Cerulean

We'd heard a lot about Cerulean before finally going there with friends last weekend, and were really looking forward to trying it.  Much has been said about the dining room--that it's modern and sleek--and I'd have to agree.  It also felt like a bit of a maze of booths, and as we were led to our seats I lamented my lack of breadcrumbs to find my way back.  We were in a side dining area, by the windows, which was really nice but also a bit isolated from the main dining area.  There's also a space under the wooden 'bird's nest' that would be pretty fun to eat in--not sure if you can reserve a spot there, or if it's luck of the draw.


Our waitress, who was pretty knowledgeable (or so she certainly wanted us to think), came over to explain the menu and to get our drink orders.  She was very friendly and open to questions, but I'll admit we made fun of the number of times she told us that something had been called or rated "the best (fill in the blank) in Indianapolis."  Really?  Okay.  Anyway.  Drinks came pretty promptly.  I had  J’s Caipirinha:  Boca Loca Cachaca, Lime, Fresh Ginger Root, Ginger Beer, and House Mint Syrup ($9).  It was delicious--or at least the first one was.  The Ginger Beer was house-made and the fresh ginger made it nice and peppery.  The second one I got, however, was too sweet--I think a heavy hand was used on the mint syrup that time, and there were less limes to cut the sweetness.  Oh well.

Next we received some yummy bread and some awesome "goat cheese butter" that was sitting in a chive oil.  The goat cheese lent an earthiness to the butter that was nice (if you love goat cheese, and I do), but the star of the show here was the chive oil.  It tasted just like, well, chives, and was great mixed with the butter.  We were off to a great start.

Cerulean's menu is separated into plate size, sort of like Bluebeard.  The small plates, we were told, are more like a large amuse bouche.  The medium plates are supposed to be the size of a standard appetizer.  The large plates are true entrees.  Tim and I decided to try two of the small plates--the corn macaroon ($4) and the gougeres ($4).  The corn macaroon was a true french-style macaroon, although less sweet.  Rather than buttercream in the middle, however, they used pork belly.  Can't go wrong with pork belly! It sat on a "smoked cheddar" sauce that was also pretty tasty.  Tim and I really enjoyed it, although I think we were both disappointed by how small it was--just enough for one bite, each.

They were much more generous with the gougeres--they gave us about 8 of them.  Gougeres are basically cheese puffs, and these were stuffed with basil mascarpone and thyme-chive gel.  They had good flavor, but were room temperature/bordering on cold, and the pastry tasted like it had been sitting around for a few hours.  They just didn't feel hot and fresh.  Granted, they probably aren't supposed to be hot-hot, but  fresh tasting isn't too much to ask.  Tim said they tasted like Combos (yes, those Combos), and I could see what he meant.  Not a compliment.

Our middle-sized plate was probably the best dish of the night for us.  We got the "hay-smoked quail" with "wood stock" (not sure where that was on the dish), cherry butter, and potato-kale purée ($14).  First of all, I discovered about 2 years ago that I LOVE quail.  It is one flavorful little bird.  Not too gamey, just full of intense flavor.  So good.  Anyway, the puree was very creamy, and the cherry butter lent a touch of sweetness to offset the salty bird.  There were two boneless quail breasts on there, along with some cubed potatoes.  I also really enjoyed the "kale chips" they used as garnish--I've seen a lot of people making them on Pinterest, but doubted they could actually be good.  I'm here to tell you that they are. 

For my main, I got the beef short ribs with crispy spätzle, pine nut mascarpone, swiss chard, and jus ($28).  This was also really, really well done.  The beef itself was pot-roast-fall-apart-tender, and the marscapone sauce on top added a nice herby creaminess.  The pine nuts gave the dish some texture, and the "jus" (which is, I believe, that blob of brown sitting next to the beef which looks like apple butter) was salty, meaty divinity.  The dish had two small downfalls--one was the "swiss chard," which I can only assume is that dried out green "decorative" paint swipe on the side of the plate.  It added absolutely nothing to the dish besides a conversation piece:  "What's that green stuff?"  "I don't know, it's dried on there.  Kinda gross. Looks like they didn't get the plate clean after the last meal."  The other negative was the crispy spätzle.  I had imagined traditional spätzle that was maybe crisped up in a pan so that it had nice crispy-crunchy edges and extra flavor.  Instead, they seemed almost deep-fried because they were SO crunchy, and they were over-salted.  The first few were good, but they lost their excitement soon thereafter.  I left most of them on my plate.

Tim didn't want dessert, but one of my friends was kind enough to share hers with me.  She got the "Pistachio Tart" with rosewater meringue, cranberry, and lychee ($7).  As you can see from the picture, it looks nothing like a tart.  Still, it was pretty yummy.  There was a long lady-finger shaped something on the bottom--it had the taste and texture of an almond macaroon, in my opinion, although macaroon was no where in the description--topped with a delicious almond-flavored pistachio pastry custard.  There were actual pistachios on top as well as what I'm guessing were the rosewater meringues (those small white 'chips' in the picture).  There were two foamy white blobs to either side--I'm assuming those were the lychee portion of the dish because neither my friend nor I could place the flavor.  And the cranberry was the red swipe under everything.  I loved the custard-macaroon combo, along with the crunchy pistachios and meringues.  The cranberry added a nice tartness to what was a fairly sweet dessert.  Could have done with out the lychee foam blobs, though.  Overall, it was a nice, light dessert.

Tim got the duck breast with lemon fettuccine, carbonara, crackling, pancetta, and marjoram ($28).  Our server said the duck was cooked using the suvee cooking method (sealed in a bag and cooked in water kept at a constant temp).  Tim said it was very tender and the best part of the dish.  He was less happy with the fettuccine, which he thought was over-cooked and kind of mushy.

Two of our friends got the pork porterhouse, so I was able to take a picture--I don't know much about it, but they really enjoyed them, and it was certainly a massive portion!

We enjoyed our dinner, but aren't dying to go back (at least, not Tim nor I).  The quail and short ribs were really excellent, but his main let him down, and were weren't impressed by the gougeres.  We want to be wowed by almost everything we try if we're going a place like this, and I guess we just weren't.

Website:  Cerulean

Bru Burger

Man, I've done a lot of reviews of hamburgers on this site so far.  They really aren't my favorite food by a long-shot, even though it would seem that way from the percentage of posts I've done about them here.  I do enjoy a good one now and again, but...yeah.  These reviews are disproportionate to how often I actually eat burgers in my every day life.

Nevertheless, last week I met some friends for dinner at Bru Burger.  Looking at the menu online beforehand (as I tend to do), I was impressed by the variety of toppings they offered.  I was interested in several of them, but I was particularly interested in the Ahi Tuna Burger:  Sweet chili mayo and mango-cucumber slaw on a multi-grain bun ($11).  While I felt a little guilty about not trying a beef burger my first time at this burger joint, it's actually something I seem order often, and I wanted to compare.  The tuna burger was my favorite option at Scotty's Lakehouse (now closed) and it's also my go-to option at Boogie Burger, so I figured I'd see how this one stacked up.

It was pretty good.  The tuna itself was packed more tightly than the tuna was on Scotty's version, and I'm not sure I liked that--in the picture, it looks more like a turkey burger, and honestly I could have been eating turkey for all I could tell from the dense texture.  Scotty's tuna was diced and loosely-packed.  The mango-cucumber slaw was good, and the sweet chili mayo gave it a nice Japanese flavor profile, although, again, I found it pale in comparison to Scotty's wasabi-teriyaki punch.  It just seemed to be missing something.  I enjoyed it but I'm not dying to have it again.

I also think it's a bit lame that you have to order your side separately when you're already paying $11 for a burger--this is a complaint I had about Scotty's and do still have with a number of other 'fancy burger' restaurants.  If the burgers were just outstandingly amazingly good, with top quality beef, and cooked perfectly, I can get down with paying that much plus more for a side (Room Four and Scratch Truck are good examples of such burgers, although Room Four includes fries, actually).  I got the onion rings, a $3 charge, and received 4 large rings that were beer batter-dipped and freshly fried.  The first two, eaten early, were delicious and crispy, but by the time I got around to the last couple they were kind of limp and greasy.  Not that that's unusual for fried food, but it reminded me of just how unhealthy they are (and who needs a reminder of that?).  The homemade ketchup was actually really delicious--fresh tasting, and pretty tangy.  I had ordered ranch for my rings but actually ended up enjoying the homemade ketchup far more--it lightened up the heavy greasy taste. 

I'm not sure I'd return to Bru Burger if I was picking the restaurant, although I wouldn't mind going with friends if they picked it.  I should probably try an actual beef burger, huh?  But I just wasn't blown away by my meal, and I need to be if I'm going to return voluntarily.  There are just too many excellent restaurants in Indy now to pay for mediocrity.

Website:  Bru Burger

Joseph Decuis Emporium

The counter

The store

 I was in Huntington, Indiana for the first time last week for a training for work, and took the opportunity to pop up to Roanoke to hit the Joseph Decuis Emporium.  I've read about the  Joseph Decuis restaurant over on Indy Restaurant Scene, and have always wanted to try it, but I don't think I could ever convince my husband to drive two hours to go to any restaurant.  So, the Emporium was a great chance to try some of their more casual food, and to shop for some fancy meats. The restaurant and emporium were on a super quaint street in Roanoke, and I found a parking spot right out front.  The emporium has a counter straight ahead of you as you enter, and it is the central hub of the room.  Up front are old chairs that have all been painted black, and tables branded with the Joseph Decius logo where you can dine-in. In the back and along one side is the store section.

The sliders

I perused the menu board, which hangs above the central counter, but the daily specials board quickly caught my eye.  Two Wagyu beef sliders with spicy mayo and bacon and a side of fries ($10 range, if I remember correctly).  Yes, it was more than I had intended to spend for lunch, but I figured it was worth it to try that Wagyu.  And it was.  Incredibly juicy and flavorful, the sliders came on toasted, sweet rolls that balanced the spicy sauce.  These things were so full of fatty deliciousness that they dripped everywhere.  Messy, but very good.  I was disappointed by the fries, though--they didn't seem homemade at all (and probably weren't--though, mind you, I didn't ask).  They were crispy and salty, but nothing I couldn't get at any number of restaurants.  I was offered a choice between those and sweet potato fries--maybe I should have taken the other option.  Oh well.

 While I waited for my order, I did a little shopping and picked up a pound of American Wagyu ground beef to try making my own burgers.  Also picked up a 1 pound package of duck breast (turned out to contain two breasts).  Can't wait to try both!

Website:  Joseph Decuis

96th Street Steakburgers

Tim and I were out running errands a few weekends ago, and needed lunch.  Since we were on the north side and I was craving a milkshake, we decided to head to 96th Street Steakburgers.

I've gotten fries and shakes there several times through the years via the drive-thru, but I think I've only had a burger there maybe once, and it wasn't all that memorable.  I recall thinking it was pretty good, but nothing special--in my opinion, the fries and shakes were what they did best.  This trip didn't really change my mind, although they have added all kinds of topping combinations since I was last inside (which, again, hadn't been for years and years). 

I opted for a burger with mushrooms and what was supposed to be swiss, but was actually the 'American cheese' version of swiss (you know the stuff I'm talking about--no holes to be found, and tastes nothing like swiss cheese).  It's a shame they went with this low-grade version of the swiss, because the mushrooms were outstanding.  Freshly sauteed, meaty, well-seasoned, and most importantly, not from a can.  I don't understand why they'd go premium on the veggie but cheap on the cheese!  Lame.  And doubly lame because I could barely taste the mushrooms over the fake cheese taste.  The burger patty itself is thin, sort of like Steak-n-Shake, and pretty good, but if the meat seems like an after-thought in this review, it's just because its flavor was also masked by the cheese.

Tim got what I believe was called a Cowboy Burger which involved BBQ, cheese, and I think some form of onion, and he really enjoyed his.  I didn't taste it as I'm not a big fan of BBQ sauce on burgers.

I did get a side of fries, and they were fresh cut and fried golden.  I've always maintained that they have a very homemade quality to them--they are almost exactly like the homemade fries my dad has always made, which is probably why they hold a special place in my heart.  They're cut relatively thin and fried to a golden brown.  Yummy.

The chocolate shake was also delish--they are "hand-dipped" and do seem like they're made from the real thing.  Very sweet and chocolatey, and very thick.

Apologies for the lack of prices on this one, but I have slept many times since then and they aren't posted on the website.  We each got special burgers, fries, and drinks (plus my upgrade to the shake) and it was well under $20 for us both--I want to say the combo meals ended up being $7-8 each?

96th Street Steakburgers makes for a fairly tasty lunch, but I'd stick with the standard burger next time (or, maybe try their bleu cheese burger...they can't fake bleu cheese, can they?).  At the very least, I know I'll likely grab some fries or a shake again someday.

Website:  96th Street Steakburgers

Room Four (yes, again)

Maybe it's the time of year, what with the holidays making me feel all splurgy and in need of awesome food, or maybe it's just that we'll use any excuse to go there (as I mentioned in my last RF post), but Tim and I found ourselves back at Room Four again this past weekend.  We knew we wanted a nice date night dinner, and when I spotted boneless pork ribs with an Asian preparation on the RF menu that afternoon we had to look no further.

I started with the salad--Romaine formed the base, with giardiniera veggies, grated manchego cheese, and an amazing citrusy vinaigrette ($10).  This salad was so. good.  The description doesn't do it justice--romaine and giardiniera, what?  I think I've only had hot giardiniera, because I had reservations thinking that it'd add a bit of heat to the salad, which just seems wrong.  But I decided to trust in the chefs, and I'm glad I did.  For one, the giardiniera was just pickled veggies--not hot at all (researching it, I see that it does indeed come in spicy and "traditional" varieties).  The veggies plus the vinaigrette worked well together to give the salad a tangy kick, while the manchego added a nice saltiness.  All-around, a great salad, and beautifully presented with the whole leaves of Romaine topped by all the veggie and cheese goodness.  I've already purchased some giardiniera and romaine so I can re-create this salad at home next week.

Tim started with one of the tacos on offer that night:  braised chicken thigh, avocado, grilled red onions, and cilantro jalapeno salsa ($6).  It was delicious.  The chicken thighs were juicy and full of flavor, the avocado provided a creaminess, and the salsa added a little spice and freshness.  I was sad that I only got one little bite!

Tim once again went with the burger for his main, but this time it was a bit different from others we've had.  The (Fisher Farms beef) burger was topped with smoked mozzarella cheese, roasted then pressed san marzano tomatoes, pickles, onions, and dijonnaise ($16).  I again only had a little bite, but man, was it good.  Tim was very happy with his choice and said he liked the smokiness of the mozzarella and the roasted tomatoes.

 The piece de resistance for both of us, though, was the Berkshire boneless pork ribs I had.  They were served over wild rice with shitake, pistachios, and scallions ($12).  The sauce definitely had an Asian influence, with a heavy salty-soy base.  My server mentioned twice that there were cherries in there--the sauce was dark, so not sure if they were in the sauce or in with the rice, and I did detect a slight hint of fruitiness, but didn't notice any large pieces.  I really loved the bites with pistachio in them, because they added a nice crunch. Though the dish was listed in the appetizer section, my portion was plenty for a main--I received three sections of boneless ribs over a nice amount of wild rice.  Super yummy.

We finished our meal with cookies.  Tim said he couldn't possibly eat a whole one, but somehow managed to.  The 'famous' candy bar cookies had peanut M&M's in them this time, along with some other bits and bobs of candy--not as awesome as when they have a lot of heath, or butterfinger, or snickers in them, but still a great way to finish the meal when dipped in the wonderful whipped cream. 

Website:  Room Four