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What's Cookin'--Roca Bar on KY Ave

Ashley Sollars — Wed, 28 May 2008 18:48:57 GMT

“The entire N4U gang was invited in to do some sampling, and they brought out so much food, we all had doggie bags. My most sincere compliments to Kevin Roberts and his staff for such a clean and efficient kitchen. (They even have cameras to ensure the highest quality of food.)”

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We have been receiving rave reviews on our new Game Page in N4U – I suppose because when you are sitting around waiting, it’s nice to have something to do that isn’t totally impossible… One of our more recent clues was, “The first pizza in Evansville was served here.” If you answered “Roca Bar” you were correct and probably finished the puzzle. It is hard to believe that pizza wasn’t always such a common commodity.

Back in the 50s, Charles Tooley and John Rogers – the Roca Bar owners – needed something to boost business. They hired a Lebanese kitchen manager, George Haag, to dish up some new and exciting cuisine. Haag, coming from Chicago, knew of a simple concoction containing meats, veggies, cheese, sauce and dough. George, knowing the power of the palate, would bake up a few these pies every day and would sit in what was then the middle of Hwy. 41 and Kentucky Ave. and pass out samples. All of George’s marketing strategies worked! Before they knew it, he had outgrown the Roca Bar and needed a place of his own. The Evansville Brown Derby was born but caught on fire – so George and his clan had to move down to the street to what we now know as the House of Como.

In 1996, Fred Schreoder and Jerry Ritter purchased the original Roca Bar and decided to take the restaurant business head-on. Though George’s recipe had been tweaked and fiddled with over the years, they decided to go back to the original recipe. Back in the 50s, each square piece of pizza had one piece of topping on it. Now, you’ll have to come in and order one to understand the shear amount of toppings they can pile on one pizza pie.

We were brought a Round the World Pizza (all your basic toppings) Chicken BBQ pizza, Roca Garden, Roca Pesto, and Margherita Pizza. With such toppings as broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes, chicken, pesto sauce, basil and spinach, this wasn’t your ordinary carry-out pizza. This was gourmet! And, they are all served on a thin cracker-style crust. My favorite was the White Marg Pizza. With olive oil as a base and mozz cheese, tomatoes and basil, I was in foodie heaven.

Of course, we didn’t start out with the pizza, we started out with a monster selection of appetizers and Italian salad. If I am to have any hope of getting my kid, or my husband to eat greens, it has to be in a Roca Bar Italian salad – lettuce topped with ham, cheese, olives, bacon bits, pepperoni, egg, tomatoes and signature Roca Bar Italian dressing sided with Bosco Mozz Bread stix (garlic bread sticks, filled with cheese and sided by herb butter). There was entire table FULL of fried appetizers, but my favorites were the broccoli and cheese bites, the corn nuggets, and the BBQ wings with tiger sauce, paired with a Roca Rita (a margarita with coconut rum and sprinkled with cinnamon).

The fun didn’t stop there. Though I was stuffed, I took home the next course and gorged myself later… the ham and cheese sandwich and Roca Boli were piled with meat and cheeses and perfect for a really hungry man – or woman! Jerry assured me his Roca (strom) Boli would measure up and even surpasses any other strom in the city. I urge you to take the taste test.

We concluded the meal with some fried brownie bites and apple crisp bites. Yes, some dark chocolate to make my meal absolutely complete.

I settled in to write this article and looked at the menu for a glance at the other RB fare. They don’t just serve the pizzas and sands; Roca Bar boasts rib-eyes, chops, spaghetti, fried bologna, and even a kids’ menu. You know how mom always says, “what do you think this kitchen is, a restaurant? You’ll eat what everyone else is having!” You no longer have to! It’s the perfect place to take your very diverse and very picky family. Dad wants a steak, mom some pasta, teens a pizza and little one a PB&J. Hey, it’s all here at the Roca Bar on KY Ave! Jerry even informed me, if you want something special, hey – they’ll make it! Call ahead if it’s really off the wall or they can work with you on any ingredients they have in stock.

There are several RBs scattered throughout the tri-state (Mt. Vernon, Newburgh, Owensboro and N. 41) but you have to try the original core location. All the chefs are trained there and you can’t beat the ambiance and history of the place that served the first pizza in Evansville!

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Photography | Mark McCoy

What's Cookin': House of Como

Ashley West-Albin — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:15:46 GMT

When I was told I was going to be sampling Arabian food this month, I cringed. I usually begin my food reviews with some quirky story of my past, but Arabian food? No quirky little story here… In my pea brain, I equated Arabia with Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves and a bunch of desert sands. Deserts mean hot, so I just figured the food was hot too! Makes perfect sense, eh?! So, I dragged my feet as I entered into the House of Como. My initial thought: “it’s April, why are there Christmas decorations up?”

Photography | Courtney Mertzger

If you aren’t an Evansville born and bred, such as myself, you have probably never even heard of the House of Como – but I’ll bet you have passed it once or twice. Have you ever been driving down 164, looked over to the railing down to Kentucky Ave. and glanced at a stark white building with black lettering and Santa Claus on top? Does it seem odd and out of place? Do you keep your eyes on the road like a responsible driver?

I walked into HOC and was instantly greeted by a table full of older gentlemen. We were shown to our table and sat with Martha Hage, the utterly charming owner and operator of HOC. Martha explained to us that Como had originally been the dining area of the Roca Bar and was owned by her late husband, George. In the 1950s, the House of Como moved close to the area where it stands now – the road to Henderson. Almost 35 years ago, House of Como burned down and Martha and George were forced to move to a new location, right down the block. Where HOC stands now, a car-hop drive-up eating establishment stood. (Think original Sonic.) The Hages enclosed the drive-up spots and the new House of Como was born.

We started our meal with some appetizers that you won’t find anywhere in area. Hummas was something I have tried before but it was a bit more biting than most Hummus I’ve sampled, as it was topped with paprika. It was also served with Arabian flat bread. This bread was as flat as a tortilla, but was flour bread! It was served warm and was compatible with any dish. Then came the Arabian salad. Have you ever tried the dressing at Nagasaki; know how it has that distinct flavor that you could never mimic but is so tasty? HOC’s dressing is all that and more. It is completely addictive with a hint of mint. Some people buy it by the gallon, it is so good. Even Martha’s dentist tries to extract the secret recipe when he has her under the laughing gas…she never budges. Our next appetizer was a bit more exotic, and I must say I was a bit shy at first but being the professional that I am, I mastered the Kibi Nea (raw ground beef and wheat on onion petals). If you enjoy sushi, you will definitely enjoy Kibi. Some people come in and only order this delectable dish.

I was ready for more Arabian food! Out came our main courses! Djage, Yebra Malfoof and Seneya Betinjin! Ah! This reviewer’s mouth was in pure Heaven. Djage is a baked chicken on a bed of ground beef, rice and pine nut stuffing. The chicken was a little crispy, and baked to a delicious golden brown. Yebra Malfoof is rolled cabbage leaves stuffed with a beef and rice and placed on a bed of rice stuffing. The cabbage is so tender, you can cut it with a fork. The Seneya Betinjin is an eggplant casserole with meat. Eggplant is usually a turnoff to me, but this eggplant was thick and rich. The bed of rice is rice, ground beef, pine nuts and cinnamon. This combination may sound a bit strange, but try it! The flavors harmonize so well with each other; your boring Hacienda days are over!

We rounded out our meal with some Baklava. This Baklava was different because it was encrusted with pistachio nuts – a very sweet and sticky twist to a more than satisfying meal.

I must say my meal was not at all what I expected, and HOC even offers an Italian menu, steaks, shrimp and other American fare.

The House of Como has been a fundamental in the vast world of Evansville restaurants for the past 60 years, but few even know it exists. Those that know it have been frequenting for many many years and have countless fond memories of George, the Syrian chef and the blonde girl from whom he stole the heart of many moons ago.

Oh, and if you are wondering about the Santa Claus on top of the building… When you walk into HOC, you’ll notice it’s riddled with Christmas tinsel and original decorations. It seems someone decided to put them up 35 years ago, and just never took them down.

When I left, Martha went back to her special seat at the bar – the one she began occupying when George let her take over the business a few years ago before he passed away – and the same group of gentlemen bid their farewells to us as we stepped out the door.

Visit the House of Como on 2700 S. Kentucky Ave. on Tuesday through Saturday or call (812) 422-0572 for carry-out.

Whats Cookin': Acropolis

Ashley West-Albin — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 19:52:47 GMT

A few years ago, I vacationed for a few weeks in Europe and discovered that though we share the same “Western civilization” attributes, I was completely out of sorts. Let me back up a little. If you have never met me, I’m a girly girl and I don’t like to be inconvenienced or uncomfortable. I don’t like it if I get rained on and my shoes are wet, I like good old fashioned scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast and I like visiting the Mikky D’s on occasion! In Europe, the electrical outlets are different, so I spent the entire two weeks with frizzy, out of control hair, breakfast ALWAYS consisted of hard rolls, yogurt and fruit, and have you ever tried ordering a Quarter Pounder with cheese only in France? I got a fish sandwich with mustard and a beer… Before then, I thought of myself as worldly, needless to say, I’m totally Americanized. What does all this have to do with a food review? Read further…

The staff of N4U was recently invited to Acropolis on Green River Road; you know, that big beautiful Parthenon next to Chuck E. Cheese. You might be saying, “but Ashley, you always do a food review, what is so special about this month and what does your rant have to do with all of this?” Okay, beloved readers, I will indulge you with our sampling of the Greek fare we sampled but first – when we celebrate Easter here in the states, a magical bunny hides eggs for children, some of us attend church and most of us attend family dinners on Sunday. In Greece, Easter is the most sacred holiday, celebrated with festivities and religious vigor beyond any American’s wildest dreams…

Now, you may have replied, “Easter fell in March this year.” The Greek Orthodox Easter falls on April 21-27, and when you visit Acropolis, you won’t miss out on a minute of it.

Doros, owner and operator of Acropolis, and a native of a small island called Cyprus off the Coast of Greece, sat down with us during the meal and explained the festivities. First, out came the Saganaki, along with an array of dips with pita. Sautéed imported Greek kasseri cheese was flamed in brandy at our table, squirted with fresh lemons and served with pita. Tahini, Hummus, Melitzanosalata, Tzatziki and feta cheese with olive oil were also placed on our table. I really enjoyed the hummus (a blend of chick peas, tahini, garlic, lemon and olive oil and the Tzatziki, a homemade cucumber dip. Both were refreshing and delicious but not filling. We also enjoyed Dolmades, grapevine leaves stuffed with spiced ground beef, rice, herbs, and topped with marinara sauce and Keftedes, Greek meatballs..

While we ate, Doros explained that during the Greek Orthodox Easter, members fast prior to the celebrations and do not eat meat, milk or even olive oil, only vegetables, and everyone in the village hangs black curtains up. By Friday, when you walk into church, all the icons are decorated in flowers and the statue or picture of Christ is taken down off the cross, wrapped in linens and surrounded by flowers. It is then paraded around the village. This is to celebrate Good Friday, the night that Jesus died on the cross.

On Saturday, everyone attends church very late and the priest, dressed in all black, enters in through the back at midnight after knocking on the door three times. He announces that Christ has risen (“Christos anesti!”) and the members light a bonfire outside the village and individual candles to celebrate the Resurrection. These candles burn until the next Sunday, St. Thomas Day. The meal afterwards consists of the "mageritsa," (the traditional Resurrection soup), red eggs and bread. On Easter Sunday, roast lamb is the centerpiece of the table. In the early morning the spits will be turning in the courtyards and under the shady trees as the lamb "kokoretsi" is slowly cooked, and the aroma of the roasting lamb wafts from one end of Greece to the other. Sunday through Tuesday of following week is celebrated with games played throughout the entire village.

We also were able to sample some of the traditional Easter foods. We started off with lamb shanks, of course. The lamb was so tender and supple, you could use a fork to cut it. And, the flavor was pure and non-gamey. Even the squeamish ones in our party sampled it and really enjoyed the flavor. For those who just can’t stand the thought of lamb, try stuffed Greek chicken; a chicken breast stuffed with a tangy mixture of feta cheese and herbs, slowly sautéed in olive oil, served atop fresh spinach leaves sautéed with homemade cream sauce. This twist on chicken breast is so stimulating because we Americanized Americans aren’t used to flavors like these. Finally, for desert, you have to be ready for some BAKLAVA! Flakey, sweet and crunchy all at the same time – it puts our Hostess Ho-Hos to shame…

Be unique, go Greek at the Acropolis the month of April, and be sure to look for their Easter lamb specials. Also, look to Acropolis for all your catering needs. They can set up individual "boxed lunches," serve buffet style, or have a plated multi-course meal that is sure to make a lasting impression. If you need a facility to host an event the large, 2nd floor, glass enclosed Banquet Room is fully seal able and will seat 50+ persons. For large events, the brand new Banquet Hall is sure to meet any and all expectations. Call Ellen at (812) 475-9320.

Old Chicago

Ashley West-Albin — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 20:32:12 GMT

When I was in grade school, the school system would bait our young minds with food, in return for analyzing approved books. This barbaric system was called “Book-It” and the food that was so highly desired were 1980s Pizza Hut personal pan pizzas. Man, I would do anything for that round, cheesy, buttery crusted, skillet-baked, pepperonied piece of heaven, even read books. I hated to read, but I would…tempted by the small rectangular strips of paper given out by the teacher. I must say, I am a morally adept person, but the mere thought of being guardian to a whole pad of these free pizza coupons tests my ethics. To this day, I stick with writing instead of reading, but when I taste a pizza that rivals that of my beloved Book-It, a faint chill runs right up my spine.

Everyone who eats knows that there are a hundred and one pizza joints around town. You can buy mall pizza, dessert pizza, even have a raw pizza delivered to you and bake it yourself. What if, there was a pizza joint that not only served the most amazing pizza around, but also dished up some fulfilling eats, hard to find beer and a gracious, yet trendy atmosphere? I would say, if Book-It coupons were for Old Chicago, I probably would have read the Webster Dictionary if I had to!

Old Chicago is my personal favorite pizza, but then again, what do I know? I’m just a food critic. When Jimmy, the general manager, asked me what I wanted, I immediately blurted out, “PIZZA.” Jimmy went on to explain that there are other choices at OC, and though he would bring me my own specialty pizza, I had to sample some of the other fare.

My fiancé, once again accompanied me on a food journey, and this time, didn’t pig out on our first dish. Appetizers galore! It took all I had to not devour the Sicilian pepperoni rolls, Italian cheese bread with marinara, Italian nachos and teriyaki and sesame seed dipped wings. Flavors collided and burst on my tongue! The wings were plump and robust and the cheese strung in lines from our mouths. We gave each other the eyebrows up head shake, while we hunched over the plate, mouths stuffed with food. The most unique item was the Italian nachos. Light, crispy fried pasta chips (wonton skins) were topped with mozzarella cheese, Italian sausage, pepperoni and pepperocinis. It would be an ideal appetizer to pair with your Smithwick.

Without missing hardly a beat, and with a plethora of dishes, the main course was whisked to our table. Steak and shrimp with crisp mixed vegetables stared up at him, while a stuffed Philly chicken Stromboli begged a good eating. The steak, a precise medium rare, was topped with peppercorns and grilled to perfection. The shrimp was fried to a golden crisp and along with chipotle lime cocktail sauce, made my tongue dance right inside my mouth. The perfect shrimp on the perfect pizza; I might be onto something! My Strom was more than a reheated lump of bread and pizza sauce; it was full of tender, fresh chicken and a green chili ranch sauce. This would be the perfect lunch item, as it was filling but not heavy.

Of course, I had my pizza. Two to be exact – I even had the beer of the month to wash them down. The Chicago 7 and the Meat Me pizzas were so different than any other pizza around because they are topped with large, crisp chunks of meats and vegetables. Even the garlic pieces, under the cheese, are plump! Old Chicago offers the freshest food possible, making their own dough daily and cutting all meats and veggies prior to your order. No premade, frozen groceries allowed!

After tucking our leftovers into a very full pizza box, Richard, our server, brought out a piece of turtle cheesecake. Rich cheesecake topped with caramel, pecans and drizzled with chocolate was almost as delightful as Richard’s banter, but not quite.

Old Chicago offers superb food, buttery crusted pizzas and the most extensive tap beer lineup in town, but OC is more than a pizza place, more than a restaurant and more than a bar.

Book it to Old Chicago off the Lloyd, in front of the east-side Wal-Mart today!

Old Chicago

Ashley West-Albin — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 20:21:31 GMT

Old Chicago offers superb food, buttery crusted pizzas and the most extensive tap beer lineup in town, but OC is more than a pizza place, more than a restaurant and more than a bar.

Book it to Old Chicago off the Lloyd, in front of the east-side Wal-Mart today!

Marigold Bar

Ashley West-Albin & Dylan Gibbs — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 21:58:09 GMT

One of the great joys of frequently eating out is that you tend to find great food in unexpected places. Of course there are many eateries you enter, expecting to have a delicious meal because of an established reputation. An surprising place for a delicious home-style meal prepared by a lady who is a surrogate grandma, Annie Mae, is right around the corner of Evansville’s east side. I found all this at the Marigold Bar on the corner of Pollack Avenue and Weinbach Avenue.

The Marigold Bar is indeed a tavern, and on weekend nights it’s a crowded party spot. But since owner Dave Bush took over, it’s been thoroughly refurbished, and thanks to Dave’s mother Annie Mae Gough, they have plate lunches and sandwiches that are out of this world

If her name sounds familiar, it’s because of the Westside restaurant she owned and operated, Annie Mae’s Café. She offered big portions of homemade food there, and she continues to do so now at the Marigold Bar. And she does it all with an ease and casualness that makes her dishes all the more impressive.

That’s all good and well, but what’s for lunch and how does it taste? The day I ate there with Rachel, my co-worker, lunch was a number of things, and I can honestly say that everything we tried exceeded our expectations, and then some. First, we tried samples of Annie Mae’s tenderloin, tuna and egg salad, chicken breast and cheeseburgers on toasted bread accompanied by Marigold’s chili and beef and vegetable soup. The chunks of beef were large, tender chunks of chuck roast. And, when I asked Annie Mae what her secret is she replied, “I don’t really have any secret ingredients, except I never make anything from a can, it’s all homemade/”

Sandwiches are a tavern staple, so how does the Marigold Bar distinguish itself? The simple answer is, I don’t know. There’s something special in Annie’s kitchen that makes a grilled tenderloin on a buttered bun something you eat and say to yourself, “I think I could eat one of these every single day.”

It was Marigold’s meatloaf and pork roast with mashed potatoes and gravy that really did it for me. Sounds pretty simple, this dish. But just like the sandwiches, the plate lunch just had a certain something that’s hard to pin down. The meatloaf had a sweet, tangy sauce topping it and the gravy was as real as my grandma’s. Certainly the pork roast was warm and filling and the mashed potatoes were smooth and creamy; the corn was savory and the green beans would rival Thanksgiving. Finally, out came our banana pudding. Served in little yellow bowls, this dessert was a sweet treat to top off our gargantuan meal. Once again, it seems the touch of Annie Mae added made all the difference.

Annie Mae also caters with Marigold. She recently catered a Christmas party for 95 people. According to Annie Mae, her biggest challenge… “keeping it all hot! It’s a down-home place and we just want everyone to be happy.”

At this point, lunch had to be over for us. Going back to work was a chore, we were so full. We’ll be back for sure for the hefty-portioned plate lunches, which, by the way, are a scant $4.75, served Monday through Friday (they serve baked pork chops every Tuesday and fried chicken every Friday) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. We’ll be back, too, for a cold beer and another one of those grilled tenderloin sandwiches. I know this fall (or sooner, why not?) I’ll be back for as much of Annie Mae’s vegetable soup as they’ll let me buy.

Oh, and one other surprise- Annie Mae will make a cake or pie specially for you - just give her a few days’ notice. How cool is that?

Marigold Bar is at 2112 S. Weinback Avenue, just south of Pollack Avenue. For carryout orders or to find out what the weekly plate lunch menu is for the following week, call 475-8780.

Quarter Note

Ashley West-Albin — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 18:41:19 GMT

New flavors and food textures are always welcome to my palate, as I personally get fed up with lack of variety. The first thing I was asked when I entered The Quarter Note in Washington Square Mall was if I was a “salt only” kind of girl or if I could brave venturing spices and flavors that aren’t readily available in the area. Namely, Cajun-inspired essences were on the menu. Mr. Bob Ballard, owner of The Quarter Note, gets it honest, though, as he is a former Bourbon Street pianist straight from New Orleans, Louisiana. The Quarter Note Piano Bar and Bistro isn’t just a restaurant, the entertainment is as unique as the food and first-rate. Mr. Ballard is the main entertainment on the piano but guest sax players, singers and others accompanying artists, including Jane Harmon, Carl Rodenberg, Tommy Stillwell and more, make appearances throughout each week. Ranging from jazz to rock, The Quarter Note is a must on your list of restaurants to try this month!

I began my tasting with a plate full of appetizers that made everyone at the table look at me with large, round puppy dog eyes. I doled out the two types of shrimp along with the portabella mushroom and we all dug in. The hot dam’ shrimp is a fried shrimp tossed in a spicy petal sauce. It was an immediate explosion of flavor but the hot taste didn’t linger on your tongue. According to Bob, “you want a good flavor but you don’t want to run to the water trough every time you take a bite.” Next, we sampled the bacon wrapped shrimp. The bacon shrimp was pan seared in white wine and butter and grilled. The shrimp was succulent and juicy and the bacon gave it a very different, distinct taste.

My co-connoisseur, Jake, allowed me to sample a bite of his black bean soup. Made from true black beans that are shipped from New Orleans, it wasn’t like your standard soup, it was a dark brown color and the taste was very organic. The natural taste of the black beans needed little or no extra spice. It was a very delicious beginning to a meal. Next, was my personal favorite, the stuffed portabella mushroom. Stuffed with a seafood filling and topped with very broad layer of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, this monster mushroom was hearty enough for a meal or appetizer.

My entrée was a Muffalletta sandwich, inspired by the Central Grocery located in the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter. The Muffalletta is a toasted sandwich on a Foccacia roll smothered in virgin olive oil and stuffed with Mortedella sausage, Genoa salami, ham, mozzarella cheese and provolone cheese. Along with these exotic meats, the Muffalletta is topped with an Italian olive salad, made with black and green olives and carrots. This signature olive salad is also shipped in from New Orleans.

I slipped another bite of Jake’s meal, the salmon burger. It was juicy and meaty. My two other escorts, Beth and Karen, enjoyed a High Note Burger and a Classic Chef Salad made with ham, Cajun turkey and homemade ranch dressing and croutons. The burger was a half-pound of certified Angus ground beef and served with your choice of cheese and fries, sweet potato fries or onion rings. The onion rings are coated in a beer batter and fried to perfection. Yum! The sweet potato fries were cut thick and crispy.

Also, consider The Quarter Note when you are making your New Year’s plans. Tickets are $30/person and your choice of prime rib or chicken cordon bleu is being served along with some memories played on the piano, but hurry, only 90 tickets are available.

Call ahead for carryout or no wait at 812*401*1944. You must be at least 21 to enter The Quarter Note.

Tin Fish

Ashley West-Albin — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 14:37:12 GMT

"We try to buy locally and support the community by spreading the money around; we are not high-end, we are not pretentious, we are not frou-frou. You can eat a high-end plate, but you can also just get fish and chips" -- Joseph "Larry" Melluso

Ever heard that song, "Who Wouldn't Wanna Be Me" by Keith Urban? My job consists of chatting with some of the most remarkable and influential individuals both in Evansville and throughout the world, reviewing the latest (and sometimes unreleased) music and even sampling beer created from pumpkins, coffee, strawberries and other unbeerlike ingredients. However, I have to say the best part of my job is evaluating Evansville's finest dining establishments. It's even better when I get to test the waters before the grand opening. So, besides having no money in my purse, and that pesky hole lingering in my jeans that I actually paid for, I ask you again… Who wouldn't wanna be me? I was completely spoiled by Joseph, Jasone and the other zealous chefs of the newest eatery in Evansville, The Tin Fish-Downtown.

If you have eaten at The Tin Fish, inside Jennings Station in Newburgh within the past year, then I don't have to tell you about the TF reputation of the freshest fish, oceanside ambiance and marvelous service. What we do need to discuss, however, is the newest member of the TF family, the standards it upholds and the innovative menu items dreamed up by Mr. Melluso and Jasone Parsons, Tin Fish-Downtown owner and operator.

Boasting the best view in Evansville atop the old River House, TF-Downtown will feature never-frozen seafood such as clams, mussels, oysters, lobsters and of course, fish, but also a wide array of meats that are a bit on the medium rare side to the Evansville area. Working with DeWig Bros. Meats of Haubstadt, TF-Downtown hand cuts all its fresh steaks and smoked pork chops, and will introduce sausages, brats, corned beef and even veal. From wiener schnitzel to eggplant rollatini, Tin Fish-Downtown is so much more than just aquatic cuisine. Each one of the TF's dishes tells a story and is the passion and reflection of the history and homage of the Tin Fish's chefs and proprietors. Even the garnish, a fried angel-hair pasta, is a tribute to the midwestern farmers, and featured is a fried bologna sandwich in compliment to Franklin Street and the "almost location" of the new Tin Fish.

My tasting began with, swordfish kabobs and crab stuffed calamari. The calamari tubes were filled with a crabby stuffing, breaded, fried and served with a homemade tarter sauce. I was very excited about Jasone's creation. Crab cakes and calamari in one. Following the appetizer were yellow, green, and red peppers, mushrooms and onions surrounding large meaty chunks of swordfish. Grilled to perfection, I am not usually a swordfish fan, because of its dry bitter flavor, but the swordfish kabobs were juicy and gave a sweet zap to the tongue. The crisp accompanying vegetables added more flavor to the fish and with only a dash of fresh lemon squeezed onto the medley, finger food was never so delectable.

Next came my steaks. Rib eye, filet, t-bone, NY Strip… I'm used to the "whatever is on sale" department at Schnuck's; I never realized there were so many wonderful cuts of meat out there. Fire grilled to my favorite - medium rare - the Tin Fish's steaks were of the same quality as their fresh fish, Choice. Paired with Yukon Gold mashed potatoes, grilled golden apples and fresh tomatoes, my toes curled up as the tender meat flushed my mouth with waves of ecstasy.

The Tin Fish-Downtown will also be serving up brunch from 10-2 on Sundays. All the staples of a Sunday brunch will fill the tables along with some surprises that wouldn't be revealed to me; a raw bar will be available for the toughest of sea-fairing men and women and a full-service bar is on its way. The Tin Fish is open for a quick lunch, carryout and offers private dining and banquet facilities.

And, don't forget about The Tin Fish-Newburgh. Now owned and operated by Morgan Mawxell, TF-Newburgh offers a full-service bar, a conference and party room perfect for business meetings or Christmas parties, and still offers top-notch food and a great atmosphere.

Both Tin Fishes in Evansville, IN are the passion and delight of Mr. Joseph Melluso and the dozens of employees and owners he has inspired. Food is an art to Mr. Melluso and it shows when you visit the establishments he helped create. And, the new owners bring their enthusiasm and ideas to the table to serve Evansville the selection and decadence it seeks out. Seek out more information by calling the new downtown location at 422-1899 or the Newburgh Tin Fish at 490-7000. Carryout is available if you're on the move… but for the full experience, come in, pull up a chair, and enjoy the finest seafood in the Tri-State.

MA. T. 888

Ashley West-Albin — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 12:01:49 GMT

Have you ever heard the phrase, “presentation is everything?” In the world of food, this statement is only half true. You can be surrounded by the most beautiful settings and feast your eyes on the most gorgeous steak you’ve ever seen, but if the steak is tough and putrid, your experience could be considered jaded.

What do you have, though, if all elements to the equation are present? First-rate food. MA. T. 888, The China Bistro, located at 5636 Vogel Road, envelops patrons with a calming atmosphere; the fare is dressed with exquisite garnishes. And not only is the cuisine delicious but the owners take great pride in providing healthy meals for clientele.

So, first we will discuss the ambiance of MA. T. 888. The main dining area has been professionally decorated with a fresh spread of oranges, reds and wood grains. Upon entering the bar area, you instantly feel like you have left Evansville and penetrated into an intimate, yet trendy bar in New York. The bar is private, but open enough to really enjoy a conversation. The best part of this restaurant is, however, the private dining facility. There is nothing like it in Evansville. A room fit for royalty, complete with a large flat screen TV, lounge area, and seating for seventeen, this room has got to be on your list for your next party or corporate event. And, there is no charge for this elegant room, only a minimum food purchase of $380. This includes an appetizer, soup, main entrée and dessert.

We began our late lunch with seafood war-bar soup. This soup was thick and crunchy. Every bite had a bigger taste to it, and a different flavor. It was packed with sweet snow peas, straw mushrooms, eggs, scallops, shrimp and crab. Accompanied by hot green tea, this soup was a great start to the meal but could also be a meal in itself.

Next, out came the appetizers. We are used to a heap of fried junk at buffets, but at the MA. T. 888, you can really taste the flavors swirled together and the freshness of the ingredients. We started with the spring roll. It was thin and meaty. The crab Rangoon was very velvety and the cream cheese tasted almost a bit smoked. Finally, the coconut shrimp were huge! They were hand-breaded with a cracker crumb breading and a tropical coconut dipping sauce. These were defiantly my favorite.

We experienced two main entrees including the House Combination with XO Sauce and Lemongrass Fish. The House Combo, or “Ling’s Special,” was chicken, beef, pork and a mixture of vegetables and sided by fried or white rice. It was a bit spicy and tasted heavily of ginger, but the combination was so well put together, it was flawless. The Lemongrass Fish was fresh tilapia with a lemon grass spice and pan-fried. Cooked to perfection, this fish was full of flavor and freshness.

Finally, we finished our meal with vanilla bean cheesecake. Rich, cold and creamy, and though not very Chinese, it was the perfect end to the meal.

While talking to co-owner Ling Ma, China Bistro MA. T. 888 only uses white meat. It enhances the flavor of the meal and is much healthier.

MA .T. 888 is the ideal Chinese food experience, and the character of the atmosphere exceeds far beyond expectation. Book the private dining room now for Christmas, as it is filling up fast by calling 475-2888.