The Scoop: Five things to know in Columbus dining news

Every week, Crave editors dish on five things we're eating, drinking and gabbing about in Columbus food news. Here's the latest, including build-your-own pho in Clintonville, a new burger restaurant in the Short North, a bao pop-up and more.

Even those who insist on the proper pronunciation of pho-"fuh" and not the Americanized "foe"-easily found humor in the naming of new Clintonville eatery 6-1-Pho. The riff on Columbus' area code set a clever tone for the build-your-own pho eatery that opened for dinner service this week at 4386 N. High St. Here's what you'll encounter: customizable Vietnamese street fare, including pho (choice of beef, chicken or vegetarian broth), rice bowls known as com, chilled vermicelli noodle bowls known as bun, and banh mi sandwiches. The restaurant will be open for dinner only this week, with lunch and dinner service starting Tuesday.

Hyde Park Restaurant Group continues its takeover of The Cap on the south end of the Short North with the opening of Stack City Burger Bar on Thursday. The shtick is familiar-burgers, boozy shakes, craft beer. What's got us intrigued is the promise of grass-fed, smash-style burgers cooked to a medium well on a brioche sesame bun. We've got a first look at what's on the opening menu.

Here's a pop-up we're watching: from 6 to 10 p.m. every Friday, Bao Bros will serve traditional Taiwanese steam buns at Red Velvet Cafe's Downtown location. A few examples from previous menus include the OG with pork belly, cilantro, cucumber, peanuts and greens, and the Bun Me with chicken, pate, jalapenos, cilantro, pickled daikon, carrots and cucumber.

Lauded Brooklyn pizzeria Paulie Gee's is headed for the Short North, taking over the former home of the Short North Coffee House (1195 N. High St.). The Neapolitan-style pies at this 5-year-old shop are considered essential eating in NYC. Gee had teased the Short North franchise on his Instagram account in July, urging followers to be patient on news of the exact location. Local franchisee Terry Gibbs spent a year learning the ropes at the Brooklyn pizzeria and reportedly hopes to open this fall.

Rum is what we are sipping this season. Why? Because thanks to Cavalier's Adam Roelle, we now have a plethora of complex, whiskey-like varieties available in our liquor-controlled state. Whether you're looking for a cocktail to try (like the smoked daiquiri from Kraft House No. 5 pictured above) or bottles to stock your bar, here are three rums that should be on your radar and how to enjoy them.