Fire by the Monon

I had heard many things about Fire by the Monon, many good things.  So when two of our friends asked us to join them for dinner after Brewfest at the restaurant, I was excited to see what was being offered.  They boast local and heart-healthy items, so I was interested to see what would be offered on the Saturday evening.

We were fortunate not to have to wait for a table outside (our friends made it there prior to us and waited the 15-20 minutes for us – thanks friends!)  Though we weren’t crowded at our table, I did notice on the front patio tables were blocking any sort of walkway which patrons were grumbling about as they moved there chairs multiple times.  Fortunately, we were on the side patio and didn’t have that problem.  The weather was delightful as we waited a little bit for our server to arrive.

We ordered a round of drinks;  a wine flight for me at a mere $10,  a great sampling for the price, while hubs ordered a local draft of Sun King.  We sipped and enjoyed great conversations while waiting for our food.  Overall, the timing was a bit longer, service pleasant but slow.  We were enjoying ourselves, but I couldn’t help notice the delay.

When hubs ordered the rainbow trout, I don’t think he was anticipating the large portion.  What he got was quite were two nicely portioned filletes, cooked beautifully.  They were tender, flaky and had a light pan fried crust to them.  He really enjoyed them, as I did with the small bite I tried.  They were served with dirty smashed potatoes, but he wasn’t overly impressed with them as they were slightly bland in seasoning.  He had doubled his carb intake by ordering onion rings as well, which he didn’t really comment on.  Overall, he raved about the fish but didn’t say too much about his side accompanients.

I stayed with the seafood theme and ordered the salmon.  I know many people are weary about ordering salmon in restaurants, which I completely understand.  So many times it is undercooked or overcooked, like many fish items can be, but it is always noticeable with salmon.  Unfortunately, it was just a bit overdone for me making it slightly dry.  I normally wouldn’t have used the heavy serving of dill butter (at least not all of it) but couldn’t help but need it to compensate for the dry factor.  Though it was overcooked, it still had some great flavor.  Rosemary, which can sometimes be overwhelming, played perfectly with the fish giving it a subtle rustic flavor.  Dill was subtly sweet, butter creamy and smooth leaving a good finish to the fish.  My sides were the seasonal vegetables and sweet potato fries.  The seasonal vegetables were fantastic – a trio of vegetables, including the perfect summer corn stripped off the cob, perfectly done carrots (with where it isn’t crisp but not soft – just cooked well) and roasted potatoes.  I would have liked to have not had potatoes (the server didn’t say these were included – she actually told me I’d have zucchini) but it was a great side dish.  The reason I was not 100% pleased with the potatoes, though great,  was because I had ordered sweet potato fries as my side – I just wasn’t anticipating a double potato order.   The sweet potato fries were  double fried for a crisp exterior and tender interior.  I like to pretend sweet potatoes are ‘good’ for me because of the nutrients, but I can’t always convince myself as I enjoy the crunchy texture and dip them in mayo based sauce.  They were delicious, but really not needed as I would have enjoyed the fish and vegetables I had going on.

Overall, both hubs and I left happy with our meals.  It was reasonably priced with both our entrees being around $16 each, the service was friendly and atmosphere relaxing.  Our friends also enjoyed their meal and were happy that we were able to try the establishment.  I don’t know if I would seek it out, just the two of us, solely because I don’t think I would really think of the place.  It is tucked back in a neighborhood, I would really have to remember it to go out for dinner.  If we were in the area and people want to grab dinner, it is a definitely a place in the Broad Ripple area I would like to dine at again, but I think people would need to remind me.  I could see why people don’t always immediately think of it as an option, but it is a great spot to consider.

Fire by the Monon * 6523 Ferguson Street * Broad Ripple, 46022 * 317.602.8590