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.

The Bexley Coffee Shop

In the spirit of the holiday season, here is shout out to another Bexley gem of a place: The Bexley Coffee Shop.



This unassuming café is everything a neighborhood coffee shop is meant to be. Proprietors, Paulette and Sean, make you feel welcome as soon as you enter the door. They will, by order, make you a cup of what might be the best coffee in all of Columbus. I kid you not.



The reason behind this? They roast their own coffee (named Red Bike Coffee Roaster). Few people might know about this because they currently make small quantities just for the café's needs and only replenish when necessary. They do have enough, however, for people like me to take a pound or two home to extend that strong, nutty flavor experience in the comfort of my own home.



Beyond the daily caffeine requirements (they do have teas and other beverages as well), Bexley Coffee shop is a small mecca of local arts and locally produced goods. Sean and Paulette carefully select interesting handmade items to intrigue and inspire their customers.



With a cup of coffee in your hands, you can browse the selections and grab that perfect holiday gift for your loved ones. What could be better? No crowds, no nonsense. And you are supporting the local economy!



I must not forget to tell you about the baked goods they have on the offer as well. Again, local bakers are present here: Pattycake Bakery, Sassafras Bakery, Sweet Thing Gourmet (jams and biscottis), among others. Whoever invented pastry and baked goods must have known that their two best friends are named Coffee and Tea.



I was also happy to see handmade art pieces by my dear neighbor, Abby Feinknopf whose talents I adore. She was one of the first people in Columbus who took me by the arms (literally) and showed me around some of her favorite 'gems' in the city. For that, I do owe her!













So, if you have a minute, or two, and are hungry for that 2pm coffee break (or whenever else that may be), stop by this sweet spot and say hi to Sean, or Paulette, or both. They are always there with big smiles along with that perfect cup of coffee with your name on it.



The Bexley Coffee Shop
492 Cassady Ave.
N. Bexley, OH 43209
614-253-3788

Sweet Thing Gourmet

There is jam, and then, there is Sweet Thing Gourmet jam.



I have always had a fondness for jams in general. They dress up toasts in the morning, add sweetness to buttery cookies, and can be surprising good in salad dressings.



I heard about Mark and Kyla and their jams before I met them in person. Because we live in the same town, it was not too long before I was introduced to them, along with their deliciously creative jam creations.



During the farmers market season, the couple and their three children can be found at several markets around Columbus. They always have a variety of jams to sample (my daughter's favorite reason to go to a market), as well as their homemade biscottis beautifully packaged and oh so good with a hot cup of tea.



It was a beautiful cold morning when I popped in to say hello the Sweet Thing team. Mark and Kyla were elbow deep in their jam making session, in their home kitchen. The scent of warm apple cider and raspberry filled the whole house.




"We are making Raspberry Jalapeño and Apple Cider Jelly!" they announced as I entered.

Dozens of already packaged jam jars decorated their counters and tables, ready to be shipped to the expecting customers. Sweet Thing Gourmet operation was in full swing!



I got to witness first hand the artisanal quality that these jams receive. The are made in small batches, and everything is done by hand.  Even the labels are designed and printed out of their home office, sealed and packaged individually as well.

Back home, I already have a few jars. Some are open, and some are going into gift bags for the holiday season. Everyone that I have shared the jams with have not only loved the products, but want to know the history behind them.




My husband, who does not throw out words of compliment easily, tasted their Peach Jam with Samos Saffron recently. He paused after the first bite, studied the jam jar once or twice, took another spoonful straight into his mouth and blurted out:


"That is the best jam I have ever had!"

Coming from my life-partner, who I know so well, those words are pretty powerful.

"I know," I said. "The people behind the jam are really great, too," I added. "They put their souls into the jam."

I have seen and tasted it myself.

Sweet Thing Gourmet can be found in several stores in Columbus (including Whole Foods, and Celebrate Local in Easton), or you can order them online and have them delivered to you.  I am one of those people who enjoy making my own holiday gifts, but I have no qualms giving these jams out to my family and friends. It makes a difference that I know the hands behind the jars, and the souls that get put into them.

Pattycake Bakery

Is it bad that I had not been to Pattycake Bakery until today?



I think it is. After all, I have seen, and eaten Pattycake baked goods several times before (in the last 8 months that we have been in Columbus...eight months have past, amazing!). They are sold at several places around town, and they sure are delicious (and vegan, and some are gluten free!). I honestly didn't know that there was a store-front, a real little bakery of a place where I can walk in and look longingly at all the possibilities.



After a morning at Urban Acupuncture, and a satisfying lunch at Lavash Cafe, my friend suggested that we meandered to Pattycake Bakery for a little something sweet.



I loved the blue table and chair instantly and wished they were for sale as well. But I was able to let go of the love (for now), and settled for a lemony cupcake instead.

It was not blue, or practical, but I think my choice for the cupcake (over the table and chair set) was a mighty good one.

Pattycake Bakery

614.784.2253

info@pattycakeveganbakery.com

hours:
mon-fri: 8-7
sat: 9-6
sun: 11-4

Pattycake Bakery
3009 N. High Street
Columbus OH, 43202

Market 65

Market 65, a new institution in downtown Columbus (Capitol Square, to be precise) opened its doors just a week ago, but you might have heard about them from several places since a few weeks back. Why? Because their philosophy behind the food is what the customers are looking for: fast, fresh, locally grown and produced food, made and assembled right before your eyes.

Patrick Katzenmeyer and Anthony Micheli, co-owners and brains behind the restaurant, greeted me when I entered the door today. Their bright green decor was very welcoming, lively, and spring like. It's almost enough to go in there just for that. Pat showed me around a bit, listing off producers and artisans that they are partnering with. Just to name a few, the baked goods are coming from a few local bakeries like Sassafras Bakery, their coffee is from Stauf's, their diary products is (of course) from Snowville Creamery, their eggs and meats are Ohio raised, and pretty soon their greens will be coming from local farms.

The atmosphere at Market 65 is young, alive, and ready to feed customers breakfast, lunch and dinner. Too bad I don't work downtown, but I think I will be going there regardless.

Market 65
65 E. State St.
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Open at 7:30am M-F

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

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

The Gift from Ohio

I found the perfect gift to bring back to my parents. And it's even (sort of) made in Columbus! That snow won't last in the heat of the tropics, but it's to prove that it came from our winter wonderland.



A few months ago, during one of my first visits to the North Market, I got to taste some olive oils from The Olive Orchard. Now, I have had quite a bit of olive oils in my life: from the many years spent in California,  and several trips to Europe. I have learned that I like my olive oil good and bold.

When the lady told me that the Sicilian Olive Oil is one of the best in the world, I did not hesitate to dip a piece of bread into the bowl, and got a good big bite for a taste.

That did it. A bottle of that good stuff came home with me. A few other bottles followed back into our house since that first day, and I have not looked back.

Then I started to hear more about this very olive oil; how it became part of Jeni's new flavor, I even saw a clip with them on morning news. In the new winter issue, Edible Columbus tells their story behind the bottles quite well. My Olive Oil was getting famous!

Simply put, The Olive Orchard is owned by local Columbus families who are passionate about producing the best olive oils from the best sources in the world. I am happy to bring a taste of this divine fruit, directly via Columbus, back to my home country, half the world away.

I know my parents will scratch their heads a little and say something like:


Olive Oil? From Ohio? 

Well, sort of. Even though olive trees do not thrive here, Ohio just knows how to put the right stuff in the right places!

Visit their website for locations where you can find/ purchase these oils.