Mandalay: Creatively Delicious

Sunday, I was determined to try a new spot on “restaurant row” (otherwise known as downtown Fourth Street). Deciding upon a restaurant is difficult on Fourth; there are so many types of food to choose from (Indian, Turkish, Italian, Tibetan, Vietnamese... it is almost overwhelming). Then, I remembered some positive feedback I read online about Mandalay, a small, locally owned Burmese restaurant. One word can sum up my encounter: AMAZING. From the service, to the atmosphere, to the food, it was a splendid mix of flavors served by friendly people--which is the best kind of experience for my money.

Not really knowing what I was in for, I settled on the house favorite, Pho. If you haven’t had the opportunity to try Pho, I can only describe it as a build-your-own soup adventure, served in a bowl the size of a barrel. This soup (as I call it), or noodle dish (as they call it), is basically a flavorful broth, chock-full of noodles and your choice of meat. On the side, you are served hoisin sauce, chili sauce and a plate of herbs and veggies to add in (basil, cilantro, jalapeños, bean sprouts and onion). The bowl is large enough to feed two, and if you have a crowd it comes in an extra large size. (I can’t even imagine how big that would be!)

Not knowing how big of a portion the Pho would be, my husband ordered the Beef Curry. The entrée consisted of a bowl of beef, cooked so tender it fell apart, smothered in a tomato-based curry sauce and served with a bowl of rice on the side. Feeling creative after making myself a bowl of Pho, I put some hoisin sauce on mine and made the meat and rice mixture a perfect blend of sweet, spicy and salty. The Beef Curry truly is one of the best things I have eaten. I would wholly recommend it to any carnivore.

Prior to Sunday, I had never eaten Burmese food. Now, I plan on being a Mandalay junkie. I can’t wait to go back.

A final suggestion: finish your Pho at the restaurant, or even better, bring a crowd to help you finish it. From my experience, Pho does not reheat very well for a next-day lunch. The noodles turn mushy and the meat did not taste very well reheated. But, it was still oh-so-good the first time around; so it is worth ordering.

Esan Thai

Yesterday, a friend and I decided to eat as Esan Thai. I was initially excited because I have attempted to eat there on many occasions only to find them closed. I entered the restaurant and was a little disappointed with the shabbiness of the decor. From their signage and location, I had the impression that Esan Thai would be a swanky, cool place to eat and enjoy friends. Instead, I found a plain dining room packed with tables that were covered in curry-stained table clothes with a glass overlay.

I was greeted at the door by a seemingly nice waitress who weaved us in and out of the rows of tables before she finally found a spot to seat us. Then she left... and didn't return until 45 minutes later when my friend got up, flagged her down and told her that we were ready to order.

When I first sat down at my table, I saw a nice certificate claiming Esan Thai as the "Most Authentic Thai Restaurant in Bloomington," and it was even signed by someone representing an organization I have never heard of. Whoopy! Then right next to it, a cleanly displayed letter to its "valued" customers--pretty much stating that the establishment doesn't really care if you aren't happy with your food selection. To me, not a good sign. The letter then goes on to name off a few of the dishes that might have an "unusual taste." This letter, and the fact that the waitress was no where to be found, made me want to run in the other direction. My friend, however, had eaten at Esan before and assured me that the food was good, despite its apparent horrendous service.

When the food arrived, I was pleasantly surprised by the abundance and flavor. I ordered a safe dish of Pad Thai (after reading the letter to their "valued customers" and deducting their listing of dishes with "unusual flavors" from my choices). The Pad Thai was sweet, spicy, tangy and salty; it was the perfect combination of flavors. It was truly how Pad Thai should be (not like what I received at Cafe D'Jango; see my previous posting). I ordered my Pad Thai with chicken, and that is the only caveat in regards to this dish: the aforementioned horrible waitress, after I asked, said that the dish was made with all white meat chicken. If you are like me: not a fan of dark meat chicken; do not order chicken in any of your dishes there. It is like "mystery chicken." One bite tasted like regular chicken and the next bite tasted almost gamey. So, I ended up picking out all of the chicken from my dish.

Additionally, being the freeloader that I am, I sampled my friend's dish: Yellow Curry. Oh my god, it was one of the tastiest things I have ever eaten. I want to just buy a gallon of their yellow curry sauce and dump it on everything. It was REALLY, really good. Again, the chicken was gamey. So, if you don't mind a vegetarian dish, I would recommend this one as such. It was so good.

My overall review of Esan Thai is that: 1) The food rocks and 2) The service sucks. So, if you want to try them out, order your food to go and eat it in the comfort of your own home. At least if you end up seeing yellow curry stains you know where they came from.

One last note: if you have read any of my previous postings, you are well aware of how much I hate it when places do not have free refills on their drinks. Be warned, if your beverage shows up at your table at all (ours didn't until we had to hunt down our waitress again after our food was delivered), be prepared to pay extra for a refill of whatever is quenching the spice of the dish you are eating.

Cafe D'Jango

Accompanied by my husband and friend, I ate at Cafe D'Jango today for lunch. I can sum the the experience in one word: "Meh." After a weekend of eating unhealthy food, I thought I would try a salad; because, really, how to do you mess up a salad? Let me tell you how: 1) make a salad overpriced and small; 2) add chicken that could be mistaken for tofu (not a favorite of mine); and 3) add a dressing that doesn't even adhere to the "ruffage"and tastes reminiscently like soy sauce. The only upside of the salad was that it was served with some pita wedges - literally the only thing that was filling.

My friend ordered Pad Thai, he wasn't impressed. However, in comparison to my measly salad, I thought it tasted fair. My friend said that the dish "did not come seasoned as per the menu." But to compensate, they did offer a nice chili paste on the side which really, in my opinion, added to the flavor of the dish.

My husband ordered a breakfast burrito (yes, I am not kidding) and he said it was, simply, "good." I did not sample his dish, but I can say it consisted of cheese, sausage and eggs wrapped in a spinach tortilla, served with sour cream and pico de gallo on the side.

The only thing that saved this meal for me, and kept me from hitting the drive through on the way home, was the fact that I ordered the sampler appetizer platter for the three of us to share. It was a good choice because it allowed me to sample various appetizers served (and thankfully added some much needed "heft" to my meal). The platter came with 2 vegetable egg rolls (really good), 3 beef dumplings (excellent), some buffalo wings (which my husband annihilated before I could try them) and some kimchi. The kimchi was an interesting addition to this appetizer platter, something that actually felt "homemade" and not forced, and while I am not a big fan of cabbage, I found the flavor of the kimchi to be very good.

I arrived at the restaurant totally parched from walking in the sun and ordered a mango iced tea. It cost about $4 and was exactly what I wanted to quench my thirst. Listed throughout their beverage selections are specialty items that state "no free refills." I ordered this tea because it sounded refreshing and had no annotation about lack of refills. I found out when I reached the bottom of my glass and asked for more, that a refill would have cost an additional $4... for a friggin' glass of iced tea (one of the cheapest beverages to make)! I don't know about you, but paying $8 total for 2 glasses of iced tea is a rip off to me (paying $4 for one is also in that category). So, I sipped on room temperature tap water. Note to Cafe D'Jango: fix your menu.

Would I go back to Cafe D'Jango? I would if I were given the choice between Cafe D'Jango or Applebees; or if I were coerced into going by a group of people with poor restaurant judgement and they insisted I go with them. If you are a fan of Cafe D'Jango, sorry for the tough words; I just "call them like I see them." My analysis: I do not want to give Cafe D'Jango another opportunity to disappoint. I would rather try one of the many other Thai restaurants in town, if I were inclined for that style of food.

Fun fact: Cafe D'Jango hosts live jazz music and has a bar. It could be fun to see the live music and sip on a beer. But if you are looking for noshing, just stick to appetizers; don't waster your money on dinner.

Le Petite Cafe

For lunch today, I ate at Le Petite Cafe. I was pleasantly surprised with the meal. Apparently on Sundays they have a set meal, no menus or ordering, where they keep bringing you out plates with servings of different items they will offer on their menu the following week. It was a cool experience to be able to try so many different things for a set price ($12.95, which is a pretty good deal for the quality of food and good atmosphere).

Today, I sampled: Quiche Lorraine (Awesome!); cheese filled pastry (Which was crispy philo dough filled with, what tasted like, cheddar cheese. Again, really good.); catfish with a slightly spicy aoli on top (The catfish was coated in cornmeal and lightly fried - and while I don't usually eat fried food much these days, I had to try it. I was not disappointed.); lamb meatballs with parsley (I am not a big fan of lamb unless it is served in a gyro, but it wasn't bad); homemade cheese ravioli (yum) served simply dressed with a light drizzle of olive oil and topped with fresh parmesan cheese; and to end the meal, a slice of angelfood-like cake in a pool of sweet coffee cream sauce. Of the many items I tried, my favorites were the cheese filled philo dough pastries and the cake, of course.

Besides the great food, what I liked most about Le Petite was that the experience felt like I was eating at a friend's house. The owners of the restaurant serve you themselves and make conversation as though you were an old friend or family member.

As for the atmosphere, I can only describe it as comfortable-swank. At first glance they have a very nice-looking dining room that is reminiscent of a high-end establishment, but upon closer inspection you see personal touches -- such as plants that have been placed in the window to add a touch of "home." Though the dining room has class, you will not find pretentious food or pretentious people there. For all of the reasons above, I would recommend Le Petite as a great date spot (as long as your Special Someone isn't a vegetarian). It won't break your wallet and the food and atmosphere allows for conversation in a comfortable setting.

Overall, I would recommend Le Petite for those who enjoy simple, French food. Everything was home-cooked, and you could almost taste the love that was put into making it. The atmosphere was relaxed and comfortable. The service was great and the people were friendly. But more importantly, it won't break the bank.

On a final note, I would be remiss if I didn't mention Le Petite's iced tea...it is THE BEST. It reminds me of chai (without the milk) and is served lightly sweetened. Even if you are counting calories, it is worth it.

Runcible Spoon

This morning my husband and I ate at the Runcible Spoon for breakfast. While it was a little pricey for eggs and toast, I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the food. The corned beef hash was AMAZING, as were their pancakes; probably the best I have had in Bloomington (yes, I am including the Village Deli and other chain restaurants in my consideration).

My husband ordered the Eggs Benedict (there are MANY different kinds to choose from) and he devoured them as though it were a race. My husband is a picky eater, but at the same time will pretty much eat anything you put in front of him (with some nagging). The ultimate test is asking him, "Would you eat here again?" His response, "Oh-yeah!" Then he mentioned bringing one of our friends. My opinion pretty much mirrors my husband's (only on this occasion), in that "Oh-yeah," I would definitely go back.

P.S. I would be remiss if I did not mention their fresh coffee, which they roast themselves. It is worth going just to sit outside in the garden drinking that amazing brew.

War of the Chopsticks

I want to start out this entry with the good stuff: Naked Tchopsticks is by far the best sushi restaurant that I have ever eaten at! Though, they don't technically classify themselves as a "sushi" restaurant; they offer a "chinese, korean, japanese, and southeast asian cuisine." Which means what? You can order a platter of unique sushi and sashimi creations, miso soup, short ribs, spring rolls, egg rolls, and crab rangoon without going from eatery to eatery. While they are a little pricey, the food is well worth the cost. The ingredients are fresh, and the food is beautifully presented by servers who actually care about whether you are enjoying your experience. And did I mention that it is not a chain restaurant?

What is the downside? They are in Broadripple (outside of Indianapolis)... and the sushi was so good that it ruined my favorite Btown sushi spot (Sushi Bar).

That being said, I ate at Sushi Bar tonight and was under-impressed. I have eaten at a few of the sushi spots in town (Japonee, Domo, Mikado, and that new spot on Kirkwood where Smoothie King used to be), and while they were all good (except for the aforementioned place on Kirkwood), Sushi Bar was my favorite because the food is good and they generally aren't going to break your wallet.

My experience tonight (even while trying to not think about the "amazingness" of Naked Tchopsticks) was less than I had hoped for. The Sushi Chef was very pleasant; however, the service was horrible. The chef had to fetch plates for us to eat on; our sushi was delivered to us before our edimame (that's just odd); we had to give our order directly to the Sushi Chef because our waitress was no where to be found; our drinks pretty much sat on empty the whole time; and I was asked if I wanted my check before I was even finished eating (very rude, in my opinion). All of this happened while sitting at a deserted bar (not at a table or booth in the main part of the restaurant). The food was good, the Sushi Chef was kind and entertaining, but the service ruined the experience for me.

Will I go back? Maybe. I will fill you in on that later, I guess.

Limestone Grille

Limestone Grille is a Bloomington gem that has artistic food you would expect to get in a trendy New York bistro. On the menus and front door they advertise themselves as a restaurant that serves locally grown produce, meats and coffees; which is great because local farms and growers are benefiting. At this time, I only know of one other restaurant that does this (Farm); and I would say that Limestone Grille FAR exceeds in quality, taste, ambiance and value. With its romantic and "cool/modern" atmosphere, it is definitely a place I would take a date. The setting is candle-light romance, with modern pictures and wall frescoes to entertain the eyes (when not staring at your date).

I have been to Limestone Grille previously, and thought the food was amazing back then (about 5 years ago). They were (and still are) a bit overpriced. But the meal isn't something that you can get down the street (or anywhere else). What brought me back tonight (and no it isn't a special occasion), was that Restaurant.com sells dirt cheap gift certificates that are good for $25 off when you spend $50 or more. We ended up paying about $50 for a meal for two (including a 20% tip on what the entire meal would have cost before the $25 deduction) and our meal was fit for royalty.

I started with a salad that was beautifully presented with thin strips of carrots, hikima, and tiny wild mushrooms jutting out of the top like a fireworks display. My main course was a pasta creation of reduced marsala wine with cream, mushrooms and sun dried tomatoes. My husband ordered a grilled pork chop and sauted collard greens with bacon. Both of our meals were to die for. And if all of that wasn't enough, we ordered a fantastic flourless chocolate cake that tasted like a mixture of ooey-gooey brownie and warm fudge. We topped this off with coffee, which as suspected, was also good. They buy their beans from a tiny coffee shop in Brown County; where they perfectly roast their own beans. The coffee tasted so fresh.

All in all, I give this restaurant props. It isn't somewhere I could afford to eat at often, but I sure wish that I could. Next time you have a special occasion to celebrate, take your loved one to Limestone Grille.