Clermont Skillet and Grill 9045 Crawfordsville Road
This is pretty new. It is in a spot that was home to a couple of other eateries; if sign remnants are an indication. Basically it is a diner. Diner is culinary slang for stuff yourself at a resonable price. One of the draws to this type of joint is that breakfast is available all day and how many times have we wanted breakfast for lunch. Well Pat was that way today.
I was taken by their lunch specials; especially their sloppy Joe sandwich with chips for $6.95. The unique thing about these was they all came with choice of soup or salad. Their soup was loaded potato soup. Creamy potato soup with cheese and bacon sounded great for a chilly day.
It was a very good soup. Not elegant but basic. Hot and comforting, like soup I had as a kid. Expecting a normal size omelet for Pat and sandwich for me we opted for a half order of biscuits and gravy to share.
The biscuit and gravy was pretty good. Very creamy and loaded with sausage. When my sandwich arrived I was rather surprised with the size.
I had expected a standard size bun but I received a huge bun loaded with meat and sauce. I am a big fan of Sloppy Joe and this was one of the better ones I have encountered. It wasn’t as wet as I prefer but definitely worth doing again. We got a lot of food and spent less than 25 bucks, tax included. Also that included the price of coffee and tea. So we had an excellent lunch with super service for a reasonable price. Check it out if you are in the area.
Shapiro’s Delicatessen 808 S. Meridian St.
Shapiro is one of my favorite joints. It is always a sure thing for a great sandwich or a hot dinner. This is my first time for breakfast. Pat and I did not meet last week; we both had too many other things going on. We decided on breakfast and I suggested on Shapiro’s. I had a desire for some great corned beef hash and they have the best. You can get it as a side for $3.95 or as an entree with 2 eggs and toast for $5.25. I opted for it with eggs.
My portion was huge and my eggs were poached. The hash was excellent. Big hunks of potato and a bunch of their in house made corned beef. If you like corned beef hash I don’t think you can get any better than this. As for toast when you order breakfast at Shapiros you just have to order rye bread toast.
I don’t usually drink sode in the AM but I can’t resist Dr, Brown’s Cream Soda
Pat ordered scrambled eggs on the side and naturally rye toast. His eggs were wonderfully mixed and appered to be more than 2.
I am sure most of you are familiar with Shapiro’s sandwiches and plate meals but in case you did not know you can get the same quality of food for breakfast. They offer biscuits and gravy I just don’t know what kind of gravy, also they are now serving pancakes. If anyone has had the biscuits and gravy let me know how it is.
Peppy Grill 1004 Virginia Avenue.
Peppy Grill has been around this town since right after World War two. By 1960 there were 10 locations around town. Now the one in Fountain Square is the only one left. When it closed in November 2018 a lot of people doubted that it would ever reopen. Well it did reopen with a new interior and kitchen and fancy red rolled and tucked booths as well.
We started the meal off with some breaded mushrooms for about 4 bucks. They were the standard pre breaded shrums you will find at most bars or diners. Good but not great.
Pat was so intent on reminiscing about times gone by he didn’t even talk about his food. Well as you can see it was a cheese burger. A single one served with chips. He seemed to enjoy it. It appears it was started on a flat top and then transfer to a grill for some marks. It was cheap. Less than 5 bucks.
For some reason I ordered a Pollock sandwich for $7.25. Pollock is an “okay” fish it just doesn’t captured my imagination. But fried fish on a rainy day seemed like a good idea.
You could tell right off that it wasn’t breaded in house. It came in breaded and frozen so all you had to do is drop it in a fryer. Their tenderloin is the same way. Pre breaded cooked right from the freezer.Good but not great.
Maybe this hew Peppy will grow into something close to the old one. In house soups and stews and pies but until that time there is always breakfast foods.
The Most Delicious Pancake House 5010 S. East Street
How is that for a name for a restaurant? No faux humility for them. Pat told me about this place and how could I pass up a joint called most delicious.
I don’t think Pat’s BT was cut and pounded in house, I believe it was brought in already breaded. It appeared to be a solid piece of meat and the consumer liked it so it probably doesn’t matter.
I decided that I needed a burger and I opted for a Most Delicious burger. That would be their standard half pounder with ham and bacon. Oddly enough I don’t believe it had any cheese. It came with a usual cold set and a spicy mayo. It was sloppy but good.
I especially liked the bacon. It was thick and crisp and just greasy enough to bring an added layer of flavor to the sandwich. What I didn’t get was the ham. It was nicely done; thinly sliced with a slight char but I don’t get the connection. It reminded me of a time , long ago, when stuffed burgers were in vogue. I had good success with various combinations so I offered one stuffed with chopped ham and Swiss cheese. “We put the ham in hamburger”. Boy that went over like the proverbial lead balloon.
I think I ordered it for the bacon. I wonder how it would be with an egg on top. Regardless the burger was pretty good the way it was.
This place doesn’t have any media presence yet so there is no menu to show. Just be assured they probably will have something you want to eat and it will be nicely prepared at a reasonable price. I think our sandwiches were under $10 each.
This fancy chandelier is in the center of the dining room. I don’t think the new tenants brought it in so it came from Shoney’s or Lucky 8 buffet. In either event it certainly adds a bit of Bling to the joint.
Continental Grill Family Restaurant 3815 W. Washington Street
https://www.continentalgrill.net/
For some reason we don’t venture to the west side very often. I discovered this place by “surfing the web.” It started out as a Waffle House and opened in 1970. It changed identities recently and appears to be doing very well.
The menu is huge and they have different specials every day, breakfast and lunch and dinner. It would seem as though some of their lunch specials are menu items at a reduced price. However they did offer a Swiss Steak Manhattan which really intrigued me. They also offered an 8 ounce rib eye with toast and 2 sides for $9.99. That I couldn’t resist.
They aren’t much on presentation; as you can see. It didn’t matter. The steak was a perfect medium rare and delicious. They had an extensive list of sides but I decided on butter beans and potato pancakes.
Butter beans are not seen on too many menus. I enjoy them; and here they even serve them with a fresh buttery taste spread.
The pancakes were probably not made in-house but were pretty tasty. They were made with mashed potatoes and had a nice crisp to them.
So if you are hungry but not sure what you want than this joint may be just the place for you. Lots to choose from with big portions and good prices.
Mom’s Country Kitchen 1313 N. Sherman Drive.
Up until recently this was the Sawmill Saloon. The kind of joint you went to for an uninspired but decent meal or more than a few cheap beers. Now it is a diner, one that serves lunch, dinner and breakfast all day.
Pat and I just thought we were hungry. Pat had their basic breakfast. Two eggs with sausage or bacon, toast and potatoes. He got a pound of potatoes, 4 slices of bacon and what looked like more than 2 scrambled eggs for $7.50. He also decided he needed a half order of biscuits and gravy for $2.99
This is all the food Pat ordered for breakfast.
After all this it is no wonder Pat forgot that we ate here when it was the Sawmill Saloon.
https://kosherhamandcheese.com/2014/07/22/sawmill-saloon-1313-n-sherman-drive/
I had their works platter. Two sausage, 2 biscuits, 2 eggs and potatoes and gravy for $7.99. The amount of food was nearly embarrassing. Not only did we each get a mound of potatoes but they were nicely prepared. A bit under seasoned but still nicely done. The sausage patties were super sized and delicious with a bit of spice. The gravy was pretty good but the biscuits were average.
I don’t think this place is still a destination but if you are hungry for a well prepared breakfast and you are even close by I don’t think you can go wrong with stopping in. I wouldn’t mind trying their lunch just to see how they handle that. They also proudly proclaim steak and eggs for $9.99 all day, every day. Normally I would avoid steaks in a diner but I saw a sign inside announcing that they refuse to cook any steak well done. Now that intrigues me. I just may have to go back for steak and eggs.
The Garrison Sunday Brunch Buffet 6002 N Post Road
I enjoy buffets. It may because they remind me of my time in Vegas or maybe they just appeal to the Glutton in me. In either event here we are at the Garrison. Home to what may be the Mac Daddy of Sunday Brunch Buffets in Indianapolis. They have a smaller buffet at lunch during the week. We reviewed that about 18 months ago. It was because of that trip that we are here today.
I have said before that taking pictures of a buffet can be awkward and this was no exception. I did manage a few shots but for the most part I just took shots of our over stocked plates.
They offered everything you might need for a first or salad course.
And of course a dessert table that would make any casino proud.
The main buffet line is immense, featuring all the protein and veggie options you would ever want. Baked white fish, BBQ ribs, fried chicken and of course sausages and bacon. They also have a separate carving station featuring glazed salmon, ham and roast beef. In the opposite corner is a waffle station and an omelet station.
My first plate of protein was actually a bowl with ribs, bacon and sausage. Underneath was a fried chicken breast. The food was all very good. I discovered their fried chicken on my first visit. It is salty and crisp and the white meat is surprisingly moist; considering that it is warming in a chaffing pan. Some of the ribs were a bit chewy but were still good.
These may be ready-made salads but they were still tasty. The 3 bean and Tortellini salads are not often options on a buffet.
I know the height of gluttony. One piece at a time just would not do for me. I had to shove 3 into my bowl. All of their pies and cakes are done in-house by their pastry chef who spent several years at the “Dutch Oven”.
The buffet is staged in the Blue Heron Ballroom with 2 adjacent dining area for over flow. It is a spacious and beautiful room. One whole wall is nearly all glass with large double doors leading to a grand terrace.
I would also like to comment on the service. I don’t think I have ever seen such an attentive team of servers at a buffet before. Prompt refills and removal of dishes. I also would like to compliment Marsha, our server. Thanks from me as well.
Forgot to mention the price. It is $19.99 per person drink included.
The Free Spirit 6155 E. 86 th Street
Well one more bar.Or tavern. In other words a joint that sells alcoholic beverage with food; as opposed to a joint that sells food with alcoholic beverages. I have no problem with bars or taverns. However a few weeks back someone asked me if ; as a chef ; I found some places or some food beneath me. I had never thought of that before. I just go to different places that sell food, with Pat, we eat then tell folks what we think. I don’t consider any particular food type boring or “bad” I can consider the preparation of it sub par or as Pat would say “street level”. That being said lets talk about The Free Spirit.
This joint has been at this location nearly 4 years. I believe the former owner had it on Shadeland Ave. They have excellent food and beverage specials and the prices are more than fair. The majority of their sandwiches are under $8. They also sell pizza and breakfast all day.
Pat wanted to show the char grill on his burger because when we went to the Burger Study they aggressively char grilled his burger and he thought it barely edible. And that is a fancy upscale joint that charges $11 and up for their burgers and this burger was $5.49.
I decided on a Cocky burger. That would be a burger with cheddar, bacon. BBQ sauce and an onion ring for $7.49.
This was a delicious burger. I ordered it mid rare and that was exactly how it was served. Every element of the sandwich was on point. From the toasted Brioche style bun to the crisp bacon and the battered french fries. I have paid more for a lesser sandwich.
I think this place will do well. They have great food, excellent service and enough room for a crowd. I can’t think of anything missing. It is a fun place to hang out at.
Vern’s Place 2322 E. Washington Street
The sign pretty much says it all. It is a nondescript block building that would be easy to miss. However when you go inside it’s a whole different story. Inside is a clean and well put together bar. Pool tables in the front and electronic Dart machines in the back. It is like a shotgun house. Stand at the front door and you will pretty much see it all.
Their menu is as straight forward as the building. A few common appetizers and sandwiches and of course pizza. As an added bonus they offer breakfast. If you haven’t eaten breakfast in a bar at least once in your life you are missing out.
I opted for biscuits and gravy. A full order with fried potatoes is $4.99. I added 2 eggs for $2 and a side of 3 pieces of bacon for 3 bucks. So for $10, the price of a burger in some joints, I got a huge breakfast.
The gravy wasn’t as good as Olly’s but the biscuit was excellent and the potatoes were wonderful as well. You can tell from the picture the potatoes were nicely browned and appropriately crunchy. The eggs burst as they were being plated and the kitchen apologized. I thought that was sweet. Mixing the yolk in with the gravy was my goal. Nicely done.
Pat decided on a lunch type meal A tenderloin.
I don’t know if it shows up in the picture but they batter and fry their tenderloin. I have never eaten a battered tenderloin before.
Now no meal at a bar would be complete without a bit of day drinking.
So don’t let the facade fool you. Inside you will find pleasant service and good food at a good price. They open at 11 during the week and are closed on Tuesday. They start at 8 AM on weekends and they have their own lot.
Goody’s Family Restaurant 1601 E Main Street #2 Plainfield In.
White gravy on a white platter doesn’t give much contrast does it.
I wanted something more lunch like so I decided on liver and onions. The server convinced me that the senior meal was the way to go and she was absolutely correct. A very nice portion of meat with potato and vegetable. Plus a salad or soup all for $7.
The salad was quite respectable not to the Sahm’s standard but sufficient for its purpose.
The potatoes and gravy were probably not made from scratch but they fulfilled their purpose more than adequately. These were merely the opening acts before the main event. The liver and onions. I order liver any time I see it on the menu. I like it and it is good for you. My ideal plate is fully carmelized onion and a nice slab of liver more medium rare than medium.
This plate got one out of two. The onions were nicely done but the liver was a bit more than medium. However it still retained a moistness that some joints fail to meet. It also was a beautiful piece. Not one bit of vein. It was all soft edible meat. So I realized maybe my quest for a “perfect” plate of liver might fail not because of the restaurant but me. That is except for the joints that turn it into shoe leather. That’s entirely on them. You meed a thick slice to get a mid rare finish and that seems hard to find.
Overall I enjoyed my $7 lunch. I know Pat will be back but I don’t ride so I don’t think I will make a return trip, but if I am in the area I know where I can get a good meal.
Dave & Betty’s Diner 4801 Southeastern Ave.
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Pat’s Humongous Burger.
This is the half order of biscuits and gravy that we split as an appetizer. The gravy was better than most but not as good as Ollie’s. The biscuit was very nice indeed, and it only cost $3.60.
For my meal I could not resist their Beef Manhattan. For all you non Midwestern folks that is a roast beef sandwich cut on a bias with a pile of mashed potatoes in between the 2 halves. Then the entire thing is covered in brown gravy. There version was $ 6.60.
The taters were Potato Pearls and the gravy was probably from a mix but the beef was real and the portion was generous and it was hot. I thought it was delicious. It reminded me of my first Manhattan as a kid at the old Troy Restaurant in Downtown Indy. It is hard to resist hot beef and gravy. Of course had I been more observant I would have noticed that there special was meat loaf and I have a “thing” for meatloaf.
As big a lunch as it was I decided I had some room left for pie. In this case it was Banana Dream. A real pie crust filled with banana pudding and topped with whipped cream. It was pretty good. I probably could have eaten a whole pie.
This diner doesn’t have much of an electronic presence so I scanned their menu but only the lunch part turned out.
To the Nines 1999 US 31 South Greenwood In.
In the 21st Century there is probably more Culinary schools than ever before. I know more High Schools now have culinary programs. To the Nines is the student run restaurant for Center Grove schools. Way out in the country ( my perspective) down in Johnson County. When we decided to go we learned that they have buffets on Fridays and prix fixe meals on Tuesday. Since Tuesday wasn’t an option for us I made reservations for their “Lunch for Brunch” buffet.
As the man said we had no idea that there was a 50 % discounts for seniors. The students did a good job of setting up and refilling the buffet. Refilling chafing dishes can be tricky, especially with an endless line of eaters.
They offered the usual fare of scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and biscuits with gravy. They also offered a French Toast bake and a Breakfast Casserole. I passed on both.
They make the biscuits and pastries from scratch. The biscuits were as good as any I have had at a restaurant service. Same with the Cinnamon roll. The gravy was good not great. But that is the same for most joints that offer it. Overall the students did a very nice job. I would like to go back for the fixed meal. Even though it is a long drive.
Uptown Cafe 6404 Rucker Road
This place is a sister restaurant to one in Noblesville so it is tough to find any info about the menu. The only site that has a menu has the Indianapolis address but a website for a joint with the same name in Butte Montana! Those silly folks at Google.
I had planned on scanning the menu and posted it with the review but of course I forgot to bring my wand with me. I am adding a link to their place in Noblesville. It may not be identical but it should be similar.
https://www.facebook.com/SunriseCafeatUptown/menu/
They make several things in-house so we had to try a couple just to “sample”.
The first was a cinnamon roll.
It was a beauty and tasted pretty good. It was a bit tough, as though it had been microwaved to reheat.
We also got a half order of biscuits and gravy to share. The biscuit was a bit doughy but the gravy was pretty good. I second Pat’s thoughts about Ollies.
They also offer a series of Breakfast Bowls. That is simply a bowl with stuff in it and eggs on top. You can also get more stuff on top of the eggs if you so desire. I opted for a corned beef hash bowl.
They do their hash in a clever way. They offer a Reuben sandwich so they keep shaved corned beef on hand. They take that meat,chopped and add it to their shredded hash browns. Hash; with no onions. This particular bowl had onions in it, also Swiss Cheese. Actually I believe it was a processed cheese, white American cheese. In either event it was one heck of a breakfast. I really enjoyed their corned beef hash. The meat was tender and the potatoes were crisp. Make sure you have an appetite because it is a Big bowl of food.
Pat is still watching his carbs so he didn’t eat his jam so I did. It was sweet and had a strong strawberry presence. It also has a great deal of pectin in it. Which is neither good nor bad. Just an observation. It would be good smeared on some toast with a cup of coffee. Overall I think this little joint is going to do well. It is close enough to me that I will be back. When it gets warmer. As for prices both of our breakfasts were under $9. You may get it a bit cheaper at one of those breakfast chains but why would you want to go there?
Batters 5543 E. Washington Street
Well there is another new joint in Irvington. A self-described pancake house that serves breakfast all day. I hope this place lasts longer than the 2 previous tenants. If they don’t survive it won’t be because the food isn’t good or the prices are too high. Most of the dishes are in the $6 to $7 niche with specials going for $9 with soup or salad included. As for the quality of their fare the items we had were top-notch.
I opted for breakfast as well. For me it was “Bases Loaded” (?) for $7; the same as Pat’s omelet. Mine was biscuits and gravy with 2 eggs and 2 bacon or sausage.
I was quite impressed. I believe I have tried every biscuit and gravy in town and I think that Downtown Olly’s does it best. Now I may have to reconsider that proposition. The first bite was loaded with sausage flavor and a hint of bacon fat, as though bacon fat was used in the making of the roux. It could have been from the bacon on the side but what ever it was I hope they do it every time. The gravy had a very creamy quality that most country gravies don’t have. It was an excellent dish and bargain priced at 7 bucks.
The only thing I would do differently is order a side of toast to sop up all the gravy and egg yolk. I was able to used Pat’s crust from his toast so none of it went to waste. I think I will be back again. They do list their specials on Facebook so I am keeping my eye open for liver and onions. I have it on good authority they do a respectable job with that diner classic.
Ruth’s Cafe 3443 E. 86 th Street
We had a very pleasant breakfast today. The restaurant is open from 7 AM to 3 PM and serves breakfast all day as well as lunch. We took advantage of that by ordering some of both.
Among their specials for the day were two different Quiche. One had no onion so that is what Pat ordered. I know it had artichoke in it and cheese as well as other stuff; but I don’t recall the other stuff. I also have no idea what it cost. It was Pat’s turn to buy and I neglected to ask.
This is the half order of B&G Pat got for $6.
This is the Quiche Pat ordered, price not known. They give an option of salad or fruit. As you can see he opted for the greenery. A very nice looking salad with lots of Spring mix.
I was intrigued by their hash. It is made with smoked brisket. You can order it as a side for $4.75 or as a Not so Old School breakfast for $8.50; which is what I ordered. They have several bread choices for toasting as well as muffin and all come with house made berry jelly. What berries? Haven’t a clue but it was pretty good.
This was a very respectable hash. Big chunks of beef and potatoes cooked just right. Tender yet with enough texture to give your teeth something to do. The only minor flaw was my eggs were not quite over easy; more over medium. They worked out though. All I wanted was some yolk to mix in.
Since they make their own scratch biscuits I got one for an extra $1.75. It was very light and fluffy. One of the better biscuits I have had around town. In addition to the jelly they also make their own sausage. We thought it was quite good. Lightly spiced and tasty which made for an excellent taste. However there is just something about Ollie’s that makes their B&G; in my opinion; the best in town.
They also have an interesting lunch menu; which you can reach here:
http://www.ruthscafeindy.com/menu/4589349372
When I get time I am going back to try lunch; hopefully soon. On a “side note” Zomato classifies this joint as a diner. Of course like with a lot of things Zomato does that is debatable.
Jimmy’s Diner 3301 Shelby Street
About 2 years ago this place was doing business as Ma and Pa’s Diner. It was just sold and re-opened as Jimmy’s on August first. Pat goes by it regularly and told me about it last week. We decided to try it out with our buddy Jimmy, who has lunched with us a couple of times.
I didn’t make a copy of their menu and I honestly can’t remember too much of it. They serve breakfast all day and the menu starts out with JJ’s Special. Two bacon, 2 sausage, 2 eggs and potatoes. With a half order of biscuits and gravy and choice of pancakes,waffles or French toast for $9.75. That I remember. That and a double cheese burger and fries sell for $5.75 and on Fridays they have all you can eat Flounder for $14.
Pat couldn’t wait to try the B&G.
The biscuits and gravy were pretty good. A decent tasting gravy ( that could have used more sausage) over a ready-made biscuit. The pancakes were of the usual mix variety. Tasty but nothing to get overly excited about. The hardest thing for me to review are breakfast foods. Most biscuits are pre-made and the pancakes come from a mix. There are a few exceptions but this holds true for most joints. For breakfast the execution is everything. People are as finicky of their eggs as they are of their steaks. Most folks will let it slide over a med rare steak ending up more medium but don’t dare break the yolk on their over easy eggs. For my breakfast the preparation was flawless. The eggs were beautiful and the bacon had the proper crisp. As for the sausage I commented to the owner how I liked it and he told me that when he opened up he was using a fresh sausage but folks complained. They didn’t like the pinkness of the meat;so he went back to the pre-cooked patties the previous owner used.
As you can see the potatoes are crisp and brown. The other potato option was a home fry. If they are as crisp as these that would be the way to go.
Don’t expect anything fancy or pretentious here just expect some good cooking.
Downtown Ollys 822 N. Illinois
Well here we are at Christmas Week already. Since Pat and I both have other stuff to do we realized that Monday would be the only day we could get together to break bread before the Holiday. We further decided that breakfast would fit our schedules much better than lunch. And no joint says breakfast to us like Ollys. During the week they offer a special of 2 eggs, your choice, with bacon or sausage and toast for $2.99. Pat and I have both taken advantage of the special on many occasions. Pat with his wife,Fran, while bike riding. Me after “working” out at the gym. In addition we stop in after lunch for adult beverages when we dine in the area. It was one of those times;last week;we discovered they had changed their menu. So it was due for a re-visit anyway.
Pat won’t have his usual epic note this week since he forgot his pad. Being the Holidays I made an Administrative decision and gave him a pass. Anyone reading this blog regularly knows Pat’s eating habits. He likes his food simple. For his breakfast he ordered a special and a half order of biscuits and gravy. His standard breakfast special is scrambled eggs, crisp bacon and dry wheat toast.
Another thing about Pat and his food when he is hungry he doesn’t mess around. He started eating while I was still picking up my phone.
For me I ordered a full biscuits and gravy with 2 over easy eggs perched on top.
I believe they serve the largest biscuits and gravy in town. For the half order they use 3 biscuit halves and on the full order 5. The amount of gravy they pour over is almost excessive. It is definitely some of the best if not the best in town.
I also got a side of bacon. I went ahead and got mine crisp like Pat;normally I don’t care. One comment on the bacon. I nearly always order bacon because they always do a fantastic job with it. It is consistently well done;as in properly cooked not over cooked. I think the prices are just as nice as their food. A half order of biscuits and gravy is $4.50 and a full is $5.95. A side of 4 slices of bacon is $2.50,I think. I know ala carte eggs are $1.50 each. So I feel that for the quality and amount served this joint is a great place to try for breakfast or lunch. Keep in mind they are open 24/7 serving food. So Pat and I liked this place last year and we like it even more now.
Oasis Diner 405 W. Main Street Plainfield Indiana
This place is as American as you can get. The diner was built in New Jersey in 1954 and then shipped to Indiana where it opened along US 40; The National Highway. It served food until 2009 when structural issues forced its closure in 2009.The Historical Society intervened to prevent its destruction. New owners were found and it was moved down the road and re-opened last year. A link to their website is below. There you can find a short video of the move as well as its menu.
According to the reviews on Urbanspoon folks haven’t given a lot of love to this little diner. Of the 3 reviews from this year 2 didn’t like the joint. So I was really interested in eating there.
They do a lot of scratch cooking from biscuits to pies and pastries to gravies. They also make their own sodas. So in that they certainly are following in the diner tradition. And like any self-respecting diner they serve breakfast all day.
We started lunch with an appetizer of fried mozzarella with house made marinara for $6.50.
As you can see they do it themselves. The cheese is cut into triangles and then lightly battered and deep-fried. They were really pretty good. The sauce they serve with it is has a bit of cream added to it, a nice little surprise.
Pat went with biscuits and gravy for $3.50 and I decided on a turkey Manhattan for $10. We also had a side of coleslaw each.
I had a bite of Pat’s food and it was right on and they didn’t skip on the sausage, which is nice.
As for my Manhattan; It was huge.
They also offer a beef Manhattan but the turkey was cooked in-house which is why I decided on turkey. They shred and not slice their meat, which I find interesting. Regardless the meat was both tender and abundant. They toast the bread which imparts a taste like dressing or stuffing to the dish after it sits under the gravy for a while. An effect I like. As for the gravy they sure do use a lot. So much I really couldn’t tell too much about the potatoes. Also they used a bit of chicken or turkey base which made it very salty. That is something I think they can work on.
So Pat and I were both pretty happy with our food. I think they have some room to improve but don’t most joints? The fact that they make their own fried mozz. app. makes me think this joint is capable of following the tradition of the American diner.
Unleavened Bread Cafe 3003 N. Central Ave.
This little place sells their food for the greater good of their ministry. They are very upfront about that. They have the cafe to spread the word and to make the money for their works.
They are open from 6:00 AM to 2:00 PM for breakfast and lunch only. You won’t find any sauce reductions here and their idea of local sourcing is whatever the neighborhood grocery sells. But what they offer is well made and reasonably priced. And don’t expect any urban chic or otherwise trendy decor.
We were on the road today before 10:30 so naturally our thoughts turned to breakfast. This cafe has been on our radar for some time, but we were never able to catch it open before today. As you can see their breakfast menu is very straightforward.
We split a full order of biscuits and gravy, for $4.50.
My eyes were bigger than Pat’s. I chose pancakes over French toast and added potatoes and a sausage patty to the bacon.
Well their bread may be unleavened but you can’t say the same for the biscuits and pancakes. The pancakes I had were nearly one inch high. Now that is fluffy. The same goes for the biscuits. The gravy was loaded with sausage and quite good. It was the sort of biscuits and gravy you could eat with regularity and enjoy every time.
I thought the hash brown was the weakest link of all the food. You can buy shredded patties like that in the meat case of several grocery stores. That was hardly a deal breaker though.
So if you’re in the area and are hungry you know where to go. I think if you ask them nice they may be able to add some blueberries to those fluffy pancakes. There is room, and you know you want to.
Biscuits Cafe
This place has been opened for a few years, but just doesn’t get the play it should. It is at the end of a strip mall right off of the strip in Broad Ripple. The fact that it is hidden by Three Wise Men doesn’t help much. Also they have nada in the way of public out reach via a website or even Facebook. There is a “menu” on Urban Spoon but it is not even close. The food is listed as Mediterranean. Well no it’s not. It is a joint that offers both Mexican and what you might call Ameri-Mex breakfast food. The menu is huge. From pancakes, to skillet to enchiladas they have it. Oh and pancakes too.
The last time anyone reviewed it was about 6 months ago. So It seems they are due for another review.
With the name Biscuit in the name they better have some great biscuits. Right? Pat stayed clear of the Mexican style fare due to the onion content and opted for a half order of biscuits and gravy for $4.50. In addition to the half and full orders they also offer a single biscuit and gravy for $2,50.
Several things caught my eye. They offer mole, green sauces and pastor. All of which I am a sucker for. I decided on the lunch chimichanga with shredded chicken and mole. The lunch comes with beans and rice and a small salad,topped with cream for $7.95. It was pretty good. The tortilla was full of juicy shredded chicken and the sauce was really pretty good. Slightly spicy from the chiles, a little sweet from the chocolate, a good execution. The beans and rice were decent. Probably better than what you normally get from a Mexican joint in Indy. All in all I would say that this is a solid choice for a lunch dish.
Of course I had to try the biscuits and gravy. A single biscuit with spicy gravy. The biscuit was excellent. Large and fluffy. The gravy was good as well, just not real spicy. Of course they had several different bottles of hot sauces available to add to the kick.
Once again my pictures don’t do the food justice. The mole comes out as black in the picture when it is a deep and rich mahogany. Also today would have been a perfect day to bring my scanner. The menu they have just loves being scanned with a wand. Sorry but the pictures and words will have to do for now. In a way this joint reminds be of some joints I have been to in New Mex and Texas. American sandwiches, Mexican fare and Breakfast. Breakfast food is a language all its own. A good joint to hit anytime.
