We’re back from yet another weekend out of town, this time spent at the in-laws’. I’m DONE traveling for this summer. I love it deeply, but I desperately need a break from packing and unpacking the same suitcases again and again. Now that we’re staying put for a while, I should be able to post more regularly. It’s amazing how hard it is to pen a coherent post when you’re busy wondering whether or not you remembered to pack underwear.
On to the real reason for this post! It’s Restaurant Week courtesy of the folks over at Dine Originals Columbus, which means that lots of amazing, locally-owned restaurants are offering some pretty spectacular pre-fixe menus for $20.09 or $30.09. It’s one of my favorite local events, and I try to make it point to hit at least one restaurant I’ve never tried during Restaurant Week. BUT, and this is a big but, the restaurants featured in this week-long event lean heavily towards Western cuisine. In fact, there isn’t a single Asian restaurant on the list, and as I’m half Chinese, you can imagine this bugs me a bit.
So to do my part to help promote the locally-owned Asian restaurants in Columbus, I’ve generated a list of the top places every Columbus local (and all you visitors, too!) should hit. These aren’t chain restaurants, and quite a few are mom and pop run establishments that serve excellent, authentic food. And what’s really cool is that at each of these restaurants, you will routinely see lots of people of the same ethnicity as the type of cuisine being served, which to me is a necessary measure of authenticity. Anyways, on with the list. In no particular order, here are the Top 10 Asian Restaurants in Columbus:
1) Pad Thai-3589 Refugee Rd–It took 4 years living in Columbus to discover this little gem, tucked away in a non-descript shopping center. The food here is the most authentic Thai food we’ve found in Columbus, it’s reasonably-priced, and the owners are delightful. Try the Pad Thai, Penang Curry, and the Yum Woon Sen while you’re there.
2) Indochine Cafe-561 S. Hamilton Rd.–This family-run restaurant was originally located on Main Street until they moved to their new, renovated Hamilton Road location. They feature Vietnamese and Laotian cuisine, and they often cook up daily specials not listed on the menu so be sure to ask. I have no hesitation walking into this restaurant and asking for “whatever is good today” confident I’ll get a great meal. Prices are amazing, and our family of two and a half can easily walk out of there stuffed to the gills for under $25. Try the Summer Rolls, Pho, and Chicken Wings (seriously, the marinade on these is to die for).
3) Akai Hana-1173 Old Henderson Rd.–Akai Hana, previously known as Restaurant Japan, is hands-down the local favorite for Japanese food. The food is authentic and fresh, the waitstaff courteous and friendly, and the atmosphere warm and inviting. They run daily lunch and dinner specials, and for Japanese food, the prices are reasonable. This is a popular local spot and it’s wise to phone ahead to get a reservation on weekends. Try the Sukiyaki, Nabeyaki Udon, or any of the sushi menu items.
4) Yau’s China Bistro-1493 N. High St.–For those of you Columbus locals who have been around some time, you may remember Yau’s as Wong Gei, which was located farther north on high street directly across from OSU’s campus. The menu mostly features Cantonese cuisine, and you’ll find many an Asian college student camped out in here on any night of the week. The atmosphere is very casual, but the service is great, and the food carries all the flavors of home that I miss. Try the Roast Pork Wonton Noodle Soup, House Tofu, or Singapore Rice Noodles while you’re there.
5) Ba Sho-2800 Festival Lane Center–I love this restaurant for how it makes me feel like I’m in Japan while I’m there. The space is quite small, but features some tatami-style seating, and a Japanese ambience that’s hard to find in Columbus. There’s a hot menu as well as a sushi menu, but while you’re there, look around to see what everyone else is eating, because there’s an extensive menu in Japanese for the Japanese clientele. If you see something you like, don’t hesitate to ask for it! Try the Katsu Don, Hiyashi Chuka (in the summer months only), or any of the sushi bar items.
6) Bayleaf India Bistro-1025 Polaris Parkway–One of my favorite restaurants in Columbus, Bayleaf is a relatively new addition to the Columbus food scene. The restaurant staff is hospitable, and the food is awesome. The dining room is spacious and beautiful, and eating there is overall just a nice experience. When they get busy, the food can get a little bit slow, but I’ve noticed over the past months that this has improved dramatically. Stop by for the lunch buffet, or try the Tarka Dal, Samosas, or Biryani while you’re there.
7) Cuisine of India-8475 Sancus Blvd.–This restaurant was recently introduced to me by a friend of mine who works in its vicinity. The staff was extremely helpful, and offered us an entree on the house the first time we visited simply, I think, because they recognized that we were new to the restaurant. Authentic flavors, great service, delicious food; what more could you ask for? Try the Tandoori Chicken, Gosht Tikka Masala, or any of their vegetarian entrees.
8) Taste of Bali-2548 Bethel Rd.–If you’ve never tried Indonesian food, Taste of Bali is the place to go. The restaurant is quaint, the waitstaff friendly and helpful, and the food interesting and tasty. We’ve always had great service at Taste of Bali, and each time we go, we try something new as neither my husband nor I are particularly familiar with Indonesian cuisine. The sampler platters are a great way to experience the flavors and textures of a cuisine many don’t have the opportunity to try.
9) Ka-Ya Korean BBQ-4710 Reed Rd.–Ka-Ya is another new-to-me restaurant which boasts the only real Korean BBQ in Columbus. Prices are a little high for the experience, but definitely worth trying if you’ve never had it before. The food is cooked at the table and served with traditional Korean side dishes, and is especially nice on a cold winter’s night. They serve a variety of other traditional Korean dishes, and have a sushi bar as well. The staff at this restaurant may seem brusque at first, but warm up very quickly to conversation and are very helpful in deciding what to order.
10) Min-Ga Korean Restaurant-800 Bethel Rd.–Min-Ga is an unassuming little restaurant located in yet another Central Ohio strip mall, and it is absolutely delightful. Service is friendly and fast, and the food is SO unbelievably good. As with all Korean food, entrees are served with small portions of traditional Korean side dishes, and there’s plenty of drool-worthy options on the menu. Try the Bulgogi, Dolsot Bibimbap, or Duk Mandu Guk.
If I were a food blogger, this post could have been enough material to spread out over weeks. But I’m not, and I wanted everything to be in one convenient location for easy reference. I was thinking, if there’s enough interest (has anyone even read this far?), perhaps the locals around here would want to do a 10-week Asian Dine Around Columbus Tour, and I could report back the results with pictures and more detailed descriptions. Any takers?
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