In the Frig – On Time Seafood

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 Dinner at On Time Seafood

With so many Chinese restaurants in Indianapolis, it’s hard to get excited about going out for Chinese.  Most have the same dishes which are too greasy and the same large and intimidating menu. Not that there aren’t many good ones, but there are so many that it’s more like deciding on which McDonald’s to go to (usually you settle on the one closest to you or with the quickest drive thru service). When my husband suggested we check out On Time Seafood, I was indifferent, but hungry enough to go.  It was a great decision as it was awesome!

From the tank to the plate!

From the outside, the restaurant looks fairly unassuming. However, upon entering, it’s a very large restaurant. It has that very “new tenant” look – everything polished and fresh. Flat screen TVs on the wall, contemporary lighting above the tables, but what stood out most was the fish tanks in the back of the restaurant by the kitchen.  Should you so choose,  your dinner will be plucked from the tank and prepared fresh! For those of you who feel slightly bad about the taking of a life of a fish, avert your eyes and focus on the menu. While you can find several of the Chinese dinner standards, there are some very interesting dishes, like whole cooked fish and sea squirts. I began to feel excited about dinner.  As always, my husband and I – growing hungrier by the minute – over-ordered. The waitress seemed genuinely surprised at our order: Hot and Sour soup, crispy duck and Whole Fish in Black Bean Sauce. I wasn’t sure why this sounded like a lot – until the first course arrived: Hot and Sour Soup.

Giant Bowl of Hot and Sour Soup
First, let me say that this hot and sour soup is HUGE! Don’t let the photo fool you, this is a big ole bowl! I think four people could easily share this bowl of hot and sour.  No wonder the waitress looked at us like we were crazy.  However, if there are only two of you are feeling stingy and want left-overs, this hot and sour will feed you and dim sum (Ha..and then some I mean!). The soup is amazing. The flavors of the mushroom, soy, broth – it’s exquisite. Dip in your spoon and the soup will cling to the spoon. It has a gorgeous viscosity. And that wonderful hot bite at the end. It’s not too spicy, it’s just that right heat. This to me is a must have after a long cold day fighting holiday traffic.  Drop in, throw off your coat and order some of this soup. It’s the remedy for your soul!

Crispy Duck - A Feast for the Eyes and Stomach

Crispy Duck is Crazy Good!

I think the photo of the crispy duck above is absolutely gorgeous, but I will tell you, it doesn’t do the crispy duck justice! OMG, it’s crazy good. It is indeed crispy and it was cooked to absolute perfection. The duck was tender and sweet, the coating was awesome.  If you have not had duck, there’s no real way for me to explain the flavor. It doesn’t taste like chicken, or turkey or lamb (someone told me once they thought duck tasted like lamb – quite odd). It’s a dark meat with a rich flavor. It’s phenomenal. If you go to On Time Seafood,  order this dish! I did have a bit of a challenge eating the crispy duck with the chopsticks. I am used to just grabbing little knuckles of sushi or rolls – and the crispy duck, because it’s in larger slices – really did confound me for a while.  But don’t let your chopstick skills, or lack thereof, stop you from ordering this dish. It’s incredible!

I Can’t Believe We Ate the Whole Thing

Delicious Whole Fish

One moment our fish was swimming in the tank, the next moment it was swimming in black bean sauce!  When the waitress brought out the fish, it was like “ooooooo…” I swear, I had to look around to see if there was a studio audience nearby. It was a beautiful thing to behold. The smell was absolutely divine. Now, I apologize to my readers up front – I don’t remember what fish it was. Although it’s only been a couple of weeks ago since we dined at On Time, I have forgotten the fish and cannot locate the paper where I wrote it down. Suffice it is to say though, the fish was excellent. Even though the fish was slathered in black bean sauce, the skin was still crispy. And the flesh was tender and moist. A fantastic flavor. Now, the challenge with eating whole fish is the bones. You will need to take your time when eating this fish. This is where you will need to have fairly decent chopstick skills or no shame in using a fork!  The only critique I have regarding the fish is that there was a little too much black bean sauce. You could still taste the fish, don’t get me wrong. But there was so much sauce that when you grabbed bites of the fish, sauce would slosh out onto the table. It was still quite delicious though and I am glad we ordered the whole fish. We had never had a whole fish before and it was quite tasty.

The Eyes Have It – and So Did We!
I apologize for not having a photo of this culinary adventure, but it was a last minute decision.  I have seen Anthony Bourdain (Travel Channel, No Reservations) and Andrew Zimmern (Travel Channel, Bizarre Foods) eat eyeballs and I can honestly say I have been quite grossed out. Years ago I saw an episode of Lonely Planet where a traveller ate an eyeball and I thought I did that whole gagging thing you did as a kid when your mom tried to feed you that asparagus cooked in a Green Giant bag. AACCK!! But I decided that if I was really going to call myself a Foodie or a culinary adventurer, I had to eat the eye. I picked it out with my chopsticks – which was quite a task. They are a little wobbly and gelantinous so it was hard for me to keep it firmly between the chopsticks. My husband was watching me intently and did do a bit of that retch/gagging thing. Then I took a deep breath and popped it in my mouth. It melted away quite easy. It did have a bit of a squish, but you know what ? It was not bad…really. Now I don’t plan to eat eyeballs on a daily basis, and I won’t say they are absolutely delicious, but they are not bad. If you have an adventurous spirit, go ahead and try an eyeball. It’s a great way to conquer food fears and makes for a great story to tell at parties! And on blogs!

We also tried the fish cheeks, something else the Zimmerns of the world have added to their digestive lists. Honestly, it is just fish meat- the cheek has a little more texture than the rest of the fish flesh, but it has a good fish flavor. So if you can’t bring yourself to eat the eyeball, try the cheeks! Everyone likes a little cheek!

What was the Damage?
With the three dishes we selected – plus our non-alcoholic beverages – the bill was between $40-$50. Not bad for a whole fish and duck. The service was good. The waitresses were a little aloof, but once they saw our enthusiasm for our meals, they warmed up and encouraged us to return for dim sum.

How do you get there?
Well, there’s a map feature at the top of this page that will give you easy directions. But to give you an idea, it’s at the bottom of the ramp of 65 North when you take the 38th street exit, before you get to Lafayette Road.  No matter where you live, be adventurous and get off your beaten path and get to On Time Seafood!

In the Frig – Saigon Restaurant

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Dinner at Saigon Restaurant
3103 Lafayette Rd
Indianapolis, IN 46222-1303
(317) 927-7270

Saigon Restaurant

Several years ago in my pre-foodie “I only like food that I grew up with” phase, a friend of mine took me to a little Vietnamese restaurant. I was so intimidated that I immediately drew the conclusion that I wouldn’t like it.  And to be honest, I held firm in that belief for a long time. Of course, after a meal at Saigon Restaurant, I realized how much I have missed.

Now, I readily admit that I was a little fearful – some memories die hard - when we firmly decided that Saigon Restaurant was the dinner destination. In fact, I considered opting out of Saigon Restaurant in preference of something more familiar. But I told myself, “Okay  FoodieGal, watcher of Bizarre Foods, advocate for culinary adventure, take your own advice!”  As soon as we walked into the restaurant, encountering the fragrance of broth and vegetables,  I was so glad I listened to that voice in my head (as opposed to the other voices – shhh, don’t tell Sybil – she can be so judgemental). 

We were immediately seated and handed menus. Your first temptation is to open the massive menu, but I encourage you to stop and observe your fellow diners and environment. What I noticed is that Saigon Restaurant was not a well-kept secret. The diversity of diners was amazing: the young and the more mature (that means me and the hubby), Asian, Caucasian, families, college students (hey you can be a college student and not be as young), men and women. The restaurant was bustling, the staff running in-and-out of doors, scurrying to tables serving steaming soupy concoctions. It was not loud, but buzzing with low pleasant conversation, laughter, slurps and the clinks of chopsticks against bowls. It was warm, well-lit (like your home when you have friends over for beer and chili) and comforting – like your favorite neighborhood restaurant.

Ok, To the Menu
Alright, the romance came out in me for a moment. The menu was large. I wish I had good photos to share with you. But as I said, it was like home (see comment above) and I have an iPhone with no Flash (yoo-hoo, Apple, Flash please), so all of my photos of the menu are a little distorted. That said, I suggest that if you have some place to be, like a movie, build in extra time so you can give some love to the menu.

Rocket Shrimp - Saigon Restaurant

Being newbies, we were not sure what to order, and I was unwilling to give up that I was a rookie. So we  just started perusing the menu. We settled on items that just looked tasty.  In the absence of knowledge of Vietnamese, we didn’t want to order something a gringo would order. My hubby and I decided upon Rocket Shrimp (ok, so a little gringo-ish, but come on, ROCKET shrimp, sound cool).  For a beverage, I ordered a Soda Chanh, described on the menu as Lime and Soda Water – sounded refreshing. The hubs ordered a beer the waiter swore was Vietnamese, “33 Export.” It’s a lager, much better than Budweiser but not quite as hoppy as Stella Artois. The beer was good, the Soda Chanh was lip-puckeringly sweet. Well, for me anyway. I don’t really enjoy sweet drinks – and it was apparent that there was much more going on here than just lime and soda water. SUGAR baby, the real deal.

The Rocket Shrimps (known as Tom Hoa Tien) were very good. You will not go “wow, what an amazingly different exotic taste” – but they are quite good. They are large shrimp wrapped in a spring roll coating. They are served on sticks – the skin is perfectly crispy – not greasy at all. The shrimp tasted like shrimp – not an overcooked seafood-like substance. And HOT! Very temperature hot. They were served with savory spicy dipping sauce – basically fish sauce and a little sriracha (peppery sauce). It’s not too spicy, really, trust me. My hubby doesn’t care for a lot of heat and he enjoyed the sauce.  The rocket shrimp were quite good – the sauce is a must.

ALERT FOR VEGETARIANS AND VEGANS. This is a great spot if you are vegetarian or vegan. A section of their menu is designated for vegans and vegetarians. You will find lovely things to eat here. Not just dishes sans the meat, but real culinary creations meant to be enjoyed without meat and dairy.

Vietnamese Pancake (Banh Xeo) at Saigon Restaurant

The Mains
Yes as usual, the eyes are bigger than the stomach. We ordered the Vietnamese Pancake (Banh Xeo - no, I cannot do the pronunciation – look it up), Pho Dac Biet (I do know Pho – it is pronounced “fuh” – for the adult minds, subtract the “c” and the “k” and you got it), and the Ca Kho To (size small).

FoodieGal Educational Moment:

• Vietnamese pancake: a crispy rice pancake filled with pork, shrimp and bean sprouts. It’s huge – and not at all like a pancake but more like an omelet. It’s served with a cool dipping sauce which is fish sauce diluted with water. Quite tasty and healthful. Please note it’s huge, so don’t order as a side.
• Pho: a Vietnamese beef and noodle soup.
• Ca Kho To:  catfish in a clay pot. Yes, it sounds like some quirky Talking Heads cover band that also covers songs from the White Stripes. Slow roasted catfish in sauce.

Let’s Start with Pho

Pho Dac Biet (Vietnamese Noodle and Beef Soup)

The Pho Dac Biet has sliced beef, flank, fat brisket, and tripe. The broth was savory and beefy, layered in was the taste of the cilantro.  I’ll tell you culinary reader, I think the search is over for hangover cures! We didn’t have hangovers, but this gorgeous rice noodle soup that makes you feel warm and safe – like you were being cradled in the arms of a forgiving and loving God (or higher power, or fill in the blank ____).  Seriously, you want to eat this in your jams, with your old woobie blanket over your feet with Star Trek reruns on the tube (with Captain Kirk – none of that Next Generation stuff).

TRIPE! Did you say TRIPE FoodieGal?

A bite of Tripe in Pho

I did say tripe.!And yes, it is from the cow’s stomach. And yes, it’s bumpy and chewy in texture. BUT, don’t let that scare you…honestly. I grew up eating cubed steaks, chili with macaroni (come on midwesterns, you know what I am talking about), and fried green tomatoes. Textures are nothing new to us. The tripe actually picks up the flavor of the broth, veggies and meat, so try a bite. It is a bit of a textural experience, but take one bite. You will discover the flavor is not off-putting, only the texture. You might actually like it. Tell the tale, be adventurous!

Ca Kho To - Catfish in a Claypot

This dish is amazing. When I ordered, the waiter said “it’s fishy, is that okay?” One might ask why you would have to ask the question, because after all, it is fish. I am still perplexed because to me, it was fishy in the way you would expect…plus a little more.  The clay pot had big chunks of tender catfish in a rich brown sauce. It was slightly bubbling in the clay pot and had this lovely ”gravy” smell.  Now fish sauce is salty and it is fishy. But I did not find the sauce to be overpowering. It’s not for the faint of heart, but I found this dish to be as satisfying as my mom’s Sunday roast.

BUT WATCH OUT FOR THE BONES!  Growing up in the midwest, catfish was summertime fare. The bones are small. But I encountered some rather thick bones in my dish.  I don’t know what these catfish ate, but the bones I pulled out were good-sized. Just be careful if you order this dish. Use your chopsticks, if you can, and take care to identify the bones. Take your time and savor and you will be fine.

The Deep Fulfilled Sigh and the Bill
I was so pleasantly full. I went in with trepidation, I left as a convert. The key to me is to savor. Be hungry, but don’t shovel it in like you would mac-n-cheese during a football game. Take bites, sit back and make sure to take deep breaths so you actually taste the food. BREATHE.

We were at Saigon Restaurant for almost 1.5 hours. We had a sugary lime soda, beer, an appetizer and three mains – and with tip, it was about $45.  We will go back! We have a lot of food to enjoy, but seriously, this is a must return. Maybe on New Year’s Day!

Where’s this Place At?

Saigon Restaurant is in strip mall on the westside. It’s neighbors include GuateLinda Restaurant (Mexican/Guatemalan) and a Cairo Cafe.  As always, Google map, Garmin or Tom-Tom the destination. It’s south of 38th street on Lafayette Road. Be adventurous, whether you are hungry for something different or have a hangover, get off your couch, off your beaten path and try Saigon Restaurant! It’s worth the trip!

In the Frig – Caribbean Cravings

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Dinner at Caribbean Cravings
4632 N. Post Road
Indianapolis, IN 46226
(317) 897-4241
No Website Available

 

I was chatting with a friend the other day and she was lamenting November:  bare trees, cloudy days and early dark evenings! By the end of the conversation, I was ready for an escape to a tropical destination. However, since I don’t own a jet, I opted instead for a trip to the eastside of Indy to Caribbean Cravings!

Caribbean Cravings is a new Puerto Rican restaurant, only open for four weeks, on the eastside of town.  If your Garmin or Tom-Tom is not programmed or you are not direction-savvy, you could drive right past it.  It’s quite unassuming, a small little place next to a barbershop. (Muy pequeno - meaning very small in Spanish – sorry I must demonstrate the little spanish I know!)  Caribbean Cravings is in a small dimly lit strip mall across the street from another small strip mall. 

Inside, the theme of “pequeno” continues – it has around 6-7 tables, a couple tables will seat 5 or 6.  There’s nothing fancy here – plastic tablecloths, silver napkin dispensers, salt, pepper and hot sauce.  The main wall of the restaurant is adorned with a large mural of a tropical paradise – like an image you might see on those “Island” Calendars.  There are no hostesses nor staff that seat you – and there are no big plastic menus with Margaritaville type views.  When you walk into this place, you are walking right into the line and ordering from a white board or a paper sign on the wall.  Not fancy enough for you? That’s ok, because what it may lack in that cheesy ambience you see in most tropical-themed restaurants, it makes up for in FOOD LOVE!!!

At first I was a little intimidated to order because there were no explanations of the offerings. The white board announced “Lunch Special” and of course, it was not lunchtime.  On the line, the chef was serving beans, rice and pork chops, but I saw nothing like this on the menu ( I assume it was the lunch special). A smaller menu/white board announced Mofongo  – con carne or camarones (meat or shrimp) and Flan. And the paper menu (pasted on the smaller white board) listed Alcapurrias, Pastelillos, Tostones (8) and Amarillos (10) – no explanations. You can either be really adventurous and order blind or use this cheat sheet:

• alcapurrias -  deep fried meat (fritter) shaped like a banana. I saw them deliver one to a table and I thought perhaps it was a plantain. Nope! Deep-fried meat
• pastelillos – like meat pockets – coin purses with yummy goodness. They may look like ‘Hot Pockets’ but I am bettin’ they don’t taste like ‘em.
• tostones - plantains which are pressed into flat patties and baked
• amarillos - plantains fried to golden-brown – crispy on the outside, tender on the inside

I finally gave up and just ordered “what the other person had with the rice, beans and meat.” My hubby ordered the Mofongo con carne (which was pork). We were warned it would take a little longer to cook the Mofongo. This is always encouraging because it means your food is cooked to order!

 
 
El Cuerdo Especial
After about 25 minutes, dinner was served. A young man first brought out my dinner, piping hot and …the smell was delightful. My dinner included two thinly sliced “pork chops,” rice and beans. Wow, it was so delicious! Right now, even after a lovely dinner of homemade tortilla soup, my stomach still rumbles at the olfactory memory of that lovely ham-my smell.  The chops were deliciously salty and perfectly tender and chewy at the same time.  They were out of sight!

Now for the beans! Savory, saucy, spicy and incredibly good. I added a bit of Louisiana hot sauce and holy frijoles, these are holy! These had to be eaten at the last supper! I mean, good! I mixed a few forkfuls into the rice, then slid my fork into the pork. Crazy good. The only problem is you don’t get a lot of beans. If you really love beans, get an extra side of beans OR invite a friend along who won’t eat their’s! You’ll be glad you did.

 

Mofongo!
Before we go any further, let me assure you Mofongo is not a Puerto Rican boy band (that was Menudo, which consequently is a Mexican dish made with tripe. More on some other culinary adventure). Mofongo is a dish made from fried plantains, garlic, olive oil and chicharrones (pork cracklings). Some restaurants serve it with chicken broth. It’s served in a dough-like mound and, on this occasion, was served con carne (large chunks of pork in this case) and rice.  The mashed plantains give the Mofongo a starchy texture – like potato mash with gelatin.  It was not pliable enough to construct Devil’s Tower (get it, as in Close Encounters?) and had some give. The chunks of pork were deep-fried and thus had more texture – more “chew.” However, my hubby loved the intense pork flavor. A direct quote from my husband, “the Mofongo was good and I imagine if you grew up with it, it would be comfort food you would crave, but I liked your chops better!”

 

What about the Alcapurrias, FoodieGal?
We ordered the alcapurrias (deep fried meat fritters) for our appetizer, but the restaurant got a little busy, so we received them after dinner. I am not sure I care for the deep fried meat fritter. Likely because it was a little heavy after a big dinner. But definitely very savory and actually, after a few bites, my hubby grew to like the flavor.

Save Room for Dessert!

We were just finishing dinner when a young lady brought us some flan to sample. Ok, if this wasn’t served at the last supper, it was served at the one before. I readily admit that I am not a fan of the flan. I just don’t like that wobbly texture. But this flan was – in the words of Ned Flanders (The Simpsons) - Flan-diddly-doodly! The texture was dense, like cheesecake, but very light and mild with that caramel coating on the top. It was so incredibly good. I cooed, oohed and ahhhhed. It was almost like a scene out of “When Harry Met Sally.”  Incredible – you must save room! Even now, I remember that creamy texture. Ooooooo, give me a moment!

Upon hearing my sighs of delight, the chef appeared at our table (it’s a small place, you could hear everythng!) He explained how much he had doubled his cooking workload, the demands for rice and beans outlasting his supply! He shared some recipes and thanked us for stopping in. He was very warm and gave us his card “anytime,  you can call to check our specials or order ahead!”

What You Crave
My husband and I really enjoyed our experience at Caribbean Cravings. It was food cooked with love. I loved the simplicity, the family atmosphere (everyone was talking together, it felt like a family dinner with distant cousins…that speak spanish!) and the pork! Vegetarians, I love ya, but seriously, how can you not crave pork. It’s food of the Gods! The check came to about $25. Two dinners, three drinks (just soda) and alcapurrias.  If you don’t stop for cash, no worries, they accept credit cards! (Not sure about Amex though, so bring your VISA or MasterCard). Caribbean Cravings was worth the trip.  If you can’t make the trip to Puerto Rico, or if you are craving PORK,  be adventurous and sample the cuisine of Caribbean Cravings! Work yourself out of your macaroni and cheese groove and get your Caribbean groove on!

Navigating to Caribbean Cravings
The restaurant is located just south of Pendleton Pike on Post Road. If you are driving south on Post, it will be on your right. It’s a small place next to a Barber, and you might miss it. Plug the address into your Garmin and take a drive!

In the Frig – Ichiban’s Noodles and Sushi Restaurant

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Dinner from Ichiban’s
8355 Bash St
Indianapolis, IN 46250
(317) 841-0484

 

It’s a blustery fall day and we want noodles! Not chicken and noodles, but noodles in a lovely asian broth. So out we headed to Ichiban.

Several years ago, after an extended visit to the annual New Year’s car show, hungry for sushi, we visited Ichiban. I remember it being small, but not as small as it was on this evening’s visit. It’s the size of 1/2 a house. It has a three-seat sushi bar when you walk in, and two very small dining areas. If you have more than 4 people in your party, you will likely run your waitress ragged.

We were seated quickly in the one of the dining areas. There were three waitresses working and all seemed to be bustling. I think there were 10 people in the place, maybe 12. But remember, it’s a small place, so they were hustling about. For such a small place, the menu was fairly big. Ichiban offers several appetizers – most you have likely seen in other Japanese restaurants in Indy. They had several entrees, noodle dishes, sashimi dinner, nigiri sushi dinners, and bento boxes. It seemed they had something for almost every taste.  If you like Japanese food. 

Ichiban also had a selection of rolls and sushi. If you are a sushi enthusiast and have been to Sakura, Ocean World or Naked Tchopstix (NT’s), you may be disappointed with their roll offerings. Ichiban offers a few rolls, spicy tuna, scallop, Bob’s roll, a soft shell crab roll and a few others as well as the typical sushi. But they do not offer an equivalent to NT’s playboy roll (to die for) or anything that resembled a rainbow roll (various fish wrapped around rice with avocado and Krab with a K). They keep it simple with a few rolls and sushi offerings.

For starters, we ordered the shumai, steamed dumplings filled with shrimp and served with ponzu sauce.  We also ordered a spicy tuna roll and a Louis Roll.  The spicy tuna roll was pretty good. It wasn’t at all spicy, but it was smooth and cut into perfect bite-sized pieces. A rookie with chopsticks will have no problems managing the spicy sushi rolls. The Louis Roll is tuna and tempura chips in a spicy mayo sauce and was also good.  If you have been to Ocean World or Sakura, it will almost remind you of the soft shell crab roll, sans the crab. The crunch of the tempura batter was nice, and you could taste tuna, but it was a little heavy on the spicy mayo sauce. By the way, this roll also was not spicy. I think ‘spicy’ refers to the preparation of the spices in mayo more than it means ‘hot.’

Next on the list was the shumai. Now as dumplings go, I am a fan. Most times I have them fried and to be honest, you could probably dice up shoe leather, wrap it in dough and fry it and it would likely be tasty. However, these dumplings were steamed, which mean you actually taste something more than the “fry.” They were quite good. These little pearlescent dumplings were very delicate and pretty. One might expect to see these lovely little packages at a lady’s tea party.  They were a little hard to pick up with chopsticks as they wanted to slink out of the grip of my chopsticks. I finally gave up trying to show off my skills at the sticks, so I just pierced the dumpling with my stick and dunked it into the sweet ponzu sauce. WOW! Very nice. Again, very delicate, sweet but cooked perfectly. They were not doughy or too dense. Just light, mild and sweet. Without the sauce they are still very good, the texture of the dumpling against the flavor of the shrimp is very lovely. We gobbled them up quickly!

Noodles!
  

Within about 10 minutes of our appetizers, our noodle entrees arrived. (Ramen Shoyu on left, Seafood Udon on right). I do not think these pictures do the size of these bowls justice! These are big steaming bowls of noodles. When my waitress put my Udon in front of me, I sighed and said “No way I can eat all of this!” After my hubby received his Ramen Shoyu, I knew we could have split an order. But oh well, we’ll take one for the team, so we can share with you, the hungry inquisitive reader!

Noodle Knowledge for your Noggin’
Ok, short break to explain noodles. Ichiban serves three kinds of noodle dishes; ramen, udon and soba. The Ramen noodles are what most of us are used to seeing in packages, those thin stringy noodles. Udon noodles are thick white noodles made from wheat flour.  They have much more of a bite than ramen noodles. Then there are soba noodles. Soba noodles are made from buckwheat flour and resemble spaghetti. The things you never knew about noodles! Now back to the food!

My seafood udon had a large scallop, shrimp, and fish in a very light, very slightly salty broth. It was not what I expected. I think when you order noodles and you see the big pieces of seafood and the vegetables, you expect something intense in seafood flavor. But it was not. It was very light on the palate. It was warm and brothy and I immediately thought “this is something one would have the morning after one to many martinis.’ The scallop was large but mild and had poached nicely in the broth. The fish was also very good. They used tilapia which is a very mild fish. It had also cooked quite nicely in the steaming broth. The shrimp however were a disappointment. Shrimp are so hard to cook. It takes very little to overcook shrimp. You can almost just show shrimp to a fire, grill or burner and they will cook. I don’t know if they put the shrimp in a little too early or if the broth just cooked them too quickly, but they were a rubbery. I am not sure if you can order uncooked shrimp, but if you can, perhaps you order a few cleaned raw shrimp and plop them in as you eat. I ate them because, well, they ARE shrimp, but I didn’t enjoy the texture. To kick up the intensity of the broth, I added some light soy and some chili pepper which ultimately gave my noodles the ”umph” I felt they were missing.

My husband had the Ramen Shoyu with crispy fried pork. Shoyu is a broth with soy sauce, chicken stock, dashi (a Japanese soup stock) and sake. It is a very mild broth. The pork, surprisingly enough, was actually crispy. The ramen was thin and stringy and my hubby struggled for a while with his chopsticks and ladle. But, he finally conquered and slurped the noodles while grabbing bites of pork with the chopsticks. It had a different flavor than my dish, although it was still very unassuming, given you had crispy pork floating in this brown broth.  He also added soy and chili pepper to give it some kick. At the end of it, I got too full. My husband decided mine was better, pushed aside the remaining bites of ramen and slurped up my amber-tinged broth!

Not your Average Ice Cream

Unfortunately my husband and I never seem to save room for dessert. But this time, I pushed away my noodles early enough to have some ice cream. Most Japanese restaurants will offer fruit or ice cream for dessert. I have seen the odd offering of cheesecake, but that seems a strange dessert to offer in a Japanese restaurant, so I usually steer clear. Ichiban offered six flavors of ice cream: green tea, red bean, lychee, mango, black sesame and cappuccino. Green tea and red bean are usually typical dessert fare in the Japanese restaurants in Indy. Mango may or may not be standard, but it’s a more common flavor these days. But the black sesame? I have never seen this on a menu, so it was on my list to try. SIDE NOTE: I am not sure where cappuccino fits in – I am guessing it was selected to provide a more palatable flavor for the skeptical diner.  Well, we had to go with something different, so for our two scoops, we selected lychee and black sesame. 

You know what? We ordered well.  The lychee ice cream tasted like pear. For those of you unfamiliar with the lychee is a berry, reminiscent of a grape, only sweeter. At first, I wasn’t quite sure what it was. I couldn’t place the flavor. Don’t let that stop you from enjoying it.  I have had to learn to give the flavor a chance to develop on your palate before making a judgment. Sometimes an unfamiliar flavor can turn you off. But after my second bite, I thought, wow, it’s mild, sweet and reminds me of a pear. I am not a huge pear fan (unless the pear is poached in a lovely wine, then oh yeah, it’s on!), but I did enjoy the flavor.

Next, the black sesame ice cream. Sounds totally weird, right? First, I smelled it and yes, it smells like sesame. I was put off because sesame flavored ice cream sounds like an accident. I can tell you though, it is quite good. You get the taste of the sesame, but it’s not as overwhelming as you think. It’s there, oh yeah, but in the ice cream, it’s almost like a coffee flavor. The texture reminded me of Lindner’s chocolate chip ice cream. Lindner’s was a local ice cream store, back in the day. If you are younger than oh, 35 or not from Indy, you won’t remember Lindner’s. But trust me, the black sesame scoop looks like chocolate chip ice cream. It was really interesting and I really enjoyed it. I highly recommend it.

The Damage
The bill was very reasonable, in fact, surprisingly reasonable, at $40. Most lunches for two at Ocean World or Naked Tchopstix will easily set you back $35-$40.  Ichiban was very reasonable – their rolls were very cheap, running on average around $4-$5. My seafood udon was only $10.95.  So for $40 we had shrimp shumai (5 pieces), spicy tuna roll, the Louis roll (both 6 pieces), two big bowls of noodles, two good-sized salads with ginger dressing(comes with entrees), and ice cream. Not bad for a Saturday night. The service was good, not overly intrusive and friendly enough to make you feel at ease.

My husband asked me for a grade, which I have never given in my reviews. I don’t think in terms of grades. But he really wanted to know and suggested I rate from 1 – 10.  Hmmm, I give Ichiban a 5 – 6. The rolls were fine. They were not “OH MY GOD” good, but they were good. I didn’t talk about the salad, because, well, it’s salad, but I did like the dressing a lot. And they were generous with the dressing and the salad. I thought the shumai were very good. The noodles were ok. They were not bad at all, and on a cold day (or after a 3-martini evening), they would be good for what ails you! But if you are looking for something really flavorful, I don’t think the noodles will quite do it for you. The black sesame ice cream was most memorable to me.  But you know what, it’s a decent meal for a good price with good service. If you have a craving for sushi and noodles, but cannot afford the $60-$70 dinner at H2O Sushi or Naked Tchopstix, Ichiban will like scratch your …itch!  But the only way you will know is if you leave the comforts of your neighborhood! Be adventurous and wander off your beaten path!

Directions
I ALWAYS say the same thing, google map it. Then I give you general directions. Well, this time, I am going to be REAL general. Ichiban is in the Castleton area on Bash Street. I’ll give you a vicinity. Bash is just west of I-69 off 82nd street and east of Castleton Square.  If you turn on Bash, left or right, you could still miss Ichiban because it’s a small house. Do yourself a favor and google map it or put it in your Garmin.

In the Frig – Bub’s Cafe

Breakfast at Bub’s Cafe
220 2nd Street SW (Right off the Monon, around the way from Baxbeaux’s)
Carmel, IN 46032
www.bubsburgersandicecream.com/cafe/about.html

One Saturday morning I convinced my husband to join me for a walk on the Monon. I thought it would be a great, healthy way to start the day. It never crossed my mind that we would stop and eat. After all, it was walk done with ”health” in mind. However, while walking back from the Farmer’s Market, my husband persuaded me that we needed sustenance for the journey home. So we stopped at Bub’s Cafe. (NOTE: since I had no plans to stop for breakfast on my “healthy” walk, I did not have my iPhone, so the above picture is the only one I feature on this post, sorry! I will give you some verbal cues when it’s time for you to imagine the food! See if you can identify them!)

Bub’s Cafe vs. Bub’s Burgers and Ice Cream
For those unfamiliar with these two Monon icons, Bub’s Cafe and Bub’s Burgers are owned by the same people (no way, get out!). Bub’s Cafe specializes in breakfast and lunch while Bub’s Burgers and Ice Cream specializes in burgers and ice cream. Bub’s Cafe is only a block or so south of her sister on the Monon. Now, when Bub’s Burgers is open, you smell it before you see it.  The smoke from their grill permiates the air with that intoxicating burger smell! Bub’s Cafe emits no such odor, but simply advertises its’ presence with a friendly red awning and a sign with a stack of pancakes.

My husband and I were in the mood to battle bees, so we opted to dine on the patio. (We watched a father dutifully kill the bees buzzing around his daughter’s fruit-topped pancakes). The patio is set far enough back from the Monon so passers-by don’t smell any pancakes, but they can still catch a glance of you – so make sure and take a oversized bites of food so you can make the passing joggers green with food-envy!

The Menu
The Bub’s Cafe menu is reminiscent of the menu at Cafe Petitchou (Clay Terrace Mall, Carmel IN), without some of the French-osity! (sorry…but French-osity sounds cool to me. If you adopt this word, give FoodieGal props). It features the standard breakfast fare: eggs, bacon, pancakes, waffles, french toast, etc. Bub’s also has daily specials, like pumpkin pancakes and quiche of the day.  There were also a couple of interesting items on the menu like Elk Sausage and Bub’s Holes.

Eyes Bigger than Stomach?
 My hubby ordered the pumpkin pancakes, link sausage and Bub’s holes and I ordered Quiche Lorraine and Elk sausage. Ok, so we ordered a lot. But we did it for you, the reader. We took one for the team because we are givers! Well – and - because things smelled good and we wanted to try a lot of stuff. Walking made us hungry!

What are Bub’s Holes?
Bub’s Holes are basically donut holes. They come in four flavors: cinnamon-sugar, powdered sugar, glazed and chocolate (if you put some French-osity on it, it’s SHOH-CO-LAH!). But these donut holes are a little bigger, more dense and look like hush puppies!  They were not bad. And by that I mean, I liked some more than others. The cinnamon-sugar ones were really the best, mostly for the lovely crunchy sugary coating. After that I favored the glazed. Believe it or not, the chocolate one was my least favorite. It didn’t taste bad, but to me, it reminded me of getting a too-dry cake donut with chocolate sauce in the box of expired pastries from a supermarket bakery.  I took a couple of bites, just so I could give back to you. They smell awesome and look pretty. I don’t think you will slobber yourself over them, but they are enjoyable. Besides, it feels good to pick up these little doughy golden-brown confections and eat them slowly as the runners labor down the Monon!

The Food, Get to the Food!
If you are not familiar with Quiche Lorraine, it’s like egg pie with swiss cheese, bacon and onions. The serving size of quiche at Bub’s Cafe is HUGE! When the waitress brought out my quiche, I thought it looked like a monster piece of cheesecake! The waitress commented that the slices of quiche had grown considerably since she had started working at Bub’s.  Either the chef is just an exceedingly generous guy or some country in the axis of evil is conspiring with him to keep Americans jolly. Yeah, it’s that big!

In the case of the quiche at Bub’s cafe (sounds like a Scooby Doo mystery, doesn’t it?) I think less would have been more. It was too big and dense for me to get a great bite of egg, bacon and crust. I finally gave up trying to cut a piece of the quiche in the “upright” position and rolled it onto its’ side, eating the crusty bottom and the middle. When quiche gets that big, you tend to taste more egg than the other ingredients. I used a little extra salt and pepper to season the egg and it wasn’t terrible. However, I didn’t finish it (neither did the lady sitting at the table next to us). I would not order the quiche again unless I just had an out-of-control egg-pie craving.

Pumpkin Pancakes and Elk Sausage
For most of us, pumpkin pancakes conjour up images orange-tinted stacks of dough with that familiar sweet pumpkin flavor (you know, your co-worker Sally’s pumpkin bread at the annual pre-Christmas pitch-in). These pancakes are not “pumpkin-y” sweet. They taste like, well, pumpkin. It’s a nice flavor.  Add the butter and the sweet maple syrup and actually, not too bad. If you have kids and they think they are going to dig into a huge pancake and get a mouthful of sugary sweetness, you better doctor up the pancakes first or they will be disappointed. It’s more about the pumpkin flavor than the sugar! If you like pumpkin, you will probably like these pancakes.

Now, here’s the deal with Elk sausage: there’s something to be said for fat!! I have had reduced fat Jimmy Dean’s sausage in gravy with biscuits and in sausage-egg biscuit sandwiches for dinner (one of my favorite winter dinners). Reduced-fat sausage is not at all similar to its’ full-fat cousin but it’s not bad. But Elk Sausage? You can taste what is missing. If that pattie could talk, it would say “please, I wanna be a sausage!” It’s the Jan Brady of sausage! If you are a carnivore, but are inflexible on eating fats, then get the elk sausage. It will “look” like you are eating sausage, but it will remind you that you really just want pork!  To really get some flavor out of this meat, you need to douse it in maple syrup and take a deep breath as you fork the meat into your mouth. Only then will you get more of the sausage effect. If you love breakfast meat, skip the elk and the links and get the bacon! Bacon dredged seductively in a glossy amber pool of maple syrup will drive those Monon Running-Junkies crazy! (Oh yeah, and make sure and eat it like one of the models on the Hostess cupcake commercials – come on, you know what I am talking about. Really ENJOY that bacon).

So, What About Bub’s?
You know, nothing was bad. The service is friendly, the view is nice and Bub’s has that friendly neighborhood vibe going on. I would go back, but would stick to the traditional breakfast fare or opt for the Belgian waffles (smelled awesome). I personally think it’s hard to make breakfast a memorable and extraordinary meal, but I think maple syrup is a great accoutrement to any breakfast. Plus watching those sweaty spandex-clad race-walkers lust after your breakfast makes everything taste ever so sweet! 

Be adventurous!  Get off your couch, throw on those sweats or pack yourself in the car, and try something on the beaten path! Right off the Monon, just south of Carmel Drive in downtown Carmel. Check out the website for directions: http://www.bubsburgersandicecream.com/cafe/contact.html.

RUNNERS, WALKERS, GYM RATS AND FIT PEOPLE: I consider myself a member of this group. I love to walk and jog on the Monon. I train at least 4-5 times a week. The reference in my blog to making runners jealous, well, it’s more about aesthetics than it is snarkiness – although I do feel a bit of a snark coming on. Since I don’t have any photos, I thought references to dredging bacon in glossy amber syrup was a great cue for a visual image. All those commercials of people eating those big Hardee’s Angus burgers lovingly, well, it does conjour up images of gluttony. So again, I opted for the images of jealous joggers eyeing greedily the plates and syrupy mouths of Bub’s patrons to provide visual stimulants to my readers! Remember, because I am a giver!

Bon Appetit!