Saigon Vietnamese Restaurant

I first ate at Saigon Vietnamese restaurant a year or two back when it was located in a run-down little strip mall on Lafayette Road. I remember liking the food, but being a little turned off by the atmosphere. Having heard that the restaurant recently moved to a bigger, better building on West 38th Street, I decided to give it another shot last week for my birthday. As an added present, I got to expose my parents and my brother to Vietnamese cuisine—something none of them had ever tried.

When we pulled into the lot, all four of us were immediately impressed by the new, freestanding building (which used to be a Bob Evans). The exterior is clean with plenty of parking. When we stepped inside, we were even happier; the interior is bright and airy and modern—pretty much the opposite of the interior of the old location. You can choose to sit at tables, booths, or at a bar in the front of the dining room. Of course we requested a booth. Who doesn’t love a booth?

The menu is extensive, 11 pages (not including the cover) with a 1-page lunch menu that features a selection of dishes for just $5.95. Always the bargain shopper, my mom opted for the Pad Thai Chicken lunch special. Lunches come with soup and an egg roll, too, making them even greater deals. Because she doesn’t like soup, she asked for two crispy (deep-fried) egg rolls instead, and the friendly server was happy to accommodate. She liked her Pad Thai, although it was a little too spicy for her. She said she prefers Sawasdee's Pad Thai. I can’t argue with that.

The men of the family were not very original; all three of us ordered #91, Bun Thit Nuong Cha Gio (grilled pork with crispy egg roll and vermicelli noodles). I recommended it, so I guess I’m to blame. Or to thank, as the case may be, because it was delicious. My dad and I devoured ours. My brother ate most of his. He said he liked it, but that he wouldn't be rushing back. Hey, it’s his first experience with Vietnamese food!

I was actually so pleased with the place that I went back later that week with a friend of mine to try the Thai Style Curry Beef lunch special. For my two lunch sides I chose a soft spring roll (often called a summer roll) and the crabmeat asparagus soup. The summer roll was great, fresh and light and served with a little peanut sauce. I liked the soup as well; it was basically egg drop soup with added seafood. The curry was pretty dang tasty as well. I am always a little leery about ordering Thai-style food at restaurants that don’t specialize in Thai cuisine, but I was happy with my lunch. The curry was flavorful with a nice heat to it that left my mouth burning (in a good way). My second visit featured the same great service as the first, so that wasn’t a fluke.

Note: They also serve bubble tea here, which is one of my favorite things. Unfortunately, all of their bubble teas here are icy/blended (instead of liquid). I had to try one, of course. It tasted fine (I had coconut), but the balls of tapioca were a little too big for the straw, which was frustrating. I ended up eating them with a spoon. I think I’ll hold out for some bubble tea at Taiwan Tea House.

How to Eat Fried (and Baked) Squirrels

I grew up in rural Indiana with a father and a brother who were (and still are) hunting freaks. On any given day, you could find my family eating whatever type of wild game was in season and/or available—deer, turkey, frog, quail, rabbit, dove, pheasant, and even the occasional turtle. And, yes, that list also included squirrel. Hey, this blog is called ALL Your Food Are Belong To Us! That’s not hyperbole, people.

Now, I haven’t eaten squirrel for several years, but my dad called me a few of weeks back to let me know that he had a couple of fresh little fellas all skinned, cleaned, and ready to cook. So, I hightailed it up to my parents’ house to see how the cooking was done—and then share the process with all of you.

First, you need to quarter your squirrels. (Dad says that one squirrel per person is a proper serving.) You should also soak the quartered squirrels in milk for at least 30 minutes. Soaking them overnight is even better. Supposedly, this reduces the gaminess of the meat by removing some of the blood. Here is what the cleaned and soaked squirrel pieces look like.


Next, coat the pieces in seasoned flour. We added some salt, pepper, and a dash of Cajun spices to our flour. Dad even has a nifty little flour-coating device, which you can see below.


Now it’s time to brown the little suckers to seal in the flavor. Heat a half-inch of oil in a skillet on medium-high heat. Brown the squirrel in the hot oil, 5 minutes per side.


Remove the pieces and drain them on a paper towel. Place the squirrel pieces in an ovenproof dish and bake them at 325°F for 30 minutes.

Here’s the finished product. Looks pretty tasty, huh? Just like chicken.


For those of you grossed out by the idea of eating squirrels, don’t knock it ’til you tried it. There is a recession on, you know; we may all be going into our backyards soon to scavenge for food—and squirrel would certainly be near the top of my list. I mean, squirrels are preferable to opossums, right? At least they don’t have such nasty tails….

Workingman's Friend

Workingman's Friend is not the kind of restaurant to go to if you want to impress your dining partner. It is a dive, make no mistake. That’s not to say I won’t be back, because I will. This particular dive has a couple of things going for it—namely a quirky sense of history and a delicious double cheeseburger.

The first thing you’ll probably notice as you approach the restaurant is the tempting smell of grease. The aroma of frying burgers lured me in, forcing me to ignore the rather depressing, cinderblock exterior. Inside, the place didn’t look much better. It’s basically a rectangular box with wood paneling halfway up the walls and a bar along one side. The 1950s-style tables and chairs have seen better days, too; ours even featured dirty, wadded-up napkins under two of its four legs. Still there are some charms, if you look closely. There is a couple of old cigarette machines dotted around the place and a cool antique cash register, which they still use.

Even though it is a bar, they only have Bud and Bud Light on tap. That kind of disappointed me, but then I saw that they serve their beer in huge glass goblets, which made everything okay again. Soft drinks are in cans, too, not from a fountain.

We were not given a menu by our waitress, so I glanced around and noticed a small menu painted on a nearby window that consisted of just four items: giant double cheeseburgers, breaded tenderloins, Mexican-style chili, and onion rings. I ordered a cheeseburger and onion rings while my friend opted for the tenderloin and onion rings. Later I noticed the full menu above the bar, which includes items like Braunschweiger sandwiches, grilled cheese sandwiches, and smoked sausage. Although I was intrigued by some of the items (such as the Balkan salad), I probably would have stuck with what I ordered anyway.

Our food came out quickly, which was nice. I was definitely the winner. The burger was awesome! The patties themselves were mashed thin and fried on a griddle until crispy (kind of like the burgers at Steak ‘N Shake, only better). Eating the sandwich, I felt like I was scraping the delicious, almost-burned bits of goody from the bottom of a pan and popping them into my mouth. The double cheeseburger came fully loaded, oozing with cheese and featuring an extra bun in between the two patties (like a Big Mac).

Compared to the burger, everything else was just okay. The onion rings were fine, but nothing special. I would have rather had fries. The tenderloin was a little disappointing, looking more like a Pete's Pride Pork Fritter than a real, hand-pounded/breaded Indiana tenderloin. Where’s the Hoosier pride?

A couple of warnings. First, the restaurant allows smoking, which can easily ruin any meal. Second, you must pay your bill with cash, so make sure you stop at an ATM before you arrive. That antique cash register doesn’t take plastic!

L.S. Ayres Tea Room at the Indiana State Museum

The L.S. Ayres Tea Room was an Indianapolis institution at the downtown department store from 1905 to 1990. The tea room closed up shop when Macy’s bought Ayres, but folks nostalgic for the restaurant can still visit a full-service recreation of the restaurant inside the Indiana State Museum.

Stepping into the recreated tea room really is like traveling back in time; the dining room is decorated in an old-fashioned style with painted, wood-paneled walls, wainscoting, recessed ceilings, brass chandeliers, and (best of all) the restaurant’s original tables and chairs. They even have backlit, in-scale photos of Indy outside the windows to make you feel like you're eating in the downtown location. Despite the elegant surroundings, there doesn’t appear to be a dress code; I was wearing shorts and a t-shirt and no one raised an eyebrow.

The tea room offers two menus—the historically inspired menu and the “today's Indiana” menu. The historically inspired one includes items like baked ham loaf, chicken velvet soup, and a Hawaiian chicken salad served in a pineapple boat. Today's menu features crab stuffed portabellas, salads, and burgers. Because we were eating in a museum in a recreation of a famous locale, my friend and I both opted to order off the historically inspired menu. He decided on a bowl of their famous chicken velvet soup and the baked ham loaf while I chose a chicken salad sandwich on a croissant with a cup of the chicken velvet soup.

The baked ham salad was just what it sounded like—ham salad (like you'd eat on a sandwich) formed into loaves which were baked until they resembled Spam, served over greens, and drizzled with a mustard sauce. He was pleased with it, but thought it needed more mustard sauce. He requested some on the side, and said he liked it much better with that little extra kick. This dish was definitely old school; it looked like something that would feel right at home served with tomato aspic. We both agreed that the chicken velvet soup was very good, smooth and flavorful with chunks of chicken throughout. It was fairly rich, so I’m glad I went with just a cup, although he had no problem finishing off his bowl. The soup was especially good with a bit of buttered roll dipped into it. (As an aside, the folks at the other tables all received rolls with their appetizers, but we had to ask for some. Maybe it was the shorts and t-shirt?) My chicken salad sandwich was tasty, traditional with no surprises, which is fine. The fruit that came with it was fresh and delicious, too.

Our server (who was very good, by the way) told us about several mouth-watering desserts as well, but both of us were stuffed. Next time I’ll have to save room for the bread pudding, for sure.

The prices at the tea room are very reasonable. I wasn’t sure what to expect in that regard, actually, but we got both our meals plus two iced teas for less than $25.

Overall, I enjoyed my meal at the tea room. At first, I was a little disappointed that it wasn’t a traditional English-style “tea room”—someplace where you could get a pot of tea and finger sandwiches/pastries—but I got over that pretty quick. I do still have a hankering for some homemade scones served with clotted cream and strawberry jam, though. The restaurant serves High Tea on Sundays, so maybe I’ll have to give that a try some time.

The tea room is open every day for lunch except Monday (when the museum is closed).

Lazy Daze Coffeehouse

Located in the heart of Irvington right off East Washington St., Lazy Daze Coffeehouse certainly lives up to the laid back vibe that its name implies. Outfitted with natty but comfortable furniture that looks swiped from an eccentric great aunt's house, the vibe is student-y and hippy-ish. Those may not be real words, but, hey, that’s the kind of unconventional language inspired by this joint. If you don’t want to sit inside and listen to Wilco on WTTS, there is also an outdoor deck.

The menu at Lazy Daze is fairly typical of most coffeehouses including coffee, espresso-based drinks (cappuccinos, lattes, mochas, etc.), hot chocolate, and a wide variety of loose-leaf teas (and even tea smoothies). They also serve ice cream and milkshakes, however, which sets them apart a bit.

At my most recent visit, I decided to order an iced mocha. Hey, it was hot! The drink was a tad too sweet for my taste; next time I'll order it with half the syrup—and maybe an extra shot of espresso for good measure.

One of my friends who lives in Irvington said she loves the “frapps” at Lazy Daze, especially her favorite, the Milky Way Frapp.

Look, this isn’t my favorite coffeehouse by a long shot, but it’s still a nice place to hang out. It is the center of the Irvington community, hosting weekly open mic nights, featuring local art, and serving as a meeting place for local ghost tours. Best of all, the hours are really good—better than most independent coffee places; they stay open until 10:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday and they’re even open Sundays until 9:00 p.m. For all those reasons, I’m sure I’ll find myself visiting Lazy Daze again in the near future.

The Eagle’s Nest

Perched high atop the Hyatt Regency in downtown Indianapolis, the Eagle’s Nest is one of those revolving restaurants that every city seems to have—and where locals rarely eat. It offers a 360-degree view of the city paired with a menu that changes with the seasons. On my recent visit, my friend and I decided to eat late (9:15) so we could give the food a try while also discovering what Indy looks like from above at night. Turns out—it looks pretty nice! And the food was surprisingly good, too.

As soon as you’re seated at the Eagle’s Nest, they bring you a basket of ciabatta bread with butter. The bread is no great shakes—straight out of a bag and not even warmed. I was a little worried about how the food was going to be, given how underwhelming the bread was. Luckily, our appetizer of crab cakes (pan-seared with Peppadew pepper aioli) assuaged my fears. The crab cakes were excellent, comprised almost entirely of crabmeat.

As a starter, I had lobster bisque and my friend had a romaine salad. My bisque was really good, thick and flavorful with a nice, spicy bite. Unfortunately, it was only lukewarm, which was kind of a bummer. My friend’s salad featured candied bacon, mixed tomatoes, and blue cheese with buttermilk dressing. It was just okay; it was a salad.

For my entree, I had the seared scallops over shrimp and green pea risotto. The scallops were delicious, perfectly cooked (although I did get a little bit of grit). The risotto was really nice, too, loaded with shrimp. I ate every bite. My friend opted for the chicken cordon bleu, which was crispy on the outside, but tender on the inside. He liked it—especially the Dijon sauce that came with it.

Overall, the food was actually quite a bit better than I was expecting. When you eat at a hotel restaurant (especially one with a gimmick), you can never be sure what you’re going to get. I was not disappointed with the meal—although it was a bit pricy, make no mistake. Still, the ambiance was good and you do get an overhead tour of the city, which is cool.

As for the service, our waitress was excellent, friendly and helpful, giving us food suggestions. We even chatted with her a long time about the downfall of Broadripple and the punk band she was in, Action Barbie. I may go back again just so I can talk to her some more!

Be advised that the restaurant does take its dress code seriously. You’re required to be “business casual,” which basically means no tank tops, logo tees, athletic wear, shorts, and so on.

Gray Brothers Cafeteria

It seems like there’s always a long line at Gray Brothers Cafeteria, but if you’re craving down-home country-style food, this is definitely the place to eat. And, thankfully, the line moves at a pretty steady pace; it only took my friend and I about 20 minutes to get from the door to the cashier. Not too bad. As I waited, I couldn’t help but notice that many of the people in line with me were over 65. And that most of them were, well, on the larger side of things. Just observations!

Gray Brothers Cafeteria is set up like every other cafeteria in America; you grab a tray, walk along the front of a steam table, and tell the people on the other side of the sneeze guard what you’d like. They start you off with desserts, offering many different kinds of pie (banana, cherry, peanut butter, butterscotch, coconut, chocolate, and so on) and cake (German chocolate, hummingbird, strawberry, carrot, cheesecake, and more). They are probably most famous for their strawberry pie, although I can’t figure out why; it’s just some sliced strawberries in a pie shell with neon red glaze squeezed over the top. Not really gourmet.

At my most recent visit, I opted for the white meat chicken tenders, mashed potatoes with white gravy, corn, yeast rolls, sweet tea, and banana cream pie for dessert. The chicken tenders really lived up their name, moist and delicious on the inside but still crisp on the outside. Of course, the thick, white gravy made them even better! The corn was fine; I'm sure it was out of a can, but it was buttery and peppery—just like grandma used to warm up. The mashed potatoes tasted like homemade, but I suspect that they were a combination of real mashed potatoes bulked up with instant. The banana cream pie was fine, but the bananas were all on the bottom and then covered with banana-flavored pudding. It would have been better if the pudding and the bananas had been combined.

My friend had the chicken fried steak with white gravy, dressing, deviled eggs, unsweetened iced tea, and sugar cream pie. The deviled eggs were good, mustard-y and vinegar-y, but the steak was just okay. It had been soaking in the white gravy for some time, so it’s breading was soggy. The sugar cream pie, on the other hand, was delicious.

The service at Gray Brothers was all around nice and friendly; they even have people in the dining room who bring drink refills. The decor is homey, old-fashioned, and clean. They restaurant also has a separate carryout door/line if you want your food to go, which is nice.

So, yes, I enjoyed my meal at Gray Brothers. Really my only problem with cafeterias like this is that they tend to make me over eat because the portions are way too large. For example, they give you two whole yeast rolls for an order, which is one too many. Plus the food isn’t exactly healthy to begin with. Hmmm. Come to think of it, maybe those two points explain all the large people in line!