Needing to balance a number of different options for four diners, my sister and I hit up Yelp, Zomato, TripAdvisor and OpenTable to figure out where we would go with my parents on Friday night in Indianapolis. There was a lot on offer, but ultimately, we decided on Tavern on South — a gastro pub (?) type place close to Lucas Oil Stadium. It had parking, was relatively quiet (we wanted to talk), had a decent cocktail/drinks menu and wasn’t a chain restaurant (yes, these were all on our list).
After a quick look at the menu, glasses of wine, prosecco and a berry cosmopolitan for me were ordered, along with an appetizer of pretzel bread (with white cheddar cheese sauce and grainy mustard). This starter was a non-negotiable. When home in the States, I like my cheese and carbs and I will make no apologies. Fortunately, the order came out quickly and piping hot — I would definitely order again for myself.
For mains, I decided on the Asian salad (with beef tenderloin), and forgetting how large American portions are am slightly overwhelmed at the amount placed in front of me. While I didn’t think the udon noodles were necessary, the rest of the salad was a great blend of texture and flavor (points to lots of crispy wontons). My sister also enjoyed a similar main (and wisely ordered the smaller portion) of the Tavern salad, which looked a treat. Across the rest of the table were orders of seafood linguine and salmon ‘oscar.’ Given the cost of both, I’m not entirely sure the value for money is there, but my parents were happy with their orders.
To end the meal, we decided to split (four ways) an order of strawberry shortcake. I would’ve wished for more fresh strawberries, but there was nothing left in a matter of minutes, so I guess the dish spoke for itself…
I have literally nothing to compare the restaurant to in the city, but it was a place I would go back to for the breadsticks.
Have you been to Tavern on South? Do you have a favorite dish? Is there another place in Indianapolis we should’ve visited?
