Our first stop was to Chef JJ’s Big Green Bistro. While this truck is used mainly for private events, it focuses on sustainable items to bring the taste of Chef JJ’s Back Yard to different locations. For $10, we opted for the bistro box which gave us three different menu items in one serving: a pork taco, an Indiana Slider and palenta. All three were delicious and flavorful, and we finished off every last bite. The Big Green Bistro was a great start to the Food Truck Fest, and the only downside was knowing that you can’t find this food truck out on the streets of Indianapolis, it is available by reservation only.

Next, we headed over to Rollin Wit Da Roux per a recommendation that we had to try the special. I felt a little bit guilty, like I was cheating on my favorite truck, Some of This Some of That (which you should try the jambalaya there if you’ve never been). Da Roux serves the iconic classics of Cajun, Creole and Southern BBQ cuisine. Do not mistake this truck for a mobile Papa Roux restaurant, as we learned when Papa Roux himself cornered us by the truck and gave us a speech about it. Awkward! We tried the spicy blackened catfish with crab sauce and rice for $10. The fish was cooked to perfection and it had just the right combination of spice and flavor. This Cajun truck is definitely going to be serving up some delicious competition to Papa Roux and SOTSOT!

Our third stop was to Edward’s Dashboard Diner. We didn’t get a chance to taste anything here in September because it was already sold out by the time we got in line, but we heard raving reviews of the famous tenderloin sandwich and we had to try it for ourselves. Edward’s Dashboard Diner is a mobile version of the famed Edward’s Drive-In, located at 2126 South Sherman Drive. It was recently featured on the Travel Channel’s Man vs. Food, and if it’s good enough for Adam Richmond, it’s good enough for me! For $6, we split a huge fried tenderloin sandwich that lived up to its reputation for being the best tenderloin in Indianapolis.

If you haven’t made it out for a Food Truck Fest yet, your next chance is from 5 – 9 p.m. on Friday, November 4. There will be live music and laughs provided by The Band of Beards. Also, the First Friday Food Truck Festival has teamed up with Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana by offering free admission to those who donate two or more non-perishable items at the event. Also, The Civil Wars will be playing that evening at the Egyptian Room, so check out a great concert after enjoying some food and drinks. You can get a ticket to The Civil Wars show at MOKB Presents.

On Thursday, 9/15/11, I had the pleasure in partaking in the opening launch for Chef JJ’s Big Green Bistro; a unique spin on the emerging food truck culture, as it is aimed to be a high-class mobile catering unit.

The restaurant, if one could assign it the moniker, is essentially a tricked-out RV equipped with JJ’S signature Green Egg grilling machines that boasts it can serve up to 400 people. Although that may seem like a large number for a mobile food unit, the bistro had no problem serving quality food to the 25 people in attendance at the event.

JJ served four interesting courses at the event, all aimed to show the diverse repertoire of the restaurant.

The evening started with a delicious pair of tacos made with pork, cucumber salad and a made-from-scratch chili sauce. The tacos were a delightful break from the norm, as the cucumber salad added a very spring feel to the more spicy and direct chili.

The second and third courses were a palenta and “Indiana Slider.” The palenta was a traditional corn-based cake that served more as a warming up for the main event: The slider. The slider was beautifully crafted with a pork and duck patty, chili, slaw and very high quality, decadent, bacon. The combination of flavors, along with the trademark smoky feel of a Green Egg cooked dish, made for an amazing experience as the ingredients of the sandwich danced along the palate with a variety of flavors.

The fourth course was dessert, an orange cream that was ok. However, this may be due to the fact that I was still in shock by the quality of the slider.  The unique part about the dessert was that even though it was a cream-based item, it was still cooked on “The Egg.”

Overall, Chef JJ really presented a diverse and delicious experience for the participants of the Bistro’s opening. I am very excited about where he can go with this mobile unit, as the ingredients and dishes all were very different and unique, and more than what one would expect from a restaurant on-the-go.

Downtown Indy will rock this Labor Day weekend, September 2-5, when the 16th annual Rib America Festival presented by Indiana Pork Farmers returns. The 2011 lineup is loaded with the biggest names to date at Indy’s biggest and best BBQ and music event. The Budweiser music stage will rock with REO Speedwagon, The Doobie Brothers, Blind Melon, Everclear, KC and the Sunshine Band, Jonny Lang, the Romantics, Truth & Salvage Co. and many more. The Street Rodder Magazine Road Tour will also be featured at the event on Sunday, September 4 only. The Rib America Festival presented by Indiana Pork Farmers is open at 11:00 a.m. daily and is held at the beautiful, tree filled Military Park in White River State Park at the crossing of New York and West Streets.

Rib America Festival presented by Indiana Pork Farmers also proudly unveiled its newly revamped website recently and can be viewed at www.RibAmerica.com. The new site represents the elements that patrons have come to love and expect from the sixteen-year event including the natural park shade and trees, plush city setting, convenience to area hotels and the amazing layout that make the event a true Indiana original. Also available for download is the Hard Rock Café iRib app.

“The consistent statewide support for the annual Rib America Festival is something that White River State Park takes great pride in. The quality entertainment combined with the best Bar-B-Q in the beautiful setting of Military Park in White River State Park make for a truly unique experience that Indianapolis has fully embraced,” said Bob Whitt, Executive Director of White River State Park.

The Rib America Festival presented by Indiana Pork Farmers is a fun filled event featuring award winning barbeque, music, and more! 2011 sponsors for the event include the Indiana Pork Farmers, Budweiser, Coca-Cola, IUPUI, Bright House Networks, Hoosier Park Racing & Casino, Hilton Garden Inn Indianapolis, Hard Rock Café, Sobieski Vodka, Sutter Home Family Vineyards, Lunazul Tequila, Evan Williams Whiskey, DonQ Rum, Hpnotiq Liqueur and Mr. & Mrs. T’s Mixers. Eleven of the best award winning BBQ teams from across the country will be serving up their finest all weekend long!!!

Ticket Information: FREE ADMISSION before 5:00 p.m. on Friday & before 2:00 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Admission charge is ONLY $7.00 (which includes the concerts) after 5:00 p.m. on Friday and after 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Children 12 & under are free.

Reserved VIP Ticket Information: *There are a limited number of Bright House Networks reserved seat tickets (located in front of the stage) for each day. Reserved tickets include a seat, access to private restrooms and access to a private bar. No lines! Reserved tickets purchased before September 2 include admission, after September 2 do not. Reserved tickets are on sale now at all Ticketmaster outlets and Ticketmaster.com.

‘Rib America Club’ Ticket Information: **There are also a limited number of general admission access tickets for the new Rib America Club for Saturday, Sunday and Monday of the event available now at all Ticketmaster outlets and Ticketmaster.com. This area is located in close proximity to the stage and features access to restrooms and a club area only bar. Tickets for this area are limited and are $35.00 per day (ticket includes gate admission).

Live Music*

Friday, September 2nd

• Reo Speedwagon
• Rev. Peyton’S Big Damn Band
• Corey Cox

Saturday, September 3rd

• The Doobie Brothers
• Blind Melon
• Truth & Salvage Co.
• The Why Store
• Healing Sixes
• Can You Rock?

Sunday, September 4th

• KC & The Sunshine Band
• The Romantics
• Beatlemania Live
• Jennie Devoe
• Wt Feaster

Monday, September 5th

• Jonny Lang
• Everclear
• The Last Good Year
• Borrow Tomorrow

*All Artists are Subject to Change without Notice.

Enter to Win A Pair of Tickets

Would you like to go to Rib America for FREE courtesy of Live Nation?  If you would, we have a pair of tickets to give away.

To enter please e-mail us with your full name & valid email address by 9:59pm EDT on Wednesday, August 31, 2011. and one (1) lucky winner will be chosen at random to receive a pair of tickets to Rib America.

Your information is confidential and will only be used for contacting the winner and for prize fulfillment purposes.

Giveaway Rules:

• One entry per person
• Open to Indiana residents
• Email us with your full name & valid email address by 9:59pm EDT on Wednesday, August 31, 2011.
• You MUST be able to pick up the tickets in downtown Indianapolis between 10am & 4pm by Friday, September 2, 2011.

The winner will be notified on Thursday, September 1, 2011.

Dig-IN is a showcase of Indiana chefs, growers and producers. Visitors are treated to two-ounce tastes of unique dishes made with farm-fresh Indiana produce and proteins. More than 30 of the state’s greatest chefs and food minds will prepare the tastes on site while discussing their recipes and the all-Hoosier ingredients with visitors.

“Dig IN combines the best Indiana has to offer in the way of food and culinary creativity,” said Ann Schmelzer, program manager for entrepreneurship and diversified agriculture with the Indiana State Department of Agriculture.

Even the beverages used to wash down the tastes will have an Indiana flavor: The Indiana Wine Grape Council and Brewers of Indiana Guild will provide wine and beer tastings, and local soft drinks and water will be served as well. Local music, urban gardening exhibits, educational discussion panels, local expert Q&A sessions will round out the day.

WHERE: White River State Park Celebration Plaza, 801 W. Washington St., Indianapolis

WHEN: Sun., Aug. 28, noon-5 p.m.

COST: $20 in advance at select Marsh and MainStreet stores, $30 at the gate, children under 3 are free.

INFO: www.DigINdiana.org or (317) 607-8715

This post was submitted by Jen Thomas.

The smoothness of vodka combined with the bite of tomato juice and spices make up one of America’s most popular hangover cures: the Bloody Mary. What better way to celebrate a long night of boozing by waking up and taking down this delicious drink.

The history of the Bloody Mary is told two different ways. One story is of a bartender in New York who mixed half tomato juice and half vodka, naming it after the Bucket of Blood Club in Chicago and a girl who worked there named Mary. The other popular story says the drink is named after Bloody Mary herself, aka Queen Mary, who was famous for her persecution of Protestants.

Bloody Mary bars are popping up all over the city, so we went to Flatwater in Broad Ripple to check out one of the city’s best Bloody Mary bars that uses local ingredients to quench your thirst.

Flatwater Bloody Mary Bar

Every Sunday noon to 4, Flatwater provides a Bloody Mary Bar featuring Indiana Vodka and Hoosier Momma’sBloody Mary Maker. The bartender will mix your vodka and Bloody Mary mix together for you on ice, and then it’s up to you to add the rest!

The variety of ingredients available to use took up an entire side of the bar. At least 10 hot sauces, Olive Juice, Worcestershire, A1, Siracha, Pepper, various fresh vegetables including olives, green beans, carrots, peppercinis, pickled asparagus, stuffed olives, bacon, horseradish and seasoned mozzarella balls.

We made ours with various hot sauces, including Busha Browne’s Pukka Hot Pepper Sauce, A1 Steak Sauce, Tabasco Green Pepper Sauce, fresh ground black pepper, siracha, blue cheese crumbles, pickled green beans, fresh horseradish, carrot sticks and celery stalks. Not only were the Bloody Marys tasty, but the company was excellent. Everyone around the bar was interacting with each other, sharing stories and becoming buddies while the windows were all open so that we could enjoy a fresh summer breeze. It was the perfect setting for a Sunday brunch  to kick back, relax and sip on a Bloody Mary!

Photo Credit: Cathy Gerlach

So. I finally got to go–to the NEW place where dreams  [and really good cupcakes] are made…Holy Cow Cupcakes.

After reading about and experiencing the burgeoning food truck scene in Indianapolis, Intelligent Designs Media President, Steve Neville, and Director of Sales, David Butz, knew what they had to do: “Food trucks are such an amazing concept,” Neville said. “And when I saw that there were so many new trucks around the city serving up so many diverse foods, I knew I had to figure out a way to raise awareness of this growing culture.”

Their idea: an organically grown festival that is run by local businesses, supporting local businesses.

“We are all trying to make this festival as grassroots a festival as possible to fit the concept of food truck advertising,” Neville explained. “Food trucks in Indianapolis run their entire business through the power of word-of-mouth and, most importantly, social media. And if they can run successful businesses through these platforms, then we want to do the same for the festival.”

And, so far, the idea of spreading the word through social media is working. Within 24-hours of the announcement of the festival on Facebook, the event already had 110 confirmed attendees and the food trucks are spreading the word to their followers on Twitter.

“The buzz this event is generating is more than we could imagine,” Butz stated. “I think this will be a great opportunity for the community to experience local businesses at their best, and tastiest.”

The event is family-friendly and admission is free. The food trucks will be charging their regular prices for the food offered, with sodas and water also available for purchase. The trucks participating are: Scratchtruck, Mabel On The Move, Fat Sammies Ciao Wagon, Hoosier Fat Daddy, Duos, TheNYslice, Groovy Guys Fries, Scout’s Treat Truck, Tacos Without Borders, and West Coast Tacos.

Guests can RSVP their attendance on Facebook. Just search for “Taste Of The Trucks 2011”

After having such a great time at The Chocolate Tweetup, we decided to start planning for round 2.  The time has finally come….

On Thursday, June 16th, Burd Ford will be hosting The Viva La Mexico Tweetup!  This is a theme like never before.  We are giving you the freedom to exercise your imagination and bring ANY food or snack that is Mexican themed.

(All guests must bring at least one Mexican themed item)

To go along with the Mexican theme, we will be having Boomerang Bob’s supplying flawless Margaritas to those who are of age.  Also on the menu will be Rum Runners and Bloody Mary’s provided by Boomerang Bob’s.

To make things even more eventful,  we will be holding a raffle for great prizes provided by Howl at the Moon, Burd Ford, Firestone Indy Lights Driver Stephen Simpson, Live Nation, and more!  The event will last from 7-9p, so the raffle winners will be announced around 8:30 and you must still be present to win!  Tickets for the raffle will be sold for $5 per ticket or in a bundle of 5 tickets for $20. You can buy as many as you’d like. More tickets = Better chance to win! The proceeds from the raffle will be donated to a pending organization, details will be announced as they come.

Make sure you come out and enjoy a great evening with great people.  Share this with your network and let’s pack Burd Ford full!

*PLEASE REGISTER AT EVENTBRITE.  YOUR FREE ADMISSION TICKET WILL BE EMAILED TO THE EMAIL ADRESS YOU PROVIDE.  PLEASE PRINT AND PRESENT THAT AT THE DOOR ON THE 16TH*

Participating cafes, bars and restaurants will all have a special value menu – and your job is to see how many of them you can visit.

http://www.chowdownmidtown.org

This post was submitted by Stacy.

Come help Left Bank Cafe celebrate their 1st Anniversary on Thur. June 9th from 6:30 – 9:00 p.m.

National Wine & Spirits & Graybull Wine will be doing a wine tasting. Hoosier Mama Bloody Mary Marker will be doing a tasting as well as Sun King Brewery.

Chef Jody is preparing an awesome buffet and we will have live music on the patio.

Cost is $25/pp.

This post was submitted by Left Bank Cafe.