Newbie Questions: Food, Weird Donut Smell, Etc. « Columbus Underground Messageboard

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Newbie Questions: Food, Weird Donut Smell, Etc.

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Started 3 years ago by TaraK
Latest reply from turbo ninja

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TaraK
probably at the coffee shop
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We just moved here a few weeks ago and I have a ton of questions:

1. What the hell is that overpowering donut smell downtown when you're driving on 670 (I think)??? Is it anything like Northrax from 30 Rock?

2. Foods -- what's the best Thai place? Indian place? Etc.?

3. What's the best approach to dealing with people who harass you on the street? (How obvious is it that I'm from a small town?) I've heard the following: "Ignore them." "Don't make eye contact." "Just say hey."

4. Is the postal service here ran on a voluntary basis? My mail carrier doesn't come every day, and when he does come, he sometimes takes the outgoing mail we put in the box, sometimes doesn't.

5. Weird moment: Yesterday, me and the significant other were walking around Clintonville. He was wearing a NYU tee and I was wearing a solid v-neck tee, and like three people said, "Nice shirt" when we they walked by. Does anyone get that? Our shirts were very ordinary.

By the way, we LOVE this site. It's awesome for newbies trying to get the know the city and get out and about.

Posted 3 years ago #
Core_Models
Columbus
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TaraK wrote >>

3. What's the best approach to dealing with people who harass you on the street? (How obvious is it that I'm from a small town?) I've heard the following: "Ignore them." "Don't make eye contact." "Just say hey."

Carry smokes. You'd be amazed how much peace a cigarette gets you from panhandlers.

I would probably say they were actually complimenting you on the shirt BTW, Columbus is kind of like that.

Posted 3 years ago #
KSquared
Literally Hell
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TaraK wrote >>

2. Foods -- what's the best Thai place? Indian place? Etc.?

Food - the topic most likely to start a thread war on CU. There are so many threads on here about this topic - I will link you to a few.

Thai discussion: http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/topic/best-thai-in-columbus

Threads about Indian: http://www.columbusunderground.com/tag/indian

Top 10: http://www.columbusunderground.com/cu-top-ten-best-restaurants-in-columbus

Underrated: http://www.columbusunderground.com/the-most-underrated-restaurants-in-columbus

There are days worth of reading and many opinions, although some places tend to get kudos all around. The Lessner joints (Tip Top, Betty's, Surly Girl and the much anticipated Dirty Frank's) are always a solid bet.

I'm pretty sure most of CU will be living at Bono Pizza when it reopens. http://www.columbusunderground.com/forums/tags/bonopizza

If you want to know more, just ask. People here are great about sharing their knowledge and passion for food. A few local blogs that are great sources as well:

http://www.restaurantwidow.com/
http://www.columbusfoodie.com/
http://cmhgourmand.com/
http://hungrywoolf.com/
http://tacotruckscolumbus.com/
http://breakfastwithnick.blogspot.com/

Finally, if you are interested in Slow Food - PM Bear. He's a wealth of information. Andrew Hall is very knowledgeable about wine and has a killer sense of humor to boot.

Hope that gives you a good start.

Posted 3 years ago #
TaraK
probably at the coffee shop
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Hmm. While carrying smokes sounds like it could be effective, it also sounds expensive.

Much thanks for that incredibly comprehensive response to the food question. This will no doubt occupy me for some time.

Still no answers to that donut smell? Maybe if I found out the exit number that would help. I mean, it's REALLY strong.

Posted 3 years ago #
osulew
My house...in the middle of my street
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It's the wonderbread factory. Or wait...is wonderbread still open? There's also a Kroger bakery factory around here somewhere.
Doesn't it make you want to eat the steering wheel though?

Posted 3 years ago #
Core_Models
Columbus
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Nope, not wonder bread, I thought of that and remembered it was gone.

Personally (although I don't smell it), I would pay EXTRA to live in a city that smelled like doughnuts though :D

Posted 3 years ago #
Cookie
Flyntonville
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TaraK wrote >>
Hmm. While carrying smokes sounds like it could be effective, it also sounds expensive.

Ignoring them works for me.

Posted 3 years ago #
osulew
My house...in the middle of my street
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Core_Models wrote >>
Nope, not wonder bread, I thought of that and remembered it was gone.
Personally (although I don't smell it), I would pay EXTRA to live in a city that smelled like doughnuts though :D

Where is the Kroger factory? Is that along 670 somewhere?
Wait..I google mapped it...Cleveland Ave and 670...

Posted 3 years ago #
lifeontwowheels
Highland West
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Yeah just north of CSCC/670. I think almost across from Fort Hayes. Nothing like walking out of class to the smell of donuts.

Posted 3 years ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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Yes, there is a large Kroger Bakery on Cleveland Avenue, just north of 670 and it pumps out the donut smell. The Wonderbread Bakery put out similar good smells, but it closed last Saturday.

As for good Thai, Nida's on High might be a good option. Mix of Thai entries and great sushi. I'll let others answer on the Indian food though. I really don't eat enough of it to know what's good and what's mediocre, but I know a lot of people have sworn by Bayleaf up at Polaris.

Whenever people ask me for change, I say "Sorry" or "No" and just keep walking, and I don't respond to any followups. Rarely do I carry any cash or change on me anyway, so 90% of the time I'm being honest. ;)

Not really sure how to deal with the PO problem. We rarely put outgoing mail in our mailbox and usually drop it off at a box somewhere while running errands. Maybe give the local branch a call?

And yeah... I'd say the NYU shirt was probably just getting compliments. ;)

Posted 3 years ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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Oh, and welcome to Columbus! Glad you like the site! :D

Posted 3 years ago #
lbl
Far East
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outgoing mail:
you may want to start dropping it off yourself. there have been stories about ppl taking mail out of mailboxes to get at the checks you write (to credit cards/utilities, etc) to steal your account info.
i dont know anyone it happened to - just sayin... better safe then sorry.

Welcome to Cowtown.

Posted 3 years ago #
bob.os
Columbus *not* Cbus
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4. Is the postal service here ran on a voluntary basis? My mail carrier doesn't come every day, and when he does come, he sometimes takes the outgoing mail we put in the box, sometimes doesn't.

Sounds like you live in the South 'Ville. (S. of N. Broadway, N. of Arcadia). Yes, the Postal Service down there is voluntary. Good news is that you can drop your mail at the 43202 PO and get your morning Tim Horton's in one trip.

5. Weird moment: Yesterday, me and the significant other were walking around Clintonville. He was wearing a NYU tee and I was wearing a solid v-neck tee, and like three people said, "Nice shirt" when we they walked by. Does anyone get that? Our shirts were very ordinary.

Yeah, we're just friendly here.

Posted 3 years ago #
TaraK
probably at the coffee shop
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Thanks for all the warm welcomes we've received! You're just about it. Yes, people in Columbus are very friendly, but we don't really have any friends here yet. Oh, and much thanks for the advice.

I must admit, though, that we're sad to hear that the donut smell has nothing to do with Northrax. Several of you enjoy it, though I think it's kind of nauseating. Of course, I really hate glazed donuts anyhow. Now if there's a part of town that smells like carrot cake, I'm in.

Posted 3 years ago #
sugarplumclarey

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I love the Banana Leaf on Bethel Rd. for Indian. Who is harassing you? If the homeless individuals asking for spare change are bothersome, ask them if they have a copy of Street Speech to sell! Read more here: http://www.columbushomeless.org/advocacy.htm ...it's a homeless advocacy newspaper.

Posted 3 years ago #
lilbit
GV
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TaraK wrote >>

4. Is the postal service here ran on a voluntary basis? My mail carrier doesn't come every day, and when he does come, he sometimes takes the outgoing mail we put in the box, sometimes doesn't.

Mail carriers will not check your box unless they have mail for you. So if they don't have any mail for you, they aren't going to stop by your house, even if you have outgoing mail. That's their stated policy.

Posted 3 years ago #
catnfiddle
Giant Corncob District
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Welcome to the neighborhood! Sorry about the lack of Northrax, but if you're looking for something up there with Sandwich Day, try Cafe Corner at 3rd & Pennsylvania. Holy crud, that place is amazing!

Posted 3 years ago #
TheOtherZach
Zackass
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Here are some tips on how to complain about your postal carrier.

Welcome to the site!

Posted 3 years ago #
ocefusmoodo

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I believe the doughnut smell is from Abbot Labs. I interviewed there a bit ago and asked them about it because I always thought it was from the Wonderbread place. They said it was from the baby formula they make there. Maybe that is why I didn't get the job.

Posted 3 years ago #
alexs
Limestone bluffs of the Scioto
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The near northside doughnut smell is cloaked in mystery, sort of our local version of the Taos Hum.

Posted 3 years ago #