As an esteemed enjoyer of delicious vittles, I feel like it's my job to pay attention to the food…read moreworld in general, and central Indiana's food scene in particular. A while back, I learned that Tom Main, the owner of Freeland's, was nominated for a James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurateur. Well! That's all I needed to read, and I put Freeland's on my list of must-visit restaurants.
Freeland's isn't a fancy joint, but it's also not not-fancy. Vibes were telling me that it felt like the kind of place where you want to put on a clean shirt, and so I got it into my head that Freeland's should be saved for a day when I felt like changing out of my yoga pants. So I visited on an anniversary. Pro tip: When you make a reservation online (and you should definitely make a reservation), tell them whether you're visiting for a birthday, anniversary, retirement, etc. They will make your dining experience incredibly special.
We were greeted at our table with a celebratory sparkling wine toast (in shot glasses), and a complimentary scoop of fruit sorbet to end our meal. This was totally unexpected and was a nice touch, and spoke volumes about the service at Freeland's.
Honestly, I don't know what to rave about first: the service or the food. But since I mentioned the service, I'll go ahead and just say that Freeland's has some of the best service I've experienced in Indiana. I felt like I was in the middle of a carefully orchestrated play, with people coming in and out to give me new silverware, refresh my water glass before I knew I needed more water, and whisk my empty plates away as soon as I was done with them. At one point, I was transfixed by watching the staff maneuver and dance around each other in the dining room with purpose and grace. It was a sight to behold. I love efficiency! I love moving with purpose! They do that here, all for you.
One hundred percent, you should order the carrot appetizer. It's just called "Carrots" on the menu, which is an understatement. These are perfectly cooked warm carrots glazed in a Szechuan sauce, sitting on top of a creamy edamame hummus, drizzled with oil and sprinkled with everything-bagel spice. One order is plenty for two or three people to share, but I could see myself coming back and just hoarding an entire carrots plate all to myself, with a glass of wine, at the bar.
For the main dishes, the Sakura Farm Pork Belly was ordered (kimchi, black forbidden rice, duck egg), which was so juicy and tender.
I got the Loch D' Art Salmon, which is cooked medium, unless you tell them otherwise (but medium is perfect, so don't tell them otherwise), and comes with Carolina gold grits, broccolini, tomatoes, romesco sauce and harissa. Holy mackerel (I mean, salmon)! This was a perfect fish dish, and melted in my mouth. Every bite was amazing. It was just the right amount on the plate, too -- not too much, but also completely satisfying.
They have some creative desserts on the menu. I didn't really want dessert, but we were given a dessert on the house, so how could I say no? The cherry sorbet was pure, icy cherries in a glass. So refreshing, and the perfect way to end the exquisite meal.
Freeland's dining room is small, and when we visited, every table was full. Like I said, definitely make a reservation. But despite all of the people, and all of the people talking, it was never too loud. They have sound-diffusing panels in the ceiling to offset some of the noise, so I never felt like I had to shout across the table. They think about every detail here! This is one example of the care Freeland's puts into their dining experience, and it's not the only one. You are well-taken-care-of here.