The #1 non-sponsored restaurant recommendation on Yelp for restaurants within walking distance of Indiana University - IUPUI is The Eagle. So naturally I had to go check out what the hullaballoo is all about. Can I just say that I have never more fervently wished that I had multiple stomachs like a cow, than I did tonight. I intentionally ate very little all day long, in anticipation of trying out the food here. But I don't think that's quite how the human stomach works.
Yes, everyone said, they're known for their chicken, but I felt the need to experiment differently.
I walked in with my mask on and asked to be seated outside. The hostess asked me if I wanted to sit at the bar. I repeated that I wanted to sit outside. I am going to give her the benefit of the doubt and believe that she didn't hear me through the mask.
Shrimp and Grits: blackened shrimp, white cheddar grits, pickled peppers, andouille sausage and New Orleans gravy. This was an explosion of flavor and texture. Everything worked so harmoniously together, yet you'd have no trouble picking out the individual flavors. The tang of the pickled peppers, the crisp of the perfectly blackened shrimp, the creaminess of the grits and the pure magic of the New Orleans gravy. No one thing overpowered the other. It was truly a gastronomic harmony.
Collard Greens: stewed with ham hocks & bacon. I have never never eaten Collard Greens outside of Charleston that I have enjoyed. But these - well let's say I devoured this little bowl of green leafy goodness first, before tackling the grits because I wanted to be sure that I didn't leave a single leaf behind. Perfectly cooked, not too limp, not too crispy with the delicious flavor of ham hock and the smokiness of a well-cooked bacon this was the perfect complement to the rich creamy shrimp and grits.
Blackberry Lemonade - vodka, house-made blackberry syrup, fresh lemonade, elderflower liqueur. Vodka doesn't like me, so I opted for Bombay Sapphire Gin instead. Let me just say, that I have never received a cocktail as large as the one I was served. It felt more like a pitcher of lemonade rather than a drink for one. However, it was definitely more on the sweeter side. I didn't think it was 'boozy' enough but opted not to have another shot added. And at the end of the drink, I was glad I didn't. It was definitely buzz-worthy. I probably should have gone for the Bourbon Punch (old forrester, ginger bitters, cranberry, white grape, house sour mix) or the Maple Bacon Old Fashioned (four roses single barrel, gran marnier, maple, pepper ginger bitters, glazed bacon). I have come to realize; it never works to alter the cocktail menu. Stick to what they know how to do and you won't be unhappy. I wish I had had room for the homemade biscuits with blackberry jam and honey butter, and the brown sugar bacon...I wish I had a second stomach to keep eating. I might have to spend another one of my few nights here at The Eagle to get their renowned fried chicken.
A really large sized outdoor dining patio right on Mass Ave makes it a prime people watching spot. You might get lucky and see a horse drawn buggy taking its tourists around the historic downtown or you might just be privy to the strange conversations of groups of people who have no concept of how to speak at a volume loud enough only for their tablemates.
