A few weeks ago, I was wrapping up for the day when I got a text from a friend who’s also a blogger, asking if I wanted to meet her and a few other bloggers for dinner, at this place that had recently opened, called MODA. We had nothing planned for dinner that night, so, hell yes I was in. Jeff was happy to have the house to himself for the evening, so I changed into presentable clothing (as opposed to the leggings and hoodie that have fast become my work from home attire) and was off.

Megan (the wonderful & powerful woman behind Eat Play Cbus) sent me the address, and that the place we were going was in the Marriott on Olentangy, other than that, I didn’t know anything about the restaurant, the chef, or the cuisine.

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Trace of Honey // Buffalo Trace bourbon, fresh squeezed lemon juice, Cointreau, and Ohio honey simple syrup.

MODA at the Marriott

A few weeks ago, I was wrapping up for the day when I got a text from a friend who’s also a blogger, asking if I wanted to meet her and a few other bloggers for dinner, at this place that had recently opened, called MODA.

We had nothing planned for dinner that night, so, hell yes I was in. Jeff was happy to have the house to himself for the evening, so I changed into presentable clothing (as opposed to the leggings and hoodie that have fast become my work from home attire) and was off.

Megan (the wonderful & powerful woman behind Eat Play Cbus) sent me the address, and that the place we were going was in the Marriott on Olentangy, other than that, I didn’t know anything about the restaurant, the chef, or the cuisine.

Blogger dinners can run the gamut from sitting down and talking with a restaurants PR team, sharing a few dishes, and being fed whatever corporate line the parent company is wanting to promote at that moment in time, to a comped tasting menu and conversation with the chef who’s created it, to a cafeteria style platter of tacos, to a meal with other bloggers at which we’re treated to a combination tasting menu and ordering a la carte as well.

I had arrived late to MODA, the others were around a table with cocktail glasses in various states of completion, and what I assumed to be plates of the meal that had just been served.

Wrong. It was just the start of what ended up being an amazing multi course meal.

Two men, dressed in well fitted suits were taking care of us, making sure that our glasses were never empty, and that each course flowed seamlessly into the next.

I asked somewhere around the second course, who they each were, what their role in the restaurant was.

I was expecting to hear Maitre d’, or manager, or perhaps sommelier, and the fella that I asked, he was the manager. I asked him who the other dude was, figuring it was one of the other two.

The answer was not what I expected.

“Oh, that’s the executive chef.”

I know chefs, we’re an arrogant bunch as a rule, and I have never, ever seen an EC wait on a table with such attention to detail, and with such a humble attitude.

The next time he came back by, I snagged him, (I think it was something along the lines of “why don’t you come sit here by me and tell me your story”)

Listening to him talk about his journey through kitchens, the passion he has for food, and his menu in general, super inspiring.

So, let’s talk about the food.

Ammmmmmazeballs.

If you’re a bourbon fan, you’ve got to go with the Trace of Honey. Absolutely have to. The Trace of Honey is made with Buffalo Trace, freshly squeezed lemon juice, Cointreau, and Ohio Honey simple syrup, and get this… they have a honey rim. HONEY RIM.

We sampled through the menu, which will rotate based on what’s available seasonally, my favorite dish that night, however, was the Brutus Cake. What is The Brutus Cake you ask?  Chocolate chip cake, velvety peanut butter, CHOCOLATE POP ROCKS, and caramel. For seven bucks.

Six-One-Four Ramen :: Rich pork broth plus roasted corn, pickled diakon, roasted tomatoes, 63* egg, slow roasted pork cheek.

Six-One-Four Ramen :: Rich pork broth plus roasted corn, pickled diakon, roasted tomatoes, 63* egg, slow roasted pork cheek.

Bay of Fundy Salmon Filet :: Soy ginger glazed, shitake sticky rice, pickled asian slaw, and haricort vert.

The American Honey :: Buffalo Trace bourbon, fresh squeezed lemon juice, cointreau, Ohio Honey Simple Syrup

The Bar at MODA

The Brutus Cake :: Chocolate chip cake, velvety peanut butter, chocolate pop rocks, and caramel sauce.

The Bar at MODA

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