Archives (page 11 of 12)

Stranger in a Strange Land

Originally published in the April 2016 issue of (614) Magazine


How does a nice Catholic schoolboy from Canada become a Mormon missionary in Broadway’s longest running “knock-knock” joke?

Ask Ryan Bondy, the former understudy now starring as Elder Price in The Book of Mormon, returning to Columbus this month at the Ohio Theater.

Understudies are the second-string quarterbacks of the theater. They put in all of the same hours and sweat as the stars they shadow, but they only get to play when illness or injury suddenly push them from the sidelines into the spotlight.

When an understudy tells you to “break a leg,” he might just mean it.

“If Mormons had a poster boy for their religion, it is Elder Price,” Bondy explained. “Then he has a bit of a rude awakening. He presumes he’ll be sent on the mission he thinks he deserves, which in the play is Orlando. But instead, he’s sent to Uganda.”

That strained plot probably sounds like the worst idea for a Broadway play imaginable — maybe even worse than the hip-hop biography of Alexander Hamilton.

You’d be wrong on both counts. (The worst idea is still singing cats.)

In case you’ve been away on your own overseas mission, The Book of Mormon is the creation of Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the same evil geniuses behind South Park. If a Fight Club-style faceoff between Jesus and Santa Claus or Satan spooning Saddam Hussein wasn’t your idea of enlightenment, put down your protest signs right now. The Book of Mormon isn’t that kind of religious experience. But the soundtrack isn’t exactly the Osmond Family Christmas either.

“When my family learned I was going to be part of the show, there was a little bit of concern,” Bondy confessed. “Growing up Catholic, I understood what it meant to be devout to a faith. Every religion may have its absurdities, but this story itself isn’t meant to offend. It’s really about learning to love your neighbor—with some potentially offensive lyrics.”

Bondy’s own mission of sorts has taken him from his familiar upbringing in Ontario to a strange land south of the border, patiently waiting for that big break—leg or otherwise.

“Obviously being a stand-by, you have to be ready at a moment’s notice. That’s part of the stress—you don’t get to go on every night, but when you do, you kind of have to carry the show. That’s the intensity of the mid-show swing,” he explained. “You may hear or see something earlier in the show and you know you need to start warming up.”

That’s exactly what happened several times on the road, when a pulled muscle or failing voice of the show’s lead was Bondy’s cue to tighten that tie and find religion fast. (Never mind that he was stepping in for someone who was blonde, and significantly shorter.)

“You worry about taking the audience out of the show. But once there’s that forgiveness of a different person taking over, you know they’re back on your side,” he said. “There was a little ad-lib at the top of the second act to acknowledge that. Elder Cunningham simply says, ‘Elder Price, you look different?’ Then, the audience erupts and we all move forward.”

“I’ve been with the show for almost two and a half years, and I’ve been with all three companies—the two touring companies and Broadway. I’ve seen different portrayals of Elder Price and each actor brings a different authenticity to the role,” Bondy explained. “As an understudy, you trail those performances and try to maintain the integrity of the show.”

“Now that I’ve been given the chance to do the show nightly, one of the biggest things you realize is when you only do the show every two months, you’re really stepping into someone else’s shoes and someone else’s show,” he said. “When you become the lead, the cast starts to become familiar with your cadence and your humor. They feed you, you feed them, and there’s a bounce back and forth on stage that you never really get to experience as an understudy.”

“Being Canadian, I really didn’t understand how much U.S. audiences change, even in just a four-hour drive. Some places, like Florida, that have an older audience, there may still be that shock value. By the time we get to the second act, we’ve warmed them up,” Bondy explained. “I’ve also performed to some of our loudest audiences in the ‘Bible Belt’. But there are also places with protestors who only know it’s ‘those guys from South Park’, or have only listened to the soundtrack and taken the show out of context without even seeing it.”

“There are also cities with a strong Mormon presence where they come out to support the show. A big part of their faith is just to start a conversation. There isn’t a quota,” Bondy said. “They actually take advertisements out in our programs, ‘You’ve seen the play. Now read the book.’ They’ll often wait outside after our show to talk about their faith and answer questions.”

Among the most unexpected audience endorsements Bondy revealed was from a conversation he had with one such missionary following a recent show.

“It kind of threw me because he hadn’t even see the show that night. ‘Entertainment’ is prohibited during their missions,” he said. “But he told me he’d seen the play three years earlier, and it made him curious about the religion—enough so that he eventually ended up becoming a Mormon and is now bringing that faith to others.”

How’s that for a religious experience? ▩

The Book of Mormon runs at the Ohio Theatre from April 19-26. Tickets are on sale now through the CAPA ticket office and Ticketmaster. For more, visit capa.com.

Grilled Cheese for Grownups

Originally published in the Winter 2015 issue of Stock & Barrel


This city’s sandwich scene seldom sides with nostalgia. From experimental to reckless, Columbus “carbovores” reward few endeavors more than a radical idea between two pieces of bread.

But simple pleasures aren’t easily outgrown.

“It’s the most comfortable of comfort foods,” mused Ian Hummel — prolific singer/songwriter, Shazzbots skipper, and grilled cheese guru. (The local music loyal may recall Hummel’s off-beat ballad, “An Ode to Cheese.”)

“As a grown up, of sorts, I have come to appreciate the enhancements made to the world’s greatest sandwich,” Hummel confessed, rattling off the range of cheeses now available on the simple staple. “Meat eaters and vegetarians love ’em — it’s still the perfect food.”

Affirming its enduring charm, The Shazzbots television pilot even used sandwich making as a metaphor for childhood creativity and self-expression. Much like its most notable ingredient, our affection for grilled cheese often improves with age.

Despite the rise of restaurant chains and food trucks redefining the delicate blend of crispy and gooey, there are equally sophisticated takes found off the radar. Paired with the right cup of soup, these grilled cheese for grownups will surely warm your soul and win over your inner child.

Katzinger’s
475 S Third Street | katzingers.com

Finding a new favorite at this German Village landmark is quite the pickle, and not the kind found in their barrels of garlics and dills. Next time, skip the New York standards in favor of Franklin’s Kibbetz — housemade mozzarella and pesto with tomato on grilled sourdough. A cup of intense chicken soup with egg noodles or matzo balls is customary, but Seth’s daily special may also include tomato, red onion, or fresh greens.

Bodega
1044 N High Street | columbusbodega.com

This neighborhood haunt is nearly legendary for their $1 grilled cheese during Monday night happy hours. But don’t let that low price dissuade you from going any day. The three-cheese pleaser features cheddar, Swiss and Monterey Jack—then makes a deft departure by adding tomato aioli and zesty arugula. Jalapeños add extra punch and the seasonal soup of the day round out the palate. If you’re lucky, it will be a ladle of lentil.

Philco Bar + Diner
747 N High Street | philcodiner.com

Eclectic ingredients conspire to create a remarkable balance of smooth, savory, salty, and sweet at this sleek spot in the Short North. Ohio cheddar, Havarti and bacon contrast the tart taste of diced Granny Smith apples, served on slabs of Texas toast. Add a cup of turkey, chorizo and white bean chili with the peppery bite of matchstick radish, chopped cilantro and a dollop of sour cream on top for a mix of Midwest meets Southwest.

101 Beer Kitchen
397 Stoneridge Lane and 7509 Sawmill Place | 101beerkitchen.com

Suburban watering holes aren’t the kind of places you expect to take craft beer and comfort food so seriously. But that’s exactly where you’ll find creamy brie and pears on crusty sourdough with fig and honey jam served with a side of crisp, crimson beet chips. Butternut squash soup with spicy pumpkin seeds, duck confit, and crème fraîche will make you wonder what else you’ve been missing away from downtown and outside 270. ▩

Hand to Mouth

Originally published in the Winter 2014 issue of Stock & Barrel

Columbus is a working class town with a working class appetite, and no metaphor better embraces our close-to-the-bricks heritage than a meal that doesn’t require utensils. Sadly, some of our city’s unsung sandwiches are hiding on familiar menus beside more pricey or famous fare.

Signature sandwiches can be dangerously seductive. It’s easy to obsess over the prom queen and overlook the girl next door—a bit more demure, but equally alluring if you just give her a chance.

So here are some suggestions you’ve probably missed — five sandwiches under $8, each worthy of its own celebrity status.

CHICKEN & WAFFLE SANDWICH
Ethyl and Tank |  19 E Thirteenth Avenue  |  ethylandtank.com

Sandwiches aren’t exclusive to late-risers and the lunch crowd. That’s why your long day should begin at the unlikely convergence of coffee shop, campus bar and old school arcade. Ethyl and Tank is just the kind of joint to strike the precarious balance between hangout and hotspot, with a menu to match—and their twist on chicken and waffles is worth the trip.

Poultry meets pig with a breaded breast of chicken and applewood-smoked bacon slipped between two golden waffles. Made better with cheddar and a drizzle of maple syrup on top, this sandwich will make you wonder why anyone would start their day any other way.

VEGGIE PANINI
The Carvery  |  51 E Gay Street  |  carverycolumbus.co

With a name like The Carvery, you’d presume everything worth having on the menu is freshly plucked or off-the-hoof. And you would be dead wrong. Perhaps the best vegetarian sandwich in the capital city can be found at a perennial haunt of naysaying carnivores. Stuffed with zucchini and summer squash, a smooth slice of muenster, a splash of herbed-oil, and smear of hummus, all on a grilled ciabatta bun, this veggie sandwich will make you a true believer. It’s an unexpected paradox for the palate—a meat-free sandwich bold enough to bite you back.

ITALIAN BEEF SANDWICH
Wholly Joe’s Chicago Eatery  | 1182 E Powell Road  |  whollyjoes.com

Wholly Joe’s faithfully serves the holy trinity of Chicago’s culinary creations. Beyond their epic execution of deep-dish pizza and distinctive hot dogs, they also offer the only legitimate Italian beef sandwich in Central Ohio. Seasoned, slow-roasted beef is piled high on a chewy, Italian roll—properly ordered “hot” and “dipped,” topped with giardiniera (a spicy mix of pickled peppers, celery and carrots), then the whole roll is dunked back in the bath of au jus to soak up more meaty juices.

Just like their pies and dogs, there are no compromises on authentic ingredients. Nearly everything is shipped in from the Windy City. The Cubs will win the World Series before you find a better Italian beef this side of Chicago.

MEATLOAF SANDWICH
Sí Señor  |  72 E Lynn Street  |  sisenorlatinfusion.com

Sí Señor is celebrated for their traditional Peruvian pork shoulder with pickled onions and sweet potato mayo, and rightly so. But their meatloaf sandwich is not to be missed. Chorizo and ground beef, cut with onions and poblano peppers—baked, sliced, and served on a crusty bun with gooey white cheddar and housemade tomato jam. This ain’t your mama’s meatloaf sandwich. It’s a South American spin on a Southern standard.

JAEGER BURGER
Thurman Café  | 183 Thurman Avenue  |  thethurmancafe.com

Never mind Thurman Café’s namesake sandwich. You want the Jaeger Burger because it breaks all the rules. Can you call it a burger if there isn’t a bun? There’s no cheese, so it’s not a patty melt either. Is it even a sandwich if you can’t pick it up? The Jaeger Burger is both tempting and taunting, so it’s okay to be a little intimidated. PRO TIP: Use that mountain of steak fries to eat through the mound of French onion dip before taking a knife and fork to the sautéed mushrooms and onions covering the seared steer slab and Texas toast underneath.

Don’t even ask about calories or carbs. Just try to ignore the sound of your arteries clogging. At a little better than $12, it also breaks the $8 cheapskate rule. But, it’s big enough to be easily shared, or split and saved for another meal. Your date and your doctor will thank you. ▩

One Pit Wonders

Originally published in the Winter 2015 issue of Stock & Barrel

Barbecue is easily maligned as the one-night stand of comfort food. Whether it’s slow and smoky or sticky and sweet — even when it’s not that good, it’s probably not that bad.

But barbecue is also becoming perilously passé. Wendy’s is putting pulled pork on a burger and Arby’s has Ving Rhames slinging brisket sandwiches as a side gig. Not exactly the local charm of a “one pit wonder” — a single location setup that serves burnt ends and genuine swine to only those who know where to find them.

There are as many kinds of barbecue as there are cities famous for it. But purists everywhere all swear by smoke.

You won’t find a legit pit on a map or in a mini-mall. It’s a blackened, fire-breathing behemoth in a parking lot emitting a telltale trail of smoke that calls to you. They’re urban legends spread by the fearless and the faithful. You won’t always see them, but you can smell them a block away.

A real barbecue pit is like a neck tattoo. It says hello before you do.

Fortunately for folks in Central Ohio, you can keep your street cred at any of these upstarts or mainstays. Whether you’re big on beef or dig the pig, there’s a local, little barbecue joint to satisfy—each with a singular charm.

B&K SMOKEHOUSE | 1114 E Main Street

This Olde Towne East eatery is easily a drive-by, but it should be a destination. There are only a handful of tables but a whole lot of love from the owner. The brisket is excellent and unexpected, cut more like a perfect pot roast than simply sliced. The collard greens have just an extra punch of vinegar that others often lack. And the rumors are true: turkey ribs are a real thing — succulent and tender smoked shoulder meat to be precise. They’re like a Thanksgiving surprise all year round.

BARBEQUE SHACK | 5755 Maxtown Road

A drive-thru espresso bar isn’t easily converted into a barbecue joint. But if you’re really looking for slow, smoked flavor with fast food efficiency, the Barbeque Shack in Westerville is the only game in town. It’s a bit surreal having someone hand you a bona fide pulled pork sandwich and mac and cheese through a car window. But the folksy feel and surprising seasonal specials will have you driving through often. If you’re lucky, grilled corn on the cob and smoked bacon may be on the menu.

IRON GRILL BARBECUE & BREW | 5295 N High Street

If you think you’ve had barbecue every way possible, you probably haven’t been to this Clintonville revival of the old Pig Iron launched by the same owner as the Gahanna Grill. Crispy Carolina pork rolls stuffed with sauerkraut, pulled pork flatbreads with cheddar-jack cheese, and pulled pork quesadillas may be the most original three little pigs you’ll find in greater Columbus. But the best deal on a cold day might be the rich and meaty all-you-can-eat brisket chili and homemade cornbread.

MALLORY’S RIB SHACK | 3386 Westerville Road

When a fast food franchise meets its demise, the building is typically leveled, being too iconic to pass as anything else. Yet, this one-time Dairy Queen in Westerville promises “the best soul food in Columbus” and probably delivers. Whether you buy wings by the handful or the hundreds, Mallory’s has you covered. The sweet potato pie makes plain ole pumpkin seem like a forgotten cousin. But the standouts here are still beef ribs by the slab, a rare find exceptionally executed every time.

BARREL & BOAR | 5251 N Hamilton Road

The old Holy Smoke at the edge of Gahanna and New Albany offers a radical reinvention of the former brand. If upscale barbecue is a trend, this is what it looks like. And if a barbecue brunch is on your bucket list, this is the place. Why not put brisket in an omelet with sharp cheddar, or offer pulled pork, candied bacon, and spicy syrup sausage grits? Add a curated collection of craft beer that will satisfy the harshest barbecue and beer snobs alike and it’s a dinner winner as well. ▩

Hog Heaven

Originally published in the Winter 2015 issue of Stock & Barrel

It’s hard to take celebrity chefs seriously — the rub is right there in the title.

They seem to be celebrities first, chefs as an afterthought. For every humble hero grinding it out in the kitchen, there’s a loudmouth huckster with frosted tips and Charlie Sheen’s wardrobe willing to slap his signature schlock on anything for a quick buck.

James Anderson of Ray Ray’s Hog Pit is the genuine article, not some farm-to-fork phony made of marketing flim-flam.

Crouched in his Carhartts, clanging on the drain of a hog trough, Anderson isn’t exactly the foreboding figure of local legend you might expect. I’d followed the waft of smoked meat up the hill to the barn of his Granville farm unnoticed. When I called out his name, he turned and stood with an outreached hand, his weathered features and unruly beard far from the face I first met more than a decade ago.

We’d originally met as work-a-day pixel pushers, each hungry for something more. Anderson was plying his photography background at a local design studio whose owner happened to hold a small stake in my long-since-defunct tech startup.

Those were the salad days and we looked the part, complete with button-down collars and khaki pants — back when we were both better acquainted with the business end of a razor. While I was proselytizing the inevitable pervasiveness of wireless Internet access, he was apparently plotting to put Columbus on the map as a credible barbecue destination.

Though neither of us got rich from our foresight, it’s safe to say finding reliable Wi-Fi in any given city is now a whole lot easier than finding reliable barbecue. Perhaps that’s the cornerstone of Ray Ray’s defiant allure in a digital age when damned near everything is a commodity. While the rest of the world is getting faster and more complicated, Anderson’s approach is still slow and simple.

“My dad was a barbecue guy his whole life. He died around the time I started cooking professionally,” Anderson explained. “I never got to cook with him, but I was always inspired by him. That’s actually what motivated me to pursue barbecue.”

Even those who rave about Ray Ray’s must admit Anderson is an enigma of culinary contradiction. The endgame of many food trucks is opening a restaurant. Anderson already did that — three times in fact — and hated it so much, he went back to the curb.

“We had decent sales, but the overhead was ridiculous — it was brutal. It was hell,” he said.

Before there was Ray Ray’s Hog Pit there was Smackie’s Smokehouse — a barbecue joint with the ease of Chipotle and an emphasis on America’s most notable comfort food. It also happened to be spitting distance from my neighborhood on the Northeast side. On a good day, if the wind blew just right, I could open my windows and fill the whole house with the smell of brisket. True story.

The build-out on the first Smackie’s near New Albany was costly. The rehabbed Bob Evans on Cleveland Avenue that followed was bigger, but no better. The strip mall spot that followed spelled the end. Meat isn’t the only thing that sometimes gets burned in the barbecue business.

“It was a bitter moment,” Anderson said. “People who only know Ray Ray’s and stand in line every week think I’ve always been this huge success, but I’ve tasted failure.”

From a sales standpoint, Smackie’s was hardly a failure — just painful, unintended market research. Luckily, Anderson refused to dwell on the downsides of running a traditional restaurant and refocused on what he loved most with a “one man, one smoker” concept at the intersection of Pacemont and High in Clintonville.

“With a food truck, there’s none of the brick-and-mortar bullshit,” Anderson said. “It was profitable from day one. By week two, I couldn’t do it all. ‘One man, one smoker’ lasted about one week.”

Anderson kept the food truck lean, and only the best sellers made the cut. With two hands, you can both count and eat everything he sells. Ray Ray’s really doesn’t have much of a menu, more of an abbreviated itinerary of essential eating.

Restaurants are also run on metrics, another difference in Ray Ray’s intuitive operation. Like his ribs, he relies on the expertise only afforded by experience. If everything sells out every day, he’s obviously doing it right. James Anderson is the Steve Jobs of swine. Fuck focus groups — he already knows what you want, even if you don’t know it yet.

But none of that was why I stand in a barn shaking hands with a guy whose food truck was parked nearly an hour away…

Or maybe it’s exactly why.

The spot where I stood was the epicenter of Anderson’s next series of unlikely endeavors. He still has the sense of a photographer, and if the truck was his close-up, then the farm is his wide shot.

“The barn was built in 1920 and was an old hog barn originally,” Anderson explained, pointing to the rafters salvaged from wooden, Prohibition-era road signs still bearing slivers of logos and brightly colored paint. “Eventually we’ll turn this into a venue to do harvest dinners, convert this commercial kitchen into a licensed kitchen, and put seating up here in the loft.”

Anderson anticipates bringing in a mix of local chefs and local breweries and distilleries, and he has the connections and credibility to pull it off. His livestock was recently featured on the menu at New York’s acclaimed James Beard House, an invitation-only honor and a first for Columbus. Anderson joined local chef Bill Glover from Gallerie Bar & Bistro to prepare the six-course feast celebrating the best of Ohio. (Anderson and Glover’s kinship extends beyond the kitchen. The pair are also hunting partners.)

“I’m trying to get a butcher shop in the North Market. They’re really pushing for fresh vendors, so I’d love to be in by March,” noted Anderson. “It will be Anderson Farms Heritage Breed Hogs and a charcuterie called The Hungarian Butcher. I’ll be selling them raw, but on the other side we’ll be selling salumi—lonza, guanciale, year-and-a-half-old prosciutto, different kinds of bacon,” he explained. “There really isn’t much in the way of charcuterie in Columbus. The demand is very high, but the supply is very low.”

After admiring the smell of the 100 or so racks of ribs rotating on his smoldering meat carousel, we hopped in a glorified golf cart and headed over the hill of the 15-acre farm to see the heritage hogs Anderson has been quietly acquiring for more than a year.

“My goal is to raise the best pork in the world, so I brought in all of these heritage breeds to do that,” Anderson explained as we drove through the meadow bottom overlooking a dozen different breeds of hogs spread across the open field. “There are tons of variables. I spent a year studying breeds and their characteristics before I even started buying. Within the year, I’ll have enough to breed all that I need myself.”

If there is the slightest glint of celebrity to be found in Anderson, it’s in the way he talks about his hogs. He describes their countries of origin, coloring, and distinguishing attributes — you could easily mistake him for a well-heeled auto enthusiast detailing the pedigree of his prized collection of exotic cars.

But there is no vanity here. Anderson has managed to assemble a sustainable hog farm from scratch with the precision of a racing team. Each breed has its own diet: a blend of grazing and grain “mash” locally sourced from Watershed, Seventh Son, and Lineage — leftovers from the distilling and brewing process that Anderson puts back into the food chain.

“This furry one over here is probably my specialty. It’s a Mangalitsa. These are the ones I’ll be raising for The Hungarian Butcher,” Anderson said. “I’m one of the only farms to have them in the Midwest. The best pig for salumi is a Mangalitsa because it has a 5-inch back fat and a 5-inch belly fat. It’s very marbled — perfect for charcuterie.”

The hogs receive a cocktail of dairy, sheep and goat milk, which also comes from the farm. Anderson credits this diverse diet with yielding the balance of fat and flavor top chefs seek but rarely find. The farm also raises “Buckeye” chickens and Champagne d’Argent rabbits, which are so highly coveted a single chef currently buys his entire stock.

His next project pulls his past, present, and future together literally under one roof: Ray Ray’s BBQ School at Anderson Farms.

Imagine a baseball fantasy camp, but for barbecue — and at the end of the weekend, everyone gets to eat their gloves. But this is so much more than simply playing catch with a major league has-been.

“It will be a very intense and personal experience,” he explained. “They’ll learn to make rubs, the science behind ingredients, which wood, how to cut it, how much bark to leave, whether to soak it, how long to smoke it.”

“We’ll have some individual classes bringing in experts in various farm fields. Then there will be a three-day course — which is BBQ camp — where guests can stay in the farmhouse Friday, Saturday and Sunday,” he continued. “There will also be a masters course, which is eight five-hour classes over eight straight weeks offering an even deeper understanding of the fundamentals of barbecue.”

Anderson launched an online campaign through Barnraiser.com to cover the necessary renovations to the farmhouse and overall improvements to the property.

“It’s the only farm-based crowdfunding site, so it’s tough,” he admitted. “It’s not really a fundraiser. We were just trying to get people to pre-book their classes.” Anderson takes the struggle in stride, just as he always has. “We’re going to fund it through a small business loan instead. The details will be different, but the goal is the same.”

But none of this probably would have happened if not for Ray Ray’s success and the ability to pull back to the origins of barbecue — the farm itself.

“I’ve waited for the right staff, until I felt I had people who have barbecue culture in their blood,” he explained. “I’ve had lots of opportunities to grow Ray Ray’s — people in my face wanting me to add more trucks or open a restaurant again.

“I hand-select my employees from my customers. They’re passionate about barbecue,” Anderson revealed. “I can teach them the technical side, but I can’t teach them personality and character. And that’s why I hire them. Almost everyone I hire has zero food service experience.”

Derek Obuchowski is an exception, though his apprenticeship under Anderson at the smoker is an outdoor art far from formal kitchen craft. Alex Hagerty and Emma McCarron have also allowed Anderson to focus on the farm by managing operations at the food truck with the same steady hand that built the brand.

“The only advertising we have is word of mouth. I want to hand you something delicious and start a conversation,” Anderson said. Ray Ray’s doesn’t do discounts through Groupon or Living Social, fearing it would also undermine the brand. (Sorry, coupon carnivores.) He recalled once hearing about a Craigslist rental ad that listed among the amenities “walking distance to Ray Ray’s Hog Pit.” That’s one way to know you’ve found the right spot.

“For food trucks, no one has a lot of parking,” explained Anderson. “Ace of Cups has 47 parking spots, craft beer, and indoor seating. I love Clintonville, and Ray Ray’s will probably be there forever. But the farm is still home.”

“I’m a city kid newly planted in the country,” Anderson admitted. “With barbecue, there’s a lot of equipment — trailers, smokers, big stacks of wood. I looked like a hillbilly living in the middle of the city and it just didn’t work.

“Our house is at the farm. Our office is at the farm. Our kids work on the farm,” Anderson said with conviction. “Now, it’s all connected.” ▩

For more on hours, new limited-time menu items, or BBQ School, visit rayrayshogpit.com

Secret Supper, Simply Served

Originally published in the Summer 2015 issue of Stock & Barrel

Hidden in plain sight on the south side of Clintonville is an intimate eatery — intermittently open, but always inviting. Haven’t heard about it yet? You’re not alone.Café Bella is less of a restaurant and more of a secret supper club whose menu is a mystery to even the owner.

With an emphasis on original recipes and local ingredients, Vince Withers delivers something unexpected every meal. That’s because Café Bella has everything you’d anticipate from a quaint and quirky dinner dive — except a menu.

For a floating price between $15 and $20, guests enjoy a three-course feast of Mediterranean fare with Italian inspiration and family-style service. But it’s the man behind this novel non-restaurant who is as complex as the cuisine he serves.Withers credits his Appalachian ancestry and upbringing with preparing him for the radical departure from engineer to restaurateur. “I come from generations of farmers in Jackson, Ohio. At our house, when you were old enough to reach the counter, you had to learn to clean it or cook it,” he explained. “I’d also worked in several restaurants while studying engineering at Ohio State.

”But nearly a decade after stumbling into defense contract work “building flying killer robots”, Withers’ disenchantment intersected with opportunity. So, he decided to trade the skunkworks for the skillet.

“I was a frequent customer of the previous owner, who was also looking for a change,” Withers recalled. “I did a head count of my close friends, and I figured between family meals and a few parties, I could cover my overhead.”

“I would always look at restaurant menus, but they never told me what the chef enjoyed making,” he said. Now Withers opens and closes as he likes, and makes the food he loves.

That love extends beyond the kitchen. Withers also worked with local food pantry patrons to start their own container gardens, supplying tomato plants and live herbs to those in need. There are also side projects to develop even more diverse ingredients under roof. A fish tank in the back is teeming with tilapia, spawned onsite, while Withers’ inner engineer still dons the lab coat downstairs in the climate-controlled ‘mushroom vault’. Neither emerging ingredients have made it to customers’ plates just yet. But, you can’t underestimate a guy who seems equal parts restaurant innovator and culinary savant.

That ingenuity also shows in the sophisticated garden adjacent to the dining patio. If you like locally grown herbs and fresh produce, it’s tough to beat 15 feet.

“Rain runoff fills the pond, the koi control the mosquitos, and introduce nutrients into the water to support the garden — no pesticides, herbicides or fungicides,” Withers explained, while making adjustments to the array of pipes and planters.

Lending a hand is OSU intern, Neil Mezache, who was likewise surprised by Café Bella’s simplicity and sustainability.

“I didn’t realize there would be an entire aquaponics system in addition to the garden,” he noted. Mezache also finds the internship a complement to his work at the university’s plant pathology lab. “You don’t experience mistakes and setbacks in the classroom like you do the garden. That’s where the real learning is.”

“Fresh tomatoes only come a few weeks out of the year. Oak leaf lettuce and red Russian kale. Thyme, oregano, you’ll see basil pesto too,” Withers predicted of the more seasonal garden ingredients you’ll find working their way into the kitchen. “You don’t have a lot of prep when you don’t have an extensive menu, so there’s hardly any food waste.”

That’s why it’s a good idea to call ahead — just to make sure they’re open. If it’s a slow night, they might close early. Despite the small scale, parties from 20 to 50 are welcome, with a menu tailored to guests’ requests. Café Bella’s approach also makes dining surprisingly simple for those with food allergies or dietary preferences. As Withers puts it, “It’s less ‘tell me what you want’ and more ‘tell me what you don’t want’ — and I’ll make you something new and delicious.”

Maybe you’ll start with a flatbread appetizer, followed by a sprout salad, eggplant parm and a roasted, dark meat quarter of chicken. That was last night’s menu.

Simple and subtle, cheese and tomato on a crunchy crust. Spicy sprouts of clover and alfalfa with “living legumes” of adzuki, chickpeas and red lentils over arugula, all brought together with a perfectly pungent vinaigrette. Meaty medallions of fried eggplant, crispy and tender, on a bed of pasta with lightly sautéed zucchini, asparagus and kale. A leg and thigh of chicken with skin so seasoned and succulent, you abandon both pretense and utensils and just go for it. And, as if that wasn’t enough, a tiny sugar-dusted cookie offset by an earthy French-pressed cup of coffee.

You know you want it — but you already missed it. This isn’t the Olive Garden. Today will be something equally epic, yet decidedly different. You just won’t know what it is until you walk through the door. ▩

Strip Mall Surprise

Originally published in the Spring 2015 issue of Stock & Barrel


For adventurous eaters, Columbus holds its own when it comes to top-notch food trucks slinging what’s next in curbside cuisine.

But in the waning days of winter, shivering on the sidewalk isn’t the only option for those hungry for something exotic and new. Hiding in plain sight from Westerville to Georgesville are strip mall surprises — unassuming ethnic eateries where the menus are deep and the rent is cheap.

“It’s easy to see strip malls as complete drive-bys,” notes Nick Dekker, local food legend and acclaimed breakfast serial blogger. “Strip malls offer small spaces with inexpensive rent, so they’re a natural draw for family-owned restaurants. Some of my favorite restaurants over the years are all located in strip malls: Los Guachos off Bethel Road, Huong Vietnamese on Morse or Fortune Chinese on Olentangy River Road.”

That’s the story behind one of the latest additions to the local food landscape, Hoyo’s Kitchen, tucked away in Columbus Square on the Northeast side. Breathing new life into the spot once held by Solay Bistro, former fans will find the renovations hide a restaurant reinvention — fast casual Somali. Owner and recent OSU grad, Abdilahi “A.B.” Hassan wants to share his culinary heritage with Chipotle’s simplicity. Choose from a wide selection of traditionally prepared entrees and expertly seasoned sides. Play it safe with cubed chicken or beef “suqaar” or go for the goat — hearty and fork tender, with heaping helpings of rice, chickpeas, lentils and a hot cup of Somali ginger tea to bring all of the flavors together.

Right down the same strip is Mi Li Café. It’s everything a Vietnamese lunch counter should be — limited menu with excellent execution of every item. The phở bo vien is as rich and complex as any in town, but the banh mi thit nuong still steals the show. The culture clash of regional tastes served on a crusty baguette is the culinary convergence of Vietnam’s French colonial history on a bun. Grilled pork and peppery pâté compete with the crunch of cucumbers and carrots in a sandwich that has a fierce following for good reason.

Not far, yet a world away, is Mezze Middle’terranean Cuisine on North Hamilton Road, right on the edge of New Albany and Gahanna. The format is familiar, but the fare is formidable. To suggest you simply select from a list of proteins and build your meal around it, is unjust. The Israeli-inspired shawarma is as sumptuous as the grilled tilapia is delicate. Gyro and chicken may go equally well wrapped in a pita, but the mujadara is not it be missed — a Lebanese blend of rice and lentils. Baba ghanoug, matbucha and tabouli compliment any choice, but you probably want to leave room for their homemade desserts. Everything is better with baklava.

Papaya Fusion Grill strikes the balance between eastern influences and western customization, with a menu that may offer the most choices per square food of any restaurant in greater Columbus. Stir fry, soup or sandwich, you’ll find strange “platefellows” indeed off 161 just east of Sawmill Road. Why not order a tandoori chicken panini or firecracker shrimp po’ boy with a side of drunken lo mein or cup of lemongrass soup? If those decisions are too daunting, stick with the red curry chicken bowl — a spicy sweet blend of coconut milk, bamboo shoots, zucchini and peppers served with rice — then work your way through the menu the next time.

With arguably the best taco truck scene in the Midwest, it’s easy to overlook places like La Super Torta. But do so at your peril. Just down the road from Hollywood Casino, that’s where La Super Torta hits the jackpot. You’ll find all of the food truck favorites there, but the two-fisted tortas are what set them apart. The torta asada comes on a roll roughly the same dimensions as a slightly deflated football, piled with seasoned steak, sliced avocado, lettuce, tomato and peppers. And whoever thought to smear refried black beans on the lid of a torta deserves a Nobel Prize in Sandwich Craft.

“No longer do you need to be situated along High Street, with a huge marketing budget, to be a successful eatery,” explains Bryant Miller, Community Manager for Yelp Columbus. “When you’re not afraid to grab a tiny table in the back of an Asian market, you’ll find the best pad thai in the city. That’s why we’re not afraid to go somewhere new — we might just find the best meal we’ve never had.” ▩

Gluten-Free Gluttony

Originally published in the Winter 2014 issue of Stock & Barrel

There’s a fine line between crunchy and crumbly, even for the best baker. But consider food allergies in your recipes and those cupcakes can easily go from moist to mush.

Luckily for those who need to be gluten-free, Central Ohio is quickly earning a regional reputation for treats without the wheat.

“We don’t try to recreate gluten products with gums and flour blends,” said Geri Peacock, owner of Cherbourg Bakery. “Our focus has always been on creating the best baked goods with minimally processed ingredients—pure, good, raw.”

Just around the corner from the Drexel Theatre in Bexley, a step inside the bakery transports eager eaters to another time and place. In her travels to France, Peacock discovered the city whose sweet and savory fare inspired her. Upon learning her grandfather helped liberate Cherbourg following the Allied invasion of Normandy, the connection became clear.

“I didn’t go to baking school, but I come from a long line of bakers,” Peacock explained. “My mother used to bake wedding cakes at home, and we made our own pizzas on Friday nights.”

That personal touch is part of the process at Cherbourg. There are no mixers or designations between bakers and cashiers. “Gluten-free recipes ‘feel’ different. That’s why everyone here does everything, by hand,” she explained.

“Our double lemon bars and espresso brownies are still our best-selling items,” Peacock said. “But our seasonal specialties are very popular.” Cherbourg also offers a “Savory Sunday,” a decidedly French “brunché” of soups, quiches, and sweets.

New to the gluten-free scene is Bake Me Happy in Merion Village, with a balance of sophisticated sweets and childhood treats to satisfy any age or appetite.

“Our bakery offers gluten-free goodness for everyone,” said Wendy Miller-Pugh, co-owner of Bake Me Happy with her partner Letha Pugh. “I’ve always been creative, but Letha is the entrepreneur.” Bake Me Happy’s signature sellers—creme-filled sponge cakes and oatmeal cookie sandwiches—aren’t simply nostalgic knockoffs. They’re more like a gluten-free tribute band. “People tie so many memories and emotions to food. We wanted to recreate that experience for children and adults,” Miller-Pugh said.

Those craving complex flavor combinations will also find savory scones, sweet and salty dark chocolate chip cookies, and peanut butter “burners,” unique reimagined recipes. “It feels like we ate a million peanut butter cookies to get the mix of heat and sweet just right,” she explained.

Beyond the bakery, Bake Me Happy also operates a food truck of sorts for area festivals—a branded, vintage VW Microbus.

“The bus was a whim we found on Craigslist, and we bought it for less than a billboard,” Miller-Pugh said. “We don’t bake in it, but it allows us to do deliveries and community events in a more memorable way.”

Sometimes gluten isn’t the only problem. So those with dairy, egg, and soy allergies will find Soodles Bake Shop in Worthington a welcome addition to serve that selective sweet tooth. “Our bakery is free of the eight major food allergens—though we do use coconut in some recipes,” explained Amy McCrea, Soodles owner. “My family has food allergies, just like many families do. So I started with our own recipes.”

Customer rapport is big with any bakery, more so when allergies enter the mix. “Our bakers know our families and often share the same food sensitivities,” she said. “Our customers know they can trust us.”

Cinnamon coffee cake, baked doughnuts, and handmade graham crackers are big sellers, but Soodles also supplies several area restaurants with staples and seasonal favorites. From pizza crusts and dinner rolls to dainty delights and decadent desserts, you may already be a fan of Soodles and not know it.

“We work with Mama Mimi’s, Taranto’s, Yabo’s Tacos, and Cameron Mitchell,” McCrea said. “If you’re planning a birthday party at the American Girl store, you can also request our allergen-free cupcakes.”

Sometimes gluten-free greatness is thrust upon you, as was the case with Holiday Baking Company of Worthington.

“We hadn’t been open that long, and a customer asked if we could bake a carrot cake for his wife who was gluten-free,” said Lisa Schaber, the bakery’s owner. “She loved the cake so much, she recommended us to her gluten-free friends and requests grew.”

Within six months of opening, at first alternating gluten-free baking days to avoid cross-contamination, Holiday Baking Company became an entirely gluten-free operation. A career pastry chef before she even started her own bakery, Schaber adapted her mother’s recipes one by one to match the taste and texture.

“People aren’t always sure, especially when they’re buying a dessert for a family holiday,” she noted. Saturday’s breakfast and special events offer curious customers comfort food and gluten-free rarities like biscuits and gravy, pizza by the slice, and pies like apple crumb and sweet potato.

There are seasonal selections like pumpkin and cranberry pecan bread, but also year-round favorites—like their variety of breads, dessert bars, and hand-painted sugar cookies. “We’re known for our sticky buns,” she said.

Holiday Baking Company’s catering menu has supplied plenty of family celebrations and events, but perhaps none so meaningful as the funeral of Schaber’s inspiration, her mother. “My family was so surprised that I’d made my mother’s recipes taste the same, despite being gluten-free,” she said. “Being able to keep sharing them, that was the icing on the cake.” ▩

From CowTown to CoffeeTown

Originally published in the Winter 2014 issue of Stock & Barrel

Americans are an odd lot with fierce loyalties.

We’ve long been picky about our pizza — even hostile over hot dogs. But less than a generation ago, coffee became cultish. Back when Pike Place in Seattle was still more famous for throwing fish than grinding espresso, Columbus was starting its own evolution from cowtown to coffeetown. In 1988, Tom Griesemer opened Stauf’s Coffee Roasters on a sleepy little street in Grandview, and the once-maligned beverage of beatniks became the currency of a new Columbus culture.

“Before Stauf’s, there was no coffee scene,” said Andy Dehus, who runs Columbus Food Adventures along with his wife Bethia Woolf. “Now Columbus is recognized for its full range of credible, quality coffee.” The couple’s business offers behind-the-scenes group tours of Central Ohio’s intriguing eats and obscure cuisine. Known for their taco-truck trips and ethnic eatery excursions, Columbus Food Adventures also hosts a traveling coffee tour.

These expeditions cater to local aficionados and out-of-towners looking to start their own roasting businesses, who consider Columbus a destination and an inspiration. The tour includes an intro to espresso at Café Brioso downtown, a roasting and “cupping” session at Stauf’s wholesale operation in Hilliard,  and lessons on improving home-brewing at Luck Bros’ in Grandview.

“The collaborative relationship between competitors is unique to Columbus,” Dehus said. “There isn’t the pettiness you might expect.”

The annual North Market Coffee Roast and regular “barista jams” keep the community connected through positive competition, according to John Justice, director of operations at Café Brioso. The High Street hot spot was started in 2001 by Jeff Davis, formerly the head roaster for Stauf’s.

“There are so many styles and expressions in local coffee, we actually encourage our employees to go to each other’s shops,” Justice said.

“We’re in an urban setting, so we have to operate at the tempo of our customers,” he continued, emphasizing how the neighborhood dynamic plays a significant role in the overall experience. “We’ve rounded off the rough edges to remain focused on providing the highest-quality coffee while still raising expectations. We’re in one of the only industries where we see our customers every day.”

The close proximity and varied specialties of downtown coffee roasters inspired the Columbus Coffee Trail, a self-guided, eight-stop itinerary promoted by Experience Columbus.

“The Columbus Coffee Trail was eight months in the making and helps people follow the evolution of coffee,” said Joe Capatosto, director of customer experience at Mission Coffee Co., which brings the national coffee scene closer to Columbus through a rotating repertoire of roasters from Chicago, Portland, Nashville, and other burgeoning coffee locals.

“People also love our cold-brew growlers, which we dispense on tap,” added Capatosto. “Cold-brewing has less acidity and showcases the chocolate properties of the coffee.” Along with the seasonal shift to steamed milk, espresso drinks, Mission Coffee Co. also introduced a cascara cider.

“It’s a tea made from dried coffee cherries steeped with local spices,” he explained. “Typically the fruit of the coffee that remains is discarded. The cider turns a waste product into something more sustainable.”

Innovative repurposing and environmental responsibility also converge at Backroom Coffee Roasters, which operates adjacent to the Trek Bicycle location on Lane Avenue. Launched in 2010, the micro-roaster grew out of founder Chris Bishop’s shared passion for cycling and coffee—and an available “backroom” at the bike shop.

“I’d been roasting coffee at home for years, in part because I lived north of the city,” Bishop said. “At the time, once you passed Polaris, there just weren’t many coffee shops or any roasters. People outside of Columbus bought their coffee at the grocery store.”

Unlike most local roasters, Backroom Coffee doesn’t have its own retail coffee shop presence, instead opting to distribute to businesses and local specialty markets like Weiland’s, Lucky’s, Clintonville Community Market, and Earth Fare.

“If you’re within a seven-mile radius of us, we even deliver coffee by bike,” Bishop said, also explaining how imported Danish cargo bicycles became part of the company’s purpose and logo. “We built our brand around it.”

The company’s commitment extends beyond just their novel delivery. As a member of “1 Percent for the Planet,” Backroom Coffee Roasters donates 1 percent of their “top-line” revenue to local sustainability projects and programs, like Simply Living.

The “farm-to-cup” philosophy is also evident at Impero Coffee Roasters, founded in 2009 by Matt and Lucinda Sontag—first as a wholesale roaster, but now with a Short North retail location as well.

“We focus on direct relationships with farms. Our roaster has worked in the same fields side by side with our farmers,” explained Joe Shaw, Impero’s operations manager. “We only roast in 10-pound batches, for greater control. We’re small-scale by design.”

The mix of patrons who work and live in the neighborhood keeps them connected to the community, Shaw said. “Unlike in larger cities, we’re still a very approachable shop. Our customers ask for recommendations, and offer suggestions. That’s how we grow; that’s how every coffee roaster grows.” ▩

Free Sylvie

Originally published in the December 2014 issue of (614) Magazine

Typically it takes a team of attorneys or an airtight alibi to earn an early release.

Or sometimes, it just takes a t-shirt and a hashtag.

Sylvie Mix, a 16-year-old student at Columbus Alternative High School learned this the hard way. But what could have been a long and lonely wait until winter break became a life lesson in marketing, moxie, and making a difference.

This past September, Maika Carter, Sylvie’s mother, was recovering from recent surgery and staying with a friend. Meanwhile, Sylvie was spending the night at a classmate’s home.

Well, that’s what she told her mom — but that’s not what happened.

“It was just supposed to be a few girlfriends watching a movie,” explained Sylvie.

But when a parent-free pad and social media meet, small get-togethers quickly escalate in scale and scope. Someone had a bit too much beverage and ended up going to the ER. That’s when Carter first learned of the unsanctioned soirée — via a Facebook message from that teen’s mother in the early hours of the morning.

By the time Carter arrived home in her bathrobe and slippers, the party was all but over. By Monday morning, everyone at school knew what happened. Stern discussions followed, and Sylvie was grounded until winter break.

And that’s where the story could have ended — but that’s also not what happened.

“She’s a good kid with good grades — they all are,” admitted Carter. “But it was very disrespectful, and I was surprised by how easily she was swayed to act against her better judgment.”

In fact, Carter received several apology letters from students who were there. “I really like Sylvie’s friends,” she explained. “This was so out of character for them, especially considering my situation, and they knew it.”

But still feeling the punishment didn’t match the crime, Sylvie’s friends rallied for a retrial in the court of public opinion. Carter’s close connection to her daughter’s cohort made her an easy mark for Sylvie’s social media supporters.

“Her friends would message begging me to reconsider the length of the punishment,” explained Carter. “They’d post quotes from Johnny Cash and Tupac. It was very tongue-in-cheek, but still sincere.”

Sylvie quipped that she should start a hashtag to raise awareness of her wrongful incarceration; #freesylvie was born, and solidarity followed.

Rather than letting this battle of banter brew, Carter decided to let Sylvie earn her parole in a more positive way than simply staying cooped up for a couple of months. Inspired by her friends’ fervor, and with access to the screen-printing facilities at Abnormal Allies, she proposed that if Sylvie could design, print, and sell 50 t-shirts that would publicly acknowledge her remorse, they would amount to time served.

“The number of shirts was somewhat arbitrary. I wanted it to be attainable, but not easy,” Carter said. “We also had to decide what to do with the profits if there were any, and knew the Mid Ohio Food Bank could use some extra help this time of year.”

So Sylvie emblazoned the shirts with a stylized self-portrait wearing a halo and FREE SYLVIE. As part of the plea deal, she had to pay for the upfront costs herself. Selling the finished product for $10 a piece seemed reasonable enough. Promoting the cause through Facebook and Instagram, Sylvie schlepped the shirts to school.

“At first, it was mostly friends buying them,” Sylvie noted. “But by the end of the day, it was students I didn’t know and even a teacher or two.”

To her mother’s surprise, she sold 42 shirts on the first day, with more requests than remained in the initial run. Those profits were rolled into another run, and that’s when sales really took off.

“Online orders have come in from Athens, Pittsburgh, New York and Montreal,” Sylvie said. “Friends have told the story to their friends, posted photos wearing the shirts, and word just spread.”

Initial online orders were a hodgepodge of Facebook and Instagram requests. But Sylvie has since launched a formal online retail store to make things more manageable. “Keeping track of the orders was more stressful than either of us expected,” she confessed.

With her mother’s encouragement, and the support of friends and strangers, Sylvie delivered her first donation to the Mid Ohio Food Bank the week before Thanksgiving.

“As the communications and digital media manager, I first learned about the project through posts on Instagram,” said Yolanda Owens, of the Mid Ohio Food Bank. “I’m excited about the effort, and how it can continue to be an ongoing project.”

“One of the bigger initiatives for the Mid Ohio Food Bank is providing more fresh food. Not only are fresh foods healthier for the community, but also cheaper for us to acquire,” Owens said. “That’s why it’s critical to get cash donations as well, so we can make those dollars go further.” “It feels so much better than just having her just sit in her room; to take responsibility for her actions in a way that gives back,” added Carter.

Sales from Free Sylvie t-shirts have allowed the Mid Ohio Food Bank to provide nearly 3,000 meals to Central Ohio families in need — so far.

Sylvie, who is considering a career in graphic design, said she plans to keep printing shirts to meet demand. “At first, having to tell everyone what I did was embarrassing. But now I realize my mistake can inspire others to think about more than themselves.” ▩


If you’d like to buy your own Free Sylvie and support the Mid Ohio Food Bank, visit freesylvie.bigcartel.com