Whenny and I are making it our mission to hit a food truck every Friday from here on out. So far we have hit Ray Ray’s (not new, but we like it, and it’s in a new location) and The Pickled Swine, located at the corner of Lane and Kenny.
I will be writing a review on the Swine. I just wanted to get something posted, as Whenny and The Biff are a couple of lazy bastards and hadn’t posted anything in quite some time. Don’t for a minute be thinking we have stopped eating out !
Peace! The Biff
A couple of co-workers having been going to Noodles for over a year now. I have wanted to go, but have been torn. See, Whenny can be a little narrow minded. He’s one of my best buds and my lunchtime loyalty tends to lie with him, but sometimes he acts like a grumpy old bastard and refuses to try a joint because he has some preconceived
notion of it sucking or maybe one of his kids told him it was “just o.k.”
the one true noodle...
Today I went to Noodles and Co. Without Whenny. He stayed back at the office and ate his PB&J. Unfortunate. For Whenny!
I’m a sucker for Asian food. I like to think of myself as an “egg”. White on the outside, yellow on the inside. Noodles has a few categories in their menu. Asian was one. I didn’t even look at the others! Really. I had to go to their website to see what else was on the menu in order to write this review!
Noodles was pushing some new appetizers that were not yet on the menu and we tried a couple. I gotta say, I really dig this place. I had some Sriracha Shrimp Crustini type appetizer that was DY NO MITE!
The shrimp was cold, cocktail style, smothered in this sriracha based sauce and served with little crustini(ish) bread. I would go back just for this dish. I may have to attempt to reproduce at home. We also had some stuffed shells that were quite good as well.
For my entree I had their Japanese Pan Noodles with beef. These dudes were TASTY! I am typically not a pasta fan. I like pasta, I just usually choose more meaty options.
The Japanese Pan Noodles consist of caramelized udon noodles in a sweet soy sauce, broccoli, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, Asian sprouts, black sesame and cilantro. Being a lover of bovine flesh, I added the sauteed beef. BINGO! This stuff is the shiitake!
Japanese Pan Noodles with Sauteed Beef
There are several more dishes I am looking forward to trying: Bangkok
Curry, Indonesian Peanut Sautee, Bacon Mac and Cheeseburger, and the Tai Curry Soup. There are also some Mediterranean dishes, but most just look like spaghetti to me!
We ate at the campus location at the corner of High and Lane. The weather was still warm and we enjoyed our victuals on the second floor patio overlooking hight street. Great food, friends, and campus ”scenery”. Not a bad lunch.
Stick a Fork in Me.... I'm DONE!
The food scene in Upper Arlington has improved a lot recently. No place more than in the formerly moribund Kingsdale Shopping Center. Where once the MCL Cafeteria was what passed for fine dining, more options have arrived as the shopping center has managed to avoid the fate of becoming a bingo hall.
The subject of this blog post is the Giant Eagle Market District. Yes, I am going to opine about a grocery store. Not just any grocery store but the center piece of Kingsdale’s phoenix like resurrection. Giant Eagle, based in Pittsburgh, builds these upscale stores in or near affluent neighborhoods. The idea is obvious: provide some competition for Whole Paycheck Market in upscale grocery. Upper Arlington obviously qualifies as a target market. I am guessing with its median income, UA would have a GDP greater than that of Greece and just south of Lane Avenue lives a bunch of folks that wish Warren Buffet would shut the hell up. The store itself has become somewhat of a tourist attraction. I’m not kidding. One day a colleague and I were leaving the place when a bus full of excited folks from a Reynoldsburg senior center pulled up. The bus promptly disgorged them and they all made a beeline to the store. I guess the Metamucil is better from there.
this is only 1/2 of the Cafe
In the center of the store is a food court area with a plethora of offerings. There are way too many to describe in any detail, so I am going to stick to two of my favorites. The Rosti is a potato cake that has been browned crispy on the outside. My favorite version is served with sour cream, onions and capers on top, smoked salmon on the side and a simple salad of mixed greens in vinaigrette.
Smoked Salmon Rosti
The potato cake isn’t like fried mashed potatoes but instead densely packed finely grated hash browns. It’s really good with the browned crust contrasting well with the texture of the potato shreds. The accoutrements on top just add to the flavor.
My other favorite is the smoked meat station. Smoked and meat is right up there with my other favorite word combinations like free and beer or smoking and hot. Pork, chicken, turkey and salmon are all smoked and offered up by the slice. I’ve wanted to try all the offerings but I almost reflexively get the smoked beef brisket every time.
Brisket.... GO MEAT!
You get several generous slices of brisket and if you can choose from a variety of sauces. I have always opted for the beef au jus, which they will pour over the meat or serve in cup on the side. There are two things that distinguish Market District brisket from other excellent brisket I’ve had. One is that they leave a generous part of the fat cap on it. Your slices are bound to have at least a ¼ inch sliver of fat on them. The second is that the texture is firmer than most. Not tough at all but the meat has a chew to it. Over cooked brisket can be mushy or crumbly in texture. Under cooked brisket can be used to catch baseballs. Market District gets it just right. With your meat you can also get two sides, which are usually some kind of grilled veggie or some mashed potatoes. It’s all really good.
The heck of it is that it’s all very affordable. All I described above is right around the Jones line (8 bucks) and with a drink you are right at 10 bucks. Where I have gotten into trouble is getting food from the hot food bar. There is always fried chicken and a variety of meats, veggies, rice and potatoes on it. At 7 bucks a pound you can find yourself at the register with 2 Joneses worth of food if you don’t exercise restraint. Unfortunately restraint is difficult because it all looks hot and fresh and so far it’s been pretty good.
The Market District food court is the trifecta for a couple of guys looking for the 10 buck lunch. It has variety, quality and price. I highly recommend a trip there for some dang good food.
Biff has just recently started to appreciate Japanese food. I have tried sushi several times over the years and had come to the conclusion I just didn’t like it. Too fishy. Then came Tensuke Express where I started with the curry rice and worked my way up to some more “Japanesey” dishes like Ramen Noodles and California Rolls! Sarcasm aside, over the last year Japanese food has really grown on me.
Akai Hana, on Old Henderson, used to be called Restaurant Japan. I had a beef hot pot something or another there years ago. My mind was not yet ready for Japan. I was but a padawan.
Akai Hana looks like your cliche Asian joint but with a little class. It’s decorated in bamboo, weird art, and had an “Asian” dude sitting waiting for a take-out order to make it look “authentic”. Speaking of authentic… while we were eating, there was a big noise from the kitchen and it went on for several seconds. I was like “what that a tsunami? wow, they go to great lengths to make this an authentic experience!” Too soon? Shut up.
It really is a step above most places we frequent. They actually give you warm towels to wipe your face and hands before you eat. Sure, they are just individually wrapped and heated baby wipes, but being from BFE, I had never experienced such a thing. Not bad at all! It took my lunch to a whole new level.
I had the daily special lunch box. It seemed a little steep at 1.25 Jones’ (766.25 Yen or 10 green backs) but it actually turned out to be a good value, I think. It started with a salad and a bowl of miso soup.
The salad was a spring mix with some Caesar/ginger like dressing on it. Have you ever tried to eat some spring mix, from a plate, with sticks? That last little leaf is a beeotch! Much like Whenny, I’m no chop stick ninja, but I “got’er done”. The miso soup was very tasty with the occassional bite of seaweed and tofu.
The lunchbox itself was like a tour of Japan:
Lunch Box
a side of cooked squid and hijiki (black seaweed) that was quite delectible, two giant prawn coated in panko and fried, a square of some sort of tofu/scrambled egg like stuff covered in a pork(ish) gravy, two pieces of sushi roll, and a salmon filet. All that and a bowl of rice! That, my friend, is a decent amount of food for a ten spot.
Luckily I had a Chinese (by way of Taiwan) friend with me to help identify what I was chewing on and school me in Asian culture.
I am really looking forward to going back. Whenny couldn’t make this trip so we have an excuse to go back soon to get his take on the place.
1173 Old Henderson Street
Columbus, OH 43220-3607
(614) 451-5411
A group of co-workers (including Whenny and myself) have been frequenting a little joint on 3rd in Grandview Heights called The DK Diner. This place is super small (maybe a dozen tables) and tucked away in a residential neighborhood. Its a little out of the way, but well worth it.
First let me say: I LOVE dive joints. DK is a dive joint. The tables are old. The boothes are old. It’s all crapped up with cheesey art, old posters, and class photos from the local high school. I dig it. You seat yourself, you get your own drinks, it’s almost like home. If you live in a poorly decorated diner. I am totally expecting to one day see Guy Fieri in there taking Big Bites of turkey reuben while pontificating on the proper way to hold a samich in order to avoid grease rolling down your arms.
The place was originally just a doughnut shop and the name was Doughnut Kitchen, hence “DK” Diner. They still do doughnuts.
DK is the trifecta: Quality, Quantity, Price. Breakfast all day, excellent lunch specials, and depending on who is working, a free doughnut on the way out the door! I’m telling ya, being “big boned”, nothing keeps me coming back like a free dog nut for the road!
The menu is typical diner fair done well:
The breakfast menu consists of eggs, meat, biscuits, and gravy in various combinations. The only breakfast selection I have had is The Mess. The Mess is two eggs and a heapin’ helpin’ of their own cornbeef hash. The hash is flippin’ perfect! Nice sized
spuds and bell pepper, just the right amount of corned beef. The only thing it lacks is a third egg!
For lunch I often get the two coney combo.
Legal ? 5 dolla make you holla!
Two cheese coneys with fries for a little over five bucks. COME ON! Is that legal? It’s
illegal to sell sex but you are allowed to sell two cheese coneys and fries for five bucks? That’s a bit hypocrytical, dontcha think?
Turkey Reuben and Waffle Fries
Mmmmm.....
Give this place a try. You won’t be disappointed.
1715 West 3rd Avenue
Columbus, OH 43212
(614) 488-5160
Nacho Dog
It is with a heavy heart and a belly void of encased meat that I must report the demise of the Burgers Dogs and Fries in Kingsdale shopping center. We have not confirmed the survival of the other location, down town, I believe. Whenny and I had been there several times and were both big fans of the dogs. The burgers were just a’ight. I particularly liked the Reuben Dog and the Nacho Dog.
Whenny and I had decided to go to BDF yesterday and to make them our next review on W&TB.com. We jumped out of the car and skipped up to the door like a couple of school girls. Saliva dripping from our mouths and visions of saurkraut and coney sauce dancing in our heads….. BAM! (does that violate any Emeril Lagasse registered trademarks?) smacked right in the face with dark windows and locked doors. I couldn’t even get my mind around it at first. I felt the earth tilt on it’s axis for a moment and everything started whirling around like I had just been flushed down the commode. I’m pretty sure there was a least one “WTF?” uttered before we re-grouped and made our way down to the Giant Eagle Market District.
Now to find a new hot dog joint… stay tuned. Recommendations appreciated.
Right off the mark I am going to tell ya’ll that Tensuke Express is my favorite Japanese Noodle Bar. Ok, it’s the only Japanese Noodle Bar I know of but that’s beside the point. If you aren’t familiar with the place it is a small shop on old Henderson Road smack dab in the middle of the Japanese District. I am sure someone else has called this little corner of the rising sun the Japanese District but it’s hard to be original in this day and age when (ahem) anyone can be a blogger/restaurant reviewer. Walking into the place you get the feeling that whatever it is you eat, it’s going to be authentic because there are a lot of Japanese folks in there. Heck, one day there were so many Japanese men in suit and tie eating lunch, I thought we had crashed a Honda board meeting. I’m just kidding of course. Its not like Tensuke Express is a secret known only to the Asian denizens of Chris Town OH. The place is usually packed if you don’t get there before 11:30. However you do have to admit that if Japanese folks are heavily patronizing a Japanese restaurant it’s a dang good sign that flavorful things are happening.
I’ve eaten two dishes at Tensuke Express, soba noodle and small beef bowl and spicy pork ramen. The small beef bowl is essentially rice with a small quantity of what appears to be pot roast on it and the pork ramen should be called pork RAMEN. The meat looks like it has been lovingly shaved into the main dish with a truffle slicer. I quipped to the Biff that they can probably get 30 bowls of ramen out of a single pork chop. I am being a smartass. I am not a food expert by any means, but like the guy that stayed in the Holiday Inn Express, I’ve watched enough Travel Channel, Food Channel and PBS to know that meat from the land isn’t the main course in Japanese cuisine. So lets just say that even a CARNIVORE (emphasis added) like myself loves the heck out of some Japanese noodles.
Soba with Chicken Teriyaki Bowl
The soba is a perfect texture in a savory broth with what I think is a daikon radish (I watched the original Iron Chef too) and green onions floating about. The ramen is in a salty, spicy broth with said pork, daikon and what appear to be some type of crouton crumbled in it. The beef and rice are simply excellent. The meat is sweet and flavorful and the rice is perfect Asian sticky. It’s a great side dish to the noodle main course.
Udon with Mini Beef Bowl
Not being a chop stick Ninja I was afraid I was going to starve to death with a ton of food right in front of me. But, necessity being the mother of invention or hunger being the I’m going to figure out how to eat this stuff even if I have to use my hands, I learned the pick up the wad of noodles and slurp like a mad man technique of eating soba. No prizes for table etiquette but I managed to eat it all with just a few drops of broth on my shirt.
With a Coke you’re out a Jones and a quarter (10 bucks) for each dish. What you are getting is really good food that is different from just about all the other stuff out there. I highly recommend a trip to Tensuke Express.
For the last several years I have used City BBQ has my benchmark for all BBQ. They just do everything right. Ribs, Pork, Corn Pudding, Greens. All top notch. I’m no southerner, but I have a hard time believing anything in the south could be MUCH better. Go ahead, blast my Yankee ass!
My new “go to” BBQ joint is a concession trailer sitting in the parking lot of a convenience store on High Street in Clintonville. Ray Ray’s Hog Pit is the shizzle. After eating there a few times I went back to City BBQ and found the brisket and pork to totally lack flavor. Maybe it was a bad day. I’ll go back. Surely it requires further testing. However, I am fully looking forward to my next visit to Ray Ray’s.
I’ve had the ribs and the pulled pork. The ribs were SUPER meaty, SUPER tender, and FULL of flavor. The pulled pork sandwich with the Habanero BBQ sauce is unfreakenbalievable. The sandwiches are on a good sized sesame seed bun and while I don’t care for someone else applying my BBQ sauce, they do a fine job and the sauce is WAY good. The greens, cole slaw, and mac-n-cheese are also spot on. If you are in the Clintonville / OSU campus area give it a shot. But get there early. Ray Ray’s is only open Friday/Saturday/Sunday from 12-8pm. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ray-Rays-Hog-Pit/110463212345454?sk=info