Ask anyone that knows me and they’ll tell you, I can subsist on a diet of Chinese food, pizza and buffalo wings. One particular week I survived on meals from five, yes FIVE, different Asian food restaurants. And I’ve eaten in twice in a day many times. Does that make me an expert? Hardly, but it does make me a sodium enriched book of knowledge about certain Asian foods and restaurants! Let’s clear a few things up before we go deeper here. We’ll lay some ground rules you might say. First, no one is arguing what’s authentic and what isn’t, because that’s dumb. Good food is good food even if it didn’t follow some puritanistic ritual before it hit the table or isn't how you'd find it made in a distant land. Second, If any counter argument includes the phrase “MSG’ or any similar wording...STOP. IMMEDIATELY. MSG is literally in at least one thing you eat everyday. This ridiculous stigma that somehow still exists about Asian Cuisine and MSG, seriously has to die a quick and painful death. That’s it, those are the ground rules. Now, let’s talk about how Lei’s Asian Bistro hand pulled their way right into my heart and my regular Chinese food rotation.

So what happens when you walk in to a small, local joint tucked in between some pretty serious chains and see a family hanging out at a table? What happens, is one of the best experiences of your culinary month courtesy of the family owned and operated Lei’s Asian Bistro. Nestled quietly in a strip mall off Polaris Parkway, Lei’s would be easy to miss. After all, the anchors of this particular strip: FirstWatch, and one of Chicago's legendary pizza joints, Giordano’s Pizza. No pressure right? Oh and I forgot to mention two doors down is Suisse Shop Bakery. This is food giant territory here! But Lei’s has a secret weapon, they do what they love and they know they do it extremely well!
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I’d love to tell you my experience started with the steamed dumplings you see above, but there was an egg roll and a spring roll that never stood a chance to get photographed due to hunger. Egg roll - good. Spring roll- okay. Dumplings= somewhere in the middle. I can tell you that everything was extremely fresh. I just felt like the egg roll and spring roll fillings were cabbage heavy, and it overpowered the other flavors. But, that’s not why I’m here. I’ve learned through my obsession with this cultural cuisine, that there’s a certain subset of dishes I order to determine if and how good any new spot is. You’re talking to a guy who’s walked 15 city blocks in Chinatown (New York of course) to get Lo Mein from one spot, and another 8 to get dumplings to go with it. OBSESSED. So here goes: General Tso’s (for that American style mouth feel), Combination Fried Rice (can the place handle balancing the spicy request and maintain flavor, and are they using old rice for the best fried rice?) Any roast pork dish, in this case Szechuan Pork (to see how good the roast pork and veg is, as well as consistency of sauce) and my favorite wide rice noodle dish called Chow Fun, Ho Fun, or anything similar (have to ask for the noods, right?).

Good roast pork is a treat.  And someday when I feel like mine is good enough, perhaps I'll share that recipe and celebrate.  A long time ago, on Cleveland Ave. in Columbus, Ohio... there was a small family owned joint that served Garlic Pork with the roast pork.  Life altering.  I know pork isn't for everyone and I respect that, but roast pork is right up there with bacon for me.  It's serious.  So that's why it's on my list of 'test' dishes.  Check out that photo above, that's straight raw, unedited, Sistine Chapel level beauty right there.  When the dish came to the table and I saw those thinly sliced, red-edged morsels of angelic flavor power I was instantly excited.  First bite impression, extremely tender and packed with those char siu (roast pork) smoky, sweet, savory notes that tell your brain eat more now.  I could binge plates of Lei's roast pork with this Szechuan sauce and not think twice about my diet habits. Box checked, we're two for two and going into the money rounds.

Ho Fun, or Chow Fun depending on how it's titled, is a quick stir fried dish bursting with garlic and fresh ginger, scallions, a little soy and spices. Typically you can get it with chicken, beef, shrimp or any combination therein. Pro Tip #2: Try it how it comes the first time, so you can appreciate it, then come back and get it spicy and see how a little spicy puts this dish over the top.
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This dish is amazing, and I highly recommend it, especially from Lei's. However, that's not what makes it magical. Most places use commercial rice noodles. There is zero wrong with that, their delicious and you can buy them in any Asian grocery store. I have some in the fridge right now. As good as they are though, fresh noods just hit different. So when I took a bite, I immediately asked my eating companion to finish her bite, grab a sip of water, and taste this Ho Fun with no context. We vibe about food, so she knew exactly what I was on when she took her first bite. These were not premade, store bought noods. They had to be fresh, and I was determined to find out. By this moment mom and dad who were also the chefs of Lei's had returned to a table nearby, helping their kids with homework and enjoying a deserved break. I mean I did just order a million things for two people (don't worry I always tip well when I do that, please make sure to take care of your food service workers). So I piped up and said, "Excuse me?!" and immediately mom/shop owner jumps up! I let her know there is no problem, but I needed more info about these noodles. I said they can't be premade, they taste too fresh and too fantastically silky to be such. She slyly smiled, and humbly said, "no, we make here fresh every morning. I make them." That was it, Lei's had me. I threw in the towel and proclaimed Lei's in my regular rotation. Any time someone is willing to make you fresh, hand pulled noodles, they are making you part of their family. I love certain people more than blood family and I still wouldn't make most of them fresh pasta. And here's this tiny spot in Columbus Ohio, in a land of food giants saying, "Nah, come get a plate of this awesomeness. We are going to treat you right."

I'd love to tell you, "if you're near Polaris check it out!" but the truth is, you need to make a trip and go try some of the amazing food at Lei's Asian Bistro. Hit the gallery for some photos and location information.

If Simple Times Mixers are "inspired by a time when real ingredients were the only option", then we need to hop in a time machine and all go there.  Admittedly I wasn't super excited about Simple Times at first.  They were always on my list to check out, and I figured I'd get there eventually.  I mean we all know what mixers are right?  Sugar water, high concentrated, alcohol diluting, drink ruining, ice melting, corn syrup filled, glorified grown-up juice drinks right?!  WRONG!  Let me break this down for you.  I'm eleven (ELEVEN!) bottles deep at home, and the story is always the same.  I can literally count the number of ingredients on one hand.  None of them start with high fructose, red dye, or "insert flavor" added.  They started off doing 10 gallon batches.  Now they're squeezing out...see what I did there...800-1000 gallons a week!

These 'mixers' (they are so much more than just a mixer, more on that later...) are NON-GMO, vegan, organic, triple distilled water packed, magic bottles that make your favorite cocktail just two pours away.  That's right, pour Simple Times, pour your favorite bottle and start enjoying.  All that said, I think this is the first company since I started my blog that I rock with the people just as much if not MORE than the product.  Read past the break and learn a little more about Simple Times, the team behind it, and just how hard they are working to put Columbus on the Map for all the right reasons!

Simple Times hits farmers markets because those same farmers are the ones who supply their FRESH FRUIT. In fact, they source all of their fruit and produce from about a 60 mile radius of Columbus. The idea behind it was to:

• Simplify craft cocktails for the masses. (She's also an awesome bartender by the way)
• Use only the freshest ingredients that could be locally sourced.
• Create unique flavors that no one else was doing, and fill a void in the craft cocktail space.
• Do it while maintaining a Vegan, Non-GMO platform so everyone can enjoy.

Check out the bottling and the labels on the back:

Are you starting to get it? They aren't messing around! You want to be the bartender at your next event? Grab some bottles of Simple Times. Pineapple is the Number 1 seller, but it's fall, go for that Chai Apple magic concoction...I promise you with a splash of bourbon it'll get you through till Summer returns. I bought 8 bottles at that farmers market. Two full size, and 2 3-pack samplers. Called all my friends and Saturday it was on. Don't believe me? Check out the video link above to my IGTV. We threw every type of drink and garnish we could think of at Simple Times and every. single. time... All we could say was this was amazing! So we hit up their team and said we need to get there, I want to see more.

Reason number two I get down with Simple Times (Reason One is the product...duh) is because they've got a loyalty code just like mine. They saw what my crew did, so they invited me to check out theirs. They stayed open late on a Tuesday so I could get a feel for the production, meet one of people behind the magic, try some new things, and check out their event space. They can either craft you a cocktail, or have a bartender there on site to put on a show.

Reason number three... The event space/headquarters is LOCALLY SOURCED TOO! The wood trim on the ceiling is single batch sourced from Ohio, the steel on the tables they designed is also single batched. Brackets for shelves? Yep. Same source. And they are proud of it all. Mark, the owner that gave up his evening to meet and talk to us is a grad of tOSU, has a storied career in spirits and beverage distribution, and you can see on his face he's doing what he loves. If six bottles and an IG video makes an owner want to meet me, then you best believe I want to meet him too. I wasn't disappointed. Mark, you're a down to earth guy, and Sulli's Kitchen always has you and your team's back. Count on it. That message, that philosophy of "repping Columbus for all the right reasons." That's a riff on his personal philosophy that Columbus has more to offer than people give us credit for. And he's determined to put Columbus on the map by doing the little things right, for all the right reasons. Columbus is his home, and the home of Simple Times Mixers.

Reason number four... All Mark asked for, when pressed to say how do consumers and the food industry help grow his business, was word of mouth. Help shift the mindset, that a product like Simple Times should be in a place like Whole Foods, or Lucky's Market. Someone needs to be smart enough to put a refrigerated cooler in their wine/beer/liquor section or figure out a prominent placement and let the product do the talking. This is going to be a long, long wave, and it's going to change the craft cocktail industry both in restaurants and bars and at home.

Reason number five... YOU DON'T EVEN NEED ALCOHOL! When I tell you I've tried every bottle of Simple Times straight, with Sprite, Ginger Ale, Pepsi, Coke, lemonade, sweet tea, WATER... yeah they all hit the same. It's just a delicious product. There's no getting around it. When you're using fresh fruits, spices, herbs and real organic cane sugar, you're going to have a lot of people shocked at the first sip. Simple Times is just that good.

And if you ever meet Mark, get him to tell you about the triple distilled water system they use to ensure they start with ZERO taste. His face sort of lights up while he's explaining it! And how they know their craft so well, they actually give the mixers a higher pH (more acidity, but to me still less than a glass of OJ) so that when you pour your favorite drink to mix, it's perfectly balanced and not watered down. They really did think of everything.


So Simples Times, you're definitely hitting the list of things I love. What's my formula? 3 parts Simple Times, 1 part love, garnished with a modern twist that's sure to become a classic.

Vegetarian & Vegan fine dining has arrived in Columbus. SŌW represents an upscale take on the limited vegan and vegetarian options on most menus. Right off the bat, you. Notice the sustainably healthy options reign supreme on the menu. Drinks, small plates, appetizers, all focus on the core tenants of being Sustainable, Organic, and promoting Wellness. What’s not directly mentioned is the goal of locally sourcing as much as possible, whenever possible.

The space itself is beautiful, and you’re drawn to the marquis, it’s beautiful and lit, and green and vibrant and...I could go on, but it’s just simply cool to see. The layout of the space is full of clean lines and crisp elements.

The juices are cold pressed, and this lifelong hater of beets, tried the Beet Drop juice cocktail and it was really, REALLY, good. The cucumber limeade was more my speed, but I’m glad I tried it.

The vegan/vegetarian options were the stars, along with a burger made from locally sourced, authentic wagyu beef from Sakura Farms. But to read more about those in detail, you can read more below.

My favorite was the Cucumber Limeade. Inside secret...I dislike cucumber water with a passion the world may never know. But I love limeade a little too much so I went for it. This might be the most balanced thing on the menu, not to earth or green, and not at all too sweet to enjoy. Just beautiful. Loved it. So much so, that I’m glad I don’t live closer, it would be a problem. they offer alcoholic selections as well, and while I skipped it today, they are made with the same juices, so I feel okay going out on a limb to vouch for them. On to the food!

So of course in the middle of August I start with soup right? The Mushroom Farro soup was really interesting, in a nostalgically delicious way. As a kid, I had a weird love of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup. This soup was like someone took that can of horrible condensed soup jelly and stripped out everything but the flavor and then rebuilt it with fresh, healthy, mushrooms, carrots, farro and a wonderfully aromatic broth. come fall or winter, on a chilly day, you’re going to wish you had this. I rank it the 2nd best of the four items we tried. Tops was the Plant Based SŌW Burger. Vegan to the core, right down to the aioli, this was actually the best of the two burgers of the day and that‘s saying a lot because the Wagyu Beef Burger was delicious. theres just something about a good Vegan/Vegetarian burger, and this one hits the spot, there’s a great crust, real texture, and a flavor profile complimented by the tomato, onion, aioli, avocado, and alfalfa. This is where your plant based desires are met.

The Pad Thai is typically served with marinated tofu, it I opted for chicken. Chicken was a little overcooked, but flavorful, but overall the Pad Thai was the least good thing we ate. Now keep in mind, it’s the healthiest Pad Thai you’re likely ever going to eat. It hits the spot, and has flavor. But it’s not your typical Asian restaurant Pad Thai, so understand that going in, and you’re really going to enjoy this. It’s a treat, you’re not going to be sad about being healthy. Try it with Salmon or Wagyu Steak also.

Overall SŌW does a great job of pushing healthy food to upscale levels, I could easily see more popping up in Grandview, New Albany and beyond. And I can’t wait for their upcoming brunch launch that will also include vegan and vegetarian options. That’s going to be special, and I’m sure there will be some great surprises to write about.


By now you know I try to be very honest in my reviews. So it wouldn’t be fair to not include everything that happened. I like this place, so I want to give them a chance, but I am concerned that managers lack of desire for customer feedback or suggestions could hamper an amazing place, or at least the practice of discussing them within earshot of patrons. Check out Yelp for more details, but I say this: SŌW is needed in Columbus, and gets so much right. I’m routing for them and can’t wait to see what’s next.


What do you think? Will you give it a shot? Have you tried it? Sound off in the comments below!

Donna, Donna, Donna.... These donuts are pure perfection! I recently had the opportunity to visit Donna's Delicious Dozen, located between Gahanna and New Albany on Hamilton Rd. Everything about this custom donut shop screams at you to come in and see what you're missing. And you won't be disappointed. I entered just a few minutes before they closed on Sunday, and the shop not only smelled amazing it was spotless & clean! Not just the front of house, but I peeked behind the wall to eye the kitchen, and it was impeccably clean and tidy. That's huge, because one of my biggest gripes with other shops like this (If it walks like a "duck" and quacks like a "duck"...you know who you are Duck) is how crowded and cramped they are and how messy everything looks. Also, greasy donuts aren’t appealing. It’s one thing to be fresh out of the fryer, it’s another not to cook them properly so they don’t end up drowning in greasy inside. At Donna’s, that is NEVER an issue.

I watched the team complete a customer’s order, before placing my own, and the patience and care they took with each donut really stood out. This isn't a rush job, and they aren't in a hurry for you to leave. There's a decent size seating area, but the show happens behind the glass, so I watched from the counter. Each donut is hand dipped in your choice of glazes, toppings and drizzles or you can try one of the awesome preselected combinations. $7.40 gets you a half dozen donuts, or one for $1.40. When you realize that a donut from your chain coffee shops costs anywhere between .99¢ and $1.49, you'll realize this is a better deal, and the simple coffee or iced coffee may taste better too. Now for the menu...

Order your eggs any way you like, but I recommend poached. The picture above should explain why. My recommendation: ignore the toast. It’s good, but not what you’re there for. This skillet deserves your undivided attention. As the yolk broke over the chicken and chorizo (some of the best I’ve had in Columbus) and the seasoned potatoes, you’re transported into your parents or grandparents kitchen and you’ll swear they are just like your mom used to make or better! Sorry to any moms or grandmas out there. Either their flattop has magical properties or cast iron is involved, has to be! This is your go-to order, this is hangovereasy heaven.

If you’ve had an experience with Hangovereasy in Columbus or Cincinnati, let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Wow, I can’t believe this dream of mine is finally up and running. And I have to thank you for coming to my website. I’ve always loved food, my first cookbook was “Microwave Cooking for Kids” and the ‘best’ dish in it was something called Italian Squigglies. Looking back, I think it was a way for my mom to keep me safe, while at the same time letting me experiment in the kitchen. My sister and I just knew we were making gourmet meals, and I appreciate my parents for choking them down. Around 11 or 12 though, things changed and my mom started to teach me how to cook. I was all to happy to quietly learn. While my dad was somewhat of a picky eater, I knew she was talented in the kitchen. She’d introduce us to her native foods as often as possible and to this day, her food is the best comfort food around.

When I moved out, I’d try new things and send her pictures for her approval (I still do), or save leftovers for her to critique (now she makes requests!). Her feedback meant and still means everything to me. She likes to tell people that I’ve far surpassed her in the kitchen, but the way I see it... I’m still trying to live up to her skill. And that’s really what’s lead me here. I want to share everything I’ve learned and experienced with all of you. I want to hear what you like, and discuss where food can take us. I’ll share my recipes, and those from my friends and family, and I want to hear what you like, what you don’t, and how you took the inspiration and ran with it.

We’ll talk about Columbus’ food identity as well. Maybe when it’s all said and done we’ll have put Columbus on the map for more than just the most new concept restaurants that may or may not last, who knows, let’s be ambitious! Fellas, we’re going to work together to make sure we know the “Five Meals Every Man Should Know How to Make”. I’m talking simple, yet impressive staples that wow from the moment you present the plate, until the last bite is gone. And we will definitely cover why quality ingredients are the difference between an okay dish, and an unforgettable moment in time.

I don’t want to make great food, I want people to feel longing for the art they just consumed. And then I want them, and you, to think about how to improve it for the next time.

This site is very much under construction, so I thank you for coming, for your patience, and for the feedback I hope you will freely give. You may notice over time, that any ad on my site is because I’m repoing a product I believe in and use. Im currently applying to be an affiliate for companies like Anova Culinary and Instapot, among others. I refuse to ‘Google’ up my site with tracking ads and spam, so you’re information is safe here. This place may be my dream, but I want it to be something we all love together and nurture and grow.

Welcome to Sulli’s Kitchen, my kitchen, my world, my passion.


Sulli