On the corner under the new parking garage in Broad Ripple, Hopcat is one of the first restaurants you see when you enter the village.

You notice the bright yellow LED lights and t-shirts hanging in the window. And not only is it one of the most noticeable restaurants in Broad Ripple but it is also one of the best.

Hopcat, since it has been open for business, has been one of the highest rated restaurants in Broad Ripple, and when you are eating there, it makes sense.

The food, overall, is really good. There is a healthy amount of choices on the menu; everything from salads to mac ‘n’ cheese to burgers and more.

Speaking of mac ‘n’ cheese, the first dish being reviewed is Hopcat’s mac ‘n’ cheese. The base MnC is amazing, as the cheese comes in copious amounts and the meal is the perfect size for a meal.

When you add Barbeque pork, as I did, the dish goes from amazing to extraordinary. The bbq pork mixes perfectly with the regular MnC to create a flavor-filled dish.

The Grand Royale, a Hopcat burger, was featured, apparently, on the Travel Channel. The Grand Royale is a burger on a brioche bun, with a whole lot of stuff in the middle.

Crack fries, sloppy joe, jalapenos and cheese saude. While this burger does sound like an dieter’s nightmare, the burger is definitely suggested for those with big appetite and a taste for spice.

Anything with blue cheese and raspberry vinaigrette is amazing in my book. The Spinach salad has both, and is therefore, amazing. The apple on the salad goes well with the cheese and vinaigrette.

The Quesadilla was amazing mix of a classic Mexican-inspired dish with American influences. The Quesadilla, accompanied with black-bean dip and shredded house cheese, is a strong addition to an already overwhelming menu. 9.2/10

Ian McCormick