Mughal Darbar

Mughal Darbar occupies the old location of Taj Mahal, one of the city's original Indian restaurants on High Street in the middle of campus. One member of the family took over from the other, and the new operation offers the full bar, buffet and Indian fare that made its predecessor famous.

The menu focuses on Mughalai cusine, a North Indian regional fare rooted in the 350+ year rule of the Mughal emperors. It is related to Persian food, and like any other Indian menu, it has plenty of options for vegetarians. Vegans can also have dishes made without dairy upon request. There is a vegetarian combo platter as well as a lunch buffet for those who can't choose only one item.

The restaurant kept the multiple room format from Taj Mahal. The decor is subtle and welcoming.

At a recent visit, there was a Gujarati street food addition to the buffet because of a holiday. The bhel puri, a puffed rice dish made with onion, potato, tamarind and mint chutneys, should be consumed by the bucketful.

The other classics, chana masala and saag paneer in particular, are full of fresh ingredients and a rich spice level. The samosa has a nice thick exterior that allows the potato and pea filling to support a variety of Indian condiments.

The veggie kebabs and oven-roasted paneer entrees look great. There are many common Indian dishes on the menu, but some of the items like kadhai paneer, a hot onion sauce bathing cubed cheese, and dum aloo, cheese and nut stuffed potatoes in creamy sauce, are not found on many menus around town. There are breads from many flavors of naan to fluffier paratha and crispy roti.

Pera Fresh Food

Pera Fresh Food is a fast-casual Mediterranean eatery located in the old Ali Baba space on campus. As would be expected, they serve inexpensive, healthy Middle Eastern eats on the fly.

Where Ali Baba offered a full service menu that focused on variety, Pera makes a small number of healthy lunchtime standards. 

The set-up at Pera is similar to Chipotle, where customers choose combinations of rice and vegetables as the foundation of their bowl, salad or flatbread wrap. Prices are reasonable. Falafel wraps are less than $5 at select times.

 The wraps are made on lavash bread that is warmed in the oven when ordered. It can be customized with veggies, including cucumbers, black olives, onions, spinach, tomatoes and more, as well as sauces like tzatziki, hummus and harissa. The falafel lacked a little crispiness, but had a pleasant flavor. The wrap is a full lunch if a side dish is added.

The hummus has a deep herbal flavor that also picks up spice from the dollop of harissa that floats on its surface. While the hummus is good, it is difficult to eat in the shallow take-out cup in which it is served, and it is challenging to order because bread must be ordered on the side a la carte. Bread probably should be included in the purchase price.

Desserts mostly lacked character. The rice pudding was bland and mealy. The baklava was good, but wasn't fresh or house-made.

Overall, service at Pera is fast. The prices are reasonable, but considering that most Mediterranean food is inexpensive, Pera may find it difficult to stand out. A plethora of restaurants have opened in the past few years that make better food for essentially the same price. 

Curry and Hurry

Curry 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 dining room, so orders must be eaten off site.

The menu at Curry and Hurry is strikingly similar to the aforementioned Curry and Kabab. The web site also lists a vegetarian menu which I didn't see.

The weakest characteristic of the items I tried at Curry and Hurry was that the fried items were a little on the greasy side. This was the most obvious flaw, and this was offset for the most part by quick service and flavorful preparations of Indian classics.

The paneer pakoras, thickly breaded fingers of Indian cheese, were a tasty expression of this mild staple. The cilantro chutney added a fresh bite to the pakoras, which were so hot that they were almost molten (although like halloumi, paneer will not melt).

The samosas were large, stuffed with spicy peas, potatoes, onions and spices. It also paired nicely with the cilantro chutney.

The navratan korma was delightful. Korma is a classic North Indian/Pakistani cream curry, and the translation of navratan is nine gems, which refers to the fact that the dish typically is prepared with nine different vegetables, fruits and/or nuts. The tomato and cream curry has great garlic, ginger, cumin and chili flavor that coats the beans, broccoli, onion, potato and peas.

The naan was passable though not great. The plain naan was a good tool to pick up sauces and chutneys. The garlic naan was aggressive and would have benefitted from a more judicious use of garlic.

Overall, Curry and Hurry was acceptable. There are far better Indian restaurants in Central Ohio. However, if you're in the neighborhood, the menu provides plenty of options for vegetarians.

Curry & Hurry

Cafe 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, my bill was $10.

The salad was made with spinach, arugula, red peppers, red onions, bean sprouts, white cheese and sesame oil. It was fresh, clean and delicately constructed with hints of citrus, pepper and earthiness.

The eggplant parmesan pasta was thinly sliced eggplant delicately battered and served on thick spaghetti noodles in a house-made, chunky marinara with basil and garlic notes. The plating was great, and it added visual appeal to a dish that was already a satisfying explosion of flavor.

The brownie bite was a cool conclusion to the meal. The salad and pasta were filling, so I wasn't certain that I needed anything else. However, after some consideration, two bites of warm, dark chocolate cake provided a perfect finale to a fantastic lunch.

While the main focus of Cafe Bella is Italian dishes and breakfast items like frittata and French toast, international fare also is a staple. While this place is very accommodating for dietary restrictions, calling a day ahead allows diners to custom craft their meal for the next day (a cool perk for regulars and picky eaters).

Cafe Bella

Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal is Columbus' oldest Indian restaurant. Located on North High Street in the heart of campus, Taj Mahal prepares a ton of things that are safe for vegetarians (as you would expect from an Indian restaurant).

The menu at Taj Mahal has about 15 vegetarian entree choices as well as four appetizers. I sampled the lunch buffet, which had four vegetarian entrees as well as vegetable pakoras and naan.

The vegetable pakoras had a crunchy breading that snapped with each bite. The veggies were a mix of cauliflower, carrots and spinach. It paired well with a puddle of mint chutney.

The dal makhni was also very tasty. The Indian specialty is spicy and had a hint of garlic flavor. Another vegetarian option from the buffet was the malai kofta. Malai kofta is deep fried potato and cheese balls in a cream sauce. It is a rich, savory delight.

The roasted eggplant curry was a little hit or miss. While the veggies were mostly crisp and flavorful, the eggplant had an overly chewy consistency that was unpleasant. The dish might benefit from not sitting on a hot plate at the buffet for extended periods after cooking.

There is also a full salad bar and rice pudding available as part of the buffet. It costs $9.50.

There is plenty of seating at Taj Mahal. There is a full bar. Taj Mahal closes for a few hours between lunch and dinner.

Overall, Taj Mahal is a decent option for vegetarian diners. Personally, I prefer the quality of the food at Bayleaf, Indian Oven and Taj Palace to that of Taj Mahal. However, Taj Mahal still makes decent enough food to make it passable.

Taj Mahal

Pizza Grand Prix V

I stopped by the Wild Goose Creative for the Pizza Grand Prix version 5.0. The event featured the best in Columbus commercial and homemade pizzas in a fun and convivial atmosphere.

Admission cost was a medium pizza. For this low cost, you could sample anything brought by anybody else. Although a few pies disappeared quickly, there was plenty of pizza to go around (including an entire table of veggie pizzas).

My contribution to the cause was a Margherita pizza from the Press Grill in the Short North. The crust was thin and crispy. The roasted tomatoes had a bright flavor that paired well with the finely cut fresh basil.

Some of the other vegetarian pizza options included Hound Dog's Smokin' Joe, a veggie pizza from the Hyatt on Capital Square that had a delicious thin crust (who would've known?) and Hungry Howie's. Many of the homemade pizzas were also vegetarian, including the Margherita pies churned out on the Weber Grill by Dave (who won best homemade pizza and the giant tin of tomatoes that came with it).

There was a vote on best pizza of the night by the people in attendance, and there was also a pizza judging panel that consisted of food blogger Bethia Woolf, Roland Kopecky, Peggy Yerkes of Bono Pizza (who was dressed as a slice of pizza) and Jeff Aufdencamp of Mama Mimi's Take and Bake Pizza. I didn't get to sample it, but Clever Crow was one of the winners of the crowd vote.

The Pizza Grands Prix (the plural of grand prix) are a regular event, and there are a number of other food-related events at Wild Goose. PGP is definitely worth checking out next time around.

Pizza Grand Prix V

Bohemio's Mexican Restaurant

Bohemio's is the new incarnation of the campus Mexican restaurant formerly known as Xalisco. The menu consists of fairly standard fare made by a friendly staff.

The restaurant is small, seating only about 30 people. The interior is bright and festively decorated.

Vegetarian items are clearly marked on the menu. The beans and Mexican rice are both fully vegetarian items.

The dinner menu features about five vegetarian combination platters. The lunch menu features only vegetarian fajitas and cheese quesadillas.

The quesadilla was a large flour tortilla stuffed with a white cheese (either queso asadero, chihuahua or queso fresco). It is served with sour cream and salsa, and the portion is large for $2.50. The quesadilla is delicious, especially with the accoutrements.

The fajita is also delicious. The fajita consists of griddled peppers, onions, mushrooms and zucchini. It is served with a side of guacamole, and this adds a savory note to the smoky accents of the vegetables.

Prices at Bohemio's are reasonable. The salsa is mild with a hint of onion and cilantro. The chips seemed like they could have been more fresh, but they were at least passable.

The staff is very friendly. I had better luck conversing with the staff in Spanish than I did in English. This might discourage some vegetarians, but lucky enough, the vegetarian items are clearly marked on the menu.

Bohemio's

Cazuela's Grill

Cazuela's Grill is a cookie cutter Mexican restaurant north of Lane on High Street. Although the menu features a slightly higher percentage of grilled fare, the menu in most ways is nearly indistinguishable from a myriad of other dull Mexican restaurants (see El Vaquero or Las Margaritas) in Columbus.

The main attraction of Cazuela's seems to be the happy hour specials from 2 to 6 pm. There are mixed drink and beer specials as well as half price appetizers during happy hour. There is a fairly limited roster of vegetarian appetizers that includes bean nachos, guacamole and other chip dips.

The regular salsa that's part of the obligatory gratis starter is fairly bland and characterless. It is improved greatly in the rancho dip, which is a combination of cream cheese, cheddar and salsa.

There are seven vegetarian entrees. The veggie burrito is reasonably sized. It uses a flour tortilla to encase grilled onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers and squash. The combination of grilled vegetables is pleasant if unspectacular.

Cazuela's has voluminous outdoor seating. The season to take advantage of patio seating is coming to a close, but today, most people were eating outdoors. Those who prefer to eat inside can enjoy Cazuela's tastefully appointed interior. Carry-out orders can also be made. Prices are reasonably inexpensive.

Overall, Cazuela's was fairly average. The quality of the food was similar to that of most pedestrian Mexican eateries. They do have a decent number of options for vegetarians, and they feature lots of drink specials, so Cazuela's isn't a complete bust. However, places like Cuco's, Chile Verde and Talita's offer food with decidedly more character than Cazuela's.

Cazuela's Grill

Alana's Food and Wine - Restaurant Week

Outside of Dragonfly, Alana's is probably Columbus' most vegetarian-friendly fine dining establishment. The regular menu lists items that can be prepared vegetarian and vegan, and many of the items on the Restaurant Week menu are available as vegetarian options.

Alana's is the namesake restaurant of chef/proprietor Alana Shock, a chef with stints at Spagio, Emeril's and Lettuce Entertain You in Chicago as a corporate chef. The decor of the restaurant features whimsical accents that highlight the fun nature of Alana and her staff.

Alana's was jammed for Restaurant Week. The staff seemed a little pressed with all of the business stacking up. I had few problems because I walked in and I figured I'd have to wait. Some guests with reservations, however, were complaining that their reservations were 45 minutes late. Hopefully the weekend sees an increase in staffing.

The Restaurant Week menu actually changes daily. Many of the items on the Web menu were no longer available Thursday night. Of course, the shifting menu guarantees the freshest ingredients will be used.

There was a vegetarian salad and a soup available for the first course. I chose the Indian lentil Dal curry soup because I have a soft spot in my heart for food from the Indian subcontinent. Dal is the Indian name for lentils, and one of the classic preparations is lentil soup. Alana's version was richly spiced with a thick, pureed lentil base and hints of tomatoes, garlic and green onion.

The main course was a risotto made with Ohio shiitake mushrooms and mild goat cheese. The texture of the risotto was perfect, the mushrooms were savory and the goat cheese brought the whole dish together beautifully. The only minor complaint I had was that risotto changes from ethereal to coagulated rather quickly, and the portion might have been slightly large to enjoy the whole dish at the perfect consistency. That being said, how often is having too much of something a bad thing?

The dessert was a chocolate tort topped with chocolate ice cream. The dish highlighted the bitter, dark notes of chocolate, and walnuts add another layer of flavor to a great meal's conclusion.

Alana's is a great restaurant. Despite her feud with restaurant critic Jon Christensen, Alana's is most definitely one of Columbus' 10 best restaurants. Her commitment to vegetarian dining quality also makes Alana's a can't-miss destination for meatless diners.

Alana's