Foodwire
News for your belly
By Amy Fisher |
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Sometimes, food and booze are a perfect pairing. Sometimes you get drunk and wake up, covered in food wrappers, and wonder what kind of mistakes you made last night. Was the food safe? Well, we need not worry when excellent purveyors of delicious vegan food like Rad Dog! pair up with tippling professionals like Hal & Al's (1297 Parsons Ave.). (They have Tecate in a can, for god's sake.) So, you know it'll be guilt free, because it's more than just a one-night stand.
Local pizza artisans and enthusiasts Bono Pizza seem to have finally found a place to lay their pies. The new location in Grandview is (conveniently) located inside the corner carryout store (1717 Northwest Blvd.). The pizza will be served Monday through Saturday 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. The inside tip, however, is that chances of obtaining a pizza are better for those who arrive early.
Concurrently, another underground favorite, Smackies BBQ, has just gone mobile. For the duration of the winter, this traveling smoker will be planted at the intersection of Pacemont Road and High Street during lunch hours. Also, it's located (conveniently) close to Pace-High carryout.
Hania's Old World Cuisine is now in the former El Pariso spot in the North Market (59 Spruce St.). This stand serves up an assortment of polish delights. The owners are schooled in working at the North Market. It will not be hard to imagine consistently tasty food from people like Mr. Wilamowski, whose enthusiasm often moved me to order cassoulet from the North Market Poultry and Game in the heavy sunshine months of June and July.
The Pearl Alley Market will continue through the winter months with an indoor location (20 E Broad St.). The first floor venue will host all of the regular vendors from the summer, with room to grow.
Currently, Max & Erma's and Damon's are both caught between a corporate failure and an internal-dissent place. After filing for Chapter 11, the fate of the company is unsure. Meanwhile, franchise owners are fighting to have a court-appointed reorganization officer to help the company get through their Chapter 11 status. This is due to their lost faith in the Pittsburgh parent company G&R Acquisitions, who acquired both brands about a year ago. The scuffle is promising to be a nail biter.
The current market hasn't been favorable for the Wolfgang Puck Express, either. November saw the closing of its location in The Shops on Lane Avenue. The company left with a warning though - they will be back.
The former owners of Trattoria LaTavola will be opening a new restaurant with a diverse concept in the former Zen Sushi place (505 N High St.). The couple plans to open their new restaurant, Knead, by the spring.
Whole World Natural Bakery and Restaurant hopes to re-open in spring, after closing due to a fire in October at their location in Clintonville (3269 N High St.).
Donato's Pizza will be diversifying its label under their new division, Jane Dough Foods. The chain said that it hopes to expand to convenience stores like Speedway or school cafeterias.
CLARIFICATION: In case the wording in last month's Food Wire was confusing, the Short North location of The Happy Greek is not closed, but in fact open and ready for business.
Originally Published: December 1, 2009
