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A North Market staple expands east.
A lunch hideaway
Tucked away downtown at 47 N. Pearl St., you’ll find El Arepazo Latin Grill, offering dishes inspired by Colombian and Venezuelan cuisine.
The ceviche salad, available in small and large versions ($6.99 to $10), includes an array of ingredients, such as cured tilapia filet, shrimp, red onions, cilantro, red bell peppers, avocado and mixed field greens. “People order it because it’s refreshing and light,” says Catalina Gutierrez, who owns the casual lunch spot with her husband, Carlos. She says the dish is available through summer.
El Arepazo, which opened in 2005, serves lunch Monday through Saturday and is closed Sunday.
—Taylor Swope
Openings
Abbondanza, meaning “abundance” in Italian, has replaced Taste of Belgium at the Wexner Center. The contract between the arts center and Taste of Belgium was a “mutually terminated agreement,” says Karen Simonian, director of media and public relations. R.J. White, a manager with Taste of Belgium, which opened at the Wex just last fall, now is the owner and operator of the new concept. While there are no longer waffles or crepes on the menu, the soups, salads and wraps remain, and additional items will be added soon, says Simonian. “We want to keep it interesting and affordable for the university community,” she says. The cafe is open Monday through Friday from 8 am to 4 pm.
Rick Harrison Wolfe is planning to open the Cheesy Truck by early May. He’ll offer gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches with prices starting at $3. It’s another example of the food truck craze and its popularity in Central Ohio, he says. “It’s fun. I used to live in Venice, California, and I’d go to the end of the street to see what food trucks were there. The price is right, and there’s great food being served.” Wolfe says his ideal location will be the Short North, although he says he’s planning multiple routes throughout the city. His locations will be announced through Twitter and Facebook pages. He expects to operate for lunch and dinner daily.
Holy Smoke Barbecue, which operates a shop at the North Market, is expanding east, says owner Stan Riley. The second site is expected to open at 5251 N. Hamilton Rd. by May, and the menu will be nearly the same as the original location’s, he says. Prices range from $7 to $20 and there’s room for 50 people, plus additional seating on the patio. Riley says he’ll have a full liquor permit, but it will be limited at first to just beer and wine.
CHEAP EATS
Bel-Lago Waterfront Bistro, 170 N. Sunbury Rd., is offering a bucket filled with peel-and-eat shrimp for $5 through the summer, says manager David Lewis. The Westerville restaurant is open for lunch and dinner daily.
News bites
Gordon Biersch, 401 N. Front St., Suite 120, is back with another brew and menu pairing, says general manager Stewart Miller. The Maibock beer returns for spring and summer, and it’s paired with dishes such as teriyaki Kobe sliders, Hawaiian rib-eye and Asian orange chicken. Miller says the Maibock is a “strong, bronze beauty of warm, malty goodness.” Prices range from $8.95
to $28.95, and the deal lasts through
May 15.
Coyote Jane’s is now serving brunch and lunch, says owner and chef Robin Emrick. Menu items include a southwestern B.L.T. and Franjelico grilled peaches with prosciutto. Lunch hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm (dinner service starts at 2 pm). Saturday brunch is available from 10 am to 2 pm, and the restaurant is closed Sunday and Monday.
COMBINING 2 PASSIONS
Lucas Atwood is living his dream as the owner and general manager of Snapshots Lounge in Granville, 925 River Rd. (The Junto Club, formerly owned by the Short Story Brasserie’s James Housteau, occupied this space until Atwood purchased the restaurant this winter.) The menu is centered on sandwiches and tapas offerings, says Atwood, adding that he only uses recipes from family and friends for desserts, including “Nana’s naked cheesecake,” which his mother makes for the cafe.
So what’s with the new name? “When I was going to college at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, I fell into restaurant managing,” Atwood says. “I’ve run restaurants and had a photography business for more than seven years. Most of my favorite snapshots are of friends and family at restaurants. So I’m combining two passions into one.”
He adds: “The food is fun and conversational. It’s American-style party food. You would see a lot of our dishes on the table at a potluck.”
Snapshots is open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday.
—Taylor Swope
