The restaurants for which she’s known are in and around downtown Columbus, but the origins of Carmen Owens’ interests in food come from right here in Westerville.
Owens, co-owner of the Columbus Food League, has been making crazy concoctions in the kitchen for more than 20 years. She is a graduate of Westerville North High School.
The company runs six restaurants in Columbus: Betty’s Fine Food & Spirits, Tip Top Kitchen & Cocktails, Surly Girl Saloon, Dirty Frank’s Hot Dog Palace, Jury Room and Grass Skirt Tiki Room. A seventh restaurant, the Franklinton Tap Room, is in the works.
Owens oversees operations at Surly Girl and Grass Skirt. She does everything from waiting tables to paying bills and setting up promotional events.
“Every day is different, but that keeps it interesting and fun,” she says.
Owens has been working in the restaurant business since long before the company was formed. She started out waiting tables at Don
Gino’s Pizza in Westerville at the age of 14. She has also been friends with company founders Liz and Tim Lessner since middle school; the Lessners both graduated from North as well.
Owens later studied anthropology at The Ohio State University. After graduating, she was unsure of what career she wanted to pursue.
“I was at a crossroads: grad school or open a restaurant,” Owens says.
She chose the latter and began working with the Lessners to manage Betty’s and, later, open Surly Girl in the Short North.
Owens’ specialty is bringing together unconventional elements to keep the league’s restaurants interesting, whether through decorations or menu items.
“I like to take something everyday and put a twist on it,” she says.
Surly Girl serves as a prime example of Owens’ creativity in action. Over-the-top pirate and cowgirl decorations fill the restaurant, and the menu is loaded with everything from grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup to constantly-changing cupcake creations.
“I was a huge fan of cupcakes before the craze when cupcake bakeries became really popular,” she says.
Surly Girl’s house cupcake is red velvet with cream cheese icing, but there are always specials available as well. Owens has been known to put in some crazy ingredients including bacon, liquor or even both at once.
The Grass Skirt, which opened in downtown Columbus last summer, is where Owens has been spending most of her time lately. The place is decorated with thematic works by local artists, including tiki statues and masks created by the Fraternal Order of Moai. Fun drink combinations and tiki cocktails highlight the tropical menu.
Owens prides herself in balancing foods she knows everyone will enjoy, such as the classic grilled cheese, with interesting combinations no one will expect.
“We try to make things fun, exciting and accessible,” she says. “We want our décor, food and drinks to be visually interesting and surprising.”
Hayley Ross is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
Recipe
Curried Chicken Salad on King’s Hawaiian Rolls
From Grass Skirt Tiki Room
Ingredients
4 chicken breasts
4 King’s Hawaiian rolls
4 slices pineapple
1 ½ cup mayonnaise
1/6 cup yellow curry powder
1/3 cup green onions
1 red pepper
1 jalapeno pepper
½ cup coarsely ground cashews
Cinnamon and sugar to taste
Instructions
Add curry powder, green onions, peppers and cashews to food processor and puree until very smooth. Finely dice chicken breasts and mix with mayonnaise, then combine with processed mix.
Serve a scoop of chicken salad on toasted King’s Hawaiian rolls. Top with fresh pineapple slices, lightly sprinkle with a mix of half cinnamon, half sugar. Enjoy!
