Monday, April 19, 2010

Flatwater Restaurant

Sunny, warm weather always beckons the FLOE to the Monon.  A lazy Sunday stroll left us parched and ready to find some new eats.  Our first attempt didn't work out (we'll be back for you, Fat Dan's!), so we moseyed further and stumbled upon the newly opened Flatwater Restaurant on Westfield Blvd.

We were super-psyched to see the awesome deck located in back, right on the canal...lots of scenery for the Oz-man and a serene atmosphere for maxin' and relaxin'.

It was also the location of a momentous occasion - first time in a restaurant high chiar- for our newest member, Miss Stella.

Mommy and Daddy were very thirsty, so the on-draft options had to be addressed immediately.  Libby decided on the Sun King Wee-Mac...one of the least hoppy selections available, and Fred, the Upland Rad Red.  It is obvious the owner(s) favor the hoppy side as the tapped goodies were all pale ales and other bitter varieties -- even the Rad Red was on the bitter side, much to Fred's dismay.

The menu was simple yet had a lot of tasty selections to offer.  We decided to get a couple of things to share...Libby ordered the "Best of the Wurst" plate and Fred, a sliders selection (Hickory Smoked Ham, Hoosier Mini Pork Tenderloin, and Pulled Pork) with house-made fries. Ozzy the mac 'n cheese and fries...is there no helping this child?

First off, the beers were good...both Fred and Libby preferred the Sun King, with Fred moving to it for his second pint.  Ozzy was content to watch the active canal fowl and visit the nesting duck in a planter on the deck.  Stella proclaimed her control of the lotion(pictured above) and we all enjoyed a great start to the meal.  The orders came out fairly quickly.

Fred's slider plate looked awesome! And it was.  As soon as he saw them, he knew the fries were perfect...golden brown and delicious.  A deep dark honey color that only comes from a double fry.  The ham had a zesty mustard that actually needed the swiss to cool it down.  The two played off nicely and set the stage for slider #2.  The fried tenderloin had a great coating that again, was extra crisp without being oily.  No mayo, but the bite from the pickle was all it needed.  Last up was the pulled pork.  While it could have used a dash more barbecue, it was incredibly juicy and full of porky goodness. 

Libby was somewhat disappointed that her plate came out with brown edged lettuce and a few rotten grapes, but you can't go wrong with the high quality meats and cheeses.  The nuts, apples, crustinies and raspberries were nice, but it didn't really feel like $13.  It truly was an appetizer...more was in need.  So, instead of ordering a dessert (of which there were none on the menu?!), we went with another appy that sounded awesome, the Pulled Pork Nachos with serrano pepper salsa.

As soon as it hit the table, we were concerned about the amount of red onion --an aversion for both Fred and Libby (immature, we know) as well as the lack of sauciness.  As we started to munch, the consensus was, where is the goo?  the glop that makes nachos nachos?  But, as we continued on, a change came over us...this was good.  Good in a fresh garden nacho kind of way.  Good in a not too cheesy and overly greasy kind of way...what is this?  Do we dare to enjoy a "healthier" nacho?  Blasphemy!!! This is an outrage!  But alas, we actually quite enjoyed the plate before us.  Well played, Flatwater.  Well played.

Ozzy was pleased as punch that his mac 'n cheese was the oh so healthy Kraft variety. Yay.  But he did luck out to get the same delish house-made fries.  He gobbled it all up and was quite pleased by the experience...except he tried to get a little too friendly with the nesting duck and got a nip on the finger to put him in his place. Kids.

http://www.flatwaterbroadripple.com/home.html

Wrap Up
Price-$ - $$$, All over the board.  You can get a good meal for $9 or $20.
Atmosphere-****, While we did not experience the interior, the back deck was fabulous overlooking the canal. 
Service-***, Courteous, timely and friendly.



Overall
Fred - B, I would recommend the sliders to anyone.  A steal at less than $10.  But come on guys, not EVERYONE likes bitter beer and it was either that or the domestic swill.
Libby - B-,  Atmosphere, great.  Sliders, awesome.  Nachos, a surprise hit.  But the appy I chose, which took zero cooking and just meant throwing together decent ingredients on a plate, should never include brown lettuce and rotten grapes.  Quality control can make or break a new establishment.  Don't destroy a good concept by letting the little things go.  There were a lot of bells and whistles in that menu description, but the proof wasn't on the plate.
Ozzy- A , Wolfed down his food, loved the freedom to walk up to the fence, look at the ducks, etc.
Estelle- A, Her squawks of delight in loud proclamations were barely noticed and she received lots of smiles from the other tables enjoying the fine evening outside. 




Flatwater Restaurant on Urbanspoon






3 comments:

billbean said...

Just found your blog (via urban spoon) while researching Fogo (can't wait to go later today). love your stuff!

Brad Ruggles said...

Like the commenter above me, I just discovered your blog on UrbanSpoon. I love it! An Indy area blogger exploring and blogging about local cuisine! I've always thought that would make a great blog. I'll definitely be checking back to read more. I'm a local blogger as well (www.bradruggles.com) but I don't get the chance to write about restaurants near enough.

Based on your review we're going to check out Flatwater this Friday night with friends. I'm a little concerned about the beer selection since I too am not a fan of hoppy beers. I was hoping they would have Fat Tire by New Belgium on tap which seems to be increasing in popularity here in Indy.

If you're ever looking for another couple to join you guys for a restaurant review trip let me know!

Fred, Libby, Ozzy and Estelle(Stella) said...

Thanks billbean and Brad! It's awesome to hear from readers and know that the blog is not only a fun hobby for us, but an enjoyment for others as well! Happy Eating!

FLOE