Stacked Pickle – No Frill, Low Bill, So Dill

Picky Eaters, be relieved! Pick up a piping hot, fried pickle at Stacked Pickle where you will also find burgers, fries, wings, salad, and sandwiches. And, ta-da, this food is ultra affordable! Though the menu houses a list of super affordable options, the quality of the food shines. Stacked Pickle truly stacks up. The proof is in the beer-battered French fries, the juicy half pound burgers, and the best-selling fried tenderloin. Did I mention the beer-battered French fries?

The Burner Burger hits the hot spot with it’s jalapeño pepper sauce, and vegetarians can dig with equal intensity into the Veggie Sand (marinated mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, avocado, and provolone between wheat.) Owner Chris Long suggests the Weekend Sports Special (Burger/Wing combo with fries $9.49) plus an appetizer of fried pickles and a tall, frothy glass of Fat Tire on tap. (The full bar offers 8 beers on draft with a notable cocktail menu to boot.) It would be a shame if you came here and did not indulge in the fried pickle spears with ranch dipping sauce. Hello, this place is called Stacked Pickle for crying out loud, and they fix a mean pickle!

The break-down: Unstuffy and casual neighborhood hangout with simple, good food where quality is not compromised for cost. Stacked Pickle proudly offers daily lunch specials, a kids menu, vegetarian options, lots of beer, and numerous flat screen TVs for optimum game watching. A hearty dinner for two can easily be done under $35 – beer included. Score!

Hidden Indy Gem - Babushka's Deli

Two doors down from the fantastic Tulip Noir Cafe is a true find, a small Eastern European and Russian grocery store called Babushka's Deli. Here you can get a slew of imported candy, pickled EVERYTHING, dozens of flavors of filled frozen dumplings, cured meats and fish, handmade pastries, unusual booze, and much more. My ten minutes inside the store wasn't enough to soak up all it had to offer. The clerk was very helpful and answered all of my questions. I would have asked her a bazillion more, but I didn't want to be annoying. So instead, I just picked up some sweet treats.

Here's my loot. The pastries are caramel creme puffs. They are slightly nutty, hazelnuts I'm suspecting, and the outer cookies are like dense cakes. Inside is a soft, sweet creme. You can buy them by the pound for $9.99. The Karums and Sirok candies are actually tiny chocolate covered cheesecake bars. At Babushka's you can buy them frozen or refrigerated. I tried one of each. They are a great treat; not too sweet and a bit of tang from the creamed cheese, and there are five different flavors. Oh, the soda: Kvass. It's contents are sugar, malt, and carbonated water. I had my roommates try it as well. One shouted, "It tastes like soy sauce and Colt 45." I think I agree. Kvass is a bit too strange for my American tongue.

This creepy little candy was a sort-of chocolate truffle with a chocolate creme. They melt easily in the sunny heat, so I'd suggest eating one quickly. That's never a problem for me.

When I bought this candy, it had a picture of some strawberries on the wrapper.

"Sweet," I thought, "some type of chewy gummy or taffy." I was very surprised to see chocolate when the wrapper was peeled back. Inside is a strange mixture of wafer, nuts, and chewy fruit - strawberry apparently. My tongue said, "Not so much."

Babushka's Deli is definitely something I'm going to have to check out in more detail. I'll go for the savory items perhaps. Those frozen dumplings will be in my grasp soon enough.

Babushka's Deli - 1248 W 86th St - (317) 843-1920

Local Brewers & Chef Unite for Ultra Date Night Dinner

Attention! Date night ahead! Book a babysitter for April 29th and make a reservation at Chef JJ'sBack Yard (1040 Broad Ripple Ave) ASAP! Locally famous, Chef JJ will be hosting a special educational dinner featuring local brewers, Dave Colt and Clay Robinson of Sun King Brewery. JJ will be grilling a fantastic dinner inspired by the distinct flavors of various Sun King beers. Get the low-down on brewing history, all types of beers and their profiles, and leave knowing the difference between a lager and ale (among other things.) Sample 6 beers and absorb the beer knowhow all before the first course. Following the appetizer beers, which will be served at 6:30, each course will be pared with a half-pint of pre-paired beer.

$65 per person will set you up for an evening of fabulous food and bubbly beer. Get your tickets and info here. Remember, seating is limited! Reserve your seat today!

When MTV Comes to Indy

On this past Saturday, a beautiful and breezy day as it was, a handful of TV production crew members working for MTV, including renowned MTV corespondent,SuChin Pak, came to little ol' Irvington. They came to shoot footage for an hour long segment about winners, Amanda Mauer Tafflinger and Neal Tafflinger, of the Pepsi Refresh Project grant. (The Tafflingers won the award for the proposal of their new indie/Indy boutique, Homespun.)

While filming through the afternoon, stomachs growled and groaned. Where do hungry MTV crew men and women eat in Indy? Jockamo Upper Crust Pizza had what their little tummies were crying for. This was actually the second time Jockamo's pizza was consumed by the crew while they were here. It must have been the Cheese Louise pizza with it's five, 5-star cheeses and bacon or the Lazy Boy pizza carrying sausage, pepperoni, ham, mushroom, green pepper, and onion. Jockamo's vast menu had the options that those New Yorker's were used to. Way to go, Jockamo!