Trying, trying but no. Asparagus soup was well built, but bland. Duck egg with asparagus had an overly salty cheese topping on bland asparagus. Decent attempt, just not the top material it's obvious she wants to be. Now eating my entree and wishing it was bland. Walleye wayyy too salty. The fish was excellent, really. But the sauce way too salty. Kale in cream-interesting, but not refined. Amateurish. 2 stars because of the effort and fish meat. This was my second try at Alana's place.
(2)
David S.
Oh yes. Yes yes yes! I visit Columbus once a month for work and I was told to go here. I am very glad I did. AMAZING food. Seriously. The menu changes a lot so I'm excited to come back next month and see what else Alana cooks up! I had the noodles apropos with zesty marzetti. It melted in my mouth. I had a mouthgasm.
(5)
Jeanne D.
I'm giving this two stars instead of one because the food is good. My group met for a birthday party there. It turned out to be small-plate night. It was recommended that we pay $65 per person; we would then get to sample whatever they felt like giving us. We are ordinary people and can't afford that. I ordered zippy cucumber soup, Louisiana jumbo shrimp, and bread service. They charge $3 for the bread! Please. I've had better bread many places. The cuke soup was good but too zippy for me. The shrimp were three, with a sauce that featured okra. Three shrimp, not that jumbo, for $15. Not that good. It did seem that for $15 they could give you five or six shrimp. It's like showing off to charge that for three. The kicker was the birthday cake. My friend had called them and asked whether we could bring a cake. They said, Well, we don't like you to do that, but okay. After the candle thing they took the cake back into the kitchen and cut it and served each of us on individual plates. This is classy, okay. But charging us $2 each for that service was not okay. Looking at my $35 bill I felt conned. I won't be back.
(2)
Zeeshan S.
Superb 5 star dining in Columbus! When I noticed the restaurant was only open about 20 hours a week I was intrigued and had to try it. Lots of classy seating inside and cozy patio seating outside with a great view of Clintonville. The menu is changed daily and everything is local and organic which is neat. Our pm group split the sweetbreads app and also the "surprise" app which was a beef kabob. Both were delicious and tasty. For my entree I had the stout braised beef with fingerling potatoes. Everything was cooked perfectly and seasoned great. To finish off our meal we split the "surprise" dessert which was a bundt cake with delicious ice cream and lemon curd. Superb for sure. Alana made no less than 3 appearances to our table to check on us which was a delight. Everything about the experience was top notch!
If you're a foodie, PLEASE come to Alana's. Order the "Surprise" for every course. Be nice to Alana. She's the lady dressed as a chef in a colorful hat, bringing you an amuse boche. She is an awesome, creative chef. Be nice to her husband Kevin, and let him select your wine. You'll thank him. He picks fantastic wine, and they price it at retail + $5 per bottle. So order something a little better than you'd typically order out. And thank Kevin. But please... if instead you're actually a status-conscious, uppity, fancy-pants, country club going, pink polo and Bally shoes without socks wearing sort of person, stay away. F off. Go somewhere else. They don't need your patronage and I don't want your company or your conversation ruining one of our favorite dining establishments. This is NOT your kind of place. Real people welcome. Foodies welcome. Artsy people welcome. Wine aficionados welcome. Uppity assholes - please go somewhere else...
(5)
Sab S.
Summary: Really disappointed with the food. Waited for years to try this place after hearing all the hype, and the 4 of us left very bummed out and annoyed with our $300+tip bill. Could have went a zillion other places for that much with much better food. Details: made reservations for Friday night, upon walking in the place was empty (never a good sign!) we chose to sit outside and the cute patio is the only reason it gets 2 stars instead of 1. The seating was odd (mix of plastic chairs and wooden) but weather was great, lighting was perfect, and sitting on High is always fun! We started with cocktails and wine. Cocktails were just OK... Wine was good (cab blend). Ordered a Surprise app and the clams. Clams were wonderful!! Highly recommend!! The surprise was disgusting: lamb sweetbread.. We've all had better. Chewey, fatty, yuck. Got a kale Caesar salad and it was served warm which means it was really like serving greens, another disappointment. Dinner was the worst. Timpani, two surprises, and the goat. The goat was the most tolerable albeit very fatty again. The pasta/timpano was served scalding hot and was just overall confusing. The surprise was a fatty pork chop with fatty chicken liver plus boiled potatoes half mashed up.. Soo unhealthy and lacking in flavor. The look of it was all just brown and white. For dessert we unfortunately did another surprise and the coconut layer cake. The coconut was good but nothing special.. And the surprise was a grape cake that again was just confusing. Needless to say none of us finished our entrees and didn't take them home. Our server was very nice.. Again helping for 2 stars. To finding it all off they charge you for bread service which just feels cheap! I wish I understood was the hype was all about, maybe if you like meats on meats and fatty food that's lacking flavor, come to Alana's.
(2)
John R.
Since my cat can write a review according to the owner, let me say that three stars is my starting point--points added or subtracted from here on out... There is no handicapped parking and way too many stairs for my 93 year old mother who wanted to come here for her birthday dinner. First you can't read the menu in the dark and the waitress joked about my using the light on my phone, but seriously how can you read in the dark? The waitress could not be bothered to write down our order so of course she forgot the salad. The owner did bring some crostini out but they weren't particularly special. The shrimp and lobster salad definitely had shrimp, but little lobster. The lamb was certainly good and the "comped" vegetable was probably the best asparagus I have had in awhile. Just lightly dressed in olive oil and roasted at a high temperature. Nice candle on the side of a rich chocolate torte. So, overall, good food but poor infrastructure and lousy service!
(2)
N S.
We had not been to Alana's for two and a half or three years. Our last experience was not great and there are so many great options in Columbus that we just never went back. Mistake. BIG mistake. Alana's, at least on this night, rocked. Big time. We called late for a reservation and were lucky to get a cancellation's table. The staff is incredibly nice and very professional. The place was full but it is one of those old-style restaurants that does not pipe in its own noise to seem hip, so conversation was easy. I think our waitperson was excellent and it helped keep the ambiance light and friendly. The food was OUTSTANDING. Started with a shared brindad-like dish of salt cod and mashed potatoes. It was light, flavorful and rich. Spot on. My wife ordered the lamb shank and enthused about it for days. The shank was meaty and tender. The broth was immensely flavorable with the deep lamb flavor brought about by reduction. It was not the thick gravy-like sauce usually found today and better for it. The tamarind mashed potatoes were great on their own and a perfect complement. She is still raving. I had the trout. It was supposed to come with spaghetti squash, which I cannot eat and they substituted Moroccan-spiced organic grilled carrots which were wonderful. The trout was perfect. It had been seared, skin side down, until the skin was crisp and a great partner to the flesh which was moist and fresh. We had ordered one wine. They were out of it. The host offered another of a similar style to the one we ordered and gave it to us at the (less expensive) price of the one of our choice. Nice touch. I know some people have a problem with inconsistency at Alana's but it is worth eating some good but not great meals to come up with one such as we had. It was as fine as anything I have eaten in Columbus. Good for them.
(5)
Javito D.
DISINGENUOUS CHEF AND STAFF We came with my wife to our anniversary. We arrived around 8pm. The place was half empty. The decoration of the place was tacky. The floor is covered with an old and dirty blue carpet. It's a pretty sad ambient. The waitress seemed to be in a rush. We asked about a pasta called "garganelli" that was in the menu. The waitress replied: "It's some kind of pasta." I insisted: "Is it a minute or a stuffed pasta? How is it prepared? Does it resembled an angelotti or a penne?" The waitress replies: "I don't know." I received a similar answer when I asked about the "bulgogi sauce" that was in one of the appetizers. DO NOT ORDER "THE SURPRISE" The menu did not look very sophisticated though. So we asked about an item called "a surprise". The waitress told us: "It's a surprise that the chef make for our guests. We have no idea what it is." We decided to go for it. As an "appetizer surprise" we got a couple of fried mahi-mahi fish and some overdone chips. (In the menu the "surprise" items' are pricec at "market" value. They charged us $9 for a couple of mediocre mahi-mahi deep fried fish.) For "entree surprise" was some couscous-chicken with yogurt. The "market" price of the chicken was $35. Ridiculous. We stopped there. We did not to order dessert. We took of. My guess is that these "surprises" are the dishes that the chef makes with the leftovers. What is surprising, however, is how expensive these "surprises" given their quality. DO NOT ORDER SURPRISES. Better yet, do not come to this place. Very disappointed. This is a restaurant that is very close to The Ohio State University. This means that many professors bring their speakers for dinner here. That's how I can rationalize a place like this, with such a bad menu and disingenuous chef, has been able to survive in an amazing foodie city such as Columbus.
(1)
Libby W.
Everyone should go to Alana's!! I always assumed it was a stereotypical Italian restaurant based on the outside, but it is not at all what I expected! It's a farm to table idea with tons of variety. They are incredibly vegan friendly and also great about gluten free! I love that the menu changes daily and I love the decor. The staff was also amazing. I got the surprise vegan entree, and I loved every bite. I got a vegan vanilla panna cotta for dessert, which was also delicious. I highly recommend trying Alana's. It's one of the best restaurants I've been to in Columbus.
(5)
Erica R.
Wow. That's all I can say. Every piece of food that was put in front of me was succulent and divine. The drink selection is out of this world. The staff are phenomenally friendly and the setting is charming. They have so many gluten and dairy free options. This is definitely one of my new favorite places in Columbus!
(5)
Courtney B.
Reservations recommended... Exceptional food. Daring. Comforting. Inventive. Playful (like the art by Paul Volker and Rick Borg that hangs on the walls)... I dine at Alana's about once per month... It is consistently excellent... and no, don't expect table-churning service from wait staff here...... servers provide careful observation of a table and every need is met, but they leave you alone so that you can enjoy your meal...servers are liaisons to the kitchen and not obsequious serfs... quality takes a little longer to prepare... it is worth waiting for... and people should savor Alana's food accordingly...It is obvious that the chef wants you to enjoy your meal and slow down to enjoy it.... There are no TV's here and there is a strict no cell phone policy, which is a nice technology detox from everyday worries...dining here is a stress-purging, culinary catharsis....Every dish is made to order and the menu changes daily. I spot Alana at the farmers' markets on a regular basis and she obviously has great relationships with local food producers and dairies. To run a restaurant at this level takes a lot of work, but also skill and sheer talent. Alana's artistry in preparing, presenting, and balancing food is a gift. She creates something new every single day...and whenever a new table is seated, Alana makes her way around the dining room with an amuse-bouche for her guests. It is always nice to meet the chef and it is a personal touch that I really appreciate... I always feel like I am on a mini-vacation whenever I visit the restaurant because I know that everything will be taken care of...I am happy to pay for an excellent meal that is made by a person with a passion for quality, inventiveness, and uses local food.. I love how she combines flavors and balances sauces: crisp ribbons of curried carrots with perfectly-seared scallops...goat shank and grape sauce...cheese plate combinations with the best selections from around the world...shrimp that are so fresh it feels like you are sitting on a pier overlooking the ocean... lemon cheesecake that is so smooth it is almost (oh my!)... and the surprises are always delightful... my soul is happy and my senses are "creatively engaged" at Alana's. The restaurant has good energy and it's like stepping into a chef's home kitchen and letting her create something special for you... This is five-star quality without any pretensions. Come to Alana's to slow down and have a food epiphany. Relax. Enjoy yourself...the wine list is the best in the city. Ask Kevin for suggestions or take a bottle home.
(5)
Samantha H.
This post is on Valentine's Day night dinner only. I've been wanting to try Alana's for years! I've heard so many good things, so we thought it'd be a good place to go for Valentine's Day. Everything started fine, our soup appetizers were amazing. Then my husband ordered a $14 glass of wine and it was half of the pour size it should have been. We ordered our appetizers and they came out faster than if it was a Mexican restaurant. For a cassoulet and a giant lamb shank, that's alarming and tells me the food was all pre-prepared and just being warmed up before it came out. We also paid an extra $3 for bread service- the service consisted of sliced focaccia. If I'm paying extra for bread, I'm think there'd be a variety and it would be amazing. Lastly, dessert. The only option this night was truffles. We ordered 4 to go. They were $4 a piece and about the size of a dime. Overall, I'd say they were set up for speed and turning tables since it was Valentine's Day. But we spend $150 on a meal for 2 people, so regardless of the day, the restaurant has an obligation to provide an all around great experience to their customers.
(3)
L P.
WORST DINING EXPERIENCE I'VE EVER HAD!!!! Arrived a few minutes after 5, not many folks there, yet took almost 10 minutes to be seated. Had order in before 5:30 but waited until 6pm for the cheese plate! Really? 35 minutes to arrange 5 pieces of cheese on a plate?! Then did not get food served until 7:00pm. Waited 1-1/2 hours for the entree!!! No excuse was provided. Too late. We had told them ahead of time that we had an event to attend. We had to leave without eating. Since then I've told a number of people about our horrific, appalling experience and, to the person, was told that Alana couldn't care less. As long as you give her your money for her food, that's all that matters. There are too many other great restaurants in town where they bend over backwards to make sure their customers have a wonderful dining experience along with fabulous food. DO NOT GIVE ALANA YOUR MONEY!
(1)
Phillip J.
My wife and I have been meaning to come here for years, wish we would have come sooner! The staff were all friendly and welcoming. Our waitress made us feel very comfortable as first-time guests. She followed our lead on pacing the evening and I never felt rushed or anxious for the next course. We started with two appetizers: an Indian-inspired tomato salad and crab cakes. The tomatoes were fresh and varied, while the crab cakes were full-flavored and paired with a side of kimchi. For entrees my wife had the farro risotto and I chose the salmon with mashed potatoes. The farro was rich and creamy and the salmon was matched with a tangy aoli that brought the dish together. Finally, we had a moist olive oil citrus cake for dessert. Of course, the menu changes daily, but I can't imagine not finding something with such eclectic options. We both enjoy wine, but don't know much about it so our waitress helped us make some pairings with our meals. The wine was just the final complement to these perfect dishes. We went on a Saturday evening but the atmosphere still felt quiet and relaxing. The walls and decor were brightly colored, but dim lighting helped to soften the room. After such a great evening, we are definitely going to keep Alana's on our list of restaurants for special occasions.
(5)
Beth R.
Nice place but seems to have gone more vegetarian then the last time I was there. Many of my guests couldn't find a meat selection they really wanted. For the price I expect more options or I would expect they would advertise themselves as "Vegetarian choices primarily"
(2)
Patrick B.
New Year's Eve Food was excellent and our server did a great job including helping my wife pick a wine close to her favorite. Definitely will be back. Only constructive criticism is charging for the bread. I don't understand this omission from what is a great meal? I had the smoked salmon cheesecake which was excellent and luckily I had asked for bread and the dish was clearly meant to be eaten that way so why charge for it?
I've been to Alana's several times and haven't had a bad experience or bad food. Alana is known for her risotto. It's creamy and delicious. If you don't see a risotto on the menu but you see a surprise item then it's very possible your surprise may be a risotto dish. (I learned this one night when I wanted to be adventurous.) Also, Alana will bring out an amuse-bouche for each table before service. One night we went and found out Alana was celebrating Elvis Presley's birthday. The menu items went along with the theme. The name, description or menu item matched the theme. And there was only Elvis music. That night one of the menu items was a surprise. There were three surprise dishes! If you indulge in dessert you're not likely to regret it. There's been the tame (ice cream) and the divine (cheesecake with a kick of cayenne pepper).
(5)
Julie Y.
One of the better meals I've had in Columbus. The food was fresh and combinations of ingredients was inventive. The fried green tomato and chicken enchilada stack was tasty but a bit boring. The trout was amazing. The lamb was also fantastic.
(4)
Cherie R.
I'm very torn about this place. I've been wanting to go here for years, and finally convinced my husband to take me here for my birthday dinner. Being an allergic yelper, I do have to say they were aware of my allergy and conscientious about it. That's always a plus in my book. The food was good. But just good. Not phenomenal, not "Oh my god we are SO coming back here." And the prices were a little high for what we got. The service was good, and very friendly, and I LOVE how she tries to use all local products, that's great... but it's just good. Sorry Alana, I still have my favorite in Columbus, but it's not you.
(3)
Jenny F.
I love Alana's! The menu is not very big but always very appealing. My husband and I got the roasted beets and tomato stack to start with - so good! He got the salmon and I got the "surprise" - which turned out to be a veal shank with a fruit salsa and rice. The meat was so tender! Blueberry crumble cake and the "surprise" dessert (orange olive oil cake) rounded out the night. Bottom line - Alana's is awesome!
(5)
Vin R.
Took several yelpers advice and made a reservation here for my 10th consecutive 28th birthday dinner with my wife. As the menu changes frequently, I don't want to recommend one thing or another, but I will say my Manhattan and my wife's Malbec were both outstanding. As others have said, the final bill will be a bit higher than you'd expect, but the quality of the food makes up for it. Glancing through other folks reviews, I don't think I can add anything unique. I can offer one top tip--The entrance that you see if you're standing (or parking) on North High is actually the back door. Walking in through that door results in you standing in the middle of the dining room exchanging confused looks with other diners for a long minute or two until a kind waiter escorts you to the actual front of the restaurant where the maitre d is located.
(4)
Annie P.
We went for dinner quite early on a Friday night (because of proximity to our house). I had read very good and very bad reviews, and had a bad experience a couple of years ago, so we decided to try again. The good: honestly, the food is delicious--fresh, inventive, attractively prepared. We had three appetizers (an heirloom salad, some kind of odd indian/cinnamon spiced chicken dish, a cheese plate) and we shared the arctic char entree. Really, all were quite delicious, and what you'd get at some of the best restaurants in Columbus (Rigsby's, Basi Italia, G. Michaels). The wine selections and the beer we chose were equally impressive. The bad: the host and the waiter were almost intolerably arrogant and snarky. The host asked if we had a reservation (no, we didn't), then pretended that the empty restaurant might not be able to accommodate us. That's just tedious, transparent and juvenile. The waiter was snippy and cut my husband off several times when we were asking him questions. Then he almost turned himself inside-out to greet a couple from another table (regulars) . . . "Ohhh, Hellooo Doctor______ and Doctor __. . . how are you doing? What have you been up to? It's GREAT to see you!!" I think it's a wonderful thing to greet regulars, but not if it requires you to switch to a different personality. It was slightly nauseating. We still gave him a good tip because the food was delicious and he was prompt in service, but if I owned this restaurant, I would not keep him around. I keenly get the feeling that Alana doesn't really care about developing new customers. In terms of ambiance, I love the old house, but I do not love the lighting which almost requires you to bring a flashlight, and I suspect the lighting is related to the fact that the whole place seems slightly unkempt and mildewy. What a disappointment.
(2)
Iris C.
When I look at a menu and see "Surprise" as an entree option, I know I'm at my kind of restaurant! I had the pleasure of dining at Alana's this past weekend and couldn't have been happier with the whole experience! Our server was very knowledgeable when it came to their extensive wine menu and was able to help us pick out a wine that fit our budget and tasted great. The menu is small and I'm totally fine with that. I can honestly say that I wanted to try everything on the menu. My favorite thing was that there was a "Surprise" dish you could order that also offered a vegetarian option. PS. Try the cucumber martini. So good!
(4)
Laura T.
I've been to Alana's a few times since moving to Columbus about five years ago. It is a solid choice for taking visitors to dinner. The reason I say this is because the first visit is great, but repeat visits reveal some flaws. The menu itself is solid. Seasonal, creative, good variety of proteins and vegetarian options that don't feel like afterthoughts. The execution can be a little spotty and for the price, I just expect a little more (not in terms of quantity, but quality). Alana's is also one of the few restaurants in town that serves and amuse bouche before the meal which would be great, but they often feel as though they were put together at the last minute with whatever the walk in had to offer. The wine list is esoteric (and I mean this in a good way). Alana, I'm told, does not list any wines that are available in grocery stores. It's definitely great for exploring some corners of the wine world that you may not be familiar with. My advice is to go with two-three other people, get a bottle of wine, and order an assortment of things to share. It is a great spot to enjoy some time with friends where the focus is on the conversation and good food is just a bonus.
(3)
Linda C.
My mouth is still burning from the salty heap they called risotto. Columbus has lots of great restaurants--this isn't one of them
(2)
David L.
Keeping rating at 3 stars. I came by here with a friend for a late dinner around 9:30pm, right before closing. Tip: their parking lot is directly behind the restaurant. There's only enough space for about 8 cars. 1. Scallops Delicious. Two huge, juicy scallops, and one of the best scallop dishes I've ever had. 2. 8oz steak Subpar. Steak was cooked a nice medium rare, but it lacked flavor. Rest of the accompaniments were just okay. 3. Grilled walleye with beets and mashed potatoes yelp.com/biz_photos/05n5… Okay. Walleye was cooked nicely, and the potatoes were okay, but I didn't really care for the beets. Service was excellent. Really was hoping to have a better experience than last time, but unfortunately, it was about the same.
(3)
R S.
Great food and very accommodating for vegetarians. Alana is so personable. A must!
(5)
Frank K.
we have visited Alana's for over 5 years now and never had a bad experience. Cocktails are always top notch as well as service and food quality. We visited last week and had a superb meal. My ribeye steak was top tier on my steak chart. My wife's halibut was nicely cooked and sauce was delicious (sauce was pink, im assuming for the breast cancer awareness marathon that took place in cbus that day). Amuse Bouche was a truffled deviled quail egg, freaking delicious. I pleaded with our server to bring me another and he finally did! Bottom Line: Go here and go often. Top 5 restaurants in Columbus.
(5)
Gwen W.
I was able to pick a restaurant for a birthday dinner, so yeah, I decided to splurge and go for a fine dinning establishment. I perused Yelp's recommendations based on high reviews, and Alana's Food and Wine won. Boy oh boy, did this place solidify my pick for 5 stars! We had reservations for 6 pm, and it was not crowded at all, when we arrived and got seated. As our night meandered on, tables were filling at a steady pace, and it was nicely full, as we walked out. Thus, I recommend making reservations, just in case. Anyway, to the food! We had a fantastic waiter - not pushy, not overbearing, informative, but not boring, and a friendly attitude. He gave us plenty of time to look over the menu, before taking our order. For starters, we got the bacon wrapped scallops, the cheese plate, and the salmon cheesecake. The scallops were soooo good - tender, no overly bold fish taste, very free. The bacon was so tender, I was able to cut it with one easy swipe of a butter knife. And the puree was scrumptious, light and fluffy "mashed potatoes"! The salmon cheesecake was very rich, but very good. The sauce drizzled on top paired very well, and smoothed the taste. I'm not one for many cheese varieties, thus that was gobbled up by the other members of the party. Main entree? Forget the exact, sophisticated names. I had lasagna with sausage, veggies, and sprinkled parmesan cheese on top. It was SUPER hot when brought out, thus I had to wait several minutes for cooling purposes. First bite? Great! Savory flavor. The tomato flavor was not overly bitter at all. The noodles were al dente. The other plates were a mushroom risotto dish, and sea bass (the grilled asparagus was full of flavor)! They were perfectly cook, excellent flavor profiles, and could taste the individual components quite well. For dessert I got their creme brule dish. I've always known creme brule for it sweet custard substance and caramelized sugar on top. This was different. The custard part had, what I can best describe as, a coffee flavor. It was sugary. Nonetheless, it was an interesting profile for the tung.
(5)
Brian F.
It's a bit pricey, but the food is delicious. We went for a fundraiser and had the Chicken alfredo pasta, and it was was top notch. They also brought out an assortment of desserts that were delicious. The atmosphere inside is very classy, and this would be an ideal place to take a significant other for a special occasion.
(5)
Brianna G. K.
Alana's was an amazing dinner, including some fun specialty drinks. Service was spectacular, and questions were answered without The art on the wall is an excellent addition to the atmosphere; the wine menu is extensive (and sold at take out prices with a corking fee). The menu changes consistently, and the addition of "Surprise Me!" for dinner and dessert options was so much fun. (I chose both Surprise Me offerings, and was highly impressed with both... Rabbit with couscous and carrots, and a slice of nut pie with bourbon ice cream.) This is a new favorite dinner location, and I cannot wait to return for the degustation menu soon.
(5)
Emily L.
I am so sad to have to write a bad review of Alana's Food and Wine. I was looking so forward to coming here and my experience was awful and I don't want anyone else's evening to be ruined like mine was. My boyfriend had been planning a special evening last night for my 25th birthday. He went over and over restaurants to go to and finally settled on Alana's. He made reservations for 7:30 and we were so excited to go because just the night before, we were with 2 friends who said it was amazing and the best dinner they had had in Columbus. We arrived right on time at 7:30, got seated right away, and then everything went downhill from there. First of all, the place was not crowded. I want to make that clear. The room we were seated in had 12-14 tables and when we arrived, 4 tables around us were empty. The hostess told us she was out of menus, but would bring one when they became available. We sat for 15 minutes drinking water and talking and finally, a man that appeared to be the manager said, "You guys don't have menus? Let me get you some!" He did and left us to look over them. Him bringing those menus to us was the last time anyone talked to us for a half hour. No one, not one waiter, the hostess, the "manager", anyone looked or talked to us again for 30 minutes. We kept trying to flag someone down to ask to be helped, but no one was even walking by us or looking at us for us to do it. It was like we were invisible. 4 tables around us were sat and waited on while we were seated waiting. We sat there a total of 45 minutes with no drink, no food, no service. Finally, I looked at him and said, "Let's just leave. I don't want to give this place our money." As we walked out, the hostess said, "Thanks so much! Have a good evening!" I kept walking because I was upset, but my boyfriend turned around and said, "We sat there 45 minutes and no one talked to us or offered to take a drink order or an appetizer order and so we are just deciding to leave. Have a good night." Her response was, "Oh, I wish you would have told me, we would have worked something out!" Well...that's ridiculous. We saw how small this place was(again, only 12-14 tables where we were sitting) and there were plenty of waiters and there were even 2 people working just filling water glasses up. We'd read reviews of this place and heard the service was slow and some of the waiters were rude, but we didn't even get slow service or rude service. We got no service. And that is unacceptable. My boyfriend and I do not go out to fancy places often. We go out for special occasions and we try to pick special places to go. He chose this place and we intended to spend a lot of money. We were going to get a few drinks apiece(give or take $30), an appetizer($15), and 2 "surprise" entrees($40-45 a piece). We were going to spend a pretty penny and not only did we not last night, but we will never be back and I intend to share this story with as many people as I can because no one deserves to be ignored like we were. Especially on a birthday or a special occasion. There are too many other good restaurants in Columbus that treat people well to waste time on this.
(1)
Toni K.
Alana's is awesome. Ever-changing menu with complex flavors and wide vegetarian selection, wine by the bottle sold at state minimum retail, and delicious cocktails. The once-townhouse looking space is super cozy, with rotating local art for sale everywhere. Came one time without reservations and was still able to get a table, but you have to come right when they open because they fill up quickly. Can't wait to go back for New Year's Eve. The one downside is a tricky to navigate parking lot (but that's more a personal problem than a real issue).
I've been going to Alana's for about 5 years now and have never had a bad experience. Hands down, my favorite Columbus joint. Last night however, was my best experience yet. I took a couple friends from out of town there for dinner and we were treated so well, and had such a terrific meal. We sat at the bar, and the bartenderess was such a great sport. She was kind, attentive and knowledgeable. And she put up with us for a least a couple hours. The cocktails were amazing, the spar ribs delicious. There was also some shrimp, Caesar salad, polenta with beef tenderloin. All fantastic. Thanks to everyone at Alana's for being awesome!
(5)
Joshua L.
If you ever get the sense anywhere that someone loves food, this is it! Ever since high school, when it's time to pick a restaurant for a special occasion, Alana's is the place! It has a tiny menu, but you're guaranteed to eat something new each time you dine here. Alana changes her menu so often that the website has a hard time keeping up to date. If it worries you that you're going in blindfolded, stop worrying - I'd eat anything that they put in front of me. If you have ingredient issues, mention it to your server, and they'll double and triple check everything. Just to sum up - service, food, atmosphere, everything - all spectacular. Those who have had anything but at this restaurant, you should give it another try. They must've been off their incredibly awesome game that day!
I am so impressed by this restaurant. The food was delicious and creative. The service was outstanding. They had plenty of options for those of us who are vegetarian. Love the farm to table concept and you could really taste the fresh ingredients. My understanding is that the menu changes all the time but if the brussels sprouts are on your menu, get it! The price was incredible. Honestly one of the most reasonably priced quality meals I have ever had. Good work!
(4)
Jason P.
Very attentive staff. Great food. Would go again!
(4)
TradeMark G.
How have I not reviewed Alana's? Awesome food, awesome people, awesome wine selections, with extra helpings of awesome on your plate. I think it was my first visit (some twelve+ years ago) that they tied my green beans in knots. KNOTS! My taste buds have been tangled and teased ever since. And unlike many places which grudgingly accommodate us vegetarians with some "vegetable delight" afterthought, the veggie dishes Alana comes up with always feel like first picks. When I moved back from San Francisco, one thing I knew we'd miss is the top-shelf cuisine. Alana's is not only up to SF standards, but luckily a lot closer.
(5)
Michelle M.
I've been a few times and I have seen some improvement to the ambiance. The paper menu's still kill me, you would never guess how good the food is by looking at the menu's. I love that they use local ingredients and although the menu is small it is so creative that you won't even notice. The problem that I've had recently is the terrible service. I'm okay with it being slow, especially when they are jam packed, but rude comments and dirty looks from the staff is just not acceptable. Yes the food is amazing but when I live in a place like Columbus where really amazing food is on every other corner I will just skip the places with poor service.
I've been wanting to try Alana's for the past 3 years and finally had the chance tonight. Unfortunately, the restaurant failed to impress us. There were 5 of us dining. We ordered a bunch of appetizer and sampled almost all of the main course. First comes the soup. We ordered the trio of soup, all of them were pretty good. The highlight was on the curry pumpkin and truffled mushroom. It was a good start. A few minutes later, the appetizers came. The prawns with curry and rice was not bad. The prawn was cooked perfectly and the curry had tons of flavor. The duck was better, the skin was crispy and the meat as moist. The bone marrow was shitty as there's no bone marrow inside the bone. When we inquire the waiter about the bone marrow, he response "it happens, sometimes you get a lot and sometimes you don't". Now let's get to the main course. We waited for around an hour the main course. 2 of my friends ordered the surprise. And they were indeed surprise that it was roast chicken with stuffing (fyi: i was being sarcastic). Anyhow.. the chicken was too salty and the sauce was very sour. Maybe it was suppose to balance each other, but the flavors didn't work. The best entree of the night was the tuna. It was served with hollandaise. It was pretty good. I had the indian spiced osso bucco with safron risotto. It was pretty good. The disaster was the pasta. It was a very simple pasta dish with cream and smoked salmon. The pasta was too salty that my friend had to send it back. It came back ok though. After that we felt discouraged to try the dessert. But I have to praise the wine list and the staff's knowledge of it.
(3)
Peter G.
I use yelp all the time to tell me where to find a good meal, usually it never fails. This was a fail. I judge a restaurant by food and ambiance. The food was just average, I felt it wasn't anything I couldn't make at home. The look and feel of the place is strange. Plastic chairs on the deck and the inside looks like you're eating at someone's house. Which isn't a bad thing but its just not a great atmosphere. Service was friendly and fast. I was just surprised with what we got after being one of the highest rated restaurants in Columbus. There are many other places to try before you come here.
(1)
Raquelle Z.
This week I decided to venture out in search some great food in Columbus. I did what I usually do which was find a new place with great ratings on my favorite resource YELP. I was not disappointed! I love the unique options that were presented on their menu. It didn't bother me that the Menu was paper since I understood that it changes often. To me that speaks of creativity in the kitchen which is a culinary skill that I admire. I settled on an entree of Indian 5 spice escabèche of fish on a bed of fennel with saffron couscous. The waiter explained that this term means that in addition to a spice marinade vinegar can be used to bring a new taste dimension to the dish. The flavors in this dish were fabulous and perfectly balanced. I might add that I am not a big fish lover but this was perfect for me since it had lots of flavor but it was not fishy. As a starter a lovely woman brought me a deliciously warm slice of bread with a beet tamponade. I love that this sample came unexpectedly to my table and it was a great indicator of what turned out to be a perfect meal. Mine included a desert of Mexican Chocolate and Pecan tart that came with a bonus of Jeni's Salted Carmel ice cream. Perhaps the service was a bit slow however, that was forgivable since this was truly a dining experience with food that was high in creativity and quality. I can't wait to go back to this culinary treat on my next trip to Columbus. *something else
(5)
Richard D.
Flavors in all dishes were oustanding! White veggie chowder, shrimp appetizer, and shrimp, crab scallop pasta dish were all outstandind, as well as my surprise! A pork, veal, lamb meatloaf- I have avoided meatloaf for the past 50 years, but since it was the surprise Alane prepared for me, decided I had to try it. Outstanding! Service was outstanding. Already planning next visit!
(5)
Greg G.
Last week for a celebration with my kids and my ex wife we went to Alana's. It was a Thursday and we did not have a reservation but got right in. Our waitress was excellent but the lack of variety in the menu is dissapointing. My daughter had the cold salmon which unfortunately she did not realize was served cold. I had pasta with crab. We swapped since she did not like cold salmon and I thought my pasta was too salty anyway. The beef dish was very tasty but it too was served cold. The menu states "Menu revisions $45". This place is really a little more pretentious than the food merits. Since the service is good and so is the wine list I'd recommend it for a glass of wine or a cocktail at the bar.
(2)
Meredith M.
I loved my food at Alana's. We started with the black bean hummus which was fantastic. Then I opted for the Marlin with an Avocado sauce. The combination of the two was mouth watering and had some spice to it. My side included sweet potatoes and pears, sweet, delicious, and perfect. Alana's is my favorite restaurant and I will be coming here every chance I get. Dinner for two - One appetizer, two entrees, no drinks or dessert - $58.
(5)
Big Baby Jesus C.
Restaurant week review! Ah, Alana's, how I freaking love this place.... I ended up here after eating dinner at The Worthington Inn. What? I told ya I left there hungry. Sat at the bar, had James, the bartender waiting on us. I like him. Made me one wicked strong hurricane du jour to drink. I had the quinoa falafel with fennel pollen, and olive oil yogurt. The quinoa made for an interesting falafel. Chewy texture not like your usual falafel. Dipping sauce was delicious. Overall, 4/5. For dinner, I got the bolito misto, and in case you're like me, and have NFC what that is, the Google tells me it's an Italian boiled dinner. Mine had pork belly, pork meatballs, and ham in it. This was all served over some mashed taters, and it was all swimming in a divine gravy. Asked for extra bread for mop up duties. Not the usual, OMG, what is this amazingly delicious thing I am eating experience I have here, but still, 5/5. I think she was not being too adventurous with the restaurant week menu, and she was also taking costs into consideration. Walking out of here with 3 solid courses for $30 is an epic deal. For dessert, I got 3 cookies and some Jeni's. The macaroon I got was the best one I have ever had. The chocolate one was dry, and disappointing. Overall, 4/5. As far as negative things to say about Alana's goes, I have been there about 25X, and I have had a hard time finding them. Things that I would improve if I were them are: --tequila selection is weak. Either you get Patron, or you have to settle for the non-100% agave stuff. --I wish they had Tito's vodka --I feel like she sometimes "phones it in" when it comes to desserts. I have had some amazing things for dessert here (the flourless chocolate torte w/ macerated berries comes to mind), but enough with the terrines of Jeni's ice cream. Yeah yeah Jeni's is delicious, but I know you can do bigger and better things woman! --the red wines by the glass have been going down in quality it seems. Charge more by the glass if you have to, but open up the good stuff. Kevin's amazing taste in wine is one of the things that sets this place above others. Also noteworthy, Christopher no longer works here, so you don't have to worry about getting stuck with his sorry ass for a server. One last thing, to all the people bitching about printed out menus, STFU! The menu changes daily, in case you didn't know. Perhaps you'd like some laminated ones a la Waffle House, or fancy leather bound ones that makes them charge an extra $5-10 for every plate served? Idiots...
(5)
Lauren R.
I have been to Alana's a couple times and I am never disappointed. I like getting the surprise because I'm a big fan of her creativity. Try calling ahead to get the tasting menu...unfortunately I forgot to last time I was in Columbus. boohoo.
(5)
Christina C.
So this is the place everyone talks about... For my birthday dinner-of-choice, I chose Alana's. From the moment we walked in the door (note: enter through the back door, not the front on High St., to avoid awkwardness) I felt warm-n-fuzzy... and hungry! The smells were amazing! We sat and checked out the wine, food & special Halloween cocktail menus - cute - but we were sort of surprised they were printed on paper. Granted, if you owned a restaurant that had revolving menu items you'd have simple paper menus too. There were only a few wines by the glass to try, but scores of bottles, all served at state minimum prices (but include a corkage fee.) Yes, there was some sticker shock on the prices of the entrees, but the food was totally worth it - the salad though, not so much, although still pretty good. I got the tuna on a bed of squash while the boy ordered the pork chops. Holy burst in your mouth with flavor!!! I'd go out on a limb and put the food in the "comfort food" category, given the oil and butter, but every single calorie was savored. It was my birthday after all... I love that it's in an old house, but the art was a little strange. It was romantic, relaxed and high-energy all at the same time and the perfect backdrop for an evening to celebrate my birth. After stuffing ourselves silly, we still saved room for the pumpkin cheesecake, which was just as mouth-watering as the entrees. I love my pumpkin-flavored anythings! Our bill was slightly higher than we expected (about $20-$25 higher than other similar restaurants.) Actually, no, I don't believe there are similar restaurants - so I guess you're paying for the uniqueness as well as the food. A great restaurant to celebrate a special occasion.
(4)
Liz F.
Came here with my mom as a special treat after a couple of friends mentioned this was one of their favorite places to go around town, and it exceeded my expectations. For someone on my budget, this is a special occasion, come-bearing-coupon restaurant, but it was well worth the splurge! I take it from some of the other reviews that service can be hit or miss, but we got nothing but the best the night we were there. Granted, it was a Wednesday, but it was also the day before everyone's Fudha was about to expire, so they were plenty busy. Our water glasses were never even close to empty, our table was always clean, and our server checked in after every course arrived to make sure we were enjoying the food. If you're not a picky eater, I'd recommend going with the "surprise" dishes whenever you have the chance. We got both the surprise appetizer and the surprise dessert. The appetizer -- small yellow summer squash stuffed with sausage and drizzled with an amazing, creamy, citrus-y sauce -- was our favorite dish of the evening. And, the surprise dessert -- a Mexican chocolate pecan pie with Jeni's honey vanilla ice cream -- hit all the right spots. It was crunchy, gooey, warm, melty deliciousness. Excellent food, top-notch service, adorable atmosphere!
(5)
Michael U.
See blog for full review: Getting out of work early I made my way down to Alana's where I was the first in my party to arrive. After snapping a few pictures I entered and spoke to the host for a bit before taking my seat and waiting for my group to slowly filter in - after ten minutes all members were accounted for, water was poured, and menus were delivered. Chatting for a short while before ordering I was impressed by the lack of pressure from the waiters as I've found this a problem at many Columbus fine-dining establishments in the past - at no point did we feel hasseled, rushed, or pressured - a definite plus. With my colleagues opting for wine and beers (an appropriately named Delerium Tremens was particularly notable on the list) we first ordered some appetizers for the table - namely the cheese plate and fried green tomatoes. Beginning with the cheese plate, for $14 we received three anemic portions of relatively common American cheeses, a basket of boring baguette slices, and some raisins - compared to Luce I couldn't have been more disappointed and would certainly not order this again. The second appetizer, originally intended to be sharred with our vegetarian student, was the tomato dish - unfortunately my attending forgot until 10 minutes after ordering that it contained chorizo and asked if the order could be augmented to which received a flat "no." While I found this strange as it took another 10-15 minutes for the dish to be delivered and I do suspect the server could've been a little more accomidating, I will admit the dish was excellent and I didn't mind having more to myself. Described as fried green tomato with chorizo, chihuahua cheese and corn vinaigrette the tomato was very well prepared with a delicate snap on the outside yet smooth and sweet inside. Adding to the dish was a spicy yet understated chorizo that contrasted well with the mild cheese and sweet yet savory corn studded dressing. Following the appetizers my colleagues each opted for a main course and another drink while I selected a salad and a water refill. Arriving shortly after we finished appetizers the tomato stack with lump crab, shaved vidalias, greens, chopped amish egg cheddar and cabernet buttermilk dressing was an absolute knockout of a dish - both in presentation and in taste. Incredibly fresh heirloom tomatos that could very well have been picked immediately prior to service were stacked 4 slices high with layers of fresh and delicate crab, crisp and textural greens, and pungent yet well tempered vidalias. Mellowing out the sharper flavors and pulling the whole dish together was the mild and aromatic egg cheddar (a cheese far superior to any on the cheese plate in flavor and texture) and the absolutely divine buttermilk dressing with mild alcoholic base notes. For our mains one of my attendings opted for the 4oz tournedo of beef topped with roquefort potatoes, broccoli, and bacon vinaigrette while the vegetarian amongst us ordered the rustichella spaghetti with zucchini noodles, shaved golden zucchini and basil pesto and noted that he'd have trouble going back to eating "normal" pasta any time soon - it certainly looked and smelled excellent. For myself and one of my attending's the order of the night was Alana's nightly risotto - this time featuring sun gold tomatos, sweet corn, goat cheese, and lump crab. Enormous in portion and toothsome yet smooth in texture I must admit I found the risotto to be quite excellent and the creamy cheese and mild crab proved an excellent foil to the sweet and 'al dente' corn and tomatos. Accompanying our mains was a basket of white and rye breads plus a fairly generic and boring olive oil - thankfully there was plenty of sauce to be sopped up from the risotto. After a meal prepared with such skill dessert was a no brainer - and true to the form of (seemingly) every other restaurant in Columbus the accompaniments to each dessert was a no brainer as well - Jeni's Ice Cream. While my companions decided on the Vanilla Lavender Creme Brulee and Chocolate Zucchini Pound Cakes accompanied with Wildberry Lavender and Kona Stout, respectively I decided to go with the Peach Plum Frangipaine Tart with Honey Vanilla Bean. Served in large portion I found the almond based tart to be quite tasty and well paired with the ice cream selection, but I rather wished the peaches and plus had been a bit sweeter given the fact that we are in the midst of stonefruit season. All in all I must admit I was quite pleased with the food at Alana's in terms of quality, quantity, and skill of preparation. Service was adequate if not overly friendly - something that clearly is table dependant as we saw our waiter as well as the chef herself visit a table of older "regulars" frequently - and the setting is quite attractive, secluded, and intimate. As a fan of natural/organic/locavore approaches to food I'd certainly not hesitate to recommend Alana's among the ten best in Cbus.
(4)
Yvonne R.
This place is as fresh and local as it gets! Menu changes often based on what is in season and available. I have never been disappointed. Quaint, cozy atmosphere and a great wine list round it out for me! If you love "close to nature" food made into amazing recipes, this is the place for you!
(5)
Sarah H.
I started with the oysters with tasso, trinity (onions, pepper, and celery), and grits. The oysters were quite good, but they were overpowered by the spiciness from the tasso, which tasted somewhat similar to chorizo to me. The grits were awesome. I loved the individual components but I'm not sure they came together as well as I'd like... they weren't particularly well-balanced. For my main course I got the surf and turf, which was a soft shell crab served with a small portion of filet. I ordered medium rare, and I got something more on the medium/medium well side of the spectrum. This seems to be a patter in Columbus. The steak was good, but not mindblowing. The softshell crab was smothered in a sauce that I didn't really care for, kind of sweet-mustard, not really a flavor I could define. It was okay at best. The crab was prepared really well and was obviously fresh. The sides were asparagus and mashed potatoes. The sauce from the beef went well with the potatoes. Overall, pretty good, but again, not mindblowing. I got a cocktail with vodka, rhubarb bitters, and soda, which was great. I also tried some of the wine that BBJ got and it was one of the best wines I've ever had. And their wine list is INSANE. I would definitely come back here to just order a couple of bottles of wine and hang out. We all came here with my Fudha and they were really accommodating, even though we were in a group so it was a little weird with most of us having Fudhas. Bonus points to them for not being stodgy about that. The service was mostly fantastic, except when we got scolded for swearing too loudly. Alana's is an excellent restaurant, but the value isn't great. It's good food, but it's not $30+ entree good. Or at least the entrees I got. Not to say that I won't try it again, because I will. It was really good, just some flavors weren't my thing and weren't balanced well.
(4)
Alyssa B.
I had heard very mixed reviews from friends about Alana's, so the time came for my boyfriend and I to try it for ourselves. We were seated at a table that appeared to be the front porch of an old house... But it was inside. The building space has been creatively utilized to say the least. The tables and chairs were those 1970's seats you used to see in libraries which also set an interesting tone. It's definitely not an elegant or refined aura. But, I thought, the food will make up for it. Our menus were two printer pages stapled together, smudged with food. Another unimpressive touch. We settled on a bottle of wine that was better than average, however the wine selection did not offer a wide price range. Basically, you could get a $20 bottle of wine or a $70 bottle. There were hardly any red wine selections in between. The salads we ordered were amazing. The greens were perfect (the types of lettuce she uses in the salads can sometimes be extremely bitter if not selected at the right time - these were perfect). The entree was extremely disappointing. We ordered a filet, which was drowned in an overpowering sauce. There was very little art to allowing the flavors of the food set the tone for the dish - it was all about sauces and spices. For a chef to insist upon no alterations to her dishes, she has not yet proven her expertise, and therefore has not earned the ability to be this presumptuous. After dinner, we has a seasonal gingerbread cake that was out of this world. No wrong could be done on this desert. Overall, the entrees are weak. I would recommend to anyone going there to have a tapas style meal of appetizers, salads, etc. Because those menu items are much stronger. And be prepared to pay over $70 a bottle for a red wine.
(2)
Ang R.
I wish I read Carol F's review before going. I had heard several times this was "the best" place in Columbus. If you are going to have "wine" in the name of your restaurant, do not run out of wine menus. The hostess said she would bring one when she found an "extra. I asked 3 times and they NEVER brought it! The waiter should have at least asked if there was a wine varietal I was looking for. I had a mixed drink with my meal. I decided to go for the "suprise." Yikes. Blueberry Risotto with Frisee. Just my luck. I don't care for fruit in my food. However, I gave it a chance. It was pretty bad. Consistancy was off and the flavors were not good. I am giving it a star because the house is cool - although oddly decorated. And because we had a vegan with us and they accommodated her diet. During my two week stay I had much better (and cheaper) meals. I would go back to Surly Girl or Bono Pizza any time.
(1)
Ruth P.
While we have been to Alana's many times this visit was very so-so. It wasn't the beautiful evening outside or the food - it was the service. That's too bad since the sevice is very meaningful when going out for a wonderful dinner. First the wine we picked - a Barolo. The waiter returned with a different Barolo at $15.00 higher price point. OK - but we had to ask to decate it as he should have known due after commenting on the sediment. it was an excellent wine. Then we ordered dinner and while it came out fine - not great just fine - asking how I would like my tuna temperature should have been a question. Mine was too well done as tuna should be rare not medium - or at least I should have been given the option. I thought overall the waiter was extremely snobby and not the service I would expect at Alana's. Too bad - it will sour me on going back any time soon.
(3)
Aaron F.
8 pm reservation sat down 8:10, but from there service was terribly slow. Appetizers were exotic but with little to excite the palate. Wine selection is average for a restaurant in this price range. We did not receive main course until 10pm. The surprise dish (Sea Bass) was flavorless and cool. The Strip steak was gristly. The sides Green Beans were bland and the German Potato salad was average. I had heard that Owner and Chef come to your table, but they never made an appearance at ours. Disappointed. With so many great dining options in Cbus, we will not go back.
(1)
Melanie B.
I have heard such good things about Alana's - and after taking a Yelp poll (on Yelp talk), I decided to take my little band of academics, including our academa-famous guest speaker professor from Rutgers (ahemJasbirPuarcough ahemGoMecough) - to dinner here. I do believe this was an excellent choice - so thanks everyone for the advice, we had a Really Nice Time. Before I launch into how amazing the food was, I will say that the service was slowwww. It is Friday night, but there were several times when we obviously could have been helped and weren't. It wasn't a terrible thing, since we were having good conversations, but it was definitely noticeable, and is the only reason I didn't give Alana's 5 stars. Okay so the food. WOW. So, we started off with bread baskets, of course, and since Lent is over, I allowed myself to try a piece of artisan bread, since the pieces were small. Served with oil, this was a nice touch, but personally if I'm going to eat bread, I prefer it to blow my mind... (you know that kind? omg). But, ain't no big thing. We also ordered three appetizers for the table - oysters (from MAINE!), scallops (the world's most perfect food) and shrimp. My favourite were definitely the scallops, but everything was excellent (horray for seafood in the Midwest not sucking!). Oh and we definitely had the chef/owner come and give us a sample of some sort of amazing pita with cheese on it. YUM. For dinner, I ordered the fontina risotto. I do like that Alana's changes their menu all the time, and that is wonderful, but it also means the menu is quite limited. I would have preferred protein in my dinner, but since I didn't want trout (eww) or steak, there wasn't any other choice. However, the risotto, which came with grilled asparagus, was excellent. I also shared the frisee salad with a colleague, which was excellent - I'd consider ordering it as a dinner, with a few apps. Overall, between the seven of us, I think we ended up ordering every entree on the menu (I think there were only 4), and everyone seemed to really enjoy their meals (it's hard to tell when you're having such good convo). I know my risotto was heavenly - thick, cheesy, heavy... you know, completely decadent. Of course, I should have remembered to have the rest of it boxed up, but the server didn't ask me, so I missed that opportunity, le sigh. Some of the table got dessert; I was still overwhelmed by the risotto incident, so I didn't try anything, but dessert definitely got the most audible reactions - the cherry pie in particular was a big hit. Oh and I forgot to mention - my friend works here, and it was really nice to see him (kinda wish he was our server, because HE would have been on top of things); also, when we walked in the maitre'd (do people still use that term?) was SO excited about my Maine tattoo and struck up a really nice conversation with me about Pemaquid (where the oysters were from). It was very genuine, and I really appreciated it, because most people who bring up Maine are completely obnoxious and try to imitate our accent or have only been to Bar Harbor and completely base their idea of Maine on the ultimate tourist trap - but this guy's genuine affection for the time he spent in my home state really set up a really warm, cozy, and intimate tone to the whole experience. Alana's seems very romantic. I'd like to come back here sometime with the boy or a close friend, and just have a nice, dreamy dinner for two. Or maybe I'll try to impress my momma when she comes to visit in a few weeks. This is defintely one of those casual yet upscale places that is the perfect cross between high cuisine and relaxed yet classy atmosphere. It's one of those places where you pay $22.00 for an entree and it's worth every penny. I'll definitely be back here. Hopefully ASAP.
Alana's is the tops for me in this city. She is a real character and the staff is an interesting mix of characters, who will give you great service. The food is memorable enough to be worth a weekend getaway trip. Try not to save it only for special occasions though. The degustation is a great treat. I recommend it highly. You call ahead and inform them of what you like and you pick a price per person. When you arrive you receive a multi-course meal complete with wine pairings. It is brought out to the table by the chef and explained in detail. There is nothing quite like the experience of having a well timed, extended tasting experience, all the while being well informed by the very artist crafting the dishes. Vegetarian or vegan is no problem.
(5)
Peter D.
Maybe its too rich for my blood, i don't know. The bubble jet printed menus didn't really seem well suited for the pretentious items, nor the prices. The pasta dish was plentiful and tasted good but seemed like too much of the same thing if that made sense. It felt like they gave you a meal expecting you to take 2/3 of it home in a box. The proscuitto wrapped figs were awesome however and i think a great example of what top end food can be. I heard staff here was rude but didn't experience anything but polite, and nice people. Maybe if i had gone for something as different as my main i'd be more inclined to go 4 or 5. I'll give it another shot and do a follow up.
Pretty patio and the service was perfect. The food was just okay though. Maybe an off night?
(3)
Aaron W.
Alana's is a great experience every time. The cheese plate is always fun (if available). The food is always exceptionally prepared. Service and ambiance is five-star.
(5)
Amy S.
My boyfriend brought me here for our first date (this may be why I fell in love with him). So, it wasn't surprising that he made arrangements to bring me back here for my birthday. What was surprising was how helpful Alana and her husband were in helping him arrange the evening. Apparently, the boy drove by Alana's on the way to pick me up and stopped by. It was before opening hours but Alana's husband, who is the sommelier, let him in and took his time helping Jez pick a champagne (which was deslish), and making sure that we got the same table that night that we had on our first date. The duck leg confit was so tender it tasted like melting butter and the pumpkin risotto was the perfect way to indulge my love of all things pumpkin. One of these days I'll have room for dessert, but as long as the food is this good, that might be a while!
(5)
David E.
Great place. Alana is awesome. I've been twice and never had anything to complain about. Wine list is great. A little quirky when it comes to ordering. The wine lists are just printed out on paper and can be a bit ruffled by time you view them as a guest, making it hard to read. Food is sourced locally as much as possible. Thats great to me.
(5)
Dan R.
Went to Alana's for the first time this weekend. We eat out a lot and we had just never made it to Alana's. While we were a bit delayed in eating because they had not recorded our reservation, the food more than made up for the wait. Alana gave us a great appetizer ( a yummy crab and scallop cake that had a great tartar sauce). All of our meals were fantastic. I had the braised goat with polenta and vegetables and the goat was fabulous. The meat was tender and just fell off the bone and the polenta and veggies were perfect. The beef tournedos were excellent and the spaghetti dish with Blue Creek sausage was killer - tons of flavor. Can't believe we waited this long to come here but we will definitely be back.
(5)
Nick S.
For years, I've heard nothing but good things about Alana's and was excited to finally try it out for Restaurant Week. Unfortunately it didn't live up to its reputation. The food, by and large, was excellent though I wouldn't say it was particularly better than some of the other nicer restaurants I've been to in Columbus. The Peach Melba dessert (which they served as part of the prix fixe menu) was terribly disappointing: Basically bland peaches with ice cream. Everything else, though, was top-notch. The service, however, was terrible. Our server, well attentive to the other tables around us was distant and almost rude to us. And the service was unbelievably slow. One table literally had all three courses of their meal before our entrees had been served. All told the meal took us nearly 2 1/2 hours. With everything I've heard about Alana's I might give it a second-chance some time. But the service was bad enough that I probably won't.
(3)
L. M.
If you are looking for pretension and a contrived atmosphere you won't find it here. The vibe is bohemian. The food is as authentic as it gets. Love that Alana passes through the diners a couple of times each evening with small bites to share. Kevin has good wine knowledge and won't just push expensive bottles. We've had lots of great experiences here.
(5)
Jeremy C.
This is one of my favorite restaurants in Columbus. I went here with my father almost five years ago and we ordered the "degustation". Basically, we had something like 6 small meals prepared by the chef in the kitchen using random available ingredients in her kitchen. She personally delivered it to the table and paired it with a drink for us. This was one of the most amazing dining experiences I've ever had. Before I came to Alana's, I hated beets. She brought out a dish with beets, and made it taste amazing. I don't know what sort of magic she worked on the plate, but, thanks to her, I now have a new founded respect for the beet. I just ordered some borscht the other day, as a matter of fact! But back to the review. Since I was so impressed with this restaurant, I brought my brother over here when he visited six months later. I ordered a risotto with sweet breads. It was insanely good, and that was the first time I've ever had the courage to try something like sweet breads. Anyways, if you happen to live in Columbus and you haven't tried Alana's yet, do yourself a favor and book a reservation! If you're in town just for a day, this is a great place for a great dining experience.
(5)
Nick P.
While I have only eaten here once, I would definitely recommend this restaurant to others. There is simply nothing else to compare it to in Columbus: an unpretentious, upscale eatery with a focus on spontaneity and local/seasonal ingredients. Will you find more finely executed or inventive food elsewhere? Sure. But that isn't the point of eating at Alana's. The word that keeps coming back to me is 'joy.' There is a joy in the menu and service--even in relaxed atmosphere of the dining space or the patio on High St. Everything we had was good (and some of it was outstanding): a fresh gazpacho, tempura mushrooms, and Ohio beef were really great. The watermelon-lemonade cocktail and homemade limoncello-esque desert drink were also notable. The service was friendly, even casual--again adding to the experience of 'joy.' The whole experience added up to a relaxed and delicious meal with moments of surprise and delight. Yes, the prices are higher than the fineness of the food would suggest, but the food is only part of the equation: there are the ingredients, the ever-changing menu, and the sum of the experience. I would rather eat here and be delighted than have a somber dinner at the well-named "Refectory" with perfectly detailed dishes anytime.
(5)
Karen M.
Alana's is a best kept Columbus secret. The people are cool, down to earth, but still professional and classy. I have never had a bad dish at Alana's. Everything melts in your mouth. Summer fare is appropriate to summer, and other seasons apply. Lamb in the winter was out of this world. Definitely check it out.
(5)
Jordan M.
*** Here is my disclaimer*** I did work in the Kitchen at Alana's for one summer. Therefore you can be fair and call my opinion bias. However I do have a better insight on what goes on behind the scenes then most of these reviews. First Alana herself; such a talented woman who takes a lot of pride in serving the best possible food, and running an amazing kitchen. She is also a community activist, whether it is donating food to local events, or promoting local farms as a member of Dining Originals in Columbus. I remember walking down to the North Market with her to shop for ingredients for the up and coming weeks menu. The farmers LOVE her, and appreciate the work she does. As well as she appreciates the local farms for producing the best quality tomatoes, watermelon, spices, zucchini and the list goes on. Backing up Alana in the kitchen is her Sous Chef John M. John who very well may be just as talented as Alana, has a different taste than her. This makes them a great pair in making daily menus. Working as a prep cook and listening to those two debate was entertaining and a learning experience to say the least. As well as the rest of the staff in the kitchen probably two more, it was run with such a sense of professionalism. It gives such comfort in the sense that you know you are getting the best quality food. Kevin, the wine man, is such a great guy. He has a great knowledge of wine, and I think acts the way a sommelier should. Also if you have any questions about music, he would be the man with the answer. As for the food; I will say, summer and fall is defiantly the best time to eat at Alana's. First you sit outside on the patio, and my favorite the tomatoes!! I will not rattle of menu items because her menu is like a box of chocolate "you never know what you are going to get" It is always changing. I will say however, my favorites while I worked there. The names may be different, but Tomato stack salad w/ lump crab, eight ball stuffed zucchini, any scallops, cucumber dill soup, any piece of beef, and the list could go on. The risotto is always good, I love her corn vinaigrette, and things Thai/Asian influenced is good as well. Any my favorite stable...the watermelon lemonade. Mmmmmm, this one consistent thing I made. (at least the mixer). Soooo good, refreshing, and made with lots of Vodka!! Since I am clearly in love with this place I want to address some of the complaints I have read. The menus being wrinkled; they are paper, printed daily, some people may man handle their menus resulting in a wrinkled appearance. Get over it. As to Alana's being pretentious? Well I'm sure a pretentious place wouldn't allow wrinkled menus, however I feel the staff is very professional. If you want to talk to them, ask for advice, joke around they will. However they are professionals, their job is to serve you your food, keep you drinks full, and clear your table. They are not there for social hour. So I think people may be getting those two mixed up. But people do have bad days, and it happens, where diners may get less than adequate service. Fair enough. And now to the dessert; someone said get rid of the Jeni's ice cream?!?!?! How? Jeni's ice cream is amazing and also just another example of Alana supporting local companies/farms/the community in general. Also I can assure you that the desserts are made fresh in house weekly, by the same woman, who is very very talented. To end my ramble. I love Alana's the food is great the people are great, the drinks are GREAT. If I still lived in Columbus, I would defiantly try and work their again, or eat their as much as possible.
(5)
Miriam W.
I was expecting more from this restaurant, based on the on line reviews and from the write up in the local mag "Crave", which lists this as a top 10 dining spot in Columbus. I do like the decor, which is funky and relaxed, with colorful outsider art on the bright orange walls. We went with friends as a table of 4 and were seated right away, and I have no gripe with service; we got a good table from the host, and our server walked the line between professionalism and dry wit with adroitness. The menu is brief, as befits a restaurant that changes it's menu daily, and I appreciate the local ingredients, which was part of the draw for me in the first place. The food was well prepared, just not as exciting or inventive as I thought it was going to be. We started with the pork belly served over caramelized onion relish and a tempura with veggies and shrimp. Pork belly is usually over the top succulent, as it's very fatty, but this reminded me more of pork shoulder...it just had very little fat. Three of the four of us liked the onions, but Doug thought them too sweet. The tempura was good, but nothing to rave about, though we all liked the sauce that came with it. My friend Bill got the surprise entree listed on the menu...they don't tell you what it is, and you have to be okay with that. It ended up being a chicken breast in a traditional Indian korma with basmati rice...good, and a well executed korma, just very literal. I thought the same of Doug's entree, which was pork loin sliced and served wtih peanut satay. The sauce was good, but what I would expect to get at any decent Thai restaurant, so the chef here executes the classics well, but not with any flair or inventiveness that brands it as her own. Another friend had the spaghetti in a green pumpkin seed sauce, which reminded me of pipian, if you're familiar with Mexican food. This dish was a bit too spicy for my taste (I did taste everything...we all like to share and sample), and the large portion was too much the same thing bite after bite, so she only finished about half of it. This might be more successful in an appetizer portion. My entree was the winner...stripped bass pan sauteed and served over Moroccan flavored grated carrots with a citrus hollandaise. The carrots leant a sweetness and spiciness to the dish that was nice, the fish was done perfectly and the sauce was light and tasty. If I was rating Alana's on my dish alone, I would have given her 4 stars, but I was not wowed by much here, and would move on to other restaurants rather than return to this one.
(3)
Janet C.
Love Alana's. Great food and wine list. The Sheriff herself brought us an offering.
(5)
Bear B.
One of Columbus' hidden gems, and one of the very best restaurants in the city, especially given the value -- the wine list is not overpriced at all (unlike just about every Cameron Mitchell restaurant) and the entrees occasionally dip into the under-$20 range. The chef's passion for good food and fresh, local ingredients comes through in everything that comes out of the kitchen, and that spirit is contagious. You'll almost certainly be greeted by the chef herself with a complementary amuse bouche, and you'll find that the day's menu has been decided upon based on what's available and fresh and good. The chef's repertoire is vast, and she often experiments with variations on existing recipes. It's hard to recommend it highly enough. If you love food, you'll love Alana's.
(5)
Suzanne L.
This is always a special place. It is a renovated old house with creative artwork and warm ambiance. Alana always walks around with a speciality appetizer to share with the patrons of the restaurant. Amazing wine and extremely knowledgable sommelier. The menu is always changing and everything is always unique and delicious. I love that Alana cooks with local, fresh ingredients....always puts such a creative twist on dishes. We always order a couple appetizers to share and then choose one entree to share. Everything always sounds delicious and it is hard to narrow down the menu...but bring friends and share bites.. This restaurant is pricey but definitely worth it. We usually come here for birthdays or anniversaries. Very special.
(5)
john b.
My wife and a group of our friends had an amazing dinner at Alana's recently. It was her birthday, and Alana made it a point to create a special appetizer and dessert just for our group. The atmosphere at Alana's is perfectly intimate for group dining, even for larger groups sized at 15-20 people. And her personal touches are everywhere: from the local art covering the restaurant, to the locally sourced foods, to the menu that changes monthly with its 'surprise' entrees. Alana's is quickly becoming an institution in Columbus. I'd highly recommend making a reservation - and try to get the crabcakes.
(5)
Josh E.
I was looking for a good place to eat in Columbus and stumbled upon Alana's somehow. Yelp only has 4 reviews to this point, but they are all uniformly spouting its excellence. So, I decided to give it a shot. Now, I can be counted amongst the fans here. If I had to use one word, and maybe this doesn't sound too hot as a choice, I would say "transparent." Let me explain why I think this idea is important, appropriate, and a reason to run right out and give Alana's a shot. Every fork-full of food I put into my mouth tasted purposeful and genuine. The ingredients were clear and each and every one tasted like it was chosen because of its quality and special role in each dish. There was no mystery to what I ordered. It was pure and excellent... Transparently so! First, we tried the cold soup sampler and each one would have been a refreshing, and satisfying, choice on its own but it was a good opening to the chef's style of preparation. The gazpacho was chock full of fresh vegetables that grew in character as they mingled in the bowl, convincing me it had been prepared right before it was placed before us. The vichyssoise was simple with clear indications of its individual ingredients and each one's quality in the mix (this was where "transparent" first crossed my mind.) The corn curry soup was exciting in it's mixture of individual elements and how they each competed with each other. It was almost the opposite of the way the vichyssoise's ingredients worked together, but just as effective on the taste buds. My salad was a tomato, and mixed greens under a crab/cheese/vegetable/dressing mixture, and I am not doing its combined ingredients justice in that slash combo above, but the flavor interaction was fantastic. There were so many subtle things going on that I became incredibly focused with each bite and was pretty disappointed when it was all gone. I didn't want to go overboard, so I ordered a pasta and squash in garlic,lemon, and Parmesan sauce as an entree and it was very straightforward and best enjoyed while slowly savoring each bite. If rushed, I probably would have thought it wasn't as good as the rest, but it revealed itself as a worthy part of the meal. Alana's is an excellent spot for dinner and I am excited about going back when I visit Columbus again. The staff was very friendly and the environment was comfortable and genuine (although I wasn't a fan of the current artist on display). The pace was leisurely and some might get impatient with it, but I found it to be a nice, extended, experience. As has been mentioned, the price can quickly add up, but I felt like every dollar was well worth it.
(5)
Pink C.
Alana's is, in my opinion, the best restaurant in Columbus. The food is delicious and very innovative. They always serve an amuse-bouche to start dinner off. The flavors are complex and really well-handled. It is also extremely vegetarian-friendly. One of the highlights is dessert. Alana trained as a pastry chef and she brings her innovative style to dessert as well. Two of the best desserts I've ever had were here: the banana cheesecake with a ginger crust and caramel and the "elvis" dessert, a peanut butter and banana mousse enrobed in chocolate and drizzled with caramel. My only complaint is that they seem to put coats in the freezer. Don't give them your coat! Don't do it! Hang it on the back of your chair. Seriously.
(5)
Marit S.
Hands down, my favorite restaurant in the city. Alana is always changing her menu, depending on what great local finds she has in her kitchen. She uses some extravagant ingredients that pair together beautifully. While her menu is always different, she keeps a risotto in the mix (it's made "with love"). Alana is definitely a master of her trade. Another thing I love about Alana's is that she makes her round offering each table a sample of something she is whipping up in the kitchen, perhaps for the next menu. I have been there many many times and NEVER leave disappointed. In fact, most visits end with me saying on the car ride home, "I wouldn't care if that was the last meal I ever ate."
(5)
Brent T.
This place is consistently amazing. This last dinner was no exception. For starters, I had the chicken livers (Alana's favorite), breaded and fried, with a stunningly fresh salad of greens and lovely sauce. Super rich and nice and pink on the inside. My spouse had the "surprise" starter, which turned out to be an "Ohio Proud Slider:" grass-fed tiny cheeseburger on "buns" of panko crusted and fried mushrooms, with tiny fries. For the main course, I had the Walleye, which was pan seared to perfection, with another nice sauce and some wonderful veg. I don't often like the skin on fish, but this was so crispy and delicious that I ate it like potato chips. My wife had the "surprise" entree, which turned out to be lobster and crab risotto. Rich and very fresh. (Alana always has a Risotto of some sort on offer). For desert, we shared a chocolate cake with homemade caramel ice cream. Most if not all ingredients are locally sourced. The menu is vegetarian and vegan friendly. Our server was responsive and knowledgeable. This place is a hidden gem in Columbus. In an old house fronting onto High Street near the OSU campus. alanas.com
(5)
Ariel B.
Holy French perfection batman! Alana's is a unique find-- especially for its location being in such close proximity to the typically cliche atmosphere of campus. My long time boyfriend and I went here for valentine's day planning for naught but incredulity when we walked through the wholly unassuming threshold at Alana's. Yet, the food was spectacular, and that is not just the martinis talking! We could taste the sincerity in our cleverly crafted appetizers-- I selecting the soup trio and he the sampler platter. It was not until I took the dive and ordered THE SURPRISE on the menu that I fell head over heels for Alana's. One would expect a chicken dish or perhaps a steak so that the typical central Ohioan would clap their hands with amusement and self congratulate at their adventurous nature, but no! My plate arrive baring a daring duck confit! I cannot explain to you the ecstasy I felt at that moment and the plateau of pure joy with every bite. Take the people that you truly love here. Take those that you do not to the ugly tuna.
(5)
Erin K.
2.75 stars. We were kind of disapointed with Alana's, the food was just ok and defintely not worth the price we paid for it. We had 7:00 reservations and the place was empty except the patio which was totally full unfortunately bc it looked really cute out there. By the time we left around 9:00 though the place was full so I would recommend making a reservation. Also just to note that there is parking in the "back" of the restaurant which is really actually the front door; you don't enter from the street. I know the menu changes all the time but here is a run down of what we ate. For apps the duck leg chile relleno, poached shrimp and gazpacho which I would probably skip, the other two were good. For dinner two of us got the beef filet, one hanger steak, and one soft shell crab. The steak was WAY overpriced at $35, it did not taste that great by itself but the gravy helped a bit. You shouldn't have to have gravy on a steak though to make it taste better especially at that price. I didn't try the hanger steak but that did seem to go over well. The soft shelled crab was not very good. For dessert we each just got the Lemoncello which was quite delicious and our waiter told us it is made by a family locally. Overall I doubt if we would return. Maybe its hit or miss depending on when you go bc the menu changes so frequently. Our server was good but the people in the front were not friendly and even Alana herself who came over to drop off an amuse bouche (which was ok) couldn't even be bothered to stop for 10 seconds and say hello and ask us how our dinner was. I think there are just way too many other great places in Columbus that I would rather try.
(3)
Murry D.
Awesome. Fresh new menu everyday. Need I say more. Been here twice and both times just excellent. The only complaint was the pumpkin creme brulee...not very good.
(5)
Apurva P.
I've been to Alana's about 4 times - in a couple of months. When I moved from Columbus back to Chicago (was in Columbus for a project), the last two nights, I needed to enjoy a couple of good places to eat. Both those times turned out to be Alana's. Alana (she's amazing, and she'll probably be hanging out around the dining area from time to time when she's in her out-of-kitchen breaks) makes some of the freshest, tastiest food. Two things in food that are prime. Her menu changes everyday with whatever is fresh, and often local. She's the Alice Waters of Columbus with what she does each day. The ambiance is like a home, or how one should be. A lot of art on the walls, good music playing, but not too loud. Very friendly staff, and Kevin (her husband) is really good and will make excellent wine recommendations. Overall, my favorite place to eat in Columbus, and if I ever go back there, definitely one that I will not miss dinner at.
(5)
Seth D.
Alana's is such a great restaurant. She really isn't afraid to take risks, and she proves her prowess in the kitchen in doing so. Don't come here knowing what you want. Expect great service, to have your palate expanded, and to be thinking about the possibilities well after you leave. Alana's truly does elevate cooking to a higher art form!
(5)
Cindy R.
All I can say is that this woman is a genius. The food puts you into a state of bliss and relaxation that never falls short of wonderful.
(5)
Mindy W.
We came for Dine Originals week as sort of a last resort (I have been dying to try it but my boyfriend has been resistant) and I was not at all disappointed... I ordered all three courses as a "surprise" because nothing on the menu fired my rocket--what a good choice! My first course was a jaw-dropping salmon "cheese cake"...mouth-gasm ensued. I can't can't even describe it other than a savory fish cheese cake. I worship almost all things seafood, so I was thrilled! After our apps, Alana stopped by with her famous amuse bouche. We scored a kumquat with macerated pineapple. So crisp and clean, and another original idea! My entree was an incredible seafood pasta (again, so excited for a seafood surprise) that was a bit too salty, but amazing nonetheless. It was packed with calamari, crab, capers and tomato. There were a couple scallops thrown in, and the pasta was perfectly al dente. The boy loved his bolito misto. I tried the duck, but I could pass on the dish as a whole. I appreciate meat entrees, but I'm not a carnivore to the core like my boyfriend. We each ordered a "surprise" for the dessert, and his was better than mine. I hate pecan pie, and luck would have it, that was my dessert. The dessert for my boyfriend, however was a delicious Jeni's sorbet sundae with a fruit compote that was amazing. I am not a fan of Jeni's ice cream, as I prefer the now defunct Denise's, but this sorbet was incredible! I wish the homemade whipped cream had been whipped with confectioner's sugar, but them's the breaks! I had a very strange "spring tonic" that was a little too radish-y for my taste, but the bottle of burgundy we had was good, albeit expensive ($60.00 after the corking fee). I finished with a digestif- a very strange, creamy "limoncello" that was actually really delightful, refreshing and tasty. All in all, it's one of the best dining experiences I have ever had in Columbus or elsewhere. This is clearly a gem in this strip-mall haven. Had our server been a bit more attentive for the entire meal, and not just sporadically, this would probably be a five star review. Another small qualm would be that our table was so wobbly that when my boyfriend cut his wedge salad, the action spilled half of my cocktail all over the table. When they didn't have the burgundy they wanted, they brought us another wine, which happened to be $20.00 more than the wine we had originally chosen. I realize that dining at a place like Alana's means you shouldn't think about prices, but that was a pretty hefty increase in price from what we had ordered. I can't wait to go back to Alana's when I'm not paying!
(4)
Paul F.
This was my first visit to Alana's and it was well worth the trip. I got there early, because I thought they said they started serving at 5:30 but it turned out to be six p.m.. I sat at the bar and had a glass of wine, which was the low point of the evening. I should have sent it back but.... My first course was their cheese plate of the day. It included slices of Chaumes, Banon, and St. Agur cheeses. All were very good. My second course was a Mortadella and Provolone Crespelle. This was also delicious. My third and final course was Rustichella Noodles with Scallops. It too was delicious. By this time I was too full to even think about dessert. My total check with tip was $60 and some pennies.
(4)
Josh Q.
I am astonished that anyone would give anything less than a 5 star review to Alana's. It's hand down the best food in the city. The only better dining experience, in my opinion, can be found on the patio at Basi. You will savor every bite and, though the portions are more than adequate, you'll be sad when plate is clean.
(5)
michael c.
Alana's. I love this place.. Eating here is like going to a friends house and having a loud dinner... if your friend is a master chef and has an amazing waitstaff running around to make everything just so. I've been a fan since she opened and I've personally never had a bad meal. I'll be honest though. I've seen one menu Item come out a bit... flat. ..once. in over 8 years.. Not bad for a restaurant that changes menus every week. On the other hand I've had off the menu chef's specials (think "omakase" here) and on the menu meals that have blown me away at every turn. This is not the most glamorous restaurant in Columbus, nor is it in the nicest location (north campus :-p), but the service is always perfect, the servers knowledgeable and the food delicious and interesting. Couple that with fresh, usually local ingredients and a good reasonable wine list and there it is. note: per person prices can run from $25-100+ depending on what you get and what you do for appetizers and drinks. If you wanna try out Alana's on a budget, come in early, get a reasonable bottle of wine and split an appetizer and salad. you can generally do this for $20-30 a person if you order wisely and get a taste of fine dining out. The staff here has always been helpful and respectful. Don't be afraid to ask, but tip kindly :-)
(5)
Molly F.
This place is a rip off. The servers are great, as is the wine, but the food for the price is ridiculous. I had the tomitillo gazpacho which I expected to be full of fresh vegetables, however it was like a $6 salsa in a small bowl. The simple salad claimed to have pistachios, figs and goat cheese, yet I was served 6 pieces of lettuce with a little tablespoon of something ground up on top, I'm assuming it was pistachios and cheese, but nothing was larger than a sesame seed, so it was kind of hard to tell. The steak was ok, but for $36 nothing special. I won't be going back. I don't mind spending money for excellent food, but this place does not deliver.
(1)
Kenley M.
Someone took me to eat here a few years ago. Alana's is 0% pretense, 100% execution gourmet food. The location a few blocks North of OSU campus is probably more appropriate for an all-you-can-eat buffet than a fine restaurant, but it works. Alana herself brought us a delightful amuse bouche, and from there on it was one of the best restaurant experiences I've ever had. The chef's personality is as great as her culinary skill. I will return to Alana's after I get a job - it is no place for the broke - and post a more detailed and up-to-date review then.
(5)
Brian B.
We sat at the bar, an addition which seems to have fit in wonderfully. Due to my previous experience at Alana's, we were inclined to order mostly appetizers and a salad; all of which were very enjoyable. My previous experience was with a very large party and, perhaps as a result, the entrees were not the same caliber as the appetizers, which were great both times. The service at the bar was pleasant and helpful while not being intrusive. We arrived at shortly before 6 PM (when they open) and were happily seated before they technically opened. Since we did not have reservations and seeing how crowded it got on a cold winter night when the streets were almost unsafe to drive on I would recommend making reservations if you want to be seated in the dinning area and arriving very early if you want to catch a seat at the bar.
(4)
Rosalie R.
After having my fill of all the junk food Columbus has to offer I was in serious need of a good, healthful meal. Last night I decided on Alana's. Nestled in a Victorian house near the University, Alana's has a great seasonal menu and a large selection of wine - you may purchase bottles at the state minimum prices and drink it there for a $5 corkage fee. After being seated I think I went a little crazy ordering a glass of wine, appetizer, salad and dessert. I said I was hungry. The wine was a very nice Argentinian Malbec, one of my favorites. Appetizer was a to-die for set of fried chevre' and leek cakes on a bed of beluga lentils. I could have eaten a plate of those lentils by themselves. The salad was made with julienne apples and almonds. It wasn't anything to write home about but the portion was pretty large for salad. For the entree I chose the butternut squash risotto. It was divine and the portion was enough for last night's dinner and today's lunch. Of course I saved room for dessert - the best part by far was the orange pound cake with a heaping scoop of salty caramel ice cream. Oh my... Service was faultless. My waiter, Courtney, was no neophyte. The bill came in at $58 and change - quite reasonable for a four course meal of that quality. My only constructive feedback would be the decor. Based on other reviewers' comments, I was curious to see for myself. The place is just a mess. If you just sat down without looking at a menu you would think you were in a Mexican cantina. The walls are sponged an orange color and the art (for sale) was just bizarre - alligators and little green, yellow and orange people painted on copper plates. The chairs are uncomfortable - kind of like ones you would see in a 1970's board room. The plates and cups are knock-off fiesta ware in a smattering of colors. These adornments just simply don't fit with the quality of food offered. Go there anyway, you won't be disappointed.
(4)
Elizabeth N.
This is my favorite special occasion restaurant in Columbus. Everything--the food, the drinks, the service, the music selection, and the decor--lifts my spirits. Really creative options that can be made vegetarian and possibly vegan, like the riesling risotto with cheese, parsnips, and apples that I had tonight. And, as a friend pointed out, the menu changes frequently, allowing for fresh favorites. Service is also impeccable and very friendly--they even made a special note regarding a drink request!
(5)
Mark K.
Awesome food!! Great prices!! Two of us dined, wine included, for under $70. Talk about a "mouth orgasm'" this place gives it to ya!!
(5)
Charles R.
Went there last Saturday and we had a wonderful meal. A couple people mention the length of time for the meal, well, who wants to be rushed on a Sat. nite when having a nice meal. Yes, the dinner was spaced out over 2 hours, but the server was always around and had we wanted to get out faster I feel confident we could have done so. 4 of us tried the cheese plate, calamari, salad and soft shell crab. All were very tasty and fresh. The lamb bolognese was excellent and the penne was done al dente, which a lot of restaurants don't do. My son had the fish which was moist and seasoned very well. The desserts were all good, but the key lime tart is really tart. Bill for 4 with wine and tax came to $220. I don't consider that bad at all for the quality of food we got. Not much parking on the street, but they do have a lot behind the restaurant.
(4)
Ken L.
We had a very strange experience at Alanas. Let's start with the good: The food was awesome. We were presented with an amuse bouche - strawberries, blue cheese, candied nuts, and balsamic, on a leaf of belgian endive. Awesome. My fig appetizer with goat cheese and arugula was great. Ugli tomato salad, prosciutto with melon, thai chicken, very good as well. The only misstep was the beef tenderloin - was very overcooked, and the accompanying corn polenta was not good. The wine list is very good and well chosen - we had a bottle of Sancerre from the Loire. Kudos to Alanas for using Riedels! Pricing is very good at state minimum. The people we interacted with, from the hostesses, to the busboy, to other servers, were all fabulously friendly, with the exception of... OUR SERVER. Who apparently had a stick up his ass the day we visited. Very curt and distanced to the point of rudeness, even when we asked his for recommendations. Our appetizer course took way long, as in tables seated 20 minutes after us were on their entrees. We finally asked our server how the appetizer was doing, and got a reply of "the Ugli tomato salad takes longer". WTF??? Please. We all know you forgot to put the order in, but you can make up a better excuse than that. At this point we've finished the entire bottle of wine and can't drink much more because we both have to drive. The beef tenderloin comes out - medium well instead of the ordered medium-rare. My wife sends it back, and we order one champagne cocktail to share. At this point the waiter is clearly avoiding us - we don't see him in his section for like 25 minutes until the Food Runner (not our server) brings out the replacement filet. Only when the server come back to check on us does he remember we have a drink coming - we're completely done with dinner and totally ready to leave when the last drink comes. We tipped 15%, which is Extremely Punitive for us. We can clearly see that Alana's has the Potential to be a 5 star, and we will definitely be back to give Alanas the chance to earn that rating. Our 1st time there, solely because of the service, Alanas didn't exactly hit the ball out of the ballpark. We are extremely hopeful that this experience was an aberration, since as I mentioned above, we chatted with other servers and they were all extremely friendly. We look forward to (hopefully) more positive experiences at Alanas in the future, although we might have to request a different server if we get the same guy again.
(3)
Jennifer B.
I'm really torn when it comes to reviewing Alana's. I've had some fantastic meals here, but I've also had some really disappointing experiences -- the cold, runny goose egg over giant asparagus spears comes to mind -- but the food is definitely more often a hit than a miss. The most wildly swinging element of Alana's is actually the service. The server may be attentive, friendly, knowledgeable, indifferent, rude, or nearly non-existent, depending upon the night. There's also the issue of upkeep and repair of the facility -- if you've eaten on the porch/patio, you may already have noticed -- as the tables, chairs, and entire outdoor area are often in need a good washing, if not replacement of old, damaged items. Although I truly enjoy the creativity of the menu, the nice wine list, and the colorful environment, I would need to see a bit more consistency before I could recommend Alana's with any enthusiasm.
(3)
Heather K.
I went to Alana's because a coworker recommended it, but ultimately regretted spending a special occasion there. The drinks were the best part of the experience. The cocktails were unique, not too sweet, well thought out. However, the service was lack luster. Nothing on the menu was really jumping out at me, and the server failed to give me a recommendation when I asked for one. I ended up getting a spaghetti with local mushrooms which was way too powerful- nothing subtle about it. I wanted to send it back and ate very little. A good server would have noticed I was not enjoying it, she however did not even offer a box while my plate sat in front of me for 30 minutes while my boyfriend ate his flavorless lamb and mushy veggies. I don't know how they managed to take the flavor out of lamb, but they succeeded. Not to mention the artwork... did not fit the atmosphere in the least. I would only recommend the place for a fancy cocktail.
(1)
Steve W.
No finer place in town. Nothing else even comes close. Go here to check the menu, as she changes it: alanas.com Take a look at her Degustation as well as the menu. A stupendous idea for a special occasion. For personal reasons, the girl friend and I had a very special Christmas a few years ago. As my GF loves to cook, I took her here for the Degustation. I called to set it up. A week before the dinner I went to Alana's and sat down with her and her sommelier to discuss the dinner. Over the course of about an hour I built a six course meal with them. Alana was very good at suggesting changes based on what would work with what (I'm more involved with the eating end, so all this was pretty much beyond me). Wines were picked to complement each and every course. She had to go to Cincinnati for one of the ingredients, but it was done. The evening of the dinner, Alana came out of the kitchen to introduce the course, explain the ingredients and where they came from, and how it meshed with the dinner. Being a cook, my GF loved that. Dinner took almost four hours. Living in Europe has gotten me over the American eat-and-run dining method; I've learned to take my time over dinner and enjoy it. This was worth every minute. And worth every penny. Or, should I say, hundreds of dollars. And it WAS hundreds of dollars. But we talk about that dinner to this day. A memory of an evening that's worth far more than the money. And beyond this, I've never had anything that was less than excellent here. And for people that judge a meal by the money it costs: Alana's is actually cheaper than a lot of higher-priced, big-reputation, overrated restaurants around town (I'm thinking Lindey's here).
Love this place! Alana comes around once per dinner with a small taste of something interesting, the waitstaff always knows the sources of the meats and produce (local farms!) and the cocktails are delicious. I wouldn't suggest going with the "surprise" dishes unless you have been a couple times and are more familiar with Alana's style to sort of know what to expect. The one exception is her desserts, which are always perfect. Otherwise I've found you can't go wrong with a good old fashion steak.
(5)
Arina B.
My husband and I have been going to Alana's for years, she is an extremely talented self taught chef with miles of experience, appreciating with Emeril Lagasse. We hadn't been there for at least 1-1/2 years and we were really excited to go there on a Saturday night. I had started the meal with a Garbage Salad, nice and cold, good, but nothing to write home about. The bread we got was delicious, but be warned you're paying $2.00 for a SMALL amount of bread, if you want more, you pay some more. This is sort of reasonable considering alot of patrons going to high end restaurants try to get free bread to take home, but it would have been nice to START the meal with free bread, since our total bill with tip was over $200 with three glasses of wine for 3 people. Onto the entrees: we decided to get the Surprise. Now you can ask the waiter for hints and he won't budge. The Surprises we ordered were $50.00 each. They turned out to be filet mignons with a polenta side. The meat and polenta were delicious, but I thought it was a high markup for this dish. We ended with a Dessert Surprise and apple pie. The Dessert Surprise was a piece of chocolate cake and a small piece of flourless chocolate cake. I thought the chocolate cake with the frosting rosettes was a packaged mix (ala Betty Crocker). The pie had walnuts and was good topped with real whipped cream, nothing you couldn't make at home. At one time they had a pastry chef making the desserts, but I think they're saving some money by probably making the desserts themselves on premise.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street, Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Intimate Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Chris C.
Trying, trying but no. Asparagus soup was well built, but bland. Duck egg with asparagus had an overly salty cheese topping on bland asparagus. Decent attempt, just not the top material it's obvious she wants to be. Now eating my entree and wishing it was bland. Walleye wayyy too salty. The fish was excellent, really. But the sauce way too salty. Kale in cream-interesting, but not refined. Amateurish. 2 stars because of the effort and fish meat. This was my second try at Alana's place.
(2)David S.
Oh yes. Yes yes yes! I visit Columbus once a month for work and I was told to go here. I am very glad I did. AMAZING food. Seriously. The menu changes a lot so I'm excited to come back next month and see what else Alana cooks up! I had the noodles apropos with zesty marzetti. It melted in my mouth. I had a mouthgasm.
(5)Jeanne D.
I'm giving this two stars instead of one because the food is good. My group met for a birthday party there. It turned out to be small-plate night. It was recommended that we pay $65 per person; we would then get to sample whatever they felt like giving us. We are ordinary people and can't afford that. I ordered zippy cucumber soup, Louisiana jumbo shrimp, and bread service. They charge $3 for the bread! Please. I've had better bread many places. The cuke soup was good but too zippy for me. The shrimp were three, with a sauce that featured okra. Three shrimp, not that jumbo, for $15. Not that good. It did seem that for $15 they could give you five or six shrimp. It's like showing off to charge that for three. The kicker was the birthday cake. My friend had called them and asked whether we could bring a cake. They said, Well, we don't like you to do that, but okay. After the candle thing they took the cake back into the kitchen and cut it and served each of us on individual plates. This is classy, okay. But charging us $2 each for that service was not okay. Looking at my $35 bill I felt conned. I won't be back.
(2)Zeeshan S.
Superb 5 star dining in Columbus! When I noticed the restaurant was only open about 20 hours a week I was intrigued and had to try it. Lots of classy seating inside and cozy patio seating outside with a great view of Clintonville. The menu is changed daily and everything is local and organic which is neat. Our pm group split the sweetbreads app and also the "surprise" app which was a beef kabob. Both were delicious and tasty. For my entree I had the stout braised beef with fingerling potatoes. Everything was cooked perfectly and seasoned great. To finish off our meal we split the "surprise" dessert which was a bundt cake with delicious ice cream and lemon curd. Superb for sure. Alana made no less than 3 appearances to our table to check on us which was a delight. Everything about the experience was top notch!
(5)Donna O.
There is a reason Alana's Food and Wine makes Columbus' Ten Best list every year: it is a top-notch experience that mixes the best of the old and the new restaurant worlds. Alana's has been doing local since way before "locally-sourced" was a hyphenated buzzword. They are old-school all the way in creating their menus from what is fresh and offering a creative approach to classic dishes. We made reservations (which can only be done via telephone or email) for a Thursday night, and managed to get on-street parking right out front. Staff directed us through the dining room to the back of house host/bar area. Our reservation was confirmed and we were taken to a small table. The ambiance is cozy and lived-in, yet upscale. Textures and colors abound from the walls themselves as well as from the many pieces of art hanging throughout the dining room. Our table looked into the bar through a paned window, which added depth and light to a dark space. Although we had two people looking after us, we never felt imposed upon or rushed. (You are not going to rush through a meal here, as everything is timed perfectly.) The wine list is large and varied, as expected. Beer and hand-crafted cocktails are also on offer; my pomegranate cosmopolitan packed a punch. Their per-glass wines are reasonably priced, if you're not looking to drop $60-$75+ on a bottle. The daily menu features several choices of appetizers and entrees, including items listed as "A Surprise." Bread service is a la carte - definitely get some bread, just in case you end up with a surprise appetizer of steamed clams and need something to soak up the delicious broth. We also ordered a green salad with a zippy sherry vinaigrette to round out our appetizers. True to form, Alana came around with a smoked trout crostini amuse bouche, a little pop of flavor with fresh chives. The spouse ordered the entrée surprise, which turned out to be a Chicken a la King pasta dish ("Oh, yay!" he said). I had a chicken Cobb salad, which was excellent - it is obvious that the greens are the very freshest. All of our dishes were hefty portions, too. I took home half of my salad. We had not intended to get dessert, but as soon as our server said, "...and we have a surprise..." we immediately replied, "the surprise!" Surprise - crème brulee with house-made ice creams. Creamy, fluffy, caramelized and wonderful. Overall, Alana's is an experience every Columbus foodie needs to have - the right mix of ambiance, food, drinks and service.
(5)Fred B.
If you're a foodie, PLEASE come to Alana's. Order the "Surprise" for every course. Be nice to Alana. She's the lady dressed as a chef in a colorful hat, bringing you an amuse boche. She is an awesome, creative chef. Be nice to her husband Kevin, and let him select your wine. You'll thank him. He picks fantastic wine, and they price it at retail + $5 per bottle. So order something a little better than you'd typically order out. And thank Kevin. But please... if instead you're actually a status-conscious, uppity, fancy-pants, country club going, pink polo and Bally shoes without socks wearing sort of person, stay away. F off. Go somewhere else. They don't need your patronage and I don't want your company or your conversation ruining one of our favorite dining establishments. This is NOT your kind of place. Real people welcome. Foodies welcome. Artsy people welcome. Wine aficionados welcome. Uppity assholes - please go somewhere else...
(5)Sab S.
Summary: Really disappointed with the food. Waited for years to try this place after hearing all the hype, and the 4 of us left very bummed out and annoyed with our $300+tip bill. Could have went a zillion other places for that much with much better food. Details: made reservations for Friday night, upon walking in the place was empty (never a good sign!) we chose to sit outside and the cute patio is the only reason it gets 2 stars instead of 1. The seating was odd (mix of plastic chairs and wooden) but weather was great, lighting was perfect, and sitting on High is always fun! We started with cocktails and wine. Cocktails were just OK... Wine was good (cab blend). Ordered a Surprise app and the clams. Clams were wonderful!! Highly recommend!! The surprise was disgusting: lamb sweetbread.. We've all had better. Chewey, fatty, yuck. Got a kale Caesar salad and it was served warm which means it was really like serving greens, another disappointment. Dinner was the worst. Timpani, two surprises, and the goat. The goat was the most tolerable albeit very fatty again. The pasta/timpano was served scalding hot and was just overall confusing. The surprise was a fatty pork chop with fatty chicken liver plus boiled potatoes half mashed up.. Soo unhealthy and lacking in flavor. The look of it was all just brown and white. For dessert we unfortunately did another surprise and the coconut layer cake. The coconut was good but nothing special.. And the surprise was a grape cake that again was just confusing. Needless to say none of us finished our entrees and didn't take them home. Our server was very nice.. Again helping for 2 stars. To finding it all off they charge you for bread service which just feels cheap! I wish I understood was the hype was all about, maybe if you like meats on meats and fatty food that's lacking flavor, come to Alana's.
(2)John R.
Since my cat can write a review according to the owner, let me say that three stars is my starting point--points added or subtracted from here on out... There is no handicapped parking and way too many stairs for my 93 year old mother who wanted to come here for her birthday dinner. First you can't read the menu in the dark and the waitress joked about my using the light on my phone, but seriously how can you read in the dark? The waitress could not be bothered to write down our order so of course she forgot the salad. The owner did bring some crostini out but they weren't particularly special. The shrimp and lobster salad definitely had shrimp, but little lobster. The lamb was certainly good and the "comped" vegetable was probably the best asparagus I have had in awhile. Just lightly dressed in olive oil and roasted at a high temperature. Nice candle on the side of a rich chocolate torte. So, overall, good food but poor infrastructure and lousy service!
(2)N S.
We had not been to Alana's for two and a half or three years. Our last experience was not great and there are so many great options in Columbus that we just never went back. Mistake. BIG mistake. Alana's, at least on this night, rocked. Big time. We called late for a reservation and were lucky to get a cancellation's table. The staff is incredibly nice and very professional. The place was full but it is one of those old-style restaurants that does not pipe in its own noise to seem hip, so conversation was easy. I think our waitperson was excellent and it helped keep the ambiance light and friendly. The food was OUTSTANDING. Started with a shared brindad-like dish of salt cod and mashed potatoes. It was light, flavorful and rich. Spot on. My wife ordered the lamb shank and enthused about it for days. The shank was meaty and tender. The broth was immensely flavorable with the deep lamb flavor brought about by reduction. It was not the thick gravy-like sauce usually found today and better for it. The tamarind mashed potatoes were great on their own and a perfect complement. She is still raving. I had the trout. It was supposed to come with spaghetti squash, which I cannot eat and they substituted Moroccan-spiced organic grilled carrots which were wonderful. The trout was perfect. It had been seared, skin side down, until the skin was crisp and a great partner to the flesh which was moist and fresh. We had ordered one wine. They were out of it. The host offered another of a similar style to the one we ordered and gave it to us at the (less expensive) price of the one of our choice. Nice touch. I know some people have a problem with inconsistency at Alana's but it is worth eating some good but not great meals to come up with one such as we had. It was as fine as anything I have eaten in Columbus. Good for them.
(5)Javito D.
DISINGENUOUS CHEF AND STAFF We came with my wife to our anniversary. We arrived around 8pm. The place was half empty. The decoration of the place was tacky. The floor is covered with an old and dirty blue carpet. It's a pretty sad ambient. The waitress seemed to be in a rush. We asked about a pasta called "garganelli" that was in the menu. The waitress replied: "It's some kind of pasta." I insisted: "Is it a minute or a stuffed pasta? How is it prepared? Does it resembled an angelotti or a penne?" The waitress replies: "I don't know." I received a similar answer when I asked about the "bulgogi sauce" that was in one of the appetizers. DO NOT ORDER "THE SURPRISE" The menu did not look very sophisticated though. So we asked about an item called "a surprise". The waitress told us: "It's a surprise that the chef make for our guests. We have no idea what it is." We decided to go for it. As an "appetizer surprise" we got a couple of fried mahi-mahi fish and some overdone chips. (In the menu the "surprise" items' are pricec at "market" value. They charged us $9 for a couple of mediocre mahi-mahi deep fried fish.) For "entree surprise" was some couscous-chicken with yogurt. The "market" price of the chicken was $35. Ridiculous. We stopped there. We did not to order dessert. We took of. My guess is that these "surprises" are the dishes that the chef makes with the leftovers. What is surprising, however, is how expensive these "surprises" given their quality. DO NOT ORDER SURPRISES. Better yet, do not come to this place. Very disappointed. This is a restaurant that is very close to The Ohio State University. This means that many professors bring their speakers for dinner here. That's how I can rationalize a place like this, with such a bad menu and disingenuous chef, has been able to survive in an amazing foodie city such as Columbus.
(1)Libby W.
Everyone should go to Alana's!! I always assumed it was a stereotypical Italian restaurant based on the outside, but it is not at all what I expected! It's a farm to table idea with tons of variety. They are incredibly vegan friendly and also great about gluten free! I love that the menu changes daily and I love the decor. The staff was also amazing. I got the surprise vegan entree, and I loved every bite. I got a vegan vanilla panna cotta for dessert, which was also delicious. I highly recommend trying Alana's. It's one of the best restaurants I've been to in Columbus.
(5)Erica R.
Wow. That's all I can say. Every piece of food that was put in front of me was succulent and divine. The drink selection is out of this world. The staff are phenomenally friendly and the setting is charming. They have so many gluten and dairy free options. This is definitely one of my new favorite places in Columbus!
(5)Courtney B.
Reservations recommended... Exceptional food. Daring. Comforting. Inventive. Playful (like the art by Paul Volker and Rick Borg that hangs on the walls)... I dine at Alana's about once per month... It is consistently excellent... and no, don't expect table-churning service from wait staff here...... servers provide careful observation of a table and every need is met, but they leave you alone so that you can enjoy your meal...servers are liaisons to the kitchen and not obsequious serfs... quality takes a little longer to prepare... it is worth waiting for... and people should savor Alana's food accordingly...It is obvious that the chef wants you to enjoy your meal and slow down to enjoy it.... There are no TV's here and there is a strict no cell phone policy, which is a nice technology detox from everyday worries...dining here is a stress-purging, culinary catharsis....Every dish is made to order and the menu changes daily. I spot Alana at the farmers' markets on a regular basis and she obviously has great relationships with local food producers and dairies. To run a restaurant at this level takes a lot of work, but also skill and sheer talent. Alana's artistry in preparing, presenting, and balancing food is a gift. She creates something new every single day...and whenever a new table is seated, Alana makes her way around the dining room with an amuse-bouche for her guests. It is always nice to meet the chef and it is a personal touch that I really appreciate... I always feel like I am on a mini-vacation whenever I visit the restaurant because I know that everything will be taken care of...I am happy to pay for an excellent meal that is made by a person with a passion for quality, inventiveness, and uses local food.. I love how she combines flavors and balances sauces: crisp ribbons of curried carrots with perfectly-seared scallops...goat shank and grape sauce...cheese plate combinations with the best selections from around the world...shrimp that are so fresh it feels like you are sitting on a pier overlooking the ocean... lemon cheesecake that is so smooth it is almost (oh my!)... and the surprises are always delightful... my soul is happy and my senses are "creatively engaged" at Alana's. The restaurant has good energy and it's like stepping into a chef's home kitchen and letting her create something special for you... This is five-star quality without any pretensions. Come to Alana's to slow down and have a food epiphany. Relax. Enjoy yourself...the wine list is the best in the city. Ask Kevin for suggestions or take a bottle home.
(5)Samantha H.
This post is on Valentine's Day night dinner only. I've been wanting to try Alana's for years! I've heard so many good things, so we thought it'd be a good place to go for Valentine's Day. Everything started fine, our soup appetizers were amazing. Then my husband ordered a $14 glass of wine and it was half of the pour size it should have been. We ordered our appetizers and they came out faster than if it was a Mexican restaurant. For a cassoulet and a giant lamb shank, that's alarming and tells me the food was all pre-prepared and just being warmed up before it came out. We also paid an extra $3 for bread service- the service consisted of sliced focaccia. If I'm paying extra for bread, I'm think there'd be a variety and it would be amazing. Lastly, dessert. The only option this night was truffles. We ordered 4 to go. They were $4 a piece and about the size of a dime. Overall, I'd say they were set up for speed and turning tables since it was Valentine's Day. But we spend $150 on a meal for 2 people, so regardless of the day, the restaurant has an obligation to provide an all around great experience to their customers.
(3)L P.
WORST DINING EXPERIENCE I'VE EVER HAD!!!! Arrived a few minutes after 5, not many folks there, yet took almost 10 minutes to be seated. Had order in before 5:30 but waited until 6pm for the cheese plate! Really? 35 minutes to arrange 5 pieces of cheese on a plate?! Then did not get food served until 7:00pm. Waited 1-1/2 hours for the entree!!! No excuse was provided. Too late. We had told them ahead of time that we had an event to attend. We had to leave without eating. Since then I've told a number of people about our horrific, appalling experience and, to the person, was told that Alana couldn't care less. As long as you give her your money for her food, that's all that matters. There are too many other great restaurants in town where they bend over backwards to make sure their customers have a wonderful dining experience along with fabulous food. DO NOT GIVE ALANA YOUR MONEY!
(1)Phillip J.
My wife and I have been meaning to come here for years, wish we would have come sooner! The staff were all friendly and welcoming. Our waitress made us feel very comfortable as first-time guests. She followed our lead on pacing the evening and I never felt rushed or anxious for the next course. We started with two appetizers: an Indian-inspired tomato salad and crab cakes. The tomatoes were fresh and varied, while the crab cakes were full-flavored and paired with a side of kimchi. For entrees my wife had the farro risotto and I chose the salmon with mashed potatoes. The farro was rich and creamy and the salmon was matched with a tangy aoli that brought the dish together. Finally, we had a moist olive oil citrus cake for dessert. Of course, the menu changes daily, but I can't imagine not finding something with such eclectic options. We both enjoy wine, but don't know much about it so our waitress helped us make some pairings with our meals. The wine was just the final complement to these perfect dishes. We went on a Saturday evening but the atmosphere still felt quiet and relaxing. The walls and decor were brightly colored, but dim lighting helped to soften the room. After such a great evening, we are definitely going to keep Alana's on our list of restaurants for special occasions.
(5)Beth R.
Nice place but seems to have gone more vegetarian then the last time I was there. Many of my guests couldn't find a meat selection they really wanted. For the price I expect more options or I would expect they would advertise themselves as "Vegetarian choices primarily"
(2)Patrick B.
New Year's Eve Food was excellent and our server did a great job including helping my wife pick a wine close to her favorite. Definitely will be back. Only constructive criticism is charging for the bread. I don't understand this omission from what is a great meal? I had the smoked salmon cheesecake which was excellent and luckily I had asked for bread and the dish was clearly meant to be eaten that way so why charge for it?
(4)Allison H.
Called a day ahead and had the degustation last week, with "premium" pairings. First off, I was impressed by the fact that it was still under $100 a person for such a personally tailored menu and excellent wine selections. We began with a split bottle of Rosé champagne and a fava bean toast amuse bouche, followed by a seared scallop. Then a regular Rosé with a delightful watercress salad. A glass of Pinot Noir from Oregon that was so good we bought a bottle, to go with duck confit over roasted potato - fancier than that, but it's been almost a week. Lamb chops with a red blend that escapes me (I waited too long to write this!!). I am not a lamb person but I wasn't about to exclude it or refuse it, and I think her version turned me into a fan. Chocolate pie with a sweeter red wine to finish. Alana served us each course herself. Just wonderful, and especially so because the weather was nice and we ate on the patio.
(5)Amber S.
I've been to Alana's several times and haven't had a bad experience or bad food. Alana is known for her risotto. It's creamy and delicious. If you don't see a risotto on the menu but you see a surprise item then it's very possible your surprise may be a risotto dish. (I learned this one night when I wanted to be adventurous.) Also, Alana will bring out an amuse-bouche for each table before service. One night we went and found out Alana was celebrating Elvis Presley's birthday. The menu items went along with the theme. The name, description or menu item matched the theme. And there was only Elvis music. That night one of the menu items was a surprise. There were three surprise dishes! If you indulge in dessert you're not likely to regret it. There's been the tame (ice cream) and the divine (cheesecake with a kick of cayenne pepper).
(5)Julie Y.
One of the better meals I've had in Columbus. The food was fresh and combinations of ingredients was inventive. The fried green tomato and chicken enchilada stack was tasty but a bit boring. The trout was amazing. The lamb was also fantastic.
(4)Cherie R.
I'm very torn about this place. I've been wanting to go here for years, and finally convinced my husband to take me here for my birthday dinner. Being an allergic yelper, I do have to say they were aware of my allergy and conscientious about it. That's always a plus in my book. The food was good. But just good. Not phenomenal, not "Oh my god we are SO coming back here." And the prices were a little high for what we got. The service was good, and very friendly, and I LOVE how she tries to use all local products, that's great... but it's just good. Sorry Alana, I still have my favorite in Columbus, but it's not you.
(3)Jenny F.
I love Alana's! The menu is not very big but always very appealing. My husband and I got the roasted beets and tomato stack to start with - so good! He got the salmon and I got the "surprise" - which turned out to be a veal shank with a fruit salsa and rice. The meat was so tender! Blueberry crumble cake and the "surprise" dessert (orange olive oil cake) rounded out the night. Bottom line - Alana's is awesome!
(5)Vin R.
Took several yelpers advice and made a reservation here for my 10th consecutive 28th birthday dinner with my wife. As the menu changes frequently, I don't want to recommend one thing or another, but I will say my Manhattan and my wife's Malbec were both outstanding. As others have said, the final bill will be a bit higher than you'd expect, but the quality of the food makes up for it. Glancing through other folks reviews, I don't think I can add anything unique. I can offer one top tip--The entrance that you see if you're standing (or parking) on North High is actually the back door. Walking in through that door results in you standing in the middle of the dining room exchanging confused looks with other diners for a long minute or two until a kind waiter escorts you to the actual front of the restaurant where the maitre d is located.
(4)Annie P.
We went for dinner quite early on a Friday night (because of proximity to our house). I had read very good and very bad reviews, and had a bad experience a couple of years ago, so we decided to try again. The good: honestly, the food is delicious--fresh, inventive, attractively prepared. We had three appetizers (an heirloom salad, some kind of odd indian/cinnamon spiced chicken dish, a cheese plate) and we shared the arctic char entree. Really, all were quite delicious, and what you'd get at some of the best restaurants in Columbus (Rigsby's, Basi Italia, G. Michaels). The wine selections and the beer we chose were equally impressive. The bad: the host and the waiter were almost intolerably arrogant and snarky. The host asked if we had a reservation (no, we didn't), then pretended that the empty restaurant might not be able to accommodate us. That's just tedious, transparent and juvenile. The waiter was snippy and cut my husband off several times when we were asking him questions. Then he almost turned himself inside-out to greet a couple from another table (regulars) . . . "Ohhh, Hellooo Doctor______ and Doctor __. . . how are you doing? What have you been up to? It's GREAT to see you!!" I think it's a wonderful thing to greet regulars, but not if it requires you to switch to a different personality. It was slightly nauseating. We still gave him a good tip because the food was delicious and he was prompt in service, but if I owned this restaurant, I would not keep him around. I keenly get the feeling that Alana doesn't really care about developing new customers. In terms of ambiance, I love the old house, but I do not love the lighting which almost requires you to bring a flashlight, and I suspect the lighting is related to the fact that the whole place seems slightly unkempt and mildewy. What a disappointment.
(2)Iris C.
When I look at a menu and see "Surprise" as an entree option, I know I'm at my kind of restaurant! I had the pleasure of dining at Alana's this past weekend and couldn't have been happier with the whole experience! Our server was very knowledgeable when it came to their extensive wine menu and was able to help us pick out a wine that fit our budget and tasted great. The menu is small and I'm totally fine with that. I can honestly say that I wanted to try everything on the menu. My favorite thing was that there was a "Surprise" dish you could order that also offered a vegetarian option. PS. Try the cucumber martini. So good!
(4)Laura T.
I've been to Alana's a few times since moving to Columbus about five years ago. It is a solid choice for taking visitors to dinner. The reason I say this is because the first visit is great, but repeat visits reveal some flaws. The menu itself is solid. Seasonal, creative, good variety of proteins and vegetarian options that don't feel like afterthoughts. The execution can be a little spotty and for the price, I just expect a little more (not in terms of quantity, but quality). Alana's is also one of the few restaurants in town that serves and amuse bouche before the meal which would be great, but they often feel as though they were put together at the last minute with whatever the walk in had to offer. The wine list is esoteric (and I mean this in a good way). Alana, I'm told, does not list any wines that are available in grocery stores. It's definitely great for exploring some corners of the wine world that you may not be familiar with. My advice is to go with two-three other people, get a bottle of wine, and order an assortment of things to share. It is a great spot to enjoy some time with friends where the focus is on the conversation and good food is just a bonus.
(3)Linda C.
My mouth is still burning from the salty heap they called risotto. Columbus has lots of great restaurants--this isn't one of them
(2)David L.
Keeping rating at 3 stars. I came by here with a friend for a late dinner around 9:30pm, right before closing. Tip: their parking lot is directly behind the restaurant. There's only enough space for about 8 cars. 1. Scallops Delicious. Two huge, juicy scallops, and one of the best scallop dishes I've ever had. 2. 8oz steak Subpar. Steak was cooked a nice medium rare, but it lacked flavor. Rest of the accompaniments were just okay. 3. Grilled walleye with beets and mashed potatoes yelp.com/biz_photos/05n5… Okay. Walleye was cooked nicely, and the potatoes were okay, but I didn't really care for the beets. Service was excellent. Really was hoping to have a better experience than last time, but unfortunately, it was about the same.
(3)R S.
Great food and very accommodating for vegetarians. Alana is so personable. A must!
(5)Frank K.
we have visited Alana's for over 5 years now and never had a bad experience. Cocktails are always top notch as well as service and food quality. We visited last week and had a superb meal. My ribeye steak was top tier on my steak chart. My wife's halibut was nicely cooked and sauce was delicious (sauce was pink, im assuming for the breast cancer awareness marathon that took place in cbus that day). Amuse Bouche was a truffled deviled quail egg, freaking delicious. I pleaded with our server to bring me another and he finally did! Bottom Line: Go here and go often. Top 5 restaurants in Columbus.
(5)Gwen W.
I was able to pick a restaurant for a birthday dinner, so yeah, I decided to splurge and go for a fine dinning establishment. I perused Yelp's recommendations based on high reviews, and Alana's Food and Wine won. Boy oh boy, did this place solidify my pick for 5 stars! We had reservations for 6 pm, and it was not crowded at all, when we arrived and got seated. As our night meandered on, tables were filling at a steady pace, and it was nicely full, as we walked out. Thus, I recommend making reservations, just in case. Anyway, to the food! We had a fantastic waiter - not pushy, not overbearing, informative, but not boring, and a friendly attitude. He gave us plenty of time to look over the menu, before taking our order. For starters, we got the bacon wrapped scallops, the cheese plate, and the salmon cheesecake. The scallops were soooo good - tender, no overly bold fish taste, very free. The bacon was so tender, I was able to cut it with one easy swipe of a butter knife. And the puree was scrumptious, light and fluffy "mashed potatoes"! The salmon cheesecake was very rich, but very good. The sauce drizzled on top paired very well, and smoothed the taste. I'm not one for many cheese varieties, thus that was gobbled up by the other members of the party. Main entree? Forget the exact, sophisticated names. I had lasagna with sausage, veggies, and sprinkled parmesan cheese on top. It was SUPER hot when brought out, thus I had to wait several minutes for cooling purposes. First bite? Great! Savory flavor. The tomato flavor was not overly bitter at all. The noodles were al dente. The other plates were a mushroom risotto dish, and sea bass (the grilled asparagus was full of flavor)! They were perfectly cook, excellent flavor profiles, and could taste the individual components quite well. For dessert I got their creme brule dish. I've always known creme brule for it sweet custard substance and caramelized sugar on top. This was different. The custard part had, what I can best describe as, a coffee flavor. It was sugary. Nonetheless, it was an interesting profile for the tung.
(5)Brian F.
It's a bit pricey, but the food is delicious. We went for a fundraiser and had the Chicken alfredo pasta, and it was was top notch. They also brought out an assortment of desserts that were delicious. The atmosphere inside is very classy, and this would be an ideal place to take a significant other for a special occasion.
(5)Brianna G. K.
Alana's was an amazing dinner, including some fun specialty drinks. Service was spectacular, and questions were answered without The art on the wall is an excellent addition to the atmosphere; the wine menu is extensive (and sold at take out prices with a corking fee). The menu changes consistently, and the addition of "Surprise Me!" for dinner and dessert options was so much fun. (I chose both Surprise Me offerings, and was highly impressed with both... Rabbit with couscous and carrots, and a slice of nut pie with bourbon ice cream.) This is a new favorite dinner location, and I cannot wait to return for the degustation menu soon.
(5)Emily L.
I am so sad to have to write a bad review of Alana's Food and Wine. I was looking so forward to coming here and my experience was awful and I don't want anyone else's evening to be ruined like mine was. My boyfriend had been planning a special evening last night for my 25th birthday. He went over and over restaurants to go to and finally settled on Alana's. He made reservations for 7:30 and we were so excited to go because just the night before, we were with 2 friends who said it was amazing and the best dinner they had had in Columbus. We arrived right on time at 7:30, got seated right away, and then everything went downhill from there. First of all, the place was not crowded. I want to make that clear. The room we were seated in had 12-14 tables and when we arrived, 4 tables around us were empty. The hostess told us she was out of menus, but would bring one when they became available. We sat for 15 minutes drinking water and talking and finally, a man that appeared to be the manager said, "You guys don't have menus? Let me get you some!" He did and left us to look over them. Him bringing those menus to us was the last time anyone talked to us for a half hour. No one, not one waiter, the hostess, the "manager", anyone looked or talked to us again for 30 minutes. We kept trying to flag someone down to ask to be helped, but no one was even walking by us or looking at us for us to do it. It was like we were invisible. 4 tables around us were sat and waited on while we were seated waiting. We sat there a total of 45 minutes with no drink, no food, no service. Finally, I looked at him and said, "Let's just leave. I don't want to give this place our money." As we walked out, the hostess said, "Thanks so much! Have a good evening!" I kept walking because I was upset, but my boyfriend turned around and said, "We sat there 45 minutes and no one talked to us or offered to take a drink order or an appetizer order and so we are just deciding to leave. Have a good night." Her response was, "Oh, I wish you would have told me, we would have worked something out!" Well...that's ridiculous. We saw how small this place was(again, only 12-14 tables where we were sitting) and there were plenty of waiters and there were even 2 people working just filling water glasses up. We'd read reviews of this place and heard the service was slow and some of the waiters were rude, but we didn't even get slow service or rude service. We got no service. And that is unacceptable. My boyfriend and I do not go out to fancy places often. We go out for special occasions and we try to pick special places to go. He chose this place and we intended to spend a lot of money. We were going to get a few drinks apiece(give or take $30), an appetizer($15), and 2 "surprise" entrees($40-45 a piece). We were going to spend a pretty penny and not only did we not last night, but we will never be back and I intend to share this story with as many people as I can because no one deserves to be ignored like we were. Especially on a birthday or a special occasion. There are too many other good restaurants in Columbus that treat people well to waste time on this.
(1)Toni K.
Alana's is awesome. Ever-changing menu with complex flavors and wide vegetarian selection, wine by the bottle sold at state minimum retail, and delicious cocktails. The once-townhouse looking space is super cozy, with rotating local art for sale everywhere. Came one time without reservations and was still able to get a table, but you have to come right when they open because they fill up quickly. Can't wait to go back for New Year's Eve. The one downside is a tricky to navigate parking lot (but that's more a personal problem than a real issue).
(5)Sherry P.
Wow! What a wonderful evening/ dinner. When most restaurants list a surprise on the menu they have the wait staff describe the day's surprise. Alana's is definitely not most restaurants, and I mean that in a good way. Our waiter explained that he wouldn't know what the surprise was until he brought it out and that Alana would change it every few orders. We went back to perusing our menus and contemplating options. We decided to order drinks and share two appetizers. A trio of Ohio cheeses was an easy choice, but what to do for our second shared appetizer? We concluded that a vegan surprise appetizer would undoubtedly be something hubby (lactose intolerant but otherwise very tolerant) could share. A few minutes later our wine and beer arrived followed by a trio of cheeses and .....slivered green beans atop some delicately flavored creamed corn (vegan) and some other yummy things that I don't quite recall. Emboldened by the delightful appetizer surprise I decided on the "vegetarian surprise" for my entree. I had been contemplating a salmon dish that our friends did order. Hubby ordered a lamb chops entree that came with a variety of Mediterranean dips. He reminded our waiter about the no dairy requirement and we happily awaited our meal. A few warnings. I don't see these as downsides because we knew what we were getting into and were quite happy about it but a first timer might not. The pace was leisurely; Alana's is not about turning tables over, it's about the food! The atmosphere is eclectic. One might describe it as part gallery part bohemian apartment. It was a bit warm; yes they had air conditioning but you did not feel as if you were in a meat locker. OK back to the food! My "surprise" was a deliciously creamy zucchini and almond risotto. It was very rich, and I'll be eating half for lunch today. Hubby's lamb chops were beautifully presented with a variety of sides. Usually when restaurants remove an offending dairy item they either fill in with more potatoes or rice. Not Alana's! The chef substituted the feta dip with a beautifully roasted vegetable medley. The salmon dishes looked good too. By the time we had finished our entrees we probably should have said "enough" but we were enjoying the eclectic food (and company) too much to stop! On to desserts. There were a few desserts that looked interesting, particularly a creme brûlée but the surprise factor was too much fun. Two of us ordered the "not so austere surprise" and one ordered the "austere surprise," hubby was too stuffed to order anything more. Three different desserts arrived! None looked very austere! They were: a chocolate cake with a raspberry sauce and whipped cream, a peanut butter and banana cream pie and a lemonny ice cream atop shaved cantaloupe. Wow!
(5)Chris L.
I've been going to Alana's for about 5 years now and have never had a bad experience. Hands down, my favorite Columbus joint. Last night however, was my best experience yet. I took a couple friends from out of town there for dinner and we were treated so well, and had such a terrific meal. We sat at the bar, and the bartenderess was such a great sport. She was kind, attentive and knowledgeable. And she put up with us for a least a couple hours. The cocktails were amazing, the spar ribs delicious. There was also some shrimp, Caesar salad, polenta with beef tenderloin. All fantastic. Thanks to everyone at Alana's for being awesome!
(5)Joshua L.
If you ever get the sense anywhere that someone loves food, this is it! Ever since high school, when it's time to pick a restaurant for a special occasion, Alana's is the place! It has a tiny menu, but you're guaranteed to eat something new each time you dine here. Alana changes her menu so often that the website has a hard time keeping up to date. If it worries you that you're going in blindfolded, stop worrying - I'd eat anything that they put in front of me. If you have ingredient issues, mention it to your server, and they'll double and triple check everything. Just to sum up - service, food, atmosphere, everything - all spectacular. Those who have had anything but at this restaurant, you should give it another try. They must've been off their incredibly awesome game that day!
(5)Nick M.
I am reposting this review, as it appeared on Yelp, but then it was removed. I am not sure why Yelp would remove this review, but here it is again! With family in town visiting, we were eager to try the one restaurant everyone has been encouraging us to try in Columbus. Expectations were high, but the feedback we have received gave us every indication this restaurant would appease this group of foodies. The amuse was ok. Small bite of sticky rice with some sort of anise seasoning. It was ok, not memorable or too enticing. The menu was very small, but with a constantly fresh and rotating menu, that is understandable. We were intrigued by the menu items labeled simply, 'a surprise'. The waiter told us it was always a different dish, and that it was always amazing. Alana stopped by the table as well, and also mentioned we should always order the surprise. The process of ordering and receiving initial drinks took some time. Comparing our speed of service to that of the table next to us, we were served significantly slower. At one point a server in a different section came over and asked if we had been greeted by a server yet. While waiting for our cocktails to arrive, the busboy dumped an entire glass of iced water directly on my back. These things happen, he was very apologetic. Uncomfortable, but hey ... What are you going to do? I think the biggest disappointment was that our server never acknowledged the fact that I got drenched, and offered no apology. If you soak me with water, at least buy me a drink! We shared a couple of appetizers for the first course, the surprise and the tomato stack. The surprise was squash stuffed with lamb, very good. The tomato stack was loaded with lump crab, lettuce, and mixed with a Cabernet buttermilk dressing. We all enjoyed both items very much. Three of us ordered surprise entrees, and one ordered the seafood past puttanesca. The surprise was striped bass on plain jasmine rice, sautéed root vegetables and a creamy plum sauce. The fish was spectacular. Very fresh, cooked perfectly. The rest of the dish was fairly uninspiring. Fish, rice, sautéed veggies, drenched in a sweet sauce. It was ok, but hardly an epic surprise. The dish certainly could have been listed as a nightly feature, and it would have been enjoyed just as well. I like the sense of adventure, but the allure of the surprise didn't quite deliver. The pasta puttanesca was very average. It was a small portion of pasta relative to the extreme amount of sauce, which was a decent tomato sauce. No anchovy flavor, no capers, not the sharp bold flavors we were expecting from a beloved puttanesca. And to cap the night, we opted for the bread basket to be brought to the table, for a $2 charge. I don't necessarily have a problem paying a small price for the bread that every other restaurant will give me at no charge. However, the bread should be good. The busboy brought us a sack of bread that was so stale, I think it had been sliced hours earlier. It was so tough, I couldn't even tear it with my hands. No butter, oil, nothing was delivered with it. When our server came by, he was horrified to see what the busboy had brought us. He took away the bread, and rushed another portion right out. He blamed the busboy, saying it was his first day. Well, the bread that came out next was not any better. Tough, extremely chewy, and by the time we received it we were finished with dinner. Again we brought the disappointing bread to the attention of our server, he told us it is "crusty" bread, basically telling us that the bread was fine. Cold stale bread is not crusty, it's just inedible. To end it all, when bringing up our concerns to our server, he simply responded with an unenthusiastic 'I'm sorry'. He didn't seem at all concerned with our poor experience, which was the most disappointing part of the evening. Sorry Alana, but there are too many options out there, especially at the prices you charge. We won't be back.
(2)Suzanne S.
I am so impressed by this restaurant. The food was delicious and creative. The service was outstanding. They had plenty of options for those of us who are vegetarian. Love the farm to table concept and you could really taste the fresh ingredients. My understanding is that the menu changes all the time but if the brussels sprouts are on your menu, get it! The price was incredible. Honestly one of the most reasonably priced quality meals I have ever had. Good work!
(4)Jason P.
Very attentive staff. Great food. Would go again!
(4)TradeMark G.
How have I not reviewed Alana's? Awesome food, awesome people, awesome wine selections, with extra helpings of awesome on your plate. I think it was my first visit (some twelve+ years ago) that they tied my green beans in knots. KNOTS! My taste buds have been tangled and teased ever since. And unlike many places which grudgingly accommodate us vegetarians with some "vegetable delight" afterthought, the veggie dishes Alana comes up with always feel like first picks. When I moved back from San Francisco, one thing I knew we'd miss is the top-shelf cuisine. Alana's is not only up to SF standards, but luckily a lot closer.
(5)Michelle M.
I've been a few times and I have seen some improvement to the ambiance. The paper menu's still kill me, you would never guess how good the food is by looking at the menu's. I love that they use local ingredients and although the menu is small it is so creative that you won't even notice. The problem that I've had recently is the terrible service. I'm okay with it being slow, especially when they are jam packed, but rude comments and dirty looks from the staff is just not acceptable. Yes the food is amazing but when I live in a place like Columbus where really amazing food is on every other corner I will just skip the places with poor service.
(3)Chip B.
I really wanted to like this place. I really did. I get what she is trying to do. I like local. I like seasonal. However, it seemed like the name of the game here is presenting what is in reality average home cooking as what folks in Columbus, Ohio *think* high end cuisine is supposed to be. To start we ordered the Old School Beef vegetable soup and curry brussels sprouts with cashews. Of everything, the brussels sprouts were the stand out. They were slightly crispy and caramelized on the outside with a good salty sweet flavor that mixed well with the cashews and madras cream curry sauce. I was excited as if everything was to this level, this place is going to be great. From here, things went down hill. The beef vegetable soup was neither particularly beefy nor vegetably. The beef seemed to be left over roast and there were more beans and lentils than vegetables. Not that this was bad, but it was on par with what my mom would make in a hurry out of left overs. Hearty, but bland and generally unexciting. Next came the main courses. I ordered the pasta apropo with a portabello. The mushroom was pretty good. It seemed to be sautéed with balsamic and salt. Again, good, but nothing extraordinary that you wouldn't make on the average night when in a hurry. The pasta was a germelli like noodle with a chèvre and bell pepper sauce. Again, the dish was not well integrated. The chèvre was a harsh and gamey contrast to what was bland pasta and mushy, flavorless bell peppers. Not fantastic, not terrible; average weeknight home cooking that I could really do without. The "surprise" was a veal shank with risotto. The veal shank, again, was terribly bland (do we see a pattern yet?). Additionally, I expect a veal, lamb, goat, whatever shank to essentially fall apart. This was a dry affair on the outside with what seemed to be some fat on the inside that could have rescued the poor thing had it not gone under the broiler or whatever abused its poor outside to be so dry. There was a red wine reduction attempt which was pretty acidic. The risotto was mealy and not creamy... essentially what risotto turns out like when someone is in a hurry or doesn't know what they are doing. There were onions in the risotto/wine reduction and they were clear and boiled. You would expect them to be simmered or reduced somehow. Nope, plain old boiled onions. Again, the risotto was done too quickly and the onions were tossed in as an after thought. Maybe I am being overly difficult here. However, with the pretension this place carries, supposed high reviews, and high prices, I expect much more. Again, the food is what I think people like to think high end food is that really don't know any better. I would have much rather been across the street at Indian Kitchen or Blue Nile considering the price and food quality. If you want to spend some bucks on a meal, get to Deep Woods, the Refectory or the Worthington Inn (or better yet, Montreal, but that's a hell of a drive). Alana's is really nothing special but a place to spend a lot of money and get little in return. I went 2 stars as it says "Meh, I've experienced better" and I certainly have. Perhaps I would bump it to 3 stars as the wait staff were generally fantastic, but that doesn't salvage very mediocre food at a place that SHOULD be a foodie's dream.
(2)Jurgen J.
I've been wanting to try Alana's for the past 3 years and finally had the chance tonight. Unfortunately, the restaurant failed to impress us. There were 5 of us dining. We ordered a bunch of appetizer and sampled almost all of the main course. First comes the soup. We ordered the trio of soup, all of them were pretty good. The highlight was on the curry pumpkin and truffled mushroom. It was a good start. A few minutes later, the appetizers came. The prawns with curry and rice was not bad. The prawn was cooked perfectly and the curry had tons of flavor. The duck was better, the skin was crispy and the meat as moist. The bone marrow was shitty as there's no bone marrow inside the bone. When we inquire the waiter about the bone marrow, he response "it happens, sometimes you get a lot and sometimes you don't". Now let's get to the main course. We waited for around an hour the main course. 2 of my friends ordered the surprise. And they were indeed surprise that it was roast chicken with stuffing (fyi: i was being sarcastic). Anyhow.. the chicken was too salty and the sauce was very sour. Maybe it was suppose to balance each other, but the flavors didn't work. The best entree of the night was the tuna. It was served with hollandaise. It was pretty good. I had the indian spiced osso bucco with safron risotto. It was pretty good. The disaster was the pasta. It was a very simple pasta dish with cream and smoked salmon. The pasta was too salty that my friend had to send it back. It came back ok though. After that we felt discouraged to try the dessert. But I have to praise the wine list and the staff's knowledge of it.
(3)Peter G.
I use yelp all the time to tell me where to find a good meal, usually it never fails. This was a fail. I judge a restaurant by food and ambiance. The food was just average, I felt it wasn't anything I couldn't make at home. The look and feel of the place is strange. Plastic chairs on the deck and the inside looks like you're eating at someone's house. Which isn't a bad thing but its just not a great atmosphere. Service was friendly and fast. I was just surprised with what we got after being one of the highest rated restaurants in Columbus. There are many other places to try before you come here.
(1)Raquelle Z.
This week I decided to venture out in search some great food in Columbus. I did what I usually do which was find a new place with great ratings on my favorite resource YELP. I was not disappointed! I love the unique options that were presented on their menu. It didn't bother me that the Menu was paper since I understood that it changes often. To me that speaks of creativity in the kitchen which is a culinary skill that I admire. I settled on an entree of Indian 5 spice escabèche of fish on a bed of fennel with saffron couscous. The waiter explained that this term means that in addition to a spice marinade vinegar can be used to bring a new taste dimension to the dish. The flavors in this dish were fabulous and perfectly balanced. I might add that I am not a big fish lover but this was perfect for me since it had lots of flavor but it was not fishy. As a starter a lovely woman brought me a deliciously warm slice of bread with a beet tamponade. I love that this sample came unexpectedly to my table and it was a great indicator of what turned out to be a perfect meal. Mine included a desert of Mexican Chocolate and Pecan tart that came with a bonus of Jeni's Salted Carmel ice cream. Perhaps the service was a bit slow however, that was forgivable since this was truly a dining experience with food that was high in creativity and quality. I can't wait to go back to this culinary treat on my next trip to Columbus. *something else
(5)Richard D.
Flavors in all dishes were oustanding! White veggie chowder, shrimp appetizer, and shrimp, crab scallop pasta dish were all outstandind, as well as my surprise! A pork, veal, lamb meatloaf- I have avoided meatloaf for the past 50 years, but since it was the surprise Alane prepared for me, decided I had to try it. Outstanding! Service was outstanding. Already planning next visit!
(5)Greg G.
Last week for a celebration with my kids and my ex wife we went to Alana's. It was a Thursday and we did not have a reservation but got right in. Our waitress was excellent but the lack of variety in the menu is dissapointing. My daughter had the cold salmon which unfortunately she did not realize was served cold. I had pasta with crab. We swapped since she did not like cold salmon and I thought my pasta was too salty anyway. The beef dish was very tasty but it too was served cold. The menu states "Menu revisions $45". This place is really a little more pretentious than the food merits. Since the service is good and so is the wine list I'd recommend it for a glass of wine or a cocktail at the bar.
(2)Meredith M.
I loved my food at Alana's. We started with the black bean hummus which was fantastic. Then I opted for the Marlin with an Avocado sauce. The combination of the two was mouth watering and had some spice to it. My side included sweet potatoes and pears, sweet, delicious, and perfect. Alana's is my favorite restaurant and I will be coming here every chance I get. Dinner for two - One appetizer, two entrees, no drinks or dessert - $58.
(5)Big Baby Jesus C.
Restaurant week review! Ah, Alana's, how I freaking love this place.... I ended up here after eating dinner at The Worthington Inn. What? I told ya I left there hungry. Sat at the bar, had James, the bartender waiting on us. I like him. Made me one wicked strong hurricane du jour to drink. I had the quinoa falafel with fennel pollen, and olive oil yogurt. The quinoa made for an interesting falafel. Chewy texture not like your usual falafel. Dipping sauce was delicious. Overall, 4/5. For dinner, I got the bolito misto, and in case you're like me, and have NFC what that is, the Google tells me it's an Italian boiled dinner. Mine had pork belly, pork meatballs, and ham in it. This was all served over some mashed taters, and it was all swimming in a divine gravy. Asked for extra bread for mop up duties. Not the usual, OMG, what is this amazingly delicious thing I am eating experience I have here, but still, 5/5. I think she was not being too adventurous with the restaurant week menu, and she was also taking costs into consideration. Walking out of here with 3 solid courses for $30 is an epic deal. For dessert, I got 3 cookies and some Jeni's. The macaroon I got was the best one I have ever had. The chocolate one was dry, and disappointing. Overall, 4/5. As far as negative things to say about Alana's goes, I have been there about 25X, and I have had a hard time finding them. Things that I would improve if I were them are: --tequila selection is weak. Either you get Patron, or you have to settle for the non-100% agave stuff. --I wish they had Tito's vodka --I feel like she sometimes "phones it in" when it comes to desserts. I have had some amazing things for dessert here (the flourless chocolate torte w/ macerated berries comes to mind), but enough with the terrines of Jeni's ice cream. Yeah yeah Jeni's is delicious, but I know you can do bigger and better things woman! --the red wines by the glass have been going down in quality it seems. Charge more by the glass if you have to, but open up the good stuff. Kevin's amazing taste in wine is one of the things that sets this place above others. Also noteworthy, Christopher no longer works here, so you don't have to worry about getting stuck with his sorry ass for a server. One last thing, to all the people bitching about printed out menus, STFU! The menu changes daily, in case you didn't know. Perhaps you'd like some laminated ones a la Waffle House, or fancy leather bound ones that makes them charge an extra $5-10 for every plate served? Idiots...
(5)Lauren R.
I have been to Alana's a couple times and I am never disappointed. I like getting the surprise because I'm a big fan of her creativity. Try calling ahead to get the tasting menu...unfortunately I forgot to last time I was in Columbus. boohoo.
(5)Christina C.
So this is the place everyone talks about... For my birthday dinner-of-choice, I chose Alana's. From the moment we walked in the door (note: enter through the back door, not the front on High St., to avoid awkwardness) I felt warm-n-fuzzy... and hungry! The smells were amazing! We sat and checked out the wine, food & special Halloween cocktail menus - cute - but we were sort of surprised they were printed on paper. Granted, if you owned a restaurant that had revolving menu items you'd have simple paper menus too. There were only a few wines by the glass to try, but scores of bottles, all served at state minimum prices (but include a corkage fee.) Yes, there was some sticker shock on the prices of the entrees, but the food was totally worth it - the salad though, not so much, although still pretty good. I got the tuna on a bed of squash while the boy ordered the pork chops. Holy burst in your mouth with flavor!!! I'd go out on a limb and put the food in the "comfort food" category, given the oil and butter, but every single calorie was savored. It was my birthday after all... I love that it's in an old house, but the art was a little strange. It was romantic, relaxed and high-energy all at the same time and the perfect backdrop for an evening to celebrate my birth. After stuffing ourselves silly, we still saved room for the pumpkin cheesecake, which was just as mouth-watering as the entrees. I love my pumpkin-flavored anythings! Our bill was slightly higher than we expected (about $20-$25 higher than other similar restaurants.) Actually, no, I don't believe there are similar restaurants - so I guess you're paying for the uniqueness as well as the food. A great restaurant to celebrate a special occasion.
(4)Liz F.
Came here with my mom as a special treat after a couple of friends mentioned this was one of their favorite places to go around town, and it exceeded my expectations. For someone on my budget, this is a special occasion, come-bearing-coupon restaurant, but it was well worth the splurge! I take it from some of the other reviews that service can be hit or miss, but we got nothing but the best the night we were there. Granted, it was a Wednesday, but it was also the day before everyone's Fudha was about to expire, so they were plenty busy. Our water glasses were never even close to empty, our table was always clean, and our server checked in after every course arrived to make sure we were enjoying the food. If you're not a picky eater, I'd recommend going with the "surprise" dishes whenever you have the chance. We got both the surprise appetizer and the surprise dessert. The appetizer -- small yellow summer squash stuffed with sausage and drizzled with an amazing, creamy, citrus-y sauce -- was our favorite dish of the evening. And, the surprise dessert -- a Mexican chocolate pecan pie with Jeni's honey vanilla ice cream -- hit all the right spots. It was crunchy, gooey, warm, melty deliciousness. Excellent food, top-notch service, adorable atmosphere!
(5)Michael U.
See blog for full review: Getting out of work early I made my way down to Alana's where I was the first in my party to arrive. After snapping a few pictures I entered and spoke to the host for a bit before taking my seat and waiting for my group to slowly filter in - after ten minutes all members were accounted for, water was poured, and menus were delivered. Chatting for a short while before ordering I was impressed by the lack of pressure from the waiters as I've found this a problem at many Columbus fine-dining establishments in the past - at no point did we feel hasseled, rushed, or pressured - a definite plus. With my colleagues opting for wine and beers (an appropriately named Delerium Tremens was particularly notable on the list) we first ordered some appetizers for the table - namely the cheese plate and fried green tomatoes. Beginning with the cheese plate, for $14 we received three anemic portions of relatively common American cheeses, a basket of boring baguette slices, and some raisins - compared to Luce I couldn't have been more disappointed and would certainly not order this again. The second appetizer, originally intended to be sharred with our vegetarian student, was the tomato dish - unfortunately my attending forgot until 10 minutes after ordering that it contained chorizo and asked if the order could be augmented to which received a flat "no." While I found this strange as it took another 10-15 minutes for the dish to be delivered and I do suspect the server could've been a little more accomidating, I will admit the dish was excellent and I didn't mind having more to myself. Described as fried green tomato with chorizo, chihuahua cheese and corn vinaigrette the tomato was very well prepared with a delicate snap on the outside yet smooth and sweet inside. Adding to the dish was a spicy yet understated chorizo that contrasted well with the mild cheese and sweet yet savory corn studded dressing. Following the appetizers my colleagues each opted for a main course and another drink while I selected a salad and a water refill. Arriving shortly after we finished appetizers the tomato stack with lump crab, shaved vidalias, greens, chopped amish egg cheddar and cabernet buttermilk dressing was an absolute knockout of a dish - both in presentation and in taste. Incredibly fresh heirloom tomatos that could very well have been picked immediately prior to service were stacked 4 slices high with layers of fresh and delicate crab, crisp and textural greens, and pungent yet well tempered vidalias. Mellowing out the sharper flavors and pulling the whole dish together was the mild and aromatic egg cheddar (a cheese far superior to any on the cheese plate in flavor and texture) and the absolutely divine buttermilk dressing with mild alcoholic base notes. For our mains one of my attendings opted for the 4oz tournedo of beef topped with roquefort potatoes, broccoli, and bacon vinaigrette while the vegetarian amongst us ordered the rustichella spaghetti with zucchini noodles, shaved golden zucchini and basil pesto and noted that he'd have trouble going back to eating "normal" pasta any time soon - it certainly looked and smelled excellent. For myself and one of my attending's the order of the night was Alana's nightly risotto - this time featuring sun gold tomatos, sweet corn, goat cheese, and lump crab. Enormous in portion and toothsome yet smooth in texture I must admit I found the risotto to be quite excellent and the creamy cheese and mild crab proved an excellent foil to the sweet and 'al dente' corn and tomatos. Accompanying our mains was a basket of white and rye breads plus a fairly generic and boring olive oil - thankfully there was plenty of sauce to be sopped up from the risotto. After a meal prepared with such skill dessert was a no brainer - and true to the form of (seemingly) every other restaurant in Columbus the accompaniments to each dessert was a no brainer as well - Jeni's Ice Cream. While my companions decided on the Vanilla Lavender Creme Brulee and Chocolate Zucchini Pound Cakes accompanied with Wildberry Lavender and Kona Stout, respectively I decided to go with the Peach Plum Frangipaine Tart with Honey Vanilla Bean. Served in large portion I found the almond based tart to be quite tasty and well paired with the ice cream selection, but I rather wished the peaches and plus had been a bit sweeter given the fact that we are in the midst of stonefruit season. All in all I must admit I was quite pleased with the food at Alana's in terms of quality, quantity, and skill of preparation. Service was adequate if not overly friendly - something that clearly is table dependant as we saw our waiter as well as the chef herself visit a table of older "regulars" frequently - and the setting is quite attractive, secluded, and intimate. As a fan of natural/organic/locavore approaches to food I'd certainly not hesitate to recommend Alana's among the ten best in Cbus.
(4)Yvonne R.
This place is as fresh and local as it gets! Menu changes often based on what is in season and available. I have never been disappointed. Quaint, cozy atmosphere and a great wine list round it out for me! If you love "close to nature" food made into amazing recipes, this is the place for you!
(5)Sarah H.
I started with the oysters with tasso, trinity (onions, pepper, and celery), and grits. The oysters were quite good, but they were overpowered by the spiciness from the tasso, which tasted somewhat similar to chorizo to me. The grits were awesome. I loved the individual components but I'm not sure they came together as well as I'd like... they weren't particularly well-balanced. For my main course I got the surf and turf, which was a soft shell crab served with a small portion of filet. I ordered medium rare, and I got something more on the medium/medium well side of the spectrum. This seems to be a patter in Columbus. The steak was good, but not mindblowing. The softshell crab was smothered in a sauce that I didn't really care for, kind of sweet-mustard, not really a flavor I could define. It was okay at best. The crab was prepared really well and was obviously fresh. The sides were asparagus and mashed potatoes. The sauce from the beef went well with the potatoes. Overall, pretty good, but again, not mindblowing. I got a cocktail with vodka, rhubarb bitters, and soda, which was great. I also tried some of the wine that BBJ got and it was one of the best wines I've ever had. And their wine list is INSANE. I would definitely come back here to just order a couple of bottles of wine and hang out. We all came here with my Fudha and they were really accommodating, even though we were in a group so it was a little weird with most of us having Fudhas. Bonus points to them for not being stodgy about that. The service was mostly fantastic, except when we got scolded for swearing too loudly. Alana's is an excellent restaurant, but the value isn't great. It's good food, but it's not $30+ entree good. Or at least the entrees I got. Not to say that I won't try it again, because I will. It was really good, just some flavors weren't my thing and weren't balanced well.
(4)Alyssa B.
I had heard very mixed reviews from friends about Alana's, so the time came for my boyfriend and I to try it for ourselves. We were seated at a table that appeared to be the front porch of an old house... But it was inside. The building space has been creatively utilized to say the least. The tables and chairs were those 1970's seats you used to see in libraries which also set an interesting tone. It's definitely not an elegant or refined aura. But, I thought, the food will make up for it. Our menus were two printer pages stapled together, smudged with food. Another unimpressive touch. We settled on a bottle of wine that was better than average, however the wine selection did not offer a wide price range. Basically, you could get a $20 bottle of wine or a $70 bottle. There were hardly any red wine selections in between. The salads we ordered were amazing. The greens were perfect (the types of lettuce she uses in the salads can sometimes be extremely bitter if not selected at the right time - these were perfect). The entree was extremely disappointing. We ordered a filet, which was drowned in an overpowering sauce. There was very little art to allowing the flavors of the food set the tone for the dish - it was all about sauces and spices. For a chef to insist upon no alterations to her dishes, she has not yet proven her expertise, and therefore has not earned the ability to be this presumptuous. After dinner, we has a seasonal gingerbread cake that was out of this world. No wrong could be done on this desert. Overall, the entrees are weak. I would recommend to anyone going there to have a tapas style meal of appetizers, salads, etc. Because those menu items are much stronger. And be prepared to pay over $70 a bottle for a red wine.
(2)Ang R.
I wish I read Carol F's review before going. I had heard several times this was "the best" place in Columbus. If you are going to have "wine" in the name of your restaurant, do not run out of wine menus. The hostess said she would bring one when she found an "extra. I asked 3 times and they NEVER brought it! The waiter should have at least asked if there was a wine varietal I was looking for. I had a mixed drink with my meal. I decided to go for the "suprise." Yikes. Blueberry Risotto with Frisee. Just my luck. I don't care for fruit in my food. However, I gave it a chance. It was pretty bad. Consistancy was off and the flavors were not good. I am giving it a star because the house is cool - although oddly decorated. And because we had a vegan with us and they accommodated her diet. During my two week stay I had much better (and cheaper) meals. I would go back to Surly Girl or Bono Pizza any time.
(1)Ruth P.
While we have been to Alana's many times this visit was very so-so. It wasn't the beautiful evening outside or the food - it was the service. That's too bad since the sevice is very meaningful when going out for a wonderful dinner. First the wine we picked - a Barolo. The waiter returned with a different Barolo at $15.00 higher price point. OK - but we had to ask to decate it as he should have known due after commenting on the sediment. it was an excellent wine. Then we ordered dinner and while it came out fine - not great just fine - asking how I would like my tuna temperature should have been a question. Mine was too well done as tuna should be rare not medium - or at least I should have been given the option. I thought overall the waiter was extremely snobby and not the service I would expect at Alana's. Too bad - it will sour me on going back any time soon.
(3)Aaron F.
8 pm reservation sat down 8:10, but from there service was terribly slow. Appetizers were exotic but with little to excite the palate. Wine selection is average for a restaurant in this price range. We did not receive main course until 10pm. The surprise dish (Sea Bass) was flavorless and cool. The Strip steak was gristly. The sides Green Beans were bland and the German Potato salad was average. I had heard that Owner and Chef come to your table, but they never made an appearance at ours. Disappointed. With so many great dining options in Cbus, we will not go back.
(1)Melanie B.
I have heard such good things about Alana's - and after taking a Yelp poll (on Yelp talk), I decided to take my little band of academics, including our academa-famous guest speaker professor from Rutgers (ahemJasbirPuarcough ahemGoMecough) - to dinner here. I do believe this was an excellent choice - so thanks everyone for the advice, we had a Really Nice Time. Before I launch into how amazing the food was, I will say that the service was slowwww. It is Friday night, but there were several times when we obviously could have been helped and weren't. It wasn't a terrible thing, since we were having good conversations, but it was definitely noticeable, and is the only reason I didn't give Alana's 5 stars. Okay so the food. WOW. So, we started off with bread baskets, of course, and since Lent is over, I allowed myself to try a piece of artisan bread, since the pieces were small. Served with oil, this was a nice touch, but personally if I'm going to eat bread, I prefer it to blow my mind... (you know that kind? omg). But, ain't no big thing. We also ordered three appetizers for the table - oysters (from MAINE!), scallops (the world's most perfect food) and shrimp. My favourite were definitely the scallops, but everything was excellent (horray for seafood in the Midwest not sucking!). Oh and we definitely had the chef/owner come and give us a sample of some sort of amazing pita with cheese on it. YUM. For dinner, I ordered the fontina risotto. I do like that Alana's changes their menu all the time, and that is wonderful, but it also means the menu is quite limited. I would have preferred protein in my dinner, but since I didn't want trout (eww) or steak, there wasn't any other choice. However, the risotto, which came with grilled asparagus, was excellent. I also shared the frisee salad with a colleague, which was excellent - I'd consider ordering it as a dinner, with a few apps. Overall, between the seven of us, I think we ended up ordering every entree on the menu (I think there were only 4), and everyone seemed to really enjoy their meals (it's hard to tell when you're having such good convo). I know my risotto was heavenly - thick, cheesy, heavy... you know, completely decadent. Of course, I should have remembered to have the rest of it boxed up, but the server didn't ask me, so I missed that opportunity, le sigh. Some of the table got dessert; I was still overwhelmed by the risotto incident, so I didn't try anything, but dessert definitely got the most audible reactions - the cherry pie in particular was a big hit. Oh and I forgot to mention - my friend works here, and it was really nice to see him (kinda wish he was our server, because HE would have been on top of things); also, when we walked in the maitre'd (do people still use that term?) was SO excited about my Maine tattoo and struck up a really nice conversation with me about Pemaquid (where the oysters were from). It was very genuine, and I really appreciated it, because most people who bring up Maine are completely obnoxious and try to imitate our accent or have only been to Bar Harbor and completely base their idea of Maine on the ultimate tourist trap - but this guy's genuine affection for the time he spent in my home state really set up a really warm, cozy, and intimate tone to the whole experience. Alana's seems very romantic. I'd like to come back here sometime with the boy or a close friend, and just have a nice, dreamy dinner for two. Or maybe I'll try to impress my momma when she comes to visit in a few weeks. This is defintely one of those casual yet upscale places that is the perfect cross between high cuisine and relaxed yet classy atmosphere. It's one of those places where you pay $22.00 for an entree and it's worth every penny. I'll definitely be back here. Hopefully ASAP.
(4)Stacey P.
We went to Alana's last night for my fiancé's mothers birthday. Our reservation was for 7. We didn't get seated until around 8 bc the table b4 us wouldn't leave & the place was packed as usual. That was the start of the evening. So we sat at the bar and had a cocktail. It was annoying yet not the restaurants fault so who can u blame. Anyhow, as the night moves forward... Restaurant staff were amazingly friendly. Especially Alana's husband. They didn't have a changing station in the restroom so to accommodate me they gave me a table linen and let me use an upstairs office space. Such a nice gesture. We had to make our way through the kitchen in order to get upstairs for my diaper changing excursion. As I walked through the kitchen carrying my 14 month old there was a very grouchy looking Alana standing and glaring at me. Even when I smiled at her kindly she didn't crack a smile. Who knows....bad night. Were all entitled to them. On to the food portion of the review. Dinner took forever to arrive. My fiancé got the bacon wrapped scallops appetizer which were undercooked and under seasoned. I had the mixed greens salad which was very fresh and fantastic as was the watercress salad that my future sister in law had. My fiancé's mother had some asparagus appetizer in which the asparagus was overcooked and looked unappetizing. Main courses-the seared walleye wasabi infused jasmine rice w a side of asparagus was pretty good-though I was missing some of the flavor notes described on the menu..however the asparagus was cooked perfectly. The seafood pasta puttanesca entree was said to be 'good enough' but nothing exciting-which was ordered by 2 in our party. Idk, we were disappointed by this visit. I personally, have been to Alana's a number of times and haven't ever experienced lack luster food like last night. My expectations were high & as I was the one to suggest Alana's, I felt a little embarrassed of our experience. The drinks and wine were wonderful as always. We will go back again, maybe when it's not so busy though.
(2)Zack F.
Alana's is the tops for me in this city. She is a real character and the staff is an interesting mix of characters, who will give you great service. The food is memorable enough to be worth a weekend getaway trip. Try not to save it only for special occasions though. The degustation is a great treat. I recommend it highly. You call ahead and inform them of what you like and you pick a price per person. When you arrive you receive a multi-course meal complete with wine pairings. It is brought out to the table by the chef and explained in detail. There is nothing quite like the experience of having a well timed, extended tasting experience, all the while being well informed by the very artist crafting the dishes. Vegetarian or vegan is no problem.
(5)Peter D.
Maybe its too rich for my blood, i don't know. The bubble jet printed menus didn't really seem well suited for the pretentious items, nor the prices. The pasta dish was plentiful and tasted good but seemed like too much of the same thing if that made sense. It felt like they gave you a meal expecting you to take 2/3 of it home in a box. The proscuitto wrapped figs were awesome however and i think a great example of what top end food can be. I heard staff here was rude but didn't experience anything but polite, and nice people. Maybe if i had gone for something as different as my main i'd be more inclined to go 4 or 5. I'll give it another shot and do a follow up.
(3)Justin R.
I am not one to be found teary-eyed over a first bite. Nor do I ever depart a restaurant--having devoured a full meal and drinks--feeling lovely and lighter on my feet than when I arrived. But then, there is Alana's Food & Wine. It is simple to say that Alana's has incredible food. In my opinion it's easily the best in Columbus, if not the state. It is equally as simple to say that Alana's has an impressive wine list. Indeed it is one of the longest and most comprehensive I have seen--and I do love my wine. But what is truly profound about Alana's is this: Her menu (which changes almost daily to accommodate the freshest local ingredients--and occasionally her mood) is not designed for you to order, eat, pay and leave--eating to merely fill your stomach or satisfy your palate. It is comprised of courses that are prepared with such conscious passion that they offer you something infinitely greater: a culinary Experience. I distinctly recall my first visit. I began with an appetizer of hand-crafted Falafel rolled in Quinoa, accompanied by a delicious Fennel Pollen Yogurt dip. And to drink I quaffed a custom Ginger Liqueur, quickly followed by what has become my go-to favorite: the "Spring Tonic" (a soothing combination of Ciroq Vodka, Rhubarb Bitters, ctirus- and flower-flavored Liqueur "served up with a bubbly float"). And although this was an impressive start, were my Falafel self-aware it would have quivered in awe of my main course. I had ordered a dish of locally-raised Lamb Sausage wrapped in a Cabbage Roll, cooked in Goulash (a traditional Hungarian stew--Alana is known for her mastery of the international twist). I remember carefully opening that first roll, raising the fork, full of lamb draped delicately with fresh cabbage and dripping with goulash, to my expectant maw. And when that lamb/cabbage/goulash mélange melted into my mouth, I felt a sort of grateful disbelief that nearly brought me to tears. I realized at that moment that I had tasted some incredible food in my life, but I had never truly Experienced it. This is not dinner, dear reader--it's practically Divinity. Since that first time, I now find every excuse to return so I can eat--no, Experience--dishes that are unerringly delicious, and that (due in no small part to Alana's appreciation for their fresh ingredients) support the efforts of local farmers--something that I'm eager to vote for with my fork. Alana calls her culinary creations "Food of Love." Whether you take that as an expression of her passion for what she does, the love that goes from scratch into each handmade dish, or the affair you'll have with your next entrée, in my opinion you've got it. Forget merely eating food. Instead, take a chance: Go to Alana's, and Experience it.
(5)Claire B.
Pretty patio and the service was perfect. The food was just okay though. Maybe an off night?
(3)Aaron W.
Alana's is a great experience every time. The cheese plate is always fun (if available). The food is always exceptionally prepared. Service and ambiance is five-star.
(5)Amy S.
My boyfriend brought me here for our first date (this may be why I fell in love with him). So, it wasn't surprising that he made arrangements to bring me back here for my birthday. What was surprising was how helpful Alana and her husband were in helping him arrange the evening. Apparently, the boy drove by Alana's on the way to pick me up and stopped by. It was before opening hours but Alana's husband, who is the sommelier, let him in and took his time helping Jez pick a champagne (which was deslish), and making sure that we got the same table that night that we had on our first date. The duck leg confit was so tender it tasted like melting butter and the pumpkin risotto was the perfect way to indulge my love of all things pumpkin. One of these days I'll have room for dessert, but as long as the food is this good, that might be a while!
(5)David E.
Great place. Alana is awesome. I've been twice and never had anything to complain about. Wine list is great. A little quirky when it comes to ordering. The wine lists are just printed out on paper and can be a bit ruffled by time you view them as a guest, making it hard to read. Food is sourced locally as much as possible. Thats great to me.
(5)Dan R.
Went to Alana's for the first time this weekend. We eat out a lot and we had just never made it to Alana's. While we were a bit delayed in eating because they had not recorded our reservation, the food more than made up for the wait. Alana gave us a great appetizer ( a yummy crab and scallop cake that had a great tartar sauce). All of our meals were fantastic. I had the braised goat with polenta and vegetables and the goat was fabulous. The meat was tender and just fell off the bone and the polenta and veggies were perfect. The beef tournedos were excellent and the spaghetti dish with Blue Creek sausage was killer - tons of flavor. Can't believe we waited this long to come here but we will definitely be back.
(5)Nick S.
For years, I've heard nothing but good things about Alana's and was excited to finally try it out for Restaurant Week. Unfortunately it didn't live up to its reputation. The food, by and large, was excellent though I wouldn't say it was particularly better than some of the other nicer restaurants I've been to in Columbus. The Peach Melba dessert (which they served as part of the prix fixe menu) was terribly disappointing: Basically bland peaches with ice cream. Everything else, though, was top-notch. The service, however, was terrible. Our server, well attentive to the other tables around us was distant and almost rude to us. And the service was unbelievably slow. One table literally had all three courses of their meal before our entrees had been served. All told the meal took us nearly 2 1/2 hours. With everything I've heard about Alana's I might give it a second-chance some time. But the service was bad enough that I probably won't.
(3)L. M.
If you are looking for pretension and a contrived atmosphere you won't find it here. The vibe is bohemian. The food is as authentic as it gets. Love that Alana passes through the diners a couple of times each evening with small bites to share. Kevin has good wine knowledge and won't just push expensive bottles. We've had lots of great experiences here.
(5)Jeremy C.
This is one of my favorite restaurants in Columbus. I went here with my father almost five years ago and we ordered the "degustation". Basically, we had something like 6 small meals prepared by the chef in the kitchen using random available ingredients in her kitchen. She personally delivered it to the table and paired it with a drink for us. This was one of the most amazing dining experiences I've ever had. Before I came to Alana's, I hated beets. She brought out a dish with beets, and made it taste amazing. I don't know what sort of magic she worked on the plate, but, thanks to her, I now have a new founded respect for the beet. I just ordered some borscht the other day, as a matter of fact! But back to the review. Since I was so impressed with this restaurant, I brought my brother over here when he visited six months later. I ordered a risotto with sweet breads. It was insanely good, and that was the first time I've ever had the courage to try something like sweet breads. Anyways, if you happen to live in Columbus and you haven't tried Alana's yet, do yourself a favor and book a reservation! If you're in town just for a day, this is a great place for a great dining experience.
(5)Nick P.
While I have only eaten here once, I would definitely recommend this restaurant to others. There is simply nothing else to compare it to in Columbus: an unpretentious, upscale eatery with a focus on spontaneity and local/seasonal ingredients. Will you find more finely executed or inventive food elsewhere? Sure. But that isn't the point of eating at Alana's. The word that keeps coming back to me is 'joy.' There is a joy in the menu and service--even in relaxed atmosphere of the dining space or the patio on High St. Everything we had was good (and some of it was outstanding): a fresh gazpacho, tempura mushrooms, and Ohio beef were really great. The watermelon-lemonade cocktail and homemade limoncello-esque desert drink were also notable. The service was friendly, even casual--again adding to the experience of 'joy.' The whole experience added up to a relaxed and delicious meal with moments of surprise and delight. Yes, the prices are higher than the fineness of the food would suggest, but the food is only part of the equation: there are the ingredients, the ever-changing menu, and the sum of the experience. I would rather eat here and be delighted than have a somber dinner at the well-named "Refectory" with perfectly detailed dishes anytime.
(5)Karen M.
Alana's is a best kept Columbus secret. The people are cool, down to earth, but still professional and classy. I have never had a bad dish at Alana's. Everything melts in your mouth. Summer fare is appropriate to summer, and other seasons apply. Lamb in the winter was out of this world. Definitely check it out.
(5)Jordan M.
*** Here is my disclaimer*** I did work in the Kitchen at Alana's for one summer. Therefore you can be fair and call my opinion bias. However I do have a better insight on what goes on behind the scenes then most of these reviews. First Alana herself; such a talented woman who takes a lot of pride in serving the best possible food, and running an amazing kitchen. She is also a community activist, whether it is donating food to local events, or promoting local farms as a member of Dining Originals in Columbus. I remember walking down to the North Market with her to shop for ingredients for the up and coming weeks menu. The farmers LOVE her, and appreciate the work she does. As well as she appreciates the local farms for producing the best quality tomatoes, watermelon, spices, zucchini and the list goes on. Backing up Alana in the kitchen is her Sous Chef John M. John who very well may be just as talented as Alana, has a different taste than her. This makes them a great pair in making daily menus. Working as a prep cook and listening to those two debate was entertaining and a learning experience to say the least. As well as the rest of the staff in the kitchen probably two more, it was run with such a sense of professionalism. It gives such comfort in the sense that you know you are getting the best quality food. Kevin, the wine man, is such a great guy. He has a great knowledge of wine, and I think acts the way a sommelier should. Also if you have any questions about music, he would be the man with the answer. As for the food; I will say, summer and fall is defiantly the best time to eat at Alana's. First you sit outside on the patio, and my favorite the tomatoes!! I will not rattle of menu items because her menu is like a box of chocolate "you never know what you are going to get" It is always changing. I will say however, my favorites while I worked there. The names may be different, but Tomato stack salad w/ lump crab, eight ball stuffed zucchini, any scallops, cucumber dill soup, any piece of beef, and the list could go on. The risotto is always good, I love her corn vinaigrette, and things Thai/Asian influenced is good as well. Any my favorite stable...the watermelon lemonade. Mmmmmm, this one consistent thing I made. (at least the mixer). Soooo good, refreshing, and made with lots of Vodka!! Since I am clearly in love with this place I want to address some of the complaints I have read. The menus being wrinkled; they are paper, printed daily, some people may man handle their menus resulting in a wrinkled appearance. Get over it. As to Alana's being pretentious? Well I'm sure a pretentious place wouldn't allow wrinkled menus, however I feel the staff is very professional. If you want to talk to them, ask for advice, joke around they will. However they are professionals, their job is to serve you your food, keep you drinks full, and clear your table. They are not there for social hour. So I think people may be getting those two mixed up. But people do have bad days, and it happens, where diners may get less than adequate service. Fair enough. And now to the dessert; someone said get rid of the Jeni's ice cream?!?!?! How? Jeni's ice cream is amazing and also just another example of Alana supporting local companies/farms/the community in general. Also I can assure you that the desserts are made fresh in house weekly, by the same woman, who is very very talented. To end my ramble. I love Alana's the food is great the people are great, the drinks are GREAT. If I still lived in Columbus, I would defiantly try and work their again, or eat their as much as possible.
(5)Miriam W.
I was expecting more from this restaurant, based on the on line reviews and from the write up in the local mag "Crave", which lists this as a top 10 dining spot in Columbus. I do like the decor, which is funky and relaxed, with colorful outsider art on the bright orange walls. We went with friends as a table of 4 and were seated right away, and I have no gripe with service; we got a good table from the host, and our server walked the line between professionalism and dry wit with adroitness. The menu is brief, as befits a restaurant that changes it's menu daily, and I appreciate the local ingredients, which was part of the draw for me in the first place. The food was well prepared, just not as exciting or inventive as I thought it was going to be. We started with the pork belly served over caramelized onion relish and a tempura with veggies and shrimp. Pork belly is usually over the top succulent, as it's very fatty, but this reminded me more of pork shoulder...it just had very little fat. Three of the four of us liked the onions, but Doug thought them too sweet. The tempura was good, but nothing to rave about, though we all liked the sauce that came with it. My friend Bill got the surprise entree listed on the menu...they don't tell you what it is, and you have to be okay with that. It ended up being a chicken breast in a traditional Indian korma with basmati rice...good, and a well executed korma, just very literal. I thought the same of Doug's entree, which was pork loin sliced and served wtih peanut satay. The sauce was good, but what I would expect to get at any decent Thai restaurant, so the chef here executes the classics well, but not with any flair or inventiveness that brands it as her own. Another friend had the spaghetti in a green pumpkin seed sauce, which reminded me of pipian, if you're familiar with Mexican food. This dish was a bit too spicy for my taste (I did taste everything...we all like to share and sample), and the large portion was too much the same thing bite after bite, so she only finished about half of it. This might be more successful in an appetizer portion. My entree was the winner...stripped bass pan sauteed and served over Moroccan flavored grated carrots with a citrus hollandaise. The carrots leant a sweetness and spiciness to the dish that was nice, the fish was done perfectly and the sauce was light and tasty. If I was rating Alana's on my dish alone, I would have given her 4 stars, but I was not wowed by much here, and would move on to other restaurants rather than return to this one.
(3)Janet C.
Love Alana's. Great food and wine list. The Sheriff herself brought us an offering.
(5)Bear B.
One of Columbus' hidden gems, and one of the very best restaurants in the city, especially given the value -- the wine list is not overpriced at all (unlike just about every Cameron Mitchell restaurant) and the entrees occasionally dip into the under-$20 range. The chef's passion for good food and fresh, local ingredients comes through in everything that comes out of the kitchen, and that spirit is contagious. You'll almost certainly be greeted by the chef herself with a complementary amuse bouche, and you'll find that the day's menu has been decided upon based on what's available and fresh and good. The chef's repertoire is vast, and she often experiments with variations on existing recipes. It's hard to recommend it highly enough. If you love food, you'll love Alana's.
(5)Suzanne L.
This is always a special place. It is a renovated old house with creative artwork and warm ambiance. Alana always walks around with a speciality appetizer to share with the patrons of the restaurant. Amazing wine and extremely knowledgable sommelier. The menu is always changing and everything is always unique and delicious. I love that Alana cooks with local, fresh ingredients....always puts such a creative twist on dishes. We always order a couple appetizers to share and then choose one entree to share. Everything always sounds delicious and it is hard to narrow down the menu...but bring friends and share bites.. This restaurant is pricey but definitely worth it. We usually come here for birthdays or anniversaries. Very special.
(5)john b.
My wife and a group of our friends had an amazing dinner at Alana's recently. It was her birthday, and Alana made it a point to create a special appetizer and dessert just for our group. The atmosphere at Alana's is perfectly intimate for group dining, even for larger groups sized at 15-20 people. And her personal touches are everywhere: from the local art covering the restaurant, to the locally sourced foods, to the menu that changes monthly with its 'surprise' entrees. Alana's is quickly becoming an institution in Columbus. I'd highly recommend making a reservation - and try to get the crabcakes.
(5)Josh E.
I was looking for a good place to eat in Columbus and stumbled upon Alana's somehow. Yelp only has 4 reviews to this point, but they are all uniformly spouting its excellence. So, I decided to give it a shot. Now, I can be counted amongst the fans here. If I had to use one word, and maybe this doesn't sound too hot as a choice, I would say "transparent." Let me explain why I think this idea is important, appropriate, and a reason to run right out and give Alana's a shot. Every fork-full of food I put into my mouth tasted purposeful and genuine. The ingredients were clear and each and every one tasted like it was chosen because of its quality and special role in each dish. There was no mystery to what I ordered. It was pure and excellent... Transparently so! First, we tried the cold soup sampler and each one would have been a refreshing, and satisfying, choice on its own but it was a good opening to the chef's style of preparation. The gazpacho was chock full of fresh vegetables that grew in character as they mingled in the bowl, convincing me it had been prepared right before it was placed before us. The vichyssoise was simple with clear indications of its individual ingredients and each one's quality in the mix (this was where "transparent" first crossed my mind.) The corn curry soup was exciting in it's mixture of individual elements and how they each competed with each other. It was almost the opposite of the way the vichyssoise's ingredients worked together, but just as effective on the taste buds. My salad was a tomato, and mixed greens under a crab/cheese/vegetable/dressing mixture, and I am not doing its combined ingredients justice in that slash combo above, but the flavor interaction was fantastic. There were so many subtle things going on that I became incredibly focused with each bite and was pretty disappointed when it was all gone. I didn't want to go overboard, so I ordered a pasta and squash in garlic,lemon, and Parmesan sauce as an entree and it was very straightforward and best enjoyed while slowly savoring each bite. If rushed, I probably would have thought it wasn't as good as the rest, but it revealed itself as a worthy part of the meal. Alana's is an excellent spot for dinner and I am excited about going back when I visit Columbus again. The staff was very friendly and the environment was comfortable and genuine (although I wasn't a fan of the current artist on display). The pace was leisurely and some might get impatient with it, but I found it to be a nice, extended, experience. As has been mentioned, the price can quickly add up, but I felt like every dollar was well worth it.
(5)Pink C.
Alana's is, in my opinion, the best restaurant in Columbus. The food is delicious and very innovative. They always serve an amuse-bouche to start dinner off. The flavors are complex and really well-handled. It is also extremely vegetarian-friendly. One of the highlights is dessert. Alana trained as a pastry chef and she brings her innovative style to dessert as well. Two of the best desserts I've ever had were here: the banana cheesecake with a ginger crust and caramel and the "elvis" dessert, a peanut butter and banana mousse enrobed in chocolate and drizzled with caramel. My only complaint is that they seem to put coats in the freezer. Don't give them your coat! Don't do it! Hang it on the back of your chair. Seriously.
(5)Marit S.
Hands down, my favorite restaurant in the city. Alana is always changing her menu, depending on what great local finds she has in her kitchen. She uses some extravagant ingredients that pair together beautifully. While her menu is always different, she keeps a risotto in the mix (it's made "with love"). Alana is definitely a master of her trade. Another thing I love about Alana's is that she makes her round offering each table a sample of something she is whipping up in the kitchen, perhaps for the next menu. I have been there many many times and NEVER leave disappointed. In fact, most visits end with me saying on the car ride home, "I wouldn't care if that was the last meal I ever ate."
(5)Brent T.
This place is consistently amazing. This last dinner was no exception. For starters, I had the chicken livers (Alana's favorite), breaded and fried, with a stunningly fresh salad of greens and lovely sauce. Super rich and nice and pink on the inside. My spouse had the "surprise" starter, which turned out to be an "Ohio Proud Slider:" grass-fed tiny cheeseburger on "buns" of panko crusted and fried mushrooms, with tiny fries. For the main course, I had the Walleye, which was pan seared to perfection, with another nice sauce and some wonderful veg. I don't often like the skin on fish, but this was so crispy and delicious that I ate it like potato chips. My wife had the "surprise" entree, which turned out to be lobster and crab risotto. Rich and very fresh. (Alana always has a Risotto of some sort on offer). For desert, we shared a chocolate cake with homemade caramel ice cream. Most if not all ingredients are locally sourced. The menu is vegetarian and vegan friendly. Our server was responsive and knowledgeable. This place is a hidden gem in Columbus. In an old house fronting onto High Street near the OSU campus. alanas.com
(5)Ariel B.
Holy French perfection batman! Alana's is a unique find-- especially for its location being in such close proximity to the typically cliche atmosphere of campus. My long time boyfriend and I went here for valentine's day planning for naught but incredulity when we walked through the wholly unassuming threshold at Alana's. Yet, the food was spectacular, and that is not just the martinis talking! We could taste the sincerity in our cleverly crafted appetizers-- I selecting the soup trio and he the sampler platter. It was not until I took the dive and ordered THE SURPRISE on the menu that I fell head over heels for Alana's. One would expect a chicken dish or perhaps a steak so that the typical central Ohioan would clap their hands with amusement and self congratulate at their adventurous nature, but no! My plate arrive baring a daring duck confit! I cannot explain to you the ecstasy I felt at that moment and the plateau of pure joy with every bite. Take the people that you truly love here. Take those that you do not to the ugly tuna.
(5)Erin K.
2.75 stars. We were kind of disapointed with Alana's, the food was just ok and defintely not worth the price we paid for it. We had 7:00 reservations and the place was empty except the patio which was totally full unfortunately bc it looked really cute out there. By the time we left around 9:00 though the place was full so I would recommend making a reservation. Also just to note that there is parking in the "back" of the restaurant which is really actually the front door; you don't enter from the street. I know the menu changes all the time but here is a run down of what we ate. For apps the duck leg chile relleno, poached shrimp and gazpacho which I would probably skip, the other two were good. For dinner two of us got the beef filet, one hanger steak, and one soft shell crab. The steak was WAY overpriced at $35, it did not taste that great by itself but the gravy helped a bit. You shouldn't have to have gravy on a steak though to make it taste better especially at that price. I didn't try the hanger steak but that did seem to go over well. The soft shelled crab was not very good. For dessert we each just got the Lemoncello which was quite delicious and our waiter told us it is made by a family locally. Overall I doubt if we would return. Maybe its hit or miss depending on when you go bc the menu changes so frequently. Our server was good but the people in the front were not friendly and even Alana herself who came over to drop off an amuse bouche (which was ok) couldn't even be bothered to stop for 10 seconds and say hello and ask us how our dinner was. I think there are just way too many other great places in Columbus that I would rather try.
(3)Murry D.
Awesome. Fresh new menu everyday. Need I say more. Been here twice and both times just excellent. The only complaint was the pumpkin creme brulee...not very good.
(5)Apurva P.
I've been to Alana's about 4 times - in a couple of months. When I moved from Columbus back to Chicago (was in Columbus for a project), the last two nights, I needed to enjoy a couple of good places to eat. Both those times turned out to be Alana's. Alana (she's amazing, and she'll probably be hanging out around the dining area from time to time when she's in her out-of-kitchen breaks) makes some of the freshest, tastiest food. Two things in food that are prime. Her menu changes everyday with whatever is fresh, and often local. She's the Alice Waters of Columbus with what she does each day. The ambiance is like a home, or how one should be. A lot of art on the walls, good music playing, but not too loud. Very friendly staff, and Kevin (her husband) is really good and will make excellent wine recommendations. Overall, my favorite place to eat in Columbus, and if I ever go back there, definitely one that I will not miss dinner at.
(5)Seth D.
Alana's is such a great restaurant. She really isn't afraid to take risks, and she proves her prowess in the kitchen in doing so. Don't come here knowing what you want. Expect great service, to have your palate expanded, and to be thinking about the possibilities well after you leave. Alana's truly does elevate cooking to a higher art form!
(5)Cindy R.
All I can say is that this woman is a genius. The food puts you into a state of bliss and relaxation that never falls short of wonderful.
(5)Mindy W.
We came for Dine Originals week as sort of a last resort (I have been dying to try it but my boyfriend has been resistant) and I was not at all disappointed... I ordered all three courses as a "surprise" because nothing on the menu fired my rocket--what a good choice! My first course was a jaw-dropping salmon "cheese cake"...mouth-gasm ensued. I can't can't even describe it other than a savory fish cheese cake. I worship almost all things seafood, so I was thrilled! After our apps, Alana stopped by with her famous amuse bouche. We scored a kumquat with macerated pineapple. So crisp and clean, and another original idea! My entree was an incredible seafood pasta (again, so excited for a seafood surprise) that was a bit too salty, but amazing nonetheless. It was packed with calamari, crab, capers and tomato. There were a couple scallops thrown in, and the pasta was perfectly al dente. The boy loved his bolito misto. I tried the duck, but I could pass on the dish as a whole. I appreciate meat entrees, but I'm not a carnivore to the core like my boyfriend. We each ordered a "surprise" for the dessert, and his was better than mine. I hate pecan pie, and luck would have it, that was my dessert. The dessert for my boyfriend, however was a delicious Jeni's sorbet sundae with a fruit compote that was amazing. I am not a fan of Jeni's ice cream, as I prefer the now defunct Denise's, but this sorbet was incredible! I wish the homemade whipped cream had been whipped with confectioner's sugar, but them's the breaks! I had a very strange "spring tonic" that was a little too radish-y for my taste, but the bottle of burgundy we had was good, albeit expensive ($60.00 after the corking fee). I finished with a digestif- a very strange, creamy "limoncello" that was actually really delightful, refreshing and tasty. All in all, it's one of the best dining experiences I have ever had in Columbus or elsewhere. This is clearly a gem in this strip-mall haven. Had our server been a bit more attentive for the entire meal, and not just sporadically, this would probably be a five star review. Another small qualm would be that our table was so wobbly that when my boyfriend cut his wedge salad, the action spilled half of my cocktail all over the table. When they didn't have the burgundy they wanted, they brought us another wine, which happened to be $20.00 more than the wine we had originally chosen. I realize that dining at a place like Alana's means you shouldn't think about prices, but that was a pretty hefty increase in price from what we had ordered. I can't wait to go back to Alana's when I'm not paying!
(4)Paul F.
This was my first visit to Alana's and it was well worth the trip. I got there early, because I thought they said they started serving at 5:30 but it turned out to be six p.m.. I sat at the bar and had a glass of wine, which was the low point of the evening. I should have sent it back but.... My first course was their cheese plate of the day. It included slices of Chaumes, Banon, and St. Agur cheeses. All were very good. My second course was a Mortadella and Provolone Crespelle. This was also delicious. My third and final course was Rustichella Noodles with Scallops. It too was delicious. By this time I was too full to even think about dessert. My total check with tip was $60 and some pennies.
(4)Josh Q.
I am astonished that anyone would give anything less than a 5 star review to Alana's. It's hand down the best food in the city. The only better dining experience, in my opinion, can be found on the patio at Basi. You will savor every bite and, though the portions are more than adequate, you'll be sad when plate is clean.
(5)michael c.
Alana's. I love this place.. Eating here is like going to a friends house and having a loud dinner... if your friend is a master chef and has an amazing waitstaff running around to make everything just so. I've been a fan since she opened and I've personally never had a bad meal. I'll be honest though. I've seen one menu Item come out a bit... flat. ..once. in over 8 years.. Not bad for a restaurant that changes menus every week. On the other hand I've had off the menu chef's specials (think "omakase" here) and on the menu meals that have blown me away at every turn. This is not the most glamorous restaurant in Columbus, nor is it in the nicest location (north campus :-p), but the service is always perfect, the servers knowledgeable and the food delicious and interesting. Couple that with fresh, usually local ingredients and a good reasonable wine list and there it is. note: per person prices can run from $25-100+ depending on what you get and what you do for appetizers and drinks. If you wanna try out Alana's on a budget, come in early, get a reasonable bottle of wine and split an appetizer and salad. you can generally do this for $20-30 a person if you order wisely and get a taste of fine dining out. The staff here has always been helpful and respectful. Don't be afraid to ask, but tip kindly :-)
(5)Molly F.
This place is a rip off. The servers are great, as is the wine, but the food for the price is ridiculous. I had the tomitillo gazpacho which I expected to be full of fresh vegetables, however it was like a $6 salsa in a small bowl. The simple salad claimed to have pistachios, figs and goat cheese, yet I was served 6 pieces of lettuce with a little tablespoon of something ground up on top, I'm assuming it was pistachios and cheese, but nothing was larger than a sesame seed, so it was kind of hard to tell. The steak was ok, but for $36 nothing special. I won't be going back. I don't mind spending money for excellent food, but this place does not deliver.
(1)Kenley M.
Someone took me to eat here a few years ago. Alana's is 0% pretense, 100% execution gourmet food. The location a few blocks North of OSU campus is probably more appropriate for an all-you-can-eat buffet than a fine restaurant, but it works. Alana herself brought us a delightful amuse bouche, and from there on it was one of the best restaurant experiences I've ever had. The chef's personality is as great as her culinary skill. I will return to Alana's after I get a job - it is no place for the broke - and post a more detailed and up-to-date review then.
(5)Brian B.
We sat at the bar, an addition which seems to have fit in wonderfully. Due to my previous experience at Alana's, we were inclined to order mostly appetizers and a salad; all of which were very enjoyable. My previous experience was with a very large party and, perhaps as a result, the entrees were not the same caliber as the appetizers, which were great both times. The service at the bar was pleasant and helpful while not being intrusive. We arrived at shortly before 6 PM (when they open) and were happily seated before they technically opened. Since we did not have reservations and seeing how crowded it got on a cold winter night when the streets were almost unsafe to drive on I would recommend making reservations if you want to be seated in the dinning area and arriving very early if you want to catch a seat at the bar.
(4)Rosalie R.
After having my fill of all the junk food Columbus has to offer I was in serious need of a good, healthful meal. Last night I decided on Alana's. Nestled in a Victorian house near the University, Alana's has a great seasonal menu and a large selection of wine - you may purchase bottles at the state minimum prices and drink it there for a $5 corkage fee. After being seated I think I went a little crazy ordering a glass of wine, appetizer, salad and dessert. I said I was hungry. The wine was a very nice Argentinian Malbec, one of my favorites. Appetizer was a to-die for set of fried chevre' and leek cakes on a bed of beluga lentils. I could have eaten a plate of those lentils by themselves. The salad was made with julienne apples and almonds. It wasn't anything to write home about but the portion was pretty large for salad. For the entree I chose the butternut squash risotto. It was divine and the portion was enough for last night's dinner and today's lunch. Of course I saved room for dessert - the best part by far was the orange pound cake with a heaping scoop of salty caramel ice cream. Oh my... Service was faultless. My waiter, Courtney, was no neophyte. The bill came in at $58 and change - quite reasonable for a four course meal of that quality. My only constructive feedback would be the decor. Based on other reviewers' comments, I was curious to see for myself. The place is just a mess. If you just sat down without looking at a menu you would think you were in a Mexican cantina. The walls are sponged an orange color and the art (for sale) was just bizarre - alligators and little green, yellow and orange people painted on copper plates. The chairs are uncomfortable - kind of like ones you would see in a 1970's board room. The plates and cups are knock-off fiesta ware in a smattering of colors. These adornments just simply don't fit with the quality of food offered. Go there anyway, you won't be disappointed.
(4)Elizabeth N.
This is my favorite special occasion restaurant in Columbus. Everything--the food, the drinks, the service, the music selection, and the decor--lifts my spirits. Really creative options that can be made vegetarian and possibly vegan, like the riesling risotto with cheese, parsnips, and apples that I had tonight. And, as a friend pointed out, the menu changes frequently, allowing for fresh favorites. Service is also impeccable and very friendly--they even made a special note regarding a drink request!
(5)Mark K.
Awesome food!! Great prices!! Two of us dined, wine included, for under $70. Talk about a "mouth orgasm'" this place gives it to ya!!
(5)Charles R.
Went there last Saturday and we had a wonderful meal. A couple people mention the length of time for the meal, well, who wants to be rushed on a Sat. nite when having a nice meal. Yes, the dinner was spaced out over 2 hours, but the server was always around and had we wanted to get out faster I feel confident we could have done so. 4 of us tried the cheese plate, calamari, salad and soft shell crab. All were very tasty and fresh. The lamb bolognese was excellent and the penne was done al dente, which a lot of restaurants don't do. My son had the fish which was moist and seasoned very well. The desserts were all good, but the key lime tart is really tart. Bill for 4 with wine and tax came to $220. I don't consider that bad at all for the quality of food we got. Not much parking on the street, but they do have a lot behind the restaurant.
(4)Ken L.
We had a very strange experience at Alanas. Let's start with the good: The food was awesome. We were presented with an amuse bouche - strawberries, blue cheese, candied nuts, and balsamic, on a leaf of belgian endive. Awesome. My fig appetizer with goat cheese and arugula was great. Ugli tomato salad, prosciutto with melon, thai chicken, very good as well. The only misstep was the beef tenderloin - was very overcooked, and the accompanying corn polenta was not good. The wine list is very good and well chosen - we had a bottle of Sancerre from the Loire. Kudos to Alanas for using Riedels! Pricing is very good at state minimum. The people we interacted with, from the hostesses, to the busboy, to other servers, were all fabulously friendly, with the exception of... OUR SERVER. Who apparently had a stick up his ass the day we visited. Very curt and distanced to the point of rudeness, even when we asked his for recommendations. Our appetizer course took way long, as in tables seated 20 minutes after us were on their entrees. We finally asked our server how the appetizer was doing, and got a reply of "the Ugli tomato salad takes longer". WTF??? Please. We all know you forgot to put the order in, but you can make up a better excuse than that. At this point we've finished the entire bottle of wine and can't drink much more because we both have to drive. The beef tenderloin comes out - medium well instead of the ordered medium-rare. My wife sends it back, and we order one champagne cocktail to share. At this point the waiter is clearly avoiding us - we don't see him in his section for like 25 minutes until the Food Runner (not our server) brings out the replacement filet. Only when the server come back to check on us does he remember we have a drink coming - we're completely done with dinner and totally ready to leave when the last drink comes. We tipped 15%, which is Extremely Punitive for us. We can clearly see that Alana's has the Potential to be a 5 star, and we will definitely be back to give Alanas the chance to earn that rating. Our 1st time there, solely because of the service, Alanas didn't exactly hit the ball out of the ballpark. We are extremely hopeful that this experience was an aberration, since as I mentioned above, we chatted with other servers and they were all extremely friendly. We look forward to (hopefully) more positive experiences at Alanas in the future, although we might have to request a different server if we get the same guy again.
(3)Jennifer B.
I'm really torn when it comes to reviewing Alana's. I've had some fantastic meals here, but I've also had some really disappointing experiences -- the cold, runny goose egg over giant asparagus spears comes to mind -- but the food is definitely more often a hit than a miss. The most wildly swinging element of Alana's is actually the service. The server may be attentive, friendly, knowledgeable, indifferent, rude, or nearly non-existent, depending upon the night. There's also the issue of upkeep and repair of the facility -- if you've eaten on the porch/patio, you may already have noticed -- as the tables, chairs, and entire outdoor area are often in need a good washing, if not replacement of old, damaged items. Although I truly enjoy the creativity of the menu, the nice wine list, and the colorful environment, I would need to see a bit more consistency before I could recommend Alana's with any enthusiasm.
(3)Heather K.
I went to Alana's because a coworker recommended it, but ultimately regretted spending a special occasion there. The drinks were the best part of the experience. The cocktails were unique, not too sweet, well thought out. However, the service was lack luster. Nothing on the menu was really jumping out at me, and the server failed to give me a recommendation when I asked for one. I ended up getting a spaghetti with local mushrooms which was way too powerful- nothing subtle about it. I wanted to send it back and ate very little. A good server would have noticed I was not enjoying it, she however did not even offer a box while my plate sat in front of me for 30 minutes while my boyfriend ate his flavorless lamb and mushy veggies. I don't know how they managed to take the flavor out of lamb, but they succeeded. Not to mention the artwork... did not fit the atmosphere in the least. I would only recommend the place for a fancy cocktail.
(1)Steve W.
No finer place in town. Nothing else even comes close. Go here to check the menu, as she changes it: alanas.com Take a look at her Degustation as well as the menu. A stupendous idea for a special occasion. For personal reasons, the girl friend and I had a very special Christmas a few years ago. As my GF loves to cook, I took her here for the Degustation. I called to set it up. A week before the dinner I went to Alana's and sat down with her and her sommelier to discuss the dinner. Over the course of about an hour I built a six course meal with them. Alana was very good at suggesting changes based on what would work with what (I'm more involved with the eating end, so all this was pretty much beyond me). Wines were picked to complement each and every course. She had to go to Cincinnati for one of the ingredients, but it was done. The evening of the dinner, Alana came out of the kitchen to introduce the course, explain the ingredients and where they came from, and how it meshed with the dinner. Being a cook, my GF loved that. Dinner took almost four hours. Living in Europe has gotten me over the American eat-and-run dining method; I've learned to take my time over dinner and enjoy it. This was worth every minute. And worth every penny. Or, should I say, hundreds of dollars. And it WAS hundreds of dollars. But we talk about that dinner to this day. A memory of an evening that's worth far more than the money. And beyond this, I've never had anything that was less than excellent here. And for people that judge a meal by the money it costs: Alana's is actually cheaper than a lot of higher-priced, big-reputation, overrated restaurants around town (I'm thinking Lindey's here).
(5)Mike T.
This was our first time here. The food is amazingly good. The wine selection is quite extensive and our server was quite knowledgable about food pairings with wines. We had the smoked salmon cheesecake for an appetizer. If I could eat this exclusively for the rest of my life I'd be fine with that. To say this was amazing is like saying Mt. Everest is a nice little hill. Alana will tell you that Emeril used to make one when she was working with him but her's is better. This is a must if you go here. We enjoyed a fantastic frisée salad afterwards. I hate nuts and all things that are not-like. The salad came with hazelnuts, which I also hate, but there were too many of them to pick out so I suffered through them. After my first bite with those pesky little hazelnuts I changed my mind about them and have finally found something that I could eat and actually love them in. The salad was incredible and those nuts really put a great flavor and consistency to the salad. I'd eat that salad again in a heartbeat. I had an incredible fillet with mashed potatoes and peas. My wife had a great penne pasta. Both were very well made and absolutely delightful. For dessert we had the surprise, which was a mango ice cream along with a carrot cake and a torte of some sort, and the flourless chocolate cake with blood oranges. Again, amazing. From what we experienced there was nothing bad about this place although the parking gets tough to find with a later evening reservation. Everyone should eat here once.
(5)Lydia M.
Love this place! Alana comes around once per dinner with a small taste of something interesting, the waitstaff always knows the sources of the meats and produce (local farms!) and the cocktails are delicious. I wouldn't suggest going with the "surprise" dishes unless you have been a couple times and are more familiar with Alana's style to sort of know what to expect. The one exception is her desserts, which are always perfect. Otherwise I've found you can't go wrong with a good old fashion steak.
(5)Arina B.
My husband and I have been going to Alana's for years, she is an extremely talented self taught chef with miles of experience, appreciating with Emeril Lagasse. We hadn't been there for at least 1-1/2 years and we were really excited to go there on a Saturday night. I had started the meal with a Garbage Salad, nice and cold, good, but nothing to write home about. The bread we got was delicious, but be warned you're paying $2.00 for a SMALL amount of bread, if you want more, you pay some more. This is sort of reasonable considering alot of patrons going to high end restaurants try to get free bread to take home, but it would have been nice to START the meal with free bread, since our total bill with tip was over $200 with three glasses of wine for 3 people. Onto the entrees: we decided to get the Surprise. Now you can ask the waiter for hints and he won't budge. The Surprises we ordered were $50.00 each. They turned out to be filet mignons with a polenta side. The meat and polenta were delicious, but I thought it was a high markup for this dish. We ended with a Dessert Surprise and apple pie. The Dessert Surprise was a piece of chocolate cake and a small piece of flourless chocolate cake. I thought the chocolate cake with the frosting rosettes was a packaged mix (ala Betty Crocker). The pie had walnuts and was good topped with real whipped cream, nothing you couldn't make at home. At one time they had a pastry chef making the desserts, but I think they're saving some money by probably making the desserts themselves on premise.
(2)