Milktooth In Fountain Square
Rooster snd I traveled to Milktooth In Fountain Square searching for a unique breakfast experience. This trendy restaurant didn’t disappoint us. #Milktooth #Fountain Square #Indianapolis #Indiana #Chevy Spark #Circle City #Paw Paw Pudding Dutch Baby Pancake
Rooster rolled out of bed with a craving to eat something different for breakfast. My husband conducted a quick online search and stumbled onto a restaurant, which goes by the name of Milktooth. He had a strong desire to make the trip to the Fountain Square neighborhood in Indianapolis when he read a review that stated, “I can’t believe there is a restaurant like this in Indy.” The rain was just ending, but there was a fine mist in the air. We left the Indian in the garage and climbed into my Chevy Spark to make the journey. We typed 534 Virginia Ave. Indianapolis into our GPS, and we were on our way.
By the time we reached Westfield, the sun was out, and the temperatures started to soar. We were sorry we hadn’t risked taking the motorcycle until the GPS led us to the 465 onramp, which was closed due to construction.
Journey around Circle City to Milktooth In Fountain Square
There are many reasons Indianapolis is called Circle City. Monument Circle at the heart of Indianapolis’ downtown forms a ring around the Soldiers and Sailors Monument. The Brickyard track is a giant circular track built to accommodate a five-hundred-mile race at the end of May known as The Indianapolis 500. Then there is the construction plagued interstate, which forms a giant loop around the city, known as 465. The ramp closure required us to drive a jagged path to find a way to merge onto the beltway.
It was a challenge because the GPS voice demanded control. It attempted to redirect our path. The nagging female voice bothered Rooster. He tends to listen to her more than he should. Maybe the voice reminds him of his mother. It could be his wife’s tone of voice where the similarity lies in his subconscious. I don’t think I want to explore this possibility. The GPS led us to Fletcher Avenue.
We got off the freeway in Circle City’s Fountain Square neighborhood. Hip and trendy shops and restaurants are replacing the once derelict storefronts. Newly constructed apartment buildings are sprouting up all over the area. This once rundown section of the city south of Monument Square is becoming a place to work, play, and live.
Milktooth In Fountain Square housed in the Tom O’Brien car dealership
We pulled into the parking lot of Milktooth and were surprised it was housed in the old Tom O’Brien car dealership property. Jonathan Brooks opened the restaurant in 2014 using the garage of the auto dealership as the restaurant and the car lot for parking. Bon Appetit named Milktooth as one of the best new restaurants in its magazine.
By the long lines waiting to be seated, it looked like the word was out about the dining establishment. Rooster and I people watched during our thirty-minute wait to get shown to a seat. It was starting to turn warm. The raised garage door gave us a great view of inside the restaurant. The open door made it feel like the outside flowed to the inside of the building in an unbroken stream of fresh air and warm sunshine. Everything about Milktooth was a unique form of shabby with the right touch of chic. The hostess and female wait staff wore polyester blend dresses from the 1970s.
We love the atmosphere at Milktooth In Fountain Square
When I wrote about my female bounty hunters wearing church lady disguises to gain entrance into the house where the fugitive was hiding, these were what I had in mind when they went to the Goodwill to scrounge for dresses. The employees at Milktooth wore tennis shoes, which added a nice touch. Their hair was worn in a bun, the updo made the look appear classic.
An empty chicory coffee can from the Café Du Monde in New Orleans held the silverware in the middle of the table. The old-fashioned miss-matched dishes spoke to the fact the food served wasn’t going to be stuck up, but at the same time, it was going to be too classy to come out of the kitchen on a paper plate. The décor wasn’t overdone. It was perfect in its simplicity.
Paw Paw Pudding Dutch Baby Pancake
I ordered the Paw Paw Pudding Dutch Baby Pancake. Rooster decided on the hamburger. I wasn’t sure about what I should expect. The waiter said it was good. The oven-baked pancake was a customer favorite. However, my eyes couldn’t quite process the difference between the Paw Paw Pudding Dutch Baby Pancake and the standard American version. A reluctance to put a fork and knife into the work of art placed in front of me made it difficult to take the first bite. When I placed the first in my mouth, my taste buds rejoiced at the sensation. Indeed, I never would have suspected a pancake made of sourdough would have such a great flavor.
I loved the addition of Nutella
The drizzle of white frosting mixed with Nutella and candied hazelnuts made my mouth dance. A green vegetable waited under the bun of Rooster’s hamburger. He figured out the mystery vegetable was a green tomato. We both agreed the food was original and tasted fantastic. Rooster found the price for the meal costly. I reminded him that at Milktooth, the meal was quality over quantity, but we all know rooster is cheap. (He claims he’s not cheap. He claims to be poor, and he’s frugal.) We both want to make a return trip to this amazing eating establishment.
In conclusion
If you are in Circle City and want a good meal, find your way to Milktooth. You should know a few things before you go. The menu changes daily. They only serve coffee and pastry from 7 am until 9 am. The full-service menu runs from 9 am until 3 pm. They don’t serve dinner, and they don’t take reservations.
You should prepare to wait for a seat. Therefore, bring a book or an interesting companion with you. The meal will be worth the wait. Milktooth, by definition, is a temporary tooth of a baby Mammal, which will eventually fall out to be replaced by a permanent adult tooth. I hope Milktooth isn’t a temporary restaurant. This unique restaurant may disappear from the Fountain Square neighborhood without support from the community.
Who is Molly Shea?
Molly Shea is an accomplished fictional short story writer from Indiana, who writes short stories and novels about a fictional town called Tecumseh. To read more of her short stories and adventures click here.
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