tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87832462722294924562012-01-25T21:23:43.955-05:00Nothing Better to DoA journal of whining and vegetarian dining.deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.comBlogger6661100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-89986222912745614302012-01-25T11:21:00.003-05:002012-01-25T21:23:43.971-05:00PitabilitiesPitabilities is a food truck that specializes (obviously) in pita sandwiches. While there is only one vegetarian pita on the menu, there are different side dishes that allow for varied accompaniments. Like most food trucks, Pitabilities can be tracked down via Twitter and Facebook. Interestingly enough, regular followers of Pitabilities' social media can score special discounts by picking up deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-4649663043195972132012-01-11T12:00:00.005-05:002012-01-11T20:03:13.155-05:00Section 8 YakitoriumSection 8 Yakitorium is another concept from Kenny Kim and Misaka Ohba, the folks who brought you Fresh Street. It is the kitchen of a Brewery District bar called Double Happiness, and although the focus of the restaurant is grilled meat skewers, Section 8 Yakitorium has great options for vegans and vegetarians alike.Skewers are grilled over a special Japanese charcoal. Vegetarian skewers includederaj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-80040804463813859852011-12-30T16:04:00.006-05:002012-01-03T13:08:51.017-05:00Fresh 50Fresh 50 is a new fast-casual Asian spot Downtown in the the recently vacated Spinelli's Deli location. It offers build-your-own rice and noodle dishes as well as salads and wraps with a variety of sauces and dressings.The interior of Fresh 50 is mostly unchanged from the layout at Spinelli's. Orders take less than 10 minutes to prepare.Vegetarian dishes are essentially veggie stir fries with thederaj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-25190909492112357432011-12-20T17:34:00.007-05:002011-12-22T04:42:01.905-05:00Hot Pita!Hot Pita! Mediterranean Street Food is a food truck that whips up fresh Middle Eastern fare. The menu proudly announces that they use no frozen ingredients, and fans of falafel and hummus will find something to like from this vendor.Like other mobile food operations, Hot Pita is easy to track on Facebook, Twitter and mobile apps like Hungerly. I caught Hot Pita at the Holiday Fair at Columbus deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-53882089155364990272011-12-20T10:54:00.006-05:002011-12-20T14:30:00.623-05:00Chocolaterie StamChocolaterie Stam is the new sweet stop in Uptown Westerville. It is one of three domestic locations for the Dutch chocolatier.In addition to truffles and assorted candies, Stam also makes gelato. Flavors included chocolate, chocolate hazelnut, blackberry, raspberry, eggnog and peppermint. Flavors rotate with the season. Candies, syrups and fruit are hand stirred into the dense dessert.The deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-57516064906091913782011-12-13T15:45:00.004-05:002011-12-14T17:15:02.057-05:00ZoupZoup is a Downtown lunch spot for soups, salads and sandwiches. The chain has about 50 locations in the Midwest, the East and Colorado, and it has a variety of vegan and vegetarian soups that rotate regularly.Customers can sample soup at the right end of the counter, and they order to the left of the sample station. The setup for the Downtown storefront is confusing for all but the regular deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-45590013649682161232011-12-05T11:12:00.005-05:002011-12-06T12:55:42.116-05:00HopleafHopleaf has been a world class beer bar in the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago for years. Around 2004, Hopleaf expanded and opened a kitchen featuring Belgian bistro fare.The gastropub specializes in Belgian classics like frites, which allows the dishes to be paired with Hopleaf's stock of Belgian brews. The dinner menu is surprisingly vegetarian friendly. The frites are served in an ample deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-17349202993998735182011-11-16T13:22:00.005-05:002011-11-22T15:08:48.056-05:00Food Cart wrap Since it's getting cold outside, it's about time for me to clear the cache of the rest of the food trucks. Hopefully you can find them again when it warms up again.After the food truck festival at Columbus Commons, I wrote about the Pickled Swine. The Pickled Swine is a deli truck. They didn't have many vegetarian items on their menu at the fest. However, after a recent visit, I discovered that deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-22922187602095491072011-11-09T10:38:00.003-05:002011-11-09T13:51:57.979-05:00GrahamwichGrahamwich is the fast casual sandwich outpost by Graham Elliot Bowles. Bowles is a high profile chef who ran the four star Peninsula hotel kitchen after stints at Tru and Charlie Trotter's. Many know him from his appearances on Top Chef: Masters and MasterChef, and the young chef harvested plenty of indie credibility in his role as the culinary ambassador at Lollapalooza.Bowles brings his deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-40681843127631136422011-11-06T15:49:00.004-05:002011-11-06T16:19:11.083-05:00Dragonfly changesThe crew at Dragonfly announced at a Columbus Vegan Meetup gathering that they will close the University District vegan restaurant at the conclusion of a January 1 brunch. It will reopen as Till Dynamic Fare after it is remodeled. The new restaurant will not be exclusively vegan or vegetarian, but it will feature vegan and vegetarian items. Plans are also to open a pastry shop called Glaze in thederaj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-87054472038330061102011-11-03T14:21:00.006-05:002011-11-03T16:48:55.912-05:00Explorers ClubThe Explorers Club opened last weekend in the old Coyote Jane's spot on High Street in Merion Village. Explorers Club is a diner with an international flair, akin to the Starliner Diner in Hilliard.The bar retained much the same layout as Coyote Jane's with a more subtle decor. The dining room is decorated with exotic figurines and portraits of icons like Thelonious Monk, Harvey Milk and Woody deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-79531950320975266412011-11-01T10:32:00.003-05:002011-11-02T12:48:23.016-05:00Cafe SpiaggiaCafe Spiaggia is the less formal of superstar chef Tony Mantuano's two Michigan Avenue restaurants. The casual cafe doesn't pack the firepower of its four-star sibling Spiaggia, yet still creates beautifully crafted Italian masterpieces that absolutely explode with authenticity.Mantuano is decorated with James Beard awards. He is recognized for as a contestant for season 2 of Top Chef: Masters onderaj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-82141039202528631062011-10-28T15:32:00.005-05:002011-10-31T13:39:38.425-05:00BistronomicBistronomic is Chef Martial Noguier's foray into bistronomy. The One Sixtyblue and Pump Room alum whips up flavorful fare at reasonable rates in a stylish setting.French food is notoriously vegetarian unfriendly. Bistronomic's menu does not have a ton of options for vegetarians. However, the kitchen was more than accommodating when given advance notice of dietary restrictions.The menu is tailor deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-35135932310142699792011-10-26T11:22:00.007-05:002011-10-26T15:40:42.969-05:003 Sisters CafeThe 3 Sisters Cafe is an Indianapolis staple. Located in a converted home in the Broad Ripple neighborhood, 3 Sisters is an internationally themed diner with tons of choices for vegetarian diners.The restaurant decor feels like what you would expect to see at your cool hippie aunt's house. It has a comortable vibe, and service is exceptionally friendly and capable.The place isn't just popular in deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-57804759029581088762011-10-18T14:30:00.005-05:002011-10-28T15:45:49.914-05:00Broad Ripple BrewpubThe Broad Ripple Brewpub is located in Indianapolis' artsy Broad Ripple neighborhood. In addition to brew pub-original beers crafted by Yorkshire transplant John Hill, Broad Ripple Brewpub has a variety of vegetarian and vegan dining options. On the way to Chicago, I ate in Indianapolis a couple of times. The Broad Ripple neighborhood was instantly attractive to me. It is most comparable to deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-23987424786799212452011-10-17T16:26:00.008-05:002011-10-17T17:29:08.048-05:00TatoheadsFans of fresh cut fries should flock to Tatoheads, my new favorite Columbus food cart. The concept is simple: order potato or sweet potato fries, add seasoning to them and choose a house-made condiment. There is also a limited smattering of lunch items and fully-dressed fries (e.g. veggie chili cheese fries) that rotate on a regular basis.Seasoning options include Chicago deep dish pizza, onion deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-27022672136610786402011-09-17T10:50:00.001-05:002011-09-17T10:51:58.426-05:00DowntimeMy computer has given up the ghost. I'll be posting again when I get the new computer next week. All apologies for the delay.deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-76326934719455476792011-09-01T14:11:00.002-05:002011-09-01T14:37:02.900-05:00Columbus Food Adventures/Solay Bistro dinnerColumbus Food Adventures and Solay Bistro are hosting a benefit for Horn of Africa famine relief. Tickets can be purchased for the dinner, which is held Sept. 7 and 14. The meal will have vegetarian options. This is a deliciously charitable opportunity to acquaint yourself with the Somali community.deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-90588540410217252812011-08-31T10:23:00.005-05:002011-09-01T14:43:04.291-05:00Columbus Food Truck and Cart Fest
Few culinary trends have exploded upon the dining scene over the last few years like food trucks. Despite the fact that mobile food vendors have been around for centuries longer than restaurants, only in the last few years has the trend evolved from cheap comfort food meant to nourish the working class to haute cuisine. Columbus has been part of the food truck movement along with the rest of thederaj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-29425680510383633222011-08-24T15:51:00.005-05:002011-09-01T14:44:12.401-05:00Capitol Cafe by Milo's
Capitol Cafe is the restaurant inside the Ohio Statehouse. It is run by the folks from Franklinton's Milo's Deli. Much like Milo's, Capitol Cafe specializes in sandwiches, salads and deli sides. Orders can be enjoyed inside the Statehouse as well as in the form of a take-out order.The vegetarian sandwiches are a veggie panini and a cold tomato mozzarella pesto sandwich. Those who don't eat eggsderaj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-54020689894854084272011-08-17T10:09:00.005-05:002011-09-01T14:45:21.351-05:00Short North Bagel Deli
Short North Bagel Deli is a food cart that whips up steamed bagel sandwiches in the Short North and other Columbus confines. Fans of Columbus' defunct Beekman's Bagels and the Athens mainstay Bagel Street Deli will find plenty to like at the similarly styled Short North Bagel Deli.I wrote briefly about Short North Bagel Deli in my post about Hills Market's Foodie Fest. However, Jeremy Fox turnsderaj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-26093604098346213432011-08-10T15:03:00.004-05:002011-09-01T14:45:54.210-05:00Element Pizza
Element Pizza is the latest pizzeria to open in Columbus. Housed in the old Plugged Nickel location, Element Pizza and Bar specializes in gourmet pizza and sandwiches. The menu at Element also features salads and starters. Element will prepare off-the-menu vegan and vegetarian pizzas upon request. There is limited seating in addition to a room configuration that makes carry-out a simple deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-54783058593284168262011-08-10T13:58:00.008-05:002011-08-10T15:21:27.556-05:00T Murray's Bar and Kitchen
T. Murray's is a stylized gastropub in the Brewery District. While the atmosphere and service are pleasant, the lack of vegetarian dining options on the menus makes T Murray's a tough sell for meatless diners.The restaurant is located north of the High Beck Tavern, and former Lindey's bartender Tony Murray is one of the people running the restaurant that bares his moniker. Behind the bar, deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-18200684041776271512011-08-03T10:33:00.004-05:002011-09-01T14:46:40.862-05:00Foodie Fest at the Hills MarketFoodie Fest at the Hills Market was a fun event at the North Side market featuring activities for children and a confederacy of food carts. While the bands and the spelling bee were geared towards small children, restaurants on wheels are a pitch right down the middle for a fully grown child like myself.Food carts and restaurants in attendance included Junior's Tacos, Local Munch Box, Short Northderaj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-43316402120206200762011-07-29T16:02:00.007-05:002011-09-01T14:47:05.632-05:00Dog of the DeadI post incessantly about the Rad Dog cart. I don't eat here as often as I did when they were Downtown five days a week and also stationed at a bar in my neighborhood. Nonetheless, I have eaten Rad Dog more times than I can quantify.
Earlier this summer, though, I sampled the Dog of the Dead, a monstrosity so destructively delicious that I had to try and photograph it in its native habitat (which deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-20391379643315933722011-07-21T15:50:00.007-05:002011-09-01T14:47:40.658-05:00Harvest PizzeriaHarvest Pizzeria opened last week in German Village. The wood-burning oven turns out great pies topped with high quality ingredients accompanied by small plates and exciting cocktails.
The pizza ingredients are locally sourced when possible. Vegetables come from a Canal Winchester farm in the summer. The hickory and apple wood-fired oven cooks the crust to a perfect well done consistency.
Small deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-4178998802053591532011-07-14T15:03:00.007-05:002011-09-01T14:48:11.238-05:00Yabo's TacosYabos' Tacos is a Mexican-American taqueria. Service is brisk at this new fast-casual Mexican operation.
Yabo's is located in the Delaware County portion of Westerville in the old Giammarco's Pizza location. The menu has interesting international accents. This works more as a frame than a limitation, and the vegetarian items at Yabo's are flavorful if not exactly authentic. Tacos come with a deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-78939804984219352062011-07-13T13:14:00.007-05:002011-07-30T17:23:06.537-05:00Custom Chef Gourmet CafeCustom Chef is the latest sandwich shop operating in the former home of the Pickle and the downtown Quizno's. The menu has a vegetarian sandwich, build-your-own salad and sandwich options and classic deli sides like bagged chips and soup.There are a decent amount of ingredients available to construct a sandwich or salad. While there are more items available in terms of veggies and dressings at deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-33037215076150043392011-07-12T10:32:00.009-05:002011-09-01T14:48:47.725-05:00Radhuni Indian CuisineRadhuni Indian Cuisine is the sibling of Downtown Columbus' heralded Indian Oven. The younger brother lacks the formality of Indian Oven, but delivers just as much character as its pricier sibling.As with most Indian restaurants, Radhuni features many options for vegetarians. The buffet is a good value with pakoras and naan accompanying three vegetarian entrees.The navratan korma is explosively deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-70948352112097636252011-07-05T12:43:00.008-05:002011-07-30T17:17:07.157-05:00Eastern WokEastern Wok is an inexpensive Chinese take-out on Columbus' far south side. It is a fast food operation with prices reflecting its quality.There is a limited vegetarian menu at Eastern Wok. The diner is limited to entrees, which come in small and large sizes. Nothing is more than $6.25. The five vegetarian entrees are sauteed broccoli, mixed vegetables, home style bean curd, Szechuan bean curd deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-12718819209908918922011-06-30T15:53:00.008-05:002011-09-01T14:49:20.782-05:00The Wine BistroThe Wine Bistro is, of course, a bistro with wine. There are locations in Upper Arlington and Worthington.The menu at the Wine Bistro consists of sandwiches, soups, salads, flatbread pizzas and a variety of other items that pair well with wine. There are a substantial number of meatless entrees and appetizers at the Wine Bistro. The dining room at the Upper Arlington location is tastefully deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-84129927085011613262011-06-22T12:43:00.009-05:002011-09-01T14:49:51.410-05:00Babushka's KitchenBabushka's Kitchen is a small Ohio chain. Clintonville is home to the Central Ohio location of the kitschy Polish fast-casual eatery.
Polish food is notoriously vegetarian unfriendly. Pierogi and placki give meatless diners at least a couple of options at Babushka's.The potato and cheddar pierogi were perfectly pan fried with sweet onions. The filling was rich and flavorful. The onions might havederaj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-60166615040424570472011-06-14T14:41:00.008-05:002011-07-30T17:17:55.166-05:00The Cheesy TruckThe latest food cart in Central Ohio is the Cheesy Truck, and it turns out artisanal grilled cheese sandwiches. Proprietor Rick Harrison Wolfe's truck reflects on the time he spent in California while including local ingredients that shine brightly on the local food scene.The colorful truck's grilled cheese sandwich comes on Stan Evans bakery bread prepared in house made olive oil butter with a deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-28296210686928426242011-06-09T16:36:00.006-05:002011-07-30T17:18:10.838-05:00Lexi's on ThirdLexi's on Third is the newest sibling in the Danny's Deli family. The youngest sister features a bigger menu than its predecessors served in a brisk fashion befitting a Downtown breakfast and lunch spot.The menu at Lexi's is far more vegetarian friendly than the menu at Danny's. There are meatless salads, a grilled cheese sandwich, a veggie wrap, an egg salad sandwich and a Luna Burger in deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-85242668598214657322011-06-08T11:19:00.008-05:002011-07-12T14:31:59.686-05:00La Macarena PupuseriaPupusas are a staple dish in El Salvador, and La Macarena Pupuseria whips up vegan and vegetarian fare from El Salvador that highlights this Central American classic.Pupusas are a less famous cousin of the arepa. It's more of a dumpling or pancake than an arepa, which has more in common with a sandwich than a dumpling. There sometimes are subtle differences in the corn flour used to prepare deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-66697864248587692272011-06-02T10:21:00.009-05:002011-07-12T14:32:34.941-05:00Domenica Domenica is the latest project from New Orleans' resident culinary auteur John Besh. If you have missed Besh on Iron Chef or Top Chef Masters or HBO's Treme, his ever expanding empire gives diners a chance to experience his talent in a variety of different settings. Domenica is a more casual affair than Besh's more heralded establishments like August. The same attention to detail combined with aderaj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-85907743879445152062011-05-31T12:45:00.006-05:002011-07-12T14:33:16.390-05:00Global Grill Global Grill is an upscale international tapas concept in Pensacola. The artfully prepared small plates include numerous choices for vegetarians. The restaurant is located in the city of Pensacola rather than its more tourist-y neighbor Pensacola Beach. The restaurant has soft lighting that highlights the color of the dining room. There is ample seating at the bar. Happy hour seemed to host a deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-31900466221669213152011-05-24T13:13:00.007-05:002011-07-12T14:33:42.859-05:00Zorba the GreekZorba the Greek is a carry-out Greek and Mediterranean restaurant in a dingy strip mall in West Mobile. Its humble setting doesn't prevent Zorba from offering fresh Mediterranean fare accompanied by service with personality. Vegetarian options at Zorba the Greek include staples like hummus, grape leaves, spinach pie and falafel. Portions are adequate and prices are low.The hummus was flecked withderaj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-17602294688901820522011-05-20T15:12:00.007-05:002011-07-12T14:34:15.944-05:00SnickerDoodles Bakery/Cookies by Design Even though the heyday of cupcakes has long since passed, it's always nice to find a talented producer like Snickerdoodles Bakery that can still elevate this childhood favorite with the skill of a craftsman. There is an adjacent cookie shop called Cookies by Design that operates out of the same kitchen. Between the two shops, something can be found to sate your sweet tooth. The baker was deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-70508782844919222352011-05-18T10:13:00.006-05:002011-07-12T14:34:44.726-05:00StixStix is a small Pan-Asian chain in Alabama. There are five or six locations in the state. I visited the Stix in Spanish Fort. The menu at Stix focuses on sushi and a combination of Japanese and Chinese appetizers, stir fries and noodle dishes.The veggie sushi platter was overflowing with maki rolls. The roll in the center of the platter was prepared with asparagus, pickled squash, carrot and deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-52645310223186035482011-05-14T15:48:00.011-05:002011-05-14T17:35:41.220-05:00Ollie's Mediterranean GrillOllie's Mediterranean Grill is a veggie-friendly restaurant in Mobile with a sports bar motif. In addition to the restaurant, Ollie's also has a full bar with commercial European and domestic beers as well as an array of hookahs.The menu features Greek and Middle Eastern classics like saganaki, grape leaves, falafel, hummus and baba ghanoush. There are also vegetarian rolled pitas including one deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-56342913009082552022011-05-13T14:22:00.003-05:002011-05-13T15:17:32.443-05:00Lillo's Tuscan GrillLillo's Tuscan Grill is an Italian eatery nestled in Pensacola Beach. The family-owned waterfront institution offers a decent amount of vegetarian options.The location of Lillo's is literally steps from the Gulf coast. Pensacola Beach, while less pristine than some of the other vacation destinations along the Redneck Riviera, still becomes idyllic at sunset.As with most Italian restaurants, the deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-52678814389849071422011-04-26T11:52:00.008-05:002011-04-30T10:34:28.933-05:00New York Pizza DepartmentNew York Pizza Departmentis a by-the-slice pizza joint at the South Campus Gateway. They also offer pizza shop staples that include pasta, salad, sandwiches and fried appetizers.Prices at NYPD are inexpensive. There is seating for 50-plus inside the dining room.There is New York style pizza, Sicilian pan and Chicago deep dish pizza at NYPD. The New York pizza was true to style, while the deep deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-32913855106234737872011-04-21T15:13:00.003-05:002011-04-21T16:27:32.967-05:00Third and HollywoodThird and Hollywood is the high-end upgrade of the Northstar Cafe concept in Grandview. The menu is very accommodating to vegetarians much like Northstar.The kitchen is open to the dining room. The dining room is accented with brick and dark wood. Almost all of the side dishes and starters on the lunch menu are vegetarian, and many of the dinner starters are as well. Choices include cheddar deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-60544984483719537122011-04-14T16:14:00.005-05:002011-04-14T16:58:42.930-05:00Commonwealth Sandwich Bar Commonwealthis a new deli located in the No Man's Land between the Short North and South Campus. The menu features sandwiches, salads, soup and fries. There are a number of house-made accoutrements, like garlic jalapeño pickles, that add an extra kick to the salads and sandwiches at Commonwealth. The kegged sodas by Boylan were awesome, with diet cola that had a sweet fruity finish. Other deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-13520992249054070792011-04-12T16:38:00.005-05:002011-04-12T20:40:42.796-05:00Global GalleryGlobal Gallery Coffee Shop currently houses Earth's Crust and the Krazy Monkey Juice Bar. Earth's Crust also makes appearances as a food cart during the warmer months, but for now, you have to go to Clintonville to enjoy the organic whole grain pizzas and smoothies. Earth's Crust offers vegan and vegetarian pizzas, and Krazy Monkey whips up fresh fruit smoothies in a variety of flavor deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-16803797764257014862011-04-05T10:38:00.002-05:002011-04-05T14:10:24.607-05:00Tristano's Pizzeria As a former resident of the Windy City, I often get wistful about Chicago style pizza. So I was very excited to find out that Grove City had a family-owned pizza shop called Tristano's that specializes in stuffed crust pizza, my favorite version of the famous Chicago pizza pie.First, a little background on what distinguishes Chicago pizza from pizza in other areas: the most famous pizza from deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-24364026066393128002011-03-31T14:53:00.002-05:002011-03-31T15:30:40.989-05:00This Meatless Week: March 31, 2011Wellness Form offers a class Monday that seeks to help tofu-phobes overcome their fear of bean curd. Or, for those who don't fear tofu, it will also cover the types of commercially available tofu and share a couple of recipes. The class runs from 6-8 p.m. In the department of vegan diversions during Gallery Hop, Rad Dog is slinging dogs at the Paradise Garage three year anniversary party. As the deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-43466079104918585922011-03-29T16:09:00.008-05:002011-03-29T18:10:11.817-05:00Lashish the Greek Lashish the Greek is a bustling little Mediterranean/Middle Eastern restaurant on Bethel Road. It adds another layer of international flair to a strip mall that already has Indian, Vietnamese and Korean storefronts. The proprietor of the restaurant is a affable host that does a great job with vegetarian and vegan diners. Although seating is limited, the kitchen keeps a busy pace that doesn't deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-78898507690419452592011-03-26T18:53:00.002-05:002011-03-26T19:28:56.833-05:00Lalibela RestaurantLalibela is an Ethiopian restaurant near Whitehall. The restaurant is tucked unassumingly into a strip mall, and the dining room is also squeezed between a large bar in front of the storefront and a performing arts space in the back.I first heard about Lalibela from Alt.Eats.Columbus. It also recently hosted a Columbus Vegan Group meetup. The menu has five vegetarian entrees. There are also deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-17215119968263880952011-03-22T13:11:00.002-05:002011-03-22T14:50:27.540-05:00Curry and HurryCurry and Hurry is the latest Indian restaurant to open in the space that housed Curry and Kabab on the north end of campus just south of Clintonville. The focus is North Indian takeout that comes out rapidly for diners in a hurry, befitting the name Curry and Hurry.There are plenty of vegetarian items on the menu at Curry and Hurry, as one would expect at an Indian restaurant. There is no diningderaj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-64741359046402293482011-03-17T15:36:00.002-05:002011-03-17T16:59:05.031-05:00This Meatless Week: March 17, 2011The main event in this meatless week is the Great American Meatout. Of course, there are seven days in this week, so try some of these other options to keep your week both active and vegetarian friendly.You can kill two birds with one stone at the grand opening of Loving Hut in Reynoldsburg this week. Loving Hut is Central Ohio's newest vegan restaurant, and they have a grand opening Saturday deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-53967387364884593862011-03-15T11:40:00.003-05:002011-03-19T09:53:58.331-05:00BodegaBodega is a beer bar whose kitchen is very accommodating to vegetarians. Pizza, sandwiches and comfort food staples make up the kitchen accompaniments to Bodega's brewed beverages.There is a striking contrast at Bodega between the Dine Originals lunch I experienced and the more popular Bodega happy hours. When Bodega is slow (as my visit was), service is brisk and personable. Busier times like deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-32320071289043179442011-03-11T18:17:00.002-05:002011-03-11T21:31:19.402-05:00Barcelona - Dine Originals WeekThe lunch special for Dine Originals at Barcelona this week gives diners a great opportunity to sample something from one of Columbus' top restaurants for a roll of quarters. A small sandwich, choice of side dishes, bread with olive oil and drink is cheaper than the esteemed half-priced tapas Mondays.I've previously raved about Barcelona's Dine Originals dinner and an a la carte dinner. Barcelonaderaj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-3744726968464097252011-03-10T14:49:00.003-05:002011-03-10T15:39:12.926-05:00This Meatless Week: March 10, 2011There are still four days of restaurant week left. Make sure to get to one of the Dine Originals restaurants and get a lot of bang for your dining buck.The Wellness Forum is hosting a gourmet vegan meal with an interactive discussion with Dr. Pam Popper about diet, lifestyle and healthcare tonight at 6 pm. Call 614 841-7700 for details.deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-42207814511337812272011-03-07T14:50:00.004-05:002011-03-07T16:45:02.862-05:00Matt the Miller's TavernMatt the Miller's is a Dublin gastropub located in the old Burgundy Room space. The menu consists of high quality sandwiches, flatbread pizzas and comfort-driven staples that are perfectly at home next to something from the nice list of draft and bottled beers.Since I get to Dublin, Ohio only slightly more often than I visit Dublin, Ireland, I was somewhat oblivious to the number of vegetarian deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-89351612033902314732011-03-03T16:14:00.007-05:002011-03-09T11:27:08.669-05:00This Meatless Week: March 3, 2011Attention diners: It is Dine Originals Week (again)! There are $10, $20 and $30 meal deals all around town March 7-13. Check out the many menus, and plan on eating out seven days worth of lunches and dinners in some of Columbus' finest restaurants.Outside the Dine Originals restaurants, Dragonfly has announced a format change. Weekdays will feature a casual menu, and weekends will offer a deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-67519504232784502822011-03-01T16:12:00.004-05:002011-03-01T17:30:51.987-05:00Market 65 Market 65 is a Chipotle-esque take on salad, soup and sandwiches in the old San Francisco Oven spot Downtown. It opened for business February 28. Most ingredients are Ohio sourced, giving Market 65 a cool local focus.Salads and wraps can be customized. The two vegetarian signature choices are the Hungry Vegan (spinach, spring greens, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, zucchini, tomatoes and sesame deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-88185233097606109182011-02-26T17:38:00.008-05:002011-03-02T11:06:21.830-05:00Loving Hut Loving Hut, a large vegan restaurant chain, opened its first Central Ohio location in Reynoldsburg today. The menu is being finalized, and a grand opening is scheduled sometime in the next month. Upon first examination, Loving Hut's affiliation with spirituality made me a bit apprehensive. It is part of the Ching Hai empire, and she is called the Supreme Master.When I think of the master, I was deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-75106757581568641152011-02-24T14:11:00.001-05:002011-02-24T18:30:27.543-05:00This Meatless Week: February 24, 2011Loving Hut is supposed to have a soft opening this Saturday in Reynoldsburg (6559 E. Livingston Ave.). The vegan chain features an international menu that is different at every location. Also on Saturday, the Columbus Vegan Meetup group is getting together at Starliner Diner in Hilliard. The kitschy diner makes great vegetarian and vegan Mexican, Cuban, Italian and American dishes. deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-29069050446803612382011-02-23T13:52:00.005-05:002011-02-23T15:35:03.643-05:00Juergen's Bakery and RestaurantJuergen's Bakery and Restaurant is an intimate, old fashioned German bakery conveniently located in German Village. Amidst the Bavarian classics, Juergen's offers up a couple of meatless entrees, sides and baked goods to showcase how vegetarians are embraced by Teutonic cuisine.Upon walking through the door, diners are first met by a bakery case filled with cakes, cream puffs and other pastries deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-39388425918189125792011-02-18T14:18:00.008-05:002011-02-18T17:28:45.771-05:00The Angry BakerThe Angry Baker is a new bakery located on Oak Street in Old Towne East. Proprietor Vicki Hink offers a full range of delicious baked goods with an outstanding array of choices for vegetarians and vegans alike.The bakery is easy to find for those familiar with Yellow Brick Pizza-- it's right across the street. The decor is old fashioned and whimsical, with seating for about 15.In addition to the deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-30338880981822164682011-02-17T14:50:00.005-05:002011-02-18T15:01:39.187-05:00This Meatless Week: February 17, 2011The hottest destination for foodies this week is the Fiery Foods Festival at the North Market. Activities suitable for vegetarians this Saturday and Sunday include the guacamole contest, a hot sauce competition, a homemade salsa competition and a number of eating contests including hot peppers, hot cornbread and hot ice cream sundae. It should be a delicious opportunity to feel the burn.As deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-77841155494164994382011-02-14T17:24:00.003-05:002011-02-14T17:53:32.375-05:00La BambaWhile wandering around the Ohio State campus at 2 in the morning on your fourth or 44th beer, it sometimes requires a gut-busting nightcap to take the edge off the next morning's hangover. La Bamba provides this relief in the form of burritos the size of your head. Diners can dine in or order to go. La Bamba's decor is campy, and the service is brisk and friendly.La Bamba's menu for vegetarians deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-9318701984345514132011-02-11T16:02:00.002-05:002011-02-11T17:05:07.535-05:00Giuseppe's RitrovoGiuseppe's Ritrovo is an intimate Italian institution in the middle of Bexley. Giuseppe's makes Italian food with a fresh personality.The decor is a combination of classic and modern. The bar seats about 20, and the dining room is set up to handle large parties. Service was friendly and prompt. The staff was easily able to answer all vegetarian questions.The menu has a number of standards that deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-73204571701779507232011-02-10T15:28:00.005-05:002011-02-10T18:32:15.233-05:00This Meatless Week: February 10, 2011It's Valentine's Day on Monday. It might not be too late for you to get reservations to celebrate your relationship with your special veggie somebody. If you really love them, take your sweetheart to Dragonfly, Alana's or DeepWood. If you have a burgeoning crush on them, take them to Northstar, Whole World, Starliner Diner or the North Market. If you want this dinner to be your last meal togetherderaj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-15500642084101097272011-02-08T12:45:00.004-05:002011-02-08T13:37:21.832-05:00Pita HousePita House is an inexpensive Mediterranean take-out in Bexley. The menu is small, but it offers plenty of options for vegetarians because of its Middle Eastern focus.The Bexley area has two Mediterranean restaurants. Pita House is different from Aladdin's in that the menu is smaller and less expensive at Pita Hut. It's nearly impossible to spend $10 at Pita House. Pita Hut lacks the less deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-31301342285089354972011-02-03T15:01:00.002-05:002011-02-03T15:57:31.374-05:00This Meatless Week: February 3, 2011It's time for Super Bowl XLV. You can stay at home and make yourself some meatless gameday treats (see About.com, Vegetarian Times and Brand X for some recipes from national favorites, or go local with Columbus Vegan). Or you can head out and see what the Capital City has to offer. This week's Columbus Vegetarian meetup (Saturday February 5 at 1:00 p.m.) is fully booked at ZPizza in the Short deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-65375847729540308652011-02-01T17:26:00.004-05:002011-03-07T16:52:55.445-05:00Los Guachos Taco trucks have become one of Columbus' hottest foodie trends over the past few years. The popularity has increased so much that Los Guachos has added a brick-and-mortar restaurant to supplement its mobile food operation.The specialty of Los Guachos' food truck is tacos el pastor (think Mexican shawarma), an item that might not appeal to vegetarians. The restaurant, however, has a vegetarian deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-22280672909938066562011-01-27T15:52:00.002-05:002011-01-27T16:21:15.674-05:00This Meatless Week: January 27, 2011On Tuesday February 1, Chef Del Sroufe of Wellness Forum Foods is teaming up with Mercy for Animals to host a cooking demonstration which features quick and easy vegan meal preparations. The transition from an omnivorous kitchen to a vegan lifestyle might seem like a big change. Sroufe does a great job illustrating how simple and delicious vegan dining can be. The event is free of charge at the deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-46684056038084093112011-01-26T12:07:00.005-05:002011-01-26T14:47:08.109-05:00The Jury RoomThe Jury Room is the newest addition to the ever-expanding Liz Lessner Empire. It's was Columbus' longest tenured bar, and the revamped menu features Italian favorites, sandwiches and smattering of microbrews, fun revisions of classic cocktails and other modern libations. The menu has plenty of vegetarian and vegan options. The menu had eight vegetarian appetizers, three of which can be prepared deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-73548921409199498592011-01-24T15:06:00.004-05:002011-01-27T16:24:07.759-05:00Cumin Indian RestaurantNobody was sadder than I when Bayleaf India Bistro closed. I used to eat at Bayleaf often when I lived in the vicinity of the restaurant, but even after moving away from Westerville, I stopped there often when I was in the area. Cumin Indian Restaurant opened in its place. It is owned by the same people who own Cuisine of India. Although Indian restaurants offer vegetarian options, Cumin goes outderaj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-66069164576111773192011-01-20T18:47:00.002-05:002011-01-20T19:33:51.290-05:00This Meatless Week: January 20, 2011Based upon today's weather, this week should be as good as any to spend indoors. If you feel like braving the elements, there are a couple of places in Columbus for veggie people to come in out of the cold.There are still three more days of Restaurant Week Columbus. Check out last week's post for more information. Wednesday January 25, Wellness Forum offers a cooking class on preparing winter deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-38265710201127302852011-01-13T14:55:00.006-05:002011-01-13T21:38:28.647-05:00This Meatless Week: January 13, 2011This is a light week for vegetarians in Central Ohio. The most obvious event is the 614 Magazine Restaurant Week Columbus. Although it isn't specified on the menu, everybody is excited to sample the vegan menu at Columbus Brewing Company. Other meatless menus are available at Aab India, Cabo Cocina, La Fogata, Basil, Georgio Italian, Bel Lago, Haiku, Matt the Miller Tavern, Mezzo, Oscars and G. deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-45888366428678142172011-01-12T10:56:00.003-05:002011-01-12T13:02:25.589-05:00Clever CrowClever Crow has been a magnet for publicity and praise since it first fired up its oven in the Circus kitchen. It gets critical acclaim from local publications like Alive and message boards like Columbus Underground. It won best veggie pizza at Pizza Grand Prix V. It was even featured on the Heartland episode of the Travel Channel's No Reservations. This weekend, Clever Crow started daytime deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-22773572090047986612011-01-11T12:42:00.005-05:002011-01-11T16:10:14.543-05:00Royal Ginger Asian Fusion BistroRoyal Ginger is a sushi-centric Asian fusion spot located in the old Wolfgang Puck's in Upper Arlington. It is a similar concept to its relative Blue Ginger, another place I enjoyed on separate visits.The restaurant interior is stylish with modern accents and a lot of dark wood. Service was efficient, and the server was able to address any and all vegetarian concerns. The menu at Royal Ginger deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-72622762421443671702011-01-06T15:00:00.002-05:002011-01-06T15:29:40.586-05:00This Meatless Week: Jan. 6, 2011The meatless meetup groups are in full action this weekend. Both the Columbus Vegan Meetup Group and the Columbus Vegetarian Meetup Group are hosting restaurant events this Saturday.The Vegetarian Group is meeting at the Olive Tree in Hilliard Saturday at 12:30 for lunch. In order to participate in the meetups, simply join the group and register for the event (the same goes for the Vegan Group). deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-7411030149963806882011-01-05T16:06:00.003-05:002011-01-05T17:13:52.568-05:00Reethika Indian Restaurant Reethika Indian Restaurant is a new eatery located along the Sawmill/161 commercial corridor. It shares a plaza with Kihachi and Lee Garden.As Reethika is an Indian restaurant, vegetarian options are numerous. The buffet, in particular, consisted of a majority of vegetarian dishes. Choices on the buffet included a creamy mixed vegetable curry, a potato curry, spinach pakoras, a fried cabbage deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-45593261148731112092010-12-28T19:38:00.005-05:002010-12-28T20:45:14.364-05:00Moshi Sushi Bar Moshi is an upscale sushi joint in Bexley that offers contemporary takes on rolls as well as Pan-Asian fare from Korea, Thailand and Japan. It adds a nice touch to the Bexley dining scene.This restaurant is a collaboration between Bexley resident Moshe "Moshi" Mizrachi and the father-and-son team of Song and David Kim. It gives Bexley a modern Asian spot in a similar style to Lemongrass or deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-52244354129745486372010-12-28T10:32:00.005-05:002010-12-28T11:37:27.210-05:00The Veg EdgeThe Veg Edge is a one-hour special that airs regularly on the Cooking Channel, Scripps' new cousin to the Food Network. Since I spend about 20 hours or more per week watching foodie-centric television, it was time to pass on the fruits of these labors.This program highlights trends in vegetarian dining nationwide. Some of the places and people featured on The Veg Edge include the veggie dining deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-9230409137929224792010-12-21T15:24:00.003-05:002010-12-21T16:30:11.483-05:00Cafe Bella Cafe Bella is an intimate, locally focused eatery on the border of Clintonville and North Campus. It features sandwiches, salads, and pasta dishes that cater to vegetarian and vegan diners.The menu changes regularly. As a result, it is transmitted orally rather than in a written format. Prices are $5 for sandwiches and $9 for pasta dishes. My pasta came with a salad and a brownie. With a drink, deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-63597548655290619372010-12-18T17:10:00.002-05:002010-12-18T17:43:38.282-05:00Rice BowlRice Bowl is a long-tenured Chinese restaurant in Columbus' Scioto Southland. It produces relatively characterless Chinese fare at extremely reasonable prices.Like most Chinese restaurants, Rice Bowl offers a small selection of meatless offerings on its menu. The most troubling part of the vegetarian choices on Rice Bowl's menu is that there is a lack of vegetarian protein on the lunch menu. deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-90195276194338258342010-12-10T15:48:00.003-05:002010-12-10T16:53:11.798-05:00L&L Indian RestaurantL&L Indian Restaurant is a new Indian establishment on the Far West side of the city. Despite its humble appearance, L&L is a hidden gem for vegetarians and Indian food fanatics on Columbus' left side. The owner of L&L has spent a long time working in other Indian restaurants in Columbus, such as Indian Oven and Curry & Kebab. The business is mostly focused on take-out as there is only seating deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-48984793971929084692010-12-04T15:45:00.004-05:002010-12-09T19:09:40.703-05:00Lai LaiLai Lai is a slightly upscale Chinese restaurant located in a nondescript strip mall in Blacklick. After selling previous suburban restaurants with the same name (now closed) and staying out of the restaurant business for a decade, owner James Miao opened a new Lai Lai on the far East side. Lai Lai is an authentic Chinese eatery with classic dishes. Although the decor and plating suggest a top deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-1466568657873692112010-11-26T16:28:00.003-05:002010-12-03T18:19:40.634-05:00Pizza RusticaPizza Rustica is a small pizza chain that started in the South Beach section of Miami. Its first Ohio outpost is located on the South Campus Gateway. Pizza Rustica makes large, rectangular pies. They sell pizza by the slice or as whole pies, as well as sandwiches and salads. Hours run late-night, and Pizza Rustica does deliver.This place is noted for keeping late hours for the Miami party scene, deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-37304863283461494782010-11-21T14:54:00.006-05:002010-12-01T19:24:33.440-05:00Coyote Jane'sCoyote Jane's is a new Southwestern restaurant located in the southern part of Merion Village. Coyote Jane's held a soft opening the last two nights, and plans are to hit the ground running for dinner next Friday and Saturday with a firm schedule.This restaurant is the latest member of the Banana Bean family (technically, Skillet is owned by one person who owns Banana Bean; that's enough for deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-22702450843286966982010-11-20T14:43:00.005-05:002010-11-20T16:51:14.997-05:00Bahn Thai BistroBahn Thai Bistro is a small restaurant hidden in an Upper Arlington strip mall. Despite its low-key appearance and its Siamese provenance, the place churns out tons of delicious vegetarian fare.While most Thai restaurants find sneaky ways of feeding diners animal parts (hello, fish sauce), Bahn Thai is able to prepare almost every dish on the menu in a vegetarian fashion. The staff was also fullyderaj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-54283747673240797512010-11-11T16:19:00.006-05:002010-12-03T18:20:25.340-05:00Mojo TagoMojo Tago is a taco truck that pops up at various locations around the Columbus area. I caught it this week at State and Third, but Mojo also has regularly been found on campus during Ohio State game day and in Westerville. Owner Brian Reed's truck is big and well-appointed. It has a T-Shirt display rack and a tortilla chip window, placing its amenities at a slightly different level than those ofderaj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-21018270682052798512010-11-08T17:24:00.002-05:002010-11-08T18:22:27.472-05:00Joey Chang'sJoey Chang's is a Chinese/Thai restaurant in Hilliard. It shares ownership with Chi Thai, an upscale fusion bistro on the Northeast side, and Joey Chang's prepares many of the same dishes as its sibling in smaller portions with a somewhat less formal atmosphere. The menu at Joey Chang's offers five vegetarian appetizers and nearly 10 vegetarian entrees. Veggie appetizers include tofu vegetable deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-85433067523913067202010-11-06T12:03:00.005-05:002010-11-06T12:55:18.781-05:00Rad Dog again goes brick-and-mortarAccording to a post on Columbus Underground, Tawd Bell is hanging up his Rad Dog chef's hat and passing the baton to the fine folks at Pattycake vegan bakery. This will be the second winter that Rad Dog will be located indoors--last year, it set up residence in the Hal & Al's kitchen. Plans are for the cart to be retired for the cold months. The best idea is probably to pick up a vegan sticky bunderaj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-68487886833174287262010-11-05T19:16:00.002-05:002010-11-05T20:22:00.732-05:00Venky's Spice HouseVenky's Spice House is an Indian restaurant tucked in a drug store strip mall in Hilliard. Interestingly, the restaurant has a large Mediterranean market next door, making it a one-plaza stop for shoppers looking to buy pakoras and hummus. The Spice House has tons of options for vegetarians. Some fare can be prepared vegan upon request.There is a Southern Indian influence at Venky's Spice House. deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-19850973241189290882010-11-02T11:18:00.003-05:002010-11-18T04:46:05.386-05:00ZydecoZydeco is a Cajun/Creole restaurant that opened Monday in the old Brewery District BW3. As with most Bayou-based restaurants, vegetarian options are somewhat limited. However, considering that I live six blocks away, I work Downtown, and I'm always looking for more lunch options, I found myself drawn to Zydeco.If the name of this place sounds somewhat familiar, it's because the family that ran deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-72375354863995626072010-10-29T12:40:00.003-05:002010-10-29T20:40:27.645-05:00Tony's Italian RistoranteTony's is a classic Italian restaurant in the Brewery District. Since 1982, the place has been one of Columbus' most popular institutions serving food from the boot. Like most Italian eateries, Tony's features a variety of choices for vegetarian diners. Most dishes are made with cheese, thereby limiting vegan dining options. Prices are reasonably inexpensive.Vegetarian appetizers include deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-20132216846674379122010-10-23T13:13:00.006-05:002010-10-23T19:02:56.749-05:00Columbus Vegan WeekOctober 24-31 is Columbus Vegan Week (vegan weeks are both free of animal products and eight days long). Participating restaurants include Phat Wraps, Columbus Brewing Company, Knead and the Betty's family of restaurants, including Betty's, Tip Top, Surly Girl and Dirty Franks. Mercy for Animals is promoting the event, which should be a fun and delicious way to introduce people to great places inderaj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-86312176104835537162010-10-23T12:38:00.003-05:002010-10-23T13:11:24.072-05:00Sweet Pot Jamaican CuisineSweet Pot is a Jamaican eatery tucked between the residential and industrial sections of Vassor Village. While the neighborhood looks more than a little rough around the edges, Sweet Pot provides a welcome (and meatless) respite from the surroundings. Sweet Pot Jamaican Cuisine sits in a ramshackle hut at the corner of Frebis and Champion. There are a number of charcoal grills on the property, deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-21024422240482411032010-10-19T10:18:00.003-05:002010-10-19T12:22:15.868-05:00Jason's DeliJason's is a fast-casual deli chain that started in Texas. There are currently two locations in Central Ohio in Dublin and Grandview. I visited the Grandview Yard store. Jason's Deli specializes in New Orleans favorites like the po' boy and the muffaletta, although it also makes wraps, paninis and other sandwich types. There is a huge salad bar, and the kitchen prepares a wide variety of soups, deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-77629169381324358342010-10-18T15:28:00.002-05:002010-10-18T16:30:31.188-05:00Luck Brothers Coffee HouseLuck Brothers is an independent coffee roaster in Grandview. While the atmosphere is Spartan, the complexity of the coffee more than offsets the minimalistic interior. The staff at Luck Brothers does a tremendous job of roasting the beans to get subtle layers of flavor in every drop. They are helpful in selecting coffees based upon a drinker's preferences.I sampled a full city roast Ethiopian deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-8717107563878295352010-10-12T18:10:00.005-05:002010-10-21T03:48:56.548-05:00Coyote Jane's menu sneak peakThe fine folks at Banana Bean are opening a Southwestern restaurant in Merion Village called Coyote Jane's. The scheduled opening date is October 19 (although that's not the case--check the Banana Bean twitter feed for updates). Here's a sneak peak at the menu.Coyote Jane's Menuderaj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-29464939281181064892010-10-12T09:48:00.004-05:002010-10-12T12:27:41.882-05:00Barley's SmokehouseFor years, I have avoided Barley's Smokehouse, instead frequenting the Brewing Company location based upon the scenario created in my head in which a barbecue joint would be biased against vegetarians. In certain instances, though, it's safest to expect the unexpected (or at least expect that my prejudiced decision making would again be proven flawed).Barley's flagship operation in the Short deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8783246272229492456.post-45532048357568797042010-10-05T10:06:00.003-05:002010-10-05T10:59:35.651-05:00FormaggioFormaggio is a Steubenville-style pizza shop near the South Campus Gateway. It is a take-out/delivery pizza shop with reasonable prices, befitting its collegiate location.The first time I heard the nomenclature Steubenville-style pizza, I concocted a prejudice in my head that disallowed Steubenville its rightful place in pizza lore. While there are numerous sub-types of tomato pies that dot the deraj1013http://www.blogger.com/profile/13771343213187405700noreply@blogger.com0