Tips for Dining, Eating and Food Shopping in the Midwest
Start New ThreadI'll be in Indy next month to check out the MotoGP race, and am looking for upscale Italian. After surfing for a couple of hours on Google, I don't feel any closer to this goal.
Any recommendations?
By skat
on Aug 26, 2008 12:45 PM
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Oh, and I meant to add that I'll be staying downtown, and would prefer not to travel too far, or else would probably choose Amalfi.
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Hi-there is a place that's not bad in the downtown Circle Center mall. I can NEVER remember the name but they have good oven-fired pizza. It's a chain but a very limited one--I think only two or three other locations across the US. I know I tried other things there but they're escaping my memory at the moment. Their caesar salad is very good. I don't think there's really anywhere else downtown I'd recommend for Italian.
I know you're not looking for pizza, necessarily...but, some people like Bazbeaux pizza...However, I really prefer the thin-crust oven-fired pizza of this place in the mall. I was kind of disappointed by Bazbeaux.
Finally, if you do decide to try some other cuisine, try Yats for cajun/creole on Mass Ave. It's GREAT. It makes me wish I still lived there...
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Ah, you must talking about Villa Pizza? I'd written down Bazbeaux after reading so many gushing testimonitals, but I too like a really thin-crust pizza. Thanks- and Yats is also on my list!
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I think IndyGirl might have been referring to Bertolini's in Circle Center mall, which has closed. Villa Pizza is a Sbarro-like vendor in the food court.
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Bertolini's closed!?
Oh no! It's all because I moved, I know it!
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Bazbeaux is very good. I go for the calzone, and the salads are terrific.
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There is NOTHING good about bazbeaux pizza. Absolutely the most over-hyped food in Indy. There are people catching on---FINALLY!!!! Blonde baked pizza with non-crispy crust is for amateurs.
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Yats is bland. I have recommended it in the past, when I was 19 or so, but it has either went down hill or my tastes have developed.
Bazbeaux has dry and flavorless crust - the perimeter has a crisp crust with a cake-ish crumb, and the interior is soft and in spots soggy. Its AP flour, not risen right, not formed right, and not cooked right. Its hyped. The mention of Villa Pizza is helpful, because bazbeaux does taste like that same food court garbage with the addition of basil. I'm sure there are better pizza places in Indy, but I'm also sure that I am making some of the best pizza in Indy at my house, in my electric oven, so I have no need to go out and pay 15 a pizza trying to find a place that makes pizza as well as I do.
I haven't heard much of Amalfi. They have a caprese salad on their regular menu, and I don't think it is possible to consistently offer decent tomatoes, at least in Indianapolis. Also, there are about 40 things on their menu, and an establishment cannot make that many things well unless they really have their act together, and I doubt this place does.
If I were visiting Indy, I would go with regional pub grub, or maybe high end stuff if it was an occasion for that, or give up and eat burgers at Steak and Shake. The kitchen's ability shows at Oakleys, but you pay for that. Fried pork loin/tenderloin sandwiches are a great example of vernacular Indy restaurant cuisine, and you could probably do a search and find a decent place. Since moving to Indy, I tried a few highly recommended local places, and they were terrible.
Sorry for the pessimism. I really don't have much advice to offer. D.I.Y. If you get a suite, bring a skillet.
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I see a lot of folks coming to town and setting perimeters on dining. IMHO this is another example of prepare for the best of the rest. If you are looking for particular dishes that you enjoy, I imagine you could get help on finding them downtown. I don't think there is an outstanding downtown upscale Italian restaurant. Again, that's my IMHO. On other's recommendations...I do like Bazbeaux pizza. I like my own cooking better, but of course, at home, I have the ability to make things just the way I like them. That will always be a winner to me. As far as Yats goes, it's overhyped. I like Papa Roux on the east side. He makes the roux to order, which equals full service to me. Tell them how you want it when you order. You won't find Thai hot sauce on a counter there. He only does Cajun, but he is consistent.
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Agio (http://www.agiorestaurant.net/) is actually a pretty good spot downtown for Italian and Mass Ave is a fun place to poke around.
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I've read so many things at this point, but could've sworn I'd tucked Agio into the "eh" list.
As I'm just over a week out, a decision needs to happen pretty quickly, and it sounds like it won't be Italian!
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skat -
Agio is on my 'eh' list too. Italian isn't strong downtown - God forbid you end up at Buca di Beppo.
L'Explorateur does have a pappadelle with pork ragu on the menu right now, and it's really good. L'Ex is in Broad Ripple - about 15-20 minutes from downtown.
Amalfi is (or was the last time I was there) good, but it's much further from downtown.
If you stay downtown, try R Bistro or Elements. R Bistro's menu changes weekly featuring fresh and local foods. Elements is a bit more upscale with an inventive menu.
Sorry about the dearth of Italian places!
Let us know where you end up!
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Thanks for the reply!
We're actually having dinner at R Bistro on Friday, and 14 West on Saturday. Elements has been in the running, but my husband thought the menu looked a little 'foofy'.
(read: too much seafood!)
Who know, we may still end up there!
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<grin>
I checked Elements menu... it's got some fish... but I had a similar Halibut dish at L'Explorateur last Friday, it was pretty fantabulous. That Fischer Farms sirloin should be great too - that's from a farm in Southern Indiana, the cows are raised without hormones and antibiotics.
Having said that though - your choices are great!
Have fun!
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Well, I'm back, and still in the process of writing up my trip reports. Long story short:
R Bistro was totally the cute little neighborhood bistro I wish was down the street from my house.
14 West was big, butch, awesome, and spectacularly more expensive than I'd anticipated. Of course, all the big bottles of wine probably didn't help much in that regard.
On our last night, we ended up at Bucca di Beppo, right across the street from my hotel. It was good, not great, but the atmosphere was just right, and so was the price.
More later, and again, thank you all so much for the suggestions!
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We've given up on Italian food in Indy. Stay home and cook your own. There' lots of great food here, just not Italian.
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:-)
I'm so glad you liked R Bistro!
I'll look forward to your expanded post!
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