Sometimes Happy Hour (HH) happens when you aren’t even expecting it. That was the case last Sunday as Mrs. K and I looked for somewhere to grab a bite after attending a matinee in Carmel. We wound up at a place we never had seen or heard about in Fishers.
The H-C Tavern + Kitchen, located at 9709 E. 116th St., holds HH every Sunday through Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. The menu is short, but the place is comfortable and inviting. This restaurant has two levels – I know because we were asked at the hostess desk if we wanted to sit upstairs – we chose the lower level, which was fine.
Our server Kristin was with us shortly after we sat down, discussed the HH menu a bit, and left to get our waters while we made some decisions. The HH menu, which you can see by scrolling down on their web page – atthehc.com/location/fishers/#happy-hour – has four food items and several drink specials. Mrs. K’s Chardonnay choice was slim, so it was the Iconoclast ($12 with the $5 off HH price) and I decided on a $5 off draft beer, selecting Rhinegeist.Cincy.Light Lager.
For our plates we decided to try both of the $10 Flatbreads that were listed: a Sausage and a Pepperoni variety.
Flatbreads at H-C Tavern + Kitchen. (Photo by Ken Klingenmeier)
H-C Tavern is an upscale place, a part of the Huse Culinary lineup which includes St. Elmo’s, Harry and Izzy’s, and the 1933 Lounge. It has a beautiful dining area, with a long bar, a few TVs, and several dining rooms. There are windows everywhere to provide a nicely lit environment. Also, I noticed lots of young people, high school age, neatly attired in shirt and tie, working as bussers and food deliverers. I thought that was good, letting these young people get a start.
A young man brought out our flatbreads on wooden carving trays. They smelled so good on arrival and were perfectly hot and covered with plenty of sauce and cheese. We both enjoyed the saucy flavor and I liked the pepperoni variety a bit more – for its zestier taste. Each flatbread was cut into 10 pieces and I did notice that there was a good deal of empty crust around the edges, so that the corner slices were almost all bread.
It was an enjoyable meal in very comfortable surroundings. Kristin was a very attentive server and we enjoyed chatting with her on her visits to our table. She made us feel welcome.
Our tab came to right at $40 plus tip, and we had plenty to eat and drink. This was a very pleasant stop on a beautiful winter day.
Ken Klingenmeier offers this series of columns, called “A Seat at the Table,” wherein he reviews Indy-area restaurants – specifically their Happy Hour offers. Keep reading The Reporter for future restaurant reviews.