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    Restaurant Review: Addella’s on Oak

    Addella’s on Oak is a second act of sorts from Angry Baker. The latter closed the doors on its original location back in 2019, after a decade in the business of creating epic cinnamon rolls, pastries, and sandwiches. When the Baker first debuted, it was part of a pioneering eatery initiative on Oak Street. Addella’s marks a return to Oak: albeit this time a few blocks out at 1485 Oak St.

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    And Addella’s has tacos! Tacos are universally popular in Columbus, and the house kitchen offers them in both traditional and plant-based variants. This combo is part of a pattern on the house menu. Many of Addella’s creations are offered in a similar style: meatball sub/plant-meatball sub; turkey sandwich/plant-turkey sandwich…you get the gist. For those who are interested in experimenting with more plant-based eating, tacos are a good place to start, because tacos, generally, can make magic from a humble assortment of ingredients. 

    Not that the ingredients in Addella’s veggie version of Double Crunch Tacos ($13) are particularly humble. An order starts with layers of soft flour and crunchy corn shells, they’re wed together with a slather of guacamole. Inside the shells are vegan crumbles (ground meat-like, certainly in texture), shards of cabbage, sweet potato and pico de gallo. How is that not going to be good? It’s an entertaining mix of textures and tastes that boasts a lightness which is characteristic of plant-based food. 

    Double Crunch Tacos

    Turning to the meaty side of things, the traditional version of the Meatball Sub ($12) (that is, the one with real cow meat) is built on beef meatballs with a faint parmesan accent. They’re topped with tangy, viscous red sauce and mozzarella on a soft hoagie bun with toasty griddled edges. If the tacos were lightness, the sub is unapologetically hefty: heavy and filling. And, as noted, you can get it in a plant-based version as well. 

    Meatball Sub

    For more of a fork-oriented experience, there is a manageable selection of salads, including the Chicken Corn Caesar ($13), equipped with blackened (that is, seasoned) chicken, corn, velvety red peppers, cilantro, black beans, red onions (super-strong), tomatoes and crumbled tortilla chips. Oh, and some crisp romaine: That’s how it qualifies as a salad. Normally, you wouldn’t necessarily expect a Caesar dressing to pair with tortilla chips, but the creamier Addella’s rendition works and marries the mixture into one sturdy salad combo. 

    Chicken Corn Casear

    In the side department, the Roasted Brussels Sprouts ($4) are good. But if you can have only one side, you should order the Collard Greens ($4). Sprouts are commonly found and commonly good: Collard Greens are way harder to find on local restaurant menus (outside the BBQ arena, that is) and personal experience says they seldom turn out right at home. Addella’s version is silky and flavorful, and even though the serving size is ample, it’s gone in a minute. 

    Roasted Brussels Sprouts
    Collard Greens

    The spot is a proper pub with a full bar offering up wine, beer and crafty cocktails (the menu includes a Bourbon Berry combo that features bourbon, cranberries, and maple syrup). Addella’s recently added lunch hours and is open from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. Monday to Thursday. Friday to Sunday hours are 11 a.m. – 1 a.m., and on weekends guests can order from a brunch menu that features cinnamon rolls, biscuits and gravy, as well as Addella’s takes on other breakfast favorites. And it’s open for both dine-in and carry-out. 

    For more information, visit addellasonoak.com.

    All photos by Susan Post

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    Miriam Bowers Abbott
    Miriam Bowers Abbotthttps://columbusunderground.com
    Miriam Bowers Abbott is a freelancer contributor to Columbus Underground who reviews restaurants, writes food-centric featurettes and occasionally pens other community journalism pieces.
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