I think a father should cook on Father’s Day. And since I don’t have a grill — yet — that means brunch. This Father’s Day it’s eggs with American cheese, onions, summer sausage, and plenty of sriracha hot chili sauce, a side of melon, and yogurt, almonds, and fresh fruit.
Hey . . . it’s my day, after all.
Today Kish and I decided to check out Grandview Mercantile in the Short North and have some brunch beforehand. We parked near the store and decided to stroll down High Street until we saw a restaurant that piqued our interest. When we passed by Melt, we had to stop to check it out.
Kish loves grilled cheese sandwiches, and that — along with beer — is basically what Melt has to offer. But saying they serve grilled cheese sandwiches is like saying Jack Nicholson is a decent actor. It doesn’t really capture the entirety of the body of work, or the creativity and talent behind the performances. Melt offers every imaginable form and combination of grilled cheese that a rational person could imagine — and a few others, besides.
So, I was intrigued to see what Melt’s brunch would be like. I ordered the green eggs and ham offering from the brunch menu, which included ham, cheese, an egg over easy, and Green Goddess dressing, all served in the form of a grilled cheese sandwich. It was tasty, and also titanic — so frigging huge that I could only eat half of it, and I was pretty hungry. When our friendly waitress came by to ask if we wanted dessert, we laughed out loud at the ludicrousness of that notion. She smiled and admitted that she typically sells only about one dessert a month because the entrees are so massive. They have good coffee, too, by the way.
Melt is a pretty good option for brunch, but for God’s sake be sure to bring your appetite.
Wolf’s Ridge Brewing is another new destination in the downtown Columbus dining scene. The Jersey Girl and I went there for lunch and had a fine meal, but when I heard it was open for brunch on Saturday and Sunday I was eager to check it out. Today, with Richard in town and ready to see what was new in Columbus, was the perfect opportunity.
When I reviewed the brunch menu I knew Wolf’s Ridge was a good choice, because one of the options was Toad In The Hole. With a pub food name like that, how could you decline to order it? I certainly couldn’t resist the temptation.
It turns out that Toad In The Hole is round pieces of fresh bread with a hole cut in the middle, like a doughnut. The hole is then filled with a baked egg, cooked so that the yolk is runny. The two pieces of bread are served over slices of bacon, fingerling potatoes that look like sausages, and a kind of gravy that was absolutely delectable. You cut up the bread and the egg, the yolk runs into the gravy and the sliced bits of potato, and you fork it down between bites of bacon. Wow! It’s one of the best brunch dishes I’ve ever had.
Because the name of the place is Wolf’s Ridge Brewing, I had to try a beer, too. I was tempted to get a flight of five beers — for only $8.00! — but I thought that might be too much for 1 p.m. on Saturday, so I settled on a glass of Harvest Wheat. It was a bit darker than many wheat beers but crisp, clean, and a perfect complement to the entree. Toad and Wheat go together like birds of a feather.
It’s great to have another downtown brunch option, and I was glad to see that more than a few tables and spots at the bar were filled on a pretty Saturday afternoon. If you’re in the mood for brunch in Columbus, Wolf’s Ridge fills the bill.
Webner House 