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| Lobster Bisque |
The Barking Dog Cafe is located on 49th and Pennsylvania, right across from pizzeria Napolese and around the corner from the flagship of Martha Hoover's delicious empire, Cafe Patachou. In stark contrast, the unassuming and adorable Barking Dog Cafe sits, still largely unknown in Indy (despite an appearance on Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives last year). I have been to the Barking Dog several times. As one of Indy's only BYOB dining options, I find it charming. I also find it charming that they allow dogs on the patio and serve them their own cheeseburger plates (and spell their name in ketchup). Our little Ike adores this cafe over all the rest (obviously!).
This meal, however, left something to be desired. My dinner guest and I sat outside, sipping a delicious Pinot Noir of our choosing (Kokomo Winery). We were informed by the owner, MaryBeth, that they changed the structure of their entrees, which used to include an amuse bouche and small salad, to be a la carte. Slightly disappointed, we ordered the Lobster Bisque and a salad. I thought the bisque was too thin in consistency and had too much nutmeg, but there were some redeeming lovely lobster chunks, so that was good. The salad was refreshing but unremarkable.
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| Fried Clam Plate |
Feeling indecisive about the menu options (the menu spans burgers, fried food, and upscale entrees), we decide to go with the Fried Clam plate and the Summer Pasta. The fried clams and fries were the highlight of the meal, though the clams weren't quite cooked quite long enough so they were soggy after a little awhile. The Summer Pasta was what stumped us. It included pasta rags with zucchini, corn, and cherry tomatoes in a "tomato butter" sauce topped with some parmesan cheese. This dish was basically flavorless. It needed a punch of something--salt, acid, sweetness, spice--anything! When MaryBeth and our server asked at two different point how we liked everything, we were honest. We said (politely) that the pasta was pretty bland and we were disappointed. MaryBeth said they were trying to "let their neighbor's vegetables speak for themselves." Our server told us it was the first night for this dish and thanked us for the feedback.
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| Summer Pasta |
When we weren't offered an apology or a replacement dish, I assumed they would take the [well over-priced] $23 entree off our bill. No such luck. As regular customers we were baffled. So our dinner was $65 with tax and tip. Bearing in mind that we brought our own wine, that is a lot to pay for what we ate (and what we didn't). I am very disappointed in this little cafe, but maybe this is why it continues to be relatively unknown. While I will go there again (ordering the cheaper menu items) to enjoy the sidewalk ambience of Meridian-Kessler with my own wine, I won't enthusiastically recommend it. I give it 2.5/5 stars. Cheers!
