The Feed: Pandemic Pivots From Metazoa, Rooster’s Kitchen, And More
Even without a pandemic, January and February are historically the toughest months for the hospitality business. Now is the time to spend those gift cards from the holidays, and make a point to spend your money at independently owned local restaurants. We only have to hang on for a couple more months, so it’s all hands (mouths?) on deck.
Missing being out in the world? Get a taste of it by bringing a puzzle or game and spreading out in the wide open spaces of Metazoa Brewing Company’s (140 S. College Ave., 317-522-0251) taproom on Monday nights. With lots of high ceilings and room to space out tables, the Fletcher Place-adjacent brewery is one of the best case scenarios for getting your public space fix while minimizing risk.
Rooster’s Kitchen (888 Massachusetts Ave., 317-426-2020) continues to innovate in pandemic times, using these last few months to complete some renovations and grow into the prepared-foods segment. Now you can get your favorite Rooster’s sauces delivered to your door via local farmers market delivery service Market Wagon—the same place where you can score Mikado ramen kits and your other favorite local dishes.
Broad Ripple’s Public Greens (900 E. 64th St., 317-964-0865) has already shown plenty of pandemic adaptation muscle, and it’s flexing a little more in partnership with the Indianapolis Art Center. Dinner guests can opt in for a make-and-take class that includes dinner and a professional guiding you through your macrame creations. When the class is over take your handiwork home, along with any leftovers. Reservations are required, so give them a call or scan the QR code on the poster in the Public Greens window for the January 13 or January 27 event.
Muncie vegan bakery Sea Salt and Cinnamon is offering meal prep kits with a week’s worth of ingredients to have breakfast and lunch burritos, plus Buddha bowls and salads. It’s all a la carte, so you can choose how much prep to outsource as it fits your budget.
Diners cleaned out The Garage over its first full weekend open. Literally. Poke Guru ran out of protein on Sunday, and Lick had to 86 all ice cream bars and milkshakes while they reset. It was a hugely successful opening weekend, and the multiple sellouts indicate that Indianapolis is ready for a food hall experience.
If you haven’t had a chance to catch the pan-Asian popup Misfit, now you can take some home with you as they roll out a take-home kit menu with everything from ramen bowls featuring a long-simmered broth and fresh noodles, or a pint of cold kimchi. They’ll even go to the trouble of dropping it on your doorstep. Order via Instagram direct message @misfit.indy.
Circadian Coffee is releasing a coffee for the true coffee obsessed aficionado: Indian Monsooned Malabar, one of the most uniquely processed coffees in the world. The coffee cherries are sun dried to cure, then sorted and stored until monsoon season. When the warm, moist air arrives, they’re exposed to the air in well-ventilated warehouses, causing the beans to expand and take on a golden color as they are delicately raked and turned at regular intervals. The resulting coffee has a nearly neutral pH balance with very little acidity.
