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de NOVO Bistro and Bar

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Started 1 year ago by patient_zero
Latest reply from meltsintowonder

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patient_zero
Falafel District
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Amongst numerous local Halloween parties and events this week, de NOVO opened their doors on High Street downtown, across from the recently constructed Columbus Commons. Wade and Yavonne Sarber's newest creation is sure to add vibrancy to our recently blossoming downtown, offering fine food and local spirits, served by and impassioned staff, in a unique space tastefully decorated with local art.

This year I ditched my costume and parties for a nice evening at de NOVO, and it was a memorable night of fine food, music and conversation with staff and fellow diners. I encourage anyone and everyone to visit for breakfast, lunch or dinner over the next few weeks to check out this beautiful space, and savor Chef Robert Harrison's delightful culinary creations.

Will the bartender mixed me a cocktail that was in the back of his mind, and it a great way to start the night - OYO Vanilla Vodka with Domaine de Canton (ginger liqueur), sour mix and a splash of soda.

I tried a sampling of chilled small plates hot small hot plates, all happy hour pricing before 7:00pm : Lobster White Prawn Martini, Five Spice shrimp Tempura, Braised Boneless Short Rib, and Chef's Risotto. And in a moment of culinary curiosity, I also ordered the Lamb Belly Bánh Mì with truffle fries and triple smoked ketchup. Each dish was intensely complex and delicious, with many layers of flavor. Food this good comes for a talented and inspired mind, and I am delighted to welcome Chef Harrison and his staff to the downtown dining scene.

Enough with my chatter. Here's some photos of my delightful evening. More here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/39706870@N08/sets/72157628001322332/

Posted 1 year ago #
0Angle
Home-Northwood Park, Breweries-43215
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Nice PZ! Thank you for sharing; you've never steered us wrong before. Look forward to checking out the lamb belly.

Posted 1 year ago #
lizless
Columbus/Hocking Hills
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The space looks beautiful. I can't wait to check it out. Great photos, PZ!

Posted 1 year ago #
DavidF
Elysium Fields
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Nice review! I just wish you hadn't taunted me by texting me pictures of the delicious food as I was stuck at work nibbling on a Pop Tart!

:)

Posted 1 year ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown / Gay Street
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Very nice! Thanks for sharing! :D

Posted 1 year ago #
ColumbusArtmobile
Columbus, Ohio
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DavidF said:
Nice review! I just wish you hadn't taunted me by texting me pictures of the delicious food as I was stuck at work nibbling on a Pop Tart!

:)

agreed, except substitute pop tart with halloween candy.

Posted 1 year ago #
BradyKonya
Columbus, OH
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So glad to have Novo down by the Commons. Looking forward to a visit.

Posted 1 year ago #
patient_zero
Falafel District
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Thanks for the nice comments, everyone! What a great addition to the burgeoning downtown dining scene, adding to what others, like Liz, have opened in the last few years.

Yavonne was a gracious host Friday night, and her staff were just as warm and welcoming. I look forward to my next visit.

Look forward to various musical performances over the coming weeks. Friday night was Jimmy McGee. His deep, slightly raspy vocals and acoustical guitar reminded me of Keb Mo, and nicely complimented the dining experience.

They have a unique collection of spirits that may interest some CU regulars, like a bottle of Blanton's and a full line up of locals from Middle West and Watershed.

@Brady - OYO Whiskey and ginger ale matched well the rich, complex flavors of the heavier dishes, like the short ribs.

I forgot to mention in my initial post, for anyone looking for a private dining space, Yavonne has a separate and beautiful dining space in the back called the Tiffany Room. You can view some photos on my Flickr page. This can accommodate upwards of 60 people, and adds another great dimension to downtown group dining, be it a rehearsal dinner or business lunch.

de NOVO Bistro and Bar
201 S. High St
614-222-8830

http://www.denovobistro.com

Posted 1 year ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown / Gay Street
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Get the Video Widget

Posted 1 year ago #
lifeliberty
Here
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menu looks amazing, especially since I can gets eggs benedict on the way to work from the parking garage. can't wait to try this place.

Posted 1 year ago #
JonMyers
HCMC, Vietnam ✈
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We went last week. I really enjoyed the space, and thought it was beautiful. It's one of the most interesting, well designed, yet warm restaurant spaces I've seen in Columbus in a long time.

The range of selection on the menu was excellent, the service was great and the food was tasty.

I would definitely go back.

One complaint. The music. When we came in bad 70's/ 80's metal was playing and continued the entire time. To add to it the music was playing on tinny, crappy speakers, which was surprising given the other attention to details in the space. We almost got up and turned right around and walked out. Rush's "Living in the Limelight" and Def Leppard's "Pour Some Sugar On Me" don't really complete the experience for a meal at that price point in a space that nice.

Posted 1 year ago #
15Step
Powell
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Went last night with a friend for the private small plate tasting party with tickets I won through Columbus Crave. I'd been looking forward to this all week and spent almost an hour in crappy traffic to get down there and park. My friend had recently attended the Rossi tasting and was so excited to go to De Novo's since she was hoping for a ton of tastings and even a cocktail or two like she had at the Rossi.

I really wish I could write a better review, but we had a horrible time at this particular event. The venue is absolutely gorgeous, there's no doubt about that - but being invited to a tasting event and served three tiny, passed crostini options that no where near resembled their small plate menu was so disappointing. I'm not sure if this was Crave's issue or De Novo's, but this was a really bummer first impression. There was a rock hard piece of bread topped with bland chopped lobster, another cracker with pesto and aioli and a random piece of plain chicken, and some kind of risotto fritter that was raw in the middle and tasted like nothing.

After asking the server what the plan was for the evening, they let us know that that was all they had to offer, that there was obvious miscommunication about the event and they had heard other guests say how disappointed they were as well. OH, and would we like to go ahead and order an entree at the price listed in the menu? No, we wouldn't. We thought this was an event where we would be served at least enough to pass for a small dinner while trying out their new menu.

I paid for my iced tea, left a tip for the servers and got up and left with my friend to head to Rigsby's. I wish them well and would love to give this place another chance sometime, but I'm no where near interested in doing that any time soon.

Posted 1 year ago #
joshlapp
Short North
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15Step said:
Went last night with a friend for the private small plate tasting party with tickets I won through Columbus Crave. I'd been looking forward to this all week and spent almost an hour in crappy traffic to get down there and park. My friend had recently attended the Rossi tasting and was so excited to go to De Novo's since she was hoping for a ton of tastings and even a cocktail or two like she had at the Rossi.

I really wish I could write a better review, but we had a horrible time at this particular event. The venue is absolutely gorgeous, there's no doubt about that - but being invited to a tasting event and served three tiny, passed crostini options that no where near resembled their small plate menu was so disappointing. I'm not sure if this was Crave's issue or De Novo's, but this was a really bummer first impression. There was a rock hard piece of bread topped with bland chopped lobster, another cracker with pesto and aioli and a random piece of plain chicken, and some kind of risotto fritter that was raw in the middle and tasted like nothing.

After asking the server what the plan was for the evening, they let us know that that was all they had to offer, that there was obvious miscommunication about the event and they had heard other guests say how disappointed they were as well. OH, and would we like to go ahead and order an entree at the price listed in the menu? No, we wouldn't. We thought this was an event where we would be served at least enough to pass for a small dinner while trying out their new menu.

I paid for my iced tea, left a tip for the servers and got up and left with my friend to head to Rigsby's. I wish them well and would love to give this place another chance sometime, but I'm no where near interested in doing that any time soon.

I had the exact same expirence, except that us and the group next to me got only 1 sample because by 7:00 apparently they were out. This was perhaps the most misleading "sampling" event ever. I'm also fairly certain that the intent was to mislead as the "ticket" (which was basically a reservation for you to pay full price) mentioned that you would be sampling their dishes and there will be a cash bar, implying that you won't be paying for food. The look of the restaurant was beautiful but I'm not willing to spend $80 on a unplanned Monday night trip. Also just as a note my "winning ticket" came from Columbus Alive.

Posted 1 year ago #
jpizzow
Above the American Apparel building
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I don't know if I'd be too judgemental yet based soley on a "plate tasting event" compared to a regular night out. Events can get hectic sometimes with the service and food suffering. That being said, it's no excuse. It should have been planned better. I'd go back on a random night when business is at its usual and then see what you think. The cooks and servers should be back in their normal rhythm. Either way, hope to check it out soon.

Posted 1 year ago #
lifeliberty
Here
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the 2 above reviews are the reasons I typically avoid all openings, tastings, promotions, etc...you will normally have a much better time just going on a normal night while getting better service and paying for your food(at regular price)

Posted 1 year ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown / Gay Street
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lifeliberty said:
the 2 above reviews are the reasons I typically avoid all openings, tastings, promotions, etc...you will normally have a much better time just going on a normal night while getting better service and paying for your food(at regular price)

+1

Totally fair to be disappointed that a special event didn't satisfy as planned, but I don't think it's worth posting a negative review.

Similarly, a positive review of a special event wouldn't be doing the regular dining experience any justice either.

Posted 1 year ago #
Andrew Hall
Dennison Place (The Circles)
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WalkerTotally fair to be disappointed that a special event didn't satisfy as planned, but I don't think it's worth posting a negative review.

I agree that it is not totally fair to judge a restaurant completely by a special event. But if a business takes your money, then they should be held accountable for the result.

A.

Posted 1 year ago #
groundrules

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Andrew Hall said:
I agree that it is not totally fair to judge a restaurant completely by a special event. But if a business takes your money, then they should be held accountable for the result.

A.

shit was free, no? dude said "paid for my ice tea and left".

Posted 1 year ago #
joshlapp
Short North
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Walker said:
+1

Totally fair to be disappointed that a special event didn't satisfy as planned, but I don't think it's worth posting a negative review.

Similarly, a positive review of a special event wouldn't be doing the regular dining experience any justice either.

I don't mean to say anything bad about the restaurant. The decor was beautiful and the restaurant seemed like it would be great. I would blame the whole thing on Crave/Alive. When you "win" a ticket to something you would typically assume that you were actually going to get something.

The poster above and I weren't the only two that experienced the same thing. Another group that thought they had "won" walked out with my group. The staff seemed similarly confused.

Chalk it up to my own stupidity but I didn't expect to spend $80 on an event that I "won" a ticket to. It was obviously deceitful of Crave/Alive to advertise this as a contest where you were going to win something. If I had wanted to go eat there on a Monday night I would have made a reservation.

Posted 1 year ago #
15Step
Powell
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Yeah it was free... but the bar/drinks weren't, I spent gas money to get there, paid the meter, yadda yadda. I dont really care about that cash as any other restaurant wouldn't reimburse me for gas or meters, but the point was that the ticket was nothing more than a ploy to lure me in to buy something at regular price - a standard bait and switch. Which as joshlapp said, I wasn't prepared to drop $80 on a random Monday night dinner when I was led to believe it'd be free. Just seemed a little... dirty.

I'm glad that those who have gone had a good experience but it definitely put a bad taste in my mouth for the restaurant. Everyone goes through growing pains, but this was an after-thought. Considering it was sponsored by Crave and Alive, I thought they might put a little more effort into it. Oh well.

Posted 1 year ago #