Philco Diner

Adress: 747 N. High St
Phone: 614-299-9933

Diner food is a treat we can all enjoy. Whether you are in the mood for a dinner of eggs, or a brunch of meatloaf you can assuredly get most anything you want at most any time of the day. Philco Diner, takes the idea of your mom and pop diner and brings it to a more upscale, locally inspired level. 

Inside you find a long bar, and a few booths, and a couple high tables. Wood tones and pea green booths with a strong grey coating every remaining inch. On my last visit, the place was so hot, I just felt uncomfortable for the majority of the time (perhaps this is do to the inconsistent weather we've been having).

On this visit, we started with cheese curds. Lightly fried chunks from blue jacket dairy- sweet, buttery and salty. Everything I love in a cheese curd was to be found in the order, my only problem come to the portion size. It wouldn't be a bad size, but they served them on a plate that made me feel cheated. Sure it came with a spicy pickle mayonnaise- but a smaller plate would have made them feel extra special.

After that I had Phillip's Burger. A 6 oz patty of beef, with arugula, a roasted tomato, grilled onions, Ohio cheddar, a little of the pickle mayonnaise all stacked in two soft challah buns.My burger was well cooked, but stacked a bit high, making it hard to eat. With it I ordered a side of fries and some of their bloody marry aioli. The fries were large, cooked well and hot. They weren't super crispy, but they were well seasoned. They aioli on the other hand, had a slight spice to it, but other than that wasn't very inspired- I saw no resemblance to the cocktail.

*For those of you who have seen aioli on the menus of countless restaurants and are still baffled by receiving dull mayonnaise with a drop of flavoring- join the club. By definition an aioli is a heavily garlic flavored mayonnaise (fine it's a fancy way of saying mayonnaise) that can be further flavored with the addition of other seasonings. Emphasis on the garlic, most restaurants in Columbus start with a gallon jug of mayonnaise and just spin some sirracha or herbs in it. Restaurants please start making real aioli if you are going to call it that- pack in the flavor!

That is where the meal ended, tasty and worth going back to. I've been before and can highly recommend the duck wings- they are really worth it, although the portion is a bit weak. If you haven't been to Philco since they reopend last year, I'd suggest you check it out on your next Short North visit. 

Keep Eating,

JTFussy

Olde Towne Tavern

It's Tuesday, and if you are like half of the restaurants in Columbus you know what that means- Tacos! 

Who doesn't love a good taco? Hot, juicy, easy to customize, and portable- they may be one of my top ten most perfect foods. While talking about tacos, I have to note how greatly special a fish taco can be. Tender, sweet fish with bright toppings; can easily elevate you beyond the basic seasoned ground beef.

With that being said, fish tacos are greatly under rated here in Columbus. If you manage to find them on the menu, chances are they read just like the place next door- Grilled or fried white fish, topped with cabbage and fresh tomato salsa. Perhaps we don't have ground breaking options because we live so far away from the ocean. But with advances in shipping as well as fresh water fish such as trout- I don't see this as a reasonable excuse. Even if we had to deal with the same fish over and over, toppings are endless. Why we all have to eat the same fish taco on repeat is beyond me.

Address: 889 Oak St, Columbus, OH 43205
Phone:(614) 252-2955

The Olde Towne Tavern, is a located on the increasingly bustling oak street. Right across from Yellow Brick, and nestled in the shadow of The Angry Baker. The Tavern is a dark, decently noisy and in general- just a come as you are kinda place. A well laid out menu, with something to please most everyone; nothing really jumps out, but everything sounds delicious. 

Upon sitting, Brandon and I were greeted and put in our orders for ciders and lambic. The bar is very well stocked, and if you are a beer person, I bet you will find something worth trying out. 

On special during our happy hour visit, were the soft pretzels. The came out hot, salty and so satisfying. With them came a honey whole grain mustard sauce, as well as a spicy cheese option. I assumed I would show preference to the cheese sauce. I LOVE cheese; it was thick and flavorful; however, the honey mustard was surprisingly my favorite option- sweet tangy and so robustly refreshing. 

After that we proceeded. Brandon ordered a cup of the chili and the Tavern salad. The soup was a hearty bowl of flavor- rich and loaded with cheese and sour cream.  The salad was nothing like what we imagined. It was huge! A platter of lettuce, not topped but, layered with mounds of bacon crumbles, avocado, tomatoes, egg, and blue cheese. He couldn't eat the entire mountain. 

I, as you guessed from the above rant, had the fish tacos. Grilled white fish, flour tortilla, and cabbage. Tasty after a squeeze of lime. There was nothing wrong, but they were lacking excitement. Served with them was a small dish of black beans, a small amount of mango/tomato salsa, and tortilla chips. The salsa and beans definitely helped the tacos, but there wasn't enough for the chips!

Alas, the Old Towne Tavern was a good time, they just left me searching for an exciting fish taco. I'd go back for happy hour, but I think I'd try one of their sandwiches or a salad instead. The grilled red masher, sounds pretty tasty (Grilled cheese with mashed potatoes on top).

Keep Eating,

JTFussy

Food Memories

Every time you sit down for your daily sustenance you are presented with an opportunity to create a food memory. Anything around you can play into this memory, but ultimately the multi-sensory effect of eating, creates a strong reference point in your mind to associate with anything going on around you- be it positive or negative. Everyone has food memories: a first date, what you ate right after a surgery, or that time you first tried your favorite restaurant.

Some of my most prevalent food memories (involving dining out) are associated with a small little Chinese restaurant in Troy Ohio. Lee's Garden Restaurant would sit in a graveyard if not for the train tracks that almost cut through the place. As a young child, I loved the treat of going to Lee's. Everyone had a usual menu Item that they would  get every time, it was only recently that I began to break my limiting habit (my mother still gets her chicken fried rice!).

Recently I was in the area and heard of the restaurant's closing (or soon to be closing) and was so devastated of knowing that soon those food memories are all I'd have left. What was I expecting though? Lee was the chef here for my entire life! It is however, time to for Lee to retire. And from now on I'll be stuck with thoughts of past visits.

Times like when I told him I loved the baby corn in my father's dish, and Lee sent me out my very own bowl of tiny cobs. Or when he spoke with me on a holiday break from culinary school. Masochistic lessons of standing on broom handles to strengthen my arches, and business strategy are all I have. But at least I have them, thanks to him and his expertly crafted food.

Was it the best Chinese food? Perhaps not, but it will always be a special place in my mind. As we grow older it becomes more and more important to appreciate the memories of our past. Food memories are some of the strongest forms of these memories we can create. So it is critical to create memories worth having and sharing with others. I encourage you to go out or stay in, just create a food memory worth having. 

Keep Eating,

JTFussy