This post is written by John Schumacher, blogger at Jarsloth . You can also follow John on Twitter @jarsloth .

A friend once told me that Columbus lacked the ethnic enclaves that give character to some of the larger U.S. cities; I had to disagree. We not only have our share of Old World communities (German Village, Italian Village, Hungarian Village), we also host thriving new immigrant populations that are rich in culture and diversity. People from Asia (including South Asia and Southeast Asia), Africa, the Middle East and Latin America call Columbus home and contribute to the economic and social growth of our city. The restaurants and food carts/trucks that have risen out of these communities have helped shape and define the ever-evolving Columbus food landscape. Thanks to blogs like Taco Trucks Columbus and Alt Eats Columbus , awareness of these food vendors has not only spread throughout Central Ohio, but Columbus has begun to garner national attention for its internationally-inspired cuisine.

Tacos al pastor are made from marinated pork that is slow-roasted on a spit, then shaved onto corn tortillas and topped with onions and cilantro

For the curious who have yet to delve into the ethnic realm of Columbus food, I suggest employing the aforementioned blogs as your guide. Written by knowledgeable folks, these blogs are continually updated with new restaurants and offer a lot of good tips for the uninitiated and experienced eater alike. If you’d prefer a guided tour, Columbus Food Adventures (owned and operated by Bethia Woolf, who is also part of Taco Trucks Columbus and Alt Eats Columbus ) offers several food tours that showcase a cross section of ethnic food available in Columbus. Their Alt Eats tour stops at Mi Li Cafe (Vietnamese), Intercontinental Restaurant (Nigerian), Solay Bistro (Somali), Panaderia Guadalupana (Mexican), and Udipi Cafe (Southern Indian). Columbus Food Adventures also offers a Taco Truck tour during the warmer months where patrons experience a sampling of Mexican street fare from a representative group of Columbus’s ever-growing fleet of taco trucks.

Dosas are Southern Indian crepes made with a fermented rice batter and served with a savory filling (pictured here with medu wada, spicy lentil donuts)

The influx of immigrant foodways into Columbus has not only spawned a rise in ethnic eateries, it has inspired more conventional restaurants to include ethnic-inspired dishes in their repertoire. Columbus menus now include banh mi (Explorer’s Club ), takoyaki (Freshstreet ), kimchi (Dirty Frank’s Hot Dog Palace ), street tacos (Surly Girl ), chilaquiles (Starliner Diner ), and chorizo (Katalina’s Cafe Corner ). Additionally, the past two years has seen an explosion of new African restaurants in Columbus, so it’s only a matter of time before we begin to see some African-inspired dishes showing up on more menus. The dynamic created by the rise of immigrant communities in our city makes it an exciting time to explore the restaurants, food carts, and eateries that are beginning to make a noticeable impact on our food choices.

Takoyaki are Japanese dumplings that resemble pancake balls and contain a piece of octopus in the center

This post is written by Tim Simeone, Visitor Center Receptionist for Experience Columbus. You can follow Tim on Twitter @TimSimeone .

With the winter chill officially present in Columbus, you could put on your coat, scarf and gloves or you could fight the cold in a more delicious way…soup! There is nothing better than a server placing a piping hot cup of soup in front of you. It’s like your own personal space heater at the table. You can get real close and let the steam and flavors drift pass your chilled and runny nose. Here are some cozy spots around Columbus where you can warm the chill with a bowl of soup.

Surly Girl’s Posole soup is a light broth packed with lots of southwestern flavors and garnished with cilantro, lime, and your own side of fritos. There is a choice of pulled pork, chicken or tofu. If you want a traditional Posole get it with the pork and don’t be afraid to pair your soup with one of Surly Girl’s signature hot drinks.

Haiku Siamese Coconut Curry Noodle - is a spicy coconut based broth filled lemon grass, noodles, basil and scallions. The broth is spicy but can be tamed down if requested; however if you’re trying to get warm, the spice will make you sweat. Watch out for the tiny red peppers bathing in the soup, a bite into one of those directly will encourage you to hop back outside in the cold.

The Mohawk Turtle Soup - Have you been so brave to try the Turtle soup? It is rumored the owner raised the turtles in the basement of the building. If you can get past the cute cartoon visions of slow moving turtles in your head, this soup is an adventurous way to warm up quick. Tomato based broth with veggies and of course, turtle, served in a charming turtle bowl.

Alana’s Hard Cider Cheese Soup – Walking into Alana’s instantly warms you up with its cozy atmosphere and friendly servers. The menu is always changing, so go quickly to get this cheese soup. Known for her unique flavor combinations, Alana mixes cider and cheese perfectly. You will have to imagine how this looks

This year, I’ve decided to make it easy on myself. No cooking, no cleaning. Just reservations for my family for Easter. It’s coming up quickly on Sunday, April 12.

But where to go? I need to find something to please everyone from my 4 and 6-year-old children to my (can’t mention their age) parents.

Here are some of the possibilities we’re considering:

Cameron’s American Bistro

Cameron’s American Bistro in Worthington - a small, quaint restaurant that’s part of the Cameron Mitchell Restaurant line. They’re offering a brunch buffet to include French toast, shrimp cocktail and leg of lamb. Plenty of fruit and dessert for the kids, too. Sounds pretty good and they’re open 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m., so we could get in early.

Another of Cameron’s restaurants, Mitchell’s Ocean Club , located at Easton Town Center , has added some special items just for Easter in addition to their regular menu: blueberry stuffed French toast, crab benedict (low-cal, no doubt) and short rib hash. Hmmm . . . maybe lunch, then walk it off with some shopping?

A classic, long-time favorite in Columbus, The Bexley Monk , will host a brunch buffet with stations for Belgian waffles and roast beef, plus a pastry display - that means it’s OK to take more than one, right?

It’d also be fun to take the group - we’ll probably have 12 - to the Short North Arts District . I noticed Surly Girl Saloon has an Easter lunch special: $8 for a grilled ham and cheese with tomato soup and rosemary deviled eggs. The kids would eat that (and maybe my dad, too). For the rest of us, in addition to the regular menu, the featured brunch item is Western breakfast pizza with eggs, ham, peppers, onions and cheddar cheese. And they’re serving chocolate Easter basket cupcakes all day. How cute!

Of course, these are just a few of many great places that have Easter specials and brunches. I still haven’t made a decision, but I sure am hungry now.

What are your plans? Do you have other ideas to toss in the hopper?