September 20, 2010

Quick Lunch Favs: Historic Dublin OH

Posted by irishattitude under Restaurants | Tags: , , , , |
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Working in the Historic District in Dublin is wonderful! Looking out my window I can see the leaves turning, school buses going by and listen to conversations from Jeni’s ice cream eaters in the park next to our offices. Although Jeni’s does make a great lunch destination (savory ice creams count, don’t they?) — some days I want something else.

Panera started their fall menu this week. That means the creamy vegetarian tomato bisque is back! Pair it with the mac and cheese or bacon turkey bravo for a lunch that will keep you going all afternoon. Order online, fax or call ahead for extra quick pickup. The Perimeter location even has parking spots dedicated for advance orders. When I need to make it back for a meeting, this can really save time.

Another time saver is Jimmy John’s. Located in the Perimeter Shops (near BW3 and Kroger), this place always makes a tasty quick sandwich. My favorite is the Turkey Tom. Another co-worker loves the Beach Club. Nothing is too fancy, everything is priced right AND it is a great alternative to the drive-thru. Bonus: if you really can’t leave the office, they will deliver just one sandwich!

Seasonal foods are always wonderful at Whole Foods. Their eat-in options are fast, healthy and quite diverse. My kids love their pizza by the slice and I love their salad bar. Different fresh ingredients that I can mix to create my own gourmet lunch. Whole Foods does have an eating area at the front of the store near the cash registers or you can take your lunch back to the office. Just don’t forget to bring back something for your co-workers too!

What are your favorite quick lunch spots in Dublin?

-Post by Katie

 

July 14, 2010

(The Best) Patio Dining in and Around Dublin Ohio

Posted by irishattitude under Dublin Ohio Dining, Family Fun, Historic Dublin, Restaurants, Uncategorized | Tags: , , , , |
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In the interest of helping Dublin, Ohio visitors learn more about popular local family friendly eateries (and good deals), we periodically feature guest posts by Dawn Scheurle, creator of the popular site: www.kidseatout.com. This is part one of a two-part post on great local patio dining.

I admit it. I’m a patio junkie.  When the weather begins to turn warm, you’ll never find me inside a restaurant, if I have any say in the matter. You just need to tally up the amount of time I have spent waiting to get a seat on the patio to see that I am not alone in my addiction!  Lucky for all of us, there are many ‘al fresco’ dining options in and around Dublin–ranging from the beautifully designed and landscaped, to those with just a few wrought iron tables and chairs on the front sidewalk.  If you want to eat outside this summer, check out this list.  :)

  • Oscar’s ~ Two tiered, patio and deck seating, on N. High St. in  Historic Dublin. You get a little traffic noise, but the quaint downtown setting and street-side, trendy feel all make up for that.
  • Tucci’s ~ Wonderful patio, umbrellas over every table. Also located on N. High St., but nicely separated from the street by the sidewalk and landscaping.
  • Cabo Cucina ~ It would be tough to beat this patio. It is located behind the restaurant along the Scioto River. You can’t see the river while seated but the stone walls, landscaping, and natural surroundings takes you to a whole new world….  one you may not be ready to leave once you’ve found it!
  • El Vaquero (Shawnee Hills location) ~ We loved this patio before they upgraded it! Now it is fully covered with open walls that can be closed if the weather demands it. Very nice.
  • Matt The Millers ~ (Located on Avery-Muirfield Rd.) There is a pond side patio on the east side of the building, so on hot nights you get the shade of the building. You get a little Avery Rd. traffic noise, but you won’t notice it much as you sip your wine under the umbrellas!
  • Luce’s (Powell) ~ Flowers + wrought iron + umbrellas = lovely. The patio is on the parking lot, but it’s not a busy one so it’s not much of an issue. It’s a little drive from Dublin, but we like it so much we thought it was worth the mention!
  • J Lui’s ~ It’s on Bridge Street (in Dublin’s Historic District) so there is a constant flow of traffic nearby, but just remember that everyone driving by is very jealous – wishing they were the ones dining on the patio!
  • Montgomery Inn ~ A little more formal than most patios because it has a full roof with closable walls so the tables, chairs, and decor can be more ‘inside’ style. It’s view from up on the hill is very pretty and we love the stone fireplace.
  • Digger and Finch ~ You wouldn’t know you were on Riverside Drive. This is a large patio located between the gorgeous stone building and the driving range. A relaxing getaway.
  • Dublin Village Tavern ~ In the heart of Historic downtown Dublin, this is a great casual outdoor patio. It fills up fast so get there early to get a seat!
  • Vittoria’s ~ (In Powell, OH) Offers one of the prettiest patios around. It is on the parking lot, but they have done a beautiful job of separating it with wrought iron trellises covered with climbing, flowering, vines.

And that’s just half of our list! (Check back in a few days to discover more of the prettiest patios in Central Ohio!) To learn more about these great local eateries (menus, specialties, prices, etc.), visit the Restaurant Section of the Dublin (OH) Convention & Visitors Bureau’s website: www.IrishisanAttitude.com

-Post by Dawn Scheurle

 

April 21, 2010

Part 2: KidsEatOut.com’s 12 Best Restaurants to Take the Kids

Posted by irishattitude under Columbus Zoo, Dublin Ohio Dining, Family Fun, Insider tips, Restaurants | Tags: , , , , , , |
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(In the interest of helping Dublin, Ohio visitors find deals on kids meals and family friendly eateries, we are featuring a series of guest posts by Dawn Scheurle, creator of the popular site: www.kidseatout.com – “restaurant reviews from a mom’s point of view.”   This is part 2 in a 4 part series.  

As I mentioned before, there are so many things to consider when you are going out to eat with the kids. These include cost, nutritious options, convenience, value and ages of the kids (to name just a few).  I’ve compiled a list 12 of the best places to take your kids out to eat in the Dublin area. (I was going to do a top 10, but cutting the list down to 12 was hard enough!)  So, here are options #4-6, offering a little Italian flavor…

Bucca de Beppo. Buca di Beppo is a great choice for eating out with the family.  They treat the kids well, even taking them on a tour of the kitchen if they like!   The atmosphere is warm and busy enough to not worry about the kids being too loud.  They serve food family style in two sizes: Small feeds 2 – 3 people, Large feeds 4 – 6.  So if the kids like what you like, there is no need to order from the kids menu.  That being said, they do offer a kid’s menu with Italian choices (no chicken fingers, fries or hot dogs) that are very generous in size and a drink is included.  It’s also an ideal place to go if you have a large family or are celebrating a birthday or anniversary with extended family.  They take reservations and have lots of big tables. And, when you are passing the big food platters around, you can share multiple courses (including dessert). It’s a party! 

Olive Garden. Olive Garden is a family favorite. It seems to be a lot of people’s favorite given the lines we usually encounter!  The laid-back atmosphere and generous portions, the unlimited yummy salad and breadsticks, the killer lasagna, and the fact that mommy and daddy can have a glass of wine or Limoncello lemonade, make it worth the wait.  The kids menu is what you would expect at an Italian restaurant. Pizza, pasta, macaroni and cheese, plus chicken fingers with the option of broccoli instead of fries. Each meal comes with a drink in a take-home cup with a lid, and little diners are encouraged to share the grown-up’s salad and breadsticks.

Romano’s Macaroni Grill. They seriously love your kids.  Just the way they word their kids menu with things like ‘Filet of fish lightly crusted in-house’ and ‘Juicy, grilled chicken breast’ and ‘crisp salad’ lets you know kids aren’t an after-thought.  ‘Grilled Certified Angus Beef Kabobs with fresh broccoli’?  We’re impressed.  And it doesn’t stop there.  Along with an activity filled kids menu, the table are covered in paper so you can play tic-tac-toe with crayons, and they give the kids raw dough to play with to keep them occupied while they wait for their meals.  So sit back, relax, and enjoy the warm peasant bread and your glass of wine. There won’t be any arguing about choosing fries as a side over salad or broccoli either…. they don’t offer fries!   So you can feel okay about them finishing their meal with vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce for $.99!  All Kid’s items include a drink.

 So if you’re in the mood for a some Italian this week, give these places a try with your family.  Share with us what you think!  And stay tuned. We’re half way through with our list.  Six more of our favorite kid friendly restaurants more to go……… :)  

 -Guest post by Dawn Scheurle, creator of www.kidseatout.com

 

May 7, 2009

Honoring Mom

Posted by irishattitude under Historic Dublin, Holidays, Insider tips, Restaurants | Tags: , , , |
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In our house, our Mother’s Day tradition is to go to church, then out to a great brunch, then Mom gets to take a nap!  Here are some biddiesrestaurants in Dublin that are holding Mother’s Day Brunches.  Please call ahead to confirm if you will need reservations as some locations will sell out.

If you are looking for great gift ideas for Mom, try our local garden centers.  We are so lucky to have great sources right here in town! I always buy my Mom a pretty planted basket or pot for her front porch for her to enjoy all summer.

-Post by Katie

 

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