101 Beer Kitchen - Gahanna
Another late post, another week of stuffing ourselves! This week, we took advantage of a coupon to visit 101 Beer Kitchen in Gahanna. This local eatery has a place in my heart as I spent almost a full year serving there, but their ever-changing seasonal menu keeps me going back. In addition to the changing food menu, their drinks and beer options often rotate, allowing you to try out new beers with almost every visit. After opening their first location in Dublin eleven years ago, they have expanded to three locations around Columbus and now two more in Indiana.
Thad and Jess Kittrell decided to take their romantic relationship and add a business partnership into it as well. Thad used his culinary knowledge to create an elevated yet comfort-food-filled menu. At the same time, Jess took over the financials and maintained a laid-back environment. Eventually, their team grew to include Chef Mike Frame and many others, adding their expertise. Not only did they create a restaurant experience, but they also began hosting beer and food pairings to help expand the community’s knowledge and love for curated meals. COVID put a damper on these, but they bounced back with their expansion, so I’m hoping to see more of these events in the future!
Now that we’ve talked background, let’s get to the juicy stuff – the food. As mentioned, the menu changes seasonally to keep up with the fresh produce. Don’t be alarmed if your favorite item hops off the menu for a few months. Frequently, the most popular dishes come back, along with new dishes to expand your palate. One of the things I liked seeing most was how Chef Frame would take opinions about the dishes and then alter them or scrap them all together depending on how they were received. They kept innovation alive in their menu. The fall menu houses several of my favorite dishes, but they always have a little bit of everything!
Our coupon for this visit was for free loaded tots or homemade pretzels, a tough choice, but I’m a known pretzel lover, so I couldn’t pass those up. The beer cheese spread with it is unique because it’s not so much a gooey dip as it is a spread and is served cold. Don’t let that alarm you; it’s all-around delicious. Josh took the server’s recommendation of chicken parmesan. His consensus was “crispy chicken that wasn’t too dry and yummy gnocchi.” Very descriptive, I know. In other months, the Crispy Lemon Chicken is on the menu in its place, and I will tell you, I rave about that dish. You have to go try it during a different menu season. If you’re disappointed, I will literally pay for it. I ordered an appetizer as my meal because I love their butternut squash perogies. The unique twist on an already delicious classic just really gets you in the fall feelings. The squash’s sweetness is balanced with the onions adorning the top. Then, I had to order some parmesan fries to add to the starches. Put any cheese on fries, and I’m all for it.
We didn’t order drinks this time, but I’ve tasted so many that they must be mentioned. Josh likes the classic Old Fashioned as a bourbon drinker. My favorite from this menu has to be the Apple of My Eye Sangria. The twist on a traditional sangria that boasts flavors of apple cider and then adds in a splash of brandy – fall in a cup if I ever saw one. I could continue with my knowledge of the expansive menu, but I’ll let you taste it yourself! See you next week with a new activity to try out, explorers!
