There’s a whole bunch of punnery happening with The Crafty Pint moniker.
The destination’s emblem is a fox, and foxes are crafty in the sly-sense; so there’s that. Then there’s a menu that features craft beer. So, that’s another meaning for the term, “crafty”.
But there’s more. It’s all crafty inside the establishment. Like, pinterest-inspired crafty. Cases in point: the salt and pepper shakers are hand made from little sample liquor bottles. Trivial pursuit cards sit as entertainment at the back of each table… and the kids’ meals are served in metal lunch boxes.
In fact, the kids’ menus are printed with instructions for folding into paper airplanes: we’re still anxiously waiting to see that one play out inside the restaurant.
So, The Crafty Pint is really cute. And the food is decent too. It seems like a good match for the long stretch of 161 that connects High Street to Sawmill Road. The address was once the long-time home of Hoggy’s. For a few years after that, it continued as a barbecue joint via Gallo’s Pit BBQ. The new house eating theme is more American-style.
The appetizers on the menu skew towards traditional, the choices include crab cakes and meatball options. To that end, the Honey Bourbon Wings ($9) are an excellent choice: meaty knobs that team smoky meat with the sweetness of the glaze. They’re good even without the bleu cheese dressing served on the side (so use it with the companion celery).
The Chips & Guacamole ($6) are also solid. The nice thing about the guacamole is that it arrives unadulterated with extra crud, it makes a big impact with the purity of its creamy avocado-ness. That’s a big bonus in the local guac scene.
For more formal meals, there’re another Tex Mex option with a nice fresh feel: Paprika Pork Tacos ($9). Soft flour tortillas hold a balanced mixture of pulled pork, shreds of cabbage, red pepper and little chunks of pineapple.
There’s also Blueberry Glazed Salmon ($16). The blueberry bit doesn’t particularly stand out, but the glaze puts a nice grilled finish on the velvety soft fish flesh. The salmon is served with asparagus and grits infused with some extra richness courtesy goat cheese.
In fact, the goat cheese grit combo makes another appearance in Creole Shrimp Grits ($16). This time, it’s spiked with andouille sausage and grilled shrimp. It might not sound like the most harmonious combination, but it works. Andouille sausage has a way of making everything work.
For burger fans, the menu includes a house burger, along with a few other sandwiches and salads too.
The menu also features a long list of Ohio draught beer options, peppered with a few from Kentucky and Illinois. Local breweries such as Elevator, Columbus Brewing Company and Seventh Son are all represented.
You can find the Crafty Pint at 2234 W. Dublin Granville Road. It’s open Mondays through Wednesdays from 4pm until 12am. On Thursdays and Fridays, it stays open until 1am. And on Saturdays and Sundays, it opens its doors at 11am and stays open until 1am.
For more information, visit www.craftypint.net.
Photos by Mollie Lyman of www.fornixphotography.com.
