Columbus Dining Guide Feed

Mexican Beer Showdown

By John Ross — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 23:42:55 GMT

When selecting suds from south of the border, many gringo drinkers see a palm-shaded Corona display at their corner carry-out and stop there. Here's more about a few other items on the Mexican beer menu.

A La Carte: Cantina Laredo

G.A. Benton — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 23:18:19 GMT

There is a type of "galleta-cutter" Mexican restaurant very prevalent in Columbus that's a peso a dozen. Cantina Laredo isn't one of those, but you could spend many dozens of pesos eating your way through this pricey-side establishment.

Taste Test: The Gobblerito at Mad Mex

G.A. Benton — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:42:18 GMT

It's November (have you noticed?) and that can only mean one thing - the dreaded Thanksgiving family reunion dinner is fast approaching. For many, that mandatory familial gathering is hanging dangerously over downturned heads like the axe hovering above all those millions of artificially fattened turkeys.

A la Carte: Rancho Alegre

G.A. Benton — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 23:22:17 GMT

You might've assumed our moods were tethered to the weather on a grim, chilly and gloomy Friday night. As rain splintered the windshield, the darkly lit car interior was filled with bitter talk of flus, hunger, and how nothing fancy and no place familiar sounded particularly good for dinner.

Al Fresco: Cabo Cantina

G.A. Benton — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 23:02:18 GMT

Though a river runs through it, Columbus is surprisingly dry in the scenic aquatic dining department. So you'd think a nice restaurant constructed on an alluringly foresty riverbank would be a no-brainer, can't-miss success.

First Bite: Cantina Laredo

G.A. Benton — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 21:57:16 GMT

From the way it's frequently and fanatically referred to by the thoroughly trained servers at Cantina Laredo, you'd think Topshelfguacamole! was a single breathless word. But to be fair, that avocado appetizer is pretty damn good.

Flaming foods: Rancho Alegre

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 21:16:17 GMT

Torch yellow and burnt orange outside and big and roomy and ultra-clean inside, Rancho Alegre is a newer Grandview-area Tex-Mex-er offering that popular, oversized combo-platter-weighted menu everybody expects these days. But Rancho Alegre is a cut above your basic burrito-and-monster-margarita hawker.

A La Carte: Pescado Veracruz

G.A. Benton — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 22:02:16 GMT

I had become a little encouraged with a recent surge of local fish tacos. And I've become fond of the ones served at Cuco's - clean-tasting, deep-fried clumps of tilapia festively dressed with pico de gallo (here, chopped cilantro, onion and tomato), cabbage for crunch and an orange mayo-based sauce for richness. Squeeze 'em with a little lime and they're a very fine snack.

Sandwich Guide: Torta Cubana

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 22:15:17 GMT

It's hard to believe how good this monster tastes even though it's overstuffed like a birthday pinata.

Chili: Chile Verde Cafe

G.A. Benton — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 23:48:14 GMT

Chile verde is a beloved Mexican pork dish swamped in a mean green tomatillo-based sauce. But Chile Verde is also a beloved casual Columbus restaurant neither Mex nor Tex-Mex, but rather New Mex. As in Santa Fe style. And the most popular dish at this local, independently owned Chile Verde is its Green Chile Stew. Only it's not green, but kind of tawny. Or maybe a sort of ruddy reddish brown. But definitely not green. Confused?

First Bite: Baja Sol Cantina

G.A. Benton — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 23:00:18 GMT

One of our city's newest burrito purveyors, Baja Sol Cantina, has recently unleashed its extended salsa bar et. al. on the Lennox Town Center mall.

Bargain Binge: Don Patron Mexican Restaurant

G.A. Benton — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:27:28 GMT

Cheap. Stupid cheap. You-gotta-be-kidding-me cheap. See, since I suppose those words will trump any other clever opening I could ever hope to scribble down here, why bother? So out with it: the Sunday buffet lunch at the new Don Patron in Clintonville is a ridiculously good deal - $7.50 for all the standard Mexican fare you can possibly hog down your ample throat.

Ultimate Bar Guide: Mad Mex

G.A. Benton — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 19:45:47 GMT

There's something to please everyone at Mad Mex - and by everyone, I mean people who like sports, spicy food and drinking. The design scheme might best be described as Mexican Day of the Dead as realized by film director Robert Rodriguez. That distinct look suits this loose bar, which has the best margaritas and draft beer list on the OSU Campus.

Ultimate Bar Guide: Cazuela's

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 19:41:59 GMT

Cazuela's is a fairly basic Tex-Mexican place - except it's in wobbling distance of lots of OSU housing. So out on Cazuela's often-crowded patio there's frequently a wild scene where young Buckeyes are eating, drinking and blearily minting future memories of their crazy, cut-loose college days.

A La Carte: Cuco's Mexican Taqueria

G.A. Benton — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 20:12:05 GMT

On scorching late-summer days, I'm liable to creep up to the stove or grill, pause, crinkle up my sun-burnished nose, and head straight for the take-out menu drawer. Or sometimes I jump into the car and motor off to Cuco's for ceviche.

First Bite: Cinco

G.A. Benton — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 20:11:01 GMT

It almost seems redundant to write about Cinco. Relatedly, I could probably sum up the new Downtown quickie Mexican restaurant with this single sentence: If you like Chipotle, you'll love Cinco.