The Feed: Big Al’s Superstore’s New Restaurant Life
Former Top Chef contestants Jeff McInnis and Janine Booth are opening a seafood restaurant in Indianapolis, in the former home of Big Al’s Superstore (4601 N. College Ave.). The Indianapolis Business Journal reported that the couple are partnering with Scotty’s Brewhouse founder Scott Wise and Tom Collins of the Hobart-based Luke Family of Brands (where Wise works as the director of restaurant development and operations). McInnis and Booth currently run restaurants in Miami and New York City. No timeline was announced for the opening.
Duke’s Indy (2352 S. West St., 317-643-6403) launched a Monday-night supper club. Every Monday at a fixed time (usually 8 or 8:30 p.m.), diners get a plated meal for a set price (in the $12–$15 range). The restaurant posts the menu Monday afternoons on a special Instagram account (@dukes_supper_club), and the first 12 people to comment on the post get the spots. The rest of the restaurant is open for regular dinner service.
The Cake Bake Shop’s (6515 Carrollton Ave., 317-257-2253) Gwendolyn Rogers teamed with Williams-Sonoma to deliver her famous treats to shoppers around the country. Three of the shop’s most popular cakes, including Earl’s Court chocolate, mint chocolate chip, and inside-out German chocolate, are now available online via the Williams-Sonoma catalog.
Kim’s Cookie Cafe (70 E. Hawthorne St., Zionsville, 317-670-9153) opens on November 10. Owner Kim Estep’s shop will have freshly baked cookies and scoops of edible cookie dough in six flavors. She’ll also have a gluten-free, no-sugar-added cookie dough option for customers following gluten-free and keto diets.
Turchetti’s Salumeria (1106 Prospect St., 317-426-3048) is hosting its first educational event on November 10. The Half-Hog Butcher Workshop and Charcuterie Tasting is the first in a series of classes at George Turkette’s recently opened deli and production space in Fountain Square. Tickets are $150 and include the hands-on lesson from Turkette, charcuterie tasting, and fresh butchered pork from Heritage Meadow Farms.
Esteban Rosas, sous chef at Rook (501 Virginia Ave., 317-737-2293), will take over the kitchen at Black Market (922 Massachusetts Ave., 317-822-6757), now that executive chef and co-owner Micah Frank has announced his departure. Frank’s last dinner service will be November 9.
New Orleans-inspired voodoo bar Patron Saint will open downtown at 250 S. Meridian St. on November 10. Local industry veterans Slater Hogan, John Larner, and Brandy Allen-Haveth are partners on the project.
Two Indy businesses were at the top of the list for San Francisco-based Hoodline’s rundown of America’s Favorite Cideries. New Day Craft (1102 Prospect St., 888-632-3379) came in at number one, and Ash & Elm (2104 E. Washington St., 317-600-3164) was number three. The ratings were based on data analyzed from Yelp reviews and ratings.
Butler-Tarkington’s Happy Brewing Co. (3902 N. Illinois St., 317-345-4223) closed unexpectedly last week, seven months after opening. The business made the announcement on its Facebook page, and offered no details for closing, other than to say they needed to leave the location. The owners said they will keep brewing and hope to open in a different space in the future.
Now that Halloween’s over we’ve got turkey on the brain, and we’re loving the Mexican spin from Tlaolli (2830 E. Washington St., 317-410-9507), with turkey tamales and cranberry salsa.
