Ever eat here? The Indigo

Ever since The Indigo came to downtown, I've wanted to see what the atmosphere was. I didn't know if it would be fancy, serious or casual. I was hoping it would be a little bit of all those. So I grabbed a friend and headed down to try the $6.00 lunch specials I've heard about.

The Indigo is down by the river on the corner of Main St. and Independence St., but when you walk in, it looks like a different world. The decor is dark, lots of blues, purples and blacks. There is jazz paintings on the walls and murals of 1950's cars parked in front of old buildings, maybe New Orleans. There's old memorabilia, and impressive mood lighting.

It was very clean with glass table tops and high airy ceilings. I really liked the music, piano and instrumental to add to the atmosphere. It was noon, but it felt like night. If you happen to go to Indigo at night, you would probably enjoy the music of a live jazz or swing band.

The servers all dressed professionally in black and white added to the class of this unique restaurant. The menu has a variety of tastes, from Italian to Mexican to Cheeseburgers, and a wide selection of wines and "spirits".

We decided to go Italian and started out with Toasted Ravioli as an appetizer. My friend ordered the manicotti and I decided to go with fettucini alfredo. The Toasted Ravioli was a good start, with Parmesan cheese and marinara sauce, but only enough for a few people. Those didn't last long and our entrees were out soon after. The fettucini tasted pretty good, but I had to try a bite of the Manicotti, which was really excellent. There were very large portions, but we managed to eat it all.

The Indigo was a pretty good idea for a relaxing lunch. It was under $20 for two people and worth it for the low-key atmosphere and to escape from the burger and fry routine. It's lunches were very good, but I would also meet up with friends there for a different kind of night out. The Indigo is open enough for a lot of people or private enough for a date or even a business meeting. I expected something different, but I really enjoyed this unique experience.