PINCH OF WISDOM To make a perfect salmon fillet, sear it on the stove for just a couple minutes on each side, then finish by cooking it in the oven. That way, all its juices will stay inside instead of in the pan. —Fidelmar Garcia Garcia, chef, Parkside Public House
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A Joyful Noise INDY’S FAVORITE DOUGHNUT POP-UP LANDS A PLACE OF ITS OWN. B Y E V E B AT E Y AF T E R Y EARS of pop-ups and having to use a shared space for their business, husband-and-wife restaurateurs Tom Nguyen and Rachel Burnett dreamed of a standalone storefront. After an ambitious construction project, that fantasy will be realized this month, when Mochi Joy Donuts opens in a 96th Street strip mall. “We wanted to have a big enough space to not be on top of each other, to have a big kitchen to grow and then have room for seating as well,” Burnett says of their new spot, a breezy and high-ceilinged space with simple lines that allow their eye-catching pastries to stand out. The menu will include all of Mochi Joy’s current favorites, mainly brightly iced Hawaiian-style doughnuts with—thanks to its primary ingredient, rice flour—a cushiony inside and crisp outside crust. Watch for new menu items such as a cake scoop–topped doughnut, drizzled with caramel or fudge. 8664 E. 96th St., Fishers, 463-266-0021, mochijoydonuts.com
THE FEED
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Many Happy Returns
A popular eastside corner bar space gets new life. TAPS HAVE returned to the former Irvington home of Scarlet Lane Brewing, and this time, cocktails are shaking there too. Sahm’s Hospitality Group has expanded into the location with Sahm’s Tavern & Sports Bar, dressing the cozy corner spot with plentiful pennants and posters of locals’ favorite sports teams, as well as hunting ephemera for the outdoorsy crowd. Expect familiar Sahm’s fare, such as hearty app baskets, piled-high sandwiches, and a short list of Pittsburgh-style steaks, well-seared but still blushing pink inside. A full roster of Big Lug Brewing Co. beers gets good company from top-notch mixed drinks, including Sahm’s signature Coffee Cake White Russian, which is smooth, creamy, and full of spice and sweetness. 5632 E. Washington St., 317-3885228, sahmstavernirvington.com —TERRY KIRTS
TIMES THREE St. Elmo spinoff 1933 Lounge will open a third location in Carmel in “early 2025.” CHECK IN Downtown’s recently renovated Omni Severin Hotel boasts two new restaurants: railroad-themed coffee shop 8th Notch and Bar Cardinale, a Great Gatsby– inspired lounge and restaurant. IRISH GOODBYE After 10 years on Mass Ave, Nine Irish Brothers has abruptly closed for business, citing its owners’ “difficult year.” —E . B.
IM | FEBRUARY 2025
PHOTOS BY TONY VALAINIS; CHEERS PHOTO COURTESY SAHM’S TAVERN & SPORTS BAR
( NEW I N TOW N )