Milestone 229 continues to be a perennial favorite gathering place Downtown. Voters placed it on last year’s top restaurant list at number 10. With its windowed walls that permit expansive natural lighting (and occasional sunshine) it’s easy to love, especially as the weather warms and the Scioto Mile itself begins to buzz with activity.
The place maintains an approachable menu with a mix of things that are interesting enough to satisfy modern palates, and approachable and familiar enough for anyone to find something likable on the menu. That’s pretty much the definition of an official tourist and/or office party location, right? Everybody eats, no one feels left out.
With that, the Skillet Mac N’ Cheese ($8.95) has always held a special place in my heart. It’s certainly not terribly unusual, but it’s executed so that there is enough cheese (along with significant cheese flavor, which is critical) to make every bite worth eating. Cubed bits of tomatoes and bacon crumbles give it some extra interest, for those who need more from their mac. Or, alternately, for those who need more bacon in their lives, generally speaking
Outside a potluck, you won’t find a nicer broccoli salad in town. You know the sort. It’s one of the only ways that raw broccoli and it’s little bullet-like pellet buds are truly palatable: with bacon, raisins and nuts. Gigi’s Broccoli Salad ($8.25) is slightly fancified, with longer stems than you typically see at potlucks, but still thoroughly likable. Too hip for potluck food? Consider it “retro” or “kitsch” and suddenly it’s cool again.
Continuing in the classical bent, the kitchen offers a nice take in the seafood department with the Farro Island Salmon (22.95). While the filet itself could be larger, the kitchen provides a nice finish that leaves it crisp on the outer layer, with appropriately velvety fish flesh beneath. It practically melts in the mouth.
For something vegetable centric, and just slightly more modern, there is Crackling Cauliflower ($15.95). It doesn’t literally crackle, but it does have a nice finish, and while cauliflower itself may be a little played out on the local scene, its coconut curry sauce is a beautiful, addiction-worthy companion. It’s the perfect pairing for a vegetable often found in curry cultures.
There’s a pizza scene in house too. The Crispy Pig Pie ($13.95) is built on a positively poofy crust, accented with appealingly toasty bits of char from a super-heated oven. A briny mix of ham, bacon, house sausage, and bits of Brussels sprouts hold it down with ample cheese to give it serious heft. Beyond the pig flavor, there are other house options that include plant-based mushroom and a classic (classic is a the key word across the review) Caprese.
If all of these options don’t do the trick, there’s always crab cakes, or calamari or a burger. Milestone 229 is dependable in that way. While it bills itself as “innovative,” that’s probably not the first term to describe the kitchen. The term “approachable” would be better for the menu, although the architectural design that surrounds it is probably innovative.
If all else fails, there’s a bar and a view. You can go a long, long way with that view of the Scioto Mile. You’ll find it at 229 Civic Center Drive.
For more information, visit milestone229.com.