Neil told me this morning that he's going to Columbus for a couple of days to visit his family. The guys don't like to leave me, but I actually don't mind the break. After all, Eric will be home at night to let me in the house. We've had a reprieve from the winter weather so I'm looking forward to spending the rest of the day and tomorrow outside with my friends. Oh,—to get to scratch on something other than the sofa. I know Eric and Neil will appreciate that too! I knew Neil would be upset if I didn't come around to say goodbye so I waited until I knew he was ready to leave and tapped on the back door.
Visiting family usually involves a meal or two out. In the case of our family, it's imperative. After kicking around a few ideas we settled on the Nutcracker in Pataskala on the far east side of Columbus.
It's a mix of diner, kitsch, memorabilia, candy store, and nutcrackers of course. If you're over 45, this will be a real treat and bring back a lot of memories. We arrived at 5:30 and the place was bustling. There is a large party room in the rear that was also full.
The menu is straightforward American classics -- nothing too healthy, with a concentration of batter and deep frying. It's a place for those who are used to this type of diet or just want to be bad for a day. We ordered a variety of selections and, since it was family, I was offered samples of several. My sister started with the potato soup. It was exactly the taste and consistency of our mother's, which I've never found anywhere. It was a great experience! I almost ordered some for myself. My niece had the grilled bologna sandwich, which she asked to be served with a slice of onion. You don't find that on every menu! My other niece and nephew had the dinner special of all-you-can-eat fried chicken served with country ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, the vegetable of the day, and slaw. I had the pork tenderloin on a hoagie roll. The tenderloin was four times the size of the bread, which was buttered and grilled to perfection. The batter on the chicken and tenderloin was light and crispy. It was some of the finest I've tasted. Sandwiches are served with homemade potato chips that I found to be a bit too overdone. I had my eye on the vast array of desserts before the meal began, but I refrained from becoming a glutton. The Nutcracker is billed as a family restaurant and the prices are very family friendly. Mother Ginger would be delighted to find this haven.
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| The Grilled Bologna Sandwich |
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When visiting Columbus...
The Nutcracker Family Restaurant is located at 63 East Broad Street in Pataskala, OH.
The Nutcracker Family Restaurant is located at 63 East Broad Street in Pataskala, OH.
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