Secret menus of Indianapolis restaurants

Who knew you could get St. Elmo's famous fiery shrimp cocktail in a mild variety? Or that R bistro can whip up a creamy buttermilk pie when needed?

There's a double stacker with aged white cheddar and caramelized onions hiding behind the bar of Late Harvest Kitchen?

That's right. Welcome to the secret menus of Indianapolis restaurants.

Most eateries don't officially have secret menus. There isn't a classified sheet of paper locked up with a list of covert food offerings.

But almost every restaurant has an item or two that is not on the menu that the chef will make if a guest requests it.

People who know about them are often the regulars or that "select secret sub-cult of a restaurant following," said Scott Wise, owner of Scotty's Brewhouse.

For the chains secret menus have become a marketing ploy, he said.

A Google search will find hundreds of secret menu dishes offered up at chains.

There's The Superman at Taco Bell, a cheesy double beef burrito with extra potatoes, sour cream, guacamole and crispy tortilla strips.

At Subway, ask for the "old cut" and your sandwich maker will cut the bread from the top instead of the side. After adding all the meats and toppings in, it's no-mess eating.

Then there's, perhaps, the most outrageous secret menu item: the McLand Sea and Air Burger at McDonald's. Translation: A hamburger, McChicken and Filet-O-Fish all in one.

"We know our customers are really creative," said Annette Coulombe, regional marketing manager for McDonald's. "and they tell us all the time that they enjoy customizing our menu."

That's how most secret menu items start. A guest asks for it once. Someone else sees it and orders it. They tell their neighbors, friends, the guy at the bar. It's word of mouth.

We reached out to more than two dozen locally owned restaurants for their most popular secret menu items. Many said they don't have any (or maybe they just didn't want people to find out. They are secrets, right?)

Others were glad to reveal those hidden foodie treasures, some of which are so popular they're about to hit the official menu. Take a look.

St. Elmo Steak House, Mild Shrimp Cocktail, 127 S. Illinois St.

Upon a request from the guest, St. Elmo will serve a mild version of its shrimp cocktail, known to be so hot it makes your eyes water.

The sauce is made fresh daily so it's not too much trouble to "make a milder version on the spot for guests that can't take the heat," said Bryn Jones, director of marketing.

"It usually comes with a side of laughter and jeering from others dining with the guest who ordered," Jones said.

R bistro, Buttermilk Pie, 888 Massachusetts Ave.

"Our secret is you will get buttermilk pie if we run out of dinner desserts," said owner and chef Regina Mehallick. "That usually happens on Friday or Saturday evening."

Because R bistro changes its dinner menu every week, it's tough to have many secret items.

"If you are a surprise vegan, we can put something together pretty quickly," she said.

Napolese Pizzeria, Apertivo Tasting Plate, 30 S. Meridian St.

This dish started out secret (aka off the menu) at Napolese's Downtown location, but it became so popular with the pizzeria's bar business that it is going to officially be added to the menu this spring.

The plate includes olives, roasted vegetables, two slices of pepperoni and one slice of Focaccia.

At its sister restaurant, Cafe Patachou, "customers order pretty much whatever they want customized to their tastes," said Christina Pippen, brand manager. "But my favorite instance was the cage fighters who would come in and get 12-egg omelets. Yes, this is a real thing."

Late Harvest Kitchen, LHK Burger, 8605 River Crossing Blvd.

This hidden gem at Late Harvest Kitchen is a double stacker, with aged white cheddar, caramelized onions, chopped lettuce and special sauce. It comes with fries that are tossed with bone marrow butter and jalapenos. It's served only at the bar.

"We only have seven seats at our bar so there is very limited availability every night," said Ryan Nelson, chef and owner. "I only make a handful of them each day. Once it's gone, it's gone. The bartenders do not pitch it. The guest has to ask for it."

Kountry Kitchen, Fish Escabeche, 1831 N. College Ave.

It's a dish the regulars love at Kountry Kitchen, but it's not on the menu. Owner Cynthia Wilson describes it like this: "Succulent catfish smothered in a sweet tangy Caribbean sauce."

It's served over white rice with fried corn and collard greens.

This soul food restaurant, known as a place celebrities like to frequent when they're in town, offers plenty of off-beat dishes, but this may just be the winner.

Ruth's Chris Steak House, Sweet Hot Cherry Peppers, 45 S. Illinois St. and 9445 Threel Road

The pork chops are already to die for at Ruth's Chris. Want an added delight? Ask for a topping of sweet hot cherry peppers. For a side, you might want to try another secret menu item, hash browns. Yep. Hash browns at an upscale steak house.

The two are off-the-menu items guests ask for "all the time," according to Chief Operating Officer Jeff Blair. So, they are soon to be added to the official menu.

Recess & Room Four, Sashimi, 4907 N. College Ave.

The menu changes daily at Recess & Room Four. "Guests are welcome to ask if there's anything fun or different available," said Katie Hanson.

Recently, the restaurant had ivory king salmon in the house.

"It's a very rare treat we see each spring," she said. "A guest asked if we had any sashimi available and we prepared it for him."

Prepared with that ivory king salmon.

Scotty's Brewhouse, Kinney Bacon Skinny, 1 Virginia Ave.

We can call this wrap the "outed secret" at Scotty's Brewhouse. It had been hidden for the past three years, but the restaurant just brought it back.

The Kinney Bacon Skinny is a wrap filled with breaded chicken, American cheese, bacon and ranch.

"We always tell our staff, if a guest comes in and asks for something you haven't heard of, come talk to a manager, because if we have all the ingredients in house, we will always give them what they are requesting," Wise said.

Another Broken Egg Café, Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche Florentine, 9435 N. Meridian St.

It's not as if you need to ask for anything secret with this menu. There are blackberry grits, a Cajun potato skillet and black bean benedict.

But if you want a little extra, the chef will cook up this cheesy quiche made with that always-good-for-you veggie, broccoli.

Call Star reporter Dana Hunsinger Benbow at (317) 444-6012. Follow her on Twitter: @danabenbow.