The WWWLC Club: Skillet

One of the first conversations my spouse and I had when we were still in the dating phase was neighborhoods we would like to settle in should we eventually decide to call the Columbus area our home. Not surprisingly, most of our focus, whether it was economically feasible or not, centered on the neighborhoods with a mix of retail and dining within fairly easy walking distance.

We've found many of the areas had eateries that we've considered "dangerous" next to live to only in that we'd be tempted to drop by there on a whim on almost any day. And then there are eateries such as Skillet, somewhat nondescript at the corner of Beech and Whittier in the Schumacher Place neighborhood, which go into an even more exclusive WWWLC (We Wished We Lived Closer) Club.

As diverse as we've found Columbus' culinary scene, and as adventurous as we try to be in exploring new places, Skillet would be a place that would automatically prompt weekly visits if we lived closer. But alas, 'tis not the case for us, so we make due with our irregular regular status, keeping Skillet always in the back of our mind always as a potential dining spot. It gets even more prominence as a destination should we be hosting friends or family in town.

Capitola Stroll: Sante Adairius Rustic Ales (Capitola, CA)

Sante Adairius Rustic Ales (SARA to the locals) has created out-the-door
lines with its line of farmhouse and saison-styled brews

We have been quite fortunate in our travels to happen on interesting places, whether it by deep research, sheer happenstance, or a mixture of both.  In the case of Sante Adairius Rustic Ales (referred to as SARA by the natives), located in a region of the state (the Santa Cruz/Monterey area) that acts as transition between the Northern and Central regions, it was a little of both. In our case, a willingness to extend our research boundaries just a little bit beyond the immediate Bay Area uncovered what sounded like an intriguing place to explore our mutual happy zone of sour and funky beers.

A bonus aspect to this journey is that the drive down from the Bay Area to the brewery is especially beautiful on a sunny day, as it was on the day of our trip. I-280 just south of Daly City is designated by the state of California as a scenic highway, gently curving through tree-laden hills and offering shimmering views of the two bodies of water that are the Crystal Springs Reservoir. Civilization is not even hinted at until you spy the Stanford University Dish, a radio telescope set in the foothills.

Continuing on, the bustle of the Silicon Valley surrounds you until you reach the exit for Highway 17. Eventually, redwoods and windy road curves become dominant as you ascend into and out of the Santa Cruz Mountains over Patchen Pass down to Santa Cruz itself. There, the Pacific Ocean pops in and out of sight behind more coastal trees and fauna southward along Highway 1 (the famed PCH Pacific Coast Highway) until you reach Capitola, the quaint town where Sante Adairius makes its home.

On busy days, the buzz that Sante Adairius has generated is in
full display within a cozy but playful interior space

Even with a 2014 taproom expansion, Sante Adairius is still cozy enough to make it prone to line-out-the-door moments during the busier times. Our arrival on a weekend just after lunchtime just after Christmas was no exception; in fact, the line for beer never really seemed to disappear the entire time we were there. Essentially, the brewery's existing space for guests and brewery staff members alike is a melding of the production area in the back and what would typically be a reception area in front. Fun, personal touches abound, such as photograph walls (many of them feature creatures of the four-legged variety), a bathroom dubbed "Der Tinkerhaus", and named beer tanks (my personal favorite was the #1 tank, dubbed "Good Karma".)

Tim Clifford is the main man behind Sante Adairius. Along with fellow co-head-brewer Jason Hansen as well as fellow co-owner/wife Adair Paterno (as detailed in this Beer Samzidat blog post, the name of the brewery, although complex in its origin, is essentially Clifford's tribute to his wife), this trio has generated a reputation of brewing some of the most interesting sour and barrel-aged beers around. Those styles dominated the tap list, though a couple of porters in the form of their Vanilla Joe and Chavez were also available for consumption. Along with in-house consumption, several people came in to happily fill up their growlers with their favorite brews.

Those with growlers have something of an advantage over that of a visitor driving through town for a short visit. As we found out, something unique to Sante Adairius are their bottled beers that are strictly consumable in-house (the brewery did have their bottled "Cellarman" Oak-fermented Saison, done in collaboration with Triple Rock Brewery & Alehouse in Berkeley, available to take home, something we happily partook in.) We initially were inclined to the grab a couple of pints from the tap list, but a bomber of the in-house-only Love's Armor, a blend of their Farmhouse Noir ("a darker and stronger take on the Saison style" as noted on their website) and the Chavez (Sante Adairius rye porter that has been fermented on cherries) was available and something my spouse could not resist. This was a good one: a smooth, tart cherry (but not too tart) dominated at first, but then the malt and a little of the spicy bite that rye gives you from the porter came in to finish things off nicely.

Oh, Mercy Mercy: our two brews from Sante Adairius were oh so delicious...

We couldn't resist one more so we went in both on a pint of Mercy Mercy, a barrel-aged saison brewed in collaboration with Manresa, a highly-regarded, fine-dining restaurant (earning a Michelin Guide 3-Star rating in 2015) based out of nearby Los Gatos. Again, this was another winner, with a pleasantly funk-forward palate and more sour character than most saisons and sporting a clean finish.

This review is something of an incomplete one; we in no way got to sample as many of Sante Adairius' wares as we would've liked on this six-stop travel day. However, it's very easy to see why the buzz is deserved based on the beers we did actually have, and it gives us personally plenty of incentive to return. If we had been able to camp out longer at the tasting room, we discovered that they do have a food option available with Aptos Street BBQ. This eatery (which sports its own impressive craft beer tap and bottle inventory itself) makes two runs out to the brewery every day as long as you call in your order prior to the cut-off times.

For the Central Ohio craft beer aficionado traveling to the Bay Area, Capitola is a slight bit out-of-the-way (a one and a half-hour drive sans traffic) if San Francisco is your center of focus. However, if you find yourself a fan of the saisons of Lancaster's Rockmill Brewery and/or a fan of funk-laden/sour brews in general, and you happen to have the Santa Cruz/Monterey area as part of your travel docket, Sante Adairius pretty much qualifies as a must-visit.

Sante Adairius Rustic Ales
103 Kennedy Dr.
Capitola, CA 95010
(831) 462-1227
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Happily Stuck on 101: 101 Beer Kitchen

Dublin's 101 Beer Kitchen has been one of our favorite places
to be "stuck" at for some good food and brew

Back in the Bay Area, it was a common experience for me and other automobile drivers to be stuck on US Highway 101. The combination of tourist destinations along this highway's breadth along with its city street status through most of the San Francisco city limits leads to some of the worse backups within the region. My spouse and I were rudely reminded of this fact on our last return trip to California, as it took more than an hour from the airport to San Francisco itself (on a good day, one can make the trip from the airport to my parents place on the outskirts of the Napa Valley in an hour-and-a-quarter.)

In the Buckeye State, however, I've found that there's nothing wrong with being stuck on 101 for an hour or two, just as long as that 101 is Dublin-based 101 Beer Kitchen, just outside the I-270 Outerbelt near the intersection of Hard and Sawmill Roads.

101 Beer Kitchen is unique for me in that this is the first reviewed restaurant in Central Ohio where I really can't think of a close Bay Area equivalent off hand; such a place may be out there, but as of this date I have not found it. Their combination of seasonally-oriented, higher-quality, yet very accessible menu items and adult beverages (both cocktails and quality craft beer) has made this restaurant a go-to spot for my spouse and I shortly after its opening in October 2012.

The interior of 101 Beer Kitchen alternates rustic and modern, with a central
bar area and plenty of seating both inside and out. Despite the large space,
waits can be long during busy times, but most people don't seem to mind.

The interior of 101 Beer Kitchen meshes rustic touches (chalkboard menus, a fireplace and a wooden mail drop at the entrance) inside what is essentially an expansive modern strip mall space. Despite the relatively large space both inside and outside with their patio area, this eatery can be swamped during the usual busy periods, which I imagine can be a turn off for some. Generally speaking, however, we have found the service pretty good no matter how busy the restaurant is, and personally we don't mind waiting (we usually grab ourselves a beer from the bar during these times.)  Our last visit was actually during a rare slow time on a particularly snowy day, and the staff proved to be quite highly appreciative of our business.

From top left: Blackened Shrimp and Corn Cakes with Watermelon Salad; the
Beef Stroganoff with caramelized onions, the Salmon Burger with beet chips;
Pigs in a Blanket (with Kielbasa) appetizer, and the Crab Cake Skillet
with poached egg, potatoes, artichokes, onions and Hollandaise sauce.

Perhaps the best thing about their seasonally-adjusted menus is that you more than likely can find a delicious and well-prepared item that fits your mood at a pretty fair price. Perhaps that is why I've never found a true "favorite" here and am just willing to keep exploring the menu. My spouse feels similarly, though she has shown a tendency to choose any crab-oriented offerings when they are available.

Draft beer is the tip of the iceberg for 101 Beer Kitchen's beverage offerings

Similar to the food menu, you can usually find something to sate your beer cravings from their 18 taps; a selection of bottled and canned beers is also available if somehow the drafts aren't to your liking. A selection of seasonal and brunch-oriented cocktails is also available to diners, as well as a select collection of premium spirits, including that of locally-based distiller Middle West Spirits.

Since their opening, 101 Beer Kitchen has succeeded in expanding their business, including the addition of weekend brunch as well as special beer dinner events that focus on either various beer styles or the offerings of well-known local and national craft brewers.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that this restaurant has got a good thing going on, so perhaps it's not too surprising that a second location is scheduled to open across the metro in the city of Gahanna on March 16. I suspect that if 101 Beer Kitchen merely repeats the formula it has had two years to perfect at their Dublin location at their new venue, Gahanna residents will also find themselves quite happy to be stuck on 101 on a regular basis.

101 Beer Kitchen
7509 Sawmill Rd
Dublin, OH 43016
(614) 210-1010
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New location in Gahanna (scheduled opening: March 16th)
397 Stoneridge Ln
Gahanna, OH 43230
(614) 934-5501