Every year the James Beard Foundation recognizes five classic restaurants in America, honoring the nation’s top restaurants with timeless appeal, beloved in their regions for high-quality food that reflects the character of their communities. St. Elmo Steak House owners Steve and Craig Huse flew out to New York last week for the 2012 ceremony and took home a hulking medal. See pictures from their Facebook page.
Broad Ripple denizens have several options to guzzle pints of brews, down Jägerbombs, and hookah with high schoolers on the crowded strip, but starting May 23, those with more sophisticated palates have a more grown up option. Head to the Village Cigar (6513 N. College Ave., 317-253-0450) for crafted cocktails, tumblers of brown liquor, and stogies. This new cigar and cocktail bar was the brainchild of the owners of Northside Social (Nicole Harlan-Oprisu, Tim Oprisu, Bill and Nancy Ficca, and Jamie Browning). This cigar-only spot will sell notable blunts like the Padron 1964 Anniversary Series, Cameroon by CAO, and La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor (prices ranging from $6-24). Its well-curated menu of distinguished cigars will be encased in a humidor created by Bob Staebell in Texas, who has also built custom humidors for Tom Cruise and George W. Bush. For drinks, expect a list of brown liquors, wines, and classic cocktails made with small batch spirits (Small American Gin, Cherry Heering, St. Germain, and Chartreuse). And for fare, the owners will offer a small menu of sandwiches and wings from the Northside Social.
Fountain Square newcomer B’s Po Boy (1261 S. Shelby St., 317-916-5555) just opened for lunch, focusing on that epitome of New Orleans cuisine—the po’ boy. Housed in a small distressed-wood–sided building formerly occupied by a catering company, the eatery serves a selection of the hoagie-style sandwiches, with fillings that range from a tasty pulled roast beef to lightly battered, perfectly fried shrimp. Each po’ boy comes stacked with meat, lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and mayonnaise, but the best part of these sandwiches is the crusty, airy French bread from Leidenheimer Baking Company that B’s brings in from New Orleans for that genuine, unforgettable Louisiana chew.
The Illinois Street Food Emporium (5550 N. Illinois St., 317-253-9513) is getting a makeover. Most noticeably, the construction of two sidewalk-side patios and additional plantings will give the Butler-Tarkington–area cafe’s alfresco tables more of a garden feel. Inside, new windows sit closer to the ground, opening up the dining room’s close quarters. And the removal of an oven in the kitchen means additional space for seating. Minor touchups are also in the works, including some painting and a bathroom redux.
The First Friday Food Truck Festival on May 4 attracted a crowd eager to try foods from more than 25 trucks. The looming promise of a thunderstorm (later fulfilled) didn’t keep hundreds of people from attending the event outside the Old National Centre. Hungry patrons endured long lines in the hot weather for the best of the Circle City’s mobile restaurants.
The vegetarian BLT from The Owlery in Bloomington, thin strips of crispy fried tofu served on thick-cut farm bread with tangy house mayo, fresh avocado, and—well, you know the rest. Frozen-treat bicycle cart Nicey Treat’s Nice Dream popsicle, fresh-squeezed orange juice around a creamy vanilla
Rockville Road’s status as a destination for international eats recently grew by one cheery and intriguing eatery, Tandoori King (7220 Rockville Rd., 317-240-8000), which is billing itself as an “Indo-Pak” restaurant offering both classics of Indian cuisine and some not-so-common Pakistani specialties. We stopped into this spacious storefront restaurant last week to try it out and were charmed by neat rows of napkins folded into glasses atop all of the tables around us. We also found ourselves intrigued by the little labels on the lunch buffet promising goat dishes and egg curry. But since it was dinner time, we put ourselves in the hands of our pleasantly gruff but no-nonsense waiter, who laid out a whole meal for us including a crisp iceberg and cucumber salad on the house and heavenly light and flaky garlic naan—some of the best we’d had in town.
Starting next week at Spencer Farm (7177 E. 161st St., Noblesville, 317-776-1560), strawberry lovers can taste summer’s favorite tender-fleshed crimson treat in their ripe, juicy glory. Guests can roam the patches and fill a flat or head to the cashier and purchase them already picked. When Kyle Spencer founded the farm, in 1982, he was just a young farmer renting ten acres for u-pick strawberries. 30 years later, Kyle and his family now run a 45-acre farm—adding already picked strawberries and fresh baked goods (pies, hand-dipped ice cream, and fudge). It’s not just about the strawberries, it’s about what the experience brings to a family. “We have many regulars who came as children and are now bringing their own children,” says Spencer.
Starting next week at Spencer Farm (7177 E. 161st St., Noblesville, 317-776-1560), strawberry lovers can taste summer’s favorite tender-fleshed crimson treat in their ripe, juicy glory. Guests can roam the patches and fill a flat or head to the cashier and purchase them already picked. When Kyle Spencer founded the farm in 1982, he was just a young farmer renting 10 acres for u-pick strawberries. Thirty years later, Spencer and his family run a 45-acre farm—adding already picked strawberries and fresh baked goods (pies, hand-dipped ice cream, and fudge) to the lineup. It’s not just about the strawberries, it’s about what the experience brings to a family. “We have many regulars who came as children and are now bringing their own children,” says Spencer.
By the look of the hordes of people piling into last week’s grand opening of Poccadio Grill (1045 Broad Ripple Ave., 252-5911), the new Moroccan quick-eats spot in Broad Ripple, you would have thought they were offering free flights to Marrakesh. Nope. But owner Anass Sentissi (also chef/owner of Saffron Cafe) did offer free bocadillos (sandwiches) to the first 1,000 guests. Lucky insiders received soft, crusty baguettes stuffed with a variety of heavily spiced accouterments.
In our weekly e-newsletter this past Tuesday, we noted that Kelties in Westfield has closed. That is not the case, though the owner intends to close in September if she does not sell the restaurant. This news means that diners who relish high-quality comfort food should make their way post haste to Westfield.
For three month this winter and spring, we followed father-and-son team Tom and Ed Battista as they faced the joys and tribulations of opening their new restaurant, Bluebeard, in Fletcher Place (at 653 Virginia Ave). It is a venture, however rewarding, not for the faint of heart. In IM’s May 2012 “Made from Scratch” feature,
