FUN, FOOD & YOU

Vital Vittles VII Can’t Wait For Dine-In

By S. Adam Icard

“Are you guys open for dine-in service yet? When will you be open for dine-in?”

I hear and ask these words a few times a week. Curbside and takeout are great, and I feel a lot of local businesses have been blessed to be able to continue operations instead of shuttering up permanently. But how many industry employees are anxious to get back to seeing the regulars again? I know I am.

With that being said, I also understand many employers’ skepticism in opening back up full-throttle. The safety and health of employees and clientele are of the utmost concern and there is a lot of uncertainty on whether things will return to normal. We can dream though, can’t we? What restaurants, holes-in-the- wall, diners, sports bars, and other eateries have you all been dreaming about returning to?

Here are two places I can’t wait to dine in once we have a better handle on Covid-19. The food and atmosphere really are worth the trip, and I can’t praise these two immigrant owned restaurants enough.

I’ve had takeout from this first place a few times since the shelter-in-place started and I probably go here at least once a week for groceries. The wonderful little spot I’m speaking of is Super Mercado Las Americas on Hamilton Road. The tacos at this restaurant/supermarket are out of this world good. I’ve tried each and every one but now I tend to always get the tripe taco. It’s the best in the city in my opinion -- and yes, I’ve been to La Mexicana de Columbus, which I also love. The main reason I want to actually dine inside the restaurant is almost ritualistic.When I eat there, I’ll get a Grapefruit Jarritos, about five or six tacos, and gorge myself on the simple-yet-elegant, small-yet-stuffed deliciousness, You can’t beat a fresh taco hot from the kitchen to your table. It’s magical. On the plus side, once you’ve completed your trip to bliss, you can pick up a fairly-priced flank steak (seasoned or unseasoned) on the way out.

My number two spot would be where my wife and I used to go on Sundays. Since I moved back to Columbus three years ago, we went Pho Viet on Sidney Simons Blvd nearly every weekend. The pho there is outstanding. Our house loves pho so much that we would hit up Pho Viet on Sunday and turn around and go to Uptown Vietnamese Cuisine on Broadway on Monday. We would do this just to compare the different broths. UVC is still open and we have been frequenting them about three times a month, but I miss Pho Viet. I miss being able to go in and before we even get to the table, the server knows what we’re going to order and has the drinks at the table within two minutes of sitting. The pho comes out hot and my wife and I like to guess what day the broth is on. (She’s a second day broth person, I’m a 3rd.) There is always plenty of sprouts, thai basil, and cilantro to add to it and the chili rack always makes it to our table without even having to ask. We have sat in that place for hours just talking with friends. I truly miss it and can’t wait for them to open back up.

As for Epic, we are anxiously awaiting the time that we feel is safest to open our dining room. I feel I speak for any number of restaurateurs, chefs, line-cooks, servers, and bartenders by saying we miss providing a date night, birthday or anniversary dinner, company party, or business dinner to our amazing clientele, new and old. I personally cherish the time our guests allow us to share in their making of everlasting memories. We miss you! And we count on being able to pour up a cocktail, whip up a delicious meal, and share a conversation with you in the future. Dine-in will come back strong and we’ll be here for you when it does. Stay tuned and Keep Moving Forward. #KMF u @adam.icard Adam Icard