Freshstreet Diner

Better late than never, right?

It's taken me a long time to visit this sweet establishment, transformed from the beloved food-cart from my early days in Columbus.



I brought an Asian-food-loving friend with me for lunch here today (thanks Donna!), and we both enjoyed eating delicious, freshly made rice bowls and miso soups on the patio. The day itself could not have been more beautiful either!



I am sharing some photos here, but know that there will be future visits to come... We need to return for their infamous Yakitori (only served in the evening). So, stay tuned!

Here is some information about the diner from their Facebook page:

FRESHSTREET YAKITORI(BINCHO-TAN) 

Inside of Double Happiness Bar 
482 SOUTH FRONT ST. COLUMBUS, OH 43215. 

We serve yakitori, kushiyaki, and small portion asian bar food. 
We are open Thu-Fri-Sat from 6:30pm-Midnight. 
ALSO SERVING RICE BOWLS, BAOWICHES, & J-MELTS MON-FRI 11:00AM-3PM & MON-WED 5PM-9:30PM AT THE SAME LOCATION.

Taco Truck Dos Rositas

Sunny Saturday for the first time in a while.

We had just frequented the Olde Worthington Farmers Market (whoa - they are pretty serious there. Reminded us of a California farmers market!), and we needed to refuel.



Close to home on the East side of Columbus, there are not as many taco trucks. We had found one before, and were loyal to them during their season last year. They have not returned, at least to their normal site, however.



Today, we found this one: Taqueria Dos Rositas. It is right on Livingston Ave, not far from the intersection with Brice Rd.



We beat the lunch crowd, it felt like, and ate our tacos and burritos in the shade under a tree near the parking lot in the back.



We even had a picnic blanket in the car which made this delicious taco truck lunch the best impromptu picnic in a long time!

Columbus' Food Co-ops

As far as I know, there are two food co-ops in town, one in Bexley, and the other in Clintonville.

Whenever I can, I do prefer to get groceries from food co-ops such as these ones. I have been to a few in my life. Santa Cruz, our old hometown, doesn't have co-ops per se, but does have a plethora of natural food stores. There are so many of them that I believe Whole Foods will have to fight hard to stay alive there.

At any rate, I am pleased that we have a couple of choices here. In the winter, especially, when most farmers markets go into hibernation mode, these markets continue to supply us with local (and not so local) healthy choices of food supplies. I appreciate the labels specifying which products are, indeed, locally produced (I am still learning about our Ohio producers, after all).

These tiny stores are often packed with everything from baking soda, to locally baked bread, to herbal tinctures. They also have staples such as garlic, onions, pasta, rice, and frozen items in the freezers.

The Bexley Co-op has a good selection of books as well as fresh produce. The Clintonville Community Market might be a bit larger of the two, with more bulk herbs it seems. Both places have knowledgeable staff who can help you find what you need if you are not familiar with the products or the brands.

I might be one of the few customers out there who is happy with less choices of goods. I don't do well when I am faced with 100 kinds of cereal, or 20 brands of jams. I do just fine if you give me two or three quality choices, and that's what these places offer.

And for sure, you know that you are supporting the community and producers closer to home. Nothing wrong with that!

Bexley Natural Market
508 North Cassady Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43209
Phone: (614) 252-3951
Hours:
Monday - Friday 10am - 8pm
Saturdays 10am - 6pm
Sundays 11am - 5pm

Clintonville Community Market
Clintonville Community Market
200 Crestview Road
Columbus, Ohio 43202
614.261.3663
info@communitymarket.org
Hours:
Open 7 days a week
8am-10pm

Pho Asian Noodle House and Grill

I had my first bowl of Pho in Columbus at this restaurant, almost a year ago. It was a request of sorts, for the realtor who was kind enough to show me around different neighborhoods (for 8 hours!) to assuage me that there is good Asian food in this city.

That bowl of pho was good enough. And that was when I was introduced to this place, but had not been back until today.

I don't get up 'north' much, you see. But work had me moving about this morning. By the time lunch time rolled around, I was only a mile away from this little noodle house, and I was famished.

Instead of ordering another bowl of pho, I opted to try something different and ordered Dan Dan noodles. The Dan Dan I have had in the past had been nooldes with spicy peanut sauce. Not this one, it turned out. It was a good plate of noodles, but I would not have called it Dan Dan noodles.

This experience won't prevent me from going back to Pho Asian Noodle House, however. They have a lot more to offer there, including a perfect glass of Thai ice tea to remind me a little bit of home.

Pho Asian Noodle House and Grill
1288 West Lane Ave
Columbus, OH
614-488-8886
Open 7 days a week
11am - 10pm

Anthony's Pizzeria

We have found the kind of pizza we know and love: thin crust, chewy yet crusty dough, delicious sauce, and not too much cheese to top it all off.



Bexley is a little city with a lot of pizza places (and banks, and ice cream parlors... not much else really!). We had tried two other places before we landed at Anthony's Pizzeria on Pleasant Ridge Avenue.



Thomas, the proud owner of the pizzeria, pointed out to us a picture of his 5-year old self making pizza dough. Food has been his family business for a long time. Before opening this place 8 months ago, they owned a catering business that included pizzas, calzones and stromboli, among other goodies.

The pizza idea came when his father met a man in Florida who made the best pizza he had ever had. The Floridian, Mario, actually grew up in Connecticut, so there was a bit of the East coast/ Italian blood running through him. Thomas' father acquired the recipe for the dough, and perfected the sauce, and the rest is history.



Coming from California where pizza is prized at about $20 a pie (*gulp*), and usually not a good one, it is a breath of fresh air to enjoy a good slice, at a reasonable price.

Thomas and his family purchased the location from the previous owners at the same location, so they kept the name Anthony's. But the pizza and subs...all their own creations.

I am not sure of other great pies in and around Columbus...I am sure there are a few. I must say, however, that Anthony's is a competition that will be hard to beat.

Anthony's Pizzeria and Subs
602 Pleasant Ridge Ave
Columbus, OH 43209
(614) 231-6628

Food Carts, Bangkok Style

Papaya Salad Cart

There is a reason why I am attracted (and oh so happy with) to the food carts and taco trucks in Columbus... Food carts are ubiquitous and necessary all over Thailand (and Asia in general).


Fruit-cart

People depend on these carts for breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, midnight snacks. Some of the carts will provide a few chairs for the 'eat-in' customers, but most are for 'to-go' customers.


Grilled beef ball cart

You can find any kind of food from these carts; from noodles, to fruits, to grilled pork with sticky rice, to...well, everything under the sun!

I took just a few photos to share with you all. Sending warm wishes and a very happy new year to all from the land of food-carts!


Beverage-cart

Wood-fired Pizza at Franklin Park

It's mid-November right?

Right?

I want to brag about the outdoor, wood-fired pizza experience we had yesterday at Franklin Park Community Garden.

Jim Budros, the man behind the outdoor kitchen theatre at the garden, put together a wonderful gathering and cooking on a sunny mild November afternoon.

We don't live too far from Franklin Park, so when we heard that there was pizza being made out of my dream pizza oven (I learned of this from my previous visit to the garden), I told my family to jump on our bikes pronto.

We got there just in time for the last pizza of the day (Jim said he made twenty!). The fire was still going strong both in the pizza oven and in the fireplace (where Jim was grilling skewers of pork tenderloin). We watched the 'show' and ate our pizza on a bench, drenched in mid November sun.

Maid-Rite

On our daytrip to western Ohio, Bethia insisted that I have to try a "Maid-Rite" burger in Greenville. You have to, she said. And it won't take more than 10 minutes!

Though I did not grow up eating burgers, beef or otherwise, I have been exposed to them living in the US. I must admit that I don't love burgers, of any kind, enough to order it at a restaurant. Give me a bowl of Pho any day, or a rice bowl with anything on it. I am a loyal rice fan.

So when I found out a little about what I was about to experience at Maid-Rite, I was a tad dubious. Loose beef burger? I was willing to give it a try once!

Now that I am on the other side of it, I can say that, in fact, I did enjoy the loose-beef burger. I enjoyed it quite a bit that I can say I would go back there tomorrow, if I was given the opportunity. Just don't offer me a bowl of Pho.

I was also intrigued by the chewed gum decorating along the outside walls of the Maid-Rite building. Intriguing is all I will say about it for now, because you know, I will probably have more to say after my next trip there for another loose-beef burger!

Schacht Farm

Did you know that just a few miles south of Columbus in Canal Winchester, you can pick your own greens? By greens, I mean, kale, collards, mustard greens, turnip greens and more!

Schacht farm has been in operation since 1981, and perhaps it is a big kept secret that you can go there to purchase fresh produce at their farm market, or if you would like, harvest your own produce! It's brilliant. At least, it is for those who like to get their hands a little wet and dirty and know exactly where their dinner is coming from tonight.

The picking is a plenty and will be available until the end of October. I will be going back there to stock up on my greens for the winter months for sure.

Brothers Drake Meadery

I had my first tasting of mead today at Brothers Drake Meadery.

I am surprised that I had not had this before. It's honey! Turned into wine! I love both things... How bad can it be?

The Drake brothers, with their partners, held a special tour for some food bloggers at their tasting room and refinery. We were given samples of their products right away and it only took one whiff of the mead to confirm that it is a honey product: that sweet scent is hard to miss!

The brothers gave us a brief history of mead (oldest form of alcohol, and used to be for the royals only!). They then took us through the whole process of mead-making (a bit like a chemistry lab!). It sounds simple, really. You need three ingredients: water, yeast, honey. The key thing about making good mead, though, they stressed, is that you want the best quality of all these ingredients you can find. This is not always a simple thing to do. Also, oxygen is not mead's friend. Once mixed and covered, the mixture needs to stay out of sunlight and air for a few months for best results.

I was happy to hear that they have a local source for their honey. They are also trying to strategize how best to find more locally made bottles. One thing is for sure, these people are passionate about making the best quality mead possible. I think their products will tell you that as well. Try their 'Apple Pie'! Very seasonally appropriate... it's like sipping apple pie from a glass...

Moshi Sushi

There is a lot to brag about our little town of Bexley. Although, not a lot to brag when it comes to food. We have a lot of choices of pizza places, and ice cream parlors, and a few coffee shops. As far as restaurants go, not much.

BUT!

We have Moshi Sushi!

Sitting right next to Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream, Moshi Sushi serves up excellent Japanese and a few Korean dishes.

The first time we went there, I made a comment about their unique water glasses. The nice waiter answered with a big smile "We try to do things different here at Moshi Sushi!"

The food is beautifully presented, and more importantly, quite tasty. Our children devoured their Eel, Avocado, and Shrimp tempura rolls. My husband enjoyed his perfectly hot bowl of Udon noodles, and I satisfied my Korean food craving with a hot pot of Bibimbab.

All the plates were clean and sparkly. All of our tummies were happily full. Our son, the lover of Japanese cuisine, leaned back after finishing his delicious meal, and said quietly:

"This is great...."

I think that says it all!

Leslie's Creperie

I had planned on finding the Foodie Cart for lunch after seeing their tweeted location (close to where I was going be at lunch time), but got side tracked when I saw another crepe cart at the Pearl Market.

Paul, the crepe master, was very warm and personable (very much appreciated on a cold blustery day). He told me a bit of the history of Leslie's Creperie; the hard work that he and his wife had put into perfecting their European-inspired savory and sweet crepes. He also made sure that I knew that they are not competitors of the more Japanese-inspired counterpart. They are good friends, he said, and they are happy to be co-existing, making crepes for us to enjoy side by side!

I ordered a Spinach-Feta-Chicken crepe which Paul quickly made for me. He handed me the warm and perfectly wrapped crepe within minutes.

Who said fast food has to be unhealthy food? I am so pleased that Columbus seems to embrace the food-cart culture that provides fast, healthy treats with local business owners who are fulfilling their dreams.

Apple Picking and Taco eating, all in one morning

Just outside of the Columbus proper, you can be in farm-country. Now, because we are in the midwest here, there is a lot of corn in the farm country. A lot.

There are other things, too, of course. We have found some orchards, vegetable farms, farm markets. This being apple picking season, we wanted to have some for our favorite apple-related things: crisps, pies, cakes, or just plain crunchy apples for a snack.

I won't tell you where we went apple picking because we won't be going back there again (sad, I know). And I will be sure to tell you if we find one that is more to our pace. The apples are fine, don't get me wrong. We are just a bit more off-the-beaten-path-organic-crunchy-type apple pickers than we thought.

What we will tell you about, though, is our favorite taco truck. I wrote about them before. In fact, they made it as my first posting on this blog! Taqueria Morena.

Tucked behind a small market, on Livingston Ave, this Mexican family makes some very good tacos and burritos. This weekend they had melon fresca for a refreshing drink to go with the flavorful dishes.

If you think apples and tacos don't go together? You may have to think again!

Jeni's

It's about time I talk about Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream.

It took us about one week into our lives in Columbus before we learned about Jeni's. Thanks to our marvelous neighbors who had us over for dinner a few days after our arrival, we were introduced to at least four flavors of Jeni's ice cream at the end of the meal.

Columbus has a lot of ice cream places, they said. But you have got to try Jeni's. She makes special ones!

My first Jeni's flavor was Wildberry-Lavender. It was intensely lavender, I am sure you know this if you have had it. And yet, I could not help myself eating more of it. Then came Salty Caramel. Now, I am used to sweet/salty/spicy desserts from my homeland. But as ice cream flavor? I think this was my first. And it worked! It really did. Again, I could not stop 'tasting' the flavors.

Bexley has its own Jeni's, so lucky us, we can walk or bike there from where we live easily. Of course, now that I have been around a bit, I have found that Jeni's is...well...everywhere!

You can find Jeni's at the North Market, on High St. in the Short North, in Grandview Heights on the main drag. And I am sure there are many more that I have not seen or heard about. The truth is, Columbus loves Jeni's. And I can understand why now!

I love how Jeni's is not afraid of change. The flavors change with the season (but there are many that stay put because they just work!). And Jeni herself does not seem afraid to be bold with her combinations. I also appreciate the Cow-to-Cone concept. I am still getting to know Snowville Creamery. The fact that Jeni's uses only Snowville's products is just, to me, quite as splendid as her ice cream is reputed to be.