Number 15 - Creation Cafe'

See how this all started here: http://bkatranch.blogspot.com/2012/01/bc-and-kathies-excellent-adventure-to.html


Number 15! Almost a third of the way! A third would be 15.33 so as soon as we take a bite at the next restaurant we will be officially a third of the way to completion.

Number 15 is a GREAT example of why we started this goal. We wanted to explore locally owned sandwich locations with exceptional food and be forced out of our normal patterns. Number 15, Creation Café, is perfect example of this.

Creation Café is located at the start of the canal in downtown Indianapolis in Buggs Temple. Kathie and I visit the canal several times a year and have walked right by the Creation Café many times not considering it a meal option. The signage just lists “Creation Café” on the side of Buggs Temple which is an old church building which became famous for gospel singing in the 70’s. Buggs Temple is named after Elder James C. Buggs who purchased the building. Walking by that sign on the side of a historic church, I had always envisioned people sitting inside debating creationism versus evolution over pots of coffee and tins of pie. I was wrong.

The café is very inviting. The décor, the sofa in the middle of the room, the desert counter and the whole vibe just says “come in, sit down and enjoy”. We did just that. We grabbed a table inside because as you can imagine, the patio seating that overlooks the canal was a little crowded. I ordered the Super 46 item - Southern Style BBQ Sandwich. The list describes the sandwich as: overflowing with tender pork pulled and barbecued in-house, the sandwich contains several unique twists: tangy Pico de Gallo, creamy coleslaw, and homemade pickles that top melted cheddar. Kathie also ordered the sandwich and we decided to indulge in an appetizer - South of the Border Chicken Dip. Let’s see if I can conjure up a description like the Super 46 bunch: The spicy chicken chunks swim through a sea of cheese sauce that is littered with crumbles of blue cheese. When you take your tortilla chip and dip into this ocean of awesomeness your taste buds will come alive screaming for more.

Yeah, I think I will leave the description to the creative writers over at Super 46. What I would say about the Chicken Dip is that it rocks. We both liked it very much. In fact we barely left room for the main item – the Southern Style BBQ Sandwich. The sandwich is exactly how the list describes it. I actually was nervous about this sandwich because I don’t like coleslaw or Pico de Gallo so I figured I would be forcing down a bite and then scraping that stuff off. I didn't scrape anything off. I like everything about the sandwich and how all the ingredients worked together to make just a good BBQ sandwich that without a doubt deserved to be on this list.

We decide for desert.  How could we not have desert, seeing how everything that we have tried so far was amazing?  Kathie is a huge gelato fan and they have a case full.  I love icing and they have cupcakes with icing to the ceiling.  Kathie got her cup of gelato and I got my lemon - rasberry cupcake.  Amazing.

I can’t wait to go back to Creation Café and try the Cuban or maybe the Italiano Panini. Let’s just say, I can’t wait to go back.

Mug 'n Bun

See how this all started here: http://bkatranch.blogspot.com/2012/01/bc-and-kathies-excellent-adventure-to.html

It is official Kathie and I are off track with our schedule to complete all 46 sandwiches in a year but fear not, we are determined to complete this task on schedule even if it means we have to eat delicious sandwiches every night during the week!

Number 14 is Mug N Bun for their breaded tenderloin. Mug N Bun is a place that used to be a standard stop for Kathie and I because we lived in the area. Had the sandwich been for the burger, I probably could do a review from memory.

Mug – N – Bun advertises as “Indy’s oldest and finest drive in”. I did some research and found that Mug N Bun started as Frostop in 1942. It was renamed to Mug – N – Bun in 1962. That first 20 years would be quite an accomplishment in the restaurant business alone, but to be doing basically the same thing 70 years later is amazing. Mug – N – Bun still features car hops although not on roller skates.

Kathie and I decide to relive our youth and order from the patio which is what we did 15 years ago. Man, that is hard to think! Kathie ordered the double cheeseburger (she is small but mighty!) and I ordered the tenderloin and onion rings.

The list mentions the Mug N Bun tenderloin as such: If there's a starter tenderloin for visitors to the Hoosier state, this thin, crispy tenderloin that extends modestly beyond the bun would have to be the leading candidate, especially in a basket with giant batter-dipped onion rings. I agree, except remove “starter”. This is what Hoosier tenderloin is supposed to be! Thin, battered, and HUGE! Tenderloin should be about twice the size of the bun and it doesn’t matter what size bun you use – if you decide to use buns that are the size of dinner plates then the tenderloin better be the size of a pizza pan!

When our food arrived I was not disappointed! The tenderloin was the proper thickness, size and breaded properly. With some pickles, ketchup and mustard it was a GREAT tenderloin and by far the best on the list so far but I think we have only done one other tenderloin so far. The onion rings were perfect. I am amazed at how many places have no clue on onion rings. First, when you bite into an onion ring you should be able to do just that, take a bite. You should not end up pulling the onion out from the breading. When you hold the onion ring firmly, the breading should not fall off. One of the most important things is cooking time. I don’t know the proper amount of cooking time for an onion ring and either does most people WHO MAKE THEM. I am glad that Mug – N – Bun knows how to make a good ring. And peanut butter shake. And burger. And pretty much everything.