An Asian Style New Year's Eve

Lemongrass Fushion Bistro
641 North High Street
Columbus, Ohio
December 31, 2009

Good friends of ours invited us out for "something Thai like" for New Year's Eve.  We then had a few other friends give us a call looking for something to do, and soon enough our dinner group grew to 6.  We tossed around a few resaurant ideas and Lemongrass ended up being our choice for the evening.   

When walking into Lemongrass you get hit with an amazing smell of Asian food immediately.  I next noticed that the place looked trendy and fun.  It was a little loud, but in a fun rather than obnoxious way.  We had reservations and our table was immediately ready (or so we thought).  There was also a live piano player playing close to the front, which definitely added to the ambience.  We were originally seated close by the piano.  We started to settle in when we realized a hostess kept looking at us nervously.  Eventually she came over and very timidly and apologetically explained that she had seated us in the wrong spot, and wondered if we could move.  We had no problem with that at all and felt badly that she was so worried we would be upset.  We moved to a more private corner in the back that suited us just fine and was a lot less noisy.     

With this being New Years, I was definitely in the mood to try some fun cocktails and Lemongrass's cocktail menu definitely did not disappoint.  Some of the choices that piqued my curiosity were the sake with cucumber, a Pom Pom (sake with pomegranate liqueur), and a classic Mai Tai.  Since champagne was the official drink of the night I went with the Sparkling Pomegranate, (a mix of champagne and pomegranite liquer).  It was definitely a fun spin on a mimosa.  Some of the others in our group tried a Key Lime Martini (great initial coconut flavor and then a refreshing lime finish), Great Lakes Christmas Ale (you already know my take on this one), Sapporo beer, and a 2006 Austrailian Chardonnay (I wish I had more details on this one, because I really enjoyed it.  It was not as oaky as many Chardonnays due to being fermented in steel, rather than oak, barrels.). 

We then put in a few orders of appetizers.  First up was the sampler which consisted of seafood rangoon, chicken sate, and spring rolls.  The seafood rangoon was perfectly fried, but there was a great deal more filler rather than seafood.  The sweet and sour sauce for dipping was really great.  The chicken sate was served with a peanut sauce and it was very average.  The spring rolls had a great crisp on the outside, and the flavors inside were very typical of a spring roll with typical Asian vegetables.  It was very much what was expected. 

We also tried the pan-seared veggie dumplings which were good, but a bit bland tasting for my preference. 

Last up was the Lemongrass soup.  This soup was truly wonderful with a great mix of Thai vegetables and chili paste that added a wonderful spiciness to the dish.  The soup was also served with a biscuit that was very good.  Whenever we make it back to Lemongrass, this soup is a must! 

Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your perspective), I was too involved in conversation to get any pictures of the appetizers.  You'll just have to use your imagination! 

Onto the entrees!  Our friends are great sushi lovers, but I must admit that sushi is just not one of my favorite foods.  I have tried it many times (and even tried it again this evening multiple times) and I really want to love it, but for some reason I just haven't been able to get into it.  I know that part of it is that fish is generally not a favorite of mine, but I really don't love the veggie sushi either.  That being said, this sushi was by far the best I have ever tried.  I still didn't love the sushi, but I truly liked and enjoyed each and every bite I had. 

Our friends ordered the catepillar roll, which is avocado over a bbq eel roll.  I was very leery to try this especially knowing my slight aversion to fish, but in the name of blogging I decided to give it a try.  And I'm very glad that I did!  Yes, keep that in mind you readers who are stuck in your food ways!  The sweetness of the BBQ eel went well together with the avocado and just melted in my mouth.  Then I got a nice wasabi kick at the end of the bite.  Really very good (for sushi, that is) :)  Our friends also ordered the spicy almond sushi and spicy shrimp tempura with cucumber.  Overall, I couldn't get over how good the sticky rice was in each and every bite!  The spicy almond was good because of the nice crunch and spice the almonds gave the bite.  The fried shrimp tempura was equally good.  Also, look how great the presentation is!  Totally loved it!

Our other friends went with the vegetable sampler which included avocado, cucumber, spicy almond, and a mixed veggie roll.  Again, I loved the sticky rice!  The avocado, cucumber, and mixed veggie roll were all very good.  

My husband and I went with less interesting entrees.  I went with the spicy zucchini chicken over rice (rather than the angel hair pasta suggested on the menu).  This dish was composed of steamed chicken pieces sauteed with zucchini, Thai basil, green chili paste, and cocnut milk.  Overall, I loved the flavor the Thai basil gave to the dish, but I was really hoping for more spice and flavor.  This dish was good, but not great.  

My husband went with the Phad Thai and it was excellent!  The peanut flavors were perfect, the vegetables of carrots and peas were tender crisp, the spices were not too overpowering or too bland, and the noodles cooked with the right amount of bite.  This was definitely one of the best Phad Thais I had ever tried (and was even better as leftovers the next day).

The service was a little slow overall, but due to the holiday we were in no hurry.  They also more than made up for this with friendliness and attentiveness.  The server also did a great job at answering questions and giving good menu suggestions. 

Bill Total:  Truly I have no idea since each couple paid separately, but our portion of the bill was $95.70.  I know that included 2 entrees, probably an appetizer or two, and a host of drinks.  I'm just not exactly sure of the specifics.  The bill was so high mainly due to drink purchases.  For the quality, I felt the food was a good value and hey, it was New Years!

Overall Rating:  4 buckeyes

Fresh Roasted Coffee in Salem?

Friends Roastery
474 East State Street
Salem, Ohio
December 27, 2010
8ish am

As I was explaining my Christmas plans to a coworker I happened to mention that my husband was from Salem, Ohio.  She remarked that she had just moved to Columbus from Youngstown and had frequented Salem while on her last job.  She shared that there was a lovely coffee house downtown that fresh roasted their own beans.  I'm sure I had a puzzled look on my face, but I tried to hide it.  I thought she surely had to be mistaken on the location.  Downtown Salem just didn't seem to be a likely spot for gourmet coffee.  I mentioned this chat to to my husband and he gave me the same questioning look.  Surely, she must have gotten the wrong town.  We both had visions of Salem's mostly empty downtown strip in our head.

However, after mentioning this in passing to Erik's mother, the shop was confirmed.  We were very surprised.  Maybe this is a hint of a downtown revitalization?  I sure hope so!  Salem has a host of lovely and quaint old homes and it would be great to see a little more life in the downtown area. 

On a blustery December morning, soon after Christmas, but before heading back to Columbus, we decided we needed to see what all the talk was about.  We loved the quaintness of the building and the character of the inside that left memories of the building's past purposes.  The building originally served as a bank and then served as the community newsstand and tobacco store for quite a long time, but under various names, before being turned into a coffee shop in 2007.  The current owners have kept some of the wood display cases along the side and display a collection of memorabilia.  I also enjoyed the old theatre seats in front of the current coffee bar. 

The shop had a great selection of roasted coffees, specialty drinks, and teas.  I especially loved the selection of sodas in glass bottles located in a wooden antique display case.  There was an equally nice selection of homemade pastries. 

We both chose a house blend coffee.  I had mine with milk and Erik took his black.  We shared a cinnamon roll and a ham and cheese pastry.  The coffee was good.  It was your typical gourmet blend from a locally owned and operated coffee house (and much preferable to Starbucks, in my opinion).

The pastries were also good and homemade, but nothing spectacular.  I was left wanting more filling in my hame and cheese pastry and more cinnamon and glaze in my cinnamon roll. 

Overall, I think this is a great addition to the Salem community and will welcome another stop on our next visit to town.  I loved the cozy and warm atmosphere, especially after wandering in from the cold.   

This place isn't quite on par with the coffee at Stauf's in Grandview or the pastries at French Loaf, but for Salem it's a wonderful step away from the chains, a nod to the past, and definitely a step in the right direction. 

Cost:  Unfortunately, since I'm so behind in my writing I've lost my notes and am doing this entirely from memory.  Therefore, no receipt and no idea how much we paid.  However, it was your typical coffee house prices. 

Overall Rating:  3 buckeyes

Christmas Diner

Mike's Penn Ave Grille
599 East State Street
Salem, Ohio 44460
December 26, 2009
7ish pm

Since Erik and I have been together we always have a whirlwind Christmas week of traveling from Columbus, to Cincinnati, back to Columbus for a quick pit stop of picking up gifts, and then on to the small town of Salem, Ohio.  While this results in a fairly boring trek across the great state of Ohio, it's so wonderful to get to see each family and have some different experiences in small town America.

Once the whole crew made it to Salem we decided we needed a place to relax and catch up.  Mike's Penn Ave Grille is a long time favorite of my parents-in law, so that's where it was decided to go! 

This place definitely has a home town feel.  You feel like everyone should know one another and greet each other as they walk in the door.  You definitely get the feeling you are walking back in time a bit; but I loved the character and familiar feel of the place.  You also get the impression that this place has a few stories to tell.  I can just imagine families and various sports teams spilling into the place to celebrate a big Salem win.  We all fit into one very large booth and the family was pleased with the personal TV that allowed them to keep at least one eye on the Pittsburgh Panthers. 

Our server was very friendly and shared that she loved the food here so much she just decided to work here!  High praise indeed. 

We were hungry from our drive and immediately put in and order for drinks and appetizers.  We opted for the sauerkraut balls.  A number of family members had never heard of such things, and being a favorite of ours at Barley's, we just had to show everyone what they were missing.  These balls came with a generous 8 to an order, were perfectly fried, and had a very nice spicy kick to them and to the dipping sauce they were served with.  Always enjoying a good spiciness to my food, I was pleased. 

I paired this with a Sam Adams Cherry Wheat for myself.  I enjoyed the strong cherry smell, but then there was just a hint of the cherry flavor in the background of the beer.  I must say I really enjoyed this beer!   The majority of the crew shared pitchers of Great Lakes Christmas Ale, which was a bit too dark and strong for my liking.  However, the family didn't seem to mind (but this could have been partly due to the high 7.5% alcohol content)! 

As for the entrees, most came with a side salad.  For the salad I chose to go with their homemade dressing of a Gorgonzola vinaigrette, which was outstanding. This was a very good salad with big croutons that seemed to be homemade, real bacon bits, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, and chopped eggs. Definitely my kind of salad.  I liked the dressing so much that I may have to attempt a version myself at home.

As for my entree choice I opted for chicken and fettuccine in a Gorgonzola cream sauce with asparagus and mushrooms.  The dish sounded quite divine, and overall it was okay, but not great.  The chicken was cooked nicely, but the asparagus was overcooked and bordered on mushy.  The sauce was good in small a doses and the Gorgonzola gave the sauce a nice bit of flavor, but it was just too heavy for my preference overall.  

My mother-in-law has always talked about the good quality of the restaurant's red meats and I'm thinking I should have listened to her!  She chose the 8 oz strip steak with shrimp.  I sampled a bit and I would agree that this was very good (and made me a bit sad about my entree choice).  The seasoning was flavorful, but not overdone and the meat was cooked to medium rare perfection.  She told me they use Chef Paul Prudhohomme's Magic Seasoning Blends which I had never heard of, but now recognize after going to the website!  I just might have to buy some to try out myself. 

My husband chose the sole with caramelized onions and garlic.  It had a nice mild flavor, and was not overly fishy. 

My nephew chose 12 hot wings and in his opinion they were definitely not hot enough.  However, he did inform us that he has had the second hottest sauce at a various wing joint where he had to sign a waiver before trying them!  He thought that may interfere with his preferences :)  However, I would have to agree that the wings were not very hot and were definitely overcooked and I have yet to try anything that required me to sign a waiver!  These were definitely not a favorite for my nephew, the wing connoisseur, or me!  

My father-in-law and brother-in-law both opted for a small steak salad.  They both felt the steak was very good and tender.   They loved the addition of steak fries on top and egg throughout.  It was topped with a great vinaigrette that was also made from scratch. 

And last, but definitely not least, my sister-in-law ordered Mike's mixed greens salad.  This looked like a spring mix of various greens topped with black olives, Swiss cheese, and Gorgonzola.  The dressing seemed to be similar to a mix between a traditional balsamic vinaigrette with touches of Caesar salad flavors .  Overall, my sister-in-law said she wasn't sure that all the flavors were going to work together, but they did end up blending together in a fun and interesting way.

Bill total:  $144.86 (2 pitchers of Great Lakes, 1 Cherry Wheat, 2 appetizers, and 6 entrees)

Overall Rating:  3 buckeyes (I'd say a lot of the food is good, but some of it is definitely hit or miss.  Definitely go with the steaks and salads, but other options seem to be more of a gamble). 

I'm Back!

Hi Everyone!

I am still alive and eating, but I needed to take some time to dig out from under a mound of paperwork!  Late winter and spring are my busy times at work.  While eating out has not gone on a back burner, writing about restaurants unfortunately has.  However, I'm back and hope to work hard at getting my posts up to date! 

I still have lots of fun to write about including great Columbus haunts and a trip to South Beach!

Stay tuned...

Annabelle

Who Needs Fazoli's?

Carfagna's Kitchen

Polaris Area

December 12, 2009
1:30ish

As per a usual Saturday in December, my husband and I were out and about trying to wrap up some Christmas shopping (pun so intended, so just stop your groaning) :).  We had a Christmas party to get to later in the evening and thought we should try and grab a larger lunch to tide us over since small bites and dessert would only be served later.  We wanted to get away from the craziness of the Polaris mall and decided to go down the street a little to a much quieter strip mall.  We happened to remember we had a coupon for Carfagna's and decided it was the perfect time to use it. 

Now, I drive past Carfagna's Kitchen just about daily, and had wanted to try it; but had seen nothing that was making me rush to get there.  I knew Carfagna's was famous for meat and had loved their store on 161.  However, I was afraid that this place was just going to be another fast food Italian place that would be good, but I could also live without.  The strip mall locale and neon sign outside reminded me just a little too much of a chain.  When I want Italian I want coziness and hidden, hole in the wall mom and pop places.
 

But boy, am I so thankful that we finally did decide to try it!  Granted this is fast food, but only in the sense that it is ready to go fast and you eat off plastic.  The taste is all homemade, cooked with care and all the loveliness that you would expect from a mom and pop Italian kitchen.

The menu was extensive and it took me a few to decide between pizzas, pastas, traditional chicken and veal dishes, soups, or sandwiches (including subs and paninis).  They really have it all.  Also, many of the menu options were by no means your typical Italian fast food fare.  They had pasta al vodka, gorgonzola fettuccine, shrimp fra diavola, and chicken creamy pesto...just to name a few stand out options.   I finally decided that I was feeling pretty traditional and ordered handmade spaghetti with red sauce and 2 meatballs.  Erik was also feeling traditional and went with the baked meat and cheese lasagna.  Each entree also came with a house salad and breadstick.

The salad was pretty typical with mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, croutons, and cucumber.  The Italian dressing was homemade with an olive oil base.  It was a little bit sweeter than many Italian dressings, but I found the sweetness nice.  There were lots of herbs in the dressing to give it flavor, but I really found a fennel flavor to stand out unexpectedly.  Overall, pretty good! 

The breadsticks were also your typical fare.  They had a light garlic flavor and were cooked through.  However, I would have preferred a more browned outside crust. 

The lasagna, however, was out of this world!  It was a huge serving of around 5 layers that held together expertly.  The texture was dense, and because of this all the flavors just seemed to meld seamlessly together.  But even though the lasagna was dense, it wasn't overly heavy (as far as lasagna goes, that is).  The Carfagna high qualify meat flavor definitely shined through.  Well done! 

My spaghetti and meatballs were also great and hit the spot.  You could tell the noodles were homemade with their irregular shape and texture.  They were just a little overdone, for my taste, but not a major complaint.  The sauce had a warm, basilly sweetness, and the meatballs were just what you'd want.  The meat was ground a little more finely than what is typical, but this seemed to help everything bind together. 

For lunch, the serving sizes were pretty big so I ended up only eating half and bringing the rest home for lunch the next day.  I also couldn't pass up trying a chocolate chip cannoli, but had absolutely no room for it.  I had it boxed up for enjoyment later. 

And oh was it good later!  Creamy filling, cinnamon sugar crispy shell, and plenty of chocolate chips to satisfy your need for a bit of bite. 

The only thing I wondered after enjoying all this bounty was that if this quality of Italian food can be ready to go so fast, what in the world are Fazoli's and Sbarro doing?  And why are we eating there?  Next time you need a quick Italian fix please support homemade and local, and go with Carfagna's.  I'm pretty sure you won't regret it. 

Bill total:  2 soft drinks, 1 lasagne, 1 handmade spaghetti and meatballs, 1 cannoli (with a buy one get one free Entertainment book coupon): $16.08

Overall Rating:  4 buckeyes

An Oxford Night Out

Stella 12 Beech
Oxford, Ohio
November 28, 2009

I have to give a quick shout out to this fun and hip restaurant in Oxford, Ohio.  It is owned by the family of my dear friend Stella (it was named after her great-grandmother) and so my view may be slightly tainted....so consider yourself forewarned. 

However, I have been there now 2 times (once last year for appetizers) and now once this year for a quick nightcap, and have enjoyed my experience every time.  I remember the appetizers from last year were fun, inventive, and beautifully plated.  And for extra bonus points the restaurant uses organic and locally sourced products when possible.  They also have quite a few vegetarian options. 

The atmosphere has a cosmopolitan and smooth vibe; but you're given a warm, familiar welcome by the hostess that helps you feel like you belong there. 

This night, they were trying something new and had a DJ for late night, so the vibe was a bit more clubby; but still comfortable. 

The cocktail menu from this year was fun with options such a champagne martini with mango puree or a ginger spiced rum martini. 

Our drinks included (from left to right) a Great Lakes Nosferatu, a classic dirty martini with Ketel One vodka, a cherry martini (we think....we couldn't specifically remember), and a Guinness. 

Fun times :)

Unfortunately, I have no idea what the price was.  We each paid individually in cash and I didn't write anything down! 

Cocktail Rating:  For the creativity of choices and execution- 4 buckeyes

I can't wait until I can try dinner here!  The flank steak with a chipotle demi glace looked especially tempting. 

A Bit of Respite from Black Friday

The BonBonerie
Cincinnati, Ohio
November 27, 2009
2ish pm

Ever since Erik and I started dating seriously enough that he would come home with me for Thanksgiving we have made Black Friday an event that includes a little shopping and a large dose of Cincinnati culture.  Each Friday we scour the ads and come up with a list of places we want to attempt to score deals from, and then we also come up with a list of fun Cincinnati landmarks to try and weave into our day.  Of course we also have to plan which wonderful restaurants we'll try to give us a small break from all the hustle and bustle of the start of beginning the holiday season.  Past years have included seeing the poinsettia display at the Krohn Conservatory, sampling one of the original 3-way creations at Camp Washington Chili, visiting the CG&E (err...I mean Cinergy....er I mean Duke Energy) train display, walking around Fountain Square, etc. etc.  I think I look forward to this day just about as much as I look forward to Thanksgiving itself.  It's fun to relive some of my childhood Christmas memories with Erik, but it's also nice to explore what new things Cincinnati has to offer. 

This year we focused a little more on the shopping and a little less on the Cincinnati landmarks (my list of children to buy for seems to be growing and I must say by the time we made it to Toys R Us it looked like a DMZ zone)!  My mom had been raving about the BonBonerie for years and we decided today was the perfect opportunity to give it a try.  I had already sampled some of their expertly iced Christmas cookies that mom had brought home to share (and they were delish), but I was anxious to see what this quaint little tea room she talked of was truly all about. 

As we walked up to this hidden gem, the outside of the building looked like nothing special; but as soon as I entered I knew it was going to be good.  First off, it was around 2 in the afternoon; which is usually more of a downtime for an eating establishment; but the counter was packed.  Additionally, standing in line was a mix of ladies dressed in the season's finest to a group of firemen.  When a place has such wide range appeal, it's got to be good. 

Okay, maybe in this picture you don't see ladies in their finest or any fireman, for that matter; but I promise you they were there!  What was also there was a wonderful display case of cookies, tarts, tortes, cakes, pastries, etc. etc.  I had a very difficult time determining which sweet I wanted to try most. 

I opted to go with a chocolate mousse, with the idea I would share it with my husband (and when I say share I really mean he gets a max of 2 bites).  My mother went with more sugar cookies (she loves those things)!  We took our goodies to the tea room and were lucky that they had one small table available by the window.  I thought perhaps I'd save my mousse until after lunch; like a good little girl; but gosh darn it, it just looked too good (and it was too late in the afternoon for me to have enough will power to wait).  I dug right in. 

                                     

The mousse had a rich, deep chocolate flavor; but managed to keep its lightness in spite of the deep flavor.  The topping was a homemade sweetened cream.  Overall, this was a perfect mousse and I couldn't have asked for more for $3.75. 

As I enjoyed the mousse I started to go over the drink menu.  The tea list was quite extensive (which makes sense given this is a tea room), and I really wanted to give a less common one a try; but ultimately iced tea sounded best with the tuna sandwich I had decided on.  But, Erik decided to go with the orange spice tea, so I was glad I was going to be able to sample at least one of the hot tea choices.  Cherry vanilla, China rose petal, and mango tea were other interesting options. 

As we waited for our drinks and lunches to come out I had an opportunity to really take in the space.  Given the sophistication of the BonBonerie logo I had seen on my mom's cookie boxes and the typical connotations "afternoon tea" has, I was actually expecting something more formal.  I was pleasantly surprised by the casual coziness of this tearoom.  With the mismatched china, whimsical collection of tea pots (including one of Whinnie the Poo), and black and white checkered flooring I felt I was enjoying lunch at an eccentric and favorite aunt's house.  If I lived closer I imagined myself coming here on a rainy day to sit with a good book and enjoy a sweet treat with a hot pot of tea.  Maybe it's better on my waistline that I don't live so close :) 

                                      

Everything came out pretty quickly and we loved the extra touches of doilies under our plates, gherkins to nibble on, cookies paired with sandwiches.  All this extra attention to detail, along with the fresh and homemade foods; extended the cozy feeling of the place and made you feel like you were truly being taken care of here.  This is a feeling that, unfortunately, most restaurants in our fast paced "move 'em on through" society don't have. 

                                         

Erik really enjoyed his orange spice tea.  The aroma of citrus hits you and the spice warms you before you even take a sip.  The ice tea was also fresh brewed and excellent. 

For lunch Erik went with the ham and swiss sandwich paired with tomato soup.  The sandwich was good with fresh wheat bread, high quality ham, good cheese, piled high with tomato and greens, and then topped with a dill mayo so good even Erik ate it (he is known to prefer his sandwiches dry).  However, the highlight of the meal was the tomato soup.  It appeared to be homemade with chunks of tomato floating in it, which gave it a fresher taste.  It also had a nice mix of herbs and spices that complemented the fresh tomato flavor.  This was definitely not Campbell's (not that there's anything wrong with Campbell's, of course). 

                                         

My mother chose the tuna salad plate.  This came with a nice scoop of albacore tuna salad, with a mixed green salad topped with apple slices and raisins, and served with a balsamic vinaigrette.  No complaints here! 

                                             

I chose to go with the tuna salad sandwich (at least my mother and I didn't order exactly the same thing this time), which was fresh tuna salad on wheat bread with lettuce, tomato, and a smathering of dill mayo.  This was the best tuna salad sandwich I had had in a long time.  The sweet tea cookies ended the meal perfectly (and let's just forget I had already had my dessert of mousse)!

Ahhh....what a great break from holiday craziness!  I'm already working on planning when I can come back for an afternoon tea with friends. 

Bill Total:  Ham and swiss with a cup of soup, albacore tuna salad plate, tuna salad sandwich, pot of tea, Coke, hot tea, and tip:  $36

Extra chocolate mousse:  $3.75, my mom's cutout cookies ??? (she paid)

Overall Rating:  5 buckeyes