Columbus Monthly / November 2011 / T. Murray's Bar and Kitchen

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T. Murray's Bar and Kitchen

Former Lindey's bartender goes on his own.

Tony Murray, a longtime popular barkeep at Lindey’s, finally got to open his own place—T. Murray’s Bar and Kitchen, on the corner of South High and Beck streets. There’s a reason he was so well-liked at his former place of employment. T. Murray’s does a really good job with cocktails, showing a nice restraint. The drink menu was short on gimmicks and long on such standards as Moscow Mule, Rob Roy and Pimm’s Cup. (There was a pleasing wine list, too.)

The food was pretty much as good as the drinks, particularly the appetizers. Ribbon chips, cut thin and curly, were decorated with spurts of sriracha ketchup and roasted garlic aïoli; nothing not to like here. Ale-steamed mussels were just fine, with a savory, creamy broth and dots of blue cheese. And black bean soup, one evening’s special, was mild and good.

Roasted pepper bagna cauda was not bagna cauda (an Italian dipping sauce for raw vegetables). Rather, it was a decent paste of red pepper, garlic and butter on a slice of bruschetta. The eggplant stack in red sauce was notable—rich enough to be an entree for eaters with small appetites. And the crisp spinach, artichoke and goat cheese wontons were vividly tasty, with no grease in evidence.

The cool shrimp cocktail was excellent, with beautifully poached and chilled shrimp on a salad, served with a tasty beet-avocado rémoulade and a mildly sweet and not-at-all-hot cocktail sauce. The same nice shrimp showed up again on the stacked shrimp and greens entree. If you’re eating salad for supper, you can add grouper (or chicken or shrimp) to a salad. The wedge was topped with candied pecans, pancetta and a homemade blue cheese dressing; the generous hunk of grouper was tasty and fresh.

Other entrees also were pretty good. Pesto and crispy grilled shrimp was built on a soft penne rigati in a sauce of basil and spinach. Although the spinach made the flavor less vivid, some may like it that way. To the surprise of this meatloaf traditionalist, the turkey meatloaf with crispy pancetta actually was good—that is, if you don’t mind healthful stuff such as spinach, herbs, mushrooms and tomatoes appearing in meatloaf along with the turkey. It came with green beans and creamy mashed potatoes.

What T. Murray’s called risotto was envied by my companions, and both the flavor and texture of the rice were nice. But the dish was heavy, as I guess was to be expected when the main flavorings were caramelized beef, Italian sausage and crimini and porcini mushrooms. I liked the chef’s steak sandwich, with lacings of oven-roasted tomato, caramelized onions and baby arugula.

I forced myself to sample two desserts. The rich chocolate crème brûlée had a good eggy texture and a crisp yet tender crust. The lemon tart was outstanding, with a lovely complex balance of flavors and a tasty berry topping. And if you ask, they’ll bring you coffee in a small French press, the next best thing to espresso.

 

T. Murray’s Bar and Kitchen

560 S. High St.

824-2301

tmurrays.com

Atmosphere: Relaxed and pleasant grown-up ambience.

Recommended dishes: Cool shrimp cocktail, ale-steamed mussels, eggplant stack, spinach, artichoke and goat cheese wontons, turkey meatloaf with crispy pancetta, lemon tart.

Price range: Appetizers $5-$13; soups and salads $5-$12; large plates $15-$29; sandwiches $8-$14; dessert $5-$8.

Hours: Lunch Monday through Friday 11 am to 3 pm, dinner Monday through Thursday 5 to 10 pm and Friday and Saturday till 11 pm; closed Sunday. (A late-night menu is offered Thursday 10 pm to 1 am and Friday and Saturday 11 pm to 1 am.)

Service: Efficient and unobtrusive.

Reservations: Accepted.

Rating: *** 1⁄2