Don't Cry For Me Indochine- We Didn't Forget You

It's very rare that food moves me to tears, it's not that I'm that picky, it's just that it has to be THAT good to evoke those powerful emotions.

Or have a generous helping of jalepenos on it. At Indochine Cafe today it was a little of both.

I have to start out with saying that Jean and I went to Indochine WAAAY back in April, it was actually one of our first NTT before they even had a name. Unfortunatly, I thought she wrote the review since she had the pictures and she thought she sent the pictures and I was just being a lazy bum again.

It wasn't until this last week when I emerged from two major projects in my life (moving and a new menu at work) that we realized that we hadn't posted anything!

I'm not sure how you could ever forget anything as good as Indochine Cafe. Set in an "interesting" part of Hamilton Road, most people would pass it right on by. But beneath it's simple, but well kept exterior is the pride of a family, a culinary gem, and the realization of the American dream.

Family owned and run by Amp and Phuong Mi, he's from Laos and she's from Vietnam, they came to this country to escape the regimes of their home countries. Once you enter, you become a part of the family as well. (today Amp was making me try his own lunch that he had been trying to get back to all day!) And let me tell you... Can this family cook! Fresh, soul stirring food made by people who truly believe in what they are doing.

Back in April, Jean and I got a plethora of dishes, (all in the interest of the blog of course!) and even today I still got too much food! It's so hard to choose and even harder to not stuff myself stupid.

We started with the Cha Gio eggrolls and the Laotian style Goi Du Du, a green papaya salad with fried pork skins, tomato and cabbage. The Goi Thit Bo, grilled beef with onions, herbs and chili lime sauce is a favorite at our house.

You can't talk about Vietnamese cuisine without pho being the first thing discussed. Indochine's pho, as well as all their other soups, is heavenly. Fragrant broth, heaps of noodles, perfectly cooked meats and with the pho, a heaping side plate of basil, cilantro, jalapenos and bean sprouts to add as you see fit. The homemade rice noodles in chicken soup, Banh Canh Ga, are tender yet chewy, enrobed in a rib sticking chicken soup. Mi Xa Xiu, egg noodles with bbq'd pork are in a chicken broth that is lighter, but still fragrant and dotted with fried shallots and cilantro.

Not in the mood for soup? I'm just getting started... Bun Cha Gio Thit Heo Nuong is rice vemicelli with grilled pork, lettuce, carrots, daikon radish, bean sprouts and herbs with a sweet and spicy dressing and chopped.. egg rolls. Not kidding. This dish has a couple hot eggrolls chopped up and placed on top for an extra layer of texture and flavor. This is also my go-to dish for take out since it it just as good cold as hot.

Last, and most certainly not least is what brought me to tears today: Banh Mi.

A true product of two cultures as the result of colonization, banh mi is a crusty French baguette, split, smeared with butter and topped off with daikon, carrots, cilantro, jalapenos (hence the crying) and your choice of meat. I usually get the bbq pork and pate, but we all know how I feel about pate...

While there isn't anything in the way of desserts, you have to try the Ca Phe Sua, coffee topped off with condensed milk, or the Tra Thai, smoky, sweet thai tea with cream. You'll need some milk fat to tame those jalapenos..

You can call for weekend specials, and if they are anything like what the owner was eating for lunch today (squid stuffed with ground pork) you won't be disappointed.

Open Tuesday-Sunday 11 am to 8 pm, make sure you don't stuff yourself stupid (unless you want to) at this hidden gem.

Indochine Cafe

561 South Hamilton Road

Whitehall OH 43213

(614) 231 7357

Restaurant Week - The Banana Bean Cafe

Bob and I really enjoyed the Banana Bean Café when we went a few months ago. And I certainly enjoyed it when L3 and I did a NTT there. I’ve wanted to get back. But as happens with so many things we want to do, it just slipped away among all the things we need to do.

I was surprised to see that they weren’t on the Dine Originals’ website for Restaurant Week. They participated in the spring. And I know that they’ve held blogger events there. Then I heard through the grapevine that they were indeed participating. I have no idea why their menu was not listed. That was a major faux pas for whoever dropped the ball. In my estimation, the Banana Bean Café is one rockin’ restaurant. And I think everyone should go there at least once, I’m just sayin’.

As soon as I found out they were participating, I added them into the roster of our game plan. Originally we had planned to take a respite tonight and eat at home. *gasp* I know, I know. (I’m tellin’ ya, this Restaurant Week combined with the steroids after surgery is making my ass even bigger! As if…)

With Bob needing to head out of the house tomorrow morning at 0:dark30, he was wanting an early night. He’s doing the “Tour de Donut” ride just west of Troy, OH. Yes, my sixty something husband is riding his bicycle in a “timed ride” (not a race, he tells me) that takes five minutes off your total time for each donut eaten. He will be riding this with a friend that is 20 years younger, another that is 26 years younger, and yet another that is 53 years younger. I’m bettin’ on the 14 year old! By sheer consumption of total donuts ingested!


I digress. Back to the Banana Bean. So I asked Bob if he could get home a little earlier than normal and we’d hit happy hour for their $2 margaritas. We’d grab a quick dinner and be home for him to fine tune his bicycle, “the Mistress”. And he could get to bed early.


The Banana Bean has Happy Hour 4pm-7pm Monday through Friday. During this time they have $2 house margaritas and Hemingways, $1 Bud Light and a complimentary basket of chips and house-made salsa. If I'm remembering correctly, it is habanero salsa. Too hot for me! But I love the chips. Warm and salty. Mmmm.

The last time we were at the Bean we ate on the patio. It was just starting to be nice weather and we really wanted to eat outside. The patio was bland and boring, but it was outside. It kind of hit us that it was maybe an afterthought. Like, “oh yeah, we can call that a patio”.



Boy, were we surprised and happy to see the changes they’ve made to it. It is now called the “Parrot Head Patio” and it is bright and happy and a fun place to eat (other than the cigars & cigarettes). We sat under an umbrella and ordered up a couple of $2 margaritas and perused the menu. Now check out this deal. For Restaurant Week Banana Bean is offering one small plate & two brunch items for $20.09. That’s crazy! The brunch menu items run anywhere from $9-15, with most being in the $12-15 range. And they have added quite a few new items to the menu, making it even more interesting and fun!


For us the small plate was a no-brainer. We absolutely, positively, indescribably, simply must have the “Flash Fried Sweet Plantains”. At least that is my point of view. Lucky for me Bob agrees. I would need therapy for God knows how long if I went to the Bean and didn’t get plantains. Unthinkable!


That decision having been made, we moved on to looking at the brunch items. (What Bob and I did previously was order several items from the small plate menu and share. That was a great way to try things. We’ll definitely be back to do that again!) There were so many choices to make! New items that screamed to be tried! Old items that you want to have again because they knocked your socks off the first time around! If nothing else, Restaurant Week is sharpening my decision making skills!


I simply had to go with one of the new items, the “Lobster Hash”. Griddled Lobster & Red Bliss Potatoes, two Poached Eggs, Green Chile Hollandaise, and Simple Salad. This dish was absolutely awesome! The potatoes were perfectly grilled with crunch on the outside and fluff on the inside. The lobster sauce had big chunks of lobster and the poached eggs were right on. Topped with the green chile hollandaise…oh my. No simple salad was served, but I didn’t even notice it til I started writing this post! So apparently it wasn’t necessary. And another thing about Banana Bean is that the serving size is huge, but you most certainly are not sacrificing quality.


Bob ordered “Espresso Steak & Eggs” - Cocoa & Coffee Rubbed Flat Iron Steak, Two Fried Eggs and Skillet Potatoes. The steak was extremely tender; like melt in your mouth tender. Again, the potatoes were perfectly grilled and his eggs that were ordered “medium”, were actually medium. He cleaned his plate. And was he ever a happy guy!

We saved some of our plantains for dessert. That’s what we do. We eat half before and half after. Works for us!

So here is the summary: Restaurant Week at The Banana Bean is an amazing deal! We had Flash Fried Sweet Plantains - regularly $6, Lobster Hash - regularly $15 and Espresso Steak & Eggs - regularly $15. So we had a thirty six dollar meal for $20.09! Thank you Banana Bean Café and thank you Dine Originals Restaurant Week!

But let it be known that visiting the Bean even when it is not Restaurant Week is a great value. The food is just incredible and the portions are generous to a fault. And it won’t break the bank to eat there. The service is friendly and the atmosphere fun.

We certainly plan to go back multiple times. There are so many items on the menu that both Bob and I want to try. And we are anxious to take friends there that have not had the pleasure yet.

So look for us soon, Banana Bean! We’ll be back for sure!

The Banana Bean Café
340 Greenlawn Avenue
Columbus, Ohio
614-443-2262
http://www.bananabeancafe.com

Jean's making me hungry!

So I tried my hand at baklava ... can you smell it???

I'm so enjoying the blogs this week Jean. I hope to scope out some restaurants for lunch downtown soon and let you all know about them.

Restaurant Week - The Clarmont

It's funny. The Clarmont has been around forever. Longer than I've been around, anyway. And I think I've only been there once and that was many moons ago. But when I saw their Restaurant Week menu I was all over it. Lobster? Heck yes! I am so there!

So I called my big sis and asked her out for dinner. Lobster? Heck yes! She was so there! (Hmm...well, we're sisters afterall.)

We were the first ones for the dinner seating, which begins at 5pm. Hell, you tell us there's lobster in the pot for us and you'd better get out of our way!

Stepping into The Clarment is like stepping back in time. It has such a grand old feel to it. Like you're going to look at the bar and see Frank sitting there talking to Sammy. You know what I mean. It is just "old time cool".

Our server was a pleasant young lady named Megan and she took good care of us. Dare I say we had pretty much already decided on what we were going to have? The Restaurant Week menu states:

(Two) 1 and one quarter lb Whole Maine Lobsters and one side dish
or
6oz Bistro Filet and a Seafood Cake with two side dishes

What I didn't realize was that it also includes a salad. What a nice surprise. A crisp mixed lettuce side salad with a ripe tomato wedge started off the meal. Bread service was a basket of warm crusty bread with butter that also hit the spot.

And then came the main attraction. Arm yourselves with melted butter! These crustaceans were gorgeous! I believe I heard Elaine whimper. But I seriously could not attend to her because I was swooning on my own side of the booth. Sister, you were on your own at that point.

Elaine informed me that she had never tackled a whole lobster before. She asked me what to do. I gave her what I thought to be pretty darned sound advice. "Separate the lobster at the joints and treat it like a giant crab leg." That's all she needed to hear. She was off and cracking! Each time she would retrieve an especially intact huge hunk, she'd sing out, "OOOhhh, look at this!" She was only on the other side of the booth from me. Like I couldn't see her cracking and retrieving and dipping and eating...and then moaning? I had to have it announced for me? (Uh, but then if memory serves me correctly, maybe I might have been doing the same thing to her?) Hmm...must be that sister thing again.


Then there were the sides. I'd hate to forget about them because they were very good. Elaine had a baked sweet potato and I had a regular baked potato. When I saw her potato come out I immediately wished I'd gotten the same. I just forget how good a baked sweet potato can be. And The Clarmont has a special butter for them. Megan told us it had brown sugar, citrus and pineapple in it. Elaine gave me a bite and it was really good. I need to remember this and try to recreate that butter. My baked potato was perfectly cooked and served with choice of butter and sour cream. Choice? I think I'll just have both, thank-you-very-much.

We plowed throught those lobsters like nobody's business. We had lobster gunk and butter up to our elbows. At one point when I cracked a claw, a lobster bit flew through the air, across the table and landed on Elaine's chest. No worries. She shot lobster juice at me a time or two and I didn't complain.


Now having finished this feast you would think we'd be begging for mercy. Not us! Oh gosh no. Elaine declared it was time to look at the dessert menu. Well, there is no dessert menu. Megan rattled off an amazing array of pies and such, but when she said "creme brulee" Elaine stopped her. Creme brulee it was. And deliciously decadant it was. Oh the creamy cool goodness with the snap of the caramelized sugar on top. Just perfect.

In fact, this whole dinner was perfect! Lobsters, potatoes (i.e.carbohydrates), creme brulee and an evening with just me and my sis! (And yes, just so you know, she is like half my size but she can pack away the food like no tomorrow...did I mention she is my idol?)

Just perfect!


The Clarmont Restaurant
684 South High Street
Downtown at the Corner of
Sycamore and High
in German Village
614-443-1125
Thom Coffman, Propietor
http://www.clarmontrestaurant.com/

Restaurant Week - The Burgundy Room

Oh Boy, Oh Boy! Restaurant Week just keeps getting better and better! I wish Restaurant Week lasted 2 weeks because I'm having trouble scheduling all of this incredible dining time!

Last night Bob, a good friend of ours and I went to the Burgundy Room. What a treat! My friend Jenny has been telling me how good this place is and this is the first time we've been there.

Note to self: Listen more carefully to Jenny. The 70's apparently did not ruin her taste buds, they perhaps enhanced them.

First of all I like the space in this restaurant. The tables are not stacked almost on top of each other. There are booths and bistro tables and regular tables. You can sit at the front of the house or in the back, or there is always the bar. It's well done. I hate when the tables are so close together I can't get through easily. I know I'm not the only pudgy gal in this city, so I can't be the only one with that complaint! But that is so not a problem at the Burgundy Room. We chose a high sided booth so we would be able to have conversation while enjoying our meal.


Of course we started with the wine flights. Even though that is not part of the Restaurant Week menu, how can you go to the Burgundy Room and not have a wine flight? Right. I thought you'd agree.

Each of us ordered a different flight, suiting our different tastes. Our buddy ordered a flight of whites, I did Rieslings, and Bob of course had big reds. I love wine flights. They are so much fun. You get a taste of four different wines and might then decide to have a glass of what you like the best.


Okay, so on to dinner! Our first course was a choice of "Wedge Salad with Applewood Bacon, Heirloom Tomatoes, Candied Walnuts & Gorgonzola Dressing" or "Yellow Tomato Gazpacho". Our friend got the soup. After much haranguing about how long I was taking to take the photos and that his soup was getting cold *yuck, yuck*, he said it was delicious.


Bob and I ordered the wedge salad. It's been ages since I've had one. And it was so good! I'd forgotten just how good. See, I'm a big fan of iceberg. I know. I know. How untrendy can I be? Stick a straw hat on my head, a toothpick in my mouth and dress me in overalls! I just like it, darn it! Anyway, the bacon was crunchy and salty and the candied walnuts were a fantastic foil. Good salad!

Course two was "Seafood Paella", "Vegetable Lasagana with Wild Mushroom Bolognese" or "5 oz Strip Steak with Blue Mashed Potatoes, Haricot Verts and Lemon-Thyme Butter". Lordy! What is not to like about any of these?


While they all sounded delicious, there was no contest for me. I knew before we even got to the restaurant that I was having the Seafood Paella. I was so excited. I was like a little girl in the back seat asking, "Are we there yet?" And it was soooooo goooood! There were clams, mussels, scallops and the most delicious saffron infused rice. Oh I think I wept a little while we were eating. But did the men notice? Of course not.


Bob was digging into his entree, the Strip Steak, potatoes and haricot verts. And with good reason! The steak just about melted in your mouth. The mashed potatoes had blue cheese in them and just the right amount, too. Not too much to be overpowering, but enough to be present and noticed. And the beans were perfectly cooked.


My other date was feasting on the Vegetable Lasagna with Wild Mushroom Bolognese. And feast is an apt descripitive. The dish came to the table screaming hot. The cheese and sauce were still just about bubbling. And when he cut into it the chunks of vegetables and the mushrooms in the ragu were clearly visible. This dish was a beautiful thing.

But wait! There's more!


Course three...dessert. Can I just say...dear God in heaven. Strawberry shortcake...the shortcake was made by Elena Christina bakery (just incredible) split and filled with fresh luscious whipped cream and covered with sweetened macerated strawberries. Just delicious!


Bob had the Chocolate Mousse and a flight of Port wines. The mousse was smooth, deep chocolate with a rolled wafer cookie and a strawberry atop. The mousse was wonderful, but paired with the port, well that just sent it right over the top.

All three of us totally enjoyed our meal. And our server, Andy was the bomb! He was just great. He talked to us about the menu, his favorites, and steered us in the right direction (although I really don't think there could have been a wrong direction here).

Get to the Burgundy Room if you haven't been there. Listen to Jenny! Ask for Andy. And have a simply wonderful evening.

We did.

The Burgundy Room Short North
641 North High Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
614-464-wine
http://www.burgundyroom.net/

Restaurant Week: Pistacia Vera

*Sigh*

I have found Heaven.

Utopia, if you will.

It exists. In a place in German Village.

Right here in Columbus Ohio.

It's name is "Pistacia Vera" .

I kid you not. And no, I am not being over dramatic. Okay, I admit that sometimes I have been known to exaggerate a smidgen here or there. Artistic license when telling a story maybe. But not here. I totally swear on all that is carbohydrate that I am not inflating the truth. Really.

During Restaurant Week in the spring I had wanted to get to Pistacia Vera to try their dessert sampling. But as I said in an earlier post, we weren't well prepared for the rounds in the spring. So this time it was first on my list. And by first, I mean first. Remember we tried to go Monday?

I was so determined that Bob not forget that this was written in stone that I reminded him like a bazillion times. He has the patience of a saint. He never got testy at all...well, except for that one time. But I digress.

We had lunch at DeepWood yesterday and then headed to German Village to locate my destination. I was so excited that I was finally going to get to try their macarons. And months earlier when Dine Originals was offering their gift certificates I had purchased one for here. So I had that baby tucked in my purse as well.

*Note: You cannot use any coupons or other discounts on Restaurant Week offerings.

I had spent that $10 certificate about fifty times over. I'm like that. I just keep respending something like that over and over in my head. You get the shopping rush without all the guilt. But then when it comes down to decision time, it can make it a bit rough.

First of all, when we walked into the shop I fell in love. I love the clean crisp atmosphere of the bakery. I love the pristine cases with the macarons lined up like little pastel soldiers awaiting orders from the baker general. I love the cakes and tortes on shelves underneath, providing support and backup for those macarons. I love the tiers of pate de fruit; each a more stunning gem than the one underneath it.

And I love the pistachio sculpture. Oh, how I love that sculpture.

I want to live there.

But Bob pulled me back from the brink of pastry insanity that threatened to claim me. I had to make a choice. The Restaurant Week assortment allows you to choose two of the many flavors of macarons.

How could I possibly make a choice? Please! don't make me choose. If I choose one I might offend the others!

What? Am I crazy? ...wait. Don't answer that. But the decision was excruciating. You look at the options and tell me what you think!

12 seasonal flavors include:
chocolate, mocha hazelnut, strawberry rose, orange apricot chamomile, caramel pecan, pistachio, lemon, white chocolate coconut, lavender honey, mint chocolate, black raspberry & Madagascar vanilla bean

Yeah, I thought so. Back to reality. We made our choices and the gals packed them up for us. But wait! We were so close to Elaine's work that I couldn't in all good consciousness drive by with these in the car and not stop and share. Bob agreed. And afterall, I still had that certificate in my purse. So I chose two macarons for her, the mocha hazelnut and the pistachio, and we dropped them off. I had a text before we even got home. She was smitten.

So Bob and I set off to sample our treasures. We split each and every offering. For our pate de fruit we had chosen the cherry kirsch and passion fruit. For the macarons Bob chose black raspberry and I decided on the lavender honey (sorry remaining soldiers...but I'll be back).

Our Restaurant Week sampler included the above pate de fruit, the above macarons and lemon pinenut tart, chambord flourless truffle torte, raspberry plum frangipan, carmel peanut butter feuilletine, pistacio honey nougat and choice of two beverages (hot coffee or hot tea).

Upon completion of the tasting menu my knees were weak. The beauty of the desserts is what first captures your attention. Then the tastes are so incredible I really don't even know how to describe them in a way that would do them justice. (But the macarons absolutely totally rock!)

All of the choices were pretty awesome. For me the macarons ruled. The lemon pinenut tart is to die for, but then I am a fool for lemon curd and this is fresh squeezed lemon curd! The pate de fruit simply must be tasted to be believed. It is the absolute essence of the fruit.

I've got to stop! Just go to Pistacia Vera and try them please. I promise you that you will be so happy you have found them.

I know I am!

Pistacia Vera
541 South Third Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
614-220-9070
Open: Tuesday - Saturday 10am - 7 pm & Sunday 10am - 5pm

Restaurant Week - DeepWood: An American Tavern

Yesterday I neglected to share the link to the Dine Original's site. I apologize for the oversight.
http://www.dineoriginalscolumbus.com/database/rw.php

This afternoon Bob and I decided to have lunch on the way home from my post op appointment. We took a look at some of the offerings from the Restaurant Week’s menu and zeroed in on DeepWood. I’ve read several very good reviews and have been anxious to try it.

Well let me tell you it did not disappoint in any way. We fell in love the minute we walked through the door. DeepWood is located on North High Street, just north of the North Market. (That’s a whole lotta norths!) We were immediately greeted upon entering the dining area and taken to one of the high, almost private booths. (Great ambiance for sweethearts.) The furnishings are fun. There are the aforementioned booths, round tables, square tables, seats at the bar and booths at the front window with pillows. The wood on the floor and bar is absolutely beautiful. It is such a warm and inviting atmosphere.

John, our server, was exceptional. His attention to detail was truly appreciated; he even anticipated our wants/needs before we did! He was absolutely charming.


We began with drinks while we looked at the menu. I chose the house made lemonade, and it was perfect! It was tart, but not overly so. Obviously fresh, and ice cold just the way I like it! Bob was going to go with a glass of wine, but when he saw the Black Bicycle Beer he changed course. This beer is smooth, dark, full of flavor, has a creamy head and is not too sweet. According to Bob, it is what Guinness aspires to be.


For my starter I went with the Chef's soup. Today it was tomato bisque. Mmm...it was the essence of summer. This soup was smooth and creamy with such a lovely bouquet. Each spoonful was pure bliss.


Bob went for the Pork Rillette. Usually this would be pork, slow cooked and mixed with enough fat to form a paste. In general most rillettes are served cold, as a spread with toast points, much like a pate. DW's rillette was more like shredded or pulled pork. Alongside the small bowl of rillette, there were indeed 3 toast points, a small mound of whole grain mustard and mache dressed in a light vinaigrette. This was divine. What a delightful appetizer!


John brought us a basket of bread in between the first and second courses. The lavash was light and airy with a wonderful assortment of seeds. The walnut bread was a dark brown bread which may have had molasses in it. Served with butter sprinkled with maroon sea salt, both of the breads were delicious. But to my palate, the walnut bread rocked! I do believe I could have eaten an entire loaf. Good thing he didn't offer it!




My entree was a no brainer. Bob even took one look at the offerings and stated the obvious. No contest, I was having the Country Fried Chicken. I adore all manor of fried chicken. I even love the Colonel. That is how loose and easy I am when it comes to fried chicken. I simply cannot say no. And this was so way ahead of the Colonel that I may never look back after today. DeepWood's chef has a way with chicken. It was moist, juicy, and so flavorful that I swooned. Right there in my seat I swear I swooned. And to put earrings on the elephant, it was served with a dish of homemade gravy. I know...I know...it was the stuff dreams are made of. Along with that was a haricot vert potato salad. The dressing was made with the same whole grain mustard that was served with the rillette. This was incredible!


Bob's choice was the Steak Sandwich. This was perfectly cooked, tender skirt steak on a house made baguette with smoked cheddar, arugula, and served with pomme frittes (french fries) and house made ketchup. This was excellent also, but I think he was secretly jealous of my chicken! Seriously, the skirt steak melted in your mouth. The ketchup was quite the star, and every single crumb was gone. So I ask you, how bad could it have possibly been?


The dessert offering was just the perfect way to end this feast. We were presented with ice cream and cookies. The cookies were baked to order and were still warm. The scoop of vanilla ice cream between the two cookies was just beginning to melt. Heaven, I tell you.

What a delightful meal! Our first visit will most definitely not be our last. As we sat enjoying our meal and listening to the cool jazz playing in the background, we could think of so many people we needed to tell about this place. How could we not have been here before? And why was it not packed?

On our way out we stopped to chat with another couple that was just beginning their meal. As I suspected, it turned out to be none other than Hungrywoolf. What a pleasure to meet her! We had a brief, but lovely conversation and then we were off to our next stop...Pistacia Vera...more about that later! Take a moment to visit Hungrywoolf's blog at http://hungrywoolf.com/about/.

And do yourselves a huge favor and visit DeepWood. Look for us! I know we'll be back, and soon!

DeepWood: an American Tavern
511 North High Street
Columbus OH 43215
614-221-5602

Dine Originals Restaurant Week September 7-13, 2009 Surly Girl Saloon

Today kicks off the beginning of Dine Originals Columbus Restaurant Week. This is the second one this year. The first was in the spring and caught us up short without much time to participate. Bob was traveling and we were only able to take in one meal at The Top, on the last night. So this time around we have our game plan. Hopefully you will get to see something this week that will speak to you. And you'll crave it until you just say "What the heck?" and go get it for yourself!

I have been dying to try the "Parisian Macarons" at Pistacia Vera. At the last restaurant week their offerings were top rated. So we were all set to trek on down there (in the pouring rain, I might add) and my dear husband had the brilliant idea to make sure they were open before we left; what with it being a holiday and all. So he called and yeah, you guessed it. Closed. Dang. This game plan thing wasn't working so well.

We regrouped and decided that instead of just getting dessert today, we would begin our dinner adventures. We looked over the offerings, and while it was not easy to weed them out and narrow down the choice, we finally decided on Surly Girl Saloon. I’ve never been there, but I know L3 likes it a lot.


Surly Girl Saloon is located on North High. Very popular. Very fun. Your basic neighborhood bar in the short North.

As with most of the restaurants this week, they offer a 3 course menu, with choices on each course.



We were in a saloon. We needed drinks! They have 24 beers on tap. Bob began with Great Lakes Brewing Company’ s Elliott Ness. I chose to go with a Surly Cider.


For our choice of appetizer we decided on the "Slap Your Bottom" Red Bean Hummus served with toasted pita and assorted fresh veggies. This was really good! I have never thought of making hummus with red beans before, but you can bet I will now. The hummus was creamy with hints of cumin and cayenne pepper. It finished in the back of your throat with some heat so I spread it thinly. This was served with slices of really fresh cucumber, ripe tomatoes, celery sticks and carrot sticks. There was way more than plenty for the two of us. We enjoyed that quite a bit.


For my entree I chose the Cajun Meatloaf with poblano mashed potatoes and cornbread stuffing. This was pure comfort food. It was food for the soul. A thick slab of meatloaf served with cornbread stuffing that was good consistency and not gummy (which I think stuffing can easily be). Alongside were poblano mashed potatoes. All were given a healthy drizzle of brown gravy. The only drawback for me was spiciness of the mashed potatoes. I was surprised because I didn't expect this from poblanos. But then again we all know what a wimp I am when it comes to spicy. So certainly don't let my opinion hinder you from ordering this. I'd order it again in a heartbeat!


Bob's dinner was the Gorgonzola and Bacon Rotini baked with broccoli, tomatoes, bacon, gorgonzola cheese and a sprinkle of french fried onions. This was served with two long slices of toasted multigrain baguette. And it was truly delicious! The hot pasta and broccoli with the cold tomatoes on top were a contrast that really worked! Gorgonzola is an Italian blue cheese that is salty but not overpowering. Its presence here works to pull this dish all together. We both liked it quite a lot.


The dessert choice was Surly Girl's signature Chocolate Cayenne cupcake or the cupcake du jour. We said, "YES!" We'll take one of each. Bob and I are very good at sharing. The cupcake du jour was Pina Colada. When they came we split them down the middle so we each had a taste of both. While the chocolate was good (there was that spicy thing happening again) I clearly leaned toward the Pina Colada...but then of course we all know I've never been one to turn down any cupcake!!!

Surly Girl Saloon
1126 North High Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
614-294-4900
Hours: 11am-2am Daily

I'm Back!!!

As most of you know I have been down for the count for a bit. But I am back now.

Since today begins the Dine Originals Columbus Restaurant Week, I'll be covering what I can of those. But before I do that, I want to just tell you about some of the most wonderful and generous people in my life.

It's my blog and I can do that! I promise I won't go on and on. But I think you might be interested in some of the "care" I got.

I basically had outpatient sinus surgery. Not a huge deal. I knew the recovery wasn't going to be easy. But I really wasn't prepared for what it turned out to be. So thank the lord for my family and friends! They are so incredibly awesome!!!

First Elaine (star sister) brought over her famous lobster bisque. Oh yeah. And she brought homemade dill pickle spears. A woman going straight for my heart. This lobster bisque is just unbelievable. It was so nice for Bob to have that to come home to from the hospital the night of surgery.

And then Pastor Bob came to the hospital to visit; and Cara & Sandy showed up bearing flowers and crazy slippers, writing musings of princess tails on the nurse's chalkboard and setting me up for all kinds of crap from them later! LOL

I came home to Clint & Virna bringing chili and salad and apple pie. Sooo good!!! This from Virna who would rather slit her wrists with a dull object than cook! Must have been a labor of love, indeed.

Then comes Janie with this delicious chicken rice soup and ciabatta bread. It was wicked good!

Next night Julie brought Italian chicken with noodles and salad and banana bars (recipe on this blog!). And if you've had these banana bars you know what I'm talking about.

You see a pattern here? Weight gain, in two words. But so much fun!

Then came "meow", sending a "package" with Tom to make an exchange of goods with Bob at work. Oh my! Susan's Hungarian goulash, cucumber salad, blueberry muffins and her addicting Jan Hagels (cookies that you just cannot stop eating...even if you wanted to!). Included in her package was a gorgeous bouquet of pink roses, pink mums, and baby's breath. Oh it was stunning! And it so lifted my spirits.

And last but by far not least, Kathy and Donald brought dinner over Saturday night. Wow. W.O.W. Ina Garten's 5 cheese penne pasta, salad, homemade pesto with artisan olive bread from the North Market, melon wrapped in prosciutto and Jeni's ice cream for dessert (salty caramel and bourbon pecan). I have pictures and recipes for this one that I will post soon. It was absolutely indescribably delicious!!!

So now that I am feeling ever so much better and have been well taken care of by those I love, I am off to begin adventures of Restaurant Week!

Stay tuned!

Heirloom Recipe???

It seems my future daughter-in-law just swoons when she has the spinach dip I make. Nothing special ... but she has to have the recipe, and in fact has asked the caterer to make it at their wedding! That being said, I thought I'd share with you.

Spinach Dip
1 10 oz pkg frozen, chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
1 cup mayo
1 cup sour cream
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 can water chestnuts, chopped
1 envelope Lipton or Mrs. Grass vegetable soup mix
Dillweed to taste, if desired
Mix together, refrigerate overnight. To serve: hollow out a sourdough or pumpernickle round of bread. Place dip in the middle of the bowl. Chunk and use bread removed from center to dip. Also good with fresh vegetables or with corn chips!

Grandma Bayly Sandwiches

Late summer tomatoes. From your very own garden. Planted by your own dear spouse. Handpicked by your very own hands. Is there anything better?

You want to do something very special with them. You want to showcase the freshness of these rare gems. What to do?

Well in our house there is absolutely no contest. We made Grandma Bayly sandwiches. Sheer bliss. A sandwich so pure and so good that it literally leaves you speechless.

My dad’s mother used to make these for him when he was little. I never met her. She died long before I was born. But I know what an amazing woman she was. I know stories upon stories about her. I know she taught my mother her love of cooking. And even though my mother died when I was a young girl, she taught me my love of cooking. Elaine knows of what I speak. Jenny knows of what I speak. A part of our heritage, these Grandma Bayly sandwiches.

So I didn’t even hesitate. I made salsa with the smaller tomatoes, but these beauties were reserved for the piece de résistance…Grandma Bayly sandwiches.

They are quite simple, really. And many of you may make them and call them something else. You’re allowed.


Take your bread; white is traditional, however some (i.e. Jenny) will blasphemy and use whole wheat. I let her get away with that little faux pas. Toast the bread and spread it with real mayonnaise. Place a thick slab of tomato on, and top it with another piece of mayonnaise toast. You may salt the tomato if you are so inclined. And that is it. A masterpiece!

Caution: The first bite will induce moans and swooning. You may want to sit down before engaging the sandwich.

Note: I am aware of the absence of photos of the finished product…Bob and I simply lacked the self control to wait long enough to take pictures. I make no apologies.

Because they truly are that good!

Just ask Elaine & Jenny.

Matcha Green Tea Cupcakes

The cupcake gods have smiled on me today. I was beginning to get worried. While last week’s cupcakes weren’t a total bust (like the week before) they still were not what I’d been hoping for. But this week’s cupcakes…oh my. Just what I was looking for.

These are more of an adult cupcake...I think.

First of all, let’s talk about matcha. From Wikipedia:

Matcha is made from shade-grown tea leaves also used to make gyokuro unlike other forms of powdered tea.
The preparation of matcha starts several weeks before harvest, when the tea bushes are covered to prevent direct sunlight. This slows down growth, turns the leaves a darker shade of green and causes the production of amino acids that make the resulting tea sweeter.

Only the finest tea buds are handpicked. After harvesting, if the leaves are rolled out before drying as usual, the result will be gyokuro (jewel dew) tea. However, if the leaves are laid out flat to dry, they will crumble somewhat and become known as tencha. Tencha can then be de-veined, de-stemmed, and stone ground to the fine, bright green, talc-like powder known as matcha. It can take up to one hour to grind 30 grams of matcha.
Note that only ground tencha qualifies as matcha, and other powdered teas are known as konacha ("powder tea").
The flavor of matcha is dominated by its amino acids. The highest grades of matcha have more intense sweetness and deeper flavor than the standard or coarser grades of tea harvested later in the year.

For me, what this tea is about is an earthiness. It has a quality that is difficult to explain, but I really like it. I am a big fan of green tea ice cream-just ask anyone at Eastern Palace! When it comes time for dessert, they ask everyone else at the table what they’re having and just bring my green tea ice cream! It’s pretty funny!

And I think it is something you really like or you don’t. For me it resonates. Then there is the color. Green desserts might be off-putting to some. For me, the color of food made with matcha is just downright cool. They look like something Elphaba would eat! "Wicked" fans know just what I’m talking about! (Read: Wicked Witch of the West…only the greatest role ever to come out of Hollywood!)

Now about this recipe…WOW. There is simply nothing to not like here, folks. The cake is light and moist and the prettiest green and just delicious. It has a hint of that wonderful earthiness I was talking about. I had to slap my own hands to make myself stop eating these before I could get them iced! And then when the icing was added on…HOLY SMOKE BATMAN!!!

I really hope you’ll give these a try. The matcha is pretty readily available because of its increased popularity, and it is becoming more mainstreamed in pastries here in the states. Take a walk on the wild side and bake something green! Actually, the kids might dig them afterall!!!

Matcha Green Tea Cupcakes
From: http://www.foodmayhem.com
~makes 12 regular sized cupcake + 24 miniature cupcakes

Cupcakes:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cake flour
4 teaspoons matcha powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream

Frosting:
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
4 teaspoons matcha powder
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (325 degrees F with convection). Place muffin liners in a mini muffin tin and a regular muffin tin.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, sift together all purpose flour, cake flour, matcha powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat together sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla.

4. Alternating between dry mix and sour cream, stir into the wet mixture until just combined.

5. Fill mini muffin cups so that the tin looks about 2/3 full.

6. Bake mini muffins for 10 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove and let it cool for 10 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.

7. While mini cupcakes bake, fill regular sized tin a little more than 2/3 full. Bake for 15 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a cooling rack. Cool cupcakes completely before frosting.

8. To make frosting, sift together confectioner’s sugar and matcha powder. Set aside. Using a heavy duty mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together cream cheese, butter, and vanilla on medium speed for 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and add sugar/matcha gradually. Once all of the sugar/matcha is mixed in, increase speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes more. Frost with piping bag.