Have you Hurd... The Steel Wheels made a quick stop at Natalie's Coal-Fired Pizza as they rolled through Central Ohio.

I am not sure it matters just how old you are, but does it seem that accurately gauging the passing of time becomes more difficult as the candles on our birthday cake secretly multiply against our will?  Some time ago, my younger cousin Abby got married.  I am sure I should know at least approximately how many years ago that was, but I don't.  I will say it was more than a couple and maybe as many as several.  My memory doesn't allow me to be any more specific than that.  The reason that it matters is that it was at my cousin Abby's wedding that my lovely wife Beth and I first heard The Steel Wheels.  Abby and her groom Jason were big fans prior to the wedding and had hired them to do the music for the wedding and reception afterward.  There were many things about that day that make it special, but the music was definitely in the top five.  Maybe even top three.

Which leads to yet another challenge I have concerning The Steel Wheels.  I have a hard time describing exactly what style of music they play.  It is not really country.  It is not really bluegrass.  It is not really folk music.  What I have told many people is that I consider it to be mountain music.  As it reminds me of music I heard growing up in the mountains in the eastern United States.  Whether you call them the Alleghenies or Appalachians, I spent my entire childhood living in one part or another of that extended range.  Lived about five years each in four different towns in three separate states.   Always somewhere close to a generous seam of good bituminous coal.  That is where my Dad made his living for a good many years as an engineer and mine superintendent for Bethlehem Steel's coal mining group.  I suspect that may be why The Steel Wheels music speaks to me so clearly.  They seem to derive their inspiration from those very same mountains of my youth.  Good news is that it plays pretty well in the flat land of Central Ohio too.  They packed the house at Natalie's Coal-Fired Pizza and Live Music on Saturday night.  If you have never listened to their music before, I have included a link below.  I encourage you to give it a listen.  I think you will be hooked pretty quickly too.

Since this is a food-related blog, I am sure you are wondering when I am going to get to the food.  I have been watching my carbs lately, trying to once again get control of my dietary regimen.  That meant a long hard look at the menu before departing, to be sure there would be sufficient offerings of the non-pizza variety to sate my evening hunger.  I was pleased to find a handful of items that looked promising.  Once we arrived and were seated at our table, I was concerned that a single item on my acceptable list might not quite be enough for me...  Which ultimately turned out to be false, but after some brief agonizing I ordered the roasted prosciutto wrapped asparagus and also the meatball.  Yes, you read that correctly, it was a single meatball.  In it's own defense, it was a pretty good size meatball dressed in a deep red sauce with a sprinkle of cheese and other seasonings.  I am not really sure how a single meatball really can be billed as shareable.  If sharing requires knife play among people who are hungry and under the influence, it may not end well.  The roasted prosciutto wrapped asparagus was portioned to ease sharing with a small group of 2 or 3.  Any more than that and the aforementioned bladed weapons again come into play.  I let my lovely wife sample both.  She was a little upset with me that I didn't tell her about the veal in the meatball until after she tasted the moist and tender deliciousness.  My subsequent assurances that it was humanely raised didn't seem to help much.  The red sauce was a deep dark red and the seasoning had a certain sharpness to it and a little bit of heat.  Not my favorite, but still a solid entry.  In addition to her distaste for veal, my wife is not a fan of a sunny side up fried egg.  So when I shared a bit of the prosciutto and asparagus with her, I was careful to avoid the egg placed on top.  Good news is that once her portion was carved out, I could attack the egg and let the yolk mix with everything else on the plate. It was an interesting combination of flavors and textures.  Sweetness from the sherry reduction... sharpness from the lemon parmesan vinaigrette...  saltiness from the prosciutto...a little bit of crunch from the asparagus...  and the egg yolk holding it all together.  I am not saying this is better than my friend RJ's take on oven-roasted Schinken ham wrapped asparagus and cheese, but better than average.  RJ sets the bar high.  That is why I am not revealing the cheese he uses or the source of the ham.  These are closely guarded trade secrets.   -sly smile-

Indeed a wild combination of ingredients, but a
tasty end result.  Everything tastes better with
an egg on top, right?  

That's a little less than half of a meatball.
Once again your (hungry) dining scout needed
prompting for the photo op.  

The Aurora Borealis of coal-fired pizza.  You are
going to love the chewy sourdough crust.

My wife is not constrained as I am by the carb watch, so she opted for the Aurora Borealis pizza minus the hot pepper flakes.  I teased her a bit, by telling the waiter she wanted the Aurora Boring pizza.  Surprisingly, I didn't get smacked.  She enjoyed it thoroughly and thought the Welsh cheddar was a nice touch.  Even though it was a thin crust, the sourdough gives it some backbone that most pizza crusts lack at that thickness.  The toppings were generous and cooked perfectly in the coal-fired oven.  The crust had a narrow edge with a pleasant char on it.  It was more than enough for two to share.  She brought home three slices for later this week.  

I washed it all down with a large bottle of Tieton Apricot Hard Cider.  It was sweet and full of fresh apricot flavor, but pricey enough to yield an unpleasant inquiry on the ride home.  As in "did you know HOW MUCH that cider cost?"  It was really good, so next time I will probably skip the second shareable and keep the beverage.  If I get to be too expensive a date, she may trade me in for another model.  That would be disastrous, and I am looking forward to going back to Natalie's.  The food was tasty and the emcee mentioned that Seldom Seen will be playing there later this year.  Good food, good company, good tunes.  What more do you need?  -BIG smile-

Your Dining Scout and Shade Tree Chef,

Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike

Natalie's Coal-Fired Pizza and Live Music, 

5601 North High Street, Worthington, OH

http://nataliescoalfiredpizza.com/

The Steel Wheels (official site)

http://www.thesteelwheels.com/

You Tube Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bK8IgS06oP8

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... Forget taco Tuesday, it's WIENER WEDNESDAY!!!

I know it has been awhile since
you all have seen the Kimmie sad
face, but you know what it means.

It has definitely been too long since your intrepid Dining Scout has taken the time to post anything to the blog.  I suppose I could trot out a basket full of lame excuses reminiscent of that pivotal scene in the movie The Blues Brothers as they are making their escape near the end of the movie.  I won't, though.  I'll just say I am sorry, show you the puppy dog face, and resolve to post more frequently.  One thing I would like to encourage my small, but dedicated band of followers is to please post some comments about what you read.  I hoped that this form of communication would be a bit more interactive than it has been so far.  Need your help to fix that.  Just look at that sad little Pug to the left.  Don't make her any sadder...  Post some comments.  If this post doesn't spur you at the keyboard, go back and re-read earlier posts and comment on them.  Pretty please.  
-earnest grin-

Tonight, my wife and I joined a good friend and former co-worker for a catch up dinner.  Don't be alarmed.  I am not suggesting anyone missed a meal.  We just hadn't seen each other in awhile and prefer to catch up over a meal and some adult beverages.  I spotted our destination about a week ago while out to lunch.  It's a relatively new (I think) establishment on North High Street  close to Weber Road.  I was intrigued by the name - OldSkool - and had to check it out.  After all, I consider myself to be fairly old school on more than a few personality dimensions.  My wife likes to tell me I was born in the wrong century, but that is a post all its own... I will save that for another day.  I found the OldSkool website, checked out the menu, and found some rather exciting news in there.  They had a good selection of hot dogs and on Wednesdays they are only $3 (Three Dog Night).  JACKPOT!!!  

-big smile-

Thankfully, Wednesday evening was good on our collective calendars and we convened at 6:00, ready to be Skooled.  We parked around back and I detected a pleasant aroma of smoking meat.  I won't say I raced to the front door, but I definitely put on some speed.  Our timing was good.  There was plenty of seating available both inside and outside.  Since the weather was pleasant, they opened up the large garage-type doors on the front and you could feel the breeze even sitting inside.  I love the first weeks of summer. -contented sigh-  We elected to take a table inside, as the tables on the patio were all high-top tables.  I am also larger than the average bear and I wasn't too sure about the tall chairs.  Atmosphere inside was pleasant, although the music was a bit loud for me.  Not uncommon for an establishment of this type.  More a struggle for me as my hearing loss is more noticeable with substantial background noise.  

Our waitress stopped by immediately to take our drink orders and tell us about the daily feature (mentioned above).  All three of us ordered a beverage from the tap.  They had a couple of different beers, I tried a Hard Pear Cider.  All were excellent.  The drinks arrive promptly and the waitress helped us work through the menu to order our meals.  She made some good suggestions and I always appreciate that on my first visit.  Around the table, we sampled a few of the different specialty hot dogs, a sandwich, some tater tots and the house poutine recipe.  I am sure all my dedicated readers know that I am very particular when it comes to hot dogs.  All-beef is a must and bonus if they are jumbo.  Old Skool didn't let me down.  The Def Leppard was rockin' thanks to our waitress suggesting the sloppy joe sauce on it instead of the brisket chili.  How did she know I like things a little sweeter?   YUM!   I also devoured the Breakfast Club and a plate of house poutine.  Not necessarily traditional poutine, but we don't live in Canada either... OldSkool's variation is a winner in my book.  My wife enjoyed every bite of the Fleetwood Mac and tater tots with cheese.  Jim opted for the smoked chicken sandwich with honey chipotle bbq sauce and a side of tots.  Since we all emptied our plates and even polished off a shared dessert, I think it is safe to say we look forward to summer Skool.  If you try their deep-fried twinkie dessert, I expect you too will refuse to even consider eating one anywhere else ever again.  My apologies to the plethora of vendors at the Ohio State Fair.  

-sly grin-

I know you all are probably crushed I don't have any pictures of the food or the restaurant.  Please feel free to use your imagination.  I am slowly getting back into form.  If browsing this post has you hankering for a good wiener, just head on over to OldSkool and tell them Big Mike sent you.  If it is Wednesday, take a look around.  I may be there already.  

Your Dining Scout and Shade Tree Chef,

Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike

www.oldskool614.com

2941 North High Street (Clintonville)

Have you Hurd... You now have one less reason to fly through O'Hare Airport...

As any frequent traveler knows, there are a plethora of reasons to not fly through O'Hare Airport in Chicago if it can be avoided.  It seems that over the years, the airport has become known as the place where connecting flights are delayed so frequently, I wonder if Gene Roddenberry envisioned his first rift in the space time continuum while stuck interminably at the gate.

As bad as it could be from the on-time travel perspective, O'Hare possesses one great thing that every other airport in the world can only dream of.  If you've ever spent time at the United terminal there, I bet you know exactly what I mean. A GARRETT POPCORN SHOP!   I consider their CaramelCrisp popcorn to be one of the Seven Wonders of my snack food world.  I have payed a king's ransom to many friends over the years to pick some up for me as they pass through the airport.  I will not divulge my sources for fear of starting a bidding war for their logistical support.  I know I am not alone in this obsession either.  The prices they charge to get a tin of it delivered is patently obscene, but folks are more than willing to pay it.  Over and over again.

Well, it seems my fever has broken.  I found a local shop that also offers some FABULOUS caramel popcorn.  Shirley calls it Caramel to Die For and having tasted it, I wholeheartedly agree.  You can buy a variety of flavors by the bag or by the tin (tins refilled at a steep discount).  They pop and flavor enhance the popcorn right in the store on a continual basis.

I encourage you to sign up for their email club.  I did and immediately received my first benefit. When I handed in the registration card, the sales associate diligently read over my entries and promptly wished me a HAPPY BIRTHDAY and offered me a free small bag of my favorite flavor.  Since we had already secured a large bag of Caramel to Die For and a small bag of Dark Chocolate and Salty Caramel, I went for the Caramel Nut Cluster.  When asked if I planned to enjoy it immediately, I said "YES!"   She was kind enough to fill the bag all the way to the top, rather than leaving some room to seal the bag.  It was good that she did.  I munched away on it while walking to the car and might have emptied the bag completely if not for the extra generous portion.

I am not going to say it beats Garrett's, but it is definitely in the money.  And the location is in nearby Westerville.  I may never fly through O'Hare again.  Thanks Shirley.  (big smile)


Your Dining Scout and Shadetree Chef,
Michael Hurd, aka Big Mike

http://www.shirleyspopcorn.com/

15 North State Street
Westerville, OH 43081

Have you Hurd... Columbus may not be a cowtown, but locals love a great burger...

I have posed the following question to many of my friends and dining companions:  what food is Columbus best known for?  I must admit the responses are all over the map.  When I press folks with the question, it is really just a preface to sharing my humble opinion.  I am not sure if it has always been true, but I believe Columbus is evolving over time into Burgertown, USA.  White Castle and Wendy's both got started in Columbus.  Several other premium burger joints have opened locations in and around Columbus - Culver's, Five Guys, Smashburger, Steak 'n' Shake, Bare Burger, B Spot, and the Flipside.  Add to that the offerings of several other long-time locals like Thurman (& Son of Thurman), Club 185, and Brazenhead and I believe the evidence is convincing.  Central Ohioans love their burgers.  From the famous White Castle sliders on the small end of the scale to the Thurmanator on the other end.  In fact, I think the Thurmanator really breaks the scale.  Just ask Adam Richman of Man vs. Food.

Although it may be hard to fathom, there was a time in my life that I would not eat a hamburger or cheeseburger of any kind.  My aversion to peanut butter plus that might have earned me a 'picky eater' label through a good part of my childhood.  Thankfully, at some point during my mid-teens, someone came up with the brilliant idea to add bacon to a cheeseburger.  On a school trip, we stopped en route for a quick lunch at Hardee's.  I was devastated to learn that this particular location of Hardee's didn't have the hot ham and cheese sandwich on the menu and I was forced to pick some sort of burger offering or go hungry.  I bit the proverbial bullet and ordered a bacon cheeseburger topped with lettuce, tomato, and mayo.  After enjoying every single bite, I decided that burgers weren't so bad after all.  In the beginning I stuck to bacon cheeseburgers, but eventually decided I liked them even without the bacon.

Fast forward about thirty years and you will find that your Dining Scout not only enjoys a burger occasionally, but he will drive far and wide in search of a great one.  Thankfully, I didn't have to travel too far from the office when I visited the Stack City Burger Bar in the Union Station Cap on High Street.  I was joined on this mission by three good friends and co-workers - Stan, Alisha, and Gwennan.  We made sure to arrive early to avoid the normal Friday lunch crush, so we were seated immediately.  The atmosphere at Stack City is comparable to a couple of their local competitors - B Spot and Flipside.  They are in the corner of the Union Station Cap with large windows on two sides to provide good lighting on this sunny winter day.  The bar features prominently in the center of the dining room with both high top and regular tables along the perimeter with the larger part of the seating area furthest from the main entrance.  I would say it feels it a little more like a bar and a little less like a restaurant than I expected.  Maybe I missed the word BAR in the name.  (smirk)  Bar or not, I think they must have been cooking a good ration of bacon in the kitchen when we arrived, as the air was filled with the fragrance of smoky, salt-cured pork.(YUM!)

The menu at Stack City is fairly simple.  A handful of signature burger options with specific enhancements, a few salads, other sandwiches, plus shakes, and soft drinks. Since this was a lunch outing and nearly all of us had to go back to work afterwards, we didn't even consider the adult beverage options.  The selection of draft beers and other cocktails looked promising.  Definitely will come back some evening after work to try something with a little higher octane.

Big Stack City's
little brother (or sister?)...
The Earth Fare

Bigger picture necessary due to bigger burger.
BIG STACK CITY.  Plus a fried egg.  A chicken
was involved, but the cow was committed.

On our first visit, we all leapt headlong into the burger features on the menu.  Most of the options come in a 6 ounce or 9 ounce version.  The Big Stack City Burger would be one of the exceptions.  It comes with two patties tipping the scales at 9 ounces total.  I am not sure what I was thinking when I ordered it.  OK...  Maybe I do.  I struck at the heart of the beast by attacking the burger they put their name on.  Just a tad messy for lunch.  Left some evidence on my shirt. Guess that is why I keep a Tide stick in my top desk drawer.  I suppose if I came back to work without the evidence, I would have been disappointed.  The best burgers are always a little messy when you tear into them.  This one was no exception.  The Big Boy has been left in the dust.  I always wondered what it would taste like if they REALLY put a respectable portion of fresh (never frozen) ground beef in it.  My friends picked the Cowboy and Earth Fare, plus three different sides - simple fries, house made truffle chips, and onion rings.  The waitress was kind enough to serve the sides so that we could easily share them.  (JACKPOT!!!)

Onions Rings and Truffle
Chips.  YES!

Your dining scout is pleased to report that Stack City respects the cow, the potato, and the onion.  The burger was juicy, flavorful, and served on a bun that was more than up to the job.  The sides were all hot, crispy, and properly seasoned.  (sounds better than saying "ssaaalllltttyyy?")  If you asked me to pick a favorite, I would go with the simple fries.  This is only because I am not a huge fan of truffle oil in general and I like my onion rings cut a bit thinner.  Hard to bite through them when there are super thick.  You end up getting all the onion in the first bite and have half the breading still in your hand.  Maybe it's just my cross-bite rearing it's ugly head and the rest of the world lives for super thick onion rings.  This is in spite of years of corrective orthodontia, but I digress.

Last, but not least... The
Simple Fries... mmmmm.

After devouring the Big Stack City and eating more than my share of the cornucopia of sides, I didn't have any room left for a shake.  That's just fine, I suppose.  I will be back soon, especially if they decide to open for lunch every weekday instead of just Friday.  (subtle hint for the owners)  I would suggest that if you find yourself anywhere close to downtown Columbus and are in search of a great burger and a cold beer, look no further than Stack City.  Be sure to tell them Big Mike sent you.




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

http://www.stackcityburger.com/


   

Have you Hurd... The Eighties are making a comeback???

I am sure you may have heard or read on many occasions that certain elements of the American culture prevalent in the 1980's were making a comeback in more recent times.  While that may be true in the world of music and fashion, it is ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE in one critical aspect.  Back then, you couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting at least one restaurant with a killer salad bar.  Some fast food joints even dedicated a quarter of their dining room real estate to showcase their "garden-fresh" offerings.  There are still a few Central Ohio establishments that let their fresh produce shine -  Jason's Deli, Ruby Tuesday, and Frisch's Big Boy come to mind.

One location that has recently given it up is Luigi's City Pizza.  I was crushed like a grape when the waitress broke the news.  Their salad bar had bitten the dust.  The buffet equipment was still there, but it was looking lonely and pathetic in a now darkened corner of the dining room.  I was seriously hankering for an entree salad of my own making and my wife was jonesing for pizza.  Thought Luigi's was just what the doctor ordered.  I guess I completely missed this one.  The pizza was ok, but it was not really what brought me there.  (deep sigh)

Knowing what I know now, I am not sure when I will go back.  Thought my dedicated readers should be informed of this unfortunate development, as I may not be the only child of the Eighties when it comes to dining choices.  (big smile)

If you know of a great salad bar somewhere in your neighborhood, please let me know.  I will put a pin in my map and visit sometime soon.

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

Have you Hurd... When I come to town, cows start to quiver and pigs run and hide.

How could I have missed
this?  Hopefully, my dedicated
readership can find it in their
hearts to forgive me

Given most of my favorite foods involve at least one form of meat and a majority involve two or more, it is no surprise that I am always on the lookout for some good barbecue.  This is the barbecue that places large slabs of beef and pork in a smoky hardwood sauna to cook painstakingly slow over several hours until the meat has a nice dark crust and is fork-tender.  I suppose if I had a line of my own fragrances, one would definitely mimic the aroma of mesquite and apple wood smoke.  That tantalizing smoky aroma is the first thing that hit me as we walked through the door at Barrel & Boar in Gahanna.  Aside from feeling the smoky hardwood love, the decor is similar to Double Comfort in the Arena District.  Casual with a lot of copper and reclaimed wood.  The dining room is cozy, but we were lucky enough to beat the crowd on our first visit.  If you plan to go on a weeknight, I would suggest arriving by 6:00pm.  The crowd picks up quickly after that.



I was shocked I had never visited Barrel & Boar.  My radar must be off a little.  For the past several years, I worked just a few miles south on Hamilton Road.  Fortunately, a couple of good friends wanted to try the place out for the first edition of Restaurant Week.  For those unfamiliar with Restaurant Week, it is an fundraising event for the Mid Ohio Foodbank where local restaurants offer diners a prix fixe menu.  Generally, it is a three course menu (salad/soup, entree & side, dessert) with a few options in each course for a fixed price.  There may also be featured cocktails offered.  At the Barrel & Boar, the prix fixe menu was only $20.  A little more than some barbecue places, but (spoiler alert) it was definitely worth every penny.



In our foursome, three of us opted for the Restaurant Week menu.  The options for the first course were Brunswick Stew, Layered Cornbread Salad, and sausage & cheese biscuits with a spicy maple sauce.  I was intrigued by the layered cornbread salad and the others tried the sausage & cheese biscuits.  They both enjoyed the biscuits, although my wife thought it was just a tad spicy for her mild palate.  She shared a bite with me and it was delicious, but definitely a solid medium on the heat level.  I thoroughly enjoyed the layered cornbread salad.  It reminded my of my Dad's seven-layer salad.  Not sure this one had seven layers, but the base layer was sweet cornbread and they built a small but tasty salad on top of it.  MMMMMMM...  I give them bonus points for creativity.  Our lone Restaurant Week holdout ordered a garden side salad and I also had to try their sausage and cheese grits.  Money well spent on the grits.  I contemplated licking the bowl, but ultimately refrained.  I am pretty sure my wife appreciated that.  Maybe she will take me out again for the next edition of Restaurant Week?  One can only dream... --(Sly grin)

After polishing off the first course, the main course was not far behind.  Two of us ordered the Fourteen Hour Brisket and my wife picked the Smoked and Grilled Pork Loin.  I was on the horns of a dilemma being forced to choose between the pork and beef.  My wife graciously offered to order the pork and share some with me, so I could try both.  The brisket melted in my mouth like butter.  It was moist and tender with a perfect crust of seasoning on the edge.  The smoked and grilled pork loin had good flavor too, but was just a bit dry.  Not surprising as pork loin is so lean.  The brisket was served with baked beans and cole slaw.  These were also delicious, but the cole slaw was beyond exceptional.  I am not sure what they put in the the dressing, but it was fabulous.  Even my wife raved about it and she is not typically a fan of slaw.  I make a good creamy slaw dressing at home, but this was richer than my recipe.  Still talking about it several days later.  YUM!  I didn't get a taste of the green beans that accompanied the pork loin.  By the time I asked my wife for a sample, all that was left was a few pieces of bell pepper that she picked out of the beans.  Since I didn't want to hurt the chef's feelings, I ate every last smoky bite of the bell pepper.  

My lovely wife remembered to take
a picture of her meal first.

SHOCK!  I had already started
eating before she stopped me
to take a picture.

Since Restaurant Week is over, I won't bother detailing the third option for the main course.  I also got a good taste of the rib tips on their regular dinner menu, as the portion was generous and our good friend with the independent streak was unable to finish them.  Every bit as good as the brisket. (BIG smile)

Rib tips in the background.
OYO Maple Sour in the
middle.

The dessert course afforded three options: slow-cooker chocolate fudge cake, real banana pudding, and coconut cake.  I was having difficulty once again.  I thought the chocolate fudge cake would be heavenly, but I feel that banana pudding is a barbecue joint staple.  I waited until the last possible moment to commit.  Ultimately, I had to go with the banana pudding.  I didn't get even a snaky lick of the chocolate fudge cake from the other two.  Wars have been started by a man coming between a woman and a warm chocolate cake, so I didn't get pushy about it.  I enjoyed the banana pudding, but next time I will go for the chocolate fudge cake.

Overall, I would say the top spot on Big Mike's list of favorite barbecue joints in Central Ohio is now up for grabs.  Barrel and Boar made a rather strong first showing.  I will definitely be back soon.  In the meantime, I will close my eyes... Take a deep breath... and pretend I can smell the smoky hardwood love.    (Look of contentment)

So sue me, I took a few bites
before she once again
snapped a picture.

Slow cooker chocolate
fudge cake.  It tastes even
better than it looks.

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

http://614columbus.com/restaurant-week/
http://www.barrelboar.com/home.html