The Local Palate - by Lisa

06/11/2026

Last night's dinner at Smitty's Italian Steakhouse , including a visit to the stables to catch the Budweiser Clydesdale horses! It's been awhile since I've had a good steak night.

06/05/2026

It's National Donut Day!

One of my coworkers brought in a box from Pioneer Bakery Boonville this week, which included this delight.

Where are you getting doughnuts from today?

06/04/2026

You know how some people follow bands like the Grateful Dead or Phish from city to city? After one lunch stop today, between the food and excellent service, I can see myself doing the food truck version of that.

Today was my first visit to Mangkok Filipino Cuisine food truck. Since I've only had Filipino food once and had never visited the truck before, they recommended the #6 Sampler so I could try a little bit of everything. It turned out to be exactly the right suggestion.

***Highlights at a glance: pork adobo, garlic rice, crispy lumpia, and a flavorful ube cheesecake.***

The sampler included pork adobo, garlic rice, pancit (a Filipino noodle dish typically stir fried with meat) , lumpia (essentially a spring roll), and a Filipino barbecue pork skewer. I also selected an ube cheesecake for dessert.

Every component was good, but the adobo pork and garlic rice were the stars of the meal. The pork was incredibly tender, with rich, melt in your mouth pieces that reminded me a little of a cross between pot roast and carnitas, while still having its own distinct Filipino character. It created the kind of bite that is very craveable when paired with the garlic rice.

The lumpia was another standout, filled with savory ground pork and served with a sweet chili dipping sauce that added just a slight touch of heat. 🔥

The barbecue pork skewer was all smoky char, a sticky glaze, and bright citrus notes that balanced the savory pork nicely. The pancit rounded everything out with rice noodles, chicken, cabbage, and carrots that were soft, but still retained a little texture.

I also finally understood the appeal of ube. The cheesecake had a creamy, classic cheesecake base, while the ube layer added sweetness, nuttiness, vanilla notes, and a subtle tang akin to passion fruit that made it much more interesting than other ube desserts I've tried.

For a first introduction to Filipino food, I can't think of a much better place to start. If I happen to see this truck parked somewhere at the T-Mobile on First Avenue again, there's a very good chance I'll be hitting them up for more pork adobo and garlic rice.

06/03/2026

Recently, Kabob Xpress Evansville reached out to let us know they are closed for vacation starting June 1, and returning July 16, 2026. They posted the following message on their FB page:

"Closing for the summer to recharge and relax with family! Thank you for being the best customers we could ask for, and we can’t wait to serve you again with full energy when we return!"

Enjoy your well deserved vacation, Jennifer and Naj!

📍3305 N Green River, Evansville IN

Starting July 16:
⏰️Tuesday - Saturday: 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sunday: 12:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Closed Monday

05/31/2026

Photos from our recent trip to Little italy evansville to try the new specials: stuffed mushrooms, chicken al limone, and frutti di mar ("fruit of the sea").

05/31/2026

05/30/2026

Samuel’s is one of my favorite places in town to get burgers. Hopefully they can recover quickly. I'll put the link to their GFM in the comments to help their staff in the meantime.

Sad news: we had a fire this morning and lot the entirety of our walk-in coolers and storage areas. We have some product that was safe inside that we would love to share with you. Our dining room has some smoke damage, so our plan for now is to open for limited to-go service to help the team stay afloat. We will be setting up a Go Fund Me for the team, I know they would love your support as we navigate the days ahead.

05/30/2026

Next stop on the Saturday Express is the United Nations of Flavor, a FREE event at T-Mobile in North Park. It smells amazing out here and I seriously wanted to hit up every truck! I chose Mezze Street Kitchen for lunch, but I may be back out here for dinner as well. Stay tuned for my thoughts later in the day...

📍3904 N First Ave, Evansville IN
⏰️Saturday May 30, 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

05/30/2026

First stop on the event train today... opening day at the Franklin Street Bazaar! There is an amazing turnout this morning, and things are selling out quickly! My scores include a bourbon vanilla cold brew with cold foam from Print & Press, sweet orange rolls from Flour Power Bakery, and a beautiful assortment of mushrooms from Woods & Stems.

📍 2000 W Franklin St Evansville IN
⏰️ Saturday May 30, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

05/30/2026

Totally not biased because I know Big Cat's co-organizer for this or anything, but the best new darts day in the city starting this weekend at Patsy Hartigan's Irish Pub if anyone is interested!

We are beginning preparations for a Steel Tip Darts League in 2027, and will be approaching the season by throwing a few tournaments here at the pub throughout the end of the year. There will be a big, shiny trophy, and gift card prizes.

Our first tournament will be held this Sunday at 2:00pm. It will be free to play.

This first get together will be rather informal, as we work through which games to include in the competition, and what kind of format we will be employing in this year's tourneys, as well as next year's league.

Feel like whipping a few at the cork board? Be at Patsy's by 2:00pm sharp this Sunday for your chance to claim some bragging rights.