List of Devour Downtown Restaurants Winterfest 2012

Winner's Circle

Devour Downtown begins today with the event running through January 22. $30 menus (for one or two

depending on location) give foodies and regular diners alike the ability to try out three courses at more than 40 restaurants in the downtown Indianapolis area. This year select eateries are also offering $20 lunches.

Devour Downtown Winterfest 2012

Participating Restaurants

To check out each restaurant's menu, visit DevourDowntown.org

120 West Market Fresh Grill 

14 West

Adobo Grill

Barcelona Tapas

Bella Vita at Circle Centre

The Capital Grille

Champions Sports Bar & Restaurant

Chef Joseph's at the Connoisseur Room

The Columbia Club

The Circle City Bar & Grille

Colts Grille

Columbia Club

Creation Café

Dunaway's

Eagle's Nest

Elbow Room

Fogo De Chao

Forty Five Degrees

Goose the Market

Greek Islands

Hard Rock Café

Harry & Izzy's

High Velocity

Iaria's Italian Restaurant

Iozzo's Garden of Italy

Kilroy's

Libertine

Lorenzo's Ristorante

McCormick & Schmick's

Mesh

Milano Inn

Miguel's Southern Kitchen

Morton's The Steakhouse

The Elbow Room

The Oceanaire Seafood Room

Osteria Pronto

Palomino

Pearl Street Pizzeria

The Rathskellar

R Bistro

Rock Bottom

Ruth's Chris Steak House

Sahm's Tavern

Scotty's Brewhouse

Sensu

Severin Bar & Grille

Shula's Steak House

Skyline Club

Slippery Noodle

Smokehouse on Shelby

Smoking Goose

St. Elmo Steak House

Tavern on South

The End of the Line Public House

Turner's at the Canterbury

Weber Grille

Claddagh

Winner's Circle

Since 2005, the Indianapolis Downtown Restaurant & Hospitality Association (IDRHA) has hosted Devour Downtown. Originally an annual event, Devour Downtown now is held twice a year – in the winter and summer.

To view the list of participating restaurants and their specific prix fixe menus, visit www.devourdowntown.org.

Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated columnist, travel writer, performing arts and restaurant critic. Catch her as Indy’s Entertainment Adviser on 93 WIBC, and follow her on Twitter @GottaGO and Facebook. Gotta Go is published in M magazine and  the following newspapers: South Sider Voice, Indiana Weekender, New Palestine Reporter, Pendleton Times Reporter and Fortville-McCordsville Reporter.

6 Spots to get Shaken, not Stirred

Salted Caramel Chocolate

Forget trying to find Sex in the City, that’s easy to get in any metropolis. But scoring a great martini? That’s a whole other drama. Stop anyone on the street in Indianapolis and they’ll tell you a place or two rather well known for martinis in town. But, are they the best…or just the best known?

Like that elusive great love, sometimes the hunt (and the wait) is worth the effort. Can there possibly be a place traditionally known for something else yet serve a great martini to boot? A martini so good you can’t believe more people don’t know about it?

Searching for the ultimate martini places in the Indy area, I found six spots with reputations for other menu items. Eateries that have the goods but keep the popular libation cloaked in secrecy much like super heroes (or attractive big screen spies) have alter egos in public.

Not necessarily your grandfather or dad’s version, either. Nowadays, as with so many other things, traditional martinis are no longer the norm. Ask for one these days and you can expect to hear, “Vodka, gin or rum?”

When did it change from the old-fashioned martini? You know the one: gin, bitters and Vermouth with an onion or olive. That drink has gone the same path as the three-martini power lunches. The reason is as simple as time. According to the bartenders asked, “Things evolve.”

So where are these top-notch liquid treats? Choosing the spot depends entirely on your mood, of course. But be assured all six are worthy of James Bond, Carrie Bradshaw and…you.

Mood: Self Indulgent

Martini: Salted caramel chocolate

Why: If you’ve ever had salted chocolate-covered caramels, you’ll understand

Restaurant: Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse

Best known for: Prime, corn-fed steak

Runner up: Cupcake-yes, it really tastes like one

Where: 45 S. Illinois St., t: 633-1313; w: RuthsChrisSteakhouse.com

Mood: Slightly Serene

Martini: Ginger-pear

Why: So much Zen, you’ll think you're in a Japanese garden

Restaurant: Palomino

Best known for: Fresh fish and portabella mushroom soup

Runner-up: Lavender Cosmo-serenity in a glass, with lavender sugar rim

Where: 49 W. Maryland St., t: 974-0400; w: Palomino.com

Mood: Down and Dirty

Martini: Dirty Greek

Why: Kalamata olives (and its juice) stuffed with goat cheese-‘nuff said

Restaurant: 14 West

Best known for: Prime beef and locally raised meats

Runner-up: Samoa-inspired by the Girl Scout cookies

Where: 14 W. Maryland St., t: 636-1414; w: 14west.com

Mood: Endlessly Romantic

Martini: Colts Perfection

Why: Imagine the lagoon in that cheesy teen-romantic '80s movie…it’s THAT dreamy blue

Restaurant: Shula’s inside the Westin

Best known for: Steak and wine

Runner-up: Post Game-best accompanied by their seven-layer chocolate cake

Where: 50 S. Capitol Ave., t: 231-3900; w: Shulas.com

Mood: Stressed Out

Martini: Yin-yang

Why: You need a little balance in your life.

Restaurant: The Melting Pot

Best known for: Fondue

Runner up: Strawberry Shortcake-complete with pound cake and strawberry garnish

Where: 1259 State Road 135; t: 889-0777; w: MeltingPot.com

Mood: Chill Out

Martini: Classic

Why: The coldest damn classic martini in town

Restaurant: St. Elmo’s Steakhouse

Best known for: Shrimp cocktail and steak

Runner-up: Pomegranate-heavy on the pomegranate for nutritional purposes

Where: 127 S. Illinois St., t: 635-0636;
w: StElmos.com

Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated columnist, travel writer, performing arts and restaurant critic. Catch her as Indy’s Arts & Entertainment Adviser on 93 WIBC, and follow her on Twitter @GottaGo and Facebook. Gotta Go is published in M magazine and the following newspapers: South Sider Voice, Indiana Weekender, New Palestine Reporter, Pendleton Times Reporter and Fortville-McCordsville Reporter.