Northside Nights 2014 ~ March 3 - 16 ~ Top 10 List

Fleming's

Northside Nights, the northern take on Devour Downtown, returns for foodies and occasional diners alike to enjoy the wondrous edible fare on Indy's upper end. Fourteen days worth of culinary offerings tempt the palate for a special price and menu at each location.

The 4th year includes almost three dozen restaurants giving guests a prix-fixe meal. Follow updates on Twitter @NorthsideNights.


Follow @GottaGo for reviews on Indianapolis restaurants.

Below are participating restaurants and links for reviews which will be updated as needed. In bold are restaurants I have eaten at and can recommend; click on linked names for reviews. After checking all the menus, I have placed a Top 10 next to the restaurant menus I consider the Top 10 Best menu this time.

Northside Nights 2014
Participating Restaurants

(GF) Gluten Free ~ (V) Vegetarian ~ (Ve) Vegan 
(*) New this year (Top 10) My Top 10 Choices

1881 Grille 

Arni's Restaurant (GF,V)

Bazbeaux (GF,V)

Bella Vita (V)

 *Bijou (GF)

Capri Restaurant 

Chef Mike's Charcoal Grill
Cobblestone Grill 

*Cooper's Hawk 

(Top 10) Divvy (GF,V)
Click here for menu

(Top 10) Eddie Merlot's

Click here for menu

(Top 10) Fleming's (GF,V)

Click here for menu

(Top 10) Hall's Castleton Grill 

Click here for menu

Harry & Izzy's (GF,V,VE)

Hella's Café (V)

(Top 10) J. Razzo's Restaurant

Click here for menu

Late Harvest (V)

MacKenzie River Pizza Company (82nd Street) (GF,V)

MacKenzie River Pizza Company (Carmel) (GF,V)

Maggiano's (GF,V)

Matt the Miller's Tavern (V)

Mitchell's Fish Market 

Nickel Plate Bar & Grill

Oakley's Bistro (V)

Ocean Prime 

(Top 10) *Patrick's Kitchen & Drinks (GF,V)

Click here for menu

Pearl Bistro (GF)

Peterson's  (GF,V)

*Petit Chou (GF,V)

Pizzology Pizzeria & Pub (V)

Prime 47 

Rockstone Pizza & Pub (GF,V)

(Top 10) Ruth's Chris

Click here for menu

Sahm's Restaurant & Pub (V)

(Top 10) Sangiovese Ristorante (GF,V)
Click here for menu

Scotty's Brewhouse

Season's 52 (GF,V)

Stone Creek Dining (Noblesville) (GF,V)

Stone Creek Dining (Zionsville) 

Sullivan's (GF,V)

The Gathering (GF,V)

The Local

The Loft at Trader's Point (V)

The Melting Pot (GF,V)
For a review of The Melting Pot chocolate martini, click here.

(Top 10) Woody's Library (GF,V)

Click here for menu

Images: EJMusgrave

Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated fine-living, travel, food, wine and spirits columnist, freelance writer and photographer, and performing arts and restaurant critic for Gotta Go. Catch her as Indy’s Personal Lifestyle Adviser on Indy Style, WISH8 (CBS). Read Infused, her spirits, wine & beer lifestyle column, at www.GottaGo.us and www.FoodDigital.com Gotta Go is published on www.Gottago.us, and in magazines. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Northside Nights: March 8-18 Restaurant List

NORTHSIDE NIGHTS RESTAURANT WEEK

MARCH 8th – 18th 2012
If you are looking for Northside Nights 2013 Click HERE

Mini indulgences/Seasons 52                  Image/IzzyEvans

What: Northside Nights Restaurant Week

When: March 8-18

Who: 27 northside Indianapolis restaurants

Where: Various northside Indianapolis restaurants-see list below

Cost: 3 courses: $30 per person or $30 for two people

Website

For a complete list of menus, visit NorthsideNightsIndy.com

Participating Restaurants

Arni’s

Bonefish Grill

Chef Mike’s Charcoal Grill

Cobblestone Grill

Eddie Merlot’s

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse

Hall’s Castleton Grill

Harry & Izzy’s

Hellas Café

Kincaid’s

Michael’s Southshore

Mitchell’s Fish Market

Oakley’s Bistro

Peterson’s

Pizzology

Ruth’s Chris Steak House

Sahm’s Bar & Grill

Sahm’s Restaurant & Bar

Sangiovese Ristorante

Seasons 52
For a review of Seasons 52, click here.

Stone Creek Dining Noblesville

Stone Creek Dining Zionsville

Sullivan’s Steak House

The Melting Pot
For a review of The Melting Pot chocolate martini, click here.

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 the following newspapers: South Sider Voice, Indiana Weekender, New Palestine Reporter, Pendleton Times Reporter and Fortville-McCordsville Reporter.

Restaurant Review: The Roost

Coffee Cake                                                Image/IzzyEvans

The Roost has unveiled its new menu and it consists of all the comfort foods a Midwesterner could hope for.
Meatloaf? Check. Fried chicken? Oh yeah. Gravy? Poured on anything that sits still long enough.

Located at 7373 E. 116th St (right at Allisonville Rd.) The Roost is the second oldest member of the Sahm's Restaurant Group, which has been in existence for about 25 years. Normally known as a breakfast and brunch spot for residents of Fishers and other northsiders, the restaurant recently launched its new menu for dinner.

Having been a comfort food-Midwest style cook for my entire life, I am always happy to find it done well in a restaurant. It is absolutely heartbreaking to crave fried chicken, mashed potatoes and green beans, and end up with a mountain of flavorless white glob, mushy green beans (well done, they are my personal favorite vegetable) and greasy, over-cooked poultry.

Fried Chicken                           Image/IzzyEvans

The Roost provides crispy, juicy fried chicken, mashed potatoes worth eating sans gravy (not that you would) and grean beans seasoned just right. Other menu items worth mentioning are the apple butter and fried biscuits which could satisfy as an addition to any meal, from breakfast on; meatloaf, which was juicy and great alone or as a sandwich, and dessert.

Fried Biscuits/Apple Butter        Image/IzzyEvans

Dessert, which rightfully has many restaurants fighting for a "wow" factor item, can be powerful in its own simplicity. Case in point: Sour Cream Coffee Cake. The northside food spot has outdone itself by not trying to outdo itself. The coffee cake represents the best in flavors without attempting to ooze anything, crystallize sugar or even contain the usual must-have ---- chocolate. A light dusting of powdered sugar is all that is required to carry this cinnamon-enhanced to its goal of satisfying without saturating your sweet tooth.

Bottom Line: The Roost sets out what intends to do: provide Hoosiers with comfort food done simply, done well, and done right here in Indy.

For a full menu, directions and information, visit Sahms/TheRoost

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.

Restaurant Review: Northside Nights 2011

Dessert fondue dippers                                 Photo: Izzy Evans

Similar to Devour Downtown, Northside Nights provides Indianapolis foodies and occasional diners the opportunity to sample cuisine at restaurants they have been eyeing or introduce them to a new food choice via a special $30-per-person or two-for-$30 offer. I was recently invited to check out a few of the menus for the event, including those at Scotty’s Brewhouse, Sullivan’s Steakhouse and The Melting Pot. I was unable to make Scotty’s but did try the other two.

Oven-roasted chicken breast

Sullivan’s, 3316 E. 86th St., lists three salads and four entrees for its special. The salads were traditional fare done extremely well with the steakhouse mixed greens winning my vote over the classic Caesar and wedge salads. I also tasted each of the entrees: steak and potatoes, broiled Atlantic salmon filet, Bleu cheese meatloaf and oven-roasted chicken breast.

Atlantic salmon filet

Steak options are a 6-ounce filet or 10-ounce New York strip with additional toppings, Gorgonzola butter, bleu cheese gratin, horseradish crust, and Cabernet goat cheese butter, available at an additional cost. The offerings were well presented with the strip and horseradish crust giving just enough bite without overpowering the beef, and the bleu cheese meatloaf giving a modern twist to a classic staple. The eatery has an atmosphere of old school steakhouses and boasts a varied wine cellar.

Yin & Yang dessert fondue

The Melting Pot, 5650 E. 86th St., is already well-known to me as a one of the winners of the Gotta Go choices for “Best 6 Spots to Get Shaken, not Stirred” in Indianapolis with its Yin-yang martini. The food at the fondue eatery is also familiar as I am a fan of all things cooked in cute little pots, especially those containing cheese or chocolate.

The $30-per-person menu includes a choice of Queso or Cheddar Cheese fondue for an appetizer and either Heartland Selection or The Vegetarian for entrée fondues. The dessert section, which I sampled heavily, includes White Chocolate Turtle, Yin & Yang and Chocolate S’Mores. Yin & Yang is perfect for a dark chocolate lover and the S’Mores takes you right back to childhood.

Northside Nights continues through Sept. 18 with all restaurants and menus available at NorthsideNightsIndy.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 the following newspapers: South Sider Voice, Indiana Weekender, New Palestine Reporter, Pendleton Times Reporter and Fortville-McCordsville Reporter.