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contents FALL 2015
ON THE C OV E R
76
WITH THE GRAIN
Shagbark Seed & Mill Co. is proving grains and beans can be local.
17
SHELL SHUCKED From raw to fried, get ready for an oyster fix.
54
PERFECT PRESENT
Where to find the city’s best Chinese dumplings
100
A DAY AT THE NORTH MARKET Experience the North Market in 33 steps.
108
FLOUR & WATER
The age-old craft of pasta making is sweeping Columbus restaurants.
PHOTOS: COVER, WILL SHILLING; TABLE OF CONTENTS, TIM JOHNSON
F E AT U R E S
92
SERIOUS BUZZ
86
WHOLE LOTTA CHUTZPAH
Magdiale Wolmark goes back to his roots with Izzy & Mo’s
How to roast, brew and drink like a coffee nerd An Ethiopian coffee ceremony at Dire Dawa Cafe.
FA L L 2 015 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • 7
contents FALL 2015
STARTERS
12
EDITOR’S NOTE
14
CONNECT
Our favorite food shots from readers
SCOOP
22
DRINK
32
Finding the right craft rum OPENINGS Exploring Nayarit-style for your palate seafood at Alegria’s
24
CRAVEWORTHY Our favorite craft sodas
26
TRENDS A love of fermented foods
28
ETHNIC EATS
Asian-style fried chicken
30
Q&A
Zach James on his new Appalachian eatery 8 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
34
DISH Three pierogi to try
36
NEIGHBORHOOD
Is Italian Village ready for a restaurant boom?
38
FOODIE EVENTS
44
CALENDAR
TABLE TALK
EXIT
49
127
Cleveland’s Ohio City
A quick-hit guide to the restaurants in this issue
ROAD TRIP
58
BREAKFAST
Five great breakfast sandwiches
60
BACK OF HOUSE What it takes to clean beer tap lines
62
DINING OUT
142
CLOSING TIME
Michael Koenig of Tucci’s shares his favorite places to eat and drink.
144
SWEET
Seasonal flan at Barcelona
PERFECT PAIRINGS The new Californian wine
64
REGULAR
Dining at Tutto Vino
PHOTO: TIM JOHNSON
20
IN THE KITCHEN Inside Flatiron Bar & Diner’s menu shakeup
ALWAYS SUMMER
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10 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
S TARTERS | EDITOR’S NOTE
TELLING STORIES
U
pgrading to the squash blossom porridge was one of the best decisions of my life. A waiter placed a wide-rimmed white bowl with dandelion-yellow soup before me, as another server opened a small wooden box. He allowed me a quick glimpse of the black Australian truffles inside before selecting one and covering my entire porridge with fresh shavings of the fungus. Whoa. It was one of those dining moments that, no matter how gimmicky it may seem later, makes the meal that much more memorable. Not that I was going to have any trouble recalling this evening—I was dining at the lauded French Laundry in Yountville, California. (To this day, I’ve no clue how I lucked into reservations.) When my husband leaned across the table halfway through the meal and asked if I spotted anyone famous, I looked to my left and saw chef Thomas Keller standing there. Double whoa. One of the moments from that magical evening that still sticks with me today had nothing to do with eating. Rather, it’s what our waiter gave us to take home. On our way out, he handed over a dark blue folder with the outline of the restaurant’s signature clothespin embossed on the front. Inside was a copy of the evening’s menu signed by the chef and a thick, beautifully designed and photographed booklet with stories about their farmers and purveyors. Here was a restaurant that so believes in the people from whom they source and the quality of their products that they took the time and money to write a book about them, like a proud parent touting the accomplishments of their children.
That menu has since been framed and now proudly hangs in my dining room. As for the booklet, it’s still in that blue folder, tucked away in my desk. I can’t bring myself to throw it away. I pulled it out the other day as I was writing this issue’s cover story on Shagbark Seed & Mill (“With the Grain” on page 76). Why? Because of the enthusiasm I received when I spoke with area chefs who source organic beans and heirloom grain products from this small Athens mill. They spoke highly of mill owners Brandon Jaeger and Michelle Ajamian and credited them with changing not just the way we look at staple foods, but the world itself. Chef Tom Smith at The Worthington Inn went so far as to say his pork tacos (the dish featured on this issue’s cover) weren’t complete without Shagbark’s heirloom corn tortillas. After spending time with Brandon and Michelle this summer, I understood the gushing from local chefs. With no business experience, these two figured out how to open and run a successful organic mill. And that’s not to mention their products, which are some of the best grains and beans around (I’m personally a sucker for their corn crackers). We give a lot of praise to the chefs who craft delicious dishes, but we don’t always take the time to share the stories of the farmers and purveyors who sacrifice to bring us quality products in the first place. I’m so happy to share their story here.
Beth Stallings, Editor
I’d love to hear what you think of the magazine! Email me feedback on what you love and what you think we could do better at bstallings@columbuscrave.com.
12 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
2855 INDIANOLA AVE | (614) 261-7128 | WWW.THECRESTGASTROPUB.COM FOLLOW US ONLINE WITH FACEBOOK, TWITTER,
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S TARTERS | CONNECT
FOODSHARING Use the hashtag #CraveCbus to share your favorite dishes and drinks from around the city. We’ll print a few of our favorites in the next issue of Crave. And don’t forget to follow our local food adventures at @ColumbusCrave.
The Emerald Peanut bowl with banana and peanut butter at @alchemy_juice looks good and is healthy, too? Sold!
@nickspics9966 celebrated Negroni Week with a classic cocktail at Sidebar in Downtown Columbus.
@sweetpea0277 shows off quite the spread at Mexican joint Tacoriendo.
@foodloversdiary’s word to the wise from Basil Restaurant: “Note to self: Don’t ask for ‘extra spicy’ at a Thai restaurant.”
If you ask @thebreakfastgrubguy, OD on BBQ is one of the best hidden-gem food trucks in Columbus.
We’ve got a soft spot for neon signs, including this glowing beauty from @thelittlepalace.
Berries, Nutella and whipped cream, oh my! @romesick enjoys a dessert pizza at Bono Pizza.
We hope mimosa flights, like this one captured by @ladygastronome at Whole Foods Upper Arlington, become a thing.
Our kind of breakfast: Boozy Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Trix at The Whitney House, enjoyed by @thespiffycookie
Chronicling their Short North food tour, @cypclub had time for a bonus stop: the impressive North Market Spices.
Crave writer @jillmoorhead has a tough job sampling fresh dumplings at Helen’s Asian Kitchen for a story on page 54.
@darista can’t get enough of new Victorian Village deli Izzy & Mo’s, including its smoked turkey pastrami and deviled eggs.
We’re glad we inspired @littleadvcbus to try Harvest Kitchen’s kale Caesar salad—one of our top salads of the summer.
@angrybearkitchen shares this ode to Mac’s Cafe’s signature Scotch egg made with a soft farm egg, blood sausage and sage cream.
“You know it’s a good birthday when you eat your weight in meat,” @eatcraverepeat says while conquering Thurman Cafe’s Thurmanator burger.
14 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
DINNER, NIGHTLY Open for lunch Monday-Friday 11am-2:30pm Free Valet • Convenient to Downtown CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE FOR UPCOMING EVENTS, OUR WEEKLY CHANGING MENUS AND GIFT CARDS! 263 east whittier st. columbus, oh 43206 barcelonacolumbus.com 614-443-3699
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Sauces and dough made fresh daily.
Open 7 days a week 747 E. Lincoln Ave. Columbus, Ohio 43229
(614) 885-3121 Winner of numerous awards!
www.pizzahousecolumbus.com
scoop
SHELL SHUCKED From raw to fried, get ready for an oyster fix. STORY BY JILL MOORHEAD PHOTOS BY TIM JOHNSON Oysters. Back when folks harvested the slimy, salty, creamy (and delicious) mollusks from the wild, the best way to avoid toxins from algae blooms was to eat them only in cooler, R-ending months. Now that they’re commercially grown, we can enjoy them any time of the year and, as it turns out, in any style. Here, we’ve grabbed a few of our favorite bivalve finds.
WiAnno Oysters at Rivage Atlantique FA L L 2 015 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • 17
S COOP | IN SEASON
Rivage Atlantique // Farmers Market Style Rivage Atlantique showcases a different direct-from-Boston oyster (via a semi-regular exchange somewhere in Pennsylvania) every Saturday at the Worthington Farmers Market. Ask them about the oysters, and they’re happy to tell the story. Ask them about their supplier, and their bivalves are sealed. rivageatlantique.com Pro Tip: Ask if they have WiAnno
18 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
Oysters on the menu. Harvested in the calm waters of Cape Cod (close to where Billy Joel lives, say the folks at Rivage), they grow quickly, which accounts for their large size. Rigsby’s Kitchen // $1 Oysters Owner Kent Rigsby gets a weekly Saturday delivery to stock up for his popular Monday $1 oyster nights. Dishwashers, bartenders and Rigsby himself shuck and display oysters each week. “It’s
a communal effort,” he says, adding, “It’s an oyster orgy.” The painstakingly displayed mollusks are often a gateway to the rest of the Short North menu. (And to another drink. Because, why not?) rigsbyskitchen.com 89 Fish & Grill // Oyster Sliders Order a mixed platter of oysters at this Downtown restaurant, and the server will plate ’em up so they’re directionally accurate: West Coast
BEFORE YOU SLURP, A FEW OYSTER FACTS TO KNOW •O ysters are alive until shucked, so if “alive” meets your definition of “fresh,” then all oysters that make their way to your table are good to go. That said, the restaurant should be able to tell you when and where your oysters were harvested. • You don’t chug a great wine, and you shouldn’t down an oyster. Give it a little chomp to experience the flavor. Otherwise, you’re dumping a dollar—or five—directly down your throat. • Condiments are about math. When salty meets sour (think lemon and vinegar), the oyster’s natural sweetness surfaces. •W est Coast oysters are smaller and sweeter, with a more jagged shell. East Coast oysters are larger, smoother and have a brinier flavor.
oysters to the west and East Coast to the east. Those trepidatious about the aphrodisiacs should pick up the Oyster Sliders: two fried oysters served alongside celery apple slaw. It’s easy to persuade your guest it tastes like soft and briny chicken. 89fish.com Windward Passage // Oyster Remick When the owners of Windward Passage got their hands on Julia Child’s Oyster Remick recipe in the early ’70s, they made their own rendition. The holy trifecta of condiments (ketchup, mayonnaise and horseradish) comes together atop a bed of oysters topped with a slice of melted Swiss cheese, with no extra charge for the kitsch. 4739 Reed Road, Upper Arlington, 614-451-2497 The Pearl // Hot N’Awlins Style Baked Oysters The Pearl offers five fresh oyster choices daily alongside individually wrapped saltine packets. Highbrow, meet lowbrow. The star of the Short North menu, though, is the Hot N’Awlin’s Style Baked Oysters. Garlic, parmesan and fresh parsley go oyster-side, while half a baguette makes it almost a full meal. thepearlcolumbus.com 12 West // Oyster Taco This Southwest-Midwest mashup in Delaware runs oyster tacos as a semiregular special, so call ahead to time your visit right. It’ll be worth the trouble for the buttermilk-dredged, cornmeal-fried oysters topped with red cabbage and brown-sugar Sriracha. Like a gift, the large oysters pop with bright salinity in every sweet-heat bite. facebook.com/12westrestaurant
Whether it’s the pinnacle event of the social season, or a tailgate bash before a big game. It might be a far-reaching family reunion or a very productive office retreat. It could be in your backyard, down on the farm, or in an opulent venue in the sky. At Cameron Mitchell Premier Events, we believe all events are special. Let us bring something special to yours.
614.848.4700 | CameronMitchellPremierEvents.com FA L L 2 01 5 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • 19
S COOP | IN THE KITCHEN
Flatiron chefs from left: Evaristo Flores, Matthew Heaggans, Larissa Kenney, Steve Nicholson and Joe Liles
STIRRING THE POT
Six months ago, “old reliable” was the best way to describe the always solid Southern fare at Flatiron Bar & Diner. But that moniker is long gone with the recent, global-inspired menu shakeup.
Roasted Coppa
STORY BY BETH STALLINGS
D
2 0 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
Pastrami Board
THE MUST-ORDER? Ask Heaggans and Nicholson for the dish all diners must try, and they’ll respond in unison: the Smoked Carrot Salad with ricotta, golden raisin vinaigrette, pistachio and arugula. It’s been a surprise hit. “It’s got so many different textures,” Nicholson says.
pork neck starring in an entree with coconut polenta and roasted grapefruit. “I’m always looking around, seeing what’s going on,” Heaggans says. “Pork neck is something I haven’t seen around here, so I asked, ‘What can I do with it?’ ” Pastrami is now the main ingredient coming out of Flatiron’s smoker. “We wanted to focus on doing one thing really well, instead of a lot of things OK,” Heaggans says. Pas-
trami resides on the seasonal menu of bar snacks, small plates and entrees with dishes including fried pig ears with lemon tartar sauce, a fried chickpea nicoise with chili and lemon zest, Sichuan wings with puffed rice, tostadas with tofu chorizo and pickle-brined fried chicken. Classics like pulled pork, gumbo and fried oysters can still be found here. The Flatiron burger also made the cut, but it’s now a smash-style burger, just like you’d find at a traditional diner, with American cheese and ancho chili mayo. “There’s a little revolution going on in the city,” Heaggans says, talking about the timing of the change. “People are taking food more seriously. They’re more adventurous about what they want to eat. We want to be on board with that.” flatironcolumbus.com
PHOTOS: TIM JOHNSON
ays before launching the new menu at Flatiron Bar & Diner, Matt Heaggans couldn’t accept a compliment on his pastrami board, a clever riff on the classic stacked deli sandwich. His version encourages diners to compose their own meal out of thick slices of brined and smoked pink brisket, brown bread, beer mustard and pickles. But the texture was off, he argues. It wasn’t as good as it could be. Flash forward a few weeks and a switch from a dry to wet brine, and the new chef de cuisine can finally say, “Thanks,” when a guest says it’s good (and plenty have uttered this gratitude; in its first two months on the menu, diners devoured 300 pounds worth of pastrami). It’s this kind of exacting behavior that’s earned a positive reaction from diners to the new global-inspired menu at Flatiron—a spot that, for 20 years, had etched its name under the “old reliable” category for barbecue fare. But it was time for a change, says chef and general manager Steve Nicholson, who hired Heaggans earlier this year to help lead the charge. “When we started, this was a diner concept,” says Nicholson, a 15-year Flatiron vet, who confesses to a few sleepless nights before the menu reveal. “Since, it’s been a little Cajun, a little New Orleans, a little barbecue. It was such a broad range, and now it’s more focused.” New dishes are inspired by whatever piques their interest, says Heaggans, former owner of Swoop Food Group. They’ll continue to be influenced by Southern cuisine, but if Heaggans and Nicholson read an article on Eater.com about coppa, you’ll probably see
PLEA SE D R IN K R E S P O N S IB LY. JACK DANIEL’S, Tennessee Honey, Tennessee Fire and OLD NO. 7 are trademarks. ©2015 Jack Daniel’s. JACK DANIEL DISTILLERY, Lynchburg, Tennessee.
S COOP | DRINK
FUN FACT Similar to French wines, production of rhum agricole is strictly regulated by the Appellation d’Origine Controlee, a French government initiative to ensure agricultural products are true to their terroir.
RUM RENAISSANCE Finding the right craft rum for your palate STORY BY ANTHONY DOMINIC
T
Smoked daiquiri rum drink from Kraft House No. 5
2 2 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
Rum Diplomatico (Venezuelan) flavor profile: Diplomatico offers four labels, with 6-yearaged Blanco ($32) and 12-year-aged Reserva Exclusiva ($40) being most common in Columbus bars. “Blanco has a nice raw flavor to it, like you’d get from tequila,” says Joshua Gandee, bar manager at Harvest Bar + Kitchen. “Lime juice and sugars work well with it. I like to use it in a classic daiquiri.” Reserva Exclusiva, on the other hand, is smooth and creamy on the tongue with hints of smoke, coffee and candied fruit. “It’s sweeter and more presentable to the palate for people not used to drinking these kinds of rum,” says David Veitch, bar manager at Kraft House No. 5. “It’s a very close relative to bourbon.” how to drink it: Try the Rum-Fashioned ($9) at Kraft House, made with Reserva Exclusiva, demerara sugar, maple syrup and Bittermens Elemakule Tiki Cocktail Bitters.
Smith & Cross (Jamaican) flavor profile: This Navystrength spirit (meaning it’s boozy enough to ignite gunpowder) is distinguished by its unique Jamaican yeast strains. “Beyond the heavy caramel, spice and rum notes, you can pick up on something funky going on in there,” says Adam Roelle of Cavalier Distributing. “That’s the yeast.” Its volatile nature makes Smith & Cross ($30) one of Veitch’s favorite spirits for cocktail experiments. “Right off the nose, you get a lot of heat and pure alcohol,” he says. “It can be a harsh spirit if you’re not used to it, but that’s what makes it so great to work with.” how to drink it: At Harvest, Gandee serves An Arm and a Leg ($12), tempering Smith & Cross with yellow chartreuse, Armagnac brandy, lemon juice and Clement Mahina Coco liqueur (made with coconut and agricole rum). It’s served in a tiki mug and topped with 5 Rabbit Cerveceria’s guava shandy.
Rhum J.M. (Agricole) Instead of molasses, agricole rum is distilled from sugar cane juice. “Unless you’ve had agricole rum, you’ve never tasted anything like it,” Roelle says. “It’s a true agricultural, or agricole, product, which is why it’s so funky and so different, dry, vegetal and grassy.” J.M.’s Blanc label ($35) is best used in tiki drinks and punches, he says, whereas J.M.’s barrel-aged V.S.O.P. label ($62) is more similar to a stiff whiskey, with a smooth, woody flavor. “Four years in a barrel in humid Martinique is like 12 years in a barrel in Scotland,” he says. “The depth and complexity is so unique.” how to drink it: Veitch pairs J.M. Blanc with Diplomatico’s Reserva Exclusiva in Kraft House’s Daiquiri ($10), which is available in plain or hickory-smoked versions. “J.M. Blanc is the main spirit and Exclusiva is the supporting character,” he says of the drink. “And the smoke, if you want that, adds another layer of complexity.” flavor profile:
PHOTOS: TIM JOHNSON
hink all rums pour clear and taste sugary-sweet? Think again. Bartenders are making the most of products new to Ohio because they’re familiar to our whiskey-trained palates. Here are three styles that have bartenders across town talking.
fallwith in Athens love Plan your fall getaway! The hills of Athens will be bursting with autumn color. Just miles from Hocking Hills, hike among the foliage all day, or bike the 21-mile Hockhocking Bikeway, then go Uptown to refuel with a locally-produced meal and a crisp Ohio brew. Rest up for more adventures at a cozy B&B, nestled in the Appalachian foothills.
OHIO PAWPAW FESTIVAL September 11-13, 2015 Celebrate the state of Ohio’s official native fruit: The pawpaw! Taste pawpaw-inspired local food and craft beers, and enjoy live music, crafts, demonstrations and kids’ activities at scenic Lake Snowden.
AthensOhio.com #AthensOhio
OHIO SMOKED MEAT & BBQ FESTIVAL October 16-17, 2015 Ohio’s first official championship for smoked meat and BBQ, held on Nelsonville’s Historic Public Square and sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society. Judge for yourself which Ohio team does BBQ best!
/VisitAthensOhio
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/AthensOhio
/AthensOhio
S COOP | CRAVEWORTHY
FIND IT
POP OFF
oldcitysoda.com theramblinghouse.com norkabeverage.com
It was only a matter of time before soda pop took the craft-product plunge—a thankful respite from the same-old cola concoctions to which we’ve grown accustomed. We sampled more than a dozen soda flavors from three Ohio-based companies—Cleveland’s all-natural Old City Soda Co., Akron’s revival of classic company Norka, and Columbus’ own Rambling House Soda—sold in grocery stores and restaurants throughout Central Ohio. Here’s what we’ll reach for the next time we’re craving something fizzy. —Beth Stallings
HIBISCUS ORANGE ROOT BEER
COLA
SARSAPARILLA
Nothing fancy; just 100 percent classic
Bright and clean— the way every cola should taste
Like root beer without the sticky sweetness
If you drank a Red Hot, it would taste like this
GRAPEFRUIT A bittersweet refresher great on its own or for topping off a cocktail
PHOTO: WILL SHILLING
Tastes like the fizzy orange pop of childhood
Kind of sweet, mostly tart, this one’s for the floral flavor lovers
CINNAMON
2 4 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
S COOP | TRENDS
Chefs John Fanke and Max Rice III making the Two Daughters Kimchi
GOOD FOR THE GUT J
ust like the world of fashion, food trends can be cyclical, and to say fermented foods are having a moment in Columbus is a bit of an understatement. This age-old process of preservation transforms everyday items into delicious and nutritious foods through the natural actions of bacteria and yeast. With the help of local producers who are crafting products worth jumping on this bandwagon for, we’re beginning to understand the infatuation. Here are four to try.
SAUERKRAUT: KRAZY KRAUT
With a degree in microbiology, Andy Reed is no stranger to the science behind this food. 2 6 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
His interests in traditional Asian healing methods and the power of live-culture probiotic-rich foods led him to start his certified organic company, which offers five varieties of fermented vegetable and spice combinations ranging from The Original Dill to Juniper Caraway. Find Krazy Kraut at area grocers including Whole Foods and Lucky’s Market. fermentedkrazykraut.com KIMCHI: TWO DAUGHTERS FOODS
Earlier this year, chefs John Franke and Max Rice III discovered a shared passion for Asian cuisine
FERMENTED FINDS Lacto-fermented Veggies at Flatiron Bar & Diner From perfectly brined pickles to spicy house-made sambal, chef de cuisine Matthew Heaggan’s experimentation with seasonal ingredients (think garlic scapes) will expand your palate and perception of fermented foods. flatironcolumbus.com Fermented Squid at Kihachi If you deem yourself an adventurous foodie, this is the perfect dish for you. Popular in Japan and traditionally made into a sauce (once fermented), this fish is aged for several months and served with a zest of citrus. 2667 Federated Blvd., Columbus, 614-764-9040
PHOTOS: MEGHAN RALSTON
Sour, pungent and delicious. Area chefs and producers are out to prove there’s much to love about fermented foods. STORY BY NICOLE PALLANTE
FOR THE LOVE OF MISO It would be remiss to not mention miso when discussing fermented foods. Its versatility is why local tastemakers experiment with an assortment of styles to complement an array of dishes. Chef Magdiale Wolmark, at Till Dynamic Fare, incorporates miso into his Vegan Mac & Cheese, giving the dish its cheeselike umami flavor. At Akai Hana, aka miso (red) and shiro miso (white) are used to create the signature soup as well as a dressing that accompanies the Harvest sushi roll. Portia Yiamouyiannis of Portia’s Cafe thinks the reason fermented foods are gaining popularity is because we are “finally taking an interest in our own health.” On her 100 percent vegan, mostly raw menu, you can find Pad Thai covered in a sauce made from coconuts, ginger, raw almonds and dates, citrus, cayenne and a touch of miso, giving it a richer, fuller bodied flavor.
and crafting locally sourced fermented foods. The duo recently began preparing and selling an assortment of foods including kimchi and pickles, which vary in spice level from Regular to sweat-inducing Scorpion Kissed, as well as signature smaller batch products, such as pickled ramps. Find Two Daughters products at Weiland’s Market. twodaughtersfood.com KOMBUCHA: LUNA KOMBUCHA
When faced with a serious medical diagnosis, Michael Iannarino’s gut feeling was not to resort to traditional medicines, but instead to start guzzling nutrientrich kombucha. Around 2010, Iannarino began marketing his own line of detoxifying fermented teas, which stray from the traditional pungent, vinegary taste traditionally associated with this beverage and present a more Champagne-like bubbliness in flavors such as Guava Jasmine. lunakombucha.com YOGURT: SNOWVILLE CREAMERY
More than three years have passed since this beloved local creamery introduced yogurt made exclusively from grass-grazed milk, cream and live bacterial cultures. Delicious varieties such as Lemon-Ginger and Coffee-Cardamom prove happy cows make more than just happy cheese, but owner Warren Taylor isn’t stopping there. He possesses a kefir culture from 1978 (yes, you read that correctly) and hopes to add this fermented milk beverage to his lineup soon. snowvillecreamery.com FA L L 2 015 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • 2 7
S COOP | ETHNIC EATS
Forget sweet heat and buttermilk batters. Fried chicken is more than a Southern comfort staple. STORY BY BETH STALLINGS
C
alling all fried chicken fanatics: There’s more out there than buttermilk-brined and cayenne-spiced crispy pieces of poultry. Cultures all over the world cook up their own version of this comfort food staple. Here are three places to find Asianinspired takes—from Korean to Japanese to Indonesian—on fried chicken.
TOKYO GOGO The Dish: Karaage Cuisine: Japanese The Style: Food truck owner Miki Ashino is quick to give credit where it’s due—she owes her karaage recipe to her brother, who owns a restaurant in Tokyo. Her Japanese street food chicken, served from her truck at Brothers Drake, is marinated in garlic, ginger, sesame oil and soy
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AROMAKU The Dish: Ayam Goreng Cuisine: Indonesian The Style: The owners of this Indonesian food truck are mum on the special blend of traditional spices they use to make juicy wings and legs. One bite, though, and it’s clear their curry is heavy on fragrant turmeric and galangal—making for crispyskinned chicken (no breading here) that smells every bit as good as it tastes. You’ll want to pair
Ayam Goreng with a refreshing local brew. aromaku.com BONCHON COLUMBUS The Dish: Korean fried chicken Cuisine: South Korean The Style: The first Ohio location of the popular Korean-born chain opened on Dublin-Granville Road this spring, bringing Korea’s classic chicken with it. The signature step, owner Huan Lin says, is the double fry at a low temperature, which makes for ultra-crispy skin that clings to moist meat like a wet suit. Sauces—a choice of savorysweet Soy Garlic or red-chili heavy Spicy—are brushed on, not tossed, Lin adds, which keeps the coating crunchy. columbusoh.bonchon.com
PHOTO: MEGHAN RALSTON
FLYING THE COOP
sauce for days, before it’s tossed in potato starch and fried twice. “That keeps it juicy inside,” Ashino says. “The chicken has a lot of flavor—it’s just really good.” 30 E. Fifth Ave., Short North, 614-916-6476
n! Come Join theisFcuelebrating 50
Oktoberfest The Columbus Columbus! in re u lt u c n a rm years of Ge ne – even o ry e v e r fo g in We have someth ful beers, tasty ti n u o b r fo s u kids! Come join ts, a 4-mile n e v e & s e m a g ic, food, lively mus ur arts and o h it w g in p p o h run, and great s crafts vendors. “the spirit s te ra b le e c t a th It’s a great time ne other. o n e k li ” fe li g in of enjoy
! n o i s s i m d A e e r F 7, 2015
2 SEPTEMBER 25-
www.ColumbusOktoberfest.com
S COOP | Q&A
KEEPING THE WHEELS TURNING Get used to Zach James’ kitschy law-enforcementthemed food. His reach is only growing with the launch of Paddy Wagon’s second bar-kitchen concept. STORY BY ANTHONY DOMINIC
S
ince opening Paddy Wagon in the summer of 2010, Zach James has watched the Columbus food truck scene explode. Almost overnight, as the president of the Central Ohio Food Truck Association remembers it, trucks went from novelty to ubiquity. Paddy Wagon has managed to stay ahead of the pack with its punny, law-enforcement shtick and beloved slow-roasted brisket. The truck has received national attention via Food Network’s “Eat St.” and last year began opening Jailhouse satellite kitchens, first with gourmet hot dogs at Little Rock Bar in Italian Village then with Appalachian dishes at Rambling House Soda in Old North this June. paddywagon.biz
The Jailhouse kitchens aren’t just an extension of the truck. You’re tailoring each outpost to its location. That’s kind of my creative side coming out. [The kitchen] has to become an organic facet of the bar. With Little Rock, we took on the aesthetic of the place. We wanted to do the same thing with Rambling House, being that it has 3 0 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
this grassroots, Appalachian decor and that they’re making really good sarsaparilla. I’m from the foothills of Southeastern Ohio, so it felt like I was coming back to my roots. Who’s handling the Roots menu? Part of the inspiration came from the chef at our Little Rock location, Eddie Stoddard. He came right as Jailhouse Rock was opening and completely turned that menu upside down and made it its own thing. Any favorite Roots dishes? We wanted to do more small plates and shareables. We have boiled crawdads and corn cobs, and bloody mary relish with smoked oysters and celery. We’re just really trying to bring in something familiar and palatable to lots of people with a unique twist. Rambling House is a chance to set the bar for ourselves.
We have to ask—where did the law enforcement puns come from? I was a student at Ohio State before I was a food truck owner, and I’m very familiar with the Friday and Saturday night paddy wagon circling up and down High street. [Police officers] have been some of our biggest supporters. We offer a half-off discount to officers in uniform. Can we expect more Jailhouse kitchens in the future? I don’t have any specific plan, but I would never rule out a good move. We just licensed our own commissary and have our own supply man so we can serve with the most consistency possible. My passion for the Paddy Wagon brand has always been offering a wellrounded experience—like walking into an outdoor restaurant.
PHOTO: WILL SHILLING
How did the concept for Jailhouse Roots at Rambling House Soda come about? I lived at Indianola and Hudson when Rambling House Soda was getting started. I saw John [Lynch, the owner] carrying in stuff one day. We started talking and one thing led to another. [Paddy Wagon] was serving there on the weekends, but it is tough to commit with the trucks because they’re always getting pulled away for catering and festivals. After Jailhouse Rock got running [at Little Rock], John and [his wife] Jennifer came to me, like, “Are you looking to do something like that up here?” And I said, “Of course!”
S COOP | OPENINGS
Pulpo Enamorado at Alegria's
SHIFTING TIDE
The new iteration of Alegria’s Seafood ditches standard Mexican fare for Nayarit-style fresh fish dishes. STORY BY BETH STALLINGS
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he inside of Alegria’s Seafood looks like a kitschy Key West restaurant exploded in it. Underwater seascapes in bright blues, greens and purples are carved and painted onto every tabletop and high-backed chair. It’s a little cartoony, sure, Melissa Ramirez admits. “But it makes you smile, right?” she says, explaining she wanted the second iteration of the Mexican-style seafood restaurant she owns with her husband and cook, Juan, to be a place where guests feel at ease—a place fitting of the name that translates to “a joyful experience.” Earlier this year, the couple relocated Alegria’s to the Carriage Place Shopping Center on Bethel Road. The move from its original 2,500-square-foot home in Avery Square was motivated by Juan’s desire to return to his culinary roots, focusing on seafood in the style of Nayarit—a Pacific Coast state in Mexico known for its spicy-sweet seasoning and whole fish preparations. 3 2 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
In Dublin, Alegria’s had a split personality, he explains, attracting area residents for tacos and burritos and seafood-loving customers (sometimes commuting from 30 minutes or more away) for whole red snapper and stew loaded with more than seven kinds of seafood. Now, it’s the latter that shines. “The beautiful thing about Nayarit style of cooking is that it goes well on pretty much anything,” says Juan, a native of Michoacan, a Pacific region in Mexico near Nayarit. He learned to love this style of food while living in Chicago, where the owners of the restaurant where he was working were looking to pass on their family tradition. So he spent time with the family in Busaria, a Nayarit town just north of Puerta Vallarta. It’s here he became privy to what he says is a secret seasoning blend that’s been passed down through generations. “Everything we’ve incorporated here was passed down through them,”
Juan says. “It’s not something you can buy at the store. It’s pretty much our KFC secret recipe, if you will.” Looking to sample this style of cooking? Be ready to use your hands, Juan says with a laugh. “I would say that it’s finger food,” he says. “If you’re coming in with a nice shirt, we do apologize.” HERE’S WHAT THE OWNERS SUGGEST ORDERING: love whole fish? Go with the red snapper (Huachinango Frito), fried whole with a choice of sauce. “If you’ve had whole fried fish before, we point everyone toward the red snapper,” Melissa says. “You’ll love it.” want true Nayarit flavor? Order the Langostinos Estilo Nayarit, a huge tray of prawns covered in Nayarit seasoning. “They’re a lot of work to eat, but they’re fantastic,” Juan says. “That’ll get your taste buds flowing.” feeling adventurous? Get the Pulpo Enamorado served with mushrooms, shrimp and clams. “It literally means ‘in love with octopus,’ ” Melissa says. “That is a whole octopus cooked with a cream-style sauce. It’s good and really fun to eat.”
PHOTOS: TIM JOHNSON
Red Snapper at Alegria’s
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S COOP | DISH
PIEROGI BOOM
Three Polish dumplings to eat now STORY BY BETH STALLINGS
A
sk Matt Majesky for the secret to a perfect pierogi, and he’ll shrug it off like it’s easy. All you need is potato, a stick of butter and a little salt, the owner of Old North pop-up Pierogi Mountain will say. “It’s peasant food,” he says. “You can make do with what you have.” But Majesky is being modest. More often than not, it’s tough to find pierogi that shine—flavorful Polish dumplings stuffed fat with mashed potatoes, crisped until brown and then tossed with caramelized onions. Thankfully, there’s a pierogi renaissance happening in Columbus.
SOPHIE’S GOURMET PIEROGI Stephen Redzinak’s Polish grandmother, Sophie, sparked his love for cooking. So when he launched his food truck (now a cart) two years ago, paying homage to the pierogi seemed a perfect tribute. “Nobody was doing a pierogi on wheels,” he says. Sophie’s is all about the classic potato-filled dumpling. Diners can go “Vintage” with pierogi tossed with onion, butter and sour cream, or opt for something a little fancier with butters like lemon basil or smoked paprika garlic. Keep an eye out for rotating “Gastrogi” specials like kielbasa and braised cabbage with potato pierogi as the base. sophiesgourmet.com
WESTIES GASTROPUB At Brewery District gastropub Westies, the pierogi appetizer sticks close to tradition, but with a few gourmet touches. It’s a sourcream-based dough packed with cheddar mashed potatoes, then topped with apple-wood smoked bacon and carmalized onion spiced with rosemary from Westies’ garden. “I think it adds a little freshness to a heavy dish,” says executive chef Laura Richmond, who adds it’s quickly become a menu staple. westiesgastropub.com
Majesky started Pierogi Mountain by accident. The Cleveland-area native came across his grandmother’s pierogi recipe and started making dumplings for friends. “It turned out, I was really good at it,” he says. Now, Majesky sells a rotating collection of classic and seasonal variations—chicken paprikash, butternut squash, potato cheddar—at Cafe Bourbon Street in Old North and in freezer cases at Weiland’s Market. Don’t see a flavor you want? Suggest it. “I’m always looking for inspiration,” he says. facebook.com/pierogimountain 3 4 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
PHOTO: TESSA BERG
PIEROGI MOUNTAIN
SCOOP | NEIGHBORHOOD
ITALIAN REVIVAL Will Italian Village be the site of Columbus’ next restaurant boom? STORY BY ANTHONY DOMINIC
“I
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The Market Italian Village Seventh Son Brewing Co.
opening satellite kitchen Jailhouse Rock inside Little Rock Bar last year. Paddy Wagon had been a Little Rock staple since the bar’s opening, but James was still cautious with the expansion. “Little Rock is a real bar with a great crowd,” he says. “We couldn’t just show up and start forcing our food. [Jailhouse Rock] had to be natural and organic, and we spent a lot of time with [owner] Quinn Fallon making sure the entire aesthetic made sense.” The influence of residents largely distinguishes Italian Village from the Short North and even the Arena District, but this factor hasn’t always been a safety net for neighborhood business owners. Michelle Hill, the 16-year owner of St. James Tavern, remembers when her Fourth Street dive was known to regulars as “the neighborhood bar without
a neighborhood.” It wasn’t until the aughts when she noticed a shift to more local customers, as more rental properties became available in the neighborhood. “Frankly, Fourth Street has developed slower and more bizarrely than I expected,” Hill says. “I expected it would have been more organic over 15 years instead of everyone jumping in at the same time in the last three years. The only reason, I worry, is there’s not an inch left on High Street, so, ‘OK—we have to go here now.’ ” Collin Castore had a hunch Italian Village might take off, but this wasn’t what sold him on the neighborhood. The former Bodega owner drove by an old mechanics garage on Fourth Street almost daily for years before converting it into Seventh Son.
PHOTOS: TOP LEFT, TESSA BERG; TOP RIGHT, WILL SHILLING; BOTTOM, CHRIS RUSSELL
t’s going to be the next Short North.” We’ve heard this prophetic broad-brush before. A sleek restaurant opens in an old neighborhood, and heralds start singing songs of renaissance. It’s never, of course, that simple. It took decades for the Short North to transform into a bustling strip. Take a drive up Fourth Street or down Summit Street, between the Interstate 670 overpass and Fifth Avenue, and you’ll sense it: Change is palpable in Italian Village. You can see it in the 2-acre Italian Village Urban Farm sprouting on the once-blighted lot across from the former Wonder Bread factory. In the sleek, staggered facade of the Jeffrey Park mixed-use development. In the lines snaking out the door and around Cravings Carryout Cafe and Fox in the Snow Cafe. And on the crowded Seventh Son Brewing Co. patio on a weekend night, the smell of hops and barbecue lingering in the air. The question is clear: Is the neighborhood Columbus’ next dining hotspot? Ali Alshahal is optimistic. In recent years, Alshahal and his A&R Creative Group have been among the neighborhood’s biggest investors, with Cafe del Mondo, the Columbus Growing Collective (responsible for the neighborhood’s urban farm), The Market Italian Village and, later this year, Hoof Hearted Brewery & Kitchen inside Jeffrey Park. Even A&R’s headquarters, a rehabbed law office, is on Summit Street. Neighborhood residents account for 70 percent of the customer base at A&R’s Italian Village businesses, Alshahal says, which reflects his initial vision for the concepts. “We want [The Market] to be where our neighbors come for milk, bread and cappuccino,” he says. “I don’t see the infrastructure right now for the alternative, for commercial companies. The people of Italian Village are not going to support a commercialized movement that does not understand the dynamics of Italian Village. Zach James, owner of Paddy Wagon food truck, echoes Alshahal’s sentiment in regard to
“I always saw the brewery as more of a destination spot off the beaten path,” he says. “That was the nice thing about it.” Since the Columbus Ale Trail’s Brew Books launched earlier this year—an initiative by several partners including the Ohio Craft Brewers Association and Experience Columbus to map Columbus’ breweries—Castore has seen a boost in business for Seventh Son. The idea of traveling from brewery to brewery and checking off boxes in the book, he says, is proving to be as much of a draw as the beer itself. He’s eager to welcome a second brewery into the neighborhood by the way of the Hoof Hearted brewpub, A&R’s collaboration with the namesake Morengo-based brewery. “In the book, Wolf’s Ridge, Elevator, North High and us have been pre-named ‘Brewer’s Row,’ and Hoof Hearted will fit right into that,” he says. “It will be great to have us all clustered together because people can say, ‘Oh, I’m going to hit all of these breweries together.’ It’ll mean there’s another reason for people to come to the Village.” Castore does worry about skyrocketing costs for business owners and the possibility the neighborhood may “price itself out” similarly to the Short North. “It’s a matter of [what kind of businesses] move in, and if the neighborhood maintains a mix of both residential and rental properties,” he says. Alshahal is attracted to the neighborhood because entrepreneurs like he and Castore are in a position to shape its “blank canvas.” “It’s a mix of passionate young professionals and a little bit of that older, long-haul community that’s been here and still absolutely love it,” Alshahal says. Since 2012, Hill has noticed some regulars drift out of St. James, replaced by newer, younger faces. She always welcomes new business but is sentimental about the change. “There are condos at First [Avenue] and Summit starting at $600,000,” she says. “You would have been lucky to get $200,000 for them five years ago. It makes me wonder, these people moving in, will they even like my bar?” Only the addition of more independently owned businesses by entrepreneurs such as Castore and Fallon of Little Rock, Hill says, will ensure the neighborhood’s integrity over the next decade. “I just don’t want to see it turn into an entertainment district like the Arena District, Park Street, and remain more of a neighborhood like Clintonville or something,” she says. “I’m just hoping for the best, hoping our casual neighborhood bar will be embraced in the way it was 10 years ago.”
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SCOOP | EVENTS
CAPITAL UNIVERSITY’S FIELD HOUSE
Thursday, May 7 One thing’s for sure: No one left the Taste of Dine Originals event hungry. Nearly 40 independent restaurants served specialty dishes—from comfort fare to Italian classics—to 600 guests. To complement the food, there was no shortage of samples from local wine distributors, distilleries and breweries, along with live music. In all, the annual benefit raised about $50,000 for The Buckeye Ranch and Dine Originals Columbus. 3 8 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
PHOTOS: JEFFRY KONCZAL
Taste of Dine Originals
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SCOOP | EVENTS
NORTH MARKET Saturday, May 16 North Market merchants brought their A-game to the annual dineand-drink fundraiser that challenges vendors to show off their culinary prowess. Hundreds of partygoers grazed on one-off appetizer, entree and dessert bites, along with specialty cocktails, beer and wine. To cap off the evening of revelry at the historic market, guests enjoyed the sounds of The Ark Band and DJ Patrick and bid on live-auction items. The annual event raises funds for the North Market Development Authority, a nonprofit that oversees market operations. 4 0 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
PHOTOS: TIM JOHNSON
Apron Gala
SCOOP | EVENTS
THE WORTHINGTON INN
Tuesday, June 30 What is Midwestern cuisine? This was the challenge posed to five chefs for a collaborative dinner that recreated grandma’s cooking with a chef’s touch. Chefs Alana Shock (Alana’s Food and Wine), Bill Glover (Gallerie Bar & Bistro), Tom Smith (The Worthington Inn) and Andrew Smith (Salt & Pine) and baker AJ Perry (Sassafras Bakery) deliciously dressed up regional classics such as Johnny Marzetti, kroppkaka dumplings and Hoosier pie. The memorable dinner benefited Slow Food Columbus, raising money to send Central Ohio delegates to Slow Food’s biennial Terra Madre conference in Italy. 4 2 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
PHOTOS: JODI MILLER
Tastes of the Midwest
CALENDAR FALL 2015 AUGUST 5
WEDNESDAY ORIGINALS
5
FIRST WEDNESDAY WINE DINNER
MULTIPLE LOCATIONS Participating Dine Originals restaurants offer special dining experiences the first Wednesday of each month, ranging from tastings to themed wine dinners. dineoriginalscolumbus.com
THE WORTHINGTON INN On the first Wednesday of every month, The Worthington Inn offers a four-course dinner with wine pairings. Advance tickets are $65 per person. worthingtoninn.com
8
MOONLIGHT MARKET
GAY STREET, BETWEEN HIGH AND THIRD Starting at 6 p.m. every second Saturday of every month, dozens of local vendors line Gay Street for an evening of shopping under the stars. moonlightmarketcolumbus.com
11 TASTE THE FUTURE
COLUMBUS STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE This annual fundraiser features dozens of the region’s finest culinary offerings, supporting student scholarships at Columbus State Community College. tasteofthefuture.com
14 DOWNTOWN
DRIVE-IN, “FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF”
An event to remember in a setting your guests will never forget... Specializing in intimate events up to 100 guests
A Columbus Tradition for over 150 years!
RESTAURANT • PUB • EVENTS • PATIO
649 High St. • Worthington, Ohio • 614.885.2600 4 4 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
NORTH MARKET Stop by the North Market plaza at sundown for a retro movie experience. Tickets are $18 for vehicles, $5 for pedestrians, with market merchants offering concessions. northmarket.com
14 FOOD TRUCK FESTIVAL
COLUMBUS COMMONS More than 50 local and regional food trucks will line the Commons for this annual extravaganza, Aug. 14 to 16, which also features live music and art and crafts vendors. columbuscommons.org
20 CAYMUS & COOKOUTS
WINE DINNER
SPAGIO Spagio’s monthly wine dinners feature five
21 CRAFT BREW AT THE ZOO
S
R
courses with five wine pairings. Dinner is at 7 p.m. Reservations are required. spagio.com
EMBE EPT
25–27
COLUMBUS ZOO AND AQUARIUM This sip-and-stroll-style event features more than 50 craft beers. A VIP option is also available with access to limited-releases from Columbus Brewing Co., Rockmill Brewery, New Belgium Brewing Co. and more. The event runs from 7 to 11 p.m., and tickets include all-day zoo access. columbuszoo.org
The kick-off event for Columbus Oktoberfest is the breaking of the giant German pretzel.
22 TEA 43206
GERMAN VILLAGE GUEST HOUSE Tea, wine, hors d’oeuvres and pastries will be served to all who arrive at this benefit gala in their best garden party attire. This year’s event will feature live music, a silent auction and a best hat contest. germanvillage.com
22 ORIN SWIFT CELLARS,
PHOTO: FRED SQUILLANTE
DAVE PHINNEY AND THE PRISONER WINE COMPANY WINE DINNER
Spagio’s monthly wine dinners feature five courses with five wine pairings. Dinner is at 7 p.m. Reservations are required. spagio.com
28 FIELD TO TABLE
FRANKLIN PARK CONSERVATORY AND BOTANICAL GARDENS
COLUMBUS OKTOBERFEST
If you would have asked Carla Epler about Columbus Oktoberfest six years ago, the director of operations for Schmidt’s would have described its future as uncertain, at best. The annual celebration of the city’s German culture bounced from location to location before the German Village Society voted to cancel the event altogether in 2009. That’s when Schmidt’s came to the rescue and permanently moved the fest to the Ohio Expo Center and neighboring fairgrounds, where it will celebrate its 50th anniversary this September. Spread across 100,000 square feet of covered pavilions, you’ll find funnel cakes, Reubens, brats and more from over a dozen vendors such as Schmidt’s, DK Diner
and Juergens Bakery. New this year is a craft beer garden, Epler says, featuring Oktoberfeststyle brews from the likes of Brooklyn Brewery and Thirsty Dog. The Giant Eagle Marketplace Pavilion will also feature more than 80 arts and crafts exhibitors. Those interested in the annual Brat Trot (held Friday, Sept. 25 at 6:15 p.m.) should sign up no later than the first week of September, Epler says. “The incentive is that you get a beer, a sausage and a T-shirt at the end,” Epler says. Brat Trot tickets are $45 through Sept. 24 and $50 on race day, if still available. Oktoberfest parking costs $10, but event admission is free, with food and beverage tickets sold in reams of 10 for $10 each. A portion of those ticket sales benefit the Mid-Ohio Foodbank; last year’s donation provided 20,000 meals, Epler says. columbusoktoberfest.com —Anthony Dominic
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This annual event, presented by the conservatory’s Women’s Board, promises garden-inspired apps, cocktails and a candlelit dinner. Proceeds benefit the conservatory’s community gardening efforts. fpconservatory.org
28 FETE EN BLANC COLUMBUS
The fifth annual “picnic with a purpose” will take place at a mystery venue revealed the day of the event. Simply buy tickets, pack a picnic and dress in your best whites. The event runs from 7 to 10 p.m. feteenblanc.wordpress.com
28 CRAVE CHEF’S MENU
During this weeklong celebration, Aug. 28 to Sept. 4, of the best that Central Ohio has to offer, restaurants will offer tasting menus, showcasing the chefs’ culinary personalities. The promotion benefits the Mid-Ohio Foodbank. columbuscrave.com/chefsmenu
SEPTEMBER 2
WEDNESDAY ORIGINALS
2
FIRST WEDNESDAY WINE DINNER
Participating Dine Originals restaurants offer special dining experiences the first Wednesday of each month, ranging from tastings to themed wine dinners. dineoriginalscolumbus.com
THE WORTHINGTON INN On the first Wednesday of every month, The Worthington Inn offers a four-course dinner with wine pairings. Advance tickets are $65 per person. worthingtoninn.com
7
OHIO HOG ROAST
THE HILLS MARKET WORTHINGTON For this Labor Day tradition, The Hills smokes a whole Ohio hog for pulled pork sandwiches accompanied by live bluegrass music. A vegetarian option, a roasted portobello sandwich, will also be available. Event runs from 11:30 to 3:30 p.m. No reservations required. thehillsmarket.com
10 INCREDIBLE WINES OF ITALY
WINE DINNER
Spagio’s monthly wine dinners feature five courses with five wine pairings. Dinner is at 7 p.m. Reservations are required. spagio.com
11 OHIO CRAFT BREW FESTIVAL
NORTH MARKET Enjoy beers from Ohio’s growing microbrewery scene Sept. 11 to 12, including Barley’s Brewing Co., Wolf’s Ridge Brewing and Seventh Son Brewing Co. northmarket.com
12 MOONLIGHT MARKET
GAY STREET, BETWEEN HIGH AND THIRD 4 6 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
Starting at 6 p.m. every second Saturday of every month, dozens of local vendors line Gay Street for an evening of shopping under the stars. moonlightmarketcolumbus.com
OCTOBER 5
TASTE OF ITALY
7
WEDNESDAY ORIGINALS
7
FIRST WEDNESDAY WINE DINNER
ITALIAN VILLAGE Authentic Italian dishes are served in the Italian Village neighborhood, along with wine, beer and spirits. The event runs from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the event. This precedes the Italian Festival, held Oct. 9 to 11. columbusitalianfestival.com
Participating Dine Originals restaurants offer special dining experiences the first Wednesday of each month, ranging from tastings to themed wine dinners. dineoriginalscolumbus.com
THE WORTHINGTON INN On the first Wednesday of every month, The Worthington Inn offers a four-course dinner with wine pairings. Advance tickets are $65 per person. worthingtoninn.com
9
COLUMBUS ITALIAN FESTIVAL
CORNER OF EAST LINCOLN AND HAMLET STREETS Sample the city’s best Italian eats Oct. 9-11, while strolling through Italian Village. Tickets are $5 at the gate, and kids under 12 are free with paid adult admission. Entertainment includes Elio Scaccio, Tre Bella and the John Schwab Band. columbusitalianfestival.com
10 MOONLIGHT MARKET
GAY STREET, BETWEEN HIGH AND THIRD Starting at 6 p.m. every second Saturday of every month, dozens of local vendors line Gay Street for an evening of shopping under the stars. This is the final market of the year. moonlightmarketcolumbus.com
13 TASTES OF THE MIDWEST
GALLERIE BAR & BISTRO For this Slow Food Columbus fundraiser, some of the city’s most talented chefs craft original and nostalgic dishes that explore and challenge the definition of Midwestern cuisine. slowfoodcolumbus.org
25 HALLOWEEN FAMILY
FUNDAY
NORTH MARKET This family-friendly market event features trick-or-treating and activities. northmarket.com FA L L 2 015 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • 4 7
FREE ION
October 2-3
Fri 6-10 | Sat 12-110 0
ADMISS
Oktoberfest in Powell Seasonal Beer Flavors Live German Music & Entertainment German Arts and Crafts Live Acoustical Rock Food Trucks Lots of Activities and Fun for All ages Children’s Games and Entertainment For details visit:
www.HeartofPowell.org Village Green Amphitheater and Pavilion.
47 Hall Street. Downtown Powell
table talk BRIDGING THE GAP Cleveland’s once-gruff West Side neighborhood Ohio City is now a food mecca where chefs, novices and veterans alike, are free to play. STORY BY G.A. BENTON • PHOTOS BY JODI MILLER
Town Hall FA L L 2 015 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • 4 9
TABLE TALK | ROAD TRIP
From top left: Crop Bistro and Bar; mac and brisket at Crop; basement vault at Crop; Market Garden Brewery; Market Garden Brewery; Town Hall; kale salad at Town Hall
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C
ompleted in 1932, the Hope Memorial Bridge connects Downtown Cleveland with the west side. As a visit to the once-crusty-nowhip West Side neighborhood of Ohio City reveals, Hope Memorial also bridges Cleveland’s proud past to its blossoming present as a hotspot for dining and drinking. Witness outstanding Crop Bistro and Bar. Crop occupies the dazzling main space of the classically fashioned United Bank Building, which opened in 1925. One of the building’s principal architects, Frank Walker (of Walker and Weeks, contractors for Severance Hall, Cleveland Public Library and the no-longerstanding Cleveland Municipal Stadium), also famously worked on the iconic “Guardians of Traffic”—the massive art deco figures synonymous with, and still gracing, the Hope Memorial Bridge. From Crop’s enormous basement—where a gargantuan bank vault separates a modern kitchen and food laboratory from a private dining room—to its mammoth marble columns and ornately carved 35-foot-high ceiling, this has to be one of the most stunning restaurants in Ohio. Crop offers a large wine list, stylish cocktails (a figgy Manhattan with an addictive bruleed bacon garnish; bloody marys with deviled egg garnishes) and crowd-pleasing dishes gussied with farm-to-plate ingredients and brash flourishes. Tongue-tingling popcorn is lavished like pasta—with basil, balsamic vinegar, onions, sundried tomatoes and more. The signature Cherry Bomb starter (a Joan Jett/Runaways homage) envelops chorizo-and-cheese-filled roasted tomatoes inside crispy fried wonton purses. Mac and cheese is enhanced with an intense Amish cheddar sauce, cavatappi and killer brisket. And if there’s a better locally sourced fish dish than the beautifully crusted Lake Erie walleye with lovely English pea and morel mushroom risotto (a daily special), someone’s been holding out on me. For a more casual experience, try bustling Market Garden Brewery, only steps away down West 25th Street. Labeled as “Cleveland’s first American beer garden,” Market Garden’s intriguing lineup of suds (they range from an award-winning pilsner to a porter made with locally roasted coffee) are dispatched from wooden taps strikingly carved like the Guardians of Traffic. The brisket burger and yellowfin tuna tacos are popular—and taste better consumed on Market Garden’s patio. Patios are abundant in Ohio City. And none is posher than the cabana-esque playground
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TABLE TALK | ROAD TRIP
Charcuterie at the Black Pig
Momocho
Beet salad at Flying Fig
behind sprawling Town Hall. If you find yourself indoors, though, you won’t be disappointed with its suave interior. Other Town Hall draws: rare Crowlers (32-ounce cans of tap beer), a weekend brunch crepe station and a GMO-free menu mindful of both vegans and paleos, plus great grass-fed burgers. Ingredients are taken seriously in Ohio City. This is no coincidence, as the neighborhood’s anchor is the 103-year-old West Side Market. Endowed with a vaulted and tiled ceiling and a 137-foot clock tower, the rambling and distinctive market offers a slew of fresh fruit and vegetable vendors. But it’s also home to Pierogi Palace, chef-loved Ohio City Pasta, the wonderful sausages and life-changing beef jerky of Czuchraj Meats, notoriously long lines for nationally publicized Steve’s Gyros and a dizzying array of other high-profile businesses. Although lease issues made one beloved business all too fleeting—the West Side Market branch of Jonathon Sawyer’s Noodlecat closed in January—Sawyer (the 2015 Best Chef: Great 5 2 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
Lakes James Beard Award winner) still casts a long shadow around these parts. The spotlight first shone brightly on Sawyer at groundbreaking Bar Cento, across the street from the market. As its opening chef nearly a decade ago, Sawyer (who would move on to open Greenhouse Tavern and Trentina) helped forge Bar Cento’s identity as a local-focused eatery with strong European influences. Pickles and charcuterie are still made in house, and the Roman-style pizzas are fantastic. In fact, the spaghetti alla carbonara-riffing Sunny Side with house pancetta and local eggs reminded me of a pie I lovingly devoured at world-famous Pizzeria Da Baffetto in Rome. Bonus: an above-and-beyond wine, beer and cocktail list. Bar Cento (which has spawned an Ohio City empire that includes Market Garden Brewery, small-batch brewery Nano Brew and Belgian beer bar Bier Markt) wasn’t the only area pioneer. A few other farsighted-and-still-thriving businesses whose owners, years ago, saw great potential where others only saw hassles are:
more-artsy-than-kitschy “Mod Mex” Momocho (try the real crabmeat guacamole), the Velvet Tango Room (a sophisticated cocktail mecca exuberantly praised by food writer Michael Ruhlman) and nearly 16-year-old Flying Fig (which lives up to its “Think globally. Sourcing locally.” tagline; try the wonderful salt-roasted beet salad). The Black Pig, one of the newest—and one of the best—Ohio City restaurants aptly illustrates how Cleveland’s rich past informs its present. Owner-chef Mike Nowak is a Bar Cento alum, having succeeded Sawyer there as top toque. And Black Pig occupies the former Parker’s American Bistro space—the high-end French restaurant run by Parker Bosley, the man frequently credited with launching Cleveland’s local food movement in the 1980s. I was knocked out by The Black Pig’s wonderful charcuterie plate with basterma, lamb mortadella, beet mustard and rillettes better than many I’ve had in Paris. Also of note is its umami-bomb of an amazing Berkshire pork entree with mushrooms, ramp soubise, blood orange gastrique and quinoa-flattering pig and foie sausage; melt-in-your-mouth tenderloin; and smoked and lacquered pork belly that looked like Boston cream pie, tasted like hog heaven. After pigging out on those masterpieces, I glanced up at the wall art only to see several colorful depictions of the Guardians of Traffic. Cleansing my palate with the refreshing Black Pig Gin & Tonic (Watershed Four Peel, Carpano Bianco, Chartreuse, Old City tonic), I thought about how bridges always conveniently show where you’re going and where you’ve been.
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G.A. Benton is a Columbus-based food critic for Columbus Alive and The Columbus Dispatch.
WHEN YOU GO Bar Cento 1948 W. 25th St., 216-274-1010, barcento.com
Brews Cafe Ranked#1 by RateBeer.com as Best Restaurant in Ohio for Beer Selection
The Black Pig 2801 Bridge Ave., 216-862-7551, theblackpigcleveland.com Crop Bar and Bistro 2537 Lorain Ave., 216-696-2767, cropbistro.com The Flying Fig 2523 Market Ave., 216-241-4243, theflyingfig.com Market Garden Brewery 1947 W. 25th St., 216-621-4000, marketgardenbrewery.com Momocho 1835 Fulton Road, 216-694-2122, momocho.com Town Hall 1909 W. 25th St., 216-344-9400, townhallohiocity.com West Side Market 1979 W. 25th St., 216-664-3387, westsidemarket.org
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Velvet Tango Room 2095 Columbus Road, 216-241-8869, velvettangooom.com FA L L 2 015 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • 5 3
TABLE TALK | ETHNIC EATS
PERFECT PRESENT
A great dumpling is like a gift waiting to be unwrapped. Here’s where to find the city’s best Chinese versions. STORY BY JILL MOORHEAD
PHOTO: TIM JOHNSON
Dumplings at Jie’s Good Tasting
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OPEN DAILY Lunch & Dinner
Happy Hour Monday–Thursday 4 –7 PM
$2 Drafts $4 Wine $4 Thai Tapas New Loca on! Brewery District 460 S. Front St. (614)-525-0049
Short North 1124 N. High St. (614)-421-2275
T
PHOTOS: TIM JOHNSON
here’s an art to eating Chinese dumplings, to navigating the slick doughy pockets, via chopsticks (don’t cheat), from plate to sauce to mouth. If you can manage to not catapult the thing into a shallow saucer of soy sauce, then the next challenge is determining the bite. Two bites lets you test the temperature. But it comes with a risk: the longer it’s precariously balanced between those chopsticks, the more likely a catastrophe will occur. The solution, of course, is to stab the sticks directly into the meat and eat like no one’s watching. There are three places to practice your skill, a trio of names serving up the best dumplings in the city. What makes a good dumpling? It’s the hand-rolled dough, dense and flavorful filling, and, of course, it’s steamed or boiled to order. Here, an ode to these standout dumpling spots that get it right. Jie’s Good Tasting Jie Song worked in restaurants for eight years prior to opening her own on Grandview Avenue, and learned a business lesson in the first few months: She would not succeed at making Americanized Chinese food because, well, her customers wanted the real thing. Her original menu contained only two dumplings, included as afterthoughts. A Chinese student at Ohio State came in and told Song to skip the other stuff and stick with dumplings. The next day, Song says, students inexplicably filled her restaurant, and she sold $1,400 in dumplings. “I had to come in at 3 a.m. [the next day] to make dumplings,” she recalls. “I needed to refill.”
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TABLE TALK | ETHNIC EATS
Ying’s Teahouse & Yum Yum
HOW IT’S MADE: SOUP DUMPLINGS As Helen’s Guang Jiao tells it, making soup dumplings—broth-filled bites disguised as regular dumplings—is super easy. Here’s a primer. Step 1: Boil, boil, boil As with many things, it all comes down to the ingredients. In this case, pork skin makes the natural gelatin that will eventually melt into soup when the dumpling is steamed. Helen boils pork skin, then lets it cool until it congeals. Step 2: Chop, chop, chop Next, she chops the skin into small pieces and mixes it into the dumpling meat mixture, rolling the filling into dime-sized balls. Step 3: Roll, pinch, steam She rolls the dough by hand, puts the cold filling in the center and pinches the dumplings closed. They then get placed on the steamer for 15 minutes to become bite-size pockets of savory soup. When asked if there’s a trick to biting into the liquidfilled dumplings, Jiao says no: “Just eat them.” Want to see it first hand? Jiao teaches occasional classes at The Commissary in Marble Cliff, so keep an eye on their schedule. 5 6 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
Helen’s Asian Kitchen
Now, her menu is dumpling-focused, and to walk into Jie’s in Grandview is to walk into a dumpling-making school. With students at the tables, the teachers stand behind a half curtain with legs, arms and hands visible to all, like sushi masters with rolling pins instead of knives. In the summer, Song’s high-school-aged daughter makes the wraps, and Song makes the filling. “She’s better than me,” says Song, who learned the skill from her own family in Xi’an. Two ingredients often experienced in Italian fare—pork and fennel—are the prominent flavors in Jie’s aptly named pork and fennel dumplings. The fennel brings a floral taste, and the pork smokiness. It’s an odd sensation, the taste of soft, warm cucumber loosely tucked inside the shrimp
Helen’s Asian Kitchen Owner Guang Jiao’s husband often sings Italian operettas in the entryway of Helen’s Asian Kitchen. But he’s not the only one who takes the stage. Jiao (often known as Helen)—and her dumplings—are worthy of a standing ovation. When Jiao speaks, people listen. She’s at our table, talking about making dumplings, announcing the ingredients and her recipes with little risk. I will not make these at home. I will go to Helen’s to get them, and I’ll order green beans on the side, to make sure I’m getting a vegetable. The next table over has finished their meal when they announce to Jiao that, after hearing her dumpling shopping list, they’d like another plate of pork dumplings. They want an encore. “In China, they treat dumplings like fast food. They’re made fresh,” she says. “Labor is cheaper there. You order, they make them. Super fresh. Here it is more difficult. You have to hire one person to do it.” Her spicy dumplings come nestled eight in a bowl, topped with green onions, celery and hot chili sauce. Small and densely packed, these bites glisten upon arrival, with the spice perfectly balanced by the cool, crisp vegetables. Seasoned with ginger, green onion, sesame oil, chicken base and broth, the meat of the pork dumplings (Jiao’s favorite) is mixed with zucchini and salted Napa cabbage. These 16 uniform pieces come flattened and folded into made-that-day dough. helenasiankitchen.com
PHOTOS: LEFT, TIM JOHNSON; RIGHT, MEGHAN RALSTON
and cucumber dumpling. But the bites (which include a Chinese ingredient called black fungus) are among the most popular dumplings on the menu. jiesgoodtasting.com
DUMPLINGS FOR ALL Dumplings, potstickers, tortellini. While the names are different, the concept remains the same. Here are a few more dough-enclosed bites you can find around town. Basil Restaurant // Potstickers Filled, steamed, then pan-seared, these dumplings are encased with a rice flour-based dough. Giuseppe’s Ritrovo // Six Cheese Ravioli Skip the chopsticks. Not one, not two, but six cheeses are stuffed and pressed into miniature square dumplings. Pierogi Mountain // Smoked Potato Cheddar Pierogies Similar in shape to a potsticker, but with potato filling, Matt Majesky’s Eastern European bites are available at Cafe Bourbon Street and Weiland’s Market.
Sliders Cocktails
In the old Wonder Bread Building
697 N Fourth St / 614-745-1693 www.crayeateryanddrinkery.com
Dosa Corner // Samosa This Indian version of the dumpling replaces steam for fryer oil, and is triple the size of its Chinese counterpart.
Ying’s Teahouse & Yum Yum There are soup dumplings, and then there are dumplings in soup. Blustery days, hangovers and colds require the latter, and Ying’s is the place to make that happen. With a sterile and crisp atmosphere (and a somewhat shy staff), the Clintonville restaurant has as many takeout orders as it does dine-in customers. Until, of course, Chinese New Year, when dumplings are a part of the celebration. A small part of the restaurant’s authentic Chinese menu, the dumplings are made by a kitchen team under the watchful eye of a longtime chef known to the staff only as “Mr. Liu.” Ying’s boasts the most spinach-filled dumpling in the city. Tightly packed balls of spinach are cut with salty tofu that acts like feta cheese crumbles. The restaurant goes through 300 pieces a day of these popular dumplings, and the vegetarians (or perhaps vegetable-loving omnivores) keep Ying’s famous vegetable dumplings on constant production in the kitchen. For Ying’s dumplings in hot and sour soup, a clear broth refreshes all the senses. No tofu, no bamboo shoots. Just the tastes of vinegar and hot pepper chili, balanced with whatever dumpling you choose. My dumpling du jour? Countless compact san xian dumplings made with equal parts shrimp, pork and spinach, all topped with cilantro and green onions. yingscolumbus.com
Jill Moorhead blogs about her culinary adventures while traveling the world at itinerantfoodies.com
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TABLE TALK | BREAKFAST
H
ands down, the sandwich is the best way to experience all the cheesy, eggy goodness of breakfast in a single bite. Here are five breakfast sandwiches—captured inside a variety of sandwiching vehicles—that make waking up early worth it.
CLASSIC: FOX IN THE SNOW CAFE
BOOKENDED BREAKFAST Wake up to five variations—from biscuit-and-egg combos to a gussied up doughnut version—on the hand-held breakfast staple. STORY BY NICHOLAS DEKKER
Lauren Culley didn’t plan to make a breakfast sandwich for the Italian Village cafe, but felt her menu needed a savory item to offset its sweet pastries. It’s turned into the breakout hit of the year. Its fluffy souffled eggs, Swiss, candied bacon, arugula and a tangy Dijon mustard spread make it more delicious than a sandwich has any right to be. foxinthesnow.com BISCUIT: CREOLE KITCHEN
A lot of love goes into chef Henry Butcher’s Creole and Cajun cooking, and it even shows up in simple items such as his breakfast sandwich. Cradled between buttery soft biscuit halves are egg, cheese and a choice of ham, turkey sausage or bacon (Butcher will always recommend the bacon). His sandwich is filling, but not so filling that you shouldn’t order a side of fresh beignets to go with it. creolekitchen.biz BAGEL: SPINELLI’S DELI
Spinelli’s relies on Columbus-made Sammy’s Bagels to craft their crave-able breakfast sandwiches. There are nine bagels to choose from, but the Everything completes the deli experience as a bookend for Spinelli’s Lox Sammie. The salty bagel plays well with smoked salmon, cream cheese and slices of red onion. spinellisdeli.com ALT-BREAD: DK DINER
DK’s donut sandwich isn’t for the faint of heart, but it is for anyone who can’t decide between sweet and savory. Owner Anthony Teny uses glazed doughnuts as the base, sliced in half and grilled to caramelize the edges. He then stuffs it with crispy bacon, American cheese and two fried eggs—because the last thing you’d want is runny egg ruining your doughnut sandwich. thedkdiner.com
Clintonville’s Portia Yiamouyiannis makes the traditionally egg- and meat-heavy breakfast sandwich accessible to vegan diners. Her breakfast wrap centers around a raw patty made from nuts, seeds, tomato, onion and miso. It’s topped with more tomato and onion, plus pickles, mustard and an eggfree mayonnaise, then wrapped in a housemade, gluten-free tortilla. portiascafe.com 5 8 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
PHOTO: TESSA BERG
VEGAN: PORTIA’S CAFE
Lox sandwich at Spinelli’s Deli
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THE HONORABLE ROLL What can we say? Columbus has too many good breakfast sandwiches. These ones deserve a shoutout, too. Katalina’s In a menu loaded with big sandwiches, Katalina’s Latina stands out for its simplicity. A hard-fried egg, crema, tomatillo sauce and cheddar pair well with strips of the cafe’s signature sweet-and-spicy bacon. katalinascolumbus.com Cravings Carryout Cafe Cravings could sandwich just about anything between its soft and buttery brioche bread, and we’d eat it. The Breakfast Roll is the simplest way to show it off, with bacon, egg, cheddar and a rich rosemary aioli. cravingscarryoutcafe.com The Angry Baker Angry Baker’s French toast sandwich wanders into knife-and-fork territory. Made from the house brioche, it balances the sweet bread with savory ham and Swiss, then leans back to sweet with a heavy maple syrup drizzle. theangrybakerote.com Taste of Belgium Taste of Belgium puts fast food breakfast sandwiches to shame with the McWaffle. Dense Liege-style waffles are made from a heavy batter infused with beet sugar. Two waffles bookend a runny fried egg, bacon and gruyere, with a little cup of maple syrup for drizzling or dipping. authenticwaffle.com
PHOTO: TOP, MEGHAN RALSTON
AJ’s Cafe Although AJ’s serves a wrap with bacon, egg and cheese, the Zen Wrap is a healthier start to the day. It’s stuffed with lentils, rice, spinach, shredded carrots, sliced apples, tamarind and flavored with a fresh cilantro vinaigrette. ajayscafe.com
Nicholas Dekker blogs about breakfast at breakfastwithnick.com. His book, “Breakfast With Nick: Columbus,” is a complete guidebook to the morning meal.
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TABLE TALK | BACK OF THE HOUSE
CLEANING HOUSE
JOHNFISHER Owner, Draught Quality A friend at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. persuaded John Fisher to leave his manufacturing job at Caterpillar and get into the tapline cleaning business. For the last 10 years, he and his crew have been at the forefront of Columbus’ evolving draft beer scene and now service hundreds of bars and restaurants in the area.
Chances are John Fisher cares more about the quality of your draft beer than you do. Meet Columbus’ top tap-line cleaner, in his own words. AS TOLD TO ANTHONY DOMINIC
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a draft beer system—“maximum” being the key word. American draft beer is not pasteurized. It doesn’t look like a whole hell of a lot, these draft systems, but it’s tricky. Everybody wants a ton of handles—the more the better. Nobody wants to maintain all those handles. You got 80 lines? That’s $400 every two weeks. Did you factor in $12,000 a year for line cleaning when you built your bar? And a lot of these beers don’t move. You walk into a place with 150 beers, and there’s definitely some dead beer sitting on tap that just won’t leave. The worst thing is when I go in and see [Southern Tier’s] Pumking in the summer—from the last season. That’s not right. Pull it, and throw it away.
When you hire me, you’re buying my time. If you have a kegerator at your house with two kegs, I’m going to be there for at least 30 minutes. To do it the right way, the faucets have to be taken off and cleaned. The couplers that connect to the keg have to be cleaned. While I’m cleaning those, I use a pump that recirculates chemicals through the system to clean it, 10 to 15 minutes per line. A pump is considered 80 times more effective [than any other line-cleaning method]. There are canisters or cleaning pots that can only handle 25 feet [of lines]. With a pump and a motor, I can do 400 feet. It’s the equivalent of a washing machine. I could put my jeans in the sink with soap and let them sit,
PHOTO: MEGHAN RALSTON
T
en years ago, my buddy at Sierra Nevada [Brewing Co.] kept telling me, “Dude, the draft beer scene in Columbus is terrible.” He was really disappointed by the way Sierra Nevada was being handled in town. It was the Wild West. He would go from bar to bar—at one place it’s great; at the next it’s horrible. So he said, “You should go to beer school.” So I go, and there’s guys from Oklahoma, Florida, California, and the guy right next to me is from Cleveland. But he wanted nothing to do with me because he knew I did not know my stuff. I had been to a couple keg parties; he had been servicing draft systems for 15 years. He avoided me for four days. On the last day, I look around, and the guy is gone. So I run outside, I’m dodging through people, and I jump in front of his truck; he’s trying to take off. So he reluctantly hands me his card and says, “OK, next Saturday, 6 a.m., Cleveland.” And that’s where you put up or shut up. School is one thing, but practice is another. So I start making trips back and forth and learning the ropes. And I wouldn’t be doing this today without him. Last time I checked, 14 states, including Ohio, have independent people cleaning tap lines. In a lot of other states, the distributors are just rolling that [service] into the cost of your keg. So if you have 12 beers on tap, you may have four or five distributors that would have to come out and clean just their two or three lines. But the way tap handles are changing now, it would be a nightmare. When you whittle it down, I charge $5 a line. But it’s every two weeks you have to clean the lines in Ohio. The wording in the law is vague and bizarre, like, “not less than every two weeks.” [The Division of] Liquor Control is responsible [for oversight], but, truly, it should get kicked back to the health department. Beer is a food product and should be stored under 40 degrees. Just like milk; if you set it out, it spoils. Maximum bacteria growth is nine to 14 days in
Subscribe to or I could throw them in the washing machine. Clearly the agitation and movement is going to do a better job. The main chemicals used for a long time were sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide. Both have their own reasons for being used and can be interchangeable, but sodium hydroxide was more of a brewer’s choice, an industry standard. But it’s harsh. There’s a lot of additives in chemicals. Sodium hydroxide is the active ingredient in liquid Drano and Clorox toilet bowl cleaner. It’s dangerous. So we’ve done our own chemistry and are using a green enzyme cleaner now with a pH booster. The enzyme cleaner is completely safe; we could take a shot right now. We’re getting more effectiveness out of it, too. I’ve seen dilapidated systems. Molding on couplers. That sweet vinegary smell. Nineteen-seventies technology, like air compressors pushing oxygen into kegs. I’ve had people tell me they wipe down the faucets. No. You pull the faucets off. This isn’t mom’s-coming bullshit—let’s shut the toilet seat and close the shower curtain. It’s a complete cleaning. It’s like calling a maid after the home’s been trainwrecked. You’re thinking, “Oh, it’s going to be perfect tomorrow.” No, listen, we’re going to do this much today, and then we’ll be back in two weeks. Like peeling an onion, I’m just pulling back one layer after another. It’s important bartenders are being educated. A glass should never touch a faucet. That’s bad bartending. Ever see that? They just shove the glass right into the faucet, and foam’s pouring out over the glass. You’re transferring bacteria, warming up the faucets—which are refrigerated just like the the cooler. When that beer comes out and lingers outside the faucet, it becomes room temperature, and bacteria starts to grow. That’s just 20 or 30 minutes. Then it continues overnight. Happens all the time with popular beers. I’ve had people come to me and say, “Listen, we’re paying you $400 bucks, but another guy just walked in and said he’d do it for $200.” Wow. Yes, that’s quite a difference, and I understand their interest, but is the other guy going to be here for four-and-a-half hours? And it’s not because he’s better. I’ve figured out every possible way to eliminate time within my standards, within the Brewers Association’s standards, and you just can’t do it without skipping steps. And if you do, you’re disserving the bar owner, and you’re disserving their customers. And there’s no one keeping tabs on me, no one keeping tabs on any of this. In many ways, it’s still the Wild West. That’s why we take what we do so seriously.
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FA L L 2 015 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • 6 1
TABLE TALK | PERFECT PAIRINGS
SIP THIS A few ways to experience new-generation California wines in Columbus
Guild House
NEW WAVE
A new generation of winemakers is changing the definition of California wine, and wine experts in Columbus are taking notice. Learn where the new California wines are being made and where you can taste them closer to home. BY KRISTEN SCHMIDT
P
lay a word-association game with the subject of California wine, and you’ll hear descriptors like big, jammy, buttery, oaky, fruit-forward and fullbodied (aka “lots of alcohol”). But a new generation of winemakers in the state—influenced
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by food and dining trends and their travels to Old World wine countries—are creating a whole new set of descriptors. And a handful of Columbus restaurants are taking notice. “I would attribute a lot of the interesting things that are going on to how millennials
The Guild House Shannon Ridge Home Ranch Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, $60 bottle, $15 glass “We did this in a blind tasting with six other cabs, and it blew them away. They’re making some wine that’s more New World and some that’s more Old World.”
are going about things,” says Ryan Valentine, director of beverage for Cameron Mitchell Restaurants. “There’s a lot of loyalty to wines and a lot of repetition, but that’s changing. Tastes are changing; people are starting to get away from giant chardonnays.” Popular practice in California, and particularly in Napa Valley, for the last few decades has been to bend grapes to the will of popular taste, manipulating growing and harvesting techniques and fermentation and aging processes to result in those big-bodied, fruit-forward wines that have come to define California wine. Members of this new cadre of winemakers take a more Old World approach to wine, letting terroir—land, soil
PHOTOS: TOP LEFT, RIGHT AND BOTTOM LEFT, ©2015 THINKSTOCK; BOTTOM RIGHT, COURTNEY HERGESHEIMER
Third & Hollywood Bedrock Zinfandel, $62 Ridge Zinfandel, $48 Arnot-Roberts Touriga Nacional, $40 “Fresh and funky and it pairs fantastically with food,” Crowley says.
composition, precipitation, climate, topography, geography—dictate the resulting wine and, in some cases, planting little-known and appreciated varietals in unexpected places. The result: A wine with a familiar varietal might not taste or behave like the stereotype of that varietal. Or a wine might be made with grapes you’ve never heard of. Almost as a rule, these new-generation wines are lower in alcohol than the hulking 14 and 15 percent cabernet sauvignons for which the region has become famous. This goes hand-in-hand with contemporary American cooking that celebrates a region, a season, heritage and history. Think chefs Sean Brock (Husk), Dan Barber (Blue Hills at Stone Barn), Hugh Acheson (Empire State South). Kevin Crowley, who manages beverages for the Northstar family of restaurants, including Third and Hollywood, hung out with some of these winemakers when he was cooking at Cyrus in Heraldsburg. “I started noticing the wines I was drinking were in stark contrast to the ones I’d been familiar with in Ohio. A ’90s or 2000s big-style cab—that’s what I thought was fine wine until I was falling in love with these,” Crowley says. When he returned to Ohio, though, these wines were nearly impossible to find; many of them are side projects for their winemakers and are produced in small yields. “Two years ago, we would not have been able to get these wines in Ohio,” Crowley says. “Now, instead of me pushing the distributors to find them, we’re starting to see them in wine shops.” How to persuade habit-happy diners they should try something new? Valentine keeps CMR lists diverse, but wine explorers will especially find treats and hidden gems on the lists at The Pearl and The Guild House. And he likes to list a lot of wines by the glass for a couple of reasons. First, diners don’t have to invest in an entire bottle, and that might make them more apt to take a suggestion from a server on something new. And second, diners can have a different wine with each course (a great fit for a smallplates concept like The Guild House).
Recommended Reading Interested in learning more about a new generation of California winemakers? San Francisco Chronicle wine editor John Bonne has written the authoritative guide to these wines and winemakers, “The New California Wine.” In it, you’ll meet the people behind these wines, learn their philosophies and techniques and find dozens of wineries to explore.
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TABLE TALK | REGULAR
ADAM AND DONNA KOOS, 36 AND 33 REGULARS AT TUTTO VINO Neighborhood: Dublin Occupations: President/portfolio manager and business manager, respectively, Libertas Wealth Management
STORY BY KARINA NOVA
A
dam and Donna Koos are busy parents with two kids. But when they get a night out alone, the couple has a favorite spot in Dublin that makes them feel right at home. Tutto Vino is a restaurant for both wine connoisseurs and anyone who wants to discover the wine world, like the Kooses, who’ve been known to split a bottle of wine and a cheese board on more than one occasion. Here, Adam shares what’s made the wine-centric restaurant a recurring favorite. tutto-vino.com How did you discover Tutto Vino? We actually found out about them at the Taste of Dublin several years ago, when we also had the opportunity to meet Raj Hora, the owner. Then, someone else we were talking to gave a pretty strong testimonial, saying that we absolutely had to try it out.
What got you hooked? The laid-back atmosphere,
knowledgeable staff and wide selection of wine and spirits. They have a ton of wine to choose from, and there are always new bottles to try. Translated, the name Tutto Vino means “everything wine,” but their slogan is “Everything wine … and then some.” Raj is extremely passionate about wine and spirits. They also have a huge collection of
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How often do you go? We try to go at least once a month, but Donna also goes with her Dublin MOMS club and for girls’ night out. I’ve taken friends, clients and business consultants from out of town. It’s a wonderful place—think of it like “Cheers,” but with better food and a larger selection of wine and spirits. What’s your recommended order? We switch it up every time we’re in. Sometimes we’ll get the flatbread pizzas, which are fantastic. Other times, we’ll get something light, like the Tomato Mozzarella salad or the Carpaccio. I’m always tempted to order more—blowing the whole purpose of “light eating” in the first place. Other times, if we’ve already eaten, or if we’ve
got a late-night babysitter, we’ll try a couple recommended big, complex red wines, buy a bottle we like and put together a cheese plate. What do you like about the atmosphere? In one sentence, we’d say Tutto Vino has a friendly, Spanish-tapas-restaurant feel, combined with a quaint steakhouse ambience. We almost always prefer to sit at the bar, which isn’t something we normally do anywhere else. It’s a laid-back, cozy environment that only holds a crowd of 65. Even on our very first trip there, the staff and owner made us feel like regulars. It truly has a small neighborhood feel without making newcomers feel like strangers. Karina Nova is a weekend morning anchor at WBNS 10TV News.
PHOTO: JODI MILLER
DATE NIGHT OUT
rum, tequila, bourbon, scotch and whiskey.
SPECI AL S E C T I O N | C H E F ’ S TA B L E
PHOTO: TESSA BERG
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Barcelona
sparking creativity
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of this idea and run with it. For example, chef Tom Smith at The Worthington Inn has embraced August—one of the best times to live in Ohio, he says. The ingredients on his four-course menu are the very ones that inspired him to become a chef. Produce like hillbilly tomatoes, sweet corn and white peaches. And on the five-course menu at Wolf’s Ridge Brewing, chef Seth Lassak’s love for global cuisine speaks loud and clear. Dishes transition from crab and shrimp roll to goat vindaloo to ancho-rubbed pork tenderloin. We can’t wait to see what else the chefs at the nearly two dozen participating restaurants have in store. We hope this week helps diners and restaurants forge new, longlasting relationships. Let’s Eat!
Beth Stallings, Editor
Save the Date! CRAVE’S BRUNCH AND BLOODIES Saturday, Aug. 29, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at The Commissary, 1400 Dublin Road, Columbus Area restaurants will show off their mad morning-dish skills with sweet and savory brunch fare ready to sample. Wash it all down with a bloody mary or mimosa from Due Amici’s rolling cocktail cart. columbuscrave.com/ chefsmenu
PHOTO: RYAN M.L. YOUNG
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t Crave, we know there is a story behind every dish. We also know chefs rarely have a chance to get out of the kitchen and share their inspiration with diners. That’s why we’ve launched this new approach to our annual dining out event that gives chefs a chance to showcase their culinary personality through four-, five- and five-pluscourse tasting menus. Our goal for the Chef’s Menu event, which runs Aug. 28 through Sept. 4, is simple: to shorten the distance between chef and diner. We know that now, more than ever, diners are taking the time to not only ask where their food comes from, but who is crafting it. We want to spark engagement at the table—to help diners get to know chefs through their food. The concept of a tasting menu is nothing new. Chefs all over the world have latched onto the idea—typically a coursed meal with two- or three-bite dishes—as a way to showcase a cuisine, a region or even a single ingredient presented in a multitude of ways. The idea is to be able to eat, and enjoy, several dishes in one sitting. Participating Chef’s Menu restaurants have taken hold
Visit our website to learn more about our tas ngs & tours 917 Bardshar Road | Sandusky, Ohio 44870 | 419-625-5474 firelandswinery.com
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participating restaurants 89 Fish and Grill
For a Good Cause The Mid-Ohio Foodbank is this year’s Chef’s Menu beneficiary. A portion of the week’s proceeds will be donated to the foodbank to help those in need.
1808 AMERICAN BISTRO 29 E. Winter St., Delaware, 740-417-4373, 1808americanbistro.com Hours: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Wed-Fri, 4-10 p.m. Mon-Sat Cuisine: American BARCELONA 263 E. Whittier St., German Village, 614-443-3699, barcelonacolumbus.com Hours: 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Mon-Fri, 5-10 p.m. Sun-Thu, 5-11 p.m. Fri-Sat Cuisine: Spanish/Mediterranean BASI ITALIA 811 Highland St., Italian Village, 614-294-7383, basi-italia.com Hours: 5-close Tue-Sat Cuisine: Italian/Mediterranean
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1 LINDEN ALLEY 116 E. Broadway, Third Floor, Granville, 740-587-1017, brewscafe.com Hours: 5-9 p.m. Thu, 5-10 p.m. Fri-Sat Cuisine: Mediterranean CANTINA LAREDO 8791 Lyra Dr., Northwest Side, 614-781-1139, cantinalaredo.com Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sun-Thu, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Fri-Sat, Cuisine: Mexican DUE AMICI 67 E. Gay St., Downtown, 614-224-9373, due-amici.com Hours: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Mon-Thu, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Fri-Sat, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Sun Cuisine: Italian G. MICHAEL’S BISTRO & BAR 595 S. Third St., German Village, 614-464-0575, gmichaelsbistroandbar.com Hours: 4:30 p.m.-close daily Cuisine: Lowcountry
PHOTO: WILL SHILLING
89 FISH AND GRILL 89 E. Nationwide Blvd., Downtown, 614-586-4585, 89fish.com Hours: 4-10 p.m. Mon-Thu, 4-11 p.m. Fri, 4:30-11 p.m. Sat, 4:30-9 p.m. Sun Cuisine: Seafood
Lock, stock, and DOUBLE barrel(ed). OYO Oloroso Wheat Whiskey. The second limited release of Middle West’s new Double Cask Collection. 100% Single-source Ohio soft red winter wheat whiskey, matured in fresh American oak barrels, and barrel-finished in American oak sherry casks. Welcome to OYO. “Clear deep copper color. Lively, fruity, creamy, spicy aromas of toffee and buttered fruitcake with a supple, vibrant, fruity full body and a warming, complex, very long creme brulee, dried fruits, pepper, and minerals finish. A powerfully delicious wheat whisky for all applications.” — 93 pts., Beverage Testing Institute, 2015 International Review of Spirits
AVAILABLE SUMMER 2015 IN SELECT STATE OUTLETS ACROSS COLUMBUS, CLEVELAND, AND CINCINNATI.
Gold Medal 2015 International Whiskey Competition – Category Best –
12300 Courtland 12 123 Courtla ourrtla our l nd dA Ave Ave, ve, C Columbus olu ool lu umbu us OH OH 43201. 43 Distilled from grain. 51% Alc. by vol. © 2015 Middle West Spirits. Columbus OH.
Gold Medal 2015 Beverage Testing Institute International Review of Spirits – Category Best –
SPECI AL S E C T I O N | C H E F ’ S TA B L E
The Table
Be sure to mention the Chef’s Menu when making reservations at participating restaurants.
TUCCI’S 35 N. High St., Dublin, 614-792-3466, tuccisdublin.com Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Mon-Thu, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Fri, 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Sat, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sun Cuisine: Californian
THE PEARL 641 N. High St., Short North, 614-227-0151, thepearlcolumbus.com Hours: 4 p.m.-close Mon-Fri, 10 a.m.-close Sat-Sun Cuisine: Gastropub
WOLF’S RIDGE BREWING 215 N. Fourth St., Downtown, 614-429-3936, wolfsridgebrewing.com Hours: 10:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Tue-Thu, 10:30 a.m.-midnight Fri, 10 a.m.-midnight Sat, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sun Cuisine: Brewpub
THE REFECTORY RESTAURANT & BISTRO 1092 Bethel Road, Northwest, 614-451-9774, refectory.com Hours: 5:30 p.m.-close Mon-Thu, 5 p.m.-close Fri-Sat Cuisine: French
WORTHINGTON INN 649 High St., Worthington, 614-885-2600, worthingtoninn.com Hours: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Mon-Fri, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sat, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sun, 5-9 p.m. Mon-Thu, 5-10 p.m. Fri-Sat Cuisine: American
THE TABLE 21 E. Fifth Ave., Short North, 614-291-4555, thetablecolumbus.com Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Fri-Sun, 5-10 p.m. Tue-Thu, 5-11 p.m. Fri-Sat, 5-9 p.m. Sun Cuisine: American
VERITAS 15 E. Winter St., Delaware, 740-417-4074, veritastavern.com Hours: 5 p.m.-close Tue-Sat Cuisine: Modern American
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PHOTO: TESSA BERG
Insider Tip!
LATITUDE 41 BAR AND RESTAURANT 50 N. Third St., Downtown, 614-233-7541, latitude41restaurant.com Hours: 6:30-11 a.m. Mon-Fri, 7 a.m.-noon Sat-Sun, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Mon-Fri, noon-2 p.m. Sat, 5 p.m.-close daily Cuisine: Contemporary American
August 28-September 4 Visit
columbuscrave.com/chefsmenu for participating restaurants, tasting menus and sponsor information. Insta
#cravecbus
CRAVE...EATING UP THE COMPETITION... Press Club Awards 2014 FIRST PLACE • • • •
Best Feature: Consumer, Beth Stallings, “The Crave 10” Best Food Writing, Beth Stallings, “Creating a Cheese Culture” Best Photography: Studio, Tim Johnson, “Summer Meets Fall at Veritas” Best Photography: Portrait/Personality, Will Shilling, Tastemaker Donte Allen
SECOND PLACE • Best Magazine Website in Ohio • Best Food Writing, Anthony Dominic, “Spiced, Brined & Smoked” THIRD PLACE • Best Magazine in Ohio • Best Photography: Multiple Images, Will Shilling, “Creating a Cheese Culture” • Best Photography: Portrait/Personality, Will Shilling, Tastemaker Logan Demmy • Best Design: Single Page, Kathryn Landis, “Late Harvest”
Don’t miss it! Ohio Expo Center
Ohio State Fairgrounds • Friday, Sept. 11, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. • Sunday, Sept. 13, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
1 SAVE THE DATE 2 BRING YOUR TOUGHEST GARDENING QUESTIONS 3 GET READY FOR FALL & LOOK AHEAD TO SPRING This is your chance to pick the brains of local garden experts, meet with pros who can help you accomplish your next home project, take part in hands-on demos, do a little early holiday shopping and much more! Admission $6 (kids 12 and under free) • Stop by DispatchHomeandGardenShow.com in the weeks and months ahead for more information!
Be Rewarded for... •
We are in an old 1870 house with indoor and outdoor seating serving appetizers and sandwiches as well as 23+ different types of wines made on site.
401 W. Main St. • Norwalk, OH 44857 www.ddsmithwinery.com • (419) 577-0242
GERVASI VINEYARD Be Transported! This Tuscan-inspired winery includes an Italian bistro, casual eatery, cozy gift shop, and luxurious inn. Beautifully landscaped and nestled around a tranquil lake, an extraordinary setting for the ultimate getaway experience. 1700 55th Street NE, Canton, OH 44721 330.497.1000 gervasivineyard.com
HANOVER WINERY Located in Ohio’s SW corner, only ten minutes from Miami University, Oxford. Great wines, over 26 hand-crafted wines to try! Live music and events, picnics are welcome. Open all Year. Check our website and Facebook page for hours and events. 2121 Morman Rd. Hamilton, OH 45013 513-863-3119 hanoverwinery.com
Live bands every weekend Food available on site Hours: Thurs. 3-8pm • Fri.- 3-10pm • Sat. 12-10pm
3483 McCament Rd. • Walhonding, OH 43843 Indianbearlodge.com/winery • (740) 507-3322
Merry Family
Winery and Vineyards Ltd.
• Gallia County’s first Winery and Cra Brewery • Enjoy handcra ed wines and beers. • Relax on the pa o while taking in the picturesque views of the rural countryside. HOURS: Tuesday - Thursday: 12 noon to 6 pm Friday: 12 noon to 8 pm Saturday: 10 am to 8 pm. Closed the first 2 weeks of January
(740) 245-9463 www.merryfamilywinery.com
Find us on facebook
Chateau Tebeau Winery E Experience our Chateau with FFrench varietal, American, hhybrid and fruit wines. Walk tthe vinyard, sit by the koi pond o or relax by the fireplace in the tasting room.You are sure to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere. Tours - Menu - Live Entertainment - Craft Beer
525 State Route 635 Helena, OH 43435 419-638-5411 chateautebeauwinery.com
Become an Ohio Wines VIP today! See the list of participating wineries and sign up at ohiowinesVIP.com
Visiting Ohio’s Wineries Visit our Retail Shop Mon.- Sat. 11am to 5pm.
Georgetown Vineyards is family-owned and operated and specializes in a varied selection of award-winning wines, from dry California styles to sweet Ohio varietals.
Visit us at www.georgetownvineyards.com and order 3 or more bottles, and shipping is free!
62920 Georgetown Rd, Cambridge, OH 43725 Find us on Facebook! /gvineyards Follow us on Twitter! @gvineyards
Plum Run Winery is located in the heart of the Grove City Town Center. We are a small boutique winery focusing on Ohio grown grapes and fruit. Visit our Web Page for a complete list of our wines and the various events held at the winery. Voted Best of the ‘Bus’ 2014 Best Local Wine. 3946 Broadway, Suite B, Grove City, Ohio 43123 Phone: 614-991-0338 www.plumrunwinery.com plumrunvineyard@gmail.com
Old Firehouse Winery • The Great Lake’s largest lakefront winery • Overlooking Lake Erie • Historic Firehouse • Award winning wines made on premises. • Located in “Wine & Vine Trails” wine country • Kid Friendly- Located on “the Strip” in the resort town of Geneva-on-the-Lake. • Open 7 days year round.
Buckeye Lake Winery is a casual but elegant restaurant and winery that pairs simple foods with premium wines. Buckeye Lake Winery is committed to producing premium wine by bringing the Napa Valley experience home and creating an atmosphere of relaxation and recreation on the waters at Buckeye Lake. We are the perfect setting for a Corporate Event, Party, or Wedding.
5499 LAKE ROAD E. GENEVA-ON-THE-LAKE, OH 44041
1-800-UNCORK-1 www.OldFirehouseWinery.com
Visit www.buckeyelakewinery.com or call 740-246-5665 for upcoming events, entertainment and reservations.
TasteOhioWines.com | www.OhioWinesVip.com
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grain »Story by Beth Stallings » Photos by Will Shilling 76 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
Brandon Jaeger at the Shagbark mill in Athens
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B
randon Jaeger and Michelle Ajamian sit across from each other at the center of a long table they’ve haphazardly strung together from four-tops at Athens’ hippie Mexican eatery Casa Nueva. One by one, as their friends arrive—a recent college grad in a maxi skirt, a toddler-wheeling couple sporting dreadlocks—Jaeger and Ajamian jump up and smile with arms outstretched. Every guest is treated with an enthusiastic hello or a strong-armed embrace that lingers with familiarity. 7 8 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
The convivial air carries through dinner. Familial teasing is directed at the father figure of the group. Remember that one time Jaeger had to learn to drive a combine on the fly, and then it ran out of gas on a hill? Or when, having never operated a forklift before, he had to reverse it off the bed of a truck? The goateed Jaeger laughs along as he takes it in stride, adding to the stories with hand gestures that mimic gear-shifting. Amused, Ajamian sips on a can of Jackie O’s beer as she goodnaturedly disputes small details in every tale. Among the baskets of tortilla chips and sauce-covered enchiladas that decorate the
table, the real reason for this dinner takes shape. The staples of this meal—chips, black beans, tortillas—would not be possible without this ragtag group of community do-gooders who learned how to run an organic grain and seed mill on the job. Since opening in 2010, Shagbark Seed & Mill has become a source to which organic farmers can sell corn that turns into food, not feed, and from where area chefs find grains, beans and flour grown and processed in Ohio. That’s a tougher feat than it may seem. Until Shagbark began selling black turtle beans, Northstar Cafe had to look to the West Coast
to buy the essential ingredient for its veggie burger. One corn farmer confesses he had never tasted his own crop in a product before Shagbark began making tortilla chips. “Brandon and Michelle are really, in a very direct way, changing the world and Ohio for the better,” says Darren Malhame, partner at Northstar Cafe. “People like to talk about organic like it’s some sort of elitist thing. There’s nothing elitist about providing healthy food for everyone. They’re using corn for really what it should be.” Sustaining the masses is exactly how the idea of the mill started. At the peak of the local
food movement, as consumers began obsessing over heirloom tomatoes and kale grown nearby, Jaeger fixated on a single question: Why are we looking elsewhere for staple foods like corn and beans? “We’re just not going to survive on tomatoes and lettuce and kale and heirloom squash. We’re going to need to rebuild our staples,” says Jaeger, who calls this conundrum his existential anxiety. “Someone needs to be focusing on organically producing the foods that have been a staple in our diets for so long.” That someone, it turned out, is Shagbark.
an origin story
Shagbark Seed & Mill was never intended to be a business. It was an experiment that started with a two-year grant application to Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education, a U.S. Department of Agriculture organization that promotes agricultural innovation. At the time, Jaeger was on a monastic training retreat at the San Francisco Zen Center. Ajamian, a community activist with a design background, came out to stay with Jaeger—planning the getaway to work on a grant proposal to support a perennial-annual education lab. But FA L L 2 015 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • 7 9
MEET CUTE
Brandon Jaeger couldn’t get Athens out of his mind. A Philadelphia native, Jaegar had discovered the tiny Ohio town when he spent a week there during a postcollege cross-country bike ride. “It was progressive but also down to earth, which is something I didn’t feel out West,” he says. “I kept thinking about this place, so I came back.” He picked up odd jobs— teaching, farming—anything he could to engrain himself in the community, he says. He met Michelle Ajamian, a New York native, in the paint aisle of a hardware store. Jaeger picked up a swatch of a light grassy green color, and turned to the woman in the aisle. “Do you think this is a good color to paint a room?” he asked. “I don’t work here,” replied Ajamian, who, by then, had been a community activist in Athens for years. “I know you don’t work here, but it seems like you would have a good answer,” he responded. The two laugh when recalling their meet cute in late summer 2004. Eventually, as they continued to run into one another at community events, they discovered Jaeger had been picking paint for the same room in a community home in which Ajamian had lived years earlier. Today, they live together on a farm 6 miles from Shagbark Seed & Mill’s processing facility. Here, they keep a vegetable garden for their own use and are working on installing greenhouses to grow winter greens and, hopefully one day, test plots for heirloom corn.
Michelle Ajamian
after Jaeger first uttered the phrase “existential anxiety,” Ajamian suggested a second proposal. The question that won them the $5,800 grant in 2008: Could they create a model staple food system that would make high-nutrient grains and beans local again? It started as test plots on four farms to identify which ancient grains—quinoa, amaranth, millet—and beans would grow well in Appalachia. But as they conducted studies and consulted with members of the collaborative they’d created, Jaeger and Ajamian found one glaring piece missing from the staple food network: a processing facility. Even if a farmer wanted to grow black turtle beans, Jaeger says, he’d have no outlet through which to process them. “We were ready for a blissful life with our hands in the soil and walking through test plots with clipboards noting pollinator activity and stem girth,” Jaeger says. “But we realized there are plenty of farmers around us with the soil and equipment and know-how to grow the right crops. But they need a reason for it.” If you wanted to open a coffee shop, you could walk around a single city block, find a handful of java-slinging storefronts and get a feel for how the business is run. But, five years ago, if you wanted to start a regional organic grain mill, you’d come up short with examples to follow. That was a big challenge in the beginning as they launched their prototype regional mill, Ajamian says. They consulted with any experts they could find, cobbling together the necessary equipment. An organic farmer in Oregon recommended the kind of French mill they needed. They found a seed cleaner for sale in Westerville. The wooden Austrian sift box they use now to grind polenta, grits, spelt flour and buckwheat flour is still technically on loan from a farmer. And of course, they needed to persuade area farmers this would work—and it would be worth working with
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Brandon Jaeger
the little guy who needed a few hundred pounds, not tons, of corn. Thankfully, the right farmer followed Ajamian out into the hallway. She had just delivered her stump speech to a group of grain farmers at an Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) meeting. “I’d like to come down and see what you’re doing,” said the anything-but-shy Chris Clinehens. More than a decade earlier, the third-generation Bellefontaine-area farmer had his conventional 210-acre farm certified organic. Shagbark intrigued him. That first trip, he brought 150 pounds of corn. Now, he supplies the more than 100,000 pounds of corn needed annually to make Shagbark’s signature tortilla chips and corn crackers. Talk to him about his commitment to Shagbark, and he speaks as if he’s a partner in the business, wishing his farm wasn’t 250 miles away so he could help more day to day. “They’ve got a lot of guts,” Clinehens says, admitting he’s given them a lot of leeway on when they pay for product. But it’s worth it, he says, because he believes in their mission. “I can see where they’re headed. It’s pretty outstanding that they’ve accomplished what they have.” For a company that runs on part-time employees and volunteers, Shagbark’s growth has been explosive—from selling corn meal and spelt berries at the Athens Farmers Market to tortillas and chips at Columbus-area Whole Foods. Clinehens is one of eight farmers—a mix of certified organic and Amish—who supply the mill with high-nutrient organic goods to produce roughly a dozen products, including buckwheat flour, spelt, popcorn, stone-ground grits and polenta and pinto and black beans. Shagbark went from selling $10,000 worth of product its first year to $125,000 the next. By 2013, they reached $321,000 in sales. It’s leveled out a bit, Jaeger says, but is
Tortilla Chips Considered their “gateway product,” Shagbark’s tortilla chips contain three ingredients: corn, sunflower oil and sea salt.
Heirloom Corn Grits The Crest Gastropub serves up these fresh-milled grits in its Shrimp and Grits entree.
Heirloom Popcorn Gateway Film Center recently picked up Shagbark’s popcorn, and will soon offer it as a concessionstand upgrade.
Corn-Maize Tortillas What makes their tortillas different than others on grocery store shelves lies in the high-nutrient corn that’s soaked in calcium before it’s ground into maize, Michelle Ajamian says.
Organic Cream of Spelt Cereal
Organic Pinto Beans Organic Black Turtle Beans Northstar Cafe uses Shagbark’s organic black beans to craft its veggie burger and Square Meal bowl. Heirloom Polenta
Spelt Pasta Corn Crackers These are the snack that almost weren’t. On a whim, Brandon Jaeger asked the Toledo company that manufactures their tortilla chips to try the recipe with corn meal. After a first taste, he thought he had a failed experiment on his hands—until a few friends insisted these were better than the original. FA L L 2 015 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • 8 1
Jaeger mills grits at the Shagbark mill.
“People are gradually starting to realize the soil does make the difference. I mean, we’ve realized that about good wine for millennia. But it’s true for crops as well. It has to do with the soil.” —Brandon Jaeger
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Meet the farmer Demo coordinator Janice Brewer bags black beans at the Shagbark mill.
still on an upward swing. This year, they’ll go through about 150 tons of Ohio bean and grain crop—with corn for chips, crackers and tortillas making up 60 percent and black beans another 30 percent. Much of this growth is owed to Shagbark’s ability to diversify products and adapt a wholesale business that distributes product around the state. Jaeger and Ajamian created their three-ingredient tortilla chips (corn, sunflower oil and sea salt) in 2011 to help one of their favorite restaurants, Casa Nueva, which didn’t have the manpower to make chips in house. Now lovingly referred to as their “gateway product,” the chips have become their most recognized creation. The chips first attracted Katalina’s owner Kathleen Day to Shagbark in 2012. After sampling their chips at a Dine Originals event, Day persuaded them to sell her individual-sized bags she could serve alongside sandwiches at her Harrison West cafe. “Once you eat their chips, you are a convert for life,” says Day, who also uses Shagbark black beans. “You can taste the difference in the corn. It’s what Michael Pollan would call heritage corn. It’s much more filling and good for you, and it’s not overly processed. It’s what real corn chips should taste like.” Shagbark’s latest product is just as everyman-friendly—corn tortillas, which they started producing at the Koki’s Tortillas plant in October 2014. Shagbark tortillas stand out not just because organic corn is used, but also because the corn is soaked in an alkaline solution before it’s hulled—an ancient process known as nixtamalization that’s been proven in some scientific studies to increase nutritional value, flavor and aroma in corn. (The corn for their chips is also nixtamalized.) It’s also a nod to the way corn has been treated in
Mexican culture for centuries, Ajamian says. The two had a chance to experience this process first hand. Earlier this year, she and Jaeger traveled to Mexico with the owner of Koki’s to visit her family. There water was electric blue, rich with limestone. This is the water in which corn is soaked before it’s ground into maize for tortillas. When the food culture relocates, Ajamian says, swiping through pictures of her trip on her phone, a lot of people bring the food, but not the cuisine. “We’re doing our tortillas the traditional way—calcium added into the water and pressed into the tortillas,” Ajamian says. “It was a really nice reinforcement of the concept—how important food is to culture,” Jaeger adds. “Maize is the perfect example of culture of food. Nixtalimization in tortillas and chips—it’s a process that’s community-oriented.” The tortillas, which will be on retail shelves later this summer, are becoming popular with chefs at area restaurants including Skillet, Casa Nueva, Acre and The Worthington Inn. The product is twice as expensive as conventional tortillas, admits chef Tom Smith of The Worthington Inn, but it’s worth it. “You can taste they’re doing the right thing,” Smith says. “It’s good corn they’re using. It’s processed well and fresh. Like in the tortillas, you don’t get that fresh corn flavor unless it’s just been milled.” When he started using Shagbark tortillas on his pork tacos earlier this year, Smith says the whole dish came together. “It’s very rare you bite into your own food and go, ‘Wow.’ ”
personalized products
If you’ve stopped into a Kroger Marketplace or a Whole Foods Market on a Saturday, chances are you’ve seen a Shagbark employee offering samples of tortilla chips and corn crackers. What most might not expect is for the farmer who grew the corn to be the one running the demo. Over the winter, this is precisely what you’ll find farmer Chris Clinehens doing at Kroger Marketplace in Bellefontaine. According to Shagbark’s owners, Clinehens is by far their best demo-er. “You have to tell them this is organic corn, and this is my corn,” Clinehens says. “That’s one of my leading statements there.” When customers accused him of “feeding them a line of crap,” he left and came back with his farming license to prove it. It’s not uncommon for Clinehens to move six cases of bagged chips over a few hours. This past Super Bowl Sunday, he sold eight. “They cleaned the shelves off. I could have sold 15 cases if I had them,” he says. “It was nuts.”
It’s no surprise why Jaeger is so trim as he effortlessly limbers up and down a flight of wooden stairs. He disapFA L L 2 015 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • 8 3
Shrimp and Grits at The Crest
pears into the scaffolding, and then reemerges with a gray tub of heirloom corn. Tipping it over, the red and yellow kernels buzz loudly like a hive of bees down into the funnel at the top of a blond wooden mill. He bounds down to the concrete floor, flips a switch and put his nose to the nowgrinding mill stone. Soon, granules of corn that have been pumiced into grits and —Darren Malhame, corn meal begin to fill up large partner at Northstar Cafe bags. This is the most processing any of Shagbark’s products receive. There’s no stripping of nutrients for shelf stability, or reenriching. To ensure freshness, they mill and bag products to order. It’s Tuesday, and a big production day inside the Athens mill. The warehouse space they rent might be small, but it’s efficient, Jaeger says. With gravity on their side, they could unload a ton of grain in 30 seconds if they’re not careful. Today, a few part-time employees will help sort and bag 2,000 pounds of black beans as Jaeger grinds corn. On the floor at his feet are a few scattered red hulls,
“They’re using corn for really what it should be. It’s real food, and that’s an appropriate way to eat corn.”
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remnants of the buckwheat flour freshly milled for Taste of Belgium the day before. Two years ago, when Whole Foods stopped carrying the brand of flour the Cincinnati-based restaurant needed to make their signature buckwheat crepes, owner Jean-François Flechet turned to Shagbark. “I didn’t realize you could mill things so many different ways,” says Flechet, who expects to source up to 20,000 pounds of buckwheat flour this year. “Brandon sent us maybe 15 samples of buckwheat flour with different coarseness. It’s like a custom mill.” Flechet speaks highly of the quality. He brought in the best flour he could find in France, and then made two crepes—one with the French flour, the other with Shagbark’s. The result was a draw. “For our application, it’s perfect,” he says. Chefs throughout Central Ohio share similar experiences of Shagbark’s willingness to produce the product they need—and they say working with the company is as much about believing in the people behind the concept. “They’re just characters. They are amazing, unique people, and they have these wonderful, optimistic, energetic personalities,” says Malhame, of Northstar, which has been buying Shagbark black beans for all its restaurants for three years and committed to buying 14,000 pounds this year. “They are just really great people who want to change the world for the better.”
PHOTOS: LEFT, TIM JOHNSON; RIGHT, MEGHAN RALSTON
Crepe at Taste of Begium
Shagbark polenta at The Worthington Inn
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Magdiale Wolmark inside his new deli, located in Victorian Village
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h a p z t u h C
TA T O L E L WHO
At Izzy & Mo’s, chef-owner Magdiale Wolmark goes back to his roots, crafting Jewish deli fare with a scratch-made spin. Opening the deli was an emotional rollercoaster, he admits, but one that’s brought him closer to his heritage. STORY BY BETH STALLINGS PHOTOS BY WILL SHILLING
Jerusalem bagels at Izzy & Mo's
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T
urn Magdiale Wolmark to the subject of blintzes, and his voice raises a full octave. “Blinztes,” he says with childlike giddiness. “Oh, I loved blintzes when I was a kid.” Sitting at the 10-seat communal table in the back of his whitewashed new deli, round glasses softening his normally intense expression, he smiles wildly. His mom would make blintzes filled with blueberries and sour cream, he recalls. Even though he thought they were rubbery, one bite of that sweet-sour combination, and he’s 10 years old again. Recipe testing for Izzy & Mo’s—what he calls a thirdwave Jewish deli—stirred up images of the past for the Philadelphia native raised by Jewish parents. At Izzy & Mo’s, which he opened in May with his wife, Cristin Austin, Wolmark is serving the same old-school fare he remembers eating as a kid, but at a higher quality. Everything is crafted in the restaurant. For example, smoky Montreal-style pastrami is made with grass-fed beef brisket. He smokes only wild-caught salmon. He’s up at 4 a.m. daily to roll organic bagels. This all started because the chef-owner of Till Dynamic Fare wanted a doughnut shop. When he announced two years ago he’d be opening an eatery in the vacant storefront next to his Victorian Village restaurant, he hoped late-night pastries and coffee would be his signature. But construction delays—including fixing a rotting foundation—gifted him time to ponder and adjust. His thoughts moved away from doughnuts and toward a traditional Jewish deli. He was already smoking fish, chopping liver and curing brisket in the Till kitchen, albeit on a small scale. But he could see the seeds of possibility as he delved deeper into his family heritage. “It’s been a kind of emotional rollercoaster ride for me,” he says. “Izzy & Mo’s is a really personal thing. And because of that, I feel even more pressure, I suppose, to really do it well.” Wolmark wants the deli to reflect a classic approach. What’s in the knish? Potato. What’s on the hot pastrami? Mustard. He’ll save riffs for blackboard-style specials and a few quirky Reubens, like one made with corned beef tongue, or another that mashes a Cuban with a Rueben. “That’s where we stand: respecting the tradition,” he says. “We’re doing these classic things well, so if they haven’t had an experience with [Jewish cuisine], they’ll say, ‘That’s excellent.’ And someone else who knows Jewish deli food will say, ‘That’s an excellent rendition.’ ” CONNECTING TO THE PAST The eatery is named after Wolmark’s parents—his father, Poland-native Izzy, and mother, Mo, who was born in Eastern Israel. What he serves is largely influenced by those two cultures. It’s why the menu includes items like hummus, borscht and Jerusalem bagels seasoned with za’atar. Blintzes and challah were holiday food staples, and bagels and fish were required Sunday eating. The family ate a lot of chicken soup, too, which is why Wolmark serves a simple, homey soup of chicken stock, handpulled chicken and rice. 8 8 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
“My parents think I am crazy, period,” he says, chuckling. They support the deli, but more because their son opened a restaurant—not because it’s an homage to his Jewish upbringing, he says. All his father asked for: a good pastrami sandwich. Though he didn’t put any family recipes on the menu, his parents have been a great source of support and reassurance from a cultural perspective. “I have my own Jewish deli experiences, but I was kind of confronted in an abrupt way with everyone else’s Jewish deli experiences. It was just comforting to talk to them,” he says. “They have this bigger and broader perspective, so it was comforting to hear them say, ‘You’re making it this way? Well, that’s the right way. That’s the way it should be done.’ ” For Wolmark and Austin, the hardest part of opening Izzy & Mo’s was narrowing down the menu. What they settled on is a breakfast and lunch collection dedicated to popular Jewish-deli foods that have meaning to Wolmark. He could have skipped blintzes, he says. But these blueberry and sour cream crepes were a staple of his childhood, so they are a must on his menu. “What makes them better than a crepe,” he says, “is that they are crisped in butter after they’re rolled.” At Izzy & Mo’s, he features blueberry with sour cream and ricotta and honey. Honey plays an essential role in most recipes, especially the bagels, which are made with honey instead of more traditional barley malt syrup. The babka cinnamon twists—his play on classic chocolate babka—are glazed with passion fruit and honey. “Before I started doing this, I used a lot less milk and honey,” he says. “I think of that idea, the land of milk and honey, in terms of richness of food in our culture. That’s had a lot of significance for me.” While the sufganiyot he offers with ever-changing fillings were part of Wolmark’s childhood, this jelly doughnut is a nod to the original Izzy & Mo’s concept. It also carries significance in Jewish culture. “They’re made around Chanukah, fried in oil when oil becomes this symbol of a miracle that happened around that time,” he says. “In any other context, it’s just a jelly doughnut. But in our context, it’s ritual food.” ONE AT A TIME To diners, the order-at-the-counter setup at Izzy & Mo’s may seem just like that at any other deli. But Wolmark set it up this way because it reminds him of the shops he frequented as a child. “You’d say to the guy behind the bar, ‘Give me a pound of smoked salmon.’ He’d go get it, and then he would say, ‘What else?’ Then you’d give him the next thing and he’d say, ‘What else?’ ” Wolmark recalls. “You couldn’t tell him everything at once because he couldn’t remember. So you told him one thing at a time. “I used to always make fun of those guys. I didn’t understand why they were doing that. Now it makes sense to me, because we’re doing that. You’re not going to tell us everything you want; you’re going to tell us one at a time.”
From top left: East Coast bagels, Wolmark in the kitchen, Bialy bagels and Jerusalem bagels
Bagel Decoder
Izzy & Mo’s makes three styles of bagels ready to be loaded with schmears of cream cheese or chopped liver. Jerusalem: An oblong-shaped bagel, this style is topped with sesame seeds and za’atar and is traditionally dipped in olive oil. Bialy: Polish in origin (it gets its name from the city of Bialystock), this bagel is round with a depressed middle and is baked, not boiled. East Coast: Though Wolmark uses honey instead of malt barley syrup (making the style more Montreal than New York), this is the traditional water bagel, boiled before it’s baked. FA L L 2 015 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • 8 9
Keep it Classic
Those familiar with Wolmark’s cooking style know he’s not one to shy away from cutting against the grain. But at Izzy & Mo’s, rooting himself in the classics is something he couldn’t avoid. “I’ve got to tell you, I’m a little disappointed you don’t have babka,” a Jewish man said to Wolmark while ordering a pastrami special.
“But I’ve got the babka sticky buns,” Wolmark replied. “I don’t want all that stuff on there. I want babka,” he answered. “That was a genesis of, OK, let me do babka,” Wolmark says. He started researching the pastry until he understood the standard and crafted a traditional chocolate babka. Now,
AN ODE TO APPETIZING DELIS Meat intentionally takes a back a seat on the breakfast menu in homage to the delis specializing in fish and dairy products his then-kosher family once frequented. “We created our breakfast format around that idea. We focused on the abundance of those kinds of things—cheese, seafood,” he says. “And then our lunch was created around the corned beef- and pastrami-style delis.” His father, a rabbi who grew up in an Orthodox Jewish family, was into traditional cooking. Ironically, Wolmark says with a laugh, his father was the one who introduced pork into his home, which “freaked out” his mother. But 9 0 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
he feels he can return to the sticky bun version. To a certain degree, this honest feedback was comforting, he admits. “It gave me this ground to stand on,” he says. “I felt that I should do the classic stuff, and do it well first, before I start moving in this other direction.”
at Izzy & Mo’s, you’ll find no traif, no pork products. “You can get that at Till,” he says. “Here, we are respecting that tradition.” DRINK UP The how-can-we-make-everything approach applies to drinks here, too. Celery and chocolate sodas are made from scratch. House schnapps are offered in rhubarb, strawberry and sour cherry flavors (stop in from 7 to 9 a.m. for a shot of schnapps and a beer for $4). And on Saturday nights, you’ll find a late-night dessert bar with cocktails featuring Israeli ingredients, along with Jewish-style desserts.
Blintz with blueberry and sour cream
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COLUMBUS - SAWMILL • BRICE
BREW AND DRINK
HOW TO ROAST,
LIKE A COFFEE NERD
serious
BuzZ PHOTO: TESSA BERG
STORY BY NICHOLAS DEKKER
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he third wave of Columbus coffee has arrived. A well-brewed cup of joe is no longer a novelty—it’s normal. Our city is filled with skilled roasters, award-winning baristas and collaborations between roasters, breweries and restaurants. But we’ve all found ourselves a bit tongue-tied when we order a cup of coffee and are tasked to quickly choose between three styles of Columbian roasts. Or when we ask for an iced coffee and the barista replies, “Cold brew or Kyoto?” Come again? We consulted a few of the city’s coffee experts to assemble this guide for the budding Columbus coffee nerd, from the right questions to ask a barista to why those laboratory apparatus brewing contraptions are really necessary. If you’re ready to learn more, grab a cup of java and read on.
TERMS TO KNOW Single origin: Coffee made from beans from a single farmer, co-op, region or country
PHOTO: TIM JOHNSON
Third wave: Considered the latest phase of coffee shops, this is a movement that handles coffee as an artisanal food just like cheese and craft beer. Third-wave roasters treat coffee as a specialty item and strive to discover the ideal way to roast, prepare and serve it. The “first wave” of coffee is considered the movement toward brewing at home (buying tins of Folgers and a coffee maker). “Second wave” refers to coffee houses—including national chains like Peet’s and Starbucks—that began in the 1970s and ’80s and flourished in the 1990s. Second wave coffee, says John “J.J.” Justice of Cafe Brioso, excels at service, acting as an access point that introduced American consumers to espresso drinks. Cupping: A barista’s version of wine tasting. Trained baristas and roasters assess coffees—prepared in different concentrations—for their aroma, flavor and mouthfeel. The point: to figure out how the beans might be best served.
Tyler Wood at One Line Coffee
Why the pour over? More and more, coffee shops like Fox in the Snow, Upper Cup Coffee, Luck Bros., One Line and Boston Stoker are focusing their service on the pour-over. It takes more time than drip—so why is it preferred?
1 IT’S MORE INVOLVED. Of all the single-cup brew methods, it can be replicated the most quickly, and many coffee shops feature a pour-over station with multiple funnels. It uses disposable paper filters, and the equipment is easy to clean. Once the coffee is brewed, “it’s rinse, new filter, done,” says Erik Fenstermacher of Boston Stoker. 2 IT’S BALANCED. Fox in the Snow Cafe’s Jeff Excell says the pour-over comes the closest to cupping, the process by which baristas test and sample coffees. The pour-over is the happy medium in the spectrum of preparations, Fenstermacher adds. It’s filtered, so it’s not as rich as an espresso, but the flavorful oils and acids still make it through.
3 IT’S FRESH. For a pour-over, the coffee is ground and steeped when you order it. It might take a moment longer, but it’s not hours-old coffee being pressed out of a pot. “If I brew coffee at 7 a.m. and you come in at 9 a.m., I’m tempted as a shop owner to serve that coffee to you,” Excell says. “This takes that temptation away.”
4 IT’S FUN TO WATCH. “Coffee is a beautiful process,” Excell explains. “And I want people to be involved more than anything else.” There’s a certain theatricality to it. The customer gets to watch the barista soak the grounds with hot water, see it bloom when the water first makes contact, watch the coffee drip down into the cup. This translates into more human contact. For Excell, this is the whole point. “The relationship to the people is equally important to the coffee,” he says. So if you order a pour-over, stick around to chat with your barista.
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espresso drinks: What is What We’ve all been in that position at one time or another: The barista looks expectantly over the counter as we’re mumbling, “What’s the difference between a macchiato and a cappuccino?” “Is the latte the one with the foamed milk?” “What’s a cubano?” There’s good reason for the confusion. Definitions can be tricky. Some coffee shops prepare drinks by traditional (often European) standards, although many customers may be familiar with drinks based on how national chains prepare them. Espresso drinks revolve around two things: coffee and milk. The variety lies in the ratio between the two, says Mick Evans of One Line Coffee. But if you like coming prepared, follow this primer:
ESPRESSO The base for most coffee drinks. Hot water is forced quickly through finely ground coffee. The heat and quick extraction make it richer and more bittersweet than brewed coffee.* Espresso Normale
Espresso Ristretto
A regular shot of espresso is called an Espresso Normale, which means the espresso is brewed with water in a 1:2 ratio, Evans explains.
If you want to get really technical, you can ask for an Espresso Ristretto: espresso brewed in a 1:1 ratio with water.
CAPPUCCINO Typically espresso and milk in a 1:2 ratio, cappuccino can be confusing among coffee drinkers. Traditionally a cappuccino is a 6-ounce beverage created using the rule of thirds: one third espresso, one third hot milk, one third textured milk (not the Starbucksesque 20-ounce drinks with lots of foam).**
LATTE Espresso and steamed milk in a ratio of one part espresso to four or five parts milk. The milk coffee or cafe au lait originated in Europe, although its neutral base has allowed it to become “a vessel for Starbucks to use syrup,” Fenstermacher jokes. Replacing the milk with half-and-half results in a drink sometimes referred to as a breve.
CUBANO Espresso brewed while dissolving raw sugar in the espresso basket; the hot water caramelizes the sugar as it brews. Most coffee shops, however, will mix in sugar after pulling the shot. This saves the trouble of cleaning sticky sugar out of the basket after every use.
MACCHIATO A shot of espresso topped with a small amount of foamed milk
AMERICANO Espresso cut with hot water. It came about during World War II when American soldiers stationed in Europe watered down the local brew, espresso.
CORTADO Similar to a cappuccino, espresso is cut with hot milk. It’s often served in a 4-ounce glass Gibraltar cup.
*Even though most espresso machines are programmed, we still say a barista “pulls” a shot. That’s because precomputerized espresso machines used a lever attached to a piston, with which the barista manually forces the hot water through the grounds. Only two Columbus coffee shops currently use lever machines: Upper Cup Coffee in Olde Town East and Hemingway’s Coffee Nook at Columbus Commons.
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**Cappuccino fun facts: The drink is named after Capuchin friars who wore brown and white robes. The flat white is similar to the cappuccino, reducing the amount of milk slightly and using foamed milk. It hails from Australia and New Zealand.
INTERACTING WITH YOUR BARISTA Customers new to third-wave coffee shops are often intimidated by the layout, the menu, the types of drinks available or the baristas behind the counter. But don’t confuse their intensity with rudeness. We asked Columbus coffee experts what they wish their customers knew.
1 ASK QUESTIONS. It’s important to communicate your questions or confusions. “The first thing is not to be afraid to show your ignorance,” says Fenstermacher of Boston Stoker in Victorian Village. “To be a barista of our caliber, you have to be knowledgeable, and we’re happy to share that.” Ask about different drinks and how the shop prepares them. There’s no such thing as a dumb question. 2 SHARE YOUR
PREFERENCES. “Start with what you like,” Brioso's Justice says. “Articulate your personal preferences.” Do you prefer sweetness? Bitterness? Do you take milk in your coffee? Ask the barista what they think is best, he says. By communicating what you’re familiar with,
the barista can choose the perfect drink for you.
3 THEY WON’T BE INTIMIDATING. “I’m not going to be mean to you!” Fenstermacher assures. Your barista is also always interested in hearing what you have to say. “An experienced barista will not be condescending,” adds Luck Bros.’ Andy Luck. “If you get any of that pushback, go somewhere else.” 4 PULL UP A CHAIR. Ultimately, Justice says, drinkability is the goal. Your barista is like a bartender. His job is to help identify something you’d like and then make it properly. He compares a novice coffee drinker to a 21-year-old first tasting alcohol. “We all started with Long Island iced teas,” he says, before graduating to more sophisticated drinks.
PHOTO: TIM JOHNSON
Barista Erik Fenstermacher at Boston Stoker
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coffee
preparatioNs Ordering a simple cup of coffee? You’ll notice no shortage of scientific-looking brewing tools behind the coffee shop counter. Each one has different benefits. Here’s a quick guide.
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PHOTO: WILL SHILLING
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1 POUR-OVER is a single cup preparation in which the coffee is washed in a conical funnel (like the Hario V60) with a paper filter. The attraction: The method produces a clean, well-rounded cup of coffee. “The purest coffee-tasting experience is cupping coffee,” Excell says. “And pour-over coffee is the most customer-friendly way to make coffee that is most similar to cupping.” 2 d COLD BREW is the “silent servant” of cold coffee, says Evans of One Line. This is coffee made by immersing grounds in cold or room temperature water for 24 hours. Sometimes called toddy coffee, cold brew is the most reliable and easy-to-execute cold coffee, Evans says, making it the standard cold preparation for most shops. 3 Also called a vacuum coffee maker, the SIPHON is a two-chambered pot in which water vapor is forced into coffee grounds. It’s not often used in coffee
service, Fenstermacher says, because it’s complicated and time-consuming.
4 d JAPANESE ICE COFFEE is coffee brewed hot like a pour-over, but then poured over ice. It benefits from the heat of brewing, which extracts more flavors through oils and fatty acids in the coffee, says Brandon Bir of Crimson Cup. 5 CHEMEX is similar to a pour-over but uses a thick, bonded-paper filter that seals against the walls of the brewer, slowing the process down. The benefit: Thicker paper filters out more oils for a clean, pure flavor. 6 FRENCH PRESS is a preparation in which grounds are steeped in a small pot and then plunged to the bottom before the coffee is poured. This method offers less filtration but imbues coffee with richness similar to espresso. This is the easiest method for brewing at home, Fenstermacher says.
7 Similar to French press, the AEROPRESS steeps coffee, and then forces it through a filter with a plunger. The result is coffee that drinks much like espresso. 8 With a similar shape to the pour-over funnel, the CLEVER COFFEE DRIPPER has a valve at the bottom that holds the water. The additional contact between water and grounds develops coffee with a richer, fuller flavor.
d In KYOTO-STYLE (not pictured) brewing, ice-cold water is dripped over a bed of coffee for six to 12 hours. “It produces heavy flavors,” says Brandon Bir of Crimson Cup, “because of the repetition of extraction—the water is hitting and hitting the coffee, opening it up more and more.” This produces a concentrated coffee like a liqueur, so it’s usually served in smaller quantities over ice. Many Columbus shops feature the tall glass Kyoto towers. Andy Luck purchased a tower specifically made in Kyoto; his is the only shop in Ohio with a true Japanese-made tower. d = Cold brew
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coffee culture
It’s never been easier to find a great cup of coffee in Columbus, and thankfully, this applies to interesting preparations from around the globe. –Bethia Woolf
Coffee is a dynamic product, boasting more flavor profiles than wine. Perhaps this is why identifying your preferred coffee can be tough. If you want a good starting point, ask how it was processed, says Bir of Crimson Cup. Coffee beans can be processed in many ways: dried with the outer fruit left completely or partially on, dried with inner membrane intact or dried solo with all outer layers removed. Depending on the growing region and practices, one bean can result in thousands of flavors. If you’re tasting a new coffee for the first time, follow these basic guidelines:
1 AROMA What smells can you identify? Coffee aromas and flavors will often range from damp and earthy, to notes of chocolate, nuts, caramel and peanut butter, to a range of fruits like blueberry, raspberry and apple, and finally to citrusy elements like lemon and orange. 2 BODY Is it thick or thin? Does it feel heavy and oily, or light and bright? Most coffee shops go for a medium body, Brioso’s Justice says. 3 SWEETNESS What sweet flavors can you identify: fruits, chocolate, caramel, syrup, nuts? Again, asking how the coffee was processed will give you a general range of flavors.
4 ACIDITY What sour properties do you taste? Can you liken them to any citrus flavors? Coffee growers and roasters often talk about acidity, Bir says. Coffees grown at higher elevations—like Guatemalan beans—develop more slowly and build up more acid. The processing will also produce different amounts of bitterness. 5 DRINKABILITY
How drinkable is the coffee? What’s the aftertaste? Would you purchase it again? Depending on roast and preparation, coffee moves across the spectrum from acidic (or sour) to balanced to bitter. Where does this one land? “You have to have drinkability above all else,“ Justice says. “If the coffee lacks it, the customer doesn’t finish it and doesn’t buy another one.”
ESPRESSO YOURSELF Jason Valentine, owner of retail roaster Thunderkiss Coffee, will talk to you about coffee roasts for hours. Valentine, who roasts out of North High Brewing’s production facility, crafts roasts for eateries including South of Lane, Katalina’s and the Bexley Coffee Shop. The one coffee he’s worked to perfect: his espresso roast. Here, he shares details about how espresso is used by coffee shops. Many coffee roasters and shops will have a specialty blend or a specifically chosen bean for their espresso. Coffees chosen as espresso will often be low in acidity with a sweet, almost syrupy base. The key, Valentine notes, is that coffee must be versatile enough to stand on its own, while being pungent enough to stand up to milk. Many espresso blends will use a base of Brazilian or Columbian coffees, which traditionally produce heavy roasted and chocolate flavors. Many third-wave shops use a single-origin espresso, choosing one coffee—often with a lighter profile—to feature in the espresso. Good baristas will dial in at the start of every shift, testing the right grind, dose and timing for the espresso. Too fine of grind and it gets bitter; too coarse and it’s sour. Valentine says baristas refer to the perfectly balanced espresso as the “God shot.”
VIETNAMESE Vietnamese coffees wear their French influence proudly—the roast is as dark as it gets, and the caramelized bean flavors are potent. They’re most commonly consumed iced, in a preparation called ca phe da. Ca phe da starts with coarsely ground beans, which are put into a small metal drip filter that sits atop a cup containing a dollop of sweetened condensed milk. Hot water is poured into the filter and slowly drips into the cup. Once brewing is complete, the milk and coffee are stirred and poured over ice. The considerable sweetness of the condensed milk balances the bitterness of the coffee while allowing the deep, roasted flavors to shine through. Ca phe da can be found in almost any Vietnamese restaurant in town, including Lan Viet in the North Market, Huong Vietnamese Restaurant, Red Velvet Cafe and Mi Li Cafe. 59 S. Spruce St., North Market, 614-227-4203, huongvr.blogspot. com, redvelvetcbus.com, milicafe.com TURKISH Turkish coffee is as simple as the previous methods are complex—in essence, heat water (with sugar, if desired) in a tiny, long-handled pot (called a cezve) and add finely ground coffee beans. No filters are involved, and the bottom 10 percent or so of a properly poured serving will be a sediment of brewed grounds thick enough to stick to the bottom of the cup. The results, as seen at Cafe Shish Kebab, are coffees of nearespresso strength, but with less acidity and bitterness. shishkebabgrill.com
bostonstoker.com, cafebrioso.com, crimsoncup.com, foxinthesnow.com, luckbroscoffeehouse.com, missioncoffeeco.com, onelinecoffee.com, staufs.com, theuppercup.com, thunderkisscoffee.com 9 8 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
PHOTO: ©2015 THINKSTOCK
DRINK COFFEE LIKE A PRO
ETHIOPIAN As the first country to domesticate the coffee plant, nowhere receives more well-deserved respect for its place in the coffee universe than Ethiopia. And Ethiopian restaurants are increasingly expressing their pride in this by offering a coffee ceremony. At Dire Dawa Cafe in Whitehall, the ceremony begins with a hostess seating the group (usually at least two people) around an ornate table with carved stools. She disappears and returns with a pan of green, unroasted coffee beans for you to inspect. These are whisked away, and shortly she returns with roasted and fragrant beans, wafting them so you can appreciate the aroma. Give her a thumbs up, and she’ll head back to the kitchen to grind and brew the beans. The hostess returns with a black ceramic carafe (known as a jebena), assumes a central position at the table and pours the coffee. The first sip reveals a dark roast with deep cardamom undertones and a thick, almost syrupy body. Addis Restaurant on Cleveland Avenue also offers a coffee ceremony weekly on Fridays. 4513 E. Main St., Whitehall, 614-237-3794; addis-restaurant.com
A COFFEE FLIGHT Luck Bros. Coffee House gives you a perfect chance to try three different coffee preparations side by side. The coffee flight includes a single shot of espresso, a cappuccino made with Snowville milk and a glass of Kyoto iced coffee—all made with the same blend of beans. This lets the drinker taste how various preparations can transform the same coffee into drastically different drinks.
PHOTOS: TIM JOHNSON
An Ethiopian coffee ceremony at Dire Dawa Cafe
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MARKET After two years of renovations, staff changes and merchant turnovers, Columbus’ historic food hall has a fresh lease on life. Here’s how to devour the North Market in 33 steps. STORY BY TAYLOR STAREK PHOTOS BY TIM JOHNSON ILLUSTRATION BY DANIEL FISHEL
Rick Harrison Wolfe hears it every day. “[North Market] has become a Downtown food court,” locals lament to the executive director of the public market, often referencing Pistacia Vera and Katzinger’s Little Deli, which boasted fervent fan bases long before setting up shop there in 2013 and 2014, respectively. Or they bemoan the 13-year presence of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, which now has nearly two dozen scoop shops across the country. Isn’t the North Market done nurturing Jeni’s? But Wolfe is quick with a comeback. “Not even close,” he says. “We want to incubate businesses. That’s part of our mission. But to me, right off the bat, I wanted this to be a best-in-class.” “Best-in-class” is a phrase Wolfe won’t leave alone. He says it encapsulates his vision for the market—a place not just where visitors get a taste of Columbus’ primary eateries, but also a one-stop shop for locals, an evolving bazaar that incubates, yes, but also welcomes restaurateurs who want to stick around, so long as they’re honing their craft.
“We have a lot of merchants who have been here a long time, and I don’t want them to ever go away,” he says. “But there has to be some degree of change and newness.” For the last few years, the North Market has ushered in plenty of newness. A major renovation shuffled the layout in late 2013, giving merchants a chance to revamp. Wolfe implemented a formal review process for each business to examine sales performance, customer service, merchandising and product quality once a year. He also extended the market’s hours in early 2015, requiring merchants to open seven days a week (a change met with mixed reactions from vendors). Hot Chicken Takeover moved into the upstairs space in late 2014 and recently extended its lease for three years. With the arrival of Little Eater and Destination Donuts in the spring, and with veteran vendors upping their game, the market is making a play for locals again. Here’s how to eat and shop your way through the North Market in 33 steps. northmarket.com
ROODY WHO? The North Market’s resident rooster mascot was born accidently. Roody was first spotted on an old feedbag (which now hangs in the market’s conference room) at the North Market’s Quonset hut location before it made its move in 1995, Wolfe says. While it’s uncertain who dubbed him the face of the public market, his profile, with a fiery comb and bright pink wattle, is certainly recognizable. “I feel we have the most iconic sign in town,” Wolfe says. “He’s a great mascot.”
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North Market Spices
After the 2013 renovation, Spices took over a much larger space on the east side of the market. It’s known for being an affordable spot for dried herbs, but an array of spice blends is its piece de resistance. From berbere (an Ethiopian blend good for roasted meats) to beet powder, Spices has around 500 seasoning options in stock—and one heck of a knowledgeable staff.
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North Market Cookware Yes, you’ll find Le Creuset. But more importantly, you’ll find Kay Davenport, owner of North Market Cookware, who loves attending trade shows all over the world to discover new and interesting products at affordable prices. She uses one of her newest finds, a Kyocera ceramic fry pan, daily. “It’s so easy to use and to clean,” Davenport says.
Better Earth It’s the greenest general store around, with a mixed bag of giftable items, local art and organic personal care products. Owner Dareen Weastler prides herself on foreseeing the sustainability movement. (Better Earth first began in 1991 as a store in Clintonville.) Regardless, pottery made by Linda Schaeffer is sure to catch your eye.
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PHOTOS: LITTLE EATER. MEGHAN RALSTON; HUBERT’S POLISH KITCHEN, JODI MILLER
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6 Firdous Express Firdous has been a vendor at the market since 1995. Known for its shawarma and vegetarian-friendly options, it has a loyal following of lunch-goers. Order roasted leg of lamb (recipe courtesy owner and Jordan native Abdul Aburmaieleh) served with veggies and seasoned to perfection.
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Fish Guys Don’t let the cases of fresh fish intimidate you. If you don’t know how to cook it, the Fish Guys do. Sea-dwelling creatures are flown in from as far as New Zealand and Iceland, owner Doug Denny says. He gets deliveries six days a week and usually has around two dozen fresh options each day. Take note of the soup and sandwiches menu, too. You can sample each soup, but chances are you’ll leave with New England Clam Chowder.
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North Market Poultry & Game + Kitchen Little The last year has brought major changes to the menu at this combination butcher-eatery. The renovation allowed owner Annemarie Wong to expand her kitchen, and she now serves flavor-packed elk, boar and bison burgers. Customers can leave with a whole goose or wild boar to cook up at home, or stick with a good ol’ whole chicken, which an employee will gladly cut up for you.
Hubert’s Polish Kitchen Owner Hubert Wilamowski is sure to be waiting for you, and he’ll unabashedly lure you in (which is far from a bad thing) to trying food from his native country. The cabbage rolls, topped with spicy stew, are delicious, but don’t shy away from Wilamowski’s sides. His beet and horseradish slaw is sweet, with just a touch of that pungent perennial.
Little Eater
Owner Cara Mangini once worked as a vegetable butcher at Mario Batali’s Eataly, so plants remain the star at her Little Eater. She’s committed to cooking with local and seasonal produce, which as the leaves turn, means squash, sweet potatoes and beets. But be sure to grab one of her buttermilk cheddar biscuits. A super-secret method of handling the butter makes them particularly great, Mangini says. We agree.
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Pistacia Vera
This was the first lease Wolfe signed when he took over two years ago. Its build-out is one of his favorites, and the colorful array of macarons, croissants and cakes serve as the decoration. Fun fact: The clear case that houses those works of art is actually a sushi case from Japan.
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Lan Viet “There’s always a line here,” Wolfe says. And it’s usually for the pho. But don’t ignore the rest of owner Lan Pham’s menu. Her Com/Bun Bo packs veggies, rice noodles and flavorful beef in a bowl with fresh cilantro and tomato, while the Ca Phe Sua, or iced Vietnamese coffee, is sweet enough to be dessert.
Nida’s Sushi This may be the market’s only spot for sushi, but you’d do well to try one of owner Nida Perry’s hot items instead—like Thai Fried Rice or Tom Yum Soup—which she’s been adding since the 2013 renovation. Take a peek at her impressive selection of Asian sweets, and grab some Hello Panda cookies to go.
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13 Sarefino’s New York-style pizza, calzones and Italian subs make up the prepared menu, but owner Don Ziliak, who also owns Pastaria and Pastaria Seconda, says most market goers don’t know the stand offers take-andbake pies, too.
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12 Best of the Wurst
When it comes to Best of the Wurst, you’re safe ordering anything labeled “staff’s fave.” For breakfast, that means an over-easy egg, topped with arugula, tomato, garlic aioli, white cheddar and sausage on a warm croissant. The menu— it offers far more than hot dogs—here is always changing, and that’s a good thing. Quirky specials (like a “Kimcheese” sandwich) keep things fresh.
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Stauf’s That’s a Probat-brand roaster sitting behind the counter, which Stauf’s had shipped over from Germany. If you take a seat at the bar, you can enjoy the heavenly smells of Stauf’s creating its signature blends. A pour-over is the way to go here. (After all, you’re just a few steps away from an accompanying Destination Donut or a Taste of Belgium waffle.)
Holy Smoke BBQ A few times a year, owner Stan Riley will bring his smoker down to the market. The smell lures people in, and Riley wins them over with his ribs, brisket and Loaded Cave Chips—crispy homemade potato chips topped with a choice of pork, chicken or brisket, creamy cheddar sauce, tomatoes and chipotle sour cream.
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Pastaria + Pastaria Seconda First they roast the garlic. Then they add just a few green onions and finish with a dash of black pepper. We’re talking about the garlic butter, of course. It’s creamy, flavorful and best when slathered on Pastaria’s crusty Italian bread. Pastaria Seconda, the adjacent shop, offers fresh pasta and sauces. Get a medley of ravioli, and make sure one of them is lobster.
WHILE YOU’RE HERE 18 The Source by Wasserstrom Wasserstrom supplies restaurants all over with cookware and equipment, and this is the spot to take advantage of its discounted items. Know an amateur chef? Pick him or her up a chef’s coat.
15 Bubbles Tea and Juice Co.
Wolfe says Bubbles Tea saw the biggest increase in sales of any merchant in 2014, thanks to its fresh-pressed juices. Plus, it’s one of just a few places in Columbus where boba tea fans can get their fix.
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19 Flavors of India You’ll get too much food at Flavors of India. That’s almost universally known. Owner Raj Bar is almost always behind the counter, greeting regulars and filling plates with a little Chicken Makhani, Lamb Curry and Chana Masala, if you just can’t pick one.
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Destination Donuts
It started as a North Market pop-up, but fans of Heather Morris’ creative, dense doughnuts wanted something more permanent. She officially opened in May and has plans to start brewing Luck Bros’ coffee. Try it with the Sour Cream and Nutmeg Nibblers, which are well worth the $2 price tag.
Taste of Belgium
GAINING ADMISSION
Waffle samples—they’re part of the Taste of Belgium experience. And you will want more. The expanded menu, made possible by the 2013 renovation, now includes frites. For the gluten-free, there are savory buckwheat flour crepes. Try the Vegetarian, with roasted red peppers, spinach, goat cheese and a balsamic glaze.
PHOTO: DONUTS, RYAN M.L. YOUNG
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Pam’s Market Popcorn Owner Pam Tylka loves to play with flavor, especially in her latest venture: nachos. “I wanted to cook again,” Tylka says. Her best new item might be a mash-up of Bluescreek Farm pork, CaJohn’s CaBoom BBQ Sauce, coleslaw and a Snowville cream-based cheese sauce.
Katzinger’s Little Deli An extension of the German Village eatery, Little Deli loves to switch up its sandwich menu and feature market-exclusive specials, like the P-B.E.L.T: Bacon, lettuce, tomato and eggs over hard are topped with a spicy pimento spread and placed between toasted farm bread.
Looking to join the North Market merchant list? Get in line. The queue to get ahold of a space is long, Wolfe says. In the early years, interested business owners would simply fill out an application and pass it along the North Market Development Authority, a board that oversees the market. Now, joining means not only an application, but a hefty business plan with a clear knowledge of the need you’re meeting at 59 Spruce St. “It’s a full, comprehensive plan with forecasting,” he says, adding he often courts local eateries he thinks would be a good fit. When there’s an opening, Wolfe and the board sit down and review each application. They make a final decision collectively, and each new merchant signs a one-year lease.
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24 Omega Artisan Bakery
Omega is beloved by market regulars, especially for its larger-than-life cinnamon roll. But it’s also a true champion of education. From Beginning Bread Baking to Baking with Sourdoughs, Omega’s classes are hands-on and for all skill levels.
26 Curds & Whey It’s the longest-standing merchant, and owner Mike Kast is still just as committed to being behind the counter as he was when he opened in 1988. He stocks hundreds of cheeses, plus caviar and truffles, and loves to hunt down rare oils and vinegars, including blood orange and dark fig, one of his favorites. He recommends serving it on meats and seafood or drizzled on fruit. 10 6 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
25 Brezel
Never one to keep her menu monotonous, owner Brittany Baum offers new savory, sweet and spicy Bavarian pretzel and dip flavors almost weekly. Mango Habanero, Orange Thyme and deliciously indulgent Dark Chocolate with Cinnamon have all made appearances. Party planners can grab a 60-count container of her pretzel bites or a salty pretzel soup bowl, also perfect for holding dips, to go.
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27 Hot Chicken Takeover “85 left.” “15 left.” “Sold out.” With lines out the door and even Nashville natives singing its praises, Hot Chicken is admired almost unanimously by those who try it. Watch Facebook and Twitter to see how many pieces are left on a given day. Don’t want to risk it? Call ahead: 614-800-4538.
PHOTO: JENI’S, MEGHAN RALSTON
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CaJohn’s Flavor & Fire Owner John Hard was inducted into the Hot Sauce Hall of Fame in May. (Yes, that exists.) But this is still the only official shop for his fiery, and sometimes sweet, concoctions. He’s now carrying Katie’s Beef Jerky, which is locally made and often dusted with CaJohn’s spices.
29 The Barrel & Bottle
The renovation had perhaps the biggest effect on Barrel & Bottle, allowing the beer and wine shop to build out a bar and seating area where you can bring your dinner and have a drink. If you’re a wine lover, have a seat and enjoy a 1-ounce or full pour of whatever they’ve got in their new Napa-brand tasting machines. The downside: The market’s liquor license does not allow patrons to wander with a drink in hand. Potential upside: “Sip and Stroll” legislation is in the works for the North Market and could pass as soon as summer’s end.
30 Bluescreek Farm Meats Bluescreek is truly farm to market. Owners Cheryl and David Smith raise these animals and are committed to humane farming and customer education. Watch their Facebook page for Blue Bag Bundles, posted every Sunday. They include prepared meats, such as lamb breakfast burgers, and underappreciated cuts like pork cheeks.
31 Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams This is where Jeni Britton Bauer got her start. Britton Bauer is a champion of the market and what it’s done for her business, and the renovation allowed her to stretch out in a space right by the east side doors. Want to try something different? Ask for a refreshing Rouge Your Knees, a scoop of Red Raspberry Sorbet with seltzer.
Little Eater Produce and Provisions Mangini refers to this not only as a produce stand but an “artisan foods boutique.” She’s meticulous in her selection of organic growers to carry, and she’s excited to bring pantry items, including Shagbark Seed & Mill products and vegan baked goods from Clintonville’s Pattycake Bakery, to the market. “We want to create a space where local producers can show off their work,” she says. Little Eater Produce is scheduled to open by fall.
THE EMPTY SPACE
Plans to fill this vacant stand are in the works, with an official announcement expected before fall. “It’s going to be something we have lacked for some time,” Wolfe says.
WHILE YOU’RE HERE 33 Market Blooms With a staff of 10, including three full-time floral designers, owner Marty McGreevy offers custom vase and wedding arrangements— plus offbeat greeting cards and beautiful terrariums. Wolfe suggests simply giving the designers a dollar amount and letting them do the rest.
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Flour Water The age-old craft of pasta making is sweeping Columbus restaurants. We went into the kitchens of four chefs leading the charge to learn the techniques and stories behind their favorite dishes. STORY BY ANTHONY DOMINIC PHOTOS BY WILL SHILLING
Tagliatelli ala chiatarra at La Tavola
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The secret was out with the bedsheet. I can remember, as a child, walking into the kitchen, seeing the clean sheet spread across the dinner table, covered in teeny dough balls, glowing in the pale morning light. That’s how my dad, like his mother before him, made pasta grattata. Grated balls of egg and flour were left to dry until dinner, then tossed into boiling water and served under slow-cooked red sauce. My dad didn’t make pasta with any regularity; when he did, it was a surprise or a special occasion. He didn’t have a hard recipe. It was all from memory— those of his mother and father, of smell, taste and touch. These childhood scenes came flooding back to me while talking with some of Columbus’ pre-eminent pasta chefs. They reminded me pasta isn’t something that’s dried, poured into a box and thrown onto a supermarket shelf. It’s a honed craft. And it almost always comes with a story.
One night, Frank Serpico, the famed New York City cop, stopped into the Inn and ordered gnocchi. “He actually told us, ‘I can’t even find this kind of gnocchi in New York,’ ” Kerns says. “He was blown away by it. And I have to give credit to Tom [Smith], Kent [Rigsby] and all these guys who I learned from.”
Chef Tom Smith sources free-range chicken eggs for the Inn’s pasta dough. “There’s just a richness you won’t have otherwise,” he says. “It’s just better when they’re allowed to eat grass and grubs and worms.” 11 0 • C O L U M B U S C R A V E • F A L L 2 0 1 5
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Smith loathes pasta dishes that force the diner to eat “20 bites of the same thing.” So he strives to make the Inn’s plates light, bright and balanced. Parmesan cheese, black pepper and lemon are three of his favorite add-ons for the restaurant’s gnocchi.
Terry Kerns makes gnocchi at The Worthington Inn.
hen The Worthington Inn needs a batch of pasta, executive chef Tom Smith calls one man: Terry Kerns. For about 10 hours every week for the last three years, the Bexleybased faux painter stops by the Inn to hand-make big batches of gnocchi and ravioli. The supply is measured day to day. If the kitchen runs low, Smith simply sends Kerns a text message, and in between paint jobs he comes in to make more. It’s an easy relationship based on shared history and a passion for scratch-made food. Kern’s interest in pasta was piqued years ago while working at Rigsby’s Kitchen. In the back, he would watch a fellow cook, known to him as Miss Paulette, craft plate after plate of gnocchi. From there, his interest in pasta making only grew. He read any book he could find. He was tutored by any “red-sauce Italian” who would take him up on the offer, including longtime cooks from Dante’s Pizza and TAT Ristorante di Famiglia. When Smith, also a Rigsby’s vet, asked if he would be interested in making pasta at the Inn, Kerns spent nine months researching for the role. “He has a kind of painter’s patience, an artist’s eye,” Smith says. “All the time he’s perfecting it.” “Time and time again, I’ve basically been told: It’s a feel,” Kerns says of pasta making. “You’ll know when the dough is right. It just flows. There’s no way to explain it, really. When I make a batch, Tom and his sous chef—you can see it in their faces, if [the pasta] is there, or if it’s not.” Kerns’ recipe for gnocchi is simple: Yukon Gold potatoes, all-purpose flour, free-range eggs and a shake of olive oil. Sometimes he’ll throw in a little milk and water to get the dough moving. No two batches are the same. “A lot of it’s about atmosphere—the potatoes, the heat of the kitchen,” he says. “You kind of go into a zone, and you have to be patient. You can’t hurry this stuff. When I go in [to the restaurant] to do it, I have to be relaxed, in the right headspace, and I can’t stress that enough. “It’s like a religion,” he continues. “When you talk to these older Italian guys, when they say the word ‘pasta,’ it has a magical ring to it. I’m honored to be a part of their art.” worthingtoninn.com F A L L 2 0 1 5 • C O L U M B U S C R A V E • 111
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asta is an exact science at Veritas Tavern. Chef and owner Josh Dalton has one recipe committed to memory—inspired by that of chef Thomas Keller—which he and his kitchen team employ daily to craft every piece of fettuccine, gnocchi and ravioli served at Veritas and sister restaurant 1808 American Bistro, both in Delaware. Here’s how they do it. veritastavern.com
If you’re served a plate of gray pasta, don’t fret. Dalton sometimes supplements his pasta flour with edible dirt or ash from charred vegetables. “Ash is a lot of fun to work with and adds a really nice, earthy flavor,” he says.
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Milling around
Chefs mill organic heirloom grains from Anson Mills to produce flour unique to the restaurant. Each pasta batch begins with 900 grams (roughly 12 to 20 servings) of this flour. If Dalton is making specialty pasta, such as dark chocolate ravioli or pea fettuccini, he replaces 100 grams of flour with an equal amount of cacao powder or powdered freeze-dried veggies, respectively. “Flour is a vessel to carry the flavors,” Dalton says. “Or, theoretically, it’s a really subtle way to mute some flavors. It’s all about adjusting your sauce or other ingredients to achieve that desired balance.”
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Can’t make pasta without cracking a few …
Crack a standard supermarket egg, and you’ll likely find a pale, runny yolk. For his pastas, Dalton uses organic eggs laid by free-range chickens for their richer, brighter yolks. “Our pasta comes out a crazy, intense yellow,” he says. “You can just tell it has a different flavor and texture.” He occasionally uses duck eggs, which contain even fuller yolks. Dalton also adds whole eggs to his mix (a 2:1 yolk-whole egg ratio) to make the dough more adhesive.
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Tying it all together
You’ll find familiar pasta at Veritas yearround, but rarely will it be presented the same way twice. Seasonal veggies aren’t only added onto the plate but into the pasta as well. Come spring, expect pea fettuccine with ramps and morels. In summer, tomato fettuccine and bright, citrus-spiked pasta salad served cold. Dalton also makes chocolate ravioli (made slightly bitter, not overly sweet, with cacao powder) with mascarpone filling for dessert. It’s not always about what can be added to the pasta dishes, he says, but rather what can be taken away. “There’s no sugar in our pasta,” he says. “It’s easy to add butter, cream and fat into a dish and make it tasty. We’re always looking for ways to achieve those bright, super-clean flavors.” 11 2 • C O L U M B U S C R A V E • F A L L 2 0 1 5
Owner and head chef Josh Dalton rolls out a sheet of pea pasta.
Every ingredient at Veritas is measured using the metric system. “I think it’s the most important thing we do in the kitchen,” he says. “Cooking by weight is how you get the most consistent product. One thing all people should have at their house is a scale that does grams.”
Dalton’s standard pasta recipe is finished with 16 grams of olive oil and 48 grams of milk, both for added richness and texture.
Blueberry pasta dessert
The secret to Veritas’ delicate gnocchi ? Cake flour. “It produces a lighter note and almost actually tastes cakelike,” Dalton says.
Gnocchi with crab and truffles
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Nicola Bedalli at Nicola
Agnolotti Lucchese
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ince he was a boy in Siena, Tuscany, making a mess of his grandmother’s kitchen with flour, pasta has never been far from Nicola Bedalli’s reach. The chef descends from a long line of pasta makers, and he eventually married into another. For years, he worked in his fatherin-law’s restaurant, crafting ravioli, fettuccine and pappardelle in simple Tuscan fashion. When his father-in-law died and the restaurant was sold off, Bedalli was ready for a new adventure. So he and wife, Speranza, moved to Columbus (where they had family) in 1999, and brought with them a passion for sharing the rustic Tuscan cuisine of their heritage. Today, if you visit Bedalli’s Upper Arlington eatery, Nicola Bar + Restaurant, you’ll find the same fare—even made with the same ingredients—he cooked in Siena. Here, Bedalli explains why you won’t find his style of pasta at any other Columbus restaurant. nicolacolumbus.com
On Tuscan-style pasta: “People think pasta, and they think
South Italy, Sicily. That’s different. You get a lot of sauces down there because they use a lot of tomatoes and spices. Important to us is stuffing. We don’t have toppings. We make tortelli and ravioli with just a light drizzle of butter-
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sage, or a little bit of Bolognese or tomato-basil. Our pasta is about balance, and the stuffing—veal, kale, broccoli, carrots, spinach, mushrooms—is that extra touch.” His favorite dish: “Raviolo con Nido. It’s special ravioli with
a big bird-like nest. We use fresh ricotta, lemon zest, parsley and an egg yolk in the middle. It’s something nobody else does.” The importance of cooking time: “I do semolina (from
durum wheat) pasta, and it’s cooked al dente. Some customers get it and say, ‘It isn’t cooked!’ Pasta al dente, or ‘to the tooth,’ is completely different. It’s not mushy or gummy. If you eat that, you’ll feel bad. It’s heavy. Al dente is lighter, cleaner, simpler. It makes such a big difference.” Sauce secrets: “Some restaurants will mix beef and marina-
ra sauce and call it Bolognese (laughs). Our original Bolognese is made with ground beef—85, 90 percent—then you add ground pork, carrots, onions and cook it nice. Then you add tomatoes, red wine, a little bit of chicken broth and spices for aroma. And it cooks for eight to nine hours to get that flavor.”
Every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon, Nicola hosts Nicola Mercato, an Italian-style farmers market where guests can buy Bedalli’s housemade pastas, sauces, infusions (think honey and vinegar) and a slew of imported Italian ingredients—all while snacking and sipping a cappuccino or bellini.
Bird neststyle Raviolo con Nido at Nicola F A L L 2 0 1 5 • C O L U M B U S C R A V E • 11 5
Garganelli at La Tavola
“It’s very physical, pasta making. A lot of people don’t do it and take shortcuts. But sometimes it’s best to go the old route.” —Rick Lopez, La Tavola
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Lopez uses Plugra highfat butter in all of his pasta dishes. It contains less water than most table butters, he says, making it creamier and bolder in flavor and aroma.
Garganelli at La Tavola
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he previous versions of La Tavola were pasta-centric, sure, but Rick Lopez has only fully realized the concept with the third incarnation of his Italian restaurant, now in Grandview. The space is homier, with quirky wallpaper and an open kitchen. The menu is more concise, spruced by daily specials, such as spicy Octopus Fra Diavolo, and anchored by Lopez’s signature baked potato gnocchi, based on his grandma Mary’s recipe. He serves it three ways: with marinara, butter and parm or baked with white wine, cheese and veggies. “It’s the journey of my life, this restaurant,” he says. “When I was younger, I tried to stretch boundaries, tried to do new things. Pasta is my go-to. I always come back to it. It’s what I love to do, and it’s probably what I do best.” latavolagrandview.com TOOLS FROM THE OLD WORLD Chitarra: Pasta alla chitarra originates from the
Abruzzo region of south-central Italy and, as the name suggests, means “guitar pasta.” “It looks like a little box with strings, like a lute,” Lopez says of the device. “You put flattened pasta on top, push it through the strings with a pasta roller, cutting it, and it falls through and comes out underneath.” He uses the chitarra when making capellini- or angel hair-style pasta. Garganelli board: Garganelli-style pasta is shaped
Tagliatelli ala chiatarra
Lopez makes his own marinara sauce with imported tomatoes, olive oil and a mix of finely ground carrots, celery, onion and garlic. “It’s a Southern Italianstyle sauce,” he says. “The idea is that it’s a ‘mariner’s sauce.’ With no meat, you could take it out to sea for a week, and it’d be fine.”
and textured with deep grooves from its namesake board. “You cut little diamonds of pasta real thin, wrap them around a dial and slide that across the board with your hands,” Lopez says of the process. “I would probably spend five hours making five orders. It’s very time-consuming, but the payoff is great.” In addition to garganelli tubes, this technique can also texturize orecchiette and gnocchi. It originates from the EmiliaRomagna region of Northern Italy. GRANDMA’S BOY Mary Lopez: “She would take over our dining
room table with pastas she’d make and lay out to dry—fettuccine, thin spaghetti, ravioli. I just remember her and her rolling pins, and I actually have one of them in the kitchen at La Tavola. I use it every day. It’s the perfect size for the chitarra.” Gina DeMarco: “I really got the cooking bug from
her, my mom’s mom. Gnocchi was her thing. She did it differently than other people. She would bake the potatoes before ricing them, just allowing them to dry so as to not get too heavy. I would help her at her house with big family meals and family functions.” F A L L 2 0 1 5 • C O L U M B U S C R A V E • 11 7
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Clever Cocktails
PHOTO: TESSA BERG
Columbus bartenders and liquor pros share the inspiration behind the drinks they craft and the best booze for your home bar.
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CONDADO
What new drinks do you have planned for the season? We are coming up with a couple of different cocktails for fall, including a michelada, a Mexican cerveza drink that is like a bloody mary (traditionally made with beer, lime juice and assorted hot sauces). We will also have a pumpkin margarita with made-from-scratch pumpkin puree. It will be mildly spicy. What’s your trick to crafting a great cocktail? We try to use the freshest ingredients that we possibly can. We have a lot of different
flavors of juice, and in the margaritas we use fresh purees, which customers can mix and match. We do it from scratch, but also the base margarita mix, the recipe for which I’ve had for three years, really makes a great margarita. Where did the name Condado come from? It really translates to a borough or neighborhood, like a borough or neighborhood of Columbus. We wanted to take a name that no one else had. I always wanted to be a neighborhood hangout, to have a sense of community with our restaurant.
THREE DRINKS TO TRY Delicioso Jimador repasado tequila, sour and fresh lime juice, cucumbers, jalapenos and a secret ingredient “It’s our best seller and complements our tacos really well,” Kahn says. “We were inspired when people wanted a spicy margarita. I think it is the perfect blend of spice and sweetness with the cucumber and jalapeno.” Marigold Cazadores Anejo tequila, Cointreau, lemonade, prickly pear cactus and blood orange juices “Condado is inspired by Day of the Dead,” Kahn says, “so I wanted to make a drink that represents life and everything else. It’s nice and refreshing with the lemonade.” Cerveza Fresca Cazadores Abejo tequila, strawberries and ginger beer “I wanted to make something with ginger beer,” Kahn explains, adding this drink should be paired with a taco topped with any of their house spicy sauces.
1227 N. High St., Short North, 614-928-3909, condadotacos.com
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uild-your-own-taco slinging Condado may be the new kid on the block in the Short North, but owner Joe Kahn has been perfecting many of the taqueria’s cocktails for decades. He’s spent 25 years in the restaurant business, most recently as a partner in a similar Day of the Dead-themed restaurant in Cleveland. Kahn credits the success of his tried and true cocktails—many of which are margaritas that riff on the classic with fresh juices, sweet-and-spicy rimmed glasses and vibrant colors that pop against the bar’s black-and-white motif—to using the best ingredients and combinations he can find. —Madeline Kaufman
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CRAY EATERY AND DRINKERY
PHOTO: TIM JOHNSON
rystal Park has made a hobby out of traveling all over the world. Nowhere is her globetrotting more evident than in the wacky-flavored cocktails she serves at her barrestaurant Cray Eatery and Drinkery. It was a trip to Cambodia that changed the way she views mixed drinks. “I went to a bar in Cambodia that used infused liquor,” Park says. “I have always wanted to open up a bar and restaurant, and the bar in Cambodia gave me inspiration as to what I wanted my bar to be.” Behind the bar of her slider restaurant, diners can see more than a dozen of Park’s infusions in process. —Cassandra Merino
What are you most passionate about your job? I’d have to say coming up with different drinks. My drinks are different from the norm. Our drink menu is creative with infused liquors and different flavors. I have a lot of crazy flavors here. (Think bourbon spiced with Werther’s Originals and vodka flavored with gummy bears.)
Brazilian healing flower (bite into the yellow bud and your tongue will go numb).
What is your favorite drink on the cocktail list? My favorite drink I definitely have to say is Buzz Worthy (ginger beer, house ginger syrup, ginger liqueur, fresh lime juice and Buckeye Vodka), which is garnished with a
What new drinks can we look forward to this fall? When it comes fall, we like to bring back out our Pumpkin Spice bourbon that people go crazy for. On the menu, we’re working on new sliders, including a meatloaf slider.
Where do you get your menu inspirations? Traveling and visiting bars from around the world. I have been to China, Brazil, Cambodia … they use a lot of different ingredients we don’t think of in America.
THREE DRINKS TO TRY Buzz Worthy Buckeye Vodka, Domaine De Canton liqueur, fresh lime juice, house ginger syrup, ginger beer “People really like this drink because of the garnish and healing flower. You take a drink, then put the flower in your mouth and that really brings out all your taste buds. The flavor lasts for seven minutes and people say the taste is like putting your tongue on a battery,” Park says. Moscow Mule Lime juice, ginger beer, smoked ginger vodka “The smoked taste and ginger gives the drink a savory taste,” Park says. Gummy Bear Martini Gummy Bear-infused vodka, fresh cranberry juice, lemonade, rainbow sugar and gummy bear garnish “It doesn’t taste like a whole lot like alcohol. It is a very delicious drink for people who like fruity drinks. It’s also a pretty drink,” Park says.
697 N. Fourth St., Italian Village, 614-745-1693, crayeateryanddrinkery.com
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ith backgrounds spanning from iconic Columbus kitchens, including Blue Danube and Alana’s Food and Wine, it’s no surprise the trio now behind the bar at Denmark on High—Garry White, James DeFrance and Ty Landrum—bring a dedication to local ingredients to this Euro-style cocktail bar. The bartenders view development of new drinks as a collaborative process. Here, White, beverage and food manager, shares insight into cocktail creations at the Downtown bar. —Renee Casteel Cook What piqued your interest in cocktails? I had a passion for gardening, which led to experimentation with pickling, canning and making jams to bitters and liqueurs. How do these elements end up as cocktails on the menu? Our evolving cocktail menu changes seasonally, the latest being a slight departure from previous iterations which focused on flavor profiles. Now, we are exploring themes ranging from “On the Beach” (tiki inspired), “At the Vineyard” (including Champagne, sherry and red wine as a component), “From the Garden” (fruit and floral flavors) and “Picnic” (shandies and a Southern-style cocktails).
What’s the best way to choose a cocktail? The menu itself provides a few quick visual references to highlight this freshness and help you choose your perfect sipper,” White says. “All ingredients printed in red ink are items made in house. As for the spirits themselves, local favorites Watershed and OYO find their way onto every version of the menu, and we’re looking forward to further offerings from Mill Street Distillery in Utica, whose un-aged bourbon is a current favorite. The “white elephant of cocktail world,” yellow chartreuse, was just made available in Ohio, so look for it to be worked onto the menu soon.
THREE DRINKS TO TRY Gimme S’more Bourbon, Drambuie, Frangelico, heavy cream and a chocolate spoon fudge This one’s a stunner, White says. This play on the classic summertime treat features fudge from Grumpy Goat Gourmet and is topped with whipped marshmallow that’s torched and garnished with a piece of chocolate and graham cracker. Bermudez Triangle Portside spiced rum, Bulleit rye, Clement Creole Shrubb, orgeat syrup, lime juice, hellfire bitters and grenadine It’s a tiki style drink made with a Clevelandbased rum. White warns: it may “cause you to lose your bearings.” Whiskey Flower Buffalo Trace bourbon, Fruit Lab organic jasmine liquor, fresh squeezed lemon juice, lavender syrup and egg white This is a twist on the popular whiskey sour from the previous menu, but infused with summer flower flavor, White says.
463 N. High St., Downtown, 614-914-6700, denmarkonhigh.com
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DENMARK ON HIGH
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FORNO KITCHEN + BAR
PHOTOS: JODI MILLER
longtime Short North resident and restaurateur (Short North Pint House), Reed Woogerd knows what the neighborhood has to offer, but also what was missing. He opened Forno Kitchen + Bar this year to fill the void he saw for a fun, upscale spot that doesn’t feel stuffy. The cocktails at this stone-fired pizza restaurant follow suit. —Malone Ryan What sets the cocktails at Forno apart from other bar-restaurants? We don’t believe in using cheap, concentrated mixers. We have competitors in the neighborhood that “specialize” in margaritas, but all you’re getting is cheap tequila and concentrated sour mix from the soda gun. Ours is made with Milagro silver 100 percent agave tequila, Grand Marnier and fresh lime and cucumber. It’s pretty easy to taste the difference.These are really great drinks with really great ingredients. Take the Cucumber-Jalapeno Margarita—it’s the freshest, most flavorful margarita you can get in Columbus. Do you have a signature cocktail? We’re becoming known for our spiked
strawberries: five strawberries filled with a vodka- and Grand Marnier- spiked strawberry gel and topped with Galliano spiked whipped cream and crystallized rose. I have seen guests order these as an appetizer, a personal cocktail or a dessert. If you don’t like these, you probably aren’t much fun to hang out with. Any new cocktails coming soon? We recently added the Blackberry Crush (made with Belvedere, St. Germain, blackberry puree, fresh lemon) and True Grit (made with Bulleit Rye, muddled Luxardo cherry, lemon juice, Peychaud’s bitters) and will be adding and removing cocktails seasonally.
THREE DRINKS TO TRY Kiwi Mule Belvedere citrus, kiwi puree, lemon, ginger beer “I’m hoping the combination is enough to take you out of your Midwestern element for even just a moment,” Woogerd says. Punch Bowl Premium spirits, fresh seasonal fruits and juices, spiked with a bottle of prosecco “We have cocktails for groups, such as our Punch Bowl. They are fun and fresh but won’t leave you waiting for a specialty cocktail,” he says. Cucumber-Jalapeno Margarita Muddled cucumber, milagro silver, grand marnier, jalapeno simple syrup, lime juice “Forno means oven in Italian, so we use the stone-fired oven as much as possible. We roast jalapenos in our oven until the skin begins to slightly char. We then steep the jalapenos in sugar water, making a roasted jalapeno simple syrup,” he says.
721 N. High St., Short North, 614-469-0053, fornoshortnorth.com
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HINKLEY’S
What can one expect from pre-Prohibition cocktails? Hinkley’s classic cocktails include the Vieux Carre, Corpse Reviver No. 2 , Aviation and Sazerac, which is a New Orleans original that complements our Southern menu. The Sazerac starts with an absinthe rinse for the glass, followed by rye whiskey, simple syrup, bitters and a lemon twist. Why dedicate an entire page of the menu to mule variations? It has infinite variations year round, from the original vodka-based Moscow Mule with fresh squeezed lime juice, simple syrup, ginger beer and lime zest, to the Kentucky Mule, which swaps bourbon for
vodka and lemon juice for lime. The Gin Mule features its namesake spirit with lime and muddled mint. When the weather chills, we change it up with [season varieties like] pumpkin spice. Who bellies up to the bar at Hinkley’s? We’re unique, especially for Marysville, and have developed a bit of a following as customers find their favorite cocktails and come back, especially since many of these drinks can’t be found at a restaurant within a 30-mile radius. I’ve been excited to see customers’ openness to trying new things and am always happy to explain flavor profiles and match preferences, such as bitter or sweet, to anyone seeking a new cocktail experience.
THREE DRINKS TO TRY Hinkley’s Manhattan Woodford Reserve, Carpano Antica vermouth, green chartreuse and black walnut bitters “It’s an earthy spin on a typical Manhattan,” Reese says. Smoked & Burnt Old-Fashioned Bourbon, bittermilk mixing component No. 1, muddled orange and smoked sugar rim A showstopper cocktail, Reese sets an orange peel ablaze before muddling for a smoky touch. Pear 75 Pear vodka, St. Germain, prosecco and freshsqueezed lemon juice A spin off of the traditional gin-based French 75, Reese says her version is “crisp, light and refreshing.”
318 E. Fifth St., Marysville, 937-553-9030, hinkleysoh.com
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alking into Hinkley’s in Marysville is like stepping back in time—not only physically as you cross the threshold of this 1800s building, but in spirit as you peruse the classic menu of pre-Prohibition cocktails. The menu is a collaboration between cocktail consultant Todd Adam and bartender Jessica Reese. At Hinkley’s, Reese has honed her seven-plus years of mixology experience, reinventing classics and shaking up familiar favorites.—Renee Casteel Cook
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MIDDLE WEST SPIRITS | OYO
elling a story of place and history through a spirit typically known for being odorless, colorless and even flavorless is no small undertaking. But it is the passion that fuels Brady Konya and Ryan Lang as founders of Middle West Spirits. Though neither are native Ohioans, their adopted state and hometown of Columbus have proved fertile ground for the creation of the distillery’s signature OYO vodka, whiskey and bourbon—all based on the “idea of really emphasizing and expressing flavor with a distinctive sense of place,” says Konya, who shares insight into OYO spirits below. —Renee Casteel Cook
PHOTOS: JODI MILLER
What differentiates OYO vodka from a mass market competitor? The idea of vodka having terrior is foreign to many vodka drinkers. OYO has a fruity nose like tequila, with a full body that maintains a lot of grain flavor including vanillas and caramels. It finishes mineral-y and round, like a Japanese sake with a bit of spice. It’s been called both a “whiskey lovers vodka” and a “gateway to dark spirits.” How do you compete with flavored spirits? The same philosophy flows through all OYO products, including two seasonal offerings: the wildflower Honey Vanilla Bean, and the Stone Fruit. Each of these are culinary
inspired spirits that are uniquely Ohio. What about for those who’ve made the leap to the “dark side” of spirits? Signature offerings are Ohio-wheat-based OYO whiskey and OYO bourbon. Late 2015 brings the release of our high-proof, barrelstrength rye whiskey, made from dark rye pumpernickel, as well as the second release of our Oloroso Wheat Whiskey, secondary barrel-finished in Oloroso sherry casks for almost two additional years and possibly the best thing we’ve ever made. What’s new around the distillery? We’ve rebuilt the entire Short North facility to
have larger capacity and a full service bar and restaurant. Tours and tastings will resume in late summer/early fall, and we’re excited to welcome visitors again.
RECIPE: GRAPEFRUIT STONE MARTINI Highlighting the potential for vodka to have seasonal relevance, OYO Stone Fruit vodka reaches highest popularity in late summer/early fall, combining traditional harvest stone fruits including apricot and yellow peach with honey, hibiscus flower and tart cherry. Konya suggests leveraging the spirit in a seasonal cocktail. This amaro-inspired martini, was crafted for Middle West Spirits by The Pearl. 1.5 ounces OYO Stone Fruit Vodka .5 ounces Aperol .5 ounces honey syrup (1 part honey dissolved into 2 parts water) 2.5 ounces fresh grapefruit juice In a shaker with ice, combine ingredients. Shake hard, and then strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass. Garnish with lemon peel.
1230 Courtland Ave., Short North, 614-299-2460, middlewestspirits.com
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f you’ve been frequenting Weiland’s Market on Indianola Avenue only for its food, you’ve been missing what’s tucked into the back of the store—the beer and spirits department. Here is where a tightknit team, led by Rin Gristwood, has developed a symbiosis between Weiland’s and local bartenders, as well as those looking to perfect their cocktail craft at home. —Renee Casteel Cook How did a neighborhood grocery store become a destination for craft spirits? We’ve been fortunate to have little to no staff turnover, which has allowed us to grow as a group in our excitement about the industry and hone each person’s specialties, as well as relationships with bartenders and consumers. The department consists of myself, Chad Kessler, who owns his own distillery, and Joe Laurent, who is a bit newer to the business and eagerly exploring the industry. We all enjoy talking with people about their love of the industry, making recommendations and encouraging them to try new things. How has your selection grown? It often starts with a bartender at a craft
cocktail bar looking for obscure ingredients for new ideas and coming in here. That leads to someone who tried that bartender’s cocktail and was given a recommendation for something like Fee Brothers Black Walnut bitters, John D. Taylor’s Velvet Falernum, Crème de Violette or even Blue Curacao—all recent must-haves that have caused temporary shortages. How do you stay ahead of the curve and anticipate demand? We read industry publications to keep up on what’s hot, what cocktails are trending and to ensure our stock is fresh, new and moves with the seasons. This has led to one of the largest bitters selections in the city, as well
as stocking amaro and other offerings that help build more dynamic drinks. We also fulfill custom orders, hunting down special requests for customers for hard-to-find items.
INSIDER PICKS: STOCK YOUR BAR Salers Gentiane Liqueur Hailing from France, this is a vegetal, greenpepper-like liqueur. “It’s bitter, so I would not drink it straight, but I’d use it to replace dry vermouth in a gin martini,” suggests Chad Kessler. St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram Warming and spicy, the scotch mixed with lemon, honey, syrup and cherry liqueur “tastes like a fall day,” says Joe Laurent. Dolin Genepy des Alpes Sweet, light and herbal, the origins of this liqueur are similar to chartreuse. “It’s a good option to try before jumping in to chartreuse. Try drinking it straight or mix with Fever Tree bitter lemon tonic and a splash of mint bitters for a refreshing cocktail,” says Rin Gristwood.
3600 Indianola Ave., Clintonville, 614-267-9878, weilandsmarket.com
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EXIT | LISTINGS
THE RESTAURANT LISTINGS Restaurants mentioned in this issue of Crave 5. BASI ITALIA | FINE DINING | 811 Highland St., Victorian Village, 614-294-7383, basi-italia.com. Nestled in the heart of Victorian Village, Basi Italia serves clean, simple Italian fare with innovative twists in a setting so intimate, you’ll feel like the chef invited you over for dinner. Ranked as one of the city’s best restaurants since its opening, Basi offers one of the city’s coziest patios. D $$
1. RIGSBY’S KITCHEN | FINE DINING | 698 N. High St., Short North, 614-461-7888, rigsbyskitchen.com. After more than two decades, Rigsby’s Kitchen remains fresh by regularly offering new and creative Italian and Mediterranean dishes, including an expanded list of small plates. D $$$ 2. WOLF’S RIDGE BREWING | CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN | 215 N. Fourth St., Downtown, 614-429-3936, wolfsridgebrewing.com. Chef Seth Lassak brings a mix of California and France to the menu at this Downtown brewpub, transforming fancier fare into everyday stars that pair well with beer. A former truck warehouseturned restaurant and brewery, the space is open and light with huge windows that allow diners to watch the brewers in action. BRLD $$$ 3. VERITAS TAVERN | CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN | 15 E. Winter St., Delaware, 740-417-4074, veritas tavern.com. With its focus on modern cooking techniques, chef Josh Dalton’s Veritas is not only putting out some of the best-looking plates in town; he’s making some of the best-tasting food around, too. Expect a menu of small plates meticulously created by cooking geeks, plus an exhilarating cocktail list. D $$$
6. G. MICHAEL’S BISTRO & BAR | FINE DINING | 595 S. Third St., German Village, 614-464-0575, gmichaels bistro.com. This historic German Village eatery promises fine dining with a Lowcountry influence. Expect bold flavors in dishes layered with components and exceptional sauces. D $$$ 7. ALANA’S FOOD & WINE | AMERICAN | 2333 N. High St., Campus, 614-294-6783, alanas.com. Chef and owner Alana Shock changes the menu of this funky Campus spot at her whim. The one thing that’s certain is her hyper-local food (and nightly Surprise entree) will satiate and entertain you. D $$$ 8. KIHACHI JAPANESE RESTAURANT | JAPANESE | 2667 Federated Blvd., Northwest Side, 614-764-9040. Chef-owner Ryuji “Mike” Kimura’s passion for fresh, high-quality ingredients is reflected in his always changing authentic Japanese appetizer menu. D $$$ 9. TILL DYNAMIC FARE | CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN | 247 King Ave., Victorian Village, 614-298-9986, tillfare. com. Owner Magdiale Wolmark crafts a menu of inventive vegan and carnivorous fare incorporating ingredients grown in the backyard biodynamic garden. Expect American cuisine like Smoked Portabella Poutine, Ohio Lamb Burger and vegan Tofu Mac and Cheese. BRLD $$
4. REFECTORY RESTAURANT & BISTRO | FINE DINING | 1092 Bethel Rd., Northwest Side, 614-451-9774, refectory.com. The most accomplished of Columbus’ French restaurants, The Refectory might put more kitchen effort into a single plate than an ordinary restaurant does into an entire menu. Inside this church-turned-fine-dining spot, expect impeccable service and world-class wines to pair with your meal. D $$$$
10. THE WORTHINGTON INN | FINE DINING | 649 High St., Worthington, 614-885-2600, worthingtoninn.com. The old parlors and bedrooms of this 19th-century Victorian inn have been restored into elegant dining rooms, making for an intimate setting to enjoy traditional and modern dishes. The hyper-seasonal menu is often inspired by what’s at the area farmers market or fresh from the Worthington Inn’s partner farms. Take a seat by the bar for the more casual pub menu. BRLD $$$
All information in these listings was supplied by the restaurants involved. A listing does not mean the restaurant is recommended by Crave. Email listing updates and corrections to editor Beth Stallings at bstallings@columbuscrave.com
Average entree $30 and more Average entree $21-$29 Average entree $11-$20 Average entree $10 and less
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Each restaurant’s listing indicates whether it serves breakfast, lunch, brunch or dinner. The hours for any of these specific meals vary among restaurants; call for exact serving hours.
SCOOP 12 WEST | SOUTHWEST | 12 W. William Ave., Delaware, 740-417-8156. Located in the heart of downtown Delaware, 12 West combines Mexican fare with Midwest flair. Expect margaritas, tacos and original entrees like green chili meatloaf. LD $$
16-BIT BAR + ARCADE | BARS | 254 S. Fourth St., Downtown, 614-222-1616. A retro bar with old-school arcade games (all free while you drink), classic cocktails (named after ‘80s celebrities) and a solid selection of craft beers. D $ 89 FISH & GRILL | SEAFOOD | 89 E. Nationwide Blvd., Arena District, 614-586-4585. Fresh seafood served in
a casual Downtown dining space. Seafood with crabcrusted tilapia, Skuna Bay salmon and sake-marinated sea bass. D $$$ ALEGRIA’S SEAFOOD & MEXICAN GRILL | MEXICAN | 2584 Bethel Rd., Northwest Side, 614-793-8190. This bright, under-the-sea-themed restaurant focuses on the cuisine of Mexico’s Nayarit region, where the Pacific coast provides a rich assortment of fish and shellfish. The region’s approach to cooking combines bold chili spice with tropical flavors. LD $$ AROMAKU | INDONESIAN | 614-915-0988. Food truck Aromaku is popular for good reason. The truck offers a cleverly curated menu of Indonesian favorites, including Rendang, a rich, coconut-milk-infused beef stew. LD $ BONCHON | KOREAN | 3586 W. Dublin-Granville Rd., Dublin, 614-389-4026.This international Korean fried chicken chain lands its first Ohio locale in Dublin. Inside this Asian-style sports bar, the signature twice-fried chicken is the must-order with an option of wings, drums or strips tossed in soy garlic or spicy sauce. LD $$ EL CAMINO INN | MEXICAN | 238 S. Fourth St., Downtown, 614-220-8877. This retro, ’70s-style taco shop from the owners of The Rossi, Club 185 and Little Palace is a bar first, restaurant second. Stop in for cheap beer or a margarita and stick around for tasty Mexican bar fare including tacos and tostadas. LD $ CRAVINGS CARRYOUT CAFE | SOUP & SANDWICHES | 227 E. Third Ave., Italian Village, 614-725-0090. Formerly Cookie Cravings Bakery, this adorable brickwalled Italian Village spot revamped its name and menu to offer more savory breakfast and lunch options with an emphasis on to-go orders. Here you’ll find sandwiches on freshly made brioche, a rotating daily soup special and pastries, like house-made cinnamon rolls. BLD $ CRAY EATERY & DRINKERY | PUB GRUB | 697 N. Fourth St., Italian Village, 614-745-1693. Located inside the Wonder Bread Building, the sleek and industrial Cray specializes in one dish: gourmet sliders. There are more than a dozen mini burgers from which to choose, ranging from duck to turkey, buffalo chicken to Jägermeister barbecue beef. Behind the bar, liquor infusions are their thing, with roughly two dozen house-made flavors of bourbon, gin, rum and vodka. BRLD $ FLATIRON BAR & GRILL | AMERICAN | 129 E. Nationwide Blvd., Downtown, 614-461-0033. This casual New-Orleans-themed eatery, housed in a timeless Downtown building, boasts an intricately carved wooden bar and black and white tiles. A recent menu revamp has ditched the strictly barbecue fare for a more global, but still casual approach. LD $$ FOX IN THE SNOW CAFE | COFFEE & DESSERT | 1031 N. Fourth St., Italian Village. A bakery and coffee shop in Italian Village offering pastries made in-house daily and coffee from Tandem Coffee Roasters. Shop owners have transformed a former garage into a bright and welcoming space with picture windows offering a view of the kitchen and counter seats at the coffee bar. BL $ HARVEST BAR & KITCHEN | PIZZA | 2885 N. High St., Clintonville, 614-947-7133. The second location from the owners of Harvest Pizzeria offers the same perfectly cooked wood-fire pies as the original location, plus a handful of small plates, sandwiches, burgers and a small selection of cocktails, several of which hail from FA L L 2 015 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • 12 7
Bringing you everything but the $7 tub of popcorn Get the latest theater, movie, food, drink and nightlife suggestions at dispatch.com/weekender.
Kraft House No. 5
speakeasy-bar Curio. Harvest Bar offers a more modernvintage vibe than its German Village counterpart, along with additional seating, a bigger bar and an expanded beer list. LD $$ JAILHOUSE ROCK | PUB GRUB | Little Rock Bar, 944 N. Fourth St., Italian Village, 614-824-5602. A brickand-mortar extension of food truck Paddy Wagon, Jailhouse | Rock serves up gourmet hot dogs to Little Rock customers. D $ JAILHOUSE ROOTS | PUB GRUB | Rambling House, 310 E. Hudson St., Old North, 614-468-3415. Paddy Wagon food truck’s second satellite kitchen, serves Appalachian-inspired cuisine, including crawdads and corncobs and smoked oysters, from a takeout window inside Rambling House Soda. D $ KIHACHI JAPANESE RESTAURANT | JAPANESE | 2667 Federated Blvd., Northwest Side, 614-764-9040. Chef-owner Ryuji “Mike” Kimura’s passion for fresh, high-quality ingredients is reflected in his always changing appetizer menu. Japanese cuisine with bluefin tuna, Japanese Jackfish, Japanese Sea bream and sashimi. D $$$ KRAFT HOUSE NO. 5 | PUB GRUB | 5 S. Liberty St., Powell, 614-396-9091. Chef Marcus Meacham leads the kitchen at this upscale bar-food eatery with a focus on local craft beers and cocktails in a contemporary rustic setting. On the menu, expect wings, mac and cheese and mussels and fries, plus a rotating “popup” menu featuring the chef’s daily musings. BRLD $$
OLD MOHAWK RESTAURANT 821 MOHAWK ST., GERMAN VILLAGE • 444.7204 OPEN SUNDAY & MONDAY 11AM - 10PM • TUESDAY - THURSDAY 11AM - 11PM FRIDAY & SATURDAY 11AM - 12AM
OPEN EVERY DAY WWW.THEOLDMOHAWK.COM 12 8 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
THE MARKET ITALIAN VILLAGE | EUROPEAN | 1022 Summit St., Short North, 614-745-2147. A specialty market in Italian Village offering coffee and freshly made pastries in the morning, grab-and-go fare for lunch and full-service, French-inspired dinner at night. Modeled after international marketplaces, The Market offers a little something for everyone–freshly roasted coffee, produce and specialty grocery items, a deli and butchered meats, wood-fired pizzas, beer and growler fills and a wine shop. BLD $$
PHOTO: TESSA BERG
MOTHER MOHAWK, A GERMAN VILLAGE TRADITION SINCE 1977
LITTLE PALACE | PUB GRUB | 240 S. Fourth St., Downtown, 614-460-8888. From the creative minds behind The Rossi and Club 185 comes a revamping of this longtime Downtown eatery featuring fried cheese curds, pizza, sandwiches and burgers. It’s just plain tasty bar food and a hearty beer selection with a retro dive bar vibe. LD $$
RECENTLY FEATURED ON THE FOOD NETWORK SERIES “TOP 5 RESTAURANTS”
MONDAYS:
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THE PEARL | CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN | 641 N. High Street, Short North, 614-227-0151. Gastropub meets oyster bar at this Cameron Mitchell Restaurant with a throwback vibe, craft beer and barrel-aged cocktails. BRD $$$ RED VELVET CAFE | SANDWICHES | 246 S. Fourth St., Downtown, 614-221-1889. The second location of the popular Pickerington sandwich shop, Red Velvet specializes in Filipino-style paninis, like adobo chicken, and coffee drinks and teas from all over the world. BLD $$ RIVAGE ATLANTIQUE | SEAFOOD | 652 N. High St., Worthington, 614-505-7779. This upscale restaurant in downtown Worthington focuses on high-end seafood from various regions of the East Coast. Expect dishes like Low Country shrimp and grits, sausage stuffed Atlantic salmon and mahi mahi papillote. LD $$ RIGSBY’S KITCHEN | FINE DINING | 698 N. High St., Short North, 614-461-7888. After more than two decades, Rigsby’s Kitchen remains fresh by regularly offering new and creative Italian and Mediterranean dishes, including an expanded list of small plates. Of note is the recent emphasis Rigsby’s has placed on its bar, offering craft cocktails with a focus on bitter Italian ingredients, and a clever bar food menu. It’s no wonder this Short North staple is consistently ranked among the best restaurants in town. D $$$ SEVENTH SON BREWING CO. | BARS | 1101 N. Fourth St., Italian Village, 614-596-3655. This new microbrewery has a focus on Ohio products and all of their draft beers are from the Buckeye State. Liquor from OYO and Watershed. BRLD $ SIDEBAR | CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN | 122 E. Main St., Downtown, 614-228-9041. Out of the former Brownstone space, this swanky restaurant and lounge specializes in small plates and classic cocktails. Contemporary American cuisine with chicken croquettes, beef tenderloin empanadas and scallops Parmesan. D $$ ST. JAMES TAVERN | BAR | 1057 N. Fourth St., Italian Village, 614-294-0064. Hip neighborhood bar with specialty brews on tap, pool tables and a rocking jukebox. D $ TILL DYNAMIC FARE | CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN | 247 King Ave., Victorian Village, 614-298-9986. Owner Magdiale Wolmark crafts a menu of inventive vegan and carnivorous fare incorporating ingredients grown in the backyard biodynamic garden. Expect American cuisine Like Smoked Portabella Poutine, Ohio Lamb Burger and vegan Tofu Mac and Cheese. If the ellusive Biodynamic Burger is on the menu, order it. BRLD $$
1014 N HIGH ST 614-456-7245 TAITIKI.COM 13 0 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
TOKYO GOGO | JAPANESE | 30 E. Fifth Ave., Short North, 614-916-6476. This permanently parked food truck at Brothers Drake Meadery serves some of the best Japanese street food fare around, including karaage and miso soup. D $ THE WALRUS | PUB GRUB | 143. E. Main St., Downtown, 614-817-1710. The owners of The Tavern in Olde Towne East have expanded their realm Downtown, opening this casual bar, restaurant and music joint with a neighborhood vibe. LD $$
Winein& Dine Licking County Now serving at the Granville Inn: Grilled Filet of Salmon on Sweet Pea Hummus and Bread Rusk with
Licking County Convention and Visitors Bureau 455 Hebron Road, Heath, Ohio 43056 740.345.8224 | 800.589.8224 EscapeToLickingCounty.com Photo courtesy of Kate Manecke
WESTIES GASTROPUB | PUB GRUB | 940 S. Front St., Brewery District, 614-674-6143. The huge gastropub in the Brewery District is divided into two spaces—the restaurant-bar side where friends and families nosh on upscale bar food (pierogi, pizza, wings), and the fourseason pation in theback with a bar, TVs, four-sided fireplace and dozens of craft beers. LD $$ WINDWARD PASSAGE RESTAURANT | SEAFOOD | 4739 Reed Rd., Upper Arlington, 614-451-2497. This hoot of a retro restaurant has porthole windows and a nautical decor, as well as the best fried fish in town. Seafood with perch, walleye and catfish. LD $$ WHOLE WORLD NATURAL BAKERY & RESTAURANT | SOUP & SANDWICHES | 3269 N. High St., Clintonville, 614-268-5751. One of the oldest vegetarian establishments in Columbus is known for its homemade breads, pastries and inventive entrees that just happen to be vegetarian. Vegetarian cuisine with White Bean-Tofu Quesadillas, lentil burgers and whole-wheat pizzas. BRLD $
TABLE TALK AJ’S CAFE | DINERS | 152 E. State St., Downtown, 614-223-3999. Former Taj Mahal owner Ajay Kumar works classic Indian flavors into grab-and-go dishes at this Downtown counter cafe that caters to the breakfast and lunch crowd. Service is quick and friendly, and the menu is filled with wraps, soups and sandwiches for vegetarians and omnivores alike. BL $$
THE ANGRY BAKER | SOUP & SANDWICHES | 891 Oak St., Olde Towne East, 614-947-0976, theangrybakerote. com. Known for their delectable baked goods, quaint The Angry Baker also serves savory options, including soups, sandwiches, rice and veggie bowls and breakfast all day. Many dishes are vegan and vegetarian friendly. BLD $ CRAVINGS CARRYOUT CAFE | SOUP & SANDWICHES | 227 E. Third Ave., Italian Village, 614-725-0090, cravingscarryoutcafe.com. Formerly Cookie Cravings Bakery, this adorable brick-walled Italian Village spot revamped its name and menu to offer more savory breakfast and lunch options with an emphasis on to-go orders. Here you’ll find sandwiches on freshly made brioche, a rotating daily soup special and pastries, like house-made cinnamon rolls. BLD $ CREOLE KITCHEN | CAJUN & CREOLE | 1052 Mt. Vernon Ave., King Lincoln, 614-372-3333, creolekitchen. biz. Authentic savory Cajun food is served in hearty portions in this takeout eatery. Cajun cuisine with po’ boys, alligator and gumbo. BLD $ DK DINER | DINERS | 1715 W. Third Ave., Grandview, 614-488-5160. The DK stands for doughnut kitchen at this off-the-beaten-path diner with a cozy atmosphere and local flavor. Diner cuisine with doughnuts, DK All the Way and breakfast and lunch dishes. BLD $ FOX IN THE SNOW CAFE | COFFEE & DESSERT | 1031 N. Fourth St., Italian Village. A bakery and coffee shop in Italian Village offering pastries made inhouse daily and coffee from Tandem Coffee Roasters. Shop owners have transformed a former garage into
a bright and welcoming space with picture windows offering a view of the kitchen and counter seats at the coffee bar. BL $ HELEN’S ASIAN KITCHEN | ASIAN | 1070 E. DublinGranville Rd., North Side, 614-987-5121. Traditional Chinese restaurant with classic Asian entrees in a casual atmosphere. Chinese and Asian with Shrimp Lemongrass Soup, Steamed Vegetable Dumplings and Pork with String Beans. LD $ JIE’S GOOD TASTING | CHINESE | 1413 Grandview Ave., Grandview, 614-824-4657. After opening in late 2013 with a menu of standard Chinese-American fare, the owners of this small Grandview eatery have refocused to highlight their delicious homemade dumplings, including San Xian, pork and pickled cabbage and dumplings in hot and sour soup. Though service can be slow at times, it’s worth it for a bite of the flavorful fillings. LD $ KATALINA’S | LATIN | 1105 Pennsylvania Ave., Victorian Village, 614-294-2233. Victorian Village cafe serving an eclectic menu of made-from-scratch items. Mexican cuisine with breakfast sandwiches and staples like Nutella Pancake Balls and Sweet and Spicy bacon. BLD $ PORTIA’S CAFE | VEGAN | 4428 Indianola Ave., Clintonville, 614-928-3252. This Clintonville cafe serves up only vegan and gluten-free options with an emphasis on raw foods. The menu includes dips like hummus and guacamole, falafel, soups, salads, wraps, smoothies and a vegan-friendly Cheezecake. LD $$
SPEC IALS
Tuesdays Al Pastor tacos 2 for 1 all day!
TACO TRUCK 13 2 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
614-493-1874 3221 Commerce Dr Columbus, OH 43228 Follow us on
Wed–Thur: 2pm–12am Fri–Tues: 11am–12am Closed Mondays
Wednesdays $2 each Gringas all day! Try our new menu s: Huaraches / Fishitem os Burrito Don Patron (It'tac s huge!) *Fresh made from scratch tort illas
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SPINELLI’S DELI | SOUP & SANDWICHES | 767 Neil Ave., Victorian Village, 614-280-1044. The Victorian Village deli serves breakfast all day, and recently started offering dinner choices, too. Deli cuisine with chicken salad and smoked bacon panini, jalapeno Joe, penne pasta and flatbread pizzas. BLD $ TUTTO VINO WINE CELLAR & BISTRO | CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN | 7154 Muirfield Dr., Dublin, 614799-9222. The Dublin wine cellar houses more than 900 labels and doubles as a bistro for dining. American cuisine with tapas, sandwiches and gourmet pizza. LD $$ YING’S TEAHOUSE AND YUM YUM | CHINESE | 4312 N. High St., Clintonville, 614-262-7587. A mom-and-pop Chinese eatery serving savory homemade noodle soups and dumplings, plus signatures like Steamed Pork buns, San-Xian dumplings, Ying’s Spicy Noodle Salad and Hot-Pepper Beef. LD $$
FEATURES
LATE NIGHT
MENU F E AT U R I N G
$2.00 1/3 Liter Biers & $5.00 Appetizers
THE BARREL & BOTTLE | BEER & WINE | 59 Spruce St., North Market, Arena District, 614-221-5550. The beer and wine shop inside the North Market doubled its footprint, adding a bar and seating area where you can bring your dinner and have a drink. LD $$ DESTINATION DONUTS | DESSERT | 59 Spruce St., North Market, Arena District. It started as a North Market pop-up, but fans of Heather Morris’ creative, dense doughnuts can now get their Sour Cream and Nutmeg Nibblers fix daily. BLD $$ BEST OF THE WURST | FAMILY FARE | 59 Spruce St., North Market, Arena District, 614-469-8778. A popular stand located in the North Market, Best of the Wurst is known for its hot dogs. LD $ BLUESCREEK FARM MEATS | BUTCHER | 59 Spruce St., North Market, Arena District, 614-228-5727. At their North Market stand, owners Cheryl and David Smith sell high quality cuts of meat that they have humanely raised themselves. It’s no wonder area chefs turn to Bluescreek to source specialty meats. LD $$ BREZEL | COFFEE & DESSERTS | 59 Spruce St., North Market, Arena District, 614-586-0523. This notable North Market shop serves delectable Bavarian pretzels in savory and sweet varieties, including Everything, Mango Habanero. BLD $ BUBBLES, THE TEA & JUICE CO. | COFFEE AND TEA | 59 Spruce St., North Market, Arena District, 614-2801400. A tea and fresh juice and smoothie stand in the North Market, Bubbles is one of the only places in Columbus to get boba tea. LD $
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CAFE BRIOSO | SOUP & SANDWICHES | 14 E. Gay St., Downtown, 614-228-8366, cafebrioso.com. While Brioso roasts specialty blends for restaurants all around town, you’ll find the best variety of freshly roasted brews at their flagship shop Downtown. Pair artfully topped lattes with house-made pastries, sandwiches, soups and salads. BL $ CAJOHN’S FLAVOR & FIRE | SPECIALTY | 59 Spruce St., North Market, Arena District, 614-229-4273. Hot
sauce reigns at this North Market stand dedicated to all things spicy. You’ll find sauces and salsas crafted by owner John Hard, a recent inductee into the Hot Sauce Hall of Fame. LD $ THE CREST GASTROPUB | CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN | 2855 Indianola Ave., Clintonville, 614261-7128. The old Crest Tavern got an ambitious makeover—now it’s a gastropub serving a long list of craft and local beers as well as upscale pub fare incorporating herbs and produce from a rooftop garden. Contemporary American and Middle Eastern fare with sandwiches, salads and wood-fired pizzas. BRD $$
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CURDS & WHEY | CHEESE | 59 Spruce St., North Market, Arena District, 614-621-0333. The longeststanding merchant in the North Market, Curds & Whey houses hundreds of cheeses, plus other specialty products including caviar, truffles, oils and vinegars. LD $$ FIRDOUS EXPRESS | MIDDLE EASTERN | 59 Spruce St., North Market, Arena District, 614-221-4444. Known for its Shawarma and vegetarian-friendly options, Fidrous has a loyal following of lunch-goers who come for authentic Middle Eastern fare. LD $$ THE FISH GUYS | SPECIALTY | 59 Spruce St., North Market, Arena District, 614-228-4903. Fresh fish are regularly flown in from all over the world to stock the cases at this North Market stand. Not to be overlooked is the sandwich and soup menu, especially the house New England Clam Chowder. LD $$ FLAVORS OF INDIA | INDIAN | 59 Spruce St., North Market, Arena District, 614-228-1955. The classic Indian buffet gets a takeout treatment at this North Market stand that serves up classic Northern Indian dishes, including Chicken Makhani, Lamb Curry and Chana Masala. LD $$ G. MICHAEL’S BISTRO & BAR | FINE DINING | 595 S. Third St., German Village, 614-464-0575. This historic German Village eatery promises fine dining with a Low Country influence. Expect bold flavors in dishes layered with components and exceptional sauces. Preparations and ingredients change with the seasons. D $$$ HOLY SMOKE BBQ | BARBECUE | 59 Spruce St., North Market, Arena District, 614-471-8844. At this stand in the North Market, you can load up on classic barbecue fare, but don’t miss the loaded cave chips, topped with your choice of pork, chicken or brisket. LD $$ HOT CHICKEN TAKEOVER | SOUTHERN | 59 Spruce St., Arena District, 614-800-4538. Nashville’s signature spicy fried chicken makes its debut in Columbus through a carryout window at the Near East Side Cooperative Market. Owner Joe DeLoss hopes to move his concept, open Saturday and Sunday only, to a brick-and-mortar space soon. LD $$ HUBERT’S POLISH KITCHEN | EUROPEAN | 59 Spruce St., North Market, Arena District, 614-2208787. A large counter-order operation in the North Market serving authentic, made-from-scratch Polish food, including kielbasa, pierogi and sauerkraut balls. LD $$ FA L L 2 015 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • 13 5
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Hundreds of incredible flavors. Infinite possibilities. One amazing night.
Taste the
FUTURE 2015
Tuesday, August 11 6:00–9:00 p.m.
Columbus State Community College Downtown Campus
Join more than 1,000 Columbus State supporters and enjoy the flavors of 50 of our city’s top restaurants, clubs, and caterers. All proceeds help support hard-working students at Columbus State build a brighter future for themselves and their community.
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IZZY & MO’S | DELI | 249 King Ave., Victorian Village, 614-298-9986. Till chef and owner Magdiale Wolmark’s breakfast and lunch counter pays homage to the classic Jewish deli with the everything’s-made-here approach we’ve come to expect from Wolmark. Bialystyle bagels, chocolate babka, house-smoked pastrami, chopped liver and house schnapps are just a few menu items you’ll find. BL $$ JENI’S SPLENDID ICE CREAMS | COFFEE & DESSERTS | 59 Spruce St., North Market, Arena District, 614-228-9960. Jeni’s creative and seasonal ice cream flavors are renowned across the nation. Desserts with Salty Caramel ice cream, ice cream sundaes and ice cream sandwiches. LD $ KATALINA’S | LATIN | 1105 Pennsylvania Ave., Victorian Village, 614-294-2233. Victorian Village cafe serving an eclectic menu of made-from-scratch items. Mexican cuisine with breakfast sandwiches and staples like Nutella Pancake Balls and Sweet and Spicy bacon. BLD $ KATZINGER’S LITTLE DELI | DELI | 59 Spruce St., North Market, Arena District, 614-221-5377. An extension of the German Village eatery, Little Deli serves the same jaw-breaking sandwiches, soups and help-yourself pickles that’s made the deli a staple for more than 30 years. LD $$ KITCHEN LITTLE | CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN | 59 Spruce St., North Market, Arena District, 614-2217237. As the counter-order, prepared food side of North Market Poultry and Game, Kitchen Little uses the best ingredients—many fresh-from-Ohio farms—to make savory home-cooked foods. Comfort food with chicken and waffles, chili and cassoulet. LD $ LA TAVOLA | ITALIAN | 1664 W. First Ave., Grandview, 614-914-5455. Chef Rick Lopez has, once again, revived his popular Old World Italian restaurant, this time in Grandview. Dotted with green and yellow accents, the setting is open and welcoming. The food is simple and rustic Italian with pizzas, house-made breads and pastas. D $$$ LAN VIET MARKET | VIETNAMESE | 59 Spruce St., North Market, Arena District, 614-221-0777. Counterorder spot in the North Market offers a small sampling of tried-and-true Vietnamese favorites. LD $ NICOLA RESTAURANT & BAR | ITALIAN | 4740 Reed Rd., Upper Arlington, 614-459-7000. A smart-but-notstuffy white-tablecloth spot boasting an inviting Italian menu with a wealth of handmade pastas, including pappardelle alla anatra, braciole di manzo and cannelloni brasatti. LD $$$ NIDA’S SUSHI | THAI | 59 Spruce St., North Market, Arena District, 614-228-4470. A quirky, modern eatery at the North Market that offers a mix of traditional and trendy Thai dishes. LD $$ THE NORTH MARKET | EUROPEAN | 59 Spruce St., Arena District, 614-463-9664. Located in the heart of Columbus, the North Market features local vendors in a gourmet market atmosphere. World flavors with barbecue, Vietnamese, Mediterranean, beer, wine and ice cream. BLD $
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NORTH MARKET POULTRY AND GAME | BUTCHER | 59 Spruce St., North Market, Arena District, 614-2217237. Half meat counter, half eatery, you’ll find exotic meats like elk and boar, alongside a bevy of prepared comfort foods. LD $$ NORTH MARKET SPICES | SPECIALTY | 59 Spruce St., North Market, Arena District, 614-224-4107. North Market Spices is an affordable spot for dried herbs and custom blends, from berbere to Beet Powder. LD $ NORTHSTAR CAFE | CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN | 951 N. High St., Short North, 614-298-9999. Northstar’s imaginative menu has a healthful emphasis on organic ingredients served in a casual, order-at-thecounter cafe setting. At peak times, it’s common to see diners lined up for the beet-laden veggie burger, flatbreads, salads, rice-and-veggie bowls and oversize cookies. BBRLD $$ OMEGA ARTISAN BAKING | BAKERY | 59 Spruce St., North Market, Arena District, 614-224-9910. Omega is loved by North Market regulars for its larger-than-life cinnamon roll, fresh breads and pastries. BLD $ PAM’S MARKET POPCORN | SPECIALTY | 59 Spruce St., North Market, Arena District, 614-222-1850. Owner Pam Tylka loves to play with flavor, especially in her latest venture: nachos, which she put on the menu in early 2015. “I wanted to cook again,” Tylka says. Her best new item might be a mash of Bluescreek Farm pork, CaJohn’s CaBoom BBQ Sauce, coleslaw and a pickle. Though her cheese sauce, which she makes with Snowville cream, is worth savoring. PASTARIA + PASTARIA SECUNDA| ITALIAN | 59 Spruce St., North Market, Arena District, 614-228-2850. Pastaria is The North Market’s Italian food specialty stand, offering readymade pasta and pizza, as well as Italian fare to take and make at home. LD $$ PISTACIA VERA | BAKER | 59 Spruce St., North Market, Arena District, 614-221-1001. At their North Market outpost, the creme de la creme of Columbus bakeries serves a limited menu of baked goods, including croissants and macarons, along with a special blend of coffee from Cafe Brioso. BLD $ SAREFINO’S | PIZZA | 59 Spruce St., North Market, Arena District, 614-228-7300. This pizza stall in the North Market serves top-shelf slices and take-andbake pies. Pizza with pepperoni, Meathead and pesto chicken pies. LD $ STAUF’S GERMAN VILLAGE | COFFEE & DESSERTS | 627 S. Third St., German Village, 614-221-1563; 1277 Grandview Ave., Grandview, 614-486-4861, staufs. com. A low-key coffeehouse offering cafe-style seating as well as an attached bar with a relaxed atmosphere. BLD $
808 Bethell Rd, Colu umbus, OH 43214 4 (614)) 326-3 3777
Bra ace e yo ourrse elf for a cullina ary y mastterr cla asss a festiva fes al of flav vorrs in n eve ery fo kfu fork ul and d alllow w you urse elf to be sw wep pt away y by y th he exxotiic aro omas an nd tasstess of trruly y outsta and din ng Ind dian n-P Pak kista anii cuisiine e.
TASTE OF BELGIUM | FAMILY FARE | 59 Spruce St., North Market, Arena District, 614-224-0986. This North Market resident is well known for their fresh, made-toorder waffles. Family fare with waffles and sweet and savory crepes. BLD $ THIRD AND HOLLYWOOD | CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN | 1433 W. Third Ave., Grandview, 614-488-0303.
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Veritas Tavern
THE FINEST SUSHI IN CENTRAL OHIO
The Northstar family’s gone Hollywood with this ambitious upscale lounge just off restaurant row in Grandview. Contemporary American cuisine with the Hollywood burger, salads, sandwiches and updated classic cocktails. BRLD $$ THE WORTHINGTON INN | FINE DINING | 649 High St., Worthington, 614-885-2600. The old parlors and bedrooms of this 19th century Victorian inn have been restored into elegant dining rooms, making for an intimate setting to enjoy traditional and modern dishes. The hyper-seasonal menu is often inspired by what’s at the area farmers market or fresh from Worthington Inn’s partner farms. So expect dishes like local King Farm’s roasted chicken with garden vegetable plate and beef Worthington. Take a seat by the bar for the more casual pub menu. BRLD $$$ VERITAS TAVERN | CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN | 15 E. Winter St., Delaware, 740-417-4074. With its focus on modern cooking techniques, chef Josh Dalton’s Veritas is not only putting out some of the best-looking plates in town, he’s making some of the best-tasting food around, too. Expect a menu of small plates meticulously created by cooking geeks, plus an exhilarating cocktail list. D $$$
NOW OPERATED BY THE FORMER OWNER OF THE FAMOUS SUSHIKO
732 N. STATE ST. WESTERVILLE, OHIO (614) 895-7575
WWW.SAPPOROSUSHIFACTORY.COM
EXIT BARCELONA RESTAURANT | FINE DINING | 263 E. Whittier St., German Village, 614-443-3699. From its high ceiling and brick interior to its romantic patio, there’s a lively charm to this popular German Village restaurant. Spanish-style small plates and paellas collide with an American influence for familiar food. LD $$$ TUCCI’S | CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN | 35 N. High St., Dublin, 614-792-3466. A Dublin standby has gotten a welcome shakeup in the form of dining room renovations and a menu revamp. It’s now a straightforward steak-and-seafood spot with a huge patio and more than 200 wines in the cellar. BRLD $$$
PHOTO: TIM JOHNSON
ADVERTISERS 1 Linden Alley, page 16 89 Fish and Grill, page 11 101 Beer Kitchen, page 27 1808 American Bistro, page 46 The Andersons, page 91 FA L L 2 015 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • 13 9
Skillet Rustic. Urban. Food.
Seasonal Driven, Farm to Table Comfort Classics with an Urban Edge.
Brunch Wednesday-Sunday 8am to 2pm Introducing Built by Skillet, Powered by Cast Iron Principals
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Where will you take your Crowler this summer? Crowler = Can + Growler Only Avaliable At The Daily Growler UPPER ARLINGTON 2812 Fishinger Road (614) 656-2337
*Crowler not to scale*
POWELL 258 W. Olentangy Street (614) 987-8277
TheDailyGrowler.com 14 0 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
Arch City Tavern, page 4 Arepazo Taps and Wine, page 51 Athens County Visitors Bureau, page 23 Barcelona, page 15 Basi Italia, page 44 Basil Thai, page 55 Brews Cafe, page 25 Cafe Courier, page 53 Cafe Istanbul, page 108 Cameron Mitchell Premier Events, page 19 Carfagna’s, pages 135, 138 and 139 China Dynasty, page 137 City of Upper Arlington, page 51 Condado, page 120 Corona, page 9 Cray Eatery & Drinkery, pages 57 and 121 The Crest, page 13 Cuco’s Taqueria, page 5 The Daily Growler, page 140 Denmark, page 122 Deschutes, page 33 Dine Originals, page 35 Due Amici, page 59 Firelands Winery, page 67 Forno Kitchen + Bar, page 45 G. Michael’s, page 37 Great Lakes Brewing Co., page 43 Happy Greek, page 137 The Hills Market, page 10 Hinkley’s Restaurant, page 124 Historic Downton Powell, page 48 Hofbrauhaus Columbus, page 134 Katalina’s, page 61 Latitude 41, page 55 Licking County Convention and Visitors Bureau, page 131 Los Guachos, pages 129 and 132 The Market Italian Village, page 6 Matt the Miller’s, page 3 Melt Bar & Grilled, page 31 Middle West Spirits, pages 69 and 125 Modelo, back cover North Market, page 2 Ohio Grape Industries, pages 74 and 75 Old Mohawk Restaurant, page 128 Pizza House, page 16 The Refectory, page 39 Rusty Bucket Restaurant, page 63 The Salty Caramels, page 41 Sapporo Sushi Factory, page 139 Schmidt’s Restaurant, page 29 Scioto Downs, inside back cover Shaffer Construction, page 1 Skillet, page 140 Tai Tiki, page 130 Tandoori Grill, page 138 The Top Steakhouse, page 141 Tucci’s, page 51 Veritas Tavern, page 47 Weiland’s Market, inside front cover and page 126 Wolf’s Ridge Brewing, page 57 Worthington Inn, page 44
Celebrating 60 years. Monthly special menus available. 2891 East Main Street, Columbus 614.231.8238 | thetopsteakhouse.com
OHIO CRAFT BREW FEST presented by:
september 11-12
northmarket.com print sponsor:
EXIT | CLOSING TIME
MICHAELKOENIG, 44 Lives In: Dublin Occupation: Executive chef at Tucci’s 35 N. High St., Dublin, 614-792-3466, tuccisdublin.com
SHORT ORDERS Where Michael Koenig goes when he’s craving something specific
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BURGER The Pint Room has a good one, and Ted’s [Montana Grill] has a good burger. [Latitude 41] has a grass-fed burger that’s good. I like a nice meaty burger with caramelized onions, gorgonzola cheese, lettuce and tomato on a brioche bun.
DESSERT Pistacia Vera, of course. The macarons are executed perfectly.
ATMOSPHERE Wolf’s Ridge Brewing. It’s a beautiful spot. Seth [Lassak] does an amazing job on food. They’re killing it over there. I started going there when they first opened. He’s spoton. The brunch is amazing. Plus, their beer is really good.
ETHNIC I’ll get sushi at Rishi [Sushi]. It’s a cool place to hang out. It’s good and fresh.
COFFEE I do a coldpressed coffee myself at home. I’ll add a bit of agave nectar to it. It’s great in the summer.
MEMORABLE MEALS From hidden gems to the best of the ’burbs, here’s where Tucci’s chef Michael Koenig goes out to eat. STORY BY HEATHER WEEKLEY
M
ichael Koenig has a degree in environmental biology and chemistry, but it was a bartending stint in Arizona after college that led to his current gig as a chef. “I always cooked on and off,” Koenig says. “After bartending, I got a line-cooking job and never stopped.” Koenig is a recent transplant to Columbus; he arrived in Ohio in 2013 after working 10 years as a chef for Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants in San Francisco. His first Columbus gig was chef at Latitude 41 inside the Renaissance Hotel Downtown. After a year there, he became the executive chef at Tucci’s in Dublin. “My biggest learning curve in Ohio was seasonal variance,” Koenig says. “In California, it
was generally the same. Here, I learned what works with what season. This fall, we’ll do a lot of local produce in our specials.” What sets Tucci’s apart from the myriad other restaurants in Columbus? Koenig notes the collection of more than 300 wines (Tucci’s also has a retail wine cellar), fresh seafood flown in from Honolulu Fish and outdoor patio as reasons to visit. Some folks, he explains, will wait 90 minutes for a patio seat. “I just love cooking,” Koenig says. “You have to love cooking and the people. When you talk to people about a wedding, they always remember the food. If you’re on vacation, you remember the food, whether it’s good or bad. It’s creating that memory.”
What’s your favorite thing to eat at Tucci’s? The short ribs. We do a boneless rib with a sugar, paprika and Kona coffee rub. It’s served with sweet potatoes and Swiss chard. It’s a phenomenal dish because you get the coffee and the earthiness.
Dirty Franks. And Little Palace—they do a good job, too. The Top for a good steak. It’s the quintessential steakhouse.
PHOTO: TIM JOHNSON
What do you like to drink at Tucci’s? I’m a huge wine drinker. That’s the only thing I miss about California: driving to Napa for the day. We have more than 300 wines here. We go everywhere from $30 to $338 to $610. My favorite of all time is a Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Will you be introducing new menu items this fall? I’ll do a braised pork shank. I like doing a roasted butternut squash farro. I want to do butternut or acorn squash ravioli or tortellini. We’ll do a lot of squashes. What dining recommendations did you receive when you moved to Columbus?
What’s your favorite neighborhood spot? It’s close to Dublin—Kraft House No. 5 in Powell. Their food is phenomenal. The smoked duck salad is to die for. They had a muffuletta that was great, too. Are there any hidden gems you’ve found? I like The Table. The menu is small and eclectic. It’s hipster but not too hipster. Their mac and cheese with porcini mushrooms and kale is good. When I take my [7-year-old] daughter out, we go to Taco Loco at Bethel and Sawmill. They do good tacos. Where do you go for a date night? The last time my wife and I went out, it was to G. Michael’s. Our other date night was Northstar Cafe. I think the Clintonville one does the food the best.
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FA L L 2 015 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • 14 3
sweet!
Barcelona pastry chef Stephanie Kincaid has panache for savory sweets. Amid the sugary Spanish-inspired custards and almond cakes she whips up each season, Kincaid’s true style resides among the odder-sounding desserts, like blue cheese ice cream with a balsamic-honey reduction and smoked goat cheese cheesecake. Sure, her flavor experiments sometimes flop, she’ll admit (a piquillo pepper mousse didn’t go her way), but that doesn’t prevent her from constantly asking what else she can turn into a dessert, and how she can do it differently. “Every time I make a dish, I put a little spin on it,” Kincaid says. “I don’t ever make it twice the same way.” This season’s flan rendition is a mashup of salty caramel flan with vanilla cake spiced with apples and nutmeg and topped with caramel and crisped apples. barcelonacolumbus.com —Beth Stallings
14 4 • C O L U M B U S C R AV E • FA L L 2 015
PHOTO: WILL SHILLING
CHANGE UP
You can’t buy happiness, but you can and that’s kind of the same. -Anonymous
From appetizers and main courses to desserts and beverages, we’re the place for Ohio-made food and drink! • Fine Meats & Seafood • Artisan Cheeses & Custom-made Cheese Trays • Cheeseballs, Dips & Spreads • Beer, Wine & Spirits • Homemade Deli Salads & Prepared Foods • Specialty Groceries • Produce & Flowers • Catering & Event Planning
3600 Indianola Avenue · 614-267-9878 WeilandsMarket.com
Blue Jacket Dairy • Canal Farmstead Cheese • Fulton Cheese • Great Lakes • Cheese Co. • JZN Goat Farm • Lake Erie Creamery • Lau MacKenzie Creamery • Miceli’s • Turkeyfoot Creek Creamery • Ye Orlando • Reinecker’s Dairy Happy Chi Produce & Flowers Folck Farms • Naomi Sunsprout Farms Coffee & Tea Back Ro Specialty Foods Amir • Ben’s • Bickford Radish • Bonhomie Acres • Brown & Blond • Darista Dips • Dei Fratelli • Frog Ranch • Krazy Kraut • Kryder Farms • Little Italy • Manchester Hill • Marzetti’s • Matt’s Hog S • Ridiculously Good Salsa • Seasonal Sel Gourmet • Taste Weavers • Two Amigos • Snacks Almondina • Ballreich • Buckeye • Krema • My Dadz Nutz • OH! Chips • Pita Evans • Sugar Shack Deli Meats & Chees Soda Norka Soda • Rambling House Mea Heffelfinger Farms • Keystone • Phillips • Me Happy • Der Dutchman • Eagle Family • Johnson’s • Just Pies • Loralie’s Bakin Provisions • Rogue Bakery • Stevens Bak Kettle • Columbus Brewing Co. • Eleva Homestead • Hoppin Frog • Hoof Heart Maumee Bay • Mount Carmel • Rhinege • Sideswipe • Thirsty Dog • Weasel Distilleries Portside • Woodstone Cre Spirits • Cleveland Whiskey • Fifth Elem Seven Brothers • Veriano Fine Foods an Buckeye Distillery • S & G Art Breitenbach Wine Cellars Artisan Meadery • Debonn Firelands • Harpersfiel Laurello • M
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Fine Cheeses Black Radish Creamery • J u n c t i o n Creek Jersey G u g g i s b e r g m • Kokoborrego Cheese aurel Valley Creamery • Lucky Penny Farm • Osage Lane Creamery • Paint Valley Farms • Yellow House Cheese • Wild Goat Bread Eban • icken • Hartzler • Holistic Acres • Smith’s • Snowville i’s Garden • Sunny Meadows • Owl Creek • Scott Kelly • oom Roasters • Crimson Cup • Roaming Goat • Stauf’s • Bill and Emma’s Honey • Bit of a Bite of Salsa • Black d Bakery • CaJohn’s • City BBQ • Clearbrook • Cooper’s Mill Gillie’s • Harvest Pizza • JB’s • Jose Madrid • Kombu-Tea • • Luna Burger • Luna Kombucha • Mamma DiSalvo’s • Spit • Montezuma • Mustard Man • Pierogi Mountain elections • Simple Man • Sugar Chalet • Sweet Thing Uncle Mike’s • Vino di Milo • Walnut Creek • Woeber’s e Brittle • Conn’s • Dave’s Nuts • Gold’n Krisp • Grippos a Krunch • Rue Farms • Saucy Sows • Shagbark • Stan ses Walnut Creek • Troyer Farms • Heini’s • Eckrich at & Poultry Bowman & Landes • Falter’s • Gerber • Troyer’s Pies & Desserts 3 Kids & a Kitchen • Bake y Candy • Emlolly Chocolates • Homemade • Jeni’s ing • Marsha’s • Milo’s • Pattycake • Redpoint kery • Tasha’s Treats • Whit’s Beer Actual • Brew ator • Fat Heads • Four String • Great Lakes • ted • Jackie O’s • Land Grant • Mad Tree • eist • Rivertown • Rockmill • Seventh Son Boy Bitters The Bitter Wife eek • Watershed • Middlewest ment Spirits • Indian Creek • nd Spirits • Crystal Spirits • tisan Distillery Wine /Mead • Brothers Drake Crafted né • Ferrante Winery • ld • Kinkead Ridge • Meranda Nixon River Village Cellars
Monday-Saturday: 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday: 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
FALL 2015
BY BETH STALLINGS
HOT SEATS
10 RESTAURANTS, BARS AND TRENDS WE’RE TALKING ABOUT NOW italian village For years we’ve been waiting for this narrow neighborhood alongside the Short North to hit its dining stride. That time may have finally come. (Read all about it on page 36.) From the guy who brought us seasonal pizza haven Harvest and dive revamp The Sycamore comes this breakfast-lunch-dinner eatery slated to open this fall. It may be the catalyst Downtown’s dining scene needs. salt & pine
columbus brewing co. Our city’s most identifiable beer brand is about to get a lot bigger. CBC’s new production facility should be up and running on the West Side this fall. Keep an eye out for the latest concept from the owners of Northstar Cafe. They’re transforming the former Betty’s Fine Food and Spirits space in the Short North into a Mediterranean eatery. brassica
paletas Hands down, these fun-flavored ice pops are the hottest way to cool down. Between local maker J-Pops, Alchemy’s new line and on-the-go company Rime Time Pops, there’s no shortage of ways to chill out. We’re cheering on the redevelopment of this near East Side corridor with the opening of the second Crest Gastropub and announced eateries like bar and deli Jimmyluka’s.
PHOTOS: FROM TOP, CHRIS RUSSELL; TIM JOHNSON; WILL SHILLING; TESSA BERG; MEGHAN RALSTON
parsons avenue
While sad to hear of the closure of French reliable L’Antibes this summer, we’re eager to see what chef-owner Matthew Litzinger has in store with his comfort food venture set to open in the same space. home fare
tastes of the midwest Slow Food Columbus has started what we hope will become an ongoing conversation, asking: What is Midwest cuisine? It’s a talk that will continue through food with a dinner at Gallerie Bar & Bistro on Oct. 13. (See more on page 42.) More area breweries are putting a lid on their brews so you can enjoy it anywhere. Recent canners and bottlers: Hoof Hearted Brewing and Wolf’s Ridge Brewing. beer to go
alt fried chicken Move over, Southern fried chicken. The poultry we’re noshing on this season is of the ethnic variety. Read about our Asian favorites on page 28. where are you eating now? Let
us know with #CraveCbus
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