Winter is coming... Bring out the stew!

FCA Day #9:  John's Famous Stew    1146 Kentucky Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana

"Bobby!  Bobby, God dammit!  I need some refills over here!"  waitress

John's Famous Stew...  Just the name gets me all excited.  

We had purposefully delayed visiting this restaurant until it was nice and cold outside.  And when it hit 15F, we decided it was time.  It was a fairly long drive to get there from the north side, but as you will read, it was more than worth the drive.

This place is a dive.  Really.  It fits the description perfectly.  Tightly packed tables, no windows to be seen.  It was like walking into complete chaos - the kind you know that will give you great food.  John's Famous Stew was already full when we got there around noon, with just a single table left empty which we grabbed asap.  The menu was fairly extensive, but when our waitress came by she took our orders immediately "What you having, hon?  Stew?  You having stew too?  Stew for you?  And you?"  OK, so apparently we are not supposed to look at the menu and just get the stew!  LOL

I had heard of their famous Tenderloin Supreme - a massive tenderloin drenched in stew - so I ordered that.  Bob followed suit with the tenderloin, almost giggling like a child.  Brad had a bowl of spicy stew (their stew comes in three levels of spiciness) with some onion rings.  Ian also had a bowl of spicy stew.

It did not take too long for the food to be served up.  Bowls were filled to the brim, steaming and accompanied by bread.  The tenderloin was impressive, honestly the largest I have ever seen, and was still thick!  I was in love immediately.  There is nothing I would change, no way to make this any better, no way to improve...

The Tenderloin Supreme:

 

Bob inhaled his tenderloin, being as impressed as I.  He kept looking over at me with wide eyes and nodding in approval, his mouth stuffed.

The only hiccup in the lunch was that Ian's and Brad's stew came out not spicy - they got medium instead.  The waitress quickly brought out a full bowl of spicy gravy to mix in.  This helped the situation greatly but still affected the ratings from them both. 

Brad's Stew and rings: 

 

While the tenderloin had mainly just gravy poured over it, the full bowls of stew were full of thickly chopped veggies and beef.  It reminded me of my Mom's stew as I was growing up.  

Vishal was able to come with us this week, and he did not get the stew...  he ordered a grilled chicken sandwich... That kinda blew my mind, but he has never eaten beef, so perhaps his introduction to beef should be a little on the easier side like a burger or something.  He did, however, very much so enjoy the sandwich.

I cannot wait to go back to John's Famous Stew.  That is all I can say.  I am still thinking about it and would go back today (two days later) if I was able.  I have to give this restaurant a 10 rating for the food.  I try to find a reason not to, but that reason does not exist.

The Scale:
  Ian: Meal:8, Experience: 8
  Bryan:  Meal: 10, Experience:9
  Brad: Meal: 8, Experience: 9
  Bob: Meal: 9, Experience: 9
   Vishal: Meal: 8, Experience: 8

Holy Tortas, Batman!

FCA Day #8:  Super Tortas    1002 N. Main St. Speedway, Indianapolis, IN.

Bob:  What's head cheese exactly?
Ian:  You don't want to know. 

We discovered this amazing establishment when we used Google maps streetview to just walk the streets in this area.  When we spotted the brightly painted orange building we knew right away we would have to add it to the list.  And when we checked out the Yelp reviews we put it right to the top!  This is a Mexican sandwich shop, nothing else besides some tacos are served here.

It's a tiny restaurant with perhaps 3-4 tables and a small elbow bar along the back wall.  The staff are all very friendly but fairly slight on the english.  No matter, because we all spotted the Super Torta Cubana and just asked for that with a big stupid grin on our faces.  Brad, since he does not eat bread, added a breakfast sandwich to his order (they are served all day long).

We each grabbed a Jarrito and waited in anticipation.  In the meantime we checked out the various sauces they had on the table.  One was a fantastic chipotle red sauce with a little kick.  The second was a verde of some sort, likely a tomatillo blend that was just bursting with fresh flavor.  They gave us a small dish of jalapenos on the side as well.

And then came the order.  The Super Torta Cubana is a big sandwich.  Not in breadth so much as depth.  It must have had 10 different layers to it, from weiners to head cheese to a chorizo-egg omlet.  The first bite was just unbelievably flavorful, each of us were wide-eyed and impressed.  They have a contest where if eat three of these you win $100.  I was feeling full at the halfway mark, and manage to get to 90% before quitting.  Bob and Ian both finished theirs.  Brad had a stack of bread leftover after finishing both of his sandwiches.

  

The Super Torta Cubana:

   Picture sourced from Yelp, since our pics did not turn out so well...

 

Brad's double sandwich order:

I cannot say enough good things about this restaurant (even though it was a little chilly inside - their heat had trouble keeping up).  We could not stop talking about it all the way back to the office.  We will definitely be back at some point.  I had never had a torta before - I had no idea what I was missing!

 

The Scale:
  Ian: Meal:9, Experience: 8  ("Chock-full of awesomeness!")
  Bryan:  Meal: 9, Experience:8.5
  Brad: Meal: 9, Experience: 7
  Bob: Meal: 9, Experience: 8.5

Peppy Grill... not so peppy.

FCA Day #7:  Peppy Grill    1004 Virginia Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46203

 

"Hey man, got a dollah?  I'm homeless..."   Homeless man (seen in picture)

He went through single file, muttering "Hey man, got a dollah?  I'm homeless..." half-heartedly to each of us as we walked to Peppy Grill.  Now, I do not make a habit of giving people my money just because they ask for it, but even if I did, I live my life with a piece of plastic.  No cash in my wallet, so the guy was outta luck before luck even came into the equation.
 
After our 'urban encounter', we managed to squeeze ourselves into this little place that is Peppy Grill.  We sat at a little table in the small add-on section you see in the foreground of the picture, which was unfortunate because we did not get to experience the true nature of the original building. 

Our server was gracious and loved to chat us up...  all about the port chops.  He loved those pork chops so freakin much that we all ended up going for it.  I get the feeling he needed to move that meat.

As we waited for our food, I looked out the window and noticed some dude parallel park between a Lexus and a Camry.  He proceeded to back in, slam the Camry (apparently he uses the car behind him to tell him when he has to stop), then pull forward and slam the Lexus in the rear.  Then he simply got out of his car and walked into the building right next to his car!  Sitting next to me was a table full of Sherrif's officers who, of course, ignored the whole thing because they were eating lunch.  This is why I give props to Ian for driving his vehicle on these Fancy excursions!   We three owe him a debt of gratitude!

When our food was finally served (it took a while) I was a little underwhelmed.  Basic thin onion rings (frozen kind), a side of potato salad, and a single pork chop that looked like it needed a friend, especially for the $10 bucks I just paid for it.  The rings were not up to snuff; too greasy and soggy.  The potato salad was not bad, mustard style and fresh.  The pork chop, was exploding with flavor, perhaps too much flavor (aka salt).  I saw it as perhaps overseasoned, but the other guys seemed to appreciate that fact and gave it pretty high marks.

Bob, Ian, and Brad each had their chop served with breakfast.

Bob:

Brad:

I get the feeling that "plating" is not Peppy's specialty.  Everything had that appearance of a backyard get together with the neighborhood association - sparse and simple. Occasionally I would see this as a bonus, a nice change from the typically over-loaded plates of today's chain restaurants, but not this time.  This was basic fare that struggled to impress.  I just never got that "good feeling" when the plate was put in front of me.  Hard to explain, but I do not think I would return to Peppy Grill.  There are so many other places for us to get our fix.

The Scale:
  Ian: Meal: 7, Experience: 7
  Bryan:  Meal: 6.5, Experience: 7
  Brad: Meal: 8, Experience: 7
  Bob: Meal: 7, Experience: 7 

Hey, can you steer me to a kickass sandwich?

FCA Day #6:  The Historic Steer-In    5130 E. 10th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46219

 "Today a big fat meatball sandwich just fell out of heaven... "  Bob

Bob seems to be our point man for finding great locations.  When he sent me the web link
to this restaurant I thought "It looks like a post office".   It's been around since the 50's in one form or another, and has seemingly kept its family owned feel all this time.  It had this classic genuine diner written all over it, and the staff treated us like we lived down the street.


Ian loves his reubens, kinda like I enjoy my onion rings.  It came with a nice portion of corned beef, leveled with sourkraut and topped with swiss - that's typical reuben fare.  Accompanied by a pickle and some potato chips, it was a little lackluster in its appearance, but the taste is what counts, and Ian was impressed in that area.

I decided on the Brisket Sandwich and was pleasantly surprised.  Served on sourdough, it had a very generous portion of brisket, which was VERY VERY tasty.  With sauteed onions and little of the Steer In's homemade horsey sauce, this was one of the best brisket sandwiches I have had in recent memory.  The horsey sauce was just awesome, burned the nasal cavities if you took too much so it gained my respect as the meal went on.  LOL.  I also used it to dip my fries in place of ketchup.  I also have to mention that as our server presented my meal she mentioned that another plate of fries was coming to me to supplement the half dozen that were on my plate.
 

Brad, still on his quest for low-carb eating, ordered two burgers minus the buns.  His first was the chili burger which had a surprisingly large amount of chili on top and was his favorite of the day, and second came the sunrise burger with bacon, cheddar and an egg over-easy.  

Bob wanted something a little "manly" and ordered up a meatball sandwich.  I must admit after seeing it I was kinda jealous.  The meatballs were large, seasoned and moist, nestled in a savory marinara and topped with a shitload of mozzarella.  All dropped into a perfectly toasted bun, I was drooling nearly as much as Bob.  Bob was heard throughout the afternoon repeatedly saying to anyone near him "I feel really good. Just really good!"

I would not say the Steer-In has something no one else has to offer, but what they do offer is pretty good diner fare through and through.  You get a great tasting meal at a good price (about 10 bucks incl drink).  I would definitely revisit, especially since there were several items on the menu that I wanted to try.  The main highlight for me was the homemade horsey sauce.  I'd love to have the recipe for that!


The Scale:
  Ian: Meal: 8, Experience: 8
  Bryan:  Meal: 8.5, Experience: 8
  Brad: Meal: 7, Experience: 8
  Bob: Meal: 9, Experience: 8

Soul Food the way it should be

FCA Day #5:  Kountry Kitchen Soul Food    1831 N. College Ave Indianapolis, IN 46202

 

 "It's like the door to the Temple of Doom..."  Bryan

When we discovered this gem, we just had to launch to the top of our list.   Kountry Kitchen sits on a lonely corner of College Ave and 19th Street, with parking on the street or next to the building.  The building itself is fairly intriguing if you have never been there before, with floors changing elevations as you walk and the ultra short bar stools at the counter.  It wasn't pretty to look at to be honest - it had a worn down Great Depression era feel to it that made you feel sorry for the place.   But it was clean, and that is the only thing I ultimately require to at least sample the fare at an establishment.

The staff was very friendly upon our entry and our server was hilarious, making us feel at home.  She was even more enthused when she found out we had never been there before.  

Bob, Ian, and myself started with a round of homemade lemonade, which has to be some of the best I have tasted in a long time.  Served in mason jars, it really does taste authentic.  Brad opted for unsweetened homemade iced tea.


The food...   Let me start by saying that we had high expectations, both because of other reviews we had read, and because we drove so bloody far to get there for lunch.  The menu was fairly large, with items that ranged from fried catfish to chicken wings to mustard greens and roast beef.

What caught my eye was the quarter fried chicken of white meat.  Add a side of mac'n cheese and some mustard greens and we were in business.  The mac'n cheese was sub par, a little dry and something that even my cooking can top (I say this modestly), but the greens were awesomely pungent, perfect with a splash of vinegar.  The chicken!!!  This was the highlight for sure.  Fried crispy, yet juicy when you pull it apart and slather it with hot sauce.  FANTASTIC!  Accompanying the meal was a slab of airy cornbread that was refreshingly different.

Ian's meal was nearly identical to mine, only he went with the baked beans instead of greens.  I guess 'it's hard to make beans exciting (at least while you are eating them), so the highlight for him was also the chicken.  He felt the same about the mac'n cheese.

Brad decided on jumbo chicken wings, meatloaf, green beans and collard greens, with a house salad on the side.  He enjoyed the greens and mentioned the salad was actually pretty good as well.  Little was said about the green beans (our server told it is was the only item on the menu that is not made fresh from scratch - ie. it's from a can) and he considered the chicken a typical chicken wing, just big in size.  The meatloaf had too much ketchup plopped over it, but the meat was moist, if not a little on the bland side.

 

Bob enjoyed a hulking plate of ultra tender roast beef with a side of fried corn and mashed potatoes (with lumps...  nice!) all smothered in homemade gravy.  Honestly, I think he was the winner this day.  He left with a huge smile on his face.  He thoroughly enjoyed his massive meal, though he ended up groaning in pain for most of the afternoon.  

As a place for soul food, Kountry Kitchen really does deliver.  I think we created so much hype for ourselves that we were slightly let down by how simple the food was.  But soul food IS SIMPLE food, and after reflecting I do believe we got what we were looking for.  I would go back for the chicken alone. 


The Scale:
  Ian: Meal: 7, Experience: 8
  Bryan:  Meal: 8, Experience: 8.5
  Brad: Meal: 7, Experience: 9
  Bob: Meal: 9, Experience: 9

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