Northside Nights

You may remember that the bestie and I had a fantastic time previewing Devour Downtown last month. Free steak and cocktails in exchange for our professional media opinion is pretty baller. We have arrived.

But seriously, Devour Downtown has always been one of my favorite events in the city. Indianapolis has an incredible foodie scene, but not everyone has the means (or the time!) to sample all of the restaurant goodness. I love being able to make a reservation at St. Elmo Steakhouse during Devour and know that my three-course meal will only cost $30, when typically date night would total over $150 just for dinner! To me, spending less money on excellent filet mignon and shrimp cocktail is the perfect reason to have a White Sangria upstairs at the 1933 Lounge. I mean, since we’re already there…

Downtown isn’t the only area with incredible cuisine, though. The Indiana Restaurant & Lodging Association decided to go a step further with their awesome idea, and created “sister events” to encompass more of our great city. Case in point? Northside Nights.

Northside Nights features $30 prix fixe menus at more than 40 locations in northern Indianapolis and Hamilton County – perfect for a former northsider like myself. The event begins today (September 15-28, to be exact), but lucky for you I had an opportunity to sample a few menus last week.

Take my advice and make your reservations now. You won’t regret it.

We started at one of the husband’s and my favorite restaurants, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse, for cocktails and appetizers. The above is what you would call a short rib empanada with poblano creme – an interesting choice for a steak place, in my opinion. I was skeptical based on the way this dish looks, but I’m here to tell you that it was absolutely delicious. I definitely recommend it over the salad appetizers (if you know me, you’re not shocked by this). Check out Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse’s full Northside Night’s menu here.

Appetizers were followed by entrees at Sullivan’s Steakhouse. My table devoured the New York Strip and Filet Mignon so fast, the only picture I could get was what you see above. Let that be our recommendation. You can see the Sullivan’s full Northside Night’s menu here!

Dessert and wine followed at Seasons 52. Since we were acting in our official media roles, Kristin and I felt the need to sample not one, but FOUR desserts. Don’t judge. I was a bit put off by the chunk of mozzarella cheese in my apple pie shooter (yes, you read that right), but other than that the selection was fantastic. My favorite? The blueberry and lemon curd shooter. We may have been the last people lingering at the restaurant that night (except for the Smiley Morning Show, who probably closed down the bar), but I couldn’t ask for a better escape from our moving chaos than a little girl time with the bestie and my agency partner-in-crime, Susan. A perfect ending to a night full of incredible cuisine.

Oh, and you can see the full Seasons 52 menu here!

Are you planning to participate in Northside Nights? Which restaurant are you most excited to taste? Don’t forget to make your reservations between September 15-28!