You know I don't do these kinds of things very often--only when I think an event is worthy (and food-based naturally). But I have been asked to be a gastronaut again this year (by the way, you can compete for a spot as one of the gastronauts here) and one of my lucky duties is to give away 2 tickets to Dig IN 2013.
Dig IN is food is a food festival in the best possible way--lots of great local chefs and producers using lots of local products making little tastes for everyone to sample. There is also lots of great local beer and wine available. If you aren't familiar and want to get a feel for years past, check out my previous blog posts. Dig IN takes place this year on August 25th from noon-5:00 (with early entry tickets still available for entry at 11:00).
Here's the tentative line up of chefs/restaurants for this year:
• 18 on the Square, Joseph Martin
• Black Market, Micah Frank
• Brad Gates Catering, Brad Gates
• Cerulean, Chase Hinton and Caleb France
• Chef JJ’s Back Yard, Chef JJ Boston
• Circle City Soups, Roger Hawkins
• Circle City Sweets, Cindy Hawkins
• Courses Restaurant, Joseph Davey
• The Local, Craig Baker
• Delicia, Ricardo Martinez
• Fermenti Artisan, Mark Cox
• Goose the Market, Chris Eley
• Indiana Downs, Greg Schiesser
• Joseph Decuis, Aaron Butts
• Just Rennie’s Cookie Company, Chef Doug & Marla Rennie
• JW Marriott Indianapolis, Brendon Cheney
• Kelly Ford, Jeff Ford
• Lemleys’ Catering, Alexa Lemley
• Meridian Restaurant and Bar, Layton Roberts
• Mesh on Mass, Mark Henrichs
• Napolese, Tyler Herald
• Northside Social, Nicole Oprisu
• One World Catering, Corbin Morwick
• R bistro, Regina Mehallick
• Scratchtruck, Matt Kornmeyer
• Severin Bar, Vincent Russo
• Spice Box, Nitin Naidu
• The Chef’s Academy, Anthony G Hanslits
• The Indigo Duck, Karen Hewett
• The Loft Restaurant, Brandon Canfield
• The Oceanaire Seafood Room, Courtney Loyd
• Valley Kitchen & Bar, Cory Muro
• Zest! Exciting Food Creations + Twist Lounge, Valerie Vanderpool
FOOD TRUCKS/REFRESHMENTS
• Bee Coffee
• Duos
• Natural Born Juicers
• Nicey Treat: Paletas
• Scratchtruck
• Spice Box
All you have to do to enter the contest is post a comment here telling me your favorite chef/restaurant from this list (or the one you most want to try). A random winner will be chosen tomorrow (Wednesday Aug. 7th) at 5:00 (ish). I will need your name and email address within 24 hours if you win, or I will move on to another winner.
Good Luck and I hope to see you there!
P.S. In the interest of full disclosure, I am receiving 2 early entry tickets in exchange for my work as a gastronaut. Dig In is also a paid advertiser on my blog.
I am a big fan of Spice Box, and am dying to try Black Market
ReplyDeleteThis was a toss up for me! I love Zest! Valerie is very creative and I have never been disappointed. But I also adore Vincent Russo at the Sevrin Bar, Bacon on a stick. Yes I am one of those people, but I love it! Jen Nickels (jen.nickels@yahoo.com)
ReplyDeleteIt's always interesting seeing what a fine dining place like Joseph Decuis can bring to an outdoor (traditional kitchen free!) event!
ReplyDeleteI recently had my first Chef JJ's experience and I'd love to have another!
ReplyDeleteReally need to sample R Bistro!
ReplyDeleteI would love to try The Indigo Duck with chef Karen Hewett! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteChef Tony with The Chefs Academy is awesome!
ReplyDeleteMicah Frank at Black Market.
ReplyDeleteWould love to try the black market!!
ReplyDeleteTim wyatt/ Tim.Wyatt@att.net
Goose the market all the way. Great staff, and delicious sandwiches! :)
ReplyDeletelooking forward to Delicia as we havent made it down there yet
ReplyDeleteBlack Market. Although Indigo Duck is a cool sounding name, reminds of the scene in Billy Madison where he draws a blue duck. Quacktastic.
ReplyDeleteI would love to try everything on the list, but The Indigo Duck really interests me. I really need to get down there for Brunch. (@Ryanwestover or rwestover818@gmail.com).
ReplyDeleteSpice Box!
ReplyDeleteOh, definitely Chase and Caleb from Cerulean. I've never heard a restaurant so consistently raved about as Cerulean, and I've yet to be able to try it. It'd be really, really awesome to not only sample some food but have a chance to talk to the chefs themselves. It sounds really awesome. Good luck to whoever wins.
ReplyDeleteI see a lot of my local faves in the lineup, but I'm most excited for my first taste of Black Market!
ReplyDeleteI have always wanted to try Scratchtruck, but never had a chance to get downtown when they are around. If I win that's the first place I'm hitting!
ReplyDeleteI have to step outside of the Indy area and go with Jeff Ford from J. Fords Black Angus in Terre Haute! Jeff's food is amazing and never disappoints!! If I were to pick a chef in Indy, that would be REALLY difficult. So many good ones!! Can't wait to try them all at Dig IN 2013!!
ReplyDeleteCircle City Soups was my go-to lunch place when I worked downtown. Looking forward to trying out a ton of local restaurants on my wish list.
ReplyDeleteLove Duos. Would love to try Cerulean.
ReplyDeleteI have to give a lot of love to JW Marriott Indianapolis and Brendon Cheney because of their employer partnership with Back on My Feet Indy!
ReplyDeleteI have really enjoyed my experiences at Zest! There pretty fruit always makes me smile and I love trying their new specials! This is my go to place to take visitors to our great city because it really shows the best Indy has to offer!
ReplyDeleteI love Meridian, and have been hoping so hard to try Cerulean and Delicia!
ReplyDeleteI've heard good things about Zest! I'd love to sample some goodies!
ReplyDeleteI'm going with Goose the Market
ReplyDeleteI would love to try anything by Brad Gates - you always make his food sound so good!
ReplyDeleteWould love to try Cerulean. Thanks, Erin!
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I are split on The Local. He doesn't care for it and thinks it's too pricey for what you get (considering he only gets a burger, and feels like he can get better burgers at other places in Indy). I like it, for the most part, and agree that the service can be spotty and there are definite hits or misses. I continue to support it, though, because I love what they're trying to accomplish. Other than Pizzology, that stretch of 146th through Fishers and Caramel is desperately lacking good, local establishments. My favorite dishes there are the Cheese & Meat Plate, the Cheese Steak and the Poutine.
ReplyDeleteChef Micah from Black Market seems to have me in a Vulcan mind meld - his menu both informs my cooking and what inspires me... and often reflects what I'm already into or passionate about at the moment.
ReplyDeleteI've been wanting to try Mesh!
ReplyDeleteI love Scratchtruck, and I'm a huge fan of desserts so I'd really like to try Just Rennie’s Cookie Company! :)
ReplyDeleteThe Loft Restaurant is amazing, I can't wait to see what they will be serving up!
ReplyDeleteWe're very local to The Local, so they're a favorite! I look forward to trying all of them, though!
ReplyDeleteMatt from scratchtruck is the bomb. He's a talented chef who makes exciting, delicious food, and he's always very welcoming and personable to boot.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite: Black Market, Most want to try: Cerulean. THANKS!
ReplyDeleteOh! I've been dying to try Cerulean, but anything even NEAR Joseph Decuis is to die for, too. Basically, a lot of dying. Yep.
ReplyDeleteI love Cerulean. Can't wait to try it at DigIn when I win these tickets. :-)
ReplyDeleteChef JJ's for the win. Who doesn't love a big green egg?
ReplyDeleteMy vote for favorite is Goose the market! I will admit I have yet to go to this market itself but I have tried so many meats and selections at other local restaurants and I must say... Superb! Must get there quickly!!
ReplyDeleteI'm new to the city, so I haven't gotten to try too many of these restaurants yet. I live off Mass Ave, so I'd have to say my favorite right now is Mesh. Love the half priced bottles of wine on Sundays and the Gorgonzola chicken salad! So good. I'm SUPER excited to try Black Market and Goose the Market- have heard great things about both!
ReplyDeleteThe Oceanaire Seafood Room, Courtney Loyd is my favorite
ReplyDeleteNow I'm craving Goose Bacon!!!
ReplyDeleteJoseph Decuis, Aaron Butts
ReplyDeleteI've been wanting to try Spice Box for a while now! I've heard good things.
ReplyDeleteLove Goose the Market, so Chris Eley for the win.
ReplyDeleteDuos is my favorite because the owner Becky is not only an amazing chef, but a fabulous human being as well.
ReplyDeleteI'm excited to try Cerulean
ReplyDeleteSpice Box, Nitin Naidu
ReplyDeleteI've heard good things about Cerulean and would love to try it!
ReplyDeleteR Bistro is one of my faves, really want to sample Delicia.
ReplyDeleteI am looking forward to Duos and Zest's offerings this year! They always offer something vegetarian in the sea of meat oriented fare...
ReplyDeleteI've got a gastro-crush on Chris Eley from Goose the Market. I fell in love with Goose the moment it opened and I've been of fan of the way it's grown since. It has been such as great addition to the Indy food scene. Also, have you HAD jowl bacon?!
ReplyDeleteI'd have to say Karen Hewett from the Indigo Duck, followed by Micah from Black Market.
ReplyDeleteIt's so hard to choose, but I'm going with Regina Mehallick @ R Bistro! Not only is her food amazing, but she's been such a pioneer for locally sourced food here in Indy! :)
ReplyDeleteGoose the Market, Chris Eley!!
ReplyDeleteI love Goose the Market and the Indigo Duck sounds very intriguing...
ReplyDeleteI am a tweet follower of all the food trucks. scratch truck a local fav. We would like sample all of them.. Indigo Duck looks tasty..
ReplyDeleteTop three: Micah, Regina and Chris
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorites is Zest! Exciting Food Creations.
ReplyDeleteblack market
ReplyDeleteAhhh so hard to pick, but I love The Local guys. And Duos!
ReplyDeleteHonestly, we don't get out much, so I need to try just about everything. So, I'll just pick Black Market to start!
ReplyDeleteMesh on Mass is where it's at. I recommend it to anyone willing to listen.
ReplyDeleteI've been looking forward to trying Cerulean!
ReplyDeleteBrad Gates Catering is one of my favorites, so great to have at the City Market. . . I would look forward to trying the dish from Regina at R bistro.
ReplyDeleteLove the Indigo Duck, She Crab Soup is fantastic.
ReplyDeleteI am fascinated by the whole green egg thing, so Chef JJ's for me.
ReplyDeleteI would have to go with the Indigo Duck, because really, who doesn't like to eat ducks?
ReplyDeleteI've been dying to get out to Delicia--I only hear great things. Thanks for this!
ReplyDeleteOur fav chef in town is: The Chef’s Academy, Anthony G Hanslits , but we want to try: Black Market, Micah Frank!
ReplyDeleteR Bistro is the best!
ReplyDeleteI love spicebox and oceanaire. I'd really like to try delicia. From the list this is going to be a great event!
ReplyDeleteI am most excited to try Delicia, Ricardo Martinez!
ReplyDeleteI really want to try Napolose to see how it compares to Pizzaology!
ReplyDeleteScratchtruck, Matt Kornmeyer!
ReplyDeleteI would love to try Joseph Decuis. Although all of them are super exciting to me, as I don't get to eat out much!
ReplyDelete@IndyRestScene love me some #Goose (& #duck & #lamb & #pork) so will be in line early for @GoosetheMarket and #ChrisEley. #DigIn
ReplyDeleteSo many we'd love to try but I'd have to say R bistro, because I love that Chef changes the menu weekly and uses fresh, local ingredients. Also August 25th is my Birthday. Can't think of a better way to celebrate.
ReplyDeleteI'm really interested in seeing what Craig Baker from The Local will come up with. I've heard great things about him, and his new place, Bent Rail Brewery, will be in my neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteI have been wanting to try the enoteca at Goose the Market & Chris Eley.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to Brad Gates
ReplyDeleteI love Napolese - I can't get enough of the salads, pizza, and prosecco!
ReplyDeleteMesh on Mass, always had great food there.
ReplyDeleteI'm a big fan of chef JJ Boston and Chef JJ's Backyard. Going for great food and a little education in the process is always a lot of fun.
ReplyDeleteThe great thing about this list is many are new to me. I have a big family, so spend most of my time growing and cooking my own food. Goose the Market is what I am most looking forward to, especially because I hear he is bringing goat on a stick!
ReplyDeleteHave to agree with some of the others, Chef Tony Hanslits! However, I work for Harrison College/TCA so I'm being a bit bias. I also love The Loft! Their fresh BLT's are delicious.
ReplyDeleteLove Cindy Hawkins & Circle City Sweets
ReplyDeleteBrad Gates Catering
ReplyDeleteOk, no more comments! I will announce the winner in a minute!
ReplyDeleteThe winner is.......commenter mab1c who wants to try Cerulean! Please email me your name and email address to erininindy@gmail.com. If I don't hear from you by 5:00 tomorrow, I will have to pick a different winner.
ReplyDeleteThanks to everyone who entered!
Hi, Erin! I just sent you an email with the requested information. Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteCongrats! Maybe it's your lucky day and you should buy a powerball ticket too! ;)
ReplyDelete;-). Fabulous idea!!!
ReplyDeleteLove Goose the Market, Chris Eley
ReplyDeleteTandoori tacos on a truck... I <3 Spice Box, but Goose the Market's meat case takes my top prize. Their sandwiches are out of the park. I'm hoping to try Cerulean.
ReplyDeleteGotta go with the Goose!
ReplyDelete