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FeedElla
Art meets (good) food in New Albany.
At Ella, clockwise from bottom: grilled salmon with wild mushroom ragout, cheesy polenta and tarragon, the biscuits appetizer and the beet salad served with arugula, fennel, goat cheese, candied walnuts and apple noodles.
Michael A. Foley/MAF Photography
Ella stands for “Eat Local Love Art,” and who can argue with that? Central Ohio is fairly bursting with wonderful locally grown and produced foods, and the art scene is quite delicious, too. The place is a combination of an existing art gallery, Hayley Gallery, which moved from a nearby site, and a new restaurant. The two spaces are joined by a connecting doorway.
The restaurant makes much of local foodstuffs, and the gallery shows off paintings, photographs, sculptures, jewelry etc. of mostly local artists. The businesses sit on Main Street in the area known as “old” New Albany. You enter from the back parking lot to a tiny foyer, then to a bar and a modest-sized dining room with 12-foot or higher ceiling and big, colorful abstract paintings on the taupe or burnt-orange walls.
Be warned that the dining room, even when half full, is noisy. The clacking of plates, glasses and silverware is not muted, in part, because the tables have no linens. (Perhaps hanging some fiber art by local artist Gail Larned would stem the noise?) One other thing: The design of the tables at the booths seems suited only for customers with slim waists; you’ll have to scoot the table this way and that to get in the tight space.
One thing they got right—on my visits, anyway—was service. Our servers were engaging and helpful—and big cheerleaders (in a pleasant way) for the food. They can tell you the provenance of many items, too, which was interesting and fun.
As for the food, one critic recently lambasted the chefs for excess use of salt, which was not my experience, both before and after that particular review came out. Instead, the food was good and, I believe, heading toward better as the kitchen sorts out what works and what doesn’t.
Anyway, here are my recommendations.
For starters, the lightly thyme-scented biscuits were nice, served with a coffee-infused honey and a maple-flavored butter, which worked well together or apart. Since three biscuits came with an order, sharing was necessary. I wish the plate of various local cheese was served at room temperature and that the toasts with it were something more than a bland white bread. But the cheese and (on one visit) the little dish of marinated plums and Moroccan spiced orange segments were lovely.
There was a mildly spiced shrimp cocktail distinguished by a fennel-laced cocktail sauce. The best salad was one of firm beets, shaved fennel, arugula and candied walnuts in a brightly flavored lemon vinaigrette.
Sandwiches included a grilled eggplant, a big burger and roasted turkey with cheddar, onions and mustard on a dark wheat bread that, while tasty, won’t replace the post Thanksgiving favorite.
Entrees of note included a strip steak with veggies of the day in a mild red wine jus (the accompanying steak fries were mushy), crusted pan-seared Lake Erie walleye with a sweet potato hash and a fine piece of salmon served with exotic mushroom ragout and a rich polenta.
Desserts also were rich, and perhaps a little predictable—chocolate cheesecake, caramel apple bread pudding and an ice cream sandwich. One night’s banana cream pie had too much gelatin and not enough cream and too thick of a crust. Stick with the Jeni’s ice cream and you’ll be happy.
The wine list was more than decent, with prices on the medium to high side. Another nice feature was a thoughtful children’s menu; while it has the usual junky stuff kids want to eat, it also featured more healthful offerings that parents want them to.
Ella
266 E. Main St., New Albany
855-4600
ella-restaurant.com
Atmosphere: Noisy, a little cramped when full. Interesting art.
Recommended dishes: Biscuits, cheese plate, beet salad, turkey sandwich, Lake Erie walleye, salmon entree.
Price range: Appetizers $5-$12; salads $7-$9; sandwiches $9-$12; entrees $17-$28.
Hours: Monday and Tuesday 4:30 to 10 pm, Wednesday and Thursday till 11 pm and Friday and Saturday till midnight.
Service: Knowledgeable cheerleaders.
Reservations: Accepted.
Rating: *** 1⁄2
