Best Shot (golf hole) Twin Lakes Golf Club in Carmel (3200 W. 96th St.) boasts an 18-hole championship course, and its last hole is regarded as one of the best in the county. Ryan Schrecongost, certified personal coach with GolfTEC Carmel, admires the hole because “[it] is a challenging par 5 that demands a precision second shot,” he says. “If you are a long hitter and put yourself in a position to reach the green in two, you’ll be tempted to make a big decision. A near perfectly executed long iron or hybrid will put you in a position to have a chance at birdie or perhaps eagle. However, if the second shot is even slightly errant, double bogey or worse is likely. For the shorter hitter who may not be in a position to reach the green in two, a well-placed layup is critical. The fairway is narrow with water along the right and bunkers covering the left side.” And if you don’t understand golf lingo, what he means to say in a nutshell is: Hole No. 18“is a great shot!”
Aside from the piping hot fried pickles served with a cooling horseradish sauce and a daunting craft beer list, nothing at Scotty’s takes itself too seriously. Which is fitting, given that the spot carries a bit of frat-party vibe: Burgers are topped with wacky extras such as peanut butter and jalapenos (on the same burger, no less), bar towels stand in for napkins and the menu is titled “Scotty’s Illustrated.” The bill even comes with a little box of Lemonheads or Cinnamon Red Hots (reportedly the candies that owner Scott Wise himself got at grandma’s house). Throw in a beer mug club and several dozen televisions tuned to the sporting event du jour, and it’s easy to see why so many northsiders want to kick back here. But it’s not all fun and games. Along the way, the Scotty’s brand (including locations throughout Indiana, plus Thr3e Wise Men in Broad Ripple and Scotty’s Lakehouse in Geist) have picked up some pretty serious recognition, including a spot in the Top 25 Burger Joints from Midwest Living and a prime appearance on the “Today” show during last year’s Super Bowl season. 3905 E. 96th St., Indianapolis, (317) 574-0101, www.scottysbrewhouse.com
new restau rant:
Harry & Izzy’s
When the second location of St. Elmo’s more casual cousin opened on the northside, it brought with it juicy steaks, fiery shrimp cocktail and some much-welcomed downtown swagger. The menu is the same—from the garbage salad, featuring a grocery list of shrimp, Italian meats, cheese, artichokes, hearts of palm, veggies and house dressing— to the Izzy-style 10-ounce New York strip, rolled in cracked peppercorns, seared and finished with an orange-brandy sauce. It goes without saying that the shrimp cocktail is the featured appetizer, but it’s worth branching out and trying the red pepper meatballs (also spicy) or for something lighter, the seared ahi tuna. And don’t overlook the brick-oven pizzas—the St. Elmo prime rib pizza packs all the punch of a full steak dinner with ricotta horseradish sauce, campfire onions marmalade and seasonal mushrooms. But the northside location offers at least one thing the downtown spot just can’t live up to: a sprawling patio that features an outdoor bar where the social scene is just as hot as the horseradish-spiked cocktail sauce. 4050 E. 82nd St., Indianapolis, (317) 915-8045, www.harryandizzys.com
t: tauran bar/res whouse
Bre Scotty’s
Photo courtesy of Scotty’s Brewhouse 70
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