Year-In-Review: 2014's best new restaurant openings
The Columbus dining scene buzz is at an all-time high. No wonder, it seems like five new places opened every other week last year. Too bad few lived up to their press-release hype.
Attempting to digest it all in a single sitting means taking huge bites from the past 12 months. That's a lot to chew on, and tasting everything completely isn't guaranteed. With this disclamatory amuse bouche outta the way, let's dig into the main course - 2014's best new restaurants and trends.
Eye-Opener
I'm a restaurant-bought breakfast skeptic, so it takes coffee artistry (an exploding local movement) and bakery expertise (ditto) to get me in a car on a cold and crappy morning. That's what I got at Fox in the Snow Cafe - where the basic cup of coffee is a pour-over. Try washing down Fox's game-changing egg sandwiches and lovely hand pies (think artisanal Pop-Tarts) with a rare-around-these-parts cortada.
Taco Time
Tacos are nearly as ubiquitous as burgers in Columbus nowadays. Good ones are considerably more rare. You can get terrific ones - along with beer, tequila and house-smoked treats (e.g. papa caliente) - at delightful Tacos Hass.
Use your Noodle
Ramen is splashing hot into Columbus. Two newcomers who combined flavorful steaming broths with the kind of amusing vibe slurping shops deserve are Meshikou and Rishi Sushi. Meshikou's ramen rules (and try their karaage - fried chicken bits), but Rishi offers alcohol, interesting burgers and good sushi.
Chicken Feed
Fried chicken is practically mandatory on menus all over town now. And the golden-brown oldie is moving from granny's kitchen to trendy food trucks, pop-ups and au courant restaurants. Double Comfort is cranking out some good stuff, but I was crazy for wildly spicy and crunchy Hot Chicken Takeover. Like other successful impermanent start-ups who developed a following, HCT is going brick-and-mortar, opening in North Market last weekend.
Harvest Boon
Wonderful Harvest Kitchen and Bar is an inspired mashup of properties owned by Chris Crader's group. And from Curio-quality cocktails to Sycamore-worthy fare (like a killer turkey burger) to the excellent salads, pizzas and desserts popularized by the original German Village Harvest, HKB didn't miss a beat. More Harvests are in the offing (in Powell and Granville), and it'll be interesting to see if Crader's forthcoming, "healthy" non-pizza Downtown eatery can continue his winning streak.
Afternoon Delights
When the initial El Arepazo opened Downtown, its vibrant South American food plus in-and-out convenience made it a lunchtime sensation. Arepazo Tapas Bar Grille is even better - in every way. Handsome and huge, the new Brewery District Arepazo offers El Arepazo's lunch grub, but also fancier dinner fare plus alcohol, like unrivalled mojitos. Hopefully The Carvery, a super-smart, from-scratch, hip Downtown sandwich shop (try the explosive porchetta or tamer, but great, turkey) can capitalize on its Arepazo-type success by expanding its hours and menu.
The Best of the Best of 2014
Standing above the rest of the freshman class of 2014 are last year's top four new restaurants (presented alphabetically). Edgy and artsy food fans have a new pal at clever Angry Bear Kitchen. Run by a talented trio of former Latitude 41 chefs, it's the place for great beef tongue poutine and imaginative specials. The playful yet sophisticated Southern-influenced fare at Kraft House No. 5 makes driving out to Powell for intense mac-n-cheese, lovely kale salads and huge fancified pork chops sound like a great idea. Thank the restaurant godsthat fabulous La Tavola has resurfaced with its phenomenal handmade pastas (like awesome gnocchi), soulful entrees and gotta-have-them specials. Westies Gastropub ("gastropub" is just the new "bistro," so get over it) makes most other sports pubs seem like third string scrubs with its tasteful confines, nachos, burgers, chili, drinks and more.
Fox in the Snow Cafe
1031 N. Fourth St., Italian Village
Kraft House No. 5
5 S. Liberty St., Powell
614-396-9091
Angry Bear Kitchen
2653 N. High St., Old North
614-884-0639
La Tavola
1664 W. First Ave., Grandview
614-914-5455
Westies Gastropub
940 S. Front St., Brewery District
614-674-6143
Meshikou
1506 Bethel Rd., Northwest Side
614-457-1689
Rishi Sushi Kitchen & Bar
114 N. Third St., Downtown
614-914-5124
Arepazo Tapas Bar Grille
515 S. High St., Brewery District
614-914-8878
The Carvery
51 E. Gay St., Downtown
614-221-2522
Double Comfort Restaurant
505 N. High St., Short North
614-745-2183
Hot Chicken Takeover
facebook.com/hotchickentakeover
Harvest Bar & Kitchen Pizzeria
2885 N. High St., Clintonville
614-947-7133
Tacos Hass
7370 Sawmill Rd., Dublin
614-760-0155