Ethyl & Tank, located across the street from the Ohio State University campus, has a price point to attract the college crowd, but inventive enough to make it a destination restaurant.
“I think it’s a little of both,” general manager Kevin Arnold said. “Obviously, because we’re so close to campus, it’s going to be our biggest customer base, but we open our doors for everyone.”
Part of the A&R Creative Group – a restaurant group that owns several brands such as the Market, Alchemy and Hoof Hearted Brewery & Kitchen – Ethyl & Tank opened in 2014.
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Under the direction of chef Gabriel Zarate, Ethyl & Tank relies chiefly on scratch-made dishes that are both hearty and priced to meet most budgets.
The Cajun chicken pasta ($12) once was a special, but became so popular it made the regular rotation, Arnold said. The dish offers penne, chicken and red and green bell peppers tossed in zesty Parmesan sauce. Arnold called it “very rich and very filling as well.”
“I think that is probably in our top three biggest sellers right now,” he said.
The house-made hot sauce gives a spicy edge to the Buffalo chicken dip ($10), loaded with cheese and ranch, and served with house tortilla chips.
“The dip itself isn’t that spicy,” Arnold said. “It has a nice kick to it. The sauce on its own is maybe something you wouldn’t want to eat too much of.”
In the crispy hot chicken sandwich ($11), the breast meat is marinated in buttermilk and tossed in flour for being deep-fried. It is topped with traditional garnishes, cheese, coleslaw and spicy garlic aioli.
“A lot of people aren’t fans of coleslaw, but the way (Zarate) does it, it complements that taste,” Arnold said. “With aioli and pickles, they go together almost perfectly.”
Ethyl & Tank extends a hand to the vegan crowd with several dishes, such as the fried Buffalo cauliflower tacos and another version made with falafel ($2.50 each).
Yet, having a good burger is a must for most Columbus restaurants, and the OG Ethyl option ($12) fits the bill, Arnold said.
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Two patties, bacon, cheddar, tomato, chipotle aioli and ketchup are served on a brioche and, as all sandwiches, comes with a side of fries.
“The patties are juicy, the bacon is perfectly crispy, the cheese is perfectly melted,” he said. “The bun has a slight toast to it. Biting into it is a combination of beautiful flavors.”
On the brunch meu, the breakfast balls ($9) are deep-fried orbs stuffed with potatoes, bacon, cheddar, eggs and green onion with garlic aioli on the side.
“I love cheese-filled things,” Arnold said. “The only thing I love more than cheese-filled things is dipping them into a delicious sauce.”
The breakfast tacos (three for $9) have eggs, sour cream, lettuce, pico de gallo and house-seasoned chorizo. Bacon also is available.
“I wouldn’t call it too spicy,” Arnold said of the sausage. “It has a nice flavor but a small kick to it as well.”
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Ethyl & Tank
Where: 19 E. 13th Ave., near OSU
kitchen hours: noon to 9:30 pm Tuesdays through Thursdays; noon to 10 p.m. Saturdays; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays; closed Mondays
Contact: 614-706-4646, https://ethylandtank.com/
