What I'm Eating: Duos (Indy) - Slow Food Fast

I think I've already talked up my excitement for the emergence of food trucks in the Indianapolis area enough but there's just so much to choose from now.  Living downtown makes it all the more convenient for me to give them a try out so yesterday I logged onto Twitter to see where Duos (@duosindy) would be serving lunch: Alabama and Vermont from 12-2pm...BINGO!  Now, I contemplated walking there with Little Miss B but it was hot and I was afraid she would be a nightmare while I ordered and attempted to eat my food so we piled in my car and made the very short drive down. 

I'd seen the truck parked at various locations around town.  I swear, once you learn about something new, you see it everywhere; Law of Attraction at its finest. 

I made sure to bring a hearty appetite so that I could experience more of their food.  They had their selections listed on a chalkboard sign.  I was happy to see a nice variety of items to choose from: pasta, sandwich, salad, soup, dessert and a more obscure beverage lineup. 

I went with the Organic Arugula , Egg, Garlic Crouton Salad with a Smokey Vinaigrette AND the Sausage & Fontina Biscuit Sandwich with coleslaw.  I also ordered a Red Zinger Herbal Iced Tea (lightly sweetened) which was perfect for a Summer day!

Tart + Berry + a little sweetener <3 = Oooh la la!

I decided to wait and eat my food at home rather than in my car with B jumping around wildly but not before taking a nibble of the Garlic Croutons...yummo!  I made a makeshift bistro on my back deck and enjoyed the warm, sunny rays as I noshed on the salad. 

This picture doesn't do the salad justice!

I can't explain in words the joy with which fresh, crisp, slightly bitter arugula brings me.  I'm sure most people just say eh, it's just a leafy green but to me it is the nucleus of a kick-butt salad and that's exactly what Duos' salad did for me.  Their salad is very simple in ingredients and preparation but the flavors and textures combine to create complexity.  Starting from the base with the arugula and its sharp, bitter bites tossed in a smokey, sweet and sour vinaigrette.  Move to the sweet, ripe tomato slices.  Then the perfectly hard-boiled egg wedges and its earthy, funky yolks.  And finally the baked, toasted, buttery, garlicy croutons that add the necessary crunch.  I could've called it a day with that salad but remembered that I had purchased an entire other meal. 

Now I want to preface that I was quite full before trying to tackle the Sausage & Fontina Biscuit Sandwich so I think this might have obstructed my opinion so bare with me.  I liked every aspect of the sandwich as individual components but together, they didn't work for me.  The Fontina (cheese) biscuit was great but felt like it showed up for the wrong meal.  I would eat that for breakfast any day or as part of an egg sandwich of some sort.  The hearty, spicy, thick-cut sausage really dominated my pallette.  So did the roasted red pepper/sun-dried tomato/olive "chutney-like" spread which I highly enjoyed.  It was very difficult to eat as much of it fell out and the biscuit crumbled to pieces as I tried to eat it. 

My room mate ended up eating most of it with no complaint :)  Looking back, I should have tried the Bow tie Pasta with Chickpeas, Organic Spinach, Tomato and Herbs which would have been more complimentary with the salad. 

I believe Becky Hostetter, the owner (I grabbed one of their business cards before I left), is who greeted and took my order.  She was delightful, knowledgeable and energetic.  I definitely look forward to trying Duos again!!

If you own or know of a food truck in the Indianapolis area, please let me know.  I am always up to try new things and am so excited to showcase all the wonderful mobile dining experiences around town.


For more information on the Duos food truck, contact:

Becky Hostetter
720 N. Dorman St.
Indianapolis, IN 46202
317-508-8614
www.duosindy.com
Twitter @duosindy

Weekend Update (Part 1) What I'm Eating: Hoaglin To Go (Mass Ave.)

I had absolutely no set-in-stone plans this weekend and I loved every second of it!  I spent Fri and Sat getting my grub on around the city and enjoying several a few cold beverages along the way.  The weather was absolutely wonderful minus a rainy start to Saturday.  I couldn't wait to explore some places I'd added to my Epicurean Bucket List.

Day 1 of my 4 Day Weekend started at a place I have been dying to try: Hoaglin To Go.  I had read some wonderful reviews and walked past it several times.  My friend, Tim, joined me on my excursion to Mass Ave.  We walked in around 12:20pm, right in the middle of the busy lunch rush.  We were able to grab the very last open table nestled towards the front of the restaurant.  The building is a bit narrow but they've utilized their space well.  It is clean, modern and fresh.  I really loved the local artwork (for sale) on the wall and the fresh flowers at each table.  The servers definitely had their hands full and were hustling and bustling around.  Our server , never caught his name, quickly greeted us and took our drink order.  The menu is quite large but not overwhelming.  There are a few items of note that have won prestigious awards in the past so Tim and I chose those: He went with Indy's Best Egg Salad on a croissant (best in the city according to Indianapolis Monthly) and I went with the Dilled Tuna Salad with Red Onion and Caper Berries on mixed greens with champagne vinaigrette (voted the best sandwich spread in Dine Magazine).  We were in no hurry and had really not even noticed that our food was taking a while but our server brought it to our attention that someone had accidentally plated our food incorrectly.  He apologized but we assured him that it was not a problem.  I guess if I was on my work lunch break I might be annoyed but I was enjoying myself, the atmosphere and my conversation with Tim.  When the food did finally arrive, I was thoroughly impressed and blown away by how large the portions were!

Holy Cow! Dilled Tuna Salad with Red Onion and Caper Berries

Tim's Indy's Best Egg Salad

I took a bite of Tim's first and was so delighted! Probably the best egg salad I've ever eaten!!  I am a huge fan of dill and the flavor stole the show!  Then on to my meal.  3 icecream-scoop-sized mounds of tuna salad on a fresh bed of mixed greens and sliced tomatoes and cucumbers on the side.  The tangy dressing was the perfect compliment to the entire salad.  Neither Tim nor I was able to finish such large portions and if I wasn't venturing out for drinks afterwards, I would've definitely taken leftovers home.  Our server was attentive and took 50% off our bill for the delay.  That was extremely generous of him but definitely unnecessary.  Tim and I both enjoyed ourselves and I, personally, plan on returning very soon.

The Verdict: Out of 5 stars
Location/Atmosphere: **** (Great spot on Mass Ave. Wish it had outdoor seating)
Service: ***** (wish I caught my server's name)
Food:***** (really lived up to the hype)
Will I eat there again: Can't wait!! :)

Hoaglin To Go
448 Massachusetts Avenue Indianapolis, IN 46204
317-423-0300