Buca di Beppo's - Indianapolis, IN

Buca di Beppo's has several locations nationwide, with the closest location to the Michiana area being Indianapolis and its boroughs.

Buca di Beppo's classifies itself as "...an authentic Italian restaurant that offers flavorful Italian dining...In the spirit of Italian culture, our dishes are served family style and are meant to be shared..."

I have had the privilege of dining at Buca's, as it is affectionately called, a number of times while attending seminars in Indy. The food is served fresh and hot in HUGE family sized portions right to your table. I have enjoyed a number of different dishes each time I visited. From a vegetarian pizza with both traditional and unique topping ideas (baked eggplant) to hearty, saucy dishes I have never been disappointed. Among the desserts served is the traditional Italian favorite, Tirimisu.

The atmosphere is classic Italian. You get the feeling you are walking into a family-owned small town restaurant in Italy itself. The service there is second to none.

Worth the trip to Indy just to visit. I can't wait to go back. Convienently located in downtown Indianapolis, Greenwood, and Castleton Square here in Indiana. For nationwide locations, visit their website, www.bucadibeppo.com

Flat Top Grill - Ft. Wayne, IN

With regional locations across the Chicago tri-state area, FlatTop Grill offers a new and unique dining experience. Fresh vegetables and protiens (chicken, pork, beef, ect...) can be combined in millions of different ways to create a "bowl" meal. Tossed together on a huge grill in the center of the resaurant, your combination can be tossed with a FTG premixed sauce, or, you can created your own sauce combination. Served alongside each "bowl" is FTG's own fresh, hot flatbread.

While my initial thought of visiting here brought visions of an empty wallet, I was surprised to realize that pricing is acutally quite affordable. For just one create-your-own bowl the cost was under $10. To get unlimited trips to the counter, you pay only a few dollars more. Among the soft drinks that are served (Coke products), FTG also has a bar with all the traditional, and even "FTG's Own" mixed drinks.

The atmosphere is more casual that upscale, but I felt out of place in shorts and a tshirt. One would be perfectly at ease however in jeans and polo. The wait staff was very helpful and friendly. On your first visit to a Flat Top Grill, your server accompanies you to the counter, and assists you in selecting what to add to your bowl. Based on your flavor likes and dislikes, they assist you in selecting a sauce, which can be a combination of up to three of their dozen or more selections, to pour over your cooked and completed meal. You then give your bowl to a cook and return to your seat. Within minutes, your server brings your completed bowl and flatbread to your table. Not interested in a bowl. You can get your selection of veggies and protiens in wrap from as well!!

I look forward to a return visit to Flat Top Grill in the very near future. Visit their website at http://www.flattopgrill.com/

Nola's BBQ - Rochester, NY

Nola's BBQ, in Rochester, NY use to offer great bbq foods in a unique atmosphere. Housed in what was formerly a nightclub, Nolas offers New Orlean's style cuisine on the beaches of Rochester's Lake Ontario.

Nola's was the first place that I encountered Sweet Potato French Fries, and I must admit that I fell in love right away. My first trip there, two summers ago now, was one I remember vividly. The food was very good for what you paid. My pulled pork sandwhich came to the table fresh and hot. There was a good selection of different in-house sauces at the table to try and I found just the right one to compliment my sandwhich and fries. The service, mostly high-school and young college age students, was nothing above the expected. Given its location right across the street from Ontario Beach State Park, and the fact that I feel in love with their Sweet Potato Fries, I couldn't wait for a return visit the next summer.

My return vist to Nola's left much to be desired. What use to be a quaint dining atmosphere, is now Rochester's version of a New Orlean's biker bar. The main parking lot has been roped off, and a very large bar has been set up. Whatever parking you can find on side streets, or at the beach is what you get. Our "host" approached us and greeted us like we were street buddies. It was very informal, unprofessional. The attire of most of the wait staff that we did see left much to be desired. From the baggy saggy shorts to the oversized stained tshirts I wasn't sure if we were at a restaurant or someone's back yard. The tables scattered across the parking lot were hot and sticky from the late afternoon sun. After waiting 10 minutes to even be acknowledged by our host/slash server, we decided that this was not going to be the place for us that evening.

Where did we go instead? Schooner's, of course!

Pelican's Nest - Rochester NY

While this critic believes the atmosphere at Pelican's is second to none in the area, that is most of its charm.

Having visited Pelican's Nest a number of times, I have found the food to be both overpriced and lacking in taste.

In order to try to conserve cost on one occasion, I simply ordered a chicken quesadilla of the appetizer menu. This alone cost over $7! The tortilla was understuffed. The salsa was tasty but watery. I would not get this again. A fellow diner ordered the Calamari, again off the apetizer menu, and paid $10. The battered rings of clamair arrived hot. However, more batter than seafood was a disappointment.

A second visit to Pelican's again proved to be somewhat of a disappointment. Dinner service was crowded that night, and a table near the water was not available. The three diners at our table each ordered a different version of the same seafood pasta, a whopping $18 a plate. Dinner was to be served with house salad and choise of dressing and bread. The salad arrived promptly and was cold and crisp. The pasta arrived some time later, and was less than expected. Portions were good, taste was sub-par. Two diners had a red sauce that was almost too tangy in comparison to the seafodd which was almost flavorless. One diner ordered a white wine sauce and was almost blown away by the pepperyness of the dish. The bread that was supposed to be seved alongside the meal had to be requested before it was brought to the table. Again, another dissapointment as it was simply storebought dinner rolls, not a suitable pairing with seafood pasta.

The serivce at Pelican's is terrific, and they can easily make up for lost points on that. Our waitress was cheerful and always handy when we needed something. Pelican's again is a mostly outdoor restaurant but claims to be the only place in the area with moving walls that close in cold and inclimate weather. More parking is needed closer to the building to accomodate the large crowds that frequent the dinner service.

I enjoy the atmosphere at Pelican's and am hopeful that I will soon find a dish that matches. A full menu along with event schedule for Pelican's Nest can be found here.

Schooner's at Shumway Marina - Rochester, NY

The food at Schooners is fantastic. The french-dip with au jous is a real treat. The sandwhich is served with thinly sliced roast beef and melted provolone cheese on crusty french bread. You can get this sandwhich with the standard side of potato chips, which are store bought and plain or choose from a selection of sides. The Anonymous Critic suggests getting an order of sweet potato fries. Served with honey, these fries are sweet and savory.

In the mood for something different? Try the muffaletta. Shaved ham, salami, and provolone accompany an olive salad in light vinagarette on focaccia flatbread to make this sanwhich.

Along with Coke products, Schooners is a full serive bar with a wide selection of beer on tap. A full menu can be found here.

Seating at Schooners is open, so the restaurant is closed in the fall and winter months. It is nice to sit at dinner in the evening and watch the boats come in to dock for the night.

One thing to keep in mind, however. Because Schooners is primarily a bar, be sure to have you ID. The sign posted at our evening stop requested 2 forms of ID, one HAD to be a New York State ID. This could potentially create a probelm for out of state guests, although we had none that night.

Serive at Schooners is average. Most of the waitstaff appear to be high-school age girls. Overall, I have to say that eating at Schooners is a highlite of our trip and something we look forward to all year.