I’m going to be thinking about our meal at Isla for a long time.
Isla in Merion Village is easily one of Columbus’ best restaurants. It grew out of husband-and-wife duo Andrew Smith and Devoney Mills hosting supper clubs at their home for several years, and the restaurant follows that same sense of hospitality and community centered around food and drink with a story.
Their restaurant space is tucked into the same building as Jennings Java Coffee Roasters. It’s warmly decorated with books and plants.
The menu changes monthly, but each bite we had was interesting, fun, and thoughtfully constructed.
And the beverage game is strong at Isla. They offer a small collection of cocktails, beers, and an accomplished wine list. We started with a pair of cocktails, an Old Fashioned and a paloma.
Later in the meal I tasted a 2023 Bernabeleva ‘Camino de Navaherreros’ Garnacha from Madrid, Spain that was remarkable.
And it’s hard to argue with a good dirty martini.
If you sit at the chef’s counter, you get a front row seat to chefs Andrew and Dan preparing the meal. But even the table seats keep you in the center of the action.
Isla features coursed tasting menus that rotate every month. By my count we had eight dishes throughout the meal, from little welcome bites to mid-course refreshers to bigger plates and desserts. Chef Andrew explained each bite, the history and technique and design behind it.
It’s hard to describe everything we had, but my two favorite bites were…
1. A simple tomato sandwich that’s a blend of heritage, technique, and seasonality: chef Andrew’s grandmother’s biscuit recipe + fresh tomato + homemade mayonnaise.
2. Chef Andrew came up with the idea for a “salmon wing,” taking the fatty and rich tail of a salmon, then seasoning it into one of the most juicy, flavorful bites I’ve had in a long time. I seriously tried it eat it as slowly as possible.
The rest of the meal included bites like classic pork loin with potatoes, mushrooms, a fascinating preparation of tomatoes, their take on a pork rind, and more. They focus on sustainable practices that minimize waste.
And we finished with a couple sweets, like their signature supermoon ice cream with toasted marshmallow.
And a scoop of frozen melon atop a hidden cache of popcorn.
The evening concluded with a nip of Amaro from the cart.
Truly a memorable night, and one of the most unique dining experiences in Columbus.
I’m going to be thinking about this meal for a long time. Each bite was fun, surprising, comforting. Truly a demonstration of great talent and warm hospitality.
You can reserve the communal table tasting menu for $150 per person (not including drinks, tax, and gratuity), and you can book for groups from 1-8. Seats at the chef’s counter are $200 per person.
Isla offers reserved seatings Thursday, Fridays, and Saturdays.
Isla
116 E. Moler St.
Columbus, OH 43207
Web: isla614.com
IG: @isla_rasc