Union 50

Last month we had a friend visiting, so we took him out to eat with some Indy friends.  None of us had been to Union 50 yet, so we decided to give it a go.

Union 50 is another fancy-pants new place owned by the guy who also owns Mesh on Mass and Bru Burger.  It's got a revolving menu and attempts a tapas thing (which Tim hates, and when it's this expensive, so do I).  There are "Petit," "Bistro," and "Grand" sized dishes, plus fancy fries and charcuterie boards.

T and I opted to start with some of the fries ($5)--a small order of Manchego & Bacon fries, with our choice of dipping sauces (we opted for beer cheese for me, and spicy grain mustard for him).  They were pretty good!  The bacon and cheese were mostly on the top fries, but some of those toppings did make their way down to the rest.

For my main, I got a Grand item--"Tasso Ham and Shrimp" with crispy polenta and Tasso Ham gravy.  It's been awhile, so I'm afraid I can't remember what else was in there.  Those brown cubes in the picture are the polenta, which were indeed crispy on the outside, and firmly creamy on the inside.  This exact version of this dish doesn't appear to be available anymore, but they have something similar for $20.  It was an okay portion--several large shrimp in there, and good flavor--but pretty pricey for the amount in my opinion.

It has been awhile since we were there, so Tim and I are struggling to remember all the components of his dish...pretty sure it was slow roasted, shredded duck over some waffles (pic to the left).  He enjoyed it but didn't feel it was enough food for him.  No price for this one since it's no longer available and it has just been too long!  Shame on me for taking so long to post.

My overall impression of the places lasts, though--to me, it feels like it's trying too hard to be hip.  Kind of feels like it doesn't know what it wants to be...it's a higher-end restaurant, but it also considers itself a bar, AND it has live music events...how about some focus?  Additionally, if you want to do tapas-style, make them a bit more affordable.  Ugh.  I doubt we'll return, unless it's at a friend's request.

Website:  Union 50

Sahm's Place

Back during Chow Down Midtown, Tim and I took the kids to Sahm's Place for brunch.  We initially went with the intention of getting the Chow Down breakfast specials, but opted for regular menu items once we got there because they sounded pretty good, too.

I started with coffee, and it was pretty typical coffee.  There is no price on the website and I have no idea what it cost--it's safe to say that it was probably in the $2 range, though.  Of note is the fact that our server was excellent.  She kept my cup topped off without me having to ever flag her down, which is always appreciated.

For my meal, I got the Eggs Benedict (One Egg version; also available in a Two Egg version--$6.99 for the one egg).  The Benedict itself was pretty good, although not as memorable or as well-balanced as Tulip Noir's.  The hollandaise just wasn't as tangy or flavorful, the ham not as plentiful or impactful.  Still, it was good, and the egg was properly runny.

The dish came with a side of fruit (nice and fresh!), and a choice of hashbrowns or cornbread casserole; I chose the casserole, and it was a bit sweet, a bit savory, and all around pretty satisfying.  There was a huge amount--it's very filling, and I couldn't finish it.

Can't remember what Tim got, but I *think* it was the Biscuits and Gravy ($5.49).  Whatever he got, he enjoyed, I know that!  The kids got the Kids Scramble and the Kids Omelet ($2.99 and $3.99, respectively).  They enjoyed them, and I thought they were reasonably priced.

Tim and I had been to Sahm's one other time, for dinner, and enjoyed it.  For some reason, we just never got back over there before this brunch.  But, now we live much closer, and I can see us going back occasionally.  It's a nice casual spot, family friendly, with good food.  Thumbs up.

Website:  Sahm's Place

317 Burger

A few Sundays ago, Tim and I were out and about running errands and decided to randomly pick someplace in Broad Ripple for lunch.  We drove past 317 Burger and realized it was new and burgers sounded good to us, so we opted to give it a try.

It was a fairly nice day so several people were sitting out front, but we wanted air conditioning so we headed into the bar.  We were the only ones in there.  Which doesn't mean that much, at a new place on a Sunday afternoon, but...

We quickly reviewed the menu, and I opted for the Spicy Tuna Burger ($12)--it just sounded good that day.   I've had the tuna sandwich at Boogie Burger (whole piece of tuna, citrus-y and awesome), and the tuna burger at the now-defunct Scotty's Lakehouse (spicy and teriyaki-ish and packed with flavor), so I was excited to try another.  Sadly, this one was just 'eh.'  It came with avocado, arugula, and wasabi aioli, but somehow none of those things had any flavor.  Not enough wasabi to make up for the rest of the bland.  Also, it had a slightly strange texture.  It was made from diced tuna like the Scotty's version, but this was much more tightly pressed and bound with something  that gave it a mealy texture (flour? I know it sounds odd, but that's all I can think of that would make it feel like that). I wasn't overly impressed.  I think Tim liked his burger--he customized it with duck bacon and gouda ($10)--but it wasn't anything extraordinary to write home about, either.

The highlight was the poutine we shared.  They served up hand-cut, thick steak fries topped with cheese and the gravy on the side.  You poured the gravy over the top so that the cheese (appeared to be some curds and some shredded) would melt.  I guess this was so they didn't get soggy?  Unfortunately, the fries were thick and not overly crisp to start, so it didn't really help.  But the flavor was there, and we enjoyed them.  For the price ($5), it was a very generous serving.  We couldn't even finish them (which is saying quite a lot).

My verdict is that this place is only so-so.  Perhaps it's finding its footing; perhaps I would have enjoyed a true burger more than the tuna.  Either way, I'm not particularly excited to go back.  Frankly, we probably won't return.  This town just has way too many truly GOOD burgers to get a mediocre one.

Website:  No real website that I could locate, so here's the 317 Burger Facebook page.

Canal Bistro

Back on Memorial Day, I met up with some girlfriends from high school.  One was visiting from out of town, and wanted to go to Brugge, but alas, it was closed when we arrived.  So our group hiked towards the canal in Broad Ripple, and ended up at Canal Bistro.

I had never been there before, despite having walked by it a bazillion times over the past 15 years or so.  My friend knew it was a Mediterranean place, and that's all the rest of us needed to know--we were game to try it.

We split some hummus ($6) to start, and it was clearly made in-house--very good, with none of the fake citric acid taste of the store bought stuff.  It was drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with paprika, tomatoes, and parsley.  It was, of course, served along side some pretty decent pita bread.  Great start.

For my main, I opted for the Chicken Shawarma platter ($15).  When I used to work in Evanston, IL, we'd occasionally go to a Mediterranean place that served shawarma that was incredibly flavorful and tender, and I've been seeking something similar since then.  This was it.  It was very much how I remembered it--thinly sliced pieces of very well seasoned chicken, a little crispy on one side.  So many memories!  And so tasty.  It came with rice, a little block of feta, some onions, a few olives, and a garlic dipping sauce (not pictured).  I found that mixing a bite of the chicken and rice with the feta and garlic sauce made for a pretty awesome bite.

I believe the other ladies enjoyed their meals, as well.  I think the other meals selected were veggie kabobs, beef kabobs, and the gyro platter.  They all looked really good!  The setting was lovely--a beautiful night, not too hot, sitting along the canal.  I will definitely need to go again.

Website:  Canal Bistro

Tulip Noir

Awhile back, Tim and I somehow ended up being able to go to brunch on a week day together (don't ask me how this happened--I don't even remember).  He wanted to go to Tulip Noir for a late breakfast/early brunch, as he'd gone there before and was really impressed.  I readily agreed.

 Tulip Noir is a small, locally owned breakfast and lunch place near 86th and Ditch Rd.  Their big thing is their French press coffee as well as their enormous tea list.  While several teas sounded intriguing (and they gave us a sample of a fragrant herbal tea that was on special), we both opted for the French press.  I got the House Blend which was supposed to have a lower acidity, and Tim got the French roast, which was more bold.  Each was a two cup press pot, and they were $3 each.  Fun, and a pretty good pot of coffee!  Really, we probably could have split a pot, but it's still cheaper than Starbucks.

Tim opted for Scott's Smokin' Bagel for his breakfast ($10.50).  It was four-grain honey bagel with smoked salmon, dill cream cheese, red onion marmalade, capers, and spinach.  As you can see in the picture, it was 'deconstructed'--not what Tim had expected.  While it's interesting that you can select how much of which items you want on the sandwich, sometimes I just want the chef to put it together into a tasty sandwich FOR me.  Still, Tim really enjoyed the flavors once it was all put together.   (Side note--the dish did include a whole bagel--I believe Tim was holding the top half in this picture, and that's why it's missing.)             

I had Andy's Eggs Benedict ($10.75).  They were outstanding.  Eggs Benedict isn't usually something I order, but on the limited Tulip Noir menu it stood out as sounding the best to me that day.  And hoo-boy, it was delicious.  The hollandaise sauce was buttery and tangy, the ham smokey and salty (as ham is), and the eggs added their rich yolks to the party (well, one of them did--the other was a touch overcooked.  It was the only negative).  All that was sitting on top of a wheat English muffin and a bed of greens that were DRESSED.  Yay!  Thank  you for dressing your greens, Tulip Noir, and not just putting them on there all boring and plain.  They were lightly dressed in a slightly tangy dressing that worked with the hollandaise to cut through the richness of the eggs and ham.  On top were a few little purple chive flowers that gave just enough mild onion flavor (and looked pretty!).

Our breakfast was not particularly cheap, but it was no more expensive than a place like Patachou, and it had better service than that local chain usually does.  Service was very friendly, and the meal was filled with nice touches like the cucumber water we were served when we sat down, the tea samples, etc.  It might not be an every day place for us, but every once in awhile we'll have to get over there!

Website:  Tulip Noir

Fat Dan's

It's been awhile since I've posted.  Okay, a very long while (two months).  My apologies.  Life got in the way, with a move (still in Indy!), trying to sell the old house, busyness at my job...excuses, excuses.

But we've certainly continued to eat during my time away!

We now live quite a bit closer to Broadripple and are deliriously close to all of our favorite haunts over there.  But we've also discovered a new favorite--Fat Dan's Deli.  It's located right next to Twenty Tap, yet we'd never gone in until about a month ago.

Fat Dan's has a very local-bar feel.  It's not very big, and it's the type of place where you want to sit at the bar if you can (we've managed to every time we've been).  Food is carried out to you on a gigantic piece of butcher paper and plopped down unceremoniously.  They've got some decent beers on tap--6 or 8 of those, I think--but the selection isn't nearly as prolific as their twenty-tapped neighbor.  The choices are written on a chalkboard as you enter, with just the basic info (no IBU or ABV values listed here!).

Still, it's a great experience, with tasty food.  The first time there, I got the pulled pork sandwich ($7.75).  It was piled onto a really good bun and served with a side of sauce.  My one complaint?  Not enough sauce for me.  I determined that if I ever order it again, I'd ask for two.  Otherwise, delicious.  Tim got a burger--the Wells St. Burger ($8.25), I believe, which had bacon, gorgonzola, onions, and BBQ sauce.  He really enjoyed it.

We split an order of tater tots ($3.75), and they were perfectly crispy and salty--very satisfying.  On a subsequent trip, we split the Dirty Tots (not on website, I think they were around $7.75), and oh man--they were heaven.  It's a basket of tots covered in melted cheese, hot sauce, green onions, and pulled pork.  It was the perfect greasy-cheesy-smokey-spicy combo.  Someday I'm just going to get an order of those for my meal.  I have no shame.

If you haven't made it over to Fat Dan's yet, I highly recommend you give it a go.  It makes for a great laid-back meal!

Website:  Fat Dan's Deli

Adobo Grill

A few weeks ago, I met some girlfriends at Adobo Grill.  I'd been there once before and had a pretty enjoyable experience, but it's not a place I usually think of going since it's right downtown and parking can potentially be a pain.  We were meeting on a Tuesday evening, though, so parking wasn't bad.  I found a spot not far away, paid the meter, and headed in to meet the girls.

One of my friends had a Groupon, and generously offered to spring for some guacamole ($7.99) for the table.  Adobo does that fancy table-side guacamole making service, which is moderately entertaining to watch, and they customize it for you (spice level, cilantro level, etc.).  It's a solid guacamole, a bit chunky and nice and garlicky.  It's served with some nice thin flour tortilla chips.

We all also got house margaritas ($8.99), which are also pretty solid.  Good amount of lime, a taste of tequila but not overpoweringly so.  I'm not a huge fan of the way they're served in martini glasses--they do make glasses especially for this drink, and they are called margarita glasses, ahem...pretentious much?--but that is me being nit-picky.

For my main dish, I got Enchiladas Carne ($14.99), i.e. shredded beef enchiladas.  The sauce was nice (it was "creamy ancho salsa"), with good chili flavor but not much heat.  It was topped with cheese and sour cream, and served with rice and beans.  They were no duck enchiladas, but they were tasty.  (Side note--we have returned to Delicia a few times since my initial review, and I've gotten the duck enchiladas every time.  Amazing.)

Adobo is a pretty good "fancy" Mexican restaurant.  Do I like others better?  Yes.  Would I generally rather go to a run of the mill strip mall Mexican restaurant where the bill is cheaper and the white cheese sauce flows?  Yes.  But Adobo is tasty, so the occasional outing there is welcome. 

Website:  Adobo Grill