Under the Table

The just-opened and excitingly terrific Explorer's Club has "next great Columbus restaurant" written all over it.

On the pretty pale green walls of this instantly hip, sophisticated and stylish place (that is as casual as a diner) are terrific wood-block artworks by Jeb Loy Nichols (a musician friend of Explorer's musician/chef and owner Ricky Barnes) depicting a wide range of brilliant pioneers like Coltrane, Lao-Tze and Jean Dubuffet. On Explorer's plates are sit-up-and-take-notice Southwestern-accented deliciousness with a strong commitment to local, fresh, healthy and even vegetarian (Barnes ran the Galaxy Cafe in Powell, which begat the Starliner Diner).

Here's a taste; expect a full review in Alive very soon:

Posole-riffing Green Chile and Barley Soup; Tofu Fries (superior textured, paired with a killer roasted chili sauce)

Awesome Underground Salad with homemade Green Goddess dressing

Juicy Chicken Banh Mi (fusion-y and on a homemade roll).

Speaking of reading the writing on the walls, after eating at the Explorer's Club, we stopped by the Vinchen art show at Invisible Gallery and organized by Rivet. It was full of well-deserving and fairly amusing (if also fish-in-a-barrel obvious) sarcastic jabs at exploitative, runaway and under-regulated capitalism. Here's poor old Ted Williams (you know, the golden-voiced guy "working" the Crew Stadium area) whose Columbus-initiated 15 minutes may be yet extended. 

Serving distinguished and delicious Israeli takes on Middle Eastern and Greek favorites, the wonderful Olive Tree is the best restaurant I know of in Hilliard. This is a rich version of hummus made spunky with a pickly relish.

Like other seasonal hunter/gatherers, I've also been out stalking and snaring squashy specials; I recently bagged a couple keepers with Knead's killer Pumpkin "Jinkie" (a Twinkie-inspired, maple-sheathed, pumpkin bread-y creamboat)...

 ...and The Angry Baker's amazing bit of vegan hocus-pocus, Pumpkin French Toast bathed in Ohio maple syrup. (What kind of an oxymoronic dish is eggless French Toast? Freakin' great, that's what.)  

A few new dynamite bites are brightening local menus, like...

... this "meaty" and dynamic, roasted and grilled Butternut Squash vegetarian small plate from G. Michael's;

And this killer duck-like treatment of pork shoulder (best eaten with "sticky rice") plus this...

...crazy great coconut milk, tomato and ground chicken dish — both new stars at Nida's Thai on High.

And for dessert, the insanely delicious but limited-time offering of Jeni's Pumpkin Tiramisu Parfait — the rare treat that actually deserves the label of "parfait."

OK, on the "What Not to Eat" side of the ledger is rugs...

Poor Flora (who has never even remotely done anything like this before) learned the hard way how easy it is to OD on rugs — which can then result in scary surgery and the wearing of the cone of shame (don't worry, she's all OK now).

Friday night, we got fortified with fun, fresh and relatively inexpensive food at Sushi Ting like...

 ... these popping green Veggie Gyoza...

...and the crunchy-fied tuna tower called Mt Fuji...plus the irresistible and sauce-tastic...

 Sweet potato Dynamite and the newish...

 ...Red and White Roll with jalapeno, a lot of good-eatin' fish and an unusual last minute torch-scorching (hint: all sushi here can be made with ostensibly healthy "black rice"--I recommend it!)

Afterward, is was off to a swingin' Ace of Cups (which now has the best tap beer in the area: three dee-licious Barley's, the insanely great Founders Porter, the refreshing, rare and real-deal Czech pilsner called Krusovice, plus several more) and a high energy and wildly fun Psandwich record release show (also dug the wacky punk-party Washington Beach Bums opening act).