Cray Eatery & Drinkery

Cray is part of the old Wonder Bread factory. It's an open, casual space that specializes in sliders and infused-liquor cocktails.

The infused liquors aren't the run of the mill raspberry and vanilla flavors, although you might be able to get those too. They are flooded with things like smoked ginger, pumpkin spice, banana nut, garlic, hibiscus, candy corn, Skittles, Werther's and Lemonheads. 

These liquors make up traditional cocktails with an extra kick. Think garlic bloody Mary or smoked ginger vodka Moscow mules. There is also a solid beer and wine selection with about six taps.

The sliders and other pub grub go pretty well with a few drinks. There are three different veggie sliders - quinoa, portabella and tofu. There is a normal and pretzel bun, as well as a bun-less gluten free option.

The tofu can be prepared vegan. It is breaded and fried and topped with cole slaw. It is almost a vegetarian fried chicken slider.

The quinoa patty has a texture more like sloppy Joes. It is swimming in sundried tomato pesto and topped liberally with arugula. 

The portabella is topped with provolone cheese and caramelized onions. It is the classic grilled mushroom preparation, and it works really well on the pretzel bun.

Service can be uneven. Orders came out slowly on one visit, and it was difficult to get dishes served in a traditional appetizer - entree order. Nonetheless, servers and staff were all warm and accommodating As long as the kitchen isn't swamped, it's probably better to order dishes in a tapas fashion. 

Expatriate

Tucked in an unmarked space across the street from Beast, Expatriate is a speakeasy small plates spot in Northeast Portland. Cocktails that riff on the classics are mixed skillfully by Kyle Linden Webster, and they pair with small plates by Mrs. Linden Webster, a.k.a. Naomi Pomeroy of Top Chef Masters/James Beard Award fame. 

The space is dark with a stylish minimalist vibe. The mood can vary based upon the flavor of vinyl that the proprietor spins from his vault.

Every drink has a story. The old school drinks explain their origin, noting the inspiration. The Infante, named after Mexican idol Pedro Infante, mixes Pueblo Viejo tequila blanca, fresh lime juice, fresh orgeat and local honey. It is dusted with fresh grated nutmeg, and the spectacular ice cools the drink beautifully.

The Royal Hawaiian contrasts a spicy gin base accented with bitters and citrus juices. It is named for a hotel opened in the 1920s influenced by the work of Rudolph Valentino.

The food is every bit as interesting as the drinks. While there are only a few vegetarian options on the menu, everything was perfect paired with the cocktails. 

I will crave the James Beard tea sandwich until my dying day. Crustless white egg bread is layered with cold butter, parsley, thinly sliced white onions and crunchy grey sea salt. Imagine the most delicious cucumber sandwich and elevate it. 

The hot and sour Indian curry fries are liberally dusted in a makeshift garam masala, and served with cilantro raita, curry ketchup and sumac ranch. The hints of sweetness temper the spiciness, and the creamy condiments add another layer of richness to the gourmet bar snack.

Epatriate has popped up on the radar in many important places, including being nominated as one of Bon Appetit's 50 Best New Restaurants of 2014. It is a fun experience, less serious than Beast across the street. Neither Beast nor Expatriate should be missed, though Expatriate's menu seems more vegetarian friendly. 

Local Cantina

Local Cantina operates on the Grandview strip, preparing stylized interpretations of taco truck fare paired with beer, margaritas and other cocktails. The concept is reminiscent of Big Star in Chicago - a kitschy dive bar replete with inexpensive Mexican dishes.

The decor echoes this ethos. The walls are adorned with Mexican knick knacks and mustache artwork. 

Bar patrons and tables are sated by the endless self-serve well of chips and salsa on the floor.   While bottomless tortilla chips and roasted tomatillo salsa are tempting, my inner mysophobe thinks that this could become a breeding ground for germs during flu season. Consider this a warning for hypochondriacs.

The margaritas are made in a variety of formulations. Most are very good, but the drinks with agave nectar are overly sweet and lack finesse. The beer selection is good enough to keep craft enthusiasts as well as the Miller/Bud crowd happy.

The other appetizer dips are excellent. The guacamole has a great flavor with layers of lime, garlic and cilantro. The queso looks bland, but actually has a spicy base that lingers perfectly. The bottomless chips come in handy with these appetizers.

There are two vegetarian tacos on the menu at Local Cantina. The refried beans are vegetarian, and they are the base of a soft taco that also has cheese and the typical veggies. The rajas taco is a Central Mexican classic made with roasted poblano peppers, onions, cream and spices. The tacos pick up a richness that supports the smoky peppers. 

Dessert was a deep-fried chocolate chip cookie that failed on every level. The texture was tough to the point of being inedible. 

Service was uneven on multiple visits. Orders were delivered at inexact intervals, making it seem as if courses should be ordered in steps rather than all at once. Servers were not knowledgeable about vegetarian dining options, but also did not hesitate to ask the kitchen when requested.

The Burrito Bus

Fans of Athens' favorite food cart the Burrito Buggy will find plenty to like at the Burrito Bus. Steve Stone and the rest of the staff turn out a variety of Mexican favorites.

Almost anything on the menu is available with a vegan or vegetarian preparation. The meatless protein is a marinated tofu. It was a spicy Cajun tofu when I visited the Burrito Bus.

The Burrito Bus offered burritos, tacos, a burrito bowl and nachos. Much like Chipotle, items can be customized by selecting toppings.

The Hot Mama Burrito is rolled with one end open. It is stuffed with the tofu, rice, black beans, lettuce, tomato, onions, salsa, cheese, sour cream and jalepeños.

The tacos are quite large. They were made with the same ingredients as the burrito minus the rice and beans.

This truck definitely has potential for lunches and late-night eats. The Burrito Bus can be followed on the usual social media suspects.

Section 8 Yakitorium

Section 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 include green onions, okra, tomatoes and enoki mushrooms.

The green onions had a fresh, sweet flavor. The okra picks up layers of nuanced smoke, and the grill eliminates any slimy characteristics that sometimes plague the vegetable.

The mushrooms have a subtle flavor. They ended up crispy on the corners and soft and moist in the middle.

The cabbage pancakes, called okonokiyaki, can be prepared for vegetarians, but it must be requested this way as they traditionally contain fish sauce. This was easily the best thing I tasted. The texture was perfectly crunchy, and the sweet soy marinade shines on this delicious dish.

The pickled vegetable rice dish was a nice winter warmer. This was a special item, and seasonal menu choices could change regularly.

There is an understated decor at Double Happiness. The bar serves a limited selection of drafts and about 20 bottled beers, sake and sake cocktails, and liquor, including cool labels like the Suntory Yamazaki 12 year Japanese whisky.

The staff did a great job with vegan and vegetarian concerns. Section 8 Yakitorium is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 6:30 p.m. to 1:30 or 2 a.m.

Hot 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 Commons this past weekend.

The rolled falafel sandwich puts small falafel disks into a warm pita with chopped romaine, tomato, house made pickles and tahini. I develop a favorite Columbus falafel crush on a regular basis, and this is a great candidate to claim this prestigious mantle created in my mind.

The hummus from Hot Pita comes in three flavors: traditional, roasted red pepper and jalepeño. It is served with a choice of pita triangles or pita chips. The jalepeño hummus had just enough punch to make the spiciness linger. Portions are big enough to share.

The lentil soup with lemon is also vegetarian.

The photos of Hot Pita catering looked delicious. This is definitely an operation worth keeping on the vegetarian radar.

La Macarena Pupuseria

Pupusas 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 arepas and pupusas. It's safe to say that if you like one, you'd probably like the other.

The staff at La Macarena is fun and friendly like the decor. The menu offers tons of vegetarian and vegan options, and the daily specials often include a meatless option.

The guacamole tostadita showcased fresh avocados and cilantro. The crushed red pepper adds an interesting spicy touch to a fantastic starter.

There were a few different vegetarian combo plates. I sampled one with a tamale, plantains, black beans, cheese pupusas and curtido, a Mexican/Salvadoran cole slaw. The tamale was soft. The plantains were starchy with a hint of sweetness. The pupusas were stuffed with a little bit of cheese that was sweetened up by corn. It paired well with the slaw and the hot sauce.

One other interesting item at La Macarena is the tableside condiment. There is a mild tomato and pepper sauce from El Salvador that is more tomato driven than its hot sauce relatives from other countries. This is another touch that adds an authentic flair to this restaurant.

Vegans, vegetarians and those who like international flavors all should find plenty to like at La Macarena. It's a family owned gem in Uptown New Orleans that is well worth a stop.

La Macarena Pupuseria

Bodega

Bodega 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 happy hour and the $1 grilled cheese Mondays with increased savings, hipsters and pretty people can sometimes see decreased levels of service.

Consider this caveat emptor. Some people enjoy the busier atmosphere and cash savings, yet are willing to wait for these benefits. Others hate fighting the crowds and are willing to pay full price for improved bartender access. Pick your battles based upon personal preference.

The house salad was romaine, red onion, cucumber, tomato and feta in a Champagne vinaigrette. The sweetness of the dressing provides a great contrast to the white pepper notes in the lettuce. In lieu of croutons, the salad was served with toasted bread.

The crispy thin crust pizza was topped with garlic, olive oil, tomatoes, spinach, toasted pine nuts and shredded Manchego cheese. The nutty cheese was melted by the heat of the pizza Steubenville style.

As usual, the draft menu at Bodega was fantastic. Seasonal selections included Troegs Nugget Nectar, Rogue Kells Irish, Stone Sublimely Self Righteous and CBC Arnold IPA.

Bodega

La Bamba

While 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 includes lard-free refried beans, quesadillas, tacos, tortas, nachos and three sizes of burritos. But you don't want to be a wimp. You want to impress your drinking buddies by ordering the football-sized super burrito.

The vegetarian burrito is made with a choice of black and pinto beans, Mexican rice, peppers, onions, tomatoes, crema and cheese. Adding avocados is a nice touch that lends the burritos a fat, savory flavor. The salsas are fresh and deceptively spicy.

Orders are prepared at the counter in full view of diners (a la Chipotle). It's difficult to spend more than $10 at La Bamba.

La Bamba isn't the best or the most authentic Mexican fare. It is, however, a fantastic way to end a night after a heroic bout of binge drinking.

La Bamba

Classics Sports Bar

Classics Sports Bar is located in part of the old Victory's space. They feature a limited selection of draft beer, mixed drinks and bar food. There are veggie pizzas and sandwiches as well as a few meatless appetizers.

The pizza at Classics is fairly average in quality. It is thin crust and tavern cut. The sauce is bright and fresh-tasting. The crust is crispy if not slightly uneven. The toppings are unspectacular. Having tried multiple Classics locations, I found the pizza from the Westerville location to be superior to that of the Columbus outpost.

Overall, Classics Pizza is more of an effective way of cutting through a beer-induced haze during football games rather than something you'd search out. Plank's across the street is much better pizza.

Classic Sports Bar

Dirty Frank's

After a year's worth of delays, Dirty Frank's Hot Dog Palace was finally opened to the public today. The new Liz Lessner outpost combines haute dogs, slushies and an armada of booze into a colorful package that is a tasty as it is fun.

Although it's a hot dog joint, there are plenty vegetarian options on the menu. Most of the hot dog options can be made with a veggie dog, a veggie brat or a veggie Polish sausage.

Veggie sides include Sriracha cole slaw (which is as amazing as it sounds), macaroni and cheese with sport peppers, fries, onion rings, baked beans and fried leeks.

The first of the dogs I tried was the classic Chicago dog. Tomatoes, onions, relish, sport peppers, yellow mustard and celery salt are piled on a dog in a poppy seed bun. The fresh veggies make the Chicago dog tasty.

I also tried the Dog from Hell, which included a spicy giardiniera mix made from cauliflower and carrots with a liberal dose of cream cheese. The spicy pickled veggies provide a nice contrast to the cooling cream cheese.

One of the more interesting topping choices at Dirty Frank's is the dog that comes in spicy mango chutney. Although it isn't typically what you pile on a hot dog when you pull it off the grill, the mango chutney is interesting enough to make it work.

There are a number of other cool looking options including the Seoul Dog (made with kimchee), Beano (made with veggie chili) and the Nikola (made with Greek relish and tzatziki--yum!). At $3 a pop, it's easy for a pile of hot dogs to get eaten without breaking the bank.

The beverage selection is also very interesting. There are slushies available in a couple of different flavors. For those who like their drinks with a little stronger edge of fermentation, there are beers ranging from Old Style to Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA, as well as cocktails like the Chris Sabo (cherry slush and orange vodka) and the Charlie Hustle (cherry slush, energy drink and cherry vodka).

The decor is bright. The wall art is rock music and baseball. I wish them success because few places Downtown stay open until 2 am. I know I'll be back.

Dirty Frank's