At this current time it seems often challenging to find a restaurant that's both interesting / fun,…read moreand has good food and decent service. I'm a visual person, and I really miss the before times when a unique theme, carried out with great detail, was something many dining establishments strived to provide.
I have so many fond memories of walking into a place dripping with eye catching decor. There used to be so many of them that carried out a theme with an attention to detail akin to how Disneyland delivers successful concepts.
While Claudine's vibe is not quite a high elevation of theme, it does provide vibrant visuals. The main interior wall is packed with great artwork suggesting a comfy farm-to-table experience. The counter where you order also showcased beautiful and unique baked goods to tempt you with those sweet treats.
If you haven't been, you can expect that there might be a line. When we got there the line was tiny. We barely had time to start looking at the menu before it was our turn to step up and order. My companions on a Sunday morning were Dear Hubby and Sweet Granddaughter. Mind you, this isn't cheap food / fast food. It's elevated fast casual dining.
We ordered / paid at the counter, collected a number, then seated ourselves. One little critique there - they have two cash registers, but despite a growing line, they only had one open. Also, it is pretty loud inside, so it can be hard for guests and staff to hear each other during the ordering process.
It was a glorious day; not too hot. It was perfect to sit outside on their covered patio, overlooking the shared landscaping between Claudine and Islands. It took a little while for our freshly prepared order to arrive, but not overly so.
SG ordered her standard of chicken nuggets and fries, only they offer potato wedges and high quality chicken breast pieces. The breading was tasty, and the larger than bite-sized chunks of chicken were perfectly prepared.
The quantity provided for a "kids meal" offered so much food that more than half went home for a second serving later in the day. SG also enjoyed the red velvet frosted donut she ordered.
DH dove into a very plump breakfast burrito, stuffed with all manner of good savory breakfast fillings. I thoroughly enjoyed trying their "Baby Dutch mini pancakes". They were served three ways - with real maple syrup (what a difference "real" makes), with strawberries and whipped cream, and the best surprise - with lemon cream sauce and blueberries. So amazing! I also tried the S'mores dessert, and was compelled to share with SG, who just "had" to try it, too. Very delicious.
The only thing that to me was overpriced was the side of bacon - 4 pieces for $7.95. Mind you, this is nitrate-free, and it was very tasty. Little add ons did drive up the total bill. The quality is really good, and no one left the least bit hungry. We will definitely be checking them out again. Definitely a gem of an indy restaurant.