Restaurant Review: Texas de Brazil

Texas de Brazil - Columbus
4040 Easton Station
Suite E 105
Columbus, OH 43219
(614) 470-5900
https://texasdebrazil.com/

Hours
Monday - Wednesday: 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Thursday: 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM; 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Friday:   11:00 AM - 2:00 PM; 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Saturday: 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Sunday:   12:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Texas de Brazil is advertised as an Upscale Brazilian eatery featuring all-you-can-eat grilled meat carved tableside & a salad bar. As usual, your mileage may vary and the sleeves will ride up with wear.

Restaurant Review: Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano

Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano

Levis Commons
1320 Levis Commons Blvd.; Perrysburg, OH  43551
Hours: Mon-Thr 11:30 - 9:30Fri-Sat 11:30 - 10:30
Sun 11:30 - 9:00
(419) 872-6100
Biaggis on the Web

Managing Partner: Tavis Hissa
Chef Partner: Justin Nye

Restaurant Review: Hot Pot & Asian Grill

Hot Pot and Asian Grill

4038 Talmadge Rd.; Toledo, OH

Mon - Thu: 11:00 am - 10:00 pm; Fri: 11:00 am - 11:00 pm

Sat: 12:00 pm - 11:00 pm; Sun: 12:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Phone: (419)214-0600

Facebook Page - Hot Pot and Asian Grill

Northeast corner at Talmadge and Sylvania

The Toledo Blade did a review of the Hot Pot Grill, which I will not link to here.  The restaurant reviewer didn't know what she was talking about, mainly because of her worldly experience (none), which was inversely proportional to her attitude - if the food doesn't look like a burger and fries, then what's it doing on my plate?  I couldn't let that one slide, so this afternoon I went over to see for myself.  Keep reading to get the straight money story on the Hot Pot and Asian Grill, and why people would want to eat there.

Robert Burns Dinner 2014 - The Review

I first attended a Robert Burns dinner in 2012; I wrote about it here: Robert Burns Dinner in Review. The Burns Dinner is held at Barley's Ale House, an excellent restaurant which I reviewed here: Restaurant Review: Barley's Ale House No. 2.

Somehow or other, and I'm not sure just how this happened, we missed the Robert Burns dinner in 2013.  I know - heresy,  heresy, devil worship, witchcraft, no new taxes and other unspeakable perversions.  To which I say: Bite me.  I made it this year, and to atone for this incredible faux pas I'm posting a much longer review than I'd planned, along with interesting pictures of a few notable guests and staff.

Keep reading to see what you missed at the Fifteenth Annual Robert Burns Dinner and find out why you should attend next year.

Robert Burns Dinner 2014 - Hospitality

I would be sorely remiss if I failed to thank my brother Big Mike for his excellent hospitality.  Should you ever be so fortunate as to be a guest at Big Mike's house, know that he feels a great deal of responsibility for your personal comfort.

Keep reading for a few highlights and photos.

Robert Burns Dinner 2014 - Road Trip

On Friday afternoon I packed my bag, put my car under me and headed South on US 23 with a great deal of enthusiasm and anticipation of an excellent weekend.  I was going to enjoy three days of my brother Big Mike's hospitality and the Robert Burns Dinner at Barley's.

Keep reading for a restaurant review and general highlights.

Robert Burns Dinner 2014

Pay attention, sit up and stop mumbling.  Two years ago Big Mike, Lash and I attended the Scottish event of the year in Columbus, Ohio.  I wrote about it here, in the Robert Burns Dinner in Review. Well, it's on again. Check the official website at Robert Burns Dinner, read my review if you want to know what to expect, then plan to attend the event at the Smoke House and have a roaring good time. Big Mike and I will be there, Lord willing and the creek don't rise.

Restaurant Review: Pho Viet Nam

I don't have the spelling quite right on this one.  The 'o' in Pho stays mainly in the snow is a lower case oh with a tiny question mark hovering over it and what appears to be a small accent mark to the right.  I can't find the letter anywhere, and I'm probably not pronouncing it right anyway.

Pho' Viet Nam

3636 Upton Ave.; Toledo, OH 43613

Open 7 Days a Week

10:00 AM to 10:00 PM

(419) 720-2952

Pho Viet Nam

This place is a real diamond in the rough, and once word spreads you'll have to wait in line to get in.  As it is, the crowd is still a little sparse during lunch.  Keep reading to get the low down news on Pho.

Restaurant Review: Bar 145°

Bar 145°

5305 Monroe Street; Toledo, OH 43623

(419) 593-0073

Bar 145°

Regular Hours: 11:30am - 2:00am

Kitchen Hours: Mon - Thurs 11:30 - 10:00; Fri - Sat 11:30-11:00

Sun 10:00 - 9:00

Happy Hour: Mon - Fri 1:45 - 6:00

Having a preference for bourbon and wanting lunch in the very worst way, I stopped in at Bar 145° the other day in the hope of satisfying my appetites.  I've eaten there several times, and so decided to review the place.  Here's what to expect and why you might want to reconsider your options.

Weekend Road Trip - 4/6/2013

I've been writing about my weekend in Columbus and will finish up by writing about our dinner out and several other oddities.

Saturday night we went out to Barley's Ale House, which I've written about before in Barley's Ale House No. 2 and here, in Robert Burns Dinner in Review.  Keep reading as it amuses you to do so.

Restaurant News: The Hungry I

The Hungry I closed down.  There were several problems with The Hungry I, but the chief reason for closing was money and a lack thereof in the till.  I've been patronizing The Hungry I in spite of the problems I found inside, and while I'm still glad I did and I wouldn't do anything differently, Main Lady and I went to The Hungry I for the dancing and nothing else.

Another Toledo Landmark Passes Away

Sometime back I wrote about the old Yoko Health Spa out on Airport Highway.  You can read all about it in The Passing of a Toledo Landmark, but the long and short of it is that a little house of pleasure ill repute got bulldozed, and I'm sure the religiously righteous had a field day singing the Hallelujah Chorus while thumping their Bibles and praying for the souls of the well and truly damned who used to frequent that unholy establishment of sacrilegious joy.  The godforsaken truth is that the old Yoko spa had been there since Hector was a pup, and I'm sure that if the place was all that Pastor Pissfire Pallbox inculcated in his last sermon, the local constabulary would have closed it down years ago.  They didn't.
Now I've got some brand new news.  It's happened again, and another Toledo landmark has bit the dust.  Keep reading for the low down.

Restaurant Review:Grass Skirt Tiki Room

I was visiting Big Mike in Columbus last weekend, and when the clock was headed in the direction of happy hour Mike suggested we go and check out the latest edition to the Columbus restaurant scene: The Grass Skirt Tiki Room. I'm old enough to have experienced several Tiki restaurants and bars, so I was enthusiastically in favor of this selection. Here's what you'll find at the Grass Shack.

Restaurant Review: Avenue Bistro

Avenue Bistro

6710 W. Central Ave., Toledo, OH

(419) 841 - 5944

(419) 842 -1435 (Fax)

Avenue Bistro

Mon - Thr: 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Fri - Sat: 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Sun: Closed

Being at loose ends for lunch I decided to try Avenue Bistro again.  I used to patronize Avenue Bistro for lunch on an irregular basis, often with my attorney Johnny the Hammer, but I discovered that the owners refused to heat the place during the winter and last February the dining room was an ice house so I swore the place off.  Things have changed a little since then, and for the better.

Restaurant Review: AMango

AMango Restaurant

5228 Monroe St.; Toledo, OH

Hours: Wed - Mon 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM

Closed Tuesday

(419) 517 - 0261

Restaurant Review: Marcella's Ristorante - Pizzeria - Wine Bar

Marcella's Ristorante - Pizzeria - Wine Bar

615 N High St

Columbus, OH 43215

Marcella's Ristorante - Pizzeria - Wine Bar

Phone: (614) 223-2100

Sunday - Thursday: 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Friday - Saturday: 4:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m.

Restaurant Review: Windchimes Chinese Restaurant

Windchimes

Windchimes Chinese Restaurant

5742 Frantz Road

Dublin, OH 43016

(614) 792-0990

Windchimes

Restaurant Closed

I wrote about Ski's Polish restaurant here - Restaurant Review: Ski's Restaurant - and although I didn't go into much detail I did say I'd never eat there nor would I ever recommend the place to my family or friends.  I wouldn't recommend it to my enemies or elected officials either.  So when Main Lady pointed this out to me in yesterday's paper I was pleasantly surprised.

Farewell to Ski's

After five years of business... Ski’s Restaurant is calling it quits.

Good riddance.

Robert Burns Dinner in Review (Updated)

Robert Burns turned 254 last weekend.  Robbie was born January 25, 1759 and died on July 21, 1796, reportedly of complications following a tooth extraction.  Just think about that for a second.  He was an accomplished poet, a learned scholar, a first class rake hell and a vocal sympathizer of the French revolution.  Burns was truly without peer, so much so that upon learning of his daughter's engagement to Robert Burns one father fainted dead away.

Restaurant Review: Barley's Ale House No. 2

Barley's Ale House No. 2

Barley's Smokehouse and Brewpub

Ale House No. 2

1130 Dublin Road

Columbus, Ohio 43215

(614) 485 - 0BBQ (0227)

Barley's Brewing

Ale House No. 2

Hours

Mon - Thurs 11:00 AM - close (kitchen closes at 10 PM)

Friday 11:00 AM - close (kitchen closes at 11PM)

Saturday noon - close (kitchen closes at 11PM)

Sunday noon - close (kitchen closes at 8:30PM)