Chow Down Midtown: June 10 - 23, 2013

Indianapolis-area foodies will be able to chow down for the 3rd annual Chow Down Midtown June 10 – 23. Pasta, burgers, ribs pizza and more will be offered in three-course meals at special prices at more than 35 restaurants showcasing the diverse culinary experiences Midtown has to offer.

Where: Midtown serves 65th St. to the north, Fall Creek Parkway to the south, Illinois St. to the west and Keystone Ave. to the east.

Participating Restaurants

10-01 Food & Drink 

Ambrosia 

Aristocrat Pub & Restaurant

Avec Moi 

Bazbeaux 

Bebop Pizza Kitchen

Binkley's Kitchen & Bar 

Brics 

Broad Ripple Brewpub

Broad Ripple Tavern 

Corner Wine Bar 

Delicia

Egyptian Café 

Fat Dan's Deli 

Fire

Good Morning Mama's 

JT's Grille & Bar 

Mama Carolla's

Marco's 

Mediterra 

Meridian

Moe & Johnny's 

Northside Kitchenette 

Oh Yumm! Bistro

Petite Chou 

Recess 

Riviera Club

Sabbatical 

Sahm's Place 

Read a review of Sahm's here

SoBro Café

The Jazz Kitchen 

The Northside Social 

Thr3e Wise Men Brewery

Union Jack Pub 

Usual Suspects 

Za Pizza

Zest 

Check back for reviews and to leave comments on your favorite restaurants and menu items.

For menu options, visit chowdownmidtown.com. Also, updates will be listed on Facebook on the Chow Down Midtown page and on Twitter under the handle @chowdownmidtown.

Images: Elizbaeth J. Musgrave

Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated fine-living, travel columnist, freelance writer and photographer, and performing arts and restaurant critic for Gotta Go. Read Infused, her spirits, wine & beer lifestyle column, at www.GottaGo.us and www.FoodDigital.com and catch her as Indy’s Entertainment Adviser on 93 WIBC. Gotta Go is published on www.Gottago.us, www.BroadwayWorld.com, an in print. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Chow Down Midtown Restaurant Review: Delicia

Delicia, the new "New Latin American" eatery is located in SoBro (South Broad Ripple), 5215 N. Indianapolis, and has been creating quite a buzz ~ as all new restaurants do in the Indy metro area.
College,

Chow Down Midtown, continuing through June 23, gives restaurants a chance to strut their stuff at a reduced price. CDM covers the Broad Ripple and just north of Downtown area ~ the area between Northside Nights and Devour Downtown.

Price: $26 per person.
Food: THE MENU~ if you are not a fan of salad, you won't like the first course as there are no appetizer or soup options on the CDM menu at Delicia. The ensaladas (salads) were well done, with a oil-based house dressing and two options: Beet Salad-jalapeno and sour orange marinated beets, candied pumpkin seeds, radish greens, queso fresco or De La Casa-field greens, red onions, tomato, queso fresco, orange-tamarind vinaigrette. A tasty, light plate of greens with varying textured extras.

If you are not a fan of flan (vanilla, caramel, custard) for dessert, you are out of luck with that course, also. There is only the one sweet choice or two drink options for the third part of the meal. I tasted the flan, though, and found it to be superior to most restaurants with its texture, nice layer of caramel and balanced level of vanilla. I also ordered the churros with chocolate dip to test and found them crispy, hot and fine ~ nothing spectacular, nothing lacking. It's rather difficult to make churros badly or make them outstanding.

We tried the two drink options, Margarita and Sangria. I have had the pleasure of being at the bar section of the restaurant and know the mixologists are skilled and, if you go, you should try their Pisco Sour at least once. (*Side note-the Pisco Sour at Libertine is the best I have ever had, but this one runs a close second.) However, the margarita was rather flat and lacking in citrus appeal. The sangria, oddly enough, had a similar issue. They were just okay, disappointing as I like both drinks usually.

The entrees are what stands out at Delicia on the limited menu: Tacos de Rajas con Queso-fire roasted poblano, red bell peppers, onions, corn, panela queso, cilantro-lime crema, herb green rice; Brazilian Shrimp Stew-roasted shrimp, coconut milk stew, tomatoes, green pepper, white rice; Enchiladas de Pollo-stewed chipotle chicken, tomatoes, onion, guajillo chile sauce, stewed black beans, herb green rice, and Bistec a la Pobre-8 oz skirt steak, fried egg, sweet plantains, stewed black beans, white rice.

We went with the Bistec a la Pobre and Brazilian Shrimp Stew and were more than satisfied with both dishes. The rice is normal and unassuming, but the steak and the shrimp stew were delicious with the shrimp stew, in coconut milk, was positively addicting. In fact, I hope they add this dish to their regular menu.


Atmosphere: About what you might expect from a near-Broad Ripple establishment. Casual upscale with the prices to match.

Service: Fabulous-there has been chatter about the hit-or-miss service here, but I watched and found it to be better than many places. Certainly the friendliness and knowledge of product is high.

Libations: I would definitely encourage this spot to offer many more options of wines by the glass and to double check their bartenders to ensure uniformity on the typical drink choices (margaritas, sangrias, etc).

Will I return?: Absolutely~the regular menu and entree choices give great hope this will be a good Latin American cuisine spot in town ~ albeit the prices seem to need tweaking.

Bottom Line: Chow Down Midtown is a perfect opportunity to trial-run, at reduced prices, Delicia, which offers tempting entrees and has much potential.

Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated fine-living, travel columnist, freelance writer and photographer, and performing arts and restaurant critic for Gotta Go. Read Infused, her spirits, wine & beer lifestyle column, at www.GottaGo.us and www.FoodDigital.com and catch her as Indy’s Entertainment Adviser on 93 WIBC. Gotta Go is published on www.Gottago.us, www.BroadwayWorld.com, and in print. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Top 10 Best Indianapolis restaurants for outdoor dining 2013

Mama Carolla's

 When the weather turns warmer in Indianapolis, we like to feel the sun on our skin and wake from a winter of hibernation. Dining al fresco is a fun way to lighten up a meal, change the scenery and feel the breeze in your hair.

Although many eateries believe placing a few tables and chairs is fine for their customers, a few establishments believe eating next to the parking lot just isn't good enough. Below is my list of the Top 10 Best Indy-area restaurants for outdoor dining ~ ones that have taken outdoor dining up several notches.

*For Top 10 Pet-friendly Indianapolis restaurants, click here.*

Top 10 Indianapolis Al Fresco Restaurants

1. 

Mama Carolla’s (Courtyard) Broad Ripple

2. Cobblestone Grill (Brick patio) Zionsville

3. Creation Café (Overlooks canal) Downtown

4. Dunaway's Palazzo Ossigeno (Rooftop) Downtown

5. 

Meridian on Meridian (Overlooks park) North of Downtown

Meridian on Meridian

6. 

Bella Vita at the Marina (Overlooks Marina) Geist

7. Iozzo’s Garden of Italy (Back courtyard) Downtown

8.  

Sangiovese (Waterfront Patio) North side

Sangiovese

9. 

Shiraz Wine Café (Overlooks fountain) Carmel

10. 

Oaken Barrel Brewing Company (Beer Garden) Greenwood

Images: Izzy Evans; furnished
Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated fine-living, travel columnist, freelance writer and photographer, and performing arts and restaurant critic for Gotta Go. Read Infused, her spirits, wine & beer lifestyle column, at www.GottaGo.us and www.FoodDigital.com and catch her as Indy’s Personal Lifestyle Adviser on Indy Style televsion (Wish8). Gotta Go is published on www.Gottago.us, www.BroadwayWorld.com, and in print. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.