Closing Time: Jessica Kittrell's favorite restaurants
Unsurprisingly, when Jessica Kittrell of Dublin's 101 Beer Kitchen sneaks out with her husband (and the restaurant's chef) Thad, they're focused on one thing.
"We're always looking at the beer list," says Jessica.
That leads to plenty of trial and error, searching for somewhere that pours an offbeat IPA and also caters to their three young children, somewhere near their Dublin home that still satisfies their desire to explore the city through food.
The two met while working at the Capitol Club when Jessica was in college, and the avid homebrewers came up with the idea of opening a beer-friendly spot that focused on homestyle cooking in the suburbs three years ago.
When Jessica's not snacking on the shrimp and grits at 101 Beer Kitchen, here are some of her favorite places to eat.
What's your favorite thing to eat at 101 Beer Kitchen?
The green chili. It's unique the way Thad does it-it's almost like a posole. It uses a pork shoulder and has this amazing spice to it. It just reminds me of home. Everybody who orders it loves it.
What are the most popular orders at the restaurant?
Appetizer-wise, it's the tater tots and pretzels. We have someone who has to make them all day long. We get 100 orders a day for each. People love that. The most popular sandwich is a burger with Nueske's bacon. And the chili.
On a big night out, where do you like to go?
Our favorite place is G. Michael's. They just do such a bang-out job with everything. And the chef there-we love his style, with Southern and French influences and all the seasonality. Being in Dublin, we don't get down there enough. We ate there 10 years ago and ordered the fried chicken and my husband has never forgotten about it.
Do you have a favorite place for brunch?
Starliner Diner. The plantains are to die for and so are the chilequiles. They open at 9, and you have to get there right at 9 or you'll be waiting a while-and my kids don't really wait for food well.
What about burgers?
Press Grill has the best burger in Columbus. They do their patties so thin. You've gotta do a double, too. I love the thin patty, where the cheese is all melty. I crave that.
Where do you go out to eat with your kids?
We love beer and homemade food-it's great to find a good beer list in a place you're willing to take your children. So before we opened, we went to Mellow Mushroom a lot. They've got good pizza and a great beer list. I usually get the House Special pizza, and it's got everything under the kitchen sink.
Do you have a go-to restaurant?
We always find ourselves back at Surly Girl. They've got good food and a good beer list. It feels funky and quirky enough that you feel like you're out of town a bit. If we get a night out, we always try to venture Downtown.
Who's got some of your favorite beer lists?
World of Beer will get you anything you want. I love what they're doing. They have a sweet list. I also like Bob's Bar in Clintonville. They've got an awesome draft list. I always find something interesting to drink there.
Do you have a place you consider a hidden gem?
During lunch, we'll sneak over to Arepazo in Gahanna. It's just so super tasty. I love South American-style food. A lot of people just don't know Arepazo exists, especially up in Dublin.
SHORT ORDERS
Where Jessica Kittrell goes for something specific
Pizza: "Pies and Pints-their crust is delicious."
Date night: "Third and Hollywood. I love their Pimiento Cheese Dip appetizer."
Sandwich: "I love the Penn Station Philly cheesesteak. It's my guilty pleasure. It's corporate, but they do it right."
Ice cream: "I drag my husband to Jeni's. I love the flavors with goat cheese."
Cake: "I had the best cake ever at a baby shower from Mrs. Goodman's in Worthington."
Breakfast: "Hellas Carryout. It's in this cute little house, and they've got tons of different omelets."
Japanese: "Kooma is my favorite. I always go for the eel-I'm a sucker for eel rolls."
Jessica Kittrell
Age: 31
Hometown: Dublin
Occupation: Co-owner, 101 Beer Kitchen
7509 Sawmill Rd., Dublin