First Bite

Hang Time

by G.A. Benton

REBECCA ZIMMER PHOTO

What's more unusual than a handful of hungry hard-hats ripping apart their morning repast while inexplicably sitting beneath a picture of a prim and fashion-smart Audrey Hepburn? Well, maybe a restaurant that actually serves non-fast-food breakfasts on the OSU Campus.

After all, with the arrival of the new Hang Over Easy—which I've just been describing—the grand total soars to about two, and that's for 50,000-some pupils. Because the only other Buckeye hash palace I know of is Jack and Benny's, a few blocks north of Campus.

I think Hang Over Easy ought to be encouraged by the lines-out-the-door success on weekends of the so-so Jack and Benny's; that place is proof positive that due to the dearth of Campus breakfast nooks, "If you fry it, they will come."

So I popped into Hang Over, on the southern edge of Campus, for a pop-quiz meal. I came away with some fine primary impressions—and the thought that I'd award it an easily passing grade.

First of all, despite Holly Golightly's visage, the place is a barebones-y operation, sort of a new old-school dive. But in a refreshing way. In fact, I'd call it the anti-Gateway (which showily percolates just a couple blocks to the east).

While spare inside—there's some scattered tables, a long stainless-steel counter, an ESPN-tuned flat screen and very little else (but invisible Wi-Fi)—Hang Over's menu is on the large side. Here's how things went.

My big fat Greek Omelet ($6.75, with pita triangles), which arrived in a semi-timely fashion, was huge enough for sharing, proving me clever to have brought some gnashing partners. The good and fluffy omelet was filled with a nice amount of saut?ed spinach, red onion, diced tomatoes, feta cheese and chunks of pungent gyro meat. Put that one in the plus column.

We also dug digging into the catch-all Sausage and Pepperjack Skillet ($7.50, with toast). Lurking beneath two properly cooked over-easys was a sorta sloppy saut? of (tons of) diced onions and peppers, inoffensive breakfast potatoes, tomatoes, mushrooms and shards of sausage. Gluing the massive veggie mess to the ova was melted (but not peppery) jack cheese.

Maybe best of all was the Stuffed French Toast ($6). While bereft of the menu-stipulated whipped cream (probably a blessing, that), it came appealingly in sandwich style, with very fresh bananas, blueberries and strawberries attractively peeking out. The stacked, lightly "Frenched" toast was dusted with powdered sugar and came with a side of warm syrup.

So far, so good, and though Hang Over has just opened and I've only had a few morning bites (it also serves lunch), my fork-jerk reaction is that this freshman shows plenty of promise. Give it a chance and let me know what you think.

August 9th, 2007

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