Julia Spalding

Five new mostly rum-based drinks at Tini are poured into punch bowls and offered with cups and ladles.

The threat of rain might have sent partygoers under the cover of tents during the weekend’s Rev festivities at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. But spirits were not dampened during the evening party.

Guests included two toques of TV fame—chef Vic Vegas, who appeared on Food Network’s Next Food Network Star, Chopped All-Stars, and Food Truck Face Off; and Spike Mendelsohn of Bravo’s Top Chef Chicago.

Diners belly up to a gleaming custom-made community table crafted from bark-on slabs of poplar to devour 10-ounce Delmonicos and 14-ounce New York strips freshly cut at the nearby Cicero Market and Harbour Market.

The confit appendages (basically, fried twice) are tiny by today’s standards, just a couple of messy nibbles each, piled on the plate like a chicken wing orgy with loose hunks of creamy blue cheese tucked in between the pieces and a smear of Frank’s Red Sauce decorating the plate.

Customized DIY creations can be adorned with a la carte options that include seven types of bacon, 10 cheeses, and other add-ons as random as apple chutney and chicken gravy.

Deep leather club chairs and tufted sofas? You won’t find any of those old cocktail-lounge frills here, Grampa. What surprises is how this snug, graffiti-chic space reimagines the concept of boozy swank.

The servers at Kountry Kitchen are strikingly sweet, delivering canned Cokes alongside jelly-jar glasses and hauling out trays loaded with two-meat, two-sides combo meals.

Including a sugar-rimmed brandy sidecar—with Cointreau and lemon juice at McCormick & Schmick’s.

Did you remember to stock up on bread, milk, and eggs? These restaurants did! A gallery of the best french toast in town.

What this snug hideaway lacked in signage (just look for the “T” on the front door), it made up for in gritty-chic charm.

Get to know eight couples operating some of Indy’s favorite restaurants and food services.

Including a sharing stack of still-crisp green beans, pan-fried and topped with crunchy bacon crumbles at Divvy.

Items range from Midwestern chow chow at The Loft to curried broiled salmon at FARM Bloomington to oysters Rockefeller at Weber Grill.

From milk to bittersweet, ganached to moussed, chocolate works its delicious charms on dessert menus around town. We rounded up some interpretations that made us shout, “Oh my Godiva.”