Show-Me’s
724 N. First St.
St. Louis, MO 63102
http://showmes.com/

I wasn’t planning on a visit here, but IndianapolisEater twisted my arm on Twitter the night before (it was only two tweets, but we all know his impeccable sales record). I had been there before, and for those unaware, Show-Me’s is an absolute Hooters rip-off. I remember when a group of us, IndianapolisEater included, went to the original location (this one) about nine years ago and our waitress told us the owner was a former GM at a Hooters and thought he could “do it better.”

Evidently “better” is basically having the waitresses less clothed.

From what I remembered, the food was nearly identical to Hooters (for me, that’s a plus … I love the wings, specifically the breading) and the outfits on the waitresses were eerily similar. Even the tables, plates and everything else was basically the same as Hooters. Fast-forward nine years …

Uh, wow.

It’s funny, I sometimes hear older women whine and moan about Hooters, only to later find out they’ve never even been inside a Hooters. I hate judging things you haven’t seen for yourself and I don’t see how a reasonable person can be overly offended by the outfits Hooters waitresses wear. Yes, they’re tight, but walk around a mall in the middle of the summer. Whatever, it’s a discussion for a different day/website.

If you walk into a Show-Me’s now, though, my guess is that this is actually what the complainers think Hooters is. Just look at the bottoms those girls are wearing on the front page of the website. And the tops I saw in the actual restaurant all revealed way more cleavage than you’ll see on the website. I was surprised there wasn’t a cover charge.

Anyway, let’s focus. I went there for lunch on a Thursday and it was completely dead. My service was fine, but the entire staff was a bit pre-occupied with planning for the evening. Considering it was the day of Game 6 of the World Series, I wasn’t about to be offended.

What I Got: 10 spicy BBQ wings, fries; $6.99.

The wings were Hooters/Show-Me’s wings. We all know what we’re getting there and I was pleased that they were good sized wings and had the signature breading that I love. If you don’t like the breading, you can get naked wings and they’re still better than Buffalo Wild Wings (then again, what wings aren’t?). I do like the spicy BBQ option because I’m completely burnt out on buffalo sauce at this point, no pun intended. It’s just been done to death. Enough already. But I do like spice and I love barbecue sauce, so this option sounded perfect. As it turned out, I was right. I really liked this sauce. If you’re a heat fanatic, these won’t be enough, because the kick was subtle. It was there, sure. You wouldn’t mistake it for Sweet Baby Ray’s (my choice at home) or anything. It just wasn’t overly hot. The chicken meat inside the sauce/breading was juicy and tasty, as per the norm at Hooters/Show-Me’s.

Would I Buy It Again? Yes, I would. It has to be the right fit, of course. There aren’t any surprises here. You’re going to have loud music, sports on TV, girls dressed in basically lingerie and greasy wings/burgers/hot dogs/breaded chicken sandwiches. And plenty of beer (they even had Natural Light on tap, which cracked me up). If you have a group of people who can handle that and want a quick bite of the aforementioned fare, it’s certainly reasonably priced. I’d imagine it’s a great time when busy, too.

As for this location, it’s in Laclede’s Landing, which has lots of restaurants and bars in just a few blocks’ radius and is walking distance from a casino and the Arch. I’d actually recommend this area for bachelor parties with all the bars and casinos (and another important fixture is across the river, if you get me). But that’s not what we’re here for, so I’ll stop now.

- Show

[Editor's Note: Show-Me's is a small chain with several locations throughout the midwest.]

Big Hoffa’s BBQ
800 E Main St
Westfield, IN 46074
http://www.bighoffas.com/

I love barbecue.  As a red-blooded American, I have a special relationship with smoked meats.  That being said, I’m shocked at how long it has taken me to get to Big Hoffa’s in Westfield.  I live down the street from this little locally-owned gem, so I desperately wanted to like it.

What I Got: Half-rack of Baby Back Ribs ($9.49), Half Pound “Meat on a Plate” (Pulled Pork with Fries and Baked Beans) with two Garlic Butter Rolls ($7.39) and a Mexican Coke ($1.79).

First off, take a look at the picture.  I was more than a little disappointed when I saw the ribs.  The sauce (I chose spicy for all meats and found it to be better than the mild/sweet) appears to have been an afterthought on the ribs.  I guess I expected total sauce coverage with a modicum of carmelization. Unfortunately, this presentation suggests that the ribs were held at temperature in a steam table after smoking, then sauced upon order.  Further inspection revealed a sliver of hope. They were stupid tender.  I poked it with my fork, tugged on a rib, and the bone came out clean.  Even further inspection revealed perfect texture – held together but easily separated, not too fatty – and a smoke ring that make my eyes light up.  These ribs were darn tasty and perfectly smoky.

The pulled pork, however, lacked smoke.  It was tender, not greasy, and paired well with the sauce, but I could’ve stood to see a bit more of that smokiness I found in the ribs.  The sides were delicious.  The fries (obviously not homemade) reminded me of Rally’s battered and seasoned fries.  Do yourself a favor and get a side of ranch for these babies – it is garlicky and made in-house.  Everybody remembers a kid from elementary school that put ranch on everything, including pizza on Fridays… so just put on your sweatpants and join the ranks.  There’s a reason they sell this crap by the pint even though they don’t offer a salad!  The beans were pretty good, but I’m no expert.  There was a little bit of pulled pork in there and they weren’t nearly as sweet as I make at home.  The rolls were clearly store-bought, but the flourish of butter and garlic powder made them tasty and great for constructing mini pulled pork sandwiches.  I was sharing this meal so I had to get creative.

Would I Buy it Again?  More than likely, yes.  The atmosphere was a lot of fun and I loved to see the whole family involved with the business.  Our “server” was an adorable little guy with a wicked case of bedhead and every other employee was cheery and welcoming.  Was it the absolute best barbecue I’ve ever consumed?  No, probably not.  Was it at least good enough that I feel confident recommending that you give it a shot?  Yes, definitely.

-Indy Food Geek

[Pic quality is a little lacking; it was dark in there and the iPhone 4 did not like that.]

Stacked Pickle
11621 Fishers Station Drive
Fishers, Indiana  46038
http://www.stackedpickle.com

This is our second review of the Stacked Pickle.  The first one was done by wibia and was for the Carmel location.  This one is for the newly opened Fishers location.  I was there on a recent Saturday night for my first visit ever and was anxious to try it out.

What I Got:  Burger & Wing Combo; $9.49 (it was on special that night, so usual price is $10.49).  The combo is made up of the burger of your choosing off the menu (I chose the Black & Bleu burger), four wings of any flavor (I chose teriyaki) and fries.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again:  I love blue cheese.  Because of this, the Black & Bleu burger had my name written all over it for my menu selection.  I ordered it medium rare and at first glance, it appeared that they kitchen did an excellent job cooking it to that temperature because you could still see some of the juices seeping out.  That was definitely a check in the positive column.  Also on the outward appearance side, the burger was served with two nice sized slices of bacon and a heaping of blue cheese.  If this was a burger beauty contest, this one was performing well so far.  So, how did it taste?  I would definitely say well above average.  It was quite good in fact.  It was meaty, cooked perfectly and served with just the right amount of toppings (toppings also included lettuce, tomato and onion).  With its size, I would have been happy with just this burger for dinner, but since I don’t like wasting food, it was on to the wings!

First glace at the wings was telling me that these guys do not serve you skimpy wings and I LOVE it when businesses do that because it means that they care about not screwing their customers over and charging high prices for tiny wings (I’m looking at you Buffalo Wild Wings).  As for the taste, the teriyaki was just okay.  It wasn’t spicy and it wasn’t sweet, but it was somewhere in between.  I was expecting either spicy or sweet and when I didn’t get that, I was disappointed.  Still, these were tasty wings and I would not discourage anyone from ordering them.

The fries were just typical fries.  It was a nice sized portion, but they were nothing to write home about.  As you can see from my photo and from previous reviews where I’ve been busted for it, I rarely treat fries as anything other than ketchup delivery vehicles and these did the trick for that.

Would I Buy It Again?  Yes to this combo and yes to the Stacked Pickle.  This was a healthy amount of food and one special, it was a great price and value too.  Even at the regular price of $10.49, I still think this is a good value and a good buy, so go for it.

This was also a nice establishment with walls full of televisions and sports memorabilia.  It’s non-smoking all day and kid friendly until 10:00 p.m. on Saturdays (not sure about other days), so you can take the family here for some grub and a game.  They have bands or DJs on the weekend and are open until 2:00 a.m. on those days, so if you are looking for a late night hang out, this could be an option for you too.

-IndianapolisEater

Houlihan’s
http://www.houlihans.com/

For one reason or another, Houlihan’s has never really registered to me.  My lasting impression is that it is a jack of all trades, master of none.  I have to admit though, I liked their menu a lot.  Pastas, entrees, salads, burgers etc.  They had small plates menu and even a “frites bar”, where there were five different choices of fries.   The drink menu had a lot of offerings as well with lots of martinis that looked good.  A ton of suff to try, that is for sure.

With all that being said, I got a burger.  It just sounded good at the time.

What I Ate:  Burger 72; $9.95.  Topped with a garlic cream cheese mushroom cap, horseradish, parmesan and watercress.

When delivered, it looked great.  The mushroom cap was adequate at best.  I thought that I would really love this combination, but it didn’t do it for me.   The more burgers that I eat (a ton of them), the more of a purist I become.  The spaces around the musroom cap tasted a little dry (an extra dollop of horseradish sauce could’ve cured that).  The burger was cooked perfectly, the meat tasted fresh and the overall quality was surely there.  Then again, for a $10 burger, it should be.    My problem with the mushroom cap is that it wasn’t crispy enough, so there wasn’t a crunchy texture in there.  I like a little raw red onion usually for a touch of crunch with my burger.

Fries were tasty, I ate all of them.quickly.  Nothing special, but hot and fresh.

Would I Buy It Again?  No to the burger.  Sure to Houlihan’s.  The service was attentive and friendly.  The meal was not bad at all, but I just didn’t fall in love with what I had.   With a menu as large as theirs, I imagine that there are a few favorites that people like.  I was pretty boring and ordered a burger, but I would like to go back and check out a few other things they have to offer.   There was nothing wrong with what I had, this is just a matter of personal prefrence.

-wibia

Jimmy B’s Eatery & Pub
10598 North College Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46280
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jimmy-Bs-Pub/149395358345?sk=info

I have mad respect for our friend, The Tenderloin Connoisseur.  One of his favorite tenderloins, if not his favorite, is the tenderloin at Jimmy B’s.  So, I had to give it a try for the Tenderloin of the Month segment.  Jimmy B’s is like every other somewhat dive-y strip mall bar.  I stopped by at lunch and it was a little smoky, but it didn’t bother me after the first minute or two.

What I Ate:  Breaded Pork Tenderloin with fries (add $1).  Don’t quote me, but it was around $8. 

It arrived and it surely looked good.  The bun didn’t look as toasted as I like it, but the tenderloin itself looked great.   Well, it didn’t disappoint.   The thickness was perfect, the bread-to-meat ratio was perfect as well.  The breading was not softer, not really crunchy or crispy.  There was no gristle to be found.  Plus, it was flippin huge!  I skipped dinner that night.

My only complaint about the meat is that it could’ve used a little more seasoning (read: salt).  The rest of the sandwich was nothing special, but the tenderloin itself was so good, that it didn’t need to be.  Fries were straight out of the bag, so nothing to talk about there either.  Service was friendly and attentive.

Would I Buy It Again?  Yes, easily.   One of the better tenderloins in the city.  I would not pick a fight with anyone that told me that this is the best tenderloin that they have had.    I liked it quite a bit and it is a very fine version of the official state sandwich of Indiana. 

-wibia 

Ruby’s Diner
Bush International Airport
3870 North Terminal Road
Houston, TX 77032
http://www.rubys.com/

Contrary to what you might think, I try to eat relatively healthy the majority of the time.  However, when I am on business or a vacation, I seem to think that if I am out of the zip code, calories don’t count.  Plus, since I have been on a whirlwind tour for work this week (in Atlanta, back to Indy, Houston and Salt Lake City), those rules did not apply and I just wanted a burger and fries.

What I Ate:  Hickory Burger; $9.50.  1/3 lb burger with barbecue sauce, bacon, onion rings, cheddar cheese, lettuce and tomato.

I have had this kind of a burger a million times before, but it just sounded like the fatty meal that I was craving at the time.  Good news…it did the trick.

This seemed like it was a bigger burger than a 1/3 lb.   I had to unlock my jaw to take my first bite.  The meat was cooked to medium well, the sesame seed bun was flattened and held the burger nicely.  The cheese was more oily than creamy and I wish that there was a little more barbecue sauce on the burger, but that was my only complaint.  It was actually a good burger.

The fries hit the spot.   Nothing special, but thin cut (almost Steak ’n Shake thin).

Would I Buy It Again?   Sure, why not?!   Quick and attentive service and if you are wanting a meal where you want fried, cheesy, beefy goodness and are stuck in an airport, this will do the trick.   However, I must warn you, if you have a long flight and are in the middle seat, you might want to re-think this meal as you will feel pretty fat and bloated (more than usual at least).

-wibia

Logan’s Roadhouse
http://www.logansroadhouse.com/Default.aspx

Logan’s Roadhouse is a casual type of steak/barbecue type of eatery that is along the same lines as Texas Roadhouse (it’s almost an identical clone) and has several locations scattered around the United States, but focuses primarily on the Midwest and Southeast.  Logan’s has been in the Indianapolis area for quite a few years, but for some reason, I had never been to one until recently.

What I Got:  Steak and BBQ Ribs Combo.  It comes served with two sides (I chose Sweet Potato Fries and the Grilled Mushroom skewer); $18.99.

Before I get into my entree, I will point out that each table is adorned with a steel bucket of unlimited peanuts and if you are a peanut loving freak like me, this can be either the biggest positive in the world or the biggest negative because you’ll eat a ton of them.  Once your done, just toss them on the floor or on the table and you are good to go.  Thankfully, I kept myself under control on this visit so that I could actually leave room for my entree.  [Note:  If you or someone you know has a peanut allergy, Logan's is not the type of environment you want to bring them into, because there are nuts and shells EVERYWHERE.]

By it’s menu description, my entree was “Our 12-ounce Rib-Eye & a half portion of BBQ Ribs” (there was also a 6-ounce option for the Rib-Eye, but I chose the larger version). 

Let’s address these individually and start with the rib-eye.  I ordered mine medium rare and it was served perfectly.  The outside was was seared perfectly and had the beautiful grill marks from the grill imprinted into it.  The steak was moist, tender and flavorful and I can really give this one a big thumbs up.

The Ribs were also outstanding.  They had that sometimes overplayed “fall off the bone” quality and were moist and flavorful.  They were also lathered in a sweetish flavored barbecue sauce that I found very appetizing.

As for my side items, they were kind of what you’d expect.  You can never go wrong with grilled mushrooms and these were no different.  They were decent sized and had that wonderful grill flavor.  The sweet potato fries were crispy and flavorful, although I wish I had more (not a knock on Logan’s, but just a knock on how hungry I was).

Would I Buy It Again?  Definitely.  I don’t know why it took me so long to get to Logan’s, but I’ll definitely be going back in the future.  It’s a great competitor for Texas Roadhouse and since it is closer to my house, it would probably be my first option if I was looking for the casual steakhouse experience.  Plus, if I ever have a craving for a truckload of peanuts, this is my place!

-IndianapolisEater

Stacked Pickle
12545 Old Meridian Suite 150
Carmel, Indiana  46032
http://www.stackedpickle.com/ 

Stacked Pickle has been around for a few years and is close to my new hangout.   Simple menu of burger, a few entrees, sandwiches, wings, etc…you get the point.  They have good specials, like a $5 burger on Monday night, so check out their website.  They are expanding to Fishers, so watch out.

What I ate:   The Cuban; $6.99.  Pulled pork, ham, pickle, mustard and onions on a hoagie roll.

When I think of a Cuban, I think of pressed bread.   This was the wrong type of bread here.  However, it stated it in the description and I decided to forge ahead anyway.  My bad.  To be honest with you, it was pretty bad.   There was a lot of meat, but all of it lacked flavor.  The mustard punched through everything else.  There was a lot of pulled pork, but very little ham.   Their fries are pretty tasty, nothing fancy, but they always hit the spot.

Would I Buy It Again?   NO to the Cuban, but yes to the Stacked Pickle.   The Cuban is a total miss on a decent menu.  I have been here at least five times and the food has always been average to pleasant and the service is always solid.  It is not going to expand your culinary pallet, but for a neighborhood bar, it is not offensive.  Also, if you are single, this place opens up after nine and on the weekends.

-wibia