OUT TO EAT

Liz Biro: 4 new Downtown Indy restaurants

Liz Biro
liz.biro@indystar.com
The welcoming crew at the entrance to Georgia Reese’s Downtown location.

Georgia Reese's

14 E. Washington St., (317) 605-8160, www.georgiareeses.com.

Think of ex-Colts linebacker Gary Brackett's new Downtown Georgia Reese's as the sexy sister of his first uptown location. The soul food supper club next door to Red's Barber Shop on Washington Street has all the swag of the West 86th Street original. Watermelon martinis twinkle in a hammered tin reflection over the lively bar. Toasty taupe banquettes are practically communal tables for sharing fried chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits and asparagus deviled eggs. What looks like an elevated VIP table turns into a stage when musicians are in the house.

Couples and families tend to populate 86th Street; singles seem to rule Downtown, hence the R&B divas beautifying several flat screens some nights. Tall, exposed brick walls encourage people watching. Professionals pop in, too. Brackett installed a floor-to-ceiling glass wine cabinet in the quiet cellar dining areas, where rooms suit business meetings. No matter who shows up, a homey vibe prevails. The official grand opening is today, May 27. Lunch, dinner, late-night and Sunday brunch are served.

Louie's Wine Dive

345 Mass Ave., (317) 929-1644, www.louieswinedive.com/indianapolis.

Could the 300 block of Mass Ave. get any hotter? Just as Bakersfield owners announced they were replacing The Front Page with their urban farmhouse-styled fried chicken place The Eagle, Louie's Wine Dive opened across the street. Don't be discouraged by the name. Dark wood tones, low ceilings and wine-related art covering exposed brick walls hardly shout "Arrive in your crappiest T-shirt." The name is to say, "Relax. No wine snobs here."

Sparkling wine and other choices at Louie’s Wine Dive.

Some 75 labels are affordable and impressive. Get a glass, bottle or better yet a flight to see how different vintages compliment chef/owner Roger Duran's exciting menu. The 2012 American Culinary Federation chef of the year has cooked in Spain, South Africa, Lake Tahoe and Indy's Westin Hotel and Barcelona Tapas. BLT deviled eggs, Gooey Louie brie-stuffed, half-pound Angus burgers and tandoori salmon are on the list. Duran favors shrimp diablo pasta with spicy red sauce and lime sour cream or the 28-ounce bone-in rib-eye with rosemary butter. Opening day is today, May 27.

Nourish

931 S. East St., (317) 371-1699, www.thenourishindy.com.

Snug between General American Donut Co. and Bosphorus Istanbul Cafe on Fletcher Place's East Street, Nourish strives to feed the "body and spirit" of Indianapolis with "innovative cuisine and cocktails." Ethereal blues and pale gold tones color the room space. Booths line picture windows. A small bar peeks from behind a half wall. Quiet tables fill the back.

Pan-roasted walleye, farro, mascarpone ramps and cherry tomato olive oil nage at Nourish.

Eli Laidlaw, sous chef of late at Hotel Alexander, uses mostly locally sourced ingredients. The grain freekeh (free-kah) along with coconut, pickled vegetable wraps and Thai flavors pack thinly sliced watermelon radishes for a new take on wraps. Miso-brined chicken crowns rhubarb rye berry succotash in ginger scallion sauce. Broken almond shortbread is scattered over mezcal lemon curd and strawberry coulis. Look for Indiana spirits in drinks like a rosemary-seasoned French 75. The Woodfire pours whiskey, bitters and housemade Anaheim chili syrup over coffee ice cubes. Opening day was May 21. Lunch and dinner are served.

Café Nonna

629 Virginia Ave., (317) 986-6904.

Developer David Page launched Café Nonna so he'd have a place to take his grandkids for real Italian gelato. The bright spot, colored, of course, in the Italian flag's red and green, serves a rainbow of from-scratch flavors made in a gelato machine that Page imported from Italy. The device required a special electrical hook-up to accommodate its Italian wiring.

Café Nonna's flavor list reads like marquees at the many gelato shops in Italy: hazelnut, tiramisu, panna cotta, limoncello.

Café Nonna's flavor list reads like marquees at the many gelato shops in Italy: hazelnut, tiramisu, panna cotta, limoncello. Pastries such as cannoli and full coffee service are part of the Café Nonna plan. From the mid-1970s to the late 1980s, Page owned the Downtown Italian restaurant La Scala. He buys and sells real estate and owns Primo Banquet and Conference Center on National Avenue.

Call Liz Biro at (317) 444-6264. Follow her on Twitter @lizbiro, Instagram @lizbirodish and Facebook.