Indianapolis Monthly - April 2024 Edition

Turn Around, Bright Eyes

44 EYES ON THE SKIES

On April 8, in roughly the same amount of time it takes to microwave a bag of popcorn, Indiana will be treated to one of the most stunning shows in the solar system: the Great North American Solar Eclipse.

EDITED BY JULIA SPALDING

54 THE WILD LIFE

Mushrooms, persimmons, berries, and nuts! Indiana’s landscape is abundant with natural goodies that can be harvested in the wild or in your backyard. Our guide includes thoughtful essays, recipes, and tips on all things foraging.

EDITED BY JULIA SPALDING

64 FIGHT SONG

Country music singersongwriter Stephen Wilson Jr. has been quietly rising through the ranks of the music industry. He tells of how his father helped him build his tough-as-nails resolve in the boxing ring as a kid.

BY TONY REHAGEN

Photo illustration by Andrew Davis

CIRCLE CITY

11

SPEED READ

It’s no secret that Indy’s streets are pothole-ridden. A writer explores why.

14

THE HOOSIERIST

Our Indiana expert explains Indianapolis International Airport’s stellar ranking.

16

ASK ME ANYTHING

Chatterbox owner David Andrichik taps into a new hobby.

18

THE TICKET

Hoosier actor Chris Stack takes his role as a ’70s-era rock band drummer in Stereophonic to Broadway.

20

ARTIFACT

Who knew Indiana was the home of an avant garde fashion trend?

22

BEST BETS

Five can’t-miss events in Indy this month.

GOOD LIFE

25 WANTED

The MacKenzie-Childs Flower Market kettle is the perfect spring tea centerpiece.

26

SHOP TALK

The husband-and-wife team behind Guide & Anchor uses the shop to showcase their colorful, punky designs.

27

TRENDING

Make a grand statement with these elegant brooches.

29

BODY+SOUL

Mina Starsiak Hawk and Steve Hawk talk wellness, each from their own unique perspective.

30

REALTY CHECK

A home remodeled from a historic gymnasium? Only in Indiana.

31

TRAVELER

Spring revelry and engaging exhibits await in D.C.

THE DISH

33

SWOON

Duke’s Indy’s golden, crunchy, crackling The Whole Damn Thing is a whole fried chicken with a whole lotta flavor.

34

FIRST BITE

An Irish pub fits Snug-ly into Irvington, bartender Roni Donaldson advises leaving your comfort zone, and the spooky brews at Black House Cafe can wake the dead.

36

TASTE TEST

Indy has a sea of tasty options when it comes to crab cakes.

38

FOODIE

Food truck owner Timmy Campbell goes stationary in Central Library, serving up cafe fare and, of course, his famous esquites.

40

REVIEW

Inspired by pre-Prohibition saloons, Cooper & Cow keeps it classy and intimate.

85

RESTAURANT GUIDE

A tour of the city’s best eats, from fine dining to favorite dives.

96

BACK STORY

Butler’s stunning library is easy to miss on a campus filled with beautiful architecture.

WHEN FAMILIES NEED MORE SPACE

Carrington Goes Above & Beyond Goes Above &

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You

athlete to experience sports- or activity-related

Five local orthopedic surgery specialists

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Out of the Dark

AFTER MONTHS OF anticipation and countless media alerts, it’s finally here: the total solar eclipse that will cut a swath of darkness across Indiana on its trajectory from Mexico to Maine and beyond on April 8. In this issue, we celebrate the celestial event (p. 44), centuries in the making, with a roster of 20 eclipse-related parties all over the state, a viewing guide from a Purdue professor, a tour of some of the small-town businesses located along the path of totality, and a personal essay by writer Brian D. Smith, who chased the eclipse of 2017.

Despite all the hype, I can relate to Smith’s thinking about eclipses. I’ve always found them, well, dark and dim, not quite the spectacles I expected or envisioned. After hearing all the warnings, forebodings, and myths that circulated, I’m not sure I ever viewed an eclipse properly because I was too afraid my retinas would burn out and I’d go blind. This year, though, I am already prepared with a personal stockpile of viewing glasses. If nothing else, creativity has certainly been a bright spot in all the planning leading up to the big event. The artwork on the glasses, the names of events (Total Eclipse of the Haute!), and all the promotional merch made just for the occasion add elements of whimsy and fun to a phenomenon that literally voids the sun and casts a shadow on the earth below.

At press time, I was still debating where to spend the afternoon of April 8: at Eagle Creek Park? At Newfields? At the Indianapolis Motor Speedway? In my backyard? Regardless of where I end up, I’m determined to put on a pair of glasses (or six), embrace the darkness, and enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime viewing experience.

Andrea Ratcliff Editor-in-Chief

Jim DeBrosse

Formerly of Cincinnati, journalist, retired assistant professor, and author of five books Jim DeBrosse got his first taste of Indiana roads in late fall of 2022 while long-distance dating a beguiling Indianapolis woman. Within two months, he’d replaced all four tires on his Honda Fit, which prompted him to dig into the story behind our famous potholes (p. 11). He now resides with his partner, poet Karen Kovacik, near Broad Ripple.

Curt Merlo

An editorial illustrator and frequent contributor to Indianapolis Monthly since 2014, Curt Merlo creates art books and comics in addition to illustrating articles like this month’s Speed Read (p. 11). His most recent graphic novel, That Distant Fire, received much acclaim, including an Ignatz Award nomination for Outstanding Artist. He lives and works in California with his wife, newborn, and a lazy cat with whom he occasionally naps.

Jeremy Reuben

Fresh Indianapolis Monthly digital editor Jeremy Reuben was born and raised on the north side of Indianapolis before venturing off to Ball State. After becoming editor-in-chief of a BSU student publication, he went on to work at The Arizona Republic and Static Media. In his free time, Jeremy enjoys taking in local theater, particularly musicals like this month’s Best Bet Little Shop of Horrors (p. 22).

Barrier: Stigma

Barriers to health care aren’t always apparent. Depression and other mental illnesses can impact every aspect of an individual’s life and the lives of those around them. Fortunately, this young woman found the courage to challenge the stigma around mental health that many face, and her journey is now inspiring others.

CIRCLE CITY

Pothole Palooza

The sorry condition of our city’s streets is old news to residents and an unpleasant surprise to visitors. The wild swings in our winter weather— 20 degrees one day, 50 the next—are murder on roadways, it’s true.

But that’s only one cause of this perpetual problem.

( SPEED READ CONTINUED

EVERYONE FEELS THE PAIN. On his way home to Arden from a Pacers game in late January, Michael Snodgrass was driving north in the right lane of the Meridian Street bridge over White River when he hit a pothole he’d noticed just a few days before that was now hidden by fog. In a jaw-clenching instant, he knew his right front tire was a goner. What he didn’t expect the next morning was running into so many other people at the local Discount Tire store who shared his fate. “Seven people have already come in who hit the same pothole,” a store clerk told him. Two days later, Snodgrass returned to photograph the 10-inch-deep crater to file a claim and found AAA servicing two more cars there. “By then, there were cops there, too,” Snodgrass recalls—to warn other motorists. “One was behind the two cars that were stranded, and one was parked behind the pothole.” Road crews had circled the stillunfilled menace with green paint.

2023–24 WAS A BRUTAL WINTER FOR THE ROADS. By the start of February, officials in the Department of Public Works knew they were dealing with an early and nasty pothole season. Throughout Marion County, the department had received 3,428 pothole complaints by the first of the month, 714 more than at the same time in 2023. Crews had already filled 19,791 holes using 262 tons of cold mix. DPW Director Brandon Herget was hopeful that warming weather would end the freeze-thaw cycle that tears asphalt apart. Year-round, he says, the department’s 170 road crew employees work 10-hour shifts seven days a week to

“YOU’VE GOT A LARGELY BLUE CITY IN AN OTHERWISE DEEP RED STATE. THERE’S NO POLITICAL INCENTIVE FOR REPUBLICANS TO PRIORITIZE MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR INSIDE OF INDIANAPOLIS.”

combat the problem. Crews rely mostly on citizen complaints to identify the most dangerous spots.

INDY DRIVERS GET CHEATED. If you agree #indyroadssuck (to use social media vernacular), don’t put all the blame on the city-county government. For years, Indianapolis and Marion County have been shortchanged by a state funding formula that favors rural over urban areas. The state distributes revenue from gas taxes and vehicle registration fees to counties based on “centerline” miles, or the length of the roads, regardless of the number of lanes or the amount of traffic they get. So a quiet two-lane road in rural Union County gets as much state funding per mile as Keystone Avenue. Herget estimates a fairer state formula based on actual usage would add $49 million to the city-county’s $89 million road maintenance budget, more than doubling the $30 million state contribution expected for 2024.

INDIANA LAGS IN ROAD MAINTENANCE COST EFFICIENCY. Indiana has the fourth highest gas taxes in the United States (68.19 cents per gallon), behind only California, Illinois, and Pennsylvania, according to the American Petroleum Institute. But some experts say all that money is not being put to good use. The maintenance projects of our state thoroughfares and interstate highways—the responsibility of the Indiana Department of Transportation—ranked 48th in cost efficiency in 2020 (the most recent year for which statistics are available at press time), according to the Reason Foundation, a libertarian tax watchdog. Reason calculated that Indiana spent more than twice as much per mile ($32,316) on repairs and repaving than what it should have reasonably cost ($15,938) based on traffic volume and weather conditions. INDOT officials say those numbers are inaccurate, while Reason counters that they used data submitted by INDOT themselves to the Federal Highway Administration.

PRESIDENT BIDEN DID INDY A SOLID. When asphalt cracks reach down to the underlying foundation, the street has officially “failed” and needs repaving, not just patching up. DPW repaved 72 more lane miles in 2023 than in 2022, thanks largely to the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law the president championed. The bill provided $25 million for road improvements from 38th Street to I-70. But many, many more miles of repaving remain.

THE PROBLEM IS PARTLY POLITICAL. Herget says city-county officials have asked the state legislature for a more reasonable road funding formula that accounts for traffic. But it won’t be easy persuading a Republican governor and a Republican legislative supermajority to give a break to motorists in the Democratic stronghold of Marion County. A decision based purely on economics would favor Marion County, the state’s chief engine for economic growth, says Kevin DeGood, a transportation expert at the nonpartisan policy think tank Center for American Progress. “Instead, it’s a problem of political economy. You’ve got a largely blue city in an otherwise deep red state. There’s no political incentive for Republicans to prioritize maintenance and repair inside of Indianapolis.” Even so, City-County Councilor Dan Boots urges voters to contact the Republican leadership in the Senate and House in support of a more equitable formula. You can contact the Indiana House of Representatives at 317-232-9600, 800-382-9842, or 800-382-9842; your Indiana State Senator at 317-232-9400 or 800-382-9467; or at iga.in.gov/ information/find-legislators.

TECHNICALLY, THE CITY COVERS TIRE DAMAGE. Motorists can report a pothole and file a claim for pothole damage by calling 317-327-4622 on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Friday 8 a.m.–5 p.m. But don’t get your hopes up. The city-county paid out just six of 364 claims in 2023. —JIM DEBROSSE

Colonel Cook’s Pride

Q: I’VE READ THAT INDIANAPOLIS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY. IT’S PERFECTLY FINE BUT … REALLY? A: It has indeed been named best airport not only in the country but in North America for 11 years straight. But the organization that bestowed those laurels, the Airports Council International–North America, is just one of many airport-ranking groups. Furthermore, the category our airport dominates is for midsize facilities handling 5 to 15 million people annually, so our competition is limited. Still, a 2023 analysis by The Wall Street Journal ranked Indy No. 4 among midsize airports, giving it near-perfect scores for parking, car rentals, shopping, bathrooms, baggage claim, and more. It got dinged for its relatively few nonstop destinations and an on-time arrival rate of only 76 percent—issues that can be laid at the feet of airlines and capricious Midwestern weather, respectively.

—SAM STALL

( UNSPOKEN RULES )

Death & Taxes Day

A MANNER-FESTO FOR THE APRIL 20 PARTY AT TAXMAN BREWERY IN BARGERSVILLE

Buy tickets at least a week in advance. This year’s Belgian-style stout, Deadline, will be released in four variants. They’re exclusive to the festival, so sample them all. Splurge on Experience tickets for a twopack of the new stout to take home. The upgrade also gets you a snifter glass. A portion of the proceeds supports the Bargersville Farmers Market, so pick up a hat or tee at the swag booth. Grab-and-go lunches at the Main Street eateries are your fastest options. Arrive early to secure a street-parking spot near the festival. Stay late for the live musical performances by local arists, including The 78’s and Dean Martini.

$9,100

Hoosier dirt is hardly dirt cheap, with only a handful of states fetching higher prices. But it’s nowhere near Rhode Island’s per-acre price of $18,300. Perhaps that’s to be expected in a state that’s 37 miles across. Space for anything is hard to find.

ask THE HOOSIERIST

LET’S SHINE.

Find your perfect spot on a picture-perfect beach and raise a toast to the emerald Gulf Coast in St. Pete/Clearwater. Soak up the sun and sand by day, then venture beyond the beach for lively nightlife when the sun goes down. Let’s shine—plan your escape at VisitStPeteClearwater.com

ASK

David Andrichik, bar owner

MANY KNOW ANDRICHIK AS THE GUY WHO’S OWNED THE CHATTERBOX—A JAZZ DIVE BAR, IN HIS WORDS—ON MASS AVE FOR 41 YEARS. HE’S ALSO A LONGTIME PATRON OF THE INDIANAPOLIS DANCE SCENE. HE JUST TOOK THINGS A STEP FURTHER BY STARTING TAP DANCE LESSONS AT AGE 73. HERE’S WHAT HE SHARED ABOUT HIS NEW MOVES. BY

MARY MILZ

You’re known to be active. You walk or bike everywhere. You play golf. But tap dancing? Has this been on your bucket list? No, never, not at all! It wouldn’t be until later in life, just a few years ago, that I developed an appreciation for it.

What changed and prompted this new desire? Politics were involved. We always have the TV on at the Chatterbox. My preference has always been political news programs, but during the Trump administration, it became a bit overwhelming to see and hear all the time. So we switched it to the Turner Classic Movies channel. It has a lot of those old musicals with tap dancing, and that was the initial inspiration. It was so much fun to watch, like, Wow, how do they do that?

So you made the leap from watching Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly to buying tap shoes and signing up for lessons at Dance Kaleidoscope in the Circle City Industrial Complex. Tap dancing actually lends itself well to jazz, which, no surprise, I listen to every day. There’s also a new artistic director at Dance Kaleidoscope, and they’re putting a greater emphasis on classes for adults. Since the studio is close to me and I’ve been a longtime supporter, I wanted to go there. So, yes, I signed up with two female friends, who are novices like me, and we all gave it a try.

Your first class was in February. How did it go? There were a dozen of us at all levels of experience, but the instructor was great. She was able to challenge everyone while giving pointers to those

PHOTOS BY TONY VALAINIS

of us not picking it up right away— namely, me. It was both difficult and fun. I’ve always said I can ‘wedding dance,’ meaning I can move OK to music played by a DJ or a live band, but that’s certainly not tap dancing.

What’s the hardest part? Marking the rhythm. Tap is rhythmic. It’s making that sound of heel, toe, sweep, back and forth. You’re hitting your heel down to make the distinctive sound, which is the beginning of a beat. I liken it to drumming in a way. While I’m not a drummer, I can anticipate what a drummer’s going to do because I listen to them all the time. With tap, I have to remember that my feet are the percussion instruments. It’s been fascinating to see how the sound and movement of tap work together.

It must be fairly physically demanding. Dancers of any type are true athletes first and movement artists second. Whether it’s the women in pointe shoes, or the contemporary dancers who are flipping, or ballroom

“THE DEPTH OF TALENT IN INDIANAPOLIS IS PHENOMENAL. YET IT’S STILL A BESTKEPT SECRET. PARTICIPATING AND SHARING ARE EASY AND ENJOYABLE WAYS TO SPREAD THE GOOD WORD.”

dancers in pairs, they have to be absolutely fit. I’ve seen a lot of classes and rehearsals at Dance Kaleidoscope, and it’s like 100 hours of practice for a four-hour performance. You have to perfect it, again and again. Tap is proving no exception!

These lessons are a spinoff of your commitment to the arts. You’re a financial supporter of, among others, the Phoenix Theater, the Indiana Repertory Theatre, and the Indianapolis Ballet. You often have colleagues and customers join you as your guests. I love to share what I love. If I buy two tickets, it’s a date. If I buy four, six, or eight, there’s an entertainment component. And

there’s overlap … one kind of art form can support another. It’s just really great to share with multiple people along the way. The depth of talent in Indianapolis is phenomenal. Yet it’s still a best-kept secret. Participating and sharing are easy and enjoyable ways to spread the good word.

National Tap Dance Day, apparently, is May 25. Should we expect a recital? Ha! I don’t think so. There’s no recital on my horizon. But you might see me practicing, or at least tapping my foot, when I’m at the door of the Chatterbox.

And if not? Well, we always have four beers on tap. Ba-dum-bum.

Rising Star

MERIDIAN-KESSLER’S OWN CHRIS STACK MAKES HIS BROADWAY DEBUT THIS MONTH AS A ’70 S ROCK BAND DRUMMER. BY LOU

HARRY

INDIANAPOLIS arts philanthropist Ann Stack had just seen her son’s off-Broadway hit Stereophonic—for the fourth time. She was, understandably, his biggest fan, ever since he first took to the stage as a teen in productions of The Crucible and Carousel at Park Tudor. Now, as she stood with him on a Times Square subway platform, she lamented that his show had closed out its limited run.

“Well,” her son, Chris Stack, replied, “you could see it a fifth time … if you don’t mind going to Broadway.”

Tears ensued.

Hometown hero Stack played Dr. Michael McBain for years on One Life to Live and Ian in the series Interview With a Vampire. A familiar face at the 500 each May, he hosted a “friends and family” screening of Midday Black, Midnight Blue, an Apple+ film he stars in, at the Kan-Kan in January.

Now he takes on the Great White Way, with Stereophonic previews starting April 3 and the show officially opening on April 19. The production concerns an up-and-coming band tumultuously cutting its second album in 1976. The play, penned by David Adjmi, is as much about the music scene of the day as it is about the shifting relationships of passionate and flawed individuals trying to create a singular sound. Although not exactly a musical, it contains period-true original music by Arcade Fire’s Will Butler. Stack plays Simon, the band’s drummer who is attempting to control his temper while holding his work “family”—and his faraway biological family—together.

In its off-Broadway run, Stereophonic not only attracted sold-out crowds but also rockers of that era, including James Taylor and Talking Heads’ David Byrne. “Byrne gave us the best compliment,” recalls Stack. “He came up to me

“TALKING HEADS’ DAVID BYRNE GAVE US THE BEST COMPLIMENT. HE CAME UP TO ME AND SAID, ‘YOU GUYS ARE SO BELIEVABLY A BAND FROM THE ’70S.’”

and said, ‘You guys are so believably a band from the ’70s.’”

Byrne wasn’t alone. It was lauded by The New York Times as one of the best plays of the year; The Washington Post called it the best. It’s a likely contender for this year’s Tony Awards, although the challenge is figuring out who in the tight ensemble cast of seven qualify as the leads. “It’s such a tricky thing to categorize. Everyone seems like leads to me,” observes Stack.

Stack, who graduated from the renowned Actors Studio in Manhattan, decided to audition for a workshop of the play in 2019, even though he knew that musicianship would be integral to landing the part. “I would never have considered myself a drummer,” he says, “just a guy who knew how to play the drums.” A conflict with a film job interfered, but “somewhere in the

back of my mind I was hoping the play would come back around. I resolved not to get caught flat-footed if it did,” he shares. So when the pandemic hit, Stack used his newfound free time to work on his drumming technique. And when he heard auditions were being held for the show’s off-Broadway run, he booked himself a studio and spent as much time practicing the drums as he did learning the lines. It worked.

“To say that any of us began this show and process as musicians would be stretching it,” Stack admits, “but by the time we were five or six weeks into rehearsals, we felt like musicians. Everybody realized that if we rose to the level of the play, it could be something super special. But at first, nothing was written in stone that we would even be able to do it. This was a huge leap of faith on people’s parts.”

THE TICKET

PORTRAIT COURTESY MIGUEL HERRERA. STEREOPHONIC PHOTOS COURTESY CHELCIE PARRY.

Perhaps most compelling about Stereophonic is how it presents the frustration of the song development process. Nowhere is that more intense than in a lengthy scene in which Simon can’t find the tempo being demanded of him. While playing well on stage is hard, sometimes playing only passably is harder. “When you see someone in a play purposely mess up, it’s very rare that it’s not obvious. Here, I had to get it wrong without telling that I’m getting it wrong. The audience may not hear it, so I have to send the message in tiny details.”

Moving the show to Broadway won’t involve any fundamental changes, says Stack. “It’s more a progression from one run to another, just in a bigger space with a bigger stage and bigger audiences.”

Plus, we’re getting a recording … of sorts. During the hiatus between the offBroadway closing and Broadway rehearsals beginning, the cast left the fictional studio for an actual one. “The album has the same energy and vibration you get in the show, but it’s not like you’re walking into the theater and recording,” shares Stack. “It’s kick-ass tunes, fully realized and produced. It will be a Broadway cast recording unlike anything you’ve heard.”

Audiences—including Stacks’ mom—have until July 7 to catch Stereophonic (stereophonicplay.com) at Broadway’s Golden Theatre, although an extension or a U.S. tour is possible. The Tony Award nominees will be announced on April 30. Ann Stack is holding her breath.

HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR CORDS

VINTAGE: 1965

Resides within the Indiana State Museum

MOST LIKELY originating at Purdue University in the early 20th century, senior cords are a unique piece of youth fashion that got their start as pants made of yellow corduroy fabric, which were worn either plain or boasting classmates’ signatures. They quickly spread to numerous Indiana colleges and high schools and were adapted into shorts, vests, jackets, and skirts. Representing the beginning of one’s transition into adult life, they were reserved for seniors. Later versions incorporated handdrawn designs including school mascots, popular cartoon characters of the time, group and club memberships, and sports-related activities, like this skirt worn by Marilyn McBride of Angola High School in 1965. The trend died out during the 1970s, but there have been several attempts in recent years to bring it back, perhaps most notably by Harry Styles on the cover of Vogue —JAVON MANNING

ARTIFACT

PHOTO BY TONY VALAINIS

April 4

The “Last Night”

star’s One Night at a Time Tour lands at Lucas Oil Stadium. A part of ticket proceeds go to Wallen’s youth charity.

April 5–6

April 17–May 19

“What a strange and unusual plant!” The unique horticultural horror musical takes the stage at the Indiana Repertory Theatre Bonus: There will also be a workshop on carnivorous plant care. irtlive.com

April 26–28

This pop culture convention at the Indiana Convention Center leans toward family fun with magic shows, a massive game hall, laser tag, escape rooms, Nerf battles, and a kid zone. popcon.us/ popcon-indy

April 27–28

Among the macabre at the Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center are preserved specimens, creepy medical tools, and funeral curios. Catch sideshow performers and—oh, why not?—learn taxidermy. odditiesandcuriositiesexpo.com

BEST BETS

THIS MONTH’S CAN’T-MISS EVENTS

PHOTOS COURTESY: (1) MATT PASKERT; (2) LYDIA MOODY; (3) KYLE RAGSDALE/IRT; (4) POPCON INDY; (5) JARRETT BARNES. ADOBE ART BY MOLESKO STUDIO

(5) Oddities & Curiosities Expo

(4) PopCon

(3) Little Shop of Horrors

(2) Fables and Folklore

Carmel’s Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre brings Italian, Czech, and Aztec tales to life with its trademark dramatic flair at The Tarkington thecenterpresents.org

(1) Morgan Wallen

country

lucasoilstadium.com

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WE NAIL THE CONCEPT

Woodstock is custom design and fine homebuilding, up close and personal. At every point in the building process, you work directly with our owners, Bob Slawson and Nick Winings. Bob designs and creates the plans. Nick brings them to life. With premium lots in Hamilton County’s most sought-after neighborhoods and several quick move-in opportunities underway, we’ll create a home worthy of your dream lifestyle.

It all starts with a conversation.

To learn more about Woodstock and see examples of our lifestyle home design, visit WoodstockCustomHomes.com or swing by and take a personal tour of our fully-decorated model homes in either Noblesville’s Sagamore or Westfield’s Reserve on South neighborhoods.

16328 LaPaloma Court & 17129 Sanders Farm Circle are open every Saturday & Sunday 12-4.

Bubbling Over

It may not be time just yet to plant your impatiens, but you can still celebrate the much-anticipated arrival of spring. Host friends at an afternoon tea starring strawberry scones and the MacKenzie-Childs Flower Market kettle. The 3-quart, hand-decorated tea kettle is made of heavy-gauge steel and rimmed in bronzed stainless steel. The wood handle and glass finial add the vintage-y finishing touches. We can hear the spring peepers already.

Childs, Carmel City Center, 317-253-3400, addendumgallery.com

Guide & Anchor

ADDRESS

3315 E. 10th St. HOURS

Variable; check guideandanchor.com

MY LOOK

( SHOP TALK )

Creative Spark

TWO DESIGNERS SCRATCH THEIR RETAIL ITCH IN THEIR NEAR EASTSIDE STUDIO. BY

SAM STALL

THE NEW retail space nestled inside the creative studio Guide & Anchor serves as both a 3-D portfolio for prospective clients and a much-appreciated outlet for the artistic urges of husband-and-wife owners Sara Jean and Joey Pott When they’re not working graphic design magic for brands or creating interior design schemes for commercial clients including Natural State Provisions, Tinker Coffee Co., and Kismetic Beer Company, they turn out their own limited edition goods. “We figured we might as well have a little shop where we sell our own creations,” says Sara Jean. “Clients can come in and see our work just by being here.”

Visitors can pick up clothing and accessories, including hand-painted silk scarves from the couple’s first collection, Floral Remedies. If you see something you like, grab it, as in most cases when an item sells out, it’s gone forever. The Potts debut a housewares-intensive line this month called Lawn & Leisure. They also plan to sell their wares at pop-ups around town. Find details on Instagram @guideandanchor

Summer Hudson Realtor

WHAT’S YOUR FASHION PHILOSOPHY?

Iris Apfel said, “Life is gray and dull, so you might as well have a little fun when you dress.” It’s a motto I live by.

WERE YOU A STYLISH KID?

I copied Punky Brewster’s outfits. I loved that she wore what she did unapologetically. As an adult, the people who influence me most wear what brings them joy without regard for the opinions of others.

GUILTY FASHION PLEASURE?

I own a ridiculous number of sunglasses in all shapes and colors. If I see a pair and think, Those are insane, I buy them, even if I’m at a gas station. CHRISTINA

(1) Spiky Lily duffel, $40 (2) Chain Poppy scarf, $38 (3) Spiky Lily waist pack, $35 (4) Chain Poppy dress (on Sara Jean above), $60 (5) Upsy Daisy pouch, $38

BY STEPHEN GARSTANG

(1) Chickenscratch fruit basket pin. $95. Artifacts Gallery, 6327 Guilford Ave., 317-255-1178

(2) 18k pocket watch pin $2,500. Aronstam, 200 S. Rangeline Rd., Carmel, 317-817-9000

(3) Hummingbird brooch $285. Frank & Katrina Basile Museum Store at the Eiteljorg, 317-636-9378

(4) 14k bubble brooch $2,500. Petite G Jewelers, 5609 N. Illinois St., 317-255-5555

(5) Antique pin $3,500. Metalmark Fine Jewelry, 211 W. Main St., Carmel, 720-441-4635

(6) Handembroidered pins. $110; $78. Parkside Linen, 1762 E. 86th St., 317-844-6320

(7) Bronzed gingko pin $100. The Museum & Garden Shop at Newfields, 317-955-2320

(9) Eisenberg Austrian crystal rhodium brooch. Up for bidding. Ripley Auctions, 317-251-5635 PHOTOS 6

TONY VALAINIS 7 8

4 9

2 3

PHOTOS BY MEGAN NOLL PHOTOGRAPHY

It Takes Two

MINA STARSIAK HAWK AND HUSBAND STEVE HAWK TALK WELLNESS, EACH

FROM THEIR OWN UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE.

BY MICHELLE MASTRO

MINA Starsiak Hawk, the former star of Good Bones and owner of Two Chicks District Co., newly reopened in Noblesville, hosts her own podcast (Mina AF), manages several rental properties, and—whew chases after her two little “nuggets.” It’s not surprising that on Mina AF, she often chats about stress management—and the importance of a fitness and sleep routine. “Everything in life is easier when I work out regularly and get good sleep,” she says. “I fell off the wagon when my world was going crazy. Once I got back to morning workouts, within two to four weeks I slept better, my anxiety in the evenings dissipated, and my energy increased.”

Starsiak Hawk emphasizes that improving her wellness hasn’t been a straight line. “I have really bad days, and I have amazing days. If you get stuck, don’t throw it all in the dumpster,” she advises. “Get through the hard thing, meet your core needs for sleep, exercise, and nutrition, and try again tomorrow.” She points out that a multipronged solution is often needed. “Steve and I regularly go to a therapist and have, at different points in our lives, used medication to support our mental health. We have no shame in that, and I hope others who do the same don’t either. You wouldn’t treat diabetes with

positive thinking. Why treat a potential chemical imbalance with wishes?”

To Steve Hawk, the goal of fitness is to be able to do everything you enjoy. But the master personal trainer and licensed nutritionist noticed that too often, the sole motivation was appearance. So he started the Hawkfit program (the hawkfit.com) to help people not only look good but feel good, too. That takes work and persistence in the form of longterm lifestyle change. “Adding muscle and losing fat takes time. As I tell my clients: You didn’t gain the fat in two months, so you’re not going to lose it in two months.” His programs offer cardio for heart health, but they’re all weighttraining heavy. “It’s the key to longevity. And that’s what we’re all looking for, right?” he explains.

While Hawk considers diets temporary fixes at best, he says intermittent fasting—eating only during an eighthour window—can have merit. “When we restrict the amount of time we have to eat, we naturally wind up eating fewer calories in a day,” he says. “If done properly, it can be a good way to lose extra fat.” It’s not necessarily easy, but it’s straightforward, which helps many stick with it. But Hawk emphasizes the “done properly” part. “If you consume 2,000 calories in Oreos the minute it’s time to eat, it’s not going to work.”

BODY+

SOUL

PHOTOS BY TONY VALAINIS

Home Game

AN ENTIRE REMODELED HOUSE INSIDE A HISTORIC GYMNASIUM?

ONLY IN INDIANA. BY

JEANA HARRIS

WITH A population that scarcely breaks 500, Wilkinson, Indiana, is your quintessential small town.

Located 40 minutes east of downtown Indianapolis, it offers a unique piece of real estate. What in the 1950s was the gymnasium building for Wilkinson High School has been split to create a bright, spacious home in one half, with the other half retaining the court and bleachers.

For the sellers, Lauren and Kyle Petry, the most significant update was refinishing and restoring the original gym flooring on the house side. They turned to experts Four Star Floor Care to carry out the monumental task. Authenticity was critical to the Petrys, who are preservationists at heart. “There’s something really special about the floor, and we wanted to make sure that integrity stayed with the building,” Lauren says. Even the floor lines were

on the market

ADDRESS

6816 N. 1025 E, Wilkinson PRICE

$584,977

AGENT

Hart Summeier, Level Up Real Estate Group 317-747-3563

replicated after refinishing. “They were hand-painted the first time, and we didn’t want to take that away.”

Within the 5,357-square-foot home are four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and a weightlifting room. Strategic insulation that traps air pockets keeps heating bills to about $250 a month despite the size of the living space.

On the second floor, the primary suite features soaring wood ceilings accentuated by the original rafters. Throughout the home, walls that face the gymnasium are lined with windows, so it’s easy to keep an eye on the kids’ pickup games. Plus, an incredible second-floor balcony area overlooks the court below.

The new owners will get the yearbooks, blueprints, old keys, and other memorabilia connected with the nearby high school that was bequeathed to the Petrys by the original owners. Now the baton (or ball) of preservation is being passed to the next family looking for an out-of-the-ordinary abode.

REALTY CHECK

Blossom Forth

SPRING REVELRY AND EXCEPTIONAL EXHIBITS AWAIT IN OUR NATION’S CAPITAL.

BY ROB ANNIS

IN 1912, the Tokyo, Japan, mayor gave 3,020 cherry blossom trees to the United States in the spirit of friendship. Planted in Washington, D.C., to add a little greenery to all that towering granite, the now-3,800 white and pale pink beauties put on a dazzling early spring show. Find them in the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park (where the tightly clustered Yoshino cherry trees resemble clouds), at Hains Point in East Potomac Park, and on the Washington Monument grounds.

Through April 14, the National Cherry Blossom Festival (nationalcherryblossom festival.org) is celebrating the charm of the flowering trees, as well as Japanese culture. Sakura Matsuri, a Japanese street festival, is the largest in the country. A fireworks extravaganza set to music and a parade with helium balloons, floats, marching bands, and dancers are also big draws. Parking can

DAY TRIP

Washington, D.C.

DISTANCE 575 miles

be a hassle, but it’s easy to get to the blooms by Metro, or pedal to the petals with a Capital Bikeshare day pass.

April showers in the forecast? Those clouds have a silver lining: a chance to visit the city’s free museums displaying priceless treasures. Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History & Culture (nmaahc.si.edu) houses Harriet Tubman’s hymnal, a plantation cabin from South Carolina, and Michael Jackson’s fedora. The National Museum of American History (american history.si.edu) is where you’ll find the Star-Spangled Banner, Washington’s uniform, and Dorothy’s ruby slippers. The highlight for many is the National Air and Space Museum (airandspace.si.edu) on 6th Street and Independence Avenue, displaying the 1903 Wright Flyer, Neil Armstrong’s spacesuit, and the original filming model of the Starship Enterprise. And that’s just a smattering. The timed museum passes get snatched up early, though, so step lively.

IF YOU GO

STAY For political junkies, amateur historians, and true crime enthusiasts, there’s only one place: the Watergate Hotel (thewatergate hotel.com).

EAT The food truck equivalent of the United Nations lines the edges of the National Mall. Or head to Ben’s Chili Bowl (benschilibowl.com) to chow down on a local favorite: the half-smoke, a peppery beef-and-pork sausage.

PLAN washington.org

The DAVID OWSLEY MUSEUM OF ART in Muncie hosts Beyond the Medici the largest collection of Florentine Baroque art outside of Italy—until May 19. Portraits and sculptures “fix their gazes on the viewer, inspiring introspective and emotional responses,” says DOMA director Robert La France. 765-289-5242, bsu.edu/web/museumofart

TRAVELER

LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS

Now enrolling for the 2024–2024 school year.

Make MSDLT your District of Destination today!

“Our job as a public school corporation is to educate and provide a graduation pathway for every student, regardless of circumstances. Our commitment to students is to deliver innovative academic and extracurricular choices in stimulating learning modes with equitable student outcomes from pre-kindergarten through high school, advancing students toward their post-graduation plans.”

– Dr. Shawn A. Smith, Superintendent of Schools.

Welcome to the Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township, the District of Destination, where students with diverse backgrounds, interests, talents, and goals can belong to the school community without compromising individuality and uniqueness; where rich programming for all ability levels and aspirations empowers everyone to reach their potential; and where achieving academic personal best and developing into excellence.

Beginning at our four National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)–accredited Early Learning Centers, students are hands-on learners, mastering critical

thinking, problem solving, and teamwork skills. Lawrence Township students are future ready, earning thousands of dual credits, stackable

and participating in the Indiana College Core.

The award-winning school district celebrates a 95-percent graduation rate, one of the highest in Indiana national averages. The class of 2023 boasts an impressive $55 million in awarded scholarships.

With no operating referendum, the MSD of Lawrence Township manages an annual budget of approximately $280 million while maintaining one of the lowest tax rates in Marion County. The district knows that students and employees deserve vibrant, safe spaces that are conducive to learning and growing. Over the past decade, over $400 million has been invested in capital improvements across the district.

Celebrating a winning tradition in both athletics and performing arts, the district offers 24 varsity athletic opportunities, having secured 48 state team championships and 5 national championships. Students can immerse themselves

in a tapestry of in-class and extracurricular performing arts opportunities throughout their time in Lawrence Township. For 12 consecutive years, the district has been named a Best Community for Music Education by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation.

Welcome to the MSD of Lawrence Township, where excellence awaits!

THE DISH

SWOON

Bird is the Word

The aroma alone greets you before the plate—and a mighty plate it is—even makes it to the table. Memories unlock as the still-crackling, extra crunchy, golden, glorious tower of drumsticks, thighs, and wings slips into your view. The Whole Damn Thing from Duke’s Indy is surrounded by sidekicks like creamy, gooey mac and cheese or roasted, savory Brussels sprouts. This beauty of a bird, bedazzled with buttered biscuits and icebox pickles, pairs perfectly with a Bourbon Punch or a Pickle Ricky. This big ol’ plate of fried chicken will make your boots scoot, your mama proud, and your taste buds say, “Hello, darlin’.” 2352 S. West St., 317-643-6403, dukesindy.com —TWINKLE VANWINKLE

( CHEERS )

Pint Class

THE SEARCH FOR A TRUE NEIGHBORHOOD IRISH PUB ENDS IN IRVINGTON. BY

JULIA SPALDING

GENERAL CONTRACTOR Jim Arnoldt grew up in Chicago where small local pubs were tucked around every residential corner. In January, he (along with co-owners Blythe Kinsey, Carey Shea, and Timothy Barrett) brought the neighborhoodbar tradition to his new Irvington stomping grounds. After repurposing a hair salon along one of the quirky community’s side streets into the Snug, an Irish-themed hangout, Arnoldt now has easy access to Guinness, whiskey, and a cozy seat at the bar. “The neighborhood was a perfect fit for this,” he says.

At 600 square feet, the storefront furnished in bespoke furniture imported from Ireland and pews donated by a nearby church provides a cozy meetup for like-minded connoisseurs of dry Irish stouts. Non-liquid sustenance comes in the form of a grazing board featuring family-recipe soda bread, cheese, and butter; packaged Tayto chips from Ireland; and occasional handpies supplied by Pots & Pans Pie Co. 210 S. Audubon Rd., 317-308-8553, snugin.us

PINCH OF WISDOM

“Sit at the bar and order a drink outside your norm. Watching someone make a great drink is not only inspiring but also educational. It’s like going to a show.”

– Roni Donaldson, bartender and co-owner of Revolucion

( NEW IN TOWN ) Spooky Sips

Mari Reyes Ramirez shares her love of the macabre and caffeinated drinks at her Fountain Square coffee shop and cafe.

IF YOU’RE hoping for a chill cup of coffee with relaxing music pulsing quietly in the background, Black House Cafe is for you. Just remember, however, that you may have to get cozy at a table next to Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees. They were part of owner Mari Reyes Ramirez’s vision when choosing her Fountain Square cafe’s (and adjoining Airbnb’s) decor. The coffee menu is possessed with drinks that recall favorite hair-raising films, like The Dreamer, an ube-infused latte, and the horchata-based Never Sleep Again. The smoothie menu serves up scary vibes, including the Sam Raimi–inspired Ash’s Boom Stick, chock full of cocoa, peanut butter, honey, bananas, and almond milk. 1122 Shelby St. —T.V.

FRESH CATCH Seafood spot Exotic on the Run opens a new location at 3039 N. Post Road. BREW NEWS “Elevated sports and burger bar” Mass & Belle Taphouse opened inside Mass Ave’s Bottleworks District. NEW LEAF Chef JJ’s Public House launched February 14. This sit-down restaurant concept joins Chef JJ’s already-popular classes and private events.

THE FEED

PHOTOS BY TONY VALAINIS; BLACK HOUSE CAFE PHOTO PROVIDED

TASTE TEST

Crabby Patties

FROM THE NORTHEAST TO THE SOUTHERN COASTLINE, CRAB CAKES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN OPEN TO INTERPRETATION. HERE IN INDY, WE LOVE THEM ALL. BY

AMY LYNCH

Blupoint Coastal Kitchen & Cocktails

No fillers here. These cakes showcase the crab, the whole lump crab, and nothing but the crab, with simple ingredients that let the buttery flavor of the meat truly shine through. A ramekin of kicky chipotle mayo and spring mix greens are the icing on these cakes served two to an order. 5858 N. College Ave., 317-559-3259, blupointindy.com

Bardales Fresh Seafood Market

In addition to supplying product to local restaurants, this new kid on the (Broad Ripple) block has a storefront that allows home chefs looking to impress to walk in and buy their crab cakes made with fresh-offthe-boat ingredients. 882 E. Coil St., 317-519-7348, bardalesseafood.com

Ocean Prime

Taking a more-is-more approach, Ocean Prime incorporates several kinds of crab into its 6-ounce cakes, relying on finely shredded meat to help hold the whole thing together. Horseradish mustard aioli and a Carolina-style slaw lend crisp acidity and textural contrast to the appetizer serving; the two-cake dinner entree is plated with veggies and a sweet corn emulsion. 8555 N. River Rd., 317-569-0975, ocean-prime.com

Slapfish

This kitschy nautical-themed franchise’s interpretation brings lobster along for the ride in its beach shack–appropriate Clobster Cakes, available on a sandwich or paired with fresh greens. 15009 Gray Rd., Noblesville, 317-218–3508; 11547 Yard St., Fishers, 317-623–3900; 345 Massachusetts Ave., 317-686-9713; slapfishindiana.com

Up Cellar

Made with 8 ounces of sweet jumbo lump meat and garnished with citrus salad, shaved fennel, and remoulade, this meaty masterpiece is the signature app of the swanky Bargersville steakhouse. “Our crab cake pairs beautifully with a sauvignon blanc or a glass of Champagne,” adds CEO Nathan Huelsebusch. 63 N. Baldwin St., Bargersville, 317-533-0845, theupcellar.com

Photo by TONY VALAINIS

Street Smart

TEXAS-BORN TIMMY

CAMPBELL BRINGS

HIS POPULAR FOOD-TRUCK STREET CORN TO A CAFE INSIDE DOWNTOWN’S CENTRAL LIBRARY.

BY TERRY KIRTS

TIMMY Campbell is no stranger to adversity. One morning last November, the food truck owner, known affectionately to his customers as “Tha Corn Man,” showed up to start breakfast service at the corner of 25th Street and Central Avenue in Fall Creek Place only to find that his trailer was nowhere in sight. A month later, police recovered the vehicle, but it had been stripped, with the generator cut off and the inside vandalized.

This wasn’t the first setback for the Texas native, whose previous career was cut short in 2017 by a groundless legal charge that was later dropped— too late to repair the damage that had been done. After two years of court visits to clear his name, Campbell decided to start anew by turning his passion into his main enterprise. He bought a canopy and a grill and headed to the Marion Country Fair, where he set up a stand serving a dish he loved growing up in Houston: Mexican street corn, otherwise

known as esquites. While the investment meant spending the first few months sleeping in his car, Campbell soon gained a following.

Now, Campbell is bringing his famous layered street corn cups, as well as breakfast bowls, sandwiches, desserts, and coffee drinks, to a walk-up cafe located in the main atrium at Central Library. It’s a winwin for the persistent entrepreneur

and for the library, which has been without a full-service food option for several months. Campbell can now cook up a wider variety of the favorite dishes he perfected as a teenager on nights when his mother, a nurse, worked late. “I’m one of the only ones out here doing what I’m doing,” Campbell says. “People now recognize me as Tha Corn Man, and that’s always exciting.”

(1) Iqui’s Chicken and Tacos food truck. “I always have to get their steak tacos.” (2) Gordon Ramsay. “He doesn’t hold back, and I tell myself I never want to have a ‘Ramsay moment.’” (3) Gary, Indiana. “The food scene is really growing.” (4) Bacon. “I use it all day, from breakfast items to a topping for my corn.” (5) Esquites. Visit IndianapolisMonthly.com to try Campbell’s recipe for his layered version of Mexicanstyle street corn.

FAVORITE THINGS

FOODIE

CAMPBELL

PHOTO BY JAY GOLDZ. RAMSAY PHOTO BY DAVE PULLIG 4

Walter Lobyn Hamilton

What I Have You Have Mixes Music and Memory at Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields

Open through May 19, 2024

Featuring six immense displays of history, genre, and personal journey, Walter Lobyn Hamilton’s What I Have You Have explores the power and impact of music throughout the artist’s life and welcomes any guest who shares Hamilton’s appreciation for the way music and memory shape the human experience.

Hamilton’s six wall-sized works each tell a unique story through album covers and vinyl records surrounding the in the Gerald and Dorit Paul Galleries in the Indianapolis Museum of Art at and communicate a sense of nostalgia and contemplative wonder. The artworks are autobiographical in nature but were created to draw every viewer in and encourage them to connect.

The show is centered around two questions: What Did You Give? and What

Did You Receive? The answers to the questions are not absolute and are subject to viewers’ varying interpretations. Each work is mounted on its own wall to allow these two questions to wash over visitors as they make their way through the gallery.

The most personal piece, One Nation Under a Groove Box Set, Vol 2., contains nods to Richard Pryor, David Bowie, Michael Jackson, and Toro Y Moi, highlighting how certain music genres, albums, and songs can act as a soundtrack to memories and how a listening session can turn into the source of inspiration.

The exhibition is paired with a playlist

curated by Hamilton. This audio counterpart enhances the notion of the pushand-pull of shared experience versus unique perspective.

Hamilton’s exhibition is leaving an impression on the Indianapolis community, and his footprint in the city continues to grow through projects like B-SIDE Creative Campus, an arts campus on the east side of Indianapolis. He also has a current show at the University of Indianapolis’ Christel DeHaan Fine Art Center that details the impact of his creative pursuits and gives more information on the BSIDE Creative Campus artist-in-residency program, Creative Care.

Walter Lobyn Hamilton. Photo by Eric Lubrick. Courtesy of the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields.

Walter Lobyn Hamilton (American, b. 1985), One Nation Under a Groove Box Set, Vol. 2, 2023, wood, vinyl records, vinyl albums, record player, 15.75ft wide x 7.5ft tall x 6in deep. Commissioned by the Indianapolis Museum of Art at Newfields. © Walter Lobyn Hamilton

Classic Cool

ENDEAVOR RESTAURANT GROUP’S LATEST CONCEPT IN THE FORMER FISHERS LOUVINO SPOT AIMS TO REMAKE THE STEAKHOUSE WITH CUES FROM A PRE-PROHIBITION SALOON.

BY TERRY KIRTS

WHILE IT MAY be closing in on 100,000 residents today, in 1920, Fishers was a railroad town of just under 150 that had only recently dropped the word “Switch” from its name. At the start of Prohibition, there likely weren’t many speakeasies in town with wingback chairs, shimmery flocked wallpaper, and bars wrapped in sculpted tin tiles. That Louisville-based Endeavor Restaurant Group is aiming for just such a low-lit vintage aesthetic at its newest restaurant venture may be surprising, given that everything in Fishers’ rapidly developing downtown seems aimed at showing off contemporary suburban

REVIEW

ingenuity. But Cooper & Cow pulls off the retro mystique, both in its sparkle and in its soft-spoken vibe, giving hope that quiet, elegant dinner spots are back in style.

“We weren’t necessarily going for fine dining,” says general manager Matt Bauer, who was brought onto the project last August. “We wanted something with a bit more of a raw look, with a quieter, date night appeal.” To achieve that, Endeavor capped the modest space at just around 100 seats and limited party size to six. Background jazz may be from decades after Prohibition, but you can easily chat over it. And while much of the unfinished look of the former LouVino stayed, including the rustic wood tabletops, the new owners redesigned the cabinetry

COOPER & COW

8626 E. 116th St., Fishers 317-288-2801 cooperandcow.com

HOURS

Mon–Thu 5–9 p.m., Fri–Sat 5–10 p.m., Sun 4–9 p.m.

VIBE

Speakeasy steakhouse

TASTING NOTES

Prime aged steaks, thoughtful seafood options, and classic sides with rustic modern touches

NEIGHBORHOOD

Downtown Fishers

MUST-ORDER

Flaky, moist king salmon with parmesan risotto, tender wagyu flank steak, seared scallops, and a smooth house old fashioned

3-STAR RATING

Clockwise: The house bourbon chocolate layer cake. A platter of tender, beautifully marbled wagyu flank steak. The decor is a big part of the swank, chill speakeasy vibe at Cooper & Cow.

behind the bar with a rolling access ladder. Bourbon barrels were sourced from spirits vendors as an homage to CEO Steve Ritchie’s ancestor John Ritchie, one of Kentucky’s first bourbon distillers. That means the house Cooperage Old Fashioned made with Sazerac bourbon is one of the smoothest in the city, with welcome rich undertones of two kinds of bitters.

What is less of a surprise is the new concept’s dinner fare. A glance at a list of last year’s restaurant openings makes it clear that, at least when it comes to steakhouses, Indianapolis can’t quit them. For now, Cooper & Cow’s slate of USDA Prime aged cuts is short and overseen by Anthony’s Chophouse and Prime 47 veteran chef Scott Marmaduke, who peppers the menu with plentiful seafood offerings and modern twists, both gilded and dressed down. He dolls up the more typical shrimp cocktail with shellon lobster tail and Scotchscented cocktail sauce while at the same time offering a funky deconstructed take on the Chinese American favorite crab rangoon as a hearty dip with wonton chips. More traditional starters pack good flavor but could use some refining. Crab bisque is thick, without the expected lightness of seafood stock or the bracing hit of sherry and brandy. A wedge salad is made less stuffy with a light, bourbon-enriched vinaigrette, but shredded white cheddar lacks much richness or tang. Main dishes, however, are where Marmaduke’s kitchen shines. A platter of ultra-tender, beautifully marbled wagyu flank steak is unlike most chophouse offerings, delicious on its own but even better with a restrained pour of bourbon mushroom cream. King salmon is lush, flaky, and perfectly seared, with tangy counterpoints from chunky cranberry chutney and aromatic marinated fennel. The risotto on the side may be a bit beyond al dente, but a salty, savory hit of parmesan is a great match to the salmon. The house burger, also made with wagyu beef, is juicy without being messy, and it benefits from a slab-cut slice of crisp

Top left: The house old fashioned. Top right: Savory, seared king salmon over risotto. Lower left: Cooper & Cow chef Scott Marmaduke. Lower right: The crispy, fried Brussels sprouts with champagne vinegar and Bresaola.

bacon and aioli lavished with caramelized onions. A bowl of deeply charred fried Brussels sprouts from the list of sides holds its own against other versions around town, brightened with champagne vinegar and finished with roasted garlic and bits of salty Bresaola.

Cooper & Cow’s arresting multitiered bourbon chocolate cake is the true showstopper, with layers of moist cake and fudgy ganache that are surprisingly less sweet than most steakhouse desserts. An artful crown of cut sugar glass makes

it worthy of any birthday or anniversary. Bauer says the restaurant is in the process of renovating its patio to include somewhere around 40 additional seats this spring, with pendant lighting and leftover patio fixtures from LouVino to help carry the interior ambiance outside. Whether the feel leans more toward the Fishers of the 1920s or the 2020s, diners will welcome the comfy swagger, and they’ll feel transported to a time when an intimate, elegant meal in serene environs was more the rule of the day.

PHOTOS BY TONY VALAINIS

8 C HEFS | 4 N IGHTS

1 I NCREDIBLE E VENT !

Our lavish four-night dinner series returns to celebrate the bounty of spring. Be sure to mark your calendar for this unique dining experience and enjoy a one-of-a-kind meal in a fun and festive atmosphere.

WWW.INDIANAPOLISMONTHLY.COM/SAVOR

Limited tickets available.

April 16-19

The Ritz Charles Carmel

6-9:30PM

Presenting Sponsor

Sponsors

Eyes on the SKIES

EDITED BY JULIA SPALDING

WRITTEN BY MICHELLE MASTRO, BRIAN D. SMITH, AND SAM STALL

On April 8, in roughly the same amount of time it takes to microwave a bag of popcorn, Indiana will be treated to one of the most stunning shows in the solar system. The 2024 Great North American Eclipse (when the moon aligns perfectly between the sun and the earth) will crawl across the country, tracing a wide path over the Hoosier state long enough to designate it the Eclipse Capital of the Midwest. There will be a sunset in every direction. Insects will become confused. Total darkness will fall upon the land. And if you blink and miss it, you’ll have to wait another 129 years to see it again. Welcome to the dark side.

SKY’S THE LIMIT

A PURDUE PROFESSOR EXPLAINS HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THE ECLIPSE.

WHENPurdue University professor Barrett S. Caldwell advises total eclipse newbies on how to get the most out of the historic April 8 event, he sounds more like a Zen master than a space specialist. “A solar eclipse is one of the most memorable experiences you can have as a human,” he says. “So just experience it. Don’t try to take pictures. The emotional and spiritual experience is the most important way you could spend those three to four minutes.”

Don’t talk, either—just listen. “You might hear night birds starting to call and daytime birds go quiet,” says Caldwell, a professor of industrial engineering, as well as aeronautics and astronautics. Rural observers may notice that as the eclipse ends, roosters start crowing and other farm animals become active again. And Caldwell, who also serves as director of the Indiana Space Grant Consortium, can discuss eclipses in professorial terms, too: “The diameter of the moon is 1/400th the diameter of the sun,” he says. “But the sun is 400 times farther away. So the discs of the sun and the moon are almost the same size, and that’s pretty amazing.” What else should you know before the world goes dark? Caldwell offers these words of enlightenment:

• The difference between a total eclipse and a partial eclipse, even at 99 percent totality, is like—well, night and day. Caldwell’s recommendation? “If you’re living outside the zone of totality, take some time off.”

• Don’t gaze at the eclipse without protective eyewear certified by the ISO (International Organization for Standardization), ordered from a trusted supplier, and “about a million times darker than regular sunglasses,” Caldwell says. He notes that the only exception to this rule is during totality, when it’s safe to remove the glasses (but don’t risk your retinas if you’re not sure).

• A low-tech kitchen utensil can help you follow the eclipse’s progress safely. “Hold up a colander and shine it on the ground,” he says. The holes in the bottom will create multiple images of the moon slipping in front of the sun on the ground.

• Don’t expect to see four minutes of midnight. “It’s full moon–dark,” he says, “a 360-degree sunset.” The temperature will drop accordingly.

• Would a cloudy day put the kibosh on eclipse viewing? Yes, it would, which is why seasoned eclipse chasers check the weather a couple days in advance and have a Plan B. But as Caldwell notes, the show will still go on above the clouds, and the sky will grow darker. “Even if it’s cloudy, you’ll notice a difference,” he says, “but of course, it’s more fun if it’s not!”

For anyone who still can’t decide whether the April 8 eclipse is worth the hype, consider how Caldwell was affected by a previous experience seeing one. “Even though I’m an engineer and I understand the science,” he says, “it’s an amazing and transformative experience. Words fail you.” His reaction to the spectacle was simple, heartfelt, and human: “I cried.”

Totality by the Numbers

115 miles of the moon’s shadow will advance across Indiana in a northeasterly direction.

2,0000 Speed of the shadow during its Indiana tour. mph

1

5 05 0

Odds it’ll be cloudy on April 8, based on weather records of previous years. It will still get dark, of course. You just won’t be able to see the eclipse itself very well.

35% Chance that we’ll get precipitation on April 8. Which would pretty much spoil the fun.

U.S. states

5 will see a full solar eclipse.

3 :5 0

minutes

100 % area of the sun covered

The duration of full eclipse, or totality, that Indy will enjoy. The closer you are to the center of the moon’s shadow, the longer this period lasts. Indianapolis is in a near-perfect spot, earning us almost the maximum possible time.

1:50 3:07 p.m.

Time the eclipse will begin in Indianapolis

p.m. Time of peak totality in Indianapolis

20

up to years

819 8

129

Degrees the temperature could drop during totality. years since the last total eclipse graced the land that would become Indiana. It was 1205, when Notre Dame de Paris was about halfway built. until the next, due to swing by on October 17, 2153.

EYES ON THE SKIES

FROM HERE TO TOTALITY

A CHECK-IN WITH TOWNS ALONG

THE PATH OF TOTALITY.

THE upcoming eclipse will cut a diagonal path across Indiana from just west of Evansville to just east of Fort Wayne, darkening an area 115 miles wide. But not all points in the zone of totality are created equal, thanks to the roundness of the moon’s shadow. Stand near the center line of the eclipse, and you’re guaranteed about four sunless minutes. Stand near the edge, and it could all be over in a couple of seconds—which would be a monumental missed opportunity.

Hundreds of thousands of eclipse chasers will soon descend on the state in search of that perfect viewing spot— most likely as close to the center line as possible. It’s easy to find Hoosier cities with lengthy totality, but why stop there?

NASA scientists have the capability to “figure out exactly where the moon’s shadow will fall on the surface of the Earth, down to the city block,” says the website Space.com. An online interactive map by Xavier M. Jubier, a French eclipse enthusiast, shows similar detail.

Let’s put on the zoom lens and discover some of the businesses, schools, parks, and other sites that lie along the center line—and how they plan to respond to the wave of eclipse tourists who will, in some cases, nearly double the town’s population. City workers will be on-call. No parking signs will be placed (and ignored) along main thoroughfares. Golf carts will be a main mode of transportation.

The moon’s midsection will first

VINCENNES

shadow Indiana at 3:02 p.m. after trekking across southern Illinois. Bizarrely, because of the twisty Wabash River, it will toggle between Illinois and Indiana two more times before crossing Vincennes. The four minutes and five seconds of totality enjoyed in western Indiana will gradually shorten to three minutes and 59 seconds as the eclipse makes its way to the northwestern Ohio border, so Vincennes is rightly touting its status as having the “longest darkness in the state.”

Departing Vincennes, the moon makes a 40-mile beeline to downtown Bloomfield. Apparently, neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night— even when it’s only four minutes long—can prompt the closure of the Bloomfield Post Office, because it plans to follow its regular hours on April 8 according to an employee who declined to be named. He was unfazed by the anticipated human deluge: “We’re happy to have as many tourists as we can get in this little town.”

Nearly 25 miles away outside Bloomington, the colorfully named Hoosier Putt Hole miniature golf course will be open on a day it would normally

be closed. The eclipse’s center line intersects four of the 18 holes, and owner Mironda Carpenter sees opportunity in her moon-shadow location. “People will be parking for hours, and they’ll be looking for something to do,” she says.

Elsewhere in Monroe County, the scenery along the center line changes from putting green to forest green, falling across trails, backroads, and trees in Morgan-Monroe State Forest. The Indiana

Department of Natural Resources plans eclipse events at many other properties, but not this one, says Marty Benson, assistant director of communications. Regardless, he says, people are welcome to come to the forest and enjoy their own watching party.

In a Franklin business district surrounding U.S. 31, the Interchurch Food Pantry of Johnson County won’t even try to open April 8. “The timing couldn’t be worse,” says executive director Carol Phipps,

EYES ON THE SKIES

noting that the pantry’s usual hours of noon to 3 p.m. would run smack-dab into the 3:05 p.m. start of the eclipse.

Meanwhile, in Shelby County, the center line intersects parking lots at Triton Central High School and Middle School. Accordingly, the school system has declared an e-learning day, and as for eclipse viewing from the parking lots, “the campus will be completely closed to the public for the entirety of April 8.”

Knightstown will benefit from maximum totality, but the motherand-daughter proprietors of Timeless Furnishings and Itty Bitty Bakery—who share a downtown building on the center line—initially wondered “how big a deal this would be,” says mom Diana Eyster. They plan to open on a usual day off, with daughter Ashley Tunny pledging to prepare baked goods reflecting the cosmic theme of the day.

Finally, if you consider the solar eclipse a miracle of creation, you have to admire the Creator’s sense of irony. When the moon throws shade on Randolph County, the last stretch before Ohio, it will achieve longest totality in that area over a portion of EDP Renewables’ Riverstart project— Indiana’s largest solar farm. The entire solar farm will go lunar as the zone of totality engulfs the county, spurring the office joke that the eclipse is “four minutes we won’t be making any money.”

RANDOLPH COUNTY

BLOOMFIELD

BLOOMINGTON

FRANKLIN SHELBY COUNTY

KNIGHTSTOWN

WATCH PARTY

The 20 best places to view the solar eclipse.

FROM TICKETED EVENTS TO LARGER FESTIVALS FREE TO THE PUBLIC, HERE’S A ROUNDUP OF ALL THE SPOTS TO CELEBRATE THIS MONTH’S MUST-SEE CELESTIAL EVENT.

White River State Park

Boasting multiple spots from which to view the eclipse—including Naptown, a chill zone with plenty of hammocks and chairs for lounging—the park’s free Lunacy! Solar Eclipse Festival will offer activities such as yoga and Tabata classes, and more than 40 food trucks will line up along the Old Washington Street Bridge. At the end of the festival, the sweet sounds of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra will herald the eclipse itself.

2

Conner Prairie 3

For the Total Solar Eclipse 2024 at Conner Prairie festival, the grounds will transform to include live music by Stella Luna & the Satellites and a light-themed performance by the dance group Uzima!. But the highlight will be a visit from astronaut Mark Brown, who will be on-site to teach kids about living and working in outer space. Tickets for the event are $55 and include eclipse glasses. For the celebrity experience, sign up for the $150 VIP Total Solar Eclipse Soiree that includes reserved parking, a shuttle, and exclusive viewing on the South Lawn.

New Harmony State Historic Site

Travel to the historic hedge maze shaped like a celestial body and head over to one of the town’s multiple viewing locations. Activities include a horizontal sundial.

4Indianapolis Motor Speedway

NASA chose the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s 2024 Total Solar Eclipse Event as one of its few broadcasting locations. Specialists will be on-hand to answer questions during a morning STEM Symposium, which will include an all-astronaut panel of experts. Before the eclipse, guests can watch the NTT IndyCar Series, with a designated team and driver completing laps. Admission is $20 per person, but this includes limited edition solar eclipse glasses and parking.

5

Indiana State Fairgrounds

Whether they drive in for a day visit ($25 admission) or camp out the whole weekend ($100), Solar Eclipse 2024 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds attendees will get to share in the eclipse with experts from WTHR, such as the Sunrise news team and other notables who will oversee family activities throughout the day. Eclipse glasses are provided free to all guests. But the Indy fair vibes wouldn’t be complete without concessions such as Cosmic Corn Dogs, Eclipse Elephant Ears, and Solar Flare Funnel Cakes. Alcohol will also be cosmicthemed, ranging from Moonshine Eclipse to Solar Spritz.

6

Carmel Civic Center

The free Total Solar Eclipse at the Civic Center will feature a range of food and drink vendors, live music, and educational talks by eclipse experts. Stop by the big screen at Midtown Plaza for broadcast coverage of the eclipse.

Children’s Museum

As part of the Eclipse Extravaganza, kids’ activities will include the Solar Eclipse Main Station, where visitors can pick up their complimentary eclipse glasses, decorate them, and meet STEM educators. Next, they can head over to the museum’s STEM lab to learn about the science behind eclipses through hands-on activities and watch NASA’s eclipse programming by way of livestream.

Angel Mounds State Historic Site

This Evansville site was built centuries ago and explicitly designed to align with the sun. Experts will be on hand to help attendees discover why the people of the Middle Mississippian period created the mounds and connect these spaces with the solar eclipse. Admission to Total Solar Eclipse at Angel Mounds is $5 for adults and $3 for children.

9

Grand Park Sports Campus

The groundbreaking for Westfield’s science and space experience Grand Universe will be held here at its future site on April 8, the same day of the solar eclipse. In celebration, the Total Solar Eclipse at Grand Park Sports Campus promises to provide onsite telescopes that allow visitors to learn about the cosmos as well as a visit with special guest Dr. Mark SubbaRao, director of NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Tickets are $100 per standard-size vehicle.

Indiana State Museum

The Indiana State Museum will host activities and demonstrations throughout its day-long Total Solar Eclipse Celebration. Visitors can take this opportunity to check out one of the galleries’ highlights, a real moon rock, and take in the space-themed documentaries on the big screen at the IMAX Theatre. End your day at the museum watching the eclipse from the front lawn. The VIP Solarbration on the balcony offers a direct line of sight, plus eclipse-themed hors d’oeuvres and drinks. Registration is $20 for adults and $14 for youths.

11 14

French Lick Resort

Looking for a spot to enjoy the eclipse in style? The French Lick Resort’s 2024 Total Solar Eclipse party will provide designated viewing locations for hotel guests, plus memorabilia and souvenirs (including special etched Woodford Reserve bottles). Complimentary viewing glasses will be available, and the day-long event will feature family-friendly activities, photo ops, and themed restaurant specials.

12

Hotel Tango

The Indianapolis distillery will feature an eclipse menu of space-themed cocktails with fun names such as Freddie Purrcury in Retrograde, Let’s Get Astrophysical, and Plutonic Relationship.

Whitewater Canal State Historic Site

Kids will love the crafts at this Metamora event, including a corona coloring activity, solar eclipse demonstrations, and the on-site working Grist Mill’s spinning sun, Earth, and moon models.

Woolly Yak Ranch & Winery

Those who want to enjoy the eclipse’s celestial wonder while basking in some down-to-earth Indiana farm vibes will want to check out A Total Eclipse Celebration at Woolly Yak Ranch & Winery in Arcadia. Attendees can sip small-batch wine while watching ranch animals react with surprise as the sun disappears. There will be plenty of food in a picnic setting, plus an artisan market, music, and a children’s play area. Tickets are $8 and include eclipse glasses.

15

T.C. Steele State Historic Site

Visitors to this Nashville historic site can check out the total solar eclipse from a hilltop in Brown County while exploring the natural setting the famous artist T.C. Steele loved and the historic home he built. Kids’ activities will include an outdoor stomp rocket station and solar system puzzles, plus an orbital model to explore. Tickets are $15 and come with eclipse glasses.

Strawtown Koteewi Park

17

Lake Lemon

Camping enthusiasts who travel to Bloomington’s Total Solar Eclipse by the Lake can take in 14 acres of unobstructed views at Lake Lemon’s Riddle Point Park and take advantage of plenty of opportunities for fishing by boat or along the 24 miles of shoreline. Braver guests can take part in the “solar” lake plunge. The location also promises artists, bands, and entertainment as part of the park’s two-night package for tent and RV camping.

13 1 8 16

The Moon Market at The Taylor Center of Natural History in Noblesville will offer eclipse-themed crafts and host vendors selling celestial-themed items. Visitors will be able to behold the solar eclipse at a reserved spot east of the Taylor Center with an option to tailgate. The price for admission is $5, and registered attendees will receive complimentary eclipse glasses.

Cool Creek Park

Come to the Park Side of the Moon at Cool Creek Park in Carmel for the live entertainment on the pavilion stage. Stay for the free kid zone full of family activities. Educational speakers, crafts, and displays will also be stationed throughout the outdoor event and inside the educational trailer and nature center. Whether you park or tailgate, do not skip a stroll around the beautiful grounds and creek. The $10 registration fee includes a pair of eclipse glasses.

Newfields

Spend the day taking in the art and beautiful gardens, enjoying live music with multiple DJs (plus fire performers), and noshing on treats from food and beverage vendors. The $34 tickets to Total Eclipse of the Art at Newfields include admission to The Lume featuring Dalí Alive. End the day at The Lume cafe with a champagne toast.

Terre Haute

Te rr e H au t e

Events will be g will g A Tot

8. These in in theTerreHaute theTerreHaut

Events will be going on citywide in Terre Haute for A Total Eclipse of the Haute on April 8. These include a special exhibit at the Terre Haute Children’s Museum featuring hands-on activities and the chance to dress up like an astronaut. Meanwhile Griffin Bike Park will have a group “daytime night ride” for all ages, and ISU’s Memorial Stadium will host a three-mile run/ walk and one-mile fun run. Stop by The Sycamore Winery for a viewing party of the solar eclipse on their 60-acre property.

Total RECALL

AN ECLIPSE CHASER RECALLS HIS 2017 QUEST. By Brian D. Smith

I WAS

never partial to eclipses. Not that the subject of outer space didn’t fascinate me. As a schoolkid, I watched Star Trek and Lost in Space, read The How and Why Wonder Book of Planets and Interplanetary Travel, and collected Gordon’s Potato Chips space coins. I searched the night sky for planets, and satellites, and falling stars.

I wanted to like eclipses, too, but the kind we got in Franklin, Indiana, never lived up to their billing. Indy newscasters would geek out over a coming partial eclipse, and I would stand outside at the appointed time only to see the sky turn dingy gray for a couple minutes before resuming regularly scheduled programming. So when I heard that a total eclipse would sweep through Kentucky on August 21, 2017, I had no interest in joining the pilgrimage. Fool me twice, shame on me—especially if I have to drive three-and-a-half hours to get there.

But a couple days before the celestial event, my attitude got a radical reordering. Some astronomer on the radio was endorsing the approaching sky show in terms I couldn’t dismiss: “A total eclipse is the most spectacular sight you can witness from Earth!” Suddenly, I grasped the significance of the word “total,” something I missed in my youth. As Darth Vader once said: Never underestimate the power of the dark side. But with two days to go before the event, my trip to the shadows was already gearing up to be more like a DoorDash delivery than an eclipse excursion. With two gimpy cars in the driveway,

the best I could do was rent an SUV for my wife, Marcella, and myself. And there wasn’t a pair of viewing glasses to be found in metro Indy.

On Eclipse Day, we left home with three hours to spare, expecting to reach Kentucky in enough time to eat a bucket of Extra Crispy before we caught the eclipse. But the slowness of the rental car agency burned 20 of our minutes, and a smooth first hour on the highway terminated in a sudden slowdown—incredibly, one of the two southbound lanes had been barricaded for road repair, with nary a worker in sight. With all the speed of a Little League parade, we snaked down to Evansville to

On Eclipse Day, we left home with three hours to spare, expecting to reach Kentucky with enough time to eat a bucket of Extra Crispy before we caught the eclipse.

find traffic creeping at an even slower pace across the Ohio River bridge ahead of us. By the time our tires touched Kentucky pavement, we were inside our last hour.

We’d brought an information sheet with a map showing the zone of totality and how long it would last in various towns. The map said we were still 40 minutes away from the edge of the zone. But if you want to fully experience an eclipse, it’s not enough to reach the zone’s edge. Since the moon is roundish, it casts a shadow that’s smaller at the top and bottom than in the middle. Thus, people who stand at the inside edge of the zone may experience totality for only 1 or 2 seconds, which is like flying to Hawaii just long enough to wave at the hula dancers.

It came down to this: There were two major thoroughfares into Kentucky’s interior, and I didn’t trust either of them. See, superslabs like I-69 and U.S. 41 attract swarms of neurotic tourists who choose itineraries as if their maps depicted pictures of grotesque creatures and the warning, “Here there be dragons,” everywhere else.

MACIASZEK

On the MAP

EIGHT INDIANA MAYORS WHOSE TOWNS LIE IN THE DIRECT PATH OF THE SOLAR ECLIPSE PREPARE FOR THEIR FOUR MINUTES OF FAME.

IN TOWN: What better place to spend the duration of the historic solar event than under the stars at Noblesville’s Ruoff Music Center? The Total Eclipse Tailgate will include live entertainment, food trucks, and a NASA expert speaking about the solar eclipse.

“We’re planning our festivities through the Parks Department on Sunday, the day before. We know that Monday is when visitors are going to be coming into town. And that will be my ride-my-bike-to-work day.”

“We’re expecting a huge influx of people, but we have been planning this for way over a year. I just know that for the Fourth of July last year, we had 19,500 people, and traffic was pretty slow for a couple hours.”

“If you stand here on the bridge that connects Illinois and Indiana, you can see the eclipse from two different time zones and in two different states. We’ve been told to expect maybe 100,000 people.”

IN TOWN: Fishers sky-gazers will välkommen the eclipse by gathering in the IKEA parking lot to celebrate the once-in-a-lifetime event. Pre-register through the store’s website (and show proof of IKEA family membership) to join the festivities from noon to 4 p.m.

“The last time a solar eclipse came through here was 1869, which was the same year that our city was founded. The eclipse happened in August, and John Bicknell submitted his plat for the town in October. So we’re pretty confident he was here.”

“As a young man, I thought I wanted to be an astronaut—until I got a little bit older and realized that I don’t like roller coasters. I am a bit of a geek when it comes to this. Would I drive hours and hours to see it? Probably not. But it’s in my backyard!”

“We’re a community of 19,000 people, and they say 20,000 people will be coming here. Our airport is already full of reservations from people who want to fly in to the New Castle airport to watch the eclipse from the airport. They will just fly in and fly out afterwards.”

PHOTOS

TONY VALAINIS

Steve Barnett, Mayor of Franklin

Scott Fadness, Mayor of Fishers

Chris Jensen, Mayor of Noblesville

Joe Yochum, Mayor of Vincennes

Greg York, Mayor of New Castle

Mark Myers, Mayor of Greenwood

Scott Willis, Mayor of Westfield

Thomas Estabrook, Mayor of Bicknell

illustrations by

wild things the

by MEGAN FERNANDEZ, CAMILLE GRAVES, TERRY KIRTS, AMY LYNCH, JULIA SPALDING, AND TWINKLE VANWINKLE

A FORAGER’S FIELD GUIDE TO INDIANAPOLIS

Foraging for food was a way of life for our ancestors, a necessary survival skill that required equal parts prowess and respect for the land. A new generation of hunters and gatherers— call them urban foragers, backyard pickers, or supply chain disruptors—are learning how to identify and prepare food from nature’s buffet table. One of the truths they are learning is that it is a delicate ecosystem. “You have to remember that these plants are here for all of us, including the wildlife,” one Hoosier forager says. Deer and mice can’t just run to the grocery store to get more food when they’re running low. To fill in some of the etiquette—and maybe prompt you to go out and explore the local plant life—we gathered up a basketful of information and inspiration.

CLAIRE HARRUP

Golden Globes

PULPY, ASTRINGENT YET SWEET, THIS LESSER-KNOWN FALL FRUIT STARS IN PUDDINGS, CAKES, AND PLENTY OF MIDWESTERN FAMILY LEGENDS. BY

TERRY KIRTS

OF ALL THE signs that autumn has finally arrived in the lower Midwest, few are as certain as when the persimmons begin to fall. Squishy, wrinkled, and blushing a pale peachy orange, these fruits, technically berries, look as though they’ve been dropped from alien spaceships, topped as they are with little spiked crowns. And their flavor is unlike any other: rich, honey-kissed, and just a touch meaty, like a cross between apricot and pumpkin.

When I was a boy, my great-aunt, an inveterate observer of the seasons, would march us out to the tree at the edge of her property on crisp days after the first frost, leaves crunching underfoot, to gather them up in a bucket or our shirttails. But she wasn’t so much interested in eating them as she was in what they could tell us about the coming season. Like flocks of migrating geese or bushy woolly worms, the pits of persimmons, when dried, somehow knew whether the winter months would be snowy, subzero, or mild, depending on whether the shadow inside the split seeds resembled a spoon, a knife, or a fork. We always believed it, though we never kept records to see if the predictions held true.

them in any stage before they’re soft and perfectly ripe. Green persimmons contain so much tannin, they’ll make you sick. “Want to trick some kids?” my dad used to ask, his eyes smiling. “Tell them to eat some unripe persimmons. They won’t stop puckering for days.”

I guess that’s why, years later, whenever I see blocks of persimmon pulp in the freezer at a local country market, I always grab a couple. I only remember my grandmother making persimmon pudding—the crown jewel of persimmon cookery—one time, but I loved it, while my family thought it an odd arrival to the holiday table, at least in comparison to brownies or my mother’s famous pecan pie. To me, they spoke of something ancient or native to home, and they had stories. I had grown up with all of the legends and jokes. You can’t pick them off the tree, you have to beat the birds to them when they fall, and you can’t eat

Persimmons grow in a wide swath across the Eastern United States, as well as throughout California and Asia, though those varieties are a completely different story. But the soils of Central and southwestern Indiana, especially near Mitchell, Indiana, where perhaps the only persimmon festival in the country is held every September, are especially shallow, rich in limestone, and well-drained. The summers are particularly hot and humid, perfect for producing quality persimmons. So sweet and prized are Indiana Uplands persimmon varieties, such as John Rick and Early Golden, that Indiana University geography professor Daniel Knudson, along with IU–Indianapolis geographer Jeff Wilson and researchers from universities in Palermo and Catania, Italy, have proposed granting local persimmons the status of a “geographical indication commodity,” similar to Bordeaux wine or prosciutto di Parma.

So, the next time you see persimmon pulp at places like Bloomington’s Dillman Farm or Tuttle Orchards in Greenfield, buy some for winter baking. Recipes for persimmon pudding, which is more a dense custard, abound on the internet. You’ll also find instructions for everything from fudge, to cookies, to muffins, and a recently viral recipe for Lucille Ball’s persimmon cake, dressed up with raisins, orange peel, and just about every spice in your cupboard. The pulp is versatile, and it substitutes well in recipes calling for sweet potatoes or applesauce. But they’re more special than that, as many Hoosiers know. They’re ours, if only for a few weeks out of the year.

PLUMP,

recipe

Persimmon

& Ginger Bread

This sweet slice of local flavor is perfect toasted and buttered up for breakfast or enjoyed as a late-night treat.

Makes two loaves.

INGREDIENTS

3 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 tablespoon ground ginger

2 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup unsalted butter, melted and at room temperature

4 large eggs, lightly beaten and at room temperature

2/3 cup bourbon

2 cups persimmon puree

2 cups pecans, toasted and chopped 2 cups candied ginger, diced

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Sift the flour, salt, baking soda, nutmeg, and sugar into a large mixing bowl.

3. Take a spoon and make a well in the center of the flour mixture.

4. Stir in the butter, eggs, bourbon, and persimmon puree.

5. Add the pecans and ground ginger.

6. Pour into two loaf pans wellgreased with butter.

7. Sprinkle the extra chopped candied ginger and pecans over the top and dust with extra sugar.

8. Place into heated oven for about one hour or until a fork or a toothpick inserted into the center of your loaf comes out clean.

Yes, we have Indiana bananas.

pawpaw patrol

DESCRIBED AS a hardy tropical fruit that tastes like a cross between a banana, mango, and pineapple, the Asimina triloba was seemingly once so plentiful that it inspired a folksy children’s song: “Pickin’ up pawpaws. Put ’em in a basket … Way down yonder in the pawpaw patch.” But these days, the potato-shaped, yellow-green treasures (which are related to the custard-apple, cherimoya, and soursop) are practically exotic fruits. They usually grow in groves of low trees and along rivers and streams, and anyone lucky enough to have access to a modern-day “pawpaw patch” knows to wait until the oblong fruits begin dropping from the branches in the fall, yielding scoopable, custard-like innards. Indiana lies right in the sweet spot for pawpaw trees, which grow wild across the southern states and as far north as Michigan. Due to the fruit’s distinct flavor and texture, Hoosiers have dubbed it the Indiana banana—though to be fair, our neighbors to the east claim it as the state fruit of Ohio.

The Hoosier Pawpaw company, a forest farming business, sells frozen pawpaw pulp and seeds (as well as

“Who’s yer pawpaw?” T-shirts). Upland Brewing Company makes a pawpawflavored, barrel-aged, fruited sour ale. And chefs at top restaurants such as Milktooth have played around with the hyper-seasonal ingredient.

The pawpaw has managed to achieve such Top Chef status despite its tendency to be anything but easy to work with. The skin bruises in an instant, and the flesh is shot through with rows of flat seeds. Pawpaws, like the temperamental avocado, are at their peak when slightly soft to the touch. You can’t cut into one too soon or let it linger a day too long.

If pawpaws are indeed having a moment (and in Indiana, that moment occurs sometime between September and October) be sure to take full advantage of it. “I just made some pawpaw–coconut milk ice cream,” says Carrie Vrabel, a wild-food forager who is working on an Indiana University Press guide to wild edible plants native to the state. She freezes pawpaws to store them but insists the best way to enjoy one is to simply cut it open and bite into it. “It’s never better than when you get it perfectly ripe.”

HOW TO EAT A PAWPAW theinwild

STEP ONE: Find a pawpaw tree. This is usually the most challenging step.

STEP TWO: Shake the tree.

STEP THREE: Gather up the pawpaws. Perfectly ripe ones will have a slight give when you press on them. A few brown blotches are fine.

STEP FOUR: Slice horizontally around the pawpaw as you would an avocado to form two bowls. The skin is delicate enough to be pierced with a fingernail, but do not eat the skin.

STEP FIVE: Use a spoon to loosen the pulp from the cavity. Eat it.

STEP SIX: Spit out the seeds.

WWHEN he’s not busy in the kitchen at Tinker Street, sous chef Eric Neylon is likely to be foraging regional terrain in search of edible treasures (follow him on Instagram @eric.ofthewoods). Here, the wild mushroom enthusiast shares some thoughts about his passion for the delicacies, advice on how to hunt them, and preparation suggestions:

I’ve always been interested in mushrooms. There are pictures of me as a child playing with huge chlorophyllum molybdites (false parasols). We had honey mushrooms in my yard that my friends and I would mess around with, and I have memories of stomping on old giant and small pear-shaped puffballs. Friends had morel spots, and I would get to eat some every now and then, but it wasn’t until I was a young adult in my 20s that I found big patches of chanterelles on a backpacking trip. I’ve been hooked ever since.

I took Stephen Russell’s morel and wild mushroom courses at Purdue University, and I foraged mushrooms and other items for Indianapolis restaurants and chefs for the latter half of the 2010s. It got me into the culinary scene here and allowed me to rub elbows with people making waves in our food community. I consider myself a citizen scientist or an advanced self-taught amateur mycologist.

In my earlier years, I would hunt mushrooms all year round, even in the winter. I grew up in Indianapolis, so if I travel to hunt, it’s normally not far from here. My favorite spots are the ones close to home. Wild mushrooms are unpredictable. Sometimes you find nothing but old spent mushrooms or a haul that human or animal foragers have already gotten to. If they’re fresh and choice, they’re far beyond the quality you can find in big

the woodsman

Tinker

Street’s resident mycologist takes us along on a mushroom hunt.

stores. Choice edibles are the wild mushrooms that are the most sought-after—morels, chanterelles, truffles, and maitake.

At Tinker Street, I like to preserve a lot of the wild stuff we bring into the restaurant, and I try to incorporate that larder into much of what I do here. We have some amazing mushroom farmers in the state that we source from, as well—Jim Berk from Freedom Valley Farm, Emma Brown from Forage & Cultivate, and Jon and Demi Godar from Eli Creek Family Farms provide us with a lot of our wild mushrooms and farmed mushrooms.

Indiana has an abundant variety of edible wild mushrooms. You can commonly find maitake, oysters, chicken of the woods, morels, lion’s mane, chanterelles, puffballs, wild enoki/velvet foot, boletes, wood ears, blewits, and brick caps. Chanterelles are my favorite culinary mushroom, specifically the smooth chanterelle and the red cinnabar chanterelle. Morels are good, but not as good as chanterelles. Lion’s mane is such a cool and interesting mushroom, and it’s great-tasting if you find it in good condition. Usually, they’re waterlogged from rain and act as sponges. Puffballs are OK as a survival food; they often look fine on the outside but are yellow and unusable on the inside when dissected.

My best hunting advice is to learn about the toxic lookalikes and the trees in your area. You’ll need to read a lot of books and watch a lot of YouTube if you want to eat what you find. Mushroom hunting is a practice necessitated by survival, and now it’s a trending hobby. It’s easy to forget how dangerous it can be, but I also don’t want to perpetuate mycophobia. As long as you do your research, you’ll be fine.

The Hunter

MY LATE BROTHER JOHN WOULD FIND 1,000 MOREL MUSHROOMS IN A SEASON. FOR HIS SAKE, DON’T CALL IT FORAGING.

BY MEGAN FERNANDEZ

A LOT of us in Indy are firstgeneration “off the farm,” as a former boss once teased. We grew up in or outside of a small town, went to a college in-state, and landed in the city. Some of us speak with a twang, and some don’t, but we all notice that things sound different in a place where simple things become lifestyle trends. Where we’re from, shiplap is just is your grandma’s holdover ’70s paneling.

One of the latest rebrandings is mushroom hunting. Now, take it from someone who was dragged into the woods on April Sundays after church—it’s deathly boring to scour for the mystical morel, toeing aside leaves for a glimpse of a honeycombed dome peeking through nature’s carpet. Hours pass without finding anything but worms. You get a crick in your neck for nothing. But now that it’s trending, I feel protective of the tradition. Mushroom hunters appreciate the beauty and solitude of the woods and the bounty it provides in a way I’m not sure urban foragers do—or, more charitably, have had a chance to.

hunting was his priority.

Like any hardcore mushroom hunter, he had his secret honey holes, but he was always searching for more. “One day he brought in some maps,” says a former coworker, Melissa Schocke. “I asked him what he was going to do with them, and his reply was, ‘Map out what property was owned by the county and hit the mushrooms hard Sunday.’” Sometimes he vied for territory with turkey hunters, whose season is also in April and May. Turkey hunters don’t like mushroom hunters walking around and spooking their prey. “We once snuck into a honey hole that at the time was leased to hunters, so we went at midnight,” says his friend Seth Bundy. “We hiked up this steep ridge and found tons of mushrooms with only flashlights. As we descended the ridge, we must have disturbed a wild turkey roosting, and all of a sudden it started gobbling and took off right next to us.”

looking on the ground. But what made him a legend in his parts was his relentlessness, according to our brother Dan. “He kept a close eye on the weather and would schedule his vacation when he thought it would be ‘hot’ in the woods. He kept maps, took notes, and tried to beat other people to the patches.” John had a rivalry with a guy who hunted some of the same spots, and John would leave a cigarette butt on the ground after picking it clean, so the other guy knew he had beaten him there.

No one loves morel hunting more than my late brother John did. He was a country boy in the truest sense. He revered nature, its beauty big and small. He memorized the yellow issues of National Geographic that filled our family bookshelves in the 1970s and ’80s, rereading them decades later. He explored all of the county’s caves and knew every knob and backroad for miles. He reserved his strongest passion for mushroom hunting. John engineered his life around the brief season that usually begins in mid-April, depending on the weather. He liked to spend eight hours at a time walking the woods, and if he had to quit a job to make it happen, so be it. He lived at home until his mid-30s. Mushroom

A good season would yield 1,000 morels. He knew other people’s tallies, too. “Friendships have ended over mushrooms,” John told me once. “People have probably been shot over them.” He didn’t sell his prizes to area chefs, even though he could have gotten $80 a gallon, he claimed—and God knows he could have used the money to heat his little country shack. He ate them himself, sauteed in butter, and gave them to friends.

“Friendships have ended over mushrooms,” John told me once.

John could distinguish a morel from a trumpet from a distance and knew to look for dead elm, poplar, and ash trees when in new territory, locating the trees first before

Mushrooms were how John bonded with his best friends. “I always remember hanging out with John right before mushroom season,” Daniel Briscoe says. “He always had plat maps and topo maps, studying land elevations and property owners. He was like Indiana Jones looking for treasure. He would explain why he [thought a spot was] the best place for mushrooms. I always loved telling stories about the terrain where I found mushrooms compared to his. It was like passing notes.”

The only things

John loved more than mushrooms were God, his family, and maybe steak sauce for the 11 months of the year he wasn’t mushroom hunting. “I remember one time we had an awesome mushroom season, and John’s refrigerator was so full of mushrooms I [wondered] where he was going to keep his A.1.,” Daniel says.

John died suddenly seven years ago, a few months after his last mushroom hunting season. If you go looking for morels, please drop a cigarette butt in his honor.

natural connection

CCUSI BALLEW describes the ritual he observes every time he goes foraging: “Before we go out, we lay down sema, and then we talk about our intentions,” he says. Ballew is a member of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi, whose territory ranges through Northern Indiana and parts of Michigan, Wisconsin, and Illinois. And sema is tobacco, a powerful medicine for the Potawatomi, given as a gift to enable humans to communicate with the spirit world. Offering sema is the first step in any communication with the spirits, including the plant spirits. “When we harvest plants, we also lay down sema and talk about our intentions and tell the plant why we’re harvesting them and what we need,” Ballew explains.

Ballew treats his interactions with nature as “a relationship in the deepest of senses,” founded on gratitude and reciprocity. “Think of [plants and animals] as the ‘old ones,’ those who paved the way for us humans, who made a place for us and who have given so much and continue to give,” he says.

The Potawatomi abide by the principle of taking 20 percent and leaving 80—a practice the European settlers called lazy. But this was a part of the core “mindset of abundance” with which the Potawatomi approached their relationship with nature, not simply extracting whatever they could get away with, but encouraging their natural surroundings to thrive. The point isn’t to take as much as you can get. “We concerned ourselves with how little do we need,” Ballew says.

MORE THAN JUST A WAY TO TAP A NEW RESOURCE, FORAGING IS A WAY TO BUILD A RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE.

of low-maintenance curation of the natural environment as “forest gardening,” and there is evidence that it was a common practice across the pre-industrial world.

Michelle Evans, Domestic Trades manager at Conner Prairie, tells of the scores of hazelnut shells found underneath the fl liam Conner’s homestead, left by mice centuries ago: evidence of a large number of hazelnut bushes that once covered the area. Evans believes they may have been so bountiful due to the eff Miami or Lenape communities who lived along White River.

“I think that sometime a long way back in our past, we found out the hard way.”

Ecologists often refer to this sort

But scientific terminology doesn’t capture the depth of the Potawatomis’ fellowship with their environment. Ballew emphasizes that what he is doing is communicating with and sharing gifts with a loved one. While an analytical approach can reveal data that helps us understand our world and adjust how we interact with it for the better, it lacks reverence for how profoundly our lives are tied to its balance. “I sometimes worry that science is too invasive. If you want to know what’s in the heart of a loved one, you listen to them. You ask them questions. You pay attention to them. You don’t cut them open and look in their heart,” Ballew says.

tale as old as time. Ballew points out that there’s a reason the Potawatomi developed their “mindset of abundance” and that the rituals symbolizing its importance, like off sema, endure. “You’ve probably seen quotes throughout the years of—not just Potawatomi—but of Native peoples telling colonizers, ‘If you keep going on this way, you’ll see that sh stop running abundantly, and the waters become poisoned,’” Ballew says. “A lot of times, if you’re not part of the dominant culture, cant stories, be they spiritual or physical, get cast off as mythology. But I think that sometime a long way back in our past, we found out the hard way.”

When you consider the extreme threat so many animal and plant populations on our planet are under and how depleted our resources are becoming, the sacredness of the practices Ballew describes make sense. Collapse based on the overexploitation of resources is a

Ballew encourages foragers to create networks. Instead of being secretive, share. Notify others when a spot is harvested, and collaborate on keeping those spots thriving. Cultivate your own yard with plants that help repair the ecosystem, like milkweed, which is edible when harvested and prepared properly and is crucial to monarch butterflies, whose population has declined by 90 percent in two decades.

He also suggests planting other species that feed both you and wildlife, like wild strawberries and sunflowers, as well as bushes and shrubs that grow berries, like chokecherries, because they require little watering. In general, native pollinator gardens and rain gardens— which rely on runoff from your roof—are excellent ways to combat grass monoculture, foster abundance of local plants, and build a relationship with the earth—which will gift you with edible plants.

And remember: They are gifts. Don’t take them lightly. To help with this, Ballew advises building a ritual around foraging to help you grow into a new mindset.

recipe

Elderberry and Dark Cherry Jam

Elderberries have always been a little controversial. These tiny, dark berry clusters often found on the roadside are packed with flavor, and their flowers are delicate and earthy. Whether they ward off cold and flu may always be a heated debate. There is no argument, however, that the sweet, fruit-laden jam is the sweetest slather on your biscuit.

Makes about 6 half-pint jars. Eating raw elderberries is not recommended.

INGREDIENTS

Zest of 2 medium lemons

2 pounds elderberries, destemmed, rinsed, and dried

2 pounds fresh or frozen dark cherries (fresh cherries should be pitted)

4 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

SUGGESTED EQUIPMENT

You’re going to need a very large pot. Get at least the 21.5-quart size to ensure you have enough space at the top for canning.

Make sure to purchase a standard canning rack. It should have handles to help lift the jars out of the hot water, keep the jars from hitting the bottom or bumping into each other, and allow water to flow on all sides of the jars for even processing.

Make sure to grab a canning funnel. Its spout is larger than a regular funnel and fits inside a 2- to 3-inch jar mouth, perfect for ladling jam, salsa, or even veggies.

Before starting, sterilize jars and let dry on a clean cloth or drying rack, ready to be filled with delicious jam.

1. Combine zest, sugar, elderberries, cherries, and salt in a large, wide heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir well and let sit for about an hour.

Note: You are not placing the pan over heat yet. This process is referred to as maceration, and you can do it a full day in advance by placing the pan in the fridge, if you like. Macerating releases the sugars and enzymes in the fruits to help create a thicker syrup. Dry sugar poured straight into the pot can quickly caramelize while you are cooking down your fruit, but letting the mixture sit first allows the sugar to blend in with the fruit juice before you begin cooking.

2. Place your macerated fruit mix on the stove on medium low heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly and gently, to dissolve the sugar.

3. Once boiling, continuously stir to keep sugars from caramelizing. You want your jam mixture to reach the gelling point—about 180 degrees.

4. Continue to boil for about 30-45 minutes to reach the perfect gel temp—220 degrees.

5. Simmer a small saucepan of water on the stove and submerge jar rings

and lids. This will soften the rubber on the lids to help create a better seal once you have filled your jars and are ready to process.

6. When your fruit is at the gelling point, remove from heat and ladle it into your previously prepared canning jars, leaving 1/4 inches at the top. Tap to let the air bubbles rise and escape.

7. Wipe your rims with a damp, clean cloth or wet paper towel, cover with lids, and screw on rings.

8. Place jars gently into a water bath using a canning rack and process for at least 10 minutes. Water should be on a high simmer, and jars need to be fully submerged with at least 2 inches of water covering them.

9. When jars have been submerged for 10 minutes, pull them out of the water and cool completely on a cooling rack or clean towel. Jars will “ping” or “pop” as they cool, so don’t be alarmed. That’s the jars sealing. Let them cool overnight for the best seal.

10. If you don’t want to water process or fool with canning methods at all, you can skip boiling the jars. Instead, seal well in the sterilized jars and freeze for up to one year.

GATHER ROUND

Finding and identifying forage-worthy plants is even more fun when it’s a group effort. These local support systems provide valuable information and resources with a “the more, the merrier” approach.

WILD EDIBLE INDIANA

Led by experienced forager Carrie Vrabel, who is certified as a Wild Mushroom identification expert by the state of Indiana and the state of Michigan, this group exists mainly as an online hivemind resource, but it also offers scheduled in-person foraging classes and nature walks. wildedibleindiana.com

PERSIMMON HERB SCHOOL

From their food forest between Irvington and Beech Grove, founders Greg Monzel and Colleen Donahoe share their “commitment to ecological peace and balance” through classes, workshops, and community events. persimmonherbschool.com

INDIANA HERBAL CENTER

Located in Bloomington, this “gathering place for those who wish to reconnect to the ancient use of plants as medicine” offers classes and workshops in the form of Plant as Portal Herbal Apprenticeships. indianaherbalcenter.com

championing the ramp

A cadre of chefs and foodies with a love for foraging bring their longtime private rite of spring to a public ramp festival on the grounds of Kan-Kan Cinema and Brasserie.

RRAMPS, the funky, pungent wild leeks foraged from local woodlands, have become such a harbinger of spring at area restaurants that they show up in everything from pasta and pizza, to compound butters for steaks, to eggs Benedict, sausages, and pickle platters. They’re an ancient delicacy that inspired the name of Rapunzel in the common fairytale, and they’re a folk food favorite throughout Appalachia. Just a few years ago, however, almost no Indy diners even knew what they were. “We still get a few people asking if we’re sponsoring a skateboarding competition,” says Demian Hostetter, portfolio manager for Crossroad Vintners and an avid ramp fan whose mother is the legendary vegetarian chef and forager Becky Hostetter. He is also the lead committee member for Indy’s second Ramp Fest, scheduled for April 21 from 2–6 p.m. at Kan-Kan Cinema and Brasserie. The event is a celebration of all things related to this prized member of the allium family, which is available for just a few weeks of the year from late March to early May.

While this is just the second year the festival has offered sample dishes, drinks, live music, and pop-up shops to the public, the celebration is an homage to a much more longstanding spring ritual among friends. “The actual event goes back at least 15 years to the family farm of Jane Henegar near Bloomington,” says Hostetter. “Jane was offering the leeks to area chefs, and she invited some of them to come forage ramps on the farm. Someone decided to bring a cooler of beer, and the chefs got cooking.”

One of the chefs who joined in

this early iteration was the late Greg Hardesty, whose foundation and scholarship benefits from Ramp Fest proceeds, along with the American Civil Liberties Union. Hardesty often built a fire and made a paella dish dressed with ramps, similar to the way Spaniards from Catalonia dress their paella with calçots, a type of spring onion. During the Covid pandemic, the chefs stopped their foraging tradition, but a few decided to bring it back and make it a public event last year.

The festival will feature over a dozen chefs. Last year’s festival featured empanadas prepared by Julieta Taco Shop’s Esteban Rosas and dishes by Samir Mohammad of 9th Street Bistro, Nick Detrich of Bloomington’s Small Favors, and Chris Benedyk of Love Handle, and this year’s lineup is guaranteed to be just as special. The festival committee has expanded the ticket sales to 400 for this year’s event. Wine and spirits from Crossroad Vintners, including canned cocktails from 8th Day Distillery, will be on offer, as well as drinks from the bar inside at Kan-Kan. Stomping Ground owner Martha Latta will have spring bedding plants on display and for sale.

The committee has also timed the festival to be the day before Earth Day as a reminder to be mindful of what we can do to thank the planet for all of the delicious foodstuffs we take. “All in all, it’s a great way to get our food community together,” says Hostetter, mentioning that the festival raised $14,000 for charities last year, “and the ramp is a delicious reason to throw a party to spring.”

recipe

Sea Salt and Lemon Ramp Butter

Spread the flavor of locally sourced and foraged food with this recipe for a savory butter with hints of the wild garlic that grows around the Midwest.

Makes one pound of ramp butter.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup chopped ramps

1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest, minced

1 teaspoon cracked pink peppercorns

2 teaspoons crushed pink Himalayan salt

1 pound unsalted, high-quality butter, softened

DIRECTIONS

1. Make sure to wash ramps well, removing the roots. Leave the stems, leaves, and bulb.

2. Roughly chop ramps into smaller pieces, about 1-inch or 2-inch, so they fit nicely in your food processor.

3. Working in batches so you don’t overcrowd your food processor, pulse until the ramps are very finely chopped.

4. In a small bowl, mix the chopped ramps, lemon zest, cracked pink peppercorns, and pink Himalayan salt with the softened butter until everything is well-combined.

5. Roll out a square piece of parchment paper or plastic wrap and scrape the mix into a rectangle shape on one side of the paper or wrap. Leave 2-3 inches on each side of the rectangle. You can sprinkle salt, peppercorns, and extra lemon zest on the top for garnish.

6. Roll the butter up into the paper, making sure to leave space at each end. The butter should look like a log. Fold the ends over and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

7. The butter can be refrigerated for up to two weeks or stored for three months in the freezer.

Cracking the Code

THOUGH IT WAS NO BEAUTY, THE BLACK WALNUT TREE THAT SHADED OUR FAMILY’S INDIANA BACKYARD STILL LOOMS LARGE OVER MY CHILDHOOD. BY

JULIA SPALDING

SO MANY memories ride into our consciousness on the backs of taste and smell. If I take a swig of a full-sugared Coke that has sat out on the counter a little too long, the dull syrup tang takes me back to Ball State University circa 1989 and the cases of hyper-caffeinated Jolt Cola that got me through college all-nighters. The faintest whiff of powdery White Shoulders perfume reminds me of my mom. In the same way, black walnuts—the sweet, earthy flavor of the nuts and the sharp, citrusy smell of the trees—remind me of the landscape of my childhood backyard.

One massive black walnut tree dominated my play area. Its branches draped over the metal swing set with the legs that rocked

like a drunken robot if you swung too high. Its droppings turned everything in its shadow into an anklecracking minefield of slippery rot. It was too massive to climb and too gnarled to colonize with treehouses or tire swings. But I loved that cantankerous old tree. It got me hooked on black walnuts, sure, but it’s also the main character in of one of my favorite childhood flashbacks.

Every fall, my dad would bring an ancient burlap bag out of the garage for our family’s annual walnutgathering adventure. In hindsight, he likely wanted all the gooey walnut husks picked up and (using the classic Tom Sawyer versus the White Fence strategy) knew his littlest kid would provide the free labor if he made it seem fun.

I made it my mission to fill that crusty burlap bag with the devil’s Easter eggs as their decomposing skins stained my hands a deep and stubborn henna brown. A lifelong completist, I would fill the sack to its brim until I could barely drag it back into the garage, where it would languish on the cool concrete floor long enough for the walnuts’ outer layer to give way. Then, my siblings and I would grab our weapons of choice—a hammer, a brick, or a big rock—and get to smashing.

It was an inexact science.

Sometimes I’d crack right through the nut and ruin the meat winding through its delicate cavities. Sometimes I’d get a dried-out dud. Sometimes the shells became shrapnel that ricocheted off the garage walls.

We never seemed to come away from a walnut-cracking session with more than a saucer of nuts. That’s probably because we ate them as fast as we shucked them, plucking the buttery meat out of the shell like dainty Hoosier escargot. It tasted like a weird blend of ripe bananas, grass, and toolbox, somehow managing to register as both fresh and musky. And I’ll never forget it. Sometimes, when I’m going to town on a scoop of black walnut ice cream or biting into a thick slice of banana-walnut bread, I am transported back to my old tannin-stained garage floor— and the memory makes it taste even sweeter.

The Fight

A RISING NASHVILLE STAR, SEYMOUR’S STEPHEN WILSON JR . DRAWS ON HIS FATHER’S LESSONS FROM THE BOXING RING AS HE ENTERS THE COUNTRY MUSIC ARENA.

Wilson preps backstage before his Valentine’s Day performance on Late Night With Seth Meyers.

“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”

— MIKE TYSON

IIT WAS JUST AFTER 5 p.m. on February 14, Valentine’s Day, when reality hit Stephen Wilson Jr. like a jab square on the jaw. He was in Manhattan, Studio 8G in the legendary 30 Rockefeller Plaza, getting set to tape the musical performance for that night’s episode of Late Night With Seth Meyers It was Wilson’s network TV debut.

He had played in front of thousands of people at festivals and on tours of the United States and Europe in support of artists like Caitlyn Smith and Brothers Osborne, and his debut album, Søn of Dad, was named one of Rolling Stone’s Best Country and Americana Albums of 2023. Even so, when Meyers introduced Wilson to a packed studio audience and the camera that would broadcast his music to hundreds of thousands of households, the singersongwriter was initially stunned. “The energy was palpable and kind of terrifying. The adrenaline ... I’m still shaking,” says Wilson by phone six days later. “When Seth Meyers announced me, it hit me all at once: That’s my name. That’s my dad’s name. Oh my God. This is happening. This is a real thing.”

Viewers tuning in later that night (including Wilson, who had already flown back home to Nashville) saw a slightly dazed singer staring wideeyed through wire-rimmed glasses and long black bangs into the camera as he launched into the opening lines of “Cuckoo,” a workingman’s rant against a world he can’t control:

“

Bank owns the house. / Bank owns the land. / Boss owns the truck and the hammer in my hands. / Ex got the kids and half of my check. / Other half goes to the IRS. / Cuckoo!”

After a few seconds, Wilson closed his eyes for a moment, as if to collect himself. He quickly glanced at his fingers dancing on the neck of his acoustic guitar and then down at the pedal board at his feet. He was grounded, still humbled, but no longer overwhelmed by the moment.

Later, Wilson explains that in that

Winstant, his mind instinctively returned to Indiana. The studio spotlight transformed into the overhead ring lights at the Tyndall Armory in downtown Indianapolis. The stage became a boxing ring. And the middle-aged musician was suddenly a teenage fighter with his father in his corner, competing for the state Golden Gloves amateur boxing championship. “As freaked out as I was on the show, it was nothing compared to fighting in the Golden Gloves,” says Wilson. “Late Night was scary. But not that scary.”

“The fight is won or lost far away from the witnesses, behind the lines, in the gym and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights.” — MUHAMMED ALI

WILSON’S EARLIEST memories are smells, not sounds. Rubbing alcohol, stale sweat, leather boxing gloves, all under a hanging cloud of cigar smoke. His father, Stephen Wilson Sr., was a second-generation auto body mechanic by day, but his passion was boxing, and he would take Wilson along on the hour-long drive from Seymour to the dank and dark gyms of Indianapolis to watch him train. By the time Wilson was 7, he was lacing up the gloves himself, sparring with his younger brother, Nic, and anyone else close to his size. “My first stage wasn’t a stage,” says Wilson. “It was a boxing ring. I had to be brave enough to perform.”

Wilson’s father always thought of boxing as performance. He idolized Muhammed Ali, the ultimate showman, and to Wilson’s father, it was always important to put on a show for anyone watching. Even if you lost, you could still ingratiate yourself to the crowd by entertaining them.

Boxing was never about winning or losing to Stephen Sr., anyway. It was always about the training and preparation. That’s probably why he used the sport as a way to teach and discipline his sons. And as a single father, it

An early ringside snapshot of Stephen Wilson Jr. (left) with his father and brother, Nic.

was one of the few ways in which he could communicate with the boys. He hung a heavy bag in the basement and set up a ring in the barn, where he summoned Wilson and Nic, a year younger but always a little bigger, out to spar as he refereed. “He wasn’t easy on us,” says Nic. “We weren’t just hitting pads; he made us fight. It made us tough as nails. A lot of times, he put me to the test on my mental toughness. Part of the grit Stephen has is because he was tested early in life. You’ll get some adversity in your life. You have to come out swinging.”

Neither son resents their father for this trial by fist. In fact, they speak lovingly about those experiences and the self-reliance it taught them early on. But boxing is a solitary sport, and while it brought the three together as a unit and made them part of a larger community as they traveled the state to compete in Golden Gloves and other amateur tournaments, it also alienated them from the rest of small-town Seymour. Nic overcame this with his natural athleticism and outgoing nature, but Wilson was more of an introvert, interested in science and, by the time he was a teenager, music.

Wilson remembers riding the school bus more than an hour from his rural home to Seymour and being steeped in country music on the radio. Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, George Jones. In particular, he recalls overhearing Tim McGraw’s “Don’t Take the Girl,” a song that suddenly made him think about his mother living far away in Tennessee. “It made a mess of me in about two minutes,” says Wilson. “I was immediately struck by that wizardry: What the fuck happened to me? I’ve listened to songs before. How did this song do this to me?” He was also impressed by the artistry of fellow Seymour native John Mellencamp. “He’s a painter in his music,” says Wilson. “He was painting my town to a T and crushing it. I was living in that painting. I could validate it. I believed every word he sang.”

immersed in the grunge rock that dominated teen culture in the mid1990s. His friend gave him a book of tablature for Soundgarden’s alternative opus Superunknown, which featured guitar parts in untraditional tunings, offbeat time-signatures, and unorthodox arrangements. Wilson engaged his scientific mind and the training ethic his dad had instilled in him and learned every song. “That guitar became my superpower,” he says. “It helped me make friends. I just put myself out there and started playing. My crew found me.”

“It’s not about how hard you can hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.”

— ROCKY BALBOA

WWHEN WILSON eventually left Indiana for Nashville, Tennessee, where he wrote songs and played lead guitar in an indie rock band called AutoVaughn, he became even more appreciative of the resolve his father taught him in the boxing ring. “There are so many incredible musicians here, it’s a lot harder to impress people,” says Wilson. “When I moved here, I thought I didn’t have a chance. You’ll experience more rejection in one week of this business than most people will in their entire lifetime. I just wanted to quit.”

crisis of sorts. The classic commercial formula of Music Row had become volatile due to infusions of country pop, rock-based alt-country, hip-hopinfluenced bro-country, and rootsgrounded Americana. While Wilson’s work was steeped in elements of all those sub-genres, none of his songs fit neatly into any of them. He picked up credits on recordings by the likes of Brothers Osborne, Old Dominion, and Caitlyn Smith. Tim McGraw even recorded a Wilson song, bringing Wilson’s love for the artist full circle, though the track was never released.

Each time he was knocked down, Wilson returned to his faithful cornerman, his father, who was ready with a pep talk and a plan for moving forward. Stephen Sr. urged his son to get back out there, take control, and perform his own songs instead of giving them away to other artists. “I told him the same thing I’d told everyone else who asked, ‘I don’t sing the songs, I just write them,’” says Wilson. “Someone else sings them.”

Wilson’s dad took note. While the old man appreciated music and always seemed to have a song in his head, he didn’t speak the language. So, he bought his 16-year-old son a cheap guitar and left it in his bedroom, where Wilson spent hours pressing his fingers against the strings, determined to develop the calluses necessary to be a serious player. By then, Wilson was

Fortunately, it wasn’t Wilson’s only gig. After finishing up a degree in microbiology and chemistry at Middle Tennessee State University, he worked contract jobs in research and development for Mars, Inc. food company. His bosses knew he wrote songs while in the lab but didn’t seem to care as long as he got his work done. In fact, the only time a higher-up saw fit to intervene was to talk Wilson out of accepting a full-time position that would keep him from chasing his dreams. Scared of the “golden handcuffs” of the corporate world, Wilson set out on his own to be a songwriter. It took two years to get a publishing deal. And even then, success was a slog. This was 2016, and country music was in the middle of an identity

The ongoing argument ended abruptly in September 2018, when Stephen Sr. died of a sudden pulmonary disease. He was 59. Reeling from this blow, Wilson wanted to stop working altogether but was talked into playing at a songwriters’ festival in Deadwood, South Dakota, by a friend who was the event’s promoter. Wilson sang a cover of Ben E. King’s “Stand by Me,” which had given him comfort as a kid. “I sang that song like I was singing to my dad,” says Wilson. “It was more a plea than a song. I swear it was almost like he was a kid on my shoulders. It made me want to sing more and more and more. That’s when my artist was born.”

Wilson’s newfound singing voice is the most distinctive and polarizing aspect of his music. It’s like the snarl of a wizened truck driver, dipped in a Southern Indiana twang that drips thick from the corner of his mouth. You might even imagine it as the voice of a cartoon version of that stereotype—if you hadn’t also heard him speak in the same nasal tone for the duration of a 90-minute phone interview.

It can play like an affectation in songs like the foot-stomper “American Gothic” (“Mellencamp, Springsteen, marijuana, seventeen”) and the brocountry-adjacent rocker “Year to Be Young 1994” (“I must admit I felt the flame / Kurt Cobain, a Fender Mustang”). It provides a down-home contrast

to the deeper tones and thunderous rhythms of “Mighty Beast” and “Calico Creek,” which feel like Soundgarden.

But when Wilson gets tender, especially about the father/son dynamic, that same voice carries wisdom, power, and authenticity. “Henry,” for instance, is a sweet letter to his stepson (“You don’t have to call me daddy, / But you’ll always be my boy.”), and “Grief is Only Love” speaks to the core of anyone who has ever loved and lost (“Grief is only love that’s got no place to go.”). And of course, there’s the standout song “Father’s Son,” the title track of his album:

“I’ve never known better, / ’Cause every bone’s tethered. / You wanna change my name, / Gotta drain my blood. / God damn, I am my father’s son.”

“He found the voice I didn’t think he had until four or five years ago,” says brother Nic. “He’s turned his voice up to make Dad proud. [Before] my dad passed, I ran Wilson Auto Body with my dad. Now I’m running it. You don’t know you’re ready until it gets thrown in your lap and you don’t have him to fall back on, only the lessons he taught you.”

Even with his hectic performance

schedule, Wilson remains a member at a Nashville boxing gym where he goes to work out twice a week and find inspiration in the fighters he sees there. He draws on their discipline and their commitment to what they do, win or lose.

This is what makes sense to Wilson, a grown man who still summons his father’s ringside wisdom as he tries to navigate fame. He doesn’t sound quite confident that he’s ready for what lies ahead. But he also knows that, ultimately, it doesn’t really matter if you succeed or fail.

The fight is the point.

PHOTO COURTESY ACACIA EVANS

A HEALTH NETWORK THAT’S GROWING WITH YOU.

Hancock Health makes health possible.

As Hancock County continues to develop, we’re evolving to meet its health needs. At more than 30 locations, we give neighbors old and new all you need to be well physically, mentally, and emotionally. Discover a health network built around you at HancockHealth.org/Explore.

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ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY

GAME CHANGERS

YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE A PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE TO EXPERIENCE SPORTS- OR ACTIVITYRELATED INJURIES. FIVE LOCAL ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY SPECIALISTS WEIGH IN ON SOURCES OF PAIN, EFFECTIVE TREATMENT OPTIONS, AND PREVENTIVE MEASURES TO KEEP BONES, JOINTS, AND LIGAMENTS HEALTHY.

BY LORI ROBERTS

Athletic activities are good, right? They get your heart beating and can increase your muscle strength and endurance while offering social opportunities for people who like to exercise with others. The team sport model teaches young people to rely on each other for a common purpose. Athletics may even improve your mental health.

But what happens when you take a step in the wrong direction and feel a pop or a pain? What happens when your knees are still aching a day after an impromptu pickup basketball game with the kids? It

turns out that those healthy activities can sometimes lead to sports injuries, which can put us on the bench for a while. “For better or worse, the athletic pursuits we all love to do are always going to put us at risk for injury,” says Dr. Rodney Benner, an orthopedic surgeon with Shelbourne Knee Center. “It doesn’t matter what level of activity we engage in. There’s always a chance for injury.”

We talked to local orthopedic specialists to find out more about common athletic injuries and how to treat—or prevent—them. Read on for a deeper look into the the various types of sports and activity injuries that can disrupt your routine.

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WHERE IT HURTS

In the broadest sense, athletic injuries fall into one of two categories, says Dr. Troy Roberson, an orthopedic surgeon with OrthoIndy. Acute injuries are the ones that occur without warning. Think tendon ruptures, muscle sprains, or broken bones. “A certain thing happens, and the body isn’t made to accept it, and you have an acute injury,” Roberson says.

There are many different acute injuries, but some are more common than others. Here’s what our surgeons report seeing most often in the Central Indiana area, where we might not be participating in downhill skiing on a regular basis, but we love our youth sports and adult recreational activities:

• Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears are among the most common injuries in sports like soccer, football, or basketball. The ACL is a strong band of tissue that keeps your thigh bone connected to the shinbone via the knee joint. Most ACL tears are noncontact injuries, says Dr. Christopher DeFalco, an orthopedic sports medicine provider with the Community Health Network. Sometimes a quick turn or sudden stop can put excess

pressure on the ACL, and athletes report feeling a popping sensation.

• Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) tears affect the ligament that runs on the inner side of the elbow. A high school pitcher might report a pop in this area while throwing a baseball or softball, which suggests a UCL injury.

• Fractures can happen during a fall or collision, whether you’re playing hard on the field or tripping over a curb on your way to the car.

• Sprains and strains are better than breaks, but they still carry some pain and limitations. Strains affect muscles or tendons, while sprains are injuries to the ligaments or joints.

A certain thing happens, and the body isn’t made to accept it, and you have an acute injury.

DR. TROY ROBERSON, ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON WITH ORTHOINDY

Overuse injuries are conditions that can build up over time, especially if athletes aren’t resting between workouts or are putting undue pressure on one part of the body without working out the rest. Tendons and ligaments can wear down with overuse. Even normal use can be problematic over time. “Essentially, once [we] start getting to a certain age, things in our bodies start to change,” says Dr. Brian Camilleri, an orthopedic surgeon with Central Indiana Orthopedics. “The blood flow starts to decrease, making tendons and ligaments more susceptible to breakdowns.”

• Meniscus tears and inflammation affect the menisci, two rubbery discs that act as cushions within the knee joint. While meniscus tears can certainly come on quickly, most patients notice pain building up over time. That’s because the meniscus can wear down thanks to overuse and aging. “I liken degenerative meniscus injuries to a pair of good blue jeans. They start wearing and fraying over time,” says Dr. Stephen Shively, an orthopedic surgeon with Hancock Orthopedics.

• Tendonitis affects the tendon, the thick piece of tissue that connects muscle to bone. Most of the time, tendons do a great job of keeping everything connected and pain-free. But with repetitive use, they can become inflamed and painful.

• Growth plate injuries can affect young athletes whose bones are still maturing. The growth plates, located on the ends of long bones like the thigh bone and forearm, can be prone to overuse injuries. “When the kids’ growth plates are open and the muscles and tendons aren’t developed, that’s a recipe for something bad to happen,” says Camilleri.

• Pain and soreness occur when muscles and joints get their first workout after a period of inactivity. Most pain is short-lived, but it’s a good reminder to start slowly with any new exercise or physical activity routine.

TREATMENT OPTIONS

Most people try to treat injuries at home, and that’s usually OK, say orthopedic doctors. Sometimes a combination of rest, ice, elevation, and anti-inflammatory medications can relieve

Knee Care: Choose the Team With the Best Record

WHEN DR. SHELBOURNE opened his first orthopaedic practice in 1982, he completely changed the face of knee care. His ACL rehabilitation protocols are now utilized around the world with research results shared in more than 150 medical journals. Today, he runs the Shelbourne Knee Center with Dr. Benner and an experienced team of physicians, physical therapists, athletic trainers and research staff. Their main focus: getting patients back on the field and back to their lives as quickly

as possible with the best long-term outcomes. What sets Shelbourne Knee Center apart are the research-based rehab programs it customizes to each patient’s unique needs. These treatment plans are based on more than 30 years of continual research, proven results and a true dedication to total knee care. That dedication pays off for patients: For ACL injuries, Shelbourne Knee Center has a return-to-sport rate of 85% vs. the industry average of 50%.

To learn more about our proven results for all knee care, from injuries to arthritis, go to fixknee.com.

Shelbourne Knee Center 1500

K. Donald Shelbourne, MD, and Rodney Benner, MD

the pain. But if an injury precludes you from doing what you’re used to doing—or if it still hurts after a couple of weeks—it’s time to call in the professionals. While some injuries require surgical intervention, most can be managed with a combination of rest, pain relief, physical therapy, and other treatments.

If you’re getting too much cortisone in the same joint, it can start to compromise the overall quality and integrity of the joint.

DR. BRIAN CAMILLERI, ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON WITH CENTRAL INDIANA ORTHOPEDICS

“We do all we can to try to keep athletes of all ages out of the operating room,” Benner says. “I think people are nervous or scared to see orthopedic surgeons because they think they’re going to be told they need surgery.”

Instead, many patients benefit from a prescribed course of physical therapy. Physical therapy is more than just a set of exercises. It’s a program designed to strengthen the

supporting muscles and create a balance within the body. Certain tendon injuries can respond to what are known as eccentric movements, which focus on lengthening the muscles. These teach muscles to absorb energy more effectively. “A lot of times, getting patients into structured physical therapy can help,” DeFalco says.

Anti-inflammatory medicines may target the site of the pain, reducing the inflammation and allowing healing to begin. Cortisone shots can be used to soothe aching joints like the ankle, elbow, hip, knee, or shoulder. They can be effective at relieving pain and inflammation, but they are limited due to side effects. “If you’re getting too much cortisone in the same joint, it can start to compromise the overall quality and integrity of the joint,” Camilleri says.

Other new treatments include a category of medications known as orthobiologics, which encompasses stem cell treatments and platelet-rich plasma treatments, among others, Roberson says. While the jury is still out on stem cell treatments, current evidence indicates that platelet-rich plasma injections may expedite healing in traumatic injuries. However, the field is still evolving, and orthopedic professionals caution patients to only seek such care in a professional setting. Beware of those who tout orthobiologic medicine as a magic cure for any ailment. “Stem cells are on the horizon, but right now there are still more unanswered questions than there are answered questions,” Camilleri says.

Perhaps the most effective treatment is the hardest to prescribe: Rest is often the gamechanger when it comes to letting the body heal. But this can be a tough conversation with the Little League pitcher who has important games coming up in a few weeks or the high school soccer player who is hoping to land a college scholarship. Continued stress on an athletic injury or irritation can lead to further injury and pain. Taking a break now may mean the difference between a healed body or chronic problems. “I think it’s important for people to listen to their bodies when it comes to the amount of impact your body can handle,” Benner says. “If you’re hurting or experiencing discomfort, your body is telling you you’re giving it more than [it] can handle.”

Sometimes, conservative treatments aren’t enough. Surgery is almost always going to be the recommendation for an ACL tear, espe-

If you’re hurting or experiencing discomfort, your body is telling you you’re giving it more than [it] can handle.

DR. RODNEY BENNER, ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON WITH SHELBOURNE KNEE CENTER

cially if the patient wants to return to their previous level of play. A fully or partially torn ACL cannot completely recover without surgery, although patients with a partial tear may opt to skip the operating room if they’re willing to accept continued instability. UCL reconstruction is another surgical procedure for athletes who want to return to the pitching mound or pickleball courts. Known as the “Tommy John surgery” after the professional baseball pitcher who first underwent the procedure, UCL reconstruction uses a tendon from a donor or another part of the body to replace the torn one.

Complete recovery is the goal of most athletic injury treatments. However, patients must do their part and follow their doctors’ recommendations. Rushing a recovery can lead to new problems, DeFalco says. Nearby muscles can shut down while the injury is healing, and the body needs time to relearn the movements afterward. Injured athletes may try to compensate for an injured muscle or limb, but they’re also forcing their body to operate off balance, which opens the door to

The more flexible you are, the less likely you are to be injured.

DR. CHRISTOPHER DEFALCO, ORTHOPEDIC SPORTS MEDICINE PROVIDER WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH NETWORK

more injuries. When doctors give the OK to start training again, patients are advised to take it slowly.

“No matter what surgical techniques we have, there is nothing that can change the biology of the human body,” Shively says. “If you’ve been given a recommendation by your doctor, it’s because they respect human biology. If you rush the recovery, you will either reinjure yourself or prolong your recovery. That’s indisputable.”

Reconstructive Hand to Shoulder of Indiana

Respected Nationally, Providing Care Locally.

Reconstructive Hand to Shoulder of Indiana provides comprehensive care for all conditions involving the upper extremities from shoulder to fingertips. All of our physicians are board certified Orthopedic Surgeons with additional fellowship training in care of the hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder. With on site diagnostics and occupational therapists, our team is structured to provide the highest quality care in the most convenient setting. Dedicated to providing an accurate diagnosis and a treatment plan that considers your unique circumstances, RHSI will get you back to doing what you enjoy as quickly as possible. Included in the spectrum of conditions we manage are:

• Fractures, dislocations, tendon problems

• Arthritis of the hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder

• Nerve compression disorders

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• Deformity and dysfunction from old injuries

• Rotator cuff injuries

• Microsurgical reconstruction

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Left to Right: Lance Rettig, M.D., Dale Dellacqua, M.D., Michael Pannunzio, M.D., Alex Meyers, M.D., and Sebastian Peers, M.D.

PREVENTIVE MEASURES

Nobody likes to be hurt. But accidents and injuries can happen in any sport. Still, there are ways to minimize the risk of injury without giving up on the activities. “The easy answer to prevention is to not subject yourself to the risk of athletic exposures,” Benner says. “Who wants to do that? I don’t want to any more than my patients would want to. In general, high-risk sports carry with them a high risk of injury.”

Stretching before a workout is important at any age, but it’s especially important in older athletes whose bodies don’t necessarily like to be twisted into unusual shapes during a workout. The more flexible you are, the less likely you are to be injured, DeFalco says.

Along the same lines, the so-called “weekend warriors” should remember that they’re not going to achieve the greatness they enjoyed when they were high school athletes. For starters, most part-time athletes aren’t participating in the regular strength training and conditioning that kept their bodies in decent shape during the active season. Their bodies also may not bounce back quickly from injuries like they did when they were 16.

“The reality is that if you’re not training on a regular basis, then your ligaments and tendons are not ready for the load that’s being placed on them,” Shively says.

Braces and wraps can be a common sight on the playing field, but sports doctors caution against relying on them. Sometimes the brace creates a false sense of security, Shively says.

CROSS-TRAINING BENEFITS

According to most orthopedic professionals, today’s emphasis on single-sport, year-round training for young athletes is setting them up for pain and injuries. Remember Bo Jackson, the retired football and baseball player who seemed to be great at any sport? Those types of athletes rarely exist today. Instead, children who are as young as 9 or 10 are being pressured to pick a sport and train throughout the year to stay competitive and land a coveted spot on a high school team or travel sports league.

The problem with that philosophy is that it forces an inordinate amount of stress on certain parts of the body, like the pitching arm or the kicking leg. Little League players are receiving surgeries that used to be reserved

If you’re not training on a regular basis, then your ligaments and tendons are not ready for the load that’s being placed on them.

DR. STEPHEN SHIVELY, ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON WITH HANCOCK ORTHOPEDICS

for professional athletes. Runners may not experience acute injuries, but their knees are hurting enough to force them out of practice. Orthopedic medical specialists still want to

see athletes mixing up their activities and participating in different sports for balance and fun. Or active people can take a vacation and spend a little time resting. “Sometimes your athlete just needs a break,” Benner says.

Sports medicine professionals share the goal of getting the patient back to their preferred activity. If something is hurting, let the doctor take a look. Don’t be embarrassed about seeking treatment.

“Trust your body,” Roberson says. “You’ve lived life, and sometimes [you] inherently know if it’s a big thing or a little thing. Don’t put your head in the sand. I’m always happy to see someone, even if it’s just to give them reassurance so they can sleep at night.”

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 52

I needed a third option, a route that was straighter and faster than the local squiggles, yet obscure enough to be too scary for the tourists. Moments later I got one: ALT U.S. 41, an earlier version of the current 41. Sure, it offered only two lanes with sharper curves through the countryside. But we’d essentially be taking a major highway that no one considered major anymore.

Just as I’d hoped, ALT 41 was wide open all the way to the eclipse zone— almost. “This is the kind of road where you might see farm equipment,” Marcella noted, and, as if on cue, we rounded the next corner and had to brake for

a combine. With 15 minutes remaining, we entered the zone of totality and continued on to Dixon, where the skies would darken for one minute. It wasn’t the two-minute, 40-second maximum we’d hoped for, but I felt satisfied that we’d done the best we could with the time we had.

That is, until I checked the info sheet and discovered that if we drove 10 more miles to Providence in the 12 minutes we had left before the eclipse began, we’d be rewarded with twice as much totality. Zoom—we hit the road again, navigating straightaways and soft curves until a pair of lofty Golden Arches welcomed us to Providence. About a dozen sky watchers clustered outside the McDonald’s, and as the last two minutes ticked down, I parked, and Marcella and I joined them. An affable employee stepped out of the restaurant carrying a box of viewing glasses, a gift from his manager, and handed them out before the solar show began.

Like a lamp on a dimmer switch, the sunlight rapidly faded. Amid the “oohs” and “aahs” of the McDonald’s patrons, I took a quick peek through the glasses,

reluctant to trust them with my retinal health, and aimed my cellphone camera long enough to record an image of the sun in the deep blue sky.

Yep, blue. Contrary to my expectations, it never turned as black as midnight. And the two minutes of totality ended all too soon.

Was it worth the trip? Well, yeah— nothing in my lifetime of cosmic fandom compared to this. Was it the most spectacular sight visible from Earth? Maybe. But I’ve never seen the Northern Lights at their most vibrant.

I’m stoked at the prospect of watching my second total eclipse from my backyard. But the first one taught me a few lessons. I’ve learned, for example, that a partial eclipse is about as enthralling as a partial-view seat at a sporting event. I’ve learned that you can’t find viewing glasses during the week of a total eclipse—except maybe at a McDonald’s. Above all, I’ve learned that if you’re road-tripping to an eclipse, head out early.

If Indiana gets clear skies on April 8, maybe I’ll celebrate as lavishly as I did in 2017: With a Big Mac in a rented SUV.

Photo by TONY VALAINIS

The bone-in pork chop from Nyla’s (p. 92) is piled high with tomato-bacon jam.

DOWNTOWN

INCLUDES Fletcher Place, Fountain Square, Mass Ave, Mile Square

Aroma

INDIAN Familiar tandoori and tikka masala staples mingle with heartier, more elevated offerings at this elegant pan-Indian spot. Lunchtime lamb and chicken rolls in crispy flatbread wrappers stand out, as do hearty chaat dishes dressed up with yellow peas, yogurt, and chutneys. An impressive lamb shank is the highlight of the chef’s specialties and easily feeds two. A full bar and an artful array of desserts help round out a special occasion meal. 501 Virginia Ave., 317-602-7117, aromaindy.com V $$

Ash & Elm Cider Co.

CIDERY Ash & Elm’s array of complex and quaffable ciders gets broader all the time, with funky cocktails demonstrating a flavor profile well beyond sweet apples in the vibrant tasting room at the former Ford Assembly Plant on Washington Street. The food pairs beautifully with the drinks, from the now legendary elote fritters made with Indiana corn and cilantro crema to the crispy fried Brussels sprouts flavored with, of course, cider vinaigrette. A thick-cut Cuban and an Italian hoagie with all the meats are great choices among sandwiches, though the pimento cheeseburger with pickled green tomato is hard to beat. But more uptown offerings, such as ricotta gnocchi with seasonal garnishes or a lunchtime bulgogi noodle bowl, showcase how cider brings out the flavors in world cuisines as deliciously as fine wines. Save room for cider doughnut holes lavished with caramel sauce. 1301 E. Washington St., 317-600-3164, ashandelmcider.com V $$

Bluebeard

CONTEMPORARY Bluebeard opened in 2012, and crowds still roll in for seasonal comfort food. Start with the bread baked next door at Amelia’s—it’s especially delicious slathered with anchovy butter—and build your meal from the ever-changing menu

of small and large dishes. Fried morels may show up on a spring picnic plate, while winter nights call for a comforting butcher shop Bolognese. 653 Virginia Ave., 317-686-1580, bluebeardindy.com V $$

Bodhi: Craft Bar + Thai Bistro

THAI This Mass Ave restaurant serves a small, focused menu of Thai dishes like massaman curry with braised beef and Bodhi’s own version of non-Americanized pad thai. Cocktails get a lot of attention on a drinks list designed by beverage director Dalton Lineback. 922 Massachusetts Ave., 317-941-6595, bodhi-indy.com V $$

Cafe Patachou

CAFE The original Meridian-Kessler “student union for adults” continues to draw in the morning crowds and has inspired citywide offshoots, such as the sleek, post-Art Deco, downtown location in the historic Stutz building, a huge hit with the business and weekend hordes alike. The cinnamon toast remains as thick as a brick, the produce is still locally sourced, the massive omelets continue to have cheeky names, and the broken-yolk sandwiches are a perennial lunch favorite. 1060 N. Capitol Ave., 317222-3538, cafepatachou.com V $$

Commission Row

NEW NEW AMERICAN This new steak and seafood showplace in Bicentennial Unity Plaza reinforces Cunningham Restaurant Group’s reputation for fine dining excellence. Kick off a pre-Pacers dinner with fragrant, everything-spiced popovers and bruleed bone marrow or go big and spoil yourself with a curated caviar service before proceeding to a textbook dry-aged ribeye or A5 wagyu. Raw bar offerings include a decadent, grand seafood tower loaded with an assembly of fresh oysters, shrimp, lobster, and crab. Well-vetted wine and spirit selections provide plenty of drink for thought, but the house Tanqueray martini served any way you want it is always an easy decision. 110 S. Delaware St., 317-550-2500, commissionrow.com V $$$$

A Cup of Chai

TEAHOUSE Punjab native Pravy Nijjar’s cozy, funky teahouse, which opened in July of 2023 on a secluded section of Shelby Street in Fountain Square, offers a true taste of Indian-style chai with several different spice profiles. For the genuine article, go for the masala chai, a dairy-forward drink that features ginger, cardamom, fennel, and cloves, equally good hot or iced. Pair that with one of Nijjar’s street food–inspired snacks, such as golden, aromatic samosas or tasty kati rolls (tender paratha stuffed with spiced chicken, paneer, or potatoes). Coffee drinkers can get an espresso or cappuccino, and those avoiding caffeine can go for a spice-infused golden latte, mango lassi, or minty pineapple lemonade. The storefront spot is as comfy in the morning as in the evening, when Indians tend to prefer their chai. 1028 Shelby St., 317-998-4463, acupofchai.us $

Don Juan Peruvian Sandwiches

PERUVIAN Crisp-crusted fresh bread made by a local baker and finished on-site surrounds tempting meats at this darling sandwich shop tucked behind a secluded strip mall at Raymond Street and Sherman Drive. Favorites include the lomo saltado with tender strips of beef tenderloin and the lechon, a South American take on a Hoosier tenderloin featuring breaded pork roast topped with an onion salsa criolla. A fried-fish sandwich and creamy chicken salad get a boost of flavor from the tasty mild green sauce served at the table. 3720 E. Raymond St., 317-377-4677 $

The Fountain Room

UPSCALE Restaurateur Blake Fogelsong filled this two-story showstopper with tufted leather chairs, glamorous clamshell booths, marble bar tops, and cascading chandeliers as a tribute to the Art Deco splendor of the restored Bottleworks Hotel next door. Meanwhile, the big-shouldered menu covers everything from fine-tuned steaks and seafood to wild-card winners like a 20-ounce Circle City Cut slab of prime rib, a noble old-school relish tray, utterly decadent French onion soup, and the best Coca-Cola barbecue ribs in town. 830 Massachusetts Ave., 463238-3800, thefountainroom.com $$$

$$$$ $30 and up

$$$ $20–$30

$$ $10–$20

$ Under $10 UPDATED

Recently opened establishment.

Open for more than five months but making its first appearance in the guide.

Recently revisited and reevaluated.

Restaurants included in this guide are selected at the discretion of the Indianapolis Monthly editorial staff based on food quality, innovation, atmosphere, service, value, and consistency. IM does not accept advertising or other compensation in exchange for dining coverage. Price symbols indicate the average cost of a meal per person (without tax, tip, or alcohol). Due to limited space, this list does not cover every evaluated restaurant. For a more comprehensive guide to Indianapolis dining, visit IndianapolisMonthly.com/Dining. Feedback? Please email TheDish@IndianapolisMonthly.com.

VENETIAN PRINCESS

Futuro

PIZZA Fans of this downtown-ish charmer don’t crave pizza. They crave Futuro. That’s one way to distinguish a standout joint from the places that merely provide a fix. When it opened mid-pandemic, Futuro immediately grabbed attention with Detroit-style pies. It’s a rare purveyor of thick, pan-cooked slabs characterized by a cheesy exoskeleton and sauce spooned over the toppings so it doesn’t make the airy, porous dough soggy. Followers quickly learned to make a play for the corners for maximum crispy-crust payoff, though the single-sided squares are hardly a compromise thanks to house-made ingredients, like ground pepperoni and chicken-and-ranch fixings. The thinner tavern-style and gluten-free pizzas are just as impressive and generously loaded. Pre-order a special featuring Smoking Goose or Half Liter BBQ collaborations, add on the big, knobby breadsticks, and dine in to take advantage of the deep beer list. The expansion of the plucky storefront, tucked away on an alley just east of downtown, testifies to Futuro’s popularity and embodies the pizzeria’s attitude—big, fun, and original. 19 Cruse St., 317-360-4725, futuroindy.com V $$

The Garden Table

CAFE Expanding on the spa-style menu at its original Broad Ripple location, this pretty, sun-drenched venue adds a full dinner and drinks menu to the established house-pressed juices, health-conscious salads, and carefully embellished toasts. The place remains a cafe at heart, though, especially with the elaborate espresso station cranking out caffeinated stunners like an iced latte with strawberry puree and the peppery, basilinfused Pablo Honey. 342 Massachusetts Ave., 317-638-0321, thegardentable.com V $$

The Good Spot

AMERICAN As a Civil Engineer Corps officer in the U.S. Navy, Omar Hasan’s talents ran more toward construction than cooking. Still, he often found himself manning the grill for fellow service members while stationed on remote islands and even owned and operated a Michigan restaurant from afar. Now retired, he’s opened this friendly Fountain Square–adjacent pub concept aimed to bring people together in a similar way, welcoming guests to sip drinks and relax over familiar fare like lick-your-fingers-worthy wings, meaty rib tips, platters of loaded chili cheese tater tots, and the house specialty—fried catfish. It’s family-friendly, too. 2023 Southeastern Ave., 317-943-9111, indygspot.com V $$

Harry & Izzy’s

STEAKHOUSE Craig Huse’s casual alternative to big brother St. Elmo holds its own as a dapper hangout worthy of destinationsteakhouse status itself. The marbled bone-in ribeye sizzles in its juices, a smart pick among the high-quality (and highpriced) Midwest-sourced prime cuts. The menu expands to thin-crust pizzas, sandwiches, salads, and seafood selections like pan-seared scallops. 153 S. Illinois St., 317-635-9594, harryandizzys.com $$$

Hovito Ultra Lounge

NEW AMERICAN Crowd-pleasing fare is served to a clubby beat at this handsome Wholesale

District restaurant. Buffalo chicken rolls, empanadas stuffed with velvety shredded Cuban beef, teriyaki-glazed salmon, and three-bite lamb chops arrive on artistically plated dishes, and standard cocktails— spicy margarita, espresso martini—come together behind a stunner of a bar. 234 S. Meridian St., 317-969-6909 $$

The Hulman

CONTEMPORARY With its sleek midcenturymodern decor, the street-level restaurant inside downtown’s Hotel Indy pays tribute to the VIP Indianapolis Motor Speedway experience. The pared-down seasonal menu supplies some fittingly elegant dishes, like short rib spaccatelli with horseradish sugo and a fancy Alaskan king crab bisque presentation. High-concept desserts (such as a candied-almond churro curled around banana gelato) are a must, as are signature craft cocktails. 141 E. Washington St., 317-735-2586, thehulmanindy.com V $$$

Julieta Taco Shop

MEXICAN Gabriel Sañudo and Esteban Rosas’ humble yet funky taco shop in the Stutz Building shows the pair’s skill and fine dining experience in little details such as the marinades for meats, tortillas handcrafted from heirloom corn varieties, and surprisingly flavorful vegetarian options. Start with a signature taco al pastor, the meat shaved directly from a rotating spit, and pair that with one of the other tender grilled or braised meats, such as the earthy brisketlike suadero. Then, grab whatever special creation is on the pegboard menu, such as fluffy, creamy tamales, crispy snapper or mushroom tacos, or aromatic pozole. Tortas are especially satisfying, layered with beans, tangy house mayonnaise, and deeply flavorful, kicky house salsas. Light and not-too-sweet churros are a must when they’re on the menu. Enjoy your tacos at a counter seat or alfresco in the renovated atrium. Or head next door for a cocktail at retro-chic Turner’s Bar, where you can wait for the neon sign to alert you that your tacos are ready. 1060 N. Capitol Ave. $$

King Dough

PIZZA Chewy and with just the right flop in the middle, the pizzas here are bona fide craft, from the dough to the quality toppings. A standout is the Stinky Pete with wild mushrooms, gorgonzola, and plenty of garlic and herbs. Burgers, including one made from chorizo and topped with manchego cheese, play surprisingly close second fiddles to the pies. Cocktails concocted from boutique liqueurs and aromatics are reason enough to drop in, and they make for perfect sippers while you wait for your pie on the patio. Don’t miss trying one of the carefully curated natural wines. 452 N. Highland Ave., 317-602-7960, kingdoughpizzas.com V $$

Leviathan Bakehouse

BAKERY Pastry chef Pete Schmutte’s patisserie and lunch cafe near Chatham Arch is a welcome addition to the downtown bakery scene. Schmutte draws on his talented staff’s specialties to produce earthy artisan breads, ultra-flaky French-style laminated pastries, and elegant financiers. If you oversleep the day’s breakfast sandwich with creamy, soft eggs, grab a chimichurri roast beef

sandwich with apple-fennel chutney and brie on porridge bread. 1101 N. College Ave., 317-493-1879, leviathanbakehouse.com V $$

Livery

LATIN This place feels like a hidden urban treasure, especially when the mezcal cocktails are flowing and the partially open kitchen is sending out plate after plate of contemporary Latin-inspired fare. Favorites have included the Brussels starter, a shareable snack blanketed with cotija and house serrano hot sauce, a salad tucked inside a folded manchego crisp, meltingly tender steak fanned over a block of polenta, and a silky tres leches cake that is to die for. Snag a spot on the upper-level deck with your cocktail in hand for a real treat. 720 N. College Ave., 317-383-0330, livery-restaurant.com $$

Love Handle

SANDWICHES Daily lunch and brunch features such as schnitzel and waffles and a pulledchicken Hot Brown are the main draw at Chris and Ally Benedyk’s cheeky sandwich shop. The chalkboard menu also offers side options in the form of braised greens and potato salad with roasted tomatoes. 877 Massachusetts Ave., 317-384-1102 $$

Maialina Italian Kitchen + Bar

ITALIAN Straw-wrapped chianti bottles, wooden cross-back chairs, and family photos give a throwback trattoria feel to this addition to the city’s Italian scene. Meatballs from a family recipe with a solid house marinara are always a good choice. Pastas range from a straightforward toss of rigatoni with sausage and broccoli rabe to a rich, three-meat Bolognese lavished atop plump gnocchi. 1103 Prospect St., 317-982-7676, maialinaindy.com $$$

Milktooth

BRUNCH This diner-style cafe has a playfully gritty vibe. The early morning counter service featuring pastries and coffee gives way to a full-service brunch menu with daytime craft cocktails. 534 Virginia Ave., 317-986-5131, milktoothindy.com V $$

Modita

ASIAN-INSPIRED The lavish restaurant in Bottleworks District’s showpiece slot gets extra style points for its gorgeous industrial-sleek decor that is equal parts silk wallpaper and factory-grade doors. Sip a Singha or a citrusy Tokyo Exchange Rate under the glow of dangling pendants and soak up the thoughtfully preserved vintage vibe. 850 Massachusetts Ave., 317-316-0470, modita.com $$$

Nesso

ITALIAN Highly stylized seafood and meats paired with small pasta courses and shared a la carte sides add up to a sumptuous dining experience inside The Alexander hotel. Pass around a plate of prosciutto-wrapped prunes or crab arancini, but keep the tortelloni and sea bass all to yourself. 339 S. Delaware St., 317-643-7400, nesso-italia.com $$$

Nowhere Special

COCKTAIL BITES Opened in the erstwhile subterranean home of The Libertine on Mass Ave in late June of 2023, Dan Cage’s funky cocktail lounge and small bites spot is far from

its all-too-modest name. Sleek banquettes in earthy greens and brushed brass tabletops provide an elegant backdrop to classic pours and a host of new elixirs created by the talented bar staff. Try the light and fruity Love Island with passion fruit liqueur, tangy citrus cordial, and bubbles. Surprisingly generous small plates include an Asian-inspired smashed cucumber salad and an earthy wood ear mushroom salad that’s meaty and satisfying. Hearty beef dumplings with chili crisps and a soy dipping sauce are a highlight, as is the luxe mushroom butter on the bread plate. A nicely restrained bread pudding with a good hit of salt in a warm caramel sauce is a knockout of a finale that won’t weigh you down on a night of barhopping— or bar-staying. 608 Massachusetts Ave. $$

Salt on Mass

SEAFOOD Fresh fish arrives daily at this gleaming Mass Ave restaurant. That means the menu is written around the latest catch, but perennial favorites include sea-salt grilled salmon and meaty seared cobia topped with a cheesy mix of crab and artichokes. 505 Massachusetts Ave., 317-440-1649, saltonmass.com $$$

St. Elmo Steak House

STEAKHOUSE Since 1902, this stately house of red meat has served as the unofficial ambassador of downtown Indianapolis— the walls carry decades’ worth of celebrity photos, the burnished bar hearkens to an earlier era, and the servers remain starched and bow-tied. The drill remains the same, as well: a generous martini, a shrimp cocktail with that notoriously hot cocktail sauce, the bean soup or tomato juice, the wedge, and one of the legendary steaks. 127 S. Illinois St., 317-635-0636, stelmos.com $$$$

Tinker Street

NEW AMERICAN Diners are in for a delightful treat that begins with a sip of bubbly at this cozy, detail-oriented restaurant where the open kitchen almost feels like part of the dining room. The menu changes with the seasons, but the soup is always something lush and vegan; the Duck & Dumplings (featuring duck confit and truffled dumplings) sells out fast; and the person who orders the pork chop will be the most-envied diner at the table. The cocktails are delicate, the wine list well-curated. Don’t skip dessert, especially if it involves a scoop of ice cream. 402 E. 16th St., 317-9255000, tinkerstreetrestaurant.com V $$$

Vicino

ITALIAN More than filling the need for a bona fide Italian restaurant on Mass Ave, this modern, colorful trattoria from the owners of The Oakmont measures up to some of the best Mediterranean spots anywhere in the city. New seating and light fixtures add a brighter palette to the sleek former Hedge Row location, and a nicely edited menu offers familiar classics with a few twists for the more daring. Starters are a must, with generous sweet and meaty garlic shrimp and mushroom-studded arancini starring on the short list. Pizzas are a solid bet, with a nice char from the in-house brick oven, and pastas are solid, with little additions such as a raw egg yolk and truffle oil in the not-too-unorthodox carbonara. But crispy, al

dente fried gnocchi with pulled chicken and pesto are a standout, as is the branzino with a golden sear and thick slices of eggplant and zucchini topped with a tangy tomato chutney. Well-mixed cocktails are no surprise given the restaurant’s pedigree. And tiramisu lovers will enjoy the creamy, restrained version here, spiked with spiced rum and topped with playful coffee caviar. 350 Massachusetts Ave., 317-798-2492, vicinoindy.com $$$

EAST

INCLUDES Irvington, Windsor Park

10th Street Diner

VEGAN Surprisingly familiar and hearty plantbased takes on diner classics occupy the entire menu at this rehab of a former pawn shop, a comfy backdrop for enjoying such tasty fakeouts as a gooey seitan Reuben, a “chicken” pot pie, and chili that rivals your favorite con carne version. 3301 E. 10th St., 463-221-1255 V $$

Beholder

CONTEMPORARY You never know what to expect from restaurateur Jonathan Brooks’ Windsor Park kitchen, aside from one of the most innovative and well-executed meals in town. The menu is difficult to track, mainly because Brooks builds his dishes around seasonal ingredients that are fresh and of-the-moment. Impeccable servers will guide you through the evening’s offerings, which start small at the top of the menu (fresh oysters, perhaps, or pork rinds with kimchi and chicken liver mousse) and bulk up toward the bottom (think wild boar Bolognese or a massive pork Wellington for two). Finish with the most exotic flavor of house-made ice cream. 1844 E. 10th St., 317-419-3471, beholderindy.com V $$$$

Chopped Cheese Boys

DELI FOOD New York’s beloved bodega snack is the eponymous specialty at this no-frills Irvington convenience store and takeout deli. True to form, well-seasoned ground beef gets chopped on a sizzling flattop, then pressed into a sub sandwich roll and topped with plenty of gooey cheese and mayo, which makes for a rich and flavorful mashup of the smashburger and a Philly cheesesteak. But be sure to dip into the eye-popping menu of wings, chicken tenders, fried fish, and—another Big Apple food cart favorite—chicken over rice (tender grilled chicken breast meat with a signature white sauce slathered over rice). Try it with lamb, as well, or go meatless with falafel. 1520 N. Arlington Ave., 317-377-4951, chopped-cheeseboys.business.site $$

Kan-Kan Cinema and Brasserie

UPSCALE CASUAL Dinner and a movie has never been as local or as luxe as it is at this cinematic and culinary collaboration in Windsor Park. First-run indie and classic films play on the screen in the cinema while snacks and expert cocktails from the bar nod to movie culture, including the Hollywood Boulevard(ier) and the 35MM with dry gin, orgeat, and lime. 1258 Windsor St., 317-800-7099, kankanindy.com V $$$

Landlocked Baking Company

CAFE What began life as a production bakery along Irvington’s tucked-away Audubon Road has expanded into a full-service daytime spot serving sandwiches and plated entrees. But it’s the pastry case you don’t want to miss. Laminated lovelies greet you as you wait in the queue to order at the counter, such as filled croissants, doughnuts, and the daily bostock. The more lunch-focused menu keeps things brief, with a special focus on freshbaked carbs. 120 S. Audubon Rd., 317-207-2127, landlockedbakingco.com V $$

Natural State Provisions

CASUAL Customers order at the counter and find a table inside this former microbrewery reinvented as an endearingly kitschy eatdrinkery. The food is rooted in homestyle Arkansas cooking from co-owner Adam Sweet’s native state, heavy on the deep-frying and sweet tea brining. Order a Sling Blade cocktail, get a side of collard greens with your fried bologna sandwich, and don’t miss the daily soft serve ice cream flavor. 414 Dorman St., 317-492-9887, naturalstateprovisions.com $$

Open Kitchen

NEW AMERICAN Breakfast specialties, such as light-as-air French toast, biscuits and gravy, and eggs Benedict lavished with crab and avocado, are stars on the menu at the new location of Dexter and Toni Smith’s cheery eatery. But lunch and dinner are equally respectable, especially a generous shrimp po’ boy or a crispy chicken sandwich with peppered bacon, onion rings, and barbecue sauce with your choice of spice level. More substantial entrees include a grilled pork chop with apple chutney, with elevated touches owing to Dexter Smith’s Chef’s Academy pedigree. After operating mainly as a carryout spot on North Sherman and later in Little Flower, this location comes with a full bar, which means cocktails—such as the creamy, floral Respect Your Elders with bourbon, elderflower, and lemon—are a must. 4022 Shelby St., 317- 974-9032, opennkitchen.org $$

NORTH SUBURBAN

INCLUDES Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville, Westfield, Zionsville

9th Street Bistro

BISTRO In a snug cafe off Noblesville’s town square, owners Samir Mohammad and Rachel Firestone Mohammad create meals worth lingering over, from a lamb shank slow-smoked to buttery tenderness and served on top of fresh pappardelle to a house-made burrata that makes several appearances on the menu. The rotating Fried Thing of the Day (from tofu to artichoke hearts) should not be missed. 56 S. 9th St., Noblesville, 317-774-5065, 9thstbistro.com $$$

1933 Lounge

STEAK AND COCKTAILS This clubby cocktail lounge offers a younger, sexier take on its fine dining parent, St. Elmo Steak House. The twist here is that the black-vested servers deliver the oysters Rockefeller and 45-day dry-aged

ribeyes to diners tucked into noir-lit corners, where no one can see their faces melt into a brief ugly-cry at that first bite of incendiary shrimp cocktail. The Yard at Fishers District, 317-758-1933, 1933lounge.com/fishers $$$

Anthony’s Chophouse

STEAKHOUSE The interior of this swanky heavy hitter along Carmel’s Main Street has the polished gleam of a new Vegas hotel, with an upper-level lounge containing the salvaged mahogany bar from The Glass Chimney, another fine dining legend. The food has equal flourish. Lobster bisque with a hunk of tempura-fried meat begins a meal that might include a cowgirl ribeye, a flight of filets, or a domestic wagyu burger. Take note–the steak menu also lists a spinalis. You may never eat another steak this perfect. Black-suited servers and well-composed cocktails keep the high-dollar meal running smoothly. 201 W. Main St., Carmel, 317-7400900, anthonyschophouse.com $$$$

Auberge

FRENCH Brick Street Inn’s classic French bistro installed talented chef Toby Moreno (of The Loft at Traders Point Creamery and Plow & Anchor) in early 2022 and immediately sent him to Paris, where he trained in the kitchens of famed chef Alain Ducasse. Moreno has added that continental know-how to the vintage dishes he makes fresh with as much local produce, meats, and cheeses as he can. That translates to an impressive plate of buttery escargot topped with croutons, seasonal salads, and a deeply flavorful French onion soup with a rich broth. Seafood shines among the entrees, especially crispy-skinned roasted cod, though diver scallops with asparagus puree showered with herbs and toasted almonds also impress. 175 S. Main St., Zionsville, 317-733-8755, auberge-restaurant.com $$$

Bearded Bagel

DELI Food truck veteran Tom Race opened this brick-and-mortar bagel deli on Indy’s northeast side in late 2021, featuring his signature steamed bagel sandwiches with dozens of topping combinations. Breakfast versions, such as the Slammin Sammy with bacon, egg, and American cheese or the Hangover Helper with spicy cream cheese, bacon, egg, and three slices of cheese are a no-brainer. But whimsical tributes to fast-food favorites, such as the R-Bee’s with roast beef and extra cheddar, are great lunch choices. Vegetarians can opt for the Urban Farmer with “all the veggies,” avocado, and cheese, and traditionalists can sink into a cream cheese–schmeared bagel with lox, tomato, capers, onions, and cucumbers. Puffy, sweet cinnamon rolls, hearty biscuits and gravy, and loaded tater tots with sausage gravy, bacon, cheese, and eggs complete the menu, along with Nutella and peanut butter bagels and a short list of cookies and brownies. Watch for Race’s other food truck concept, Bearded Burger, at neighborhood events, farmers markets, and festivals. 7305 E. 96th St., 317-516-5938, beardedbagel.com V $

Bonge’s Tavern

AMERICAN Opened in the 1930s near the rush of the White River and purchased by

Charles Bonge a little over 10 years later, Bonge’s Tavern has been a part of Indiana dining history for more than 90 years. In the fall of 2023, Burgess Restaurant Group purchased it and installed Dean Sample as executive chef. The star of the menu is still the signature tenderloin, appropriately named the Perkinsville Pork. Other favorites include a stuffed duck breast and a fresh fish entree. Chef Sample inflects his own ideas into the menu, with a Southern influence. It’s worth the risk to order whatever delightful special he adds to the menu. Make sure to grab a reservation long before you plan to go—they go quick—and arrive early enough to tailgate in the parking lot with other diners, a Bonge’s tradition worth keeping. 9830 W. 280 N, Perkinsville, 765-734-1625, bongestavern.com $$$

Cheeky Bastards

ENGLISH Co-owners Michael Rypel and chef Robert Carmack fell in love with British culture and cuisine during travels abroad. Their Geist restaurant is a true tribute to the food, serving not only a classic full English breakfast and sausage rolls made with imported meat, but also a very convincing fish and chips featuring crispy planks and hand-cut potatoes. Don’t forget to ask for the malt vinegar or the HP Sauce for authenticity. 11210 Fall Creek Rd., 317-2889739, cheekybastardsrestaurant.com $$

Field Brewing

BREWPUB This Westfield addition to the local craft brewery scene would be dazzling enough for its mod fixtures and bocce ball court that spans the family-friendly outdoor space, but the menu is as daring as it is easy to pair with the house brews. The kitchen skillfully prepares standout dishes, such as tender lamb ribs with chimichurri and deeply caramelized Brussels sprouts with hunks of bacon that are some of the best in town. Their events space is simple chic and full of natural light, available (with reservations) for those special receptions and birthdays–or just for big family and friend gatherings. 303 E. Main St., Westfield, 317-804-9780, fieldbrewing.com V $$$

Grindstone Public House

COMFORT You can appreciate the original tall shop windows and pressed tin ceilings of this restored historic building as you chomp into a fully loaded burger. Or go for one of the more elaborate selections (such as a prime rib Manhattan or chicken and waffles) on Grindstone’s Midwest-casual menu. A full bar stocked with all the brown bottles gives the place cred as a neighborhood watering hole. 101 N. 10th St., Noblesville, 317-774-5740, grindstonepublichouse.com $$$

The HC Tavern + Kitchen

CONTEMPORARY The term “tavern” hardly captures this swank addition to the Huse Culinary Group/St. Elmo family. A hit among starters is the Lobster “Cargot” with lumps of lobster meat in garlic butter and melted havarti. Chops include the supper club darling steak Diane with mushroom cream sauce and horseradish mashed potatoes, though equally regal is the wagyu meatloaf enriched with pork and veal, sauced with a truffle mushroom demi-glace. The Yard at Fishers District, 317-530-4242, atthehc.com $$$

The Monk’s

INDOCHINESE Popularized during the British Empire in Calcutta, the aromatic fusion cuisine known as Indochinese food takes the stage at this stylish Houston-based franchise that opened in the summer of 2023 just off Main Street in Carmel. Starters, such as paneerstuffed steamed dumplings, juicy chicken drumsticks, samosas, and spring rolls, are a must. For the true experience, try one of the wok-cooked dishes labeled Chinese, or go for delecate Hakka noodles or fried rice with either burnt garlic or masala. House-made desserts include a small case of pastries and a version of the popular gulab jamun with rose preserves. Make sure to let them know your spice preference. 13080 Grand Blvd., Carmel, 317-564-8266, monkscarmel.com V $$

Nyla’s

NEW NEW AMERICAN The latest and most elevated of Scott and Nyla Wolf’s culinary efforts on Indy’s north side brings to life antique dealer Bob Beauchamp’s iconic and gorgeously restored red barn on Westfield’s unofficial restaurant row. Chefs Esli Alfaro and Sarah Sinclair, formerly of The Italian House next door, oversee a menu of steakhouse staples with Southern influences. Be sure to get a starter of light and crunchy cornmeal-crusted fried oysters with red pepper remoulade, as well as delectable deviled eggs crowned with candied bacon. Steaks lavished with rosemary-garlic butter are good bets, though a thick-cut pork chop with tangy bacon jam and juicy double-boned lamb chops are definitely worth forgoing beef. Asian-inspired miso-soy sea bass is a lighter option that still packs plenty of flavor, and cauliflower “risotto” is a satisfying and savory side among more expected options. A towering slice of chocolate cake with strawberry sauce is the perfect finale, but the real draw is the cozy bucolic setting that still feels elegant enough for celebration dinners. 211 Park St., Westfield, 317-763-5412, nylasrestaurant.com $$$

Trax BBQ

BARBECUE Owner Andrew Klein, who has a background in high-end steakhouses, oversees the tender headliners at this no-frills barbecue joint that sits beside the train tracks in McCordsville. You can taste his expertise in the essential meats: brisket hacked into fatty hunks, pulled pork that melts in the mouth, and ribs by the rack, all prepared in a smoker that customers walk past before they hit the front door. Fans of smoked meats order off a menu that covers traditional carnivore territory as well as some creative upgrades, including pulled pork nachos and The Willie brisket sandwich topped with hot liquid cheese and slaw on a brioche bun. 7724 Depot St., McCordsville, 317-335-7675, traxbbq.com $$

Vivante French Eatery

FRENCH Carmel’s grand, classic Hotel

Carmichael is home base for this fine dining experience with a slight French accent. Executive chef Joseph Hsu plates up simple but elegant roasted breast of chicken with herb jus, seared salmon with heirloom succotash, and a beef tartare bound with quail egg. Cocktails (like the Fluted French 75) are potent and pretty. Desserts supplied by Circle City Sweets are properly dainty.

1 Carmichael Square, Carmel, 317-688-1952, vivantecarmel.com V $$$

NORTHEAST

INCLUDES Broad Ripple, Castleton, Geist, Herron-Morton, Kennedy-King, Keystone at the Crossing, Meridian-Kessler, Nora, SoBro

Baby’s

BURGERS This playful, family-friendly joint limits its menu to smashburgers, broasted chicken, milkshakes (spiked or not), and cocktails. Housed in a former drag show bar, it also has fun with the building’s artsy legacy—the house burger is called a Strut Burger, and all of the cocktail names come straight from the RuPaul meme factory. Sip a Tongue Pop or a Sashay Away as you polish off the last of the Talbott Street Style fries dressed with bacon, cheese sauce, white barbecue sauce, and pickled jalapeño. 2147 N. Talbott St., 317-600-3559, babysindy.com V $$

The Burger Joint

AMERICAN Tucked away in a strip mall off Emerson Way and 56th Street, The Burger Joint is a true hidden gem waiting to be discovered. They don’t take hamburgers lightly; the menu is full of specialty patties topped with savory and tender brisket, grilled pineapple, or spicy chorizo. They all pair well with handbattered onion rings, fries, or loaded tater tots. If the burgers are what bring you in, it’s the milkshakes that make you stay—hand-dipped and served in an old-fashioned glass, piled high with whipped cream, and, of course, garnished with a cherry on top. 5450 E. Fall Creek Pkwy. N. Dr., 317-991-4995, indysburgerjoint.com $$

Chicken Scratch

SOUL FOOD Chef Tia Harrison’s second, mostly carryout spot on Keystone Avenue streamlines the menu to the bestsellers from her original Chef Tia and Co. location on West Washington Street. Meaty, tender wings with a variety of sauces and spice levels, as well as earthy, dressed-up fries, cover most of the menu here. That’s more than enough for a Cajuninflected feast. Signature honey hot wings, either naked or breaded for extra crunch, come customized with the amount of sauce you want. And fries are available with a simple toss of truffle seasoning and parmesan or dressed up to entree status with chipotle steak or shrimp and Alfredo sauce. 5308 N. Keystone Ave., 317-426-3457, chickenscratchindy.com $$

Diavola

PIZZA Pies emerge expertly bubbled and charred from a centerpiece brick oven. Ingredients are simple but top-shelf, including homemade meatballs, spicy sopressata, smooth clumps of fior di latte, and torn basil. 1134 E. 54th St., 317-820-5100, diavola.net V $$

Fernando’s

MEXICAN / BRAZILIAN With their combined Mexican and Brazilian backgrounds, the couple that runs this cozy restaurant in the heart of Broad Ripple set out to provide a rare, authentic taste of each cuisine. Their effort pays off in

traditional comfort dishes such as feijoada (a meaty bean stew served with steamed rice, orange slices, and a sprinkle of farofa), a layered escondidinho de frango reminiscent of shepherd’s pie, and fragrant carne asada served with Mexican onions and guacamole. Dishes are served with both Mexican and Brazilian hot sauces, each with their own brand of afterburn. Gorgeously jiggly flan is the star of the dessert course. 834 E. 64th St., 317-377-4779 $$

Festiva

MEXICAN This lively Latin spot on the east side puts a gourmet flourish on south-of-theborder fare. The menu includes tacos, plus an old favorite: poblanos stuffed with chorizo and queso. A pitcher of their house marg, made with fresh lime and agave, is perfect for the whole table, especially with one of their delicate, seasonal desserts. 1217 E. 16th St., 317-635-4444, festivaindy.com V $$

Gather 22

CONTEMPORARY This colorfully cozy all-day hangout and cocktail spot in Fall Creek Place from Byrne’s Grilled Pizza owners Adam Reinstrom and Pablo Gonzalez draws on Reinstrom’s love of interior design and Gonzalez’s background in innovative mixology. Vibrant wall fixtures by creators such as Bootleg Signs & Murals and revolving works by locals from the LGBTQ art community provide a funky backdrop for sipping seasonal elixirs, such as the bracing but balanced Bourbon Renewal. Salads include a wedge with smoked blue cheese and roasted-poblano ranch. Byrne’s original pizzas, cracker-thin and charred, are on offer, as are thicker-crusted Roman-style oval pies with well-chosen toppings. Fresh takes on shareable plates include crispy-skinned salmon with kale and quinoa and intriguing scallop sliders with Asian-style slaw. Coffee drinks and a solid sandwich list anchor the daytime menu, and desserts feature a luxe take on the Hoosier classic sugar cream pie. 22 E. 22nd St., 317-258-2222, gather22.com $$

Hikaru Hibachi Express and Sushi

JAPANESE While not for sushi purists—the most popular roll is NY strip steak, and many others are deep-fried, heavy on mayo and sweet sauces, or feature baked fish—this unimposing eatery in the former Hellas location does what it does well. Onion soup is piping hot, bright, and bolstered with bits of mushroom. Seaweed salad is dotted with red pepper and cucumbers. Forkful after forkful of savory veggie fried rice is fluffy, needing not a drop of the accompanying Yum Yum Sauce. Shrimp tempura is wonderfully light and crunchy. Flavorful chicken hibachi includes aromatic wedges of just-soft-enough sweet potato. When you dine in, know that you’re supposed to place (and pay for) your order at the register before you sit down. 8501 Westfield Blvd., 317-552-2988, hikarunora.com V $$

Late Harvest Kitchen

CONTEMPORARY A luscious comfort food menu delivers top-shelf versions of family-table dishes, such as chunked kielbasa (on a base of mustard spaetzle browned in dill butter) and braised short ribs. Taste the farmers market throughout the year with chef Ryan Nelson’s farm-to-table approach, one of the first in Indy to incorporate local produce. 8605 River Crossing Blvd., 317-6638063, lateharvestkitchen.com V $$$

Nicole-Taylor’s Pasta + Market + Backroom Eatery

MEDITERRANEAN Since taking over Tony and Rosa Hanslits’ beloved SoBro pasta market, lunch cafe, and private dining spot in July of 2023, chef Erin Kem and partner Logan McMahan have brought their deep affection for Mediterranean flavors to a lunchtime menu that features an assortment of house pastas with seasonal additions. Creative sandwiches and salads draw on McMahan’s talent with plant-based cuisine, which, along with the market’s egg-free pasta, have made the shop a bona fide vegan destination. An ever-changing selection of ready-to-eat, deli, and gourmet options make this a great spot to stop for quick supper ideas. And Kem brings her years of experience in the kitchens of local restaurants and in the thick of private events to the market’s highly indemand small group dinners. 1134 E. 54th St., 317-257-7374, nicoletaylorpasta.com V $$

Pisco Mar

PERUVIAN Carb-rich Peruvian fare gets some surprising, elevated touches at this authentic South American restaurant that opened on Allisonville Road in autumn of 2023. Vibrant music and a spacious dining room provide a bustling backdrop for a hearty cuisine that pulls from both land and sea. Tangy, citrusy ceviche is a good starting point and comes in different versions, including Leche de Tigre or Vuelve a la Vida. Both pair beautifully with Causita de Pollo, a mound of creamy mashed potatoes layered with avocado and topped with a creamy chicken-based sauce. Shredded chicken with a lush yellow pepper sauce and a wine-enriched, vegetable-laden beef stew are the most classic main dishes for those getting a first taste of the cuisine. The big appetites at the table will appreciate meaty dishes such as Lomo Saltado, sauteed strips of beef with onions and tomatoes, or a so-called “poor man’s plate” that pairs two generous strips of Angus steak with french fries, rice, plantains, and eggs. 9546 Allisonville Rd., 317-537-2025 $$

Umi Sushi & Seafood Buffet

BUFFET The sheer volume of all-you-can-eat food offered at this Castleton feed house is most impressive. Diners are greeted just inside the door with a full sushi bar cranking out vibrant raw fish in every configuration, including flanks of smoky unagi on sticky rice and tiny saucers of fish roe offered up like condiments. Piles of steamed crustaceans await cracking, and you can create your own ramen combo. Dim sum gets its own section of dumplings and sticky chicken feet. And milky boba teas in already-sealed cups sweeten the deal. 6304 E. 82nd St., 317-350-8888, umibuffet.com $$$

Wisanggeni Pawon

INDONESIAN The talents of chefs Bambang Wisanggeni and Putri Pratiwi make dining at Wisanggeni Pawon a suberb experience. That, plus all their wonderful family recipes. The husband-and-wife duo presents the complex, spice-forward dishes of their homeland, as well as some hibachi favorites drawn from their experience at nearby Japanese restaurants, in their new location on the corner of Keystone Avenue and 71st Street. Start off by splitting a platter of martabak telor, a hearty beef

omelet encased in crispy wonton skin, or share some steamed Indonesian dumplings with a rich peanut sauce. Then try the signature beef rendang, a dish from Western Sumatra featuring tender meat simmered in coconut milk with an aromatic array of spice. Or order bebek Madura, braised and fried duck with toasted coconut. Both dishes come with a fiery house sambal. Lighter fare includes nicely blackened grilled chicken with rice or stir-fried noodles topped with crunchy crackers and a shower of chopped peanuts. Save room for ube (purple yam) spring rolls or decadent pancakes stuffed with peanuts, gooey cheese, and condensed milk, all sprinkled with chocolate. 2450 E. 71st St., 317-756-9477, wpawon.com V $$

NORTHWEST

INCLUDES College Park, Lafayette Square, Traders Point

Amara

INDIAN Innovative restaurateur and Aroma owner Vinita Singh converted the popular northside tavern Smee’s Place to her third Indian eatery in late 2022, offering an ambitious and artfully executed menu of dishes from around South Asia. Starters are where the menu truly shines, with crispy eggplant and kale fritters, deeply aromatic Chicken 65, and true-to-their name Juicy Drums of Heaven. Lesser-known dishes, such as chettinad—equally good with chicken, seafood, or lamb—are great bets. Breads are a must here, especially chewy, crisp garlic naan. These dishes fall somewhere between flavors of India and from farther east. A full menu of wines and cocktails pair nicely with the spicy, aromatic dishes on offer. 1454 W. 86th St., 317-884-6982, amaraindy.com $$

Hyderabad House

INDIAN The latest in a string of Indian concepts (including Curries and Chutneys and India Gate) to occupy the same strip mall space on Indy’s northwest side, this Texas-based chain bills itself as a “Biryani House” and specializes in nearly 15 varieties of the hearty basmati rice dish. Giant, delectable dosas filled with potatoes, chili paneer, or chicken tikka are served with a trio of spicy sauces and are a highlight, especially on Thursday’s unlimited dosas night. 8840 N. Michigan Rd., 317-559-4221, hhindianapolis.com V $$

The Loft Restaurant

FINE DINING With its pastoral setting on the grounds of an artisanal dairy farm, Traders Point Creamery’s farmstead restaurant (housed in one of several restored historic barns) feels like a working model for farmto-table dining. Some of the ingredients on executive chef Jon Warner’s menu are grown on-site, and it would be a shame to pass on the charcuterie board, an appetizer featuring the creamery’s award-winning cheeses, sweet and savory spreads, crunchy cornichons, and locally cured meats. Grass-fed Niman Ranch steaks, seasonal fish and seafood, and housemade yeast rolls are always solid choices, as

Up Cellar (p. 95) delivers a speakeasystyle steakhouse to Bargersville.

is the burger made with 100-percent grassfed beef. For dessert, grab a scoop or three of their ice cream, perfect if you just want to go a la mode. 9101 Moore Rd., Zionsville, 317-733-1700, traderspointcreamery.com V $$$

Oakleys Bistro

CONTEMPORARY The meticulously plated fare at Steven Oakley’s eatery hails from a culinary era when sprigs of herbs and puddles of purees provided the flavor, and every single element on the plate served a purpose. The presentations are wild, with menu descriptions giving little more than clues as to what might arrive at the table. Heads-up on anything that appears in

quotes, such as a creative “Coq au Vin.” 1464 W. 86th St., 317-824-1231, oakleysbistro.com V $$$

SOUTH SUBURBAN

INCLUDES Bargersville, Greenwood

Antilogy

BRUNCH AND COCKTAILS This snug corner spot divides its energy between the morning meal and evening libations. Early birds can choose from thoughtful combinations of

fat biscuits, sunny eggs, bourbon-candied bacon, and Belgian waffles, with plenty of Bovaconti Coffee–based lattes and mochas to kick-start the day. In the evening, the menu shifts to more savory, shareable plates, such as a panko-crusted crispy burrata, parmesan truffle fries, and a molten spinach-Gruyere dip. 5867 N. State Rd. 135, Greenwood, 317-530-5312, antilogycg.com $$

Baan Thai Bistro

THAI Roxanna Williams’ cozy Thai eatery, which she opened in a former house and hair salon in late spring of 2023, is a welcome addition to Wanamaker’s dining offerings, bringing aromatic flavors and artful presentations to dishes like the lightly breaded and fried Son-in-Law Eggs (Kai Look Keuy), which is drizzled with earthy-sweet tamarind sauce, and generous summer rolls that come with a trio of tangy dipping sauces. Less expected shareable starters include rich and flavorful Isan Thai Sausage with just the right amount of spice, served with a not-too-hot dipping sauce and a darling bamboo basket of sticky rice; a Crispy Rice Salad that crackles and pops; and airy steamed dumplings. Hearty Boat Noodle Soup and Crispy Pork Belly Ramen with a light mushroom-scented broth are good bets for main dishes, as are the kicky Crying Tiger Steak and more typical curries and noodle dishes. Adventurous diners will want to try one of three fish dishes redolent of ginger and basil, and a funky mix of whole chicken drumsticks and sweet curry noodles make for a comforting supper. 8705 Southeastern Ave., 317-759-8424, baanthaibistro.com V $$

Cafe Euclid

COFFEEHOUSE Vino Villa owners Paul and Laura Jacquin opened this cozy cafe in a smaller restored home behind their popular wine bar in Old Town Greenwood in July 2022, and southside coffee lovers immediately lined up out the door. Lattes and espresso drink specials top the caffeinated offerings, and bagels sourced from Bloomington’s Scholars Inn Bakehouse get dressed up with Italian meats, smoked salmon, or avocado and veggies to complete your morning pick-me-up. But house-baked cinnamon rolls and generous chocolate chip cookies with flakes of sea salt are alone worth the visit. Colorful murals paying homage to the Greek mathematician Euclid, repurposed wood accents, and plenty of patio seating make this a soothing daytime sitting spot before heading for adult beverages next door. 357 Euclid Ave., Greenwood, 317-360-9887, cafe-euclid.com $

Mr. Patakon

COLOMBIAN The name of Diana Moreno and Brenda Sánchez’s festive, authentic southside Colombian eatery comes from the popular Latin and South American dish patacones—flattened, fried plantains filled with everything from shredded barbecue chicken criollo to cheese, corn, and shredded beef. But more familiar fare includes colorfully conceived hot dogs like the Super Perro, which is topped with every meat in the kitchen, quail eggs, and a special house sauce. Mazorcada (heaps of sweet corn topped with meats, cheeses, and potato sticks) is a delectably novel side dish. Fruit drinks and desserts, especially obleas (wafer cookies filled with dulce de leche and cheese), are worth the extra calories for a flavor experience like no

other in the city. 7415 U.S. 31, 317-692-9829, mrpatakon.com $$

Our Table

CONTEMPORARY The location is suitably cozy and out of the way for Bargersville’s newest fine dining destination. Chef and owner Joe Miller focuses on gorgeous, rustic plates of steak, seafood, and Old World lasagna made with fresh pasta and generous layers of beef Bolognese, mozzarella, and creamy ricotta. The $2 brioche sliders (containing buttermilk fried chicken or beef tenderloin with crispy onions and horseradish creme fraiche) are little bites of heaven. 5080 State Rd. 135, Bargersville, 317847-4920, ourtablerestaurant.com V $$$

Revery

CONTEMPORARY This gourmet bistro located in Old Greenwood offers approachable fine dining, with a workingman’s bar on the historic building’s back end. Small plates have included beets with whipped goat cheese and cheese curds fried in chorizo oil. Inspired by a passion for different cultures, Revery has a vast menu of culinary delights, 299 W. Main St., Greenwood, 317-2154164, reverygreenwood.com V $$$

SmockTown Brewery

BREWERY Brother-in-law duo Mark Sublette and Ken Johnson’s Old Town Greenwood brewery and Attic Hardware walk-up speakeasy do double duty for day drinking ambers and porters or sipping old fashioneds on the second-story veranda. Hot Pink Pepper Catering adds some beer-worthy eats, including fried pickle spears, pretzel bites, and a meaty flatbread. 223 W. Main St., Greenwood, 317-215-4836, smocktown.com $$

Up Cellar

ADDED

NEW AMERICAN Open since May 2023, the newest addition to the Taxman Brewing family serves up a romantic dining experience with speakeasy vibes in Bargersville. Intentionally paced courses set the tone for leisurely dinners defined by Fischer Farms steaks, although the pinot-braised Miller Amish chicken, Maple Leaf duck breast, Pacifico sea bass, and $1 oysters every Sunday also merit their fair share of consideration. A bête noire flourless chocolate torte stands out on the short but stellar dessert menu. A Single Barrel Old Fashioned made with bourbon that’s been finished in Taxman imperial stout barrels is the logical choice to wash everything down. 63 N. Baldwin St., Bargersville, 317-533-0845, theupcellar.com $$$

WEST

INCLUDES Brownsburg, Pittsboro, Plainfield

Bob’s Indian Kitchen

INDIAN A surprisingly spacious and airy counter service located in a new ministrip houses Bhavesh “Bob” Patel’s ode to home-cooked Indian cuisine. Entry-level cream cheese bhajia and dreamy butter chicken get just as much respect as the crispy pani puri filled with tamarind water,

the goat biryani, and the mini section of Indian pizzas. 618 E. Main St., Brownsburg, 317-983-0225, bobsindian.square.site V $$

Che Chori

ARGENTINEAN Marcos Perera-Blasco’s colorful drive-thru restaurant offers a delectable intro to Argentinean street food. A selection of traditional butterflied-sausage sandwiches and warm empanadas filled with seasoned meats are the focus of the menu. Make sure to pick up the house-made dulce de leche and their specialty Argentinian shortbread cookies. And don’t overlook the cook-at-home sausages, from Spanish-style chorizo to Argentinean black sausage. 3124 W. 16th St., 317-737-2012, chechori.com $$

Hoosier Roots

COMFORT Don’t miss this gem serving familystyle mains and side dishes in a roadhouse setting. Owner Greg Steller runs the tiny kitchen, preparing house-smoked salmon, herbcrusted roast beef, beer can chicken, and other classics. 26 E. Main St., Pittsboro, 317-892-0071, hoosierrootscatering.com $$

Rick’s Cafe Boatyard

SEAFOOD You don’t have to be a Parrothead to appreciate the pontoon-life allure of Eagle Creek’s waterside restaurant, with its breezy dining room on stilts over the Dandy Trail boat slips. The menu gets creative with all of the casual dining tropes, mixing smoked salmon nachos and chicken cordon bleu fingers in with the jumbo shrimp martinis. 4050 Dandy Trail, 317-290-9300, ricksboatyard.com $$$

Theo’s Italian

ITALIAN Hearty pastas and puffy, pizza-like Roman-style pinsa flatbreads top the menu at the latest of Cunningham Restaurant Group’s concepts in the former Stone Creek location in Plainfield’s Perry Crossing shopping complex. Named for restaurateur Mike Cunningham’s grandson, the restaurant incorporates some colorful whimsy into the decor, though the cocktail and wine list are quite adult, as are the sophisticated takes on otherwise homey Italian American fare. Among starters, light but crunchy calamari gets enriched with shrimp, but perfectly chewy breadsticks showered in parmesan and garlic chips are practically a must here. Pasta standouts include a rustic casarecce with simmered beef and pork ragu and Swiss chard or a luscious bowl of lobster tortelloni with squid, shrimp, roasted tomatoes, and a silky white wine cream sauce. Pinsas, which easily serve two, come topped with a butcher’s case worth of meat to simple crushed tomato and garlic. 2498 Perry Crossing Way, Plainfield, 317-203-9107, theositalian.com $$

Irwin Library

BUTLER UNIVERSITY’S STUNNING “CULTURAL CENTER” IS EASY TO MISS ON A CAMPUS FILLED WITH BEAUTIFUL ARCHITECTURE.

BY CAMILLE GRAVES

KNOWN FOR its charm, Butler’s campus is such a picture of cohesion and harmony that one might overlook its individual buildings. Tucked away on the South Mall between residence halls is the three-story Irwin Library. It mimicks a Venetian palace with its stacked, white, arched concrete columns guarding recessed walls of windows on three sides, set on an architectural podium. The airy effect of the atrium—filled with clean, vertical lines and boasting a huge, peaked skylight (above); original cylindrical chandeliers (recently refurbished); and a softly burbling, asymmetrical fountain—is immediate. You feel transported to both the past and the future at once as Arabic sahn meets smooth modernism. Opened in 1963, the building was designed by Detroit-based architect Minoru Yamasaki, who also worked on the World Trade Center. Then-chair of the steering committee of Butler’s board of trustees, George A. Kuhn, wrote that Yamasaki was given a choice of the library or the fine arts building to design, and he chose the library because it was a bigger challenge and would see more use, believing the library “should be the cultural center of the University and be representative of the [caliber] of the institution.” Judging by the number of students on a recent Tuesday afternoon taking advantage of the space, which is filled with modern amenities and a variety of comfortable study spots augmented by gorgeous views of the surrounding campus, he succeeded.

Photo by HADLEY FRUITS

Outdoor Livingby kittle’s