It Just Isn't About The Food Anymore

I have been to Tip Top Kitchen & Cocktails more than just a few times over the past year or so and I don't believe I have ever been disappointed. That doesn't mean no one has, but since Tip Top seems to be packed most evenings I guess you could say plenty of people would agree with me (and I'm sure there are a few dissenters as you can not satisfy everyone all the time, unfortunately).

On the web: http://www.tiptopcolumbus.com/

It is one thing to create an inviting atmosphere and offer a tempting menu, but it is another thing to hang your hat on the intriguing and unique cocktails that come along with the other two. Tip Top, at 73 East Gay Street in downtown Columbus, Ohio, is a place that attracts those looking for more than just bar food and more than just your simple mixed drink. Since opening in February of 2007 Tip Top has been a Columbus attraction and a go-to spot for those traveling through Ohio's capital city.

Tip Top's success comes as no surprise as it is the third very popular venture by area Restauranteur Elizabeth Lessner and partners, including Betty’s and Surly Girl Saloon. Tip Top welcomes you in old style as the historic structure's unique pressed tin ceiling and decor consisting of Ohio & Columbus artifacts, pictures and posters reminds you that the Buckeye State was once known for more than just dwindling jobs and winters that last WAY to long.

The food portion begins with appetizers that include Sweet Potato Fries & Spicy Mayo, Eggplant Fries & Bloody Mary Dipping Sauce and Smoke Salmon Fritters. French Fry lovers may be turned off a bit by Tip Top's change of pace, but each one gives you a great combination of sweet, spice, heat and flavor.

Tip Top is anything, but typical which is obvious with salad offerings like the Green bean and Goodness (mixed greens, blanched green beans, tomatoes, bacon, black olives, garbanzo beans, green onions, shredded mozzarella, sliced egg, croutons and housemade buttermilk ranch) or the Hell Salad (mixed greens with spice giardinara, shredded mozzarella, with the housemade buttermilk ranch).

The eatery pride's itself on what it calls Ohio Comfort Entrees with some of the most popular being the Blue Ribbon Pot Roast and Meat Loaf Dinner. One of those that doesn't seem to get the attention it deserves, but is a favorite among those who are willing to forgo meat, is the Veggie Roast. This is a savory mix of roasted potatoes onions, celery, carrots, parsnips, turnips diced tomatoes and fresh herbs in a tasty sauce. It comes at a decent price as well at around $9.00.

You are also offered a rather large sandwich menu. You can hardly go wrong with items such as the Ohio Style Monte Cristo, Veggie Muffuletta (portabella strips, grilled zucchini, shaved red onion provolone cheese and alfalfa sprouts with red pepper-olive spread on dark wheat with a side of basil aioli), Chipotle Turkey (piled high!) and the Sensational Salmon Hoagie.

The list of Tip Top Cocktails is as coveted as the tasty menu. The whiskey concoctions come with titles that include the C-bus-town Julep, Old Pike Old-fashioned, Route 40 Shorty, The Le Veque Tower, The Old Penn Perfect Poison and even the Alex P. Keaton (Old Overholt Rye Whiskey with a splash of ginger ale, garnished with lime. "...served short like Alex P. Keaton", according to the description).

The Gay Street business give those who are not whiskey drinkers their share of mixed spirits to choose from. The Columbus oriented drinks come in the form of the Jungle Jack Hanna (Described as: Orange vodka, pineapple juice, cranberry juice and a splash of 7up, served tall and garnished with a live tiger* (*when in stock)), Jesse Owens, Stinkin' Olentangy, The Cowbell and Thurber's Cat Nap.

Don't despair beer and wine drinkers. Tip Top welcomes all drink enthusiasts by tempting your palate with a wide variety of draught beers, bottled beers and wines from around the globe.

What makes this place different from others is that it fits into all categories. It can be the place to get a bite to eat, the starting point for your evening, the ideal spot to celebrate the entire night or the final stop before your roundabout journey home comes to an end. Tip Top's doors are open from from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. everyday.

As I said earlier, Tip Top is one of several successful ventures (Betty's & Surly Girl included) Restauranteur Elizabeth Lessner and partners have collaborated on. And lucky for us another one is on the way. I am sure details are out there and available, but I'll let Mrs. Lessner and her folks pass those on if they haven't already. Though she says she has been extremely busy and expects things to slow down at the end March.

Just a hint for those of you who are still in the dark.

History Doesn't Pull Any Punches

Hidden along side a downtown Columbus alley you can dig up bits and pieces of history. And maybe a bit to eat as well.

At one time in the tiny building's 112 years of existence the Ringside Cafe was The Rathskeller (est. 1897). You will notice that its former moniker is still etched on the wall above the entrance as sits nestled in the middle of the block bounded by East Gay, East Broad, North 3rd and North High (near the Rhodes State Officer Tower).

Though Ringside (since 1993) may now be a gathering place for small groups of downtown business people and government employees getting a quick bit to eat, it was once THE hot spot for area politics. You will notice on the side of the 19 N. Pearl Street structure's unique exterior that there are a pair of stained glass windows. One has the image of a donkey, the other an elephant. With city, county and state government inhabiting the downtown area it isn't hard to figure out that those images refer to our two major party system: Democrats and Republicans. Legend has it that before Columbus exploded into the concrete reservoir it is today the restaurant would light a candle, or lantern, and place it behind one of those windows to indicate which group (the Republicans or Democrats) had taken up residence for the evening to eat, drink and squabble over legislation. Apparently bipartisanship was as big of a problem as it is now...go figure.

Inside you will find it politics-free as the motif is that of the boxing nature which the name Ringside Cafe seems indicate. Memorabilia is scattered throughout, including the giant painting of what I believe is Rocky Marciano hammering one of his many opponents above the door just inside. It is as small inside as you would probably imagine when you stroll by, but it has lots of character and exudes history.

The few times I have been there the restaurant/bar had the barkeep also perform the duties of the cook. Being within arms reach of the kitchen, it kind of makes sense during those off business hours. Ringside is known for its burgers that come complete with the names of the boxing's greatest figures. My favor is the "Smokin' Joe" BBQ Bacon Burger. It comes steaming hot and juicy. The one that tops them all is the "Ali" and it will go 12 rounds with anyone thinking they are superior. It is a 3/4 pound Angus beef patty with House Coleslaw, cheddar cheese and a fried onion ring. Each so-called "Heavyweight" comes with House Kettle Chips, a Kosher Pickle Spear and on a Raised Kaiser Bun.

Check out the full menu for yourself: http://ringsidecolumbus.com/RingsideMenu.pdf

The liquid refreshment is more than decent with a few twists, including Bare Knuckle Stout, Shock Top and Goose Island Honkers Ale on tap. Happy Hour takes place Monday through Friday from 4 p.m to 7 p.m.

Check out the drinkage here: http://ringsidecolumbus.com/Beer.pdf

They have even created space downstairs for those who are not keen on rubbing shoulders with their fellow man or woman. The area below can also be used for private parties. For those who are looking to catch a game Ringside offers 28” televisions and a 48” LCD Flat screen to keep you entertained. During a good game the close quarters gives you the feeling of at least being in the crowd at that contest, but without the fight to find your car afterward.

Ringside has offers for those who dare trek through downtown during the busy lunch hour and these can usually be found here: http://ringsidecolumbus.com/2off.pdf. In my opinion the $2.00 off lunch is pretty good deal. It seems to urge those who work in the area to leave their car parked where it is and experience Columbus on foot. For those stuck with the working lunch, to go orders are also available: 614-228-7464 (RING).

This is still a gathering place for a few groups of those who work downtown or are employed by the city, but that does not mean "outsiders" are unwelcome. Ringside caters to everyone who wants a little history and mystic with their outing. Well...to those who can find it anyway.

You can get an idea of what Ringside Cafe has to offer by checking it out online at: http://ringsidecolumbus.com/

A Chinese Restaurant By Any Other Name....

Having lived in four states and gone away to college I say it is probably a good bet that if you have been to one Chinese restaurant, you have been to them all, yes? I know that isn't the case, but it does some truth to it. Although I found a Columbus-area venture that breaks the mold.

Ying's Teahouse & Yum-Yum (seriously, that's the name) at 4312 North High Street (just south of the W. Henderson & E. Cooke intersection) in Clintonville is more than just a pleasant surprise. The eatery is in a small strip-like mall that isn't very flattering, but the mall itself has some decent stores and businesses. Despite the look from the outside Ying's is a slice of elegance in a not-so uppity fashion. Just enough decor to know where you are and allows you to enjoy it. Some places try to hard, Ying's does not.

They offer a variety of dishes in a number of categories: Non-Sweet, Sushi, House Specialties, Chicken, Shrimp, Pork, Beef, Soup, Veggie and Salads. Some are the dishes you would find at most, if not all, Chinese restaurants. Others are their originals or their twist on a typical favorite.

A couple of weekends ago Christine and I stopped by to check it out. Ying's was not very busy on this cold Saturday afternoon, though they were definitely being noticed by the locals. A few people were eating inside and more than a handful were ordering carryout.

After a short time perusing the menu Christine selected a Chinese restaurant staple with the General Tso's Chicken ($7.99. Oh, and FYI, they help you out by indicating which dishes are spicy and which are not on the menu). I, being a hug fan of eggplant, chose the Eggplant with Garlic Sauce ($8.95). The woman waiting on us looked almost stunned when I indicated I didn't want anything else on the dish. She asked me twice just to make sure she heard me right. We laughed thinking the woman had not come across to many guys who order a veggie only dish. I AM a meat eater, but eggplant is awesome.

To start us off I ordered a bowl of Egg Drop Soup ($1.50) and Christine the Hot and Sour Soup ($1.50). Both were tasty enough that we were scraping the bottom of our bowls by the time dinner arrived. We also took advantage of the tea service which comes steaming in a pot for one ($2.75) or a pot for two or three ($4.50). There is an excellent list to chose from. We took a selection from the Herbal Tea Blends, the Invigorating Tea. This is a combination of Jasmine, Lemon Grass, Linden Leaves and Sweet Chrysanthemum. The tea was not overpowering and gave just a hint of each of the blends' ingredients. The best part was the fact the tea stayed hot in our own personal pot throughout dinner.

As for dinner, the General Tso's Chicken was better than expected. I have had similar dishes in the past in which the breading on the chicken came a bit too soggy for my taste. This one came with a good crispiness still involved. The eggplant was exactly what I was looking for with big strands of Chinese eggplant doused in a tangy garlic sauce and lots of it. Christine and I had enough for dinner the next day. There were just as good as they were the first time around.

I don't mind fortune cookies, but I don't exactly crave them. Ying's avoided the stereotypical Chinese restaurant by not having these and leaving you with a tasty, flaky cookie (an actual cookie) that went well with the rest of the tea. We declined on dessert as we were stuffed to the gills, but if I would have had any room left at all...I would have been the first one there.

We didn't see it till afterwards, but a Columbus Alive article from not too long ago stated that Ying's homemade dumplings were something to be had. I'm sorry we didn't order them, but I suspect that would be something to attack the next time around. They also have lunch specials available during the work week from 11 a.m to 3 p.m. that range in price from $5.00 to $6.50 depending on your use of cash or credit card. There are four of these that come in the sushi, yum-yum special and rice plant varieties.

Ying's business hours are 11:00 a.m to 10:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 10:00 p.m. on Sunday. They can be reach by phone (614-262-7587), fax (614-262-7928) or by email: styliu1963@gmail.com and take all major credit cards. They do not deliver, but have a very popular carryout service.

I think what makes Ying's unique is the fact that they are a Chinese restaurant that doesn't act like what most of us are used to in a Chinese restaurant. It is relaxing and casual with an atmosphere to boot.