Restaurant Review: Sahm's Place Serves up Success on Tap with Third Thursdays

Sahm’s Place, Indianapolis, has decided it has been in the shadow of wine-pairing dinner for far too long. Creating a five-course dinner menu for the third Thursday of each month, the north side pub offers IPAs, ales and stouts paired with gourmet appetizers, entrees and desserts.
The reservation-only event has proven an immediate success with sold-out dinners for September and October, the first two months. November will focus on Thanksgiving foods and ideas for which liquid amber to choose for accompanying the holiday feast.

Invited to sit in on October’s pairing, Bier Brewery was featured prominently with a hoppy Rye IPA (SRM 9, IBU 70, ABV 7%) served with Buddhanut soup for the first course. The butternut squash soup’s roasted almonds and cinnamon oil held up against the spicy malt liquid.

Second course consisted of the diners’ favorite Imperial Brown Ale (SRM 10, IBU 20, ABV 8%) paired with The Apple King stuffed with blue cheese, Dominator Dopplebock, dried cranberries, walnuts and New Day Meadery Hard Cider. (read review of New Day here) The medium weight bier was layered with chocolate, coffee and caramel emphasizing the autumn flavors of the apple dish.

Good Pils (SRM 3, IBU 25, ABV 5.5%) a German pilsner joined forces with Gordito Camote for the third course. Filled with black bean avocado salad, chorizo, sweet potato and peppers, the tortilla grabbed hold of the spicy earthiness of the German noble Hops and held on throughout the layer of sweetness and balanced the hops’ bitterness.

Fourth course arrived in the form of the entrée prime pork loin with scalloped potatoes, brussel sprout gratin and a fennel reduction. The Scottish 80 (SRM 11, IBU 15, ABV 4.9%), a pale ale, was a gentle partner to the meat with a smokiness which drifted throughout each sip.

Dessert was Pumpkin Tri, a Sahm’s take on an autumn tradition: pumpkin bread pudding, true pumpkin pie and nutmeg whipped cream. The much-anticipated Pumpkin Ale (SRM 8, IBU 15, ABV 5.3%), was as delightful to the tongue as anyone could wish. The sweetness connected with the spices created a not-too-sweet autumn ale perfect for dessert or sipping solo.

Bottom Line: Sahm’s Place has moved into the food-beer pairing with absolute smoothness with its enjoyable and educational style, making it a perfect evening out.

Need to Know:
Sahm’s Place: 317-202-1577; 2411 E. 65th St., Indianapolis
When: Third Thursday monthly
Cost: $30
Reservations: Required
Website: Sahms.com
Attire: Casual

Images: Izzy Evans

Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated fine-living, travel columnist, freelance writer, and performing arts and restaurant critic for Gotta Go. Read Infused, at GottaGo.us and FoodandDrinkDigital.com and catch her as Indy’s Entertainment Adviser on 93 WIBC. Gotta Go is published on Gottago.us, BroadwayWorld.com, in magazines and several Indianapolis area newspapers. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.

iNDYfRINGE 5th Annual Longest Dinner 2012 August 7

IndyFringe Theatre's 5th annual fundraiser, The Longest Dinner 2012, features local chefs, local food and local drinks. The fundraiser features attendees sitting at one long table at the IndyFringe Theatre grounds, located at 719 E. St. Clair St., Indianapolis.

Dinner will be created by local food-advocate chefs Regina Mehallic (R Bistro), Erin Kem (R Bistro) and Micah Frank (Black Market). The event begins at 6 p.m. with a three-course dinner starting at 7 p.m.

Early reservations are encouraged as the event will be limited to 150 participants this year. Live entertainment includes, music, buskers and street theater. Proceeds will benefit the building fund. Inclement weather location is the historic Fire Station, located at 748 Mass Ave., Indianapolis.

What
IndyFringe Longest Dinner
When
Tuesday, August 7, 6 p.m.
Where
IndyFringe Building
Website
For tickets, details and directions, click IndyFringe.org.

Featured Chefs

Regina Mehallick, Executive Chef and owner of R Bistro,

Erin Kem, Sous Chef at R Bistro, Micah Frank, Black Market

Menu

Artisan breads from new local bakery, Amelia's

1st course

Summer Harvest Salad with Blueberries, Corn & Grain.

Main course

Roasted lamb, summer vegetable curry and Tunisian flat bread

Dessert

Local peaches with Trader's Point Vanilla yogurt & shortbread

* Most of these foods are sourced from Indiana farmers.
** Vegetarian option available.

Wines and Beers

Handcraft Chardonnay-lush, silky dry white with notes of vanilla, tropical fruit and toasted oak.

Handcraft Petite Syrah- juicy, rich, dry red with notes of black berry, mulberry and cedar.

Flat12 BIERWERKS local craft beer.

Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated fine-living columnist, travel writer, performing arts and restaurant critic. Catch her newest column, Infused at GottaGo.us and FoodandDrinkDigital.com and as Indy’s Entertainment Adviser on 93 WIBC. Gotta Go is published onGottago.us, BroadwayWorld.com, in M and Retired Living magazines and several newspapers: South Sider Voice, Indiana Weekender, New Palestine Reporter, Pendleton Times Reporter and Fortville-McCordsville Reporter. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Infused: Restaurant Review: Cafe Benelux

Cuvee des Trolls                                   Image/Musgrave

Milwaukee, with its brewing roots strongly in German soil, has been invaded by the Belgians and Dutch. And the local residents don’t seem to mind.

Where are the Belgian biers holed up? Those daring, bold invaders can be found hiding right out in the open. The open rooftop, that is.

Café Benelux, 346 N. Broadway, offers a rooftop advantage of views overlooking the ultra cool, revitalized neighborhood of the Historic Third Ward. Warehouses, built in the 1800s, are now filled with an eclectic array of pubs, fashion shops, spas, theaters and more, including Milwaukee Public Market and Riverwalk.Within steps of Lake Michigan, Benelux landed in a scenic spot to woo German-origin residents and visitors alike away from their traditional stein-filled liquids.

Named for the Lowland European region of Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, Café Benelux features a 41-page Bier Book and it is taking no prisoners.

Bier, which has been hand-picked from the nooks and crannies of the favored European Lowland region in its breweries and monastaries, include a diverse, but well-focused menu of draughts, Saisons and Farm ales, Lambics and more. Gluten-free options are not just an afterthought with an entire page of 5.3% a.c. to 7 % a.c. options.

Pannenkoeken                      Image/EJMusgrave

On the extensive list, dark ales include Gulden Draak at 10.5% a.c. to the Tilburgs Dutch Brown Ale at a, comparably low, 5% a.c.  Sours, Amber Reds and IPAs are all on the frontline to take over the Lake Michigan-city’s taste buds.

Bitterballen         Image/EJMusgrave 

Cuvee des Trolls might just be worthy of the status of starred general with its blond malts and dried orange peel scents. Bitter, sour and occasionally sweet, this officer for the Brasserrie Debuisoon in Leuze-Pipaix, Belgium commands respect from all.

Glassware, which is considered an important piece of equipment and not just a decorative chalice, is paired properly with regard to each bier. Palettes come in four 120 ml. pours selected from 30 biers while the Lowland Meter gives you 10 selections to share with pals. The Kwak Carousel offers four beaker-like glasses of the amber liquid and the Kwak Liter has a two-handed beaker for your pleasure.

Kwak Carousel                              Image/Benelux

Pairings are equally taken seriously when it comes to the food selection. Taking the server’s expert suggestion, the pannenkoeken (a Dutch crepe/pancake, pancetta, egg and combination) frites and bitterballen (a Dutch meatball-type snack common in pubs) all hooked up well with the Cuvee des Trolls.

Bottom Line: With a passion so devoted to the culture and bier of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, Café Benelux makes the Lowlands proud and Milwaukeans content.

Directions, full menu and bier information can be found at CafeBenelux.com.

Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated columnist, travel writer, performing arts and restaurant critic. Catch her newest column, Infused at GottaGo.us and FoodandDrinkDigital.com and as Indy’s Entertainment Adviser on 93 WIBC. Gotta Go is published on Gottago.us, BroadwayWorld.com, in M magazine and these newspapers: South Sider Voice, Indiana Weekender, New Palestine Reporter, Pendleton Times Reporter and Fortville-McCordsville Reporter. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.