Olde Towne Tavern

The other week I had the chance to meet up with my very beautiful mom-to-be friend Megan. I persuaded her to come out of the suburbs and into the hood to have dinner. Alright, limited persuasion, Meg loves the city. We ventured into Olde Towne East. I cannot wait to see this neighborhood in 10 years, seriously.

Where: The Olde Towne Tavern (889 Oak St., 43205) in Olde Towne East.

What I Ate: Bartlett Pear Grilled Cheese with a side of Sweet Corn

On The Side: Pretzel and Mustard for Starters (only $1 for happy hour!)

Price: Without a beer, $$ (Under $10)

Vibe: I gotta say it was very dark, haha, but I enjoyed the decor including vintage chandeliers and modern art in the bathroom.

Menu highlights: There are more versions of grilled cheese than I would expect in a tavern. There is a fabulous beer menu though.

Overall: I enjoyed my meal. The corn was nothing to write about but the grilled cheese was yum!

Nida's Thai on High (Short North)

We ended up sort of wandering into this place last night after doing the Winemaking Lab at Camelot Cellars in the Short North. I'm a sucker for any and all Thai food, so I knew it was going to be a hit with me. Hubs had too much wine, so whatever I said was good, haha. :)

Where: Nida's Thai on High (976 North High), in the Short North. You can also find their sushi at the incomparable North Market.

What I Ate: Pad Thai Woon Sen with Chicken (glass noodles with egg, green onion, beansprouts, and classic thai/peanut sauce) ... if I order it again, I will probably order it Veg... the chicken was nothing notable.

On The Side: Edamame for a Starter & several piece's of Z's sushi. ;)

Price: If you order Thai ... $$$ (under $15), if you order Sushi ... $$$$$$ (under $30) ... each.

Vibe: Clean/Mod. Sleep shapes, simple design, bright colors and earthy tones. A bar runs throughout that looks well stocked as well.

Menu highlights: There are a lot of options. If your server is as helpful as ours, (s)he can help you out!

Overall: I was happy to eat there. Not the best sushi in Columbus, but we certainly weren't grumpy about it. I have some leftover pad thai in my fridge calling my name right now that I intend to bash. So I say - if you're in that neck of the woods, stop in!

edamame!

Pad Thai Woon Sen

Z's Sushi ... I only remember the name of the one on the far left, "the heart attack roll"

Skillet (German Village)

We. Love. This. Place.

Seriously.

We have eaten there at least once a month for the last few months. One of my coworkers recommended it and we are forever indebted, ha.

Where: Skillet (410 East Whittier Street, Columbus), in German Village.

What I Ate: I've enjoyed their omelets, veggie biscuits & gravy, and hash among other things.

On The Side: Everything my companions ordered. And sometimes pie, but alway coffee.

Price: $$$ (under $15)

What My Friends Ate: Basically all of the aforementioned.

Vibe: "Rustic Urban Food" is their self-proclamation and I have to say, they're pretty self-aware because I think that describes both the food & atmosphere very well! I would also describe the vibe as "cozy" because the interior is quite small - perhaps 8 tables that seat up to 4.

Menu highlights: I think its one of the most creative menus in Columbus! It is ever-changing,  so don't expect to eat the same thing there twice. It all depends on what is in season and what the local farms have. Which is pretty damn awesome.

Overall: Is it before 2pm right now? Close your computer and go there immediately. Seriously.

vegetarian biscuits & gravy (sweet potato & mushroom gravy... holy yum)

goat cheese and apple pancakes ... but it was the syrup that made it incredible

Farm fresh omelet filled with whipped potatoes and goat cheese

grape pie. oh yes.

Tatoheads (Columbus Food Truck)

For my birthday weekend myself and a few friends went down to the annual event in Columbus - the Food Truck Festival at Columbus Commons. It was awesome!

Where: Tatoheads (Columbus Food Truck)... Use that link to check out their Twitter that will keep you up to date on their whereabouts!

What I Ate: Mediterranean Fries ... Sweet Potato Fries with hummus, tzatziki sauce, sriracha, and other vegetable things. Holy yum.

On The Side: Piergoies, Beer, & Water from other vendors.

Price: $ ($5 or less)

Vibe: Gourmet Food Truck. Need I say more?

Menu highlights: Choose from a regular or sweet potatoes and then a variety of different toppings with suggested pairings (which is what we chose). Friends got things like "steak & potatoes" and more of the delish Mediterranean servings.

Overall: It's worth seeking out, but if you are at a food cart gathering, you BETTER get your butt in line.

blur to taste ratio is not correlated

The Jury Room (Downtown / Discovery District)

A few weeks ago, my husband and I visited one of our favorite Columbus restaurants with a friend of ours. As usual, we left with happy tummies and lights hearts. :)

Where: The Jury Room (22 East Mound Street, Columbus), in the Downtown/Discovery District area.

What I Ate: Soup & Sandwich (An Autumn Classic) - Creamy Summer Veggie Soup (mushrooms, artichokes, peppers, onion, etc) and Caramelized Onion Grilled Cheese (onions & provolone with au jus dipping sauce)


On The Side: Shared Fried Zucchini appetizer & a yummy Hoof Hearted Beer

Price: $$$ (under $15)


What My Friends Ate: Creamy Pesto Pizza, Chicken Parmesan with Gnocchi

Vibe: Historic Chic ... I've heard that this is the longest continuously running bar in Columbus ... though I can't prove that. It definitely has a historic vibe in regard to the decor as well. And perhaps its even haunted!

Menu highlights: it's veg & vegan friendly which is awesome! Pasta dishes come in half and full serving sizes which is also awesome. And a third awesome thing is that you can get zucchini strips in lieu of classic pasta. I've tried it and its yummy!

Overall - we loved it! As I said before, it's one of our favorite cbus stops ... Sometimes the service is slow though, so be sure to order an app if you're starving.

zucchini sticks

my meal - soup & sammy

hubs' meal - chicken parm w/ gnocchi!

j's smiley pizza

Brown Bag Deli (German Village)

Our perfect Saturday afternoon typically consists of yummy sandwiches... It's definitely an added bonus if we get to enjoy those sandwiches in the sunshine ... Double bonus if we can eat it at the wonderful Schiller Park ... Triple bonus if its with my husband & dog!

Ok ok ... Refocusing...

Where: Brown Bag Deli (898 Mohawk St, Columbus) in German Village

What I Ate: Ben's Black & Bleu ... Roast beef, bleu cheese, other yummyness on marble rye toasted

On the Side: a pickle, shared potato salad, and a coffee.

Price: $$ (under $10)

Vibe: Rustic Hipster ... The inside is small but inviting and there's outdoor seating along with Schiller Park jut a block away.

Overall: I definitely recommend this little place .. I've never been disappointed by a sandwich I ate there.