Columbus Monthly / February 2012 / Explorers Club

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Explorers Club

Ricky Barnes is back—and as good as ever.

Once upon a time, a kitchen wizard named Ricky Barnes brought us Galaxy Cafe, where Latin-inspired dishes would boldly go where they had never gone before. (Hereabout, anyway.) 

More than a decade or so later, Barnes magically has materialized on the south side to open Explorers Club, serving the dishes that made their first appearances at Galaxy. Though they are no longer unique in our restaurant universe, the flavorful food at his new place is welcome back, for sure.

The restaurant in the emerging Merion Village neighborhood has been accepted with gusto—bustling many nights as folks enjoy these big flavors, large portions and reasonable prices. Take, for instance, the delicious roasted half chicken with black beans, rice and jalapeño slaw for a mere $10 at lunch and $11 at dinner. In fact, just about everything on the menu offered real value for the money—and, better yet, just about everything I tried was worth eating.

Appetizers included sweet pan-fried plantains with a charred salsa yogurt. There was sweetness in both, but the mild spiciness and tang of the yogurt set off the starchy plantain just right. The black bean hummus took a twist with a citrus-dressed “pizza bread,” which paired nicely with the hearty bean purée.

Salads ranged from simple house greens to spinach with pan-roasted apples and onions to a Southwestern of grilled chicken, red onions, corn, mushrooms and black beans. It will remind you of why the Southwestern salad became so popular (and you won’t want one of those fast-food versions again). I don’t know if the public will take to it, but the underground salad of various root vegetables with greens and herbed sour cream dressing was really tasty—that is, if you like beets, parsnips etc. There was a good choice of sandwiches, too, from Vietnamese bahn mi to ropa vieja (shredded braised beef with a strong flavor).

I tried two pastas: a spicy spinach fettuccine in a creamy tomato sauce (sadly, the pasta was overcooked) and the delicious linguine with shrimp, cabbage, garlic, lemon and cream. Other entrees included roasted vegetables with black beans and rice, “Lemon Thyme Grilled Tofu” with charred vegetables, and beef brisket (a bit chewy, but still worth ordering).

The thing my taste buds remembered best about Galaxy was the Mexican egg dishes. You can find them here on the brunch menu (served Saturday and Sunday from 9 am to 2 pm). It was well worth the trip for chilaquiles with or without chorizo and the wonderful huevos rancheros. For the wimps, there were regular eggs, pancakes and such.

Desserts included the sweet Mrs. Barnes Pumpkin Dessert, lemon pound cake and chocolate flan. All were worth a bite or two. There were a few modest wines by the glass or bottle, some good beers and, of course, excellent margaritas. I tried the margarita of the month—cucumber and ginger, in this case—and it was better than it sounds.

Service on my three visits was casual, friendly and prompt—hard to argue with that.

 

Explorers Club  

1586 S. High St.

725-0155

explorersclubmv.com

Atmosphere: Casual; comfy old building.

Recommended dishes: Plantains with salsa yogurt, Southwestern salad, underground salad, linguine with shrimp and cabbage, roasted chicken, Mexican egg dishes, desserts.

Price range: Appetizers, sandwiches and salads $6-$9; pasta and entrees $9-$11.75; brunch $6-$9; desserts $5.

Hours: Monday through Friday 11 am to 9 pm, Saturday brunch 9 am to 2 pm, Saturday dinner 5 to 9 pm and Sunday brunch 9 am to 2 pm.

Service: Friendly and casual.

Reservations: Not accepted.

Rating: *** 1⁄2