Mrs. K. and I recently took in one of the Happy Hours she had been to with her ladies’ group – Ocean Prime, 8555 River Road, Indianapolis, just east of the Fashion Mall. It’s a pretty high-end place, and I think it was one of the best so far. Their Happy Hour runs from 4 to 6 p.m. on weekdays.
The lounge is set up with a circular bar, a row of high-seated tables along the window, and deep-cushioned six- to eight-person half-circle booths along two walls. We chose one of the tables and soon met our friendly server/bartender Christian. He delivered a small bowl of popcorn and dutifully answered our questions about Happy Hour fare. It was noted that the popcorn was popped in truffle oil and lightly salted. It was a nice touch for starters.
A fair-sized menu is available at prices from $8 (Crispy Fish Tacos) to $16 (Lamb Lollipops) for the plates. For Sushi lovers – which we are not – there are six offerings from $10 (Vegetable Roll) to $16 (Ocean Roll or Dynamite Roll). We saw several sushi orders at other tables and they were very generous portions. They also offer Oysters on the Half Shell (half dozen for $13/$14) and a Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail ($14).
Mrs. K. had chosen Crab Cake Sliders ($11) on her previous visit and she stayed with that choice. I decided on Short Rib Sliders ($9) and was very pleased with them. Each of us got two sliders, and we cut and shared them. Both were very tasty – the Crab Cakes, garnished with jalapeno corn tartar and Tillamook cheese outdid what we had at Sullivan’s and the Short Rib Sliders were very thin cut and tender, with Swiss cheese, caramelized onions, and a horseradish cream sauce.
We ordered wine, of course. This is another one red/one white place. Mrs. K.’s favorite is Chardonnay, but she had to settle for The Champion Sauvignon Blanc which was okay with ice added. My red, Bonanza Cabernet, was delicious and went well with my sliders. The limited Happy Hour wine selections are each $8 for a pretty generous pour.
Quite a good list of discounted cocktails are also available. We saw many people get their special Berries and Bubbles ($11) which features a steamy top layer.
It was a busy afternoon in the place. There were three ladies at the bar when we arrived, and when we left the place was over half full, mostly ladies meeting other ladies in groups of two or three. Besides the 4 to 6 p.m. hours, there is one special night every week. We were invited to come in on a Thursday for the 4 till closing Happy Hour (closing is 9 p.m.) which features live music and all the same special pricing. The place fills up rather quickly, we were told, so it might be best to get a reservation online before heading over.
This was a really comfortable place to come to for Happy Hour. Very good servers and staff. Excellent surroundings. Good-sized menu. We will be back, I guarantee it. There were so many more other things to try.
The tab came to a touch under $40 plus tip. I felt that was very reasonable for what we enjoyed.
Ken Klingenmeier offers this new series of columns, called “A Seat at the Table,” wherein he will review Indy-area restaurants – specifically their Happy Hour offers. Keep reading The Reporter for future restaurant reviews.