Food & Drinks

Whether it’s the adorable wall of brown paper bags you fill out with a Sharpie or just all of the tasty free extras you can pile on your sandwich—olive salad, pesto, even Cheez Whiz—there’s definitely something fresh and fun about the new Which Wich? (910 W. 10th St., 317-632-9424), which landed mid-March in The Avenue complex near IUPUI. We stopped in to try out this Dallas-based sandwich chain with over 180 stores from Florida to southern California (with one in Carmel as well) and found ourselves almost dizzy with all of the choices—from the “Bac-Hammon” (pork on top of pork) to the Elvis Wich, inspired by the King with bacon, peanut butter, and banana. Sadly, they were out of bananas at the end of the day, but the staff quickly apologized and offered us a free sandwich on our next visit.

Editor’s Note: This story is a companion piece from our archives to the April 2012 Local Beer issue of the magazine.

210 W. Main St., Carmel, 706-2827, bubsburgersandicecream.com.

Here’s your guide to the best places to carry out a mixed six-pack or an entire case.

The egg came first. And, oh mon dieu, what an egg this was.

317 soda, created by Neal Brown for a local upstart called uFlavor, which is trying to put the words “artisanal” and “soda pop” together (our observation, not theirs). Brown’s drink melds clementine, bitters, vanilla, and pure cane sugar for a longneck drink worthy of a spot on

With culinary travel on the rise, celebrated chefs, cookbook authors, and TV personalities like spiky-haired Guy Fieri and Iron Chef America’s Cat Cora are setting sail to lure food lovers and cooking channel addicts onboard. Indianapolis Monthly was tickled to discover that Greg Hardesty of Recess and Room Four  (4907 N. College Ave; 317-925-7529) was chosen by Holland America Line to participate in the 2012 Culinary Arts Center Program, presented by Food & Wine Magazine.

Tired of those Filet O’Fish specials on the signs at your local McDonald’s? Craving some real seafood here in the Heartland that doesn’t come out of the freezer at your local megamart?

March 31 marks the opening day of the second annual Indiana Artisan Marketplace, and we’ve been doing our research to find out what to sample and who to meet. Here is what to expect from the shopping event featuring 100 artists and food artisans, including New Day Meadery, Chocolate for the Spirit, Pierogi in a Pinch, Capriole Cheese, and Chateau Thomas Winery.

Just the name “bread pudding” brings to mind homey images of gingham tablecloths and grandma’s kitchen. Or, at the very least, Paula Deen. But recently, this down-to-earth dessert (traditionally a means for repurposing stale bread) has made its way from the recipe card to the menus of some of the trendier restaurants in town.

Based on the lines forming at Coke Freestyle machines around the city, you’d think the bright-red boxes were dispensing gold coins instead of Orange Diet Coke and Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper. The touch-screen design lets you choose from 22 drinks and then add a flavor, resulting in new sodas like Grape Mello Yello, Raspberry Lime Hi-C, and Heidi Klum’s choice—not to mention a test of patience while the person in front of you tries in vain to create a Freestyle suicide. The machine holds inkjet printer cartridges of flavorings—not syrups—that add up to more than 100 choices and so much time gleefully considering your options that your food might get cold. Called “the Ferrari of coke machines” (because the case was conceived by a company that designs Ferraris), the Freestyle is charming local soda swillers at Firehouse Subs, Pita Pits, Burger Kings, Moe’s Southwest Grills, and the Pei Wei at Glendale. Just do everyone a favor and figure out what you want to drink before you go out. 

Since the Super Bowl, you may have noticed that some of the city’s wine-and-beer–only restaurants now stash small selections of brown and white liquor bottles behind their bars. A lucky group of restaurateurs had the chance to upgrade their liquor licenses for a steal, and it is making us rather thirsty.

Breaded rainbow trout at Carnegie’s Restaurant of Greenfield (100 W. North St., Greenfield, 317-462-8480), which arrives perfectly cooked over crispy potatoes. The fluffy, doughy breadsticks at Pizzology (13190 Hazel Dell Parkway, Carmel, 317-844-2550), served with

As St. Patty’s day came and went last week, we couldn’t help but think about Patty’s of the past at The Aristocrat Pub & Restaurant (5212 N. College Ave., 317-283-7388). Since last August’s electrical fire that resulted in more than $1.5 million in damages, we have been watching the business’s Facebook page for mention of a re-open date.

The gooey cinnamon bread (more like coffeecake) that they bring to your table at Willie & Red’s (40 E. Main St., Hagerstown, 765-489-4131). The rich, caramelized morsels will ruin you for dessert. The hulking bone-in rib-eye, doused liberally as it cooks with good old Worcestershire and steak sauce at Hal’s Fabulous Vegas Bar & Grille (1133 N. State Road 135, Greenwoo