With few missteps, new eatery on way to making its own mark
RESTAURANT REVIEW
When Alana’s Food and Wine closed this year after a run of almost two decades, it was a withering loss, especially for University District locavores. Fortunately for such fine diners, a strong successor, Trillium Kitchen & Patio, has sprouted on the same grounds as Alana’s.
Trillium Kitchen & Patio is named for the Ohio state flower, the celebrated patio is retained from its predecessor and a sharp kitchen crew is led by talented chef and coowner Bradley Balch, formerly of the Sycamore (which Balch still co-owns). Not mentioned in Trillium’s official title: a dramatically remodeled interior that is sleek, bright, modern and awash in brown wood, which starkly plays off white paint and tile.
The crisp look extends to a prominent bar. There, sophisticated cocktails ($10) are produced, such as lemonscented and potent Ohio vesper shaken with Cocchi Americano plus Watershed vodka and Four Peel gin. A solid, reasonably priced wine selection is offered, too.
Balch’s cuisine is welldescribed on Trillium’s website, which cites global influences plus a focus on high-quality seasonal ingredients and seafood. His menu is compact, versatile and alluring.
For a modestly sized but elegant starter, consider the wild Gulf prawns ($15) — three big and sweet, oilpoached shrimp partnered with a lovely lemon-butter sauce, Nicoise olives, preserved lemon and a smoky-grilled baby-fennel bulb. The properly made, vinegar-spiked Andalusian gazpacho ($7) with dynamic garnishes is another attractive and delicious first course, albeit a salty one.
Although less photogenic and missing its promised shishito peppers, my goodtasting ahi tuna poke appetizer ($13) — with mostly crisp taro chips, funky pickled radishes and vinegary cucumber “noodles” — is better designed for sharing. Ditto for the lump-crab wontons ($11), a gloriously transcendent version of crab rangoon, which is usually an underwhelming dish.
Asia also inspires two ample, meat-and-noodlepacked “summer rolls” served with a wakame salad plus an addictive aioli (duck confit Vietnamese spring rolls, $11). A particularly hearty starter, the herbkissed pork-cheek poutine ($9), seems to grace every table for good reasons: seductive wine-laced gravy, succulent pot-roastlike meat, excellent house fries and Laurel Valley cheese curds.
Pork reappears in the Ohio-raised McDowell Farms pork chop ($25), an entree highlight. This Southern-style showstopper stars a grill-crusted, thick-cut chop characteristically teamed with multiple accompaniments such as andouille sausage coins, comforting Shagbark baconcheddar grits, braised greens, jalapeno-peach “jammie” and luscious redeye gravy.
Another tricked-out dish awaits fresh-fish fans: Homestead Springs trout ($25). A generous piece of tender but salty, pan-fried Ohio trout is supported by two prawns wrapped in crisp pancetta, plus ocean-scented squid-ink linguine, a little chili, fresh greens, preserved lemon, oyster and shiitake mushrooms and intriguing if gratuitous “smoked-beet confit.”
Vegetarians can score big, too, with the Shagbark spelt pasta ($19). A virtual garden of herbs, purple radishes, broccolini, spinach, corn and more are flattered by soothing, fruity and spicy accents from charred-jalapeno butter and a black garlic and tomato chutney.
The Trillium S’mores ($7) — a campfire classic reimagined with peanut-butter cups, a huge toasted and
amorphous meringue “marshmallow” and milk-chocolate anglaise — is about as sweet as the kiddie original. It’s amusing, but I prefer the seasonal fruit crisp ($7) with warm peaches, mint, a crunchy crumble topping and Johnson’s vanilla ice cream.
I experienced some niggling misfires, such as a shrug-inducing gumbo ($8) and the burnt-not-crisp crostini that accompanied an otherwise winning fried-chicken happyhour special ($5). Although terrific once, on another occasion, the spinach and bibb salad ($7) was barely dressed. And uncommonly knowledgeable servers can occasionally launch into unrequested loquacious recitations.
Nonetheless, this still-new replacement for a late-and-lamented “top 10” restaurant is off to an impressive, “top-10”-type start.
How often do you eat out a week?
I’d say 2 to 3 times a week, depending on the week. My husband and I sometimes make a day of it and hit up restaurants and breweries.
What kind of food do you like?
We eat almost exclusively at local, farm-to-table places with a seasonal spin. I love the variety; I hate cooking the same recipe twice. A lot of restaurants use local products that are in season to change the variety of the menu and make things healthier. You get the freshest and most versatile foods that way.
Where is your favorite place to get that food?
I’d say Wolf’s Ridge Brewing (215 N. 4th St.). Since it is seasonal, their menu changes a lot. But right now, I’m totally in love with the chive dumplings with a sweet-corn salsa. But I can’t get too attached, because they will be gone soon. I also like the Crest Gastropub (621 Parsons Avenue; 2855 Indianola Avenue). I get their sweet-potato fries with a chili-garlic aioli. I always get extra sauce because I don’t share well with my husband.
What is your favorite lunch spot?
I really like Sweet Carrot (1417 W. 5th Ave.). They do these corn cakes, and you load them up with slaw, Ohio-bred-chicken meatballs, and other veggies. It’s kind of different.
Do you like to go to food trucks?
Definitely. We like the craft-beer scene, so we go to food trucks a lot. I really like Aloha Streatery, Sophie’s (Gourmet Pierogis) and Cupzilla-Korean BBQ. Their locations change, so I use the app called Street Food Finder to see their specific location. Columbus’ food-truck scene is pretty awesome.