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

In 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

Pappasito’s
321 W. Road to Six Flags
Arlington, TX 76011
Menu: http://pappaspizza.net/images/dyn/menus/menu_208.pdf

Pappasito’s came very highly recommended by my boy Sammy (aka the concierge, who I bothered all four days I was in Arlington).

It’s interesting here to note that Pappasito’s is under the same umbrella of Pappadeaux, which I’ve already reviewed. In fact, Pappas Restaurants appears to be a power down in Texas that I’d never heard of (imagine that, coming from someone who has never lived outside Indiana, huh?). Pappadeaux is their “seafood kitchen” and this one is their “cantina.” So it was Tex-Mex. Just like Pappadeaux, the atmosphere was great. TVs all around; good, friendly service and patrons just having a good time. It might be cliche, but people were most certainly a lot nicer in Texas than in the northeast, for example.

What I Got: Ribeye and Diablo Shrimp, $25.95: “Ribeye topped with grilled peppers & onions with Diablo shrimp & choice of enchilada.”

I went with a ground beef enchilada, and thankfully it was worlds better than the El Fenix variety. Really good flavor and cheesiness, the ground beef was juicy, the enchilada sauce was fresh, etc. I was a big fan of this.

Everything — including, most importantly, the steak — was cooked properly. I went medium rare on the steak and they did it to perfection.

The ribeye was really good, but I’ve had a really good ribeye many times. The onions and peppers didn’t really add much “Mex” to it for me. Don’t get me wrong, I certainly enjoyed it. I’m just saying that my steak wasn’t really enhanced at all by the toppings. It was a ribeye and I’m admittedly a sucker for those, but this one wasn’t special.

On the shrimp, I’m not sure if the presentation was lazy or if it was really meant to be like this for a specific reason. I actually googled “diablo shrimp” to find out and didn’t find anything like this. They simply took each shrimp with the shell and legs still intact and split it down the middle. You actually should be able to see a few of the legs in the picture (look lower left, over the enchilada … the legs are burnt black). Also, since they cooked the shrimp on the grill in a split shell, the meat stuck to the shell and I couldn’t really get all of it out without eating leg/shell, too, which I really didn’t want to do. What meat I did get out was seasoned well and tasted really good. I just wish it was easier to eat.

Refried beans and Mexican rice were the sides and they were good. They tasted freshly made and were a nice complement.

Would I Buy It Again? Yes to the restaurant, no to what I got. I’m a big accountability guy and so I’m going to prove it by blaming myself here. This was a good meal. A damn good one, in fact. I didn’t really have any huge complaints, as the ribeye was good and the shrimp were fine (again, logistical issues, but that didn’t ruin the meal). But I was at a cantina. My mea culpa is that I hadn’t had a steak on the trip yet and if you straight up asked me what my favorite food is, I’d say a medium rare ribeye. It was like day six of the trip and I caved. I shouldn’t have, but I did. Not only that, but the other option for shrimp with the ribeye was brochette and I’d already had that just two days earlier. Considering it’s also under the “Pappas” umbrella, I assumed it was the same one I’d already had and passed for the sake of variety. But knowing what I know now, man, the brochette was so much better than what I got this time around.

I scroll through the menu now and wonder why I didn’t have enough foresight (or fortitude?) to try something like the gordita trio or filet fajitas with crabcake-stuffed shrimp. Or, really, any of the fajitas or combinations. Those all sound so enticing now and I’m beating myself up over the fact that I passed on them. This one was on me, so do not punish Pappasito’s for my transgression. I’m very confident the food is awesome here and I just didn’t serve myself well. Hell, as I said, I messed up and still had a good meal. That’s pretty tough to do in lots of places.

- Show

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen
1304 E. Copeland Road
Arlington, Texas 76011
http://www.pappadeaux.com/location/?id=20

This place was recommended to me very highly by my hotel concierge in addition to two colleagues who’ve worked in the area frequently. As far as seafood goes on a personal level, I basically only really like shrimp while being able to tolerate lobster and crab. I’m fine with clam chowder, too. Otherwise, I’m not a fan of seafood at all, so I knew my options would be rather limited. Still, it came so highly recommended and was within walking distance of my hotel — I didn’t have a car — that I just couldn’t pass it up.

I sat in the bar area as I pretty much always do, and the atmosphere was pretty cool. There were TVs all around with college football and many people were already enjoying their Saturday afternoon with some cocktails. Service was friendly and attentive and nothing took too long at all.

And here’s the best part, this restaurant is within either walking distance or an insanely short drive of Rangers Ballpark (home of baseball’s Texas Rangers), Cowboys Stadium (home of football’s Dallas Cowboys) and Six Flags over Texas (roller coaster park). Yes, those three destinations are that close to each other, I’d guess within a mile (no more than three miles between Cowboys Stadium and Six Flags — Rangers Ballpark is in between). And Pappadeaux is right there.

What I Got: Jumbo shrimp brochette, $21.95. Menu description: “Char-grilled bacon-wrapped shrimp filled with monterey jack cheese and a sliver of jalapeno with dirty rice.”

As you can see, I got seven pieces of bacon-wrapped shrimp. The helping of cheese between the bacon and shrimp was very generous and I believe everything was impeccably cooked. I could have used a bit more of the jalapeno — to give it some more spicy kick — but the menu says it’s only a “sliver.” I was also asked by the bartender if I wanted extra jalapenos, horseradish or Tabasco sauce. So if I was that hard up for more spice, it would have easily been provided.

I’m no food expert, so I had no idea how the shrimp, bacon, cheese and jalapeno combination would blend, but it was actually brilliant, in my opinion. I was worried this one wouldn’t turn out well but was pleasantly surprised after my first bite.

As far as the portion size, each one of the seven pieces was between two and three bites, so I was fine with it. I could see pause for the price compared to only seven pieces, but there’s a lot going on in there. I certainly could have devoured a few more of these because they were so good, but I wasn’t leaving less than satisfied by any measure.

Would I Buy It Again? Absolutely, in a heartbeat. I probably wouldn’t stray much from this choice either, because, as I said earlier, I basically only like shrimp when it comes to seafood. Maybe I’d get a bit nuts and try lobster or crab or something, just to broaden my horizons. But between the recommendations I received and the meal I had, there’s every reason to believe this a good place to get some solid seafood dishes. Those who enjoy a broad variety of seafood would probably love a good amount of the menu, but that’s pure speculation on my part.

- Show

Brewster’s Italian Cafe
11 West Merchant Street
New Buffalo, MI 49117
http://www.brewstersitaliancafe.com

Brewster’s is a small Italian Café in New Buffalo, Michigan located just north of the Indiana border a couple of blocks off of Lake Michigan.  Although New Buffalo gets dumped on with lake effect snow all winter long, it is a summer hotspot for summer vacationers and the Chicago crowd escaping the city.  The menu at Brewster’s changes every day for both lunch and dinner making each visit a unique experience.  This local owned café is a small establishment with a small indoor dining room along with tables beside the kitchen so you can watch all of the action.  During the summer, there is a private shaded patio that with the cool Lake Michigan breeze gives visitors an opportunity to dine and enjoy the environment.  The bar has a large beer selection including local brews from Michigan and a wine selection that gives diners plenty of choices.

Along with a la carte choices, which I list the individual prices of each menu item I reviewed below, you can choose the Dinner for Two if you are on a date. Dinner for Two includes smaller portions but provides a salad, pizza, entrée, and desert for $32.99.  Some entree items such as the shrimp my wife and I chose add an additional charge of up to $6 and an additional $1.50 for the specialty pizza making our diner $40.49.  I have copied the Dinner For Two description from their website below:

DINNER FOR TWO     $32.99

You each begin with a House Salad, then you’ll split a pizza, followed by your choice of one of this evening’s Entrees.  Cookies and coffee are included for Dessert  $32.99
(Please add 1 for the Classico,3 for the Chicken and 6 for the Carne or Fruitta Di Mare)

What We Got:

Gazpacho; $3.99:  Gazpacho is a raw tomato-based Spanish/Portuguese soup primarily served during the summer since it is served cold and there is a more abundant variety of seasonal vegetables to choose from.  The Gazpacho is not part of the Dinner For Two but was actually my favorite dish of the whole night.  The soup was acidic and bold, yet refreshing on this hot summer day.  The teaspoon of sour cream added a base to balance the acidity.  I am hoping our readers can point me to some Indianapolis area restaurants that serve a good Gazpacho.

House Salad:  The salad was simple with spinach leaves, a few croutons, shredded cheese (probably parmesan) and a homemade Italian dressing that works well.  The salad is nothing special but gets the job done.

Pizza with Crispy Pancetta, Baby Spinach and Scallions on a Gorgonzola Base; $11.99.

The pizza was very rich and we only ate half of it but enjoyed our choice.  The crust at Brewster’s appears to be made in a wood burning oven giving it that nice crisp finish.  I did not see a wood burning stove in the kitchen but appreciated the effort.  Although I enjoyed this pizza, I would probably save the $1.50 and choose one of their more basic pizzas leaving you with more room for your entrée and dessert.

Tiger Shrimp, Brussels Sprouts, Broccolini and a Carrot & Bacon Sofritto; $23.99:  I always have a high appreciation of Italian cooking that does not include pasta.  This dish was cooked with butter and the addition of a small amount of bacon grease giving it a rich and salty flavor.  Many people hate Brussel Sprouts but I say they just haven’t had them prepared correctly.  The sprouts in this dish were fresh and did not include the water or mushiness of thawed sprouts.  Cooked on the grill, they maintained the firmness but had unbelievable flavor.  Ingredients were proportional but the six shrimp was a disappointment for two people sharing a meal.

Dessert.  Cookie and Coffee:

I had the white macadamia nut and my wife went with the oatmeal raisin.  These might be made in house, but if I remember correctly, I think a local bakery brings them in.  Regardless, they are good cookies to go along with Brewster’s own coffee.  The coffee has a nice kick to it but not overly bold like you find at some coffee houses.  Although it is not on the menu, you can ask to buy a pound of the coffee ground or whole bean for $10 if you ask.

Would I It Again?  Yes, without a doubt.  This was my second visit to Brewster’s in a year and both times I walked away impressed and completely satisfied.  On this visit, I sat next to the kitchen and watched the operation.  The kitchen was spotless and organized.  There was a visible head chef in charge and the kitchen ran smoothly with three chefs under his direction. Yes, the chef uses a clean pan for every dish he makes and at many places, they do not do this and you end up getting food that has flavors from another dish that should not be there.  Service is outstanding in that drinks were constantly full, the table was never empty of food including the in house mad bread and oil and I never felt like anything was pushed on me by the server.  The environment is local with the smallness of the restaurant, and the Bell’s Oberon Ale Kalamazoo, MI that I drank.  If you are ever headed to Northwest Indiana or through that area of Michigan, stop by and get some great authentic Italian food for dinner or even one of their homemade deli sandwiches or frittatas for lunch.

Can a reader recommend a Gazpacho that comes close to matching theirs in the Indianapolis area?

-EatHSE

China Wok
11681 Brooks School Road # 7
Fishers, IN 46037-9758

With more time on my hands during the summer to eat out and try new places, I have begun a mission to find a place that offers consistently good Asian cuisine for a reasonable price in the north suburbs and far north side of Indianapolis.  The first stop in this series of reviews is China Wok in Fishers.  China Wok was busy even at 8:30PM on a Tuesday night and has a commonly found large menu of over one hundred menu items.

What I Ate: Crab Rangoon (6); $3.00

Too often I find Crab Rangoon over deep-fried with too small of a pocket of crab in the middle.  This Crab Rangoon had neither of those problems and the only problem I had is that I wish I had ordered my own instead of sharing with my wife.

What I Ate: Curry Chicken with Onion; $8.95 a quart with steamed rice.

I like spicy food and the first thing I did was scan the menu for spicy options.  With about 25 spicy options on the menu, I had plenty to pick from.  I am always hesitant to get curry at a place that does not focus on Thai food but decided to give it a shot.  The curry in this entrée was not overdone and provided some good kick.  The problem I had with this entrée was the ratio of onions, 50-60%, being too high in comparison to the chicken.  I love onion and this dish had several kinds including green and yellow, but in the end, the ratio of too much onion to everything else left me disappointed.

What I Ate: Shrimp Lo Mein; $7.45 a quart.

My wife went with the Lo Mein and I will admit, I rarely get Lo Mein as it I find most places serve it lukewarm or with the noodles are overdone.  China Wok is an exception to the rule.  The noodles were done perfectly and they had a good ratio of green onion and other greenery to compliment the noodles.  Some places skimp on the shrimp but I found shrimp with almost every bite.  I only wish I had gotten my own Lo Mein.

Would I Buy It Again?  Yes. Prices for quantity are comparable to other restaurants and it is always a bonus to have leftovers for lunch the next day.  I like how you can stand near the counter and see your food being made fresh in what is a clean and well-kept kitchen giving me confidence in the quality of the food I am purchasing.  Although I was not satisfied with the Curry Chicken & Onion, there are many other spicy choices on the menu to pick from in addition to the above average Lo Mein and Crab Rangoon that will have me retuning to China Wok in the future.

-EatHSE

Ruby Tuesday
http://www.rubytuesday.com

Lately, I find myself walking a tightrope when thinking about this blog.  At times, this is a totally anonymous food blog that knocks out reviews and gives the middle finger to chains and free promos.  However, the blog takes up a ton of time and since I am anonymous, I am a superstar on the net, but also a lonely foodie recluse in real life.   Trust me, when I get disrespectful service or a bad meal, part of me wants to say “Do you know who I am?!  The great WIBIA, you better recognize!”

Rambling, but the point being, I tend to participate in giveaways for the readers and a few treats for yours truly.  Ruby Tuesday asked me to stop by and try some summer cocktails and I thought, “Free alcohol?!   Hell YES!!!!!”

Ruby Tuesday has six new summer cocktails including VeeV.  If you don’t know about VeeV, check it out.   Long story short, it is supposed to be made with all kinds of natural goodness that will not cause you to get a hangover.   Plus, they give away a certain percentage of revenue to rain forest in Brazil.

Let’s get ready to rumble.   First up:

Acai Mojitio: VeeV, pomegranate, mint, club soda and agave nectar.

I didn’t like this at all.  It was kind of tart and lacked any type of flavor.  I like a good Mojitio from time to time, but the pomegranate with the mint didn’t do anything for me at all.  I was thinking, what did I get myself into here…

Would I Buy It Again?  Nope.

Superfruit Cooler: VeeV, cucumber, Absolute Vodka, St-Germain liqueur, Agave Nectur and Lemon Sour.

This was off the hook good!  It reminded me of a cucumber gimlet that I had in San Francisco and still remains to be my favorite drink that has ever graced these lips.  A great summer drink that could go with a lot of the menu items.  Also, look at the quality here:  Absolute, Agave Nectur, St-Germaine and Muddled cucumbers; I was surprised…I don’t see any other chain doing this.

Would I Buy It Again?  Yes. The best of the tasting and a mighty fine drink.

Skinny Pink Lemonade: 127 calories here.  VeeV, Agave Nectur, Pomegranate juice and Minute Maid Light lemonade.

I thought that this was a good drink, but it didn’t really talk to me.  It was a little too sweet for my taste, but I could see where this would be popular.  They succeeded at what they are trying to do with this drink, but I wasn’t a big fan.

Would I Buy It Again?  Eh, it wasn’t bad, but I liked others better.

Watermelon Martini: VeeV, Grey Goose, Cranberry Juice and Watermelon Concentrate.

I enjoyed this one more than I thought that I would.  It had a strong watermelon taste and the cranberry juice added a little sweetness.  This was an easy drinker, as it was not too sweet and had a little enough alcohol in it to make it interesting.

Would I Buy It Again?  Yeah, this was pretty tasty.

Pomegranate Margarita: VeeV, Cuervo Gold, Agave Nectur, Lemon Sour and Pomegranate.

Fist, I am a big margarita fan.  So much so that they are my favorite drink.  I know that they have a certain image that associated them with fat guys in Hawaiian shirts listening to Jimmy Buffet, but I don’t care.  I love them.  Also, I HATE frozen margaritas.  Just for the record…

When I heard, Pomegranate Margarita, I was worried.   However, it was solid.  You really didn’t taste a lot of the pomegranate and it wasn’t overly sweet.  A really good margarita made with quality ingredients.

Would I Buy It Again?  Yeah, surprisingly good.

Shrimp Fondue:

I enjoyed this a lot.   Looks like your standard chips and cheese, but there were twelve cut-up shrimp in here and it had a little heat.  I liked the tri-colored chips.   Good for noshing with a few cocktails.

Would I Buy It Again?  Yes.

WIBIA Summary: I almost decided to pass on this promo and I am glad that I didn’t.   I have been pretty harsh on Ruby Tuesday in the past, but I was really impressed by these drinks.  I think the quality is far above the competition with things like agave nectar, St-Germain and all top shelf liquors and they didn’t have scary well liquors.   Jim Beam, Absolute and Cuervo Gold are the well drinks.   Plus, all of the drinks mentioned above sell for only $5.  Considering the ingredients, I would think that most of them would be closer to $7-$8.  I tend to identify myself with the type of guy that would pass the High Life test and I rarely have a sweet drink, but I was digging a few of these for sure.

Question: The manager that was my host asked me why I don’t drink at Ruby Tuesday and I am not sure if I had a great answer.  When I want a cocktail, I don’t think the bar at a chain restaurant.  That is just me.

So, what could bring you into the bar more at Ruby Tuesday?

-wibia

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

Peterson’s
7690 East 96^th Street
Fishers, IN 46038
http://www.petersonsrestaurant.com/

Peterson’s is a locally owned restaurant owned by Joe Peterson that tries to fill the role of the high-end steak and seafood restaurant meeting the needs of those seeking a special night out or the social elite who like to congregate in Peterson’s bar area where live music is often part of the scene.  My first trip to Peterson’s was about five years ago to celebrate the completion of my first 500 Festival Mini-Marathon and I thought a good steak would be a reward for my accomplishment.  On that night, I walked away from Peterson’s disappointed that they could not get a rare steak order completed correctly.  Since then, Peterson’s has hired a new executive chef, Jeff Heaviland, that I had heard positive comments on from other patrons prompting me to give Peterson’s another shot.

Environment:  When you pay the prices that Peterson’s charges for its food, you know that environment is part of the cost.  My wife and I visited on what was a hot summer night and the restaurant was packed.  Unfortunately we felt packed in and the dining room was so hot that I actually sweated through most of the meal and my wife was uncomfortable.  Our table was near the entry way to the kitchen with server traffic constantly buzzing past our table.  We were not off to a good start.  On a side note, lighting in the restaurant is dim making it difficult to get good picture quality for this review.

Service:  When our server introduced herself, she also introduced a second man that would also be our server.  Two servers for one table?  I never was told why we had two but finally figured out that the male server was in training and he was given primary responsibility for our table.  Although he did a good job answering any questions I had about the menu, there was no trust put in him by the more experienced server that was training him.  As a result, she was constantly questioning us on whether we were taken care of instead of asking the other server directly.  Questions were often duplicated by the two servers sometimes less than a minute apart.  Between the hot dining room and the constant confusion and interruptions by the servers, the food was going to have to be outstanding to overcome the negatives of the environment and service.

What I Ate:

Appetizer: Oysters Rockefeller $20

Although I usually prefer raw oysters, I decided to give this baked oyster dish a try.  Peterson’s claims they fly their seafood in daily and these oysters tasted and smelled fresh.  The combination of spinach, cream and Pecorino Romano was proportioned well and had a nice crispy texture from the baking process.  Combined with the freshness of the oysters, this appetizer choice was a big hit and I would order them again without hesitation.

Bacon wrapped shrimp stuffed with crab: $ Surprise

My wife loves jumbo shrimp and the idea of them being stuffed with crab and a good sales pitch from our server sold my wife on this appetizer special.  Her order came with three shrimp and they looked well done and my wife enjoyed them enough to order another three with her filet main course.  I decided to order three for myself.  Although difficult to see in the grainy picture with my main course, the shrimp were a good size and tasted fresh.  Unfortunately, they were slightly overcooked and the bacon was hard and overpowered the crab stuffing.  The shrimp I got did not look nearly as good as the same shrimp my wife had has an appetizer thirty minutes prior.  The real kicker came when I got the bill and found out the nine shrimp cost a grand total of $54.  Yes, $6 a shrimp!  Perhaps my rare visits to “fine dining” establishments is showing through here, but I was not expecting this and especially for shrimp that was overcooked.

Drink: Mojito $9 each

With it being so warm in the restaurant, my wife and I both decided to get a Mojito as a cool refreshment. It took forever to get our drinks and when they did come, they we not very cold, tasted watered down and lacked any punch. They were a complete disappointment in comparison to other Mojitos I have gotten elsewhere. Appetizer and a drink had my bill over $90.

Main Courses:

Shark Special: $30-35

Due to my prior Peterson’s experience of not being able to get a steak cooked to what I define rare, I decided to go with a seafood dish.  The server sold me about a shark special that included a combination of peppers and corn topping covered with cilantro on top of white asparagus. Perhaps the server told me the shark included white asparagus.  I honestly do not remember him mentioning the white asparagus and had I heard the dish included asparagus, I would have never ordered a side dish of green asparagus.  I have had shark before and this dense filet was cooked well.  Although the pepper corn and cilantro idea sounded good, it lacked any kind of kick making this dish just average and one I might expect to pay $22 for at another fish restaurant.  After a few bites, I was regretting my order and wishing I would have given Peterson’s another chance to see if they could make a steak that is rare to my taste.

Petite Filet: $29 Peterson’s uses Prime Grade Beef and my wife ordered her 8 oz. filet medium-rare.  After my last experience of getting overcooked steak, I had he cut into her filet and once again, I thought the filet was and overcooked medium.  Although she thought it was close enough for her taste, I would have sent it back.  Flavor of a the filet was just average and did not compare to what I have had at Eddie Merlot’s on 96^th St. or even Morton’s downtown.

Sides:

Au Gratin Potatoes: $9

Peterson’s au gratin potatoes come topped with bacon that was too crunchy and the potatoes were undercooked.  It almost tasted like they were hurried out of the kitchen before the cheese and potatoes had time to meld together.  An easy simple dish not done well.

Jumbo Asparagus: $9

There is nothing worse than overcooked asparagus but Peterson’s got this just right. Although I am sure the Hollandaise Sauce is made from scratch, it tasted no better than what I make at home using a store bought packet at the holidays.

Dessert: Chocolate Bread Pudding $9

My wife and I split dessert and this bread pudding included milk chocolate, pecans, caramel and a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side.  Although I have never cared for bread pudding due to the texture, I truly enjoyed this combination.  My wife who is somewhat of a bread pudding connoisseur, said it was one of the best she ever had.

Would I Buy It Again?  No. With our total bill coming to about $220 for two including a $25 gift certificate, nearly all the food had to be a hit.  Unfortunately, my main course (shark dish) lacked any special appeal, the horribly overpriced and overcooked bacon wrapped crab stuffed shrimp, hot dining room, and annoying service left me walking away from Peterson’s disappointed again.

WIBIA and I both believe Eddie Merlot’s on 96^th Street sets the bar for steak & seafood restaurants in Indianapolis.  Their service is outstanding, environment is always comfortable and service is among the best.  When pricing out a similar meal to the one my wife and I had at Peterson’s, we could have gotten the same food for about $160 saving $80 to $100 on food that is superior in taste.

-EatHSE