HARRY AND BUD'S
EUROPEAN CUISINE

We like to keep a low profile. We used to have a deli in this spot -- it was named after Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. Then we moved to the Apple House, but didn't work well with others. Tired of slicing, and no longer able to procure high quality kosher meats at a reasonable price, we opened a place with a more plate meal menu with choices that demonstrate the European taste for sauces and seasonings beyond salt. (In fact, we find it rather irritating when people add salt and pepper to food that's sent out perfectly seasoned.)

The original Harry & Bud's European Cuisine was located at 7th and Ohio, inside the Indiana Theater. When the theater changed ownership, we were unable to negotiate a mutually acceptable lease, so we returned to 25th Street -- off the beaten path.

In keeping with this philosophy, we don't have a sign. If the very idea of such an unbusinesslike eccentricity annoys you, don't even try to find us. If you can tolerate such aberrant behavior, instead of looking for a sign, look for a small brown building across the street from the Terre Haute Community Theatre. They don't mind if our customers park in their lot. (There's no people like show people, as the song says.) If the box office is open, why not go in and buy tickets? The production's bound to be more interesting than whatever's on television. These are real people, local folk with a creative side.

So were Harry and Bud. They were brothers who lived in Terre Haute most of their lives. Harry was only away when he did two tours of duty as a scout for Patton's Second Armored Division. He was an American hero, and an admirer of Eugene V. Debs. If that sentence causes cognitive dissonance, you probably won't like us. Harry and Bud had a little camp on the river, and they loved to fish. They were lucky to live in Terre Haute when it was a vibrant place. (Listen to "Hometown" on WFIU radio, Saturday nights at 8:00 Eastern, if you don't know about that history.)

We sometimes have NPR on in the restaurant, but mostly it's classic jazz on CDs. We're happy if you look at our maps while you listen, and there's a New York Times to read. (Please don't take it. A woman did once, and we banned her. Another group was chased down the street and asked not to ever come back because they were lousy tippers.) Our servers would prefer not to be asked, How's the ______? (Why would we put it on the menu if it weren't delicious?) or What would you suggest? (If you can't make your own decisions, seek professional counseling.) We enjoy talking about the arts, travel, education and Tibetan terriers.