We recently took advantage of one of the last nice weekends for the foreseeable future and got to eat outside at TownHall, located right next to the West Side Market in Ohio City. The place was hopping, and because they don’t take reservations on weekends, it took the two of us a good half hour to get in, which almost never happens.
The front and back of the restaurant are completely open, at least when it’s warm out, so even eating inside is like dining on a covered patio. The patio itself is spacious and features a variety of seating options, from regular tables to bar-style seating to couches and low tables. Definitely eat outside if you can.
The menu is a conglomeration of salads, burgers, flatbreads, bowls, and larger entrees. Style is all over the board – there’s a little Greek, a little Asian, a little Mexican, and some modern American. Lots of vegan/vegetarian/gluten-free options too if you’re looking for that. Should be something for just about everybody. They also boast a unique drink menu, with many mixes that I’ve never before come across.
We started with the yucca fries, which were accompanied by three different dips: a smoky ketchup, green chili mojo sauce, and red pepper-garlic aioli. The fries and dips were good (aioli was our favorite), but several of the fries had bits of core (hard and fibrous); the core is just about impossible to chew, so we had to discreetly spit the pieces out.
S tried the Kobe Beef Bolognese bowl and loved it. Rich, flavorful sauce with lots of meat and vegetables, all over spaghetti squash. I went with something a little bigger and got the bone-in lamb chops, served with sweet potato bacon hash and caramelized Brussels sprouts. Lots of different things going on with this dish, but nothing that takes away from the rest, and the lamb was cooked perfectly.
The verdict: Town Hall gets five stars out of seven. Food was mostly excellent, service was prompt, and prices are pretty good too (entrees $17-20; burgers, sandwiches, bowls $9-12). Worth a lunch or dinner stop after you finish up at the West Side Market.
Leave a Reply