Swoon List: 5 Things We Adore Right Now

  1. The cheesy bacon au gratin potatoes from The Oceanaire Seafood Room (30 S. Meridian St., 317-955-2277).
  2. A pear almond tarte that showed up on the prix fixe menu at Recess (4907 N. College Ave., 317-925-7529) last week. It has the silky consistency of a sugar cream pie, sitting in an autumn-spiced sauce reminiscent of apple butter.
  3. The Denver brunch pizza at Jockamo Upper Crust Pizza (5646 E. Washington St., 317-356-6612; 401 Market Plaza, Greenwood, 317-883-8993). One of the Hangover Specials available all day Saturday and Sunday, this thin-crust pizza layered with scrambled eggs, veggies, and sausage gravy is good for what ails you.
  4. The grilled King salmon at Meridian (5694 N. Meridian St., 317-466-1111). It’s crisp and tender, with not a speck of fishiness, set delicately atop a generous mound of buttery, finely diced potatoes. Divine.
  5. The cheese sticks at Brewstone Beer Company (3720 E. 82nd St., 317-577-7800), a major upgrade on the greasy, lifeless fried mozzarella served at your neighborhood dive. These are a zippier cheddar, rolled in crunchy tortilla-chip crumbs, and served with smoky chipotle aioli, salsa, and french-fried onion strings on the side.