A new Japanese restaurant has recently opened in Evansville: Zuki Japanese Hibachi Grill & Sushi Lounge. Located behind Rafferty’s, where Wasabi used to be housed, sits a vibrant Zuki.

The interior of this new restaurants certainly fits an upscale, lounge-type atmosphere. You first notice the color: a vibrant red with black trim. Two rooms are situated with the hibachi style cooking, I believe it was 4 grill-tables per room. Separating the two rooms was a wall with two large glass windows that served to supply a calming zen effect to the customers—they were light blue glass with water pouring over them. The sushi portion of the restaurant was separated to the right with it’s own two seating areas. One was primarily the sushi bar where one can watch over the chef’s artistry while he prepares your sushi, or there was a half wall separating most the tables from the bar area. I saw several rooms down a hall that I presume are private party rooms.

The menu is not very large but covers the array from appetizers to hibachi entrees, to sushi dinners and sushi “a la carte.” Besides the most obvious cuisine here, they also offer noodles (udon, soba, and ramen) and a vast amount of appetizers—tempura, edamame, grilled squid, and much much more. Their appetizer portion of the menu is almost as large as the whole menu combined. We choose the special Zuki Fried Shrimp appetizer that came with five jumbo shrimp breaded in panko (Japanese bread crumbs) with a sweet yet slightly tart brown sauce drizzled over it—perhaps the house version of ponzu sauce? Ponzu or not, the sauce combined with those shrimp was delicious. We opted for sushi over hibachi that night and was seated against the half wall near the window—it was a nice spot with one exception, my chair partly stuck into the entry way of that section, giving me the feeling I was in the way.

With our ability to eat a lot of sushi, we ordered 3 rolls (Spicy Tuna, Yumy Yummy, and Volcano) and 4 nigiri (tuna, salmon, and snapper). The Spicy Tuna Roll was the “other” take on the style of making it. Instead of a slice of tuna in the roll with spicy sauce drizzled over it, it was tuna finely ground and mixed with an extremely spicy sauce, rolled, and topped with sesame seeds. This isn’t my favorite way of eating this roll since the texture comes across as so mushy, also, for me, it was way too spicy, and that’s not something I often say. The Yumy Yummy Roll was along the lines of mango, cucumber, avocado, and salmon (apologies, I can’t be for sure since I’m lacking a menu). This was really a soothing roll, nothing was over-powering. Finally, the Volcano Roll was tuna, avocado, and cream cheese rolled in rice with salmon on top and drizzled in a spicy orange sauce and the brown “ponzu” sauce. This was my favorite of the night, and while it was still extremely spicy, the sweetness of the “ponzu” sauce and creaminess of the cream cheese helped to tone it down more than it had been in the spicy tuna.

All in all there were things I did like and things I didn’t like. What I did like was their relatively upscale, zen decor and to-the-point menu that gives me the impression that they are concentrating on their cuisine to give the customers their best. Also, I loved my appetizer and most of the sushi was pretty good. What I didn’t like was the lopsided service—I think we had two waiters who weren’t in sync with each other in watching our table, but in the end we got what we wanted and needed. Also, I think the fish could have been a little colder and a little fresher, though it was much more fresh than other places in town—and that ground tuna, that’s a no-no in my book. Finally, one small thing that really irked me were the chopsticks. The restaurant was coming across as upscale and zen, yet the chopsticks were the wooden kind that you have to break apart. This really turned me off since it seemed they should have been metal or lacquered; the wooden ones were very down scale and proved hard to use with sushi—plus I can’t stand when I can taste the wood against the flavor of the food in my mouth.

Overall, I’d come back to get sushi, and I am definitely going back soon to try the hibachi, which I’ll update the site about. I think the pro’s outweighed the cons at Zuki. I’ll be back and hope to see you there.

**Update:* See our followup review on the hibachi dinner.

Zuki is located at 1448 N. Green River Rd., behind Rafferty’s. (812) 477-ZUKI. Mon-Sat 11am-2pm, 4pm-10pm; Sun 11am-9pm.

This week we visited a Mexican restaurant that has been open a couple years, but is tucked away at the end of South Green River, so it is still somewhat of a hide away. La Cabana offers Evansville a taste of what real Mexican food is about.

From the outside, it looks like a dive. The restaurant is tucked away in a tiny spot in a mostly vacated strip mall. La Cabana is a very small restaurant with a Mexican grocery next door. It has enough room for both a bar and a dining area. The decoration is in the style of exactly what one would think of a dusty, run-down restaurant in a ghost town in Mexico. The decor isn’t over done, and in fact makes you feel like you are really there and about to be served truly authentic Mexican food.

We ordered the Huevos con Chorizo, Chicken Chimichanga, and Burrito Special. Huevos con Chorizo is eggs scrambled with a Mexican sausage, served with rice, beans, and tortillas (I suggest corn tortillas). This came out looking and tasting delicious, the eggs and chorizo were cooked more in an omelet style and then chopped and tasted great. A chimichanga is a fried burrito-creating a crispy shell around the meat. This was filled with tons of shredded chicken and was eaten before I could even try a bite-clearly very tasty. The Burrito Special said it was served with lettuce, tomato, cheese, and sour cream, but the tomato turned out to be pico de gallo to our dining partner’s dismay since he cannot eat onions. That was a minor setback in what turned out to be an excellent dining experience.

The menu offers much more than your typical Mexican restaurant-more than just chimichangas, tacos, enchiladas, fajitas. Authentic, but not so typical fares are offered such as Caldo Sieta Mares (seven seas soup), Hunchinango Al Mojo De Ajo (whole red snapper marinated in garlic sauce), Tostadas de Ceviche (fish cooked in lemon), Tacos al Pastor, or Mole Special (chicken with mole sauce).

I greatly enjoyed this new find, and I would recommend it highly to others. There is so much different food there that it is a great place to go to find some Mexican food that you won’t easily find elsewhere in Evansville. The atmosphere in the restaurant also really drew me more into wanting to be there and find out how the food would be. Go out and try it!

La Cabana is located at 821 Green River Rd. (812) 477-3351. Mon-Thurs 11am-9:30pm, Fri & Sat 11am-10:30pm, Sunday 11am-9pm.

We bring you something we have been wanting to review for a long time: Cork ‘n Cleaver. The Cork has become a staple in Evansville; more so for the business crowd, but is a treat for the rest of us.

The Cork is interesting in that the initial impression of the building gives off a Southwest feel, but upon entering, it starts to feel a bit more up-scale pub-like. Of course, it keeps the southwest vibe by relying heavily on beef and hearty entrees. There is plenty of chicken and seafood to go around, but steaks are their specialties. The lights are very dim no matter the time of the day, the tables or booths are comfortable but with a rustic feel, and most interestingly of all, the menu is actually written on a cleaver (dull of course).

The table started out ordering cups of cream of broccoli or tomato garlic soup. Both were a different take on what would be perceived as the original. They were good, but extremely thick and creamy. I would have liked more broccoli in mine. Myself and another ordered one of the daily specials: Artichoke Pesto Tilapia served with rice. The fish was cooked well, not over done, and the topping was extremely large chunks of artichoke lightly coated in pesto. Very good, though the artichokes were a bit difficult to eat due to the size. Another member of the party ordered the Cork Burger which came out slightly too done to her tastes, but ended up being very tasty all the same. Finally ordered was the Hawaiian Pecan Crusted Chicken. This came out to rave reviews that it had a perfect sweetness and slight crunch. None of us could help getting dessert, and we all ordered creme brulee. It comes in a very tiny personal dish, almost only big enough for a few bites. That left me wanting more. While it was caramelized correctly, it definitely did not seem to be as warm as it should be, which was a disappointment.

Overall, the experience was good, although I wish I could have seen my dining partners a bit better - it was so dark inside. The creme brulee tasted great but was too cold. Small snags to be sure, the food here is good, and there are always daily specials that are different-not reoccurring-and almost always delicious. Overall I do recommend Cork ‘n Cleaver, but it is a bit pricy, so save it for a special occasion like a birthday or upcoming Valentines day.

Cork ‘n Cleaver is located at 650 S. Hebron Ave. (812) 479-6974. Lunch Mon-Fri 11am-2pm, Dinner daily after 5pm.

This week my dining partner and I visited a restaurant more different than our usual reviews: Vietnamese Cuisine Restaurant. You guessed it; it’s a restaurant that serves Vietnamese food! It is tucked just behind Putt-Putt next to Kitchen Affairs on Vogel Road.

Entering, we were immediately enthusiastically greeted by the waitress, and presumably co-owner. At the time, only one other customer was there, but through our meal several more came to dine-in and get carry-out. The restaurant is plain, yet comfortable. The walls are decorated with various framed artworks particular to Vietnam, as well as two small murals. There are plenty of tables and booths, but not over crowded. Though I did notice several space heaters out in the open, which threw me off a bit.

The menu is broken down primarily into noodle, rice, or specialty dishes. I enjoyed that since it helps making your choice easier when you are not very familiar with this style of cuisine. Most entrees are of one of several flavorings: ginger, lemongrass, or curry. We started with spring rolls, which were stuffed with shrimp, pork, lettuce, cucumber, bean sprouts, and mint served with a peanut sauce for dipping. These were very much enjoyed, in part because they were so refreshing. I chose the Bun Tofu Xao Chay: sliced tofu over noodles and mixed vegetables, on the side came a tart sauce to pour over it. I found the flavors to be too much for me, I think in part due to the sauce poured over it and strong emphasis on the lemongrass. However, I have tended to find that I am not one who very fond of Southeast Asian food in general; therefore, I won’t totally rule it out for others who may enjoy these flavors. My dining partner decided on the Ga Xao Xa Ot, which is sliced chicken served with saut’eed lemongrass and vegetables next to rice. Unlike me, he greatly enjoyed his dish and scarfed it down.

I most enjoyed the service as opposed to the food, while he really enjoyed the food. I can say my dislike of the food stems from my inability to eat the food of Southeast Asia, therefore I don’t hold it against the restaurant, since I’m sure those who enjoy this region’s food will enjoy these flavors. I must mention the excellent prices: large plates and bowls each for $6.99, and 2 spring rolls for $3.50. Also the service was excellent, and the food came out freshly prepared in a very timely manner. While I won’t be going back because of my personal tastes, I do support fans of this regions food to go try it out if you haven’t already.

Vietnamese Cuisine Restaurant is located at 4602 Vogel Road. (812) 491-1884. Tues-Thurs, Sun 11am-8pm, Fri & Sat 11am-9pm, closed Mon.

A new place some of you may not have heard of or seen yet is Café 111, tucked behind Brinker’s at Green River and the Lloyd. While not entirely different from some of the other Cafés around town, it does have it’s own zing.

The space inside is open, not forced at all. The glass tables are standard or high-top with plush green seat, and green seems to be the color of choice here, as the entire back wall is painted green as well. You’ll notice the wall to your left has a large mural on it that seems to try to place the Café in old-Paris or something similar. The set up is that of a standard Café. Against the back wall there is a counter from which you order at one end-there are a few bowls of different salads in the case-and move down to the other end to pay and pick up your food. The menu is large and hung on the wall, but to my dismay, without having perfect vision, you can only read the name of the food item, but not any of the details about it. In fact, I had to have my dining partner read it for me even once I was at the counter.

The majority of the menu consists of sandwiches and salads, though there is a small breakfast menu. My dining partner ordered the Roasted Chicken with Tomato Pesto, which, besides the obvious, included roasted red peppers, grilled onions, fresh baby spinach, and provolone cheese. It was served with a pickle spear and chips. I choose the Lunch Combo. With this you pick two of the following for $6.50 : 1/2 sandwich, 1/2 salad, cup of soup, or side. I decided on half the Smoked Turkey Sandwich (including sharp Vermont cheddar and sliced granny smith apples) with the White Chili soup of the day. Other options tend to be familiar sandwiches with a twist, like a BLT with avocado or chicken salad sandwich using raspberry mayonnaise. Salads include traditionals like Greek or Caesar, and nontraditionals like Pear or Asian with Miso Dressing.

We both agreed our food was good, but nothing special. In fact, I would have preferred a little more seasoning in both my soup and sandwich. Also, their whole assembly line system seemed a little out of whack. There were enough people behind the counter, but it appeared not all had a job to do, and others weren’t entirely sure how to work the panini presses. Moreover, they did not get food out to customers in order. People ordering after someone else would get their food first, despite what it was. Another example is a couple who ordered together, but their food came out separately-his more than 5 minutes after hers, while other people ordering after him sometimes got their meals immediately. I even had to wait 10 minutes.

I would go back again, but not if I had to hurry. The food is good, but nothing special stands out, and it tends to need slightly more seasoning.

Café 111 is located at 111 S. Green River Rd, Suite D, behind Brinker’s. (812) 401-8111. Mon-Fri 7am-2:30 pm.

It’s Evansville food reviews has been a bit on a hiatus lately, and we apologize for that. We return to you with a review of a new addition to Evansville, L.A. Grill & Ale House. This restaurant offers a take on the health craze that has swept the nation by offering a “healthy” (LA Grill) and “unhealthy” (Ale House) side to the menu.

Several of us ventured out there the other night to try this new restaurant after having driven past many times. The d’ecor is a take on modern-deco. The color scheme is black, red, and blue with waves of silver around the walls and seats. The booth and high top filled bar is also surrounded by televisions continuously tuned into ESPN. The lighting is relatively dim and the music seems just a notch too loud, but enjoyable artists.

As mentioned, there are two sides to the menu, and it’s more literal than it seems-you start on one side of the menu and actually flip it over upside down to get to the other side. It’s a great idea in that people can easily compromise on what they want to eat by having two full menus of healthy and not-so-healthy food. The healthy side even lists each dishes proteins, carbohydrates, fat, and calories. Dr. Joe Klemczewski offers his expertise to L.A. Grill & Ale House in developing tasty food that can fit any health nut’s diet.

When greeted by our waitress, we were served a complimentary basket of carrot curls, thin slices of carrots that are fried like chips. Surprisingly it was a fresh take on the standard chips and dip that tends to come with meals at many restaurants. Our party ordered two healthy items and one ale house item. The Crab Mango Wrap was a crab salad with mango, cilantro, and red onions wrapped in a spinach wrap served with carrot curls. The Tropical Beach Salad was shrimp with mango, pineapple, strawberry, and mandarin oranges over lettuce with a sugar free, low carb, dairy free Tangerine Dream Dressing. Both were very much enjoyed and recommended, one has even been gotten a second time since the initial visit. From the other side of the menu, the Dream Burger was ordered. This came out a perfect medium, pink throughout, topped with Fried onion straws, saut’eed mushrooms, applewood bacon, swiss cheese and special sauce as well as the standard lettuce, tomato, and red onion. This burger was to die for. Cooked perfectly and there couldn’t have been a better match of toppings.

We had an excellent experience at this new Evansville restaurant and have since been back. I think the restaurant is still getting the “new restaurant quirks out,” as family who went that same night didn’t enjoy their food at all. They said their food was tasteless, dried out, and fries burnt black. I have had two great experiences at this location, so recommend it, but due to hearing a couple questionable to negative comments, try it at your own risk.

L.A. Grill & Ale House is located at 7221 E. Indiana, just next to The Outback. (812) 491-2337. Mon-Sat 11am-11pm, Sun 11am-10pm.

Realizing we hadn’t yet brought you a review of an Italian restaurant, and that we were craving Italian food, we decided to visit Angelo’s Italian Restaurant in downtown Evansville.

Angelo’s isn’t like your average chain; it is more of a little neighborhood Italian eatery. It’s not large, but there’s enough room. Out front is a small patio just off the sidewalk that holds a handful of tables, inside are two rooms that stretch back in a long rectangle in addition to a very small bar room (which is actually almost more like a closet). The wall in the first room is decorated in an fresco of Italian scenery, while the back room has many pictures of Italian architecture and courtyards. The lights are dim to give a sense of intimacy.

Starving, we decided to start out with the Crab Cake appetizer. We expected them to arrive plain on a plate, but they came out on a bed of angel hair pasta, everything covered in a creamy pesto sauce. The first cut into the cakes proved a very crispy crust with a soft interior, and we soon decided this appetizer course was just delicious. Wanting something traditional, I ordered the lasagna, which came out very hot in a baking dish in a sweet marinara sauce covered in mozzarella. Just delicious. He ordered the Tortillini Alla Pesto, which came with the pasta, peas, and sun-dried tomatoes in the same pesto as our appetizer (possibly a blend of pesto and alfredo?) It was thoroughly enjoyed. To finish the meal ordered Tiramisu, only to find out there wasn’t any left, so we settled on the red velvet cake. It was very good, but seemed slightly dry. Either way, our server gave us the dessert on the house!

When we arrived and seated, it took about 5-10 minutes before we were poured water, and probably another 5 or so before our server came to take our drink order. At first this bothered me, but I learned he was the only server able to work that night, but moreover, the service we received after was great. He made sure we always had everything we needed, without being overbearing by any means. The server and hostess were very friendly. When the tiramisu problem arose, he was quite apologetic, but offered other ideas, even bringing two out to display to aid in our decision making, and didn’t charge us for the dessert.

Angelo’s is slightly out of the way for the majority of the Evansville and surrounding area’s population, but it is worth the trouble. The food is absolutely outstanding, the service ranges from good to great, and the prices are reasonable ($35 for 2 drinks, appetizer, & 2 entrees). I really would recommend taking the trip downtown to try this restaurant, but I recommend it for adults, not families with young children. This is the type of restaurant Evansville needs more of: not a chain, but a small local place serving fantastic food.

Angelo’s Italian Restaurant is located at 305 Main St. (812) 428-6666. Mon-Thurs 11:30am-10pm, Fri 11:30am-11pm, Sat 12pm-11pm.

Today we bring you a review of what seems to be a staple in Evansville, Los Bravos. The majority of the Evansville area will probably be familiar with this Mexican food, but newcomers to the area or college students who haven’t yet ventured out should know Los Bravos is a good find.

The buildings clearly establish what type of restaurant it is on the outside, with bright orange paint. Inside is not overly done up, but still tries to offer a sense of the Latino vibe. The walls are done in murals of Mexican-town life, while windows are filled with Mexican-style pottery and figures. Even the chairs and highchairs are vibrantly painted.

This evening, there were three of us. After being seated, we were immediately served chips & salsa and placed our drink orders. The salsa was good in flavor, but rather runny as opposed to chunky. We ordered the #5—2 enchiladas, rice, and beans, #29—burrito supremo, & nachos with beef. The #5 meal was off the dinner menu list where everything costs either $5.75 or $5. The enchiladas were ground beef rolled into a corn tortilla with cheese and enchilada sauce over it. I enjoyed that dish, and it was plenty to eat, with lots of food left on my plate. My dining partners also enjoyed their burrito and nachos, finding both to taste good and be plenty of food.

Other dinner options include the fajitas, chimichanga, or flautas. If you come at lunch, there are great lunch specials for $3.50 or $4.50. Try the Speedy Gonzolez, or my personal favorite, the Quesadilla Suprema. Don’t forget to try the cheese dip. They offer a range of beers, and of course a long list of alcohol, including margaritas.

All in all, I enjoy Los Bravos. The restaurant is clean, nice and polite waiters, great prices, and very speedy service. The food is good, and always consistent. My only qualm is how some of the waiters, especially in the kitchen, tend to ogle at some of the female customers, as it can sometimes become awkward.

That aside, I do suggest Los Bravos as it is one of the top Mexican places in town. However, I think I will always prefer the taste of Acapulco better.

Los Bravos is located at 834 Tutor Lane (behind Sonic & Qdoba), (812) 474-9078; 3534 N. 1st Ave (behind Arby’s), (812) 424-4101; and 4630 W. Lloyd Expressway, (812) 464-3163. Mon-Thurs 11am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11am-10:30pm, Sun 11am-9pm.

Evansville is one of the few places left that is lucky enough to still be home to G.D. Ritzy’s, and to me, that makes it local. G.D. Ritzy’s was once a chain on a smaller scale, but now only three states still have their original Ritzy’s. Evansville is lucky enough to be the one city in one of three states that holds that honor. The other restaurants Owensboro, KY and Huntington, WV.

Ritzy’s has the old 50s style, decorated in green, silver, and white with a couple neon signs. Walking in, you order your food on the left side of the counter where it will soon arrive on a tray right near where you can find the condiments and utensils. However, the right side of the counter has the array of ice cream, and you do order that at a separate register. Most tables are on a platform and continue in the 50s style with stainless steel on the tables and plush green seats.

We decided to eat in so we could get a feel of the atmosphere. We both ordered a combo #1, which is a cheeseburger, shoestring fries, and a soft drink. Mine was delicious, just as they have always been. With the thin grilled hamburger patty, slice of cheese, crispy leaf lettuce, thin sliced tomato, tart pickles, and ketchup and mayo-what more could you ask for? Of course, I had to leave off the mustard and onion. If burgers aren’t your thing you can also find hot dogs, chili, or even a peanut butter & jelly sandwich on their menu. The chili is great for the colder months, and is unique in that they offer it 7 different ways and over spaghetti. The PB&J may sound boring, but they serve it open face with thin slices of strawberries over the jelly, and crushed peanuts over the peanut butter. Looking for something healthy? Their salads are great and made to order; they also offer steamed vegetables, grilled chicken sandwich, or a fish sandwich.

If you go to Ritzy’s, you can’t leave without getting some ice cream. Flavors range from chocolate to vanilla, mint chocolate chunk to peppermint, butter pecan to Oreo, and a lot in between. Sampling a few scoops of their ice cream is nothing less than delicious, but why not splurge and get a sundae? Choose any of their ice cream flavors and cover it in hot fudge, caramel, whipped cream, topped with a cherry. You can also get a milkshake made with any one of their ice creams. If you ask for a chocolate shake, you’ll be asked if you want it made with vanilla (in which case they put chocolate syrup in it) or with chocolate (which is made with chocolate ice cream). I always suggest the chocolate-chocolate.

Ritzy’s truly is a staple of Evansville, and you can find everyone from infants to teens, to adults to grandparents stopping in for their food. While similar to Steak n Shake, Ritzy’s definitely takes the food, service, and cleanliness up a notch or two. I find it hard to believe there is someone from Evansville who hasn’t been there yet, but if you are someone who hasn’t, head to Ritzy’s for lunch. Go in, sit down, and enjoy. You won’t be sorry.

G.D. Ritzy’s can be found at 601 N. Green River Rd, (812) 474-6259; 4320 N 1st Ave, (812) 421-1300; or 4810 University Dr, (812) 425-8700. Sun-Thurs 11am-9pm, Fri & Sat 11am-10pm.

This week we review a well-known restaurant in Evansville, The Pub. While styled after a typical pub in England or Ireland, it caters to us Americans with our traditional fare.

There are two separate entrances for the bar and family room, but once inside, you can see there really is no separation except for a very short, narrow hall. It is slightly aggravating that there is no true divide between the rooms since the bar is still smoking - the smoke very easily can waft over to the family room. Another pitfall is that there is no hostess to seat you, so we were unsure whether to take a seat or wait for a waitress when we entered.

The décor inside is nothing special. There are thick wooden tables or booths inside with old walls covered primarily in sports paraphernalia from local and state universities. The Pub looks old; it feels old, but there is an overwhelming sense of comfort that invites people to stay and relax after their meal. On our visit there, one table had long finished lunch and was proceeding to do some business at their table, while another table of friends was talking after having finished their food.

The menu primarily covers your most basic American food, but has one or two other options as well. My dining partner got the simple chicken salad sandwich with walnuts that he said he really enjoyed. I opted for the gyro, which is sliced lamb in a pita with a yogurt sauce and the option of lettuce, tomato, and onion. Both meals came with a side of chips. We were very impressed with how fast our food came out; we barely had to wait at all. Other options include basics like salads, chicken sandwiches, burgers, and more.

I suggest a visit to the pub for a casual lunch. It is great for doing business as well as having a relaxing lunch with friends. It seems to be an older clientele that frequents The Pub. The menu is small, but the food is good as are the prices. My one complaint is the lack of true separation between the smoking bar and non-smoking family room.

The Pub is located at 1348 E. Division St. behind the Lloyd. (812) 422-2451.