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The Creole Kitchen Review
Posted by
swampkitty
on
Wed Apr 30, 2008 6:18 pm
I tend to surround myself with people who love food as much as I do, and when one of my foodie friends makes a recommendation, I listen. I was told that I absolutely had to make it a priority to visit Creole Kitchen in Old Town East.
Let me start by saying it's very hard to find. I was sitting in the parking lot of the shopping center it is in and couldn't find it. The sign isn't visible from the street. But pull into the Mount Vernon Plaza shopping center at 20th and Mt. Vernon, park, and it's on the end of the building.
This is a takeout joint only - Chef Butcher did, at one time, have an 8-seat chef's table in the kitchen, but has recently removed it because he needs the additional prep space. About Chef Henry Butcher - super friendly, engaging, extremely charming, and obviously knows his stuff. Louisiana born and raised, his Creole and Cajun cooking has been fine tuned to near-perfection in his 30 years in the business. He opened up his own restaurant, a lifelong dream, 2 years ago. Joining him in the kitchen is his son, Henry, Jr., who was the one who actually cooked my dishes. The kitchen is right there in front of you, so you can watch your food being made as you wait.
Since it was our first visit there, we ordered a variety of dishes to try. Prices are so very reasonable, that we got all of what you're about to see below for under $40, including tip.
First up is the Muffaletta ($5.00), Louisiana's answer to a Cuban sandwich. Served on a hoagie bun, the layer of lightly sauteed capicola and salami allows the provolone and mozzarella cheese to melt just a little bit, and then it is all topped with a tasty olive salad and vinaigrette. I'm not a big olive fan, so I wasn't sure if I'd like it, but it turned out to be one of the most enjoyable sandwiches I've had recently, olives and all. The sandwich is served with a side of home made herb potato chips, which pair perfectly.
My favorite of the bunch was the Crawfish Etouffee ($8.95), which comes with two sides. I chose the Dirty Rice, which was very moist and redolent with chicken liver/gizzardy goodness, and a really fabulous macaroni and cheese, easily one of the best recipes in the city. The etouffee was rich and spicy, without turning up the heat level to a point that oblitertes the subtlety of the dish. Hands down, this is an item that I'd get every time I go in.
My husband really liked the Creole Fettuccine ($5.95), a creamy dish which gets its heat in part from the andouille and tasso ham in it. While I thought it was credible but a bit too spicy, my husband declared it just right. It also comes with a hunk of buttery toasted bread. At that price, though, it's a dinner value if you're craving pasta.
Also delicious was the Blackened Catfish ($7.95), which was pan fried to perfection and also came with two sides - my husband chose the vegetable of the day, really buttery green beans, along with red beans and rice. Both the sides were good, but didn't really stand out.
An area in which they really excel is desserts. The Pound Cake ($2) was dense and buttery.
And the Sweet Potato Pie ($2) was fragrant, but not overpowered by spices as most sweet potato pie is prone to.
By the way, even though it's not listed on their website, it came to my attention that they serve breakfast every morning that they're open until 10:30am. Given the breakfast choices they had listed on their menuboard, it seems a morning visit is in order.
All in all, this little hidden gem in not one of the best areas of town is well worth the trip. I'm looking forward to exploring what other hidden gems this part of town has to offer.
If you'd like to go: Creole Kitchen, 1052 Mt. Vernon Plaza, Columbus, OH 43203, 614.372.3333
People have been telling me to go to the Brown Bag Deli ever since it changed ownership a few years ago, and I finally made it.
I really have been missing out.
I selected the Brown Bag Sub for Husband, and because he usually eats for the day in one sitting, selected the whole size. Half was sufficient; the whole sub is enormous. It has pastrami, cappacola, salami, hot pepper cheese, and Italian dressing on a large, good sub roll. Since I was in transit and it wasn't going to get to Husband for awhile, I chose to have it cold, which was fine, but I think it would be even better toasted.
For myself, I chose the Mohawk Stroller - turkey and roasted red peppers on a cheddar herb roll with sprouts and basil pesto. This might be one of the best sandwiches I have had in a very long time. Not only were the ingredients inside the sandwich tasty, balanced, and of high quality, the roll was superb. I don't know from whence these rolls come, but whatever bakery it is, does a mighty fine job. Half was good for me, and I saved half for eating at the end of a busy Thursday night - it was still tasty after sitting in the cooler at work for 7 hours! (I apologize for the poor picture quality)
I chose two kinds of potato salad for sides - a traditional mustard potato salad, and an amazing smoky potato salad, with bacon and smoked cheese. Things almost came to blows over the smoked potato salad (just kidding); it is that good. The traditional potato salad was also tasty, but the smoky one was so different it kind of overshadowed. This might rival Banana Bean's Shrimp Boil potato salad as my favorite in town. Have I mentioned how much I love potato salad?
At any rate, I suggest you find yourself struggling for a parking space in German Village, at the corner of Mohawk & Whittier. Brown Bag also offers carryout dinners (today's is marinated flank steak over spinach), which you can pick up on your way home and server when you get there, as well as catering. And, if you need a cupcake fix after lunch, Bakery Gingham is right next door!
Posted by
swampkitty
on
Sun Apr 20, 2008 6:11 am
I was first introduced to ZenCha last April, when I met Rosie and Lisa, two fellow local food bloggers, there for brunch. I had totally forgotten about the place (and their weekend brunch) until a couple of weeks ago, when my husband, mother, and I, after heading to the Worthington Farmer's Market one fine Saturday morning, wanted to go to Northstar Short North for breakfast. But alas, the line was so friggin' long that when I suggested, "hey, why not go across the street? they have brunch!", both of them were more than game.
On that first visit, a couple of weeks ago, I played it fairly safe, and got the Masala tea waffles ($9.95). I did like them very much - they were sweet but not too sweet, slightly spicy, and way more than I could eat in a sitting. But this is what my husband got:
I kind of raised my eyebrow a bit, because by the description, I didn't know if it would be good or not. So he offered me a taste. And when he did, I had instant Masala waffle regret and a severe case of Okonomiyaki envy. Yes, they were that good. Great texture contrast between the still a bit crunchy cabbage, the soft batter of the pancake, and the chicken. The sauces (which after some internet research, I've found out are a special fermented sauce and also Kewpie Japanese mayonnaise) are what makes the dish. So needless to say, I've been having major "Japanese Pizza" (as it is often referred to) lust, and have been waiting for the weekends to roll around to get my fix. Lucky for me, they're fairly easy to prepare so I may try my hand at a batch of them here at home soon, after a trip to Tensuke to get the ingredients I need.
But I digress - it is a TEA salon, after all. And I, the non-tea drinker, got some tea. I don't remember the name offhand (it's the Spring Blend under the Fresh Fruit Medley section of the menu), but I got it over ice, made with green tea, and it was mild, fruity, and paired extremely well with the Okonomiyaki.
My husband opted for the black bubble milk tea. I love bubble tea, but wanted to mix it up a bit this time. I wonder if one can get one of the fruit medley teas with bubbles? If you've never had bubble tea before, they are tapioca balls that you suck up through the big straw - they are kind of like gummi bears in texture, with no real flavor.
They serve brunch on Saturday and Sunday only, from 10am to 2pm. As you can see, they have lots of choices on their brunch menu, if a savory dish isn't your thing.
I honestly think it's one of the best weekend brunch options in Columbus. As a matter of fact, I think I'm going to start making okonomiyaki at ZenCha one of my Saturday morning routines come market season.
If you'd like to go: ZenCha Tea Salon, 982 N. High Street, Columbus (Short North), 614.421.2140
In Which Lisa the Waitress Finally Tries Soup from Northstar
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Anyone who has been reading my site for awhile, or who knows me, knows how much I have taken Northstar to task for not having soup available. So it was funny when they finally started making it a few months ago - I receive a flurry of emails and text messages, pictures from iPhones and everything "Lisa!! Did you know Northstar has soup now?!!!"
Thanks, faithful readers. It took me awhile to get to Northstar to try out their new soup, and in the meantime, there was a lot of hubbub over the fact that the new soup sold for around $8 a bowl. Could it possibly be worth it?
Posted by
BetsyB
on
Mon Apr 14, 2008 12:25 pm Okay, so this is my first time writing a restaurant review, but here it goes...
Went to Cameron's on Dublin-Granville Road to celebrate a couple of birthdays on Friday night.
We began by ordering a bottle of Pinot Grigio and at 24.00, it was priced fairly well and the flavors went well with our appetizers and entrees. We ordered a few different starters including the Parma Prosciutto Flatbread, the Calamari, and the Goat Cheese Beignets.
The flatbread was described as having roasted potatoes on it, which ended up being kettle cooked potato chips brushed with truffle oil. Call it what you want, it was good and so were the goat cheese beignets which felt like eating cheese on a stick at the fair minus the stick. I can't say much about the calamari, except that everyone else enjoyed them--I just don't/won't eat Calamari.
I followed the starters up with a bowl of their Shrimp Bisque, which was truly twice the normal portion size of a restaurant bowl of soup and was certainly yummy and reminiscent of my favorite Lindey's lobster bisque.
From there my friends ordered the Hoisin Glazed Salmon, Day Boat Scallops, which were big (though only 3 were served on the plate--a little skimpy for $22), and the Roast Duck. I ordered the Roasted Chicken Rigatoni which had pulled chicken, mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, spinach, pine nuts, strips of fresh cut parmesean, and a white wine garlic cream sauce. For someone who doesn't like to order pasta out at a restaurant, this won me over with all the ingredients listed, and I especially enjoyed the fresh parmesean cheese, as it added a great flavor.
On to my favorite part...Dessert...Since it was a few of our birthdays, we received a couple free ones, and bought a couple extra to share. We ordered the Chocolate Stratosphere, Peaches and Cream, and the New Orlean Bread Pudding. In addition, one of my friends tried the hot butter rum that is seasonal there.
I have to say I didn't try the Chocolate Stratosphere, but if you like chocolate cake and the gooiness that goes with it, you'll like this. The peaches and cream was tasty like grandma's peach cobbler. The New Orleans Bread pudding, however, was a huge disappointment. let me tell you...I LOVE BREAD PUDDING...and this was awful. The actual "bread" was dry and tasteless and the Vanilla Bean Anglaise they cover it with had no flavor and didn't strike the same chord as the buttery sauce normally found on Bread Pudding. I was also very confused with the rasberry coulis they dribbled on the plate--didn't bring anything to the dish. Cap City has a wonderful bread pudding--maybe they should keep it simple and serve the same one here. The Hot Buttered Rum, was very good, nice combo of butter schnapps and rum heated up to just the right degree of warmness and I highly recommend it for an after dinner drink.
Here is where their well-known service comes into play--The waitress knowing that it was my birthday and that I loved Bread Pudding asked me what I thought of it since I ate a 1/4th of it. I told her my honest opinion and she informed me that she was bringing out their "house dessert" right away which was the Meyer Lemon Gratin , which was similar to a creme brulee with one big difference...a yummy sugar cookie like crust on the bottom. That crust alone made my day.
All in all a very satisfying meal. One note: It was practically cleared out by 9 pm on Friday and even the wait at 7 pm didn't seem that long, however, I would suggest reservations..we had them and got a table right at our reservation time.
Posted by
swampkitty
on
Sat Apr 05, 2008 11:16 pm
Over the last year, we've gone to the Refectory for the bistro menu (best value in Columbus!) quite a few times. We kept on saying that we'd eventually go during the weekend for the regular menu, but we've never got around to it.
I've been aware that they conduct a First Friday dinner to honor a famous French cook every month, but until this month, I didn't see a menu that appealed to me enough to consider it. But when I saw that this month's menu to salute Cyprien Ragueneau had a Gateau St. Honore on it, I knew that we'd have to go.
For those not familiar with the First Fridays concept, for a price of $50, one gets four courses, and can opt for wine pairings for an additional $35. I did opt for the pairings, but unfortunately didn't write any of them down. I can honestly say (and this coming from a non-wine drinker) that they were matched beautifully. I finally "get" wine. I see now how a good wine brings out flavor notes in the food, and vice versa. Lucky for me, The Refectory's sommelier is skilled at his job.
After some of their wonderful bread and butter, we were presented with the first course - a lobster and black truffle quiche with fried leek and 'Creme Gauloise" Veloute. The mingling of different flavor notes was balanced brilliantly - the creamy texture of the quiche acting as a backdrop to large chunks of mild sweet lobster, shiitake mushrooms, and the delicate earthy flavor of black truffles. The paired wine brought the truffle flavor to the forefront, and enhanced the earthiness of the dish. The Veloute sauce added more to the mouth feel than to the flavor, but would have been sorely missed if it hadn't been there.
The next course I hadn't been too sure about before we went, because it contained offal. But (and excuse the pun) the offal wasn't awful at all. Set down in front of us was the second course - an asparagus and veal sweetbread feuillete with a morel wine sauce. Sweetbreads, for those who aren't familiar with them, are (in this case) the thymus glands of an animal. From what I've read, far too often the reason people don't like them is because they are overcooked and tough - that definitely wasn't the case here. Two small slices of sweetbreads were presented between squares of puff pastry, and surrounded by tender asparagus and a heady morel wine sauce. The texture of the sweetbreads reminded me of nothing else than a mushroom or sous vide chicken, tender, almost buttery. Rather than having a strong flavor of its own, it picked up the flavors of what was around it - in this case, the sauce. I think offal is all about the preparation; in skilled hands, it can be amazing, as this was.
For our main course, we were served a duet of beef tenderloin and duck magret with cardamom and cassis sauces, and a celery root flan. The protein was cooked to perfection (medium rare), and the sauce was what made this dish. That's another conclusion we came to last night - that a good sauce makes any dish better, and elevates something that's already good to something sublime. With this course, the food brought out the tannins in the wine, a suprising revelation to me, who always thought it worked the other way around. The celery root flan reminded me of the flavor of cream of celery soup, but thicker. It all worked beautifully together.
Now, for the course I came for - dessert. The Gateau St. Honore looked like a miniature version of the one I made last year. Having done it before myself, I have a great appreciation for the work that goes into one of these. I've been craving it like crazy for almost a year now, but no one - and I mean no one - around here makes them. Their version is so delicate, so perfectly classic, that I had an instantaneous foodgasm on the first forkful, which went on continously until my plate was clean. I gave my compliments to the pastry chef, and suggested that this become a regular menu item. I don't know if she'll consider my suggestion, but a girl can hope, right?
All in all, it was easily, hands down, the best dinner I've had since I've moved to Columbus, quite possibly the best meal I've ever had in my life. Add into that the incredible customer service that The Refectory is famous for (who else makes follow up phone calls to make sure you enjoyed your meal?), and First Fridays at the Refectory is not something to be missed. I can't wait to find out what's on board for next month. In the meantime, I think I'm going to make reservations for their RMS Titanic Dinner. And don't forget, during most of this month, they're offering their Tax Relief Menu - 3 great courses for $35 on Mondays through Thursdays. Either way, you can't go wrong.
If you'd like to go: The Refectory Restaurant and Bistro, 1092 Bethel Rd, Columbus, 614.451.9774.
Posted by
swampkitty
on
Sat Mar 22, 2008 10:46 pm
You know, I've lived in Columbus for over a decade now and the amazing thing about this city is that it has these little "blink and you'll miss them" neighborhoods full of history and character. Take Riverlea for instance. Adorable houses full of character, quiet as can be, close-knit community that I never knew existed until a couple of years ago. And then there's San Margherita, a Columbus neighborhood founded over 100 years ago by Italian immigrants. It's not much to look at, doesn't have much character left except for the vineyards in the backyards of the remaining few houses, which were planted by their original occupants. But in this sleepy little one-light town, you can get perhaps the best burger in the Columbus metro area.
Located on Trabue, Johnnie's Tavern does only a couple of things, but they do them right. In addition to a few run of the mill appetizers, there are 3 sandwiches (4 on Wednesday's, if you get their early enough to get the chili dogs), plus two sides. Here's their menu. Yup, it fits on one page.
My mother's boyfriend, a foodie in the same vein that we are, told us that this place, hands-down, had the best burger in town. I think he may be right. For $6, one gets 3/4 lb. of beef of such a quality that it doesn't need to be masked by spices - just salt and pepper. Even though the burger is served well done, it's extremely juicy, but never soggy. It sits on a sturdy roll and is topped with your choice of cheese, and crisp and cold lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles. The taste is nothing short of amazing. For sides, you can choose either fries ($2) or onion rings ($2.50) - the fries are great; flavorful and a nice crunch to them, but the onion rings have the edge here - they are crisp without being greasy and have a great beer batter coating that complements the sweetness of the onion.
And speaking of beer - here, it's cheap, and it's cold. Ice cold. Just the way I like it. $1.50 Michelob on tap, $2 for domestics, and $3 for imports. Take a gander at this Killian's Irish Red, served in a frosty mug. My husband said that the beer and the burger have a synergistic effect on each other - each one makes the other taste better.
But don't take my word for it - next time you're wandering down Riverside Drive from Downtown, hang a left at Trabue, and follow it to just past the railroad tracks. Be prepared to leave full, with your wallet mostly intact. There's a reason this place has been around since 1948.
If you'd like to go: Johnnie's Tavern, 3503 Trabue Road, Columbus (San Margherita), 614.488.0110.
Posted by
swampkitty
on
Sat Mar 15, 2008 2:10 am
I have to tell you guys, ever since I read Lisa's review of the bi bim bap that she had at Diaspora, I've been craving it. And I've wanted to check out that place ever since, but have been dreading dealing with parking on campus, which is a nightmare even when school isn't in session.
So my mission was clear. I needed to find a restaurant in Columbus that would give my my crunchy rice fix, without giving up my firstborn for a parking space. And the kicker? We started our search at 10pm, so it had to be somewhere that was open late.
After a quick internet search, we found out the place to go in town for bi bim bap is Restaurant Silla, a little spot with an almost exclusively Korean clientele sandwiched in an alley in between Sears and Spud's near the corner of Reed and Henderson on the Northwest side. And a bonus? They're open until 2am every night, except for Monday, when they are closed entirely. I did take pictures, which came out a bit blurry - excuse the lack of quality shots tonight.
They brought out a bunch of little dishes, which come gratis and give one a sampling of different Korean delicacies such as kimchee of different sorts (standard cabbage, daikon radish, cucumber), an eggy fishy flat noodle dish, lightly pickled cucumbers, and mung bean sprouts. A nice introduction to dishes unfamiliar to me, and quite generous of them, actually.
My husband and I split an order of potstickers ($6.95), which were standard thin-skinned meat gyoza (and the flavor of the meat was incredible), fried to a crisp and served with an appropriately salty dipping sauce.
Speaking of salt - we both got the impression that one seasons their own food in a Korean restaurant with the assortment of sauces (soy, chili, etc) and oils that are brought to the table with your dish. There isn't a standard salt and pepper shaker, and it is necessary to season your food. I appreciate that they allow one to do that to one's own palate rather than assume that one can handle a certain level of salt or heat.
My husband, in the mood for sushi, got a Rock 'n Roll ($12.95), a huge tempura roll filled with tuna, salmon, eel, cream cheese, and avocado. It easily competes with our favorite sushi haunt, Sushiko. We may come back just for the sushi alone. The fish, which is raw in this roll, was extremely fresh.
For his entree, my husband chose the safest dish to order in a Korean restaurant - bulgogi ($14.95). Served on a chafing burner, the tender meat and flavorful brown sauce stayed piping hot throughout his meal. It's a very simple dish - meat and sauce and onions, and would appeal to just about anyone.
I, seeking to sate that bi bim bap craving, went with the Dol Sot Bibim Bab ($12.95), which is steamed rice topped with vegetables, beef and a fried egg served in a sizzling stone hot pot. Needless to say, the crunchy rice at the bottom (which continues to cook as you're eating the dish) was easily the best part. Seasoned to taste with chili sauce, sesame oil, and soy sauce, it made my day. I'm officially addicted. I've got to say, though - it's a HUGE serving. I took as much home with me as I ate.
They have karaoke here on evenings after 9pm, but no one was singing when we were there. It looks like a fun scene.
Also, when looking online, there were several negative reviews saying that non-Korean people would be treated poorly here - I can honestly say that our experience was so pleasant, that we didn't find that to be true in the least. Our waiter was attentive, patient with our many questions, and quick on the ball when it came to refilling our water and making sure we had everything we needed. We will happily return to Restaurant Silla any time we crave Korean.
If you'd like to go: Restaurant Silla, 1802 W. Henderson Rd, Columbus, OH 43220, 614.459.5990, Tues-Sun 11am to 2am
Posted by
swampkitty
on
Fri Feb 29, 2008 8:19 pm
Tucked away in the part of town that I often refer to as the "culinary wasteland" (hey, I live here on the West Side, so I can call it anything I want!), is a little place that I've driven past hundreds of times, but have never seen fit to find my way into. But after hearing a glowing recommendation from my mother's boyfriend, who is a bit of a foodie himself (having already eaten his way through most of the blue collar joints in town during his workday), we headed off to check it out.
The Breakfast Barn isn't much to look at. Blink and you're past it from the outside. Once you're inside, it looks a bit dated and grungy, like most good greasy spoons do. Down home atmosphere and cooking is the best way to describe the place. But the service is friendly, the portions are huge, the food is delicious, and the price is right - so we definitely will be back soon (maybe tomorrow, when the blue plate special is cabbage rolls - yum!)
My husband and I went in two entirely different directions in our ordering. I was in the mood for breakfast (which they serve all day) while he was in the mood for dinner. Let me just say that I greatly underestimated the portion sizes here - I have enough leftover for another breakfast.
I went with the Steak and Eggs ($7.25) which pairs a fairly sizeable (but cheap cut - make sure you order it medium rare for it to be done just right) strip steak (or chopped steak) with a couple eggs prepared your way (I chose over easy), home fries or hash browns (I chose home fries), and toast (I chose white). The picture doesn't do the serving size justice - you're only able to see half of the potatoes here, as they were also piled under the eggs. A quite formidable breakfast, indeed.
Having ordered everything at once, they brought me the other things I ordered as well. I ordered a side of Silver Dollar Pancakes ($2.00 for 4), which I expected to be about 2" in diameter. What I got instead is 4 regular sized pancakes. Not complaining, mind you - they were fluffy and perfectly cooked - just surprised at the massiveness of the order.
Ditto with the Grits ($1.50), which when jazzed up with a bit of butter, salt and pepper, are a breakfast unto themselves. Needless to say, most of the grits and the pancakes made it home with me.
Being hungry, my husband ordered an Egg Roll ($1.25). While you can get better at any Chinese place (this one was straight from GFS), it was nicely filled with a lot of pork and was paired with an inoffensive sweet sauce. It was a good start to the meal, although a bit out of place in this sort of establishment.
My husband went with tonight's special, Tuna Noodle Casserole ($7.95). A huge pile of creamy tuna goodness, reminiscent of the kind of comfort food you ate growing up, served with the kind of sides that your parents or grandparents would have given you. For instance, his came with a side of peas and carrots (right out of the can).
It also came with a fairly good cole slaw, a little heavy on the seasonings, but creamy and cool nonetheless.
Also, there was a side of cling peaches (also out of the can, but I love these things anyway) for dessert, as part of the special.
This place has fairly long hours for a diner, they deliver (free if you order over $25, otherwise $2 with a minimum $10 order), and as the many regulars can attest, is one of the best breakfast bargains in Columbus. Paul and I compared the food to that of Nancy's in Clintonville, without the long wait for a booth and the attitude.
Next time you wander over to this part of town (if you come over to go to Thurn's, or to Schumann's on Harrisburg Pike), drop on in and give it a try. You won't be sorry.
If you'd like to go: The Breakfast Barn, 1275 Brown Road, Columbus (West Side), 614.308.0173
Posted by
swampkitty
on
Fri Feb 29, 2008 12:49 am
La Casita is one of those places that I've been to tons of times, but have never really sat down and written a review of. It's our regular "go to" place for Mexican in Columbus, with some unique dishes that I haven't been able to find anywhere else. So, wanting to make it official, I coaxed my mother and her boyfriend to join us for an evening of tasty Mexican food this past weekend.
Almost all Mexican restaurants in town provide you with gratis chips and salsa, but La Casita's is among the best I've had. The chips are still warm out of the fryer, and the salsa is a perfect balance of sweet, tart, spicy and salty. It is so good that I order some extra "to go" to munch on at home later. At $3 for a large cup (and a bag of tortilla chips), it beats the pants off of anything you can buy in the grocery store.
Their drinks are extremely large - this pina colada ($5.50) was easily enough for 2 people to share. However, I would happily trade in some of the quantity for more quantity of rum - I couldn't taste it at all in this drink.
For an entree, I went with my favorite - the fish tacos ($8.95 for three, or $2.95 each). Full of well-seasoned mild fish on corn tortillas, these are fantastic with a little lime juice squeezed on. I recommend asking for some avocado slices on the side, as these go from great to sublime with that addition. Served with the fish tacos is a "macho sauce", which I've never tried but which my husband says is really spicy.
Rice and refried beans come with the fish tacos. These are typical Mexican restaurant fare, nothing spectacular but nothing bad - in the case of the fish tacos, they're an afterthought - the density of the fish tacos filled me up, and I just picked at the rice and beans.
My husband, who also got the fish tacos, opted for the Mexican Potatoes as a side instead of the rice.
He also ordered the Tostada de Ceviche ($2.95), two scoops of of a citrusy white fish (which cooks in the lime juice) on top of a crisply fried corn tortilla. He scarfed it before I could get a picture, and liked well enough that he went back the next day to get it for lunch (unfortunately for him, they only serve it at dinner time).
We passed on dessert, but our dining companions shared an order of the Pastel des Tres Leches cake ($4.50). They both agreed that the quantity was huge enough to share, and that the creaminess and sweetness was both addictive and overwhelming. Again, no picture as it was eaten before I had the opportunity.
Now, about those unique dishes - they serve something called Birria ($7.95 for a large, or $5.25 for a small), which is a spicy Mexican beef stew. Typically served with corn tortillas, lime, onions, and cilantro, it's something that we take home with us each time we go there, so that we can prepare it the next day and mix it with rice. Fan-friggin-tastic, and is a great lunch for two.
If you're craving consistently good Mexican, great service, with a menu that strays from the usual, La Casita is the place for you. Keep in mind, though - it's not a well kept secret; the place is consistently packed so you may want to call ahead.
If you'd like to go: La Casita, 1355 Bethel Road, Columbus (Northwest Side), 614.457.0823
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Okay, so this is my first time writing a restaurant review, but here it goes...
