Indy’s Great Steakhouses: Mo’s… A Place For Steaks
Ask for one of the banquettes by the fireplace. The booth may not be private per se, but you will be cozied next to the roaring flames with a prime people-watching view. Add some crooning Sinatra, a piano player, the generous wine list, the candlelight, the attentive servers, and the more intimate dining room Mo’s… A Place For Steaks inherited when it moved from the current Prime 47 space to the former Lorenzo’s Ristorante address, and you have just the right dash of Mad Men–era charm for a special night out.
The steaks equally bewitch. The Kobe-style beef filet—sourced from a domestic cow that’s been massaged and pampered like the famed Wagyu breeds in Japan—carries a hefty price tag (the middle-range 8-ouncer rings up at $68).
But its delicately charred crust and ruby-red center may be one of the richest, most velvety pieces of meat you ever put in your mouth. Side sauces, toppings, and seasonings like the popular peppercorn coating can dress up the selections, but they’re not necessary. The Mo’s Signature Ribeye, a prime “cowboy” cut, packs enough potent flavor on its own.
Mo’s menu does feature other offerings, including seafood dishes like Chilean sea bass. But for sides, try the Waverly’s creamed spinach: a light take on the classic, mixed tableside by one of your servers. 15 E. Maryland St., 317-635-0720, mosaplaceforsteaks.com
Price per ounce of the small filet: $6
Largest steak on the menu: The $550 80-ounce whole domestic Kobe tenderloin, carved tableside and enough to serve eight people
Grade of meat: USDA Prime
Aging process: A 28-day mixture of wet and dry aging
Wines by the bottle/glass: 160/18
Valet: Complimentary
We love steak, any way you slice it. In Indianapolis, there’s a steakhouse to cater to every occasion and level of sophistication, and after months of dining like wealthy cavemen, we present them to you here, in juicy detail. A la cartes include a primer on the king cuts (for those who don’t know a porterhouse from a portobello), tips on the best cheap chops in town, a cattle call of beefy terms, and a stab at defining that common condition among steak-lovers—the meat sweats. You want a piece of this? Dig in.
