The flag of Indiana is shown.
Two Northwest Indiana natives who are now Chicago comedians have launched a new podcast called Defending Indiana to "examine stereotypes, jokes and myths about the Hoosier state."
Michigan City native Colleen Brennan, a Second City graduate and stand-up comic, and Hammond native Janice V. Rodriguez, an Indiana University graduate and comedian who's performed at Zanies and clubs across the Midwest, discuss the quirks and oddities of Indiana, such as strange state laws and the origins of the nickname Hoosier. They discuss personal experiences, Indiana history and the state's culture on the humorous podcast that aims to both poke fun at and pay homage to the Hoosier state.
“We love our Hoosier home state, but it’s kind of like our siblings," Brennan said. "We can make fun of it, but if you do, we’ll cut you.”
In the first episode, Rodriguez identifies as a Region Rat, a term she never liked, while Brennan said it was debatable whether LaPorte County was part of the Region.
"I watched 'The Sopranos' and thought a rat was a snitch and not cool," Rodriguez said. "We'll need to discuss that on a future episode."
Other future episodes will discuss subjects like Indiana's steel industry and government.
They have already hosted guests like former Congressional Candidate Christina Hale, New York Times best-selling author Erica Ridley, Heartland Film Festival Craig Prater and filmmaker Angelo Pizzo who wrote “Hoosiers," “Rudy,” and "Breaking Away." In a two-episode series Pizzo talks about how his upbringing in Indiana affected his cinematic and storytelling work.
“I know Indiana can be the butt of some jokes, but we Hoosiers have so much to be proud of,” Rodriguez said. “I lived in Florida for 10 years and it really opened my eyes to how much my values are shaped by growing up in Indiana and specifically ‘The Region’. As I’ve gotten older, I can really look at my time in Indiana and appreciate the foundation it has set for my life. But I can also make fun of it - in a loving way of course.”
Brennan and Rodriguez said they were motivated to dispel the myth that Indiana is just a flyover state that's home to just corn and basketball. They seek to persuade listeners that – while Indiana is not without its flaws – that Indiana has more to offer than the stale stereotypes.
"Only we can make fun of our home town," Rodriguez said on the podcast.
"We're going to make a little fun of it and then we're going to defend it," Brennan replied.
The podcast can be listened to for free on Google, Apple and Stitcher.
For more information or to listen, visit https://defendingindiana.buzzsprout.com/ or http://bit.ly/defendinginfb.
Wu's House opened in Merrillville
A culinary voyage across the Pacific Ocean took place amid the suburban sprawl in the commercial heart of Merrillville.
An Australian steakhouse is now a Japanese steakhouse that also serves freshly sliced fish, hibachi, Thai and Chinese takeout favorites.
Wu's House has taken over the former Outback Steakhouse at 8117 Georgia St. in Merrillville, where it currently offers dine-in and curbside pickup.
The hibachi and sushi restaurant with a wide-reaching Asian menu also has locations in Orland Park, Evergreen Park and Mokena.
The menu includes Japanese, Chinese, Thai, hibachi, tempura, teriyaki, sashimi and sushi. One can grab pad thai, fried rice, curry, Kung Pao Chicken, Mongolian Chicken, Scallop Teriyaki and Filet Mignon Teriyaki, as well as classics like miso soup, ginger salad, edamame and egg rolls.
Customers can order a variety of specialty sushi rolls, such as the Spiderman Roll, Snow White Roll, Black Thunder Roll, Dynamite Roll and Naruto Roll. The Honey Roll, for instance, combines tuna, spicy yellowtail, jalapeno, avocado, mango sauce and honey plum sauce, while the Sweet Hearts Roll features tuna, lobster salad, mango, avocado, pink soy paper, and chili sauce.
For more information, visit wushouse.com or call 219-525-4847.
Midwest Eats opened in East Chicago
Midwest Eats is serving up brunch, dinner and catering in East Chicago's North Harbor neighborhood.
Jerek Blevins, also known as Chef J.B., opened the carryout eatery at 3931 Main St. The menu includes shrimp and grits, chicken and waffles, giant turkey legs, jerk shrimp alfredo and creole shrimp smack and cheese.
"We're open open on weekends, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday," he said. "We're a little-fast casual restaurant where the menu changes from time to time. We would like to open dining-in and during the week when the weather breaks, in the spring."
Midwest Eats offers a Soul Food Sunday with Mississippi Pot Roast wings, Cajun fried wings, Puerto Rican rice, sweet potato mash and southern favorites.
"I've been cooking my whole life and an opportunity fell into my lap," Blevins said. "I do private dinners and catering and will still offer that. But it make a sense to have a restaurant in addition to being a private chef. My dad and grandfather owned restaurants as well."
For now, the restaurant is carryout only. But when dining-in opens, people and businesses will be able to rent out the dining room, which can seat 50 to 60 people.
"It's an intimate private event space," he said.
The restaurant employs eight people and plans to hire more when it opens for dining-in. Blevins is proud Midwest Eats is a black-owned business.
"A call to action is at the forefront," he said. "I saw pizzeria shirts that said social injustice has no place here. So we have the 'respect existence or expect resistance' on the front of our shirts and our restaurant logo on the back."
Midwest Easts fills a void in the neighborhood, Blevins said.
"There's a lot of fast food in the neighborhood, a lot of fried foods," he said. "There's a Zel's but there's not a lot of things you eat with a fork. We have comfort food like salmon over rice or lobster over rice. We have gourmet French fries like carne asada fries and Caesar salad where we make the Caesar dressing in house. We cook everything we love."
The restaurant is currently open 12-5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and from 1 p.m. until sold out on Sunday.
For more information visit www.midwesteatsbyjb.com.
Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeda just opened Lil’ Ba-Ba-Reeba! in Chicago's River North neighborhood
Cafe-Ba-Ba-Reeba!, the groundbreaking Spanish tapas bar in Lincoln Park you may have gone to on a date or gotten a gift certificate to at some point, just opened the sister restaurant Lil’ Ba-Ba-Reeba! at 441 N. Clark St. in Chicago's River North neighborhood.
Executive Chef Eric Jorgensen offers up Cafe-Ba-Ba-Reeba!’s greatest hits like signature pintxos, tapas and sangrias for dine-in, delivery and carryout. The abbreviated menu includes includes dishes like Spicy Potatoes, Bacon-Wrapped Dates and Baked Goat Cheese, and new fare like Rioja-Braised Short Rib with manchego mashed potatoes.
“Right on the heels of our anniversary at Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!, we’re taking everything we love from the last 35 years and bringing them downtown,” said Mark Sotelino, partner at Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba! and Lil’ Ba-Ba-Reeba! “The Ba-Ba-Reeba! brand has been a beloved part of Chicago's culinary history and during this time, we are excited to be able to bring some of our signature tapas and sangria to our guests in River North."
Lil’ Ba-Ba-Reeba! aims to emulate tapas bars in Spain and features Spanish artwork, bottled vintners, pendant lamps and hanging charcuterie boards surrounding a bustling open kitchen. It serves Spanish sangrias, Spanish wins, Spanish cocktails and Spanish bottled beers.
The restaurant is open 4-10 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday.
For more information, call 312-985-6909 or visit www.cafebabareeba.com/lil-ba-ba-reeba.
A chiropractor is relocating to NorthShore's new location in Hammond.
Dr. Joseph Hofferth has joined the medical staff of NorthShore Health Centers.
He's been a Munster chiropractor for more than 25 years and is moving his practice to NorthShore's new location at 1828 165th St. in Hammond.
He will start seeing patients at the new location in early March.
For more information or to make an appointment, call 219-836-9919 or 219-763-8112 for more information.
Trouble Shoot Wireless signed a lease in a Griffith strip mall
Trouble Shoot Wireless will open soon at Broad Ridge Plaza on Ridge Road in Griffith, according to Merrillville-based Commercial In-Sites, which brokered the lease.
The store offers cell phone repair services and sells cell phone accessories and related merchandise, as well as unrelated merchandise like Chicago Bears winter caps.
For more information, visit troubleshootwireless.business.site or call 219-513-6149.
Chicago's Can't Believe It's Not Meat expanded to Orland Park.
Can't Believe It's Not Meat has come to Orland Park.
The vegetarian and vegan restaurant from Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood expanded to 24 Orland Square Drive.
The menu includes salads and vegan versions of hot dogs, bratwurst, shrimp, nachos, cheese steaks and other entrees.
The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week.
For more information, call 708-645-4077 or visit cantbelieveitsnotmeat.com.
Prime Smoked Meats in Valpo now has a rotating selection of craft beers after securing a liquor license
Prime Smoked Meats is now offering craft beers and the hipster favorite PBR at 55 University Drive Suite 100 in Valparaiso, where it uses locally sourced Indiana oak wood to cook succulent meats low and slow.
The Texas-style smokehouse that opened by the Valparaiso University campus in 2018 prepares meat with just wood fire and smoke. Pitmaster Jason Pelzel crafted a modern barbecue menu that includes smoked pork and brisket sushi and monthly sandwich specials like the FC Valentine Hog that adorns a pile of pulled pork with baby arugula, picked jalapeño peppers, and garlic butter toasted brioche bun.
The sandwiches get slapped with cool names like "Hungry Like a Wolf" in reference to the Duran Duran hit. It has a lively social media presence that promotes menu items like "pork belly burnt end energy bites," encouraging people to "wash ‘em down with (insert thick Chicago accent) two-tree $1.50 cans of PBR. Belly up before the snow, heck, you might even have enough energy to shovel the whole neighborhood."
For more information, find the business on Facebook, visit primesmokedmeats.com or call 219-242-8761.
K & S Sewing is on the move in Lowell
K & S Sewing is is moving its shop to 410 Commercial Ave. in Lowell in order to expand, according to Merrillville-based Commercial In-Sites, which brokered the lease.
The store offers memory quilts, alterations, and quilting and sewing lessons.
For more information, call 219-690-1695 or visit kssewing.com.
A New Jersey-based REIT bought the new Super Products building in Merrillville
Four Springs Capital Trust, a New Jersey-based REIT, bought the new Super Products building in Merrillville for an undisclosed sum.
Super Products moves from 8774 Louisiana St. in Merrillville to a larger 26,500-square-foot building in Merrillville in December.
“Super Products is a great tenant with extremely strong credit," said Myles Rapchak of Latitude Commercial, who represented the seller. “They had been a tenant in the owners previous building for 3+ years before coming to him to propose a BTS with over double the square footage. It was great to work with Pete throughout not only this project, but all of his over the years”.
If you would like your business to be included in a future column, email joseph.pete@nwi.com.
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New Defending Indiana podcast jokes about whether there's more than corn in the Hoosier state - nwitimes.com
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Corn
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