Ice Cream Chronicles (Year 5): Rising Up to the Challenge of Your Rival

Asheville's iconic Flat Iron sculpture, which was modeled by local artist
Reed Todd after the irons used at the historic Asheville Laundry.

"Love is a burning thing 
And it makes a fiery ring 
Bound by wild desire 
I fell into a ring of fire.

I fell into a burning ring of fire,

I went down, down, down and the flames went higher

And it burns, burns, burns,

The ring of fire, the ring of fire."

Johnny Cash - "Ring of Fire"

We freely acknowledge as a couple that our appetite for hot, spicy food skews our perceptions a bit.  With that said not even the most veteran, heat-tolerant spice seeker (we don't count ourselves in this select category) can't avoid being sent into facial contortions given enough capsaicin in their consumables. 

Add in a little lack of consistent, practical experience of late with the hot and spicy, and perhaps our recent experience with one of Asheville's hottest food purveyors was to be expected.  Thankfully, the outing, with an eatery appropriately starting with the name of Rocky only put us partially down for the count, and a little after dinner ice cream treat soothed our somewhat seared pride.

Kahiki Kookaburra: Fukuryu Ramen

For those unfamiliar (or even semi-familiar) with the Columbus ramen restaurant Fukuryu Ramen, the restaurant's name translates to "lucky dragon".

If you look closer at how this restaurant's origins, you might think the name translated to "lucky kookaburra". Most people dropping by for a bowl of ramen these days probably don't realize that Fukuryu originated in the "Land Down Under" in Melbourne, Australia (one of the lands that are home to the previously mentioned kookaburra bird.)  Maybe even fewer realize that it wouldn't even have been a dining option here if it weren't for an individual with strong ties to a fondly-remembered Columbus dining institution.

Raising The Cap Level: Hot Chicken Takeover - Clintonville

With the recent arrival of National Fried Chicken Day on July 6, I figured it was more than appropriate to touch on the subject with a return to an old favorite. I have blogged about Hot Chicken Takeover (HCT) in the past (with this blogpost), a definite sign I've been at this blogging thing a lot longer than many.

But now as in any future return posts, I think the mission behind this now mini-chain of restaurants will always be the prime story when it comes to this Columbus-based eatery. Founder Joe DeLoss's commitment to hiring employees with significant social challenges has been a core staple and strength of its business since it started as a weekly pop-up restaurant in the Olde Towne East neighborhood in 2014. It is a model that, as noted in this recent Columbus CEO article, "has the potential to revolutionize the way restaurants and other entry-level employers approach hiring and retention."

One Hot Prince and the Man in Black

Grimey's, located in Nashville's Edgehill neighborhood, provided us
the chance to look at new and used music alike

"Fifty-two!"

Prior to that beckon, my spouse and I had engaged in a combo of toodling on our mobile phones and conversing  over past and future vacation plans. At this point, the latter was diminishing rapidly, but we wanted to make our final hours of freedom in Nashville worthwhile.

My senses, already aroused by the scent of fried foods for the last 40 minutes or so, jumped to attention. The sales ticket indeed matched the number, and I hungrily rambled from our seat to the front counter.

"You ordered the extra hot?" I could feel owner André Prince Jeffries' eyes peering into me.

I nodded, "Yep, one extra hot and an extra extra hot."

"Good. I wanna' keep my eye on you," she replied, "to see if your head explodes."

Fried Chicken Bender (Pt. 5): Hot Chicken Takeover

Hot Chicken Takeover, now occupying the second floor of Columbus'
North Market has become something of a local phenomenon since
it started as a mere idea for a pop-up restaurant in late 2013

Like Northeast Ohio's Barberton Fried Chicken, a Serbian variant on this ubiquitous dish as described in an earlier blog post on White House Chicken, the origin of Nashville's hot variant of this dish has an equally lengthy history dating back to the 1930s. Perhaps reflective of the dish itself, the history is a much more fiery one to boot.

As the legend goes, in the 1930's, notorious ladies' man Thornton Prince was met at home by his woman, who was none too pleased with his evening's female-oriented activities. She doctored up his usual fried chicken meal the next morning with an ungodly amount of spice as an act of revenge; unfortunately for her, Prince actually loved the dish. Shortly thereafter, Prince turned this dish into what would eventually become Prince's Hot Chicken Shack, the original purveyor of what has become Nashville's signature dish and the latest and greatest thing in many cities around the country.

The latter has certainly been the case here in Columbus. In fact, you might even call it a takeover of sorts in this area, as the folks at Hot Chicken Takeover (HCT) have turned this flaming creation into a local phenomenon of long lines, community giving and critical acclaim, including Columbus Alive's designation as Best Restaurant in its 2015 Readers Poll.

In many ways, owner Joe DeLoss' brainstorm of an eatery has led a charmed life. From its origins as a mere idea after a Nashville-area visit in late 2013, DeLoss created a somewhat unconventional weekend pop-up restaurant in one of Columbus' still emerging neighborhoods in Olde Towne East. Hallmarks of this pop-up involved, among other things, a pre-ordering of your meal via event tickets, free beverages (both water and their Ma's Sweet Tea,) community-styled seating that encouraged interaction between strangers, and a community support component (including an emphasis on hiring those who have traditionally had problems getting work and a program where tips are put toward HCT employee benefits.)

The buzz created from their operation led to a temporarily temporary/now permanent second floor space at Columbus' destination North Market, followed by a successful crowdfunding campaign for a food truck. With that truck, HCT has been taking its wares to various local events (including Columbus Crew games) and on a summer "tour" of Columbus' community stops (as determined by a popular vote campaign), including their original "home" neighborhood of Olde Towne East.

While HCT has adapted to its North Market brick-and-mortar location,
the base model that emerged from its pop-up days has stayed in tact

The HCT formula was tweaked over time at their original pop-up (the ticketing system went by the wayside, replaced by a more standard payment system and a social media-based notification system on what chicken was left for ordering) but the eventual end product is more or less what one will find at their North Market brick-and-mortar location. Lines at the usual busy times are commonplace but the queue typically goes fairly fast. Meanwhile, long bench seating duplicates the community-style dine-in experience of the pop-up restaurant, and a chalkboard keeps updated "what's left" chicken piece numbers for visitors. Containers of Ma's Sweet Tea, Water, and a table of various condiments are found just past the ordering area.

HCT's fried chicken mirrors the typical preparation (basically, chicken is brined, double-fried and rubbed with a cayenne-based paste) and service (the chicken comes with pickles and basic white bread) of its Nashville poultry cousin. The ordering has remained much the same as its pop-up location: the diner chooses the type of chicken (wings, drumsticks, white, dark, boneless or a sandwich) and the spice level (cold, warm, hot and holy (aka extremely hot)). All orders come with mac 'n cheese or cole slaw by default, though you can decline the sides and pay less. Extra pieces and/or sides (such as waffles) can also be ordered, and a kid's meal is also available. Banana pudding is available as a sweet treat for the end of the meal, and Boylan's Cola is available for folks who aren't into their sweet tea.

From the Top Left: HCT's base model dark meat combo (holy spice
level); a peek inside their sandwich; free beverages include
water and Ma's Sweet Tea

As spicy food lovers, we had heard about Nashville hot chicken before HCT's establishment, and we were more than eager to try their "holy" level chicken, but for our first visit we wanted to come in at one level below that to get an idea of what we were in for and settled for "hot." My spouse is a dark meat lover and went for their dark thigh and leg combo, while I decided to try out their sandwich.

No complaints from either of us here for either of our dishes: both had a nice kick from the cayenne, and chicken itself had a nicely crunchy exterior and juicy meat interior. As for our sides, the Ma's Mac was appropriately cheesy and gooey (sandwich orderers get double the mac 'n cheese, as the slaw goes onto the sandwich), and we both appreciated the tangy, non-mayo-based slaw. The sweet tea also seems to hit the right spot, coming just underneath a level that would be considered cloying by our standards.

Our later dive into the "holy" level for us was undertaken with the same order for my spouse (the dark thigh and leg combo) while I went with the white bone-in breast chicken. If nothing else, it demonstrated to me two things, one of which I knew and one of which was slightly unexpected. First, our spice tolerances have increased: the heat burn (a warming but not uncomfortable sensation) from the chicken was felt outside on the lips and chin rather than inside our mouths.

Secondly, I figured out I didn't need to the hottest level to enjoy HCT's chicken - this was still as juicy and crispy as the hot level, and I'm sure the "cold" level chicken (which I would not mind trying in the future) will be equally as tasty and juicy despite the lack of spice. My spouse, on the other hand, loved this spice level, and will have no problems keeping the "holy" level as her default on our future visits.

Hot Chicken Takeover

North Market. 2nd Floor
59 Spruce St. (Arena District)

Columbus, OH 43215

(614) 800-4538

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Fried Chicken Bender (Pt. 4): The Greenhouse Tavern

Greenhouse Tavern is one of Chef Jonathan Sawyer's
quadfecta of Cleveland-based culinary delights

Recent James Beard Award winner Jonathon Sawyer and, more specifically, his culinary ventures have been on the radar of many Columbus-area food-oriented folks for quite awhile. Tavern Vinegar Company, a collaboration with Columbus-based Middle West Spirits, has produced a well-received line of craft vinegars. Also, Sawyer's popular American take on Japanese Ramen, Noodlecat, has after much speculation announced its arrival into the Columbus market, hopefully set for the start of 2016 at the latest, per this Columbus Crave interview with the chef himself.

Of course, a roughly three-hour drive north on I-71 will bring you into the Cleveland city limits where Team Sawyer's eateries are located. Other than the previously mentioned Noodlecat, diners have the Northern Italian-based Trentina and his flagship eatery, the eco-friendly Greenhouse Tavern, to choose from. On recent travels up to this area, I had the chance to drop by the latter for a quick fried-chicken oriented dinner.

Cleveland's East 4th Street Neighborhood reminds me a bit of a more modern, fashionable combination of San Francisco's Maiden Lane and Belden Place, both pedestrian-oriented streets lined with restaurants and shopping. Greenhouse Tavern, which has no lack of hip flair within its space, lies more or less smack dab in the middle of this corridor.

Dining at the bar gives you a good look at the bicycles, burgundy
walls, and bustling space at the tavern while you
choose from a base menu of gastropub-style items.

Solo dining does have its advantages in that it's often fairly easy to grab a seat at the bar when its crowded (as was the case this day) and people who work the bar are generally pretty good about getting food and drinks to you. This turned out to be the case with my visit: my orders were handled pretty quickly and the light conversation with the bar staff was a pleasant distraction in what was overall a very bustling and sometimes noisy space.

While the Tavern does have a few craft beer choices, adult beverage choices lean more toward wine and the harder spirits, with a single malt whiskey and scotch menu. A separate menu contains coffee beverage selections from Cleveland-based Phoenix Coffee as well as options from their rare tea cellar.

Greenhouse Tavern's Barrel-Aged Tabasco Fried Chicken

While the Crispy Chicken Wings Confit (served with roasted jalapeño, lemon juice, scallions and garlic) had initially grabbed my attention, Greenhouse Tavern's Barrel-Aged Tabasco Fried Chicken eventually got the call on this night. As has been said, butter makes everything better, and a large gob of it was slathered on the two pieces of fried chicken on my platter, melting quite temptingly over both pieces. Suffice it to say, the butter only accentuated moist meat within; meanwhile, the Tabasco gave just a light tinge of heat to the crispy exterior. While some may think a double-digit price tag is a bit much for the dish (in general, Greenhouse Tavern's prices do range on the higher end of scale for their respective items) it was nevertheless a tasty rendition of the fried bird.

The base model Pommes Frites were a treat

I couldn't not say anything about the frites; apparently none other than Cleveland-based chef Michael Symon gave his "Best Thing I Ever Ate: Guilty Pleasures" designation to Greenhouse Tavern's Gravy Frites. That was not in the cards for me this night (my arteries were clogging from just thinking of topping my fried chicken off with this dish) but it didn't mean I couldn't NOT try the base model of their frites. Not that their Pommes Frites, fried in duck fat and coated with rosemary and raw garlic with a side of aioli, were that much healthier, but I at least felt mentally more relieved from a health standpoint as I consumed this delicious dish.

Greenhouse Tavern
2038 East Fourth Street
Cleveland, OH 44115
(216) 443-0511
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Fried Chicken Bender (Pt. 3): Bonchon

Bonchon's new location in Northwest Columbus

As I have mentioned in a previous post about the Ajumama food truck, Korean cuisine was something I just didn't pursue too much when I was living in San Francisco. There really was no good reason for it except I just didn't. That also probably explains why I never even attempted to pursue the dish that local Bay Area food-oriented types seemed to be always on the look out for in the years before I left for the Buckeye state: Korean Fried Chicken, often referred to informally as "KFC."

Since I have moved to Columbus, my pursuit as well as appreciation of the cuisine has slowly and steadily increased. My spouse and I have both started exploring the local scene and cooking up some Korean dishes at home (my spouse inadvertently created the absolute most tongue-burning Korean-style beef and regularly mixes up a homemade kimchi for consumption at dinner.)

I had seen signs announcing the opening of a restaurant up in the highly-retail-oriented area of Northwest Columbus at Sawmill and State Route 161. I took note of this what appeared to be a Korean-oriented eatery but didn't pay it much mind at the time; little did I know it was going to be the newest location of Bonchon, an internationally reknowned purveyor of a fried treat known in Korea as Yangnyeom Tongdak, or what most state-siders refer to as Korean Fried Chicken or "KFC."

The Korean style of preparing fried chicken results basically is a twice-frying/twice-flavoring affair. Twice-frying the pieces gives the bird an eminently crackly crust, while the twice-flavoring (usually done via marinading or a dry rub on the bird before frying followed by a coating of the finished pieces in sauce) gives the bird a unique blend of flavor profiles.

Well, geez, we can't let this opportunity go to waste, can we?

Bonchon's interior space is dominated by red and black tones and
reminders of their global and major media reach

Founded in 2002 in South Korea, Bonchon has expanded internationally with numerous locations throughout Asia, with additional franchises in Bahrain and the United States (the first location was opened in Fort Lee, New Jersey in 2006) and much notice in numerous media outlets throughout the world. The new Columbus location is now one of 30+ franchises within this country.

Bonchon has transformed the interior of the former Asian Go home into a cool, clean but not overly busy space dominated by red and black color tones. The large mural displaying famous landmarks and the city names where Bonchon franchises reside is perhaps the most prominent outward display of its worldwide recognition factor for visiting diners.

Yes, the chicken is good: for us, we got as much pleasure from the sensation of the biting into that crackly thin skin as much as the taste of the chicken. I am betting there are better versions of Korean Chicken out there, but Bonchon's wings have set a pretty nice control score for future explorations. Being the spiceheads that we have evolved into, we did slightly prefer their Spicy over their Soy Garlic wings, but we found them both quite delicious.

Bonchon offers select draft beer and other Asian/Korean standards
like Bibimbap, but their fried chicken is the star of the show

After tasting how good the chicken was, Bonchon's other mains in my almost seem relegated to side dishes in my mind. We did sample their Bulgogi Bibimbap, which I thought could've used a little more bulgogi in the mix; it did have plenty of rice for diners to balance their protein intake with a starch. Other Korean and Asian standards available on their menu include Japchae, Tteokbokki (a stir-fried dish combining cakes of both rice and fish with glass noodles, onions and Korean red pepper sauce) and Takoyaki (octopus balls, familiar to fans of Columbus' Freshstreet.)  The actual advertised side dishes, including the pickled daikon radish and kimchee coleslaw provide a tangy-enough change-of-pace for diners' palates.

Beverage offerings are a fairly standard-issue affair, with the usual pop choices and a small draft beer list, including Columbus Brewing's base-model IPA, available.

In an experiment, I wanted to see if that textural experience with the regular chicken would translate over to their chicken strips. Based on this sampling, the flavor profiles match up, but I found that unique crackly texture found in their regular chicken only spottily duplicated on the strips.

Bonchon
3586 W Dublin-Granville Rd. (Northwest)
Columbus, OH 43235
(614) 389-4026
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Fried Chicken Bender (Pt. 2): White House Chicken (Barberton, OH)

White House Chicken is one of several purveyors of
Barberton, Ohio's uniquely-styled fried chicken

Since my time here in Ohio, I have overheard several mentions of a regional fried chicken specialty hailing from the Northeast Ohio town of Barberton. As the story goes, European immigrants had been for many decades putting out a unique style of fried chicken that has made this town of roughly 27,000 people a culinary destination for both locals and visitors alike and earning it a reputation for some as the "Fried Chicken Capital of the World."

While intriguing, this wasn't quite enough to warrant a special trip up simply to try the chicken in my book. But as fate would have it, a recent trip to pick up a friend of ours took us into the Canton area, which would be followed by subsequent journey together to the northwest area of the state. Barberton was one of several towns perfectly situated for a sit-down lunch, and the mention of this fried chicken basically sealed the deal in terms of what we'd be eating.

Barberton currently has four separate eateries serving this specialty, and White House Chicken, with four locations around the immediate area, proved to be the most conveniently located for our travels.

White House's interior reflects the nothing-too-fancy vibe
that reflects its origins and six decades plus of existence.

While White House's space has been modified and renovated over its six decades of existence, its original modest beginnings are reflected in its interior. There is really nothing fancy about the space; the tables, chairs and booth seating are definitely from an earlier decade or three. But that seems to be just fine with the restaurant's owners - as their menu description declares, White House has "found something that works and...stuck with it."  The regulars who filed in after we did didn't seem to mind too much either; in many ways, it reminded me of a community hall, where members of an organization or group would gather on a regular basis for a home-cooked meal to celebrate some upcoming holiday or event.

White House's menu selections and sides also reflect the simplicity
with which their fried chicken is prepared

We ended up getting the regular fried chicken, chicken tenders and some fried fish fillets along with a multitude of sides for group sampling. Barberton-style chicken is essentially a Serbian variation on the fried bird. Traditionally, the bird is chopped up in smaller pieces and prepared very simply by rolling each piece in flour followed by eggs and breadcrumbs. Finally, the pieces are fried in lard. As we found out, this process results in a chicken crust that is uniquely crunchy and chewy at the same time and a juicy interior. The crust of the fish fillets also took up this texture, though to a lesser degree.

The lack of seasoning seems to be a point of division among fried chicken aficionados - some do not care for it, but for us it was fine. For me personally, it reminded me of my dad's own simple version of fried chicken, which was not breaded but rather lightly enhanced with a little bit of salt and pepper. The chicken tenders also fell into the same flavor/texture profile as well.

The menu is also pretty simple (recently instituted menu changes have alleviated some confusion in regards to the white meat/dark meat piece groupings) for diners: basically, it all depends on how much fried chicken and/or fish you want, your choice of white and/or dark meat, as well as any number of sides. Continuing the simplicity theme, the sides themselves are base-model affairs from the bread slices to the green beans and the applesauce. Their touted hot sauce (which is jarred and available for purchase) is not really spicy at all, reminding me more of rice-laden tomato soup; your enjoyment of this side will definitely vary. Perhaps the most enjoyable side for all of us was the coleslaw, texturally pleasing (chopped versus shredded cabbage) with a straight-up vinegary tang.

I'd say all fried chicken aficionados owe at least one visit to this area of Ohio to give this unique take on the dish an honest shot. Whether it's White House or one of one of the three other eateries serving this regional specialty, you can be assured that you'll be taking a bite of local history as well as a little taste of the old country.

White House Chicken

180 Wooster Rd. N

Barberton, OH 44203

330-745-0449
(Other locations in Green, Talmadge and Wadsworth)
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Fried Chicken Bender (Pt. 1): Mya's Fried Chicken

Mya's Fried Chicken, a mobile vendor staple of Clintonville since
2012, has come back from hiatus to rejoin the Columbus food scene

In Columbus, fried chicken has become something of the new "in" food, with well-regarded recent arrivals like the Short North's Double Comfort and the former Olde Towne East/current North Market vendor Hot Chicken Takeover (their take on Nashville-style chicken earned them a Best New Restaurant nod by readers of Columbus Alive), and a new entry from across the Pacific Ocean creating some initial good impressions (Korean Fried Chicken purveyor Bonchon in Northwest Columbus.)

These places have either made a favorable impression on the spouse and I, or are awaiting visits from us in the very near future. However, all the hubbub over the past year created by these newcomers hasn't made us forget about what now qualifies as relative veteran in this genre, and a veteran that for awhile looked it may have kicked the proverbial chicken bucket.

Mya's Fried Chicken mobile food truck had been a regular fixture in its Clintonville location next to the Super Food Mart convenience store since its opening in the summer of 2012. Owner Mark Tolentino, a professional chef with nearly 17 years of experience in the restaurant and catering scene on the East Coast and Ohio prior to starting Mya's, not only loved southern-style fried chicken, but also found it hard to find it around the Columbus area. This inspiration, in combination with the increasingly burgeoning food truck scene, brought Mya's to life.

Mya's not only offers a tasty selection of Southern Fried
Chicken styled items, but accentuates their menu with
special Filipino cuisine offerings

Along with its very delicious rendition of fried chicken, Mya's also stood out with their occasional delving into Filipino cuisine, another cuisine that is not found much around the Columbus metro. On their Filipino nights, the owners did a good job of introducing locals to some of this cuisine's basic dishes, producing solid renditions of pancit (the Filipino version of lo mein or chow mein), adobo (meat stewed with vinegar and other various spices and sauces), lumpia (a Filipino egg roll) and leche flan, a sweet custard dessert.)

Everything seemed to be operating as normal when on an early weekend in September 2014, a post on Mya's Facebook page reported food truck problems and a closure over the weekend to get them fixed. The hiatus lasted well beyond that weekend, however, with an October Facebook post from Mark stating that his food truck was going on hiatus but that the ultimate aim was to reopen in the near future.

And then, nothing. I had originally written and initially finished this blog post on Mya's a day or so prior to the first post reporting the truck issues in September. This post, like the truck, stood in hiatus as every check back on their Facebook page came up with no new updates as to the food truck's fate, I wondered if both this blog post and the tasty fried chicken & biscuit sliders would be my last mementos from this mobile vendor.

Finally, a source in the know indicated that Mya's may be stirring to life soon, and a Facebook post from owner Mark confirmed the good news: they were gearing up for a comeback. There were a combination of factors for the hiatus mentioned in the post, but in reality, the fact that they were coming back was by far the most important detail.

Mya's re-opening day in May, in a new location in Clintonville at
North High and North Broadway, saw enthusiastic
crowds, a grateful owner and that delicious fried chicken

We dropped by on Mya's reopening day of May 14th at their new location just a little farther up North High Street but still smack dab in Clintonville. The first thing we noticed was the space was a lot more roomy than their previous convenience store location, with more spots to park and a couple tables set up in front of the nearby office building for those who wanted to dine there. The second thing we noticed was the enthusiastic crowd, all seemingly long-time fans happy and ready to welcome an old friend was back in the neighborhood again.

And the food? The fried chicken was as crispy and juicy as we had remembered it; along with a collection of solid sides (our favorite is their Mac and Cheese), it made for a terrific dinner.

Mark himself came out of the truck to give a heartfelt thank you to everyone who was waiting for their orders, and during my brief chat with him, he promised Mya's would eventually go back to similar operating hours before the hiatus as well as more special Filipino cuisine nights. But for the time being, Mya's will be sticking with limited dinner hours (Thursday thru Saturday 4:30 PM - 7:30 PM.)

Mya's Fried Chicken
3400 N High St (Clintonville)
Columbus, OH 43202
(614) 464-9999
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Sonoma Day-Tripping: Fremont Diner/Mission Sonoma San Francisco/Adobe Road Winery

Our California travels during the holidays, unlike other visits in the past, were marked by days or half-day trips instead of extended multi-day affairs. One of these excursions was marked with a quick road trip along Highway 12 into Sonoma, where we dropped by an old favorite, absorbed a little California history, and did a little wine tasting along the way.

The Fremont Diner has gained a loyal following since its opening in 2009

Fremont Diner - this roadside diner had been formerly the home of a long-standing roadside dive Babe's Burgers and Franks, which had a reputation for good burgers. After Babe's closed, over a year passed before the building was remade and reopened in mid-2009 by owner Chad Harris. Despite the cramped (though nicely nostalgically-decorated) interior space and window-only service, diners started to flock here as word spread the delicious Southern-styled eats being created here using locally sourced food purveyors.

I myself had been a frequent visitor of the diner while I was still residing in the Bay Area, and my spouse got the pleasure of tasting their wares on our first year dating anniversary trip out to California in 2011. Our last year's Christmas-time trip to California was our first chance for a revisit since then.

Exterior changes were the first thing that caught my eye on this return back to the diner. The hand-painted clumsy-in-a-charming way original Fremont Diner sign had been relegated to the back of the property. Even when this sign was up front, the restaurant was (and still is) easy to drive past if you aren't sure what to look for.

Clockwise from top left: Glass jugs of complimentary water; a "Greetings
 from Sonoma" mural from the now-enclosed outdoor seating area; a shot
of the Fremont Diner kitchen; and dishes of deliciousness ready to go

In addition, the outdoor grassy area with picnic tables next to the restaurant with had been enclosed, providing a shelter from inclement weather or extreme temperatures. With indoor seating packed as usual and cold temperatures (by California standards) that morning, it was a welcome sight this morning. This enclosed space had some additional neat features, including a natty Sonoma-oriented mural and play things for the kids (I spied two buckets of Mr. Potato-Head toys, amongst other items.)

Another welcome change was the switch to table service, which is a fairly recent change from the order at the window queue I was used to going through every time I dropped by for a visit. Being a bit chilly in the outdoor seating, we immediately ordered a pot of French Press coffee; the diner uses the roasts of San Francisco-based Four Barrel Coffee.

Clockwise from top left: Four Barrel French Press Coffee; Nashville Fried
Chicken and Mac 'N Cheese (from an earlier visit); and our breakfast this
morning: Black Pepper Brisket Hash and the Chilaquiles

While there are many delicious things to sample here at Fremont, my personal leanings are toward their Nashville-style chicken (yes, take note all you Hot Chicken Takeover fans who might be heading to the Bay Area soon) and anything involving pork. No chance for fried chicken this early in the morning (we did find an archival photo of their finger-licking version of this dish from a previous visit, as seen above), but we found some acceptably delectable substitutes in the Black Pepper Brisket Hash ($10.99) and their take on Chilaquiles ($11.99). The spouse was taken aback at first at not getting a corned beef flavor profile, but got in tune with the smoky profile of the brisket in her hash. The addition of pickled onions in my chilaquiles add both a bit of color and extra zing to Fremont Diner's otherwise solid take on this Mexican classic.

The Fremont Diner has a whole lot more to choose from, including craft ciders and beers, desserts (including butterscotch pudding and lemon chess meringue pie slices) and the recent addition of barbecue dinners spring of 2014. Perhaps the best advice if you decide to stop by is bring an appetite and/or bring a lot of friends: there's a lot of good stuff to be found in Fremont Diner's seasonally-oriented menus, and there is no real mystery why this place remains a favorite destination for many.

The Fremont Diner
2698 Fremont Dr. (CA Highway 12 - Google Maps)
Sonoma, CA  95476
(707) 938-7370
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The front of  Mission San Francisco Solano, the most
northernmost mission on the famed El Camino Real

Mission San Francisco Solano - there is no doubting the influence that Spanish settlers had in many areas throughout the Americas, and California was an area where that influence was profound. Much of this influence was brought on by those of the Catholic faith: from the mid-1700s all the way to statehood in 1859, representatives from the Franciscan Order, led by Father Junipero Serra, setup missions throughout the state with the idea to colonize the area as well as bring Christianity to the native peoples.

This Spanish colonization had consequences both positive (mainly via introduction into California of modern agricultural technology and European vegetables, fruits and horses) and negative (particularly in relation to the decline and decimation of Native populations from exposure to diseases and the attempts to turn and keep individuals into Christianity.) An inexpensive way to dive into this chapter of California history lies in a visit to one of these sites.

The main mission building, restored after the 1906 San Francisco
Earthquake damaged the structure, contains many informational exhibits,

Mission San Francisco Solano in Sonoma, operated by California State Parks and part of the Sonoma State Historic Park, is the northernmost and last established (construction began in 1823) outpost along what became known as El Camino Real (translation: The Royal Highway). This road connected the 21 missions of what was then Alta California as well as assorted military presidios and pueblas such that a traveler could make it between outposts with one day's travel.

The only mission established while an independent Mexico ruled the region, Mission Solano San Francisco operated as such for only 11 years before it was officially closed in 1834. From there, the building underwent numerous ownership transfers and uses as well as increasing neglect until the property was bought by the California Landmarks League in 1903. Restoration efforts began several years after this purchase before the full transfer of the property to the state of California took place in 1926.

Various scenes from around the Mission, including the chapel and
the fenced-in courtyard behind the main building.

Admission to the Mission property will get you into several sites which now make up the Sonoma Historic Sites Park, including the Military Barracks and nearby Casa Grande Servants Quarters, the Toscano Hotel, and two homes associated with General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, who was influential in the military, business and political realm in the years just before, during after the Mexican-American War as well as the subsequent statehood of California.

Exhibits inside the Sonoma Barracks, including a original
California Bear Republic flag. We also dropped by the Toscano
Hotel and the Casa Grande Servants Quarters.

The Mission and associated Sonoma Historic Sites Park is open 365 days a year except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.

Sonoma State Historic Park
363 Third Street West
Sonoma, CA 95476
(707) 938-9560
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The interior of Adobe Road Winery, including their delicious wines.

Adobe Road Winery - I have a confession here to divulge: for all the years of residing next door to the most famous of the Bay Area's wine countries, I really was not much into wine tasting or drinking. My spouse and I have visited wineries since we've been together, but they never have been approached as enthusiastically as our pursuit of breweries.

Not that this visit to Adobe Road, located in the heart of Downtown Sonoma will change this tendency, but this was perhaps my first wine tasting where there was not a blah wine in the bunch. This was also a wine tasting that will guarantee a return visit at some point.for us.

This winery tasting room (the main winery is located in Petaluma), located on the main plaza in downtown Sonoma, is part of the boutique wine hobby/business of Kevin and Debra Buckler. Their prime business lies in auto racing, started in 1992 with the founding of their The Racing Group (TRG) race team (they now race under the banner of TRG-Aston Martin.) The Bucklers' have been quite successful at this prime venture, concentrating mainly on the Gran Turismo (GT) racing circuit with a brief dalliance with the NASCAR circuit in the late 2000s.

Their winery, started a few years after the founding of the racing team, has both received the same level of passion from the Bucklers and seen its own measure of success with highly-rated wines and various awards. On this visit, we had only been intending to grab a bottle of their old vine Zinfandel for my father-in-law, who had been wowed by it on a previous visit to the area. But as we got closer, we began to start thinking to ourselves, "Well, we're here...why not taste what they have?

Adobe Road Winery offers a standard tasting on weekdays of $15 and a tasting of their reserve wines on weekends for $25; both those fees are waived if you decide to purchase some wine. Our visit this day came with two bonuses, the first in the form of our host. Alec was a wonderful host, engaging in both his humor as well as his knowledge of the winery and the wines we were sampling. Our second bonus came in the day we visited: since we came on a Monday, we found out that the there were leftover wines from the premium tasting from the weekend. Since the wines would simply be tossed out due to oxidation, we were able to sample their entire available collection.

At the end of our wine tasting, my spouse and I agreed we could have been happy purchasing ANY of the bottles of wine they had for sale. Our fortune to sample the premium wines worked out for both us and Adobe Road, as we walked out with a bottle of their delicious Cabernet Franc along with the requested old vine Zinfandel for my father-in-law. This Cab Franc will definitely be a wine we save for a very special occasion.

Adobe Road Winery (Tasting Room)
481 1st Street West
Sonoma, CA 95476
(707) 939-9099
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Harvest Swoon: Harvest Bar and Kitchen

Our first encounter with Harvest Pizzeria was back in 2012 on our first ever Columbus Food Adventures tour of German Village. Back then, the business was just in its infancy, and their basic Margherita pizza slices we sampled showed us they had potential to stick around for a while.

Sure enough, Harvest has made good on that initial notion: after opening up both their Curio Bar as well as The Sycamore Cafe (now known simply as The Sycamore) in the same neighborhood, they have branched out to the north and opened up Harvest Bar & Kitchen (HBK) in Clintonville in the former space occupied by Mozart's Cafe.

Inside, HBK's space has been smartly attired in a rustic/country modern motif, in a somewhat similar vein of the recently visited Double Comfort. The interior layout hasn't changed too much from told Mozart's space save maybe for the seating. Seating is available at HBK's bar area, which takes over where Mozart's pastry displays and coffee area once stood. While the heated patio seating area to the side of the building has been retained, additional seating space has been fenced off up front for the warmer seasons. And unlike Mozart's more intimate and private table positioning, HBK's inside seating arrangement lends a more communal feel to diners, as if you were sharing one single table with your fellow restaurant-goers.

HBK's Pizza Menu, plus interior space & decor

Harvest has brought their pizzas ($11 - $14; gluten-free crusts are available for $3 extra) with them to their Clintonville location, and they remain among the best in the metro area. Their Spicy Yuma (a scrumptious blend of local gouda cheese, chorizo, jalapeño, corn, red pepper and chipotle-laced sauce) will always be on the consideration list on future visits. Meanwhile, their Mushroom pie, with havarti and gouda cheeses topped with a mix of Athens County mushrooms, was also a solidly tasty pie. If you're not enamored of any of their preset combinations, a build-your-own pizza option is also available starting at $11 with a mix of no-charge and extra-charge items.

Top to Bottom:
Spicy Yuma Pizza
Fried Chicken Special
Mushroom Pizza

In addition, Harvest Bar and Kitchen has added a slew of additional menu items that, based on our first experiences, show a similar long-term promise that we experienced with their pizza a couple years ago. Harvest's Veggie Burger ($13) has joined my rotation of favorites in this metro area. Their HBK's version sports a seemingly kitchen-sink mix of ingredients including quinoa, wild rice, cashews, house-made giardiniera and Shagbark black beans; each bite provides a slightly different but quite enjoyable blend of flavors around an overall satiating unique taste profile.

On the other hand, HBK's weekend Fried Chicken special ($15) might be as decadent as their Veggie Burger is healthy. This combo is not only large in quantity (consisting of fried chicken breasts drizzled with spicy honey sauce and Benton's Country Ham served on buttermilk biscuits and remoulade, with a side of hush puppies and honey butter), but also large in taste as well. We had plenty leftover to bring with us back home to be enjoyed again the next day.

HBK does not skimp on the beverage choices. Beer in draft, canned and bottled forms is available, as well as a select cocktail menu and a fairly extensive wine selection.

Harvest's Neapolitan-style pizzas are definitely reason enough in itself for visiting either of their locations. However, it is their tasty expanded menu at their Clintonville location that make their Bar and Kitchen concept both a winning prospect for almost any diner and a definite on our personal rotation of regular favorites.

Harvest Bar and Kitchen
2885 N High St (Clintonville)
Columbus, OH 43202
(614) 947-7133
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