Rooster’s Kitchen

Ross Katz has a lot on his plate. Literally. Not only is he the owner of a successful downtown Indianapolis restaurant, but he’s also the head chef, in the throws of changing the menu and he’s getting married this fall. Born into a family with a strong entrepreneurial spirit and a love for food, Katz grew up knowing he wanted to be in the restaurant industry. Over the years, he’s done everything from answering phones at a pizza place, to bussing tables, to managing and now, owning his own place.

Open since October 2016, Rooster’s Kitchen is tucked into a hip location on Mass Ave, a location that’s served Katz and his customers well, but a space he admits that needed expansion.

“We’ve taken over a new addition that our landlord has built, and are adding a bar equipped with operable windows,” says Katz of the physical changes.

“We aren’t changing the theme at all, just expanding on what we already do.”

And what they do, is nothing short of spectacular—spectacularly unique, that is.

“Rooster’s prides itself by not conforming to basic norms. Most notably,” says Katz, “we don’t serve fried chicken despite the name, we don’t sell burgers, and we don’t have fries on our menu. The core focus of our restaurant and our brand is that we are an independent restaurant with a farm-to-table focus, that doesn’t conform to standards and norms, but serves comfortable flavors at a reasonably priced.”

Which is good news for regular patrons, as the restaurant is staying true to its Rooster roots, but even more good news is the changes Katz and his staff are preparing to debut, come September. Recently, I had a conversation with Katz about all the excitement and what exactly it is, that people can look forward to.

Edible Indy: So you’re making some changes … any particular inspiration behind the decision to do so?

Ross Katz: We’re always pursuing what’s new. We don’t ever want to rest on our laurels and get stagnant. This is just the next natural step for the restaurant and our brand.

EI: How will the interior change?

RK: Our current bar will become a kombucha and coffee bar top, and the new bar will focus on craft beers from near and far. The side we’re taking over has a welded sign made by local art collective RUCKUS, a mural by Los Angeles-based artist Muck Rock, and a couple pinball machines. We also have those huge operable windows that open up to Mass Ave, and the cultural trail.

EI: Sounds fun, but let’s talk about what really brings people in—the food. What’s happening with the menu?

RK: We’re expanding on our brunch menu. It was originally an experiment, but has really picked up some steam. Notable additions include a savory and sweet porridge. The savory porridge is made with vegan vegetable stock, roasted veggies, arugula, and an option for a farm-fresh pasture-raised egg or avocado for a vegan choice. The sweet porridge is made with cream, mixed berries, yoghurt, and a drizzle of local honey.

EI: Tell me more about the gluten-free and vegetarian menus. A lot of restaurants now have these options, but it looks like you really take it a step further than offering the basics. Are there any dishes on these menus that are “adapted” favorites from the “regular” menu?

RK: All of our sandwiches can be made gluten free. We just began carrying Native Bread’s gluten-free sourdough—a great substitute for our usual Amelia’s City Loaf, and it allows our gluten-free guests to try our somewhat famous “Damn Good Grilled Cheese.” Also, our Buddha bowls are really a fan favorite and are super flexible. They start off gluten free and vegan, but you can add meat, egg, avocado, just about anything your heart desires.

EI: Speaking of the “Damn GoodGrilled Cheese,” it looks like cheese has a special place on your menu, and, I see there’s a lot of havarti … it’s my all-time favorite cheese by the way, but I don’t see it used a lot. What made you decide to feature it?

RK: Yes. There is a lot of cheese, and a lot of Havarti. Honestly, the almost gluttonous use of Havarti came from a lot of testing and A LOT of grilled cheese sandwiches. Before opening the restaurant, my fiancé, brother, and I came into the kitchen with a stack of every cheese imaginable, and conducted a grilled cheese tasting. We tried all sorts of combos. Provolone and Velveeta, Swiss and cheddar, Parmesan and colby, but the winning sandwich every time was our now signature blend of aged gouda, Havarti, and sharp cheddar.

EI:Some of your dishes are named after people, like Lucy and Wilbur and mama? Are these people you know? Is “mama’s” brisket inspired from your mother’s recipe?

RK: Yes! Mama’s Brisket (featured in Edible Indy’s Winter 2017 issue) is actually my mom’s recipe. It was the one thing my mom always had in the fridge, and all my friends would go nuts over. In fact, after the soft opening, my mom pulled me aside to let me know my brisket needed a little work. So the next day at 9 a.m. she came into my kitchen with a bag full of groceries to show me the proper way to handle the brisket. The rest was history.

As for Lucy, Wilbur, and Peppa, they’re all just funny names after characters. Wilbur and Peppa are the famous cartoon and literary children’s characters. As for Lucy, we named a sandwich that because it’s our version of a Cuban sandwich. However, since it’s a more Americanized version, we named it Lucy instead of Ricky.

EI: And speaking of names, because I gotta ask, is rooster a nickname?

RK: Growing up, my close family called me Rooster. I used to be a very literal toddler, and when they told me I wasn’t allowed to get out of bed until morning, they would often find me at sunrise standing at the foot of my parents’ bed, reminding them it was morning and that morning was when I was told to get out of bed. So, naturally after so many times of me waking everyone up, the name Ross morphed into Rooster.

Had a chance to visit Rooster’s lately? Make sure you stop in soon and try one of the new porridge bowls or if you like Havarti as much as I do .... order just about anything with cheese in it and your tastebuds will thank you.

ROOSTER'S KITCHEN
888 Massachusetts Ave, Indianapolis
Sun-Thurs 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fri & Sat 11 a.m. to midnight
RoostersIndy.com