Sandwiches Around The Statehouse: Si Señor

One of the San Francisco Bay Area's slightly under the radar culinary treasures lies in its Peruvian restaurants. From the more upscale (Limon, Piqueos and Fresca) to the street level (Sanguchon and Cholo Soy,) you'll most likely be treated to something almost familiar but ultimately tasty in the end. Columbus does not have much in the Peruvian category at either end (alas) but it's most prominent representative is a good one: the sandwich-oriented Si Señor.

Like most downtown places, Si Señor can get busy around the lunchtime hour, but its popularity exceeds that of many of its surrounding restaurants. This has not stopped the sometimes overflow crowds as their sandwiches, where even standard-sounding offerings like Grilled Cheese and a Meatloaf Sandwich are given a Peruvian or Latin twist, rate high on the flavor scale.

Nowadays, the restaurant crew handles high volume of customers with plenty of aplomb. After their initial move, a couple of my orders ended up lost in the shuffle, but I have not noticed this issue in recent visits. Despite this, Si Señor would not be the place to go if you wanted a quick grab-and-go meal unless you arrived before the lunch rush.  If you are not inclined to fight the crowds and are able to grab a later lunch (or even early dinner), the restaurant has unusually long hours (11 AM to 6 PM) that probably signifies how popular this sandwich place has become.

Chicharrón Peruano sandwich, plus pics of the interior

For a space wedged in a downtown alley, the restaurant's interior is fairly spacious all things considered, with nice artistic touches such as wood-paneled floors and various pieces of artwork, including a display of simply inscribed ceramic dishes.

I've found that you really can't go wrong with their pork sandwiches, enjoying both the Pork and Pork (pork loin topped with chorizo) and the Chicharrón Peruano (pictured here; Peruvian style fried pork shoulder with salsa criolla (pickled red onions)) sandwiches during my visits. Ostensibly healthier options on the sandwich side include a Roasted Portabella with Chimichurri and a Peruvian Style Chicken Salad and Tuna Melt, as well as a collection of salads and their meat empanadas.

Their prices (basically between $5 to $7) makes these tasty sandwiches a solid value; I'd personally add on the combo deal where you can add a beverage and their nicely crunchy homemade potato chips or a side salad for a couple extra bucks. Tres Leches cake slices, flan, and lime pie slices are also available if you need your sweet tooth satisfied, as well as an intriguing box of homemade "Tejas" candies at the front register that I have yet to try, to my chagrin.

Si Señor continues to do a great job in producing uniquely tasty sandwiches and is definitely worth a spot on any downtown-goer's sandwich spot rotation.

2017 Update: Si Señor has been so successful, they have expanded into Grandview Heights with a second location. For more information, please click on the previous link or consult the updated social media links for the downtown location below.

Si Señor
72 E Lynn St (Downtown - Google Maps)
Columbus, Ohio 43215
(614) 227-0070
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Arcadia in the Alley: Pearl Market

While Columbus' downtown is less imposing than other downtown areas I've visited, there's more than enough concrete, asphalt and the urban jungle atmosphere around to get one's dauber down.

Thankfully, escapes from this motif are not too far away for many.  One such escape lies in the Riverfront area, where an continuing project seeks to restore greenspace along the banks of the Scioto River.  Another escape that has become a welcome ritual lies in the Pearl Market, which operates in an alleyway between Broad, High, Gay and Third Streets from mid-May through October.

On Tuesdays and Fridays, Pearl Market sandwiches the typical lunchtime hours of downtown workers (operating hours: 10:30 AM - 2 PM.)   As a semi-regular visitor over the years, I've found the market's spectrum of vendors who regularly ply their wares here give downtown workers and visitors a solid opportunity to knock out some needed shopping before the workday ends.

While Pearl Market is built around the shopping experience, I've found the market valuable as a mental reset as well just by the simple act of strolling around.  The cornucopia of colors and smells, mixed in with a tuneful serenade from the market's musician of the day and the general bustle of mingling people, warm up the generally unremarkable and sometimes cold-feeling backdrop of faded brick or concrete walls, rear business entrances and erratic splashes of graffiti in this alleyway.

Those wanting to explore their culinary side are by no means left out.  Basics like produce, meat, eggs, bread and coffee are available to patrons; salsas, preserves and even Jeni's Ice Cream are among the food items available at this year's market.  Lunch options are also solid, with some of Columbus' more recognized food trucks (Challah, Paddy Wagon and Pitabilities) regularly setting up shop in Lynn Alley on market days; the The Good Frank hot dog cart and the Columbus Athenaeum also offer more consumer choices. Bakery-style goods also abound - I personally enjoy picking something at random from the various offerings to see what kind of magic can be created from a mixing bowl and a little oven heat.

In Greece, Arcadia is a province that became associated with idyllic nature and unspoiled wilderness due to the isolating nature of its mountainous terrain.  While no one is going to ever come to think of the isolating alleyways of Downtown Columbus as anything close to unspoiled wilderness, Pearl Market in its own way hearkens back to time where life was a little less complicated and concerns were more basic.

Pearl Market

Pearl Alley (Downtown - Google Maps)

Every Tuesday and Friday, June through October

(614) 645-5061

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