i was down in indianapolis yesterday afternoon & made it over to shapiro's
had the corned beef sammie,rye with swiss cheese (outstanding)

after eating i had to get some sweet stuff for the ride home
got the rugalach & palmears both great

i will stop back here anytime, loved it

I took advantage of ReneG's post and kind offer of MegaBus tickets he couldn't use and spent Tuesday in downtown Indianapolis. After arriving and getting my bearings, I spent a few hours at the Eiteljorg Museum of the American Indian, which I enjoyed quite a bit. Afterward, I walked down to Shapiro's, which seemed an obvious choice after looking over the Indy threads on LTH. It was, as I expected, delicious.


Corned beef sandwich hit the spot. Only ate half and then got a pastrami sandwich to take back to Chicago with me too. My backpack smelled like deli meat for the rest of the day, and I didn't mind one bit.

After walking around downtown and checking out the statues and memorials (the combo of going to the Eiteljorg, which mourns the decimation of the area's Native Americans, followed later by the statue of W.H. Harrison in Monument Circle with the text celebrating him as "Conqueror of the Indian Confederacy" was interesting for sure), I took a walk up Massachusetts Ave and ended up at the Rathskeller. It was quiet around 4:00, but not dead. A good place to kill some time over a beer--I only wish I had more of an appetite at the time as I wouldn't have minded trying the food.

All in all, a good trip. Indianapolis was a good daytrip, and (if staying around downtown) manageable on foot.

The cocktail craze has hit Indianapolis, though I can only give a small bit of information.

Ball & Biscuit opened last summer downtown and features a menu of classic drinks, most with some kind twist. The menu also includes a sentence or so on the history behind the drinks. I tried three different drinks and was impressed with the creativity and the quality. Unfortunately the menu isn't on line and I didn't pay that close attention to the specifics (I let the bartender choose). There is also an intriguing food menu that includes an array of charcuterie but I was too full to try any of it.

The vibe was very laid back and not at all pretentious. I counted three douchebags and zero hipsters. No plans to spend another night in Indianapolis any time soon, but I'll definitely head back to Ball & Biscuit if the opportunity presents itself.

Ball & Biscuit
331 Massachusetts Ave
317-636-0539

MarlaCollins'Husband wrote:I counted three douchebags and zero hipsters.

Definitely a better choice than 45-Degrees,
a little farther up the road, where you can't
swing a douchebag without hitting a couple
dozen hipsters. In that same general area,
slightly off the beaten path, is the Dorman
Street Saloon - with a good beer list and
the ability to mix a fine cocktail. There's
also soon to be a "Gastropub" called Black
Market @ 922 Massachusetts Ave.

Visited Indianapolis and Louisville last weekend. While in Indy, I went to Siam Square and Goose the Market. At Siam Square I had spring rolls and green curry. They were both good, but not outstanding.

Goose the Market was an excellent experience. Batali and charcuterie plate featuring smoked duck breast, Italian salami and house cured bresaola. The smoked duck breast was unforgettable, and completely delicious.

the wimperoo wrote:Goose the Market

They also do a fine job with their salmons. I believe I've tried a molasses-cured and a juniper/gin variety that were very flavorful but still silky-tender. And I can't go there without getting some prosciutto. I don't know if it's something magical about the beautiful Italian slicer they use or what, but it's always perfectly thin and tender. I usually eat most of it in the car before I make it home!

SCUBAchef wrote:There's also soon to be a "Gastropub" called Black
Market @ 922 Massachusetts Ave.

The Black Market has been open for a few weeks now. So far, I'd say the place has promise.
They've jumped on the Pork Belly Bandwagon, and I loved going along for the ride:


Right across the street from Black Market is R-Bistro. A couple weeks ago
I had this "Lump crab, peach and avocado stack in melon soup",
and it was one of the best things I've had in a long time.


Yesterday they had an appetizer of seared scallops in a summer gazpacho, and it was also fantastic -
in the last few bites I finally figured out that the gazpacho had watermelon in it,
making it incredibly refreshing.