Tomorrow night on the Food Network’s Restaurant: Impossible reality show, Nora’s very own Snooty Fox (1435 E. 86th St., 317-257-6033) gets its 15 minutes of fame as the subject of host Robert Irvine’s revision. Restaurant owner Tim Queisser applied for the spot, having kept a worried eye on the restaurant’s bottom line for the last couple of years—though a family-run restaurant that has survived 30 years could probably teach its own seminar on how to run a
Some al fresco tables announce themselves from the curb—little wrought iron two-tops arranged along the edges of parking lots and busy sidewalks. But some of the best outdoor tables in town are more hidden from view (and, in many cases, comfortably out of the baking sun’s direct line of fire). Want to sip wine in an urban garden that looks like something straight out of West Side Story (with strings of lights and Friday night movies, no less)? Reserve a courtyard table at Iozzo’s Garden of Italy just south of downtown. Have a hankering for skewered appetizers and umbrella drinks with a tiki essence? The fenced-in patio attached to Revolucion is your hallowed ground. Here, a few more of our favorite secluded places to get a little air with dinner.
By most measures, it was a typical spring Wednesday, cool with drizzle. But in the parking lot of Seasons 52, the latest high-profile franchise to populate the Fashion Mall, the buzz resembled a VIP gala. Orange pylons blocked the better portion of the parking spaces, and valets sprinted to fetch keys. Inside, nearly every seat in the place was taken. Clearly something special, some of-the-moment trend, had drawn out this many diners on such a dreary day.
Somewhere between a patio barbecue and a walk-up Dairy Queen, the adorably quirky digs of the original Boogie Burger won us over from the start. Tucked inside a broom closet next to what is now Ripple Inn, this lovably shabby burger joint gave off an undiscovered vibe, even four years after it opened and lines were curling out the doors on summer evenings. We were always surprised that a place this humble could put out such scrumptious fare: two-handed, well-seasoned burgers with unexpected toppers like grilled pastrami, peanut butter, and fried eggs. On the side, deeply golden fries were flecked with fresh garlic and parsley.
In September, Indianapolis Colts Grille will open in the former Hoosier Park Racing and Casino’s off-track betting facility in Claypool Court. Rather than being the love child of some diehard Colts fan with a gourmand’s passion, the restaurant is owned by G.R.E.A.T Grille Group, a Florida-based company that runs other athlete-themed restaurants around the country, including Eddie George’s Sports Grille in Nashville, Tennessee; Jeff Conine’s Clubhouse
Kathy Jones, executive chef of Iozzo’s Garden of Italy (946 S. Meridian St., 317-252-3243) has purchased Country Mouse City Mouse, the line of locally made sauces, spreads, and dressings that are not only vegan-friendly but also gluten- and casein-free. Her plans are to expand the brand, which already includes products such as chimichurri pesto, pineapple-mango salsa, and
If Mayor Ballard’s office hasn’t declared this the official “Summer of the Food Truck,” it ought to. Just about every time you turn a corner downtown, another blocky, retro trailer has its awning out, and a cheery short-order cook is handing an office worker or a foodie with a good GPS a sack of tasty lunchtime victuals. The latest motorized munchies maker to attract a dedicated fan base is
As it celebrates its first anniversary in September, Fountain Square’s tiny Tortas Guicho Dominguez y El Cubanito (641 Virginia Ave., 317-658-0735), is setting its sights on getting a space as substantial as its name. The restaurant known for naming its massive sandwiches after celebrities (such as the Selma Hayek, with grilled chicken, ham, mozzarella, avacado, tomato, and jalapenos) is expanding to seat up to 60. Construction should be completed by the end of the year with the restaurant remaining open throughout.
St. Elmo Steak House (127 S. Illinois St., 317-635-0636) is shooting for a Labor Day weekend opening of its $1.8 million renovation. The redo will convert the 3,000-square-foot second story of the 109-year-old restaurant into a bar/lounge area featuring a 10-person private dining room and Prohibiton-style lounge. The lounge area will have a fireplace and TVs, making it more of a
Billing itself as a restaurant serving “Midwestern comfort food with a culinary twist,” 10-01 Food and Drink (1001 Broad Ripple Ave., 317- 253-1001) manages to nail both your mom’s tastiest meatloaf recipe and the sophisticated ambience worthy of date night. The open kitchen, lower-level ba
Editor’s Note, June 22, 2012: Sensu announced early this month that it will no longer serve dinner. It will, however, remain an upscale nightclub and special-event venue, with Asian-inspired catering services available. You get the sense, stepping off Meridian Street into the vaulted pleasure palace of Sensu, another in Jeremiah Hamman’s growing portfolio of […]
