Location: 2006 N. 9th Street, Lafayette, Indiana (map it)
Phone: (765) 714-2777
Twitter: @PeoplesBrew
Cuisine: Beer

This post might be drifting away from the purpose of Lafayette-Eats inasmuch as People’s Brewing Company doesn’t actually sell food. But, it’s a great local establishment, and I like beer, so I figure, “close enough.” People’s Brewing Company is, as the name might suggest, a brewing company. I had heard about it for quite some time, and may have had one or two of their beers at local restaurants, but I had never actually visited their tap room.

The facility is an unassuming warehouse building on North 9th Street, close to the Tick Tock Tavern. There is a garage bay door with the People’s logo painted on it and a row for parking. Next to that are stairs leading up to the tap room door. The tap room is a few bar tables and a small bar looking at a wall with taps and a window into the brewery. There was also a TV up above the bar with some sporting events on. There were a few people seated at the bar and about 3 or 4 people lined up to order a beer or have their growlers filled.

The bartender was friendly and moving fast, so no problems there. While I waited, there was a good bit of friendly banter having to do with jealousy over a guy who had tickets to Three Floyd’s Dark Lord Day. I also seem to recall some discussion about what one of the guys had used to make a People’s version of a black & tan. As much as the beer, I think it was the nature of the conversation that won me over. Random conversations about quality Indiana beer. These are my people!

I bellied up and ordered a growler of “Mr. Brown.” One of the guys at the bar volunteered, “that sounds like a good night!” Mr. Brown is an American Style Brown Ale with about 7% alcohol by volume. A growler is about a half gallon of beer. So, if I had intended on drinking the whole thing that night, it would have been a notable (or forgettable) evening. Getting the growler with the beer was about $15. Refills are cheaper – and you get $2 off on Wednesdays! (As of 4/12/11 — obviously things might change as time passes.)

The beer itself was very good. I’m probably not the most discerning consumer of beer, but I can generally tell a good one from a bad one, even if I’m willing to drink either. Unfortunately, I’m not up on my beer vocabulary to readily articulate the flavors. (Check out Beer Advocate for some helpful reviews). One thing I noticed about the “Mr. Brown” was that it had an insidious tendency to improve as you made your way through a glass. The beginning was good, but the way it settled made the bottom outstanding. (Insidious because that really increases your odds of wanting a refill.)

All in all, I’m happy I finally made my way over there, and this brewing company seems to be another solid addition to the Lafayette community.

Kid Friendly: Nope. Not at all. Unless you’re a really, really bad parent.

Price: Very reasonable for good beer.

Restaurant Name: Lenny’s Sub Shop

Location: 135 South Chauncey Avenue, West Lafayette, IN (map it)

Phone: (765) 743-6468?

Menu

Cuisine: Sandwiches/Subs

Review:

Located at the Chauncey Hill Mall, Lenny’s is probably my favorite sub shop in town, edging out Pot Belly Sandwich Works. Lenny’s is a little bit pricey for sandwiches, but they’re awfully good. Their thing is that they cut the meat for you after you order your sandwich. The Turkey Sub is my favorite. Their “regular” sub is pretty darn big, so I’m not really sure who is ordering the “large.” The fixings are not elaborate, but I think they’re sufficient: lettuce, onion, tomatoes, oil, salt, pepper, oregano, pickles, hot pepper relish, mayo, and mustard.

The ambiance is nothing special. Kind of a standard strip mall environment with bench seats and tables; you order at the counter and pay at the register. But, hey, it’s a sub shop. The staff is friendly and the operation seems to move right along. It’s a good place to grab lunch.

Kid Friendly: Yes, assuming your kids will eat sandwiches and chips. They offer kids sandwiches and hot dogs.

Restaurant Name: Kokoro

Location: 526 Main Street, Lafayette, IN (map it)

Phone: (765) 742-8180

Hours: Tues – Fri: 11:30-1:30; 5:30-9:30; Sat: 5 – 9:30

Cuisine: Japanese/Sushi

Review:

Kokoro, in my experience mostly just referred to as “Tony’s” is a restaurant with outstanding food and sketchy service. That is to say, Tony, expects you are there for the excellent food; you’ll get it when it’s ready. Tony’s wife, a delightful lady, is typically the server (at least during lunch when I normally go). Tony seems to recognize his departure from the “customer is always right” attitude inasmuch as his website is “sushinazi.com.”

The atmosphere is pleasant and the decor is nice. Warning: it’s not cheap. A lunch plate runs $10 on average, and a dinner plate goes for about $20. In addition, Tony has a liquor license in case you want a beer or something.

When I go, it’s primarily for the sushi. I don’t claim to have a discerning palate for such things, but among Lafayette’s surprising number of sushi offerings (for a Midwestern town of its size), I think Tony has the best. I could probably die happy, drowning in his spicy sauce. But, occasionally when I’m in the mood for something else, I have been extremely happy with the pork fried rice.

I wouldn’t recommend taking kids there – in fact, I guess I’m not positive they are allowed since I have never seen any. The wait on the food can be too long for an impatient child. But, if you don’t have to be anywhere, and you want really good Japanese food, Tony’s is definitely a place to check out.

Restaurant Name: Captain Gyros

Location: 130 Northwestern Avenue, West Lafayette, IN (map it)

Phone: 763-743-7170

Cuisine: Greek

Review: With the Parthenon having closed at the Chauncey Hill mall, I had to look elsewhere to get my occasional gyro fix. With a name like Captain Gyros, I was pretty sure they could hook me up, and it was a solid place to grab lunch. The accommodations are not fancy; it’s essentially a room with a counter, kitchen, and some tables. But, that’s not the point. It’s a short order kind of place where you order at the counter and wait a little bit while they make your sandwich. The gyro was very good, and the fries got the job done.

They have a variety of gyros with traditional gyro meat or with chicken: classic, spicy, or barbeque. They also offer burgers, fries, onion rings, hummus, and several other things.

Kid friendly: Not bad. It’s casual and mostly finger food. I did not look for coloring books, a specific kids menu, or high chairs.

Cost: You’re probably looking at $5 – $8 for a gyro or burger, fries, and a drink.

Restaurant Name: Sgt. Prestons

Location: 6 North 2nd Street, Lafayette, IN (map it)

Phone: (765) 742-7378

Cuisine: Bar & Grill, Steaks, American

Review: Sgt. Prestons is a good place to grab a beer and a burger or other pub food downtown. The atmosphere is friendly and the food is pretty good. If you want highbrow beers, the Black Sparrow, Nine Irish Brothers, or Chumleys are all probably better choices. But if you want something a little more basic but still well done, Sgt. Prestons is a good bet. And, if it’s a nice day outside, their back patio is tough to beat.

I am a big fan of their club sandwiches and their steak fries are some of the best around. The burgers, as I mentioned, are good as well. Once upon a time, they had a spectacular Friday lunch special with prime rib, veggies, and Texas toast. I think they’ve dialed that down in the last couple of years, but still have a solid steak sandwich option.

Kid friendly: No. It’s a bar.

Price Range: $5 for your basic sandwich up to about $15 for entrees.

Methods of payment: Cash and Credit.