Banana Bean Cafe, Columbus OH

Weekend rounds on a Saturday with my family coming into town and my first day off in 21 days scheduled for Sunday...yeah, I was excited - I hadn't seen my sister since New Years and hadn't seen my mother or Aunt since the end of February. Sitting on the 8th floor of the hospital finishing up my notes for the day I dialed up Banana Bean -

"Hi, do you have any reservations available this morning?"
"Hang on, let me check." ::2 minute pause:: "Thank you for holding, how many people?"
"Four"
"What time?"
"12:45ish"
"We can only do 12:30 or 1:00"
"Okay 1:00 then"
"Name and phone number?"
-given-
"Okay, we'll see you at 1:00pm"

Quickly I made my way out of the hospital and met up with the family near Lennox, fired up the GPS, and made our way to the new location on Greenlawn. Arriving in front of the stark building I must admit I was a tad confused....there were five cars in the lot and no sign. Garmin, don't screw with me damnit, I'm hungry. Looking closer, however, I saw the banner....apparently this was indeed the place....with five cars....for our reservations that took over 2 minutes to make....for a specific time....perhaps there was an alternate lot, I thought....then I walked through the doors and....nope, two tables of 2, one table of 4, and a few employees. "Reservations for Mike" I announced. I only wish they'd have told us we were 15 minutes early and we'd have to wait at the bar.

Taking our seats upstairs I originally wasn't sure what to make of the place - clearly an old dive-bar recently converted I kind of liked the vibe and the music, while not my cup o' tea, was ambient and appropriate. Water was filled and menus offered by our server Sara who appeared to be either hung-over, tired, or as though she just got bitched out by her boss. After a few moments she returned to take drink orders - water, hot tea, two OJs - and to inform us that the grouper and plantains were not available. A few moments later the drinks were delivered - admittedly with some flare as a huge selection of designer teas were presented in a large wooden chest. Orders were taken and we were left to chat.

After a few moments I noticed an odd look on my mom's face and before I could inquire what was wrong Sara happened to return and my mom simply stated "I don't want to complain, but this is the worst orange juice I've ever tasted." With a confused look the waitress stated "Well, it’s not the fresh squeezed - we sold out of that." ......okay now, I understand selling out (a lie, we later found out when the owner came out to apologize and instead stated that their shipment was simply 5 hours late) but don't try to pass off Tropicana as Fresh Squeezed. It is interesting that after this unfortunate instance and the apology (not requested, but appreciated as Sara offered none) it was like Sara's twin replaced her (or the owner told her to correct her attitude) and her attitude improved significantly - she even smiled!

After approximately 10 more minutes the dishes began to arrive - the first being my appetizer portion of Cedar Key Shrimp & Grits, Smoked Bacon Etouffe, Creamy Goat Cheese Grits. In a word, sublime....honestly, after this I would've accepted Dick's Last Resort quality service. Four HUGE fresh Shrimp that were flawlessly broiled, wonderfully tender yet toothsome grits, savory goat cheese and smoky yet sweet bacon - call me crazy but I'd compare this preparation favorably to the vastly more expensive polenta at Spiaggia and Lola.

Next up we received our mains and sides, each presented piping hot from the kitchen and quite attractively plated for a "cafe" or "diner." For sides we selected two breads - the grilled Sourdough (decent, but it certainly isn't San Francisco) and Cat’s head Buttermilk Biscuits that both my sister and I have deemed the best buttermilk biscuits of all time. Served with all natural grape preserves at only $2 an order the biscuits were a steal and an absolute must order with their buttery-soft texture and mild hints of bacon. Yum.

For mains my mother selected the salad featuring Caramelized Apples, Buttermilk Blue Cheese, Candied Walnuts on Mesculin with spicy orange vinaigrette and I must admit it was better than expected considering the season. The apples were pan-roasted and tender, the walnuts wonderfully cinnamon sweet, and the Mesculin very fresh. I personally did not appreciate much orange to the vinaigrette, just a mild acidity that worked well with the sub-average blue cheese. A good salad, but if I were Banana Bean I'd switch cheese mongers....perhaps Blue Jacket?

For my sister, the Eggs Del Mar - 2 Poached Eggs atop House–made Creole Cornmeal-Dusted Crab Cakes and Seared Spinach & Roasted Tomato Hollandaise. While my sister quite liked this dish, I must admit that for myself it fell somewhat flat - especially since I don't like Hollandaise and my first reaction to the dish was "wow, the Hollandaise is pretty good." While nothing on the dish was "bad" per-se, the crab cakes were very bland and 50/50 filler-to-crab while the eggs were overly poached (firm) and relatively flavorless. Once again, better product sourcing and farm-fresh eggs could have definitely helped.

As my Aunt selected the item I'd had the most interest in, I skeptically opted for the Softshell Po Boy -Cornmeal-Dusted, Whole Soft Shell Crab on Grilled French Bread, With Shredded Lettuce, Ripe Tomatoes, and Remoulade and was quite impressed. A whole Soft-shell was quite expertly prepared and quite possibly "fresh-never-frozen" given its quality. The bread was wonderfully crunchy on the exterior with a soft and doughy interior and the Remoulade was appropriately spicy without ruining the nuances of the sweet crab. Too early in Ohio for local tomatoes I must say the ones served with the sandwich were far from "ripe" and thus discarded. Overall, possibly the best sandwich in town.

For my Aunt, the Bananas Foster French Toast with Fresh Berries of the Season and Captain Morgan Rum Sauce was the selection I'd originally considered....and a single bite made me glad I opted for the Po Boy. Absolutely slathered in sauce that tasted faintly of rum and a non-descript berry, the bread was crispy and eggy on the outside yet largely dry and boring within - overall a description of something that should've soaked for at least another couple minutes. Atop the dish were some wonderful bruleed bananas (the highlight of the dish) and Strawberries - 50% of which were large and flavorful and 50% of which were under-ripe. All told, for a dish that had so much promise my taste buds and those of my aunt echoed "Hello, flavor?"

Feeling relatively full yet mostly content our waitress cleared the plates and offered coffee and/or desserts. Never one to pass up dessert without at least seeing the menu I must admit all the options sounded rather enticing - but only one made us say yes - the Chocolate Cayenne Bread Pudding with Chipotle Crème Anglaise.

A fan of all things Bread Pudding and still looking for a Columbus version aside from The Refectory that truly shines I must admit that Banana Bean fared quite well with its unique take. Large pieces of chocolate brioche were absolutely scrumptious while the interplay of creamy sweet and spicy hot danced on the palate. Similar bruleed bananas to those on the French Toast added a contrasting fructose sweetness that proved a nice foil to the heat while plump raspberries added some crispy texture. If I had to fault the dish in any way, honestly, it would be the chipotle which added an unnecessary smoky flavor to the otherwise smooth flavors.

All told I liked Banana Bean's food and would compare it favorably to many good brunch/lunch places in the Midwest (The incredible Bongo Room excluded) but dishes were largely big hit or moderate miss and the service was spotty at best. Pricey for the quality I think part of the issue is sourcing - as noted with the below average berries, tomatoes, eggs, and cheese – while part of the issue is simply attitude. Perhaps I'll return when the local produce is better and before some items are sold out.....or after they are delivered - and when the place isn't so damned packed that I have to make reservations.

Little Next Door, Los Angeles CA

I love the idea of French bistro fare…alas we lack any such thing in most parts of the Midwest and specifically in Columbus – you’d be lucky to find a viable quiche let alone a crouque, terrine, or éclair. When deciding where to eat lunch on my shopping/browsing day in Los Angeles I’d originally thought sushi but after the excessive bill at Providence and an upcoming big meal with an old friend at Valentino I opted to go somewhat cheaper and look into the local French fare – specifically someplace that served Foie Gras terrine, Croque Madame, and pastry…a quick perusal of the net indicated that The Little Next Door was just the place.

Having heard mixed reviews of The Little Door in the past I admit there was some skepticism walking up to the jam packed bistro with its cute outdoor patio, but after seeing the food I figured I was in for a treat. Seated indoors by choice due to the loudness outside I chuckled as I made my way to the table and saw two oddly dressed poet-sorts rehearsing a script or play in the corner. I chuckled again later when I overheard the ladies at neighboring table discussing their heroin addict rocker boyfriends – like French Bistro fare, we lack these things in the places I’ve frequented in Ohio.

Greeted promptly by my server Ounaida I was reminded that despite the French name I was indeed in So-Cal and the multicultural kitchen staff furthered this notion – thankfully, however, the service and preparations were every bit on par with the authentic French staff of Butler and Chef in San Francisco. After listening to descriptions of the multiple specials of the day including a rabbit terrine and a duck confit sandwich I placed my orders I was brought a glass of water and a tasty French baguette that was cut and served with butter. As I waited for my food I stood up and browsed around the larder-esque interior which was laden with myriad jams, meats, preserves, terrines, pastries, and wines available to take home.

After approximately 10 minutes my first course arrived along with a guess that I was “not from around here” by my waitress. When I inquired about this assertion she stated that people don’t often order the foie gras for “ethical reasons.” Without getting into ‘food ethics’ – essentially the reason I avoid beef – I simply smiled and shrugged…and proceeded to enjoy a very good example of how a foie gras terrine should be done. Served with apricot puree and port reduction plus warm brioche toast points the terrine was smooth and cool, fatty and spreadable without being oily, and quite flavorful. While the brioche certainly wasn’t in line with the versions at TFL or Aqua, it was serviceable and buttery while the port reduction was sweet and savory and the apricot puree slightly sour with good texture. Served with a micro-salad with vinegar I rather would have liked something crisper as an accent, but at $18 the portion and quality were quite appropriate.

Finishing up my Foie, my second dish arrived relatively quickly and once again with a salad like the version with the Foie. The Little Next Door’s Croque Madame with an organic farm fresh egg was another good dish, though certainly not on par with that of Bouchon or The Butler and the Chef. Using a similar butter brioche to the previous toast points then topped with an adequate amount of cheese and the egg, there was vastly too little ham on the croque to provide sufficient texture and the overall consistency of the dish was somewhat mushy. Certainly fresh, at $13 I feel the dish was a bit overpriced for what it was and would look elsewhere in LA for my croque fix.

Having already eaten some of Paulette’s wonderful macarons earlier in the day I was somewhat tempted to try LND’s as a comparison but then my eyes wandered to the pastry case and the Tiramisu. Number two on my “must try” desserts (behind only bread pudding) the appearance alone of the Tiramisu with its fluffy balls of mascarpone had me hooked. Weary of versions in angled glasses due to the occasional concentration of rum at the base I started my taste at the top and was instantly wowed by the fluffiness of the mascarpone and the perfect accent of the cocoa. Digging deeper I found thin layer after thin layer of ladyfingers soaked in rum yet wonderful in consistency intermingled with even thinner layers of chocolate – and at the bottom of the glass, no rum…just a thick layer of chocolate ganache as though the creator realized the potential for pooling. Though I cannot be certain, my memory puts this Tiramisu at the apex of the ladder along with Jean-Philippe’s in Vegas and the portion size was significantly larger with a lower pricetag.

When it was all said and done I walked out of The Little Next Door very satisfied with the experience and despite my disappointment with the croque I was more than impressed by the Tiramisu. Similarly priced to Keller’s Bouchon I would put the experience on par to the Yountville version but not quite on par with the service and quality at the New York or Las Vegas locations. A good experience that I would recommend, especially given the broad range of menu options, and a good incentive to return and try the sister restaurant in the future – right after I try Chuch and State and Comme Ca for comparison.

Toast, Los Angeles California

Where the Griddle Cafe was all about enormous portions and good prices, Toast was all about image and quality. 100% natural ingredients and 100% delicious, breakfast consisted of omelets, bread, and fruit. My meal included chicken, onions, spinach, and portabellas with a fantastic whole grain bagel and mixed fruit dish that tasted more fresh than I've had in ages.

When the hip waiter stopped by after we were finished and asked "can I interest you in dessert?" my response of "Dessert at Breakast?" was met with "Yeah, what better time?" On his recommendation, a coffee cake muffin was split in half, buttered, and grilled. Cinnabon, eat your heart and trans-fats out, this place kicks your ass. To ANYONE visiting LA, put this item on your must have list, it is THAT good.

The rest of the experience.....meh, I prefer Doughboys and Griddle Cafe as a vacation breakfast, but if I lived in LA and beat the morning rush, I'd eat here based on the healtfulness, quality, and scene. On par with Northstar in Columbus.