Sunrise Café - Revisit

I have written about this place a few times before, but I feel like I need to keep giving gentle reminders about places I like so they stay in business, especially these days. So what is the go to for hubby and I for a greasy spoon type of breakfast? Sunrise. There are too many breakfast places that are trying to be too much, and not pulling it off. This place is a divey diner (seriously, the furniture is very well worn) and the food is consistently good. Want bacon and eggs and crispy hash browns? Sunrise is your place. That is our regular order, but on this particular visit, hubby revisited one of his old standbys, the eggs benedict. I like that you can order them by one ($7.95) or two ($9.25). Hubby had two. They use an English muffin, shaved ham, a poached egg and their homemade hollandaise sauce. Hubby really enjoyed the change of pace, and this dish is a regular choice for my parents, who were also dining with us. It’s not a super fancy version or anything, but it tastes good. I had my usual, two eggs over easy, bacon, hash browns and white toast ($8.95). They do everything just the way it should be, and both the bacon and hash browns are crispy like I like them.

My son is a fan of their fried egg sandwich ($7.95); again you can pick one or two eggs. It comes with cheese and bacon. He likes his eggs fried hard (crazy I know). And it comes with hash browns as well. My daughter usually orders sweets for her breakfast, and this was no exception. She had one chocolate chip pancake ($2.95). They do their pancakes really thin, which I think is kind of interesting. Almost like a crepe. In fact, you can get them rolled up around sausage if you want.

Anyway, at the location on Shadeland, where we go (there are a couple others in Carmel, Fishers, and downtown), there is never a wait, which is a nice thing to know on a weekend morning when you want a solid, fast breakfast. Everyone in my family likes it, and it’s a standard for us. 

Sunrise Café

7387 North Shadeland Ave

Indianapolis, IN 46150

317/288-5303

Sunrise Café - Revisit and New Location

On those occasions when hubby and I wake up after a long night and really want a good greasy breakfast, we often debate where to go—it’s frustrating in this town because often, on the weekends, breakfast places tend to be so dang busy.

For years, my extended family routinely went to Sunrise Café over by the Fashion Mall. A couple of years ago, the space was taken over by First Watch. After a few months of being displaced (although they have other locations around town), Sunrise re-opened at 71^st and Shadeland. My parents now frequent the new location regularly, but for some reason, hubby and I have only been a few times, and I have to say, the last time was just ok. The food is very much the same as the original location, I’d say. The interior suffers a bit compared to the all-wood sports theme of the last locale, now being a large space with fewer tables, and sparse décor. And the few wood-based sports items they brought from the old locale, just look strange now on the stark walls (and are generally pretty well worn). The service is still friendly and fast, and there’s never been a wait at the new location. So, we appreciate that we can pretty much always go get that kind of breakfast whenever we want.

On this past visit, hubby and I both had the basic breakfast—two eggs (we both like them over easy), bacon (ok, or sausage, but I always get bacon), hash browns, and your choice of homemade toast ($8.99).  This place has cooked a few eggs in their day, and cooked our eggs just right—nice and runny. I’ve had some ups and downs with the bacon here, but this bacon was really tasty. Crisp enough and more importantly, had that salty bacony flavor. There is nothing worse to me than tasteless bacon. And you see it a touch too much. The hash browns are well, hash browns. They're my favorite breakfast potatoes and not many people do them around town. They were crispy and I was happy. I like their toast as well—I go for the sourdough. They pre-butter too, although I question how much “butter” in actually in there.  Like I said, this place qualifies as a greasy spoon type breakfast, but I like it.

If you’re looking for a straightforward breakfast without a wait, this is a good place to keep in mind. It’s not going to blow your mind, and it isn’t trendy, but it’s solid.

Sunrise Café

7387 North Shadeland Ave

Indianapolis, IN 46150

317/288-5303

Sunrise Café

***This location is closed but relocating as of 1/1/12

This place used to be one of my favorite breakfast places when we first moved back to Indy.  I have to say though, I have seen quality shifts in the time since I have been going, and was motivated to try other places in the meantime.  But we went back the other day for a nice fried breakfast after a night of a bit too much wine (my favorite time for these kinds of breakfasts) and had a meal that was back up there with some of the best experiences we have had.

I just had my usual basic breakfast—2 eggs over medium (they do it right here), bacon, hash browns and toast ($7.75).  The eggs are cooked perfectly over medium the way I like, with a nice runny yolk, but no runny whites.  The hash browns were perfect on this trip—perfectly browned and crispy on both sides. Crunchy and delicious.

The factor that has made me lose interest in this place on and off is the bacon.  I have been there when the bacon was dry and flavorless to the point that I didn’t go back for awhile.  This time the bacon was thicker and had great salty bacon flavor.  It isn’t super fancy bacon or anything, but was good and it hit the spot.

They also make their bread themselves, and it is very good.  I just had the white, and it was obviously fresh.  The one thing that I didn’t like, and depending on how much is used, can make a meal a little too greasy for me, is the “butter” type stuff used on the bread and to cook the eggs in (I think they are using the same for both anyway). It think it is a buttery oil, not actually real melted butter, and a little of it is ok, but when you get too much, it just tastes like oily toast.  On this particular trip, it was a little borderline.  I think next time I will ask for the toast dry and for actual butter on the side. (I will note for the record that hubby and I have a disagreement on this issue and he does not think it is oil.  But we will have to agree to disagree).

So I am not sure why it is so challenging to find a really good, divey breakfast in Indy.  This totally seems like something that Indy could excel at, but I have yet to find a single spot that can pull it off every time. I have had some good breakfasts, and this was one of them, but the consistency has been a little questionable sometimes.  Hmmmm…wonder what it is that makes it such a challenge to find.

Sunrise Café

3309 East 86^th Street

Indy 46240

317/253-8266

Sunrise, Elements and More Z's

****THIS RESTAURANT LOCATION (ON 82ND) HAD MOVED TO SHADELAND AND 71ST****
I just want to start out saying this; the best greasy spoon type breakfast--eggs, bacon, hash browns and toast (or biscuits) that I have found is Sunrise Cafe. I go to the one on 82nd Street near Kohl's but I think there are one or two other locations. They have the hash browns I really like that are shredded and not cubed (which should be home fries, not called hash browns anyway). On a weekend morning, it may be crowded, but on one of those days when you had a light dinner or maybe drank a little too much the night before, it is the best choice I have found so far. The decor is strange to me for a breakfast place (sports, sports and more sports--did this place used to be a sports bar or what?). But it is Indiana I guess.

****ED NOTE: AS OF APRIL 2009, ELEMENTS IS CLOSED.
Ok, now I have to give a glowing review to Elements. I think this is one of the top restaurants in our fair city. I will say the first couple of times I went there maybe a year and a half to 2 years ago, I had some meals that were just ok, and some items that were really good. But the last few times I have been there in the last year, the entire experience has been amazing. The chef works with seasonal ingredients and mixes it up quite a bit. This is one of the only places in town that has salads that are different from the standards you see everywhere (anyone for a spinach salad or lettuce wedge?) and they are GREAT! I love a salad with varying flavors and textures and a little tang. This time it was watercress with pea shoots, cremini mushrooms, parmesan and truffle vinaigrette. Yum. Last time I had one with apples, pine nuts and endive and a vinaigrette that was simply amazing. I opted for a steak this time (I usually get fish here because it is always good) and it was great. It was a ribeye which can be a bit fatty for me but the mushrooms and fingerlings with it were great. It had a great red wine butter on it that wasn't too over the top. Hubby had fish--striped bass--and it was also great. I had several bites.

The other thing I like about Elements in the interior--it is not as stark and some around here and the colors are warm reds and oranges. Great art too. A very pleasant experience. FYI, our favorite table is #7 (for 2 anyway). It is on the end of the banquette but still in the middle of the restaurant. You can hear your dinner mate and still enjoy being in a restaurant with other people. Or if it isn't cold and you want maximum privacy, get the one behind the door.

****ED NOTE: Z'S OYSTER BAR AND STEAKHOUSE IS NOW CLOSED****
Now, on a down note, we went back to Z's Oyster Bar and Steakhouse. While the food remains very good, we were there on a Saturday night and the placed was slammed which is good for them, but the service severely suffered. We started out ok, but by the end of the meal, it had gotten ridiculous. And we were seated in the bar even with a reservation which is very dark and noisy--not so good for a party trying to talk to each other (there were 6 of us) or read a menu. Again, the food was again good (except skip the "Derby Souffle'" unless you want a dessert that tastes like a shot of bourbon.) We probably would not have even gotten dessert except we had ordered in advance to get the souffle'--it was so late and we had been there so long by that point. It was very disappointing considering they assign 2 people to each table to take care of service. The owner was making the round and spoke to us a couple of times. Their business is doing well, but they really need to work out some kinks I think. I am not even going to talk too much about the food as I basically ordered the same thing to see if it was as good the second time. It mainly was, but one thing about the walu (butterfish), if you order it, I would request a piece that is from the thin end of the fillet as it seems to have much more flavor. Hubby ordered the oysters Rockefeller and was quite disappointed--the oysters were very small and there was way too much topping for such a small amount of oyster--he had to dig them out. He is convinced Sullivan's has the best Oysters Rockefeller in this city (even though I think the rest of their food is generally average). If anyone has any suggestions to this end, please let me know!

On a sad note, I hear the Glass Chimney and Deeter's is closing in April. While the decor was in desperate need of an update, the food is good. Very good. Let's just hope someone starts a new generation of a chef-owned restaurant and not another chain....