Singer Chrissie Hynde plans to expand vegan concept here
Tuesday, February 26, 2008 2:57 AM
By Bill Chronister


Rocker Chrissie Hynde's emerging second career as a restaurateur is about to make its next stop in Columbus.

Hynde and restaurant manager Daniel Duplain are looking for sites in the Downtown area for a second edition of their VegiTerranean Restaurant and Bar.

The original restaurant opened a little more than three months ago in Akron.

"Chrissie and I were in town (two weeks ago) to scout for locations," Duplain said. "We've made a commitment to ourselves that we want to be in the Downtown or in the Short North."

He and developers Paul and Joel Testa intend to visit Columbus again in the next few weeks to settle on a location. They hope to have the restaurant built and open by midsummer.

"We intend to have restaurants in all Ohio's major cities before long," Duplain said. "But we're starting with Columbus."

Hynde is widely known for leading the new-wave rock band the Pretenders, which formed in the late 1970s and became known for hit songs such as Brass in Pocket and Back on the Chain Gang.

Born in Akron in 1951, Hynde attended Kent State University until the shootings on May 4, 1970. She has written about the area in her songs, including the haunting My City Was Go ne, which tells of a city where "There was no downtown, South Howard had disappeared, All my favorite places, My city had been pulled down."

Hynde sees her Akron restaurant as providing a little help in the effort to rebuild.

"I think it's turning a corner," she told The Dispatch late last year.

Beyond caring about the area where she grew up, Hynde also is widely known as an activist for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

The menu, which is described as vegan and kosher style, features dishes named after northeastern Ohio icons such as Ghoulardi (Ernie Anderson, Cleveland TV host of late-night monster movies) and alcohol-free versions of cocktails, named for "Dr. Bob" Smith, co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. (The restaurant also serves a full line of alcoholic beverages.)

The food is Mediterranean style, with prices for entrees less than $20. Many of the items offer the opportunity to add Gardein chicken and steak substitutes -- a departure from many vegan restaurants, which avoid even the pretense of meat in their dishes. The menu was developed with the aid of chefs from Veg Advantage, a recipe-development consultant.

Duplain said the Columbus version of the restaurant will be much like the Akron one: "eclectic, trendy, European, industrial."

The dishes named after celebrities probably will reflect names that resonate with central Ohio residents.

VegiTerranean favorites
Appetizers
• Frito Misto: fresh vegetables dipped in a tempura batter and deep fried, served with sweet basil chili sauce; $11

• Italian Banana Peppers: yellow peppers filled with fresh herb risotto and soy mozzarella with fresh basil lime sauce; $9

Entrees
• Gardein Chicken Picatta: Gardein chicken sauteed with lemon, white wine, capers and soy butter, served with braised greens and olive oil and white bean mashed potatoes; $19

• The Ghoulardi Pizza: banana peppers, olives, mushrooms, red onion and a spicy marinara sauce; $12

• Any of the pastas

Fucking sweet.

Yeah I posted about her restaurant because I thought people would like to know about a new restaurant in town, but if someone considers me a terrorist for eating meat, I have no desire to eat in her restaurant. I don't like spending time around intolerant people.

Animal rights whackjobs.


along these lines, how the hell did approval come for using a Pretenders song on the Rush Limbaugh show?

I could be wrong but I don't think he needs her approval as long as he pays whatever ASCAP/royalty fees they have to pay for playing the song.

here's some more for you sweetie.