OAKLEYS bistro
1464 86th Street West
Indianapolis, IN 46260
http://www.oakleysbistro.com

Okay, so I know what you are thinking…how much more are you going to write about OAKLEYS?  Answer:  Plenty more.  It has been a year since my last review, so I figured it was time.

Before I forget, add OAKLEYS on your Facebook.  They list special dinners and all kinds of good info.

What I Ate: Shrimp and Tomato Bisque, $6; Pork Tenderloin, $12.75.  Wife:  Crab Pot Pie, $13.75

The shrimp and tomato bisque was served a little under the temperature that I liked, but it was still warm enough for my wife.  I took a few bites and sent it back.  Instead of heating it up in the microwave, they brought an entirely new bowl of soup that was just right.  This is the type of service touches that sets them apart.  I enjoyed the soup and my wife did as well.  What I like it that they add a garnish of veggies that are a little crunchy.  The soup leaned more towards the shrimp side than the tomato side, which I preferred.

I always try something new when I am there and the pork tenderloin sounded good.  Ratatouille vegetables, pear fennel relish, potato puree, maple gastrique and figs.  When I ordered it, I thought, “this sounds good except for the figs.”  However, I thought they added a nice sweet bite whenever I wanted to balance out everything else.  The pork was cut into three strips.  Not too thin, not too thick and cooked just right.  I have a good feeling they could make a good pork tenderloin sandwich.  Everything else was cooked perfectly and worked together really well.  I liked this dish a lot.

The Crab Pot Pie was also top shelf.  Roasted leeks, Cauliflower, Pearl Onions, Spinach, Artichokes and Lemon Basil Pesto, served with a puff pastry on top.  I really liked the top layer and getting into the warm, creamy goodness that lies beneath.  They used to have a lobster pot pie and I liked that as well, but no longer have it unfortunately.  Really, this is perfect cold weather food.

Would I Buy It Again?  Yes, very easily. The more that I dine in Indy, the more that I appreciate OAKLEYS.  I can’t think of a restaurant that has it more together than they do.  Great service and consistently awesome food.  What more can you ask for?

-wibia

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

OAKLEYS bistro
1464 W. 86th St
Indianapolis, IN
http://www.oakleysbistro.com/

Let’s get to the point, Steve Oakley is a culinary bad ass.  His resume is bulletproof by working on some of the finest kitchens in the US, including Charlie Trotters in Chicago.  Chef Oakley is a 1991 of the Culinary Institute of America.  In 1993 he was a received a nomination for the James Beard Foundation Rising Star and in 2008 a nomination for Best Chef: Great Lakes.  If you ask anyone in Indianapolis (that has a clue) they will list OAKLEYS bistro in their top 5 restaurants every time.

Two years ago I was at a crossroads in my career, I asked (read: begged) Chef Oakley for the opportunity to work in his restaurant.  After a 10 hour day, a deep cut in my thumb, and a good conversation with Chef Oakley about the amount of dedication and sacrifice that it would take to where I truly wanted to be, I decided that time with my family was too important to give up.  After all, I am the son of a chef, so if anyone knows…

I want to take the opportunity to thank Chef Oakley and Chris (Front of the House Manager) for supporting the site and making the time to do a quick Q&A.

WIBIA: When did you know you wanted to be a chef?

Chef Oakley: When I was a kid I wanted to be a professional basketball player, the next Larry Bird, 8″ too short!  Around the age of 14 I started working in restaurants for free and soon after realized this is what I was meant to do.

WIBIA:  If I wasn’t a chef…

Chef Oakley: I would be a country singer/professional fishing guide.  Country singer because all the hot girls throw panties on the stage, fishing guide because fly fishing is truly something I love to do.

WIBIA: Say you’re on death row and you have to pick your last meal, what would that be?

Chef Oakley: That would be my mom’s stuffed cabbage, mushroom pierogi, and her pineapple upside down cake.  She’s the one who introduced me to cooking and the love for food.

WIBIA: If you started a new restaurant, what would it look like?

Chef Oakley: This is something I think about a lot, I always wanted to have a french fry stand in Broad Ripple.  There I am, in the middle of Broad Ripple, 2 am in the morning, serving fries to all the drunks.  In all reality, I toy around with the idea of opening a casual tapas/wine bar with small expressions of food that people would enjoy.

WIBIA: I love a good wine recommendation, what are you drinking right now?

Chef Oakley: I’m a big fan of Sauvignon Blanc for the summer, at work they call me Savvy B, I also enjoy a nice bottle of Syrah, such as the Guenoc Petit Syrah.

WIBIA: If you could choose one knife to use, what would it be?

Chef Oakley: 10″ Shun Chef Knife, I use it for it’s durability and comfort.  I use it for chopping slicing, mincing.

WIBIA: So tell us what’s new at OAKLEYS bistro?

Chef Oakley: Right now we are working our way thru all the summer tomatoes, various types of melons with the idea of my attempt at writing a cookbook that will showcase all the recipes I’ve done over the years.