Ukiyo
Fans of Neal Brown waited eagerly while the shape-shifting chef behind a succession of meteoric Indy establishments (L’Explorateur, Pizzology, Libertine Liquor Bar, Stella) ironed out the details for a promised Japanese farmhouse bistro. They were not disappointed. When Ukiyo opened in January, the Kappo-style small-plates menu showed some of Brown’s signature moves. In one dish, glistening salmon butsu giri piled atop Japanese milkbread dotted with miso egg yolk toed the line between hearty and delicate. A smoky rice porridge with a scallop in every bite seemed like something you would eat on a rainy Kyoto day. The sushi menu listed both traditional nigiri and sashimi and eight Designer Rolls (including a bright layering of kanpachi, avocado, lemon, and slivers of apple) that seem like the appropriate platform for Brown’s perfectionist streak.
EDITOR’S CALL
The reservation-only Omakase experience, a curated multi-course tasting menu served at the sushi bar for a pre-paid $100, is a game-changing splurge.
4907 N. College Ave., 317-384-1048
