The Hoppy Gnome Brings new Dining Trends and Choices to Downtown Fort Wayne

203 E. Berry Street, Fort Wayne. Locals would recognize this as a downtown address. Downtown is changing, though - there are condominiums, and parking in this high-rise building, and what else? Now, there's The Hoppy Gnome. Trendy food is not traditionally Fort Wayne. The old institutions in town - family owned Casaburos restaurants (Casa D'Angelo and others), Bourounis family (Cosmos), Hall's family restaurants, the Oyster Bar, etc., and others have consistently good (often excellent) food.

The owners of Baker Street Steakhouse seem to understand that folks are sometimes looking for new options and experiences. Generation X'ers and more significantly, Millenials, are looking for new dining and taste choices. Smaller plates, tasting menus, tapas-style dining, and sampling of beers and appetizers are all ways to try new things. The foods themselves are often fresher (more farm-to-table) and more globally styled. So Baker Street has branched out and created this - The Hoppy Gnome.

The Hoppy Gnome claims to specialize in tacos, but these are not the traditional Mexican variety. One can order choices including duck confit, Korean short rib, and ahi tuna. The menu rotates regularly. A guest may choose from flour or corn tortillas, and the tacos are served in beautiful stainless steel V-shaped tool trays.

The restaurant also serves some wonderful small plates, including kimchi chicken fingers, pan-seared scallops, steamed clams, short ribs, and tuna tartare. There are also vegan and gluten-free selections, and a great kids' menu. Soups full of vegetables and unique salads round out the menu.

The Hoppy Gnome is much more of a beer place than a wine bar. So I'll talk more about the beers - there are dark stouts, Belgian beers, ciders and IPAs. If you like good ol' American, have a blast from the past and order an Old Style lager made by Pabst. Want a pale ale with a sexy label? Order the Six Foot Blonde from Nashville, IN. Hey, I should go get a Honey Badger, brewed in Granger, IN, since I like the animal so much. You can get small servings of five different beers or so brought to you on a tray holding small glasses if you want to sample and choose for next time.

The decor looks fresh, modern and new. I like the polished stainless steel tables, and the large windows make for outstanding views. I was treated to an amazing, full-length panorama of the wonderful, historic Allen County courthouse and the skyscraper behind when I was recently there. If you're looking for something new to visit when you're out in downtown Fort Wayne, give The Hoppy Gnome a try if you want to push your taste buds and have a new adventure.