Where to go: Oca, inside Sun King Spirits taproom and distillery, 351 Monon Blvd., Carmel
What to get: King Roland
Price: $10.95
Anna’s take: I ordered the King Roland sandwich. It burst with flavor as soon as I bit into it. It’s a souped-up meatball sandwich, but the bun never got soggy even though I took my time consuming it. Meatballs nestled at the bottom of a bun are blanketed with roast corned beef top round, onion, mushrooms and red sauce. The entire sandwich is smothered in melty provolone cheese. All ingredients harmonize with the others. The sub would be perfect to enjoy on a cooler day as fall approaches while sitting on Sun King Spirit’s rooftop patio.
Oca is one of four restaurants inside Sun King Spirits, a new taproom and distillery just off the Monon near downtown Carmel. Sun King Spirits features the emerging concept of food halls, where multiple eateries with different menus are housed within one establishment. Guests pick their table, and a server takes their drink order. Guests then enter the eatery within the food hall from which they wish to order. Oca is on the first floor. Dishes are sausage-based. It also offers charcuterie boards. Oca is a food-service collaboration between Smoking Goose and Sun King. In the Italian and Spanish languages, oca means goose. Smoking Goose acquires its meats from small, local family farms with naturally raised, antibiotic-free stock that is vegetarian-fed without gestation pens.
Suggested pairings: A pint of Sun King’s Wee Mac, a Scottish ale that pairs well with the warm, rich depth of the King Roland.