# 6 Qdoba

We had decided that this week Friday was going to be "Gallivanting" day and it would include visits to car dealerships as I was going to pursue getting a new car - since the power steering had gone out of Chuck's 2003 Kia Sedona.  Clearly the handwriting was on the wall - that we needed to replace it.

So....we decided to look in the north part of Columbus and following a disappointing visit to Byers Auto on Rte 23 we ended up driving on Polaris Parkway looking for someplace new.  And we found Qdoba  Mexican Grill.  I know it is a chain but we had never been there.

We announced that as we enter the restaurant - this is our first time.  The very friendly woman behind the counter told us it was similar to Chipotle's but much better.  She talked be through a bowl of brown rice, black beans, FREE guacamole, FREE queso, vegetables, tomatos, corn, lettuce.  It was alot and it was good.  The FREE items were emphasized because they are extras at chipotles.

Chuck got three tacos and he was very pleased with them and he ate all three.  We each had foundtain drinks and came away from the meal feeling very satisfied.  We were happy to sit at a booth with a padded seat and I like the light Mexican music in the background.

So, it was a good eating experience for both of us.  And we would go back.

AND our trip to find a new vehicle for me was successful.  I am now driving a brand new cherry tomato red soul  and Chuck is - appropriately - driving the "Old Soul."

#5 Chef Rich's Kitchen

This is not the first time we have eaten in this restaurant - because it used to be "The Grapevine."  But that closed and now it is "Chef Rich's Restaurant.". It opened in May and they are still figuring out what they are doing.  But we had a good meal here.

When you enter you go to the counter and order your food.  Because they have a sign saying that it is "The best wings in Westerville"  we knew we had to try the wings.  We got 6 spicy garlic parmeson to split, a small order of frieds and a Greek salad.  The Grapevine was a Greek restaurant and they still have a fell for that while they have added wings, burgers and fries to the menu.  This picture however, remains.

First of all the salad was very good and the Chef Rich's wife told me that they still have the recipe from the owner of teh grapevine.  I love the dressing.  The fries were the best part of the meal - perfect and we ate every last one.  The wings were actually too spicy for us but they were meaty and I would recommend.

They were very friendly to us.  I know I am going to come back and try a burger here.  It is a lot like a diner and just a fun experience.  We always feel good helping a new place get going.   We recommend if you like burgers, fries and wings!

#4 Woody's Wing House

This time we were at Crosswoods and Chuck wanted to try Woody's.  Because I am frequently at Crosswoods when I go to the movies, I had been watching it get built and wondered about it myself.
Because of the title I thought it was only a  "wing place" but it turns out to be much more than that.

This place reminded me of Roosters except a little brighter.  There is a bar in the middle and tables around large room and they are separated from the bar area.  There were LOTS of TV's  (they advertise 70!!!) and music playing somewhat loudly in the background.  I liked the music and there was good energy here. Chuck like the padded seats on the booths.

We ordered wings of course to split and then I got a wedge salad and Chuck got french onion soup.  We were very pleased with everything.  The soup, in particular, was tasty and cheesy and hit the spot.  I love this picture of Chuck trying to eat it.

The wings were good and greasy - but  - for me - not as good as Roosters.

The final note is that this is really much more than a wing place.  It will be a good lunch place for my movie outings on Tuesdays when I am in the Crosswoods area.  

# 3 Morone's Italian Villa

This time we decided to drive up Bethel Road.  Surely we would find someplace new and different and in a strip mall west of Reed Road we did.  We ended up at Morone's Ittalian Villa.

We came at one of our favorite times to eat - 1:30  and the restaurant was pretty empty and we like that right away.  It is carpeted and does not have what I often think of as the traditional Italian decor.  There was art for sale on the walls that was varied and interesting. There were landscapes, city scapes, flowers, and even a startlign picture of a wolf.  Very different decorations.

 Our server was friendly - a man with a man bun and a ring in his nose.  There was one silent  TV  tuned to a soap opera that I kept watching surreptitiously. It was quiet with soft music in the background.

They had a buffet which did not look particularly appealing and instead ordered and split a small 5 cheese pizza and an antipasta salad.  The 5 cheeses in the pizza were: romano, mozzaella, provolone, ricotta and cheddar.  And the food was really good.  Chuck is drawn to antipasta salads and this was a very good one. The pizza was cheesy - of course - and very tasty.  I would order it again in a heartbeat.


As we left I saw in the adjacent dining room this stove.  I had one just like this in my house in Cranford NJ back in the late 70's.  It really took me back and so I had to take a photo.

Then our gallivanting was not over.  We were delighted to find a popcorn store in the same strip mall.  And we bought $10 worth of salty caramel popcorn.  Delicisous and it lasted for a week!
A wonderful meal and a restaurant worth going back to sometime.

#2 Uptown Deli and Brew

We found ourselves driving through Westerville and decided to look for a new place to eat that we had never tried before.  We passed "Uptown Deli and Brew" on State Street and decided that was the place.  We found easy parking nearby and walked in.

We sat in the front of the restaurant in a booth.  There were high top tables in the room in the back.
We liked where we sat because we could see the delectable food in the cases in the front - it really is a deli!  The restaurant had wood floors, music playing and it was noisy and active.  The menu offered lots of enticing choices.  According to their website they serve "carefully crafted sandwiches, soups and salads as well as offering a market aspect with artisan meats, cheeses and breads.."  This is all true!

We decided on splitting a sandwich "State and Main"  (rye, corned beef, and pastrami) and a cheddar fondue.  All I can say is that it was all delicious!  The fondue was essentially a cheese dip with sausage and rye bread.  It was so tasty!  The sausage had a real kick and was spicy.  The sandwich came with cole slaw and potato salad with skins on the potatos and of course, a pickle. The sandwich was well made and just scrumptious.  There are so many interesting sandwiches and other foods on the menu!

 So, it was a great stop for us.  And would we recommend?  Absolutely1  Will we come back?  YES we will!

#1 Himalayan Grill

Our first gallivant set the stage for the rest of them.  Chuck had cut out advertisements for various restaurants and had his coupon books with him.  However, we ended up just driving until we came to a place that was new for us and that seemed to entice us. 

What that means is - no planning ahead - just drive and see what lures us.  We ended up in Stonebridge Plaza in Gahanna and landed at the Himalayan Grill.  It is beside Cap City Diner which we have been to several times and we had never ever considered going here.

It turned out it was a delightful experience.  We came at noon and were at first the only patrons.  Later more people did come in.  I thought I would like to get something off the menu but the lunch buffet was a real bargain and offered an opportunity to try lots of different and new dishes for us, so that's what we did.

Here is how the menu and the website describe the food:  "Himalayan Grill brings the distinctive tastes  from the foothills of the Himalayas to the Buckeye state.  Our menu marries fresh vegetables and meats with the exotic spices of the Himalayas.  Featuring dishes from the banks of the Indian Ocean to the peaks of the Himalayas we focus on bringing you the Indian, Nepali and Tibetan cuisines we love."

So.... the food was very different for me.  Spicy and sweet with curry and just a variety of flavors.
I wish I could name everything we had but I can't.  Chicken choila, samosa chaat, chickpeas, rice. was some of it.  For dessert I had "Golab jamun" which looked like a purple ball with honey in it.
At one point both Chuck and I had runny noses from the heat of something we ate.  I found myself eating slowly and savoring these very different flavors.

The ambiance of the restaurant was very pleasant.  We appreciated that there was no music in the background and so it was quiet.  The staff was really friendly.

When it was all said and done it was the perfect beginning to our "Gallivant" adventure.  A new place, new flavors, new foods!  Now, the question......will we go back?  I probably will not but Chuck enjoys different foods than I do.  He talked about who he would like to bring here  (like Dawn Blevins)  - but not ME!

Stating our Intention

Chuck Truex is at heart a treasure hunter whose deepest joy is in finding  new places, bargains, recipes, and restaurants. Over the years I have gotten used to his times of  "gallivanting"  as he comes home with with stories of roads he has never been on and bringing assorted finds.  I never know what tools or clothing or decorations or books or menus may appear from these outings.

As he is getting older, his traveling has become more limited.  This project is our intention to share in a time of "Gallivanting" together. We will go treasure hunting for NEW places to eat.  Our intention is to share with whoever is interested the fruits of our gallivanting.  We hope to have a weekly "Gallivant" as we seek to explore  50 new restaurants and also try out NEW dishes to eat.

And so a new adventure begins for this man who LOVES to eat!