Crispy Bird

You knew I was going to have to try Crispy Bird soon. I mean it’s fried chicken, which I love, and it’s Patachou, which I also like. I had been kind of waiting for the crowds to die down and we lucked into a table the other day for lunch on my birthday with the family. I like what they have done with the interior of the space, even if they did displace one of my favorite lunch places, Barking Dog, in order to make the space.

Anyhow, the staff was very friendly, and in the beginning, the service was very prompt and efficient. It’s a challenge for the servers in there too—it’s still a very small space with a lot of tables, so they have to do a bit of a dance to get to their tables. The menu is very appealing, and there were several things we wanted to try, but we settled on a few to share amongst the four of us.

To start with, we had an order of the biscuits ($6). You get two large biscuits in an order and they are served with whipped maple brown butter. Hmmm. I liked the way these biscuits looked, but they were really dense and kind of bland. I appreciated the soft butter (which was more like butter with some maple syrup alongside), but a little salt would balance this sweetness better. My daughter, who typically inhales just about any type of bread, didn’t finish her half. We left a fair amount.

Between the four of us, we had the thigh/leg combo ($12),  two orders of the breast ($14), and the fried chicken sandwich ($10). For sides we had the mac and cheese ($8) and the black-eyed peas ($8). Of the chicken dishes, I would say the sandwich was probably the best thing. It’s a boneless chicken thigh piece (which is one of my favorite pieces of fried chicken) on a bun topped with aioli, slaw and pickles. The chicken was good, and I loved the pickles. They had a great combo of mustard flavor and a teeny heat and a little sweet. They were great with the chicken. None of us were fans of the slaw, which was strangely soft and lacking much flavor. The leg on the leg thigh combo was my next favorite piece because the meat was tender and it was easy to get the crispy skin with each bite. The thigh was not as meaty, and heavier on the crust. Also, my kids both ordered the breasts, which were dusted with salt, which you could see on the chicken and plate. The thigh/leg combo had no such salt, and needed salt. When I asked for some they brought me a precious little dish with a couple of pinches of salt in it. I think it’s a little presumptuous to think no one will want salt or pepper on fried chicken, to the point that you don’t even offer shakers at all. I can see not putting them on the table, but…. Anyhow, the breasts were the weakest pieces, which isn’t overly surprising to me. Sadly, this chicken suffered the fate of many a fried chicken breast. They were huge, and pretty dry. The thing about this chicken is the crust is really tasty and crunchy (hence the name I guess), but the rest of the chicken is just ok. And maybe I just like my fried chicken salty, but much of it needed salt as well. The sandwich excelled because it had sauce and flavor right on it. The chicken was definitely best when eaten at the same time as one of those pickles.

As far as the sides, the black-eyed peas with the egg yolk confit, “potlikker emulsion” and fried greens was the star. It has nice flavor, as well as a hit of acid. And I liked the crunch of the fried kale on top. And the egg yolk certainly didn’t hurt. This was probably the best thing on the table the whole meal. We also had the mac and cheese after reading a lot about it. I love Gruyere, which is the cheese they use. But it is extremely rich. Extremely. Out of the two chunks served, we didn’t even finish one between three of us.  I liked a few bites of it with the chicken, but whoa. It’s not your traditional creamy take, it’s baked in a block and somewhat dry, but that didn’t bother me. Hubby didn’t care for it, but I enjoyed the flavor quite a bit. Just in small doses.

So the place was jammed, and the service overall was good. I waited quite awhile for a second glass of wine, which was not my server’s fault, as he explained he was just waiting for it to be poured. The bartender was making a ton of mixed drinks and it took quite awhile. Maybe a second bartender would help until business calms down a bit. Just a thought.

Overall, it was not bad. My general theme is that everything is very pretty there, but it’s a little skin deep. And is it a place I will wait in a line to eat? Ehh…probably not. But I will give it another try one of these days. So, tell me about your experiences.

Crispy Bird

115 East 49^th Street

Indy   46205

317/744-0000

www.crispy-bird.com 

salt

Old Favorites: Café Patachou and Jasmine Thai

Since I have been back in the country after being away for a month, and because the kids are back in school and for about a minute I have more time on my hands to go to lunch (until I start school-oy!), and I have been missing my favorite stand-bys, here’s a couple of the places I visited in one week. (Seriously, you have no idea how much you dream of Asian food and American sandwiches after three weeks in Italy and one in Greece).

First stop: Café Patachou. And while I sometimes vary my order, I knew exactly what I was going to get—my ultimate comfort food sandwich—egg salad on toasted sourdough with chips and an extra pickle (it’s about $10). Everything was going great until the server informed me they have stopped serving the pickles. Devastating. Apparently, they are composting a lot more these days and realized how much they are throwing away and didn’t like how many pickles they throw out (how could you not eat these pickles?). They have also stopped automatically serving the tomato and cucumber unless you ask as well. So, I think they should do the same with the pickles—only if you ask for them. Bring back the pickles!

Anyway, the sandwich was just as good as always (except I really like a bite of pickles mixed with every couple bites of sandwich). I also tend to eat my sandwich open-faced because I like a larger salad-to-bread ratio. Their egg salad is simple—eggs, mayo, salt and pepper, but they do it just right and it is delicious. Still, bring back the pickles! (please?).

Next stop a couple days later-- Jasmine Thai for my favorite sautéed eggplant with basil (and I add chicken—it’s normally a vegetarian dish) (also around $10). I normally like food a little spicy, but here I order this dish mild. First, they are serious about heat at Jasmine and second, when this particular dish is spicy at all, it seems to me it loses a little bit of the rich basil flavor—the heat just overpowers it. 

The eggplant is nice and tender and the chicken is sliced thin and mixed it—I wish they would give just a little more chicken because I like a bit of chicken and a bit of eggplant in each bite for the texture variation, but other than that, this is one of my favorite dishes. And Asian flavors, because they are so different from what I had been eating were one of my top cravings in Europe (we did manage to get sushi twice in Italy, but that’s it).

Anyhow, those are just a couple of the favorites I have been in the last week or so…. I am sure I will be hitting up a few more here soon.

Café Patachou

8697 River Crossing Blvd

Indy  46240

317/815-0765

http://cafepatachou.com/

Jasmine Thai Restaurant

4825 East 96^th Street

Indy  46240

317/848-8950

www.jasminethaiindy.com

Petite Chou - Revisit

Adding back a Thursday post every so often now (did anyone even notice I’ve been doing only one post a week?) Anyway, they are going to be quickie posts probably about places I have written about before. Mostly pictures and a few words.

I had a birthday lunch with my friend Suzanne at Petite Chou the other day (Happy Birthday Suzanne!). They have changed up the menu a bit since I was more of a regular there, and it looks good. 

I had the benedict crepe ($12.95). It was similar to ingredients in a Croque

madame, or an eggs benedict but with less heft, which is what I was looking for. A simple tasty crepe filled with ham, Gruyere cheese and a lovely sunny egg. It also came with Béarnaise sauce that I had on the side because I am particular about my Béarnaise, but I would go for it next time—this was a lovely one with just the right acidic kick. The side salads at chorus always need more dressing, and this was no exception.

Suzanne had “Le Club.” ($11.25) This is a tasty sandwich with all my faves—avocado, roasted rotisserie chicken, Dijon, aioli and bacon. Oh and cucumbers. I could certainly live without them though. It was a triple-decker on thin Brioche. The bread was good, but I would have preferred just two slices. The bread kinda took over.

Oh and the duck fat fries. With the Dijonaise. You cannot go wrong with those. Delicious. Crispy, rich and salty. You should get them.

Petite Chou

823 Westfield Blvd

Indy 46220

317/259-0765

www.petitechoubistro.com  

Public Greens

I’ve of course been anxious to try Public Greens. I am generally a fan of all the Patachou empire’s restaurants and eat at them regularly. I love that this place donates all their profits to the Patachou Foundation, a nonprofit that provides meals to homeless and hungry children and education about healthy eating as well. So you walk in feeling good about the place to start.

I have talked to several people who went before I did, and who told me that the menu and ordering system was kind of crazy. Maybe because I went in prepared for it, I didn’t find it too overwhelming, but some handheld menus to look at might be nice, instead of only being able to see it on the blackboard as you walk in. They do have a staff member who was very friendly and helpful to help you figure it out, but the fact that he was even there just demonstrates to me that people might find it confusing. I would at least add a printed version by the register so that you can remember what you are ordering by the time you get there, particularly with some of the cutesy names for the menu items. Basically, there are small plates and sides I guess. The top of the menu is made up mainly of salad-type items. There’s a section under that that includes most of the protein-type items. Some of the proteins are just the meat itself; some are little mini composed plates (for instance the duck option was served in the form of tacos. The fried chicken was just two chicken thighs without sides). The pricing of the top items is 1 choice for $6, 2 items for $10 or 3 for $12. The other things are priced individually.

Ok, so based on that long-winded paragraph attempting to simplify, maybe it is a little confusing. Anyhow, I was with the BFF and we decided to just order a bunch of different stuff and see how it was. Having never been before, we weren’t really sure what the size of things would end up being, and it seemed like we ordered a lot, but it was pretty close to the right amount.

From the top of the menu, we got the “rocket man” salad and the “kriss kross” which is the name for their mac and cheese, and which came highly recommended by several staff members. From proteins, we got the fried chicken thighs and the Moroccan stew. We also had a side of the fries.

I’d say my favorite things overall were the two fried items, which sort of surprised me given that the menu is heavy on veggies and the sort of more healthy-type offerings. Those fries were really, really good. Super light and fluffy inside and really crisp on the outside. A little thicker cut than the ones at Petite Chou, and a little crisper. They were seasoned and salted well (they were pretty salty, but I like them this way). At first I was sad there was no fancy dipping sauce offered alongside (there is Local Folks ketchup available), but after eating some, I realized they needed nothing. They were perfect on their own. The portion on the fries is large though—definitely meant for sharing.

The chicken thighs were also really good. Super crisply fried and nicely seasoned with a nice dash of salt on top. Love that they call them chicken tenders, but they make them with chicken thighs, and marinated in buttermilk, so they aren’t dried out sticks of chicken breasts like most chicken fingers are. They retained moisture inside.  This would be a weird thing to just have by yourself as well, as there was just the chicken. It’s a nice accompaniment to other things, and honestly, I only really needed one of the pieces, so in my mind, also a good sharable item too.

I also enjoyed the rocket man salad, which included arugula, roasted Indiana corn, black beans, pickled onions, and spicy buttermilk dressing with crushed up spicy potato chips. The ingredients were pretty fresh-not sure how they’re getting that Indiana corn, but they were all good. I appreciated the kick of acid from the onions, but I did wish for a little more. The dressing could have used a bit more tang from the buttermilk. I think next time, if I ordered a similar meal, I would go with a salad with vinaigrette. Also, the salad portions are on the small side—I don’t think you could really make a meal of just one of the portions here.

I just had a bite of the Moroccan stew. It was good. It had a fair hit of spice from the seasoning, but I wouldn’t call it spicy in the “heat” kind of way. It was chock full of chickpeas. I liked the freshness of the baby greens on top and the crunch and texture from the crisp quinoa on top. This was the one thing you could eat on its own by yourself and make a meal out of it I think. I personally wouldn’t, because this kind of stew is not my favorite thing, but it was hearty and filling and a decent portion (although would probably still be nicer to balance it with a salad or something).

Honestly, probably the biggest disappointment was the mac and cheese. It wasn’t bad I guess, and made a nice thing to scoop up with a bite of the fried chicken, but it was pretty bland and kind of oily. I am not sure if the cheese was separating or they used olive oil or something in it, but by the time we were near the bottom of the bowl (yes, we still ate nearly all of it), there was a fair amount of oil sitting on the bottom. It was made with white cheddar, but I felt like it could have used a little more seasoning. I liked the little crunch from the little bit of breadcrumbs on top, although I would have enjoyed them more if there were a few more of them and they were a little browner.

All in all, we enjoyed it. I like that they apparently change the menu every week, which I would hope would keep me out of the rut of ordering the same things each time, as I often do at Patachous (what? I really like their egg salad). Like all Patachou places, I feel like they are using great ingredients and are making food that is pretty appealing to people, but also with a sense of creativity. There are comforting type items, but they make it easy to mix them up with some other more unusual items. The interior is rather sparse, mostly white—I’m not a fan of the big table in the middle with the little stools. I hate sitting on a stool without a back to eat—but the other tables are comfortable enough. It is certainly a place I look forward to returning to see what other items pop up on the menu.

What about you? Have you been? Tell me about your experience.

Public Greens

900 E. 64^th Street (it’s right on the Monon)

Indy  46220

317/964-0865

www.publicgreensurbankitchen.com  

Café Patachou

I have reviewed Café Patachou before, a while ago, and it is a place I eat on a nearly weekly basis, but since my most frequently visited location (River Crossing) has recently moved and expanded, I thought it would be a good time for a formal re-visit.

Well it looks like the new location (which is right next door to the old one) has about 50% additional seating than it used to, which is a nice improvement since there is often a wait for lunch (and I don’t even go on the weekends because when I have it has been so crowded). There is also a little cushy seating area now in which to wait, although not a lot of seats. Everything is new—the furniture and all, and the additions have stepped up the feel a bit. One of my only complaints about the new interior is the specials board is way down on the west end of the restaurant which makes it hard to see if you are sitting at the other end.

The menu is the same as it has been though and I ordered one of my favorites—the broken yolk sandwich with bacon and avocado. It is two fried eggs served on your choice of buttered toast with cheese, bacon and avocado on top. I still think Patachou’s bread is too thick, so I usually end up eating it (and any other sandwiches) open-faced. They clearly know what a ripe avocado is though, and put on an appropriate amount. Their bacon is really tasty too, although, on this particular visit, there was not as much as there usually is and it was little pieces that looked like the stuff they probably use in the omelets. But it still tasted really good. Also, I love that the yolks are not fried completely hard; I like mine a little runny.

One of the nice things about breakfast items here is that they serve them with a nice fruit cup rather than the chips that come with the sandwiches (although you can substitute a side salad). Normally I am not a huge fruit salad person because they are usually just filled with melon, which is so boring, but the fruit salad here has a nice big variety in it. Apples, grapes, blueberries, strawberries, oranges and several other things (not always the same, they change it I think depending on what is available). I like that in a fruit salad.

One of the issues I have had at Patachou sometimes (particularly at certain other locations) is service being a little gruff or sometimes, just bad. But the last few times I have been into River Crossing, everyone has been really friendly and the service has been great. And especially on this visit, maybe the new digs had everyone in a good mood. The whole place just seemed more professional.

I still haven’t managed to get over to one of the Petit Chous for dinner, but when I do, I will certainly let you know about that as well! And I am looking forward to the new pizza place as well.

Café Patachou
8691 River Crossing Blvd
Indy, 46240
317-815-0765
http://www.cafepatachou.com/ (check the website for all locations)

Café Patachou

I realized I haven’t ever written this lunch place that I go to often—probably more often then anywhere else in fact. So often that I often refer to it as the school cafeteria. Anyway, the Patachous are a local chain of restaurants (I usually eat at the one at the Fashion Mall near Bed Bath and Beyond) with freshly made and quite tasty, breakfast and lunch items. I’ll admit, I have never actually eaten breakfast here, as I really like their lunch items. I certainly have my favorite things, but I have tried several items.

I will start with the soups. At my location, their house soup is tomato artichoke which is really tasty. They serve it with a bit of cheese and croutons on top and I really like the way you can taste the artichokes, both in flavor and texture. They also alternate a soup of the day, my favorite of which is the broccoli gorgonzola-- rich, creamy and delicious. They are well known for the freshly made soups, and have won a few awards with them I believe.

The salads are also quite good, and DEFINITELY big enough for an entrée. I love the cobb salad with shredded chicken, avocado, egg and nice big crumbles of blue cheese. I like that it is not the typical cobb which is lettuce packed to the top of a bowl with all the other ingredients layered on top which makes it hard to get it mixed –I like a bite of everything on my fork. Their dressings are all top notch as well. Another nice thing here is that you can get ½ a sandwich or soup and mix it with a smaller portion of any of their salads, even the ones with all the goodies, which is somewhat unusual (usually you just get the boring house salad when you get such a combo).

Probably my favorite (and most often ordered) item on the menu is the egg salad sandwich. Their egg salad is prepared exactly how I like it, just eggs, mayo and salt and fresh cracked black pepper. No celery. I can’t stand celery in my egg salad. A little celery salt maybe, but no big crunchy bits. Anyway, I have had other sandwiches as well, my second favorite probably being the broken yolk sandwich with egg, cheese, avocado and bacon. Delish. On a side note, I usually have a problem with any sandwich place that does not offer avocado on things. That can be a deal breaker. I love avocado. On just about anything.

The only downside in my mind to their sandwiches is the bread. Not that it isn’t good tasting, because it is, but it is simply too thick. Just throws the proportions off I think. Often, I take off half the bread and eat it open face. Which is sort of funny because at Petite Chou, their French bistro version of the chous, they serve several of their sandwiches as “tartines” which are basically open faced sandwiches, except the bread here is sliced thinner. So when they actually serve it open face, you could actually deal with both slices, but when they serve it as a regular sandwich, there is too much bread. Something to ponder.

Anyway, this place is as close to what I would make at home for lunch if I had more time and the ingredients are fresh and wholesome. Another bonus, they have a little play area (at least at mine and I think at most of their locations) for the kids which is nice, especially when you have to wait, which actually brings up the other downside here. You often have to wait to get a table. I don’t usually go on the weekends for this reason, and tend to eat on the early side on the other days. You can also order to go and they are very fast.

Café Patachou
8691 River Crossing Blvd
Indy, 46240
317-815-0765
http://www.cafepatachou.com/ (check the website for all locations)