The Garrison Restaurant at Ft. Benjamin Harrison State Park-- History and Simple Elegance

Fort Ben was an Army base that closed in the early 1990s, although both the National Guard and Reserve still maintain small facilities there, and the Federal Government retained the gargantuan 1950s-era Army Finance Center Building, though I dunno if it's still used for that.  My cousin from Tennessee was trained as a paymaster there before being shipped off to Vietnam for that war, during which when he wasn't doing paymaster work he guarded convoys and shuttlebuses from attack by the Viet Cong.  It seems ironic to me that another cousin who was in combat as an Army Ranger came through without a scratch while the ostensibly rear-echelon paymaster was severely wounded in a VC rocket attack that killed several of his tentmates, and then had to suffer through another rocket attack on the hospital where he was being treated.  Um, BUT I DIGRESS, as I so often have to say....

Fort Ben was completed in 1910 and has some of the most beautiful, well-maintained brick buildings I've ever seen on a military base.  The Garrison is located inside what was the Officers' Club, which has meeting and banquet rooms as well as the pro shop for The Fort Golf Course.  It's main focus is as an event venue, so the small but elegant dining room is only open for lunch every day from 11 a.m to 2 p.m.

The menu is somewhat limited, but has salads, sandwiches, and a few entrees.  They trumpet their Fried Chicken as a specialty, so I ordered that.  It wasn't huge like the specials I've had at other State Park Inns, but it wasn't as expensive, either, only $10.99 for 2 pieces of chicken (all white for $2 more) and 2 sides.  My Caesar Salad was beyond excellent-- it doesn't seem like there would be that many variables in what makes a salad great, but I swear this may have been the best side salad I've ever had: extreeeemely fresh and crispy Romaine, fresh grated Parmesan, and what I can only conclude was freshly house-made dressing. The chicken and mashed potatoes arrived just after the salad but I couldn't stop eating it, it was that good. I had to really force myself to stop eating the salad long enough to take a picture!

The chicken was not what I'd consider Southern-style but it was very good.   The breading was light and crispy, not greasy at all, although for my taste it could have used a little more seasoning, but the chicken inside was perfectly cooked and juicy.  The taters and gravy were house made from scratch, I think, though the yeast roll was standard-issue state park fare but fresh and soft.  Coffee was excellent, and plentiful since the server returned often to see if I needed anything. It was a great lunch and would have made a great sales pitch for anyone needing catering for an event.  I'd love to sample the Valentine's Day prix fixe dinner they're having, but dinner for one on the Big Day for Couples would feel kind of awkward.

The only drawback for guests staying in The Lodge is that it is the equivalent of a couple blocks away from the restaurant, almost too far to walk on a cold Winter's day, so they might want to just make do with the free continental breakfast the Lodge provides.  I drove by the Lodge but didn't have time to stop and explore.  It's another one of those lovely early 1900s brick buildings with a big front porch full of rocking chairs and an antique sign that says simply HOTEL.  They also rent out 4 houses, formerly commanding officer's quarters, and another larger house, all intended for groups of guests for conferences, retreats, and golf outings.  

I can't wait to come back and stay there, even though I only live maybe ten miles away.  AT EASE, MISTER (MISS, MA'AM, CIS)!  EAT HEARTY, HOOAH!

The Crossings Restaurant in Pendleton, IN-- A Mediterranean Oasis

Pendleton actually has a number of good places to eat, but the only Greek one I know is The Crossings, 8424 S. State Road 67, which stands all by itself  at the corner of SR67 and SR9, an attractive little place that's easily accessible from both roads.  It was previously a simple little breakfast restaurannt (I forget the name) but has been very nicely renovated by the current owners with a kind of upscale looking interior. The menu has a nice combination of traditional American and Greek dishes, and the proprietor was a handsome gent who was very friendly, greeting me with very exotic-sounding accented English. The server, on the other hand, was courteous but not friendly, a beautiful young woman who would have been even moreso had she ever smiled.  That, too, kind of seems like a sterotypical Mediterranean thing which I'm probably basing solely on the two Mama Mia! and My Big Fat Greek Wedding movies.

It was lunch time and I had a Greek Salad that was freakin' HUGE!  It was also delicious, with fresh greens and all the traditional components.  I love how they pitted the Kalamata olives, which were so fresh and tasty, even more since I didn't have to eat my way aroung the pits.  I don't know if there are different quality Feta cheeses, but the stuff on my salad was the best, as was the dressing. It was sort of delicately excellent!  The coffee was good, too.

Despite my perceived lack of friendliness, the server provided excellent service. The price was excellent for this $$ guy as well-- even with the addition of gyro meat and a cup of coffee, my bill was only $14.95, tax included. My only regret about the place is that it's not closer to home, else I would be back there right away to try the rest of the menu.   Opa!

Restaurant at the Canyon Inn, McCormick's Creek State Park-- Remote, and Loving It.

First off, I did not stay in the Canyon Inn.  Oh no, instead of paying a little more and relaxing in quaint, restored comfort, last month I disregarded everything learned from watching Lucy and Desi in The Long, Long Trailer and bought a small recreational travel trailer, after which I proceeded to drive over or back into some of the most beautiful scenery in America.  Granted, though, I saved some dollars here and there on accomodations, and was able to take with me everything I needed from home AND the kitchen sink, and slept in the same bed every night no matter where I went. So that's how I wound up staying in the campground at McCormick's Creek State Park for $21 instead of the Canyon Inn for $138, but I nevertheless resolved to eat in the restaurant there.  The park itself is quite beautiful and kind of rugged, with a fairly deep canyon and a pretty, noisy little waterfall just a short (but steep) walk from the roadway.

I've visited 3 of Indiana's 7 state park inns so far, and each is an exquisitely restored and maintained masterpiece.  The Canyon Inn is a beautiful stone building outside, and inside it is all polished wood and plush carpet.  I went to the restaurant and was seated immediately as you might expect in mid-January, but I was surprised to see a decent-size crowd there.  I ordered the Saturday special which was Barbecue with 3 sides for $18.39, maybe not $$ at first glance, but it was HUGE!  A big slab of ribs and a big, thick slice of brisket, both dabbed with a very subtle BBQ sauce, not too sweet and not too spicy.  My side salad was kind of small but the greens were very fresh and the Bleu Cheese dressing chunky and flavorful.  The house-made chips were tasty and non-greasy, with ridges suitable for dipping in the Bleu Cheese.  My Broccoli Cheese soup was really decent if not outstanding.  In addition to that bargain, they had Oliver Winery's Cherry Moscato for $3.50 a glass, so BOTTOM'S UP! (burp)

El Toro Authentic Mexican -- A little surprise in the quest for individuality.

El Toro Authentic Mexican at 7040 McFarland Boulevard recently opened in the building (NOT a strip mall, yay!) that formerly housed The Stacked Pickle, a small chain that fell victim to The Pandemic.  El Toro is a small chain, too, with locations in Zionsville and Walton, KY near Cincinnati.  I stopped in hoping to find something other than the dreadful cookie-cutter sameness that seems to plague the Mexican food genre. El Toro kept the basic layout of The Stacked Pickle but has added some nice Mexican themed decor.  There was upbeat reggaeton and cumbia music playing on the sound system.

 

I was seated pretty quickly, although not El Meson quickly, and pretty soon the waiter brought some chips and salsa.  The chips were warm, and they were thicker and crunchier than I've seen elsewhere, so I wonder if they weren't made in-house...  The salsa was a rich red color, which is important to me because for me salsa is not only a food but an item of apparel as well.  It was decent but nothing to write home (or blog) about, pretty ordinary.  So far they hadn't shown me anything more interesting than my 22 ounce glass of draft Negro Modelo.  

I was there at 1:30 p.m. on a weekday and there apparently was no lunch menu.  The prices appeared to be at the top of this $$ guy's comfort level, so I ordered the Texas Taco Salad for $13.99, which promised steak, ckicken, and shrimp with lettuce and cheese sauce(?) in a pastry shell.  What I got was more like an open-faced chimichanga than a salad.

The pastry shell was very thin and very crispy, and it barely contained the mounds of goodness piled upon it.  The shrimp was large, plentiful, grilled right and lightly seasoned, as were the chunks of chicken and steak, all covered with a creamy queso.  I had to dig a bit but did find a bunch of lettuce underneath the mountain of meat, It wasn't very salad like, but it was HUGE for the price, and quite tasty. That and the beer along with the attentive waiter made this a pleasant $25+tip experience. Bastante bien. ;-)

The Sherman Hotel and Restaurants in Batesville, IN: Classy, but not so Costly

If you know me personally I wouldn't want you to think that by this review I'm taking lightly the recent untimely passing of my wife, TLW, which initially stood for The Little Woman (which she was) and  later at the suggestion of a friend became The Lovely Wife (which she was).  She was a homebody and an accomplished cook who loved nothing more than staying home and creating her own culinary masterpieces, but she was nevertheless willing to humor me and embark on various dining adventures, not all of which were successful. She was sweet to me in that way, and so many others.  And that, as Forrest Gump says, is all I have to say about that. The Sherman was one place we always intended to visit but never did.

The Sherman is perfect for one of those weekend getaways that so many big-city dwellers crave.  It is roughly halfway between Indianapolis and Cincinnati, but is also reasonably close to Columbus, Ohio,  Louisville, Kentucky, and maybe even Chicago. I knew next to nothing about Batesville, Indiana beyond that tourist Mecca, the Batesville Casket Company, but I discovered the Hill-Rom Company also has a big presence there, WOOHOO! Beyond that, however, Batesville is a charming little town with a big German heritage, much like Berne, Indiana (which may be Swiss, too. I dunno for sure.)  Many of the old downtown buildings are of German-style architecture, and some of the new ones as well, which makes the place quite picturesque and enjoyably walkable.  There are numerous nice little restaurants and shops that sell a variety of items, especially antiques.  The old canal town of Metamora is not far away, with its own array of shops, canal boat exhibits, and an old-time railroad excursion.

The Sherman is part of Batesville's German heritage, with some of the building dating back to 1852.  It has a very Old European feel to it, lots of dark, heavy wood timbers and fixtures. After I checked in at the charming Old World lobby, I had a few misgivings as I ascended the stairs to the 2nd floor where all  22 guest rooms are located (there is no elevator for guests, but the staff is happy to help you with your luggage).  One rambling, labyrinthine 2nd floor hallway accesses all the rooms, with a step up or down along the way, so I wondered what I'd gotten myself into, but then I opened the door to the room and VOILA, elegance personified! My room was not overlarge but was high-ceilinged and beautifully updated, with a big comfortable bed, modern desk table and big flat-screen TV, and an elegant bathroom with faux marble flooring and glass-enclosed shower.  

I could have happily spent my entire time there in the room enjoying the 24/7 room service, but then I would have missed out on the excellent 1852 Restaurant, Black Forest Bar, and the Bier Hall, all of which are heavily patronized by Batesville locals, which is always a good sign. For dinner in the 1852 I had Jaegerschnitzel, breaded pork cutlets covered with a mushroom sauce and served with warm German potato salad, priced around $19 but the portions were HUGE and tasty.  Later I quaffed craft beers in the Black Forest Bar, an elegant space just off the lobby with an ornate antique bar from somewhere in Belgium, and yet the price was not outrageous. From there I went outside and around the corner to the Bier Hall (there was no direct interior access even though it's in the same building, my one pieve about the place), a large basement bar space that resembles every modern bar you've ever been to.  There was a decent live band on stage, a loooong bar, dart boards, and some video arcade game machines. Again, the prices were not outrageous and there was an eclectic mix of locals and hotel guests.

I checked out at noon the next day but decided to eat Saturday Brunch in the 1852 Restaurant, so the desk man (whom I suspect is the proprietor) secured my bags behind the desk while I ate.  The German Bacon, Egg, and Potato breakfast casserole was EXCELLENT, with half the plate shared by a pile of fresh spinach-- I asked for some vinaigrette dressing, and they brought 2 varieties, both home made and delicious. At $140 a night for the room ($125+ tax & fees), I didn't want to leave.  I can't wait to go back!  Prosit!  

Lima Memorial Hospital and St. Francis Hospital Food: Not Your Grandma's Gruel

I recently had occasion to visit with loved ones in both Lima Memorial Hospital in Lima, OH and St. Francis Hospital here in Indy, which leads one to make comparisons between the two similar institutions, especially (for me) their respective food services. When you spend hours watching your family member suffer while you have to sit there unable to do anything for them except be there, a short trip to the cafeteria can be a welcome respite from that constant anxiety.  

Lima Memorial and one other hospital serve that city of about 40,000 people along with a number of surrounding communities. It's undergoing a major renovation, so some problems, I suppose, are due to that.  The worst thing I can say is it seemed like a half-mile walk from the main entrance just to get to the elevators to get up onto the wards.  The cafeteria was down in the basement, so no windows, and was tiny for the size of the hospital, so at one mealtime I had to sit with another gent because all the other tables were full, I mean FULL of people, many of whom like me were forced to sit with people they didn't know, all taking off their masks to eat, which I doubt was a good thing Covid-wise, but maybe they were all vaccinated, at least.

On the plus side, their food was EXCELLENT!  My favorite dish was the Parmesan Chicken Breast: It appeared they had grilled the chicken, coated it with a creamy parmesan sauce and then baked it on for a few minutes more.  It was incredibly tasty, as was just about every thing else I had there.  The room service for patients was just as good: they were open until 10:00 p.m., and they accepted requests for patients' visitors as well. Every member of the hospital staff I met was as friendly and helpful as could be, and the longer I remained in Lima it seemd to be not just the hospital staff but the people of the city as well-- fast food restaurant employees, hotel clerks,  everyone!  

The staff of St. Francis (now named Franciscan-Indianapolis, although few locals call it that) are caring professionals who are very, very busy, so forgive them if they are more politely business-like than friendly.  The cafeteria is a busy place, too, but it is big enough to accommodate a lot of people very quickly with a very large selection of items.  The food is generally good but not outstanding; I have yet to find a dish I'm ecstatic about.  The two best things about the place are 1) it's on the second floor with big windows that overlook the parking lot, interstate highway, and some pastoral scenery, and 2) there is always hot Seattle's Best coffee available. I've several times spent a few peaceful minutes there at a table by the window, sipping dark roast while watching the traffic and pedestrians come and go, and not worrying about what the future holds for one particular room upstairs.  Every time a baby is born at St. Francis, the PA system plays a short music-box version of the children's hymn "Jesus Loves Me", which always makes me smile and pray that's really true. 

Newk's Eatery: Yeah, It's a Chain, but....

 ...It's not half bad, although it doesn't really pass the $$ Guy value test.  Newk's has locations across the South and Texas, with a few of locations each in Colorado and Maryland, and ONE, just one left in Indy.  It kind of reminds me of a stripped down McAlister's.  You order one of about ten sandwiches or entrees and they give you cups to fill your drink at a station in the back of the dining room. I had a Newk's Q sandwich and The Lovely Wife ordered a Grilled Steak sandwich.  Both come with a small side, so I had coleslaw and TLW had a fruit cup. The Q was sliced roast chicken on a kind of baguette with bacon and a white sauce that I supposed was meant to resemble Alabama white barbecue sauce, which was pretty good even though the sandwich was kind of small, like a 6-inch Subway sub for $8.  TLW's grilled steak was really shaved beef with a kind of minced horseradish sauce, again tasty but rather small.  My slaw was fresh but not memorable and TLW's little fruit cup was fresh and tasty.  We shared a $7.99 bowl of Tomato Basil Soup that was the hit of the meal even though it was sort of orange-colored and not very tomato-y.  They have little cups of add-ons you can take from the counter, so we added jalapenos, parmesan cheese, and crackers to the soup which made it quite flavorful.  Two large cups of UNsweet Peach Tea (which was nicely brewed and delicious) brought the price of our lunch to $34.51, which may be why the Newk's on the North side closed.  It was a nice working lunch, but not one this cheapskate could afford every day. ;-)

P.S. TLW was on a low-sodium diet at this time, and we found out too late that EVERYTHING at Newk's (except maybe the iced tea) is chocked full of sodium.  So if you're cutting down on sodium (and if not, why aren't you?!) you might want to avoid the place altogether. :-(

Ale Emporium: Like a Nationwide Chain But It Ain't.

Sorry, I wish this was funnier:  Maybe the Doc needs to up my meds! ...The southside Ale Emporium is in a nice strip mall (where else?) on the southwest corner of Emerson Avenue and County Line Road and opened a couple years ago after the original location was (and is) so successful at Alisonville Road and 86th Street, The original has a kind of old-fashioned pseudo-Victorian Bennigan's-like decor that makes for a comfortable living-room kind of atmosphere even though it is bustling and a little noisy, whereas this newer one down south has a trendy, modern marble and glass motif.  It has a family side and an adults-only bar side with an entire wall of flat-screen TVs, four of which are usually linked to make one great big screeen that can be seen from anywhere in the room, so it is likely a great place to watch the sporting event of your choice.  There is a covered outdoor section, too, which was nice today owing to the good weather, although I didn't see any TV screens there.  All of this gives the place a slick, polished look and atmosphere like you would expect from a major nationwide chain rather than a local establishment.  

And the food does nothing to dispell that big-box impression.  They have a full bar with a wide selection of draft and bottled craft beers, and a fairly varied menu of the usual restaurant dishes you might see at Applebee's, O'Charley's, or Chili's. They're sort of known for pizza and wings, and I have mixed feelings about both.  Like the rest of their food, it's all good... but none of it's what I'd call great.  They have both thin crust and deep dish pizza, very heavy on the cheese and almost no noticeable sauce.  The deep dish crust is rather thick and chewy compared to the pastry-like crust I've had in Chicago, the capital of deep dish, as well as some other places here.  I didn't get wings this time, but I remember being rather underwhelmed by them the last time.  ...Which is not to say I won't eat there again.  It's really a good place to eat.  I just wish it was better. 

The Cafe at the Super Kroger-- Who Knew?

We haven't been eating out much lately, so I'm reviewing the impromptu lunch we had today at Kroger, of all places. It seems like I'm the last to learn about new innovations in just about everything, so you may already be aware of things about the Kroger Company which continue to amaze me, with more and more varied offerings beyond mere groceries.  The Super Kroger or Kroger Super Center (I'm not sure what the company calls it, can't remember the actual title) at Emerson and County Line Road here in Indy is a wonder to behold, although compared to some of the other locations in other cities and states it may be rather tame:  My son in Union, KY lives near a Kroger location that is completely Online Pickup only, no indoor shopping at all.  It has numerous pull-up spaces where employees are waiting to load your vehicle with your order.  Also in Union, and in Anderson, IN there are full-fledged restaurants attached to some Kroger stores, named The 1883 Cafe & Bar, which have actual chefs and a full bar. Still others in Kentucky have their own liquor stores, some with beer bars where you can purchase samples of various ales (limit 2).

Still, our Super Kroger has a rather sizable Cafe area in a front corner of the store which you can access through its own entrance. It has pre-made sandwiches and deli-made microwaveable meals, a huge salad bar, and a deli counter with fresh baked pizza, sushi, and steam tables of baked chicken, fried chicken, and other home-made style delights with some nice sides as well.  Unfortunately for us it was 10:30 a.m. and this sumptuous smorgasbord didn't open until 11:00.  The Lovely Woman made do with a pre-made Chicken Caesar wrap and a small bag of Doritos while I had a Maple Turkey sandwich and a bag of honey-roast peanuts.  She chose a large fountain Iced Tea from the humongous drinks section which had that, a big cooler of bottled beverages, and one of those computer-controlled machines that offers myriad possible combinations of Coca-Cola brand soft drinks. I wanted coffee, but Cafe Guy apologized and said they couldn't sell coffee because of the in-store Starbucks which was like 100 feet away, even though it is run by Kroger with Kroger employees who won't let you tip them(?!) I really don't like Starbucks coffee (DON'T @ME, as they say. Most of it's too acidic for my taste, sorry... though I love their Iced Tea), so I went to the Great Coke Dispenser and had a Diet Barque's Cream Soda. Both sandwiches and drinks were fresh and delicious.  Our entire meal was like $14, a bargain these days, and the cafe was clean and comfortable, with a bunch of tables and another pit-like area around a big-screen TV.

It was quite a nice experience, and I would consider eating lunch there regularly if I worked or lived nearby.  I can only hope that someday soon Kroger adopts the 1883 Cafe & Bar concept systemwide, so I can eat, drink, and shop for groceries, home furnishings. and maybe a car, all in one place.  It'll be too easy to tell TLW "LET'S GO KROGERING!" 

Barry's Pizza South: A Matter of Taste, Not for Everyone...

On the one hand, I really want to support a local business like Barry's South Pizza & Wings, 5564 Madison Avenue, Telephone 317-974-9262 (carry out or delivery).  I list the address and phone here because you won't find it if you search "pizza near me" or "pizza indy southside", or even "pizza on Madison Avenue" on Google; it comes up only if you search for Barry's South Pizza.  I suppose that's because they haven't paid or done whatever they need to do to get recognized by The Great and Powerful G. On the other hand, I have to say that I was just a little disappointed with their pizza.   The thin crust was crispy but not hard, there was a good amount of cheese and sauce, and there were enough seasonings and toppings to give one that satisfying burp that signifies you've had a good meal.  The sauce, however, was a serious problem for The Lovely Woman and me-- it was incredibly sweet, so much so that TLW could not handle more than a single piece.  I was not completely put-off by it, but by the third and fourth piece I had to apply some Frank's Red Hot sauce in order to counterbalance the Candyland flavor. If you like that sort of pizza, you should be happy with Barry's:  Their service is quick and their prices reasonable. The pizza itself, however, was just not something I would ever want again.  Maybe next time (?) we'll try the wings....

OH, Pullup Grill & BBQ, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE?!

As a former Kentuckian (are there really "former" Kentuckians, hmm? Happy Chandler said that every Kentuckian he'd ever met was either going home or TALKING about going home) with family in Tennessee, I've eaten a LOT of barbecue in my life, so I was intrigued when reading someone's Facebook thread about good BBQ places in Indy and there were several mentions of one I'd never heard about, Pullup Grill & BBQ, 2412 E. Raymond Street. An old friend later went there and raved about it, too, so I decided life was too short to stay away from good barbecue for very long... and I'm glad I went as soon as I did, because this is truly THE BEST BARBECUE I'VE EVER HAD.  BBQ is almost a religion with some folks, and though I've eaten lots of it I have no clear idea what makes one better than the others, but whatever it is, Pullup has it.

The place is carry-out only, so I ordered online and it was ready when I got there.  The lady who waited on me was as nice as could be, and seemed truly concerned that I get everything I wanted.  The Lovely Woman at home is not a big BBQ person, so I ordered a dressed single 1/3 lb cheeseburger w/fries for her.  Now, I don't recall reading anything about Pullup's burgers, but this one was somewhere between very good and freakin' incredible: the thick patty had a nice bit of char on the outside for a rich flavor that was complimented by the soft bun and just the right amount of cheese and fixins.  The natural cut fries were merely great, cooked perfectly but with just a little salt/seasoning.  

The pulled pork in my dinner filled most of the large compartment of a three part to-go container, very pleasing to a $$ guy. I ordinarily hate the current use of periods for emphasis, but THE.BBQ.WAS.HEAVENLY. It was moist, juicy, and tender, with just enough smokiness to remind you it's barbecue. That luscious taste was combined with some kind of umami flavor the source of which I couldn't determine, so I can only conclude it is MAGIC.  I was under its spell from the first bite.  It's the only BBQ I've ever had that didn't benefit at least a little from a dab of barbecue sauce.  I found dipping a bite just a little way into Pullup's very good sauce to be disappointing because it concealed ever so slightly the delicious flavor of the meat itself, so I had plenty of sauce left over.  The sauce itself was deliciously different than most, only slightly sweet with more tomato flavor than molasses or brown sugar, and the hot variety had a lot of heat.

The Fresh Greens were good but not the best I've had, although I'm spoiled because TLW's Tennessee roots come out in her greens and are a little better.  The Green Beans are the best I've ever had from a restaurant.  Some of my Kentucky folks' beans might be a little better tasting, but I suspect that is only because they contains a dangerous level of bacon grease. Pullup's green beans had just the right amount of salty/bacony flavor to make them ever so tasty. TLW loved her burger & fries, and tasted my stuff and was duly impressed, so I know I wasn't just succumbing to the hype.

Pullup also offers ribs, rib tips, brisket, and pulled chicken, among other things.  So, that's at least four more trips I have to make there before I get back around to pulled pork.  I can't wait to get started!

Grillerz in Nineveh: I so WANTED to love it!

Grillerz doesn't look like much from the outside, but inside it is maybe the ultimate place to relax and have a drink. It sits in "downtown" Nineveh, which is eight or nine business buildings clustered around the 4-way stop at the corner of Nineveh Road and Hospital Road. The family dining room and the bar have that timber-frame hunting lodge/lake house kind of ambiance that I love, with lots of rough-hewn but polished wood, thick carpet, and in the bar a just-right dimness of lighting that puts you at ease. They have a good-sized parking lot and a nice deck in back of the building. The deck has some fixed benches and room for outdoor tables which they hadn't put out yet, owing to the cold today/hot tamale weather that is Spring in Indiana.  

I love just hanging out in there, and there's nothing really bad I can say about the place, especially the friendly service. It's just that there are a few things that don't wow me like I wish they would.  Although all the food there is decent, I have yet to find a dish that I really love.  The drinks are decent, too, and like the food not outrageously priced but still more than $$ cheap bastards like me want to pay. The online menu did mention some $2 draft pints on a certain day of the week, but this, as Aragorn says in Lord of the Rings, was not that day. I opted for the $4 Tito's Handmade Vodka that was on special, and that mixed with club soda and lime made an excellent drink. 

The Lovely Woman and I shared a Breaded Tenderloin sandwich which came with a side, so we chose onion rings.  I also ordered a bowl of French Onion Soup to make sure we didn't leave hungry. The tenderloin was a decent size and thickness, but lacked something-- seasoning, maybe?  The onion rings similarly were decent but (sorry, Cliche Police) nothing to write home about.  Everyone has a different preference, I suppose, but I don't really love rings that have such a thick coating that when you bite into them the onion doesn't separate and comes out in one long string, leaving you with an empty tube. of fried dough.  The soup, too, was quite edible but not outstanding.  I'm not sure what makes one French Onion Soup better than another, but this one just didn't have it. Still, I really like the Grillerz experience and we will likely visit there again to have a couple drinks whenever we get anywhere near Nineveh, hopefully after it warms up for good and the deck is open. Cheers!

Eddy's Neighborhood Bar & Grill on Geist: Comfort, and Comfort Food

Eddy's is at 11693 Fall Creek Road in the Geist Marina Complex, next door to Puccini's Pasta & Pizza and just a little way down from Wolfie's Grill, so you would have other options if you went there and found your primary target too crowded.  Eddy's view of the marina and reservoir is not as good as Wolfie's, but it's a little cheaper and still very nice.  There are umbrella tables out front, but as it was a windy 45-degree day we opted to eat inside. It has a comfortable semi-nautical ambiance like you might expect, and the large family dining room is almost completely separate from the bar so your kids won't have to watch the people drinking, and vice versa. They offer dock-side delivery to the yacht people, which I thought might be cool whenever I win the Lottery and can sail from our lakefront mansion over to the marina.

The Lovely Woman got a Turkcy BLT Wrap with a side of cottage cheese and I ordered a Pulled Pork Sandwich with Ketttle Chips.  A strange thing happened, though-- the kitchen runner brought me a Fried Tenderloin Sandwich with Fries, and TLW said that was what she thought she heard me order!  Now, I didn't have my heart set on Pulled Pork and didn't want to spend another 15 minutes waiting, so I didn't say anything and just started in on the Tenderloin. A minute or two later, though, the waiter brought out a small plate of Kettle Chips and said "Sorry for the mistake."  What the-?  I looked around to make sure that Obewan Kenobe wasn't seated nearby incantating "THIS ISN'T THE PULLED PORK YOU'RE LOOKING FOR" to us and the waiter....

My Tenderloin was very, very good.  The patty was maybe 8" around and a half-inch thick, perfectly cooked and nicely seasoned.  For me the best tenderloins are those with more of a fried chicken-type coating rather than the traditional corn meal.  Eddy's and the one at Foxgardin Family Restaurants are good examples of this. The fries were also good, having been dusted with seasoning, and the Kettle Chips were very interesting: not hard and crunchy like others I've had, and seasoned with some kind of herb like chives or oregano.  TLW's wrap was very good, too, with smokey bacon and turkey along with a hefty amount of a Southwestern blend of cheeses.  I just wish the cook had mixed up the ingredients before rolling them up in the tortilla so you wouldn't have a big blob of cheese on one side and big bites of turkey on the other.  With a big-around wrap like that, you can't get a mix of everything in one bite.  Damn first-world problems!

The Humble Taco: Classy, Tasty, and a little Pricey

The Humble Taco at 172 Melody Lane in Greenwood just opened in the space formerly occupied by a location of the defunct local chain The Stacked Pickle, which was decent but fell victim (they said) to The Pandemic. It's kind of ironic that THT just opened March 1, 2021 and is likely enjoying success partly because of this stage of our living with the virus.  There was a 2-hour wait when we tried to go there that first week-- it was the first warm days of Spring and new restaurant openings had been very few in number since The Big P started, so I think the severely cabin-fevered public was ready to get the HELL out of the house and GO EAT somewhere nice. We gave up trying to get in and went to Indy's Mi Abuelito instead that day (see review above) and were pleasantly surprised. 

The Lovely Woman and I came back to THT a week or so later in the middle of a weekday afternoon and were immediately seated.  They've opened up the dining room from its Stacked Pickle days and the high ceiling made it seem quite light and airy (although in my experience that tends to make it rather noisy, too, during the busiest times). The new owners are experienced restauranteurs and you could tell by the excellent and very fast service we received.

The menu is very similar to that of the Agave & Rye chain in the Cincinnati and Louisville areas, mostly designer tacos which are not authentic Mexican and range from $3 to $5 each-- you'll probably need at least 2 to make a meal since they're a little small (I thought) for the price. But here's the thing: they are FREAKIN' DELICIOUS! I forget the names of the two I had-- one was the Pulled Pork PBJ, I think, and the other was the Cheeseburger, maybe?  It had cheesy spicy ground beef and home fries, little cubes of fried potato, in a flour tortilla.  Both were excellently seasoned, substantial,  and quite satisfying in their own way.  I had a side of rice as well, which itself was a culinary masterpiece, smokey flavored, fluffy and thick.  TLW had a Taco Salad, which was big, perhaps a better value, and a little different from any other I've had.  The pastry crust shell was fried a little hard but that gave it a toasty flavor and kept it from losing its molecular integrity due to the moisture from the salad ingredients, which were a little light on the lettuce and heavy on other components, which was a GOOD thing, to me.

I had a bottle Modelo and TLW had their signature Watermelon Margarita, which was excellent, but both were at a price that would keep this $$ guy from ordering more than one.  With all that cheap bastard stuff said, however, I have to say we loved the place and will soon return.  iCOMEMOS, DUDE!

Mi Abuelito: More of Everything!

 Mi Abuelito is (sigh) in a strip mall on the east side of the 8300 block of South US31, in yet another of those black holes of the business universe where each new entity soon disappears: It's been 4 or 6 different types of restaurants or bars in the last 10 years or so. Mi Abuelito has been open for about 6 weeks. There is another Mi Abuelito in Franklin, Indiana, but I dunno if the two are connected.   We stumbled upon this place after finding that the newly opened Humble Taco (review to come) had a two-hour wait:  This $$ guy despises waiting in lines, traffic jams, or on hold, and I'm glad we didn't wait....

Mi Abuelito has more of an upscale appearance than most other Mexican restaurants, very beautiful with a LOT of colorful carved furniture and wall decorations.  The artsy menu also had slighly higher prices than I expected, but it was our night out, so WTH.  The Little Woman had a 3-taco plate and I ordered the Fajitas de Lujo (de Luxe).  TLW ordered a Jalapeno Margarita to drink, and when they asked what size she wanted, she said the largest one, not knowing how big that was-- turns out it was a whopping 58 ouncea, so we shared it.  It was delicious but not overly strong, and the jalapenos added a nice zest to the tart sweetness of the margarita mix.

TLW's tacos were very, very good-- traditional with lots of cilantro and nicely browned ground beef. My fajitas were excellent, a GIANT mound of meats, including a large barbecued pork rib, mixed with a decent amount of green peppers and onions. My motto is "leftovers are for quitters", but for one of only a few times in my life I had to admit it was more than I could eat, and in fact there was so much there that it made for lunch the next day for both of us!  In sum, Mi Abuelito is a great Mexican Restaurant, not because it's radically different, but because it does all the usual dishes very well and in a big, BIG way.  iComemos!

Indy's Burger Joint: Good, but Good Enough?

Indy's Burger Joint is NOT in a strip mall, it's in a free-standing building on the lot of a strip mall at Emerson and Stop 11 Road.  Since it was first built that building has been one of those black-hole locations where no business survives for very long: It was a new Huddle House, then a couple years later it was somebody's blah blah cafe, then it limped along for several years under different owners as Diana's Diner.  Now it has been open for 6-8 months as Indy's Burger Joint, not to be confused with Teddy's Burger Joint at a different black-hole which closed a few years ago (but has reopened as Between the Bun's new location).

From the menu that had been circulating I kind of assumed it was an upscale sort of place because the burgers looked a little more like $$$ and they advertised a full bar.  When we pulled in at like 9 in the evening on a Sunday night, however, it had more of a greasy spoon ambiance that was only a little spiffier than the diner it replaced, with bright lighting, wood tables, and cushioned wood chairs.  The bar looked more like a soda counter with unlabled chrome spigots for beer and no liquor bottles visible anywhere. There was a faint musty odor about the interior, too, which I thought might be natural gas but The Little Woman took to be old sour mop smell.

Those unpleasantries aside, the food and service were very good. My Cantina Burger was like $12 but it was quality ground beef perfectly cooked and had a thick slab of pepper jack cheese, spicy aoli, and jalapenos that gave it some good heat and made it very tasty.  TLW's Turkey Wrap was likewise very flavorful, with the tortilla wrap nicely browned.  Both came with a mess of seasoned natural-cut fries that were reeeeeally good.  I paid extra to get the Garlic Parmesan fries with a garlic sauce applied as well as a generous sprinkling of grated parmesan, but the base fries were just as good. Our server was very attentive and kept our drinks constantly refilled.

All in all, we will likely eat there again, probably sometime early in the day when my beloved The Tailgate (which is maybe 100 yards away in the strip mall) is not yet open. It depends on the type of burger you want, but The Tailgate's charcoal-grilled masterpieces are equal to or better than IBJ's griddle creations and a little cheaper. Dangit, I'm hungry now!

Caplinger's Fresh Catch Has a New Southside Location-- YAY!

For its size, Indianapolis seems to have a dearth of seafood restaurants: a few fine-dining places like The Majestic, Oceanaire, and McCormick & Schmick's, none of which impressed me very much, especially given their price; a few more cheap chains and local joints, but not that many.  I'm a little spoiled having come from Louisville, which is full of them (I've previously reviewed two of Louvul's best on here, the iconic Mike Linnig's and a hidden gem, Passtime Fish House.)  I don't know if it's because the Derby City is part of the South,  is on the Ohio River with greater access to shipping and local freshwater fish, or what. Lucky for Indy, however, Caplinger's Fresh Catch has been slowly but steadily expanding their number of locations, although up to now they were up North or Northeast in Whitestown, 75th & Shadeland, and Pendleton Pike near (I think) Post Road.  Now, finally, FINALLY they have opened a location I don't have to drive all day to get to-- 7620 S. Meridian Street.

Caplinger's is primarily a seafood SHOP, selling fresh fare flown in daily (so they claim) for you to take home and cook your own danged self, but they also have a simple kitchen and dining room (except for the one on Pendleton Pike which is carryout only, being housed in an office trailer in the middle of a parking lot) which serves up dishes in to-go containers.  All the stuff I've had at several of the other locations, both fried and grilled, seems very fresh and perfectly cooked.   The new location is in a former Pizza Hut that has been nicely renovated, with a cute 12-15 table dining room that is closed now due to (moan it with me) The Pandemic, so everything is sold to-go. 

I had a combo platter with grilled Basa fish and blackened shrimp that came with hushpuppies and 2 sides; The Little Woman had a Lobsta Roll Sandwich dinner with puppies and one side.  Our sides were Collard Greens, Chipotle Coleslaw, and Red Beans & Rice.   To me everything was EXCELLENT, but TLW's lobster had a dressing that has some sweetness that she disliked.  The Collard Greens were not as good as hers but were better'n any I've ever had from a restaurant, the Chipotle dressing did spice up the coleslaw, but the RB&R was just a little bland. The bun for the Lobsta Roll was INCREDIBLE, a sort of light pretzel outside with a soft and sweet inside-- Cap's says they buy them from a local bakery. Finally, service was fast and friendly and the prices, though a little high for this $$ fella, were not outrageous.  Mangeons!  

Shakers Good Eats and Ale: New But Not Different

Shakers Good Eats and Ale, is located (say it with me) in a strip mall at Southport Road and Franklin Road.  It appears to be a part of a small chain based in Cincinnati, with the other locations simply called Shakers, and it has that appearance, sort of a bare-bones kind of the Fern Bars of old, like Bennigan's, Max & Erma's, or TGI Friday's. So, it IS comfortable and inviting. but rather lacks any sort of individual character. I imagine that it is nevertheless a welcome addition to the nearly non-existent Franklin Township dining scene, and all in all maybe not a bad one.

The Little Woman ordered a Breaded Tenderloin Sandwich ($10) and I had a Brisket Sandwich ($13), both of which came with fries. I was initially a little disappointed with the price until the food arrived-- both sammiches were HUGE and came with a large mound of breaded/seasoned fries that were quite tasty. TLW's tenderloin was thick and breaded with a very nicely seasoned fish-type breading.  She could only eat half of it, and she and I later made a nice snack of the other half.  My brisket was decent but a little soft and undercooked, lacking any smoked flavor. 

The place just opened on March 17th, the day Covid-19 restrictions began here in Indy, so they may not be completely organized yet.  Service was a little slow: TLW's $6 glass of Pinot Grigio arrived rather quickly, but when I ordered a flight of Oliver Moscatos for $8, they were unable to provide one of the varieties because they'd lost the corkscrew to open a new bottle!  ...Anyway, the place is decent, especially there on the edge of civilization, with a number of covered outdoor tables and a half-wall of TV screens.  They'll probably be well up and running... eventually!

Squealers BBQ - Mooresville' Finest!

I don't know if the title is true for sure, really, since I haven't been to every restaurant in Mooresville-- there are more of them than you might expect for the town's small size.  Like everyone else in Indianapolis, The Little Woman and I were going cabin fever stir-crazy, so when restaurants were allowed to reopen in the donut counties we fled the city for some dining out relief.  We had lunch at Squealers BBQ, 390 E. High Street in Mooresville, and surprise! We were seated immediately, at a table surrounded by off-limits tables to maintain social distance.  It's a sort of old-fashioned place with timber frame cabin walls, old metal signs and neon, etc., which is quite comfortable and familiar to an old fart like myself.  

TLW had the ($10) Breaded Tenderloin sandwich and a ($5) glass of house wine while I had the daily special ($7) Pulled Pork sandwich and fries along with a ($5.50) good 'n cold 22 oz. mug of Oaken Barrel Amber Ale. They have a good selection of both wine and beers.  The Tenderloin was quite good, pounded only medium thin with a fried-chicken type breading and seasoned nicely. The Pulled Pork was good but could have been a little more smoky for my taste, although their barbecue cookoff trophies on the wall might disagree with me.  I opted for their Spicy Hot barbecue sauce, which is EXCELLENT, a little smoky and sweet but not too sweet, and some very tasty heat to it.  I would have purchased a bottle to take-home (much to TLW's chagrin-- "Where're we gonna put THAT? You've got 4 other BBQ sauces already!") but their crew was beginning to get very busy with other escaping Indianapolites (er, Indianapolitans? I dunno).  Maybe next time...  YEEHAW!

The Crowbar Pub in Trafalgar - An Essential Trip!

Like everyone else in self-imposed semi-quarentine I'm bored, but The Little Woman and I managed to visit The Crowbar Pub on State Road 135 just north of SR 252 in "downtown" Trafalgar for some carry-out food.  We had been inside the place a couple weeks before the Great Lockdown began, so I'll include some obervations about that here just in case you're bored enough yourself to read them.

This is a local watering hole with the usual crew of colorful regulars who cluster at one end of the bar, but it's also a sort of roadhouse:  Motorcyclists from Indianapolis often make the scenic ride to Brown County State Park, and Trafalgar is a convenient waypoint to make a stop enroute to or from the park.  The Crowbar accommodates them with a good-sized area in the lot reserved for cycles, and they recently added a spacious enclosed rear porch with its own bar and large roll-down garage-style window doors that can be opened when the weather is nice.  The regular bar room itself is a shock to most travelers from Indy because it is so damn' clean, lacking any of the endearing/disgusting patina/dirt that most of the Big City's imbiberies (yeah, it's a made-up word) have.

Okay, I'm not bored anymore so I'll wrap it up-- the place is simple but very nice inside, the staff is generally friendly, and the food, although mostly just the standard pub grub, is very good.  I did have one unusual item, a ground pork-patty sandwich that had excellent flavor.  Prices are in the middle of the $$ range, so TLW and her Cheap Bastard husband were pleased. On the web at www.crowbar.pub ...Y'all go and get it!