That ubiquitous Asian appetizer, the egg roll, has many interpretations. Some are tiny and crisp, perfect for a little dip in wonton broth. Others are so plump with veggies that they could almost count as one of your daily fives. We sampled them all, from Sawasdee to Siam Square. Here, a pupu platter of our favorites.
The south side’s international dining offerings grew by one enthusiastic Indian eatery this summer with the addition of The Clay Oven (7415 US 31 South, 888-2600) in Southport. Priding itself on its tandoor oven, this strip-mall eatery offers up a plentiful menu with everything from chicken kababs to broiled salmon to an abundance of vegetarian offerings. A stop in for dinner last weekend proved that this newcomer can compete with some of the better Indian restaurants in the city. Particularly tasty was a vegetarian appetizer combo with crispy vegetable samosas, golden fried pakora, and alloo tikki, nicely spiced mashed potato patties. For entrees, the lamb rogan josh was a luscious curry with meaty hunks of lamb that didn’t blast our palates away. A side of cauliflower korma was lush and creamy with the richness of ground nuts, though an overabundance of salt had us reaching for our water glasses. Thankfully, we also had a malty Haywards 5000, an Indian brew with a full 7% alcohol (it’s labeled “Super Strong Beer”), which helped make this cheery eatery, with its quite amicable staff, all the more charming.
First, let’s clear up the confusion that nearly turned last week’s dinner planning into an Abbott & Costello bit. There are two library-themed restaurants in the Indianapolis area: The Library Restaurant & Pub (2610 S. Lynhurst Ave., 317-243-1124) on the west side, and Woody’s Library Restaurant (40 E. Main St., Carmel, 317-573-4444) to the far north. The two are unrelated and located on nearly opposite ends of town, and yet you will need to make sure that everybody in your party is on the same page when you say, “Let’s meet at The Library for dinner.” Take our word for it.
If you are the type of person who prefers the savory crackle of Colonel’s Original Recipe over the aggressive crunch of Extra Crispy, you will appreciate this finger-licking-good story on chicken skin’s new gourmet cache from The New York Times. Chicken skin salad? Chicken skin tacos? Gravy encased in a chicken-skin balloon? That’s poultry in motion.
Restaurateur Martha Hoover, overlord of the Cafe Patachou empire that currently boasts locations everywhere from Clay Terrace to Indianapolis International Airport, is opening yet another Broad Ripple joint to go with Petite Chou. Called Public Greens, it’s shoehorned into a smallish, older building at 902 E. 64th St., hard against the Monon Trail. True to its foot-friendly location, Greens will specialize in gussied up versions of “pedestrian” fare. “Food that is normally seen as either a guilty pleasure or as cornerstones of fast food menus will be elevated by the ingredients and preparation techniques used,” Hoover says. Look for a smoothie, juice and milkshake bar, plus burgers, salads, appetizers and desserts. Public Greens opens in March of 2012.
An All-Star lineup of chefs and NFL players will mix it up on Super Bowl eve for the Taste of the NFL event, an annual fundraiser with proceeds benefiting food banks in every NFL City. Start saving now. Tickets for the Feb. 4 “Party with a Purpose,” held inside Gleaners Food Bank, run $600. Part strolling food-and-wine event and part celebrity gawk-fest, the evening features about 40 stations manned by top chefs from NFL cities around the country and players representing each of their teams.
When J. Razzo’s (12501 N. Meridian St., Carmel, 317-844-9333), a new far-north restaurant with a local pedigree, opened a few weeks ago, there was a built-in buzz factor. Of course, Indy’s enduring obsession with good Italian food has been well publicized (as is only fitting for a cuisine imported from a country shaped like a boot to a state shaped like a sock). But this Carmel ristorante also boasted the golden touch of John Perazzo, the former chef at Indy institution Salvatore’s and, later, co-owner of downtown’s recently deceased Zing—an ancestry worthy of kissed fingertips in and of itself.
The embarrassingly large portion of smoked rib tips—probably a dozen of them—and scoop of macaroni and cheese that goes back to basics with just a bit of crunch on the edges, at GeoSoul Soul Food (3705 N. Illinois St., 317-920-8090), which opened in May. The Cuban sandwich at Twenty Tap (5406 N. College Ave., 317-602-8840), a reference to the storefront’s former tenant, Northside News
Get your Chicago Dog and tots while you can. This Friday is King David Dogs’ last day before moving exactly one block north, where the hot dog eatery will triple its seating. The hiatus will last a week or so. Owner Brent Joseph hopes to be back open at 135 N. Pennsylvania Street by the first of October. And then, the world is his hot dog bun. Regarding King David’s future plans, Joseph says, “A northside location is definit
Po’ boy lovers, rejoice. Another Cajun restaurant is making its way to Indy. N’awlins Creole Cafe is opening a second location at Indiana Avenue and West Street., in the former Zing location. Co-owner and New Orleans native Brian Marcelin, who also runs a N’awlins Creole Cafe in Avon, says the move-in date will probably come sometime in October. “We liked the location, and the building looked like it belongs
