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.
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.
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
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.
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.
The Panorama Grill 901 N. Pennsylvania Street-Indy
Has anyone out there ever been to the Urban Element ? Has anyone ever heard of the Urban Element ? Well no matter. That joint closed and in its place is Panorama Grill;specializing in Mid-East cooking with some American stand by s as well. The place is nicely decorated in urban chic;probably left over from the previous tenant. Our first server was not real knowledgable about the menu and was so timid and soft-spoken; I think she is going to have to “bulk up” if she plans on staying in the business. A more experienced server answered our questions and took our order;I don’t know if that was their system or if the youngster had her table jacked.No matter. Pat took the safe way out and had a burger,a plain hamburger. It was a little more charred than he would have preferred but is was satisfactory. I fell back to my old stand by,the falafel. Like the burger it was satisfactory; maybe a little above satisfactory. The falafel had a hint of cinnamon and a nice crunch. The pita was soft and the tahini sauce was abundant. The whole thing was so abundant I couldn’t eat it all. They also provide fries in abundance. A big pile of your standard 3/16 inch cut skin on french fries dusted with paprika. Again, nothing to get too excited about. All in all a nice lunch in a nice place at a nice price. Less than sixteen bucks for the two of us. And it’s close to downtown. On Penn just a half block north of the central library. So I think it is worth a shot. OH my.I forgot to mention the pickles. They are small non garlicy spears that have the appearance and texture of home-made refrigerator pickles. A perfect choice for any cuisine; especially food with bold taste.
Pure Food…Pure Thoughts?
Another new joint has opened in Fountain Square;Pure Food Eatery and in this case Pure means simple.It is a lovely little place,not too artsy fartsy or too urban tavern chic;just nice.The menu is Panini Press centered.Sandwiches and wraps in simple and tasty combos.Not a single french fry or chicken wing to be found;no fryers anywhere.They did fall into the aioli trap however.That is where you flavor mayo call it (fill in the blank)mayo and “jazz”up your menu.A good emulsion sauce has its place but sometimes people stick it in the most unlikely places;like grilled cheese.Since I am still dentally challenged that is what I ordered.Actually a half sandwich and a cup of soup.All their Panini are available as 1/2 or whole.The wholes are reasonably priced,in the $7-$8 range;the 1/2′s are not as reasonable;at $6.The 3 cheese Panini was pretty good.A curious combo of Havarti,Swiss and Provolone cheeses with the obligatory slice of tomato.Their addition of Pesto mayo;although not traditional,did bring a nice additional taste to the mild cheeses;also a touch of unctiousness to the toasted sour dough bread.Patrick decided on a BLT.Nothing out of the ordinary except for the avocado spread;which Pat turned down;due to onion content.We both enjoyed our sandwiches;and more than enjoyed the SOD;Chicken and Rice. A delicious home-made stock loaded with fresh Tarragon.The stock alone was worth the 90 cent up-charge,the diced chicken and rice was a bonus.In addition to sour dough they also offer wheat and rye bread,which would go well with some of their other filling options.
The biggest deal of the day was the Thursday beer special.New Belgiums for $2.50.I discovered Shift by New Belgium.They call it a Lager but it has a definite Ale quality.Delicious;and a bargain at $2.50 for a 16 oz can.The thing about good beer is you get nutrition and you can consume regardless of the condition of your teeth.
English Ivy’s
Well this week we are back on a regular schedule. Last week we had lunch on Tuesday because I had a dental appointment on Wednesday to get some teeth removed.Well the procedure was so successful I have to eat soup until my dental project is finished.Ivy’s offers three soups at all times. A soup du jour, a house Black Bean soup and Chili. Their soup of the day was a Southwest chicken, so I ordered a cup of that and a cup of black bean soup. The chicken soup was really good. A slightly creamy base with a touch of tomato and a bunch of cumin. In addition to chicken ,it had black beans and corn.Evidently, to a lot of folks you add cumin, black beans and corn and you automatically have Southwestern food.Regardless of what you called it, the soup was good;and I believe I’ve had it before;and I believe it is made by Gordon Food Service.It is not uncommon for joints that offer three soups to buy ready-made soups; especially for the changing soup of the day. I am reasonably sure the black bean soup was made in-house. While not as good as the chicken soup it was pretty tasty. Although I must say I have had better. But at $2.75 per cup, with two packs of crackers it was a bargain.
Patrick; the eternal culinary question mark; had a grilled Portobello mushroom sandwich.It was actually two baby Bella caps grilled then glazed with a balsamic vinaigrette.Since I couldn’t sample it. I had to rely solely on Pat that it was as good as it looked. And it came with a full garden and a side of french fries for only $6.75.As for beer their selection seemed rather limited. I got the feeling that this was more a hard liquor cocktail place than a beer joint. They had three beers on draft. Two domestics and Blue Moon.They offered SunKing cans;but they were out.So I opted for the Blue Moon and Pat had a MGD 64 with tomato juice.That’s right a red beer;a bloody beer or a poor man’s bloody Mary.Come on don’t knock it until you try it.
As for the pictures you’re just going to love them. You see, I forgot to take any of our food. Usually I catch myself after we start eating; however; this time I did not even think of the camera until after we were done and the dishes were removed. But don’t worry I got some background shots and Pat drew a picture of his sandwich.So in addition to an original review of a local eatery you get an original drawing by Pat, a true Renaissance man.
Bru Burger
OK-it’s a chain not a mom and pop joint.We did not know that until we had already started eating;mea culpa.What intriqued us about this place was the combination of beef used in their patties;sirloin,chuck and brisket.All the meat comes from a local farm,and ground and packaged locally;which is pretty cool.In either event it makes for one delicious burger.They have all the usual combos;mushroom,swiss;bbq,bacon etc.They also have a Pacific Rim;a burger topped with shrimp,pineapple,guacamole and some sort of cheese. Since we wanted to taste the burger Pat and I picked the Classic,a plain old cheeseburger;with a cold set and condiments.Among their cheese offerings they have white cheddar;rare for most burger joints but great for a mid-rare burger.Which brings me to my only “complaint”.My medium rare was more medium than rare,a very minor problem,as the hunk o meat was still delicious.They make their own ketchup as well,thinner than most and sweeter as well.It’s definitely more a dipper than a pourer.
I did discover a great new beer,a Pilsner from Fountain Square Brewery.A slight citrus start and a nice hoppy finish;great with a burger.After wards we went to Berringers;a little tavern on South Meridian.I reviewed it real early in the blog.It’s just a little bar that’s been around forever.And the beer is cheap;$2 for domestic bottles,and $1.75 for Old Style pints.All that was missing was a Cubs game on TV.
So in summation chain or not Bru Burger gives you a great hamburger.And the prices are reasonable;for downtown.I think the burgers range from $8 to $10;depending on the stuff you add to it.They also have other sandwiches on the menu;but if the joint has burger 
in its name why would you eat chicken?
Locally Grown Gardens
On 54th St., just west of the Monon trail sits a rather common looking building that was a gas station in a previous life. Since the place was called Locally Grown Gardens, I naturally assumed it was nothing more than a “farmer’s market,”. And frankly, I haven’t had a lot of success with farmers markets in Indianapolis. Obviously, I’ve been looking at the wrong ones. A young fellow named Christopher N.at Putitinyourface.net told me the full story or least his review did.It seems that Locally Grown Gardens isn’t just a produce stand, and a good one at that, but also offers a large array of baked goods and lunch and dinner.
Their menu is limited, three entrées and two sides and a whole bunch of pies. They smoke their own pork out back and offer it as an open-faced sandwich for 9 1/2 Bucks. They also offer two salmon dishes at $12.85 each. One with citrus vinaigrette and mixed greens and the other with, I believe with a Rosemary mustard vinaigrette and ginger slaw.Pat ordered the pork, when it came out our jaws dropped. It wasn’t just a big mound of shredded pork sitting on a piece of Texas toast. It was two colossal hunks of smoked pig on a thick slice of the chefs homemade bread and a puddle of rich, reddish-brown sauce on the side.The pork was perfectly smoked and properly moist. The sauce was bold and I could see how too much could overpower the pork. However, it was perfect used as a dip for the meat.My salmon was equally impressive. All their food is served on large white rectangular plates, which enhances the visual spectacle. The portion was at least 8 ounces and was cooked just to the point of inner opaqueness and no more. The perfect mid rare. The mixed greens were thoughtfully selected and presented, with large enough leaves so that you could see what they were,not like these all too common salads that look as if they’ve been run through a blender.The vinaigrette was sweet and acidic enough to be a proper unifier of the greens and the fish. It was also the perfect foil for the richness of the salmon.
But wait, as a great as the lunch was the best is yet to come ,the desert. A big slice of wait for it… Wait for it. Sugar cream pie. That’s right the state pie of Indiana. To say it was delicious is like saying Padma Lakshimi is cute.The crust was tender and flaky and the filling was more reminiscent of a crème Brulé than a pie.Seriously words can only go so far you really must try this pie. At $3.50 per slice and $10.50 for a whole pie, you can’t go wrong.
You should be forewarned that seating is limited. There is a large table with benches in the library room, a picnic table and a small café table out under the trees., But that shouldn’t deter you the great food and the other neat stuff they have makes it worth the trip.
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Datsa Pizza
Pizza-glorious Pizza, that ubiquitous American treat available everywhere in the USA.I tried Datsa Pizza with my eldest son quite some time ago and fell in love at first bite.This was before I started This Ain’t no Bistro;but I did post a very lauditory review on Yelp.However I am admittedly a Pizza junkie;but I think my pallet is mature enough to differentiate the quality of various pies.Now Pat,on the other hand is a Pizza epicure;a connoisseur if you will;he is very particular.That’s probably why it took me so long to get him to try it.
Guess what?Pat liked it as much as I did.He declared only one pie better;in his opinion;that being some joint in Homecroft. I believe it is some joint that was a quasi hang out when we were in highschool.
You see they make their own dough which is a great first step.I know a lot of pizzerias make their own crusts but not all brush them with garlic butter.And not all end up with the same result.A beautiful brown with a crisp exterior and soft interior.It is quite literally a hand tossed beauty.I’m sure they don’t make their own sauce but it is one of the better canned sauces I’ve tried;rich and tomato sweet.The sausage they use isn’t from Smoking Goose but it’s very good,both the sweet and the spicy.Pat would have prefered a finer grind but I enjoy either one.You won’t see duck confit or smoked salmon on the menu but you will find anchovies and all the usual suspects that most people want.The coolest thing is at lunch you can get an individual pizza for $4.75 and additional toppings are 50 cents and 75 cents.Pat and I had a small garlic bread and 2 individuals pies with 2 toppings each and spent $16.We drank water;we almost always drink water when we eat;in order to save room for beer.Speaking of which, Datsa does sell beer,$ 2.75 for domestic bottles and I think $ 3.25 for imports.However in this case we decided to “wet our whistles” at The Living Room Lounge;conveniently located across the street.No matter if you drink beer;H2O or Cola if you like Pizza you really ought to give Datsa a try.
Oh we did it again;or I should say I did it again;forgot to take pictures before we started eating-OOPS.
Super Bowl XLVI downtown lunch
We decided to brave the crowd and have lunch on the Circle. Six or eight food trucks were parked around the Monument. We decided to have lunch at Duos (Fran’s favorite), naturally I forgot to take any pictures of the truck, food or staff.We both decided on the same sandwich,a mild chile rubbed pork,roasted and pulled.it was served on a very nice locally made Ciabata roll and topped with arugula and fennel. During the course of the dry rub marination and roasting a slight “juice” was produced that quite nicely seeped into the roll.Patrick thought it was a perfect amount I thought it could have used more jus, different folks, different strokes.However we both agreed on one thing the arugula was slightly bland and we could barely taste the fennel. We intend to go back because we both thought it was a first-rate sandwich.I especially liked they used a dry rub and didn’t rely on heavy sauce. Besides they have a roasted pepper and basil sandwich that Fran says is excellent. I also need to get some pictures. Duos is all over the place, we just have to find one of their locations.
For our obligatory beers we went to a new place Coal Pizza Company on East Washington.Pat and Fran ate there shortly after they opened up, and had not made up their mind on the food yet. But they both thought the staff was great and the venue was cool. So we went there for some beers and an appetizer.They serve nothing but local brews, Sun King being the favorite. We had a few beers and a rosemary focaccia with garlic dipping sauce. The focaccia was quite nice, could’ve been a wee bit warmer and I would’ve liked more olive oil in my dip. Just my personal preference. We decided to try more of their menu next week for lunch. The bartender a delightful young lady that I neglected to introduce myself to convinced me to try their hoagie style sandwich. I couldn’t locate a website with the menu but I did locate some reviews on yelp. One fellow who was at the “soft opening” gave it four stars. He tried some of that garlic dipping sauce for his pizza and thought it needed less oil. As I said before different strokes. Another young lady who has a blog the name of which I cannot remember, but I believe her last name was Beers,she is supposed to be a local celebrity. I never heard of her but that doesn’t mean anything. Her main bag is exploring new nightspots,and my nights are spent at home. She too was an invitee to the soft opening. She opined that the pizza was the best she had ever eaten. But the thing about soft openings with invitation-only the food is free, and the drinks. There was only three other blogs on yelp and they each gave up two stars. I wrote all this so everyone would know I’m not just a pretty face. I do my homework. And this blog and all the reviews mean less than nothing to me.I make up my own mind and so does Pat. Right now I like the place, just after a few beers and an app. Hell if I gave stars their wood-burning oven would be worth two. But I’ll find out more next week, over lunch. But by no means don’t wait on us. Give it a try yourself.
sure not the end of the line
Well like I said last week we went back to the public house for eats. We were not at all disappointed.We started off with a lamb chop appetizer. They brought out four delightful little chops nestled on a mound of delicious Asian inspired slaw. The slaw was quite good, nicely cut and tossed in a delicious slightly sweet vinegar dressing. They also served a nice sweet chili dipping sauce. But for us it wasn’t necessary. The chops were so moist and tender they nearly jumped off the bone into your mouth. But the dipping sauce didn’t go to waste, just think of it as a sweet chili shooter.
For our main course Patrick got their four cheese pizza, smoked Gouda being the selling point. I was torn between the brisket sandwich and the bison. I decided I had to try the bison, not because I haven’t had bison before but because they said it was dredged in Porter beer. And that made me curious.Even though I was pretty sure the Porter wouldn’t impart a whole bunch of flavor I had to try it, because bison is what Americans should eat. That was a slogan for a bison burger vendor some years back. Pat loved the pizza; thin crust, just the right amount of sauce and plenty of cheese. That is his kind of pie. My bison was a great sandwich. I neglected to ask the server for mid-rare so it came to me more medium. But it was still moist and delicious. The selection of accompaniments helped make it great. Fresh tomato and lettuce, smoky bacon,white cheese and a touch of Dijon mustard all on toasted dark rye bread. That is the thing about sandwiches quality ingredients and proper combinations makes the difference good and great.For all of their sandwiches you get a choice of side. And the list is pretty extensive. I chose oven fried fingerling potatoes.They were on par with the rest of the food. Crisp on the outside and soft on the inside; the way I personally like them. So all in all I think this joint is a keeper. You get far North food for less than downtown prices. If you ask me that is something to think about.
As you probably noticed something is odd about our food pictures. For the appetizer picture we took it prior to digging in. The two others we forgot until we were about halfway through. We will try to do better next time.
Dee’s barbecue
Dee’s is a little bitty place just north of 52nd St. and west of Keystone. They offer the usual,barbecue sandwiches, slabs and tips. Patrick and I opted for a couple of sandwiches, I tried pork Patrick chose the beef. Both came on 5 inch buns, holding a good half pound of meat, quite a deal for $4.75. The sandwiches were really good, as was the hot water cornbread. However I can’t say the same for the mac & cheese. Not only was a leftover, it was bad leftover. But if you want a good honest barbecue sandwich for good price go to Dee’s
Taste Cafe and Market Place
Go for breakfast stay for dessert.Go for lunch stay for dessert.What I’m getting at is they bake really well.Pat and I stopped there for lunch and we tried a salad and sandwich;and 4 of their bakery items.A Caesar salad is pretty universal;Romaine,Parm and croutons.In this case the parm was shredded and the dressing was homemade;and delicious.I tried a grinder sandwich.Theirs is a baguette filled with cured Italian meats,provolone and tapenade.The combo of meats and tapenade meld into a tasty salty flavor spiked with a wee bit of mustard in the vinigrette.I think the fresh tomato was supposed to add a little sweet to balance the salt;but the time of year probably hurt that.But the side of cucumber slices in a sweet vinegar did the job well.There’s one more san I want to try before I expand to their strata or quiches.And contrary to Playboy Magazines admonition Real men do eat Quiche;especially if they are well made.And if their confections are any indication their ovens are golden.Try anything,I’m confident everything is well made.But don’t forget the chocolate Torte;try that no matter what else.
Cafe Heidelburg
After our rather lack luster lunch yesterday we went across the street to the Cafe Heidelberg and Bakery.Wow they really know how to fill a bakery.Pat got a Marzipan Bear Claw,and the little ferkel ate it all before we even got back on Pendleton Pike.And he didn’t even offer me a taste.I waited until I got home before I tried one of my purchases,a triple layer chocolate cake square,topped with dark chocolate.It was really good not nearly as decadent as it looked;which is a good thing.I’m sure just looking at it added 3 pounds.But the score for the day was a pumpkin pound cake.Super! Rather at night with a cup of Chamomile or in the AM with English Breakfast tea it just fits so well.So by all means if you are ever in the area even if you’re not in the mood for a German style lunch try their bakery.I mean everyone should be in the mood for cake;or cookies or Marzapan.After-all the holidays are coming.And what says “I Care”better than baked goods?
Just Judy….Judy….Judy
Who said SoBro had to be expensive? On 54th street ( a street I shall hence forth refer to as SoBro restaurant row ) sits Just Judy’s.And like Alice’s you can get anything you want there.Pizza,burgers,burritos and breakfast any time.And the prices are more than reasonable.For 4 bucks you can get a grilled cheese and all you care to eat house made soup.I opted for their $4.75 sloppy joe and fries special.I may have had better but never one so reasonably priced.Pat tried the breaded tenderloin and ate the whole thing;I think we’re in a race to become the largest ambulatory resident of Indy.You know the biggest gainer.I didn’t try any of it but I must say that was one of the best looking BTs I’ve seen in a while.These folks even make their own chips and cobblers.I went into lunch without my usual hearty appetite.I would have liked to try some cobbler;you don’t find that too often.But as they say tomorrow’s another day.All and all ( what’s that supposed to mean anyway? )We strongly recommend this place.For variety,freshness, taste and price you can’t go wrong.
