Try dim sum, an Indian buffet, simulated golf or drag for a different Mother's Day brunch
Moms aren't all the scrambled-eggs-and-hash-browns type.
Some want a side of lip-synching with their Mother's Day brunch, and some would rather play golf. Some might like to cook on the holiday, but not for everyone. And some might prefer a little something that's not often found on a traditional American buffet line.
We've got you, Mom. Here are some Mother's Day dining ideas for you. If you need us to send this list to anyone in your life, just send their email along.
Golden Girls Drag Brunch
Mimosas must not have been trendy in the 1980s because, if they had been, Blanche, Dorothy, Rose and Sophia most certainly would have been sipping them out on the lanai instead of wolfing down cheesecake in the kitchen every chance they got.
They're bound to be on the menu for the Golden Girls Brunch at District West, where drag performances by Holliwood West, Eris Grey, Selena West, Samantha Rollins, Maya Bizness and Madam Woods are to be hosted by Virginia West
Details: Doors open at noon, and the show starts at 1 p.m. Tickets are $30 each and include brunch. Location: District West is at 145 N. 5th St., Downtown; districtwest614.com.
More: Five popular LGBTQ bars and clubs in Columbus everyone can enjoy
Cooking, but not cleaning
We're pretty sure the idea of Mother's Day brunch is for someone else to do the work, but The Kitchen promises that this one "includes only the FUN parts of cooking!" (The capital FUN and exclamation point are part of that promise, too.)
So what is participatory dining, The Kitchen's niche? It allows guests to slice, dice, bake and/or sauté items for their meal, while the restaurant staff does the prep work, serving and cleanup.
This four-course spring brunch includes watermelon gazpacho with feta cream, an asparagus and Gruyere tart, lemon chicken breast with artichokes and mushrooms and carrot-fennel salad, as well as a free-form blueberry tart with citrusy whipped cream.
Details: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Kitchen, 231 E. Livingston Ave., German Village. Tickets are $100 and available through thekitchencolumbus.com.
(Almost) golfing
The Fairway, a golf simulator in Upper Arlington, uses cameras and radar to recreate the experience of courses from Scioto Country Club to Pebble Beach. But Birdie's Grill inside the golf venue offers real clubhouse food.
Birdie's just started brunch service, and its menu features grilled cheese with bacon, bacon jam and grilled onions; a brisket scramble with grilled peppers, hash browns and cheese; shrimp and grits; ricotta pancakes; and cocktails, such as a Bloody Mary with pickle-juice ice cubes.
Details: Brunch is served from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays and Sundays at the Fairway, 1965 W. Henderson Road in Upper Arlington. You don't need to golf to eat, but they do deliver food to the golfing bays. Visit birdiesgrill.com.
Skip the eggs and cheese
If you want a brunch experience that's different from the usual, try dim sum. It's the Chinese version of tapas − or, more likely, tapas is the Spanish version of dim sum − that offers diners small plates, a wide variety and the opportunity to try some new things.
Ty Ginger is the best dim-sum destination in town, although its dishes aren't served the traditional way from carts wheeled around the dining room. That can be a good thing, though; ordering from the menu makes you less likely to order more food just because it looks or smells too delicious to wave on.
One of Ty Ginger's best (and priciest) dim-sum options is the stuffed crab claw, which is actually a more-than-generous portion of ground shrimp formed around a crab claw. In addition to the cha siu bao, or steamed buns filled with barbecued pork, try the gai bao, which is a version stuffed with ground chicken, shrimp and mushrooms.
Details: Ty Ginger is at 5689 Woerner Temple Road, Dublin; tyginger.com.
Skip the eggs and cheese: Part 2
Aab India Restaurants' weekday lunch buffet is one of central Ohio's great dining bargains: $15.99 for all the chicken tikka, saag paneer, pakoras and naan you can eat. It is available Saturday and Sunday from noon to 3 p.m.
You can order from the menu, too, from noon to 9:30 p.m.
Details: Aab is at 1470 Grandview Ave. near Grandview Heights; aabindiarestaurants.com.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Mother's Day dining suggestions in Columbus and central Ohio
