Columbus, Ohio USA
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Dis 'n' Data
By Margaret Marten, Editor
email margaret@shortnorth.com
July/August 2019
Ampersand Asian Supper Club
A unique new restaurant serving Asian cuisine has recently opened in the Brunner Building at 940 N. High St. Ampersand Asian Supper Club is Megan Ada’s third restaurant opening in Central Ohio over the past 10 years. The 35-year-old made a success with her first venture as a Sunny Street Café franchisee at the age of 25. Her second venture, Asterisk Supper Club, which opened in 2016 in Uptown Westerville, revealed her talent as a designer as well as a restaurateur. An elaborate 19th-century bar, 30-foot community table, glass chandeliers, floor-to-ceiling bookshelves are among the personal touches she says were inspired by her parents: her bibliophile father (an orthopedic surgeon) and mother who shares Ada’s eye for detail and design. Mark Wood, owner of the Brunner Building, was so impressed with Asterisk in Westerville that he invited Ada to open an eatery in his exclusive Short North building. It was a difficult decision, she says, and she waited a few months before signing a lease, but she’s a hard worker and eventually agreed to take on the challenge.
While the comfort food and traditional feel of Asterisk in Westerville serves that community well, Ada’s approach to Ampersand in the Short North is modern and chic, with personal touches adding color and warmth – her trademark books, and a wall covered with framed portraits. Ampersand’s chef, Joshua Cook, is a familiar face in this neighborhood, having worked as executive chef at Hubbard Grille, eventually overseeing all operations for Taste Hospitality Group before leaving to become general manager at Asterisk in Westerville a couple years ago. With his chef history, he naturally fell into the new position for the Short North restauarant.
The restaurant is Asian, and Cook intends to maintain the integrity of the Japanese cuisine, but with an added twist. “I don’t want to make ramen like you can get at every other place in the city,” he said. “I want ours to stand out, be gourmet, be a little bit higher end yet still affordable.” He prepared by studying and experimenting with recipes well before the opening. “In my spare time, my son and I literally tried every little hole-in-the-wall Asian restaurant in this city, from Korean to Japanese and everything in between.” He worked on the recipes in the Asterisk kitchen whenever he had a spare moment. Ampersand’s menu now includes five ramen specialties, donburi rice bowls, soup and salads, small plates, and desserts. Mixologist Bismark Akomeah is in charge of the bar.
Ada says restaurants always appealed to her even as a kid. She eventually ended up in culinary school in Rhode Island after dropping out of medical school. Now, ten years later she has a 2-year-old daughter to raise (named Ada – Megan’s last name) and she just purchased a house in Westerville that needs some extra loving attention, so when she says she’s a hard worker, it’s easy to believe!
Ampersand, 940 N. High St. is open 7 days a week beginning at 11a.m. For more information, visit the Ampersand Asian Supper club Facebook page or call 614-928-3333.Coming Attractions
In our last issue, we mentioned the renovation and rebrand of Basil restaurant into a country music bar, Bristol Republic. Now a neighboring bar is rebranding. Barrel on High will become Fours: Spirits on High after a few weeks of interior reconstruction at 1120 N. High. The owner, Scott Ellsworth, who also operates the OSU campus bar Thr3s, says he hopes to attract his campus clientele into the Short North with the rebrand.
Two ice cream shops are opening in the neighborhood. They join the recent Kilwins, which launched in May next to the Happy Greek. Kilwins’ inventory also includes handmade popcorn, chocolates, fudge and other sweets as well as ice cream. The two newest shops are CRMD in the former pm gallery space at 1190 N. High and Dulce Vida Ice Cream Factory at an undisclosed location (at time of press).
Lululemon Athletica will open in the space vacated by Penzone Salon + Spa at 640 N. High next to Brandt-Roberts Galleries. Lululemon has had a presence in the Short North before. In 2008, they were at 841 N. High (where Prologue Bookshop is now) and remained for two or three years. More recently, Kit + Ace, another high-end clothing store run by the same family, opened in 2015 at 17 E. Brickel for about a year before closing.
SeeSaw is the name of the new restaurant that chef Jonathon Sawyer, FWD Hospitality Group, and Tribe’s Jason Kipnis will open in the old RAM Restaurant space next to Donatos at 906 N. High. Other upcoming opening reminders are Bonobos menswear at 875 N. High, Shake Shack in the Graduate Hotel at 750 N. High, Townhall restaurant in the Moxy Hotel at 800 N. High, Rooh Indian restaurant at 685 N. High (probably August) where Westies Tavern was, Fireproof Short North restaurant at 1026 N. High., Northstar Cafe’s expansion into their adjacent space, Zaftig Brewing Co. and DiCarlo’s Pizza on the corner of E. Fifth and Summit., Ruth’s Chris Steak House across from the Convention Center, Saucy Brew Works in Harrison West’s former Caffe Apropos, Cup O’ Joe cafe in an old church at 1334 Neil Ave., and Cameron Mitchell’s massive Budd Dairy Food Hall in Italian Village on N. Fourth St.Departures
Manhood + Home, which opened three years ago across from the Goody Boy Diner, specializing in men’s underwear, closed in June. Rob Lyons who managed the shop at 1127 N. High, said it was an economic decision – not enough customers. The inventory, which included home decor and men’s lifestyle products, liquidated the final weeks before closing.
r design & printing co. moved to Grandview Heights (see article). It’s sad and unfortunate that Juli, Dave, and staff were displaced from a community they identified with and served for so long.
It was also depressing to learn of artist Levent Isik’s death. He passed away February 28 at the age of 57 from illness after a series of misfortunes. He was a self-taught, prolific, wildly imaginative painter who exhibited locally.Email margaret@shortnorth.com or call 614-251-0656 with neighborhood news items for the Short North Gazette.
Email the Editor margaret@shortnorth.com
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