Mother's Day Dining
Restaurants flourish despite economy
Thursday, April 30, 2009 3:20 AM
By Jon Christensen
FOR THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
The restaurant industry has faced a difficult past six months.
The ravages of the declining economy have prompted price reductions in several ways: new items at lower prices, more small-plate and half-serving options, and more fixed-price offerings.
Yet, amid such trying times, many central Ohio restaurants continue to thrive.
Semiannually, just before Mother's Day and in the fall, The Dispatch presents its list of Top 20 restaurants.
The latest version of the Top 20, abbreviated from the annual Dining Guide in September, reflects changes in the culinary scene.
The primary criterion for inclusion: quality of the food.
The value, surroundings and level of service are taken into consideration. So, too, are other factors, such as the reservation policy, noise level, menu variety and attention to detail (the quality of the bread, olive oil and butter, for example).
The "Top 10" restaurants represent the best of the best; the second 10 -- dubbed "The Next Tier" -- are also deserving of mention. Both are presented alphabetically.
THE TOP 10
BARCELONA RESTAURANT & BAR
263 E. Whittier St.,
German Village
614-443-3699
reservations recommended
www.barcelonacolumbus.com
The busy, noisy remodeled Victorian dining room and gorgeous smoke-free garden setting are well-served by a professional staff.
The kitchen has put Spanish dishes on the Columbus map, offering more diverse paellas than any other restaurant, outstanding seafood stew (zarzuela) and even Spanish desserts such as a half-pineapple with a caramelized coating and Catalan custard sauce.
The wine list has a large number of food-friendly choices, but be alert for high markups.
Serving lunch weekdays, dinner daily; off-street and valet parking.
DEEPWOOD
511 N. High St., Short North
614-221-5602
reservations recommended
www.deepwoodrestaurant.com
Two pleasantly divided areas, replete with various types of wood, create a comfortable and inviting atmosphere -- without a feeling of crowding or excess noise.
Its new American menu is full of pleasant twists, from first courses (beet salad with freshly and accurately cooked beets with Basque cheese) to myriad main dishes (fresh fish roasted over potato-and-cabbage hash as well as a duck breast with an accompanying cherry sauce that is a true complement and not an afterthought).
Desserts get plenty of attention, too -- including a macaroon baked into a serving dish and topped with berries and custard, and a dizzying variety of house-made ice creams and sorbets.
The wine list has many excellent selections, at prices lower than most others.
Serving lunch Tuesday through Friday, dinner Monday through
Saturday; on-street and valet parking.
DRAGONFLY NEO-V CUISINE
247 King Ave., Victorian Village
614-298-9986
reservations recommended
www.dragonflyneov.com
The signature of this restaurant is its vegan cuisine, prepared to the highest standards.
The seasonal menu, offering an amazing diversity of ingredients, includes more exotic mushrooms than any other restaurant (risotto topped with poached trumpet mushrooms, among others, or hon-shimeji mushrooms "calamari-style").
Chewy house-made gnocchi with a Provencal twist, house-made sorbets and ginger cake are among a truly eclectic collection of dishes made without meat, seafood, eggs or dairy products.
The interesting wine list favors organic and unsulfured wines.
During pleasant weather, consider the chef's table and other outdoor seating.
Serving brunch on Saturday, dinner Tuesday through Saturday; on-street parking.
HANDKE'S CUISINE
520 S. Front St.,
Brewery District
614-621-2500
reservations recommended
www.chefhandke.com
New owners Tim and Laurie Phalen have maintained the charm and character the restored brewery cellar.
Former owner Hartmut Handke's high standards as well as several of his specialties (buffalo loin, award-winning duck three ways) and the tradition of serving exotic mushrooms in a variety of presentations also remain.
For extra value, look for the fixed-price "light" menu and the five-course tasting menu. And eliminate the agony of choosing a dessert by ordering Handke's "symphony" of several desserts.
The wine list complements the high standards of the food but is expensive.
Serving dinner Monday through Saturday; on-street and valet parking.
KIHACHI JAPANESE RESTAURANT
2667 Federated Blvd.,
Northwest Side
614-764-9040
reservations recommended
Kihachi is no ordinary Japanese restaurant. The quest for fresh ingredients of the highest quality is evident in the appe-tizers and daily changing menu.
Written in Japanese, the menu is cheerfully translated by the two English-speaking servers.
The wine list is perfunctory and not representative of the food standards.
Serving dinner Monday through Saturday; ample parking.
LINDEY'S
169 E. Beck St., German Village
614-228-4343
reservations recommended
www.lindeys.com
Lindey's is weathering the economic storm with a bustle of business, from its vibrant bar on the main floor to the homey-but-elegant dining areas.
The menu favors seasonal produce, from the complimentary amuse-bouche (two kinds of melon tossed with arugula and olive oil) to entree specials (gently sauteed trout with fresh Broccolini).
Vegetarian dishes aren't neglected either (mushrooms and goat cheese oven-roasted in puff paste, accompanied by multi-flavored tomato ragout).
There are plenty of desserts to savor, too. (The tarte Tatin still has more apple than even the tallest pie.)
The wine list offers plenty of reasonably priced food-friendly selections.
Serving lunch and dinner daily, brunch Saturday and Sunday; limited on-street parking, valet parking.
THE REFECTORY RESTAURANT & BISTRO
1092 Bethel Rd., Northwest Side
614-451-9774
reservations strongly recommended
www.therefectoryrestaurant.com
The converted old brick church provides an upscale, romantic but not stiff setting; the well-staffed service is as accomplished as the classic French cooking; and the world-class wine cellar and wine list deserve special mention. (The list is not as expensive as most lesser ones.)
The menu is a wide-ranging collection prepared with classic techniques, featuring several game dishes. You can safely assume that everything is made there (for instance, the veal, rabbit sausage and lobster ravioli).
Desserts are also worthy of mention. Current standouts include frozen Chartreuse-pistachio souffle and house-made sorbets with fresh fruit.
Serving dinner Monday through Saturday; ample parking.
RIGSBY'S KITCHEN
698 N. High St., Short North
614-461-7888
reservations recommended
www.rigsbyskitchen.com
The dramatic black-and-white setting complements an equally dramatic Italian-staged menu. Courses begin with consistently excellent pastas (including house-made ravioli) and risottos (a farro risotto with freshly shelled peas and fava beans finished with sweet-tart saba -- unique in town).
Entrees of fresh fish and meats are prepared mostly in Mediterranean styles (natural pork pounded thin, cooked scaloppine-style and finished with a porcini-Marsala-juniper sauce).
A new dessert list is almost entirely house-made and includes budino, a type of butterscotch creme brulee.
The wide-ranging wine list includes some good buys.
Serving lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday; on-street and valet parking.
ROSENDALES
793 N. High St., Short North
614-298-1601
reservations recommended
www.rosendales.com
The high-energy, urban-chic setting boasts upscale cuisine that confidently modernizes old-time Americana while using cutting-edge cooking to create new dishes.
The dessert lineup is equally intense, recasting tapioca, creme brulee, carrot cake and other traditional dishes with a high-tech touch.
The large wine list is extremely well-chosen and food-friendly; its only handicap is a too-aggressive markup formula.
Note that Rosendales will be moved upstairs to a more intimate space sometime this spring; the lower level will be devoted to a new, lower-priced Rosendales Modern Bistro.
Meanwhile, the adjacent Details venture has an unusual lineup of small plates prepared with the most modern techniques in an upscale industrial setting.
Serving dinner Monday through Saturday; on-street and valet parking.
THE WORTHINGTON INN
649 High St., Worthington
614-885-2600
reservations recommended
www.worthingtoninn.com
Fresh ingredients find their way into more than the main courses. Thus, a salad might have slices of perfectly cooked and lightly marinated beets, olives (cured on-site) and real croutons; and the desserts include a stack of crepes with fresh, lightly cooked apples inside and butterscotch sauce on top.
In between, a tenderly cooked duck breast is intensely garnished (wild rice with cranberries, bacon and almonds; fresh brussels sprouts cooked with high-quality bacon); and a fillet of striped bass is sauteed on its skin side, giving its flesh a poached quality.
The wine list has been expanding, with commendable results; a few of the selections are relative bargains.
Serving lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday, brunch on Sunday; on-street and off-street parking.
THE NEXT TIER
BLACK CREEK BISTRO
53 Parsons Ave., Olde Towne East
614-246-9662
reservations recommended
www.blackcreekbistro.com
A salad with extremely fresh baby chard and beet greens, small plates that include barbecue-glazed lamb chops with mustard and soy sauce, and imaginative main dishes (exotic mushrooms stewed with potatoes, naturally raised chicken prepared confit-style) are typical of the farm-driven menu of the funky Downtown boite.
Among the desserts worthy of mention: coconut mousse on a house-baked cookie.
The small wine list covers a large range and is one of the less expensive ones around -- especially the reserve section, with all bottles priced at state minimums.
Serving lunch weekdays, dinner Monday through Saturday; on-street and valet parking.
HUNAN LION
2000 Bethel Rd., Northwest Side
614-459-3933
reservations recommended
The interior is elegant, well-lighted, spacious without seeming cavernous, quiet and well-maintained.
Superbly prepared Thai offerings are highlighted by the curry dishes -- green (think scallops and shrimp in a light but flavorful sauce), yellow and red (such as the duck breast with bamboo shoots) -- because of the commitment to preparing the complex of curry seasonings on-site, from scratch.
The Thai list is just one page of the large menu, which is devoted primarily to equally well-prepared Hunan, Szechwan and Cantonese dishes.
The wine list is comparatively large, with high markups.
Serving lunch and dinner daily; ample parking.
L'ANTIBES
772 N. High St., Short North
614-291-1666
reservations recommended
www.lantibes.com
Though under new ownership, the quiet, intimate L'Antibes has maintained its base of country French cooking, often with exquisite preparation (poached salmon on spinach and fennel-root puree).
The dessert-worthy choices include a chocolate-almond torte as well as a pear poached in gewurztraminer and napped with lemon yogurt.
The expanded wine list, unfortunately, includes selections at vastly inflated prices.
Serving dinner Tuesday through Saturday; on-street, off-street and, on weekends, valet parking.
LUCE ENOTECA
3499 Market St., Powell
740-881-4600
reservations recommended
www.luce-enoteca.com
The selection of small and large plates is flavorful and colorful. Consider daily specials (such as lightly grilled mahi-mahi over smoked cheese risotto with garnishes of pea puree and an intense tapenade) or menu regulars (chargrilled lamb chops over mushroom risotto with a reduction of pomegranate and balsamic vinegar).
The equally worthy dessert menu is best sampled via the tapas plate.
The varied wine list boasts what might be the most wallet-friendly prices (which are reduced even further on Wednesdays, when all bottles are discounted $5).
Serving lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday, dinner Sunday; ample parking.
M
2 Miranova Place,
Miranova Corporate Tower, Downtown
614-629-0000
reservations recommended
www.matmiranova.com
The menu features mostly updated American dishes and steaks, commendably showcasing heartland ingredients -- including elegantly sauteed Amish chicken served over Ohio-grown root vegetables; and veal loin with a classic meat-stock reduction, shiitake-flavored.
The elaborate decor has stood the test of time, with some of its lighting elements changing throughout the evening.
Coffee and doughnuts, a root-beer float and cake and ice cream are among the dessert offerings.
The wine list is huge, not cheap, with a wide range of the wine world.
Serving dinner Monday through Saturday; valet parking.
TUCCI'S WOOD-FIRED BISTRO
35 N. High St., Dublin
614-792-3466
reservations recommended
www.hdrestaurants.com
A revamped menu includes half-portions and value-priced entrees, such as wonderfully glazed roasted chicken.
The fare is served by a well-trained staff in the renovated decor of the unpretentious Old Dublin restaurant.
Wine accompaniments from the fairly large, California-centric list have become more expensive.
Serving dinner Monday through Saturday; on-street parking and valet service Tuesday through Saturday.
THE TOP STEAK HOUSE
2891 E. Main St., East Side
614-231-8238
reservations recommended
www.thetopsteakhouse.com
Patrons enter a 1950s steakhouse, complete with a piano bar and copper- and leather-topped regular bar.
Also maintained for more than a half-century: steaks priced as complete meals (no surcharges for potato, salad, vegetable). That means the best high-end red-meat values in town, with a quality that usually exceeds that of the more expensive chains.
Changes come slowly to the menu (why tinker?), with daily specials such as sauteed red snapper with hollandaise.
House-made desserts are being introduced (imaginative phyllo triangles with mascarpone filling, creme brulee).
The better-priced-than-most wine list continues to be expanded.
Serving dinner daily; off-street parking.
SCALI RISTORANTE
1903 Rt. 256, Reynoldsburg
614-759-7764
reservations recommended
www.scaliristorante.com
This is a true Italian family-run restaurant, with a large, printed Italian-American menu supplemented by daily inspirations (casarecce, named after the rustic pasta prepared with sausage, a touch of cream and wine; miniature manicotti filled with a mince of shrimp, whitefish and ricotta, napped by an olive-oil and grape-tomato broth; or porchetta, large pork chops slit and stuffed with a chop of parsley, prosciutto, rosemary and garlic, and the whole thing wrapped in prosciutto and grilled).
The well-chosen wine list is superior in its pricing.
Serving lunch Thursday and Friday, dinner Tuesday through Saturday; ample parking.
SPAGIO
1295 Grandview Ave.,
Grandview Heights
614-486-1114
reservations recommended
www.spagio.com
From rustic, flavorful offerings (several housemade pates, Alsatian flammekueche oven-roasted on a super-thin crust) to elegant creations (beet napoleon, scallops given a Tex-Mex twist), the kitchen presents dishes without excess fat, sugar or salt.
The moderately large wine list includes a nice number of food-friendly selections (though not at friendly markups), supplemented by a vast selection from the adjacent wine shop.
Serving lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday, brunch Saturday and Sunday; off-street and on-street parking.
Z CUCINA DI SPIRITO
1368 Grandview Ave.,
Grandview Heights area
614-486-9200
reservations accepted
www.zcucina.com
The only surviving business in the Grandview Heights-area block decimated by a winter fire, Z Cucina is going strong.
In its Italianate menu (sumptuously sauteed artichoke hearts to accompany darkly roasted lamb shank, a hearty risotto in a large portobello cap), Z Cucina maintains its tradition of varied accompaniments (endive roasted with olive oil, braised fennel, fricassee of baby vegetables) and offers specialties such as delicate yet chewy gnocchi.
The dessert list features a lavender-scented brioche baked with blueberries and moistened with zuppa inglese.
The nice wine selection is marred only by its pricing.
Serving dinner Monday through Saturday; on-street and valet parking weekends.
Link: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/weekender/stories/2009/04/30/9A_MOM_20.ART_ART_04-30-09_T16_2KDMPPL.html?type=rss&cat=&sid=101&title=Restaurants+flourish+despite+economy
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