Our first time trip into Louisville and surrounds in November last year proved to be one dented by good old Mother Nature – rain squelched a lot of our planned outdoor activities, but we still made a pretty good weekend of it. This year, we picked out North Carolina as the destination, but Ma Nature must’ve figured out again we were headed south, as a … Continue reading Chatt Session Pt. 1: I’ve Got My Fare
“I’m on the last American exit to the northland I’m on the last American exit to my homeland I’m on the last American exit to my last chance They keep calling out my name, I shout it down” “Last American Exit” – The Tragically Hip The Greater Toronto Area (GTA) is roughly three times the population of the Greater Columbus, Ohio metropolitan area. Based on … Continue reading Reverse the 614: Toronto First Impressions
“I have to come and see youmaybe once or twice a yearI think nothing would suit me betterthan some downtown atmosphereIn the dance halls and the galleriesOr betting in the OTBSynchronized like magicGood friends you and me” “GOOD FRIENDS” – Joni Mitchell When doing research for our trip, I found quite a few helpful resources, including the BlogTO YouTube channel and website itself. Their site … Continue reading Just Scratching The Surface: Toronto Pt. 2
2020 would have seemed to be the worst time to enter the restaurant world, but that’s what Ben Kelley and a host of partners did when they opened Emmett’s Cafe in their edge-of-German-Village location in October.
I admit I didn’t think much of it at first. There were plenty of more familiar favorites that needed our support during pandemic times. Also, Emmett’s isn’t as convenient a location for us to get to, especially in an era of takeout (freshly cooked food is only naturally going to suffer the longer you have to transport it.) Finally, nothing specifically jumped out at me on the menu, save for the slightly intriguing twist of Aussie-based coffee drinks on the menu.
Appearances are often deceiving, and in this case they definitively were. The coffee drinks are good, but the menu items have more than exceeded our expectations.
I heard from others that the Breakfast Burrito was a must-try. I was skeptical (I mean, a breakfast burrito is a breakfast burrito, right?) And my general belief is if you’re going to do one, you’re better off at a Mexican restaurant.
But I bit. And I bit and I bit and I bit some more until I was all done.
In fact, several times we have bit on this burrito and other Emmett’s Cafe goodies and we can safely say this is some of the most delicious fare you can grab in the metro these days. The referenced burrito’s ingredients come off as gourmet (including crispy prosciutto, tater tots, and chipotle aioli), but the final experience comes off as completely satisfying as opposed to being feeling fancy for fancy-sakes. The just about equally as good Meat & Tato also sports some gourmet-style ingredients (arugula, house-pickled onions, and an Everything Roll from the always welcome Matija Breads.)
We’re happy when we find breakfast items without egg on the menu (instead of having to ask to remove the egg) and Emmett’s has two such items in their bowls – the very good South High Salad and the even better Harvest Salad. Even their Treats, while not large in number, are big on flavor, such as their Choco-Tahini Crispy and the Lemon Rosemary Bar.
Emmett’s has proven so popular that they’re on their way to opening up a second location, at the Open Air facility in Clintonville, with Wolf’s Ridge Brewing’s new brewing/dining venture Understory and Butcher Shop Fitness facility as neighbors.
Deceiving indeed…in a good way.
Continue reading “Appearances Can Be Deceiving”
I have written about Belle’s Bread before on my previous blog in 2017, when I was out exploring the excellent ice cream scene in and around the Columbus metro. Since then, I have learned they have much more than a mean soft-serve ice cream swirl, offering a number of cakes, breads, cookies and coffee drinks to tantalize the taste buds.
For those unfamiliar, this Japanese Bakery is but one of several culinary gems located in the Japanese Marketplace complex in the Northwest neighborhood of town. Their French-inspired baked goods have earned them praise on a national level from such media outlets like Food & Wine Magazine. Their existence isn’t exactly what the casual consumer might expect for Central Ohio, until one realizes that the American headquarters for one of the largest Japanese automakers, Honda, is just right up US Highway 33, a relative stone’s throw away in Marysville.
Up until just a few days ago, I hadn’t indulged in their picture-perfect confections behind glass windows. The weather actually justified something like their divine soft-serve ice cream, available in either vanilla, matcha, or a swirl of both, a perfect balance of slightly sweet and lightly bitter.
This time I went with the Strawberry Parfait, and this immaculate construct lived up to its pleasing exterior – light airy pillows of layered cream that floated on the tongue, and fruit flavors that glided in subtly.
As enjoyable as this first parfait experience was, I realized that the better selection for my state of mind at the time might have been better suited for my usual vanilla/matcha swirl.
Continue reading “If Life Was Only Parfait”A divine soup, such as this Sopa de Tomatillo from GermanVillage’s Barcelona Restaurant, is a tasting menu staple One thing pandemic more or less eliminated was the primo tasting menu experience. We personally don’t indulge much in the extravagant side of the dining ledger, but we must say that one of our most memorable meals was the tasting menu of Veritas Restaurant, which was then in … Continue reading The 614ortyPlatter – 14-Course Tasting Menu
Farmers Markets proved to be a bright spot for us duringthe pandemic year of 2020 One aspect that helped make 2020 much more bearable for us was the continued operation of a few select various Farmers Markets around the area. While some farmers market within the 270 Loop of Columbus decided that it wasn’t feasible to run the usual market festivities, Clintonville and Worthington, with … Continue reading The 614ortyPlatter – A Trip To The Farmer’s Market
The sign outside Columbus’s Ace of Cups, one of the manyvenues/bars which has eked by during the pandemic I must say, these food-meets-music playlist have all played off the various food themes from last week’s chocolate to holidays to “dumpster fire” foods to local neighborhoods have been very fun for me, and in many ways it’s the perfect intersection of two things that have been … Continue reading The 614ortyPlatter – Rhythm Kitchen 1811
Cosecha Cocina, one of the culinary bright spots inColumbus’s Italian Village before the COVIDpandemic forced it close in 2020. I’ve always thought Columbus’s Italian Village neighborhood was older than it was; in reality, the truth is it is and it isn’t. The Italian Village moniker isn’t even 50 years old, but the area dates back to the 19th century. And contrary to its current moniker, … Continue reading The 614orty Platter – Invested in Italian Village
Pattycake Bakery’s Sticky Buns are but one of many delicious egg-free options available for the diner (Note: This is a guest blog post from my favorite dining partner in the whole world Kris – you can catch what she posts on her Instagram account @aimless_rambling) During the summer of 2020, I discovered that I was allergic to eggs. I had experienced symptoms of itching and … Continue reading Exploring Egg-Free Breakfasts in Columbus (Guest Blogpost)
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