There are a few culinary hotspots in Columbus that we should support and treasure, because they are among the few things which make our fair city stand out among others of our size. They include (but aren't limited to) the North Market, Jeni's Ice Cream, and Pistachia Vera. The attention to detail and design of the new Pistachia Vera (which moved from the Short North and changed their name from Pistachio to the botanical name of the edible pistachio tree, Pistachia Vera), not to mention the delicious treats, truly set it apart in a city where design seems frequently to be uninspired and thrown-together. Those who remember the old Thurn's spot (no, not that Thurn's) will marvel at the transformation from cluttered neighborhood coffee shop and bakery to this open, airy, clean space. Anyone who rented the apartment above the old shop probably won't recognize the new open scheme of the space - most of the second floor was removed to make way for a loft-like mezzanine for office space. The entire north side of the building holds a number of large window (which used to be garage doors); this means the entire space, including the kitchen, is flooded with light. It must be a refreshing change of pace for anyone used to working under typically hideous kitchen lighting, no access to natural lighting or views of the outside. Of course, much of the baking takes place while it is still dark outside, and probably increasingly so as the winter comes upon us.
Husband and I were lucky enough to take a tour of these space - here is the view from the loft:
There is no real seating, but fortunately Pistachia Vera is located in charming German Village, where treats can be purchased and munched while strolling through the cobblestone streets, or taken to go. There is a bench outside, and Husband and I perched there to eat our fork-requiring treats and sip some of the excellent coffee, and then took a big box of treats to coworkers. But Lisa, what about the treats?! See for yourself:
First up, new packaging, as classic, tasteful, and clean as the space:
New things tried on this visit were: Chocolate Mint Macarons (I love Pistachia's macarons), Caramel Macarons, a Gianduja (chocolate & hazelnut) mille feuille, rich, decadent, and perfect - rich but not cloyingly sweet:
a chocolate and passionfruit chiboust, which was a surprising combination (new to me, anyway); it was perfect because the passionfruit provided the perfect foil to the rich bitter chocolate, especially with the copious amounts of cocoa nibs (roasted and chopped cocoa beans, which have a nutty, rich, dry chocolate flavor without sweetness). There is tart passionfruit creme hiding in there somewhere, although you can't see it in the picture. I was reminded that next time at Jeni's, I'll have to forgo chocolate gelato & lemon yogurt for chocolate gelato and passionfruit yogurt:
and after:
We snagged some risotto pudding and tiramisu - both in super cool square carryout containers - for later treats. The risotto pudding was pleasantly rich, full of vanilla and spice and not too sweet:
the tiramisu was a well-executed version of the classic, appreciated for its commitment to the traditional flavors (although I believe I detected some cocoa nibs); again, refreshing for not being over-the-top sweet (I a much fonder of rich than sweet). Husband doesn't usually care for tiramisu, so I snarfed half of this (after walking 3 miles to work, mind you) and gave the rest to a coworker under his nose. Boy, did I pay for that mistake! Sorry babe!
Of course, there are numerous treats available at Pistachia Vera which I haven't mentioned - I'm only one girl, for the love of crumbcake. I am constantly amazed by the amount of money people are willing to pay for really bad cakes in this city (as a server, I get to sample a lot of cakes from bakeries I would never patronize), especially when Pistachia Vera is competitively priced for the quality, so don't let the lovely new space or the impossibly beautiful cakes scare you off. Stop by for a $1 macaron, and see how much heaven you can buy for that mere sum. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.
There are many types of business people in the world, and few are willing to be patient and work hard to get things right. Certainly owners Spencer Budros and Anne Fletcher are among those, and their hard work is paying off.
Info: Pistachia Vera (website in the works) 541 S. 3rd Street (in German Village) 614.220.9070. The new location is open 7 days a week, 8am - 6pm.
