Rook - Dinner

Recently I went to a dinner with a bunch of people at Rook—I had been wanting to try dinner here for a while, but just hadn’t made it happen. I was excited to get to go with a lot of people, knowing I could pick a little off other people’s plates and get to try a bunch of things.

To start with, Rook’s food is certainly unique to Indy. There are a couple of sort of “appetizer” portions of steamed buns and dumplings. Then, there are larger items that run in the $8-12 range. For a larger appetite, you may want more than one of the larger things, as they are moderately portioned (and reasonably priced in my opinion). For two people, maybe 3 of the larger plates would be ideal.

Hubby and I started with the two flavors of buns-the pork bun ($3.50) and the avocado bun ($3) (each order is one bun). Both of these were very good. The pork bun had that melty pork belly in it and was topped with pickles, cilantro, and a sprinkling of ground peanuts. It was a great proportion of savory/salty and the tangy/acidic with a decent dose of spiciness. The avocado had similar flavors—the pickle part here was kimchi cucumber though. I loved the slight crunchiness from the outside of the avocado, which had been lightly fried in a tempura batter. This was great combined with the creaminess of the avocado itself (let’s face it, avocado in my mind is one of the world’s most perfect foods). Both of these buns were worth ordering again for sure. I was a little sad I managed to miss out on the dumplings though—as I saw them come out of the kitchen, I wished I had ordered some.

As far as mains, we sampled several things—the pig face hash ($10), the Japanese fried chicken (karaage) ($8) and the shrimp toast special ($10). The pig face hash was good—lots of small pieces of shredded pork with pork cracklings and pickled peppers and topped with a runny egg. It felt like an Asian breakfast dish. Hubby loved this dish and ate every last bite. The pig face certainly has a concentrated, pork flavor and I enjoyed it, particularly with a bite of the egg, and a squeeze of the accompanying lime, but I sort of wished for another egg—the dish was just a little dry when you didn’t get some egg on it. I think I would just ask for an extra egg, extra runny, and see if they’d do that. 

The karaage (fried chicken) was probably my favorite main dish of the evening. It is bite-sized pieces of chicken thigh that are fried very crisp, with a spicy seasoning and served over rice and topped with onions, peppers, sweet chili oil, cilantro, and a bit of mint. I love the tenderness of using thigh meat (as well as the extra depth of flavor that you don’t get with white meat). I loved the freshness that came from the crunch of onions and cilantro—this is one of my favorite things right now, the balance of fresh raw herbs and other veg (onions, bean sprouts, etc.) in Asian dishes.

The shrimp toast was a bit of a miss for me—maybe I am particular because I make a version at home myself that I really like and this was very different. The biggest problem for me was the size of the bread—it appeared they were just using the bread from the Banh Mi sandwiches and it was just too thick for the light shrimpy topping. I was excited about this dish when I read it on the menu (with bone marrow too!) but it just tasted like very lightly shrimpy bread with some of the fatty marrow on top. The recipe I use says that the bread layer should be the same thickness as the shrimp layer and I sort of like it that way. And while there were some sliced shallots on top, I missed the freshness and acidity that was part of most of the other dishes. I also had a quick bit of a friend’s rice bowl, which had a lot of nice things in it—the bite I had was sausage and a bite of a beautiful poached egg.

I like Rook, and I like the creativity that’s coming out of the kitchen. Chef Salazar is incredibly talented and inventive. My biggest question about this place is whether it is just a little too unfamiliar for many people to be a regularly frequented place. It also has quite an austere interior, which to me lends itself better to lunch (although you can’t get the wider menu at lunch, just the banh mi sandwiches and some of the dumplings) than it does to dinner. Also, while a friend pointed out to me that the target market here is probably beer drinkers, I miss the fact that they don’t serve wine. I understand it’s a small place without much more room for wine, but a couple of well-paired selections would be nice. We’re lucky to have Rook though, and hopefully there are enough adventurous eaters in town to keep them going!

Rook

719 Virginia Avenue

Indy 46213

317/759-5828

www.rookindy.com 

Art's Skillet

Recently a rep for a new restaurant reached out to me online to ask me about reviewing several different restaurants. I don’t do scheduled reviews because I like to be anonymous, but I actually don’t mind getting these types of messages because sometimes it opens my eyes to a place I didn’t know was out there—and so it goes with Art’s Skillet. Apparently, it has only been open a couple of months, and even though it isn’t super close to me, it’s close enough to go if I think it’s a good new option.

Its right on Pendleton Pike in a building that obviously used to be some sort of chain fast food restaurant, but for the life of me, I can’t figure out which one. Nothing makes me happier though than seeing an out-of-business chain taken over by a local. I walked in and was greeted immediately and seated.

The menu is 75% breakfast and about 25% lunch items and I was in the mood for breakfast, which is listed as their specialty. My server was extremely friendly and was so enthusiastic about the place, he was practically busting at the seams. It was nice to see. The menu is also quite large and covers pretty much every aspect of breakfast. I was having a hard time making up my mind, and zeroed in on the “Art’s Favorites” section of the menu figuring if they’re his favorites, they have to be good right? I went with the Huevos con Chorizo burrito ($7.29). I knew it would probably be huge, and it was. There was a lot going on in this thing. There were light and fluffy scrambled eggs, spicy chorizo, onions, jalapenos and green peppers on the inside, and housemade salsa and lots of melted cheese on the outside. It was spicy, and hearty, and you certainly got your money’s worth of food. No way I could finish it all. You also had a choice of hash browns or peasant potatoes—I went against my server’s recommendation and got the hash browns, just because they’re hard to find in town. They were ok, nothing special—a little too crispy believe it or not (and I usually complain they’re too mushy). He said the seasoning on the peasant potatoes was better and next time, I will have to give them a try.

I really wanted to try “Art’s famous fried biscuits” as well. They are $4.95 for a full order, but they were kind enough to make me just a half order, even though it isn’t an option on the menu (and look how huge even a half order is!). Totally not what I was expecting—when I hear fried biscuits, I think the brown county ones with apple butter. These are more like chunks of actual biscuits (like are used in biscuits and gravy) that are fried and then coated in powdered sugar which turns into almost like an icing. They are sweet on their own for sure (almost like a beignet) but the honey marmalade was over the top for me. I couldn’t do it. My server suggested I dip them in the cream cheese sauce that they serve in the crepes, and I tried that and liked it better—not so sugary sweet, but honestly, I think they were probably fine on their own. I am pretty sure my kids would like these things, but I’m not sure I would eat them again. Just a little too much sweet for me.

The prices are right, the place is exceptionally neat and clean, and the owner’s story is great (he started the business after working in the restaurant industry for 22 years and then suddenly losing his job). I think next time I would just go with straightforward breakfast-bacon and eggs. I think they probably do everything pretty well, but I bet they do the usuals really well. I look forward to taking the family back and trying it again.

Anyone else been there yet?

Art’s Skillet

8255 Pendleton Pike

Indy 46226

317/672-2367

www.artskillet.com 

Fat Dan's - Revisit

It’s been awhile since I have been to Fat Dan’s and I hadn’t been to the new location—hubby has been nagging me to go and we wanted to take the kids somewhere easy, so it seemed like a good choice.

I love the new location, and the table service! Our server was really nice and very attentive. The whole place was full, even as early as it was. The kids were digging the games on the table (we had Connect Four) and the fact that they had tater tots on the menu.

I have a thing for Fat Dan’s burgers and that’s what I ordered. They are my favorite fat burger in town (although they aren’t ridiculously huge) for sure. I had mine with a fried egg (which they did just a little runny in the middle—perfect, but not too messy) and cheese. ($9) As in the past, it was delicious—they ask you what temperature you want it cooked to and they listen. The meat is super tender and has great flavor. I really like the buns as well—they really stand up to the meat. My daughter had a kid’s burger as well ($4.50) and really liked it as well. They are a little smaller than the adult version, but honestly not that much. It’s a great deal.

Hubby had the Italian Beef, wet ($7.50). They do a nice job with Italian Beef, but hubby was jealous of my burger. The Italian beef has all the traditional fixings (the thin beef, and lots of giardinara), but we have gotten sort of jaded by making it at home and putting just what we want on it in just the exact right quantities. I also didn’t taste the sweet peppers that we use on ours at home.  And we tend to get a little bowl of the au jus to dip in at home to keep the sandwich from falling apart as you eat it. But it’s still a solid option for Italian Beef in Indy.

We all shared a mixed order of fries and tots  ($3.75) and they were as good as they have ever been. The fries (and a few potato rounds) were super crispy. The tots were as good as you get with tots as well and my daughter was happy. Who doesn’t love some tots every now and then?

If you aren’t familiar with Fat Dan’s—they bring the food out on a big piece of butcher paper. Fries in the middle and the sandwich individually wrapped alongside. The napkins are big rolls of paper towels. It’s a completely casual, easygoing place with great food. I still want to try one of those hand dipped corn dogs one of these days. They look great.

I am glad to see Dan’s expansion going so well—and I like that the new location still has the “charm” of the old one, even in slightly fancier digs.

Fat Dan’s Chicago Style Deli

5410 North College

Indy  46220

317/600-3333

www.fatdansdeli.com  

Zest!- Breakfast

*****ZEST IS OUT OF BUSINESS******

On a breakfast kick lately, and after asking on facebook and twitter the other day about biscuits and gravy, a large number of you guys mentioned Zest and I have always wanted to go for full-on breakfast, so we packed up the kids and prepared for a wait. It was a Saturday and I expected a long wait, but it wasn’t too bad at all. They were very busy, with lots of large parties, but the service was pretty efficient considering.

I ordered the Fletcher’s Biscuit sandwich (as did my son) ($4.95). I had mine with bacon and avocado, he had his with sausage. They do a really great job with this—you get a huge fluffy biscuit stuffed with a ton of scrambled eggs, cheese, and your choice of meat. The scrambled eggs were nice and moist—just as they should be, and they give you enough of them that they kind of tumble off the biscuit and practically make another order of scrambled eggs. The bacon is from Smoking Goose and was great. I had a side of cowboy potatoes ($2.95) as well. These things are rich and decedent and delicious. They are diced potatoes, with a seasoning mix, cheese and what I am guessing is a fair amount of sour cream, giving them that slightly tangy flavor—and making the sauce fairly smooth. 

Hubby ordered a half order of the biscuits and gravy ($5.95). It is interesting looking because it has an almost pink, or maybe orange tint to the gravy, which I’m guessing  comes from the “secret mix of spices” that are listed on the menu (and I am guessing are some of the same seasonings used in the cowboy potatoes). The menu also says they use Goose sausage, but unfortunately, the hunks of sausage were pretty dried out (same was true in my son’s biscuit sandwich). The biscuits were light and fluffy and the gravy looked very appealing, but for all the “secret spices” I didn’t really think there was a lot of kick (or even flavor) to it. You certainly get a lot of food here though, even with just a half order.

My daughter had one of Zest’s other signature items—the Crème Brûlée French Toast ($5.95 for half order). OK, if I thought the cowboy potatoes were decadent, man, this dish is crazy. It is seriously like eating an exceptionally moist cake that has been turned into French toast. Lots of vanilla flavor, plus maple syrup drizzled on top and a side of bacon. I have a hard time eating things that are purely sweet for a meal, and couldn’t eat more than a bite or two, but I can see how this could be a favorite of people who do.

I have eaten a fair amount of meals at Zest, and most have been pretty good. Prepare yourself to a good amount of very rich food here that’s for sure—not the place to go if you’re watching your diet or anything. My personal opinion is that they excel the most at breakfast. 

Zest Exciting Food Creations

1134 East 54^th Street

Indy  46220

317/466-1853

www.zestexcitingfood.com 

Pho 54

I’ll just start by saying this was the place that put me off to ever reading yelp reviews. I will also say I found the place to be bright and clean and everyone was very nice and helpful.

I have read a few things about this place and convinced my west side experimenter friends to join me (Sacha and Scott). They’re excellent lunch companions because they are game to go with me to try whatever I’m thinking about, and even better yet to order lots of different food and to share (even when it involves difficult to share noodles).

I started bossy and ordered a Vietnamese pancake ($6.95) as an appetizer—because I love them so and whenever there’s more than just me in a Vietnamese restaurant, I feel like I have an excuse to order more food.  This one was very good. The rice flour crepe was very thin with nice crispy edges. Inside, it was stuffed with pieces of pork and small whole shrimps and lots of bean sprouts and green onions. It was served with a bit of lettuce, cilantro, some sliced cucumbers and seasoned fish sauce on the side. Like I said in general, I love these things and this one was no exception. The crepe was one of the better ones (to me, this means thin and crisp, but still with a bit of softness in the middle) and the fillings inside were tender (meat) and crunchy (sprouts). I like the combo of flavors with the slightly salty/slighty sweet seasoned fish sauce. I have never introduced anyone to one of these pancakes who didn’t like it and Sacha and Scott were no exception. They both really liked it.

I ordered the rare beef pho ($7.95) and it was also very good. A huge bowl filled with lots of rice noodles, a good amount of the super thin slices of beef (and a fair amount of it), tons of chopped scallions and sliced onions and the side plate of fresh garnishes—jalapeno, cilantro, purple basil, bean sprouts and a wedge of lime. I threw most of the herbs in there and a bit of the jalapeno and some of the sprouts (there were A LOT of sprouts on the plate). I squeezed all the lime juice in and threw the lime in too (acid!). The thing that makes (or breaks) pho is the broth. If it doesn’t have a lot of flavor, then the whole thing just isn’t very good. This one had a lot of flavor and just a bit of fat (you could see the remnants after the soup had cooled). It was really good and perfect on a cold day. Also, so big that I am sure I will never finish a bowl, and in fact, even the three of us didn’t finish it.

Scott ordered the Com Tay Cam, or clay pot ($8.25). It was heavily sauced rice served with a choice of meat (he had the shrimp). I liked this one as well, but the menu mentioned crispy rice (which is the appeal of a clay pot dish to me)—the rice kind of burns onto the bottom of the dish making for crispy bits. I didn’t really see too much of that here. The flavor was of a thicker, slightly sweet sauce—thinking soy sauce and some oyster sauce were involved. This reminded me more of Chinese food because it was more sauce heavy, whereas the Vietnamese food usually seems lighter. There were veggies as well as some pieces of pineapple in there.

Sacha ordered the minced pork noodle (bun mi)($6.79). This is a noodle dish as well—the noodles are served on top of shredded veggies—lettuce, cucumbers, and green onions. On top of it was some shredded pork. Our server explained that you are to take the little bowl of seasoned fish sauce and pour it on top and then mix it up, which she did. This dish was my least favorite on the table—it was mostly cold (the veggies anyway) and the flavors much milder—it just didn’t have the depth of the other dishes. Honestly, I would be hard pressed not to go back and just order the exact same thing I had this time—the pancake and the pho.

The place was doing a good lunch business and the food was delivered pretty quickly. The prices are reasonable and I think it’s a good spot for a cheap, fast, lunch. I’d go back.

Pho 54

7280 N. Michigan Road

Indy 46268

317/298-9001

www.indypho54.com 

Tomo - Hibachi

As a family, all of us love a good Japanese Steakhouse. Well, I should say, we all love Benihana. It is one of the few chains we visit a few times a year. I’m not sure why exactly, but it started as a pregnancy craving for me, so maybe it was just an inborn thing with my kids. And when they were little, it was always fun to have someone to occupy their attention. It also started my daughter on a short-lived goal to be one of the first female hibachi chefs (this really bothered her for awhile).

I always feel slightly guilty about the fact that we are going to a chain, and am always hopeful to find an independent option instead. Tomo is right by our house, and while I think it is known more for sushi, there is a hibachi area, and we decided to check it out. I liked that on the menu you could order what you want in various combinations, and my son liked that filet mignon was an option on the kids’ menu ($13.95) (they will do it at Benihana but you have to ask).

To start with, much is the practice at every Japanese steakhouse I have ever been to, you get a clear soup and salad appetizer (kids get one or the other). The soup was good- a little beefier tasting than others with sliced mushrooms and fried onions. The salad was your typical iceberg with a cucumber and tomato slice (not the season for those and it showed). The dressing is always a variation of a ginger dressing but I did not care for the creamy aspect of this one. I prefer the zingy taste of the pure ginger vinegar-type dressing. Hubby and I both had one bite and pushed the salad aside (they did give you a lot of dressing though).

The meals all come with fried rice included in the price (including the kids’), which is nice. Everyone really liked this version of fried rice. It had a lot of seasoning coming from sauces—soy and a creamy sauce they put on top. There was egg in there and onion, but less of any other veggies. It was popular at our table.

I ordered filet and shrimp and hubby ordered filet and salmon ($25.95 for either combo). You also get a couple of shrimp as an appetizer. You get a ginger sauce and a creamy mustard type sauce to dip in. The shrimp were pretty tough—cooked a little too long and without much finesse. And everything that was cooked on the hibachi seemed to be coated in a sweetish teriyaki-type sauce. I wasn’t a fan. It’s one thing if you order teriyaki chicken or whatever, but I like the cleanness of the shrimp, maybe a little  lemon and butter and then the ginger sauce. With all the different sauces, and the fact that they were sweet, it just became a little cloying. And as for the ginger sauce—it too had a sweetness to it. I have read copycat recipes online for Benihana’s ginger sauce (I told you, it’s a favorite in my family) and many contain ketchup. I think this one certainly did and tasted like it had too much of it.

Hubby’s salmon was the best thing. Being a sushi place, we were hoping for a decent piece of fish that wasn’t overcooked and he did a good job, even though it, like everything else, was also coated in the same sauce. It was nice and medium rare in the thickest parts and was by far the best thing we had.

The beef unfortunately, looked like decent quality when it was raw, but after it was cooked way too much (even though we all said we wanted medium rare) and drenched in yet more of the sauce. We took most of the beef home to the dog, which was a shame.

The best part of the dinner was probably the theatrics—they were certainly more showy here than they are at Benihana. There was a lot of bursts of flames and our chef liked squirting things from bottles directly into patrons mouths as well as flipping bits of veggies into your mouth as well (I passed on both). Speaking of veggies, they did a decent job on these—there was zucchini, onions, broccoli and mushrooms and he let them cook on the grill long enough that they had cooked, but still had a bit of crunch left in them.

All in all, it was a bit of a miss for us. Ok, hubby said he would never do the hibachi there again—but we had a decent sushi experience in the past, and the sushi part of the restaurant was packed, so we will likely come back and try that again.  I also really like the addictive Japanese gum they give you at the end. Intense burst of flavor that lasts about 5 seconds, making you want more. I could chew this stuff all day.

Tomo

7411 North Keystone, Suite A

Indy  46240

317/254-8666

www.tomo123.com 

Northside Kitchenette - Breakfast

Hubby and I recently hit up Northside Kitchenette for breakfast—my last lunch had been a bit lackluster, but the breakfast menu had looked good. We were torn on what to order and agreed to split the eggs Benedict ($10) and the breakfast burrito ($10). We also enjoyed some mimosas, because, well, why not?

Both were good, but the eggs Benedict was our favorite. I liked the variation of using regular sliced (and perfectly crisp) bacon on the English muffin instead of Canadian bacon, which isn’t my favorite. The eggs were poached exactly right with firm enough whites, but a delicious runny golden yolk. And I liked the “slightly spicy” garlic Hollandaise. I wouldn’t really call it spicy per se, but it did have a little more flavor than the typical Hollandaise. All the breakfast dishes were served with very crispy seasoned diced potatoes that were good—I liked that they were really crisp, more like they were deep-fried than pan-fried.

Hubby had the southwest breakfast burrito, which was stuffed with eggs, chorizo, green chili salsa, jack cheese, breakfast potatoes, and pico de gallo. The chorizo had a nice amount of spice to it and added a good flavor. The burrito was kind of “filled out” with more of the potatoes inside, which I picked out because I didn’t feel like I needed even more potatoes. Hubby wished they filled it out with black beans or something instead—it would have added more to the flavor and added a little more moisture, which the whole thing could have used as well.

The service was friendly and efficient—much better than the last time I came. In the cold weather, the restaurant seats about half as many people (without all the outside seating), so I guess it is probably a little easier to manage. 

In my last post about Northside Kitchenette, I was wondering if breakfast would be strength for them and it turns out, I think it is. I could easily add this place to my rotation of regular breakfast spots. I heard from many of you that the biscuits and gravy are good as well, so we have a goal for the next visit.

Northside Kitchenette

6515 N. College Ave.

Indy  46220

317/253-1022

www.northsidekitchenette.com 

6 Years...and Counting

Hard to believe another year has flown by and that I have been writing this blog for 6 years! I am not going to ramble on this year (that's a change huh?), but just wanted to document the "birthday" because I am a big birthday person.

Recently I read a post by my friend Angie Six (hey, she's a Six, and it's my sixth!) over at her blog Just Like the Number, where she asked her readers to leave a comment about something good that had happened to them in the past year as a birthday gift to her. So, I am stealing the concept and asking you guys to leave a comment here telling me what was one of the best things that you have eaten in the last year? That would be an awesome "blog-a-versary" gift for me.

Cheers! Here's to a great 2014.

Happy Eating.

H2O Sushi - Omakase

****H2O is CLOSED********

Sushi, oysters, shumai and rice cakes

Wow. I wasn’t going to write about this one because it was kind of a special dinner—some friends of ours had won an Omakase dinner at H2O at last year’s Taste of the NFL fundraiser, which raises money to fight hunger locally.  Omakase, if you aren’t familiar, is just a way of saying you’ll leave the dinner to the Chef’s discretion. The dinner was for four, and they were kind enough to invite us along. After checking out the menu, most of the items we had were available individually on the specials (although I never would have been able to order so many of them just on my own), so I figured I would go ahead and talk about them. Also, I asked Eli Anderson, the Chef and owner, if this was something people could get if they came in for dinner and he said absolutely. I would just let them know in advance.

Our dinner also included Sparkling wine and wine but I am just going to stick to the food here, although I really enjoyed the wine pairings as well. We started off with an oyster shooter for each of us—the petite oysters (how I like them best when they’re raw) and topped with a bit of masago. Next were two versions of Hamachi crudo with two different flavor profiles. The first had more of a delicate Asian flavor with lime vinaigrette, thin slices of jalapeno and micro cilantro. Loved the slight heat the jalapeno gave as well the sour taste from the lime. We had another version that had a different type of vinaigrette and was topped with capers and chopped jalapenos as well. I loved the briny taste of the capers with the fish—I had a hard time deciding which I liked better.

At this point, the food just kept on coming and I was loving it. We each had a shumai dumpling, which was filled with beef and topped with the perfect sauce of soy, sambal and sesame. I liked the sauce so much; I picked up the bowl and drizzled it all over my dumpling. That’s what I do.  Next was seared tuna with ginger/caramel pineapple, pea shoots, and a slightly citrus tasting chili sauce. It was interesting, because pineapple isn’t always my favorite thing, but this was great with the tuna. The sharp flavor of the fruit was softened and sweetened by the cooking of it. The tuna on it’s own was just seared and needed the combo of flavors. It was one of those dishes with just the right amount of variation of flavors that needed to be eaten together.

Next were roasted rice cakes with scallions, caramelized onions, sesame seeds and red dragon sauce. These reminded me a lot of the ones hubby and I had at Momofuku Noodle Bar in NYC. These were spicier though and had a decent kick to them. I love the slightly chewy texture of the rice cake. These were quickly followed by a riff on something else we had at Momofuku—the pork bun. H2O often does pork belly in a bun, but these were like spicy pulled pork. I enjoyed these as well—my favorite part is the thin pickles that balance the spicy flavor just a little.

Beef tendon

The next thing is maybe something I have never had singularly as a dish and it was beef tendon—I loved the rich beefy flavor of these, and can see how they add flavors to broths and things like that. I wasn’t a huge fan of the chewy consistency of them on their own, but it was certainly an interesting dish (and one of the ones that was not on the menu).

After the rich hearty flavors of the pork and beef dishes (and the rice cakes), it was a refreshing change in the pacing to be given a couple of sushi rolls and the bright apple salad. The sushi included one of my favorites—the crazy ho roll (read about it here) and something I had not had in this particular combo—the Joe Pesci roll (shrimp, jalapeno, avocado and cilantro) and topped with some of my all time favorite tuna tartare. Not sure this is a regular item on the menu, but I bet they would make this for you since they have all the stuff on hand. It was a fun combination.

Apple salad, tuna, monkfish

The apple salad was really delicious and a great palate cleanser. It was julienned apples, cilantro, peanuts and dried blueberries in a light vinaigrette. It had that great mixture of sweet and tangy that I love with the crunch and slight saltiness of the peanuts. Not sure this one was on the menu either, which is too bad because it’s delicious. The last savory item we had was roasted monkfish with roasted garlic and lemon lentils. This one was probably my least favorite dish of the evening, just because the monkfish didn’t have a ton of flavor—normally it has a sweet flavor similar to lobster, and this one was kind of bland. The lemon lentils were a nice contrast in texture and added a light citrus note.

At this point, we held our hands up and told them we were completely stuffed, but we still managed to force down a couple of the famous H2O cookies. It is really hard to pass those things up that’s for sure.

This was one of the best meals I have had in Indy in quite awhile and I really enjoyed the mystery of what was coming next. I was told based on what we had, a meal like this would likely run just under $50 a person (without drinks and gratuity) and that they would be happy to do this with any size party, as long as the whole table goes along. And I highly recommend it.

H2O Sushi

1912 Broad Ripple Avenue

Indy 46220

317/254-0677

www.h2osushibar.com  

Sushi Bar - Revisit

Hubby and I had hit our limit of decadent holiday dinners just after Christmas and decided to go back to Sushi Bar and see how they were doing. My first visits were both enjoyable so we looked forward to seeing if they have maintained their quality. 

We really just wanted sushi so we ordered several rolls and a couple pieces of salmon nigiri and skipped any appetizers. I did also had a bowl of miso soup ($2). I have to say, they may have one of the better bowls of miso I have had around town. It just seems heartier somehow, a denser broth. It was studded with the usual cubes of tofu and some seaweed.

We had the Christmas roll (seemed appropriate) ($7.99), the Phoenix roll ($10.99), and the Hoosier roll ($4.50)—and as I mentioned, an order of salmon nigiri ($4.50).  Honestly, I think our favorite was probably the Christmas roll. It had spicy tuna and crunch on the inside and lots of sliced avocado on top, as well as some masago. Even though the spicy tuna was more of the less identifiable pieces of fish (almost more like a paste), it had a nice crunch with the tempura bits and you know how much I love avocado. The flavors and textures were nice together. 

The Phoenix roll is one we often get in some variation in a lot of sushi places. It had shrimp tempura inside—and they were generous on the shrimp—there was quite a bit of shrimp sticking outside the ends, not just the tail. It was topped with eel and avocado and unagi sauce, which is a soy based slightly sweet sauce. We like a bit of crunch, so we like the ones with fried stuff in them.  It hit the spot.

I kind of threw the Hoosier roll on at the end of our order worried we wouldn’t have enough. And it was only $4.50 so I figured it would be small. It was only 6 pieces vs. the larger 8 piece rolls that are topped with stuff. It was simple with just plain tuna and avocado and drizzled with spicy mayo. It was a good addition and for the price, you can’t really go wrong.

The only real complaint we had about the rolls overall was there was something just a little off about the nori (seaweed). It was just a little too chewy. I am not sure what causes that, but from my cursory search online, it can be from just too much moisture –like if the rice is moister than normal. All the rolls suffered a bit from it. It didn’t ruin the meal or anything, but we both noticed it right away. The salmon nigiri was one of the best things, probably because it was a great piece of fish and because it didn’t have any of the nori on it.

All in all, (hopefully temporary) nori issue aside, I think the Sushi Bar is a solid choice, particularly on Broad Ripple Avenue. The prices are reasonable (and the beers are still $1 for domestic bottles and $2 for imports!), the food is good quality and our service was friendly and efficient. In fact if anyone was slow, it was us trying to make up our minds about what we wanted. The place was doing a steady business as well and I was glad to see it.

Sushi Bar

911 Broad Ripple Avenue

Indy  46220

317/257-7289

www.sushibarindy.com 

Napolese - Revisit

Hubby and I were just in the mood for something different—we decided to give Napolese another try because it had been quite awhile. We also hadn’t been to the new downtown location and were interested to try it out. I like that this location takes reservations so you know you won’t have to wait. It was slightly annoying though that even with a reservation, when we walked in, and even though there were only two tables seated, the hostess tried to seat us right next to one of the other occupied tables and with the bus stand on the other side. I mean the whole place was empty at this point. (I still will never understand why restaurants do this). Anyhow, after asking for a different table, and standing there waiting while they figured out if it was possible (really?), we got seated and ordered some drinks. They also always bring you a great little bowl of mixed olives, which I love, because, well, I love olives—and these are great ones.

We started with the white bean cassoulet ($13) because hubby loves cassoulet. It was made with a lot of meat. Seriously, this was like an Italian pork dish with a few beans. There was pork shoulder, pancetta, duck confit and Smoking Goose sausage. We were kind of surprised at how few beans there really was, but you are certainly getting your money’s worth on the meat. It was cold outside and it was extremely hearty—a dish that is not my favorite kind of thing because it is just so over the top meaty. I would have loved a squeeze of lemon or something. There was some shaved parmesan that gave it a slightly salty taste which was good.  They have improved the way they serve the bread on the side too, giving slightly larger pieces of the pizza dough with some cheese on it.

We also had the arugula salad with pear, shaved fennel, candied pecans, Gorgonzola and aged Sherry vinaigrette ($10). I sort of wish I would have had this to eat at the same time as the cassoulet, a little acid would have been nice. The salad was good, other than I have learned to always ask for extra dressing at Patachous. Not a biggie, but they are very light with dressing there. I just ask for extra when I order. The pears were ripe and gave a nice sweet contrast to the blue cheese and vinaigrette, although we fought over the 4-5 nuts. It was a big salad, and could have used a bit more of the nice sweet and salty nuts.

We ordered the BLT pizza ($13) for our main and it was by far the best thing of the evening. That’s good right? It’s a pizza place after all. We have had it before and enjoyed it but now—can you say, “Smoking Goose jowl bacon?” That stuff is amazing. Ok, it’s pretty decadent with its thick fat layer, and its slightly charred edges, man, it took this pizza to another place. Also, I love Taleggio, which is a stinkier soft cheese. The leeks gave the whole thing some texture, although I am still not sure about caramelized as the proper descriptor. A really good pizza overall with a perfect, chewy, tasty crust.

This experience was pretty typical of our Napolese experiences—the pizza is solid and the stuff we get before is often just okay. But to just go in for a salad and pizza and it’s a good option. And I like that there’s at least one of their locations that take reservations.

Napolese

30 S. Meridian Street

Indy  46204

317/635-0765

http://www.napolesepizzeria.com/

A Few of My Favorite Things...

I’ve been noticing a lot of year-end wrap up articles lately, and figured, I want to do that too! These are some of my personal “favorite things” from local Indianapolis restaurants (I tried to pick things you can always get at these places so you guys can check them out too). These are things that I find myself going back to over and over again.  (Note: I am sure I have left things out, and there are many restaurants that are hard to include because they change the menu frequently, which in and of itself is one of my favorite things as well).

So in no particular order other than as they pop into my head, here goes:

Tuna tartare from H2O Sushi: (CLOSED) I am pretty sure I could eat this every day if hubby would let me. He has finally given up trying to make me not order it every time we go. They have the seasoning nailed with soy, ginger, lemon, cilantro, radish, chives and masago. I love this stuff. And those cookies too.

H2O

Frites from Brugge: These are easily the best fries in Indy. Freshly made and always crisp-- and I love all the choices of dipping sauces. My current favorites are the straight up aioli, the blue cheese, and the sherry vinegar and salt. Best mussels in town too, but it’s the frites that dreams are made of.

Brugge

Burger from Barking Dog Café (CLOSED): I love this burger—it is currently my favorite in town. And I like it just how they make it—with their special sauce, super thin sliced onions (one of my favorite parts), lettuce, pickles, ketchup, Dijon, and cheese of course. It’s a thin burger with crisp edges and all the flavors meld together perfectly. Best clam chowder in town too.

Barking Dog

BALT and frites from Taste: I can’t go to Taste without ordering both these things. The BALT is one of my favorite sandwiches because of the tangy dressing they use on the lettuce. It also has lots of a guacamole-type spread, which I like because it is evenly spread on the whole sandwich (and of course there’s bacon). The basil aioli is what makes the frites so amazing.

Taste

Taste

Egg salad from Patachou or Petite Chou: Egg salad on toasted sourdough with an extra pickle. That’s my regular order (although Petite Chou does it as an open-faced tartine on toast—and actually I usually eat the Patachou version open-faced as well because you really don’t need all the bread). The egg salad is simple and perfect. Just eggs, mayo and salt and pepper. I easily eat this once a week.

Patachou

Slice of mushroom and red onion pizza from Brozinni: Best pizza in town, hands down. Big New York style slices. The onion is evenly distributed and the crust is exactly the right amount of bendy and chewy. Dip the crust in the garlic butter from the knuckles, and it’s perfect.

Brozinni

Bacon flight from Libertine: Ok, I haven’t had this one as much as some of these other dishes I've mentioned, but I love Goose bacon, and sometimes, just getting the various varieties served straight up (well, with dipping sauces) is just what you need.

Ramen noodles from Ichiban: stir fried ramen noodles with perfectly sized slices of veggies mixed in and topped with a breaded pork tenderloin.  Cheap and something good in Castleton!

Ichiban

Steak tartare from Meridian: I have a thing for steak tartare. Well, any tartare really. But they are often too bland and one-dimensional. This one is great, one of the best (and one of the few) I have had in Indy. The beef is tender and seasoned with capers and garlic mayo, onions and nice crispy fried chickpeas on the side, which add a touch of salt. Oh, and don’t forget the quail egg on top. 

Meridian

Brad Gates’ breaded lamb chops: This is something I have had several times at catered events by Brad Gates, and these things are ideal finger food. He takes individual lamb chops, trims them perfectly, coats them in breadcrumbs and fries them in butter.  A grown up lollipop. You can’t really go wrong here. I wonder if he ever does them at the Pantry at the City Market? He should.

Fried Chicken from Mississippi Belle: If you’re thinking about going to KFC, don’t do it. Skip over to Mississippi Belle instead. Dinner is all you can eat and this is some of the best fried chicken I have found in town. Pan-fried, so it doesn’t have a ton of crispy coating, but the seasoning is spot on. And the mac and cheese is a must order as well.

Mississippi Belle

Spaghetti from Bluebeard: Truth be told, there are several other more mind-blowing items to be had at Bluebeard, but the side order of spaghetti with lemon, crème fraiche and parmesan has been a regular item on the menu since they opened, and a regular side item on our table on nearly every visit. It is simple, but the tangy flavor of the lemon and the crème fraiche make it special.

Bluebeard

Rare beef salad from Long Thanh: This was a dish that I ate repeatedly for a long time and still, now, as soon as I start talking about it, I want it again. It is basically a salad with lots of cilantro and basil, topped with thin slices of tender rare beef and chopped peanuts. It has a distinct lime flavor and when mixed with the fish sauce that comes along with, and the crispy fried shrimp chips that are light as air, it makes for lovely little tangy bites.

Chicken soup at La Hacienda: This soup is so good. Especially in the winter. Or if you have a cold. Or hell, even in the summer if you’re me and you just can’t hardly not order it. It’s basically a kitchen sink of Mexican food items. Chicken broth, rice, tortilla chips, chicken, pico de gallo, cheese, avocado. Everything good. All in one huge bowl for under $6. And be sure and get a Texas margarita too. 

Roti Rolls at Siam Square: This is a must order dessert for us at Siam Square. It’s a simple concept—puff pastry, butter and sugar, but it the kind of dessert that hubby and I really like.

Fried shrimp po boy from B’s Po Boy: Extra shrimp is required so they’re pouring out of the flown in from Louisiana bread. I like mine dressed with lettuce, pickles, tomatoes and mayo and with a side of the spicy remoulade sauce that I drizzle on top. Even hubby agrees it is as good as the ones you get in New Orleans (and in some cases better).

Chicken Salad from Movable Feast: No fruit. No nuts. Just chicken, celery, green onions and a great tangy yogurt-based sauce with lots of dill. A great, tasty, straightforward chicken salad.

Sautéed eggplant with basil sauce add chicken from Jasmine Thai: There was one guy who worked there who just referred to me as “eggplant” for awhile when I walked in to pick up my carry out order of this stuff. But apparently, there is another patron who eats it 2-3 times a week so there must be something addictive about it. Soften golden eggplant in a soy/basil sauce. I like to add the chicken for a bit of texture variation. All over rice. Another staple in my diet.

Jasmine Thai

Fried chicken from Sahm’s: Huge, super crunchy pieces of chicken that have good flavor and taste even better the next day (according to hubby).  I only wish I could get on track as to when they have it at my local Sahm’s. But the Fishers’ location serves it daily apparently.

Sticky Toffee Pudding from Late Harvest: Ok, so I have had issues sometimes here, but the one thing I will always order on any visit is the sticky toffee pudding. I fell in love with the dish while living in England, and they do a spot on version with a tender, warm spice cake and topped with toffee sauce and whipped cream. 

Late Harvest

Hot and Sour Soup from House of Cheung: This is one of my latest cravings and has been intense. There can be a little variation from visit to visit, but overall it’s a great version of the vinegary and spicy soup. And they have the only fried wontons in town that I have found that are never stale. A bowl of this with the wontons on top makes me very happy.

House of Cheung

So there you have it---a list of a (not so) few of my favorite things. But once I get going, it’s hard to not keep having things pop into your head. So tell me, what thing(s) popped into your head as you read? I want to know what your go-to items are in Indy restaurants. 

And now I am really, really hungry.

Happy Holidays and Cheers! I’ll be back with new posts next week.