For the past ten years or so, sleepy little Whitestown has been a destination for local Harley-Davidson aficionados because of the presence of the thriving LA Cycles, an independent motorcycle shop that specializes in the sales and service of pre-owned and custom Harleys. But unless you were a biker, there really wasn't much of a reason to go to Whitestown, unless you were a local headed for church, the grocery, the post office or the pool hall. The main drag there was a pretty safe place for a dog to take a nap during midday.
Now there's another good reason to make Whitestown a destination: LA Cafe. As you might imagine, it's a motorcycle-themed restaurant with close ties to LA Cycles -- but forget any preconceived, Hollywood-inspired notions of a dimly-lit, smoky, scary biker bar. LA Cafe is clean, pleasant, modern and well-lit. The decor is tastefully industrial, with motorcycles and related memorabilia perched on sturdy ledges a few feet beneath the high ceiling. Tables are placed close enough together to promote conviviality but far enough apart to ensure privacy, and it's possible to have a conversation in a normal tone of voice even with the sound system going in a full room of diners.
It's obvious that someone who knows what goes into making a dining experience pleasant has paid a lot of attention to the little details, judging from the linen tablecloths and napkins, the heft of the utensils, and the quality of the glassware. The staff is friendly, efficient and attentive, and quickly make first-time visitors feel right at home.
So, how's the food? Well, the proprietor spent many years as a chef at St. Elmo's, and he certainly learned his lessons about how to prepare steaks and shrimp cocktail. The shrimp cocktail ($8.95) consists of five large shrimp in a sinus-clearing hot sauce made with a generous amount of freshly-ground horseradish; the ribeye ($14.95) and filet ($18.95) were both flavorful and cooked as requested. A Whitestown version of Bonge's Perkinsville Pork ($13.95) was deemed delicious and summarily devoured, as were the sides of spinach soufflé, the wedges of iceberg lettuce topped with a liberal sprinkling of crumbled blue cheese, and the desserts. For those who prefer lighter fare, seafood and pasta dishes are offered.
The wine list, while not extensive, does offer something for virtually everyone and does not suffer from being excessively marked up. We were quite happy with a Cabernet from Valentin Bianchi for $30 ($15 at Grapevine Cottage), which complemented our steaks perfectly. The most expensive wine on the list is a Pine Ridge cab for $75.
You'll need to look elsewhere for haute cuisine, but if a good, satisfying, well-prepared meal is what you're after, LA Cafe is a great place to go, whether you take two wheels or four.
When Mark isn't here at The Grapevine Cottage helping me sell wine he has a real business as an Apple Computer consultant... Need help with your Mac? Call Mark at (317) 290-0806 or if it still works email him at mfinch@katzenfinch.com
November 27, 2002
