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Steve's ALS food blog #17

My daughter and her husband were over the top about the new Mexican restaurant that moved into their neighborhood at the corner of Delaware and 22 nd Street.   It took the place of a restaurant that opened and closed within two weeks.   This daughter and her husband are really pretty good about discovering new restaurants so we gave it a try.                                                                         LOCO Loco is a Mexican restaurant located at the corner of Delaware and 22 nd Street in Indianapolis.   (Loco means “crazy” in Spanish—hence my clever opening).    Heeding my off-spring’s warning about crowds and long lines, we arrived at about 3:30 PM on a Friday afternoon.   We were the first patrons, but as we ate, the restaurant began filling up pretty quickly.   I was able to maneuver my chair adequately close to a table so that eating was not a problem.    There are no high tables.   We counted 2 handicap parking spots in the large lot behind the building, access
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Steve's ALS Restaurant Review # 16

Late Wednesday afternoon we found ourselves at 96 th and Meridian, a bit hungry, and with no desire to go home and cook.   As it happens, the southwest corner of that intersection contains two restaurants that we had frequented several times in the past.   Clearly, the combination of hunger, 96 th and Meridian, and lack of ambition to cook left us with no choice but to revisit. Only to find that one of our “go-tos” was gone!   Paradise Café had closed.   In its place NEWK’S beckoned.   We could have ignored it and gone over to McAllister’s, our other “go-to”.   But, in addition to being hungry we were also feeling a bit adventuresome (yes, trying a new restaurant DOES qualify as adventuresome for   70 somethings).   Turned out to be a good idea. Newk’s is a pretty standard sandwich, soups, salads kind of place.   But it is really good, and pretty attractive for you and me. Access to the restaurant is typical—forget looking for the door opener,   someone will help you.   Onc
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Steve"s ALS Restaurant Review #15

THE MERIDIAN Decades ago there was a small, family owned restaurant on North Meridian Street in Indianapolis.   Dodds Townhouse was a popular eating spot, especially nice for dinner before Starlight Musicals.   It was family friendly, and made certain to hire neighborhood teenagers (mine included) to hostess and bus. Time passed, and as these things go, the owners grew weary and ultimately Dodds was no more.   New owners took over, spruced up the aging house that the restaurant called home, changed the menu, and the name.   Thus was born The Meridian. We tried it a couple of times early in its existence and for reasons that I cannot now remember just didn’t care for it.   But, we were recently looking for someplace different to celebrate our anniversary and decided to give The Meridian another chance.     We arrived wearing socks and shoes.   We left with just the shoes—because the restaurant blew our socks right off.   We had changed, The Meridian had changed, or some combin
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Steve's ALS Restaurant Review #14

EL TORO MEXICAN RESTAURANT This past Sunday we ventured to Brownsburg to meet with a group of high school friends with whom we eat fairly regularly.   It’s fun to stay connected and we try to eat in a variety of places.   This time we visited El Toro Mexican restaurant.   It is located on Highway 136 in a strip center that features, among other entities, a closed Marsh grocery and a thrift store. The handicap parking spaces were located some distance from the restaurant, and we gained access to the sidewalk via the handicap ramp in front of the thrift store.   We walked, and chaired, down the covered sidewalk (did I mention it was raining really hard?) until we were forced back into the street because the restaurant had put outdoor dining on the sidewalk thus blocking our path. So, back into the street we went.   The ramp in front of the restaurant was very narrow.   Take your time getting up.   It would not be difficult to run off the side. Access to the restaurant was pre
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Steve's ALS Restaurant Review #13

The last time I wrote, I complained of how difficult it was.   I wanted to say nice things, but the truth was I simply could not recommend Tea’s Me for us.   My how things have changed. On Saturday, following watching the grandchildren play soccer and baseball, we stopped at Next Door for a late lunch. I am smitten. NEXT DOOR For as long as I can remember, the southeast corner of 46 TH and College housed the 7-11 grocery (which later was renamed Double 8).   The old building has been rehabbed and remodeled into Next Door. When we arrived, we found ample handicap parking in the large parking lot adjoining the building.   There is in large area of outside seating that looked pleasant and was crowded on this sunny Saturday afternoon.   So, we approached the entrance to the restaurant and found AUTOMATIC OPENERS   on the front doors.   Can you even begin to imagine my joy? Now, you might well imagine that this review will stop right now, since I have whined about openers for
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Steve's ALS Restaurant Review #12

I have struggled with this review.   Generally, I am able to reach a conclusion quickly, put it to paper, and get on with living with no second thoughts. Not this time.   I want very much to tell you that Tea’s Me Café is a delight, because it is.   But only if you are able bodied. I am not, and these reviews are written for those like me.   Let me tell you why the Café is a treat; and then I will explain why I cannot recommend it. TEA’S ME CAFÉ IT’S A TREAT!!   Tea’s Me is a small, independent tea shop at 22 nd and Talbot   near Indianapolis’s downtown.   It’s open for breakfast and lunch,   closing daily at 3:00 PM.   It offers a wide selection of teas I have never heard of (no Lipton’s that I could see).   All of them sounded delicious and the   two I tried (Wild Pear and Almond Orange) bore out that first impression.   They are served in a glass pot placed on a trivit with a candle underneath to keep your beverage hot.   A small clear glass cup adds to the elegance.   We w
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Steve's ALS Restaurant Review #11

Max & Erma’s Late afternoon last Wednesday we were driving home from playing bridge with friends.   We decided to stop at Max & Erma’s instead of going right home.   Why there?   Mainly because we had just passed it on the highway, had not been to one in years, and were both hungry. The restaurant is located at 12195 North Meridian.   Because of the changes in U. S. 31, access is from Pennsylvania Street.   Get off 31 at the 106 th Street exit, go to Pennsylvania and turn north.   Start looking on your left side and you will find it.   There is plenty of handicap parking close to the front door.   Access through the front doors is easily accomplished—so long as you are with a loving partner.   Not an automatic door opener anywhere in sight.   You will be greeted and seated by a hostess.   And, if you are there in the late afternoon on a Wednesday (as we were) she will be an absolutely delightful young student from Carmel High School who could not stop smiling.   Her ha
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