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| Beer flight |
Monday nights are usually relatively uneventful. For Jeff and I, they usually mean a $3 pint at the Broad Ripple Brewpub and then some sort of easy dinner (out or on the grill). We were both craving burgers, and one of our friends mentioned that Twenty Tap had the best around. Twenty Tap is the relatively new brainchild of BR Brewpub Brewer Kevin Matalucci and his wife, Tracy, a caterer. This concept is all about the craft brew, having (you guessed it) 20 draft options on any given night (and many from Indiana).
I was skeptical, as I had already heard plenty of mixed reviews. Walking in, I noticed a clean, bright, almost spartan eatery. It could certainly use a little help in the ambiance department. Our hostess was friendly and our server was great at recommending beer. Jeff ordered a flight of 3 (2 IPAs and a Pilsner for shock value), and Josh ordered an IPA. Courtney and I decided to give the wine list a whirl. I drank the Angeline Pinot Noir (a steal for $7/glass) and Courtney had a Malbec. We were both pleased, though we wanted more selections. I know it's all about the beer, but a great wine list will go a long way to convincing the non-craft-beer crowd that this place is well worth it.
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| Oh holy cheese curds |
What blew us all away was the food. I was instructed by the same friend to order the cheese curds. Even though I protested on account of calorie intake, he made us swear to order them. We did, and I must say they made the whole thing worth it even if everything else ended horribly. They were the best cheese curds (possibly the best fried anything) I have ever eaten. A la Brugge Brasserie, there is a plethora of homemade aiolis for dipping (we preferred the roasted garlic to the horseradish, but both were good). I also asked for grainy mustard, which I loved with the curds.
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| The Wrath with a side salad |
Jeff and I split a burger called The Wrath (Bacon, Mushrooms, Onion, Lettuce, and Creamy Ale Bleu Cheese Sauce), and we chose a side salad instead of fries to go with it. At $9 it was a steal, and it's been a long time since I've had a better burger. The bleu cheese ale sauce was terrific, and the beef (they use a combination of 3 cuts of beef) was juicy and full of flavor. The side salad that came with shockingly good, and featured romaine, shallots, fennel, mozzarella, and a punchy lemon vinaigrette.
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| Grilled Chicken Sandwich |
Josh ordered the Grilled Chicken sandwich with prosciutto, arugula, provolone, and fig jam. It was out of this world; the fig jam added just enough subtle sweetness to the peppery arugula and smoky provolone. The fries that came with it were tasty. They weren't quite as addictive as Brugge, but they were definitely good.
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| Ambiance.... ehhhh? |
Twenty Tap gets a 4.5/5. It scores extremely high marks for food quality, freshness, and taste, as well as great service. I would love to see them kick up the ambiance a few notches and add more variety to their wine list. I wouldn't trace any of that, though, if it meant sacrificing food quality or beer selection. I think Twenty Tap will do extremely well if they keep this up. Cheers!
