Saigon Restaurant
3103 Lafayette Rd
Indianapolis, Indiana 46222

Yup, that is me…and my best Perez Hilton imitation.

Saigon is reviewed quite a bit, check out their page on Urbanspoon.  After reading Indianapolis Restaurant Scene’s review, I had to give it a try based on everyone LOVING IT!!!!!!

The interior of the restaurant was refreshingly clean.  The menu is big…Cheesecake Factory big.  I think over 140 dishes on the menu.   It took me about five minutes to get through, though the subliminal message of the sticker on the window led me to Pho.

What I Ate:  Appetizer Sampler $7.50.  #34 BBQ Pork and Seafood PHO.

The appetizer sampler included spring roll, egg roll, crab rangoon, rocket shrimp and fried dumplings.  Honestly, I wasn’t impressed by anything here.  I could squeeze oil out of the fried dumpling, the rocket shrimp were fried with a slice of onion mixed in.  The spring roll wasn’t bad, but not as good as others that I have had in town.   All in all, I was nervous to get my pho.

However, this arrived to quickly restore my faith:

The picture doesn’t do it justice.  The BBQ Pork was tender and excellent.  In fact, some of the best I have ever had. However, the general “seafood” title to the dish included shrimp, salmon,  and scallops.  The seafood was so overcooked that I found myself spitting out a piece giving my mouth a break from chewing.  The difference between the pork and the seafood was the food equivalent of Danny DeVito and Arnold Swarzenegger in “Twins.”

What really hooked me was the broth and the smell.  If I had a cold, I am 99% sure this would cure it.  I found myself just continually eating and drinking this broth…it was really something to talk about.  However, if you are not a fan of pepper, you might want to choose something else.

Would I Buy It Again?  Yes.  With 140 menu items, I am going to assume there are a few misfires.  I would get PHO again, but skip the addition of any seafood.

Btw, did I mention how big this bowl was?  I was starving and this is all that I ate.  There were a ton of rice noodles, about a pack and a half of Ramen (couldn’t think of a better comparison.)  See, check it out including an awesome painted on mustache on mini-wibia (he is in disguise to maintain anonymity)  However, he is possibly the best future eater in the land:

-wibia

Fireside Brewhouse
997 East County Line Road
Greenwood, IN 46143
317-859-9505
http://www.firesidebrewhouse.com

Fireside is located in a little vortex of good chow what with Brozinni Pizza and India Diner just across the street and Sammy’s Pizza in the same strip mall at the corner of S. Emerson and County Line Road.  Fireside takes its name from the three fire-pits on the outdoor patio as well as the fireplace located inside.  The decor is pretty cool and definitely feels upscale.  There is a huge bar with lots of seating and a separate family dining area and banquet space.  After 10:00 p.m. the entire restaurant is 21 and over only.  I’ve been here several times since the opening while the menu has seen some alterations, they finally seemed to have found their niche.  With a glasswalled “Show” kitchen, this is a locally owned restaurant where food is taken seriously.

What I Got: We started with the M-80’s which is a paper cone filled with extraordinary lightly breaded domestic shrimp fried perfectly and tossed with a sweet chili-garlic sauce.  As I looked around the room, nearly every table had a serving of these and there is good reason why:  they rock.  I’ve seen this appetizer in other restaurants but I’ve never had them better prepared.  On a bed of cool, crunchy cabbage, my wife and engaged in a chop-stick war over the last shrimp.  Really good.

The menu has everything from soups and salads to sandwiches, burgers, steaks and a decent BBQ pizza.  On this visit, I was feeling cheeseburger-y so I had the “Cool Hand Luke” which is essentially a patty melt.  The Fireside version differs from others in that it includes a fried egg on top.  I passed on the fried egg this time.  Served on marble rye with Swiss cheese, Thousand Island dressing and grilled onions, this big (Was it 1/3 of a pound?  I’m not sure) burger was fantastic.  It was cooked to my liking at medium, just slightly pink. Yeah, I know you are supposed to only eat ground beef well-done.  Well I like it when places ask me how I want my burger done and then actually cook it that way.  (I’m looking at you Red Robin)  I could go all, “grind your own beef like I do and you don’t have to worry about cross contamination on you,”  but I won’t.   I’m not sure how they season this burger but it really tastes good.  I’m not talking about the condiments, I mean the beef itself.  Let me get technical here for a moment:  it tastes BEEFY.  Yep, I’m a carnivore.

The fries were good too.  Better than average but not really the star on this plate.

If I were to complain about something and this is sort of petty, but it’s the presentation.  Look at the picture and the plate is not that appealing.  When you walk into a restaurant that has so clearly put a lot of thought and money into the visual experience, you just expect the presentation to match.  How about a lettuce cup for the fries or something?

Would I Buy It Again? Yes. This is just really good solid food in a really nice setting.

-Smokin DB

I have been to P.F. Chang’s before, but this was my first time since starting the blog.  The company was taking us there for a free lunch, so I couldn’t complain. My prior thoughts were: overpriced, nice atmosphere, sauce shtick is lame and therefore I wasn’t in a hurry to return.

We started with the Dynamite Shrimp (a spicy selection on the menu, I believe it was around $6). This dish was not all that spicy, the shrimp were incredibly small and over-breaded. They were going for a spicy/sweet thing here, but failed.

For my main course, I ordered the Beef A La Sichuan (around $13.00) consisting of crispy beef strips with julienne celery and carrots, which is said to be their spiciest beef dish.

I have had this once before and it was so spicy I could barely eat it. For some reason, I ordered it again. This time, it wasn’t spicy at all.  In fact, there wasn’t a lot of flavor. I didn’t dislike this dish, but I also didn’t love it, so I would give it a 6.5/10.

Two people at the table ordered Chang’s Spicy Chicken. It tasted like the same sauce that was in the Dynamite Shrimp and there were no veggies served with the dish. I am thinking that this is basically frozen breaded chicken, tossed with a super sweet honey based sauce and sold over rice for about $11.50. The profit margin on this dish has to be outrageous. Oh yeah, we had their famous lettuce wraps as well…they are so overrated. Sorry.

Would I Buy It Again? No. Honestly, I think their food rivals Panda Express at twice the price. I understand why they exist, but if you cut out the ambiance and let the food talk for itself, Chang’s really struggles. I bet that Chang’s has a few dishes on the menu that are pretty good, but I just haven’t found them yet.

With all that being said, I find myself having a strong preference for hole in the wall Chinese. This does not include your China Garden #13 all the menu’s look the same type of place either.

-WIBIA

El Bodegon

El Bodegon
8510 East 96th Street
Fishers, Indiana  46037

El Bodegon is a Tapas Bar and gourmet shop.  Although the store has a few grocery items, it is what you find in the deli case that makes this store unique to the north side of Indianapolis.  Inside the case, you will find many meats and cheeses imported from Spain and South America.  Although the prices are high, the quality and authenticity looks good.  You can buy the product to take home and prepare or choose items off their menu and have them prepared for you.

What I Got:

Paella Valenciana (Seafood Paella) $7.99 (far left of photo)

There are probably hundreds if not thousands of versions of paella in existence.  This paella was fresh and just out of the pan when I walked into the store and it smelled great.  The seafood included some whole shrimp that were quite large, some squid and some small clams mixed in with the rice.  Unfortunately, the dish was overcooked with the seafood being rubbery and the rice too soft with little taste or seasoning and clearly not cooked in fish stock.  This was a special on the menú and is one I would avoid if it happens to be on the menu if you visit.

Tapa de morcilla de arroz (Rice-filled blood sausage tapa)$2.50 (top right of photo)

I tried this because the sausage in the case looked excellent and it was something completely new and unique to me.  The bread tasted fresh and the crust had a nice crunch like you might get in a European bakery.  The sausage was freshly made and the rice complimented the sausage nicely.  They key here is fresh.  Unlike the chicken empanada this was fresh making me wish I had ordered a couple more tapas to try.

Empanadas Argentinas con pollo $1.99 (bottom right of photo)

I love a good chicken empanada if it is well made.  If you have never had an empanada, it is like a turnover that is stuffed.  Although this one had a good shape and size to it, the turnover was chewy and the chicken inside was dry.  It was only after I ordered that I noticed they were pre-made and sitting under a heat lamp at a counter behind the main counter.  What could have been great was a disappointment.

Service

I waited for 15 minutes to get my order and there were only two other customers in the store.  Considering that there were more employees than customers, I found the wait time to be unacceptable.  I took advantage of the time to talk to both of the other customers and both were returning customers that had favorable experiences previously.

Would I Buy it Again? Of the three items reviewed, I would only try the tapa again.  However, I like to see a place with a unique products succeed in a city with little character and many strip malls.  Per the recommendation of the other customers, I will go back and try one of their Spanish Bocatas made with a crusty bread, olive oil, Serrano ham and manchego cheese along with some more of their tapas.  A follow-up review will be posted early in 2010.

-EatHSE

St. Elmo Steak House
127 South Illinois St.
Indianapolis, IN 46225
www.stelmos.com

An Indianapolis landmark since 1902.  Pulling in over 10 million in sales last year, you know they have to be doing something right.  Not much has changed at St. Elmo over the years and that is a good thing.

I was with EatHSE and we were on a mission for a big time old school steak dinner.  We started with the shrimp cocktail.  I have to admit, once you check it off your list, there is no reason to have it again.  The horseradish is crazy spicy hot, but I wasn’t overly impressed by the quality of the shrimp.  $14.95 for 5 shrimp.   A bread basket with 5 different breads was placed on the table.  They were hit and miss.

All entrees include choice of tomato juice of navy bean soup.  Our server recommended us to drop a spoonful of the cocktail sauce into the soup and it was a nice touch.  I love bean soup, it reminds me off the ham and bean soup my grandma used to make and that was some good stuff.

My brother ordered the 24 oz Porterhouse $39.95 and I ordered a special dry aged bone in Ribeye, 24 oz was $45.00.  I ordered it rare+ and I was surprised that the server had to clarify what that meant.  Steaks arrived and were cooked perfectly to spec.  Mine was rare enough by the bone that I could barely cut it; I would’ve picked it up and ate it like a caveman if I was at home.  On the outside and the thin spots, it crept between medium rare and medium.  It happens when you order such a big steak though…

Overall, it was a great meal and service was spot on.  With a few beers and wine, the bill was around $150.  This was my first visit in 2 years, and the last time I left thinking, what is all the hype about?  It is difficult to explain, but I found a new appreciation for St. Elmo this time.

Would I Buy It Again?  Yes.  IMO, Eddie Merlot’s is still #1, but you can’t go wrong with St. Elmo.  It is a very fine steakhouse and my top choice when I am downtown.

-WIBIA

Got this press release across the wire and I had to post it.  St. Elmo’s is an institution in Indianapolis.  They have been around since 1902 and if you can make it over 100 years in the biz, you know it has to be good!   But for $14.95, it should be good!   Love it or hate it, the shrimp cocktail is a must have when in Indy.  Is is so flippin’ spicy, I am not sure how to describe it!  However, it didn’t make me cry like the Wall of Flame Challenge.

If you are craving this, I like to hit their sister restaurant Harry & Izzy’s. They have a great appetizer menu and a cool place to have a few cocktails and chill. My recommendation is the Roasted Duck, Onion and Smoked Gouda Pizza!

Not this Elmo!

Btw, I have a gift certificate to St. Elmo’s and plan on using it soon.  Stay tuned for the review!

-Dig It, WIBIA

_____________Press Release______________

INDY: HOTTER THAN INDIA OR HONDURAS ?

St. Elmo Shrimp is a Giant Hit, Wins Global Award

INDIANAPOLIS — Local restaurant landmark, St. Elmo Steak House is adding to its international recognition by winning the world’s spiciest food award from well-known food critic and blogger, Alison Stein Wellner, (www.worldhum.com) who partnered with television’s popular Travel Channel on the quest.

“I dropped my cutlery as a sensation that I can only describe as what electrocution must feel like, shot down my throat and then up my nose, forking its way into my brain My hands started to rise and—yes!—I had the urge to clap my hands on my skull to keep the top from blowing off.” she added.

On a quest to find the world’s spiciest food, Stein Wellner traveled to all regions of the world to find the top five spiciest foods and here is the list, in decreasing order of spiciness:

1. St. Elmo Steak House’s Shrimp Cocktail, Indianapolis
2. Red Chilies in Copán Ruinas , Honduras
3. Spiced Sardines in Kumarakom , India
4. Chicken Curry in Mumbai , India
5. Currywurst in Frankfurt , Germany

“I have to admit, I was puzzled by Indianapolis ’ come-from-nowhere triumph in the blow-the-top-of -my-head-off quest,” Stein Wellner states. “I mean, really, Indianapolis and not India , not China , Honduras , Louisiana or Tennessee ? “

Since 1902, St. Elmo Steak House has offered guests perfectly aged steaks, tender pork chops, superb guest service and — its notorious shrimp cocktail. Like many, first-time, unsuspecting guests who order St. Elmo’s signature shrimp cocktail, the “head rush” of horseradish is an unforgettable experience.

“Every day, 20 pounds of the pungent root is grated to make the culinary concoction,” said Craig Huse, co-proprietor, St. Elmo Steak House. “It’s a powerful addition to our sauce and the menu.”

The Travel Channel may feature the firecracker-hot shrimp cocktail as part of a show on the world’s most potent epicurean delights. Full text of the Stein Wellner article can be read at www.worldhum.com.

St. Elmo is an independent restaurant only found in Indianapolis and is only open for dinner. Guests are encouraged to make reservations prior to visiting the restaurant – but walk-ins are also welcome. To make a reservation, call 317.635.0636 or visit www.stelmos.com.

Capri Ristorante
2602 Ruth Drive
Indianapolis, IN 46240
http://www.capriindy.com/

If you ask a person in Indianapolis where the best Italian is in Indy (outside of a chain) Capri will usually be in the top 5.  Tucked away in a Wal-Mart parking lot, a lot of people go by it every day and have no clue that it is there.  Let me set the scene, two sides of the restaurant, dining room and bar.  We prefer the bar.  Servers wear a tie & vest.  Dress code is business casual, but you can get away with wearing jeans and a nice shirt.

I am amending the formal review scoring, so we will see how this goes.

What I Ate:
Appetizers:
Calamari Fritti $9.00 6/10
Tender Calamari fried in Capri`s special batter.
A little bit better than average, but there was nothing special here.

Grana Padano con Prosciutto e Olive Casareccie $9.00 8/10
Grana Padano cheese with Proscuitto Ham & Calamata Olives
Generous portion and the marinated veggies were a special treat.  Mozzarella was really good and fresh. Quality Olive Oil and a good combination of textures (crunchy and soft)(Pic Below)

Gamberoni Fra Diavolo $12.50 4/10
Spicy Shrimp in White Wine, garlic, Olive Oil, Marinara Sauce.  Hot.
I had high hopes, and this was a let down.  This dish lacked flavor, just spicy red sauce and shrimp.  The quality and size of the shrimp were average, for $12.50 for an app, it wasn’t worth it.

Salsiccia Secca Alla Calabrese $9.50 8/10
Homemade Dry Salami with Aged Provolone Cheese.
I really liked this.  Small pieces of dry salami  (a good amount of them), cheese and some of the grilled vegetables from before.  They were a touch spicy and went well with my red wine.  It was a good paring, if I was drinking water, I might try something else. (Pic Below)

Main:
Braised Lamb Shank Special $31 9.5/10
This was the star of the show.  Lamb shank was cooked to perfection with a tomato ragout.  It was a huge portion, I had a difficult time finishing it.  It came with sauteed green beans/carrots and au gratin potatoes.  This is not my first visit to Capri and anytime they have anything braised…get it! (Pic Below)

Spaghetti Bolognese $16.00 7/10
Homemade Spaghetti with ground veal in tomato sauce.
The pasta was homemade and excellent and the small veal meatballs concentrated on the meat. Some people might say this is bland, but I liked how spices took a back seat to fresh pasta, veal and a very basica tomato sauce.

Dessert:
Cannoli: 7/10.
I am getting tired of writing!  Cannoli was good, a thicker shell used here.  A lot of Cannoli shells now remind me of a flaky spring roll, this was the old school type.

Totals:
Food:  49.5/70
Service/Management: 10/10
Originality/Execution:  8/10
Overall:  67.5/90  = 75/100

Excellent service and old school Italian Classics.  A strong emphasis on quality and care, keeping things simple but executing well.  If they have something braised, get it! Homemade pasta is really good, but they need to focus on pairing it with great sauces.   This would’ve fetched an 80+, but there were a few misses of the 7 items I tasted.  However, I recommend Capri.

-wibia