Seasonal menu provides focus for gastropub’s fare
The ever-evolving Crest Gastropub in the Clintonville neighborhood has a new seasonal menu that is as much about direction as it is technique.
Chef Zane MargoceePerry, who has been at the restaurant for seven months, said the cuisine has become more focused, shifting away from a wideranging menu that included Mediterranean influences to more-traditional gastropub fare.
“In the past, it was all over the place,” Margocee-Perry said. “It didn’t quite have a clear focus other than sourcing local good food. That’s kind of always been the philosophy of the menu – get the best freshest food you can and put it on our menu.”
This story is about the Clintonville location; a second restaurant on Parsons Avenue has a different menu.
For its mushroom tartine ($10), an openfaced sandwich, the Crest sources its shiitake and oyster mushrooms from local producer Swainway Urban Farm. The mushroom sauce, tangy with reduced balsamic vinegar and creamy with goat cheese, is topped with shaved asparagus, watermelon radish, crushed marcona almonds and champagne vinegar. Everything rests atop sourdough bread from Lucky Cat Bakery, also based in Columbus.
“Most people go at it with a steak knife and a fork,” the chef said.
The Reuben tartine ($13), another openfaced meal, layers house-cured corned beef, Russian aioli and pickled cabbage.
The Crest, part of the A&R Creative Group of restaurants, opened four years ago, offering a vast selection of craft beers and a creative pub menu, Margocee-Perry said.
“We just didn’t want to change too much too fast,” he said.
The restaurant still grows many of its vegetables on premises and offers seating on a remodeled rooftop patio.
One thing that has permanent space on the menu is the house burger ($14), still made with a blend of Ohio Proud ground chuck, brisket and short rib, and garnished with harissa aioli, aged cheddar, pickled onions, greens and tomatoes on a brioche bun. The burger comes with a choice of a side; many customers opt for fresh-cut fries.
For a sophisticated, substantial entree, the rack of lamb ($18) has plenty to offer, Margocee-Perry said. The dry-rubbed lamb is served with favabean hummus and fried chickpeas dressed in a cucumber-parsley vinaigrette.
One of the chef’s favorite entrees is the airline chicken ($20), referring to the type of cut, offering breast meat and drumstick, sided with “dirty” farro lively with chicken livers, spices, stewed onions and peppers, guajillo salsa and crispy hominy.
Margocee-Perry said changes will continue. Some will be profound; other will be subtle.
“We’re trying to get people out of their comfort zone,” he said.