Supper on a Stick: Skewers are Everywhere Right Now in Columbus
A whirlwind tour of 15+ countries, and the meat-on-sticks that unite them; plus, food news
Where to Find Kebab, Yakitori, Suya & Other Skewers in Columbus
By Bethia Woolf
From Brazilian churrasco and Pakistani tandoori grilling to Persian kefta and Indonesian satay, eating meat on skewers is a truly global affair and one that probably dates back to the earliest human cooking. Over the centuries, this primitive cooking method of meat and fire has been refined and adapted to local ingredients and flavors. Today, many of these international delicacies are available in Columbus and we can enjoy a multitude of international variations.
China
Barbecue
While Jiu Thai Asian Cafe has offered Northern-style charcoal-grilled skewers since opening in 2012, there has been a recent proliferation of restaurants offering Chinese barbecue skewers. These range from barbecue-focused skewer restaurants like Zhu Shi Fu BBQ on Summit Avenue and Hunan Bistro (formerly K House) on Bethel Road, both of which offer a wide selection of skewers, to all-you-can-eat hot pot and Mala Tang restaurants such as ER-GE BBQ Hot Pot Buffet and Hey Broth. Chinese barbecue is usually seasoned with cumin and chili powder. Lamb, beef, chicken, offal and sausage are all fair game, and individual skewers hold a small amount of meat. Think snack size rather than entrée. You order skewers individually, so you can get a variety.
Hot Pot
Chinese barbecue is not the only Chinese meat on a stick. The newly opened Gold Cudgel offers skewer-style Sichuan hot pot, where skewered meats and other ingredients are cooked in a pot of bubbling broth. Find more details in our recent post.
Japan
Yakitori derives from the Japanese words “yaki” (to grill) and “tori” (bird) and has a long history in Japan, becoming more ubiquitous in the 1960s when chicken became more widely available and affordable. Yakitori-focused restaurants became a popular after-work stop where office workers would enjoy beer and skewers. Yakitori is known for using all parts of the chicken, with two main seasonings: tare, a sweet sauce based on soy sauce and mirin, and shio, simply seasoned with salt. More recently, yakitori restaurant menus have evolved to include other meats and vegetable skewers.
While Columbus has no dedicated yakitori restaurants, several offer yakitori on their menus. You’ll find a limited selection of skewers at Yoshi’s Japanese Restaurant, Stories on High, Domo and Tensuke Ramen.
Stories on High offers a traditional negima yakitori skewer with alternating pieces of scallion and chicken thigh and a tare glaze, as well as wagyu steak, lobster and quail skewers. The quail yakitori skewer is a highlight, especially as part of an omakase dinner.
Walking into Cobra on a busy night, it’s hard not to notice the enticing smell of charcoal grilling. Chef Odine Hong explains that the kitchen uses a special Thai-style charcoal from Thaan Charcoal, which burns hotter and longer than regular charcoal, in a traditional Japanese-style grill. Cobra’s skewer menu, dubbed “From the Yakitori,” offers an eclectic selection with international influences spanning Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese. The current lineup includes pork belly with kimchi-pineapple, lemongrass pork shoulder and short rib negimaki. Hong says the skewers will rotate seasonally. A standout is the negimaki: thinly sliced short rib rolled around a scallion and paired, like each skewer option, with its own distinct sauce.
Southeast Asia
This region offers a wealth of flavorful skewers, from Filipino barbecued pork to Indonesian and Thai satay. At the family-run Filipino restaurant Laguna Bay Bistro, pork is marinated with soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic and onion powder, and the skewers are served with a house-made tomato-based barbecue sauce. You can also find Filipino skewers locally at Bonifacio.
The food truck Lovely’s Lao Street Eats offers both Thai-style chicken satay, marinated with curry powder, coconut milk, turmeric, fish sauce, lemongrass and garlic, as well as Cambodian beef sticks marinated with a paste of lemongrass, galangal, garlic and lime leaves. Thai-style satay is also available at restaurants such as Bangkok, Erawan and Thai Golden Bowl. We look forward to Nusantara Indo Kitchen (opening in Clintonville) to bring Indonesian satay to the table.
Africa
Originating with the Hausa people of Northern Nigeria, suya has become a popular street food throughout Nigeria and West Africa. It is heavily spiced with a mix known as yaji, which typically includes ground peanuts, ginger, garlic, spices and paprika. The thinly sliced meat is ideally cooked over an open flame for a smoky flavor. Beef is most common, but other meats are used. Find chicken and beef suya in Columbus at Foodateria Kitchen.
As a former French colony, Senegal carries a French influence into its cuisine, including brochettes, named after the French word for skewer. Head to Dabakh Restaurant on Cleveland Avenue to try the restaurant’s take on a beef kebab.
At Riziki Swahili Grill you’ll find Swahili mishkaki (meat skewers) which are a popular street food in Kenya and Tanzania. They’re available in beef or chicken and are marinated with a garlic-ginger paste, lime juice, black pepper and chili powder. At Riziki they are served with zege (chipsi mayai), a potato omelette and kachumbari (tomato and onion salad).
Central & South America
Brazilians tend to favor larger-format skewers from which meat is carved tableside rather than individual sticks. While there are several chain Brazilian steakhouses in town, our go-to is Brazilian Grill & Bakery on 161, where we recommend the picanha (both beef and lamb), sausage and chicken hearts.
The Cactus in Powell offers brochetas, the Venezuelan take on skewers. Similar to shish kebabs, they are offered with either beef or chicken, interspersed with vegetables and served with chimichurri. Well-seasoned and dramatically presented, they’re a substantial entree.
Turkey
Cafe Istanbul offers a wide selection of Turkish-style kebabs, including shish (cubes), döner (rotisserie), Adana (spiced) and kofta (ground). The mixed grill platter is a great sampler of the different styles. Our Turkish expert Hatice Kucuker likes the Adana kebabs at the restaurant’s Riverside Drive location.
The Middle East
Central Ohio’s food scene offers a wealth of Middle Eastern kebab options. Some favorites include Kurdish kebabs at Silav Cafe and kefta kebabs at Family Restaurant & Bakery on 161. The charcoal-grilled flavors at Palestinian-owned Mashawee Stop in Westerville are also worth a visit. Sadly, Columbus’ Persian options are limited and the longtime stalwart Jeddo Kebab is still missed. However, there are a few places to scratch the itch, including Downtown’s Charmy’s Market and Linworth Grill.
Pakistan
For Pakistani-style kebabs, the go-to is Tandoori Grill, which will come as no surprise to anyone who joined the Columbus Food Adventures’ Meat Lovers Tour. Favorites include the chicken seekh kebab, made of spiced minced chicken and also available in beef and lamb, and the reshmi chicken kebab with marinated boneless chicken.
This list is far from complete. With everything from Korean corn dogs to whatever new creations appear at the Ohio State Fair, there’s always something new (and portable!) on a stick. Let us know your favorites and what we should try next.
Notes
Around the Columbus Food & Drink Scene
Columbus Monthly’s Linda Lee Baird reported this week that Mezcla owner Garrett Talmage is planning to open a cocktail bar and cold tapas restaurant named Coldbar in Italian Village. Mezcla (1022 Summit St.) remains temporarily closed for repairs after a van crashed into the restaurant’s entrance in January. Talmage told Monthly that he hopes to reopen Mezcla in May or June.
The locally owned instant matzo ball soup brand NOOISH, which we wrote about here, recently announced Fress Takes: Feasting on Joy, a three-event Jewish culinary series. First up on May 14 is a talk featuring Jake Dell, owner of the legendary Katz’s Deli in New York, alongside his wife, Amy Dell, owner of Sababa Foods. The event is open to everyone and takes place at ECDI Food Fort, 1655 Old Leonard Ave. Reserve tickets at fresstakes.com.