Asia Bistro
7426 Fishers Station Drive
Fishers, Indiana 46038
http://www.asiabistrofishers.com

It what is becoming almost a monthly Sunday night tradition, it was time for me to venture out again for some Chinese takeout and since I was spending some time with my mom and her husband at their house, we decided to try out one of the relatively new takeout places in her area, Asia Bistro.  Since it was my first time trying the place, I decided to go with one of my “testing” Chinese dishes and got…

What I Got:  Quart of General Tso’s Chicken (comes with white rice); $8.95.

As you can see from my very “arty” photo, the dish comes with a quart of General Tso’s chicken mixed with broccoli and then a smaller pint sized container of white rice.  Visually, there’s not a whole lot there.  The chicken bits were covered in a sticky sauce and there were noticeable red pepper flakes in the sauce on the chicken (you can also see them on the broccoli in the picture above).  One thing I did notice that the chicken was particularly soft and the breading of the chicken was also soft as well.  I’m all for tender chicken, but not for mushy breading, so I was little worried as I got ready to eat this one.

My worry subsided a bit, but I can honestly say I was not particularly impressed with this version of General Tso’s chicken.  It’s not that it was overwhelmingly bad, but it wasn’t overwhelmingly good either…it was just edible.  The thick sauce was neither overly spicy, nor overly sweet, but instead somewhere in the middle.  When you order something like General’s chicken, you’d like the sauce to be one of those things (I prefer the spicier version), but this one was neither and that was a big disappointment.  As suspected, the chicken was tender and that was nice, but the breading was soft and doughy and since I like a bit of crunch in my General’s chicken, I really missed that.  All in all, this was just boring.

Would I Buy It Again?  No to the General’s Chicken and probably not to Asia Bistro.  Just too boring and not really worth a purchase.  If I want Chinese food, I don’t want to be bored by it and Asia Bistro gave me that sensation.  The name of this place is deceiving, because this is not what you think of when you think of “bistro quality” food.

As an aside on some of the other menu items, my mom and her husband got different dishes and my mom’s response to her Shrimp with Lobster Sauce was “I’ve been eating this for forty years and this is the worst I’ve ever had” and her husband’s response to his Roast Pork Lo Mein was virtually the same as my review of my food as he said his was “bland.”  Not exactly a ringing endorsement of a place, eh?

-IndianapolisEater

The Capital Grille
40 W Washington Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204
http://www.thecapitalgrille.com

As an esteemed member of “the press” (HA!!), WIBIA was invited to preview The Capital Grille’s summer wine event called “The Generous Pour.”  Being the selfless person that I am, I offered to cover this event and give everyone else a night off.  I mean, who has the time for free five-course wine dinners?  I’m practically a saint.  I’ve never dined at The Capital Grille before, so I’ll have to make some comments about the food.  In an effort to keep your attention, I’m just going to spill the details – quick and dirty-like.

The Generous Pour

July 12^th through September 4^th

$25.00 with the purchase of a meal and try as many of the featured wines as you like

Whites
Marquis de la Tour, Cremant de Loire Brut, Sparkling Wine

La Caña Albariño, 2010

Chateau St. Jean Belle Terre Chardonnay, 2008

California Reds
Freemark Abbey, Cabernet Bosche, 2003

Chalk Hill Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, 2006

Byron Pinot Noir, 2009

International Reds
Conte Brandolini, Vistorta Merlot, 2006

Tarima Hill Monastrell, Alicante, 2009

Dessert
RL Buller, The Portly Gentleman, Port

My wife and I arrived for the preview night of “The Generous Pour” to be greeted by extremely friendly and attentive staff.  We were given canapés and French brut to hold us over while we were briefed on the premise of “The Generous Pour.”  Master sommelier George Miliotes greeted us via live webcast and explained the choices for the wine list.   Suffice it to say, The Capital Grill has put together a stellar list of wines for a very reasonable price.

Following the briefing from George, we were seated in the main dining room and given choices from a fixed menu of TCG’s most popular items; each paired with two wines from the list.  By this point, I believe we are supposed to be experiencing what the average diner could expect if paying for their dinner.  While the extremely attentive service is not usually my cup of tea, it was very well done and tasteful at all times.  At no point did I feel like we were receiving preferential treatment just because they knew we were essentially scoring their every move.  I watched the other diners around us very closely and they all received the same kind of attention that we were getting.

Enough about that…on to the food and wine!

What we got:  Getting a clear picture of the wine bottles in a dark restaurant was nearly impossible.  I apologize for the lack-luster photos.  Wine pairings are in parentheses.

Appetizers:  Fried calamari with hot cherry peppers.  Prosciutto-wrapped mozzarella with tomato salad. (La Caña Albariño and Chateau St. Jean Belle Terre Chardonnay)

Mains:  10 ounce filet with bordelaise jus (Freemark Abbey Cabernet Bosche and Tarima Hill Monastrell).  Bone-in, kona rubbed sirloin with caramelized shallot butter (Chalk Hill Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and Conte Brandolini Vistorta Merlot).

Sides:  Lobster mac & cheese and sautéed spinach.

Dessert:  Flourless chocolate espresso cake.  Strawberries with ice cream and port/Grand Marnier reduction.

The appetizers were great.  Honestly, I could’ve stopped here and been blissfully happy.  My wife loves fried calamari and we get it often.  I was initially a little put off by the lack of dipping sauce, but I quickly realized that marinara or sweet chili sauce would’ve been woefully unnecessary.  The hot peppers, which I typically detest, were excellent and perfect with the surprisingly crispy and “un-rubbery” texture of the calamari.  The mozzarella dish was delicious as well, albeit a little cold.  The cheese had already started to firm back up, but the flavor was excellent.  The aggressively oaked and buttery flavors of the chardonnay worked well with the prosciutto-wrapped mozzarella and the crisp, tropical brightness of the albariño paired nicely with the spice of the calamari.

Our main courses arrived in traditional steakhouse fashion; steaks are front-and-center on the plate with shared sides that are dished out by the wait staff.  For the record, I didn’t want the filet.  I really wanted the bone-in sirloin, but I have a pathological aversion to ordering the same items as my fellow diners.  The wife wanted the sirloin, so I was stuck with the filet.  Fortunately, the filet was paired with the more expensive wines so it worked out fine.  My steak was slightly overcooked and a little under seasoned, but I’m not the kind of person to send back an order, especially a steak.  I would’ve been more inclined to complain if I had actually been paying for the meal.  My wife’s sirloin, on the other hand, was perfectly cooked very flavorful.  I didn’t pick up a lot of the coffee flavor from the rub, but the rich onion sauce really made for a great steak.  By this point in the meal, I was bordering on being uncomfortably full.  The lobster mac and cheese was excellent.  The rich, creamy sauce was studded with lots of claw meat and I genuinely wish I had been able to eat more.  The spinach, on the other hand, was nothing to write home about.  Baby spinach sautéed with whole garlic cloves, ‘nuff said.  The wine pairings didn’t have any real logical connection for me, but they certainly were delicious.  The Cabernet Bosche was rich, velvety, and dreamy.  Being the most expensive wine in the bunch, I would expect no less.  On the exact opposite end of the spectrum, the Monastrell was bright, acidic, and lively.  The real star of the main course pairings had to be the Chalk Hill Cab.  This wine was just jaw-droppingly aggressive…so much so that the Conte Brandolini Melot barely registers in my memory.  There was really nothing good or bad about it.  It just simply couldn’t stand up to the fireworks going on in the Chalk Hill glass.  Unfortunately, we did not get to sample the Pinot Noir on the list.  Neither of us ordered the corresponding entrée and we’re just not big enough pinot drinkers to ask them to uncork the bottle just for us.

The desserts were nice, but definitely very typical for the American steakhouse scene.  You’ve probably had desserts just like these elsewhere, so I won’t belabor the point.  The port was certainly appropriate for the dessert course, but we’re just simply not into fortified wines.  It was rich with lots of caramel and raisin flavors, but with the sweetness and alcohol content it tasted a little medicinal to me.  It was good enough that I found myself taking a couple of sips, but again it’s really just not my thing.

Conclusion: The Generous Pour is an incredible value.  The big WIBIA question doesn’t really apply to a free preview, but would I go back and pay a total of $50 for two wine flights filled with unique and costly wines?  Hell yes.  That’s a great deal.  The meal, on the other hand, is a whole different situation.  I would’ve killed to see the total bill for our meal.  I’m relatively certain that we would’ve passed the $200 mark, maybe more.  Granted, there is NO WAY I would’ve ordered that much food to begin with, but I just know that even a modest meal for two would probably qualify as a “special occasion dinner.”  The stipulation of The Generous Pour is that you must purchase a dinner, so keep that in mind.  I don’t think you can just go and split a couple of appetizers and qualify for the $25 wine tasting.

If you love wine, you really can’t go wrong here.  This summer tasting series was designed to expose customers to wines they wouldn’t typically order or even find on a menu in a restaurant for the lowest cost possible.  In that respect, The Capital Grille has succeeded.

-Indy Food Geek

[Editor's Note:  This is a paid review on behalf of Bonefish Grill where we compare Bonefish Grill to another similar restaurant in the area.]

Red Lobster
http://www.redlobster.com

Since this is a paid review, I’ll be looking at the environment of the restaurant, the taste of the food and the overall service/experience.

Environment:  I went to this Red Lobster in the thick of the Sunday brunch-type crowd and it was quite busy.  The restaurant was clean, bright and spacious.  Despite the fact that nearly every table was filled and I was seated in the middle of the restaurant, I did not feel like I was jammed into my seat in anyway and had plenty of space to spread out and enjoy my meal.

Service:  My service was outstanding.  My waiter was attentive, personable and was willing to work with me as I was a high maintenance customer (you’ll see based on my menu substitutions below).  I was also visited by two different management types during my meal and seeing a staff so concerned with their dining experience was quite nice.

What I Got:  Ultimate Feast $22.99.

On the menu, the Ultimate Feast consists of “A tender split Maine lobster tail, steamed snow crab legs, garlic shrimp scampi and Walt’s Favorite Shrimp.”  Since I’ve had issues with shrimp in the past, I asked to have the shrimp substituted and I was given fried and steamed bay scallops as substitutes.  In addition to this, you get a choice of one side item (I chose home-style mashed potatoes) and a salad.

After I made my order, my meal started off with an unlimited basket of Red Lobster’s signature cheddar biscuits.

I do not ordinarily like biscuits because I usually find the ones I receive to be too dried out, but these biscuits did not have that problem and thank goodness these were unlimited, because I destroyed two baskets of them.  They were soft, moist and the cheddar flavor was strong, but not overpowering.  There’s no need for butter or anything else on these to soften these up because they are awesome and frankly, I could have had only these biscuits for my meal and been a happy man.

After my biscuit demolition, I was served my Ultimate Feast.

It might look like I wasn’t served a lot of food here, but that was not the case.  The plate was just huge, so it is throwing the whole perspective here.  Since there were so many different items in my feast, let’s address them individually.

Snow Crab Legs:  I wasn’t overly impressed by these, but they were still tasty.  I understand that snow crab legs are small and you aren’t going to get a lot of meat out of them to begin with, but it was still annoying to crack open each crab leg and only find a sliver of meat in each one.  The meat that I did find though was tender and tasty though (it didn’t require any sauce dipping because of its tender flavor), so each time I did get some meat, I was pleased.  Unfortunately, since I’m lazy, I doubt I’ll order anything with snow crab legs again because it’s too much work for too little of a reward.

Lobster Tail:  This lobster tail was excellent.  The meat was soft, tender and the seasoning made it extremely flavorful.  Much like the crab, this was cooked so perfectly that I had no need to dip this in butter or in any sort of sauce to give it any flavor.  My only complaint and it’s not really a complaint at all, is that I wanted more lobster, but since this feast is more of a sampler platter, I was getting what I paid for.  Next time I go to Red Lobster, I’ll strictly be ordering a giant portion of lobster.

Scallops:  Like I mentioned previously, they gave me steamed and fried versions and between the two, I preferred the fried.  Since these were small little pellets, anything that added additional flavor (again, I was trying to not use sauces so I could accurately assess the flavor of the meat in each option) to them was very much appreciated.  The fried scallops did this.  The steamed scallops were not bad, but they were not great either.  They were just there.  Again, I would have liked these scallops to be bigger, but I got what I paid for.

Mashed Potatoes:  When I first say these potatoes visually, I thought they were going to be dried out and gross.  I was dead wrong.  These potatoes extremely creamy and sprinkled with some fresh Italian seasonings and they were downright delicious.  I LOVED these things and would have been happy eating just these, which is funny considering that I had some outstanding lobster and other tasty dishes on my plate as well.

Would I Buy It Again?  Yes and no.  Yes, I would definitely order some of these individual items again and would go to Red Lobster again, but no, I will not be ordering the Ultimate Feast again.  I’ll be sticking with lobster only or some other types of meal combinations in the future.

-IndianapolisEater

OAKLEYS bistro
http://www.oakleysbistro.com/

Does the name ring a bell?  You may remember when we did our “Get to Know” segment with Chef Stephen Oakley.

I will save you the suspense, but I am a big fan of OAKLEYS.  A welcoming staff, casual/comfortable decor and most importantly, consistently good food.  I had a day off of work and decided to take my six month old to lunch.  Since it was special time with father and son, I wanted to give that boy some culture!

Soup of the day was Lobster Bisque ($6.25) and it is one of my favorites.  Like French Onion, it is extremely easy to make, but there are many horrible versions out there, so I waited with fingers crossed.  The soup arrived with an aroma and heat that cleared up my stuffy nose from the Indiana winter.  The soup was combined with a mirepoix mixture, a little rice and garnish with a little bit of herb oil.  It was a lighter bisque then average and had a hint of saffron in the broth.  I really enjoyed this soup and I liked the interpretation of adding the rice and mirepoix to the soup.  I have had three soups at OAKLEYS and this is my favorite.   It is definitely one of the better lobster bisques you can find in this city.

For the main course, I ordered:
Chicken: $12.75. Potato Puree/Bok Choy/Mushroom Puree/Giardana Vegetables/Pear Relish.
Honestly, everything sounded good except for the pears.  Chicken and pears, pears and mushrooms..not sure about this, but since I have been to OAKLEYS before, so I trust the chef and that is a good place to be in.

The chicken was grilled perfectly and I found the pear relish to be a surprisingly good addition to the plate.  Very balanced spices and I usually find myself reaching for the salt shaker with white meat chicken, but that was not the case here.  I used the mushroom puree as the “gravy” and the pear relish consistently cleansed my palate and added a nice crunch. I really enjoyed this dish.  Probably one of my favorite OAKLEYS meals, second only to a braised beef short rib I had there last winter.

Would I Buy It Again? Yes, and I will add to our Hall of Fame.  First review on WIBIA, but I have been there plenty of times before. OAKLEYS continues to be one of the better choices in Indy.  I like the fact that you can make OAKLEYS a special occasion meal or you could go there in jeans as if you eat there everyday.  I left the lunch with a continued affirmation that we truly have some great restaurants here in Indianapolis.

-WIBIA