Capri Ristorante
2602 Ruth Drive
Indianapolis, IN 46240
http://www.capriindy.com/
If you ask a person in Indianapolis where the best Italian is in Indy (outside of a chain) Capri will usually be in the top 5. Tucked away in a Wal-Mart parking lot, a lot of people go by it every day and have no clue that it is there. Let me set the scene, two sides of the restaurant, dining room and bar. We prefer the bar. Servers wear a tie & vest. Dress code is business casual, but you can get away with wearing jeans and a nice shirt.
I am amending the formal review scoring, so we will see how this goes.
What I Ate:
Appetizers:
Calamari Fritti $9.00 6/10
Tender Calamari fried in Capri`s special batter.
A little bit better than average, but there was nothing special here.
Grana Padano con Prosciutto e Olive Casareccie $9.00 8/10
Grana Padano cheese with Proscuitto Ham & Calamata Olives
Generous portion and the marinated veggies were a special treat. Mozzarella was really good and fresh. Quality Olive Oil and a good combination of textures (crunchy and soft)(Pic Below)
Gamberoni Fra Diavolo $12.50 4/10
Spicy Shrimp in White Wine, garlic, Olive Oil, Marinara Sauce. Hot.
I had high hopes, and this was a let down. This dish lacked flavor, just spicy red sauce and shrimp. The quality and size of the shrimp were average, for $12.50 for an app, it wasn’t worth it.
Salsiccia Secca Alla Calabrese $9.50 8/10
Homemade Dry Salami with Aged Provolone Cheese.
I really liked this. Small pieces of dry salami (a good amount of them), cheese and some of the grilled vegetables from before. They were a touch spicy and went well with my red wine. It was a good paring, if I was drinking water, I might try something else. (Pic Below)
Main:
Braised Lamb Shank Special $31 9.5/10
This was the star of the show. Lamb shank was cooked to perfection with a tomato ragout. It was a huge portion, I had a difficult time finishing it. It came with sauteed green beans/carrots and au gratin potatoes. This is not my first visit to Capri and anytime they have anything braised…get it! (Pic Below)
Spaghetti Bolognese $16.00 7/10
Homemade Spaghetti with ground veal in tomato sauce.
The pasta was homemade and excellent and the small veal meatballs concentrated on the meat. Some people might say this is bland, but I liked how spices took a back seat to fresh pasta, veal and a very basica tomato sauce.
Dessert:
Cannoli: 7/10.
I am getting tired of writing! Cannoli was good, a thicker shell used here. A lot of Cannoli shells now remind me of a flaky spring roll, this was the old school type.
Totals:
Food: 49.5/70
Service/Management: 10/10
Originality/Execution: 8/10
Overall: 67.5/90 = 75/100
Excellent service and old school Italian Classics. A strong emphasis on quality and care, keeping things simple but executing well. If they have something braised, get it! Homemade pasta is really good, but they need to focus on pairing it with great sauces. This would’ve fetched an 80+, but there were a few misses of the 7 items I tasted. However, I recommend Capri.
-wibia
Tags: calamari, canoli, Capri Ristorante, Food, grana padano, Italian, lamb, salami, Shrimp, spaghetti
I’ve never been a huge fan of Italian food…it’s usually too high in carbs, fats, butters, creams….it just seems too heavy for me. I must say that Braised Lamb Shank Special looks awesome.
Do you know how “authentic” most Italian places are? I ask because I don’t myself. I’m wondering how place like Olive Garden really compare to real Italian…do they evern come close or is it like Mexican food in California?
I think Cannoli’s are underrated. I had a great Cannoli on Saturday at this little brick oven pizza joint…I’m still thinking about it.
It’s a good question that I often wonder myself…. I was at dinner with people that have been to Italy and they seem to like it and thing that it is authentic (then again, where did they eat when they were in Italy?) The owner speaks Italian so that helps convince me a little.
Mexican is another conversation as well. I think that what is labeled authentic Mexican ( #17 Combo type of place) is not truly authentic. If you watch Rick Bayless on PBS, it is another story. When my wife and I were in Cancun for our honeymoon, we took a day off the resort and had a driver for the day and we talked a lot about food and he took us to a place that he likes to eat. You didn’t order, you just sit down and they bring you food… All of it was really good and no burritos/tacos to be found. It got me thinking…
That is awesome (you real Mexican meal). I think restaurants like that are so cool. I’ve never been to or even seen one here like that in the states, where they just serve you what they’re cooking that night. There should be more like that!
I really like that concept as well. If the chef is good enough, it would work. I would like to walk into a place and have no clue what is being served that night.
Agreed, people usually go for Tiramisu before a Cannoli, not me. I usually skip it dessert at Italian places and go for the grappa instead!
“I think Cannoli’s are underrated. I had a great Cannoli on Saturday at this little brick oven pizza joint…I’m still thinking about it.”
Where?