O U I S V I L L E ’ S FAV O R I T E L T A S R E AT E R RGE U B IES $5
OFFICIAL GUIDE
JULY 24TH - 30TH
BEEF SPONSOR
350 W Chestnut st LouisviLLe, KY 40202 (502) 631-4180 • 8uplouisville.com
CONTENTS LOUISVILLE BURGER WEEK COMMANDMENTS PAGE 4
Southern inSpired cuiSine 446 S. Fourth St LouiSviLLe, KY, 40202 502.568.9009 bourbonraw.com
KAELIN’S CHEESEBURGERS LIVES ON HOW LOUISVILLE’S FAMOUS BURGER CAME TO BE — AND WHEN IT’S COMING BACK PAGE 5
LOUISVILLE BURGER WEEK MENUS
4631 Medical Plaza Way clarksville, iN 47129 (812) 284-5933 • bubbas33.com
PAGE 6
BURGER CITY LOUISVILLE BURGER RESTAURANTS ARE ROOTED IN HERITAGE BUT FOCUSED ON REINVENTION PAGE 9 drakescomeplay.com Paddock ShoPS: 3921 Summit Plaza dr • (502) 384-3921 St. matthewS: 3939 Shelbyville rd • (502) 614-7327
LOUISVILLE BURGER WEEK COMMANDMENTS
5000 Shelbyville Rd Suite 1650 Louisville, KY 40207 (502) 290-2491 • freakinburgers.com
Louisville Burger Week creates such strong, lusty, even insane feelings, that we decided it needed its own little manifesto. Please read on. My Old Kentucky Bourbon Burger
1. THERE’S A GOOD CHANCE THEY WILL RUN OUT
Expect that the restaurants will be extremely busy. So, if a place runs out toward the end of a shift, handle it like an adult: go back the next day, earlier, order your burger, and thank them for working hard to do this for you.
2. THERE WILL LIKELY BE WAITS People have been talking about Burger Week 2017 for months. Don’t be surprised if restaurants have waits.
3. YOU WILL TIP LIKE A PRO
323 W Cardinal Blvd , Louisville, KY 40208 (502) 939-3535 • griffs35.com
The $5 burger price brings out the cheap in all of us, but really, you’re likely getting a $10+ burger (many restaurants are going way overboard with ingredients, trying to outdo each other), so please tip at least 20 percent.
4. YOU REALLY SHOULD BUY A DRINK AND/OR OTHER FOODS
The purchase of sides and extras is not a requirement. But we think it says a lot to those working hard to bring you an extraordinary experience. Grab some fries, a Goodwood beer and say thanks.
5. CHECK TWITTER, FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM
Restaurants will be encouraged to post their waits and remaining burgers for the day via their social channels. Go to 502burgerweek.com and don’t forget to tag your Instagram photos and tweets with #502burgerweek to win prizes throughout the week.
6. DINE-IN
Just a final note that restaurants will not offer their $5 burgers to-go. A big incentive for them to participate is knowing they’re bringing new customers in and also getting orders for sides and drinks to help them support these deep discounts.
707 E MarkEt St LouiSviLLE, kY 40202 (502) 513-4303 macaron-bar.com
THANK YOU!
A huge thanks to our presenting sponsor: Kentucky Beef Council, official beer sponsor: Goodwood, and our non-profit sponsor: Dare 2 Care.
Kaelin’s Cheeseburgers Lives On How Louisville’s famous burger came to be — and when it’s coming back By Stephen Novotni
T
he legendary birthplace of the cheeseburger, Kaelin’s Restaurant, has been closed since 2009 and much of the décor that made passers by smile has been removed. Gone is the distinctive, art deco sign that flagged down hungry locals with the neon headline “Kaelin’s Restaurant – Cheeseburgers.” The smaller sign, asking “If you can’t stop, please wave!” has been removed as well. But Louisville’s favorite burger joint remains in her city’s collective memories as one of the unique, cool aspects of town. And Kaelin’s is set to reopen under new ownership this fall. Irma Kaelin Raque (pronounced “Rocky,” like the fictional boxer), daughter of Carl and Margaret Kaelin, who founded the eponymous greasy spoon, says, “Mother and Daddy, neither one of them had any experience along that line. Daddy was an auto mechanic and mother was a homemaker. They moved to the country and were raising chickens and Daddy was laying down newspaper for the chickens and he saw an ad in the classifieds. There was a restaurant for sale. Daddy had to knock the chicken dirt away to read the rest and they rode into town to take a look at this place.” The Kaelins purchased the business for $600. Newburg Road was equally humble in 1934 — it was a simple, gravel road with a handful of cars tottering along. But it was a start. Interviewing Irma is like talking to any affable, Southern grandmother-type you might imagine. “Call me Irma, it makes me feel younger,” says the 85-year-old scion of the Kaelin family. She’s full of stories, and details emerge as the discussion progresses. It turns out Carl Kaelin had another profession before becoming a restaurateur — he bought and resold moonshine during Prohibition and ended up doing time in jail for his trouble. But there was an upside — he had socked away $600, and that was what he used to buy the restaurant that would make him famous. Raque says she was surprised that her father was granted a liquor license after doing time for rum running, but he got it without a hitch.
“Mother was a darn good cook and Daddy was an entrepreneur,” Raque says. “There was a Catholic school on Newburg Road and they didn’t have a cafeteria. On the first day, Mother and Daddy had just gotten in and they didn’t have any equipment or anything and no sooner did they get in the door than a kid from across the street at the school showed up with a note from the principle, asking if Mrs. Kaelin could serve lunch to the schoolkids. Mother said, ‘I can’t do it now because I don’t have a pot.’ The little boy said, ‘I can go next door and borrow you a pot.’ ‘But, I don’t have a stove.’ ” Raque continues the story, saying that the boy pointed out there was an old stove in the basement they could use. Mrs. Kaelin gave the boy a note for the manager of the local Piggly Wiggly for the boy to pick up 19 hot dogs and buns and wax paper to serve them in. That was the first meal served at Kaelin’s and the restaurant’s first regular client. It was a contract that lasted 11 years. The First Cheeseburger Shortly after the restaurant opened,
Carl Kaelin returned from the grocery store with the food for the next day. The Kaelins ran a cash business and were in the habit of buying tomorrow’s food using today’s receipts. Carl was worn out after a day’s work, went to the store and returned hungry. “Daddy says, put a piece of cheese on that hamburger and let’s see what it tastes like,” Raque says. “So she did, and he ate one, and he ate two, and then he ate three. These were about the size of White Castles. “Mother says, ‘If they’re that good, I better try one.’ So, she did. They both agreed it was a pretty good sandwich. So that evening, when the guys came in to have their beer and what have ya’, Mother made up a burger with cheese on it for each of them. One of them said, ‘What are you going to call this?’ She said, ‘A Kaelin’s Cheeseburger.’ That was the first cheeseburger.” It should be noted that the title of first cheeseburger is disputed. Restaurants in California and Colorado have claims that are equally compelling, and Raque is under no illusion that her parents are the
only ones ever to strike upon the novel idea. “Chances are somebody else put cheese on a hamburger but didn’t call it anything,” Raque says. “Chances are somebody else put cheese on a burger, but we talked about it. I find that with many things, it was just very simple, the way it happens. And that was the way with the development of the cheeseburger.” But there must be something amazing in the recipe to make a Kaelin’s cheesburger, right? Raque says no, it was pretty ordinary. Ground beef, pan fried, with cheese. The toppings and buns were fairly ordinary. Much of what made it special was the hospitality and friendliness of her parents toward the patrons, she says. “Our cheeseburger was good,” Raque says. “I don’t know what the magic was behind that cheeseburger.” Louisville real estate developer Jesse Flynn is hoping to recapture that magic with the new Kaelin’s, set to open at the original location late this summer. The original signage will return and, he hopes, some of that original mojo as well. ©
5 B U R G E R S $
OFFICIAL BURGER 8UP ELEVATED DRINKERY & KITCHEN
GRIFF’S
BOURBON RAW
HOPCAT
350 W. Chestnut St. louisville, ky 40202 (502) 631-4180 | 8uplouisville.com THE KENTUCKY Ground brisket patty, Country ham, bechamel, housemade Fresno chili hot sauce, Gruyere & tomato on brioche.
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446 south 4th st. louisville, ky 40202 (502) 568-9009 | bourbonraw.com SURF AND TURF BURGER Chorizo patty topped with shrimp, pepperjack cheese, guacamole, pico de gallo, served on a brioche bun
BUBBA’S 33
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4631 Medical Plaza Way clarksville, in 47129 (913) 568-6397 | bubbas33.com ANY BURGER We are offering any one of our burgers on the menu for the $5 price, 9 in all. This includes our 33% bacon ground burger, all our specialty burgers, and a black bean vegetarian option.
DRAKE’S (PADDOCK SHOPS)
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3921 summit Plaza Dr. louisville, ky 40241 (502) 384-3921 | drakescomeplay.com DRAKE’S BLT BURGER A fresh, never frozen 8oz burger on a butter-toasted bun, hickory-smoked bacon, iceberg slaw, jalapeno-green tomato jam and Parmesan-garlic mayo.
DRAKE’S (ST. MATTHEWS)
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323 W Cardinal Blvd. Louisville, K (502) 939-3535 | griffs35.com GRIFF’S “FASTBREAK” BURGER G white cheddar cheese, Over Hard egg, Bac between two home made sweet potato wa
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1064 Bardstown Rd. Louisville, ky (502) 890-8676 | hopcat.com BAR ZEE BURGER ”The” HopCat signa bacon, jalapeños & signature horseradish b lettuce, tomato & onion.
THE HUB
2235 Frankfort Ave. Louisville, ky (502) 890-8676 | hublouisville.com THE HUB BURGER 6oz patty with pime greens, and brown sugar bacon on a brioc
MACARON BAR
707 east market st. louisville, ky (502) 513-4303 | macaronbar.com MACARON BURGER Two dessert mac
MELLOW MUSHROOM PI
3939 shelbville rd. #101 louisville, ky 40207 (502) 614-7327 | drakescomeplay.com DRAKE’S BLT BURGER A fresh, never frozen 8oz burger on a butter-toasted bun, hickory-smoked bacon, iceberg slaw, jalapeno-green tomato jam and Parmesan-garlic mayo.
1023 bardstown rd. louisville, ky (502) 749-7690 | mellowmushroom 2 CHOICES Holy Shiitake Burger: 8oz a Caramelized onions, Provolone and Monte Cheese Burger: 8oz angus beef patty, Bee Add bacon as additional option.
FREAKIN’ UNBELIEVABLE BURGERS
MELLOW MUSHROOM PI
5000 Shelbyville Rd. #1650 Louisville, KY 40207 (502) 290-2491 | freakinburgers.com MY OLD KENTUCKY BOURBON BURGER Fresh Angus Beef, Chedddar, Bacon, Bourbon Caramelized Onions, House made Bourbon Sauce, Lettuce, and Tomato on a toasted bun.
MAP KEY = VEGGIE SUBSTITUTE G = GOODWOOD SPECIAL
3920 Shelbyville Rd. louisville, k (502) 409-6874 | mellowmushroom 2 CHOICES Holy Shiitake Burger: 8oz a Caramelized onions, Provolone and Monte Cheese Burger: 8oz angus beef patty, Bee Add bacon as additional option.
KY 40208
Griff’s Fresh in-House Burger blend, con, Lettuce, Tomato, 35 Praline Sauce affles.
y 40204
ature burger! Topped with hickory smoked bar cheese. Served on a brioche bun with
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933 Baxter Ave. Louisville, KY 40204 (502) 473-1222 | mollymalonesirishpub.com HIGHLANDS HI-FIVE Black Hawk Farms Angus beef topped with bacon chutney, a fried green tomato, & mozzarella cheese on a pretzel bun!
MOLLY MALONE’S (ST. MATTHEWS)
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3900 Shelbyville Rd. Louisville, KY 40207 (502) 882-2222 | mollymalonesirishpub.com THE BURGER KY Proud Black Hawk Farms Beef burger, marinated in Molly’s signature bourbon glaze, topped with Molly’s Irish Beer cheese, L,T,O and served with Molly’s Irish Boxty cakes.
RED HERRING
y 40206 m ento cheese, fried shallots, mixed che bun.
caron mini burgers.
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y 40204 m.com angus beef patty, Mushroom Trio, emore cheese, and Garlic Aioli. Beer er Cheese, Jalapenos, Roma tomatoes.
IZZA (SHELBYVILLE)
SET AT THEATRE SQUARE
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630 South 4th st. Louisville, KY 40202 (502) 587-0526 | setattheatresquare.com SLUGGER SLIDERS 3 Certified Angus Beef Sliders, white cheddar cheese, spicy house pickles, caramelized onions, 1000 island dressing, served up on our custom Louisville Slugger platter.
y 40202
IZZA (BARDSTOWN)
1757 Frankfort Ave. Louisville, KY 40206 (502) 907-3800 | redherringlou.com THE BURGER House made ketchup bun, B&B Pickles, Caramelized Onion, 6oz. Blackhawk Farm Beef Patty, Slice of Pimento Cheese, house made Mayo.
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ky 40207 m.com angus beef patty, Mushroom Trio, emore cheese, and Garlic Aioli. Beer er Cheese, Jalapenos, Roma tomatoes.
STOUT BURGERS & BEERS
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1604 Bardstown Rd. Louisville, KY 40205 (502) 459-8234 | stoutburgersandbeers.com SHU BURGER House-Made Roasted Red Bell Pepper Spread, Stout’s own 100% Aged Beef Blend (Ground Daily), Classic Pepper Jack Cheese, & House-Made Chipotle Aioli.
SULLIVAN’S TAP HOUSE
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3929 Shelbyville Rd. Louisville, KY 40207 (502) 907-0424 | sullivanstaphouse.com THE SOUTHERN SULLY Two 3oz burger patties, Kasseri cheese, Crispy country ham, Grilled Vidalia onion, Bibb lettuce, Heirloom tomato, House pickle mayo.
GOODWOOD BREWING CO. Portions of the vendor fee go to support Dare to Care
www.goodwood.beer Enjoy a Goodwood, receive an extra stamp!
$
MOLLY MALONE’S (HIGHLANDS)
5 B U R G E R S
W E E K L O C AT I O N S
BE A BURGER AMBASSADOR! mellowmuShRoom.com
1023 baRdStown Rd louiSville, Ky 40204 (502) 749-7690
3920 Shelbyville Rd louiSville , Ky 40207 (502) 409-6874
POST PHOTOS & WIN PRIZES
Become eligible to win gift certificates from participating restaurants, concert tickets, Goodwood swag, and more!
MollyMaloneSiriShpub.coM
the highlandS: 933 baxteR ave, louiSville, Ky 40204
(502) 473-1222
St. MatthewS: 3900 Shelbyville Rd, louiSville, Ky 40207 (502) 882-2222
502.907.3800 • redherringlou.com
1757 FrankFort ave. louisville, kY 40206
• Follow @502BurgerWeek on Twitter/Instagram • Post photos of you & your favorite burgers with the hashtag: #502BurgerWeek • Post photos of you & your favorite Goodwood beer with the hashtag: #Goodwoodandburgers
630 S 4th St, LouiSviLLe, KY 40202 (502) 587-0526 • setattheatresquare.com
#502BURGERWEEK
Burger City Louisville burger restaurants are rooted in heritage but focused on reinvention By Stephen Novotni
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urgers are part of the fabric of Louisville. According to local pub and restaurant operators, it’s a top-selling menu item and Louisville’s Kaelin’s Reastaurant is, after all, the birthplace of the cheeseburger. Local pub and restaurant managers say they work to craft burgers that are unique, flavorful and can live up to the Kaelin’s legend. Hopcat opened in Highlands in 2016 and offers up gourmet burgers and plenty of local flair, Hopcat spokesperson Chris Knape says. Hopcat is a chain based in Michigan but makes locals feel right at home with a bright, homey setting, complete with rock album art and a painting of local hero Muhammed Ali. Knape says Hopcat emphasizes hospitality and music. “Burgers are hugely important everywhere we do business, but in Louisville it’s our number-one selling item,” Knape says. “I think that’s a reflection of the heritage and the love of a good, juicy burger. That’s what we really take pride in trying to deliver. We have a freshly baked brioche bun that is baked in Kentucky, it’s not something we’re hauling in on a truck from Michigan” Hopcat serves up more than 130 bourbons and has 132 craft beers on tap. More than 40 of these beers are from Kentucky breweries. “We feature a lot of homemade pub food,” Knape says. “We want to create stuff that’s really approachable and a step above what you would typically find at a bar and we try and create an atmosphere inside the bar that feels at once very casual and unique.” Knape says using high-quality beef is the most important aspect of making a great burger. “We actually worked with our supplier to come up with a custom blend that has a mix of brisket, sirloin and ground chuck and a good enough fat content where you get a really nice juicyness,” Knape says. “That’s the foundation of all of our burgers — a great, half-pound patty on a fresh baked bun.” This sort culinary artistry is evidence of the cultural shift that’s happened over the past 20 years — the burger has become gourmet food, redeemed in popular culture. “There certainly was, for a long time, a perception that a burger is mass-produced fast food, strictly for people looking for a cheap, fast meal,” Knape says. “But you
look at what goes into creating a really great burger, and it starts with an ingredient that is not cheap. It’s not inexpensive. If you’re building yourself a high-quality burger, you’re building it from pieces of good beef. “To me, that’s where the gourmet burger revolution begins, with chefs recognizing that the same sirloin that you’re paying a lot of money for in a grocery store can make a great burger. That same brisket that’s so good slow roasted and barbecued, if it’s blended correctly, creates a unique taste that elevates what people’s perception of what a burger can be.” Freakin’ Unbelievable Burgers co-owner Brittney Howard says her establishment takes their burgers very seriously. “We offer tons of different options and specialty options,” Howard says. “We have glutenfree options and vegetarian options. We just have fun with it. We allow people to make and adjust our burgers to their needs as much as they would like.” Howard says it’s options and consumer
choice that makes a great burger — seeing the burger as a blank canvas. “In everything that we do, it’s definitely a flavorful burger and then when you have six different protein options it broadens the horizons on what you can create,” Howard says. “We like our guests to create their own burger. We like to give them the freedom to create something.” Mellow Mushroom has locations in the Highlands and St. Matthews. While Mellow Mushroom is best known for its pizza, Highlands general manager Alex Johnson says his restaurant uses as many local ingredients as possible to provide the freshest food it can and to support local food producers. “We are kind of a craft location,” Johnson says. “We pride ourselves on craft pizza and we also offer a crafty kind of burger. With our burger we offer the Swiss Cheese when most people offer the American or cheddar. We use a garlic aioli as the spread and a locally purchased brioche bun. We use a carmelized onion on it
instead of just a basic onion. We use romaine lettuce instead of just using a basic, iceberg lettuce and we have a lot of options for what can go on it.” Mellow Mushroom’s Angus burger patties come from a family farm in Georgia, Johnson says. He says taking care in sourcing quality ingredients is the most important way to maintain quality food. That quality is the soul of a gourmet burger and achieving that quality has been key to Mellow Mushroom’s success, Johnson says. “It’s definitely a gourmet burger,” Johnson says. “The original burger that we carried was a little bit smaller patty and we got a fast food reputation off of it. The quality wasn’t necessarily as good. We got rid of that burger and completely changed it up. Or half-pound burger is quality. For us being a pizza place we sell a lot of burgers. Some people come here just for our burgers. Our burger has made a loud noise.” ©
1604 Bardstown road LouisviLLe, KY 40205 (502) 459-8234 stoutBurgersandBeers.com
sHu Burger
3929 Shelbyville Rd louiSville, Ky 40207 (502) 907-0424 SullivanStaphouSe.com
Dare to Care partners with over 300 local social service agencies, such as food pantries, shelters and emergency kitchens to distribute food to our community. In the past year, Dare to Care and our partners provided over 16 million meals to our community. Dare to Care also fights hunger through programs targeting the most vulnerable in our community. These programs include Kids Cafe, Backpack Buddy, Mobile Pantry, Cooking Matters, and a variety of targeted initiatives to reach senior citizens.
2235 F ra n k F o rt av e Lo u i s v i L L e, kY 40206 ( 502 ) 777- 1505 h u b Lo u i s v i L L e.co m
Dare to Care Food Bank is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with the Internal Revenue Service. We keep our administrative costs at 6%, meaning 94 cents of every dollar donated goes directly to fulfilling our mission. Find out more at daretocare.org Portions of the vendor fee go to support Dare to Care.
drakescomeplay.com Paddock ShoPS: 3921 Summit Plaza dr • (502) 384-3921 St. matthewS: 3939 Shelbyville rd • (502) 614-7327
EAT TO WIN PICTURED: DRAKE’S BLT BURGER
Earn 3 or more stamps and you can be entered to win a grill, grill kit and ice cold Goodwood courtesy of the Kentucky Beef Council. What’s a new grill without anything to cook with? Our friends at The Barry Center will provide the winner with 10lbs of “Home Place Beef” Rose Veal burgers, pastureraised by farmers in Henry County, KY. Earn 8 or more stamps and you can be entered to win Drake’s burgers for a year! Plus, you are eligible to be crowned “Beef Ruth” and will receive a Louisville Slugger Burger Week bat! Drop off this passport at any participating restaurant between 7/24-7/30. After 7/30, please mail all passports to: KY Beef Council : 176 Pasadena Dr. Lexington, KY 40503 Passport must be received by 8/11/17 to be eligible.
NAME EMAIL
AGE
21-34
35-54
55+
No cash value. Must be 21 to be eligible and a resident of the Greater Louisville area. Winner will be chosen by random drawing on Friday, August 18 and will be contacted by email. The winner will make arrangements with the Kentucky Beef Council / Drake’s for their prize and must be willing to take photo.
#502BURGERWEEK #GOODWOODANDBURGERS
502BURGERWEEK.COM