Stop #16 - The Pint House

If you're new around these parts, this post is part of a series called Restaurant Odyssey, in which Aaron and I visit every restaurant in the Short North area of Columbus. Today we're talking about the Pint House, which opened last April. Our visit took place in early June with several of our neighbors.

I'll just get this out of the way. Aaron and I both wanted to hate the Pint House. It was opened by a group which, at the time, also owned several bars in the Arena District that... let's just say they're not bars we frequent on even a semi-regular basis. But we were pleasantly surprised by our experience.

The Pint House is located in a space that most recently was a clothing store and before that it was a futon store(!). The inside is pretty huge and while it doesn't have a patio, it does have a roof that opens up when the weather allows, and the large windows street-side open up, so if you're lucky enough to get a table by the window you'll be treated to some fun people watching. That's all in the front section; the back section is darker with large picnic table-like seating.

Our gang: Aaron, Michelle, Amy, Colin, Angie and Eric (I was the photographer, so to speak.)

We arrived late afternoon on a Saturday and all the prime seating was taken so we sat in the back area and ordered beers from their large selection. They also offer wine and liquor, of course. It didn't take too long for a table to open up under the open roof so we ended up moving. (I have to mention that I was outvoted on this; I always feel bad for the server if we're moving to a different section.) BUT I must admit that if you can get a seat in the front on a beautiful day it's worth it.

The menu then was more limited than it is now but we ordered a couple pizzas, the pretzel appetizer and fish & chips. One of Aaron's favorite expressions is the food is "better than it should be." It's bar food, sure, but it's good bar food. And it's served on wooden planks which is just kinda cool.

Our takeaway from the Pint House is that we'll go back for sure but only on a weekend afternoon/early evening. Later at night it can be very difficult to get in, plus there's a much younger crowd and that's just not our scene anymore. But that's just us.


Next up: Union Cafe!

Stop #15 - L'Antibes

Aaron's taking over today for this long-overdue review. Y'all be nice to him, okay?

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Many of you dedicated readers may be asking yourselves "Hey, what's with the restaurant odyssey?  Did they quit? Give up? Forget? Losers."  Well we haven't forgotten, and we most definitely haven't given up.  As I sit here on Tuesday January 14th I'll give you the Cliffs Notes first.  We're still on the RO, and we just ate at Barrel 44 a couple of weeks ago, so be as prepared to read some reviews as we are to write them.  We've got lots of catching up to do.

Three seasons ago in late April Gwen and I were joined by dear friends and neighbors Dru and Jeannie for a fabulous evening at L'Antibes.  The restaurant holds special memories for Dru and Jeannie, so when this somewhat arduous tour was first conceived and shared with our peoples in the 'hood, they excitedly committed to join us on our first trip to this well-reviewed restaurant. Now, L'Antibes isn't actually on High Street, although technically its address is. But one of the rules Gwen and I created, that we shall dine in every Short North visible from High Street, is affectionately called "The L'Antibes Rule" because a) we've never been there and b) it has a reputation for being one of the finest restaurants in the area, if not the entire city. So far the only other qualifier for this rule is the delicious Tasi but given our progress I suppose there is still time for others to join the list.

Jeannie and Dru (this was not taken the night of our dinner)

While you might have to wait another year or so for the final verdict, I can't imagine any contenders in the current line-up of Short North eateries that would challenge L'Antibes for a complete dining experience.  The French-inspired food was both wonderful to eat and beautiful to see, and was clearly prepared and served with the (European) respect that food, and the opportunity to eat, is a privilege never to be taken lightly.  I trust take-out is not an option here.

L'Antibes is quite small and intimate. When the weather turns warmer, they have outdoor seating allowing for more guests, but it wasn't quite patio season so we dined indoors.

We started with cocktails that we can't remember, not because they were strong but because it's been about 9 months and we didn't write them down, and an amuse-bouche of mushrooms on a little crostini.  This photo alone tells you the evening will be one of fine dining, doesn't it?

  


Gwen and Jeannie both had the smoked salmon appetizers (1), I had the crab cake (2) and Dru had the foie gras (3).

Salads were had by all - Gwen a spring salad (4), Dru and Jeannie both ordered avocado salads (5), and I had a green salad with beets.  Delish.

In a shocking move, Gwen did not order scallops, but went with one of the specials that evening, which was a fish with risotto (7). Jeannie had the fish as well, while Dru had the duck (8) and I ordered short ribs. I'm not going to bore you with how awesome these dishes were because it belittles the quality. Suffice to say it was most excellent.

We did, however, have one hiccup in the evening that speaks further to the quality of this place.  When I ordered the "short ribs" the server mistakenly heard me say "sweet breads."  I'm sure they were excellent but I wouldn't know because one bite told me I had the wrong part of the pig on my plate.  The error was immediately corrected without question, and it wasn't until we returned home that we realized that our server comped our second bottle of wine for what was an honest mistake.  Here's where L'Antibes stands apart from the crowd: am I surprised that he unnecessarily comped a bottle of wine? No. But he never mentioned it, which to me is a super-classy thing to do.  

Well done, L'Antibes.  Looking forward to seeing you again as soon as this tour is over. (Editor's note: if you're keeping track at home, this is the third time Aaron has expressed his desire to go back to one of our stops.)

Stop #14 - Piece of Cake

We've been so lax about keeping up with the Restaurant Odyssey, but rest assured, it's still going on.

Short North Piece of Cake creates beautiful and delicious sweet treats and cakes, but it also serves lunch and has a few tables for seating, thus fulfilling the requirements for a visit from Spidey and the Gila. To be honest, we didn't expect much, but we were both pleasantly surprised.

I had the turkey panini, which included Granny Smith apple slices, brie and honey mustard - such a yummy combination of flavors! Aaron had the muffaletta, which is actually served hot, and he loved it. I'll have to take his word for it because I'm not a fan of the olive spread.

While we ate, we watched some of the decorators. I know that creative cakes seem to be a dime a dozen these days, but I'm always so impressed by anyone who can make these works of art.

We missed out on getting a picture of this, but a guy came in to pick up a cake for his daughter's birthday. It was a pink princess castle (and I'm guessing it was her first birthday because it looked like there was a separate smash cake). We watched an employee help take the cake out to the guy's truck and I kept thinking that I hoped he didn't have to go far. That's some serious pressure.

Of course I couldn't leave without having some dessert. I got a mini German chocolate cheesecake. Yummmmm. Aaron pulled the ole "I'll just have a bite of yours." Jerk. Kidding, kinda.

Local friends, we definitely recommend Piece of Cake, not only for a special event dessert, but also for lunch if you find yourself hungry in the Short North.

Next up: L'Antibes!

Stop #13 - Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams

It's been far too long since I posted a Restaurant Odyssey visit. If you're unfamiliar with this journey, check out this post. Previous tour stops can be found under the link at the top of the page.


If you don't think ice cream constitutes a meal, well ... you're wrong. Even though I don't have a huge sweet tooth, there are times when I just can't resist ice cream. In Columbus, we're lucky to have Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams, the labor of love from Jeni Britton Bauer, who abruptly quit studying art at Ohio State to make ice cream. She started with a small location in the North Market and now has about 10 shops, a presence in grocery stores across the country, and a book of recipes (Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams at Home) now in its 8th printing. I've never tried making any of the ice cream because ... why would I? I can just walk down the street and buy some (warning: it ain't cheap, but that's probably a good thing because then I don't eat it every. single. day).

Aaron and I went to Jeni's one Sunday in March when the weather gods had smiled on us with sunshine and warm temperatures. We each got a Trio, you know, for the sake of research. I had Salty Caramel (Jeni's signature flavor), Pistachio & Honey and Double Toasted Coconut. Aaron had Dark Chocolate, Black Coffee and Whiskey & Pecans.

Mine is on the left, Aaron's on the right.

Jeni's also makes sundaes and ice cream sandwiches, and they use local ingredients as much as possible. Some of the ice cream flavors are pretty daring: Queen City Cayenne (yes, it's spicy and yummy), Goat Cheese with Red Cherries, and Juniper & Lemon Curd are just a few. My summertime go-to combination is Cherry Lambic Sorbet and Lemon & Blueberries Frozen Yogurt. So refreshing! I'm also a fan of the Mango Lassi Frozen Yogurt and the Brown Butter Almond Brittle. Dammit, now I want some ice cream! Jeni's also recently started selling this:

Yes, please.

The Short North location always has a line out the door on sunny days (and sometimes even on un-sunny days) but if you're an ice cream fan, it's worth the wait!

Next up: Piece of Cake!

Spidey and the Gila

Stop #12 - Level Dining Lounge

The Restaurant Odyssey continues with a trip to Level Dining Lounge. 

On this outing we were joined by our neighbors Michelle and Jeff. 

Michelle and Jeff, meet everyone. Everyone, meet Michelle and Jeff.

Level opened about three years ago in a prime corner location. They did major renovations and it's now a stylish yet comfortable place to have a drink or a meal. We were tucked into a cozy booth and set about ordering cocktails. Aaron and Jeff both ordered the Lavender Martini, which includes locally made gin from Watershed, I had a Raspberry Bellini and Michelle took our server's suggestion of some kind of blueberry drink. Later when he asked her how she liked it she said "it's OK; I forgot that I don't like blueberries." Silly girl.

First round of drinks, then the boys switched to some kind of dark beer, I got my standard Sauvignon Blanc, and Michelle probably ordered something else she didn't like. (Love you, mean it!)

Appetizers: potato skins (quite loaded, pretty greasy but of course we still ate them!); calamari (kind of chewy, although the Thai chili sauce had a nice flavor).

Aaron, Jeff and I ordered from the Seasonal Menu: Aaron had the Level Lasagna made with sausage (I had the leftovers and it was yummy), Jeff had the Duck Flatbread (duck confit, carmelized onions, goat & gouda cheeses and a berry reduction - yes, please) and I had the Smokey Black Bean Burger with fries (don't get me wrong - I'm a red meat kinda girl, but I love a black bean burger and this one didn't disappoint - spicy and not dry). Michelle had the Chicken Artichoke Panini and insisted that I have a bite. I'm not a big artichoke fan but this was a nicely done panini and the Parmesan Potato Chips were crispy and delicious.

Clockwise from top left: black bean burger, lasagna, chicken artichoke panini, duck flatbread

Overall a solid meal. We had a little struggle over who was buying, which Jeff and Michelle "won," so we walked up the street to the Local Bar where Aaron and I treated for after dinner drinks.

Coming up next: Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams!

Stay Tuned,

Stop #11 - Rigsby's Kitchen

Note: I've updated the "Restaurant Odyssey" page so if you've missed any previous posts or just want to relive some of our adventures, click above.

Rigsby's is something of an institution in the Short North. It's been around for over 20 years and is often considered a "go-to" restaurant for a special occasion. A couple years ago, Aaron and I chose to dine there for our joint birthday dinner. Kent Rigsby and his wife Tasi own this restaurant as well as Tasi Cafe, which was stop #9 on our tour.

On a Saturday night we went to Rigsby's with our friends Pete and Val. We've been friends with them since shortly after we were married (that's a long damn time, if you're keeping track) and we don't see them as often as we'd like, but we always have a good time.

Our expectations were somewhat high, and that's not usually a good thing. Sure enough, we had a less than awesome experience, mainly service-related. While our server was nice, our first impression wasn't great when she confused two of the before-dinner drinks (and she was writing them down).

We started with the Salumi Tasting, which was okay but basically a plate of sliced meat and nothing special.

Aaron was the only one who ordered a salad and he got the Roasted Root Vegetable Salad. He said it was pretty good, but he didn't get to finish it because our entrees arrived before he was done. Not impressive.

For our entrees (clockwise from top left): I had the Gorgonzola Pizza with fingerling potatoes; Val had the Prosciutto Pizza with (a lot of) arugula; Aaron had the Orrechiette with housemade sausage; and Pete had the Penne Carbonara. The food was all good, but not great. I don't think any of us finished our meals. I can only speak for my pizza, which I felt had uneven flavor and could have benefited from a bit more gorgonzola.

We had ordered a bottle of wine with dinner and as soon as the server brought it we told her we wanted another bottle. We also asked for more bread, which never came. And we waited and waited for the second bottle of wine but finally just cancelled it, paid the bill, and went up the street to the Local Bar for after dinner drinks.

It was a disappointing outing, especially because we had brought friends. Granted, it was a busy Saturday night, but we had arrived at 6:30, well before the crowd, and our server seemed overwhelmed. Rigsby's has a nice bar area for happy hour or late night drinks, but of the two Rigsby-owned restaurants on our tour, we preferred Tasi.

Stay Tuned,

Spidey and the Gila

Stop #10 - Betty's Fine Food & Spirits

Betty's Fine Food & Spirits was the first restaurant in the Columbus Food League empire (formerly Betty's Family of Restaurants). Founded by Elizabeth Lessner in 2001, Betty's is a popular spot in the Short North. It's a long, skinny space whose walls are covered with 1940's pinup art. Cocktails have fun names like the Betty Ford Clinic Special (vodka & pink lemonade) and She's My Cherry Pie (whipped cream vodka, cherry pie cordial & 7-up), there's an extensive beer selection, and the cuisine is comfort food with a twist.


We stopped by Betty's on a Sunday evening after going to the movies (we saw Zero Dark Thirty). Aaron ordered one of his usuals, a PBR, and I had a Beach Betty Bingo (Absolut mango vodka, peach schnapps, cranberry and OJ) in an effort to forget that it was winter in Columbus.

For dinner, I had the Veggie Burrito which is stuffed with the delicious black bean hummus and Aaron had the Beer Brats, with garlic redskin mashed potatoes and sauerkraut. These are two tried and true favorites of ours, and they didn't disappoint.

Lessner is passionate about the community and the environment. She set a goal for her restaurants to be zero-waste. She teamed up with a company called Eartha Limited, which helps the food service industry with recycling not just bottles and can, but even used oil which is processed into biodiesel fuel

The Columbus Food League currently consists of five restaurants, and I'm happy to say that later in our odyssey we'll hit another one, The Surly Girl. You won't want to miss it.

Stay Tuned,

Spidey and The Gila

Stop #9 - Tasi Cafe

One of our restaurant odyssey "rules" is that the restaurant be on High Street, or visible from High Street. This is what I call the L'Antibes rule, which you'll understand later in our tour. Tasi is one of those that's visible from High Street (barely). It's tucked away on Pearl Alley in a space that was once Pistachio Bakery, though Tasi has been there a little over five years now.

"Tasi" is Tasi Rigsby, wife of Kent Rigsby, and together they own this cafe, Rigsby's Kitchen (soon to make an appearance in this blog) and Eleni-Christina Bakery. Tasi Cafe serves breakfast all day and they have a lunch menu as well. We went on a Saturday morning for breakfast.

It's not a huge space, but there are several tables in a variety of sizes. When we first arrived we were able to order at the counter right away and there was a 4-top table available. While we were there it got pretty crowded; we were able to move to a 2-top to allow a family of three to have our table.

I ordered the poached eggs with black bean cake and jalapeño butter sauce (left) and Aaron ordered the Greek scrambled eggs. Both came with a side of sourdough which was rustic and delicious, crusty on the outside and chewy on the inside.

When I cut into my eggs I discovered this:

The yolks were cooked hard. Now by this point the place was hopping busy and nothing tasted bad so I intended to eat it, but I was somewhat disappointed. But then the server came over and said that the chef was unhappy with the poaching of the eggs so he re-did them without my ever mentioning anything. Two thumbs up for this kind of service!

New eggs, more jalapeño butter sauce, much better!

The black bean cake was spicy and provided a good balance with the eggs. Aaron also thoroughly enjoyed his Greek scrambled eggs. I'm not sure what the seasoning was on those, but it made the dish. Aaron declared "this is the first time I wish we didn't have to wait to come back." But as we know, it's not the first time he said that, and I'm sure it won't be the last.

By the time we left, this is what it looked like from the door:

Note to the two guys who were at their table before we sat down, and still there when we left, long after they had eaten their food: not cool, dudes.

Coming next week: Betty's Fine Food and Spirits.

Stay Tuned,

Spidey and The Gila

Stop #8 - Short North Tavern

If you're a new follower, check out the advent of our Restaurant Odyssey here.


Hi all - guest blogger Spidey here.  I thought it was important to let all of the Gila's followers that I'm not just a pretty face that hangs out with the best girl ever, so it's my turn to review.




A few Sundays ago we made our trek to the Short North Tavern.  No doubt I was looking forward to this stop, as I consider the SNT to be a benchmark of the area.  Few would disagree with me that this is an institution of the Short North, an establishment here long before our home was in the "cool, trendy" part of town that it has become.  I can remember being here years ago when the area was forgettable - bordering on scary - and we've since spent many a day or night here.  I don't know how long the SNT has been in business, but it has been long enough that it commands the respect of the neighborhood, a place against which other are compared.  

The SNT (I don't know of anyone who just calls it "the Tavern" or some other drivel ... it's always the Short North Tavern) is in many ways exactly what you would expect: dark, kinda dingy, and perhaps imposing if you are a newbie.  The decor is Classic American Dive Bar: long bar with several beers on tap, liquor on the back mirrored wall, peanuts on the counter, a couple of TVs, kinda loud music played from the CD changer (although the tape deck is still there), 2 dart boards, small bathrooms in the back, and that smell that, while not unpleasant, says "I've been here longer than you, and I'm probably going to outlive you too."  However, they also have some cool items that I particularly enjoy - a large wall that rotates the work of local artists, and no less than 40 OLD analog AM radio's - the kind that I imagine my grandparents purchased when they were younger than I am today.  Antiques for certain, I love them.

Until recently, the SNT wasn't a place for fine dining.  Unimaginative "bar food" was served merely as a public service.  Two years ago if you told me they had the best wings in Columbus I knew your experience was influenced by too many beers.  But, perhaps given the competition in the 'hood, they stepped up their game recently and hired a chef.  I'll never forget the time when Gwen and I sat down and the waitress handed our menus but also said "here are our specials for the night."  Hunh, what?  Specials?  And damn, they were good. It's still not "fine dining," but it's impressive bar food.

So on this Sunday we had some anticipation of good food as well as cold beers, and we were not disappointed.  We were joined on this occasion with our good friends Chris and Katie (we sing with Chris at the symphony and they live in the Short North as well.)  Chris had an Angus burger with blue cheese, grilled onions and mushrooms and a side of sweet potato fries; Gwen had the special - a shaved Prime Rib sandwich and for-real fries; and Katie had the fish and chips: catfish lightly breaded in a cornmeal batter that is both light and substantial, keeping the fish tender. All looked fantastic and apparently tasted great as all plates were cleaned, and none were on the menu two years ago (yeah, there were burgers, but not like this).  Me?  I went old school with the Beef Nachos Grande which are as you would expect, save for the homemade salsa, not that canned crap. The nachos are greasy goodness, and when Chris had a few I asked him "Don't you feel kinda glossy?"  To wash this feast down were "a few" pitchers of Yeungling with frosted glass mugs.  We watched the OSU men's cagers beat Michigan (always a treat regardless of sport), caught up on life, and had a fine time.

There really isn't anything too unique about the SNT - I'm certain every decent sized town in America has the same place.  If you say you've been here and I know you haven't, I won't argue because in reality you probably have.  But this one happens to be in my town, and I absolutely love it.

(Editor's note: SNT is so old school it doesn't have a website and I can't find a menu online, so I may have to sneak back in to take a picture of the menu.)

Stay tuned for our next stop, breakfast at Tasi.

Spidey and The Gila

Stop #7 - The Happy Greek

We don't eat a lot of Greek food. It may stem from an unfortunate experience I had at a Greek restaurant the first time I met Aaron's parents. Not unfortunate in the "I vomited all over the table" kind of way, but as I recall I was trying to be an adventurous 19-year-old whose palate was not terribly developed so I ordered moussaka. And I hated it. But there I was with my boyfriend's parents and their friends and I didn't want to appear picky or ... I don't know what. So I forced myself to eat it until one of them took pity on me, because clearly I wasn't doing a good job of acting as though I liked it.

I hadn't thought of that in years. It's funny the memories that food conjures.

A couple Saturdays ago we went to The Happy Greek. I think we've only been there once before, and it was so long ago that Aaron didn't remember ever being there at all. The main entrance has some tables and a bar area; we were seated in the next room which is two levels and very colorful.

Note to self: start using real camera instead of phone

Shockingly, neither of us ordered drinks (yet) but we started off with the Falafel appetizer, which we both wanted so there was no debate. We were really hungry so they we made quick work of them, and regardless of our hunger level, they were quite tasty. You know what I mean, right? There are times when you're so hungry you could eat cardboard and declare it the best thing ever. This was far from cardboard.

Falafel with hummus

For dinner, I ordered the Spicy Parthenon Scallops (you'll find that I order scallops a lot) and Aaron had the Spicy Gyro with fries. Mine was delicious - garlicky in a spicy lemon sauce with veggies. For my two sides I ordered the Oven-roasted Lemon Potatoes, which looked like half a potato and I thought the "lemon" would turn me off but it was rather good, and the Mediterranean Vegetable Medley. If I had known that those vegetables were the same as what was with the scallops, I would have ordered a different side because while there was nothing wrong with the vegetables, the spicier version was much more flavorful and left the side dish feeling bland.

Aaron thoroughly enjoyed his Spicy Gyro and said he'd get it again. He also said that he wished we didn't have to wait until we're done with the tour to come back again (take note of that; it won't be the last time you read it).

When we ordered our entrees, I ordered a glass of wine (Sauvignon Blanc) and Aaron ordered a beer (CBC IPA). The server forgot about them so when we ordered dessert I reminded him. To be fair, it appeared that he was the only server in the room and he didn't make excuses, but was sincerely apologetic. For dessert I ordered Pistachio Baklava, and allowed Aaron to have a couple bites. This, for me, was the highlight. I do love baklava and this was warm and gooey and ... divine.

As I'm obviously no expert on Greek food, I can't speak to its authenticity, but we both enjoyed this meal and would go back.

Coming soon: Short North Tavern!

Stay Tuned,

Spidey and The Gila

Stop #6 - Bernard's Tavern

Here is why I should not procrastinate on writing these restaurant posts: I didn't write down what we ate and now I'm not sure I remember. So, let's see how this goes.

On a Friday before Christmas, we first walked to the movie theater to see Lincoln. (Loved it, by the way. Look for a movie-themed post closer to the Academy Awards.) On our way home we stopped at Bernard's Tavern for a late dinner.

We've been to Bernard's before. It's been open about three years in the old East Village space (and before that, Union Station). Bernard's is the closest thing the Short North has to a sports bar, in that they have a lot of TV screens and sports are shown on said screens. But they also have events like Karaoke Night and Trivia Night. When we've been there to watch games it's usually a weekend afternoon or we might go for happy hour. They DO have a lengthy happy hour - 4:00 - 8:00 on weekdays, with 1/2 off ALL beers, 1/2 off selected appys, $2 well drinks and $1 off glasses of wine. And they have quite the selection of beer, conveniently listed on two big chalkboards, although I'll bet the servers are often asked "what's on draft?"

This is from their website so it's not necessarily current.

This night was our first time being there on a weekend night after 9:00. It was loud and crowded, mostly with 20- or 30-somethings, but there were a few older folks like us. We did get carded at the door, so that was exciting.

I ordered a Blue Moon, which you'll find I order pretty often. I have no idea what Aaron ordered; I'll have to ask him, but you can see it was darker than mine. Aaron tends to either drink dark beer or cheap American beer such as PBR and Miller High Life.

Apologies for the darkness of the pic.

As for food, I always, ALWAYS get the Portabella Mushroom Sandwich. Just look at it on the menu: carmelized onions, goat cheese, pretzel roll? Yes, please. But for the sake of you, dear reader, I ventured outside my Bernard's comfort zone and got ... "Not Your Mom's" Grilled Cheese and I naturally added the apple wood smoked bacon. The menu says "the secret is in the dijon mustard sauce." Unfortunately, while I love spicy and flavorful food, when it comes to grilled cheese I'm not a condiment kind of girl so I really didn't have an appreciation for the dijon mustard sauce. But it's a perfectly good sandwich. I also got a side of sweet potato fries, which are crinkly and likely frozen.

Aaron ordered a burger. I think it was the Ginny's BBQ Burger. I do remember that he misordered the doneness - he normally does medium but for some strange reason "well done" came out of his mouth. So he wasn't thrilled with it but I think that's just because of his error in ordering. He had Cajun fries, which also may be frozen but they have a tasty Cajun seasoning.

Bottom line: Bernard's has pretty decent bar food, a great happy hour, and you can watch a variety of sporting events there. On weekend nights, it seems a little more "clubby."

Check out the exposed brick and the jukebox!

Stay Tuned,

Spidey and The Gila

Stop #5 - Dane's Dessert Cafe

Subtitle: The one where we realize that we're not very good with our timing.

On a rainy Sunday we wandered to Dane's Dessert Cafe. This is a place that's not right on High Street, so it's not that easy to find; in fact, they've been open over a year, and I'd never heard of it until we were figuring out where all we need to go on our tour.

Astute readers will clue in that Dane's specializes in ... wait for it ... desserts. More specifically, they create sweet concoctions of freshly made crepes or waffles, add ice cream and maybe some fruit or Nutella, and certainly some whipped cream. They also serve cakes and sundaes. They do not serve alcohol, in case you were wondering.

The day Aaron and I visited Dane's we had not yet eaten and we were pretty hungry, but we weren't really eager to jump right into a big dessert. Luckily, they serve savory crepes as well, but if you look at the menu, you'll notice that the savory section is quite small, but the owner is from Jamaica and the non-sweet options definitely reflect that so we were intrigued.

We started off with one of the Golden Krust Patties. This is a baked pastry filled with your choice of meat or vegetables. We got the veggie one, and it was spicy and delicious. I also had a Mango Tango smoothie (I really love mango).

This doesn't look like much, but it was quite tasty!

We each ordered crepes: Chicken Florentine for Aaron and Jerk Chicken for me. Aaron's was pretty dry and bland. Mine at least had the jerk flavor (and my beloved mango salsa on top) but it was inconsistent. One bite would be filled with fantastic Jamaican spices and the next would just be ... blah.

By now we had run out of time, as well as room in our bellies, for dessert. And that's when we realized that we were starting a trend. You'll remember that Mojoe Lounge is famous for their brunch, but we went at night. Dane's does desserts, and we had not one bit of dessert. And you'll soon find out that we'll hit three restaurants in a row that all have great patios and we'll probably be there in March. Ah, well...

Photo: www.danesdessert.com (since we didn't actually have dessert)

Our server was the daughter of the owner and she was super friendly. The "Dane" of Dane's Desserts is her brother and his picture is on the wall. I really like the concept of this place and I want it to succeed. I've read some very mixed reviews, but it's still around a year after opening so I'm hopeful that they can make it work.

And one of these days we just might break our own rule and go back before we're "supposed" to, just to split a crepe (and I do mean split, because they're HUGE).


Stay tuned,

Spidey and The Gila