Restaurant Review - The Irish Lion

Today's review is a very special review.

Yesterday, Connor and I, joined by my mom and her friend, Chris, went out to eat at the Irish Lion in celebration of what would have been my late sister's 31st birthday. The Irish Lion was a restaurant my sister really enjoyed. She took me there the summer before I went to college and introduced me to the delicious things that it had to offer. That was a rare occasion where I felt like we really connected. It's always been an important place to us as a family, especially in connection to her. Basically, there was no other place for us to go that could have been more significant.

So on to the restaurant:

The Irish Lion is truly incredible, and definitely a part of the history of Bloomington, Indiana. The building was built as a pub/hotel in 1882 in the perfect location to cater to passengers from the Monon Trail Train Depot. During prohibition, the bar portion of the building focused on being a billiards parlor and selling tobacco, rather than give up or go under. The passing of the original owner, Mr. Lovel Burch, also came with the passing of the original hotel and bar businesses, and from 1935-1979, several other taverns, restaurants, and billiard parlors were in and out of the building.

Another interesting tidbit for the TV trivia buffs among us- a photograph of the Irish Lion was featured in the first four seasons of Cheers. It appeared as the backdrop behind Nicholas Colasanto's name. Nicholas Colassanto, of course, played one of the very best characters in Cheers: Coach. The photograph was still seen in parts of the fourth season after Colassanto had passed away, with no name over the photo.

In 1979, it was purchased by the McConaughy family, who restored the building using local antiques, until it was ready to open in 1982 as the Irish Lion. You can learn more about the history of the building and the incredible restoration process here, from their website.

What I'm saying is that the Irish Lion doesn't feel like an old fashioned pub.

The Irish Lion is an old fashioned pub. The woodwork, stained glass, massive bar with ornate mirror, intricate ceiling, cheery Irish music, and more will transport you back in time.

We sat downstairs, near the bar for this outing. To be seated downstairs, everyone in your party must be over the age of 21, regardless of if they intend to drink. Never fear if you have younger ones in your group; they also have a seating area upstairs. The upstairs area does have a slightly different feel than downstairs. It's more formal, with tablecloths on the tables, decorative plants, and display cases. It can also be chilly upstairs at times, so if you know you'll be sitting up there, you may want to bring a jacket.

Everyone in our group got a different drink for the occasion, and they were all delicious. Being a pub, the Lion has a selection of beer and cider on tap. They also have a great list of specialty drinks, which appealed to us more. I got the nutty Irishman, which is a small, cream, sipping liqueur drink over ice. Connor went for the snake bite, which is Guinness with Magner's cider. Chris got a Killarney Kolada, a tropical drink made with creme de coconut, blue curacao, rum, and pineapple juice. My mom got a dirty Nellie (one of my favorite drinks at the Lion) which is similar to a Long Island ice tea. As usual with the Lion, no one was unsatisfied with their drink.

We also ordered blarney puffballs as an appetizer. Blarney puffballs are a delicious, potato-cheese ball, deep fried and served with sour cream. An order comes with about a dozen of them and is perfect to share.

Now, the most disappointing thing about the Irish Lion is the lack of vegetarian entree options. As I said, the Lion is emotionally significant to my family, and it is also a layover favorite restaurant from when I ate meat. They have great drinks, great appetizers, great desserts, but entrees can really be lacking. When I go there anymore, I basically only get their black bean burger. Prior to becoming a vegetarian, I mostly ordered their mutton pie with celtic stew, which was a bread bowl filled with a savory stew. It would make my life if they started carrying a hearty, thick, vegetarian soup that I could get in a bread bowl on a regular basis (HINT HINT).

Don't get me wrong - If you're in the mood for a black bean burger, theirs are really good.

Yesterday, ours came on these incredibly tasty, toasted buns, and the burgers themselves really hit the spot. And when you go to a pub, a black bean burger pairs well with any number of drinks. Plus, if more people go there and give feedback that they'd like to at least see a bread-bowl worthy, vegetarian soup, maybe they'll get one!

To finish off our dinner, we ordered Baileys cheese cake, which is an amazing dessert. Cheese cake made with Baileys liqueur and chocolate. On my sister's birthday, she never had a regular cake. She always wanted cheese cake (or "cheese pie" to be more accurate). So this as our dessert was the final, Irish Lion tribute to her birthday.

The Verdict:

Atmosphere: An old, Irish pub. Fun, cheery, rustic. Antique decor coupled with a fair amount of taxidermy. Upbeat Irish music typically plays in the background. Good for a nice dinner with the family or a time out with friends. A

Price: $$-$$$$ The Lion can get pretty up there in price, especially if you get more than just an entree. The limited vegetarian entrees are cheaper than some of the larger, meat based entrees, but if you are looking for a meat-based meal, you should be prepared to pay for the high quality food you're getting.

Service: They surely pride themselves on their service at the Lion. Servers dress in smart black and white and are always tidy and professional-looking. Our server was particularly attentive to the needs of the table and the specifications of our orders. I also learned from their website that they have Braille and large print menus available for customers who need them and that is really cool. A+

Food: Options are incredibly limited for vegetarians as far as entrees, but the food they have is very good. C- for options, A for quality.

Location: The Irish Lion is located near the Bloomington Courthouse Square. It is on Kirkwood Ave., but further west than a lot of other attractions. However, it's definitely still easy walking distance and is near such attractions as Wonderlab, a children's science museum, the Fountain Square Mall, and the B-Line Trail. Typically, metered parking is easily found within a block radius. B

Overall: I'm always going to be biased toward the Irish Lion, even if the typical lack of vegetarian meals makes me sad. However, I definitely recommend visiting for the great atmosphere and the historical aspect, as well as, certainly, how delicious their food options are.

Check out their website here, and have a quick look at their menu here!

Location Review - GlowGolf

 One of my favorite fun activities around Bloomington is GlowGolf, a full 18-hole miniature golf course nestled inside College Mall. Since it isn't subjected to the weather, you can golf year-round, which, given my appetite for putt-putt, is a huge draw for me.

GlowGolf is also, as the name suggests, filled with black lights and colorful, fluorescent decorations.

Just walking in, you'll notice parts of your clothes lighting up which is always a neat part of the experience. And, of course, the golf balls themselves glow nicely under the black lights.

Unlike most miniature golf places, don't be wary of the 18th hole, as it won't take your ball away. The ticket price actually includes 3 full games. Just keep your receipt and you can come back later that day to play some more. As far as ball return goes, there is a special contest where you can win a free game of golf if you get your ball into the proper spot, but you only get one try as it does take your ball at this time.

And, if golf isn't your style, they also have a wonderful laser maze!

You can live out your action movie fantasies by navigating through the lasers in an 8 foot long, fog-filled tunnel - which is suitable for both children and adults. The laser maze has difficulty settings from "Easy" to "Expert". I've tried it on both "Easy" and "Hard", and I definitely recommend going for an easier experience - "Hard" was surprisingly challenging!

They also recently added a "3Kick" game, which I regretfully haven't had the chance to play yet. It appears to be a kick-boxing game. I don't think I have to tell you what I'll be doing the next time I go to GlowGolf.

The Verdict:

Atmosphere - GlowGolf is very festive with all the black lights and glowing murals of sea creatures on the wall. Even just walking in and looking at your glowing shoelaces is a fun experience. A

Location - Located inside the College Mall on Bloomington's east side, there is ample free parking and close proximity to dining and shopping to occupy you when you decide to take a break from golfing. If transportation is a concern, the mall is several Bloomington Transit routes, including the 9 bus from IU's campus. A

Service - The staff is always kind and courteous, and they're willing to answer any questions you might have. B

Price - $-$$ Price can vary greatly depending on how many are in your party and if you buy extras like the laser maze and kickboxing. Group rates are available.

Overall - GlowGolf is fun, affordable activity for your whole family. I always have a great time there and I hope you will too!

Visit their website here for more information

Restaurant Review - Trojan Horse

Today, we found the RV that we're going to use to travel around the US, or at least to live in this summer. To celebrate, Connor's dad and step-mom took us to a fabulous restaurant in Bloomington: the Trojan Horse. 

Trojan Horse is a Greek-leaning restaurant with a really cool look.

They have kind of a ship theme going on, with fish tanks that look like port holes, figurehead statues, thick wooden doors with massive iron latches, and more. However, it's a subtle theme that coexists with some additional decor, like IU Jerseys and such, so every time I go there, the cool ocean decor catches me off guard when I notice.

It's a great place to enjoy a casual lunch or dinner in whatever clothing you have on for your day of sightseeing and whatnot.



The service was friendly and speedy, as usual.

You seat yourself and someone is right behind you lickety split to see if you'd like something to drink. As deciding to spend a large sum of money on an RV is an anxiety-inducing activity, we each ordered what is arguably the best cocktail at the Trojan Horse: the Malibu Painkiller. The Malibu Painkiller is pineapple juice, orange juice, some kind of frothy, coconut deliciousness, and Malibu rum, served with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry. The Malibu Painkiller is a sweet, scrumptious drink, and if you're of drinking age and inclined to try delicious things, get it.

I can't go forward here without plugging a drink we didn't order this time, however. Another favorite of mine when I'm looking for something a little less cocktaily is the adults-only vodka milkshake. This is a milkshake made with their house baklava ice cream and vodka. I understand if you can't wait to finish reading this review before you grab your keys and run to Trojan Horse to snag one of these two drinks.

On to the food:

The Trojan Horse rates well in the vegetarian department. Most of their appetizers are vegetarian (get the saganaki; you won't regret it. Having a waiter or waitress set fire to something at your table is always a great experience), and they have a decent number of vegetarian entrees. While gyros are obviously out, you can get falafel if you're looking for more standard Greek fare. They also serve falafel tacos if you want a twist on that. I tend to enjoy their Greek sampler plate, which is hummus, black bean hummus, cheesepar'er, and tabouleh with warm pita. It's meant as an appetizer, but it doesn't disappoint as a meal and I usually have leftovers to spread on sandwiches at home. Connor goes for the falafel, which are nice and crisp on the outside and succulent on the inside, rather than dry, like a lot of falafel.

If you're traveling or visiting with little eaters who might be a bit more picky, they do have a kids' menu available.

Price at the Trojan Horse can vary depending on what you're looking to get.

They have large, full "dinners" that can be on the pricey end, but you can easily find great food there for ~$7 per person. None of us snagged any of their heartier meals and I'm not sure I ever have before.

Annnnd location:

Trojan Horse is located just off of the downtown courthouse square in Bloomington, on Kirkwood, which is, as I mentioned in my Dats review, one of the main streets to visit if you're traveling through Bloomington. It is incredibly close to the 4th Street parking garage (free parking for three hours before 6pm, free parking on weekends all the time and on weekdays after 6) and generally there are plenty of metered street spots available close to the square.


The Verdict:

Food: Amazing selection of appetizers, often presented with pizazz. Great drinks and desserts. A

Atmosphere: Casual, rustic, pleasant. Fish tanks and cool decor. A

Price: $$ - $$$ Meals range from fairly cheap to fairly expensive. Because drinks, appetizers, and desserts are a draw, the price can quickly go up.

Service: Speedy, helpful (Our server gave us a discount from their promotion after we had already paid! That's commitment to the customer), attentive A+

Proximity/Ease of Access: Located in a convenient part of town for site-seeing, shopping, and parking. Parking may require fees - A

Overall: If you're looking for something a little different and you'd like to make a big meal out of it with all the extras, go to Trojan Horse.

Check out their website here, and click here to see their menu!

Location Review - The Monroe County Public Library

Many times while traveling, you find that you don't always have the funds to take part in all of the wonderful things a town might have to offer. Restaurants, night clubs, and theatres are great sources of entertainment, but they do come at a price. Without the money to spend, we have a special place in our hearts for great places that don't cost money.

That's why, today, I visited the Monroe County Public Library. With two stories of collections and public spaces, the MCPL offers so very many enriching opportunities for people of any age. The book selection includes a large youth and juvenile section on the ground floor, as well as young adult, adult, and graphic novels on the second floor of the building.

The building offers ample lounge chairs and quiet study areas for you to read or take advantage of the free WiFi connection. Guests from out of town can request a visitors' password to use computer stations. There is also an outdoor seating area with quaint statues of polar bears, and on the other side of the building there is a shaded garden area with tulips in raised beds and a sensory garden filled with live herbs for young children. The building itself  has a very open, welcoming feel to it - it is very easy to linger inside over a good book.

If you're looking for more services, the library's "Level Up" office has two recording studio spaces equipped with instruments and a computer, a green screen studio for video production, and iMac computers for video editing and designing. Anyone can use these spaces, but you need a library card to check out instruments and hard drives.

If you're interested in events, the library has regularly scheduled movie nights, gallery showings, performances, activities, and classes that are accessible to all age groups and abilities. There are programs for children such as the "Read to a Dog" program where children are encouraged to read aloud by certified therapy dogs.

During my visit, I wandered into the Friends of the Library Bookstore which raises money for library and community programs by selling old books and cds. The even had a free section where I picked up new book to read. So you can take some books with you on your travels!

Although situated downtown, the MCPL has its own parking lot to allow easy access to the library, but space is limited. Metered street parking is available if the parking lot is full.

All of the programs at the library are free and open to the public, but only residents of Monroe County can check out books. However, if you're going to be spending a lot of time in Bloomington, the library offers an access card to non-residents for an annual fee of $60, and the state of Indiana offers the Public Library Access Card (PLAC) for $65/year which grants access to all public libraries in the state.

All-in-all, the Monroe County Public Library boasts an amazing array of opportunities for little or no cost whether you're looking for a quiet space to do some work, a way to improve your skill-set, a fun event, or to find a good book to read.

Check out their website here and their calendar of events here.

Restaurant Review - Dats

To begin our grand send off from Indiana, we visited a restaurant that I had not been to in a very long time - In fact, I had not been to this restaurant since before I was a vegetarian, so over three years. While it was a favorite of mine when I still ate meat, I was a little nervous about returning and browsing their vegetarian options.

Let me tell you, I should not have been worried!

Dats on Grant is a cajun and creole restaurant in Bloomington, IN. Before I was a vegetarian, I loved to go there to get a heaping plate of Bourbon chicken. Actually, their Bourbon chicken is one of the few meat based meals that I find myself missing from time to time. As a picky eater, I hadn't had much else at the restaurant and I seemed to believe there wasn't going to be anything else for me there. Fortunately, I was wrong.

But before we talk too much about the food, let's chat about the atmosphere.

When you walk up to the bright, yellow building with its charming open patio seating, you catch your first taste of the casual, homey feel of Dats

. You might notice the patio set on a quaintly landscaped lawn and, if it's a nice day, already formulate a plan to eat outside. Upon stepping through the door, however, you may feel that inside is more to your taste. Because Dats is built in an old house, the interior is separated into several smaller spaces so it's easy to pick a room you like and make yourself feel at home. Decorated with festive beads and with old time posters covering every table, this dining experience is entirely unique. Dats is Bloomington's little piece of New Orleans.

The service was great.

Dats usually seems to only have two employees on site at any given time, but that doesn't hurt their ability to get you your food quickly. Because I didn't have any experience with their vegetarian options and Connor hadn't ever been to Dats at all, we asked the man behind the counter for a recommendation. He told us that, out of everything on the menu, his favorite dish was the caramelized corn and onions. We got an order of that, and one order of Creole ratatouille, plus a sweet tea to split.

Caramelized corn and onions - yum!

Which of course means that we've reached the moment you've been waiting for: the food!

We settled in at a table with a photo of Dean Martin and got straight to the business of eating.

Every entree at Dats is served over rice and comes with two pieces of bread with a spice spread. The bread is delicious on its own, but better when you top it with some of your entree.

I can't tell you how amazing the caramelized corn and onions were. Sweet, yet spicy. Savory, but light. It carried all the flavors and feeling I missed from Bourbon chicken and more. I'm pretty sad I haven't been going to Dats all along for the past three years because I was so missing out. The ratatouille was good, too. It was a more subdued flavor and was made up of large chunks of tomatoes, zucchini, and other vegetables in a sauce.

Because we're on a mission here to enlighten our readers about great food and great places, we figured we'd start with a bang and get some dessert, so we split a piece of peanut butter pie. Dats' peanut butter pie is rich, creamy, and covered in a wonderful layer of chocolate sauce and chocolate chips over whipped cream. Connor and I found ourselves dropping our conversation while eating it to just pause and let the waves of delicious wash over us. You can't eat this pie without saying, "Mmmmmm."

Furthermore, Dats is in a great location.

Dats is located in downtown Bloomington close to shops, parks, theatres, and the IU Bloomington campus. Visitors to Bloomington will love being able to walk to Dats from scenic Kirkwood without having to find a new parking spot for their cars.

Speaking of parking, Dats is only a couple blocks away from the 4th Street parking garage, where there is free parking for the first three hours before 6pm, and free after 6pm M-F. If you go on a weekend, the garage is free all day. If you don't want to walk those couple blocks, metered street parking is available.

So what's the verdict?

Food: Tasty, filling comfort food, with a variety of vegetarian options and at least one vegan dish. A variety of house-made hot sauces to further spice up dishes -  A+

Atmosphere: Homey, festive, cajun. A great place to eat alone or in groups. Casual.

Price: $$ Our two entrees cost us about the same as two burritos at Chipotle.

Service: Very friendly, helpful, and quick - A

Proximity/Ease of Access: Located in a convenient part of town for site-seeing, shopping, and parking. Parking may require fees - B+

Overall: Anyone who wants a great, unique meal at a great price in a casual setting should consider Dats.

Check out their website here or like their Facebook page here! 

Introduction

There's so much more to see of the United States than the beaten path - the chain restaurants and familiar faces that fill our everyday lives. Every town and every city has a unique identity that can be discovered through how its people spend their time. Many of us dream of pulling up our roots and exploring the "true heart" of America, but it is a heart that is difficult to find - especially with a travel itinerary in hand and a finite number of vacation days to cram it all into. Traveling can be a stressful time, and it is not always possible to see the best a town has to offer the budget-conscious traveler.

That's why we're setting off to "Review the USA". Our goal is simple: to try and find the best, most affordable ways to connect with towns across the 48 contiguous states, whether that be through sharing the events that are crucial to a community, eating at local restaurants, or just taking free, self-guided tours of the area. Some of our reviews may be of State or National Parks, some of family-owned restaurants or shops, we may even review rest areas and shopping malls along the way. We are driven to travel and to enjoy each stop in any way we can afford - as well as find as much local color and vegetarian food as we possibly can. 

We are fresh out of college, and fresh out of job prospects - so we have decided to load ourselves, our dog and cat, and what little money we have into an RV to explore this country and find work where we can without laying down roots. Along the way, we'll stop to explore and connect with communities and write about our experiences, starting in our hometown of Bloomington, IN. I hope that our reviews can help you plan your travels and get the most out of the United States. 

Happy trails!