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DINING: The year in restaurants

Lou Harry
December 29, 2012
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Dining - A&E

Last week in this column, I wrote about Cerulean, the joyfully creative new culinary addition to downtown that comes to Indy via an unlikely route through Winona Lake. I’d have no trouble declaring it the best new restaurant in the area except for one thing: Late Harvest Kitchen also opened in 2012.
 

ae-harvest-kitchn1col.jpg(IBJ File Photos

Late Harvest Kitchen is the outstanding-in-different-ways north-side eatery where, in the hands of chef/owner Ryan Nelson, cod and cream transform into addicting Brandade, where Potatoes Minneapolis is perfectly at home, and where Sticky Toffee Pudding would make Willy Wonka drool.

Mix lunch at Cerulean with dinner at Late Harvest and all you need to complete a perfect dining day is breakfast … and now we have Eggshell Bistro at Carmel City Center.

But that would leave out Bluebeard, the oasis on the Cultural Trail between downtown and Fountain Square. And Punch Burger, the line-’em-up-for-lunch newbie that proves customers have no beef with new sandwich shops if the quality is high. (No comment on the influx of Jack in the Box.)


ae-dining-bluebeard-1col.jpg  Late Harvest Kitchen, top, and Bluebeard, above, are among the quality additions to Indy’s dining scene.

Those five stand-outs weren’t the only local additions to the menu, though. While there are too many to be exhaustive here, newcomer highlights this year included sandwich purveyor Fermenti Artisan perking up City Market, Lino’s Coffee doing the same for Speedway and B’s Po-Boy adding New Orleans flavor to Fountain Square.

Some newcomers are as important for where they are as what they serve. Ralston’s turned the sadly empty Agio space into a vibrant hangout. Sabbatical spruced up the people-watching options in Broad Ripple. The food court at the Fashion Mall got a much-needed, transformational makeover, opening the doors to some new-in-the-market options. And Latitude 39 reminded us that, yes, you can find new uses for an abandoned multiplex.•

–Lou Harry

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  1. Saw the Indy Men's Chorus "Music of Gilbert & Sullivan" at the Indiana Historical Society on Sunday evening.

  2. Temporary workers are not "tools" they are people and companies that keep large amounts of temp staff are cheating.

  3. I miss having them around. I hope one of their stores is in the general Meridian/86th Street area. I will make good use of it.

  4. The Fringe! Plus, the simple fact that there are so many local faves in such close proximity to each other.

  5. I remenber, watching the toll road, being built, through South Bend, when I was 10 years old. I believe, back then that it was estimated, that the toll road, would be paid for in 20 years and then it would be free. I am now 71, what happened? Since the power is in the people, by that, I mean that, we the people are in total control of everything. I, suggest that no one ever use the toll road again, let it go broke. We the people can control the price of everything, from groceries to gas, if we would just do it. If we don't pay the asking price, the sellers will lower the price and if we wait awhile, they will lower the price to what we accept as reasonable. I would like to know why a highway like interstate 94, is so well maintained, a much better highway, than the toll road, but has no tolls. I would also like to know why, a sitting governor, with a term limit, maximum of eight years, can lease, public property, for 75 years. Even though I have transponders in both of my trucks and will not be affected by the increase, I have been and will contine to avoid using the toll road. I make many trips from northern Indiana to Chicago, every year, and I prefer the better highway, I94!

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