TACOS A LA DIABLA....MUY MUY PICANTE!

So I was driving down East Washington Street in Indianapolis the other night...trying my hardest to find a Mexican Restaurant...OK...That's B.S!  You can't fling a tortilla in any direction around here that wouldn't hit a Mexican Restaurant! But talk about hidden away...a little strip mall on the north side of East Washington street holds a fiesta waiting for you to stop in!  Tacos A la Diabla offers a nice atmosphere, super friendly service and a wonderful array of Mexican delights waiting for you to try.  They have several beers on tap including Pacifico.  The table chips and salsa are AMAZING, fresh home made chips and a nice smoky, chunky salsa.  Everything that passed by me looked good, but I went for the tacos a la diabla.  One each of chicken, steak and Al Pastor.  I am always disappointed with steak tacos...dry and flavorless...NOT HERE!  Juicy and flavorful!  The chicken and pork tacos were equally AMAZING!  The best part is they offer, without looking at you as a gringo...flour or corn tortillas.  I love flour tortillas and they were warm and soft and heavenly!  These puppies are SPICY....like sweating bullets hot!  They bring out squirt bottles of a tomatillo/cilantro and creamy chipotle sauce, if needed.  Both were nice and added another layer to the already crazy good flavor profile.  Sit back, enjoy the food and watch a Mexican game show on one of the TVs!  

GRIGGSBY'S STATION IN GREENFIELD AND COMING SOON TO IRVINGTON!

This past Thursday I was very fortunate to be invited to attend the soft opening of Griggsby's Station in Greenfield.  Located right on the main drag, G.S. will be the GO-TO for a great night out with an amazing beer/wine selection, mind blowing craft cocktails and a diverse and clever menu featuring locally sourced produce and protein.  Sausages, grass fed beef, pasture raised pork and chicken...all humanely raised with no antibiotics or hormones come from Tyner Pond Farms.  This location used to be an old antique store and was gutted, exposing the beautiful brick walls and rustic wood flooring.  Chef Michael has this kitchen kicking out a small but very creative menu of salads, tacos, satay, steaks and lots of stuff in between.  His wife Abi runs the front of the house and Bar manager Jason totally understands how to make their thirsty customers happy!  The gentleman seated on my right at the bar had a burger and loved it and his friend couldn't stop raving about his Asian pork skewers.  I had the sirloin served with grilled watermelon, mustard greens and chimichurri and was blown away.  A fun little fact, they have all of their steak knives hand made locally! They will be opening a location this fall in Irvington and I cannot wait!

One of Jason's creations...The Raggedy Buck...A flavor explosion!

SAHARA RESTAURANT BRINGS A BIT OF LEBANON HERE TO INDY

SAHARA  832 BROAD RIPPLE AVE

There are some pretty good Greek restaurants around town, that's for sure.  But the Sahara takes the Middle Eastern dishes you may be familiar with and puts a tasty Lebanese twist on them.  The place is beautifully decorated and very inviting.  You order at the counter and your meal is prepared freshly and brought out to your table.  The portions are substantial and priced between $8-15.  The falafel is probably the best I have ever tasted.  Smaller than I'm used to, but packed full of flavor.  Nice and crunchy on the outside and soft and yummy on the inside.  They offer several options of sandwiches and platters with different meat options, chicken, lamb, steak and ground beef.  Vegetarians will be happy that there are lots of options for them as well, including the above mentioned falafel!  Everyone that works there is over the top friendly.  I am told they will be staying open late nights on Friday and Saturday to tame the hungry Broad Ripple crawlers!

AMERI-MEX? CAN'T GO WRONG AT LA HACIENDA

6825 Graham Road location is my go to!

Are you in the mood for some outstanding American-Mexican fare?  Well who in their right mind isn't from time to time?  With a few locations scattered around town, La Hacienda is a pretty much guaranteed spot to get your taste buds firing.  The location at 71st and Binford is by far my favorite, with great service, spot on food and BEYOND AMAZING Texas Margaritas.  The complimentary chips are always warm and fresh.  The table salsa is good, but I like chunks of onion in cilantro in mine, and theirs is pretty smooth.  The menu is pretty standard with burritos, quesadillas, fajitas, tacos etc.  Nothing really out of the ordinary, but I can't say that I've had anything that wasn't top notch.  Some stand outs are the kind of hard to find on the menu fish tacos with a choice of soft flour or hard shells and, believe it or not, the chicken soup (pictured above).  WOW!  Big chunks of chicken and avocado in a nice tangy broth with some pico and cheese thrown in for good measure.  AND one of the least expensive items on the menu.  It is a must try.  A word of warning....THE PLACE IS ALWAYS BUSY!

FIND SOME GREAT ASIAN FARE AT JS GARDEN

A standing ovation and a thunderous "welcome to the neighborhood" goes out to JS Garden.  Located in a kind of hidden strip center behind Rally's at 54th and Keystone you will find a smallish, clean and politely staffed Asian restaurant.  I like my King Dragon or Bamboo House for the more typical Chinese/American cuisine, but it sure is nice to have a more "authentic" option so close by.  I stopped by the first time today for lunch, and I am already thinking about about my next visit!.  Lunch specials run until 4 PM and include a main dish, steamed rice and a small fried spring roll.  If memory serves me, there were five or six items to choose from.  I had the curry chicken and potatoes and added a bowl of hot and sour soup.  I am always on the prowl for the best H&S soup and this one was TOP SHELF!  My entree was off the charts delicious.  My wonderful server asked me if I would like it spicy, and my positive response resulted in a pleasantly fiery flavor explosion in my mouth.   I'm not sure what they were eating, but the couple at the next table were giddy with delight, expressing their happiness between themselves and the entire staff!  Now for my "if this was my place....I would....." two cents worth.  If you feel like you need a TV, show a slideshow of the countries that you represent.  Have some nice ethnic music playing in the dining room.  A bigger issue, to me, is the lack of a vegetation section of the menu.  There is no mention at all about which items can be made veggie.  I am not vegetarian, but I have many friends that are.  A look at the menu would possibly discourage some from coming in.  I asked about vegetarian options, and was told that they will gladly make almost any dish meat free.  I hope that the next printing of the menu will have a  better meat free presence.  I step off of my pedestal and encourage everyone to stop by this great new addition to So-Bro.

NAPOLI'S II PIZZA...GOOD RIDDANCE TO PIZZA HUT RUBBISH

OH..The high school memories of cruising around the Pizza Hut, Gringo's Taco House and Taco Bell on  North Arlington Ave. after the games.  Those days have come and gone, and thankfully the stank that is now calling itself Pizza Hut has moved out.  A new tenant, Napoli's II, has moved in, painted the exterior, done some re-decorating on the inside and is up and running!  Nothing fancy here, just REALLY GOOD New York style pizza.  Several varieties are ready all day to be served as slices along with calzones and subs, or order a whole pie to eat in and enjoy or take it home and pop a few cold ones.  They also offer delivery to a pretty wide area around Irvington.  Call them for details, they are super nice people! My pal JH met up with me for a late lunch and we ordered the daily special.  A two topping 18" monster served with breadsticks and two drinks for only $20!  The perfect NY style thin crust, flavorful sauce and super fresh topping made for a great pizza.  I had a small tossed salad with super crisp iceberg lettuce, onions, cucumber and olives with a homemade Italian dressing.  It was a great way to start the meal.  The breadsticks were huge and very light, not heavy and doughy like they often are.  Your choice of cheese or marinara sauce are offered.  No alcohol is served at this time, just soft drinks.  Napoli's II is a great place for an inexpensive family night out.  Delivery is nice, but I'm a take out and have it at home kind of guy, but to each his own.  ENJOY!

TOW YARD BREWERY NEEDS TO BE TOWED AWAY

After reading a mostly positive review of the Tow Yard Brewing Co. in the Indianapolis Business Journal recently the "Almost Every Monday Night Dinner Club" decided to check the place out.  It was about 7:20 as the four of us approached the building, one of us on the verge of starvation after a long day at work, we were informed, by an obviously perterbed employee, that the "management" had decided to close the kitchen early because it had been kind of slow.  WTF?  You DO NOT just close your kitchen willie nilly.  There was not even a creative attempt at some "technical difficulties" or "the chef's dog just died" excuse.  Come on.  I would love to tell you about the beer, food, service, prices etc. but..... I CANNOT.  WHY BECAUSE THEY CLOSED THE KITCHEN EARLY.  We took our business down the street to Ralph's Great Divide and had a wonderful evening.  Checking out their reviews on YELP they better get their act together in a hurry or they will be GONE.  There are way too many great drinking and dining options within a pints throw of this place!  I emailed them that evening and never received a response, so they just don't care.  Or maybe they turned off their computer early because it was slow!

MEXICO CITY IN FISHERS?

Looking for a Mexican restaurant in the Indianapolis area?  Good luck with that (extreme sarcasm).  You can throw a piñata in just about any direction in these parts and have it land close to a Mexican joint.  There are the good the bad and the ugly choices, as always, and a few outstanding ones as well.  Mexico City Grill is easily in the good catgegory.  Located in a strip center (due tell) on the Northeast corner of 116th and Allisonville Road you will find your usual Tex-Mex items with a few surprises thrown in.  The place is much larger than you would guess from the outside.  At first glance it appears as if EVERYTHING is brightly painted and carved out of wood, lots of eye candy for the easily amused.  But it was very clean and the service was outstanding.  I went for a late lunch and it was moderately busy.  Freshly made chips and table salsa came out right away with a nice big glass of ice water.  The salsa was on the mild side but was flavorful.  I threw a couple of my choices out to my server and he said the Al Pastor burrito would be to my liking.  Upon it's arrival I was impressed with the presentation and portion size.  The Al Pastor didn't seem like it had been marinated for very long, but the pork was tender and it had a nice pineapple zing to it.  I would like to go back in the evening to see how their Margaritas are and check out some of the dinner entrees that are not on the lunch menu.

DAMI Nice Korean/Japanese spot in Bloomington

     DAMI ASIAN FUSION

409 E 4th St, Bloomington, IN

(812) 339-2735

My friend Julie and I were famished at about 6pm after an amazing lecture by Lydia Lunch, which was part of the William S. Burroughs celebration at I.U.  I knew we would find something interesting to eat on East 4th street.  I had read some good reviews of Dami so we found a parking spot close by and went on in.  Like many restaurants in the area, it occupies a former house that has been nicely transformed into a comfortable dining spot. A couple of Asian students were sharing a bubbling hot pot when we came in, which was a good sign.  Our server was super friendly and dropped off menus and some ice water.  The menu is pretty comprehensive, covering all of the desired Korean and Japanese offerings one would expect, with accompanying pictures to help out the unsure diners.  We ordered a chicken Yakitori appetizer to share.  Julie went for the Dolsot BiBimBap, which is rice, pickled veggies with a sunny side up egg served on top, all in a blazing hot stone bowl, allowing the rice to get nice and crispy.  I went for the chicken Yakisoba  noodles.  It came out bubbling in a cast iron griddle.  Dinners come with a small bowl of miso soup, which was perfectly seasoned, and 5 small Korean side dishes, but no kimchi :(  My dinner was a perfect balance of sweet and savory.  The noodles were cooked correctly with nice pieces of chicken and a couple types of onion.  Julie's dinner was more of a miss, no beef, despite our servers description, and lacking the usual dollop of Korean hot bean paste.  Our Yakitori came out during our meal, not as an appetizer before hand.  But it was so good it really didn't matter.  Lunch specials are offered for $7.95 and most dinners for one person are in the $10 - $18 range.  No alcohol is served. All in all a  pretty good dinner with a few hiccups.

Dragon House in Fishers

A good friend of mine recommended the Dragon House restaurant. I have become very tired of going to bad Chinese buffet restaurants and was happy to give this one a try.  I walked into the restaurant and was pleased to find an interesting variety of items on the buffet. Not a huge number of items, but there were several people attending to the buffet making sure everything was fresh which was very promising.  Pretty good egg drop soup, and pretty good hot and sour soup, small cold fruit/salad bar, and no bagged lettuce!  Obviously made in the house items such as the crab rangoon and egg rolls... and lettuce wraps, very nice.  However, the quality of the food did not match the originality of the product. The flavors were fine, if a little bit mild, but many items were too greasy.  Lo Mein noodles and Tempura Shrimp were the stand out items of the day.  I really appreciate the fact that they do not use any MSG in their food, and they serve Coca-Cola products (drink included).  The staff was super friendly and the place is nice and clean.  I will go back again hoping it was just a bad day.
SECOND VISIT.
I wanted to go back for a second visit.  This time the oil was under control and once again the items on the line were kept fresh.  I was pleasantly surprised to find pork clear noodle soup.  I also like the fact they have a small bowl of fresh cut scallions to add as a garnish in addition to the usual fried wonton slivers.  I forgot to mention before that a full menu is also available!
THIRD AND FINAL VISIT
Due to a screw up at my credit union, I had to make a mad dash there on my lunch hour.  Being only a few blocks away and in a bit of a hurry Dragon House seemed to fill the bill.
OMG....what a disaster.  It was about 1:15, which seems to me to be still a reasonable time for lunch. There were only a few tables occupied, but almost every other table was dirty and/or un-bussed.  I moved a few items off of the cleanest one and hit up the buffet.  Salad was old and wilted for the most part, so I passed.  Two thirds of the items on the hot table were either empty or dried out beyond belief.  I got some of the above mentioned silver noodle soup and a few of the least offensive entrees and sat down.  The soup was fine, everything else was cold or lukewarm at best.  No one was attending the buffet.  I went back up to the buffet and kind of stood around looking for any hope of an employee showing up to put out something fresh.  NO LUCK.  The only employee was the girl who took my money when I came in and she was way too engaged with her smart phone to look up and help me.  I left, pissed and still hungry.  On my way out a nice young couple with a kid were coming in.  I gave them the heads up to look at the buffet before paying.  I hope they took my advice.

RALPH'S GREAT DIVIDE...GREAT FOOD IN LOCKERBIE

DON'T BLINK....IF YOU DO WHILE DRIVING EAST ON NEW YORK STREET AROUND LOCKERBIE SQUARE, JUST EAST OF DOWNTOWN INDIANAPOLIS, YOU ARE LIKELY TO MISS RALPH'S GREAT DIVIDE.  AND THAT WOULD BE A MAJOR LOSS FOR YOU.  THE RATHER NON-DESCRIPT YELLOW AND RED EXTERIOR NEVER EVEN TEASES YOU AS TO THE PRETTY AMAZING CULINARY GOINGS ON INSIDE.  READ THEIR HISTORY AND CATCH UP ON WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON HERE FOR DECADES, IF YOU WANT, BUT JUST GET THERE AND DON'T BE LEFT OUT!  THE FRONT OF THE HOUSE IS A SMALL DINING AREA WITH SEATING FOR 20 OR SO AND A PIANO FOR SING ALONG NIGHTS!  THE BACK BAR AREA HAS ABOUT THE SAME AMOUNT OF SEATING WITH TONS OF FUN STUFF TO GAZE AT ON THE WALLS, AROUND THE BAR....WELL, PRETTY MUCH EVERYWHERE.  AT FIRST GLANCE THE MENU PROBABLY SCREAMS "GOOD AMERICAN FARE" WHICH IS TRUE, BUT THE SECRETS AT RALPH'S ARE A BIT MORE SUBTLE.  THE OUTSTANDING QUALITY OF THEIR BEEF, THE HOMEMADE SALAD DRESSINGS, THE MADE IN HOUSE BOURBON BAKED HAM, OFF THE CHART DESSERTS, AND THE LIST GOES ON AND ON.  EVERY DAY HAS A DIFFERENT AND COMPLETE LUNCH AND DINNER SPECIAL.  I HAVE BEEN ALL OVER THE MENU AND I HAVE NEVER HAD ANYTHING THAT WAS LESS THAN VERY GOOD.  THE STAND OUTS ARE THE THE BEEF TENDERLOIN TIPS.  OMFG THEY ARE TO DIE FOR.  ALSO IN THE STELLAR CATEGORY IS THE HOT POT AUG, THEIR SUPER RICH CREAM OF POTATO, CHEESY CONCOCTION THAT CAN BE TURNED INTO HOT POT PIG WITH BACON FOR ONLY A FEW CENTS MORE.  THEY ARE ALSO FAMOUS FOR THEIR COCONUT CREAM PIE.  FULL BAR SERVICE IS OFFERED, AS WELL, WITH A KICK YOUR FACE IN SPICY BLOODY MARY BEING THE STAND OUT.  SEVERAL LOCAL BEERS ARE AVAILABLE BUT THE LAST TIME I ASKED THERE WAS NOTHING ON TAP.  SAD.  ALSO OBVIOUSLY MISSING ARE ANY VEGETARIAN OFFERINGS OTHER THAN AN APPETIZER OR SALAD HERE AND THERE.  AS FRIENDLY AS THE STAFF IS AT RALPH'S IT WOULDN'T SURPRISE ME IF THE WIZARDS IN THE KITCHEN COULDN'T WHIP UP SOMETHING FOR THE VEGGIE DINER.  THE SERVICE AT RALPH'S IS RELAXED BUT ATTENTIVE.  THE PIANO GETS IN GEAR ON MONDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHTS AND IT GETS CROWDED AND STAYS THAT WAY, SO CALL AHEAD. OUTDOOR DINING IS AVAILABLE, WEATHER PERMITTING.  ENJOY!

HOTEL CAESAR PARK IS HOME BASE IN BUENOS AIRES.

AFTER AN UN-EVENTFUL 10 HOUR FLIGHT FROM ATLANTA, A 40 MINUTE OR SO CAR RIDE GETS US TO THE HOTEL CASER PARK.  LOCATED CLOSE TO THE LA RECOLETA DISTRICT OF BUENOS AIRES, IT'S A MEDIUM SIZE BOUTIQUE BUSINESS HOTEL.  LOCATED IN A STATELY OLD BUILDING, THE INSIDE HAS BEEN COMPLETELY REHABBED WITH A BEAUTIFUL SPACIOUS FRONT DESK/ATRIUM AREA, WITH A SMALLISH RESTAURANT AND BAR AREA OFF IN THE WINGS.  OUR ROOM WAS NICE WITH A GOOD SIZE FLAT PANEL TV, A DESK AREA AND A VERY SPACIOUS BATHROOM WITH A SEPARATE TUB AND SHOWER AND EVEN A BIDET!  OUR VIEW WAS LESS THAN SPECTACULAR, EVEN THOUGH IT LOOKED TOWARDS THE BAY, MOST OF THE WATERFRONT IS PRETTY INDUSTRIAL.  HERE IS THE BREAK DOWN ON THE HOTEL.  LOCATION:  IF YOU ARE IN B.A. ON BUSINESS WITH A NICE EXPENSE ACCOUNT, YOU ARE IN LUCK.  ACROSS THE STREET IS A NICE HIGH END SHOPPING MALL AND CLOSE BY ARE SOME VERY NICE UPSCALE DINING OPTIONS. FOR THE POOR TOURIST LIKE MYSELF, IT IS A BIT MORE OF A CHALLENGE.  TAXI'S ARE PLENTIFUL IN THIS AREA, AND NOT TERRIBLY EXPENSIVE UNLESS YOU GET JAMMED IN TRAFFIC.  AVOID TRYING TO GET AROUND DURING RUSH HOUR.  BUSSES SEEM TO BE FAIRLY EASY TO CATCH, BUT THE CLOSEST SUBWAY STATION I COULD FIND WAS QUITE A HAUL AWAY.  I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE STUDIED THE BUS ROUTES MORE THOROUGHLY, BUT I DID A LOT OF WALKING AND CAUGHT A CAB HERE AND THERE AND DID JUST FINE.  AMENITIES: THERE IS A SMALL FITNESS CENTER WITH AN INDOOR SWIMMING POOL ATTACHED.  THERE IS ALSO A SMALL DINING AREA WITH A BAR AREA ATTACHED FOR GET TOGETHERS.  THE CONCIERGE DESK WAS ALWAYS STAFFED AND VERY HELPFUL.  ALL OF THE STAFF ARE SUPER PLEASANT AND SPEAK FLUENT ENGLISH IF YOUR SPANISH ISN'T UP TO SNUFF.  EVERY MORNING THE DINING AREA FEATURES AN AMAZING BRUNCH.  SEVERAL FRESH FRUIT SELECTIONS INCLUDING FRESH SQUEEZED JUICES, CEREALS, DELI MEAT, CHEESES AN OMELET STATION AND HOT SELECTIONS ROTATING DAILY.  AS WITH ANY BUFFET, THE HOT ITEMS ARE SUBJECT TO VARIOUS ELEMENTS THAT USUALLY DETER FROM THEIR ORIGINAL PREPARATION.  ALL THE OTHER ITEMS ARE SPOT ON!
A SHORT WALK AWAY ARE SEVERAL LOCAL EATERIES, SEE SOME MORE REVIEWS, AND SOME INTERESTING SHOPPING OPTIONS.  STAY TUNED FOR MORE ON MY TRIP TO BUENOS AIRES.

ARGENTINA HERE I COME....LIKE IT OR NOT!

THANKS TO MY WONDERFUL PAL JERRY, I AM OFF TO BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA FOR THE FIRST TIME.  WITH A CONNECTION THROUGH ATLANTA I WAS ABLE TO MEET UP WITH LEE CUTHBERT, A GREAT FRIEND THAT I HAVEN'T SEEN IN YEARS.  WE HAD JUST ENOUGH TIME TO ENJOY A SANDWICH AND A BEER BEFORE I HAD TO HOP ON THE TRAM TO THE INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL AND WAIT FOR MY DEPARTURE.  THANKS TO SOME UN-MENTIONABLE MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH THE PLANE, OUR TAKE OFF WAS DELAYED FOR OVER AN HOUR.  NORMALLY NOT GOOD, BUT THANKS TO JERRY'S DIAMOND MEMBERSHIP ON DELTA, WE HIT THE SKY CLUB TO PASS THE TIME.  WHO WOULD HAVE IMAGINED THAT I WOULD ENJOY ONE OF THE BEST BLOODY MARY'S I HAVE EVER HAD.  SUPER SPICY AND PERFECTLY LOADED WITH GIANT GREEN OLIVES.  THANK YOU DELTA!  I AM READY FOR A SMOOTH 10 HOUR FLIGHT, AND LOOKING FORWARD TO A GREAT WEEK IN BUENOS AIRES.

NO, NO, NO TO LA CABANA MEXICAN GRILL AND BAR

DAMN THE ALPHABET.  IT WAS LUNCH TIME AND COUPONS 4 INDY ALWAYS HAS A COUPON FOR LA HACIENDA, WHICH IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE LOCAL MEXICAN RESTAURANTS.  SO I TYPED IN "LA" AND START TO SCROLL DOWN AND BEFORE I GET TO THE H's, I SPY LA CABANA.  LOCATED AT 7035 E 96th STREET IT WAS ON MY WAY AND I'M ALWAYS WILLING TO TRY OUT A NEW PLACE.  I CAN FIRMLY SAY THAT I WILL NOT BE RETURNING TO LA CABANA.  LET'S START WITH THE CHIPS.  NOTE TO SELF....WARMING UP STALE CHIPS DOES NOT MAKE THEM FRESH.  THE SALSA REMINDED ME OF CATSUP WITH A FEW ONIONS AND PEPPERS THROWN IN.  I ORDERED A TACO SALAD, WHICH SOUNDED LIKE A GOOD CHOICE ON A HOT SUMMER DAY.  FIRST IMPRESSION WAS THAT IT WAS KIND OF SMALL, BUT IT WAS A LUNCH ITEM SO WHAT THE HECK.  CRACKING INTO THE SHELL OPENED A FLOOD GATE OF SOME MYSTERY LIQUID THAT THE CHICKEN, BEEF AND SHRIMP WERE SWIMMING IN.  THE ONLY REASON I KNEW THAT IT WAS CHICKEN AND BEEF WAS BECAUSE OF THE MENU DESCRIPTION, CERTAINLY NOT THE FLAVOR.  ON TOP OF BEING HARD AND DRY IT WAS BLAND.  THE SHRIMP, HOWEVER, WERE ACTUALLY COOKED PROPERLY.  SO YOU ARE ASKING YOURSELF, 'WHY DIDN'T I COMPLAIN"?  AT THE TIME IT SEEMED POINTLESS, I COULDN'T IMAGINE ANYTHING COMING OUT OF THAT KITCHEN THAT WAS GOING TO BE EDIBLE.  AS A MATTER OF FACT, AFTER LEAVING I BOLTED INTO ALDI TO GET SOME ICE CREAM TO GET THE NASTY RESIDUE OUT OF MY MOUTH.  NO KIDDING....IT WAS THAT BAD.

JOHNSON'S BBQ SHACK IS SMOKIN' GOOD!

Lining up for some tasty 'Que in Hamilton Town Center

My place of employment has recently opened a new location at the Hamilton Town Center in Noblesville.  Previous to this, I had never visited this shopping destination.  I'm really not a mall person, be it inside or outside, but this place is very nice and kind of entertaining when I think of it as a little "pretend" city!  The dining options here are limited to national chains, with a couple of exceptions which I'll review later.  A few weeks ago there was a Holiday Festival on a BEAUTIFUL Saturday afternoon.  As we were setting up out little promotional table out in the street, I was thrilled to see some food trucks pulling in.  I made the rounds and saw some interesting choices, but as the wind shifted my nose stood attention as the intoxicating aroma of BBQ smoke grabbed me by the nape of my neck and pointed me towards a Harley Orange trailer with a giant smoker protruding out the back end of it!  There were some stick-on black vinyl stickers on the side announcing some of their specialties.  And a fold out dry mark sandwich board announcing what was on the menu that day.  This mobile wonder is Johnson's Bar-B-Que Shack.  Owned and operated by two brothers and their lovely wives, this relative newcomer to the Indy Food Truck Scene is a very welcome addition.  Well over an hour before the official start of the festival, there was a line forming at Johnson's.  I was super curious how this BBQ would stack up against some of my favorites, so I jumped in line and, shortly there after, placed my order with Johnson brother #1.  Pulled pork is my litmus test for BBQ.  Their sandwich, with a choice of two sides, was $8.  A few minutes later the other brother that had been manning the smoking beast came out and handed my more than generously proportioned meal.  A small table was set up with a nice assortment of sauces, many of them homemade, but before adding any sauce I took a bite and was hoping for something special.  WOW, I was not disappointed.  Perfectly smokey, moist, and amazingly tender, with just the right amount of fat for that extra flavor kick but not greasy.  The sounds of ecstasy spewing from my vocal chords while my mouth was full and still chewing must have been very entertaining as my two co-workers watched with wonder and curiosity what all the fuss was about.  I explained how fantastic this sandwich was, having not even sauced it yet, and they soon hopped in line to verity my experience.  Not only did they agree, but while we were sitting there, savoring our meal,  I saw several people make an extra trip back to the truck to express their complete satisfaction.  Checking out their website, it appears as if Johnson's BB Shack is a regular at the First Friday Food Truck Festival an it looks like they do a substantial catering business as well.  It is that time of year when a kick ass smoked turkey or duck would be a great addition to the holiday spread!  ENJOY!

CAFETERIA WAR...MCL VS. GRAY BROTHERS.

 This is kind of a strange story, but the end result is an ongoing battle for cafeteria bragging rights in central Indiana.  Wow, do people have opinions about this, and I'm ready to join in.  It starts on a stormy night, no really, and none of us expected the night to end up this way.  OK, a bit of drama, sorry.  Myself and three friends had intended to go to a summer festival.  We got there and we had the dates wrong, so now the decision had to be made...where are we going to eat now.  Somehow the discussion got around to macaroni and cheese.  I tossed out that The Legend in Irvington had the best I have ever had.  Then Gray Brothers in Mooresville got some heavy promotion from the front seat.  When I revealed that I had never been there, the car just started off and 45 minutes or so later we were there.  We get there and there is a line out the door.  We wait and wait and wait, the line isn't moving much at all.  Once inside the building, yet more waiting, with wooden queues wondering back and forth like at Kings Island.  These appear to be as old as the building itself.  Watching people sit their diapered kids on them and slide them along wasn't helping my appetite.  I couldn't wait to get to the hand sanitizer.  While caught in this time warp I wondered to myself how this place was going to stack up to MCL.  My pal G. took out the smart phone and did some checking on Yelp and UrbanSpoon.   Lots of praise for Gray's mostly, and ups and downs for MCL.  As I'm reading them, I'm asking myself if these people had been to an MCL in the last 15 years, or have they ever even been there at all.  If this line ever gets to the food, I can't wait to give it a try.  FINALLY...the light at the end of the tunnel.  Salads start off the gauntlet.  Gray's:  mostly small bowls of pre-made offerings, and some jello as well.  I almost always get a tossed salad and I passed.  MCL:  Several salad nice choices that are pre-made (Cobb etc.) as well as two custom salad selections with a real person there to customize it with croutons, cheese etc.  Next up ENTREES:  I knew I had to get Fried Chicken, not just because everyone said it is good, but because I've had it countless times at MCL.  I got a three piece selection and some mac and cheese to go with it.  Looking at the other veggie sides, they all screamed CANNED.  MCL always seems to have one or two fresh veggies, either broccoli, green beans or corn on the cob in season.  The rest of them are also probably canned as well, but the fresh options are very welcome.  I finished off with some iced tea.  At the checkout there was no sticker shock.  It kills me when I mention MCL, the first thing people gripe about is the cost.  First off, this isn't the $3.99 Chinese buffet or Golden Corral.  Prices are clearly marked, and, DUH, if you order one of everything it's gonna rack up.  Same at Grays.  I didn't notice, but I'm sure Grays has specials. At MCL it's called a Mayfield plate with an entree and sides for a special price.  So if you're watching the $, check for the specials.  Once we got seated it was dig in time. It was two chicken vs. two fish at our table.  My first two chicken pieces were great, but my third piece had been sitting there for ever.  I am sure that if I would have mentioned it to any of the many servers walking around they would have gladly replaced it, so that' no biggie.  The mac and cheese was fine, nothing to brag about, a little soupy for my taste, but OK.  Even the M&C front seat braggers said it was a bit sub par.  I was offered a taste of the fish after neither of my friends seemed too thrilled about it.  Once again, it was OK.  What was fantastic was the potato side dish that G. had.  WOW....cheesey potato heaven.  I could have made a meal just out of that. The tea was fine, and was kept filled the entire evening.  But, if you haven't had it before, MCL uses an IRANI tea that is so clean and crisp, you'll wonder why you ever put sugar in your iced tea.  I didn't get a dessert, but sampled a couple of options.  Both were very good and obviously made in house.   I'm not a big dessert person, but I would say that Gray's would win by a slight margin. The cinnamon rolls at MCL are fantastic and only .99.  The VERDICT:  In my opinion MCL wins hands down.  If I lived out Mooresville way and had a group of people to try and satisfy, and they wanted to stand in a line for OK food, MAYBE.  The service at Gray Brothers was non stop, pleasant and thorough.  MCL isn't staffed as heavy in the dining room, but I cannot ever remember feeling ignored.  Dont hesitate to leave your comments.

 

PINK SLIME INVADES THAI RESTAURANT IN TERRE HAUTE

EXOTIC THAI
1295 S. 3RD STREET
TERRE HAUTE, IN 47802
812-232-8898

The ONLY reason I am writing this is so that some other poor souls don't fall into the,  "I wonder if that Thai place is any good?" trap.
The place is called Exotic Thai and it is in Terre Haute, Indiana.
I have relatives there and have driven by it many times wondering what it was like. When I checked on line earlier in the year there were mostly very positive reviews on Yelp and UrbanSpoon. So when my usual haunt (Sushi Umi Grill) wasn’t open for lunch, myself and a couple of friends decided to give it a try. YUK, YUK and Gag! Lunch specials come with a soup, kind of a mild chicken broth with some onion in it, that was OK. When I say OK I'm being very kind.  They also come with a small salad with a kind of thick sweet dressing that was also OK as well.  For my entree I got spicy basil noodles, A.K.A. drunken noodles or Pud Kee Mau elsewhere. These were very different, with egg noodles instead of rice noodles. It was pretty bland to say the least. But lets get to the best part, THE PINK PAD THAI! It looked like a slimy pile of vomit deposited on the plate by someone that had downed a bottle of Pepto Bismol after eating some noodles and a little bit of chicken. Despite my visual revulsion I tasted it and, WOW, it was just sickly sweet with no other apparent flavor other than nasty! It got sent back and they still tried to charge us for it, but they eventually took it off the bill. By the way it was ordered with tofu not chicken anyway!  After the fact, I did some more searching for what Jamie Oliver has now coined as Pink Slime, and found my digust for this place is not alone!

GREAT STEAKS AND MORE IN TERRE HAUTE AT J. FORD'S

J. FORD'S BLACK ANGUS
502 SOUTH THIRD STREET
TERRE HAUTE, IN 47807
812-235-5549

What is it about Terre Haute?  Every time I mention that 60 minute or so trip out west on I-70 to someone they get that "look" on their face.  I remember driving there to visit friends that had gone off to Indiana State University many years ago, remembering the "smell", and not the other fun times that were had.  Well thank you EPA, it doesn't reek anymore, and the place actually has some bright spots.  Get out of the city and there are lots of nice little lakes, and a couple of great golf courses.  They are re-vitalizing the downtown area with some new shops and restaurants and they have a world class Children's Museum.  Head north on 41 at I-70 a few blocks and you'll find J. Fords Black Angus, a fine dining oasis sitting smack dab in between two motor lodges and across the street from THE WORST THAI RESTAURANT that I have ever had the displeasure of visiting.  J Ford's, on the other hand, is a "worth the drive" dining destination experience.  Chef/Owner Jeff Ford was previously the head chef at the Country Club of Terre Haute and took the top prize in a competition against 11 other top country club chefs.  Jeff and his wife Kelly opened J. Ford's in 2007.   We had a reservation for a group of six, dining out to celebrate my niece's amazing dance performance on a weekend night and the place was packed.  We had a short wait and were seated in the main dining room.  There also is a private dining room for groups/special events that had some festivities going on.  The atmosphere is appropriately dark and has a 50's/60's sophisticated lounge vibe to it.  Sinatra and some of his fellow crooners provided some background music via the ceiling speakers.  It was probably just our location, but Frank and company could have been turned down a few db's to allow for more comfortable conversation.  I'm sure that if we would have asked they would have done so.  J. Fords offers a full service bar with a nice beer and wine selection as well.  The menu offers just the right number of appetizers, soups/salads and entrees to choose from, it would be nice to see a blow away creative vegetarian entree on the regular menu.  A nice size chalk board lists the evenings special offerings.  We started off with a smoked salmon "pizza" appetizer with a horseradish sauce that was out of this world.  Dinner salads were crisp and just the right size to prepare our pallets for the main courses.  My Mother enjoyed her Airline Chicken Breast with wings attached, ready for take off.  My niece devoured her tempura battered fish that was one of the specials.  My Brother chose the enormous bone in Cowboy Ribeye which was delivered perfectly medium rare as ordered.  J. Ford's beef comes fresh from Chicago's Stockyards, which also provides their fine products to lots of great Midwest restaurants including Indy's own St. Elmo.  How crazy is this, I'm in a Black Angus restaurant and I ordered seafood.  Not usually a good move, but when my Brother saw that the Sea Bass was one of specials offered he insisted I get it, plus he promised to share his steak.  WOW.  It was expertly cooked and served with a super flavorful sauce that complimented, but didn't overpower the fish.  The service was professional and attentive without being clingy.  Now let's get to the bottom line, so to speak.  The pricing is upper deck with entrees in the $24 to $42 range.  Considering the top notch service, atmosphere and superior quality of all the ingredients, that is money well spent.  A great place for a business dinner, date night or a special evening with friends and family.  Next time I will get the Pork Belly, which I couldn't take my eyes off of at a neighboring diners table.

MORE FOUNTAIN SQUARE GOODNESS AT END OF THE LINE - PUBLIC HOUSE

The ShelBi Street in Fountain Square has been re-opened with a fresh new menu, and great beer selection, as the End of the Line Public House. The much better name is an homage to the new Cultural Trail ending in Fountain Square and to the street cars that used to turn around and begin their journey all over again right in front of the restaurant. On the recommendation of our friendly server, I split an order of the baked pretzels with my dining companion. I wish I wouldn't have offered to split them. OH MY ......... Four nice size, piping hot salty pretzels with two warm cheezy dipping sauces. The rest of the menu consists of pizzas, salads and sandwiches. All the sandwiches are $10 and come with a pickle and your choice of several sides. I went with the Big Jesse which was a heap of juicy beef brisket on a toasty Italian roll topped with peppers, carrots and onions. I had a side of the house mac 'n cheese which was equally satisfying. A baked veggie burger with a side of fingerling potatoes went to the opposite side of the table and was thoroughly enjoyed. There are plenty of vegetarian options to choose from, which is always appreciated. The evening we were there a sign proclaimed there were 15 craft beers on tap, and I chose the Fountain Square Brewing Company's Oatmeal Stout which really hit the spot! Tasty food + Great service + Pleasant atmosphere = GOOD TIME!

DREAMS COME TRUE AT SUSHI CLUB!

Close your eyes, and imagine if you will...a Japanese restaurant where you can go and order all of the appetizers, soups, salads, nigiri sushi and specialty rolls you can eat. When you are finished and pleasantly bursting at the seams, your delightful server hands you a check for only $20 (plus tax and a generous tip). This is not some skanky, low-grade, sitting around all day buffet sushi. This is first class, made to order, as good as you will probably have at your favorite sushi joint, here in town or just about any where else for that matter. This is SUSHI CLUB which is located on the northeast corner of West 10th street and Girls School road. Housed in a former Pizza Hut and who knows what else after that, Sushi Club is a dream come true. Get over there NOW....and DON'T leave out your vegetarian friends. One of my favorite items of the evening actually came off of the vegetarian menu...the PEANUT and AVACADO ROLL! EVERYONE MUST try this culinary cuonundrum! There are plenty of other vegetarian friendly items on the menu as well. Your server will bring out your dry marker menus and answer all of your pending questions. I think the best approach is to look at it like a tapas bar. Order your soups and appetizers, and while they are being prepared, get ready to place your next order. The house salad was cold and topped with a creamy ginger dressing. The seaweed salad was probably the best I've ever tasted, with a lively sesame lemon dressing. Then keep it coming until, as our server put it, "your're really heavy"! Some of the other standouts of the evening were the delicate fried spring rolls with an intense sweet and sour dipping sauce and the CRAZY MANGO roll which was tuna with an eye popping mango/jalepeno sauce on top of it. The price is $2 more on the weekend with the addition of sashimi and maybe a few more rolls. Sushi club also has a nice selection of beer/wine and sake to enjoy at super reasonable prices. Everything my dining partner and I ordered was super fresh and beauutifully presented. I think if they got the sushi bar out into the room more and hung a few Japanese chotchkies on the walls the place would scream of a trendy Tokyo nightspot. But hey, I was too busy studying the menu and planning my next round of attack to really notice. I'm just saying.......