Whole World is reopening

It's official: following months of delays after a fire damaged its kitchen, Columbus' original vegetarian restaurant is reopening. The Whole World Restaurant and Bakery appeared at Comfest, and a sign proclaimed the grand reopening to be Tuesday June 29. This is great news for a great organization.

Vegan baker wins Cupcake Wars

Since I spend my spare time watching almost every competitive food program on television, I was particularly pleased when Chloe Coscarelli won Cupcake Wars on the Food Network. The vegan chef took the crown by preparing 1,000 cupcakes for a singles event, including a chocolate strawberry shortcake, a dark chocolate orange and a raspberry tiramisu. The theme of the ingredients was aphrodisiacs.

All we need is for a vegan chef to win Iron Chef America or Top Chef Master and vegetarian fine dining might get its due recognition. Much like Pattycake in Columbus, Chef Chloe demonstrated that vegan dessert can be more amazing than its non-vegan counterparts.

Basil

Basil is an upscale Thai establishment on the Northern tip of the Short North. The menu features a ton of vegan and gluten-free dining options.

Diners with dietary restrictions should be very pleased by the menu at Basil. Almost 70 percent of the menu is available as a vegan preparation, and another 50 percent of it can be made gluten free. The menu is a combination of traditional and modern Thai dishes alongside a few fusion dishes.

One other nice feature of Basil is the $7.50 lunch special. Diners get a soup, an appetizer and limited choice of lunch-portion entrees for this low price. While I didn't sample the lunch deal, it looks like a tremendous bargain.

I started with the fresh rolls, which were cold rice noodles, mint, carrots and tofu surrounded in a rice wrapper and served with plum sauce. The carrots were beautifully crunchy, the mint added a bright layer of flavor and the sweetness of the sauce brings the whole dish together successfully.

I also sampled the vegan Tom Ka, a coconut milk soup with root vegetables, mushrooms, tofu, citrus leaves, lemongrass, green onions and cilantro. While the flavor was pleasant, the dish lacked the complexity that is traditional with this Thai classic.

The Thai eggplant is served in a spicy brown sauce with tofu, white onions, jalapeño peppers and Thai basil. The texture of the eggplant was perfect--soft without being overly chewy. The peppers and onions added texture to the dish. The least successful part of the dish was the tofu, which didn't seem to integrate into the dish. On future visits, I might order the eggplant without tofu.

Basil features an extensive cocktail menu in addition to limited beer and wine options. The service is friendly and capable. The decor is stark, dark and understated.

Overall, I liked Basil but didn't love it. Having eaten at Nida's and Thai Grille recently, Basil didn't seem to be up to their level. However, the $7.50 lunch special should be hard to pass up, and Basil is different enough from the other two aforementioned places to make it a decent change-of-pace option.

Basil

Little Palace

Little Palace re-opened recently after a long remodeling process by new ownership. The new crew also operates Club 185 on Livingston and the Rossi in the Short North, two places with a focus on comfort food and bar staples that have been added to the menu at Little Palace.

While the famous neon sign stayed on the exterior, the inside has been tastefully remodeled. The bar also benefits from a fix-up that also added a few microbrew selections.

There are not a ton of options for vegetarians at Little Palace. The main choices are a couple of individually sized pizzas and a stromboli. There are also appetizers and salads.

I started with the garlic bread, which was four thick triangles of white bread, smothered in butter, garlic and melted cheese. It was served with a lightly herbed tomato sauce. The quality of the garlic bread was somewhat lacking; it was either slightly too expensive or could have been prepared with better quality ingredients. I would opt for the salad on another visit.

The vegetarian stromboli, however, suffered none of the shortcomings of the garlic bread. The beautifully browned half moon shell was stuffed with mozzarella cheese, cremini mushrooms, red onions, green olives and fresh jalapeño peppers. When paired with the tomato sauce, it was absolutely delightful.

The individual pizzas are about the size of a dinner plate and are made with a hand-stretched crust. Vegetarian options include cheese, bianco and Margherita.

Little Palace is open late seven days a week. It should provide yet another late-night dining option for residents in and around the Central Business District.

Little Palace

Plantain Cafe

Plantain Cafe is a Cuban eatery that is the latest addition to the burgeoning Gay Street dining corridor. It features limited vegetarian dining options prepared in an authentic Cuban style.

Initially, I was hesitant to dine at Plantain Cafe because the menu only offered black beans and rice as the house standard vegetarian dish. More recently, the dish has been augmented by the addition of three different plantain preparations, giving me just the incentive I needed to sample the wares at Plantain Cafe.

The black beans and rice were subtly flavored and deceptively delicious. The beans were laced with hints of garlic, pepper and cilantro, and the flavor bled into the sticky pile of rice. The rice and beans were served with plantain chips, fried, mashed green plantains and sweet fried plantains. The crispy chips were fantastically addictive. The mashed green plantains (called tostones in Spanish) were a great mix of savory and salty notes. The sweet plantains, probably the version most diners are familiar with, were also outstanding.

The decor at Plantain Cafe screams Caribbean. There is seating inside and outdoors.

Service was a little slow and inefficient today. Plantain Cafe gets a pass because this is their first year of business, and they might not have expected an influx of business from the Columbus Arts Festival. Next year, they should be better equipped to deal with the ups and downs of business in Columbus' Downtown.

Plantain Cafe

Thai Grille

Thai Grille in Uptown Westerville occupies the space of the former Michael's Pizza, which was closed because of a fire. The restaurant brings flavorful fare to Westerville's main thoroughfare, and they up the ante by using locally sourced, organic ingredients with plenty of choices for vegetarians.

The decor at Thai Grille is understated. Service is brisk and attentive.

I was absolutely amazed by the volume of vegetarian options on the menu. With the exception of grilled meat and seafood dishes and the soups, all of the other dishes were vegetarian or could be prepared vegetarian.

Vegetarian appetizers included spring rolls, summer rolls, curry puffs, chive pancakes, tofu satay, the green salad and the papaya salad.

I sampled the curry puffs, which were reminiscent of tiny samosas. The puffs were filled with liberally spiced potatoes and peas that were served with a sweet dipping sauce with chunks of cucumber, red pepper and red onion. It was delightful.

There are a wide variety of vegetarian entrees as well. However, in order to get a feel for the flavor of Thai Grille, I had to order the tofu curry.

The tofu curry was served in a thick coconut milk that exploded with spices. The dish also came with potato, carrot, onion, pea pods, zucchini and squash. Since Thai Grille's focus is on local ingredients, the vegetation in the dish changes with the seasons.

Diners also get rice options, which include jasmine rice (also called Thai hommali rice), brown rice, white sticky rice and black sticky rice. The sticky rice options cost an extra $1.50.

There are a number of dessert options at Thai Grille. There is an extensive list of teas, and a limited selection of beer and wine that is well-suited to the cuisine.

Thai Grille is another great addition to Central Ohio's dining scene. With the multitude of meatless options, it should put Uptown Westerville on the map for vegetarians.

Thai Grill

C-Town Market and Deli

C-Town Market and Deli is a bodega in Downtown Columbus that has a full-service deli. It is a convenient option that offers a couple of choices for vegetarian diners.

The staff prepares a number of salads and side dishes that are stored in a deli case. The choices included hummus and crudités, tabouli, cous cous salad and chick pea salad.

The chick pea salad contained tri-colored chick peas and corn in an herbed-orange vinaigrette. The dressing was bittersweet and slightly excessive. Other than that minor complaint, the salad was successful.

While the veggie burger was excellent, I had a minor problem with the nomenclature of the dish. The sandwich was made with portabella mushrooms, hummus, roasted red peppers, mixed greens, cucumbers, corn and red onions on a Kaiser roll. While I loved the sandwich, I would have called it a portabella burger or a roasted portabella sandwich rather than a veggie burger. Despite its descriptive deficiencies, the sandwich was well made and flavorful.

C-Town Deli is able to make a cold veggie sandwich in addition to the hot veggie burger sandwich. Diners are also able to build-their-own sandwich with a variety of breads, cheeses, veggies and condiments.

C-Town is a decent deli option with an esoteric set-up. It is open Monday through Saturday from 8 to 8. While diners cannot drink on-site, there is a limited selection of beer and wine available for those who make their orders to-go.

C-Town Deli

DeepWood (the vegetarian menu)

DeepWood is a fantastic Columbus restaurant that caters to its vegetarian clientele with as much passion as it does to meat eaters on the other side of the aisle. Previously, I reviewed my lunch experience at DeepWood; this time, I will cover the even-more-spectacular vegetarian menu.

The menu consists of five vegetarian appetizers, two salads, a soup and five vegetarian entrees. Prices are noticeably more inexpensive than those on the general purpose menu.

The meal started with an amuse bouche, a breaded ball of saffron rice and soft white cheese. It was flavorful, with hints of saffron and basil combined with the bright, rich taste of cream.

Appetizer choices for the night included a fresh mozzarella trio, pretzel dumplings with honey mustard and fresh horseradish, avocado spring rolls, a portabella mushroom tart in a muscat reduction, a pea and parmesan dip, a currant and pecan salad with red and green lettuce, a beet salad and the soup of the day (I missed its description).

I chose the mozzarella trio, which consisted of a vine-ripened tomato and citrus crostini, shaved asparagus and mozzarella in a balsamic reduction and a Caprese preparation with a mozzarella slice, tomato and basil leaf in a light drizzle of olive oil. The trio ran the gamut from hot to cold, sweet to sour, and even bright to understated. The asparagus on melted cheese with hints of lemon was particularly great, although all three preparations were excellent.

The entree options were a portabella tian with roasted eggplant, peppers, wilted spinach and chick pea cake in an herb sauce, a lentil patty with spinach, carmelized onion bread and avocado ketchup with a grilled onion and and tomato salad, roasted pepper stuffed with white bean, currant, pine nuts, spinach and parmesan brulee in a minted sauce verte, soft poached eggs with asparagus, mushroom grits, manchego cheese and truffle oil, and house-made spaghetti with broccoli, white wine, garlic, chili flake and toasted bread crumbs.

The tian was a great contrast of earthy and fresh flavors. The chick pea cake was a crispy explosion of flavor. The herb sauce, mushrooms and eggplant ribbons provided great accents. The plating was striking. The dish was a winner.

The beverage menu at DeepWood is outstanding. Wine choices from the bottle and by the glass are a trip from Old World classics to New World favorites. The cocktail and beer selections are also fantastic.

The range of options on the vegetarian menu means that the staff should have no trouble offering a vegetarian degustation. No matter which way you approach the DeepWood experience, however, it's definitely worth the trip.

DeepWood Vegetarian

Hal and Al's

The Rad Dog era at Hal and Al's in Merion Village is over. Tawd Bell, proprietor of Rad Dog, has switched back to the mobile cart operation. Plans are in place to consider an as-yet-undecided Rad Dog space later this year when the temperature drops. For now, Rad Dog can be found Downtown during weekday lunch times at the corner of Broad and High streets.

But have no fear. Hal and Al's new kitchen still offers a vegan menu that is full of comfort food favorites in a similar mold to that of its former configuration.

Instead of featuring the delicious predetermined creations from Rad Dog, Hal and Al's now lets you create your own Tofurkey hot dogs, brats, Italian sausage and kielbasa with a choice of toppings including onions, peppers, sauerkraut, soy cheese, relish, salsa, spicy mustard and ketchup.

The menu also features another throwback to the Rad Dog era, which is the locally produced Luna Burger. The soft, crumbly patty is excellent.

The side dishes are also winners. Choices include fries, sweet potato fries, fried pickles, fried mushrooms, fried avocados, chili and nachos.

The nachos come topped with soy cheese, tomatoes, jalapeño peppers, onions, black olives and chili. It is a fairly substantial portion. The bartender told me that the plan was to reformulate the cheese so that it melts better at a future date.

The fried avocados were also very satisfying. Wedges of avocado were breaded and served with a creamy dill sauce.

Even though I'm slightly depressed that Rad Dog is no longer in my neighborhood, at least Hal and Al's still has a vegan kitchen. It seems like the menu is still in its formative stages, so look for a few more changes while the project is in its infancy.

Hal and Al's

Stella!

Stella is an amalgamation of international flavors that join hands in New Orleans to create a completely unique fusion cuisine. It combines European, Asian and Gulf Coast American elements that unify into a deeply satisfying package, all contained in a beautiful restaurant with a fun atmosphere.

Chef Scott Boswell brings his fun personality to Stella. His adventurous spirit comes to play in everything you eat at Stella. It quickly becomes evident why Chef Boswell was nominated for a James Beard award this year.

The amuse bouche was a mango puree prepared with taro root strips and spicy kimchi. The sweet flavor of the mango puree is pronounced at first, and the tangy bits of kimchi and the crunch of taro root join into a synergistic whole.

My appetizer was a chef's garden Bibb lettuce and organic purple radish salad with sweet red onions, fiddlehead ferns and blueberry vinaigrette. The salad combined crispy lettuce and crunchy radishes with a tart dressing, and the pop of fresh ground pepper made the flavor explode.

Stella prepares a vegetarian composition daily. Its contents are determined by whatever the freshest ingredients of the day are. The latest creation is cauliflower, beets, turnips and white asparagus with sugar snap peas, wild rice and potato croquettes, cauliflower puree, tapenade butter and a micro green salad. The croquettes were soft, hot and delicious. The veggies were crisp and flavorful. The dish was presented beautifully

The most minor complaint I had about the choices available for vegetarians was that the appetizer/entree combination available for vegetarians on the night I went to Stella was a little too salad heavy. I like mountains of greens as much as the next guy, but the portions might have been more in order if there was a non-salad appetizer available, or if the entree had a smaller green salad and more of the fresh veggies and croquettes. Overall, this is a minor complaint. The fare was so amazing that it overcame this slight oversight.

The dessert grilled cheese (yes, you read that correctly), however, hit the bullseye. Small tea sandwich portions of bread were stuffed with Explorateur triple-cream cheese and luxurious chocolate ganache. It was augmented with artistically applied blueberry sauce and fresh berries. The dessert wa so rich, and it was impossible to tell where the chocolate began and the Explorateur ended. The acidity in the blueberries adds a great contrast to this fantastic dessert.

Dinner came with an additional lagniappe in the form of a plate of delicious candies and cookies. While the strawberry marshmallow wasn't vegetarian-friendly, the chocolate coconut macaroons, absinthe truffles, white chocolate coconut nougat and passion fruit candies were both vegetarian-safe and satsfying.

Service at Stella was outstanding. The staff was jovial, knowledgeable, and deeply capable of addressing vegetarian dining concerns.

The wine list runs the gamut from trophy wines from DRC, Guigal, Margaux, Ridge, Peter Michael and Antinori, to idiosyncratic labels like the Friedrich Becker Pinot Noir from Germany and Surh Luchtel Page Nord Vineyard Rhone blend from Napa. Stella also has a full bar.

Stella