A new family restaurant will open its doors in the Geist neighborhood this month. Simeri’s Italian (10410 Olio Rd., Fortville, 317-589-8557), owned by first-time restaurateur Arec Simeri, along with his father, Daniel, and brother, Christopher, will serve up authentic Italian food made from recipes Simeri’s great-grandmother brought over from Italy.
The only good thing about winter’s approach? Our favorite spiced cocktails begin popping up around town. Ginger, allspice, and chai add warmth to some of the city’s best wintry elixirs. Bourbon, amaretto, grenadine, and bitters helped put the iconic Sicilian from The Ball & Biscuit (331 Massachusetts Ave., 317-636-0539) on our list. Aromatic St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, alongside simple syrup perfumed with pink peppercorns and ginger, forms the backbone of the bourbon-based Winter’s Tale at Late Harvest Kitchen (8605 River Crossing, 317-663-8063). Omni’s Severin Bar (40 W. Jackson Pl., 317-634-6664) offers a Ginger Ale Cup with Hennessy cognac, maraschino, herbal Benedictine, ginger syrup, and Perrier. Last winter’s best-named local cocktail, the Gun in the Glovebox, makes its return at The Libertine (38 E. Washington St., 317-631-3333), reviving the frothy combination of spiced rum, vermouth, the myrrh-and-saffron–scented spirit Fernet, and vitamin-rich orange juice. And Bluebeard (653 Virginia Ave., 317-686-1580) shakes up an autumnal version of the Kilgore Trout with chai-infused rum, amaretto, and orgeat.
Over the weekend, Indianapolis received a little love in the Chicago Tribune’s travel section. The writer seemed to enjoy her breaded pork tenderloin from Plump’s Last Shot. She even had nice things to say about the margherita pie at Coal Pizza Company. And after a seemingly wonderful four-course dinner at Recess, she was blown away by the restaurant’s affordable prices. (Maybe she needs to get out of Chicago more often?)
A new Indiana cheesemaker, Jacobs & Brichford has come on the scene, offering tasty small-batch European-influenced cheeses. With fifteen-plus years in the dairy business, husband-and-wife team Matthew Brichford and Leslie Jacobs recently decided to devote space on their 1,200-acre Connersville farmstead to producing more than milk. The new cheeses come from their grass-fed Jersey, Normande, and Tarentaise cross cows. They began production just five months ago, and already they’ve been spotted on menus in Louisville, Cincinnati, Chicago, and St. Louis.
While most of Indy’s cocktail connoisseurs have been so preoccupied with brown-liquor-this and absinthe-that from the bar chefs at Severin, The Libertine, and Bluebeard, a couple of local entrepreneurs have been preparing to mix things up with a mixology-focused place just a tad further north. How far north? Almost road-trip north: try downtown Noblesville. Dave Pumphrey and John Manley have recently purchased the Conner Station on the square at 917 Conner Street. The bar will be renamed Copper Still and will get a fresh makeover, inside and out. They’ve tapped Brad Gates Catering to consult on the food. “Expect back-porch food, but better,” says Pumphrey. The menu’s still being rolled out, but the owners tell IM that dishes such as Carolina barbecue, corned beef, and cole slaw will be available.
Billing itself as the city’s first full-service espresso bar on wheels, Indy Coffee Van has joined the crowded food truck scene. The checkered orange box truck was spotted yesterday morning on the Circle. Behind the wheel is Wes Kerlin, a former US Air Force special agent. His affinity for coffee runs deep in his family and is what drives him each day. “My pare
Five weeks ago, we shared a preview of the reopening of Indy’s cherished Aristocrat Pub & Restaurant (5212 N. College Ave., 317-283-7388). Just like we remember it, the center cut fried pork tenderloin still takes up the entire plate. And the peppery potato chips still make us long for another pint of brew.
Serpentine lines waylaid our early attempts to hit downtown’s new Punch Burger (137 E. Ohio St., 317-426-5280) for lunch. In the weeks immediately following the burger joint’s early October opening, we would poke our heads inside the glass door, survey the scores of business-attired patrons queued up at the counter (with the line snaking down the center of the bustling dining room), and quickly go to Plan B. Holy cheese paper, it’s just burgers. So we thought.
The Perfect Protein Salad from Duos food truck. Crispy/chewy (chewspy?) fried Pretzel Dunkers at Fox and Hound (4901 E. 82nd St., 317-913-1264; 14490 Lowes Way, Carmel, 317-844-0075), served frites-style in a paper-lined basket with creamy queso for dipping. (Tip: Ask for mustard as well.) The adorable Cheesecake in a Jar at
