Crystal Park hopes to open Cray by late March. (Outlook photo by Andrew Williams)
By Kristen Spicker
A small-town girl leaves home in hopes of experiencing other cultures, and along the way she discovers her dreams.
It sounds like a fairytale, but it’s reality for Crystal Park, who’s planning to bring a taste of the exotic to Columbus’s restaurant scene with Cray Eatery & Drinkery. She’s shooting for a late-March opening in the old Wonder Bread building in Italian Village.
“The more you travel, the more you’ll find interesting drink and food recipes that people really haven’t thought about here in the US,” Park said. “Everyone has their own flavor, and it’s interesting to throw it all together and introduce … what other people eat and drink in their own cultures.”
Her passport and menu boast stamps from all over world, including Mexico, Canada, China, Cambodia, Bali and the Gili Islands. Although Cray’s menu features a bar-hopper’s favorite, sliders, Park plans to take the dish up a notch and add a little extra flavor.
“I am definitely excited to introduce the slider spin on chicken and waffles,” Park said. “I think it will be a crowd favorite.”
Another example of Park’s travels influencing her menu can be found behind Cray’s bar, which will stock different infused liquors. Infusing liquor with different foods, spices and fruits gives the alcohol a new identity and also creates a more diverse cocktail menu.
Two she thinks will be crowd favorites: Slim Jim-infused bourbon and a Werther’s Originals-infused vodka.
(photos via Facebook)
While the inspiration for the menu veers toward the exotic, Cray’s location at the iconic Wonder Bread building is a familiar site for Columbus locals.
Park originally struggled finding the perfect space for her eatery but said, “The minute I stepped into the Wonder Bread factory, I knew it was the future home of my new restaurant and bar.”
The Wonder Bread building featured two of Park’s biggest wishes for a location: cool and convenient.
“I wanted something Downtown but with free parking for customers so they don’t have to experience the hassle of finding a meter or paying for parking,” she said. “I never thought such a place existed until I came across the space at the old Wonder Bread factory. It is exactly what I wanted; the inside is gorgeous, and customers will always have a free place to park.”
With the building’s factory architecture, the location also helped Park establish the perfect vibe for the restaurant.
“Cray will have a very relaxed atmosphere where people can come in and hang out, enjoy some food and drinks, and not feel rushed,” she said.
The theme of relaxation and comfort also follows through to the menu. While Park was heavily influenced by the exotic flavor of foreign cuisines, she wanted people of all backgrounds to be able to find their new favorite dish at Cray.
“My menu will offer something to a wide variety of people from meat lovers to vegetarians,” she said. “It will offer a little taste of around the world, and hopefully that will pull in people with different cultures and backgrounds. It will be a little melting pot of gourmet sliders and drinks.”
Cray also will host weekend brunch hours, and Park said the menu will help customers nurse their morning hangovers with something other than the standard waffles and omelets. Early birds can munch on chicken and waffle sliders with infused maple syrup while sipping on bloody marys infused with pickle or garlic flavors.
Park said she wants to create a laid-back restaurant with an inclusive and diverse palate. Despite Columbus’s competitive dinning scene, people already are talking about her venture.
“The support has been incredible. I constantly have friends texting me to let me know they are hearing a lot of rave about it. The word has gotten around way faster than I ever imagined,” Park said. “I am also blessed with a huge support system of friends who spread the word any chance they get. I think everyone is very excited to see the Italian Village starting to boom.”
You can follow the progress and get word on the opening date for Cray Eatery & Drinkery via the restaurant’s Facebook page. If you know of an LGBT-owned business that should be featured in outlook, email Editor Bob Vitale at bvitale@outlookmedia.com.
