Chapman’s Eat Market – Spiciest Dish in Columbus Series

Everything looks more inviting in the snow.

Sitting on the corner of East Frankfort and South 3rd in German Village is a cozy diner-esque restaurant that opened in August of 2020. We’ve got a huge amount of respect for anyone that opens a restaurant mid-pandemic and Champan’s Eat Market is included on that list.

Taking a different approach than most restaurants, Chapman’s Eat Market is using the pandemic to their advantage, taking reservations, but in-house diners will be treated to an 8-course Tasting Menu, with the menu not being released until 24 hours prior to your visit. It’s a cool take on getting to cook more seasonal offerings that we’ve not seen anywhere else. Their upcoming seasonal menu at the end of February is a “Journey through Vietnam” from Chef Matt Larkin. Sounds pretty darn tasty.

Outside of food, Chapman’s Eat Market also does their part to give back to the community, featuring a “Partnership of the Quarter.” This quarter they are teaming up to support the Children’s Hunger Alliance and assist the “more than 510,000 children across Ohio that live in food-insecure households.”

The backgrounds of all those cooking at Chapman’s Eat Market is evident in their rotation of foods as well as their highlighted dishes/features on Instagram. Takeout and delivery are also available to folks, and Chapman’s continues to add, swap, and update foods on the menu. They also have a broad selection of “to-go” cocktails to choose from, and their own pints of ice cream including Cranberry-Orange-Almond and Chocolate Chip Cannoli to name a few.

On this particular visit, we were rolling up for two dishes, the Spicy Karaage Chicken Sando and their Roasted Pork Belly Sandwich, a Wednesday special. We also snagged some shoestring fries and ice cream (pints are single-serving size right?).

So I’ll say it. These Shoestring Fries may be the only shoestring fries I’ve liked. A little limp and easily grabbable, the fries were easier to snag than the typical shoestring fries we see where you give up and use a fork. Cooked in beef fat, these were a great side to go along with the sandwiches and I’m happy to dish out a new “best shoestring fries in Columbus” award to Chapman’s Eat Market.

Fluffy bread, a kewpie mayo and bulldog sauce pulled the Pork Belly sandwich together nicely. Many folks overlook the power of kewpie mayo, but especially for Japanese-inspired sandwiches, that kewpie mayo just hits different. A special thanks to the pigs from Centerburg, Ohio for making the sandwich possible. With a limited menu and the ability to create new dishes at will, Chapman’s Eat Market leverages locally-sourced ingredients and meats whenever possible.

Now, how about their spiciest dish?

The Spicy Karaage Chicken Sando is a fried chicken thigh with “herby ranch, gochujang, pickled cabbage, and potato brioche bun.” As a chicken fan in general, we applaud the decision for thigh over breast. Now if you’re thinking, “that doesn’t sound all that spicy for a spicy chicken sando,” then you are correct.

Traditional gochujang is a fermented red chili paste that comes off as sweet, a little tangy/funky, and more savory than spicy, but with a slight kick. Combined with ranch and pickled cabbage, the heat of the gochujang is escorted away, leaving the savory and sweet to play alone with the sandwich.

The “spicy” moniker on any food leads us to believe there will be a bit of a kick from cayenne, jalapeño, any variety of fresh or ground peppers, or some semblance of Scovilles, but this one comes up short in that department. Many spicy chicken sandwiches at fast-food spots will get you more of that spicy tingle (though the overall flavor won’t be close to this sando).

Yes, we know not all food needs to be spicy, but because of the name, and the name of this series, the Spicy Karaage Chicken Sando lands on the list at #93, just after Crazzy Greek Fire Feta Fries and before the Siam Orchid Crazy Noodles.

Open Tuesday-Saturday from 5:00pm-9:00pm, you can find Chapman’s Eat Market at 739 S 3rd St. Columbus, OH 43206.

Look below for more in our spiciest dish in Columbus series and hit us up if you have any suggestions that are not already on our list!

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