Edited by Beth A. Clayton and
Maggie Richmond


Restaurant at the Canterbury (123 S. Illinois St., 634-3000), also known as Danielli, depending upon whom you ask. Either way, our dining experience didn't always live up the hotel's grand surroundings. We began with a bottle of Moon Mountain cabernet sauvignon while perusing the menu and settled on an appetizer of Maryland crab cakes, flecked with marinated red peppers. The cake was, as the menu promised, mostly sweet chunks of crabmeat, and very little filler, but the $19 price tag for a single crab cake seemed a bit steep. Things looked up during the next course with a baked goat cheese salad, featuring generous, pillowy mounds of goat cheese over mixed greens and sprinkled with almond slivers, though the lobster bisque, while sufficiently thick, would have benefited from larger pieces of lobster. For our main course, the seafood risotto was rich, creamy, and decadent, studded with large pieces of shrimp, lobster, and scallops, and the seared salmon was pleasant enough. And though we didn't have room for more than a few bites, the fluffy chocolate soufflé with Bailey's-spiked anglaise was a delicious finish. We only we hadn't been one of only three parties in the restaurant the entire evening; the lack of diners made the dining room too hushed, and there was nothing but the sound of our chewing to drown out the cheesy instrumental jazz music playing over the speakers. 


Big news from the north end of the Canal: Chef Brad Gates, who has been at the helm of Creation Café and Euphoria (337 W. 11th St., 955-2389), as well as Euphoria's predecessor, Tavern at the Temple for more than four years, has left the upscale restaurant to develop his new business, Brad Gates Catering & Events. Gates says that his business will focus on intimage, seated at-home dinners, as well as backyard parties and tail-gating events. You can follow his progress here. Buggs Temple owner Lynn Shepherd says that Ivy King, the restaurant's sous chef (formerly of Blackbird in Chicago) may take the reins, though no final decisions had been made.


The romantic comedy Amanda, written and directed by Indiana native Steve Marra and starring Randy Ryan of Public Enemies, was filmed on location here in Indianapolis. The setting of the main characters' first date?  Bygone downtown eatery, Elements. The Indianapolis screening on September 22nd sold out, but you can catch it at the Louisville International Festival of Film this Friday, October 2nd at 6 p.m. in the Galt Hotel. Check back here for more viewing updates.


We are finally starting to see some forward movement in his long-awaited new eatery Recess, at the corner of 49th and College, in the form of a sign in the window. Rumor has it the restaurant will open late fall. Also, Bloomington's own Upland Brewery has followed suit with a neon sign in a storefront adjacent to Recess. Is a tasting room in our future?


Hardesty will be in good company in this up-and-coming area of town. Neal Brown plans to open his latest endeavor, Brown & Co., which he describes as "L'Explorateur's country cousin," between roughly 52nd and 54th streets on College sometime next spring. This move will make Brown the latest in a string of chefs and restaurateurs to move in along what Brown has coined "the gourmet ghetto." His more casual restaurant, a pizza parlor called Pizzology (13190 Hazel Dell Pkwy.) is slated to open in mid-November—you can follow his progress on Twitter here.


Just west of this growing intersection, at 49th and Pennsylvania, development isn't going quite so swimmingly. Plans are in the works to move the original Cafe Patachou to the corner of the building, in the spot formerly occupied by Hamaker's Pharmacy. The renovation plans include outdoor seating, but Patachou spokesperson Christina Pippen says that some neighborhood remonstrators fear the additions will make the corner too rowdy, and seek to prevent the restaurant from getting the proper permit. Click here to see the full text of the letter Hoover has sent to neighborhood residents, and for information on where supporters can send letters and emails of their own.
 

Four local chefs threw their toques in the ring for the Indy Market Chefs Challenge World Series on Sept. 9 at City Market. The preliminary-round winners had $20 and 20 minutes to shop for local ingredients among the stalls of the Wednesday farmers market. Paired with sous chefs from the Chefs Academy, the contestants—Matt Krueger of Exceptional Personal Chef Services, Miguel Cardero of Mama Corolla's, Jess Rombach of Noah Grants, and John Adams of H2O Sushi—were then given an one hour to prepare (Iron Chef-style) a show plate around one secret ingredient: the tender orange flesh of the buttercup squash. Krueger knocked out a fantastic brat-and-apple dish; Romabach surprised with a completely vegan spread; and Adams got high marks for his savory squash cake. But it was Cardero's tiny, spicy meatballs (made with Indiana pork and bread crumbs from a local bakery) that squashed the competition and won over the judges.


The stage at the The Music Mill (3720 E. 82nd St.) has been dark since March, but local entrepreneur Ravi Chopra (owner of 6 Lounge) is attempting an encore this month. In addition to hosting musical and comedy acts, the space will feature The Green Room at the Music Mill, an American bistro. Chef Richard Larson, formerly of Zing and Shula's Steakhouse, is in the process of creating lunch and dinner menus, as well as a late-night bar menu. A grand opening is tentatively planned for October 12th.
 

An early holiday gift idea for the sweet tooth on your shopping list.


who already belong to the Indiana Bacon of the Month Club at Goose the Market (2503 N. Delaware St., 924-4944, goosethemarket.com) got an extra treat in addition to this month's 1-pound installment: a little baggie full of bacon brittle. Which is pretty much just what it sounds like—carmelized candy brittle, flecked with well-browned bacon bits. Savory, salty, sweet, magnificent. And it made us wonder what surprises might be in store for those who join the new Wine of the Month club.


Iozzo's Garden of Italy (946 S. Meridian St., 974-1100), celebrated their expanded dinner hours on September 10th with a grand opening that included a pasta bar, passed hors d'oeuvres, and a mean housemade limoncello. Executive chef Kathy Jones even managed to edge her signature seafood touch into the line-up in the form of lobster ravioli, smothered in the Iozzo house tomato cream sauce and topped with rock shrimp.

Traders Point Creamery (9101 Moore Rd., Zionsville, 733-1700) is also ready to serve during the supper hour. Beginning mid-October, The Loft Restaurant will serve a themed dinner six nights a week, including tapas on Tuesdays, pizza on Wednesdays, and Mediterranean selections on Thursday. Click here for the full line-up.  


Gelato Da Vinci (14390 Clay Terrace Blvd., Carmel, 816-9100) is now serving beer and wine. We're looking forward to sampling the Peroni, an Italian beer, and sipping a glass of Santa Margarita Prosecco with our gelato. But the beer floats, like Blue Moon combined with orange sorbet, and Corona with lime sorbet? Not so much.


October 26th is World Pasta Day. According to the International Pasta Organization, the United States ranks 7th internationally in pasta consumption, devouring nine kilograms of the starchy stuff per capita annually, yet produces 2 million tons of pasta each year, second only to Italy (which, not surprisingly, is also no. 1 in pasta consumption).

Another quasi-holiday, National Punctuation Day, came and went last Thursday, September 24th. What does this have to do with food, you ask? The holiday's creator, former newspaperman Jeff Rubin, is marking the momentous occasion with a baking contest—all submissions must be in the form of a punctuation mark. Click here for official contest rules. Rubin will accept entries through September 30th.
 

Last month, as we put the finishing touches on our pizza package for the September issue, the city exploded with new pizza joints. And now, just as the signature cheeseburger from Capital Grille, pictured on the cover of our October issue, is about to tempt you from newsstands, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar (8487 Union Chapel Rd., 466-0175) has added onto their menu with five new burgers, including the Fleming's Prime Burger topped with cheddar cheese and peppered bacon, a jumbo lump crab cake burger, and an Ahi tuna burger served with a soy ginger sauce. Pop in this Wednesday for a complimentary tasting, and pick up the October issue of Indianapolis Monthly on Thursday.
 


October 1st:  6th Annual Apple Fest, 10:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. Hot apple cobbler and ice cream on Monument Circle.  Proceeds benefit Homelessness Bites, The Salvation Army's campaign to end homelessness. 

October 7th: Durigutti and Tabali Wine Dinner, 6 p.m. Restaurant Tallent (208 N. Walnut St., 812-330-9801) and Big Red Liquors will team up for this dinner, featuring Chilean and Argentine wines. The dinner will include a trio of ceviche paired with Tabali Reserva Especial 2007 Chardonnay, Gunthorp Farms Pork "Milanesas" paired with Tabali Reserva Especial 2008 Pinot Noir, slow-cooked Indiana lamb accompanied by Durigutti 2007 Malbec, and "Churrasco" grilled Indiana skirt steak with house-made chorizo and sweet corn polenta and avocado chimichurri paired with Durigutti Malbec Reserva 2005. $72 per person. Call restaurant for reservations.

October 8th: Ales for Adoptable Tails, 5 p.m.–8 p.m. Agio (635 Massachusetts Ave., 488-0359) will be offering a selection of their appetizers paired with a sampling of microbrews from around the world.  Presented by Harrison College School of Veterinary Technology, proceeds will benefit the Humane Society of Indianapolis.  Registration is $50 per person in advance, $75 per person on the day of the event.  Must be 21 or older.  Click here for more information.

Through November 1st: Fall prix fixe menu at The Capital Grille (40 W. Washington St., 423-8790). Choose from appetizers of butternut squash bisque or field greens with sliced pear, Roquefort cheese, candied walnuts, and champagne vinaigrette; entrees of Parmesan crusted filet with red wine demi-glace, prosciutto-wrapped lions paw scallops, or seared halibut with marona almonds; and warm apple crisp with cinnamon ice cream or pumpkin cheesecake with caramel sauce for dessert. $39 per diner.


El Bodegon (8510 E. 96th St., Fishers, 440-9877), a combination Latin deli market, gourmet shop, catering service featuring South American and Spanish foods, and tapas bar with imported wines and beers, is set to open October 3rd...The Rusty Bucket Corner Tavern (1130 W. 86th St., 566-3463) opened September 8th and features a variety of pub style foods, like the deep-fried pickle appetizer and Gary's Belly Buster Burger topped with a fried egg... Plan your last ‘09 visit to the Canal Point Grill (832 E. Westfield Blvd., 253-7898), as it will be closed for the winter from November through February... ... The newest location of Panera Bread (110 W. Washington St., 822-8385) opened downtown last week and features free WiFi access, outdoor dining, and a group space for lunch meetings... Kahn's Fine Wine & Spirits (5341 N. Keystone Ave., 251-9463) plans to open a second location near 86th Street and Township Line Road. Owner Jim Arnold said it will be a "carbon" copy of the existing location. No word yet on when doors will open for business...Ruth's Chris Steak House (45 S. Illinois St., 633-1313; 9445 Threel Rd., 844-1155) is bringing back their "Wine Down Wednesdays" special, which offers 50 percent off all bottled wine purchases of $100 or less and features several wine pairings...Kilroy's Bar and Grille (201 S. Meridian St.), an offshoot of Bloomington's venerable bar known for its stuffed breadsticks and 120 different shots, plans to open its doors this month...

"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well."