Three Latest and Best

Working the Upper Room: When you're all dressed up for a party, ribs aren't always what you want to see on the buffet table. But at Broad Ripple Steakhouse they were terrific. At a private party in The Upper Room, their small bar area upstairs, we didn't even have to gnaw. It took me a minute to dig in (that never happens), but I couldn't resist the delicious smell. And no gnawing required. They were so tender, one quick tug pulled all the meat from the bone. With just the right amount of sauce, there were surprisingly unmessy for party food.

Cheese at the Corner Wine Bar: We didn't have dinner, but with the appetizer menu they have a CWB, who needs it? The best part? Lots of cheese! We had the fromage plate (with ample portions of feta, goat cheese, and gouda), a baked brie with a brulee-like crust and cherries, and two orders of man cheese (a bread bowl filled with a thick beer-cheese mixture and pecans.) Crackers, toasted French bread, and best of all, sliced apples were abundant! The wine list? So-so to my eye, but we were happy with a couple of bottles of the BR Cohn cab. It was nice with all the cheese.

The Ultimate Pad Thai: I finally figured out what it is about the pad thai at Sawasdee that makes it so good. Well, it's a combination of things, really. It's the sauce, a perfect blend of sweet and salty with just the right amount of tamarind. It's the noodles -- always fresh from a hot wok and never, ever sticky coated in just the right amount of sauce. Or, it's the fresh crunchy bean sprouts that are still perfect after they've "steamed" in hot noodles for a minute or two. Tofu, egg, shrimp? OK, maybe I haven't figured out exactly what's perfect about the pad thai at Sawasdee but it's still fantastic.