Saturday, March 26, 2011

G. Michael's Bistro

Posted on 12:55 PM in by Liz


G. Michael's is probably my favorite restaurant in Columbus. I just love it. I've been here a handful of times and have never been disappointed. The restaurant itself has a great atmosphere about it and the service is fantastic. It is definitely a fine-dining establishment but there is nothing pretentious about this place, just great food. Their menu changes seasonally so you always have something new to look forward to. I also love that they try to incorporate as much local food as possible. They have a full bar as well as a great wine list to accompany your meal. I most recently went here for Valentine's Day with my boyfriend as I find it a great place for a nice romantic meal. As to be expected on Valentine's we had a short wait even though we had reservations but we each ordered drinks at the bar (which were great!) and soon enough our name was called. We were lucky enough to get one of the booths in the back of the restaurant and had an excellent meal. We ordered the Steamed PEI Mussels that is currently on their menu with the Chardonnay Cream sauce and I have to say that these were the best mussels I have ever had. The sauce was SO GOOD that after the mussels were gone my boyfriend and I ate the rest of the sauce with our bread because it was so tastey. I had the Pan-Roasted Mahi for my entree which was delicious and he had the Rabbit Roulade. He wasn't as crazy about his dish, he didn't care for the Kraut on the dish, but I tasted his and thought it was enjoyable. I have enjoyed this place several times for different occasions but I have never been disappointed and have always had a great experience. I highly recommend this place!
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J. Gilbert's Wood Fired Steaks and Seafood

Posted on 12:41 PM in , , by Liz


This place is great. It is definitely one of my favorites in the Columbus area. My parents love this place as well and it is pretty much one of our staples when we are looking for a nice meal. The menu is great, much more than your typical Steak and Seafood place. They have several other dishes that look great that aren't steak or seafood, but I love steak so I have always ended up getting a dish that had at least some steak. One of my absolute favorites here is the Filet trio, which used to be a special, but I'm assuming due to its popularity is now a regular on the menu. Three filet medallions with three different toppings- Bearnaise sauce, Maytag Blue cheese, and wild mushrooms. All are fantastic! On my latest visit I was craving some Salmon but wasn't willing to give up my steak so I got the Petite Filet Combo with the Grilled Atlantic Salmon and it hit the spot! The sides are great too, I usually get the White Cheddar Chipotle mashed potatoes which are delicious but I also tried the Lobster Mac and Cheese that my brother ordered and it was TO DIE FOR! I also very much enjoy the asparagus they serve with the entree. Asparagus is one of my favorite vegetables but they serve it with this little tomato salsa on top and it adds a fantastic touch. I haven't ventured out too much myself in ordering different things of the menu as I am a lover of steak but some of my dinner partners have ordered other entrees and no one has ever been disappointed. They also have a great selection of appetizers, a great wine list, and very tempting desserts! Oh I forgot to mention that the Maryland Crab Bisque is DELICIOUS!! If you are looking for a soup/salad, entree, and dessert try their Prix Fixe menu they are currently featuring for $34/pp. There are only two desserts listed as options but the servers are fantastic and have always let us choose anything we want. GREAT SERVICE! I highly recommend this place and will definitely keep coming back. (Oh, also I recommend signing up for their e-mail program, the send out great coupons all the time!)
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The Elevator Brewery and Draught Haus

Posted on 11:57 AM in by Liz


Cody and I ventured out to the Elevator a few weeks ago during Dine Originals Week here in Columbus. After looking at some of the menu selections for Dine Originals Week we decided to venture out to the Elevator. We were very pleased with our choice. The atmosphere is nice if you are looking for a place with good food and a casual feel. The Dine Originals menu included an appetizer, entree, and dessert as well as one of their craft beers. We tried two of their beers, both of us enjoyed the Xtra Lager the best. Then each of us got the IPA Steamed Mussels which were good (not the best I've ever had, but enjoyable). For the entrees we selected the Beef Medallions (which came with mashed potatoes and asparagus) as well as the Crab Manicotti. Both were very good! The Beef Medallions was very tender and juicy and the Crab Manicotti had a great flavor. I would definitely order either entree again. For dessert we had the Root Beer Float which was alright, and the Buckeye Cheesecake which was AWESOME. I looked over other items on their everyday menu and there were definitely things I would want to come back again and try. The only negative things I have to say about this restaurant are that it was a little noisy (but that was to be expected considering the "draught haus" theme) and the prices on the regular menu were a little pricey. But the food is definitely good and comparable to other restaurants with the same quality so I would definitely come back again and have already recommended this restaurant to family and friends.
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It's been a while...

Posted on 11:35 AM in , , by Liz

So... I have failed miserably over the past year in posting at all. But plan to start getting back into it. So here are some reviews from my most recent trip to Cocoa Beach, FL

Up first... Florida's Seafood Bar & Grill

On our recent stay in the Cocoa Beach area we decided to eat at Florida's Seafood Bar and Grill. The decor of the place was very festive, especially the many saltwater fish tanks they had all over the restaurant. However, the food was nothing to get excited about. Nothing was bad, but overall the meal was not memorable, and I have certainly had better seafood elsewhere (even in Ohio!). They have a full bar but do not have a great wine selection (I think there were only 2 brands to choose from!). For an appetizer we decided to get some kind of oysters and our waiter recommended the Casino Oysters. Out of the whole meal, this was probably the highlight. I ordered the Mahi Mahi Oscar style and was pretty disappointed with what I got. The fish was definitely over-cooked, the "lump crab" on top was more like a crab stuffing, and my "asparagus on the side" was one piece of asparagus (also over-cooked) on top of my fish. The Bearnaise sauce was in a cup on the side of my fish and was also so-so. The other dish ordered was one of the combos and it was liked probably better than mine but still not that great. Overall I got overpriced, mediocre seafood. I didn't feel like I was getting freshly caught seafood at all and think I probably got caught in a tourist trap (I think I would have rather gone to Red Lobster). While my meal was not horrible, it certainly wasn't memorable and I would not venture back here again.

Next Up... Atlantic Ocean Grille
On our last night in Cocoa Beach we decided to go to one of the restaurants on the Pier. This restaurant looked a little nicer (we wanted a good seafood place) than the others on the pier so this is where we chose to eat. Overall, it was an enjoyable experience. We went after the main dinner crowd around 8:30PM so there was no wait. Overall the service was a little bit slow, we got our waters immediately and ordered drinks (which were so-so) but the drinks took quite a while to be delivered to us, as was the appetizer, so on and so fourth. But we were in no rush, so it was no big deal. We got the crab stuffed mushrooms as an appetizer which were pretty good, but for a $7 appetizer I'd expect just a little more than 5 small mushrooms. We went on a Wednesday and it just so happened to be Crab Leg night. It was $12.95 for I believe 1 1/2 pounds of Alaskan Snow Crab legs. While many come for fresh Florida seafood, we were both really craving some crab, so this special hit the spot. The entrees came with a house salad as well as your choice of potato and some vegetables. The crab legs are definitely the star of this dish and were very good. I had a baked potato which was also good as they come around with optional toppings of sour cream, bacon, and chives (butter is served with the potato on the side). The vegetables were basically a steamed medley which I actually did not try (they didn't look that great honestly). Overall I'd give this place 3 out of 5 stars. I am sure it is a great place to eat at during the sunset over the Pier and the food wasn't terrible (Great price on the Crab Leg special!) I think they also have a Lobster Tail special on Thursdays for $14.95 for two Bahamian Lobster Tails. I probably wouldn't go back here again but the service was good and the food was decent, overall a good experience.

And the last place to review during our trip to Cocoa Beach... Rusty's Seafood and Oyster Bar!

Went to Rusty's after getting back from a Deep Sea fishing trip (it was located right next to the dock) for a little snack. We went during Happy Hour which featured $1.70 Miller or Bud Lights and $0.70 raw oysters and wings. (Looks like they've raised their prices slightly in the past year--still a good deal!). We ordered a couple beers and three different appetizers- some ray oysters, the bacon wrapped scallops, and the smoked fish dip. All three were very good. They oysters were delicious, very fresh and tastey, the other two were very enjoyable as well. We say on the outdoor patio and enjoyed the afternoon on the water. I'd definitely recommend this place if you are looking for a place on the water with great raw oysters and lots of beer!

That's all from our trip! Stay tuned as I will try and catch up on some other reviews from my long list I made a year ago soon!
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