Bub's Burgers & Ice Cream

201 W. Main St.

Carmel, IN 46032

(317) 706- BUBS (2827)

Bub's Burgers & Ice Cream

 

The first time I ever ate at Bub's was 2 summers ago during an ambitious ride north on the Monon from Broad Ripple. I had just purchased a new bicycle, and we wanted to go on a ride. We thought it would be a good idea to go to Bub's for lunch, as it was getting much press from its feature on Man VS Food. It is a little over an 8 mile ride down the Monon. We decided it would be a good idea to make it a tradition after this trip. I'm sad to say that the tradition came to an end this year, as the other 3 of my friends that partook on this inaugural trip have since moved away from the Circle City. Nothing will compare to the first time riding down there as it was around 100 degrees outside and humid. 3 out of the 4 of us ate the "Big Ugly" 1lb burger. The other ordered the 1/4 lb hot dog. We were all successful in finishing the Big Ugly so we got our picture on the wall. Shockingly, the ride home took less time than the ride there.

My most recent trip was on this past Labor Day. The restaurant was as busy as always, it seems to have a pretty steady flow of patrons no matter what time or day it is. It doesn't hurt to be located right off the Monon and in Downtown Carmel which has hundreds of visitors a day. We even got there at 11:30. Luckily it was a nice day out and we could sit on the patio. Actually, I have never eaten inside, it has always been on the patio. There are a good amount of picnic tables out there to accomodate large groups. Our service was great. The food came out quickly and our waitress was very friendly. I have never had any issues with the restaurant. My only caveat is be prepared to wait to be seated. They do not take reservations unless you book the party room. Luckily during the summer time there are games outside to keep the kids occupied. They also line up patio chairs so you have a place to sit. It is a great place to people watch.

This time around I ordered the 1/2 lb Elk burger. Elk is healthier for you as it has less fat, cholesterol, and calories than beef. All the burgers come with your choice of cheese, lettuce, pickles, tomato, and onion. I went with the pepper jack cheese. I also ordered a side of sweet potato waffle fries with marshmallow sauce for dipping. The burger was cooked to a perfect medium, which as far as you want to go with game meats. If I have learned anything watching cooking shows, it is to cook game meats to medium rare. Each bite was juicy and flavorful. I have always felt that a good burger can stand up on its own without any condiments. This holds true with the Bub's burger. This was also the first time I have had elk. I really couldn't tell too much of a difference between my elk burger and JBH's beef burger besides the elk tasting a bit sweeter than the beef. The buns are baked locally, specifically for the 3 different sizes of burgers. The bun was toasted and had a wonderful buttery flavor. The sweet potato waffle fries reminded me of Thanksgiving. These were a perfect blend of sweet and salty. The fries were crispy thoughout. I find that sometimes sweet potato fries are usually on the soggy side, but not these. I was full after my meal, but not uncomfortable. It helped cure any lingering hang over effects I was feeling from the wedding I went to that weekend.

Of all the burger places I have written about Bub's falls somewhere near the middle of my favorites. It is a good burger with a fun atmosphere, perfect for families. I just think there are better burger joints that offer a more grown up taste.

"EAting is really one of your indoor sports. you play three times a day, and it's well worth while to make the game as pleasant as possible." - Dorothy Draper

Napolese

114 E. 49th St.

Indianapolis, IN

(317) 925-0765

Napolese

I've been waiting to write about Napolese for a while. I wanted to get a few visits under my belt before formulating my opinion. My conclusion is that Napolese is my favorite pizza in the city. The service and the food has always been top notch. I also love the neighborhood. I have always loved the homes in the area, and the whole block at 49th and Penn just really comes out of nowhere. The businesses are really part of the neighborhood. The only issue I have is that it gets pretty busy and you often have to wait for a table, as they do not take reservations. There are two sides to the restaurant and a patio. I have only sat in the main dining room and the patio. When I walked in, the first thing i noticed was the pizza oven. I enjoyed being able to see how the pizza was being made from start to finish. There are a few bar stools in front of the cooking area. It reminded me of Noble Roman's pizza growing up where you could watch the pizza artists through the window. You get a sense of how fresh the ingredients are as you can see the chefs chopping, rolling out the dough, and assembling the pizza. The key to a good wood fired pizza is the movement of the pizzas in the oven. You do not want to keep the pizza in the same place as it will burn. On the contrary if you add a pizza to the oven, you do not want to place it where you removed the last pizza as it will not be as hot. It becomes an art and the chefs at Napolese are pros.

When you are seated, you are brought a mixed sampling of olives. Only within the past few years have I become a fan of olives. These are pitted and can be eaten by themselves or to accompany any part of your meal. Not only does Napolese have the best pizza in the city, I'm convinced their double chopped salad is the best as well. I always add a few olives to the wonderful blend of ingredients. It is a base of romaine lettuce. The salad also has shredded mozzarella, gorgonzola, roasted peppers, crispy pancetta, thick sliced pepperoni, white corn and chickpeas. It is dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette. Each bite has something different and each ingredient works well with each other. It is a symphony of flavors. The ingredients aren't listed on the menu, but believe me, you will not be disappointed.

I feel like the pizzas change season to season. We went in the beginning of summer and they had this pesto based pizza with ham, pineapple, and jalepeno. When I went a few days ago, it was nowhere to be found. Luckily the Hamaker's corner pizza is a regular on the menu. It is pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, and provolone. It is a pretty basic pizza in comparison to the others on the menu. The pepperoni is thick cut and has great flavor. There are pretty decent sized pieces of sausage which give the pizza a mild spicy taste. The button mushrooms bring a wonderful, earthy flavor. The other pizzas I have had are the broken yolk, which is the margherita pizza with an egg cracked in the middle. This might scare off some, but it is so unique that we had to try it. I feel like this pizza would be better around brunch time. Elliot's pie is pancetta, potatoes, and gorgonzola. This wasn't my favorite, but it was still very good. The potatoes dried out in the cooking process. I just enjoy how everything is so fresh, which is probably why certain pizzas are available depending on the season. Since Napolese has the same owner as Cafe Patachou, you know you are getting the best, freshest ingredients. This restaurant is a great example of farm to table dining.

"Want to learn to EAt a lot? Here it is: EAt a little. That way you will be around long enough to EAt a lot." -Anthony Robbins

The Friendly Tavern

290 S. Main Street

Zionsville, IN 46077

(317) 873-5772

The Friendly Tavern

 

My coworkers were kind enough to go out with me to lunch on my birthday. I was craving wings and I had not been to The Friendly Tavern in a few years, probably since college. This post is another semi-dedication to @ArtWalter to who makes The Friendly, a "must eat restaurant" when he is home. Since our palettes are pretty much the same, I had to ask for a recommendation. I knew one was going to be the wings, the other suggestion was the shaved prime rib sandwich. I'll get to the food later, but. There are essentially two dining areas, one with the bar, and an elevated area with larger tables. Our service was okay, but a little on the slow side. I guess that would be our fault for having 8 people come to lunch during peak hours. It was better the first time, the second time it took a while to get our checks. The food was so good, it overshadowed the lackluster service.

As I mentioned we got the wings. We went with two orders for the table the first time we went. We got "The Friendly's Famous Wings" and the Honey Apple BBQ Chicken wings. Both wings were superb. @ArtWalter was not wrong when he said that these were the best wings he has ever eaten. The Famous Wings are breaded and un-sauced. You get to choose 2 sauces. We went with the hot sauce and bleu cheese. Even without sauce, these wings amazing. I do like how you get to control the sauce. Often times the sauce will take away from the crispy wing, but not these. Each wing had plenty of meat, was seasoned well, and there were a copious amount of them. Both orders were enough for the table to have a fair share. The Honey Apple wings were pre-sauced, but they were still very crispy. This was a good contrast to the spicy wings. The sauce was unlike any other type of BBQ sauce. It was sweet, tart, and very mild. This is perfect for those who do not like heat, as these have no heat. The wings are what prompted Round 2 the following week. My coworker, Matt, and I were so spellbound by these wings, we ONLY order the wings. Maybe I just can't eat like I used to, but a whole order of wings is pushing it for one person. I think we both agreed that it would be best to split an order the next time through.

I will forever trust Artie when it comes to food. The prime rib sandwich was a piece of beauty. Although I find Adam Richman annoying, I had been watching his "Best Sandwich in America" show. I am going to steal his rating scale for this sandwich, his "B.I.T.E. Scale" if you will. The "B" stands for the bread. It was crusty, yet soft, the two things I look for in bread. The "I" stands for interior. There was a good amount of shaved prime rib. It was so thin that each bite was tender. The grilled onions and mushrooms added good earthy flavor. You can't have a good steak sandwich without melted cheese. The cheddar bound everything together, encapsulating the ingredients so each bite contained all the aforementioned goodness. There was a side of horseradish sauce, I only used it sparingly. I would have preferred an au jus of some sort, because near the end of the sandwich, it was a little dry. The "T" stands for taste. This was a very tasty sandwich. I prefer it over any other steak sandwich I have ever eaten, your move Penn Station... The "E" stands for eating experience, and I have already spoken to how the service was slow, but I will not let that keep me going back.

I promised Artie that he would be able to guest post on The Friendly, so be on the lookout for the first entry not written by your's truly. He was also the most recent winner of "Lunch on EAting Indy"

"Everything I EAt has been proved by some doctor or other to be a deadly poison, and everything I don't EAt has been proved to be indispensable for life. But I go marching on" - George Bernard Shaw

Boathouse Grill

6225 W. 56th St

Indianapolis, IN 46254

317.328.8812

After golfing on a Sunday afternoon at Eagle Creek, our foursome decided to go to dinner at The Boathouse Grill (not to be confused with Rick's Cafe Boatyard). My coworkers and I used to go there more frequently before our office moved. It is located near 56th and Lafayette Rd. It is a bar and grill with a more nautical theme. There is a big paddle boat hanging from the ceiling, and other types of water themed memorabilia. The decor that stuck out to me was the beautiful fish tank above the bar.

Our service was good but a little on the slow side, but nothing that was unbearable. The food came out quickly, but we had to wait a little while for our drinks. They do have a nice side patio. Now that all the bars are smoke free in the city, you also don't have to worry about dining in a cloud of smoke, which was my biggest issue with this restaurant. On the plus side, they do offer freshly popped popcorn.

If you remember my post from around Super Bowl time, Boathouse had a sandwich listed in the Super 46 sandwiches in the state. It is their fish sandwich. I had eaten it before and it is one of the better fish sandwiches I have ever had. I know its hard to say that a fish sandwich in the middle of the country can be that good, but Boathouse pulls it off. I apologize for the dark picture, but my phone was running out of juice (it also doubles as a GPS on the golf course). Boathouse uses some sort of whitefish filet breaded in a beer batter. First off, the filet is huge. I think I have mentioned my pet peeve of when the meat portion is smaller than the bun. The fish is edge to edge on a crusty French bread. The fish was very crispy yet flaky. There was not an excess of batter, it was pretty even throughout. A good way to tell a fish is fresh, is that it doesn't have a fishy smell or taste. The sandwich is loaded with tomato, lettuce, onion, pickle and a side of tartar sauce. I don't really use a lot of tartar sauce as I try to limit extra fat on a deep fried fish sandwich. I do add a little malt vinegar instead. I decided to go with onion petals as my side. The petals were nicely sized and there was a heaping portion to accompany the sandwich. The batter was different than the beer battered fish. It was flour and bread crumb based I think I was channelling John Daly instead of Tiger Woods for my post round meal. It was nice that I didn't have to do anything the rest of the day, because I had a belly full of deep fried goodness.

"If you can EAt with mates or friends or family, I mean it's such a brilliant thing isn't it? If you feel reallly rubbish and you have a nice bit of food it make you feel good, you know?" - Jamie Oliver

Road Trip: Bloomington, IN - Hinkle's Hamburgers

206 S. Adams

Bloomington, IN 47404

(812) 339-3335

Hinkle's Hamburgers

I was down in Bloomington again to coach in the IHSAA State Track Meet. I had driven by Hinkle's Hamburgers numerous times while I was in school, but I had never actually eaten there. It is located southwest of campus off S. Adams St. If you take Kirkwood west past the cemetery, veer to the left and the restaurant is on your right. Hinkle's is the epitome of a dive restaurant. It is not very big and it seems the decor hasn't changed in years. The menu is the same as you would find in a concession stand. I think this is what gives the restaurant its signature "No Frills, Classic Food" flair. It has a couple of seats at the counter, about 7 or so table tops, and a few benches outside. I think only recently they started accepting credit cards. When you walk in, there are about 5 or so employees behind the counter. The place was pretty busy when my brother and I arrived. We were unable to eat inside the dining area, so we went to the picnic tables outside.

 

We each got a double cheeseburger meal (burger, fries, soda) for $6. I went with grilled onions, lettuce, and tomato on mine. We also ordered a side of the fried pickles ($3). The price couldn't be beat. If you look at the specials menu, you can see the 3 hamburgers for $5. I think they really know the target market of Bloomington townies and college students on a budget. I mean "townies" with the utmost respect. Having to put up with college students 9 months of the year, you deserve great restaurants like Hinkle's. I really wish I would have tried this place out when I was an undergrad, as you can't beat the price. Also, this would have hit the spot for many a hangover. I know when you see these pictures, you will think the burger is pretty unappealing, but tell me the last time you went to a fast food joint and the burger looked like the burger from the commercials. The fries were typical. The fried pickles were spears not chips. I was hoping they were hand breaded, but to my disappointment, they came out of a bag in the freezer. The freshest part of the meal was the burger. The beef is ground fresh daily. It was about the size of a McDonald's patty in thickness and area. The flavor was more along the lines of a White Castle burger, but with much better meat. This can be attributed to the steamed onions. I saw the chef cover the burger with a stainless steel cover to melt the cheese faster. I guess it was a good thing I was only coaching, not running in the meet, because this meal sat heavy. Although on numerous occasions this year, I had to explain how important it was to not eat junk before the meets.

I have long said that Bloomington is a food mecca. Hinkle's just extends my theory. My brother overhead some kids talking about where they wanted to eat after the meet. I was very disappointed to hear that their options were Olive Garden, Bob Evans, and Applebee's. Please, do yourselves a favor. If you ever go down to Bloomington, stay away from the chains. You will not regret your decision.


"I want to keep fighting because it is the only thing that keeps me out of the hamburger joints. If I don't fight, I'll EAt this planet." -George Foreman

Revolucion

1132 Prospect Street

Indianapolis, IN 46203

(317) 423-9490

Revolucion

 

If you haven't been to Fountain Square recently, I suggest you make the trip. Once you get past all the construction going on, there are some great places to dine and hang out. Growing up the only thing to do there was go to duckpin bowling. Now the area is on the up and up. Just last night I had a delicious beer from Fountain Square Brewery. Other restaurants I recommend are Siam Square and South of Chicago Pizza and Beef. For now lets focus on Revolucion. First and foremost, its a tequila bar that serves food. I say this because you need to be 21 to enter. Sorry parents, leave the kids at home. They have a wide array of tequila. I try to stay away from the stuff because when I drink tequila, it stirs up foggy memories of college, specifically a prairie fire shot on my 21st birthday. When we dined there, there were 2 large parties seated. It seemed like it was a very relaxed restaurant as patrons were moving tables to accommodate their own parties. Also, you have to order the food at the bar. There isn't a waitress walking around taking orders. We did have a bartender check on us in the middle of dinner, but that was it. Our food came out quickly, but I must say, having never been there before, the order process was somewhat confusing.

We had our hesitations with the food, only because the last time my brother recommended a Mexican restaurant, it was the worst food I have ever had (El Sol de Tala). That place was also one of the inspirations for me starting this blog. Needless to say, my brother redeemed himself with this suggestion. We started off with chips and guacamole. The chips were made in house and made from corn tortillas instead of flour. The guacamole was great. It was cool and creamy, with small diced tomato, onion, cilantro, with a hint of lime. It tasted very fresh.

The other side I ordered was Patatas Bravas. The last time I had this was at BBI and I loved it. This version was not as good. They are deep fried potato wedges with a chipotle sauce drizzle. The potatoes were good, but the sauce did not do a whole lot for me. It lacked the smokey flavor of a chipotle pepper. It was more like a spicy tomato paste with vinegar to thin out the sauce. I wish it had more of a creamy texture and flavor.

We ordered two different kinds of tacos (you get two tacos per order): carne asada and tacos de papas. The carne asada tacos just came out with a side of pico, a deep fried tomatillo, and a lime wedge. For those of you used to the Doritos Locos Tacos, you will be disappointed. This is a bare bones, typical street taco. The corn tortillas are double layered, due to the fragile corn tortilla. The beef was tender and finely chopped. It had nice seasoning, a good balance of salty and spicy.

The taco de papas tacos were a little more traditional, in that there were some toppings. The tacos consisted of roasted potatoes, corn, poblanos, queso fresco, and crema. This taco was my favorite of the two. It also came with a side of pico, lime wedge, and deep fried tomatillo. All the ingredients just worked well together. The poblano is a milder pepper, with a little heat. Queso fresco is a white cheese with a mild, creamy flavor. The corn added a sweetness, and the potatoes added some body to the taco. I generally prefer protein in my tacos, but these veggie tacos were delightful.

The pico added a freshness, but if you wanted to add any sort of heat, there are squeeze bottles of hot sauce. I know I got negative feedback when I talked about the squeeze bottle salsa from Acapulco Joe's, my readers were weary of anything that came from a bottle. I must persuade you to give these sauces a try. Each sauce was unique, and I could not recall which one was my favorite. The sauce that did stick out was orange based, as it reminded me of an orange creamsicle. It was hot and sweet and added an fresh citrus flavor to the taco.

I am looking forward to my return trip to Revolucion. I have been searching the city for good tacos since I had the best tacos of my life in Austin, TX this past winter. Although these tacos were not on par with Torchy's Tacos, they were very delicious. Next time you have a craving for a taco, don't "Live Mas". Live Local. Seek out a Taco Food truck or head out to Fountain Square. You will not be disappointed.

 

"The chief pleasure in eating does not consist in costly seasoning, or exquisite flavor, but in yourself." - Horace

 

Road Trip: Bloomington, IN - Janko's Little Zagreb

223 W. 6th St.

Bloomington, IN 47404

(812) 332-0694

Little Zagreb

I have been pretty excited to come back to eat at Janko's Little Zagreb. I never had the pleasure of eating there during my 4 years at IU. This is mainly because as a college student, the only time I really got to experience the nicer restaurants is when my parents came down to visit, as most of my money went to the Busch Light fund. Now that I am all grown up, it has been a treat to go back down and finally go to the expensive dining hot spots. As I have mentioned before, Bloomington is a food mecca. There are endless dining options for every palette. Little Zagreb is renowned as one of the best steakhouses in the state. I always pictured the restaurant to be a pretty classy joint, but it is the exact opposite. It is very casual. There are two dining areas which seat a fair amount of people. We were seated in the further dining room which is near the grill and food prep area. This was a unique experience in that you rarely see the food actually being cooked. The decor is typical of Bloomington in that the walls are full of IU memorabilia. The tables are covered with the old school red and white checkered table cloths. You kind of have a nostalgic feeling when you eat there, like you are eating in the past (minus the LCD tv's on the wall). The restaurant sponsors IU athletics, so you may have the pleasure of rubbing elbows with the past and future IU legends. My friends and I have been running to Todd Lindeman when we go down there. I recommend making reservations during home football weekends, Little 500, Graduation, or any other big weekend down there. Our food came out quickly, our water was always full, and our waitress was very knowledgeable of the menu.

My logo creator had never eaten at Zagreb before and he is planning on moving this summer, it was a perfect opportunity to dine there. @RFSchaffner and I had eaten there before, so we kind of knew what was good. Since there were 3 of us, we decided to get the most bang for our buck. We ordered the sirloin dinner for 3. It is over 3 pounds of sirloin, rolls, and salad. We also opted for the half order of spicy meatballs. Just a forewarning, they are surprisingly more spicy than any meatball I have ever had. You get about 8 or so in a half order. I couldn't really pin point where the heat came from. When I make my own spicy marinara, I use sriracha (or Sir ChaCha as it has been commonly referred to amongst my group of friends), and the sauce reminded me of that same flavor. I decided to get creative with my food, and I made a mini meatball slider with half a roll and a meatball. The rolls were warmed on the grill, and had a nice crusty outside and fluffy inside.

I would have to say that if there was a downside to the meal, it was the salad. The dressing was good, but the lettuce is just an average hand torn ice berg lettuce salad. We were all talking how a wedge would have been better, but you also don't go to Zagreb's for the salad. I'm pretty sure the dressings are made in house, I went with the Bleu Cheese. I think there could have been more Bleu Cheese crumbles in the dressing.

The star of the meal was the steak. We kind of had a bet before the steak came out. I was convinced the steak for 3 would be 3 different sirloin cuts. The other two said it was going to be one big steak. They were right. Our waitress did mention that there is a smaller piece of sirloin that could be cooked to a different temperature than the main cut. We ordered the main cut to be cooked medium, the small cut medium rare. It was a test to my butchering skills to divvy up the steak between us. I know you are supposed to cut against the grain of the beef to have more tender bites, but with a steak that large, I had to go against traditional methods to get equal pieces. The steak was tender, juicy, and flavorful. I'm sure it was only seasoned with salt and pepper. My only issue was there was a little more fat than I had expected on the cut. It was only along the outer edge of the steak, so it was easy to trim. We had a good amount of steak left over, so we left it for our wonderful host to reconstitute into a steak sandwich. We didn't have room for dessert, but the options sounded amazing. We ordered them to go. I went with the lemon berry cake with Mascarpone cheese. We all ordered a different dessert. All were very good, and I recommend that you order a dessert if you go. Our waitress said that the lemon berry cake and the chocolate mousse cheesecake were her favorites. She said that the lemon berry was more of a morning food and she could eat it for breakfast. I'd have to agree, it tasted like a blueberry muffin with a cool creamy center. The chocolate mousse was more rich and decadent. The NY style was your typical cheesecake with a buttery graham cracker crust. When I go back, I'd like to try the steak burger.

You have 3 days to take advantage of the Groupon for a steak dinner for 2:

http://www.groupon.com/deals/jankos-little-zagreb

"Not EAting meat is a decision, EAting meat is an instinct." -Denis Leary