Bite into Btown

Angel B’s Galleria of Cakes

Mike — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 12:03:47 +0000

This place is delightful; it’s just a hop, skip, and a jump away from campus. Okay, it may not be on the beaten path but it’s well worth the trip! Not only to they offer delicious and intricately decorated cakes but they also offer little treats like cupcakes! In the past i’ve only been to Angel B’s for birthday cakes and special occasions but on my last trip I noticed they had quite the assortment of cupcakes! I’ve come to findout they even have a cupcake schedule! As Following:

Monday: Pistachio w/White Chocolate Butter Cream

Tuesday: Snowball (Coconut cupcake w/toasted coconut on white butter cream)

Wednesday: Chocolate Truffle (Chocolate filled with ganache, iced with ganache)

Thursday: Lemon Raspberry

Friday: Hazelnut w/White Chocolate Butter Cream

Saturday: Creme Caramel w/Caramel Butter Cream

Everyday they have on hand vanilla, chocolate, red velvet cupcakes. I choose Red velvet and I was not disappointed! I can wait to go back and try the Chocolate Truffle, looks like you know where to find me this Wednesday!

Angel B’s: A Galleria of Cakes 

407 West Patterson Dr.

812-332-2537 or 1-888-459-CAKE

Cost Friendly: $1.75 each or $18 per dozen

Restaurant Rating:

★★★★½

Baked

Mike — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 20:38:49 +0000

If you’re looking to share freshly baked cookies with friends, BAKED is your kind of place! A wise man once told me “you will always be welcome if you bring cookies,” okay yeah…no wise man has ever said that to me but it’s still true! This week I stocked up on Baked cookies for a meeting of about 30 people and they were very well received! We had an assortment of Chocolate Chip, M&M, and Double Chocolate Chip. They all looked really great so I had to try one of each! My favorite was the good old Chocolate Chip! I heard rumors of a pumpkin cookie while I was in, I’m pumped to go back and try it! Baked is open ridiculously convenient hours and delivers all of your late night cookie needs!

BAKED

313 E. 3rd Street

812-336-BAKE

Cost Friendly: Very cost friendly…get stuffed for under $5 everytime!

Restaurant Rating:

★★★★★

Pita Pit

Mike — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 17:27:29 +0000

I had a last minute meeting to cater for 20 and I need something simple and hassle free. Often I find it difficult to find a fulfilling meal that can satisfy everyone’s particular tastes. The “Super Platter” from Pita Pit was a lifesaver; it was a sampling of everything! In the mix we had my favorites the Buffalo Chicken, Chicken Caesar, The Club, Chicken Crave, Turkey, Falafel, and The Hummus Pita’s. The reason Pita Pit was so clutch is because the meeting consisted of potential club members and I wanted to impress a divers group of people on a college budget. Needless to say the Pita’s were a huge hit! I would highly suggest Pita Pita for future gathers. You can order Pita Pit online for delivery and/or takeout on btownmenus.com!

Pita Pit

530 East Kirkwood Avenue

(812) 355-3500

Cost Friendly: Very cost friendly $5-$10!

Restaurant Rating:

★★★★½

Fourth Street International Market

Mike — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 22:51:20 +0000

I was strolling down fourth street to scout out the best place for dinner. I knew I wanted something ethnic, but I wasn’t certain where that would take me! I saw a few people eating outside on the patio of the Fourth Street International Market. It looked inviting and I went in to check it out! At first the market looks like just a small grocery store, but to my surprise it is also a restaurant. Little did I know, they have some of the best gyros in town! I ordered the spicy Lamb and Beef Gyro. The gyro consisted of a sandwich like meal, made with slices of spiced meat cooked on a spit and served with salad in pita bread. I washed down the gyro with a limonata sanpellegrino and ordered some Lays potato chip on the side. All together my dinner was under six dollars! I find this incredibly reasonable; I don’t know many places where you can find a fresh, fulfilling meal at that price.

The fact that this venue is also a grocery store allows for a large assortment of drinks, snacks and dessert options. Also, I heard they have amazing falafels and are one of the only places in town that carry coca cola in a glass bottle! I am absolutely coming back for round two and going to try their falafels. For an unusual assortment, at an affordable price think Forth Street International Market for your next fresh! You can order Fourth Street International Market for delivery and/or takeout on Btownmenus.com, they have some amazing deals on there

Fourth Street International Market

408 East 4th Street

Bloomington, IN 47408-4000

(812) 333-1396

Cost Friendly: You can get filled up for $5-$6!

Restaurant Rating:

★★★★★

Written by Emily Colman

Laughing Planet Cafe

Mike — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 18:55:30 +0000

In-between classes I ventured down to the Laughing Planet Café to grab something quick to nosh on! I wanted a healthy lunch with organic and locally produced ingredients and I only had a half-hour to kill, so I needed it to go! I ordered the Chicken Burrito with pinto beans and then I was on my way! The Laughing Planet is the perfect choice for healthy, fresh, and affordable food. Whether I am on the run or dinning with friends outside on the sun deck, it always feels good to know I am supporting a local Bloomington business. The restaurant has a very funky downtown Bloomington vibe; you will have to check it out! The atmosphere is always friendly and I honestly have never eaten there without seeing a familiar face.

You can’t go wrong with any of their Burritos or Quesadillas. Another favorite is the Chicken Quesadilla with broiled chicken, jack cheese, and salsa fresca with a glass of their fresh papaya juice! This last trip to the Planet I found out they are apart of the btownmenus.com family, next time I will definitely be having them deliver to me!

Laughing Planet Cafe

322 East Kirkwood Avenue

(812) 323-2233

Cost Friendly: You will spend anywhere from $5-$10

Restaurant Rating:

★★★★½

Shin’s Family Restaurant

Mike — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 19:39:24 +0000

I had passed this place dozens of times throughout the last year without giving it much thought. One day I saw a sign in the front saying “Shin’s now delivering!” We had never had a Korean restaurant on Btownmenus.com for delivery and takeout on online ordering so I figured I would go in there and try to sign them up. Not only did I get them on Btownmenus.com, but I also got hooked to their food! A good friend of mine growing up was actually born in Korea, and he had always spoken very highly of Korean food. Back then I was a picky eater and pizza, pasta and burgers were enough to satisfy my palette.

As the years went on and I began to venture out and try new cuisines, I began to realize that Asian is my favorite type of food. Whether its chinese, japanese, thai, and now I can add Korean to that mix! Great dumplings, amazing spicy chicken, everything at Shin’s is cheap, and homemade. They will be a great addition this year to the Btownmenus team and I highly recommend you either go into Shins to eat, or give them a shot for delivery or takeout on Btownmenus.com!

Shin’s Family Restaurant

1402 North Walnut Street

(812) 330-7293

Cost Friendly: You will spend anywhere from $7-$20

Restaurant Rating:

★★★★½

Basil Leaf Bistro

Mike — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 03:26:49 +0000

I don’t know why it took me so long to try this hidden treasure! We recently signed them for online ordering on Btownmenus.com and my friends and I were feeling adventurous the other night. We didn’t go skydiving or anything, but we did decide to try out a restaurant that we never had before. Vietnamese and vegetarian is the best way to describe Basil Leaf Bistro’s cuisine. Although not too familiar with Vietnamese food, and being a meat eater my entire life, why not change things up for a night! What really stuck out to me, especially considering it was delivery, was how fresh the food was. I decided to start with the Spring Rolls

and go with the Basil Leaf Tofu for my main dish. The tofu was prepared w/ onion, green bean, bell pepper, carrot and sweet basil. Served w/ Jasmine rice. The vegetables were cooked perfectly and the tofu was a perfect texture.

I wish I had tried Basil Leaf out earlier, but I am glad I stumbled upon it when I did. Trying new things always leads to something positive! Go check out Basil Leaf for yourself and choose from a great selection of chicken, pork, beef, tofu, and noodle dishes! This place is five star all the way…

BASIL LEAF BISTRO

404 East 4th Street

(812) 330-8978

Cost Friendly: You will spend anywhere from $10-$20

Restaurant Rating:

★★★★★

nice Sunday dinner…Alaskan Salmon

Mike — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 22:53:49 +0000

Great Wall Chinese Restaurant

Mike — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 20:44:02 +0000

Great Wall Chinese Restaurant is my favorite chinese spot in Bloomington. Dining in there is always a great time. My buddy and I decided to head in late night right around closing. We ended up having a great time with the owner and his family. After a couple bottles of saki, some homemade dumplings, and eggrolls later I felt great as we left the establishment. They are well known for their buffet with a wide variety of chinese options. They also have a grocery store, and serve Korean food as well. I have never had a bad experience when dining at Great Wall. Their dumplings are amazing and addictive, and their eggrolls have the perfect combination of ingredients and crunch. A bar opens up late night, and its a great place to go with friends to have a great time! The name speaks for itself, go check out Great Wall Chinese Restaurant! You can also order from Great Wall for delivery and/or takeout on Btownmenus.com!

GREAT WALL CHINESE RESTAURANT

2038 North Walnut Street

Bloomington, IN 47404-2430

(812) 323-8778

Cost Friendly: You will spend anywhere from $7-$20

Restaurant Rating:

★★★★½

T.G.I. Friday’s

Mike — Mon, 23 May 2011 23:42:17 +0000

The name itself puts you in a weekend mentality, and their menu, prices, and atmosphere makes Friday’s a perfect combination. They are now available for delivery online on Btownmenus.com. The other night I was starving and I was in the middle of getting some work done so I decided to order in some delivery. I went with the turkey burger and a side of sweet potato fries, and the pan seared potstickers.

Both were home runs, and I was shocked how fresh, and hot the food was, considering it was delivered. Friday’s is also a great place to go with friends and/or family for a solid quality and reasonably priced meal. Whether you want a salad, a sandwich, a wrap, ribs, or a steak, Friday’s is the place for you.

T.G.I. Friday’s

2846 East 3rd Street

(812) 331-1382

Bloomington, IN

Cost Friendly: You will spend anywhere from $7-$20

Restaurant Rating:

★★★★½