January's First Bite

Swoon

Eat Praline Love For those unfamiliar with the praline—Indy is a bit far from the home of the classic Southern confection—it looks like a cookie, feels like fudge, and tastes like icing (right before you get a savory hit of toasted pecans). Candymaker Carrie Abbott of Newfangled Confections started making the treat at the request of Yats owner Joe Vuskovich, who wanted it for his eateries. Abbott knew she had a winner thanks to feedback from her Southern customers, never shy about speaking their minds. “They bite in with such skepticism, afraid it won’t live up to their childhood memories,” she says. “But we always get their blessing. That means so much to us.” 

Pinch of Wisdom

“If you want to give your sandwich some interesting texture, add some homemade Parmesan crisps. Shred Parmesan cheese onto a baking sheet, scatter it out, and bake it until it’s nice and crunchy.” — Jon Radford, executive chef at Joe’s Next Door, the Carmel sandwich counter that opened adjacent to Joe’s Butcher Shop in August

The Feed

LONG STORY SHORT The owners of Shoefly Public House opened Asian-themed LongBranch on the ground floor of The Delaware building.
SHINE ON Cunningham Restaurant Group’s Vida got a Four Diamond rating from AAA.
BLUE STREAK CharBlue Steak & Seafood has replaced the downtown Georgia Reese’s.
SIPSTERS Cosmopolitan named Quills Coffee the best coffee shop in the state of Indiana, with a special nod to its bourbon-vanilla latte.