If you’ve ever driven I – 75 though Ohio you quickly realize two things. One, it can be pretty boring. Mile after mile of farm land wallpaper the view. Don’t get me wrong, farms can be nice to look at but after an hour or so, it gets a bit monotonous.
Secondly, finding a good spot to eat can be a bit of a challenge if you’re not a fan of chain restaurants. Obviously I’m not and at times it can be tough to find a decent “Indie.”
If however you find yourself in the middle of the state get off at exit 111, drive into town and hit up Woody’s diner in Wapakoneta.
Wapak as locals refer to it, would probably be nothing more than another in the string of small towns along 75 were it not for a gentleman named Neil Armstrong. You know, “One small step for mankind” etc. Born in 1930 to Stephen and Viola the family left in his early years for a series of moves until finally resettling in time for Neil to attend high school. A museum honouring the Naval and Aerospace hero is right off the highway and certainly worth a stop.
It’s also in football country. Buckeye football that is. So Woody’s is as you can imagine a bit of a shrine to all things Ohio State football. Autographed pictures, jerseys and other memorabilia adorn the walls. The name Woody’s is in honour of legendary OSU coach, Woody Hayes.
Otherwise the space is pretty much just about function. Simple tables and chairs with booths lining three sides and a bar by the kitchen.
One other thing about Woody’s. They appreciate a good laugh. Big fans of A Christmas Story the center piece of their Christmas decorating is the “Can Can” dancer leg lamp they put in the front window a la Mr. Parker.
Woody’s does a lunch buffet which is taken well advantage of by locals and of course, us. Todays offerings are reviewed below.
I will tell you that the buffet tastes much better than the picture would indicate.
The Broasted chicken (left) was very good. Broasting is a trademarked method of deep frying chicken in a pressure cooker. (It’s how the Colonel does his chicken.) It produces a crispy skin with a juicy interior and this was no exception. The breading was minimally seasoned so it tasted mostly of juicy chicken. Nothing at all wrong with that.
The chicken and noodles (front) were pretty solid. Just think school cafeteria chicken soup but half the broth and/or twice the noodles. It was loaded with good size pieces of chicken too. Quite tasty.
I had a piece of the sub (right) as well and while it didn’t wow, I thought it was pretty good.
I skipped the mashed potatoes (back).
Also part of the buffet is pizza. Constructed and cooked on site they had a nice fresh crust with a zingy sauce that was well balanced with cheese. The toppings were a bit minimal and more or less just played in the background. I had no problem with that so all in all, a very enjoyable pie.
Being a burger lover it was tough for me to pass it over but I noticed a guy at the next table ordered one. It was cooked medium (if that’s your cup of tea) and he very much enjoyed it.
For a little more fun they have the “Big Woody” challenge. A 4 lb hamburger, a pound of fries and a pound of coleslaw. If you eat it all in an hour its free and you get an “I ATE THE BIG WOODY “ T-Shirt. I wonder how much longer it will be before Adam Richman and the Man vs. Food crew pay a visit.
So in an area flush with the big chain places it’s nice to find a place where you can get some good solid chow in a nice, friendly environment.
You can find Woody’s at 9 N. Wood St. in Wapakoneta, Ohio.
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You can also “Like” them on Facebook.
Well that’s all for now folks. Take care and we’ll see ya next time in the food court.
Davwud
In Spanish it reads “Un sabor unico y exquisito” and is the banner for Autentica Spanish Food and Empanadas. It’s also hard not to agree. The little bakery and cafe (panaderia y café) in back of the Plaza Latina (more on that later) in the north west corner of Toronto is offering up a taste of Chile. From sweets, to breads, to empanadas there’s a little something for everyone.
While not very large right now, Toronto’s Central and South American population is growing. More and more migrant workers are heading to Canada and the GTA seeking work. Often in the fertile farm land that surrounds the city. A sub culture of Latin restaurants and bakeries is sprouting up in and around the city. Carving out it’s own niche among the many different ethnic restaurants and neighbourhoods.
Autentica’s Plaza location (there’s another in Brampton) does a bustling business. Mostly within the burgeoning Spanish speaking community but more and more North Americans are discovering the many delights Chile has to offer. The shop is clean and does have a good amount of English so it’s not nearly as intimidating as other vendors. The staff are smiling and always willing to help. I think they enjoy the fact that “Gringos” are interested in their native flavours.
Chile’s culinary traditions are based in it’s Spanish heritage with Middle Eastern, German and Mediterranean influences. The anorexic country’s extensive coastline means seafood features prominently. As do beef, maize (corn), olives and potatoes. And that doesn’t even include the wine.
Certainly a staple of Chilean (and basically all Spanish speaking countries) are empanadas. Larger in size than most and oddly enough using wheat dough rather than the plentiful corn meal for a casing, they come in several different varieties including, of course, seafood. 
Also popular among Chileans, especially in the Patagonia region are sandwiches. Fresh breads are stuffed with a variety of meats and condiments and sometimes named after famous Chilean politicians. A prime example being the popular Barros Luco. A terrific steak and cheese sandwich named in honour of President Ramon Barros Luco.
But enough of this, ondele!
This visit my dining partners and I split a number of different offerings.
From the sandwich line we opted for the Chacarero. The English, translation is a farmer who works in a marsh. So roughly speaking, this is a farmers sandwich. Tender, grilled steak with fresh tomatoes, French cut green beans and mayonnaise on fresh bread. A rather unique combination that’s a meal in itself. 
In the empanada department we opted for both chorizo and seafood. Probably my favourite all time the chorizo is well stuffed, not overly spicy and just plain tasty. The rope edging to seal the pastry is a nice touch.
The seafood was a mixture of fish and shrimp and if you’re a fish lover you’re in business. Fishy in a good way and downright tasty. Okay, it’s also my favourite.
A couple bowls (actually, they’re called molcajete) of salsa are there for you to help yourself. Both empanadas were able to stand on their own but also benefited from the mildly spicy garnish. 
Perhaps equalling the main part of the meal is the sweets for desert. 
The pastry case has many delicious looking treats and we settled milhojas (me-low-ha's) and dulce de leche (caramel) churros.
The churros were very good. I’d like a little more cinnamon as I find it a great balance against sweet. All in all, very good.
Borrowing from the French influence milhojas are the Spanish equivilent of a Mille-feuille or Napolean. Layers of puff pastry and dulce de leche sandwiched and glazed then topped with powdered sugar. A very nice and yet not cloyingly sweet treat.
You can find Autentica in the Plaza Latina foodcourt at 9 Milvan Ct., Toronto, On.
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Well that’s all for now from the foodcourt. ‘Til next time, adios.
Davwud
