I thought I’d put out my own top ten restaurant list for Columbus. Ok, I’ll throw in some non-Columbus restaurants that are within a two hour drive for all you die hards out there. What am I basing my list on? Nothing but the good ol’ American dollar. The more money I spent at the restaurant in 2008, the higher it is ranked.

10. La Scala – $70.39 – I probably spent some more in cash here as well. How long has this place been around? Or how many decades has it been here would be more appropriate? Well, La Scala is still doing it right after all these years. And if you’re into lounge acts, this is the place to be because the food isn’t the only thing that’s cheesy.

9. La Tavola – $104 – I’m sure I spent more than this here. I love their liver and onions. I’ve never had a finer one than at La Tavola. Or try the Asparagus wrapped in Prosciutto di Parma with Mascarpone Cheese Grilled with Lemon for another strangely delicious treat.

8. Mitchell’s Steakhouse – $227 – I only made it to Mitchell’s once in 2008 and – Kablooey! – there went the budget. Still a damn fine steak. I’m a big fan of the Steak au Poivre and thank god they haven’t given their steaks any Buckeye names.

7. Taj Mahal $236.27 – I love the Taj. Perhaps it’s because it’s located in an old house. It’s nearby. The food is good and it’s got a great lunch buffet. It even has it’s own bar. Campus ain’t so bad afterall.

6. Northstar Cafe – $237.43 – I’m sure I spent more here as I made several un-trackable cash purchases. The Northstar is pricey but the food is damn good. My favorites include the Northstar Burger, Beechwold Salad, Cloud Nine Pancakes, and the chocolate brownie cookies.

5. Acropolis Gyro’s – $500+ – What can I say? I love the chicken gyro and the garlic hummus. It’s a weekly thang.

4. Boca – $420 – This is my Cincinnati entry on the Columbus list. It’s worth it to get out to Boca. See my reviews – it’s a fine dining experience.

3. Giuseppe’s Ritrovo – I spent $861 in 2008 at Giuseppe’s and that’s just trackable credit card purchases. You can safely add in another two or three hundie in cash. I love the ambiance, the food, the location, the service and – well, is there anything not to like about Giuseppe’s? I’m not too big on Italian wines. And the lamb shank didn’t impress me. Other than those small points, Giuseppe’s kicked arse in ‘08.

2. Trader Joe’s – $1000+ – Ok, I added in grocery stores. For some reason, my posts on Trader Joe’s and Coscto are some of my most popular ones, so I included them in this list. I was recently out at a Trader Joe’s in California. In Cali, Trader’s also sells hard alcohol and their prices on alcohol are much cheaper than in Ohio. I guess it helps that they are producing wine in Cali. Trader Joe’s has amazing prices on groceries and quality foods. The staff is ultra friendly as well. Try the $2 Indian meals in a box or the $1.99 Ritter Sport dark chocolate hazelnut bars. Oh yeah!

1. Costco – $2000+ – I joined Costco last January and, if you don’t mind buying in bulk, you can get some really great deals. They sell a real fine breaded Tilapia and an excellent spinach salad. They also have a decent wine selection. Look to save big on the non-food items as well like detergent, toiletries, paper towels, toilet paper, etc.

My only remaining question is this all tax deductible pour moi?

Qui sait?

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