Never The Same Plate Twice
Local restaurant puts out an everchanging array of fabulous fare
By Amy Fisher |
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(Editor's Note: 614 Dining Editor, Angela Theado, is one of Alana Shock's culinary assistants. There's your disclaimer. There is no way we could ignore one of Columbus' most amazing restaurants, so we wanted to be honest up front.)
You can't talk about restaurants in Columbus that serve local produce and meat without talking about Alana's Food and Wine. Undoubtedly one of the best restaurants in town, Alana's also seems to be the best at obtaining local vegetables and meats. Of course, there are good reasons most restaurants don't go all out for farm fresh foods. The current American restaurant model is no longer linked to seasonal availability. Now, restaurants can buy tomatoes any time of year from large cheap wholesale companies. This way, people can get just what they crave: consistency and the ability to have what they want, when they want it. The price of this convenience, however, is flavor. It is in the search for those who go beyond the safe and expected that you will find maverick chefs such as Alana Shock, who will not be serving a tomato mid-December.
With such flowery comments, you might call me a shill, and it is possible that you are right. I have friends and coworkers who have worked at Alana's and I have been on the receiving end of the chef and her sommelier husband's generosity on a number of occasions. In defense of my opinion, many years ago, before any of these bonds were formed, I ate an inspiring meal at Alana's. After this dinner I decided to make a modest addition to my list of life goals: motorboat Alana Shock. I have yet to cross that one off the list for fear of being banned for life, but it's always a pleasure to return to the restaurant, eat her food, drink her wine, and scheme.
Recently, Shock and I spoke briefly about local farms and produce, and she was kind enough to mark up a menu with a highlighter to indicate which of that evening's menu items were from local farms. Out of the 15 dishes listed, only two had no ingredients highlighted. With this much effort put into finding the best ingredients, you can see why substitutions are frowned on. As I was eating my "lovely local lettuce" salad with blue cheese, toasted nuts, and fresh berries, I mentioned to my server, William, that the salads are always significantly better than those I find at most other places. He said that he always loved the salad dressings because they are made in-house with the specific ingredients of each salad in mind. "You just can't do that with pre-made ranch or French dressings. I have to tell my customers that there are no substitutions," he said.
Photo: Eric Pacella
William chose a glass of sparkling wine as my second course (I was, by then, smitten). I also tried the eight ball squash appetizer, which was stuffed with chorizo, Manchego cheese, and Fregola sardinia. The plate was sauced with a fragrant and smooth romesco sauce made with piquillo peppers, pulling out the rich, earthy qualities from the sausage, and nutty flavor of the squash. For my main course, I had a rack of local lamb rubbed with Middle Eastern spices. It was served with soft and sweet braised carrots and sumac-spiced couscous, giving it a lemony and clean accent. The sauce was a meaty yogurt nage, and the thick richness coupled with the expertly cooked lamb brought me so much pleasure, it was damn near carnal.
Even the desserts are made using local ingredients. I tried the carrot cake, which was dense and richly spiced. The cake was topped with a light whipped cream cheese icing and Jeni's salty caramel ice cream. The layers co-mingled on the tongue so that each potently flavored component melted into the next, creating a dessert worth saving some room for.
There is no way for you to recreate this exact meal, since the menu changes daily, but I would encourage anyone to treat themselves to an upscale meal in the relaxed dining room, or on their serene patio. Yes, the patio is located in the north campus area, but it feels somehow secluded. This is possibly due, in part, to the interesting patrons and hand-picked music, or more likely because of the extensive and fabulous wine list. So, give up a little bit of the control freak inside and find out what food lovers all over the city have kept a bit of a secret - Alana knows exactly what she's doing with her food. Not to mention that her staff is well equipped to help you find the bottle of wine to pair it with. Also, don't worry, if wine isn't your thing, there is always a full bar, and this chef can dream up a mean cocktail. So make reservations and support a local restaurant that is supporting your local farm, and get fresh... but not too fresh.
Alana's Food and Wine
2333 N High St.
(614) 294-6783
www.alanas.com
Please note that Alana's will be closed at the end of August
Originally Published: August 1, 2009
