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    Parsons East Public Project to Include Vegetarian Restaurant Comune

    Eat Rau, the popup serving plant-based cuisine, has changed their brand and format. Now operating as Comune, the popup will roll out tasting menus that’ll appear at the restaurant they’ll open on Parsons Avenue.

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    It’s part of the East Public project spanning 677 to 681 Parsons. Along with the co-working, brewery and office space will be Comune, which co-owner Brook Maikut expects to be “the hub of the activity, where people come for their morning coffee, and where the employees meet, and where meetings happen.”

    Comune will offer a day program, take a break, and resume for a dinner service. From 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. they’ll serve breakfast and lunch and offer a full espresso bar. Customers will approach the counter to order during the day, similar to NorthStar or Tasi.

    In the evening, from 5 to 10 p.m., they’ll host dinner with table service.

    “When it comes to dinner, we really want people to be able to sit down and get taken care of, versus that more fast-paced counter service style,” said co-owner Joe Galati.

    The idea came from their travels around Copenhagen and Berlin, where they saw that specific style. They saw vegetarian places had saturated the market as well, and were succeeding, “so we’re always surprised that the market hasn’t exploded out here as well,” Maikut said.

    While asserting that the menu would be completely plant-based with built in flexibility for vegans, Galati and Maikut haven’t developed the full menu. And although they wouldn’t name any names, the two are recruiting some local back-of-house talent who will lend expertise to round out the menu.

    “It’s our take on what is accessible vegetarian food,” Galati said. “It’s more elevated than what you typically would think for vegetarian food, but makes sure it’s still accessible, so no one is scared away from it.”

    Comune will take up two floors of space, occupying the building at 677 Parsons, once used by Parson’s Adult Book Store. Downstairs will be the main dining area, offering 55 seats. The kitchen and an event space seating 20 is up the stairs. A “three-season patio” will be built out as well, bringing another European concept stateside.

    “That was one thing, again, that we kind of took away from our time in Copenhagen and Berlin: people go out on patios at all times of year,” Galati said, “and everyone here is always afraid of being too cold.”

    Following European style, they’ll stock the patio with heaters and blankets, and part of it will be covered. The space will also double the restaurant’s downstairs seating.

    Galati and Maikut plan a Comune opening around the holidays or shortly following the new year. Upon opening, they’ll offer their day program daily and their dinner service on Thursday through Saturday.

    For more information, visit comune-restaurant.com.

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    Lauren Sega
    Lauren Segahttps://columbusunderground.com
    Lauren Sega is the former Associate Editor for Columbus Underground and a current freelance writer for CU. She covers political issues on the local and state levels, as well as local food and restaurant news. She grew up near Cleveland, graduated from Ohio University's Scripps School of Journalism, and loves running, traveling and hiking.
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