Mugs 'n' Buns 'n' Reflux

FCA Day #4:  Mug 'n' Bun        5211 West 10th Street Speedway, IN 46224

   
 

 "They must have a super magical fryer over there..."

After skipping Thanksgiving week (I think we all know that eating large the day before Thanksgiving is a foolhardy idea) we were anxious to get back on the wagon!  The Mug'n'Bun has been in Indianapolis for a long time, over 40 years.  With staying power like that it's only natural it would make it onto our list.

This place started as a drive-in; park your car and they bring the food to you.  Recently, though, a Dine-in building has been constructed on the other side of the parking lot.  Now you sit and order in there, and they walk across the parking lot with your order to bring it to you.  Simply awesome.

Brad ordered what looked like a salad on top of a hamburger patty.  Essentially it was just a burger with all the fixin's without the bun, and he seemed less than impressed with this burger salad.

Bob went with the hand-breaded pork tenderloin sandwich (an Indiana staple) and thought it was very good.  What he enjoyed even more though, were the onion rings that came with it. 

I have to talk a little about these onion rings...  I am a fanatic of onion rings.  French fries?  meh, whatever... but a good plate of onion rings will make my day.   The onion rings at the Mug'n'Bun are the best I have had in the city, and Bob agrees.  Thick slices of large Vidalia onions into fat "thick-as-yer-thumb" breading.  Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside.  The regular order is large and I was barely able to finish them.

Along with the rings I ventured into unknown territory with the foot long chili dog.  Normally, asking for a chili dog anywhere but a chili house is a risk-taking move.  But I decided to go for it, and while I was not blown away, it wasn't too bad.  It was indeed enormous, loaded with chili, cheese, and onions, and quite tasty.  I was just a little disappointed that it came with processed cheese and not the shredded cheddar that came on the bowls of chili.  Overall, I would call it a good chili dog but not an awesome chili dog.

My meal was under 10 bucks; not what I would call cheap for diner food, but certainly not expensive.  And we got a lot of chow in the deal.  As a side note, they do not allow you to put a tip on your credit card, so make sure you bring a few singles to drop on the table - they do have to carry your food all the way across the parking lot after all!

For typical drive-in American fair the Mug'n'Bun is on the mark.  My hopes were high for the chili dog, but I was somewhat let down, and Brad thought his food was less than stellar.  As a bonus we all got our drinks in souvenir cups.  Next summer I plan to drink very large mohitos from mine, as I relax on my deck recalling those magical onion rings.

The Scale:
  Bryan:  Meal: 7.5, Experience: 8
  Brad: Meal: 6, Experience: 7
  Bob: Meal: 8, Experience: 8

Food Coma... Engage

FCA Day #3:  Mann's Grill       1214 South Tibbs Avenue  Indianapolis, IN 46241

   

 

 "Gonna get my gravy on!"

Hopes were high when we all loaded into the Ian-mobile and began the 25 minute drive to Mann's Grill on the center-west side of the city.  Wednesday has fast become our favorite day of the work week!  

Mann's Grill is deceivingly average looking from the outside, with the consistent brick exterior and litter free sidewalk.  But the inside...  the inside is a mix of truck stop, sweat shop, and mom's kitchen circa 1959.  The menus looked used and abused and read like a redacted military document - they apparently have a system of blacking out, with dry-erase marker, any items that they run out of on a daily basis.

I (Bryan) decided on the meatloaf and mashed potatoes with a side of sweet coleslaw.  This was no mere slice of meatloaf, not even a thick slab.  From what I could tell it was a third of the entire pan loaf, sitting up on end. The gravy was a nice deep brown, possibly from a can since it was free of bits, and smothered both the meat and potatoes.  The meatloaf was juicy, tasty and kept me eating until I actually (and shamefully) finished all of it.

Brad went with the Beef Manhattan and a side of broccoli with cheese.  Equally smothered in gravy, the roast beef (which was from a true roast, not some sliced deli meat) was piled high between 2 slices of bread. 

Bob and Ian ordered the Chicken Fried Steak.  The cut of meat was large and tender, but both commented that it was "a little bland" - hence the massive pile of pepper on Ian's plate.

Vishal is the newest hungryITguy.  He's been with us for two FCA expeditions now, and should be a regular from now on.  He was unsure about the Chicken Fried Steak, having never had one before, so ordered the Turkey Manhattan and thoroughly enjoyed it.  Judging by Bob and Ian's comments, it was evidently the right choice.

Mann's Grill does home style comfort food, and does it well, without fanfare or embellishment.  The staff were friendly and helpful, and the food arrived almost instantly - so fast that I hadn't yet mentally prepared for the volume I was about to consume.  The restaurant was lively when we arrived at noon, and equally busy when we left, so it's obvious that this place will be around for a long time to come.

The Scale:
  Bryan:  Meal: 8, Experience: 8.5
  Brad: Meal: 8, Experience: 8
  Bob: Meal: 6, Experience: 8
  Ian:  Meal: 6, Experience: 8
   Vishal: Meal: 8, Experience: 8

Getting down and dirty with the Working Man

FCA Day #2:  The Working Man's Friend       234 N Belmont Ave. Indianapolis, IN 46222

"What do you mean 'The menu is written on the wall'?"   Bryan to server

You might think that after the Mr. Dan's experience we'd had enough of burgers and fries.  However, this next restaurant has such a great reputation for its double cheeseburgers that we figured we could deal with it, even it if was in the heart of downtown's warehouse district 35 minutes away.

First off, the name just reeks of awesomeness.  I mean, how blue collar can you get?  The place looks like it should have wheels and a big propane tank hanging off the back!  Inside is an odd mix of abandoned cigarette machines, neon beer signs, and a retro glass block bar that has an era all its own.  This is truly a place forgotten in time.

They have this sign posted on every wall of the establishment.  Thankfully, our vehicle was still there when we got out. This is not the only thing written on the wall.  Their menu abides there as well.  Pretty simple stuff here, folks.

So to the food!  Opening the meal were the chili and onion rings.  The chili was typical diner fair, very tasty accompanied by chopped onions and shredded cheddar.  Add some habanero Tabasco (Ian always brings his own...  seriously) and it really shined.  The rings were thick cut, slightly on the chewy side, not exactly noteworthy.

We all had the double cheeseburger, and Brad and I had a side of jalapenos which really knocked it out of the park.  The patties were smashed steakburger style, accompanied by generous cheddar, finely sliced onions, lettuce and tomato.  A thin slice of bread was also between the two patties - ala Big Mac. 

The cheeseburger alone made the trip worthwhile.  The service was simple, gracious and friendly.  The patrons were real working class people, with the occasional wing-tipped businessman that just happened to know about this great hole-in-the-wall..  For a ten spot, I have definitely had a lot less to eat and a much worse burger than this.  Definitely a thumbs up for the Working Man's Friend!

Next week, we move onto something a little different!


The Scale:
  Bryan:  9
  Brad: 9
  Bob: 9
  Ian:  9

Burgers and fries!!!!

FCA Day #1:  Mr. Dan's Hamburgers       5902 N Michigan Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46228, USA

     

"Mr. Dan did us right today.  He did us right."    Bob

Being that I was a youngster in the 70's, I felt like I had time-warped as soon as I walked into this place.  Tightly squeezed into what could be a single car garage, I was surprised to see the place spic'n'span.  The minor unease I felt about the location of this joint was nearly relieved by the clean orange and brown painted walls, and the newly mopped basket-brown ceramic tiles.  Most noteworthy, though, is that the grill was amazingly clean; I was at peace.

The menu is simple, but not underwhelming.  Burgers, fries, chili, hot dogs... the usual fast food.  Their fries are seasoned lightly, a nice addition.  Not too greasy, the similarity to Wendy's was mentioned, except that the meat actually seemed more tasty.  They gave me a spork to eat my chili - first time i have used one in a long long time. But hey, today we're in 1974...

 The Chili Dan and fries

 Triple Dan w/ cheese and bacon (bun tossed aside) and chili

We left happy and the overall experience was pretty good.  The staff were really friendly!

The Scale:

  Bryan:  7
  Brad: 7
  Bob: 10 (and I quote:  "10, mine was that good")
  Ian:  n/a