Restaurant Widow

Things I Love but Have Never Written About

Alsatian Tart flambé at Spagio Cellars

That's right.  I ended the the post title with a preposition.  I was getting my pizza delivered the other night and was thinking, "Hounddog's probably doesn't need any more business, but I should still give them some ink.  or pixels. or whatever."  So, in that spirit, I thought I would reveal a few things I love but, for one reason or another, haven't documented.  I know you want to think we eat nothing but the finest vegetables and the happiest animals, and, while we do try to do so, life occasionally gets in the way.  So, without further ado:

1. Hounddog's pizza.  Located in Clintonville (or more properly "Hudsonville/far North Campus), Hounddog's is home to 2 styles of pizza: the regular Hounddog pizza, which features a nice thinner crust and is cut into squares (the scandal!), and the chewy, butter & herb basted crust Smokin' Joe's style pizza, which is cut into pie shapes.  We are quite fond of the Smokin' Joe's style pizza topped off with Italian sausage, green peppers, onions, and jalapenos.  A large pizza with aforementioned toppings is about $16, and delivery has always been faster than the quoted time, which is an extra bonus.  There have been many Sunday afternoons which were made even better with the addition of a Hounddog Pizza.  Resist the urge to get a salad to go along with the salad.  Info: Hounddog's Pizza, 2659 N. High St (North Campus) 614.261.4686.
2. Speaking of pizza, if it's during normal business hours and I want a pizza which is ostensibly healthier than the above, it's Mama Mimi's all the way.  We love Mama Mimi's, and have been fortunate enough to live close to one at 3 of our 4 last places of residence.  The owners are great people who have won all kinds of awards for their pies.  Their pizzas are take & bake, and are best if you preheat your oven for awhile before you bake the pizza (one at a time, please).  What we like to do is set the oven to 450, call our order in, and then when we get home from picking it up, the oven is ready.  Their salads are great, and I've heard good things about their lasagna, but we've never tried it.  The wheat pizza crust (Clintonville location) is excellent; very sweet and chewy.  We love the BBQ chicken and their veggie pizza is really great as well.  Info: Mama Mimi's (Multiple Locations) 2923 N. High St (Clintonville) 614.261.0800.
3. Hm.  I guess this is going to be a pizza post.  As a general rule, I don't like the prepared foods at Whole Foods.  First of all, they are bland and amazingly overpriced.  Every time I have made a salad from their salad bar, it has been $20.  No joke.  Granted, I am usually getting it for Husband & I to share, but still.  $20?!  I have to keep reminding myself it isn't worth it, and force myself to resist every time I stop in.  Their sushi is terrible - *shiver* - and don't even get me started on their overpriced in-store trattoria; but, all of that being said, their pizza by the slice might be some of the best in Columbus.  I usually get a few slices to go for Husband and I, and every once in awhile if I flirt with the pizza oven boy, I get a free slice.  The free slice probably has more to do with the fact that most of the shoppers at Whole Foods are horribly selfish and rude line-cutting sorts (ah, the suburbs) - who are always snapping and stamping their feet when told they'll have to wait 12 minutes for the next cheese pizza, or get livid when the person in front of them orders the last slice of brie/apple/pancetta nonsense.  So, when I get in line and am nice and say "May I please have," and "thank you," the poor abused pizza oven boy is so relieved to wait on someone who is grateful for his services that I get a free slice just for being nice.  Seriously, what is with the shoppers at Whole Foods?  Every time I go there I get run over by some donkey and their shopping cart, and the parking lot is a nightmare of people who don't seem to know the rules of parking lots, and would just back into you because they are more important than you, and no one can put their cart away, even if their car is right next to the cart return.  It's amazing.  Every time I go there I am blown away by the other shoppers.  What is wrong with people?  Don't you get a better feeling when you can make someone's day better by being nice than having to assert to everyone what a horrid and impatient person you are?  My blood pressure is creeping up just thinking about it, and all I'm doing is sitting on the sofa watching football with a few cats lying about.  Every once in awhile I've thought about getting a job at Whole Foods, and then I think about the clientele and reconsider.  I don't know what sort of strength it takes to work there, but everyone is always really nice.  Maybe they take Xanax before work.  From the fish counter to the cashiers, they do know how to train their employees in customer service.
4. Whew.  What a diatribe.  Number 4 is a chain restaurant, and I don't normally write about chains, but I love the sandwiches at Potbelly.  Specifically, I love the Italian sandwich on wheat with tons of their yummy hot pepper medley.  Their macaroni salad and chili are also tasty.  On par with the delightful hot peppers is the young staff (I always go to the campus location), who always make my day by saying things like "what year are you?" or "have you declared a major yet?"  At which point, after I stop choking, I tell them I just graduated, try not to take their idealism away by telling them I'm a waitress with an English degree, and then float on clouds for the rest of the day thinking I could pass for someone far younger than me.  I love those kids.  They are probably trained to say that sort of thing, but I love any 20 year old who thinks I'm still a student, and not one of their professors!
5. I love the Alsatian tarte flambe at Spagio.  A crispy, probably butter-rich crust is topped off with nothing more than a little crumble of goat cheese, bacon, and caramelized onions.  It's really good.  It seems to be frequently sold out, so I can't be the only one who loves it.  (Recently when I was in they reminded me that it's also spaetzle season again.  Why does spaetzle season always come right after it's-the-holidays-and-I-gained-five-pounds season?  *sigh*)
6. Mid's pasta sauce (and it comes from Ohio!!).  My former sous chef turned me on to Mid's, and I am forever grateful (oh, how I miss that egg salad with the scallions and bacon...).  I have friends who would never dream of using pasta sauce in a jar, but sometimes you're tired and lazy and you still have to eat, and that's where the Mid's is priceless.  Well, it does have a price, which is significantly more expensive than other jarred sauces, but the jar is much bigger, and the quality is far superior.  I like all of the flavors, but especially Italian sausage and Mushroom basil.
7. Speaking of pasta, the Garofalo brand of pasta at Costco is really, really good.  For being so reasonably priced (a pack of 8 pound packages of spaghetti is something like $6), it is a true bargain, especially for a food snob on a budget.  It is nice and starchy, resists overcooking, and likes to stick to pasta sauce.  Other good pasta choices at Costco are their frozen raviolis.  I've enjoyed both the spinach & ricotta and the crab raviolis.  The take around 5 minutes to cook in boiling water, and are good with just a pinch of butter and red pepper flakes (or some sauteed greens or Brussels sprouts), so they are a fantastic choice for people with not a lot of time, and a $10 bag has about 15 servings or something like that, so again, perfect for someone on a budget with a freezer.
8. As much as I love Jeni's Ice Cream, I still have a special place in my heart for Graeter's Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream.  Mint Chocolate Chip is probably my all-time favorite ice cream flavor, and Graeter's makes their chocolate "chip" ice cream by pouring liquid chocolate into the freezing ice cream, resulting in irregular chocolate bits - many are huge.  Nothing is better than digging into a pint and getting a 2-ounce chunk of chocolate.  For some reason, it only works for me in the mint flavor.  Yum!
9. Hm.  Only 8?  I had hoped to make it to 10.  But I'm drawing a blank.

Ingredient Study::Bottarga

I first encountered bottarga when I visited the French Laundry.  If my memory serves, the dish was a warm Caesar salad with butter poached lobster.  The server brought the dish to the table, along with a napkin-wrapped block of bottarga and a grater, and shaved a few curls over the dish.  It might have been the presentation (we all know I'm a sucker for packaging), but I was instantly hooked.  The hunt was on.

Bottarga is salted, pressed and dried mullet or tuna roe.  It has a rich and savory, very slightly fishy, salty flavor and a tacky, waxy bite and mouth feel.  Bottarga is imported from Italy and is very expensive - around $10 an ounce, but it has a shelf life of over 6 months in the fridge, making it a long-lasting investment.  Husband's new Chef ordered this bottarga for us, and it came in at just under $30 for 3 ounces (wholesale).  You can find bottarga at Amazon.com; I haven't been able to find it locally, but I believe Curds & Whey in the North Market has sold it in the past.  Although you can purchase pre-grated bottarga in smaller (therefore cheaper) amounts, I imagine it significantly decreases the flavor.  The whole bottarga:

So what might one do with bottarga?  Despite its cost, my impression of bottarga is a comfort food; it is very good on plain pasta - think of it as the oceanic equivalent to really good Parmesan - you'll grate it with the same sort of grater; I wouldn't be surprised to find it contained large levels of naturally-occurring MSG.  Bottarga is also at home on eggs and vegetables.  Look for a few recipes in the coming week.  Grated bottarga shreds:

The Ice Cream So Nice I Had it Twice. In One Day

Yesterday, while I was having lunch at Lac Viet in the North Market (a Number 10, if you must know), a very reliable source stopped by to say I should really try a new ice cream flavor at Jeni's.  Butterscotch and Cocoa Nib.  For the uninitiated, cocoa nibs are roasted bits of cocoa beans.  They have a dry, nutty chocolate flavor with is rich and slightly fatty without being sweet.  It sort of reminds me of a chocolate covered espresso bean in texture and style if not in flavor. 

But on with the ice cream: if, like me, you aren't a huge fan of the fakey "butterscotch" flavor familiar in certain pudding products, you needn't fear.  The butterscotch flavor here is loaded with burnt sugar (in a good way, think of creme brulee tops) and brown sugar notes.  The sweetness, however, is completely tempered by the dry crunch of the cocoa nibs, leaving you without that weighed-down, over-sugared feeling. 

Although I am a huge ice cream fan, I am ashamed to say I am not usually a cone-finisher; I get through the ice cream, nibble the cone, and then I've reached my sugar fill and pass it on to Husband, who by this time, has been finished with his Strawberry and Rose Petal for a good 10 minutes.  But this time, about halfway through, I said "Husband, I think I'm going to eat the whole thing."  And I did.  And later, we visited the Grandview shop for a pint.  Which Husband ate for breakfast.

So I think you now have your task for the week.  Go forth and enjoy ice cream.  We are having a record temperature day, so I can't really think of a better way to ceebrate it.

Info: Jeni's Ice Cream in the North Market or at 1281 Grandview Ave in Grandview.

File Under: Things to Make You Feel Better

Jeni's Cassis Yogurt.

5 Things Everyone Should Eat. Except Vegetarians.

Here is my contribution to The Traveler's Lunchbox 5 things to eat before you die challenge.  Thanks to Rosie, for the tag.  Here are my five things you should eat before you die, in no particular order:

Foie Gras, prepared by a master: no veins, no scary bits, nothing seared or stuffed.  Just the basics - poached and chilled foie gras with salt and toast, and maybe some fruity something on the side to cut the richness (read about this foie gras here).

Oysters, freshly shucked and cold, with some mignonette.  Maybe accompanied by some champagne (read about these oyster here).

Fatty blue fin tuna belly (otoro) and real, freshly grated wasabi (read about this otoro here, and other oysters).

A big fat tomato, still warm from the sun, smeared with mayo and sprinkled with salt (don't know it 'til you try it).

Jeni's Ice Cream - any flavor will do, but I recommend Dark Cocoa Gelato, Lemon Yogurt, and Maker's Mark Buttered Pecan.  (Pictured is Sweet Corn with Blackberry)

Sweet Corn + Blackberry

Late each summer, Jeni's Ice Creams searches high and low for the best Ohio sweet corn and blackberries.  The result is a mix of sweet/savory, light as a feather ice cream and rich, dark blackberry contrast.  I, and many others in Columbus and beyond, wait for it with longing every summer.  It's one of the last things in summer to look forward to, and it's always worth it.  This year's take was a little different - the blackberry sauce is not frozen with the ice cream, but comes on the side.  This is nice because you can have the frozen ice cream melting into the slightly tart sauce.  And, you can put the sauce on other things, if you like; I can personally attest to the fact that it is very good on pork chops.  Enjoy it while it lasts!

Info: Jeni's Ice Creams in the North Market (59 Spruce St) or in Grandview (1281 Grandview Ave)

Two New Flavors at Jeni's

It has been really hot here in Central Ohio.  Really, really, hot.  And humid.  I have been going around looking like a cotton ball head for weeks.  But, if you can stand to get out of the air conditioning, here's some incentive: the Pineapple Pink Peppercorn sorbet, and the Tart Cherry Goat Cheese with Bittersweet Chocolate Bits ice cream at Jeni's Ice Cream in the North Market.  Although both were intriguing and delicious, nothing could make me stray from my summertime favorite, Lemon Yogurt.  Go over and give them a try.  Oh!  Also worth noting is the Wild Berry Lavender.  Full of lavendery goodness.  And a fun (natural, of course) purple color to boot.

*Correction - the pineapple sorbet is actually sherbet.

The Simple Beauty of Summer

There are some things that you long for all year long.  One of those, for me at least, is the standard and basic bruschetta with tomatoes, basil, and fresh mozzarella.  Three ingredients that will forever be linked and delicious - on bread, pasta, alone, whatever.  Enhanced by only really good olive oil and a little sea salt.  Also, I found buffalo mozzarella and Trader Joe's for $5 for a 7 ounce ball, which seemed pretty reasonable compared to what I have seen elsewhere.  Buffalo mozzarella is a totally different experience, thanks to the incredibly high fat content in buffalo milk - 6.9% compared to 3.7% for the standard Holstein cow.  It had an incredibly rich and mouth-filling taste and texture - truly delicious!

Does bruschetta even need a recipe?  I don't think so.  Toast or grill a piece of good bread - ciabatta is especially well-suited - drizzle with really good olive oil and add fresh mozz, tomatoes, and basil chiffonade.  Sprinkle with sea salt.  If desired, place under the broiler for a few seconds to melt the cheese a little. 

Husband's Cholesterol Bomb Breakfast

I love these breakfast sandwiches, and requested them yesterday for lunch.  For obvious reasons, we don't eat them very often, but I had just purchased this great bacon at the Worthington Farmers Market from Curly Tail Farms, plus we had good eggs on hand, and it seemed like the thing to do.

Bacon and bacon fat is absolutely essential to this sandwich.  There is really no substitute.

Husbands Breakfast Sandwiches, for 2

6 slices good quality bacon

1/2 red onion, sliced into very thin half moons

3 eggs, beaten lightly

2 sesame seed buns, or good sourdough

yellow mustard

good mayo

Toast your bread or buns, and spead one side with yellow mustard (nothing fancy!) and the other with mayo.  Cook the strips of bacon over medium heat until crisp, and remove to drain on paper towels.  Add the sliced onions to the bacon fat and saute until transluscent, then lift them from the pan and place on buns.  Add the eggs to the pan and cook, twirling the pan to make sure that they cook evenly in one layer, and then fold in thirds.  Cut the omelette in half and place half on top of the onions.  Place the back on top and then the bun top.  Serve alongside tater tots or any other silly comfort food you never let yourself eat.  YUM!!

Beautiful Farm Eggs

My friend Sam was in Xenia, Ohio recently and brought back these eggs for me, just a day after they were laid.  Wasn't that nice?  Thanks, Sam.  Fresh eggs are a gift few people ever get to experience.  We are mostly exposed to white eggs, washed and neatly packed according to size.  These eggs still have bits of feather stuck to them, as well as, er, well, let's just say that farm fresh eggs should be washed before being used (yes, even if you are cracking them into a pan).  You should also wash your hands after handling them. 

All of the eggs were beautiful and unique in their own way, varying in size, color and texture, and even, in the case of the egg pictured below, shape.  I told Husband that maybe this hen was still learning to lay eggs.  "They have to learn to lay eggs?" said Husband, incredulously.  Well, sort of.  The first few tries might be a little off; typically the first egg laid doesn't even develop a shell, just a very thick and slightly opaque sac.  It does make a nice little conversation piece.