Tonight was a big night for me. You see, years ago before I ever moved here, I visited Fort Wayne and had dinner at Tolon. On this occasion, my rockstar server chatted me up and ended up recommending that I check out Junk Ditch. I didn’t back then, because I was only in town for the evening. Fast forward a few years to when I moved here, got some Junk Ditch take out, and loved it.
I added them to my list of places I *had* to eat at ASAP. I don’t know what happened– obviously the blame is on me–but somehow I just kept putting it off. That is until tonight: when I went to dinner with a stranger. (Just kidding: her name is Lauren, you might know her as @wallabyknits on Instagram, and while we’d never met in person before we have been Instagram buddies for some time!) Everyone knows that Lauren can knit: but her hidden talent is recommending delicious food. Seriously. She knows what’s up.
Awhile ago she’d told me I had to try the Brussels sprouts from Junk Ditch. We finally made it a reality tonight and, for this appetizer alone, it was worth the wait. But let me rewind for a quick second—because I need to stress how stellar every detail of our meal was, starting from the very tip-top. Before tonight, I’d never been inside of Junk Ditch before. Maybe you haven’t either, so let me tell you: it’s lovely. A casual little restaurant with high ceilings, exposed brick, and gorgeous wooden tables. From the moment you walk in the door, your eyes feast first on the simple, minimalistic, and gorgeous interior design.
Our server immediately made us feel welcome and walked us through the beer menu: did you know they do $4 drafts on Tuesdays?! Lauren took advantage and tried the Dino Party Hazy IPA—it was a hit for her. My favorite local beer connoisseur suggested that I try the Dach Pils. I read a description on Untappd and wasn’t entirely convinced that this was the beer for me: a single mention of hops tends to send me running in the other direction. However, I trust @beerdsNbeer implicitly and knew he’d never steer me wrong. Boy howdy: I might just have a new favorite Pilsner! Freaking delightful.
As for the food, you already know I’m going to say good things about the Brussels sprouts. But before we even got our appetizer, the server brought us a little tasty treat: a sampling of their pretzels and pub cheese. Lauren and I both commented that the pretzels looked, perhaps, a little darker than we were accustomed to—but that darkness enabled a perfectly crisp exterior that gave way to a divinely soft and pillowy interior. The pub cheese was fire, too. I absolutely would order this the next time I go; it’s the perfect companion snack for an excellent beer.
Now for the sprouts: these were quite possibly the best Brussels sprouts I’ve ever had. I don’t say this lightly. I’m a millennial—we are kind of a Brussels sprout obsessed generation. Sorry, not sorry. These sprouts were embellished with feta, pepitas, cranberry and more. Sweet, salty, earthy, and exceptionally delicious—I can’t thank Lauren enough for insisting that I needed to try this dish. It was truly excellent.
As for dinner, we got pizzas—but technically, it was a super healthy choice, because Lauren’s had veggies on it and mine had fruit. Lauren got the Sausage and Mushroom pizza and was kind enough to let me try some. (It turns out, a great way to turn someone from a stranger into a friend is sharing food with them!) Her pizza was covered in an arugula salad: objectively my favorite green. The nom was cheesy, with that unmistakable peppery bite from the arugula. Lots of earthy umami from the mushrooms. The Yuzu Truffle Vinaigrette sharply cut through the other flavors, adding brightness and a little funk. I liked it.
My pizza had grapes on it—a first for me. I’ve had pizza with other fruits: I recall once having one with grilled peaches and really liking this. But this Raclette and Grape pizza was truly goated. I’m a little bit obsessed. Shallots, grapes, balsamic, pistachio—all things I didn’t know I wanted on the same pizza, but they played together in virtuosic harmony. Tight harmony. Five part harmony. The pizza is, in short, a masterpiece. I said what I said. Raclette is a pretty funky cheese. Mixing this with the sweetness of the grapes was seriously exciting for my tastebuds.
Tonight was absolutely lovely. The food, the service, the company: all sublime. If you’re in the Fort Wayne area and haven’t been to Junk Ditch yet (or recently), don’t be like me and keep putting it off: go now. Seriously. Get your shoes on, get in your car, and go! I know I’ll be heading back soon: it’s so good it requires a second taste.
Plonk & Pleasure 
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