Roadtrip to Jasper, Indiana

Next week I'm driving down to Jasper, IN for work - most likely taking I-65 to US-231 (though I might consider I-57 to IL-1 if it's more entertaining than 65). I know this is a longshot, but does anyone have any roadside recommendations for food? Any food spots in or around Jasper? I know that I-65 is a culinary wasteland, but maybe there's a giant ball of yarn that's worth seeing?

We plan on stopping at "Dr. Ted's Musical Marvels Museum" once we get down south. http://www.drteds.com/ I'll make sure to post some pictures from the trip.

I think the fastest way would be US41/IN63 to Vincennes, then US50 east to Loogootee, then US231 south to Jasper. Once south of Cedar Lake, US41 becomes a 4-lane divided highway, and IN63 is also a divided highway that was built as a bypass for US41 between Williamsport and Terre Haute.

Food-wise, you'll be going right through Terre Haute (great for Asian, see next paragraph), but otherwise it's pretty much all farmland. I do remember a drive-in in Kentland that had a GREAT pork tenderloin sandwich...but that was many years ago and I don't know if it's still there. Going south, it was on the right side of the street just before the stoplight at US24.

Terre Haute has a large Asian community due to the large Sony facility in town that produces every Sony CD/DVD (blank or otherwise) sold in the US, and Asian is what to look for in the way of dining. Here's a link that may interest you.

Fantastic! I'll definitely check it out! Many thanks, Mark.

Just a few miles west of Jasper, on Hwy 56, is the town of Ireland, where you'll find some of the best fried chicken in the state at the aptly-named Chicken Place, a picture-perfect old bar. By far the best bet for local food in the Jasper area.

Train wrote:...the best fried chicken in the state.

When you said that, I thought of this:

Jake: You got any fried chicken?
Mrs. Murphy: Best damn fried chicken in the state!"
Jake: Give me four fried chickens and a coke.
Mrs. Murphy: You want chicken wings or chicken legs?
Jake: Four fried CHICKENS and a coke.
Elwood: And some dry white toast please.
Mrs. Murphy: You want butter or jam on your toast honey?
Elmood: No ma'am, dry.
Mrs. Murphy: You want anything to drink with that?
Elmood: No ma'am.
Jake: A coke.

Train wrote:Just a few miles west of Jasper, on Hwy 56, is the town of Ireland, where you'll find some of the best fried chicken in the state at the aptly-named Chicken Place, a picture-perfect old bar. By far the best bet for local food in the Jasper area.

++ to this. Fried liver/gizzard appetizer plate too, if you're so inclined.

And this is someplace I've been wanting to try for quite some time, just never found myself in the area. A bit off 70 between 57 and Terre Haute.

http://www.themoonshinestore.com/

Discussed in this thread

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=11446&p=315495&hilit=moonshine#p315495

Edit: I would warn the Chicago folks that if the Cardinals are playing, they're going to be on! It's Redbird country. Not that Rolen's still there, but the owner and Scott went to HS together, IIRC.

We stopped at Sushi Umi today, and it was well worth the trip. Had the Chirashi and it was way more than I expected. There was a real Shiso leaf seperating the tamago and Umeboshi (pickled plum) from the rest of the dish. The tako was firm, but not tough. There was toro, eel, and salmon - and a few things I hadn't seen before: Burdock root, surf clam, and samon roe (though I didn't much like the roe) There was also what appeared to be Red Snapper cut to look like a cockscomb.

For dinner, we stopped at Schnitzelbank. There is a huge German population around here, and Schnitzelbank seemed to be the most heavily advertised place on our route. It looks like a Bavarian lodge inside and out and the waitresses are dressed in authentic dirndls, though the thick southern accent sortof ruined the illusion for me. They have a staggering list of imported beers with a large german collection.
I had the Goulash, which was fantastic - and my co-worker had the sauerbraten, which was gone before I could finish my first potato pancake.

Sushi Umi
2002 South 3rd Street
Terre Haute, IN 47802-3043
(812) 232-3910

The Schnitzelbank Restaurant
393 Third Avenue,
Jasper, Indiana 47546
(812) 482-2640
http://www.schnitzelbank.com (warning: music)