Restaurant Review: Another Broken Egg Cafe

It's exciting when a new restaurant opens in town. It's even more exciting when the concept is something just a little different. Another Broken Egg Cafe opens Monday, April 15, in Indianapolis at the 96th and N. Meridian area with a breakfast~brunch~lunch concept.

Checking out the new eatery from Ruth's Chris' local franchisee owners, I was impressed upon entering at the warm atmosphere, colors and decor. Imagine, if you will, a place where modern French Country decor, whimsical artwork and southern charm blend together harmoniously ~ silently inviting you to sit and sip mimosas, nibble on biscuit Beignets ($4.99) and catch up with friends and family in a sunny dining area or at the roomy bar.

Service is more than the obligatory niceness; there appears to be genuine caring about customers' needs and an excitement in the staff about the food selection, which includes the familiar with an unfamiliar twist.

Grits? Yes, but with blackberries. Omelettes? Naturally, however they come in such options as: The Floridian with cream cheese, crab meat and Monterey Jack cheese, Bacquezo with bacon, chorizo (made in house), The Mardi Gras loaded with Andouille, crawfish and red bell peppers, just to cite a few.

The menu bears marks signifying items that are Gluten-free, Vegetarian, House-made and Signature dishes. Healthy and indulgent choices give the diner several ways to eat, depending on his mood. For the behaving guest, the Seasonal Fruit Platter ($6.99) currently includes mangoes, pineapple, blueberries, strawberries and more with a dip for temptation's sake.

Sweet Potato Pancakes ($7.49) arrive to you with one plate-size pancake topped with cinnamon-marmalade infused syrup, spiced pecans and whipped cream. The Southern Crabstack ($13.49) comes in a skillet with a crabcake nestled atop a gritcake and surrounded by Andouille sausage and shrimp saute and a serving of crispy cubed potatoes.

Influenced with comfort food of the Midwest, the southern region and Creole favorites, the menu has a wide variety without going overboard. Burgers, salads, a variety of Signature Benedicts and Scramble Skillets, with a lengthy list of sides rounds out the menu nicely.

The full-service bar serves up local spirits, including Fuzzy's vodka in its well-garnished and infused-vodka Bloody Mary. Perfect-for-brunch cocktails, including Mimosas and Peach Bellinis, are listed at a lower price point than anticipated as are specialty coffee drinks.

Collectible stoneware coffee mugs, handcrafted by Deneen Pottery, are available as a souvenir or gift at the front counter in a variety of colors (I chose periwinkle).

Another Broken Egg Cafe will open a second Indy location toward the end of summer in the new hotel The Alexander and will offer dinner as well. Hours at the north side spot are 7 a.m.-2 p.m. seven days a week. Located in the strip mall which includes Daddy Jack's and Kona Jack's, this is not a Cracker Barrel or Waffle House style morning eatery and will easily become a favorite brunch choice for me.

Must-try items on the next visit are: Cinnamon Roll French Toast ($10.99) a giant cinnamon roll grilled with French toast batter, served with cream cheese, Bananas Foster sauce, berries and whipped cream; Southern Shrimp Salad ($9.99) with mixed greens, grilled shrimp, strawberries, blueberries, sprouts, feta and sliced almonds with garlic French bread; Baked Brie Delight ($10.49) with apples, pecans and raisins sauteed in a Grand Marnier butter sauce over warm Brie cheese with toasted French bread and the Lobster & Brie Omelette ($14.99) a cream-cheese filled omelette with Brie and sauteed lobster meat, topped with a Champagne butter sauce, diced tomatoes and scallions.

Okay...maybe my next two or three visits.

Bottom Line: Another Broken Egg Cafe is a welcome addition to the food scene on the north side with a menu that is lively, portions that are great for sharing and a welcoming ambiance.

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.

Infused: Top 10 Holidays Inspired Cocktails 2012

Winter wonderlands made of snowflakes gently floating downward, peppermint candy canes and pine trees fulfill memories of the Christmas season. Champagne, balloons and midnight kisses bring in the New Year with pleasure. This holiday season has many traditions and one of the most fun are the parties. Dancing until dawn, friends and family gatherings, and food and adult beverages create a festive party atmosphere.

I invited experts in the world of spirits, wine and beer, including sommeliers, mixologists, restaurants, pubs, distillers and manufacturers to send their Christmas and New Year's-inspired cocktails. The response was overwhelming once again, with recipes pouring in from across the United States.

I compiled the list and narrowed it down to the ones most in spirit with the holiday and consisting of uniqueness, great taste and visual appeal. I present to you the...

Top 10 Best Holidays Inspired Cocktails 2012

(1)
The White Christmas

(image above)

Who: My Moon
Where: Brooklyn, NY
Website: MyMoonNYC.com

Twitter: @MyMoonNYC
Inspiration: The inspiration came from Jared’s childhood, in which there was always eggnog around throughout the holidays (only then, non-alcoholic, of course).

Recipe: ¾ oz of pasteurized egg yolk, 1 oz heavy cream, ½ oz Frangelico, ¼ oz amaretto, ¾ oz Patron Café: Dry shake until foamy & homogenized. Add ice and shake well until cold and slightly diluted. Dust with grated or powder nutmeg and cinnamon

(2)
The Merry Mint

Who: Blush Ultraloung in Le Merigot Hotel at Casino Aztar (Steven Lagenourand Catherine Daters)

Where: Evansville, IN

Website: CasinoAztar.com
Twitter: N/A

Inspiration: This creamy, minty Christmas drink captures the popular flavors of Christmas: eggnog, mint, chocolate, and coconut, all combined into one sweet dessert drink.

Recipe: 1 oz Baileys mint chocolate, 1/2 oz van Gogh coconut, 1/2 oz creme de menthe (green), 1 oz Pinnacle whipped, 1/2 oz egg nog, Whipped cream, Chocolate syrup, Snowflake coconut; Put Baileys in martini glass. Rim top of Baileys with chocolate syrup. In shaker combine van Gogh, creme de menthe, and egg nog. Slowly poor mixture on top of Baileys in martini glass. Add pinnacle to martini glass. Finish with whipped cream, drizzle of chocolate syrup, and top with sprinkle of snowflake coconut.

(3)
Haute Holiday

Who: Fleming's Steakhouse

Where: Indianapolis, IN
Website: FlemingsSteakhouse.com
Inspiration: A perfect way to start off a holiday toast or the New Year.

Recipe: 1/2 oz. Quady Elysium Black Muscat Dessert Wine, 1/2 oz. St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur, 4 oz. Mionetto Prosecco, 1 Luxardo cherry; in a chilled Champagne flute glass, combine Quady Elysium and St-Germain Elderflower; top gently with Mionetto Prosecco; garnish with a Luxardo cherry.

(4)

Sparkling Peppermint Swirl

Who: Voga Italia Wine

Where: Italy

Website: VogaItalia.com

Inspiration: The holiday's favorite candy
Recipe: 2 ½ oz VOGA Sparkling, 1.5 oz Vanilla vodka, 1 oz crème de menthe liquor, splash of Grenadine; In a shaker, combine ice, vodka and crème de menthe and grenadine; stir gently and strain into a chilled martini glass rimmed with crushed candy canes; top with VOGA Sparkling and garnish with a candy cane.

(5)
Santa's Hot Chocolate

Who: Dead Rabbit (Pamela Witznitzer)

Where: New York, NY

Website: DeadRabbitNYC.com

Inspiration: Anyone can have regular hot chocolate ~ the tequila and cayenne pepper give an unexpected kick for Santa on a long night out in the cold

Recipe: 1 part Tequila Avión Añejo, .75 parts Galliano Ristretto Coffee liqueur, 2 ½ parts hot cocoa, Cayenne pepper, Whipped cream; combine 1 part Tequila Avión Añejo, ½ part Galliano Ristretto Coffee liqueur, 2 ½ parts hot cocoa into a pot and heat; once heated, strain content into a coffee mug; put a few dashes of cayenne pepper and stir hot; top with whipped cream and a pinch of cayenne pepper for garnish.

(6)

Monkey Business

Who: House of Marnier-Lapostolle

Where: Chile

Website: KappaPisco.com
Twitter: @KappaPisco

Inspiration: KAPPA has put their own spin on a traditional Chilean Christmas cocktail called "Cola de Mono" (Monkey’s Tail). Cola de Mono is served in Chile around the holidays, similar to eggnog in the U.S.

Recipe: 1 cup KAPPA Pisco, 1 c. water, 1 gallon milk (cold), 1 c. white sugar, 1/4 c. instant coffee granules, 20 whole cloves, 5 cinnamon sticks, 1 TB. vanilla extract (optional); gently simmer the cloves and cinnamon sticks in water until reduced by half (about 30 minutes). Add 1 cup of milk and heat to a simmer. Then stir in and dissolve the coffee and sugar. Strain the coffee mixture into the remaining cold milk, and discard the cloves and cinnamon sticks. Stir in the KAPPA Pisco and vanilla extract. Store in refrigerator until well-chilled (4 hours). Serve (do not serve with ice) in a high glass. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

(7)
New Year's Resolution

Who: Cruzan (Jesse Card)

Where: St. Croix

Website: CruzanRum.com

Inspiration: Always have a non-alcoholic choice at your party.

Recipe: 1 part Cruzan® Black Cherry Rum, 1 dash Bitters, Sparkling Wine (non-alcoholic), Lemon Twist, Black Cherry; Pour rum into a champagne flute and top with sparkling wine. Add a dash of bitters to finish. Garnish by dropping a lemon twist wrapped cherry into the flute.

(8)
Blanc Vermouth Fizz 

Who: Branded at The Iron Horse Hotel

Where: 500 W. Florida St., Milwaukee, WI

Website: TheIronHorseHotel.com

Twitter: @ironhorsehotel
Inspiration: The holidays are always celebrated with bubbles, this is reminiscent of the vintage liquor posters with old school, classic ingredients.

Recipe:  2 oz Dolin Vermouth Blanc, .5 oz St. Germaine, .5 oz Simple Syrup, 4 springs mint muddled, 2 raspberries muddled, topped with Prosecco, serve in a champagne saucer.

(9)

Peppermint Mochatini

Who: Ruth's Chris Steakhouse (Jordan Ward)

Where: Indianapolis.

Website: RuthsChrisIndy.com

Inspiration: Thetraditional holiday flavors of mint and chocolate.

Recipe: 1 oz. Sobieski Vanilla Vodka, .05 oz Kahlua, .05 oz Creme de Cocoa Dark Espresso, .25 oz Peppermint Shcnapps, .25 oz Half and Half; Glassware-chilled martini glass drizzled inside with chocolate syrp; add all ingredients to a martini shaker, shake and strain into chilled martini glass.

(10)
Egg Nog 46

Who: Maker's Mark Cookbook (Lee Ann Wong, Bourbon Diva)

Where: New York, NY

Twitter: @leeannwong

Inspiration: Nothing says holidays like this rich homemade treat. This spiked version of a holiday classic, enhanced by the spicy caramel undertones of Maker’s 46, is the perfect drink when curled up by a fireplace. 

Recipe:  2 c. whole milk, ½ vanilla bean, split and scraped or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg, ¼ tsp salt, 4 egg yolks, ½ c. sugar, divided, 1 c. cold heavy cream, 4 parts Maker’s 46™ Bourbon, 4 egg whites (optional); combine the whole milk, scraped vanilla bean seeds and the bean pod in a small pot; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat; then stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg and salt; turn the heat off and allow the milk to infuse for 20 minutes; reheat the milk to a simmer; have a large metal or glass bowl sitting in a large bowl of ice water and a fine mesh strainer ready. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and 7 T. of sugar together briskly until the egg yolks become pale and fluffy. Add a ½ cup of the hot milk to the egg yolks while whisking quickly to temper the egg yolks. Once evenly combined, pour the mixture back into the pot and cook the mixture over low heat until it thickens, stirring the bottom of the pot constantly using a wooden spoon, being careful not to overcook/scramble the eggs. The eggnog is ready when the mixture coats the back of a spoon and you can draw a distinct line through it. Pour the eggnog through a fine mesh strainer into the bowl on ice. Whisk in the heavy cream and Maker’s 46 Bourbon. Stir the egg nog until it begins to cool down, then place the mixture in the refrigerator to chill overnight. You can serve as is (adjust texture with cold milk or cream), or whip the 4 egg whites with the remaining tablespoon of sugar to soft peaks, then fold into the chilled egg nog. Serve immediately into a mug.

Images furnished by entries

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, 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.