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 communication.  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 shrug 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?