Yats Cajun Creole on College Avenue near 54th street is fantastic! Sexy, simple, smart, sumptuous – Yats is the best damn restaurant in Indy! But don’t just take my word for it…Owned and operated by Joe Vuskovich, Yats has won numerous awards in Nuvo’sBest of Indy year after year for Best Restaurant, Best Budget-Minded, and Best Vegetarian/Vegan Options!
Joe’s concept is simple: offer seven to ten dishes a day (including vegetarian options) written in colored chalk on the chalkboard behind the counter, two price levels for portion sizes ($6.25 for a regular and $7.25 for a combo). Then almost before you can get your drink and find your seat, one of his staff emerges from the kitchen bearing a steaming plate of deliciousness and saying your name so you can claim your meal! Chili Cheese Étouffée with Crawfish! Jambalaya! Vegan White Chili! Maque Choux! Drunken Chicken! Red Beans and Sausage! Spinach and Mushroom Étouffée! Gumbo!
The entire experience engages your every sense: the complex yet perfectly balanced spices tease your nose and host a culinary party in your mouth, the feel of the crusty baguette touched with garlic butter and herbs delights your fingers, the incredible jazz playing in the background mixes with business conversation and social banter to a pitch-appropriate level for your ears, the visual array of paintings, lights decked with Mardi Gras beads and giant ornaments, a brass trumpet, a carousel horse, and myriad other artifacts accompany your gustatory adventure! And if you’re really lucky, Joe – himself an eclectic work of art – emerges from the kitchen to say hello and thank you for stopping by!
There are four other locations in and around Indy, but I love the original location on College Avenue the best! Don’t miss it on your next trip to Indy!
Check it out: Yats Cajun Creole (yatscajuncreole.com)
Nuvo Best of Indy 2012 (yatscajuncreole.com)
pinching bubblewrap... 