Columbus Monthly / October 2011 / Milestone 229

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Milestone 229

Notable food and views along the Scioto River.

 

A  centerpiece of the new Scioto Mile park along the downtown riverfront, Milestone 229 marks a big investment by Doug Griggs and Mike Campbell, who also own the nearby Columbus Brewing Company. The restaurant is big, with more than 4,000 square feet of dining space (both inside and the patio area), and at least 70 percent of the walls are two-story, floor-to-ceiling windows.

Adjacent to the restaurant are the well-known fountains, where kids and their parents frolic in the 1,000 water jets. If the winds whip up and the biggest fountain is going, a few of the outside tables can get a mist, which is pleasant in hot weather.

The partly open kitchen is headed by chef Christian Hattemer, who has worked at a few places (most notably for the Cameron Mitchell group) to good reviews. At Milestone, he seems to have been given a free hand, and his casual, but serious menu has something to please most anyone.

The lunch and dinner menus were largely the same, a few more entrees thrown in at dinner in somewhat larger portions (and prices). Appetizers were substantial. My favorite was mac and cheese served in a little cast iron skillet; the dish sported smoked bacon and bits of tomato with heavy duty and delicious noodles in a creamy cheese. Glazed pork belly with pineapple chutney was worthy of attention. There were four large warm pieces of pretzel bread with a ramekin of mustard butter—not much to the item, but I see why people order it.

Each day, Milestone offers a “soup of yesterday” on the theory that some soups are better the next day. Some are, such as the two I sampled: a terrific butternut squash that got its body from stock and puréed vegetables rather than cream, and a nice tortilla version with a purée of vegetables, chilies and spices. The wild Alaskan salmon salad featured decent greens, a restrained Thai peanut vinaigrette and a modestly sized piece of grilled salmon. The tasty house salad was busy: greens, roasted red peppers, orange segments, goat cheese and sourdough croutons in a mild citrus vinaigrette.  

The three entrees I sampled were satisfying. I especially recommend the roasted chicken breast (crisp skin and moist meat) served with green beans, a hefty side of that good mac and cheese and a pleasing gravy of chicken stock. Another good choice was the mustard-glazed pork loin; it turns out that wrapping lean pork loin in pork (bacon, in this case) imparts saltiness and smokiness, as well as a little moisture. Served with a German potato salad and sautéed broccolini, this was a worthy entree. I can’t argue about the vegetable pasta, either—al dente cavatappi (think curved macaroni with little ridges) and grilled corn, oven-dried tomatoes, roasted peppers, broccolini and asparagus in a mildly garlic oil enhanced by the juices from the cooked veggies. 

There were several good hefty sandwiches, such as the “three little pigs” of pulled pork, bacon and pork belly. It was fatty as all get out, but tasty. The turkey pastrami sandwich was huge and heavy, and that’s all I’ll say about it. Everybody does some kind of special burger these days, and it’s rare to find a truly new and delicious combination. I believe that nothing beats a well-made plain cheeseburger, but the 229 burger with cheese, roasted red peppers, spiced fried onions and pickles was really good. 

I was less impressed with the pizza, where the crust needed a bit of work. It seemed as if the kitchen was trying for the mid thickness New York-style crust, but Milestone’s result lacked the chewy, yeasty quality of New York’s best. On two samplings, the oven didn’t produce the needed heat to crisp the bottom or give it a bit of the burn and smokiness that a super hot pizza oven should. The toppings were fine, such as the pulled pork and roasted mushrooms (the chicken on the chicken pesto, however, was dry).

Desserts were big and rich, including an insanely large chunk of good dark chocolate cake that four people could share. The better choice was banana pudding in a mason jar with vanilla wafers. It was like being a kid again.

Maybe the best thing about the place was the patio that overlooks the fountains. There is an oval-shaped bar, mimicking the shape of the building, and numerous tables and chairs facing the Scioto River and elsewhere. It’s a fine setting for a
drink or dinner. As for drinks, there wasn’t much to the wine list, other than some fine offerings and OK prices. I liked
the lemonade, and there was an interesting cucumber “refresher”—lemonade and cucumber juice and bits. If you like cucumber, it truly was refreshing.

Service was similar to that found at Columbus Brewing Company—well-trained, mostly experienced and sincerely pleasant. Hard to beat that combination.

—John Marshall

Milestone 229

229 Civic Center Dr.

427-0276

milestone229.com

Atmosphere: Views of the river from either inside or on the patio.

Recommended dishes: Mac and cheese, wild salmon salad, “soup of yesterday,” chicken breast, glazed pork loin, 229 burger, banana pudding.

Prices: Soups and salads $4.95-$13.50; burgers and sandwiches $9.25-$10.95; pizzas $12.50-$12.95; entrees (lunch) $10.50-$13.50 and (dinner) $15.95-$22.95; desserts $4-$5.50.

Hours: Sunday through Thursday 11 am to10 pm, Friday and Saturday till 11 pm.

Service: Well-trained and pleasant.

Reservations: Accepted.

Rating: *** 1⁄2