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

El Camino

238 S 4th St, Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 220-8877

Sometimes you just need a good taco, burrito and a splash of tequila. Downtown, right next to Dirty Franks, exists an essential Columbus restaurant- Little Palace. As an extension of Little Palace, is El Camino, a quite little watering whole with a decent vibe and small affordable menu. 

The room is dark, and dressed in dark colors highlighted by light wood tones. A heavy bar takes up most of the restaurant, with a few small tables occupying the far wall. Unfortunately due to darkness of the restaurant (and my hatred of using my flash in dark places) I have no pictures for this post. 

There was no wait to get into the next to empty room, a few fellows sat at the bar- obviously having had a drink or two. Brandon ordered a bloody mary that had quite a bit of beer in it, thin and spicy. I ordered a paloma; a lovely sweet mixture of jarritos and tequila- delicious in all accounts. 

We pigged out when it came for food, ordering chips with guac, burritos, gorditos, tacos, and a tostada. With the chips came guacamole and a small bowl of salsa, the salsa was far too watery and bland, clearly the guacamole was favored. Of all of the other options, the clear winner from the menu was the burrito: large and filling- the rice was great! All of the other options were fine, but strongly relied on the meat chosen to fill each. A rather generic selection of  bland shredded beef and equally drab pork, we favored the chorizo for its smokey heat. 

I'd love to go back to El Camino on a Tuesday night just to see if their fish selection is a better offering than their standard selection. I doubt that I'd find myself going downtown, specifically, for El Camino. However, if I was in the area, I wouldn't hesitate for a quick bite. I know for sure that next time I'm grabbing a pitcher of Paloma. 

Keep Eating,

JTFussy

Old Bag of Nails

Oh Columbus, you are near and dear to me. I've grown so much over the time that I've spent here. Not all of my growth has been positive, as it often is, yet I feel that growth of any sort always brings you a skill or thought that will aid you.

As we go through our daily tasks, we are often overcome with stress. These outwardly pressures leak into our personal lives and can disrupt simple things (like timely calls home, or posting on your blog). While we grow and pass through these obstacles, it's important to stay yourself, and be as humble as you can. Columbus, though I've neglected to report back to you as often as I'd like; I still haven't stopped my pursuit of finding that next tasty morsel.

 It's been awhile since my last trip to Old Bag of Nails, but I must say that I was pleasantly surprised by my visit. After a long day at work, for both Brandon and myself, we decided go for a late dinner at a Columbus classic. Old Bag, is just that- and unpretentious bar that requires no real fuss. It was a perfect fit for the evening, even though I wouldn't say it's an "all occasion" place.

The hostess and our waitress were both pleasant and very candid. They joked around and when we showed true interest in how the day was going, we were told not only of the good, but confessed the usual server laments. Even with a very limited wine menu, we split a bottle and the waitress attempted and succeeded with the proper wine service.

Our first choice of appetizers were all sold out, but we opted four a soup and salad. The Clam chowder was tasty, heavy on the pepper but the clams weren't over cooked and chewy. The wedge salad was typical, but large and fresh.

We moved into the entrees, baskets of fried fishy goodness. Brandon got the fisherman's basket, a sampling of fried scallops, shrimp, and fish. All cooked perfectly enough, and delivered hot and crispy with a load of largely sliced actual steak fries (a bit large for classic adornment of malt vinegar, but tasty nonetheless).  I had the standard fish and chips, not adventurous at all, although nothing on the menu really is, close to the fisherman's basket, but with one point making it worth the selection- it's bottomless!

We finish out the meal with a few milkshakes, icy but with a homey feel that took me back to malt shops of my childhood. A simple stop, that warrants a trip if you've never been. If you have a craving for a few fillets and a pint- by all means stop by Old bag, but don't expect to be wowed by this cheeky bar.

http://www.oldbagofnails.com/

Keep Eating,
JTFussy

Barley's Brewing Company

Address: 467 N High St, Columbus, OH 43215
Phone:(614) 228-2537

I had heard mixed results about Barley's throughout my time here in Columbus. Some people love the food and hate the beer, while others love the beer but hate the food. I'm afraid that I will fall more into the first category. 

For our next outing, Brandon and I brought along our friend Dessie for the occasion, and when we found parking and fought our way through the convention goers, we finally made it to the brewery. Out of the cold, we now had to navigate our way to the host's stand which is halfway back through the restaurant. We put our name down for the expected wait and then pushed into the bar. The drinks were fine: a cold martini, decent cosmo, and a rich pint of beer.

Our appetizers consisted of a large salad, sauerkraut balls, and a scotch egg (of course!). The salad was usual, lots of dried fruit large slices of onion, with balsamic vinaigrette. Our sauerkraut balls were just barely warm, but spicy and delicious even without the peppercorn dipping sauce. When we got to the scotch eggs, I was a bit dumbfounded by the softball sized ball yielding to perfectly cooked eggs. The eggs were served with a grainy mustard sauce that rounded out the slightly dry sausage portion. The first course was surprisingly tasty, though I would suggest swapping out the peppercorn and mustard sauces for their respective dishes.

Despite the generous portions in the first course, we moved onto the next stage of our meal. Brandon had the Polski Feast. A variety of sausages, sauerkraut balls, pierogi, and a heaping mound of sauerkraut. The sausages were tasty enough, and the sauerkraut was all just fine. But the pierogi (the major portion of Dessie's dish) were filled with a smooth potato mixture, but the dough was just barely under-cooked. For myself, I had the white truffle macaroni and cheese. A simple dish that would have been easy to mess up. Thankfully the the dish came out hot, creamy, and the white truffle (even though only from oil) came through with enough force that it was noticeable but not overpowering.


With so much pork and carbs, we needed something to round out the meal. We ordered a couple of dessert martinis, which were all ok. I would strongly recommend the chocolate espresso martini over the peppermint patty. The table also split the brownie bash. The typical warm brownie topped with loads of whipped cream and ice cream. Hard to mess up, but, with the components offered, generic at best.

Barley's is tasty and surely will fill you up if you like pork (they have other offerings as well). I would advise you to spend more time in the starters section and hop onto the mac and cheese if you're really hungry. Skip out on the pierogi, but give the beer menu a strong look. Overall I was pleasantly surprised by what Barley's had to offer.

Keep Eating,
JTFussy

Hound Dog's

Address: 2657 N High St, Columbus, OH 43202
Phone:(614) 261-4686

When Brandon and I first started dating, we decided to hunt down the city's best pizza. We trie

d a combination of banana pepper and pepperoni at a variety of shops. Now, we didn't cover the entire city, but the eight month search, we tried far too many pies.

We came to a few conclusions:

• Some pizza shops have some pretty bad pizza. Zpizza for instance was not worth it. Although hot and quick, the dough was soggy and the toppings easily slid off.
• Unsuspecting buildings can provide some amazingly authentic selections-Bono
• Other pies come from friendly local shops that make you feel at home- Yellow Brick.
• You can freeze your ass off waiting for a great slice at Mikey's (That slut sauce was worth it Mr. Homophobe?)

One pizza joint, however, seemed to stand up to all of the hype. Brandon and I both knew it when we tasted it. Hound Dog's Pizza is the perfect balance of grease, spice, and gooey toppings on top of a crispy crust.

It seems to be common knowledge that Hound Dog's is where to go for a whole fourteen inches of pizza heaven. Yes, it is greasy and will soak through the box, but it's worth it as long as you are getting the buttery Smokin' Joe's crust. Despite the hype over them the few time's I've been into the restaurant I have noticed a rather slow crowd.

We ventured to the Ravari room the other night for drinks and maybe a pizza. Both Brandon and I were not impressed with the bar, and skipped out on the pizza. A week later we got that craving again and, living within the delivery range of Hound Dog's, we made an order. In my few experiences they have always overestimated the wait. 

Although I mourn the loss of Clever Crow, and Harvest has a decent offering, the true winner of our best pizza joint ultimately went to Hound Dog's. I highly recommend ordering the backyard dog pizza. But anything that ends up on your pie is bound to please. If you go for a visit, skip out on the drinks, but make sure you get the special crust.

If you have a vote for best pizza, let me know; Brandon and I would love to give them a go!


Keep Eating,
JTFussy

Mac's Cafe

Address: 693 N High St, Columbus, OH 43215
Phone:(614) 221-6227

Mac's has been a frequent source of scotch eggs for me since I first went there a few years ago. My pork-wrapped, fried-egg "cherry" was popped here. And unlike some people, my first time was wonderful! 

A perfectly cooked egg with sweet salty pork--hot, greasy, and textually-sound, and with their sage mayo next to a frosty glass of cider- I was in heaven. Unfortunately, every visit since that fateful day has just not lived up to my expectations. 

Mac's is covered from head to toe in wood, and with that faint smell of cigarettes lit a long time ago, you can tell that they aren't stuck up on what others think. The menu seems a bit playful when looking at the appetizer section, yet it gradually get's more and more simple. Plenty of salads and sandwiches are offered and are bound to please in someway, but not beg you to stick around past the happy hour app. special.

My scotch egg was a disappointment as soon as it arrived to the table, although it was large and I knew it would still satisfy that longing (to some degree), They egg itself was green around the outside-- unforgivable. Slathering it in the usual sage-mayonnaise and a few bright, diced tomato pieces helped, but still should have not been essential! 

Next came salads. Large entree size bowls of crispy lettuce adorned by cherry tomatoes and the usual bought croutons--nothing too exciting but a typical salad with a tasty-enough blue cheese dressing. I ended up boxing up half of the salad in fear that I wouldn't be able to even taste my next course. I took the fish and chips upon Brandon's suggestion, and he had the cottage pie. While my fish and chips were good once doused in vinegar, they lacked general seasoning. Brandon on the other hand, would have had a quite tasty cottage pie, if it had not been cold in the center (and not served with over-cooked broccoli). When finally breaking down and sending it back, it was returned with an even larger mound of gravy and the same over-cooked broccoli that had also stayed on the plate during the trip to the microwave.

We didn't stick around to see if there were desserts; with the portion sizes offered there wouldn't have been room. While Mac's Cafe may be a decent spot to grab a pint, I'd debate about exploring more of the menu. If you find yourself here, stick with the sandwiches and fish and chips offerings.

Keep Eating,

JTFussy