Lately, in the evening, the wife and I have been revisiting old movies from our youth. Hence, you’ll see a few movie night posts along the way. So let’s get a must out of the way.
Popcorn: I believe we have perfected the art of making it at home through these essentials: 1. Waring Pro Popcorn Maker: Wife purchased this years ago. Not even sure it is made anymore, but there are other brands that are a similar style. 2. Movie Theatre Coconut Popcorn Oil & Flavoring Salt: These work great in the popper and give a great movie theatre popcorn flavor.
Now here is where I go a little rogue. I like to microwave a little bit of Kerry Gold Salted Butter – not that much, a tablespoon or less. Now I dump the popcorn in an older paper grocery bag and drizzle this liquid gold all over the popcorn, then close the bag and shake the hell out of it for 5 seconds or so. That little bit of extra butter flavor just kicks up an already great popcorn a notch. That how my grandmother used to butter popcorn, so it also tastes a little bit like I remember from my childhood. Top notch.
If we are not snacking on popcorn, we are having frozen pizza. More on that later.
The wife had something come up within the last few weeks, so I was on my own for lunch. A few times a year I get a craving for a BLT, and knowing we had the stuff to make one, I decided to treat myself.
I cooked the whole package of bacon in the oven – aluminum foil lined baking sheet at 400F for around 20 minutes. Easiest way to do it. Bread in the Ninja air fryer/oven/toaster just enough to get it lightly toasted. I still like it pliable. I assembled the sandwich using about 2/3rd (ten pieces) of the bacon with mayo on each side of the bread as a binder. Here is the end result.
I added a few Lays plain chips (yellow bag) for the side.
It was very good, but too rich. A little heavy on the mayo, as you can see it oozing through the hole in the bread above. And overall, just too much food. The quality of the bacon, the mayo, and the bread just amounted in a sandwich that kicked my ass. While I was finishing it off (I rarely waste food), I was thinking, yeah, I don’t need a BLT for a while.
The aftermath. Let me start this by saying I felt great that day. It’s why I decided to make a full lunch as opposed to just a salad or some soup (ramen). I ate this slightly before noon, and by about 1:30 pm I was practically knocked out – woozy and swaying in my office chair. At this point I really expected someone to yell “FINISH HIM!” I mean I felt terrible. Not sure if it was the sodium, the bulk (picture don’t do it justice), the carbs from the chips and bread. I have no idea, but I was not being productive. I could barely keep my eyes open, so I took a break to get the sauna going, and did some yoga while I waited for it to steam up. Yes I do yoga, and yes it makes me feel better.
During all this grogginess, I kept thinking – what the hell happened? Long gone are my younger days of hitting the Chicago’s pizza buffet with my old coworkers. Taking down a large salad followed by about 4-5 pieces of pizza and breadsticks with cheese sauce. Going back to work and still being productive followed by class sometimes at night. No adverse effects! Sigh. Getting old hits you sometimes in different ways – realizing you can no longer eat like you’re going to get rewarded with a championship belt from Nathan’s Famous just happened to be how it hit on this particular day. The days of Five Brat Nate* are long gone.
*One Carb Day during my early twenties at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway I ate five bratwursts in buns in about two hours. They were just going down so good with the beer I couldn’t help it.
The BLT did me in, so it was a salad for dinner, and I skipped lunch the next day.
TLDR: Heavy lunch (BLT) made me sick; younger me used to love gorging on pizza and bratwurst; salad for dinner.
In local Indy Foodie groups, a debate that often comes up is who has the best wings. One name often mentioned is the Ale Emporium. To be honest, I had tried them years before, like two decades before, and I remembered thinking highly of the place, but I just hadn’t been back. Just like everything on the internet, opinions vary on the Ale Emporium’s wings, but I was persuaded enough to give them a go.
Now Indy has two locations – Castleton (the original) and Greenwood (the addition). Greenwood being where I lived when the wife and I got together, so we decided to head south.
First, great sports bar type atmosphere and plenty of beer on tap, so no complaints there. Second, service was great, e.g., the server prepared us for long wait times due to a lot of carryout orders, but it didn’t seem like any longer for a bar/pub type place. I like when the servers under promise and over deliver.
Now onto the food. We started out with the stuffed breadsticks and cheesy bacon skins.
Ale Emporium – Appetizers
Stuffed Breadsticks – Three handmade breadsticks stuffed with pepperoni and melted mozzarella served with your choice of warm pizza sauce, nacho cheese or white queso.
Cheesy Bacon Skins – Six potato skins topped with cheddar jack cheese, chives and bacon.
The stuffed breadsticks were our favorite. Those little fuckers were the bomb. The cheesy bacon skins were very good, but not a skin. I think the cook just cut potatoes in half, took a minor scrape out of each one then topped them. Those were very thick and very filling. We brought four of them home. Devouring all the stuffed breadsticks wasn’t ever in doubt. Fucking delicious, and I’m pretty sure the nacho cheese they serve them with is Ortega Que Bueno! YUM!
Onto the wings. I got the Hermazian.
Ale Emporium – Hermazian Wings
My wife got the Herman-Style, and we split some fries.
Ale Emporium – Herman-Style Wings
Hermazian Wings – Secret blend of peppers and spices, the Ale’s secret sauce, and Asian sweet and sour sauce.
Herman-Style Wings – Secret blend of peppers and spices, mixed with the Ale’s secret sauce.
Ale Fries – Idaho potatoes lightly sprinkled with Ale’s own special blend of seasoning.
I was very impressed and my wife was just impressed. To be honest, I tried one of hers and I think the Hermazian is the superior sauce, so that helped. Hers was more of a traditional buffalo. Mine were more robust than that. More unique. Fries were good, good flavor, and a decent side. Next time I’ll go tots though.
The wings were crispy yet tender on the inside without being dry. The sauce was fantastic and unique – Asian Zing from B-Dubs kind of gets you close, maybe.
Long story short, Natey got delectable wingy! We both agreed we would be back, and generally I can thank the local foodie groups for steering us in the right direction again. Highly recommend!
Not too long ago the wife and I ventured out to a new place to try, Kuma‘s Corner in Fountain Square, Indy. This came through recommendations of a local foodie group. We were greeted at the inner door with this sign.
Kuma’s – Malort Sign
I turned to my wife and said, “well I can already tell I’m going to love this place.” The hard rock and metal atmosphere as well as the music pumping over the sound system assured I would love it. What came next was just as fitting.
This place is known for its burgers, but we started out with some appetizers. Feast your eyes on the fried pickles and jalapeno poppers.
Kuma’s – Appetizers
Jalapeno Poppers – Deep Fried Cream Cheese and Chorizo Stuffed Jalapenos, Raspberry Jalapeno Jam
Fried Pickles – Deep Fried Panko Breaded Dill Chips, Chipotle Mayo
The poppers are good, but not typical in nature, think hot lava on the inside with a heavy heavy breading. The cream cheese balances out the heat of the chorizo and pepper and the sweet raspberry jams brings a sweetness that is fantastic. These were good, and I would recommend giving them a try.
The pickles really took us by surprise. I am not a fried pickle guy. Typically there are too salty, over breaded, and greasy (not in a good way). My wife tends to love them. These fried pickles we both really liked. It’s as if they debrined them, and the breading ratio to the long pickle slices was on point. And you know I’m down with chipotle mayo.
This is where we have to give a shout out to our server/bartender. My wife asked for ranch – you’ll notice it in the picture. Our server told us they do not do that, so no big deal. A few minutes before we got our apps, one of the gentlemen from the kitchen brought us out some ranch, and said they are working on a homemade one due to many requests (hello, it’s the fuckin’ Midwest), and asks us to try one his first batches. Under promise over deliver score for service! Needless to say, the ranch was very very good.
Knowing we had some burgers coming, we didn’t even eat half. Also, we have the great deep fried leftover equalizer (Ninja countertop oven and air fryer) at home, so we knew these would reheat ok – and they did!
That brings us to our burgers. I knew what I wanted almost immediately and ordered the Neurosis Burger with fries.
My wife was undecided and ask our server for a recommendation between the Goatsnake Burger and the YOB Burger. The server without hesitation said get the Goatsnake Burger, and she was not wrong.
Kuma’s – Goatsnake Burger
Goatsnake Burger – Herbed Goat Cheese, Poblano Sweet Corn Relish, Cholula Lemon Vinaigrette, Buttermilk Breaded Deep Fried Red Onions
As her side she got the Mac & Cheese with her two add-ons being Prosciutto and Sundried Tomato.
Kuma’s – Mac & Cheese
Mac & Cheese – House Blend of Cheese Topped with Breadcrumbs and Scallions with added Prosciutto and Sundried Tomato
Now if I am being honest, her burger was straight up better than mine, and mine was excellent, but her being more adventurous paid off. Don’t get me wrong, I loved mine, and it was very well prepared (cooked medium, pink throughout), but hers was just more flavorful and robust.
When it comes to the fries, think Five Guys, both in flavor and in fuckload-ishness. That was a lot of fries, and she had a lot of Mac & Cheese. Our strategy was finish the burgers, and bring everything else home. Mainly because we did not have a clue how to successfully reheat the burgers.
The Aftermath. Mac & Cheese, Poppers, Fried Pickles, and Fries.
Kuma’s – Left Overs
All of this stuff warmed up fairly well the next day, with the exception being the Mac & Cheese lost some of its creaminess, but that was to be expected. It was still fairly tasty served day old and warmed over.
I did not drink, but my wife had a couple drinks, so after tip it was over $100, but worth it since it was new, very good, provided two meals, and prompted us to want to return and try other items.
One thing to note, if you’re a messy eater such as I, wear a shirt you don’t mind getting destroyed. My sweatshirt put up a valiant but losing effort as it had splatters and drips all down it. I don’t mind getting messy down in the trenches if the meal is worth it, and this one was.
However, sometimes that backfires such as it did that day. I walked out took about ten steps and immediately ran into a buddy from high school and his new girlfriend whom I had never met. I apologized for shit being all down my shirt, but explained I had just ate at Kuma’s for the first time. He gave me the “I am familiar.”
Would have loved to join them at Upland for a couple beers, but we had errands to run before getting home to the dog. We really do have to time these things. We’ll save that trip for another day and another blog.
Last week I had a quarterly medical appointment downtown. The news was decent, so no immediate worries there. However, due the time of the appointment I reached out to some old friends to see if they wanted to meet us a Shapiro’s (Foodie Hall of Famer). That worked out, so we worked it in, and bah gawd, Shapiro’s did it again! I love this place, and every time I am there I hear Thornton Melon’s voice in my head repeating the line “I hate small food.”
Now going in you have to understand I skip breakfast the day of lunch here, and generally eat a small dinner or skip it too. That being said, I present you with the Reuben, matzo ball soup with noodles, chips, and a pickle.
Shapiro’s Lunch
The Reuben: Corned beef (has to be over a half pound?), sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Russian Dressing all stacked on our house-baked, hand cut rye, then grilled to a golden brown. I love this sammy. And if you’re not a rye fan (I wasn’t for years), try this rye. It’s very mild.
The Soup: Hand-rolled matzo balls cooked in chicken broth with added carrots, peas and thin egg noodles. This soup is good for my soul.
They claim the sandwich has won awards nationally, and I for one fucking believe them. Fantastic lunch. If you’re in downtown Indy and don’t mind dropping $25ish-$30ish for lunch, I highly recommend it. If you can, meet up with friends. I don’t get to do that much anymore, and I’m sure glad we did! Thank you guys.
For personal reasons, this past Friday I had to be back home in Terre Haute. That always means, if I can fit it in, lunch at my favorite bar Charlie’s (A Foodie Hall of Fame founding member). The menu features the Tweety burger (named after the founder), and it is specifically offered with a monthly specialty version. This month’s version is named the Yellowstone, and it features the griddled half pound burger topped with melted provolone, pulled pork, onions rings, and Beezer’s hot BBQ sauce (a locally produced fantastic BBQ sauce). I ordered it medium with a side of onion straws because I thought they would compliment the flavors of the burgers, and I was not wrong. Frame of reference, 90% of the time I’m ordering tots.
Charlie’s Yellowstone Tweety & Onion Straws
To say this meal was anything but a 10/10 would be a grave injustice. It was superb. I order my burger medium, and it usually comes cooked close to that with a perfect sear. They nailed it this time! This was gooey, saucy, deliciousness as the flavors melded perfectly. Strongly recommend!
The only fault was on my end as I was traveling and driving, so I could not enjoy it with a pitcher of ice cold beer. It’s a tradition from my fraternity days that is often overlooked now at alumni gatherings, but back in the day it was a pitcher per dude at the table. However, we old now, so it might a good thing that is no longer the standard.
As said in an earlier post, we’ve been trying to get back to being adventurous when it comes to trying new places and getting out and about. I told my wife I wanted to take her to a new-to-us place I had heard rave reviews about in Indy foodie groups, so we headed to Indianapolis and the eastside of downtown to Futuro, a Detroit style pizza place.
The building is kind of weird, It looks as if it was assembled from two stories worth of shipping containers. You order at the counter on the ground floor, and wait for your food. Seating is available outside (too cold for that) with one table downstairs and the majority of tables upstairs. Cans of beer and soda, water, etc are available.
Normally in this situation I would order a basic pizza (pepperoni, sausage, maybe shrooms and peppers) just to try it out, but based on reviews both the wife and I decided to try something different. I went with the Meatball Garlic, and she ordered the Bacon Basil. We both wanted an order of breadsticks, so we added those as well – garlic butter dipping sauce for me and cheese sauce for her. Holy hell!
Futuro Breadsticks
Yes, those breadsticks are the length of a pizza box. Yes, they normally come four to an order, but in my unbridled fatassery I was buttery cheesy fingers deep into one before thinking about a picture. Oops. Wife for the save on the picture. These are baked in a blend of garlic butter, Pecorino Romano cheese and Italian seasoning and are served having a softer but not doughy texture with a delectable flavor. We only had one each based on we were told to expect individual pizzas on the heftier side. Strongly recommend trying them unless you’re one of those “Ewww carbs” types, then you should just skip this whole joint.
Meatball Garlic: Housemade Meatballs | Crushed Garlic | Pecorino Romano | Housemade Red Sauce
Bacon Basil: Spinach | Bacon | Red Onion | Ricotta | Fresh Basil | Hot Honey Drizzle | Pecorino Romano | Housemade Red Sauce
We each had a piece of each and ended up stuffed! Two completely different flavor profiles, but would have no problem ordering either one again. I loved both and so did the wife. But look at those dabs of Ricotta on the Bacon Basil! Are you kidding me?!? Those really added something as did the hot honey drizzle. Fantastic! As for my Garlic Meatball, the meatballs were delicious and everything blended well with the very good housemade red sauce. It tasted a little more like a traditional pizza, but in a good way. One of the things I really enjoyed is how carmelized or seared, if you will, they get the outer crust. This really adds something. It would be great with an ice cold frothy beer. Definitely doing that next time! Once again, I can’t recommend this place enough.
The aftermath is we both brought home half a pizza and a breadstick. I couldn’t wait, so we were back at it late Sunday morning for an early lunch. Even reheated, both pizzas were still very good – as were the breadsticks. I will have no problem bringing home leftovers in the future. And since I tried several items and adored them all, Futuro is a first ballot Foodie Hall of Famer!
This blog will feature posts about food and booze, because I tend to enjoy both. Everything from home cooked meals to dining out, and when dining out, an amateur review.
When it comes to food, I’m not one of those look at food as fuel types. I look at it as pleasure. Honestly, I love to eat – everything from expensive eateries (fine dining) down to breakfast at the Waffle House (also fine dining from a certain point of view). One of my old coworkers once told a story about me that sums it up. Nate rolls in about 8 am with coffee, and is hitting up everyone by about 8:30 to plan lunch. Truth. I look forward to every meal.
I also like to cook, but so does my wife, and she’s territorial, so I took it outside. If I am sharing something I made, it will probably be from the grill or smoker. I love to cook and/or experiment with both, and am not bad at either.
Booze. I’m a known bourbon guy, but I don’t discriminate. Honestly, at this age, I like to have just one or two good pours, beers, glass of wine, or mixed drinks at home as opposed to going out. Having a bourbon on the back porch, maybe with a cigar, while working the grill is so relaxing (radio-n8 playing of course – shameless plug noted). Expect posts that maybe highlight when I do this – with notes and pictures on how everything turned out.
We live in a place that is pretty much inconvenient for all family and friends. That being said when we invite people over I want them to know when they show to expect great food and drink. It will be worth their trip. Hence, we are experimenting more with cocktails. We always have decent bourbon, beer wine, and other liquor, but sometimes a buddy might want to try a smoked maple old fashioned and his wife a martini. We’re both getting better at being able to provide and maximize this experience. I really believe in hospitality and being able to provide my friends and family with a good time. So… when they get the invite, it’s worth their time to accept and come out to the lake.
One of the other things I will be doing is traveling to try new restaurants and food. Being a shut-in through the cancer and covid has reignited my sense of adventure (and gluttony) a little bit. Also, being a member of various social media foodie groups has added fuel to the fire. We’ll be taking road trips to try new, and perhaps, out of the way places. For example, there’s a place in Evansville that serves a two pound taco. Just knowing that means I have to go down there eventually and fuck that thing up. I mean… it’s a moral imperative. Traveling to try new places on the weekends will be a good break, and getting out of the house to have a little fun is overdue. Might as well share those experiences.
That brings us to the “Foodie Hall of Fame” sidebar (see left side of blog). These are places I just love. Great food that I crave. Probably no little to real value to any of you rather than you might take note, and maybe try the places for yourself. I would recommend trying some of them, and the list will grow. This accolade will cover all price ranges and/or perceived quality and will be updated as necessary with accompanying blog post explaining reason for the selection. Current listed members will be explained when I make a return trip. Enjoy!
