Jonah Agner creates vegetarian menu for Ada restaurant

FROM THE ADA ICON - The Cask Room, 127 S. Main St., Ada, now serves lunch and dinner…but it’s not just any old menu. It’s a menu you’d have to drive to Toledo or Columbus to match. And, it has an interesting Bluffton connection.

Bluffton High School grad, Jonah Agner, co-owner and chef, has created a very affordable entirely vegetarian menu. After looking it over, you’d never think to ask, “Where’s the meat?”

MENU AT BOTTOM OF STORY -

For example, the menu, with everything prepared in-house  - except the pita bread - includes a curried “chicken” salad sandwich with a substitute for chicken.

There’s a falafel sandwich with fried chickpeas fritters, tahini, tabbouleh, pickles and hummus in pita bread.

You’ll also find a cheese plate, fried mushrooms, hummus (with olive oil, smoked paprika) and your choice of house-made sesame bread or pita.

Want dessert? Let’s not forget the homemade sorbet. Ask your server for the daily selection. Recent selections include grapefruit, raspberry lemonade and coconut lime.

“The menu keeps revolving,” said Agner, “ and we hope by September that we’ll also offer a breakfast menu.”

A vegetarian since his high school days, Agner is a self-made chef.  “I’ve always liked cooking. I worked in a vegan café for a time and picked up on some interesting vegetarian dishes.”

When he became co-owner of The Cask Room in October one of his goals was to create a menu to go with the over 100 different wine labels available.

“We sneaked into it,” Agner said, about launching the lunch and dinner menu only two weeks ago.

So far, the reception from customers is great.

“Our surprise hit is our muhamarra. That’s a Persian-inspired red pepper and walnut dip with a house-made sesame bread,” Agner said.

And, customers don’t need to worry about the lunch menu change during the dinner hour. Everything on the menu is available from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The Cask Room
127 S. Main St.
Ada
567-221-1024