Category Archives: Food & Travel

Time Again to Uncork the Uplands

13 Monday Jul 2015

Posted by in Food & Travel, Indiana, Newspaper Column 2015

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

One of the state’s best, if not the best, wine celebrations returns to Huber Orchard and Winery 4-7 p.m., July 25 in southern Indiana.

Uncork the Uplands is in its fifth year celebrating the wines of Indiana’s only designated American Viticultural Area – the Indiana Uplands. The annual celebration returns to Huber’s after two years at Oliver Winery near Bloomington.

Grape Sense LogoThe Indiana Uplands has nine Indiana wineries coming together for one night of wine, food, and celebration. The event is hosted by Huber in its large Plantation Hall. Huber’s is located in the rolling hills of southern Indiana overlooking the Ohio River Valley near the very small town of Starlight. It’s a short drive from New Albany.

The nine wineries pouring will be Best Vineyards, Brown County Winery, Butler Winery, French Lick Winery, Huber Winery, Owen Valley Winery, Oliver’s, Turtle Run and Winzerwald. Those nine make up the Uplands Wine trail and grow grapes within the Indiana Uplands AVA.

The unique Indiana event also brings in a number of Indiana artisan food purveyors offering samples to pair with the wine. Live music and other events highlight the evening activities.

Touring vineyards at Uplands last year at Oliver Winery.

Touring vineyards at Uplands last year at Oliver Winery.

Wine fans can also participate in two guided tours. In one, guests will tour one of Indiana’s largest and oldest vineyards. Huber’s almost 800-acre farm has contributed to Indiana’s agritourism for over 150 years. In the second, tour Huber’s production facility, and see how wines and spirits are created from the ground up.

This year, Uncork will feature add-on tickets for an exclusive VIP event that will take place in Huber’s Starlight Distillery’s new 20,000 square-foot stillhouse an hour before the main event.

VIP tickets include special cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, a keepsake glass and personal interaction with the winemakers from around the trail. Tickets to this event are limited.

One of the best parts of the Uplands event is the chance to talk with the winemakers and family members who make some of Indiana’s best wine. But be sure to get there early and take the vineyard tour. If you’re a real wine fan, there is no better way to learn about wine grown in any region of the world than a walk through a production vineyard.

Tickets are $60 per person and are available at the participating wineries and at the door the night of the event. The fee covers all the food and wine tastings throughout the evening.

With Huber located in the southern most region of the state, you should consider spending the night near New Albany or Jeffersonville and enjoy the historical district, restaurants, and new walking bridge across the Ohio River. The area is going through big positive changes. There are several national chain motels near I-64.

Four Great Indy Restaurant Choices

02 Saturday May 2015

Posted by in Food & Travel, Newspaper Column 2015

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,

No matter where you read Grape Sense, odds are you occasionally travel to Indianapolis. Next to wine recommendations, I probably get asked as frequently for fun and interesting dining options in our state’s capital.

Grape Sense LogoThere has been a real revolution and emergence in fine dining in recent years. Chef-driven restaurants are the craze across the nation and certainly in downtown Indianapolis.

I’m offering just four options with descriptions here. These are spots I’ve dined once or several times.

Bluebeard's casual and hip dining room.

Bluebeard’s casual and hip dining room.

Bluebeard, 653 Virginia Ave., in the Fountain Square district is probably my top choice. Chef John Adams started this hot spot but has now moved on. The restaurant tantalizes in a setting inspired by Kurt Vonnegut. Lots of snacks, charcuterie, sides, soups and small plates get the diner started. The choices then come down to small, medium or large plates. It’s a perfect place to mix, match and share with your fellow diner. Small plates run $10-$18 featuring sashimi, frog legs, and usually a salad among the choices. The $14-$40 medium plates offer up Halibut, Ceviche, Octopus and foi gras. The large plates, $26-$42 are exciting. Current large plates are a killer Pici with Bolognese. Lamb loin, skirt steak, and a ribeye Portobello are on the current menu.

BLACK-MARKET-REVIEWBlack Market, 922 Massachusetts Ave., is a smaller spot on the opposite end of downtown. There are some similarities between Black Market and Bluebeard. The menu is smaller than many spots. Starters of pate’, salads, beef heart or lamb tongue range around $10. Dinner runs in the $20-ish range with trout, brined pork chop, chicken, and crispy duck leg confit currently the star attractions.

One of the things I appreciate most about these spots is a growing wine list. Both offer a wide variety of wine styles, regions, and price points. The wine-by-the glass offerings are much more diverse than I find in most restaurants and even other cities. Remember full bottles of wine will usually be marked up 100 percent and that’s why wine-by-the glass represents a real bargain.

With a bottle of wine, dinner for two at either of these places can easily reach $125-$200 plus tip.

So how about something a bit different? Indianapolis has lost two long-time French restaurants on the city’s southside in recent years. But there is a new bistro on Mass Ave. sure worth a visit. The other spot is good for dinner but I think even better for a lunch – and a great buy.

The dining area, including this bar, can seat up to 80.

The dining area, including this bar, can seat up to 80.

Cropichon et Bidibule, 735 Mass. Ave., One of the newest entries in Indianapolis is this French couple’s bistro on the popular Mass Ave strip. Never mind the restaurant’s name, no one else can pronounce it.

It’s actually French gibberish nicknames for the owners’ children. The specialty is crepes – sweet and savory and wow they deliver! The pricing for the crepes is very reasonable around $10 or less. The dinner menu features contemporary French classics like duck and boeuf bourguignon. The wine list is mostly French, no surprise, but a large selection of French wines by the glass. UPDATE to newspaper column: I dined here just a few days ago and dinner surpassed the lunch.!

Yum!

Yum!

Mimi Blue, 874 Mass. Ave does lunch and dinner. The city’s new meat ball restaurant has really taken off. Classic, Turkey, Veggie, and Beef meatballs are always on the menu. But you’re also likely to find another meatball or two of many possible international origins. The price is right too. You can choose a four-ball plate with a choice of sauces for $11. The side dishes of linguine, polenta, white beans, and potatoes are equally great. Mimi Blue had a more limited wine selection that didn’t excite me, but plenty of choices.

There are so many great choices beyond the four offered here. It’s also exciting to see real diversity come to Indy’s wine lists. Perhaps we’ll revisit restaurant recommendations in a future column.

Join Me for Drink & Eat Oregon

23 Monday Mar 2015

Posted by in Food & Travel, Newspaper Column 2015, Oregon

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , ,

When I started writing a wine column seven years ago there was no intention of getting into the wine tour business. But there is a desire among many to travel to wine country with all of the arrangements taken care of by an insider.

Grape Sense LogoWhile I won’t quite claim insider status just yet, my first trip of 2014 treated my eight guests to fabulous food, accommodations, and wine tasting with owners and winemakers.

The 2015 trip runs June 15-20, or five nights and four full days. Drink & Eat Oregon is designed for anyone with a wine interest. We’ll be drinking some of the best Pinot Noir along with Oregon’s signature Pinot Gris and emerging light-bodied Chardonnays.

Here is how the trip works. Participants are responsible for their own transportation to get to Portland, Oregon. A room will be reserved for each couple at a major downtown hotel. We being with a reception Monday night June 15 and then take off for the Willamette Valley the next morning. Once you arrive in Portland – all expenses are covered by the trip fee until the trip ends Saturday morning, June 20.

Our 2014 group on my first Oregon Pinot Noir tour.
The stunning Columbia River Gorge.
For my palate, Lange is one of Oregon’s most consistent producers.
A quick lunch of local ingredients at Lange.
Members of our group tasting Jesse Lange’s three soil series Pinots.

Again, all expenses – lodging, transportation, meals, wine tasting – are covered by the registration fee. The only thing not covered is the wine participants might purchase. That’s made easy too! You can have wine shipped home by the winery or join a wine club. Additionally, I cover the shipping costs, and all the handling, of one case of wine for each couple on the trip. You can buy a bottle or two here and there and your registration will cover the cost of having it delivered to your door.

Last year we visited Lange Estate, Winderlea, Domaine Drouhin, Vidon, Alexana, Saffron Fields, and Hawk’s View Cellars. We dined at McMinnville’s iconic Nick’s Italian Café and Recipe in Newberg.

Additionally, we take a break from all the wine tasting on Thursday and drive the stunning Columbia River Gorge. If you’ve never seen it, you are missing one of the most beautiful spots in the United States.

The cost per person is $2600, double occupancy. Just look for other similar trips and you’ll see it’s very reasonably priced for a boutique wine tour. As a matter of fact, when I checked search engines the closest thing I could find was a 3-day trip for $2700. A trip similar this one was $3800.

Besides the great tasting experiences led by winemakers and owners, I’ll be along to answer questions and give some insight on Oregon wine and the spots we visit.

You can find more information about the trip on my wine blog – www.howardhewit.net – at the top of the page just click on “Drink & Eat Oregon 2015.” You can write me with questions at: hewitthoward@gmail.com

I already have considerable interest on a potential trip to Burgundy, France, for next year.

French Bistro Will Find Indy Niche

11 Wednesday Mar 2015

Posted by in Food & Travel, France, Indiana

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , ,

Bonjour Indianapolis! Tu parle Francais?

Speaking French certainly isn’t necessary for a stop at Indy’s newest restaurant – Cropichon et Bidibule. A taste for French food, a love of crepes, or even a slight sense of adventure will serve diners better than linquistics.

The dining area, including this bar, can seat up to 80.

The dining area, including this bar, can seat up to 80.

Musicians and French nationales Stephane and Cathy Coueffe have renovated a beautiful spot near Mesh restaurant on Mass Ave. The restaurant opened Mar. 3 so they’re still working out a few kinks.

A mid-afternoon lunch was a delightful experience. The bright dining room with hints of black and red – and a few Parisian decor items delivered while I ate – is most attractive.

The menu features starters like charcuteries and fromages – or meats and cheeses. Any of five choices in either category cost $12.

But the highlight  of my lunch was clearly the crepes. I had a wonderful Gallette Complete for $9 of cured ham, gruyere cheese, and a soft-centered fried egg. It was a perfect ham and cheese lunch if you want to dumb it down a bit. But with the beautiful presentation its a shame not to put on your best French accent, or even Pepe le Pew, and soak up the relaxed atmosphere.

The whimsical floor of the men's room - covered in photos from French films.

The whimsical floor of the men’s room – covered in photos from French films.

Crepes come in two variations – the Gallettes are a buckwheat flour crepe that nationally gluten free and goes well with savory foods. The restaurant imports its buckwheat flour for a real authentic feel.

The crepes you may, or may not, know will be more familiar on the opposite side of the menu. Ranging from $5-$7, the traditional crepe makes an excellent snack or dessert. I enjoyed the $6 Le Crepe a la Creme de Cirton Faite Maison – or a crepe with lemon cream and red raspberry. It’s a treat you just can’t find at your local tenderloin joint.

The dinner menu features small and large plates of traditional French cuisine. The small plates range $6-11. The large plates, or dinner items, features many French staples like beef burgundy, duck breast, cured pork and pork belly, poached cod, and steak frites. Dinner entrees range $18-26.

The food was really delicious. Not being a huge crepe consumer, I can just say I liked them a lot. They have a traitional billig – or crepe making device. The crepes can be served open faced, which is traditional, or even as a wrap known as street style. And if you never have had a crepe, just think really light pancake.

There remain a few kinks but the staff was extremely cordial and responsive. I ordered the Gruyere/Onion soup. It was delivered with a warning it might have too much pepper.  It did and the staff quickly brought a beautiful salad of fresh greens. They later brought me a bowl of the chef’s take on French onion soup revisited and it was wonderful. That soup alone is reason for me to return.

The wine list impressed me for the variety and dedication to French wines. There were a few non-French choices, wines from most of the major wine producing areas were available at reasonable prices – most at $8-$10 per glass.

The by-the-glass program featured seven whites and nine reds. General Manager Scott Ramsey, who also manages the wine list, wants to serve primarily French wines but also wanted a big by-the-glass list to introduce French wines to his restaurant guests.

Indianapolis once had two or three really great French restaurants – all now gone. There is a spot or two doing crepes and the Bijou in Lebanon still going strong.

Cropichon et Bidibule brings something to Indy badly needed – authentic French cuisine. Oh, the name? Well folks are going to struggle with that but its the nicknames of the couple’s two children.

Au revoir!

Rose’, Pinot, & Idiot Legislature

27 Friday Feb 2015

Posted by in Food & Travel, Newspaper Column 2015, Oregon

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , , ,

There are numerous websites and publications detailing everything happening in the world of wine. Sometimes those issues are worth sharing.

Grape Sense LogoIndiana Senate Bill 113 – The Indiana Direct Shipping bill remains in House committee. The bill would remove the ridiculous 2006 restriction on Indiana wineries requiring a face-to-face purchase before wine can be shipped in state.

CrazyThe bill is a double-edged sword opening up an important stream of revenue for small wineries but increasing the licensing fee from $100 to $500. Contact your local legislator asking the fee be restored to $100 as Sen. Phil Boots intended.

There’s a pattern here if you pay attention. The big alcohol related legislation of the session is Sunday sales but the same thing has happened. The legislation actually failed this week because the liquor lobby (read wholesalers/some retailers) objected. The bill was weighed down with the unruly burden of requiring supermarkets and drug stores to build walls. No one could make this stuff up.

RoseloresRose, How We Love Thee. Dry Rose, and particularly dry French Rose, is one of the biggest success stories of the last decade. For too long pink meant sweet but now pink, or a light salmon color, means great dry French wine.

For the 11th straight year exports to the U.S. of Provence Rose’ wine increased by double digits. In 2014, Rose exports went up 29 percent on volume.

Oregon Stature Grows. The last two years have established the importance of Oregon Pinot Noir above and beyond some of its founders wildest expectations. When the ‘big boys’ start buying up properties it’s easy to label Oregon Pinot a worldwide success story.

Domaine Drouhin started the foreign investment in the 1980s but recently it has exploded. Drouhin bought nearly 300 more acres of vineyard about a year ago. Louis Jadot more recently acquired a 32-acre vineyard and hopes to buy more.

Jackson Family Wines, probably better known to the average consumer as Kendall-Jackson, has purchased nearly 500 acres of Oregon vineyard in two separate acquisitions. They are operating a winery near Yamhill under the name Gran Moraine.

Joseph Wagner, think Caymus, has purchased the Elouan Brand while Bill Foley picked off 35,000 case boutique brand Four Graces.

The interest shows Oregon is making great wine and has a great future. The purists must continue to hope some of these big boys don’t destroy the boutique feel of the Willamette Valley.

Alexana winemaker Bryan Weil sharing barrel tastes.

Alexana winemaker Bryan Weil sharing barrel tastes.

Join Me on Oregon Tour. I’ll be hosting my second trip to Oregon’s Willamette Valley in June. It’s a five-night, four day boutique visit. We taste with winemakers and winery owners, stay in a fabulous bed and breakfast and eat in a couple of Oregon’s best restaurants. The trip is all inclusive one you arrive until you leave.

You can find full details of the wine trip on the Grape Sense blog (www.howardhewitt.net). Click the link at the top “Drink & Eat Oregon” for full details or write me at the address below.

Join Drink & Eat Oregon 2015 Trip

09 Monday Feb 2015

Posted by in Food & Travel, Oregon

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , ,

2014 group having fun tasting the wines of Alexana Winery in a beautiful outdoor setting.
Barrel tasting with Alexana’s winemaker Bryan Weil.
The stunning Columbia River Gorge.
A quick lunch of local ingredients at Lange.
Our 2014 group on my first Oregon Pinot Noir tour.

I have all the details up on my 2015 Oregon Tour – this year called: Drink & Eat Oregon. Last year’s wine tour group was so taken by the fool they said I had to add food to the title. So be it.

The trip is all set for June 15-20. Read all of the details at the top of the blog under the header: Drink & Eat Oregon!

Redemption for Favorite Italian Spot

07 Sunday Dec 2014

Posted by in Food & Travel, Indiana

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

BEECH GROVE, In . – An old friend may occasionally tick you off, but they’re still a friend. That’s sort of the approach I took after a May visit to my favorite Italian restaurant. Napoli Villa is a family-owned institution for those on Indy’s southside.

But back in May I had more misses than hits. I lamented in the piece I wrote that I was a frequent visitor to Napoli and had always come away delighted. That night was not a delight.

It was very telling though when I promptly got a note from a family member, Paulo, apologizing and explaining what may have happened. He even offered a gift card which I politely declined.

A return Saturday night was outstanding after a minor initial stumble.

My frequent-dining friend and I ordered our favorite appetizer, the crispy calamari. It was an outstanding pick as always.

During my May visit I was brought the wrong bottle of wine, pointed it out and was assured by a member of the ownership family that I was wrong. Well, I knew I was right.

So Saturday night I ordered the same bottle again. It was a simple Ruffino Chianti Classico. And for the second time I was brought the Chianti. I pulled our waitress aside and explained there was a difference and this had happened to me previously. She immediately realized the error and brought the correct bottle of wine!

The wine itself is a run-of-the mill Chianti. The restaurant markup is consistent with any Indy eatery. It would be nice to see a Brunello or bigger wine on the wine list, but this really is a family spot that caters to folks seeking reasonable value.

It was full speed ahead after that. My favorite pasta fagioli soup was hearty with just a slight hint of heat on the finish. The bread was warm with a nice crust.

I almost always order the homemade ravioli. The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente with a nice flavorful sausage filling. The problem was with the sauce in May but no problems this time. The lightly-spiced marinara was rich, full-flavored, with just a touch of heat. It was awesome.

We don’t always do dessert but decided to split a cannoli. It was simply the best cannoli I’ve had in years and maybe ever. The cream filling was richer than any I’ve ever had, for sure.

I also have to note our waitress was great. She apologized at least three times for bringing the wrong wine. I continued to assure her it was fine because she got it right and realized the mistake.

After paying the bill I asked if Paulo was working. He actually works full time in Indy’s corporate world but helps out with the family restaurant when needed. He came out and remembered I was the guy who “wrote that piece.” And we had a nice chat before he returned to the kitchen.

If you want authentic and truly delicious Italian, this bit-out-of-the-way and family-owned restaurant really hits the spot.

Holiday Wine Picks Not That Tough

27 Thursday Nov 2014

Posted by in Food & Travel, Newspaper Column 2014

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, ,

Thanksgiving is a time for family, memories, and sharing great meals. It’s also a time for family squabbles, uncomfortable moments, and shouting matches.

Okay, that’s a bit harsh but annually holiday gatherings can have their moments of tension. Why add to the tension by over thinking the menu or the wine choices? Keeping it simple is never better advice than around the holidays.

Grape Sense LogoThe ‘annual Thanksgiving wine column’ is a staple for every wine writer. Today’s “Thanksgiving column’ is my seventh so I decided to look over advice and offer a ‘best-of” remarks for the holiday bird and juice match up. After all, there are only a few different ways to suggest the same wines.

“Thanksgiving is about family so make it a festive occasion,” I wrote back in 2011, still good advice. “Try a light sparkling wine before the big meal. It’s sure to be a hit. Look for a Spanish Cava, Italian Prosecco, or Gloria Ferrer’s delightful Sonoma County sparklers. For something really festive and delicious, I love Banfi Rosa Regale. The Banfi wine sells for right at $20, has just seven percent alcohol, and is delicious.”

It’s hard to improve on that start to your dinner or holiday wine recommendations.

turkey-and-wine-500x332Back in 2010 the column was largely about traditional Thanksgiving whites like Riesling which offers nice fruit and balanced acidity for foul. The great thing about Riesling is the availability. Any wine shop, and most grocery stores and liquor shops, will have a Riesling. New York’s Finger Lakes and upper Michigan wineries all produce great Riesling. If you want the classics look to the German Mosel region and France’s Alsace versions.

A really great choice, and personal favorite, is unoaked Chardonnay. More specifically, a premier cru or grand cru Chablis is unparalleled at the Thanksgiving table. The rich fruit along with the crisp acidity and mineralality mixes perfectly with the bird and most of the side dishes. Good Chablis of such pedigree will set you back at least $25-$30 for starters. There are many Chablis wines, non appellation specific, for under $20. But give the cru wines a try for an important family holiday meal.

Indiana’s signature grape Traminette also works well if you like sweeter wines. Gewurztraminer was a very fashionable pick for years but Traminette substitutes nicely. You can enjoy a floral, light-bodied wine and support Indiana’s wine industry. I prefer the drier versions of Indiana’s Traminette but they can be hard to find. Most Indiana Traminette has substantial residual sugar. A few wineries, like Turtle Run, Corydon, and others are producing Traminette in a dry version now days.

Pinot Noir is an easy red pick for your turkey and dressing but I prefer Beaujolais Grand Cru wines if I’m having red. No, we’re not talking about the gimmicky Beaujolais Nouveau wines but the Grand Cru wines which have some oak aging. There are 10 Beaujolais Grand Cru wines and all are reasonably priced in the mid to upper teens. Gamay is the grape of Beaujolais and it offers a wonderful light bodied wine with a wisp of earthiness that pairs well with the bird.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Order Restaurant Wine Carefully

17 Monday Nov 2014

Posted by in Food & Travel, Newspaper Column 2014

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

,

Occasionally a wine story makes the news beyond the tiny world of wine media. There has been a quirky, and unfortunate, story dominate wine chat the past few weeks. It’s a story of blindly ordering wine, questionable motives of a server, and a wine tab of nearly $4000.

First, the basics of the story which have been widely reported through numerous media outlets. Joe Lentini was with a group of associates at the Bobby Flay Steak restaurant at the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City, N.J.

Grape Sense LogoSomeone at his table of 10 asked him to order the wine. Joe, admittedly not a big wine guy, asked for advice. He asked for ‘something decent.” The server pointed to a bottle on the menu, which Joe couldn’t read because he forgot his glasses, and agreed.

But here is where the story takes a twist. Joe asked how much the wine cost and the server responded, “Thirty-seven fifty.”

See where this is headed?

The group enjoyed dinner and thought the wine was okay. Dinner is completed and the check arrived including a wine tab for one bottle of 2011 Screaming Eagle cabernet for $3,750.00 – not $37.50.

The diners complained they were misled by the server but the restaurant would not yield. They did bring the wine cost down to $2,200 which Joe and another diner split the cost. Everyone at the table confirmed Joe’s story.

I found the wine on numerous internet sites ranging from $1,300 to $2,100.

Check those prices carefully

Check those prices carefully

The incident sent the wine media all a Twittter (pun intended).

The restaurant stands by its employees. The Bobby Flay restaurant serves plenty of high-end diners and sells lots of high-end wine. But the mistake here is pretty clear. The server responded “thirty-seven fifty” when “three-thousand, seven-hundred, fifty” would have been much more appropriate.

The story is an opportunity to review some of the basics of ordering wine in any restaurant, but especially high-end spots.

First, fine-dining restaurants depend on wine revenue. The standard markup on food is small compared to the 100 percent and more markup of a bottle of wine. Casually taking a recommendation at a high-end establishment should never be as risky as it was in Jersey that night.

Still, know what you are ordering. A good server would have asked the diner if they had a price range and the incident would have never happened. There is nothing wrong with giving a waiter or wine steward a price point when ordering. Look at the wine list and find a price you are comfortable with before asking for a suggestion.

The final step in making sure you get what you ordered is to pay attention to the details on the wine list and make sure they match when the bottle is brought to the table. Things like the region in Napa, or wherever, and definitely the vintage year can significantly affect price on more expensive wines.

The final restaurant wine tip is an old one and a bit dubious but I have found it consistently accurate. Don’t order the cheapest bottle because no one wants to be that person. Some restaurants will actually mark up their cheapest bottles for a larger margin than moderately-priced bottles. It doesn’t take a degree in economics to figure that one out – they sell more of the cheaper bottles.

In a nice restaurant skip the first few bottles and order from the bottom/middle half (price-point wise) of the wine list. I find some of the best bargains in that niche’.

High-End Restaurant Bottoms Out

24 Sunday Aug 2014

Posted by in Food & Travel

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, ,

The much-anticipated creme brulee' came to the table on this blank white saucer and partially squashed. Oh, and burnt!

The much-anticipated creme brulee’ came to the table on this blank white saucer and partially squashed. Oh, and burnt!

INDIANAPOLIS, IN. – Indianapolis has been in a food revolution the past few years with the emergence of some great new farm-to-fork, innovative and national-attention getting restaurants. Meanwhile, there have been old standbys like St. Elmo’s Steakhouse, several great Italian restaurants and more continuing to serve excellence.

Dunaways, at Prospect and South St. and not far from Lucas Oil Stadium, used to be one of those standbys. A Saturday night visit was part embarrassing, second part shameful, and third part ripoff. Perhaps I should quit writing here in the second paragraph and let the photo above speak for itself.

The greens WERE good!

The greens WERE good!

Indy’s big dining promotion, Devour Downtown, offers a chance to eat at these high-end restaurants for $30-$40 for a special menu of dinner choices. I didn’t do my pre-visit look at Yelp, Urban Spoon, and Trip Advisor but now I wish I’d have taken the time.

The restaurant, in the really interesting old Indiana Oxygen Building, suffers from poor service, very poorly prepared food, and a seemingly “I don’t care” attitude.

My dinner companion had a “Caprese Tower” and I a “Mini Crabcake for appetizers. Her “Tower” was three half tomato slices – one virtually butchered – and a few thing pieces of warm mozzarella. My crabcake was about the size of a silver dollar and burned. The crab was nice, if you like singed as a secondary flavor.

The entree’ selections were just slightly better. My friend’s beef tenderloin seemed to be a decent cut of meat but was overcooked. The Horseradish mashed potatoes were watery and no sign of the usually easy-to-find horseradish. My salmon was unremarkable but a tad over seared. The inside of the small piece of fish was raw. And I thought it was weird that it was served with diced tomatoes.

Unfortunately, the worse was yet to come. My frequent dining companion ordered a cheesecake-like dessert that was rubbery and inedible – to be kind. The photo of my creme brulee’ above should suffice, but I’ll note the small portion was tasty but the sugar on top was again burned.

Our first wine choice – Evening Land – was not available. The Siduri Pinot, at $65, was quite nice.

Our waitress was pleasant but a tad more Dennys than high-end dining. Each meal was $35 and honestly I think we could have found more tasty salmon and beef tenderloin at any national chain restaurant. I should note, most menu items are in the $30-$40 range on the regular menu. There were several wine selctions near $100 and over up to more than $200 for one Napa Cabernet.

After I got home, I saw online the place is for sale and the reviews are not as kind as this one. It’s a shame when a beautiful place like this, in a great location, falls to indifference and embarrassing service.

Do not go to Dunaways near Fountain Square. I hear there is a McDonalds not far away on Washington St.