Brockway Pub

Met up for lunch with my friend @wibia the other day and we decided to try Brockway.  The one thing about going to lunch with him is that he has to go to places that aren’t too girly (he says fruit is not an appropriate side dish) which I guess is good because it makes me try places like Brockway.  Brockway is a pub first and foremost, and has a very traditional Irish pub menu. There are some interesting items on the menu I would like to try, but I figured if I got anything too out of the ordinary, someone would probably yell at me for trying something weird and not trying the fish and chips ($9.65) which is listed as one of the house specialties.

So I ordered it and was quite pleased with the fish.  Honestly it is probably some of the better fish and chips I have had in Indy.  Just the way I like it-- they use a beer batter that was really nice and crisp.  You could really taste the beer and you could taste that they were well seasoned—it was a little salty, and that is just how I prefer my fried fish (I usually salt them or use vinegar and these didn’t need it).  The fish itself was very tender and moist and was thick cut pieces.  Using skinny fish in fish and chips almost always seems to create a dried out piece of fish.

The chips were the thick, flat steak fries that I have never really been a fan of, even if they are the traditional accompaniment to fish and chips.  For what they were, they were cooked right, fairly crisp on the outside and nice and hot.  I only ate a couple though and might get something else as a side next time.  I was intrigued by the blue cheese slaw.  They also do house made chips (or “crisps” if you are sticking with the English vernacular).  The tartar sauce served alongside was pretty thick and chunky. Not a bad tartar sauce, but I don’t usually eat a ton of it either.  A bite of wibia’s Reuben was good, but not great. The corned beef was cut pretty thick and kind of dominated everything else.

It’s a pub, and it feels like a pub. Wooden tables, kegs of beer sitting around, and efficient (if maybe slightly gruff) service.  I would go back for the fish though and I would like to try some of the other items as well.  The rarebit sounded good.  Anyone been there? What else is good?

Brockway Pub

12525 Old Meridian

Carmel, IN 46032

317/669-8080

www.thebrockway.com (is it just me or is the menu not on the website?)