A few more bytes on Northstar (Clintonville) - The S factor, breakfast and a sandwich for skeptics

Surprise - much more ado about Northstar

I have been paying attention to how Northstar operates in my weekly visits. I was eating there just before closing tonight.The owners do everything right. I noticed they were eating together, talking about the day and very clearly enjoying what they have created. It is inspiring when two people can find a passion, follow through on it and see it be wildly successful. Awesome!

So this is what I have noticed about Northstar - the S Factor.

Subtle: No big sign - just a name painted on the door. The prices are all off kilter with the rest of the restaurant world - $1.88, 7.96, 6.79 - these guys think out of the box.

Simple: The menu is small. The ingredients are basic. The decor is cool but not over the top - it reminds me of IKEA or the kind of functional efficiency I expect to find in Switzerland.

Service: Everyone is NICE! You order at the counter, take a number and your food is brought to you. I have yet to encounter a Northstar employee that was not fully focused on making the dining experience anything other than great.

Saving the Planet: Local suppliers when possible. Recycled paper napkins. Northstar is a member of 1% for The Planet - so 1% of their profits goes to good things.

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BREAKFAST IS SERVED

The Clintonville Northstar is now serving breakfast - Monday to Friday 7:30 AM to 11:00 AM and Saturday and Sunday 7:30 AM to 3 PM.

Here is the menu:

Granola with Vanilla Yogurt

Sweet Potato Hash

Turkey
Red Peppers
Sweet Onions
Sunny side up egg
Sweet potatoes

Big Burrito
Eggs
Black beans
Red peppers
Onions
Sweet potatoes
White cheddar

add bacon or sausage - 1.88

Cloud 9 Pancakes
Riccota cheee pancakes with maple syrup

Egg Sandwich
Egg with white cheddar cheese on a biscuit

Add bacon or sausage - 1.88

Other Items:

Praline Scone (the best I have ever had)

Ham and Cheese Scone

Morning Glory Muffin

Peanut Butter cookie

Chocolate Truffle cookie

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A simple sandwich for Northstar skeptics

I sometimes have to lure people into Northstar because of concerns that the restaurant might be some kind of “vegetarian, hippy, tree hugger, granola munching place”. My best weapon for that kind of mindset is pictured above.

House Smoked Turkey Breast Sandwich

marinated peppers

greens

rosemary aloli

turkey

add bacon

served on hefty house made bread bound with a thick toothpick

served with roasted peanut slaw

Ok - the peanut slaw might throw someone off - but it can be replaced with a side of torilla chips if the slaw is too freaky.

Final note - my Northstar wish list is growing. I still want to see soup - soup really is good food. Also - if two items from my departed and beloved Galaxy Cafe could be added (Ricky Barnes are you reading?) - I would be in heaven. I crave black bean hummus with garlic sauce and Adobo eggs with jalepeno cornbread. A Gourmand can dream - (an when he does - it is about food.)

Northstar Cafe (CLINTONVILLE)…Is Open!!!!!!!!

Northstar Cafe (The Clintonville Edition)

4241 North High Street (just south of Henderson Road)

614.784.2233

The Northstar Cafe did a stealth opening on March 1st or 2nd. The Grand Opening will be April 22nd (Earth Day). Breakfast should start by then as well.

I was not really stalking the new location - but I did drive by several times per day. These were my impressions of the place peeking in a few nights before it opened.

The inside has the same coolness yet spartan elegance of the the Short North Northstar with a few refinements.

The flow of space looks better. There are four large open ended booth-like tables that look like they would sit 8-10 people and two small nook booths that look like they will sit 4-6. Expect to see the Gourmand there with his various food support groups dining away in bliss.

It has sometimes been a struggle to seat larger groups at the other location so looks like that was fixed for Northstar II. There is ample, easy parking in the back (much easier than the Short North location). The kitchen looks bigger - so maybe a slightly expanded menu (please serve me soup!). I can’t wait - so stay tuned for a review or several of them since I can ride my bike there in about 3 minutes. Yipee!!

 

 

Expect a full review after the grand opening - I will be there about once per week until then. Post your comments and share your own thoughts about the new Northstar until then. Thanks.

And some more info from a new Blog on the scene.

Offbeat Columbus

(Post Posting)

I dropped in for dinner on March 6th - it was wonderful - the love affair continues! See my earlier review of the Short North Northstar (September 2006) for more about the food.

(Post Post Posting) 

I dropped in again for dinner on March 21st.  One of our items was delayed because they ran out of chicken - so we opted to pinch hit with tofu.  For our trouble - we were given two coupons for free entrees.  And every employee we spoke to raved about the restaurant and the owners - Northstar has some serious good karma building.

 

 

Northstar in the Short North

Rising Star in the Columbus Culinary Galaxy – Northstar Café (featured in Columbus Underground)

Northstar Café
951 N. High Street
Short North

If I did not know better, I would think Northstar was trying to court me because it has done everything a new restaurant (or love interest) should. Obviously the owners Katy and Kevin Malhame have done things right. They survived the critical first year in the restaurant biz and have had plenty of accolades in the local media.

First, food, it is the way to a man’s heart. The menu is limited but has enough variety to appeal to meat eaters or vegetarians, young or old, conservative or hippy. The breakfast menu includes: Granola (served with organic yogurt and fresh berries); Sweet Potato Hash (served with smoked turkey, red peppers, sweet onions, and an egg) – did I mention I love sweet potatoes; a vegetarian breakfast burrito; Mushroom Frittata (Shitake, Portobello, and Button mushrooms, onions, and Gruyere cheese) served with roasted potatoes, and a big biscuit; and Cloud 9 Pancakes (the batter has ricotta cheese mixed in).

The lunch and dinner menu features items such as a Veggie Burger and Organic Meatloaf. I am a big fan of the Budda Bowl – rice, chicken and/or tofu, a spicy Thai peanut sauce and lots of fresh veggies. There are good salads that are a meal to their own. The Special Salad:

is Chicken, goat cheese, dates, almonds, mixed greens with some odds and ends. As an insider secret – if your meal has chips as a side – you can get a small green salad or rice salad as a side instead.

The Sweet Basil Burrito:

- available with Chicken or Tofu - Northstar does tofu right - it is easy to do wrong - so give this one a shot. I usually ask for a mix of both.

Focused effort went into creating cuisine that is reasonably priced, healthy, and environmentally responsible. The sausage comes from an organic farm just outside of Columbus, the maple syrup is made in Ohio, the eggs are fresh from the hen, and the hot sauce and salsa are made in house. Organic foods are used whenever possible. The café also serves fresh juices, smoothies, baked goods, wines, and beer.

The décor is modern and comfortable with giant windows up front, high ceilings, plenty of open space, cool background music as well as some comfy chairs and a couch bordering the magazine rack – which offers a large selection of magazines you can purchase.

The cooking crew is decked out in professional white chefs outfits, they look busy and proficient in the open kitchen. The efficient and perky servers are more casual, sporting Northstar T-shirts - they are very knowledgeable about the menu and ingredients. Service is always good and tipping is a no-no. And I have my favorite employee who updates me on good shoes to buy. She is a sweetheart.

All of this hip/hippy cuisine and atmosphere is backed up with some principled substance. Northstar donates 1% of the café’s profits to non profit organizations. This restaurant has become the preferred breakfast hang out for this writer based on the scones alone. It is also a nice break from some of the other cramped, crowded, and noisy restaurants that are nearby. Northstar is my star of the Short North.

Word is we can expect a Clintonville Northstar in late winter or early spring of 2007. That restaurant will be within easy walking distance of my house – that is customer service!

(POST POST - Northstar 2 or Northstar North or Northstar Cville - opened in February 2007)