Coffee-rubbed lamb leg with carmelized fennel and fresh radish, cucumber and herbs served over made-to-order pita bread is the most popular item at Topo’s 403 during Devour Bloomington.
Devour Bloomington is offering special deals with fixed-price three-course meals at 25 local restaurants.
The event, put on by the Bloomington Independent Restaurant Association and Indiana Restaurant and Lodging Association, is in its second year and runs from Feb. 24 to March 6.
“The end of February right before spring break tends to be a ‘blah’ time,” Topo’s 403 Restaurant Manager Jesica Fitch said. “It gives people a reason to venture out.”
One participating restaurant in Devour Bloomington is Topo’s 403, located at 403 N. Walnut St., which offers three courses for $30.
This is the restaurant’s first year participating in the event.
Fitch said Devour Bloomington attracts a younger crowd to Topo’s 403, especially during the week, when a more adult crowd is typically more prevalent.
It’s a chance to draw in new customers, Doug Petersen, head chef at Topo’s 403, said. Customers get to try something they wouldn’t normally eat.
Fitch said the “cool” aspect of Devour is also a draw.
“Indianapolis does it with Devour Downtown,” Fitch said. “It’s trendy and gives people a reason to go out and try new places and items that they wouldn’t normally try.”
Topo’s 403 prides itself on making everything from scratch and sourcing ingredients locally when possible, Petersen said.
“We don’t buy anything premade,” Petersen said. “We don’t even have a microwave. Everything is prepared with care.”
Topo’s 403 is dedicated and true to its Greek roots, Fitch said. The owners are Greek and the restaurant building has been in their family for 100 years.
“We’re not doing Greek-inspired food,” Fitch said. “We’re doing legitimate Greek food.”
Crazy Horse, located at 214 W. Kirkwood Ave., is also participating in Devour Bloomington. It is offering three courses for $20.
This is also the restaurant’s first year participating in Devour Bloomington.
Sandra Laboski, a server at Crazy Horse, said the restaurant decided to be a part of Devour Bloomington because though Crazy Horse has been around since 1987, they always want to grow business.
Devour Bloomington has given customers something new to look forward to, Laboski said.
“You get a better deal, who doesn’t want that?” Laboski said.
As a part of the Devour Bloomington deal, Crazy Horse offers a soup that changes daily.
Crazy Horse has also brought out a special cheesecake exclusively for Devour, Laboski said.
The environment and clientele are what sets Crazy Horse apart from other restaurants in Bloomington, Laboski said.
“Everyone is so friendly,” Laboski said. “You can come here to get a drink with a couple friends or it can be a pregame spot.”
The building was constructed in the early 1900s, and much of the original structure and details are still in the restaurant, Laboski said.
On the barside of the restaurant, the ceilings are particularly well-known for being original, Laboski.
“There’s a lot of people that come in once and are like, ‘oh, we just wanted to make sure that the ceiling is still there,’” Laboski said. “It’s cute.”
