When I woke this morning, my first thought, "
ahh, time for coffee, a little relaxing" followed immediately by "
holy cow !" (OK, no bovines were referenced but my Dad reads this blog.) Daylight Savings Time! I sprung to action, albeit slowly, as it was Girls Day Out and I didn't want to be late.
I arrived at Roseholme Cottage right on schedule, just sans good camera. Fortunately there's an uber cheap cracker jack prize camera in the glove box in case of auto accident. The pictures won't be good, but there WILL be pictures!
Tam was seriously bandaged up from the skin graft, but that familiar smile was showing; so off we went, headed out on foot to check out a new deli/pub in the local area. If anyone stared, she just gave them that 10,000 watt smile and said "
you should see the OTHER guy!"
We arrived.
Fat Dan's Deli On College Avenue near 54th, in the Broad Ripple area of Indianapolis. It recently opened here after closing at a much smaller location in an area that just didn't have the space they needed. It's a great little neighbor with The Fresh Market across the street and the whole Broad Ripple experience of unique shops, restaurants, bike trails, art, and the canal.
Chicago Style Food and beer in a blue collar casual atmosphere that just says "
come on in, have a beer, and relax with friends and family". You have to love a place that has, on their menu -
Hugs! Always Free!
Kisses $1
Kiss n/hug combo $2
Kick in the shin $3
With neon, an assortment of new and vintage signs, the dark wood and the structure it's in, the place is like eating in a cool and cozy basement or old loft apartment of your best friend, IF your best friend was a really awesome cook The Menu is written on a chalkboard on the wall. "
Ugly Corn Dog" and look!
"Ghost" - provolone, jalapeno, cayenne and habanera on a 1/3 pound seared burger. Oh, how about the "
Wells Fatburger" with Gorgonzola, smoked bacon, sauteed onion and bbq? Throw in smoked meats in there in addition to the Vienna beef and Italian beef, it's going to be hard to pick.
I went for the Brisket, Tam ordered the Italian Beef (juicy thin sliced roast beef with au jus on an Italian roll with lots of giardiniera peppers soaking wet, in the best of artery clogging juices.)
First something to drink! This was one of their available hand crafted beers, of which they have a good selection.
It was a good place to just sit and chill, no schedule, just laughter and conversation, cats, dogs, suppressors, German food and Swiss guns, gear and boys. Girl talk. That's sometimes just what one needs.
Hey, there's Old Style on Tap. Whether you order the beer or not, just having it around feels like home for those of us that have friends and family in the Chicago area. Next time, when I don't have a long drive home.
And games, there on the edge of our table, an assortment of little games.Including Battleship! A tabletop portable version. I'll get us set up. Uh oh, this isn't looking like a fair fight.
Me - "Look Tam! Blue Team seems to be all in dry dock. Thank you Sequestration! " Tam - "Oh, the Red Team is still out in force . ..not good."Oh wow, here's the food, brought out by our handsome waiter on big sheets of butcher paper so you can dump your fries or tots out to share. No plates, a roll of towels to clean up the juices, it doesn't get easier.
Italian Beef - even this lousy camera couldn't make that look anything less than mmmmmm.
And the brisket.
Oh my, my my, dry rubbed and smoked for 14 hours. I never though I would develop a crush on beef fat but dang, this was incredible.
Honestly, Dan makes the best brisket I've ever had in Indiana, OR Chicago, overflowing the butter toasted bun. Rich, smokey, deep unbelievably moist with the crisp edges mingled with tiny little tender bits of fat, full of flavor with neither tasting greasy nor burned. I gave Tam a little taste of a corner. Eyes were rolled and she made that sound she made when that racy red motorcycle was stopped at the light out front.
It was even better topped with some of a side of Dan's creamy, house-made, cracked peppered coleslaw.
Look, a basket of hot Tater Tots to share. They were seasoned just right and there was enough for several people in this single order.
This would so be a good place to have the blog meet for something different some time. We'll definitely tell
Roberta X, IND blog meet hostess, about it when she gets home from work. Great food, a staff that's genuinely friendly and happy to see you there, good food served surprisingly fast, plus enough seating for about any group. The owner told the local news folks they plan on putting up a garage type door out front for outdoor seating. Even though there are other restaurants in the area, I think he's found his nitch there with the great food and the atmosphere that will compliment this old style casual neighborhood.
Next, a stop at the market, free hugs and then a little walk along the canal to wave to the Broad Ripple Navy before hitting the road.
Good times indeed.
