tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91241918944492263742024-03-18T22:55:22.915-04:00Amateur FoodiesHonest restaurant reviews. Inspired home cooking. Deliberate ingredient sources.Ryan Ostranderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12166999318810207543noreply@blogger.comBlogger157125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124191894449226374.post-3569317968311845362012-01-16T21:10:00.001-05:002012-01-16T21:20:02.966-05:00Lunch Out @ FortuneLast weekend, while house hunting, Sarah said she wanted to go get some spicy food. She wanted something Asian. Probably Thai. We headed for <a href="http://thaionhigh.com/">Nida's</a> - my favorite Thai spot so far - only to find that they were closed at lunch time on Saturday at their Short North location (we should have just gone down to North Market). Well, a similar scenario this weekend led us to <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/fortune-chinese-restaurant-columbus">Fortune</a>, which I'd heard great things about. It did not disappoint!<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rMGv84thDCw/TxTSujSrSAI/AAAAAAAAGcI/A56uCsNcSg0/s1600/IMG_0068.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rMGv84thDCw/TxTSujSrSAI/AAAAAAAAGcI/A56uCsNcSg0/s320/IMG_0068.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><b>The Food</b>: The menu is a bit overwhelming because there are so many options - and we had to ask for the full menu because they first just brought us a lunch menu without any of the Szechuan offerings. And then it's tough because so much sounds good! We went with some mala string beans to start, and asked them to mix in a bit of the Spicy Pot of Gold (fried tofu). It cost $2 more but it was fantastic. There must have been half a head of sliced garlic, several jalapenos, and a handful of dried red chiles. Add the Szechuan peppercorns (not super fresh, so not much numbing) and well cooked beans and we were excited! Then we ordered some cold noodles, which frankly weren't that good (too vinegary, but soon forgotten, because...). The pork in garlic sauce - sweet, salty, nice texture differences with strips of celery, very savory - was a suggestion from the waitress and very tasty.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>The Ingredients</b>: Nothing of note in terms of organic, local, etc. that we're aware of. We'll have to ask next time, but doubtful.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>The Story, Setting, & Service</b>: It's going to take some time to get used to so many good things coming in strip malls. The ambiance here is nonexistent, but the people were very nice (a menu change took help from a 2nd server).<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>The Last Bite</b>: We're feeling pretty confident that this place is going to be consistently making us happy, and we're already looking forward to returning. I almost went for lunch today, the day after. If you don't like spicy food, be careful. But, the taste is wonderful!<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><embed flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Fgavinleonardohio%2Falbumid%2F5698411100747511809%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26authkey%3DGv1sRgCMnJsb7StsC7gAE%26hl%3Den_US" height="267" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" src="https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400"></embed><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/33/370966/restaurant/Clintonville/Fortune-Chinese-Columbus"><img alt="Fortune Chinese on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/370966/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a><o:p></o:p></div>Gavin DeVore Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03923400226611767071noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124191894449226374.post-78642505654507693842011-12-18T08:59:00.000-05:002011-12-18T08:59:23.411-05:00Breakfast Out @ Katalina'sMy wife and I were pretty steady food bloggers in Cincinnati for a year or so before we ran out of places we really wanted to review and life happened in some major ways. We've just moved to Columbus and <a href="http://www.cafecornercolumbus.com/">Katalina's</a> was recommended to us as a great breakfast place - and indeed it was! It inspired us!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We were inspired late in the meal :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>The Food: We ordered the pork and egg sandwich and a country egg sandwich - two big egg sandwiches that are on crusty, buttery bread and packed full of flavorful ingredients. The meats were tasty, the cheese was gooey, the other toppings were all good. We also had the sweet and spicy bacon on the side, and that was pretty darn yummy as well (I wonder if they use regular sugar and if it would taste even better with brown). <br />
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The Ingredients: Not sure about any local, organic, or other notable options. They do sell some of their staples which is kind of cute.<br />
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The Story, Setting, & Service: Harrison West was on our list of neighborhoods to check out while house hunting, so we started here (turns out it's probably out of our price range). Katalina's is small and frankly I was surprised we didn't have to wait at 11am on a (slightly drizzly/snowy) Saturday. You order up front, the folks were real nice, and then find a seat. They've got a grip of outdoor seating, so mental note for the spring/summer/fall. Food came quick. And again, it was good!<br />
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The Last Bite: The breakfast sandwiches are legit. Highly recommended that you go eat one. I know we'll be back.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/33/370356/restaurant/Victorian-Village/Katalinas-Cafe-Corner-Columbus"><img alt="Katalina's Cafe Corner on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/370356/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a>Gavin DeVore Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03923400226611767071noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124191894449226374.post-11338810395075339992011-12-17T20:28:00.000-05:002011-12-17T20:28:45.595-05:00Live from ColumbusWell, the blog has been dormant for quite some time now - pregnancy, babydom, job change, moving, and more will do that to you. But we're getting settled in to Columbus and a truly great breakfast sandwich at <a href="http://www.cafecornercolumbus.com/">Katalina's Cafe Corner</a> today inspired us to think about getting back in the game.<br />
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If you're still following our RSS feed from Cincinnati, hi again. Our posts will likely be much less frequent than when we were in top form, and they'll be about Columbus food, so be forewarned. If you've found us in Columbus, cool. We found blogging to be a fun way to learn about our city and to get connected to great resources about what and where to eat.<br />
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I'm going to try to keep the blogging low maintenance, and the reviews will be short as a result. The brevity may make us indistinguishable - I think our thoughtful reviews were what stood out in the past. But, better something than nothing, right?!<br />
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Here's to more sharing and learning ahead...Gavin DeVore Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03923400226611767071noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124191894449226374.post-18253838075992185252011-04-02T10:18:00.000-04:002011-04-02T10:18:00.265-04:00Existential Eating #49<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxYMN4xwmV6QLXZqOlm6piRkhEme6momANaH_hCqB29E6uEwgiA7CAiil7xbaYfuCpIfUkWtQUXrG-69eGVCVsHnAo02-KYb1rPh5cSiGHhkPPX3UeB7w8WbHgd3YGvkk6ZIgOUO6-iPg/s1600/49_mentos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxYMN4xwmV6QLXZqOlm6piRkhEme6momANaH_hCqB29E6uEwgiA7CAiil7xbaYfuCpIfUkWtQUXrG-69eGVCVsHnAo02-KYb1rPh5cSiGHhkPPX3UeB7w8WbHgd3YGvkk6ZIgOUO6-iPg/s400/49_mentos.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
If you have any suggestions or ideas for future Existential Eating strips, please <a href="mailto:gavinleonardohio@gmail.com">email </a>or comment below. Sadly, our current collective imagination will run dry. If its related to food, it can be the topic of an Existential Eating comic strip. Just share your idea and Ramsey will do his best to draw it up (probably, someday).Gavin DeVore Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03923400226611767071noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124191894449226374.post-41610063317936767482011-03-26T14:18:00.001-04:002011-03-26T14:18:00.994-04:00Existential Eating #48<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpU_iGuuO5YbHmdlt-V0Ir9Rx4Zx7WqWwqOmfZluw1vUXsNgJoqyUY3eLvFyuSeJh7_RhSSuycxFzkcQyABw0TIaEx72g6E7Js_HQ6QnkkGvlfKCP4-4ZghYaGoMY4aAiRhIAosVD1W18/s1600/48_icecream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpU_iGuuO5YbHmdlt-V0Ir9Rx4Zx7WqWwqOmfZluw1vUXsNgJoqyUY3eLvFyuSeJh7_RhSSuycxFzkcQyABw0TIaEx72g6E7Js_HQ6QnkkGvlfKCP4-4ZghYaGoMY4aAiRhIAosVD1W18/s400/48_icecream.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
If you have any suggestions or ideas for future Existential Eating strips, please <a href="mailto:gavinleonardohio@gmail.com">email </a>or comment below. Sadly, our current collective imagination will run dry. If its related to food, it can be the topic of an Existential Eating comic strip. Just share your idea and Ramsey will do his best to draw it up (probably, someday).Gavin DeVore Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03923400226611767071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124191894449226374.post-48034160975511849652011-03-19T09:35:00.000-04:002011-03-19T09:35:00.862-04:00Existential Eating #47<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjna4I8cdSpQQaKB1R1weLdLSpQA_EpBrT3320Fj3Yyybcw4LtK6jvp9I3vnLeLffUvdlxCjVACgdlr-2W6blqG0mmSHt7fneh-nAPRnPPdX5qB-u-zKDHg2dWNV_aXW-_ZqagG1zbgVso/s1600/47_cannedmeat_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjna4I8cdSpQQaKB1R1weLdLSpQA_EpBrT3320Fj3Yyybcw4LtK6jvp9I3vnLeLffUvdlxCjVACgdlr-2W6blqG0mmSHt7fneh-nAPRnPPdX5qB-u-zKDHg2dWNV_aXW-_ZqagG1zbgVso/s400/47_cannedmeat_large.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
If you have any suggestions or ideas for future Existential Eating strips, please <a href="mailto:gavinleonardohio@gmail.com">email </a>or comment below. Sadly, our current collective imagination will run dry. If its related to food, it can be the topic of an Existential Eating comic strip. Just share your idea and Ramsey will do his best to draw it up (probably, someday).Gavin DeVore Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03923400226611767071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124191894449226374.post-71208362283435714952011-03-12T09:20:00.000-05:002011-03-12T09:20:00.354-05:00Existential Eating #46<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr9mKlpQX-ipR-kdHH8weazTy4OgRshiICS8R5-hm9-ujIw4JSMQ13umAJxdoHl5UjxlboZh2_6CaZUiewoO-wiVVHuO4G-Ld67dP9XBS-SdUSUrOGrG8lJ1NFz7PhaLpS3ykj8GIFOFM/s1600/46_fakemeat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr9mKlpQX-ipR-kdHH8weazTy4OgRshiICS8R5-hm9-ujIw4JSMQ13umAJxdoHl5UjxlboZh2_6CaZUiewoO-wiVVHuO4G-Ld67dP9XBS-SdUSUrOGrG8lJ1NFz7PhaLpS3ykj8GIFOFM/s400/46_fakemeat.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
If you have any suggestions or ideas for future Existential Eating strips, please <a href="mailto:gavinleonardohio@gmail.com">email </a>or comment below. Sadly, our current collective imagination will run dry. If its related to food, it can be the topic of an Existential Eating comic strip. Just share your idea and Ramsey will do his best to draw it up (probably, someday).Gavin DeVore Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03923400226611767071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124191894449226374.post-54670804226756208762011-03-05T09:17:00.000-05:002011-03-05T09:17:00.415-05:00Existential Eating #45<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivav2tAoIpHy9YQrW8NFNdXjOpTFnmP6c92FxnroWUUX8w34Y43m5wOyou_xn2BKedL0SfUS66MzbchaZxQy-v5MR_npx1EQ1LF_OFLIVZTEu1YP7ImCGcnA6Gsn4qa5j304svRzUmhg/s1600/45_spice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivav2tAoIpHy9YQrW8NFNdXjOpTFnmP6c92FxnroWUUX8w34Y43m5wOyou_xn2BKedL0SfUS66MzbchaZxQy-v5MR_npx1EQ1LF_OFLIVZTEu1YP7ImCGcnA6Gsn4qa5j304svRzUmhg/s400/45_spice.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
If you have any suggestions or ideas for future Existential Eating strips, please <a href="mailto:gavinleonardohio@gmail.com">email </a>or comment below. Sadly, our current collective imagination will run dry. If its related to food, it can be the topic of an Existential Eating comic strip. Just share your idea and Ramsey will do his best to draw it up (probably, someday).Gavin DeVore Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03923400226611767071noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124191894449226374.post-78546649113806925512011-03-02T12:37:00.000-05:002011-03-02T12:37:25.003-05:00Local Meat & Cheese CSA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNz_NbBG53gir1WPkErpE-ZtVgMVbSKeW4oTa9WoznvHD_8vfjx-OjOVKISlpkmZ0h1UM5Nui1WIe3jHs7YHy7DavbYHafgptr2RZNbTyn5OKhO4CCOnSt-PqLsmaBPEMdHu1kviN5pTQ/s1600/eatonclub_black_small.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="97" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNz_NbBG53gir1WPkErpE-ZtVgMVbSKeW4oTa9WoznvHD_8vfjx-OjOVKISlpkmZ0h1UM5Nui1WIe3jHs7YHy7DavbYHafgptr2RZNbTyn5OKhO4CCOnSt-PqLsmaBPEMdHu1kviN5pTQ/s200/eatonclub_black_small.png" width="200" /></a></div>We run a local meat and cheese CSA for about 35 people/families called the <a href="http://www.goodeatonclub.com/">Good Eaton Club</a>, and there are now spots available if anyone is interested.<br />
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You can order your choice of beef, pork, and chicken, as well as eggs, cheese and butter. Orders are in advance for a 6 month period (April-September in this case) and you can choose what you want for each month.<br />
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If you're interested, there's lots more info at <a href="http://www.goodeatonclub.com/">www.goodeatonclub.com</a> and I can email you the order form to fill out.Gavin DeVore Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03923400226611767071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124191894449226374.post-30904085429713666202011-02-12T09:49:00.000-05:002011-02-12T09:49:00.116-05:00Existential Eating #44<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Tqc0DHU1QKrGYee-CuSLUhib-gVbdJxWOzVbB1eNDjXcbcczy1pfDNFUCt3150SIbMq-pFbPlRMmY7HBTHtsdDr-BhgOKVFobDQP_Hr_CIlA2IGx1CWQsSZPSIx2WiNI-D7TjLkO2KY/s1600/44_tuna_fish_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Tqc0DHU1QKrGYee-CuSLUhib-gVbdJxWOzVbB1eNDjXcbcczy1pfDNFUCt3150SIbMq-pFbPlRMmY7HBTHtsdDr-BhgOKVFobDQP_Hr_CIlA2IGx1CWQsSZPSIx2WiNI-D7TjLkO2KY/s400/44_tuna_fish_small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
If you have any suggestions or ideas for future Existential Eating strips, please <a href="mailto:gavinleonardohio@gmail.com">email </a>or comment below. Sadly, our current collective imagination will run dry. If its related to food, it can be the topic of an Existential Eating comic strip. Just share your idea and Ramsey will do his best to draw it up (probably, someday).Gavin DeVore Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03923400226611767071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124191894449226374.post-75751471162820925452011-02-05T09:49:00.001-05:002011-02-05T09:49:00.345-05:00Existential Eating #43<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5XsF6baZZ-yo8Pn0kE3hhkCXizJCdjaWLUKUfbFKUbc2n0HvD9J6pzoJ0XhPxeiC8XaSRkEjxFxMOuRf-Nu1nAYOpnQrlPvICsyypwgzpMQdH1zGdAkjuaO4EQQwuLgLmQUX33rewKI/s1600/43_sog_paneer_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5XsF6baZZ-yo8Pn0kE3hhkCXizJCdjaWLUKUfbFKUbc2n0HvD9J6pzoJ0XhPxeiC8XaSRkEjxFxMOuRf-Nu1nAYOpnQrlPvICsyypwgzpMQdH1zGdAkjuaO4EQQwuLgLmQUX33rewKI/s400/43_sog_paneer_small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
If you have any suggestions or ideas for future Existential Eating strips, please <a href="mailto:gavinleonardohio@gmail.com">email </a>or comment below. Sadly, our current collective imagination will run dry. If its related to food, it can be the topic of an Existential Eating comic strip. Just share your idea and Ramsey will do his best to draw it up (probably, someday).Gavin DeVore Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03923400226611767071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124191894449226374.post-14154846651723976902011-01-29T09:25:00.000-05:002011-01-29T09:25:00.359-05:00Existential Eating #42<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl2yfJZ9ZqlNT7YHtDbI7xAGiY84u5NW2DFE891YogSP1HMR_xLF6kor230OSzeNuxVqyuioszLpnA0BRFuQA4CCE1eQ7P6mZDup29YZZGJvvMFARvlURbxwdna_Ckj-Z5H-irIOboVV0/s1600/42_salmonroe_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl2yfJZ9ZqlNT7YHtDbI7xAGiY84u5NW2DFE891YogSP1HMR_xLF6kor230OSzeNuxVqyuioszLpnA0BRFuQA4CCE1eQ7P6mZDup29YZZGJvvMFARvlURbxwdna_Ckj-Z5H-irIOboVV0/s400/42_salmonroe_small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
If you have any suggestions or ideas for future Existential Eating strips, please <a href="mailto:gavinleonardohio@gmail.com">email </a>or comment below. Sadly, our current collective imagination will run dry. If its related to food, it can be the topic of an Existential Eating comic strip. Just share your idea and Ramsey will do his best to draw it up (probably, someday).Gavin DeVore Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03923400226611767071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124191894449226374.post-30121051493010935402011-01-22T10:41:00.001-05:002011-01-22T10:41:00.254-05:00Existential Eating #41<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnUTsGvpIVoMrLineNn7rwj_RbgsbX-UNxKpkPJjezdM-ayhyphenhyphenE_lj9WP8qyzJGwCiDU2Zlz5aq4TORgMajvisCcfXSsiMo5pk9hbLT-melC8v1iHaZSSA2yc-WO-Ka2tfArSY9TQOC5Ls/s1600/41_appleturnover_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnUTsGvpIVoMrLineNn7rwj_RbgsbX-UNxKpkPJjezdM-ayhyphenhyphenE_lj9WP8qyzJGwCiDU2Zlz5aq4TORgMajvisCcfXSsiMo5pk9hbLT-melC8v1iHaZSSA2yc-WO-Ka2tfArSY9TQOC5Ls/s400/41_appleturnover_small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
If you have any suggestions or ideas for future Existential Eating strips, please <a href="mailto:gavinleonardohio@gmail.com">email </a>or comment below. Sadly, our current collective imagination will run dry. If its related to food, it can be the topic of an Existential Eating comic strip. Just share your idea and Ramsey will do his best to draw it up (probably, someday).Gavin DeVore Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03923400226611767071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124191894449226374.post-6525935654691549502011-01-14T10:41:00.007-05:002011-01-14T10:43:14.177-05:00Existential Eating #40<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXt9bLhXmOUDQBQnzkp0JCkl5JAephvg08u_NedPqlITOsqKG5H_CDE8un_pJBxaIJQ5JNEw4EEJ2l3lrHhFjLR8EYd7t8v27QW_y-oOVZf5JnnqfeC1yp4c4gw-cl58ajCirf9zF_X-M/s1600/40_Kaiser_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXt9bLhXmOUDQBQnzkp0JCkl5JAephvg08u_NedPqlITOsqKG5H_CDE8un_pJBxaIJQ5JNEw4EEJ2l3lrHhFjLR8EYd7t8v27QW_y-oOVZf5JnnqfeC1yp4c4gw-cl58ajCirf9zF_X-M/s400/40_Kaiser_small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
If you have any suggestions or ideas for future Existential Eating strips, please <a href="mailto:gavinleonardohio@gmail.com">email </a>or comment below. Sadly, our current collective imagination will run dry. If its related to food, it can be the topic of an Existential Eating comic strip. Just share your idea and Ramsey will do his best to draw it up (probably, someday).Gavin DeVore Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03923400226611767071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124191894449226374.post-30602038582020314232011-01-01T12:16:00.001-05:002011-01-01T12:16:00.303-05:00Existential Eating #39<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTij2Yht7iSZLMLlzLymxD6MwikpJIB9QxcQ4vov5DdH0edYCUTtARjVG1ke0sfsguDGGefooFdMgVmNCovgNUtmGVpRw-tXh9dOQPXlKy9kaUb_7NHUJP8nLIbrSi_vhYxSRoGMFUAv4/s1600/39_tartarsauce_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTij2Yht7iSZLMLlzLymxD6MwikpJIB9QxcQ4vov5DdH0edYCUTtARjVG1ke0sfsguDGGefooFdMgVmNCovgNUtmGVpRw-tXh9dOQPXlKy9kaUb_7NHUJP8nLIbrSi_vhYxSRoGMFUAv4/s400/39_tartarsauce_small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
If you have any suggestions or ideas for future Existential Eating strips, please <a href="mailto:gavinleonardohio@gmail.com">email </a>or comment below. Sadly, our current collective imagination will run dry. If its related to food, it can be the topic of an Existential Eating comic strip. Just share your idea and Ramsey will do his best to draw it up (probably, someday).Gavin DeVore Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03923400226611767071noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124191894449226374.post-11778660517681092072010-12-25T12:16:00.000-05:002010-12-25T12:16:00.457-05:00Existential Eating #38<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwekioV_wKvjGSs0_PDBLcsV3p2zjIYx9TQckRel_zKkQ63brqHiBaywl6o01ez8ZgOGRSNQdLaDwA-bwYMUCwjJoDkjtvUvfPiE1tcvfcvDIWt5ZpdgzXZ6jc2jvZiOFE8Bf4jPgBkbg/s1600/38_squeesinart_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwekioV_wKvjGSs0_PDBLcsV3p2zjIYx9TQckRel_zKkQ63brqHiBaywl6o01ez8ZgOGRSNQdLaDwA-bwYMUCwjJoDkjtvUvfPiE1tcvfcvDIWt5ZpdgzXZ6jc2jvZiOFE8Bf4jPgBkbg/s400/38_squeesinart_small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
If you have any suggestions or ideas for future Existential Eating strips, please <a href="mailto:gavinleonardohio@gmail.com">email </a>or comment below. Sadly, our current collective imagination will run dry. If its related to food, it can be the topic of an Existential Eating comic strip. Just share your idea and Ramsey will do his best to draw it up (probably, someday).Gavin DeVore Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03923400226611767071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124191894449226374.post-90748861840019377772010-12-18T12:16:00.001-05:002010-12-18T12:16:00.216-05:00Existential Eating #37<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBGM7Kb5SZNO1qaAZTKoALB2rWU5nhOSQ8Ah5C3BFu8_YWDlGYkkJGqyd3aUthMoSE844eUCpV2L8TjUHq7SDR90dyjgw6dF54cDzHFBib8fzR3IoYR1XkI-XV4rHSRG-696YCsdb41k/s1600/37_clubsandwich_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBGM7Kb5SZNO1qaAZTKoALB2rWU5nhOSQ8Ah5C3BFu8_YWDlGYkkJGqyd3aUthMoSE844eUCpV2L8TjUHq7SDR90dyjgw6dF54cDzHFBib8fzR3IoYR1XkI-XV4rHSRG-696YCsdb41k/s400/37_clubsandwich_small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
If you have any suggestions or ideas for future Existential Eating strips, please <a href="mailto:gavinleonardohio@gmail.com">email </a>or comment below. Sadly, our current collective imagination will run dry. If its related to food, it can be the topic of an Existential Eating comic strip. Just share your idea and Ramsey will do his best to draw it up (probably, someday).Gavin DeVore Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03923400226611767071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124191894449226374.post-28316206386647853972010-12-11T08:16:00.000-05:002010-12-11T08:16:00.090-05:00Existential Eating #36<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJB6u8u7mnOUyoGHrz6dDRXRQbg0h4183PncPDNo-5fl88jyhBrtQgDb2b5ZuzUI4NGTlnVdf_mcIbIXgJ7rRTI2YJ6C9ogV6djCZ6mARCswf6NxZhC6IHX8VxiIS5vcR2-KWTcv78lZc/s1600/36_cutcheese_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJB6u8u7mnOUyoGHrz6dDRXRQbg0h4183PncPDNo-5fl88jyhBrtQgDb2b5ZuzUI4NGTlnVdf_mcIbIXgJ7rRTI2YJ6C9ogV6djCZ6mARCswf6NxZhC6IHX8VxiIS5vcR2-KWTcv78lZc/s400/36_cutcheese_small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
If you have any suggestions or ideas for future Existential Eating strips, please <a href="mailto:gavinleonardohio@gmail.com">email </a>or comment below. Sadly, our current collective imagination will run dry. If its related to food, it can be the topic of an Existential Eating comic strip. Just share your idea and Ramsey will do his best to draw it up (probably, someday).Gavin DeVore Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03923400226611767071noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124191894449226374.post-6275059393220477562010-12-07T13:17:00.001-05:002010-12-07T13:35:10.465-05:00Dinner Out @ Via ViteWe'd had a restaurant.com coupon for a while for <a href="http://www.viaviterestaurant.com/">Via Vite</a>, and a 7:30pm <a href="http://concertnova.wordpress.com/about/">concert:nova</a> show at the <a href="http://www.mercantilelibrary.com/">Mercantile Library</a> last night was a perfect opportunity to eat and then walk across the square to the event. I'd heard mixed reviews, and now that I've been I'd say I'm not surprised. There was nothing terribly wrong, but nothing excitingly right either - par for the course.<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Food</b>: We ordered the grilled asparagus salad to share, and then two pasta dishes - pappardelle and tortellini - for our mains. <br />
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The asparagus comes with roasted beets and goat cheese. The presentation was nice, but that was probably the best thing. Salt was helpful on everything we had, and in general there just wasn't much flavor popping from this plate. Shame on us for ordering asparagus out of season, I suppose, and thankfully if you put enough goat cheese on anything it can't be horrible (and they do give you a lot of goat cheese).<br />
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We ordered the pappardelle in part because it was house-made (only a couple of the pastas are), and it comes with Italian sausage the waitress said is from Findlay Market (I'd guess Kroeger & Son's, but can't say that for sure). It was a "pasta e fagioli," which basically means that it's got beans in it, something that I would have liked to have known initially (I just Googled it) because, try as I might, I just am not that big of a fan of beans as a main component of dishes. There were big cherry tomatoes that had been cooked with the sauce as well, and they were one of my favorite things. The pasta was cooked well, and overall the dish was solid, but the flavors just did not pop at all for me. I was hoping for more.<br />
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The tortellini was another "fresh" pasta option, and it was my preferred dish. It was very creamy, as the menu noted, and had sundried tomatoes and basil. The tortellini were filled with what I believe was ricotta cheese, but I didn't ask so can't be sure. The pastas were delicate and the cheese sauce was very savory. I'd say it was a couple notches above a good macaroni and cheese (the creamy cheese sauce reminded us of mac & cheese), but again, nothing special.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Ingredients</b>: There is a quote prominently on the menu from the chef saying that they "never take shortcuts and import the finest products that Italy has to offer." I wonder where they get their tomatoes? Seriously though, nothing on the menu about local or organic ingredients.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Story, Setting, & Service</b>: The space is quite nice - open, well put together, modern and sharp without being over-the-top. Windows onto the square are a plus, except that when seated next to the window we were cold the entire meal. I'm generally a warm person, so if you're a cold person, definitely ask for a table away from the glass. Service was fine, nothing notably good or bad.<br />
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If you planned ahead and got a reservation outside or upstairs overlooking the square on a busy day, I think that could be pretty cool. On this night, it didn't add much since it was dead - in large part due to the fact it was very chilly out.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Last Bite</b>: I'm not sure what I'd order if I went back - maybe try the penne with bolognese, which the waitress said was good and there are some other good reviews about. But, realistically, I don't think we'll go back. There are plenty of places in the same price range where I'm confident I'll get a better meal, and while Fountain Square is an understandable draw - especially if you have someone in from out of town - it's just not my thing. Disappointing but true, this was probably our only visit.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/32/363383/restaurant/Downtown/Via-Vite-Cincinnati"><img alt="Via Vite on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/363383/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a></div>Gavin DeVore Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03923400226611767071noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124191894449226374.post-69661311316822472582010-12-04T12:26:00.000-05:002010-12-04T12:26:40.385-05:00Existential Eating #35<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3iySBrohfbEUhJPVD0hOJh_p7xkynKii6uB4vLpOPJZ8Ssqv9VqUZRsXgLAxpArBLqaha1YVNd2PM8plLDRbieWlcvKT1KJSpm7RnDbWVFMWXcNbaiA7BpIIDehwawrw6hC-SMKm9qbM/s1600/35_granola_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3iySBrohfbEUhJPVD0hOJh_p7xkynKii6uB4vLpOPJZ8Ssqv9VqUZRsXgLAxpArBLqaha1YVNd2PM8plLDRbieWlcvKT1KJSpm7RnDbWVFMWXcNbaiA7BpIIDehwawrw6hC-SMKm9qbM/s400/35_granola_small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">If you have any suggestions or ideas for future Existential Eating strips, please <a href="mailto:gavinleonardohio@gmail.com">email </a>or comment below. Sadly, our current collective imagination will run dry. If its related to food, it can be the topic of an Existential Eating comic strip. Just share your idea and Ramsey will do his best to draw it up (probably, someday).</div>Gavin DeVore Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03923400226611767071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124191894449226374.post-16628645574701814922010-12-03T15:59:00.001-05:002010-12-03T16:14:37.682-05:00Lunch Out @ T.J.'s Korean Restaurant<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_umC34h6d7sE/TPlcRhwrtgI/AAAAAAAAD2U/g28KxD24NTs/s1600/TJ%2527s+Korean+Restaurant.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_umC34h6d7sE/TPlcRhwrtgI/AAAAAAAAD2U/g28KxD24NTs/s320/TJ%2527s+Korean+Restaurant.JPG" width="238" /></a></div>I walked by this place on Court Street the first time a week ago and then did a double take before stopping to go in, look at the menu, and ask the lone patron how it was. He said great - with a look and a tone like he'd stumbled upon something that only he knew about and he was very happy about. I was on my way to a different lunch spot, otherwise I would have tried it on the spot no question.<br />
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Today my friend/colleague and I stopped in for lunch and I am so happy this place exists! I've lamented for a while not having a good, affordable Korean place in town - and it seems like this is going to fill the void. Sung and Riverside are both great, but they're also both pretty expensive for an "everyday" meal. I haven't been to Bento Korean (I've heard mixed reviews unfortunately), so that's on my list to try as well.<br />
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T.J. took our orders and was very kind and energetic. There was a woman doing the cooking who brought us our food - she was also very nice. We ordered "Vegetable Bi Bim Bap" (in parentheses because it also has beef in it, although that's not listed on the menu sheets) and Pork Bul Go Gi. At $8 and $6 respectively, both had plenty of food, and T.J.'s thus propelled itself into my cheap-Asian-take-out-go-to list - Thai Express and Cilantro being my two main choices (I'm still seeking a consistent Chinese spot).<br />
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The bi bim bap comes in a large bowl with a fried egg and runny yolk - sprinkled with sesame seeds and nori pieces - on top of beautiful, separated helpings of bean sprouts, carrots, spinach, mushrooms, and beef. All of this is on top of a mound of rice (which is not crispy as it is in the frequent variation - dolsot bibimbap, although it did definitely have sesame oil in it). They give you a sauce on the side that is sweet and spicy and thick and brings everything together once you mix it all up. Great flavors! I asked if they had any tsiracha or anything for the side to spice it up even more (my friend thought it was hot enough), but I'm not sure if they understood and said no.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_umC34h6d7sE/TPlcRjgp9nI/AAAAAAAAD2g/CHBiyTrVDqI/s1600/TJ%2527s+Korean+Restaurant+menu.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_umC34h6d7sE/TPlcRjgp9nI/AAAAAAAAD2g/CHBiyTrVDqI/s200/TJ%2527s+Korean+Restaurant+menu.JPG" width="149" /></a>The pork (we split both dishes) is wonderfully juicy with this Korean barbecue-esque sauce and cooked with onions. With rice and a small portion of snap peas and cabbage too - along with a small salad (ranch or Italian dressing options :), one pot sticker, and two bites of "T.J.s Chicken" (a sesame chicken-esque boneless bite with a thick sweetish sauce), this is an absolute steal for $6. I thought the bi bim bap was solid, but this meat was bursting with flavor!<br />
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As if all that isn't enough, both dishes also come with a small bowl of soup - seemed like an egg drop variation.<br />
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I will definitely be back here, and probably sooner rather than later. I want to try everything on the menu (I am posting a picture of the menu here too), but I'll certainly be getting that bulgogi again. Get over here and help make sure this place sticks around - please!<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/32/1538829/restaurant/Downtown/T-J-s-Korean-Restaurant-Cincinnati"><img alt="T.J.'s Korean Restaurant on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1538829/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a>Gavin DeVore Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03923400226611767071noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124191894449226374.post-1136879109438514692010-11-23T08:10:00.001-05:002010-11-23T09:17:02.244-05:00Lunch In @ Pho Lang Thang<div class="MsoNormal">Count me as one of the many who waited patiently for <a href="http://www.facebook.com/dothelangthang">Pho Lang Thang</a> to open up at Findlay Market. I had just eaten lunch prior to a trip to Findlay a few weeks back when they had a soft opening, but this weekend I knew the time had come. I'd hoped to be wowed, or at least thoroughly pleased, by my visit, but it turns out I'm still in the boat of being patient and hopeful. It's clear they've got some kinks to work out, and they're very new, so grace is clearly in order.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_umC34h6d7sE/TOhjknglOBI/AAAAAAAAD1Q/CaViwVHezjU/s1600/IMG_0002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_umC34h6d7sE/TOhjknglOBI/AAAAAAAAD1Q/CaViwVHezjU/s200/IMG_0002.JPG" width="133" /></a></div><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Food</b>: I asked for the most flavorful thing on the menu, and the young woman at the register quickly suggested the banh mi thit nuong - a baguette sandwich with grilled lemongrass marinated meat, garlic butter mayo, do chua (pickled daikon and carrots), cucumber, and cilantro. They asked if I wanted jalapenos and pate as well, and I went for it. I also ordered goi cuon or "salad rolls" with sliced pork, whole shrimp, vermicelli noodles, cilantro, and lettuce wrapped in rice paper with a sauce on the side.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I hate to say it, because I wanted so much to love it, but the sandwich was disappointing. I told them to choose whatever meat was the most flavorful, and I'm not sure if it was a mistake or on purpose, but I got mostly beef and some pork too. Neither really stood out, so no recommendation there. The bummer was that the sandwich just wasn't that flavorful. Nothing popped. Maybe it needs more of the mayo, maybe a higher ingredients to bread ratio, maybe more salt, maybe all of the above. I put some sriracha on after I ate the first half and that helped a bit (I could barely taste the jalapenos - maybe that'll change when they're in season next year), but something was still left to be desired.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The best thing I got was the order of salad rolls. The shrimp were perfectly cooked - not tough - and the slice of pork adds some additional weight to sink your teeth into. The hoisin and peanut dipping sauce was pretty thick (too molasses like for my taste), and the peanuts were nearly nonexistent. If I could have Pho Lang Thang's roll with Cilantro's sauce, I'd be especially happy.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Ingredients</b>: Nothing noted about local or organic ingredients. They do make note of some vegan and vegetarian options, which I'm sure many people will appreciate.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Story, Setting, & Service</b>: Several of the initial reviews have noted this, so I guess I'm going to have to pile on. I ordered my food at 1:20 and was told it'd be ready in 30 minutes. That's a long time to wait for take out. When I was told that, I thought "ok, they'll under-promise and over-deliver." I actually waited 40 minutes.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The space they have at Findlay is quite large, with lots of tables to the right and left of the kitchen and counter. I don't know if they have too many tables and not enough cooking space, or they haven't been well prepared (banh mi and salad rolls shouldn't require anything other than composition of pre-made ingredients), or they don't have enough staff, or all of the above. But, they've got their work cut out for them.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Last Bite</b>: I think they'll get things figured out because they seemed like nice people and there plenty of good signs - a thorough menu with plenty of options, a well put together restaurant space, etc. But, for the mean time, I'm still a Cilantro guy. But with my office in OTR and no banh mi at Cilantro, I'm looking forward to Pho Lang Thang living up to its potential.</div><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/32/1531946/restaurant/Over-the-Rhine-Mount-Auburn/Pho-Lang-Thang-Cincinnati"><img alt="Pho Lang Thang on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1531946/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a>Gavin DeVore Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03923400226611767071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124191894449226374.post-10586185597873137502010-11-22T08:21:00.002-05:002010-11-22T08:21:00.513-05:00Dinner Out @ VanZandt Restaurant and Tavern<a href="http://www.cincinnatimagazine.com/article.aspx?id=94805">Cincinnati Magazine's 40 best burgers article</a> a while back was fantastic because, even for someone like me who pays probably too much attention to dining options in our fair city, it unearthed several new places to try. One of the top choices popped out quickly for me, a Northsider now - North College Hill's <a href="http://www.vanzandttavern.com/">ZanZandt Restaurant and Tavern</a>, which was ranked 5th. Sarah and I finally made it up this past week, and while I don't think it's the 5th best burger in the city, it was very good and it's worth a visit.<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Food</b>: We went for the burgers and we ordered the burgers. They did have some other food on the menu, but I didn't really pay any attention. They have an 8oz. and a 16oz. option, and then it's a build your own situation, with about 20 toppings to choose from. Burgers start at $8 and then each ingredient adds 50 cents to a dollar. Two burgers (fries come free) cost us $21. But I digress...<br />
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I got my burger with bacon, gorgonzola, and sauteed onions and asked for it cooked medium. When the meal arrives open-faced, the potato-chive bun stands out as unique and they aren't skimping on the toppings. Cutting into my sandwich, it clearly was done past medium, and the juiciness did suffer (Sarah's was overcooked a bit too). But, that is a relatively small quibble with an otherwise very tasty burger. They don't do anything too special to their patties that I could tell, but this is a great tasting burger. All of the ingredients could be identified and nothing overshadowed anything else.<br />
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I'd put this burger in the same category as a Gordo's burger, if you've been there. Ours definitely weren't in the Terry's ballpark, but maybe the Cincinnati Magazine folks went on a particularly good night.<br />
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The fries are the kind that are battered a bit - we thought they were done in the same oil as the onion straws, and that was not a bad thing.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Ingredients</b>: Nothing local or organic here that we heard about or saw.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Story, Setting, & Service</b>: We arrived at about 5:30 for dinner, so there was no one in the bar area, and in the dining room in the back (which we didn't know existed at first - it's kind of hidden around a corner) there were only a couple people. It has a bar and grill feel, with nice new decor and a a couple flat screen TVs at the bar. The service was prompt and kind, nothing notable really.<br />
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They just celebrated their 1 year anniversary, but I hadn't heard of it until the Cincinnati Magazine article. I haven't heard anyone talk about it, and as close as it is, that's too bad. Hopefully the word will get out, because it'd be great to have this option near by for years to come.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Last Bite</b>: I can't speak to anything else on the menu, but VanZandt is worth a trip for their burgers. Load it up or keep it simple - either way you won't leave disappointed.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/32/1496685/restaurant/College-Hill-Mt-Healthy/Van-Zandt-Tavern-Cincinnati"><img alt="Van Zandt Tavern on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/1496685/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a></div>Gavin DeVore Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03923400226611767071noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124191894449226374.post-47614446578574975262010-11-21T12:12:00.000-05:002010-11-21T12:12:56.647-05:00Existential Eating #34<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSFZAIIh1jYX5zxLllEYfUaIpKNqTKa09rMBl6zt317Y93Y1Ong8uOBYmYjzUPCnMqMhFUxsfM4AJNvSGa1gP2D8_bHM3ivFO7x4wZAhU6WjoyIMlMnY4hEB2Y5GddExPF84aUjMkDBeU/s1600/34_yogert_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSFZAIIh1jYX5zxLllEYfUaIpKNqTKa09rMBl6zt317Y93Y1Ong8uOBYmYjzUPCnMqMhFUxsfM4AJNvSGa1gP2D8_bHM3ivFO7x4wZAhU6WjoyIMlMnY4hEB2Y5GddExPF84aUjMkDBeU/s400/34_yogert_small.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>If you have any suggestions or ideas for future Existential Eating strips, please <a href="mailto:gavinleonardohio@gmail.com">email </a>or comment below. Sadly, our current collective imagination will run dry. If its related to food, it can be the topic of an Existential Eating comic strip. Just share your idea and Ramsey will do his best to draw it up (probably, someday).Gavin DeVore Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03923400226611767071noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9124191894449226374.post-85264732931637508002010-11-16T15:18:00.000-05:002010-11-16T15:18:46.456-05:00Lunch Out @ Mekong Thai<div class="MsoNormal">I've been kicking around the idea of buying an e-reader, and a buddy of mine is as well, so we scooted up to Barnes & Noble in Kenwood to check out the <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/index.asp">Nook</a>. We wanted to grab a lunch afterward, so I did a quick Yelp search on places close by - <a href="http://www.mekongthaicincy.com/">Mekong Thai</a> stood out with respectable reviews, great proximity, and low prices. I don't know how often I'll return, but the dishes we had were good, and I'd recommend it if you want an alternative to the chains in the area - whether you're a local or a shopper.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Food</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The menu is pretty straightforward, with mostly Thai and then some Vietnamese mixed in as well. I ordered the pad kee-mao and my friend ordered the yellow curry. We had a starter of fried tofu too.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal">The pad kee-mao was very tasty, and quite spicy too. A few reviews said that they weren't joking about their heat, and I found that to be the case. It is a 1-3 scale, and if you don't really like it hot, don't get a 3. Others also mentioned that it was pretty oily, but I didn't find it to be that bad at all. The noodles were well prepared - cooked, but not overly slimy like is sometimes the case - and the big pieces of basil added a nice flavor. I found that a bit of soy sauce brought out more flavors, as is the case when you add a bit of salt and sugar to just about anything. I went the veggie route and chose tofu to go with the broccoli and cabbage. I would definitely order this again.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I can't say as much about the yellow curry because I only had one bite, but apparently it was quite tasty - buttery and flavorful, which I can attest to. The fried tofu we had was simple and good as well - it came with a nice peanut sauce that we both enjoyed.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Ingredients</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Nothing notable here - no local or organic options listed.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Story, Setting, & Service</b>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The restaurant is very simple with about 10-15 booths lined up in a narrow space. There is a TV at one end that had ESPN on at lunch time. There must have been another TV or a radio in the foyer though, because when I noticed the sounds it was Barack Obama talking while I was clearly watching SportsCenter. Who knows, maybe Barack just gave up and decided to pursue his true passion.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">The waitress was kind and knowledgeable, and our food came quickly (it was a late lunch, so there were only a few other people there).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Last Bite</b>: I'm interested in trying more of their menu, and since Trader Joe's is just down the street and it is a regular stop for us, I am likely to be in the area again. But, I'd definitely confidently order that pad kee-mao again and be plenty happy.</div><br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/32/362112/restaurant/Deer-Park-Madeira/Mekong-Thai-Cuisine-Cincinnati"><img alt="Mekong Thai Cuisine on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/link/362112/biglink.gif" style="border: none; height: 146px; width: 200px;" /></a>Gavin DeVore Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03923400226611767071noreply@blogger.com3