I've been wanting to try out Yats ever since I noticed they opened last year. One night while out on "date night" with my husband we considered having dinner there, but went to a known favorite instead. Yesterday, thinking about all the poor souls in and out of NoLa suffering from Hurricane Katrina, I finally got there for lunch for the first time ... and I'm glad I didn't go there on a date.
The food was good, I guess, but I didn't expect plastic utensils, styrofoam cups with self-serve fountain drinks, and styrofoam plates. I guess I've been spoiled by other restaurants in town and elsewhere, so I expect actual stainless cutlery, for example.
They've got bright (some would say gaudy) paint on the walls, and art (posters, mainly) that represents different aspects of New Orleans, and of course Mardi Gras beads dangling from all the light fixtures -- a few chandeliers of different vintages. I guess they're pushing at the IU crowd because they've got a back room painted red with IU memorabilia in it and absolutely no sign of anything New Orleans-related.
Oh, and if you have to go to the ladies' room, you might want to take a flashlight -- the walls are deep blue, and although it was pretty remarkably clean (good soap dispenser and paper towel dispenser, too, and hot water on tap), it was really DARK.
Anyway, if you've got an ache for some NoLa food, I think it's the only reliable menu in town. Apparently they have about 21 main courses that they rotate: you've got to check the website or go in to see which half-dozen are available on any given day. And you can get a "half and half" plate so you can try two entrees, which is a good thing.
And from their website I see that they've got two locations in Indianapolis, too. Maybe the Indy sites have silverware!
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