Breakfast with Nick: Breakfast in Columbus, Ohio and beyond

Final reminder: blog has moved!

2011-12-15T10:49:00.001-05:00

This is your last reminder that Breakfast With Nick has moved to breakfastwithnick.wordpress.com. Over the next month I will begin deleting posts from this blog. Please update your bookmarks and RSS feeds.

As always, you can be directed to the site by visiting breakfastwithnick.com.

If you want more information about my book, Breakfast With Nick: Columbus, or to order it, click here.

And in case you want it, you can also follow me here:
facebook.com/breakfastwithnick
twitter.com/breakfastwnick

Thanks, and happy breakfasting!
Nick

Reminder: this blog has moved!

2011-09-26T09:22:00.001-04:00

Just a reminder to update your bookmarks and RSS feeds (if you haven't already) to http://breakfastwithnick.wordpress.com. I am no longer posting on this Blogger site; all new updates and reviews are on Wordpress.

I have already pointed breakfastwithnick.com to the new address, too, so you can always follow that.

Thanks!
Nick

Blog update & book on sale tomorrow!

2011-09-12T07:50:00.000-04:00

Two big announcements, folks!

Wordpress

First, this is the last official post on this version of the blog. I'm migrating Breakfast With Nick over to Wordpress. Blogger has become a little too restrictive, and Wordpress offers better opportunities for design, integration, and so on. Please update your bookmarks and RSS feeds to breakfastwithnick.wordpress.com, and let me know what you think of the new design!

In the next day or two, breakfastwithnick.com will be routed there, so you'll still only have to remember that simple web address. This current Blogger site will remain active for a while until I get everything transferred over and updated.

Breakfast With Nick: Columbus

And secondly, the breakfast book is now on pre-sale through Tuesday, October 4 through our Kickstarter page! Because we are handling publication and printing ourselves, we are raising the funds for the first printing through Kickstarter. You can essentially pre-order the book by contributing to the project. This gets you a copy of the book, a bonus breakfast booklet from Igloo Letterpress (for the first 150 backers), and a special thanks in the book itself.

PLEASE help us spread the word and get enough books pre-sold!

Thanks to everyone who has followed the blog, commented, suggest places, and joined me for breakfast! Please continue the journey with me at the new site!

Ohio State Medical Center | Columbus, OH

2011-08-22T10:26:00.002-04:00

Ohio State Medical Center

Rhodes Hall

Columbus, OH 43210

Date of Visit: Sunday, August 21, 2011 at 9:00 a.m.

FOOD: I've had breakfast at the OSU Medical Center once before, about three years ago. We loved the experience so much, we decided to go back. The service is simply amazing, and the accommodations are very comfortable. The breakfast is surprisingly complex. We expected mainly jello and ice chips, but found a full menu that includes eggs, pancakes, turkey sausage patties, home fries, oatmeal, coffee, and juice. It's all delicious.

But my favorite item is the new breakfast burrito. His cheeks in particular are very munchable.

Our burrito is called Owen Samuel Dekker. He joined us on August 21st at 9:00 a.m. He, his mother, and his big brother Will are all doing very well.

Yearly Best-Of Lists

2011-08-08T08:00:00.004-04:00

Throughout the year, different sites and publications ask their readers to vote on the best restaurants, shopping areas, local celebrities, events, sports, etc. around Columbus. It's a great way to gauge readers' interest and opinions. Just about every publication out there does it.

But there's something that irks me every time one of these lists gets published. I vote in and keep track of these lists, because I like to know what readers think, especially about breakfast and brunch spots around town. But here are a few things I'd like to say to those readers:

1. Bob Evans, while a consistent and very likable breakfast, is NOT, I repeat NOT, the best breakfast in Columbus.

2. Neither is First Watch, although I've had nothing but great experiences at their restaurants. Still, not the best in town.

3. Cap City Diner is NOT A FREAKING DINER. Have you people never stepped foot in Nancy's, or Jack's, or German Village Coffee Shop, or Dan's, or any of the twenty old diners that dot Columbus?

4. Also, Columbus Monthly readers, I'd really like to know which local farms are directly servicing the 570 Bob Evans restaurants. Talk to the Caskeys at Skillet or Rick and Krista at Knead or all the folks at Slow Food Columbus about how farm-to-table dining really works.

Whew.

Okay, yes, I know that these polls are all a matter of opinion and that all the different people of the world love all the different restaurants out there, but Columbus: you can do so much better. The world of breakfast and brunch dining is not a scary place, and with a little effort you can soon be enjoying better breakfasts while putting your dollar in the hands of a local business owner.

Let's get some of the following in those Yearly Best Lists in 2012:

Breakfast: Starliner Diner (which readers of Columbus Alive wisely voted #1), Lac Viet, Katalina's Cafe Corner, Tasi Cafe, The Best Breakfast & Sandwiches, Northstar Cafe

Brunch: Skillet (voted by CU.com as #1), Sage American Bistro, Due Amici, Worthington-freaking-Inn, Third & Hollywood, Rivage Atlantique, Northstar Cafe (the one answer I get behind when people vote for them)

Diner: Jack's Sandwich Shop, Jack & Benny's, Nancy's Home Cooking, German Village Coffee Shop, DK Diner, Tommy's Diner, Fitzy's Old Fashioned Diner

Coffee Shop: I love Cup O' Joe; they've provided a welcome writing space for years and I really enjoy their coffee. But in terms of absolute quality of coffee, I'd like to see more votes for Luck Bros Coffee Shop, Cafe Brioso, and Yeah, Me Too.

Those are my suggestions. Please, take the time to explore and suggest other great places. By all means.

Important note: I don't fault the publications and websites and their writers and editors that do these lists - Columbus Alive, Columbus Monthly, (614) Magazine, ColumbusUnderground.com. I'm friends with many of the folks who work on them. Heck, I've even written for some of them. (Heck, I've even written for some of their Best-Of issues.) I like that they do these lists. I appreciate that they engage their readers, evaluate opinions, see what people are interested in. I'm just challenging their readers to do better. To explore a bit. To think outside the red and white barn.

Hmm... if only someone would write a guidebook...

Doodles | Lexington, KY

2011-08-03T07:00:00.000-04:00

Doodles (Facebook / @DoodlesBrunch)

262 North Limestone

Lexington, KY 40507

(859) 317-8507

Open Tues-Sun, 8 am - 2 pm

Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? Y/N/N

Kid-friendly? Y

Date of Visit: Thursday, July 28, 2011 at 8:30 a.m.

IMPRESSIONS: In Lexington, Kentucky, visiting with my three brothers, we started an amazing day today together that involved a bourbon distillery tour, playing with sound systems, shooting guns (not immediately after the bourbon), drinking beer, eating Cajun food, and playing video games. Of course, that day began awesomely with breakfast. We did some triangulating of online sources, and came up with Doodles as a best bet. You can find it close to downtown Lexington, with a handy parking lot out front.

ATMOSPHERE: Doodles is my kind of place. Bright colors on the walls and plates. Open design. Big windows, nice patio outside. It was pretty quiet when we arrived, with a mix of businessmen, studiers, and families eating breakfast, but it got busier by the time we left.

There's something very open and welcoming about Doodles. For instance, they have a community table, with a sign encouraging you to share the space with strangers.

Plus, they're willing to teach you how to properly steep you coffee in a French press.

I'm related to these nerds.

FOOD: The good vibes established by the space are continued in the menu. Doodles is another great example of a small menu featuring dishes they do really well. And you're in Kentucky, so you can get some good Kentucky cooking, too. Here's the Dirty Shrimp and Grits. Made with local grits and a tomato gravy. Definitely spicy and rich. You can add bits of country ham to it, too.

They serve a couple different types of breakfast quesadillas, and this one is the Kentucky Hot Brown Strata version, with the classic mix of turkey, bacon, cheddar cheese, and tomatoes. A great way to mix up a classic Kentucky dish.

One of my favorite dishes is the fried-egg-in-a-piece-of-toast. It goes by many names; I know it as Eggs in a Nest. So I was delighted to find a new version - the Egg Doodle - using biscuits. The biscuits worked just right - puffy and soft enough to cut with your fork, but a little crispy around the edges. The eggs are automatically served "dipping."

Came with a side of some spicy cheese grits - actually, probably the best I've had. They were so rich and flavorful, with just the right texture.

Close-up of the biscuit "nubbin." Great, now people are going to Google "biscuit nubbin" and find my site.

SERVICE: Very friendly and welcoming, although you don't get a lot of interaction. Doodles has you order at a counter, then take a number and find a seat. The woman at the register made helpful suggestions (she recommended the amazing grits), and the kitchen staff gladly talked about the restaurant. You can easily chat with them over the long open bar that crosses the space. The bar has a lot of self-serve details: coffee and soda, butter, extra plates, condiments, plus little cups of chocolate chips and sprinkles (for your pancakes; pictured above) or locally-made jams (see below).

OVERALL: We've had some good breakfasts in Lexington, but this is the best so far. Right up my alley, from decor to mission to dish preparation. Lots of room in the restaurant, lots of fun, and lots more dishes to try on return visits. We loved everything we had, and we still haven't tried the Johnny Cakes (cornmeal pancakes), Pigs & Puffs (bacon & beignets), or the Oatmeal Brulee. Guess I'll have to visit my brothers again!

OTHER LINKS:

RT's Grill | Columbus, OH

2011-07-27T09:15:00.001-04:00

RT's Grill

N. High St., north of Graceland Shopping Center, across from Pig Iron BBQ

A new discovery! While driving to work yesterday, my wife spotted a new yellow food truck on the east side of N. High Street. She ventured closer and discovered RT's Grill. RT's is a brand new kid on the block of mobile food in Columbus, and one of the few to regularly serve breakfast.

The truck just opened up at this location yesterday, July 26. We managed to be their first customers! The RT stands for Rob and Tina, the husband-wife duo behind the truck. They've actually been running the truck for a while, serving breakfast and lunch, but have shown up at miscellaneous locations around town. One day they spotted the open lot across from Pig Iron Grill and nabbed it.

Of course, my goal is to sample the breakfast. We tried the Bacon, Egg, & Cheese Sandwich (there's a sausage version, too). It's served on a hamburger bun; we also added hash browns on the side. Total for the two was $4.50. It wasn't an amazing sandwich, but it still tasted pretty darn good, and it's nice to see some more mobile breakfast cropping up around town. They serve regular plated breakfasts and sandwiches, too, including biscuits and gravy, plus muffins, coffee, juice, and some extras.

I'm curious to know what others think!

Breakfast book update!

2011-07-19T08:00:00.004-04:00

Greetings, breakfasters!

I wanted to share an update on the breakfast book and our current progress with it. We started photography in early March of this year, and have visited over 30 restaurants so far. Typically, we've gone out every Friday, visiting two restaurants each morning. At this point there's only one more spot to photograph, and then our excursions are complete!

Doing the photoshoots have been both hard work and incredibly rewarding. We've learned and perfected the art of staging and arranging food (not that most of dishes need help). The challenge is handling such a variety of styles: one moment we're photographing gorgeous tea and scones (see above), the next we're shooting greasy eggs and bacon, and then we're arranging mounds of donuts.

Our team consists of myself, my wife Beth, and Robin Oatts of Genre Creative. Beth does a lot of the organization, marketing, and helps Robin with photos. Robin handles the photography and will do the full design of the book. Me, I do interviews, writing, research, and establish contact with our featured restaurants.

I'm aiming to finish the writing stage by the end of August. At that time, my wife is due to have our second child, so August 20th has become the due date for both our new baby boy and the content of the book. Pressure's on!

There's still plenty of "research" and exploration to do. Restaurants open and close. They change locations, they change hours, they change menus. Some stop doing breakfast, some begin a weekend brunch. We'll be editing details right up until we send the book to print this fall.

You can mark your calendars for Saturday, November 5, 2011. That is our release date! That night we'll have a big release party, with food, books for sale, and other fun breakfasty goodness. Until then, look for a revamped website (I'm moving Breakfast With Nick to Wordpress in the next few weeks - yay for better layout and editing!), a video preview of the book, and a pre-sale special.

I want to say a HUGE thank you already to the friends, family, and Columbus community who have served as models, offered babysitting, helped us track down contacts, and gone exploring with us. An especially big thanks is due to all the incredible restaurant owners, managers, and staff that we've visited. Everyone has been truly hospitable and encouraging. It's been fun to learn and tell their stories. I'm hoping that the book introduces many more people to the hidden gems of Columbus.

Out Back Kitchen | Avon, NC

2011-07-17T08:00:00.003-04:00

Out Back Kitchen (Facebook)
41934 NC Highway 12
Avon, NC 27915
(252) 305-2452
Open 8 am - 2 pm daily
Accepts cash & credit/debit
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? N/N/N
Kid-friendly? Y

Date of Visit: Tuesday, June 21, 2011 at 9:00 a.m.

IMPRESSIONS: The Outer Banks is our annual family vacation spot, and over the years I've scoured up and down Hatteras Island for good breakfast spots (see the List of Reviews for more). The nature of the islands means that businesses come and go, so every year brings new surprises. This year we discovered, within walking distance of our house, the Out Back Kitchen. Out Back (not to be confused with the steakhouse, of course) is situated in a small shopping plaza with the giant Food Lion grocery store. When we visited, their sign wasn't even up yet - just a banner - but the day we left, we saw them installing one.

Out Back (so named because the owner is Australian) is a little more focused on being a bakery and a caterer than it is being a restaurant, so sometimes the breakfast food takes a back seat to the pastries, donuts, and cheesecake.

The upside is that you get to ogle (nay, even purchase) said pastries for your breakfast.

Scones, muffins, strudel, croissants, it's all yours.

All yours.

ATMOSPHERE: The cafe is small, hosting about seven tables, so expect to cozy up with your fellow patrons. The colors are very autumnal oranges and yellows; semi-indie music played through a Pandora channel.

FOOD: The breakfast menu itself is fairly simple - only four or five dishes total - and it features your basic morning meal items. Above is a simple dish of scrambled eggs, toast, sausage, and hash browns.

This is the Island Breakfast Burrito, loaded with eggs, cheese, and the like. Here you can see the problem with the hash browns: not enough brown.

The breakfast sandwiches are big on the menu, too. Here's an egg and sausage on a croissant.

Here's one with bacon and eggs. Again, notice the underdone hash browns.

A bite of a cinnamon roll. Lots of raisins. Good icing, but a little doughy and underdone.

We also tried a couple miscellaneous bakery goods, all of which were very nice. I think Out Back's strength lies in their baked goods. We ordered a key lime pie to take home later, and it was exceptional.

SERVICE: Only two people were working the entire restaurant. The owner (I believe) bustled in the kitchen, while one server worked the counter and delivered food. They use the system of ordering at the counter, then having your food brought out. Overall, the server was very nice, but seemed hurried in keeping up with everything.

OVERALL: There's some hit or miss at Out Back Kitchen. The breakfast is decent, but we had to wait a while for our food, and some of the items (especially the hash browns) were underdone. The simple sandwiches and burritos were good, but there are more reliable and filling breakfasts on the island. That being said, Out Back is worth at least one visit, at the very least to try their baked goods. They have a lot going for them in that department.

OTHER LINKS:

Photos: breakfast at African Paradise

2011-07-07T10:44:00.005-04:00

While doing some "research" for the breakfast book yesterday, I took a tip from the alt.eats.cbus crew to check out African Paradise for their Somali breakfast. I intend to do a fuller review of the breakfast eventually, but I just thought I'd share the pictures I did take yesterday. (Besides, the lighting was so low that I had some trouble getting good pictures.)

The breakfast is fairly simple - just one page. Not all of the items were available (judging by the X's through some pictures). We went for a simple chicken dish as our entree.

While we waited for our main dish, we sipped on watermelon and mango juices (that's the watermelon above), and were served bananas.

This is our chicken suqaar: chicken and vegetables cooked in a spicy sauce. Served with a side salad. This is eaten with a spongy bread called angro (pronounced an-JER-oh), similar to Ethiopian injera. All in all, it was a delicious breakfast. Everything together: juices, bananas, and the chicken dish, cost the two of us $8. And I'm very proud to say that my three-year-old ate a lot of it!

The Outer Banks: a vacation in food

2011-06-19T17:52:00.009-04:00

I'm recently returned from an annual vacation on North Carolina's Outer Banks. We head far south down Hatteras Island, venturing to the smaller towns where the ratio of tourists to locals balances out more toward the latter. I've written plenty about breakfasts on Hatteras and Ocracoke Island already. In fact, my first review ever was posted almost exactly four years ago today. (Awww...) I discovered one new spot this year - review will be up soon - but I thought I'd share a few of our non-breakfast food pictures. The habit to document good meals runs strong with me, so I stopped resisting the urge. To begin: up top you'll see a beautifully fried piece of Spanish mackerel from a local fish fry. Served out of the back of a truck, with a vinegar-based slaw, hush puppies, and beans. Simple, but really good.

The family also tries to buy and prepare local seafood whenever we can. We pick up pounds of cooked crab from some of the last remaining crab houses. Here's our crab cakes in progress. My mother-in-law makes them every year, and they're really fantastic.

It's a big family, so we make a lot. Here there's the lot of them, ready for baking.

Another family favorite are the gigantic scallops brought in by local fisherman. Sear them just right, and they will melt in your mouth.

And last is our seafood linguini. Huge plates of pasta, covered with sauteed veggies, then topped with seafood. Here we have crab, scallops, then shark steaks (the white pieces), and rare tuna.

The family is large enough that we prepare two platters of it. There's very little left when we're through, at least of the seafood...

So that's our tiny Outer Banks food travelogue. Look for a couple more posts on the breakfast offerings soon!

Photos: making huevos rancheros!

2011-06-17T08:43:00.002-04:00

One of our traditions while on vacation is to experiment with different breakfasts, and today we decided to make a variation of huevos rancheros. We started out by sauteing green peppers, onions, and garlic (1 big onion, 2 peppers). Once those were fairly cooked down, we dumped four cans of black beans, liquid and all, and let those continue to cook down. We kept seasoning simple with a generous helping of Penzy's salsa seasoning.

In a separate pan, we broke up a package of chorizo we bought from the grocery store, and essentially let that cook down.

In a third pan I made some sunny side up eggs.

And then we simply combined it! Big spoonful of the beans and veggies, topped with cheese and an egg. Scoop of the chorizo, and then salsa and guacamole on the side. It's a great breakfast before a day at the beach!

Yeah, Me Too | Columbus, OH

2011-06-14T07:00:00.002-04:00

Yeah, Me Too
3005 Indianola Ave. (map it!)
Columbus, OH 43202
Open Mon-Sat 7 a.m. - 6 p.m.?
Accepts cash only

Date of Visit: Often

IMPRESSIONS: If you've read anything about Yeah, Me Too, people have probably said the following: there's no phone number, no website, no Facebook page, no Twitter handle. You can order coffee hot or iced, large or small. And that's it. By some regards, it's incredible that someone would run a business today in this manner. Eclipsing that, however, is the relief that Yeah, Me Too is so uncomplicated that it's hard to mess it up. The result, in my opinion, is the best coffee in Columbus.

Yeah, Me Too also represents a bit of Columbus history. Owners Jovan Karcic and Sam Brown were both members of the band Gaunt, often cited as the best band ever to come out of Columbus. The band's run ended tragically in 2001 with the death of lead singer Jerry Wick. The shop, opened in 2005, is named after one of the band's albums.

ATMOSPHERE: The coffee shop is one room. Big front windows let in most of the light. The back portion holds the coffee and brewing supplies. The front is a small standing area for customers, and includes the roaster itself.

The room gets fairly warm in the summer, although a screen door lets a breeze in; I don't think they turn the heat on in the winter.

The single room could be bland, but the walls are always covered with the work of local artists.

FOOD: They just serve coffee, and it's always excellent. Cream and sugar are present, but more often than not, you don't need it. You can ask which roast they're brewing each day, but I rarely do, because I always enjoy it. You can (and should) also buy whole beans by the pound. The selection rotates regularly.

SERVICE: For some people, the service is a sticking point. Yovan and Sam are nice, but not always very talkative, and some have said it's off-putting. Again, as many have observed, this is the complete antithesis of the modern coffee shop. If you really really really like the way Starbucks does everything, then Yeah, Me Too might not be your best bet. But if you just want a great cup of coffee, dangit, and you don't care about all the extras, you need to become a regular at Yeah, Me Too. Besides, I've always had good experiences in chatting with Sam and Yovan.

OVERALL: It's just the best coffee in Columbus. That's it. Stop in for a cup of coffee (you can bring your own mug) or pick up some beans to brew at home.

OTHER LINKS:
-> Discussion on ColumbusUnderground.com

The Clarmont | Columbus, OH

2011-06-09T07:00:00.001-04:00

The Clarmont (Facebook / @TheClarmont)
648 S. High St. (map it!)
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 443-1125
Bfast served Mon-Sat, 7-11 am; check website for lunch & dinner hours
Accepts cash & credit/debit
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? Y/N/N
Kid-friendly? Y

Date of Visit: Saturday, March 5, 2011 at 10:15 am

IMPRESSIONS: For years, I thought the Clarmont was an old hotel on South High Street. Am I crazy? Is there a chain of hotels under that name? But that's beside the point. The Clarmont has been around for decades, and for some people (like ignorant me), it sailed under the radar. But their recent marketing efforts have paid off, and they now draw in happy hour crowds and breakfast enthusiasts alike.

The Clarmont opened in 1947, and you still sense the 40's in the decor. The signs and menu are classic art deco. Rose lamps along the walls provide dim lighting. Lots of glass signs.

Behind the waiting area you can see the big circular bar. It's become a popular happy hour stop, with drinks like the Twixlen named after regulars.

Old phone booth. When do you see those anymore?

The dining rooms are dimly lit, so your breakfasting experience feels very quiet and relaxing. There are two rooms total. One is slightly raised above the other; it was dark the morning we visited. Overall, lots of pink pastel colors. "Nighthawks" hangs on the wall.

Your experience is punctuated by jazz muzak.

FOOD: Our meal started out with a really impressive note. We ordered coffee (which was very good; fresh ground and it came with small jugs of milk - bonus!) plus a couple juices. It look a few minutes for them to arrive because our server was squeezing them fresh! Above: grapefruit juice.

And here: orange juice. It's hard to go wrong with fresh-squeezed juices.

We ordered a bunch of different things. Overall, good, although there was some hit and miss. Here are some pancakes with chocolate chips. Very nice!

One of the menu features: scrambled eggs with mushrooms and toast. Straightforward and easy to like.

Something you don't always see on breakfast menus: fried chicken livers. Casually listed in the Side Orders. My mother-in-law, who grew up in a poultry market, said they tasted good but were a tad over-cooked.

A good Spanish omelette, with onions, peppers, and salsa.

Side of hash browns, nice and crispy.

Classic eggs benedict, although I wasn't a fan of the hollandaise. Tasted canned to me.

Same with the corned beef hash. Decent dish, but it tasted canned. Comes with eggs and toast.

SERVICE: Our service was really excellent. To the point that we commented about it to each other. Our server was super friendly, knowledgeable about the menu, and very quick. She even made a point to bring my two-year-old son's food out a little earlier, recognizing that he was getting a little antsy.

OVERALL: There's a lot to recommend The Clarmont. It's a veritable south-downtown institution, and has been going strong since 1947 for several good reasons. The decoration is a pleasing throw-back, the service is some of the best I've experienced in recent memory, and the menu covers all of your favorites, plus a couple unique offerings. It's a little hit and miss for me, but given the variety, you'll be sure to find something you like.

OTHER LINKS:

Honey Dip Donuts | Columbus, OH

2011-06-03T07:00:00.004-04:00

Honey Dip Donuts
4480 Kenny Rd. (map it!)
Columbus, OH 43220
(614) 459-0812
Open everyday, 6 am - 4 pm
Accepts cash & credit/debit
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? Y/N/N
Kid-friendly? Y

Date of Visit: Thursday, May 26, 2011 at 12:00 pm

IMPRESSIONS: Geographically, Columbus has itself pretty well covered, donutally. Grandview has DK Diner. Campus and the south side have Buckeye Donuts. Westerville has Schneider's. The east side has Resch's. And if you're headed west, you've got Honey Dip Donuts.

ATMOSPHERE: The look and feel of Honey Dip Donuts is so decidedly old school, it's almost painful. The half-lit signs that list the donut flavors. The pink shelves lined with trays of goodies.

That long, low counter that's only wide enough for munching a custard-filled and sipping a cup of angry diner coffee.

But that's the charm: they're a simple, small, family-run donut shop that's been going strong for decades. With their 30-40 varieties of glazed twists, buttermilks, cream-filleds, and powdered sugareds, why would they mess with a good thing?

FOOD: As expected, the main feature is donuts, and I haven't had a bad one there so far. I'm a big fan of buttermilk donuts, and they do plenty of those, from chocolate or vanilla, iced or not, with a variety of flavors, too. The one thing I haven't had yet is their pumpkin donut, which gets most of the attention at Honey Dip. I guess a return visit is in order.

The selection is wide enough that you're bound to find something you like.

Here's the half-dozen I brought home on this particular day. The two on the left are the signature honey dip donut, very light with a thin honey glaze. If you want something sweet, but not too sweet, this is your donut. The middle two are some very good buttermilk donuts. The bottom right corner is a chocolate buttermilk with, yes, chocolate frosting. The top right is a custard-filled bite of deliciousness.

SERVICE: Everyone at Honey Dip is very nice and helpful. The customers, too, are that breed of die-hards who will interrupt the server and start telling you which donuts are best. That's when you know, for sure, they've got a good thing going.

OVERALL: In lieu of another trip to Tim Horton's or Krispy Kreme, you need to find your way to Honey Dip. Let them show you what real donuts are like. Sidle up at the counter, strike up conversation with a regular, and enjoy another Columbus institution that deserves your support.

As a quick side note: Honey Dip Donuts will close on June 4, 2011 for 4-5 weeks of renovations. When they emerge, they'll be re-christened the Honey Dip Donuts & Diner, with full breakfast and lunch offerings. Expect a report when their breakfast hits!

OTHER LINKS:

Sweet Clove Sunshine Cafe | Columbus, OH

2011-06-01T08:00:00.003-04:00

Sweet Clove Sunshine Cafe
6630 Sawmill Rd. (map it!)
Columbus, OH 43235
(614) 764-1717
Open Mon-Sat, 7-3; Sun, 8-3 (bfast served all day)
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? Y/N/N
Kid-friendly? Y

Date of Visit: Monday, May 30, 2011, at 11:00 a.m.

IMPRESSIONS: I've gotten a few notes from readers over the past few months about Honey Baked Ham opening a concept store up on Sawmill Road, and I'll admit that I was intrigued. Columbus has long been known as a test market for food chains and the like: Wendy's, Donato's, White Castle, and Max & Erma's started or are headquartered here; McDonald's marketing firm is based here; cable television first debuted in town; the list goes on. So it was no surprise that Honey Baked would debut a new restaurant here in town, attached to one of their existing stores.

ATMOSPHERE: We ventured out on a hot Memorial Day, and found ourselves in essentially a modern country setting. Big, square yellow tables, bright yellow walls with black and white pictures of the Honey Baked Ham founders and their early stores. In one corner is a fireplace; out front is a small patio.

FOOD: We started with some coffee, which was pretty good. The server said it was a standard bulk food service roast, but they grind the beans fresh. Points for automatically bringing a small mug of cream.

Shortly after you sit down, they bring your table what they call "A gift of friendship," which is a small, warm crumb cake with maple butter. It's a very welcoming start to the meal.

The Sweet Clove menu is designed to feature the Honey Baked Ham product, so it shows up in a lot of the dishes. Case in point: their Signature Benedict. Features your standard English muffin, poached eggs, hollandaise, plus slices of their ham. Served with a side of potatoes. Overall, very nicely done. It's a very filling dish. The key point in a benedict (for me) is the hollandaise, which was light and tasted fresh, not canned.

This is the Original French Toast. Four big slices. Cooked just right, so it's a bit custardy and cut-able with a fork. Big bonus that it's served with a side of real Vermont maple syrup.

And then there are variations on the signature dishes. This is the Bacon and Ham Benedict. One had their classic ham, one had a couple slices of bacon. Again, filling, and again, a very good benedict. Side of potatoes was very nice, too.

Small kids menu, too. Scrambled eggs and toast for my son.

I had a reader suggest I try the Blueberry Ginger French toast, so this was on my mind the moment we decided to visit. Just like the regular French toast, it's cut thick and very soft. I couldn't taste the ginger that much, but I assume it was in the batter. Blueberries were nice, as was the real maple syrup.

The folks at Sweet Clove understand some of the performance of food, too. One of the big selling points of the French toast is that your server comes around with a GIANT BOWL OF WHIPPED CREAM to dollop onto your dish.

The benefit of this (for the restaurant, at least) is that you see servers dole out the whipped cream to other tables, so instantly your appetite is whetted.

SERVICE: Our server was quiet but very nice. She had a good sense of humor, everything came out quickly, and she kept an eye on us. Overall, the table setup is appealing, too: orange square plates, salt and pepper grinders, bamboo centerpieces, fun little honey bowl (for sale in the shop, of course).

OVERALL: Because Sweet Clove Sunshine Cafe (say that five times fast) is a concept store for Honey Baked Ham, it's attached to the store itself. So you can wander through their gift shop or order ham to take home.

So what can I say about the Cafe? Yes, it is the beginning of a new chain restaurant, but so far they seem to have a lot of things right. The overall experience is comfortable, the food is well prepared and very filling. The prices are higher than your diner breakfast - $10-12 per entree - but the portions are appropriate for it. Sawmill Road isn't exactly in my neighborhood, but the Cafe was full when we visited, and I'm still craving another bite of that French toast.

I'd be very curious to know what others think of it!

OTHER LINKS:

The Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls | Logan, OH

2011-05-28T07:00:00.002-04:00

The Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls (Facebook / @InnCedarFallsWB)
21190 S.R. 374
Logan, OH 43138
(800) 653-2557
Accepts cash & debit/credit
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? Y/N/N
Kid-friendly? Y

Date of Visit: Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at 9:00 a.m.

IMPRESSIONS: In the interests of full disclosure, I need to say that this breakfast was part of our invited trip to the Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls. We spent the night and were treated to tours, dinner, and tastings at the Inn. In the morning, of course, we got to experience breakfast at their restaurant. I debated whether to make this an actual "review" post and not just a photo journal, but it might be a while before I get to visit again, and I figured why not get this spot on the list? It deserves it.

ATMOSPHERE: The restaurant at The Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls is located in a series of cabins from the 1840's, all joined together. This creates a charmingly disjointed group of rooms, one after another, with low ceilings, thick wooden beams, broad wood floors, and a definite feel that you're eating a rustic country breakfast.

As you make your way back to the dining rooms, you'll pass through the kitchen and see Executive Chef Anthony Schulz hard at work. Say hi.

There's a very comfortable feel to the two dining rooms. We were in the larger and slightly newer one.

FOOD: The menu is fairly simple, but it covers all of the bases, so you won't go hungry. We started with a visit to their small granola bar. You help yourself to a bowl of their excellent homemade granola (available in the gift shop, too). Additions include milk, yogurt...

...and fruit!

Very good coffee, served in customized mugs. And you gotta love the pottery mugs for cream. Fits the vibe.

The feature of that morning was a breakfast cassoulet topped with morels. The previous day we had gone morel hunting in the woods with innkeepers Terry and Ellen, and then had dinner prepared with the mushrooms. The cassoulet in particular was very flavorful: good eggs, sharp Swiss, and morels added their distinct earthy touch. The sides included good ole bacon and some moist homemade orange muffins. Just the right portions; very fitting for a country inn breakfast.

SERVICE: We had an incredibly sweet server named Joan. Terry told us Joan is one of their long-time employees, so she knows and loves the restaurant well. We overheard another customer ask Joan about the portions of their breakfast, and Joan said they keep dishes on the smaller side while allowing customers to request more. "We never mind if someone asks for more," she said.

OVERALL: The Inn and their restaurant exemplify what's so nice about Hocking Hills: cozy, secluded, and close to nature. If you're staying anywhere in the Hills, or even passing through one morning, it's worth stopping in at The Inn's restaurant. You don't have to be a guest at the Inn itself to eat there!

OTHER LINKS:

A Visit to The Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls: Part 2

2011-05-26T07:00:00.004-04:00

(This is a continuation from Part 1 of my brief travelogue covering a visit to The Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls.)

Before dinner that evening, we were treated to a side-by-side tasting of olive oils from The Olive Orchard and Belgian beers from Rockmill Brewery. Both of their wares are used and available at the Inn.

Olive Orchard features both flavored and imported olive oils. The flavored oils are co-pressed with the flavoring ingredients, so the garlic, lemons, basil, etc. are pressed with the olives themselves. This is one of the best methods for imparting flavor while maintaining the original character of the oil itself. For this tasting we sampled these four:

1. Chilean
2. garlic
3. Sicilian
4. basil

The Chilean and Sicilian are on the stronger end of the taste spectrum; they're rich and hearty oils, great for cooking or just sampling outright. The garlic and basil, likewise, are full of flavor. They'd be a great supplement for cooking.

The olive oils were paired with the four amazing brews created by Matthew Barbee of Rockmill. His story is simply incredible: he and his parents purchased an old farm north of Logan, in Lancaster. Matthew wanted to push his interest in brewing, particularly using organic ingredients and Belgian yeast strains. Upon testing the water on their farm (his father is conveniently a hydro-geologist), they discovered it had a nearly-identical mineral make-up to the water of Wallonia, Belgium. Water is everything in brewing, and having fresh spring water similar to that in Belgium in key for recreating the styles.

We sampled our way through their four brews:
1. witbier
2. saison
3. dubbel
4. tripel

My favorite was their dubbel, but Rockmill's are some of the first witbiers and saisons that I've really, truly enjoyed.

Seriously, the dubbel really rocked my world. Better than most actual Belgian brews I've had in the style.

Here's Matthew at the tasting.

And Michele from Olive Orchard.

All in all, the tasting was a combination of some really amazing flavors. It's great to have all of their products - Olive Orchard and Rockmill - available in the Columbus area.

The tastings took place in the newest addition to the Inn - a completely green room meant for meetings. It would be great to host a retreat here.

None of lodgings are connected to the internet, but this common area has wifi. We were able to enjoy the blessing/curse in today's modern world of being disconnected for a while.

That night we had dinner at the Inn's restaurant, prepared by Executive Chef Anthony Schulz. Sadly, I did not take pictures of the meal because I was too busy scarfing it down and enjoying the conversation. It began with their Scallop & Shrooms, using diver scallops and morels. But the centerpiece of the dinner was a grilled steak done with morels, asparagus, and whipped potatoes. So we got to taste the morels in use after searching some out in the woods.

The following morning was breakfast - expect one final post on that - and then massages at the spa before we headed back to Columbus. The Inn & Spa has a secluded, full service spa located in one of the cabins. It was incredibly relaxing and a perfect end to the trip.

Thanks to Ellen, Terry, Anthony, and their entire staff for their hospitality!

A Visit to The Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls: Part 1

2011-05-24T07:00:00.002-04:00

Recently, I was invited along on a food/travel writers retreat to The Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls. The overnight stay included a full tour of their facilities, as well as samplings of their restaurant, some of their favorite vendors, and trips into the local countryside.

You'll find the Inn & Spa down State Route 374 in Hocking Hills, a few minutes south of Logan, Ohio.

We were warmly welcomed by innkeepers Ellen and Terry, who generously shared their story and their passion for the business.

The Inn itself is made up of a series of buildings. The main building that houses the restaurant, meeting space, and common areas (as well as a nice open porch), consists of a series of cabins and rooms connected together. The main cabins were built in the 1840's and transplanted here. (Quick note: all throughout our stay, I marveled at Terry's handiwork. He shrugs it off like it's nothing, but the amount of work he's put into the buildings and grounds is simply amazing, especially moving the series of old cabins.)

The lodgings include a single building of smaller guest rooms (didn't get a good picture of those), plus a series of cabins (pictured above). This is where we stayed. These are single rooms with sleeping and relaxation arrangements, a lovely little deck, a full bathroom, plus a hot tub in the room.

They also have a few cottages, which can hold more than one family...

...and include full kitchens.

The cottages have multi-level decks, with beautiful views of the dogwood trees.

After the facilities tour, Terry and Ellen took us to one of their favorite morel-hunting spots. I must confess, I knew very little about morels and their preparation before the trip. Shortly into our hunt, I realized that I didn't even know - for sure - what a morel looked like.

Fortunately, we did find some. One healthy, and a couple past their prime.

Can you spot the morel in this picture?

After our morel hunting, we made the short trek over to Cedar Falls itself, quite literally just down the road. Every time I visit the falls and caves of Hocking Hills, I'm delighted by how beautiful they are, and amazed that these features exist in Ohio. The Inn is fortunate to be so close!

Those are the pictures for now; stay tuned for Part 2!

Photos: breakfast bike ride to Warehouse Cafe

2011-05-22T09:12:00.003-04:00

As part of Wild Goose Creative's Bike Month activities, I led a small group on a bike ride down to Warehouse Cafe yesterday. It was a simple ride in and out of downtown, but the weather proved perfect. This should become a Saturday tradition...

Warehouse Cafe is one of those few early weekend breakfast options downtown. There are a lot of great brunches that start at 10 or 11, but if you're up at 8 a.m., you can head to Warehouse for French toast, eggs, and bacon.

We weren't the only ones having breakfast there, which is always good to see.

Fortunately, most of the breakfast fare isn't too heavy either, so it's ideal if you're only halfway through a bike ride.

Thanks to everyone who came on the ride! Look for more breakfast bike rides in the future!

If you want to head down to Warehouse Cafe yourself, take a look at my post on them (with address, hours, etc).

Your Guide to Columbus Diners

2011-05-14T08:00:00.012-04:00

Out of the many things I love about Columbus, I'm particularly proud of the unique identity every neighborhood embraces. Everywhere you go, you'll find homes, shops, and restaurants that are the pride of their neighborhood, touted by locals as the very best at what they do. They dare you to find a better place.

Such is especially true for the neighborhood diner.

If you were to compare, side-by-side, the breakfast and lunch offerings of Columbus' diners, you wouldn't find tremendous variety between them. You might even be hard pressed to identify whose eggs are whose, whose stuffed french toast is whose, and whose corned beef hash is whose.

But it's the owners greeting their customers, the regulars seated at the counter, and the long-time servers bustling back and forth that make each place unique. Even if you don't live in a particular neighborhood, you can still become a regular at its diner. If you're looking to become a mainstay somewhere, here's a beginning guide (no, it's not complete) to some of Columbus' old-school eateries.

*****

Warehouse Cafe (DOWNTOWN)
243 N. Fifth St. 43215
Warehouse Cafe is a one-room wood-and-brick joint in northern downtown Columbus, owned by an Albanian family. The food is made fresh and dirt cheap. The only hold-back is the highly acidic and highly caffeinated coffee. Enjoy a cheap plate of eggs, bacon, potatoes, and French toast while you take in the exposed brick walls, big viney plants in the windows, and the overall feel of this old converted warehouse. If you're in a hurry, order your breakfast to go, as you'll see much of the downtown working crowd do. [Full Review]

Jack's Sandwich Shop (DOWNTOWN)
52 E. Lynn St. 43215
Jack's goal is to show everyone that they DO make diners like they used to. This oldest-of-old school diners has been in its current location since the 1970's, although the business traces its roots back to the 40's. While you enjoy a breakfast sandwich or plate of pancakes at the counter, take a look at the original grill. Or just enjoy the old diner decorations, including Coke machines, signs, checkered floors, and owner Chris Kowalski's delightful holiday decor. Jack's does its best business with the weekday working crowds, so remember that it's closed on weekends! [Full Review]

German Village Coffee Shop (GERMAN VILLAGE)
193 Thurman Ave. 43206
The GVCS ranks up there with the cheapest and most buttery breakfasts in Columbus. A slender room with low ceilings and the barest hint of lighting houses a busy little kitchen, a long counter, and a handful of booths. Enjoy a plate of eggs for $2.25, three slices of the most butter-laden (read: delicious) French toast for $2.50, or splurge on a huge omelet for $5.25. Saddle up next to the regulars at the counter before you enjoy a day of strolling around German Village. [Full Review]

Starliner Diner (HILLIARD)
5240 Cemetery Rd. 43026
The American diner meets Cuban cuisine in this restaurant often touted as the best breakfast in Columbus. Named after the owner's 1960 Ford Starliner, this little find outside the 270 loop features a bright color palette, funky decor like a wall of clocks, and a rockin' menu of all your diner favorites plus Cuban specialties like huevos rancheros, chiliquiles, and Cuban bread French toast. Every dish packs an array of tastes and aromas, and seasoned Starliner veterans will tell you the most difficult choice is between the old favorites and the daily specials. Probably why the clientele is so fiercely loyal: they're not done discovering the menu yet, and they've liked everything they've tried so far. [Full Review]

D K Diner (GRANDVIEW)
1715 West Third Ave. 43212
The "DK" stands for Donut Kitchen, so even if you're not in the mood for a full breakfast when you visit - which you should be - you can still pick up some of the best donuts in Columbus. Clearly handmade, in small batches, these donuts go fast. But don't just pick up some pastries to go, stay and try any of the diner favorites, including the DK All the Way - their version of the everything's-included breakfast platter. Covered in chunky gravy, that is. Enjoy the Grandview schools paraphernalia coating the walls, join the conversation with the group of retirees who have been sitting at the same table for decades, and then snag a dozen donuts on your way out the door. [Full Review]

Nancy's Home Cooking (CLINTONVILLE)
3313 N. High St. 43202
Nancy's has the distinction of closing up shop in June 2009 and then coming back to life, with the help of the Clintonville community, in February 2010. The new incarnation looks, feels, and tastes mostly like the original diner of forty years, although hardcore enthusiasts can tell the difference. Although Nancy's changed hands within the family, the customers still return for eggs, potatoes, garbage omelets, and chicken and noodles. It's a bustling diner with a colorful history, and it still offers your greasy spoon favorites if you're in the mood and in the area. [Full Review]

Beechwold Diner (BEECHWOLD)
4408 Indianola Ave. 43214
Rising out of the ashes of the former Rube's Diner - a hole-in-the-wall greasy spoon if there every was one - the Beechwold Diner joined the ranks of Columbus diners in January 2010. Clearly it fills a niche, as almost instantly the place was packed with regulars. Bland colors give way to new stainless steel everything, with plenty of seating at the new counter. The menu features the diner favorites, all made by one of the cooks from Rube's. [Full Review]

Jack & Benny's (OSU CAMPUS/OLD NORTH COLUMBUS)
2563 N. High St. 43202
Jack and Benny's is on the list of the ten things every Ohio State student needs to do before graduating. Breakfast at J&B's (perhaps hungover) may be required noshing for every college student, but it's also a must-visit for any Columbusite, at least once. Sidle up in the old corner space on Hudson and High Streets, with a row of booths and old counter stools that are almost too small for anyone over 5'5". One wall is plastered with pictures of Jim Tressel, Woody Hayes, and other OSU sports celebrities. Try the Buckeye pancakes, with peanut butter and chocolate chips, or soak up last night's party with a Gutbuster: eggs, meat, potatoes, and cheese in various forms, stacked together and drowned in gravy. [Full Review]

Sloopy's Diner (OSU CAMPUS) **NEW**

1739 N. High St., 43210 (in the Ohio Union)

With the recent rebuilding of the Ohio Union, the old basement food court was revamped into a coffee shop, market, and a Buckeye-themed diner: Sloopy's. The decor screams Ohio State (as you'd expect): scarlet and gray cups, tables, stools, tiles, lighting, and on and on. The diner is ideal for the student population and visitors alike. Returning alumni and guests can marvel at the new building's design and enjoy a comfortable meal in a spacious diner; students get a late-night restaurant serving huge portions of breakfast all day. Favorites include the pancakes, omelets, skillets, smothered burritos, and breakfast sliders.

Hang Over Easy (OSU CAMPUS)
1646 Neil Ave. 43201
It's easy to dismiss Hang Over Easy as a place just for college students to recover from last night's partying, especially when dish names include Struggling to Get Up, the Ultimate Hangover Cure, Menage a Trois, or Morning Wood. But a quick look around reveals the appeal to a broader clientele: students, university employees, and neighborhood locals alike gather for breakfast served all day. The menu appeals to nearly everyone by loading plates with breakfast favorites like omelets, skillets, stuffed French toast, and house made corned beef hash. [Full Review]

Buckeye Donuts (OSU CAMPUS)
1998 N. High St. 43201
Okay, so yes, Buckeye Donuts is not strictly a diner. Half its business comes from selling trays of buttermilk donuts, Bismarcks, and jelly-filled goodness. But the key markers of a diner are there: small counter with swiveling stools, kitschy paraphernalia like Ohio State gear, pictures of James Dean, and black and white photos of the eatery's early days. The breakfast menu, while not extensive, offers you a range of breakfast sandwiches, French toast, or a platter of eggs, bacon, hash browns, and toast. Like Jack & Benny's, Buckeye Donuts is an institution, keeping Ohio State students and alumni fed for over forty years, twenty-four hours a day, 365 days a year. [Full Review]

Daybreak Diner (LINDEN)
1168 E. Weber Rd. 43211
Daybreak is one of the new kids on the block in the Columbus diner scene. Owner Bill Kinniard is fulfilling his dream of running his own diner, and he's already drawn a crowd of regulars. He cooks up a solid menu of breakfast mainstays - including some very good hash browns - but he also surprises with more unique fare like breakfast fried rice, cheeseburger omelets, and Captain Crunch French toast. [Full Review]

Fitzy's Old Fashioned Diner (WORTHINGTON)
1487 Schrock Rd. 43229
One of Columbus' few 24-hour diners, Fitzy's lies off the beaten path up in Worthington. It serves a mixed clientele of the late-night bar-goers, local college students, and the old folks who gather for a quiet breakfast in the morning. The diner is both welcoming and a little rough around the edges. It's single-page breakfast menu covers all of your favorites, plus a couple unusual dishes (bologna and eggs, anyone?). Expect to be well-fed: a typical breakfast takes 2-3 plates to carry all of your food. [Full Review]

The Best Breakfast & Sandwiches (WESTERVILLE)
5916 Westerville Rd. 43081
Like all good diners, Best Breakfast & Sandwiches is a little hard to find, tucked in the back section of a strip mall off Westerville Road. As one of the few places that lives up to the name "The Best," this little diner, owned by husband and wife duo Tom and Jan Spangler, serves up made-from-scratch breakfasts and lunches, fresh-baked breads, and house-made cinnamon buns. But the biggest selling points? The welcoming service and Cheers-like camaraderie you'll find in their clientele. [Full Review]

Gena's Restaurant (WESTERVILLE)
5947 S. Sunbury Rd. 43081
It's the little diner that could! A small, one-room diner in Westerville, just east of the 270 loop, that makes all the standards, but boasts the "Greatest American Pecan Roll" and a three-pancake challenge that only fourteen people have conquered over the years. It's a great place to be if you're hungry for a monstrous breakfast. [Full Review]

Tommy's Diner (FRANKLINTON)
914 W. Broad St. 43222
Tommy's is another classic with a loyal clientele, serving customers for over twenty years in Franklinton, just west of downtown Columbus. Go to Tommy's to see what diners should look like: neon signs, black and white checkered floor, vinyl booth seats, swivelly stools around the counter, and local knick-knacks flung around. Say hi to Tommy at the register. Try some of the Greek specialties on the menu, in homage to his heritage. Then become famous enough to get Tommy to put a picture of you and him on the wall near the front door. [Full Review]

Dan's Drive-In (SOUTH SIDE)
1881 S. High St. 43207
Dan's Drive-In is an old school diner... made to look like an old-school diner. It's been around since the 1950's - and claims to be Columbus' first drive-in - but recent owners repaired and refurbished it to look as it once did. The result is a glossy take on the old American diner, but their food, service, and overall look still make it a worthy stop on any Columbus diner tour. [Full Review]

*****

So there's your starting point for a Columbus diner tour. Of course, there are some missing from the list. Diners are hidden treasures, and undoubtedly I've missed a few. And there are plenty that I know about but just haven't visited yet, so look for updates soon!

Photos: Taste of Dine Originals 2011

2011-05-13T17:00:00.000-04:00

Taste of Dine Originals was last night! It's your best chance to catch many of Columbus' best restaurants all in one place. The new location at the Grange Audubon Center offered a little more room, so the crowds didn't feel as a crowded. I've never been to the Center before, but I was impressed. Seems like a great area, and I'm excited to see how the Whittier Peninsula continues to grow. Plus, the views of downtown are unbeatable.

I sampled so many things that I forget the exact names and ingredients, but I don't remember having anything bad the entire night (not like that's a surprise). As usual, Basi Italia used one of my favorite displays, with mini polenta cakes topped with a sweet salsa.

Chef John Dornback at work.

This year also included two of our local distilleries. Here's Watershed serving up Gin & Juice. In another corner, I tried a sidecar with Middle West Spirits Honey Vanilla Bean vodka. Both refreshing and delicious.

Pork belly from Due Amici.

Mini Cuban pork sandwiches from Barcelona.

Owner Thom Coffman of The Clarmont...

...serving up macaroni and cheese balls!

Right next to the gang from Deepwood.

Quick break for a sip of Summer Teeth from Columbus Brewing Company.

Even more restaurants lined up in the main hallway of the building.

It's always fun to see Chefs Kevin and Patrick from Skillet at work.

Towers of delicious smoked duck crostinis (above) and a lavender pound cake with chocolate ganache (below) from Chef Anthony with The Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls.

Amazing display, as usual, from Pistachia Vera.

And of course, you have to finish with Lara's maple bacon cupcakes from Surly Girl Saloon.

A wonderful and delicious evening all around. It's always amazing to see such a diverse mix of fare at this event. Thanks to Dine Originals for inviting me out. Looking forward to 2012 already!

Northstar Cafe (Easton) | Columbus, OH

2011-05-06T07:00:00.005-04:00

Northstar Cafe
4015 Townsfair Way (map it!)
Columbus, OH 43219
(614) 532-5444
Open 9am-10pm daily
Accepts cash & credit/debit
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? Y/Y/N
Kid-friendly? Y

Date of Visit: Friday, April 8, 2011 at 9:00 a.m.

IMPRESSIONS: The three Northstar Cafes have become institutions in Columbus. Any online search of "breakfast in Columbus" brings up at least one Northstar location, and the steady crowds can attest to their continued popularity. I've been to the other two locations multiple times (and reviewed first e, then Short North). While my reviews have gotten less gushy as time goes on (I can't believe myself when I re-read the Beechwold one), I still think Northstar serves up a solid breakfast that I'll always like.

The Easton location is their newest one, and can be found in the southeast section of the shopping center. There's a good-sized parking lot right next to it, as well as lots of metered parking around the Easton streets. Each Northstar Cafe is designed and laid out differently, and each one fits very well with its locale. This one is a great fit for Easton overall.

ATMOSPHERE: This was my first time in the Easton location, and I have to say... it's one of the most photogenic breakfast spots I've seen. Very well focused lighting, lots of natural wood accents, big counter space, bright light from abundant windows.

This location is also the biggest. The whole main floor probably has more seating than the Short North location, and then there's a balcony circling half the restaurant.

We visited right when they opened at 9 am (which is comparatively late for a breakfast spot), and while the balcony remained empty, the main floor filled up quickly.

FOOD: The menu at Easton is pretty much the same as the other two locations (plus one tasty addition). First off, we had drinks. There are a few choices of coffee, including decaf and light-medium-or-dark roasts. I opt for their Johnny Mellow. We also nabbed a fresh-squeezed orange juice. Always a hit.

I don't eat at Northstar Cafe as often as I used to, but whenever I have breakfast there, I have to get the Big Burrito, plus bacon (goes without saying). I'm just a big fan of the combination of bacon, sweet potatoes, black beans, veggies, and cheese.

I call this Still Life With Coffee And Burrito.

This item I haven't seen at any of the other locations: Prosciutto and Poached Eggs. The base is a rosemary focaccia bread, topped with prosciutto (a very popular meat these days) and nicely poached eggs. Comes with a side of greens. Overall, a very nice dish: seasoned just right, between a dash of parmesan, the salty prosciutto, and herbed bread. Well worth a try.

SERVICE: Like all of their cafes, the Easton location employs the order-at-the-counter system. Order there, you're given a number, and your food's brought out to you. Gratuity is included in the food price. Generally, the employees there are very nice. Some are more smiley than others, but no surliness.

OVERALL: Again, I don't get to the Northstar Cafes as often as I used to. Part of it is the cost: you'll be paying a few bucks more than your average diner breakfast. But it's also because I have so many more places to explore. Still, the Easton cafe is beautiful, and they serve all the breakfast favorites. Like the other cafes, they have a nice patio as well, plus this one has a wood fireplace! So there's some consistency between the cafes, but enough interesting variations between them, too. But however you feel about the other Northstar locations, you'll probably feel the same about this one.

OTHER LINKS:

Smothered Gravy | Columbus, OH

2011-05-03T07:00:00.000-04:00

Smothered Gravy
1444 E. Main St. (map it!)
Columbus, OH 43205
(614) 252-3203
Open Mon-Fri, 8am - 6pm; Sat, 1-9pm (bfast served Mon-Fri until 10:30)
Accepts cash & credit/debit
Carry out only
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? N/N/N
Kid-friendly? Y

Date of Visit: Thursday, March 31, 2011 at 9:00 a.m.

IMPRESSIONS: Smothered Gravy's opening has been much-anticipated since the first announcement about it last September. I mean, look at the name! Smothered Gravy? Uh, yeah, who wouldn't want soul food smothered in sauce? After much discussion and a false start, they finally opened on Saturday, March 19. The story of owner Eugena Dade is a pretty amazing one, given her heritage and all that she's overcome to get here. In lieu of writing more about it here, I'll just direct you to my article on her for (614) Magazine.

ATMOSPHERE: The couple times I've visited Smothered Gravy, the atmosphere has always been very laid-back. There's no formal seating, save for a single table and a couple miscellaneous chairs. You can certainly dine-in, should you choose, but the seating is more intended for waiting carry-out customers.

The decor is soft and simple. A few window decorations, some basic signage. The most interesting part is the black and white photos of old restaurants from Columbus' East Side (including one of Eugena's aunt's old restaurant, which was located just down the street).

Simple self-serve coffee.

Their full menu is posted on the wall behind the counter...

...and on a side wall.

FOOD: Breakfast covers a lot of the soul food basics: salmon cakes, brown sugar ham, catfish nuggets, shrimp and grits. (Pssst... they even have Resch's donuts.) Being a sucker for good chicken and waffles, I had to order them up. Your options on this dish are fried or smothered. I've had plenty of fried chicken with my waffles, so I opted for the smothered version. This means they're simmered in a pan of gravy. The waffles were good - nothing too out of the ordinary. I liked the flavor of the chicken - the gravy is a tasty (if under-salted) onion gravy. But I think I missed the crispiness of the fried chicken. That seems like a better complement to the waffles. Overall, though, a decent version.

I liked the fried tilapia better. Cooked just right so it was flaky. Very light breading, simple seasoning (again, could be saltier and stronger). Served with a basic side of toast, plus a cup of the grits. This version was rich and buttery, and surprisingly sweet. Eugena said she adds some sugar to it. I'm more used to savory grits, but this was nice. I ate it all!

SERVICE: If you visit Smothered Gravy, take the chance to talk with Eugena and her crew. They welcome you with huge smiles. Cooking is clearly in Eugena's blood, and she welcomes you almost as a family member into her restaurant.

OVERALL: I think Smothered Gravy still has some room to grow, but it's off to a good beginning. It's hard not to root for Eugena, knowing her story, and her efforts to enliven the community around her deserve to be supported.

OTHER LINKS:
-> my write-up on Smothered Gravy for (614) Magazine

An Earth Day Breakfast

2011-04-22T07:00:00.003-04:00

(Mmm... sustainable burritos.)

Earth Day is here! What are you doing to celebrate and signify it? There are a whole host of events going on around Columbus over the weekend, one of the biggest of which is Lighten Up at Franklin Park Conservatory.

Of course, me being me, I have to drag breakfast into all of this. To me, Earth Day means highlighting some of those Columbus eateries who make sustainability and local sourcing a priority. There are many more than I can list, but here are a few places you can dine this weekend, to support restaurants with an eye toward keeping it local and environmentally friendly.

1. Northstar Cafe has long been known for food-forward menu and business practices, and they put their mission out there: while you're waiting for your food, for instance, you can read quotes from Michael Pollan on the cards at your table. They build their menu of popular veggie burgers and ricotta pancakes with organic and local ingredients whenever possible, and customers have flocked frequently enough that there are now three locations: Short North, Beechwold, and Easton. Owners Kevin, Katy, and Darren Malhame speak widely about their restaurant and their overall mission. If you're interested in learning more about what they do and why they do it, you can read an interview with Kevin through the Nature Conservancy here.

2. Skillet's subtitle of "Rustic. Urban. Food." points to a menu of simple construction using local ingredients: duck eggs, fresh salad greens, apples, and the like all come from Central Ohio farms. Skillet's practices have earned them lots of local and national attention, such as (ahem) an appearance on PBS that included yours truly. If you want one of the more creative brunches in town, pay attention to what Chefs Kevin and Patrick Caskey are cooking up for the weekend.

(Finally, hot dogs with my breakfast!)

3. Betty's, Surly Girl, Tip Top, Dirty Frank's, and/or Jury Room. All of Liz Lessner's restaurants practice sustainable habits, and Liz helped co-found Eartha Limited, a company focused on teaching the food industry to reduce waste. These five restaurants offer the funkiest brunches in town, from breakfast nachos and pot roast skillets to flatbreads and Bloody Marys. Dirty Frank's Hot Dog Palace most recently (as in, last weekend) joined the Betty's Family of Restaurants in offering a Saturday and Sunday brunch.

Whatever you choose, make sure you support those restaurants who are doing their part to improve the restaurant industry, our health, and the way we treat our food overall.

Happy Earth Day, everyone!

P.S. It's not breakfast, but don't forget you can get your free Northstar Burger today (starting at 11)!

Photos: brunch at Dirty Frank's

2011-04-17T23:30:00.000-04:00

I had brunch at Dirty Frank's yesterday. Finally we can use that phrase: brunch at Dirty Frank's. I had to take pictures of the historic occasion.

DF is the last in the line-up of Liz Lessner-led (wow, alliteration) restaurants to take up the brunch mantel. Betty's, Surly Girl, and Tip Top have been going strong for years. The Jury Room joined up a few weeks ago. And now Dirty Frank's. Life is good for those of us eatin' in Columbus.

Because I've been frothing at the mouth for this day ever since, well, Dirty Frank's opened, we stepped in the door at 11:05 a.m. Dirty Frank's is already our go-to "what I'm craving" stop, so having a brunch option makes it all the more a favorite.

We were greeted with fun, bright menus. They adopted a cereal box theme, with a couple different covers.

I actually did a double-take, the first time I saw syrup on a Dirty Frank's table.

French Toast Sticks. Big hit with our son Will. We also ordered his standard side of mac and cheese.

The Ohio Scramble: corn relish, scrambled eggs, cheese, tortilla chips. I added the hot dog, of course. Also, I just realized, looking at the picture: I think it was missing the potatoes. Oh well... return trip!

My wife had the Breakfast Nachos: tortilla chips, scrambled eggs, jalapenos, corn relish, cheese sauce, sriracha, and coney sauce. She added the hot dog and got a side of the chili.

So... have you been yet? What did you think?

If you've never been (in which case, shame on you):
Dirty Frank's Hot Dog Palace
Facebook & @DirtyFranksDogs
248 S. 4th St.
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 824-4673
Open 11-2:30a everyday (brunch served Sat & Sun, 11a-4p)

Market 65 | Columbus, OH

2011-04-04T07:00:00.001-04:00

Market 65 (Facebook / @marketsixtyfive)
65 E. State. St. (map it!)
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 564-6565
Open Mon-Fri, 7:30 am - 8 pm (bfast served until 10:30 am)
Accepts cash & credit/debit
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? Y/Y/N
Kid-friendly? Y

Date of Visit: Thursday, March 10, 2011 at 10:00 a.m.

IMPRESSIONS: Market 65 is a much-needed new addition to the downtown dining scene. They took the spot formerly inhabited by the San Francisco Pizza Oven, and have replaced that forgettable chain with a bright, fresh restaurant that features a lot of great Ohio goods.

ATMOSPHERE: The space flows pretty easily; once you step through the front door, you're right at the top of the line that follows the counters. I visited on a Thursday mid-morning and the place was quiet, although lunch time can get busier.

There's a good-sized seating section extending back into the space. The color palette is full of greens and browns; you feel like you're walking in a forest.

FOOD: The real star of Market 65 is their salad bar, what with the choosing and the mixing and the chopping, but they do feature a good breakfast menu, too. And obviously, that's why I'm here.

The fun of eating there is watching your food be assembled as you head down the line. They have a huge variety of fresh ingredients to choose from...

...including meats...

...vegetables...

...and cheeses. The biggest dish on their breakfast menu - the wrap - lets you choose two of the vegetables and a cheese (you can add bacon or sausage, too). That's a pretty wide selection.

Other breakfast items include oatmeal, fresh fruit, and pastries.

Coffee service provided by Stauf's, with a special Market 65 blend. Very nice.

Baked goods come from Sassafras Bakery, Sue's Kitchen, and Cupcake Yum Yum.

My son and I split a wrap (which you can also order as a scramble) with some white cheddar and black beans. It's a hefty wrap, and was plenty for the both of us.

The ingredients are simple, but the flavors were all there. A great option if you need a quick breakfast downtown. The bonus is that these ingredients are sourced locally, so you know you're getting good Ohio eggs, cheese, and the like.

SERVICE: I'll be honest: I had a great service experience, although I got to chat with owners Anthony and Patrick. One of their staffers very kindly played with my son Will while we spoke. If Anthony, Patrick, and their staff are anything to go by, they can take care of a long line of customers smoothly.

OVERALL: Market 65 is a simple concept, but one that's well connected to the local food community and provides a much-needed option for downtown dining. They're open early and stay open late, which is encouraging for that area. And now that the weather is getting warmer, imagine yourself out here on the patio...

OTHER LINKS:
-> my piece for (614) Magazine on Market 65
-> interview with the owners on ColumbusUnderground

Der Dutchman | Plain City, OH

2011-03-25T06:00:00.015-04:00

Der Dutchman (Facebook)
445 S. Jefferson Route 42 (map it!)
Plain City, OH 43064
(614) 873-3414
Open Mon-Thurs, 6 am - 8 pm; Fri & Sat, 6 am - 9 pm (bfast served until 11)
Accepts cash & credit/debit
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? N/N/N
Kid-friendly? Y

Date of Visit: Saturday, February 26, 2011 at 10:00 a.m.

IMPRESSIONS: Alton Brown once said, in the opening of his miniseries Feasting on Asphalt, that a good restaurant, above all, will not deny its DNA. Meaning that a restaurant should always be true to what it really is. If you're a hot dog stand, he said, be a hot dog stand. Don't try to be a BBQ joint. Be honest with what you do, and do that well. More and more, I find this is true, especially for breakfast joints. Some of my favorite places aren't very sophisticated. They're not that original. They serve food that you can find in thousands of restaurants across the country. But when they're true to themselves, and honest to their customers about what they really do, the result is delightful. This is why die-hard fans treat the average neighborhood diner like a mecca for haute cuisine: because the restaurant is honest about what it does, and customers can accept and love it for what it is, and nothing more.

Such is true for Der Dutchman. It's a giant restaurant with parking for tour buses. It's a prime example of that genre of restaurant labeled Amish or Dutch. They serve simple comfort food in large portions. And we love it.

ATMOSPHERE: I had one request for my birthday this year: to eat at Der Dutchman's breakfast buffet. So a large group of friends and family (nineteen in all, yo!) joined me on the twenty-five minute trek out to Plain City, Ohio. Even on a busy Saturday morning, when we called about 30 minutes ahead, we were still seated fairly quickly. It's a testament to Der Dutchman's ability to handle large groups that the waiting area is so large.

Here we are at the table. Nineteen of us. They didn't bat an eye.

The dining room is extensive and infinitely arrangeable. The largest portion can be subdivided into smaller rooms.

It's a busy place. Lots of people. Lots of servers. Lots of food.

FOOD: And behold, the glorious breakfast buffet. It's a breakfast blogger's dream: scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, French toast, potatoes, sausage gravy, grits, and all of the accoutrement. Piles and piles of it, in a piping hot buffet. There's something for everyone (although vegetarians and vegans may be hard-pressed).

There are actually two buffet lines, and you can approach each from either side. Clearly designed to handle the crowds.

Mmm... large bins for bacon.

Funky jellied fruit desserts.

A visit to Der Dutchman wouldn't be complete without a taste of their donuts. The restaurant has a separate in-house bakery with cakes, bread, and pastries (see below for pics). They helpfully cut the longjohns into manageable sections; otherwise, you'd be stuffing yourself on a single donut. (If you're a fan of Der Dutchman's donuts - which you should be - look in the upper right hand corner of their bakery's website to download a PDF telling you where to find them in Columbus. I recommend Hills Market for a stop.)

Plate #1: scrambled eggs, fried corn mush, potatoes, sausage gravy, a biscuit, some bacon, a piece of donut.

Plate #2: more scrambled eggs and sausage gravy, pancakes, French toast sticks.

Plate #3 (don't hate me - it's a buffet and it was my birthday): sausage gravy, mush, bacon, sausage links, and some lava hot raspberry crumble. All of the food is good. Not exceptional, but good. The eggs, for instance, are a tad undercooked so they don't dry out in the buffet. The bacon and sausage is simple. Sausage gravy is chunky and well seasoned. Fried mush is crispy and oily. You won't find any surprises in the buffet, but there's plenty here to satisfy the breakfast lover.

As an added bonus to the experience my wife and our friend Libby (who runs the bakery at Hills Market) made me a special breakfast diner birthday cake. Everything on it was edible. The folks at Der Dutchman were kind enough to let us bring it in.

If you're not full enough, you can stop by the bakery for more donuts. I'm surprised there's not a checkpoint in northwest Columbus, at which armed guards require you to show a box of Der Dutchman donuts if you're traveling in from Plain City. Like everything else they do, Der Dutchman donuts are big and tasty.

SERVICE: In order to run their buffets successfully, Der Dutchman employs a veritable army of servers, all wearing these slightly outdated red aprons. But they handle the crowds smoothly. I was amazed that our entire table had ONE server dedicated to it. She hardly flinched. Do note, though, that with big groups they can split checks, but they'll calculate your tip, too, at only 10%. Make sure you tip appropriately.

OVERALL: Der Dutchman is true to its DNA. Nothing fancy. Lots of comfort food. Served in bulk. With a bakery and a gift shop attached. Be a good tourist and pay it a visit.

OTHER LINKS:

Photos: The Angry Baker

2011-03-23T07:30:00.000-04:00

My son Will has been jetting around town with me, exploring breakfast joints and collecting info for the book. Yesterday, just before we set out, we saw on Twitter that Johnny DiLoretto was live at The Angry Baker. Since we were passing through the area, we stopped in to watch them tape their last segment.

We watched them make their French toast sandwich, and then got to sample it. It was simply delicious: custardy soft french toast that you could cut with the side of your fork, with salty ham and cheese plus sweet (and real!) maple syrup.

I still need to do an "official" visit to Angry Baker, but their small breakfast menu, plus the load of pastries, looks really promising. Such a nice addition to Olde Towne East.

The space includes seating at the counter or at some cafe tables. The counter seating lets you watch all the action in the kitchen.

If you haven't dropped by yet, you need to!

The Angry Baker
891 Oak St.
(614) 947-0976
www.theangrybakerote.com

Katalina's Cafe Corner | Columbus, OH

2011-03-21T08:30:00.003-04:00

Katalina's Cafe Corner (Facebook / @cafecorner)
1105 Pennsylvania Ave.
Columbus, OH 43201
(614) 294-2233
Open 7 am - 3 pm everyday
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? Y/N/N
Kid-friendly? Y-ish

Date of Visit: Sunday, February 13, 2011 at 1:00 p.m.

IMPRESSIONS: Here's the story. My wife and I used to live just down the street from Cafe Corner. I remember my first visit when it was essentially a wide open coffee shop. They had decent coffee. They had public computers. It was good, but nothing that really drew me back. Then, slowly, the owners expanded and revamped. We heard more and more about the sandwiches. They built a patio. They made the most of that tiny corner spot on Third and Pennsylvania Avenues. We visited during Restaurant Week 2009 and I reviewed it. And loved it. The Cafe has since transitioned into the hands of Kathleen Day, who has continued to make it a culinary hotspot.

ATMOSPHERE: The cafe itself is pretty small, as the building is a former gas station (see picture of it at the end of this post). There are maybe 7 tables total, plus a few seats at a counter looking out the front window. So beware if you're coming with a big group. Of course, the game changes in spring and summer, when their big, beautiful patio triples the amount of seating.

The decor mixes elements of country kitchen with trendy cafe. One thing I always love to see in breakfast places are hand-written signs. The aesthetics appeal to me, and it shows that their menu is changeable based on specials, seasonal ingredients, or just plain old rotating offerings.

Self-serve coffee setup featuring Stauf's roasts.

Visually, the whole cafe is fun to look at: big, bright windows. Colorful menu boards. Homemade iced tea served in mason jars.

FOOD: The breakfast menu covers your standards, but delightfully goes beyond that with things like Hens in a Basket, Breakfast Tacos, and Truffled Egg Sandwiches. This is, indeed, a foodie's breakfast.

If anyone in your party is not-so-adventurous, they'll be satisfied with the Classic Breakfast, all done right. Toast, crispy bacon, eggs scrambled and not overdone, plus good, crispy hash browns.

You can (and should) get sandwiches for breakfast, too. Here's my wife's Fig & Prosciutto, with provolone, white truffle oil, and a balsamic reduction. It's such a creative interplay between salty prosciutto and sweet figs. Really a big hit.

Swedish pancake balls! Essentially fried dough balls dusted with powdered sugar. You can get them filled with Nutella or strawberry preserves. I asked the guy at the counter if he suggested one over the other. I barely got the question out before he answered, "Nutella." And he wasn't wrong. These are soft, warm, doughy balls of sweet goodness. Plus you can dip them in maple syrup. Also, this comes with a side of CC's sweet and spicy bacon (which I didn't get a picture of - gah!). I've long been hesitant to list anything as my favorite bacon on my best-of list - I still have lots of exploring to do - but this takes the top spot. The bacon is thick cut, and the topping is a sticky sweet mess with a bite at the back of the throat. I was delightfully surprised by it.

The Prosciutto Mozzarella sandwich, with a tomato-basil pesto and balsamic reduction. So good...

I was drawn to Cafe Corner this day by a weekend special of Eggs Benedicto, aka the Mexican Eggs Benedict (it has been offered again since). There's the standard poached eggs, but they're served with prosciutto on a toasted croissant, and a chipotle hollandaise. Um. Yes. Please. Eggs benedict is one of my favorite breakfasts, and I've neglected to properly research them in Columbus. But if CC's is anything to go by... it's gonna be a fun adventure. I loved almost everything about these. Eggs were perfect, croissant is a very nice touch, hollandaise was light and yet flavorful. I really liked the prosciutto, but it pushes things toward the salty side (obviously), and its nature makes it a little hard to cut with a knife. Eggs benedict is not a sandwich, so you have to use silverware, and I like being able to cut nice portions of egg, meat, and bread. The prosciutto made that a little difficult to do. That said, it all tastes lovely. You must try it.

Side of hash browns. Nice and crispy. Not tons of seasoning, but they're done right without being greasy.

SERVICE: The cafe service is run at the counter. Place your order there, take a number, and find a table. Coffee and drinks are self-serve. The folks at the counter are very nice - not terribly talkative - but very helpful. (Cafe Corner also does a healthy take-out business. The old owners, after all, started the breakfast delivery service Late Night Eggs out of this space; it has since been relocated to the campus area and renamed Eggfast.)

Kathleen shared this picture from the Cafe's history with me. Here it is in yesteryear as a corner gas station. Makes you really appreciate how much the neighborhood has changed over the decades.

OVERALL: I look forward to more return visits to Cafe Corner. Having moved away from the neighborhood is no excuse not to be back more often, especially with that patio enticing us in the spring and summer months. And that menu is sufficiently big and creative that we've still got lots of exploring to do.

OTHER LINKS:
-> my older review of Cafe Corner

Luck Bros Coffee House | Columbus, OH

2011-03-15T06:00:00.007-04:00

Luck Bros Coffee House (Facebook / @luckbros)
1101 W. 1st Ave. (map it!)
Grandview, OH 43212
(614) 299-9330
Open Mon-Fri, 7 am - 7 pm; Sat & Sun, 8 am - 7 pm
Accepts cash & credit/debit
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? Y/N/N
Kid-friendly? Y

Date of Visit: Friday, February 4, 2011 at 9:00 a.m.

IMPRESSIONS: Those of us living in Columbus recognize that our city's culinary scene is and deserves to be well known for a lot of good reasons. Our ice cream is famous. We have multiple James Beard Award nominees. Even some of our sandwiches are infamous. But other areas deserve more attention, and I submit for your consideration: our coffee scene. We've got some world-class roasters and top notch baristas. They'll more-than-gladly show you how to roast your beans properly, and teach you correct brewing , help you delve into the world of latte art. They are passionate and fiercely defensive of Columbus coffee. And one of the stars of this coffee scene is Andy Luck and Luck Bros Coffee House.

ATMOSPHERE: Luck Bros is a quiet little coffee shop in a curving retail strip in Grandview, along with Marshall's, the Old Bag of Nails, and a few other stops. The shop itself is a favorite for studiers; it's got lots of space and plenty of quiet corners. Booths, tables, and even a small patio out front give you plenty of places to sit and sip.

Andy and his crew are dedicated to coffee culture. Even their website is loaded with info on brewing techniques, storage, and proper grinding. You can order a standard cup o' coffee or all of your coffee shop creations at Luck Bros, but if you really want to experience coffee, you should sidle up to the brew bar. Here they prepare single cups of the beans that Andy imports from all over - some in town, some out. The great thing about the brew bar is getting to watch your coffee being prepared. Beans are carefully ground, filtered through Hario V60 filters (pictured above). These regulate how the water and grounds interact. Hot water is poured from a stainless steel Hario kettle, with a long, thin spout. This offers superb control over the water flow. Coffees are always high quality, and range in prices from $2.25 for a standard cup, or up to $15 per cup and beyond for super specialized beans. The result is always coffee the way it's meant to be, with such rich flavors and aromas, you'll forget you've ever heard of cream and sugar.

FOOD: Aside from your regular coffee shop pastries, Luck Bros offers a breakfast bake, made fresh every day. A generous slice of the bake will keep you filled longer than a muffin. Andy said the bake comes from an old family recipe, which he was also kind enough to post on their website. It's a fairly simple casserole-like dish, layering eggs, cheese, hash browns, and kielbasa. It's very easy to like.

SERVICE: The morning we visited, a barista named Sarah was at work, and she was super, super nice. Andy clear teaches his employees to love coffee and coffee culture as much as him. Sarah was very knowledgeable and interactive as we ordered our coffee and breakfast.

OVERALL: Just go to Luck Bros and try the coffee. Let Andy tell you about the beans he's purchased. Watch him brew you the right cup of coffee. Stop and read a book. Relish yet another superlative reason why Columbus is a great - if sometimes under-appreciated - city in which to live, eat, and drink.

OTHER LINKS:
-> my write-up on breakfast in coffee shops for (614) Magazine

Taste of Belgium (Wexner Center) | Columbus, OH

2011-03-04T06:00:00.008-05:00

Taste of Belgium (Facebook / @TOBWex)
1871 N. High St. (inside the Wexner Center for the Arts)
Columbus, OH 43210
(614) 292-2233
Open Mon-Fri, 8 am - 4 pm
Accepts cash & credit/debit
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? Y/N/N
Kid-friendly? Y

Date of Visit: Monday, January 31, 2011 at 12:30 p.m.

IMPRESSIONS: I've been a fan of Taste of Belgium's waffles for some time now, having first discovered them when they opened a stall at the North Market. If you've never tried one of their signatures, you're missing an opportunity to re-define how you think about waffles. Here they serve the authentic Belgian version, which are very unlike your thin, flat toaster-made waffle. A true Belgian waffle (Liege-style, at least) is made using a thick batter infused with beet sugar. The waffle is smaller, thicker, marbled with caramelized sugars, and a wonderful hand-held snack.

The Wexner location is Taste of Belgium's second in Columbus. The Wexner announced months ago that they were seeking a replacement for the generic Cam's on Campus. In my opinion, ToB is the perfect fit for the Wexner: still a casual cafe and coffee shop, but with an international flair.

ATMOSPHERE: You can find the cafe by heading down the big staircase in the Wexner's main entryway. It's hard to miss once you get to the lower floor (where you'll also find the entrances to the bookstore, video theatre, galleries, etc.). Line yourself up to order at the counter.

You may have to step forward to grab a menu while you wait in line. This isn't too bad to deal with if you're know about it, but I think it would be handy if they put more of their menu on the wall. You can help out, though: once you're done with your menu, be a pal and pass it back to the next person.

There's a fair amount of seating around the cafe. Once you've ordered, take your number and find a table. Be advised that, during peak hours, tables can fill up. You are on the campus of the largest university in America, after all.

The cafe seating is nice and bright, even though you're partially below ground.

FOOD: Because this location of ToB is more of a traditional cafe, their menu is expanded beyond the waffles, crepes, and coffee offered in the North Market. The market is aimed more so at the walk-and-eat crowd. Here you'll find the full coffee shop lineup of drinks: espresso, lattes, cappuccinos, all made using coffee from Coffee Emporium in Cincinnati. Other drinks include hot and cold cider, tea, or blended drinks using coffee or fruit. Food-wise, you've got sweet and savory crepes; soup, salad, and sandwiches; fruit, yogurt, and muesli; frittatas; and oatmeal. Really a nice mix.

Taste of Belgium's signature piece is the waffle, so the cafe offers a couple different spins on it. I ordered the Waffles Rancheros.

The Rancheros takes one of their waffles, and adds a small souffle-like pile of scrambled eggs, topped with a spicy salsa. Comes with a side salad with a dash of vinaigrette.

Nice cross section of it. The Rancheros are a little hard to cut with a fork and knife - the eggs are fluffy but the waffle's a little crisp. Still, the combination of sweet waffle, savory eggs, and spicy salsa comes together well. Add the salad to that, and baby, you've got a lunch on.

If you're in a sweeter mood (awww...), you can order the waffle with toppings. You have a choice of fruit - that day it was blueberries or bananas - plus optional whipped cream (note: whipped cream is not really an optional thing). The fruit and sweet cream are a nice complement to the dense, sugary waffle.

SERVICE: Despite the sometimes long lines (especially in between classes), the food service is pretty quick. If you're eating in the cafe, just take your number to your table and they'll find you. The folks behind the counter are nice - not terribly talkative - but nice nonetheless.

OVERALL: I'm very glad to have Taste of Belgium on campus. I think the fit is perfect for the Wexner Center, and it offers an alternative to the fast food along High Street or all the campus-run cafeterias. I hope that the campus community appreciates what we have here, and that Taste of Belgium becomes a mainstay of OSU dining.

OTHER LINKS:
-> full Taste of Belgium website

Photos: TeeJaye's revisit

2011-03-02T06:00:00.003-05:00

Just a couple of quick pictures from a recent visit to one of the TeeJaye's Country Place restaurants. We were invited there by owner Randy Sokol, and had the opportunity to learn some more about the forty-year history of their restaurant. TeeJaye's was started by Randy's father, who previously owned a chain of twenty-nine Beverlee's Drive-Ins around Ohio. While there, I couldn't resist taking a few pictures of the food. I tried their cornmeal pancakes for the first time. The texture is different than normal buttermilk pancakes, denser and grainier.

My son dove in to some chocolate chip cornmeal pancakes, scrambled eggs, and sausage links.

And one of our dining companions had the (in)famous Barnyard Buster. Biscuits, potatoes, and eggs covered in sausage gravy. Randy said the Buster has its own cheering section. I just noticed recently that TeeJaye's website is actually BarnyardBuster.com.

Happy (Inter)National _______ Day/Week/Month!

2011-02-28T08:05:00.001-05:00

Out of shame for not realizing that February is National Hot Breakfast Month, I started looking into the convoluted mess that is national and international food-related holidays. There are so many different declarations of these holidays - personal, corporate, and civil - that it's hard to keep track. There are contradictions and repeats galore: pancakes, for instance, have a national day, week, and month. Plus, there are ridiculous levels of specificity. You can celebrate National Donut Day AND National Cream-Filled Donut Day. Some holidays are tied to specific dates, some are movable feasts. But for the fun of it (and to give me something to tweet about throughout the year... "Did you know that today is...?"), I put together this list, based on the 2011 calendar.

JANUARY
National Hot Tea Month
National Oatmeal Month
28 - National Blueberry Pancake Day
30 - National Croissant Day

FEBRUARY
National Pancake Month
National Hot Breakfast Month
9 - National Bagels and Lox Day
19-25 - National Pancake Week
21 - National Sticky Bun Day
21 - National Biscuits and Gravy Day

MARCH
1 - National Pancake Day (as declared by IHOP)
7 - National Cereal Day
10 - National Blueberry Popover Day
12 - National Orange Juice Day
23 - National Toast Day
24 - International Waffle Day

APRIL
7 - National Coffee Cake Day
16 - National Eggs Benedict Day

MAY
National Egg Month
14 - National Buttermilk Biscuit Day
20 - National Quiche Lorraine Day

JUNE
National Dairy Month
first Friday - National Donut Day

JULY
11 - National Blueberry Muffin Day
26 - National Bagelfest

AUGUST
National Coffee Month
19 - National Potato Day
24 - National Waffle Day (so named to celebrate the first U.S. patent for the waffle iron)

SEPTEMBER
National Breakfast Month
National Potato Month
National Honey Month
Saturday before Labor Day - International Bacon Day
first week - National Waffle Week
second week - National Biscuits and Gravy Week
14 - National Cream-Filled Donut Day
26 - National Pancake Day (see also March 1)
29 - National Coffee Day

OCTOBER
National Sausage Month
13 - National Pumpkin Festival (close to the Circleville Pumpkin Show)
29 - National Oatmeal Day

NOVEMBER
5 - National Doughnut Day (see also early June)
23 - National Espresso Day
28 - National French Toast Day

DECEMBER
9 - National Pastry Day
17 - National Maple Syrup Day

Kitchen Little | Columbus, OH

2011-02-25T06:00:00.006-05:00

Kitchen Little (Facebook / @KitchenLittleOH)
59 Spruce St. (in the North Market)
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 221-7327
Open Tues-Fri, 10:30-4; Sat, 9-5 (bfast on Saturdays ONLY)
Accepts cash & credit/debit
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? Y/N/Y (both occasionally)

Date of Visit: Saturday, January 8, 2011 at 10:00 a.m.

IMPRESSIONS: Ah, Kitchen Little. A mainstay of the Columbus eat-local scene, a worthy stop in our wonderful North Market, and one of the defining comfort food havens in town. Kitchen Little has been around as an operation for some time, although the name is relatively new. All along, they've been a part of North Market Poultry and Game; I wrote an early review of their Cuban breakfast years ago.

The food service area can be found on the western corner of the Poultry & Game stall, which is in the northern section of the market itself.

There are two important details to recommend Kitchen Little's food: 1.) Their connection to a poultry and game market that features a wide selection of locally-raised meats. 2.) Their location in the market itself, with access to all sorts of fresh produce, baked goods, and spices.

This is the man behind Kitchen Little: Dan Bandman. If you're at all hesitant about ordering something, just ask Dan to describe each of their dishes.

FOOD: Indeed, I was lured over to Kitchen Little this particular day by Dan's description of the French toast.

That day, he took challah bread from Omega Artisan Baking down the aisle and soaked it overnight in maple syrup, eggs, cream, and vanilla.

Keep in mind that the options may change by the week, depending on ingredients available. The other dishes available that day included freshly-made buttermilk biscuits...

... paired with a rich chicken sausage gravy.

Something new for me: breakfast sliders with eggs, sausage, veggies.

Grits!

My father-in-law ordered the cassoulet (one of Kitchen Little's hallmarks) with a couple eggs and a side of grits. Kitchen Little is also known for their chicken and waffles, but I didn't order that today because I've had them (and written about them) before. But the chicken and waffles - made using Taste of Belgium's waffles - is well worth the taste.

Instead, I ordered a little bit of everything. First, the potatoes fried in duck fat. Very crispy, well seasoned.

Close-up of the French toast. Although it was a little floppy from soaking in the goodness, it was still custardy and rich.

Chicken sausage gravy ready for launch.

Biscuit at the ready.

It's go time! Biscuit was soft, gravy was chunky and full of flavor. I keep using the word "rich" to describe the food here, but it just fits. That's comfort food for you: packed with flavors, filling, and using simple ingredients to win you over.

Also got a breakfast slider. The bun was the tiniest bit soggy, but the flavors lined up just right. Would be an easy grab-and-go breakfast if you're swinging through the market.

SERVICE: Dan and his crew are very friendly, and love to engage their customers with their mission. They can tell you all about the sources of their meat, eggs, bread, cream, spices, and more. That, to me, adds a bonus element to the comfort food: you can take part in the process of your food coming together. So eating breakfast (or lunch) there is a little celebration of what's great about the market as a whole.

OVERALL: Run, don't walk, to Kitchen Little. You can find all manner of breakfasts at North Market, be it pastries, sandwiches, coffee, or juice (or pizza!), but Kitchen Little offers you the only full breakfast experience there: French toast, sausage gravy, eggs, potatoes, and the like. Tap into the locavore inside you, and dive right in.

OTHER LINKS:
-> North Market Poultry & Game's website
-> my (614) Magazine write-up on chicken and waffles (including Kitchen Little)

Photos: Daybreak Diner revisit

2011-02-21T07:00:00.001-05:00

I wrote my full review of Daybreak Diner a couple weeks ago, but just recently the owner, Bill Kinniard, invited us back for another breakfast. We got to chat with him about the diner (which celebrated it's one year anniversary on February 13), and he let us try some more dishes from the menu. Pictured above is Bill's Breakfast Fried Rice. I've never seen this on a menu before. It's essentially fried rice - cooked on the flattop with some soy sauce, I think - mixed with scrambled eggs, mushrooms, onions, sausage, and then topped (a la Skyline Chili) with cheese. We split this amongst the table, and devoured it pretty quickly. I can't imagine eating one of these all on my own - it packs a salty, savory punch - but as a breakfast appetizer, it fits.

My wife tried the Daybreak Breakfast Bowl. Again, you don't see a lot of bowls on breakfast menus, but this worked. If you like omelets, you can easily get behind this dish, basically an open-faced omelet in bowl. Add cheese, meat, hash browns, and some of their sausage gravy. Good diner eatin'.

I tried Alma's Five-Star Biscuits and Gravy. I had thought of this on my first visit, but opted for something different. This is good biscuits and gravy. Biscuits are fresh and obviously made in-house; I like how the biscuits are a little irregularly shaped. Baked goods shouldn't always be uniform in appearance (see: DK Diner donuts). Gravy was good, too: thick and peppery.

Another one of our party tried the Five Star Omelet, a cheese omelet filled with their sausage gravy. Again, don't think I've seen that before. It stayed together fairly well.

And finally, some Grilled Cheese with hash browns. Nothing says breakfast like grilled cheese, right?

Overall, another good meal at Daybreak. Thanks, Bill!

Risser's Family Restaurant | Womelsdorf, PA

2011-02-12T06:00:00.004-05:00

Risser's Family Restaurant (Facebook)
4055 Conrad Wesier Parkway (map it!)
Womelsdorf, PA 10567
(610) 589-4570
Open Tues-Sat, 6:00 am - 7:30 pm; Sun, 6:00 am - 1:30 pm
Accepts cash & credit/debit
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? Y/N/N
Kid-friendly? Y

Date of Visit: Sunday, November 7, 2010 at 9:00 a.m.

IMPRESSIONS: The "family restaurant." Now there's a phrase packed with connotations! What does it bring to mind for you? For me, it recalls small one-off restaurants. Found in small towns around America. Usually close to highways. Definitely family-friendly. Often crowded with regulars. Serving one or two regional specialties but otherwise generally decent food. Family restaurants are close to diners, but bigger. Larger dining rooms. More room for big groups and buffet lines. Many of them, like Ernie Risser's Family Restaurant, have a small diner side - if you want that type of experience - plus an extensive dining room if the whole family's come to dine.

ATMOSPHERE: When it comes to the definition of family restaurants, Risser's is all of the above. Some of my wife's family is from eastern Pennsylvania, and they discovered it on a visit, parked along Highway 422 between the small towns of Womelsdorf and Myerstown. (Can we say German influences?)

On our visit, we opted for the diner side of things. Truly a tight squeeze. Small stools at the counter, snug little booths. Shiny chrome here and there. Sassy servers.

But the dining room offers more open seating and room for big families. (We returned on a later trip with a group of 15; they easily tucked us into the dining room.)

FOOD: Risser's gives you all the family restaurant breakfast favorites: eggs, home fries, omelets, French toast, sausage gravy and biscuits. Plus a few not-as-common things: pancakes (called "hotcakes") loaded with all sorts of fruit. Not just blueberries, but apples and cherries, too. Or there's the dried chipped beef on toast (aka, an SOS). But no scrapple on the menu.

As we were visiting in the fall, they had a couple seasonal favorites on their specials menu. These include the apple hotcakes, which have apples and cinnamon in them, and the pumpkin pancakes, which are what you'd expect. Or you can go all harvest-crazy and do the autumn hotcakes: apples and cinnamon in... wait for it... pumpkin pancakes.

Good diner coffee. I like the big blue mugs.

We tried the sausage gravy casserole: two eggs, cheddar cheese, home fries, coated in gravy. Sure, it was good. Chunky potatoes. Mostly flavorful gravy. Nothing to write home about, but if you're a fan of the little-bit-of-everything dishes, this your guy.

Here's the creamed dried beef on toast. Pretty rich gravy drowning the toast. Nice meaty chunks. But nothing amazing.

A plain old blueberry pancake for my son. Big blueberries. A small lake of melted butter.

And of course, we had to have the autumn hotcakes. Not the greatest pancakes ever, but there's really nothing to dislike here. I mean, come on... tasty pumpkin pancakes, chunks of apples baked into them, generous dusting of cinnamon sugar, plus a melted pad of butter. Oh, and you pour syrup on it. They're fitting for the season: warm, sweet, and filling.

SERVICE: Our server was great. The right amount of sass, tempered by quick coffee refills and fast turnaround on our order.

Oh, and this is another mainstay of the family restaurant: the paper place mat with local advertisers.

OVERALL: If you're traveling down Route 422 in rural eastern Pennsylvania, find a way to stop at Risser's. It's good road food - like the Kumm Esse Diner down the road - that offers you a few specialties in the midst of an otherwise ordinary, but solid, breakfast.

OTHER LINKS:

Blue Sky Cafe | Bethlehem, PA

2011-02-09T06:00:00.004-05:00

Blue Sky Cafe (Facebook)
22 W. Fourth St. (map it!)
Bethlehem, PA 18015
(610) 867-9390
Open Tues-Thurs, 7 am - 3 pm; Fri & Sat, 7 am - 5 pm; Sun, 7 am - 2 pm
Accepts cash & credit/debit
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? Y/N/N
Kid friendly? Y

Date of Visit: Saturday, November 6, 2010 at 10:15 a.m.

IMPRESSIONS: I've been excited to share this post for a long time. We got to visit some amazing places in 2010 - across the country from New York City to Portland - but for some reason our little visit to the Blue Sky Cafe sticks in my head more than any other. I'm sure I'm idealizing the experience in my memory, but boy, was this a great little discovery.

Early November found us traveling with my wife's family across New Jersey and Pennsylvania to visit family. Eastbound and entering Pennsylvania, we did some online searching and found a promising lead with the Blue Sky Cafe in Bethlehem. We snaked off the highway exit, winding down to the small valley that is Bethlehem. Here I recalled some high school history classes and saw the remainders of Bethlehem Steel firsthand. Now the center of Bethlehem holds the remnants of that once-great industry, part of which is converted into a casino. Blue Sky can be found in southern slope of the valley, in a small, cute little downtown street. The door is small, the restaurant space old.

ATMOSPHERE: I love love love the feel of cafes like this. It's small but not crammed. Great feel of a reclaimed old building, with brick walls, checkered floors, bright lighting.

Very busy hum of conversation, as a steady crowd comes and goes. Work from local artists and photographers on the walls.

A skylight above the kitchen allows a lot of natural light in the back. I counted 11 tables, plus 4 booths and 8 seats at the counter.

The kitchen is right there in the open, so you can watch the 8+ workers clattering around as they make you breakfast.

Lots of kooky details in the kitchen, including the bottle of bourbon for your bourbon banana french toast.

And the creative knife holder.

FOOD: Blue Sky's menu, too, is fun and creative. All of the dishes are at those standard "cafe" prices: maybe $1-2 more than diner food, but the increased price is made up with higher quality fair. The menu is packed with your standard egg combos, plus omelets, frittatas, stirs (made over home fries), sandwiches, sweets, and a whole load of specials. Pictured above is the Mega Breakfast Sandwich, stacked with scrambled eggs, avocados, tomatoes, onions, and pesto. Came with a side of home fries. Overall, very good, although overpowered by the onions. I think the sandwich would be tops without them, personally.

And then, behold, is the Bourbon Banana French Toast. This is kinda why Blue Sky proved itself to be such a surprising and delightful find. Seriously, I think it's the best French toast I've had. The bread was nice and custardy, the bananas cooked without being mushy, and the covering is more of a reduction with the maple syrup and the bourbon. It's thicker and almost crispy, like that thin sugary glaze on a glazed donut. Altogether, a great dish. I just wanted to keep eating it forever.

Because we're close to Philly, there's gotta be scrapple! My second time trying it. Not bad, soft and spicy, but I'm just not a scrapple man.

Some Pumpkin Pancakes. Fluffy and subtle, a little floury and gummy. Quite good.

Their specialty frittata of the day, with caramelized onions, pears, feta, shallots, and sausage. Really magnificent.

The Jon Solomon's Veggie Stir. Lots of veggies served with scrambled eggs over home fries, side of toast.

Another Mega Sandwich.

More pumpkin pancakes. We had a big group.

And the Antonio Veggie Stir. Adds sausage to the veggies and feta. Notice the color in all the breakfast dishes!

SERVICE: Our server really made our experience great, too. For the life of me, I can't remember her name, although she told us she had recently moved from St. Louis, I believe. But she was warm and smiley, she handled our large group smoothly, and you could tell she took pride in the restaurant.

The table setup, too, made the experience complete: Cholula hot sauce at the table, mini salt and pepper grinders. The coffee came in mismatched mugs, and our server automatically brought milk for it.

OVERALL: Part of me wishes I could find a way back out to Bethlehem again, just to go here. It was such a delightful find and we enjoyed some wonderful food and service. Blue Sky would be my regular joint if I lived in Bethlehem.

NOTE: From the time between when I wrote the post and the time I finished it, Blue Sky changed their website. You can still find bits of the old version, which looks cooler and fits their vibe better. The new one is simpler and clunkier. Not sure what happened, but I hope they redesign to something more like the old one.

OTHER LINKS:

Time To Eat Diner | Bridgewater, NJ

2011-02-07T06:00:00.008-05:00

Time To Eat Diner
270 Route 202/206 North (map it!)
Bridgewater, NJ 08807
(908) 704-9221
Open Mon-Fri, 5 am - 3 am; Sat & Sun open 24 hours
Accepts cash and credit/debit
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? Y/N/N
Kid friendly? Y

Date of Visit: Friday, November 5, 2010 at 9:30 a.m.

IMPRESSIONS: In northern New Jersey for a family wedding, we needed some sustenance. One part of being the resident food blogger in the group is that everyone will turn to you when looking for breakfast, even if you've never been to the city before. Fortunately, my wife and I triangulated reviews between Yelp, Urbanspoon, and Google and came up with the Time To Eat Diner.

Time To Eat is like many of those roadside diners that capture some sense of the small diner, while still being built out enough to accommodate large groups. It's the diner + the dining room. You can have your sit-at-the-counter, flashy-chrome diner experience, or you can have the plusher big family dining room experience.

ATMOSPHERE: Kudos to the Time to Eat crew for being able to accommodate such a large group. They stacked together a bunch of tables in the back of the dining room and gave us a harried server.

The atmosphere is just what you would expect. Small booths, kitschy 50's memorabilia, and that just-off-the-highway feeling. It makes me think of the Broadway Diner in Baltimore.

Plenty of Elvis.

And Elvis guitars and Elvis clocks.

FOOD: I get a little nervous when I see menus like Time To Eat's. They're like a short novel. Pages and pages of items. It gets hard to sift through, even if breakfast only takes up three of those pages. I think of this as the Cheesecake Factory syndrome, in which the menu is so huge that you know there's no way all that food didn't just come out of a freezer. Because we had a big group, we ordered a big variety of things. Some hit and miss.

First off, coffee. Very good. A step up from the standard diner coffee. I liked the big mugs, and the individual serving plates with spoon and creamer. Also scoring points for the diner: colorful dishware. I like seeing that.

I tried the Sampler: two eggs, hash browns, bacon, sausage, pork roll, toast. Eggs were fine. The hash browns were okay, a little on the mushy side. Bacon, fine. Sausage, very good. Reminded me of English sausage: a little more plump. I ordered this dish partially out of curiosity over the pork roll. I've never encountered that on a menu before, nor have I seen taylor ham (also on the menu). I asked our server to clarify, and she said they are basically the same thing, and that they're both essentially country ham. So: pork roll = taylor ham = country ham = salted ham.

My wife ordered the Eggs Benedict Florentine. It came with a side of hash browns. It was okay, but there was definitely a funny taste to the spinach and the hash browns. Almost metallic. A little off-putting.

Everyone's toast came together in a basket. I find this charming because it reminds me of toast racks typical of an English breakfast. But it also confuses me, because I didn't know whose toast was whose.

Also ordered a side of Potato Pancakes with sour cream. These were pretty good: crispy outside, warm inside.

Er... an omelet. I forget which one. Like I said, a lot of dishes...

The Toasted Bagel with Lox. This was a definite hit.

Breakfast burrito with all the accoutrement.

Country Fried Steak & Two Eggs. I had a taste of this, and it was quite good. I wish I had ordered this instead of the Sampler. I loves me some country fried steak.

Crepes! Sweet and tasty. Canned fruit filling.

Pancakes! Sausage! Eggs!

A veggie omelet!

Corned Beef Hash, with eggs and potatoes.

Lots of combos! French toast, eggs, sausage...

...or pancakes...

...or bacon!

SERVICE: Our server did a very good job, considering she had such a large group all to herself. She seemed pretty harried, but all told, the food came quickly and she got all of the orders exactly right.

OVERALL: I don't know when I'll next be in Northern Jersey. If I am, I don't know if I'd stop at Time To Eat again. I think it's worth at least one visit: the location is interesting (although a little hard to get to if you don't know the local highways), the service is great, and I guess there's enough variety on the menu that you're bound to find something you'll like. But I think the so-so dishes, especially the eggs benedict florentine, left me feeling like one visit is enough for me.

OTHER LINKS:

Daybreak Diner | Columbus, OH

2011-02-01T06:00:00.001-05:00

Daybreak Diner (Facebook / @daybreakdiner)
1168 E. Weber Rd. (map it!)
Columbus, OH 43211
(614) 261-4560
Open Mon-Fri, 7 am - 12 pm; Sat & Sun, 8 am - 2 pm
Accepts cash and credit/debit
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? Y/N/N
Kid-friendly? Y

Date of Visit: Monday, January 17, 2011 at 9:30 a.m.

IMPRESSIONS: In my opinion, Columbus can always use another diner, especially to serve a neighborhood that doesn't have one yet. So we were pleasantly surprised when we glimpsed the tiny store front of the Daybreak Diner down Weber Road. My brother-in-law and I are always on the lookout for more diner breakfasts, so we headed there on a free Monday morning.

ATMOSPHERE: The diner was pretty quiet - only one other customer - when we first arrived, although the tables slowly filled up. Daybreak Diner is very diner-y. It's like the owner had a checklist of The Things You Need In A Diner that he checked off one by one as he opened the restaurant. (P.S. that's not a bad thing.)

Counter with stools? Check. Big open grill? Check. Brown coffee mugs? Check. Pastries under glass? Check. 1950's memorabilia? Check. Daily specials written on a chalkboard? Check.

It's all there. The only thing I didn't like about the atmosphere were the TVs tuned to Jerry Springer or Maury Povich. I have nothing against TVs in restaurants; in fact, most of my favorite places will have a TV running a local/national news station or the Weather Channel. More and more I find daytime television off-putting, and while these TVs weren't loud (that would be an entirely different issue), I just found it at odds with the laid-back diner atmosphere to have half-bleeped arguments and Maury repeating, "You ARE the father" in the background while I eat.

FOOD: Daybreak's menu surprised me with a few new things for breakfast. Aside from the diner mainstays of egg combos, omelets, French toast, and pancakes, there are more unique offerings like a Cheeseburger Omelet, Breakfast Fried Rice, and Captain Crunch French toast.

Coffee was served in those beautiful brown diner mugs. Check! The coffee itself was so-so diner coffee.

See that? That, to me, is a good diner breakfast: a big plate full of food. This is the Three Eggs platter. Toast and sausage were good, scrambled eggs done just right, not dry at all, and the hash browns were some of the best I've had in Columbus. Browned evenly without being burned, nice mix of seasoning on it. I saw the owner make a huge batch on the flattop, pouring them from a bag. I assumed they were frozen, but he said on Twitter they were not, so I'm guessing they were pre-made in the back? Maybe they're not the greatest hash browns ever, but more places in Columbus serve home fries, so hash browns are always welcome. They're my preferred preparation of breakfast potatoes.

Out of curiosity, we had to order the Captain's French toast. Mind you, we've had a superb version at the Blue Moon Cafe in Baltimore (and one featured on the Food Network, at that), so our standards are pretty high. Our expectations were dashed a bit when we saw that the Captain Crunch was sprinkled on top of the toast, rather than being part of the batter. I prefer it grilled to the bread itself, so that the sugary cereal gets caramelized and crusty. This was simply good French toast with a dusting of crushed cereal.

SERVICE: Our server was very nice. Took care of us just like you would expect. Very friendly. Kept our coffee refilled, helped accommodate my 2.5-year-old son, and the food came out quickly.

OVERALL: A mix of reactions, but overall very positive. The food blends nicely with the diner atmosphere and the service. Most dishes were maybe a $1 more than their equivalent at other diners around town, but nothing beyond-the-budget. And there's some more interesting stuff on the menu that will make me return. At the very least, I want to have more of those hash browns.

OTHER LINKS:

Due Amici | Columbus, OH

2011-01-27T06:00:00.007-05:00

Due Amici (Facebook / @dueamici)
67 E. Gay St. (map it!)
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 224-9373
Open Mon-Sat, 11 am - 11 pm; Sun, 11 am - 9 pm (brunch served Sat & Sun 11 am - 4 pm)
Accepts cash & credit/debit
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? Y/N/N
Kid-friendly? Y

Date of Visit: Sunday, October 31, 2010 at 1:00 pm

IMPRESSIONS: Due Amici is one of the anchor restaurants in the still-budding section of Gay St. downtown. This strip of restaurants, hotels, and shops is defying the difficult lack of crowds downtown outside of the Monday to Friday working hours. Due Amici is known for producing some high quality Italian fare throughout the week, but one of their big weekends draws is, of course, their brunch.

Their space is a classy update of an old downtown building. I've always been a fan of the big wooden floors, tall ceilings, and huge brick walls. The restaurant is split into three sections.

You enter in the middle, with the hostess stand, waiting area, and bar. The bar's nice and swanky-looking: big mirror, house-made flavored spirits in progress. To the right of this room is a smaller room for private rentals.

To the left is the main dining area: booths, tables of all sizes.

ATMOSPHERE: Despite the more sophisticated atmosphere, Due's brunch still has a pretty casual vibe. We saw families with kids of all ages, sport coats and blue jeans, all mixed in a very talkative buzz.

FOOD: The brunch menu features a pretty wide selection. I would say it's vegetarian-friendly, but there's definitely more big meat dishes. But they've got everything covered: appetizers, pizzas, traditional breakfasts, salads, pastas, seafood, plus bigger entrees. We sampled a mix of things. They have a special deal on selected items (at the top of the menu) that lets you choose an entree plus a brunch drink (Bloody Mary, Bellini, or mimosa) for $15. Pretty sweet deal for the amount of food and drink. We tried a couple. The first was the asparagus and mushroom frittata. The eggs were nice and moist, as were the vegetables and mushrooms. Came with a side of hash browns, which are diced and nicely browned. A little hard to eat with a fork, but the flavor's all there.

We also took a stab at the breakfast pizza (not part of the $15 deal). Features bacon, sausage, cheese, roasted tomatoes, with an egg on top. We took our server's suggestion and ordered the egg over easy so we could dip the pizza slices in it. I was a big fan of the whole pizza, especially the sausage and tomatoes. Nice freshly-made crust, too. And definitely best with a dipping egg.

My favorite bit of the meal, however, was the Due Brunch Burger. It's a standard burger with bacon, lettuce, tomato, and cheese, but adds a fried egg, basil aioli, sandwiched between two halves of a toasted English muffin. The burger was very well constructed. The egg yolk is medium, so it doesn't run. The real highlight, however, is the 1/2 pound of black Angus beef. I just can't describe it adequately - it's delicious, grass-fed beef, very flavorful, cooked medium. One of those bites that you take that just stops you. Maybe it's been too long since I've had some properly treated beef, but this burger made us both say "wow." Seriously, one of the best burgers I've had in Columbus.

Another favorite for Due brunch fans is their Bloody Mary cart. Get your customized Bloody Mary made table-side.

We let the server recommend ours: she used their house pepper-infused vodka, tomato juice, clamato, horseradish, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes. Garnished with pickle, celery, lemon, and banana peppers. I'm not a huge fan of Bloody Marys, so I'm far from being the expert, but ours was refreshing and delicious. It's such a big mix of flavors and textures that it's bound to complement at least one of your dishes.

Plus there's just the fun of watching the Bloody Mary construction.

SERVICE: The service matches the casual atmosphere. You can banter with your server, they make suggestions, food comes out quickly. Great conversation with the server handling the Bloody Mary cart.

OVERALL: Good, good brunch. Nice pricing, whether you want to go big with steak and shrimp, or you want a deal with the $15 special. Upscale-but-casual atmosphere. High quality food, especially that burger. Good for families (our 2-year-old did fine). A definite reason to head downtown on the weekends.

OTHER LINKS:
-> the (614) Magazine write-up on brunch spots (including Due Amici)

Cambridge Tea House | Columbus, OH

2011-01-25T06:00:00.019-05:00

Cambridge Tea House (Facebook / @CambridgeTHouse)
1885 W. Fifth Ave. (map it!)
Grandview, OH 43212
(614) 486-6464
Open Tues-Fri, 8 am - 4 pm; Sat & Sun, 8 am - 3 pm
Accepts cash and credit/debit
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? Y/N/N

Date of Visit: Friday, December 10, 2010 at 9:00 a.m.

IMPRESSIONS: My wife and I have a lot of fond memories of having tea in England. We've traveled there multiple times for school, and highlights of the trips include tea at The Orangery in Kensington Palace, The Pump Room in Bath, or curling up in the lobby of the National Theatre. In some ways, we're always looking to recapture those experiences back in the States. We already know that Columbus is a great coffee town, but I'm finding more and more that we're a great tea city, too. Tucked away in locations like Short North, Dublin, Bexley, and Marble Cliff are little teahouses demonstrating that there's more to tea than slam-dunking a teabag into a mug. I haven't explored many of these places, but I may not need to search much further after discovering the Cambridge Tea House.

You'll find Cambridge Tea House by heading west on Fifth Avenue, away from central Grandview. I'm actually not sure what part of town this technically is: Grandview, Marble Cliff, Columbus? It's part of a small, old-looking line of storefronts with a small parking lot. I initially thought the name Cambridge was maybe an homage to English tea, but I think the name really comes from the cross-street of Cambridge Boulevard, where the store is located.

The setting is small and intimate. Detailed stonework and brick, intricate patterns on the napkins and valance. Lots of pastoral images. There are a total of 4 booths, 4 small tables, and 1 bigger table. A small chandelier adds to the light pouring in through big windows.

A place like Cambridge Tea House brings certain adjectives to mind: quaint, cozy, dainty. And I use those nicely. The Tea House does not serve your calorie-packed, greasy spoon breakfast, but chances are, if you're headed there, you're not looking for that.

Instead, you'll find a setting that is comfortable and cozy, with a menu of pastries, quiches, soups, and other items that complement the tea service.

FOOD: First and foremost on their menu is the tea. They have a sizable tea menu, featuring herbal, green, white, black, and oolong.

And the best part about the tea service? They know what they're doing. The tea pot was served covered with a cozy, the mugs were heated, the tea served loose leaf at the proper temperature. We chose a Paris flavored black tea, which the menu says includes a blend of bergamot oil and black currant. It was just a little sweet, and a perfect complement to our meal.

The centerpiece of our breakfast was the Hot, Creamy Oatmeal. We added the fresh fruit on the side. Served with cream and brown sugar, and a side of toast and butter. Big points for presentation, as you can see.

The oatmeal is made from big rolled oats. It's thick, sticky, and a filling meal for the colder months.

My favorite of the meal were the cream scones with jam and homemade cream. The cream isn't quite like real Devonshire cream (it can't be because of different food regulations, as true clotted cream is made from unpasteurized milk), but the texture and flavor are still superb.

We also tried their quiche of the day, which was a red pepper quiche. Again, nice mix of flavors with the eggs, cheese, and peppers. Served with a side of fruit and their tea bread; that day's was a moist pumpkin.

SERVICE: Our service was very sweet and fitting with the location. It's a small crew there, including owner Mary Boesch and head chef Sarah. But they all clearly know their stuff, whether it's tea, breakfast, lunch, or other events.

OVERALL: I'm very pleased to have discovered Cambridge Tea House. The location is intimate, the details in decoration are delightful, and the food is a great match to the tea. Especially those scones; I keep thinking about those and the cream. I'm clearly focused on breakfast, but there's a lot more here: they have a promising lunch menu, they offer cooking classes and themed candlelight dinners, and best of all, they serve a proper afternoon tea. You can round out your own collection with tea, teapots, and accoutrement for sale. too.

OTHER LINKS:
-> my (614) Magazine January 2011 write-up, including Cambridge Tea House

Worthington Inn | Worthington, OH

2011-01-23T06:00:00.002-05:00

Worthington Inn (Facebook / @WorthingtonInn)
649 High St. (map it!)
Worthington, OH 43085
(614) 885-2600
Brunch served Sundays, 11am - 2pm
Accepts cash and credit/debit
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? N/N/N
Kid-friendly? Y

Date of Visit: Sunday, October 31, 2010 at 11:30 a.m.

IMPRESSIONS: Ah, the Worthington Inn. It is truly a Columbus institution. It's practically tied with the newly-reborn Jury Room downtown as the oldest operating restaurant in the city, since 1831. The Inn's building is as much an institution as their food. Since the 1800's, it has served variably as a house, a stagecoach stop, and a hotel, all the while operating as a restaurant in some form. Its current version maintains the food service, but the former hotel portion is now condos, and the upper floors are rent-able for private functions. On top of this rich and varied history, the Worthington Inn's Sunday brunch is consistently voted one of the best in the city. So it's time to check it out.

ATMOSPHERE: The Worthington Inn's brunch lies a little more on the formal side of things, but they manage to still keep it fairly casual. But the house itself supports the formal atmosphere. Enter the front door, and you'll find room after room of Victorian decorations, low ceilings, fireplaces, creaky floors, and plenty of old wood accents.

It's worth the trip just to wander from room to room for a bit. Seriously, some of these rooms make me want to grab a pipe, a beer, and a book, and find a big armchair.

There are three dining rooms on the main floor, plus the pub room where the buffet is laid out for you to attack.

The pub sports a nice, long bar with marble counter-tops, big mirrors, and glassware.

The Sunday brunch at Worthington Inn is popular, so you'd best make a reservation (especially with a group). It's priced at $21.95/person, and that includes the full buffet and drinks like coffee, tea, juice, soda, etc. Bloody Marys, mimosas, and Bellinis are also available. And they make every effort to use pretty high quality ingredients: Amish eggs, great cuts of meat, hollandaise made in-house, and so on.

FOOD: Let's take a stroll down the buffet line, shall we? I've had a few brunch buffets, and they can be hit or miss, but Worthington Inn seems able to avoid the major pitfalls like over-cooked food that sits for too long over the warmers. At the top of the line you'll find cold salads. Next come the veggies, such as green beans or a mixed vegetable medley.

There are also trays (not pictured here) of your breakfast standards: bacon, sausage, potatoes, and a whole tray of eggs benedict.

Every week, Chef Tom Smith and his crew create three specialties, too. The Sunday I visited they had beef ragu (pictured above)...

...potato-crusted cod...

...and bistro chicken.

At the end of the line you'll find the gigantic tray of smoked salmon and peel-and-eat shrimp. Knock yourself out.

Aside from the main buffet line, you'll find two other tables. The first features an omelet station. Custom omelets, made to order.

See? Omelets!

There's also a waffle bar...

...plus prime rib sliced to order.

The other table is for desserts, all made in-house. Cookies, pies, cakes, what have you.

This is my first plate all loaded up: the three specialties, shrimp, bacon, sausage, and potatoes, plus an eggs benny. Like I said earlier, there can be a certain blah uniformity to buffet food, but I think Worthington Inn manages to keep things fresh enough - and the crowds are busy enough - that the food tastes great and doesn't get a chance to go stale. My only complaint was the uniform eggs benedict. I'm a huge fan of a good eggs benedict, and these were (necessarily) made in large batches.

SERVICE: I honestly didn't interact with the servers that much, mostly because of the buffet style, but everyone I did encounter was nice and helpful. Just what you'd expect from from a more upscale brunch. As a side note, you may see some of the upper floors in use if you go for any of the big "brunch holidays" like Easter, Mother's Day, etc. They open up the second floor and create another buffet line to serve everyone. Then the third floor (pictured above) is available for rentals, too. Like the first floor, the upper levels are decorated in that exquisite Victorian detail.

OVERALL: Yeah, it's a very good brunch. Consistently voted one of Columbus' favorites, and while you won't get anything too funky or off-the-wall here, I wouldn't call it stodgy either. Worthington Inn has a got the full package: classy location in downtown Old Worthington, well preserved old building with lots of character, and a very popular brunch. All very worthy of a visit.

OTHER LINKS:
-> the (614) Magazine write-up on brunch spots (including Worthington Inn)

Clever Crow Pizza | Columbus, OH

2011-01-21T06:00:00.013-05:00

Clever Crow Pizza (Facebook / @clevercrowpizza)
59 Spruce St. (in the North Market)
Columbus, OH 43215
Open Tues-Fri, 9 am - 7 pm; Sat, 8 am - 5 pm; Sun, 12-5 pm (bfast served Saturdays from 8 - 10:30 am)
Accepts cash and credit cards
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? Y/N/N
Kid-friendly? Y

Date of Visit: Saturday, January 15, 2011 at 10:00 a.m.

IMPRESSIONS & ATMOSPHERE: Pizza on a breakfast blog? Why, yes, I believe I will. Clever Crow Pizza has rapidly become one of the favorite pizzas around Columbus. Despite their original location inside the Circus bar in Short North, they've garnered enough attention to be featured in Anthony Bourdain's and Michael Ruhlman's now-notorious visit to Columbus for No Reservations. (For a full discussion of Columbus' reaction to his visit, see here.)

Just recently Clever Crow upped its profile by opening a space in North Market, too. Anyone who knows North Market knows that it's a fantastic incubator for small businesses, so I hope that even greater things will come to owners Gary and Brooke Robinette.

FOOD: This past Saturday, Clever Crow offered up breakfast pizzas for the first time, so I hopped in the van and headed down to a fairly quiet North Market.

Brooke says that the breakfast pizzas will become a standard for Saturdays, and maybe for Sundays, too. They offer two types. The Traditional Pizza features your bacon, eggs, cheese, and potatoes. The Vegetarian drops the bacon and adds onion and goat cheese.

Both slices are served on a bed of arugula, with a dash of (I think) a vinaigrette dressing.

This is the Traditional. In some ways, it was surprising, in some ways, not. Clever Crow's crust one of their benchmarks - a unique cornbread and sourdough mix - and they handled the breakfast ingredients well. I've seen some breakfast pizzas that overload the toppings, resulting in a chunky mess that falls apart, but not so here. The bacon was the right crispiness, the eggs hard boiled and sliced thin (including the yolk), and the potatoes were sliced the right size, too. So in most ways: it was exactly what you would expect a breakfast pizza to taste like. The arugula helps add a special tang of flavor. Overall, not bad, but not as surprising as some of Clever Crow's other offerings.

Same with the Vegetarian (on the left). Ingredients handled well, good flavors, excellent crust, but about exactly how you would think a vegetarian breakfast pizza would taste.

SERVICE: I chatted only briefly with Brooke, but both she and Gary seem to be doing well with their venture, and they clearly deserve the success. You can read more about their story on their official merchant page of the North Market website.

OVERALL: Great pizza, interesting take on breakfast. I wouldn't necessarily rush back every Saturday morning for it, because it's not quite as uniquely awesome as their other pizzas. But I'm excited to see where this will go, and it's always nice to have another breakfast option in North Market.

OTHER LINKS:
-> Clever Crow's appearance on No Reservations
-> page for the "Heartland" episode of No Reservations

Voodoo Doughnut | Portland, OR

2011-01-12T06:00:00.012-05:00

Voodoo Doughnut (Facebook / @VoodooDoughnut)
22 SW Third Ave. (map it!)
Portland, OR 27204
(503) 241-4704
Open 24 hours a day
Accepts cash only
Vegetarian/vegan/gluten free? Y/Y/N

Date of Visit: Wednesday, October 27, 2010 at 6:00 pm

IMPRESSIONS: Voodoo Doughnuts is a Portland institution, and you'd better not mess with it. With two locations in town (and a third down in Eugene), Voodoo is synonymous with Portland's downtown and nightlife. Their donuts, some of which trend toward the ridiculous, have landed the shop on the Food Network and other national stages. Taking the advice of our Portland friends and other trusted sources like reader and Twitter-friend John, we visited the original location downtown. I'm told the new locations are nice, but nothing compares to the "character" of the original. Such is true for many things in life.

ATMOSPHERE: Voodoo is to donut places what Yesterdog is to hot dog joints. It's old, beaten up, a little dirty (in more way than one), they only take cash, the servers are kinda gruff, and there's nothing you can do about any of it. For those who don't know Yesterdog, it's a hot dog place in my hometown of Grand Rapids. It's cheap, beloved of native Grand Rapidians, the wooden booths are carved with graffiti, and the dirty tattooed guys behind the counter will yell at you if you order incorrectly. That was our experience at Voodoo.

The space is super small and cramped. Maybe ten customers can fit inside at once. Everything's pink and a little dark. The only lighting is a giant chandelier hanging overhead.

They're aggressively cash only, but provide an ATM for your convenience, whether that means getting some cash or carving a tribute to your one true love.

There's a huge menu, which you can also peruse online. Donuts range from simple cake and custard varieties (at about .95/donut) to wacky specialties that cost $5-6.

Standing at the counter lets you see shelves and shelves of donuts.

There's also a rotating glass display case with their more creative fare. A glimpse at this case is worth the visit alone. I ordered The Loop, covered in Fruit Loops.

Plenty of seasonally-themed donuts, too.

Many of these donuts feature funky designs or kooky add-ons like cereal, coconut, sprinkles, marshmallows, cookies, or candy.

Their signature Voodoo Doll: a man stabbed with a pretzel stick, filled with jelly.

There's plenty of dirty bumper stickers and signs plastered around the space. Thank goodness our kids can't read yet...

Read through their menu for some of the more scandalous names, too.

FOOD: Our group loaded some of their signature pink boxes with a variety and took them home. All in all: very good donuts. A couple of the toppings were a little dried out, but they certainly all tasted good.

The specialty donuts are big, so they're great for sharing.

The famous Bacon Maple Bar. A great blend of flavors. Sweet and salty all in one. Our sample was a little dry, but I liked it. Even more so if it was filled with cream.

Another signature, the Old Dirty Bastard, covered with peanut butter and crumbled Oreo cookies. A ridiculous wallop of sugar. My favorite of the mix.

SERVICE: Don't expect any smiles from the Voodoo crew. They'll take your money and serve you great donuts, but don't expect them to like it. If being coddled by a customer service representative is your thing, don't come here. If you don't care, you'll be fine.

OVERALL: Later in our visit to Portland, after a fancy Peruvian diner at Andina, we stopped by Voodoo Doughnut for a second dessert. It's a fun, guilty pleasure. While Voodoo isn't the most magnificent donut shop I've ever visited, there really is something to all the hype. The whole experience is fun, and you can't argue with a big box of crazy donuts. If you're ever in Portland, go hang out downtown and pick some up.

FUN NOTE: If you love Voodoo Doughnuts that much, why don't you get married there? You can.

OTHER LINKS:
-> Gimme Doughnut, short documentary on Voodoo Doughnut