Restaurant: Knead, Columbus, Ohio
A decision was made the last time I was in Columbus after a disappointing meal at a local pub. The next place we were going to eat while I was in town was going to be this place called Knead. I didn’t know too much about them at the time, just that they showed up on my Find Me Gluten Free iPhone app. With nothing else to go on, the decision was made.
The day I ran the Air Force Marathon 10K, Jenn, Cathy and I drove back from Dayton, Ohio to Columbus with every intention of getting lunch. Original plans had been to grab a bite to eat in Dayton, but we wrapped things up sooner than anticipated, and after a stop by Starbucks for coffee, we decided just to head back toward Jenn’s and figure out something to eat once back in Columbus.
And it was on the drive back that I remembered…Knead.
Everyone seemed game for it, so that was where we were headed. We were on a mission…for a delicious lunch.
It took a moment for us to locate the place. For the record, there is some construction going on and if it weren’t for the signs indicating that Knead was there and open, we probably would have missed it. The next difficult challenge was finding a place to park. We finally found a public lot a couple blocks away. We parked, fed the meter, and made our way back toward the scaffolding that encased Knead and the other shops that surrounded it.
This will explain why my establishing shot is not of the outside of the restaurant, but rather the inside. You work with what you can. Besides, the inside was so warm and inviting with all the reds, yellows and oranges that decorated the walls. We were greeted immediately upon entering and shown to a nice corner booth (which was round, by the way). Our drink orders were taken and then we were handed menus to look over. I knew that Knead had gluten-free options…I just wasn’t sure what all they offered. So, after our drinks were brought to us, I was about to ask our waiter, however, he disappeared quickly to see to another table. So, while Cathy and Jenn decided on what they wanted to eat, I patiently waited for our waiter to return. It took a little while, but he finally did. And I asked about gluten-free options to which he snagged a different menu and pointed out that everything in red could be done gluten-free. Most of the options were meat-based, so that wasn’t going to work for me. I made one easy inquiry…
Is the frittata gluten-free? He assured me that it was…so I was now prepared to order.
And order away, we certainly did.
Cathy was beyond her breakfast time, so she was the only one of the three of us to order lunch. Her choice, Knead’s famous Motherclucker Sandwich ($13.00) with fries. This sandwich is basically a fried buttermilk Hiland Naturals Organic pastured chicken, served on a toasted challah bun with house cured bacon, aged cheddar cheese, Chef’s garden greens, roasted poblano chile, garlic aioli, and a touch of local honey. She had this with a side of their fries.
Jenn is like me and can enjoy breakfast at any time during the day. She ordered up one slice of their Caramelized Apple French Toast ($5.00), which is done with pagnotta bread. It seems they have a variety of options for French toast, but that day it was caramelized apple…and it looked and smelled fantastic. The apples were toasted and caramelized to perfection and it was served in a warm syrup that just made my mouth water. Too bad I couldn’t even sample it.
As for me, I decided that, since it was safe, I would go with the Frittata ($10.00). This also changes as far as the kind that they serve. But what remains the same is the fact that they use Ohio cage free Holistic Acres eggs. The frittata uses three of these, in fact. And in the variety being served that day, I got potatoes, mushrooms, feta cheese, and rosemary. I ordered this with a side of the hash browns ($3.00), which are gluten-free. So are the fries, for that matter.
With the order in, we sat and talked for a little bit until the food was brought to our table. When Cathy was asked if she wanted ketchup, she was given the option of regular ketchup or the house made variety, which was a tomato ketchup with fennel in it. She opted for the house one with fennel, which had this really amazing sweetness to it. It was actually rather good.
With our food in front of us, we all dug in. Yeah…Knead might be a little pricey, but keep in mind that they use local and sustainable agriculture for their products. That doesn’t come cheap. But the fact is they can back up their prices with the quality of their food. Jenn all but raved over the French toast, which I sort of which they had a gluten-free option for, because it honestly looked so delicious. Cathy found the Motherclucker Sandwich to be moist, light, and hold just the right amount of spice. And the fries…were some of the best she ever had.
As for me…I loved my frittata. It was light, fluffy, and filled with vegetables. The rosemary added a nice sweetness to each bite. And the feta cheese was one of my favorite parts of this egg dish. I love how I could eat the entire thing and not feel like I stuffed myself silly. I savored each bite, enjoying the play of flavors across my taste buds. This was one very well thought out frittata. Everything just worked well together. And the hash browns were fantastically done. Not greasy either. They had a light crisp on the outside and were soft on the inside. Potato perfection.
Yes, Knead is one of those places that sources their produce locally and focus on quality. This is reflected in the products and the food that they serve there. All of us walked out of their with happy bellies and all quite content with every bite of our food. We had other plans for dessert, but the dessert selection is quite amazing sounding as well.
Would I return to Knead again? Of course. With the changing seasons, some of the menu options change as well and I would be curious to see what gets added and what other gluten-free options get included with these changes. I was quite pleased with our lunch that day and hope to return sometime in the near future for another sampling of their gluten-free menu. And maybe next time…I’ll save room for dessert.
The Celiathlete 
Mmm, I could totally go for more of that french toast right now.