Review

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Review: Massachusetts Avenue, Indianapolis

This is part of a series of reviews from my time in Indianapolis this past weekend.  There’s nothing so fun as a quirky, hipster, neo-boho shopping district in a big city.  Nashville has its Hillsboro Village, but in Indy, why keep the joy to just a couple of blocks?  Massachusetts Avenue stretches, at 45 degrees, across 7 intersections – fully walkable and chock-full of great shops!

Here are the specs:

Massachusetts Avenue
Entrance to the South begins at the corner of Delaware St and New York St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317.637.8996 ext.202 – Riley Area Development Corp.
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There are too many shops to see in one visit or to write about in a blog (I count 71 listed on the map), so I’m going to only put up the places I visited with a short description. First up!:

Stouts Footwear
318 Mass Ave – 317.632.7818
Oldest, coolest shoe store in the nation, holding fast to personal service, quality shoes, and tradition.

This place is pretty fab.  It’s basically the first shop you encounter if you choose the Japanese route of going up the left side of the street first.  We only went inside because of the cool sign out front telling us that it is, in fact, the oldest shoe store in the nation.  You can see why when you go in.  The shoes they sell are great quality, and they built their reputation on custom fitting shoes from the manufacturer for their customers.  But this isn’t the only cool thing about the place.  First, there’s a parrot who is semi-friendly.  It let me pet it until it apparently had had enough and didn’t want any more.  Second, there is a pulley and basket contraption that spreads from a crows nest in the center of the shop to various spots in the rest of the store.  The floor staff puts the shoes in the basket, pull a cord, the basket lifts up to the top, they pull the cord again, and the basket flies off to the crows nest.  There, another attendant carefully removes the shoes from their box, checks everything out and, I only assume, wraps it up to send it back down, the same way, to the cashier.

At Home in the City/Silver in the City
434 Mass Ave – 317.955.9925 – Website | Facebook
Jewelry, gifts and home decor. Voted Indy’s Best 2006-2008.

I went to Silver in the City/At Home in the City some years ago when they still had a store in Lafayette, IN. This place is a great combo of jewelry, Eco-friendly home furnishings, and the ridiculous novelty items. They carry one of my favorite silly/awesome brands, KnockKnock. They also have Jesus Bandaids, which feel like they work faster than other brands. There’s just a plethora of items; I highly recommend a stop through bc its next to impossible to really describe all of it. BTW, this is their only store now. I’m not really sure how Lafayette is surviving without them.

Global Gifts (Fair Trade Shop)
446 Mass Ave – 317.423.3148 – Website | Facebook | Twitter
Fair Trade store providing hope and opportunity for artisans from 35 countries.

This shop is excellent. Tons of artsy and unique home furnishings and they are, wait for it…fair trade! I was told that a lot of the work comes from rescued victims of human trafficking. They have all sorts of goodies – home decor, fashion, chocolate, etc. Everything is priced very reasonably, so be sure to stop in.

Best Chocolate in Town
880 Mass Ave – 317.636.2800 – Website | Facebook | Twitter
Hand-made chocolates, specializing in truffles and locally made gelato.

Ok, so I definitely pulled an Elf with this one. We walked in and all I wanted to do was say, Congratulations! Indy’s best chocolate! But then I saw them. Sitting there, in perfect little rows, hundreds of them. Truffles. Gobs of them. And the Cinnamon ones were calling my name. After having a great discussion on the health benefits of cinnamon with the two staff members, I went ahead and bought one. It was $2+ for one, but it was so worth it. It took 4 bites to finish, partly because I was trying to savor the amazingness of it. It’s a definite top on my list.

Aesop’s Tables
600 Mass Ave – 317.631.0055 – Website
Mediterranean restaurant. Fifteen years on the avenue.

We had just been saying how we wanted to find a good Mediterranean restaurant for dinner and our answer was Aesop’s Tables. Unfortunately, by the time we got back to the restaurant, we weren’t all that hungry. We stuck with some appetizers, and sorry, I didn’t catch any pics of the food. The service was lacking though. The place wasn’t packed, so I’m unsure what his issue was. The food was pretty good, but not the best I’ve had. I would recommend it though if you’re in the area. There are other restaurants too, though, so be sure to check the map (view online or get one from any of the Mass Ave stores).

Market

We also managed to get there while an Artist/Food Market was going on. Lots of different items: bath products, hair and fashion accessories, organic teas, jewelry, and, my personal fave, worm poop. Check out on the website for any other cool events that might be happening.

Here’s the breakdown:

The Street:  Very fun. Lots to check out. The website lists a lot of the events going on.  There are also some comedy clubs and such there, and restaurants have offer live music too.
For kids: There’s a toy store.  Enough said.
For pets: There are some doggie/pet specific shops on the street as well.  If you are curious, go to the website and check out all the shops on the list. You’ll be amazed at what they’ve come up with.
The cost:  Moderate to high-priced.  If you’re going to shop, you’ll spend a good amount.  Window shopping is fun too though.
The food: Tons of restaurants there, running the gamut of styles and tastes.
The help:  Most of the places we stopped into, the staff was helpful and accommodating.  They would usually tell us of another shop up the street where we could find such and such and was run by a friend of theirs.  They really put a lot into the community-feel of the place.
The parking: There is parking along the street and on adjoining streets.  If you’re like me and enjoy walking, you can park somewhere downtown and walk all the way there.  Just a few blocks away and it’s all flat.
The accommodations: There’s a B&B right on the street!  I so want to stay there some time.  Like most B&B’s expect to pay more than you would for a hotel, but it looks totally worth it.
Returnability:  This is definitely on my Favorite Places list (which I guess I should post at some point on here) and whenever I’m in Indy, or even passing through, I know I will try to get in there for a quick walk and peruse.

I’ll try to get some more pics up, but I just don’t have them right now.  Enjoy the review anyway!

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Review: Teak Thai Cuisine – Mt Adams, Cincinnati, OH

Teak Thai Cuisine and Sushi Bar

1049-51 St. Gregory Street
Mt. Adams, Cincinnati, OH 45202
513.665.9800

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For my bff’s 26th birthday, a group of us went down for some dinner at Teak Thai in Mt. Adams.  Mt. Adams is like the college/young adult/cool place to go in Cincinnati.  I really like the area whenever I am down there (both day and night).  It’s up on a big hill in Cincinnati, so fairly close to whatever’s going on downtown.  It’s also a mishmash of residential condos/apartments/homes and small businesses with a bunch of restaurants and bars – yes, the bars are what really makes Mt. Adams.  The only one I’ve gone into down there is The Blind Lemon, which I love!  And I only ever get a virgin something or other, usually a piña colada, or when I’m really adventurous – a coffee.  Yep. I know, I know. I’m one wild child.  They also have some fun live music each night.

But this is not a review on The Blind Lemon, or Mt Adams, no matter how fabulous I think they are!  This review is on Teak -yummy, spicy, lovely Teak.  Despite much discussion and debate, this WAS my first time at Teak.  I enjoy Thai food, although it isn’t my favorite East Asian cuisine.  I believe I only got one picture of my food, but I’ll go right into it.

Matt and Lanna (birthday girl!) of BeardedLadyPics, got an appetizer of Gyoza, er, Dumplings, which were delicious.  As were the crab puffs (rangoon) that Amy got.  My lovely dish to your right is Yellow Pork Curry, with a spicy level of 4.  The levels here are 3-10 (I know, I was a chicken that night) and I have no idea what happened to 1 and 2. I feel kind of sad for them.

My food was very good. The rice came with the meal and they even gave me chop sticks to eat with, so I was happy.

The food: excellent (all around, people said they loved their food)
The help: Our waitress had an accent, but she was very understandable, if that’s a turn-off for you.  She was very helpful and remembered what we ordered even if we didn’t.
The parking: They have a parking lot across the street and down the hill a little.  There isn’t a ton of parking that I could see, so we parked on the street as usual.  You may have to drive up and down the hill a couple of times to find a spot if you’re not into parking garages (which there is one nearby).
The accommodations:  Lots of tables inside.  There are two stories and I think the downstairs is more of a bar area.  There’s also outdoor seating which is open during the warm seasons.
The price: Average.  I think my meal (and water) came to about $15 with tip.  I can’t eat sushi, so I can’t account for the cost there. Sorry.
Returnability: Again, Thai’s not my favorite East Asian food, but if I’m basing it just on service, comfort, cost and quality, I would give it an 80% rate.  (It’s also a bit of a drive for me (~ 30 minutes) so that’s a factor as well.)

Find more reviews and promos by clicking on the links to the right.  Go ‘head, you know you want to.

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Review: La Comedia Dinner Theatre – Springboro, OH

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765 W. Central Ave
Springboro, OH 45066
1.800.677.9505 or 937.746.4554

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My mom’s birthday was at the end of February and we did a few things right around her birthday to celebrate.  But my sisters, mom and I really enjoy doing something “classy” and “girlie” every year, if we can, and this year, we decided to go to La Comedia Dinner Theatre in Springboro, OH.  It’s between Cincinnati and Dayton, a little closer to Dayton, and this was my first time going!  Mom had gone several years ago to eat and listen to a monk choir (no, they couldn’t talk…but they did the whole Hallelujah Chorus with signs.  Not sign language, but signs with the words and parts of words written on them. She said it was hilarious.)

La Comedia is finishing up their production of Seven Bride for Seven Brothers (April 23rd).  It was such a fun show, but I’ll have to start at the beginning.

La Comedia begins with a buffet dinner.  There are different sizes of tables available which you can keep for your whole party or you can mingle with some other groups.  We chose to mingle with others.  As a result, our seats were right up at the front, literally inches from the stage!  We sat with two couples – one, not so pleasant, and the other, who were no longer strangers by the end of the show. 

Our server was a lot of fun too.  My mom, sisters and I can be a bit boisterous (all in good fun) and we play along with really anything – our server rose to the challenge.  She was great fun.  We started with our drinks and a salad.  I couldn’t eat all of it, because I’m allergic to vinegar, but I had never had cantaloupe on a salad before.  This one had Papaya Chutney Dressing and everyone (else) ooed and awed and yummed their way through it. 

When it came time to the main course, three, yes three, large buffets were wheeled out onto the stage.  We were dismissed by table to go dig in – there were very strict rules.  But the food looked and tasted delicious.  Here’s what was on the menu:

Beef Tenderloin (carved by a chef)
Smoked Sausage and Apples (most of us decided the sausage was the only edible part of this duo)
Country Fried Chicken
Fried Norwegian Cod (a La Comedia staple)
Homemade Cornbread (my favorite part!)
Pinto Beans served with Peppers and Onions
Beef Stew with Buttered Noodles
Mashed Potatoes
Chicken Gravy
Seasoned Corn
Broccoli with Bread Crumbs
Sweet Potato Soufflé (yum yum and…yum)

Gluttony, thy name is Sarah

I will unashamedly post what my plate looked like after sitting down.

Despite having a decided formal feel, there were a lot of homey things about it.  For one, when you share a table with strangers, you kind of get the family-type feel with them. (Well, in our case, some of them).  This may just be a side-effect of sitting with my family – we know no strangers anyhow.

Also, there was a quite a bit of passing of dishes.  We were frequently asked by the staff to pass down a salad to our table-mates and then pass up any dirty dishes to them. 

When it came time for the show, I had to put my camera away, sadly.  We were so close that I thought for sure one of the Brothers would flip right onto our table.  And if our dirty dishes hadn’t been passed around and sent off to the kitchen, one of the brides could have ended up with leftover sweet potato on her skirts.  But they did a great job!  I have seldom gone to a show that I didn’t enjoy, but it sure is nice when the troupe performing is so skilled and really into their performance.  Those guys would really, really dance!  We all agreed that some more harmony and blending would have been nice in the songs, but they all did an excellent job. 

So, here it goes:

The food: excellent, unless buffets aren’t really your thing.  Except, I will say, this was ten times better than any normal buffet style restaurant.
The help: They were 92% attentive.
The parking: they have their own parking lot.
The accommodations:  Several sizes of tables and levels (at various costs).  Our table could fit 10, 5 on each side.  It would have been snug if we had that last couple with us.  I saw several people up front who turned their chairs to face the stage, since there wasn’t much eating during the show.
The price: Cost for an individual is between $60-$70.  If you have an Entertainment Card, you can get the Buy One, Get One Free deal.  This doesn’t apply to the White Christmas or Christmas Carol shows in December.  There are other deals and discounts you can check out here.
Returnability: For my first time going, I’d love to go back.  The couple at our table has gone to several shows, and they said there was only one time they were so bored that they left at intermission.  It’s kind of pricey (although, now we do have an Entertainment Card.  For very special occasions, and a favorite show – I would say, most definitely!

Find more reviews and promos by clicking on the links to the right.  Go ‘head, you know you want to.

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Review: Virgils Café – Bellevue, KY

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710 Fairfield Ave
Bellevue, KY 41073
859.491.3287

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Per Cincinnati Magazine:

Virgils feels too fancy to qualify as a burger joint.  Clean and crisp black linen tablecloths covered with butcher paper and overly polite waiters just don’t scream out “Burger time!”  But don’t let that fool you: the modestly named “beef hamburger” – grilled, succulent beef topped with sautéed mushrooms and caramalized onions on a multigrain kaiser roll – equals hamburger heaven.  And do not miss out on their sweet potato fries with a side of ancho-mayo.

Why not hit two birds with one stone?  Christmas Eve Eve, I got to hang out with my bff, the lady half of Bearded Lady Pics, AND check out another restaurant in the greater Cincinnati area.  We snagged my Burger Edition of Cincinnati Magazine and flipped through until we settled on Virgils.  Being on the Kentucky-side of the Ohio River, it was one that I was looking forward to visiting and meeting up with Lans was a perfect excuse.  We called the restaurant around 6:15 to make our reservation, arrived at 6:30 and were seated immediately.  I understand that it was a Thursday night and Christmas Eve Eve, so I’m not sure if that makes a difference in the speediness of their reservations/seatings. I was majorly pleased.  FYI: Parking is on the street, but it’s in historic Bellevue which is just about the cutest place on earth.

I cannot vouch for the hamburger that is mentioned above, but I will say that the descriptions match the dishes we ordered to a T.  Our starter was, in fact, the sweet potato fries with ancho chile mayonnaise.  I was never a fan of sweet potato until living in Japan (they have a way with potato and squashes) and I have only seen sweet potato fries in the last two years.  I LOVE them and these were no disappointment.  I do not usually eat mayo, but the ancho was irresistible.

As CM’s review says, the restaurant does feel fancy but it’s still comfortable and intimate.  The lights are dimmed and there are so many nooks and crannies that you feel you can be off by yourself.  We were seated to the right of the entrance, on a platform featuring the bar and the entrance to the kitchen – where the magic takes place.  There was a lot of activity around us, being so close to the kitchen, but we didn’t mind it at all.  I’m sure that the other end of the restaurant is more subdued, but we enjoyed being close to the action.  Our waiter was Ben, who I found out later (through Twitter) was tending the bar for the first time that night.  He did a great job of keeping tabs on us and the one other table as well as holding his post behind the counter.  His back-up/co-waiter was Darius and between the two of them, our glasses were kept full of drink, our plates full of food and our mouths with laughter. (This isn’t a hard thing for me and Lans, but it helps to have really fun waiters) The other thing I’d like to note is that there is a whole hip-vibe in the place, but it’s not so trendy as to exclude a princess coloring book on the counter next to our table.  We enjoyed that touch.

Our meals were the Fresh Pasta – with seasonal veggies, beurre blanc, and chicken and the Étouffée – chicken, homemade andouille sausage, dirty rice and garlic bread.

I know my étouffée looks awful, just blame it on my you-, I mean, camera.

This was my first time eating étouffée and I loved it. The sauce was a mix of sweet and spicy and the sausage had a lot of kick to it.  Rice is always a winner for me and the chicken broke apart when I began to cut into it.  The only negative I have about this dish was the overly-crunchy garlic bread.  I managed two bites into the center of it and then had to discard the rest, but I’m chalking this to personal preference.

There is no dessert menu and the options are sort of limited…but if you hear your server say the three most beautiful words – Chocolate Bourbon Torte – place your order right away.  Lans and I shared a slice of it and, though I missed the proper “before” shot, I’m sure this one gives you an idea of the deliciousness.

It was like a rich waterfall of burning ice and decadence cascading down your throat. (how’s that for descriptive?)

This is definitely on my list of top fave restaurants now.  I think what I like the most about it is what I learned after eating there.  On their website the owner, Matt Buschle, talks about how they seek out locally-grown ingredients and work to build relationships with local farmers.  Most of their furniture, equipment and a plethora of other items are reclaimed from other places and forgotten warehouses.

The food: excellent
The help: awesome (in the words of our waiter)
The parking: on the street, but there’s a ton that you can find.  It’s a really nice area.
The accommodations:  I’m not sure I would go there with a group of more than 6.  It’s intimate and cozy.
The price: Between the two of us, the meal was close to $50 (sans tip).  That was with one starter, one dessert, and two entrées, oh, and one Coke.
Returnability: For special occasions – 100%. For casual “I’m hungry tonight” dining – maybe 35%.

Find more reviews and promos by clicking on the links to the right.  Go ‘head, you know you want to.

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Review: Gabby’s Café – Wyoming, OH

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515 Wyoming Ave.,
Wyoming, OH

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Per Cincinnati Magazine:

Wyoming is known for good schools, good housing stock, and now, good burgers.  Gabby’s Angus beef burger is a smoky half-pounder made sweeter with a buttery bun that’s neither too soft nor too hard.  Savor the fresh pickles, lettuce, and tomato on this tender monument to meat.

Well, I am not starting off so well on this if I’m only writing this two weeks after the fact!  But, here, without more delay is the gist of the trip to Gabby’s.

Cincinnati Magazine rated Gabby’s Angus Beef Burger to be the #13 best burger in the city.  Why did I start with the 13th?  Well, it was on my way to an event at the Underground Railroad Freedom Museum that day, and I thought it’d be fun.  Plus, I’m not really going to the restaurants in the list for their burgers.  I’m not really a burger person myself, so I was super-glad that Gabby’s is a good ole Italian (mi familia!) restaurant with many other Café-ish type foods.  Yum!

So, me and two of my girlfriends from church went over for an early lunch and were thoroughly pleased with our meal.  But first things first. 

I love Wyoming, OH.  It is a pretty cute and beautiful part of the city.  My dad lived there for a while and I have fond memories of getting on my bicycle and riding down to the library for a book…and making a pit stop at Le Cezanne, which, sadly, has not been there for several years.  I also was in a summer orchestra camp there one year and, although being entirely intimidating, the Wyoming Fine Arts building is beautiful and I was much too young to fully appreciate being there.  That said, beyond the Larosas around the corner and the live Nativity down the street at Christmas, I didn’t explore much more of the town and I wish I had.

The picture above is what we saw once we parked the car (there’s a great lot across the street and so long as it isn’t Tuesday, or some odd deal, you can park there for free).  And our noses were assaulted by the glorious smells from the Wyoming Meat Market.

The smells totally playing on our already famished stomachs, we clamored our way to the door of the restaurant.  Once seated we had a dickens of a time getting through the menu because there were so many good options to choose from. 

I really enjoyed the interior…I felt like I was in Chicago for some reason.  The waitress came over to get our orders and tell us the soup of the day – lamb and chickpeas.  Here’s what our order was:

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Me:  Meatball Hoagie – Homemade meatballs topped with marinara and cheese blend on a toasted hoagie bun.

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.     B:  Wyoming Club Sandwich
      – A double-decker
      sandwich stacked with
      turkey, bacon, lettuce,
      tomato and mayonnaise on
      toasted white bread

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and C: Lamb Gyro – This was a special, so I don’t have any specs on it.  Sorry…but my friend loved it!

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We were so stuffed from our lunch that we had no room for dessert.  Plus, we were on our way here for the Unbound Movement Fair Trade Expo.

I will have more reviews coming up, so stay tuned.  Also, I’ll try to keep tabs on my “as Vagabondess” page of what review is coming up next.  I hope you all enjoy! 🙂

 – Sarah ><>

Find more reviews and promos by clicking on the links to the right.  Go ‘head, you know you want to.