Photo courtesy of Grass Skirt Tiki Room
Grass Skirt Tiki Room
Here in Columbus, people have to really make an effort to become bored. With a wealth of entertainment, delicious restaurants and abundant shopping, Columbus is the perfect place to be.
Between November and March, though, with harsh weather and gray skies, that fact can be easy to forget. Luckily, Columbus restaurateurs have created escapes throughout the city – you just have to look closely. Escape into these three hidden gems this winter, and the warmth of spring won’t feel too far away.
The Light of Seven Matchsticks
www.thelightofsevenmatchsticks.com
The phrase “hidden gem” doesn’t get more literal than a speakeasy. If you’re looking for a spot with delicious food, great drinks, and an environment that throws you back to Prohibition and the Roaring ’20s, there’s no better place.
Underneath Natalie’s Coal-Fired Pizza at the Light of Seven Matchsticks in Worthington, you’ll quickly lose track of time. With great conversation between like-minded – or perhaps not so like-minded – people (“Politics, religion & sex are highly encouraged topics of conversation,” reads its website), zero cell service and the suggestion to leave children at home, the Light of Seven Matchsticks values the guest experience above all.
That doesn’t mean the food and drink are lacking, though.
The extensive cocktail list will make you feel like you’re partying on a Wes Anderson film set in the middle of the Harlem Renaissance – though, we admit, Duke Ellington likely wasn’t drinking mezcal cocktails named Watchu Wahakan’ Bout Willis.
And the small plates menu, which features unique delights you can’t get anywhere else, is as much a conversation starter as the atmosphere itself. You might not be able to check that phone, but don’t worry. You won’t miss it.
Los Guachos Taquería
If there’s one food that seems to be everywhere right now, it’s the taco. Columbus has you covered with tacos of all colors, flavors and ingredients. But there’s one taquería that reigns triumphant when it comes to tradition: Los Guachos Taquería.
Los Guachos has grown tremendously since it opened as a food truck in 2005, now with three brick and mortar locations. That might mean Los Guachos isn’t really a hidden gem, but there’s always time for a taco the way it was meant to be enjoyed.
“At first, a lot of people have questions because the dishes are all traditional,” says Vince Fasone, operations leader at Los Guachos. “Usually people are amazed, ‘Wow,’ when they see the el pastor meat on the stick. … That’s what we’re known for.”
Fasone has a hard time picking just one favorite Los Guachos dish, but he promises that everything you’ll find on the menu packs Mexican family history, authenticity and a real passion from everyone crafting your dish.
“I think if you really want a truly authentic Mexican taco, there’s no other place to go than Los Guachos,” says Fasone. “We may not be the only taco restaurant (in Columbus), but we are the best.”
And that’s not just talk. Los Guachos was named No. 3 taco restaurant not just in Columbus but in the country by Food Network’s Top 5 Restaurants.
“All of that family history that (owner Carlos Nanato) has, he brought here. That’s what sets him apart,” says Fasone. “There’s no intention at all of straying away from his Mexican roots.”
Photos courtesy of Los Guachos Taqueria
Grass Skirt Tiki Room
Grass Skirt Tiki Room
Columbus’ more tenured residents may remember the legendary Kahiki, a Polynesian-themed restaurant whose ship-shaped doors were shuttered in 2000. Columbus residents yearned for something to fill the mast-sized hole Kahiki left in its wake, and Carmen Owens, one of those nostalgic residents, saw an opportunity.
Thus, Grass Skirt Tiki Room was born.
“Tiki is sort of known for being escapist, surrealist and it’s a nice immersive environment to make you feel like you’re not in Columbus at all – if we’re doing it right,” says Owens. “This whole place is pretty much a monument to my own seasonal affective disorder.”
Grass Skirt’s menu will make you feel like you’re on vacation; crab cakes, Sriracha shrimp tacos, fish and chips, and crab rangoon – Grass Skirt has the perfect plates for sharing. And parties of 20 are welcome on weekends, 40 on weekdays (as long as you call ahead, of course), making Grass Skirt a destination for the whole crew.
Naturally, the cocktail menu is fit for a commander – or a pirate, depending on your mood. Wash down your meal in true tiki style with a cocktail garnished with a live flame, plastic mermaid or, naturally, mini umbrella. There’s no better way to spend a snowy night in Columbus than escaping to a tropical oasis.
“There are already some people that know about us because they miss the Kahiki, but we have new people in every day,” says Owens. “We do actually describe it as a downtown oasis and a hidden gem as well.”
Amanda DePerro is an editor. Feedback welcome at adeperro@cityscenemediagroup.com.
