Cancun Mexican Restaurant
6714 East 82nd Street
Indianapolis, Indiana  46250
http://cancun-indy.com/

It seems like I’m always on a quest to find a decent Mexican restaurant right near my house.  There are some up in Fishers and there are some farther south toward Broad Ripple, but I seemingly live in the dead zone of “authentic” Mexican restaurants.  Sure, there are plenty of the strip mall variety places that all have the same menu, but none of them are particularly understanding.  Continuing my quest recently, I decided to stop in at Cancun on a Sunday afternoon to check it out.  There was a Colts game that day, so I understand the lack of customers, but I was the ONLY person in the restaurant for my entire meal and I was there after 12:00 p.m.  Odd.

As with any Mexican restaurant, your meal starts with chips and salsa and it’s sometimes a good gauge of how your meal is going to turn out.  After eating these, I was not encouraged.  Sure the salsa had a little zing to it, but it didn’t taste fresh at all.  Honestly, this tasted straight out of a jar or at least like something that was made well in advance.  The chips tasted straight out of the bag too.  So, after the disappointing start, it was time for my meal.

What I Got:  Sonora Shredded Beef Burrito; $8.65.  Burrito consisting of shredded beef, cheese, refried beans and rice topped with cheese and salsa rachera.  Served with a side of refried beans (I had them substitute Spanish rice).

The menu said this was a giant burrito and it certainly was that.  Outside of its size, that’s about all it had going for it.  The shredded beef was slightly overcooked and chewy, the salsa ranchera was flavorless, the rice was obviously made well in advance and everything else was pretty much standard stuff that would would expect to see in a burrito.  To top it all off, it was served to me only lukewarm as well, so I had to eat fast before it turned ice cold.  Granted, I should have had them re-heat it for me, but I know that would have just consisted of them throwing it in a microwave and I wasn’t interested in that.

Would I Buy It Again?  Absolutely not.  Despite Cancun being a free-standing building on its own, this place is nothing more than standard strip mall Mexican food and as I said, I am not looking for that.  I want authenticity and more importantly, flavor. I guess I should just learn my lesson and drive up to Fishers and go to Riviera Maya or Mexico City Grill to fulfill my cravings.

-IndianapolisEater

Jason’s Deli
4130 East 82nd Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46250
http://www.jasonsdeli.com/

Indy Food Geek has done a previous review of Jason’s Deli and I have been there several times for the salad bar, but have never done a review because really, who wants to read a review of a salad bar (it’s a really good one by the way; I guess I just did a review)?  Anyway, I had decided after my last Jason’s salad bar visit that I was going to get something other than the salad bar, but I wasn’t sure what that would be.  Since we all know I watch too many food shows, I recently caught an episode of Unwrapped where they were showing a segment on Jason’s Deli and how they make their signature Muffaletta sandwich.  Intrigued enough by the segment, I finally knew that I had a winner on what to order next and on a recent Saturday, I made the trip.

What I Got:  Whole Ham & Hard Salami Muffaletta; $10.99.  Served with two bags of chips (baked or regular Lay’s) and two pickles.

Seeing that they serve this with two orders of chips and two pickles, this sandwich is obviously large enough that it is intended for two people (the picture above is only half the sandwich).  Not for ol’ IndianapolisEater though…I was going to take down the entire thing.  Yeah, I’m a fool.

Anyway, here’s how Jason’s describes their Muffaletta:  “Jason’s signature sandwich begins with round, crusty New Orleans muffaletta bread we split and layer with ingredients. Topped with our famous family-recipe olive mix and grilled to perfection!“  They offer it in several different options (Ham & Hard Salami, Turkey Breast or Veggaletta) and as I listed above, I chose the Whole (9″ inch diameter roll) Ham & Hard Salami version.

After I received my order, I actually laughed.  I thought that perhaps I had bitten off more than I could chew here (pun intended), so I’d at least I’d have some leftover for lunch for the next day.  This was a HEAVY sandwich and was loaded with quite a bit of ham, salami, cheese and olive mix.  The bread was also crustier than I expected (and also topped by sesame seeds, which was completely unexpected).  Still, I was looking forward to diving into this thing because I LOVE olive salad.

I took my first bite and I could tell that I was going to be disappointed.  This thing was bland and the taste was unmemorable.  The deli meats and cheeses were fine and plentiful, but they weren’t all that flavorful.  The olive salad was also there in plentiful amounts, but it really lacked flavor.  You knew it was there visually and you could feel the texture of it in your mouth, but it wasn’t nearly as salty/briny as you’d expect from something made up of so many olives.  Also, the crusty bread was basically unusable because it kept falling apart under the weight of all the toppings.  After eating half of my first portion (they cut the giant sandwich into fourths, so that was one quarter),  I had to get up and go to my refrigerator to get the spicy brown mustard in order to give this one some sort of pleasurable taste.  When you have to doctor a “signature” sandwich, that’s not a good sign.

Would I Buy It Again?  Definitely not.  Bland, boring and a total letdown.  I will go to Jason’s Deli again, but I’ll stick with their outstanding salad bar (hey, there’s another review!).  Other than that, I have no desire to try any of their other stuff unless I hear someone else give it a glowing review.

Oh yeah, since I’m sure you are dying to know…I did finish the entire Muffaletta and the two pickles.  I left the chips for later because I decided that I’d rather finish my meal with a White Chocolate Magnum ice cream bar and also a Peanut Butter Snickers bar instead of two bags of Baked Lays chips.  Hey, I skipped lunch!  LOL.  I may eat too much from time to time…

-IndianapolisEater

Muldoon’s
111 W Main St
Carmel, IN 46032
http://www.muldoons.net/index.htm

March’s Tenderloin of The Month brings us to Muldoon’s in Carmel.  Something tells me that I have had this one before, but I didn’t remember any of the details.  Muldoon’s is usually one of the most recommended places to get a tenderloin, so I thought that I would see what the hype is all about.

Muldoon’s is an Irish themed bar.  Just because a bar carries Guinness, it surely doesn’t mean that it is an Irish bar.  Now, I have never been to Ireland to experience the real deal, but my wife is of Irish decent so I will continue on with my consistent know-it-all attitude.

What I Ate: Breaded tenderloin; served with a choice of sides and I went with chips,  $7.95

Served on a toasted sesame seed bun and with a tomato, lettuce, red onion and mayo.  At first glance, this tenderloin was huge.  I ripped of a piece of the meat and it was juicy and flavorful.  The thickness of the tenderloin and the breading-to-meat ratio was perfect.  It wasn’t the overly pounded out thin and dry type.  Considering the size, I thought that it would be thinner.  I would’ve liked a little more lettuce and tomato, but what they gave me did the trick.  Chips were straight out of a bag, so I will pick a different side next time.

Would I Buy It Again?  Yes and frequently. It was one of the best tenderloins that I have ever had and a fine representation of the Indiana state sandwich.  At roughly $8, it is competitively priced and well worth a trip to give it a try.  On a number scale, I would give it a 9.5/10, only leaving .5 for anything that I run across that is better, if it exists.

In tenderloins we trust,

-wibia

Mexico City Grill
11653 Fishers Station Dr.
Fishers, IN 46038
http://www.mexicocitygrill.com (same menu as Fishers location)

Mexico City Grill recently opened its newest location in the recently renovated Fishers Station Plaza at 116^th St. and Allisonville Road.  Fishers has several other Mexican restaurants within a mile of this location makingthe long term success of Mexico City Grill dependent on setting higher standard than its competition.  Since I work nearby, I inquired about whether they plan to offer delivery at lunch and it is not currently part of their plan.

This location was previously a Mexican restaurant and the layout inside has change little from the previous owners. The décor is bright and busy in an attempt to create a festive environment but over the top for my taste.  Having just opened, it was not very busy and the large staff provided quick service to the point I was asked if everything was okay about every five minutes.  It will be interesting to see how the staff handles a full dining room and if the service remains top notch.

What I Got:

Chips/Salsa(free) and Guacamole ($4.99).  You can usually tell a lot about a place by these three staples. The golden colored chips were freshly made and were some of the best I have had anywhere.  The salsa was very runny to the point you could see water separating from the rest of the salsa making it a huge disappointment.  The guacamole can be ordered for $4.99 or you can have it freshly made table side for $8.00.  For $5.00, I was disappointed in the serving size, but the guacamole was the right mix of avocado chunks to its creaminess and is some of the best I have had anywhere.

Burrito del Campo ($9.50).  A fresh flour tortilla wrapped around a combination of steak, chicken, shrimp, cheese sauce and rice.  Topped with your choice of a green sauce or cheese sauce and fresh diced tomatoes.  The steak and chicken were marinated and tender and the burrito included six large shrimp that were just a bit overcooked.  I chose the green sauce and the combination of everything worked well together.  The beans on the plate were standard fare but the rice was very dry and overdone.  Overall, I enjoyed this burrito enough that I would order it again.

Enchiladas Con Crema ($8.99).  With this choice, you get two enchiladas and my wife got one with chicken and the other with ground beef.  They came topped with sour cream sauce and cheese, and were served with refried beans, rice, lettuce, avocado slices and sour cream.  The sauce was make or break, and in this case, my wife was disappointed.  Although I liked the seasoning combination in the sauce better than her, it did not work at all on the enchilada with ground beef but came off better with the chicken.  Between the sour cream sauce and all of the other sour cream, it was a gloppy mess and both my wife and I would pass on this menu item in the future.

Kids Chicken Chimichanga ($4.99). The server forgot to put this in with the original order but had it out to use within a couple of minutes of us receiving our meal.  The kid’s meal was large enough to feed both my three and four year old and came with a chimichanga that my wife liked more than her meal, beans and rice.  The seasoning was simple for kids but overall good value.  The kids menu had many other good options making Mexico City Grill a good family destination.

Would I Buy It Again?  Yes. The service was excellent and the food was above average.  Whenever I visit a restaurant in its first couple of days after being opened, I am always interested in seeing if the quality of  food and service changes as they get busier or slower depending on first impressions.  Overall, if I am choosing between Mexico City Grill based on my first impression and the nearby Riviera Maya in the downtown area of Fishers on 116^th Street that I reviewed in May of 2010, Riviera Maya has a better environment inside, a full bar, equally good service, a better range of menu items and higher quality food with better flavor that make it the better choice of two Mexican Restaurants with similar menus and prices.

-EatHSE

Claddagh Irish Pub
3835 E 96th St
Indianapolis, IN 46240
http://www.claddaghirishpubs.com

If you are from Indy, you could probably figure out what I ordered.  This place is known for their Fish and Chips.  Claddagh Irish Pub is a small chain with fifteen locations in IN, OH, KY, MI and a few other scattered restaurants.  Overall, I would say that I am a fan of the Claddagh.  I love Irish food and they do it reasonably well for an average of $12-$15 an entree, which is a difficult price point to find in Indy.  Plus, I always find their restaurants comfortable and well spaced.  I enjoy sitting by the fireplace at the downtown location.

What I Got: Fish and Chips $13.50. Coleslaw and pub chips included.

What I like about the Fish and Chips here is the breading.   Bass beer is included in the batter and I never find it too salty, too thick, too thin or falling off the fish.   It is just right.  I am hard pressed to think that they are using fresh fish, but the flavor can be convincing and I found the fish to be tender and flaky just like it should be.

The pub chips were plentiful and they were fresh and perfectly cooked.  A little crispiness on the outside and soft warm potato on the inside.   The coleslaw was a joke and it was embarrassing to put it on the table.

Would I Buy It Again? Yes and no.

Yes: It is a pretty good version of fish and chips considering that we are landlocked and the local competition is weak.  Sometimes I crave fish and chips, and going to Long John Silver’s just feels dirty.

No: $13.50 for lunch, plus a soda was $2.40.  With tax and tip, you are looking at $20+ for lunch.  The service and overall direction of Claddagh was awful.  Let me explain:

1. The service was horrible.  I was in there on a weekend afternoon with two other tables and my server was nowhere to be found.  I didn’t get one refill on my drink and she never stopped by the table to check how things were. Futhermore, she did not say THANK YOU!!!   That is my pet peeve number one at a restaurant.  I usually never go back to a restaurant if the server didn’t thank me for coming in.

2. Claddagh is changing their menu to this.  As you can see, basically the only thing that remains is Shepherd’s Pie and Fish and Chips.  To be honest, it doesn’t look good to me.  They also took off two of my favorites, Cabbage/Bacon/Pork and the Guinness Beef Stew.

Totally bogus.

-wibia

p.s.  Where else can I find a good Fish and Chips in Indy?

[Editor's Note:  FYI, just saw in the newspaper this week that they have buy one, get one free on fish and chips orders at Claddagh on Mondays.]

Riviera Maya
8657 E. 116^th Street
Fishers, IN 46038

http://www.rivieramayamexicanrestaurant.com/menu.html

[Editor's Note:  There also appears to be a scanned copy of the menu at Coupons4Indy.com's site.  There are additional coupons for the restaurant there as well.]

This downtown Fishers location used to be the home of smoke-filled breakfast placed called Papa’s, a short lived night club and a failed tavern to name a few.  During the winter, a sign was posted that Riviera Maya was coming and I watched the place slowly transformed as workers gutted the place and cut stone for weeks.  Somebody was finally putting some money in here and I eagerly waited its opening about fifteen days ago.  This is the owner’s second location outside of the original Columbus, Indiana location.  The Fishers location does not yet have a menu online, but the Columbus one I linked in this review matched Fishers with the prices being higher in Fishers.  So how is the food?

Chips and Salsa

If you can’t do the chips and salsa right, you are in big trouble.  Fortunately, the chips were a darker corn color, warm and fresh but need some salt for my own taste.  The salsa is good and picks up a punch the more you eat even though it is not heavily spiced.  The salsa is a very basic smooth textured salsa, but not runny, which is my favorite kind.  I like a little cilantro in mine, but as I said, it is a good simple salsa.

What I Got:

Burrito Loco $9.99: A large 12 inch burrito stuffed with chicken, steak, shrimp and topped with a white melted cheese that never left a heavy feeling as I ate it.  The steak was so soft that it melted in my mouth and the shrimp was marinated and cooked to perfection which is rare as most places overcook shrimp for my taste.  This is quite frankly one of my favorite burritos I have ever had and the quality of all the meats was high and cooked to perfection.  My only complaint is that the burrito did not come with rice or beans which I may request next time.

Chimichanga Acapulco $8.99: My wife got this deep fried flour filled tortilla with chicken, steak, shrimp covered in cheese and served with typical sides like beans, Pico, rice and guacamole.  I do not eat deep fried food, but tried this chimichanga and begged my wife for a second bite.  It was so good that my wife ordered it again on our second visit three nights later to celebrate my birthday.

Quesadilla Rellena $6.99: A typical quesadilla with chicken and refried beans that is served with lettuce, tomato, sour cream and guacamole.  I tried a bit of my kids’ meal they happily shared and ate some themselves.  Any time I can find a menu item that a two and three year old love, it makes the whole experience better for everyone.  By the way, the guacamole is top notch and I ordered an extra bowl for $2.50.

Fajitas Especial: $11.99: On my second trip for my birthday, I decided to give the fajita a try.  There are many variations and combinations of fajitas you can order to meet your preferences.  Not only did my fajitas come with the same good chicken, steak and shrimp I mentioned previously, but they also came with a Mexican sausage similar to chorizo but better.  Along with this combination came all of the typical menu additions you find with fajita elsewhere including grilled onions, peppers, lettuce, tomato, guacamole, sour cream, Pico, rice and beans.  This was easily two meals for $11.99 and easily my favorite fajitas when comparing them to other area restaurants.

Would I Buy It Again? Yes.  I was shocked when I walked into the place as it has been completely transformed and we were quickly seated in a spacious booth.  The fast and efficient service would be the pattern throughout dinner.  Fishers finally has a winner filling what was once and often a vacant location.  In both of my visits to Riveria Maya, the food has been very good and the service kept up with keeping my drink full and fresh chips and salsa on the table.  Both of my experiences have been very positive in the fifteen days they have been open and the parking lot is packed nightly as Fishers takes its first taste of the Riveria Maya.  With dishes ranging for the typical $8 combos to $18 fish dishes, a large menu and a family friendly atmosphere, Riveria Maya has something to offer everyone and I highly recommend you stop in a give Fishers newest restaurant a try.  I will continue to follow-up this review of other menu items each time I visit.

-EatHSE