Sunday, February 20, 2011

Dick's Bodacious BBQ

50 North Pennsylvania Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204-3103

Dick's Bodacious BBQ


We went downtown to grab a bite before the Pacers took on the South Beach Heat. With the thought of BBQ still on our mind from Friday, it was an easy decision. The best BBQ I've had is from Smoque BBQ in Chicago. I highly recommend if you want BBQ in the Windy City. Dick's has been around since 1999. There are two locations: Noblesville and Downtown. I'm going to get the service out of the way. Since you order at the the front and the workers build your meal for you, it is pretty hard to have poor service. The workers were really friendly and got me through the line pretty quickly. 


I ordered the Two Step Meat plate and chose the smoked turkey and brisket. Both meats were on cold. It seemed like I was eating leftovers. Besides that the flavor was so-so. The turkey wasn't as dry as I thought it would be. It was semi-juicy and I compensated with adding BBQ sauce. They offer two types of sauce, Mild and Spicy. I did not care for the mild sauce. For some reason it just seamed like seasoned ketchup. The texture was nice, just lacked flavor. The Spicy BBQ had a nice kick to it. RFS broke a little bit of a sweat when he added it to his nachos. I  enjoyed the heat. It wasn't too hot that it was unbearable, but it wasn't weak either. It has a good mix of heat and tanginess. The brisket was very tender and had a good smoky flavor, but I really couldn't get past the fact that it was room temperature. The baked beans weren't anything to write home about. Pretty typical. If you put some Bush's baked beans and Dick's baked beans in front of me, I would fail a blind taste test. In comparison, the beans at Smoque have a generous amount of brisket mixed in. The green beans were also pretty average. My mother would be happy I added some veggies to my meal, but besides that they do not add anything special to the meal. I'd have to say my favorite parts of the meal was that they had Coke Zero on the fountain and the cornbread. The cornbread was sweet and probably the only thing that was at the temperature I wanted. 


Lessons Learned: Order more cornbread. Go during lunchtime because it is cheaper for the quality of food you are receiving. Try different sides. I'd say I would go back, but Dick's is not a restaurant where I will become a regular.


Life is uncertain. EAt dessert (or in this case, cornbread) first. 

Dick's Bodacious Bar-B-Q on Urbanspoon

Monon Food Company


6420 Cornell
Indianapolis, IN 46220

Monon Food Company

Saturday night and we were warring over where to eat. I personally wanted something on the lighter side as I knew that I had a long night of drinking ahead. I just wanted a sandwich as I shot down the idea of Qdoba pretty quickly. Well we decided on Monon Food Co. I really like the decor of the restaurant. I love the artwork on the walls. It is a very clean looking restaurant. This is the second time I have been here and  each time the weather was not nice enough to sit on the patio. Outdoor dining for some reason reminds me of Chicago. I've always said that Indy needs more outdoor patio restaurants. It was late in the evening and we were the last patrons to enter the restaurant. By the end of the meal, we had the whole place to ourselves.

 For my entree, I went with the Cajun Meatloaf Sliders. What stuck out to me was they were served on a pretzel roll. I love the change from a regular bun to something more out of the ordinary. The meatloaf had a strong spicy Cajun flavor. The pepper jack cheese was melted perfectly and the Chipotle mayo was not overpowering. I'm not a huge fan of mayo, and I appreciate how they do not load up the slider with sauce.  The meatloaf was also distributed evenly over the roll, so each bite had a bit of everything. I'd say one of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to a sandwich, is at the end when you are left with a bunch of bread and no meat. As a side dish, I ordered the Mac N Cheese. I was informed that to generate a nice crust on the dish, they reheat the mac n cheese on skillet. I'd say it was pretty average. I didn't really add a lot to my meal, and it didn't help we decided to eat late in the day. The mac just wasn't that fresh. The noodles were a little on the hard side, but the flavor was there. My adult beverage for the night was a Sun King Cream Ale. Right now, I'd say it is my favorite brew. I like the light, refreshing taste.  The dessert was the best and the worst decision I made all night. I
was still pretty full, but our lovely waitress said they had carrot cake cupcakes. Now there are three desserts in this world I have a hard time turning down: Cheesecake, Bananas Foster, and Carrot Cake. The carrot cake was very moist. The cream cheese frosting was delicious and not too overpowering. The sauce you see is a caramel sauce. Presentation-wise, I'd give this a 9. Taste was a resounding 10. The carrots were very prevalent throughout, and there weren't any raisins in the cake. I hate raisins in carrot cake. I'll save those for my oatmeal cookies. Okay, now you are wondering why it was the worst decision I made. Well as I said it was Saturday night and I was already full. The result is Public Enemy #1 when you are trying to party. The dessert put me over the edge and I couldn't put down as many libations as I wanted. Oh well. Good food won over a night of boozing.

The service was perfect. Our waitress was always around, asking if we needed anything. I guess the one knock was that she gave a cheap shot to our high school alma mater, not knowing we went there. She also was very helpful in cleaning the mess I made when I knocked over MWF's Miller Lite all over his iPhone.  I swear, I only had one Cream Ale. I blame him anyways for ordering a crappy beer. And the vortex bottle only helped the beer spill out faster.

What to take from Monon Food Co.: As much as I enjoyed the sliders, order the tacos there. They are stuffed full of all sorts of delicious ingredients. The buffalo chicken and the fish tacos are amazing. Eat early, especially if you want to party, because they offer very generous servings of food and you will leave stuffed.

"To EAt is human, to digest, divine." ~Mark Twain

Monon Food Company on Urbanspoon

Vanilla Bean Bakery

2342 W. 86th St.
Indianapolis, IN 46260

Vanilla Bean Bakery


I needed to pick up a dessert on Monday. I was going to pick up something from the Grand Traverse Pie Co. on Michigan Rd. but it was closed. I called my brother to see if he knew of any other good dessert joints in the city. He recommended Vanilla Bean Bakery on 86th and Township Line Rd. It is next to the new Kahn's Fine wines (old O'Malia's for those familiar with the area). They have been open for about 4 months now. From what I assume the owner was telling me, they have been doing really well. He said that their business has spread through word of mouth. I guess I am helping the cause.


Right away I was greeted with friendly service. I was offered a sample of the strawberry truffle. Essentially it is a piece of cake dipped in chocolate. When I think of truffles, I automatically think rich dessert. These truffles are actually pretty light. I think having a cake filling helps. I ordered 4 truffles: Peppermint, Lemon, Strawberry, and Double Chocolate Brownie.  By far the best is the Lemon Cake. The cake filling was moist and had a good lemon flavor. I also enjoyed how it was white chocolate. I was surprised how much I liked this one. The double chocolate brownie was the most rich of the four. The peppermint was a refreshing change. It reminded me of the holidays. The strawberry was just average. 




For the cupcakes, I went with Vanilla and Cookies and Cream. The issue I have with these cupcakes are the frosting. It is buttercream frosting which is fine. The problem is the volume of the frosting. It seems like it is equal parts frosting and cake. I have a hard time fitting the whole thing in my mouth. That's what she said! Well I scrape about a third of the frosting off and go with it. The vanilla was exactly that...vanilla. It was not anything spectacular. I'd have to say I'd prefer a Funfetti cupcake over this one. The texture was moist and fluffy, the flavor was just boring. The cookies and cream was a different story. The frosting wasn't as rich as the vanilla as there were cookies mixed in. There was a whipped cream filling, kind of like a Ho-Ho. I was much more please with this cupcake!


I recommend going to this if you need a sweet fix on the Northwest side. Just try one of the more
specialty cupcakes. I want to try a cookie next time too. 


Vanilla Bean Bakery on Urbanspoon

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Henry's Coffee Bistro (East St.)


Indianapolis, IN 46202
Henry's Coffee Bistro

It was a Saturday morning, we decided to try something different for brunch. I have had Henry's for lunch before (I had the Chipotle Turkey Sandwich. The Asian slaw is the best I've ever had. I highly recommend it. It was a long time ago, so I can't give an accurate review. All I remember is that I couldn't put it down.)

Henry's is a very charming neighborhood coffee house. It is a very welcoming atmosphere. Every time I have been in there, it seems like the tables are full of students with their lap tops or a people meeting for a coffee date.  My favorite thing about Henry's is the friendly workers. I do not go there enough, but I feel like its the Cheers of coffeehouses, where everyone knows your name.  Patron after patron would come into the restaurant, and it seemed like the barista would already know what they were going to order. The staff is very accommodating. The morning I went, a couple of ladies were celebrating a birthday. A Henry's regular came in to order a fair amount of baked goods. He asked for the last chocolate chip cookie, but the employee was already saving it for the birthday girl. I thought that was really thoughtful. The workers really put the customer first.

The brunch menu is only served on the weekends from 9am-2pm. I wasn't too hungry, so I just ordered a breakfast sandwich. The BLT bagel looked really good to me. As you can see, the sandwich came with a side of plain yogurt. This was a very pleasant surprise. I couldn't tell if this was Greek yogurt or not. It had the tart flavor and thicker texture of a Greek yogurt. Regardless, it was great addition to the meal. The BLT was perfect. It has an avocado aioli spread. There wasn't a strong avocado flavor, but you can definitely taste it. The bacon was crisp throughout, which I love. My mom always made her bacon extra crispy which is probably why I have grown accustomed to crispy bacon. The Romaine lettuce offered a nice crunch as well. The best part of the sandwich was the addition of cream cheese. It worked as a binding of all the components of the sandwich. Sometimes the tomatoes slide off the end of the bread, but cream cheese kept it all together. I also enjoyed how the sandwich was sent through the panini press after it was constructed. At the end of the day I was extremely satisfied with the total package of the meal.  JBH ordered the biscuits and gravy. The sausage gravy was full of flavor. It packed a nice peppery punch, which I love in my gravy. The only knock I have on the biscuits were they were a little on the crunchy side. The insides were tender, but the the crust was more done. Overall, I would order both meals again. I didn't order a cup of coffee, but I probably should have. I always load my coffee with cream and sugar, so either way I couldn't tell you what a good cup of coffee tastes like. I'm sure Henry's is delightful.

What you need to know: The staff is top notch. If you are having a bad day, go to Henry's. Their friendliness rivals that of a Chick-Fil-A employee. If you choose to dine for lunch, make sure you get the Asian slaw. It has free wi-fi, so if you need a quiet place to study downtown, Henry's is a great option.

You are what you EAt.

Henry's on East St. on Urbanspoon

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Acapulco Joe's

365 N Illinois St
Indianapolis, IN 46204

We were rushing downtown to grab a bite to eat before your Indiana Pacers took on the Minnesota Timberwolves. We narrowed our options down to Acapulco Joe's and Dick's Bodacious BBQ. Joe's won. Partly because it was stuck on my mind. This is one of my oldest friend's (who will so forth be referred to as, ABW) favorite restaurants. I personally, have only eaten there on two previous occasions. IMHO, it is the best  Mexican restaurant downtown, for the price you pay.  You can have a better Mexican meal at Adobo Grill, but you will pay for it. Also note, it is not your "authentic Mexican" food. It is very Americanized.


As you can see, the chips and salsa are not served in your typical fashion. Yes, those are squeeze bottles. Some people may view this as low class, but I like the change. You are have the control of how much salsa is going on your chips. The dreaded "double dip" is also removed from the dining experience. There are three types of salsa. Two red and one green. The green is more of a vinegar base, and is very runny. It does not come out of the squeeze bottle clean. The red salsas are both on the sweet end of the taste spectrum. One is has a more smoky flavor than the other which had a little more heat. They aren't labeled, so you are on your own to try them all. Also, they aren't very fresh tasting. You'll have that when the salsa comes in a squeeze bottle. PJB decided to order queso. They offered us regular queso and chili con queso (queso, red sauce, jalapenos) . We went with the latter. Let's just say it was the most difficult queso I've ever had to work with. GBG described it as, "if you were to just put the cheese from a mozzarella stick into a bowl." It wasn't actually mozzarella, but he meant, it was very thick and difficult to get onto a chip. The chips themselves were corn tortillas cut in half and fried, so they were on the large side. 

Entree time. Out of respect to ABW, I ordered the 6 nachos. As you can see, they are six chips, loaded with beans, beef, and cheese. ABW described them as, "open faced nachos". Well, he wasn't lying. Were these the best nachos I have ever eaten? No, but I was a fan of the ingenuity of the dish. What is the biggest issue with nachos? Each bite does not incorporate all the toppings. The nachos at Joe's are layered perfectly. Each bite contains meat, cheese, and the musical fruit. What the nachos lack is color. You can add salsa, but maybe next time I will ask for a side of guacamole. GBG ordered the chicken quesadilla, MWF had the chicken burrito, and PJB had the Monterey Special (one hard taco, one soft taco, Mexican beans). All enjoyed the meal, but I don't think one of us joined the clean plate club. The servings are very generous. After the Pacer game, we all were still pretty stuffed. 

As for the service, it was very average. I wasn't disappointed, but then again I have had better service. I enjoyed eating on the patio when it was nice out. Inside wasn't anything special. It seems like they haven't changed the decor in years. At the end of the day, I can see myself returning to the Acapulco Joe's. I couldn't find any major knocks on the place.

Make my words today sweet and tender, for tomorrow I may have to EAt them.

Acapulco Joe's Mexican Foods on Urbanspoon

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Yen Ching

9150 Michigan Rd
IndianapolisIN 46268
(317) 228-0868


Welcome back. First, let me preface the review with a little story. When I was working in Chicago, I had the chance to go to a natural foods trade show. After a little small talk with a man peddling Himalayan Salt Blocks, he asked me where I was from. I told him I was born and raised in Indianapolis. His response, "the best Chinese food I have ever eaten was in Indianapolis." I replied, "Oh yeah? What restaurant?" He then proceeded to tell me that there is no way I have heard of it. I said, "Try me. I think I've been to the best Chinese restaurant in Indianapolis." Finally he conceded and told me it was this little restaurant called,  Yen Ching. I informed him that I too believe that is the best Chinese restaurant. The only difference is that he always goes to the Yen Ching on E. Washington Street, whereas I frequent the Northside location. Yen Ching has long been a family favorite. My family has been going to this restaurant for a long time now. It is special when you can walk into an establishment and the owners, wait staff, or bartenders recognize you and welcome you by name. I always hold those places in high regard. 


Luckily I work on the Northwest side of town, so Yen Ching is only about 10 minutes away from the office. I have introduced my co-workers to the restaurant and its safe to say that they are hooked as well. They always know I'm a sure bet to join them for lunch. I know, enough background, and on with the food. My favorite time to dine is during lunch.  They offer a lunch combination platter where you can get soup, entree, fried rice, a crab rangoon, and a fried wonton for $5.45 (some options are a little more expensive. For instance, the Orange Chicken).  I always get the Hot & Sour soup. It is a great blend of veggies (bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, carrots, and I want to say there are bits of straw mushrooms as well). Also, there is egg streamed into the broth as well as tofu and tiny pieces of pork. Flavor-wise, it is exactly as advertised. It is a great mix of spicy and sour. It has a healthy amount of pepper. **Note, make sure you ask for a small bowl of fried wontons to mix or dip in the soup. It gives the soup a little added crunch.** I've tried other hot and sour soups, but this is by far my favorite. I also always substitute the fried wonton with another crab rangoon. The filling in the rangoon has a very creamy texture. I'd say it leans on the cream cheese flavor, with a hint of crab. All in all, a perfect addition to the meal. For my entree today I went with the General Zoal's Chicken. Who is General Zoal you ask? Well my friends, I have no idea who he was historically, but culinarily, he beats the pants off of General Tso, General Chu, or any Chinese General with a chicken dish named after him. This dish was the initial reason I started going back to Yen Ching. The pieces of chicken are dark meat.  The sauce is a vibrant red, as compared to more of a brown sauce you get at other Chinese restaurants. The sauce is not heavy and has a great blend of heat and sweet. The fried rice also has a very light taste to it. It is not at all greasy. The only veggies you are getting with this combo are in the soup and in the fried rice. If you want a more well rounded meal, opt for the chicken or beef and broccoli. 


Let's talk about the atmosphere. The decor in the restaurant is pretty plain. They have some Chinese tapestries and plants, but thats about it. If you are looking for a five star Chinese restaurant experience, Yen Ching is not the place for you. It is the perfect neighborhood eatery for amazing Chinese food. My favorite part of the service is the timing of the food. I'd say it is pretty flawless. You are seated, the waitress takes your order, within 5 minutes you have your soup, as you are finishing the soup the entree is on its way. As your meal comes to a close, the check is dropped with a fortune cookie. Speaking of fortune cookies, ever wonder why your fortune isn't coming true? Well you are eating the cookies wrong. Let me blow your mind on the proper way to eat a fortune cookie. 1. Break the cookie. 2. DO NOT READ THE FORTUNE. 3. Eat the cookie. 4. Read the fortune. 5. If you like your fortune,  eat your fortune. And do NOT tell anyone what it said. BOOM. That's how you eat a fortune cookie. Anyways, my favorite waitress is the older lady, Ching. Some people are annoyed with her style because she is very loud and commanding when you order, but she is friendly and gets the job done. 


Let's recap. The best time to go is for lunch. Order the Hot and Sour Soup, the Egg Drop is a decent option as well.  I recommend the following dishes as I rotate them whenever I dine: General Zoal's Chicken, Kung Pao Chicken, Sesame Chicken, Orange Chicken, Beef and Broccoli (My sister's favorite. She swears by it. I'd have to agree that it is the BEST Beef and Broccoli I've ever had) , Chicken and Broccoli, and Sweet and Sour Chicken. Lastly, don't forget to sign up for the Birthday Club. You bring two friends in and your meal is free. Well just find one friend and bring me. 


EAt your heart out.



Yen Ching on Urbanspoon

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Maxine's Chicken and Waffles

132 North East Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 423-3300

Maxine's Chicken and Waffles


I have been wanting to try this place for a while. As a new Indiana Pacers season ticket holder, I have begun to frequent the downtown area and its many new restaurants. Maxine's has been open since 2007. It is a family owned restaurant. My first impression when I walked in was that it was a lot bigger than I had thought.  To me, the decor seemed sort of cluttered.  Anyways, we arrived around 11am and were seated right away. I could see how Maxine's would be really busy when it isn't blizzard conditions outside.


If I could use one word to describe the atmosphere in Maxine's it would be busy. It seemed like they were overstaffed. The wait staff was running all over the place. This was a good thing because we never had to wait for help. In our case, we did need the extra help as a full glass of water was knocked over onto the table (motor skills were hindered from the previous night's activities). Our drinks were always full and our waitress was constantly coming over to see if we needed anything, but it wasn't to the point where she was annoying. She was very friendly and accommodating.

I decided to order off of the $5 menu. I felt obligated to order the dish for which the restaurant was named. I had 1 jumbo fried chicken wing and a blueberry waffle. Our food came out pretty quickly. The waffle was delicious. Only drawback was that I like my waffles with a little bit of a crispiness to them. This waffle was very soft. It was full of blueberry flavor though. As for the chicken, it was seasoned well and the meat was juicy and tender.  I would have preferred a different type of cut of chicken, but there is a disclaimer warning that other cuts are made to order and will take 20-35 minutes.  In order for me to rate this fried chicken as one of the best in the city, I will have to try the other cuts. In my humble opinion, some of the best fried chicken is from Jugs Catering. Just the thought of the big white truck with the man in the chef hat brings me back to the days of our church picnics, high school open house, and more recently working at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the Beverage Catering department.  (On a side note, if you crave fried biscuits and apple butter, you have to go to Squealers on W. 86th street and Moller Road. Review to come later) The cup you see is peach butter. I had no idea what it was, and assumed it was regular butter. To be honest, I thought it looked like a cup of scrambled eggs, and it wasn't too appealing. Also, I usually don't put butter on my waffles and upon leaving and hearing that it was peach butter, I was disappointed in myself in neglecting the peach butter. Next time will be different. Fool me once peach butter, shame on me. Fool me twice, strike two.

All in all, I would definitely consider a return trip. Knowing that the non-wing fried chicken is made to order, I will either call in for carryout or plan to be there for at least an hour. I recommend Maxine's if you are looking for a good homestyle meal or you are looking to cure the hangover blues (If the hair of the dog isn't around, I always fight the demons with something a little more heavy and on the greasy end of the food spectrum). In my case, it was the latter and it hit the spot.

Merry EAting!

Maxine's Chicken and Waffles on Urbanspoon

Welcome to EAting Indy

Hello friends. I have started this blog in order to offer my own personal take on dining here in the Circle City.


A little background on me: I have been described as a foodie and a food snob. I like to take my food seriously. This is due to my passion for cooking. I know how much time and effort goes into putting a good meal on the table, so I have grown to appreciate the finer aspects of dining. Growing up, both my parents worked A LOT, but it never stopped my family from having a nice home cooked meal almost every night of the week. Both my parents can cook, so I guess this is where my love of food originates. Anyone that has been to my house knows we always had food stocked in the fridge or the pantry, sometimes way past the expiration date. I had always wanted to learn how to cook. Watching my parents, I seemed to take in how to prep for a meal, the ingredients, and the process from getting the food from the stove top to table top. It wasn't until college where I really had to hone in my culinary skills. I finally had the chance to cook a meal for myself as well as treat my roommates to a little home cooking. I don't think any of them had a problem with my weekly trials and tribulations in the kitchen. From college, to living in Chicago after graduation, to moving back here in Indy, my love of food has blossomed.


So in not so many words, that gets us to where I am today.  This past week, while experiencing Devour Downtown, I realized I could offer my take on restaurants here in town. Upon throwing this blog idea around to my closest friends and family members, who very often ask my opinion where to eat anyways,   I am going to give my honest, humble opinion on the places I eat. Things I always take in to consideration when eating at a restaurant are service, atmosphere, and obviously taste. Now, I understand you go to specific restaurants for a certain reason: a first date, an anniversary, quick bite to eat before a sporting event or movie, birthdays and other holidays. So with that in mind, I will keep everything relative. I expect dinner at St. Elmo's to require a different type of service and atmosphere than a hungover brunch at Union Jacks.


Please feel free to add your comments and even suggest your favorite restaurants. Just be respectful. In part, I am writing this to help you all out as well.


EAt, drink, and be merry. Cheers friends!