Mo's Empire in Milwaukee Crashes

The good news is that we hear local owner Jeremiah Hammond bought downtown stalwart Mo's, A Place for Steaks, outright from his partner, Johnny V, a few months ago. Mo's had been hanging on here in Indy, but Vassello's other restaurants and business ventures in Milwaukee (all with "Mo's" in the name) have been hit hard by the failure of real estate development deals. His Chicago bank is moving to foreclose on properties he owns in Milwaukee. The Milwaukee-Wisconsin Journal Sentinal reports Vassello is still a partner in the successful Mo's Irish Pub on Indy's northside.

Three Latest and Best: What a Weekend Edition!

Birthdays are always the best excuse to do all your favorite things, and mine was no different. It couldn't have been more perfect -- and many, many thanks to the great friends who made it all happen.

Friday Night: Had a simple and lovely dinner with a gal pal downtown. We treated ourselves to meat -- for me, a huge slab of falling-off-the-bone baby back ribs from Mo's, A Place for Steaks.

Saturday: The annual summer Indy Pub Crawl! Organizers do a great job getting 200 or so folks through roughly 15 stops on a schedule. Folks start crawling at 11:00 a.m. and work their way through downtown's favorite bars. The rule is one beer/one bar which generally works. I picked up the Mass Ave stops, Front Page, Old Point Tavern, and Das Rat, and had a chance to catch up with some old friends.

Saturday Night: When one of your best food and wine friends offers to organize your birthday dinner, take him up on it! I only provided a date and a restaurant preference, L'explorateur. What a menu -- incredible. Neal served us tasting courses from 8 p.m. until well after midnight. We started with oysters, moved through fresh antipastos, hamachi carpaccio, more seafood, sweetbreads, pork jowls!, and a slab of foie gras au torchon on brioche with a birthday candle. I can't think of a better way to celebrate than with such an amazing group of people. Bravo!

Clean out the Refrigerator Friday

*On Tuesday, we saw...Speaker Pat Bauer having dinner at Mo's, A Place for Steaks.

*On Wednesday, we saw...Gov. Mitch Daniels having dinner at Meridian.

*Westfield Boulevard in Broad Ripple is open again which should make getting to and from the northside a little easier.

*Fortyfive (757 Mass Ave) opens Saturday night with sushi and dinner starting at 5:00 p.m. and champagne at midnight.

Mo's Irish Pub: It's a hit!

Mo's Irish Pub co-owner Jeremiah Hammon reports the new venture at Saxony in Noblesville is a hit, such a hit that they've had to hire additional staff to accommodate the early success. Early budgets are out the window as early customer response has exceeded expectation. Mmm. Now I'm craving a big Reuben sandwich for lunch.

Preview: Mo's Irish Pub

Popped up to the new Saxony development in Noblesville last night for a pre-view service at Mo's Irish Pub, the latest venture from the Milwaukee/Indianapolis crew who brought us Mo's, A Place for Steaks and the third of their popular Irish pub concept. Owners and managers were putting servers -- and the kitchen -- through their paces last night in their first service -- with a planned opening on Friday at 11:00 a.m. I have to confess, I love to be a guinea pig. (I loved Escoffier at CIA for the same reason with the chef students often halting, stopping, and starting over on their formal presentations.) There's just something about being part of the overall process that makes me a forgiving, happy customer. But even on a regular night, I would have been happy with this place.

Decor is comfortable pub style with lots of dark wood, fireplaces, upholstered chairs and barstools imported from Ireland, and solid, bright colored walls. Somehow, it skips the forced "stone" feeling other Irish pubs seems to feel is important. Three main seating areas plus a large outdoor patio ensure this place should have room -- although in this neighborhood, I suspect it will fill up fast.

The menu, modified some from its sister restaurant, Mo's Irish Pub in Milwaukee, focuses on flavors that will keep customers coming back. Corned beef/sauerkraut/swiss cheese Reubens come in a variety of forms including quesadillas, sandwiches, and "shalaylees" stuffed egg roll style and sliced. Along with the traditional favorites -- corned beef and cabbage, burgers, and a salmon boxty, salads like a California-style Cobb and a classic Ceasar look appealing, too. The hit at our table was the triple grilled cheese with bacon, tomato and avocado and oven roasted tomato soup. Another soup -- a cream of mushroom with brie -- was rich but oh, so, good. Desserts were basic -- but good. An apple crisp topped with creamy vanilla ice cream, a giant chocolate chip cookie with chocolate dipping sauce and ice cream, as well as a rich but strong Bailey's cheesecake. Don't miss the signature Mo's bar service -- always excellent.

Chef Ken Arnone, the consulting chef for the Mo's family, will be in the kitchen for the rest of the week ensuring the staff is up to speed on his well-thought out menu. (Some of you will recognize his name as both a CMC and Chef Professor at CIA from '99 to '05.) Mo's will host a pre-opening benefit, open to the public, tonight from $6-midnight. $20 includes food and drinks with Dave and Rae. (Proceeds to Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Central Indiana.) After a ribbon cutting on Friday, they'll open for lunch with 5 After 5 playing Friday night and The Last Good Year on Saturday.

Mo's, A Place for Steaks regulars would know Johnny V. and Jeramiah, but might not know operating partner Randy Cramer. My prediction with this restaurant team, the location, the food, and space, I just can't see how these guys don't have a hit on their hands. I suspect they'll find a welcome audience between nearby Geist, Deer Creek, and Noblesville neighborhoods. Congratulations on a new venture!

More pictures of the interior and space at the Feed Me/Drink Me Flickr group.

Three Latest and Best -- All Cocktail Edition

Hey, kids! Think I've sidestepped my cocktailing ways? Think again! Ahoy!

My Favorite Bar Dinner: or even better, Best Salad Ever at Mo's, A Place for Steaks. Oh, dear wedge salad. I'd forgotten how much I love you. Your crisp iceberg head, your crunchy bacon, your red tomatoes. Oh, you provide me with my entire days serving of vegetables all covered with thousand island dressing. And blue cheese. (We decided Thousand Island needs a new moniker -- something to keep up with inflation, maybe "Million Dollar." )

Vodka and Caviar at Morton's: Whether it was the new martinis or the excellent company, we had a great time at Morton's Vodka and Caviar night. We previewed some of the new cockatils -- they follow a much more traditional "martini" line so don't look for sticky sweet "girly-tinis" but subtle flavors that let the vodka shine. And enjoyed loads of smoked salmon, tuna tartare, and Petrossian caviar. (What, you people thought that open tin was just sitting out for decoration? We dug in!) My favorites? The lemon thyme martini and the lightly flavored raspberry with fresh fruit with an honorable mention to the cucumber with the salt and pepper rim.

And Then On To...: I'd forgotten what a great party drinks list they had at Nicky Blaine's -- along with a much better cigar list than I remember. Bellied up to the bar and chose a couple of really sweet, fruity, cherry/cranberry/vodka/liquor drinks that were tasty but completely inappropriate for the cigar I was smoking. But I didn't care. Girly-tinis at Nicky Blaine's are the cocktail version of comfort food.

Tuesday

Northward Expansion: Jeremiah Hammon (owner at Mo's, a Place for Steaks) and a partner have inked the deal for their next area project -- an Irish pub at Saxony in Fishers. In keeping with the Mo's restaurant family tradition (you'll understand if you're in Milwaukee), it will be called, natch, Mo's Irish Pub. Target open date is May 2.

Hoosier Beer Geeks on Dining and Beer: Over at Hoosier Beer Geeks, Mike has asked if some of my readers have any comments on why fine dining restaurants don't serve or offer more craft beers with food. I suspect I know the answer on a number of levels but that doesn't mean beer lovers can't dream.

Updates from Reader Questions: Julia at The Dish reports on the Japanese grocery one reader asked us about. One World Grocery in Castleton making sushi. Don't know if this was the place a reader asked about that carries fresh whole seafood.

Wait and See: Also from The Dish -- an update on Taste of Tango, the Argentinian place downtown long in the works. From Julia:

Promises, Promises: Local Realtor Fabricio Perez says his plans for an Argentinian restaurant Taste of Tango at 36 E. Washington St. are well underway, and he is aiming for an April or May opening. Sure, he initially promised the vacant space would be rehabbed and ready for business by July 2007, but it sounds like he really means it this time: "The renovation is almost complete," Perez says. "We could be ready to open in a month if we wanted, but I don't want to open in wintertime anyway."

Quiz Answer: Razor Clam! Whether it's the texture of the form (razor clams are a long, thin, sweeter clam), razor clams have long been particularly well-suited for grilling. You could grill any of the others but probably not with as much success. Plus, James Beard liked them. 47% got it right.

Monday Morning Tidbits

Open for Lunch: Lunches for office staff are popular during the holiday season. Add Mo's, A Place for Steaks, to the list of restaurants open for lunch on select days in December. Mo's will be open Thursday, Dec. 20 and Friday, Dec. 21.

Fine French Dining? Early word has it that a a new French restaurant will go into the former Pizza King space on Main in Carmel's arts and design district. (A hat tip to Joe Lazzara, my Carmel informant and one of their new neighbors.) No firm info on opening date.

Care Packages: The Star has a useful article on care packages for military personnel stationed overseas, kids in the hospital, and college students. I have a family member in Iraq and many in my family have already sent packages of treats. There are some good ones on the list: sunblock, lip balm, powdered drink mixes, books, and wet wipes. Also, included is useful info on how to send it, what not to send, and deadlines. Mail by Tuesday to make Christmas in Iraq!

My Weekend -- Trying to Get a Meal Edition

While this weekend was a big one, I never had so many problems just trying to get a meal! Honestly, with my own rush (see Friday), poorly managed crowd control (see Saturday), and just plain front-of-house customer service failure (see Sunday), I felt like I had to work much too hard to actually eat out this weekend.

Friday night: Popped into Mo's to meet a couple of pals with every intention of ordering dinner. But after running into more people, a having a few more drinks, and chatting up a storm, I, um, forgot. It was horrible, too, since I ended up with a stale, sad chicken sandwich from McDonald's on my way home.

Saturday night: Locals said Bonge's Tavern was more crowded than they'd seen in years, and with the 90 degree temps and clear skys I couldn't blame folks for wanting to come out and enjoy this Indiana institution. And it showed. We waited a record *4 hours* for our tables (and they still had to break the 12 of us up at different tables.) Luckily, most of that waiting time was passed with cold beers and a few snacks in a friend's home just down the road as opposed to the parking lot, but, as happens, by the time we were seated, it was noisy, crowded, and slow -- and we were hungry. We didn't order until ten o'clock and didn't eat until eleven. And while our meal was good, the enjoyment decreased proportionally to how long we waited. The stars? The elk lasagna, strip steak, and walleye. The chocolate sugar creme cake with sour cherries would have been lovely if we weren't exhausted and cranky by the time they tried to offer us dessert. Plus, the rest of our party was ready to leave. I like this place and generally like the food, but what's more crazy is how they've managed to turn a ridiculous wait -- that honestly is a kitchen and service problem -- into a draw. Still, a great way to spend a summer evening and we had plenty of time to catch up with old friends and new.

Sunday morning: To continue the trend, we *tried* to have brunch at Puck's. I say tried because my companion tried to brunch there Saturday but was told they only do "brunch" on Sunday. The person at the IMA desk told her they open at 10:00 a.m. When we arrived, a hostess told us they opened at 11:00 a.m. She neglected to tell us reservations were recommended and that they were booked until 1:30. We didn't find that out until we went *back* to try to have brunch. We settled for a pastry and 1/2 price champagne cocktails at Scholar's Inn (where we laughed about the seafood surprise "specials".)

Three Latest and Best

Call it the All Salad edition, but hey, with all the mac-and-cheese I've been eating lately, I've got to eat some vegetables somehow. It's going to be a big food weekend with a Bonge's run (complete with tailgating and cocktails) and the Slow Food Bloomington potluck. So, in honor of vegetables, here's this week's Three Latest and Best.

Black and Blue at Bourbon St. Distillery: Yes, I know I often tout the food at this popular downtown dive, but they do a great job for a pub that has $1 beer night. My latest fave? The black and blue salad including steak cut into strips, tomato, dressing of choice and lots of blue cheese. A perfectly balanced meal including protein, vegetable and dairy!

Garbage Salad at Mo's, A Place for Steaks: I know some of you don't like the term "garbage salad" (or "sweep the floor" pizza), but personally, I don't have a problem with any salad as loaded with good stuff as this one. Be prepared -- this antipasto salad serves two with generous portions of greens, tomato, roast beef (sliced thin), salami (diced), peppercinis, artichoke hearts, and black olives. (For extra non-traditional decadence, order bacon on the side.) Easy to share and with different dressings. It's perfect if you want to save room for dessert. Did I mention the strawberry shortcake is still fantastic with fresh berries, cream, and their good, salty, biscuity "shortbread."

Salad To-Go: It's no secret that I *love* pizza. So what do I do when I order a big, decadent Bazbeaux pie for takeout? (Greek with feta or quattro frommagio with bacon, mmmm)? I have them throw a giant salad into the mix. The best part? My favorite creamy basil dressing. And the salad is so big, I can eat all the 'za I want, still have a healthy meal, and have leftovers for the next day.

Three Latest and Best

Yes, I admit it, I'm a geek. After making the mistake of eating a very late lunch on Friday, I wasn't very hungry at Middle Eastern Fest which is a real shame because everything -- from the baked kibbee to the baklava -- looked fantastic. I sampled a meat pie and had a feta cheese snack.

Saturday, feeling hungover (for no apparent reason other than a few glasses of wine on Friday night), I skipped out on the Broad Ripple Brew Fest and curled up on the couch with a huge batch of gorgeous fresh cherries from Marsh and the new Harry Potter book. I finished both by the end of the day.

Seeing as my weekend was pretty low-key, I thought I'd catch up on the three latest and best.

Cocktails at Mo's: Popped into Mo's for a quick pre-dinner drink last week and ran into all my favorite people from National Wine and Spirits including the fabulous Catherine LaCross and John James who reps Moet/Hennessey. Need champagne? John is the guy to know -- Moet, Veuve, Domaine Chandon, and Dom Perignon are all his brands. Good champagne was had by all!

Indiana Sweet Corn: My favorite ingredient right now is the beautiful sweet corn in high season! Corn risottos, corn soups, corn on the cob, and even last week, at Elements, Greg's chicken "schnitzel" on a bed of creamed corn. Oh, so good.

Lunch at RBistro Again! Had lunch at RBistro two days in a row last week and it was yummy as always. I'm so glad to see this slightly out of the way spot becoming a favorite with arts and city people alike. I did, of course, have my standard applewood bacon panini eating only half so I could have dessert.

Checking in at 40

Happy birthday to me! Since today will be largely steak, wine, and cocktail related, I figured it was time to check in for a little food assessment. So, without further ado, here is a list of things I'm thankful for on my 40th birthday.

1) Thanks to all my friends who ponied up for loot. Since you did your part, Sur La Table (or Surly Table as many of the Cali friends call it) and Williams-Sonoma will have an uptick in second quarter sales. While I didn't get the ice cream maker I wanted (yet, I'm still hoping) I did get fantastic ice cream bowls, spoons, vases, plates, and a whole host of other goodies.

2) Thanks to all you fine readers who check in at the rate of nearly 400 a day just to hear my comments on Indianapolis food -- the good and the bad. We don't all agree, but we're all eating and, I hope, eating better.

3) Thanks to my pals in the cooking and chow.ind conferences on the WeLL who are willing to answer questions, share achievements, and rave about a good meal. Check it out -- it's worth the $15 a month to be a part of such a vibrant and intelligent online community.

4) Thanks to the universe for making such a tough year a little better. Yoga, workouts, and whole grains have saved me from the stress. Plus, I don't miss that 20 extra pounds much either.

5) And last but not least, thanks for a whole host of foodie friends who help remind me every day that Indianapolis has some real gems, great chefs, fun restaurants, excellent wine, and people who appreciate it all. We just have to know where to look.

Weekend Tidbits

Considering that I started my Friday needing a big Dr. Pepper to counteract last night's shenanigans, I was a bit late scaring up a post. Here are a few tidbits, scraped together to hold you over until next week.

The New Guy at Mo's: Ah, it's spring and change is in the air. Dan, the bartender, shaved his head, and there's a new manager in town. If his welcoming round of drinks -- including the chambourd kamikazi -- is any indication, PK is going to fit right in!

Girly-tini Night is Alive and Well: Nothing says Thursday like half-price martini night at Scholar's Inn. We had a seat at the upstairs bar for all the action -- crazy busy bartenders and lots of cut throat elbowing, and that's just to get a cocktail! It's still one of the best bar nights in town.

Police Nab Gin-and-Tonic Bandit: So, a guy walks into a bar, at a Bloomington O'Charleys', has two gin and tonics and a steak (total $25.96), then walks the check -- every Wednesday for four weeks in a row! On his last visit, servers decided to take matters into their own hands. He was nabbed by police as he tried to leave. Oh, so many questions. If you were going to dine and ditch a steak dinner, wouldn't you at least try Outback?

Ghetto Kroger Rehab Stalls: Rumor has it that the renovation of the ghetto Kroger on 16th Street is stalled for a while. (The word I heard was "abandoned.") Kroger, rightly so, refuses to bow to neighborhood pressure for a large, mixed use redevelopment. Sadly, it's an example of Center Township politicians trying to hold a large corporation hostage for ridiculous demands without regard for what their constituents really need which is a new, renovated grocery store.

Three Latest and Best

ShelBi Street Bistro: What a find in Fountain Square! Perfect little pizzas, great sandwiches, and rich salads grace the menu at this eclectic but sweet cafe across the hall from the Fountain Square Diner. And bonus, they do the food at the rooftop in the summer as well!

Fried Oysters at Mo's: We all know what Mo's, A Place for Steaks does well. I mean, they dry age their own Prime. But my new favorite dish? The fried oysters in a blue cheese sauce on a bed of spinach. Dinner in a bowl. Don't forget the bread for sopping.

Food of the Week: Pre-cooked steelcut oats from Trader Joe's sweetened with a little maple syrup and brown sugar in the frozen food section. Each box has two pre-cooked, pre-measured portions of this yummy, breakfast goodness. Just pop a hockey puck of this hearty oatmeal in the microwave, and viola! Healthy!

Two-Minute Warning: Last night, with every downtown bar filled with Pacers fans, we scooted over to Vitesse for some peace and quiet -- that and a healthy dose of snark since we knew what we were getting into. First, there was no wines-by-the-glass list. They were "doing inventory" and not able to tell us what they had (which is difficult when, you know, selling wine is what you, um, do.) Vitesse is supposed to be known for their massive by-the-glass list although it was only 43 at my last count. When we weren't impressed with a few names our waiter rattled off in the Cabernet department, we finally gave in and asked for the wine list by the bottle settling on a nice Benton Hill Pinot Noir. It arrived, he doffed the screw cap with a flourish (it really does take something out of the wine presentation), then proceeded to pour us both full glasses. As we commented that we hoped no taste was necessary (because neither my dining companion nor I are shy), he quickly covered the mistake by agreeing with our suggestion that screw caps reduce the risk of spoilage. Then there was the menu. Not only was the menu laughably typo-ridden ("crustini" anyone?) but what we ordered was not what we got. After we worked our way through the bagged mixed greens salad (complete with brown ends) that was billed as "frissee and arugula", we moved on to the pork belly and macaroni and cheese which was really a very non-fatty piece of center cut pork chop over a mac/cheese that turned into an oily mess in the bowl. The poor waiter -- a victim of poor training and worse management -- was stuck in the middle. When we said, really more his information than anything else, "you realize this isn't pork belly, right?" He said, somewhat sheepishly "I know." My only question was "then why in the hell didn't you tell us?" Geeze. They've got problems over there. But hey, without the Conrad who else would we complain about. That's part of the fun. We drank our wine in a couple of cushy leather chairs out of the hustle and bustle of the city enjoying the nice little pinot on a rainy night. More on the menu later.

Ow: Head Hurts and Wine Galore

The words I have for you, O wise one, are these:

Stags Leap
Mt. Veeder
Paraduxx
Duckhorn
Steaks at Mo's

Today, I'm hanging with the Hoosier Beer Geeks. Look for our latest reviews of Rogue's Dead Guy Ale (in honor of all the cool dead guys this past week.)