The Sinking Ship, Indianapolis

The Sinking Ship is a place I’ve heard a quite a bit about for a few months now, and I figured the only way to find out if they were the real deal or just so much hype was to go find out for myself!

I gotta say, it takes guts to name your establishment after a lost cause…so kudos to the owners for doing this!

The decor is what I would call “funky”.  All kinds of art on the walls, exposed pipes and vents in the ceiling, it made me feel like I was stepping back into the 70’s….and I liked it.  And the owner gets even more kudos because it’s LOCAL art.

The menu was VERY eclectic and diverse.  If you go and aren’t sure what you want, plan on spending a few minutes perusing the menu, for there’s some for just about every taste.

We chose an appetizer, a Korean noodle dish called dukboki.  I have to admit I was skeptical when Holly ordered these….I said “I’ll try one” but in my mind I thought “I’m not going to like these”.  Folks, these were over the top outstanding.  They had the PERFECT mix of heat and flavor…without one overpowering the other.  I HIGHLY recommend these.

Of course, I chose the breaded tenderloin for my meal.  It’s billed as “Indy’s Worst Tenderloin”…again, a move that is either crazy or a sign of genius…and, in this case, a little bit of both.

The breading, while not quite traditional, is very, very good.  Nice and crispy, flavorful, and, most importantly, it holds its crunch throughout the life of the sandwich…not a hint of sogginess here!  The breading is certainly a 5/5.

The meat itself is quite flavorful, however, I WILL say it was just a touch on the dry side.  Not a lot, but enough to fall short of perfect.  The taste was outstanding and it was nice and tender, though…so not a MAJOR shortcoming.  When I took my first bite, the meat was a bit thinner than I prefer, but it was thicker on the other side of the sandwich.  That, my friends, is the true mark of a hand-pounded, hand breaded sandwich…not something pressed in a factory.

The bun, again, was OUTSTANDING.  Perfectly toasted, and the perfect complement to an already fine sandwich.  I’m going to give The Sinking Ship’s breaded tenderloin a 4.5 out of 5 bites…only the dryness of the meat made if fall short of perfection.

For my side, I had tater tots and they were perfectly crisp and tasty.  I don’t know why more restaurants don’t offer this option as a side!

For her meal, Holly chose a half sandwich and soup combo – ½ grilled provolone on rye and a cup of homemade vegan chili.  She said they were quite tasty.  Along with her meal, she had a Founders Holiday Stout, which she also enjoyed.

The Sinking Ship is located at 4923 N College in Indianapolis, and you can find them online at http://www.thesinkingship.com.  It is a 21 and over, smoker friendly venue.