Eat Here! (part I)

I recently had the pleasure of traveling to Columbus, Ohio…I’m being serious; it was a pleasure…no, really. Please, allow me to elaborate. The reason I enjoy and anticipate any chance to travel to/pass through Columbus is that they are home to one of my all time favorite places to eat: Katzinger’s Deli.

(it’s better than this photo would suggest)

Located in the historic (citation needed) German Village just outside of downtown Columbus with easy access from the freeway (I say “easy” in as much as it is close to the freeway – the quotes around “easy” are due to the fact that the off and on ramps are incredibly confusing in that area) for those that are just passing through on I71. You’re gonna have to trust me that it’s worth a stop. It’s one of those places that if I’m in town for at least 12 hours, I will invariably eat there at least twice and probably take something to go.

I can’t vouch for everything on the menu (it’s quite extensive), but I can say the nearly everything I’ve had there is the definitive incarnation of that item for my taste. It’s nothing fancy, just simple deli fare done extremely well. My go to sandwich is the Ted Danson (they don’t call it that, but that’s what it is) which is turkey on rye with coleslaw and russian dressing. They have a variation of that on the menu, but it adds cheese and is grilled – which is good, but not what I want. Along with that I get a bowl of matzo ball soup (served with a spectacularly crusty heel of rye) and a garlic pickle from their pickle barrel (they also have dill; both are excellent)

(it’s better than this photo would suggest)

Other notable (notable in that I’ve had them) menu items include:

• cheese blintzes served with preserves and/or sour cream
• potato latkes (potato and onion pancake)
• corned beef hash (by far the best I’ve ever had – though I believe I’ve only had it from a can)
• reuben (you know what this is)

Okay, so clearly I have not tried that many things there. I don’t go more than a couple times a year so I tend to get the same stuff (I’m a firm believer in sticking to the things you love on a menu). I will, of course, offer my personal guarantee that if you order any of the items I mentioned, I will love it – I cannot guarantee that you will.

So next time you’re in Columbus, stop by Katzinger’s and tell them Frankenstein Friends sent ya! . . . then after they give you that blank look, politely order some of that shit I suggested.

casualken