On the Menu: Bloomington area restaurants offer Easter and springtime specials

Carol Kugler, The Herald-Times
·5 min read

April not only brings showers to the Bloomington area but this year it's when a lot of new restaurants are popping up and established restaurants are hosting special dinners and events for Easter and other upcoming celebrations.

Cardinal Spirits will have an Easter special of rabbit cacciatore with housemade pasta available April 15-17 and again April 22-24. The dish was a beloved staple at Finch's, where Cardinal Spirit's chef Abel Garcia worked as a sous chef. Reservations are recommended; go online to cardinalspirits.com. The special is for dine-in patrons only.

Valencia Wings, foreground, and blood orange salad, background, are two of the dishes on Cardinal Spirit's new spring menu of dishes and cocktails.
Valencia Wings, foreground, and blood orange salad, background, are two of the dishes on Cardinal Spirit's new spring menu of dishes and cocktails.

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Cardinal Spirits, at 922 S. Morton St., also announced its spring menu of dishes and cocktails. The featured dishes include handmade, gluten-free spinach gnocchi with pickled tomatoes, mojo pesto sauce, oven-roasted cauliflower and smoked bourbon pepitas; Valencia wings, an appetizer of two chicken drums braised in duck fat with honey heirloom cornbread and Valencia Triple Sec chili sauce; and a dairy- and gluten-free dessert of sweet-tea panna cotta with blood orange, Valencia orange and Valencia Triple Sec pearls.

Spring cocktails include Wild Tonic, a botanical drink with Bramble Black Raspberry Vodka infused with Makrut lime, lemongrass, ginger, housemade tonic syrup, lime, orange blossom and soda water; and Avant Gardener, a peppery cocktail with snap pea-infused Terra Botanical Gin, honey, black pepper, lemon, lime, Thai basil and green chili bitters.

At Irish Lion Restaurant and Pub, while the regular brunch and dinner menus will be available, on Sunday the restaurant will be highlighting its leg of lamb, lamb chops and rack of lamb dishes. Irish Lion is at 212 W. Kirkwood Ave.

The Tudor Room inside the Indiana Memorial Union on the IU campus is sold out for its two seatings on Easter Sunday. However, there are some tables available for Mother's Day on May 8. Make reservations by calling 812-855-1620 or https://bit.ly/3LUktll.

Hilltop Restaurant in Spencer will host an Easter meal from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. There will be a limited, all-inclusive menu with choice of entree, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, corn, salad, rolls, dessert and drink. Price is $22.99 for adults and $11.99 for kids ages 5-10, with kids age 4 and younger sharing for free. Reservations are required; call 812-829-3891. Hilltop Restaurant is at 2434 N. U.S. 231.

On the Monday after Easter, Lennie's will celebrate Dyngus Day with a special menu available 4-9 p.m. April 18 or while supplies last. Appetizers will include a Polish salmon spread served with toasted rye bread and Polish meatballs covered in a sour cream and mushroom gravy. Special entrees include Bigos, a stew with kielbasa, bacon, pork shoulder, mushrooms, sauerkraut and cabbage; goulash of beef braised in red wine with mushrooms and sour cream; and cheese- and potato-filled pierogis cooked in lightly browned butter. All entrees will be served with mashed potatoes and vegetables. Special dessert is Szarlotka, which is housemade apple cake with vanilla ice cream. Lennie's is at 514 E. Kirkwood Ave.

A dozen doughnuts from Parlor Doughnuts on Kirkwood Avenue on April 6.
A dozen doughnuts from Parlor Doughnuts on Kirkwood Avenue on April 6.

Parlor Doughnuts opens on Kirkwood; more restaurants coming soon

Parlor Doughnuts opened last week in the former Laughing Planet location at 322 E. Kirkwood Ave. The craft doughnut and coffee shop chain is co-owned by Darrick Hayden, his son Noah and Josh Tudela, a former Indiana University soccer player who was part of the team when IU won NCAA championships in 2003 and 2004.

Parlor Doughnuts has 20 types of layered doughnuts, mini doughnut called cronies as well as breakfast items including sausage biscuit with egg, breakfast tacos and avocado toast. Coffee, roasted in Evansville by Proper Coffee Roasters, and specialty and seasonal lattes and tea are also available.

Hours at Parlor Doughnuts are 6:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. daily.

Read all about it: Parlor Doughnuts opens shop on Bloomington's Kirkwood Avenue

More restaurants will be opening later this spring and summer along East Kirkwood Avenue, including Dave's Hot Chicken in the former Pourhouse Cafe spot, Raising Cane's where the WhichWich sandwich shop had been and Chubbies Diner, specializing in burritos, in the former Bloomington Sandwich Shop. Stay tuned to future columns for more details.

Hive now open for dinner, too

The Hive restaurant opened for dinner last week. The dinner menu includes smashburgers (Hive, fried egg, deluxe and bacon); bowls (yoga, cuban breakfast, baja and braised pork); chicken pot pie, chicken frites and quarter chicken; sandwiches including Banh Mi, Reuben and heady veggies; chicken velvet and black bean soup as well as Lennie's voodoo chili; sides; snacks; and desserts.

Alcoholic beverages include Bloomington Brewing Co. draft beer, Friendly Beasts cider and wine. Kids' entrees include scrambled eggs, chicken leg and grilled cheese, along with sides.

Hive is now open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 3-9 p.m. Saturday. Hive is at 2608 E. 10th St. and offers its own delivery service, available at hivebloomington.com and 812-287-7405.

Spring wine tasting at Truffles

Five cabernet sauvignons and five rose wines will be featured in a wine tasting on Thursday at Truffles restaurant. The event is $10 per person. Reservations are for 30-minute time slots and will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Call 812-330-1111.

Chocolate Moose at the Gables

The new Chocolate Moose at the Gables, at 114 S. Indiana Ave. next to BuffaLouie's, opened in late March. The shop is now selling muffins and coffee cake from Taylor's Bakery in Indianapolis as well as cinnamon rolls. Muffins include banana nut, chocolate chocolate chip, berry blast, French toast, cran-apple, blueberry crumb, cappuccino, birthday cake and chocolate cheesecake.

Hours at the shop are 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday, noon to 11 p.m. Saturday and 2-9 p.m. Sunday.

Contact Carol Kugler at ckugler@heraldt.com, 812-331-4359 or @ckugler on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Bloomington restaurants: Parlor Doughnuts, Hive, Chocolate Moose news