Oaken Barrel

With only a few hours to spare until the next Takeover, I welcome back all of our faithful followers. This is the newest of the Takeoverers, Blake, speaking. Seeing that I only made my season debut last week, I have minimal points of comparison; however, I truly enjoyed my restaurant pick, Oaken Barrel. The Oaken Barrel is a relaxing restaurant and brewery with a wide menu selection located in Greenwood.

The dinner began with a strike of destiny. All five vehicles pulled into the parking lot at the same time. Nick, single and always looking to impress, highlighted the group with a pair of suave glasses and a classy sweater. Unfortunately for the group, neither Aaron nor Laura could make the dinner due to prior commitments.

The atmosphere inside of the restaurant was relaxing and very enjoyable. We sat in the bar area where, despite the score, we were able to watch the Cubs' game. Dinner began much like any family get-together as Laura was the butt of most (if not all) jokes. Luke, never afraid to bash on Laura, lead with way with 6 Laura jokes on the night. The relaxing environment of the restaurant catered well to our group.

The deciding factor in the choice for the week was that Oaken Barrel brews its own beer. Although I am not 21 and cannot indulge in such practices, those who got beer certainly enjoyed their choices. Luke really enjoyed the Alabaster which is a Belgian Wheat Ale.

The menu at Oaken Barrel offers a very wide variety of options from pastas to sandwiches to steaks to seafood. We began the meal with a few appetizers including Dynamite Shrimp, Boneless Wings, and Bavarian Pretzels. While I would not ordinarily order pretzels, they were very enjoyable. Their horseradish sauce and jalapeno cheese sauce were incredible.

The mealtime decision was mentally draining. There were simply too many options. My decision, as well as Nick's, was the Cajun Jambalaya Pasta. This certainly did not disappoint in the slightest. As Nick can surely attest, the Jambalaya Pasta was phenomenal. The only disappointing part of the pasta was that I left my carry out box on the table. The rest of the crew enjoyed their meals also. Ashley and Sarah both got the Buffalo Sandwiches, which upon trying were delicious. Possibly the best part of their meals were the beer battered french fries. Despite contributing to the ballooning of the youth, these fries were some of the best that I have tasted. The remaining crew enjoyed other sandwiches and pastas including the Bar-B-Q Sandwich featuring their Famous sauce, the Steak Sandwich, and the Mediterranean Pasta. The meals, our waitress, and the beer were excellent and left everyone satisfied.

All in all, I would definitely recommend the Oaken Barrel restaurant in Greenwood. Its relaxing and casual environment was great for sitting back and appreciating life. At dinner we discussed a new rating system. The scholars in us decided to make it on a 4.0 scale. So, I would give the Oaken Barrel 3.8/4.0.

After a two-week streak to start my career as a Takoverer, I will have to temporarily say goodbye to the crew for the next three months. From May 19th to August 15th, I will be visiting/traveling/studying in Europe. I wish everyone good luck, and will see the crew at the Rory/Sarah wedding in August. God Bless...

Barlo's Pizza

Hello once again to all tnt faithful. It was our pleasure to host a new member for this Tuesday's dining experience. Blake Shanahan was in attendance. Blake is a student at Indiana University and a popular/controversial cousin of ours. He was able to step away from his final exam preparation for a few hours to enjoy a nice evening at Barlo's Pizza.

Barlo's Pizza is a small attached restaurant found on the corner of Southport and Bluff Road near the Greenwood area. The atmosphere was casual and reminded me of somewhere I would eat after a baseball game or a place where high school kids meet up once class is out. The restaurant is a condensed area and reminded me at first of bad high school memories, however, all of that was erased after trying one of their delicious gourmet pizza's.

The menu at Barlo's Pizza is a creative menu filled with eclectic parings of toppings. As usual, here are a few appetizers and entrees we tried and loved. For starters, order the Italian garlic roll, but bring a toothbrush to follow. Strong flavor but still delicious. Bread sticks are a must at any pizza place and I can never find the right balance of pizza to bread sticks. I had very little room left for my main dish.

The portion of each pizza can be overwhelming, but who doesn't like left over pizza? Nick Shanahan does. Speaking of Nick, he and Blake shared the Devil's Own pizza, a combination of hot sausage, spicy sauce, jalapeno, and pepperoni. Another saucy pizza was the Southern Draw, ordered by Heath and Ashley. It's a barbecue pizza with mesquite chicken, red onions, and green peppers. Continuing on with bold ingredients, Laura ordered The Meat Market, filled with every type of meat imaginable. The Barlo's Chicken Club, requested by Wyatt, is a pie cluckin' good time filled with ranch, basil, fresh garlic, chicken breast and more. I enjoyed the flat bread pizza which is a focaccia dough topped with spinach, feta cheese, chicken, red onion, drizzled with a balsamic vinaigrette.

If you are in the Southport area, please take some time to check out Barlo's menu. I promise you will not be disappointed. Barlo's Pizza can also be found at 5051 Kentucky Avenue next to Decatur Central High School.

Banura 1

This week we experienced another Lars-instigated complication in our dining plans. She picked a restaurant that was not even in operation anymore. Nevertheless, Sarah and I rose to the occasion and selected a nice "Greek and American" place at 79th and Michigan Road called Banura 1. For those of you familiar with the name, this restaurant is owned by the same people who previously ran Banura's at 56th and Illinois. This blogger, in particular, is very familiar with the restaurant and the owners, as I have been eating at both places regularly since I was a wee child. Although Nihad was not there Tuesday night, his wife was more than ably filling in as lead server and conversationalist. We began by ordering a few appetizers, with Lars getting Fried Kibbee which, despite it's appearance, was quite tasty. I ordered the hummous and pita, which is a necessity when dining at Banura 1. It was delicious and quickly destroyed by the entire table, particularly myself, A-bob and Nick. Not to be outdone, Beth and Wyatt ordered 2 spinakopitas and with the help of Laura quickly ate them up. Heath and Ashely went with the fiery feta cheese dip, which was absolutely delectable.

For our entrees, we tended to go with the "American" side of the equation, with a couple exceptions. The exceptions were the bold trio of A-bob, Evan "Freshy" and Nasty Nick, who all got gyros, with Evan's consisting of chicken. All three demolished the food without stopping to breathe or speak. After finishing the massive amount of food they all agreed it was delicious. The Liggett (and Liggett-Buzzard) girls all went with a good old Indiana breaded tenderloin sandwich and fries and loved it. As for Flying Death, he chose a pepperoni and mushroom pizza reported a high quality flavor. As a former pizza eater I agree, Banura 1 makes a terrific pizza, especially for a place that is by no means a "pizza joint." Heath and Smashley each order a sub and reported that although they were good, they wished that they had gone more "authentic" and ventured out. I settled, as always, on a spaghetti and greek salad. The Greek salad was wonderful and I almost never venture from the spaghetti when I go to Banura 1. Weird I know.

All these food items were merely foreplay for the grand finale, however. For dessert we ordered a large "honeyballs." These little balls of happiness are essentially doughnut holes sitting in a honey-cinnamon sauce and covered with love. A large order fed all 10 of us quite well. Despite the multitude of swimsuit body diets, we could not put our forks down when they brought the honey balls to our table. These are an essential to any visitor to Banura 1.

After all this, the food is very low-priced in comparison to its flavor content. I highly recommend anyone in the mood to pop in and enjoy a meal and a conversation with Nihad, who makes the eating experience very pleasant with his genuine friendliness.

Dinner at the Lakehouse

This post is going to be the opposite of me when I wake up in the morning, short and sweet. A little over a week ago, April 6, TNT tookover Scotty's Lakehouse. A new establishment off Geist Reservoir, Scotty's Lakehouse is a "burger joint" with a large selection of local microbrews and boasts a menu that almost entirely consists of food produced locally here in Indiana.

Myself, and some other members of TNT, have been to Scotty's Brewhouse. Beth and I visited the Ball State Brewhouse, as well as the Brewhouse in Indy off 96th Street. The slight name change for this location proved to be appropriate. Although some subtle hints reminded us of our previous Brewhouse experiences, the Lakehouse proved to be a much different animal. Similarities included the famous mofo sauce, the cloth towels at the tables, the mostly female staff branding the hokey t-shirts. The big difference proved to be in the menu selection. It's dominated by burgers, with a few other choices for those un-American people that can't seem to enjoy a hamburger. I won't get into too many specifics, but I had a burger that was topped with a fried egg and bacon, and it was like a party in my mouth. TNT, as a unit, was impressed with the food's simplicity and high quality. If you see any food on the menu that you'd normally enjoy, the Lakehouse version of that meal will definitely not disappoint. The variety comes in the brews, where there is surely a tasty beverage on tap that will match your taste.

The Lakehouse scored big in my book for it's location, expertise of the menu they offer, and overall environment for the dining experience. The copious flat screen televisions were impressive, making it not too shabby a place to catch a sporting event. I happen to live less than 5 minutes from the Lakehouse, but the one downside was that the Lakehouse is on the outer limits of TNT territory, and can be a beast to get to if trying to fight through after work traffic coming out of Indy. I can't wait to go again, and the next time we're wondering where to watch the game, or which bar to go catch a quick beer, Scotty's Lakehouse will surely be my first choice.

Butler Bulldog Brunch

Good morrow loyal followers and happenstance readers. At my request, TNT met at a special time this weekend in honor of the Butler Bulldog’s trip to the NCAA Men’s Final Four. It is worth noting that before brunch began, @L delivered to @jdshanahan and @killa off-the-rack Butler jerseys from the Bulldog Bookstore because they would be sitting Row A center court at Lucas Oil for the Saturday semi-final games. It is also worth noting that @L had to watch the game that night at RAM with the other Butler Faithful (i.e. those who did not have tickets).

The celebratory special brunch was held at Petite Chou by Patachou , a pleasant bistro tucked away at 823 Westfield Boulevard in Broad Ripple. Upon arrival we faced a 35 minute wait, so call ahead my friends. Petite Chou’s brunch features daily specials and a regular menu with a variety of delicious options from crepes to fried egg sandwiches to made to order omelettes. Naturally, I went with the Steak and Eggs Petite Chou. This was afterall a brunch in honor of the Bulldogs, and winners eat steak. The chef prepared my medium-rare Indiana-raised rib eye masterfully. @ars chose the same dish, although his steak was cooked more thoroughly. The entire group drank mimosas with their meals because the coffee at Petite Chou is self-serve. It turns out that @Killa loved the strawberry garnish.

To compliment the cuisine, the entire TNT experience at Petite Chou was pleasant. From the first clink of our champagne glasses, our sociable server orchestrated our brunch with efficient grace. She even tolerated our obligatory barking in honor of the Bulldogs, and our booing of unsuspecting Spartan Fans.

A meal at Petite Chou is an elegant experience that is recommended for anyone who is looking to mark a special occasion, make an impression or simply take pleasure in life. The menu is slightly more expensive than our typical dining establishment, but hey, this was a celebration. The TNT crew agree that they would come back to Petite Chou: @hodge would return because he loves toasted brioche with fresh jam and @ars would return because he has a crush on one of the servers. Ultimately Butler ended their season short, a mere last-second-shot away from a national championship. However, everyone at TNT agrees that Petite Chou, like the Bulldogs this weekend, never failed to impress.

Elbow Room

This blog comes a week late, but hey, better late than never...

My choice for TNT Final Four week edition was The Elbow Room. The Elbow Room has a pub-like laid back atmosphere. At the Elbow Room they want all of their customers to be like friends. TNT can definitely get down with this kind of attitude. We at TNT live by one simple rule....ELE....Everybody Loves Everybody.

Usually we start off our meals by digging into some appetizers, but at the Elbow Room they throw down with Elbow-tizers! Some of the elbow-tizers we ordered were pub sticks (fried bread sticks, filled with mozzarella), beer battered onion rings and jumbo pretzels.

Every Tuesday night is special because we get to enjoy each others company. This Tuesday was exceptionally special because we had another cuz join the festivities. Evan (froshy) Shanahan is his name and throwing frisbee is his game. No clue how he got the nickname froshy, I just saw it on Facebook. We really enjoyed having Evan at dinner and hope he can join us more often.

The buffalo chicken wrap was the hottest item on the menu for the TNT crew. I am pretty sure four people settled for it, Heath, Luke, Sarah and Ashley (maybe). Luke settled for a buffalo chicken wrap, but was disappointed because he wanted a beef boat. The Larsinator & Evan, Beth & Aaron teamed up with each other to share two separate dinners. Teams LE shared a breaded tenderloin and some steak and shrimp. Team BA joined forces for a good ole fashioned pub burger and Reuben. As for muah, I took on the bison burger and onion rings and came home with a W.


Instead of gaining two more pounds and ordering desert we decided to shed two pounds and get some cardiovascular. We rolled across the street to the beautiful park and tossed some frisbee (if anybody knows the name of the park feel free to comment). This was probably the most disappointing event of the evening for me because I threw the frisbee like Manute Bol plays hockey....terrible.

Red Lion Grog House

This week we went to Red Lion Grog House in Fountain Square. According to our waiter, they have only been in business for a little over a month. The Red Lion promised the "very best in Ole' English cuisine," and I'm happy to say I wasn't disappointed.

As always, we started with a couple of appetizers. We went with Chips and Curry Sauce, Spicy Fried Shrimp, and a Banger, which I found out was a sausage. All very good. Aaron and Laura really enjoyed the Spicy Fried Shrimp.

The appetizers came quickly, but we were waiting a while for our main dishes. Later to find out Tuesdays are usually slow days, so they only had one cook in the kitchen. They made up for it (more on that in a minute).

Because we were eating English cuisine, I decided to go with the Fish and Chips, because what is more English than that? Oddly enough, Beth, Wyatt, and Laura also got the Fish and Chips. I was very happy with my decision.

Other dishes were Shepherd’s Pie, Chicken Pot Pie, and Stuffed Portobello. I wish I would have asked everyone how they liked their foods, but I was too busy eating and enjoying mine. Like most places, the conversation slowed when the food came, which leads me to believe everyone like theirs.

Like I mentioned earlier, the food came out of the kitchen a little slower than we would have liked. Our waiter came and explained the problem, and asked for forgiveness. I guess we looked like we wouldn't give it, so he brought out two brownies with ice cream and a home-made espresso sauce, on the house! Delicious!

I would give them a good grade, but what really set this place over the top, was my to-go order. Ashley was not able to join us because she had to work. So I ordered her a Chicken Cordon Bleu sandwich. Not only did they keep everything separate so the bun wouldn't get soggy, they put all the toppings for her salad in separate containers! Very unexpected.

The Red Lion also won't break your bank. The most expensive plate was $12.99. Everything was very reasonably priced. All-in-all, it was a fun evening, with good food and friends. I would recommend this place to anyone.



Urbanspoon rocks!

Brugge

As we were about to go to Boogie Burger as our Tuesday Night Dinner, it was packed and no room for the 7 of us to sit in there, we decided to go to Brugge for dinner instead. Brugge is known for its fries(they call frites) and different sauces they provide with the fries. We decided instead of getting meals, we would get two of the biggest fries choice they had. Which was call L'Enorme. We probably should have known by the name of the size that it was going to be a huge amount of fries. But we didn't think it would be this big when we received them. To go with the frites we decided to enjoy one of their famous beers, Tripple de Ripple. It was pretty good. But really strong, of course!

After devouring the fries, well not all the fries (way too many for us to finish both fries), we decided to go over to Brothers and enjoy each others company a bit longer. They have specials on Tuesday nights of $2 beers. That was really nice. So we had a beer or two there just hanging out. It was something a little different than our usual Tuesday Night Dinners. We have to mix it up a bit to make it more interesting! A couple people couldn't make it to dinner due to work, but that didn't stop the rest of us from getting together on our Tuesday Night.

Yats

As we were thinking of where to go this week, we decided to pick a restaurant that was a bit cheaper than the other restaurants we had chosen already. We decided to choose Yats. For those of you who don't know much about Yats, I will give you a little bit of information on what kind of restaurant it is.

Yats is a small cajun and creole restaurant. This restaurant isn't as fancy as the last few that we have gone too. Basically when you walk in they have their menu wrote on a chalk board. The menu isn't always the same. It changes from day to day. Yats makes their food a bit faster than the previous places as well. If you don't know what you exactly want, they will give you samples the different menu options, which a few of us did.

So after you decide what you want you can do a half plate or full plate. And if you want to mix it up a bit, you can order two different half orders of something. A full plate cozts $5:50, no matter what you got. Plus you get two slices of bread. If you want more bread, only $0.50.

Some of the food options that we ate there would include: Red Beans and Rice with Sausage, Chicken Maque Choux, & Chicken Creole. These were just a few of the things that we had there. There usually is only like 4 or 5 choices on the menu for that day. Most of us got a combination of the same thing. We also did the half and half plates so that we could try more than just one menu item.

Everyone seemed to enjoy their foods and as always, we were sharing what we had gotten to see if we liked something else better. Yats is a smaller restaurant, so the seating fills up fast. After our dinner, we all decided to go out and enjoy a movie together since we were out downtown already. We went to the movie Valentine's Day...and yes the guys went to it too. It was nice to extend the meal to a nice movie afterwards and enjoy each other's company a bit longer.

So if you are wanting something on the cheaper end, yet very good to eat and in the mood to try something a little different, then you should defintely check out Yats. I would highly recommend this place.

Forty Five Degrees

Good morning everyone from the 900 block of North Harrison Street! This weeks dinner was up to me, and I was thinking either a Japanese Steakhouse or Sushi Bar. I decided to do some research via indymetromix. I found the Japanese Steakhouses were a little pricey, so I decided on a Sushi Bar. The first Sushi place I found was Forty Five Degrees, and it fit our price range. Needless to say when you are lackadaisical in your research and pick the first place you see, sometimes you get more than expected.

Forty Five Degrees was another unique dining experience for The Tuesday Night takeoverers. "Forty Five° was created in order to bring a new angle to the dining and nightlife scene on Indy's most popular angled street, Massachusetts Avenue." We were missing Laura (Laaaaars) on this excursion, but we did our best not to let it hold us down.

Like every Tuesday Night Takeover we immediately ordered some appetizers. Luke got his seafood fix in with some shrimp cocktail. Aaron ordered some edamame. Beth and Wyatt tore down some spinach artichoke dip. Finally, I beasted some crab cake caper.

The real reason this restaurant was selected was for its wide selection of sushi. Big A, myself, Heath & Ashley, Beth and Wyatt all dug into some sushi. Heath was a sushi virgin, so he got to pop his cherry. According to Google Buzz, on Friday, February 12, at 12:53 Heath says, "I want to try some more sushi." Fortunately for the non-sushi people they boost other options beside sushi. Luke enjoyed some creamy Cajun pasta (I think) and Sarah some honey ginger salmon.

After dinner a few of us decided to go down the street to a pub to enjoy a couple extra beverages. Another hour of each other's presence definitely added to the evening.

All-in-all I think we really enjoyed the food, and each others presence. We also got a little culturized at the same time. If culturized is even a word. If your ever in the mood for some sushi I would recommend this place. I would also recommend being out of there by 9 PM.

Mama Corolla's

After having Middle Eastern food the first week and Spanish-style dining the second, Sarah and I decided to go for an Italian restaurant for week number 3. After deciding our genre, we both came to the decision that Mama Corolla's was the place for us. Mama Corolla's is on 54th street and the Monon Trail, which is between College Ave. and Keystone Ave. The building that houses Mama Corolla's was originally built as a model home for the Meridian-Kessler neighborhood back in the early 1900s, and according to the description is built in the Mediterrean stucco design with Spanish and Italian style mixed in. Over the years it was many different businesses, including a glass shop, until it finally became the restaurant it is today.

After parking in back, you walk into the small bar/lounge area. As soon as you open the back door you are immediately engulfed in the wonderful smell of garlic and other Italian herbs being used in the various dishes. Those of us who showed up a little early sat at the small bar and had a glass of wine while we waited for the entire party to show up to be seated. Mama Corolla's does not take reservations, so all tables are first come first served.

Once we sat down, we ordered a variety of appetizers, ranging from a wonderful bruschetta, to fried ravioli, steamed mussels and mushrooms. We also were given Italian bread and dipping oil to start off with. The appetizers were delicious and were devoured rather quickly by the table. The entree options were quite appealing as well, as we got a wide variety amongst our group of nine. We had the special, which was bacon wrapped shrimp on a bed of angel hair pasta (served with Italian weeding soup), shrimp scampi, seafood pasta, pasta with clams, pasta carbonara, chicken parmesan and other pasta-based dishes. There also were veal and steak options, but there were only 9 of us! The entrees were wonderfully tasty and filled us all to the brim, but a few of us had to try some dessert. We had tiramisu and chocolate cheesecake, which, despite our full stomachs, were devoured rapidly.

The only negative we found was the difficulty the waitress had in dividing our bills, but, after some deliberation and family conversation, we solved it.

So if you are in the mood for Italian and in the Broadripple neighborhood, we would recommend Mama Corolla's.

Zing Restaurant

Ashley and I were thinking about a place to go for our next Tuesday night dinner. Ashley goes to IUPUI, which is near the corner of West Street and Indiana, so we pass by Zing Restaurant on a regular basis. As soon as we saw the multiple levels and outdoor patio seating (even though the January weather would keep us inside), we knew we'd like to try it sometime. And when it was our turn to choose a restaurant, we knew this was our next stop.

When entering, there is a bar and seating on the lower level, with stairs leading you up to the main dining area. While looking at the menu, you will notice something different. I am going to plagiarize the official Zing website:

"ZING Restaurant is a small plate dining experience. Rather than offering individual starters and main courses, ZING serves dishes that are designed for sharing among friends and are brought to the table steadily and continuously throughout the meal."

To say that that this dining experience was unique is an understatement.

The Tapas style is something that was new to us. Luckily, we had a great waiter who was more than helpful. Our first order was a couple of sample trays, which consisted of two meats, two cheese, and a salad. The tray that was on our end of the table had Soppressata and Prosciutto with Provolone and Grana-Parmesan. We also had an order of Steak Frites. Once the plates were on the table, everyone started grabbing. It was great. We talked, laughed, and ate. The recipe for a great dinner.

After the first round was done, we placed another order for a few small plates. This time we went with Fried Risotto Balls stuffed with Mozzarella and Peas, Zing Zing Shrimp, and two orders of Calamari. The Risotto Balls were out of this world! Perfectly crisp outside, with melted mozzarella on the inside. I am literally salivating just think about it. I would have loved to have tried the Zing Zing shrimp, but Laura ate them all.

As far as drinks go, they have 8 draft beers, over 20 domestic and import bottles, craft beers, full service bar, and an almost endless list of wines. Also, Tuesday night is Hoosier Beer Night, all Indiana-brewed beers only $3. But I must say, the real winner at Zing is the Goose Island Root Beer. That was Ashley's drink of choice. Just believe us, and try it.

All-in-all, it was a great time. We have struck gold the first two weeks of our Takeover. I would love to go back to Zing in the summer, sit outside on the patio, and take in the view of Downtown with my friends.

Canal Bistro Mediterranean Grille

This evening, the Shanahan cousins dined at the Canal Bistro Mediterranean Grille on Guilford Avenue in Broad Ripple. It promised us "the freshest, tastiest, most authentic Mediterranean food you can get," and they did not disappoint. The Canal Bistro Mediterranean Grille delivered to our party a comfortable and charming atmosphere that was accompanied by delicious appetizers, entrees, and drinks.

Briefly, here are a few plates we enjoyed and would like to share. First, we'll begin with appetizers. Hummus and Pita Bread is a great starter and should be shared by all. If you are into greens, try the spinach pie rolls. And for you vegetarians out there, begin with the portabello mushroom because it will change your life and, quite honestly, will be large enough to fill your stomach for the rest of the evening.For the entrees, try the Lamb Kafta Kabobs and appreciate its tenderness. If you have a huge appetite, order the Gyro Platter and understand leftovers will be in your car on the way home. This is a great problem to have. A party member ordered the Grilled Fresh Fish and couldn't quit smiling the entire night. Suspicious but really no big deal.

While dining, we enjoyed our food with a few beverages. The restaurant had a wide range of drinks, including coffee, wine, beer, and of course, water. Milk might be an option but can not say that with confidence:) Fat Tire was a popular choice along with various glasses of wine.

If you find yourself in the Broad Ripple area and have a craving for Mediterranean food, we recommend the Canal Bistro Mediterranean Grille. See ya next Tuesday!