Fourth Street International Market
The Fourth Street International Market occupies an innocuous building on Restaurant Row.
Ali Akhras, who has managed the location for about a year, said the store’s name describes its function — providing a vast variety of food options to hungry patrons.
Candy bars with colorful wrappers occupy shelves next to baklava, and a row of Egyptian statuettes line the counter-top.
The market has been around since 1989, Akhras said, changing ownership since.
In 1990, the store opened a deli counter, which serves wrapped gyros and Mediterranean fare like olives and falafel.
Akhras and his brother, along with one employee, make the food for each day.
The gyros are the deli’s “number-one seller,” Akhras said.
For after-work dinner, however, Akhras suggested the gyro dinner platter, which comes with rice, meat, tomatoes, hummus, tzatziki sauce and wraps, and allows patrons to assemble their own meals.
Akhras said being surrounded by international restaurants is a “perk to this area,” as customers who enjoy trying out Asian cuisine may drop in after their meal to pick up key ingredients to use at home.
The influx of Thai and Asian-fusion restaurants around 4th St. have therefore influenced the restaurant’s stock, Akhras said.
Little Tibet
Little Tibet, surrounded by red, green and blue flyers and hangings, sits on the corner of Fourth Street at the head of Restaurant Row.
Pema Wangchen, its owner and manager for nearly three years, said the location’s calm atmosphere and family-business feel draws a mix of IU faculty and locals in the summer and students in the fall.
Wangchen took over the restaurant from his uncle after about 17 years in business.
“It’s kind of like a family business,” he said.
Little Tibet serves a range of curries, as well as Thai and Indian soups and noodles.
Momos, Tibetan dumplings made with ground beef and onions, are a popular customer selection, Wangchen said.
He recommended the beef variety.
“I eat one almost every day,” he said.
Little Tibet also has vegetarian options, as the dumplings and many of the curries can easily be made without meat, Wangchen said.
Quotes by the Dalai Lama and messages of inclusiveness are hung on the walls around the restaurant.
Wangchen said the restaurant’s atmosphere welcomes both natives to the cuisine and newcomers to Asian food.
“People like it, those kinds of messages,” he said.
Korea Restaurant
Jacob Yang, who has worked in the Korea Restaurant building for four years, remembers the transition from Dami, which served Asian-fusion cuisine, to its authentic Korean menu.
Korea Restaurant has done business on 4th St. for two years.
Yang said during the school year, Korea Restaurant draws a mix of foreign-exchange students from China and Korea, as well as adventurous locals.
“When they walk along 4th St, they try everything out,” Yang said.
Korea Restaurant differentiates itself from its neighbors by using a wider range of proteins in its dishes and embracing vegetarian dishes, Yang said.
Yang, who is Korean, said he enjoys more traditional dishes using kimchi. But the variety of options means virtually anyone can find something authentic they’ll enjoy, he said.
“That’s why we have such a large menu, so we can cater to a variety of nationalities, cultures (and) tastes,” Yang said.
Bibimbap, a rice, vegetable, protein and egg dish served in a hot stone bowl, is a trendy option, Yang said.
The entree has become more popular recently, Yang thought, especially since its versatility allows customers to include or exclude their Korean favorites.
“I feel our cuisine focuses a lot on balance,” Yang said.
