THE CHEAT SHEET
Ramen Bowl
The Exchange Pub + Kitchen
I RECENTLY HAD one of those “close your eyes-I
don’t want to talk to anyone-let me savor every bit of this”
moments at The Exchange Pub + Kitchen. On the advice
of Rod Juarez (who is the general manager at MESA, A
Collaborative Kitchen in New Albany), I went to The Exchange
for what I thought would be a solo working lunch. Without
looking at the menu, I ordered the Ramen Bowl ($16/lunch;
$19/dinner) – Rod’s suggestion – and flipped open my iPad.
A few minutes later, when my server placed the huge bowl
in front of me, all I could do was stare and inhale the aroma.
The beautiful dish was a mix of pork tenderloin, Brussel
sprouts, jalapeno, cilantro, green onion, carrots, radish, soy
miso, ginger broth and ramen noodles topped with a beautiful
egg. After the first bite/sip, I shut my iPad, turned my phone
face down and simply enjoyed. In fact, I enjoyed it so much, I
lost track of time and was almost late to my next appointment.
The combination of flavors, the presentation, the aroma…I’ve
dreamt about them since. Not kidding.
Now, I get that the price is pretty hefty, particularly at lunch
time, but the portion is massive. What I couldn’t eat – and I
wanted to eat it all but simply couldn’t – I took home and served
to my two-year-old that night for dinner, careful to pluck out
the jalapenos, and ate the rest for lunch the next day.
The Exchange Pub + Kitchen, 118 W. Main St. in New Albany,
serves lunch 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday and
dinner 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 4 p.m.
to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. You can find more information
at www.exchangeforfood.com.
By Angie Fenton
Photo by Matt Simpson
Do you have a favorite dish at a Southern Indiana restaurant that you can’t wait to share with others? Send an email detailing why to
[email protected] and put “The Cheat Sheet” as the subject.
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