Dooley O'Toole's — Restaurant in Carmel

Well, this is both complicated and simple. Or, it may be the other way around. I have been coming to Carmel, Indiana, for about 14 years, an ironic result of traveling the globe and marrying a ‘Hoosier’ (for those in other places, this is a designation of the local population)… (incidentally, you know many Hoosiers, including Vonnegut, Michael Jackson, a fictional archaeologist, and most American astronauts…. And half your medicines). Anyway, as an original Hungarian and honorary occasional Hoosier I have to admit to not having tried the pork tenderloin of Indiana until this evening, though have had the opportunity to both cook and eat through most of wienerschnitzel variations of Europe and far far beyond.

Ok, so O’Toole’s is not Lawrence of Arabia, but I have eaten here innumerable times in over a decade of visits but never had the the tenderloin.

I did tonight.

It is not Wienerschnitzel. It is … different, and good. It is very very good.

It is.. Hoosiernitzel.

It does not come with a wedge of lemon, but it should, because - as in its ancestor - the acid cuts through the fat and salt to brighten up the cutlet, which is left about twice the thickness of its antecedent: A perfect expression of tenderized porcine love.

Noticing that somewhere on the menu existed a white gravy, I asked for a side in case it was necessary should the cutlet be less than my refined and pretentious tastebuds could tolerate, but it was perfect, though in the opposite direction whence the lemon drew so strongly.

The service was kind, prompt, excellent, and the prices reasonable as always.

Hoosiernitzel…...

Pleasant blast from the past. ‘70s pop rock disco adult contemporary music playing on speakers. Decor vintage late 70s 80s. Server Lora was very conversational as if we were regulars but not fir this location as there were others in prior years we had been. Pork tenderloin sandwich had rare customer 4.5 (round up to 5) rating with proper meat thickness and moisture, breading just right, toasted bun. Another had delightful chicken breast sandwich and large fresh dinner fries cooked just right. Half Reuben sandwich with proper ratio of sauerkraut and corned beef on rye bread and thousand island dressing on the side was pretty good but not the absolute best I’ve had but certainly tasty juicy and very edible. Also Irish Stew certainly fresh not Dinty Noore, and 2 servings of broccoli well not too crunchy not too mushy how did they do that?! Also desserts of brownie, apple cobbler, cherry cobbler so good and diet busters. Definitely a local fan favorite with regular crowd shuffling in. The only thing missing was Piano Man playing on the speakers or a live band. Oddly, closed on Saturday and Sunday really unusual business schedule. Definitely if you want reliable food and old fashioned service this is the place. A lot of local racing memorabilia I have a Bobby Rahal MGD Indycar autographed poster that would...

Dooley O'Toole's, Carmel, Indiana, is old school. If you're looking for a place jammed with millennials or others of the alphabet groups you might want to give this place a pass. However, if you're looking for traditional fare that is plentiful, flavorful and doesn't break the bank you should come on in. We visited on Tenderloin Tuesday. My breaded tenderloin was three times the size of the bun and pounded and seasoned to perfection. My friend ordered a taco salad with ground beef. It was filled with yummy goodness and she made only half of the generous portion disappear before calling it quits. I loved finding Dooley O'Toole's in the midst of trendy restaurants catering to a younger generation. The only customers under age 15 were there probably because they chose a familiar dining experience with the grands. If you plan to visit on a weekend, you might want to check their hours first. The proprietors have fast-growing grandchildren who fill their time on weekends and the restaurant may sit idle as family time takes priority. Overall, a great meal and experience for a...