Carino's (in Muncie)

In Muncie on serious business . . . BSU Homecoming, the 3 Elles had to stop at Carino's for some pre-game fuel. This rather spontaneous outing is exempt from our normal outing blogging format - it was just about the food and fun today.

For starters, Carino's is likely to be Adam's L's FAV restaurant. She was like a kid in the candy store - seriously, a woman on a mission. In one second, she had us hooked up with drinks and an appetizer.

Here's what arrived (some photos in this post are from Carinos.com):

First to arrive, a pitcher of Bellini's. What's a Bellini you ask? Here's what Carinos.com describes them as "Frozen peach nectar, white wine, champagne and rum, swirled with our Italian Sangria"



We've heard Adams L talk about awesomeness of these Bellinis and sure enough . . . they were worthy of the hype . . . and gone in a flash (Thanks Allen L for being the DD!)



The appetizer arrived next and Allen L and I weren't adequately prepared for what arrived - 3 uniquely presented red tubes standing on end in an interesting metalic spiral funnel flanked by 2 attached dipping sauces. They are called "Fire Sticks" and are described by Carinos.com as Tomato-basil tortillas rolled with Italian sausage, chicken, bacon, tomatoes, jalapeños and Italian cheeses with spicy marinara and ranch. They tasted a lot like a combo of a piece of sausage pizza and Don Pablo's Prarie Fire Bean Dip.



For the meal, Adams L ordered Italian Nanchos. Described as Crispy pasta chips, Italian sausage and/or chicken, black olives, pepperoncinis, tomatoes, jalapeños, alfredo, mozzarella and parmesan by Carinos.com. Here is a picture from their website:



Allen L and I shared a 2 for $23.99 meal. We each got a choice of soup or salad, an entree, and a mini dessert.

For starters, I got the chicken & wild rice soup (YUM!) and Allen L got the house salad (very delicious). Sorry for the poor pix of the soup and no pix of the salad.




Allen L chose a new menu item that was a stuffed ravioli and artichoke with mushrooms. She enjoyed the ravioli, but not much of the "accessories" that came with it (mushrooms, artichokes, etc).



I selected the shrimp scampi. It was super delicious. I would definitely return to get it again. Below is a picture from Carinos.com:



Our 2 for $23.99 meal came with a mini dessert - Allen L and I both selected Turtle Cheesecake. It was absolutely fabulous. It was a GREAT lesson in portion control. First off, we were already stuffed! Second, it was served in a little parfait glass with a TINY spoon. The actual size of the dessert was probably 1.5 inches X 1.5 inches and maybe 2 inches tall; however, with such a small spoon, it was probably a good 15 bites. Had they served it with a regular spoon, it would have been 2 bites and over in a flash. This way - it was savored.



After lunch we went to see the Ball State Cardinals get smacked by Western Michigan University. Although the score was something like 16-45, we had a very nice time. The beautiful weather was sunny and a HOT 83 degrees. Here are some random photos from the game - enjoy!

Club Soda

235 East Superior Street
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46802
260-426-3442
http://www.clubsodafortwayne.com/

Although this is our first post on Club Soda and it's our first visit there this year, we have been swept up by all that is Club Soda two other times. Dining Al fresco on their patio is a sure fire way to be transported away from life's daily grind! With the cooler temps, Club Soda's patio is as close to paradise as one can get while still being surrounded by the urbanscape.





UPON ENTERING:
I was asked if I had a reservation, and of course, I didn't. The man at the host stand could hardly be bothered with me, but thankfully the man who would become our server, Dan, stepped up and explained that patio seating was all reserved but that we could sit outside until 7:30 (thanks Dan!). He showed me to the corner patio table where I waited for the other Elles to join me. Let the good times begin.

ATMOSPHERE:
Apparently there is live music on Thursday & Friday evenings. On the night we were there, this guy was playing guitar and singing.


Allen L told me not to be too harsh and so I won't, but I utterly HATE background music. It's not personal to Guitar Guy, I HATE all music - this was no exception. The 3 Elles agreed we would have completely preferred enjoying the natural sounds, but that was not going to be the case on this night.

DRINKS:
CS is known for one martini in particular . . .
The Timotini (as featured in the Journal Gazette)



Also on our sampling schedule, an Appletini



a Lemondrop (could also be mixed with raspberry or blueberry)



. . . and finally, slightly less posh, a Long Island Iced Tea



APPETIZERS:
For starters, Allen L ordered something completely new to us and unexpectedly delicious, Smoked Gouda Dip. She must have said, "I'm loving it! I really really like it" no less than 20 times. Adams L also enjoyed it tremendously. The mushrooms and spinach swimming in the gooey melted cheese was like finding treasures in the ocean. Indeed, it was something unique and delicious. We recommend you try it on your next visit. The dish is accompanied with several types of breads - some hold up to a running start better than others, but the variety added to the interest of the dish.


And of course, we ordered the crab cakes. These cakes are not packed with lump crab meat, but they pack a tremendous amount of flavor into their generous portion size. The cakes come atop a raft of lettuce floating in a sea of red pepper aioli - perfect compliment. These cakes have a lot of veggie filler which adds an amazing texture. These cakes never disappoint! As a plus, if you are a party of 3, the kitchen will make 3 smaller cakes instead of the traditional 2 for individual tasting enjoyment.



SALADS:
With our meals, we were offered a choice between the Caesar Salad or the Spinach Salad. we chose the Spinach Salad complimented with candied pecans, strawberries, mandarin oranges, and blue cheese crumbles. Although the salad looked as if someone grabbed a handful of spinach and then threw a scoop of the "toppings" onto the middle (the presentation lacked a little finesse), it was a melodious mixture of flavors and textures in our mouths. The salad was served with Raspberry Vinegrette . . . though, I chose Blue Cheese dressing to play off of the crumbles.





BREAD:
Long time readers know how much we enjoy great bread! Look no further than CS for a plain white bread that is crusty on the outside and tenderly soft on the inside. It's simple, unadulterated, and hardy. It's simplicity makes it a perfect meal accessory.



ENTREES & SIDES:
Allen L and Adams L shared the Surf & Turf which was a 14 ounce Ribeye and 5 shrimp served on a sugar cane. For $5 more, the kitchen cut the steak in half and split the shrimp. The extra $5 also allowed both gals to get their own full size salad and side. Allen L chose the silky smooth aged white cheddar mashed potatoes. Adams L chose the rosemary citrus rice. Both enjoyed their food and noted that the portion size was still generous despite it being split. Both Elles took home part of their meal to enjoy the next day. The $5 splitting option is an economical way to try different CS's dishes.



I have always selected the walleye when dining at CS (which is an absolute MUST try!), but this time I chose their number 2 recommendation and went with the 6 ounce Fillet Mignon and paired it with 5 shrimp served on a sugar cane skewer. I chose the white cheddar mashed potatoes (as they are a palate pleaser indeed!). All 3 of us received the veggie of the day which was a comprehensive collection of steamed vegetables (I think there were at least 7 different veggies in the mix). The steak literally melted in my mouth. It's at the top of the list for best all time steaks. I really enjoy the "Twins" at Baker Street, but this sure gives all other steaks a run for their money. You won't be disappointed, I promise!



DESSERT:
We were presented with the "dessert tray" (notice the tray is really a ceramic tile - they use the tiles to also serve group appetizers . . . certainly is an interesting presentation option).


Adams L shared the Chocolate Bourbon Cake with us (it was much better on this visit than in the past). To quote Rachel Ray, "De-lish!"



SERVICE:
Dan was the man!!!! He really took care of us. Despite being warned about the 7:30 table reservation that would have sent us indoors to the bar, Dan was able to allow us to remain outside at our table the entire evening (thanks Dan!). The kitchen prepared the food extremely quickly and everything was served at the peak of perfection (side note: food arrives at the table with a metal hospital-like plate covering . . . honestly, that's a little disturbing - your mind thinks "YUCK hospital food" first before it has a chance to think "YUM CS food"). Dan was both funny and charming. He was extremely knowledgeable and demonstrated a great deal of patience. I recommend you ask to sit in Dan's section - for sure, you'll be taken care of!

Need to get away for a few hours from life's bothersome burdens? The 3 Elles strongly recommend you take a load off at Club Soda's patio.

Until the next bite -

Chappell's North

5820 Coldwater Rd
Fort Wayne, IN 46825
260.484.3663
no website

Back in April, the 3 Elles dinned at the Chapell's on Broadway http://3elles.blogspot.com/2010/04/chappells.html and had a dismal time. The Broadway location has since closed and relocated to Jefferson Ave. We were pleasantly surprised that for the most part our experience at the Coldwater store was a vast improvement over our last Chappell's outing.

DRINKS
The BEST part of Chappell's - the drinks prepared by Fort Wayne's MOST TALENTED bartender, Sarah! She's a talented alcohol chemist and artist. Look at her masterpieces!

Key Lime Pie Martini complete with graham cracker crust rim - De-lish! No question, you MUST try this. I'm not even particularly fond of Key Lime Pie, but this . . . this is so perfect!



Blue Falls - very good, very strong! I would skip this one in the future and go straight for the Key Lime Martini and the White Chocolate Martini which were TREMENDOUS!



Almond Chocolate something - Perfection! Yum!



Grasshopper - Good, but strong.



APPETIZERS
It's as if Chappell's had read my April blog where I mentioned they should consider some marketing to get people in the door. By sitting at the bar, we were able to get half-priced appetizers. What a bargain! The bar is a grandiose intricately carved wood structure. Adams L enjoyed looking at the detail. We were told it was relocated from the Broadway location and was originally in Hollywood as it was featured in at least 2 John Wayne movies - cool!



Allen L chose the Goat Cheese Bruschetta. I really liked it, but the other L's were not as pleased. We all agree it was a grand improvement over the other location.



I selected Stuffed Jalapenos (recommeded by Super Bar Star, Sarah!) These were very delicious! They were quite similar, though a little smaller, to those found at Bandidos which I also love. The peppers were mild since the seeds were removed and were stuffed with oozing mozzarella cheese and a little bacon. YUM! I would recommend these to future dinners.



Adams L chose the crab cakes. They were very similar to those found at the other location. There was ONE small piece of lump meat - disappointing.



BREAD
It was the same bread as the other location. It was okay. I personally don't have much to say about it. The other L's liked it. It's not the best nor the worst bread we've had on our 3 Elles Journey.



ENTREES

The menu is nearly the same as the Broadway location. We all decided to try something different.

I chose fried Blue Gill that came with Fries and crab slaw, but for $1.95 I upgraded to a delicious house salad. I probably would not get the Blue Gill again - the breading was way too thick, the fish was fishy and not very fresh tasting. It didn't taste anything like other Blue Gill dinners I have had. My hubz ate 2 bites and couldn't stand it due to extreme breading and poor taste. The fries are very delicious! The meal was a generous portion and was a good value for $13.95.





Adams L and Allen L took advantage of another successful Chappell's marketing promotion - buy any entree and get any other entree at half price. Adams L chose the Walleye Fingers that came with french fries. It was the same breading that we had on our Canadian Walleye at the Broadway location. Adams L said the dish was good and not greasy. She said the breading was crispy and crunchy with a flaky and tender piece of flavorful walleye inside. She paired her entree with the Soup Du Jour which was Curry Sweet Potato. She described the soup as creamy and smooth without grit or clumps.





Allen L chose the Fish & Chips. It was inferior to what is offered at Paula's On Main. Our advice - skip it at Chappell's - go straight to Paula's. She found the breading to be WAY too thick and the fish was not flavorful. She did say it was not greasy - that's a plus! As with the other L's, she too liked the fries. She paired her entree with the crab slaw which is tremendous!





DESSERT
We were told that the desserts were made by the owner's wife's sister. They were primarily the same options and tasted the same as the Broadway location - we chose the white cake with white frosting and the carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. They were okay, but they are a far cry from the impeccable desserts offered at other eateries in the area-or by DeBrands just 2 buildings away. For photos, see the April post.

SERVICE
I'm not sure I've mentioned it thus far, but Super Bar Star Sarah ROCKED! Allen L and I agree that if we had not stopped at the bar first for 'tinis and apps the entire night would have been very disheartening.

After our apps we were seated in a booth, in the bar area, where Keenan introduced himself. It started off very positively and we were excited about having a fun server who was going to provide excellent service. Keenan was very nice and started things off very attentively. Keenan said that he, like Sarah, had only been working at Chappell's for a month. Within 30 minutes of us being seated at the table, the volume of patrons grew exponentially and Keenan found himself with too many tables to whom he could provide exceptional service. Why is this a repetitive theme at Chappell's (don't just take my word - google Chappell's and read the plethora of reviews - mostly negative and mostly all stating crappy service)? Might Chappell's consider adopting a more appropriate table to server ratio? I, for one, am tired of paying my hard earned money and not getting the time or attention I feel is required when paying $50 for an evening out. Keenan would disappear for large chunks of time. My water glass would sit empty for 15 minutes or more even when the volume of patrons dwindled and it was I who got up to seek out someone to fill it. Maybe the management should go to Eddie Merlot's and watch how they fill water glasses. Hey Chappell's management - exceptional customer service costs you nothing, but crappy customer service can cost you dearly in lost business. Now, don't get me wrong - Keenan was by far NOT the worst server we have ever had . . . that honor might befall the ditz from Catablu Grille.

A comment about the last transaction - sealing the deal, if you will. Upon swiping Allen L's debit card and being presented with the receipt, she noticed that instead of being charged for $35 as was her bill, Keenan had charged her debit card for $156. WHAT!!!!!! Thank goodness she looked carefully before signing. I got a manager, Joan, over to our table because God knows when Keenan might have returned (seriously, where was he . . . the folks had cleared out of the restaurant and it was back to being fairly quiet). The manager apologized and returned with a corrected charge slip, but no void receipt. Joan said her machine didn't print out such void slips. Well - in hindsight, let's talk customer service. Let's whip out a business card and write a note on the back as proof. Let's apologize profusely and figure something out to make it right for the customer. But it was just dismissed as an error and she was sorry. Skip ahead 12 hours - Allen L's debit card was charged both the $156 AND the $35. Her bank takes a few days to process the void and until then (over the weekend) she is without access to that $156. Seriously! Come on Chappell's - you have kept Allen L from being able to access her OWN MONEY because of your stupidity!!!!!! Oh, it's a good thing it didn't happen to me or EVERYONE I know (I work for the largest company of its kind in the world- I know LOTS of people) would be boycotting Chappell's for life!!!!!!!!!! Unbelievable. $156 might not be a big deal to you Joan or Keenan, but you're screwing with other people's money and that's a really big deal. News flash - there's a lot of competition for people's business in Fort Wayne and guess where people want to go?????? Where they don't get SCREWED!!!!!

DECOR
It was not-so-tacky nautical. There was a fish tank much like the Broadway street location. It had all the typical nautical paraphernalia hanging on the walls. It was cute enough, I guess.

RESTROOM
The North location restrooms were FAR superior to the hole-in-the-wall potty at the Broadway location. The fake white plastic tile were clean. They tried to be high end with the folded paper towels on the counter, but unlike EM's or JD's or other similar locations, Chappell's tried to make pre-folded cheap recycled material paper towels look swanky - kind of a joke, really. Actually, it's almost laughably embarrassing. You'll do better to get a nice paper towel dispenser rather than try to make cheap stuff look expensive - we're not dumb - we see the truth.

We're not going back unless it's for 'tinis with Sarah driving the shaker!

Until the next bite -

Joseph Decuis

191 North Main Street
Roanoke, IN 46783-1064
(260) 672-1715
josephdecuis.com/home.php

AN EXPLOSION OF UNIQUE CHARM!

What a total dining experience - atmosphere, service, and food!

ATMOSPHERE:
There are 7 unique dining areas within the restaurant-a meeting room, a stunning outdoor garden, a screened-in dining area, the conservatory, the bar, the cafe, and also an interesting upstairs section that oozes the ambiance of men's poker night. We selected The Conservatory - check it out - elegant but not over the top. Have your server give you the quick tour - each area is packed with interesting features - the wine "vault" is just too creative!



The table was set beautifully.



At JD's, no detail was left unattended to . . . down to their logo on the chargers.



MARTINIS:
Check out the Martini List - it's comprehensive, innovative, and features may interesting drinks.



Allen L chose a martini called Creole Kiss - on par with the famous EM's Berry White. I got a little sip and WOW - it tastes like kool-aid for adults. She asked for a sugared rim and that totally took the drink from fantastic to out of this world!



Adams L chose a martini called The Flirt. It was made with Champagne which gave it a sharp alcohol bite - not for you rookie drinkers.

Notice both drinks have a gorgeous ruby color - but don't you agree that they could have been enhanced with a fruit garnish? A pineapple wedge for the Kiss and a lime twist of the Flirt??? Just a suggestion to further enhance the overall visual presentation.

BREAD:
JD's has a breadmaking man who comes in every other day to make fresh bread. He chooses the type he wants to make and that's what is served. The rosemary bread we were served was definitely not a slam dunk. It was fresh, but the powerful flavor and spongy texture was a bit off-putting. It wasn't a complete failure, the crust of the bread was a perfect consistency with a hint of salt. I think the breadmaking man is very talented, I would like to try some of his other options.



APPETIZER:
A special of the night was Lobster Mac & Cheese. Allen L nearly exploded with joy! As you loyal readers know, she LOVES this dish. She ordered it and shock is what set over us when it arrived. The diminutive portion was extremely disappointing. For $14, we all were expecting a bit more. Below is a picture of 1/3 of it - literally 2 bites.



Now, don't get us wrong . . . those 2 bites brought an unprecedented level of joy to our mouths. The sauce was a dance of happiness on our taste buds. It would have easily served just one, but our server failed to mention the petite size. Oh well, it was definitely fantastic and we would highly recommend it to everyone!

SALAD:
Adams L chose the seafood salad - what a presentation, every detail at JD's is covered with extreme precision. This salad is covered in edible flower petals. Adams L said it was really good, but that the excessive cracked black pepper sort of ruined it.



A gentleman at an adjacent table ordered the 5 mushroom salad - as it passed near us, I caught the scent of a culinary dream. I totally wished I had ordered this - it smelled fantabulous, it looked dreamy, and the gentleman seemed to really enjoy it.

ENTREES:
This section is worth describing a bit before unveiling the photos. JD's is not a eatery for everyone. It's limited menu (tonight there were only 6 entrees on the menu) is heavy on elegance and requires a refined palate open to eating swanky food. If you want a steak and baked potato, this restaurant may not be a good choice for you. If you are heading there thinking you can just get a chicken breast if everything else seems unappealing - you may be disappointed and left scrambling for a "safe" choice. If you are looking for tongue and cheek or chicken livers or scallops, this is the restaurant for you. If you have a limited palate, then you should know each month JD's has different specials so it is wise to scope out the online menu and plan your excursion accordingly. During the summer, they have a FUN event called "Burgers, Bluejeans, and Beer". Burgers and brauts are made to order on an outdoor grill and served in the courtyard. What a fun blue-collar way to enjoy the otherwise blue-blood establishment.

Allen L and I chose the same chicken entree called Gunthorp Farm chicken Breast Delmonico for $24. Allen L and I both had expected a chicken breast to arrive on our plate - NOPE, disappointment arrived on our plate. At first appearance, we received a skin-on, bone-in small chicken quarter. I thought the higher society in America got the health memo about boneless-skinless chicken breasts, apparently JD's is exempt from this popular healthy eating trend. I'm sure had we asked a few more questions we would have not been so surprised with what arrived. After the work involved in removing the chicken skin and bones, the actual meal was surprisingly delicious. The Creamy Polenta sauce absolutely tied this dish together perfectly. The spicy Andouille sausage and Morel mushrooms took this entree from boring to brilliant. Allen L summed it up perfectly when she said, "everything in the food was very flavorful and all the ingredients were used purposefully and exactly where they were suppose to be." It is obvious that the chefs at JD's carefully selected each spice and each ingredient to maximize the overall palate play. The side for this dish was described to us as mashed potatoes, but what arrived could have been more accurately compared to grits. The grit-potatoes weren't fantastic, but they were a neutral base for the chicken to rest upon.



Adams L chose the Gumbo special. It was served in a crisp white crock. It was perfectly seasoned and had an interesting texture with the sausage and fried chicken intermingling with the rice and creole spices.



DESSERT:
We were presented with a dessert menu -



Adams L and I chose the same dessert - Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Cake. This flourless cake was exceptionally prepared. It tasted similarly to some chocolate-pecan truffles I made at Christmas so I don't think it was a culinary challenge, but it was rather delicious. Flourless cakes can be heavy, but this was just the perfect consistency. It was presented beautifully with a candied pecan and shaved chocolate adorning the airy whip cream.



Allen L chose the Caramel Pot De Creme which I informally called The Pot of Gold which one of the servers thought was pretty creative. This dessert was certainly unique. It was served in a small pot which totally added to the quaintness of this selection. Allen L said it resembled a creme brulee before the firing of the top. She said the extreme lightness and blend of whip cream with the caramel base made it irresistibly addictive. The topping of white chocolate shavings tantalized each taste bud.



SERVICE:
This is difficult to explain to anyone who hasn't witnessed it first hand - those of you who have dined there before will be nodding as you read this saying "yeah, that's it." First, let me say our server, Greta, was extremely knowledgeable about the menu, the history of the restaurant, and exhibited more patience than a human should be obligated to display given our multitude of inquiries. Greta was fantastic as were all of the staff we encountered. I say that it is difficult to describe because although this is a luxury restaurant, it solidly retains one foot in the land of the common-man. On the affluent side, a parade of servers present each patron with his/her food at the exact same time - the plates are laid out on the table with precision timing rivaled only by an elite orchestra. Conversely, the servers wear golf shirts. On the upscale side, there were numerous plates, chargers, goblets, and pieces of silverware used that would challenge the highest of society; however, the table was only a glass top patio table covered with a linen tablecloth. On the elegant side, the server cleaned the table with a crumb comb, but to prevent the experience from being too fancy, the menus were printed on paper. I guess the bottom line is that although JD's is a high society restaurant, it is comfortably accessible to the masses.

RESTROOM:
Hands down, one of the most charming restrooms I have ever visited. Walking in, you are immediately transported to the restroom of a good friend's house. It was simply charming. Even in the restroom, no details went overlooked. Toilet paper was refilled, individual towels (with the JD logo) were fully stocked, the soap was fragrant and plentiful. Even the handicap grab rail was an antiqued brass rail rather than the standard industrial stainless steel bar cheaply used in most modern day restrooms. The wall decor was perfectly selected to coordinate with the theme and atmosphere of the restaurant.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
If you can venture to the land of uncommon food and want the charm of a friendly small town restaurant coupled with upscale sophistication then travel to Roanoke and give this place a try. It's definitely not boring nor something you are likely to encounter in any other location.

Until the next bite -