Summer 2011 (Vol. 32)

SUMMER 2011 | MAY- JUNE - JULY

makin’ bacon profiles mozz |comfy cow eiderdown|hillbilly tea

PLUS 900

restaurant listings with reviews & maps

falls city beer|$10 meal challenge $ 4 . 9 9 U. S .

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Mozz Chef Matthew Antonovich’s woodroasted meatball with a San Marzano tomato sauce and house-made mozzarella.

SUMMER 2011 PUBLISHER / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JOHN CARLOS WHITE EDITOR DANA MCMAHAN BUSINESS MANAGER PAUL M. SMITH COLUMNISTS ROGER A. BAYLOR ASHLEE CLARK JAY FORMAN SCOTT HARPER ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS-AT-LARGE TIM & LORI LAIRD CONTRIBUTING WRITERS GREG GAPSIS J. CHRISTIAN WALSH KATY YOCOM CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER DAN DRY MAGAZINE DESIGN & LAYOUT JOHN CARLOS WHITE GRAPHIC DESIGN KATHY KULWICKI STEFAN TAMBURRO COPY EDITOR KATHY KULWICKI ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES ANNETTE B. WHITE DISTRIBUTION / FACT CHECKING PAUL M. SMITH IN FOND MEMORY OF OUR DEAR FRIEND DANIEL F. BOYLE

Food & Dining Magazine® is published quarterly by Louisville Dining Magazine, Inc. P.O. Box 665, Louisville KY 40201 The publisher and advertisers are not responsible or liable for misprints, typographical errors or misinformation. The opinions expressed herein are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher. +Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

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www.foodanddine.com facebook.com/foodanddine follow us on Twitter @FDzine For Advertising information call (502) 509-EATS (3287) ON THE COVER: Mozz Chef Matthew Antonovich’s wood-roasted meatball with a San Marzano tomato sauce and house-made mozzarella. (see story page 26) Photo by Dan Dry 4

Summer 2011 www.foodanddine.com

contents

SUMMER 2011 - VOLUME 32

RESTAURANT GUIDE

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DINING GUIDE Our comprehensive listing of more than 900 area restaurants complete with reviews.

MAPS (RESTAURANT LOCATOR)

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Find all of the restaurants in our Dining Guide on these user-friendly maps.

PROFILES COMFY COW: Indulgent treats in a good old-fashioned fun ice cream parlor keeps the crowds coming back for more.

MOZZ: When the freshest Italian food is made with theater

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in mind, every night’s a show.

HILLBILLY TEA: Putting an elegant twist on the tastiest of mountain fare, this downtown café surprises and pleases diners.

EIDERDOWN: Luring foodies into Germantown, Eiderdown moves the ’217 in a new direction.

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COLUMNS STARTERS

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COMINGS & GOINGS A summary of changes on the local restaurant scene, with openings, closings, moves and more.

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SIDE DISHES Noteworthy restaurant and culinary news and happenings.

HUMOR: How the other half lives Even French infants eat better than we do.

QUEST TO COOK: Makin’ Bacon

12 14 16

The gateway meat is irresistible as a do-it-yourself project.

LIQUIDS CORK 101: Rieslings Discover why you should give Riesling a chance.

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HIP HOPS: The new Falls City Beer The rise and fall — and return — of the local brew.

FOOD

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32 34 20

$10 CHALLENGE Is it possible to dine well on a shoestring budget? In Louisville, of course it is.

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FEED ME CHEF At Limestone Restaurant, Jim Gerhardt’s spontaneous five-course tasting menu gives diners the option of blissful surrender.

RECIPES EASY ENTERTAINING: Picnics

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It’s time to move your parties outside. Gear up with a planning guide to entertaining on the go — in the great outdoors. www.facebook.com/foodanddine Summer 2011

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The Legendary Paula Deen Buffet

Dig In. horseshoeindiana.com

Must be 21 years or older to gamble. Know When To Stop Before You Start.® Gambling Problem?

Call 1-800-9-WITH-IT ©2011, Caesars License Company, LLC.

starters comings & goings

comings

&

goings

The Louisville area restaurant scene racks up another positive season with a solid 30-15 winning record. In the last three months 30 new restaurants, or new outlets of existing restaurants, have opened (or will open imminently), and 15 have closed — 11 stand-alone locations, and four others with multiple branches having closed one or more, with others still serving. We have to mark that in the record books as evidence of continuing vitality in the local restaurant world.

OPENINGS Perhaps the most anticipated new restaurant is Harvest, 624 E. Market St., the venture of farmer/food activist Ivor Chodkowski into the retail restaurant business. Chodkowski and his backers have brought in Coby Ming from Wiltshire Pantry and Wiltshire on Market, and Josh Lehman from Bank Street Brewhouse to work their magic in the kitchen, with a menu they promise to be sourced as much as possible from agricultural producers within a 100-mile radius of the city. Chodkowski and his Field Day Farm have many fans who are eager to see if a locavore restaurant is possible.

Two other restaurants on the cusp of opening as the magazine goes to press have sparked much interest. Tony Palombino, mastermind behind the Tony BoomBozz pizza concept, is branching out with A.P. Crafter’s Kitchen & Bar, 1321 Herr Lane, and Mozz, 445 E. Market St., is expanding in its current building with the opening of NuLu East Market Lounge, a supper club/disco concept.

A.P. Crafter’s will be an upscale gastropub focusing on craft beers, “Prohibition-era” cocktails and sophisticated pub-grub, another destination location in the trendy Westport Village complex. NuLu East Market Lounge will play off the success of Mozz, adding an East Coast ambiance and late-night sparkle to the East Market Street revival.

Also adding to the downtown sparkle is the opening of Ghyslain on Market, 721 E. Market St., which has raised the level of lunch choices downtown with its bistro-style artisan sandwiches, soups, salads, pastries and confections.

Two new places in Crescent Hill are generating buzz.

Christopher Seckman, proprietor of the popular North End Café, is moving further out Frankfort Ave., to 3334, the former location of a Tony Boombozz takeout, to develop Bluegrass Burgers, a gourmet top-your-own-burger-at-the-condiment-bar concept.

The ground floor of the Burdorf building at 3939 Shelbyville Rd. houses Drake’s, an extension of Lexington’s Bluegrass Hospitality Group (Malone’s, Sal’s Chophouse) to the Louisville area. Drake’s intends to be a family-friendly restaurant by day and a lively bar and hangout place by night.

Back in the Highlands, the former location of Caspian Grill, 1416 Bardstown Rd., is now Highland Morning, providing breakfast all day long, open 24/7 and serving a lunch and dinner menu too.

For those wandering around the Lower Highlands, and in need of a hot dog or ice cream cone for lunch or as a post-midnight pickme-up, the walk-up wiener window at 960 Baxter Ave. is now Hot Diggity Dog, serving til 5 a.m.

In a funkier area near downtown, Preston Street Fish & Chicken offers what its name promises at the corner location that used to be Omar’s at 1272 S. Preston Street. At 801 E. Market in Jeffersonville, 8

Summer 2011 www.foodanddine.com

Ind., Cheezy’s Pizza, run by Tubby Muncy of Tubby’s Pizza fame, will be serving up what its name suggests. And at Bowman’s BBQ, out on 8271 State Road 64 in Georgetown, Ind., you can get pork, ribs and chicken, smoked fresh every day, take-out only.

The other big restaurant story is the continued growth of ethnic eateries all around town. Nine new such restaurants are now serving Middle Eastern, Asian, Cuban, Caribbean and African dishes to an eager-to-sample public.

Maa Sha Allah, 4113 Bardstown Rd., is run by a couple from Senegal and Sierra Leone, serving food of West Africa. Downtown the Addis Grill, 109 S. Fourth St., offers Ethiopian and Middle Eastern fare. Two new Cuban/Caribbean outlets have opened, Cuban Flavor, 5700 Outer Loop in Okolona, and La Esquina Caliente at 5318 S. Third St., which is a bakery as well as a lunch spot.

The tiny location at 318 Wallace Ave. is now NamNam Café, a place to find the popular Vietnamese/French hybrid sandwich, banh mi, as well as hearty noodle dishes. InFusion Foods USA, 815 Blankenbaker Pkwy., a lunch counter in a gas station, serves up things like chicken tikka pizza and a paneer sub sandwich.

Out on 4100 Preston Hwy., Mirage Mediterranean Restaurant has opened, much to the delight of the fans of the owner’s former business, Little Jerusalem. At 6501 Bardstown Rd., T Bone’z, at a one-time Buffalo Wings & Rings site, is serving a version of a southwest Tex/Mex menu. And across the river in Clarksville, at 1015 Eastern Blvd., Boulevard Café is a new Mexican restaurant, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Ten new outlets of existing restaurants attest to enough success to engender optimistic ambition. Apparently, the public’s need for coffee is not yet assuaged. Java Brewing has opened another place at 1707 Bardstown Rd., and Heine Brothers has added two new outlets to their local empire, at 1301 Herr Lane, in Westport Village, and one underway at 822 Eastern Pkwy.

Hoosiers’ taste for chicken, too, seems to need more satisfying.

Roosters has opened a new location in Clarksville, at 1601 Greentree Blvd., and Clucker’s is already expanding in Jeffersonville, at 100 W. Riverside Dr. Chuy’s, too, new to the area for less than a year, is opening a second outlet, in Clarksville at 1440 Veteran’s Pkwy. The reinvigorated Spinelli’s Pizzeria has opened another pizzeria downtown at 239 S. Fifth Street. Old Chicago Pizza is expanding as well, with another outlet at 1061 Fisher Park Dr. There will be more choices in steakhouses too. Logan’s Roadhouse has a new location at 1540 Alliant Drive. And Cast Iron Steakhouse, just a few months old at the old Rocky’s Sub Pub spot on the river in Jeffersonville, has taken over the old Chick Inn

building on the Louisville side of the river, at 6325 River Rd., for its second spot.

CLOSINGS No top-tier, white tablecloth restaurant found it necessary to pack up its troubles this quarter, which is always heartening news to the larger food picture in the area. But a couple of long-standing favorites have found that it was time for them to move on.

Vince Staten’s Old Time Barbecue, 13306 W. U.S. 42, which had been dishing up crowdpleasing ’cue for many years, closed abruptly.

Stan’s Fish Sandwich, 3723 Lexington Rd., on the other hand, is giving fans plenty of notice, with a count-down sign ticking off the days until Stan and Lelia Gentle retire from the fish biz for good, on May 28, and devote their time to their Dreamcatcher Farm.

A couple of other long-time restaurateurs have called it a day. Tommy Lancaster’s, 1629 E. Market St., has closed the restaurant side of the business, though the catering arm is still operating. The Sweet Tooth, 3110 Frankfort Ave., has closed; owner Sara Woodford says she has had a good run, and has enjoyed being in business for herself, but it is time for her to travel new roads.

On Bardstown Rd., Caspian Grill closed its space at 1416 to be quickly taken over by Highland Morning. Istanbul Café, 1511 Bardstown Rd., closed, its owner concentrating on the Istanbul Palace on Goose Creek Rd. Captain Pepper Jack’s Aero Bistro, 2810 Taylorsville Rd., decided it was not making a go of it, and closed, as did ET’s Memphis BBQ, 201 Spring St., Jeffersonville, Ind. The Chili Pot, 8118 Preston Hwy., is now shuttered, Pizza By The Guy, 814 Lyndon Lane, has called it quits, and Sonny’s Island Grill & Bamboo Lounge, 100 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville, packed it in, and that space was quickly taken over by Cluckers.

The popular bagelteria, Dooley’s, closed the store at 980 Breckenridge Ln., leaving just the single location on Lime Kiln still serving.

After a stab at expanding in Louisville (5612 Bardstown Rd.) and across the river in Jeffersonville (2835 Holmans Ln.), Our Best Restaurant has contracted back to just one Louisville location, at 5404 Antle Dr. TGIF said “Thank you very much, but goodbye” to its Linn Station Road outlet, leaving just the one downtown at Fourth Street Live in the area. The Buffalo Wings & Rings at 6501 Bardstown Rd. has been converted in T-Bone’z, serving a Tex/Mex menu, but the owner still runs the BW&R franchise at 2610 Chamberlain Ln. F&D 10 Summer 2011 www.foodanddine.com

www.facebook.com/foodanddine Summer 2011

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starters side dishes

side Awards & Honors Louisville area chefs continue to represent in the James Beard Foundation Awards for Best Chef, Southeast. Anthony Lamas of Seviche, Edward Lee of 610 Magnolia and Ouita Michel from Holly Hill Inn in Midway were named semifinalists in the 2011 awards, with Lee making it to the final six. Julian Van Winkle III of Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery was nominated for the Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professional Award.

As all eyes turn to Louisville ahead of Derby, The New York Times profiled our city in their 36 Hours column, highlighting several local establishments. Holy Grale, Jack Fry’s, Zanzabar, Hillbilly Tea, Wagner’s Pharmacy, Doc Crow’s, The Old Seelbach Bar and Heine Brothers’ Coffee all got nods. Louisville was also recognized in Imbibe magazine when they featured a few local favorites in their roundup of 100 Best Places to Drink in the South.

Included in the list: 732 Social, Baxter Station, Bourbon’s Bistro, Jockey Silks, Joe’s Older Than Dirt, The Old Seelbach Bar, Sergio’s World Beers, The Village Anchor and Quills.

Seviche’s Anthony Lamas will take the stage at the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s 2011 Cooking for Solutions Celebration, cooking with other top chefs from across the country. In recognition of his effor ts to suppor t the sustainable seafood movement, he will receive the Seafood Ambassador award while back in his home state of California.

Bourbon Barrel Foods got some love from the TV show “Every Day with Rachael Ray,” when the perky host featured Bourbon Smoked Sugar in April. Speaking of Bourbon, “The Kentucky Bourbon Cookbook” by Albert W.A. Schmid brought home from Paris the Gourmand International award for the Wine Category: Best Cooking with Drinks Book.

Moves & Changes Chef Coby Ming left Wiltshire on Market, moving just a bit up the street, for the new Ivor Chodkowski farm-to-table restaurant Harvest, where she will be executive chef. Casey Broussard, is stepping up into the executive chef position at Wiltshire, where he has been chef de cuisine for the last two years. Joining Ming is Josh Lehman, who left his executive chef position at Bank Street Brewhouse in New Albany to cook at Harvest. Taking the reins at Bank Street is former sous-chef there, Matt Weirich, who will be maintaining the popular menu, as he explores some new ways to incorporate New Albanian beers into his dishes. Over in New Albany, NA Exchange chef Dave Clancy is adding a second job to his roster — he’s chef at the newly re-opened Westport General Store, which is open for dinner only, Thursday through Saturday.

Clancy is rolling out new menus at both places.

Foodie Shoppers Take Note After months of speculation, Trader Joe’s fans are jubilant to hear that the California-based retailer will indeed open a Louisville location, at Shelbyville Road Plaza in St. Matthews.The store attracts 12 Summer 2011 www.foodanddine.com

dishes a cult-like following of shoppers who go for the “Two-BuckChuck” and a carefully curated selection of organic, gourmet and environmentally friendly products. Perhaps this will soothe the disappointment for Creation Gardens customers, who can no longer shop the store — at least not in a physical space. However online ordering will offer the public the same products available to local restaurants.

Getting into the wholesale produce game is Dean Corbett, who began supplying local restaurants with fresh fruits and veggies in April. Chefs seem pleased to buy their goods from a fellow chef, and Corbett hopes to connect farmers with restaurants, easing the transition from farm to table. Home cooks can get their produce and then some from a new delivery service coming to town. Green B.E.A.N., a CSA-like grocery delivery service will offer goods from local farms and food providers. Foxhollow Farm, Capriole, Bourbon Barrel Foods and Red Hot Roasters are among the local purveyors of tastiness that customers can receive in their deliveries, which start at $35 an order.

Other News Still Kicking Rumors of Jessie’s Family Restaurant’s demise were just that.

Sometimes a disconnected phone is just a disconnected phone.

Jessie’s is still open, despite our report in the spring issue of their departure. Folks, we’re really sorry for getting this wrong, and for any distress we may have caused.

Happy Birthday Hard to believe they’re still a relative newcomer with all the attention they’ve received, but The Blind Pig recently turned one year old. Wiltshire on Market celebrated their second anniversary with an Italian wine dinner. Downtown classic Vincenzo’s marks 25 years with several events in the works including special discounts and a fund-raising dinner later this year for the Dream Factory.

And still satisfying cravings after 85 years is the Hot Brown. English Grill chef Laurent Geroli is concocting 85 variations of the comfort dish this year.

Because we just can’t stop talking about Bourbon A new small batch artisan Bourbon, Angel’s Envy, was launched this spring by the new Louisville Distilling Co. This “super-premium” Bourbon brought to us by Master Distiller Lincoln Henderson is bottled in Italian perfume-grade glass, ceramic stamped with wings, and hand-filled, corked and crated right here in Louisville.

KitchenAid is Coming to Town The party doesn’t end with Derby this spring — the PGA is coming to town, and they’re bringing sponsor KitchenAid with them. You know what that means! Whether you’re a die-hard golf fan or not, there’s some foodie fun to be had out at Valhalla during the championship held there May 24-29. Picture a huge kitchen on

one of the holes and another in the clubhouse. KitchenAid is hosting celebrity chef appearances with cooking and product demos that you won’t want to miss. Chefs Duff Goldman (the “Ace of Cakes”), legendary French chef Jacques Pepin and Michael Symon, the James Beard award-winning chef often seen on the Food Network, are joined by our very own Bluegrass chefs Rod Jones of Rodney’s on Broadway in Georgetown, Matthew Antonovich of Mozz, Jeremy Ashby of Azur in Lexington and Anthony Lamas of Seviche. More still will be announced. Get more details at www.facebook.com/2011seniorpga.

What’s more, before the games one very lucky person will win a “KitchenAid® Dream Kitchen by Lowe’s®” in a sweepstakes. The grand prize winner gets one heck of a shopping spree, picking out $15,000 worth of KitchenAid appliances and lots of other goodies to outfit their ultimate kitchen. Other prizes will make you the envy of your friends too. Sign up

by May 9 at www.kitchenaidsweeps.com.

Get Your Daily Fix of F&D Have you “liked” us at facebook.com/ FoodandDine and followed us at twitter.com/ FDzine yet? If so, you were the first to get the scoop on news like Hillbilly Tea’s Karter Louis’ plans for a new restaurant. We dish daily on Louisville’s restaurant scene with notices of specials, menu changes and happy hours; post links to recipes and interesting articles for food-lovers; and share live from foodie events like the Bacon Ball. We’ll point you to our latest issue too, but it’s not all F&D all the time — it’s cool food news that you’ll want to see. If you love to dine out or are learning how to make the most of your own kitchen, let us hear from you — we want to know about your discoveries and share them with the rest of our community.

And if you run a restaurant be sure to email us at info@foodanddine.com or post your announcements on our Facebook page so we can get the word out about the latest and greatest new thing you have going on.

89&7+.7*).

Super Subscriptions Deal Back by popular demand — now when you subscribe to F&D for a year at $18, you get an $18 gift certificate to a popular local restaurant. An even better deal — subscribe for two years at $26 and receive $36 in restaurant gift certificates. You can subscribe online at foodanddine.com or call (502) 509-EATS (3287). F&D www.facebook.com/foodanddine Summer 2011 13

humor

BY JAY FOREMAN

How the Other Half Lives I recently returned from a two week vacation in France. As I expected, I was blown away by the food. What I did not expect was just where this blowout would actually occur. Was it at Senderens, the scintillating reimagining of the former Lucas Carton that famously refused its Michelin stars while singlehandedly revitalizing nouvelle cuisine? Nope. Was it at Laduree, the jewel-box pastr y Mecca whose skill with almond flour and egg whites launched a global macaron craze? Uh uh. Was it at, um, the French equivalent of a Walmart Supercenter? Yes.

S

Specifically, it was at a Carrefour in the Dordogne Valley. My wife and I stopped by one on our way to our rental house in Lanquais, a two hour drive from Bordeaux. Already running late to pick up the keys, we needed to quickly stock up on some essentials for the flat. We figured on buying sundries, like bottled water and detergent and maybe some snacks for our car ride. Also we needed some food for Milly, our ten-monthold daughter. We’d be in-andout, lickety-split. Just like that.

How little did I under stand.

Presumptively, I expected this big box store to be like American big box stores. After all, it looked like, well, a big box, a charmless monolith sur rounded by a sea of parking.

Just like at home. But the exterior is where the resemblance ended.

Charles de Gaulle, in his role as the first president of France’s Fifth Republic following World War II, once famously wondered, “How can you govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese?” I don’t know the answer to that (if I did, I might have averted the strikes which plagued our trip) but I do believe that all the aforementioned cheeses were represented in the Goliath bins of this Carrefour.

At home, a big box grocery might have a dozen or so selections, even including the size 10 cans of fallout shelter-ready “nacho cheese.” What they won’t have is disks of creamy blue 14 Summer 2011 www.foodanddine.com

Fourme d’Ambert and pucks of cabécou, the renowned, regionally-specific goat cheese. And what they especially won’t have is a ginormous selection of appellation-controlled Perigord foie gras and other hunks of duck-related deliciousness.

Stacked on tiered shelves much like those on which we gauche Americans jumble our selection of Oscar-Meyer mystery meats, were whole lobes of fresh foie gras, duck confit embedded in clouds of creamy white duck fat, luscious and spreadable duck rillette, and garnet-red duck prosciutto. Clearly the Perigord was not a safe place to be a duck, but it was a fantastic place for me to be, and I whipped out my cell phone to snap photos of the amazing selection of delicacies. This is when a butcher ran out from behind the meat counter and demanded to know just what the hell I thought I was doing.

I began explaining to him, excitedly, that Walmart Supercenters in America did not offer such a fine array of cheeses and ducks, wondering how I could effectively convey this senti ment, but once he determined that I was a clueless American and not the competition from whatever the French version of Super-Target was checking prices, he left me alone in my awe.

Still, as exciting as all this was (clearly, I get excited about odd things) the event that crystallized the difference between our two countries occurred in the baby food aisle. My daughter, by and

large (and up until this trip, anyway), simply ate Gerber. A “Fruit” in the morning and a “Vegetable” for lunch and dinner, along with some cereal on the side, was her routine. Gerber puts names on the sides of the food containers of course, but they read more like vague after thoughts more than concrete descriptions (Vegetable Medley, anyone?) and a parent can just as easily identify the product by the color of the goo inside than by anything written on the label. Green = Peas and Orange = Carrots, for example.

Imagine my shock when I was confronted by Blédina, Gerber’s French competition. Apples n’ Prunes? Nope. Try Salmon with Parsley in Cream Sauce. I looked around some more. Beef Ratatouille, Chicken and Vegetables Provencal, and Legumes Varies, Petite Pates and Veau.

That’s right — Veau. Frikken’ veal in the baby food. This upset me, not from an animal rights perspective, but from that of a culinarily negligent parent. I realized right there that while it was bad enough that I didn’t even really know what I was feeding our baby, I now knew it was clearly inferior to what French people were feeding theirs. I’ve seen restaurants stateside whose menus pale in comparison to Blédina’s 6-9 Month Infant Variety packs. It is no wonder that the French regard American dining habits with pity and disdain. After looking at what they spoon into their toddlers, it is now clear that my child’s diet will be one gigantic pre-determined descent into double servings of Queso con Queso with McRib Sliders on the side.

Convinced now that Carrefour’s grocery department made Whole Foods look like the afterthought of an inner-city CVS’s cooler case, we meekly purchased our items (which had ballooned into about 100 euros worth of impulse buys) and headed back to the car. It was weird.

Here we were thinking that we’d be shopping the picturesque village markets for the best and freshest of France, but clearly we could be just as happy going to the big box just off the highway interchange. In this way, though, it dawned on me that France has become a bit more like America. This cheered me up slightly, and I looked around me for the French equivalent of a Best Buy, as I’d forgotten all my CDs back at home. F&D www.facebook.com/foodanddine Summer 2011 15

quest to cook bacon

BY DANA MCMAHAN | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

Quest to Cook - Bacon Bacon is the gateway meat. Cliché though it may be, there’s reason aplenty it’s so often the siren call of crisp, fragrant, oh-so-fatty bacon that lures vegetarians into an omnivorous lifestyle.

When I decided after nine years of abstaining from meat to reintroduce it into my diet, I began with bacon. The bacon from the fat, happy pigs of Fiedler Family Farms, to be exact. I hovered hesitantly at Jim Fiedler’s Bardstown Road Farmer’s Market stand, alternating between feeling like an impostor and fearing someone would see me and ask me to explain precisely what I was doing with the guy selling the lard and bacon and pork chops.

The smell of that bacon sizzling and popping as I cooked it later drove my dogs into paroxysms of joy — they’d never known this aroma. I felt much like them, my mouth watering as I sat down to my first plate of biscuits and gravy with bacon in nearly a decade.

I was immediately re-addicted. My family tells me that as a child I’d greedily scoop the room-temperature bacon grease off the plate of leftover breakfast bacon. Well, yeah! I’d eat bacon in any way, shape or form now too. Jim’s heritage pigs, he tells me with pride, sport three inches of fat — triple that of hogs bred for leanness these days. I relearned the delights of cooking in bacon grease with this bounty — greens, eggs, potatoes — anything you can cook with oil or butter may be better with bacon grease.

As part of my quest to live as a mindful omnivore, I spent a weekend at Jim’s Indiana farm where I saw just how good his pigs had it.

Room to roam, mud to wallow in, and all the food nature intended makes for a good life until, well, until it’s over.

The visit didn’t quell my internal conflict about eating animals, but did leave me determined to continue to seek out meat from producers who care about their craft.

16 Summer 2011 www.foodanddine.com

So when I learned that the folks behind Blue Dog Bakery (or heaven on earth, as I think of it) were raising heritage pigs for their charcuterie I was immediately intrigued. The best bread in the world meets house-cured bacon from happy pigs? It just doesn’t get any better than that.

I took a trip out to Oxmoor Farm where Blue Dog owners Bob Hancock and Kit Garrett raise pigs for the bakery. This urban farm sandwiched between a busy interstate and a golf course is home to Virgil, Ophelia, Pearl and Delilah, the pigs Bob breeds to produce a Red Wattle and Duroc blend. Five young pigs make up the herd. As the pigs rooted around for food, Virgil trying to snare the momma pigs’ por tion, Bob showed me which par ts are bound for their Red Hog Tapas menu (nearly all of them — even the heads go into a salami).

Bob grew up in a family that farmed the industrial way, with confined animal feeding operations. But this is

bacon. Looked liked bacon. But what would happen when we sliced into it? I could have done a little dance; as we shaved it, perfect, creamy, fatty slices of bacon fell away. I had made bacon!

Now the true test — to cook it. Kit slid a pan of it into their famous wood-fired oven and I hovered nearby, waiting to see what would emerge.

She pulled the pan from the oven a few minutes later. I snatched a curled slice of the crisp, brown, bacon and popped it into my mouth before she could finish her warning that they would be really hot coming out of the oven. That particular

thought: cure a pork belly in a salt and sugar mix, continue to dry it, and smoke it. Surely it couldn’t be that easy, I thought.

Following Bob’s instructions to the letter, I embarked on my great bacon-making experiment with a pork belly from Fiedler Family Farms. I delighted in working into conversations the fact that at this very moment I am making bacon. I smiled a little every time I opened the refrigerator and saw my bacon underway.

And sure enough, after curing my pork belly in the fridge, sitting it at room temperature for a day, and smoking it for a couple of hours, I had honest-to-goodness bacon. I toted my foilwrapped packet of goodness to Blue Dog where I’d make the ultimate dream combination — pizza with Blue Dog bread, topped with my home-cured (dare I say artisanal?) bacon.

I presented my packet to Kit for inspection. It smelled like

sublime joy that is crisp-roasted fat melted in my mouth as I crunched the smoky, salty, hot meat. I grinned widely. Mouth still full, I proclaimed to everyone in earshot, “I. Made. BACON!” I couldn’t stop eating it, though I paused to share with those in the kitchen. With each bite I marveled that I’d made this. I couldn’t wait to tell Bob when he arrived from feeding his pigs. He examined the bacon and tasted a bite. You can’t fake liking bacon.

And he liked it. That was the icing on my bacon cake. I didn’t think things could get any better until I tasted the pizza Kit had created with my bacon.

A simple but exquisite dish beginning with a Blue Dog dough, the bacon and egg pizza combined the ethereal goodness of their bread with glorious melted cheese, the snap of red pepper flakes, and tender poached eggs spilling their golden joy. A shower of

Dana’s hair and makeup by Connie Donnely/Hair Strobel

not his way. He devoured books, sought out experts, and became consumed with learning how to raise pigs sustainably and to create the finest charcuterie. He and Kit traveled to Spain where he learned on a family farm how the famed Spanish hams are produced. Bob returned earlier this year when the family invited him to take part in the traditional celebration around a slaughter.

And luckily for me, Bob generously shared his knowledge, imparting his technique for making bacon. I scribbled hasty notes about the process that he’d honed, gleeful at the thought of making my very own bacon. It was far simpler than I’d have

www.facebook.com/foodanddine Summer 2011 17

quest to cook bacon

BY DANA MCMAHAN | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

fresh arugula added some bite, and crowning it all, the smoky, salty goodness of my bacon.

I spend perhaps an inordinate amount of time pondering what my last meal on earth would be, should I have the option to choose it. With my first bite, that pizza rocketed to the top of my list. Without the bacon it would still surely be good. But the magic ingredient, as it will always be in my book, was the bacon.

B a c o n M a k i n’ First, procure a pork belly. Check with your favorite source for local meat — I recommend Fiedler Family Farms at Bardstown Road Farmer’s Market.

It will likely be frozen, so let it thaw in the refrigerator for a day or two, until it’s soft.

Weigh the belly. Measure 15 grams of Kosher or sea salt and 7.5 grams of sugar for each pound the belly weighs. (This doesn’t look like much, but it’s important to use this precise amount, even if you have to borrow a digital scale. Better yet, buy one if you plan on making much bacon.) Run the salt and sugar through a food processor until it’s very fine.

Remove the skin of the belly with a sharp knife. (I made cracklings with the skin from mine; just cut the skin into squares, drop it into a hot skillet and the skin will cook as the fat renders.)

Rub the majority of salt and sugar mixture into the fatty side of the belly, then flip it carefully so the glaze doesn’t come off, and rub the rest into the other side. You can also add pepper at this stage if you like.

Rig up a rack over a receptacle so that you can lay the belly on a surface where moisture can drip away. It’s important to not let it sit in its brine. It will lose a lot of moisture in the process. Place it in the refrigerator for five days.

Rinse the salt from the belly and pat it dry. Place it back in the refrigerator for seven to 10 days.

Remove from the refrigerator and leave at room temperature for 12-24 hours. At the same time, soak about four cups of wood chips in water (we used hickory; it would be fun to experiment with other varieties).

To smoke the belly: Heat a charcoal grill until the coals are red hot. When the coals die down, use a poker to push them over to one side.

Place wood chips into aluminum foil pouches and poke lots of holes into the foil. Place packets on the coals.

Put the belly on the opposite side of the grill as the coals, elevated as high as you can get it (the idea is to keep it far from the heat so you smoke it, not cook it).

Tilt the lid so that smoke will surround the belly but not cook it. Check it every few minutes and remove the lid to let the heat escape.

Smoke it for an hour and a half to two hours, then remove the lid and let it smoke another half hour or so, depending on how smoky you like your bacon.

Remove from heat and when it cools, slice with a sharp knife. You made bacon! Cook and enjoy. F&D

18 Summer 2011 www.foodanddine.com

Pizza Recipe Note: If you don’t want to prepare your own pizza dough, Lotsa Pasta sells very good pizza doughs. One package will make two pizzas, or three if you like a thin crust.

(SERVES 2 TO 3) 1

/2 6 3 2

One homemade pizza dough tsp red pepper flakes ounces combination of fresh mozzarella and regular mozzarella and/or provolone slices cooked bacon, crumbled eggs Handful arugula Shaved Parmesan for topping Good olive oil for brushing

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring pan of water just to a simmer. Roll out pizza dough, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with red pepper flakes. Add cheese and bacon. Bake until crust is crisp and lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile poach two eggs.

Remove pizza from oven. Top with eggs, Parmesan and arugula.

Bacon, egg and arugula pizza from Red Hog Tapas

about food $10 challenge

BY ASHLEE CLARK | PHOTOGRAPH BY DAN DRY

$10 Challenge –The Grape Leaf

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Good food shouldn’t be a luxury. In this column, I set out to prove that it is possible to eat a high-quality, low-cost meal within Louisville’s diverse and expanding food scene. My goal is to find a meal at a local restaurant that costs $10 or less (excluding the tip), an ideal limit for those of us who are cash-strapped but have a hard time sacrificing a nice meal outside of the house. Visit www.facebook.com/FoodandDine to leave suggestions for future columns.

Stuffing my mouth with slices of lamb meat slathered with tzatziki sauce is the closest I’ve ever come to a trip to the Mediterranean.

But an afternoon eating at The Grape Leaf was a wonderful way to get a taste of a more exotic locale while my wallet keeps me grounded in Louisville.

This pan-Mediterranean restaurant recognizes that good, international food shouldn’t be limited to the people riding out the recession on a stable income stream. Forget assembling a meal of appetizers — The Grape Leaf ’s menu offers a wide variety of entrées with prices that appeal to all budgets.

The Grape Leaf, which is located in the thriving food corridor of Frankfort Avenue, specializes in cuisine that samples from the entire Mediterranean region. This broad category translates into a menu that travels from Spain to Greece with stops in the Middle East and northern Africa and everywhere in between. The restaurant celebrates each culture within this large geographical area without simplifying dishes to please a fearful customer. The Grape Leaf successfully marries very different dishes such as burritos, couscous and moussaka onto one menu that offers customers a great variety while retaining the flavors that make the region great.

I got a taste of what The Grape Leaf had to offer as soon as I stepped through the entryway. I was greeted with the trickle of a small water feature, colorful wall hangings that cover more unsightly features like a circuit box, and natural light beaming in from skylights. On nicer days, a patio welcomes those who are especially in need of an escape. The atmosphere put me at ease and prepared me to enjoy a carefree meal.

I was surprised to see that The Grape Leaf ’s extensive menu covers an entire day’s worth of meals. I never realized that there is joy to be found in Mediterranean breakfast and brunch selections, such as the toasted Brie with honey, butter and nuts ($3.95), a spinach Parmesan frittata with fresh mozzarella ($9.95), or a lamb sausage biscuit with eggs ($6.95). I’m already making future plans to order one of these dishes and a frozen pomegranate mint lemonade ($3.95 for a small) for a future brunch treat to myself.

The restaurant also opens its arms to vegetarians and children alike with special menus to accommodate both audiences. Vegetarians can look beyond the salad menu and select from options such as majudra, a dish of lentils, rice, onion and spices ($8.75) or samosa, pastry filled with potatoes and vegetables ($10.95). And

Grape Leaf ’s beef and lamb gyro with rice, lentils and a Mediterranean salad 20 Summer 2011 www.foodanddine.com

children can get a taste of the Mediterranean (falafel over rice, $5.25) without straying too far from their comfort zones (pizza, $5.25).

The dinner and signature specials menus appeal to hearty appetites. These groups of entrĂŠes include options such as shrimp and scallops ($18.95) and a shawarma sandwich with a choice of meat and tahini ($12.75). But larger dinner portions translate to more expensive dishes that range from $9.95 for a falafel to $24.95 for a rack of lamb.

I assume these are reasonable prices for such cuisine, but as a budget-conscious eater, I discovered that the best deals come from the vegetarian and non-vegetarian lunch menus.

Prices for lunch entrĂŠes, which are available from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, start at $8.75.

And each selection comes with a side of rice and the choice of a salad or soup, which makes the meal even more cost effective and filling. Sandwiches, wraps and kabobs are dominant on the lunch menu, but are offered in large enough sizes to easily quell midday hunger. Most choices hover near the $10 mark.

On a recent Saturday, I slid into the restaurant a half hour before lunch was scheduled to end. The lull between the lunch and dinner rush was an inadvertently great time to visit The Grape Leaf – I made it in time for the midday specials and was seated immediately at a table near a window.

After studying the menu, I selected the lamb and beef gyro ($9.95), the only meat lunch entrĂŠe less than $10, with the Mediterranean house salad and a side of rice with lentils.

During the short wait for my salad, a waiter brought the check to an adjacent table of about eight people.The youngest eater of the group – a girl no older than 12 – turned to the waiter and said, “Thank you very much. Your food was delicious.� Not an easy compliment to elicit from a tween, so I knew the food was going to be fantastic.

I later echoed the girl’s compliment to my own waitress. The salad arrived coated with herb vinaigrette that covered each ingredient without drenching the entire plate in a soggy mess. The organic greens were crisp and cool. The chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and fruit were fresh and complemented by the salty crunch of the almond garnish. A lonely red grape perched atop the salad was probably just for decoration, but more grapes sprinkled throughout would have been fantastic.

The gyro arrived wrapped in paper and partially open to expose the layers of beef and lamb stacked atop soft, doughy pita bread that held up well under the weight of its contents. The meat was sliced thin, but piled thick for a very hearty portion. It was a bit dry, but the slightly spicy flavor easily silenced any complaint I might have made. A huge dollop of cool, yogurt-based tzatziki sauce rested atop the sandwich and helped balance the savory meat. A colorful mix of chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce added a little crunch to the gyro. I’m a sucker for a variety of textures wrapped in one dish, and this combination of vegetables, meat, bread and sauce was well-balanced in my book.

The large scoop of lentils and rice that accompanied the gyro had a nutty flavor that was both savory and sweet with hints of cinnamon. The side dish was so good that I could see myself ordering a larger portion of this dish and eating it on its own (with a side of doughy pita, of course).

My stomach was too full from my lunch to even consider taking the waitress up on her offer of dessert. Maybe on another visit, I’ll have some walnut baklava ($2.95) and a cup of Turkish coffee ($2.95 for a cup).

My travel experiences are limited, but the plates of food coming from The Grape Leaf ’s kitchen take me to another place without worrying about stretching my already thin budget. This is the type of place with a menu so extensive that before my check arrived, I began to plot what I would order on my next visit. What a cheap way to explore the world!

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The Bottom Line: Beef and lamb gyro lunch entrĂŠe: $9.95 (EntrĂŠe included a Mediterranean salad and a side order of rice and lentils.)

Water: $0 Total (after tax, before tip): $10.55 My lunch exceeded my $10 budget by 55 cents, but the generous portion sizes and addition of a salad and side dish were worth the extra change.

THE GRAPE LEAF

| 2217 FRANKFORT AVENUE | (502) 897-1774 www.facebook.com/foodanddine Summer 2011 21

people and places profiles

BY GREG GAPSIS | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

Ice Cream

I

Ice cream is a simple thing — dairy, flavorings and ice-cold temperatures — that allows for a nearly infinite variety of creations. And everyone has a favorite. Americans have been hooked on ice cream since even before Nancy Johnson patented the first hand-cranked freezer in 1843.

George Washington and Benjamin Franklin were fans. Thomas Jefferson took pride in his recipes. And Dolley Madison had it served at her husband James’ 1813 Inaugural Ball.

Whether scooped into a dish, sodas, cones, indulgent sundaes (yes, the banana split was invented in 1904 in Latrobe, Penn.), or made into sandwiches, pies and cakes, treats on a stick, or a bowl of globules flash frozen with liquid nitrogen, Americans have long been drawn to, enthralled by and devoted to ice cream.

Two Louisvillians,Tim and Roy Koons-McGee, are tapping into this American love affair and celebrating it with panache and humor at The Comfy Cow in the Westport Village shopping center, 1301 Herr Lane. [(502) 425-4979, www.thecomfycow.com] “We’ve always loved ice cream and were looking for a business where we could work together,” said Tim Koons-McGee. “When a friend challenged us that there weren’t any great ice cream shops in town, we started doing our homework.”

The pair (who married in Quebec in 2009 and hyphenated their last names) began researching exceptional ice cream shops as far away as Florida and in cities around Louisville — St. Louis, Cincinnati, Columbus, Nashville.

Roy (left) and Tim Koons-McGee

The Comfy Cow “We wanted a cool place, something that is more than coming in to grab a cone, but a place to hang out,” Roy said, with Tim adding, “We tried to take the best out of each and create a place you’ll come to when friends visit from out of town.”

Roy went off to train in ice cream-making at the University of Wisconsin. They joined the National Ice Cream Retailers Association and went to Gainesville, to bone up on the latest marketing research at the University of Florida.

“We move fast,” Roy said. “We got married in seven months.

The store took us about a year.”

THE SHOP The Comfy Cow’s front window displays a saying that definitely appeals to children (and to the child in every adult), “Tomorrow we can eat broccoli but today is for ice cream.”

22 Summer 2011 www.foodanddine.com

425-4979 1301 Herr Lane

(502)

Inside, there’s beadboard wainscoting, a pressed tin ceiling, small booths made from old wooden church pews, chrome-banded diner stools and a wall dotted with old record album jackets from the 70s and 80s. An eclectic mix of light fixtures includes suspended milk bottles above the serving area. Behind the display cases and counter there’s a long blackboard with colored chalk menu, shelves full of glassware and a gleaming serving station with pumps for different syrups, sunken bins with lids containing toppings, nuts, fruits and marshmallow cream, and “soda” nozzles with swan-like, black curved heads.

“That’s a restored Bastian-Blessing back bar that dates back to 1942,” said Roy. It’s not exactly Mayberry, but the hints are there, suggesting a time before soft-serve ice cream (invented to churn air into the mix, thus reducing its costs) and dairy bar chains spread across newly suburbanizing America.

Black raspberry chip in a chocolate-dipped-withsprinkles waffle cone and a lemon pistachio crunch in a chocolate-dipped waffle cone with peanuts.

Then the soda fountain and small-batch ice cream ruled.

While nostalgia may be part of the picture, it is the quality associated with that era which is really being offered, getting back to the basics and away from industrial products full of extenders, fillers and stabilizers.

“We make our own syrup with high-end cocoa, get our black raspberries from Michigan, pistachios from Arizona and pecans from Georgia,” said Tim. “Not only do we make from scratch all our baked goods but we make our own marshmallows and the Bourbon balls which go into the ice cream.”

Underpinning the more than two-dozen signature ice creams created at The Comfy Cow is a devotion to quality.

“Consistency is key. Once you have created a flavor, you have to get it to repeat perfectly,” said Roy. “We taste the mix. Check it again when it comes out of the batch freezer. And 24 hours later, after it has been at 30 below in the blast freezer, we recheck the taste again.”

They are whimsical artists who love variety and giving funny names to their creations. Banana Nana Fofana, Chocolate ‘Chip Off the Old Block,’ Minty Chocolate Chippy, ‘Cookie Monster’ Dough and ‘Strawberry’ Fields Forever are some of the signature flavors that resonate off old songs, idioms or children’s TV characters.

They unabashedly assert, “adding and changing flavors … that’s the fun of making ice cream!” But they guarantee to always have on hand 14 signature flavors, including the above, while new creations are commonly on the menu.

Sodas, malts, sundaes, sandwiches, pies and bonbons round out the ice cream offerings and these are complemented by high-quality brownies, squares, bars and tarts coming from the oven.

“We’re proud of our product and want you to choose something you will really enjoy,” Roy said. “We want you to sample and to really like what you pick.”

Clearly devotees of the notion that good things are worth doing in a grand fashion, The Comfy Cow offers more than a dozen sundaes constructed to satisfy a particular yearning and put 24 Summer 2011 www.foodanddine.com

a smile on your face. Just the description of one, “A Monkey’s Delight” should indicate what’s going on: Our signature ‘Strawberry’ Fields Forever, Chocolate and Vanilla ice creams loaded with homemade strawberry, marshmallow and chocolate toppings, covered with thick, rich whipped cream, chopped peanuts and maraschino cherries … All this nestled within a large, ripe banana.

Other creations feature peanut butter ice cream and fudge brownie (The Rin Tin Tim), vanilla with cinnamon apple and caramel toppings (The Little Apple Andy), butter pecan with butterscotch, pecans and marshmallow (Nancy’s Nutty Parfait), and coffee ice cream with ground chocolate-covered espresso beans, shaved dark chocolate and whipped cream (The Buzzzzz).

Groups can even make a party by sharing the gigantic, signature “Comfy Cow” sundae which includes 15 scoops of ice cream (five pounds!) served with whipped cream, maraschino cherries, chopped nuts and four sidecars of sauces and toppings, plus all the spoons you want.

A SOCIAL THING Being a neat place to hang out, relax and have fun is clearly the spirit of The Comfy Cow. But having a business that allows them to relate to people and develop new friendships is part of the pleasure to the Koons-McGees.

“We span the generations. Kids come to hang out, and their parents and grandparents like recapturing something they remember from when they were young,” Roy said. “We make sodas and sundaes. We serve it in glassware. When we bring it out to them, we often hear ‘It reminds me of when I was a kid.’ ” They also name sundaes after friends who inspired them by their enthusiasm for particular flavor combinations. And a new horizon for the business is developing partnerships with restaurants who want them to create a signature flavor for their customers.

“Bruce Ucan at the Mayan Cafe worked with us to develop two flavors, a blood orange with saffron and a watermelon mint,

A simple but delightful classic — the banana split

that he now serves,” said Roy. “And Joe Frase at The Blind Pig was pleased when we cooked up both a smoked almond with honey and fig, and a pecan bacon brittle that fit with his menu.”

The Doctor’s Cure, a Bourbon-infused caramel praline, recently developed for Doc Crow’s Smokehouse and Raw Bar, just suggests the possibilities.

“We knew we would get into it eventually. We just didn’t think it would happen this fast,” said Roy. “Exclusives drive business both ways. It’s something special for the restaurant and it helps people become aware of us. We’d like to make a signature flavor for every restaurant in town.”

A COOL FUTURE Already confronted with offers to begin franchising operations, the two men both wonder at the attention and defer on following it.

“Our view is that we have a way to go to get the building blocks in place and make sure we’re getting it right,” Roy said. “Our goals now are to make the best ice cream you’ve ever tasted and provide exceptional customer service. We’re always trying to improve on what we do.”

They also have a vision to spread the wealth and are hard at work to open two new locations in 2011.

One on Frankfort Avenue in the old Genny’s Diner site will include the renovation of a 100-year old Queen Ann home next door. The other will be in the new Cardinal Commons rising at the site of the old Masterson’s by University of Louisville. And, surely to the delight of baseball fans, Comfy Cow is to be the only ice cream offered at Louisville Slugger Field.

Many successful businesses have been based on getting back to the basics — a simple but exceptionally good product, a nice setting and great customer service.

The Comfy Cow seems aimed to join them. F&D

The Alysheba parfait — layers of warm pecan tart, Georgia butter pecan ice cream and hot caramel, topped with freshly whipped cream and a cherry.

people and places profiles

BY KATY YOCOM | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

Feeling the frenzy at Mozz

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Matthew Antonovich strides through the front door of Mozz restaurant, the foot-long black fringe on his black leather jacket swinging with his movements. He’s nearly an hour late for a three o’clock meeting. He plunks down on a barstool at the mozzarella bar, taking a moment to explain — he was in a meeting with his banker, and you don’t just walk out on the guy bankrolling your restaurant — and then he starts talking. Once the words start flowing, they don’t stop. Antonovich, chef and co-owner of Mozz Mozzarella Bar & Enoteca, is a man with a lot to say.

Blue-jeaned and booted, with dark silver hair, Antonovich is a big, likeable guy with a seemingly boundless supply of energy.

So it makes perfect sense when he says, “The inspiration of the restaurant is frenzy. It’s a frenzied experience here, with the entertainment” — live jazz seven nights a week — “the mozzarella bar, the fresh pasta being made over there” — he gestures to the pasta counter a few feet away — “that you’ll be eating 20 minutes later.” To Antonovich, it’s a dining experience you’d normally find only in Rome: the noise, the bustle, the magnetic force that draws diners into passionate conversation.

Frenzy seems about right. Watching the restaurant come to life in preparation for its 4 p.m. opening is an entertaining experience.

Proprietor Michael Cooper and Proprietor/Executive Chef Matthew Antonovich

26 Summer 2011 www.foodanddine.com

“At two o’clock there’s nothing here,” Antonovich explains — no pre-made foods, nothing delivered. Then the kitchen staff arrives and the place lights up with activity as the chefs start making fresh mozzarella, fresh pasta and pizza dough, and desserts — 13 different house-made desserts every night of the week. They’re multitaskers and generalists; Antonovich requires every kitchen employee to make a dessert every night, and every chef knows how to prepare every item served.

The menu, like the physical space, is divided into casual and fine dining, though every item is available in both spaces.

Customers looking for a casual grazing experience head for the 40-foot Carrera marble mozzarella bar — modeled on a sushi bar — where the specialties are fresh cheese trios (burrata, bufala and housemade fior di latte for $12), salumi cured-meat trios ($9 small, $18 large), and Neapolitan-style pizza ($7 to $17). On the far side of the restaurant is the upscale, Milan-vibed Enoteca, where diners find antipasti and salads, first-course pasta offerings ($14 to $25), and a second-course selection starting at $15-$16 for chicken or trout and rocketing all the way up to $95 for the house’s signature bistecca alla fiorentina. Done up in white ceramic tile, black woodwork, and ochre and brick-red walls and ceilings, the space

MOZZ

Spaghetti alla Chitarra “Guitar Strings” with San Marzano tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella and basil.

MOZZARELLA BAR & ENOTECA 445 E. Market St. (502) 690-6699

On entering Mozz guests may feel transported across the country or the globe. In these sleekly glamorous environs one could as easily be in New York City or Rome as in NuLu. The hushed elegance of the waiting restaurant seen here doesn’t last — as the work day ends for the rest of us, show time begins for Mozz. (above) The Bistecca alla Fiorentina — a massive 52-ounce dry aged porterhouse.

28 Summer 2011 www.foodanddine.com

is a hive of activity, from the open kitchen to the bandstand to the mozzarella bar to the molecular-mixology-inclined cocktail bar.

In other words, everywhere you look, there’s something to see.

A selection of salami, artisan cheeses and cicchetti from the Mozzarella bar.

Culinary theater meets classic Italian cuisine “It’s culinary theater,” Antonovich says. “We train the staff to put on a show every night.” It’s a tactic that inspires appetites. You see a chef shaving slices of Prosciutto di Parma and suddenly you have to order the salumi plate. You watch a chef set a newly made ball of fior di latte mozzarella on the countertop, and a few minutes later your teeth are sinking into a springy, ever-so-slightly salty bite of the milkwhite cheese. You notice a basket of carte di musica go by — a gorgeously oiled-and-herbed bread loaf that’s hollow inside, its shell as thin as the sheets of music it’s named for — and you have to have one. You catch a glimpse of the bistecca alla fiorentina and realize the $95 price tag is actually a bargain: it’s a table-filling affair big enough to feed four, the huge slab of meat surrounded by seven contorni (side dishes).

But the food is only part of the story. There’s the supper-clubinspired live jazz, the crisp service, the personal touch of co-owner Mike Cooper, whom Antonovich calls “the showman and the personality of the dining room” and who makes it a point to greet every guest. Beyond all that, Antonovich says, “The real show, and why people love Mozz, is that they are actors in the show every night.” The quarters are close, the volume is high, and lacking a reservation, you’ll find yourself edging into the crowd at the mozzarella bar, where likely you’ll strike up a conversation with the person next to you.

Mozz aims to be an Italian osteria: the liveliest bar in town, the most socially important place to gather. Housed in the Cobalt Marketplace Building at the corner of Market and Jackson, Mozz unites the NuLu East Market arts district with the downtown corporate world just west. The restaurant draws from both worlds, and when the artsy crowd mingles with the business people, “it’s amazing to watch them talk,” Antonovich says.

In fact, the culinary-theater/supper-club concept and kitchen execution are working so well that Mozz’s biggest challenge has been its popularity. The 101-seat restaurant opened last November the week after Breeders’ Cup, and Antonovich says it has been sold out ever since. Cooper estimates they have to turn away up to 100 people a night; by mid-March, they’ve already sold out every Friday and Saturday through Derby.

To rise to the demand, they’ve added the NuLu East Market Lounge, set to open in April, which Cooper characterizes as “a Sinatra-style New York piano bar with a Milan feel.” The Lounge, located in the same building and sporting the same look and color scheme, essentially re-creates the Mozz experience and more than doubles Mozz’s current capacity. The heart of the lounge is its own mozzarella bar, built, as Cooper explains it, as a “12-sided culinary theater in the round.” In terms of atmosphere, a white-lacquer baby grand piano lends itself to a lower-decibel, more elegant experience than the grand frenzy of Mozz proper.

The culinary theater concept may imply artifice, but Mozz’s menu draws strictly from authentic Italian culinary history. That fact is evident in the weathered, wire-stringed wooden “guitar box” used to transform sheets of pasta into spaghetti alla chitarra ($14). “These recipes are a hundred, two hundred years old,” Antonovich says, all of them brought here direct from Italy or by way of the Bronx, where he’s from. With very few exceptions, he says, “We do not buy

Veal “Long Bone” Saltimbocca

Chef Antonovich prepares the day’s house-made mozzarella.

www.facebook.com/foodanddine Summer 2011 29

anything from anyone. It’s all made in-house. And we feel really good about it.” They import the burrata and bufala cheeses, the Prosciutto di Parma, the ReggianoParmagiano cheese, some salami, the olives and olive oils and a few other items.The rest is farm to table, because that’s the Italian way to cook. Mozz partners with about a dozen regional farmers, from JD Country Milk for the milk and cream that goes into the mozzarella and panna cotta, to Grateful Greens for produce.

A chance encounter

(above) Zabaglione (Italian custard) served with Dumante liqueur over fresh berries. (below) Brick-oven-roasted chicken with honeybalsamic-sorghum glaze and roasted root vegetables.

30 Summer 2011 www.foodanddine.com

A Casa Grisanti alum from the 1980s, Antonovich has cooked around the United States and around the world, landing back in Louisville periodically to serve as a consulting chef for Napa River Grill and a founding partner in Z’s Oyster Bar. He spent time in Italy cooking under a protégé of the great Italian chef Nino Bergese, learning the art of making peasant food with an aristocratic flair, a sensibility he employs full tilt at Mozz. Once he decided to open a restaurant, he sussed out locations in Dallas, Denver, and Santa Fe. But family brought him back to Louisville — he wanted to be here for his daughter’s high-school years.

A chance encounter at just the right time reunited Antonovich and Cooper. The two had formed a friendship in the ’80s at Casa Grisanti, where Antonovich ran the kitchen and Cooper worked as captain and maitre d’. Since then, Cooper’s career took him into culinary/hospitality concept development.

He gained management and operations experience heading up a textiles company in the 1990s; later, he went into ar tisan coffee and began consulting in Louisville’s culinary world. The two were a natural fit for the restaurant Antonovich had in mind. Antonovich brought his passion to the back of the house; Cooper served as general contractor and designer and now supplies his hospitality expertise at the front.

In a separate conversation, Cooper — who, though smaller than Antonovich physically, more than holds his own as a talker — says his goal is simple: exceed the expectation of every guest that crosses the threshold.

“The comments we get are these, in this order,” he says. “One, ‘the food was amazing.’ Then, they go on about the service: They compliment the experience of the mozzarella bar, or the experience of culinary theater, or their server. Then, people say, ‘When we’re here, we never feel like we’re in Louisville.’ They tell me it feels like New York or Chicago.”

Antonovich obviously values Cooper’s hospitality skills, calling him “the Mayor of NuLu” and crediting him for the “sexy” feel of the place. “He brought the frenzy to the frenzy,” Antonovich says. “He brought the pizzazz to the pizzazz.”

Forty-five minutes after Matthew Antonovich blew into the restaurant, his monologue is winding down ever so slightly. He’s feeling the tug of the kitchen. But there’s a definite sense that, given the opportunity, he’d be glad to sit and talk about Mozz all night long. F&D

liquids cork 101

BY SCOTT HARPER | PHOTOGRAPHS BY EDIS CELIK

Quality Rieslings Riesling is arguably the most misunderstood grape on the planet.

The average wine drinker considers Riesling a sweet, inexpensive, lowalcohol, German wine with an impossible to understand label. They don’t think Riesling goes well with food. They aren’t interested in learning more about it because they don’t like sweet wine — that’s for novices.

Riesling stereotypes exist because they are partially true. Plenty of mediocre Rieslings are sweet, simple and not really worthwhile. Ironically though, Riesling is one of the fastest growing grapes in the United States. Wine consumers are starting to learn what wine experts have been saying for years.

The average wine expert loves Riesling, and considers it one of their favorite white wines because they know the best examples can be dry, medium-dry or lusciously sweet dessert wines. Quality Riesling will also be moderately priced to expensive, come in a wide range of alcohol levels, and can come from almost any wine-producing country in the world. Experts also know that Riesling is one of the most food-friendly wines on earth. The naturally high acidity helps it pair well with spicy food, seafood and fried food, and makes for an excellent aperitif.

Riesling is also noteworthy for being one of the few high-quality grapes that do well in cool to cold climates such as Germany and Austria. Without the Riesling grape, fine wine in Germany would be sadly diminished.

The labels can be easy to understand or complex, but once the complexity is defined the label provides precise information on where the wine is from and about the style.

The wines can be crisp with flavors of apricots, peaches, green apples, lemon zest and minerals and they can show terroir, or a sense of the place the grape grows. Riesling may also have a flavor and aroma of petrol. While this seems pejorative it actually is not, as long as it is a piece in the multiplicity of the flavor.

When it happens, it’s usually in a Riesling with a little bit of bottle age.

To appreciate Riesling it is a good idea to understand what dry and crisp really mean.

Our taste buds are equipped to sense five things: sweet, sour, bitter, salt and umami. For Riesling we can focus on two: sweet and sour. Sweet is the presence of sugar in wine. Dry is the absence of sugar in wine. Medium-dry falls somewhere between the two.You usually detect sweetness on the tip of your tongue.

To better understand dryness in wine, try this simple test: Place three glasses of water in front of you. Into the first glass of water, pour an entire packet of sugar — this equals sweet. Put a half packet of sugar into the second glass — this equals medium-dry. Add no sugar to the third glass of water — this equals dry.

Crisp refers to the acidity in wine, and while sour carries a negative connotation, it really refers to the zippy-crisp component in wine. It typically can be sensed on the sides of your tongue. Let’s take our three glasses of water again.

Into the first glass of water squeeze an entire lemon — this would be very crisp, or high acid. Into the second glass of water squeeze half of a lemon — this would be crisp or medium acid. Put only a few drops of lemon juice into the third glass of water — this would be low acid or not very crisp. A wine with acid will seem drier because acidity can “clean up” some of the sweetness in wine, making it finish very fresh, clean and most importantly, balanced.

Don’t be afraid of a wine with a little bit of sweetness, especially if balanced with a good measure of acidity. A few wines that have a reputation of being dry actually have a touch of sweetness to them — one of them being Chardonnay.

Shown here you will find a wide range of Rieslings to try. F&D 32 Summer 2011 www.foodanddine.com

Huber 2009 (Traisental, Austria) 12% alcohol Yellow-green color with the flavors of wet stone, white peach, nectarine, green apple, lemon zest and grapefruit.

A linear, light, dry wine that is crisp and delicious with fried foods.

Around $17

Pierre Sparr “Reserve” 2007 (Alsace, France) 12.5 % alcohol Pale yellow color with the flavors of green apple, spicy pear, lemon, wet stone, apricot and lime; the wine is dry and high acid. Try this wine with seafood or the classic pairing of the typical Alsatian dish choucroute garnie.

Around $17

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Weingut Hexamer Meddersheimer Rheingrafenberg “Quarzit” 2009

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(Nahe, Germany) 9.5% alcohol The color is yellow with green highlights. Medium-dry with balancing medium-high acidity. Lemon, apricot, peach, pear, white flowers and wet stone/slate. Very light effervescence help make this wine excellent with spicy food.

Around $18

— Willie Shoemaker

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Genesis Hogue 2008

Leasingham “Magnus” 2008 (Clare Valley, Australia) 12.5% alcohol Dry, high acid with the taste of mouthwatering mineral and the aroma of under-ripe pear and peach, apricot, green apple and lemon zest.

Try with shellfish and fish with citrus sauces.

Around $10

(Columbia Valley, Washington) 12.6 % alcohol Between medium-dry and dry this wine packs the big flavor of mandarin orange, ginger, green apple and lemon all in a medium-body with a yellow-gold color.

Pair with spicy Asian fare.

Around $16

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www.facebook.com/foodanddine Summer 2011 33

liquids hip hops

BY ROGER A. BAYLOR | PHOTOGRAPH BY EDIS CELIK

The New Falls City Beer Before we consider a revival in Louisville brewing circles, there’s a question to be asked.

Have you ever wondered what the character of Frank Booth would have been drinking if David Lynch’s iconic 1986 film, “Blue Velvet,” had been set in Louisville?

Frank Booth: What kind of beer do you like?

Jeffrey Beaumont: Heineken.

Frank Booth: [shouting] Heineken? (Bleep) that (bleep)! Pabst Blue Ribbon!

Hint: The Louisville-centric answer is not Pabst Blue Ribbon. It also is not Budweiser, Miller, Coors or any other national beer brand like them. C’mon; you know it.

Falls City Beer!

(Bleeping) City! Pasteurized and Bitter (bleeping) Free!

At precisely the same historical moment that Dennis Hopper inadvertently (and somewhat creepily) provided future generations with an enduring cultural touchstone by advocating the traditional workingman’s lager over the pricier, upscale import, both Pabst and Falls City seemed finished as viable brands. Both barely clung to life.

Frank Booth drank Pabst Blue Ribbon not only because he was a maniacal sociopath. He drank Pabst because at the time, the act of doing so was so profoundly ironic that only a sociopath or someone from the same fractured universe as the famously mercurial Hopper could fully appreciate the juxtaposition. Quite simply, few under the age of 50 would be caught dead drinking Pabst … fewer still choosing Falls City.

By the 1980s it was clear that for long-established beers like PBR and City, surviving Prohibition actually had been the easiest part. After renewed commercial success during the economic expansion of the 1950s and 1960s, a gap gradually opened between the more powerful, well-funded macro-brewers and America’s shrinking ranks of regional-sized producers.

Many saw their core markets steadily contract as older beer drinkers aged and died, and the post-war American industrial empire shed hard hats, empathy, steel mills and old habits like brand loyalty. Across the societal spectrum, allegiances inexorably shifted to light beer, wine coolers and fruity liquor-based drinks.

What’s more, although few analysts saw it coming, and fewer still guessed the implications, the 1990s craft brewing revolution was about to squeeze the old regional brewing tier from the other, “micro” side of the equation.

And yet here we are, 25 years later, and both Pabst and Falls City are alive, kicking and selling beer to the sons and daughters of “Blue Velvet’s” mid-eighties fan base. Blue Ribbon’s belated renaissance as the official national symbol of self-referential, skint hipsters is a story for another time, because right here in Louisville, Falls City is back.

34 Summer 2011 www.foodanddine.com

What was it, where did it go, and how did it return? We begin in 1905, with trust-busting Teddy Roosevelt in the White House.

A Storied History Falls City was unique from the very start. Most other local breweries of the period were small, family-owned businesses, descended from German immigrants, but Falls City was conceived, built and financed by diverse investors as a larger brewery with a more ambitious mission.

Specifically, the original Falls City Brewing Company was designed with a larger scale in mind, to combat a deleterious local “tied house” beer supplier monopoly. Such distribution cartels were persistent problems in pre-Prohibition times. Like President Roosevelt, Falls City aimed to break the wholesaler stranglehold monopoly, and succeeded, in the process gaining regional size and strength.

As a consequence, Falls City was equipped to survive the deprivations of Prohibition, somehow making it through the period of America’s alcohol-free tyranny by downsizing and diversifying with soft drinks and ice.

The clarion call of Repeal in 1933 found Falls City in an advantageous sales position, able to resume brewing beer in a market now cleanly purged of smaller competitors, and poised to become a sizable regional player when the spigots once again flowed.

As noted, the party lasted until the early 1970s.

With its Louisville brethren Fehr’s and Oertel’s gone, Falls City rolled the dice for the final time as an independent entity with its infamous launch of Billy Beer, named for Jimmy Carter’s bumbling brother.

Sadly, neither of the Billys was built to last, and although still profitable, the board of directors surrendered to the inevitable in 1978. In a touch that would have amused Frank Booth, Falls City ceased to be a brewing company, and went into the trucking business instead.

With bricks and mortar stripped away, the brand migrated to other owners and breweries elsewhere, to be inelegantly and continually bastardized as a cheapened, corn-laden budget commodity, before finally being orphaned by the failing Pittsburgh Brewing Company, circa 2005.

It was atop the scrap heap of broken and forgotten breweriana, with little else remaining save the sometimes considerable powers of historical legacy and fond memories, that a Louisvillian named David Easterling found Falls City in 2009, acquiring … well, acquiring exactly what?

A product name retaining some measure of brand equity as a beer, but otherwise a clean slate, and a concept fit for creative, adaptive reuse.

Present Day Early in 2010, when I first met Easterling, phase one of his revival program for Falls City was well underway, and the reconstituted legend was going on tap throughout Louisville.

“Falls City Beer is as much a part of Louisville history as the Ohio River or Churchill Downs,” Easterling told me then. “Everyone who grew up here has a story about their dad or granddad — in some cases, grandma — drinking Falls City. I just saw an opportunity to bring new life to a great piece of Louisville history and took it.”

In keeping with the successful resuscitation strategy pursued by Pabst’s savvy corporate owners, Easterling’s new Falls City would be brewed under contract by another brewer (currently Sand Creek Brewing Company in Wisconsin), sensibly keeping start-up costs down as the brand was reintroduced, with the money saved going into the marketing required to acquaint a new generation with Falls City.

As with Pabst, this new generation of Falls City drinkers would be a youthful cadre, and ideal for growing with the brand itself, but the similarities between today’s Pabst and Fall City end right there, because Easterling’s business plan was written not with Pabst’s mass-produced price point in mind, but from the perspective of the craft brewing revolution’s growth.

Simply stated, no longer is Falls City your granddaddy’s adjunct golden lager.

It has grown up, and so have you.

While the original Falls City Brewing Company brewed a wide range of beer styles at various times, its top-selling flagship, and the style that persons of a certain age remember as “the” City, was what we now generally refer to as PreProhibition Pilsner, a German-style lager made with six-row barley and corn.

It is an understatement to say that over a period of 100 years, Falls City’s flagship beer underwent a process of significant adulteration. Admittedly, there is no precise and scientific way to measure this assertion, and yet it is certain that the last Falls City brewed in Pittsburgh differed substantially from the one debuting in Louisville in 1905, having been gradually diluted for the sake of low costs necessary to achieve a lower price point.

Think of it as degradation by a thousand cuts.

Easterling’s striking epiphany was to immediately grasp that replicating older versions of Falls City would be both unwise and unnecessary. Rather, he looked into the brewery’s past, saw that it once brewed small quantities of Pale Ale (before and after Prohibition), recognized that such a prototype would handily converge with soughtafter contemporary demographics, and gave us a Falls City for the modern era.

A Bright Future Today’s Falls City is an English-style Pale Ale, gently hopped, somewhat along the lines of a tawnier Goose Island Honker’s Ale. The graphic styling is comfortably retro, and the flavor is firmly craft. The price to consumers is higher than Pabst’s, but falling well below imported brands.

It is a tasty, affordable and quaffable ale.

As sales of contract-brewed Falls City escalate, Easterling’s brand restoration plan includes a tasting room (under construction at 545 Barret Avenue), and by 2012, a small brewing system of up to eight barrels, or 248 gallons, for locally brewed seasonal beers.

Quite possibly, in a few years all of Falls City’s production will again be brewed in Louisville, and when that epochal day arrives, these words might be overheard at the entrance to the Monkey Wrench: Frank Booth the 3rd: What kind of beer do you like?

Jeffrey Beaumont Jr.: Falls City.

Frank Booth the 3rd: [not shouting] Falls City? Yeah, me too. F&D www.facebook.com/foodanddine Summer 2011 35

people and places profiles

BY J. CHRISTIAN WALSH | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

All the tea in Louisville

T

There’s a bit of a riddle in the name Hillbilly Tea. At first glance, the two words seem at odds. “Hillbilly” is hardy, countrified, distinctly American, while “Tea” calls to mind worldly, civilized leisure; a white-gloved member of the upper crust perhaps, sipping from fine china with an unbent pinky.Though you won’t find this level of pomp at the downtown Louisville tea house, you will discover the mix of Appalachian inflection and graceful style that’s implied in the name.

This robust-meets-refined concept is an accurate way of describing Hillbilly Tea’s menu, its aesthetic and even Karter Louis himself, the restaurant’s proprietor. It’s easy to see where the approach originates when talking to Louis, who describes himself as a Kentucky hillbilly, despite having lived in cosmopolitan cities all over the globe while building careers as a tea sourcer, restaurateur and recording artist.

“We are po’ black folk from Kentucky,” Louis says of his Old Louisville upbringing. “I related to ‘The Beverly Hillbillies,’ with Grandma and her little potions. You know, my grandmother had potions. When my younger brother had something wrong with him, it would always drive me crazy when my mom would go, ‘no, no, I don’t wanna take him to the doctor. Your grandmother says all I need to do is mix some … and …’”

At this point, Louis lets out an infectious laugh, unable to complete the potion recipe. Although he grew up in the city, he

says he connected with “The Hillbillies” in part because his family was forced to live off of what they could raise in the backyard — his grandfather’s rabbits, for example. This off-the-land approach is mirrored today in Hillbilly Tea’s mountain-inspired cuisine — natural food that’s sourced from a half-dozen local farms and sold at a near Happy Meal price point.

Keeping with the classy/country theme, many offerings here are two diverging things at once. The plates are both hearty and dainty; featuring proteins like bison, catfish and pulled pork, they are served in restrained por tions. The place settings blend sturdy with precious; rustic, pine boxes that are tacked together by the staff are offset with chintzy, mismatched china and silverware that’s polished weekly. The decor embraces the building’s turn-of-the-century, industrial bones, with delicate and craftsy flourishes sprinkled throughout. Little charms like fresh-cut flowers in miniature, porcelain vases offset the exposed brick and clunky, farmhouse cedar.

I started a joke All of this reflects the counterpoint contained in the quirky name of this establishment. As for the origin of the term “Hillbilly Tea,” Louis says it began as a joke.

About eight years ago while working at another tea house, Louis and current par tner, Chef Arpad (Arpi) Lengyel would

Hillbilly Tea

587-7350 120 S. First Street (502)

Proprietor Karter Louis (left) and Executive Chef Arpad Lengyel.

36 Summer 2011 www.foodanddine.com

Tea, tea and more tea — Sweet Dream, Wild Rose, Remedy and Red Bush.

entertain themselves with stories of a fictitious, country tea house. When stress levels reached a certain point, the duo would start in on their running gag, inventing make-believe menu items like Road Kill Stew, which would materialize into reality almost a decade later.

As the joke developed, the partners’ humorous escape began to morph into a back-burner business model. During his tenure at Teaism in Washington, D.C., Louis noticed an embrace of hillbilly culture throughout West Virginia when he took trips home to Louisville. It seemed as though the term was being reclaimed and becoming less of a jab. “This is me,” Louis thought during one of these drives. “I’m a hillbilly.”

“At one point, I penned it all down and it looked interesting,” Louis says of his business plan’s earliest drafts. “It looked like something that could fly.”

He approached family members to see if he could drum up support.

But after hearing the Hillbilly pitch, Louis’ brother leveled a “no” that was decisive enough to postpone the project for years.The tea broker put the idea in his pocket and moved on to jobs in California, China and Taiwan.

Everything is realistic Feeling homesick in Shanghai years later, Louis booked an impulsive flight home to visit his folks and witness the inauguration of America’s first African-American president, Barack Obama. The trip began a lengthy series of dots connecting, planets aligning and history-defining moments.

Tragically, Louis’ father grew suddenly ill and passed away during Obama’s inaugural ceremonies. Louis describes these days as volatile and was understandably still stung by the loss when waiting for his return flight to take off. Dreading the 15-hour trip back to Asia, he made the decision to reconnect with family. It wasn’t long before he was back in Louisville after a 28-year stint in other cities.

Bright Green green tea & Honey Twig amber tea.

www.facebook.com/foodanddine Summer 2011 37

This gave Louis and Chef Arpi occasion to revisit the idea of a new business. Arpi, who was raised on a farm in Hungary where no part of the pig was wasted, also considered himself an honorary hillbilly. Unable to locate a suitable space in New York or D.C., it was Arpi who reprised the Hillbilly Tea concept, suggesting that they give it a go in Louisville.

Louis was reluctant.

“I said, ‘I want to, but it’s not realistic.’ And he (Arpi) was like, ‘anything is realistic,’ ” Louis recalls. “In my heart, I said, ‘OK, we’ll look at this. And, if we find the right space and everything comes together, that will tell me I should do it.’ ” The initial visit to the site of Brakmeier’s old printing company on South First Street was not love at first sight. Fluorescent lights hung from dropped ceilings. The brick walls were dry walled and painted a “disgusting” shade of powder blue. The wood floors had been cemented over.

“This sucks,” Louis recalls thinking. But an unexpected wave of nostalgia began to set in. The alleyway directly across the street was a high school hangout, back when a best friend’s family owned the business next door. That old time feeling intensified after Louis saw the building’s second floor, where a raw storage space was waiting. The rooms had gone virtually untouched for some 80 years.

“That was beautiful. There was wainscoting, real wood floors, brick walls, and sunlight shining through old fashioned glass. People say ‘construction.’ We were looking at ‘deconstruction,’” Louis says regarding the downstairs storefront.

Able to see some potential, Louis agreed to meet with the landlord, where things continued to come full circle. That woman was Sherrill Brakmeier, who had the same name as a dear middle-school teacher who, decades ago, changed Louis’ life. It was clear that the Chamomile glazed Cornish hen with pickled radish.

38 Summer 2011 www.foodanddine.com

landlord and Ms. Brakmeier were not the same person, but it seemed impossible that two people from the same town could share this curiously spelled name.

When he mentioned this, Louis learned that he was sitting across from Ms. Brakmeier’s mother. It was the sign he said he was looking for.

“It kind of freaked me out. A lot of things were happening that week that felt like a divine intervention, that would make me go, ‘OK, maybe I’m stoned and don’t know it,’ ” Louis laughed. Then continued, “I felt called, honestly; like this is totally meant to be. I don’t know what you believe in — I’m not even sure what I believe in at times — but, I just know that the universe does work in a way that supports us all in terms of what we are meant to do. And that’s kind of what’s happening in this space.”

Big Earl, sweet grass and gunpowder Asked what’s so special about the namesake beverage at Hillbilly Tea, Louis stresses freshness. With his working relationships and onthe-ground knowledge of the Asian channels, the tea importer can obtain the youngest product available. Because he buys for larger companies, Louis is able to piggyback directly sourced, smaller batches for his own use. This prevents Hillbilly Tea from having to purchase giant bulk orders of leaves that end up on a shelf for a year.

“People come to me if they want fresh tea. You can go to other people and get tea from all over the world. But no tea in this place is older than six months. We source smaller quantities, more often,” Louis says.

As for the future, Hillbilly Tea plans to celebrate its first year of life with a second floor expansion, more than doubling its capacity.

A liquor license is also in the works with plans for artisan wines and cocktails. F&D

A selection of in-house made cupcakes.

BBQ Pork Pie — pulled pork stuffed in a choux pastry.

Billy Box – Fried frog legs with wild onion dip, creamy cauliflower soup and pickled radish served with a red bush herb tea. www.facebook.com/foodanddine Summer 2011 39

food feed me chef

BY KATY YOCOM | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

F eed Me, Please

At Limestone Restaurant, Jim Gerhardt’s spontaneous fivecourse tasting menu gives diners the option of blissful surrender.

I

If there’s one way to increase the indulgence factor of fine dining, it’s to take away its sole inherent stress: staring at a tempting menu wondering what to order. Earlier this year, my husband Jeff and I entered the world of decision-free dining with Limestone Restaurant’s “Feed Me Chef ” menu option.

Feed Me Chef, a creation of owner/executive chef Jim Gerhardt, is a five-course “spontaneous tasting menu,” a foray into appetizer, soup, salad, entrée and dessert. For adventurous diners, there’s a certain glee to be found in wondering what will emerge from the kitchen next. And in knowing that, no matter what, it’s going to be good.

It’s a February evening when my husband and I arrive at Limestone, just off North Hurstbourne Lane. We step into the elegant, curvilinear dining room and settle in at our table as Thelonious Monk’s boppy jazz tune “Well You Needn’t” creates an upbeat vibe. The menu is well-edited and tempting, but we have our hearts set on adventure. With six little words — “Feed Me Chef, with wine pairings” — we abdicate our ordering responsibilities and get ready for the ride.

The Feed Me Chef experience always begins with a few inquiries from your server. Have you dined at Limestone before?

Do you have any food allergies? Any dislikes or preferences? The server takes your answers to the kitchen, and behind those swinging doors, magic happens.

The mystery begins After we enjoy an amuse-bouche, general manager and sommelier Jim Dancy appears at our table, setting a white wine glass at my place and a red wine glass at my husband’s. With that gesture, he ignites the guessing game: What will the wines be, and what dishes will accompany them? Dancy presents a bottle of BR Cohn chardonnay for me, describing it as a butter-and-oak style big enough to stand up to the course it will accompany. For my husband, he pours a pinot noir.

The arrival of our appetizers solves the mystery. I’m presented the shrimp and grits, one of the house’s signature dishes, featuring two plump crustaceans bathed in a coffee-colored red eye sauce made with veal jus. A triangular cake of Weisenberger grits and a flavorful crisp of Newsom’s ham perch jauntily atop the creation. Jeff receives an off-menu item: a medium-rare portion of meltingly tender, flavorful bison accompanied by arugula and a local egg cuddled up in a nest of toast. “It’s like he knows us,” Jeff marvels: I’m a coffee-lover, and Jeff is a bison aficionado. I happily agree, my mouth too full to form a reply.

Gerhardt himself appears table-side and in his affable way mentions that he’s been sourcing ingredients regionally in the 15 40 Summer 2011 www.foodanddine.com

years he’s been in town. The Feed Me menu allows Gerhardt to try the best of what his vendors have to offer on a given day, whether it’s a couple of pounds of fresh striper from Western Kentucky or some mustard microgreens from Grateful Greens.

“They’ll say, ‘Hey, you want to give it a try?’ And we say ‘Sure!’” he says. The guests enjoy the mystery of it all; among their five courses, some will be from the menu — Gerhardt makes sure he puts a signature dish or two in front of any new guest — and some will be dishes available only that night.

The diner gets to try something new, and Gerhardt gets to test-drive a new item. “We field guest comments,” he says, “and when it comes time to change the menu, we look at that file.”

Our next course begins with a surprising wine selection for Jeff — a rosé — that flummoxes me when I try to guess the pairing. Kentucky burgoo, as it turns out. Mine is a sweet-tempered Bourbon onion bisque paired with a Conundrum white blend.

And now the fun moves from Stage 1, reveling, to Stage 2, theorizing. I note that I’ve had two white wines while Jeff has had a red and a rosé, and that I’ve had a fish and a mild soup whereas Jeff has received the brawnier bison and smoky burgoo. We discuss the evidence, speculating whether gender plays a role in the chef ’s decisions. (Gerhardt later denies it, though he acknowledges men tend to favor heartier fare.) That rosé doesn’t quite support my gender theory anyway, though it matches up surprisingly well with the burgoo. “I’m a little surprised he didn’t go with a bigger red,” I say, but Jeff points out that we’re only on the second course, too early to bring out the big guns.

It’s like a puzzle, this meal. Or like watching an artist create a painting, layer by layer, until the shape of the whole begins to emerge.

Building the perfect meal A great salad course is a hard thing to pull off, especially in the winter months. But the kitchen sends out two salads I’m still thinking about the next day. My Caesar salad is the best I’ve ever tasted, the romaine grilled to bring out a hard-to-pin-down sweetness, creating a light char while leaving the leaves crisp. It’s a beautiful presentation, the half-head of romaine creating a boat under a stiff sail of crisped Asiago cheese. Jeff ’s Limestone Bibb salad is equally impressive. With this course, the wines are switched up: red for the lady, white for the gentleman.

The entrée course brings my favorite wine of the evening: a

2008 Bearboat pinot noir, a Sonoma wine with a nose of forestfloor fruits and a hint of toffee. I’m especially taken with it, given my disappointment with pinot noirs in recent years. Dancy, our sommelier, blames the past few years’ mediocre pinots on the movie Sideways. His theory: Vineyards struggled with (or took advantage of) the varietal’s sudden popularity, bottling and distributing unready wines in order to meet demand.

For the entrée, Jeff receives the dish of the evening: an offthe-menu chicken creation, made with a citrus saffron sauce featuring Maker’s Mark New Spirit. Gerhardt emerges from the kitchen again to enthuse about the joys of New Spirit, a clear, unaged liquor also known as White Dog, 90 proof with a yeasty, grainy nose. You can smell the distillery in this stuff.

Second course — Kentucky burgoo

First course — shrimp and grits

Everybody wins

Third course — Caesar salad

Gerhardt has an easy way about him, but his passion for food is apparent, as is his knowledge. A glance at my plate — Kentucky rainbow trout in a sauce studded with paddlefish caviar — sends him off on another topic.The man knows his paddlefish: the requisite age for a female to produce roe (five years), the ideal age for the fish to be eaten (two to three years) and the merits of paddlefish farming as a cash crop for Kentucky farmers to replace tobacco.

Gerhardt clearly enjoys the storytelling integral to the Feed Me presentation. “It’s been a really good experience,” he says, “mainly for our guests, but for us as well. It really opens things up for us.” Limestone is an externship site for Sullivan University’s culinary school, www.facebook.com/foodanddine Summer 2011 41

Fourth course — Kentucky rainbow trout

and Gerhardt considers it important to let the kitchen staff work with as many kinds of food as possible. The flexibility of the Feed Me Chef menu is good for the vendors, too, letting them find a good home for unusual items like Manila clams or skate, or more familiar offerings like quail or farm fresh eggs.

After four flawless courses, Dancy stops by to ask whether Jeff is in favor of caffeine. Actually, Jeff says, he’s not. We can see some fast recalculating going on in Dancy’s eyes. “How do you feel about Champagne?” he asks.

When the dessert drinks arrive, Jeff gets a pour of Korbel in a Champagne flute, floated with a late-harvest blackberry wine from Lovers Leap Vineyards in Kentucky.

“It’s like a Kentucky Kir Royale,” Jeff says happily. I’m presented a cappuccino spiked with Bourbon-and-coffee Bluegrass Sundown liqueur, a new offering from Alltech.

My dessert is a perfect Belgian chocolate soufflé, molten inside, with an orange anglaise; Jeff ’s a sour mash bread pudding studded with pistachios.

Fifth course — chocolate souffle

42 Summer 2011 www.foodanddine.com

Our server, Rebecca, can tell we’ve enjoyed ourselves. “This is a way of being pampered,” she observes. She reckons they serve at least one Feed Me Chef a night, and several of the Feed Me Light, a threecourse version of the menu. On weekends and special occasions, the popularity goes up. At $57, plus $25 for wine pairings, the Feed Me Chef is a modest bargain compared to ordering a la carte. The Feed Me Light weighs in at an affordable $33, plus $15 for pairings. Both versions become spectacular deals after 9 p.m. nightly, when wine pairings are offered free of charge.

There’s something special about not having to decide, about just sitting back and letting the food arrive as if by magic.

The experience combines adventure and sur render. It’s a joy that, as children, we were too young to appreciate: gustatory anticipation, and the simple miracle of being brought food that delights as it nourishes. Back in the kitchen, someone came up with a spontaneous menu and made it just for me. And created another one for the man I love. F&D

www.facebook.com/foodanddine Summer 2011 43

people and places profiles

BY J. CHRISTIAN WALSH | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

New Germantown spot takes flight

G

Germantown’s resurgence began with three simple words: “Closed. Gone Crazy.”

This handwritten message was posted outside of Charlie’s Tavern, an old “NASCAR bar,” where the dog-eared regulars were plenty pleased with their cold Bud Lights — thank you very much!

But, the Dale Jr. posters were soon swept from this 1930s-era tavern when a new attitude breezed in, along with a new sign outside: The Nachbar. With its “H” and “B” pushed together to resemble the label of a world class German beer — Hofbrau Munchen — it was clear that a re-branding was underway. This was further evidenced by the Nachbar’s expanded lineup of tap handles, an assortment that would make any beer nerd smile.

That three-word notice on the door of Charlie’s represented something of a torch being passed. A new generation of Germantown businessperson, namely first-time bar owners Heather Burks and James Gunnoe, was hearing opportunity knock after years of dues-paying at Louisville restaurants like Ramsi’s and Baxter Station. Surely a somber day for some, the Nachbar changeover

succeeded in bringing a renewed energy to Charles Street. The appearance of Burks and Gunnoe’s Eiderdown on nearby Goss Avenue a couple of years later advanced the notion that a renaissance might be under way. Add the grand opening of Greenhaus last November — a wine, beer and home furnishings store staked by friend and one-time bar employee Daniel Duncan — and you have what The Courier-Journal dubbed an “expanding Nachbar Empire.”

No Smiling Funding the Charlie’s Tavern facelift in ’07 was anything but a sure bet for this burgeoning family. But the wager paid off with an almost cult-like following at the Nachbar and now Eiderdown, their inventive contribution to the Louisville restaurant scene.

Asked to explain the concept behind Eiderdown, Burks says she and husband James Gunnoe — who’ve become parents since first setting up shop in Louisville — took a “Nachbar grows up” approach to their first eatery.

Eiderdown

James Gunnoe and Heather Burks

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290-2390 983 Goss Avenue (502)

Spring vegetable spätzle — zucchini, squash, red pearl onions over a corn coulis.

The name itself (Eiderdown are the soft, breast feathers of a mother duck, used to line both nests and the bedding of humans) evokes, in many ways, the proprietors’ current stage of family life and, as Burks and Gunnoe have pushed further into adulthood, so too have their clientele. The often maligned crowd at Nachbar has regularly been dismissed as “hipsters” in the local press. Burks agrees that the designation is unfair, considering there isn’t a soul alive who identifies himself as a member of this subculture, nor has a clear definition of the term been penned since usage began to spread toward the end of last century.

“Hipster-hipster-hipster is all I heard for the first two years we were open,” Burks says of their early write-ups. “Which was just so funny, because me and James are not hip! Then I’d hear from people who are like, ‘Oh, I can’t go there. It’s too hip for me.’

That made me so mad, because it is more eclectic than (that.)

But, I’ve gotten to know all those people and they’ve kind of evolved with us.”

The more seasoned crowd Burks describes is reflected later in our weekday interview at Eiderdown, when the seats around us begin filling with a number of mature ladies out lunching. Burks adds that it has also become common to see Nachbar regulars bringing their parents into Eiderdown for sit-down dinners. The room is well suited for these types of gatherings, with its under stated, even elegant, flair — a bit of a departure from what’s offered at the so-called hipster bar down the street, with its Christmas lights, vintage video games and tongue-in-cheek signage (an illuminated “No Smiling” sign looms above a beer fridge).

To reach Eiderdown’s current state of decor, the white-tiled box that was Jockamo’s Pizza needed to be peeled back and plenty of reclaimed materials salvaged. Much of the ancient poplar that makes up the tables and bar here was picked from the historic National Tobacco Works factory on 18th Street and Main.

The building’s 2009 demolition coincided with Eiderdown’s construction. It was during this renovation that boarded-up window openings were discovered near the rear of the dining room. To take advantage of this find, old-timey frames that Gunnoe repurposed from a West Virginia farmhouse were built into the wall, allowing natural light to pour into the space.

Winged Migration Another poetic take on “Eiderdown” is the namesake bird’s cross-Atlantic migration from Europe to America. Chef Brian Morgan’s cuisine reflects this flight pattern with an interesting fusion of intercontinental influences. His pastiche of plates spans thousands of miles, from a fresh, improvised take on Indian Mulligatawny ($7.50) to a deconstructed Turkish doner kebab ($8.50). Tinges of Kentucky bluegrass and Southern cuisine are sprinkled throughout, as are several nods to the neighborhood’s German roots, like currywurst ($8) and spätzle ($14,) the classic egg noodle dish created in Switzerland that later became a German staple.

The range of styles manage to come together despite the sometimes seemingly random approach Morgan took when building the menu. For example, the first-time head chef claims that while conceiving Eiderdown’s bill-of-fare, he Googled “German street food” and discovered currywurst. Morgan worked with these new flavors until he found versions that suited him and the local palate. The kebab became an open-faced lamb sandwich. His 46 Summer 2011 www.foodanddine.com

currywurst features a somewhat muted curry presence, allowing the homemade knockwurst, frites and ketchup to come forward.

This is a variation on the spicier original, but both forms make for ideal beer food.

Beer plays a key supporting role here, which should come as no surprise considering that, between Nachbar’s 16 taps and Eiderdown’s 21, there is only one draught that’s common at both locations: the hopped-up, fruity IPA from Kalamazoo known as Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale. Two-Hearted and other brews are often used as an ingredient at Eiderdown, while certain dishes appear on the menu for their ability to pair with specific beers.

After reading in “Michael Jackson’s Great Beer Guide” that Mulligatawny and IPA play well together, Gunnoe asked his chef to invent a sandwich version of the soup. Morgan also braises his local, pulled pork (The Gnadinger, $9.50) in a bold, Bavarian dopplebock called Aventinus. Then there are the house-made mustards, created from Paulaner’s Hefeweizen, Stone’s Smoked Porter and the Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale.

Mean Mister Mustard When Burks and Gunnoe first set up shop in Germantown, there were those Charlie’s Tavern holdovers unmoved by the Nachbar’s craft suds and refreshed jukebox. Some went so far as to accuse the new owners of being Bardstown Road wanna-be’s.

This was, after all, a corner watering hole in a longtime, working class neighborhood — not the fancy-schmancy Highlands! But, while there were initial nonbelievers amongst the Charlie’s faithful, a number of old-timers did go on to become fans and friends of Burks and Gunnoe.

Steve Mahaffey, who’s been visiting the Tavern since his teens and later became a Nachbar fixture, is one of them. Now in his 60s, Mahaffey seems to have found a niche at Eiderdown as well, creating hot sauces and a number of lovely, beer-derived mustards that go for 50 cents a pop.

“Steve’s this old, craggy Vietnam vet. His knee’s all shot out from a helicopter crash. Pretty awesome guy,” Heather Burks says affectionately. “He comes in with his granddaughter and they make mustards — and they’re really good.”

Chef Brian Morgan’s worldly dishes are not to be passed up, but if you’re in the market for a beer and quick bite, there are worse fates than a flight of mustards and Eiderdown’s soft, freshly baked pretzels. Each of Mahaffey’s condiments differs from the next, using an array of spices, seeds and fruits, like roasted pear and Concord grape. The flavor profiles range from the delicate and sweet Hefeweizen to the drier, maltier smoked Porter to the IPA, which offers nice heat and a grainy, seedy texture.

Mahaffey is emblematic of Germantown’s acceptance of Burks, Gunnoe, and this new wave of businesses. When longtime, lowrent dwellings are snatched up by first-time home-buyers and young business owners, occasional gripes about gentrification are to be expected. But despite a quibble here and there over diminished street parking and increased noise, the young restaurateurs have done well in integrating themselves into the neighborhood. Burks credits the work of Go Green Germantown and Sojourn Church for the continued upswing in community mindedness. But the positive effect of the Nachbar and Eiderdown is palpable, as neighbors point out when noting, for instance, once sketchy street corners that now buzz with life. F&D

Seared fluke with radish, ramps, roasted new red potatoes with an orange Champagne butter sauce.

Chef Brian Morgan

Braunschweiger plate — pork liver terrine, aged goat cheese and rye brioche.

easy entertaining party to go

BY TIM AND LORI LAIRD | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

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Party to Go

Whether you’re planning a picnic or a trip to the beach, a concert or any other outdoor event, you can bring the party along. The key to a Party to Go is to stay mobile and light and to offer an assortment of crowd-pleasing foods. Also be sure to prepare items which will keep well in coolers, require few utensils and need little to no set-up once you arrive at your location.

TIPS

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• Buy a good cooler that is light, sturdy and por table. Many come available with wheels and retractable handles.

• Pack an assortment of food items that will appeal to all tastes.

• Consider foods that keep well with little cooling; skip the mayonnaise.

• Lighten your load by swapping glass for Lucite or plastic. You can pour a bottle of wine or mixed cocktails into a plastic bottle and not worry about corkscrews as it will easily reseal as needed.

Lucite wine glasses offer the feel of an elegant glass without the worry of breakage.

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• Use gel freezer packs to keep things cool. Place inside of a zip-top plastic bag to protect from leaks and remember to place the gel packs on top of your food in the cooler.

• Pack side items in individual disposable containers for easy serving and clean-up.

• Pack a small, light foldable table and include items to dress up your Party to Go simply and elegantly. Include a small blanket and tablecloth and even candles and flowers. Instead of packing a vase, use a plastic water bottle.

Include light and nutritious sides you can eat with just a fork. Pack individual disposable soufflé cups with a selection of oil and vinegar cole slaw, pasta salad, and quinoa and seasoned brown rice.

For dessert, try fresh fruit with a Riesling sauce on the side. If you follow these tips, your Party to Go will be a delicious adventure!

Timeline 1 Week ahead Shop for non-perishable groceries

2 Days ahead Prepare your picnic basket or cooler by making a list of items to take and organizing items you’ll need to pack (blanket, garbage bag, tablecloth, flowers, candles, etc.)

1 Day ahead Shop for last minute groceries Make the Riesling sauce for the Fruitinis with Riesling Sauce

Morning of the party Make the Chicken Salad Make the Mayo-Free Cole Slaw Make the Chilled Yogurt Soup Cut the fruit for the Fruitinis with Riesling Sauce Make the Fleur De Lis Cocktail Slice the lemon garnishes

2 Hours ahead Make the Brown Rice Salad Make the Asian Beef Noodle Salad

1 Hour ahead Build and package the Fruitinis with Riesling Sauce

Just before the Party To Go Pack your cooler with all of the food and beverages

Shopping List Orange juice Fresh ginger, 1 knob Garlic, 1 bulb Flank steak, 11/4 pounds Asian rice noodles (vermicelli), 8 ounces Carrots, 2 Cucumbers, 2 Cilantro, 1 bunch Cooked chicken breast, 2 cups Dried cranberries, 1 cup Pine nuts, 1/2 cup 6 rolls or 1-2 baguettes Plain yogurt, 2 cups Fresh dill, 1 bunch Fresh chives, 1 bunch Broccoli slaw, 1 12-ounce bag Red pepper, 1 Sweet onion, 1 Fig-infused vinegar Brown rice, 1 bag Italian salad dressing, 1 bottle Fresh spinach leaves, 1 bag Celery, 1 bunch Walnuts, 1 small bag Green onions, 2 bunches Pineapple, 1 Blueberries, 11/2 cups Strawberries Kiwi, 1 Lemons, 3 Riesling wine Chambord vodka Chambord liqueur Lemonade Cranberry juice Plastic martini glasses Mason jars, small and medium sizes

Also pick up if not already in your pantry Sugar Vegetable oil Apple cider vinegar Dry mustard Celery seed

Salt Black pepper Dijon mustard Soy sauce Rice wine vinegar

www.facebook.com/foodanddine Summer 2011 49

Asian Beef Noodle Salad

Asian Beef Noodle Salad (SERVES 4-6)

For the dressing: 1 /2 cup vegetable oil 1 /2 cup orange juice 1 /4 cup soy sauce 1 /4 cup rice wine vinegar 1 /4 cup green onions, chopped 2 teaspoons fresh ground ginger 4 cloves garlic, crushed 11/4 pounds flank steak Salt Pepper In a medium bowl, combine the vegetable oil, orange juice, soy sauce, vinegar, onions, ginger and garlic. Reserve 1/2 cup to use for dressing on the salad. Score the meat with 1/4 -inch deep knife cuts across the grain. Place the meat in a zip-top plastic bag, add the marinade and refrigerate for 4 to 8 hours. Remove the meat from the marinade and season both sides with salt and pepper.

Grill the steak over high heat for 4 minutes per side or to your desired doneness. Remove the steak from the grill and place on a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Cut the steak into thin slices against

50 Summer 2011Â www.foodanddine.com

Chicken Salad

the grain and refrigerate. Let the steak come to room temperature before serving.

For the salad: 8 ounces Asian rice noodles (vermicelli), cooked according to directions on the package and rinsed under cold water to chill 1 cup carrots, shredded 1 cup cucumber, sliced 1 /4 cup green onions, chopped 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped (plus more for garnish) 1 /2 teaspoon salt 1 /2 teaspoon pepper Remaining 1/2 cup dressing In a large bowl, combine the noodles, carrots, cucumbers, onions, cilantro, salt and pepper. Toss with the dressing and top with sliced flank steak. Garnish with cilantro.

Chicken Salad (SERVES 4-6)

2 1 1 1 /2 1 /2

cups cooked chicken breast, diced cup celery, chopped cup dried cranberries cup Italian salad dressing cup pine nuts, toasted

Fruitinis with Riesling Sauce

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard /4 teaspoon black pepper Rolls or baguette

1

In a small bowl, combine the salad dressing, mustard and pepper. In a medium bowl, combine the chicken, celery, cranberries and pine nuts. Add the dressing and toss until combined. Refrigerate until ready to pack and keep cold. Serve with your favorite rolls or sliced baguette.

Fruitinis with Riesling Sauce (SERVES 4-6)

11/2 11/2 11/2 1 1 1 /4

cups pineapple, cut into small pieces cups blueberries cups sliced fresh strawberries kiwi, sliced cup Riesling wine cup sugar Lemon zest, 4 3-inch long strips Plastic martini glasses

In a small saucepan, combine the wine, sugar and lemon zest. Bring to a boil and simmer until the sugar has dissolved and the sauce has reduced, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Let cool on the stovetop. Pour into a container with a sealable lid to transport.

To assemble your Fruitinis, put 1/4 cup

of the pineapple in a triangle-shaped section of the martini glass. Repeat with the blueberries and strawberries. Garnish with a kiwi slice. Just before serving, pour the Riesling sauce over the top of the fruit.

Mayo-Free Cole Slaw (SERVES 4-6)

If you cannot find the broccoli slaw, you can chop a head of cabbage, red cabbage, Napa cabbage or any combination of these and add shredded carrots. If you cannot find fig-infused vinegar, use all apple cider vinegar.

1 12-ounce bag broccoli slaw (broccoli, carrots, red cabbage) 1 red pepper, sliced lengthwise 1 /2 sweet onion, sliced lengthwise 1 /2 cup sugar 1 /3 cup vegetable oil 1 /4 cup fig-infused vinegar 1 /4 cup apple cider vinegar 2 teaspoons dry mustard 2 teaspoons celery seed 1 /2 teaspoon salt

Chilled Yogurt Soup (SERVES 4-6)

1 2 1 1 /2 1 /2 1 /4 1 /4 1

cucumber cups plain yogurt tablespoon lemon juice teaspoon fresh dill, chopped teaspoon dry mustard teaspoon salt teaspoon black pepper tablespoon chopped chives

Peel the cucumber and slice it in half lengthwise. Remove the seeds by scraping them out with a spoon, then cut the cucumber into chunks. In a blender, combine the cucumber, yogurt, lemon juice, dill, mustard, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Pour into mason jars for easy transpor t and serving. Refrigerate for a minimum of two hours. When ready to serve, garnish with chives.

In a large bowl, combine the broccoli slaw, red pepper and onion.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the sugar, vegetable oil, fig-infused vinegar, cider vinegar, dry mustard, celery seed and salt. Raise the heat and bring to a boil then simmer until the sugar is dissolved, about 3 to 5 minutes. Pour over the vege-

Mayo-Free Cole Slaw

tables and toss. Cover and refrigerate until cold.

Brown Rice Salad (SERVES 4-6)

1 cup brown rice /2 cup Italian salad dressing 2 cups (21/2 ounces) fresh spinach leaves, chopped 1 cup celery, chopped 1 /2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped 1

Chilled Yogurt Soup

1

/2 cup (1 bunch) green onion, chopped 1 teaspoon pepper 1 /2 teaspoon salt Cook 1 cup of brown rice according to the package directions. In a large bowl, toss the warm rice with the salad dressing.

Let cool in the refrigerator, then add the spinach, celery, walnuts, green onions, pepper and salt. Toss, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Fleur De Lis Cocktail 3

/4 /4 2 1

3

ounce Chambord vodka ounce Chambord liqueur ounces lemonade ounce cranberry juice Squeeze of lemon

Shake all ingredients with ice and pour into tall glass. Garnish with lemon slice.

To make by the pitcher: 3 ounces Chambord vodka 3 ounces Chambord liqueur 8 ounces lemonade 4 ounces cranberry juice Squeeze of lemon Put all ingredients into a container with a tight fitting lid for transport. When ready to serve, shake container and pour into mason jars. Add ice to each jar, and garnish with lemon slice. F&D

Brown Rice Salad

Fleur De Lis Cocktail www.facebook.com/foodanddine Summer 2011 51

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Alphabetical Index

ALL RESTAURANTS ARE LISTED ALPHABETICALLY, FOLLOWED BY THE PAGE NUMBER OF ITS REVIEW, THE CUISINE STYLE, AND THE CORRESPONDING MAP NUMBER(S).

UNMAPPED [ ] DENOTES MULTIPLE LOCATIONS.

Cuisine Style

RESTAURANT

73 73 74 74 75 76 76 76 72 71 60 62 67 78 78 64 80 81 67 76 76 76 77 77 56 66 78 79 73 78 68 69 63 80 64 57

Area Maps

82

dining guide

AFRICAN ASIAN/CHINESE ASIAN/FILIPINO ASIAN/JAPANESE ASIAN/KOREAN ASIAN/MONGOLIAN ASIAN/THAI ASIAN/VIETNAMESE BAR & GRILL BARBECUE BISTRO/CONTEMPORARY CAFÉS CAFETERIAS CAJUN/CREOLE CARIBBEAN/CUBAN CASUAL DINING COFFEE/TEA HOUSE DESSERTS/BAKERY ENTERTAINMENT DINING EUROPEAN/BOSNIAN EUROPEAN/GERMAN EUROPEAN/IRISH EUROPEAN/ITALIAN EUROPEAN/SPANISH FINE DINING HOME STYLE/SOUTHERN INDIAN MEXICAN MICROBREWERIES MIDDLE EASTERN PIZZA SANDWICH/DELI SEAFOOD SOUTHWEST/TEX MEX STEAKHOUSE UPSCALE CASUAL

MAP # DIRECTION PG # DOWNTOWN 84 1 downtown louisville NEAR EAST 85 2 highlands – crescent hill NEAR EAST 86 3 st. matthews SOUTH EAST 87 4 hikes point – buechel EAST 88 5 hurstbourne – anchorage EAST 89 6 hurstbourne s. – jeffersontown NORTH EAST 90 7 indian hills – westport FAR NORTH EAST 90 8 westport rd. – gene snyder NEW MAP NA 9 under construction NORTH EAST 91 10 prospect SOUTH EAST 91 11 fern creek SOUTH WEST 92 12 shively – pleasure ridge SOUTH 93 13 old louisville – airport INDIANA 94 14 new albany – floyds knobs INDIANA 95 15 clarksville INDIANA 95 16 jeffersonville

52 Summer 2011 www.foodanddine.com

PAGE #/CUISINE STYLE

MAP #

#1 Asian Buffet 73 Asian/Chinese 2 211 Clover Lane 56 Fine Dining 3 60 West Bistro 57 Upscale Casual 3 610 Magnolia 56 Fine Dining 13 732 Social 57 Upscale Casual 1 8 China Buffet 73 Asian/Chinese 6 A Nice Restaurant 64 Casual Dining 14, 16 A Taste of China 73 Asian/Chinese 1 A.J.’s Gyro Café 78 Middle Eastern 14 A.P. Crafters Kitchen & Bar 60 Bistro/Contemporary 5 Addis Grill 73 African 1 Adrienne & Co. Bakery Café 81 Desserts/Bakery 16 Adrienne’s Italian 77 European/Italian 16 Ahoy Fish Hut 63 Seafood 4 Al Watan 78 Middle Eastern 4 Alexander’s Pizzeria 68 Pizza 16 Alley Cat Café 62 Cafés 5 Amazing Grace Deli 69 Sandwich/Deli 2 Amici 77 European/Italian 13 Anchorage Café 62 Cafés 5 Angelina’s Café 77 European/Italian 5 Angilo’s Pizza 68 Pizza 13 Angio’s Restaurant 68 Pizza 4 Ann’s by the River 67 Cafeterias 16 Annie Cafe 76 Asian/Vietnamese 13 Annie’s Pizza 68 Pizza 1, 12 Another Place 69 Sandwich/Deli 1 Applebee’s 64 Casual Dining [6] Arni’s Pizza 68 Pizza 14 Aroma Café 62 Cafés 14 Artesia Fusion Bistro 59 Bistro/Contemporary 14 Asahi Japanese 74 Asian/Japanese 3 Asian Buffet 73 Asian/Chinese 4, 14, 15 Asian Moon 73 Asian/Chinese 4, 6 Asiatique 57 Upscale Casual 2 Aspen Creek Restaurant 64 Casual Dining 11 Atrium Café 60 Bistro/Contemporary 5 August Moon 73 Asian/Chinese 2 Austin’s 57 Upscale Casual 7 Avalon 57 Upscale Casual 2 BD’s Mongolian Grill 76 Asian/Mongolian 6 B.J.’s Restaurant & Brewhouse 64 Casual Dining 5 Backyard Burger 69 Sandwich/Deli 6 The Bakery 81 Desserts/Bakery 4 Bamboo House 73 Asian/Chinese 13 Bank Street Brewhouse 73 Microbreweries 14 Barbara Lee’s Kitchen 66 Home Style/Southern 2 The Bard’s Town 67 Entertainment Dining 2 Basa Modern Vietnamese 57 Upscale Casual 2 Baxter Station 60 Bistro/Contemporary 2 Bazos Mexican Grill 79 Mexican 3, 6 Bean Street Café 8o Coffee/Tea House 14 Bearno’s Pizza 68 Pizza [12] Beef O’Brady’s 72 Bar & Grill 5, 12, 13, 14, 15 Beijing Grill & Sushi Bar 75 Asian/Japanese 14 Big Al’s Beeritaville 72 Bar & Grill 2 Big Blue Country 72 Bar & Grill 2 Big Momma’s Soul Kitchen 66 Home Style/Southern 1 The Bistro 67 Cafeterias 3 Bistro 42 77 European/Italian 10 Bistro 301 60 Bistro/Contemporary 1 Bistro Le Relais 60 Bistro/Contemporary 4 Blackstone Grille 57 Upscale Casual 10 Blimpie’s Subs 69 Sandwich/Deli 2 The Blind Pig 61 Bistro/Contemporary 2 BLU Mediterranean Grille 57 Upscale Casual 1 Blue Dog Bakery 62 Cafés 2 Blue Horse Café 64 Casual Dining 13 Blue Lagoon 63 Seafood 2 Bluegrass Brewing Co. 73 Microbreweries 1, 3 Bluegrass Burgers 64 Casual Dining 3 Bombay Grill 78 Indian 5 Bonefish Grill 63 Seafood 5 Bonnie & Clyde’s Pizza 68 Pizza 12 Boombozz Famous Pizza 68 Pizza 3 Boombozz Pizza Bistro 68 Pizza 6 Boombozz Pizza & Taphouse 68 Pizza 2, 5 Boomer’s Café 62 Cafés 1 Bootleg Barbecue Co. 71 Barbecue 11, 13 Borromeo’s Pizza 68 Pizza 13 Bosna-Mak 76 European/Bosnian 4 Boulevard Café 79 Mexican 15 Bourbons Bistro 61 Bistro/Contemporary 2 Bowman’s BBQ 71 Barbecue 14 Brandon’s Bar-B-Que 71 Barbecue 5 Bravo!

57 Upscale Casual 3 Breadworks 81 Desserts/Bakery 2, 5, 7 Brendan O’Shea’s 76 European/Irish 3 Brian’s Deli 69 Sandwich/Deli 1 Brickhouse Tavern & Tap 64 Casual Dining 6 Bristol Bar & Grille 57 Upscale Casual 1,2,5,10,13,16 Brix Wine Bar 61 Bistro/Contemporary 8 Brownie’s Grille & Bar 72 Bar & Grill 5 Browning’s Brewery 61 Bistro/Contemporary 1

RESTAURANT

PAGE #/CUISINE STYLE

Buca Di Beppo Buck’s Buckhead Mountain Grill Buffalo Wild Wings Buffalo Wings & Rings Bungalow Joe’s Bunz Restaurant Burger Boy Burning Bush Grille Butcher’s Best Deli Butterfly Garden Café Café 360 Café Envy Café Fraiche Café Lou Lou Café Magnolia Café Mimosa Café Montagu Café Palacio Café Thuy Van Caffe Classico Cake Flour California Pizza Kitchen Calistoga Bakery Café Captain’s Quarters Cardinal Hall of Fame Café Carley Rae’s Carmen’s Cupcakes Carolyn’s Carrabba’s Italian Grille Cast Iron Steakhouse Cat Box Deli Caviar Japanese Restaurant Cellar Door Chocolates Champions Grill Champion’s Sports Bar Charlestown Pizza Co. Check’s Café Cheddar Box Café Cheddar’s Casual Café The Cheesecake Factory Cheezy’s Pizza Chez Seneba African Chicago Gyros The Chicken House Chicken King Chili’s China 1 China Buffet China Café China Castle China Garden China Inn China King China Taste Chinese Chef Chinese Express Choi’s Asian Food Market Chong Garden Chopshop Salads Chopsticks Chopsticks House Chung King Chuy’s Cici’s City Café Clarksville Seafood Clifton’s Pizza Clucker’s Wings Coach Lamp Coals Artisan Pizza CoCo’s Chocolate Café Cocos Lokos Caribbean Coffee Crossing Coffee Pot Café Come Back Inn The Comfy Cow Corbett’s ‘an American place’ Corner Café Corner Door Bar & Grill Cottage Café Cottage Inn Cozza Osteria Enoteca Crave Café & Catering Cravings a la Carte Creekside Outpost & Café Cricket’s Café Crystal Chinese Cuban Flavor Cubana Restaurant Culver’s Cumberland Brews Cunningham’s The Cupcake Shoppe Cyclers Café Dakshin Indian Restaurant DaLat’s Gateaux & Bakery Danish Express Pastries Danny Mac’s Pasta & Pizza Day’s Espresso De La Torre’s Del Frisco’s Derby Café Derby City Espresso Derby Dinner Playhouse Desserts By Helen

MAP #

77 European/Italian 6 56 Fine Dining 13 64 Casual Dining 4, 8, 16 72 Bar & Grill 2,3,5,6,8,12,15 72 Bar & Grill 8 72 Bar & Grill 11 64 Casual Dining 2 69 Sandwich/Deli 13 78 Middle Eastern 10 69 Sandwich/Deli 10 62 Cafés 2, 3 78 Middle Eastern 2 64 Casual Dining 1 62 Cafés 7 61 Bistro/Contemporary 2,3 64 Casual Dining 1 76 Asian/Vietnamese 2 62 Cafés 13 69 Sandwich/Deli 3 76 Asian/Vietnamese 13 80 Coffee/Tea House 2 81 Desserts/Bakery 1 68 Pizza 5 69 Sandwich/Deli 1, 3 64 Casual Dining 10 64 Casual Dining 13 66 Home Style/Southern 1 81 Desserts/Bakery 8 66 Home Style/Southern 12 77 European/Italian 5 64 Steakhouse 10, 16 69 Sandwich/Deli 1 57 Upscale Casual 1 81 Desserts/Bakery 2 65 Casual Dining 16 72 Bar & Grill 1 68 Pizza 16 66 Home Style/Southern 1 62 Cafés 5 65 Casual Dining 8, 13, 15 57 Upscale Casual 3 68 Pizza 16 73 African 13 69 Sandwich/Deli 2 67 Home Style/Southern 14 67 Home Style/Southern 1 65 Casual Dining 4, 5, 8, 13 73 Asian/Chinese 3 73 Asian/Chinese 15 73 Asian/Chinese 13 73 Asian/Chinese 12 73 Asian/Chinese 13 73 Asian/Chinese 13 73 Asian/Chinese 6 73 Asian/Chinese 16 73 Asian/Chinese 13 73 Asian/Chinese 12 75 Asian/Japanese 5 73 Asian/Chinese 12 65 Casual Dining 1, 3 73 Asian/Chinese 1 73 Asian/Chinese 1 73 Asian/Chinese 1 80 Southwest/Tex Mex 3, 15 68 Pizza 4, 14 62 Cafés 1, 2 63 Seafood 15 68 Pizza 2 72 Bar & Grill 14, 16 65 Casual Dining 1 68 Pizza 3 81 Desserts/Bakery 2 78 Caribbean/Cuban 6 80 Coffee/Tea House 14 80 Coffee/Tea House 1 77 European/Italian 1, 16 81 Desserts/Bakery 5 56 Fine Dining 8 58 Upscale Casual 5 72 Bar & Grill 2 67 Home Style/Southern 5 67 Home Style/Southern 13 77 Mexican 16 62 Cafés 2 67 Cafeterias 1 62 Cafés 14 62 Cafés 15 73 Asian/Chinese 1 79 Caribbean/Cuban 11 79 Caribbean/Cuban 2 65 Casual Dining 6 73 Microbreweries 2 65 Casual Dining 1, 10 81 Desserts/Bakery 3 62 Cafés 2 78 Indian 11 81 Desserts/Bakery 13 69 Sandwich/Deli 3 68 Pizza 13 80 Coffee/Tea House 2 77 European/Spanish 2 64 Steakhouse 3 62 Cafés 13 80 Coffee/Tea House 1 67 Entertainment Dining 16 81 Desserts/Bakery 1, 2

RESTAURANT

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Devino’s 69 Sandwich/Deli 1 Diamond Pub & Billiards 72 Bar & Grill 3 Difabio’s Casapela 77 European/Italian 2 DiOrio’s Pizza & Pub 68 Pizza 3 Dish On Market 61 Bistro/Contemporary 1 Ditto’s Grill 61 Bistro/Contemporary 2 Dizzy Whizz Drive-In 69 Sandwich/Deli 1 D’Nalley’s Restaurant 67 Home Style/Southern 1 Doc Crow’s 58 Upscale Casual 1 Don Pablos 79 Mexican 15 Donegan’s Restaurant & Pub 72 Bar & Grill 2 Dooley’s Bagels 69 Sandwich/Deli 7 Double Dragon 73 Asian/Chinese 1, 2 Double Dragon II 73 Asian/Chinese 8, 11, 12, 13 Double Dragon 8 73 Asian/Chinese 1 Double Dragon 9 73 Asian/Chinese 6 Double Dragon Buffet 73 Asian/Chinese 5 Downtown Diner & Coffee House 62 Cafés 14 Dragon King’s Daughter 75 Asian/Japanese 2 Drake’s 72 Bar & Grill 3 Dynasty Buffet 73 Asian/Chinese 7 Eagle Lake & Restaurant 63 Seafood 12 Eastern House 73 Asian/Chinese 12 Eddie Merlot’s 64 Steakhouse 1 Edesia Gardens 65 Casual Dining 6 Eggroll Machine 73 Asian/Chinese 2 Eiderdown 76 European/German 13 Einstein Brothers Bagels 69 Sandwich/Deli 1 El Burrito de Oro 79 Mexican 15 El Caporal 79 Mexican 4, 6, 15 El Mundo 79 Mexican 2 El Nopal 79 Mexican 3,5,6,7,8,13,14 El Nopalito 79 Mexican 4, 11 El Rey Mexican 79 Mexican 4 El Rodeo Mexican 79 Mexican 12 El Sombrero 79 Mexican 16 El Tarasco 79 Mexican 3, 5, 6, 13 El Toro Cantina & Grill 79 Mexican 6 Emperor of China 73 Asian/Chinese 7 Empress of China 74 Asian/Chinese 4 The English Grill 56 Fine Dining 1 Equus 58 Upscale Casual 3 Erika’s German Restaurant 76 European/German 6 Ermin’s Bakery & Café 62 Cafés 1, 10 Ernesto’s 80 Mexican 5, 6 Expression Of You 80 Coffee/Tea House 2 The Falafel House 78 Middle Eastern 2 Famous Dave’s Bar-B-Que 71 Barbecue 6, 15 Fat Daddy’s Pizza 68 Pizza 13 Fat Jimmy’s 68 Pizza 1, 2, 5 Feed Bag Deli 70 Sandwich/Deli 3 Fiesta Time Mexican Grill 80 Mexican 8, 11 Fire Fresh Bar B Q 71 Barbecue 1, 12 First Wok 74 Asian/Chinese 12 The Fish House 63 Seafood 2, 5 The Fishery 63 Seafood 3, 5 Five Guys Burgers & Fries 65 Casual Dining 8, 14 Flanagans Ale House 72 Bar & Grill 2 Fleur de Lis Café 62 Cafés 2 Forty Acres And A Mule 67 Home Style/Southern 13 Four King’s Café 72 Bar & Grill 4 Fox & Hound 72 Bar & Grill 3 Franco’s Restaurant 67 Home Style/Southern 12 Frankfort Ave. Beer Depot 71 Barbecue 2, 3 Frascelli’s N.Y. Deli & Pizza 70 Sandwich/Deli 7 Frolio’s Pizza 68 Pizza 13 Frontier Diner 67 Home Style/Southern 12 Fuji Asian Bistro 75 Asian/Japanese 12 Fuji Japanese Steakhouse 75 Asian/Japanese 5, 8 Fun Food Café 62 Cafés 2 Funmi Café 73 African 2 Gary’s On Spring 58 Upscale Casual 2 Gasthaus 76 European/German 7 Gavi’s Restaurant 65 Casual Dining 1 Gerstle’s Place 72 Bar & Grill 3 Ghyslain On Market 61 Bistro/Contemporary 1 Gigi’s Cupcakes 81 Desserts/Bakery 6 Golden Buddha 74 Asian/Chinese 13 Golden Corral 67 Home Style/Southern 4,13,15 Golden Palace 74 Asian/Chinese 13 Golden Star Chinese 74 Asian/Chinese 13 Golden Wall 74 Asian/Chinese 13 Goose Creek Diner 65 Casual Dining 8 Granny’s Apron 67 Home Style/Southern 13 Granville Inn 72 Bar & Grill 13 Grape Leaf 78 Middle Eastern 2 Great American Grill 72 Bar & Grill 13 Great Harvest Bread Co. 81 Desserts/Bakery 5, 14 Great Life Café 70 Cafés 6, 8, 15 Great Wall 74 Asian/Chinese 2 Great Wok 74 Asian/Chinese 13 Green Room Coffee 80 Coffee/Tea House 6 Habana Blues Tapas 79 Caribbean/Cuban 14 Hall’s Cafeteria 67 Cafeterias 2 Hammerheads 61 Bistro/Contemporary 1 Hanabi Japanese Restaurant 75 Asian/Japanese 10 Happy China 74 Asian/Chinese 6 Hard Rock Café 61 Bistro/Contemporary 1 Harley’s Hardwoodz Bar-B-Q 71 Barbecue 16 Harvest 58 Upscale Casual 1 Havana Rumba 79 Caribbean/Cuban 3, 5 Hawksview Gallery 58 Upscale Casual 13 Hazelwood Restaurant 67 Home Style/Southern 12 Heine Brothers Coffee 81 Coffee/Tea House 2,3,4,5,13 Heitzman Bakery & Deli 81 Desserts/Bakery 1, 5 Highland Coffee Co. 81 Coffee/Tea House 2 www.facebook.com/foodanddine Summer 2011 53

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Highland Morning 62 Cafés 2 Hiko A Mon Sushi Bar 75 Asian/Japanese 5 Hill Street Fish Fry 63 Seafood 13 Hillbilly Tea 61 Bistro/Contemporary 1 Hitching Post Inn 72 Bar & Grill 11 Hobknobb Roasting Co. 81 Coffee/Tea House 14 Holy Grale 61 Bistro/Contemporary 2 Home Run Burgers & Fries 65 Casual Dining 3, 5, 6 Homemade Ice Cream & Pie Kitchen 81 Desserts2,3,5,6,8,11,15 Hometown Buffet 67 Home Style/Southern 6, 3 Hometown Pizza 68 Pizza 5, 7 Honey Creme Donut Shop 81 Desserts/Bakery 14 Honeybaked Café 70 Sandwich/Deli 3, 11, 14 Hong Kong Chinese 74 Asian/Chinese 14 Hong Kong Fast Food 74 Asian/Chinese 13 Hoops Grill and Sports Bar 72 Bar & Grill 13 Hooters 65 Casual Dining 3,13,12,15,16 Hot Diggity Dogs 70 Sandwich/Deli 2 Howl at the Moon 67 Entertainment Dining 1 Hunan Wok 74 Asian/Chinese 11 Ichiban Samurai 75 Asian/Japanese 6 IHOP 65 Casual Dining 6, 15 Improv Comedy Club 67 Entertainment Dining 1 Incredible Dave’s 67 Entertainment Dining 8 Indi’s Restaurant 67 Home Style/Southern 1,3,13,16 InFusion Foods USA 78 Indian 6 Intermezzo Café & Cabaret 58 Upscale Casual 1 The International Mall 77 European/Italian 1 The Irish Exit 76 European/Irish 14 The Irish Rover 76 European/Irish 2, 7 Iroquois Pizza 68 Pizza 13 Istanbul Palace 78 Middle Eastern 8 J. Alexander’s 58 Upscale Casual 3 J. Graham’s Café 62 Cafés 1 J. Gumbo’s 78 Cajun/Creole 1,2,5,6,10,13 J. Harrods 58 Upscale Casual 10 Jack Binion’s Steakhouse 56 Fine Dining 14 Jack Fry’s 58 Upscale Casual 2 Jack’s Lounge 61 Bistro/Contemporary 3 Jackson’s Seafood 63 Seafood 14 Jade Palace 74 Asian/Chinese 5 Jane’s Cafeteria 67 Cafeterias 4 Jasmine 74 Asian/Chinese 5 Jason’s Deli 70 Sandwich/Deli 3, 5 Java Brewing Co. 81 Coffee/Tea House 1,2,5,7,10 Jazzyblu 61 Bistro/Contemporary 1 Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse 64 Steakhouse 1 Jersey Mike’s Subs 70 Sandwich/Deli 5, 6, 8 Jersey’s Café 72 Bar & Grill 15 Jessie’s Family Restaurant 67 Home Style/Southern 12 Jimbo’s BBQ 71 Barbecue 13 Jimmy John’s Sub Shop 70 Sandwich/Deli 1,2,3,5,6,14,15 Joe Davola’s 70 Sandwich/Deli 2 Joe Huber Restaurant 67 Entertainment Dining 14 Joe’s Crab Shack 63 Seafood 1 Joe’s O.K. Bayou 78 Cajun/Creole 6 Joe’s Older Than Dirt 65 Casual Dining 5 John E’s 58 Upscale Casual 4 John O’Bryan’s Tavern 72 Bar & Grill 12 Johnny V’s 68 Pizza 6 Jucy’s Smokehouse 71 Barbecue 5 Jumbo Buffet 74 Asian/Chinese 6 Kansai Japanese Rest.

75 Asian/Japanese 15 Karem’s 65 Casual Dining 8 Kashmir Indian 78 Indian 2 Kayrouz Café 62 Cafés 3 Kern’s Korner 65 Casual Dining 2 King Wok 74 Asian/Chinese 3 Kingfish 63 Seafood 6, 7, 16 King’s Fried Chicken 67 Home Style/Southern 13 Kobe Japanese Steak 75 Asian/Japanese 16 Koreana II 75 Asian/Korean 13 KT’s 59 Upscale Casual 2 L&N Wine Bar and Bistro 61 Bistro/Contemporary 2 La Bamba 80 Mexican 2 La Bocca 77 European/Italian 14 La Bodega 77 European/Spanish 2 La Colombiana 78 European/Spanish 8 La Esquina Caliente 79 Caribbean/Cuban 13 La Gallo Rosso Bistro 77 European/Italian 2 La Monarca 80 Mexican 11 La Que 76 Asian/Vietnamese 2 La Rosita Mexican Grill 80 Mexican 14, 15 La Rosita Taqueria 80 Mexican 15 La Tapatia 80 Mexican 2, 13 Lancaster’s Cafeteria 67 Cafeterias 14 Las Gorditas 80 Mexican 11 Lee’s Korean 76 Asian/Korean 13 Legend’s 65 Casual Dining 14 Lemongrass Café 76 Asian/Vietnamese 5 Lenny’s Sub Shop 70 Sandwich/Deli 4 Liang’s Café 74 Asian/Chinese 8 The Lighthouse 72 Bar & Grill 16 Lil’ Loafers Bakery 81 Desserts/Bakery 13 Lilly’s 56 Fine Dining 2 Limestone 56 Fine Dining 5 Ling Ling 74 Asian/Chinese 5 Little Caesar’s Pizza 68 Pizza 5, 6, 8, 11, 13, 14, 16 Little Chef 70 Sandwich/Deli 14 Little India Café 78 Indian 4 Liu’s Garden 74 Asian/Chinese 5 Logan’s Roadhouse 64 Steakhouse 3, 6, 12, 15 Lolitas Tacos Inc. 80 Mexican 13 Longhorn Steakhouse 64 Steakhouse 6, 8, 15 Lonnie’s Taste Of Chicago 70 Sandwich/Deli 2 54 Summer 2011 www.foodanddine.com

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Los Aztecas 80 Mexican 1, 5, 10 Lotsa Pasta 70 Sandwich/Deli 3 Louisville Pizza Co. 68 Pizza 6 Luigi’s 68 Pizza 1 Lunch Today 70 Sandwich/Deli 16 Lynn’s Paradise Café 65 Casual Dining 2 Ma Zerellas 68 Pizza 15 Maa Sha Allah 73 African 4 Magic Fingers 75 Asian/Japanese 1 Mai’s Thai Restaurant 76 Asian/Thai 16 Maido Essential Japanese 75 Asian/Japanese 2 Main Eatery 70 Sandwich/Deli 1 Main St. Tavern 72 Bar & Grill 1 Majihd’s St. Matthews 61 Bistro/Contemporary 3 Maker’s Mark Lounge 59 Upscale Casual 1 Manhattan Grill 65 Casual Dining 1 Mark’s Feed Store 71 Barbecue 2, 5, 12, 14 Martini Italian Bistro 77 European/Italian 8 Maxwell’s Bar & Grille 65 Casual Dining 6 Mayan Café 80 Mexican 1 McAlister’s Deli 70 Sandwich/Deli [8] The Melting Pot 59 Upscale Casual 6 Meridian Café 62 Cafés 3 Mexican Fiesta 80 Mexican 4 Mexico Tipico 80 Mexican 5, 12 Mexico Viejo 80 Mexican 2 Michael Murphy’s 72 Bar & Grill 1 Michele’s On Goss 59 Upscale Casual 13 Midori Japanese Restaurant 75 Asian/Japanese 5 Mikato Japanese Steakhouse 75 Asian/Japanese 3 Mike Linnig’s 63 Seafood 12 Mike’s Tavern 72 Bar & Grill 14 Mimi’s Café 65 Casual Dining 5 Ming’s Buffet 74 Asian/Chinese 2 Mirage Mediterranean Grill 78 Middle Eastern 13 Miss C’s Kitchen & Pantry 67 Home Style/Southern 1, 2 Mitchell’s Fish Market 63 Seafood 8 Moe’s Southwest Grill 80 Southwest/Tex Mex 3,6,8,11,15 Mojito Tapas Restaurant 78 European/Spanish 7 Molly Malone’s 76 European/Irish 2, 3 The Monkey Wrench 65 Casual Dining 2 Morris Deli & Catering 70 Sandwich/Deli 1, 2 Morton’s of Chicago 64 Steakhouse 1 Mozz Mozzarella Bar 56 Fine Dining 1 Mr. Gattis 68 Pizza 5, 12, 13, 15 Mr. Pollo 66 Casual Dining 4 Mrs. Potter’s Coffee 81 Coffee/Tea House 1 Mulligan’s Pub and Grill 66 Casual Dining 2 My Favorite Muffin 81 Desserts/Bakery 5 My Old KY Dinner Train 67 Entertainment Dining 13 My Patria 80 Mexican 5 The NA Exchange 61 Bistro/Contemporary 14 Naked Pizza 68 Pizza 3 NamNam Café 76 Asian/Vietnamese 3 Nancy’s Bagel Box 70 Sandwich/Deli 1 Nancy’s Bagel Grounds 70 Sandwich/Deli 2 Napa River Grill 59 Upscale Casual 5 Neil & Patty’s Fireside Grill 66 Casual Dining 14 New Albanian Brewing Co. 68 Pizza 14 New Albany Fish House 64 Seafood 14 New China 74 Asian/Chinese 5 New Direction Bar & Grill 72 Bar & Grill 8 Nord’s Bakery 81 Desserts/Bakery 13 North End Café 59 Cafés 2 NuLu East Market Lounge 59 Upscale Casual 1 O’Charley’s 66 Casual Dining 3,6,8,13,12,15 O’Dolly’s 67 Home Style/Southern 13 O’Shea’s Irish Pub 76 European/Irish 2 The Oakroom 56 Fine Dining 1 Oasis Japanese Restaurant 75 Asian/Japanese 13 Oishii Sushi 75 Asian/Japanese 2 Old Chicago Pasta & Pizza 68 Pizza 6, 8 Old Louisville Coffee House 81 Coffee/Tea House 13 Old Spaghetti Factory 77 European/Italian 1 Old Stone Inn 59 Upscale Casual 5 Ole Hickory Pit BBQ 71 Barbecue 11 The Olive Garden 77 European/Italian 6,8,11,15 Ollie’s Trolley 70 Sandwich/Deli 1 Onion Restaurant & Tea House 74 Asian/Chinese 14 Ooh La La Bakery 81 Desserts/Bakery 6 Orders Up Café & Deli 70 Sandwich/Deli 5 Oriental House 74 Asian/Chinese 3 Oriental Star 74 Asian/Chinese 13 Original Impellizzeri’s 68 Pizza 1, 2, 10 Osaka Sushi Bar 75 Asian/Japanese 1, 2 Otto’s Café 66 Casual Dining 1 Our Best Restaurant 67 Home Style/Southern 13 Outback Steakhouse 64 Steakhouse 3, 8, 11, 13, 15 P. F. Chang’s China Bistro 59 Upscale Casual 5 Palermo Viejo 78 European/Spanish 2 Panda Chinese 74 Asian/Chinese 10 Panera Bread Co. 70 Sandwich/Deli 1,5,6,7,8,13,15 Papa John’s 68 Pizza [30] Papa Murphy’s Pizza 68 Pizza 3,4,5,8,11,12,14,15,16 Papa’s Grilled Chicken 67 Home Style/Southern 1 Papalino’s NY Pizzeria 68 Pizza 2 Passtime Fish House 64 Seafood 6 Pat’s Steak House 64 Steakhouse 2 Patrick O’Shea’s 76 European/Irish 1 Patticakes & Pies Café 62 Cafés 14 Paul’s Fruit Market 70 Sandwich/Deli 3, 4, 5, 7 Paula Deen Buffet 66 Casual Dining 14 Peking City Bistro 74 Asian/Chinese 5 Penn Station 70 Sandwich/Deli [17] Peppers Bar and Grill 66 Casual Dining 1

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Perfetto Pizza 68 Pizza 6 Perkfection 81 Coffee/Tea House 16 Pesto’s Italian 77 European/Italian 1 Petra Mediterranean 78 Middle Eastern 4 Pho Binh Minh 76 Asian/Vietnamese 13 Piccadilly Cafeteria 67 Cafeterias 5, 6 The Pie Pantry 81 Desserts/Bakery 12 Pina Fiesta Mexican Grill 80 Mexican 12 Pit Stop Bar-B-Que 71 Barbecue 5 Pita Delights 78 Middle Eastern 1 Pita Hut 78 Middle Eastern 2 Pita Pit 78 Middle Eastern 6 Pizza King 68 Pizza 14, 16 Pizza Place 68 Pizza 4 Plehn’s Bakery 81 Desserts/Bakery 3 Police Donuts 81 Desserts/Bakery 5 Ponderosa Steakhouse 64 Steakhouse 13 Porcini 77 European/Italian 2 Preston St. Fish & Chicken 66 Casual Dining 13 Proof On Main 59 Upscale Casual 1 Pub Louisville 66 Casual Dining 1 Puccini’s Smiling Teeth 68 Pizza 3 Puerto Vallarta 80 Mexican 11, 14, 16 Qdoba Mexican Grill 80 Mexican [11] Queen of Sheba 73 African 4 Queenie’s Soul Cuisine 67 Home Style/Southern 4 Queue Café 63 Cafés 1 Quick Wok 74 Asian/Chinese 1 Quill’s Coffee 81 Coffee/Tea House 2 Quizno’s Subs 70 Sandwich/Deli [10] Rafferty’s of Louisville 66 Casual Dining 3, 8 Ramsi’s Café 61 Bistro/Contemporary 2 Red Hog Tapas 61 Bistro/Contemporary 2 Red Hot Roasters 81 Coffee/Tea House 1, 2 Red Robin Gourmet Burgers 66 Casual Dining 3, 8 Red Star Tavern 59 Upscale Casual 1 Red Sun Chinese 74 Asian/Chinese 4 Red’s 71 Sandwich/Deli 1 Ri Ra Irish Pub 76 European/Irish 1 Rite Way Bar-B-Cue House 71 Barbecue 1 River City Winery 61 Bistro/Contemporary 5, 14 Riverbend Winery 59 Upscale Casual 1 Riverside Café 63 Cafés 16 Rivue 56 Fine Dining 1 Rocky’s Sub Pub 69 Pizza 16 Romano’s Macaroni Grill 77 European/Italian 5 Roosters 66 Casual Dining 12, 13, 15 Rootie’s Sports Bar & Grille 72 Bar & Grill 8 Rosticeria Luna 80 Mexican 13 Royal Garden 74 Asian/Chinese 11, 13 Rubbie’s Southside Grill & Bar 71 Barbecue 13 Ruben’s Mexican Restaurant 80 Mexican 15 Ruby Tuesday 66 Casual Dining 6, 15 The Rudyard Kipling 66 Casual Dining 1 Rumball’s Family Sports Bar 72 Bar & Grill 8, 12 Rumors Raw Oyster Bar 64 Seafood 5 Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse 64 Steakhouse 3 Ryan’s Steakhouse 64 Steakhouse 11 Saffron’s 78 Middle Eastern 1 Safier Mediterranean Deli 78 Middle Eastern 1 Saigon Café 76 Asian/Vietnamese 3 Saint’s 72 Bar & Grill 3 Sake Blue Japanese Bistro 75 Asian/Japanese 11 Sakura Blue 75 Asian/Japanese 3 Salsarita’s Fresh Cantina 80 Southwest/Tex Mex 3 Sam’s Food & Spirits 66 Casual Dining 14 Santa Fe Grill 80 Mexican 13 Sapporo Japanese Grill 75 Asian/Japanese 1, 2 Sari Sari Exotic Filipino Cuisine 74 Asian/Filipino 2 Schlotzsky’s Deli 71 Sandwich/Deli 5, 8 Scotty’s Ribs & More 72 Barbecue 5 Selena’s at Willow Lake Tavern 78 Cajun/Creole 5 Senor Iguana’s 80 Mexican 5, 13, 15 Sergio’s World Beers 73 Bar & Grill 2 Seviche A Latin Restaurant 56 Fine Dining 2 Shack In The Back BBQ 72 Barbecue 13 Shady Lane Café 71 Sandwich/Deli 7 Shah’s Mongolian Grill 76 Asian/Chinese 6, 13 Shalimar Indian 78 Indian 6 Shane’s Rib Shack 72 Barbecue 7 Shanghai Restaurant 74 Asian/Chinese 1 Sharom’s 64 Seafood 11 Shenanigan’s Irish Grille 76 European/Irish 2, 4 Shiraz Mediterranean Grill 78 Middle Eastern 2, 5, 7, 13 Shirley Mae’s Café 67 Home Style/Southern 1 Shogun 75 Asian/Japanese 6, 8 Shoney’s 66 Casual Dining 2, 13 Sichuan Garden 74 Asian/Chinese 6 Sicilian Pizza & Pasta 69 Pizza 1 Simply Splendid Salads 66 Casual Dining 5 Simply Thai 76 Asian/Thai 3 Sir Dano’s Pizza Parlor 69 Pizza 15 Sister Bean’s 81 Coffee/Tea House 13 Sitar Indian Restaurant 78 Indian 2 Skyline Chili 66 Casual Dining 2, 3, 6, 12 Slammer’s Sports Bar & Grill 73 Bar & Grill 12 Smokehouse BBQ 72 Barbecue 11 Smoketown USA 72 Barbecue 1 Smokey Bones BBQ 72 Barbecue 6 Snappy Tomato 69 Pizza 8 Sol Aztecas 80 Mexican 1, 2 Sonoma Coffee Café 81 Coffee/Tea House 2 Soupy’s 71 Sandwich/Deli 4 Spaghetti Shop 77 European/Italian 11, 14 Spinelli’s Pizzeria 69 Pizza 1, 2, 3, 8

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Sporting News Grill 73 Bar & Grill 13 The Sports & Social Club 73 Bar & Grill 1 Spring St. Bar & Grill 73 Bar & Grill 2 Stan’s Fish Sandwich 64 Seafood 3 Starbucks Coffee 81 Coffee/Tea House [35] Starving Artist Café 71 Sandwich/Deli 5 Staxx Roadhouse & BBQ 64 Steakhouse 5 Steak N Shake 66 Casual Dining4,6,8,13,12,15 Steinert’s Grill & Pub 73 Bar & Grill 14 Stevie B’s Burgers & More 66 Casual Dining 15 Stevens & Stevens Deli 71 Sandwich/Deli 2 Steve-O’s Italian Kitchen 77 European/Italian 7 Stoney River 64 Steakhouse 8 Stop Lite Café 63 Cafés 1 Studio Pizza 69 Pizza 15 Stumler Restaurant 67 Entertainment Dining 14 Sub Station II 71 Sandwich/Deli 13 Sugar & Spice Donut Shop 81 Desserts/Bakery 11 Sully’s Saloon 73 Bar & Grill 1 Sunergos Coffee & Roastery 81 Coffee/Tea House 13 Sweet Stuff Bakery 81 Desserts/Bakery 14 Sweet Surrender 63 Cafés 2 Sweet-Tee’s 67 Home Style/Southern 13 T Bone’z 80 Southwest/Tex Mex 11 Taco Tico 80 Mexican 12, 13, 14 Tacqueria La Mexicana 80 Mexican 13 Taj Palace 78 Indian 8 TanThai Restaurant 76 Asian/Thai 14 Tazza Mia 81 Coffee/Tea House 6 TC’s Sandwich Shoppe 71 Sandwich/Deli 1 Tea Station Chinese Bistro 74 Asian/Chinese 8 The Tequila Factory 80 Mexican 2 Texas Roadhouse 64 Steakhouse 2, 12, 13, 15 Texicans BBQ Pit 72 Barbecue 7 TGI Friday’s 66 Casual Dining 1 Thai Café 76 Asian/Thai 7 Thai Orchids 76 Asian/Thai 6 Thai Siam 76 Asian/Thai 4 Thai Smile 5 76 Asian/Thai 13 Thai Taste 76 Asian/Thai 2 The Back Door 73 Bar & Grill 2 The Bodega 71 Sandwich/Deli 1 The Café 63 Cafés 1 The Cheddar Box 63 Cafés 3 The Lunch Pail 63 Cafés 13 Theater Square Marketplace 61 Bistro/Contemporary 1 Third Avenue Café 63 Cafés 1 Thornberry’s Deli & Pies 71 Sandwich/Deli 13 Tiffany Cellar Café 63 Cafés 5 Tilted Kilt 66 Casual Dining 3 Toast On Market 66 Casual Dining 1, 14 Tokyo Japanese 75 Asian/Japanese 7 Toni’s More Than Pizza 69 Pizza 13 Trailside Café 81 Coffee/Tea House 5 Trellis Restaurant 66 Casual Dining 1 True Thai 76 Asian/Thai 11 Tucker’s 66 Casual Dining 14 Tumbleweed 80 Southwest/Tex Mex 1,2,4,6,8,12,13,14,15,16 Tuscany Italian Restaurant 77 European/Italian 13 Twig & Leaf Restaurant 66 Casual Dining 2 Umai Zushi Buffet 74 Asian/Chinese 8 Uptown Café 60 Upscale Casual 7 Varanese 60 Upscale Casual 2 Verbana Café 63 Cafés 8 Vic’s Café 73 Bar & Grill 14 Vietnam Kitchen 76 Asian/Vietnamese 13 Village Anchor Pub & Roost 62 Bistro/Contemporary 5 Vincenzo’s 57 Fine Dining 1 Vito’s Pizza 69 Pizza 13 Volare 77 European/Italian 2 W.W. Cousin’s 71 Sandwich/Deli 3 Wagner’s Pharmacy 67 Home Style/Southern 13 Wall Street Deli 71 Sandwich/Deli 1 Wasabiya Japanese Rest. 75 Asian/Japanese 2 Webb’s Market 67 Home Style/Southern 1 Westport General Store 66 Casual Dining 10 Whitney’s Diner 63 Cafés 4 Wick’s Pizza 69 Pizza 2, 5, 6, 8, 14 Wild Eggs 63 Cafés 3, 5 Wild Ginger Sushi & Fusion 75 Asian/Japanese 2 Wiltshire On Market 60 Upscale Casual 1 Windy City Pizzeria 69 Pizza 13 The Wing Zone 66 Casual Dining 13 Winston’s 57 Fine Dining 4 Wok Express 74 Asian/Chinese 1 Wolfgang Puck Express 63 Cafés 1 Wonton Express 74 Asian/Chinese 4 Yaching’s East West Cuisine 60 Upscale Casual 1 Yafa Café 63 Cafés 1 Yang Kee Noodle 74 Asian/Chinese 5 Yellow Cactus 80 Mexican 14 Yen Ching 74 Asian/Chinese 6 You-Carryout-A 74 Asian/Chinese 15, 16 Yummy Wok 74 Asian/Chinese 6 Za’s Pizza 69 Pizza 2 Zanzabar 73 Bar & Grill 13 Zaxby’s 66 Casual Dining 16 Zaytun Mediterranean Grill 78 Middle Eastern 2 Zen Garden 76 Asian/Vietnamese 2 Zen Tea House 81 Coffee/Tea House 2 Zeppelin Café 63 Cafés 13 Zivio 63 Cafés 1 Zoe’s Kitchen 78 Middle Eastern 1, 8 Z’s Fusion 57 Fine Dining 1 Z’s Oyster Bar 57 Fine Dining 5

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GUIDE KEY Average Entrée Price:

$$ = under $8 $$$$ = $15-$20 $$ = $9-$14 $$$$ = $21 & up

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VEGETARIAN MENU ITEMS

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ALL RESTAURANTS ARE LOCATED IN LOUISVILLE (unless noted otherwise).

All phone numbers are local calls. When out of the area, use area code 502 for all listings except Indiana, use 812.

211 CLOVER LANE RESTAURANT 211 Clover Ln. 896-9570. Owner and manager Andrew Smith has added a 1300 bottle wine cellar and private dining room to burnish the upscale atmosphere and creative cuisine from long time Chef Troy Schuster.

This stylish spot in St. Matthews continues to rank among the city’s top tables. $$$$ p f ✿ 610 MAGNOLIA 610 Magnolia Ave., 636-0783. Chef Edward Lee’s creative international prix fixe menu has kept this elegantly comfortable Old Louisville restaurant a top table for more than 25 years. His monthly family style pasta and bistro dinners across the street in the Wine Studio give diners a way to appreciate his skills at a lower price point. $$$$ p f ✿

BUCK’S 425 W. Ormsby Ave., 637-5284. Elegant but not overstated, this fine dining room in the Mayflower Apartments has been quietly serving high-style lunches and dinners for more than two decades.

The quality of food and service remains high, and Rick Bartlett continues his long tenure at the piano. $$$ p f e ✿ CORBETT’S ‘AN AMERICAN PLACE’ 5050 Norton Healthcare Blvd., 327-5058. Dean Corbett, longtime fixture on the Louisville dining scene, went all-out with his East End destination. Housed in the stunning former Von Allmen mansion, Corbett’s kitchen is state of the art, the dining room amenities include a chef’s table with closed circuit TV connection to the kitchen, and his menu has been earning raves. Worth the trip and the price. $$$$ p f ENGLISH GRILL 335 W. Broadway (The Brown Hotel), 583-1234. This landmark, formal dining room is firing on all cylinders under Chef Laurent Geroli, who brings an international sophistication to the menu, and a wider exploration of cuisines with occasional special wine dinners. We recommend booking the chef’s table for an especially memorable evening. $$$ p ✿ JACK BINION’S STEAKHOUSE Horseshoe Casino Hotel, Elizabeth, IN, 888-766-2648. Housed in the Horseshoe Casino, Jack Binion’s, a stylish, upscale place, is no gamble for hearty dining. A traditional steakhouse, but one that aims high: top quality meat, impeccable service, a high-roller’s ambience. $$$$ p h LILLY’S 1147 Bardstown Rd., 451-0447. A Louisville institution for more than a quarter-century, Lilly’s, under much heralded owner-chef Kathy Cary, continues to be as fresh as the locally-sourced foods she features on her Kentucky-accented menus. Her frequent special wine dinners are among the more affordable and creative in the area. $$$$ p e ✿ LIMESTONE 10001 Forest Green Blvd., 426-7477. Chef Jim Gerhardt has established a stylish and elegant

dining experience in the East End. Seasonal theme dinners and the Feed Me Chef ad hoc dinners offer special values. $$$$ p ✿ MOZZ MOZZARELLA BAR & ENOTECA 445 E. Market St., 690-6699. Matthew Antonovich and Michael Cooper, alumni of Casa Grasanti’s, have brought the old Primo space in the Cobalt building on the edge of NuLu back to rocking new life.

Fresh mozzarella is made on the hour as patrons watch, an antipasto bar offers more than 100 varieties of vegetables, meats and cheeses and the upscale enoteca section emphasizes “rustic earthto-table eating.” And, they are expanding in the same building, with their new NuLu East Market Lounge. $$$ p e h ✿ THE OAKROOM 500 S. Fourth St. (Seelbach Hotel), 585-3200. Executive Chef Jim Gerhardt (who also operates Limestone in the East End) and his chef de cuisine Bobby Benjamin continue to make the Oakroom worthy of its AAA five-diamond designation. The menu is refined but lively, melding local produce and specialty items like spoonfish caviar with classic continental cuisine. $$$$ p ✿ RIVUE 140 N. Fourth St., (Galt House Hotel) 5684239. You can still get a revolving view of the city in this upscale dining room. But a major makeover in 2007 has completely transformed the dark old Flagship Room into a sleek black and white modern fantasy right out of an old Fred Astaire movie. $$$ p h ✿ SEVICHE A LATIN RESTAURANT 1538 Bardstown Rd., 473-8560. Featured on the menu is seviche, the Latino seafood dish “cooked” in tart citrus juices, but Chef Anthony Lamas’ menu offers a broad, eclectic range of Latin American dishes.

Nationally noted in many food magazines, Lamas has exposed diners to the cooking traditions of the Americas with his always interesting Gusto Latino wine dinners, another fine value in the dining scene. $$$$ p f h ✿

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VINCENZO’S 150 S. Fifth St., 580-1350. Known for its suave professional service, high-end Northern Italian fare and many trademark dishes finished at tableside, Vincenzo’s continues to hold its own against growing downtown competition. $$$$ p e h ✿ WINSTON’S RESTAURANT 3101 Bardstown Rd., (Sullivan University Campus), 456-0980. Higher education meets higher cuisine at this elegant oncampus restaurant staffed by Sullivan culinary arts students. But this is no college lab; it’s an attractive and stylish restaurant. Chef John Castro runs the staff through its paces guaranteeing that while students are learning their craft, your dinner will ace the test. Open Fri. - Sun. only. Reservations suggested. $$$$ p ✿ Z’S FUSION 115 S. Fourth St., 855-8000. Consummate restaurateur Mehrzad Sharbaiani (Z’s Oyster Bar and Steakhouse) spent $2 million to remake this 10,500 square foot space into a cool, sophisticated oasis. The menu’s ingenious and delicious take on fusion cooking and the excellent service make this an exceptional dining experience at surprisingly reasonable prices. $$$$ p ✿ Z’S OYSTER BAR & STEAKHOUSE 101 Whittington Pkwy., 429-8000. This exciting spot brings a level of fine dining to the suburbs that makes it stand out in the chain-rich environs outside the Watterson. Splendid steaks, extraordinary seafood, fine service and clubby ambience give Z’s the tools to dominate in the steakhouse competition. $$$$ p

BLACKSTONE GRILLE 9521 U.S. 42, Prospect, KY, 228-6962. Longtime restaurateur Rick Dissell, formerly of Rick’s Ferrari Grille, continues to please his many fans at his latest restaurant in the Prospect Center. The menu offers sandwiches and an array of bistro entrées — pasta, seafood, beef and chicken, including Rick’s fried chicken livers and “light” fried chicken. $$$ p f ✿ THE BLIND PIG 1076 E. Washington St., 618-0600.

(See listing under Bistro/Contemporary.)

BLU ITALIAN MEDITERRANEAN GRILLE 280 W. Jefferson St. (Louisville Marriott), 627-5045. BLU offers upscale Italian Mediterranean cuisine in striking surroundings highlighted by Mexican limestone and Italian marble. For those seeking a relaxing libation and a quicker snack, the Bar at BLU offers a more casual alternative. $$$ p ✿ BRAVO! 206 Bullitt Ln. (Oxmoor Center), 326-0491.

Management describes the Ohio-based Bravo! chain as “a fun, white-tablecloth casual eatery … positioned between the fine-dining and casual chains.” A Roman-ruin setting houses abundant Italian-American style fare. We particularly enjoyed appetizers and first-rate grilled meats. $$ p f ✿

BRISTOL BAR & GRILLE 1321 Bardstown Rd., 4561702, 300 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 426-0627, 614 W. Main St., 582-1995, 6051 Timber Ridge Dr., 292-2585, 2035 S. Third St., 634-2723, 700 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville, IN, 218-1995. A cornerstone of Louisville’s restaurant Renaissance, The Bristol started three decades ago on Bardstown Road. Now with six venues around town, diners can always find dependable pub grub, eclectic entrées, and evergreen standards like the green-chile won tons and the Bristol Burger. F&D columnist Scott Harper has crafted an exceptional wine selection. $$ p f ✿ CAVIAR JAPANESE RESTAURANT 416 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 625-3090. Sammy Sa, the genial host of the Fuji restaurants in the East End, also pleases downtown diners with this stylish Japanese eatery next door to the Seelbach Hotel. Eat at the sushi bar, choose a comfortable table or reserve the traditional Japanesestyle Tatami Room for your group. $$$ p h ✿ THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY 5000 Shelbyville Rd., 897-3933. “Cheesecake” is its name, and this glitzy shopping-mall eatery offers a wide variety of rich, calorific choices to eat in or take out. It’s more than just cheesecake, though, with a wide-ranging menu of California, Southwestern and Pacific Rim fare plus full bar service. $$ p h ✿

60 WEST BISTRO & MARTINI BAR 3939 Shelbyville Rd., 719-9717. 60 West combines a comfortable dining room with a large, friendly bar offering an imposing list of martinis and martini-style cocktails.

The menu offers fairly priced Contemporary American bistro fare. $$ p f e ✿ 732 SOCIAL 732 E. Market St., 583-6882. Since chef-owner Jayson Lewellyn opened the doors of his sleek, intimate spot in the midst of the NuLu art district, crowds have flowed in, both for the innovative small plates, always-changing menu, and the creative bartenders who practice the art of preProhibition cocktail crafting. Dishes are designed to be shared, so be sure to bring a convivial and hungry group. $$$ p f ✿ ASIATIQUE 1767 Bardstown Rd., 451-2749. Fifteen years ago Chef Peng Looi introduced Louisville diners to panAsian Pacific Rim fusion cuisine. In his sophisticated, multi-level, Bardstown Road restaurant he continues to offer clean, simple, elegant dishes that present often startling flavor combinations. His wok-seared salmon has long been a local favorite. $$$ p f h ✿ AUSTIN’S 4950 U.S. 42, 423-1990. Big, crowded and bistro-style, with heavy emphasis on the bar, this suburban watering hole taps the same vein as the national franchise booze ’n’ beef genre, and does so well, offering satisfying dining at a fair price. $$ p ✿ AVALON 1314 Bardstown Rd., 454-5336. With an upscale value dining menu, Avalon continues its tenure as one of the classy joints along the Bardstown Road corridor. We always try to sit on the three-season patio, one of the best in the city. $$$ p f ✿ THE BARD’S TOWN 1801 Bardstown Rd., 749-5275.

(See listing under Entertainment Dining.)

BASA MODERN VIETNAMESE 2244 Frankfort Ave., 896-1016. Chef Michael Ton brought a new style of Asian fusion cuisine to Louisville, playing entertaining riffs off Vietnamese cooking, with daring choices like caramelized catfish claypot and tamarind-sriracha gelato. $$$ p

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CORNER CAFÉ 9307 New Lagrange Rd., 426-8119.

There’s nothing fancy or overly elegant about this suburban neighborhood old favorite, but the term “eclectic” fits it well. $$ p ✿

The

Perfect Location for Every Occasion

Anniversary or Birthday Dinners Sunday Brunch Wine Tastings Business Dinners

DOC CROW’S 127 W. Main St., 587-1626. The west side of Whiskey Row is filling out just fine. Doc Crow’s is one of the most recent additions to offer excellent food choices for those venturing downtown for fun at the Yum Center nearby.

Oysters from both coasts, raw and fried, fried green tomatoes, pork rinds, shrimp and grits. All served in a handsome renovation of one of Main Street’s classic cast-iron front buildings. $$ p h EQUUS 122 Sears Ave., 897-9721. With the newish Corbett’s in the East End hitting on all cylinders, veteran Chef Dean Corbett has returned to his flagship St. Matthews restaurant, redesigning the room for a more casual atmosphere, and refocusing the menu on comfort foods, with no entrée over $19. Though the prices are lower, we don’t expect the quality of fare to follow suit. $$$ p ✿ GARY’S ON SPRING 204 Spring St., 584-5533. Harold Baker, formerly chef at Westport General Store, is at the helm of this new Irish Hill upscale casual spot.

His menu features appetizers such as a baby Hot Brown and chicken fritters with red chili sauce, a buffalo mozzarella salad, bison burgers, oyster po’ boy sandwiches, bison ribeye, Bourbon Street scallops and eggplant napoleon. $$$ p f h ✿

For reservations, call (502) 807-DINE (3463) 500 Fourth Street, Louisville, KY 40202

.TOL.

HARVEST 624 E. Market St., 384-9090. The long-awaited debut of farmer Ivor Chodkowski’s venture into the restaurant world is here. The menu will be strongly focused on locally sourced foods (Chodkowski and Chef Coby Ming are shooting for 80% from within 100 mile radius), which limits the fish selection, but increases diners’ awareness of how much local food producers can do. Look for dishes such as smoked goat cheese ravioli and buttermilk fried chicken with arugula hoecake. $$$ p h ✿ HAWKSVIEW GALLERY AND CAFÉ 170 Carter Ave., Shephardsville, KY, 955-1010. In this “American bistro with a Southern twist,” diners eat amidst a gallery of hand-crafted glass art. Daily specials are inspired by world cuisines and the “confectionary artist” creates sweets like Linzer tortes and extreme turtle cheesecake. Watch glass being blown as you dine. $$$ INTERMEZZO CAFÉ & CABARET 316 W. Main St., 584-1265. The elegant restaurant space in Actor’s Theatre of Louisville’s historic building features casual American bistro fare in an attractive dining room, plus nightly entertainment in a cabaret style. $$$ p e ✿ J. ALEXANDER’S RESTAURANT 102 Oxmoor Court, 339-2206. This comfortably upscale venue, a Nashville-based chain, features “contemporary American” fare with a broad menu that ranges from burgers and sandwiches to such upscale eats as grilled tuna or a New York strip steak. $$$ p f ✿ J. HARROD’S 7507 Upper River Rd., 228-4555. J. Harrod’s is discreetly tasteful and pleasantly comfortable. The food is competitive in both quality and value. It’s an appealing, upscale blend of bistro fare and old-fashioned country cooking. $$$ p ✿ JACK FRY’S 1007 Bardstown Rd., 452-9244. Good times or bad, weeknights or weekends, this Louisville institution — the remnant of a 1930s saloon — is always crowded and buzzing. Stephanie Meeks has taken over from long-time owner Susan Seiler, but the upscale bistro fare, like shrimp and grits and spicy fried oysters, is as good as ever. $$$$ p e h ✿ JOHN E’S 3708 Bardstown Rd., 456-1111. Owner John Shanchuck caters to the horseracing crowd. Thirty years of framed Derby programs and winning tickets line the walls. But you don’t have to place a bet to enjoy this rambling Buechel restaurant. The Porterhouse steak tastes good in the Bob Baffert Room whether or not your horse came in. $$$$ p e ✿

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KT’S 2300 Lexington Rd., 458-8888. It’s hard to argue with success, and KT’s has earned its popularity by providing good American-style bar and bistro chow for a price that’s fair. $$ p f h ✿ MAKER’S MARK BOURBON HOUSE & LOUNGE 446 S. Fourth St., (Fourth Street Live) 568-9009.

Kentucky’s Maker’s Mark Distillery lends its name and its signature red-wax image to this stylish restaurant and lounge in the booming downtown entertainment complex. A magisterial bar features more than 60 Bourbons, and the menu offers traditional Kentucky fare. $$$ p f h ✿ MELTING POT 2045 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-3125.

This Florida-based chain brings back pleasant memories of fondue parties of the ’70s. If you can melt it and dip things in it, the Melting Pot probably has it on the menu. $$$ p ✿ MICHELE’S ON GOSS 946 Goss Ave., 409-5909.

Michele Brinke has taken over the space in the Goss Avenue Antique Mall that used to be Olivia’s.

The large, airy space will serve up lunch to mall browsers, and dinner as well. $ f ✿ NAPA RIVER GRILL 1211 Herr Ln., 893-0141. Innovative wine-country cuisine, excellent service and fine California-focused wine collection can be found in the stylish quarters of this popular East End restaurant. With an expanded menu serving both lunch and dinner, it’s become one of the anchors of trendy Westport Village center. $$$ p f h ✿ NORTH END CAFÉ 1722 Frankfort Ave., 896-8770.

Known for their hearty and interesting breakfast choices, The North End also satisfies diners at lunch and dinner. With an eclectic menu of diverse tapas and interesting entrées, it’s an appealing, affordable place to dine $$$ f h ✿ NULU EAST MARKET LOUNGE 445 E. Market St., 690-6699. The popular E. Market Street restaurant Mozz expands its space in the Cobalt Ventures building with this new supper club environment.

The lounge features a piano bar and octagonal “culinary theatre” complete with mozzarella-making stations, a gelato freezer and a Champagne and caviar bar. Late Night at NuLu will transform the space into a retro discotheque complete with disco ball and light show. $$$ p e h ✿ OLD STONE INN 6905 Shelbyville Rd., Simpsonville, KY, (502) 722-8200. For many years diners have happily driven out to Simpsonville to enjoy both the historic building and the traditional Kentucky menu of this dining institution. Those in the know order the fried chicken and country ham. $$$ p f e ✿ P.F. CHANG’S CHINA BISTRO 9120 Shelbyville Rd., 327-7707. This Arizona-based, Chinese themed restaurant offers a loud, happy scene with Chinesestyle dishes. To its credit, everything is prepared well and service is consistently fine. $$ p h ✿ PROOF ON MAIN 702 W. Main St., 217-6360.

Seasoned executive chef Michael Paley’s everchanging creative menu continues to make Proof a destination dining spot, the culinary equal of the quirky 21c Museum Hotel which has garnered national notice. Mediterranean in focus, with a commitment to using local products as much as possible, the adventurous dishes (grilled octopus, bison burgers, beef marrow, sea salt caramel gelato) are made with the freshest ingredients. $$$ p ✿ RED STAR TAVERN 450 S. Fourth St., 568-5656.

Billed as “a hip, contemporary version of the classic American tavern,” this chain operation in Fourth Street Live features steaks, chops and seafood in an atmosphere that’s upscale and clubby, with an extensive bar as a key part of the action. $$$ p f h RIVERBEND WINERY 120 S. Tenth St., 540-5650, 12003 Shelbyville Rd., 245-1478. Watch the winemakers in action, crafting 20 varieties of wine from Kentuckygrown grapes, as you enjoy lunch or dinner in this upscale casual eatery just west of downtown. Weekly

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chef’s dinners with wine pairings at reasonable prices.

A second location in the East End expands the audience for their locally-crafted wines and food. $$ p e ✿ UPTOWN CAFÉ 1624 Bardstown Rd., 458-4212.

Anchoring a hot corner in the Highlands for two decades now, the Uptown continues to be a popular lunch and dining destination, with its excellent bistro fare, and always appealing dessert selections. $$ p f ✿ VARANESE 2106 Frankfort Ave., 899-9904. Chef John Varanese has made even old-timers forget that this stylish venue was once a gas station. With a slate interior waterfall and a front wall that folds open in good weather, the dining room is as interesting as the lively, international seasonal menu. Live jazz, contemporary art and urban style complete the mood. $$$ p f e ✿ VOLARE 2300 Frankfort Ave., 894-4446. (See review under European/Italian.)

WILTSHIRE ON MARKET 636 E. Market St., 5895224. Understated elegance and creative dishes characterize this NuLu restaurant. Owner Susan Hershberg set the benchmark for fine catering in Louisville with Wiltshire Pantry, which she continues here with her finely crafted small plates menu that changes weekly to showcase the best seasonal ingredients. Open Thur. - Sat. only.

Reservations suggested. $$ f ✿ YACHING’S EAST WEST CUISINE 105 S. Fourth St., 585-4005. Yaching’s promises “an eclectic menu of contemporary Asian fusion cuisine.” It’s an attractive mix of East and West, sufficient to give just about everyone something to enjoy, regardless of which compass point attracts your taste buds. $$$ p ✿

A.P. CRAFTERS KITCHEN & BAR 1321 Herr Ln., 690-5000. Tony Palombino is stretching beyond his gourmet pizza business with this new venture in Westport Village (scheduled opening of May 18).

The renovation of the former Indigo Joe’s space in the booming shopping center plays off the place’s name, with floor to ceiling shelving stocked with vintage cookware, distillery and brewer’s supplies.

The menu concept is Euro gastropub, with upscale comfort food, craft beers and “Prohibition-style” cocktails. And with veteran chef Tim Smith at the helm in the kitchen, we expect creative and stellar food to find its way to diner’s tables. $$ p f h ✿ ARTESIA FUSION BISTRO 133 E. Market St., New Albany, IN, 426-9191. Boasting an eclectic menu made from organic, seasonal and locally-grown ingredients, this New Albany lunch spot offers andouille-stuffed jalapenos, jerk chicken skewers, salads, falafel and gyros, croque monsieurs, and burgers made from hormone-free beef. $$ ✿ ATRIUM CAFÉ 9940 Corporate Campus Dr. (Embassy Suites), 426-9191. An eclectic bistro atmosphere in the heart of the hotel. Specials run from their popular crab cakes and array of pasta dishes to a Reuben sandwich or fruit pie. $$ p ✿ BAXTER STATION BAR & GRILL 1201 Payne St., 5841635. The corner bar with the railroad theme is also an ambitious restaurant, known for surprises like Cajun linguini with andouille sausage, homemade desserts (from pastry chef Amy Berry) and lunchtime “steam table” plates. Take particular note of an impressive beer list to go with your meal. $$ p f ✿ BISTRO 301 301 W. Market St., 584-8337. Quality contemporary American cuisine in a stylish environment makes Bistro 301 a reasonable alternative when you’re looking for upscale-casual dining downtown. $$$ p f ✿ BISTRO LE RELAIS 2817 Taylorsville Rd. (Bowman Field), 451-9020. This art deco spot makes stylish use of an historic 1920s airport building

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to present elegant modern French cuisine. Chef Bill Lynch and owner Anthony Dike’s refocus of the restaurant around a bistro menu continues its popularity. $$$$ p f e ✿ THE BLIND PIG 1076 E. Washington St., 618-0600.

A popular hangout since its opening, this Euro-style gastropub features French country cooking and house-made sausages and charcuterie in a casual but sophisticated atmosphere in a late-19th century building in Butchertown. $$ p e h ✿ BOURBONS BISTRO 2255 Frankfort Ave., 894-8838.

It’s a comfortably upscale-casual restaurant, featuring the works of French-trained chef Michael Crouch.

No, it’s a great bar, with what must be the world’s most comprehensive Bourbon list. Actually, this Crescent Hill favorite is both, and the bill of fare is wellmatched with the excellence of its libations. Don’t miss the duck confit strudel appetizer. $$$ p f ✿ BRIX WINE BAR 12418 La Grange Rd., 243-1120.

The use of an exceptionally obscure wine term (it’s pronounced “bricks” and refers to the sugar content of ripe grapes at harvest) hints that the proprietors of this wine bar know their vino. Interesting wines and a short bistro-style menu make it a welcome suburban alternative. $$ h e BROWNING’S BREWERY 401 E. Main St., 515-0174.

Brewmaster Brian Reymiller crafts a lovely range of beers and ales, and the upscale, inventive “tavern fare” menu created by chef Anoosh Shariat, who continues to oversee the operation, has returned Browning’s to a dependable, lively, pleasant venue in the popular Slugger Field. $$ p f ✿ CAFÉ LOU LOU 106 Sears Ave, 893-7776, 2216 Dundee Rd., 459-9566. This popular spot wins critical raves and packs in crowds. Owner-Chef Clay Wallace is comfortable with his international bill of fare and laissez les bon temps rouler mood.

A second location in the Douglass Loop is drawing equally-pleased crowds. $$ p ✿ DISH ON MARKET 434 W. Market St., 315-0669.

Former Asiatique bar manager Anderson Grissom has stepped into the venerable lawyers’ lunch space on Market Street, renovating the kitchen and some interior space of the old Delta Restaurant into a somewhat upscale spot now open breakfast through dinner. $ p ✿ DITTO’S GRILL 1114 Bardstown Rd., 581-9129. This informally whimsical Highlands space masks the work of classically trained owner-chefs Dominic Serratore and Frank Yang. Sure, take note of the fanciful artwork adorning the exposed brick walls and the gargoyles in the ceiling. But don’t overlook Serratore’s “gourmet casual” menu of New England crab cakes, fanciful salads and Sunday brunch egg dishes. $$ p h ✿ GHYSLAIN ON MARKET 725 E. Market St., 609-8645.

In a carriage house behind the building that houses the corporate offices of Creation Gardens, a French bistro, run by French Canadian chocolatiers who are expanding their Indiana patisseries into restaurants and Kentucky. Open for breakfast and lunch, serving grilled baguettes, croque monsieurs, panini, quiches, soups, salads, and fine chocolates. $$ HAMMERHEADS 921 Swan St., 365-1112. Two veterans of the upscale kitchens along Bardstown Road have taken over the old Swan Dive space, and patrons of the previous vegan haunt are quickly becoming fans. Vegetarian selections such as crispy mushroom medley and veggie tacos join interesting oddities like duck sliders and bacon plantain croquetas. Also pulled pork and brisket, crab cakes, and a reasonable beer selection. $ h ✿ HARD ROCK CAFÉ Fourth Street Live, 568-2202.

Louisville’s Fourth Street Live echoes with a bang amid hammering guitars and happy throngs at the local branch of this popular shrine to rock. The music scene is the draw, but you’ll have no complaints about Hard Rock’s standard American cuisine. $$ p f e h ✿

HILLBILLY TEA 120 S. First St., 587-7350. It’s a breakfast place, with hearty egg dishes, bison sausage patties, tofu scramble and potato bake casserole. It’s a tea café, with choice of black, green, herbal or rare teas. It’s a lunch and dinner spot, with unusual, eclectic offerings and a long list of desserts. It’s an unusual place downtown that immediately started pulling in fans. $ ✿ HOLY GRALE 1034 Bardstown Rd., 459-9939. The owners of the Louisville Beer Store have converted a former church to a beer pub and restaurant.

Twenty taps offer a rotating choice of international brews, and an eclectic menu offers Belgian fritjes, pretzels and beer cheese, tacos and crostini. $ h ✿ JACK’S LOUNGE 122 Sears Ave., 897-9026. A sophisticated, elegant bar associated with the Equus restaurant next door, Jack’s offers a short but excellent menu featuring appetizers and light bites, along with a drinks list beyond reproach. $ p h ✿ JAZZYBLU 815 W. Market St., 992-3243. The basement space at Glassworks that formerly housed The Jazz Factory is bopping again with regularly scheduled live jazz performances Thurs. - Sun. nights, and southern comfort food style lunch buffets Tues. - Fri. $ p e h ✿ L&N WINE BAR AND BISTRO 1765 Mellwood Ave., 897-0070. If you’re enthusiastic about good wine, you’re going to be excited about L&N. The fruit of the vine takes center stage in a vast, fairly priced wine list and imposing Cruvinet dispenser, with more than 80 wines available by the glass. Comfortable atmosphere and excellent bistro fare with a creative twist add to the draw. $$ p f h ✿ MAJID’S ST. MATTHEWS 3930 Chenoweth Sq., 6182222. Majid Ghavami has sold Saffron’s downtown, to open a new venture in the St. Matthews location that formerly housed Rick’s, Five Points and a host of other ventures.The Mediterranean-American menu offers Saffron’s fan’s favorites such as the rack of lamb, salmon, duck and kebabs, as well as a new American menu The wine bar serves small plates, and focuses on American wines and an eclectic list from unusual locations — Lebanon, Israel, Greece and the Balkans. $$$ p f e ✿ THE NA EXCHANGE 3306 Plaza Dr., New Albany, IN. 948-6501. In the kitchen of the new gastropub is Dave Clancy, who spearheaded the revival of downtown New Albany dining with the Bistro New Albany a few years back. His American bistro style food will be available from lunch to late night.

Notable on the menu are bison dishes — burger, nachos (house-made chips with bison chili topping) and skirt steak. $$ p f h RAMSI’S CAFÉ ON THE WORLD 1293 Bardstown Rd., 451-0700. The beating bohemian heart of the Highlands. Ramsi Kamar brings a wonderfully eclectic spirit to the environment and to his menu. Cuban.

Jamaican. Greek. Middle Eastern. Moderate prices, a weekend brunch and late night hours add to the draw. $$ f e h ✿ RED HOG TAPAS 2868 Frankfort Ave., 899-9800. By day, it’s the Blue Dog Bakery and Café, but on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights it takes on its new identity as a tapas bar, featuring, among other dishes, the cured pork products that coowner Bobby Hancock creates from his own red wattle hogs. A nice beer wine and spirits selection, to go with the fish flautas, catfish brandade and charcuterie. $$ p h ✿ RIVER CITY WINERY 321 Pearl St., New Albany, IN, 945-9463. Several of owners Gary and Melissa Humphrey’s wines medaled in the June 2009 Indy International Wine Competition. Their honest, straightforward wines and well-crafted appetizer style menu have been drawing appreciative crowds. Don’t miss the crab cakes with black-eyed pea salsa. $$ e ✿ THEATER SQUARE MARKET PLACE 651 S. Fourth St., 625-3001. Dallas McGarity, formerly of Z’s Fusion, has taken over the reins in the kitchen of this elegant

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transformation of the old Kentucky Theater. Up front is a deli and gourmet grocery. Behind the circular bar is the serene dining room, with a central hearth, and beyond that, a large enclosed patio. McGarity’s new menu includes crawfish arancini, a BLT salad, salmon croquettes, duck confit ragout and curry-seared scallops. $$ p f h ✿ VILLAGE ANCHOR PUB & ROOST 11507 Park Rd., 708-1850. In the heart of Anchorage at the old train station, this two-level Euro-village inspired concept hit the ground running. Warmer weather is drawing crowds again to the Roost, on the upper level, a French bistro a la Moulin Rouge, with its outdoor terrace. Downstairs, at The Sea Hag, the ambience is a British pub. The hearty upscale comfort food-style menu is served lunch and dinner, and weekend brunch. At the bar, find a short, well-selected wine list and ambitious beer list with more than 50 craft and import choices.

And, 55 Bourbons have earned them inclusion on the Urban Bourbon Trail. $$$ p f h ✿

ALLEY CAT CAFÉ 11804 Shelbyville Rd., 245-6544. This suburban Alley Cat is a cozy and bright little place, and the lunch-only menu is affordable and appealing. $ ✿ THE ANCHORAGE CAFÉ 11505 Park Rd., 708-1880.

This coffee bar and café in Anchorage offers Counter Culture coffees and a small but eclectic menu of sandwiches, paninis and salads. Serving breakfast and lunch, with daily specials. $ f ✿ AROMA CAFÉ Horseshoe Casino Hotel, Elizabeth, IN, 888-766-2648. Grab a bite before hitting the casino.

Sandwiches, salads, sides, cold beverages and coffee will fuel you for a night of entertainment. $ h ✿ BLUE DOG BAKERY AND CAFÉ 2868 Frankfort Ave., 899-9800. Still a popular breakfast and lunch spot as well as an artisanal bakery, producing hearty European-style breads that can be found on restaurant tables and in better grocery stores around town. But on Thursday through Saturdays nights, owners Kit Garrett and Bobby Hancock have started tapas service, many small plates featuring pork cured

by Hancock from his own heritage pigs (see the blurb at Red Hog Tapas). $$ p f ✿ BOOMER’S CAFÉ 722 W. Main St., 585-4356. In the midst of the booming West Main Street arts and museum district, this breakfast and lunch spot offers standard American café fare, and serves breakfast on Saturdays. $ BUTTERFLY GARDEN CAFÉ 1327 Bardstown Rd., 456-4500, 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 895-1474. This tasteful little spot that offers teas and lighter lunch fare in an attractive old-house setting on Bardstown Road has opened a second ladies’ lunch spot inside Dolfinger’s in St Matthews. $ f ✿ CAFÉ FRAICHE 3642 Brownsboro Rd., 894-8929.

Cuisine from around the world is featured at this East End neighborhood café, featuring homemade soups, breads and a variety of entrées on a seasonally changing menu. $ ✿ CAFÉ MONTAGU 1930 Bishops Ln., 451-6357. This breakfast and lunch place provides breakfasts and lunches mainly to the denizens of the Watterson Towers office complex. Home-style cooking, daily specials (meatloaf, pastas) and quick service keep the wheels of business rolling. $ ✿ CHEDDAR BOX CAFÉ 12121 Shelbyville Rd., 2452622. An attractive — and busy — Middletown lunch spot, owner Michelle Bartholmew serves popular salads, sandwiches and soups, as well as hot entrées such as potato-chip-crusted whitefish, specialty pizzas, and lemon-tarragon chicken with orzo. Pick up some frozen appetizers for your next cocktail party. $$ f ✿ CITY CAFÉ 505 W. Broadway, 589-1797, 1250 Bardstown Rd., 459-5600, 500 S. Preston St., 852-5739.

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firmament, brings his cooking skills and insistence on fresh, quality ingredients to these simple, but excellent, spots for lunch. $ f ✿ CRAVE CAFÉ & CATERING 2250 Frankfort Ave., 896-1488. Experienced caterers and chefs offer casual but quality café fare in this comfortable old frame house in Clifton. $ ✿ CREEKSIDE OUTPOST & CAFÉ 614 Hausfeldt Ln., New Albany IN, 948-9118. The Creekside Outpost warps customers back into the days of general stores and maintains every bit of old fashioned charm.

Serving up buffalo, elk and surprisingly good burgers. Exotic foods including Shinnecock ice fish, black bear, ostrich and kangaroo (when available) round out an excellent, traveled menu. $$ f ✿ CRICKET’S CAFÉ 7613 Old Hwy. 60, Sellersburg, IN, 246-9339. Offering breakfasts and lunch to local Hoosiers and travelers who take exit 7 off I-65. Full breakfasts, omelets, and breakfast sandwiches. A full range of standard lunch sandwiches, with Reubens, Philly steak and cheese, and daily specials. Homemade soups and salads, too. $ f ✿ CYCLERS CAFÉ 2295 Lexington Rd., 451-5152. The appetizing aromas emanating from the big BBQ smoker out front have been drawing drive-by diners as well as bicyclists in to this somewhat unlikely, but nevertheless appealing bike shopcum-restaurant. This informal spot will sell you a first-rate sandwich, soup or salad or a tire for your bike — or the whole darn bike!$ f ✿ DERBY CAFÉ 704 Central Ave., (Kentucky Derby Museum) 634-0858. Lunch served year-round in the dining area adjacent to the Derby Museum with such regional favorites as meaty burgoo, and the Hot Brown. $ f ✿ DOWNTOWN DINER & COFFEEHOUSE 506 W. Main St., New Albany, IN, 725-8680. $ ERMIN’S BAKERY & CAFÉ 1201 S. First St., 6356960, 723 S. Fourth St., 587-9390, 455 S. Fourth Ave., 585-5120, 9550 U.S. Hwy. 42, 228-7210.

These popular bakeries attract crowds looking for an enjoyable soup and sandwich lunch highlighted

by French-style breads and pastries. $ ✿ FLEUR DE LIS CAFÉ 1574 Bardstown Rd., 456-6566.

Kyle and Jill Riggle have transformed the old Sweet ‘n’ Savory Café location into a neighborhood destination for hearty breakfasts, lunches with vegetarian and vegan options and reasonably priced, eclectic dinners. $$ p ✿ FUN FOOD CAFÉ 1860 Mellwood Ave., 895-1003. $ ✿ HIGHLAND MORNING 1416 Bardstown Rd., 3653900. The morning will last 24/7 — breakfast all the time at this Highlands space that was most recently Caspian Grill. But the menu also encompasses brunch, burgers, soul food, Southern dishes and vegetarian fare as well. $ h ✿ J. GRAHAM’S CAFÉ & BAR 335 W. Broadway (The Brown Hotel), 583-1234. The home of the legendary “Hot Brown” sandwich, J. Graham’s offers a more casual bistro-style alter na tive to the upscale English Grill, with choice of menu service or buffet dining. $ f p KAYROUZ CAFÉ 127 Wiltshire Ave., 896-2630.

Tucked in among St. Matthews sidestreets is one of the best sandwich places in Louisville. The tuna salad, Portobello mushroom Reuben, fish, chicken and hamburger — all are innovative and all come with some of the best fries in town. $ f ✿ MERIDIAN CAFÉ 112 Meridian Ave., 897-9703. This little lunch spot occupies a cozy old house in St. Matthews. Service is competent and polite, the place is sparkling clean, and the luncheon-style fare is consistently fine. A selection of appetizing breakfast items rounds out a tasty mix. $ f ✿ PATTICAKES & PIES CAFÉ 155 E. Main St., New Albany, IN, 725-8510. In downtown New Albany,

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this little storefront café serves breakfast and lunch, makes hearty paninis and salads, and bakes up cakes, pies, muffins for takeout. $ ✿ QUEUE CAFÉ 220 W. Main St. (LG&E Building), 583-0273. $ f ✿ RIVERSIDE CAFÉ 700 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville, IN, 284-6711. The breakfast room and bar of the Sheraton Riverside. Breakfast served until 10:30 a.m. Unwind at the bar at night. $$ f STOP LITE CAFÉ 1348 River Rd., 584-3746. $ SWEET SURRENDER 1804 Frankfort Ave., 8992008. Sweet Surrender, with Jessica Haskell at the helm, has returned to its original Clifton neighborhood to provide elegant desserts as well as signature vegetarian lunches. $$ f THE CAFÉ 712 Brent St., 637-6869. Now well-settled in its new location just off East Broadway, The Café serves an eclectic breakfast and lunch menu, including old favorites like tomato dill soup and chicken salad. And the new space retains the old place’s yard-sale look of mismatched furniture and chandeliers and doorways to nowhere. $ f THE CHEDDAR BOX 3909 Chenoweth Sq., 893-2324. $f✿ THE LUNCH PAIL 502 E. Warnock St., 634-7116.

Offering yet another quick and comforting lunch option near U of L, this family-owned spot features warming soups and filling sandwiches. Lunch is offered year-round, with a dinner menu added from April through September. $ f ✿ THIRD AVENUE CAFÉ 1164 South Third St., 5852233. With a menu featuring many vegetarian and vegan options, this pleasant neighborhood eatery attracts loyal crowds with excellent fare and a cozy setting that brings you back for more. $$ p f e ✿ TIFFANY CELLAR CAFÉ 11601 Main, 245-4411. $ f ✿ VERBENA CAFÉ 10639 Meeting St., 426-0020.

Norton Commons welcomes another eatery, a breakfast and lunch spot open early morning till mid-afternoon, serving breakfast and lunch at any of those hours. $$ f ✿ WHITNEY’S DINER 3061 Breckenridge Ln., 454-5955.

For many years a Fern Creek landmark before a short move west, Whitney’s remains a comfortable spot for a casual, diner-style breakfast, lunch or dinner. We recommend the “Grandpa style roast beef.” $ ✿ WILD EGGS 3985 Dutchmans Ln., 893-8005, 1311 Herr Ln., 618-2866, 153 S. English Station Rd., 618-3449. Specialty omelets, the everything muffin, spicy egg salad sandwiches — these dishes and more have made Wild Eggs a wildly popular breakfast and lunch spot. Prized seats at weekend brunch can now be found at this growing minichain’s third outlet. $ p ✿ WOLFGANG PUCK EXPRESS 221 S. Fourth St., 562-0983. Bearing the name of the celebrity Austrian chef, this downtown lunch spot in the corner of the convention center offers tasty wraps, sandwiches and soups. $$ f YAFA CAFÉ 22 Theater Sq., 561-0222. $ f h ✿ ZEPPELIN CAFÉ 1036 E. Burnett St., 365-3551. $$ h ✿ ZIVIO 711 S. Third St., 561-3007. The owners of the ambitious little Highlands Italian eatery Le Gallo Rosso are expanding their reach downtown, but with a different concept. The name, among other possible translations, is Italian dialect for “Good Health and Prosperity,” an agreeable wish for anyone who joins them for lunch. The emphasis is on an eclectic range of soups and sandwiches. $ ✿

AHOY FISH HUT 2902 Bardstown Rd., 451-5508.

An upper Highlands outlet that has been delighting the neighborhood with fish tacos, fried and broiled cod, and homemade buttermilk pie. All dishes

cooked to order — nothing hangs around under heat lamps. $ f ✿ BLUE LAGOON 2280 Bardstown Rd., 632-2583. The Sharom family, who operate Zaytun Mediterranean Grill and Sharom’s on the Outer Loop, has a new seafood place, on the site of the old Diamante’s.

Hopes are high for an aquatic take on their falafel and hummus staples. $$ f h ✿ BONEFISH GRILL 657 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 4124666. This franchise concept from the Floridabased Outback Steakhouse chain offers impressive seafood in a comfortable setting. Add Bonefish to your short list of suburban chain eateries that do the job right. $$$ p ✿ CLARKSVILLE SEAFOOD 916 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville, IN, 283-8588. As the only surviving descendant of Louisville’s old Cape Codder chain, Clarksville Seafood upholds a long and honorable tradition.

The menu is simple — fried fish and fried seafood, served on paper trays — but it is consistently excellent and affordable. $ EAGLE LAKE & RESTAURANT 7208 Whipple Rd., 937-7658. If you like to fish, or if you like to eat fish, you’ll likely enjoy Eagle Lake, a simple, downhome eatery in Southwestern Jefferson County.

Seafood is the specialty. Fishermen will enjoy their stocked pay-to-fish lake. Note though, it’s not possible to have your catch fried for dinner. $$ f THE FISH HOUSE 1310 Winter Ave., 568-2993.

Louisville is as overflowing as a well-stocked lake with fish-sandwich houses, and The Fish House is right up there with the best. Crisp breading laced with black pepper is the signature of Green River fried fish from Western Kentucky. $ f THE FISHERY 3624 Lexington Rd., 895-1188, 11519 Shelbyville Rd., 409-4296. The original fried-fish eatery in a neighborhood that’s now awash with them, The Fishery remains justly popular for its quick, sizzling hot and affordable fish and seafood meals. $ f ✿ HILL STREET FISH FRY 111 E. Hill St., 636-3474.

This Old Louisville tradition is small and easy to miss, but it’s worth the effort to get by. It’s oversized fried whitefish sandwich is the flagship dish, but a varied menu is also available. $ f JACKSON’S SEAFOOD 400 W. Main St., New Albany, IN, 945-3474. Joe Jackson, 13-year veteran of locallyfamed Clarksville Seafood, serves up fried, broiled or blackened fish, and rolled oysters. Fans of Jackson’s former employer will find many similarities in the food, but offered with customer-friendly service and rational, predictable hours. $ JOE’S CRAB SHACK 131 River Rd., 568-1171. The setting on the edge of Riverfront Park is bright, noisy and fun, with a wraparound deck providing a panoramic river view. $$ p f KINGFISH RESTAURANT 3021 Upper River Rd., 895-0544, 1610 Kentucky Mills Dr., 240-0700, 601 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville, IN, 284-3474.

Fried fish in a family dining setting has made this local chain a popular favorite for many years. Two of its properties — upper River Road and Riverside Drive — boast river views. $$ p f e MIKE LINNIG’S 9308 Cane Run Rd., 937-9888. Mike Linnig’s has been dishing up tasty fried fish and seafood at family prices since 1925 and remains immensely popular. There’s indoor seating and a bar, but the picnic grove with its giant shade trees makes Linnig’s a special place in season. Out of season — Nov. to Jan. — the family shutters the place and takes a nice vacation. $ f MITCHELL’S FISH MARKET 4031 Summit Plaza Dr., 412-1818. The decor of this upscale eatery evokes the feeling of a large fish market, with an open kitchen that offers views of chefs at work.

Quality seafood and service have made Mitchell’s a popular destination. $$$ p f ✿

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NEW ALBANY FISH HOUSE 2604 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN. 542-6488. In the former Cape Codder location, the most popular item at the New Albany Fish House is the fish box—fried cod, fries and hush puppies, but you can order your fish (including tuna) broiled or blackened as well. $ PASSTIME FISH HOUSE 10801 Locust Rd., 2674633. If you are looking for an honest fish sandwich and a cold beer or two, with no frills, this southside tavern is just the ticket. Belly up, place your order, and be sure to have cash — no credit cards accepted here. $$ f e RUMORS RESTAURANT & RAW BAR 12339 Shelbyville Rd., 245-0366. Visualize Hooter’s without the scantily-clad waitresses, and you’ve drawn a bead on Rumor’s, the original Louisville home of the bucket-of-oysters and impressive raw bar. $$ p f SHAROM’S 5637 Outer Loop, 968-8363. Family owned and family style dining with a wide net of seafood dinners and appetizers. Lunch and dinner menus also include such delicacies as frog legs, shrimp and alligator. $$ p STAN’S FISH SANDWICH 3723 Lexington Rd., 8966600. The fish is the thing at Stan’s, where the owner is a perfectionist who won’t sell any but the freshest fish, perfectly prepared. Known for their fish sandwich, daily specials take advantage of fresh product. $ ✿ ] CAST IRON STEAKHOUSE 1207 E. Market St., Jeffersonville, IN, 590-2298, 6325 River Rd., 3847466. Buck’s owner Curtis Rader’s idea to cook steaks and sides in cast iron pans at moderate prices hit such a popular nerve that he opened a second location on the Kentucky side of the river, and is planning a third. The ambience of all his places will be upscale with “no peanuts on the floor, antlers on the wall or country music,” Rader promises. $$$ p h DEL FRISCO’S 4107 Oechsli Ave., 897-7077. Loyal Louisville beefeaters continue to fill up this 28year-old St. Matthews steakhouse, with its brick walls and beamed ceilings. Any red meat enthusiast would know to order the filet or Porterhouse, but only regulars know the glories of something called green phunque. $$$$ p EDDIE MERLOT’S PRIME AGED BEEF 455 S. Fourth St., 584-3266. It will be hard to conjure up memories of the old Rodes clothing store in this sumptuous renovation of the space at the Fourth and Muhammad Ali corner of the Starks building, which has been turned into one of the largest dining spaces in town.

The Ft. Wayne-based small chain with big ambitions boasts glittering mosaic artwork, a handsome bar opening onto Fourth Street, and luxurious seating in secluded nooks and corners. With its bright, arty interior and eclectic, upscale menu, Eddie Merlot’s looks to be a major player in downtown dining. $$$ p h JACK BINION’S STEAKHOUSE Horseshoe Casino Hotel, Elizabeth, IN, 888-766-2648. (See listing under Fine Dining.)

JEFF RUBY’S STEAKHOUSE 325 W. Main St., 5840102. This Cincinnati restaurateur has made an impact in Louisville with his outstanding steaks, glittery bar, urban vibe and top-notch service. The downtown setting doesn’t hurt either, on Waterfront Plaza at Main and Fourth, next to the Galt House. The rooms have Churchill Downs themes.

The steaks take the rail with seafood and sushi coming up fast on the outside. $$$$ p e LOGAN’S ROADHOUSE 5055 Shelbyville Rd., 8933884, 5229 Dixie Hwy., 448-0577, 970 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 288-9789, 1540 Alliant Ave., 266-6009. With more than 100 properties in 17 states, this Nashville-based chain 64 Summer 2011 www.foodanddine.com

parlays peanut shells on the floor and steaks on the table into a popular formula. $$ p

specialize in simple, down-home breakfast and lunch at affordable prices. $

LONGHORN STEAKHOUSE 2535 Hurstbourne Ln., 671-5350, 9700 Von Allmen Ct., 326-7500, 1210 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN. 284-5800. Oversize steaks and a “big sky” western theme are the draw at this chain eatery, although most of its properties are east of the Mississippi. $$ p

APPLEBEE’S (6 locations) This cheery national chain features an eclectic assortment of salads, steaks, ribs, poultry and pasta as well as full bar service.

It’s as consistent as a cookie cutter, but competent execution makes it a good bargain for those whose tastes run to mainstream American cuisine. $$ p h

MORTON’S 626 W. Main St., 584-0421. This belowground temple to the red meat gods is elegant and masculine, full of wood paneling, brass rails and leather booths. Louisville reveres its home-grown restaurants but has welcomed this Chicago-based chain with open mouths. $$$$ p

ASPEN CREEK RESTAURANT 8000 Bardstown Rd., 239-2200. The entrepreneur who created Texas Roadhouse and Buckhead’s is back with a concept that’s both old and new — a lodge-style restaurant that invokes the rustic feel of the Rockies, and offers a menu of pastas, burgers, and poultry at prices that aren’t mountain high. $$ p h ✿

OUTBACK STEAK HOUSE 4621 Shelbyville Rd., 8954329, 6520 Signature Dr., 964-8383, 9498 Brownsboro Rd., 426-4329, 8101 Bardstown Rd., 231-2399, 1420 Park Place, Clarksville, IN, 283-4329. The name suggests Australia, and so does the shtick at this popular national chain, but the food is pretty much familiar American, and the fare goes beyond just steak to take in chicken, seafood and pasta. $$$ p PAT’S STEAK HOUSE 2437 Brownsboro Rd., 8969234. A local favorite for fifty years and as traditional as a steakhouse gets, Pat Francis, like his father before him, cuts the meats himself. Its combination of quality beef and hospitality rank it among the best steak houses in town. Be sure to bring cash: No credit cards accepted. $$$$ p f PONDEROSA STEAKHOUSE 11470 S. Preston Hwy., 964-6117. Family-style dining with the ranch theme kept alive with the open flame from the grills. An extensive buffet with hot and cold foods, salads and desserts is also available. $ ✿ RUTH’S CHRIS STEAKHOUSE 6100 Dutchman’s Ln., 479-0026. The Robb Report magazine has declared Rolex the world’s best watch, Armani the best men’s suit, Cohiba the best cigar and Ruth’s Chris the best restaurant. It serves an excellent steak in an atmosphere of elegance that will make you feel pampered, at a price to match. $$$$ p RYAN’S FAMILY STEAKHOUSE 5338 Bardstown Rd., 491-1088. This North Carolina-based chain offers family dining with good variety: Its diverse and extensive buffet features more than 150 items. $$ STAXX ROADHOUSE AND BBQ 9601 Shelbyville Rd., 425-9641. The new steak and BBQ joint at the corner of Shelbyville and Hurstbourne smokes brisket and ribs out back, and offers a covered, heated patio. They take their name from the method of stacking the meat while cooking as well as the old Stax Recording Studio in Memphis. $$ p f h STONEY RIVER LEGENDARY STEAK 3900 Summit Plaza Dr., 429-8944. Stoney River in the Springhurst shopping center is one of the chain’s first properties outside its Georgia home. It draws big crowds with its memorable steaks and trimmings, with extra points for friendly service and a comfortable atmosphere. $$$$ p h TEXAS ROADHOUSE 757 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy.

(Green Tree Mall), Clarksville, IN, 280-1103, 4406 Dixie Hwy. 448-0705, 6460 Dutchman’s Pkwy., 897-5005, 3322 Outer Loop, 962-7600. The spirit of the West sets the theme for this popular steak house. Salads, vegetables and breads with hearty side dishes round out your meal options. This is family-style dining, with no tray sliding — service at your table. $$ p

A NICE RESTAURANT 3105 Blackiston Mill Rd., New Albany IN, 945-4321, 2784 Meijer Dr., 2809160, Jeffersonville, IN, 404 Lafollette Station, Floyds Knobs, IN, 923-7770. A Nice Restaurant, billed as “New Albany’s Finer Diner,” is, well, nice enough to have launched two more branches. All

B.J.’S RESTAURANT & BREWHOUSE 7900 Shelbyville Rd., 326-3850. This Southern California chain arrived east of the Mississippi, including a large and imposing brewhouse at Oxmoor Center. A full range of made-in-Nevada craft beers is dispensed, along with upscale-casual pub grub. $$ p h BLUE HORSE CAFÉ 830 Phillips Ln., (Crown Plaza Hotel) 367-2251. $$$ p h ✿ BLUEGRASS BURGERS 3334 Frankfort Ave., 6146567. Christopher Seckman from North End Café and partners have taken the upper Frankfort Ave. spot vacated by Tony Boombozz to try a gourmet burger concept. Choose your burger — grass-fed Kentucky beef or bison, tuna or veggie (or grilled chicken, cheese steak or franks) — and then head for the topping bar. $ f ✿ BRICKHOUSE TAVERN & TAP 871 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 326-3182. The Brickhouse Girls, wearing tight black baby Ts and denim minis, serve typical bar food, beer and ale and cocktails, and encourage patrons to play beer pong. This has to be a winning corporate concept, don’t you think? $$ p h BUCKHEAD MOUNTAIN GRILL 3020 Bardstown Rd., 456-6680, 707 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville IN, 284-2919, 10206 Westport Rd., 339-0808. The deck of the riverfront location in Jeffersonville, with its view across the river, is a great place for a lazy summer meal, when the familiarity of all-American fare like meat loaf, pot pies, steak or ribs and a couple of cold ones is all you want. The big square bars in all three locations, with multiple TV screens, make for excellent sports viewing as well. New delivery and catering operations extends the brand beyond the three locations. $$ p f h ✿ BUNZ RESTAURANT 969 1/2 Baxter Ave., 632-1132.

This little Highlands made-to-order gourmet hamburger shop concocts excellent quality burgers with a range of standard and oddball toppings. $ h CAFÉ ENVY 570 S. Fourth St., 569-0508. During the day, it’s a lunchspot in the center of busy 4th Street, serving up sandwiches, fried shrimp and catfish, ribs and salads. At night, it’s a lounge with a dance floor, catering to the “mature adult crowd” between the ages of 30 and 45. Entertainment provided by DJs and live acts, overseen by the owners of JazzyBlu in Glassworks. $$ p f e ✿ CAFÉ MAGNOLIA 140 N. Fourth St. (Galt House), 589-5200. The Galt House’s quick and casual secondfloor dining alternative, this spacious venue offers a range of fare for guests on the go, from bacon and eggs to a late-night burger and fries. $$$ p ✿ CAPTAIN’S QUARTERS 5700 Captain’s Quarters Rd., 228-1651. One of the city’s most attractive eateries for atmosphere, Captain’s Quarters matches the beautiful setting with quality bistro-style fare that won’t disappoint. Summer or winter, it’s a delightful place to dine. $$ p f e ✿ CARDINAL HALL OF FAME CAFÉ 2745 Crittenden Dr., 635-8686. This oversize eatery at Gate 4 of the Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center celebrates U of L sports with a “walk of fame” loaded with awards, photos, game balls and lots more Cardinal

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memorabilia. What? You want food too? Sure!

Casual American dining features everything from a “Cardinal Burger” to steaks and prime rib. $$ p h CHAMPIONS GRILL 505 Marriott Dr. (Holiday Inn), Clarksville, IN., 283-4411. Known by locals for its Saturday night buffet of New York strip, ribeye and prime rib. Salads, sandwiches, soups and a kidfriendly menu round out the selection. $$ p e ✿ CHEDDAR’S CASUAL CAFÉ 10403 Westport Rd., 339-5400, 3521 Outer Loop, 966-3345, 1385 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 280-9660. This popular Dallas-based chain draws big, hungry crowds with its large bar and familiar “casual to upscale American” fare. $ p h ✿ CHILI’S 421 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 425-6800, 3623 Bardstown Rd., 301-8888, 11600 Antonia Way, 301-8181, 9720 Von Allmen Ct., 301-8880. More than just a place to chow down on baby back ribs, this national chain has a wide selection including fajitas, burgers, sandwiches and veggies. $$ p ✿ CHOP SHOP SALADS 436 W. Market St., 589-2467, 126 Breckinridge Ln., 384-4252. The two-handed mezzalunas rock steady as the line cooks chop up lettuce, vegetables and meats into hearty salads or wraps. Mostly a to-go place with limited seating, the steady lunchtime crowds attest that office workers see a need for fresh light lunch fare. $ ✿ COACH LAMP RESTAURANT 751 Vine St., 5839165. Hurricane Katrina blew chef Richard Lowe into town, bringing from New Orleans his Cajun/ Creole/Caribbean magic to Coach Lamp’s kitchen.

The restored 137-year-old building has a classic bar on one side and an upscale white-tablecloth dining room on the other side. $$$ f ✿ CULVER’S 4630 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 671-2001.

When the trademark item is called a “ButterBurger” and frozen custard tops the dessert menu, you know you’re not in for diet fare. Quality fast food and friendly service make this chain a popular new East End arrival. $ f CUNNINGHAM’S 630 S. Fourth St., 587-0526, 6301 Upper River Rd., 228-3625. Carrying on into its third century in modern quarters that capture much of the nostalgia of its history, Cunningham’s vends fine fish sandwiches and pub grub in this downtown location and in a second eatery on Harrods Creek. $ f EDESIA GARDENS 10212 Taylorsville Rd., 2637100. Named after the Roman goddess of gourmet foods, this banquet and events space also offers a Sunday brunch buffet to the public. Special brunches also served on holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, Easter, Mother’s Day. $$ ✿ FIVE GUYS BURGERS & FRIES 2221 State Street, New Albany, IN, 944-9958, 4320 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 944-7370, 4116 Summit Plaza Dr., 426-1702. Based in Virginia, this burger chain invokes the early days of fast food with freshlygrilled burgers, big, smoky Kosher dogs, enough condiments to satisfy any craving, fresh-cut fries that are out of this world and a cheery rock’n’ roll sensibility. $ h GARY’S ON SPRING 204 Spring St., 584-5533. Harold Baker, formerly chef at Westport General Store, is at the helm of this new Irish Hill upscale casual spot.

His menu features appetizers such as a baby Hot Brown and chicken fritters with red chili sauce, a buffalo mozzarella salad, bison burgers, oyster po’ boy sandwiches, bison ribeye, Bourbon Street scallops and eggplant napoleon. $$$ p f h ✿ GAVI’S RESTAURANT 222 S. Seventh St., 583-8183.

This family-owned eatery has been around for decades. Standard casual American cuisine adds a few Russian-style specialties such as homemade borsht soup and beef Stroganoff. Daily lunch specials include lots of fresh vegetable dishes. $ ✿ GOOSE CREEK DINER 2923 Goose Creek Rd., 3398070. Goose Creek Diner offers old-fashioned com-

fort food, as the name “diner” suggests, but transcendently adds a gourmet taste to the down-home eats. $ HOME RUN BURGERS & FRIES 2060 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 409-7004, 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 365-3388, 12949 Shelbyville Rd., 384-8403. Burgers, dogs and fries and drinks with a baseball theme highlight this suburban spot, and more than 20 toppings offer you a fielder’s choice of options to dress your burger. $ f ✿ HOOTERS 4120 Dutchmans Ln., 895-7100, 4948 Dixie Hwy., 449-4194, 7701 Preston Hwy., 968-1606, 700 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville, IN, 218-9485, 941 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., 131, Clarksville, IN 284-9464. Hooter’s may draw crowds with its longstanding reputation as a party scene, but you’ll stay for the food, an appetizing selection of soups, salads, seafood and, of course, wings. $ p f e h INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OF PANCAKES 1220 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN. 285-1772, 1401 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 618-2250. The familiar IHOP franchise across the river has now been joined by another outlet along the franchise restaurant row on Hurstbourne. $ h ✿ JOE’S OLDER THAN DIRT 8131 New Lagrange Rd., 426-2074. Going strong after many years in this Lyndon location, Joe’s has gradually grown from a little house to a sprawling complex of indoor and outdoor tables with live music many evenings.

Excellent barbecue is a specialty, and so is ice-cold beer. $ p e h KAREM’S 9424 Norton Commons Blvd., 327-5646.

Karem’s Grill & Pub, one of the first restaurants to open in the village-like Norton Commons, carries the look and feel of a neighborhood watering hole inside and out. The test of a restaurant, though, is the food, and Karem’s is excellent. $ p f KERN’S KORNER 2600 Bardstown Rd., 456-9726. This family-owned tavern has been a popular neighborhood pit stop since 1978. Kern’s offers freshly made ham, chicken salad sandwiches and burgers, as well as a menu of soups, chilis and appetizers. $ p LEGENDS Horseshoe Casino Hotel, Elizabeth, IN, 888-766-2648. The hot and cold short orders are served up with riverboat hospitality, but in a Las Vegas atmosphere. A well stocked bar and a live stage welcome the best of regional and visiting national acts. $$ p e h LYNN’S PARADISE CAFÉ 984 Barret Ave., 583-3447.

A serious restaurant hides behind the funky décor and madcap events (like the annual New Year’s Eve pajama party and the Ugly Lamp contest). The Bourbon Ball French toast beat Bobby Flay on a Throwdown. And everyone loves the fried green tomato BLT. The World of Swirl store in the front has been described as “Cracker Barrel on acid.” $$ p ✿ MANHATTAN GRILL 429 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 561-0024. $ ✿ MAXWELL’S BAR & GRILLE 9909 Taylorsville Rd., 267-9604. The former Maggie’s, reopened under new ownership, providing more choice for casual, family-centered dining in the Jeffersontown area.

Salads, sandwiches, burgers, flatbread pizzas, honey-miso glazed salmon, Hot Browns, kabobs and a full bar. $$ p f h ✿ MIMI’S CAFÉ 615 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 426-6588.

This California chain, a subsidiary of Bob Evans, goes urban and upscale where farmer Bob is folksy and country. This new East End location is drawing crowds, building its reputation on those familiar with the chain from other places. $$ ✿ THE MONKEY WRENCH 1025 Barret Ave., 582-2433.

A popular spot in the urban neighborhood where the Highlands meet Germantown, The Monkey Wrench offers comfort food with a stylish spin, top flight music, a relaxed ambience and welcoming service.

A rooftop patio packs them in on warm evenings. $pfeh✿

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MR. POLLO 3606 Klondike Ln., 618-2280. On a visit to Peru, the Cuban owners learned how to make pollo a la brasa, a brined, spiced and long-roasted Andean specialty. So they’ve brought a South American cuisine new to town, where you can buy quarter, half or whole chickens that are served with a spicy-creamy aji sauce and sides of fries and salad or Cuban black beans and rice. $ MULLIGAN’S PUB AND GRILL 1801 Newburg Rd., 632-2818. Neighborhood institution Kaelin’s is gone, but Mulligans’ now holds down the fort.

Although the “If you can’t stop, please wave sign” is still outside, inside, wood-paneled walls, a new horseshoe-shaped bar and vintage wooden golf clubs show that a new game is afoot. The beer list now includes BBC craft beers and Irish imports.

The menu is geared toward hearty sandwiches, pizza and steak and shrimp entrées. $$ p f h NEIL & PATTY’S FIRESIDE BAR & GRILL 7611 IN 311, Sellersburg, IN, 246-5456. A family owned and operated outpost up the road a piece, long known for their warm and welcoming, down-home atmosphere. The local cognoscenti know they can also find excellent pastas, steaks, seafood, and salads. Homemade soups are created daily and coffee and desserts are always freshly made.

Breakfast served until 2 p.m. — look for the bison sausage served with organic eggs. $$ p ✿ O’CHARLEY’S (6 locations) O’Charley’s, Inc. could serve well as the picture in the dictionary next to “American casual dining.” The Nashville-based chain operates 206 properties in 16 states in the Southeast and Midwest, serving a straightforward steak-andseafood menu with the motto “Mainstream with an attitude.” $$ p h OTTO’S CAFÉ 500 S. Fourth St. (Seelbach Hilton Hotel), 585-3201. Southern cooking with gourmet flair makes Otto’s an intriguing alternative to the Seelbach’s more upscale Oakroom. Check out the Southern Breakfast Buffet and the Executive Express Lunch Buffet. $ PAULA DEEN BUFFET Horseshoe Casino Hotel, Elizabeth, IN, 888-766-2648. Bubbly Paula extends her food empire to Horseshoe Casino. Modeled after her restaurants, the motif is based on the architecture of Savannah, Ga., where she lives. Of course, there’s a shop attached, where you can purchase aprons, cookbooks, cookware and her new furniture line. $$$$ h ✿ PEPPERS BAR & GRILL 320 W. Jefferson St., (Hyatt Regency) 587-3434. The casual-dining facility in the Hyatt Regency offers a full dinner menu for hotel guests and outside visitors as well. $$$ p

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PRESTON STREET FISH & CHICKEN 1272 S. Preston St., 636-1310. Don’t you love restaurant names that tell it all? Here, catty-corner from the Billy Hertz Gallery on South Preston, you will find a corner location selling fried chicken and fish.

Wings are the thing, and you can get them in quantity if you want. Also, breaded and fried whitefish and jack salmon. $ PUB LOUISVILLE Fourth Street Live 569-7782.

Owned by Cincinnati’s The Tavern Restaurant Group, The Pub features “nouveau pub cuisine” ranging from shepherd’s pie and fish and chips to more Continental dishes like fried calamari and a seared ahi tuna entrée. $$ p f h RAFFERTY’S OF LOUISVILLE 988 Breckenridge Ln., 897-3900. 3601 Springhurst Blvd., 412-9000.

This full-service, casual dining establishment has a hearty menu. Specialties like Red Alfredo Pasta showcase the gourmet offerings along with some of the largest and most creative salad combinations in town. $$ p ✿ RED ROBIN GOURMET BURGERS 9870 Von Allmen Ct., 339-8616, 5000 Shelbyville Rd., 899-9001.

The Robin, a Seattle-based chain well regarded for 66 Summer 2011 www.foodanddine.com

“gourmet burgers” and trimmings, has now landed in two East End locations. Despite a full bar, it reportedly attracts hordes of happy youngsters. $$ p f h ROOSTER’S 7405 Preston Hwy., 964-9464, 4420 Dixie Hwy., 384-0330, 1601 Greentree Blvd., Clarksville, IN, 590-3391. This Columbusbased wings-and-brews chain conquered Ohio and is now spreading its franchise wings across the Eastern U.S. Its first three Louisville properties have gained popularity for a lively sports bar setting and oversize wings. $ p f h RUBY TUESDAY 11701 Bluegrass Pkwy., 267-7100, 1354 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN. 288-5010. If success demonstrates quality, then Ruby Tuesday’s 600 international properties and 30,000 employees can stand up with pride. They’ve been upholding the slogan “Awesome Food. Serious Salad Bar” in Louisville for a generation. $$ p h ✿ THE RUDYARD KIPLING 422 W. Oak St., 636-1311.

The word “eclectic” fits this Old Louisville eatery in just about every dimension, from its funky decor to its diverse bill of fare, not to mention an array of entertainment that bridges the generations from Generation X’ers to aging hippies. $ p f e h ✿ SAM’S FOOD & SPIRITS 3800 Payne Kohler Rd., Clarksville, IN, 945-9757, 702 Highlander Point Dr., Floyds Knobs, IN, 923-2323. Sam Anderson has been running his popular Southern Indiana institution for over 17 years now, feeding an army of happy diners. You’ll now find his extensive and child friendly menu at a second location in Floyds Knobs. $$ p h ✿ SHONEY’S 811 Eastern Pkwy., 636-1043, 6511 Signature Dr., 969-8904. For nearly 50 years, Shoney’s restaurants have been one of America’s top choices for fast roadside dining, and happily they’ve kept up with the times. $ SIMPLY SPLENDID SALADS 203 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 426-3373. Another pleasant spot for lunch or take-home dinner for shoppers and workers along the Shelbyville Road-Hurstbourne Parkway nexus.

Choose from an interesting selection of huge salad bowls (Asian shrimp, tuna Nicosia, chicken Caesar) or piled-high crepe wraps (Philly cheese steak, vegetarian, Hawaiian chicken, chicken and Brie) for eat-in or take-away. $$ ✿ SKYLINE CHILI 1266 Bardstown Rd., 473-1234, 9980 Linn Station Rd., 429-5773, 4024 Dutchman’s Ln., 721-0093, 6801 Dixie Hwy., 937-4020.

Louisville’s outposts of a famous Cincinnati chili restaurant, these casual eateries offer the regional favorite (really it’s Greek spaghetti sauce, but keep it quiet) and other fast-food dishes. $ h ✿ STEAK N SHAKE 3232 Bardstown Rd., 456-2670, 4913 Dixie Hwy., 448-4400, 4545 Outer Loop, 966-3109, 2717 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-3397, 10721 Fischer Park Dr., 326-3625, 980 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville, IN., 285-1154. One of the oldest fast-food chains in the U.S., Steak N Shake traces its ancestry to an Illinois roadside stand in 1934. It now boasts 400 outlets in 19 states but still sticks to the basics: quality steak burgers and hand-dipped shakes served, if you dine in, on real china. $ h ✿ STEVIE B’S BURGERS & MORE 1401 Veterans Pkwy, Clarksville IN 288-8365. Located near WalMart and I-65. Stevie B’s lures hungry shoppers to dress their own burgers at the toppings bar. Or, fuel up on Philly cheesesteaks, cheese chicken sandwiches, or a quarter-pound chili dog. $ TGI FRIDAY’S Fourth Street Live, 585-3577. The original place to loosen the tie and congregate after the whistle blows. TGIF carries on its party atmosphere tradition with American bistro dining and libations. The bill of fare ranges from baskets of appetizers on up to contemporary entrées. $$ p

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TILTED KILT 6201 Dutchmans Ln., 409-8458. A franchise restaurant, notable for its skimpily plaid-

clad servers as much as its pub-style food. The aggressively cute menu offers “big-arse” burgers, various sandwiches, salads and wraps, entrées ranging from lasagna to “Longshanks” sausage platter to “Fat Bastard’s” meatloaf sandwich. Pizza and a short beer list are also available. $$ p h TOAST ON MARKET 736 E. Market St., 569-4099, 141 E. Market St., New Albany, IN, 941-8582. This local breakfast and lunch favorite has gained a loyal following and tremendous word-of-mouth, opened a second outlet across the river, and will be moving out of the funky, cavernous old theater building to the former Artemisia a few doors west before the summer is out. $ p f ✿ TRELLIS RESTAURANT 320 W. Jefferson St. (Hyatt Regency), 587-3434. Dine on café fare in the Hyatt’s lofty atrium lobby while you take advantage of an environment made for people-watching. $$ p TUCKER’S 2441 State St., New Albany, IN, 944-9999.

Tucker’s gives you a little bit of everything with a down-to-earth flair, offering burgers, ribs, steaks, a variety of appetizers and pastas. $ p TWIG & LEAF RESTAURANT 2122 Bardstown Rd., 451-8944. A popular Highlands hangout, the “Twig” is probably at its best for breakfast — whether you’re enjoying it while venturing out on a leisurely Sunday morning or heading home very late on a Saturday night. It’s a place to grab a quick, filling bite, and doesn’t pretend to be more. $ h ✿ WESTPORT GENERAL STORE 7008 Hwy. 524, Westport, KY., 222-4626. It may be in the country, and you may feel far from the big city, until the food comes. Along with the requisite meat loaf and pork chops, you’ll find such ambitious fare as chicken buccatini and blackened scallops. $$ e ✿ THE WING ZONE 905 Hess Ln., 636-2445. Another new wings emporium situated to catch the fancy of U of L fans, Wing Zone excels with jumbo wings in 25 flavors, including traditional Buffalo-style wings that range from Mild to Nuclear. $ f h ZAXBY’S 2740 Allison Ln., Jeffersonville IN, 9200080. They have been all around us out in the state, but now Louisville has its own Zaxby’s, the casual dining chain that cutens its menu with a lot of “z’s”: zappetizers, zalads, platterz, wings and fingerz — that sort of thing. $ f h

BARBARA LEE’S KITCHEN 2410 Brownsboro Rd., 897-3967. Barbara Lee’s has been a late-night refuge for years. It’s a reliable standby for those in search of traditional blue-plate special lunch food. Honest grub, honestly priced, in a rootsy atmosphere. $ h BIG MOMMA’S SOUL KITCHEN 4532 W. Broadway, 772-9580. Big Momma’s may be the most hospitable place in the West End to get genuine soul food. A different main course is featured daily, all home-cooked food, including such goodies as baked chicken, smothered pork chops, meat loaf, catfish … and fried chicken every day. $ ✿ CARLY RAE’S 103 W. Oak St. The Old Louisville corner place with the great fenced-in patio has reopened with the same name, but new owners, with a focus on soul food.

CAROLYN’S 3822 Cane Run Rd., 776-9519. The steam table classic, the “meat ‘n’ two” gives you the roast chicken, green beans and mashed potatoes.

Or pork chops, applesauce and limas. $ CHECK’S CAFÉ 1101 E. Burnett Ave., 637-9515. You can whiff a scent of Louisville history coming off the old walls of this quintessential Germantown saloon, along with years of frying grease. The bar food here is about as good as bar food gets, and that’s not bad. The chili and the bean soup are particularly recommended. $ p f e

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THE CHICKEN HOUSE 7180 Hwy. 111, Sellersburg, IN., 246-9485. The parking lot of this white frame building in rural Indiana is packed on weekend nights as families from throughout the area wait on delectable fried chicken. This is the very heart of American comfort food, including green beans, dumplings, and mashed potatoes. $$

MISS C’S KITCHEN & PANTRY 1319 Story Ave., 759-1085, 308 W. Chestnut St., 992-3166. You will find traditional recipes using locally-sourced foods, such as pimento cheese made with Kenny’s white cheddar and tuna salad using the recipe from Stewart’s Orchid Room at both the Butchertown and new downtown location. $$

CHICKEN KING 639 E. Broadway, 589-5464. Spicy, crunchy and sizzling hot fried chicken is the primary draw on a short, affordable menu. $ h

O’DOLLYS 7800 Third St. Rd., 375-1690. Homestyle steam-table favorites are available from breakfast through dinner, not to mention full bar service that makes O’Dollys a Southwest Louisville destination. $pfh✿

COTTAGE CAFÉ 11609 Main St., Middletown, 2449497. This nostalgic old house in the countryside offers a taste of Kentucky-style cookery in an array of lunch specials that range from homemade soups and sandwiches to the traditional Hot Brown. $ ✿ COTTAGE INN 570 Eastern Pkwy., 637-4325.

Longtime neighborhood fixture Cottage Inn has a bright new look, and continues happily doling out the kind of excellent down-home food it has served for more than 70 years. $ D’NALLEY’S 970 S. Third St., 588-2003. Dirt-cheap blue-plate specials and hearty breakfasts bring droves to the counters and booths of this classic greasy spoon. Saturday morning hours are sporadic, but for a quick plate of meat loaf, green beans, and mashed potatoes, D’Nalley’s is a hard place to beat. $ FORTY ACRES AND A MULE RESTAURANT 1800 Dixie Hwy., 776-5600. $ FRANCO’S RESTAURANT & CATERING 3300 Dixie Hwy., 448-8044. Jay’s Cafeteria lives on in Shively. Jay’s former owners are now serving up Southern Soul food at family-friendly prices. The mac and cheese is sticky and crusty, the cornmeal muffins are crunchy on the outside and melt-inyour-mouth inside. Look for smothered pork chops, collard greens, fried chicken, fried catfish and fruit cobbler. $ FRONTIER DINER 7299 Dixie Hwy., 271-3663. The name “diner” says it all, and this friendly neighborhood spot on Dixie Highway delivers just what you’d expect in down-home comfort fare. The word on the street, though, is simple: Go for the pancakes. They’re worth a special trip. $ ✿ GOLDEN CORRAL 4032 Taylorsville Rd., 485-0004, 8013 Preston Hwy., 966-4970, 1402 Cedar St., Clarksville, IN. 258-2540. Buffet style family dining — one price, all you can eat. Steaks are served beginning at 4 p.m. $ GRANNY’S APRON 2605 Rockford Ln., 449-9026.

Everything at Granny’s Apron is homemade by owner Jan Bradley, and it tastes that way: Dinner here will remind you of a trip back in time to Grandmother’s house, assuming that Grandmother was a really good cook. $ HAZELWOOD RESTAURANT 4106 Taylor Blvd., 361-9104. Whether you like your eggs over easy, or your cheeseburgers well done, you’ll like the Hazelwood Restaurant. Standard short orders cooked with lots of character and a low price. $

OUR BEST RESTAURANT 5404 Antle Dr., 969-6410.

This fine little home-style family restaurant has pulled back to this one location after an effort to expand didn’t work out.$$ PAPA’S GRILLED CHICKEN 2622 Portland Ave., 749-5800. The owner of this little Portland storefront eatery, Ali Ali, cooks chicken on a grate over a hot flame, in full view of the eight seats.

Though the chicken is the thing here, Papa will grill up burgers too, and beef, lamb, and chicken gyros (with house-made tzatziki), Philly cheesesteaks and Italian beef sandwiches. $ h QUEENIE’S SOUL CUISINE 2956 Richland Ave., 451-4698. Queenie has been cooking for her 13 siblings since she was a teenager. Finally she is getting paid to do it. She and her son serve breakfast, lunch and dinner: chicken and waffles, meatloaf, a soul burrito, chicken (fried, smothered or baked) and daily specials. $$ f SHIRLEY MAE’S CAFÉ 802 Clay St., 589-5295. This Smoketown institution draws hungry locals as well as celebrities in town hungry for the soul food of their youth. BBQ ribs, and hot-water cornbread cooked in a cast iron skillets. Pig’s feet and chicken wings and collards, all seasoned with Shirley Mae Beard’s spice rack—salt and pepper. $

JANE’S CAFETERIA 4601 Jennings Ln., 454-7286. This 40-year-old family-owned restaurant knows how to cook for folks missing their home table. Count on an attentive staff and fresh southern fare. $ ✿ LANCASTER’S CAFETERIA 223 W. Fifth St., New Albany, IN, 949-2400. Troy Lancaster, the grandson of Southern Indiana catering king Tommy Lancaster, recalls the family’s culinary heritage with this family-friendly buffet-style cafeteria. $ f PICCADILLY CAFETERIA 2131 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 493-9900, 133 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 4231733. An east end favorite for variety, Piccadilly offers roast beef, fried chicken, cod, steak and shrimp dinners, a gardener’s list of vegetables and a few ethnic dishes for global measure. $ ✿

THE BARD’S TOWN 1801 Bardstown Rd., 749-5275.

On the ground floor a 60-seat restaurant and 30seat lounge. On the second floor is the 70-seat Bard’s Town Theatre home to a resident troupe dedicated to producing new works from Kentucky playwrights and beyond, to other theatre, poetry and musical acts from around the country. There is food and beverage service, but it is not a dinner theater. $$ h p e h ✿ DERBY DINNER PLAYHOUSE 525 Marriott Dr., Clarksville, IN, 288-8281. The play’s the thing at Derby Dinner Playhouse, Louisville’s long-running entry in the dinner-theater sweepstakes … but the expansive buffet dinner adds value to the mix. $$$$ e

SWEET-TEE’S 4900 Poplar Level Rd., 966-0075. A modest little soul-food emporium, brimming with the aromas of Southern ambrosia: collard greens cooked with fatback, sweet potato pie, crusty ribs and slow-cooked pig’s feet. The chicken is fried while you wait, the way the customers like it. $

HOWL AT THE MOON Fourth Street Live, 562-9400.

What’ll they think of next? How about a nightclub that features a “dueling” piano bar with two pianos and a sing-along concept? You’ll find this 4,000square-foot club at Fourth Street Live on the ground level. $ p e h

WAGNER’S PHARMACY 3113 S. Fourth St., 375-3800.

A track-side institution that has as much history as the nearby Twin Spires of Churchill Downs. Soups, sandwiches, shakes, cherry Cokes and an early bird “trainer’s” breakfast can be enjoyed all year round.

Racing history on the walls and servers who’ll call you “hon.” $

IMPROV COMEDY CLUB & WET WILLIE’S 441 S. Fourth St., 581-1332. The menu is no joke at this downtown club. Chow down on well-grilled steaks, fresh seafood and ribs that rank with the best in the city before the nationally-known comedy acts start. $$$ p f e h ✿

WEBB’S MARKET 944 E. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 5830318. An old-line neighborhood corner grocery store houses a delicious secret: At the back you’ll find a steam table loaded with exceptional comfort food.

Fried chicken is excellent, and don’t miss the chili. $

HOMETOWN BUFFET 1700 Alliant Ave., 267-7044, 6641 Dixie Hwy., 995-3320. This chain serves up nostalgic dishes, casseroles, meats and desserts that allow you to set an all-American supper table with the all-you-can eat price tag. $ ✿

ANN’S BY THE RIVER 149 Spring St., Jeffersonville, IN., 284-2667. This bustling eatery is cafeteria style dining done well. They serve up the standard steam table meat-and-three menu items as good as any. With the Ohio River a block away, it’s aptly named. $ ✿

INDI’S RESTAURANT 1033 W. Broadway, 589-7985, 3820 W. Market St., 778-5154, 2901 Fern Valley Rd., 969-7993, 5009 S. Third St., 363-2535, 2970 Tenth St., Jeffersonville, IN, 288-8980. Grown from a tiny West End takeout spot to a mini-chain, Indi’s vends a variety of affordable soul food and barbecue specialties to take out or eat in. $ h ✿

THE BISTRO 3701 Frankfort Ave., 714-5586. A gem hidden away in The Olmsted, on the Masonic Home grounds in St. Matthews. This little spot has earned terrific word-of-mouth buzz since it opened last year. Soups, sandwiches, salads, pastas are the mainstay of the menu, with a four-item lunch buffet that changes weekly. $ f

JESSIE’S FAMILY RESTAURANT 9609 Dixie Hwy., 937-6332. Country cooking is Jessie’s specialty, with hearty breakfast, lunch and dinner platters to fill the inner person. $

CRAVINGS A LA CARTE 101 S. Fifth St. (National City Tower), 589-4230. This thrifty deli offers a variety of build-your-own sandwiches, a soup-andsalad bar, and specialty bars featuring baked potatoes, and a monthly ethnic creation. $ ✿

KING’S FRIED CHICKEN 1302 Dixie Hwy., 776-3013. $

HALL’S CAFETERIA 1301 Story Ave., 583-0437. Hall’s Cafeteria has been doing a brisk business on the steam tables since 1955, attracting customers from Butchertown’s truck loading docks and from offices downtown. $ ✿

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INCREDIBLE DAVE’S 9236 Westport Rd., 426-4790.

“Awesome dining, extreme fun, where family fun hits maximum overdrive” is the promise at this giant dining and entertainment venue. It’s not just for kids: an upscale menu in a signature dining room is at the center of it all. $$ p h ✿ JOE HUBER FAMILY FARM & RESTAURANT 2421 Scottsville Rd., Starlight IN, 923-5255. A pleasant 20-minute drive from downtown Louisville, Huber’s has built a solid reputation for simple farm fare that’s well-made, fresh and good. Some of the produce is grown on the premises in season. $$ p f e MY OLD KENTUCKY DINNER TRAIN 602 N. Third St., Bardstown, KY, (502) 348-7300. Talk about a nostalgia trip: My Old Kentucky Dinner Train offers a four-course meal during a two-hour voyage along scenic Kentucky railroad tracks near Bardstown in vintage 1940s-era dining cars. Reservations are strongly recommended. $$$$ p ✿ STUMLER RESTAURANT & ORCHARD 10924 St. John’s Rd., Starlight, IN, 923-3832. Fresh produce is available in the big shed a few steps away, and that fresh produce shows up on the tables here in mammoth portions. Combine that with honest fried chicken, big ham steaks, roast beef, and sandwiches, and you can’t go wrong. $$ f ✿ www.facebook.com/foodanddine Summer 2011 67

kitchen in a little local pizza joint just east of downtown J’ville, serving up well crafted traditional pies whole or by the slice. $$ h ✿ ALEXANDER’S PIZZERIA 1611 Charlestown-New Albany Rd., Jeffersonville, IN, 284-9000. $$ ANGILO’S PIZZA 1725 Berry Blvd., 368-1032. The local favorite is the steak hoagie, dripping with pizza sauce, pickles and onions. Angilo’s also offers a wide selection of hot pizza pies and cold beer. $ ✿ ANGIO’S RESTAURANT 3731 Old Bardstown Rd., 451-5454. This small Buechel eatery attracts a friendly neighborhood crowd with hefty subs and quality pizzas, along with cold beer. $ ✿ ANNIE’S PIZZA 2520 Portland Ave., 776-6400, 4007 Cane Run Rd., 449-4444. Annie’s has made-toorder pizza and a variety of stacked sandwiches such as the Big Daddy Strom with beef, Italian sausage, onions and banana peppers. $ h ✿ ARNI’S PIZZA 1208 State St., New Albany, IN, 9451149, 3700 Paoli Pike, Floyds Knobs, IN, 9239805. A favorite Hoosier pizza and sandwich stop.

Insist on getting the Deluxe. $ ✿ BEARNO’S PIZZA (12 locations) What began as a simple, family-run pizzeria near Bowman Field has morphed into a local chain with, at last count, 13 locations. $ p ✿ BONNIE & CLYDE’S PIZZA 7611 Dixie Hwy., 9355540. It may look like a dive that hasn’t been renovated in ages, the service can be surly at times, and you have to pay in cash, but devoted fans of its thin-crust pizzas and hoagies keep coming back and talk it up with their friends. $$ f ✿ BOOMBOZZ FAMOUS PIZZA 3400 Frankfort Ave., 896-9090, 12613 Taylorsville Rd., 261-0222. The little Boombozz take-out joint at the corner of Frankfort and Cannons Lane has moved across the street, taking over the former Patron’s space, and changing its name, becoming a Boombozz Taphouse in all but its name — and the fact that it will be serving beer in bottles only. Look for the Taphouse-style menu of pastas and sandwiches along with award-winning pies. $$ h ✿ BOOMBOZZ PIZZA BISTRO 12613 Taylorsville Rd., 261-0222. Boombozz wins praise for exceptionally high quality pizza and other quick Italian-style fare.

Tony’s pizzas include both traditional pies and gourmet-style specialties that have won awards in national competition. $$ h ✿ BOOMBOZZ PIZZA & TAP HOUSE 1448 Bardstown Rd., 458-8889, 1315 Herr Ln., 394-0000. The Boombozz Pizza empire has expanded twice within a few months, with these sit-down pizza and taphouses The menu now extends into appetizers, sandwiches and pasta, and 21 craft beers on tap. The newest venue, in Westport Village, has been attracting a varied crowd enjoying the hearty and well-crafted food, the excellent beer selection and the array of sporting events on the TVs. $$ p f h ✿ BORROMEO’S PIZZA 9417 Smyrna Pkwy., 968-7743.

Serving up old-school thin-crust pizzas to chowhounds south of the Gene Snyder. $ h CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN 7900 Shelbyville Rd. (Oxmoor Center), 425-5125. California pizza became a trend when famous chefs gave this simple Italian fare a multi-ethnic spin with non-traditional Pacific Rim toppings. CPK successfully translates this trend for the mass market. $$ p f ✿ CHARLESTOWN PIZZA COMPANY 850 Main St., Charlestown IN, 256-2699. This welcoming venue on Charlestown’s town square, a short trip upriver from Jeffersonville, is run by folks who learned their pizza and beer at New Albanian Brewing Company. That’s a fine pedigree, and it shows in impressive quality. $$ ✿ CHEEZY’S PIZZA 801 E. Market St., Jeffersonville, IN 288-8500. Fans of the former Tubby’s Pizza and owner Tubby Muncy can smile again. He’s back in the

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CICI’S PIZZA 470 New Albany Plaza, New Albany, IN., 944-4942, 3093 Breckinridge Ln., 452-6700.

Serious bargain-hunters will find Cici’s culinary offer hard to beat. This Dallas-based chain serves up all the pizza you can eat for only $3.99. $ ✿ CLIFTON’S PIZZA 2230 Frankfort Ave., 893-3730.

One of the originators of “Louisville style” of pizza, with additional toppings placed over the cheese. The venerable Clifton’s Pizza appeals with its adult style, full of the bold flavors of herbs and spices and available with grown-up toppings like anchovies and artichoke hearts. $ f e h ✿ COALS ARTISAN PIZZA 3724 Lexington Rd., 7428200. The coal-fired oven bakes at 1000 degrees F, charring and crisping the crust in 4 minutes. The dough rises for 48 hours at room temperature, making for a lighter, more digestible crust. Topping are fresh, regionally-sourced, with specialty concepts. Look for local craft beers and house-made soups and salads in addition to pizzas. $$ p f h ✿ DANNY MAC’S PASTA & PIZZA 1567 S. Shelby St., 635-7994. $ DIORIO’S PIZZA & PUB 310 Wallace Ave., 618-3424.

The former Karem’s Deli location in St. Matthews finally has a new tenant, serving pizza by the slice, as well as a mammoth 30-inch pie. Also grilled sandwiches, salads, wings, and queso sticks, and a good selection of domestic and import beers, including some BBC brews. $$ p f h ✿ FAT DADDY’S PIZZA 10611 W. Manslick Rd., 3637551. $ h ✿ FAT JIMMY’S 2712 Frankfort Ave., 891-4555, 2208 Bardstown Rd., 479-1040, 13829 English Villa Dr., 244-0840, 528 S. Fifth St., 589-8559. This friendly neighborhood nook offers a cold mug of beer and a hot slice of pizza, along with sub sandwiches, pasta dishes and salads. The Lyndon spot lures a friendly biker crowd. $ ✿ FROLIO’S PIZZA 3799 Poplar Level Rd., 456-1000.

Just around the corner from the Louisville Zoo, Frolio’s is a neighborhood pizzeria with a cozy, dim Italian-American mood and an all-you-can-eat pizza-and-salad lunch special. $$ f ✿ HOMETOWN PIZZA 11804 Shelbyville Rd., 2454555, La Grange Square Shopping Center, 2224444. Pasta dishes, hoagies, stromboli and cold beer are available, and so is the one-of-a-kind Bacon Cheeseburger pizza. $$ h ✿ IROQUOIS PIZZA 6614 Manslick Rd., 363-3211. $$ ✿ JOHNNY V’S 10509 Watterson Trail, 267-0900. $$ p f LITTLE CAESAR’S PIZZA (9 Locations) This Detroit-based pizzeria chain lost market share in the ’90s, but business analysts say the company known for its two-for-one “pizza pizza” deal has turned things around with a renewed commitment to quality and service. $$ h ✿ LOUISVILLE PIZZA CO. 3910 Ruckriegel Pkwy., 267-1188. Also known as Chubby Ray’s, this local pizzeria makes good, fresh pizzas and ItalianAmerican sandwiches. $ p f h ✿ LUIGI’S 712 W. Main St., 589-0005. If you think one pizza is pretty much like another, you may not have sampled New York City-style pizza, a treat that you’ll find on just about every street corner there, but only Luigi’s offers in its authentic form here. $ ✿ MA ZERELLAS 949 S. Indiana Ave., Sellersburg, IN, 246-9517. Pleasant family-run-for-family-fun establishments. Pizza, pasta, salads and subs served for lunch and dinner seven days a week. $ ✿ MR. GATTI’S 703 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 283-5005, 5600 S. Third St., 3632211, 8594 Dixie Hwy., 935-0100, 1108 Lyndon

Ln., 339-8338, 4200 Outer Loop, 964-0920. This Austin-based chain was one of the first national pizzerias to reach Louisville in the 1970s, and quality ingredients — plus Gattiland playgrounds for the kids — have made its crisp, thin-crust pizzas a popular draw for nearly 30 years. $$ ✿ NAKED PIZZA 139 Breckenridge Ln., 410-2211. The New Orleans carry-out and delivery chain backed by billionaire Mark Cuban has staked out the Louisville area for expansion. Its selling point in a saturated market is “healthy” pizza, made with unprocessed ingredients, a crust blended from “ancestral” whole grains, and probiotics for digestive health. The menu also offers a gluten-free crust and all-natural soy cheese. $$ h ✿ NEW ALBANIAN BREWING CO. 3312 Plaza Dr., New Albany, IN, 944-2577. Touting “the best pizza in Southern Indiana” is quite a boast, but pizza only tells half of this tasty story. NABC combines the fine pies of Sportstime Pizza with the pub formerly known as Rich O’s. Publican Roger Baylor’s remarkable beer list, with more than 100 selections from around the world — plus locally brewed craft beers — has won international awards. A pizza like the famous “Herbivore” (spinach, sliced tomatoes and roasted garlic) makes a sizzling treat, with a world-class beer to wash it down. $ OLD CHICAGO PASTA & PIZZA 9010 Taylorsville Rd., 301-7700, 1061 Fischer Park Dr. This growing chain specializes in both thick Chicago-style and thin traditional pizza, plus an imposing list of 110 beers from around the world. $$ p f h ✿ ORIGINAL IMPELLIZZERI’S 1381 Bardstown Rd., 454-2711, 4933 Brownsboro Rd., 425-9080, 110 W. Main St., 589-4900. Impellizzeri’s pizza, a Louisville icon known and loved for its massive pies for a generation, has opened a handsome new site near the new arena on Main, in addition to its Highlands and Brownsboro Road locations. $$$ p f h ✿ PAPA JOHN’S PIZZA (30 locations) “Papa” John Schnatter got into the pizza game as a Southern Indiana high-school student in 1984 and has built his business into a 3,000-restaurant international chain on the basis of a simple formula: traditional pizza, made from quality ingredients in a straightforward style. $$ ✿ PAPA MURPHY’S PIZZA (12 Locations) $$ ✿ PAPALINOS 947 Baxter Ave., 749-8515. Allan Rosenberg, who has cooked for several high-end restaurants, serves up New York-style pizza to enthusiastic Highlands customers. He offers just one size, a crispy-crust 18-incher, sold by the pie or the oversize slice, as well as calzones, breadsticks and a short list of salads and desserts. His premium toppings, from the sauces to the sausages, are all made in-house.. $ f h ✿ PERFETTO PIZZA 9910 Linn Station Rd., 4264644.Located in the old Slice of NY space off S. Hurstbourne Parkway, Perfetto carries on the New York style tradition: pies by the slice, just like on Flatbush Avenue. Hand-tossed crust, all kinds of toppings, plus Italian sausage and meatball sandwiches. $$ ✿ PIZZA KING 3825 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 945-4405, 1066 Kehoe Ln., Jeffersonville, IN., 2828286. The pizza at Pizza King is baked in a sturdy, clay stone oven and hand-tossed with thinner crust where the ingredients go all the way to the edge. $$ PIZZA PLACE 2931 Richland Ave., 458-9700. $ h ✿ PUCCINI’S SMILING TEETH 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 721-0170. A small but growing pizza chain based in Indianapolis opens its first Louisville property on Shelbyville Road. Thin pizza by the slice and other Italian-American dishes are served in an attractive setting that’s a cut above fast food. $$ ✿

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ROCKY’S SUB PUB 715 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville IN, 282-3844. Rocky’s is reinventing itself by going back to its roots. Gone is the “Italian Grill” appelaton, and back is the Sub Pub theme, along with a growing selection of craft and import beers and a select choice of Italian-American entrées. Go to enjoy a pizza, some baked ziti or chicken parmigiana, and some hoppy draft as you contemplate the Louisville skyline. Or call in for delivery to Jeffersonville, Clarksville or Louisville. $pf✿ SICILIAN PIZZA & PASTA 631 S. Fourth St., 5898686. Ready for takeout or eat-in, this downtown storefront offers good, standard (not Sicilian) pizza and other familiar Italian-American dishes. $ h SIR DANO’S PIZZA PARLOR 469 N. Indiana Ave., Sellersburg IN, 246-3346. $ f ✿ SNAPPY TOMATO 10000 Brownsboro Rd., 4126205. $$ h ✿ SPINELLI’S PIZZERIA 614 Baxter Ave., 568-5665, 2929 Goose Creek Rd., 632-2832, 4001 Shelbyville Rd., 895-0755, 239 S. Fifth St. This locally-owned pizzeria, widely known for their massive pizza by the slice, has expanded into St. Matthews, and now downtown too, at the former Down to Lunch space.

All four locations are open until 5 a.m. nightly Wednesday through Saturday, offering Philly-style pizza and real Philly cheese steaks. $ f h ✿ STUDIO PIZZA 1401 Veterans Pkwy, Clarksville, IN, 288-6600. Owner Steve Baldwin serves up Chicagostyle pie, calzones and other tipico Italiano fare, with a performance stage ready for pro performers or karaoke. $$ ✿ TONI’S MORE THAN PIZZA 3213 Preston Hwy., 634-5400. Friendly service and sizzling pies make this neighborhood pizzeria a favorite under any name. $$ ✿ VITO’S PIZZA 1919 S. Preston St., 634-1003. A little neighborhood pizza pub on the edge of Germantown has been serving up its signature pies to neighbors and commuters who pick up pies before they get on nearby I-65 to head home. $$ p f e h ✿

BLIMPIE’S SUBS & SALADS 2020 Brownsboro Rd., 899-7960. Sublime subs — fast and fresh. Blimpie’s is all that … and a bag of chips. $ ✿ BRIAN’S DELI 531 S. Fourth St., 561-0098. Between Chestnut Street and Muhammad Ail Boulevard, Brian’s services the downtown lunch crowd with soup, salads, sandwiches and snacks. $ BURGER BOY 1450 S. Brook, 635-7410. For a real slice of Louisville life, this weathered greasy spoon at the corner of Brook and Burnett is the real thing.

Neighborhood denizens drink coffee and chow down on burgers and breakfast until the wee hours (the joint is open 24 hours). If Louisville is home to a budding Charles Bukowski, there’s a good chance he’s sitting at their counter right now, recovering from last night’s excesses. $ h BUTCHER’S BEST MEATS & DELI 9521 US Hwy. 42., 365-4650. This fully staffed meat store in Prospect offers custom-cut beef, lamb, pork, bison, chicken and veal, plus a well-stocked deli and specialty foods, with skilled butcher Jimmy Mike at the helm. $ f CAFÉ PALACIO 4010 Dupont Circle, 708-1818.

Serving lunch to workers in the Dupont area five days a week. $ ✿ CALISTOGA ARTISAN SANDWICHES 4000 Dutchmans Ln., 895-3779, 401 E. Chestnut St., 561-9092. “Papa” John Schnatter, founder of the worldwide pizza chain that bears his name, is taking another shot at the fast-food world with the more upscale Calistoga Artisan Sandwiches that some have likened to Panera Bread. $ f ✿ CAT BOX DELI 500 W. Jefferson St., 561-6259. The name of this cozy downtown deli in the PNC Bank building might warrant a double-take, but its feline theme and kitty cartoons earn a smile. Open for breakfast and lunch, it offers a good selection of sandwiches, panini and wraps at budget prices. $ ✿

CHICAGO GYROS 2317 Brownsboro Rd., 895-3270.

Gyros, of course, and substantial ones, traditional beef and lamb, chicken, BBQ chicken and even vegetarian. But Philly steak sandwiches too, and catfish sandwiches, Chicago style hot dogs and burgers. Chicken wings, hummus, Greek salads as well. And, they deliver. $ f e ✿ DANISH EXPRESS PASTRIES 102 1/2 Cannons Ln., 895-2863. Just a few tables turn this takeout nook into a sit-in breakfast and lunch spot for a handful of diners at a time. Full breakfasts and light lunches are available, but as the name implies, Danish pastries are the specialty, and they’re fine. $ ✿ DEVINO’S 104 W. Main St., 569-3939. This stylish deli offers another lunch and dinner option downtown. Sandwiches are made from quality Boar’s Head meats and cheeses cut on the premises, with dining inside and on the patio; package beer and wine is also available. $ f DIZZY WHIZZ DRIVE-IN 217 W. St. Catherine St., 583-3828. This neighborhood eatery is an institution. It goes back more than 50 years and hasn’t changed much. It opens early and stays open late and offers good value for what you’d expect. $ f DOOLEY’S BAGELCATESSEN 2415 Lime Kiln Ln., 426-3354. This convenient deli specializes in bagels, as the name implies. Breakfast means fresh bagels with an array of cream cheese, sausage, eggs and coffee. At lunchtime lines form for sandwiches — subs, panini, wraps, hot melts and cold cuts. $✿ EINSTEIN BROTHERS BAGELS 320 W. Jefferson St., (Hyatt Regency) 217-6046. Nothing beats a bagel and a schmear of cream cheese — unless it’s a bagel, a schmear, and a generous slab of lox. For those who don’t live on bagels, a good selection of soups, salads and sandwiches offer quick sustenance at this branch of the national chain. $ f ✿

WICK’S PIZZA PARLOR 975 Baxter Ave., 458-1828, 2927 Goose Creek Rd., 327-9425, 12717 Shelbyville Rd., 213-9425, 225 State St., New Albany, IN, 945-9425, 9700 Bluegrass Pkwy., (Ramada Plaza) 409-4267. Wick’s wins popularity with a welcoming mix of good pizza, a quality beer list and a friendly neighborhood feel at all five of its eateries. The pies are straightforward, made with ample toppings.

“The Big Wick” is a favorite. $ p h ✿ WINDY CITY PIZZERIA 2622 S. Fourth St., 636-3708.

Stuffed Chicago-style and crispy thin-crust pizzas offer whichever option a pizza lover desires. $$ ZA’S PIZZA 1573 Bardstown Rd., 454-4544. $$ p ✿

AMAZING GRACE WHOLE FOODS DELI 1133 Bardstown Rd., 485-1122. If you think “vegan” means only raw carrots, bean sprouts, seeds and roots, think again. No animals were harmed in the making of the tasty alternative sandwiches and other dishes at this neat little deli attached to a spiffy local organic-foods grocery. $ ✿ ANOTHER PLACE SANDWICH SHOP 119 S. Seventh St., 589-4115. If you want to buy a car, go to a car dealer. To buy a carpet, patronize a carpet shop. And if you’ve got a sandwich on your to-do list, it makes sense to go to a sandwich shop. $ ✿ BACKYARD BURGER 1800 Priority Way, 240-9945.

The open flame at this counter-service diner provides the next best thing to a family cookout.

Sandwiches, fresh salads, fruit cobblers and oldfashioned hand-dipped milkshakes enhance the nostalgic theme. $ ✿

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THE FEED BAG DELI 133 Breckenridge Ln., 8961899. The grilled salmon burger is worth the visit, as well as the Triple Crown wrap with three meats or a fresh veggie wrap. Soups, desserts top off the lunch-only schedule. $ ✿ FRASCELLI’S NEW YORK DELI & PIZZERIA 6010 Crestwood Station, 243-9005. This Oldham County shop offers Italian-style deli sandwiches and pizza, plus home-style Italian hot dishes from lasagna to baked ziti. $ p h ✿ GREAT LIFE CAFÉ 9565 Taylorsville Rd., 297-8807, 9463 Westport Rd., 420-0707, 951 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 284-5624. This small but growing local chain, founded Steve and Jill Mazzoni and their friend Jason McCune, specializes in health and nutrition supplements and vitamins. $ ✿ HONEYBAKED CAFÉ 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 8956001, 6423 Bardstown Rd., 239-9292, 3602 Northgate Crt., New Albany, IN, 941-9426. $ HOT DIGGITY DOG 960 Baxter Ave., 384-3162.

What would the Baxter Ave. Highlands corridor be without a lunchtime and late night walk-up hot dog window? Hot Diggity Dog takes over from Derby City dogs, offering steamed hot dogs, Polish sausage, nachos and Blue Bell ice cream during lunch and again throughout the evening until 5 a.m. $ f h JASON’S DELI 410 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 412-4101, 4600 Shelbyville Plaza, 896-0150, 1975 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 493-4130. Don’t look for a New York kosherstyle deli at this Texas-based chain, but suburbanites are lining up at its multiple locations for oversize sandwiches, salads, wraps and more. $ f ✿ JERSEY MIKE’S SUBS AND SALADS 10266 Shelbyville Rd., 244-1991, 10519 Fischer Park Dr., 425-1025, 9156 Taylorsville Rd., 499-9830.

East Coast-style sub shop with local faves that includes cheese, ham, prosciuttini, capicola, salami, pepperoni and fixings. $ ✿

JIMMY JOHN’S SUB SHOP 976 Baxter Ave., 5870550, 4000 Shelbyville Rd., 894-3331, 3901 Dutchmans Ln., 894-9393,415 W. Jefferson St., 625-7101, 301 E. Market St., 587-7888, 1321 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 425-4515, 3001 Charlestown Crossing Way, New Albany, In. 725-8580, 1116 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 288-6700, 12903 Shelbyville Rd., 384-8884. This national sandwichshop chain offers a wide selection of over stuffed subs that benefit from fresh quality ingredients. But what sets them apart from the rest is their value — and they deliver. $ f h ✿ JOE DAVOLA’S 901 Barret Ave., 690-5377. Near the government center in the lower Highlands, this popular sandwich shop features healthful choices for lunch. $ ✿ LENNY’S SUB SHOP 3942 Taylorsville Rd., 4547831. Another semi-national chain, covering mostly the South and Midwest, brings a selection of familiar subs, sandwiches and salads to Louisville diners eager for more standardized semifast food. $ f ✿ LITTLE CHEF 147 E. Market St., New Albany IN, 949-7567. Every city needs a postage-stamp-sized spot that knows how to fry potatoes and grill up a burger. In New Albany, the place is Little Chef.

Biscuits and gravy, fried eggs, and burgers, in a joint that seems like a throwback to the heartland of America, circa 1940. $ ✿ LONNIE’S BEST TASTE OF CHICAGO 121 St. Matthews Ave., 895-2380. This appetizing operation offers genuine Chicago hot dogs and a taste of Chicago atmosphere for a price that won’t hurt your wallet. Make Lonnie’s the place to go when you’ve got a hankering for Windy City fare. $ LOTSA PASTA 3717 Lexington Rd., 896-6361. A Louisville pioneer in gourmet cheeses, oils, dips, hummus and, of course, pasta. They are mainly an eclectic specialty-food store but fans stand three-

deep at the sandwich counter every afternoon. And next door is a comfortable place to have coffee and pastry or to eat your sandwich. $ ✿ LUNCH TODAY 590 Missouri Ave., Jeffersonville, IN, 282-1005. This outfit prepares its share of the soups, salads and sandwiches that the downtown workforce needs to re-energize. $ f MAIN EATERY 643 W. Main St., 589-3354. Smack dab in the middle of the Main Street historic district, this fashionable deli lures the savvy business midday crowd. $ f ✿ MCALISTER’S DELI 10041 Forest Green Blvd., 4258900, 2721 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 671-2424, 2400 Lime Kiln Ln., 339-8544, 6510 Bardstown Rd., 239-9997, 12911 Shelbyville Rd., 244-5133, 1305 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 282-3354, 1200 S. Floyd St. (U of L), 825-2285, 4677 Outer Loop, 969-3328. Emphasizing quality customer service, this delicatessen ladles up such soups as gumbo and chicken tortilla along with cutting board favorites. They have a special way with a tumbler of sweet iced tea. $ ✿ MORRIS DELI & CATERING 2228 Taylorsville Rd., 458-1668, 555 S. Second St. (YMCA building), 587-2353. Many locals still know this small, popular Highlands deli as Karem Deeb’s after its longtime previous owner. Mostly for takeout — it packs in a few crowded tables — it’s known for high-quality, hand-made deli fare. A second location is now open in the YMCA downtown. $ ✿ NANCY’S BAGEL BOX 651 S. Fourth St., 589-4004.

An outpost of Nancy’s Bagel Grounds in Clifton, this little outlet, inside Theater Square Marketplace, offers a similar mix of light fare and Nancy’s unique take on the bagel. $ ✿ NANCY’S BAGEL GROUNDS 2101 Frankfort Ave., 895-8323. A friendly and casual neighborhood gathering spot. Offerings include soups, snacks, coffee drinks and bagels made on the premises to its own rather idiosyncratic formula. $ f ✿ OLLIE’S TROLLEY 978 S. Third St., 583-5214. A little piece of fast-food history remains on an urban street corner in Old Louisville. It’s one of the nation’s few surviving trolleys of the Louisvillebased chain that spread across the nation in the ’70s. Oversize burgers with a spicy, homemade flavor are just as good as ever. $ ORDERS UP CAFÉ & DELI 1981 Nelson Miller Pkwy., 245-5991. Quick and casual, Orders Up offers the inviting atmosphere of dropping in to someone’s home for lunch. Soups salads and freshly made sandwiches are uniformly appetizing, and sandwiches are affordably priced at $5 or less. $ ✿

We deliver!

(Call for delivery area)

2317 Brownsboro Rd. Louisville, KY 40206 (502) 895-3270

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Dine in, carry out Monday–Friday 11 am–8 pm Saturday 12 pm–8 pm

PANERA BREAD CO. 7900 Shelbyville Rd. (Oxmoor Mall), 899-9992, 6221 Dutchmans Ln., 895-9991, 601 S. Hurstbourne Ln., 423-7343, 10451 Champion Farms Dr., 426-2134, 3131 Poplar Level Rd., 6359164, 1040 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 2889400, 400 W. Market St., 540-5250, 1801 Rudy Ln., 710-0297. Warm breads finish-baked on the premises make a tasty base for a variety of sandwiches. Soups, salads, coffee drinks and a free WiFi hotspot make Panera’s outlets popular gathering places. $ f ✿ PAUL’S FRUIT MARKET 3922 Chenoweth Sq., 8968918, 4946 Brownsboro Rd., 426-5059, 12119 Shelbyville Rd., 253-0072, 3704 Taylorsville Rd., 456-4750. One of Louisville’s popular sources for produce, cheeses, deli items, and the like. Deli sandwiches and salads are available (takeout only). $ ✿ PENN STATION (17 Locations). Billed as the East Coast Sub Headquarters, this sandwich kitchen does a brisk business here in the Louisville area. $ ✿ QUIZNO’S SUBS (10 locations) Toasted breads, a sandwich selection of meats, veggies and fish are built to fight hunger. Fresh soups are available daily, from chili to chowder; so are salads and desserts. $ ✿

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RED’S 514 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 587-7337. Across from Louisville Gardens, “Red” has thoroughly refurbished the former Picnicaters into a spotless “hot-daug stand” offering gourmet wieners and sausages, chicken barbecue topped with coleslaw and vegetarian side dishes, many made with locally sourced products. Take away, or sit at one of the nine stools lining the little building and watch the passing parade. $ f ✿ SCHLOTZSKY’S DELI 10531 Fischer Park Dr., 4258447, 12915 Shelbyville Rd., 244-9069. The original Schlotzsky’s offered just one kind of sandwich — “The Original” — when it opened its first eatery in Austin, Texas, in 1971. Now this national chain vends a full selection of deli-style fare, with one significant improvement on the traditional deli: the servers are invariably polite. $ f ✿ SHADY LANE CAFÉ 4806 Brownsboro Center, 8935118. Another attractive East End storefront, Shady Lane Café, has been earning good reviews for simple breakfast and lunch fare served in friendly surroundings. $ ✿ SOUPY’S 3019 Breckenridge Ln., 451-5325. In the soup kettles you will find such classics as cheesy potato, bean and ham, broccoli and cheese, chicken and dumplings and more. At the cutting board they’ll make your meat, cheese and veggie sandwiches according to your custom design. $ ✿ THE STARVING ARTIST CAFÉ & DELI 8034 New Lagrange Rd., 412-1599. $ ✿ STEVENS & STEVENS 1114 Bardstown Rd., 5843354. This authentic New York-style deli occupies the rear third of the Ditto’s space in the heart of the Highlands. Take out or eat in one of the booths, you’ll get piled-high pastrami, brisket and corned beef and you’ll love lox and a schmear on your bagel — even if you don’t know what a schmear is. $ ✿

up as sandwiches, wraps or platters. Also, smoked baloney and chicken, smoked turkey and sirloin tips, and plenty of side choices. Carry out and catering only. $ f BRANDON’S BAR-B-QUE 9901 LaGrange Rd., 4266666. Featuring hickory-smoked Tennessee-style barbecue sandwiches and filling, affordable dinners. $ FAMOUS DAVE’S BAR-B-QUE 8605 Citadel Way, 493-2812, 1360 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 282-3283. This franchise chain operation may be based in the twin cities, but it looks like a Georgia gas station with its exuberant, if tongue-in-cheek faux country decor. The important thing, though, is the food, and Dave’s excels with genuine, hickory-smoked barbecue. $$ p f FIRE FRESH BBQ 211 S. Fifth St., 540-1171, 8610 Dixie Hwy., 995-7585. Fire fighters, it is said, eat heartily and well. It’s no coincidence, then, that FireFresh Bar B Q pays homage to local fire departments in its restaurant’s decor. The barbecue and country fixin’s stand comparison to the best firehouse cuisine. $ f FRANKFORT AVENUE BEER DEPOT 3204 Frankfort Ave., 895-3223, 1202 Bardstown Rd., 384- 8077. A neighborhood bar that welcomes all comers with some of the most notable ’cue in town. The burgoo and the baked beans rank as some of the best in the city and the pulled pork by the pound is value worth taking home. Now with a second venue in the old NV Bar Grill (next to the Wine Market) on Bardstown Road. $ p f h HARLEY’S HARDWOODZ BAR-B-Q 1703 CharlestownNew Albany Pk., Jeffersonville, IN, 284-4490. Owner Frank Harley said “I found my calling, which is barbecue.” He smokes up barbecue pork, chicken and brisket, marinated in Harley’s own barbecue sauce. A menu specialty: smoked chicken white chili. $

SUB STATION II 3101 Fern Valley Rd., 964-1075.

The hardy No. 19, a six-meat-and-cheese super sub, keeps the store buzzing. An array of sandwiches, salad sides and desserts fill out an appetizing lunch menu. $ ✿

JIMBO’S BBQ 801 Kenwood Dr., 375-1888. This South End barbecue shack, an outpost of a popular spot in Corydon, IN, offers a fine range of barbecue meats skillfully smoked on the premises, with sauce served on the side as it should be. $

TC’S SANDWICH SHOPPE 438 W. Market St., 581-9200. $

JUCY’S SMOKEHOUSE BAR-B-QUE 7626 New Lagrange Rd., 241-5829. Jucy’s offers exceptionally good Texas-style barbecue from a little wooden shack that looks just like a country BBQ joint should. Highly recommended. $$ f

THE BODEGA 829 E. Market St., 569-4100. At the back of the Felice Plaza east of downtown, the Bodega combines a small specialty-food market, wine-and-beer shop and deli under one compact roof. They’ll build your lunch to dine in or enjoy on their sunny patio. $ f ✿ THORNBERRY’S DELI & PIES 5103 S. Third St., 367-8394. $ W.W. COUSINS RESTAURANT 900 Dupont Rd., 897-9684. This locally owned and operated eatery looks a lot like the national Fuddruckers chain, but the local boys do a better job, with huge burgers on magisterial home-baked buns and a Metropolitan Museum of toppings. $ ✿ WALL ST. DELI 225 Abraham Flexner Way (Jewish Hospital) 585-4202. Offering New York style with Kentucky flair, this busy downtown deli will serve in-house diners or take orders for deliveries.

Authentic Nathan’s Hot Dogs are a specialty. $ ✿

BOOTLEG BARBECUE COMPANY 9704 Bardstown Rd., 239-2722, 7508 Preston Hwy., 968-5657.

Bootleg Barbecue offers a touch of rusticity and a good helping of country hospitality, as it dishes out hearty portions of well-prepared and affordable smoked meats and fixin’s. It’s one of the few places in Louisville where you can get Western Kentuckystyle mutton barbecue. $ f BOWMAN’S BBQ 8271 State Rd. 64, Georgetown, IN, 951-3900. Ribs, pulled pork and beef brisket, served

MARK’S FEED STORE 11422 Shelbyville Rd., 2440140, 1514 Bardstown Rd., 458-1570, 10316 Dixie Hwy., 933-7707, 3827 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 285-1998. Mark Erwin started this chain in an old Hancock’s Feed Store. Today, Mark’s routinely takes local honors for its sauces, sandwiches and its meaty baby-back ribs. And don’t miss the smoked take-home turkeys at Thanksgiving. $$ f OLE HICKORY PIT BAR-B-QUE 6106 Shepherdsville Rd., 968-0585. Located in an attractive house not far from General Electric’s Appliance Park, this Louisville relative of a famous Western Kentucky barbecue pit is well worth the trip. $ f PIT STOP BAR-B-QUE 13303 Magisterial Dr., 2536740. This familiar old local brand, long a downtown fixture, now offers its smoky Texas barbecue in an East End industrial park just off the Gene Snyder Freeway and Old Henry Road. $ RITE WAY BAR-B-CUE HOUSE 1548 W. St. Catherine St., 584-9385. Open since 1943, this West End landmark in a one-time neighborhood grocery, offers exceptional urban barbecue, including ribs that rank with the city’s best. $ f h RUBBIE’S SOUTHSIDE GRILL & BAR 6905 Southside Dr., 367-0007. This South End family knows how to do BBQ. It may be off the beaten path for some folks but here you’ll find the bounty of secret BBQ recipes. $ p f e h

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SCOTTY’S RIBS AND MORE 14049 Shelbyville Rd., 244-6868. Ribs, pork, chicken a la carte and dinners. The small East End venue moves a lot of pizzas and salads as well. $$ p SHACK IN THE BACK BBQ 406 Mt. Holly Rd., 3633227. This Fairdale institution since 2004 smokes and serves slow-smoked pulled pork, brisket, ribs and a dozen sides (including Nanny’s potato salad) from an 1896 log house. House specialty is hickory-grilled steaks on Friday and Saturday nights. $ f e SHANE’S RIB SHACK 12420 Lime Kiln Ln., 4293907. “Rib” may be its middle name, but you can also fill up on wings, chicken tenders, sandwiches and more at this growing Atlanta-based chain, now open in this former Tijuana Flats facility. $$ f h SMOKEHOUSE BBQ 5414 Bardstown Rd., 239-4422.

A new smokery on Bardstown Road just past Hurstbourne offers baby back and spare ribs, pulled pork, brisket, chicken and burgers, along with home-cooked sides like collard greens, sweet potato fries and onion loaf. Finish off with a coconut cream pie or chocolate cobbler. $$ p SMOKETOWN USA 1153 Logan St., 409-9180. The name “Smoketown” does double-duty at this TexMex storefront just east of Old Louisville in the Smoketown neighborhood. Ribs are juicy and smoky; the pinto beans and the Blue Bunny ice cream from Texas are not to be missed. $ f ✿ SMOKEY BONES BBQ 2525 Hurstbourne Gem Ln., 491-7570. A property of Orlando’s Darden fast-food chain, which also runs Olive Garden and Red Lobster, this noisy Stony Brook-area eatery conveys more of a sports-bar than barbecue concept, but the ribs are fine. $$ p TEXICANS BBQ PIT 6608 Hwy. 146, Crestwood.

241-9227. A small, neighborhood place just off I-71 in Crestwood pleases fans with standard barbecue fare — pulled pork, brisket and ribs — as well as smoked sausage, chicken and boneless chops.

Cinnamon apples join the usual side selection of green beans, slaw and mac and cheese. $

BEEF O’BRADY’S 239 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 254-2322, 5628 Bardstown Rd., 239-2226, 3101 S. Second St., 637-3737, 105 LaFollette, 923-1316, 1450 Veterans Pkwy., Jeffersonville, IN, 285-9464, 5501 Valley Station Rd., 933-5919, 11324 Preston Hwy., 9668515. If you think your basic sports pub is only suitable for guys guzzling beer, take another look: Beef O’Brady’s puts the “family” in “family sports pub,” offering a wholesome environment. $ h BIG AL’S BEERITAVILLE 1715 Mellwood Ave., 8934487. Good people, good food, cold beer: The sign out front says it all, and we might add “cool atmosphere” in praise of this small but friendly Butchertown oasis. $ p f e BIG BLUE COUNTRY 426 Baxter Ave., 585-2583. A sports bar catering to UK fandom (and also the “official” home for Indianapolis Colts followers).

There’s a pizza buffet, a selection of flavored breadsticks (including dessert sticks), the typical snack fare of wings, nachos, calamari and so forth.

Also salads, sandwiches and burgers. $ p f BROWNIE’S THE SHED GRILLE & BAR 237 Whittington Pkwy., 326-9830. Restaurant owner and namesake Keith Brown used to host neighborhood gatherings in a shed at his home.

Now he brings the same sociable concept to his pub and eatery. Louisville’s official home for Cincy Bengals fans, Brownie’s may be the closest thing Hurstbourne has to a Germantown neighborhood saloon. $ p f BUFFALO WILD WINGS (BW-3’S) 6801 Dixie Hwy., 935-1997, 4600 Shelbyville Plaza, 899-7732,

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9134 Taylorsville Rd., 499-2356, 3584 Springhurst Blvd., 394-9596, 12901 Shelbyville Rd., 254-9464, 1055 Bardstown Rd., 454-3635, 1112 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 283-9464. As much a sports bar as a restaurant, this national franchise chain offers tasty snack-type fare, including the chain’s trademark Buffalo chicken wings. $$ p f h BUFFALO WINGS & RINGS 2610 Chamberlain Ln., 243-4464. $ p f h BUNGALOW JOE’S BAR & GRILL 7813 Beulah Church Rd., 931-5637. A “family friendly sports bar and grill” in the Fern Creek area sports 23 HDTVs including a 5- by 7-foot HD projector for 3D football viewing. A game room for kids, and plenty of wings, shrimp, burgers and beer. $$ p f e h CHAMPIONS SPORTS RESTAURANT 280 W. Jefferson St. (Louisville Marriott), 671-4246.

Another popular option at the striking new downtown Marriott, Champions provides a fun, casual dining alternative with a Kentucky sports theme — and a gallery of big-screen televisions to keep the sports action flowing as freely as the libations and upscale pub grub. $$ p f h CLUCKERS WINGS 4308 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 944-8100, 100 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville, IN, 590-3662. At this growing chain, you can get your wings doused in an array of sauces, from honey barbecue to spicy garlic barbecue to sweet Thai chili to inferno — a habanero-based sauce that has a legit name. Also breaded and grilled tenders, chicken sandwiches, appetizers and salads. $ h CORNER DOOR BAR & GRILL 2222 Dundee Rd., 708-2885. A bright, new addition to the Douglass Loop featuring craft brews on tap, a tasteful selection of wine, and reasonably priced food, including the signature Zip Burger and ribbon fries. The Facebook page also boasts “the best-looking bartenders and wait staff in the Highlands.” $ p f h DIAMOND PUB & BILLIARDS 3814 Frankfort Ave., 895-7513. $ p f h ✿ DONEGAN’S RESTAURANT & PUB 938 Baxter Ave., 562-1234. Another bar and grill has been added to the Revelers’ Row along Baxter in the Highlands, with 42 craft and import beers on tap, and a full service lunch and dinner menu ready to be phased in. $ p f e h DRAKE’S 3939 Shelbyville Rd., 614-7327.

Lexington-based Bluegrass Hospitality Group has re-done the old Burdorf’s building for the second outlet (first of two planned in Louisville) of the casual pub concept. Twenty-four craft beers will be on tap to wash down the traditional pub grub of tacos, ribs and — these days — sushi. Familyfriendly by day and a hoppin’ spot at night, with music videos and a DJ. $$ p h FLANAGAN’S ALE HOUSE 934 Baxter Ave., 5853700. Gourmet pizzas, hoagies, and an enormous beer selection draw Highlands folks to this cozy neighborhood pub. For a late night pizza (the kitchen’s open until 2 a.m.), it’s one of the best options in the city. $$ p f h FOUR KINGS CAFÉ 4642 Jennings Ln., 968-2930.

Steam-table service featuring spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna and chicken attract a hungry lunch crowd at this casual spot, and brunch specialties are just as popular. $ p FOX & HOUND 302 Bullitt Ln., 394-7620. A “British pub” concept operated by a Wichita, Kansas-based chain, Fox & Hound features a “mid-casual” menu with burgers, pizza, chicken and pot roast, in a large venue with plenty of billiard tables and an ample supply of large-screen televisions. $$ p f h ✿ GERSTLE’S PLACE 3801 Frankfort Ave., 742-8616.

A popular St. Matthews neighborhood tavern since 1924. Although dining is secondary to booze and sports here, the food goes well beyond mere pub grub. $ p e h ✿

GRANVILLE INN 1601 S. Third St., 637-9128. A longtime gathering place for U of L students, faculty and fans, this sturdy redbrick tavern just north of the university campus offers a good variety of bar munchies, sandwiches and simple grilled fare plus pizza. It’s perhaps best known, though, for the signature Granville Burger, widely reputed as one of the best burgers in town. $ GREAT AMERICAN GRILL 2735 Crittenden Dr. (Hilton), 637-2424. Located in the Louisville International Airport Hilton. Salads, burgers, pastas and sandwiches are available for the casual diner; main entrées include New York strip, filet of salmon and more. $ p f HITCHING POST INN 7314 Fegenbush Ln., 2394724. In addition to its full bar and beer garden, and lively conversation, the Hitching Post Inn offers an array of pub grub, including burgers, chicken tenders, and sandwiches. $ p h HOOPS GRILL AND SPORTS BAR 6733 Strawberry Ln., 375-4667. The name says it all: sports, casual dining and good things to drink all find their natural meeting place at this friendly neighborhood spot where hot wings and hoops reign supreme. $ p f h ✿ JERSEY’S CAFÉ 1515 Lynch Ln., Clarksville, IN, 2882100. Quality, affordable fare that goes well beyond pub grub to include an awesome smokehouse burger and barbecued ribs so tender, they say, that you can just tap the end of the bone on your plate, and the meat falls off. $ p e h ✿ JOHN O’BRYAN’S TAVERN 4123 Flintlock Dr., 4494940. $ THE LIGHTHOUSE 202 Main St., Jeffersonville, IN, 283-0077. This lighthouse has been a beacon of casual, home cooking and tavern environment for years.

Daily specials, appetizers, chicken and fish baskets, salads and desserts round out the menu. $ ✿ MAIN ST. TAVERN 122 W. Main St., 384-0151. Longstanding blues bar Zena’s closed, but fans were relieved when the funky downtown space was reopened by the owners of Amici in Old Louisville, who continue to offer great music and even better bar food. $ p e h MICHAEL MURPHY’S RESTAURANT 701 S. First St., 587-0013. This full service restaurant and bar has accommodated hardy thirsts and appetites for a couple of generations. Despite the Irish appeal, the food is American and lots of it. $ p MIKE’S TAVERN 3521 Paoli Pike, Floyds Knobs, IN, 945-8915. A tavern that serves a full breakfast — eggs, bacon, hotcakes. For lunch, a varied 1/2pound burger menu — jalapeno burger, bacon burger, mushroom burger—plus a 2-pounder that is free if it can be eaten in 60 minutes. Breakfast or lunch served anytime. $ p NEW DIRECTION BAR & GRILL 2630 Chamberlain Ln., 243-8429. $ p e h ROOTIE’S SPORTS BAR & GRILLE 12205 Westport Rd., 365-4681. The first entry of the Buffalo-based chain to open in the area. Rootie’s angle is charcoalgrilled wings with a thick, hickory-smoked spicy sauce. $ p f h RUMBALL’S FAMILY SPORTS BAR 5901 Terry Rd., 365-2781, 10000 Hwy. 22, 327-5496. A familycentered sports bar, with a welcome focus on scratch cooking (the chicken strips are cut in-house from actual chicken breasts) with a “Little League Menu” to appeal to the small fry. Along with wraps and salads, the regulars like the deep-fried burger. $$ p f h SAINT’S 131 Breckinridge Ln., 891-8883. Almost like two restaurants in one, Saints features both a small, intimate, candle-lighted room and a larger, happily boisterous main room with the look and feel of a sports bar. $$ p e h ✿

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SERGIO’S WORLD BEERS 1605 Story Ave., 6182337. Sergio built up a loyal following in his Shelbyville location, so that may account for the stealth presence he has established in his new Butchertown digs: minimal signage, a quirky website, an aura of haughty mystery. If you can locate the place, it almost seems as if you need a secret word to enter. What you really need is a desire to explore Sergio’s world beer inventory, nearing 1000 different brews. $$ h ✿ SLAMMER’S SPORTS BAR & GRILL 2800 Crums Ln., 618-3588. A kid-friendly sports bar, with 20 large flat screens and one huge (110-inch) one.

Expect a reasonably-priced pub menu (ribs, burgers, sandwiches) and plenty of opportunity to drink beer while catching any game you want. $ p f e h THE SPORTING NEWS GRILL 6551 Paramont Park Dr. (Holiday Inn), 966-0000. Just what you want in a sports bar: seven 52-inch screens, subscriptions to all the pro and college sports networks, and hearty appetizers, Angus burgers, steaks, shrimp and salmon. $$$ p f h ✿ THE SPORTS & SOCIAL CLUB 427 S. Fourth St., 568-1400. This Cordish-owned spot has four bars — including one that opens out onto the street — plenty of TVs to catch every game, and even a “stadium style sports media room.” Chow down with the usual burgers, sandwiches and wings. $$ p h ✿ SPRING STREET BAR & GRILL 300 S. Spring St., 584-6630. A classic American bar and grill, open late on weekends, dispensing cold beer, burgers, sandwiches and good cheer in a friendly atmosphere.

The decor includes a collection of old bicycles hanging from the ceiling, and amenities include several video games and pool tables. $$ p h STEINERT’S 401 E. Main, New Albany, IN, 945-8827.

The name has been on the Southern Indiana restaurant/bar scene since 1880. The newest incarnation, amid the booming New Albany Main Street area, features family-style dining until 9 p.m., in a room adjoining the bar, with live music, open-mic nights and other late-evening entertainment. $ p e h SULLY’S SALOON 434 S. Fourth St., (Fourth Street Live) 585-4100. $$ p f h THE BACK DOOR 1250 Bardstown Rd., 451-0659.

One of the city’s friendliest pubs lost one of its long-time owners, Mike Ewing, recently, but his partner John Dant is keeping his spirit alive at this Mid-City Mall saloon. Limited bar fare, but don’t miss the chicken wings. $ p f h VIC’S CAFÉ 1839 E. Market St., New Albany, IN, 9444338. $ ZANZABAR 2100 S. Preston St., 635-9227. An icon of the ’70s bar scene, the Zbar has resurrected itself at its original location in Germantown. The stylish tile front has been recreated anew, and chef Jack Tapp is pushing the envelope on bar food, with items such as pulled pork smoked on site, sesame seed-crusted tuna salad, and peppercorn-crusted rib eye. “Pub grub” like this and top-flight live music is satisfying oldtimers and the newly hip late into the night. $ p f h ✿

ment gives equally serious attention to both cooking and brewing, making this a great place to stop in for both dinner and a beer. Now serving at a third restaurant site near the new arena. $ p

fe✿

BROWNING’S BREWERY 401 E. Main St., (See listing under Bistros.)

CUMBERLAND BREWS 1576 Bardstown Rd., 4588727. Giving new meaning to the term “microbrewery,” Cumberland Brews may be one of the smallest eateries in town. It’s usually packed, earning its crowds the old-fashioned way by providing very good food, friendly service, and high-quality handcrafted artisan beers. $ f e h ✿ NEW ALBANIAN BREWING CO. 3312 Plaza Dr., New Albany, IN, 944-2577. (See review under Pizza.)

BLUEGRASS BREWING COMPANY 3929 Shelbyville Rd., 899-7070, 636 E. Main St., 584-2739, 2 Theater Square, 568-2224, 300 W. Main St., 5620007. More than just a brewpub. BBC’s manage-

BAMBOO HOUSE 4036 Poplar Level Rd., 451-3113.

An old-timer among local Chinese restaurants, this Southeastern Louisville spot may not offer the trendiest Asian fare, but it’s a reliable source for the familiar Cantonese-American standards. $ ✿ CHINA 1 123 Breckinridge Ln., 897-6511. $ ✿ CHINA BUFFET 706 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 288-8989. Chinese buffets are ubiquitous, but this one is squarely in the upper range.

Regularly refreshed steam tables, attentively fried rice, and properly spicy General Tso’s Chicken raise it above the other places typical of the genre. $ ✿ CHINA CAFÉ 8625 Preston Hwy., 968-7450. $ ✿ CHINA CASTLE 7420 Third Street Rd., 367-4272. $ ✿

ADDIS GRILL 109 S. Fourth St., 581-1011. A new ethnic choice downtown between Market and Main, in between Yaching’s and Z’s Fusion. Signage promises “Mediterranean & Ethiopian Cuisine,” but the early menu offers mostly Mediterranean standbys — kabobs, hummus, baba ghannouj, dolmades, tabbouleh. $ h ✿ CHEZ SENEBA AFRICAN RESTAURANT 4218 Bishop Ln., 473-8959. Offering another interesting ethnic cuisine to Louisville’s international dining scene, with generous portions of spicy Senegalese cuisine from West Africa. $ FUNMI’S CAFÉ 1043 Bardstown Rd., 454-5009. A new addition to the ethnic choices in town: modern Nigerian food at this little Highlands café. You can get stewed goat here, served with yam flour, or roasted cassava. Try the dodo (fried plantains) or suya (beef kabobs in a peanut-spice rub). $$ h ✿

CHINA GARDEN 7309 Preston Hwy., 968-4672. A busy restaurant with the double pleasure of Chinese and American menu items. $ ✿ CHINA INN 1925 S. Fourth St., 636-2020. It’s not the posh, private Faculty Club, but this little Asian spot may be one of the most popular eateries around the University of Louisville’s Belknap Campus. $ ✿ CHINA KING 3830 Ruckriegel Pkwy., 240-0500. $ ✿ CHINA TASTE 135 Quartermaster Ct., Jeffersonville, IN, 284-5580. $ ✿ CHINESE CHEF 2619 S. Fourth St., 634-0979. $ ✿ CHINESE EXPRESS 3228 Crums Ln., 448-1360. $ ✿ CHONG GARDEN 10341 Dixie Hwy., 935-1628. $ ✿ CHOPSTICKS 416 E. Broadway, 589-9145. $ ✿ CHOPSTICKS HOUSE 2112 W. Broadway, 772-3231. $ ✿

MAA SHA ALLAH 4113 Bardstown Rd., 491-3152.

The name is an Arabic blessing or expression of joy, meaning “Whatever Allah wants to give.” This little Buechel storefront is another example of the entrepreneurial spirit of recent immigrants, in this case from Senegal and Sierra Leone. The menu is African, the ambiance modest, the food spicy and tasty. $$

CRYSTAL CHINESE 3901 W. Market St., 776-9702. $ ✿

QUEEN OF SHEBA ETHIOPIAN 2804 Taylorsville Rd., 459-6301. This authentic Ethiopian restaurant offers a wide selection of intriguing Ethiopian dishes, including a variety of vegetarian selections as well as the traditional beef and chicken specialties. Ethiopian fare is made for sharing and eating with the fingers, but they’ll gladly make forks available for the finicky. $ ✿

DOUBLE DRAGON II 12480 LaGrange Rd., 241-7766, 6832 Bardstown Rd., 231-3973, 3179 S. Second St., 367-6668, 5222 Dixie Hwy., 448-1988. $ ✿

#1 ASIAN BUFFET 1250 Bardstown Rd., 451-6033.

Not just another in the herd of all-you-can-eat Chinese buffets, this 350 seat eatery is the first between-the-coasts outpost of the original #1 buffet in NYC. $$ ✿ 8 CHINA BUFFET 1850 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 4933884. $ ✿ A TASTE OF CHINA 1167 S. Fourth St., 585-5582. $ ✿

BANK STREET BREWHOUSE 415 Bank St., New Albany, IN, 725-9585. The food focus of this offshoot of F&D columnist Roger Baylor’s New Albanian brewing empire has sharpened into Belgian-style bistro cuisine. Mussels and frites will always be available, and croques monsieurs et madames to go with the exceptional beer brewed on the premises. $$ p f ✿

space with a Zen master’s style. Consistent commitment in the kitchen and from the staff makes it a top spot for Asian fare. A lovely patio at the rear affords a pleasant alfresco dining experience. $$$ p f ✿

ASIAN BUFFET 3813 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 945-1888, 1305 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 285-8888, 3646 Mall Rd., 479-9989. Competent cookery and careful management that ensures buffet offerings stay fresh and hot makes these buffets a good choice among the growing crowd of all-you-can-eat Asian spots. $ p ✿ ASIAN MOON 1915 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 261-9998, 3360 Hikes Ln., 451-0077. $ ✿ AUGUST MOON 2269 Lexington Rd., 456-6569.

August Moon’s secret ingredient is the culinary oversight of Chef Peng Looi, better known as the force behind Asiatique. Housed in a soaring, open

e = LIVE MUSIC h = LATE NIGHT ✿ = VEGETARIAN MENU ITEMS

CHUNG KING CHINESE AMERICAN RESTAURANT 110 E. Market St., 584-8880. $ ✿ DOUBLE DRAGON 1255 Goss Ave., 635-5656, 2600 W. Broadway, 778-2573. A standout among fast-food shopping-center Chinese eateries, Double Dragon hits on all cylinders, turning out consistently well-prepared and flavorful fare. $ ✿

DOUBLE DRAGON 8 231 S. Fifth St., 587-8686. $ ✿ DOUBLE DRAGON 9 9501 Taylorsville Rd., 267-5353. $ ✿ DOUBLE DRAGON BUFFET 233 Whittington Pkwy., 339-8897. A sizable buffet in a chic East End shopping strip, offers a good range of Chinese treats on its all-you-can-eat buffet. The fare seems prepared with attention and care. $ ✿ DYNASTY BUFFET 2400 Lime Kiln Ln., 339-8868.

The continuing proliferation of look alike, taste alike, all-you-can-eat Chinese buffets never fails to amaze me. But I’m happy to report that Dynasty Buffet ranks well above the median. $$ ✿ EASTERN HOUSE 5372 Dixie Hwy., 568-2688. $ ✿ EGGROLL MACHINE 1543 Bardstown Rd., 459-1259.

The Chinese side of the menu at Café Mimosa is presented as The Egg Roll Machine, as opposed to the Vietnamese dishes on the fine dining Mimosa menu. All the expected Chinese favorites are here, including combination platters. $ p h ✿ EMPEROR OF CHINA 2210 Holiday Manor Shopping Center, 426-1717. One of Louisville’s fanciest and most noteworthy Chinese restaurants, the Emperor’s quarters are stylishly strewn across multiple levels of a former suburban movie theater. Outstanding. $$ p ✿

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EMPRESS OF CHINA 2249 Hikes Ln., 451-2500.

Older sister to The Emperor of China, the Empress was one of Louisville’s first serious, authentic upscale Cantonese restaurants, and its fare still stands up to fancy spots in New York’s Chinatown. $$ p ✿ FIRST WOK 3967 Seventh St. Rd., 448-0588. $ ✿ GOLDEN BUDDHA 8000 Preston Hwy., 968-7700. $ ✿ GOLDEN PALACE BUFFET 161 Outer Loop, 3682868. $ ✿ GOLDEN STAR CHINESE RESTAURANT 3681833, 3458 Taylor Blvd. $ ✿ GOLDEN WALL 3201 Fern Valley Rd., 968-9717. $ ✿ GREAT WALL 2206 Brownsboro Rd., 891-8881. This Clifton restaurant ranks high up in the fast-food Chinese pack. Offering steaming-hot, competently prepared and flavorful dishes. $ ✿ GREAT WOK 2502 Preston Hwy., 634-1918. Just about every shopping center in town has a fast-food Chinese spot, but this one stands out, generating a buzz of word-of-mouth publicity about its well-crafted Chinese dishes at a bargain-basement price. $ ✿ HAPPY CHINA 9106 Taylorsville Rd., 493-1001. $ ✿ HONG KONG CHINESE RESTAURANT 345 New Albany Plaza, New Albany, IN., 945-1818. $ ✿ HONG KONG FAST FOOD 5312 S. Third St., 3678828. One of the many international eateries in Iroquois Manor, this fast-food Chinese spot offers Cantonese standards hot and fast and inexpensively. Check the daily specials for an occasional intriguing item. $ ✿ HUNAN WOK 231-0393, 6445 Bardstown Rd. $ ✿ JADE PALACE 1201 Herr Ln., 425-9878. Jade Palace is a decent place for Chinese food at any time, but don’t miss it at mid-day Friday through Monday, when it offers the metro area’s only dim sum (Chinese brunch) menu. $$ p ✿

JASMINE 13823 English Villa Dr., 244-8896. A charming Asian eatery, where you can enjoy familiar Chinese-American plates or indulge your more adventurous side with a selection of more unusual authentic dishes from the “Chinese Menu,” available on request. $ f ✿

ONION RESTAURANT TEA HOUSE 4211 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 981-0188.

Masterful Chinese and Japanese cuisine (including magnificent hotpots, donburi dishes, and woodenbucket steamed rice) set this airy restaurant apart from the horde of other Asian spots. $$ ✿

JUMBO BUFFET 2731 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 4950028. Housed in a good-looking dining room, high on Chinatown-style glitz and glitter, Jumbo offers a standard all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet, with a larger-than-average selection of American dishes for those who want something less exotic. $$ ✿

ORIENTAL HOUSE 4302 Shelbyville Rd., 897-1017.

New owners continue the tradition at this longstanding St. Matthews restaurant, featuring both traditional Chinese-American and now, authentic Cantonese, menus. $ p ✿

KING WOK 291 N. Hubbards Ln., 899-7188.

Another of the city’s many tiny shopping-center fast-food Chinese eateries, King Wok offers all the familiar standards plus a small lunch buffet. $ ✿ LIANG’S CAFÉ 3571 Springhurst Blvd., 425-0188.

Genial host Roland Wong keeps Liang’s in the top tier of local Chinese dining rooms with both authentic Chinese cuisine and fine Chinese-American dishes in this airy, stylish dining room. $ ✿ LING LING 10476 Shelbyville Rd., 245-2100.

Modern and efficient in its East End shopping center location, Ling Ling is a cut above fast-food Chinese; better yet, it adds a few Vietnamese dishes to the bill of fare. $$ LIU’S GARDEN 11517 Shelbyville Rd., 244-9898. Small but charming, with white tablecloths and soft Chinese music, family-run Liu’s gains our approval with fresh, competent cookery and courteous, friendly service that makes you feel like you’re visiting a Chinese family at their home. $$ ✿ MING’S BUFFET 1971 Brownsboro Rd., 893-0822.

Yet another large, shiny, all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet featuring mostly Chinese dishes with a few American-style items and sushi rolls. $ ✿ NEW CHINA 231 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 254-9299. $ ✿

ORIENTAL STAR 4212 Bishop Ln., 452-9898. A long-time area favorite in this heavy traffic lunch area. This establishment is quite good with Lo Mein Noodles, and Sweet and Sour Chicken. $ ✿ PANDA CHINESE RESTAURANT 9543 U.S. 42., 228-6400. $ ✿ PEKING CITY BISTRO 12410 Shelbyville Rd., 2536777. A step up from the usual Chinese hot table fare. Chef Chen, highly thought of in the Chinese community, runs the kitchen. $ h ✿ QUICK WOK 801 W. Broadway, 584-6519. $ ✿ RED SUN CHINESE RESTAURANT 499-7788, 3437 Breckinridge Ln. $ ✿ ROYAL GARDEN 5729 Preston Hwy., 969-3788, 5316 Bardstown Rd., 491-8228. $ ✿ SHANGHAI RESTAURANT 526 S. Fifth St. 568-8833. $ SICHUAN GARDEN 9850 Linn Station Rd., 4266767. Another Asian restaurant that has stood the test of time, Sichuan Garden offers high-end Chinatown style and well-made dishes, plus a few Thai specialties to spice up the bill of fare. $ ✿ TEA STATION CHINESE BISTRO 9422 Norton Commons Blvd., 423-1202. This comfortable, sitdown Chinese restaurant owned and operated by Paul and Amy Yang joins the small but growing cluster of businesses in the Norton Commons village center. $$ f ✿ UMAI ZUSHI BUFFET 3710 Chamberlain Ln., 3298181. $ ✿ WOK EXPRESS 234 W. Broadway, 583-8988. $ ✿ WONTON EXPRESS 3000 Hikes Ln., 452-2646. Traditional Chinese fare. Family-owned-and-operated, this popular neighborhood establishment has enjoyed a steady patronage for seventeen years. $ ✿ YANG KEE NOODLE 7900 Shelbyville Rd. (Oxmoor Center), 426-0800. This locally owned and operated Oxmoor spot is colorful and stylish. It offers an intriguing array of appealing noodle and rice dishes from all over Asia with fast-food efficiency and prices happily matched by sit-down restaurant quality and style. $ f ✿ YEN CHING 1818 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-3581. $ ✿ YOU-CARRYOUT-A 1551 E. Tenth St., Jeffersonville, IN, 288-8313, 827 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville, IN, 282-8881, 3308 Plaza Dr., 944-9866. $ ✿ YUMMY WOK 1801 Priority Way., 266-5801. $ h ✿

SARI SARI FILIPINO CUISINE 2339 Frankfort Ave., 894-0585. The city’s sole Filipino eatery offers a tasty introduction to the Malayo-Polynesian fare of this Southeast Asian island nation. Filipino dishes are affordable during the dinner hour and downright cheap on the lunch buffet. $

ASAHI JAPANESE 3701 Lexington Rd., 895-1130.

This small room in a new St. Matthews building houses this neighborhood sushi spot where awardwinning Chef Yong Bong Tak, formerly of Osaka, works his magic at the sushi bar. $ ✿

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BEIJING GRILL AND SUSHI BAR 8007 Hwy. 311, Sellersburg IN, 248-0900. $ ✿ CAVIAR JAPANESE RESTAURANT 416 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 625-3090. (See listing under Upscale Casual.)

CHOI’S ASIAN FOOD MARKET 607 Lyndon Ln., 426-4441. This suburban Asian grocery now serves hot table fare to enjoy between shopping. $ ✿ DRAGON KING’S DAUGHTER 1126 Bardstown Rd., 632-2444. Owner Toki Masubuchi‘s audacious take on fusion cuisine seems to have hit a nerve at this popular new café at the corner of Bardstown Road and Elmwood. The eclectic and somewhat funky menu builds on traditional Japanese ingredients with unexpected twists:, pizza topped with sashimi, and tacos filled with avocado tempura. $ p f ✿ FUJI ASIAN BISTRO 6801 Dixie Hwy., 937-0488. $$ p ✿ FUJI JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE 3576 Springhurst Blvd., 339-1978, 12905 Shelbyville Rd., 253-0036.

Part of the fun of sitting at the sushi bar is that you get to watch the chef at work. Put in your order, then sit back and sip your tea while the artist creates edible delights. This suburban sushi bar does the job well. $$ p ✿ HANABI JAPANESE RESTAURANT 6027 Timber Ridge Dr., 228-8244. A hospitable welcome, casual setting, and well-fashioned sushi and Japanese specialties have made this family run Prospect spot a worthy alternative in the East End dining scene. $$ p ✿ HIKO A MON SUSHI BAR 1115 Herr Ln., 365-1651.

Japanese-trained sushi chef Norihiko Nakanashi has earned quite a local following at Shogun. Now he brings his sushi knives to this sushi bar and Japanese grill in Westport Village. In addition to fine dining at the bar or in traditional Japanese dining rooms, Hiko A Mon offers sushi-grade fish from a small fish market. $$$ p ✿ ICHIBAN SAMURAI 1510 Lake Shore Ct., 412-3339.

This large Japanese-farmhouse building, originally a Benihana, offers similar delights, with the traditional slice-and-dice food show and good sushi. Best deal, while the offer lasts: All-you-caneat sushi nightly until the karaoke starts at 9 p.m. $$$ p ✿ KANSAI JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE 1370 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 218-9538. Traditional Japanese dishes and sushi are available here, but like most Japanese Steakhouses, choose the grill tables with their slice-and-dice Japanese chef show for maximum entertainment. $$$ p ✿

the popular restaurant ring in the Breckinridge Lane — Dupont Circle area. Pleasant decor, entertaining grill chefs, fresh sushi preparations, and sometimes glacial service. $$ p f h ✿ OASIS JAPANESE RESTAURANT 3311 Preston Hwy., 375-8766. Owners of downtown’s Bendoya sushi restaurant have opened this Japanese restaurant on Preston Highway. $$ h ✿ OISHII SUSHI 2245 Bardstown Rd., 618-2829. This small, attractive Highlands spot, operated by sushi chefs who’ve put in time at the popular Sapporo, has been attracting raves from neighborhood sushi lovers. $$ ✿ OSAKA SUSHI BAR 2039 Frankfort Ave., 894-9501, 426 W. Market St., 588-8899. This long-standing Clifton favorite has opened a second location downtown, serving up sushi and other Japanese dishes in a bright and cheery environment to a loyal clientele. $$ ✿ SAKE BLUE JAPANESE BISTRO 9326 Cedar Center Way, 708-1500. This Fern Creek restaurant brings the “full-service” Japanese restaurant experience to the southeast part of Louisville Metro. Look for hibachi grill tables and a sushi bar, along with a traditional dining room and cocktail bar. $$ p h ✿ SAKURA BLUE 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 897-3600.

Located in elegant, upscale quarters in a St. Matthews shopping center, Sakura Blue — direct descendant of the old, popular Bonsai — ranks among the city’s top sushi bars. $$ ✿ SAPPORO JAPANESE GRILL & SUSHI 1706 Bardstown Rd., 479-5550, 649 S. Fourth St., 589-3333. With its original location in the middle of Bardstown Road’s “restaurant row,” trendy, glitzy Sapporo has established itself as one of the city’s top spots for sushi and Japanese fare. Now it has a second location downtown in a beautifully designed space in Theater Square off Broadway. $$$ p h ✿

JAPANESE

SHOGUN JAPANESE STEAK HOUSE 9026 Taylorsville Rd., 499-5700, 4110 Hampton Lake Way, 3940123. Shogun’s decor is attractive, and quality food and service make it a pleasant dining destination.

It’s unthreatening enough to appeal to those who find exotic cuisine “challenging,” but good enough to satisfy just about anyone who craves a Japanese dinner or a bite of sushi. $$$ p ✿ TOKYO JAPANESE RESTAURANT 2415C Lime Kiln Ln., 339-7171. It’s appealing, pleasant in atmosphere and friendly in service, and most important, this East End sushi bar serves excellent Japanese treats, prepared with care and flair from highquality, impeccably fresh ingredients. $$ ✿ WASABIYA JAPANESE RESTAURANT 972 Baxter Ave., 618-2460. A neighborhood sushi bar, with a chef from Boston with fusion cuisine intentions.

Look for some unusual items, like the sake kinuta, salmon wrapped in marinated daikon radish with a citrus sauce, or a fatty tuna carpaccio with white wine reduction and ponzu sauce. $$ h ✿ WILD GINGER SUSHI & FUSION 1700 Bardstown Rd., 384-9252. The old Café Metro space did not molder long—this sushi and Asian fusion spot has been pulling in intrigued customers who admire the sushi bar up front, and explore the pan-Asian menu.Standard Japanese entrées are joined with specials from Korea (bibim bop) China (Sichuanstyle crispy tofu) and Thailand (pad Thai and curries). $$ p h ✿

KOREANA II 5009 Preston Hwy., 968-9686. One of the city’s few restaurants devoted entirely to authentic Korean fare, Koreana is worth a special trip for this ethnic cuisine that offers a hearty, spicy alternative to the more familiar Chinese. $$ ✿

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KOBE STEAK HOUSE 301 S. Indiana Ave., Jeffersonville IN, 280-8500. Southern Indiana’s first serious Japanese restaurant is drawing crowds with its exceptional sushi bar, with skilled and friendly chefs who can be relied on to fashion fresh and tasty bites that are just about certain to please. $$$ p ✿

SAPPOROJAPANESE.COM 1706 BARDSTOWN RD. 502.479.5550

MAGIC FINGERS 217 S. Fifth St., 581-0700. Adding international flair to its downtown neighborhood, Magic Fingers is a genuine, serious sushi bar in a storefront just across the street from the courthouse. $ ✿

649 SOUTH 4TH ST. 502.589.3333

MAIDO ESSENTIAL JAPANESE 1758 Frankfort Ave., 894-8775. Not just another sushi bar, cool and stylish Maido is Louisville’s first and only “izakaya”-style restaurant in the style of Kansai, the region surrounding Japan’s second city, Osaka. It’s also a sake bar, pouring a good variety of artisanal rice wine. $$ f ✿ MIDORI JAPANESE RESTAURANT 9409 Shelbyville Rd., 339-7000. Japanese fare joins the options in the Whittington Parkway/Hurstbourne area with the arrival of this new venue. Expect Japanese standards — udon soup, teriyaki beef and sukiyaki — along with sushi. $$ p ✿ MIKATO JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE 3938 Dupont Circle, 891-0081. An upscale hibachi grillhouse in

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LEE’S KOREAN RESTAURANT 1941 Bishop Ln., 456-9714. This little spot has been a secret since the ’70s, and it just keeps on going. Walk into what looks like a diner in an office building, but push past the counter to the back room, where you’ll find generous heaps of really authentic Korean food for next to nothing. $$ ✿

diners are satisfied with a large selection of European craft beers on tap. $$ ANNIE CAFE 308 W. Woodlawn, 363-4847. Annie Cafe ranks not just as one of the better Vietnamese restaurants, but one the city’s best of any variety, particularly when value and price are taken into account. Authentic Vietnamese food is made with care and served with pride. $ ✿

BD’S MONGOLIAN GRILL 1890 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 499-4406. The proprietors of this Michiganbased East End chain invite you to “go Mongo,” building your own choice of ingredients and sauces for the chefs to stir-fry. $$ p ✿

CAFÉ MIMOSA 1543 Bardstown Rd., 459-1259. A fire last winter gutted the former location to the walls, but resourceful owner Phat Le recently reopened in the old Lentini’s building and is once again serving his Vietnamese, Chinese and panAsian dishes to happy regulars. $ p h ✿

SHAH’S MONGOLIAN GRILL Stony Brook Shopping Center, 493-0234, 423 E. Warnock St., 409-5029.

Thirteenth Century Mongol warriors used to turn their steel shields to use as frying pans over the campfire, using their swords as spoons. Shah’s carries their spirit forward. This all-you-can-eat buffet is fun, and the food is fine. $$ p ✿

CAFÉ THUY VAN 5600 National Turnpike, 366-6959.

A bit off the beaten track, this South End spot is true, authentic Vietnamese. Friendly service overcomes any language barrier, and prices are hard to beat. Don’t miss the Banh Mi, traditional Vietnamese sandwiches. $ ✿

MAI’S THAI RESTAURANT 1411 E. Tenth St., Jeffersonville, IN, 282-0198. With a broad range of well-prepared and authentic Thai dishes, Mai’s is the eatery to beat among the metro area’s Thai restaurants. For both authenticity and quality, it’s right up there with the top Thai places in New York, San Francisco and Seattle. $ ✿

LEMONGRASS CAFÉ 11606 Shelbyville Rd., 2447110. Lemongrass Café offers an appealing blend of Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese fare in a simple setting that transcends an obviously low budget with style and grace. $ h ✿

SIMPLY THAI 323 Wallace Ave., 899-9670. Owner Mahn Saing is Burmese; his wife, a classically trained chef, is Thai. They’ve beautifully made over this little St. Matthews spot, offering a small menu of traditional Thai dishes, well-made sushi and a few upscale Thai-style “fusion” dinner items. $ f ✿ TAN THAI RESTAURANT 4510 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 948-2012. It’s in a strip mall, but the folks who run TanThai create a distinctive atmosphere by hanging sheer white scrims that divvy the room up into serene little chambers. The menu of Thai specialties is small — just a dozen or so entrées — but nicely executed and beautifully presented. $ ✿ THAI CAFÉ 2226 Holiday Manor, 425-4815. You’ll find this small café tucked into a corner of the “Holiday Manor Walk.” Owner Chavantee Snow and her family offer a small but well-prepared selection of authentic Thai dishes at very reasonable prices. $ ✿ THAI ORCHIDS 9114 Taylorsville Rd. (Stony Brook Shopping Center), 493-4073. This location has been known for good Thai restaurants, and the short history of Thai Orchids shows that they have picked up the mantle, providing Jeffersontown-area lovers of southeast Asian cuisine with excellent noodles and curries. $$ ✿ THAI SIAM 3002 Bardstown Rd., 458-6871. Louisville’s first Thai restaurant, this Gardiner Lane spot has built a loyal audience over the years, perhaps responding to its regular visitors’ preferences with food that’s a bit on the tame side for Thai. $$ ✿ THAI SMILE 5 5800 Preston Hwy., 961-9018. Part of a regional mini-chain, Thai Smile 5 serves up simple but well-prepared Thai fare. Don’t ask for the fivechile-pepper heat unless you really mean it! $ ✿ THAI TASTE 1977 Brownsboro Rd., 897-7682. The owner-host of this friendly, casual spot in Crescent Hill had a restaurant in Bangkok before moving to Louisville, and his experience shows. The warmth of his welcome — and the quality of the food — make Thai Taste special. $ ✿ TRUE THAI 8125 Bardstown Rd., 231-1992. A bright, attractive little place (just 4 tables) run by a former employee of Thai-Siam, one of Louisville’s longest running Thai restaurants. 30 standard Thai dishes (pad thai, curries, fried rice) priced under $10. $ ✿

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LA QUE 1019 Bardstown Rd., 238-3981. La Que provides the lower Highlands with a dependable, economical Vietnamese menu that includes some dishes from other Asian cuisines. $ f h ✿

NAMNAM CAFÉ 318 Wallace Ave., 891-8859. Simply Thai has moved across the street to larger digs, and their prior space has been taken over by this Vietnamese restaurant, enriching the food choices in this little corner of St. Matthews. $ f ✿ PHO BINH MINH 6709 Strawberry Ln., 375-9249.

Tiny and lovably cozy, this six-table South End spot is true authentic Vietnamese, and so are the proprietors. There’s some language barrier, but the owners are so friendly, and the food so good, that it’s worth the effort if you love real Asian fare and inexpensive prices. $ ✿ SAIGON CAFÉ 108 Fairfax Ave., 893-7757. The former Lemongrass Café changed ownership and its name (twice), but continues to serve up tasty and inexpensive Southeast Asian fare in the heart of St. Matthews. Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese dishes are on the menu. $$ ✿ VIETNAM KITCHEN 5339 Mitscher Ave., 363-5154.

This little South End storefront is well worth seeking out. The chef goes beyond the ordinary, preparing authentic Vietnamese dishes of unusual subtlety and flavor. We have yet to be disappointed with the quality of the food or service. $ ✿ ZEN GARDEN 2240 Frankfort Ave., 895-9114.

Vegetarians with a philosophical bent have found a combination guru and den mother in Zen Garden’s owner Coco, who serves up sincere and soulful Asian vegan dishes.$ f ✿

BOSNA-MAK 3825 Old Bardstown Rd., 456-1919.

Friendly and exceptionally hospitable, familyowned BosnaMak celebrates the heritage of the owners and chefs in Bosnia and Macedonia in the Balkans and picks up a few culinary additions from their time in Germany. $ f ✿

EIDERDOWN 983 Goss Ave., 290-2390. The owners of the Germantown watering hole Nachbar also operate the popular Eiderdown, serving Southern comfort food influenced by the owners’ German and European heritage. Dreams of a microbrewery there also dance in their heads; in the meantime,

ERIKA’S GERMAN RESTAURANT 9301 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy. 499-8822. For a city with a strong German heritage, Louisville is woefully short on authentic German restaurants, but this genuinely Germanic eatery attracts hungry crowds to Hurstbourne. Take care not to miss its former fastfood quarters just off I-64 local access ramp. $$ GASTHAUS 4812 Brownsboro Center, 899-7177.

Michael and Annemarie Greipel came here with their five kids in 1993, straight from North RhineWestphalia to St. Matthews. Tiny lights twinkle from strands of fake red geraniums. But the hearty German fare — schnitzels, sauerbraten and rouladen with red cabbage and dumplings — is the real thing. $$$

BRENDAN O’SHEA’S OF ST. MATTHEWS 3921 Shelbyville Rd., 895-1212. This St. Matthew outpost of the O’Shea’s Irish bar empire reeks with atmosphere. The brick walls look aged, the wood weathered and photos of old St. Matthews line the walls. Irish and non-Irish love the bar and the menu has daily specials, like the leprechaun hangover burger, catfish po’ boy and bison and goat cheese lasagna. $$ p e h ✿ IRISH EXIT 209 E. Main St., New Albany, IN, 9441929. Filling the spot recently vacated by Studio’s Grille and Pub, The Irish Exit (a tongue-in-cheek name referring to the quiet, no-farewell leave-taking of inebriated Hibernians) serves pub fare and entertains patrons with karaoke and acoustic music, pool tables and dart boards. $ p h IRISH ROVER 2319 Frankfort Ave., 899-3544, 117 E. Main St, LaGrange, 222-2286. Owner Michael Reidy is the Irish rover, having come to the U.S. from County Clare in 1984. His saloons are as smooth as Guinness, as warm as fish and chips, as genuine as Scotch eggs. The Frankfort Avenue building dates from 1859. $ p f ✿ MOLLY MALONE’S 933 Baxter Ave., 473-1222, 3900 Shelbyville Rd., 882-2222. A carefully constructed replica of a modern urban Irish pub, Molly Malone’s, a worthy addition to the city’s eating and drinking scene, has added a second, suburban location. Both are as authentically Irish as the Wearin’ o’ the Green. $$ p f e h ✿ O’SHEA’S TRADITIONAL IRISH PUB 956 Baxter Ave., 589-7373. One of the most popular watering holes in the entire Bardstown-Baxter corridor.

Twenty-somethings and Louisville belles love its action. But diners of all ages like its meat loaf, roast beef and Irish stew. When music fills the rooms, it’s great to be Irish, even if you’re not. $$ p f e h ✿ PATRICK O’SHEA’S 123 W. Main St., 708-2488. This newest downtown creation of the Flanagan’s/ O’Shea’s pub mini-empire has beautifully refurbished one of the old warehouses just east of the new stadium, anticipating the revival of that edge of the Main Street corridor. Crowds have been elbowing in for upscale Irish-inflected bar food and plenty of sports talk. $$ p f e h ✿ RI RA IRISH PUB 445 S. Fourth St. (Fourth Street Live) 587-1825. Promising patrons “an authentic Irish experience,” this growing chain is ensconced in a sizable 9,000-square-foot space in Fourth Street Live. Ri Ra (Gaelic for “celebration and good fun”) decorates its pubs with authentic furnishings from Ireland. $$$ p f e h ✿ SHENANIGAN’S IRISH GRILL 1611 Norris Pl., 4543919, 4521 Bardstown Rd., 493-3585. Not just a neighborhood tavern (although it’s a fine neighborhood tavern), Irish-accented Shenanigan’s goes an extra step with an estimable selection of memorable burgers. Now with a second location out in Buechel. $pfeh✿

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An open kitchen with wood-fired oven gives a peek at the culinary goings-on. $$$ p f h ✿ ADRIENNE’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT 129 W. Court Ave., Jeffersonville, IN, 282-2665. A part of the dining renaissance on the sunny side of Louisville, Adrienne’s has been pleasing Indiana diners with home-style Italian dishes. The owners also operate Adrienne’s Bakery in Jeffersonville. $$ f ✿ AMICI 316 W. Ormsby Ave., 637-3167. Scott and Sharon Risinger serve satisfying traditional Tuscan dishes in this interesting — and supposedly haunted — Old Louisville building. Dine inside or on the romantic patio on a lovely summer evening, There’s no extra charge if the ghosts want to share your penne alla Lorenzo or Valpolicella. $$ p f ✿ ANGELINA’S CAFÉ 1701 UPS Dr., 326-5555. $ ✿ BISTRO 42 6021 Timber Ridge Dr., 632-2552.

Another entry in the dining choices at Prospect Village shopping center. This little family-run place, serving pasta, sandwiches and Italian and American dishes is proud of its 5-cheese 3-meat Bistro lasagna and their 3-hour honey-baked ham, offered at an attractive price. $$ h ✿ BUCA DI BEPPO 2051 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 4932426. Buca di Beppo’s recipe has all the necessary ingredients: huge portions of excellent food served with flair and the Buca scene is fun, a conscious parody of the exuberant decor of family ItalianAmerican restaurants of the 1950s. $$ p ✿ CARRABBA’S ITALIAN GRILL 617 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 412-2218. Not your ordinary suburban shopping-center franchise eatery. This place dramatically exceeds expectations. From warmed bread dishes with quality olive oil to first-rate ItalianAmerican fare at reasonable prices. $$ p f ✿ COME BACK INN 909 Swan St., 627-1777, 415 Spring St., Jeffersonville IN, 285-1777. With both its branches located in urban neighborhoods, Come Back Inn looks pretty much like any other neighborhood saloon. But unlike most Louisville neighborhood saloons, this one houses a family Italian spot that wouldn’t be out of place in Chicago or Brooklyn. $ p ✿ COZZA OSTERIA ENOTECA 214 Court Ave., Jeffersonville IN, 284-4406. Italian fusion cuisine is what owner Al Papsodero is offering in the pleasant space that once housed Timothy’s. That’s the kind of Italian cooking done in Brooklyn, Al’s hometown. Sample dishes: chicken Modena, salmon piccatta, fennel-roasted organic pork loin, rigatoni pomodoro. $$ f p h ✿ DIFABIO’S CASAPELA 2311 Frankfort Ave., 891-0411.

DiFabio’s Casapela has made its mark in this Crescent Hill space, with a menu that harks back to the red-checked tablecloth and Chianti bottle era of Italian restaurants. Look for baked stuffed mushrooms and toasted ravioli, veal parmesan and chicken piccatta, and your choice of pastas with your choice of sauce. $$ f ✿ THE INTERNATIONAL MALL 737 S. Eighth St., 561-8871. $ ✿ LA BOCCA 132 E. Market St., New Albany, IN, 7259495. This addition to the dining explosion in New Albany serves Italian cuisine, such as chicken piccata and rigatoni Bolognese. Zeppole on the dessert menu bespeaks the New York bono fides of the owner. $$

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LA GALLO ROSSO BISTRO 1325 Bardstown Rd., 4730015. This small but attractive Highlands spot in the Shoppes on the Alley serves casual Italian and Continental food in a cozy family-style setting. $$ f MARTINI ITALIAN BISTRO 4021 Summit Plaza Dr., 394-9797. The successful formula of this Ohiobased chain features hearty and well-fashioned Italian entrées, pastas and pizzas served up in a comfortable approximation of a Tuscan trattoria.

MOZZ MOZZARELLA BAR & ENOTECA 445 E. Market St., 690-6699. (See review under Fine Dining.)

OLD SPAGHETTI FACTORY 235 W. Market St., 5811070. One of the original ventures of this national firm. Bright and noisy, it offers well-made if basic Italian family fare and dishes it out for surprisingly low prices. $$ p h ✿ THE OLIVE GARDEN 1320 Hurstbourne Pkwy., 3397190, 9730 Von Allmen Ct., 425-3607, 4805 Outer Loop, 968-2978, 1230 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 218-8304. The top property of the Darden chain, Olive Garden now operates more than 500 properties and bills itself as the leading Italian restaurant in the casual dining industry. Hearty pastas of all shapes and sauces, appetizers and combo platters all carry the Italian theme. $$ p ✿ PESTO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT 566 S. Fifth St., 584-0567. Offices for blocks around empty into this bustling Italian eatery for weekday lunches featuring hearty platters of lasagna, zesty salads, red wine and iced tea. On Saturdays, the kitchen switches over to a special Persian menu. $ ✿ PORCINI 2730 Frankfort Ave., 894-8686. This anchor trattoria of the Crescent Hill dining scene has been serving up risotto, ossobuco and bistecca since 1992. Crowds wait at the popular bar for one of the tables — or just wait at the bar. $$$ p ✿ ROCKY’S SUB PUB 715 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville, IN, 282-3844. (See review under Pizza.) $ p f ✿ ROMANO’S MACARONI GRILL 401 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 423-9220. The Italian-style menu at this casual, Dallas-based family chain includes appetizers, salads, pastas, veal and desserts. Chefs entertain while creating wood-fired pizzas. $$ p ✿ SPAGHETTI SHOP 4657 Outer Loop, 969-5545, 4510 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 944-5400.

Baked pasta dishes, subs, salads and appetizers are prepared while you wait. $ ✿ STEVE-O’S ITALIAN KITCHEN 4205 W. Hwy. 146, LaGrange, KY, 222-0300. Outstanding pizzas and fine family-style Italian-American dishes make this casual eatery just off I-71 at Buckner well worth a special trip out from the city. $$ f ✿ TUSCANY ITALIAN RESTAURANT 165 Outer Loop, 363-0308. Adding an appetizing option to a stretch of the South End that hasn’t been over-served by restaurants, this good-sized storefront near New Cut Road boasts a Mexican chef who demonstrates an expert’s hand with hearty, red-sauced ItalianAmerican fare at a price that’s right. $$ h ✿ VINCENZO’S 150 S. Fifth St., 580-1350. (See listing under Upscale Casual.) $$$$ p e h ✿ VOLARE 2300 Frankfort Ave., 894-4446. The name evokes Sinatra, pasta with tomato sauce and candles in Chianti bottles, but stylish Volare kicks that image up a notch. With a combination of Italian standards and monthly menu updates, Chef Josh Moore has secured Volare a top spot for suave Italian dining.

Its U.S.D.A. Prime barrel-cut beef program has received rave reviews. $$$ p f ✿

DE LA TORRE’S 1606 Bardstown Rd., 456-4955.

Authentic Castilian fare includes a majestic paella. but the renewed focus at this Highlands standby is tapas, in such variety that you can have anything on the menu in small-plates form. $$$ ✿ LA BODEGA 1604 Bardstown Rd., 456-4955. Nextdoor to the excellent De La Torre’s Spanish restaurant, La Bodega offers diners the city’s most authentic Spanish-style tapas bar, featuring the small bites originally invented in the outdoor cafés of Jerez. $$ p f h ✿

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LA COLOMBIANA 808 Lyndon Ln., 742-1179.

Colombian cuisine is a variant of Latino cooking new to the area. Many of the dishes at this Lyndonarea restaurant feature the arepa, a thick corn cake, including huevos pericos conrepa, a brunch dish.

Look for plenty of beef on the menu, including lengua, tongue. Friendly service and no language barrier. $$ p ✿ MOJITO TAPAS RESTAURANT 2231 Holiday Manor Shopping Center, 425-0949. An offshoot of the popular St. Matthews Cuban restaurant Havana Rumba, Mojitos quickly established its own identity as the East End spot for Spanish-inspired small plates with a global taste profile. Always crowded on weekends; no reservations, but call ahead to get high on the waiting list. $ p f h ✿ PALERMO VIEJO 1359 Bardstown Rd., 456-6461.

Louisville’s best source for authentic Argentine cooking: lots of beef (and chicken) slow-cooked over charcoal and Latin versions of Italian dishes, like chicken Milanesa. Palermo Viejo is the Little Italy of Buenos Aires, hometown of owner Francisco Elbl’s father. $$ p f ✿

BOMBAY GRILL 216 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 4258892. With its broad array of Indian regional specialties including the requisite lunch buffet, this spot in The Forum on Hurstbourne is winning praise for its aromatic flavors and bountiful portions. $$ ✿ DAKSHIN INDIAN RESTAURANT 4742 Bardstown Rd., 491-7412. Owned and operated by the same family that brings us Kashmir Restaurant and Bombay Grocery in the Highlands, this addition brings aromatic and spicy Southern Indian fare to the Buechel-Fern Creek neighborhood in the Eastland Shopping Center. $$ ✿ INFUSION FOODS USA 815 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 413-5211. Indian fusion cuisine? Why not. Try savory puffs or rice and curry with chilli chicken, wraps with chilli paneer or tandoori chicken, or subs or even pizza. Wash it all down with a mango lassi. It’s little more than a lunch counter, out by the Southeast Christian Church complex, but it is gathering lunch fans galore. $ ✿ KASHMIR INDIAN RESTAURANT 1285 Bardstown Rd., 473-8765. One of the city’s most popular Indian restaurants, Kashmir is casual, neither posh nor expensive, and it produces an extensive menu of seemingly authentic Indian fare. $$ f ✿ LITTLE INDIA CAFÉ 3099 Breckenridge Ln., 4793353. It’s sort of an Indian fast-food place, set up in a former Quizno’s. The menu includes appetizers such as lentil soup and mirchi bajji — fried lentilbattered stuffed peppers — followed by Northern lamb and vegetarian entrées, tandoori chicken and kebabs. There’s also a selection of Indian breads. A Punjabi-style (Northern Indian) lunch buffet is for those who want really fast service. $ ✿

cuisine, the menu offers a wide range of chicken, lamb, seafood and vegetarian dishes. Spiciness can be decided by the customer. Lunch buffet and dinner menu. $$ ✿

A.J.’S GYRO CAFÉ 9280 IN 64, Georgetown, IN, 951-1715. A recent name change now reflects what this Southern Indiana eatery has always done well, serving up authentic Greek gyros and side dishes.

Open April through November only. $ f ✿ AL WATAN 3713 Klondike Ln., 454-4406. Classic Arabic dishes home-cooked by friendly people in a cozy environment. That’s the recipe that makes Al Watan a destination for lovers of fine Middle Eastern fare. $ h ✿ BURNING BUSH GRILLE & MEDITERRANEAN CAFÉ 13206 W. U.S. Highway 42, 228-7776. A franchisee of the popular Shiraz local mini-chain has struck off on his own, cooking healthy Mediterranean foods — kebabs, steak, fish and lamb, salads, pizza, gyros and Balkan burgers. $ f ✿ CAFÉ 360 1582 Bardstown Rd., 473-8694. The latest in a long series of eateries in this pleasant Highland’s building offers an eclectic and international menu, with Southern fried catfish and Indian lamb biryani in immediate juxtaposition. You can get it all, dinerstyle, just about 24/7. $ p f h ✿ THE FALAFEL HOUSE 1001 Bardstown Rd., 4544407. This small Highlands spot is strategically situated to offer quick and affordable sustenance along the Bardstown-Baxter entertainment strip.

Look for the usual Middle Eastern fare in a casual, quick-service setting. $$ f h ✿ GRAPE LEAF 2217 Frankfort Ave., 897-1774.

Relatively recent renovations and an expanded menu have elevated the Grape Leaf to destination status, placing it well above the generic Middle Eastern eatery niche. Prices remain affordable, while the food and mood now justify a special trip. $$ f ✿ ISTANBUL PALACE 2840 Goose Creek Rd.,425-6060.

Turkish cuisine comes to suburban Louisville.

Many dishes will be familiar, for the eastern Mediterranean populations share a lot of culinary ideas. You’ll find pita and hummus and lentil soup, gyros, falafel, taboulleh and baba ghanoush. But also mujver (zucchini fritters) and iskender and doner (variations on kebabs) and other truly Turkish foods, such as cigarette pie — phyllo pastry rolled around tangy feta cheese and herbs and deep-fried. $$ f h ✿ MIRAGE MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT 4100 Preston Hwy., 363-7788. The owners of Little Jerusalem lost their lease on Taylor Blvd., and found a new location in a former pizza joint out on Preston, which continues to grow its own international restaurant row. Gyros, hummus, falafel — what one would expect, but done with attention to details and a flair for flavor. $ f ✿

SHALIMAR INDIAN RESTAURANT 1820 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 493-8899. Modern and sleek in appearance, modest in price, this restaurant has become the patriarch of local Indian restaurants.

With a substantial lunch buffet and a full range of dinner items, it has built a loyal clientele. $$ p ✿

PETRA MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT 3904 Bardstown Rd., 749-0924. Another addition to the ethnic choices out in Beuchel. As with many “Mediterranean” restaurants around, the fare is largely confined to that of the Levant schwarmas and hummus and felafel. $$ ✿

SITAR INDIAN RESTAURANT 1702 Bardstown Rd., 473-8889. Named after the Indian stringed musical instrument that Ravi Shankar made famous, Sitar features a full Indian menu and buffet. It’s the first Louisville property for a tiny new chain with four places in Tennessee and one in Alabama. $$ ✿

PITA DELIGHTS 1616 Grinstead Dr., 569-1122. This Near Eastern eatery in the Highlands offers a splendid mix of gyros, felafel and other pita-based goodies. $ f ✿

TAJ PALACE 2929 Goose Creek Rd., 423-9692. The owners of the old India Palace have opened a new restaurant in the space vacated by the Goose Creek outlet of Seviche. Focused on Northern Indian 78 Summer 2011 www.foodanddine.com

PITA HUT 1613 Bardstown Rd., 409-8484. After its expansion more than doubled the space in this once-tiny spot, more diners can enjoy Mediterranean-Middle Eastern favorites, as well as the addition of a few “American” sandwiches — on fresh pita, of course. $ ✿

PITA PIT 9816 Linn Station Rd., 565-1220. A franchise operation dedicated to cramming all sorts of fillings into a flatbread pocket. Chomp on a chicken Caesar pita, or a Philly steak pita. Many veggie selections, from garden vegetables to falafel to hummus and baba ganoush. They’re open for breakfast too: ham ’n’ eggs and sausage scramble to go. $ h ✿ SAFFRON’S 131 W. Market St., 584-7800. Although Majid Ghavami has sold his interest in his downtown Persian restaurant, he sold it to Reza and Mimi Dabbagh, (she also co-owns August Moon), who are keeping on most of the staff and continuing with the popular menu: rack of lamb, roasted duck fesenjoon, salomon and kebabs. $$$ p ✿ SAFIER MEDITERRANEAN DELI 641 S. Fourth St., 585-1125. You can get standard American fare at this welcoming downtown quick-eats spot, but who’d do that when you can enjoy such appetizing Arabian delights as hummus, mutabal, falafels and the gyros-like (only better) shawarma beef-on-pita sandwich. $ f ✿ SHIRAZ MEDITERRANEAN GRILL 2011 Frankfort Ave., 891-8854, 2226 Holiday Manor, 426-9954, 201 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 426-3440, 3521 Poplar Level Rd., 632-2232. Offering authentic Persian (Iranian) cooking, Shiraz quickly grew out of its tiny original location to occupy a bright and colorful storefront in the new Clifton Lofts complex; now it is expanding into a local mini-chain. In all its locations, Shiraz shines with char-grilled kebabs, fine pitas and lavish bread. $ ✿ ZAYTUN MEDITERRANEAN GRILL 2286 Bardstown Rd., 365-1788. Fine, freshly prepared seafood is part of the draw in this upper Highlands Middle Eastern eatery—excellent gyros kick it up a notch. $ h ✿ ZOE’S KITCHEN 500 W. Jefferson St., 585-0000, 4126 Summit Plaza Dr., 329-8963. This chain has been growing throughout the South and Southwest, and now comes twice to Louisville. An eclectic menu offers kabobs, hummus, quesadillas, roll-ups, pita sandwiches and chicken, tuna and shrimp salads. $ ✿

J. GUMBO’S 2109 Frankfort Ave., 896-4046, 531 Lyndon Lane, 425-0096, Fourth Street Live, 5899245, 3115 S. Second St., 363-8888, 8603 Citadel Way, 493-4720, 3017 Poplar Level Rd., 690-8080, 9202 Hwy. 42, 228-7100. Former jockey Billy Fox has created a popular minichain serving hearty, affordable Cajun cuisine.

After a stint focusing on expansion, he is now back in the saddle and in the kitchen again, to the delight of his fans. The drunken chicken is addictive. $ f JOE’S OK BAYOU 9874 Linn Station Rd., 426-1320.

Fine, filling and authentic Louisiana-style fare is the draw at Joe’s. A lengthy menu and bayou fishing-shack decor showcases authentic Cajun and Creole chow. $$ p SELENA’S AT WILLOW LAKE TAVERN 10609 LaGrange Rd., 245-9004. Owner Alan Salmon has brought his Cajun/Creole food and Tampa Bay experience to the old Willow Lake Tavern. The restoration and renovation were extensive, turning this Anchorage roadhouse into a roomy and inviting restaurant. Shrimp or fish with Manale sauce is a tribute to Pascal Manale’s in New Orleans. $$ p f h

COCOS LOKOS CARIBBEAN CUISINE 1850 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 365-1777. You can find a taste of the Caribbean islands here: mofongo from Puerto Rico (grilled chicken over plantains), lechon adobado (Cuban roast pork), tostones, yucca, sweet potato fries

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and dishes with a Dominican accent. Chill out with tropical cocktails at the bar. $$ p e ✿ CUBAN FLAVOR 5700 Outer Loop, 618-2181.

The flowering of Cuban/Caribbean cuisine is reaching out beyond the city now. The new place, in a strip mall, of course, brings black beans and rice and pork asado to Okolona.$ ✿ CUBANA RESTAURANT 2206 Frankfort Ave., 409-4828. The long-vacant space once occupied

by Danielle’s now offers another outlet for Cuban food, a growing segment of the ethnic offerings in town. Usimg local, seasonal food sources, the menu offers weekly specials that tap into the larger Caribbean/Central American food traditions.$ p ✿ HABANA BLUES CUBAN TAPAS RESTAURANT 148 E. Market St., New Albany, IN, 944-9760.

Another choice for Cuban Caribbean food, Habana Blues is the newest tenant in the one-time New Albany Inn, previously the location of Bistro New Albany. The extensive Cuban menu has a few international dishes, too, and a nice selection of tapas. Also a half-dozen bocaditos (sandwiches) and a few dinner dishes such as paella Valenciana and arroz con pollo. $$ p ✿ HAVANA RUMBA 4115 Oechsli Ave., 897-1959, 12003 Shelbyville Rd., 244-5375. A true taste of Old Havana, this bright, inviting and consistently busy Cuban restaurant has opened a second location, in Middletown, in the strip mall location formerly occupied by Pig City BBQ. Bountiful servings of Cuban fare as good as any in Key West or Miami, not to mention a hopping mojito bar, have earned Havana Rumba a place on our short list of local favorites. $ p f ✿ LA ESQUINA CALIENTE 5318 S. Third St., 384-7414.

It means “the hot corner,” perhaps a reference to the ovens — it’s part bakery, part restaurant. The ambiance is hearty working person’s Cuban chow

— Cuban sandwiches (on their house-made bread), beans and rice, pork. Look at the “cantina” plan — pay ahead for weeks’ worth of reduced price lunches. $

BAZO’S FRESH MEXICAN GRILL 4014 Dutchmans Ln., 899-9600, 1907-C S. Fourth St., 899-9746. A downtown location joins its Dupont Circle sibling, offering fine fish tacos and simple fast-food Mexican fare in an inexpensive, casual atmosphere. $ f ✿ BOULEVARD CAFÉ 1015 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville, IN, 725-8884. Breakfast, lunch and dinner is served at this little Mexican-American place on the main drag through Clarksville. Tacos, burritos and so on.

Plus pasta, steaks sandwiches and crepes. $ ✿ DON PABLO’S 940 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 284-1071. Based in Atlanta, this Mexican-American chain, offers full bar service and a variety of dishes that range from sizzling fajitas to crisp salads tossed in a fajita shell. $$ p ✿ EL BURRITO DE ORO 1927 Greentree Blvd., Clarksville IN, 285-8820. $ ✿ EL CAPORAL 2209 Meadow Dr., 473-7840, 1901 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 515 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 282-7174. Louisville’s growing Mexican-American community has fostered a happy trend: excellent, authentic Mexican food. El Caporal bridges the gap between the Latino and Anglo communities. $ p ✿ EL MUNDO 2345 Frankfort Ave., 899-9930. This crowded, noisy little Crescent Hill storefront offers creative renditions of Mexican regional specialties that make most diners want to yell “Olé!” The setting may lack the trendy flair of Rick Bayless’ Frontera Grill in Chicago, but the fare mines a similar vein and does so nearly as well. $ p f ✿

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EL NOPAL (16 Locations) These locally owned restaurants have become a growing mini-chain, winning popularity on the basis of delicious, authentic and inexpensive Mexican fare in comfortable surroundings. $ p f ✿ EL NOPALITO 4028 Taylorsville Rd., 458-7278, 6300 Bardstown Rd., 231-4249. This modest little eatery used to be a Taco Bell, but you’ll never find comidas like this at the Bell! Run by a family from Mexico, it’s truly authentic and delicious. $ p f ✿ EL REY MEXICAN RESTAURANT 2918 Hikes Ln., 454-6520. Although it’s more Mexican-American than hard-core ethnic Mexican, El Rey earns our recommendation for tasty fare, cordial service in a pleasant fast-Mexican-food environment, and affordable prices. $ f ✿ EL RODEO MEXICAN RESTAURANT 9070 Dixie Hwy., 995-8722. At El Rodeo, you’ll find a blend of Tex-Mex and other Latin American classics from salty margaritas to sweet sopapillas. $$ ✿ EL SOMBRERO 2784 Meijer St, Jeffersonville IN, 2850109. An Indianapolis restaurant group has taken over the old Bearno’s near Meijer in J’ville, and opened this “Americanized Mexican” restaurant. $ p ✿ EL TARASCO 5425 New Cut Rd., 368-5628, 110 Fairfax Ave., 895-8010, 9901 LaGrange Rd., 3269373, 9606 Taylorsville Rd., 297-8003. Add El Tarasco to the happy new genre of restaurants run

by Latinos and offering authentic Mexican food and atmosphere, but that reach out to Anglos and make it easy to enjoy a South-of-the-Border culinary adventure without compromise. $ p ✿ EL TORO CANTINA & GRILL 1810 Hurstbourne Parkway, 491-7272, 10602 Shelbyville Rd., 4893839. One of the top Mexican restaurants in the metro, El Toro earns our recommendation for food, service and environment. Tex-Mex dishes are fine, but save room for the authentic Mexican seafood specialties. $ p f ✿

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ERNESTO’S 10430 Shelbyville Rd., 244-8889, 4632A S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 671-5291. One of the first of the more authentic locally-owned Mexican restaurant groups, Ernesto’s remains consistently reliable. From the crispy home-fried chips to filling Mexican main courses and tasty desserts, it’s a worthy destination for good Mexican food and excellent value. $ p f e ✿ FIESTA TIME MEXICAN GRILL 11320 Maple Brook Dr., 425-9144, 8133 Bardstown Rd., 231-2444. $ p ✿ LA BAMBA 1237 Bardstown Rd., 451-1418. La Bamba boasts of its “burritos as big as your head.” It may be Louisville’s most startling case of an eatery that is more than it appears to be, and that goes for both quality and quantity. Franchised and fast-foodish, it pleasantly surprises with genuine Mexican fare and Latino flair. $ h ✿ LA MONARCA 6501 Shepherdsville Rd., 969-7938. $ ✿ LA ROSITA MEXICAN GRILL 336 Pearl St., New Albany, IN, 944-3620. Popularity with patrons happy to eat the authentic traditional Mexican fare at this Southern Indiana restaurant has led to their recent move to a huge space in downtown, nearer the action in the New Albany restaurant renaissance. The Grant Line spot provides quick but fine taqueria fare. $ f ✿ LA ROSITA TAQUERIA 1404 Blackiston Mill Rd., Clarksville, IN, 284-1362. $ LA TAPATIA RESTAURANT 8106 Preston Hwy., 9619153, 3022 S. Third St., 638-0300. One of the most authentic ethnic Mexican restaurants in Louisville, this little storefront has opened a second location, both offering memorable tacos and burritos and more. $ p ✿ LAS GORDITAS 4756 Bardstown Rd., 492-0112. As Louisville’s small but thriving Latino community grows, it’s now possible to enjoy an authentic Mexico City-style dining experience at this taco and gordita wagon that rolls up in the Eastland Shopping Center on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only. Family owners and chefs Pat and Esperanza Costas and Ofelia Ortiz are completely bilingual, and as friendly as can be. $ f ✿ LOLITA’S TACOS 4222 Poplar Level Rd., 459-4356.

This tiny place may look like a fast-food joint, but the food is about as authentic Mexican as you’ll find.

Crisp or soft tacos and burritos the size of paper-towel rolls turn a meal here into a real bargain. $ f ✿ LOS AZTECAS 530 W. Main St., 561-8535, 1107 Herr Ln., 426-3994, 9207 U.S. Hwy. 42, 228-2450.

Authentic Mexican cuisine has become a viable option in Louisville, thanks to a growing immigrant community. With fresh bar and blender offerings, creative appetizers and comfortable seating, Los Aztecas is one of the best, with tasty Mexican dishes good enough to lure us back again and again. $ p ✿ MAYAN CAFÉ 813 E. Market St., 566-0651. Chef Bruce Ucán arguably kicked off the restaurant renaissance in the E. Market St. Nulu district. opening his stylish bistro, serving distinctive cuisine from Ucán’s native Yucatan Peninsula, before NuLu was fashionable. For the second year his Market Mondays promote locally-raised pastured meats. $$ ✿ MEXICAN FIESTA 4507 Bardstown Rd., 491-2922 $ MEXICO TIPICO RESTAURANT 6517 Dixie Hwy., 933-9523, 12401 Shelbyville Rd., 253-9828. One of the region’s first authentic Mexican eateries, Mexico Tipico has built a loyal following in for good Mexican food and friendly, fully bilingual service; now it reaches the East End with a brandnew property in the Middletown area. $ p e ✿ MEXICO VIEJO 2319 Brownsboro Rd., 893-9880. $ ✿

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MY PATRIA 808 Lyndon Ln., 339-9420. $ ✿ PINA FIESTA REAL MEXICAN GRILL 7895 Dixie Hwy., 995-6775. Fans of Mexican food have another place to try, out along the wide, wide highway. You won’t find anything new here, but they say it will be real. $ p ✿ PUERTO VALLARTA 4214 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 945-3588, 125 Quartermaster Ct., Jeffersonville, IN, 288-2022, 7814 Beulah Curch Rd., 239-4646. $$ p ✿ QDOBA MEXICAN GRILL (11 locations). This chain operation extends from Louisville to Frankfort and Lexington. Fast-foodish in style, Qdoba edges out its competitors on the basis of variety and interesting salsas, plus sizable portions at a price you can afford. $ f ✿ ROSTICERIA LUNA 5213B Preston Hwy., 962-8898.

Tiny and cluttered and very friendly, this little spot on Preston looks like another tacqueria but the specialty, Mexican-style roasted chicken, takes it to another level, juicy and succulent and roasted golden brown. Chicken simply doesn’t get any better than this. $ ✿ RUBEN’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT 1370 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN. 258-0417. $$ p ✿ SANTA FE GRILL 3000 S. Third St., 634-3722. This tiny eatery in a century-old red-brick South End storefront near Churchill Downs never fails to satisfy with genuine Mexican tacos and other simple fare at prices that will leave you plenty of change for an exacta bet at the races. $ ✿ SEÑOR IGUANA’S 1415 Broadway St., Clarksville, IN, 280-8555, 3105 S. Second St., 368-0876, 9424 Shelbyville Rd., 425-4581. These three MexicanAmerican eateries are known for their hearty, well-prepared Mexican food, and plenty of it, in a casually laid-back, comfortable sports-bar atmosphere. $ p f ✿ SOL AZTECAS 2427 Bardstown Road, 459-7776, 2350 Frankfort Ave., 895-3333, 520 S. Fourth St., 3150666, 129 W. Main St,. 583-5505. Saul Garcia, owner of this expanding chain, seems to have a knack for finding hot locations to serve his satisfying fare. He was down on Main St.’s museum row before the museums were, took over the former Raw space on the southern edge of the hot Fourth St. Live corridor, and now has his classiest location on Whiskey Row, a handsome renovation with a more sophisticated Mexican decor, and a broader Mexican menu. $ p h ✿ TACO TICO 5925 Terry Rd., 449-9888, 7416 Preston Hwy., 969-0644, 2613 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 945-8226. Founded in Wichita in 1962, the same year as Taco Bell was born in Southern California, The Taco Tico chain has been gone from Louisville for more than a decade. Its happy return has been drawing remarkable crowds. $ ✿ TACQUERIA LA MEXICANA 6201 Preston Hwy., 969-4449. The tacos are fine at this tiny storefront.

This is seriously ethnic stuff, but Anglos are thoroughly welcome, the staff is bilingual, and they will happily provide a menu with all the English translations written in. $ ✿ THE TEQUILA FACTORY 917 Baxter Ave., 459-9191.

The multi-level building on Baxter Ave.’s restaurant corridor has had a checkered history. Its newest incarnation is a bar and grill with an extensive list of tequilas, a tapas bar, and an economical lunch and dinner menu focusing on hearty, familiar Mexican dishes. $ p f e h ✿ YELLOW CACTUS 3620 Paoli Pk., Floyds Knobs, IN, 903-0313. A yellow neon cactus draws diners to this Indiana Tex-Mex restaurant that offers standard Mexican cantina fare, as well as steak and chicken in both American and Mexican styles, and a few seafood dishes. $ p h ✿

CHUY’S 104 Oxmoor Center, 327-3033, 1440 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 282-2489. The Austin, Texas “unchain,” now has two area locations, offering a complimentary happy hour nacho “car bar” set in the back end of a 50s era auto, plenty of Elvis memorabilia, and a wall of chihuahua photos. Oh, and Tex-Mex food at reasonable prices. $$ p f h MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL 2001 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-1800, 1001 Breckinridge Ln., 8936637, 4652 Chamberlain Ln., 425-3330, 1020 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, (812) 288-6637, 9310 Cedar Center Way, 614-7722. The food may be more fast-food Mexican-American than authentic South-of-the-Border fare, but it is freshly made from quality ingredients and comes in oversize portions, and that’s not a bad thing. $ ✿ SALSARITA’S FRESH CANTINA 285 N. Hubbards Ln., 897-5323. Another entry in the hot “Fresh Mexican” niche that features gigantic burritos made to order. Its colorful free-standing building houses a sit-in restaurant and an inviting bar. $ p f ✿ T BONE’Z 6501 Bardstown Rd., 231-6501. The former Buffalo Rings & Wings concept has been ditched; the same owner has turned to a Tex-Mex menu concept, though wings are still available. $ p

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TUMBLEWEED SOUTHWEST GRILL (15 locations).

Tumbleweed started as a humble Mexican restaurant in New Albany and eventually came to dominate Louisville’s Tex-Mex niche with colossal margaritas, gigantic burritos and spicy chili con queso. Southwestern fare adds steaks and grilled fare to the familiar Tex-Mex with a formula that continues to draw diners in droves, but the ’Weed doesn’t stray far from its roots. $$ p f h ✿

BEAN STREET CAFÉ 101 Lafollette Station, Floyds Knobs, IN, 923-1404. Bean Street introduced the Sunny Side to the joys of serious espresso. Like all good coffee shops, they’re not just an eatery, but a cultural hangout. $ f CAFFE CLASSICO 2144 Frankfort Ave., 895-0076. At first a coffee bar, but over the years the classy space at Clifton and Frankfort has matured into an elegant bistro serving an eclectic menu — salmon croquettes with wasabi aioli, empanadas, an international array of salads, panini, bocadillos and pizzas. A stylish place for lunch, or a hip stop for a late-night supper. $$ e h ✿ COFFEE CROSSING 4212 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 981-2633. $ COFFEE POT CAFÉ 234 E. Gray St. (Medical Tower South), 584-5282 $ f ✿ DAY’S ESPRESSO AND COFFEE BAR 1420 Bardstown Rd., 456-1170. Dark and cozy, with an old-fashioned feeling, Day’s has everything you would expect in a college-neighborhood coffee shop except a college near by. $ f DERBY CITY ESPRESSO 331 E. Market St., 4420523. A highlight in Louisville’s roster of serious coffee shops, Derby City features quality coffee from several artisanal roasters, plus fine tea, pastries, and now craft beers. $ f e ✿ EXPRESSIONS OF YOU 1800 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 584-6886. $ f e ✿ GREEN ROOM COFFEE 3640 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-9396. Inside the Hurstbourne Music Center, music lovers can find music-themed breakfast dishes to fortify them as they shop for instruments or practice their craft. $ f e

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HEINE BROTHERS COFFEE 2714 Frankfort Ave., 899-5551, 1295 Bardstown Rd., 456-5108, 2200 Bardstown Rd., 515-0380, 118 Chenoweth Ln., 893-5103, 1449 Bardstown Rd., 454-5212, 4123 Shelbyville Rd., 895-9388, 3060 Bardstown Rd., 458-7770, 1301 Herr Ln., 425-9199, 822 Eastern Pkwy., 637-1060. Spartan, friendly and affordable, with good coffee roasted on the premises and a short list of pastries, desserts and panini sandwiches, Heine Bros. has earned its outstanding local reputation. $ f e HIGHLAND COFFEE CO. 1140 Bardstown Rd., 4514545. Offering two ways to get wired, this cozy neighborhood coffee shop also functions as one of Louisville’s top Internet cafés, where you can enjoy a hot cappuccino while you surf the ’net in a WiFi hot spot.Funky Seattle-style ambience is a plus. $ f HILLBILLY TEA 120 S. First St., 587-7350. (See review under Bistro / Contemporary.)

THE HOBKNOBB ROASTING CO. 3700 Paoli Pike, Floyds Knobs, IN, 923-1458, 419 State St., New Albany, IN, 944-4555. HobKnobb offers fresh hot coffee, espresso drinks and fresh baked pastries, cakes and cookies. $ f JAVA BREWING COMPANY 9561B U.S. Hwy. 42, 2922710, 516 W. Main St., 568-6339, 135 S. English Station Rd., 489-5677, Fourth Street Live, 561-2041, 2309 Frankfort Ave., 894-8060, 4901 Bardstown Rd., 425-3688, 1707 Bardstown Rd., 409-8048. These casual spots boasts the ambience of a friendly oldfashioned book shop, with comfortable seating, a good selection of pastries, and quality coffee from Seattle. $ MRS. POTTER’S COFFEE 718 W. Main St., 581-1867. $ OLD LOUISVILLE COFFEE HOUSE 1489 S. Fourth St., 635-6660. $ f ✿ PERKFECTION 359 Spring St., Jeffersonville, IN, 218-0611. $ e QUILL’S COFFEE SHOP 930 Baxter Ave., 742-6129.

Its move to Bardstown Road updated its image, but faithful fans find that the joe is still fine, as are the pastries, and everyone lingers, with laptops and books. $ RED HOT ROASTERS 1402 Payne St., 569-0000, 901 S. Fourth St. (Spalding University), 585-9911.

The drive-through take-away joint (entrance off Lexington Rd.) has added a space at Spalding, with an expanded menu and new cold-brewed iced coffee drinks. Excellent whole beans roasted on the premises are also available at groceries. $ ✿ SISTER BEAN’S 4956 Manslick Rd., 364-0082. $ f ✿ SONOMA COFFEE CAFÉ 3309 Poplar Level Rd., 384-0044. The first outlet in Kentucky of this franchise coffeteria. $ STARBUCKS COFFEE (35 locations) $ f SUNERGOS COFFEE & MICRO-ROASTERY 2122 S. Preston St., 634-1243, 306 W. Woodlawn Ave., 368-2820. Matthew Huested and Brian Miller used to roast their own coffee beans as a hobby. Their friends said they did it so well, they should turn pro — the result is Sunergos Coffee. $ ✿ TAZZA MIA 9700 Bluegrass Pkwy., 491-4830. The Cincinnati-based coffee shop joins the food options at the Ramada Plaza in eastern Jefferson County. Patrons can find breakfast pastries such as Danishes and muffins along with the house-roasted coffees. $ TRAILSIDE CAFÉ 1321 Herr Ln., 423-1545. $ ZEN TEA HOUSE 2246 Frankfort Ave., 618-0878.

Another entry in the Tran family’s Frankfort Ave. restaurant row. There is tea, of course, black, green, and white and herbal infusions, spring rolls, soups, and paninis, all vegetarian. $ f e h ✿

GREAT HARVEST BREAD COMPANY 1225 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 412-8573, 4214 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 945-4422. $ ✿ ADRIENNE & CO. BAKERY CAFÉ 129 W. Court Ave., Jeffersonville, IN, 282-2665. If you need something for your sweet tooth and won’t be denied, count yourself lucky if the craving strikes when you’re in the vicinity of this cozy Southern Indiana spot, with its good selection of homemade cakes and treats. $ f ✿ THE BAKERY 3100 Bardstown Rd., 452-1210. Not just a fine bakery but a place where bakers learn their business, this excellent establishment is part of the culinary program at Sullivan University. It’s hard to beat the quality breads and pastries offered here to eat in or carry out. $ ✿ BREADWORKS 3628 Brownsboro Rd., 893-3200, 2420 Lime Kiln Ln., 326-0300, 2204 Dundee Rd., 452-1510, 11800 Shelbyville Rd., 254-2885. $ ✿

HEITZMAN TRADITIONAL BAKERY & DELI 9426 Shelbyville Rd., 426-7736, 428 W. Market St., 5842437. The Heitzman family has been baking in the Louisville area since your great-aunt was a girl ordering dinner rolls. Made fresh daily, the pies, cakes, cookies and specialty pastries provide tasty nostalgia for all who visit. $ ✿ HOMEMADE ICE CREAM & PIE KITCHEN 2525 Bardstown Rd., 459-8184, 1041 Bardstown Rd., 618-3380, 3737 Lexington Rd., 893-3303, 12613 Taylorsville Rd., 267-6280, 3598 Springhurst Blvd., 326-8990, 12531 Shelbyville Rd., 245-7031, 5606 Bardstown Rd., 239-3880, 1370 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 288-6000. $

CAKE FLOUR 909 E. Market St., 719-0172. This jewel box shop serves up precious French pastries, quiche, scones and sweets seven days a week. The chef’s all-natural ethos and locavore connections make for exquisite tastes. $ f ✿

HONEY CREME DONUT SHOP 514 Vincennes St., New Albany, IN, 945-2150. Off the beaten track, this down-homey bakery in a plain white building offers a wide selection of doughnuts, fritters and Danish that keeps the shop’s fans coming back again and again. $

CARMEN’S CUPCAKES 10616 Meeting St., 3655242. Take away or eat in with coffee or tea, or let the kids decorate their own cupcakes at the sprinkle bar. Made with organic and all-natural ingredients, of course--this little bakery is in Norton Commons. $

LIL’ LOAFERS BAKERY 8522 Preston Hwy., 9693990. For years, hairdresser Sheryl Lukenbill used to bake banana breads and other treats as gifts for her customers. Her goodies were so popular that now Sheryl and her husband Paul have gone fulltime with Lil’ Loafers Bakery. $

CELLAR DOOR CHOCOLATES 1201 Story Ave., 561-2940. Erika Chavez-Graziano has moved her confectionary operation to the artsy Butchertown Market building on Story Ave., giving her expanded space for devising even more esoteric, but luscious, inventive chocolate confections such as beer flavored truffles and avocado softcenters. $

MY FAVORITE MUFFIN 9800 Shelbyville Rd., 4269645. All the muffins are made right in the store, including such popular choices as the Cinnamon Crumb and the Turtle Muffin. $

COCO’S CHOCOLATE CAFÉ 1759 Bardstown Rd., 454-9810. Stylish, artisanal chocolates and baked goods made on the premises make this tiny Highlands spot a stylish place to stop and linger over for a dessert and a cup of coffee. $ f THE COMFY COW 1301 Herr Ln., 425-4979. This “new-fashioned” ice-cream parlor made an immediate splash in its original Westport Village location with its intriguing range of flavors (salted caramel, fresh roasted coffee, peanut peanut butter butter), and now will soon begin to renovate the historic building on Frankfort next to the old Genny’s Diner that was long a bone of contention. In addition, the owners will be opening an outlet in the U of L project that is going up on the old Masterson’s site in Old Louisville, and they have been named the official ice cream of Louisville Slugger Field. $ h THE CUPCAKE SHOPPE 3701 Lexington Rd., 8992970. You won’t need three guesses to name the specialty at this little St. Matthews bakery, which has gained instant popularity for its wide variety of moist, tender cupcakes, always made in house. $ ✿ DALAT’S GATEAUX & BAKERY 6915 Southside Dr., 368-9280. It’s a French bakery, run by a Vietnamese family, which makes perfect sense. Order French pastry, cakes and cookies as well as Vietnamese specialties. Savory choices, such as pork pate wrapped in choux pastry are also available. Eat in or take away. $ DESSERTS BY HELEN 2210 Bardstown Rd., 4517151, 9219 U.S. Hwy. 42, 228-8959. Helen Friedman has earned a loyal clientele since the 1970s with her elegant cakes, tempting pies and tortes and designer cookies. $ GIGI’S CUPCAKES 1977 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 4994998. The first outpost of the Tennessee bakery chain in Kentucky, this little shop offers a changing selection of high-end cupcakes in designer flavors — Bailey’s Irish cream, apple spice, coconut snowball, and so on. $ ✿

e = LIVE MUSIC h = LATE NIGHT ✿ = VEGETARIAN MENU ITEMS

NORD’S BAKERY 2118 S. Preston St., 634-0931. This old-school, family-owned bakery on the edge of Germantown has a devoted following, drawn by divine Danish, donuts, and great coffee from the nearby Sunergos micro-roastery — and if you’re a sucker for over-the-top excess, try the caramel donut topped with — yes, it’s true, bacon. $ OOH LA LA BAKERY 1841 Plantside Dr., 499-1575.

Made-to-order tree nut- and peanut-free bakery products are the mainstay of this little shop started by a former lawyer with allergic kids. Other special dietary needs—gluten-free, milk or soy allergies and diabetic needs—can be accommodated. $ THE PIE PANTRY 9208 Dixie Hwy., 384-0743.

Lunch is served at this Southwest Louisville eatery but the main focus — and the strongest reason to drive out that way — is the dozens of varieties of homemade pies. Portions are large and the selection extensive. $ f ✿ PLEHN’S BAKERY 3940 Shelbyville Rd., 896-4438. A neighborhood institution, this bakery is as busy as it is nostalgic. Enjoy the hometown soda fountain with ice cream while you wait for your handdecorated birthday cake, breakfast rolls or colorful cookies to be boxed. $ ✿ POLICE DONUTS 12416 Shelbyville Rd., 244-1880.

The first incarnation of this jokey concept did not quite work out, but new ownership is trying again, putting out good bakery products at reasonable prices. $ SUGAR AND SPICE DONUT SHOP 5613 Bardstown Rd., 231-1411. This Fern Creek bakery has loads of loyal fans, who often buy out their favorite donut by mid-morning. Coffee to go too, of course, and even little half-pints of chocolate milk. $ SWEET STUFF BAKERY 323 E. Spring St., New Albany IN, 948-2507. $ ✿

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MAP INDEX

MAP INDEX

MAP # DIRECTION PAGE # DOWNTOWN 84 1 downtown louisville 85 NEAR EAST 2 highlands – crescent hill 86 NEAR EAST 3 st. matthews 87 SOUTH EAST 4 hikes point – buechel 88 EAST 5 hurstbourne – anchorage 89 EAST 6 hurstbourne s. – jeffersontown 90 NORTH EAST 7 indian hills – westport 90 FAR NORTH EAST 8 westport rd. – gene snyder NA NEW MAP 9 under construction 91 NORTH EAST 10 prospect 91 SOUTH EAST 11 fern creek 92 SOUTH WEST 12 shively – pleasure ridge 93 SOUTH 13 old louisville – airport 94 INDIANA 14 new albany – floyds knobs 95 INDIANA 15 clarksville 95 INDIANA 16 jeffersonville

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MAP • 1 DOWNTOWN 84 Summer 2011 www.foodanddine.com

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(NEAR EAST) HIGHLANDS – CRESCENT HILL – CLIFTON

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MAP • 3 (NEAR EAST) ST. MATTHEWS 86 Summer 2011 www.foodanddine.com

MAP • 4 (SOUTH EAST) HIKES POINT – BUECHEL www.facebook.com/foodanddine Summer 2011 87

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(EAST) LYNDON – HURSTBOURNE – ANCHORAGE – MIDDLETOWN

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(EAST) HURSTBOURNE SOUTH – FOREST HGILLS – JEFFERSONTOWN

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(FAR NORTH EAST) WESTPORT RD – GENE SNYDER

(NORTH EAST) INDIAN HILLS – WESTPORT

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(SOUTH EAST) FERN CREEK

(NORTH EAST) PROSPECT

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(SOUTH WEST) SHIVELY – PLEASURE RIDGE

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MAP • 13 (SOUTH) OLD LOUISVILLE – AIRPORT www.facebook.com/foodanddine Summer 2011 93

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(INDIANA) NEW ALBANY – FLOYDS KNOBS

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(INDIANA) JEFFERSONVILLE

(INDIANA) CLARKSVILLE

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