Bringing True Southern Hospitality
Back To Columbus By Tom Ingram
In the fall of 2014, two weeks before Michael and Heather were set to open their new restaurant, 11th and Bay, Michael left the calm and solitude of Bay Avenue and walked east, looking for something to eat. It was Friday night. Broadway, the main artery of Uptown Columbus, was teeming with life. The Friday night concert series filled the air with music. Hundreds of people thronged the street. Michael felt overwhelmed by the difference between quiet Bay Avenue and raucous Broadway. “I thought I was going to have a panic attack,” Michael recalls. “I thought being off Broadway was the biggest mistake of my life.” Gratefully, Michael’s early apprehension has proved unfounded. Since opening, 11th and Bay has established itself as a favorite dining destination, not only in Uptown, but for the entire Columbus area. Heather credits some of their success to the atmosphere along the river. On warm nights, patrons might find children playing at the Woodruff Park playground and couples walking along the river, which itself is now alive with rafters braving its exciting runs. Even in winter, Bay Avenue— with the Corn Center for the Visual Arts and the Bo Barlett Center on the next block south—is an attraction unto itself, and 11th and Bay the culinary gem in this restful corner of Uptown. Of course, Michael and Heather did not have to come to Uptown at all. They could have set their southern dining establishment in any corner of Columbus. The couple credits Buddy Nelms and Tom Jones. “When they opened The Loft, they proved you could be successful [in Uptown],” Michael said. Since The Loft opened twentyfive years ago, the Uptown restaurant scene has exploded. Michael and Heather welcome the growth. “I don’t see anyone down here as competition,” Michael said. For them, the growing scene makes the pie bigger. The more quality restaurants in Uptown, the greater a destination LocaL
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for dining. As more restaurants succeed, each restaurant succeeds more. This is a humble message, and it’s true to character. But, 11th and Bay’s success is more than anything a product of Michael and Heather’s commitment to quality and service, and a willingness to innovate. When I met with Heather and Michael, they served Blue Heron Blend coffee, roasted for the restaurant by Jud Richardson of Fountain City Coffee. “We like to work with as many local people as possible,” Michael explained. And for every patron who visits 11th and Bay, there it is, at the top of the menu, a long list of local and regional suppliers, most from Georgia. Two years ago, Michael and Heather initiated some ambitious changes in their restaurant. They consulted with Chris Hastings, owner and executive chef of Hot & Hot Fish Club in Birmingham and the 2012 winner of the James Beard “Best Chef in the South” award. Michael and Heather refer to him as the “restaurant whisperer.” Chris introduced them to many farmers, and helped them introduce many other changes as well. Heather calls her interests in cooking “a cathartic thing,” something she learned over many years of home practice and study. Chris, Michael said, is her biggest cheerleader, adding, “you manage for the day, focus on creativity.” So if a farmer has something available only for a day or two, Michael and Heather get it fresh and add a new item to the menu. The layout of the restaurant changed, too. Instead of bulky four tops, Michael and Heather fill the main floor with two tops, which can comfortably accommodate couples or be drawn together for larger parties. They also began taking reservations, which has made the kitchen more efficient. With an efficient reservation system, a warm and welcoming bar, and tables set aside for walk-in customers, Michael said, “we’re no longer in the business of making people wait.” At 11th and Bay, there’s service as soon as you walk in the door. This attention to detail is also felt in the atmosphere. John Hill, a local artist who now lives in California, is responsible for the fitting scenes of southern life adorning the walls and the farmhouse-chic frames that hold them. One detail, subtle, often noticed by children, is the floor. The original beam floors have small gaps; in the basement, John installed lights with a cobalt blue tint, which suffuse the dining room above. The light is a detail you might not consciously notice, but one that also JANUAR Y 2019
