Swoon List: Zoobilation Edition

Our top five nibbles from Friday night’s flip-flops formal benefitting the Indianapolis Zoo.

This special Zoobilation edition of the Swoon List compiles our top five dishes from last Friday’s small-bites fest. They’re not ranked, just delicious.

An edible (corn-based) spoonful of smoked duck, pulled duck, duck bacon, and nibs of duck cracklin’ topped with mustard-seed caviar and a pickled cherry from Maple Leaf Farms.

 

A full-portion mashup from Nada (11 W. Maryland St., 317-638-6232): the Mu Shu Pork Belly Taco featuring a brick of exquisitely crispy, fatty pork sharing a tortilla with seasoned avocado, hoisin barbecue sauce, and lime-sesame cabbage.

Pork belly taco
Pork belly taco from Nada

 

Union Baking Company’s (100 N. Union St., 317-804-8200) gluten-free French macarons—little button-sized patisserie beauties in flavors like gingerbread, rose, raspberry, and hazelnut.

French macarons
French macarons from Union Baking Company

 

Wonton-wrapped candied wild-salmon “tootsie rolls” from the Market District grocery (11545 N. Illinois St., 317-569-0171)—a clever, densely flavored take on the traditional egg roll.

 

Candied salmon rolls
Candied salmon rolls

 

A bubbly, freshly muddled strawberry-basil Rickey from the Cointreau Rickey Bar—pure refreshment.

Strawberry basil rickey
Strawberry-basil gin rickey