Columbus Chef Avishar Barua is no stranger to the spotlight, having shown off his skills on Top Chef and Beat Bobby Flay, but here in the 614, we know (and love) him for his real claim to fame: his local spots Joyas and Agni.
Oh… what a treat it is to have such a passionate and innovative culinary mind in CBus.
And while bon appétit is now singing his praises, those of us in the 614 have been lining up for a taste of what he’s cooking for a while now—literally.
If you’ve ever been to Joyas, you know the line is practically a permanent fixture outside the door, and for good reason.
At Joyas, Barua cranks out some of my personal favorites like the Joya’s Breakfast Sandwich—bacon, cheesy eggs, and chutneys on a Pav-tato roll that somehow hits all the right notes. Then there’s the Egg Toast-in-a-Box, the Joya’s Double Deluxe double smash burger, and don’t even get me started on the Faye’s Donut. It’s almond-y, it’s sweet, and it’s exactly what you didn’t know you needed.
I don’t know if I’ve ever had a donut where the exterior was, well — it wasn’t quite crispy — maybe sturdy is the right word? And all the while, the inside was so fluffy. Everything from the texture to the flavor is superb.
But Agni is where Barua’s creativity really takes off.
Like, if Joyas were a 747, Agni is an F-22 Raptor. (Forgive me for allowing my airplane nerdy-ness to come out in an article that has literally nothing to do with airplanes, but the comparison needs to be made).
While I won’t spoil everything bon appétit had to say about his wild, ever-changing tasting menu, just know that it’s an homage to both his Bengali roots and the diverse crew in his kitchen, with dishes inspired by everything from Oaxaca to the American Midwest.
Want to know more about what they had to say? Be sure to read the full article here (and check out their full, in depth write-up on Agni here)