- Meaty grilled octopus, moistened with a creamy, garlicky bagna cauda and served with crusty Amelia’s bread for cleaning off the plate juices, at Bluebeard (653 Virginia Ave., 317-686-1580).
- The beef short ribs at Cerulean (339 S. Delaware St., 317-870-1320), a succulent hunk of meat perched on a raft of its own bones. Crunchified spaetzle comes with.
- The sweet, potent Trapeze at White Rabbit Cabaret (1116 Prospect St., 317-686-9550). Bombay Sapphire gin swizzles it up with jasmine liqueur, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and soda—like a grown-up Faygo.
- Four triangles of old-school french toast dusted with powdered sugar at Steer-In Restaurant (5130 E. 10th St., 317-356-0996).
- The perfect latte at Calvin Fletcher’s Coffee Company (647 Virginia Ave., 317-423-9697).