Have you Hurd... TaQo is now spelled with a Que...

You Dining Scout and Shade Tree Chef didn't realize what a rut he was in with title selection until logging on tonight to create a short post about a recent visit to yet another Columbus original.  There really are other things on my mind besides tacos, I swear.  Is it my fault that City BBQ decided to do a feature of three double-smoked brisket taqos?  I have eaten brisket tacos before in other places around town, but I have to say that City BBQ definitely puts the Q in it.  I took a photo of my empty plate as evidence.  Prior to the slaying, it was covered with three expertly arrayed 6" soft flour tortillas with a healthy serving of expertly seasoned, slowly and lovingly smoked, melt-in-your mouth tender beef brisket on each and every one.  Add to that some sweet corn salsa/relish, a handful of pickled red onion slivers, pickle slices, and a smoked jalapeno pepper half and you have met your USRDA for smokehouse love... At least for today.  -BIG SMILE-  I will tell you the smoking does little to reduce the heat of the jalapeno pepper.  I sneaked up on it at first and cut off just the point of it.  Didn't seem bad at all.  Which led me to lose my mind and cut off a bigger chunk and set my mouth on fire.  -wince, sniffle- It's the kind of fire water doesn't extinguish.  I tried.  I am not saying I cried like a spoiled child, but maybe I did.   My lovely wife didn't have to wipe my runny nose either.  I can handle that myself.  Thankfully, they keep a paper towel dispenser on every table.  Don't you wish you were there to witness the spectacle?

I apologize for my indecisiveness on the relish/salsa.  It kinda looks like relish to me, but since it is being served with taqos, salsa seems a more appropriate label.  No matter what you call it, it complements the brisket well.  Put a little house sauce on at the end.  Not that it needed it.  It is just how I roll.  I wanted to be sure I got my $9 worth.  -smirk-  Word to the wise though.  If you want to get some double smoked brisket taqos at your nearest City Barbeque, get there early as supplies are limited.  Took me two visits just to get a taste for myself. Did I mention I finally tried these on a Monday night???  You know what that means!! DOUBLE POINTS ON MY CITY REWARDS CARD!  Racked up another $5 off my next visit.  Life just keeps getting better.

Just like old times.  A tasteful picture of an
empty plate.  And no, that is not a pickle.
It's a smoked jalapeno.  

Your Dining Scout and Shade Tree Chef,

Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike

www.citybbq.com

Have you Hurd... I Could've Been a Contender...

I know it has been way too long since that line was featured in a movie, but since it recycles itself frequently enough a punch line in other light-hearted comedy, I am fairly certain both young and old will recognize it and be suitably intrigued.  Still working hard to build my base of dedicated readers by (almost) any means necessary. -grin-

If you are a subscriber to the Lynd Fruit Farm Cider Press, you will think this is stale news.  Lynd's opened their produce market for the 2015 season officially on Thursday, July 16.  The offering that generated the greatest amount of excitement in my household was the Contender peaches from South Carolina.  The pints of fresh blueberries from the Blue Frog Farm (also in the Lynd family) were a close second.  Given the volatility of produce supplies and prices, I would suggest checking out their website and/or Facebook page for available products and pricing before you make the trip.  That is what I did before heading to Pataskala.  I also Googled Columbus Best Burgers and quickly found an article from the Columbus Monthly listing their picks for the best burgers around Central Ohio.

Aren't these just peachy?  Had to get corny,
since I didn't get a picture of the dozen ears
of sweet corn we bought.

Look closely for the blueberries.  The clerk
was kind enough to give us a couple bags
so we didn't lose any enroute to home base.
Maple rolls aren't aren't from the Saxonburg
bakery, but they will do.

What on Earth do fresh imported peaches and local blueberries have to do with grilled ground beef patties?  All three are things my wife was hankering for on this particular Friday evening.  Red meat is not something she pines for frequently, so I didn't want to miss the opportunity.  It was our good fortune that a New Albany restaurant was featured in the Columbus Monthly article.  It was less than a mile from our route back home and I was able to secure online reservations before departing.  Although, as it turns out, this was not necessary.  Ella was busy, but not Friday night crazy busy at the time we arrived.  So we would not have waited for a table even without reservations.  I didn't want to take any chances, though.  I was billing it as a way to avoid the really crazy Friday night crowds at another one of my favorite burger joints.  I love it when a plan comes together.  -smile-

Lots of good stuff on the menu.
I am definitely coming back
for the pork chops and maybe
walleye on yet another visit.

The words over the window into the kitchen say it all.  No, those
are not UFO's.  Just really cool heat lamps. 

If I didn't fail to take at least
one picture a little late, would
you wonder if it was really 
the work of your Dining Scout?

Since it was our first visit, the waiter was kind enough to give us some guidance on the menu and other features at ella.  It seems that ella is an abbreviation for "eat local. love art."  There is a small gallery right next to the restaurant and he said we were welcome to browse while waiting for our meals to arrive and he would retrieve us at the appropriate time.  I asked my sweetest if she intended to check out the art work while we perused the menu and she showed only the slightest interest.  We were agonizing about an appetizer and were on the fence between the polenta fries and the Ella-Vated Potato Chips.  He provided savory details on both, but suggested we consider a seasonal feature instead -  buffalo cauliflower.  It was small florets of cauliflower in a light breading flash fried and perfectly tender, served with a generous dollop of Gorgonzola cream, a pleasant drizzle of buffalo cream sauce, and a shaved celery salad.  The Gorgonzola cream and buffalo cream sauce were both house-made.  I loved it, but my sweetest found it just a tad too spicy.  She likes absolutely no heat, but will occasionally tolerate food described as zesty. -smirk-

If you are old enough (Gen-X, at least), I am sure you are recalling a skit from the popular 80's variety show "In Living Color."  The skit was a tongue-in-cheek send-up of how individuals of the paler ethnicity can't tolerate spicy food.  The memorable line from this skit is comedic actress Victoria Jackson exclaiming: "WOW this is SPICY!  What's in this?!?!?  TOMATOES!?!?!"  As I have others in my family besides my bride that can't handle spicy foods, this phrase has been oft repeated over the years and is now part of our collective consciousness.  Love you, Mom.  -smile- 


After enjoying the appetizer, we both ordered an Ella Burger.  Someone at the table ordered it straight up (medium) and someone else ordered it with provolone instead of pepper-jack (medium-well).  Bet you can guess who ordered what... -chortle-  The waiter repeated his suggestion to check out the art work next door, not wanting us to miss out of the full experience at ella.  He was right when he said there was some great stuff next door.  Even though we are not the types to casually drop a few hundred dollars on art work, we did find some affordably priced local art and some stuff that while maybe not really 'art' it was definitely 'artsy.'  Like the 'Tattooed' silver we purchased.  It was old silver utensils etched with cute phrases.  A spoon with 'cereal killer' etched into the bowl or another one etched 'Good morning Beautiful.'  Once again, I am sure you know which of us gravitated to each of these divergent examples.  We intended to only purchase one, but there was a $20 minimum purchase required to use plastic money. Consequently, we picked out a second one.  Our timing was good too, as the waiter came with a two minute warning on the arrival of our entrees just as we completed our purchase.  All things being equal, maybe I should have resisted his earlier en-treatises and stayed at the table. No...  There are worse things to do than support a small local gallery. -big smile-   

Better lean over your plate when you bite into
this baby.  Juicy and flavorful are the watch
words.  Wouldn't want you to stain your shirt.

Gazing upon the ella burgers as they arrived at the table, I could see why they made the list in Columbus Monthly.  A ten ounce patty of locally raised beef, expertly cooked, with a melted slice of pepper jack cheese (or provolone, if you wish), thick-sliced house bacon, a smattering of french-fried onions, dill pickle half, and house-made onion aioli.  This perched atop a grilled bun of excellent character.  This is not the kind of bun you pick up for 99 cents a pack at the local grocery.  Maybe $3.99 a pack at the local grocery, if you are lucky.  If the burger wasn't enough, it was served with a generous portion of seasoned and flash fried potato wedges and ketchup.  Mmmmmmmm.

I don't know when the last time was I ate a burger that inspired me to quickly grab a napkin after each bite.  Yes, that's right...  The juices were running down my chin from start to finish.  OK, so maybe it was only a week or two ago, but still...  This burger ROCKS!  Maybe my top 5 is in need of a re-shuffle.  The potato wedges were magnificent too.  I don't know how they got the outside incredibly crispy, while keeping the inside unbelievably tender and moist.  Perhaps I should inquire with my Food Network favorite, Alton Brown.  I bet he could unwrap the mystery for me.  They tasted great neat and lightly dipped in ketchup.  Yes, I am periodically closing my eyes and daydreaming about it as I type this.

Much like another of my favorite establishments that shall remain nameless, the meal was a a bit more than I typically spend for a quick burger at lunch.  However, this is WAY MORE than a quick lunch burger. I encourage you to ignore your wallet's (or purse's) whining and pony up. -big smile-   Yes, it is much easier for me to ask you to spend your hard earned dollars than it is for me to spend mine. Love you too, Dad. -big laugh-  In this case, I have already spent mine for your benefit.  You should feel good about that.  The atmosphere of quiet and somewhat understated elegance is a fitting complement to the menu.

How do I take my bourbon?
In a chocolate bourbon pecan
pie with vanilla bean ice cream
and a caramel drizzle.

As we were devouring the last bit of our meal, the waiter subtly placed the dessert menus on the table for our consideration.  At the top of the list was the chocolate bourbon pecan pie.  You should know that my sweetest has an aversion to nuts (marriage to me excluded, of course) almost as great as her aversion to spicy.  So it took no small amount of persuasion to secure her agreement to not only order it, but enjoy some of it with me.  The plethora of pecans ensured that I would get the lion's share, but not quite all of it.  Sometimes life just works out that way.  It was a fitting end to a perfect summer evening in Central Ohio.  Time to go back outside and sweat in the ubiquitous heat and humidity.  If you enjoy a good peach or a great burger, head on over to the northeastern frontier (of Columbus), Lynd's and ella will make it worth your while.

Brought these little beauties home with us.
Just like with our dogs, I thought one would
be enough and somehow  we ended up
with two. -smile-

Didn't buy these, but had to take a picture.  Made me take back
bad things I have said about golf clubs (woods, anyway).  There
is ONE good use for them... Repurposed as decorative ducks.

Your Dining Scout and Shade Tree Chef,

Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike

http://www.lyndfruitfarm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/lyndfruitfarm?fref=ts
http://www.ella-restaurant.com/#eat-together
https://www.facebook.com/ellanewalbany?fref=ts


Who says movies are the only ones who hide "Easter eggs" during the credits...

I almost forgot to mention the house
bread.  It was basted with a
buttery garlic spread and then cooked
in some fashion until it was crisp on the crust and
chewy otherwise.  If I were dog, this is the chewy
treat that would cause me to beg.

Have you Hurd... Taco Tuesday + 2 = Just Plain Old Thursday...

I guess as time passes, that 'special' feeling fades, even at the Local Cantina.  Discovered just this past Thursday that they are no longer featuring the "Throw Back Thursday/$5 Burrito" special.  I added this to my original (3/1/2015) post  , but being uncertain about whether it will be noticed there...  I am also creating this quick post.  Don't want anyone walking into the Local Cantina on Thursday for lunch and having to wash dishes to cover the extra cost of a burrito or...  Even worse..., Going to fisticuffs with the management based on my now erroneous original post.  You can still enjoy the burrito, just be sure you have at least $12 in your pocket.  That should cover you for the full cost of the burrito ($8), plus tax and tip and still leave you with a dollar in your pocket.  Wouldn't want anyone arrested for vagrancy either.***  -wink,wink-  Particularly generous souls and those who prefer to pay for a drink will need to take a few more bucks. -smile-

Original Post:
http://bigmikeshotleads.blogspot.com/2015/03/have-you-hurd-taco-tuesday-2-throw-back.html

Your Dining Scout and Shade Tree Chef,
Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike

*** - I am not aware of whether or not the failure to possess at least $1.00 of legal US tender will result in a complaint or subsequent arrest for vagrancy in Gahanna, Ohio.  This is just a casual reference to a great friend from high school who passed away more than a few years ago.  He used to say quite frequently: "make sure you have at least $1 in your pocket.  Wouldn't want anyone getting arrested for vagrancy. "  -sad smile-  Maybe someday I will share a story with you about Steve, a Wheeler Girl named Wanda, and his untimely beer bath at Watt-Powell Park.  Cameras were rolling on that last part, so there is videographic evidence.

Guess I miss him still.  RIP Steven D. Hawkins, aka "Zabrisky".

Have you Hurd... No TV's = Reasonable Crowd During March Madness...

If I haven't mentioned before, I am a Purdue alumni.  Since my team was eliminated earlier in the tournament weekend, I had no particular interest in watching the latest tournament action over dinner on Saturday night.  Neither of us is particularly fond of the usual Saturday night crush of people either.  Thankfully, we landed a dinner invite with a small group of good friends to visit a local Mexican restaurant that didn't list sports TV viewing as one of it's central features.  Aside from that, I expect the Saturday night crowd would have been a bit crazier at 6:00 pm, given the Blue Agave's proximity to the Polaris Fashion Place.




We were the last to join the party, so the table was already secured and chips and salsa were all around.  The waiter immediately appeared and took everyone's drink order.  The margarita prices were reasonable for the weekend, so I had to sample a jumbo house margarita on the rocks.  They had a wide variety of flavors and others at our table were more daring and opted for a pitcher of frozen mango and a pitcher of watermelon on the rocks.    Judging by the others pleasant responses, the other flavors were a hit.  If I visit again, I may sample another flavor, but since this was my first time...  I had to go with the standard for comparison.The house margarita was good, but not great.  Certainly as good as most any I have had recently, but I miss the Meltdown Margaritas from Don Pablo's.  I know some people consider it sacrilege to mention a chain restaurant, but I have to give them chops for the margaritas.  The only other place I can think of where I have had one that good since Don Pablo's left town are Senor Antonio's in Lewis Center.

(Clockwise from top left) Mild,
Hot, and Salsa Verde.  Salsa
Verde Remains a mystery
as the Scout passed on it.

Enough about the drinks...  Back to the food...  The chips and salsa take a more colorful turn at Blue Agave with a trio of choices accompanying the chips- mild, hot, and salsa verde.  The waiter also offered queso.  We followed the lead of others in our party and set up some queso in addition to the salsa trio.  It was a good call.  Queso was excellent.  Not sure whether it was me or someone else that licked the bowl clean, but it was all gone.  I am sure the dishwasher made light work of it. Probably even wondered if it had really been used for anything.  -smirk-  I sort of dipped my toe in the waters with the hot salsa.  Thankfully, it wasn't super hot and the mild had good flavor too.  Is there such a thing as fashionably hot salsa?  I skipped the salsa verde.  Green salsa just isn't my bag, baby.  -smile-  The chips were plentiful, light and crunchy.  Only suggestion would be to hit them with some salt.  That didn't seem to hold back any others at the table, so maybe I am the only one that likes a salty chip.



I expected with the size of our party (8 plus a child), the speed of service might be a little slower than usual.  I was off-base on that.  Our waiter and the rest of his supporting cast kept things moving all night.  Drinks and food arrived at the table at breakneck speed.  It seemed like someone was always checking with us to see if we needed anything.  Made me wonder if somehow we ended up at the VIP table or something?  Not too likely they have heard I am a food blogger yet, so it couldn't be that they were trying to impress me to ensure a good write up...  Have I mentioned that I am a sucker for that?  -smile-  Hats off to the staff for first class service.

Why didn't I remember to substitute something
else for the rice?  It's not what you are thinking.
I only had one margarita.  And I let my sweetest
have a sip or two as well.  OR were you thinking

old age?  hmmmmm...

My wife and I don't normally order the same thing, but tonight we were in total sync.  We both enjoyed the Chimichangas Supremas.  You get a choice of chicken or beef tips. She elected one of each.  After she finished ordering, I told him I would have exactly the same thing.  I paused and looked skyward for a moment.  Whew!  No lightning bolt.  Life is good.  -smile-  When it arrived at the table, I mixed it all together and I tossed the last of the salsa in the mix too just for kicks.  That's just how I roll.  The tortillas were crisp and filled with a generous amount of meat (and other fillings) and blanketed with queso.  The beans and the mixed salad were a bright spot as they had more flavor and texture than many other places I have visited.  At some other Tex-Mex establishments (you know who you are), it feels like the beans are from a can and the lettuce is from a bag.  I don't think that is the case at the Blue Agave.  If I had thought about it, I would have skipped the rice.  Even still, we both enjoyed the food.  Much like the margaritas though... We found it was good, but not great.  If we received an invite to return in the future, we certainly wouldn't pass it up.  If we are choosing the location though, it's more likely we would go somewhere closer to home like Rancho Alegre.




So if you find yourself at the Polaris Fashion Place mall and hankering for Tex-Mex, head east on the Parkway to Blue Agave.  The folks there will take good care of you.  If you should happen to be in some other part of town, my bet is that you already have another favorite place that is closer.  No reason to drive out of your way to throw yourself headlong into the craziness that is Polaris unless it far exceeds your favorite neighborhood Tex-Mex.  Anything short of that will cause you to hate yourself in the morning.  Save the Blue Agave for when you are already sucked into Polaris' vortex of rampant consumerism or you get a chance invite from some good friends to join their already rockin' party.  Blue Agave is just far enough away from the throngs of shoppers to provide a welcome oasis and help you take the edge off before heading home.

www.blueagaveohio.com

Your Dining Scout and Shade Tree Chef,
Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike

  

Have you Hurd... I have been searching for something... Just remembered... A great local pizza joint...

I know for a lot of folks, Spring Break is vacation season.  A time to take time off work and spirit da youts away to some far-flung exotic (warm & sunny, entertainment filled) destination and re-energize for the push to the last day of school and endless days of summertime fun (for the kids anyway).  Since we don't have any children, it really turns into more of a stay-cation for us.  Spring Break provides ample opportunity to visit many places near the big college here in Columbus (that shall remain nameless) that will be less in demand while the students are away.  It seems this year, we knew when it was scheduled, but forgot until the last night to actually trip down to campus for any reason.  My 44 year-old brain isn't nearly as reliable as it once was.

Thankfully, my wife woke up this rainy Friday morning and remembered it was Spring Break.  She reminded me and we laid plans to hit Adriatico's after work for pizza.  If you can only make one stop before the hordes of crazy kids come back to town, that is as good a place as any.  Managed to scoop a couple friends and their daughter to join us which made for a fun five-some for dinner.  

Within these few pages
is the stuff of pizza dreams.

We arrived just before 6:00 pm and the place was nearly empty.  Found ample parking right in front and gladly dropped $1.50 into the meter for 2 hours of food and fellowship.  My wife and I were the advance team, so we texted to let the others know we had arrived and immediately secured a table near the door.  We ordered drinks and an appetizer and told them not to rush, since there wasn't much of a crowd pressing for seating.  They arrived at the same time as our bread sticks with garlic butter.  Piping, hot golden-brown braids of chewy baked dough with a generous side of garlic butter.  A half dozen of them was just enough of a warm up for our crew.  Knowing that the thick crust pizzas take awhile to bake, we asked the waitress to bring an individual cheese pizza for the youngest member of our party.  As three year-old's go, I have to say she may be the most patient and agreeable I have ever met.  Still didn't want to press our luck.  -smile-

Yummy braids of dough to
kick off the meal.

We attacked the bread sticks, and politely sent the waitress away twice while we pondered the endless list of toppings and negotiated our way to a Buckeye XL pizza on Sicilian (thick) crust.  We settled on half pepperoni/sausage/mushroom and the other half the legendary INFLATION FIGHTER.  Can't go wrong with pepperoni, sausage, ground beef, ham, green pepper, onion, mushrooms, green, and black olives.  I love green olives on pizza, but so many other places go overboard with them.  Adriatico's knows a good balance.  The perfect combination of all the critical elements.  Crust was just slightly crunchy on the edges and dense and chewy through the center underneath a better than average tomato sauce, respectable cheese blend and the aforementioned toppings.

I feel the consumer price
index falling with each
delicious bite.

Just because we couldn't
handle the 18 x 24 doesn't
mean you can't.

The waitress tried to steer us down from the Buckeye XL, but we were undeterred.  Perhaps we thought we could still eat like college students?  It's 18" x 24" she exclaimed.  No problem we shot back.  It will cover the entire table she intoned.  Just pull over another table we retorted.  She sighed like a Mother about to let her kids learn something the hard way and said OK, if you insist.  Indeed we did.  -smile-  As for actually walking our talk...  Not so much.  It will be good for leftovers.  That is what will help us sleep tonight.  Because we took a shellacking from that monstrous pizza.  I am not ashamed to say it was Buckeye XL - 1...  Dining Scout and the rest of his band - 0... -grinch-like scowl-

This is like an Easter egg in your
favorite video game.  I don't even
need to tell you what it means.
You will know instantly and
experience the same visceral reaction
 as your intrepid Dining Scout.

Good grub... Even better company...  Just ran out of steam.  Sign of old age?  Absolutely not!  Just wiser and bit more restrained.  -smile-  We packed our to go boxes and headed for the door.  The bill didn't leave too bad a dent in our collective wallet either.  By the time we walked out the door at 7:30 pm, it was clear "Adriatico's on Spring Break" is not a well-kept secret.  The joint was full to overflowing and a few desperate souls were eager for a table to open up.  I am sure they enjoyed it as much as we did.  Have at it, guys.  Just watch out for that Buckeye XL.  They should call it the Buster Douglas KO pizza.  It will knock you flat for sure.   -big smile-

A couple of  to go boxes...

Better make that four...  Stan
does not like to stack the
pizza in the to go box.
Does anyone besides me?

OK... Maybe three... 

www.adriaticososu.com

Your Dining Scout and Shade Tree Chef,

Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike

Have you Hurd... Sometimes the source of the invitation matters more than location, location, location...

In my short span of almost 44 years, I have eaten at more than a handful of establishments that would certainly never be my first choice.  Although I enjoy variety just as much as anyone and venture outside my comfort zone on occasion, there are some places that just never make it onto my restaurant bucket list.  They may not even make it onto my 'where to go when someone else is paying' list.  -smile-  It is not because they don't offer quality fare that lacks in creativity, but suffers from quite the opposite.  It is usually because the quality of the fare is so exceptional, I find the prices hard to swallow....  Or the creativity in the kitchen is on overload and I find that for my taste buds, it is just much too much...  In my experience, sensory overload doesn't always revolve around surround sound, high-def CGI, and magnificent staged pyrotechnics.  It can often come from what is brought to me on a fashionably presented white china plate.

I suffer from these same creative impulses myself when I am planning menus.  I try to do absolutely every great thing  I can think of simultaneously for only ten people.  Thankfully, I have a voice of reason that speaks to me.  Not inside my subconscious, but inside my household.  Her name is Beth.  Since we have been married for over 16 years, maybe she is inside my subconscious mind a good bit of the time too.  She frequently reviews my plans and utters the words (in a somewhat incredulous tone): "do you really think you need to do all of this?  Maybe you could pare it down a little.  Even go as far as reducing it by half?"  Knowing there is little point in arguing with her when I realize I am indeed in the wrong, I usually follow her sage advice and cut it down substantially.  Maybe I need to hire her out as a consultant to help others rein in their creative drive when it may have run amok?   Then I could quit my day job, get a food truck... And live happily ever after... No wait... This isn't the movies...  If it was, I would just yell at the writers and ask for a script change...

Tonight's dining destination was not my choice, but it was a good choice nonetheless.  I was invited to join a large group of associates from my firm that were in town for a few days of important meetings.  As I normally get to interact with them via email and on the occasional telephone call, I jumped at the chance for some face time with my extended work group.  No better way to build good working relationships than over some food and drink.  

Since I had never been to Sidebar 122 and I have particular tastes, I researched the menu in advance of the visit.  A good portion of the offerings were a bit edgy for me, but found there were some some winners in the mix too.  No need to snack before heading downtown.  -smile-  It never crossed my mind that given the size of the group, it might not be an 'order from the menu' type of affair and instead would be a robust selection of appetizers, pizzas, and salad.  You'd think this was my first rodeo.

Meatballs in the lead off
position...

Pizza and house salad to
round out the lineup.

I passed on the garlic shrimp
I love garlic, but not a fan of
seafood in general.

It was a generous array of offerings and a large crowd, but folks were a bit tentative at first.  While many made a beeline for the liquid refreshments, it took a few minutes for folks to figure out the score with the grub.  Some quiet inquiries amongst ourselves about whether this was just the first course or the main course for the evening?  Should I hit the food lightly or fill the plate?  At some point the ice was broken and food began to disappear almost faster than the service staff could replenish it.  

Chicken skewers waiting on
a resupply.  I never wait for
chicken, unless it's fried.

Actually remembered to
snap a pic before the first
bite.  Progress?

Beef empanadas are MIA too.
I took a pause for the cause
and waited for the refill.

I sampled a number of items...First, the meatballs which were oversize compared to most anywhere except for a good Italian restaurant....  Can't say for certain they were house-made, but they were exceptionally moist and tender.  Definitely not out of the freezer.  I ask one of the service staff and he confirmed the presence of veal in the recipe.  Not surprising.  They were served in an equally tasty tomato sauce.  Rolls were available if you wanted to make a sandwich with them.  I didn't.  The chicken skewers were suffering from a temporary supply shortage when I passed by, so rather than wait I moved on to the beef empanadas.  A flavorful shredded beef filling with a pleasant kick wrapped in a flaky pastry shell and baked golden brown.  There was a small bowl of sauce available for these, so I took a couple of spoonfuls of that too.  Not sure what it was, but YUM!    

This left just enough room on my plate for a small square of pizza and a serving of the house salad.  I took both even though I was not entirely sure of the ingredients.  I am not allergic to anything, thankfully.  If I don't like how it tastes, I just don't eat it all.  -grimace-  Wouldn't be the first time.  Just ask my Mother.  The pizza and salad were both delicious.  The crust on the pizza was thicker and chewier than similar ones I have tried at other establishments (big plus).  When it came to the salad, I will admit I am not a huge fan of balsamic dressing. I find it typically doesn't pack enough flavor for me. I like my greens just like anything else - well seasoned - and salad dressing is the seasoning.  If the dressing is bland, you might as well munch on a dry leaf of lettuce.  -blah-  The balsamic dressing at Sidebar had more flavor than any others I have tried.  Maybe not quite a home run, but a safe slide into third.  

In closing, the food was good.  The company was even better.  Atmosphere was old-school brick and with a touch of upscale.  Perhaps a bit on the loud side, but what party room isn't when you fill it with a large group of folks who like to carry on?  Probably my only disappointment was the lack of information on the food offerings.  There were signs indicating what the choices were, but not any key ingredients listed or an indication of what items were vegetarian selections or gluten-free.  If you didn't catch one of the service staff recharging the food stations that you could ask, you might be left to take your chances.  Or just go hungry.  That would be a shame in either case.

 Still not sure Sidebar is on my top ten list, but if I find myself downtown again and looking for something a little different than my usual, I may stop in again.  In the meantime, I can count myself lucky to have received the invitation to join the group tonight.
  

Sidebar122, 122 E. Main Street, Columbus   www.sidebarcolumbus.com   

Your Dining Scout and Shade Tree Chef,

Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike        

Have you Hurd... Taco Tuesday + 2 = Throw Back Thursday!!!

7/16/2015 UPDATE: If you are a Local Cantina fanatic, you may have know this for some time, but Throw Back Thursdays is no longer in the mix.  Burritos are still good, but no longer priced at $5 on Thursdays.  Felt particularly bad about my blunder as I discovered this only AFTER taking two new customers there who were excited about the deal.  I guess prices are going up everywhere.

As anyone familiar with The Lego Movie knows, Taco Tuesday has become a mainstay at many local eateries in Central Ohio.  As much as I enjoy a good taco or three, I really favor the taco's big and sometimes overbearing cousin... the BURRITO.  I am excited just to type it and now I am hungry too.  -smile-  I like them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  I make a wide variety of them in my kitchen and fill them with just about anything you could imagine.  Just ask the guys who share the duck blind with me on Alum Creek every year and they will tell you.  They probably can't remember all the different things I have stuffed in those 10" flour tortillas, but they are always tasty.

Another cell phone fail...
Didn't scan the QR code.  
Maybe next time.

Every once in a great while, the stars are in alignment and my favorite also happens to be a restaurant's daily special.  Our lunch stop at the Gahanna Local Cantina happened to be on Throw Back Thursday.  $5 Burritos and $2 Mexican cans.  I think that is what they call a "win, win."  My boss reads this, so I feel compelled to disclose that we DID NOT avail ourselves of the $2 cans.  (We didn't even joke about it.)  With the burrito, you get a choice of ground beef, chicken or steak with refried beans, fried potatoes, and queso, lettuce, sour cream, and pico sauce over the top.  The fried potatoes were a nice change from the usual rice you get at most other places.  They were coarsely diced and cooked to golden brown.  I opted for the steak, which was well-seasoned, tender, and flavorful.  And they didn't go crazy with the refried beans or queso either.  It was just right for lunch.  And the $5 price is hard to beat too.  They offered self-serve chips and salsa.  The chips were warm and crunchy, with a good coating of coarse salt and the salsa was tasty too. It had just a little bit of bite.  My lunch time compadres tried the other two burrito options - ground beef and chicken - and both were well received.  Three empty plates went back to the kitchen.  Actually, mine wasn't completely empty.  The fresh slices of jalapeno pepper on the top of my burrito went back.  Have I mentioned I am only a medium-hot kind of guy?  -smile-

It was a light crowd at lunch time, which I attribute to the miserable winter weather.  Both on and off-street parking (public garage) are available within a block of this Local Cantina.  The decor definitely adds some color to the experience, but isn't overdone.  Service was prompt and friendly.  The side of the Cantina that faces the creek has glass panel garage-style doors that can be opened on pleasant days to give it an open-air feel.  I look forward to coming back when the weather is nicer and perhaps enjoying an after-work libation.  I am glad to have found the Local Cantina in Gahanna, as most other Tex-Mex style fare is a much greater distance from my office and is a challenge at lunchtime.  Maybe we'll even come back on Taco Tuesday and take turns singing The Lego Movie theme song. ("Everything is Awesome...")

A link if you want to check out their website:
http://localcantina.com/

In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed the post...  Next up will be some good stuff from my kitchen...

Your Dining Scout, Shade Tree Chef, and Author
Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike.

Perhaps a Lazy Chameleon, but not a Lazy Crew in the Kitchen...

Happy Birthday Jodi!  Thanks
for the invite!

I know I have been saying repeatedly that I will eventually get better with my cell phone cam and always get a picture before I devour my food...  With this post, I am sure you are going to wonder if I need to get into some sort of 12-step program to help me reach that goal...  In my defense, I wasn't really expecting to post anything about my visit last night to the Lazy Chameleon in Powell.  I was going along with my wife for a birthday celebration for one of her friends and co-workers, Jodi.  It was originally going to be drinks only.  Dithering back and forth about whether to venture out into the weather, time slipped away and we didn't have time to fix dinner before we left, so we had dinner along with our drinks.




It was in that moment of satisfaction after polishing off the killer buffalo chicken salad, I remarked to my wife about how great it was... That she asked me if I had taken a picture first?  I suppose if we were on TV, she would have given me a Leroy Jethro Gibbs inspired slap to the back of the head when I furtively said 'nooooo.'  -grimace-  Trying for at least a partial save, I snapped a picture of the empty plate.  That would at least give some reference as to the healthy portion of the salad.  What filled the plate before I started was a generous bed of chopped romaine (not a single core in there either), matchstick carrots, diced tomatoes, shredded cheddar, and crispy buffalo chicken.  The greens and other enhancements were good, perhaps exceptional for a bar/live music venue and the buffalo chicken was crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, sliced perfectly, and complemented by a perfect application of buffalo sauce.  A pleasant bite, but not enough to set my mouth on fire.  I opted for the blue cheese dressing, which was also well above average.  Definitely some chunks of good blue cheese in there.  Not sure if they make the dressing in house or if they just buy a good dressing.  Either way, it was delicious and more than enough to satisfy my late night appetite.

The plate was full before I
snapped the pic.

My wife ordered something more common for this type of venue - pretzel bites.  A large platter of big soft pretzel nuggets with a creamy mustard sauce for dipping.  Response to the mustard sauce was mixed.  I liked it and my wife didn't.  She prefers some sort of beer cheese sauce for dipping.  I sneaked a couple of pretzel bites when she wasn't looking and they were warm, soft, and had a good coating of coarse salt.  Perfect with just a dab of that mustard sauce.  Yum!  Needless to say, that plate went back empty to the kitchen as well.  Others in our party sampled the crab cakes and fried cheese wedges.  Nothing but a shower of compliments and more empty plates.  The drink selection was good, with a number of good beers and hard cider on tap.  She ordered the Fat Tire Amber and I went for a Johnny Appleseed hard cider.  Why does everything taste better on draft than out of a bottle?  Can't remember the last time she had more than one beer in an evening.  If they were real tires, she could have had enough for a tricycle when she was done.  -big smile-

The menu at the Lazy Chameleon is fairly simple.  I find when visiting venues like this, the simpler the menu... The better the food...  If the menu reads like the Sears & Roebuck catalog, chances are it is all coming into the kitchen frozen.  Nobody is really cooking in the kitchen, just reheating.  That is clearly not the case at the Lazy Chameleon.  They are doing some serious cooking in that kitchen.  The menu tilts a little towards seafood, but still a few options for someone like me who isn't really a fan of the surf.  I am sure I will go back soon and I will definitely have dinner there again.  

The atmosphere was tough to judge on Saturday night.  It was a night for live music ($6 cover charge per person).  The bands were Hott Lucy and Fat Dog.  From talking up the massive crowd, it had been awhile since the members of Fat Dog had performed together.  So it was a bit of a reunion concert for them.  They were both excellent bands, playing a good variety of popular music from different eras (heard cover for the Beatles, Bon Jovi, Journey, Van Halen, and even Tool).  Only downside...  At my age, it was too loud, even when the music wasn't playing (did I mention the massive crowd).  I felt like if we were anywhere other than a bar, the staff would be wearing those earplugs like the baggage handlers wear out on the runway at the airport.  Just like any man who occasionally  forgets he is married, I took earplugs for me and none for my wife.  Her ears are still ringing as I type this.  Not sure how much that matters on a personal level, as she only listens to me about half the time.  -smile-  Good news is that the waitress was adept at interpreting my rough hand signals when ordering additional drinks (mime tipping a glass to my lips then point to the person who needed one), food (wave and point to the item on the menu), and bringing the check when we were ready to leave (hand across the neck to cut it off and signature pattern on my hand).  Despite the crowd, the waitress checked on us frequently and our glasses were always full and empty plates and glasses cleared away quickly.  Thought I could hear strains of the Donna Summer song in my head (She Works Hard for the Money).

Overall, we both had a good time in spite of our advancing age... -chuckle- It was well worth the trip out into the snow and cold.  We'll just remember to take two pairs of ear plugs next time if there is going to be live music.