We discovered Yats accidentally two years ago. We were in Indy to see Cake at The Vogue, so we came in the night before to spend some time in Broadripple. We ventured south, stumbled upon Yats and our life was changed forever. It serves New Orleans style food on a rotating menu. Customers order at the counter and the food comes out minutes later, piping hot. The ambiance is casual, but the food is anything but- savory sauces, served over rice, with fresh made bread.

A few weeks ago, I was introduced via Twitter to Sara Croft, an indy-based food blogger (Solid Gold Eats) and social media enthusiasts. I knew I was going to be in Indy this past weekend, so we made plans to meet for lunch and agreed on Yats. (I love social media, by the way. Sara is just one example of the amazing people I’ve met.)

So there I was- faced with the difficult decision: what to order? The staff is so friendly at Yats, and they offered us samples of a few dishes, which was immensely helpful. And because I have such a hard time deciding, I am grateful for the 1/2 and 1/2 option. On this visit, I opted for 1/2 Jambalaya and 1/2 Chili Cheese Etoufee. Jon ordered 1/2 of something called Blackalicous, a black bean chili smothered in sour cream, onions and cheese, and 1/2 Spinach and Mushrooms. Sara ordered a 1/2 order of Blackalicious, sans the sour cream, onions and cheese.

There are no words to describe this food, but I will try. Savory, comforting, rich and complete- the Jambalaya packed just the right amount of heat, and the Chili Cheese Etoufee was splendid in all of its creamy goodness. Though Jon contends that the Blackalicious is better than the Spinach and Mushrooms, he enjoyed them both and would have them again. Warning, the portions are HUGE, but the prices are rock bottom.

Next time you are in Indy, drop by and try Yats. They have several locations throughout the city, though the original, located just south of Broadripple, is the place to be.