Dough Yay Me! Clintonville's Dough Mama Cafe and Bakery

Granted, as one of the Columbus' main thoroughfares, High Street has plenty of room for all manner of businesses. But for the baked goods and pastry-styled treats fan, this roadway has become the home of more than its share of drool-worthy options in recent years. Starting up in Worthington and ending in the Brewery District, one could theoretically embark on a non-big-chain, brick-and-mortar crawl from north to south that could include:

• Donuts (Peace, Love and Little Donuts and Tupelo Donuts)
• Cakes (at least four cake-focused establishments from Worthington's Mrs. Goodman's down to the Short North's Piece of Cake)
• European-Styled/Influenced Pastries (Clintonville's Mozart's and the Brewery District's Kolache Republic)
• Vegan Treats (Pattycake Bakery)
• Gluten-free Goods (Food for Good Thought), and even
• Flowers(!) with your Flour (Flowers and Bread).

If one wanted to be even more of a glutton, places like Laughlin's Bakery and the treasure trove in the North Market (Destination Donuts, Brezel Pretzel, Omega Artisan, and Pistacia Vera) all lie within stone's throw of High. Combined together, these places could easily carbo-load the runners for the Columbus Marathon this coming October and have plenty left over for the race volunteers.

Of course, it would be a cardinal sin if you forget the pie. If you're seeking out the pie and only the pie, the long-standing Just Pies near Graceland Mall fits the bill perfectly. If you want just a little more variety, two very similar places are right up your alley: Worthington's Sassafras Bakery, a favorite destination of ours since I've moved over here, and Clintonville's Dough Mama, which holds down the subject matter of this latest blogpost.

All Lined Up: Lineage Brewing

Opened by four Clintonville residents, Lineage Brewing has been
welcomed by the neighborhood with open arms 

A basic and important component in a business's success is the connection with their surrounding community. The four co-owners (two couples who met through the local homebrewing club Scioto Olentangy Darby Zymurgists (SODZ)) who founded Clintonville-based Lineage Brewing have this component in spades: two sport long-time family roots to the neighborhood (thus the name Lineage) and all reside within short distance of the brewery's North High Street location. As mentioned in local media articles, it was always their intent to open up within their home community to give residents a brewery to call their own. And based on my first few visits, the community has returned the love in kind and sent Lineage off on a very successful start since its soft opening roughly one month ago.

Lineage's interior fits in that general contemporary/minimalist style, with a lot more room for visitors than one might guess when glancing at the brick-facade exterior. Well-appointed splashes of design can be found within, including the herringbone-style wood backsplash and the large garage door, the biggest hint of the space's former life as a car wash and meant to be left open when the weather permits. Behind the tap area, a chalkboard menu of Lineage's offerings can be found overhead, while windows allow visitors a glimpse of the brewery's barrel system.

Lineage Brewing's roomy and well-appointed interior gives little
hint of the space's previous life as a car wash

Lineage's focus right now seems to be more in the local hangout spot versus one that is geared toward production; this reminds me of the feel I got when we visited Big Beaver Brewing in Loveland during our recent Colorado trip. Similar to Big Beaver, Lineage appears to be gearing to have a rotating, fairly comprehensive selection of beer styles to be enjoyed on site or in growlers.

So far, my spouse and I agree that Lineage has put out a very drinkable collection of brews. Our favorites so far have been the just-enough-coconut Mike Drop Porter, the tart without being too puckery Aunt Bernice Berliner Weisse, and their Ryemora Rye IPA, but in reality there really hasn't been a blah brew in the bunch we've tasted. For those who aren't into or willing to be swayed into beer, a select menu of cocktails, cider, and pop from local craft producer Rambling House are also available.

Lineage offers a rotating selection of very drinkable brews in combo
with freshly made hand pies; cheese plates and dessert are also offered

Unlike other local breweries, Lineage has decided to forgo the food truck route and produce their own food, and their staple product is a bit on the unique side in the form of hand pies. These creations sport four different savory options along with dipping sauces; like their beer, we have found them pretty satisfying fare. We have not come to a favorite yet, but of course there is plenty of time to figure that out. We've found that Lineage's food orders tend to come out in spurts, which may mean that you may get your food at the same time as someone who ordered later than you. However, the opening week kinks with the food ordering and delivery system seem to have been worked out on more recent visits, meaning the food wait isn't too bad except on the busiest of nights.

If you have a sweet tooth, Lineage has come out with something that should provide perfect satisfaction - the very recent introduction of homemade dessert pies featuring dough from local baker Dan The Baker. The pecan with bourbon pie slice was calling my name on my last visit, but I overcame culinary temptation and stuck with the cheese plate and my beer pints,

Of course, I can't promise the same refusal of dessert on my next visit, however.

Lineage Brewing
2971 N High St (Clintonville - Google Maps)
Columbus, OH 43202
(614) 461-3622
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Toast of the Town: Dan The Baker/Toast Bar

Dan The Baker breads are a familiar (and eye-pleasing) sight
at many local area farmers markets

My recent re-visit of the Ferry Building Marketplace in San Francisco (my post on this popular and unique attraction can be found here) brought back many tasty memories as I passed from one vendor space to another. Some of the most fond memories were brought on by the baked goods of the Acme Bread Company - their basic bread loaves and baguettes are yeasted glory, sporting that sublime combination of exterior crunch, big bubbles in the crumb, and interior chew that only the best breads get. Their Cinnamon Currant Bread, a pull-apart, just sweet and sticky enough creation that sported a divine combination of zante currants and cinnamon. remains in the top ten of items I miss the most from the San Francisco area.

I simply figured the Columbus metro wouldn't have anything within shouting distance of their bread or any other Bay Area artisan baker's products. That is until I and my spouse came across the creations of one Dan Riesenberger, aka Dan The Baker. Starting off in 2008 via modest means (baking his breads from his backyard with a brick oven fashioned with help from his father), Riesenberger and his breads were well-established in both select Columbus restaurants and farmers market booths by the time we came across them. As we sampled his different breads and pastries, I found his creations more than held their own with the renowned Bay Area-based artisinal bread purveyors.

He eventually opened up a combination small retail cafe/production facility in the Grandview area of town in late 2013. While we still bought most of his breads from local farmers markets, we would occasionally drop by the cafe to hangout or grab a quick bite if our business took us into that part of town or we were headed into Western Ohio for the day. His branching out was not restricted to his cafe: we got a gander of his pizza-making prowess at a pop-up restaurant within Cafe Brioso during the monthly Moonlight Market on Gay Street in June 2014.

And when you think it couldn't get any better, Riesenberger announced that Columbus now has a shrine to toast to call their own, with the opening of Toast Bar two months ago.

Wait, what? Toast? Really, you can't be serious...toast?

Toast? Why, heck yeah, toast! Malaysia showed me the way

Yes, sometimes toast is what you want. During a work stint in Malaysia, I came across the Toast Box, an chain of Asian establishments started initially in Singapore. These restaurants are, to borrow their words, their "reflection of the coffee shops from the 60s and 70s, where the common practice for breakfast was a fragrant cup of Nanyang Coffee accompanied by freshly toasted bread." This quickly became a favorite place for me for either a light breakfast or an afternoon snack: the coffee (or tea) was a must along with two slices of toast, typically one with butter and kaya (coconut jam) and one with peanut butter.

As far as the States, artisinal toast is something of a new fad. starting off in San Francisco with The Trouble Coffee and Coconut Club (and in a tangential way, Ohio; the restaurant's owner grew up in the Cleveland area, as detailed in this story by Pacific Standard Magazine.) The fad eventually spread to neighboring restaurants and then to other parts of the country, as detailed in this Eater.com article.

The newly created Toast Bar adds some twists to the formerly existing space

The Toast Bar's offers a slightly re-designed space from the original cafe within their Ridge Street location, allowing for slightly more seating and a little better traffic flow. On this visit, we were both looking for a light breakfast, and all the new items offered that opportunity. Of course, you wouldn't call yourself Toast Bar without having that on the menu, and the flight of toast is pretty straightforward - three slices from the breads on hand along with three toppings. Another related new item is their Smørrebrød open-faced sandwiches, a blend of avocado, cucumber and dill on Danish Rye bread (their current offerings now offer one version that substitutes salmon for the avocado as well as a bacon, blue cheese and apple option.)

Left: the Avocado Smørrebrød; Right: the Toast Flight

Both these Toast Bar offerings hit the spot. The Smørrebrød was a nicely tangy, creamy and crisp combo which went nicely with the rye bread; my spouse loved how the dill made the flavors pop. As for me and my toast flight, the toppings were a nice way to figure out what went well with the various toasted breads I ordered without having to whip up my own homemade hazelnut spread or lemon curd, as well as experimenting how the toppings themselves blended in tandem or as a threesome. All three of the toppings I chose were quite good, with the cloverton and lemon curd being edging out the others as my fave.

The Smørrebrød (at the time of our visit, it was $4 for a single/$7 for two; the current menu states $6) and the flight (was and still is $5.50) could be considered by many to be on the spendy side; indeed, the Eater article referred to earlier in this post states this as a common criticism of these toast-centric establishments. However, based on that same article, Toast Bar's prices seem to be on the lower end of the expense scale compared with its brethren across the country.

Visitors who aren't all that into the toast concept need not fret; Dan The Baker still has its myriad of pastries, along with a selection of cookies, soup, and of course, the bread in whole-loaf form. Toast Bar also keeps the coffee drinks from its previous iteration on the menu, using beans from two excellent roasters (Intelligentsia and locally-based Cafe Brioso) as well as hot chocolate and tea.

Dan The Baker/Toast Bar
1028 Ridge Street (Grandview Heights)
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 928-9035
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Tried and True: Smokehouse Brewing Company

My first introduction to Columbus-area brewing lay with what I ended up naming "The Barleys." Whether it was the Ale House next to the North Market or the Smokehouse on Dublin Road, I soon realized I could get some good pub-style food or barbecue depending on the location, and a great brew at either destination.

I came to learn that I wasn't alone in the struggle to distinguish between the two locations. However, the owner of Smokehouse Brewing Lenny Kolada (who had sold his stake in the original Barley's) made that a lot easier for many by removing the Barley's name from the Dublin Road eatery. Indeed, on this first visit for me since the re-branding (my spouse had a previous visit under her belt), the only thing I saw that referenced the Barley's name was the sign above the main entrance.

However, people should not be worried about the beer; these still remain the same great Barley's beers that have always been served here as originally conceived by head brewer Angelo Signorino. On this visit, my spouse was slightly disappointed that the Centennial IPA had just tapped out, but the pint of Pale Ale she ordered in its stead proved to be satisfying on its own.

The interior of the restaurant itself pretty much maintains the same overall feel and atmosphere I had experienced in the past, with perhaps maybe some minor enhancements and rearranging of the seating.

Top: Smoked Bahn Mi
Bottom: Spent Grain Pretzel Bites
and White Chicken Chili

Smokehouse's traditional and quite enjoyable barbecue items from their days under the Barley's banner still provide the main focus for the restaurant-goer, but we've found their new menu items a definite asset. On this later-night, last-minute decision visit, I didn't arrive here with a completely empty stomach and decided to take the opportunity to sample the appetizer menu. Their Spent Grain Pretzel Bites ($8), a collaboration with a local favorite of mine Dan The Baker, were of a softer, lighter texture than the typical bar-style snack. The spent grain lent them a very unique flavor profile that went well with both the accompanying dipping sauces as well as the bowl of White Chicken Chili ($5) I had ordered to supplement my meal.

On a previous visit, my spouse had already sampled and very much enjoyed their Smoked Pork Barbacoa Three Way (pork shank on Asian slaw, pork belly in BBQ sauce and pulled pork on lettuce) from their original new menu. Alas, this item was not on the new Fall/Winter menu, but that allowed her to order their Smoked Bahn Mi ($11) on this trip. This is by no means any thing close to traditional, but Smokehouse's take on this Vietnamese standard offered a blend of tastes that made this another winning offering for both of us. Also, while this sandwich is not über-gigantic like, say, a Thurmanator Burger from Thurman's Cafe, the size of this tasty Smokehouse sandwich makes it a fork-and-knife affair for all but the widest mouths.

Smokehouse Brewing
1130 Dublin Road (Grandview Heights)
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 485-0BBQ (0227)
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Sandwiches Around the Statehouse: Cafe Brioso

Cafe Brioso's storefront: the sign points to good things inside

If you are familiar with Cafe Brioso only as a coffee house, this may seem like a bit of an odd header under which to place them. However, this header really shows how diversified this place really is.

Of course, the main calling card for Brioso is its excellent coffee. If you come through the entrance off High Street, the first thing you will probably notice is the buckets of freshly roasted beans off to the left; a quick glance behind will give you a view of the area that houses their roasting equipment and other ancillaries (e.g. their pour-over coffee station.) Numerous restaurants around the Columbus metro area feature Cafe Brioso coffee on their menus.

Breakfast gives the customer several options: for those with modest appetites, freshly-baked scones are available. Those who want something a little more filling can opt for their freshly-baked muffins or the excellent bagels from local bagel maker Sammy's New York Bagels. Other baked goods available for customers include cookies, croissants and, every now and again, pie (and who can argue with pie?) Generally, I've found all their baked goods rating in the good category.

And then there are the sandwiches, which are available in half-order ($4 - $5) or full-order ($6 - $7) sizes. These sandwiches aren't the best or necessarily the largest in the downtown area, but their homemade nature makes them reliably tasty for me. Their tuna salad or fresh mozzarella (or, when available, their special Lily's egg salad) are my standard go-to orders here. Brioso also earns bonus brownie points for the use of wonderful bread of local institution Dan The Baker in their sandwiches. Customers also can choose from a select list of salads; soups can be ordered separately or specially-added to your sandwich or salad order.

We could end it with the food, but that would neglect the atmosphere. Out of all the places I have been to in the Columbus area so far, Cafe Brioso reminds me the most of a place would fit right into San Francisco's coffee scene without any undue notice.

However, no coffee shop I was familiar with there quite matches Brioso's mix of working-class (both white- and blue-collar) hangout; bicyclist-friendly atmosphere; community participation (as exampled in the Pinchflat poster art show and Moonlight Market, where pop-up restaurants from the previously mentioned Dan the Baker and Kolache Republic find a home) and small business support (The Flying Gent Mercantile, which advertises itself as "the only Central Ohio destination for original, classic, and exclusive men's goods from around the world," can be found inside Brioso's shop.)

No, Cafe Brioso is Columbus' own and proud of that aspect. This pride also extends to their coffee as well as their part in the overall local coffee scene that has blossomed since I have been here. It's not surprising that Brioso has emerged as one of the primary destination spots in the downtown area, if not the city as a whole.

2019 Update: Brioso Coffee has opened up a second roastery on Long Street focusing on their roasted coffee beans and coffee drinks. For more information, check out their main website at the link below.

Cafe Brioso

14 E. Gay Street (Downtown - Google Maps)

Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 228-8366
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