Restaurant Review: Artful Italian Fare at Downtown's Speck

According to his online bio, Josh Dalton is from New Orleans.

That explains so much.

New Orleans has always seemed like such an important culinary capital in the U.S. – a place with a serious cultural appreciation for food and commitment to flair and flavor. And Dalton’s been making waves locally in terms of his own culinary sensibilities. His style doesn’t seem particularly Southern or Cajun per se, but the chef’s commitment to fabulous foods on the local scene is downright legendary.

Dalton’s Central Ohio projects started with the opening of 1808 American Bistro in Delaware. Then he introduced the fancy Veritas, which later moved from Delaware to Downtown Columbus. He also introduced Speck in Delaware…which also moved Downtown. So, for Dalton, Delaware’s sort of like an incubator…nah, exactly like an incubator. (And that “incubator” space is currently hosting seafood-focused joint Cove.)

Open since February, Speck’s now all settled in on High Street in Downtown Columbus proper. The area is perhaps in transition, as it positions itself to address declining needs for office space, and increasing needs for residential space. However it evolves, Speck seems to be positioned to please. It looks Downtown sophisticated, mixing primitive elements with plantlife, polished seating and some pretty arches that suggest Old World Italy.

Plus, everyone likes Italian food.

Confit wings are a good starting point for the thoughtful eater. “Confit” is an old-school term that’s typically applied to frying things at a lower temperature for a longer time. However Speck’s kitchen manages it, the end result is flavorful knobs with (yes) tender meat amped up with a one-two punch of Calabrian chili and lemon ($16).

Or perhaps something that integrates speck itself? The restaurant’s name is a reference to a particularly luxurious cured meat. For that, there is Speck + Burrata ($17). Artfully served, each slice is folded so it almost resembles something floral. It arrives with giardiniera and slabs of bread with a bowl of creamy burrata that steals the show. It’s hard for anything to compete with a dreamy cloud of cheese.

Despite the speck-centric name, the restaurant also had a defined dedication to the pasta-arts. The menu typically features pairings of pasta types (ranging from a girthy buccatini to cone-like camponelle) with thoughtful companions. So the robust Sausage Ragu ($19) is teamed with mafaldine, a long, curly-edged pasta, and stracciatella for a dimension of richness.

To wash it down, the house wine list features mostly Italian offerings, sold by either glass or bottle. There are also cocktails including some creative house concoctions. The one named simply Italian Region features a potent mix of bison grass vodka, gin, prickly pear, agave, lime and chili ($14).

And then there’s dessert. Lemon Cookies ($6) might be easy to overlook, but with a lavish lid of powdered sugar that spills over into the plate, you’ll know you made the right choice, even before appreciating the fresh lemony flavors imparted by the soft, chewy cookie. They seem to be somehow gluten-free, which perhaps explains their velvety intensity.

You’ll find Speck at 89 N. High St. It’s open Saturday evenings as well as weekdays for lunch and dinner.

For more information, visit speckrestaurant.com.

All photos by Susan Post