Sun King Wee Mac dark chocolate truffles at The Best Chocolate in Town (880 Massachusetts Ave., 317-294-2378). Those cute chocolate-covered almonds that look exactly like olives. Available at Simply Sweet Shoppe (30 N. Rangeline Rd., Carmel, 317-818-9866). Cheesy Potato C
It’s difficult to imagine a better setting for omelets and bellinis than Bloomington’s Cafe Django (116 N. Grant St., 812-335-1297), a charming boho bungalow just off of Kirkwood Avenue. While the regular lunch and dinner menus showcase an eclectic fusion of Asian, Mediterranean, and even Peruvian influences (owner Linda Eversoll hails from there), the breakfast menu relies more heavily on the traditional American morning fare typically found at upscale urban diners—with an accent. Along with such standards as smoked salmon, pancakes (with blueberries, chocolate chips, strawberries, or bananas), French toast, and a “House Breakfast” of two eggs, toast, potatoes, and bacon or sausage, for example, is a curried tofu scramble served with momos (steamed dumplings indigenous to the Himalayan region) on the side. A suggestion: Given a choice between the crispy “spicy potato wedges” and the mushier “Django potatoes,” go with the former. In any event, the tart Citrus Cocktail, a blend of lime and lemon juices served with bubbly, is a superb Sunday-morning thirst-quencher.
After four and a half years at 47 Boone Village Center in Zionsville, Patrick’s Kitchen & Drinks is getting a new address. But don’t worry—Patrick Mullen’s cozy restaurant is just moving around the corner, into the former Brick Street Inn spot. The slightly downsized menu will maintain its traditional comfort-food theme, Mullen says. “It will definitely be a little more focused on local and seasonal dishes that will change monthly.”
Man does not live on meat alone. But since finding the offerings of the new meatery Smoking Goose (407 N. Dorman St., 317-638-MEAT) around town, we are determined to try. First came an elk pate, dense as a star (if stars were made of game meats), rich with spice, and rimmed with a thin layer of caul fat. It’s simultaneously sweet and luscious, and available at Vine & Table (313 E. Carmel Dr., Carmel, 317-817-9473). Then, from the Indy Winter Farmers Market, we took home a package of sliced, spicy capocollo—tender pork neck and shoulder, laden with chiles, paprika, black pepper, coriander, and probably some other magical stuff. We couldn’t stop eating it, despite the slow burn. There are numerous others we can’t wait to try; next up, heaven be praised, a sausage composed of duck, pear, and port.
Swells and their dames came out in force to celebrate the VIP opening of the north side’s new Harry & Izzy’s outpost (4050 E. 82nd St., 317-915-8045), the fourth offspring of St. Elmo (the first being the flagship H & I at Georgia and Illinois Streets; then the airport location; the 33 Lounge above the main flagship place; and now this stylish addition to the family), located near the new Nordstrom Rack. Rest assured that the shrimp cocktail, fiery as ever, can be successfully duplicated, along with the potent martinis. Former prosecutor Carl Brizzi was in attendance, as well as proud grandpapa Steve Huse, whose son, Craig, has overseen the company’s smart expansions, along with operations boss Chris Clifford.
1. The rich, creamy housemade peanut butter-and-chocolate cheesecake on a graham-cracker crust at McCormick & Schmick’s (110 N. Illinois St., 317-631-9500).
2. A comforting antidote to crisp evenings, the rich and lovely Scallopine in Marsala at Broad Ripple stalwart Ambrosia (915 E. Westfield Blvd., 317-255-3096). The menu describes it simply: sauteed veal cutlets, mushrooms, and Marsala wine sauce—but its comforting Old Country portions go beyond words.
3. Flan cake with a well-caramelized flan layer, a cake layer, and a cheese layer at Mama Irma (1058 Virginia Ave., 317-423-2421)—especially since Mama Irma herself sits down at the table to let you know just how much love she’s added to the dishes.
4. The spicy, salty crunch of falafel folded inside warm pita at Ali Baba Cafe & Hookah Bar (50 N. Illinois St., 317-297-7153).
5. The decadent jumble of sliced bananas, toffee drizzles, custard, and vanilla-bean ice cream inside a graham-cracker crust that adds up to one Banoffee Pie at Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant (3815 E. 96th St., 317-574-9463).
When Zing, the small-plates-then-big-plates eatery on Indiana Avenue, closed last May, we knew it wouldn’t be long before someone came along to snatch up this historic, two-story gem of a restaurant location. But we were surprised to hear it would soon be the second outpost of Avon strip-mall Cajun eatery Nawlins Creole Cafe. Hopefully they could do the big, flashier space justice. So when we saw an open sign lit up in the window after the John Waters event at the Madame Walker Saturday night, we dashed across West Street to try it out.
Gorgeous beets of several varieties (the goldens get snapped up fast), ice cream from Lick, crepes from 3 Days in Paris, lettuces of every stripe, fresh eggs, sausages from Smoking Goose (alas, the bacon sold out early, save for the lamb variety), bright Brussels sprouts, bison steaks from Circle L Bison Farm and, oh goodness, just about everything else you might want to eat was on offer this weekend at the Indy Winter Farmers Market, enjoying its inaugural Saturday in the west wing of the City Market. The Star had some great photos of the bin action. But our favorite discovery of the week were the colorful and super-delicious breakfast boxes from Fermenti Artisan: local eggs, veggies, cheese (goat, from Capriole), and sausage griddled up hot, topped with bright Fermenti kraut, and served in a Chinese-food takeout container.
With its famously shifting panoramic view, The Eagles Nest (1 S. Capitol Ave, 317-616-6170) has always been good for a change of scenery. But after nearly two months of renovations, the circular restaurant will have yet another look. Although still under construction, a recent tour of the space revealed promising touches like silver champagne bubble designs on the walls and new carpet (no more maroon). Expect an all-new contemporary, vibrant design—something to capture the glitzy downtown experience the restaurant has become famous for. Signature pieces of furniture are being crafted specifically for the space, which will feature gold satin wall covering, bright artwork against white walls, and industrial silver pendant lighting. Coinciding with this first full renovation in 10 years, the restaurant is bringing in award-winning chef and cookbook author, John Pivar to man the kitchen. Doors are slated to reopen Nov. 17.
Gone are the rustic mailboxes, the grape-vine wreaths, and the weathered tin watering cans. But chef-owner Ryan Nelson, former executive chef at The Oceanaire Seafood Room, has kept a good deal of the woodsy charm of the old Smith and Hawken location for his first solo effort, Late Harvest Kitchen (8605 River Crossing, 317-663-8063), which opened officially to the public on Friday night. We had fun trying to imagine where a bank of shelves might have been or whether we were dining in a former storage room or not (and dreaming of warmer weather to dine in the pergola outside). Nelson has definitely made the space his own, and a cozy bar inside the entryway, a dining room with sweeping ceilings, and elegant dark wood against white walls demonstrate the attention that’s gone into converting this former retail space into the latest seasonally inspired eatery to open in town.
Indy’s restaurant community suffered a tragic loss over the weekend. On Saturday, Ross Faris, owner of vegetable-stand-to-the-chefs Your Neighbor’s Garden, died from injuries suffered in a bicycle accident. IM had featured Faris many times in its pages, including this excerpt from the June 2008 feature on local farmers, Farm Hands:
Fifteen years after retiring from Eli Lilly Credit Union, Ross Faris is a natural fit for farmers markets—on both the agricultural and business fronts. In the late ’80s, he helped restaurateur Peter George—owner of Peter’s Restaurant and a driving force in Indy’s fine-dining scene at the time—organize Indy’s first farmers market in decades. The market, on the sidewalk in front of George’s north-side restaurant, helped spur the markets in Broad Ripple and downtown. These days, Faris uses his talents to expand his own family business, peddling his homegrown vegetables at five area farmers markets and providing a long list of local restaurants with produce from various local growers. His roster of clients includes some of the city’s best places to eat—places that know a superior tomato when they see one. Elements, L’Explorateur, Harry & Izzy’s, St. Elmo, Goose the Market, and H2O Sushi all use his produce in their dishes. Chef Regina Mehallick of R Bistro looks for asparagus from Your Neighbor’s Garden as the first sign of the growing season. “It heralds spring,” she says of the spears she serves with pancetta, local free-range egg salad, and rhubarb dressing.
While some know Sonata Cafe Bar & Art (31 E. Main St., Carmel, 317-844-5551) for its grab-and-go pastries and frappes made with Lavazza, others head to the upper level of this recent addition to the Carmel Arts District for small-plate fare. Designed by Brazilian architect Daniela Kohl, the lofted upstairs is a jewel of a space, with mustard-colored seats and dark wood tables, Chihuly-like two-story chandelier made by local artist Lisa Pelo, and walls adorned with paintings by local artists (hence the awkward addendum to the cafe’s name).
The food-styled Crazy Roll topped with shredded spicy crab and served with a carved-lemon head at Ichiban Sushi Bar & Sammy’s Asian Cuisine (8265 US 31 South, 317-883-1888). Almost too cute to eat. A dense, assertively sweet wedge of chocolate chip pie from Sisters’ Place (215 Terrace Ave., 317-631-0441)—more resembling a chocolate bar
