Restaurant Widow

Special Non-Food-Related Late-Breaking Update

You might have thought it was a mirage.  You might have thought you were hallucinating.  You weren't.  It's true.  The arches in the Short North, they are alighted.  Never mind my dirty windshield.  I had a very unfortunate latte accident and there are still bits of steamed milk on:

For my non-Columbus readers, well, you might not know why this is such a big deal.  Here's a recap: City of Columbus decides, around 2000, to put up arches - for millions of dollars - in the Short North as were up around the turn of the century.  2002, Holiday Hop: arches light up!!  Are beautiful!!!  A triumph!  The mayor is there!  A few days later, the arches begin to fail.  Can't be fixed.  Lawsuits ensue.  City wins, but original company now out of busines (go figure).  Finds new company, poor engineer has spent last 3 years trying to unravel mess left by previous engineers. Millions more spent.  New engineer wisely decides to light the arches, one by one, without having any hoopla.  Yay arches!  I'm cautiously optimistic about their new success.

The Great Best Burger in Ohio (or at least Columbus, for Now) Hunt, Lilly's Kitchen Table Edition

I received a complaint that my burger hunt hasn't yet ventured from Columbus (have you seen gas prices?!) so Sunday night, while Husband and I were planning our next burger destination, I said we had to at least drive to Delaware or Grove City.  Grove City won.  I did receive a recommendation for Lilly's Kitchen Table, but I first heard about it when John Corby and his roving band of Big Bass Brothers reviewed it (don't hate me because I listen to talk radio) very favorably.  Alas, it's one of the few podcasts they don't have; but you can read a recap through the link.

And so it happened that Husband and I found ourselves driving of the edge of the map, all the way to downtown Grove City, which is actually pretty cute.  We had never been there before.  There are scrapbooking shops, quilting shops, and even a Graeter's and a yoga center.

Lilly's is a diner; I have no doubt they have some incredible omelets and plain old fried eggs for breakfast, but we were here for the burgers.  I'll probably never find out about breakfast, because it's a trial for Husband and I to get to Northstar for breakfast, and they're only 2.5 miles away.  No matter.

Lisa's Review:
Husband tried the "Townsfair" burger, a basic cheeseburger (pictured at the top of the post), and I chose the "Wally" burger (pictured above), a cheddar/bacon/bbq sauce affair; one of my favorites.  Husband opted for fries while I took the house made chips.

The Wally burger (cut open, pictured above) came on the very important toasted bun.  It was covered - covered - with cheese.  The construction of the burger was interesting in that the patty had been covered with bbq sauce, and then bacon, and then topped with the cheese.  This kept the toppings from slipping and sliding all over the place - very smart.  Husband's burger was also covered with cheese, and came with topped with mayo, lettuce, tomato, white onions and pickles.  I was a little envious of his condiments, truth be told.  My burger was tasty. The bacon was good and crisp, and of course there was all of that cheese.  Always a good thing.  The good beef (hand formed Angus patty) wasn't drowned out by all those toppings; my only complaint - a big one - was the burger was cooked a too far, in my opinion.  This made it really dry and made me yearn for some pickles, lettuce and tomatoes.  I stole some mayo-covered lettuce from Husband's burger and confirmed my suspicion that condiments would have improved the burger.  The housemade chips which accompany the burger are first rate.  Thick but not too thick, they are doused with a good dusting of salt and pepper and are crisp and savory.  I would probably drive all the way back to Lilly's just for a plate of the chips.  Bun held up for the most part throughout the eating process; quite a feat considering the toppings and sauce involved.  The Wally burger gets 3 fries; the dryness would have earned it a 2.5, but those chips edge up fry score.

Husband's burger was a triumph of a cheeseburger.  The aforementioned condiments kept it moist and flavorful, with a good balance of rich meat/cheese/zingy pickles/onion/mayo.  I'm not sure if his was cooked less than mine or it was the condiments that kept everything juicy and tasty.  The fries which accompanied his were probably frozen - they were a strange cut - but they had been well-chosen, instead of just choosing whatever kind of fries were the cheapest, someone actually tasted fries and chose some good frozen ones.  They were dusted with seasoning salt and were very addictive.  I'm giving Husband's burger 4 fries.

I'm trying not to let the distance influence my decision, or the fact that they were playing a steady mix of "old guy" rock (I still have American Pie in my head).  Lilly's was really, really good. 

Husband's Review:
Two tanks of gas for two burgers…what a haul.  Wife and I both worked near Grove City years ago but neither of us had ever ventured into downtown Grove City.  Quite a haul from Hudsonville but a nice little downtown and nice little diner. In what seemed a typical small town diner ritual, two Wrangler-clad fellas listened as a loud-mouthed old fart held court at the table next to us … dispensing opinions and info on relevant and irrelevant subjects alike.  Strangely charming in a down home, blade-of-straw-in-your-teeth, Aw Shucks sort of way.

Be warned, Lilly’s is only open from 7am-2pm.  We were the next-to last table to arrive at 1:15.  Although Wife’s Wally Burger was an OK version of the BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger, the house made Potato Chips were great.  Clearly sliced and fried there, they were crispy on the edge and still a little starchy potato-y in the middle.  Unusual, but really great.  My Cheeseburger was first-rate.  A nicely-grilled and juicy patty on a puffy bun.  Crisp lettuce, mild onion, mayo and the all-important pickle provided the right balance to a slice of good-ol’ American cheese.  The Fries were clearly brought in but were wonderful.  Long and wide with ridges running the length.  Crispy goodness.  Quite an experience and quite a good burger.  4 Fries (Husband's burger only).

Consensus: Stick with the basic burger, and be sure one person in your party orders the fantastic housemade chips.  3.5 fries

Fun with Spring Greens, Part Two

Despite the fact that I love baked potatoes (let's face it, I love all potatoes.  Even poorly prepared ones), I never think to do it at home.  It might have something to do with the fact that it takes a really, really long time to bake them in the oven, and I happen to be a girl of little patience.  Baking a potato is also too passive.  I want to poke and prod things while I'm preparing them, not merely place them in the oven and let them be.  But yesterday, I was about to go for a long walk and decided, before I went, to pop a potato in the oven.  Then I wouldn't be around for the endless waiting.

This is another tasty thing to do with all of the wonderful green things we have available to us right now (here's part one), and it's a rather unusual take on the typical baked potato, loaded up with butter and sour cream (although I love them that way, too).

Baked Potatoes with Olive Oil, Lemon Juice and Chive Flowers

1 large Russet potato per person
Kosher Salt
Good Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon per person
One chive blossom per person, flowers picked from stem
small bunch of chopped chives
small bunch of chopped scallions, white and green parts
sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper

Preheat your oven to 350 and scrub your potato.  While it is still wet, roll it in a little Kosher salt - this helps draw the moisture from the potato and makes it really nice and fluffy.  Place directly on rack in oven and go for a 4 mile walk.  By the time you get back, the potato should be almost done - poke it with a fork or knife to find out.  Otherwise, bake the potato for an hour or more, depending on size.  Remove it from oven and dust the salt off, cut a slit in potato and press the ends, so that the insides puff up through the slit.  Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and top with the chives, scallions and chive flowers.  Marvel at its beauty, then consume.  Don't forget to eat the skin!  Potato skins are very good for you.  By the way, potatoes contain more potassium and vitamin C than bananas.  Just thought you'd like to know.  No offense, bananas, you know I love you, too.  Just not like potatoes.

Fun With Spring Greens, Part One

One of the things I love about late Spring is the proliferation of tasty green things growing, especially things we might typically over look: scallions, chives and chive flowers, flowering watercress, arugula, mizuna, green garlic, tiny little leeks, microgreens - the list goes on.

With all of this green bounty, there's no need to weight food down with a lot of fattening sauces.  Of course, we all know fattening sauces are delicious, but a simple salad of peppery cress, chives and scallions with a few local hothouse tomatoes and a drizzle of olive oil, and you have something fresh tasting, light, and good for you.  So, this week while you're at the markets, take a second look at those tasty greens.  Taste each one individually; you might be surprised to find that watercress can be horseradish hot, you can smell peppery arugula from across the room, and you won't believe how delicious beautiful chive flowers can be.

Salmon with Spring Green Salad - for 2

2 4-6 ounce pieces of good-quality salmon, drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with salt & pepper, and grilled according to taste; I like to squeeze a lemon over after grilling
1 small bunch flowering watercress, large stems picked off
4 scallions, white and green parts, cut into thin discs
small bunch chives, cut into thin discs
2 chive flowers, flowers picked off from stem
1 handful microgreens (available at Whole Foods - the ones I bought, produced locally at Green Edge Gardens, even came with a few edible flowers)
Chopped grape tomatoes (optional)
Good Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Sea Salt
Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

place the greens in a small bowl with the tomatoes and drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil, squeeze lemon juice over, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat.  Place on top of your salmon filet and enjoy!

Local Sources for this Dish: Chive Flowers from Toad Hill Organics (North Market), I can't remember where the scallions came from, but somewhere at the Worthington Farmer's Market, Grape Tomatoes from Wishwell Farms (greenhouse grown; Wishwell sells at Worthington, North Market, and Clintonville), microgreens came from Whole Foods and are produced in Amesville, OH at Green Edge Gardens.

Notes from the North Market Apron Gala

A Saturday off - A Saturday off!!  As I mentioned in the Market Report, my eyes were open at 6am.  I had a full day.  Get up, go to markets.  Stop by Pistachio, pick up cookies and 4 caneles for Husband.  Get some yummy paneforte thrown in for good measure!  (It's a winner!)  Go home and chop a few things.  Go back to market.  Try to find some coffee.  Go home and cook, cook, cook.  Talk about eating locally.  Ponder my hypocrisy that I happily shop at Target but never at WalMart.  Leave messy kitchen whilst taking catnap.  Can hardly sleep because I have a Saturday off!!  I really think the last time I had a Saturday off was last June, when I was in North Carolina for a family reunion. 

All of this to say, this weekend I finally got to attend an entire North Market Apron Gala (last year, I managed to join someone there for a drink, after I got off work, just in time for dessert), with a press pass.  That's right, folks: I'm official.  Some might even say a "person of consequence," although other might say not (same podcast, minute 17).  I actually requested, and received, a Saturday night off work.  I carefully selected an outfit (later I saw a regular from the Restaurant who marveled to see me with my hair down, out of uniform, in an actually cute outfit).  I ironed.  I put on a flowery pink skirt.  I dug out my favorite clutch with the cheesy sequined parrot on.  I called a cab. 

I started right off with some Firelands Pinot Grigio, quickly followed by some Firelands Brut "Champagne," which was actually pretty nice.  Firelands is a Sandusky winery who makes pretty decent icewine and also a perplexing raspberry Riesling champagne - they were one of the sponsors.

I got to mingle - I got to see a reader and former schoolmate John, after years and years, who planted the seed of my next obsession: cooking school in Bangkok. I got to chat with Columbus Foodie, who was much more prolific in her picture-taking than I was - of course, she was ably assisted. I was nominated for best apron by a black-winged fairy, I completely forgot to eat until the last possible minute, then was too full to eat even one tiny Jeni's Ice Cream Sandwich:

I slurped down a really delicious oyster, freshly shucked just for me at Those Fish Guys:

I sucked up some fabulous pho, which I doused heavily with Srircaha, at Lac Viet:

I got to see the new Dispatch Kitchen up close and personal (Chef John Skaggs is cooking):

and confided in a friend than I actually do try to watch Robin Davis at 12:25 every Wednesday. I didn't get to meet the 2 people I meant to meet the whole evening ("Vespa" Mary Martineau, director of marketing, David Wible, Executive Director) (thanks guys!).

It was fun.  Really fun.  The only thing missing was Husband, who was playing bartender at work for the evening, and couldn't get away.

It was time to leave, and my friends and I walked out onto Spruce Street, right into the view of the patio at Bar Louie.  Where there were hundreds of people.  Even on the street, the cacophony of the people was deafening.  Wow.  So, this is what people do on Saturday nights, eh?  Who knew?

You should definitely go to next year's Apron Gala.  Anyone who has even a passing interest in good food, and local food, should give the North Market their money whenever possible.  We are lucky to have such a place in Columbus - even venerable foodie Jeffrey Steingarten mentioned how lucky we were when I saw him speak at OSU a few years ago.

Market Report for May 19th

Maybe it's the excitement of having my first Saturday off in more months than I can count, but I was wide awake at 6 am.  It might have been our two remaining tinies running nonstop through every room in the house in 2.7 seconds flat.  I'm not sure.  Cool and cloudy, my day was quickly brightened when I saw this (from Rhoades farm, shelter grown):

From the Worthington Farmer's Market, some asparagus, grape tomatoes (hothouse) and this rhubarb, whose thin, impossibly pink stalks made me ask if they were also hothouse grown (hothouse rhubarb is pinker, and, some think, better than outdoor rhubarb), but they are just a special variety.  Must turn those into something fun:

From the North Market, whose crowds were rather sparse owing to Race for the Cure, I picked up some wonderful frisée - my favorite green which you rarely see (sorry, already consumed before photographing) and some lovely red leaf lettuce from Toad Hill Organics, as well as some chive flowers (closeup above), which were so pretty I put them in a jar and turned them into an arrangement.  They're delicious and beautiful:

From Comb's herbs, I bought some leeks and arugula.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to cook an almost-completely local lunch for a journalist writing about the Locavore movement.  Here was my menu; alas, not photos or recipes.  I'm just including this to point out how you can create and entire meal out of local ingredients, even in May, when supplies are rather limited.

Salad of Toad Hill frisée and red leaf lettuces with hard cooked 2 Silos "Special Dark" eggs, Blues Creek Farms bacon and Wishwell Farms grape tomatoes, in simple vinaigrette.

Roasted Gerber Farm Amish Chicken (from Weiland's) on Pasta diToni's (from Pastaria Seconda in the North Market) potato gnocchi tossed with schmaltz and North Market Poultry and Game chicken stock with sauteed Ohio mushrooms (morels, beech and royal trumpets from Mushroom Harvest) and Combs Farms leeks and arugula topped with Toad Hill Chive Flowers; roasted Wishwell Farms asparagus.

Rhoades Farms strawberries over Jeni's Strawberry-Rose Petal ice cream with chocolate and raspberry rosewater macarons from Pistachio.

Motivation

After the whole world and everyone saw my fridge last week, I received some motivation to clean it.  Behold, the after.  Is there anything more satisfying than a freshly cleaned fridge?  Well, now, 2 days after taking the picture, it's full of fresh-from-the-market produce once again after today's market visits.  More on that later.  For now, I'm off to iron my apron for tonight's Apron Gala at the North Market!  See you there!

I am::A Shishito Pepper!

A few days ago, I asked if anyone knew what this was.  The answer - a Japanese shishito pepper.  Husband and I discovered these mild peppers last Spring while dining at Kihachi (last picture in the post), and immediately fell in love. 

According to the Japanese Kitchen, these long little peppers (whose name means "Chinese Lion") were introduced into Japan by the Portuguese, and - hot at first - were gradually hybridized throughout the years to be a mild pepper suitable to the Japanese palate.  The peppers are popular in the Spring and Summertime, when they are at their peak, and are typically fried in hot oil or broiled, as we had them at Kihachi.  They can be purchased at Tensuke Market (1167 Old Henderson Road, Columbus (in the Kenny Shopping Center) 614.451.6002) throughout the summer.

Husband and I love to put them on the grill; they make a perky little snack before or with dinner, and are a nice foil to something rich such as steak.  The peppers are mild with an intense capsicum (pepper) flavor which is occasionally hot.  Simply throw them on the grill for a few minutes and sprinkle with salt.  They also stand up pretty well to a tempura bath and fry.  We like to skewer the peppers using 2 thin skewers, as pictured - a trick we learned watching Chef Kimura at Kihachi.

Things to do in Columbus, May 16th Edition

Updated 9:26pm May 16th with Village Valuables - how could I forget!!??
Updated 9:58am May 17th

First of all, I know I have some readers at OSU, so a request: does anyone have a contact at the student housing on Ackerman where the giant garden is?  I'd love to have a tour of that and write about it sometime this summer.  More events to follow soon; as always, if you have anything to add, just drop me a line.

Okay, now that I've asked for a favor, let's get on with the events for the week...

• Tonight is Tacos + Beer, a free networking event where people can mingle and enjoy free tacos and beer while hopefully making new friends and at least passing out business cards (actually, I've never been, but that's how I imagine it).  This month's event will take place at Cafe Brioso (downtown, corner of High and Gay) and will feature beef from the Elevator Brewing Company and - get this - Carlos from El Arepazo will be supplying the tacos.  I have an enormous pile of work to do today, but I might have to dress up and make my way downtown.  Can't resist some free Venezuelan style tacos.
• Speaking of gardens, this summer at the Wexner Center, you can mix art with agriculture by viewing The Beanfield, a public art project by artist Michael Mercil.  Four varieties of beans have been planted and will be tended by the artist and his students.  And, in a rare Monday Night Wexner Center event, on May 21st, you can view the film Our Daily Bread, a film which portrays the sterile, inhuman and sometime frightening conditions of food production.  Admission to the film only is free with a can of food.  15th & High on the OSU Campus.
• Get in shape and maybe learn something by joining a walking club.  The Discover Franklin County through Walking program takes place Thursdays through September.  This week, stroll through Pickerington on a 10K walk.  Call 614.878.4214 or click for details.
• If you missed the Student Art Sale at CCAD this Spring, you can at least go a view 2000 student works for free through September 1st in the Canzani Center gallery (second floor)  Cleveland Ave at Gay St.
• This weekend is the Columbus Culture Fest, which takes place this Friday and Saturday (May 18th & 19th) downtown on Marconi Ave between Gay & Broad Streets, will feature food and performers to celebrate the vaious cultures repsented in Columbus.  The event is free and takes place both days from 10am - 10pm.
• This weekend is the first Saturday for the Clintonville Farmer's Market, located on High street just north of N. Broadway (at Orchard).  I'll see you there for sure!
• This Saturday, you can adopt a butterfly as part of the Franklin Park Conservatory's Blooms & Butterflies series.  Admission is $15 and the adopting begins at 10:30.  Stay later and create a mural.  Call 614-645-8733 for more information.  Also at FPC this weekend is the Iris Society show Saturday and Sunday 10am - 5pm.
• This Saturday is the Deptarment of Parks & Recreations annual Spring Fling at Upper Arlington's Thompson park.  You can pet live turtles, take walks, and create chalk murals.  3600 Tremont Road in Upper Arlington.
• The Delaware Arts Festival takes place this Saturday (10am - 6pm) and Sunday (10am - 5pm) in downtown Delaware (Sandusky Street from Central Ave to Harrison St).  This is a great place to buy arts & crafts, especially if you have craft lovers to buy Christmas presents for. 
• Of course, this Saturday is the North Market Apron Gala!  Lots of food and some silent auctions.  See you there!  I'll be the geeky girl taking pictures.
• Thanks for all of you who reminded me about Village Valuables!!  I am hoping I get enough done this week that I can head out there Saturday morning!  I've heard this German Village Garage sale is THE place to buy slightly experienced goods (there's not storage in most GV homes, so it's a great opportunity to buy some practically new loot).  The event begins at 8am and runs to 3pm, throughout the village.  Don't forget to stop by the German Village Society (588 S 3rd) for some brats!!
• This Sunday is the Olde Towne East Spring Home & Garden Tour, 1-7pm.  Olde Towne East is one of my favorite parts of town.  The houses are huge and beautiful.  Fortunately, our realtor was smart enough to talk Husband and I out of buying a 6000 square foot, 3 storey, crumbling old beast of a money pit to "fix up" on  Bryden Road; we just aren't the sort.  But I'm thankful for those of you who are!    Call 866-234-0414 for more information.

Salmon Sashimi with Radishes

First of all, I can't take credit for this recipe.  It must have been 2-3 years ago that Chef Ben Graham served this as a special at the Burgundy Room when Copper River Salmon was running - which just so happens to coincide with the beginning of radishes here in Central Ohio.  His version had an array of heirloom radishes and some super peppery extra virgin olive oil.  Mine has the only radishes available at this week's farmer's market and a slightly milder, but still delicious olive oil (Falconero). 

Recreating this dish also provided an excuse to buy a new toy whilst out buying salmon at Tensuke market: a sashimi knife.  What separates a sashimi knife is its long, thin blade, which is intended to slice through a block of fish in one clean swipe, creating perfect slices of sashimi.  Some sashimi knives are sharpened only on one side, as is the knife I purchased, making it unsuitable for lefties.  I'm sure somewhere there are left-handed sashimi knives.  If you aren't going to be making sushi on a daily basis, you should be fine with the kind of inexpensive knife I purchased; should you desire something better, on the other hand, there's really no end to the amount you could spend on a "good" sushi knife (I believe Chef Kimura at Kihachi told us his sushi knife was upwards of $1000; that's what it takes to have your knife custom made by families who have been making samurai swords for hundreds of years).

So, now that I have a sushi knife, am I going to start making sushi?  Maybe.  I have owned a rolling mat and pressing box for about 10 years now.  I'm not going to pretend I know anything about making sushi, but I might try my hand at it sometime soon.

This, of course, would not qualify as a traditional Japanese sashimi dish, although if you took off the olive oil and replaced the salt with soy sauce, it could pass.  Of course, never in Japanese cuisine would you be served four slices of sashimi - something I thought of only after shooting the picture and consuming all of the dish.  In Japan, even numbers are considered unlucky, especially the number 4, the name for which closely resembles the word for death (there are many sources for this, here's one from a company who assists expats).

This appetizer is so simple, yet very impressive - as with all simple things, you really must begin with the best ingredients.  There is no room for shortcuts.  I bought the salmon at Tensuke for several reasons - they probably have the highest turnover of any fish, anywhere, even if they don't have a traditional fish counter.  They sell salmon, tuna, and yellowtail as sashimi, sold with a simple packet of wasabi and soy sauce.  Furthermore, the fish is already trimmed into a block, so all you have to do when you get it home is slice it into thin slices - it might seem expensive by the pound, but there's zero waste (this block was $8 for about 6 ounces).  Their pieces of big eye tuna were so beautiful when I was shopping yesterday, I might have to go back today and pick some up for dinner.  Buy your salmon the day you plan to use it, and store it in the coldest part of your fridge.  Wash your hands thoroughly before handing the fish.

Salmon and Radish Sashimi - serves 2 as appetizer

1 6 ounce block sashimi grade salmon - no skimping!!
lemon juice
3 large radishes, root end trimmed, sliced very thinly on a mandoline or Japanese Ceramic slicer (one of my favorite $25 kitchen tools)
daikon radish sprouts (also available at Tensuke or another Asian market)
Really good extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Pepper

Slice the salmon with a very sharp knife, begin with the bottom of the blade (at about a 45 degree angle) at the corner of salmon block closest to you and slice in one continuous motion, through to the cutting board, bring the entire blade to the board.  If desired, squeeze a tiny bit of lemon juice over the fish.  Arrange the slices on a plate, alternating with radishes.  Drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with salt and just a tiny bit of pepper.  Place the sprouts in a small bowl and drizzle with a tiny bit of lemon juice and olive oil.  Add a little salt and toss to coat.  Add as garnish.  We had this as an appetizer last night with a little sake in frozen shot glasses.  The perfect spring starter or light lunch on a nice warm day.