Indy Eats

I spent all of last week in beautiful Indianapolis, Indiana. It was my first time in Indy and despite being there for job training, I was determined to see some sights and eat some authentic, local food. I didn't really have a chance to sight see- I blame the weather and the Big10 conference championship!- but I did enjoy some local fare that you just can't find  here at home.

 The first stop on my way to the hotel was Traders Point Creamery.

Traders Point Creamery

This place was adorable. A functioning dairy farm (you can actually find some of their products at Whole Foods!) with a restaurant called "The Loft." The restaurant is a converted barn with a very rustic, authentic charm.


"The Loft"


The grass-fed burger was highly recommended online, so I trusted the people and ordered the it with a side of roasted vegetables. The burger was massive, but it was late and I was starving so I devoured it! It was delicious, but a little dry. That would have been remedied, I'm sure, by a slice of their made-in-house cheese...unfortunately eating dairy-free got in the way of enjoying any of the creamery's products other than the grass-fed beef. *sigh* This was one of those times when I am envious of people who can enjoy dairy with no negative effects!

The delicious, 100% grass-fed burger and roasted veggies

While my breakfasts and lunches were nothing to write home about, I did manage to visit two other restaurants that I stumbled upon online and on the "Visit Indy" channel in my hotel room: Late Harvest Kitchen and the Canal Bistro.
 
Late Harvest Kitchen is a fine dining restaurant that features local, seasonal fare. It was quite pricey, but worth the experience. I chose the Olive-Crusted Mahi-Mahi and Roasted Root Vegetables (Notice the trend? I'm into roasted vegetables.) which I enjoyed with a fabulous glass of vino. :D

Late Harvest Kitchen. Can you see the massive bowl of veggies in the back?

The photo above is the one that really makes me cringe...not only because it does a sub par job of capturing the essence of the meal, but also because every time I see it I am reminded of the waiters glaring at me as I snapped it...

The last restaurant I enjoyed was the Canal Bistro, a Mediterranean restaurant whose owners are from Egypt and Lebanon. You can't get much more authentic than that! The highlight of my meal was the hummus. I was craving hummus all week and finally was able to enjoy some at the Canal Bistro. I also enjoyed dipping the warm pita bread into a blend of olive oil and Mediterranean spices- soooo good! I managed to save some hummus for my Lenten Friday lunch the following day. Yay me!

Hummus garnished with tomatoes, olive oil, and Mediterranean spices!

All in all, I think the trip was a success. I learned a lot at the training course which I can bring back to my job and I enjoyed some wonderful, local restaurants. Win-win.

AND I was in Indianapolis when the Colts cut Peyton Manning. I listened to him tear up on the radio; I was there when the mayor declared Friday, March 9th as "Blue Friday" in honor of Peyton Manning; and I witnessed everyone wearing their #18 jerseys. Wow. Talk about heartbreaking- that city will certainly miss their quarterback! I certainly hope Andrew Luck lives up to his reputation! ;)

<3 K.E.