The Brewery District has hosted a variety of revolving door joints in the last few years. Handke’s old digs as well as that pretty patio place at 460 South Front both come to mind as addresses that frequently change ownership or management.
The recent history of 520 South High has not been nearly as turbulent. A new joint, Copious, set up shop there this fall. But it’s not just another restaurant and bar. It has a pronounced dedication to its role as a live music venue… and it’s huge. The ground floor works as a traditional restaurant (Copious itself), the basement hosts listening experiences (that’s called Notes), and the upstairs is an event space available for rentals. That’s quite a combo.
The digs on the ground floor are lovely; abundantly, copiously lovely. With big windows and seating for 120, there’s a whole lot of space inside the joint. It boasts clean lines and vibrant paintings showing divergent influences, all tidily framed on the walls. You might see geographic cubes in one painting, and a natural tree branch in another.
The menu has a manageable list of options for diners, with a range of approachable items that spans from steak to butternut and gnocchi: something will catch your eye.
The Shrimp & Grits ($18) are a fantastic indicator of the kitchen’s potential. First, because the dish nails the distinctively southern gulf coast seasoning: for those who love and crave the flavors of New Orleans, the carefully constructed combination is topped off with a sauce (kin to roux) imparting distinctly smoky accents. It crowns grits that have a pronounced corn flavor and are dotted with plump shrimp, chunks of tasso ham and shreds of crawdad. There’s no shucking involved, so the shoveling can commence.
The Wild Mushroom Risotto ($17) is also a winner. It is laden with concentrated flavors of butter and cheese. While some risottos might have “hints” of those elements, this version is deeply flavorful. It’s topped with loops of thinly sliced sautéed mushrooms.
Much, much less beloved is the Caesar Salad ($10). You can’t blame the anchovies: dewy, razor thin slices populate the mix of crisp romaine and croutons. It’s not the flavorful chips of parmesan’s fault either. It’s the dressing: it’s lemony but not much else. Absent are contributions from detectable salt or fat (that is to say, those elements may be present, but they have zero culinary impact). Lettuce flavored with lemon is not the most dynamic of combinations. Although, the sunny egg it was topped with was quite nice.
For the more music-centric crowd, the basement, Notes, has its own menu featuring a selection of flatbreads as well as plates that range from a gussied up macaroni and cheese to pork belly sliders. There’s also house cocktails, an array of wines, and an extensive collection of local craft and draught beers from the likes of Elevator, Seventh Son and Hoof Hearted Brewing Company.
You can find Copious at (the aforementioned) 520 S. High Street. It’s open daily for lunch and dinner, and it also serves Sunday brunch starting at 10am.
For more information, visit www.copiouscolumbus.com.
Photos by Walker Evans. Photos are taken at a different time than review, so discrepancies between photos and review may occur.
