Granite City Food & Brewery

A new brewpub on the north side, Granite City has definitely brought game. While it is a regional chain, we felt that since there was a brewery involved, it needed to be reviewed. Reminiscent of BJ's on the south side, it has a contemporary clean design that is open, comfortable and family friendly.

But seriously, how about that beer? Fred naturally went with the sampler to see the full line-up. Six brews are available: "The Duke"(an India Pale Ale), Broad Axe Stout, Brother Benedict Bock, Northern Light Lager, and The Two-Pull, a mixture of Northern Light and the Bock. While Fred was unsure about the two-pull, he was pleased that it melded well and seemed to be a taste unto itself. Not simply two beers mixed, but it's own brew. We are not hop-heads, therefore, an India Pale Ale is never going to rank high on our list, but we were pleasantly surprised by both the Bock and the Light. Both would bring us back for more.

As far as menu, there is a nice selection. We had a high pressure waiter, so he was good at encouraging us to get certain items. We did take him up on the suggestion to start with one of their flatbread pizzas as the appetizer. We went with the tomato and basil and it was darned tasty. Light, and refreshing...a good start to the evening.

Fred chose the Mediterranean Chicken. A perfectly cooked breast fillet, in a balsamic glaze, a basil/tomato salsa and some of the most flavorful long grain and wild rice this side of mama's house! Needless to say, Fred was happy.

Libby was in the mood for a samich, so the Cuban was a must...and wow, Libby wins! It was one of the best cubans in memory. A delicious soft ciabatta bread, tender and juicy pork and of course mustard and pickle. The fries on the side were pretty good, but they really shined with the Granite Sauce(a sour cream, horseradish concoction)...we dipped everything in it...including Fred's chicken!

Ozzy was running on fumes, so we decided to go with a pasta. We had ordered it with red sauce, but they brought it out with butter and parmesan and he loved it! Ate the whole bowl without complaint or comment other than emphatic nods when asked if he liked it.

Another BJ's parallel was dessert. A giant, warm, gooey cookie topped with ice cream! A delicious, huge treat, but honestly, we like BJ's better. They have more flavors and it's more gooey there...but hey, it's a gooey cookie...not complaining!






The best surprise at the end was the bill. Well worth the money.




http://www.gcfb.net/index.cfm

Wrap Up

Price-$$-$$$, With the bounty we ordered, an appetizer, a beer sampler, an English pint, three entrees, and dessert...we were elated to have a total under $60 before tip! Aces!

Atmosphere-****, Comfortable, open, loud. Good for all and a great view of the brew house in the bar.

Service-***, Attentive, knowledgeable and good salespeople!

Overall

Fred - A-, Did I mention the rice? While the chicken was perfect, I could have done with a little more balsalmic glaze. Yum.
Libby - A, Kick-ass Cuban, great fries and sauce. The sauce is extra and you must get it. Have to go back for brunch!

Ozzy -A, Gobbled up the buttered pasta with parmesan and as much of the cookie as he could before sinking into the coma we had been waiting for! :)

Bosphorus Istanbul Cafe

Bosphorus has been on our minds for quite a few months now. It seemed to be the perennial second stop. The other choice that we never chose to review when some new place came to mind. Well, no longer.

Bosphorus is Indiana's first (and we believe only) Turkish restaurant. Bearing quite a resemblance to Greek cuisine, but with a slightly different spicing which appeals more to Fred's palate. Libby is all-too-happy to get her Greek fix in without Fred's complaints of "phantom spices in the lamb which ruined the whole gyro."

Located off the beaten path for anyone not working at Eli Lilly, Bosphorus is another of Indianapolis' well-known secrets. It seems everyone has heard of the place, but somehow not yet tried it themselves. Well what's stopping you people?! Is it the perfectly cooked lamb? The best hummus (by far) in Indy? A strange aversion to grape leaves, perhaps? Whether it be Dolma, Babaganush, Falafel, Adana kabobs or the Turkish Delight, sign us up.

This afternoon, Fred called home for an impromptu lunch. We decided immediately on rectifying our oversight and agreed to meet downtown at Bosphorus. Since the Oz had just finished 1/2 a box of Bugs mac 'n cheese, he will not be able to provide a food review. But he was certainly welcomed by the staff and spent a good few minutes being completely bashful, refusing to return their gazes.

We started off with the apetizer combo. Wonderful, fresh, hot pita, Indy's best hummus, grape leaves stuffed with rice, currants & pine nuts, tabouli (a cold couscous salad), babaganush, borek (pastry filled with feta & parsley), and an eggplant salsa. While we both dove for the grape leaves, the eggplant salsa really stole the show. If you like any sort of middle-eastern faire, you'll LOVE this dish!! Softened eggplant in a chunky tomato relish seasoned with garlic. Fabulous with their amazing pita!!

Fred ordered the lamb kebab lunch special with tomato soup, rice & veggies while Libby went with a lamb wrap with a side of fries (hoping Ozzy might be tempted). Fred's soup was simply amazing. He likened it more to a bean & meat-free chili -- highly seasoned and without a hint of that Campbells bland sweetness. The lamb was lightly seasoned and allowed the real flavor of the meat to come through.

Libby's wrap was simply the lamb, a salad mixture and a wonderful spicy cucumber dressing. Not the cool cucumber you'd find a Greek gyro. It was very fresh and the lamb was yet again cooked to perfection; a little char, very tender. Surprisingly, although Ozzy wasn't tempted, the fries were actually pretty good. We wouldnt expect that from a Turkish place, but wouldn't order it normally either!!

Oh, and lest we forget, you MUST order the hot tea. Strong and vibrant of the bagless variety. The perfect compliment for the meal.

http://www.bosphoruscafe.com/

Wrap Up

Price-$$-$$$, Lunches for as little as $6, but upwards of $14 for the more exciting stuff!

Atmosphere-****, Perhaps twenty tables. Turkish sports or news on TV and a family who obviously could tell you the names of the whole Turkish soccer team.

Service-***, Friendly and patient, even with a labile 4-year-old.

Overall

Fred - B+, Some of my favorite ethnic meals have been here, and that's saying something! Try the Turkish Delight. No, not that one! The insanely good vegetarian dinner!!
Libby - A-, I'm a real sucker for well-prepared lamb. Unfortunately they were out of Dolma today, but that surprisingly delicious eggplant salsa has become a new favorite.

Ozzy -N/A - But he was welcomed by staff even though he prefered to play with Dad's iphone.

Edelweiss Restaurant

Finally, after telling ourselves it's time to get some good German food, we made it back to Edelweiss Restaurant. Located on the south-side, just north of County Line, this hidden treasure is worth every pfennig! Honestly, we haven't been there for over 5 years. The last time we went, Fred and Libby were pre-Ozzy and we couldn't remember if it was a kid-friendly environment or not. Luckily, it is!

Tucked back in German Park, a nicely wooded area, this quaint and somewhat kitchy eatery is located in the lower level of the German-American Klub's Haus. The paneled walls, varying steins displayed on floating shelves, Klub members playing cards and yoddeling background music make for a nice departure from the usual hustle and bustle of most dining experiences.

The menu offers a very American children's menu, hot dogs, grilled cheese, etc. for the more picky eaters. Even though Ozzy is definitely in that category, Fred and Libby knew the Pretzel would more than satisfy his carb-appetite...and Woah! What a Pretzel! This was definitely a homemade delight! Taking up the entire plate, it had a healthy portion of kosher salt with both spicy mustard and yellow cheese sauce on the side. This puts any other pretzel we've had to shame...a must have for anyone who visits.

Fred, after watching Anthony Bourdain down a beautiful pork shoulder on No Reservations last night, decided to go for the Schweinebraten with red cabbage and potato pancakes on the side. Not to mention he had a refreshing Weihenstephaner to accompany. The shoulder was fork tender to the extreme! And while it was already pulled from the bone and skin, Fred was sure those would be equally as tasty! Pure pork goodness on a plate. It was accompanied by a wonderful brown gravy that bound the pork to the side of red cabbage as if it were a dish unto itself. The latkes(potato pancakes) came with a very flavorful, almost apple butter, apple sauce. Used to latkes out of a box, this homemade variety was a pleasure to behold. Fred could even withstand the small amount of onion essence.

Libby, a huge schnitzel fan, went with the grilled Jaegerschnitzel with both spaetzle with gravy and German potato salad on the side. Just heaven! The grilled schnitzel was wonderfully tender with a very flavorful char and a hearty mushroom gravy. The spaetzle were chunkier than Libby is used to, but very buttery and tender. The German potato salad was perfect! Just the right amount of tang and so warm and yummy. Libby was more than happy with her entire meal!

Ozzy said nothing, but silently chewed the pretzel as we dined. Recovering from a nasty cold, Fred and Libby were just glad to see him eating with such enthusiasm!

As we were leaving, we did get a peek at the wurst platter, and we have to say we're sorry we didn't have room for it...looked completely de-lish!

www.indianapolisgak.com/

Wrap Up

Price-$$, Very reasonable. The entire dinner feast, including the pretzel and the beer was around $35 before tip...not too shabby!

Atmosphere-****, Perhaps a bit on the tacky German trinkets side, but very relaxing and somehow homey...not to mention the no smoking law has definitely improved the whole experience.

Service-****, Very attentive waitress and the food was out lightening fast!

Overall

Fred - A, Nestled a good quarter mile off the beaten path, it's easy to forget even when you know it's there. A truly "secret" treasure on the south-side!
Libby - A, I don't know what took us so long to go back! Such a great meal...if only I could've had a big brew myself!

Ozzy -A, Pretzel was "pretty good" and when asked how he felt.."Great!"

Edward's Drive-In

Shake, rattle & roll! Last week, we had the pleasure of enjoying one of the few "drive-in's" left in the city. Edward's. Located in the armpit of the Beech Grove area for the past 51 years, it is sure worth the trip to taste a classic coney dog and those much loved onion rings! Once an actual drive-in, this renovated version has inside seating with eclectic neon artwork, an actual old juke box and a number-calling based service system. The front counter is where the magic begins...fries? chili dog? rootbeer float? diet rootbeer float? Choices...choices.

Fred and Libby decided on a coney dog each, fries, onion rings, fried mushrooms, and diet and regular rootbeer floats. Ozzy didn't get his own order as we were sure he'd have enough to sample from us, BUT kids meals do come with the cutest pink cadillac serving basket! Had we known ahead of time, he would have had one too!

The coney dog was just what you expect. Slightly sweet, nice and cheesey and went down way too easy. The fries were also the classic crinkle with the perfect crisp...and for the onion rings...wow! A true specialty...and this is from onion haters! The mushrooms weren't bad, just needed a nice dipping sauce. The diet rootbeer float tended to ice over, but the ice cream and soda were just plain delicious. Ozzy agreed, as that was pretty much the only thing he had!


Others in our party went with the burgers, tenderloins, chili, and slaw. Comments about the burger were more on the meh side, but the tenderloin was definitely a hit.

And did we mention the price? Very reasonable. The Flo's entire feast came to $16. And don't forget about the free jukebox entertainment. Ozzy, who was shakin' his shimy with two other pre-schoolers had to be dragged kicking and screaming from the venue. Too much of a good thing?

http://www.edwardsdrivein.com

Wrap Up

Price-$, Cheap eats! Micky-D's ain't got a leg to stand on. Except maybe location.

Atmosphere-****, Eclectic diner feel. Plenty of seating, family friendly.

Service-****, There's nothing better than watching 30-somethings bouncing on the edge of their chairs waiting for their number to be called.

Overall

Fred - A-, A few more trips and a few more fried delicacies might turn this one into a solid A. While the coney was calling my name, I should have settled on just a bite of Libby's.

Libby - B+, Very happy with the food and definitely want to return, but why do they have to be across from a scary cement fortress?

Ozzy -A, Great place to meet chicks!

Cafe Nora

FLO was in the mood for something classy. Well, ok, Libby and Fred were. So we packed up the boy and headed off to Nora. Cafe Nora that is. Upon arriving, we were immediately seated in one of the 4 small, separate dining areas. Fred was immediately taken by the freshness of design, for such an established restaurant. They were able to accomplish old-world touch by mixing tile, brick, stone and stucco. Being that the seating areas surrounded the open kitchen, it felt open and cozy at the same time.

While perusing the menu, we noticed that this was too classy a joint to have the children's entrees in print. But our waitress immediately let us know that Ozzy was welcome and that he had a variety of off-the-menu choices. FLO felt the pasta with red sauce was the safest. Although by this point he had eaten so much of the incredible bread with olive oil dipping sauce that he kept proclaiming "I'm not hungry".

Fred couldn't quiet the thirst for that demon alcohol, so he ordered a glass of the house cabernet. After finding it quite possibly the best he's ever had (what can we say, we like cheap wine!), we found that it was Douglas Hill Cabernet.

After such a delightful red, a dark or red meat was begging to be paired. Libby opted for one of the specials, the French onion soup followed by grain-fed beef tenderloin (medium-rare) and an undecided dessert. Simply the best French onion soup evar! Super-cheesey, perfect broth and more of that wonderful bread. A couple nearby started to stare. The beef tenderloin, so tender a regular table knife was sufficient. And it barely needed to be chewed. Unfortunately, the accompanying onion topping, couscous side and green beans shouldn't have left the kitchen. FLO make better sides at home. The couscous seemed to have zero seasoning. No salt. No additional flavor whatsoever. The green beans were still too bland, even with what seemed to be diced garlic.

Fred decided on the duck breast, sauteed with portobella mushrooms and a caramelized balsamic sauce. YUM. Again, the chef hit the protein out of the park. The duck was perfectly cooked. Crisped fat, tender meat and an insane sauce that made Fred wish he were in a less posh restaurant. The plate would have been licked. His dish too, was served with the awful couscous and green beans. It would seem that as good as the head chef may be, the line was failing on the sides. Chef Ramsey would be livid.

Ozzy was true to his word and didn't touch his main dish. Funny how tummy space was found when the desserts arrived. For Libby, a very rich chocolate mousse. For Fred/Ozzy the tiramisu. Strangely the tiramisu was lighter in texture and feel than the mousse. Both were equally satisfying if perhaps uninspired.

http://www.cafenora.com

Wrap Up

Price-$$$$, While there are more expensive places in town, Cafe Nora still packs a punch.

Atmosphere-****, Warm, unimposing old-world charm.

Service-***, Accommodating and really seemed to enjoy the Oz.

Overall

Fred - B, Why did those sides leave the kitchen? I guess it allowed room for dessert, though!

Libby - B-, Although I enjoyed the experience there, when I arrived home, my G.I. system disagreed wholeheartedly.

Ozzy -B, The bread appetizer and desserts were both out of the park.