The Leptologists Eat at 101 Beer Kitchen

Candice: 101 Beer Kitchen is the choice today!
Paul: It's not exactly close to downtown, all the way to Sawmill Road outside the outer belt.
Candice: But we've gone farther for good food before.
Paul: We have.
Candice: It says it's on Sawmill Road, but finding it turns out to require the GPS on my phone.
Paul: It's hidden on a diagonal lot behind another building, but we find it.
Candice: It's a big space. We choose to eat outside today because of the fine weather. The patio is nice.
Paul: It doesn't feel like a patio out in front of a restaurant. The tall line of trees across the parking lot makes it feel...
Candice: ...woodsy?
Paul: I was going to say, open and inviting.
Candice: The chairs weigh less than a pound.
Paul: I don't fit in them very well.
Candice: Well, you are ginormous.
Paul: Tom our waiter arrives and pours us water.
Candice: I love the bottle!

Water Bottle

Paul: That is pretty cool.
Candice: A perusal of the menu leads us to order the soft pretzels and shrimp wraps for appetizers.
Paul: Well, it is National Shrimp Day.
Candice: Is it? Why don't I believe you?
Paul: I have no idea.
Candice: Yes, well. These menus are pretty cool attached to peg board.
Paul: That is neat.
Candice: Here are our appetizers.

Appetizers

Paul: That's a nice presentation. These pretzels have a strong pumpernickle flavor.
Candice: I love the beer cheese, but... the pretzel is very salty, overly salty, and I like salt.  These pretzels are making me thirsty.
Paul: It is overpowering.
Candice: These pretzels are making me thirsty.
Paul: The shrimp is fresh.
Candice: <shakes head in defeat>
It is National Shrimp Day.
Paul: I'm not sure if I believe you.

Pretzels

Candice: You can trust me. I tell you everything.
The shrimp sauce is delicious. The shrimp wraps overall have a good combination of flavors and textures, followed by a good heat.
Paul: I do like them.
Candice: Where is Tom our waiter? I'd like to order a lunch.
Paul: Maybe he thinks we're eating appetizers only.
Candice: Then why did he leave the menus?
Paul: I think he forgot us.
Candice: There he is handling a big group. Here he comes.

Shrimp Wraps

Paul: Since it's National Shrimp Day, I order the Shrimp and Grits.
Candice: I didn't get you a card for National Shrimp Day.
Paul: Well, my birthday is next week...
Candice: Yeah, about that.... I order the Hefenweizen Steamed Mussels.
Paul: Let's hope there's no delay.

Steamed Mussels

Candice: Soon enough the food arrives. These are some big plump mussels. But the bread.... it's salty. Once again the salt is overpowering.
Paul: And the mussels themselves?
Candice: The salt permeates the dish and ruins it for me.
Paul: Too bad. The shrimp are meaty and thick. The spiciness is rich and offsets the simple grits. I like the combination of texture and flavor. I think it's very good.
Candice: Let me try. Not bad, but I feel there's an oversaturation of spices on the shrimp.

Shrimp and Grits

Paul: Still...?
Candice: You win. By default.
Paul: So what do you think?
Candice: Overall, a little disappointed. The saltiness of the pretzels and mussels was just too much, even for me.
Paul: And Tom our waiter left us cooling our heels for an overly long time.
Candice: I doubt I'd come back.
Paul: Perhaps for dinner.
Candice: Perhaps, but if I'm out this far, I'd stop by Amul India, one of our favorites.
Paul: Good choice. So the prices were all right, but the wait was too long, and neither of us is likely to return for lunch. Too bad.
Candice: You can't win them all. Happy National Shrimp Day.
Paul: And to you, friend.

	Candice	Paul
Worth the Price?
Worth the Wait?
Worth Coming Back?

The Leptologists Eat at the Grass Skirt Tiki Room

Candice: Let's do the Grass Skirt Tiki Room today.
Paul: Well, that certainly looks interesting! Let's try it.
Candice: We have not had Hawaiian food before.
Paul: The restaurant is part of the eclectic Columbus Food League which includes such restaurants as Dirty Frank's, Tip Top, and Betty's.
Candice: We've been to one of those and liked it. Sounds like a list of restaurants we need to try.
Paul: The Tiki Room is downtown Columbus on Grant between Long and Gay.
Candice: You could make a joke about that... but you refrain.
Paul: Thank you, wait...what?
Candice: The outside of the unassuming building is simple and gray and the inside is dark. I can't see a dagblastit thing until my eyes adjust. And when they do, I am overwhelmed with the Polynesian kitsch.
Paul: Blowfish hang from the ceiling. Tiki torches do nothing to illuminate the darkness, but they give off great ambience.
Candice: I like the decor. We've arrived in the middle of some plumbing work so the place stinks of fumy lacquer.
Paul: Dark and stinky.
Candice: and, you're passing on jokes again...We seat ourselves and peruse the menu as best we can in the dark.
Paul: Ah...oh, now I'm following.  Not physically because I'd trip over something in this darkness.  Our eyes adjust only until someone opens the door and the jagged light and cold invades.
Candice: Coming here on a cold day wasn't the best idea we've had.
Paul: Well, I'm going with the Teriaki Chicken Skewers.
Candice: Of course you are. I think we should get the Dipper's Delight as an appetizer and I want two entrees.
Paul: Two?
Candice: Stop acting like you're surprised when I do that.
Paul: Right. It's for the benefit of the audience who doesn't know how much food your waifish body can put away.
Candice: I'm a rat on a wheel, I need fuel.  Anyhoo, I'm going with the Kimchi Ramen and the Spicy Peanut Pasta.
Paul: Dan takes our order. He's seem nice and efficient enough.
Candice: Enough is a good measure, eh?  Ah, drinks and then the appetizer arrives.

Dipper's Delight

Paul: The appetizer comes with three dips, an edamame hummus, a pepper and pineapple salsa, and a kimchi cream cheese dip.
Candice: For dipping, we have a pile of extremely oily wonton chips that I find addicting - yum.
Paul: The edamame hummus is smooth and rich. I love the flavor.
Candice: It's good, but this pineapple salsa is wonderful. It's so sweet with just a little hint of spice from the pepper.
Paul: You're right. It reminds me of a very good corn and black bean salsa I like to make, but it's sweeter. I'm not a big fan of the kimchi and cream cheese dip however.
Candice: I like it quite a bit. It's number two behind the salsa.
Paul: You're right. These wonton chips are oily.
Candice: But that didn't stop you from eating most of them.
Paul: Well, they can't go to waste. Here's our lunch.

Kimchi Ramen

Candice: The kimchi ramen is covered in kimchi sauce, which Dan informs us is made from fermented cabbage. There is supposed to be honey in the sauce, but I can't taste it.
Paul: Let me try. No, this is not for me. It's kind of bland.
Candice: It needs more honey in the sauce for certain and I suggest as much to Dan when he asks. Constructive criticism equals healthy communicaiton.  I decide to add sriracha sauce  to see if that will help.
Paul: Did it?
Candice: Uh no. I just made it inedible. Oops.
Paul: I think it came that way.

Teriyaki Chicken Skewers

Candice: Point taken. How's yours?
Paul: It's very good. The teriyaki is not overwhelming. It's sweet and light and the chicken is moist and nicely flavored.
Candice: Let me try. Yes, this is good stuff. I'm not a fan of teriyaki like you are, but they did that right.
Paul: The fried rice beneath the skewers is very good as well. The flavor is fantastic, though it's a little greasy on the lips.
Candice: That leaves my spicy peanut pasta....

Spicy Peanut Pasta

Paul: The anticipation is killing me. Well?
Candice: I win. I love this. There's a good fire to the noodles.
Paul: I'm just not going to accept that you win. Let me taste. Okay, you win. That's a fine pad thai-like dish.
Candice: Told you.
Paul: So what do you think? One good dish, one bad dish for you.
Candice: I liked this place a lot. I'd definitely come back, but I would not order the kimchi ramen again. The kimchi worked well in the dip, but not with the noodles.
Paul: Yeah, the dips were pretty good, especially with those yummy wonton chips. My teriyaki chicken skewers were pretty darn good too.
Candice: It was the best pineapple salsa I've ever had so I think we can shrugg off the kimchi ramen.
Paul: Yeah, and the price is right. Your two entrees came to just $15. What a deal.
Candice: If it wasn't for that damn door opening and letting in the cold and the glare, the atmosphere would be perfect.
Paul: Dan did a good job too.
Candice: Yep, all around, except for the kimchi ramen, a win.

	Candice	Paul
Worth the Price?
Worth the Wait?
Worth Coming Back?

The Leptologists Eat at Flat Iron Bar and Grill

Candice: It's entirely your choice today.
Paul: Really?
Candice: Yes, really.
Paul: Then, I pick the Flatiron Bar & Grill, which is within walking distance of our downtown office.
Candice: That's a good choice. It's so close you'd think we'd go there more often.
Paul: It just seems to be a little out of the way. It is very close to the convention center however.
Candice: The Flatiron Bar & Grill seems to be named in honor of all the buildings called "Flat Iron" in the world.
Paul: Of which there are more than I realized.
Candice: Pictures of Flat Irons adorn the walls. It's their theme apparently.
Paul: The building is long and thin, just like most Flat Iron buildings.
Candice: We're seated past the bar and we hear the specials.
Paul: Salmon, charred in sugar with a Dijon mustard.
Candice: Grilled chicken in mushroom sauce.
Paul: And oxtail soup.
Candice: None of those sound appealing to us. I absolutely want the BBQ ribs and sausage. Our server Clarissa tells us they are out of the collard greens however and substitute green beans instead.
Paul: I order the Jambalaya.
Candice: I order the Roasted Turkey Club with sweet and hot fries.
Paul: The appetizer arrives quickly.

BBQ Sausage and Ribs

Candice: The smell of the BBQ sauce is amazing. I taste the bourbon in the sauce.
Paul: I can taste the smoke as well. The meat on the ribs is a little dry.
Candice: Not mine. Maybe you got a bad rib. Try another.
Paul: There's a slow burn with the sausage. Such a nice smokey flavor.
Candice: It's a good sausage with a good mix of spices. There's a layered flavor here that I like. The texture is more granular than grocery sausage.
Paul: I like the sausage better than the ribs.
Candice: You would, my friend. I prefer the greens beans overall.
Paul: They are good.
Candice: Here's the entrees.

Turkey Club

Paul: Look at all those fries.
Candice: There are definitely an ample number of fries.
Paul: Looks like it's falling apart. Poor construction?
Candice: I would say not. But the bacon is crumpled.
Paul: How's the taste?
Candice: Good bread. The cheese is normal deli cheese. But the bacon and basil aiolo make it special setting it apart.
Paul: My Jambalaya is very spicy. The sausage is drier than what was in the appetizer and not as chunky. I think I would have preferred that sausage to this.

Jambalaya

Candice: These fries of mine are very good. They've loaded it with cheese and pepper flakes.
Paul: My shrimp is not juicy at all. It's dry and kinda fishy flavored.
Candice: Let me try that sausage. Yes, I don't like the texture, but it's not that spicy.
Paul: The chicken in the Jambalaya is the best part. Unfortunately there's only one piece of it.
Candice: I think you chose poorly.
Paul: Yeah, I would probably have liked something else better.
Candice: So what do you think?
Paul: The price was decent for the amount of food. The portions were large.
Candice: True. We were served quickly. No wait whatsoever.
Paul: It's closer than we thought. Nice atmosphere.
Candice: Yep, it's a small place in a great spot.
Paul: Check marks all around!

	Candice	Paul
Worth the Price?
Worth the Wait?
Worth Coming Back?

The Leptologists Eat at Hae-Paul's

Paul: Do you know what cuisine we've never done before?
Candice: Scottish!
Paul: No! Well, true, but what I was thinking of was Korean.
Candice: Too bad. I would have enjoyed some haggis.
Paul: You're joking, aren't you?
Candice: Maybe. So Korean?
Paul: Hae-Paul's is a new Korean restaurant located in downtown Columbus.
Candice: Oh, right. It's getting some good buzz. Didn't they recently change their name?
Paul: Yes, it used to be called Natalie's. The owners/chefs are Hae Ran and Paul Yow. It's located a block or two south east of the Ohio Statehouse.
Candice: We're not walking, are we? Did you see the ice out there?
Paul: No, I'm bringing the car around.
Candice: I like the look of this place. The decor is simple and elegantly kitschy. It's clean and open.
Paul: It smells wonderful as we enter.
Candice: Debra the waitress asks us to seat ourselves and I pick the long blue table by the window.
Paul: You seem distant today.
Candice: Ha ha.
Paul: Debra is soon over to get our drinks and tell us the specials. Her infectious giddiness makes this lunch seem special already.
Candice: The soup of the day is a Chicken Bulgogi Soup and the special of the day is an Egg Cake with Avocado Cream Filling.
Paul: Those both sound good.
Candice: Yep. I order the Egg Cake, Calamari, and the Pulled Pork.
Paul: I order the Chicken Bulgogi Soup, the Mung Bean Cakes, and the Beef Bulgogi.
Candice: Debra is more than happy to bring two spoons and two plates for sharing.
Paul: The Calamari arrives first.

Friend Calamari

Candice: It comes with a lovely kimchee tartar sauce, which is spicy but not too hot.
Paul: This is very good calamari. Not chewy fish-flavored bubblegum that is sometimes served at restaurants.
Candice: It's lightly coated and not greasy. The light breading means I can taste the calamari. Yes.
Paul: There's ample amount here, but it came out on such a big plate that the portion looks meager.
Candice: Yep.

Chicken Vegetable Soup

Paul: Here's the soup.
Candice: It's a basic vegetable and chicken soup.
Paul: Carrots, turnips, onions, and bulgogi chicken. It's spicy, hot, and good. I like the rice in here a lot. But you're right - a basic soup.
Candice: The chicken is fresh.
Paul: The next appetizer arrives, the Bean Mung Cakes.

Mung Cake

Candice: Ah, now this is what I think of when I think Korean food. Lovely, nummy flavor.
Paul: This is good. I see a variety of vegetables in the cake, and a leafy lettuce of some sort underneath.
Candice: It's spicy with a contrasting sweet sauce atop it. A very good combination of flavors.
Paul: Agreed. Very, very good appetizer.
Candice: Paul Yow visits us at our table. He says we eat food like he does, a wide range of flavors in the appetizers and entrees.
Paul: He mentions that the process of making Mung Cakes requires no leavening and that they are a prime example of Korean street food.
Candice: He also mentions that the restaurant has been open since November 7th as Debra did earlier.  Good to see them doing so well.  The place is packing in now...
Paul: That was nice of him to stop by and you're right, a decent crowd. Here's our last appetizer, the special of the day, the Egg Cake.

Egg Cake

Candice: It looks and tastes like a crustless quiche, Debra said, and I agree.
Paul: This has got a smooth, gentle flavor. The egg holds all these subtle ingredients (zucchini, avocado, and green pea dip) together.
Candice: The Egg Cake is definitely more your thing than mine.
Paul: I like this a lot, more as I eat more of it. It's a well-crafted dish. Ah, here's the entrees and extra plates.

Beef Bulgogi

Candice: The Beef Bulgogi is savory and there's a variety of vegetables to complement the taste.
Paul: Yes, the beef is well done and it has a strong flavor. It's an excellent dish.
Candice: The soba noodles served cold with the pulled pork are delicious.
Paul: Yes, this is the flavoring I think of when I think of Korean food. The noodles are awesome.

Pulled Pork

Paul: Well, overall what did you think?
Candice: The food all around was excellent especially the Bean Mung Cakes and the Soba Noodles.
Paul: Yes, I liked the Calamari and the Egg Cake. The combination of flavors in the entrees were also very good.
Candice: Agreed. And the price was $42 for all this food. That's three appetizers, one soup, and two entrees for those keeping score at home. Very much worth the price.
Paul: Certainly worth the wait. Debra took good care of us.
Candice: I'm for sure coming back. Our only critique would be the plating.  It left some of the dishes looking sparse. Use small plates and pile those delicious calamari on!
Paul: Here! Here! I'd come back too. I want to try the sesame beef burrito.
Candice: That does sound good. Thanks for the great suggestion, Paul.

	Candice	Paul
Worth the Price?
Worth the Wait?
Worth Coming Back?

The Leptologists Eat at Pies an Pints

Candice: You gave me no choice today. You must have something in mind.
Paul: We're going to Pies and Pints.
Candice: Oh, yes, it's been getting a lot of buzz.
Paul: It's a twenty minute drive from downtown, but we've gone farther for less buzz.
Candice: Let's hope it stands up.
Paul: We manage to drive around the entire strip mall in search of the place.
Candice: Driving over those speed bumps in an otherwise empty parking lot...
Paul: I like to obey the laws.
Candice: Uh huh. I know you well enough to ask, "Which laws?"  Here we are. The location is large with three wings surrounding the kitchen.
Paul: There's also an outdoor area for better weather than today's.
Candice: Mark, our server, sits us in the front wing.
Paul: It smells vaguely of disinfectant.
Candice: Look at this selection of microbrews. Breakfast Stout, Elevator Dark Horse. There are lot of local brews on the menu here.
Paul: Good for them. And the menu is full of specialty pizza pies.
Candice: I'll have one of those, the Garlic Mushroom Pie, and for appetizers, the Chargrilled Hot Wings and the Rosemary and Roasted Garlic Flatbread.
Paul: Good choices there. I'll go with their most famous pie, the Grape Pie, as seen on TV.
Candice: I haven't seen it.
Paul: Me neither, but Mark assures us it has indeed been seen on TV.
Candice: As have you, if we're including "internet" TV.  Ah, here are the appetizers, nicely presented.

Rosemary and Roasted Garlic Flatbread

Paul: The flatbread is drizzled with balsamic. A lump of something sits in the middle.
Candice: Goat cheese.
Paul: This is excellent bread.
Candice: Yes, if this is their pizza dough, then I have high hopes. The goat cheese is an excellent contrast to the sharp balsamic.
Paul: The wings are also good.

Chargrilled Hot Wings

Candice: It's not a buffalo sauce at all, they're grilled with  sriracha hot sauce, citrus, garlic and cilantro.  Fabulous.
Paul: They're spicy, not tangy. They have a deep flavor that goes all the way to the bone. They're moist and fresh.
Candice: My favorite thus far.  And...the hostess manages to sit a couple right next to us in an otherwise utterly empty room.
Paul: How are you supposed to shout your opinions with someone this close to us?
Candice: Me?  Shout?
Paul: Are we doing the <blank stare> bit again?  'Cause, I gotta tell ya, you're gonna lose again.
Candice:  Meh.  Win, lose..as long as I'm eating good quality food.  I must admit, this is one of my pet peeves. Use the rest of the room before you seat two parties next to each other.  Not that I don't like people, but we do discuss more than just the food on these excursions, ya know?  Trying to help a fella out here...
Paul: Point taken.  Let's skip the blank stares then.  Look, the pizzas are here!

Mushroom Garlic Pie

Candice: Indeed, they are.  Mine is a beautiful pie. It smells divine.
Paul: There's a lot of mushrooms on that thing.
Candice: You should try some fungus for once.
Paul: Um....
Candice: My pie is savory with the earthiness of the mushrooms and the sweet of the onions.
Paul: You make it sound good.
Candice: That's because it is.  I don't tend to say things I don't mean.  My one complaint, however, would be that it needs something acidic to the cut through the sweetness. Try it.
Paul: Okay.... Oh, I hate mushrooms. I see what you mean -- it's savory -- but mushrooms aren't my thing.

Grape Pie

Candice: They're good for your health, man.  Thanks for trying, though I gotta say - you're not a fun guy.
Paul: I see what you did there.
Candice: < blank stare> How's yours?
Paul: It has an excellent crust. The cheese is wonderful. The grapes... are interesting. A small explosion of sweetness. A great contrast of flavor and texture.
Candice: Let me try. Yes, you're right. This is an interesting pie.
Paul: "Interesting" is an interesting word. It can mean so much.
Candice: Open to interpretation can be a good thing.   You know what your pizza could use?
Paul: Some sausage?
Candice: Or some pepperoni.  A light, tangy, thin sliced...
Paul: I agree. Even so, it's an awesome pizza to try at least once.
Candice: Mark informs us that the crust is a standard pizza dough, except for a touch of honey and a coating of garlic oil around the edge.
Paul: They have the crust down. It was excellent.
Candice: Yes, I'd come here for the crust alone.  Repeating myself, I declare that the best part of the meal was the chicken wings.
Paul: Is that why they're going in your box?
Candice: You had more than I during lunch. I'll take the rest.
Paul: Of course. Your thoughts?
Candice: They have a great dough for their flatbread and their pies. The wings were fabulous and it looks like their selection of beers is local and wide.
Paul: The prices were decent. The wait was non-existent.
Candice: I'd definitely come back again; there's lots more on the menu a person could try.  Thinking a great place for a weekday dinner for the family.
Paul: I do have one of those...
Candice: And, a fine example of one you have, sir.  Let's get to work so I can get home soon to have our...I mean, these wings for dinner, eh?

	Candice	Paul
Worth the Price?
Worth the Wait?
Worth Coming Back?