hey, I’m curious about soap making or I’m curious about making my own cheese, can you help me? [Brandy and Paisley] can actually walk you through the store and help you gather what you need to do that,” Graf said. James shared some advice on what to do before you shop, particularly if you have a larger-scale project in mind. Do your research first, she says, having learned from experience the challenges that can come with urban chicken farming. “It can get a little overwhelming if you don’t know what you’re getting into and what the permit process entails. Because what people want to • 614columbus.com fall 2018

do is go out, they get their chickens, they get their coop, and then they backtrack and start researching and realize that their run isn’t set up in the proper place in their yard or it’s not the right size or they don’t have the proper materials.” If chicken farming is in your future, this fall City Folks is offering a three-part “City Chicken Boot Camp” focused on the ins and outs of the permit process and caring for chickens. James suggests beekeeping as a less-intensive project. “It’s incredibly popular in the city and people don’t realize that there aren’t many regulations on beekeeping. You can put a hive on pretty much any sized plot in the city,” she said. “If you really want to just help out the bee population and host a hive and make sure they have a safe chemical-free place, then you don’t really need much,” although she cautioned there is more work involved if your aim is to harvest honey. As they prepared for their official grand opening later that day, they reflected on what drives consumer interest in a store like City Folks. “I think people are really trying to get away from big box stores and trying to do things on their own and be more self-sufficient. And I think in doing that, they’re learning one of the easiest places to start is with food, and growing your own food,” James said. So what’s next for urban farming? “I think sheep or goats are gonna have a resurgence here,” James said. “Goat milk has become increasingly popular... To have goat milk year-round, you have to have babies. So I think people are going to realize that, number one, goat milk is pretty awesome, and number two, it’s not that hard to keep goats in the city, and number three, you have to continuously have goats (to have milk), so there’s going to be an excess of them.” While there are some restrictions on owning goats in Columbus, it’s easier than one might assume. “You do have to have a certain land size, but it’s under an acre,” James said. Interested? City Folks will offer two classes on raising goats in the city this fall. • City Folks Farm Shop is located at 4760 N High St. For more, visit cityfolksfarmshop.com. 82

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614columbus.com fall 2018

Whole hog

HUSBAND-WIFE TEAM CONNECTS CITY AND COUNTRY WITH BUTCHERING CLASS By Lyn dsey T et er , S i x B u c k e ts Fa rm | P HOTOS BY B R IAN KAISER

Fall 2018 614columbus.com

Editor’s Note: I drove hours over

roads snaking through green hills to join the Teters on their Six Buckets farm for the assignment of attending their butchery class. The couple, along with their three daughters, live on a huge pig farm in sparsely populated Northeast Ohio hill country. Their lives center around the families of pigs they raise, who provide them with meat that is then sold to Columbus grocers. The old saying fits here… These pigs only have one bad day. They spend their lives fattening up and rolling in mud under the shade of trees, getting an occasional belly scratch from their benefactors/ beneficiaries, the farmers Teter. Theirs is an ancient kind of symbiosis, honorable in a way that most modern meat production has ceased to be. The Teters didn’t grow up farming, but rather approached it sideways, leaving the city as adults to chase a simple dream that modern technology and the flight of populations back to city centers have left in their wake. Their aim was to live off the land and the sweat of their brow. I’ve long felt like a city girl in the country, and a country girl in the city. I was well into my 30s before I came to the conclusion that maybe I was just a fish out of water, no matter where I found myself. After mulling over my story options, I decided to ask Lyndsey Teter to put down her bone saw, and pick up a pen, possibly for the first time in a pig’s age. She hasn’t left her writing roots too far behind apparently, as you’ll see in the following pages. She’s assuredly back at the carving table after meeting her deadline, but getting out of Dodge for a day (along with a two-hour ride each way to consider my life choices) moved something in me that the glossy, glassy new condo builds downtown haven’t been able to stir. Seeing the Teters lead the city slickers in their farmhouse kitchen on a journey literally from one end of a pig carcass to the other showed me that a mid-life sideways leap is possible, and that good old American pluck and tenacity can still get you somewhere. That somewhere might just be in the middle of nowhere—but that may be the exact place you were meant to be. – J en i R u i sc h •

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o it often enough, and you can find it on the first slice. Grab the pig’s foot in your left hand and move it side-to-side in an awkward handshake introduction, locating the bend between the foot and the hock. When she was alive, the pig would tolerate such foolery only as long as she was comfortable napping in the grass, belly toward the sun, enjoying a scratch from her farmer. But now, on the butcher block table, one precise cut through the skin exposes the joint, which crunches and pops out of the socket with a bit of downward pressure, opening a natural seam for my knife to slice through the tendons and release the entire foot in one swift motion, no saw required. Trotter, I say, presenting the foot before a group of wide-eyed peers. I’ve been doing this sort of thing long enough that I can spot the difference between those who are trying really hard to be cool with the visceral stimulus going on around them, and those suppressing eagerness to try their hand at the other three feet. OK, fine, they’re usually ghostly pale and/or fighting over the boning knife, maybe it doesn’t take a professional eye. Do not EVER throw this away, don’t you dare, I tell them. This foot is a gift. You can cut it in half and cook it up on the grill, crisp the skin in the oven, braise the meat and bones, add body to your stock and soups with all the pig’s glorious gelatin, the options are endless. The hog, whose tiny hooves took their first steps here on our pastures, the noble beast that grew fat and happy exploring the hills of Tuscarawas County on these trotters? That hog is now food. It’s witchcraft.

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Listen, I didn’t do any of this weird crap until well in my 30s. My husband Seth and I were professionally trained as journalists. We have no business knowing any of this. Growing up at the end of a cul-de-sac, pork was bacon. Pork was a lean, maybe even grisly chop. We’re not alone. Pretty sure Jodi Miller, a photojournalist, had also spent a few decades in a life well-lived before cutting off a pig’s trotter. A quick browse through her Instagram and I can see photos from Florence, Brooklyn, Venice Beach, the French Quarter. But no piles of red meat on a butcher block table, as of yet. She was here with us to remedy that now, slicing through the back hock with partner Robin Oatts behind the camera lens, lucky for us, another photographer. I like seeing this stuff through new eyes. Then there is Brian, who works in logistics. Kristin, who distributes auto parts. We’ve had Scott from IT, Rachel from HR, Thomas, who works in accounting, Kari the vegetarian, even that one guy, the guy who worked at a hospital, selling human skin to burn victims and transplant recipients. He was there. We gather around two wooden tables that are scarred with saw tooth marks from the first-timers who went before them, and we are here together, starting as strangers, to learn how to do this. In nearly every class, one person shrieks as we separate the loin from the shoulder, where the bacon and the pork chop become easily identifiable. This primal delight takes hold of a man, sweeps you up, and ultimately it is part of the reason my husband and I justified quitting our writing jobs in Columbus, eventually moving to his grandparents’ 90acre farm two hours east of the city. We are trying to carve out a living as farmers and homesteaders, leaning heavily on educational Facebook forums and YouTube videos. You don’t have to take it that far, but fair warning—some do.

For decades, we were happy to let go of that connection to our roots, quite literally, to the soil where our food grows and ultimately to the animals that become our meals. Luckily for my husband and me, what was old is new again.

I think we shriek because are all tired and bored of not knowing. Somewhere buried in our sapien DNA I feel there is a part left wholly unsatisfied with prefabricated, abundant-butanonymous meat, presented to our generation in tidy cellophane at the grocery store. It has left us full but disenchanted. I can only presume this because I keep getting these notifications on my phone that another stranger has sent me money, and each month our beautiful John Boos tables fill with folks from all over the state and we perform the weird rite of passage againâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;to transform a hog into food, the not-knowing into knowing. We make sausage jokes. These are my favorite days on the farm. â&#x20AC;˘

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To our ancestors, it used to be as trendy an autumn occurrence as pumpkin spice. Families, friends, and neighbors would gather as the days and nights cool, before the freeze, to slaughter and butcher the swine and fill the larder for the winter. Then somewhere along the way we stopped saying “larder.” We became repulsed and eventually embarrassed by our agrarian roots. Especially in Columbus, where I remember working as a journalist, we took great care to avoid those seven scarlet letters: C-O-W-T-O-W-N. For decades, we were happy to let go of that connection to our roots, quite literally, to the soil where our food grows and ultimately to the animals that become our meals. Luckily for my husband and me, what was old is new again. We recognized this missing connection and cashed in all our chips. We are going to foster Ohio’s food scene and agriculture back together, where it belongs. One pig head at a time. It goes without saying that farm to table is trending. Peasant food is finally getting the recognition it deserves. Utilizing the whole animal is now a noble pursuit for chefs and home cooks. The best part about modern day whole hog butchery is that Columbus folk don’t have to pack away a pig to survive the winter. We can take it at a more leisurely pace. We simply can enjoy a bit of craftsmanship that has previously been missing from our prefab lives. At the very minimum, we can Instagram bacon that we cured at home from a pig belly carved with our own two hands. After an eight-hour day on our farm, no one is going to be a professional butcher. All we have to do is enjoy trying. • To purchase Six Buckets pork, check out The Butcher and Grocer at 1089 W First Ave. For more on the farm, including their schedule of whole hog butchery classes, visit sixbucketsfarm.com. (And, if you want to see cute kids, dogs, and pigs, follow @the_swineherd). 88

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614columbus.com fall 2018

Blue Collar Burgers 90

Fall 2018 614columbus.com

Underhyped, under-appreciated, and most importantlyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;under $10â&#x20AC;&#x201D;these are the no-bullshit burgers you should fill up on 614columbus.com fall 2018

he history of the burger is fuzzy at best. There are myriad claims to the invention of the hand-held concoction. One thing we do know: It was a simple meal for regular, hard-working people. Peasant food that warmed the belly and fortified the constitution. Once industrialization became widespread, and humans were relegated to timed lunch breaks to fill their gullets and get back on the production line, lunch counters began producing the meat and bread pairing to hand out to the masses when the whistle blew at noon. But something changed with the lowly burger in recent years. Chefs and cooking shows began to “elevate” the burger to new heights, literally and figuratively. The ingredient list began to grow, as did its size. Soon, so precariously stacked were the avocado, bacon, pepper andouille, and egg plus 15-pieces-of-locally-made-artisan-cheese skyscrapers, served with endangered-Himalayan-salt-truffled-turnip-and-yam fries with caviar aioli dip, that they had to be served with a steak knife stabbed through the middle. Not just for effect, but to keep the greasy monster from sliding apart like a deck of colorful, fatty cards across your plate. All this and the beasts couldn’t possibly be finished in one sitting, didn’t reheat well, and could easily run you upwards of 20 dollars. My ancestors didn’t punch a timeclock for this pretentious mess. But now, the patty pendulum is swinging back the other way. There is a resurgence happening of the everyman’s lunch counter favorite, a return to the basic burger. A great meat patty—grilled on a flat top like god intended, maybe some LTO and cheese, and a simple bun. Small enough to hold in your hand. Order two, and snag a working man’s

Fall 2018 614columbus.com

Preston's Photos by Tommy Feisel

beer while you’re at it. We recommend a PBR, or a Hilltop Lager. Below, we have gathered the list of reader and staff favorites of solid burgers that won’t break your bank, and will leave you smiling from your greasy face, all the way down to your hard-earned belly. Workers of the world rejoice!

Preston’s • 765-C N. High St., 668 Grandview Ave. Tucked away in Eugene’s Canteen in The Short North, and at Woodland’s Backyard, Preston’s is a little burger joint that just wants to make you feel good. Entirely free of pretense, Preston’s is a place where you can get a smashburger or two to fill you up on your lunch break, as the infamous construction workers in the short north do at Eugene’s every day. Matthew Heaggans and Catie Randazzo have combined their powers, Captain Planet-style, to provide the good people of Columbus with all the smash burgers they can handle. Delicious beef, with a few simple classic toppings, and a solid bun are all you need to get you from the lunch whistle to the dinner bell. I can attest to the power of simplicity that lies in their burgers. Through the course of putting out this issue of Stock & Barrel, I had an opportunity to eat Preston’s burgers, and have been chasing that high ever since. Accept no substitute. – Jeni Ruisch • 614columbus.com fall 2018

Club 185 • 185 E Livingston Ave. • Even if they’re not flipping spatulas or manning grills, you’ve to give Tina and Randy Corbin credit for their contribution to Columbus burger culture. When we asked our readers to mention their go-to burgers under $10, the list was spotted with joints that the Corbins once owned (Press Grill) and new ones they’ve built out wholesale (The Rossi, Philco, Little Palace). But, when it’s time to build the burger Mount Rushmore in Columbus (I support such an endeavor, yes) you can’t make that mountain without Club 185’s Daily Double. Don’t let the size, or lack of accoutrements shy you away; it’s a near-perfect stack of patties cheese on a golden bun, like a 3x more expensive version of a Mickey D’s double—only 300x times tastier. Happy hour, lunch, late-night—the Daily Double is the bar crowd’s best bet. Luckily, you can get something like it at all the aforementioned Corbin-owned spots. So thanks, Tina and Randy, for boosting our culture and our cholesterol. — Travis Hoewischer

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Club 185 by Brian Kaiser

Cravings Café • 114 N Front St. Cravings Café beckons burger lovers from all over Columbus. Run by Matthew and Lindsey Tewanger, Cravings’ Downtown Smashburger ($8.50) takes homestyle taste to soaring heights. The house made brioche bun is what you notice first. Made fresh daily, buttered and toasted, it is the bun that you didn’t know you were missing until you try it. The special sauce is also made in-house and is their take on Thousand Island dressing, distinguished by the use of dill pickles and caramelized onions. The beef for the 1/3 pound burger is provided by Butcher & Grocer which locally sources from farms right here in Ohio. Everything on this burger belongs with none of the nonsense; the meat is perfectly seasoned and cooked with crispy edges, the bun has a soft and flaky interior and is complimented by pickles, American cheese and shaved onion. There is no room for droopy lettuce and out-of-season tomatoes. Matt and Lindsey put their love of cooking into every last burger they make. There is a great chance that one of them will be making it for you when you order. You try this burger once and you’ll be hooked...easily one of the best (if not the best) in the city. – Terrance Farmer •

614columbus.com fall 2018

Fall 2018 614columbus.com

• Culver’s • Multiple locations My people hail from Wisconsin. So a Culver’s Butterburger is more than just a delicious and fresh (never frozen) meal, it’s a tradition. We would hop on my dad’s motorcycle and head to the original Culver’s habitat in southeastern Wisconsin to enjoy the fruits of America’s dairyland. Beef, butter and cheese. Imagine my delight when I discovered that the low-cost, yet high-quality diners had started popping up in central Ohio. Even the name of their menu star rolls off the tongue like a satiated purr. Butter burger. The menu has many sandwich options, but the good old single burger will be all I need to fuel a road trip should I feel the need to travel back up to the O.C. (Original Culver’s.) In the meantime, we’ve got plenty of options for Culver’s burgers, fries and shakes right here in the heart of it all. – Jeni Ruisch

Johnnie’s Tavern • 3503 Trabue Rd. Started in 1948, this little old place—don’t judge a book by its cover— is loaded with character and a few great bites. Johnnie’s Tavern, 3503 Trabue Road, is notably “Home of the Super Burger and coldest beer in town.” They hand-make their burger patties and still serve beer in frozen mugs. For a mere $7.50, stack up your mouth-watering, half-pound burger on a grilled sesame seed bun with whatever fresh toppings you’d like. Or at least it’s supposed to be a half-pound burger. Depending on the chefs’ creative differences, you may end up with more. Burgers are a personal art in this place. Pair it with some old-school fried tater tots and you may have enough for two. Although, I find myself slamming the beefy deliciousness all by myself. Just come early and pack your patience. The small kitchen is loaded with one grill and one fryer and the place has become more popular than space allows. You may need to wait a bit to grab a booth and get your fresh creation. You can always call ahead and see how things are rolling, (614) 488-0110. They’ll answer on their prehistoric red phone with the cord, not the cool ancient phone booth in the corner with all the old bookie numbers scratched into the wall. – Beth Berkemer

Beechwold Diner • 4408 Indianola Ave. Working third shift like I do, you become very familiar with the many breakfast places around Columbus. Don’t get me wrong, breakfast is great! It’s just that after a long night of work one didn’t want to be relegated to only breakfast foods. This is where my love for the Beechwold burger comes in. I found this gem while attending—ironically enough—an after work breakfast with a friend. Not in the mood for breakfast, I asked the server if there was any possible way I could get a burger. That’s when she happily informed that the whole menu is always available. In terms of taste it’s pretty straightforward. Nothing super fancy or off the wall. Thankfully, it’s always fresh, always tasty, always available whatever hours they are open. – Bethany Fenske •

Culver's by Brian Kaiser 614columbus.com fall 2018

Ritzy’s • 4615 N High St. • Ritzy’s, the iconic bygone burger chain, whose growing pains lead to its near-extinction in the late ’80s, has reclaimed Columbus territory and resumed flipping patties just like the old days only this time, the second generation has been handed the spatula. It was important to the newcomers to freshen up the concept but they knew enough to not beef with what wasn’t broken. Just as you remember, Ritzy’s burgers are juicy, bursting with savory flavor, with just the right amount of crisp on the edges. The bread is baked in-house and the toppings—lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, cheese, bacon, chilli—are laid out for guests to see, crave, point at, and request to be on their patty. Be sure to surround your burger with a perfectly golden halo of shoestring fries that are, you guessed it, just like you remember. – Regina Fox

Village Coney • 418 E Whittier St. About a year ago my daughter and I took on the self-imposed challenge of finding the best burger in Columbus. We had many a patty in the 614 and came to a solid conclusion that our go-to burger was the cheeseburger was at a hot dog shop—Village Coney in German Village. What we enjoy about this flat-iron burger is how classic and straightforward it is—great flavor, larger size and good price point. That with some fries for my daughter, onion rings for myself and a Coke makes for a great weekend lunch. – Pakito Martinez

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German Village Coffee Shop • 193 Thurman Ave. Here’s the thing: The Der, as it’s affectionately known to those of us old enough to remember the wooden “Der Kaffe Haus” sign that used to be affixed to its façade, is, thanks to decades of bacon grease flowing over its well-seasoned surface, home to the best griddle in central Ohio. Pretty much anything you put on it comes off insanely delicious. So, if you are looking for a scrumptious hamburger, go a few doors down from the typical favorites and get yourself the one burger in Columbus that would make Ron Swanson weep. Topped with crispy iceberg, a slice of tomato, a shingle of American cheese, and a bit of white onion (grilled if you’re feeling fancy), this caramelized hunk of ground beef is housed in a straightforward, untoasted white bun. But when you take your first bite of this seemingly pedestrian burger, something magical happens. Every aspect of it fuses together into a harmonious handful of culinary perfection. No organic anything, aioli bullshit, or egg-washed brioche ridiculousness. Just a perfect goddamned hamburger on a plate that will make you wonder how you ever lived without it. – Josh Hara •

“if you are looking for a scrumptious hamburger, go a few doors down from the typical favorite and get yourself the one burger in Columbus that would make Ron Swanson weep.”

Rityz's by Brian Kaiser 614columbus.com fall 2018

Hangover Easy • 1646 Neil Ave. Hangover Easy is one of the few non-chain places left on or around campus where you can get a great meal. The menu definitely lives up to its name, easing rough mornings with standard breakfast fare and maybe a little hair-of-the-dog, but their burgers are really the standout feature of the menu to me. Do yourself a favor and get an OG Burger—onions, pickles, and cheese. Classic and simple, cooked how you want with a pile of tater tots. If you need all the extras though, you won’t go wrong with the HOE Burger with bacon, grilled onions, a sunny side egg, and all traditional toppings. – Tom Van Houten

O’Reilly’s Pub • 2822 N High St. O’Reillys Pub in Clintonville is home to one of the more original and delicious burgers in Columbus. I grew up in a small rural town, so stuff like Asian fusion turkey burgers don’t interest me at all. Give me something simple, done better than anyone else around, and you’ve got my loyalty. The Pepper burger at this unassuming little diner, is exactly that, plus some pepper. A lot of pepper. Cooked any way you like it, this big beef patty is covered in black peppercorn, smothered in Provolone cheese and topped with bacon (and all the veggies you could want). The Pepper burger is legendary in Clintonville. Get yourself there, ASAP. – Levi Ely

Eden Burger • 1437 N High St. First off, I love burgers but I don’t unfortunately get many opportunities to eat them. Secondly, I am decidedly not a vegetarian. Put those two things together and a veggie burger better be pretty damn good to get my attention! I have followed Eden Burger through many pop up events and now to their University District location and they have met the standard for TASTE and TEXTURE. These people are smart and savvy and they have a product that has substance, juice and flavor that I have never had in a veggie burger before. They are like the alchemists of old, turning lead into gold. In addition—for no extra money—I get such friendly, lighthearted and positive service from the staff that the experience not only does my body good but feeds my soul. I have a son-in-law who is a vegetarian and lives in Boulder, I will take him to Eden Burger with eagerness and pride. Boulder got nothing on CMH. – Peter Yockel

Street Thyme • 944 N Fourth St. • Surprisingly, not many of the seemingly 500 food trucks that line our streets or border outdoor festivals, focus on burgers. Odd when you consider the flat-top, hand-held staple fits perfectly on a mobile food menu. But, the ones that do really bring it. In fact, the only downside of eating an Irish Breakfast burger from Street Thyme, is that I am gonna have to eat it in public. It’s so decadent in its simplicity—fried egg, cheddar, rasher bacon, and pepper jelly—that I kinda wish I was alone, at home, able to really go at this burger with no one around to witness it. Is that weird? Probably. I don’t care. Hands-down one of the best burgers in the city. I could eat one every day. – Travis Hoewischer • 100

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Sl i d e into Style

The world’s oldest burger chain evolves By M i tc h H o o p e r | P h otos by B r i a n Ka i s e r

There’s a new castle on High Street and it isn’t inhabited by royalty, but rather, ruled by onion covered burger sliders. The new White Castle in the Short North offers everything you’ve grown to love about the nearly 100-year-old joint, but in that same breath, this location is different than the ones you’ve frequented in the past. To better fit the artistic vibe of the Short North, this new White Castle went through a modern makeover, and we’re taking you on a tour.

White Castle has grown in infamy as a place for the inebriated to devour their food after a night on the town, and the new Short North location is looking to beat you to the punch as it now serves alcohol. I can only imagine how this will go down on Friday nights: “Yes, uh, two crave cases, and also as many PBRs as you are legally allowed to sell me.”

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Not all things have changed at the new White Castle in the Short North. While the interior takes a more modern approach featuring large glass windows to allow for natural light, as well as the ability to watch your burger be created thanks to an open kitchen viewable from the dining area. The process for cooking the burgers remains the same. Flat top griddle, loads of onions, a thick slice of cheese—if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.

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White Castle has also joined the online ordering game, and you know they had to put their own flair on it. The Crave Box is a large, sevenwindow storage unit where online orders will be placed to for pickup. Just simply download the White Castle app, place your order, and scan your phone when you arrive. The door where your sliders reside will pop open, and you can merrily make your way home. With Crave Cases inside the Crave Box, this is just a big case of box-ception.

The iconic boxes in which the sliders are served also remain a White Castle staple in the Short North. How creative can you get with your box creations? I’ve seen anything from box bicycles to box giraffes so you’re really going to think outside of the box here. Get it?

When a slider just isn’t enough to satisfy your White Castle cravings. The fashion forward slider slingers have also teamed up with awardwinning designer Telfar Clemens to design their uniforms.

Who said White Castle can’t be for your vegetarian friends? The Short North shop is currently the only White Castle in Ohio offering alternative meat option, the Impossible Burger. Seriously, this vegetarian-friendly burger tastes so close to the real thing, you might be able to convince your non-vegetarian friends that it is the real deal. •

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The Little Corner that could By Je n i R u i s c h • P HOTOS BY BRIAN KAISER

In a culinary world where specificity and specialty reign, The Corner Stone is cool with their collective quirks 104

“S

o it’s a bakery that sells sushi?” “It’s not a bakery—it has everything.” I overheard this conversation between an obviously first-time customer, and their more experienced friend as I sat at a table at Corner Stone Deli and Cafe in Clintonville while working on this article. I couldn’t help but smile at what I overheard, as it’s a pretty concise summation of the thought process everyone goes through the first time they come in. I long ago stopped marveling at the mashup of food genres on the menu, as I was too busy basking in the glory of the unpretentious dining room for roughly a decade. •

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Throughout college and beyond, the quiet streets between High Street and Clinton-Como Park were my daily backdrop. It was the first place I had lived since I was a kid where I knew my neighbors. Though the main drag of High street has always been bustling, the last decade has seen a lot of change in this part of town. I watched as abandoned storefronts turned into trendy shops, and the housing prices in the area went through the roof. Through all of the changes, one character was a constant: Corner Stone. I would spend hours upon hours there doing school work. Sometimes only a cup of coffee paying the “rent” for my table, sometimes staying through the day, and eating breakfast, lunch and dinner there. I lived a turbulent third of my life in that North Side neighborhood. And through each loss and gain, I had sushi, bagels, and giant salads to return me to my baseline. Song Tjiang and wife Mediana Lien run the store every day without fail. The place has remained mostly unchanged in the 11 years since he bought it. It used to be Mill Street Bagels, and when Song (as everyone 106

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calls him) bought the business in 2007, he kept that menu. That explains the bagel sandwiches and salads … but business wasn’t exactly booming, so Song knew he needed to dig a little deeper. With a background managing the sushi department at a Whole Foods, and a rise in popularity for the raw fish dish, Song added a sushi counter to his deli. And that was when the lines of patrons really started growing. Within a year, he added rice bowls and (I would argue) some of the best pad thai in the city to his menu. Add a cooler full of ice cream treats, bubble tea, and delicious cookies, and you have the eclectic menu of Corner Stone that has proven to be a winning combination. I can picture characters from many chapters of my life within the walls of this place. Friends I’ve lost all but facebook contact with, exes I thought I would spend the rest of my life with, and visiting family and friends who wanted to go to “my favorite place.” The quiet backroom was an incubator for the birth of my writing career. My first paid writing gig was an advice column about house plants. Was I good with plants? Black thumbs

“Song hires locals, and takes pride in giving young people restaurant experience. He knows many of his customers by name, and after buying the building in 2016, he’s here to stay for the long haul. Just like his diners.” hidden behind my back I smiled, “Of course!” Thanks to Google and the bottomless coffee cups at Corner Stonem I was able to quit waiting tables to write full time. Song and his wife, like any long-time Columbus residents, have watched as the city around them has exploded. “We used to be the only family restaurant here in Clintonville, [along] with Whole World and Nancy’s. Now we have 20, maybe?” With Whole World gone the way of the dodo, and new lunch and dinner spots opening up all the time, Corner Stone has remained a .. er… reliable pillar in a rapidly changing place. In the late winter of 2012, after my mom died and the relationship I was in ended simultaneously, I lost all sense of bearing. That was the year the world was supposed to end, and in a way, mine did. When I needed a hot meal and some respite from packing up her things, I would trudge through the snow, up the street to Corner Stone. The familiar decor and menu would be there unchanged, calmly waiting for me. It was an institution of the neighborhood, and possibly the only time I felt at home during months spent in flux. But Song, his wife, and their employees always seemed cheerful, and grateful for my business, not knowing how vital their presence was to me. “People want to support Mom and Pop restaurants around here. Neighbors support us a lot.” And neighbors they are. Song hires locals, and takes pride in giving young people restaurant experience. He knows many of his customers by name, and after buying the building in 2016, he’s

here to stay for the long haul. Just like his diners. I remember the hours upon hours I sat at tables, clicking away on my ancient white Macbook writing papers, and years later, grading them. I took comfort in knowing I was in a place where I could really relax and focus on my work, where coffee and a good meal was within reach. I asked Song if it ever bothers him when people camp out at his tables, and he shakes his head, laughing. He can’t even seem to imagine it as a problem. I sat for hours and watched the sun set through their giant front windows for years, doing homework, job hunting, sometimes just wasting time. As I sat to write this article, I clocked in over six hours in their chairs, and ate my way through examples from each part of their menu as I looked back on the entirety of my 20s. The writing career that started within these walls has come full circle. Now I’m a full-time editor, and I’ve been given a chance to revisit a part of my past. I don’t make it up to this part of town much any more. But I think it might behoove me to make the trip when I have a few hours worth of work to do, and I want to take a stroll down memory lane. Song makes his rounds, greeting people and collecting their dishes as some click away at their keyboards, and some catch up with friends the old fashioned way, face to face. “We never rush people,” he says with a smile. • The Corner Stone is located at 3296 N High St. For more, visit cornerstonedelicafe.com. 614columbus.com fall 2018

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P h oto by Co lli ns Laatsch

FRESH TASTES

High Bank Distillery

1051 Goodale Ave. • highbankco.com

Numerous new bars, breweries, or restaurants opened up in the last year, signifying a legitimate boom for the Columbus food and drink industry. These are just a few of the standouts: 108

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You’d like for your city to have its own identity carved out with the help of local people with good intentions. So when a project like Grandview’s new High Bank Distillery Co. pops up in a town that for years sported just a pair of purveyors, it’s important to learn the origin story, for as Columbus continues to develop (and fast), we soon may look for such stories and come up high and dry. Co-founders Jordan Helman and Adam Hines (along with two others) set the wheels in motion on High Bank years ago after they worked together in the cold-pressed juice arena. (See: Zest)

Hines, a CCAD graduate with a focus on industrial design, took his turn in the “real world,” working in agencies and then starting his own brand and design consultingg firm. Family in Kentucky led him to taking dozens of distillery tours. He and Helman started talking shop, and here we are! From these seeds has grown High Bank, Grandview’s shiniest new jewel. The space is open and bright and spills out toward Goodale Avenue in a way that makes it feel as though you could probably just wander across the street with a cocktail (don’t) or just pull your car up on the grass and start blowing out tunes (definitely do not; in fact, you should all read the parking suggestions on their website). At over 17,000 square feet, the back room distillation gear doesn’t infringe at all on the bar, game room, or dining space. There are high-tops and lowtops and rails with stools and tiny parlor games and screens that can be viewed from any seat in the house. High Bank launched with three of their proprietary spirits ready to flow—organic vodka and gin and an 88-proof blended rye whiskey. Lovers of Watershed’s Four Peel will find the gin palatable. Snack on the sugar and spiced nuts ($5) and dip into the “don’t call it guac” smashed avocado ($8) before rocking out on some deviled eggs ($10). The pistachio and feta swirl in the not-guac is a pleasant departure from the norm. The deviled eggs each sported a jaunty little cap made of crispy chicken skin. The hangar steak sandwich ($16) with fried onions and tomato jam is spot-on. The steak tips are tender and well-seasoned, and the sandwich as a whole was very satisfying. Give the High Bank burger a whirl; $17 bucks with bacon and egg. The eggy doughnuts ($9) are a must. •

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Pecan Penny’s

113 E Main St. • Pecanpennys.com

Living in a part of the country not particularly known for barbecue, it’s not so much about traditions and recipes passed down for generations, as much as it’s about technique and consistency. In that absence of history, Pecan Penny’s Pitmaster Greg Schmidt is highly skilled when it comes to the pedagogy of smoking meat. He’s pursued the hobby since his teens, later in life throwing backyard barbecues, smoking whole hogs, and eventually catering for friends on the side. His talent caught the attention of Kevin Burns and Brad Hobbs, the duo responsible for The Walrus and Olde Towne Tavern, who lured him away from his career in graphic design to man their latest concept full-time. His menu is split into smoke, sides, snacks, and sweets (pecan pie of course). The interior, which now occupies the former home of Ray Johnson’s Seafood Market, is revamped with garage doors, cafeteria seating, and an industrial turquoise and pewter motif. Those basic ideals really free up the decision making and allow Schmidt’s handiwork to take center stage. “BBQ is so prevalent right now, that everyone has their own idea of what designates BBQ from a certain region,” says Schmidt. “You could call what we do Central Texas BBQ, because it’s dry-

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P h otos by b ri an kai ser

rubbed and kissed with smoke, but you’ve got the option of six different sauces. I just want the meat to taste like meat, first and foremost. Today I dubbed it CBUS-B-Q.” That menagerie of sauces, gives Schmidt’s “CBUS-B-Q” a distinctive, choose-your-own-flavor adventure when you choose to indulge. All house-made, they take the most pride in their family recipe-derived “G-Daddy” and “Hot G-Daddy” sauces, with shades of Kansas City in the mix, they are the thickest and smokiest of the bunch. There are also two styles of the lighter, vinegar-based tang from the Carolinas, a sweet and minimal Memphis glaze, and the almost-ranch of the Alabama white, which is primarily for chicken. Try a dinner of smoked wings and hushpuppies if you’re hankering to try them all.

Ph oto by collin s l aatsc h

Haveli Bistro

185 N High St. • havelibistro.com

The most notable thing about the Haveli menu is the Indo-Chinese/Szechuan influence. Of course you will find the obligatory offerings or the myriad Indian restaurants around the capital city and beyond. Tikka masala and saag and korma. But there’s also gongura (a southeastern style popular in Andhra Pradesh), roghan josh (aromatic goat stew of Kashmiri origin), and, as noted, Szechuan chicken, prawns, and mushrooms. The latter selection is fragrant and well-spiced and pairs well with other samplings. They have an herbaceous quality and an excellent texture. So—decent spice, more-than-typical selection, and even a nice goopy gulab jamun (sort of an Indian tres leches). Most downtown restaurants are looking to suckle off the lunchtime teat, though, so competition is fierce. Fortunately for Haveli, they’re presenting simple, solid options the everyday downtown walker. •

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Harvey and Ed’s

698 N High St. • harveyandeds.com

If an upscale deli sounds like a halfbaked idea, you obviously haven’t been to Harvey & Ed’s. The latest creation from Cameron Mitchell Restaurants combines Jewish comfort food classics with artful execution in a Short North space that evokes the unpretentious ease of an East Coast eatery. Named for best friends and brothers-in-law, Harvey and Ed are the father and uncle of CMR President David Miller, with many of the menu offerings inspired by his childhood and the familiar fare of the family kitchen. But merely trading on pieces of the past isn’t enough to build a cohesive brand that carefully couples corned beef with a cocktail bar. That’s why it took a team of talent to craft a dining experience new to Central Ohio. Though the capital city’s Eastern European roots are represented in the restaurant scene, and with a Jewish community among the largest in the Midwest, some dishes may still require a little deciphering for the uninitiated, offering a new appreciation of why The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel deftly described pot roast as “Methodist for brisket.” “Not everyone knows what a knish is,” confessed executive chef Jonathan Basch, charged with keeping the menu traditional, approachable, and innovative—which is a tall order for any chef. “We use chicken livers in our chopped liver. Some use beef livers, but there’s a little less iron and they’re sweeter, and we sweat the onions down in schmaltz.” Bubbe’s Matzo Ball soup is far more familiar, even if it’s the size of a fist, just like Miller remembers them as a kid. Egg Creams are my own longawaited soda fountain staple, despite the misnomer, containing neither—just Fox’s U-Bet chocolate syrup, milk, and seltzer in perfect proportion. “Then we got more creative, from the Knoblewurst, which is beef sausage made at The Butcher & Grocer in Grandview, to the Pomegranate Braised Lamb,” he revealed. “Our brisket is confited. It’s so tender, you can cut it with a spoon.” •

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It’s difficult for us here at (614) to catch it all. That’s where you come in: while you’re out there capturing the city, you might as well slide some of your best shots our way. Use the hashtag #Eat614 on twitter or instagram to put your photos on our radar. 114

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