It’s hard to believe that it’s been almost ten years since Northstar made its entrance on the dining scene. It was one of the first joints in town to espouse sustainable dining practices. That is, it endorses a generally groovy ideology that vows to use some locally grown products, shun Styrofoam, and offer edibles that seems to be pretty healthy-ish.
That is, “healthy” in the not-chemically sense. A diet of Northstar’s giant cookies is probably not going to earn a whole bunch of accolades from the American Dietetics Association.
The eatery’s service-style has always been order-at-the-counter, and the counter team is relentlessly cheery and helpful and patient. It’s like the Cameron Mitchell people of counter-service.
While the business now has three locations, things are still hopping at the original Northstar in the Short North. It’s pleasantly loud and clattering like a chic cafeteria with a million installations of chatty diners. At the risk of sounding creepy, it’s a great spot to sit and be entertained by the conversations at other tables. Something about the vibe makes people talk without any self-consciousness of nearby dining ears.
The Northstar Burger has been on the menu since the beginning. At its introduction, it was famously fabulous and famously pricey too. Now, $13 for a burger seems pretty close to the market norm in Columbus. For the price, it’s a few steps up from the warmed-over freezer patties that are usually offered to vegetarians at other joints. It’s thick and has texture and a savory flavor that could make a meat-eater very happy indeed. It’s served with a lightly dressed salad of super-perky, spiky greens.
The Chicken and Avocado Sandwich ($13.50) is also solid, though it’s hard to imagine anything with avocado not being good. The Bell & Evans bird meat is chickeny-chicken and the richness from the avocado is teamed with some red pepper and provolone and a spiked aioli.
The restaurant’s commitment to that Bell & Evans poultry is something worth appreciating, and the quality is also evident in the Buddha Bowl ($11). Even covered in a sweet-spicy peanut sauce, there is something about the chicken that tastes homespun. The big chunks of vegetables look suspiciously raw, but they’ve been blanched enough to cut with a fork and blend well with the mixture. There’s also lots and lots of rice. More rice than needed, but some people like that stuff.
For the breakfast crew, there’ s Cloud Nine Pancakes ($10). They’ve been on menu since the restaurant’s inception and blend a light poofy texture with the richness of ricotta.
And while it’s always hard to adventure outside the land of pancakes, those who do will find that the Big Burrito ($9) is indeed big and good too. It’s filled with egg, black beans, sweet potatoes, peppers and onions and melted cheese. It’s big and lush enough to consider sharing, in fact.
The original Short North Northstar can be found at 951 North High Street. It’s open daily from 9am until 10pm. The restaurant can also be found in two more local neighborhoods: Clintonville and Easton.
More information can be found online at www.thenorthstarcafe.com.
All food and interior photos by Mollie Lyman of www.fornixphotography.com. Exterior Photo by Walker Evans.
