I like trying new places, even if it means venturing out of the downtown/German Village/Short North footprint. On Wednesday night we hitched a ride with the adventurous Dr. Science and the G.V. Jogger over to the Near East Side. Our destination was the East Market, a nifty renovated trolley car barn that dates back to the era when trolley cars rattled down many Columbus streets, carting Columbusites hither and yon.
When we entered the main East Market building, a sign announced that we were in the “Historic Trolley District,” because every part of Columbus apparently has to be part of some designated district or another. The trolley cars were long gone, leaving plenty of space for shops, carry-out restaurants, a bar, and a butcher’s emporium with a smiling pig head in the window. The pig head looked happy to be there, and so were we.
We wandered around, checking out the options. There were lots of choices, including pizza, Cajun, burgers, chicken sandwiches, and Greek. We opted for a place called Koso that served Korean fare. I went for the bulgogi beef bowl, a hearty and piping hot serving of rice, beef, onions, and subtle seasonings. We took our food upstairs and ate among the old timber rafters in a nice seating area. Armed with chopsticks, I nimbly shoveled down all of my bulgogi bowl, picking up every last grain of rice and morsel of meat.
I enjoyed my first official visit to the Historic Trolley District. I’m planning on coming back and trying some of the other food options. I feel like the slyly grinning pig head would want that.
Webner House 