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			<title><![CDATA[Guide: Somali dining in Columbus]]></title>
			<pubDate>Wed, 16 May 2012 19:52:17 -0500</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Story by Jill Moorhead // Photos by Jodi Miller There are anywhere between 40,000 and 60,000 Somali immigrants living in Columbus.  While this number is difficult to tie down (there's no box for Somali, or even African native, on the U.S. Census), one number is much easier to ascertain: Fifteen. This is the number of Somali restaurants nestled along Cleveland Avenue, Morse Road and on the West Side, says Hassan Omar of the Somali Community Association of Ohio.  For those counting, that's three times the number of Olive Gardens in Central Ohio. Fifteen, Omar emphasizes, does not include what he calls coffee shops. That number is elusive.  This world of Somali cuisine is not a fleeting trend. The first restaurant in Columbus to serve Somali food, African Paradise, opened its doors 15 years ago. It's likely, though, that most Columbus natives have never dined at a Somali restaurant.  As a whole, Somali cuisine is easy on a Western palate and an ideal first step for those who want to branch out into ethnic eateries. Think juicy and aromatic Sunday stews adorned with familiar ingredients such as green peppers, tomatoes and garlic. Think grilled salmon on a bed of fragrant Basmati rice.  Think, even, grilled chicken with fettuccine and tomato sauce joined by a side salad with Italian dressing. A five-decade Italian occupation of the south of Somaliland left a permanent mark on the country's palate, meaning that not only is Olive Garden grossly outnumbered here in Columbus, but they've also got competition.  While the fare may be familiar (with the exception of a few not-likely-to-be-found-in-your-fridge ingredients, such as goat meat or cardamom), it's the culture of Somali eateries that takes a little easing into. Here's another steadfast number, provided by Nadira Abdirahman of Solay Bistro: 100 percent of the Somali population in Columbus is Muslim. For anyone not educated in the practices and rules associated within Islam and Columbus' young Somali community: no worries. A learning curve is generously applied.  "Somalis are a very friendly people," Abdirahman said. "We will welcome you and try our best to give you a good experience."  This sense of hospitality is rampant throughout the Somali community; the staff and owners of nearly every Somali restaurant I've been to are eager to educate and explain. Here are a few tips to understand both the etiquette and menus of the best-kept food secret in Columbus.      ETIQUETTE // What to expect   First impressions You may walk into a restaurant to find only men. In many Somali restaurants in Columbus, men and women do not interact in public; women and children may eat in a separate room. Westerners are not expected to abide by this cultural norm.  No menu While some restaurants, such as Solay Bistro and African Paradise, provide detailed menus or pictures for ordering purposes, others may not have a menu at all. Instead the server will explain what the restaurant has that day. Be flexible Be willing to accept changes in the menu, especially in the evening. A restaurant may be out of rice and offer pasta instead. No bill Again, restaurants like Solay Bistro do provide checks, but don't expect a written bill at other Somali establishments. Instead your server will tell you that the meal is, say, $10 per person. Tips are not expected, but are appreciated in the restaurants that cater to more Westerners. Condiments Somali food typically comes with two condiments: hot sauce and a banana. The hot sauce is different in each restaurant, but common ingredients include jalapeno, avocado, garlic and lime. Refreshing with a bit of a kick, the green sauce is used to add flavor to mild dishes. In some places, you may be encouraged to cut up the banana into bite-size pieces and use it to flavor your food. If you don't want the banana, leave it at the table, or take for a later snack. No booze In Islam, alcoholic beverages are forbidden. Be respectful; don't BYOB. Dress modestly Ladies, consider covering your legs and your chest. This act of respect will make everyone--including yourself--more comfortable. Daily prayers Based on the cycle of the moon, prayer is a daily ritual that happens in the middle of the day for five to 10 minutes. Most Somali restaurants will close their doors during prayer on Fridays. On other days, don't be surprised if you see staff and customers praying together. Lunch on the go In Somali culture, lunch is the biggest meal of the day, and happens between 1 and 4 p.m. If you have time constraints such as an inflexible lunch hour, it's recommended to place your order in advance.     ON THE MENU // Popular dishes Hilib Ari: Chopped-up goat meat served with rice or spaghetti. Each restaurant has its own special recipe, and many are served with sauteed onion and green pepper. Properly cooked goat can be very tender and rich, but don't be surprised to find bones in the dish. Suqaar: Cubed meat (chicken, beef, goat) stewed in a sauce. Marinated with onions, garlic and herbs, and served with pasta or rice, this mild, simple dish is the ultimate comfort food. Fata Muus: A traditional dish from Northern Somalia (and only available at Solay Bistro), this soft mixture of flatbread, bananas, honey and butter is served with a protein (or vegetables) and a hot sauce made with turmeric, fenugreek, lemon, garlic and jalapenos. Sweet, savory and tang do jumping jacks on the palate in this meal like no other. K.K.: Made in the U.S.A., this dish is new to Somali cuisine. The East African version of Frito Pie, K.K. is a combination of cubed beef (or chicken, or goat), vegetables (such as green beans, tomatoes, carrots, onions and green peppers) and chopped-up sabayat (flatbread) or anjerro (the smaller and thinner Somali cousin to Ethiopia's pancake-like injera bread). Sambusa: This appetizer is a triangle-shaped flaky pastry filled with ground beef or lamb seasoned with onions and peppers.      WHERE TO GO Solay Bistro  5786 Emporium Square, North Side 614-899-8800 solaybistro.com Equipped with descriptive menus in English (complete with many vegetarian options) Solay Bistro is an ideal stop for those interested in trying Somali cuisine for the first time. The restaurant specializes in using organic and fresh ingredients and is among the first Somali restaurants in Columbus to establish a web presence. (Nearby Darbo was the first.) African Paradise 2263 Morse Rd., North Side 614-476-2163 The first Somali restaurant to open in Columbus, African Paradise has large photos of their specialty dishes available at the front entrance and a staff eager to present Somali cuisine to a Western palate. The dining area is partitioned off into several rooms, leaving a maze-like feel. Vegetarian options are available. Ginevra Cafe 2285 Morse Rd, North Side 614-475-4880 Situated in a former Rally's that shares a parking lot with African Paradise, Ginevra doubles as a restaurant and a cafe. Brightly lit with a lively atmosphere, the informal restaurant has a simple menu with daily specials.]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/58614015-Guide: Somali dining in Columbus]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Last-minute Mother's Day brunch ideas]]></title>
			<pubDate>Thu, 10 May 2012 18:50:58 -0500</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[It's blessedly not too late to make brunch plans for Mother's Day, provided you pounce, like, now. So, slackers, we're making it easy for you: we checked, and as of this (Thursday) morning, all five of these places have tables open for sometime Sunday morning.   Be aware you'll probably have to settle for a spendy fixed-price menu (sorry, we are in the throes of prime brunch season, and hey--you did wait until the last minute), but moms are the best, right? And maybe don't forget to buy a card and some flowers to give her before brunch. She did raise you, after all.   Cap City Diner 1301 Stoneridge Dr. Gahanna You can still get pot roast at brunch! They make a short rib hash! Everybody's happy. But make this reservation quick. Their Grandview location is already booked, and tables are going fast at this suburban outpost. They're serving a la carte off of their normal brunch menu.   De-NoVo Bistro &#38; Bar 201 S. High St., Downtown Style-conscious moms will love the chic, big-city feel of De-NoVo's space. Their $35 per person menu ($16 for kids under 12) is heavy on brunch-station staples like pancakes, omelets and bacon, but adds roasted truffle chicken and mini-crab cakes to keep things interesting.   Latitude 41 50 N. Third St., Downtown   The swank downtown hotel restaurant's $35 ($25 for kids 5-12), three-course menu is filled with vegetarian and gluten-free options that aren't throwaways: think heirloom beet salad, shrimp and grits or peach creme brulee.   Luce Enoteca 3499 Market St., Powell The haul to Delaware County may be worth it for Luce's $26.95 menu ($12.95 for kids under 12, a relative bargain.) Check out the mascarpone-topped French toast, pictured above, or other Italian-flecked brunch favorites, like eggs Benedict with pancetta.   Barrel 44 2232 E. Main St., Bexley If drinks are top priorities for her (and you), Barrel 44 has you covered with a $6 mimosa and Bloody Mary special. A caricaturist will be making the rounds all afternoon as you sample small plates off of their regular menu.]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/58503721-Last-minute Mother's Day brunch ideas]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Q&A: Jeni Britton Bauer on the James Beard awards]]></title>
			<pubDate>Wed, 9 May 2012 22:10:13 -0500</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[We checked in with Jeni Britton Bauer, our very own ice cream rock star, who won a coveted James Beard Foundation award on Friday for her book, "Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home." She dished about her experience in NYC for the awards ceremony, including all the amazing things she got to eat.   Q: So in the food world, winning a James Beard is kind of like winning an Oscar. Was this award in the back of your mind at all as you were writing the book? A: The James Beard Award exists to inspire people like me to do the best work we possibly can. So, yes, I did think about it--about living up to the highest standards, those of the James Beard Foundation. However, those thoughts were few and far between because ultimately you can't write a book for someone else. We focused on getting the recipes right, on making the promise of beautiful ice cream and delivering. Writing this book was the hardest thing I've ever done--and if you saw my acknowledgements, then you know, it took a lot of people. None of us focused on winning an award. In fact, it is around my neck right now, but I will soon take it off for good. This is an amazing award that I am unbelievably proud of, and we celebrated it fully, but it represents something we did yesterday. It does not represent who we are today or what we will do tomorrow. That's why we never put awards or press up in our stores--because all that matters is what we are doing right now, not what has already been done.   Q: Did you have an acceptance speech written out ahead of time?  A: I kept it very short. I had a small opening line and I thanked my publisher, my awesome editor, my agent, my team and my amazing husband, Charly. I will tell you that I honestly and completely did not think we would win. I was not worried about an acceptance speech. When they called the book, I lost my mind. Somehow, I pulled it together for the speech, but it was pretty animated.   Q: Tell us about what you were wearing. A: I had a very cool outfit picked out. It was going to be a black pencil skirt, an electric/neon blue Diane Von Furstenberg shirt and super neon pink patent leather shoes with awesome stacked wooden heels. But I felt strange in the outfit and changed at the last minute to parachute pants with zippers, a slouchy linen blazer with big shoulder pads and leather sandals. I am glad I did it because I felt more comfortable and more myself.   Q: Which other James Beard winners were you excited to see prevail? A: Gabrielle Hamilton for "Blood, Bones &#38; Butter." She gave me a very big enthusiastic hug after the event (she has the book!) and I loved her book. Brad Thomas Parsons for his book "Bitters." He wrote about us for Serious Eats and has been to Columbus. His book is amazing. I was also very excited for Christina Tosi, who won for Rising Star Chef of the Year. I don't know her, but she is the kind of person who, if you read her book, you feel like you know. I admire her work ethic and her creativity. And it's good to see women win because the food world is, frankly, a bit long on dudes. It feels conspicuously out of balance.   Q: Which three people were you most excited to meet at the ceremony? A: Gabrielle Hamilton. Marcus Samuelsson. Meredith Erickson (she wrote the Joe Beef book). All three were exceptionally warm people.   Q: What great things did you eat while in New York? A: MEATBALLS! I have to go to The Meatball Shop now whenever I'm in town. We were there at 4 a.m. after the awards. I also love this restaurant called Parm, so we ate meatballs there too and their amazing broccoli rabe (seated next to Jay-Z!). We also ate at Mas La Grillade, where we had grill-warmed oysters with thyme butter (we had way too many of those). And at Parish Hall in Williamsburg, we had a four-hour dinner with about 20 people, one of whom was Harold McGee. The dinner was inspired by Ernest Hemingway's "The Sun Also Rises." One of the courses included beef heart tartare, which threw me. I didn't think I'd like it. I LOVED it. We had amazing cocktails and wines during that dinner (and too much Pernod). Charly and I also snuck up to the roof of our hotel and drank wine a few times. We had an excellent view of the new Freedom Tower (it's under construction, but they light all the lights every night. It's quite a sight). It was our quiet place during a very hectic, heavily scheduled five days.   Q: Have you eaten at either of this year's big JBF winning restaurants, Next in Chicago or Daniel Humm's Eleven Madison Park? A: I have eaten at Eleven Madison Park. Not at Next, but I'd give my kingdom to do so.   Q: Any plans to write another book? A: If I fall in love with an idea for another ice cream book, I'll write it. If not, I won't. I put everything I had into the first one, so the idea was not to have to write a second. But I have an idea that I'm working through and it will be very fun if it works.    Click here for a full list of James Beard Foundation winners!   Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams jenisicecreams.com]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/58483506-Q&A: Jeni Britton Bauer on the James Beard awards]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Tiki Drinks: Summer cocktail recipes]]></title>
			<pubDate>Mon, 7 May 2012 15:12:27 -0500</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Tiki drinks will reign at Liz Lessner's newest project, Grass Skirt. In anticipation, mix up the ultimate summer cocktail at home. Story by Faith Durand // Photos by Jodi Miller     Pineapple and rum, torchlight and swaying grass skirts--the tropical fever dream of classic tiki culture has deep local roots in Columbus.     "Tiki is part of Columbus' history," Carmen Owens of Columbus Food League explained over Mai Tais, in a home tiki bar festooned with carved mermaids and conch shells.     The bar belongs to Jim "Chisel Slinger" Robinson, a founder of tiki society The Fraternal Order of Moai. He and co-founder Matt "Kuku Ahu" Thatcher are lending their expertise to Grass Skirt, a forthcoming addition to the Liz Lessner-founded group of restaurants, and the only bar in Columbus that'll boast both a waterfall and a volcano.     This is pure South Seas fantasy, but it's founded on local memory thanks to Kahiki, the now-shuttered Polynesian restaurant that captivated tiki-lovers in Columbus and beyond.     "There are so many people in Columbus with fond memories of the Kahiki," Owens said. "Because of Kahiki, tiki is both exotic and local. It combines absurdism, kitsch, surrealism, memory--so many feel-good things in one place."     Grass Skirt won't open until later this summer, but it's not the only way to explore tiki's delights. Tiki drinks themselves brim with fruit, rum and a seductive balance of sweet and sour. Whether mixed over a bar or at home, they offer the fantasy of the tropics any time, any place.     (All recipes courtesy of Matt "Kuku Ahu" Thatcher of local tiki society The Fraternal Order of Moai and Carmen Owens of Grass Skirt.)       Carmen's Coconut Sangria (Makes 1 drink) Sangria, usually associated with Spanish cuisine, gets a tiki twist with coconut cream, rum and lime.  Ingredients: 3/4 oz. fresh-squeezed lime juice 8 oz. Carmen's Sangria, plus a spoonful of fruit (recipe follows)  3/4 oz. coconut cream, such as Coco Real 1 oz. Cruzan light rum  Pineapple wedge and fresh mint, to garnish  Combine all ingredients and stir with ice until chilled and blended. Pour into large wine goblet and garnish with pineapple wedge and mint sprig.  For Carmen's Sangria:  To make 3 cups (24 oz.) sangria, mix 1 (750ml) bottle inexpensive pinot grigio with 3 cups chopped pineapple, 1 cup chopped apple, 1 cup halved red grapes, 1 oz. fresh ginger slices and 2 oz. apricot brandy. Stir and refrigerate for 48 hours. Use within 3 days.      Peles Curse (Makes 1 drink) Despite the name, we think Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of fire, lightning and volcanoes, smiles upon this playful drink infused with sweet pineapple, spicy pepper and soda pop syrup.  Ingredients: 1/2 oz. fresh-squeezed lime juice  1 oz. Cruzan vanilla rum  2 oz. pineapple-peppercorn-infused rum (recipe follows)  2 oz. vanilla soda, such as Boylan Natural Creme Vanilla Soda 3/4 oz. Tahitian Treat syrup (instructions follow)  Maraschino or Luxardo cherries, pineapple wedge and pineapple leaves, to garnish  Shake lime juice, vanilla rum, and infused light rum with crushed ice, and pour into a highball glass. Top with vanilla soda and stir, then drizzle slowly with Tahitian Treat syrup. Garnish with maraschino or Luxardo cherries, pineapple wedge, and pineapple leaves.  For Pineapple-Peppercorn-Infused Rum:  To make 3 cups (24 oz.) infused rum, mix 1 (750ml) bottle Cruzan light rum with 3 cups chopped pineapple and 1/4 cup lightly cracked black peppercorns. Stir and cover. Refrigerate at least 1 night and up to 4 weeks.  For Tahitian Treat Syrup:  To make 1 cup (8 oz.) syrup, pour 3 cups Tahitian Treat soda into a 1-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced to 1 cup. Refrigerate for up to 4 weeks (add 1.5 oz. vodka to make it shelf-stable for a longer period of time).      Classic Mai Tai (Makes 1 drink) Victor "Trader Vic" Bergeron invented this iconic drink in the '40s at his California restaurant.  Ingredients: 3/4 oz. fresh lime juice  2 oz. Ron Atlantico Private Cask rum 1/2 oz. orgeat syrup, such as one made by Torani or Monin 1/2 oz. Orange Curacao Pineapple wedge, maraschino cherry and fresh mint, to garnish Shake well with ice and pour into double old-fashioned glass. Serve with spent lime shell, and garnish with pineapple wedge and maraschino cherry, and a fresh mint sprig.      My Blue Hawaii (Makes 1 drink) What would a tiki bar be without one blue drink? This light, sweet cocktail is no gimmick, with a balanced mix of juice, brandy, and--of course--rum.  Ingredients: 2 oz. Appleton Estate White rum 1/2 oz. Blue Curacao  1/2 oz. apricot brandy  3 oz. pineapple juice 1/2 oz. fresh-squeezed lime juice 1/2 oz. rock candy syrup, such as Amoretti 3 dashes Fee Bros. Peach Bitters Orange wheel and pineapple wedge, to garnish  Shake all ingredients with ice, pour into highball or hurricane glass, and garnish with orange wheel and pineapple wedge.      Ahus Navy Grog #2 (Makes 1 drink) This is a splendid example of the sweet-sour-strong balance in a tiki drink, with a sour lime and grapefruit start, a sweet maple middle, and a strong, alcoholic finish.  Ingredients: 3/4 oz. fresh-squeezed lime juice  3/4 oz. fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice or Simply Grapefruit 3/4 oz. Grade A maple syrup 4 dashes Angostura bitters 1/4 oz. Fernet Branca  2 oz. dark rum, such as Myers's Original Dark Orange or lime wheel and fresh mint, to garnish  Combine all ingredients and shake well with ice. Pour into double old-fashioned glass and garnish with orange or lime wheel and mint sprig.]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/58442562-Tiki Drinks: Summer cocktail recipes]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Tables for Two: The most romantic tables in Columbus]]></title>
			<pubDate>Thu, 2 Feb 2012 22:49:00 -0600</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Nothing inspires romance quite like an intimate dinner date. There's just something magical about it: the candlelight, the grazing of knees and elbows, a shared dessert.  But sitting at any old table isn't going to cut it. The most romantic tables are far enough away from fellow diners to allow for clandestine conversation.   They're situated next to roaring fireplaces. They have curtains that can be drawn shut to allow for complete privacy.   Here are four of the city's best.  Hyde Park 1615 Old Henderson Rd., Upper Arlington  Of the three Hyde Park steakhouses in Columbus, the original in Upper Arlington is widely acknowledged to be the most romantic. The restaurant is divided up into several cozy dining rooms, each with its own fireplace. Everyone has their own favorite place to sit, says manager Jonathan Legato. "We have a lot of different nooks and crannies."  Make reservations to celebrate an anniversary and you'll be treated to rose petals and candles. Proposals are toasted with champagne. And on Fridays and Saturdays, a live jazz band provides a soundtrack for the evening.    McCormick &#38; Schmick's 3695 New Bond St., Easton  Curtains that can be--and often are--drawn shut are what set these booths apart from the pack. The Easton seafood spot attracts four to five couples celebrating anniversaries every weekend night, says private dining coordinator Sarah Stout. Menus are printed twice daily, and can be personalized to commemorate special occasions: "We'll put 'Happy Anniversary, Sherry and Jack.''  Kihachi 2667 Federated Blvd., Dublin  The magic of tatami dining is in the ritual. In these Japanese dining rooms steeped in tradition, couples sit on thick straw tatami mats at a low-set table as they feast on a leisurely multi-course meal. It's a peaceful and serene experience, thanks especially to the complete privacy afforded by rolling-shut doors. At Kihachi, it's best to order lots of dishes for sharing--each plate prepared by Kihachi's brilliant chef Mike Kimura is guaranteed to delight the senses.  DeepWood 511 N. High St., Short North  Round booths demand couples sit next to each other--perfect for hand-holding and seductive whispers. They help keep conversations private. And they trick you into believing you're the only two people in the world.   At DeepWood, owner Amber Herron says, couples celebrating anniversaries are treated to special flower arrangements, a hand-written note from the staff, and a tasting of housemade ice creams as a sweet ending to the meal.]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/56591702-Tables for Two: The most romantic tables in Columbus]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Magdiale Wolmark's favorite cookbooks]]></title>
			<pubDate>Thu, 2 Feb 2012 22:48:00 -0600</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Story by Jackie Mantey  l  Photo by Jodi Miller  Inside Magdiale Wolmark's kitchen is a cubby crammed with books--an unlikely sight in a professional kitchen. Wolmark, long the owner of vegan destination Dragonfly, and his wife Cristin Austin recently reinvented the space as Till. The new restaurant has a more casual (and wallet-friendly) vibe, and while the menu still focuses primarily on vegetables and other plants, some meat-based dishes are offered as well. Plans for Till include an adjacent bakery, opening this spring, a coffee counter and a gallery space. "I'm excited to let go and have fun. Dragonfly was awesome but it was a little uptight," Wolmark said. "Logistically, it's going to be a whole new ballgame." The James Beard semifinalist chef doesn't refer to his kitchen's guidebooks much anymore, but they've been an important part of his culinary journey. Wolmark has made plants the star of his cooking repertoire, and this unique path left him to come up with lesson plans on his own. Wolmark has books about how to combine raw foods in tasty ways. He has books about preserving that taught him how to get the most out of the vegetables grown in his own garden (his staff recently preserved 100 pounds of tomatoes and 40 pounds of Japanese eggplants). He has books about umami, with tips like marinating portobello mushrooms in red wine and soy sauce before grilling them to really bring out that earthy sixth flavor. The culinary artist filled us in on some of the books that influenced his cooking--and, effectively, his menus. Ã?  "Jamie at Home: Cook Your Way to the Good Life" By Jamie Oliver Britain's Oliver uses ingredients mostly from his garden in this cookbook, particularly helpful for vegetarians looking to use their own produce. Ã?  "Designing the New Kitchen Garden: An American Potager Handbook" By Jennifer R. Bartley The author is the landscape architect who designed Dragonfly's renowned garden, and the book talks about its planning phases and design. Wolmark considers his dedication to vegetable life an investment. "If I were hardcore into cooking meat, I'd be really attached to the animals in some way," he said. "I'd get to know the producers, I'd go visit them." Ã?  "Cheese: Exploring Taste and Tradition" By Patricia Michelson Wolmark is neither vegan nor vegetarian, but he rarely eats cheese. However, he loves learning about the artisanship required to make it. This tome is a nearly 300-page tribute to just that. The book's recipe for pissalediere, a popular puff pastry street treat from Southern France, inspired a similar menu item at Dragonfly made with dehydrated local tomatoes and squash in olive oil and herbs. Ã?  "The Pasta Bible" By Christian Teubner, Silvio Rizzi and Tan Lee Leng Wolmark flips through this doctrine to get inspired by items like the polenta gnocchi. Ã?  "Tamales" By Mark Miller, Stephan Pyles and John Sedlar The book is stuffed with methods for making the corn husk-wrapped treats. "It's got great ideas about flavor combinations that are really unique," Wolmark said.]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/56591707-Magdiale Wolmark's favorite cookbooks]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Shared Plates: Romantic meals for two in Columbus]]></title>
			<pubDate>Thu, 2 Feb 2012 22:48:00 -0600</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Sushi for Two dinner at AOI Sushi ($53) 878 Bethel Rd., Northwest Side aoibluebar.com  It arrives on a visually riveting carved wooden bridge you definitely want to cross, and nibbling on this stunner can really ratchet up the passion.   Spanning along its archway is a colorful smorgasbord of beautiful sushi and sashimi like silky hamachi nigiri, salmon with Philly cream cheese and spicy tuna maki rolls.   Meet your mate in the middle, where the meal's elaborate centerpiece--the Volcano Roll--radiates out like a stacked-high and thrilling amusement park ride.   Ooh and aah as you work past its crispy salmon tempura rolls up to its California rolls draped in fresh avocado. Rich, sweet and spicy sauces accompany a climb to delicious grilled fish. Atop this--in a lava-like, flame-red burst of fish roe--the Volcano roll culminates, but your evening has just found a little fire.   Chateaubriand for Two at Eddie Merlot's ($85) 1570 Polaris Pkwy., Polaris eddiemerlots.com  By the time this huge hunk of prime, filet mignon-like love is wheeled out and carved tableside by the waiter, you and your date will likely be delirious with meat fever.  Let slicing through the beef's delightfully charred and salty crust to find a warm and beautifully tender center be a guide for the rest of your night. Comes with tangy bearnaise sauce and two sides, like great Brussels sprouts and Eddie's Potatoes. Bon appetit, lovebirds. Italian Plate from Moretti's of Arlington ($21) 2124 Tremont Ctr., Upper Arlington morettisofarlington.com  Whisked out on a serving platter and sprinkled with heart-like sauteed red pepper bits, mushrooms and onions, this is practically a Valentine to handmade and easy-to-love old-school favorites.   It contains logs of crackly battered zucchini, seared Italian sausages, spaghetti with a lusty red sauce, a large raviolo with sweet ricotta stuffing and a simple but perfect Chicken Francaise. From the pasta to the sausages, it's all homemade and served with a side of amore.]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/56613162-Shared Plates: Romantic meals for two in Columbus]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Inside Knead chef Rick Lopez's home kitchen]]></title>
			<pubDate>Thu, 2 Feb 2012 22:41:00 -0600</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Story by Robin Davis | Photos by Jodi Miller  Rick Lopez is known for his commitment to locally sourced ingredients in the kitchen of his Short North restaurant, Knead. The kitchen at his Grandview home is no different. Grocery store-brand eggs won't do. Ditto for milk, cream and butter.   But he does make a few exceptions.   "When we can't find something locally, we go to very humanely sourced ingredients from small places," said the chef, previously of La Tavola and Tapatio.   With just these five ingredients he always has on hand at home, Lopez knows he can make a meal at a moment's notice: homemade pasta with butter and Parmesan, maybe a little cream. But to make a dish with so few ingredients, quality is key.   "You want the ingredients to be exceptional," Lopez said.   Robin Davis is food editor of the Columbus Dispatch.   Pasta with Parmesan Cream   Makes about 4 servings   Ingredients:  2 cups flour, plus additional for rolling  3 eggs  1 tablespoon butter  1/4 cup white wine or water  1/4 cup cream  1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano  Freshly grated nutmeg  Salt and cracked black pepper   Mix the flour and a pinch of salt. Make a well in the center of the flour. Crack eggs into the well. Pull the dry ingredients into the center with a dough scraper until you have rough little balls of dough.   Knead together, adding water if necessary. Keep working the dough until it forms into a smooth ball. Wrap in plastic and let rest 15 minutes.   Cut the dough as though cutting thick slices of bread. Roll out with a rolling pin to 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness, using lots of flour to keep from sticking. Sprinkle dough with flour. Roll up as for jelly roll. Cut with a knife into fettuccine.   Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta. Reduce heat to low. Cook until tender, but still firm to bite.   Meanwhile, melt the butter with the wine in a large pot. Remove from heat. Drain pasta and add to butter pot. Add cream and Parmesan. Toss to coat. Season with salt, nutmeg and pepper.   What's always in your Kitchen?  1. Hartzler Family Dairy butter  "It's just Amish, hand-churned, very yellow'Ã?Â?Ã?Â®what butter should be. When you put it on bread it tastes like butter."  2. Snowville Creamery cream and milk  "It's probably the best milk I've ever had in my life. It tastes milder and creamier, like when I was a child."  3. Holistic Acres eggs  "The yolks are really golden, which makes my pasta taste much better."  4. Parmigiano Reggiano cheese  "Parmigiano Reggiano can't be beat. I've never found anything domestically that's as good, though there are decent cheeses coming out of Ohio now."  5. King Arthur unbleached all-purpose flour  "We can't grow softer wheat here for flour. King Arthur is a great company."  Knead 505 N. High St., Short North 614-228-6323 kneadonhigh.com]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/56591706-Inside Knead chef Rick Lopez's home kitchen]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Sign up: Cooking classes taught by Columbus chefs]]></title>
			<pubDate>Thu, 2 Feb 2012 22:40:00 -0600</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Story by Beth Stallings | Photos by Eric Wagner  Something's burning. The aroma of fig and sweet onion pizza that once filled the room is suddenly replaced by a smoky scent. Figlio and Vino Vino owners Peter and Laurie Danis smell it, too, and they pause from their cooking lesson in the North Market's Dispatch Kitchen to glance back at the oven. Ã?   Laurie quickly takes a few steps to the side to pull out a tray of salmon, meant to provide the base for the salsa Peter is demonstrating. Looking at the slightly blackened skin, she shrugs it off with an, "Eh, it's a new oven" chuckle.  The 20 onlookers laugh, even though they know they'll be eating that dish in a matter of minutes. The smiles of the home cooks are understanding--they've been there, too. And relieved--even the pros make mistakes.  "You learn it's OK to flub a recipe a bit," said cooking class student Jennifer Fleishman of the chef-taught class. "And this gives you the confidence to make things you'd never try at home."  Fleishman signed up for the Dine Originals Chef Series to spice up her recipe arsenal, pick up a cooking trick or two and, hopefully, a few great stories to retell at her next dinner party.  Lucky for her, the restaurant owners want the same thing.  "There's a story attached to every recipe and a story attached to every wine," Peter opened, making it clear this isn't just a cooking lesson. It's a view into the Danis' kitchens, both at the restaurants and at home. "We wanted tonight to be a personal and intimate experience."  The Danises shared secrets and told stories. For instance, they haven't bought bread in three years because of the "life-changing" simple recipe Peter will show tonight.  Laurie's grandmother, who lived to be 106, taught her to freeze a mixture of flour and cut-in butter to give a head start on pie crust.  At the restaurant, Figlio's 800-degree, oak-burning oven hasn't been turned off in 20 years. And then there's their lease, with a garlic provision that gives the landlord the right to kick them out if the smell of garlic permeates the office tenants above.  Anecdotes are wrapped in between cooking techniques, forkfuls of food and sips of wine. It's clear the evening is as much about entertaining as it is about education. It's this approach to teaching that attracts people to classes instructed by area chefs. Diners are looking for a new twist on eating out. Chefs are looking for a new, lasting way to connect with their customers. Ã?   "It's very satisfying to think that something you've done has a ripple effect and then can be used for years to come," said Peter, who's been teaching classes with his wife off and on for 20 years. "I love when people say, 'I just made your such-and-such.' It's great to think you have an impact on somebody's life in such a meaningful way."   Building blocks  At Spagio in Grandview, classes taught by Chef Hubert Seifert have become an annual staple. The themed, demo-style cooking classes were created after constant requests from diners, and they're too popular to cancel, said restaurant controller Nicole Dinsmoor.  "He was going to do a few, but people love them," said Dinsmoor, Seifert's daughter. "And he loves them so much. It's just a great passion to share with others."  Upper Arlington resident Jim Henson has been attending the classes at Spagio's private dining club, Aubergine, for years. Henson views them more as lifestyle classes--a basic building block, not just to cooking but to entertaining.  "As a chef, you know how to cook. But it's more about taking it to the next level and making it special. It's about entertaining and showing how things go together," Henson said. "That's the stuff you don't get when you go to other classes. It's the whole concept, from sourcing to preparing to plating to presenting the finished product."   It's also about getting there in a relaxed way. Formal cooking school classes follow set regimens and include a specific number of recipes to get through in a small amount of time.  When restaurant chefs run classes, they have the freedom to offer compact menus and smaller class sizes to give an intimate feel, said Susie Cork, general manager at Shaw's Restaurant &#38; Inn.  For four years at her Lancaster restaurant, Cork has been teaching nearly every Saturday in a remodeled space designed for instruction. For the past three she's also taught pastry and sushi courses at Sur La Table in Easton, so she understands the difference.  "We're not just blasting through six recipes," she said. "I emphasize technique for sure. But it's more informal. I hate the formal, don't-talk atmosphere. Shout out a question. Let's have some wine."  Plus, the guarantee with chef-taught classes is you know the teacher knows the basics, said Cork, a classically trained chef. Although, she added, most people aren't coming for a lesson on technique. People come to learn a new recipe or for something fun to do with a friend.  "A cooking class rounds out the experience in a way that reading a book or seeing a picture in a magazine never could. It's a three-dimensional experience. It's fun," said Peter Danis of Figlio. "It sure beats watching TV." Ã?   Ã?  Roll Call  A look at chef-taught cooking classes around town Ã?   Spagio The Class: One hour of instruction by Spagio chef Hubert Seifert, followed by a four-course meal and wine pairings for $75. Topics range from basics such as roasting and braising to themed classes like the French Riviera and 30-minute meals. Held: 2-4 p.m. Saturdays, April through October For more: spagio.com Ã?   The Cooking Studio at Shaw's The Class: A mix of demo-style and hands-on offerings created by general manager Susie Cork. Offerings change with the seasons, with themes like Paris and beer. A served lunch follows. Prices range from $45 to $59. Held: 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. most Saturdays year-round For more: shawsinn.com Ã?   North Market Chef Series The Class: A two-hour demo hosted by area chefs, mostly from Dine Originals restaurants such as The Refectory, Alana's and Barcelona. Up to 24 guests get three courses and wine pairings for $35. Held: Twice a month, typically Wednesday evenings, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. For more: northmarket.com Ã?   The Hills Market The Class: Two-hour classes are half cooking demo, half feast, with a communal-style dinner. Guest chef instructors vary from season to season, and have included Anthony Schulz from the Inn and Spa at Cedar Falls and Rick Lopez from Knead, who will teach on Feb. 15. Prices range from $35 to $50. Held: January through April For more: thehillsmarket.com Ã?   Franklin Park Conservatory The Class: A mix of hands-on and demonstration classes with rotating themes, from canning to knife skills to French cooking. Instructors rotate as well, from bloggers to area chefs, plus regular instruction by Local Matters chef Laura Robertson-Boyd. Prices vary by class. Held: Year-round. Dates and times vary. For more: fpconservatory.org Ã?]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/56591704-Sign up: Cooking classes taught by Columbus chefs]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Craft beer in cans]]></title>
			<pubDate>Thu, 2 Feb 2012 22:38:00 -0600</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Celebrated suds are turning up in suddenly cool beer cans  Story by G.A. Benton | Photo by Jodi Miller  I used to pity beer cans. Though endowed with enviable assets--shatterproof and impervious to air and light, they keep suds fresher and therefore safer from skunky flaws than bottles do--cans nonetheless got mired in a coarse and downscale image.  Forced into underprivileged, bargain-basement-like outerwear, cans rarely ran with the glamorous six-packs, and more often hung out with the lowly swills of beer society. You might've noticed things are changing.  In our increasingly enlightened carbon-fuel-consuming times, top-tier breweries are capitalizing on other advantages cans enjoy over bottles. Being substantially lighter and comparatively compact, they're more easily stacked, stored and transported--translating into real energy savings. Other positives result from the fact that crushable cans are more simply, completely and frequently recycled.  Toss in modern "liners" that eliminate metallic aftertastes, factor in upturning palates in a downturned economy, and you'll understand why celebrated ales and lagers in formerly humble cans are suddenly as cool and in demand as dressed up French fries and fancified sliders.  That's why high-profile imports and great American microbrews have been turning up in flashy metal containers--with fun approaches to graphics and branding--at local hotspots like these.]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/56591708-Craft beer in cans]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Street Eats: Ray Ray's Hog Pit]]></title>
			<pubDate>Thu, 2 Feb 2012 20:41:00 -0600</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Story by Bethia Woolf | Photos by Jodi Miller  Central Ohio's chill is hard on mobile food vendors. But even in the depths of winter you'll find people lining up outside Ray Ray's Hog Pit, braving sub-zero temperatures for a taste of hickory-smoked heaven.   One of the most popular food trucks in Columbus, Ray Ray's is also one of few able to operate year-round. That's thanks to a winterized truck and a loyal local following that has made it into something of a Clintonville institution.  Ray Ray's is owned and operated by pit boss James Ray Anderson, a self-taught BBQ guru inspired by his professional-barbecuer dad. Anderson has run restaurants in the past, but he prefers the simpler life of mobile food vending. He keeps the menu small and consistent so he can focus on doing what he does at the highest level possible.  What makes Ray Ray's so special? Well, everything, from the quality of wood Anderson uses to smoke the best meats he can find, to the thought he puts into the recipes for his rubs, seasonings and sauces.   Ray Ray's beef brisket takes 12 to 14 hours to cook. That's a lot of care and attention, and it's worth it. The result is barbecue you think about days after eating, long after the lingering smell of smoke and sauce has left your fingers.   Where to find it:  The Ray Ray's truck parks in the lot of the Super Food Market at the corner of Pacemont Road and High Street in Clintonville.   When to go:  Ray Ray's is open from noon to 8 p.m. Friday through Sunday--but "when it's out, it's out!"   What to get:  Brisket is Ray Ray's most popular item. On Sundays only they also offer 100 percent grass-fed brisket. Word to the wise--it generally sells out.   Anderson's advice for newcomers is to start with a half pound of brisket and a half slab of Memphis dry-rub ribs. The hickory smoke flavor really comes through in those pork ribs, which are so tender the meat pulls right off the bone.   You'll also find pulled pork and occasional specials, like smoked turkey or burnt ends (charred, crunchy scraps of brisket with an intense smoky flavor).   On the side:  Sides are mac and cheese, coleslaw, baked beans and greens. Ask each person in line and they'll name a different one as their favorite.   The greens, a mixture of kale and collards, are perfectly cooked so they retain their texture rather than turning into mush. The mac and cheese is creamy and comfort-foody. The coleslaw is a refreshing counterpoint to the piles of meat, and the beans are saucy, sweet and spicy.   Through the winter months, you may also see special sides like skillet butter corn, green beans and red skins, and red beans and rice.  Don't forget...  The barbecue sauce. Out of the four sauces offered, the habanero is the most popular, and it's not as hot as it might sound. It's a well-balanced sauce with a nice kick.  Bethia Woolf, owner of the tour company Columbus Food Adventures, blogs at streeteatscolumbus.com  Ray Ray's Hog Pit 614-753-1191 Search for Ray Ray's on Facebook  Ã?]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/56591701-Street Eats: Ray Ray's Hog Pit]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Pho in Columbus: Here's what you need to know]]></title>
			<pubDate>Thu, 2 Feb 2012 19:54:00 -0600</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Story by ROBIN DAVIS | Photos by JODI MILLER  Pho is a Vietnamese noodle soup with quite a loyal following. But ordering--and eating--this soul-warming stuff can be intimidating for the uninitiated.   First, there's the name. Pho is pronounced "fuh"--not like "phone" without the "ne." Then there's the complex assortment of condiments that come with it, from peppery Thai basil to fiery Sriracha hot sauce. They make the soup infinitely customizable, but can also make things confusing for first-timers unsure of what and how much to add.  For a primer on the soup, I turned to Thang Nguyen of Lac Viet on Bethel Road.   Nguyen makes pho broth from scratch, babying it as the bones simmer for hours in his 60-gallon kettle.   At many restaurants, customers can choose from toppings including thin slices of rare beef or well-done beef, tripe and tendon.   Nguyen serves his only with rare beef or meatballs. The real proof, he says, is in the broth. "If the broth is good enough, you don't need all that."   Diners are served a huge bowl with rice noodles, green onions, cilantro and meat, all topped with a generous portion of that fragrant broth.   Alongside comes a plate with sprouts, basil, lime and jalapeno slices. Most restaurants offer bottles of Sriracha and hoisin on the table. That's when the fun starts.  "Most dishes, you can't do so much with, just salt and pepper," Nguyen said. "Pho is fully customizable. It's limitless." Ã?    Step-by-step guide to pho  Making it  1. Beef bones are slowly simmered in water to make broth.   2. Lightly grilled onions and garlic are added several hours into the simmering process.  3. Spices like star anise, cardamom and whole peppercorns are added a couple of hours before the broth is done. At the very end, the broth is seasoned with salt.  4. To serve, cooked rice noodles are placed in the bowl, topped with meat (such as raw beef, lamb or chicken) and then cilantro and green onions. Broth is poured over top.  5. Garnishes (bean sprouts, jalapeno slices, basil, hot sauces) are served on the side.   Eating it  1. Sip the broth first before deciding which, if any, condiments to add. Nguyen eats it with just some jalapeno slices for heat.  2. Season as you go. Many people start adding condiments when they're about halfway finished. A squeeze of lime, maybe, and then squirts of hoisin and Sriracha when just a few noodles and a splash of broth remains.   3. The best way to eat this mammoth bowl of goodness is with two hands, says Nguyen. Use your dominant hand to pick up a few noodles with chopsticks or a fork. Get those to your mouth then follow it with a spoonful of broth from a spoon in the other hand.   Where to find it  Some of the local restaurants serving pho:  Buckeye Pho, 761 Bethel Rd., Northwest Side Huong Vietnamese Restaurant, 1270 Morse Rd., North Side Indochine Cafe, 561 S. Hamilton Rd., Whitehall Lac Viet, 1506 Bethel Rd., Northwest Side Lan Viet, 59 Spruce St., North Market Mi Li Cafe, 5858 Emporium Square, North Side Pho Asian Noodle House, 1288 W. Lane Ave., Upper Arlington Pho Saigon inside Asian Grocery, 5644 Columbus Square, North Side Saigon Palace, 114 N. Front St., Downtown  Ã?  Pho Vocabulary Pho ba = beef noodle soup Pho ga = chicken noodle soup Pho cuu = lamb noodle soup]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/56571061-Pho in Columbus: Here's what you need to know]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Columbus Icon: Fisherman's Wharf's Niki Chalkias]]></title>
			<pubDate>Thu, 2 Feb 2012 19:24:00 -0600</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Story by Beth Stallings l Photos by Alysia burton   Niki Chalkias looks disgusted as a young waiter greets his table with a friendly, "Hey, folks."   "What is this 'folks'?" asks the 69-year-old owner of Fisherman's Wharf through a Greek accent so heavy it's clear English isn't his first language. It's charmingly authentic, yet intimidating when laced with fervor.   "Their names are ladies and gentlemen. Good evening, madam. Good evening, sir. I want to hear nothing else."   Each sentence is dotted with a finality that makes it law. Know Niki Chalkias for more than 30 seconds and you'll understand this passion; why something seemingly as simple as a salutation is enough to upset the veteran restaurateur, who's opened and closed a handful of eateries in Columbus.   Call him demanding. A perfectionist. Tough loving. His family, friends and employees all do.   With Chalkias, every detail matters. It's the details that create the personal experience that brings diners back to this third, more casual incarnation of Fisherman's Wharf at Polaris, opened in 2010.   Just like the previous locations--the original Columbus spot on Morse Road, which opened in 1976, and then in Bexley until 2005--you aren't walking into a restaurant. You're entering Chalkias' 200-seat family dining room. People aren't customers. They are guests. And Chalkias--or Capt. Niki, as he's been known for three decades--is your gracious host.   It's not Old-World service, Chalkias insists. It's the only way service should be.   The native of Rhodes island, Greece, says he was brainwashed into this belief during his five years at a Swiss culinary school. French instructors there taught him two lessons he still carries with him: First, there is only No. 1 in this industry. To succeed, you must have the best skills and buy the best products.   Second, Chalkias' culinary school mentor told Niki it didn't matter if he owned the finest restaurant with gold plates and crystal glasses. "If the first bite is no good," he said, "everything you have is nothing."   These lessons are the reason Chalkias was one of the first Columbus chefs to insist on sourcing authentic extra-virgin olive oils and fresh herbs to season his Mediterranean-style seafood with a Greek accent. He was part of a small group of culinary minds, the likes of which included Kent Rigsby running Lindey's at the time, who brought this standard here in the 1970s--long before it would become the norm.   "He had a big impact," said Yanni's Greek Grill owner Ioannis Minatsis, who worked for Chalkias for 17 years. "He was a role model. Other people [both Greek and in fine dining] saw how successful he was and started to follow."   Niki helped Minatsis open his own Greek restaurant on Cleveland Avenue. He offered advice to dozens more chefs. He's employed more than 60 relatives at his restaurants, including his children, John and Maria. His children are now partners at his other eateries, Big Fat Greek Kuzina and Feta Greek Kuzina. Opened in 2005 and 2007, respectively, the two offer traditional Greek cuisine.   More than anything, this is a family business.   "I like to say I went from the birth canal right to the dish tank," jokes Maria Chalkias, who, like her brother, has been working at the restaurants her whole life. Outside the kitchen, the children carry on their father's hospitality. If Niki isn't checking on your table after the second bite, it's one of them.   "When somebody walks into your home, which is here, you have to make sure they love everything," Maria said. "When people come into your home, you treat them like family."   In the kitchen, Niki's wife Gina, a trained Greek chef with a focus in pastry, crafts all of the desserts. Maria designs the cocktails. Recipes are first tested in a second kitchen that was installed in the basement of Chalkias' home for this very purpose. The whole family tinkers with dishes there--going through roughly a dozen versions of each recipe before it's taken to the restaurant, where chefs tweak a little more.   "We work differently because we are a family," Niki said. "We cook with our hearts and nothing else."   A love for what he does has never been a problem. Chalkias knew at the age of 12 that restaurants were where he wanted to be. He grew up surrounded by food. His father ran a grocery; his mother, a brilliant cook, taught him to blend spices. One of seven children, he grew up on a small farm overlooking the water in Greece.   Caught in the spell of the kitchen, he would brag, "I'm going to be a big chef someday."   Passion still rolls off Chalkias like steam off a hot plate. He holds his thick hands to the breast of his black chef coat. He taps his chest, then points out to plates, gestures to the walls of the restaurant, decorated in a stressed brown that conjures the feel of a sunken ship.   "Our food is the finest in the world," he said. "We make everything different than everybody else. Our cooking is personal. It comes from the heart."   It's not jargon. Niki means every word he says. He pounds on the table, giving even the glasses a start, as he says, "We only buy the best." That means lobster tails from Australia. Langoustines from South America.   "Anything in life, when you're doing it with meaning and passion it's going to be better," his daughter Maria said, explaining what makes their seafood different. "My dad cooks with his heart. That's the main ingredient missing when people cook. You have to have a love for food."   Sitting in the side room of the restaurant, Niki is sought out by a couple on their way out--the man is a frequent diner at Fisherman's Wharf; the woman a first-timer. They compliment the day's special. She tells him what a hidden gem he has here among the sea of chain restaurants surrounding a shopping mall. They say they will be back again and hug Niki like they're old friends.  Taking a seat at the head of a table, Niki folds his hands on his chest and sighs with a quiet, "That's nice." He looks up and says a little louder, "That is what I want. When they leave, I want them to have a smile on their face." Ã?    No Stopping  Niki Chalkias attempted retirement only once--closing the Morse Road Fisherman's Wharf in 1991, when he reached his mid-50s. He thought retirement was expected at that age, so he closed up and moved back to Greece.   His hiatus lasted only two years. He was soon back and opening more restaurants in Columbus with his family. But this newest location of Fisherman's Wharf is his last stop, he insists. This is where he started, and this is where he'll end.   "He's been trying to retire for 20 years," joked his son, John. "Then what happens? He opens up another restaurant. His love and passion won't let him retire."    Good notes  The only thing that could have lured Niki Chalkias out of the kitchen is singing. The restaurateur put himself through culinary school working both in kitchens and singing at local nightclubs.   He sang in Bermuda while working as a hotel chef, appearing in lineups in the late 1960s with the likes of Tom Jones. During the '70s and '80s he released two albums under a small Greek label.   "He has a beautiful voice," said his son John. "He's a tenor with a Greek R&#38;B style."   Now, Niki sings to relieve stress, taking long drives with the windows down, belting Greek tunes.  Ã?]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/56591703-Columbus Icon: Fisherman's Wharf's Niki Chalkias]]></link>
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			<pubDate>Wed, 1 Feb 2012 20:59:30 -0600</pubDate>
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			<title><![CDATA[Strip Search: Terrific Turkish food in Bethel Centre]]></title>
			<pubDate>Wed, 1 Feb 2012 20:15:22 -0600</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Story by G.A. Benton l Photos by Alysia Burton   Buzzing through Columbus, you might zoom right past Bethel Centre plaza and pay no attention. After all, it's just another blur of storefronts, right?  Well, serendipity-minded passersby taking the time to investigate Bethel Centre will find out it's like the compressed downtown of a little global village bent into a three-sided street.   Spanning Bethel Centre--it conjures up a melting-pot pop-up Monopoly board--is a tightly packed horde of diverse shops, such as: an Asian bakery, a barber, a tattoo parlor, ethnic grocers, a card-playing salon plus laptop and hockey specialists.     Also mixing in seamlessly are: an overachieving, underexposed Indian eatery; a neat and cheap Vietnamese restaurant; the best brick-and-mortar Mexican street food in town; a killer Korean place hidden in the back of a store; and a terrific Turkish food palace whose cuisine, staff and clientele speak to the cross-pollinating, multi-culti beehive that characterizes Bethel Centre--and today's Columbus in general.  People from all over the world were enthusiastically eating, and I heard workers speaking English, Spanish and Turkish the last time I visited Cafe Shish Kebab. Considering Turkish food is an amalgam of Eastern European, Central Asian and Middle Eastern dishes fused together by the once-powerful and conquer-happy Ottoman Empire, this seemed perfectly fitting.  Cafe Shish Kebab's suave, handsome and comfy setting is another good fit.   Surrounded by walls memorably covered in highly polished, dark-grained wood, it's a rarity of versatility: a white tablecloth establishment suitable for special-occasion dining, rowdy family celebrations or just a casual lunch. Similarly, Shish Kebab's vibrant, fresh and healthy-leaning food offers something wonderful for every palate.    For instance, discriminating vegetarians can make a cravetastic meal out of toasty, dimpled and sesame-seed-sprinkled house bread loaves (called "pide") and delectable dips (each about $6), such as: the best baba ganoush in town; deeply, sweetly roasted ratatouille-like "eggplant with sauce"; a refreshing, lemon and parsley-forward tabouli; rich, tangy, dill-kissed and tzatziki-ish haydari; and the spicy, walnutty and salsa-y ezme. Eight of these nibblers come corralled in the excellent appetizer sampler ($16). Shish Kebab hooks up seafood seekers, too. Check out the steaky Swordfish or garlicky Grilled Shrimp--both $18 and both served with good rice and a neat green salad.   Of course kebabs here are top-notch, but for an enlivening spin, try them prepared "Iskender" style. This means slathered in a perky tomato sauce and served atop a beautiful bed of fried pide cubes blanketed with Shish Kebab's intense yogurt. It's a game-changing sensation, especially with lusty handmade gyro meat (Doner, $16), or sausagey and bell-peppery Adana (with ground chicken or lamb, $15).   Lamb lovers are especially in luck. Try the unusual--and unusually fantastic--Sultan's Favorite ($15, think Turkish shrimp-n-grits, but with lamb and outrageously great, cheesy mashed eggplant) or the fiercely traditional Shepherd's Casserole ($15). The latter's like a gigantic, oregano-flecked stir fry (stewy meat with fajita-y peppers, tomatoes and onions) served in its own cooking vessel--a shallow black handmade wok called a "sac" (pronounced "sotch") brought over from Turkey.  Sweet toothers should focus attention on cinnamony sutlac (rice pudding), custardy kazandibi and kunefe (sweet cheese pastry).  But all eager eaters should pay more attention to the surprisingly bountiful Bethel Centre plaza.     The Lineup More Bethel Centre eats  New India Restaurant Cuisine: Indian Vibe: Simple, folksy ethnic appointments and colorful genre prints engage smart area locals and graduate students Must-try dishes:  Chicken chili, Punjabi Bhaji, Lamb Saag, Aloo Baingan  Lac Viet Cuisine: Vietnamese Vibe: Roomy booths, tinkling music, and friendly and informative service make for a pleasing, low-key setting Must-try dishes:  Canh Cua, Cuu Nuong, Ca Ri, Goi Ga  Los Guachos Cuisine: Mexican Vibe: Wildly carved wooden tables plus Mexican TV shows distinguish this tidy little counter-ordering joint Must-try dishes:  Tacos al Pastor, Gringas, Tortas, Huaraches  Arirang Cuisine: Korean Vibe: A bare-bones dining niche in the back of a jam-packed Korean grocer Must-try dishes:  Jeyuk Bokkeum, Yookaltang, Arirang Jangteogukap, Haemul-Pajeon  Cafe Shish Kebab 1450 Bethel Rd.,  Northwest Side 614-273-4444 shishkebabgrill.com Hours:  11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday    Restaurant critic G.A. Benton blogs at columbusalive.com]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/56591705-Strip Search: Terrific Turkish food in Bethel Centre]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Six fancy chocolate drinks to try]]></title>
			<pubDate>Wed, 1 Feb 2012 18:25:48 -0600</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Story by Jill Moorhead l Photo by Alysia Burton Making great hot chocolate is not a simple task--it goes way beyond dumping a packet of utility-grade cocoa and miniature marshmallows into a cup of hot water. A former roommate and mother to a five-year-old first taught me to make perfect hot chocolate. Add cocoa powder and a teaspoon of sugar to slowly simmering milk; the drink is done precisely when a fine layer of skin appears atop the mixture. Her method creates a hot drink that brings warmth and peace to even the most frigid and tumultuous day. While this base recipe stands the test of time, countless upgrades are available in Columbus eateries. Our citys best chocolate drinks--hot and cold--have the power to entice us to stumble out of our homes in the depths of February. This is no easy task. Punched up with everything from espresso to booze to habanero syrup, these chocolate drinks will temporarily take you away from the cold rain, snow and ice and to a new cozy place.  For the whole family: Northstar Hot Chocolate $4 at the Northstar Cafes in Short North and Beechwold Northstar Hot Chocolates balanced flavors blend together for one singular experience. Not an easy task when considering the players involved: Callebaut chocolate; a spice mix of cinnamon, salt, chipotle pepper and cane sugar; and whipped cream with essences of both vanilla and maple syrup. Enjoy the beverage on the couch in front of the restaurants signature magazine collection and pretend like you have a subscription to every food publication in existence (and the time to read them).     Cherry Jubilee Hot Chocolate  $3.75 at Chocolate Cafe Chocolate Cafe is a franchise of Indiana-based chocolatier The South Bend Chocolate Company. And that knowledge of one-after-another, pop-in-your-mouth chocolates is what makes their Cherry Jubilee Hot Chocolate taste exactly like a chocolate-covered cherry. Topped with whipped cream and milk chocolate flakes, the beverage is one of several chocolate-themed drinks found in the Upper Arlington dessert venue. There are martinis, too, including the Dirty Girl Scout (essentially a grown-up Thin Mint).     Askinosie Hot Chocolate $4.80 at Jenis Splendid Ice Cream shops in Clintonville and Powell Our hometown ice cream parlors Askinosie Hot Chocolate couldnt be more premium. Made with Askinosie chocolate (a company boasting that their ethical standards in sourcing chocolate make them leaps and bounds beyond fair trade) and whole milk from Athens Countys Snowville Creamery, this drink is the locavore and socially conscious chocolate lovers dream beverage. The excellent winter warmer is frothed together using the store's espresso machine and topped with hand-whipped Snowville heavy cream.  Identification required:  Whole Latte Love  $9 at Latitude 41 and Bar 41 Latitude 41's drink menu is duplicated in the adjacent Bar 41. With competing sounds of jazz and sports on the television, the cozy bar has something for everyone--including chocolate. At first sip, Whole Latte Love tastes like equal parts espresso and vodka, with a hint of chocolate that comes out as the drink warms to room temperature. Keep this in mind as you imbibe: Coffee makes for an awake drunk. (Lesson brought to you by D.A.R.E.)   Al-Cachino  $11 at Knead Kneads atmosphere does not scream "fancy drinks." Rather, its bright colors and rotating dessert case filled with sweet temptations are more reminiscent of the Double R Diner in "Twin Peaks." A second glance will reveal the restaurants commitment to seasonal and local is as consistent at the bar as it is in the kitchen. A constant on the drink menu, Al-Cachino was invented by a Yoo-hoo-loving regular. The drink, a mature version of the kids drink, is chocolate milk spiked with espresso vodka, chocolate liqueur and a quarter-inch of delicate frothy foam from organic egg whites.   Spicy Chocolate Martini  $9 at Sage American Bistro The first taste of the North Campus bistro's Spicy Chocolate Martini brings sweet on the tongue and fire to the throat. Power through the multi-textured cayenne-cocoa-and-sugar rimmer, and the result is a well-balanced cocktail where the cream counteracts heat provided by cayenne and a house-made habanero syrup, and the vanilla vodka and chocolate liqueur steal the show.]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/56571063-Six fancy chocolate drinks to try]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[How to: Eat out with kids in Columbus]]></title>
			<pubDate>Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:58:00 -0600</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[The sedate atmosphere of the Refectory offers ideal surroundings for intimate celebrations from engagements to anniversaries. Patrons look forward to enjoying a quiet dinner with impeccable service.   What they might not anticipate is a young child dining alongside them. Yet it happens frequently.  While Columbus is full of family-friendly restaurants--including pizzerias and burger joints--some parents prefer to take their kids to high-end restaurants.  Kamal Boulos, owner of the Refectory, said the restaurant gets tables with children several times a week.   "We do have a children's menu. It's a well-kept secret," said Boulos, who has taken his own 16-year-old daughter out to nice restaurants since she was 2 or 3. Kids can pick from breast of chicken, pasta or a petite filet mignon, and each comes with a choice of soup or salad and ice cream for dessert.   While the majority of children are well-behaved, noise can be a problem. Even a happily squealing baby can disrupt the dining room.  Zach Morris says that's exactly why he couldn't imagine taking his 5-year-old son to the Refectory or Rigsby's Kitchen.  But the 32-year-old Upper Arlington resident and his wife do like to take their son to places like Marcella's, the Italian bistro with locations in the Short North and Polaris, where the atmosphere is a little louder and the food more accessible to youngsters.  "It's one of those places that my wife and I can enjoy the scenery, but it's noisy enough that people won't notice," he said. "We can get gnocchi and wine, and he can have a pizza. It's the perfect balance."  Laura Arocha of Dublin said she and her husband have taken their three children, ages 7 to 11, out to eat since they were very young.  "We didn't limit where we dined because of the kids, so they had to adapt," said the 42-year-old, who dines out at least once a week, sometimes with the children and sometimes without.  For her, one of the keys to a successful night out with her children is letting them participate.  "They order their food. We don't order for them," she said. "If they want something else they ask the server."    Expert advice  Whether taking your children out to a fine dining or family-style restaurant, a few basic guidelines will make the experience better for everyone. Here are some tips gathered from parents, restaurant owners and etiquette expert Mindy Lockard of Gracious Living in Portland, Oregon.   Dining-out training should begin at home. Teach kids to use utensils and napkins, sit squarely in their chairs and eat what's put in front of them.   Let the restaurant know ahead of time that you're bringing children. This allows them to arrange for high chairs as well a table better suited for a family.   Explain to your children ahead of time that dining out is a special occasion and what your expectations are.   Engage your children during dinner. Make them feel they belong at the table.   If your child is fussy, walk them around the restaurant or take them outside. But don't let the child run around the restaurant.   Know your child's limitations. If they have never sat through a two-hour dinner at home, you can't expect them to do so at a restaurant.   Don't be afraid to cancel reservations or leave the restaurant once you're there, if necessary. Restaurants will be happy to package your food if you need to leave because your child is having a meltdown.   If you're seated at a table near a loud or fussy child that is disturbing you, ask to be moved.]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/56571060-How to: Eat out with kids in Columbus]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Searching for the best burgers in Columbus]]></title>
			<pubDate>Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:53:22 -0600</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[I'm on an ongoing quest to find the very best burgers in Columbus, and I've had a few great ones recently. Over the weekend I made it out to Jury Room's brunch for the first time and was wowed by the Breakfast Burger. It's the Jury Burger (all-beef burger with provolone, arugula, tomato, onions) with the addition of a fried egg, bacon and a spicy aioli. Fantastic.    One of the many great things about Latitude 41 is they put just as much effort in their sandwiches as they do in their high-end entrees. They've got a couple of great burgers on the menu--this one is the Latitude Burger, with Oakvale gouda, lettuce, tomato, onion and a horseradish aioli. Also great is the 41 Juicy Lucy, with a Kobe beef patty, Blue Jacket cheddar curds and white truffle aioli on brioche toast.  De-Novo's Kobe Chorizo burger is a newcomer to the burger scene, and I hope it sticks around. The fantastic burger is paired with Carr Valley Menage cheese, arugula, roasted tomato and triple-smoked ketchup on a pretzel bun.    And then there's this Bluescreek Farm Lamb Chorizo Burger from Skillet. It's served on a brioche roll with a sunny-side-up egg, Laurel Valley Jersey Drover cheese and a grainy aioli.   So, please, add to my list: Which burgers around town do I need to try?]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/56588816-Searching for the best burgers in Columbus]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Q&A: The Grumpy Gourmet]]></title>
			<pubDate>Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:22:29 -0600</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Longtime reviewer the Grumpy Gourmet turned 90 this year. We enticed him to spill the beans about what hes been up to since putting down his pen and fork.  Story by Jill Moorhead // Photo by Will Shilling  He got his start as a professional meddler with his Tattle Tales column in the city's first tabloid, the Columbus Star. For 25 years, he reviewed restaurants for the Columbus Dispatch as the Grumpy Gourmet. Yes, the man has a healthy respect for gossip. So much so, he's the owner and editor of the website gossipisgood.com.   I've swapped stories with the Grump for almost a decade, being sure to abide by his two rules: Do not call him before noon. Do not ask how he is. (He will tell you, and chances are, he'll mention his urologist.)   To have a conversation with the Grump is to have a front-row seat to some of Columbus' best behind-the-scenes restaurant stories and a glimpse of our city's history as recorded in the pages of at least three newspapers. The longtime restaurant critic turned 90 this year and is as much a Columbus classic as White Castle, Johnny Marzetti, the Clarmont and Katzinger's.   Although his column is retired, his work is far from complete. His current project, foodreportingsyllabus.com, is a culmination of a lifetime of writing, designed to be a "no-note, no-tuition graduate course in restaurant food writing."  I recently bribed him with a jar of pepper jelly to learn a little about his career as a critic and get his take on the current state of the Columbus restaurant scene.    Your first Columbus paper was the Columbus Citizen Journal in the 1950s, and you eventually worked for the Columbus Star, a somewhat trashy and scandalous tabloid. Did you start out reviewing food? I was covering odd beats for the Citizen Journal. One day the editor stuck his hand up and yelled, "Is there an atheist in the house?" The assistant city editor pointed at me. I went over there and he said, "How would you like to earn an extra $25 on a Sunday?" I said, "I'll take it."   "What do you think of this? Go to a different church every Sunday and cover the services like you're covering a movie. I don't want any opinion. I just want you to do a review."   This has always stuck with me. There's a difference between reporter, reviewer and critic. And he wanted me to review church services. And I did that. It was a fun beat.   How did you start working for the Star? I'm sitting there on a Sunday night writing my "reporter goes to church" column. I'd become bored with it. And "Paul Pry," the gossip columnist for the Star, couldn't produce. The editor, Danny Flavin, a friend of mine, said if I had some items for this Tattle Tales column to let him know. I'd give him a take and he'd slip me a $20 bill.   I wasn't on the payroll for the Star, but I was passing this stuff on. I'm sitting in the lobby one day, reading the paper. Along comes the editor and Eddie Wolfe, the associate publisher. They come over and say, "You got anything else we can use?"  I said, "The rector of this church down here, every afternoon at 4 p.m. is going down to Pale Eddies (where the Dispatch parking lot is now). He goes with his secretary and they sit there and drink Manhattans out of coffee cups."  Eddie Wolfe says, "No kidding." I said, "Go check it out yourself."   It may have been that afternoon that those two guys haul ass down to Pale Eddies, and sure enough, those two were sitting there with dark libations in a coffee cup. Danny wrote this on Tuesday. Hits the paper on Wednesday. It was the lead item. On Thursday, the rector was gone. That sealed my credentials with the Wolfes and Danny.    Did your time at the Star teach you how to gossip about the restaurant industry? Oh yeah, it had to. You didn't gossip about the restaurants. You gossiped about humanity.       In your writing, you've done a lot to educate the public about what they're eating. Do you think that's what your life's work has been about, or is it more in helping to teach future journalists--readers of your Food Reporting Syllabus--to follow in your footsteps? I don't care if they follow in my footsteps, but I want them to know what my path was. I think that I have accomplished something in my food writing.   If nothing else, the biggest thing, the biggest battle was the matter of ethics. You just violated my ethical standards tonight by bringing me that Rothschild dip which I like. But since it's 10 years since I wrote an opinion column, I'll accept it. Ethics is a constant fight.    We've lost several fine dining establishments recently. Handke's, Bexley's Monk... We didn't lose Handke's because of problems. He's 65 years old. He'd been on his feet since he was 15. He sold it three years ago, got the money and went away with it. He had the best restaurant in the worst location in the city. He is America's master chef, and he was never promoted by the city. They didn't brag on him.   Today they brag on the Short North, but they don't brag on the best chef up there: Kent Rigsby. Absolutely. The most innovative, hard-working guy.  What do you think creates longevity in a restaurant, especially in the current economic situation? Today? Quality of food, I think. Which also has to be huckstered. You can have the best food in town, but if you dont huckster it, it's going to flop. One of the nicest menus in this town is L'Antibes. He ought to be serving 88 to 100 every night. But he can't do it. You can have the best food in the world, but if no one knows about it...       There's an entire culture of "foodies" now, which exists, in part, due to television shows about food. You've written that Julia Child increased Americans' knowledge of food more than anyone in her time. Who, in the past 50 years, has had the most impact on how we view food? Rachael Ray. She's made it fun. She says, "I'm not a chef." She's very knowledgeable of food. She low-rents herself, but I think she's great. She's not up there bam-bamming.   I have objections to her. She needs a hairnet. And she used to wipe her mouth on her sleeve. But that's OK.   You recently turned 90. What did you do for your birthday? Do you know Geoff Hetrick? Director of the Ohio Restaurant Association? He brought me 90 oatmeal cookies. Ninety.   Did you eat all of them? I worked on it. What did I do for my 90th? That's all. I don't celebrate birthdays, holidays or Sundays.    THE GRUMP ON HIS THREE BEST-EVER MEALS IN COLUMBUS 1. Handke's Day-After-Thanksgiving  Luncheon, 2006  "One of the best meals ever in my 6,000-plus meals [mostly] in Columbus was at Handke's. Chunky lobster stew, roasted whole foie gras, braised Kobe beef short ribs, sauteed venison loin, a pear-almond torte and a port wine-poached pear."  2. D'Angelo at Rigsby's Kitchen "It used to make [Kent Rigsby] mad. When I wanted to read my mail in the afternoon, I'd take it over to the big round table at Rigsby's and order the D'Angelo. The dish is still on the menu. It's nothing in the world but a buttered spaghetti with scallions and things like that. It's a pasta dish. Rigsby kind of grumbled, 'That's all you have. Every time you come here, you have to have that.'  'Well,' I said, 'I'm not reviewing. I'm just sitting here drinking wine, reading my mail.'"  3. Orange Chicken at Sun Tong Luck "I hate to low-rent you, but I like the Orange Chicken. It's equal to their pad Thai. I just like the meals at that little place."  THE GRUMP'S THREE FAVORITE TAKEOUT MEALS 1. "Subway's meatball sub loaded with black olives" 2. "Anything at Katzinger's" 3. "My favorite right now is Piada, which is going to be a chain. I do the pasta and the chicken. I've told Chris Doody that when he goes public, I want to buy the first unit."]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/56473745-Q&A: The Grumpy Gourmet]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Chickens and eggs at The Coop]]></title>
			<pubDate>Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:29:41 -0600</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[I wrote about The Coop, the newish food truck in Clintonville, for today's Dispatch, but I can't say enough good things about it. So I'm going to say some more. For starters, just look at how pretty that egg is in the photo above. There's an egg incorporated in just about every dish at The Coop (this is a great ham and black-eyed-pea stew topped with a fried egg) and they're some of the best-quality eggs you'll find anywhere, much less from a food truck. That level of quality is the same in every dish I've tried.    And The Coop just gets more impressive from there. An ever changing menu shows off chef Angela Theado's creativity and skill, and she whips up each dish to order inside the truck (even during the winter!). The concept for this truck is dishes involving poultry (chicken, turkey, duck, etc.) and eggs. It could easily feel gimmicky, but it doesn't. In fact, if it weren't for the name and the chicken-coop-evoking yellow lights, I probably would't have even noticed the theme. Here's a look at some of the other dishes I've loved:    Duck Confit with Simple Salad. I actually gasped when I opened this one up, it was so pretty, and the flavor (incredibly rich and tender dark meat) was just amazing.     French Omelette Sandwich with bacon, cheddar, lettuce and sun-dried tomatoes on Texas Toast. A sandwich with soul. Yesterday my foodie friends were going crazy over a new Yak Burger with bacon, arugula, cheddar and a fried egg. You can bet I'll be heading over soon to check that out.   The Coop 2701 Indianola Ave., Clintonville coopontherun.com]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/56495566-Chickens and eggs at The Coop]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Vegetarian-friendly dining in Columbus]]></title>
			<pubDate>Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:55:24 -0600</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[While labeling a bunch of food photos today, I realized an awful lot of them were "veggie" such and such. I'm not a vegetarian by any means, not even close, but I've just been in a meat-free mood lately it seems. Here's a look at some of the veggie-heavy meals I've enjoyed in the past few weeks. Up top is a yummy dish from the lunch and dinner menus at Explorers Club: Pan Seared Vegetables with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce and Cornbread Crust. It was actually sort of like a casserole with cornbread chunks instead of noodles, and it was filled with bright, fresh seared veggies.    This is the Vegetarian Stromboli from Little Palace. It's got roasted tomatoes, cremini mushrooms, green olives, onions and fresh chilies. Oh, and cheese.    I was sharing food with a vegetarian friend that night, so we also ordered the Brussels Sprouts pizza sans the usual pancetta. Some garlic, mozzarella and parmesan added plenty of flavor, though.    And here's a Vegetable Sandwich from Block's Bagels on Broad Street. It's lettuce, tomato, onion, cucumber, banana pepper, sprouts, Muenster cheese and sun-dried tomato dressing on your choice of bagel. I picked sesame and also got a little cup of plain cream cheese to add a little something extra, and was glad I did.     Next up, the Vegetarian Quesadilla from Blue Danube. It's a grilled flour tortilla with cheddar and monterey jack plus grilled peppers, onions and tomatoes. On the side, there's rice and refried beans.    And finally, a not so great picture of a terrific salad, the Vegetarian Sweet Corn Cake salad from El Arepazo. On the bottom are two served-warm cornbread-like pancakes, topped with lettuce, hot peppers, tomatoes, cheese and a bunch of Arepazo's amazing creamy cilantro sauce.]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/56495567-Vegetarian-friendly dining in Columbus]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Yellow Brick's wine list]]></title>
			<pubDate>Tue, 24 Jan 2012 22:29:00 -0600</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Yellow Brick Pizza is well known for its vast beer selection (100 bottles and cans plus a rotating selection of great draft options), and now the cozy Olde Towne East spot has added a short and sweet wine list to the mix. I'm usually a pizza-and-beer person, but I stopped in recently to try out a few of the new wines. (Watch for my story in this week's Alive on which of these wines pair best with which of Yellow Brick's specialty pizzas!)    My first wine-and-pizza pairing went swimmingly: A glass of Gnarly Head Zinfandel with the Big O (far and away my favorite Yellow Brick pie). The fruity red goes great with this pizza, topped with red sauce and feta, artichoke hearts, tomato, garlic, red onions, fresh spinach and a bit of pesto.    Plan a visit during happy hour, 4-7 p.m. Monday-Friday, and sample a few glasses--all wines are $1 off.    Oh, and when I stopped by today to pick up a copy of the wine list, I spotted this special, which I hope to try on my next visit: The Best Pizza in the Multiverse! Can't argue with that logic.   Yellow Brick Pizza 892 Oak St., Olde Towne East 614-725-5482 yellowbrickpizza.com]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/56495568-Yellow Brick's wine list]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Street Eats: Yellow Boy's Polish Boys]]></title>
			<pubDate>Thu, 8 Dec 2011 21:25:00 -0600</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Story by Bethia Woolf // Photos by Jodi Miller The Polish Boy is beloved in its hometown of Cleveland. The sandwich has such a cult following there that "Iron Chef's" Michael Symon, a Cleveland native, picked a Polish Boy as his choice for the Food Network show "The Best Thing I Ever Ate."  But despite its popularity two hours to the north, Columbus didn't have a reliable source for the sausage sandwich until this year.  Marcus Spivey, owner of the new Yellow Boy's food cart, is a Clevelander who spent much of his time at Ohio State wishing he could find a decent Polish Boy in Columbus. After years of hoping someone else would open a Polish Boy restaurant, Spivey decided to take the plunge himself earlier this year.  Now, thanks to Spivey, transplanted Clevelanders (and anyone else) craving kielbasa can get their fix on the streets of Columbus.    WHERE TO FIND IT Yellow Boy's moves around town and can be found on Campus, in the Short North and at special events and festivals. Keep track of Spivey on Twitter or Facebook--these sandwiches are worth hunting down.     WHEN TO GO Yellow Boy's is usually out and about on weekends and late nights. This is great after-the-bar--or between-rounds-of-beer--food, and it's not surprising that Spivey regularly sells out of sausages.     WHAT TO GET A Polish Boy, of course! Here's what it is: a juicy grilled kielbasa sausage served in a hot dog bun topped with french fries, coleslaw and barbecue or hot sauce. They're $5 apiece.  Spivey drives up to Cleveland to get his kielbasas, and splits and grills them himself. He makes his own sweet coleslaw and uses pre-cooked oven fries.  The soft bun and thick-cut fries soak up the juices from that coleslaw and--the highlight of the sandwich--Spivey's secret-recipe barbecue sauce. We wish we could tell you what's in it, but Spivey's not spilling. It's tangy, a little vinegary and packs some heat, and it pulls the sandwich together quite nicely.     ON THE SIDE No side orders here unless you want a soda. This is a compact, all-in-one sandwich--the fries are served on top rather than on the side.     DON'T FORGET TO Grab some napkins. Youll need them. It's good--but it's very messy.  And spend some time chatting with Spivey. This friendly and charming guy has managed to perfect the difficult art of conversing with drunken customers.    Bethia Woolf, owner of the tour company Columbus Food Adventures, blogs at streeteatscolumbus.com.   Yellow Boys Polish Boys Twitter: @yellowpolishboy yellowpolishboy.blogspot.com]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/55544102-Street Eats: Yellow Boy's Polish Boys]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[On the Bone: Meat the way it should be]]></title>
			<pubDate>Wed, 16 Nov 2011 22:35:00 -0600</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Order a bone-in cut of meat and sit down to a Flintstones-style dinner  Gnawing meat from the bone is satisfying in a very primal, bordering-on-obscene kind of way. Weve become too accustomed to eating boneless, skinless (flavorless) chickenits time to return to our messy, carnivorous roots. First and foremost, these cuts of meat just taste better. Cooking on the bone infuses meat with intense, incomparable flavor. Theres nothing dainty about eating meat off the bone, either, and thats the way it should be. Go ahead and pick it up, sink your teeth in, gnaw off every last bit of meat and then suck out the marrow. Nobodys watching. Get back in touch with your inner Fred Flintstone with these bone-in dishes.   Bone Marrow, $10 The dish that sparked our love affair with bones? This decadent Sage starter, a jaw-dropping plate of hacked-in-half Wagyu beef bones filled with silky, gelatinous, bacon-y bone marrow. On top is a bacon-fig gastrique and some wilted arugula, and the idea is to scoop a bit of all that stuff onto pieces of grilled bread. Eating through this dish leaves a pleasing sheen of glistening fat on your fingers and lipsand an impressive pile of bones on your plate. Sage American Bistro 2653 N. High St., North Campus 614-267-7243 sageamericanbistro.com  Osso Buco DCardone, $19 To truly appreciate the incredible flavor imparted by bones and their marrow, youve got to try osso buco. Its a simple Italian stew that, traditionally, centers on slow-braised veal shank. Cardones version combines chianti-braised lamb shank and carrots with risotto. Fall-off-the-bone tender lamb plus fantastically creamy risotto adds up to one soul-warming mealhomestyle cooking at its very best. Cardones 377 W. Main St., Westerville 614-392-2267 cardonesrestaurant.com  Scarlet &#38; Grey, $79 This is celebration food. An Im going to order the most expensive thing on the menu kind of meal. And when its delivered to your table, you will not be disappointed. The 34-ounce long-bone ribeye consists of a hefty cut of perfectly seared, unbelievably succulent American-style Kobe beef attached to a breathtaking 10-inch bone that extends well beyond the perimeter of the plate. Its served with melted butter and onion straws. Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse 569 N. High St., Short North 614-224-2204 hydeparkrestaurants.com   Photos by Jodi Miller]]></description>
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			<title><![CDATA[Where to find beer growlers in Columbus]]></title>
			<pubDate>Wed, 16 Nov 2011 22:35:00 -0600</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Jennifer Halda loves hoppy IPAs. And, when she visits different cities for her job in logistics, she loves to try new and unique offerings from local brewers.   But even for a logistics pro, its not easy to get the fresh taste of small-batch craft brews at home. Thats why Halda travels with her own  carryout container: A half-gallon glass jug known as a growler.   I keep an empty growler in my car, in case Im somewhere and I find something I like, she explained. A lot of times you can get beers on tap that you may not be able to find in a bottle.   Growlers have long been a fixture at local brewpubs like Barleys and Elevator. Now their use is spreading to other bars and a growing number of specialty retailers, fueled not just by beer lovers like Halda, but by locavore and green attitudes. Reusing your own beer bottle may be ultimate form of recycling.   The Barrel and Bottle, the wine and beer shop at the North Market, refills growlers from a rotating selection of three taps. (Barrel and Bottle sells the reusable glass containers for $5, and charges $10 to $12 for the four-pint refill, which are pretty typical prices.)  The shop focuses on Ohio brewers like Weasel Boy, Hoppin Frog and Columbus Brewing Company, according to co-owner Jen Burton, and since the selection changes every week, customers get a chance to try something different every time they stop by for a refill.  We generally try to get things [brewers] dont bottle, because thats kind of the point, Burton said. Its a way for people to get something at a retail store that they normally wouldnt be able to get.  Beer also travels better in a keg than in a six-pack, which results in a much fresher product in your growler. Draft beer just tastes better, Burton added.   And dont forget the cool factor. People get real excited when you show up at a party with a growler of fresh beer, Halda said.  There are a lot of great microbrews in Ohio. If youre just getting into beer, seeking out those places is awesome, she added. I think the beer culture is gaining momentum, and growlers are becoming more popular. I would love to see that help local craft brewers blossom.   GOOD TO GO How to make the most of that beer in your growler   Filling station: Bars and retailers that accommodate growlers use a hose to fill from the bottom, minimizing foam  Wrap the cap: A piece of electrical tape will help seal the bottle top and fend off air  In the dark: Amber growlers protect your beer from damaging light better than clear glass   Keep your cool: If it comes out of a cold keg, you should get it into your fridge as soon as possible  Drink up: Beer will stay fresh in a sealed growler for a couple days, sometimes up to a week; once opened, you should enjoy it in one sitting   KEG STANDS Columbus markets, bars and restaurants that sell and refill beer growlers   Barleys Brewing Company Ale House No. 1 467 N. High St., Short North 614-228-2537 barleysbrewing.com   The Barrel and Bottle 59 Spruce St., North Market 614-221-5550 northmarket.com   House Wine 644 High St., Worthington 614-846-9463 housewine.biz   Park Street Tavern 501 Park St., Arena District 614-221-4099 parkstreettavern.com   Studio 35 Cinema 3055 Indianola Ave., Clintonville 614-261-1581 studio35.com   Whole Foods Market 1649 W. Lane Ave., Upper Arlington; 614-481-3400 wholefoodsmarket.com   BJs Restaurant and Brewhouse 1414 Polaris Pkwy., Polaris 614-885-1800 bjsbrewhouse.com   Columbus Brewing Company 525 Short St., Brewery District 614-464-2739 columbusbrewingco.com   Elevator Brewery and Draught Haus 161 N. High St., Downtown 614-228-0500 elevatorbrewing.com   Barleys Smokehouse and Brewpub 1130 Dublin Rd., Grandview 614-485-0227 barleysbrewing.com   Gordon Biersch Brewery 401 N. Front St., Arena District 614-246-2900 gordonbiersch.com Photo by Jodi Miller]]></description>
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			<title><![CDATA[Back in Business: Dining returns Downtown]]></title>
			<pubDate>Wed, 16 Nov 2011 22:09:00 -0600</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[When Elizabeth Lessner says its been a challenge to open restaurants Downtown, shes making a gross understatement. When Lessner, who owns three restaurants in the Downtown district, opened Dirty Franks in 2009, she contended directly with crime. A gunshot victim staggered into the restaurant one day. She witnessed a stabbing. But she also saw the blockFourth Street between Rich and Mainchange over time. Police frequent the area more often. Little Palace has gone from being a run-down, infrequently open restaurant to a hipster hotspot. Customers now crowd the doorway at Dirty Franks. In three years it has changed so much, she said. Other restaurateurs are seeing what Lessner is seeing. An impressive number of restaurants has opened in the citys center in the past year. Among them: The newest MoJoe Lounge outlet, Milestone 229, Element Pizza, Lexis on Third, Market 65 and Lessners own Jury Room. And more are on the way. Of course, there was a time when all of the citys dining destinations were Downtown. But over the years, the restaurants left the citys center, along with the storesand the crowds. Lunch spots have always done well, but not so long ago, Downtown was a ghost town after 5 p.m. People who run restaurants Downtown today say theyre attracted by the neighborhoods revival, seen in major civic projects like the Scioto Mile and Columbus Commons, and by the construction of more residences. Gourmet grocer The Hills Market will open a Downtown location in spring 2012. But the challengesparking, not quite enough density, lack of retail and service businesses, strings of vacant storefrontsare daunting.      Downtown gets its mojo back   Mark Swanson, president of MoJoe Lounge, had been scouting a fourth location for his business, and Downtown was looking more attractive.   We felt this was the right time to be Downtown, he said. Theres a place going in near Jury Room, and theres Jury Room, and you see Little Palace and Dirty Franks and Market 65 Theres a lot of activity south of Broad.   The newest MoJoe Lounge opened in July in the southeast corner of the Lazarus Building, directly across from Columbus Commons. The kitchen is churning out inventive dishes through the casual MoJoe lens.  Swanson said the first months in the space have brought surprises both positive and negative. Happy hour business was better than expected, but weekend mornings have been slow. MoJoe started serving brunch this month.   Its going to take a while for folks to know were here and were consistently open, Swanson said.   Swanson, like plenty of other business owners who venture into emerging neighborhoods, has staked a good portion of his new location on hope and likelihood.   There are vacant storefronts around us, but we believe those will fill in. I know that real estate agents are showing them, he said.   MoJoe locations are specifically built to rely on their neighborhoodsShort North, German Village, Eastonfor business. The newest one might prove a test of that model.   We genuinely hope that we can earn a living in our neighborhoods, but we also believe were in good neighborhoods. Our priority in each neighborhood store is that neighborhood. Those are our regulars, our bread and butter, Swanson said.   Swansons not the only one banking on more housing, more business and more people Downtown. In September Yavonne Sarber was waist-deep in the creation of De-Novo, a 4,000-square-foot bistro under the Kyries Cafe sign at 201 S. High St. Sarber, whose Vonn Jazz is located near Worthington, said she scouted Downtown for months before settling on her space.   We kind of feel we need to get in before we cant, she said. We see the rapid growth Downtown, and this is a good time where we can afford to get in. I believe in a couple years, theres going to be quite a bit more down there. Sarbers project lured Chef Robert Harrison, who most recently ran the kitchen at the now defunct Short Story Brasserie in Granville. De-Novo is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner with seating for about 120, and an additional 20 spots at the bar.   Its a place you can stop a few times a week, Sarber said.    Attract &#38; retain Thats music to the ears of economic-development groups that are working to promote businessand restaurants, specificallyDowntown.   Our city has allocated a lot of resources to developing Downtown, and they realized all along that an important component was going to be a vibrant food scene, said Katharine Moore, executive director of Dine Originals, a coalition of independently owned restaurants. Is it a big risk? Yes it is. I think it takes that entrepreneurial spirit to imagine carving out a place for yourself in a new landscape.  Kacey Brankamp loves finding places in that landscape for restaurants. As retail recruiter for the Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District, she matches potential retail and restaurant tenants with available space Downtown. Capital Crossroads is a public-private partnership that acts as a big condo association for a neighborhood.   They say that retail follows rooftopsbut I think Downtown is a unique counter to that, Brankamp said. You have 100,000 daytime workers, 9 million visitors and a growing residential population with 65,000 residents in adjacent neighborhoods. And theres a large student population of 40,000 students. Theres a huge demand for retail goods and services.   There are plenty of challenges. Theres a perception that Downtown is less safe than other neighborhoods. Restaurants rarely have dedicated parking lots. Locating on certain stretches of Downtown can be isolating, and businesses would rather cluster together. And the right space is hard to come by; many of the most charming spaces do not contain kitchens. Building one is expensive, and in many older buildings, the process would be structurally complicated.  Downtown restaurants, more than businesses in, say, German Village or the Short North, depend on events to get customers in the door, Moore said. A softball league tournament last August was a huge boost for restaurants Downtown. So was an extended run of Wicked.   The guys behind the Columbus Brewing Company restaurantDoug Griggs and Mike Campbellhad wanted to open another restaurant, but Downtown wasnt the focus of their location search. Until they started hearing more about the Scioto Mile.   The first thing you hear is, Were redoing the park and its going to have a fountain, and then you hear patio, great views. The more we found out about it, the more excited we became, Griggs said. Milestone 229 has a three-year lease on the one-of-a-kind space on the Scioto Mile, with an option to extend the lease. From the dining room or patio, diners get a breathtaking view of the Scioto River, the Columbus skyline and sunset. The menu straddles a line between upscale and casual fare, offering pizzas and sandwiches but also dressier entrees and a slick cocktail menu.   There is literally no other restaurant like it in Columbus, so its an interesting experiment in restaurant ownership.   Milestones greatest built-in asset is its perch on a wildly popular new public space. But that public spacelike Columbus Commonswill be far less of a draw in February than it is in July. Though programming in Bicentennial Park was a boon to Milestone in the summer, Griggs thinks the business will hold its own even in colder weather.   We knew going in that there was going to be some seasonability, Griggs said. We want to do a good enough job with the restaurant itself that we could stand on our own I think weve done that. The feedbacks been good.   Destination dining Lessner frequently heads to Twitter to encourage people to come Downtown to the Jury Room, luring diners with delicious descriptions. But she acknowledges its tough to build momentum in a Downtown restaurant.   On recent Friday and Saturday evenings, when her Surly Girl and Bettys in the Short North were buzzing with diners, Jury Room was sleepy and not quite half-full.   The Downtown locations are harder, but theyre more rewarding, said Lessner, who also owns Tip Top Kitchen &#38; Cocktails Downtown. We cant take customers for granted Downtown. In the Short North, you have a steady stream of people all the time Downtown isnt quite dense enough yet.   Griggs echoed that.   Were very destination specific, he said. You have to decide youre going to [our] area and drive there. There are not other businesses around.   Lessner knows that scenario well. When she opened Tip Top about five years ago, Gay Street was not the bustling dining destination it is now. Far from it.   We love being first in an area thats revitalizing. Just the idea of being part of our city coming back [is exciting], Lessner said. If I can contribute in a meaningful way, if I can bring back some vibrancy, nothing would make me happier than to see Downtown pop.     The Players Meet the people bringing dining back Downtown  Elizabeth Lessner Her restaurants:  Dirty Franks, 248 S. Fourth St.  Jury Room, 2 E. Mound St.  Tip Top Kitchen and Cocktails, 73 E. Gay St.    Doug Griggs and Mike Campbell Their restaurant:  Milestone 229, 229 Civic Center Dr.   Yavonne Sarber Her restaurant:  De-Novo, 201 S. High St.   Photos by Alysia Burton]]></description>
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			<title><![CDATA[Back in Business: Glory Days]]></title>
			<pubDate>Wed, 16 Nov 2011 22:08:57 -0600</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[The Neil House  (41 S. High St.) The hotel across the street from the Ohio Statehouse was a hangout and old-school meat market for the government and business leaders who frequented its restaurants and bars throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. When the third and final incarnation of the Neil House closed in 1980, it would, at least for one customer, be remembered more for what went on inside its doors than atop its plates. I once saw my fifth grade teacher in the lobby trying to hook up, one patron recalls. How sordid!  Benny Kleins Steak House  (12 N. High St.)  The original locavore, Benny Klein was known for proselytizing pickles he made from northern Ohio produce at his restaurant. A lobbyist and legislator hangout, his restaurant became a bar association of sorts, with many a legal decision between lawyer and judge being made on its tablesunderneath the fake tree that enveloped the walls and ceilings.  Band leader Joe Dunlap recounts a group of lawyers bringing in 100 canaries and letting them loose within the branches of the majestic tree. Of course, you know where the birds went. And you know what they did when they were up there for awhile, Dunlap said. Benny could have killed those guys.  Maramor  (137 E. Broad St.) Mary Love McGuckin, the first owner of Columbus beloved Maramor, may have paved the way for women restaurateurs today. Maramor was famed for specialty dishes like vichyssoise and the Floating Island, a dessert of meringue in a bed of light custard. But it was the restaurants arcade, filled with sweets and chocolates, that gave this place its legacy--Maramor chocolates can still be purchased throughout the country today. -- Story by Jill Moorhead]]></description>
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			<title><![CDATA[Bexley Neighborhood Guide]]></title>
			<pubDate>Wed, 16 Nov 2011 22:07:00 -0600</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Bexley and its Main Street are paved in history. Thousands of years ago, the area was home to mound-building Native Americans. In the 1830s, Main Street became part of the National Roadone of Americas first great highways. That old thoroughfare continues flowing today as the commercial heart and restaurant row of tree-lined residential Bexley.   Currently, its where golden oldies like The Top Steak House and Johnsons Real Ice Cream thrive beside Piada and Jenis21st-century businesses forging a new history. Heres a quick taste of both vintage and more freshly minted Bexley restaurants.   Cafe Istanbul  2455 E. Main St. 614-237-9920 cafeistanbul.com Open since mid-September, this newest Cafe Istanbul is a high-performing, if smaller-sized, member of its high-achieving Turkish restaurant family. And its another good-looking member, too.  Outside, theres an eye-candy patio meticulously landscaped with some dramatic-looking plants. Inside, handsome slatted wood dominatesit covers walls and is formed into booths in the cozy dining room.  From top to bottom, the menus packed with cant-miss, ultra-fresh dips, soups, salads and kabobs. For sharing, the Appetizer Sampler and Mixed Grill kebabs are real crowd pleasers. Other favorites are fabulous falafel and the Karniyarik.  Wings 2801 E. Main St. 614-236-8261 wingsofbexley.com Past Wings curvy glass- block entryway, youll discover the kind of classic Chinese-American restaurant nearly extinct nowadays. Thats not shocking, considering the business began in the Roaring 20s and relocated to its present spot during the 1940s.  The best place to hang out these days is a padded booth in the imperial red and gold bar area, where parties sometimes spontaneously eruptdue in no small part to an inventory that includes about 160 Scotch whiskys. To soak up that hooch, order comforting old-schoolers, like Wor Sue Gai, Egg Fu Young and the all-in-one Combination Yetcamein Soup.   ZenCha  2396 E. Main St. 614-237-9690 zen-cha.com The newish Bexley branch of ZenCha closely resembles its Short North sibling. Both mellow out to a New Age soundtrack and are so obsessed with tea they: call their meal courses brews (e.g. appetizers are Warming Brews); their serene and clean-lined confines feature opulent, museum-like tea ceremony shadow boxes; and they assign every table a tea ambassador guide through their 100 varieties of tea.  But while both ZenChas offer prettily plated Japanese-inflected dishes, the Bexley branch showcases a considerably bigger and more ambitious menu. Some standouts are spicy Seared Tuna Salad, Grilled Mahi Mahi entree and Teppanyaki Noodles.     Rubinos  2643 E. Main St. 614-235-1700 Seeing is believing at defiantly retro Rubinos. Its humble brick building is literally pointed out by an old-fashioned, bubbly lighted arrow on the beloved pizzerias vintage neon sign.  Rubinos bare-bones interiorred-and-white checked curtains, photographic collage of locals and a pinball machinealso looks like its been shipped in from a bygone, simpler time.  And from bucket-sized, tricked-out iceberg lettuce salads with house-made dressings to homemade meatball subs to eccentric and terrific pizzas with snappy, wafer-thin homemade crusts and tangy sauce (try the garlicky, made-here sausage), youll see little has changed at Rubinos (including prices!) since opening in 1954.    Giuseppes 2268 E. Main St. 614-235-4300 giuseppesritrovo.com Its no fluke that the versatile Giuseppes is a Bexley institution. Its a lively, upscale-casual place where suited gentlemen enjoy designer pizzas with glasses of vino at the granite bar while cocktailing ladies toast the night away beside families smiling over bowls of their all-time favorite pastas. Similarly, Italianate design features coexist gracefully here with tasteful contemporary art.  While the popular pasta-loaded menu hasnt altered much over the years, there are great rotating specials to look out for. Try the Prosciutto Crudo appetizer, Insalata Rossa, Ai Funghi pizza, an unbeatable $10 Spaghetti &#38; Meatballs and the Veal Involtini.     Moshi Sushi  2152 E. Main St. 614-732-0641 moshisushibar.com Its been about two years since Moshi first brought sushi to Bexley, but the placewhich plays clubby music and uses Warhol-quoting side platesseems just as buzz-worthy today.  Anchoring the newness-embracing Bexley Gateway, this chic eatery has a popular patio, the shiny modern equivalent of a pressed-tin ceiling and a decoratively tiled wall with a cutaway mural of fish wiggling in an aqua-scape.  Moshi also has some of the best and freshest-tasting sushi and fusiony Asian food in the area. Try the spectacular Sunomono, Scarlet Craze Roll and the creative and delicious Red Snapper Chips and Sushi Panini.   Photos by Jodi Miller]]></description>
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			<title><![CDATA[Retro Christmas party at The Top]]></title>
			<pubDate>Wed, 16 Nov 2011 22:05:00 -0600</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Over the top Nothing's more indulgent than spending the holidays at a high-end steakhouse Story by Shelley Mann // Photos by Will Shilling // Styling by Elizabeth Solinger If it were up to us, every holiday meal would take place at a restaurant. Think about it. Eating out instead of hosting at home means there's no stressing out about overcooking the turkey, no need to mediate between family members who prefer pecan pie over pumpkin, and, most importantly, no cleaning up afterward. And office holiday parties held at a restaurant trump the same old office potluck in every way. So go ahead and indulge in some holiday fine dining this season, whether it's booking your own private party or patronizing the handful of places that stay open on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Or steal our idea and throw a retro Christmas party at The Top in Bexley.    Retro Christmas at The Top The Top started serving charbroiled steaks, jumbo lobster tails and oversized sides in 1955, and little has changed since. The look (low lights, wood paneling, sumptuous black Naugahyde booths) and the feel (swinging '60s supper club) are the same, and the steakhouse even still includes potatoes and salads in the entree price as a throwback to the good old days. So it's fitting to celebrate at this Columbus icon "Mad Men"-style: in vintage cocktail dresses and with plenty of cocktails in hand. Leave the rest up to The Top--it already feels festive in there, thanks to live Rat-Pack-era standards at the piano bar and constantly flowing, extra-stiff drinks. The restaurant's not open on Christmas Day, but they do accept reservations for private holiday parties and offer a cozy private dining room that can seat up to 14 people. We've got ideas on how to celebrate the season in every corner of the Bexley landmark.         Our Menu Here's how to do it up at The Top   Starter: Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail: Impossibly plump, perfectly cooked pink shrimp dangle seductively from the edge of a bowl of old-school tangy cocktail sauce.   Mains: Filet Mignon: The holidays demand the most magnificent cuts of meat, like towering, buttery filet mignon. The Top's superlative steak comes capped with an onion ring and served with two sides.   Jumbo Lobster Tail: Surf-and-Turf was once the epitome of fine dining. And it doesn't get better than the Top's filet paired with its famed gigantic lobster tail (served with plenty of melted butter, of course).   Sides: Baked Potatoes: The skin's fantastically crisp and salty, and the fluffy potato innards soak up the Top's signature ice-cream-scoop-worth serving of butter and sour cream.   Au Gratin Potatoes: It's Christmas! Go for double potato side dishes. Served in a mini casserole dish, these potatoes come out extra-cheesy and still bubbly.   Roasted Asparagus: Pretend to be healthy by ordering a green vegetable! (Also just pretend it's not covered in creamy hollandaise.)      Desserts:  The Top doesn't mess with the classics. Split a towering slice of rich New York Cheesecake or a triple-layer Chocolate Cake.     After-dinner treats: Top Cappuccinos: Dessert's long gone, but it's nowhere near time to head home. Huddle near the fireplace with mugs of Top Cappuccinos. But don't expect these espresso drinks to sober you up--they aren't your typical cappuccinos. It's coffee kicked up a notch with five different liquors.   Bar Burger: An evening of gin and vodka demands a late-night snack. The Top's Bar Burger will do the trick. It's six ounces of juicy ground steak on a buttered and charred Kaiser roll.              The Top Steak House 2891 E. Main St., Bexley 614-231-8238 thetopsteakhouse.com Hours: 5-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 5-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 5-9 p.m. Sunday]]></description>
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			<title><![CDATA[Real-deal Caesar salads in Columbus]]></title>
			<pubDate>Wed, 16 Nov 2011 22:01:00 -0600</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Though its difficult to pinpoint when it started, were living through the decline and fall of the Caesar salad.  This is sad considering once upon a time, the Caesar was a refined special-occasion dish carefully prepared tableside in fine dining establishments. Nowadays, crappy pre-fab Caesars are as common as bad hamburgersand available at places that sell them, too.  This propelled me onto a quest for correctly constructed Caesars. I unfortunately discovered this: Finding a Caesar salad thats made right occurs less frequently than a picnic-perfect day in November.  Usually, theyre ponderously leaden affairs entombed in a gloppy white dressing littered with cheap cheese and croutons that taste like the cardboard containers they came from. Then theres the unnecessary proliferation of toppings. This is a case of over-thinking and over-burdening whats meant to be a stripped-down classic.  Now Ive got nothing against creativityIve had great Caesars that were grilled, smoked and even topped with fried eggs and fried oysters. But sometimes only the authentic emperor of salads beckons, and thats what I sought here. So behold some noble Caesars. These distinguish themselves from plebian pretenders because theyre dressed in zingy and pungent vinaigrettesno mayonnaise monsters!and theyre graced with fresh romaine lettuce, fine cheese, homemade croutons and thats it.   Gallos Kitchen Location: 2820 Nottingham Rd., Upper Arlington All the pieces of a real Caesar come together spectacularly at Gallos. First of all, the spot-on, olive-oil-forward dressing enhances and doesnt overpower the hearts of romaine lettuce. Secondly, the garlic is delivered via terrific housemade croutons. And lastly, the tricky balance of lemon, cheese and anchovy is masterfully attained.  La Chatelaine  Locations: Dublin, Upper Arlington and Worthington I consider this a nifty gateway Caesar. It has a touch of cream for people unaccustomed to the real thing, but its bright lemony tones, earthy garlic presence and darkly toasted herby croutons (La Chatelaines a wonderful bakery) make it special.  Teds Montana Grill  Locations: Arena District and Dublin A bison-burger joint might be the last place youd expect to find a first-rate Caesar. Yet there, on a properly chilled salad plate, is the genuine, olive oil-based article. Assembled with tender hearts of romaine, this lemony and garlic-punctuated beauty also features a serious bite of anchovy. Bonus: tableside pepper mills.    Photos by Jodi Miller]]></description>
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			<title><![CDATA[Pour-over Coffee in Columbus]]></title>
			<pubDate>Wed, 16 Nov 2011 22:00:00 -0600</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Aromas of chocolate, toffee, oak and even orange rind waft over the counter as Andy Luck adds water from a silver kettle to a filter holding a few ounces of freshly ground coffee beans. He pours carefully, allowing small doses to agitate the grounds. With each batch, rich, fragrant coffee drips into the ceramic below.   Tired of your everyday joe? Try ordering a pour-over coffee at one of the citys artisan coffee shops, which are using this slow-but-sure brewing method to produce gourmet, handcrafted cups. The commuter who comes in and wants 20 ounces of coffee to goits not their thing, said Luck, who owns Luck Bros Coffee House in Grandview. Its kind of a trip for people to hear that the coffees not ready yet and that weve got to make it first.   Pour-over coffee uses the same ingredients as your home brewer, a great aunts percolator or a $5 camp stove. The difference, Luck said, comes from attention to detail and an intimate knowledge of the brewing process.   The most important piece of brewing equipment is your brain, he explained. You try to control all these variables, and you find what works best for you.   Luck, for example, is careful to wet the filter first so the paper doesnt absorb desirable oils. He wets the grounds to set off a bloom that releases taste-muting carbon dioxide. He adds water through a long, thin spout that roils grounds evenly without extracting unwanted chemicals.   Depending on the device, a pour-over cup can take more than seven minutes to make, Luck said.   Still, many Columbus cafes believe in the benefits of the more painstaking process.   Staufs Coffee Roasters in Grandview offers single-cup pour-over service to customers who want to sample from its global selection of whole beans. The store also retails a full line of pour-over devices.   We became a distributor because we liked the method so much, barista Grant Driskell said. Since we got all these in, weve been selling quite a bit.   Most of Cafe Briosos daily specials are brewed by the pour-over method, though in larger batches. This way, operations manager J.J. Justice explained, the Downtown spot can provide its morning rush with pour-overs benefits, which include an inviting sweetness and a higher level of antioxidants.   Pour-over gives you much more control over the extraction process, Justice said. In laymans terms, it gives you more positives without the bitterness that we sometimes associate with coffee.   Pour it on: Cafe Brioso 14 E. Gay St., Downtown 614-228-8366 cafebrioso.com  Luck Bros Coffee House 1101 W. First Ave., Grandview 614-299-9330 luckbroscoffeehouse.com  Staufs Coffee Roasters 1277 Grandview Ave.,  Grandview; 614-486-4861 staufs.com   Photo by Jodi Miller]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/55318460-Pour-over Coffee in Columbus]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Burger: Homegrown Burgers: Where to order Ohio-raised beef burgers]]></title>
			<pubDate>Wed, 16 Nov 2011 16:35:18 -0600</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Story by G.A. Benton l Photos by Jodi Miller  Ive come to praise hamburger, not bury it. Too long considered dismissible greasy kids stuff, our national dish has suffered unspeakable indignities at the hands of ruthless, bottom-line factory farmers and the anonymous clowns and illegitimate kings who rule the fast food universe. Theyve given the poor hamburger an unfortunately well-deserved reputation as an insipidly flavored cheap piece of unhealthy meat with dubious origins. Thats why those masquerading clowns and fake kings inevitably rely on gimmicks to push their soft, industrial, dull gray patties. Valiantly plucking hamburgers from these lowest-common-denominator depths of the American diet are forward-thinking, high-performing restaurants conscientious enough to make personal connections with their food sources and choose locally raised, grass-fed beef. The differences are astounding. First of all, chomping through locally raised burgers delivers the fabulously fresh taste of carefully handled, clean meat seared into a juicy and pure-beefy state that can induce delirium in ecstatic eaters. And since youand cowsare what you eat, its no exaggeration to say you can actually taste the Ohio countryside in these burger beauties. But theres also the easy do-gooderism relatively inexpensively purchased (these burgers are around $12 apiece) by supporting humanely raised local cattle, which in turn also supports the Ohio economy. Oh yeah, and dont forget the health bonuses of higher Omega-3 fatty acid (the kind found in salmon) and lower saturated fat levels associated with meat from grass-fed cows. Rarely has making healthier and more culturally upstanding choices tasted so great.   SKILLET BURGER Skillet Rustic Urban Food ($12) Wheres the beef from:  Skillet-special blend of grass-fed cattle  Extras:  Locally baked bun, pungent (local) Jersey Drover cheese, local farmers egg, zingy dressed arugula and sweet homemade tomato marmalade Comes with:  Lagniappe salad  Bun  Hand-formed olive oil brioche from Omega Artisan Bakery in Columbus   Lettuce Arugula from Northridge Organic Farm in Johnstown  Bacon House-cured bacon from Bluescreek Farm in Marysville  Egg Local farm egg from Kings Farm in Stoutsville  Cheese Jersey Drover cheese from Laurel Valley Creamery in Gallipolis Patty Grass-fed beef from Homestead Farms near Cardington  Jelly Tomato marmalade made from tomatoes from Dangling Carrot Farm in Philo   OTHER FAVORITES The Lights Out Burger Worthington Inn ($13) Wheres the beef from:  Grass-fed cattle from Mennonite-owned farms, specially processed by Heffelfinger Meats of Jeromesville Extras: Locally baked Stan Evans bun, arugula, cheddar, thick-cut smoky applewood bacon, tobacco onions (think straws), homemade pickles and a spicy-sweet secret sauce Comes with: Fries  MoJoe Burger MoJoe Lounge Downtown ($12) Wheres the beef from:  Certified organic grass-fed cattle from Sweet Meadows Farm near Zanesville Extras: Locally baked Eleni-Christina bun, sharp aged English cheddar and sweet, deeply caramelized onions  Comes with:  Choice of homemade side]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/55130330-Burger: Homegrown Burgers: Where to order Ohio-raised beef burgers]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Paella Fritter at Barrio]]></title>
			<pubDate>Tue, 15 Nov 2011 20:58:30 -0600</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[We love Barrio's fun Paella Fritter, a tapas-style take on a traditional Spanish dish. Chef Marcus Meacham packs paella's basic building blocks, rice and green peas, around a chunk of smoked salmon. The resulting rice ball is then breaded and fried till brown and crispy, and served with a thick lemon-garlic aioli. Best part? The tender grilled baby squid perched on top.   (Will Shilling photo)   Barrio 185 N. High St., Downtown 614-220-9141 barriotapas.com]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/55333979-Paella Fritter at Barrio]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Winter small plates at G. Michael's]]></title>
			<pubDate>Mon, 14 Nov 2011 21:20:00 -0600</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[A few foodie friends joined me last week for a happy-hour perusal of the winter-themed additions to G. Michael's small plates menu. During happy hour, 5-7 p.m. Monday-Friday in the bar area, small plates are all priced at $6 apiece. Additionally, martinis are marked down to $5, draft beers are $3 and house wines are $4 a glass. Here's what we tried:   Grilled Butternut Squash with sauteed pears, fennel, onion and Swiss chard tossed with Carolina peanut vinaigrette and Maytag blue cheese, normally priced at $8. A standout dish: the pears made it taste more like a dessert, and the peanut vinaigrette was a nice, salty touch.   Sauteed Brussels Sprouts with toasted almonds, gruyere, candied onions and home fries in a Dijon-maple cream, $8. I'm so glad it's Brussels sprouts season again. These are some of my favorite vegetables, especially when they're roasted until charred and slightly caramelized. Mmmm.   Pan-fried Cajun Boudin on smoked tomato, hominy and Sea Island red pea succotach and remoulade sauce, $9. This dish reminded me more of G. Mike's excellent housemade sausages than the rice-heavy boudin I spread on bread at Da Levee. The smoked tomato and the remoulade were delish.   Venison Chili with dark chocolate and cinnamon sour cream, $6. Not technically a small plate, but we tried a cup of this Cincinnati-style chili as well. Hearty and rich and perfect for cold days, if a bit too cinnamony.   And we also quite enjoyed this Duck Liver Gratin, which was actually part of G. Michael's special Dine Originals Week menu and not on the regular small plates list. It's made with smoked gouda, redskin potatoes, sage cream sauce and caramelized Vidalia onions, and it's outstanding. Who knows? Maybe it'll make the regular rotation sometime.   A few other new additions to the small plates menu: Benne-crusted Yellowfin Tuna with spicy sorghum syrup, braised red cabbage and red pepper aioli, $10 Oyster Gratin with bacon, spinach, bell peppers and scallions in an herbed cream sauce on cornbread crust, $10 Revamped Cold Appetizer Trio with Lowcountry pimento cheese, country pate and housemade piccalili, $9   G. Michael's Bistro 595 S. Third St., German Village 614-464-0575 gmichaelsbistro.com]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/55333980-Winter small plates at G. Michael's]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Dine Originals Week recap]]></title>
			<pubDate>Fri, 11 Nov 2011 20:58:00 -0600</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[It's been decided: my Dine Originals Week discovery of the week is DeepWood's fried mac-and-cheese spring rolls. It's the side dish to their Sloppy Joe lunch special, and it's a perfectly brilliant concept I can't believe more restaurants don't serve. Baked macaroni and cheese is wrapped, Asian-style, in a crunchy spring roll wrapper. A puddle of cheese sauce to the side provides extra cheesy goodness. Yummm.   It came with this Sloppy Joe, made with ground Angus beef in a sweet, oniony tomato sauce. What follows is a quick look at the other Dine Originals Week dishes I sampled this week (unfortunately I had time for mostly lunches and didn't get to try any of the fancy $30 dinner menus.)   DeepWood's Shrimp Po'Boy with fried shrimp, aioli and oven-roasted tomatoes on a French-style roll    DeepWood's Veggie Melt: Eggplant, mushrooms and bell peppers with gruyere on whole-grain bread. Served with awesome slightly sweet beet chips.    DeepWood's lunchtime dessert: mini cookies in oatmeal, ginger and chocolate flavors    Pistacia Vera's Mushroom Quiche: Housemade pate brisee with a mix of Emmentaler Swiss and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses and crimini and shitake mushrooms, served with a green salad.    These Pistacia Vera pastries (a canele and a palmier) didn't technically come with my $10 Dine Originals brunch. But I couldn't leave without them.    Tasi's Crab Cake Benedict with Jalapeno-Potato Hash    Tasi's miniature chocolate-lemon tartlets    Surly Girl's Wasabi Cream Cheese Ball with cucumbers and sesame crackers. I also ate Cowgirl Carmen's Cherry Cola Ribs (with coleslaw and poblano mashed potatoes) and tried a few bites of the Butternut Squash Ravioli with chile-pumpkin cream sauce, but the photos of those dishes turned out even worse than this poorly lit cheese ball. All were delicious, though!   There's still time to partake in Dine Originals Week: special menus will be offered through Sunday, Nov. 13. Check out the full list here.]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/55333981-Dine Originals Week recap]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Breakfast in Columbus: DK Diner]]></title>
			<pubDate>Wed, 26 Oct 2011 14:58:00 -0500</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[If restaurants described as upscale make you nervous, Grandview's DK Diner is your place. A meal there feels more like eating at a neighbor's than at a restaurant. To give you an idea, you'll be serving yourself coffee-after you pick from among the mismatched mugs sitting out on open shelves. (Tip: The cream's hiding in the mini-fridge.)   Slide into a booth and take a look at the wallet-friendly menu. An egg-and-bacon biscuit sandwich for three bucks, a stack of flapjacks for $3.75 or a cheese omelet for $4.   The most expensive thing on there is the DK All the Way, just $6.50 for a buttermilk biscuit piled with over-easy eggs, Canadian bacon and home fries, all doused in sausage gravy.   By the way, the DK stands for Donut Kitchen, and you'll want to pick up a dozen on your way out-you can afford it. The old-fashioned sour cream ones are the very best in Columbus: charmingly misshapen treats with plenty of nooks and crannies to soak up their thick vanilla glaze.   Breakfast for lunch   True story: Breakfast is just as delicious (and sometimes even more so!) at lunch and dinnertime. There's no need to feel guilty about ordering breakfast for lunch, but sometimes it helps to bridge the gap between the meals by ordering a later-in-the-day standard made with early-morning ingredients, like the breakfast sandwich.   DK Diner makes a few of them, including some served on biscuits and English muffins. I prefer the sandwiches served on Texas toast over those McDonald's-esque options, though.   Dana's Deluxe B.S. ($4.25) is the most elaborate, with two fried eggs, cheese and a breakfast meat plus lettuce, tomato and mayo. It's delish and plenty filling for lunch.   For a fancier option, try Katalina's Country Egg ($9.25). The Victorian Village cafe is famed for its sandwiches, and this all-day option is served on the same sliced old-world loaf as many of the lunch favorites. It's kind of massive, and stacked with fried eggs, cheddar and prosciutto, amped up flavorwise with some roasted garlic and walnut pesto.]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/54749671-Breakfast in Columbus: DK Diner]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Grandview Neighborhood Guide]]></title>
			<pubDate>Tue, 18 Oct 2011 20:53:43 -0500</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Story by G.A. Benton | Photos by Jodi Miller Mix It Up  Whether you're hungry for fun casual food or something more sumptuous, Grandview's got you covered  A pleasurably walkable neighborhood home to all walks of people, Grandview cheerfully blends old-time, small-town charm with contemporary big-city sophistication. And Grandview's destination-worthy restaurant scene reflects that all-American mix. Because whether it's a homey joint with the best donuts ever (DK Diner) or a wholly refurbished golden oldie (Grandview Cafe-since 1925!) or a handsome, upscale and modern food palace that prides itself on sourcing (Third and Hollywood), Grandview's eateries can easily please a wide range of appetites and pocketbooks. Here are a few more popular and alluring Grandview restaurants. Spagio  1295 Grandview Ave.  614-486-1114  spagio.com   As restaurant trends come and go, the decades-old Spagio continues zooming along, absorbing new food fashions with gusto and verve. I'd expect nothing less from pioneering Columbus chef Hubert Seifert. See, long ago, the German-born Seifert actually helped bring Euro-style haute cuisine to Central Ohio with his little Gourmet Market eatery. Now Chef Hubert oversees a bright and bubbly Spagio complex with a great wine shop and patio.  Try the Asian-inflected wood-fired duck pizza, upscale Mama Seifert's Meatloaf, a bouillabaisse-y Seafood Stew and a locally sourced rolled Italian Porchetta roast partnered with homemade gnocchi and spring peas.   Vino Vino  1371 Grandview Ave.  614-481-8200  vinovinocolumbus.com   Suave and sexy Brazilian tunes usually set the zesty mood in the urbane and casual Vino Vino. As its twice-as-nice name suggests, the wine flows abundantly here and several flights enable the slurping of more than one grape at a time.  That same play-the-field gameplan holds for the smallish plates of food. Some favorites are the Parmesan Peppercorn salad, Fish Taco and Asparagus Risotto Tower.  As a bonus, Vino Vino's literally joined at the hip to Figlio, so you can get a two-fer by also tucking into Figlio's nifty Cal-Ital pizzas and pastas.   Mazah  1439 Grandview Ave.  614-488-3633  mazah-eatery.com   Painted in alternating shades of merry yellow, green and orange, friendly little Mazah has been embraced as the must-visit newest player in the Grandview Avenue casual-restaurant scene.  But Mazah-which makes the best Middle Eastern food in this area-has roots reaching back to Sindbad's, Columbus' Ur-house of hummus. Luckily for customers, Mazah's family recipes taste better than ever, and from phenomenal falafel to killer kebabs, you cannot go wrong.  Hint: Mazah specializes in tapas-y mezze-style dining, so ordering from the combo-packed "Mazah samplers" menu section facilitates copious and glorious grazing.   Trattoria Roma  1447 Grandview Ave.  614-488-2104  trattoria-roma.com   Tasteful ambient appointments and pleasure-center-grabbing dishes define Trattoria Roma. Vibe-wise, a wooden plank floor capped by neatly white-trimmed burgundy walls form a handsome backdrop to framed black-and-white sketches of famous Italian landmarks. Jazz giants are piped into the small dining room and the cozy little bar is decorated in Sinatra.  When it's time to mangia mangia, saucy delights take center stage. Try the shroomy, rich and intense Polenta e Gorgonzola ai Funghi; a spicy tomato sauce, pasta and seafood bonanza (Linguine alla Pescatore); and a lush and skillful stuffed chicken dish (Pollo Trattoria Roma).   Paul's Fifth Avenue  1565 W. Fifth Ave.  614-481-8848  paulsonline.com   Paul's Fifth Avenue has a dual personality that straddles both older and newer Grandview. By daytime, its coffee-shoppy interior is filled with breakfasting regulars slamming back eggy dishes sided with Paul's famous morning potatoes (either crispy "Joes" or jazzed-up "Callahans") plus lunching locals loving diner classics like meatloaf. Evening hours bring about a more sophisticated Italian menu. Best enjoyed on Paul's patio with a bottle of vino, the nightly meal can begin with a grilled polenta and portobello appetizer before moving on to, say, whole wheat linguine with a light and lively funghi pomodoro sauce.   Red Door Tavern  1736 W. Fifth Ave.  614-488-5433  reddoortavern.com   Open since 1964, yes, here the door is really red and the school is really old. But don't think this vintage working man's tavern/family-friendly restaurant is a relic.  Currently in Jimmy V's clan of eateries, the lively Door has managed to retain its classic, down-to-earth character while also attracting out-on-the-towners seeking pubby dining and a partying patio. Whether eating outside, at the sporty bar or in one of several rooms hung with farm implements, this is the place for massive grill-seared burgers and the beloved Twisted Pelican (grilled deli turkey and fixins on a pretzel roll).   Food critic G.A. Benton blogs at columbusalive.com]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/54031783-Grandview Neighborhood Guide]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Sweet or Tart? Columbus-area frozen yogurt shops]]></title>
			<pubDate>Tue, 18 Oct 2011 20:50:15 -0500</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Story by Robin Davis l Photos by Jodi Miller When it comes to soft-serve frozen yogurt, you have two choices: sweet or tart.   Sure, there's an ever growing number of frozen yogurt shops in the Columbus area-and some of them offer a dozen flavors or more, not to mention scores of toppings and sauces. But you can't embark on those choices until you pick sweet or tart. Me? I'm a tart girl. Original tart with fresh red raspberries, to be exact. I decided this after eating at every yogurt place around town I could find (though I'm sure more have opened since then). For tart, I go to Yagoot at Easton. There's not much seating in this mod little lime-and-silver-hued shop, but the patio out front offers plenty of places to sit during warm weather.  Yagoot is sleek, but it's not a franchise. It's owned by the Busken family of Cincinnati's Busken Bakery-making it Ohio-local, if not Columbus-local. Yagoot offers just four flavors a day. Original and strawberry are always on the menu, while the other flavors rotate. But all are tart. And by tart, I mean the pleasant sourness of good-quality yogurt with just enough sweetness to make it dreamy. The staff swirls the yogurt for customers (three sizes are available starting at $2.50) then adds toppings, from raspberries to Fruity Pebbles. The secret to Yagoot's yogurt? "Most frozen yogurt is nonfat," said Brian Busken, co-founder of Yagoot. "Ours is 99 percent fat free. We feel like that 1 percent gives us that nice creaminess." In the sweet realm, there's Cuzzins in the Shops on Lane Avenue in Upper Arlington. Customers sit on bubblegum-pink chairs at white tables inside, or out on the open-air patio. Cuzzins is a locally owned shop founded by Jeanie Patrick and John Falor, who are cousins (hence the name). The Upper Arlington store has been open a year and has been so successful the cousins are embarking on two new locations: Hilliard and Polaris. What you'll get at Cuzzins is an array of self-serve yogurt in a variety of mostly sweet flavors, from peanut butter to cookies-and-cream.  And like other shops, Cuzzins lets customers dress up their yogurt with any number of toppings (fresh fruit, gummy candies, M&#38;Ms) in a weigh-and-pay system, at $7.04 a pound. Cuzzins 1629 W. Lane Ave., Upper Arlington 614-488-8248 uasupersite.com/cuzzins   Yagoot 3998 Gramercy St., Easton 614-532-6565 yagootyogurt.com   Icy treats Yagoot and Cuzzins are just the start when it comes to frozen yogurt in town. Here's a look at the rest of our fro-yo scene.   Groovy Spoon 3665 N. High St., Clintonville groovyspoon.com   Price: 44 cents an ounce What you get: In addition to delicious sweet flavors such as chocolate-mint and traditional tart flavors like peach-mango, customers can opt for made-to-order crepes and waffles topped with fruit, sauce and whipped cream (though I put spoonfuls of the tart yogurt on instead).   Josie's Frozen Yogurt 121 Westerville Plaza, Westerville 8657 Sancus Blvd., Polaris josiesyogurt.com Price: 36 cents an ounce What you get: In addition to traditional sweet flavors (chocolate, vanilla), Josie's also offers a handful of no-sugar-added Stevia-sweetened varieties including espresso. For tart, the honeydew is particularly refreshing. Bonus: Josie's offers three sizes of cups, making portion control more manageable.   Orange Leaf 1374 Grandview Ave., Grandview 3130 Kingsdale Ave., Upper Arlington 10503 Blacklick-Eastern Rd., Pickerington 750 N. State St., Westerville orangeleafyogurt.com Price: 44 cents an ounce What you get: These stores are very attractive, with lime green and orange-tiled walls. Choose from traditional flavors (tart or strawberry) to more decadent offerings, including a confetti cake that tastes just like Funfetti cake mix.     Menchie's 7545 Sawmill Rd., Dublin menchies.com Price: 44 cents an ounce What you get: Self-service yogurt in mostly sweet flavors, including milk chocolate, root beer and lavender. The fluorescent green shop has lots of indoor seating and a handful of outdoor seats.   Red Mango 1866 N. High St., Campus redmangousa.com Price: $2.95 to $4.95 (75 cents for 1 topping or $1.25 for 2 toppings or more) What you get: Red Mango's our only full-service tart yogurt place besides Yagoot. It offers four flavors including original and pomegranate in three sizes, plus parfaits ($4.50) and smoothies ($4.95 to $5.45).   Spoon Me 4691 Morse Rd., Gahanna spoonme.com Price: $7.20 a pound What you get: This place has a cute slogan: If you love me, Spoon Me. It's also the only place I visited selling underwear imprinted with its store name. As for yogurt, they specialize in both tart (grapefruit, blueberry, lime) and sweet (Butterfinger, Root Beer Float), with lots of toppings.]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/54031784-Sweet or Tart? Columbus-area frozen yogurt shops]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Strip Search: Comfort Food]]></title>
			<pubDate>Tue, 18 Oct 2011 20:49:40 -0500</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Comfort Food  Columbus Square's Mi Li Cafe specializes in Vietnamese pho and banh mi When I was four, my dad and I lived off of Dublin-Granville Road in the apartments behind Otani and close to what used to be the Elephant Bar (and is now, like most interesting Columbus landmarks, a Walgreens).  In 30 years, the North Side has seen more changes than I can count. It started early. One of the first losses was a buffet in the Columbus Square shopping center, forever locked in my mind as "Smorgasboard" because that's how my dad once described it to me.   Not long after, the Big Bear shut its doors, as did our Zantigo, a Mexican chain beloved for their addictive chilitos. No matter what my dad said, even five-year-old (wailing) me knew the truth: Taco Bell was not as good as Zantigo.  As an adult, I can see that even though many chains cleared out, the area is better for it-restaurants and markets run by owners from all over the world fill the void. One of them is Mi Li Cafe, nestled in Columbus Square.  I'm not alone in my love for this brightly colored Vietnamese restaurant. It gets constant foot traffic from regulars who generally order the restaurant's specialties: pho tai (a noodle soup) and banh mi thit nuong (a sandwich that marries Vietnamese flavors with the French standbys of mayonnaise and baguette).   I first encountered Mi Li through a friend who dragged me on a summer-long exploration of the city's best phos. The Vietnamese wonder soup is a comfort food (perfect for both colds and the effects of over-indulgence) that isn't completely terrible for you.   Pho gets its distinctive, deep flavor from stock slow-simmered with toasted spices, charred onion and ginger and-sorry, vegetarians-marrow from beef bones. Bowls are filled with rice noodles, and pho becomes an interactive experience when diners customize their soup with the accompanying limes, green onions, thinly sliced white onions, jalapenos, bean sprouts and bitter greens or basil. Sriracha and hoisin, for heat and sweetness, sit on every table.  When assembled, this choose-your-own-adventure dish celebrates opposites in texture and temperature: as the cool crunch of bean sprouts hit the hot and steamy broth, magic happens.   I love the pho, but Mi Li's banh mi is my favorite find, especially on hot days. Grilled pork, pat, pickled carrots, cilantro, jalapenos and cucumber mingle together on a freshly baked baguette coated with mayonnaise. (I'm a sucker for mayo on hot bread.)   Crispy on the outside and warm on the inside, the bread is what makes this sandwich. Their secret: a standing order from the bakery at the Andersons General Store.  On a recent visit, my fortune cookie yielded the words, "Sometimes even love shows a rerun." I have no idea what this means. But if we're talking about 161-a love for the 2011 incarnation along with fond memories of what it used to be-I'm in.   Jill Moorhead blogs about food at itinerantfoodies.com   Mi Li Cafe  5858 Emporium Sq., North Side  614-899-9202  Hours:  10:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday,  10:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/54031782-Strip Search: Comfort Food]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Breakfast in Columbus: Omelets at Jack & Benny's]]></title>
			<pubDate>Mon, 17 Oct 2011 12:57:00 -0500</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[By Shelley Mann Photo by Will Shilling  I'm an omelet addict, and I've never seen a more impressive selection than at Jack &#38; Benny's. Nearly two-dozen ingredient combinations are listed, with out-of-the-box offerings like chorizo and apple. The Avocado and Swiss is a favorite-a light, summery combo that benefits from a heavy sprinkling of salt and pepper. If your appetite is more hearty, try the Farmer Boy, made with four eggs instead of the usual three and stuffed with breakfast goodies like bacon and hashbrowns.]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/54031791-Breakfast in Columbus: Omelets at Jack & Benny's]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Hidden Gem: Camelot Cellars]]></title>
			<pubDate>Thu, 13 Oct 2011 18:38:08 -0500</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Story by Faith Durand l Photos by Jodi Miller Hidden Gem  Camelot Cellars has reinvented itself as an urban winery in the heart of the city   Camelot Cellars has occupied its prime Short North spot for years. And yet the winery has felt hidden in plain sight, its worn sign and clustered grape logo lost between the upbeat elegance of its chic neighbors. But a transformation has occurred, virtually overnight.   The sign now bears an impressionistic scarlet C, like a swirl of cabernet, and through the windows you can see framed racks with over 700 bottles of neatly labeled wine.  A sleek, weathered-wood bar invites you in. Warm lights hang from knotted rope chandeliers over a communal table. Candles flicker in the windows. The scent of fresh wood fills the space-I could smell the newness even as I sipped my New Zealand pinot noir, with its notes of soft fruits and strawberry.   Camelot's new owner, Janine Aquino, hopes this dramatic renovation will expose the spot's true identity. "This is a real winery," she said. "People don't realize that."  Indeed, there's a winemaking lab in the center of Camelot, framed by a huge window that looks onto steel tanks and glass carboys.   Camelot has long been in the business of helping people create custom wines for weddings, anniversaries and other events. The lab also turns out bottles of locally crafted wine, sold by the bottle and by the glass. This locally made wine isn't Ohio wine, Aquino is quick to point out.  "While there are some good Ohio wines, we don't produce Ohio wine," she said. "We source juices and skins from all the over the world and then produce it locally."   Aquino is a wine professional with a brisk and no-nonsense manner that gives way to an all-encompassing smile as she talks about being raised in New York's wine business. "All I've done is be around wineries my whole life," she said.  She was working in Columbus as a wine consultant before she bought Camelot Cellars last winter from its previous owner, a Canadian company.   "I really liked that it's in the Short North," Aquino said. "It has the ability to be a great wine bar."   In this Aquino hopes to emulate wineries from all over the world that invite guests in to see how they make their wine, and to taste it right where it's made.  But Aquino knew the existing space didn't have the right character for the Short North.   She engaged Scott Hanratty, then of Collier West, and Kathleen Day of Katalina's Cafe Corner to help her realize a new vision, taking cues from French and Tuscan wineries but with clean urban lines.   After a flurry of paper sketches, custom furniture and vintage items carefully placed, Camelot Cellars feels new and old at the same time, a chic bar with a patina of precisely calculated vintage touches.  Despite this transformation, Camelot does have its challenges. Aquino is still working towards a food license, so wine must be sipped alone, for now. Also, the bar only sells and serves its own wines, which can feel strange to a wine-lover accustomed to a more diverse array of labels.   And yet wine produced on-site means a stunningly large array of wines by the glass-a rarity for such a small wine bar.   Camelot produces over 70 types of wine-from Napa cabernet to German gewurztraminer-and every one is available by the glass, with prices ranging from $5 to $7.   Aquino plans to introduce classes and tastings so people can learn what they enjoy. She will emphasize varietals-how do different chardonnays taste? A zinfandel?-and hopes her guests leave knowing something new.  "I don't like anything pompous or pretentious," she said. "I want this to be a welcoming place for people with no wine knowledge whatsoever."   Faith Durand is the managing editor of thekitchn.com   Camelot Cellars  958 N. High St., Short North  614-441-8860  camelotcellars.com  Hours:  3-10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday,  2-11 p.m. Friday,  12-11 p.m. Saturday]]></description>
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			<title><![CDATA[10 Best Restaurants in Columbus]]></title>
			<pubDate>Thu, 13 Oct 2011 18:38:00 -0500</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[The Crave 10 The Best Restaurants in Columbus Yes, this is only Crave's second issue, but our writers have an awful lot of experience reviewing restaurants in Columbus-not to mention eating at them. So yeah, we're going there. We're declaring the 10 best restaurants in Columbus. As we narrowed down our choices, our editorial board considered atmosphere, general vibe, wine lists, cocktail menus, attentive and knowledgeable service. But first and foremost was the food. We wanted menus that are not only filled with delicious dishes, but that are creative and always changing, that incorporate local and seasonal ingredients, and that are infused with the chef's personality. When we sat down to hash out this list, I was expecting a knock-down, drag-out fight. But we came to a consensus pretty quickly. These are our very favorite places to eat in the city, the places that make us most proud to call Columbus home. So let us tell you about our top 10 restaurants, and why we're so crazy about them. --Shelley Mann 1. Rigsby's Kitchen 698 N. High St., Short North 614-461-7888 rigsbyskitchen.com Hours: 1 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 5:30-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 5:30-11 p.m. Friday, 12-3 p.m. and 5:30-11 p.m. Saturday  Story by Shelley Mann | Photos by Will Shilling Amazing, isn't it, how Rigsby's has been making it look easy for 25 years. In the decades since the Short North trailblazer opened, dozens of other, more exciting restaurants have come and gone. But Rigsby's hasn't flinched. This place has managed to define fine dining in Columbus: a refined but relaxed ambiance, fantastic food without much fuss. The neighborhood that's now home to the city's swankiest restaurants wasn't so desirable when Rigsby's Cuisine Volatile opened its doors in 1986. But Kent and Tasi Rigsby's restaurant, centered on food inspired by summers spent in Greece and Italy, drew people to the arts district. It's never stopped quietly evolving and improving, and that's why it gets our top honors. I first ate at Rigsby's on a date as a college student. We ended up there because somebody told me it was the nicest restaurant in Columbus. We were flat broke, and so I skipped appetizers and dessert and ordered the cheapest thing on the menu. And yet, I still think back fondly on that first Rigsby's meal-butternut squash ravioli, a simple dish made special with high quality, locally sourced ingredients. I've been back many times since, and every time I find something new to fall in love with. The bread, baked right down the street at Rigsby's own Eleni-Christina bakery. The cocktails, shaken with care behind that stunner of a backlit bar. The artwork, oversized pieces that feel right at home on towering exposed-brick walls. And so many dishes. Deviled eggs with truffle oil, an unbelievably indulgent twist on a suburban staple. Roasted beets with skorthalia, an addictive Greek garlicky potato dip. The most amazing gnocchi you'll ever taste, tender potato pillows tossed in a rich Bolognese. Apple tart tartin, a sweet little dessert incorporating caramelized Lynd's Fruit Farm apples set off by a cinnamon-caramel sauce. Here's to 25 years of doing it right. Let's hope for 25 more. 2. G. Michael's Bistro &#38; Bar 595 S. Third St., German Village 614-464-0575 gmichaelsbistro.com Hours: 5-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 5-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday  Story by Brian Lindamood | Photos by Jodi Miller The Chilled Cucumber-Buttermilk Soup is transcendent. Call it the Official Flavor of Summer in Columbus-the crisp and cool taste of local produce tingles on the tongue, and the creamy finish is as soothing as a lazy summer afternoon on the patio. Oh, and it's topped with a dollop of Watershed Gin whipped cream. Yeah, you read that right: Watershed Gin whipped cream. The soup may be one little thing on a menu full of bold flavors, but that's the point: G. Michael's does all the little things right. Executive chef David Tetzloff keeps the menu moving through the seasons, using local ingredients whenever possible in the frequently changing lineup. The constant is the creativity Tetzloff brings to his unique combination of Midwestern and Lowcountry influences. (We should all be grateful that the chef returned from culinary school in South Carolina with a taste for pork in all its indulgent forms.) His whimsy was on full display in a dish I enjoyed recently, part of the Duo of Fowl: Buffalo-style quail with Maytag-celery root slaw. With a knowing wink to the sports-bar favorite, and fine preparation of the delicate bird, it was as fun to eat as it was to order. Tetzloff's innovative touches have been a G. Michael's hallmark for more than a decade. That longevity says a lot about the restaurant's excellence and its beloved place in German Village. Regulars gather around the long wooden bar in the cozy front room, while diners in the bistro-like dining room celebrate special occasions-or any occasion at all. It's not easy to become an institution in a 200-year-old neighborhood, but this restaurant is as much a part of the landscape as the brick sidewalks leading down Third Street to Schiller Park. 3. Kihachi 2667 Federated Blvd., Dublin 614-764-9040 Hours: 6-10 p.m. Monday-Saturday  Story by G.A. Benton | Photos by Will Shilling As a veteran professional eater, I'm rarely overwhelmed by every single bite of any dinner from start to finish. But that happens nearly every time I dine at Kihachi. When lining up adjectives to capture that food, the candidates pushing forward are: elegant, spare, thrilling and poetic. Yes, Kihachi's very special. In fact, I bet if you questioned the other chefs on this list about their favorite culinary magicians, most would reverently mention master Mike Kimura. Thus his dazzling dishes transcend lesser features like a shrug-inducing wine list (beer and sake work great anyway). As for ambiance, though Kihachi features nifty tatami-matted chambers, this strip-mall temple of no-training-wheels Japanese cuisine might best be described as a blank canvas for Kimura's artistry. Said artistry is catalogued on two menus, one containing udon, teriyaki, tempura and such and another with more rarefied, tapas-type preparations. I recommend latching onto the latter, where huge pleasures arise from small plates. Recent knockouts include: a basket of crunchy, deep-fried lotus root wedges crammed with a delightful shrimp filling-water-derived gifts with celestial textures and flavors. Stunning, lime-scented sea bream sushi patterned, wallpaper-style, with sancho leaves, served with an explosive grapefruity sauce (Kihachi's not a sushi restaurant, but you'll find none finer in Ohio). Insanely intense Berkshire pork cheeks presented with bare vegetal accoutrements-a porcine haiku. Kihachi's my preferred special occasion restaurant, and I highly recommend splurging on its mindblowing omakase (multi-course magnificence). Insider tip: from October into November, Kihachi's matsutaki mushroom-packed omakases are especially majestic. 4. Dragonfly Neo-V 247 King Ave., Victorian Village 614-298-9986 neo-vevents.com Hours: 5-10 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5-10 p.m. Saturday  Story by Robin Davis l Photos by Jodi Miller I don't go to Dragonfly just because it serves vegan food; I go because it's good food that happens to be vegan. The unassuming restaurant sits on a bare-bones strip of King Avenue near Victorian Village. Inside, pressed-tin ceilings and fresh flowers are nice touches in an otherwise simple space. In comparison with the sleek and simple surroundings, the plates coming out of the kitchen are intricate works of art. When it comes to the food, it's truly Chef Magdiale Wolmark's vision. His frequently changing menu is filled with quirky veggie-based inventions, including some dishes that replicate ones made with meat. He uses hon-shemeji mushrooms to make faux calamari, coating them in a light batter and frying them till crisp. The tender nuggets sit on a bed of well-seasoned tomato sauce, and somehow even have a taste of the sea. Customers don't mind waiting the 25 minutes it takes for the mushroom risotto-it's made from scratch to order-because it's something of a masterpiece. Studded with vegetables and infused with a deep, earthy flavor, it's purely satisfying. The same is true of the mac 'n' cheese, a dish the restaurant can't take off the menu. Unsurprisingly, the best part of this comfort-food classic isn't the orzo tossed with a full-flavored vegan cheese sauce. It's the vegetables-sauteed collard greens and crisp breaded mushroom-that are really the stars. Dragonfly specializes in fun mixed drinks, too. The Jezebel is a flirty, colorful concoction of orange vodka, cranberry and Goldschlager. And for those not imbibing, a glass of Raenfall-a fruity lavender punch-is light and refreshing. 5. Basi Italia 811 Highland St., Victorian Village 614-294-7383 basi-italia.com Hours: 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 5-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday  Story by Shelley Mann l Photos by Will Shilling Eat a meal at this tiny gem hidden deep in Victorian Village and you come away feeling like part of the family. For one thing, the Basi space is actually an old house, so it really does feel like you're eating dinner at the home of some old friends. Namely, husband-and-wife owners Johnny Dornback and Trish Gentile. And if you sit inside, you'll be close enough to your fellow diners that you'll quickly become old friends. But it's more than that. It's plates of food that feel like they came from a home kitchen rather than a gourmet restaurant-albeit a home kitchen with an outstanding cook. It's a waitstaff filled with people who have obviously become part of the extended Basi family-they're having fun even as they hustle and bustle and do what it takes to keep a restaurant running efficiently. Johnny is the chef behind Basi's Italian-inspired menu. It changes seasonally but is typically heavy on unfussy pastas and flavorful seafood. Trish is in charge of the wine-and she has a big hand in planning the menu, too. The Basi menu is short and sweet. On the Primo side, seasonal salads join favorite appetizers like the Zucchini Pronto-a present of sorts featuring a pile of roasted zucchini and toasted almonds wrapped in thin sheets of pecorino-and the magical Parmesan Creme Brulee, a cheese custard with a crispy, caramelized crust. The main courses change up more frequently, plus there are always tantalizing specials detailed on chalkboard menus. This summer's offerings included a delightful Veal Ravioli entree, with velvety ground veal tucked inside thick pockets of pasta that resembled mini pope hats. They sat upright with some charred cherry tomatoes and wilted arugula in a pool of thick, fragrant parmesan broth. What a welcome and unexpected treat in a world of red-sauced, rubbery-noodled Italian food. 6. Sage American Bistro 2653 N. High St., Old North Columbus 614-267-7243 sageamericanbistro.com Hours: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and 5-10 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday Story by Brian Lindamood l Photos by Jodi Miller Sage may be the single best illustration of all that's right with the local restaurant scene. Everything I love about dining in this city is served up inside the bistro's exposed brick walls with a personality that is uniquely, deliciously Columbus. It starts with indie-minded chef/owner Bill Glover, a rising star who can claim his place beside the other young artists and entrepreneurs in the city's creative community. Glover's small, carefully curated menu of local and seasonal flavors elevates American entrees-Bistro Steak, Braised Pork Cheeks, Grilled Salmon-with spot-on execution and tastebud-twisting additions like fried chive dumplings, truffle-cauliflower puree or shitake-leek bread pudding. Glover even makes his own ketchups, including a rich, smoky chipotle and a sweet, tangy blackberry. Those sauces take center stage during lunch, which is a fun (and affordable) way to taste the chef's creativity in sandwich form. Sunday brunch is just as rewarding, transforming morning favorites into indulgent and unexpected delights (Sage Benedict swaps out traditional ham for duck confit). Sage's intimate atmosphere is perfect for Columbus. It's a neighborhoody place in a city that loves its neighborhoods, casually embracing its eclectic North Campus surroundings with a welcoming smile. My favorite perch is at the small bar, which offers friendly conversation with the bartender, a peek into the buzzing open kitchen and a full view of the narrow dining room flanked by local artwork. The stylish setting would seem at home in any big city, but it wouldn't be the same anywhere but here. 7. The Refectory Restaurant &#38; Bistro 1092 Bethel Rd., Northwest Side 614-451-9774 therefectoryrestaurant.com Hours: 5:30-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 5-9:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday Story by Shelley Mann l Photos by Jodi Miller Alpaca and antelope. Sweetbreads lasagna and seafood strudel. Stuffy French stereotypes be damned, I had one of the most exciting meals of my life at the Refectory. Sitting on the more relaxed bistro side of the restaurant helped. My pal and I might have been the youngest people dining that night, but we were far from the most boisterous. The Refectory has all the upscale touches you expect from what Columbus' finest dining experience-white tablecloths, fine china, tuxedoed waiters brushing away bread crumbs, water glasses never less than 80 percent full and, of course, flawlessly executed dishes.  Richard Blondin is the Lyon-born, Paul Bocuse-trained chef behind the delectable food, while Kamal Boulos, the owner, is responsible for establishing Refectory as the city's special occasion destination. The setting certainly can't be beat. Housed in a converted church, Refectory has exposed brick walls, neat stained-glass windows and steep beamed ceilings. Sitting on the bistro side doesn't mean you have to order from the prix-fixe bistro menu. That three-course dinner is a great deal, but if you want to splurge, look to the regular menu served in all the dining rooms. We started with several small plates-the much-talked-about Alpaca Terrine, a bacon-wrapped pate incorporating pistachios, black olives and cranberries; a delightful Seafood Strudel made with big chunks of fresh shellfish; and the Sweetbread Lasagna, intensely flavored organ-meat nuggets nestled between thin layers of pasta. My main was Texas Antelope medallions, brined in bourbon, encrusted with sage and bacon, then roasted until fork-tender. They were accompanied by some roasted asparagus spears, a dollop of mashed potatoes and honey-kissed jus. And dessert was the jaw-droppingly stunning Pear Tart Frangipane, a sunburst of thinly sliced pears ringed in rays of vanilla-almond frangipane and raspberry sauce and topped with a small scoop of pistachio ice cream. Every single bite that night was divine. 8. M at Miranova 2 Miranova Pl., Downtown 614-629-0000 matmiranova.com Hours: 5-10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 5-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday Story by Robin Davis l Photos by Will Shilling M can be whatever you want it to be. Looking for a special occasion spot? With striking two-story ceilings hung with diaphanous white curtains and simply stunning views of the Downtown skyline, M is it. Want a sophisticated cocktail lounge? That's M too, with a dramatically blue-lit bar that has to be the prettiest in the city, manned by mixologist extraordinaire Cris Dehlavi. The cocktails alone are reason to visit. Take the Black Orchid. The black raspberry vodka and St. Germain drink is garnished with an actual orchid frozen into a ball of ice. The Marquee is just as pretty, a mix of citrus vodka and blood orange puree with a spritz of bitters forming the letter M on top. Chef Jay Cotrell whips up food to please a variety of palates. Kobe beef slider appetizers are a homey snack served with fries and spicy ketchup and aioli for dipping. Diners looking for more celebratory fare can feast on seafood dishes with an Asian influence. Poke-cubed raw tuna with bits of pineapple, peas and tiny taro root chips-is an appetizer that's meant to be shared. A shrimp tempura dish comes with three fat shrimp, sweet potato slices and shitake mushroom caps, all coated in an ultra-crisp batter and served with a sweet-spicy chili sauce. For entrees, listen to the specials. On a recent visit, I loved the seared Scottish salmon served over baby bok choy with a soy-butter sauce. Don't pass up dessert, especially the Root Beer Float. This beaut combines root beer granita with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, all doused in root beer and served with warm chocolate chip cookies. 9. Alana's Food &#38; Wine 2333 N. High St., North Campus 614-294-6783 alanas.com Hours: 5-9 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday, 5 p.m.-close Friday-Saturday Story by G.A. Benton | Photos by Jodi Miller Alana's name is literally bent into a little fence that's the entrance to her restaurant and party-time patio. This is certainly fitting, considering Alana Shock's personality is stamped all over her terrific place. Alana's taste shows up on her walls, which are awash in brash and humor-splashed local art. It's in the music, which weaves a path from voodoo-soaked New Orleans (where Alana trained under Emeril Lagasse), to Piaf's Paris, to a nutty place in America where someone dreamed up a zippy big band version of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame." And of course Alana's touch is all over her menu, which she composes daily after shopping for the freshest and best ingredients available. See, Alana's been flying the eat-seasonal and go-local flags as long and as vehemently as any restaurant in Columbus. Still, it's her worldbeat creativity that most distinguishes her eatery. Here, handmade Thai curry pastes share menu space with Moroccan flavors, Colombian arepas, zingy African piri-piri sauces and Indian spice-kissed Ohio-raised pork and steaks. Vegetables are special too. They're liable to refreshingly brighten an all-cold item menu served on a hot summer night, starring Alana's famous locally grown tomato and peekytoe crab stack and a virtually fatless grilled tomatillo gazpacho. And holy bacchus if the giant globe-spanning wine list isn't one of the best and best-priced ever printed in Ohio. Toss in creative cocktails concocted with local fruits and local hooches plus pretty housemade pastries and you'll understand why every night could be Mardi Gras at Alana's. 10. Worthington Inn 649 High St., Worthington 614-885-2600 worthingtoninn.com Hours: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 5-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday Story by G.A. Benton l Photos by Will Shilling Time curves in on itself at the Worthington Inn. Here amid quaint old paintings and elaborately carved woodwork, you step into the past to dine in the present. Inside the delightfully preserved 19th-century country mansion, pink and tender spring lamb chops are lavished with a multi-culti artichoke and harissa ragu straddled by the yin and yang of a sriracha-based sauce and housemade tzatziki. Or a Sunday-style chicken dinner is elevated with succulently roasted, locally raised poultry graced by a demi-like morel gravy (when in season). If the Inn's ingredient-driven homemade cuisine seems to defy expectations of its museum-like 1800s setting, actually scratch cooking with local ingredients hearkens back to its Victorian-era roots. Overseeing the everything-old-is-new-again deliciousness is the freshness-obsessed and versatile chef Thomas Smith, who uses (when available) herbs and vegetables grown in his own garden. Smith has also added several casual touches to loosen up this fine dining institution-like grilling up a great, grass-fed, Ohio-raised hamburger and starting a breakfast-all-day policy on summery Saturdays during the Worthington Farmer's Market. Weather permitting, the burger and breakfast are best enjoyed on the Inn's scenic patio with an icy cocktail or glass of wine from a fine vino list. Plan B is definitely lounging in the vintage barroom, where "cheffed-up" pubby munchies are offered and great (free!) jazz bands play on weekend evenings. Ending with intensely fruity Inn-made sorbets or ice creams is a revivifying warm-weather finale and a fittingly contemporary old-fashioned treat.]]></description>
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			<title><![CDATA[Ohio craft beer: Rockmill tasting guide]]></title>
			<pubDate>Thu, 13 Oct 2011 18:37:51 -0500</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Matthew Barbee often conducts in-store Rockmill tastings at Columbus wine and beer retailers where his ales can be purchased, including the Barrel and Bottle, Weiland's Gourmet Market, the Hills Market, the Andersons and Gentile's Wine Sellers. The brewmaster recommends resting his beers for 10 to 15 minutes out of the fridge before sipping.  Witbier   This floral beer has arousing pineapple and apple pie notes, plenty of carbonation and a clean, dry and clove-blossoming finish.   Saison   This coppery colored, bracing refresher has some banana esters and apricot in the nose to go with a powerful load of spices, like cloves and coriander. Tripel   Extra malt results in a richer body plus the high ABV typical of a Tripel. Flavors of apricot, citrus and a bit-o-honey give way to a refreshingly bitter finish.    Dubbel   Attractively figgy brown, the Dubbel has a complex, home-brew taste with touches of toffee that resolves into a pleasant rush of bitter dark chocolate.   Where to find Rockmill in Columbus Rockmill beers are available in discriminating Columbus hotspots like DeepWood Tavern, the Jury Room, Mouton and other eateries listed below. Prospective imbibers should be thirsty, willing to share and/or have access to a cab-Rockmill's only sold in 750 milliliter "corked and caged" Champagne-like bottles, and costs upwards of $20 in local restaurants. The thick, shatter-resistant vessels are necessary because all Rockmill ales are bottle conditioned-meaning they undergo a final, in-bottle fermentation to produce and trap the propulsive carbon dioxide gas that carbonates the beer. Bottle conditioning will also cloud the beer and guarantees yeasty dregs-an acquired taste that brewmaster Matthew Barbee relishes and recommends enjoying in concentrated, final slurps.   Bodega  1044 N. High St., Short North 614-299-9399  columbusbodega.com  Brews Cafe 116 E. Broadway, Granville 740-587-0249 brewscafe.com DeepWood 511 N. High St., Short North 614-221-5602 deepwoodrestaurant.com Hubbard Bar and Grille 793 N. High St., Short North 614-291-5000 hubbardgrille.com The Jury Room 22 E. Mound St., Downtown 614-224-7777 juryroomcolumbus.com Latitude 41 50 N. Third St., Downtown 614-233-7541 latitude41restaurant.com Mouton 954 N. High St., Short North mouton954.com Spagio 1295 Grandview Ave., Grandview 614-486-1114 spagio.com Third &#38; Hollywood 1433 W. Third Ave., Grandview 614-488-0303 thirdandhollywood.com Tutto Vino 7178 Muirfield Dr., Dublin 614-799-9222 tutto-vino.com]]></description>
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			<title><![CDATA[Ohio craft beer: Rockmill Brewery]]></title>
			<pubDate>Thu, 13 Oct 2011 18:37:45 -0500</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[You drive 40 minutes from Columbus toward Lancaster to reach Rockmill Brewery, but it feels like you've traveled much farther. Motoring along a sprawling countryside of rolling hills, you actually see lambs on Lamb Road right before pulling up to the gorgeous Rockmill property. Rambling around the one-time horse farm, you quickly begin to understand Rockmill is an enchanted kind of place where the flavors of yesteryear flow gracefully into those of today.   Rockmill is anchored by an expansive and fabulously rehabbed house that also functions as a contemporary art gallery-and much of its bold, expressionistic art is equine-themed (when constructed in 1870, it was a horse barn).   Near this is the minuscule brewery itself. It looks a lot like a garage from the exterior. But the invigorating flavors emanating from that innocuous-looking little building since production started last September have been huge and unforgettable.   You actually taste the past frothing up into the present with every sip of Rockmill beer. For starters, that's because this modern, certified organic "nano-brewery" taps into an ancient, glacier-created underground spring to produce its world-class Belgian-style ales. Secondly, Rockmill's individualistic, one-barrel-at-a-time ethos dictates the beers be handcrafted with a stubborn adherence to old-world methodologies.   But why brew notoriously eccentric and complex Belgian-type beers in farm-country Ohio? Matthew Barbee, the energetic young brewmaster of Rockmill's pocket-sized family business (it's just Matthew and his parents) explained that his stepfather, Dennis, a trained hydrogeologist, discovered that Rockmill's spring-fed, pristine well water has a remarkably similar profile to the waters of Wallonia-the Belgian region famous for fermented treasures like Trappist Monk and Saison ales.   Exhibiting the lyrical passion that drives his beer-making obsession, Barbee momentarily steadied his animated face and proclaimed, "We have a gift in the water."   And since beer is about 90 percent water, that's a really good thing for Rockmill Brewery. But great water without brewing artistry does not equal great beer.   So when sampling Rockmill's clearly accomplished ales, you might reasonably assume Barbee had been brewing for a considerably long time. Unless you count two and a half years a considerably long time, you'd be wrong.   After graduating from rural Bloom Carroll High School and Miami University, the ambitious Barbee reached for the stars and found them as a manager at a Los Angeles talent agency that handles actors like Adam Sandler and Brad Pitt.   While life in L.A. was exciting, Barbee sorely missed his family. On a warm California day before returning to Ohio, Barbee had his first taste of the beer that would change his life: a crisp and refreshing Saison (a centuries-old Wallonian style designed to revive overheated harvest laborers). His reaction: "Whoa, this is beer?"   Prior to this, Barbee's interest in libations was largely confined to wine. In fact, he'd grown up passionate about wine and food partly due to the influence of his grandfather, a vintner at Wyandotte and Breitenbach wineries in Ohio. Barbee had even entertained a longtime dream of opening his own winery someday.   Back in Ohio, on his family's recently acquired Rockmill grounds, Barbee found himself wondering, "It's so beautiful here, what would I do if I stayed?" Then the memory of that juicy Saison came rushing back. The thrilling discovery of Rockwell's well water composition followed. Soon thereafter, Barbee feverishly immersed himself in the art and craft of small-batch brewing.   But if inspiration came in a single sip of Saison, frustration and desperation accumulated by the barrelful of dumped, unsuccessful beers. After two tough years of missing his L.A. friends and feeling like he'd "been brewing under a rock," Barbee's tireless study and ferocious work finally began to pay off.   You can enjoy the effervescing proof of Barbee's hard-won success by tipping one of Rockmill's handsomely decorated bottles. Bearing the shadowy images of horses in homage to the farm's previous existence, the artwork and even the bottles themselves have been carefully selected.   That's because Barbee's the kind of intense brewer who literally loses sleep over such things. This restless and infectious enthusiasm has also brought him into personal relationships with the globally prestigious organic yeast, hops and specialty barley suppliers he has meticulously chosen. And it clearly fires his desire to produce stellar beers that demand attention.   "Saison is more a mindset than a style," is the sort of provocative comment Barbee shares while sipping his beers. He said this while proudly pouring his own spicily hopped version into an elegant Rockmill glass-a delicately etched, tapered bowl that allows the complex ale's bouquet to be long savored. Barbee then began excitedly pairing his Saison and other lovingly produced quaffs (a clean and refreshing Witbier, a chocolatey Trappist-like Dubbel and a seductively potent Tripel) with fine cheeses, olive oils, breads and chocolates.   He obviously takes genuine delight in effectively matching his beers with complementing foods. His eyes likewise light up as he discusses upcoming projects-such as a Tripel aged in a Middle West Spirits whiskey barrel (for yet more complexity) and a brand-new Jeni's ice cream made with Rockmill beer (that marriage consecrated in local-flavor heaven should debut later this month).   Though Barbee's production is rapidly increasing-he can barely keep pace with demand-no matter how much his business expands, he insists he's committed to doing things the methodical way, the right way, the Rockmill way. "Really, we're on our own path," Barbee said.   True enough, Rockmill is traveling on its own untrodden road. But this bold new trail winds way far back to a winemaking grandfather, an old horse farm, a harvest in Wallonia and an ancient glacier.]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/54031788-Ohio craft beer: Rockmill Brewery]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Dublin neighborhood guide]]></title>
			<pubDate>Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:37:00 -0500</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Story by G.A. Benton l Photos by Jodi Miller In the area for the Memorial Tournament? Here are some above-par dining recommendations   Tucci's  35 N. High St., Dublin  614-792-3466  tuccisbistro.com Burgundy-wine red swirls around cream-colored lamps across a handsome bar. The vivid tint washes across banquettes and pools up in splashy photographs of wine glasses. Welcome to the golden-glowing, casually elegant and vino-centric Tucci's in Olde Dublin.   Clearly, here, wine rules. But its kingdom is beautiful food with regal accents from Italy, Asia, California and Hawaii.   Try the heavenly Hebi (like swordfish), with its coconut ginger risotto and edamame stir fry. Also recommended: the thick, salt-crusted, juicy yet super-lean grass-fed strip steak, and a chunky, believable Spaghetti Bolognese, its sophisticated richness leavened by bits of bright tomato.    Cafe Ephesus  6720 Perimeter Loop Rd.,  Dublin 614-798-8091  cafeephesusdublin.com   Experience the thrill of the grill in the delightful Cafe Ephesus. Named after an ancient city in Turkey, this modest but lively BYOB restaurant pulls no flavor punches. Of course you'll be getting your Turkish kebab on, but first try an appetizer. Indecisive types should target the seven-in-one Combo-it looks like a dartboard and hits the bull's-eye of authentic flavors.   Adventurous types should nip at the volatile Ezme (a fiery, walnutty Turkish salsa) followed by cooling-off Mucver (minty veggie pancakes) served with terrific homemade yogurt dip. Grill-wise, go with the juice-tastic Shish, Doner and Iskender kebabs.      Dublin Village Tavern  27 S. High St., Dublin  614-766-6250  thedublinvillagetavern.com    The history of Dublin is written on the walls of the Dublin Village Tavern. It's scrawled along the much-traveled wooden plank floors. It stares back at you from old photographic reproductions attached to green-painted brick in the lively, little bar area.   Built in the late 1800s, DVT (as locals know it) previously lived as a hardware store and post office. These days, it's a convivial, sports-friendly watering hole where present  and past smoothly commune in ambiance and food. DVT musts: spicy, cheese-soupy Village Chowder and "Reuben-esque" Irish Egg Roll. Also recommended: burgers, meatloaf and Irish Casserole.   Tadka  3535 W. Dublin-Granville Rd.,  Dublin; 614-791-3800  tadkarestaurant.com   A silky, nearly floor-to-ceiling red and gold banner announces Tadka's name in this modern and stylish Indian restaurant's entryway. This also informs you that the posh Tadka is far from your average Indian eatery. On gray stucco walls are framed travelogue photographs plus long vertical streams of text explaining the ins and outs of Indian cooking.   Onto curvy white platters-resting atop black tablecloths-go potent delectables fragrant with cardamom, cumin, ginger and cilantro. Try tangy and crispy okra fries (Bhindi Amchur), the mighty Murgh Methi (tender boneless chicken in a zesty pesto) and the Emperor's Platter-a killer kabob-athon.      Matt the Miller's Tavern  6725 Avery-Muirfield Dr.,  Dublin, 614-799-9100  mtmtavern.com   After playing-or watching-a round of golf, swing into a round of drinks and zingy grub at Matt the Miller's Tavern, a sometimes boisterous, upscale sports bar. Comfy and casual, the tavern serves bold, hearty, multi-culti entrees and creative takes on pubby favorites.   Here, junk food classics like nachos get a snazzy sushi makeover (Spicy Ahi Tuna Nachos) and pizzas can be adorned with seafood and colorful creole, Mexican and Indian flourishes (the wonderful Chipotle Shrimp Flatbread). There's also a pretty great steak (Blackened NY Strip) and luscious local-ingredient-starring dishes like Smoked Pork Tenderloin and Jerk Chicken.      Blue Ginger  6234 Sawmill Rd., Dublin  614-792-3888  bluginger.biz   You'll instantly forget you're in a shopping plaza when you step into Blue Ginger. Duskily lit, it's equipped with polished and curvaceously carved dark wood, big booths with mod, metallic table tops, a sushi bar and a chic cocktail bar.   And talk about international! The prettily plated dishes display influences from Thailand, Japan, China, Indonesia and Vietnam. Try the Tsunami Roll, with towering waves of flavor, color and texture, or the Crispy Red Snapper, with caramelized soy, wine vinegar and Panang curry sauce. Other stars are the Vietnamese salad and an engaging Vegetarian Sushi platter.]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/54031790-Dublin neighborhood guide]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Breakfast in Columbus: Katalina's Cafe Corner]]></title>
			<pubDate>Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:37:00 -0500</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[By Shelley Mann Photos by Jodi Miller  For the most part, I'm big on greasy spoons, and your standard bacon-eggs-toast plate. For something a tad more special, I head to Katalina's. Everything about this place is charming, from the carnival-esque red sign out front to a hand-chalked menu to a fun enameled self-serve water cooler. And the breakfast dishes themselves are deliciously quirky.  Just take the giggle-inducing Latin Pancake Balls ($8.95). Perfect for sweet tooths who aren't satiated by boring old hotcakes, these half-dozen donut-hole-like balls are filled with Nutella or strawberry preserves before being fried to golden brown and sprinkled with powdered sugar. Adding to the sugar buzz is a puddle of maple syrup for dipping and a pile of the cafe's amazing sweet-and-spicy bacon. Or how about the Seuss-themed dish Green Eggs and Ham ($8.95)? Swear it's tastier than it sounds. You get two over-easy eggs drizzled in a basil pesto, some thinly sliced prosciutto, nice big parmesan shavings and some garlicky toast. It's a clever combo that'll leave you singing its praises-in rhyme form, of course.  Coffee alternative: Mexican Hot Chocolate There's nothing wrong with coffee. But sometimes salty egg-and-cheese dishes scream for a sweeter drink companion. Katalina's hot chocolate with a kick (made with the beloved Mexican Abuelita chocolate drink mix and topped with a generous dollop of whipped cream) is a sugary shot of straight adrenaline that'll leave you on cloud nine.]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/54031792-Breakfast in Columbus: Katalina's Cafe Corner]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Breakfast in Columbus: Starliner Diner]]></title>
			<pubDate>Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:36:00 -0500</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Ethnic eats   Most countries have traditional breakfast plates (an English breakfast, for example, comes with standards like eggs and bacon plus black pudding-aka blood sausage-and baked beans), but flavorwise, it's hard to beat Latin America's early-bird offerings.   Hilliard's Starliner Diner specializes in spicy breakfast fare, served up in a colorful, funky and just-plain fun space. Plop onto the lobby's well-worn mid-century aqua couch and admire the oversized family-meal-themed artwork hanging on the walls while you wait (and be prepared to wait-it's worth it).   In the dining room, an astrologial sun-and-moon mural covers one whole wall, but I'm especially fond of the retro starburst clock collection covering the opposite end. Kitschy Elvis portraits complete the look.   From the menu, you can fulfill tortilla-and-black-bean cravings several different ways. The Huevos Rancheros ($8.50) are impressive. A crispy corn tortilla raft floats on a pool of soupy black beans, carrying eggs, jack cheese and cilantro. The whole shebang is doused in a spicy ranchero sauce.   Even tastier are the Chilaquiles ($8.50). Fluffy eggs are scrambled up with peppers, onions, corn, zucchini and crunchy tortilla chips. Throw on some shredded jack cheese, cilantro and a hit of smoked chile cream sauce and you've got the stuff cravings are made of.]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/54031795-Breakfast in Columbus: Starliner Diner]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Best patios for outdoor dining]]></title>
			<pubDate>Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:36:00 -0500</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[Story by G.A. Benton l Photos by Will Shilling   Everybody wants to eat outside this time of year, and why not? It's a "carpe diem" kind of thing for an overworked society toiling away indoors and tethered to technology. Luckily for a landlocked city in the Midwest, we're blessed with plenty of scenic restaurant porches and patios. There we can catch liberating breaths of fresh air while digging into memorable dishes and captivating settings. So why not unhook yourself from the chattering Twitterverse for a bit and take advantage of these terrific al fresco specialists? This weather's not going to last forever, you know. Bel Lago The patio: Above is a shade-granting awning equipped with gently spinning fans. Below are pleasant, unshaky tables. And stretching out before you is a mirage-like boundless horizon-sky merging with the boat-etched expanse of placid liquid mirror that is Hoover Reservoir. The plates:   Bel Lago serves midscale Italian-American fare with an emphasis on fresh pastas, like a skillful spaghetti and meatballs. Other nice picks are the Italian Wedding Soup, steaks and Italian Beef Sandwich.  Barcelona The patio: Snazzy and secluded, Barcelona's urban and urbane patio is the most famous in Columbus. And no wonder-it's a stunner. Lush flowers and foliage sprout from potted plants and sway from shady trees amidst a tall privacy wall and cedary wood. At night, seductive lighting flickers from romantic, old-timey lanterns. The plates: Barcelona's Spanish tapas platters and paellas are their specialties, but give the lamb shank (Cordero) and Tres Cerdos (three pork entree) a shot, too.  Cabo Cocina The patio: Hanging out from this comfy stone-lodge-riffing restaurant is Cabo's chocolate-brown wooden deck. It's a foresty perch providing an unrivaled, nest-like vista hovering high near the dense treetops lining the Scioto River where the water snakes its way from Dublin. Spiky, Southwestern-style plants hint at Cabo's flavors. The plates: Cabo's Mexi-Caribbean cuisine includes some interesting, non-traditional dishes like their unique Sweet Plantains, Spicy and Crunchy Tilapia, and Jerk Chicken Chili Relleno.  Lindey's The patio: Lindey's titillating black-and-brick-themed patio exudes a casual elegance. It's super sharp, with a gazebo-like bar trimmed in black and copper, a gaze-worthy black three-tiered fountain and lots of handsome plants. A fountain-matching fence encloses this cocktail playground but doesn't seal off Lindey's lovely German Village neighborhood. The plates: Lindey's excels at lusty bistro dishes like lobster bisque, chopped salad, terrific crabcakes and tournedos in bearnaise sauce.  Mezzo The patio: Ducks blithely slice Vs through the greenish ripples of Big Walnut Creek. On another side of Mezzo's ravishing patio, manmade waterworks geyser up in spurts. A patio fire pit wards off the evening chill as patrons on nifty sofas and wicker chairs leisurely sip wine, surrounded by sculpted bushes and fragrant flowers. The plates: For a substantial shared snack, go for the gigantic Mezzo Trio (a combo of mozzarella fritters, braised meatballs and prosciutto-wrapped scallops). Also nice are the arugula salad and pizzas, like the meaty Raguso.  Eleven The patio: Eleven's colossal column arcade on "the Cap" rhymes with the nearby city arch proclaiming "Short North." The party-people-watching patio there flaunts posh indoor-worthy couches and furniture, plus a granite bar jutting out from the bar inside. Dramatic blue drapes dangle regally from Eleven's mammoth Cap columns. The plates: Eleven's tapas-y menu shows its Hyde Park lineage with steaky Angus Sliders. Likewise good: tuna carpaccio, pork sliders, ginger calamari.]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/54031800-Best patios for outdoor dining]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Breakfast in Columbus: Counter Service]]></title>
			<pubDate>Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:36:00 -0500</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[If you're the kind of person who likes to eat out by yourself, grabbing a swivel stool at the counter is essential. You'll find 'em at Jack &#38; Benny's, or grab a red vinyl one at German Village Coffee Shop.   Counter seats offer a chance to strike up a conversation with other solo diners, plus a perfect vantage point for watching the line cooks do their thing.   Jack &#38; Benny's has been around forever at the corner of Hudson and High, and it's a favorite of Ohio State students and alums who remember it from their college days.  The name? It comes from a long-gone Downtown restaurant where owner Iggy Garcia's dad, Genaro, worked after immigrating to the U.S. from Peru. (A great circa-1950s photo of that place reveals a neon sign bragging "Food prepared in BUTTER." Oh yes.)   Despite the somewhat recent addition of a sparsely decorated second dining room, Jack &#38; Benny's is usually packed. Doesn't help that it's the kind of homey diner that encourages lingering over bottomless coffee and the New York Times crossword.   Sign your name to the waitlist right inside the front door and cross your fingers that you'll land a booth in the main eating area-it's where you'll get the true J&#38;B's experience, and an up-close look at the kitschy photos and vintage OSU memorabilia tacked to the walls.   German Village Coffee Shop is another local landmark, boasting a fantastic retro sign that claims they're famous for two dishes: the Western Omelette and the "Best Club Sandwich in Town."   We'll save the club sandwich for another discussion, but the Western Omelette is definitely worthy of the shout-out. It's just your standard Western ingredients (diced ham, onions, bell peppers and cheese) but served in perfect proportions in a well-executed eggy envelope.   Also worth ordering are the picture-perfect buttermilk pancakes. These fluffy guys get their addictive crispy edges from being cooked on a decades-old, very well-seasoned grill. It's best not to think about that very hard. Just gobble them up and smile.]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/54031797-Breakfast in Columbus: Counter Service]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Breakfast in Columbus: Wildflower Cafe]]></title>
			<pubDate>Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:36:00 -0500</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[No Frills Dining   The breakfast menu at Wildflower is refreshingly basic. Sometimes you don't need anything more than that. Expect stacks of buttermilk pancakes, biscuits and gravy, and Skillet Scramblers-eggs scrambled with breakfast meats and veggies, all topped with cheese.   It's nice when the basics are executed as well as they are at this folksy Clintonville standby, though.   Take the French Toast ($5.29). It's made with thick-cut Challah that's coated with a cinnamon-and-vanilla-spiked egg batter before being grilled and sprinkled with powdered sugar. And it's fantastic.   The Belgian waffle ($4.79) is a similarly deceptive standout. A standard-issue, plate-sized waffle gets a flavor boost from the addition of malted milk. Add fresh berries for $1.69 for an extra treat.]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/54031794-Breakfast in Columbus: Wildflower Cafe]]></link>
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			<title><![CDATA[Breakfast in Columbus: 6 great early morning diners]]></title>
			<pubDate>Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:36:00 -0500</pubDate>
			<description><![CDATA[If there are three more magical words in the English language than "breakfast all day," I don't know them.   Offer me eggs on a menu, and you can bet I'm going to order them. Breakfast has always been my favorite meal.   Breakfast is the ultimate comfort food, right? It's warm, filling, stick-to-your-ribs fare. No matter what you order, it's gonna be filled with carbs. Potatoes are about as close as you get to vegetables.   But let's get this straight right up front: Breakfast is not the same thing as brunch.   Breakfast is buttered toast to brunch's creme brulee French toast. Breakfast is OJ to brunch's mimosas. It's scrambled eggs instead of quiche.   There's a camaraderie among those who roll out of bed early and seek out breakfast in Columbus, even though the demographics vary widely.   At Katalina's Cafe Corner in Victorian Village, the crowd is young and hip. Those who aren't on breakfast dates are busy checking in and documenting their food on their smartphones.   A visit to Jack &#38; Benny's on the northern edge of Ohio State's campus means you'll be rubbing shoulders with plenty of college kids in warm-up pants. At German Village Coffee Shop, you're more likely to run into construction workers taking a quick break for food.   The scene at Wildflower Cafe is classic Clintonvillian-you know, young couples, hippies, lesbians. Grandview's DK Diner gets a steady stream of customers picking up dozens of their mind-blowingly-good donuts, but their dirt-cheap breakfast specialties are worth sticking around for. Area high-schoolers are well aware-lots of them drop in for a bite before school.   And out in the 'burbs, Hilliard's Starliner Diner attracts an eclectic crowd of families, post-church get-togethers and Latin food lovers from across the city.  My only complaint about Columbus' thriving breakfast scene is that "breakfast all day" too often translates into "breakfast until we close at 2 p.m." Let's see the 24-hour eggs-and-bacon scene expand beyond Tee Jaye's, please!]]></description>
			<link><![CDATA[http://columbuscrave.com/crave/guide_detail/54031793-Breakfast in Columbus: 6 great early morning diners]]></link>
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