Time for the Tick Tock Tavern to ReOpen
On the near east side of Indy ; on 10th street ; there once was a nice little neighborhood. It was anchored by Arsenal Technical High School and three wide thoroughfares of huge turn of the century homes. Several of which even had carriage houses. But that area ; like a lot of places in this country ; deteriorated. One of businesses that fell on “hard times” was the Tick Tock Tavern. Fell ? Hell it jumped. Back in the early 90′s one of its bartenders shot a customer. That ain’t good customer relations. No matter now, it closed and two sharp and savvy business women have re built it and are starting a new chapter on 10th Street.
The born again Tick Tock is bright and airy and offers no pretense. Some new joints try to play a hip and/or sophisticated card. Not this place. You get what you see. They offer about 6 or 7 craft beers. Mostly local and they only charge $5. Their food menu isn’t that large. Which should be common for the first one. Their fare is common bar food; with a slight creative twist. They cook their burgers on a flat top ; like the Living Room Lounge. Imagine that. Tammy, a co-owner, and our bartender/server used to own the Living Room. Well as soon as Pat learned how they cook ‘em he ordered one so fast I thought he was gonna’ bite his tongue.
They had 4 lunch specials that day. One included pig. Pulled pork with bbq sauce. They had me at the 1st B. The portion was legit and the flavor had a slight smokiness that I enjoy. Even if it might have come from a bottle. The meat was both shredded and in bigger chunks. The chunks had some great crusty brown pieces and parts. The special came with cole slaw and choice of side. You can see that on the menu that is accompanying this post. We have made some changes in the bistro. Tammy told us she was planning on changing the menu , and adding more apps. Pat and I have already discussed a revisit. We will have to find some peeps to go with us ; so we can try more stuff. This is an exciting little joint. GOOD LUCK LADIES.
Oh I almost forgot. Their “hook” is flavored vodkas. At first thought that may not seem too exciting but they infuse their own. Pat and I sampled some bacon vodka ; the center piece for their signature Blood Marys. All we can say is: Damn.
Rule Britannia
Meet Matt, bartender/ server at Union Jacks in Broad Ripple. Also may I introduce the bar at Union Jacks; a well-known and established tavern on Broad Ripple Avenue. It is styled after a British pub. Complete with dark wood and big pints and mugs of beer. One of the great things about this place is the “open-air” seating in the bar dining room. Along the outside wall they have seating at a bar with a mini garage door and windows. On nice days the door can be opened and it is like sitting outside on the sidewalk. Only better. You don’t need to worry about rain or pesky birds. It also gives you a chance to chat with passers-by. Who will either smile and talk back or hurry off; scared by two old louts in a bar. Most people were sociable and we did have a fun time.
Pat’s back
A new friend
What is interesting about this joint is although it is an English pub when it comes to food they are really noted for their Italian beef sandwiches and deep dish pizza. Patrick lived in Chicago several years after college so he has a “thing” for Italian beef. And as I think you can see it brought the artiste’ out in him.
I was craving pizza, especially when I discovered they had a 7 inch personal, deep dish with two toppings for $7.50. Admittedly, I’m a pizza junkie and I’ve tried deep dish in a lot of different places in this country. I must say they have one of the best I’ve tried. A nice rich sauce thick chunks of sausage and tender yet flaky crust. For some reason some people think deep dish means thick crust. They end up with something closer to a hollowed out bread bowl with stuff in it than a pie.
While we were eating our Italian food. We were drinking a Scottish ale Floyd’s Cutter. That is, the Floyd Cutter that Pat referenced in his review. This was the first time I have tried it. It was excellent.
While we were finishing lunch a young couple came in. Since we for the most part hogging the best seats in the house we moved down to give them room to join us. It seems the gentleman was from England and his wife was American. And he had just been naturalized as an American citizen. So naturally we had to have a pint to celebrate such a momentous occasion. As I said we had a great time.
Rut. new citizen
Lisa Rut’s wife
Sitting in an English style pub. Eating Italian food and drinking Scottish ale. In Indianapolis Indiana. What do you say to that Knicks?
38 TAP?
Actually the place is called Twenty Tap. But thirty-eight is the number of craft beers they offer on draught. Twenty Tap does sound better than the alternative. They are in SoBro; on N. College;across the street from the former Atlas Market location. They’ve been open for a couple of years but this is our first lunch. We have been in a few times for beer. And tried some fried cheese curds ( good) and another friend and I stopped in one evening and had some brews and the charcuterie platter ( not so good). The menu is definitely not your typical pub & grub.
Since our new ” format ” worked out so well ( for me ) we are doing it again. However Pat wants to write it during lunch. And since I forgot my notebook he wrote it on a napkin.
Deluxe Grilled Cheese- Mushroom, Tomato, Spinach, Beer Mustard (sub Pesto for Beer Mustard) $8 (veg
Oh for the record it was determined; after writing; the mushrooms were not canned. They were steamed.
I needed some meat. And what carnivore could pass up SMOKED BRISKET?
Pressed Brisket- House Smoked, Fischer Farm’s Brisket, Peppadew, Arugula, Onion, Cheddar, Anchovy Butter $9
The sandwich looked as good as it was described. However I though the taste could have used some tweaking. The portion of meat was meager and I could not detect much smoke. It reminded me of the brisket at The Smokehouse in Fountain Square. Or a leaner version of what was offered at Fat Dan’s. More reminiscent of pot roast than anything else. Good pot roast but pot roast none the less. The peppadew peppers were a good call. A nice sweet flavor and a great color; but too many can be too much. Again the arugula; another nice call;but the characteristic bitterness; that people enjoy was hit and miss. The portion might need a “review”. Same with the onion and anchovy butter. ( I couldn’t taste it. ) I know I’m coming across as a total p***k in this review. But I can be very picky regarding an ambitious menu. Seriously guys I think you are doing a good job. Owning and running a restaurant is a tough gig. Cooking for strangers can be daunting. Every patron is judging your performance, and your judgement. That can be some ominous stuff.
We’re just Here for the Beer (Ralston Tavern- Revisited )
After lunch at the Old Point Tavern Pat and I decided to head down the street to Ralston to sample their beer list and try the out-door seating accommodations. The list was ample, and reasonably priced. The beer was delicious and the seating is quite cool.
The Old Point Tavern
Pat and I have been very fortunate the last few weeks. Every place we have been to has given us a very enjoyable lunch. Good food pleasant surroundings and nice service. This week we decided to try the old point Tavern. It is located on Massachusetts Avenue. At the point where Mass. Ave. Intersects with Alabama and Vermont streets. This place has been open for several years. I have been there on numerous occasions just not to eat. First thing you notice about the menu is the lack of fried or grilled items. The only equipment they have in their kitchen is a microwave oven, conventional oven with stove top and cold tables. Their menu is pretty extensive, considering the lack of equipment.
We decided to try a different style for the blog. Instead of me writing for Pat he is going to write for himself. The idea being, he could write about his lunch later over a beer. He did get as far as the title. After lunch we change locations for beer and we both forgot for him to finish. As it turned out he wrote it at home and e-mailed me the copy. I think that is the way to go in the future.
No, Pat there wasn’t any cheese but you did add avocado.
I tried their pita, “sandwich”. It was indeed a curious collection of ingredients. The obligatory lettuce and tomato and avocado, cucumber and Havarti cheese, with dill. And the whole deal was spiced with Dijon mustard. The avocado and cheese were equally mild in flavor and the lettuce and tomato; while not adding to the flavor profile did bring a much-needed textural difference to the sandwich as did the cucumber. What really set the whole thing up for a trip to “flavor town” (apologies to Diners Drive-ins and Dives) was the Dijon mustard. For me, I still needed some crunch. So I added some of Pat’s kettle chips. My pita came with a fruit cup. Again another nice touch to fit the healthy meme they’re going for. I’d eat the same thing again. Next time I would substitute pepper Jack cheese and added some bacon. So once again we had another nice lunch . If you work in the area I highly recommend this joint for lunch. All the food items are quick pickups. The staff knows what it is doing and the outdoor seating offers some of the best people watching you could find.
Mike’s Speedway Lounge 3701 W. 16th Street
If you are an aficionado of neighborhood bars, you should definitely put this on your list.Pat and I have stopped in there a few times for beers but this is the first time we ate. We always enjoyed ourselves. Nice place,friendly crowd. Especially as it gets closer to race time. After all the 500 Track is just up the street. However their beer selection is limited to draft Silver Bullet and domestic bottles. But the prices are right.
They serve breakfast all day and that is a plus. The lunch/dinner menu is pretty typical bar although they do have a few atypical items. For example they offer both home-made chili and beef stew year round. They also have fried chicken livers. I love chicken livers but I’m not supposed to eat them. You know fat, cholesterol and all that stuff. So I tried their signature Spanish Burger. That is an 8 ounce patty of seasoned beef and onion that is baked, meatloaf style. It is then placed on a toasted bun and smothered with their Spanish Sauce. Which is a tomato based sauce with green pepper and redolent with cayenne pepper. The burger itself was pretty good. Nicely made and nicely textured. It was difficult to taste the seasoning of the meat due to the spiciness of the sauce. If you like a high level of heat then you will probably like this. Personally my taste buds have gotten pretty Gringo-fied;since my return to Indiana. Also I think it could use some different types of chile pepper in addition to cayenne. All in all it was a pretty good sandwich for 6 bucks. That’s with choice of fries or a bag of chips.
Pat ordered a grilled tenderloin. Like a lot of joints they beat out their own with a mallet. He found it to be tender and tasty. Like a lot of tenderloin in a lot of places. He did particularly enjoy the made in-house made cole slaw. It had no onion. Patrick’s kryptonite. It too was $6,with choice.
So if you are out and about the Westside, especially during the month of May. You really should stop in at Mike’s for a beer and a bite.
A Byrd in the Hand…
When Pat and I first started going out to lunch and writing about it. We only had one rule, only independent restaurants, diners or bars would be considered. For the most part we have managed to stick by that. With all kinds results. Both bad and good. We decided on lunch because he didn’t want to fall into that “old man-trap of early bird specials and 3 PM dinners. Besides Pat needed to get home and get dinner ready for his wife when she got home from work. However our list of places to go is getting smaller with every passing week. So we decided to try Jonathan Byrd’s cafeteria in Greenwood. So bring on the blue haired ladies. The joint is well-known for its homemade food. And it is a large and attractive space.
At the very beginning I made a rookie mistake when visiting a cafeteria or buffet; I did not check out all the options first. In the cafeteria they will put the deserts at the front of the line with the salads; in order to entice you to eat and spend more. With buffets it’s nearly a war of attrition. They try to spread things out so you will spend as much time walking as you can. So what I’m getting at is I got too much food. Again. Pat, almost always the sensible one ate rationally. He had a nice piece of breaded fish with a side of steamed broccoli, a side of carrots and a nice whole-wheat dinner roll. Although the fish had been fried. He blotted any excess grease off prior to eating. They did have a baked option for fish, but the portion was much larger. Pat’s lunch was tasty, filling and nutritionally fulfilling. Very much keeping in line with the man of his maturity.
Now me, on the other hand, picked a lunch fit for two. Pasta salad, Boston cream pie (why it is called a pie. I don’t know why. It is obviously cake). Having picked the beginning and the end of my lunch . I needed something for the middle. So, I opted for a side of corn bread dressing with a touch of gravy, Turkey pot pie and a biscuit with butter.
The pasta salad was tasty. One of the better versions I’ve had. Multi colored tortellinis with grape tomatoes, and thin slices of red radish. All in a dressing reminiscent of Buttermilk Ranch. The cornbread dressing was very “genteel”. Fine textured and mildly flavored. But considering the rest of my food it fit in well. The biscuit was nice and fluffy but considering I already had pot pie it was redundant. The pie was rather unique. Don’t get me wrong it was very good. Just in my estimation different from the usual Boston cream pie. The cake was fluffier than I am accustomed to and the chocolate glaze was more milk chocolate, then dark chocolate. As for the cream filling. It was sweet vanilla cream. What’s not to like. However, the winner, winner, turkey dinner was the pot pie. it had a top crust only which was more than sufficient. The crust was handmade and flaky, barely containing a large , thick portion of filling. Big chunks of turkey with carrots and peas in a rich gravy. I cannot imagine this dish being done better. The peas even had a slight bite to them. Meaning they were not cooked into mush. If you have an opportunity to try this. I strongly recommend it.
As soon as we sat down we unloaded our trays. We didn’t want people thinking we are institutionalized.The prices were quite reasonable. I believe the whole tab came to less than $19 and we got a lot of food.
Ich liebe Wurst
Well as the title suggests I just love sausage. The Heidelberg Haus Café has been on Pendleton Pike since 1968. It has been primarily known as the place to go for wonderful German cakes and cookies. As a matter of fact, Pat and I stopped in there a few months back for some cookies; after a less than mediocre lunch at Papa’s, across the street. A lesser-known fact is, they also offer lunch. Sausage lunch. Their small menu offers nothing but various types of sausage. They buy their sausage from Claus’, formally known as Klemm’s. which is THE place to go for authentic German-made sausages. Their plates are pretty straightforward. One or two sausages; depending on the type you order, with a portion of the German potato salad and a piece of rye bread and butter. Pat chose frankfurters. Two long pieces slightly smoked pork sausage, that were boiled, prior to serving. He and I have both had sausages from Claus before, so we knew what to expect and we were not disappointed. However, we made the same mistake we’ve made too times before. We started eating and then remembered pictures. So are pictures are not the best we have published.
My eyes were bigger than my stomach, so I ordered two bratwurst. These beauties were slightly fried so there was a slight touch of fat on the outside. The slight resistance of the casing and the smoothness of the sausage inside maked for a delicious pairing. The German style potato salad also made for a great accompaniment. Creamy, with a slight hint of vinegar, it didn’t try to compete with the meat to fill you up. I only ate one sausage, deciding to take the other home in order save room for dessert.
When we first walked in, we were told that Thursday was national Black Forest day. So to honor the celebration. They were selling slices of black forest cake at 1968 prices. One dollar. So in honor of Black Forest day we had to try a piece. And it was multiple layers of rich chocolate cake and real whipped cream. I had to stop and brush away a tear, just thinking about the last bite.
So,there’s not much more I can add. If you like good German sausage served to you, at a good price.( Both plates of sausage totaled less than $18. ) then the Heidelberg Haus Café is the place to go. Even if you can take or leave sausages but if you have a hankering for THE BEST German confections in Indianapolis, then get out to Pendleton Pike.You won’t be disappointed
Hey…I Do So Have Followers…
This post does not have anything to do with eating;directly. It’s about my favorite blog that I follow. I Don’t Get It;by Kerby. It’s about things that make no sense. So she has plenty of material to work with. It is written by a young lady from Texas. Having spent some time in Texas I have good feelings towards Texans. I don’t wish to generalize,but in general the Texicans I dealt with were stand up folks that could definite weave a good yarn. Kerby definitely fits that description. She tells a mean story and she leaves no doubt on what she means.
One of her recent posts was about Roquefort cheese. Specifically Roquefort dressing and how old coots preferred it over all other dressings. Being a semi old coot who loves all bleu cheese;especially Roquefort I added my 2 cents. She responded by asking what it was that I liked so much about Roquefort. And you know… I really could not fully describe the flavor of bleu cheese. I did say that I thought that Roquefort cheese taste more “bleu” than the rest. But what the hell is that supposed to mean. Here is the post in question. You really ought to check it out.
Hey-Kerby Wilma Rudolph.
Jockamo Fee Na’ Ne’….
PIZZA….. I just love pizza. This week Pat and I decided we needed to try Jockamo‘s Pizza. They have at least two locations. One on Washington Street in Irvington and one in Greenwood. We decided on the one in Greenwood because that fit in to our beer drinking plans for later. This location is huge. Nicely appointed and decorated and they even have a cute little beer and wine bar nestled in the back corner. As soon as you walk in, you’re greeted by a hostess and what apparently is their monkey mascot.
When you first see the little fella you can help but grin. After all, who doesn’t like monkeys. But after editing the picture , the sucker could be a mite scary. But monkeys are all cute even the scary ones. They have a full menu. Big salads, little salads, sandwiches and daily lunch specials. Which are five dollars for a slice of pizza of the day, a small salad and a soft drink. That seems like a bargain. But Pat and I wanted PIZZA. They offer a 10 inch pie for $6.85. They also have an extensive list of toppings. From the traditional to the not so traditional. Such as chorizo sausage from Smokin’ Goose Meatery to Cajun sausage from a joint in New Orleans. In addition to the common cheese offerings they also have less common. Feta,smoked Gouda and Gorgonzola. Now I like all forms of blue cheese, but I don’t dig melted bleu cheese; it has a metallic aftertaste to me. The verdict was unanimous. They offer a fine ass pizza pie. The crust is thin and slightly crispy and the sauce is slightly chunky, which gives it more mouth appeal. The toppings are nicely portioned and the pricing is more than fair. Two 10 inch pies with two toppings each totaled less than $18. Now what do you need a chain for when you can get a pizza like this at a mom and pops? And as you can see their pies are quite photogenic.
Oh no not Duos again.
I know this is the third posting for Duos. But hey, it’s in my neighborhood. Also Duos is planning on a sandwich station. One that features in-house cooked roast beef and turkey. Now that is extremely rare in this area. According to their website their sandwich station was scheduled to kick off this week. However they had some employee problems. So it didn’t happen. Pat managed to get a smoked turkey sandwich featuring turkey from Smoking Goose. It looked good. A nice portion of Turkey topped with white cheddar, with lettuce and tomato on a nice-looking hunk of French bread. It also came with a side of smoked paprika mayo. Pat didn’t even taste it. For that matter neither did I; was busy with my own eyes bigger than my stomach lunch. Pat also had a side of cole slaw, a little sweeter than most and containing no onion. Bonus.
I got a Mongolian shredded beef over basmati rice. At least I think they called it Mongolian. Hell it’s been 3 weeks since we went there. I remember how it tastes. And isn’t that the most important part. It was moist and tender with slight spice and a savory background of cumin and turmeric. Very tasty. The only critique I can make is the beef could have used a little more residual liquid to match up with the portion of rice. I also got a side of veggies. This day it was a bowl of brussels sprouts and carrot. Perfectly cooked;tender yet with just the right amount of bite. This is one of the reasons I like this place. No matter the food item, you can depend on it being spot on in its preparation. Naturally a body needs a sweet to balance out any proper lunch. So in addition to my obligatory lemon bar I got a huge browned butter chocolate chip cookie. Since I couldn’t eat all my lunch Pat and I shared the cookie and it was delicious. Nothing more to say. I took my leftovers home for my better half. She wasn’t too hip on the beef but she sure became a fan of their lemon bars. Now when I go I need to remember the carry out.
Madison Grill
On south side of the city at the corner of Troy Avenue and Madison Avenue is the Madison Grill. It used to be Sunshine Café; and before that I believe it was a Waffle House.So the building has seen a lot of cooking and eating over the years. This current incarnation of a former sunshine Café offers a nice array of home cooking. Nothing fancy. Nothing cutting-edge or chic. Just a nice meal. Pat wanted to try their special. Chicken and noodles. It was served with two sides and a mini loaf of fresh-baked bread and butter.the bread was brought out first so that we could start whetting our appetites.
There’s just something about warm bread. Even a proof and bake loaf. I did manage to get one slice and it was pretty good. Warm and comforting slathered with real butter. When Pat’s chicken and noodles arrived his first taste was underwhelming. Good but not wow. But all the dish needed was a little more fat. Pat added a bit of butter turning the good into great. You see, fat rules. As for the sides the corn was predictable. His other side was a medley of broccoli, cauliflower and carrots seasoned and cooked on a griddle. By cooking the veggies on the flat top, it added some great brown and crispy bits. There is nothing like crispy bits to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary.
I wanted to try the special as well. However, I was feeling some diet guilt. So I ordered a Cobb salad. Normally I view salads as varying degrees of boring. Not this one. It was huge with lots of stuff on it. First off, it was prepared the way a Cobb Salad should be prepared. All of the toppings were diced and arrayed in columns. Crisp bacon, blue cheese crumbles, ham, tomato and chopped egg. The quantity was almost embarrassingly large. Almost. I finished it all and was able to sit back full and with a sated and smug grin on my face. After all I only ate a salad.
As a matter of fact I was so full I couldn’t even order dessert. And I really wanted to try some bread pudding. Oh well, there will be other times. And if I only eat a salad. I’m sure my diet could handle dessert.
Ralston’s Tavern on Mass. Ave.
I checked out the website and menu on this place several weeks ago. It seemed a little pretentious and a lot expensive. As a matter of fact, Pat told me he and Fran stopped in there after a bike run and was turned off by the prices. Now it appears they have streamlined the menu and lowered prices. It is still a swanky joint with a lot of attention paid to fruit reductions and such. It also has a huge draft beer selection and one of the coolest wine systems I have seen. When you walk in, you are greeted by a host at a station made of beer cans.
To the left of the host station is a large dining room and to the right is the bar and more dining room. The bar has two beautiful draft systems and the aforementioned wine pour station.
As I said earlier, the menu appears to been trimmed somewhat, but still leans a little to the trendy and chic. Pat ordered Caesar salad with fried chicken and dressing on the side. It was a normal amount of chopped romaine lettuce with five oddly shaped pieces of chicken. Odd because it looked like index finger sized Lincoln logs. Pat thought the chicken was a little dry. He was not a big fan. It was served with a cute little bowl of flat bread points and Parmesan cheese crisp. The only remark he had to make about the crisp, was that it was more a Parmesan cheese non-crisp. As for the dressing it was house made. Thick, creamy and rich with anchovy and Parmesan cheese. Now Patrick is not a big fan of anchovy so he was not too thrilled. If you dig anchovy, as I do, you would probably enjoy it a lot. The first two tastes were delicious. Even with the heavy anchovy, you can definitely taste the Parmesan cheese. However, after a couple of bites you can see why it is a dressing not a dip. It needs to be tossed with lettuce. It is still a great Caesar dressing. Pat thought it was satisfactory just not worth $13.
I was torn between their rather funky selections of flat breads and one of their unique sandwiches. Their house burgers are a mixture of shredded potato and ground beef. Interesting. They also have this one.
Bacon, mixed greens, cucumber, green tomato, red peppers with an apple butter spread on flat bread.
Now that would probably be either fantastic or dreadful. I can’t imagine it would leave an eater with no opinion. I decided on a slow roasted pulled pork with the bourbon glaze on a pretzel bun. The pork is tender and slightly sweet from the bourbon glaze.The glaze worked with the pork, allowing you to better taste it. Not mask it like some sauces do.Their selection of sides is rather unique. I chose couscous salad.
Couscous, avocado, black olives, red and yellow peppers, tossed in olive oil. The veggies were small diced and not really plentiful but it was still a very tasty salad.
It is a swanky joint with swanky food, swanky dishes and a big selection of beer. One last picture of the last thing you’ll probably see,just before you leave.
Dufours in Irvington
Irvington Historic District (Indianapolis, Indiana) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Pat and I normally plan our excursions well in advance. This time our decision to go to Irvington was totally spontaneous. The reason I’m putting this in is we have a friend,Jim, who lives in Irvington and works out of his home. Whenever we have lunch in that vicinity we call him and he joins us, This time, since this decision was spur of the moment and I didn’t have my phone with me, and since Pat didn’t have his number-we could not call. So now on to the food.
They have a trendy chic menu of sandwiches,salads and home-made soups. Featuring ham, turkey, different cheeses and sprouts. They also have roast beef which I avoided, thinking it was pre- sliced deli meat. I found out later it might be roasted in-house. Now that is a cow of a different color. Their SOD was creamy chicken and mushroom. We each had a cup and it was wonderful. Thick with chicken and mushrooms in a delicious real heavy cream sauce. The best I have had in quite a while.
Pat had a combo with the aforementioned soup and half a grilled cheese. The sandwich was pretty standard. Thick toast, cheese and tomato. Pretty basic. I on the other hand ordered the most pedestrian sandwich on the menu; a sloppy Joe. What can I say, I’m a Hoosier. I can’t pass up sloppy Joe or meat loaf. The sandwich was good, but it is what it is. Ground beef browned up with peppers and onions with a sweet tomato sauce. You see a sloppy Joe sandwich is like beer. They are all good;just some are better than others.
They don’t serve chips with their sandwiches they serve something they call veggie straws. These are square little tubes in pale green,light red and beige. They don’t have a distinctive flavor. My guess is they are an extruded potato product with vegetable color. Whatever they are they are different and definitely cute. Make paste of cheese or a compound butter and you could make a funky edible log cabin. Oh,one more thing they offer pastries and locally made chocolates. They have a display case up front. I not sure why I didn’t take any pictures. At least of the chocolates. They are turtles and hearts approximately 1-1/2 – 2 inches in diameter. They are made off premise and brought in and painted. That’s right painted in pastel colors. They look like little enameled jewels. Next time I go I am both taking pictures and biting the heads off a few turtles.
Sea Food Coo- Bee- Yawn
Sea food Court bouillon is a popular dish in the Gulf States. Famously so in Louisiana and New Orleans. There are as many versions as their are households in the South. Much like chili,or gumbo or chile in the Southwest. One thing they all have in common is a trinity ( a combo of onion, celery and green pepper…
Sushi Bar Broad Ripple ( Revisit )
Pat,Fran and I haven’t gone back yet. However my first-born son,Adam went there with me for his birthday. The food was just as good as the first time. Adam is not too adventurous. He pretty much sticks with Terriyaki and California rolls. For $15.95 he got a platter of chicken strips on a bed of slivered onion, dressed with a copious amount of Terriyaki sauce. The chicken was accompanied by a cup of rice, and both soup and salad. He also ordered a Cali roll for about 4 bucks. I stuck with the more “traditional” Sushi Bar Special # 3. That is a Cali roll,a Tuna roll and 10 pieces Nigiri ( chef’s choice ) plus soup and salad, for $25.95. The soup was as tasty as before and the salad was a bowl of plain iceberg lettuce with a house dressing that tasted a lot like a thin 1000 Island dressing,without the relish. Tossed in with the lettuce was a super thin slice of carrot and 2 equally thin slices of cucumber. I will say this. The cukes tasted like cukes. An oddity here in the winter. Regardless how tasty the soup and adequate the salad next time I am going ala carte. I had trouble cleaning my plate.
Adam really liked his chicken and rice and roll. He too had a tough time finishing everything. As for my dinner it left me fat and sassy and smiling. The rolls were good; as to be expected and the nigiri was nice as well. The rice portion was smaller than I am accustomed to and didn’t have the same sweetly sour taste that some have. I received 5 types of fish. The salmon and tuna I recognized the rest were white and I can only guess as to their identity. One had a dab of fish roe on it, a cool touch. That is the fun about eating at a sushi bar. The rolls with the differing flavors and textures. The sashimi or nigiri with the clean taste of the fish. Altered only by the salty heat of the wasabi and soy. And the whole thing balanced by the hot astrigency of the hot sake. And when you throw in some sticky rice you can’t help but have a party in your belly.
Related articles
- Sushi Bar-Broad Ripple (kosherhamandcheese.com)
Pure Food Eatery ( Revisit )
Pat and his wife, Fran went to Pure Food over the weekend. There he had a Caprese Panini sandwich;and it so impressed him he “craved” more. Their Caprese is fresh mozzarella; roasted red pepper, arugula and balsamic vinaigrette all on cibatta. Now seriously. What is there not to like ? He did add andouille sausage. Which sounded like a great addition. I didn’t taste the sandwich but I did try a piece of sausage. And I was not real thrilled;neither was Pat. It had little flavor and I thought the texture was a little too coarse. His side choice was green beans and potatoes. He thought it was good, not great ,but good. I went against my first thought and ordered a Roast Beef cibatta. Sliced beef,arugula,red onion and the ever popular lemon basil aioli. Well I hate to say it,but it was a wee bit disappointing. It was well made and it held a copious amount of beef. The trouble was it was Deli style roast beef. Overall it was flat. Average meat, no texture, no crunch, no zest. Maybe thicker onion. Maybe pickle the onions and maybe change the mayo to some sort of mustard. That’s my opinion; something everyone has. I really like this joint. One average taste experience doesn’t make for a bad “review ” Oh I nearly forgot my side. I tried their SOD; creamy potato and leek. And it was top notch.I enjoyed it very much. As for the pictures; again I screwed up. We started eating and then I remembered to take the pictures. Pretty much par;don’t you think?
The Illinois Street Food Emporium Bakery & Deli
What a big name for a rather small place. Pat and I have been meaning to try this place for a while, don’t know why we haven’t until now. They have a pretty good format. They offer a wide variety of deli and sub sandwiches; grilled or cold. Pair that up with house made soups and chili and a plethora of different salads you have a joint with lunch written all over it. If you take that marriage and add a case displaying the most decadent looking cakes and pastries this side of Bavaria you have a brand. They even have a merchandise freezer offering a selection of their products you can take home. Well now that my cheer leader routine is over let’s talk about their food.
They have a category called grilled sandwiches that are all $9.40 and come with choice of soup,salad,chili or mac & cheese. I got a Havarti Delight. Havarti cheese,avocado,sprouts and tomato on wheat bread. It was a nicely prepared and tasty sandwich. Creamy cheese, double buttery from the avocado and the buttered toast with just the right touch of acidity from the ’mater. Had I to do it over again I would have added bacon. Bacon is always a nice addition. I did have a bowl of chili. I had to have some meat or else my stomach would have thought I was angry with it. The chili was pretty good better than most; not as good as some. Pat had his usual default lunch; grilled cheese. It had an interesting choice of cheeses. Provolone,jack and Colby on what appeared to be sourdough bread. It was satisfactory. However Pat got a little miffed when he learned ,after the fact, he should have been offered bread choice and an option to add 2 veggies from a list of 4 . I guess he should have read the menu board. He opted for salad with oil and vinegar. Has the manufacture of oil and vinegar cruets been suspended? Once again the oil and vinegar was served in portion cups. OK end of rant. After lunch Pat had a chocolate glazed donut. I had a bite and it was really good. Trouble is it cost $1.67. As Patrick so sagely pointed out it was no better than Longs and for that price he could have gotten 3 donuts. I think you better leave your sweet tooth at home when you stop here for lunch.
Sushi Bar-Broad Ripple
The post I made earlier was actually about our little adventure 2 weeks ago. I’m still a little behind from the Holidays. That post was short because; well… Let’s just say the lunch was not very good. This post will be short as well ,only because I neglected to take any pictures of our food. So Pat and I decided we need to revisit soon; with his better half Fran. They have lunch specials ;a whole board full of different rolls. Pat is not a big fan of sushi or sashimi but he is a fan of fried fish. So he ordered shrimp tempura. Five nice shrimp and veggies with miso soup or salad and a cup of sticky rice( the best rice of all ). All for $7.99. For me sushi,sashimi, nigiri etc are all my favorite. So I got a 2 roll deal. That’s 2 rolls;your choice; miso or salad for $6.99. I decided on the ubiquitous spicy tuna and cucumber& eel. I probably could have made a better selection for texture but I serious thought of a 3 roll combo. Thankfully I stayed with 2; and chose two of my favorite proteins. And what is sushi without sake ? Pat; believe it or not has never had hot sake. He merely had a taste. However he did discover the “allure” of hot wine. I don’t need pictures to describe our total delight at the quality of our lunch. However, since we ARE going back I will wait ’til then to be verbose.
A Visit to the Grove.
Last week Pat and I decided to try out a new shooting range at Beech Grove Firearms. The range is first-rate. In my opinion the best around. After wards we decided to hit The Grove Sports Bar and Eatery for food and beer. For non-locals Beech Grove is a small non incorporated area southeast of Indy. In that regard it is similar to Wanamaker. However that is where the similarities end. It isn’t that everyone we ran into was unfriendly,the folks at the gun store were quite cordial. Maybe they just felt compelled to be nice to guys that were armed. In either event the bartender was a trifle cool,and the 3 or 4 regulars hanging out were far from cordial. Maybe we have just been spoiled by other joints we’ve been to. Oh well; I doubt if we ever go back. The menu is basic bar food; just a little more basic than most. We both decided on their “lunch special” for $5.50. That would be 2 quarter lb. patties, one slice of bacon and one slice cheddar cheese. Well, it was food. The cold set was fresh and the pickle chips were tasty but that’s about all I can say. All they offer for beer is domestic,at $2.25. Well sometimes you find a real gem in some 
out-of-the-way joint,other times you find the Grove Sports Bar & Eatery.
White Trash Wednesdays-----Marshmallow Fluff
I am typically not a fan of marshmallows. First of all, they are cloyingly sweet. I don’t like them covered in chocolate—even if they are shaped like bunnies, or Santa, or pumpkins. And I do not like them in fudge, or ice cream, or anywhere else that I can feel their texture. Because it’s gross.
I do like them toasted, but only when done the right way.
Brugge…Ponte…Bridge…Puente…
By any other name it is still a brewery or a Brasserie if you will. The Brugge Brasserie has been in Broad Ripple for a few years and has been doing quite well. So well in fact they are building a new joint just Northwest of Michigan and College. As I understand, it will house all the brewing equipment. So kudos to the small business owner. I have heard good reports about the place but honestly, I have never felt compelled to go there, until now. Pat and I had lunch there Friday before Christmas. As to why it took me this long to finish this post only the ghosts of Christmas past know. Well, in keeping with the old adage better late than never, here goes.
The place is really swanky. A “hip” interior and copper sheathed tables accented with decent artwork on the walls you have an attractive and comfy place to eat. Shucks the tables look like disproportioned picnic tables; what with the oversized hole in the center to accommodate their signature pomme frites in their paper cones. In case you just came out of a 30 year coma pomme frites are what we colonials call fried taters, or french fries.
Pat ordered waterzooi,or fish stew. I decided on one of their mitraillettes. Mitraillettes are a French version of a hoagie or a grinder. My particular “gun” was a meatball and peppers, braised in beer and tomato sauce. All their “sandwiches” come with fries,and 2 sauces (for the fries). Lordy the thing was Huge and COVERED with pomme frites. So much so I nearly went into carb overload just eating my way to the meat. But when I finally made it ;it was really, really good. Plump succulent meat balls of beef and veal smothered in a sweet tomato sauce. The fact that they added fennel seed to their mixture didn’t hurt things;since I’m a freak for anything with even a hint of licorice. As for Pat’s stew it was spot on ! All you must do is imagine a large bowl of potato, cod and mussels ala nage in a luscious “soup” of fish stock,white wine,butter and cream. And yes. It is as decadent and tasty as you can imagine. Pat did allow me to taste the soup. He also was generous in sharing his mussels. So I agree with Pat that it was delicious and worth the $14.00 price. As was my $11 hoagie. On the beer tip they offer a flight of 3 for 7 bucks. Since they are in the process of growing their business, they,at this time , didn’t offer all their own brews. However they had a great guest brewery. Victory out of St. Louis. So whether you come for the food and stay for the beer;or vice versa I don’t think you can go wrong with The Brewery.
