Dining

Vegan BaBa is one of the few places in Columbus that I am aware of where one really does not have to worry about animal product cross contamination in their vegan sushi or fried foods. Vegan BaBa is a vegan food truck that has various times and locations that are updated on their Facebook page. They offer a very affordable and hearty variety of fresh, hot, and tasty options of chigimi and ramen soups, soba and udon noodles, fried rice, fried noodles, spring rolls and burritos that range in price from $2 to $5. They even serve an unusual ingredient on the menu called “monkey mushroom” which was a delicious new discovery for me. Their genuine friendliness makes it so apparent how much they appreciate your business, though the current cold weather has sharply reduced their availability.   

G. Micheal’s Bistro and Bar in German Village may not seem like the most vegan friendly of places at first glance of the violated innocents laden menu, however one can still discover a delicious vegan dining adventure there, as their chef understands vegan needs. A good friend of mine treated me to dinner for my birthday and I wanted to try a new place I’d not yet been to, so we tried G. Michael’s. They delighted us with a custom fantastic creation of grilled and flavorful mouth watering local, fresh, organic vegetables expertly seasoned and prepared. There is nothing more deeply and deliciously satisfying than devouring such nutritionally dense, abundant variety and compassionate fare. It was certainly a classy, clean and very enjoyable experience as the host, atmosphere and service were equal to the meal.

Brio in Easton Town Center is one of my favorite places to go when I want some comforting fried red potatoes with garlic and rosemary (sans accompanying cheese sauce), a refreshing and light, varietal greens salad with fresh tomatoes, roasted red bell peppers and pine nuts and their house made-from-scratch balsamic dressing (which is one of my all-time favorites- though it is made with oil, so it is also high fat content), or to cool-off with a delightful indulgence of their peach Bellini. They will veganize a conventional appetizer, salad, pasta dish or pizza, and have even prepared special, custom entrees upon request. If you like portabella mushrooms, if they have them, they will grill one up for either an appetizer or as a main course. While they are currently lagging in their clearly marked vegan menu options, they have conveniently listed their gluten-free selections for those who require them. Their dining rooms are some of the most romantic in the area, and if you want a decadent vegan dessert, you will have to go somewhere else, like Portia’s, Loving Hut, Pattycake or Till Dynamic Fare.

What are GMOs

For those who don’t know, GMOs (genetically modified organisms) are living organisms whose genetic material has been artificially manipulated in a laboratory which causes unstable combinations of plant, animal, bacteria and viral genes that do not occur in nature. There are two types of GMOs: pest producers which kill insects by taking a gene from a bacterium and injecting it into the DNA of a seed, which produces a toxin lethal to insects (ie, Monsanto’s BT corn); and an herbicide resister which after altering a plant’s gene makes it immune to weed killers (ie Roundup-ready soy).

Are GMOs safe?

The craft-brewing wave sweeping the US makes drinking beer more fun than ever. Maryland’s Flying Dog Brewery brews a beer from oysters, and the Delaware-based Dogfish Head uses an ancient beer recipe they dug up from 2,700-year-old drinking vessels in the tomb of King Midas.

But as this trend spreads, there is another revolution going on that’s concentrating most of the world’s beer into the hands of a few mega-corporations. These so-called kings of beer are riding the wave of craft brewing enthusiasm, buying up smaller breweries, and duping customers along the way.

“If you want to listen to Milli Vanilli, I suppose that’s a choice you get to make. Just know that you’re making that choice,” is how Greg Koch of Stone Brewing Company puts it.

Take Blue Point, Long Island’s first micro-brewery. A couple of home brewers started the company ten years ago, but this year, Anheuser-Busch InBev (which has brewery in Columbus) bought Blue Point for $24 million. John Hall, the founder of Chicago’s Goose Island brewery, told a reporter in 2013, “Goose Island is a craft beer, period.” Yet it was sold to AB InBev in 2011.  

In spite of veganphobe rhetoric, vegans do not live a life of stinking deprivation with the never-ending unimaginative pasta marinara bowl and naked side salad topped with twigs. You don’t have to have someone sacrifice a terrified and abused turkey or stuff their dismembered butt with seasoned breadcrumbs (can you pass the “butt bread?” really, a gross tradition when you think about it) for a centerpiece anymore.

Barcelona in German Village is one of the best restaurants in Columbus when it comes to ambiance- whether indoors with its palatial colors and draperies or outdoors amidst nature’s beautiful flowers and pond on the patio; I resonate. The team there has even suggested we collaborate on a vegan cooking class in the future; sounds like a plan. This year I celebrated my birthday by dining amidst this delicious Spanish fusion experience; it began with a tasty mushroom gift from the Chef, fresh baked bread and oil/w stewed tomatoes, followed by the Ensalda de Espinacas starter (subbed almonds for cheese), the vegan Paella de Verduras (with caramelized Brussels sprouts, piquillo peppers, roasted tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, peas, sofrito and calasparra rice, and finished with a complimentary, refreshing pomegranate sorbet.

Coffee has become a rare indulgence however I felt many would appreciate knowing about these options in Columbus.
  The Grandview Grind on Grandview Ave in Grandview: Was an absolutely delightful experience and I was elated to discover not only do they offer soy milk they also offer almond milk AND coconut milk options! The most impressive thing is that they don’t upcharge for the soy milk option. (YAY!) They do upcharge for the almond and coconut as they cannot get it in bulk yet. They proudly display the VEGAN OPTIONS INSIDE sticker on the door, too. (NOTE- they are seeking vegan treats to offer. HINT- Columbus has a gap in vegan pies and scones. Any takers?)