Monday, August 8, 2011

Sensu Indianapolis

Sensu Indianapolis
225 S. Meridian St.
Indianpolis, IN 46225

Sensu


I had a Living Social deal to use at Sensu. Speaking of Living Social like deals, I had to explain the concept to a lady at Old Navy the other day. She was completely clueless. My sister sent me a $20 for $10 Groupon to use, and I guess they have had problems processing them in their system, so I just assumed the lady in front of me just was having the same issue, then the following conversation took place:
Nitwit Consumer (NC): "Can you help me find my Groupon?"
ME: "Sure thing, just log in on your phone."
NC: "OK, I'm there"
ME: "There isn't anything under Unused Groupons"
NC: "Well, I haven't used it yet. I just downloaded the app today."
ME: "Well it should show up here. When did you buy it?"
NC: "You have to buy them?"
ME: "Yes."
NC: "Oh, what is this Asian restaurant (Sensu) Groupon? Is it good?"
ME: "Well I ate there a couple weeks ago, and I recommend if you are going to go to purchase the Groupon, as it gets kind of expensive pretty quickly."
NC: "Well I don't want it."
ME: "So DON'T BUY IT!"



Thanks for wasting my time. Back to Sensu. Imagine a Vegas restaurant/club in downtown Indy. It has a very modern and hip decor. There are huge projection screens showing nature-scapes. Although, calming, I found it rather distracting. The ambiance was very pleasant for dinner which was nice, so I do recommend it as a place for date night, just know you will be shelling out some cash. I have never been out there late night, but I assume it starts popping off around 10. DJBG raves about the place. Clubs like this have never really been my scene. Even when I lived in Chicago, I never ventured to the clubby bars, unless it was for a special occasion. The one thing that will stick in my mind as a highlight of the meal was our waiter. It was the BEST service I have had in the city since I have moved back. Since this was our first time, he kind of explained the concept of the menu. It was more like Asian fusion tapas. They serve small plates, and based on your food preferences, they cater the menu to your liking. He asked what we liked, and gave us some suggestions. He went away for a while, giving us time to dissect the menu. Before he left, he suggested the tacos and a couple of the Kobe beef dishes. I have only had Kobe beef burgers, so it was given before we even sat down, that I was going to order the Kobe beef. Those cattle have a pretty posh life, up to the time they become food. I mean they get to eat great food, get massages, and drink Sake. I bet that fire in Chicago wouldn't have happened if someone gave that cow an Old Style and a massage. When our waiter returned, we were ready to order. I decided to go with two tacos (lobster and BBQ pork, $4.50 each) and the Kobe Beef Toban Yaki ($28). I also chose the Wasabi mashed potatoes ($5), per the suggestion of our waiter. JBH ordered Chicken Satay ($13) and Pork and Kobe Beef tacos. The only downside of the meal was the mashed potatoes. I didn't take a picture of them, because I was too focused on eating the rest of the meal. After we both had a bite, we were over them and really didn't go back for more. First the color of the mashed potatoes was pea green and not very appealing. They were very heavy in wasabi flavor. Some people love wasabi, so this dish would be great for them. I don't mind it, but it was too strong for my liking. As for the rest of the meal, it was delicious. Of the two tacos, the BBQ pork was my favorite. It had a little bit of heat, but not too overpowering. The pineapple salsa countered any heat with a sweet flavor. Lobster is one thing that I never eat often, but I really enjoy. I was torn between the tacos and the clay pot lobster. I think my ultimate decision was reached because the clay pot lobster is cooked in a red curry sauce. I can't decide if I like curry or not, and I surely was not going to pay $24 for something I wasn't positive I was going to like. So I went with a lobster taco. It was good, not great. I think I was expecting a lot of lobster, but I didn't get it. For those of you who have issues with texture, this taco is not for you. The texture is soft and chewy, with the lobster, tomato, and avocado. Now for the star of the meal, the Kobe Beef Toban Yaki. The meal is served on a sizzling hot plate with a nice mixture of mushrooms and asparagus. As you can see, the beef is served rare to medium rare. Lots of pink. The longer you leave the steak on the plate, the more it will cook. I generally order my steak medium, but I was hungry and couldn't wait to eat it. The meat was so tender. It literally melted in my mouth. The knife sliced through the beef with ease and each bite was just as good as the one before. I enjoyed the mushrooms more than the asparagus. The enoki mushrooms are the things that look like they came out of a sci-fi movie. The stems kind have the texture of an angel hair pasta. The Shitake


For those of you who don't want to want to shell out the cash. Devour Downtown starts today and runs through August 21st. For $30 you can get 4 courses at Sensu. The Toban Yaki isn't on the DD menu, but another beef dish is, as are the tacos. I plan on hitting at least 2 restaurants during DD. St. Elmo's and Fogo de Chao look like the preliminary targets. Click the picture below for a list of restaurants. Happy devouring!


"I really believe the only way to stay healthy is to eat properly, get your rest and exercise. If you don't exercise and do the other two, I still don't think it's going to help you that much. "
Devour Downtown Summer '11

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