Photograph by Tony Valainis
Citrus With Savory
Pickled onions are feeling a little old and busted. Restaurants that think beyond the pink to get some acid on that savory plate and drop in a lemon or lime wedge instead are the new hotness.
Dressed Salads
Dripping salad dressing from a ramekin then mixing it in at the table is many a diner’s most hated restaurant chore. Everyone gets spattered, greens fly everywhere—what a mess. Bless the spots that serve salads fully dressed.
Inclusive Pricing
Surprise “service fees” leave a bad taste in every diner’s mouth, and tipping can be an unfair, exploitative practice for workers. Restaurants that factor in labor costs and charge for dishes accordingly are the wave of the future.
Open Air Drinking
Does every bar have to be a speakeasy? No, it does not. Indy is on the cusp of an open and airy cocktail bar revolution and is poised to leave “covert” basement drinking to rec room–dwelling teens.
Sheet Pan Plating
Forget those angled square plates with sliding entrees and awkwardly pooling sauces. More and more Indy spots bring kitchen gear to the table by repurposing sheet pans as plates. It’s the cafeteria tray for the grown-up set.
Suspend the Straw
Sometimes folks require plastic straws to safely drink liquids, but they’re not necessary every time a restaurant serves a beverage. Spots that use good judgment on straws and stirrers save money and the planet. What’s the downside?
