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: Book Review: Ice Cream Happy Hour 50 Boozy Desserts

Having reviewed books for quite awhile now, I have been privileged to read some rather great ones. Every  once in awhile, however, one crosses my desk that makes me think: “Man, I wish I had written that one.” Valerie Lum and Jenise Addison’s Ice Cream Happy Hour is one of those books.

Bearing the subtitle “50 Boozy Treats You Spike, Freeze and Serve,” no cocktail napkin is left unturned: the Chocolate Martini, Pina Colada and even Sangria receive the frozen treatment. Butter Pecan with Brandy brings an American favorite to the adult beverage level, while Jasmine Tea with Sake prepares the palate for an Asian delight. Wine, beer and spirits all are invited to the kitchen to meet up with traditional ice cream, sherbet and sorbet dishes.

Recipes from beginner to advance with step by step instructions give everyone the Dutch courage to test the over-21 concoctions in their very own kitchen. Irish Coffee, Whiskey Sour and Mojito are covered, as are Cape Cod, Mimosa and Cosmopolitan. The list is impressive and thorough. After reading this 80-proof recipe book, I may never look at a banana split or turtle sundae the same way again.

Instructions and conversions are provided, along with fabulous images. My suggestion is to purchase two, one for yourself and one to replace it when your guests steal your original copy.

The book is outright simplistic brilliance. So obvious is the combination of ice cream and liquor, so beautiful the resulting colors, and such honeymoon-bliss the flavors – I kick myself for not thinking of it before these two culinary artists who met while working at Bierkraft in Brooklyn.

Bottom Line: A word of warning to ice cream freezer retailers: Prepare for inventory issues. Ice Cream Happy Hour tweaks frozen comfort food and creates original combinations for a grown up ice cream parlor delight giving adults a whole new reason to purchase the long forgotten ice cream freezer.

For more information: UlyssesPress.com
Photo credits: Judi Swinks Phtography

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