The Barking Dog Cafe, Indianapolis, Indiana

Hubby started with a cup of the clam chowder, which is my Dad’s favorite thing here (my parents really like this place). I think this is probably the best clam chowder I have had in Indy. It is a more cream based type than some I have had (some are more sort of potato based and more like a stew if you know what I mean). This one has a great flavor and a lot of pieces of clam (one of the benefits to all the clam dishes they offer on the menu I am sure). It didn’t need anything except a few oyster crackers thrown in.

I ordered “Jeff’s ‘thin and crispy on the edges’ single cheeseburger” with everything—well almost, I had them hold the lettuce. The burger was a very large, but very thin patty with melted cheese, pickles, onions, ketchup, Dijon mustard and special sauce. It was great. Really, really good. The beef was exactly as described, with a nice crispy edge (which I love). The onions were super thin (almost shaved) so they were not over-powering but gave a nice crispy bite. I also really liked the pickles on the burgers—they were a little thicker cut than many. The special sauce was sort of like a slightly spicy Thousand Island dressing and while I normally wouldn’t put this on a burger, I thoroughly enjoyed it. In fact, when we went back with the kids a week or so later, I got the exact same thing and enjoyed it just as much, if not more. A side note, I loved the fact that they specifically don’t offer tomatoes this time of year because they recognize that what they can offer are just not good.

Hubby had the crab roll on this fist visit. I think this is probably pretty authentic New England-style crab roll, and the crab was nice big lumps of crab meat. The “roll” part was a nicely toasted thick piece of bread wrapped around—this is pretty true to the rolls I have had on the East coast. However, what I didn’t like about it was the seasoning on the crab itself—or should I say lack of seasoning. It seemed like it was pretty much just mayo, which to be fair, may be a very traditional way to eat them, but when I make them, I like to jazz them up a bit—some lemon, some Dijon, a little hot sauce, some chives. We did get a couple of lemon wedges and squeeze them over the top which helped a lot. The ingredients were all good though, but it couldn’t compare to the taste of the burger.

We also shared a side of fries—they offer a choice of homemade chipotle ketchup or kalamata rosemary aioli (yay!). Of course we got the aioli because this is my favorite kind of thing to dip a fry in. They were also really good. The fries are nice and crisp (a darkish brown color) but thinner than a lot of homemade fries. The homemade slaw on the side was also one of hubby’s favorite things—it did have a nice spicy flavor and tasted like it had some of the housemade sweet pickles in it that are served as a garnish with the sandwiches.

As I said, we went back for lunch a little over a week later and took the kids this time. They wanted a burger (with cheese only) so I made them split one because they are a pretty good size and so often they leave so much food when we go out. Well, they loved the burger and pretty much inhaled their halves. We had to order another one for them to share, which they also polished off. Suffice it to say, they are big fans of the place.

I had the burger again, but hubby ordered the clam plate on this visit. It is a huge plate of fried clam strips which we chose to have with remoulade (you can also have cocktail sauce). These were good as well—the clams were tender and battered and fried. They served them with some lemon wedges which I really liked squeezed over the top. I am not so sure about the remoulade—it seemed almost like more of a tartar sauce than a remoulade, but the clams were pretty tasty on their own (I would probably try the cocktail sauce if I got them again). But still, the burger was the thing that was at the top of my list.

It’s a cute little place on 49^th Street near Penn, and has a large glassed in front with some great light coming in—the downside is when it is cold outside, it is difficult to keep it warm inside. Our first visit we were pretty close to the front and when the door opened, there was a cold burst. The second visit was more comfortable because we were near the back and they seemed to have the heat really pumping. Our server (on both occasions) was super friendly and incredibly enthusiastic about the menu and food. A cup of clam chowder, a burger, and some of those fries is a great lunch for sure. And it may be one of my kids’ new favorite places. So have you been? What do you think?

From the Indianapolis Monthly magazine, May 2011, The 50 Best Restaurants...

The Barking Dog Cafe (Epicurean Cafe)

There's no telling which way the menu might swing at this humble restaurant in the heart of Meridian-Kessler. Owners Jeff and Mary Beth Gahimer draw inspiration from the New England coast, and clam chowder, lobster rolls, and fried oysters dominate the lunch menu. Come nightfall, specials might include Thai carrot-ginger soup Cornish hen with mushroom hash, or, each March, Caribbean-themed selections. Mary Beth's made-from-scratch desserts are always changing and tend to go quickly (especially the cherry pie.) We have yet to be disappointed by selections ranging from strawberry-rhubarb pie to mammoth chocolate chip cookies. 115 E. 49th St, 924-2233.

Many thanks to Jolene Katzenberger for the kind words in the Indianapolis Star...check it out at www.indystar.com

And here is the Indianapolis Monthly Magazine revisit article from June 2010...

The Barking Dog Cafe has us begging for more.

THE SHADED STREETS of the MeridianKessler neighborhood invite leisurely, aimless summer strolls, but we recommend you make The Barking Dog Cafe a destination. Tucked just off the busy intersection of 49th and Penn, chefs/owners Jeff and Mary Beth Gahimer's breezy spot has done a brisk carry-out dinner service since. it relocated from City Market in 2007, but extended hours now give diners a reason to pull up a chair and linger.

Lunches of soups, salads, and sandwiches have long been a draw-the clam chowder is practically famous, and last winter's beer-cheddar soup, made with Newcastle ale, is destined to follow in its footsteps. The lobster roll, when available, is another oft-touted favorite, and salads, with fresh fruits, tangy cheeses, and all sorts of other goodies, are among the best we've tried anywhere.

But the real rewards for exploring this tiny cafe come during the dinner hour. The Frenchbistro-inspired menu changes monthly but always includes simple preparations and a dose of the Gahimers' quirky wit: Halibut early this spring was served sauteed and dressed with a basic lemon cream sauce but also wore thin potato slices arranged to look like fish scales.

Other days, dishes come served with "bark lard"-housecured bacon. No matter the offerings, it's a good deal: Each entree costs less than $30 and includes an amuse bouche (chicken "lollipops"with honey-chipotle glaze, for instance) and a house salad.

If you want an appetizer, go with the buffalo shrimp cocktail, served with cleverly sliced celery coated in creamy bleu cheese, but save room for desserts, which Mary Beth makes from scratch daily. The giant chocolate-chip cookie receives the most buzz, butwe put away more than a couple of slices of the strawberry-rhubarb pie that was a menu regular this spring.

The Gahimers' love of warmer climes peeks through in occasional themed dishes, like the Life's ABeach sandwich (with red onion, goat cheese, avocado, and sprouts) and a Caribbean-themed menu each March, which this year included a mild and tangy jerk chicken over sweet-potato risono, and crispy coconut shrimp.

Normally swift service slows a bit when the 45-seat dining room fills, as it does most weekend evenings, so have another drink and kick back. Which brings us to another important point: Without a liquor license, the place is fully BYO, including glassware and tools. Look at the latest menu online, grab a bottle from the cellar, and make it a gourmet evening on the cheap. -BETH A. CLAYTON

The Barking Dog Cafe 115 E. 49th St., 924-2233 Hours Tues.-Wed. 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Thurs.-Sat. 11 a.m.-2;30 p.m. and 5:30-9 p.m. Closed Sun. and Mon. Recommended Halibut. buffalo shrimp cocktail, clam chowder, beer-cheddar soup, strawberry-rhubarb pie.

A barking dog in the neighborhood can be a pain in the arf. Then again, if you live around the cozy intersection of 49th and Pennsylvania on the city's Northside, you probably don't mind the pooch at all.

That's because The Barking Dog Cafe, 115 E. 49th St., is the kind of place that makes a neighborhood sing. It's little, tucked around the corner from a gas station - blink as you go by and you'll miss it - but for those who know what they're looking for, it does exactly what a neighborhood place should: serve up reasons to slow down and savor.

There is much I love about the land-locked Midwest but I must admit that I am often envious of my friends who live on the coasts. If someone held a gun to my head and told me I must move to a U.S. coast and that I must choose between the east and west, I think I would head east and most likely to the northeast - New England. One of the compelling reasons for turning right instead of left would be, of course, the food.

Fortunately, Barking Dog Cafe brings some of that upper east coast cuisine right here to the heartland so I don't have to pack up my family and move. Owners/Chefs Mary Beth and Jeff Gahimer bring us the best of New England cuisine and my favorite of their offerings is their rolls - lobster, shrimp, and scallop rolls. These are the kinds of sandwiches you find at roadside stands in places like Nantucket and other seaside communities on the northern part of the east coast.