Diners, Flora and Glass-Columbus, OH

I know the days are numbered for opportunities to visit Mallory in Columbus as she is finishing her senior year and is preparing to graduate from The Ohio State University in May. I recently went to visit her on a snowy February day to get in as many visits as possible. We decided to do some fun stuff and for me fun usually means the experience of a new restaurant. I had been wanting to try Cap City Fine Diner and Bar located on Olentangy River Road in the Grandview neighborhood for years. Situated just west of and in sight of downtown, Cap City Fine Diner is a modern take on a retro diner, owned and operated by Cameron Mitchell, I knew it would be a true culinary treat. Having tried his Columbus locations of Marcella’s, The Pearl, and Hudson 29 in Upper Arlington I was excited to try Cap City. Cameron Mitchell Restaurants have grown to 36 restaurants in 12 states which consist of 15 different concepts, all with their humble beginnings from Cameron’s in Columbus. Cap City greets you into it’s non-descript location in Grandview with warmth and a step back in time to shiny metal walls, black stools, a counter where viewing the kitchen is available, booths and decorations mirroring that nostalgic diner atmosphere. We were greeted by the friendliest server who was eager to answer my plethora of questions. Mimosa’s, Iced Tea and warm sugary-cinnamon frosted rolls got us started and we couldn’t help but send pictures to my sister-in-law in Memphis, who loved Cap City when she lived in Columbus many years ago. I took the server and my sister-in-law’s recommendation and ordered the Meatloaf. This mountain high dish was so delicious, meatloaf on top of buttermilk-chive mashed potatoes with wild mushrooms on a piece of grilled bread swimming in their finger licking good BBQ gravy and topped with chili onion rings. I barely even noticed the two small broccoli florets as I dove in fork first, Jeeves style. Another ordered the Black and Blue Salmon Salad smothered in bacon, grape tomatoes, and bleu cheese dressing with marble rye croutons. Mallory ordered a Breakfast Burrito filled with scrambled eggs, chorizo, poblano peppers, cheddar cheese and topped with Ranchero sauce along with a side of home fries, she loved that over-stuffed tortilla. I’m already preparing for my next visit with an order of the Thanksgiving Day Sandwich. Cap City Fine Diner and Bar is well worth a visit if you’re in Columbus, or Gahanna or Dublin too. With our bellies full we bid adieu to Cap City and headed across town to the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens on E. Broad Street on the edge of the affluent neighborhood of Bexley, home of the Governor’s Mansion of Ohio. Built in 1895 it was registered in 1974 on the National Register of Historic Places. The park itself served as the original locations for both the Franklin County Fair in 1852 and the official site for the Ohio State Fair from 1874 to 1884, following that era the land sat abandoned until 1886 when a state resolution was passed designating the land to be used as a public park. The Chicago World’s Fair had an immense influence on the city of Columbus, and it was decided to create a horticultural building that would be modeled after the Glass Palace of the Chicago World’s Fair. Opening in 1895 the Conservatory and Botanical Gardens was established and continued to grow and amass rare and unusual plants as well as being popular for community events, family gatherings and weddings. It hosted an international horticultural exposition in 1992 named AmeriFlora ’92 which drew the attention of horticulturists from around the world. In 2003 the conservatory presented Chihuly at the Conservatory, which was a phenomenal success as attendance grew to over 180 percent. The conservatory went on to purchase nearly the entire Dale Chihuly artworks which were valued at 7 million dollars, making it the only public botanical garden to own a signature Chihuly collection of glass artworks, over 300 pieces in all. It was the Chihuly exhibit currently at the conservatory that drew us there, when Mallory was a docent at the Milan Historical Museum, there was a glass exhibit and she was introduced to the work of Dale Chihuly. As we explored the gardens and vast rooms filled with plants, trees and flowers our breath was taken away by each and every Chihuly piece and exhibit we would happen upon, all fitting gracefully and artfully in with the botanical landscape and flora displays. Chihuly is an American glass sculptor and his works possess artistic merit in the field of blown glass. It’s just plain amazing and beautiful to look at! I took so many pictures that day I wish I could share them all with you! If you are anywhere near Columbus and there before March 29th, I highly recommend a visit to the Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, to see some exotic, beautiful flora and masterpieces of glass art, lunch at Cap City Fine Diner and of course no trip to our capital city is ever complete without a visit to Graeter’s for ice cream, butter pecan is always my choice. Open your minds and enjoy all that life has to offer, from orchids to glass and of course, some meatloaf too.