Is it a store or a restaurant or both?

Location:

Cuco’s Taqueria & Grill

2162 Henderson Rd.

Columbus, OH 43220

(614) 538-8701

On Henderson Road in the same shopping center as Neighbor’s Deli is a small Mexican restaurant… and store.  When you walk in you can see there are tables around, but immediately before your eyes are several shelves lined with a plethora of Hispanic groceries and other goods (futbol jerseys, candles, calling cards, etc.).

I’ve been to Cuco’s several times, probably about five or six, but all my visits were before I started writing reviews.  Last Monday my friend and I were tasting for some Mexican and I had a coupon so we headed over to Cuco’s around the block.  He didn’t feel like eating in (it’s the same friend I had Neighbor’s Deli with, he’s a big fan of the living room picnic!) so we walked in, checked out the menu, ordered to go and waited.

The hostess seemed a little confused by the concept of “to-go”, even after I busted out my nine years of Spanish and said “llévelo a ir”, and I think maybe they don’t really get that many “to-go” orders.  Either way we sat for about 10-15 minutes waiting on the food, which was pretty disappointing because when you eat in the orders usually come 5-7 minutes after ordering.  Having worked in the fast-food industry, namely Steak’n’Shake, I know for a fact that “to-go” orders are the ones you’re supposed to do first & get out the door.  Oh well, like I said, they probably aren’t experienced with it.

I ordered the Tri-Color enchilada plate, one beef enchilada with salsa verde, one chicken enchilada with cheese sauce and one cheese enchilada with salsa roja with a side of lettuce and sour cream (included).  My friend ordered Enchiladas Del Mar, three scallop and shrimp enchiladas topped with cheese sauce.  Before we left I asked if the “to-go” came with chips & salsa (as per the norm for eating in), and with another confused look the hostess fetched a small bag for us. 

Both especialidades de la casa (House Specials) were supposed to come with beans & rice… note the words “supposed to”.  When we got home and I opened my box, my beans & rice were nowhere to be found!  I was highly disappointed because I love beans & rice.  The enchiladas were delicious as usual.  The beef w/salsa verde has a spicy but not too hot flavor and the salsa verde cuts through the density of the meat.  The chicken w/cheese sauce was pretty standard, seasoned chicken w/spicy queso blanco, and the cheese enchilada w/salsa roja was, as always, my favorite.  I love the salsa roja because it’s smoky and the flavor is such a contrast to the creamy cheese inside.  The “side” of lettuce & sour cream wasn’t really a side as much as it was a bed that the enchiladas were placed on.  After I finished my enchiladas, I was excited to finish up with some chips & salsa… another disappointment.  The chips were stale and chewy, and the salsa, which normally comes to the table in a large serving bowl with endless refills, was (no kidding here) about the size of a shot glass.  I’m pretty sure it wasn’t even the actual salsa that they usually serve because it was watery red juice and there were no onions or cilantro or even chunks of tomato.

In the end, I decided I would never get carry-out from Cuco’s again.  I will definitely go back to eat in, because their food is awesome, but as far as “to-go”, well, I can’t say it any better than “they suck”.  My recommendation is to go in the evening, near dinnertime or shortly after because they tend to get very busy between five and seven pm.  The lunch menu is limited and you won’t really get a chance to experience all they have to offer.

Overall Scores: (1-5, 1 being lowest, 5 highest)

Cleanliness: 4

Value: 4

Accessibility: 5

Friendliness: 4

Menu: 5


Check out their website here but don't bother clicking on the coupon section because you'll get this:

"The diner is everybody's kitchen" - R. Gutman

Location:

Famous Jack’s Diner

755 US Highway 23 North 

Delaware, OH 43015

740-369-6677

Back in February of this year I was contacted by a company regarding a diner management position.  I met with the owner of the diner and a woman who worked for the company (a real estate development firm) and the interview went quite well.  I didn’t hear back from them until the beginning of April, and by then I had already started a new job… and hated it.  So I met again with the owner and he asked me to go in as a “secret shopper” and check the place out, see what I think about it, and get back to him.  I figured, “Hey!  A free meal and I can put this on LPS!  Sweet!”  So here is the review for Famous Jack’s (a place where I may be the manager in the near future).

I live in Columbus on the edge of Upper Arlington and Dublin, near Sawmill and Bethel roads.  Famous Jack’s seemed so far away, but when I took Riverside (33) straight up to 42 and over to 23 just south of downtown Delaware, the trip was only about 20 minutes.  I didn’t mind either because I love to drive on Riverside; once you get past the zoo it’s beautiful and scenic, especially on a misty Sunday morning.  I had my dog with me because he loves car rides (my dog has been adopted out to a new home, by the way) and in no time we were pulling into the parking lot… Well, I should say that in no time we were driving past the entrance to where I should have pulled into the parking lot.  I turned around at the gas station, headed back toward the diner, and missed the entrance again.  I was forced to exit onto Sandusky Street, which in turned forced me to go all the way back through the town until I got to 36/37 and could cut back over to 23 north.  Again.  This time I didn’t miss the driveway and after spending almost as much time trying to get into the parking lot as I had driving there, we finally parked.

This diner is kinda junky looking on the outside, and being surrounded by construction equipment doesn’t help.  The building itself really is quite awesome, and I believe it may be an authentic diner – you know, the kind that looks like a trailer, very long and narrow.  I was nervous walking in for some reason, probably because Delaware makes me nervous, but upon entering my nerves were calmed.  The staff, mostly female, all hollered there hellos and a short gray-haired woman instructed me to sit wherever I liked.  I chose the bar because most of the booths were occupied and because I despise when one person takes up a space that could fit 5-7.  Also, sitting at the bar gave me a good vantage point of the whole place.  It’s a classic place, wood paneling and red leather seats, pictures of Marilyn Monroe and John Wayne… cliché but classic.  Not too overwhelming on the décor and there is one TV on the far side near the ceiling.

I ordered the 3-egg breakfast which included 3 eggs any style (over-easy for me!), toast (white, wheat or cinnamon), bacon or sausage (links or patties) and hash browns.  On Sundays you get free coffee with your meal, so I took advantage of that even though I normally don’t drink coffee.  My waitress, the short gray-haired lady (“Shorty” was her name), was so incredibly nice.  It was like having a mom for a server!  As I sat waiting for my meal, I observed the clientele.  Lots of families, mostly coming from church it seemed, and most of the servers seemed to recognize the customers.  The atmosphere was very jovial and home-town-ish.  When my food appeared in front of me, I was surprised.  The eggs, which I knew would number 3, must have been jumbos because they took up almost the whole plate.  The hash browns were placed half on top of the eggs, and the bacon was strewn over the whole pile.  The toast, hot and heavily buttered, came on its own plate with two flavors of jelly.  The eggs were cooked perfectly, and that’s a pretty impressive statement coming from someone who loves dippy eggs but loathes slime.  The bacon was crispy and the hash browns were awesome.  I was impressed.  Total bill came to $8.00 with tip.  In general I’d say that if you feel like taking a drive, this would be a great place to go, or if you live in or near Delaware it’d be a great place to go.  Even if I don’t get the manager job, I’m still going to head back there because I’d like to try out the rest of the menu.  Oh, the menu!  I forgot to tell you guys – it’s huge – too huge actually.  They serve breakfast all day as well as sandwiches, burgers, and actual dinner meals like pork chops and steaks.  But if I get the job we’ll be working on that! *wink*

Overall Scores: (1-5, 1 being lowest, 5 highest)                    

Cleanliness: 4

Value: 5

Accessibility: 3 (no sign, no turn lane, misleading driveway entrances)

Friendliness: 5

Menu: 3

The Men Who Sell Hot Dogs (and more)

Location:

Village Coney

418 E. Whittier St.

Columbus, OH 43206

(614) 445-9633

Finally a place where I can get a damn chili dog and it doesn’t involve dog-food-esque ingredients from a can!

Bradley, Brad, and Nick Martensen, along with Jon Graham, run this cute little joint down in Columbus’s German Village on the south side of downtown.  It’s nestled between old houses and surrounded by tree and brick-lined side streets.  Started in 2001, I’ve heard that it was once a failing burrito shop (sources needed).  Regardless of the building’s past, the future looks as bright as yellow mustard for this happy hot dog heaven.

My time today was limited, and I honestly spent more time catching up on the last ten years with Nick, who I went to high school with, than I did eating.  I opted to order their original village coney ($1.75!!) and a side of homemade coleslaw ($2.00).  The dog was charming – coney sauce, mustard, onions (plenty of each topping too, my lil wiener friend was barely visible under all that goodness) on a nice fluffy bun, and it was scrumptious.  The coleslaw was also a good-sized portion, no carrots (yay! I loathe carrots!), dressed in a poppy-seed creaminess.  I was pleased with my total bill, for who can take leftovers home after only paying $3.75 for the entire meal?!  Amazing.  The menu isn’t just limited to hot dogs, oh no!  They have burgers, salads, fries, tots, onion rings… the list literally goes on and on.  I’m very interested in trying the Cleveland dog with a side of fried mushrooms.

Village Coney is quite small, tiny in fact, but it oozes charm all over the sidewalk.  They have outdoor seating and 5-6 tables inside, and in the half hour I spent there about six customers came & went.  I can imagine this place probably gets pretty packed!  Brad & Nick’s older brother Chris painted the whole inside, including a mural of Schiller Park and featuring his original artwork with prints available for sale.  Places like Village Coney are some of my favorite places to visit and frequent.  They are 100% neighborhood, a wee little gathering spot for good food and great conversation.  Even though this restaurant is fairly far from my place, I have a dog now and we need excuses to get to a park… Village Coney just happens to be right around the corner from one!  Next time I go back I’m going to take an empty stomach and fill it up as full as I can.

Overall Scores: (1-5, 1 being lowest, 5 highest)

Cleanliness: 4

Value: 5

Accessibility: 3 (street parking, small signage)

Friendliness: 5
Menu: 5

Happy (belated) Easter!

Location:

Dimitri’s

1830 Snow Rd.

Parma, OH 44130

(216) 741-3399

Dimitri’s in Parma has been in the Midtown Shopping Center at Broadview & Snow for as long as I can remember.  Nearly every time we go to Cleveland to visit family, especially for holidays, Dimitri’s is on the list for the main meal.  It’s an older place, smack dab in the middle of a strip mall, but when you walk through the doors you’d never guess what awaits you inside.

The atmosphere is dim due to old school wood paneling and oil cloth table covers, although there are lamps and lights everywhere.  This place is always crowded and they have what seems to be the smallest foyer ever in the history of foyers.  Once you are on the way to your table, however, the vastness of Dimitri’s can be shocking.  There are tables down the middle, there are booths on the sides, there are more tables in the back and past that, in the way-way-way back, is what may have been a banquet room that now has more tables.  In the very center of the restaurant, in view of every table (except the way-way-way back tables) is a giant chalkboard listing the daily specials.  Oh, and I forgot to mention!  In the very front of the place is a tiny bar with a few TVs where you can sit & wait for your table or just hang out and have a drink.

This year for Easter myself, my parents, my aunt and my uncle went to Dimitri’s for Easter.  They had a special Easter menu featuring chicken, pork, ham, steaks, and fish/seafood.  For one price (depending on your choice) you received drink, soup, salad, entrée, and dessert.  Total price for the five of us was $81.06, not including tip.  That’s roughly $16/person, not bad for a full course meal!  The portions are huge, even the salad and soup are pretty big, and endless rolls were available as well.  I had the chicken paprikash with dumplings, a dish that Dimitri’s is known for, and it was delicious.  My father and uncle had a pork roast with mashed potatoes and stuffing, my aunt had the chicken paprikash as well, and my mother had fried pork roast with home fries and escalloped apples.  The salads were standard, lettuce/tomatoes/onions/croutons, the soup was chicken noodle with plenty of veggies and big fat egg noodles, the rolls were breadsticks or plain dinner rolls, and the desserts were a choice of Boston cream pie, rice pudding, lemon meringue, sherbet, chocolate cake, or coconut cream pie (plus more, but I really can’t remember them all!)  The only complaint I had about the whole experience was that they seemed to be slightly understaffed for such a big day.  Our waiter, Mike, was very good but he had at least 5-7 tables to serve by himself (including drinks/delivery/orders/etc) and I really think they should have had more people walking around to refill drinks, bring more rolls, clear out dishes, etc.  Mike did a really great job despite his heavy load though!

By and large, I’d say that no matter the occasion, day, time or year, Dimitri’s is always a good choice.  The prices are reasonable, the servings are huge, and the staff is beyond friendly.

Overall Scores: (1-5, 1 being lowest, 5 highest)

Cleanliness: 3 (it’s clean but it’s starting to get pretty run down, especially the restrooms)

Value: 4

Accessibility: 5

Friendliness: 5

Menu: 5

(The very last picture was supposed to be the chocolate cake, but my mom inhaled it so fast that I barely had time to get a pic!  Mmmm... cake...)

Holidays, Shmolidays...

I went to visit family in the Cleveland area for Easter and I am currently working on an article for that restaurant.  Also in the works is a visit to Village Coney in German Village which is owned by a high school friend, his brother, and his father.  I recently landed a new job with crazy different hours at a swell little bistro in town so I have to get used to my new schedule and work out time to fit everything in... plus I got a dog...  Hahaha!  So be patient, more posts are coming!