Breakfast Burrito at Northstar Cafe
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Popularity: 2% [?]

Giuseppe’s Cipolle Pizza

Giuseppe’s is becoming a real hit with me. I admit that I may have been a little harsh on the first go round but sometimes life, and finerepast.com, offer us second chances. After having visited Giuseppe’s several times, it wasn’t til this last visit that the authentic Italian flavors really hit me in the face. That’s really not Giuseppe’s fault. I can be a little slow sometimes.
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Popularity: 2% [?]

I wrote about Pita Hut-n-Grille a while back. I need to add one thing to that review. Pita Hut-n-Grille has the finest hummus in Colummus! My cell phone picture don’t do it justice but this is damn good stuff. My wife says they should make a coffee of the same flavor. I personally think this stuff is Middle Eastern ice cream. I’m going to have to give Pita Hut-n-Grille’s hummus a finerepast five star rating.

Scrumdillyicious!

[where: 4965 North High Street
Columbus, Ohio 43214]
614-433-0996

Popularity: 9% [?]

I had the pleasure of dining at Cameron Mitchell’s Steakhouse in Columbus, Ohio recently. I always enjoy a fine steak. My companion and I started off the meal with the escargot appetizer selection. The garlic butter sauce the escargots came in was decadent. It felt like eating dessert but at the beginning of the meal. We followed the appetizer with the main course, our steaks. I chose the New York Steak au poivre and my companion ordered the filet mignon. I made the wise choice of requesting the accompanying sauce to be served on the side. Without the sauce, the steak au poivre was fantastic. I tried a bite with the sauce and almost suffered immediate heartburn. A good steak needs no sauce. And, in this case, the sauce would have ruined it. My companion was not as impressed with the filet mignon. I tried a bite and it seemed rather ordinary. We avoided the trap of ordering too many of the a la carte sides and finished the meal with the creme brulee. Our server was very knowledgable and even selected a fine Bourdeaux that went well with the steak. I’m ready to go back again. Bon Appetit!

Popularity: 17% [?]

We went and visited Marcella’s Ristorante in Polaris. We wanted to go to the Short North location but our choices for the third time in a row were before 5 pm or after 9 pm or something like that. This inability to make reservations only heightened our interest in visiting Marcella’s plus my buddy and his wife we’re dying to go there. So we went to Polaris. Polaris kind of reminds me of some place up in the arctic. It definitely doesn’t have any Short North charm.

Marcella’s is located in what used to be Martini’s Grill. It’s kind of got that Spaghetti Warehouse feel to it - kind of dark, loud, and a bunch of Chatchkis all over the walls. I spelled that right the first time - I’m on my game this morning!
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Popularity: 17% [?]

I recently visited The Ocean Club located in the Easton Towne Center and was left with the following impressions.

Atmosphere - For being located in a mall, I thought the setting and ambience were terrific except it was a Sunday night. Sunday night must be family night - even at the Ocean Club. We found ourselves sitting next to a table of six but it seemed like a table of 10. We were able to block that out and were greeted by a friendly and knowledgable waiter. Servers these days seem to want to give you way too much information. Restaurants must feel that information sells and that customers are illiterate. Or maybe, customers are more likely to order what’s recommended in order to get the idiot to shut up and serve the meal. Our waiter was knowledgable but not excessive in his need to impart information.

I, being a fan of shrimp cocktails and having had some extraordinary ones at The Granville Inn and at The Walker Station Steak House, decided to sample The Ocean Club’s offering which was entitled, the Colossal Shrimp Cocktail. I was a little hesitant at first given its hefty $14.00 price tag but what the heck - it wasn’t like anything was a bargain on the menu except maybe the tap water. It arrives a bit later. Presentation was excellent as it came in a container with dry ice at the bottom. So it was served up in its own billowy cloud. Given such an entrance, my expectations grew immensely. Imagine my disappointment when the three (that’s right just three although jumbo) shrimp were marginally fresh. In fact, they were somewhat stale. The cocktail sauce was just that, plain old cocktail sauce. $14 bucks pissed away. I was very disappointed. I wonder if there “featured starter - Colossal Shrimp Saute” was as colossal?

For the main course, I ordered the Salt n Pepper Tuna, with Forest Mushrooms & Green Peppercorn Sauce on the waiter’s recommendation at $24 a pop. Again, nice presentation but no punch. The tuna was decent but a little on the less than room temperature side. I didn’t get much of a salt and pepper flavor and the mushrooms/sauce combo was a bit overpowering for the tuna.

At this point, I didn’t think dessert would save the meal. So I ordered a glass of port at $12. Maybe I should have just cut my losses and left. Oh well, for a restaurant with such a fine reputation, I was left with a mediocre experience. Maybe I just hit it on the wrong night.

Popularity: 20% [?]

I should have known what I was in for after I had the fried calamari. It was going to be a long night at Buca di Beppo in Worthington, Ohio. In short, way too much salt and way too much garlic and a bit overcooked. Don’t get me wrong, I like a lot of garlic but I don’t care for a lot of salt. It’s about an hour after the meal and I’ve already had about 24 ounces of water and I’m still parched. Can anyone say - TOO MUCH SALT!

I’m not sure why the place was packed. Maybe Americans just love their salt. Not me. So if your blood pressure is low, go to Buca di Beppo. You guys at Buca can have that little ditty for free.

In addition to the calamari, we also started with the bruschetta (I’ve never understood the Italians’ passion for this stuff - at least not from Buca - cold diced tomatoes on bread - big deal?), the artichoke spinach dip and the fresh mozzarella caprese. I enjoyed the mozzarella caprese, at least as much as anyone could enjoy such a dish with your typical blanched, tasteless, autumn tomatoes (they must pick them while they’re still green). If anything, writing this review will improve my spelling. Hey, who knew that mozzarella had 2 z’s and 2 l’s. Or heck, who could spell bruschetta. Make up your mind, is it a ch or an sh or both, sch?!

Of the entrees, we sampled the Chicken Marsala with mushrooms, spaghetti with meatballs, fettucine supremo (with chicken, broccoli and red peppers, tortelloni, and a couple of others. It all kind of ran together at that point. The highlight was the chicken marsala - very tender, not too salty, and very tasty. The spaghetti with meatballs had the same cold tomato garbage on it as did the bruschetta (that’s sch).

Was there anything to wash this salty smorgasbord down? Guess what, Buca had that fine Australian slop called Yellow Tail on the menu at $24 a bottle. Can’t you get this stuff for $7 a bottle at the grocery store. And who drinks this crap anyway? At that point, their wine list credibility had gone to hell with me. Yellow Tail?! Heck, give me some of that crappy jesus juice you call chianti instead.

The danger with these places is to over order - especially when you are in a big group. And, as usual, we did. At least, we got our annual sodium intake requirement out of it.

Hey, can somebody get me a trough of water?

Buca di Beppo Worthington
60 East Wilson Bridge Road
Worthington, OH 43085
614.848.8466

Buca di Beppo Columbus
343 North Front Street
Columbus, OH 43215
614.621.3287

Popularity: 21% [?]

I recently visited Basi Italia at 811 Highland Avenue just off Buttles Avenue. Basi is a small Italian restaurant that is almost hidden in Victorian Village. The owners seem to have been going for a neighborhood eatery in choosing the location and in keeping the restaurant small and cozy. And I really like this about Basi. Maybe it will remain somewhat of a hidden secret. I started off my meal with a wonderful dish of roasted beets. The menu describes it as roasted beets - arugula, goat cheese, spiced walnuts & pomegranate. I consider it sort of a roasted beet salad but what do I know. Anyway, it was absolutely fantastic. The walnuts, goat cheese, balsamic vinegar and beets went fabulously together. A great start to the dining experience.

My main course was the shrimp and crab risotto which I didn’t enjoy as much as the roasted beets dish. The risotto was served al dente. Our waitress confirmed that that was as intended but I would have preferred the risotto a bit softer. Nevertheless, I’ll be back again soon to try some of their other dishes.

Popularity: 21% [?]

Always on the search for lunch spots, a friend and I ended up at the old reliable in Grandview, Aladdin’s Eatery. On a cold, rainy, late October day, Aladdin’s hit the spot with their fresh, strong, hot coffee, lentil soup and their Shawarma rolled pita. I’ve always felt that their pita sandwiches could be more substantial but they are always hot and I found this one particularly satisfying. Maybe I should just order two next time. Nothing like grilled beef and tahini strips served in a toasted pita, YEAH! I’m getting hungry just thinking about it again. I had their lentil soup waiting for me even if the Shawarma left me wanting more. The soup could have been a little hotter but overall very scrumptious. Watch out cause the lentil soup will not leave you constipated later.

A fine, hearty meal at a reasonable price.

I recently visited the Clintonville/North Campus Aladdin’s. Enjoyed an appetizer of their tabouli and their hummus and falafel pita roll. I asked for some hot sauce and much to my surprise they brought out their own home-brew which was fantastic. I’ve eaten at Aladdin’s for years and never known that they made their own hot sauce. Definitely, a must have.

Aladdin’s is one of my favorite restaurants. Healthy and Tasty.

Popularity: 22% [?]

I often enjoy eating at the Taj Palace in Hilliard, Ohio for their fine lunch buffet. Nothing like Indian buffet and a hot cup of chai on a cold wintry day. Mind you, the lunch fare’s spiciness has been toned down to attract the large, American crowds but the chai runs freely. If you want the real deal in hot and spicy terms, go there for dinner.

I started my last dinner there with the Assorted Platter - described as a delicious combination of Samosa, Vegetable Pakore, Chicken Pakore and Shammi Kabab and it lived up to its billing. I followed that with the Lamb Vindaloo - described in the menu as meats and seafood sauteed in a fiery hot curry sauce with potatoes and red chili peppers. You don’t order the level of spiciness on this dish - it just comes one way - fire hot! And it was darn tasty! But the best part of the meal may have been the naan. I asked if they had any naan made with raisins and The Taj Palace recommended - Kashmiri Kulcha - a soft white bread stuffed with raisins, cashews, coconut, and herbs. It was so good, we ordered another.

Taj Palace - go there at lunch for a fine repast - go there at dinner for an adventure!

http://www.tajpalacecolumbus.com/

Popularity: 31% [?]