It sits alone, unmarked and unassuming at the end of Massachusetts Ave in downtown Indy. You reach the door and it’s confirmed you’re in the right spot.
Inside, a large chalkboard lists nightly specials. Communal tables invite you to sit down, share a meal and maybe make some new friends. The place has a very comfortable, cool atmosphere. It appears that most patrons are local, and many regulars. Once word gets out about this place, finding a seat will be difficult. The food is that good.
Once seated we were handed clip boards with the current menu. The selections were limited, but varied and all sounded delicious.
After quizzing our server, we decided to start with the Duck Buns and Tomato, Corn and Melon salad.
The Duck Buns consisted of house made yeast rolls topped with shredded duck tossed in a hoisin mustard sauce. We were blown away by these. The rolls were soft and light, the duck was moist and flavorful. Reminded me very much of a New American spin on dim sum. We were off to a great start.
The salad was full of my favorite summer flavors: sweet corn, cantaloupe, and local tomatoes. And bacon, lots of bacon–a favorite for any season. The combination of sweet and savory was energized by a great sherry vinaigrette. A perfect (ending) summer salad, sure to be gone with the new fall menu. Did I mention the bacon?
For entrees, I chose the Pork Schnitzel with a side of Lemon Poppyseed Spaetzle. This meal took me back to my trip in high school to Vienna, Austria. The pork was tender, well seasoned and fried to a perfect golden brown. It was accompanied by a slaw of cabbage, red onion and sweet corn and a wedge of lemon. Simple and comforting, yet sophisticated in it’s flavors. A great dish.
And you can’t (or shouldn’t) eat schnitzel without spaetzle. The egg noodles were pan sautéed with nice crispy edges and pillowy interiors.
My coworker went with the Black Market Burger: a fresh ground blend of beef and lamb, topped with goat cheese spread, grilled red onion and house pickles. It looked so good I had to try a bite. It did not disappoint. The meat blend was a great change of pace from an all beef burger. The goat cheese was creamy and tangy. The sweetness of the onion and acidity of the pickles helped cut through the richness. And I got all that out of one bite. One perfect bite. (I have to admit a slight case of burger envy)
Black Market also does a mean side of fries with house mayo. Went great with the burger.
Finished up with the lime curd and blueberries served over a shortbread cookie and topped with creme fraiche. This may have been favorite part of the meal. Only thing I’ll say, if it’s on the menu, order it. You. Will. Not. Regret. It. Oh, and I wish there was a little more of the micro basil. I love basil and blueberries.
Black Market set the bar high and was not surpassed during my stay in Indy (and we ate some great food; stay tuned for another post).
If you’re local, make yourself a regular. If you’re visiting, make it a destination.
Mega_Bites 