Before dining at The Keep last fall, I’d been there twice, both times staying on the bar side, the first time for cocktails before heading out to dinner for Jeff’s and my anniversary, the second, again eating on the bar side, the last stop of an afternoon long cocktail crawl. Food was welcome.
The Keep | A Modern French Brasserie
The cocktails are strong and wonderful, the burger is the best in Columbus, and their foie gras, amazing. When I was invited to a blogger dinner at The Keep, I was looking forward to going, looking forward to experiencing the dining room, and more of the menu, but aside from that, I didn’t have any expectations.
My mind was BLOWN.
They sat us at The Chefs Table (yes, I realized I capitalized that, as this table really is a proper noun), which sits overlooking the kitchen and the pass, you get to watch the entire process and I loved every minute of it.
The Keep is dark and perplex. There are shadowy corners tucked away, that add to the mystery of the gas lighting throughout the space. – @acityexplored
Chef Jonathan Olson his two sous’, Deby Ortega and Courtney Nielson, put out a well-rounded and seriously kick ass menu. Olson has come up through the kitchens of Latitude 41, Black Creek Bistro, The Calistoga Ranch, Ritz Carlton Boston, Ritz Carlton Philadelphia and the Ritz Carlton Cleveland, and knows what he’s doing.
The service was on point, and I cannot express how good the food was. They started us with the Grand Tower, a double-decker seafood platter of awesome. From there they brought out The Beets Salad, which was so good that my mouth is watering as I think about it writing this tonight. From there, the four of us strategized our way through the entree’s we ordered, doing our best to cover as much ground flavor wise as we could, and we ended up eating our way through the rest of the menu.
Every dish presented was spot on, in presentation, in delivery, in the balance of flavors, all of it fucking rocked. (sorry mom.)
And then they brought out the desserts.
Buckeye profiteroles, with house made chocolate sauce, and beignets. GUYS. They have beignets, and oh man are they good. And the Buckeye Profiterole, you cannot go wrong with anything you order.
Go try it. You will love it. Everything about it.
I am firm believer that food tastes better, when the people who prepare it, grow it,and raise it are passionate about what they do, and this entire experience espoused all of that. @acityexplored, another of the four of us there that night, explains it like this.
The Keep is dark and perplex. There are shadowy corners tucked away, that add to the mystery of the gas lighting throughout the space.
From the filet, the scallops and pork cheeks, to the chicken and waffles I am here to declare that The Keep is slayyyying the food game in Columbus.
I will not be adequately able to put into words just how fabulous our meal and experience was at Leveque Tower’s, The Keep.
Seriously, just go. Stop everything you are doing and make a reservation
The Keep is in the Leveque Tower downtown, and offers valet parking.
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