Restaurant Widow

Why I Do What I Do

On the Dispatch's website this morning, I read the following quote in a story about chain restaurants invading Columbus like a swarm of locusts:

"At a time when consumers are being pinched by a slowing economy and many former restaurant buildings in Columbus stand vacant, the question is: What keeps the restaurants coming?

The experts' short answer: a national trend favoring chain restaurants, which have more marketing muscle than those that are independently owned . . ." (emphasis mine)

I could go on forever about why I don't like this, but instead, I thought maybe we could collectively list some of our favorite locally-owned restaurants, for readers who might be new to the area or are looking to support more local businesses.

What are your favorites?

Happiness is a Clean Fridge

I had an unexpected night off last night, and instead of moldering on the sofa catching up on Alias (okay, I did that, too, but as a reward for cleaning), I decided it was time for the Spring cleaning of the fridge.  After all, we are almost to the farm market season, and where will I put all of my farm-fresh produce and everything if my fridge is crammed with uneaten leftovers?  I should have taken "before" pictures, but it might make you lose respect for me as a kitchen goddess, so I'll just give you the afters.  Besides, I documented my fridge last Spring with before (yikes! I promise it wasn't that bad this time - I can't believe I posted that. Or linked to it again.  I think my mother just cried a little bit) and after pics.  The thing I love about my particular fridge (thanks, Mother in Law!) is that I can remove every single shelf and pull everything apart for cleaning.  Once all the shelves and whatnot are out, one can clean the shell of the fridge.  Also, I can rearrange the shelves in any configuration, so I am forever trying to get the right combination.  Now that everything has been cleaned and disinfected, it's all ready to get messy again!

Top shelves: shelf one - mango, cheeses - Parmesan, 2 kinds of aged Gouda, pickled plums, black bean sauce, sesame seeds, lemon juice.  Shelf 2 - eggs, chili paste, these awesome purple Cerigline olives from my mom got for me (thanks Mom!!), and vanilla tapioca snack packs from when Brother in Law was staying with us.  Shelf 3 - Trader Joe's Sweet Potato Bisque, Trader Joe's Italian sausage pasta sauce (it just doesn't cut it after the Mid's, I have to say) more chili paste, Husband's favorite plain old yellow mustard, almond butter from Whole Foods, mild & full flavored miso pastes, tofu.

Bottom shelves & drawers: Indonesian chili paste, yeast, lots of hot sauce, rice vinegar, giardinera in olive oil, peanut butter, my favorite super expensive soy sauce, Korean grapefruit health vinegar drink, ume concentrate. Crisper - sauerkraut, fennel, red cabbage, carrots, Brussels sprouts, more tofu!  Bottom drawer - locally grown and milled white whole wheat flour from Quiver Full Farms (available soon at the North Market Farmer's Market!), and beef tendon.

Top door (look, North Market friends!  It's right next to my North Market tote!): first bev cooler - ume juice and club soda.  Second bev cooler is the yogurt cooler - Fage 2% with cherry preserve, Brown Cow maple & coffee flavors, skyr, and sriracha.

Bottom door: shelf 1 - pumpkinseed & hazelnut oils, real pomegranate grenadine, maple syrup, cherry syrup, Worcestershire sauce, Kewpie mayo, miso condiment, persimmon vinegar.  Shelf 2 - more hot sauce, sweet soy sauce, light soy sauce, tamari, black bean sauce, hoison, sesame oil, sweet chili sauce, ginger and garlic paste.

And there you have it.  My fridge in all it's glory.  I think it's time to stop purchasing every sauce available for sale at the Asian grocery store. 

Imperia Vodka at Morton's Recap

The nice thing about writing about the food & beverage industry, or working in it, is that occasionally people invite you to eat and drink for free.  It's especially nice when those events include things I love like vodka and caviar (how indulgent!)

ps - if you are hosting a gin or bourbon tasting, well, those are my favorite favorites.

Ahem.  I had never been to a Morton's before, so trying an event there for free seemed like a good introduction.  As usually happens for these sort of events, Husband had to work at the last minute, so I called up good old Crumpet (you might remember Crumpet from such previous ventures as Banana Bean Cafe).

I expected Morton's to be really dark, so I was pleasantly surprised to note that it had the nice kind of mellow lighting you find everywhere in Vegas, and nowhere in Central Ohio.  Every table has a cute little pig candle on it (pictured above, behind food), and if I were still in my college days, I might have brought a bigger handbag with me so that I could stash one away.  (kidding, kidding.)

The event featured Imperia vodka, which according to the Imperia Vodka rep I met at the event, is filtered through charcoal and crystals.  Crystal filtered?  It sounds so mystical.  Like what they might drink in Dune, if there were a bar scene in Dune.  Featured cocktails were lemon thyme (yum), cucumber (yum, but too much salt on the rim), and raspberry (okay, but medicinal as it warmed), and plain old martini with olives (why didn't I try that one?  Then I might actually know what the vodka tasted like).  The cocktails were good, but as a general rule, I am against sugar syrup in cocktails.  I'm a big old lady who's been in the restaurant biz for years: just give me the vodka, sir.

There was caviar, the type of which I failed to take note, of course.  It was presented in the traditional manner, with toast points, chopped shallots, and egg yolks & whites.  I have a fondness for traditional caviar presentation, because the night Husband proposed to me, he made dinner which included this traditional caviar presentation (along with Pol Roger Cuvee Winston Churchill, how cool is that?).

Even better were the shaved filet station (very rare, yum) with lots of whipped horseradish sauce and a really tasty sweet roll, and the smoked salmon (freshly carved by appropriately snarky chef), along with a giant bowl of grated horseradish (swoon), shallots, and capers.

When the time came for door prizes, my little Crumpet won!  A bottle of Imperia vodka, a set of Morton's steak knives, and a cocktail shaker - how cool is that?! 

I was informed that, at happy hour, Morton's gives away filet sandwiches on those yummy toasted sweet rolls at the bar.  That's reason enough for me to go there.  Rumor is also, they are going to fly in the face of Morton's tradition by putting windows in front of the restaurant!?

As I was leaving, I noticed there were personalized wine cabinets lining the entryway.  You can see the wines inside, and each cabinet is labeled with its owner's name.  I got a kick out of pointing out everyone I had waited upon in the past.  I know it's old school, but that seems like a really good way to get - and keep - regulars.  I'll have to note that for any future restaurants I might open.

Thanks for the fun & drinks, Morton's!

More information about Imperia Vodka. (must be 21)
More information about Mortons.

Things to do in Columbus::March 26th Edition

Good news, fellow Central Ohioans - according to the weather report, we are in for 10 days of weather in the 50s!  Coming out of winter, it's like saying we're in for sunshine & 80s.  It's finally time to start walking to work again!  I know, I know, some of you will brave anything to get to work without a car, but, well, I'm not quite so hardy. 

At any rate, it's time to get outside and start enjoying the Spring - because here in Central Ohio, you never know when winter will make another show.

As always, if you have any events to add, please be sure to let me know.  I am really forgetful and, although I know I should be writing things down to remind myself, it doesn't always happen.

• Speaking of getting out of doors, if you need some inspiration to do so, Tuesday is the Banff Mountain Film Festival, which celebrates the best of outdoor & adventure films - snowboarding, skiing, mountain biking, etc.  Of course, there are tons of other things happening at the Wex, including a lot of the Out @ Wex films which were rescheduled due to the blizzard.  Check out their website for the full list of events.
• This Saturday, Due Amici is shutting off the lights to celebrate Earth Hour - enjoy dinner or drinks entirely by candlelight from 8pm - midnight.
• Proving Spring is on its way, this weekend is the first Crew game, for all of you soccor peeps.
• This weekend is the Aladdin Shriners' Circus at the Ohio Expo Center.  Tickets are $8 - $15.
• I know a lot of you out there are crafty folks - this weekend is the Memories Scrapbook Expo at the Ohio Expo Center.  I can't imagine how many reams of specialty paper I might stock up on if I ventured over there.  I am a complete sucker for paper products, even though I don't scrapbook.
• Speaking of things happening at the Expo Center, this weekend is also the Scott Antique Market.
• Through April 6th, the Riffe Gallery presents an exhibition of works by Ohio artists who are participating in residency programs abroad.  Bring the kids by the gallery on Sunday so they can creat their very own artist's journal while touring the galleries.
• Don't forget about Blooms & Butterflies at Franklin Park Conservatory!  Butterflies are released daily at 1 & 3pm.  If you go this weekend (29th & 20th), you can even see & buy orchids from the Central Ohio Orchid Society.
• This Saturday is Spark Columbus!  Spark is an art event where artists can hang their own work without going through all of the rigamarole of getting their own gallery space. 
• This week at Sur la Table, you can learn: International appetizers, the Perfect French Dinner Party, Cooking Light, Knife Skills, how to make risotto and sushi basics.  I keep meaning to take one of their sushi classes and I keep not doing it!  Click over to their calendar for more detailed information.
• And this week at Whole Foods, the kids can learn the science of cakes tomorrow, Friday's tasting will feature wines from New Zealand, Saturday morning, moms-to-be can learn about pregnancy health & fitness, and Monday's tasting will features customer favorites.  Click over to their calendar for more detailed information.  The OSU location still doesn't appear to have a calendar of events.

More Variations on Themes, with Pantry Lesson

Sorry, all evidence of today's recipe has been consumed. 

Oh readers.  If only you knew the lists and lists of things I have waiting to write about.  It's overwhelming.  One of the things about which I have been waiting to write is a lesson, or series of lessons, on how to stock one's pantry and freezer, if possible.  Of course, this lesson is of particular importance going into the winter months, and not out of them, as we are now, but it's also important so that you can begin to plan for next year. 

It's important to stock your pantry because, well, let's face it: we aren't always eating from the produce department 100% of the time, and sometimes we are just too tired or lazy or beat down by the man to go to the grocery store or chop lots of things or what have you.  This is where your pantry comes in. 

Now, your pantry is mainly a place for starch-based meals, so it's kind of up to you which starch suits you best - rice, pasta, beans, or a combination thereof.  In our house, there's no questions: it's pasta.  Although we are fond of every starch, really. 

Now that you have chosen your starch, it's time to think of things to add to it.  This is where you should think about stocking things such as canned roasted peppers, sun dried tomatoes, capers, curry pastes, quick-cooking legumes such a lentils, pickled veggies, etc. 

If you have room in your freezer, it's also nice to have an assortment of things which can be defrosted rather quickly (or cooked from frozen) and added to things from your pantry.  I like to have lots of stock, veggies - especially peas and corn, which can be added to practically anything - sausages, and ground meats (veal, turkey, etc).  If you have a vacuum sealer, you can save money by doing what I do - buying giant packages of ground meat, already rolled into 8 ounce balls, or 30 Italian sausages at a time, and dividing them into smaller amounts for freezing.  Perhaps we'll go into that in greater depth sometime.

From these ingredients, you can start to plan easy meals.  A few examples from this site are Coconut Curried Rice with Peas, Pasta with Things from Tins & Jars, and a few variations on today's recipe. 

Once you begin to see how a well-stocked pantry can take a lot of the thinking out of meal planning, you'll begin to see what you and those you feed are fond of, and you can begin to work from your pantry and have your own variations on themes.

Today's recipe uses only one really perishable ingredient, kale, and one semi-perishable one, Parmesan.  Aged Parmesan, being a very low-moisture cheese, will last forever (or at least a month or so) in the fridge, and after it's served its usefulness as a grating cheese, the rind or leftover hard bits can be used to make delicious vegetarian stock or flavor soups.

As I've said, today's recipe is a variation on a theme, but it's a favorite of ours, and it shows how you can take one basic recipe and expand it for your purposes.  Also, it was the first variation in which we used our homemade chicken & pork trotter stock, and I must say, the mouth feel was great.  Just goes to show what a little homemade stock will do.

Freezer & Pantry Soup, with Sausage, Beans, Kale, and Other Good Things - serves 6

1/2 pound small pasta, such as farfalle, cooked one minute shy of package directions, water reserved
Olive oil
3 bunches kale, rib removed, greens roughly chopped and washed
salt & pepper
3 links (or 3/4 pound bulk) sweet Italian sausage with fennel
1/2 cup white wine or additional stock
Dried Italian spice blend (or dried oregano)
red pepper flakes to taste
2 cans white beans in their liquid
1 small jar roasted red peppers, cut into 1/2" pieces
2 cups stock, preferably homemade
2 tbsp decent balsamic vinegar
freshly cracked pepper
freshly grated Parmesan

I like to have the pasta cooking while I'm making the soup, so that instead of draining it, I can move it from its boiling liquid to the soup with a spoon, getting some of the pasta water in the soup in the process.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil.  Add the chopped greens in and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Stir with tongs while they wilt, cooking until they are just getting tender, about 5 minutes.  Remove from the pot and reserve, being sure to include any leftover liquid.  Add a little olive oil to the pot and turn the heat to just under high.  Crumble the sausages into the pot, discarding the casing.  Brown the sausages, breaking it up with a wooden spoon.  When the sausage is browned, deglaze the pan with the white wine.  When the liquid has cooked off (about 2-3 minutes), sprinkle the sausage with 1 tsp Italian spices and red pepper flakes, to taste.  Add the white beans with their liquid, the red peppers and the reserved greens.  Stir to coat everything with the tasty sausage juices.  Add the stock and the balsamic vinegar and bring everything to a simmer.  When the pasta is done, add it to the soup, along with about 1/2 cup of the pasta water.  Lower the heat to medium and simmer the soup for 5 minutes, just to be sure the flavors have melded.  Taste to adjust seasoning.  Ladle into bowls and garnish with pepper & Parmesan, to taste.

The Elusive Whole Foods Cheese Ends Basket

A few of you emailed to ask me about the Whole Foods Cheese end basket, so whilst shopping at the Lane ave location yesterday, I snapped a picture of it to assist your search.  While I was at it, I picked up a nice little chunk of Parmesano Stravecchio (aged 3 years) for around $3.50.  Especially nice since there was no rind on the Parm! 

The funny thing about this picture, and my shopping incedent at Whole Foods, is that I was frustrated because, while shopping, I could not find hummus.  I was going to write about how irritating this was until I looked at this picture as I was preparing to upload it.  Notice anything?

Milano's Steakhouse

Between us, Husband and I share a lifetime of restaurant work.  Both of us had our first jobs in restaurants, and of course our current jobs are in restaurants.  We've been bussers, foodrunners, baristas, barbacks,  bartenders, cocktailers, managers, servers, hosts, I think we've both even done a shift or two in the dishtank, and I've done my own time behind the line as well.  We've worked in a Cajun restaurant, an old-school fine dining restaurant, coffeehouses, silly Italian restaurants, French restaurants, gay bars, Americana restaurants, wine bars, fine dining restaurants, steakhouses, and Amish restaurants.  One of us even interviewed to be Les Wexner's personal server.  We've probably opened more bottles of wine and asked for more steak temperatures than either of us could ever count.  We've poured more cosmos, martinis, and scotches on the rocks than most of you will ever see in your life.  We've smiled and served you with grace through food poisoning, the flu, bronchitis, sprained body parts, hangovers and exam-cramming.  We've had knockout, drag out fights with chefs and then come out smiling to sling your calamari.  We've starched countless white button-down, 100% cotton shirts and tied even more apron strings.  We've sliced our fingers open whilst opening bottles and pretended we were fine.  We've folded enough napkins to wipe the mouths of the entire city of Columbus, thrice over.  We've rolled more silverware than mouths.  We've missed concerts, plays, opening nights, parties, anything that ever happened on a Friday or Saturday.  We've missed every major holiday.  We've missed Christmas Eves, we've missed every single New Year's Eve.  We've missed every Valentine's Day.  We've missed a lot, to serve you.  Such is the life of a restaurant worker.

While we both have had corporate jobs with 401K plans and great dental plans, we always find ourselves back in restaurants.  We both went to good high schools and have college degrees.  On some level, I occasionally think there's a parallel us - Husband went to med school as he had planned, and I went to law school.  For some reason, this parallel us lives in Worthington.  But as I've said time and again, I don't think I would be happy as a lawyer.  Certainly I'd have more money than I do now, but would I be as happy?  I just don't think so.  There's something about not being stranded behind a desk all day which I love.  And I'm selfish enough to admit that my own happiness and Husband's happiness are very important to me.

Wow.  I have seriously digressed.  (as a sidenote, this is why writing has been a challenge recently - I've been way to verbose.)  At any rate, Husband and I were recently discussing our various lives in restaurants, and at some point, we decided we should revisit our first places of employment.  Fortunately, both are still open (I can't say that for all of the places we've worked).

It was Monday night.  I had a meeting which ran late and had errands to run, and then it was dark.  I didn't want to cook.  Husband called with an idea "I don't know if you'll go for it.  I'll tell you when you get home."  And so it happened that we went to Milano's, Husband's first place of employment.  These days, Milano's is located in a less-than-stellar part of town, in a low slung brick building. 

The interior is old-school elegantish, and by the time we had arrived at 7:30, many of the clientele had come and gone (Milano's if famous for its early bird specials).  We sat in the lounge side of the restaurant, which still houses a stage and a dance floor, where the same crooner has been covering the standards since Husband was still a skinny little high school kid with a bad attitude and a brand new smoking habit.

Our bartender had been working at Milano's for around 14 years; when guests arrived, they were sometimes greeted with a hug and talk of so and so's kids or what's going on in their lives.  Most of the waitresses here (and it's waitresses only) have worked here forever. 

So, let's start with the cocktails.  There is no extensive list of vodkas & gins here, as has been de rigueur in steakhouses for decades; my request for Bombay was denied, but there was Beefeater, and our server poured the martinis at the table, which was pretty cool:

If there is one thing old school steakhouses excel at, it's shrimp cocktail.  Ours came in those fabulous tin dishes, and the shrimp were nice and crunchy and icebox cold:

Entrees include one side and a salad.  We both opted for salads, which are no-nonsense iceberg/carrot mix with exactly 2 black olives.  I can't even recall the last time I've had an iceberg salad with no sense of irony (wedge salads fall into the ironic category).  I have to admit, they did feel like something I might be served in a nursing home:

I chose the filet with a baked potato on the side.  The filet came with bacon wrapped around it, a custom I will never understand.  It adds a bizarre flavor, and it seems strange that the filet is the most expensive cut on the cow by far, and yet, because of it's low fat content, we have to give it flavor by wrapping it in bacon.  Which is why, as any chef will tell you, it's the most boring cut on the cow.  That being said, its lack of fat and excessive trimming make for easy eating.  One isn't always up to all that negotiating around fat pockets.  The fillet was around 8 ounces, judging by the amount I took home, and was properly cooked:

Husband, wiser than I, opted for the milk-fed veal parmigiano, which was enormous and very thickly coated in crumbs.  It was topped with a nicely spiced tomato sauce and a nice topping of cheese (they even still have those same 4 canned mushrooms on top, Husband said).  There was, of course, spaghetti on the side:

We were quite full by now, which I suppose is the point of dinner.  We passed on dessert.  Husband walked around the restaurant and laughed about how it hadn't changed in all these years.  Some of the line cooks were even still there - a few of them have worked in the restaurant for 30 years or so. 

I don't know how to end this - Milano's is an institution on the NE side.  And it is what it is.  It's probably a great place to take your grandparents.  There's no chance of something being on the menu you haven't heard of.  It's comfortable, and unchallenging.  The service is diner-friendly without the attitude.  If the restaurant were located in a more developed area, I could actually see young people taking a shine to the bar for happy hour; the bar chairs are deep and cushy, and I think you could engage the bartender into a serious discussion about the daytime stories; the TV was tuned to Dancing with the Stars so everyone could watch Priscilla Pressley perform.

info:  Milano's Steakhouse 3105 Westerville Rd (at Oakland Park) 614.475.9199

Things to do in Columbus::March 19th Edition

Well.  From the looks of the forecast, we are in for lots and lots of rain.  Nonstop rain, in fact, for about the next 10 days.  Let's all hope that means by mid-April everything will be green, leafy, and blooming.  For those of you who are new to Columbus, I suggest you purchase a really cute umbrella, and maybe some galoshes, and learn to love gray, rainy days.  And mud.  Embrace mud.  It makes the summer sunshine so much warmer and sunnier.

All of that being said, grab aforementioned umbrella and get out there.  As always, please let me know if there any other events about which I should know (like my proper preposition placement?).

• This Thursday (March 20th) is the first Third Thursday even in the Shorth North.  Whereas the Gallery Hops are (primarily) devoted to the art galleries, Third Thursdays are devoted to shopping.  It's a chance for those of you who are working during regular Short North business hours to see what you've been missing.  Click for more detailed information, including participating shops.
• Thursday is another gathering of Columbus Green Drinks at Carabar.  Get together for drinks and to hear Columbus City Environmental Steward Susan Ashbrook discuss what lies ahead for the greening of Columbus.  Click for more information.
• Next Tuesday, the 25th, you can taste Vodka & Caviar at Morton's Downtown.  How indulgent!  I'll be there taking pictures and imbibing in two of my favorite things.  Tickets are $45. 
• Friday only, CAPA presents Second City's touring company performing One Nation Under Blog at the Southeren Theatre.  In case you aren't familiar, Second City is the improv group who spawned practically every funny person in the past 30 years, including my personal hero, Tina Fey.  Click for more information.
• Don't forget the events which are ongoing at Franklin Park - Blooms & Butterflies and Enchanted Express. 
• This weekend, the Columbus Symphony Orchestra presents Irish tenor Ronan Tynan.
• This week at Sur la Table, you can: how to make ravioli, Italian Easter Dinner, Easter Brunch, Cooking Meat, and International Appetizers.  There are also special programs for kids during Spring Break.  Click over to their calendar for more detailed information.
• This week at Whole Foods Dublin, you can learn how to set the table, get last minute Easter advice, learn about Immune Integrity, taste the foods & wines of Spain, and your kids can learn the science of cakes, amongst other things.  Click over to their calender for blah blah blah.  You know the drill.  I would put the Whole Foods campus schedule up, but it doesn't seem as thought anyone has taken up the reigns as event organizer yet.

Pink Flowers

Pink Flowers, originally uploaded by Lisa the Waitress.

Spring is on the way. I suppose I shouldn't mention that this picture was taken on or around April 3 of last year, and on April 7th, it was snowing . . . but according to the Lisa the Waitress Almanac, which has absolutely no basis in anything scientific whatsoever, and is just a load of "gut feeling," that isn't going to happen this year. Keep your fingers crossed.

The Cake so Nice We Made it Twice

Well, Husband made it twice anyway.  Since a few of you have emailed or told me in person you'd be making the fruitcake yourself, I thought I would make these updates.

Every once in awhile, Husband takes my advice - I thought the cake would be improved with a little brown sugar, so he replaced onE cup of the sugar with brown sugar, which had delicious results - specifically, it leads to a more complex flavor and contributes extra moisture.  Furthermore, I wanted to add that the fruit is measured after being soaked and drained.  I had assumed one would measure it before, so I thought perhaps you would, too.