Indianapolis Monthly Menu Guide 2014

Presenting the WILD & WONDERFUL world of Indy Food & Drink... BY Brittany Broderick, Kelly Kendall, Terry Kirts & Minchela Tindera THE META-LIST 6 Places Making National News “Best Cheap Eats in America” —Urbanspoon.com (Several locations, yatscajuncreole.com) “Best Bars in America” —Esquire (38 E. Washington St., 631-3333) “America’s Best Steakhouses” —Travel + Leisure (127 S. Illinois St., 635-0636) “Best U.S. Airport Food” —USA Today (Indianapolis Airport, 7800 Col. Weir Cook Memorial Dr., 241-0533) “Best French Restaurants in the U.S.” —Travel + Leisure (823 Westfi eld Blvd., 259-0765; 14390 Clay Terrace Blvd., Carmel, 566-0765) “America’s Best Chicken and Waf es” —Travel + Leisure (132 N. East St., 423-3300) QUICK BITES 3 GOURMET FOODS ON A STICK 1. Chicken satay at Siam Square (936 Virginia Ave., 636-8424) 2. Bacon picks at Severin Bar (40…

What was the best thing you have eaten lately? That’s what we asked 10 local foodies. Here are the dishes they’re still dreaming of... Autumn Tartare at Bluebeard Owner and sommelier of The Libertine Liquor Bar and Pizzology I RECENTLY MET A FRIEND AT BLUEBEARD (653 Virginia Ave., 686-1580) for a few small plates after a show and am still dreaming about the dishes we shared. The autumn tartare was phenomenal. Hamachi, beets, apples, avocado, jalapeno, basil, horseradish, wasabi tobiko, and a ginger-honey vinaigrette all blended together in the best way to create bites that left you wanting just one more. It reminded me of why I love watching chefs like John and Abbi Adams evolve—they’ve created unique dishes that are completely their own. Paired with a Provençal Rose, this dish…

AN AUTHORITATIVE TOUR OF THE CITY’S BEST DINING DOWNTOWN INCLUDES Chatham Arch, Fletcher Place, Fountain Square, Mass Ave., Mile Square 1913 Restaurant UPSCALE COMFORT Farm-table standards get a glossy do-over at this hotel restaurant tucked just off the polished marble lobby of the Omni Severin. The dining room, all dark lacquer and leathery browns, feels a bit stuffy, but diners easily warm up to a menu that includes a root-beer–cured pork chop as big as a catcher’s mitt, topped with sweet bacon marmalade; and half a chicken roasted to a juicy, rosy hue and plated with succotash and a little tin pan of sweet corn “milk” (like the cream off of creamed corn) for dipping. The sides—such as herbcrumb–crusted macaroni-and-cheese pie and sauteed Brussels sprouts—get passed around the table. Vintage…

What sounds good for dinner? We have lots of ideas! Get inspired with the latest Indianapolis Monthly Menu Guide. From savory steaks to Neapolitan pizza to Baja-style tacos, something for every palate lies ahead. Flip through these pages to peruse complete menus from 27 top restaurants, and savor your options: new dishes, exciting eateries, the choices right in your neighborhood. You’re sure to find the restaurant that’s right for tonight. And tomorrow night. And next weekend. We got hungry just looking at these menus, and we think you will, too. Cheers!…

Waffles. They’re not just for breakfast anymore. Topped with fried perch at Black Market, lobster at Oakleys Bistro, or, of course, chicken at Maxine’s Chicken & Waffles, these classics are keeping griddles working overtime. Bourbon. First came hip hangouts like The Ball + Biscuit and The Libertine Liquor Bar, which took the bourbon cocktail far beyond Manhattans and mint juleps. Then Bakersfield Mass Ave, which pours 50 varieties of the stuff, opened in the spring to instant-hit status. And Barbecue and Bourbon is now open in Speedway. Pralines. The New Orleans–style candies are coming north. Indy has been serving as a test market for Starbucks’ Chestnut Praline Latte, and even McDonald’s has been doing a Pralines & Cream McFlurry. For the real stuff, stop by Yats, which now offers the…