Spring 2014 (Vol. 43)

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SPRING 2014 | FEB - MAR - APR

profiles

(pictured) Mussels in a chitarra sauce from The Place Downstairs.

fernando martinez|buck’s|bistro 301 café lou lou|derby café

restaurant guide plus

over 1,000 restaurant listings and maps to them all

kentucky derby party primer|history of bock wellness in your morning cup|humor

chef Q&A

david danielson of churchill downs

NOW

FREE www.foodanddine.com

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SPRING 2014 PUBLISHER JOHN CARLOS WHITE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF RON MIKULAK BUSINESS MANAGER PAUL M. SMITH CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER DAN DRY

PREPARE YOUR SENSES.

ONLINE EDITOR STEVE COOMES COLUMNISTS ROGER A. BAYLOR CARLETTA DELONJAY JAY FOREMAN RON MIKULAK ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS-AT-LARGE TIM & LORI LAIRD CONTRIBUTING WRITERS CARLA CARLTON MICHAEL L. JONES KATY YOCOM

502-456-0980 | winstonsoflouisville.com Lunch: Friday & Saturday 11am-2pm; Sunday 10am-2pm | Dinner: Friday & Saturday 5:30-10pm Reservations recommended | 3101 Bardstown Road

MAGAZINE DESIGN AND LAYOUT JOHN CARLOS WHITE GRAPHIC DESIGN KATHY KULWICKI STEFAN TAMBURRO COPY EDITOR KATHY KULWICKI SALES MANAGER GINA R. WOLFE ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES ANNETTE B. WHITE IN FOND MEMORY OF OUR DEAR FRIEND DANIEL F. BOYLE

Food & Dining Magazine® P.O. Box 665, Louisville KY 40201 (502) 509-EATS (3287)

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@FoodAndDining For Advertising information call 502.509.3287 (EATS) 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.

ON THE COVER: Mussels in a chitarra sauce from The Place Downstairs. (see story page 28) Photo by Dan Dry 4

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SPRING 2014 - VOLUME 43

RESTAURANT GUIDE

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DINING GUIDE Our comprehensive listing of over 1,000 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 — a unique resource you can’t find elsewhere.

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FEATURES

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CHEF Q & A Churchill Downs’ new Executive Chef David Danielson tells what it’s like to be thrown into the maelstrom of Derby.

Although feeding 160,000 people is right up his alley.

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FERNANDO MARTINEZ Katy Yocom profiles the proprietor of four unique and wildly popular restaurants — Guaca Mole, Mussel & Burger Bar, The Place Downstairs, and El Taco Luchador.

PROFILES

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PICK THREE: Louisville Originals

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Buck’s, Café Lou Lou, and Bistro 301 — three very different restaurants, but they do have one thing in common …

URBAN BOURBON TRAIL: Derby Café

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Another of Carla Carlton’s explorations of one of the 26 restaurants in the metro area that celebrates America’s classic distilled, aged spirit.

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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HUMOR Our humor writer muses over food trucks he would like to see.

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FOOD

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WELLNESS: Your morning cup

Some attention to the beneficial powers of herbs can transform your breakfast beverage into a healthful way to jump-start your day.

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FROM THE EDITOR: Biscotti Recipes for biscotti — a cookie that won’t make you feel like a little kid, even if you dunk it in chocolate milk.

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EASY ENTERTAINING: Party Kentucky style

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A simple, yet tasty, Kentucky-themed menu so your spring parties — from Derby to beyond — will be sure-fire successes.

LIQUIDS

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HIP HOPS: The story of Bock Soon it will be spring, the perfect time to tell The Story of Bock, the quintessential seasonal beer.

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BY RON MIKULAK | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

comings&goings As I write this column, the view from my eighth-floor window shows our city beautifully dusted with snow. The roads and sidewalks are icy, though, and the gusting Arctic winds swirl the effect of the already frigid temperatures even lower.

That’s not a good situation for any of the dozen-and-a-half new restaurants, or the new locations of existing businesses, that are just getting their feet under them.

It has been a hard three months for some 20 restaurants which have closed, and four others that have closed one location of multi-outlet stores. Those numbers result in a negative ratio, with more closings than new businesses, for the first time in several years. As we hunker down with our warm drinks, and the best of the basketball season in view, we await new life in the spring.

NEW TABLES The rest of us might hunker down, but not Fernando Mar tinez, who continues to roll out new restaurant ideas almost faster than we can keep up with him. The focus of a profile in this issue of F&D, Martinez has two new restaurants, in addition to his nuevoMexican Guaca Mole in the East End, and Mussel and Burger Bar, 9200 Taylorsville Rd., where The Place Downstairs is set to open on the Fernando Martinez lower level. In the Highlands, he has also opened El Taco Luchador in the little house at 938 Baxter Ave., that most recently was the Lil Cheezers brick and mortar store.

El Taco Luchador is dispensing tacos, tortas and a few other Latin-themed quick service items, done with the flair and respect for top ingredients that Martinez’s fans have come to expect. At The Place Downstairs, Martinez will have the chance to perform at the higher levels of his skills, putting his Cordon Bleu training and experience at top Latino restaurants in Mexico and Florida, on display. Look for an imaginative contemporary eclectic menu at a mostly moderate price point.

Those with a taste for Latin flavors have a few more choices.

Wild Rita’s is a new concept from J.D. Rothberg and Shane Hall, who have made Wild Eggs a phenomenon. The space at 445 E. Market St. on the edge of NuLu will serve modern Mexican cuisine, and have an extensive selection of tequilas — up to 100 6

Spring 2014 www.foodanddine.com

different labels. As if opening a whole new business model wasn’t enough to keep them busy, Rothberg and Hall are also opening a fourth iteration of their popular breakfast restaurant within a week of Wild Rita’s. The first downtown outlet of Wild Eggs will be a few blocks away at 121 S. Floyd St. Brazeiros Churrascaria, in Fourth Street Live!, will be the first Brazilian grillhouse in the area, at 450 S. Four th St. Strolling “gaucho chefs” will slice grilled meats onto your plate until you cry uncle. And Riviera Maya is open at 2206 Frankfort Ave. in Clifton, serving, among other Mexican dishes, conchinita pibil, long-cooked pork shoulder with Mayan flavors.

In the Highlands, a Chinese restaurant, The Joy Luck, moves into the shotgun house at 1285 Bardstown Rd., across from Mid-City Mall. In the Douglass Loop, at 2222 Dundee Rd., Loop 22 is the newest concept from Adam Burress and Chase Mucerino, the guys at Hammerheads and Game. Eric Morris will be the chef, concocting Southern cuisine and slow-cooked rotisserie meats.

In Butchertown, at 1601 Story Ave., Louis’s “The Ton” will try an interesting concept, a bar serving tapas and cold plates and predinner snacks, sourced as locally as possible.

Super Chef’s Breakfast and Lunch consolidates “superchef ” Darnell Ferguson’s pop-up breakfast concept in the rear of the Ruby Slipper consignment store in St. Matthews, 307 Wallace Ave., in an expanded space that for several years was Blooms Café. (The two previous places where Ferguson popped up to do his breakfasts, Chicago Gyro, 2317 Brownsboro Rd. and Seafood Connection, 3941 Chenoweth Sq., have both closed.) Ferguson’s over-the-top creations like Neapolitan pancakes and The Hulk — eggs, cheese, sausage and bacon sandwiched between two green waffles and drizzled with syrup — are available for weekend brunch, too.

Other recently opened restaurants include Bread and Breakfast,

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Spring 2014

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157 E. Main St., New Albany, a bakery and breakfast cafe whose owner started by selling her wares at farmers markets. Also, Sam’s Gyro’s has opened at 9104 Taylorsville Rd., and Thai Noodles is at 5800 Preston Hwy. and Masala Grill, 528 S. Fifth St. provides the downtown office lunch searchers a source of spicy Indian-Pakistani fare. Hungry high rollers now have The Spread buffet at Horseshoe Casino in Elizabeth, Ind., instead of Paula Deen’s buffet.

And a few other places are expanding with new outlets. Momma’s Mustard, Pickles & BBQ found such quick success in their first year that they are branching out with a second location at 119 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., near the Shelbyville Rd. intersection.

Roosters, a favorite sports viewing spot of the F&D staff, has a new place in Middletown at 10430 Shelbyville Rd.; Jets Pizza adds a location at 101 S. Hubbards Ln.; and Jimmy Johns has yet another sandwich store downtown at 223 S. Fifth St. And Papalino’s Pizza has opened a

suburban store at 3598 Springhurst Blvd., in a space considerably larger than their original Highlands store. There owner/chef Allan Rosenberg can offer his popular New York-style pizzas — by the pie or by the slice — and is also able to offer an everexpanding small plates menu.The new place also has an in-store charcuterie room, where he prepares the sausages and other preserved meats he uses on his pizzas and appetizers.

CLOSINGS Although 24 restaurants have closed, none of the notable tables in town have been casualties. One of the longer-lived places that called it quits is Erika’s German Restaurant, 9301 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., which had been around for a decade or so.

Several other ethnic eateries have been casualties. Sitar Indian at 1702 Bardstown Rd closed, as has Beijing Grill and Sushi Bar, 8007 Hwy. 311 in Sellersburg, Ind.; Oasis Sushi and Soul, 3311 Preston Hwy.; Thai Smile 5, 5800 Preston Hwy.; Mucho Queso Pizzeria, 2208 Bardstown Rd.; Irie’s

Caribbean Cafe, 255 Quartermaster Ct., Jeffersonville; and ZiaLaLa Latin Cafe, 12220 Shelbyville Rd. in Middletown.

Cafeterias seem to have lost their constituencies. Jane’s Cafeteria, 4601 Jennings Ln. and Piccadilly Cafeteria, 2131 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy. have both closed; the latter once has several local stores, and the Hurstbourne location was the last one.

Dooley’s Bagelcatessen, also once a thriving concern with 6 outlets, closed its last one at 2415 Lime Kiln Ln. Other closings include Boardwalk Fresh Burgers & Fries, 2909 E. Tenth St., Jeffersonville, Ind.; Hickory House BBQ, 2307 S. Preston St.; Home Plate Cafe, 400 E. Main St.; and Jackson’s Seafood, 400 W. Main St., New Albany, Ind. Also in Indiana, up in Floyds Knobs, FX Pizza, 4865 Old Vincennes Rd., has closed.

Out in Prospect, Take Out to the River, 950 U.S. Hwy 42, is no more. And downtown, Wolfgang Puck Express, 221 S. Fourth St., in the corner of the Convention Center, closed up shop.

Four multi-store restaurants have shuttered one of their locations. A fire destroyed the Clarksville location of Sam’s Food & Spirits at 3800 Payne Kohler Rd. The Sam’s at 702 Highlander Point Dr. in Floyd’s Knobs is still serving.

Ermin’s Bakery and Cafe in the Starks Building, 455 S. Fourth St., has ceased operation, leaving just the original store at First and Oak. And the Indi’s Restaurant in Charlestown, Ind., at 1085 Market St. has closed.

CHANGES A few changes are worth noting.The Little Ceasar’s Pizza at 9017 Galene Dr. has moved to 9593 Taylorsville Rd., and the Panera Bread at 601 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy. has moved a block away to 500 S. Hurstbourne.

And the first floor restaurant at the Seelbach Hilton, 500 S. Fourth St. that used to be Otto’s, is now Gatsby’s on Fourth, refurbished and now serving dinner as well as breakfast and lunch.

CORRECTION And finally, we apologize to the good folks at Quiznos Subs downtown at 223 S. Fifth Street. In the printed version of this column we incorrectly reported that they had closed. We are happy to state correctly that Quiznos at 223. S. Fifth St. has not closed, but, indeed continues to provide good food to its loyal customer base. F&D regrets the error.

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Enjoy samplings from 5-7 local restaurants, as well as unique craft beers and/or cocktails selected just for you.

Space is limited, reserve your spot on our weekly tour.

Visit LouisvilleFoodTour.com

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BY JAY FOREMAN

Food Trucks I’d Like to See Odd that the most famous celebration (Mardi Gras) here in my food-crazed native city (New Orleans) features food trucks offering the most plebian of fare — corn dogs, chicken fingers and similar ilk — nosed up to its parade routes. These wandering Sysco dispensers simply have no place in our pantheon of epicurean tradition and, given the dawn of this new era of food trucks, I feel that it is time they be put to pasture along with other 20th centur y failed experiments like Trickle-Down Economics and Jazzercise.

But the question remains — are these hothouse flowers ready for Prime Time? Sure, any creatively hirsute line cook can sling chicken bulgogi tacos from a wagon outside of a hipster bar — what is PBR for, if not to soothe the ruffled feathers of a 45 minute wait for fast food — but are they ready to level up and tackle the mainstream? They will be if they follow my advice. Unencumbered by the thought process, I present to you a wish list for the slate of the next wave of Food Trucks.

The Modernist If you are anything like me, then you’ve found yourself hammered at 3:51 a.m., craving Spherified Foie Gras “Caviar” with Huitlacoche Foam Suspended in a Caramel Lattice. Here comes the Modernist Food Truck to the rescue! Equipped with dual nitrogen tanks (for freezing sustainably harvested goji berries), thermal circulators and a 3-D printer loaded with the latest in edible protein extruders, this laboratory on the move can whip up anything from the mind of Ferran Adria, plus hit 75 on a straightaway. The question is, will people be willing to pay $275 for a 4-course tasting menu that offers the seating comfor t of an Osaka yakatori car t? With generous small-batch absinthe pours, who knows …

The Cat Pantry I didn’t Google this before writing about it for fear that this already exists either in New York or Portland, but we all know it is only a matter of time before food trucks start catering to pets. From a business standpoint it’s gold(-en retriever) — the margins are terrific and anything that spoils can get repackaged in the “Canine Cassoulet” line of prepared dog foods. It might even be able to

sidestep zoning regulations since it can park in front of dog runs and Petco without having to worry about being ticketed or chased off by an irate Quiznos owner. The specials practically write themselves — Bring Your Own Bowl and Get 10% Off. Frisky Hoarders Go Bonkers at Singles Night for Cat Owners.

Heartworm Pills Offered as a $10 Add-On to Baloney Cone — so the question becomes what celebrity chef will lend his or her star power to a marketing launch? I’m guessing Rachael Ray.

The MST Frymaster 3K We all know that deep frying is both dangerous and smelly when done in the home. That is why I propose suspending a cauldron of boiling oil from the tow-hook of a repurposed wrecker and careening around town via requests from a mobile app so that people can batter and fry their trial-size Snickers bars in the comfort of their own driveway. This actually inverts the business model of the English “chippy” (fish and chip shop) and as such would be manned by a Southampton longshoreman with an impenetrable accent who — as a plus — drives on the wrong side of the road. Ambulance-chasing attorneys could wrap the truck in ads to help offset insurance costs. This would be great for Easter and Halloween candy mop-up operations.

Take Five I propose a food truck that offers comfortable seating as well as implements like spoons and forks. I know what you’re thinking — that’s a “restaurant” — but this approach would alleviate the ugly fact that food trucks basically amplify the

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cocktail party conundrum — that awkward confluence where one tries to manage a drink, a small plate and a fork with just two hands, with the added trauma of not having a trash can to throw it into when you are done or give up trying.

The Troutwagon Finally, fish farms and food trucks come together in a recreational tour de force.

An above-ground pool gets loaded onto a gooseneck trailer and stocked with brown trout and pulled by a Vintage air stream equipped with a line of personal Fry Daddys. You can rent Zebco rods and reels, catch your dinner and have it fried to order along with hushpuppies and a sweet southern slaw. Would be great for the Boat Show circuit or as a Bass Pro community outreach initiative.

Pass the Stuffing It’s getting harder to set yourself apart these days. Every nation’s cuisine, from Abyssinian to Zulu, has been strip-mined and repackaged, their condiments eventually retired to the clearance aisles of World Market. (English candy? Who eats that stuff?) So instead of focusing on a par ticular nation, or mashing a few together for a sad fusion experiment, let’s take a different approach and zero in on the holidays. A Thanksgiving food truck can ser ve up candied yams, brined Bourbon Reds and oyster dressing yearround. True, you run the risk of shanking and becoming the culinary equivalent of the year-round Christmas store but hey, everybody likes leftovers, right?

________________ We’ve got one year to pull this together before the next Mardi Gras rolls around. In the meantime, I’ll turn my nose up at the nachos with Velveeta sauce and stick to the good stuff — Popeye’s chicken eaten curbside out of a greasy box. It just doesn’t get much better than that. F&D

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BY CARLETTA DELONJAY

Your Morning Cup Use your spice rack to revitalize you and your morning brew Ah! That morning cup! Whether your preference is coffee or tea, that hot brew chases away the cobwebs of night and star ts revving up your brain to face the challenges of the day. But your morning drink can do more than just jumpstar t your head; it can also be a way to incorporate healthful habits into your everyday routine. Nutrition has many forms, and that first cup of coffee or tea can be a way to incorporate a lot of healthful — and tasty — nutritional benefits into your system by adding herbs and spices that are likely already in your spice cabinet. My morning routine includes organic coffee or tea (organic coffee and tea are free of the many harmful chemical contaminants found in nonorganic varieties) and a variety of spices including cinnamon, ginger root, fennel, almonds and cocoa.

Cinnamon

Ginger Root

Cinnamon’s healing qualities come from three components found in the essential oils in its bark: cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl ace tate, and cinnamyl alcohol. Traditional medicine, in both Asia and the West, has used cin na mon for cen turies to prevent and treat high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, insulin resis tance and hear t disease .

Moder n medi cine is finding that the active in gre di ents in cin na mon do indeed have testable ameliorative effects on those conditions.

If possible, purchase quality organic cinnamon quills and grind it fresh to retain the immediate release of medicinal properties.

Otherwise ground organic cinnamon is a good second choice. A teaspoon of cinnamon in the bottom of your coffee cup allows the cinnamon to better dissolve as you stir this rich, warming spice into your daily java.

Scientists have identified almost 500 different chemical constituents in ginger root, including such well-known compounds as ascorbic acid, capsaicin, beta-carotene, curcumin, lecithin, selenium and tryptophan. Ginger has been found to moderate nausea and motion sickness, control cholesterol problems and relieve heartburn.

Try a slice in your morning tea or place a few slices in a cup and fill with hot water, honey and lemon for a wonderfully nourishing option to tea or coffee. Anticipating nausea on a deep sea fishing trip, I prepared fresh ginger lemonade, which the other anglers found delicious, and kept the effects of a rocking boat to a minimum.

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Fennel Seed Fennel is an excellent source of vitamin C, folic acid, potassium and minerals such as magnesium and calcium. Anethole, the volatile oil that gives fennel the licorice-like flavor that is so recognizable, has been shown to relieve menstrual cramps, reduce inflammatory bowel disease, lessen the effects of dementia and glaucoma and to suppress appetite.

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Simply bruising one teaspoon of fennel seeds in a mortar and pestle to release the essential oil just before brewing will keep the medicinal value intact. Infuse in boiling water or add to a steeping pot of tea for at least 10 minutes. Strain and serve hot. Fennel seed tea can help reduce appetite when drunk a half-hour before meals. My other favorite use is in meatloaf or spaghetti sauce, where the wonderful licorice flavor enhances the meat and provides added digestive benefits.

Almonds In that most spices are dried seeds, we can consider nuts, such as almonds — seeds of the almond tree — as spices. Almonds are high in calories: about 20 almonds can contain 150 to 200 calories. However, 78 percent of those calories are from the “good” monounsaturated fatty acids, which are linked to heart health. Almonds show promise in lowering the risk of some cardiac problems, such as high triglyc er ides, cholesterol and high blood pressure.

They are packed full of nutrients, including potassium, magnesium and vitamin E, and are an impor tant source of antioxidant flavonoids.

Store almonds in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator or freezer to prevent them from going rancid. Soaking almonds in purified water overnight neutralizes enzyme inhibitors, present in all seeds, and encourages the production of numerous beneficial enzymes. Munch on a few every morning or use almond milk creamer (you can make your own) in your coffee or tea to enjoy the benefits.

Cocoa The scientific name for the cacao bean, the basis of chocolate and cocoa, is Theobroma which means “food of the gods” in Latin. Cocoa is one of the richest sources of flavanols, plant compounds that can disarm cell-damaging free radicals.

Healing properties of cocoa include ameliorating diabetes, smoothing wrinkles and lightening age spots, as well as promoting cardio vascular health. The darker the chocolate the better; go for chocolate that contains at least 60 percent or more cocoa solids to get the healing proper ties of flavanols into your body.

A favorite combination of mine is Cobalamin Tonic, which combines the benefits of coffee, cocoa and grade B maple syrup. This tasty concoction can benefit sleep, balance hormones and provide more energy. Cocoa is a great source of magnesium, copper and vitamin B12, while grade B or unrefined maple syrup is high in important trace minerals.

To make the tonic, mix one teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa powder and one teaspoon of grade B (unrefined) maple syrup into a paste in a coffee cup, add coffee and stir well.

Other ways to reap the benefits: rub pork or lamb with a mixture of coffee and cocoa before roasting, or add cocoa powder to chili. You can also add a teaspoon of cocoa powder to a tablespoon of oil or melted butter to glaze naturally sweet vegetables, such as carrots or sweet potatoes.

It isn’t hard to add healthful spices to your diet. Use these suggestions to inspire your own ways to spice up your health every day. F&D www.facebook.com/foodanddine Spring 2014 13

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about food cooking with ron

BY RON MIKULAK | PHOTOGRAPH BY DAN DRY

Biscotti

the perfect adult cookie

Now, in my so-called sunset years, my life has devolved into a routine, but a pleasant one, and one not all that different from when both my wife and I had careers that took us away from the house for most of the day. I make dinner for us every night, which we usually eat with candles lit on the dining room table, and we talk over our day, or discuss the world news, or tell each other something of the books we are reading, and later, after we get the pots and skillets and glasses and dishes cleaned and put away, I make an espresso for myself and get out a cookie for each of us.

Throughout the year we nibble on Samoas and Thin Mints in Girl Scout season, and various Pepperidge Farm cookies that contain chocolate. But in the winter, I always get a hankering for biscotti with my after-dinner espresso.

Biscotti strike me as the perfect adult cookie. The Italian provenance gives them a slightly cosmopolitan aura — but it is the crunchy, sandy texture; its not-too-sweet flavor; and the unusual shape that makes it perfect for dipping into coffee, tea or cappuccino — that give it its allure.

I have occasionally tried commercially made biscotti, but often they are too hard to crumble easily, the texture does not have the attractive sandiness that is essential, and now and then I have even found something touted as biscotti that are soft and chewy. No, I am sorry, but biscotti are not meant to be a chewy cookie. They must crunch and crumble when bitten into — unless, of course, they are first minimally softened by a quick dunk into your biscottiaccompanying beverage of choice.

So, I eschew store-bought biscotti because my efforts at baking them myself have been so satisfying, both in process and results. Biscotti dough is easy to put together, easy to handle, and even enjoyable to manipulate, in forming into logs for the first baking, in slicing the cooled logs to the size you wish, and arranging them for the second baking, which give them their characteristic attractive color and crunch.

The vanilla biscotti recipe, at right, is a template that can be altered to accommodate other sophisticated flavors, such as mocha and orange. The amount of flour is approximate, depending on the size of the eggs and amount of other flavoring liquids added. Once you make a few batches, you will get a sense of the proper density and moisture of the dough — it should be soft but not sticky — and how much flour is needed.

Making biscotti is a perfect project for a snow day (dip them in hot chocolate), but having them around to munch on with an iced coffee on the deck in August is fine, too. Biscotti make a much-appreciated gift, and keep quite a while in an airtight container.

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Master biscotti recipe notes The proportions in this recipe make the kind of biscotti I most enjoy: A cookie that will be hard and crunchy but crumble easily when chewed. The texture will be pleasantly grainy, and the taste just barely sweet, with subtle notes of the added flavors.

For the vanilla biscotti, follow this recipe, including using sugar flavored with the seeds of a fresh vanilla bean. The emptied bean halves can then be added to a container of plain sugar, to sit there for several months to flavor the sugar subtly, which can then be used in baking other kinds of biscotti — or flavoring your coffee.

You can use plain sugar in the variations I give on the next page, or the vanilla-scented sugar from the depleted bean.

Master recipe for vanilla biscotti /4 1 1 2 2 2 1 1 /4 1 3

cup sugar vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise stick butter, room temperature eggs teaspoons vanilla extract cups all-purpose flour teaspoon baking powder teaspoon salt cup slivered almonds or pine nuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees and position rack in center.

Carefully split the fresh vanilla bean lengthwise with a small knife and, using the tip of the knife, scrape out as many seeds as you can into a small bowl filled with the sugar. Then, using your fingers, toss the sugar and vanilla seeds to distribute the vanilla evenly throughout the sugar.

With an electric mixer, cream the butter, then gradually add the vanilla sugar and beat well. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla extract. (continued)

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(continued) Add the flour, baking powder and salt, beat until the dough stiffens, and finish mixing with a large fork. Stir in the almonds or pine nuts. (You may first toast the nuts in a skillet if you wish, but be careful not to burn them, especially if using pine nuts, which char easily.)

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Divide dough in half and work with one half at a time.

Knead dough lightly, just enough to have it come together. Shape dough into a flat log, as long as your baking sheet, approximately 11/2 inches wide and 1/2 inch high. Place on one side of the baking sheet. Prepare the other half of the dough the same way, and place on other side of the sheet.

Bake for 30 minutes. Remove sheet and let cool 30 minutes. Slice each log on the diagonal into 1/2 -inch wide slices.

Place cookies cut side down on baking sheet, and return to oven for 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned on the edges. Turn cookies over and bake 1012 minutes longer, until nicely browned.

Cool and store in an air-tight container.

Makes at least two dozen cookies.

Mocha biscotti Brew a scant quarter cup of strong espresso (or coffee). When cooled, beat into the batter of the master recipe before adding flour. Add more flour if needed to balance additional liquid, and to keep the dough from being too sticky. Reduce vanilla extract to 1 teaspoon. Stir in 1 cup chocolate chips and 1/2 cup slivered almonds. Shape and bake as above.

Orange spice biscotti Using the master recipe, reduce vanilla extract to just 1 teaspoon. Add 1 tablespoon grated orange rind to batter, and 1/2 teaspoon orange oil or orange extract, if you want a more assertive orange flavor. Stir 1 teaspoon cinnamon into flour mixture. Nuts are optional.

Shape and bake as above. F&D

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

BY MICHAEL L. JONES | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

CHEF DAVID DANIELSON

Age: 47 Current Restaurant: Executive Chef, Churchill Downs Previous Restaurants: Ritz Carlton in Chicago, United Nations Neighborhood (current): Crestwood Hometown: Chicago, Illinois

Wife: Laura Kids: Eric, 12 and Lee, 9 Favorite Hobbies: Listening to blues music, sailing Favorite Cookbook: The Art of French Pastry by Jacquy Pfeiffer Favorite Kitchen Gadget: Microplane

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QA &

David Danielson, executive chef at Churchill Downs, is already frantically getting ready for his fourth Derby, which is now how he marks time. Before moving to Louisville, Danielson operated a catering business that specialized in large events, cooking for everything from the Super Bowl to the Olympics. In fact, shortly after this interview, he was preparing to head for Sochi, Russia, where he will cook for the 2014 Winter Olympics. When you are cooking at Danielson’s level, then, it’s about more than just making the food taste good.

“What we do is show business,” Danielson explained. “We provide sustenance, we nurture, but we also provide entertainment. At Churchill Downs, we really play into that. Everybody remembers the Derby, even if it’s their twentieth.” Food & Dining sat down with Danielson in the Mansion, the track’s new, luxurious hospitality suite. The Chicago-born chef gave us a rare look behind the curtain of the spectacle that is Churchill Downs.

How did you end up at Churchill Downs?

I had a catering company in Chicago that specialized in large global events. I catered the Olympics, Lollapalooza, and Red Bull.

I sold my catering company, and I was looking for new opportunities when I heard about an opening at Churchill Downs. I came down to visit and really fell in love with the city.

What was your first Kentucky Derby like?

I got here two weeks before the Derby. I walked in and they said, “This is what we’re doing, hold on.” For tunately for me, I’ve done everything from Olympics to Super Bowl to PGA. But I’ve never seen anything like the Derby, just in the sheer volume and size of the food and beverage operation. I don’t know any event in the world that compares to it. If you go to another sporting event, the action is happening on the field. But at the Kentucky Derby, the fans are part of the spectacle. Yes, it’s the greatest two minutes in sports. But it’s also a day for people getting dressed up and coming out to eat and drink. There is a social aspect and a food and beverage aspect to the Kentucky Derby that you won’t find at any other sporting event.

What are your responsibilities during Derby time?

As the executive chef, I’m ultimately responsible for all the food being served here at the new Mansion, Millionaire’s Row, all of our premium areas, as well as overseeing the concessions. Anything 160,000 people decide to eat ultimately is my responsibility.

Besides the Derby, do you have to provide food for all the meets?

So when do you start getting ready for the Derby?

The day after Derby Day we start getting ready for the next one. I tell the guys who work for me that there are three things we have to look for: what we need to keep doing; what we need to stop doing; and what we need to start doing. The goal here is to create a richer experience for the guests every year.

What is your first food memory?

My grandparents came from Sweden, and my grandmother used to bake fresh bread every single day. She would bake and cook all through the day. I remember going over there and watching her. I thought baking bread every day was normal.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

There was a point in my life when I wanted to be a marine biologist. I loved the water.

I love swimming, snorkeling, and diving. I played hockey for a long time. I thought that was a possibility until reality set in. I never thought of cooking as a profession until after I started working in a bakery.

Why did you become a chef?

My first job in high school, I washed dishes

at a French baker y. I used to watch the pastry chefs making all the torts and the beautiful desserts. Great chefs have the unique ability to put something in front of someone, and it stops them for a minute from thinking about what else is going on in their lives.

Who has influenced your cooking the most?

When I first star ted cooking, Fernando Gutierrez, the executive chef at the Ritz Carlton in Chicago, was my mentor. He probably had the biggest influence on me, building a work ethic in me and getting me to understand the importance of food.

Overall, who are your favorite chefs?

Thomas Keller at French Laundry. Michel Bras in France. Heston Blumenthal at Fat Duck in England. Anne-Sophia Pic owns a restaurant called La Maison Pic in France.

She’s the only three-star Michelin woman chef. And Sean Brock — he’s the guy kind of leading the whole Southern Food thing at a restaurant called Husk in Charleston, South Carolina. I really like what all those chefs are doing.

What’s your greatest strength in the kitchen?

My realization that my staff is the best product that I have. My primary challenge is to take my knowledge and impart that to my staff.

What’s your downfall?

Probably, like all chefs, my temperament.

When you’re young, your success is based on your ability to put out a dish. As you move up and become a chef, your success is dependent on a lot of other people doing their jobs.

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We do the food and beverage through the entire spring meet, the new September

meet, and then the fall meet. We also have other big days — we had 6,000 people for Mother’s Day; we had 7,000 people for Thanksgiving dinner. While Derby is really, really big — our schedule centers around that event — there are other big things happening here. We are continuing to open new areas. We have a new garden pavilion.

We are about to open a new paddock area. We’re always developing new menus, new experiences.

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Duck Confit Salad

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Other than your own restaurant, where is your favorite place to eat in Louisville?

Kitchen tool the home chef doesn’t know about but should?

in Indian food. But it’s also used a lot in what I grew up with, Scandinavian cooking.

My go-to restaurant, because my kids love it, is Havana Rumba. But I also like to go downtown. Decca, Rye — I’ve hit all of those new restaurants. Jack Fry’s is another amazing place as well.

A microplane. It is the greatest thing for grating in the world, whether you’re grating cheese or citrus zest. I’ve tried to grate just about everything using a microplane.

Louisville Chef, Survivor Island: Name two local restaurant personalities you want on your team.

Besides Churchill Downs, what’s the first place you’d take an out-of-towner?

Butter. Butter makes everything better. I am an old-school French guy.

If I had out-of-town guests, the first thing I would do is take them on the Bourbon Trail. We would hit several distilleries, and stop at little restaurants in between.

Is there a secret ingredient in your kitchen?

Kitchen tool(s) you cannot live without?

A fish spatula and large sauce spoon. That’s all a good chef needs.

Best cooking tip for a novice?

If you are sautéing, start with a hot pan.

Nothing sticks to a hot pan. I watch people star t cooking in a cold pan and it sticks.

A hot pan caramelizes, it gives color, and it gives flavor, whether you are sautéing mushrooms or chicken breast.

What’s your favorite go-to ingredient?

I have a secret ingredient called Gunpowder, that I buy in a butcher shop. I don’t even know what’s in it. It’s great on steaks and poultry. I have also started experimenting with ash. I take thyme and rosemary, and cook them in a cast-iron pan until they are burned-up into ash. We grind them in a coffee grinder. We mix other seasonings up with that.

Which seasonings are underrated?

Cardamom is definitely underrated. It is a pod seasoning. People think it’s mostly used

I love Volare. Josh Moore is somebody I would like to get to know. I would take him and any of the guys that work at Churchill Downs with me. I have an amazing group of Sous Chefs.

Fill in the blank: If I weren’t a chef, I’d be...

Hopefully, sitting on a beach somewhere.

If you had a time machine, what would be your first stop in culinary history?

I would go back to the early 70s, almost anywhere in France. I would like to watch as they broke the mold from old French cuisine. You know — when things changed into the way we cook now.

What was the last book you read?

I read a lot of cookbooks. There are two books on my counter at home right now — “Devil In the Kitchen” by Marco Pierre Green Goddess Chicken

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White; and I’m also reading “The Art of French Pastry” by Jacquy Pfeiffer.

What food is your guilty pleasure?

Chicago-style Italian roast beef sandwich. I’m also a sucker for pizza.

Is there a food you can’t bring yourself to eat?

Not a huge fan of offal, organ meats. Just can’t do it.

Your favorite quick meal to prepare at home?

A patty melt is my go-to secret late night meal.

What do you think is the next worthwhile food/dining trend?

Barbecue is really big and that’s going to continue to go mainstream in restaurants as more people under stand smoking. At Churchill, we’re smoking different kinds of meats, like leg of lamb, and also playing around with smoke as an ingredient.

Are there other culinary trends you are wild about right now?

It’s really inspiring to see how the Southern food is coming back again. That is one of the things that we’ve tried to embrace here at Churchill Downs.

Give us one reason Louisville should be considered a culinary destination for traveling foodies?

We are a town that kind of borders that Southern tip. We’ve got one foot in the North and one foot in the South. Because of that, we have one foot in tradition and one foot moving forward. There are a lot of independent restaurants here, including some amazing ethnic places. There is something here for everybody. A lot of other cities are happy with cookie-cutter, but in Louisville we support the independents. F&D

(top L-R) Salt-roasted beet salad with farro and a goat cheese honey crema; strawberry and snap pea salad with cucumber, pickled red onion and a minted white balsamic dressing. (above) A riff on shrimp and grits — Sautéed shrimp, Weisenberger grits, parmesan and lardon with a coffee syrup. (right) “Cornbread Panzanella” — Heirloom tomatoes, cucumber, red onion with a red wine vinaigrette.

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BY TIM AND LORI LAIRD | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

Let’s Party, Kentucky Style!

Traditional drinks, dishes give Derby parties Southern flavor

What once was a celebration of Derby Day has grown into several weeks of festivities and fun leading up to the first Saturday in May. In Kentucky, it’s practically its own season. If you are planning a Derby party or just looking for fun recipes to enjoy this year, we have several sure winners for you.

Start off with our popular and simple tomato sandwiches. Another one that’s perfect all spring and summer is our herbed local goat cheese with fresh spring mint.

For a Derby brunch, the Kentucky eggs Benedict offer a beloved breakfast standard twisted anew with one of the state’s premier culinary contributions, country ham. For something a little heartier, try the bison stew, a unique treat that will surprise out-of-town guests who may not know that bison graze on a massive farm just outside of Louisville.

22 Spring 2014 www.foodanddine.com

Want to add a bit of glamour to your affair? Try serving caviar with toast points. We suggest Shuckman's Spoonfish Caviar which is raised in Kentucky and is uncommonly mild and flavorful with rich luscious bright berries. It can be found at local specialty markets.

It’s hardly a party without a refreshing cocktail or two, including of course, the mint julep. Our Easy Mint Julep recipe does not require muddling, can be made by the pitcher and adjusted easily to one’s sweetness preference. Another wonderful cocktail is the original Oaks Lily, a recipe we invented several years ago for the Kentucky Oaks. It is a perfect spring sipper.

Peaches are terrific, but combining them with Kentucky Bourbon and creamy vanilla ice cream makes them sublime. Your guests will be thrilled even if their horse finished last.

Enjoy these sure winners for your Derby party and spring entertaining. Cheers!

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The Oaks Lily

This drink made its debut at the 132nd Oaks Day and was created by Tim Laird as the first signature drink of this prestigious race, run on the Friday before Derby Day. The color of the drink emulates that of the Stargazer lily, which is the flower in the prized blanket awarded to the winning horse of the Kentucky Oaks, known as the Lilies for the Fillies.

This mixture can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until serving time.

1 ounce Finlandia vodka 1 ounce lemonade 3 ounces cranberry juice Splash of triple sec Squeeze of lime 3 blackberries, for garnish Add ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a tall glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with blackberries. Add a sipping straw and enjoy.

To make by the pitcher (SERVES 8): 8 8 24 1 /2

ounces Finlandia vodka ounces lemonade ounces cranberry juice ounce triple sec Juice of 1/2 lime 24 blackberries, for garnish

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In a pitcher, combine ingredients and stir. Pour into tall glasses filled with crushed ice. Garnish with blackberries. Add sipping straws and enjoy.

Easy Mint Juleps

You can adjust the sweetness of the drink by adding more or less of the simple syrup.

2 ounces Woodford Reserve Bourbon 1 ounce simple mint syrup Crushed ice Garnish with Kentucky mint sprig Mix Bourbon and mint syrup. Pour into a tall glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with a sprig of mint and a sipping straw.

To make by the pitcher, use: 16 ounces Woodford Reserve Bourbon 8 ounces simple mint syrup To make mint simple syrup: Combine 1 part water and 1 part sugar. Bring sugar and water to a boil while stirring to dissolve.

Add 1 part loosely-packed mint leaves and remove from heat.

Let stand for 20 minutes then strain into a tempered glass jar, let cool and refrigerate until ready to use. If you use 1 cup each of water and sugar, you’ll make about 1 cup (8 ounces) of syrup.

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(SERVES 6)

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Kentucky Eggs Benedict

Eggs can be poached a day ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator in a bowl of cold water. Reheat before serving by dipping them in a pan of slightly boiling water.

2 1 1 /2 1 /4 12 2 12 6

egg yolks teaspoon fresh lemon juice cup butter (1 stick), cut into tablespoon size pieces cup boiling water Salt and ground cayenne pepper, to taste thin slices cooked Kentucky country ham tablespoons white vinegar Kentucky farm fresh eggs English muffins, split, toasted and buttered Paprika

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In the top of a double boiler, whisk egg yolks and lemon juice together. Add 3 tablespoons of butter. Place double boiler over simmering water. Cook, beating constantly, until butter melts and sauce begins to thicken. Add 3 more tablespoons of butter, stir until butter melts, then add remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Slowly whisk in boiling water. Continue cooking over simmering water, stirring, until mixture thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in salt and cayenne pepper.

Place ham slices on rack of broiler pan. Broil 4 inches from heat for about 4 minutes, or until ham begins to brown.

While ham is broiling, pour about 3 inches of water into a pan.

Add white vinegar and lightly salt the water; bring to a boil. Carefully put eggs in the water, breaking into a cup first, then gently slipping them into the water one at a time. Simmer eggs for 3 to 4 minutes or until set. Remove with slotted spoon, drain, and pat dry.

Place English muffins on serving plate, top with a slice of ham and a poached egg. Spoon a little sauce over the egg and sprinkle with paprika. Serve immediately.

Kentucky Bison Stew

(SERVES 6)

Don’t be intimidated by the long list of ingredients. There really isn’t much work involved, just adding everything to the slow cooker and turning it on.

2 /4 1 /2 2 1 1 1 /4 1 11/2 1 /4 3 4 1 1 1

pounds buffalo cube steak or stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes cup flour teaspoon each salt and ground black pepper cloves garlic, minced bay leaf teaspoon paprika teaspoon each dried thyme, oregano, and basil teaspoon Worcestershire sauce cups reduced-sodium beef broth cup Old Forester Bourbon potatoes, diced carrots, sliced stalk celery, chopped cup frozen pearl onions, thawed

Place meat in slow cooker. In a small bowl mix together the flour, salt and pepper; pour over meat and stir to coat meat with the flour mixture.

Add remaining ingredients and stir. Cover and cook on low setting for 10 to 12 hours or on high setting for 4 to 6 hours. Serve over wide noodles, rice or with a chunk of crusty bread.

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Tomato Sandwiches ▲ (SERVES 6)

12 5 1 1 2

slices white bread Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced cup mayonnaise sweet onion, very thinly sliced to fit bread bunches Italian parsley, finely chopped

Cut 1-inch to 11/2-inch rounds out of bread using a cookie cutter or top of jar. You should be able to get approximately 3 rounds per slice of bread. Spread mayonnaise on one side of each slice of bread round.

Place onion slice on bread round. Top with tomato slice. Top with second piece of bread. Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise around the outside edge of the sandwich. Place chopped parsley on a flat plate. Roll mayonnaise edge of the sandwich in chopped parsley.

Bluegrass Peaches with Ice Cream (SERVES 6)

3 peeled (Kentucky) peaches 6 teaspoons brown sugar, separated 3 tablespoons butter, cut into 6 pieces 6 tablespoons Woodford Reserve Bourbon, separated 6 dashes of cinnamon 6 scoops vanilla ice cream Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Peel peaches, cut in half and core.

Place on a shallow baking sheet, cavity side up. Fill each cavity with 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1/2-tablespoon of butter, 1 tablespoon of Bourbon and 1 dash of cinnamon.

Bake until sauce is melted and peach is soft, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Serve over a scoop of ice cream.

Herbed Goat Cheese ▲ with Kentucky Mint (SERVES 8)

We suggest Capriole Farms goat cheese from Indiana and locally grown Kentucky mint.

12 3 2 1 1 /2 2 2 20

ounces soft goat cheese, room temperature tablespoons milk teaspoons whole cumin seeds teaspoon dried dill weed teaspoon fresh ground black pepper garlic cloves, crushed tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Kentucky mint leaves, thinly sliced Crackers — water or seeded

Mix the goat cheese, milk, cumin seeds, dill weed, black pepper and garlic in a small bowl until smooth. Cover. Chill for at least 1 hour. Flavor is best if it rests overnight.

Transfer cheese to a platter, form into a mound, sprinkle with mint leaves then drizzle with olive oil. Serve with crackers.

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BY ROGER A. BAYLOR

BOCK

THE STORY OF

Why only in the spring?

Why is it dark?

Do you have to wear lederhosen to enjoy it?

All I knew at the time was that Bock beers were dark, and they appeared each year in spring.

It was the 1970s, the decade of America’s beer nadir, and not unlike the Dark Ages. Fewer than 100 independent breweries were operating in the whole United States. Only a hand ful of them stuck with the customary Bock release schedule, and as an underage scrounger, I can firmly recall drinking only two, Huber and Stroh’s, although surely there were others.

Bock was referred to as a tradition, which seemed plausible, even if the exact reason largely eluded beer drinkers in my neck of the Hoosier woods.

Knowledge about beer styles and seasonal brewing was already scant, and Bock’s coppery-brown color engendered even more confusion, because most beers were golden — canned, ice-cold, and available year-round for plucking from the cooler at the nearest package store. Bock was different. But why?

Just as ancient cultures conjured supernatural explanations for the inexplicable, our befuddled elders labored to explain why Bock beer was dark when “regular” beer wasn’t, eventually contriving satisfactory mythology to the effect that Bock took on the color of the residue produced during annual scrubbings of the brewery’s vats. Although I’d moved past the point of believing in the stork as a bearer of newly minted babies, there remained gullible innocence in fermentable affairs, and I blithely accepted these assertions — until, blessedly, the Beer Hunter intervened.

The late, great beer writer Michael Jackson’s seminal beer books began washing ashore on the banks of the Ohio, and the conceptual fog finally dissipated. I subsequently grew to beer-turity clutching these dog-eared guides, like so many others quickly accepting Jackson as my preferred chaperone 26 Spring 2014 www.foodanddine.com

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in pursuit of the perfect pint. He didn’t let us down.

Significantly, Jackson provided far more than photos and raw facts about beer.

Rather, he told stories about beer. Three decades later, many of these stories remain staples of my shtick and salesmanship, leading to a strong personal belief in storytelling as an essential component of beer appreciation.

Fashions change, but hardcore lore remains, and Bock’s seasonal tale is a particularly compelling variation on storied theme. All the narrative elements are there, from holy water and animal husbandry to weather forecasting.

What’s not to like about monks brewing beer? Bock originated inside the mysterious monastic breweries of Central Europe, where the rigors of Lenten selfdenial did not preclude consumption of malty, sweet and caloric “liquid bread.”

Happily, the Reformation didn’t use this dietary loophole.

Domesticated ruminants enter beer histor y too. The name “Bock” probably represents a guttural corruption of the ending syllable of the German town called Einbeck (“beck” mutating into “bock”), but eventually the word Bock fused in the Bavarian popular imagination with a vernacular term for goat, hence another form of ‘‘billy beer’’ label symbolism handed down to us through the ages.

Bock effectively illustrates a rich crosssection of cultural tapestry. It’s a seasonal habit of thought, one redolent of Munich and Bavarian environs. As the final cold gusts of winter recede, and spring’s stirrings draw tantalizingly near, it is time for Bock: a rich, chestnut lager of higher than average strength, served in impossibly huge steins, designed to lure the timid from dens of placid hibernation beside fiery hearths, and back out into chilly outdoor beer gardens, all the better to prepare for days growing steadily longer and a new planting season just around the corner.

The story doesn’t end in the foothills of the Alps. Three hours north of Munich in rural Franconia, various forms of Bock, some of them pale in color, still are brewed for release before Christmas, not Easter.

Few of these make their way outside the region.

Appropriately for this World Cup year, Por tugal boasts a beer favored by

generations of spirited English football fans (read: soccer hooligans): Super Bock, which is neither super, nor remotely resembling classic Bock. The same strange distinction applies to the curiously lightweight Texan anomaly called Shiner Bock.

Meanwhile , Doppelbock is the imported German style most often spied on store shelves hereabouts; Celebrator, Paulaner and Optimator are famous names, and they’re certainly stronger than “single” Bock, though never literally double the strength — unless you classify Austrianbrewed Samichlaus as Doppelbock.

The famous Schneider brewery in Bavaria brews Aventinus, a delicious Weizen (wheat) Doppelbock, and in a trick predating distillation often practiced in northern climes, Schneider also freezes the Aventinus, removing the frozen water and selling the concentrated, stronger finished product as Eisbock — once a Kulmbach specialty.

As for the dark color of most Bocks, brewers clean their equipment constantly, and spring cleanings with steel wool are bunk. Rather, when barley is malted, it is heated in a kiln, resulting in different color shadings and flavor characteristics, all of them waiting to be combined by the clever brewer to achieve a chosen stylistic end. Additions of Vienna or Caramel malts produce Bock’s hue.

These are my Bock stories, and I’m sticking with them. Precise details are less important than a closet romantic’s dreams of roasted pork, church steeples, radishes, children running between heavy wooden tables, grizzled and mustachioed men in lederhosen with wives garbed in dirndls, and foaming mugs of malty dark beer dispensed from barrels stacked like cordwood on countertops.

A picture still may be wor th a thousand words, but my imagination is exponential. Jackson’s gone, and while beer storytelling isn’t dead, it has undergone a certain devaluation.These days, beer enthusiasm often is expressed with a throwaway brevity, one defying depth of feeling; milewide and inches deep, it thrives on social media, where broad exposure inexorably minimizes purity of context. Beer lovers check in, tweet, post and rate. They don’t tell enough stories.

Still, stories and beer go quite well together. We need more of both. F&D www.facebook.com/foodanddine Spring 2014 27

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people and places profiles

BY KATY YOCOM | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

the

arrivalof

fernando martinez

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Fernando Martinez has the golden touch with restaurants.

Here’s why 2014 will be his biggest year yet.

I

It’s December 2013, and Fernando Martinez is weeks away from opening two new restaurants: a taqueria in the Highlands and a fine-dining establishment in Jeffersontown. That’s on top of his two hugely popular East End dining spots, Guaca Mole and Mussel & Burger Bar, which opened in 2012 and 2013, respectively. It’s been a lively couple of years.

The pressure’s on. The fine-dining restaurant is set to open in late February.

With the taqueria, it’s worse. Fernando had planned to open a taqueria someday, but in late November, when he got word that a Baxter Avenue location was available, he decided to go for it — and to open on New Year’s Day.

So it’s December, and everything’s popping. And Fernando — well, he’s doing something that would boggle most chefs’ minds.

He’s vacationing. With his wife, on a 48-foot sailboat in the British Virgin Islands. No Internet. No phone. For twelve days, there’s just the peaceful blue Caribbean and the rocking of the boat.

“The vacation was already paid for,” Fernando explains. “If I’d have cancelled, my wife would divorce me.”

He laughs when he says that, flashing a set of dimples. He and Cristina are a matched set: chef/proprietor (him) and front-of-house

manager (her). They’ve opened four restaurants together already, two in the past two years. They needed that vacation.

So never mind the interlude on the sailboat. This is a story about a man who can’t sit still.

It’s also a story of big dreams, hard work, and an unusual culinary education. It might explain a few things about Fernando’s ambition to know that he first came to the U.S. from Cuba on a raft.

But that’s backstory. Flash forward 20 years. It’s January 2014, and Fernando Martinez is about to open his dream restaurant.

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THE PLACE DOWNSTAIRS At 50 seats in two intimate dining rooms, The Place Downstairs is gorgeous: the walls a rich red, the floors and tables rustic wood, the chairs and banquettes a cushioned ivory leather. Below street level and accessed only by elevator, the feel is homey yet exclusive: a private retreat.

But as he sits at a six-top a few weeks before opening, it’s the menu that has Fernando excited. “We’re gonna try to push it,” he says, “more than anything we’ve done.”

At 40, Fernando is tall and boyishly handsome, slightly padded from all the eating his job demands. He’s easy with a smile, though his fingers subtly jiggle on the table: He’s not used to sitting still this long. But he’s eager to talk about this restaurant, which is his first chance to stretch his talents beyond the strictures of a concept.

“I went to school in France. My grandmother is a Spaniard. I’ve had a tapas restaurant,” he explains. “This restaurant is the story of everywhere I’ve been, everything I’ve done as a chef.”

Working with Chef de Cuisine Ethan Ray, Fernando developed a menu that offers simple food prepared elegantly, using modern techniques. The dish he’s most excited about is called “pork heaven.” It’s a pork tenderloin stuffed with chistorra, a Spanish chorizo, and wrapped in Iberico ham, accented with clouds of mustard-flavored foam. “I’ve had that dish in my head for a lot of years,” he says, “but I didn’t have the techniques.” The meats cooked at different speeds, and the ham fell apart when cut. Now, he has a sous vide oven to cook the meat evenly throughout, and Activa, an enzyme that binds the ham to the tenderloin as if they’d been born together.

There’s Cornish game hen stuffed with pancetta, dried figs, almonds and herbs with a classic Périgueux sauce, served with truffle gnocchi and glazed carrots. There’s an egg appetizer served in a mason jar filled with smoke. Prices are below fine-dining range, with entrées at $20 to $28, and appetizers at $8 to $12.

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“Every chef wants to open a small restaurant where they get to cook with really interesting ingredients,” he says.

Not every chef gets to. Competition is crazy; the economy is down. But the downstairs space was wrapped into the Mussel & Burger Bar lease, and it was sitting idle. Fernando saw the chance to open a fine-dining restaurant that didn’t have to cover rent and insurance. And if it doesn’t work?

He laughs. “We’ll have a really nice private room.” A pause.

“But I think it’ll work.”

FERNANDO’S EDUCATION Fernando grew up in Cuba, eating pork, plantains, black beans and rice, roasted chickens for Sunday dinner. As a boy, he’d help his mom and grandmother prep food.

When the government shut down his family’s unlicensed in-home restaurant, he decided it was time to get out. He and his mother, Yolanda, crossed the Straits of Florida on a raft, only to be picked up by the Coast Guard and sent back to Cuba. A year later, they immigrated legally and ended up in Louisville. In 1996 or ’97, when he was 24, he went to salsa night at the now-defunct Utopia, where he met the woman who would become his wife. Cristina was 21. (“He was a hottie,” she remembers. “I was like, ‘Oh my gosh.’ ”) They married in 1998.

It took years of work to save up $70,000 to open Havana Rumba in 2004. In 2007, Mojito Tapas Restaurant followed. Fernando ran the kitchen; Cristina did the hiring and training, developed the drinks menu, ran the front of house. Both places did killer business, but Fernando itched to learn more about cooking. Over three years, he traveled three times to France to take intensive 10-week courses at Le Cordon Bleu.

Life was getting fuller. There were children now. Fernando and Cristina worked 80, 90 hours a week. “Restaurants are time-consuming places,” Cristina says matter-of-factly. “If you’re not there, they don’t work right.” Fernando’s mom lived with them — still does — and helped out with the kids.

Dishes from the new The Place Downstairs (top) Roasted Cornish hen with a pancetta-fig-sage and almond stuffing and a truffle gnocchi. (opposite from top) Smoked Egg in a Jar — Sous-vide egg, fresh ricotta, caramelized walnuts and maple syrup; mussels in a chitarra sauce; ribeye steak with bone marrow croquettes and pearl onions. www.foodanddine.com Spring 2014 31

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Mussel & Burger Bar’s Frita Cubana Burger (above) of ground Angus short ribs, sirloin, brisket and Spanish chorizo with Manchego cheese and crispy Serrano ham. And their Mussels Basquaise (center) — mussels in a tomato and chorizo broth.

The Place Downstairs’ Duck Rillettes Jar (right) — confit duck with caper berries, cornichons, pickled onions in a berry sauce. And their Pork Heaven (opposite top) — pork tenderloin stuffed with chistorra chorizo and wrapped with Iberico ham. (opposite bottom) Fernando Martinez with The Place Downstairs’ Chef de Cuisine Ethan Ray 32 Spring 2014

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Still, it was time for a break. In 2009, the couple sold their stake in the restaurants. The family spent a year living on Margarita Island, off the coast of Venezuela, where Cristina grew up. Daughter Gabriela was 8, son Luis Fernando was 11; Fernando’s son from an earlier marriage, also named Fernando, was 18. It was the laidback lifestyle many dream of. There was just one problem, Fernando says: “After two months, not having anything to do, nowhere to be, started driving me crazy.”

So, on school breaks, the family traveled, and once again, Fernando worked for free — this time in restaurants in Peru, Mexico, Venezuela. Even if he was peeling potatoes, he was watching and learning.

“Everything I learned in school started making sense,” he recalls. “How to balance food, how to have contrast in texture and flavor.”

Next came Miami, where he spent two years working as sous chef for renowned Nuevo Latino restaurateur Douglas Rodriguez, absorbing lessons about flavors, combinations, balance.

At last, he was ready. The family moved back to Louisville and opened Guaca Mole in 2012. (Son Fernando, now 22, works there as a bar tender.)

Fernando describes it as “modern Mexican.” The influences of his education show in items like the flautas de pato ($8): crispy cigars of duck confit with cherry tomato and Fresno jalapeno marmalade.The pork mole ($16) is served over a swoosh of pureed pumpkin and topped with slaw; in both presentation and flavor, it’s white-tablecloth-worthy. Both dishes balance rich flavors with an acidic partner.

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BALANCING ACT Fernando talks about balance a lot, in food and in marriage. He’s the creative force; Cristina executes.

“We’ve been together eighteen years,” he says.

“Whether it’s on our marriage side or business side, all we have to do is look at each other, and she knows what I want and I know what she wants.”

“Not everyone can work together,” Cristina says.

“But he’s my best friend. We do pretty much everything together, but it’s never like, ‘Oh, it’s him again.’

I’m not over him at all.”

Fernando adds, “It’s really hard to stay married when you’re a chef. You’re working when everyone is having fun. But she understands that I’m passionate. And she’s passionate about what she does. We complement each other. I know what she doesn’t, and she knows what I don’t. It’s the perfect balance.”

Like duck confit and cherry tomato marmalade.

BURGERS AND MUSSELS AND TACOS Between Guaca Mole and The Place Downstairs come two other restaurants. When he opened Mussel & Burger Bar, Fernando says, “People told me, ‘You’re crazy.You’re gonna do a locally owned restaurant in J’town?’ But now they see I’m right.”

He’s so right that even a total lack of street signage, an untried concept and a decidedly strange décor can’t keep the patrons away. The food is delectable. The beef sliders ($8) could make you weep. M&BB uses Creekstone Angus, ground inhouse using a flavor-packed combination of short ribs, brisket, and top sirloin. The restaurant garnered Best New Restaurant and Best Hamburger awards in last year’s LEO Choice competition. Mussels come in seven preparations, from meunière to curry cream ($7 appetizer, $10 entrée).

Why pair the two, though? Before opening M&BB, Fernando read a book called Purple Cow, which advocates capturing customers with something they’ve

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never seen. He decided, “From now on, every restaurant I open is gonna be a purple cow. The mussels, I knew they’d get people’s attention.”

As for the décor, which screams upscale continental? The space was built out for another restaurant; the landlords wouldn’t allow changes. On the bright side, when Fernando and his business partner, cousin Yaniel Martinez, walked into the place, the tables were still laid with silverware. “You could turn the lights on and open the place. The risk was so low, we said, ‘Why not?’” They covered the tables with butcher paper and called it good.

Likewise with the taqueria. They took a functional restaurant, made a few cosmetic changes, and opened the doors. That’s how El Taco Luchador leapt into being on New Year’s Day in the shotgun formerly occupied by Lil Cheezers, selling tacos ($2 to $2.75) and tortas ($7 or $8).

It’s a tiny place, with six tables and a minuscule open kitchen in which six or seven people — including, sometimes, Fernando himself — work shoulder to shoulder. In their first week, they saw lines out the door. Customers generally take a relaxed Highlands attitude; when tables are full, people shrug and take their food to go.

That’s the story of how Fernando Martinez opened four restaurants in less than three years.

You might be tempted to say 2014 is the year Fernando arrives. But “arriving” suggests reaching a destination and stopping there, and that implication is anything but true. “I want to do another tapas restaurant,” he says. “I would love to open a French bistro. And maybe another Cuban restaurant.”

In other words, it’s a good thing Cristina isn’t over him yet. Because her husband’s drive still burns as hot as the day it impelled him to leave Cuba on a raft. Success hasn’t changed his essential nature. Fernando Martinez can’t sit still. F&D

(clockwise from below right) Mussel & Burger Bar’s Prince Edward Island mussels in a curry and cilantro sauce; pork chorizo sliders with pickled red cabbage and grainy mustard on a house-made brioche bun; The BBB burger — ground Angus short ribs, sirloin and brisket patty topped with sharp white cheddar cheese, pork belly, fried farm fresh egg and a maple syrup aioli; sweet and spicy calamari with a black olive aioli.

pick three

BY RON MIKULAK | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

P

3

ick

‘‘Louisville Originals’’ What’s a bunch of hardworking, independent restaurant owners to do when a surge of glitzy national chains enters the market and begins siphoning off regular customers eager to give those newcomers a try?

Why, they pool their veteran knowledge and resources under the name, “Louisville Originals,” and respond with a combination of guerilla and grassroots marketing centered on themes of local ownership, connection to customers and the community, and reliance on ingredients from local farmers.

Today there are 34 Louisville Originals members made up of restaurants that have operated for at least one full year and generate no less than 65 percent of their revenue from food sales.

Read further for a closer look at three of the longest-running members of the group and their owners: Bistro 301, Café Lou Lou and Buck’s.

36 Spring 2014 www.foodanddine.com

Bistro 301 301 W. Market St. 502.584.8337

Matt Mershon was an experienced restaurant manager when he was asked to become managing partner at Deke’s Marketplace Grill in 2001. A veteran of fullservice standards such as the Bristol Bar & Grille and Jack Fry’s, Deke’s (named for then-owner John “Deke” DeCamillis, a local lawyer and star basketball guard at Eastern Kentucky University in the mid-1980s), was more of a bar-oriented restaurant, according to Mershon, and long before he and his wife, Molly, bought out their partners in 2003, he was imagining how he’d shift the business’s focus.

Back then the menu was limited in offerings and narrow in scope. If not adventurous, it was still a bit above standard bar fare. Yet it remained a far cry from Jack Fry’s complexity and the Bristol’s breadth and diversity. Mershon believed a game-changing improvement lay somewhere between those two.

“I wanted a bar and grill as friendly and accommodating as Bristol,” Mershon said, “with food like Jack Fry’s.” He envisioned it morphing into an upscale casual restaurant, but the contingencies of running his own show kept him from re-branding Marketplace Grill until June 2006, the year he changed the name to Bistro 301. The name reflects its central location on W. Market St., across from the north side of the Kentucky International Convention Center.

Since opening the restaurant, Mershon’s front-of-the-house role has been to draw customers into the friendly ambience of the comfortable, dark wood interior. (For those in the know, outdoor curbside seating is equally excellent for soaking up the bustling city scene and sunshine, especially at lunch.) His chef, James Lucas, who has commanded the kitchen for about 13 years, has the job of keeping guests happily fed with a menu “focused on classic concepts with cleaner, less-fancy twists,” according to Mershon.

Several dishes, like the tortellini diablo ($16), are menu mainstays. It’s a fan favorite that pleases regulars and surprises newcomers with its pleasantly spicy bite from the Andouille sausage and red pepper flakes, combined with the richness of the cheese tortellini and fresh cream sauce.

A fun appetizer selection on the menu for about three years is the Kentucky frito misto — pickles, jalapenos and artichokes, battered, fried and served with a zesty, sinus-clearing horseradish sauce ($7).

Saffron linguine with shrimp and mussels is new this (clockwise from above) Owner Matt Mershon; seafood linguine with pomodoro sauce; “Frito Misto” — fried pickles, jalapenos and artichokes with a horseradish sauce; spice-rubbed ahi tuna with a grilled Napa cabbage salad; Chef James Lucas; Bourbon-glazed salmon with sautéed Brussels sprouts and potato cakes; “Diablo” — cheese-filled tortellini, andouille sausage and chicken with a spicy cream sauce.

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year. “We usually always have a salmon choice on the menu, one that we change once or twice a year,” Mershon said.

The current salmon offering is marinated in Bourbon Barrel Foods Kentuckyaki sauce and grilled.

Since Mershon gets all his seafood direct from the dock in Florida, he’s free to play with seafood specials such as the spice-rubbed ahi tuna with jalapeno vinaigrette and grilled Napa cabbage slaw ($25). Another new idea he and Lucas are testing is a pasta saltimbocca. The twist of using country ham instead of the traditional pancetta or prosciutto, along with grilled chicken and a tomato sauce, could deliver a smoky hint, not to mention a local link, to the dish.

Which is Mershon’s style when it comes to ingredient choices. He’s a fan and supporter of the Kentucky Proud program of the state’s Agriculture Department, and is now buying from a former restaurant buddy turned farmer.

“Ivor was a busboy for me at the Bristol,” Mershon recollected of Ivor Chodkowski, now a farmer and co-owner of Harvest Restaurant, and an active player in the effort to find new, steady markets for local farmers. “When Ivor started farming, I bought vegetables from him. Now with the Kentucky Proud program, I am able to get more choices from more farmers, on time and at good prices. With it, I have been able to use more local meats, produce and cheese.”

And that has helped him continue to develop his vision of Bistro 301 as a restaurant with a bar, instead of vice versa.

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Café Lou Lou 106 Sears Ave. 502.893.7776 2216 Dundee Rd. 502.459.9566

Before he moved to New Orleans in the early 2000s, Clay Wallace worked in Louisville at Café Metro, among other places, and built enough of a resumé to attract the attention of a Turkish restaurateur in NOLA, who hired him to manage a pizza place called Italian Pie. “It’s sort of funny,” Wallace said. “Pizza joints in New Orleans are saturated by Turkish owners, who seem to have a tight little corner on it there.”

His boss also owned a white tablecloth Turkish restaurant, Mystic Café, which he asked Wallace to manage. After a few weeks, Wallace saw that the kitchen was a problem, and offered to take over the cooking. When his work as chef improved business, the owner started also serving pizza, and added more Italian items to the menu.

And so the idea for Café Lou Lou was born. When he returned to Louisville in 2004, he impor ted the concept of Mystic Café. “The menu was Mediterranean, with some additional Italian dishes, and Cajun influences. Over the years I have dropped some of the more Turkish items, and worked in more Southern.”

Wallace also knew the ambience he wanted to create, one reflected in the name Café Lou Lou. “I saw it as a combination of Louisiana and Louisville — loud and crazy,” he said. “It was not going to be a place where people would expect a quiet dinner. They were going to have fun and good food.”

And for going on 10 years, that is what diners at Café Lou Lou have found. Clay set up shop first in Clifton, on Frankfort at the corner of Pope Street, in a funky little building that needed some work. Though initially successful, Wallace was a bit ahead of the curve in the dining scene in that part of town. When a location in St. Matthews opened, one that had

(top) A pair of pizzas — the Lou Lou and the BBQ chicken. (above) Saffron seafood rotini with scallops and shrimp in a white wine butter sauce. (opposite page, clockwise from top) Chef/Owner Clay Wallace; New Orleans-style shrimp and grits; Cajun crawfish cavatappi in a “Frank’s Red Hot” cream sauce; crispy shrimp lavash; crab and corn fritters with a chile hollandaise; spinach and artichoke lavash roll.

38 Spring 2014 www.foodanddine.com

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ample nearby parking, Wallace saw that it was time to move.

In 2010, he saw an opportunity to expand a bit, to another area in which he was a sort of pioneer — the Douglass Loop. “Dundee Tavern had been there forever, but there was not a lot of other eating options at the time,” Wallace said. “This was before Havana Rumba moved in, before North End Café opened up in the old Club Grotto space. I like to think our success there encouraged some others.”

Wallace’s Louisiana connection has been the inspiration for a number of menu items, such as New Orleans-style shrimp and grits ($9), pasta jambalaya ($12 and $16), and Cajun crawfish cavatappi ($12 and $16).

But the pizzas, calzones, flatbreads and sandwiches are also popular items.

Soft lavash is also the basis for several popular sandwiches, such as the spinach and artichoke roll and the grilled chicken roll ($10 each).

Café Lou Lou was among the founding members of the Louisville Originals group. “Louisville Originals has helped business tremendously,” Wallace said.

“First Tuesdays, which get double points, is always crazy. The program encourages regulars, and when you use the card you get a follow-up email asking for feedback, which we have found tremendously valuable.”

Reflecting on Café Lou Lou’s place in the dining scene, Wallace said that, after 10 years in town, he doesn’t have to do a lot of fancy new things. His New Orleans chef, Jeffrey Jacobs came north with Wallace, and he has remained a strength in the kitchens. Wallace also credits the stability of his front-of-thehouse team with establishing rapport with regulars.

“We haven’t jumped on any fads, like a Prohibition drink menu at the bar, or smoking everything. We offer value drink prices and goodsized, fairly-priced por tions. And our take-out and delivery business has been growing. People are happy to have delivery for something besides pizza — everything on the menu is ready to go.

When people come in, they know that fun and good food will be on the menu, and that seems to be what they want.”

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Buck’s 425 W. Ormsby Ave. 502.637.5284

Beside the entrance to Buck’s, the elegant restaurant on the ground floor of the quietly chic Mayflower Apar tments building in Old Louisville, there is a curious plaque, listing all the different restaurants that have tried to make a go of it in that space. It is quite a list, including some run by top names in local restaurant lore, such as Tim Barnes and Eddie Garber. Some of those businesses stayed around for a few years, others came and went in a flurry.

Buck’s displays the list with a sense of local history, and a bit of tongue-in-cheek self-satisfaction, for the last of those valiant but short-lived efforts listed ended its run in 1992. Ever since, Buck’s has been the tenant in that large, quiet space on Ormsby Avenue, serving an eclectic menu of well-crafted dishes to a clientele of locals happy to have such a stylish place in Old Louisville. East End diners come too, drawn downtown by the prime, rich appointments of the dining room, always awash in white flowers and the delightful piano stylings of the suave Rick Bartlett. And out-of-town visitors are pointed a few blocks south of their downtown hotels by savvy concierges or the recommendations of online listings such as Trip Advisor, which ranks Buck’s in the top ten on their list of Louisville restaurants.

The restaurant’s current identity was established by Buck Heath, who designed the look of the bar and dining room, with its mismatched fine china, and reigned as the front-of-the-house man until he sold the business to its current owner, Curtis Rader, who has run it for 14 years.

Heath retired to Florida, but after a few years moved back to Louisville, and joined Rader’s staff as fill-in manager, a post he has retired from, and returned to at least twice now. “I told him he is the Brett Favre of the restaurant business,” Rader joked.

Rader has made few changes to the look of the restaurant, which pleases the regulars. “I had some older ladies ask me, when I first took over, ‘You aren’t going to change the flowers, are you?’ I think the reason you buy an established restaurant is that you like and admire what it is, and I have tried to keep it that way.”

About four years ago, when Rader began his second restaurant venture, Cast Iron Steakhouse, with stores in Jeffersonville and on River Road, he devolved more responsibility on his chef, Andrew Welenken, and his General Manager, Lisa Imrie, (L-R from top) The signature bar adorned with a harvest of fresh flowers; a riff on cheesecake — a savory mushroom and walnut-encrusted goat cheese and roasted garlic spread; General Manager Lisa Imrie; crab cakes with fried green tomatoes and a Mornay sauce.

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who became minority owners. Welenken’s job was to create a menu that would respect Buck’s traditions, yet allow it to be freshened with some new directions. Rader gave Welenken a free hand — except for the crispy fish and the spicy noodles, which, along with the mocha dacquoise on the dessert menu, have been signature dishes not only through changes of chefs, but through changes of ownership.The crispy fish was a signature item when Eddie Garber ran a short-lived incarnation in what is now Buck’s space, and the mocha dacquoise became a favorite dessert about the same time, when Gerard Hampton was the pastry chef.

“I like the crispy fish,” Welenken said. “It’s sweet and spicy and garlicky, with that umami flavor of the fish. I eat it a lot. I am less of a fan of the spicy noodles, but Curtis (Rader) loves it and eats it all the time.”

So Welenken has been keeping those long-time favorites fresh in diners’ gustatory memories, as he has expanded and updated the rest of the menu. He is proud of his fried oysters Rockefeller appetizer, and is happy that customers sometimes come in to order large quantities of the tomato-bleu cheese soup to go. The pork chop, and steak bordelaise with mashed potatoes, both speak to Welenken’s belief that top ingredients should speak for themselves, and not be overloaded with extraneous flavors.

Simplicity is the hallmark of the dessert menu especially. “I like to keep desserts simple, to stay with what people are familiar with, and doing them well,” he said, pointing to the apple cobbler, chocolate flourless torte and chocolate cheesecake, as well as daily ice cream flavor specials.

“The menu has always had some Asian dishes, and some Italian inspirations,” Welenken said. “And some Southern flavors that I am trying to emphasize since my sous chef ’s family owns a farm, and we get very good local produce. I see the menu as a blank canvas that I am painting with fresh flavors.”

Being a bit off the beaten track, away from the several restaurant corridors, has sometimes been a struggle for Buck’s, Rader admits, one that his membership in Louisville Originals has helped with. “We have to constantly remind people where we are,” Rader said. “But I can’t imagine Buck’s anywhere but Old Louisville.” F&D

(clockwise from above) Sweet potato steak hash topped with a sunny-side egg; grilled Scottish salmon with shrimp, fingerling potatoes and a tomato jalapeno relish; Bourbon- and maple-glazed pork chop; a Buck’s staple — “Mocha Dacquoise”; diver scallops couscous and arugula salad; Chef Andrew Welenken.

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

BY CARLA CARLTON | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

URBAN Derby  Cafe TRAIL

BOURBON

@ Kentucky Derby Museum

Silver julep cups filled with red silk roses grace each table of the Derby Café, which is located in the Kentucky Derby Museum.

The menu features Kentucky classics such as burgoo, Bibb salad and the Hot Brown, and the bar stocks anywhere from 80 to 90 Bourbon brands. The grandstands of Churchill Downs rise outside the windows. In their shadow, resident horses Puddin’ and Winston graze near a small barn, joined sometimes by past Derby winners.

The Derby Café is a little bit different from other stops on the Urban Bourbon Trail, which it joined in 2012 after the Derby Museum opened a tribute exhibit to the history of Bourbon and the Kentucky Derby that April. It’s open just for lunch, and the great majority of its customers are tourists.

“From the Derby Museum’s perspective, the Derby Café is a front door to the city for many out-of-town travelers,” said Wendy Treinen, the museum’s director of marketing and communications.

“We have made a commitment as a museum to keep Bourbon as part of our visitor experience. The museum welcomes more than 200,000 visitors each year, and this expands the reach of the Urban Bourbon Trail in a way that many local restaurants may not 42 Spring 2014 www.foodanddine.com

be able to do.” When the Derby Café is closed, visitors can have their UBT passports stamped at the front desk.

Kathy Hensley and Phillip Koenig, who have operated The Silver Spoon catering company for 25 years, took over operation of the Derby Café a year ago as The Silver Spoon II. “We were excited to come here,” Hensley said. “With Kentucky foods, you just want to put Bourbon in there somewhere, and we like to do that.”

They have poured more Bourbon into the Café’s menu, from the country ham wontons served with Bourbon mustard sauce ($7.50), to the beef brisket sandwich slow-cooked in a Bourbon barbecue sauce ($8.95), to the Bourbon vinaigrette option for salads. Bourbon-smoked paprika is dusted on the classic Louisville Hot Brown ($10.95). But one of the most popular items by far, Hensley said, is the Kentucky Bread Pudding with Bourbon sauce and fresh whipped cream made with white chocolate ($4.95). The secret? Koenig uses really stale bread as the base.

704 Central Ave. | 502.637.1111

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In 2008, the Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau created the Urban Bourbon Trail, a culinary and cocktail experience, to capitalize on burgeoning interest in America’s native spirit. Since then, the number of stops has increased from seven to 26. Participating establishments must offer a minimum of 50 Bourbons and use Bourbon as an ingredient in some menu items. Ride along as we visit them all, and discover how the spirit moves them — behind the bar and in the kitchen.

The Derby Café Julep ($10), made with Early Times and served in a souvenir glass, is a staple of the Café’s cocktail menu. Other Bourbon cocktails are named for Kentucky Derby winners.

Asked what sets the Derby Café apart from other destinations on the Urban Bourbon Trail, Hensley pointed to its relationship with the Derby Museum. “You can taste the Bourbon here, and then go look at pictures of people 75 years ago — or 140 years ago — sipping it while they are watching the horses run.”

The relationship extends into the evening when The Silver Spoon II caters the many private dinners and events held at the Derby Museum. The tone was set with their very first one, Hensley said, a party during an out-of-town company’s conference. “It was January 2013, but when the guests arrived, all the women had on Derby hats and the men were in seersucker suits,” she recalled. “That’s when we realized this is a (right) A Louisville original, the hot brown paired with a Manhattan. The meatloaf burger with fries is in the background. (below, from left) Triple Crown of Salads — creamy chicken salad, Benedictine and country ham salad; strawberry snap pea salad with a Bourbon and balsamic vinaigrette.

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responsibility we will have: We’ve got to give everyone that Derby experience. We learned very quickly — you greet people with a mint julep, whether it’s January, September or July.”

The menus for private events are more expansive than the Café menu, but still focus on traditional Southern cuisine. “People who plan parties sometimes ask for ‘upscale’ foods,” Koenig said. “I’ll say, ‘Are your guests from out of town? Yes? Then they want Kentucky foods.’ They want this strange creature known as ‘burgoo.’ They want spoon bread. They want barbecue. And I use Bourbon in all of them. Normally these foods shine a few times a year. Here, they get to shine all the time.”

Building its Bourbon bona fides, in October 2013 the Derby Museum partnered with Bourbon writer Fred Minnick as its Bourbon Authority to lead tastings and classes. In mid-January, he served as host for the Museum’s inaugural “Legends Series” event, a tasting of four rare bottlings of Four Roses — including the first public tasting ever of one Single Barrel — and Q&A with Master Distiller Jim Rutledge.

Visitors to the track “may not be looking for a museum experience,” Treinen said, “but we hope to tempt them with a little Derby history while they are here,” whether it’s for the Kentucky Derby or on one of the other 364 days of the year. “By offering a variety of distinct cocktails along with the ever-classic mint julep and lengthy Bourbon list, we can treat the novice Bourbon drinker and serve the established connoisseur.”

And with Puddin’ and Winston in residence, Café patrons can say they saw a horse at Churchill Downs, which trumps 90 percent of the people in the Infield on the first Saturday in May.

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Number of Bourbons: Currently, about 80 Most popular Bourbons: Woodford Reserve (the “official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby”); Maker’s Mark Priciest shots: Pappy Van Winkle (when available; price varies) Bourbon flights: Several flights of three, ranging from the Run of Roses (Four Roses Yellow Label, Small Batch and Single Barrel, $15) to the Triple Crown (Rock Hill Farms, Jefferson’s Presidential Select and Woodford Reserve Double Oaked, $50).

Signature Bourbon cocktails: Derby Café Julep ($10), and four named for Derby winners: Sunny’s Halo (1983, $10), Regret (1915, $10), Bubbling Over (1926, $12, recipe below) and Dark Star (1953, $12).

The Bubbling Over In a 1 2 1 4

Champagne flute, combine: ounce Old Forester dashes Sweet Vermouth teaspoon peach puree ounces Champagne

(opposite, from middle) Barbecue beef brisket sandwich with a house-made Bourbon barbecue sauce; Kentucky bread pudding with a Bourbon sauce and Bourbon infused whipped cream. (above right) The quintessential drink of the Kentucky Derby, the mint julep. (right) The “Triple Crown” Bourbon flight.

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The new New Albany In historic New Albany, where you can park, stroll, and enjoy, there’s a renaissance happening. New restaurants and shops, public art and history, and a Greenway along the river, beckon you to relax and recreate in an historic setting on the Ohio River.

Come try our acclaimed eateries, award-winning art museum, winery, microbrewery, and recreational opportunities, all delivered on a human scale.

Discover the future in an historic setting.

Come explore New Albany’s Renaissance on the River.

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48-51_Guide Index_spr14_Layout 1 1/30/14 12:35 PM Page 48

dining guide Cuisine Style African..............................74 Asian/Chinese...................74 Asian/Filipino ....................75 Asian/Japanese ................75 Asian/Korean ....................77 Asian/Mongolian ...............77 Asian/Thai ........................77 Asian/Vietnamese .............77 Bar & Grill .........................72 Barbecue ..........................70 Bistro/Contemporary.........56 Cafés................................59

Cafeterias .........................65 Cajun/Creole.....................80 Caribbean/Cuban/Latin .....80 Casual Dining ...................62 Coffee/Tea House..............84 Desserts/Bakery ...............84 Entertainment Dining ........65 European/Bosnian.............78 European/French ..............78 European/German.............78 European/Irish ..................78 European/Italian................79 European/Spanish.............80

Fine Dining .......................52 Home Style/Southern ........64 Indian ...............................80 Mexican............................81 Microbreweries.................74 Middle Eastern..................80 Pizza.................................66 Sandwich/Deli ..................68 Seafood ............................60 Southwest/Tex Mex...........83 Steakhouse.......................61 Upscale Casual .................53

Area Maps begin on page 86 Alphabetical Index RESTAURANT

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2 Dips & A Shake 211 Clover Lane 30 Red Sports Saloon 321 Deli 60 West Bistro 610 Magnolia A Nice Restaurant A Taste of China A.J.’s Gyro Café Abyssinia Achille’s Pizza Addis Grill Adobo Mexican Restaurant Adrienne & Co. Bakery Café Adrienne’s Italian Against The Grain Brewery Al Nuur Al Watan Aladdin’s Café Alley Cat Café Amici Amshoff’s Fish Inn Again Anchorage Café Angilo’s Pizza Angio’s Restaurant Annie Cafe Annie May’s Sweets Café Annie’s Pizza Ann’s by the River Another Place Anselmo’s Italian Bistro Apocalypse Brew Works Applebee’s Arata Sushi Argo Sons Coffee Arni’s Pizza Arno’s Pizza Aroma Café Asahi Japanese Asian Buffet Asian Moon Asiatique Aspen Creek Restaurant Atlantic No. 5 Atrium Café Atypical Man BBQ August Moon Austin’s BD’s Mongolian Grill B3Q BBQ Baby D’s Bagels & Deli Backyard Burger The Bakery Banh Mi Hero Bank Street Brewhouse Barbara Lee’s Kitchen The Bard’s Town Basa Modern Vietnamese Baxter’s 942 Bar & Grill 48 Spring 2014 www.foodanddine.com

RESTAURANTS LISTED ALPHABETICALLY, FOLLOWED

BY THE PAGE NUMBER OF ITS REVIEW, THE CUISINE STYLE, AND THE CORRESPONDING MAP NUMBER(S). [ ] DENOTES UNMAPPED MULTIPLE LOCATIONS. MAP #

84 Desserts/Bakery 1 52 Fine Dining 3 72 Bar & Grill 11 68 Sandwich/Deli 1 53 Upscale Casual 3 52 Fine Dining 13 62 Casual Dining 14, 16 74 Asian/Chinese 1 80 Middle Eastern 14 74 African 1 66 Pizza 16 74 African 1 81 Mexican 11 84 Desserts/Bakery 16 79 European/Italian 16 74 Microbreweries 1 74 African 13 80 Middle Eastern 4 80 Middle Eastern 14 59 Cafés 5 79 European/Italian 13 60 Seafood 11 59 Cafés 5 66 Pizza 13 66 Pizza 4 77 Asian/Vietnamese 13 84 Desserts/Bakery 3 66 Pizza 1, 12 65 Cafeterias 16 68 Sandwich/Deli 1 79 European/Italian 2 74 Microbreweries 2 62 Casual Dining [6] 75 Asian/Japanese 10 84 Coffee/Tea House 6 66 Pizza 14 66 Pizza 4 59 Cafés 14 75 Asian/Japanese 3 74 Asian/Chinese 4, 14 74 Asian/Chinese 4 53 Upscale Casual 2 62 Casual Dining 11 59 Cafés 1 56 Bistro/Contemporary 5 70 Barbecue 3 74 Asian/Chinese 2 53 Upscale Casual 7 77 Asian/Mongolian 6 70 Barbecue 14 68 Sandwich/Deli 2 68 Sandwich/Deli 6 84 Desserts/Bakery 4 77 Asian/Vietnamese 2 74 Microbreweries 14 64 Home Style/Southern 2 65 Entertainment Dining 2 53 Upscale Casual 2 72 Bar & Grill 2

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Bazos Mexican Grill 81 Mexican 3, 6 Bean Street Coffee Co. 84 Coffee/Tea House 14 Bearno’s Pizza 66 Pizza [12] Beef O’Brady’s 72 Bar & Grill 5, 12, 13, 14 Bela’s Café 74 African 13 Bendoya Sushi Bar 75 Asian/Japanese 1 Benito’s Burritos 83 Southwest/Tex Mex 5 Big Al’s Beeritaville 72 Bar & Grill 2 Big Four Burgers + Beer 62 Casual Dining 14 Big Momma’s Soul Kitchen 64 Home Style/Southern 1 Bistro 1860 Wine Bar 56 Bistro/Contemporary 2 Bistro 301 57 Bistro/Contemporary 1 Bistro 42 79 European/Italian 10 Bistro Le Relais 78 European/French 4 The Bistro 65 Cafeterias 3 BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse 62 Casual Dining 5 Blackstone Grille 53 Upscale Casual 10 BLU Mediterranean Grille 53 Upscale Casual 1 Blue Dog Bakery 59 Cafés 2 Blue Horse Café 62 Casual Dining 13 Bluegrass Brewing Co. 74 Microbreweries 1, 3 Bluegrass Burgers 62 Casual Dining 3 Bluegrass Café 59 Cafés 2 Bombay Grill 80 Indian 5 Bonefish Grill 60 Seafood 5 Bonnie & Clyde’s Pizza 66 Pizza 12 Boombozz Famous Pizza 66 Pizza 3 Boombozz Pizza & Taphouse 66 Pizza 2, 5, 15 Boombozz Pizza Bistro 66 Pizza 6 Boomer’s Café 59 Cafés 1 Bootleg Barbecue Co. 70 Barbecue 11, 13 Borromeo’s Pizza 66 Pizza 13 Bosna-Mak 78 European/Bosnian 4 Bourbons Bistro 57 Bistro/Contemporary 2 Brandon’s BBQ & Pizza 70 Barbecue 5 Brasserie Provence 78 European/French 5 Bravo!

53 Upscale Casual 3 Brazeiros Churrascaria 61 Steakhouse 1 Bread And Breakfast 84 Desserts/Bakery 14 Breadworks 84 Desserts/Bakery 2, 5, 7 The Brewery 72 Bar & Grill 2 Brian’s Deli 68 Sandwich/Deli 1 Brickhouse Tavern & Tap 62 Casual Dining 6 Bristol Bar & Grille 53 Upscale Casual 1,2,5,10,13,16 Brix Wine Bar 57 Bistro/Contemporary 8 Brownie’s Grille & Bar 72 Bar & Grill 5 Bruegger’s Bagels 68 Sandwich/Deli 3 Buca Di Beppo 79 European/Italian 6 Buckhead Mountain Grill 62 Casual Dining 4, 16 Buck’s 52 Fine Dining 13 Bud’s Tavern & Barbecue 72 Bar & Grill 12 Buffalo Wild Wings 72 Bar & Grill 2,3,5,6,8,12,15 Bungalow Joe’s 72 Bar & Grill 11 Bunz Restaurant 62 Casual Dining 2 Burger Boy 68 Sandwich/Deli 13 Burning Bush Grille 80 Middle Eastern 10 Butcher’s Best 68 Sandwich/Deli 10 Café 27 59 Cafés 14 Café 360 80 Middle Eastern 2

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Café Aroma Café At Main Street Café Fraiche Café Lou Lou Café Magnolia Café Mimosa Café Montagu Café Thuy Van Caffe Classico Cake Flour California Pizza Kitchen Captain’s Quarters Cardinal Hall of Fame Café Carrabba’s Italian Grille Casa Fiesta Cast Iron Steakhouse Cat Box Deli Cattleman’s Roadhouse Caviar Japanese Restaurant Cellar Door Chocolates Champions Grill Champions Sports Bar Charim Korean Restaurant Charlestown Pizza Co. Charlestown Train Station Charr’d Bourbon Kitchen Check’s Café Cheddar Box Café Cheddar’s Casual Café Cheer King Star The Cheesecake Factory Cheezy’s Pizza Chef Maria’s Greek Deli Chez Seneba African The Chicken House Chicken King Chili’s China 1 China Buffet China Café China Castle China Coast China Garden China Inn China King China Taste Chinese Chef Chinese Express Chipotle Mexican Grill Chocolate Martini Bar Choi’s Asian Food Market Chong Garden Chopshop Salads Chopsticks Chopsticks House Chung King Chuy’s City Café Clarksville Seafood Clay Oven Clifton’s Pizza Clucker’s Wings Coach Lamp Coals Artisan Pizza Coffee Crossing Come Back Inn The Comfy Cow Copper Cupcake Corbett’s ‘an American place’ Corner Café Cottage Café Cottage Inn Crave Café & Catering Cravings a la Carte Creekside Outpost & Café Cricket’s Café Crystal Chinese Cuban Flavor Culver’s Cumberland Brews Cunningham’s The Cupcake Shoppe D’Nalley’s Restaurant Daisy Mae’s Dakshin Indian Restaurant DaLat’s Gateaux & Bakery Dancing Sushi Danish Express Pastries Danny Mac’s Pasta & Pizza Dave & Peg’s Copper Kettle Day’s Espresso De La Torre’s Decca Deckers Grilled Sandwiches Del Frisco’s Derby Café Derby Dinner Playhouse Desserts By Helen Devino’s Diamond Pub & Billiards Difabio’s Casapela DiOrio’s Pizza & Pub Dish On Market Ditto’s Grill Dizzy Whizz Drive-In Doc Crow’s Double Dragon Double Dragon II Double Dragon 9 Down One Bourbon Bar DP UpDogs Dragon King’s Daughter Drake’s

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81 Middle Eastern 2 59 Cafés 6 59 Cafés 7 57 Bistro/Contemporary 2,3 62 Casual Dining 1 77 Asian/Vietnamese 2 59 Cafés 13 77 Asian/Vietnamese 13 57 Bistro/Contemporary 2 84 Desserts/Bakery 1 66 Pizza 5 62 Casual Dining 10 62 Casual Dining 13 79 European/Italian 5 81 Mexican 8 61 Steakhouse 10, 16 68 Sandwich/Deli 1 61 Steakhouse 6, 13 54 Upscale Casual 1 84 Desserts/Bakery 1, 5 62 Casual Dining 16 72 Bar & Grill 1 77 Asian/Korean 3 66 Pizza 16 60 Seafood 16 54 Upscale Casual 6 64 Home Style/Southern 1 59 Cafés 3 62 Casual Dining 8, 13, 15 74 Asian/Chinese 1 54 Upscale Casual 3 66 Pizza 16 68 Cafés 3 74 African 13 64 Home Style/Southern 14 64 Home Style/Southern 1 62 Casual Dining 4, 5, 8, 13 74 Asian/Chinese 3, 5 74 Asian/Chinese 15 74 Asian/Chinese 13 74 Asian/Chinese 12 74 Asian/Chinese 13 74 Asian/Chinese 13 74 Asian/Chinese 13 74 Asian/Chinese 6 74 Asian/Chinese 16 74 Asian/Chinese 13 74 Asian/Chinese 12 81 Mexican 1, 8 62 Casual Dining 5 76 Asian/Japanese 5 74 Asian/Chinese 12 62 Casual Dining 1, 3 74 Asian/Chinese 1 74 Asian/Chinese 1 74 Asian/Chinese 1 83 Southwest/Tex Mex 3,15 59 Cafés 1 60 Seafood 15 80 Indian 5 66 Pizza 2 72 Bar & Grill 13, 14, 16 62 Casual Dining 1 66 Pizza 3 84 Coffee/Tea House 14 79 European/Italian 1, 16 85 Desserts/Bakery 2,5,13 85 Desserts/Bakery 8 52 Fine Dining 8 54 Upscale Casual 5 64 Home Style/Southern 5 64 Home Style/Southern 13 59 Cafés 2 65 Cafeterias 1 59 Cafés 14 59 Cafés 15 74 Asian/Chinese 1 80 Caribbean/Cuban/Latin 11 62 Casual Dining 6 74 Microbreweries 2 62 Casual Dining 1, 10 85 Desserts/Bakery 3 64 Home Style/Southern 1 64 Home Style/Southern 14 80 Indian 11 85 Desserts/Bakery 13 76 Asian/Japanese 8 68 Sandwich/Deli 3 66 Pizza 13 64 Home Style/Southern 5 84 Coffee/Tea House 2 80 European/Spanish 2 54 Upscale Casual 1 62 Casual Dining 6 61 Steakhouse 3 59 Cafés 13 65 Entertainment Dining 16 85 Desserts/Bakery 2 68 Sandwich/Deli 1 72 Bar & Grill 2, 3 79 European/Italian 2 66 Pizza 2, 3 57 Bistro/Contemporary 1 57 Bistro/Contemporary 2 68 Sandwich/Deli 1 54 Upscale Casual 1 74 Asian/Chinese 1, 2 74 Asian/Chinese 8,11,12,13 74 Asian/Chinese 6 72 Bar & Grill 1 68 Sandwich/Deli 14 76 Asian/Japanese 2, 14 72 Bar & Grill 3, 8

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Dre’Lynn’s Soul Food 65 Home Style/Southern 13 Dunkin’ Donuts 85 Desserts/Bakery 2 Eagle Lake & Restaurant 60 Seafood 12 Earth Friends Café 59 Cafés 1 Eastern House 74 Asian/Chinese 12 Eddie Merlot’s 61 Steakhouse 1 Eggroll Machine 74 Asian/Chinese 2 Eiderdown 78 European/German 13 Einstein Brothers Bagels 68 Sandwich/Deli 1 El Burrito de Oro 81 Mexican 15 El Camino 81 Mexican 2 El Caporal 81 Mexican 4, 6, 15 El Mariachi 81 Mexican 5 El Marlin Seafood 81 Mexican 6 El Molcajete 81 Mexican 13 El Molcajete 82 Mexican 13 El Mundo 82 Mexican 2 El Nopal 82 Mexican [19] El Ranchero 82 Mexican 4 El Rincon Cuban Restaurant 81 Caribbean/Cuban/Latin 13 El Sombrero 82 Mexican 16 El Taco Luchador 82 Mexican 2 El Tarasco 82 Mexican 3, 5, 6, 13 El Tenampa Bar & Grill 81 Caribbean/Cuban/Latin 12 El Torazo 82 Mexican 6 El Torito de Jalisco 82 Mexican 13 El Toro Cantina & Grill 82 Mexican 5 Emma Lou’s Café 59 Cafés 2 Emperor of China 74 Asian/Chinese 7 Empress of China 74 Asian/Chinese 4 The English Grill 52 Fine Dining 1 Equus 54 Upscale Casual 3 Ermin’s Bakery & Café 59 Cafés 1 Exchange Pub + Kitchen 57 Bistro/Contemporary 14 The Falafel House 80 Middle Eastern 2 Famous Dave’s Bar-B-Que 70 Barbecue 6, 15 Famous Mike’s Steak & Lemonade 62 Casual Dining 13 Fat Daddy’s Pizza 66 Pizza 13 Fat Jimmy’s 66 Pizza 5 FeastBBQ 71 Barbecue 14 The Feed Bag 68 Sandwich/Deli 3 Fiesta Time Amigos 82 Mexican 11 Fiesta Time Mexican Grill 82 Mexican 8 Fire Fresh Bar B Q 71 Barbecue 1, 12 Firehouse Subs 68 Sandwich/Deli 5 First Wok 74 Asian/Chinese 12 The Fish House 60 Seafood 2, 5 The Fishery 60 Seafood 3, 5 The Fishery Station 60 Seafood 11 Five Guys Burgers & Fries 63 Casual Dining 8, 14 Flanagans Ale House 72 Bar & Grill 2 Food 4 Ur Soul 65 Home Style/Southern 1 Forty Acres & A Mule 65 Home Style/Southern 13 Four King’s Café 72 Bar & Grill 4 Four Pegs Beer Lounge 57 Bistro/Contemporary 13 Four Sisters 78 Asian/Vietnamese 2 Franco’s Restaurant 65 Home Style/Southern 12 Frankfort Ave. Beer Depot 71 Barbecue 3 Frascelli’s N.Y. Deli & Pizza 68 Sandwich/Deli 8 Frontier Diner 65 Home Style/Southern 12 The Fudgery 85 Desserts/Bakery 1 Fuji Asian Bistro 76 Asian/Japanese 12 Fuji Japanese Steakhouse 76 Asian/Japanese 5, 8 Funmi’s African Restaurant 74 African 4 Game 63 Casual Dining 2 Garage Bar 63 Casual Dining 1 Gary’s On Spring 54 Upscale Casual 2 Gasthaus 78 European/German 7 Gatsby’s On Fourth 63 Casual Dining 1 Gavi’s Restaurant 63 Casual Dining 1 Gelato Gilberto 85 Desserts/Bakery 8 Genghis Grill 77 Asian/Mongolian 8 Gerstle’s Place 72 Bar & Grill 3 Ghyslain 78 European/French 1, 8 Gigi’s Cupcakes 85 Desserts/Bakery 6 Ginza Asian Bistro 76 Asian/Japanese 5 Golden Buddha 74 Asian/Chinese 13 Golden Corral 65 Home Style/Southern [4] Golden Palace 74 Asian/Chinese 13 Golden Star Chinese 74 Asian/Chinese 13 Golden Wall 74 Asian/Chinese 13 Goose Creek Diner 63 Casual Dining 8 Gordon Biersch Brewery 74 Microbreweries 1 Grady’s Burgers & Wings 63 Casual Dining 13 Granville Inn 72 Bar & Grill 13 Grape Leaf 80 Middle Eastern 2 Great American Grill 72 Bar & Grill 13 Great Harvest Bread Co. 85 Desserts/Bakery 5 Great Wall 74 Asian/Chinese 2 Great Wok 74 Asian/Chinese 13 Green Leaf Vegetarian 63 Casual Dining 13 Greg’s BBQ Joint 71 Barbecue 14 Guaca Mole 82 Mexican 5 Habana Blues Tapas 81 Caribbean/Cuban/Latin 14 Hall’s Cafeteria 65 Cafeterias 2 Hammerheads 57 Bistro/Contemporary 1 Hanabi Japanese Restaurant 76 Asian/Japanese 10 Happy China 74 Asian/Chinese 6 Happy Dragon 75 Asian/Chinese 6 Hard Rock Café 57 Bistro/Contemporary 1 Harley’s Hardwoodz BBQ 71 Barbecue 16 Harvest 54 Upscale Casual 1 Havana Rumba 81 Caribbean/Cuban/Latin 3,5 Havana Rumba & Tapas Bar 81 Caribbean/Cuban/Latin 2 Hawksview Gallery 54 Upscale Casual 13 Hay Chi Wa Waa 82 Mexican 5 Heart & Soy 76 Asian/Japanese 2 Heine Brothers Coffee 84 Coffee/Tea House [13] Heitzman Bakery & Deli 85 Desserts/Bakery 5 Henry’s Place 55 Upscale Casual 7 Hibachi Sushi Buffet 75 Asian/Chinese 11 Highland Coffee Co. 84 Coffee/Tea House 2 Highland Morning 59 Cafés 2 www.facebook.com/foodanddine Spring 2014 49

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RESTAURANT

Saddle up and Ride!

Prepare for Derby with the class of a thoroughbred.

Open 7 Days a Week in Louisville’s Historic Highlands.

Our knowledgeable staff will guide you through our extensive wine selection and more than 40 bourbon and whiskey distilleries or explore online at: www.KyBourbon.net

1529 Bardstown Road www.OldTownWine.com 502.451.8591

50 Spring 2014 www.foodanddine.com

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Highlands Taproom Grill Hiko A Mon Sushi Bar Hill Street Fish Fry Hilltop Tavern Hitching Post Inn Hobknobb Roasting Co. Holy Grale Home Run Burgers & Fries Homemade Pie Kitchen Hometown Buffet Hometown Pizza Honey Creme Donut Shop Honeybaked Café Hong Kong Chinese Hong Kong Fast Food Hoops Grill and Sports Bar Hooters Howl at the Moon Hunan Wok Ichiban Samurai IHOP Incredible Dave’s Indi’s Restaurant The International Mall The Irish Exit The Irish Rover Iroquois Pizza J. Alexander’s J. Graham’s Café J. Gumbo’s J. Harrods JJ Fish & Chicken Jack Binion’s Steakhouse Jack Fry’s Jack’s Lounge Jackknife Café Jade Palace Jamba Juice Jasmin Bakery Jasmine Jason’s Deli Java Brewing Co. Jazzyblu Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse Jersey’s Café Jersey Mike’s Subs Jet’s Pizza Jimmy John’s Sub Shop Joe & Kathy’s Place Joe Huber Restaurant Joe’s Crab Shack Joe’s O.K. Bayou Joe’s Older Than Dirt John O’Bryan’s Tavern Johnny Brusco’s Pizza Johnny V’s The Joy Luck JR’s Pub Jucy’s Smokehouse Jumbo Buffet Kaelin’s Coffeehouse Kailana Sushi Kalisimbi Bar & Grill Kansai Japanese Rest.

Karem’s Kashmir Indian Kayrouz Café Kenna’s Korner Kern’s Korner Khalil’s King Wok Kingfish King’s Fried Chicken Kobe Japanese Steak Koreana II KT’s Kum’s Kafe La Bamba La Bocca La Bodega La Carreta La Coop: Bistro à Vins La Gallo Rosso Bistro La Hacienda Guadalajara La Peche La Popular La Que La Riviera Maya La Rosita Taqueria La Sierra Lancaster’s Cafeteria Las Gorditas Le Bossier Café Lee’s Korean Legend’s Lemongrass Café Lenny’s Sub Shop The Lighthouse Lilly’s Limestone Ling Ling Little Caesars Pizza Little India Café Little Jerusalem Liu’s Garden Logan’s Roadhouse Lolitas Tacos Inc. Longhorn Steakhouse Lonnie’s Taste Of Chicago Loop 22 Los Aztecas Lotsa Pasta Loui Loui’s Detroit Pizza

MAP #

72 Bar & Grill 2 76 Asian/Japanese 5 60 Seafood 13 72 Bar & Grill 2 73 Bar & Grill 11 84 Coffee/Tea House 14 58 Bistro/Contemporary 2 63 Casual Dining 3, 5, 6, 13 85 Desserts [9] 65 Home Style/Southern 6,3 66 Pizza 7 85 Desserts/Bakery 14 68 Sandwich/Deli 3, 11, 14 75 Asian/Chinese 14 75 Asian/Chinese 13 73 Bar & Grill 13 63 Casual Dining 3,13,12,15,16 65 Entertainment Dining 1 75 Asian/Chinese 11 76 Asian/Japanese 6 63 Casual Dining 6, 15 66 Entertainment Dining 8 65 Home Style/Southern 1,3,13 79 European/Italian 1 78 European/Irish 14 78 European/Irish 2, 7 66 Pizza 13 55 Upscale Casual 3 59 Cafés 1 80 Cajun/Creole 1,2,6 55 Upscale Casual 10 60 Seafood 16 52 Fine Dining 14 52 Fine Dining 2 58 Bistro/Contemporary 3 59 Cafés 2 75 Asian/Chinese 5 60 Cafés 1 85 Desserts/Bakery 4 75 Asian/Chinese 5 68 Sandwich/Deli 3, 5 84 Coffee/Tea House 2,8 58 Bistro/Contemporary 1 61 Steakhouse 1 73 Bar & Grill 15 68 Sandwich/Deli 5, 6, 8 66 Pizza 2, 3 68 Sandwich/Deli [11] 63 Casual Dining 12 66 Entertainment Dining 14 60 Seafood 1 80 Cajun/Creole 6 63 Casual Dining 5 73 Bar & Grill 12 66 Pizza 8 67 Pizza 6 75 Asian/Chinese 2 73 Bar & Grill 14 71 Barbecue 5 75 Asian/Chinese 6 84 Coffee/Tea House 2 76 Asian/Japanese 11 74 African 13 76 Asian/Japanese 6, 15 63 Casual Dining 8 80 Indian 2 60 Cafés 3 67 Pizza 8 63 Casual Dining 2 73 Bar & Grill 12 75 Asian/Chinese 3 60 Seafood 6, 7, 16 65 Home Style/Southern 13 76 Asian/Japanese 16 77 Asian/Korean 13 55 Upscale Casual 2 65 Home Style/Southern 13 82 Mexican 2 79 European/Italian 14 80 European/Spanish 2 82 Mexican 13 78 European/French 1 79 European/Italian 2 82 Mexican 13 60 Cafés 2 82 Mexican 13 78 Asian/Vietnamese 2 82 Mexican 13 82 Mexican 5, 13, 15 82 Mexican 11 65 Cafeterias 15 83 Mexican 11 65 Home Style/Southern 1 77 Asian/Korean 13 63 Casual Dining 14 78 Asian/Vietnamese 5 68 Sandwich/Deli 4 73 Bar & Grill 16 52 Fine Dining 2 52 Fine Dining 5 75 Asian/Chinese 5 67 Pizza [12] 80 Indian 4 80 Middle Eastern 13 75 Asian/Chinese 5 61 Steakhouse 3, 6, 12, 15 83 Mexican 13 61 Steakhouse 6, 8, 13, 15 69 Sandwich/Deli 2, 13 58 Bistro/Contemporary 2 83 Mexican 1, 5, 10 69 Sandwich/Deli 3 67 Pizza 6

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Louis Le Francais 78 European/French 14 Louis’s “The Ton” 73 Bar & Grill 1 Louisville Pizza Co. 67 Pizza 6 Louisville Tea Co. 84 Coffee/Tea House 5 Luigi’s 67 Pizza 1 Ma Zerellas 67 Pizza 15 Maa Sha Allah 74 African 4 Magdalena’s 63 Casual Dining 14 Main Eatery 69 Sandwich/Deli 1 Main Street Café 69 Sandwich/Deli 1 Mai’s Thai Restaurant 77 Asian/Thai 16 Majid’s St. Matthews 58 Bistro/Contemporary 3 Maker’s Mark Lounge 55 Upscale Casual 1 Mango’s Bar & Grill 83 Mexican 6, 13 Manhattan Grill 63 Casual Dining 1 Manny & Merle 58 Bistro/Contemporary 1 Marco’s Pizza 67 Pizza 14 Marketplace Restaurant 58 Bistro/Contemporary 1 Mark’s Feed Store 71 Barbecue 2, 5, 11, 12, 14 Marlyce’s Place 85 Desserts/Bakery 15 Martini Italian Bistro 79 European/Italian 8 Masa Japanese 76 Asian/Japanese 5 Masala Grill 80 Middle Eastern 1 Match Cigar Bar 58 Bistro/Contemporary 16 Mayan Café 83 Mexican 1 McAlister’s Deli 69 Sandwich/Deli [9] Mellow Mushroom 67 Pizza 3, 5 The Melting Pot 55 Upscale Casual 6 Meridian Café 60 Cafés 3 Mexican Fiesta 83 Mexican 4 Mexico Tipico 83 Mexican 12 Mexico Viejo 83 Mexican 2 Mikato Japanese Steakhouse 76 Asian/Japanese 3 Mike Linnig’s 60 Seafood 12 Mike’s Tavern 73 Bar & Grill 14 MilkWood 52 Fine Dining 1 Mimi’s Café 63 Casual Dining 5 Mimo’s Pizzeria 67 Pizza 14 Mirage Mediterranean Grill 80 Middle Eastern 13 Miss C’s Kitchen & Pantry 65 Home Style/Southern 1,2 Mitchell’s Fish Market 60 Seafood 8 Moe’s Southwest Grill 83 Southwest/Tex Mex 3,6,8,11,15 Mojito Tapas Restaurant 80 European/Spanish 7 Molly Malone’s 78 European/Irish 2, 3 Momma’s Mustard, Pickles & BBQ 71 Barbecue 3, 5 The Monkey Wrench 63 Casual Dining 2 More Shenanigan’s 78 European/Irish 4 Morris Deli & Catering 69 Sandwich/Deli 1, 2 Morton’s of Chicago 61 Steakhouse 1 Mr. Gattis 67 Pizza 5, 12, 13, 15 Mrs. Potter’s Coffee 84 Coffee/Tea House 1 Mt. Fuji 76 Asian/Japanese 13 Mulligan’s Pub and Grill 63 Casual Dining 2 Muscle Monkey Café 69 Sandwich/Deli 6, 8, 1 15 Mussel & Burger Bar 58 Bistro/Contemporary 6 My Favorite Muffin 85 Desserts/Bakery 5 My Old KY Dinner Train 66 Entertainment Dining 13 NamNam Café 78 Asian/Vietnamese 3 Nana’s Country Kitchen 65 Home Style/Southern 12 Nancy’s Bagel Box 69 Sandwich/Deli 1 Nancy’s Bagel Grounds 69 Sandwich/Deli 2 Napa River Grill 55 Upscale Casual 5 Neil & Patty’s Fireside Grill 63 Casual Dining 14 New Albanian Brewing Co. 67 Pizza 14 New Albany Roadhouse 63 Casual Dining 14 New China 75 Asian/Chinese 5 New Direction Bar & Grill 73 Bar & Grill 8 Nonnie’s Kitchen 60 Cafés 5 Nord’s Bakery 85 Desserts/Bakery 13 North End Café 58 Bistro/Contemporary 2 O’Charley’s 63 Casual Dining 3,6,8,13,12,15 O’Dolly’s 65 Home Style/Southern 13 O’Shea’s Irish Pub 78 European/Irish 2 The Oakroom 52 Fine Dining 1 Oishii Sushi 76 Asian/Japanese 4 Old 502 Winery 58 Bistro/Contemporary 1 Old Chicago Pasta & Pizza 67 Pizza 6, 8 Old Louisville Tavern 73 Bar & Grill 13 Old Spaghetti Factory 79 European/Italian 1 Old Stone Inn 55 Upscale Casual 5 Ole Hickory Pit BBQ 71 Barbecue 11 O-Line Sports Grill 73 Bar & Grill 8 The Olive Garden 79 European/Italian 6,8,11,15 Ollie’s Trolley 69 Sandwich/Deli 1 Onion Restaurant & Tea House 75 Asian/Chinese 14 Orange Clover Kitchen 60 Cafés 16 Oriental House 75 Asian/Chinese 3 Oriental Star 75 Asian/Chinese 13 Original Impellizzeri’s 67 Pizza 1, 2, 10 Osaka Sushi Bar 76 Asian/Japanese 1, 2 Outback Steakhouse 61 Steakhouse 3,8,11,13,15 P. F. Chang’s China Bistro 55 Upscale Casual 5 Palermo Viejo 81 Caribbean/Cuban/Latin 2 Panda Chinese 75 Asian/Chinese 10 Panda Express 75 Asian/Chinese 6, 15 Panera Bread Co. 69 Sandwich/Deli [9] Papa John’s 67 Pizza [30] Papa Murphy’s Pizza 67 Pizza 3,4,5,8,11,12,14,15,16 Papalino’s NY Pizzeria 67 Pizza 2, 8 Passtime Fish House 60 Seafood 6 Patrick O’Shea’s 79 European/Irish 1 Pat’s Steak House 62 Steakhouse 2 Paul’s Fruit Market 70 Sandwich/Deli 3, 4, 5, 7 Pearl 78 Asian/Vietnamese 14 Peking City Bistro 75 Asian/Chinese 5 Penn Station 70 Sandwich/Deli [17] Peppers Bar and Grill 64 Casual Dining 1 Perfetto Pizza 67 Pizza 6 Perkfection 84 Coffee/Tea House 16 Pesto’s Italian 79 European/Italian 1 Petra Mediterranean 80 Middle Eastern 4 Philly Steak & Burger 64 Casual Dining 2 Pho Binh Minh 78 Asian/Vietnamese 13

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Pina Fiesta Mexican Grill 83 Mexican 12 Pink Baron BBQ 71 Barbecue 16 Pita Delights 80 Middle Eastern 1 Pita Hut 80 Middle Eastern 2 Pita Pit 80 Middle Eastern 6 Pizza Donisi 67 Pizza 13 Pizza King 67 Pizza 14, 16 Pizza Place 67 Pizza 4 Please & Thank You 84 Coffee/Tea House 2 Pleasure Ridge Place 68 Pizza 12 Plehn’s Bakery 85 Desserts/Bakery 3 Police Donuts 85 Desserts/Bakery 5 Ponderosa Steakhouse 62 Steakhouse 13 Porcini 79 European/Italian 2 Potbelly Sandwich Shop 70 Sandwich/Deli 1, 8 Primo’s Delicatessen 70 Sandwich/Deli 14 Proof On Main 55 Upscale Casual 1 Puccini’s Smiling Teeth 68 Pizza 3 Puerto Vallarta 83 Mexican 11, 14, 16 Pupuseria y Taqueria 81 Caribbean/Cuban/Latin 13 Qdoba Mexican Grill 83 Mexican [16] Quad Café 64 Casual Dining 16 Queen of Sheba 74 African 4 Queue Café 60 Cafés 1 Quick Wok 75 Asian/Chinese 1 Quill’s Coffee 84 Coffee/Tea House 2, 13, 14 Quizno’s Subs 70 Sandwich/Deli [7] Rafferty’s of Louisville 64 Casual Dining 3, 8 Raising Cane’s 64 Casual Dining 8 Ramiro’s Cantina 83 Mexican 2 Ramsi’s Café 58 Bistro/Contemporary 2 Red Hot Roasters 84 Coffee/Tea House 1, 2 Red Robin Gourmet Burgers 64 Casual Dining 3, 8 Red Sun Chinese 75 Asian/Chinese 4 Red’s Comfort Food 70 Sandwich/Deli 1 Relish 58 Bistro/Contemporary 1 River City Drafthouse 73 Bar & Grill 2 River City Winery 58 Bistro/Contemporary 4 River Road BBQ 71 Barbecue 7 Riverside Café 60 Cafés 16 Riviera Maya 81 Caribbean/Cuban/Latin 2 Rivue 52 Fine Dining 1 Rob-A-Que 71 Barbecue 13 Rocky’s Pizza & Panini 68 Pizza 4 Rocky’s Sub Pub 68 Pizza 16 Romano’s Macaroni Grill 79 European/Italian 5 Roosters 64 Casual Dining 5,12,13,15 Rootie’s Sports Bar & Grille 73 Bar & Grill 8 Roots 76 Asian/Japanese 2 Rosie’s Pizza 68 Pizza 5 Rosticeria Luna 83 Mexican 13 Royal Garden 75 Asian/Chinese 13 Rubbie’s Southside Grill & Bar 71 Barbecue 13 Ruby Tuesday 64 Casual Dining 6, 15 The Rudyard Kipling 64 Casual Dining 1 Rumors Raw Oyster Bar 60 Seafood 5 Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse 62 Steakhouse 3 Ryan’s Steakhouse 62 Steakhouse 11 Rye 55 Upscale Casual 1 SaE Café 70 Sandwich/Deli 1 Saffron’s 80 Middle Eastern 1 Safier Mediterranean Deli 80 Middle Eastern 1 Saigon Café 78 Asian/Vietnamese 3 Saigon One 78 Asian/Vietnamese 13 Saint’s 73 Bar & Grill 3 Sake Blue Japanese Bistro 76 Asian/Japanese 11 Sakura Blue 76 Asian/Japanese 3 Sala Thai 77 Asian/Thai 11 Sal’s Pizza & Wings 68 Pizza 5 Salsarita’s Fresh Cantina 84 Southwest/Tex Mex 3,5 Sam’s Food & Spirits 64 Casual Dining 14 Sam’s Gyro 80 Middle Eastern 6 Sam’s Hot Dog Stand 64 Casual Dining 2 Santa Fe Grill 83 Mexican 13 Sapporo Japanese Grill 76 Asian/Japanese 1, 2 Sari Sari Filipino Cuisine 75 Asian/Filipino 2 Schlotzsky’s Deli 70 Sandwich/Deli 8 Scotty’s Ribs & More 71 Barbecue 5 Scotty’s Village Market 70 Sandwich/Deli 8 Selena’s at Willow Lake Tavern 80 Cajun/Creole 5 Señor Iguana’s 83 Mexican 3, 5, 6, 13, 15 Señor Taco 83 Mexican 11 Sergio’s World Beers 73 Bar & Grill 2 Seviche A Latin Restaurant 52 Fine Dining 2 Shack In The Back BBQ 71 Barbecue 13 Shady Lane Café 70 Sandwich/Deli 7 Shah’s Mongolian Grill 77 Asian/Mongolian 6, 13 Shalimar Indian 80 Indian 6 Shane’s Rib Shack 71 Barbecue 7 Shanghai Restaurant 75 Asian/Chinese 1 Shark’s Fish & Chicken 60 Seafood 13 Shelia’s Southern Cuisine 65 Home Style/Southern 2 Shenanigan’s Irish Grille 79 European/Irish 2 Sherry’s Corner Café 60 Cafés 16 Shiraz Mediterranean Grill 80 Middle Eastern 2, 5, 7, 13 Shirley Mae’s Café 65 Home Style/Southern 1 Shogun 76 Asian/Japanese 6, 8 Shoney’s 64 Casual Dining 5, 13 Sichuan Garden 75 Asian/Chinese 6 Sicilian Pizza & Pasta 68 Pizza 1 Sidebar 58 Bistro/Contemporary 1 The Silver Dollar 59 Bistro/Contemporary 2 Simply Thai 77 Asian/Thai 3, 5 Sin Fronteras 83 Mexican 15 Sir Dano’s Pizza Parlor 68 Pizza 15 Sister Bean’s 84 Coffee/Tea House 13 Skyline Chili 64 Casual Dining 2, 3, 6, 12 Smashburger 64 Casual Dining 1, 5 Smokehouse BBQ 71 Barbecue 11 Smoketown USA 71 Barbecue 1 Smokey Bones BBQ 71 Barbecue 6 Smokey’s Bean 84 Coffee/Tea House 13 Snappy Tomato 68 Pizza 8

RESTAURANT

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Sol Aztecas Sonoma Coffee Café Sora Sushi Spaghetti Shop Spinelli’s Pizzeria Sporting News Grill The Sports & Social Club Spread Buffet, The Spring St. Bar & Grill St. Charles Exchange Star Sushi Starbucks Coffee Starving Artist Café State Donuts Steak N Shake Stevens & Stevens Deli Steve-O’s Italian Kitchen Stoney River Stricker’s Café Studio Pizza Sub Station II Sugar & Spice Donut Shop Sully’s Saloon Sunday’s Home Cooking Sunergos Coffee SuperChef’s Breakfast Sway Sweets Frog Sweet Stuff Bakery Sweet Surrender Sweets & Such Bakery Taco Punk Taco Tico Tacqueria La Mexicana Taj Palace TanThai Restaurant Taylor G’s Jamaican Jerk Tazza Mia TC’s Sandwich Shoppe Tea Station Chinese Bistro Teena’s Pizza Terri Ann’s Texas Roadhouse Texicans BBQ Pit TGI Friday’s Thai Café Thai Noodles Thai Siam Thai Taste That Place On Goss The Back Door The Café The Cheddar Box The Cheddar Box Too The Place Downstairs Thornberry’s Deli & Pies Tienda La Chapinlandia Tin Roof Toast On Market Tokyo Japanese Tom + Chee Tomo Tony Impellizzeri’s Troll Pub Under The Bridge Tucker’s Tumbleweed Tuscany Italian Restaurant Tut’s Mediterranean Twig & Leaf Restaurant Uncle Maddio’s Pizza Joint Uptown Café Varanese Verbana Café Vic’s Café Vietnam Kitchen Village Anchor Pub & Roost Vincenzo’s Vint Coffee Vito’s Pizza Volare W.g. Grinders W.W. Cousin’s Wagner’s Pharmacy Wall Street Deli Warehouse Hookah Café Wasabiya Japanese Rest.

Way Cool Café Webb’s Market Wick’s Pizza Wild Eggs Wild Ginger Sushi & Fusion Wild Rita’s William’s Bakery Wiltshire On Market Wiltshire Pantry Bakery The Wing Zone Wingstop Winston’s Wok Express Wonton Express Yaching’s East West Cuisine Yafa Café Yang Kee Noodle Yellow Cactus Yen Ching You-Carryout-A Zanzabar Za’s Pizza Zaxby’s Zaytun Mediterranean Grill Zen Garden Zoe’s Kitchen Zoup!

Z’s Oyster Bar

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83 Mexican 1, 2 84 Coffee/Tea House 2 76 Asian/Japanese 5 79 European/Italian 11, 14 68 Pizza 1, 2, 3, 8, 12 73 Bar & Grill 13 73 Bar & Grill 1 64 Casual Dining 14 73 Bar & Grill 2 56 Upscale Casual 1 76 Asian/Japanese 16 84 Coffee/Tea House [35] 70 Sandwich/Deli 5 85 Desserts/Bakery 8 64 Casual Dining 4,6,8,13,12,15 70 Sandwich/Deli 2 79 European/Italian 7 62 Steakhouse 8 60 Cafés 16 68 Pizza 15 70 Sandwich/Deli 13 85 Desserts/Bakery 11 73 Bar & Grill 1 65 Home Style/Southern 13 84 Coffee/Tea House 1, 13 60 Cafés 3 56 Casual Dining 1 85 Desserts/Bakery [4] 85 Desserts/Bakery 14 85 Desserts/Bakery 2 85 Desserts/Bakery 12 64 Casual Dining 1 83 Mexican 12 83 Mexican 13 80 Indian 8 77 Asian/Thai 14 81 Caribbean/Cuban/Latin 1 84 Coffee/Tea House 6 70 Sandwich/Deli 1 75 Asian/Chinese 8 68 Pizza 13 65 Home Style/Southern 12 62 Steakhouse 2, 12, 13, 15 72 Barbecue 7 64 Casual Dining 1 77 Asian/Thai 7 77 Asian/Thai 13 77 Asian/Thai 4 77 Asian/Thai 2 64 Casual Dining 13 73 Bar & Grill 2 60 Cafés 1 60 Cafés 3 60 Cafés 3 56 Upscale Casual 6 70 Sandwich/Deli 13 83 Mexican 13 73 Bar & Grill 3 64 Casual Dining 1, 14 77 Asian/Japanese 7 70 Sandwich/Deli 2, 3, 13 77 Asian/Japanese 14 68 Pizza 14 73 Bar & Grill 1 64 Casual Dining 14 84 Southwest/Tex Mex [15] 79 European/Italian 13 80 Middle Eastern 4 64 Casual Dining 2 68 Pizza 2 56 Upscale Casual 7 56 Upscale Casual 2 60 Cafés 8 73 Bar & Grill 14 78 Asian/Vietnamese 13 59 Bistro/Contemporary 5 53 Fine Dining 1 84 Coffee/Tea House 2 68 Pizza 13 79 European/Italian 2 64 Casual Dining 1 70 Sandwich/Deli 3 65 Home Style/Southern 13 70 Sandwich/Deli 1 80 Middle Eastern 14 74 Asian/Japanese 2 60 Cafés 1 65 Home Style/Southern 1 68 Pizza 2, 5, 6, 8, 14 60 Cafés 1, 3, 5 77 Asian/Japanese 2 83 Mexican 1 85 Desserts/Bakery 15 56 Upscale Casual 1 60 Cafés 2 64 Casual Dining 13 74 Bar & Grill 12 53 Fine Dining 4 75 Asian/Chinese 1 75 Asian/Chinese 4 56 Upscale Casual 1 60 Cafés 1 75 Asian/Chinese 5 83 Mexican 14 75 Asian/Chinese 6 75 Asian/Chinese 15, 16 74 Bar & Grill 13 68 Pizza 2 64 Casual Dining [5] 80 Middle Eastern 2 78 Asian/Vietnamese 2 80 Middle Eastern 1, 3, 8 70 Sandwich/Deli 1 53 Fine Dining 5

SOME PLACES SIMPLY SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. Since 1923, when The Brown Hotel first opened her doors to the world, she has graciously welcomed guests with a sense of grandeur, which quite frankly has left many of our guests speechless.

NOW, HERE’S WHAT THE REST OF THE WORLD IS SAYING: “Named one of the BEST 500 HOTELS IN THE WORLD” TRAVEL + LEISURE MAGAZINE

“Service was exemplary. I checked out with regret.”

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

“The English Grill has emerged as the finest restaurant in the city.”

WINE SPECTATOR

THE ENGLISH GRILL

T H E G R A N D LO B BY B A R

DOWNTOWN AT FOURTH & BROADWAY (502) 583-1234 • www.brownhotel.com www.facebook.com/foodanddine Spring 2014 51

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GUIDE KEY Average Entrée Price:

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

B = Breakfast Br = Brunch L = Lunch D = Dinner

h = Late Night

p = Full Bar

OPEN PAST 10 P.M.

f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music

 = Delivery: TakeoutTaxi.com 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. To find 211 Clover Lane you have to negotiate St. Matthews side streets and cross railroad tracks to locate the restaurant notched into the corner of a little upscale cluster of shops. When you do, you can enjoy drinks in a newly expanded lounge, and dine off seasonal menus from chef Troy Shuster, who, along with owner Andrew Smith, have kept 211 Clover Lane among the town’s top tables for two decades. $$$$ Br L D pf 610 MAGNOLIA 610 Magnolia Ave., 636-0783. For nearly a decade Edward Lee has maintained his Old Louisville restaurant’s reputation as a dining destination. Now Nick Sullivan has taken over as executive chef as Lee, with his recent Food TV national exposure, has assumed the role of impresario. The monthly family style pasta and bistro dinners across the street in the Wine Studio give diners a way to appreciate 610’s style at a lower price point. $$$$ D pf BUCK’S 425 W. Ormsby Ave., 637-5284. Elegant and understated, this fine dining room in the Mayflower

Dine with the natives Support our local flavor

August Moon Chinese Bistro Baxter Station Bar & Grill Bistro 301 Bistro Le Relais Bluegrass Brewing Co. - Arena Bluegrass Brewing Co. - St. Matthews Bluegrass Brewing Co. - Theater Square Bristol Bar & Grille - Downtown Bristol Bar & Grille - Highlands Bristol Bar & Grille - Hurstbourne Bristol Bar & Grille - Jeffersonville, IN Bristol Bar & Grille - Prospect Buck’s Restaurant & Bar Café Lou Lou - Highlands Café Lou Lou - St. Matthews Come Back Inn De La Torre’s / La Bodega Eiderdown Food & Drink Equus / Jack’s Bar

Hiko-A-Mon Lilly’s Bistro Limestone Restaurant Mayan Café Meridian Café Napa River Grill North End Café - Crescent Hill North End Café - Highlands Palermo Viejo RIVUE Restaurant & Lounge Seviche Sweet Surrender The Irish Rover The Irish Rover, Too Uptown Café Vincenzo’s Winston’s Restaurant at Sullivan University

LouisvilleOriginals.com 52 Spring 2014 www.foodanddine.com

Apartments is overseen by chef Andrew Welenken, who has kept long-standing favorites like the crispy fish, but has extended his menu into new areas, such as the fried oysters Rockefeller, maple-bourbon glazed pork chop and country-fried quail. Rick Bartlett continues his long tenure at the piano. $$$ L D hpfe CORBETT’S ‘AN AMERICAN PLACE’ 5050 Norton Healthcare Blvd., 327-5058. Dean Corbett, longtime fixture on the Louisville dining scene, went all-out with his East End destination. Housed in the stunning former Von Allmen mansion, Corbett’s kitchen is state of the art, the dining room amenities include a chef’s table with closed circuit TV connection to the kitchen, and his menu has been earning raves. Worth the trip and the price. $$$$ L D hpf ENGLISH GRILL 335 W. Broadway (The Brown Hotel), 583-1234. This landmark, formal dining room is now under control of executive chef Josh Bettis, who is introducing new menu ideas such as pressed watermelon tuna nicoise, monkfish over polenta and peanut butter mousse and lemon panna cotta for desserts. The chef’s table in the kitchen is still a great place for a special party. $$$ D 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. $$$$ D hp JACK FRY’S 1007 Bardstown Rd., 452-9244. Good times or bad, weeknights or weekends, this Louisville institution — the remnant of a 1930s saloon — is always crowded and buzzing. Stephanie Meeks has taken over from long-time owner Susan Seiller, but the upscale bistro fare, like shrimp and grits and spicy fried oysters, is as good as ever. $$$$ L D hpe LILLY’S 1147 Bardstown Rd., 451-0447. A Louisville institution for more than a quarter-century, Lilly’s, under much heralded owner-chef Kathy Cary, continues to be as fresh as the locally-sourced foods she features on her Kentucky-accented menus. Her frequent special wine dinners are among the more affordable and creative in the area. $$$$ Br L D p LIMESTONE 10001 Forest Green Blvd., 426-7477. Chef Jim Gerhardt has established a stylish and elegant dining experience in the East End. Seasonal theme dinners and the Feed Me Chef ad hoc dinners offer special values. $$$$ L D hpf MILKWOOD 316 W. Main St., 584-6455. Owner Edward Lee has made the downstairs space at Actors Theatre a dining destination even after curtain call and when the theater is dark. Executive chef Kevin Ashworth’s menu blends Asian and Southern influences and has received national attention. The sleek, clean updating of the space is both chic and welcoming. $$$ D p THE OAKROOM 500 S. Fourth St. (Seelbach Hotel), 585-3200. Chef de cuisine Patrick Roney captains the kitchen at Seelbach’s AAA five-diamond awarded formal restaurant. His clever menu features a sophisticated and contemporary blend seafood, beef and pork served with local and seasonal ingredients. Insider tip: You won’t regret putting your wine choices in the hands of sommelier Julie DeFriend. $$$$ Br D pe RIVUE 140 N. Fourth St., (Galt House Hotel) 568-4239.

The sleek black and white modern decor, slowly spinning to give a panorama of the city, brings to mind an old Fred Astaire movie. New chef Dustin Willard’s upscale menu adds another top hotel dining experience to the city. $$$ Br D hp SEVICHE A LATIN RESTAURANT 1538 Bardstown Rd., 473-8560. Chef Anthony Lamas’ menu offers an eclectic range of Latin American dishes in addition to the namesake the Latino seafood dish “cooked” in tart citrus juices. Continuing to get notice throughout the Southeast for his imaginative

RED = Advertiser B = Breakfast Br = Brunch L = Lunch D = Dinner

h = Late Night

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cooking, he is setting a standard of cool for the Bardstown Road eating scene. $$$$ D hpf VINCENZO’S 150 S. Fifth St., 580-1350. Known for its suave professional service, high-end Northern Italian fare and many trademark dishes finished at tableside, Vincenzo’s continues to hold its own against growing downtown competition. $$$$ L D hpe WINSTON’S RESTAURANT 3101 Bardstown Rd. (Sullivan University Campus), 456-0980. Higher education meets higher cuisine at this elegant oncampus restaurant staffed by Sullivan culinary arts students. But this is no college lab; it’s an attractive and stylish restaurant. Chef John Castro runs the staff through its paces guaranteeing that while students are learning their craft, your dinner will ace the test. Open Fri. - Sun. only. Reservations suggested. $$$ Br L D p Z’S OYSTER BAR & STEAKHOUSE 101 Whittington Pkwy., 429-8000, 115 S. Fourth St., 855-8000. The successful upscale steak and oyster concept that has worked so well in the Hurstbourne suburbs is now also the theme at Z’s sleek downtown venue.

Splendid steaks, extraordinary seafood, fine service and clubby ambience will give visitors another center-city choice. $$$$ L D hp

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. $$$ D hfe ASIATIQUE 1767 Bardstown Rd., 451-2749. Fifteen years ago Chef Peng Looi introduced Louisville diners to pan-Asian Pacific Rim fusion cuisine. In his sophisticated, multi-level, Bardstown Road restaurant he continues to offer clean, simple, elegant dishes that present often startling flavor combinations. His wok-seared salmon has long been a local favorite. $$$ Br D hpf 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. $$ Br L D p  BASA MODERN VIETNAMESE 2244 Frankfort Ave., 896-1016. Chef Michael Ton brought a new style of Asian fusion cuisine to Louisville, playing entertaining riffs off Vietnamese cooking, with daring choices like caramelized catfish claypot and tamarind-sriracha gelato. $$$ D hp BLACKSTONE GRILLE 9521 U.S. 42, 228-6962.

Longtime restaurateur Rick Dissell 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 fried chicken livers and “light” fried chicken. The monthly LobsterFest night is worth checking out. $$$ Br D pf BLU ITALIAN MEDITERRANEAN GRILLE 280 W. Jefferson St. (Louisville Marriott), 627-5045. BLU offers upscale Italian Mediterranean cuisine in striking surroundings highlighted by Mexican limestone and Italian marble. For those seeking a relaxing libation and a quicker snack, the Bar at BLU offers a more casual alternative. $$$ B Br L D pe 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 Romanruin setting houses abundant Italian-American style fare. We particularly enjoyed appetizers and firstrate grilled meats. $$ Br L D hpf BRISTOL BAR & GRILLE 1321 Bardstown Rd., 456-1702, 300 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 426-0627,

p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music  = Delivery: TakeoutTaxi.com

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614 W. Main St., 582-1995, 1860 Mellwood Ave., 895-4158, 6051 Timber Ridge Dr., 292-2585, 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 greenchile won tons and the Bristol Burger. F&D columnist Scott Harper has crafted an exceptional wine selection. $$ Br L D hpf  CAVIAR JAPANESE RESTAURANT 416 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 625-3090. Sammy Sa, the genial host of the Fuji restaurants in the East End, also pleases downtown diners with this stylish Japanese eatery next door to the Seelbach Hotel. Eat at the sushi bar, choose a comfortable table or reserve the traditional Japanesestyle Tatami Room for your group. $$$ L D hp CHARR’D BOURBON KITCHEN & LOUNGE 1903 Embassy Square Blvd. (Marriott Louisville East), 4911184. The J’town Marriott Hotel’s restaurant is on the Urban Bourbon Trail, which explains menu divisions such as “10 Minute White Dog” lunch choices, and “Bootlegger Burger Bar.” The bar boasts over 75 offerings of Bourbon. $$$ Br L D hp THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY 5000 Shelbyville Rd. (Mall St. Matthews), 897-3933. “Cheesecake” is its name, and this glitzy shopping-mall eatery offers a wide variety of rich, calorific choices to eat in or take out. It’s more than just cheesecake, though, with a wide-ranging menu of California, Southwestern and Pacific Rim fare plus full bar service. $$$ Br L D hpf 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. $$$ L D hp DECCA 812 E. Market St., 749-8128. Located in an 1870s building in NuLu, Decca brings the talent of chef Annie Pettry to Louisville. A commitment to locally farmed and small production ingredients is evident in the kitchen, and throughout the bar and wine program. Decca features local artists and musicians alongside inspired food and drinks in a warm atmosphere. $$$$ D hpfe DOC CROW’S 127 W. Main St., 587-1626. Doc Crow’s solidly anchors the dining choices on Whiskey Row. Oysters from both coasts, raw and fried, fried green tomatoes, pork rinds, shrimp and grits, all served in a handsome renovation of one of Main Street’s classic cast-iron front buildings. $$ L D hp EQUUS 122 Sears Ave., 897-9721. The appeal of chefowner Dean Corbett’s first restaurant continues nearly three decades after its opening. The casual atmosphere and menu focus on clever re-imaginings of comfort foods make the St. Matthews spot an enduring and delightful dining choice. $$$ D p GARY’S ON SPRING 204 Spring St., 584-5533. Chef Harold Baker has been at the helm of this Irish Hill upscale casual spot since the start. His menu features appetizers such as a baby Hot Brown and chicken fritters with red chili sauce, a buffalo mozzarella salad, bison ribeye, Bourbon Street scallops and eggplant Napoleon. $$$ D phpfe HARVEST 624 E. Market St., 384-9090. Agricultural entrepreneur Ivor Chodkowski’s venture into the restaurant world has succeeded beyond his initial imaginings. Chef Coby Ming’s seasonal menus, intensely focused on sourcing ingredients within a 100-mile radius, increases diners’ awareness of how much local food producers can do. Dishes such as smoked goat cheese ravioli and buttermilk fried chicken with arugula hoecake show what they have in mind. $$$ Br L D hpf HAWKSVIEW GALLERY AND CAFÉ 170 Carter Ave., Shepherdsville KY, (502) 955-1010. In this “American bistro with a Southern twist,” diners eat amidst a gallery of hand-crafted glass art. Daily 54 Spring 2014 www.foodanddine.com

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h = Late Night

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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. $$ Br L D e HENRY’S PLACE 4863 Brownsboro Ctr., 690-6585.

This East End, Euro-inspired brigade de cuisine restaurant offers affordable upscale dining in surroundings of “sophisticated retro Mad Men 60s” decor. The eclectic menu offers choices such as Wagyu beef carpaccio, chicken ballotine and cioppino. Chef and co-owner Charles Reed even uses double-yolk duck eggs in his house-made pasta for added richness and color. $$$$ D p J. ALEXANDER’S RESTAURANT 102 Oxmoor Court, 339-2206. This comfortably upscale venue, a Nashville-based chain, features “contemporary American” fare with a broad menu that ranges from burgers and sandwiches to such upscale eats as grilled tuna or a New York strip steak. $$$ D hp 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. $$$ D p KT’S 2300 Lexington Rd., 458-8888. It’s hard to argue with success, and KT’s has earned its popularity by providing good American-style bar and bistro chow for a price that’s fair. $$ Br L D hpf 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. $$$$ L D hpf  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. $$$ D hp NAPA RIVER GRILL 1211 Herr Ln., 893-0141. One of the original tenants in the steadily growing Westport Road restaurant and retail complex, Napa River Grill continues its West Coast wine country and Pacific Rim fusion-focused menu. Look for dishes such as tempura chicken salad, ahi tuna nachos, pad Thai, togarashi-blackened sea bass and pan-roasted chicken over dried tomato polenta. $$$ L D hpf  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. $$$ Br L D pfe P.F. CHANG’S CHINA BISTRO 9120 Shelbyville Rd., 327-7707. This Arizona-based, Chinese themed restaurant offers a loud, happy scene with Chinesestyle dishes. To its credit, everything is prepared well and service is consistently fine. $$$ L D hpf PROOF ON MAIN 702 W. Main St. (21c Hotel), 2176360. Executive chef Levon Wallace has kept the bison burger and the charred octopus on the menu, and gradually moved toward his own vision with dishes such as scallops with caramelized fennel and Kentucky cassoulet, using rabbit sausage, blackeyed peas and collards. The bar remains one of the hippest in town.$$$ Br L D hpf RYE 900 E. Market St., 749-6200. New York hip meets Kentucky farm produce and meats, and the result is a daily menu focused on what is freshest. Every dish is created with unpretentious flair and served in a sleek — if noisy — East Market Street ambience.

Chef Tyler Morris’s house-made charcuterie program is exceptional. $$ L D hpf

p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music  = Delivery: TakeoutTaxi.com

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ST. CHARLES EXCHANGE 113 S. Seventh St., 618-1917.

The elegantly handsome renovation of a one-time hotel is a fine place to sip crafted cocktails at the long wood bar while munching on the fancy deviled eggs. Stop in at lunch for Elvis on horseback (dates stuffed with peanut butter and wrapped in bacon), fried oysters, or interesting sandwiches and hearty lunch plates. Dinner selections include soup au pistou, scallops and arancini and red quinoa gnocchi. $$$$ D hp SWAY 320 W. Jefferson St. (Hyatt Regency), 587-3434.

The handsome dining room on the entry level of the hotel has a bar that opens to Fourth street in good weather, and a menu based on the “Southern Way,” from whence comes the name Sway. The fried chicken quickly became a signature dish, and their version of shrimp and grits has won praise. $$$ B L D hpf THE PLACE DOWNSTAIRS 9200 Taylorsville Rd., 384-4834. It’s downstairs from the popular Mussel and Burger Bar, an elegant space accessible only by elevator from the rear of M&BB, where chef/owner Fernando Martinez will put on display all the culinary skills he has been developing over the last several years. The menu will be cutting edge, but at a more moderate price point than one might expect. $$$ D hpe 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. $$$ L D hpf VARANESE 2106 Frankfort Ave., 899-9904. Chef John Varanese has made even old-timers forget that this stylish venue was once a gas station. With a slate interior waterfall and a front wall that folds open in good weather, the dining room is as interesting as the lively, international seasonal menu. Live jazz, contemporary art and urban style complete the mood. $$$ D hpfe 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. The finely crafted small plates menu changes weekly to showcase the best seasonal ingredients. Start with the weekly charcuterie board or cheese plate, followed by a seasonal flatbread or salad, and perhaps a pasta dish such as goat cheese and lemon ravioli in pink peppercorn butter sauce. Open Thur.-Sun. only.

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

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. $$ B L D hp BISTRO 1860 WINE BAR 1765 Mellwood Ave., 6181745. Chef Michael Crouch’s concept of offering most dishes at three sizes and/or price ranges — petite for tasting, appetizer and small entrée — allows diners to explore the menu at a reasonable cost. The homey old Butchertown building is comfy and chic. During fair weather, dine in the shady garden, or ask to be seated in the Camel Lounge upstairs. $$$ D hpf

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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. $$$ L D pf BOURBONS BISTRO 2255 Frankfort Ave., 894-8838.

It’s a comfortably upscale-casual restaurant, and a great bar, with a very comprehensive Bourbon list.

Chef Jeff ”The Dude” Bridges has been reinvigorating this Crescent Hill favorite’s menu to match the excellence of its libations. $$$ D pf BRIX WINE BAR 12418 La Grange Rd., 243-1120.

The use of an 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. $$ D hpe CAFÉ LOU LOU 106 Sears Ave, 893-7776, 2216 Dundee Rd., 459-9566. Critical raves and packed-in crowds at both locations testify to the popularity of Owner-Chef Clay Wallace’s international bill of fare and laissez les bon temps rouler mood. $$ Br L D

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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. $$ B L D fe 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. $ B Br L D pf 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. $$ Br L D hpf EXCHANGE PUB + KITCHEN 118 W. Main St., New Albany IN, 948-6501. Owner Ian Hall has made his gastropub in a sumptuously renovated historic building a fun place to sit and sample the eclectic bistro-style menu. Try the Korean BBQ or jalapeño fritters, steak frites or cider-glazed chicken. Wash things down with something from its substantial beer, wine and cocktails list that even includes house-made ginger ale. $$ L D hpfe FOUR PEGS BEER LOUNGE 1053 Goss Ave., 634-1447.

Four Pegs has settled in nicely to the Germantown scene. Twelve craft beers on tap and a 30 bottle beer list brings in the fans, who also appreciate the award-winning veggie burger and other well-priced pub grub such as a chicken and waffle sandwich and an estimable burger with bacon-fried green tomatoes and beer sauce. $ D h f HAMMERHEADS 921 Swan St., 365-1112. One of the more unusual restaurant spaces in town, Hammerheads is also one of the hippest. Adam Burress and Chase Murcerino, who share owner and chef duties, fire up their BBQ smoker streetside, and fans far and wide flock to the semibasement space on the edge of Germantown to partake of pulled pork and beef brisket, pork and lamb ribs, roasted duck sandwiches, pork belly BLTs and soft shell crab tacos. $ D h HARD ROCK CAFÉ 424 S. Fourth St. (Fourth Street Live), 568-2202. Louisville’s Fourth Street Live echoes with a bang amid hammering guitars and

p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music  = Delivery: TakeoutTaxi.com

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happy throngs at the local branch of this popular shrine to rock. The music scene is the draw, but you’ll have no com plaints about Hard Rock’s standard American cuisine. $$ L D hpfe HOLY GRALE 1034 Bardstown Rd., 459-9939. There are a lot of places to quaff craft beers in town, but Holy Grale’s frequently changing draft selection is among the most esoteric. Couple that with the seasonally adapted menu of chef Joshua Lehman and the oddity of being housed in a renovated church (the upstairs bar is aptly named “The Choir Loft”) and you have a unique dining and drinking experience. $ L D he 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. $ D pf 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. $ L D hpe LOOP 22 2222 Dundee Rd., 882-3279. Chef This new venture from the guys at Hammerheads and Game has Eric Morris in the kitchen, serving an eclectic menu, including rotisserie chicken and duck, braised short rib spring rolls, rosemary pesto pasta with grilled prawns and wild mushroom polenta.

Along with a full bar. Much fun. $$ D hpfe MAJID’S ST. MATTHEWS 3930 Chenoweth Sq., 6182222. Long-time restaurateur and top-notch host Majid Ghavami’s current venture, in the heart of St. Matthews, offers a Mediterranean-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. $$$ Br D pfe

58 Spring 2014 www.foodanddine.com

MANNY & MERLE 122 W. Main St., 290-8888.

Tony Palombino’s latest addition to his eclectic local empire serves up contemporary Mexican street food (Mod Mex) and a funky bar menu that highlights an impressive collection of tequilas and Bourbons. A major C&W music venue, with live acts most nights of the week, featuring Nashville bands as well as local talent tending to the rawer, honkytonk end of the country spectrum. $ L D hpe  MARKETPLACE RESTAURANT 651 S. Fourth St., 625-3001. Up front in the old Kentucky Theater 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. Chef Dallas McGarity’s seasonal menu cleverly fuses culinary concepts: crawfish arancini, duck confit ragout and curry-seared scallops, for instance. $$ L D hpf MATCH CIGAR BAR 207 Spring St., Jeffersonville IN, 725-7475. This classy cigar and Bourbon lounge specializes in elegant cocktails, premium cigars and offers a small menu including Bourbonmarinated steak, grilled chicken, burgers and cheeses. $$ D p MUSSEL & BURGER BAR 9200 Taylorsville Rd., 384-4834. Guaca Mole’s Fernando Martinez and his family stretch their ambitions and imaginations with an affordable “American bistro concept” featuring mussels with six different sauces, and 12 clever twists on burgers. Located in a strip mall just beyond the Hurstbourne Lane -Taylorsville Road intersection, it is worth seeking out, both for the food and for the comfy bistro atmosphere created in the cavernous space tricked out by former owners. L D hpe NORTH END CAFÉ 1722 Frankfort Ave., 896-8770, 2116 Bardstown Rd., 690-4161. Both locations of this long-time favorite offer hearty and unusual breakfasts, satisfying lunches and dinners. With an eclectic menu of diverse tapas and interesting

entrées, it’s an appealing, affordable place to dine. $$ B Br L D hpfe OLD 502 WINERY 120 S. Tenth St., 540-5650. The wine here is made on site, from grapes grown primarily in central Kentucky. The tasting room serves locallymade Kentucky proud snack food to enhance the wine, so stop in at lunch or after work, as well as weekends, to sample their wares. A large event space caters to parties and receptions. $$ L D hpe 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, with Cuban, Jamaican, Greek and Middle Eastern dishes.

Moderate prices, a weekend brunch and late night hours add to the draw. $$ L D hpf  RELISH 1346 River Rd., 587-7007. This full-service restaurant offers lunch and take-out, as well as dinner five nights a week. An expansive wine and beer list bolsters a menu emphasizing fresh, simple and clean foods — dishes made with responsibly sourced ingredients using local products whenever possible. $$ L D f RIVER CITY WINERY 321 Pearl St., New Albany IN, 945-9463. Ten of owners Gary and Melissa Humphrey’s wines medaled in the June 2011 Indy International Wine Competition. Their honest, straightforward wines and Italian-inspired menu, featuring brink-oven pizzas, draw appreciative crowds. Don’t miss the crab cakes with black-eyed pea salsa. $$ Br L D e SIDEBAR AT WHISKEY ROW 129 N. Second St., 384-1600. On the west side of Whiskey Row, above Troll Pub under the Bridge, Sidebar focuses on burgers, Bourbon and beer, a potentially boffo combo for those going to or coming from the Yum! Center across the street. The emphasis is on craft cocktails served alongside a short but bold selection of sandwiches, appetizers and desserts. $$ L D hpe

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THE SILVER DOLLAR 1761 Frankfort Ave., 259-9540.

The old firehouse in Clifton is now a honky tonk bar and restaurant, the music (all on vinyl) focused on the “Bakersfield sound” — a fusion of Mexicali and American roots music. The southern country-style menu with sophisticated nuances has been an immediate hit. Choose from more than 80 Kentucky Bourbons, ryes, tequila and mescal, but no “foreign whiskey” like Scotch. $$ Br L D hpf VILLAGE ANCHOR PUB & ROOST 11507 Park Rd., 708-1850. In the heart of Anchorage at the old train station is this two-level Euro-village inspired concept. On the upper level, a French bistro a la Moulin Rouge with an outdoor terrace. Downstairs at The Sea Hag the ambience is a British pub. The hearty upscale comfort food-style menu is served lunch and dinner with weekend brunch. A short, well-selected wine list and ambitious beer list with more than 50 craft and import choices accompany 55 Bourbons to boot. $$$ Br L D hpf

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. $ L THE ANCHORAGE CAFÉ 11505 Park Rd., 708-1880.

Upscale Anchorage has an eminently suitable place for breakfast, lunch and brunch — as well as a takeout bakery offering quiches, scones, pies, and cookies. For breakfast try oatmeal or toast and jam; for lunch, a soup, salad or sandwich, all made with local seasonal ingredients. $ B Br L D 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. $ B L D hp ATLANTIC NO. 5 605 W. Main St., 883-3398.

Michael Trager-Kusman, owner of Rye, was inspired by the name of long-ago iron workers’ lunch boxes when he named his new West Main Street place, a mashup of a deli and a bistro. The menu plays off what was offered by their favorite New York places: sandwiches, salads, rotisserie chicken, smoked fish, pork, lamb, house-made charcuterie and bagels at breakfast. $ B Br L pfe BLUE DOG BAKERY AND CAFÉ 2868 Frankfort Ave., 899-9800. Tables are always at a premium at this popular Crescent Hill breakfast and lunch spot. And its artisanal bakery continues to produce hearty European-style breads that have set a gold standard on restaurant tables and in better grocery stores around town. $$ B L f BLUEGRASS CAFÉ 3819 Bardstown Rd., 459-2320.

This little lunch spot in the Derby City Antique Mall in Buechel has a daily hot table buffet line plus a menu of soups, salads and sandwiches. On Sundays it offers a brunch buffet with a choice of breakfast and luncheon dishes. $ Br L

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. $ B L

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. $ B Br L f

CAFÉ MONTAGU 1930 Bishop 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. $ B L

DERBY CAFÉ 704 Central Ave., (Kentucky Derby Museum) 637-1111. Lunch served year-round in the dining area adjacent to the Derby Museum with such regional favorites as meaty burgoo, and the Hot Brown. $ L pf

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. $ L D f CITY CAFÉ 505 W. Broadway, 589-1797, 500 S. Preston St., 852-5739. Chef Jim Henry, a long-time star in the city’s culinary firmament, brings his cooking skills and insistence on fresh, quality ingredients to these simple, but excellent, spots for lunch. $ L 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. $$ L D

EARTH FRIENDS CAFÉ AND COFFEE BAR 829 E. Market St., 749-8911. The emphasis at both locations is on vegetarian and vegan sandwiches, soups and salads, with a small “omnivore” selection. $ B Br L EMMA LOU’S CAFÉ 1327 Bardstown Rd., 456-4500.

This long-time ladies’ lunch favorite, in an attractive old house on Bardstown Road, offers interesting, pleasant lunch fare, with very appealing dessert choices. $$ L ERMIN’S BAKERY & CAFÉ 1201 S. First St., 6356960. This popular bakery attracts crowds looking for an enjoyable soup and sandwich lunch highlighted by French-style breads and pastries. $ B L HIGHLAND MORNING 1416 Bardstown Rd., 3653900. You can order breakfast anytime at this Highlands space, with an eclectic menu that also encompasses brunch, burgers, soul food, Southern dishes and vegetarian fare as well. $ B L D h 

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. $$ B L f

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 alternative to the upscale English Grill, with choice of menu service or buffet dining. $$ B L pf

CRICKET’S CAFÉ 7613 Old Hwy. 60, Sellersburg IN, 246-9339. Offering breakfasts and lunch to local

JACKKNIFE CAFÉ 1201 Story Ave., 883-3228. Cellar Door Chocolates maven Erika Chavez-Graciano has

Sweet!

BOOMER’S CAFÉ 722 W. Main St., 585-4356. In the midst of the booming West Main Street arts and museum district, this lunch spot offers standard American café fare. $ L CAFÉ 27 145 E. Main St., New Albany IN, 948-9999.

Downtown New Albany gets another addition to its eclectic dining scene with this new lunch and dinner spot. The nighttime menu emphasizes grilled dishes, while the lunch list includes a variety of sandwiches and unique salads, such as a roasted corn and steak salad and a bacon Bibb. $$$ L D hp CAFÉ AT MAIN STREET 10317 Watterson Trl., 2675111. This bright, lively lunch place moved into the city from Bullitt County trailing loyalists and drawing new fans. A typical day of specials might include tomato cheddar or butterbean soup, asparagus and chicken quiche, warm brie spinach salad and a selection of house-made pies and cakes. $ B Br L

901 Barret Avenue www.WiltshirePantryCafe.com

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branched out into the restaurant world with a little brunch (late breakfast — they’ll open at 10 a.m.) and lunch café inside the trendy Butchertown Market building. You will find breakfast biscuits with cheese and ham, yogurt and granola, salads, soups and sandwiches like grilled mortadella with cheddar and mustard, benedictine and smoked salmon and Brie with pears and spinach. $$ B L p JAMBA JUICE 320 S. Fourth St., 581-0066. A national chain known best for its silky-frosty fruit smoothies, some of which are health focused (the carrot juice and orange-berry anti-oxidant blend is one example), Jamba has added some basic breakfast (oatmeal, wraps) and lunch items (flatbread pizza and toasted sandwiches) to broaden its appeal. $ L D KAYROUZ CAFÉ 3801 Willis 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. $ L D f LA PECHE GOURMET TO GO AND CAFÉ 1147 Bardstown Rd., 451-0447. Kathy Cary is returning to her roots with this newest version of her popular gourmet take-out counter, reinstalled in the private dining room in the corner of her restaurant, Lilly’s.

The menu features “tried and true” dishes like grilled chicken pasta, burgers, vegetarian sandwiches, chicken salad, “lots of great produce, affordable cuts of meat” and a dessert case that always includes strawberry pie. $$ B L D MERIDIAN CAFÉ 112 Meridian Ave., 897-9703. This little lunch spot occupies a cozy old house in St. Matthews. Service is competent and polite, the place is sparkling clean, and the luncheon-style fare is consistently fine. A selection of appetizing breakfast items rounds out a tasty mix. $ B L D f NONNIE’S KITCHEN 11601 Main St., Middletown, 245-4411. Nonnie’s Kitchen is one of the attractions of picturesque downtown Middletown for ladies who lunch. A mother-son team runs the pleasant space in an old house, serving a menu of soups, salads, sandwiches and desserts that delight a devoted clientele. $ L f ORANGE CLOVER KITCHEN & MORE 590 Missouri Ave., Jeffersonville IN, 282-1005. Find quick breakfast and lunch items here, such as the Orange Clover muffin: poppy seed and blood orange flavors with a blood orange drizzle, as well as a cupcake version with cranberries. Two soup specials offered every day out of a recipe rotation of 75 possibilities won’t result in many repeats. $ B L QUEUE CAFÉ 220 W. Main St. (LG&E Building), 583-0273. $ B L f RIVERSIDE CAFÉ 700 W. Riverside Dr. (Sheraton Hotel), Jeffersonville IN, 284-6711. The breakfast room and bar of the Sheraton Riverside. Breakfast served until 10:30 a.m. Unwind at the bar at night. $$ B pf SHERRY’S CORNER CAFÉ 1051 Market St., Charlestown IN, 256-3722. Breakfast and lunch are served at this archetypical family eatery specializing in fresh, home-style cooking. $ L

THE CAFÉ 712 Brent St., 637-6869. You can see the traffic on East Broadway from The Café’s serene walled patio. Choose from an eclectic breakfast and lunch menu, including old favorites like tomato dill soup and chicken salad. Or eat inside and be amused at the yard-sale look of mismatched furniture and chandeliers and doorways to nowhere, reminiscent of its former location in an antique mall. $ B Br L f THE CHEDDAR BOX 3909 Chenoweth Sq., 8932324. For more than 25 years this St. Matthews tradition has delighted ladies who lunch, hungry students who munch, and just about everyone else with their sandwiches, pasta salads and tasty desserts. It caters parties with almost 50 choices of appetizers, party sandwiches, dips, cheese rings and crostini. $ L 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. And on weekends the space morphs into Café Beignet, serving hearty breakfasts and New Orleans-style beignets. $ Br L D 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. $ L D f

THE CHEDDAR BOX TOO 109 Chenoweth Ln., 896-1133. Cheddar Box owner Nancy Tarrant has extended her presence with a café just across the parking lot. Look for the same tasty salads, soups and desserts that have made her take-away business so popular. $ B L

FISHERY STATION 5610 Outer Loop, 968-8363. $$ LD

VERBENA CAFÉ 10639 Meeting St., 425-0020.

This Norton Commons eatery is open early for breakfast and serves hearty lunches till midafternoon, but you can order breakfast or lunch at any of those hours. $$ B L 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 find. Its oversized fried whitefish sandwich is the flagship dish, but a varied menu is also available. $ L D f

WAYCOOL CAFÉ 120 W. Broadway, 582-2241.

Wayside Christian Mission trains people here in its community re-entry program in restaurant service and management. Breakfasts for under $5, a lunch buffet: is $8 for unlimited trips. A dinner menu too.

It’s a do-gooder place that serves good food. $ L D

J J FISH & CHICKEN 1701 E. Tenth St., Jeffersonville, IN, 282-2523. This Jeffersonville restaurant offers up fried perch and catfish, shrimp and oysters, chicken dinners, Philly cheese steaks and gyros.

Italian beef sandwiches too, and the usual sides, nicely done. $ L D h

WILD EGGS 3985 Dutchmans Ln., 893-8005, 1311 Herr Ln., 618-2866, 153 S. English Station Rd., 6183449, 121 S. Floyd St., 690-5925. 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 mini-chain’s fourth outlet. $ B Br L p

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. $$ L D hpf

WILTSHIRE PANTRY BAKERY AND CAFÉ 901 Barret Ave., 581-8561 Caterer/restaurateur Susan Hershberg adds a bakery and café operation to her local empire. Baker Diana Rushing makes artisanal breads, scones and croissants, sandwiches and paninis, side salads and lots more. $ B L YAFA CAFÉ 22 Theater Sq., 561-0222. $ L D

hf

AMSHOFF’S FISH INN AGAIN 8402 Hudson Ln., 749-2379. If fish is your dinner wish, Amshoff’s has it fried, baked, broiled and grilled and all served with southern seasonings. There’s chicken, too, and lots of southern standard side dishes. $$ L D BONEFISH GRILL 657 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 4124666. This franchise concept from the Floridabased Outback Steakhouse chain offers impressive seafood in a comfortable setting. Add Bonefish to your short list of suburban chain eateries that do the job right. $$$ D hp

STRICKER’S CAFÉ 2781 Jefferson Centre Way, Jeffersonville IN, 218-9882. Family style restaurant serving hearty soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers, melts and breakfast too, in suburban Jeffersonville. $ B L 

CHARLESTOWN TRAIN STATION SEAFOOD 1041 Highway 62, Charlestown IN, 256-4200. A family friendly place with outdoor picnic-table seating and the kind of familiar fried fillets everyone likes. $ L D pf

SUPERCHEF’S BREAKFAST AND LUNCH 307 Wallace Ave., 896-8008. Darnell “Superchef” Ferguson, he of the pop-up breakfast concept, has taken over and expanded the space at the rear or The Ruby Slipper, and now serves lunch too.

Chocolate mousse pancakes? Roasted red pepper grits cakes? Blueberry pancakes with marscapone?

He’s got it covered. $ B L

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. And now open until 8 p.m. most nights. $ L D

60 Spring 2014 www.foodanddine.com

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. $$ L D 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. $$ L D hpfe  MIKE LINNIG’S 9308 Cane Run Rd., 937-9888. Mike Linnig’s has been dishing up tasty fried fish and seafood at family prices since 1925 and remains immensely popular. There’s indoor seating and a bar, but the picnic grove with its giant shade trees makes Linnig’s a special place in season. Out of season — Nov. to Jan. — the family shutters the place and takes a nice vacation. $ L D f MITCHELL’S FISH MARKET 4031 Summit Plaza Dr., 412-1818. The decor of this upscale eatery evokes the feeling of a large fish market, with an open kitchen that offers views of chefs at work. Quality seafood and service have made Mitchell’s a popular destination. $$$ L D hpf PASSTIME FISH HOUSE 10801 Locust Rd., 267-4633.

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. $$ L D fe RUMORS RESTAURANT & RAW BAR 12339 Shelbyville Rd., 245-0366. Visualize Hooter’s without the scantily-clad waitresses, and you’ve drawn a bead on Rumor’s, the original Louisville home of the bucketof-oysters and impressive raw bar. $$ L D hpf SHARK’S FISH & CHICKEN 2001 S. Seventh St., 6372999. Several types of crunchy-breaded fried fish — white fish, shrimp, catfish, salmon — to choose from, as well as wings and side dishes like fried mushrooms and fried okra. Finish with appealing desserts such as chocolate cake, pineapple upside down cake or banana pudding. $ L D h

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BRAZEIROS CHURRASCARIA 450 S. Fourth St. (Fourth Street Live) 2908220. This Knoxvillebased company opens its first satellite location downtown. A churrascaria works like this: You choose drinks, visit the salad bar and await visits from “gaucho chefs” who bring yard-long skewers of grilled meats (beef, lamb, sausage) to your table for slicing — as much as you wish — along with side dishes. $$$$ L D pf CAST IRON STEAKHOUSE 1207 E. Market St., Jeffersonville IN, 590-2298, 6325 River Rd., 3847466. Buck’s owner Curtis Rader’s idea to cook steaks and sides in cast iron pans at moderate prices hit such a popular nerve that he opened two more locations on the Kentucky side of the river. The ambience of all his places is upscale with “no peanuts on the floor, antlers on the wall or country music,” Rader promises. $$$ D hpf CATTLEMAN’S ROADHOUSE 2001 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 384-7623, 139 Historical Trail, 543-3574.

These local outlets of the small regional chain offer mid-priced beef choices and starters such as fried pickle chips and jalapeño poppers, grilled chicken, salmon, and plenty of sandwiches. $$$ L D hp DEL FRISCO’S 4107 Oechsli Ave., 897-7077. Loyal Louisville beefeaters continue to fill up this 28year-old St. Matthews steakhouse, with its brick walls and beamed ceilings. Any red meat enthusiast would know to order the filet or Porterhouse, but only regulars know the glories of something called green phunque. $$$$ D hp  EDDIE MERLOT’S PRIME AGED BEEF 455 S. Fourth St., (Fourth Street Live) 584-3266. The sumptuous renovation of the space at the corner of Fourth and Muhammad Ali has resulted in one of the largest dining spaces in town. The Ft. Wayne-based small chain with big ambitions boasts glittering mosaic artwork, a handsome bar opening onto Fourth Street, and luxurious seating in secluded nooks and corners. The menu focuses on high end steaks, well-prepared seafood and seasonal specials. $$$$ L D hpe JEFF RUBY’S STEAKHOUSE 325 W. Main St., 5840102. This Cincinnati restaurateur has made an impact in Louisville with his outstanding steaks, glittery bar, urban vibe and top-notch service. The rooms have Churchill Downs themes. The steaks take the rail with seafood and sushi coming up fast on the outside. $$$$ D hpe LOGAN’S ROADHOUSE 5055 Shelbyville Rd., 8933884, 5229 Dixie Hwy., 448-0577, 970 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 288-9789, 1540 Alliant Ave., 266-6009. With more than 100 properties in 17 states, this Nashville-based chain parlays peanut shells on the floor and steaks on the table into a popular formula. $$ L D hp LONGHORN STEAKHOUSE 2535 Hurstbourne Gem Ln., 671-5350, 9700 Von Allmen Ct., 326-7500, 1210 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 284-5800, 4813 Outer Loop, 969-9790. 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. $$ L D hp MORTON’S 626 W. Main St., 584-0421. This belowground temple to the red meat gods is elegant and masculine, full of wood paneling, brass rails and leather booths. Louisville reveres its home-grown restaurants but has welcomed this Chicago-based chain with open mouths. $$$$ D hp 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

p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music  = Delivery: TakeoutTaxi.com

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familiar American, and the fare goes beyond just steak to take in chicken, seafood and pasta. $$$ D hp

BLUE HORSE CAFÉ 830 Phillips Ln. (Crown Plaza Hotel), 367-2251. $$$ L D hp

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. $$$$ D pf

BLUEGRASS BURGERS 3334 Frankfort Ave., 6146567. Four women restaurateurs have partnered to offer 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. $ L D 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. $ L D

BRICKHOUSE TAVERN & TAP 871 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 326-3182. Brickhouse, a Houston-based chain, has upgraded its image with an increased focus on food. Serving brunch, lunch and dinner, with a half-dozen local beers on tap, and an unusual menu of beer cocktails. $$ L D hpf

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. $$$$ D hpe RYAN’S FAMILY STEAKHOUSE 5338 Bardstown Rd., 491-1088. This North Carolina-based chain offers family dining with good variety: Its diverse and extensive buffet features more than 150 items. $$ L D 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. $$$$ D hp

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 allAmerican 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. $$ L D hpf

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. $ L D hpf CHILI’S 421 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 425-6800, 3623 Bardstown Rd., 301-8888, 11600 Antonia Way, 3018181, 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. $$ L D hp 

COACH LAMP RESTAURANT 751 Vine St., 583-9165.

The restored 137-year-old building has gone through some recent renovations, including a makeover on reality TV. The result is a remodeled secluded patio, revamped dining room and an eclectic menu that plays off standards in a fun way: chicken thigh sliders, a Hot Brown with a Brie mornay and pepper jam, panzanella salad and a whole crispy catfish with Thai chili sauce. $$$ L D pf 

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. $$ L D hp

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 East End spot. $ L D f

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. $$ L D hp

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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 kid-friendly menu round out the selection. $$ B Br L D pe

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. $ L D

A NICE RESTAURANT 3129 Blackiston Mill Rd., New Albany IN, 945-4321, 2784 Meijer Dr., Jeffersonville IN, 280-9160, 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 specialize in simple, down-home breakfast and lunch at affordable prices. $ B L

B.J.’S RESTAURANT & BREWHOUSE 7900 Shelbyville Rd.(Oxmoor Mall), 326-3850. This Southern California chain arrived east of the Mississippi, including a large and imposing brewhouse at Oxmoor Mall. A full range of made-in-Nevada craft beers is dispensed, along with upscale-casual pub grub. $$ L D hp 

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 memorabilia. What? You want food too? Sure! Casual American dining features everything from a “Cardinal Burger” to steaks and prime rib. $ L D hp

CHOCOLATE MARTINI BAR 1106 Lyndon Ln. (Westport Village), 384-1384. This unique combination of a crêperie, martini bar, sandwich, lunch and dinner spot and dessert bar allows you to get a banana split crêpe and a crème brûlée martini, a Reuben or fried baloney sandwich in the same sitting. Desserts and ice cream can be ordered to go. $$$ L D hpfe

TEXAS ROADHOUSE 757 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy.

(Green Tree Mall), Clarksville IN, 280-1103, 4406 Dixie Hwy., 448-0705, 6460 Dutchmans 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. $$ L D hp

BIG FOUR BURGERS + BEER 134 Spring St., Jeffersonville IN, 913-4967. The name reflects its location in the shadows of the Big Four pedestrian bridge linking Louisville and Jeff. Diners will find a selection of gourmet burgers and 21 beer taps. Pop in downstairs for a fast, casual lunch or trundle upstairs for full-service seating and a view of the river. $$ L D hpfe

beautiful setting with quality bistro-style fare that won’t disappoint. Summer or winter, it’s a delightful place to dine. $$ Br L D pfe

BUNZ RESTAURANT 969 1/2 Baxter Ave., 632-1132.

This little Highlands made-to-order gourmet hamburger shop concocts quality burgers with a range of standard and oddball toppings. $ L D h f  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. $$$ L D hp 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

CUNNINGHAM’S 630 S. Fourth St., 587-0526, 6301 Upper River Rd., 228-3625. Whether you drop in at the downtown location across from the Palace, or scoot out to the Harrod’s Creek outlet, you will find fine fish sandwiches and pub grub, and absorb some of the nostalgia associated with this longtime favorite. $ Br L D hpf DECKERS GRILLED SANDWICHES 2350 Greene Way, 491-3114. A burgeoning chain launched by White Castle sells hot soups, pressed sandwiches (the four cheese and bacon Decker sounds great) and desserts, as well as salads at affordable prices.

No “sliders” here, but comparable prices. $ L D h FAMOUS MIKE’S STEAK & LEMONADE 3052 Wilson Ave., 618-0102. At first a curious culinary combination — steak and lemonade — but this little nearWest End place is a gem offering an eclectic range of quick comfort foods: chicken gizzard baskets, pizza rolls, cheese steaks, burgers and subs. $ L D h

RED = Advertiser B = Breakfast Br = Brunch L = Lunch D = Dinner

h = Late Night

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FIVE GUYS BURGERS & FRIES 2221 State Street, New Albany IN, 944-9958, 4116 Summit Plaza Dr., 426-1702. Based in Virginia, this burger chain invokes the early days of fast food with freshly-grilled 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. $ L D GAME 2295 Lexington Rd., 618-1772. The guys behind Hammerhead’s have opened a build-your-own-burger joint in a funky, off-the-directly-beaten-path place once home to Cycler’s Café. Unique burger choices are made from ground duck, lamb, venison, antelope and wild boar. Bun choices range from brioche to pretzel to Kaiser roll. Toppings include smoked truffle mayo, cranberry-jalapeño jam, and pesto — you get the idea. Much fun, so far. $$ D f GARAGE BAR 700 E. Market St., 749-7100. Housed in a former service station in NuLu, Garage Bar serves up draft and bottled craft beers, Bourbons, seasonal cocktails and wine, pizzas from a woodfired brick oven and Southern specialties, with an emphasis on fresh, local ingredients. The ham flight is not to be missed. $$$ D hpf GATSBY’S ON FOURTH 500 S. Fourth St. (Seelbach Hilton Hotel), 585-3200. The casual dining space on the first floor of the Seelbach has been renovated and renamed to reflect its connection of the hotel to F. Scott Fitzgerald, and re-conceived to be a full restaurant, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. Dinner and lunch menus serve soups, salads, sandwiches and a few entrées, such as sautéed trout with pickled fennel, pesto-crusted chicken, and skirt steak with celery root puree. $$ B L D hp 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. $ B L GOOSE CREEK DINER 2923 Goose Creek Rd., 3398070. Goose Creek Diner offers old-fashioned comfort food, as the name “diner” suggests, but transcendently adds a gourmet taste to the down-home eats. $ B Br L D  GRADY’S BURGERS AND WINGS 3825 Taylor Blvd., 361-1106. The name says most of what you need to know. Ten flavors of wings, breaded, fried and sauced.

The hot wings and the honey BBQ are the biggest sellers. Deli sandwiches and gyros too. $ L D f GREEN LEAF NATURAL VEGETARIAN BISTRO 309 W. Cardinal Blvd., 637-5887. Green Leaf serves up vegetarian fare in the new town center of University of Louisville. The menu has a pan-Asian focus, with noodles and fried rice and stir fries, as well as smoothies and bubble tea. $ L D HOME RUN BURGERS & FRIES 2060 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 409-7004, 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 365-3388, 12949 Shelbyville Rd., 384-8403, 303 W. Cardinal Blvd., 708-1818. 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. $ L D 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., Clarksville IN, 284-9464.

Hooter’s may draw crowds with its long-standing reputation as a party scene, but you’ll stay for the food, an appetizing selection of soups, salads, seafood and, of course, wings. $ L D hpfe INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OF PANCAKES 1220 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 285-1772, 1401 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 618-2250. IHOP fans can choose to go out to the East End or across the river to satisfy their jones for the national chain’s inimitable food. $ B L D h

JOE & KATHY’S PLACE 5408 Valley Station Rd., 9355323. This family-run, home-cooking-from-scratch place has developed a loyal following among the Valley Station locals. The menu supplies expected standards like fried chicken, biscuits and gravy, but contemporary offerings like vegetable panini and pork tenderloin sandwich with pesto mayo are available, too. $ B L D 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. $ L D hpfe 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. $$ L D h 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. $ L D pf 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. $$ L D hpe MAGDALENA’S 1108 Copperfield Dr., Georgetown IN, 501-5100. Longtime Corydon favorite Magdalena’s has moved to Georgetown, but it still offers the same savory pasta, seafood and well-crafted comfort foods regulars have enjoyed for years. $$ L D p MANHATTAN GRILL 429 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 561-0024. $ B L 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 East End outlet has developed a following beyond those familiar with it from other locations. $$ B Br L D hpf 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. $ L D hpfe MULLIGAN’S PUB AND GRILL 1801 Newburg Rd., 632-2818. Neighborhood institution Kaelin’s is gone, but Mulligans’ now holds down the fort. The beer list now includes BBC craft beers and Irish imports.

The menu is geared toward hearty sandwiches, pizza and steak and shrimp entrées. $$ L D hpf NEIL & PATTY’S FIRESIDE BAR & GRILL 7611 IN 311, Sellersburg IN, 246-5456. A family owned and operated outpost up the road a piece, long known for their warm and welcoming, down-home atmosphere, has expanded their craft beer selection. The local cognoscenti know they can also find excellent pastas, steaks, seafood, and salads. Homemade soups are created daily. Coffee and desserts are always made fresh. Breakfast served until 2 p.m. $$ Br L D p NEW ALBANY ROADHOUSE 1702 Graybrook Rd., New Albany IN, 981-7777. $$ L D hp O’CHARLEY’S (6 locations) O’Charley’s, Inc. could serve well as the picture in the dictionary next to “American casual dining.” The Nashville-based chain operates 206 properties in 16 states in the Southeast and Midwest, serving a straightforward steak-andseafood menu with the motto “Mainstream with an attitude.” $$ Br L D hp

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PEPPERS BAR & GRILL 320 W. Jefferson St. (Hyatt Regency), 587-3434. This newly-renovated casualdining facility in the Hyatt Regency offers a full dinner menu for hotel guests and outside visitors as well. $$ D hp PHILLY STEAK & BURGER 1578 Bardstown Rd., 451-6768. What once was the funky Ray’s Monkey House is now a streamlined space with modern décor, open ceilings and a spiffy new back deck.

On the menu are Philly cheesesteaks, burgers (including veggie versions), wraps, four hot dog choices, salads and sides. $$ L D hpf QUAD CAFÉ 103 Quartermaster Ctr., Jeffersonville IN, 282-7823. Bistro dining in the always-changing Quadrangle Station in Jeffersonville. Expect a broad lineup of gourmet burgers, flat bread pizzas, an oyster bar on Friday and Saturday nights, daily lunch specials and a full bar. $ L Dpf RAFFERTY’S OF LOUISVILLE 988 Breckenridge Ln., 897-3900. 3601 Springhurst Blvd., 412-9000. This full-service, casual dining establishment has a hearty menu. Specialties like Red Alfredo Pasta showcase the gourmet offerings along with some of the largest and most creative salad combinations in town. $$ L D hpf RAISING CANE’S 10490 Westport Rd., 425-4040. A national chain with a single core product — chicken fingers. This replacement for the old Twister’s Custard brings simple and straightforward fried chicken finger combos and sandwiches with slaw and fries on the side. $ L D f RED ROBIN GOURMET BURGERS 9870 Von Allmen Ct., 339-8616, 5000 Shelbyville Rd., 899-9001.

This Seattle-based chain serves up its well regarded “gourmet burgers” and trimmings in two East End locations. Despite a full bar, it reportedly attracts hordes of happy youngsters. $$ L D hpf ROOSTERS 7405 Preston Hwy., 964-9464, 4420 Dixie Hwy., 384-0330, 1601 Greentree Blvd., Clarksville IN, 590-3391, 10430 Shelbyville Rd., 883-1990.

With a wide footprint in Ohio, this Columbus-based wings-and-brews chain is now spreading its franchise wings across Indiana, West Virginia and Kentucky. Its four Louisville properties have gained popularity for a lively sports bar setting and oversize wings.$ L D hpf 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. $$ L D hp 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. The owners are scaling back, though, and opening only on Fridays and Saturdays. $ D hp SAM’S FOOD & SPIRITS 702 Highlander Point Dr., Floyds Knobs IN, 923-2323. Sam Anderson’s fans were distraught when his New Albany location was gutted by fire late last year. His two restaurants, offering standard American fare like steaks, chicken, pizza and pasta, had been feeding an army of happy diners for almost two decades, and he continues to operate in the Knobs. $$ L D hp

Shoney’s restaurants have been one of America’s top choices for fast roadside dining, and happily they’ve kept up with the times. $ B L D SKYLINE CHILI 1266 Bardstown Rd., 473-1234, 9980 Linn Station Rd., 429-5773, 4024 Dutchmans 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. $ L D h SMASHBURGER 9409 Shelbyville Rd., 326-4141, 312 S. Fourth St., 583-1500. A growing chain located mostly in the West and the South now has two Kentucky locations serving made-to-order Angus beef burgers, and is looking to open up to four more locations. $ L D f THE SPREAD BUFFET Horseshoe Casino Hotel, Elizabeth IN, 888-766-2648. Paula Deen’s name has been excised from the entrance, but the concept remains the same: a sumptuous spread of all the things you like and more offered in an all-you-caneat format. $$$ L D 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. $ B L D h TACO PUNK 736 E. Market St., 584-8226. Gabe Sowder, formerly of 610 Magnolia, set out on his own serving funky tacos at the Douglass Loop Farmer’s Market.

But now the Iron Chef alum (he was part of Edward Lee’s 2010 winning team) has taken over the old Toast on Market space to continue his exploration of everyone’s favorite “Mexican” food. House-made tortillas packed with ingredients ranging from traditional to the unique — duck, lamb and chorizo — make up the bill of fare. $ L D h f  TGI FRIDAY’S 416 S. Fourth St. (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. $$ L D hpf THAT PLACE ON GOSS 946 Goss Ave., 409-5409.

Located inside the Antique Mall in the old textile mill, That Place serves hearty and cleverly tweaked lunch fare and Sunday brunch. They are especially fond of their Meaty Jack, a meatloaf sandwich, grilled and topped with Jack cheese and their special sauce. Art on the walls is from friends at Mellwood Art Center, where owners Amy and William Enix initially started. $ Br L TOAST ON MARKET 620 E. Market St., 569-4099, 141 E. Market St., New Albany IN, 941-8582. On both sides of the river this breakfast and lunch favorite has gained a loyal following and tremendous word-of-mouth. Be prepared to wait for tables for weekend brunches. $ B Br L pf 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. $ L D hp

office workers downtown another option. Grinders (what I always called “subs,” way back east), strombolis, salads, pasta and personal-sized pizzas are among the choices. $ Br L THE WING ZONE 905 Hess Ln., 636-2445. Another 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. $ L D hf ZAXBY’S 2740 Allison Ln., Jeffersonville IN, 920-0080, 807 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 742-8600, 5025 Mud Ln., 632-1400, 2870 Technology Ave., New Albany IN, 725-7484, 10715 Dixie Hwy., 271-6990. They have been all around us out in the state, but now Louisville and Southern Indiana have their 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. $ L D 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. $ B L D 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 homecooked food, including such goodies as baked chicken, smothered pork chops, meat loaf, catfish … and fried chicken every day. $ L D 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. $ L D pf 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. $$ L D CHICKEN KING 639 E. Broadway, 589-5464. Spicy, crunchy and sizzling hot fried chicken is the primary draw on a short, affordable menu. $ L D h 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. $ L 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. $ L D D’NALLEY’S 970 S. Third St., 588-2003. Dirt-cheap blue-plate specials and hearty breakfasts bring droves to 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. $ B L D

SAM’S HOT DOG STAND 1991 Brownsboro Rd., 259-7587. Early adopters speak highly of this new little shop in lower Clifton. Substantial hotdogs and rave-worthy pulled pork BBQ at reasonable prices are drawing in happy customers. $ L D

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. $ B L D h

DAISY MAE’S 223 W. Fifth St., New Albany IN, 9446237. In the old Lancaster’s building in downtown New Albany, Daisy Mae’s has set out to offer the best in southern food and hospitality. The menu offers fried chicken and cod, meatloaf, mashed potatoes, collards and pinto bean soup every day.

Look for daily specials that include a regularly rotating fruit cobbler and red velvet cake to finish off your meal. $ L D f

SHONEY’S 6511 Signature Dr., 969-8904, 9921 Ormsby Station Rd., 423-6388. For nearly 50 years,

W.G. GRINDERS 430 W. Jefferson St., 569-7737.

This Ohio-based sandwich and soup chain gives

DAVE & PEG’S COPPER KETTLE 276 Main Cross St., Charlestown IN, 256-4257. $ B L D

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DRE’LYNNS SOUL FOOD KITCHEN 5019 Poplar Level Rd., 968-7899. $$ L D FOOD 4 UR SOUL 612 S. Fifth St., 614-6363. This corner space at Fifth and Chestnut offers up soulful favorites: fried catfish, rib tips, pork chops (grilled, fried, or smothered), sweet potato casserole, fried mac and cheese, and fried bologna sandwiches. $$ L D FORTY ACRES AND A MULE RESTAURANT 1800 Dixie Hwy., 776-5600. $ L D FRANCO’S RESTAURANT & CATERING 3300 Dixie Hwy., 448-8044. Long-time fans of Jay’s Cafeteria (including politicians and national entertainers) are no longer bereft. Jay’s former owners serve up Southern Soul food in Shively at family-friendly prices. Look for smothered pork chops, collard greens, fried chicken, fried catfish and fruit cobbler. $LD FRONTIER DINER 7299 Dixie Hwy., 883-1462. 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. $ L D GOLDEN CORRAL 4032 Taylorsville Rd., 485-0004, 8013 Preston Hwy., 966-4970, 5362 Dixie Hwy., 4476660, 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. $ B L D 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. $ B L D 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. $ L D h

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. $ L D

grounds in St. Matthews. This spot has earned terrific word-of-mouth buzz. Soups, sandwiches, salads, pastas are the mainstay of the menu, with a four-item lunch buffet that changes weekly. $ B Br L D f

SUNDAY’S HOME COOKING & BBQ 701 Algonquin Pkwy., 716-3074. You can go up to the takeout window here and order the fixin’s for Sunday dinner any time. Fried chicken, long-cooked beans and greens, mac and cheese and BBQ ribs, rib tips and pulled pork. Chicken wings, fried catfish and whiting too, plus sweet potato pie for dessert. Takeaway only. $ D

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. $ L

TERRI ANN’S 2605 Rockford Ln., 449-9026. A homestyle restaurant in Shively serving eggs, taters, sandwiches, barbecue and soul food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. $ B Br L D 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.” $ B L 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. $ B L

ANN’S BY THE RIVER 149 Spring St., Jeffersonville IN, 284-2667. This is cafeteria-style dining done very well. They serve up the standard steam table meatand-three menu items as good as any. With the Ohio River a block away, it’s aptly named. $ L D THE BISTRO 3701 Frankfort Ave., 714-5586. A gem hidden away in The Olmsted, on the Masonic Home

HALL’S CAFETERIA 1301 Story Ave., 583-0437. Doing a brisk business on the steam tables since 1955, they attract customers from Butchertown’s truck loading docks and from offices downtown. $ B L D LANCASTER’S CAFETERIA 408 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 283-4200. Troy Lancaster, the grandson of Southern Indiana catering king Tommy Lancaster, recalls the family’s culinary heritage with this family-friendly buffet-style cafeteria. $ L D

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

On the ground floor a 60-seat restaurant and 30-seat 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. Food and beverage service, but it’s not a dinner theater. $$ D hpfe DERBY DINNER PLAYHOUSE 525 Marriott Dr., Clarksville IN, 288-8281. The play’s the thing at Derby Dinner, Louisville’s long-running entry in the dinner-theater sweepstakes. The expansive seasonal buffet offerings have fans returning show after show. $$$$ L D pe HOWL AT THE MOON 434 S. Fourth St. (Fourth Street Live), 562-9400. What’ll they think of next?

How about a nightclub featuring a “dueling” piano

KING’S FRIED CHICKEN 1302 Dixie Hwy., 776-3013. $LDh KUM’S KAFE 4125 Preston Hwy., 964-6336. Crispy fried chicken and fried catfish, as well as daily Asian specialties. $ L LE BOSSIER CAFÉ 1800 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 208-9291. This new place in the space that used to be Expressions of You made news because it intends to be a unionized restaurant, represented by United Food and Commercial Workers Union. The menu is Creole and home-style food. $ L D 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 locations. $$ L NANA’S COUNTRY KITCHEN 5300 Cane Run Rd., 384-6525. When you want home-style cooking, you will want it like it is served here. Breakfast all day, lunch and dinner too. The regulars like the meatloaf and the chicken fried steak. $ B L D O’DOLLYS 7800 Third St. Rd., 375-1690. Homestyle steam-table favorites, available from breakfast to dinner, not to mention full bar service that makes O’Dollys a Southwest Louisville destination. $ B L D hp SHELIA’S SOUTHERN STYLE CUISINE 2017 Brownsboro Rd., 893-8855. A family-owned and family-friendly place making scratch traditional southern family dishes. The ribs and two sides is the most expensive item on the menu at $12.95.

Look for catfish too, and collards on the side choices. Daily $6 lunch specials. $ L D  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

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bar with two pianos and a sing-along concept?

You’ll find this 4,000-square-foot club at Fourth Street Live on the ground level. $ D hpfe

pizza and a variety of stacked sandwiches such as the Big Daddy Strom with beef, Italian sausage, onions and banana peppers. $$ L D h

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. $$ L D hp

ARNI’S PIZZA 1208 State St., New Albany IN, 9451149, 3700 Paoli Pike, Floyds Knobs IN, 923-9805.

A favorite Hoosier pizza and sandwich stop. Insist on getting the Deluxe. $$ L D 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. $$$ L D pf MY OLD KENTUCKY DINNER TRAIN 602 N. Third St., Bardstown KY, (502) 348-7300. Talk about a nostalgia trip: My Old Kentucky Dinner Train offers a four-course meal during a two-hour voyage along scenic Kentucky railroad tracks near Bardstown in vintage 1940s-era dining cars. Reservations are strongly recommended. $$$$ L D p

ACHILLES PIZZA 1730 Williamsburg Sq., Jeffersonville IN, 288-8882. $$ L D h ANGILO’S PIZZA 1725 Berry Blvd., 368-1032. The local favorite is the steak hoagie, dripping with pizza sauce, pickles and onions. Angilo’s also offers a wide selection of hot pizza pies and cold beer. $$ L D ANGIO’S RESTAURANT 3731 Old Bardstown Rd., 4515454. This small Buechel eatery attracts a friendly neighborhood crowd with hefty subs and quality pizzas, along with cold beer. $$ L D ANNIE’S PIZZA 2520 Portland Ave., 776-6400, 4771 Cane Run Rd., 449-4444. Annie’s has made-to-order

ARNO’S PIZZA 3912 Bardstown Rd., 384-8131.$$ L D BEARNO’S PIZZA (12 locations) What began as a simple, family-run pizzeria near Bowman Field has morphed into a local chain with, at last count, 12 locations. $$ L D h 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. $$ L D h BOOMBOZZ FAMOUS PIZZA 3400 Frankfort Ave., 896-9090. This handsome space at the corner of Frankfort and Cannons Lane is another idiosyncratic link in the Boombozz chain. The taphousestyle menu of pastas and sandwiches along with award-winning pies carves its own niche with bottled beer exclusively. $$ B Br L D hf 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. $$ L D hp BOOMBOZZ PIZZA & TAP HOUSE 1448 Bardstown Rd., 458-8889, 1315 Herr Ln., 394-0000, 1450 Veterans Pkwy., Jeffersonville IN, 913-4171. The Boombozz Pizza empire has expanded in concept, and the menu now extends into appetizers, sandwiches and pasta, and 21 craft beers on tap. The Highlands location boasts one of the only “frost

bars” in the area — a refrigerated rail designed to keep your brew cool. $$ L D hpf BORROMEO’S PIZZA 9417 Smyrna Pkwy., 9687743. Serving up old-school thin-crust pizzas to chowhounds south of the Gene Snyder. $$ L D h CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN 7900 Shelbyville Rd. (Oxmoor Mall), 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. $$ L D pf  CHARLESTOWN PIZZA COMPANY 850 Main St., Charlestown IN, 256-2699. This welcoming venue on Charlestown’s town square, a short trip upriver from Jeffersonville, is run by folks who learned their pizza and beer at New Albanian Brewing Company. That’s a fine pedigree, and it shows in impressive quality. $$ L D 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 kitchen in a little local pizza joint just east of downtown J’ville, serving up well crafted traditional pies whole or by the slice. $$ L D h 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. $$ L D hpe COALS ARTISAN PIZZA 3730 Frankfort Ave., 7428200, The coal-fired oven bakes at 1000 degrees F, charring and crisping the crust in 4 minutes. The dough rises for three days, making for a lighter, more developed crust. Topping are fresh, regionallysourced, with specialty concepts. Look for local craft beers and house-made soups and salads in addition to pizzas. $$ L D hpf DANNY MAC’S PASTA & PIZZA 1567 S. Shelby St., 635-7994. $$ L D h DIORIO’S PIZZA & PUB 310 Wallace Ave., 618-3424, 917 Baxter Ave., 614-8424. With a second location now, Highlands’ as well as St. Matthews’ residents can savor pizza by the slice, as well as by the mammoth 30-inch pie. Also grilled sandwiches, salads, wings, and queso sticks, and a good selection of domestic and import beers. $$ L D hpf  FAT DADDY’S PIZZA 10619 Manslick Rd., 363-7551. $$ L D h FAT JIMMY’S 2712 Frankfort Ave., 891-4555, 12216 Shelbyville Rd., 244-2500. This friendly neighborhood nook offers a cold mug of beer and a hot slice of pizza, along with sub sandwiches, pasta dishes and salads. The Lyndon spot lures a friendly biker crowd. $$ L D h HOMETOWN PIZZA 11804 Shelbyville Rd., 2454555. Pasta dishes, hoagies, stromboli and cold beer are available, and so is the one-of-a-kind Bacon Cheeseburger pizza. $$ L D h IROQUOIS PIZZA 6614 Manslick Rd., 363-3211. $$ LDh JET’S PIZZA 101 S. Hubbards Ln., 895-4655, 3624 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-1700, 235 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 244-4440, 6523 Bardstown Rd., 239-0000.

Now with a fourth Louisville outlet, this Detroitbased chain offers sit-down service and carry-out.

The menu features eight crust flavors and some gourmet pizza options such as a BLT and chicken parmesan. $$ L D f JOHNNY BRUSCO’S PIZZA 10600 Meeting St., 7498400. This Kansas City chain’s fist foray into the area chose wisely in settling in Norton Commons.

There you can find New York style pies, subs, calzones, pasta and salads. $$ L D

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JOHNNY V’S 10509 Watterson Trail, 267-0900. $$ L D hp KENNA’S KORNER 4111 Murphy Ln., 426-8340. $$ L D he LITTLE CAESARS PIZZA (9 Locations) This Detroitbased 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. $$ L D h LOUI LOUI’S AUTHENTIC DETROIT STYLE PIZZA 10212 Taylorsville Rd., 266-7599. Detroit style? It’s a fluffy-deep-crusted rectangular pie baked a good while to give the crust crispiness. Detroit native Michael Spurlock used to make road trips to satisfy a sick friend’s cravings, then made a study of it, and now brings it to the old Ferd Grisanti location in J’town. $$ L D hp e LOUISVILLE PIZZA CO. 3910 Ruckriegel Pkwy., 267-1188. Also known as Chubby Ray’s, this local pizzeria makes good, fresh pizzas and ItalianAmerican sandwiches. $$$ L D hpf LUIGI’S 712 W. Main St., 589-0005. New York Citystyle pizza, a treat that you’ll find on just about every street corner there, has been making inroads in River City, but Luigi’s was one of the first to offer in its authentic form here. $$ L

ORIGINAL IMPELLIZZERI’S 1381 Bardstown Rd., 454-2711, 4933 Brownsboro Rd., 425-9080, 110 W. Main St., 589-4900. Impellizzeri’s pizzas, massive pies loved for a generation, can now be scarfed down near the arena on Main, in addition to its Highlands and Brownsboro Road locations. $$$$ L D hpf PAPA JOHN’S PIZZA (30 locations) “Papa” John Schnatter got into the pizza game as a Southern Indiana high-school student in 1984 and has built his business into a 3,000-restaurant international chain on the basis of a simple formula: traditional pizza, made from quality ingredients in a straightforward style. $ L D h PAPA MURPHY’S PIZZA (11 Locations) $$ L D PAPALINOS 3598 Springhurst Blvd., 736-2700, Baxter Ave., 749-8515. Classically-trained pizzaiolo Allan Rosenberg now makes his crispy-crust New Yorkstyle pizzas with premium, made in-house toppings in two locations: the original Lower Highlands place and a new venue in the East End. You can get a whole pie or just a slice at both locations, but the Springhurst store has a small plates menu, a charcuterie room and full bar as well. $ L D h

PERFETTO PIZZA 9910 Linn Station Rd., 426-4644.

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 Ave. Hand-tossed crust, all kinds of toppings, plus Italian sausage and meatball sandwiches. $$ L D PIZZA DONISI 1396 S. Second St., 213-0488.

Magnolia Bar & Grill, 213-0488. Popular with Old Louisville hipsters, the “Mag Bar” has long needed a nearby pizza joint. Now it has it and it’s owned by Danny Fitzgerald, impresario behind Mag Bar. Stop by or phone in for delivery, or get a pie while you quaff beer at Mag Bar. Get it by the slice or in whole artisan pies of 9-, 14- and 18-inches, along with appetizers, fries with curry ketchup, fried ravioli and more. $$ L D hf PIZZA KING 3825 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 945-4405, 1066 Kehoe Ln., Jeffersonville IN, 2828286. The pizza is baked in a sturdy, clay stone oven and hand-tossed with thinner crust where the ingredients go all the way to the edge. $$ L D PIZZA PLACE 2931 Richland Ave., 458-9700. $$ L D hpf

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. $$ L D h MARCO’S PIZZA 2011 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 941-1144. A rapidly growing (300+) pizza chain from Toledo, Ohio, adds to the choices of takeout pies in New Albany. Ironically, its CEO lives in Louisville and commutes to Toledo. $$ L D h MELLOW MUSHROOM 3920 Shelbyville Rd., 4096874, 805 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 244-6112. This small pizza/calzone/hoagie/salad chain touts its stoner origins, as the chain’s name, and some of its offerings such as magic mushroom soup and Maui Wowie pizza, imply. Though a chain, each outlet tries to be funky in an individualistic, local way. $$ L D p  MIMO’S PIZZERIA 2708 Paoli Pike, Floyds Knobs IN, 945-7711. People move to the Knobs for its bucolic setting, but locals still crave their pizza fix.

Mimo’s provides that with daily specials, such as Buffalo pizza, calzones, heroes, wraps or salads.

Mangia, mangia! $$ L D p MR. GATTI’S 703 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 283-5005, 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 more than 30 years. $$ L D NEW ALBANIAN BREWING CO. 3312 Plaza Dr., New Albany IN, 944-2577. Touting “the best pizza in Southern Indiana” is quite a boast, but pizza only tells half of this tasty story. NABC combines the fine pies of Sportstime Pizza with the pub formerly known as Rich O’s. Publican Roger Baylor’s remarkable beer list, with more than 100 selections from around the world — plus locally brewed craft beers — has won international awards. $$ L D h OLD CHICAGO PASTA & PIZZA 9010 Taylorsville Rd., 301-7700, 10601 Fischer Park Dr., 657-5700.

This growing chain specializes in both thick Chicago-style and thin traditional pizza, along with amusing appetizers (jalapeño cheese pretzels, Italian nachos), filling salads, sandwiches and burgers. Check out the imposing list of 110 beers from around the world. $$ L D hp

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PLEASURE RIDGE PIZZA AND SPORTS BAR 5603 Greenwood Rd., 933-7373. $$ L D hpf PUCCINI’S SMILING TEETH 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 721-0170. A small but growing pizza chain based in Indianapolis opens its first Louisville property on Shelbyville Road. Thin pizza by the slice and other Italian-American dishes are served in an attractive setting that’s a cut above fast food. $$ L D ROCKY’S PIZZA & PANINI 3022 Bardstown Rd., 690-8500. Need a quick lunch, and have a hankering for the classic Italian subs and pizzas that you have enjoyed for decades at Rocky’s? Now you can get them quick and to go at this counter-service only branch in the outer edge of the Highlands. $ L D

hpf

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” appellation, 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. $ L D hpf ROSIE’S PIZZA 13829 English Villa Dr., 244-2484.

This Middletown pizzeria has been wowing customers for a while with its store-made crusts, and wide choice of toppings. Fans seem to go for the Whole Lot of Rosie, and the Hot Knots. $$ L D SAL’S PIZZA & WINGS 812 Lyndon Ln., 365-4700.

Pizza, calzones, chicken and salads join the food choices in the Lyndon strip mall that also houses other ethnic restaurants. $$ L D hpf SICILIAN PIZZA & PASTA 629 S. Fourth St., 5898686. Ready for takeout or eat-in, this downtown storefront offers good, standard pizza and other familiar Italian-American dishes. $$ L D h f SIR DANO’S PIZZA PARLOR 496 N. Indiana Ave., Sellersburg IN, 246-3346. $$ L D h f SNAPPY TOMATO 10000 Brownsboro Rd., 4126205. $$ L D SPINELLI’S PIZZERIA 614 Baxter Ave., 568-5665, 2905 Goose Creek Rd., 632-2832, 4001 Shelbyville Rd., 895-0755, 239 S. Fifth St., 749-0919, 8610 Dixie Hwy., 614-5300. This locally-owned pizzeria, widely known for their massive pizza by the slice, has expanded to four locations. All are open until 5 a.m. nightly Wednesday through Saturday, offering Philly-style pizza and real Philly cheese steaks. $ L D 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. $$ L D  TEENA’S PIZZA 3799 Poplar Level Rd., 785-4344.

Teena’s has taken over the long-standing Frolio’s Pizza building on the corner of Trevilian Way and Poplar Level Rd. The lunch buffet, with vegetable choices and three heat levels of chicken wings, in addition to pizza, gives this neighborhood pizza joint a bit of distinction. $$ L D hpf TONY IMPELLIZZERI’S 5170 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 949-3000. Long-time Louisville pizzamaker moves across the river to fill the cravings of Hoosiers. $$$ D UNCLE MADDIO’S PIZZA JOINT 2011 Grinstead Dr., 690-8871. This small chain, from the guys behind Moe’s Southwest Grill, seems to have settled in comfortably at the corner of Bardstown and Grinstead.

Order at the counter from a range of custom choices and your pizza gets delivered to your table. $$ L D VITO’S PIZZA 1919 S. Preston St., 634-1003. A little neighborhood pizza pub on the edge of Germantown has been serving up its signature pies to neighbors and commuters who pick up pies before they get on nearby I-65 to head home. $$ L D hp

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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. $$ L D hpfe ZA’S PIZZA 1573 Bardstown Rd., 454-4544. $$ L D hpf

321 DELI 321 W. Main St., 566-3258. The dining and drinks complex on the corner of Third and Main offers something for everyone. This is the deli component (the others are an ice cream shop and a bourbon bar), which strives to blend the look and feel of a New York deli with the charm of the South.

Lunch on nicely done sandwiches constructed from meats roasted in house, gourmet salads and sides to go. $ L D f

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. $ B L 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. $ L D f DIZZY WHIZZ DRIVE-IN 217 W. St. Catherine St., 5833828. 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. $ L D hf DP UPDOGS 147 E. Market St., New Albany IN, 9480768. The long-lived but now defunct Little Chef diner at the corner of New Albany’s Market and Bank Streets has a new life and identity. Stop in for a variety of wiener concoctions, or an ice cream sandwich. $ f

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. $ L

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. $ B L f

BABY D’S BAGELS & DELI 2009 Highland Ave., 365-3354. This Highlands deli serves steamed bagel sandwiches and wraps, made with housesmoked and roasted meats. Look for funky sandwich names and desserts such as chocolatecovered bacon. $ B L D h

THE FEED BAG 133 Breckenridge Ln., 896-1899.

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. $ L

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. $ L D  BRIAN’S DELI 531 S. Fourth St., 561-0098. Between Chestnut Street and Muhammad Ali Boulevard, Brian’s services the downtown lunch crowd with soup, salads, sandwiches and snacks. $ L f BRUEGGER’S BAGELS 119 Breckenridge Ln., 6181158. The bagel/deli/sandwich chain has set up shop in the middle of St. Matthews, offering another quick breakfast and lunch option. Choose from bagels and breakfast sandwiches, muffins, panini, salads and soups. $ B L f  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. $ B L D h

FIREHOUSE SUBS 215 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 3653473. This national chain touts that they steam their meat and cheese sandwiches. Specialty subs carry out the Firehouse theme and the kids meals include a little fire helmet. $ L D FRASCELLI’S NEW YORK DELI & PIZZERIA 4113 Murphy Ln., 243-9005. This shop offers Italian-style deli sandwiches and pizza, plus home-style Italian hot dishes from lasagna to baked ziti. $ L D hf HONEYBAKED CAFÉ 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 895-6001, 6423 Bardstown Rd., 239-9292, 3602 Northgate Crt., New Albany IN, 941-9426. Before holidays, you go in and carry out huge spiral-sliced hams or turkey breasts or beef roasts for your own parties. In the off season, you sit down in the café and order generous, filling sandwiches made from those same meats, served on rolls or croissants, cold or with a hot cheese melt. Soup and salads too. And cookies. $ L D JASON’S DELI 410 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 412-4101, 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 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. $ L D f

BUTCHER’S BEST 9521 US Hwy. 42., 365-4650. This fully staffed meat store in Prospect offers customcut beef, lamb, pork, bison, chicken and veal, plus a well-stocked deli and specialty foods, with skilled butcher Jimmy Mike at the helm. $ L D 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. $ L D

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. $ L

JIMMY JOHN’S SUB SHOP (11 Locations) This national sandwich-shop 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. $ LDf

CHEF MARIA’S GREEK DELI 102 Fairfax Ave., 8957075. $ L D 

LENNY’S SUB SHOP 3942 Taylorsville Rd., 454-7831.

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 semi-fast food. $ L D f

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

RED = Advertiser B = Breakfast Br = Brunch L = Lunch D = Dinner

h = Late Night

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LONNIE’S BEST TASTE OF CHICAGO 121 St. Matthews Ave., 895-2380, 8129 Preston Hwy., 3847900. This appetizing operation offers genuine Chicago hot dogs and a taste of Chicago atmosphere for a price that won’t hurt your wallet. A second location brings the Windy City fare to Okolona. $ L D f LOTSA PASTA 3717 Lexington Rd., 896-6361. This family-owned pioneer in gourmet cheeses, oils, dips, hummus and, of course, pasta has been in operation for 32 years now. They are mainly an eclectic specialty-food store but fans stand threedeep at the sandwich counter every afternoon. And next door is a comfy café, to eat that deli sandwich, or get coffee and dessert. $ L D 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. $ L MAIN STREET CAFÉ 217 E. Main St., 992-8080. This ambitious downtown place offers a range of breakfasts choices from light pastries and yogurt to omelets, waffles, and, thoughtfully, pie for breakfast (changes seasonally). For lunch look for sandwiches made from house-smoked and cured pastrami, sorghum bacon and other artisanal foods, as well as daily specials on soups, and a Kentucky farmer-inspired seasonal salad. $ B L D f MCALISTER’S DELI 10041 Forest Green Blvd., 4258900, 2721 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 671-2424, 2400 Lime Kiln Ln., 339-8544, 6510 Bardstown Rd., 2399997, 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, 980 Breckenridge Ln., 895-1698. 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. $ L D MORRIS DELI & CATERING 2228 Taylorsville Rd., 458-1668, 555 S. Second St. (YMCA building), 5872353. 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 both in the Highlands and at the YMCA downtown. $ L MUSCLE MONKEY GRILL 9565 Taylorsville Rd., 297-8807, 9463 Westport Rd., 420-0707, 180 W. Spring St., New Albany IN, 949-4430, 951 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 284-5624.

This small but growing local chain, founded by Steve and Jill Mazzoni and their friend Jason McCune, specializes in health and nutrition supplements and vitamins. $ B L D 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. $ B L 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. $ B L 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. $ L PANERA BREAD CO. 7900 Shelbyville Rd. (Oxmoor Mall), 899-9992, 6221 Dutchmans Ln., 895-9991, 500 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 423-7343, 10451 Champion Farms Dr., 426-2134, 3131 Poplar Level

p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music  = Delivery: TakeoutTaxi.com

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Rd., 635-9164, 1040 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 288-9400, 400 W. Market St., 540-5250, 1801 Rudy Ln., 710-0297, 1534 Bardstown Rd., 459-8160.

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. $ B L D f PAUL’S FRUIT MARKET 3922 Chenoweth Sq., 8968918, 4946 Brownsboro Rd., 426-5070, 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). $ L D PENN STATION (17 Locations). Billed as the East Coast Sub Headquarters, this sandwich kitchen does a brisk business here in the Louisville area. $ L D POTBELLY SANDWICH SHOP 302 S. Fourth St., 5401100, 4023 Summit Plaza Dr., 420-9616. This local outpost of the Chicago chain offers substantial sandwiches, salads and even breakfast sandwiches and oatmeal both to the downtown lunch crowd along Fourth St., and out at the Summit in the eastern suburbs. $ L D PRIMO’S DELICATESSEN 153 E. Main St., New Albany IN, 913-4715. It’s just what New Albany needed, a little New York style to give East Coast pizzazz to the downtown dining choices. Serving breakfast and lunch, so look for bagels and a schmear, and meaty sandwiches piled high. Dine-in or carry out six days a week. $ Br L QUIZNO’S SUBS (6 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. $ L  RED’S COMFORT FOOD 514 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 587-7337. Across from Louisville Gardens, “Red” offers gourmet wieners and sausages, chicken barbecue topped with coleslaw and vegetarian side

dishes, many made with locally sourced products.

Red closes for the winter, though, so his fans have to wait til spring. $ L f

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. $ L

SAE CAFÉ 200 S. Seventh St., 585-3400. This spunky downtown breakfast and lunch place has goals of serving more healthful — and tasty — choices.

Muffins and other breakfast pastries are by Najla’s, a Louisville baker that uses no trans-fats, corn syrup or preservatives. The sandwiches have clever names — Angry Bob, Hail to the Chief, Mexi Mama wrap and the Knuckle sandwich — and there are also salads and daily soup specials. $ B L

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. $ L D

SCHLOTZSKY’S DELI 10531 Fischer Park Dr., 4258447. 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. $ B L D f SCOTTY’S VILLAGE MARKET 10640 Meeting St., 384-6338. A grocery store and deli joins the retail mix at Norton Commons. In keeping with the Village theme, the store evokes the feel and ambience of the old local grocery, in addition to doing on-site baking, smoking meats, and offering full to-go dinners. $ L D 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. $ Br L f THE STARVING ARTIST CAFÉ & DELI 8034 New Lagrange Rd., 412-1599. $ L 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,

TC’S SANDWICH SHOPPE 438 W. Market St., 5819200. $ L THORNBERRY’S DELI & PIES 5103 S. Third St., 367-8394. $ L TOM + CHEE 1704 Bardstown Rd., 409-9494, 319 W. Cardinal Blvd., 749-2299, 111 St. Matthews Ave., 893-3575. The Cincinnati-based soup and sandwich chain now has three locations. Its hook is serving many variations on grilled cheese sandwiches (including a grilled cheese donut that has gained TV notoriety) and tomato (and other) soups. Daily specials augment the 15 core menu choices. $ L D f W.W. COUSINS RESTAURANT 900 Dupont Rd., 8979684. For 30 years this locally owned and operated build-your-own burger joint has packed in fans at its original location near Dupont Circle, and now it has expanded with a new outlet in Okolona. Both serve substantial burgers on magisterial home-baked buns and offer more than 40 toppings on the lengthy condiments bar. $ L D h 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. $ L D ZOUP! 318 S. Fourth St., 963-0777. Another chain outlet downtown gives all the lawyers and government workers another choice for soups, sandwiches and salads, plenty of low-fat, dairy-free and vegetarian choices that will rotate daily. $ L D

ATYPICAL MAN BBQ 119 St. Matthews Ave., 8933925. Can there be too many BBQ joints in town?

Nah. And this one is in a well-traveled part of St. Matthews, handy to the neighborhood and the many who come through for shopping. Stop in for all the usuals — pulled pork and brisket and smoked chicken, done juicily, with choice of sauces on the side, and solid side dishes like slaw and beans. $ L D  B3Q BBQ 1044 Copperfield Drive, Georgetown IN, 951-3900. Ribs, pulled pork and beef brisket, served up as sandwiches, wraps or platters. Also, smoked baloney and chicken, smoked turkey and sirloin tips, and plenty of side choices. Dine-in, carry-out and catering available. $ L D f BAXTER’S 942 BAR & GRILL 942 Baxter Ave., 4099422. (See review under Bar & Grill.)

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. $ L D f BRANDON’S BBQ & PIZZA 9901 LaGrange Rd., 4266666. Hickory-smoked Tennessee-style barbecue sandwiches and filling, affordable dinners. $ L D 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. $$ L D hpf 70 Spring 2014 www.foodanddine.com

RED = Advertiser B = Breakfast Br = Brunch L = Lunch D = Dinner

h = Late Night

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FEAST BBQ 116 W. Main St., New Albany IN, 9200454. Owner Ryan Rogers brings a modernist sensibility to the art of barbecue. He has formulas for brining times, and uses a high-tech smoker to keep the temps low and the smoke from overwhelming the meats. He also boasts one of the largest selections of Bourbon in southern Indiana. $ L D hpf FIRE FRESH BBQ 211 S. Fifth St., 540-1171. Fire fighters, it is said, eat heartily and well. It’s no coincidence, then, that Fire Fresh BBQ pays homage to local fire departments in its restaurant’s decor. The barbecue and country fixin’s stand comparison to the best firehouse cuisine. $ L D  FRANKFORT AVENUE BEER DEPOT 3204 Frankfort Ave., 895-3223. 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. $ L D pf GREGG’S BBQ JOINT 822 State St., New Albany IN, 987-1623. Gregg prides himself on being “old school,” with “low and slow” barbecue, the way it should be done. He serves up ribs and pulled pork, brisket and chicken, and his fans seem especially taken with his collard greens.$ L D 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. $ L D 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. $$ L D f 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, 6501 Bardstown Rd., 442-0808.

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. $$ L D h f MOMMA’S MUSTARD PICKLES & BBQ 102 Bauer Ave., 938-6262, 119 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy. The Okie owner of this little St. Matthews spot made his Kansas City barbecue so popular he has opened a second store in the East End. Knot on your bib for smoked ribs, brisket, chicken, pulled pork and all the standard sides. Lots of hefty party packs are perfect to-go options. $$ D 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. $ L D f PINK BARON BBQ 400 W. Court Ave., 835-7361. $LD RIVER ROAD BBQ 3017 River Rd., 592-7065. Right next to the Water Tower, this little take-out only place smokes brisket and pork: some days one sells out, on other days the other. Winter hours are 116 or until the meat runs out. Potato salad, slaw and drinks. Buy it by sandwich or by the pound. $ L D ROB-A-QUE 4712 Pinewood Rd., 618-3007. Owner Rob Bailey was a hobbyist BBQ competitor for years until selling his share in a family tool business to turn pro. His smoked meats reflect a Kansas Citystyle of ’cue, and his side dishes are numerous.

Check it out for lunch, to-go or catering. $ L f 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 a bounty of secret BBQ recipes. $ L D hpfe

p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music  = Delivery: TakeoutTaxi.com

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. $$ L D hp 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. Specialty is hickory-grilled steaks on Friday and Saturday nights. $ L D fe SHANE’S RIB SHACK 2420 Lime Kiln Ln., 429-3907.

“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. $$ L D f  SMOKEHOUSE BBQ 5414 Bardstown Rd., 239-4422.

This 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. $$ L D p SMOKETOWN USA 1153 Logan St., 409-9180. The name “Smoketown” points to the restaurant’s location in this legendary midtown neighborhood, while signaling there’s consistently fine and cleverly fused Memphis- and Texas-style barbecue to be found here. Irrepressible owner Eric Gould maintains his neighborhood spot also is about vegetarian food and yard sales, and everything in the store is for sale (artwork on the walls, furniture, even the salt shakers, just make an offer). You’ll also find live entertainment three nights weekly. $$ L D f SMOKEY BONES BBQ 2525 Hurstbourne Gem Ln., 491-7570. A property of Orlando’s Darden fastfood 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. $$ L D hp

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TEXICANS BBQ PIT 6608 Hwy. 146, Crestwood. 2419227. 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. $ L D

30 RED SPORTS SALOON 9601 Newbridge Rd., 6903050. Fern Creek’s lively sports bar has lots of TVs, and Happy Hour specials on food and drink. The solid bar food includes cheese quesadillas and minicorn dogs, burgers, wings and fried fish sandwich.

The Roulette Wheel is your choice of three appetizers, meant for sharing. $$ L D hp BAXTER’S 942 BAR & GRILL 942 Baxter Ave., 4099422. After establishing itself as a lively venue for music, this newest addition to the Baxter corridor is entering the BBQ fray, with chef K.B. Spalding, formerly at Vincenzo’s and Churchill Downs, smoking his way to glory. $ L D hpfe BEEF O’BRADY’S 241 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 254-2322, 5628 Bardstown Rd., 239-2226, 3101 S. Second St., 637-3737, 5501 Valley Station Rd., 933-5919, 11324 Preston Hwy., 966-8515, 105 LaFollette Ct., Floyds Knobs IN, 923-1316. 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. $ L D hf 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. $ L D hpf THE BREWERY 426 Baxter Ave., 365-2505. First renovated in 1984, including the antique bar from the old Kunz’s, the original owners are back from a decade-long hiatus serving wings and calamari, chili, salads, burgers, sandwiches, subs and pastas.

And beer. $$ L D hpfe BROWNIE’S THE SHED GRILLE & BAR 237 Whittington Pkwy., 326-9830. Restaurant owner and namesake Keith Brown used to host neighborhood gatherings in a shed at his home. Now he brings the same sociable concept to his pub and eatery. Louisville’s official home for Cincy Bengals fans, Brownie’s may be the closest thing Hurstbourne has to a Germantown neighborhood saloon. $ L D hpfe BUD’S TAVERN GOOD FOOD & BARBECUE 4014 Dixie Hwy., 384-9131. New ownership has spiffed up this Shively outpost now offering honest bar food that’s receiving high praise. Check out the “gently fried” grouper, burgers (including a Reuben burger), burritos and barbecue. $ L D hpfe BUFFALO WILD WINGS (BW-3’S) 6801 Dixie Hwy., 935-1997, 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 899-7732, 9134 Taylorsville Rd., 499-2356, 3584 Springhurst Blvd., 394-9596, 12901 Shelbyville Rd., 254-9464, 1055 Bardstown Rd., 454-3635, 1112 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 283-9464. As much a sports bar as a restaurant, this national franchise chain offers tasty snack-type fare, including the chain’s trademark Buffalo chicken wings. $$ L D hpf BUNGALOW JOE’S BAR & GRILL 7813 Beulah Church Rd., 931-5637. A “family friendly sports bar and grill” in the Fern Creek area boasts 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. $$ L D hpfe CHAMPIONS SPORTS BAR AND GRILL 280 W. Jefferson St. (Louisville Marriott), 671-4246. Another popular option at the striking downtown Marriott, Champions provides a fun, casual dining alternative with a Kentucky sports theme — and a gallery 72 Spring 2014 www.foodanddine.com

of big-screen televisions to keep the sports action flowing as freely as the libations and upscale pub grub. $$ L D hp CLUCKERS WINGS 4308 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 944-8100, 100 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville IN, 590-3662, 313 W. Cardinal Blvd., 365-1665. 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. $ L D hpf DIAMOND PUB & BILLIARDS 3814 Frankfort Ave., 895-7513, 630 Barret Ave., 690-7040. $ L D

hpfe

DOWN ONE BOURBON BAR 321 W. Main St., 5663258. The new, yet rustic bar, situated down one flight below street level, stocks 100-plus Bourbons, local craft beer and serves wines by the glass. A small but clever bar menu offers burgers, sandwiches and more. $$ L D pfe DRAKE’S 3939 Shelbyville Rd., 614-7327, 3921 Summit Plaza Dr., 384-3921. Lexington-based Bluegrass Hospitality Group has two lively outlets, in the old Burdorf’s building in St. Matthews and the second at The Summit. Twenty-four craft beers on tap to wash down the traditional pub grub of tacos, ribs and — these days — sushi. Familyfriendly by day and a hoppin’ spot at night, with music videos and a DJ. $$ L D hpf FLANAGAN’S ALE HOUSE 934 Baxter Ave., 585-3700.

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. $$ L D hpf 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. $ L D p 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. $ L D hpfe 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. $ L D hp GREAT AMERICAN GRILL 2735 Crittenden Dr. (Hilton Garden Inn), 637-2424. Salads, burgers, pastas and sandwiches are available for the casual diner; main entrées include New York strip, filet of salmon and more. $ Br D pf HIGHLANDS TAPROOM GRILL 1058 Bardstown Rd., 584-5222. Another nice choice for beer and bar food along the B’town Rd. corridor, but with former Lilly’s chef Tommy Clemons at the helm the menu includes, but extends beyond, the usual beer cheese, chili and burgers. Look for the crabby patty, smoked shrimp scampi, or French toast sausage, house made with egg and maple syrup. The pulled pork spring rolls are on their way to becoming legendary. $$ L D hpfe HILLTOP TAVERN 1800 Frankfort Ave., 742-2908.

The Skelton brothers (John is an alum of Seviche) have taken over this prime Clifton location, once the original location of Café Lou Lou. Their tavern fare is focused on barbecue, with pulled pork and beer-butt chicken specialties, along with hefty sandwiches (their meatloaf is a standout). $ D hp

RED = Advertiser B = Breakfast Br = Brunch L = Lunch D = Dinner

h = Late Night

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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. $ L D hpf

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 charcoal-grilled wings with a thick, hickory-smoked spicy sauce. $ L D hpf

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. $ L D hpf

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. $$ L D hpfe

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. $ L D hpf JOHN O’BRYAN’S TAVERN 4123 Flintlock Dr., 4494940. $ B L D JR’S PUB 826 W. Main St., New Albany IN, 920-0030.

Adding even more life to an increasingly busy New Albany downtown, this bar boasts live entertainment on weekends, a daily $1 draft beer pick, a full menu including a daily $6 Blue Plate Special (think comfort foods like Salisbury steak and liver and onions), and an all-you-can-eat fish, fries and slaw choice. $$ L D hpfe KHALIL’S 10966 Dixie Hwy., 632-2227. A family sports bar in Valley Station boasts plenty of TVs, including some tabletop TVs in booths. Menu presents the usual bar food suspects — salads, wings, burgers — but the burgers are on pretzel buns. $ L D hp 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. $ L D pe

SERGIO’S WORLD BEERS 1605 Story Ave., 618-2337.

Despite minimal signage, Sergio’s Butchertown digs pull in his fans, who dig the quirky website, and the whole aura of haughty mystery. What you really need when you locate the place is a desire to explore Sergio’s world beer inventory, nearing 1000 different brews. $$ D h THE SPORTING NEWS GRILL 6551 Paramount Park Dr. (Holiday Inn), 966-0000. Just what you want in a sports bar: seven 52-inch screens, subscriptions to all the pro and college sports networks, and hearty appetizers, Angus burgers, steaks, shrimp and salmon. $$$ L D hpf THE SPORTS & SOCIAL CLUB 427 S. Fourth St. (Fourth Street Live), 568-1400. This Cordishowned 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. $$ L D hpf 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. $$ L D hp

SULLY’S SALOON 434 S. Fourth St., (Fourth Street Live) 585-4100. One of the stalwarts at 4th Street Live, Sully’s works hard to offer a good time. Their happy hour (M-F 5-9 p.m.) draws crowds with great drink prices and creative, favorably priced appetizers. The new menu is an amalgam of allAmerican, American-Irish and Italian-American comfort foods — chorizo chili potato skins, Irish tacos (topped with shredded corned beef), spicy Alfredo penne — that sort of thing. $$ L D hpfe THE BACK DOOR 1250 Bardstown Rd. (Mid City Mall), 451-0659. You need a bit of perseverance to track down this saloon on the back side of Mid-City Mall. When you do, you will find one of the city’s friendliest pubs, with a reputation for the best pour of drinks around. Limited bar fare, but don’t miss the chicken wings. $ D hpf TIN ROOF 3921 Shelbyville Rd., 895-1940. This Nashville-based chain, which took over the old Brendan’s location in the heart of St. Matthews has a split personality: a family-friendly vibe during the lunch hours; and a rockin’ juke joint at night with live music until 3 a.m. Its menu encompasses everything you expect from bar grub: deep-fried hot dogs, hot wings, quesadillas and salads for the ladies. $ L D hpfe TROLL PUB UNDER THE BRIDGE 150 W. Washington St., 618-4829. On the downslope alongside the Clark Memorial Bridge, a large troll beckons the adventurous into a space excavated out of the lost space in the old whiskey warehouse. The renovation boasts lots of dark, brick-walled spaces, as well as a funky outdoor dining area in the lightwell. The menu offers stacked sandwiches, bison burgers and sweet potato tots, and ribeye steaks. $$ L D hpf VIC’S CAFÉ 1839 E. Market St., New Albany IN, 9444338. $ L D

LOUIS’S “THE TON” 1601 Story Ave. Old-timers know the Butchertown space as Johnson’s Beer & Bait, but new owners have renovated it to capture the atmosphere of a European “public house” focusing on moderately priced drinks, cold plate appetizers and tapas such as cheeses, meats and sausages and olives. $$ D he MIKE’S TAVERN 3521 Paoli Pike, Floyds Knobs IN, 945-8915. A tavern that serves a full breakfast — eggs, bacon, hotcakes. For lunch, a varied 1/2-pound burger menu — jalapeño burger, bacon burger, mushroom burger — plus a 2-pounder that is free if it can be eaten in 60 minutes. Breakfast or lunch served anytime. $ L p NEW DIRECTION BAR & GRILL 2630 Chamberlain Ln., 243-8429. $ L D hpfe OLD LOUISVILLE TAVERN 1532 S. Fourth St., 6374200. It’s been around for a while, but new ownership is bringing in a more enthusiastic crowd, for the ambience as well as the bar food, things like chili cheese fries, portobello mushroom fries, and a knocker burger. $$ L D hpfe O-LINE SPORTS GRILL 2813 N Hurstbourne Pkwy., 384-6171. You can watch every game, every sport all year long, they claim. While you do, you can chow down a variety of bar food, such as the juicy Lucy cheese burger or nacho burger. The kids might like the mini-footballs, franks encased in pastry dough, fried and served with dipping sauces. $ L D hp  RIVER CITY DRAFTHOUSE 1574-1/2 Bardstown Rd., 690-5111. Another beer joint along the Bardstown Road corridor boasts more than 20 taps focused on independent, American, craft beer (in sample, halfpint and pint sizes) and several bottled options. Its limited (for now) bar menu has garnered early praise for its wings. $$ L D hf

p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music  = Delivery: TakeoutTaxi.com

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WINGSTOP 4812 Dixie Hwy., 409-6000. This Texasbased chain with 500 restaurants nationally, now reaches into Louisville. Their specialty? Wings of course, and you can get them 9 different ways. $$ L D hp

AL NUUR 2933 S. Fourth St., 210-7623. Another outlet for Arabian food, but one that goes beyond the usual. You can find long-braised lamb shank and roasted goat, as well as shish kebabs, fish and spaghetti. Take out or eat in. $ L D

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. $ L D hpfe

BELA’S CAFÉ 2933 S. Fourth St., 758-6463. This little Somali café caters mostly to the Muslim community settling in around Churchill Downs, offering cheap, filling, and interestingly spiced foods such as sambusas and nafaqo — a hard-boiled egg in a crust of potato and ground beef, a kind of African Scotch egg. $ L D

AGAINST THE GRAIN BREWERY 401 E. Main St., 515-0174. Slugger Field once again has a beer-pub.

The owners, veterans of the local brewing revival, have worked out an ambitious rotating beer selection and a smokehouse theme for the kitchen, with an emphasis on seasonal dishes. $$ L D pf

FUNMI’S AFRICAN RESTAURANT 3028 Bardstown Rd., 454-5009. Billing itself as serving “Modern Nigerian Cuisine,” Funmi’s offers a range of dishes from North and Central African cultures. Sample goat in a soup or a thick stew. Try soya, a West African shish kebab with a spicy peanut rub or moin-moin, a savory bean cake or lablabi, a Tunisian chickpea soup. Vegetarian and vegan dishes are available as well. $$ L D

APOCALYPSE BREW WORKS 1612 Mellwood Ave., 589-4843. Veteran home brewers Leah Dienes, Paul Grignon and Bill Krauth run the newest brewery in Butchertown. Their taproom, dubbed The Fallout Shelter, serves up to 10 of their concoctions. $ h 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 morphed into American bistro cuisine, with emphasis on fresh and local ingredients, and daily fish specials.

Devotees will still find steak frites and croques monsieurs et madames to go with the exceptional beer brewed on the premises. $$ L D pf BLUEGRASS BREWING COMPANY 3929 Shelbyville Rd., 899-7070, 636 E. Main St., 584-2739, 660 S. Fourth St., 568-2224, 300 W. Main St., 562-0007.

More than just a brewpub. BBC’s management gives equally serious attention to both cooking and brewing, making this a great place to stop in for both dinner and a beer. Its third restaurant site on Main Street boasts an upstairs Bourbon lounge. $$ L D hpfe CUMBERLAND BREWS 1576 Bardstown Rd., 4588727. Giving new meaning to the term “microbrewery,” Cumberland Brews may be one of the smallest eateries in town. It’s usually packed, earning its crowds the old-fashioned way by providing very good food, friendly service, and high-quality handcrafted artisan beers. $ L D hf GORDON BIERSCH BREWERY RESTAURANT 400 S. Fourth St., 589-8935. The growing national brewery and restaurant chain has become an anchor at the corner location at 4th and Liberty, brewing their characteristic German-style bottomfermented lagers, Hefeweizen, bocks, pilsners and Schwarzbiers. The large menu offers the usual pubgrub, but touted as fresh, seasonal and made on the premises. $$$ Br L D hpf NEW ALBANIAN BREWING CO. 3312 Plaza Dr., New Albany, IN, 944-2577. (See review under Pizza.)

ABYSSINIA 554 S. Fifth St., 384-8347. This downtown Ethiopian restaurant has gained many fans with its variety of hearty stews, known as “wots,” and interesting vegetarian choices, with large portions and reasonable prices. $ L D ADDIS GRILL 109 S. Fourth St., 581-1011. The signage of this downtown ethnic eatery promises “Mediterranean & Ethiopian Cuisine,” but the menu offers mostly Mediterranean standbys — kabobs, hummus, baba ghannouj, dolmades, tabbouleh. $ L D h 74 Spring 2014 www.foodanddine.com

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. $ L D h

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. $ L D CHINA CAFÉ 8625 Preston Hwy., 969-9222. $ L D CHINA CASTLE 7420 Third Street Rd., 367-4272. $ L D CHINA COAST 4952 Manslick Rd., 363-4259. $ L D CHINA GARDEN 7309 Preston Hwy., 968-4672. A busy restaurant with the double pleasure of Chinese and American menu items. $ L D 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. $ L D CHINA KING 3830 Ruckriegel Pkwy., 240-0500. $ L D CHINA TASTE 135 Quartermaster Ct., Jeffersonville IN, 284-5580. $ L D CHINESE CHEF 2619 S. Fourth St., 634-0979. $ L D CHINESE EXPRESS 3228 Crums Ln., 448-1360. $ L D CHONG GARDEN 10341 Dixie Hwy., 935-1628. $ L D h CHOPSTICKS 416 E. Broadway, 589-9145. $ L D

KALISIMBI BAR & GRILL 5600 S. Third St., 3641910. This Beechmont sports bar features a blend of African and American foods served alongside an extensive wine and beer list. Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner. $$ B L D

CHOPSTICKS HOUSE 2112 W. Broadway, 772-3231. $ L D

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. $$ L D

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 wellprepared and flavorful fare. $ L D

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. $ L D

A TASTE OF CHINA 1167 S. Fourth St., 585-5582, 8105 Lagrange Rd., 327-6863. $ L D ASIAN BUFFET 3813 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 945-1888, 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. $ L D ASIAN MOON 3360 Hikes Ln., 451-0077. $ L D 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 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. $$$ L D hpf CHEER KING STAR 231 S. Fifth St., 587-8686. Just what downtown needed — a Chinese buffet for quick lunches. Mostly the familiar, a mix of Cantonese, Szechuan and Hunan choices for those who need a little spice to fire them up to get back to work. $ L D CHINA 1 123 Breckinridge Ln., 897-6511. $ L D CHINA 1 8105 Lagrange Rd., 327-6863. $ L D

CHUNG KING CHINESE AMERICAN RESTAURANT 110 E. Market St., 584-8880. $ L D CRYSTAL CHINESE 3901 W. Market St., 776-9702. $ L D

DOUBLE DRAGON II 12480 LaGrange Rd., 241-7766, 6832 Bardstown Rd., 231-3973, 3179 S. Second St., 367-6668, 5222 Dixie Hwy., 448-1988. $ L D DOUBLE DRAGON 9 9501 Taylorsville Rd., 267-5353.$LD EASTERN HOUSE 5372 Dixie Hwy., 568-2688. $ L D 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. $ L D hp EMPEROR OF CHINA 2210 Holiday Manor 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. $$ L D hp 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. $$ L D hp FIRST WOK 3967 Seventh Street Rd., 448-0588. $ L D h GOLDEN BUDDHA 8000 Preston Hwy., 968-7700. $LDh GOLDEN PALACE BUFFET 161 Outer Loop, 368-2868. $$ L D GOLDEN STAR CHINESE RESTAURANT 3458 Taylor Blvd., 368-1833. $ L D h GOLDEN WALL 3201 Fern Valley Rd., 968-9717. $ L D 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. $ L D h 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. $ L D HAPPY CHINA 9106 Taylorsville Rd., 493-1001. $ L D

RED = Advertiser B = Breakfast Br = Brunch L = Lunch D = Dinner

h = Late Night

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HAPPY DRAGON 12613 Taylorsville Rd., 297-8788.

You guessed it: a good, go-to standard pan-China family-style restaurant in Jeffersontown that’s always there when you’re tired of cooking dinner for the clan. $ L D HIBACHI SUSHI BUFFET 5316 Bardstown Rd., 4918228. Capitalizing on two seemingly persistent trends in American dining, this hot table place offers standard Chinese buffet dishes, and standard sushi choices. Cashew chicken, shrimp with garlic sauce, Dancing Dragon roll, spring and summer maki — it is all here. $$ L D  HONG KONG CHINESE RESTAURANT 345 New Albany Plaza, New Albany IN, 945-1818. $ L D 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. $ L D h

PANDA CHINESE RESTAURANT 9543 U.S. 42., 228-6400. $ L D PANDA EXPRESS 1075 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN 288-0774, 1232 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 3268430. The Pentagon even has one of the 1500+ outlets of the nation’s largest Chinese fast food chains, and now we have two. Moderately priced chow such as orange chicken, Beijing beef, SweetFire chicken breast and honey walnut shrimp fill the menu. $ L D 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. $ L D QUICK WOK 801 W. Broadway, 584-6519. $ L D RED SUN CHINESE RESTAURANT 3437 Breckinridge Ln., 499-7788. $ L D ROYAL GARDEN 5729 Preston Hwy., 969-3788. $ L D

HUNAN WOK 6445 Bardstown Rd., 231-0393. $ L D h

SHANGHAI RESTAURANT 526 S. Fifth St., 568-8833. $LD

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. $$ Br L D hp 

SICHUAN GARDEN 9850 Linn Station Rd., 426-6767.

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. $ L D

JASMINE 13823 English Villa Dr., 244-8896. A charming Asian eatery, where you can enjoy familiar ChineseAmerican plates or indulge your more adventurous side with more unusual authentic dishes from the “Chinese Menu,” available on request. $ L D f THE JOY LUCK 1285 Bardstown Rd., 459-8393. The shotgun house across from Mid-City Mall has housed several food establishments (most recently Kashmir Indian) is now the home of Joy Luck Chinese. Look for duck dishes cooked in three different styles: Cantonese, Taiwanese and Beijing. $$ L D hpf 

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. $$ L D h WOK EXPRESS 234 W. Broadway, 583-8988. $ L D h 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. $ L D

YANG KEE NOODLE 7900 Shelbyville Rd. (Oxmoor Mall), 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. $ L D f  YEN CHING 1818 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-3581. $ L D YOU-CARRYOUT-A 1551 E. Tenth St., Jeffersonville IN, 288-8313, 827 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville IN, 282-8881. $ L D 

SARI SARI FILIPINO CUISINE 2339 Frankfort Ave., 894-0585. The city’s first 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. $ L D

ARATA SUSHI 9207 U.S. 42, 409-4880. Prospect gets a sleek sushi place, with crisp dark modern interior, well-prepared fresh fish and rolls, and a fine selection of sakes. $$ L D p ASAHI JAPANESE 3701 Lexington Rd., 895-1130.

This small room in St. Matthews houses this neighborhood sushi spot where award-winning Chef Yong Bong Tak, formerly of Osaka, works his magic at the sushi bar. $ L D BENDOYA SUSHI BAR 217 S. Fifth St., 581-0700.

Adding international flair to its downtown neighborhood, Bendoya is a genuine, serious sushi bar in a storefront just across the street from the courthouse. $$ L

JUMBO BUFFET 2731 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 495-0028.

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. $$ L D h KING WOK 291 N. Hubbards Ln., 899-7188. Another of the city’s many tiny shopping-center fast-food Chinese eateries, King Wok offers all the familiar standards plus a small lunch buffet. $ L D h LING LING 10476 Shelbyville Rd., 245-2100. Modern and efficient in its East End shopping center location, Ling Ling is a cut above fast-food Chinese; better yet, it adds a few Vietnamese dishes to the bill of fare. $$ L D 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. $$ L D NEW CHINA 231 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 254-9299. $ L D ONION RESTAURANT TEA HOUSE 4211 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 981-0188. Masterful Chinese and Japanese cuisine (including magnificent hotpots, donburi dishes, and wooden-bucket steamed rice) set this airy restaurant apart from the horde of other Asian spots. $ L D f 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. $ L D p  ORIENTAL STAR 4212 Bishop Ln., 452-9898. A longtime area favorite in this heavy traffic lunch area.

This establishment is quite good with Lo Mein Noodles, and Sweet and Sour Chicken. $ L D

p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music  = Delivery: TakeoutTaxi.com

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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 while shopping. $ L D DANCING SUSHI JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE 2809 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 384-3387. $$ L D DRAGON KING’S DAUGHTER 1126 Bardstown Rd., 632-2444, 202 East Elm St., New Albany IN, 7258600. Owner Toki Masubuchi’s audacious take on fusion cuisine looks to enchant New Albanians as they have Bardstown Road hipsters. The eclectic and somewhat funky menu builds on traditional Japanese ingredients with unexpected twists: pizza topped with sashimi, and tacos filled with avocado tempura. $ L D hpf FUJI ASIAN BISTRO 6801 Dixie Hwy., 937-0488. $$LDp 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. $$ L D hp GINZA ASIAN BISTRO 9420 Shelbyville Rd., 7498878. A one-stop Asian restaurant at the junction of Hurstbourne Lane and Shelbyville Road. Choose to eat from the Chinese, Japanese or Thai kitchen, or sidle up to the sushi bar for all manner of vegetarian or fish-focused rolls, or sushi combos that include miso soup and salad. A la carte sushi entrées too. $$ L D hp 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. $$ L D hp HEART & SOY 1216 Bardstown Rd., 452-6678. To the left is Roots, a sit-down restaurant. To the right is Heart & Soy, serving vegetarian “street food,” and entertaining passers-by with a glass-walled tofumaking room. State-of-the-art equipment from Taiwan transforms organic soy beans from Ohio into soy milk and then coagulates and presses it into tofu as you watch. $ L D HIKO A MON SUSHI BAR 1115 Herr Ln., 365-1651.

Japanese-trained chef Norihiko Nakanashi brings his artistic skills 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. $$$ L D hp  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-can-eat sushi nightly until the karaoke starts at 9 p.m. $$$ L D p KAILANA SUSHI 6435 Bardstown Rd., 614-7244. Fern Creek gets another choice in sushi bars, with generous rolls priced competitively — nothing over $12. Four levels of 13-piece, mix and match lunch specials, as well as rice, noodles and salads. $$ L D h KANSAI JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE 1370 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 218-9538, 1850 S. Hurst bourne Pkwy., 618-1870. 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. $$$ L D hp KOBE STEAK HOUSE 301 S. Indiana Ave., Jeffersonville IN, 280-8500. Southern Indiana’s first serious Japanese restaurant has been drawing crowds with its exceptional sushi bar, with skilled and friendly chefs who can be relied on to fashion fresh and tasty bites that are just about certain to please. $$$ L D p

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MASA JAPANESE 12336 Shelbyville Rd., 409-5040.

Middletown, too, joins in the sushi expansion. Open for lunch and dinner, the standard menu is bolstered by daily chef’s specials. Lunch specials include the Japadawg, a hot dog with Japanese toppings, a range of teriyaki choices and ramen noodles, Japanese style. $$ L D h MIKATO JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE 3938 Dupont Circle, 891-0081. An upscale hibachi grillhouse in the popular restaurant ring in the Breckinridge Lane — Dupont Circle area. Pleasant decor, entertaining grill chefs, fresh sushi preparations, and sometimes glacial service. $$ L D hpf MT. FUJI 309 Cardinal Blvd., 637-5887. The quickeating strip on the north side of U of L’s campus needed a Japanese place to satisfy students’ sushi cravings. The menu also has tempura and Japanese noodles. $ L D p OISHII SUSHI 2810 Taylorsville Rd., 365-3474. This small, attractive and popular sushi spot has contracted to a single location near Bowman Field. $$ L D h OSAKA SUSHI BAR 2039 Frankfort Ave., 894-9501, 426 W. Market St., 588-8899. This long-standing Clifton favorite also has a second location downtown, serving up sushi and other Japanese dishes in a bright and cheery environment to a loyal clientele. $$ L D ROOTS 1216 Bardstown Rd., 452-6688. Coco Tran, who has nurtured a loyal Clifton-area fan base with her Zen Garden, looks to seduce the vegan/ vegetarian world of the Highlands with this crisp, elegant room. Eat at tables in the front, enjoy smoothies and tea at the bar, or snuggle down in a Japanese pit table in the back. Choose from an international selection of small plates. $ L D 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. $$ L D hp 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. $$ L D h SAPPORO JAPANESE GRILL & SUSHI 1706 Bardstown Rd., 479-5550, 649 S. Fourth St., 589-3333. With its original location in the middle of Bardstown Road’s “restaurant row,” trendy, glitzy Sapporo has established itself as one of the city’s top spots for sushi and Japanese fare. Its second location is in a beautifully designed space in Theater Square off Broadway downtown. $$$ L D hp 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. $$$ L D hp SORA SUSHI AND JAPANESE CUISINE 2610 Chamberlain Ln., 290-7672. Every neighborhood now needs its sushi place. Louisville’s inexhaustible hunger for sticky rice wrapped in seaweed has seen it win early fans who attest to the menu’s freshness and to the pleasant service and setting. $$ L D p STAR SUSHI 2781 Jefferson Centre Way, Jeffersonville IN, 725-8444. Is there a surfeit of sushi around the area? Even Jeffersonville now has its own source of yellowtail rolls, sashimi and nigiri, which is drawing fans for the freshness and flavor of its offerings, and its very fair price point. $$ L D

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TOKYO JAPANESE RESTAURANT 2415 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. $$ L D  TOMO 4315 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 9410200. This Japanese hibachi steak house offers a good show of knife skills and tableside grilling, as well as sushi. Patrons seem to admire the oversize sushi rolls, the salads with ginger dressing, and the grilled chicken and scallops. $$ L D p 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. $$ L D h  WILD GINGER SUSHI & FUSION 1700 Bardstown Rd., 384-9252. The old Café Metro space did not molder long — this sushi and Asian fusion spot has been pulling in intrigued customers who admire the sushi bar up front, and explore the pan-Asian menu. Standard Japanese entrées are joined with specials from Korea (bibim bop) China (Sichuanstyle crispy tofu) and Thailand (pad thai and curries). $$ L D hp

CHARIM KOREAN RESTAURANT 4123 Oechsli Ave., 290-8900. “Charim” can be rendered as “the table is set.” In this case with home-style Korean food, including nokdo jeon, a pancake with mung beans and kim chee — house-made kim chee at that. This modest St. Matthews place quickly became a hit, expecially for the banchan, the assortment of sides that come with each entrée. $ L D 

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. $ L D SALA THAI 8125 Bardstown Rd., 231-1992, 10403 Glenmary Farm Dr., 493-3944. This entry on the growing list of Thai restaurants is gaining fans, partly because it is vegetarian- and vegan-friendly. $$ L D SIMPLY THAI 323 Wallace Ave., 899-9670, 12003 Shelbyville Rd, 690-8344. Owner Mahn Saing and his wife, a classically trained Thai chef, are pleasing diners in St. Matthews and Middletown. Their menu of traditional Thai dishes, well-made sushi and a few upscale Thai-style “fusion” dinner items use many ingredients from their small home garden. $$ LDf 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. $ L D

with a menu that covers Thai standards like pad Thai and curries, with some interesting variations, including several duck items, such as Bangkok duck and pineapple curry duck. Noodle dishes range from flat and thin egg noodle to bean thread and rice noodle. $ L D THAI SIAM 3002 Bardstown Rd., 458-6871. Louisville’s first Thai restaurant, this venerable 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. $$ L D 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. $ L D

ANNIE CAFE 308 W. Woodlawn Ave., 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. $ L D BANH MI HERO 2245 Bardstown Rd., 456-2022.

Seven versions of the French-Vietnamese fusion sandwich on offer here, plus Asian tacos and rice bowls, washed down with Vietnamese coffee, jasmine tea or exotic Asian canned soft drinks.$ L D

THAI CAFÉ 2226 Holiday Manor Center, 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. $ L D f

CAFÉ MIMOSA 1543 Bardstown Rd., 459-1259.

Owner Phat Le, serving his Vietnamese, Chinese and pan-Asian dishes to happy regulars, might finally wean Louisvillians from referring to his building as the former Lentini’s. $ L D hp

THAI NOODLES 5800 Preston Hwy., 961-9018. New name and ownership at the former Thai Smile 5,

CAFÉ THUY VAN 5600 National Turnpike, 366-6959.

A bit off the beaten track, this South End spot is

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

JAPANESE

GRILL

AND

SUSHI

SAPPOROJAPANESE.COM 1706 BARDSTOWN RD. 502.479.5550

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. $$ L D hpf 

649 SOUTH 4TH ST. 502.589.3333

GENGHIS GRILL 4002 Towne Center Dr., 426-4945.

The chain of Asian stir-fry restaurants has been steadily moving northward from its Dallas home base. At this suburban location just beyond the Gene Snyder Freeway you can choose one of their dozen “signature bowls” including Szechuan bamboo beef, ginger herb shrimp, Mexican jalapeño and chipotle steak. Or design your own from a choice of protein, vegetables, sauces and starches. $$ L D p SHAH’S MONGOLIAN GRILL 9148 Taylorsville Rd., 493-0234, 423 E. Warnock St., 409-5029. Thirteenth Century Mongol warriors used to turn their steel shields to use as frying pans over the campfire, using their swords as spoons. Shah’s carries their spirit forward. This all-you-can-eat buffet is fun, and the food is fine. $$ L D

DINNER ONLY HIBACHI GRILL RESERVATIONS RECOMMENDED

p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music  = Delivery: TakeoutTaxi.com

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true, authentic Vietnamese. Friendly service overcomes any language barrier, and prices are hard to beat. Don’t miss the banh mi, traditional Vietnamese sandwiches. $ L D FOUR SISTERS 2246 Frankfort Ave., 384-4262. Four Vietnamese sisters have taken over the former Zen Tea Room space in Clifton. The concept combines a coffeehouse and tea room also serving sweet and savory crepes and bahn mi. $ L D 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. $$ L D hf LEMONGRASS CAFÉ 11606 Shelbyville Rd., 2447110. Lemongrass Café offers an appealing blend of Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese fare in a simple setting that transcends an obviously low budget with style and grace. $ L D h NAMNAM CAFÉ 318 Wallace Ave., 891-8859. This small St. Matthews Vietnamese restaurant has gained many enthusiastic fans who flock there for the pho, the banh mi and other authentic Vietnamese dishes. $ L D f PEARL Horseshoe Casino Hotel, Elizabeth IN, 888-7662648. Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine, elegantly served, Pearl is among the dining choice at Horseshoe Casino. Signature dishes include Vietnamese spring rolls, ginger and scallion fried lobster and crispy salt and pepper shrimp. $$ L D hp 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. $ L D SAIGON CAFÉ 108 Fairfax Ave., 893-7757. St. Matthews diners can find tasty and inexpensive Southeast

Asian fare here — Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese dishes are all choices on the menu. $$ L D h  SAIGON ONE 333 W. Cardinal Blvd., 638-8989.

When U of L students get the sniffles, they just have to have quick access to a bowl of steaming pho. This Vietnamese place at the new university dorm and restaurant row at Cardinal Towne provides needed sustenance. $ L D h

BRASSERIE PROVENCE 150 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 883-3153. This new Provencal-style French brasserie offers classical and Southern France specialties.

Owner Guy Genoud, a native of Cannes, and chef de cuisine Edoardo Bacci offer a large selection of mid-priced lunch and dinner fare including an array of seafoods, lamb, duck and beef, daily “plat du jour,” delightful aperitifs, wines and cocktails just like you’d find in Provence $$$ L D hpf

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. $ L D h

GHYSLAIN 721 E. Market St., 690-8645, 1215 Herr Ln., 690-6001. The two locations of this French bistro, in NuLu and in Westport Village are open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, serving grilled baguettes, croque monsieurs, panini, quiches, soups, salads, and fine chocolates. $$ B L D

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. $ L D h

LA COOP: BISTRO À VINS 732 E. Market St., 4102888. One of the hottest spots in NuLu. Uber talented chef Bobby Benjamin is turning out classic French bistro fare with some modern twists, an idea that keeps his little place packed with happy diners. $$$ B L D hpf

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

Friendly and exceptionally hospitable, family-owned Bosna-Mak 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. $ L D

BISTRO LE RELAIS 2817 Taylorsville Rd. (Bowman Field), 451-9020. This art deco spot makes stylish use of an historic 1920s airport building to present elegant modern French cuisine. Chef Alexander Dulaney and owner Anthony Dike’s refocus of the restaurant around a bistro menu continues its popularity. $$$$ D pfe

LOUIS LE FRANCAIS 133 E. Market St., New Albany IN, 944-1222. This charming French bistro extends the range of international dining options in New Albany. Louis “Louis the Frenchman” Retailleau serves a menu typical of the cuisine of his native southwest France. $$$$ D p

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, diners are satisfied with a large selection of European craft beers on tap. $$ L D h 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. $$$ D

IRISH EXIT 209 E. Main St., New Albany IN, 944-1929.

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. $ D hpe 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. $ Br L D pf 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. $$ L D hpfe MORE SHENANIGAN’S 4521 Bardstown Rd., 4933585. $ L D hpfe 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. $$ L D hpfe 78 Spring 2014 www.foodanddine.com

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PATRICK O’SHEA’S 123 W. Main St., 708-2488. This downtown Irish bar was one of the first to open in the Whiskey Row complex. Crowds have been elbowing in for upscale Irish-inflected bar food and plenty of sports talk. $$ L D hpfe SHENANIGAN’S IRISH GRILL 1611 Norris Pl., 4543919. 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. $ L D hpfe

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. $$ L D AMICI 316 W. Ormsby Ave., 637-3167. Satisfying traditional Tuscan dishes are served in this interesting — and supposedly haunted — Old Louisville building. Dine inside or on the romantic patio on a lovely summer evening, There’s no extra charge if the ghosts want to share your penne alla Lorenzo or Valpolicella. $$ L D pf ANSELMO’S ITALIAN BISTRO 1511 Bardstown Rd., 749-0444. Highland residents hankering for simple, traditional, filling Italian dishes can find just that in this Italian bistro. The menu offers what one would expect: pizza, pastas, lasagna — at reasonable prices. $$ L D hp  BISTRO 42 6021 Timber Ridge Dr., 632-2552. Another entry in the dining choices at Prospect Village shopping center. This little family-run place, serving pasta, sandwiches and Italian and American dishes is proud of its 5-cheese 3-meat Bistro lasagna and their 3-hour honey-baked ham, offered at an attractive price. $$ L D hpfe

Dine on, among other dishes, chicken piccata and rigatoni Bolognese. Zeppole on the dessert menu bespeaks the New York bono fides of the owner. $$ L D pf LA GALLO ROSSO BISTRO 1325 Bardstown Rd., 4730015. This small but attractive Highlands spot in the Shoppes on the Alley serves casual Italian and Continental food in a cozy family-style setting. $$ D f MARTINI ITALIAN BISTRO 4021 Summit Plaza Dr. 394-9797. Now locally owned, Martini’s continues to serve hearty, well-fashioned Italian entrées, pastas and pizzas, a comfortable approximation of a Tuscan trattoria. An open kitchen with wood-fired oven gives a peek at the culinary goings-on. $$$ L D hpf OLD SPAGHETTI FACTORY 235 W. Market St., 5811070. One of the original ventures of this national firm. Bright and noisy, it offers well-made if basic Italian family fare and dishes it out for surprisingly low prices. $$ L D hp 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. $$ L D hp PESTO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT 566 S. Fifth St., 584-0567. Offices for blocks around empty into this bustling Italian eatery for weekday lunches featuring hearty platters of lasagna, zesty salads, red wine and iced tea. On Saturdays, the kitchen switches over to a special Persian menu. $$ L D 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. $$$ L D hpfe

ROCKY’S SUB PUB 715 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville, IN, 282-3844. (See review under Pizza.)

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. $$ L D hp 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. $ L D  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. $$ L D TUSCANY ITALIAN RESTAURANT 165 Outer Loop, 363-0308. Adding an appetizing option to a stretch of the South End that hasn’t been over-served by restaurants, this good-sized storefront near New Cut Road boasts a Mexican chef who demonstrates an expert’s hand with hearty, red-sauced ItalianAmerican fare at a price that’s right. $$ L D hp VINCENZO’S 150 S. Fifth St., 580-1350. (See listing under Upscale Casual.)

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. $$$ D hpfe

BLU ITALIAN MEDITERRANEAN GRILLE 280 W. Jefferson St. (Louisville Marriott). See listing under Upscale Casual.

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. $$ L D hp  CARRABBA’S ITALIAN GRILL 617 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 412-2218. Not your ordinary suburban shopping-center franchise eatery. This place dramatically exceeds expectations. From warmed bread dishes with quality olive oil to first-rate Italian-American fare at reasonable prices. $$$ L D

hpf

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. $$ L D p DIFABIO’S CASAPELA ITALIAN RESTAURANT 2311 Frankfort Ave., 891-0411. DiFabio’s Casapela has made its mark in this Crescent Hill space, with a menu that harks back to the red-checked tablecloth and Chianti bottle era of Italian restaurants. Look for baked stuffed mushrooms and toasted ravioli, veal parmesan and chicken piccata, and your choice of pastas with your choice of sauce. $$ D f THE INTERNATIONAL MALL 737 S. Eighth St., 561-8871. $ L D LA BOCCA 134 E. Market St., New Albany IN, 725-9495.

The eclectic, expanding dine scene in New Albany needed this Italian place to enrich the ethnic choices.

p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music  = Delivery: TakeoutTaxi.com

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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. $$$ D hp LA BODEGA 1604 Bardstown Rd., 456-4955. Next door to the excellent De La Torre’s Spanish restaurant, La Bodega offers diners the city’s most authentic Spanishstyle tapas bar, featuring the small bites originally invented in the outdoor cafés of Jerez. $$ D hp MOJITO TAPAS RESTAURANT 2231 Holiday Manor Center, 425-0949. An offshoot of the popular St. Matthews Cuban restaurant Havana Rumba, Mojito 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. $$ L D hpf

BOMBAY GRILL 216 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 425-8892.

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. $$ L D CLAY OVEN INDIAN RESTAURANT 12567 Shelbyville Rd., 254-4363. Northern Indian cuisine comes to Middletown, with a focus on the clay oven specialties of the region, including some Nepalese dishes, like goat curry and chicken mo-mo (a kind of chicken and dumplings dish). Also look for a selection of lamb dishes and, of course, a large vegetarian menu. $$ L D 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. $$ B L D p KASHMIR INDIAN RESTAURANT 1277 Bardstown Rd., 473-8765. One of the city’s most popular Indian restaurants, Kashmir is casual, neither posh nor expensive, and it produces an extensive menu of seemingly authentic Indian fare. $$ L D hf LITTLE INDIA CAFÉ 3099 Breckenridge Ln., 479-3353.

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 lentil-battered stuffed peppers — followed by Northern lamb and vegetarian entrées, tandoori chicken and kebabs.

There’s also a selection of Indian breads. A Punjabistyle (Northern Indian) lunch buffet is for those who want really fast service. $ L D f

ALADDIN’S CAFÉ 111 W. Market St., New Albany IN, 489-7969. The name should be a clue that Aladdin’s Café brings Middle Eastern cuisine to the still-growing dining scene in New Albany.

You’ll find beef, lamb or chicken gyros, chicken shawarma, tabbouleh and hummus. Finish your meal with thick Turkish coffee. $ L D h

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? $ L D f

BURNING BUSH GRILLE 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. $ L D f

SAM’S GYRO 9104 Taylorsville Rd., 491-1182. Hikes Point gets a hummus and kebab joint, and early visitors have extolled the tasty food and friendly service. The menu features everything you would expect from a typical Eastern Mediterranean menu: falafel, tabouli, gyros, baklava, spanakopita. $ L D h

CAFÉ 360 1582 Bardstown Rd., 473-8694. Highlands diners enjoy an eclectic and international menu at the friendly corner place, with Southern fried catfish and Indian lamb biryani in immediate juxtaposition. You can get it all, diner-style, just about 24/7. $ B L D hpf 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. $$ L D hf GRAPE LEAF 2217 Frankfort Ave., 897-1774. Relatively recent renovations and an expanded menu have elevated the Grape Leaf to destination status, placing it well above the generic Middle Eastern eatery niche. Prices remain affordable, while the food and mood now justify a special trip. $$ L D

f

LITTLE JERUSALEM 5312 S. Third St., 614-6465.

Middle Eastern fare in the ethnic food complex around Iroquois Manor. The usual things, like hummus and falafel, but also chicken sumac and fatoush and mujadara, made from green lentils, basmati rice, onions and exotic spices. $ L D MASALA GRILL 528 S. Fifth St., 562-0202. $ L MIRAGE MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT 4100 Preston Hwy., 363-7788. Preston Highway’s international restaurant row is enriched by this Middle Eastern eatery, run by the owners of the nowdefunct Little Jerusalem. Gyros, hummus, falafel — what one would expect, but done with attention to details and a flair for flavor. $$ L D f PETRA MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT 3904 Bardstown Rd., 749-0924. Another addition to the ethnic choices out in Beuchel. As with many “Mediterranean” restaurants around, the fare is largely confined to that of the Levant schwarmas and hummus and flafel. $$ L D h PITA DELIGHTS 1616 Grinstead Dr., 569-1122. This Near Eastern eatery in the Highlands offers a splendid mix of gyros, falafel and other pita-based goodies. $$ L D

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. $$ L D 

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

TAJ PALACE 2929 Goose Creek Rd., 423-9692. Focused on Northern Indian 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. $$ L D f

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. $ L D

A.J.’S GYRO CAFÉ 9280 IN 64, Georgetown, IN, 9511715. $ L D 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. $ L D 80 Spring 2014 www.foodanddine.com

SAFFRON’S 131 W. Market St., 584-7800. An unassuming location in an odd spot downtown, but a most pleasant space inside, with food and service that continues to please regulars and delight visitors. The popular menu items continue to be rack of lamb, roasted duck fesenjoon, salomon and kebabs. $$$ L D pf

SHIRAZ MEDITERRANEAN GRILL 2011 Frankfort Ave., 891-8854, 2226 Holiday Manor Center, 4269954, 201 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 426-3440, 3521 Poplar Level Rd., 632-2232. From a tiny neighborhood storefront, Shiraz quickly grew out of its original location and expanded into a local mini-chain. In all its locations, Shiraz shines with authentic Persian (Iranian) cooking, such as char-grilled kebabs, fine pitas and lavish bread. $ L D f  TUT’S MEDITERRANEAN GRILL 3425 Bardstown Rd., 452-1899. The Buechel area’s hunger for hummus, dolmas, lamb and falafel is well served by this Middle Eastern eatery. $ L D f THE WAREHOUSE HOOKAH BAR & CAFÉ 504 State St., New Albany IN, 276-5894. Choose from up to 10 flavors of tobacco to relish at the table with friends at this first hookah bar in southern Indiana.

Also on offer is a full bar and American pub grub such as pizzas, pita and hummus, corn dogs, jumbo pretzels, chips and salsa or queso to munch on between puffs. $ L D hpe ZAYTUN MEDITERRANEAN GRILL 2286 Bardstown Rd., 365-1788. Fine, freshly prepared seafood is part of the draw in this upper Highlands eatery with an eclectic Middle Eastern menu. Excellent gyros and friendly, sympathetic service kick it up a notch from other hummus joints. $ L D h ZOE’S KITCHEN 500 W. Jefferson St., 585-0000, 4126 Summit Plaza Dr., 329-8963, 3723 Lexington Rd., 409-8963. This chain has been growing throughout the South and Southwest, and now has three Louisville locations. An eclectic menu offers kabobs, hummus, quesadillas, roll-ups, pita sandwiches and chicken, tuna and shrimp salads. $ L D 

J. GUMBO’S 2109 Frankfort Ave., 896-4046, 426 W. Jefferson St., 589-9245, 8603 Citadel Way, 4934720, 3017 Poplar Level Rd., 690-8080. Former jockey Billy Fox has created a popular mini-chain 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. $ B L Df 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. $$ L D p  SELENA’S AT WILLOW LAKE TAVERN 10609 LaGrange Rd., 245-9004. This Cajun/Creole place in a renovated Anchorage roadhouse continues to find fans.

Shrimp or fish with Manale sauce is a tribute to Pascal Manale’s in New Orleans. $$ Br L D hpf

CUBAN FLAVOR 5700 Outer Loop, 618-2181. The flowering of Cuban/Caribbean cuisine is reaching out beyond the city. This little place, in a strip mall, of course, brings black beans and rice and pork asado to Okolona. $ L D

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EL RINCON CUBAN RESTAURANT 8118 Preston Hwy., 742-2768. Bringing Cuban cuisine to Okolona.

Along with familiar dishes such as arroz con pollo, the menu also includes specialties such as tasajo (braised beef in tomato sauce), ajiaco (a root vegetable stew made with malanga, yucca and corn) and cremas — a variety of pureed vegetable soups. $ L D EL TENAMPA BAR & GRILL 5412 Del Maria Way, 493-4053. $ L D p HABANA BLUES TAPAS RESTAURANT 148 E. Market St., New Albany IN, 944-9760. Habana Blues’ 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. $$ L D pfe  HAVANA RUMBA 4115 Oechsli Ave., 897-1959, 12003 Shelbyville Rd., 244-5375. A true taste of Old Havana can be found at both locations of this consistently busy Cuban restaurant. Bountiful servings of Cuban fare as good as any in Key West or Miami, not to mention a hopping mojito bar, have earned Havana Rumba a place on our short list of local favorites. $$ L D p f HAVANA RUMBA & TAPAS BAR 2210 Bardstown Rd., 749-4600. The Havana Rumba family brings Cuban food to the Douglass Loop, and adds a large selection of Spanish tapas as well. Fans have also spoken reverently of the mojitos and other cocktails in the stylish bar. $ L D hpfe  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. $$ D pf

PUPUSERIA Y TAQUERIA SANTA ROSA 4231 Taylor Blvd., 368-4353. $ L D RIVIERA MAYA 2206 Frankfort Ave., 290-3119.

This addition in upper Clifton is primarily Mexican, with some menu influences from elsewhere in Latin America. Look for fajitas and tacos with a wide choice of toppings and fillings, including seafood. But the big attraction should be the conchinita pibil — long-cooked pork shoulder braised in citrus juices and Mayan spices. $$ L D p TAYLOR G’S JAMAICAN JERK 332 W. Broadway, 587-6127. $$ L D

ADOBO MEXICAN RESTAURANT 5612 Bardstown Rd., 618-3430. Fern Creek gets some spicy Mexican with this eatery. The guacamole bar offers a huge portion in a rough stone mortar, just the thing to munch on while sipping a margarita special. $$ L D p BAZO’S FRESH MEXICAN GRILL 4014 Dutchmans Ln., 899-9600, 1907 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. $ L D f  CAFÉ AROMA 2020 Brownsboro Rd., 618-3434. The menu is billed as “world cuisine with a Mexican flair” but it’s really mostly Mexican and really mostly good, according to our friends in the neighborhood. Affordable, casual and filling. What’s not to like? $ L D CASA FIESTA 10000 Brownsboro Rd., 423-4604. This Mexican restaurant in the Summit area has impressed diners with its clean, modern ambience and its generous portions for reasonable prices. $ L D pf CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL 315 S. Fourth St., 5848606, 10333 Westport Rd., 526-5170. Now there

p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music  = Delivery: TakeoutTaxi.com

are two locations of the increasingly popular TexMex chain, downtown and out in the ‘burbs. The corporate emphasis on cooking with humanelyraised meat products seems to have struck a chord with consumers. $ L D EL BURRITO DE ORO 1927 Greentree Blvd., Clarksville IN, 285-8820. $ L D h EL CAMINO 1314 Bardstown Rd., 454-5417. The owners of The Silver Dollar in Clifton have morphed the old Avalon space into a high-concept melding of tiki bar, southern California surfer hangout and Mexican street-food emporium. How’s this for authen tic: Chef Jonathan Schwartz and his Mexican wife refined the menu at his mother-inlaw’s Cancun restaurant. The sound track features Beach Boy era surfer music. $$ Br L D hpf EL CAPORAL 2209 Meadow Dr., 473-7840, 1909 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 515 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 282-7174. Louisville’s growing Mexican-American community has fostered a happy trend: excellent, authentic Mexican food. El Caporal bridges the gap between the Latino and Anglo communities. $ L D p EL MARIACHI 9901 La Grange Rd., 413-5770. Early fans of this Mexican restaurant, situated between a bakery and an ethnic grocery, have found much to rave about: tacos and burritos made with the bakery’s fresh tortillas, funky authentic fillings, and quick, friendly service. $ B L D p  EL MARLIN SEAFOOD RESTAURANT 1850 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 365-1777. As genuine a take on Mexican seafood cookery as is possible in land-locked Kentucky. Choose mild or spicy preparations of marlin, tilapia, grouper and snapfish. $$ L D p  EL MOLCAJETE 8106 Preston Hwy., 742-3485, 3022 S. Third St., 638-0300. $$ L D hp

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EL MOLCAJETE 2932 S. Fourth St., 638-0300. You can get gringo-style tacos (with shredded lettuce, cheese & sour cream) at this south-end Mexican joint. But if you come here, why not eat like a native? Lash your pork, beef and chicken tacos with fresh-squeezed lime juice and a heap of sliced radishes. Want to get truly authentic? Step up to beef tongue (lengua), intestine (tripas) or brain (sesos). $$ L D hp

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. $ L D 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. $ L D pf

EL TORAZO 1850 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-7272.

A family oriented Mexican restaurant joins the choices at this Hurstbourne shopping strip location. All the expected menu items, as well as some more sophisticated dishes, such as 7 mares sopa, a soup with shrimp, scallops and octopus; banderillas, a colorful beef brochette; and chuleta sabrosa, a Durango-style grilled steak. $$ L D pf

EL NOPAL (19 Locations) These locally owned restaurants have become a growing mini-chain that now numbers 19, winning popularity on the basis of delicious and inexpensive Mexican fare in comfortable surroundings. $ L D pf EL RANCHERO 2918 Hikes Ln,. 410-5668. Formerly El Rey’s, the new owner has spiffed the space up a bit, and aficionados of Mexican food speak well of the nacho grande, tostadas de ceviche and spicierthan-usual queso. $$ L D p

EL TORITO DE JALISCO 4325 Preston Hwy., 4098138. $$ L D pf EL TORO CANTINA & GRILL 10602 Shelbyville Rd., 489-3839. 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. $ L D pf 

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. $ D p

FIESTA TIME AMIGOS 8133 Bardstown Rd., 231-2444. $LDp

EL TACO LUCHADOR 938 Baxter Ave., 365-4823.

Chef Fernando Martinez keeps churning out creative, taste and affordable restaurants. This time, a taqueria, in the heart of Baxter Ave.’s restaurant row. You may recognize some taco names, such as carnitas or carne asada, but as the Martinezes have done at their two other restaurants, Guaca Mole and Mussel & Burger Bar, everything gets a clever riff in the kitchen. Call it elevated Mexican street food.

And do try the amazing tortas. $ L D h

GUACA MOLE 9921 Ormsby Station Rd., 365-4823.

Fernando Martinez, veteran of Havana Rumba and Mojitos, has graced the East End with his “creative Mexican” restaurant. As the name emphasizes, the menu explores different moles, and the creativity comes with modern twists on classic Mexican dishes. Early buzz is hot, for both the food and the up-to-the-minute cocktail program designed by Martinez’s wife Cristina. $$ Br L D pe

FIESTA TIME MEXICAN GRILL 11320 Maple Brook Dr., 425-9144. $ L D p

HAY CHI WA WAA 808 Lyndon Ln., 883-1924. This Tex-Mex place lives up to its tagline, “Ditch the chains for authentic Mexican.” The menu claims everything is prepared from scratch in generous portions. In addition to fajitas and burritos, there is a “100% Mexicano” section (carne guisada, tacos al carbon), and a fun bar menu, Early word is this place could give the established Latin American restaurants a run for their money. $ L D 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. $ L D h LA CARRETA 7319 Preston Hwy., 742-1320. A Mexican joint with a bit more interesting menu than some. Look for Texas quail poppers, shrimp diablo, fajita nachos, and botana platter, as well as quesadillas, taquitos and queso. $$ L D h LA HACIENDA GUADALAJARA 4132 Outer Loop, 384-6427. $$ B L D LA POPULAR 2521 Seventh St Rd., 636-3688.$LD p LA RIVIERA MAYA 8104 National Turnpike, 361-3566.

This South End Mexican restaurant is popular with local Latinos, which is always a good sign. Look for gorditas and carne asada, as well as familiar fare like enchiladas. Word is that the horchata is rich and spiced just right. $ L D p LA ROSITA TAQUERIA 8730 Westport Rd., 618-4588, 5059 Preston Hwy., 618-2833, 1404 Blackiston Mill Rd., Clarksville IN, 284-1362. For those who crave genuine Mexican tacos, you want them convenient when the urge to scarf one down strikes. These little places will certainly satisfy those cravings. $ L D LA SIERRA RESTAURANT AND TAQUERIA 6501 Shepherdsville Rd., 969-7938. $ L D

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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. $ D hf 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 genuine 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. $ L D f LOS AZTECAS 530 W. Main St., 561-8535, 1107 Herr Ln., 426-3994, 9207 U.S. Hwy. 42, 228-2450. Genuine Mexican cuisine has become a viable option in Louisville, thanks to a growing immigrant com mu nity.

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. $ L D pf MANGO’S BAR & GRILL 4632 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 671-5291, 1921 Bishop Ln., 749-5300. $$ L D  MAYAN CAFÉ 813 E. Market St., 566-0651. Chef Bruce Ucán arguably kicked off the restaurant renaissance in the E. Market St. Nulu district. Opening his stylish bistro, serving distinctive cuisine from Ucán’s native Yucatan Peninsula, before NuLu was fashionable. $$ L D MEXICAN FIESTA 4507 Bardstown Rd., 491-2922 $ L D hp MEXICO TIPICO RESTAURANT 6517 Dixie Hwy., 933-9523. One of the region’s first authentic Mexican eateries, Mexico Tipico has built a loyal following for good Mexican food and friendly, fully bilingual service. $ L D pe MEXICO VIEJO 2319 Brownsboro Rd., 893-9880.$LDp

Shelbyville Rd., 425-4581, 9909 Taylorsville Rd., 409-9565, 4000 Dutchmans Ln., 742-1900. These Mexican-American eateries are known for their hearty, well-prepared Mexican food, and plenty of it, in a casually laid-back, comfortable sports-bar atmosphere. $ L D hpfe SEÑOR TACO 4806 Bardstown Rd., 493-7003. $ L D SIN FRONTERAS 827 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville IN, 292-0901. $$ L D p SOL AZTECAS 2427 Bardstown Rd.,459-7776, 520 S. Fourth St., 315-0666, 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. $ L D hpf TACO TICO 5925 Terry Rd., 449-9888. Founded in Wichita in 1962, the same year Taco Bell was born in Southern California, the Taco Tico chain had been gone locally for more than a decade. Its happy return has been drawing remarkable crowds. $ L D 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. $ L D TIENDA LA CHAPINLANDIA 1209 McCawley Rd., 384-7075. If those tiny hole-in-the-wall places are the best for real Mexican food, this little South End place will satisfy Okolona’s need for tacos and burritos. $ L D p WILD RITA’S 445 E. Market St., 584-7482.

Downtown gets a new concept from the owners of

Wild Eggs: Modern Mexican food and a hundred choices of tequila at the bar. The space at the western edge of NuLu has been vacant since the demise of Mozz, but owners J.D. Rothberg and Shane Hall have created a lively and tasty addition to the growing audience for tacos and tequila. $$ L D hpe YELLOW CACTUS 3620 Paoli Pk., Floyds Knobs IN, 903-0313. A yellow neon cactus draws diners to this Indiana restaurant that offers standard Mexican cantina fare, as well as steak and chicken in both American and Mexican styles, and a few seafood dishes. $ L D hp

BENITO’S BURRITOS 13301 Magesterial Dr., 3845272. If you find yourself out in the East End past Anchorage, you can pop in to Benito’s for a burrito or quesadilla wrapped in your choice of five tortilla flavors: tomato-basil; jalapeño cheddar; herbvegetable; flour; and whole wheat. Fillings include beef, chicken, steak, shrimp and veggies. $ L D CHUY’S 104 Oxmoor Crt., 327-3033, 1440 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 288-2489. The Austin, Texas “unchain,” 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 TexMex food at reasonable prices. $$ L D hpf  MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL 2001 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-1800, 1001 Breckinridge Ln., 893-6637, 4652 Chamberlain Ln., 425-3330, 1020 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 288-6637, 9310 Cedar Center Way, 614-7722. The food may be more fastfood Mexican-American than authentic South-ofthe-Border fare, but it is freshly made from quality ingredients and comes in oversize portions, and that’s not a bad thing. $ L D

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. $ L D p PUERTO VALLARTA 4214 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 945-3588, 125 Quartermaster Ct., Jeffersonville IN, 288-2022, 7814 Beulah Church Rd., 239-4646. $$ L D p QDOBA MEXICAN GRILL (14 locations). This chain operation extends from Louisville to Frankfort and Lexington. Fast-foodish in style, Qdoba edges out its competitors on variety and interesting salsas, plus sizable portions at a price you can afford. $ L D f RAMIRO’S CANTINA 2350 Frankfort Ave., 895-3333.

Ramiro Gandara bought out his partners and gave his mom, Tina Ruton Escajeda, control of the kitchen.

His Mexican restaurant in the heart of Crescent Hill’s restaurant row has a new name and some unique menu items, such as enchiladas verdes, lobster quesadilla, guacamole burger, and shrimp fajitas. And don’t forget Tina’s specialty: scratch-made tamales. Vegetarian choices too, and a full bar. $ L D hpf  ROSTICERIA LUNA 5213 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. $ L D hp SANTA FE GRILL 3000 S. Third St., 634-3722. This tiny eatery in a century-old 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. $ L D SEÑOR IGUANA’S 1415 Broadway St., Clarksville IN, 280-8555, 3105 S. Second St., 368-0876, 9424

p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music  = Delivery: TakeoutTaxi.com

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SALSARITA’S FRESH CANTINA 285 N. Hubbards Ln., 897-5323, 12915 Shelbyville Rd., 365-1424. Another entry in the hot “Fresh Mexican” niche that features gigantic burritos made to order. Now with two locations, in St. Matthews and Middletown. $ L D f TACO PUNK 736 E. Market St., 584-8226. (See review under Casual Dining) TUMBLEWEED TEX MEX GRILL & MARGARITA BAR (15 locations). Starting as a humble Mexican restaurant in New Albany, Tumbleweed grew to become an area favorite serving bold, southwest-inspired food such as burritos, spicy chile con queso, mesquitegrilled steaks, fish and chicken. Each Tumbleweed Margarita Bar offers two dozen tequila varieties and dozens of sweet and tangy margarita combinations.

Sip one while savoring the river-view at its flagship River Road location. $ L D hp

MRS. POTTER’S COFFEE 718 W. Main St., 581-1867. $ f

STARBUCKS COFFEE (35 locations) $ f

PERKFECTION 359 Spring St., Jeffersonville IN 218-0611.$

SUNERGOS COFFEE 2122 S. Preston St., 634-1243, 306 W. Woodlawn Ave., 368-2820, 231 S. Fifth St., 589-3222. 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. $ e

PLEASE AND THANK YOU 800 E. Market St. This little coffee house with a difference serves breakfast and lunch, and offers an eclectic selection of vinyl records, which can be sampled in a listening room.

Try the ganache latte, Thai iced coffee, granola parfait, Capriole cheese with honey and grapes on a baguette, or a field greens salad with dried cherries and blue cheese. $ f QUILL’S COFFEE SHOP 930 Baxter Ave., 742-6129, 327 W. Cardinal Blvd., 690-5553, 137 E. Market St., New Albany IN, 590-3426. Fans of this local purveyor of excellent coffee and provider of amenable working spaces can find their caffeine fix and wi-fi hotspot at any of the three locations. $ f

ARGO SONS COFFEE 3640 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-9396. The fathers of the guys who run this roastery and wholesaler are brothers, if that helps you figure out the name. The business is mostly wholesale, but there is a classic espresso bar, so you can run in, buy a few pounds of beans and have a nice cuppa. No crullers or Danish, though. $

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

CAFFE CLASSICO 2144 Frankfort Ave., 895-0076.

(See review under Bistro/Contemporary.)

COFFEE CROSSING 4212 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 981-2633. $ f

ANNIE MAY’S SWEETS CAFÉ 3110 Frankfort Ave., 384-2667. The only gluten and nut-free bakery in the state caters to customers with dietary issues such as celiac disease and allergies. Cookies, brownies, cakes, pies, wedding cakes all made without wheat, dairy, eggs, soy or tree nuts. Arrive early, before the vegan and allergen-free oatmeal cream pie cookies sell out. $

DAY’S ESPRESSO AND COFFEE BAR 1420 Bardstown Rd., 456-1170. Dark and cozy, with an oldfashioned feeling, Day’s has everything you would expect in a college-neighborhood coffee shop except a college near by. $ hf HEINE BROTHERS COFFEE (13 locations) With the absorption of the VINT outlets, Heine Bros. asserts their dominance in the local brewing scene. The stores are always friendly and affordable, with good coffee roasted on the premises and a short list of pastries, desserts and panini sandwiches. $ hfe

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. $

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. $ hf

JAVA BREWING COMPANY 4828 Norton Healthcare Blvd., 339-4744, 1707 Bardstown Rd., 384-3555.

These casual spots boasts the ambience of a friendly old-fashioned book shop, with comfortable seating, a good selection of pastries, and quality coffee from Seattle. $ fe

RED HOT ROASTERS 1402 Payne St., 569-0000, 901 S. Fourth St. (Spalding University), 585-9911.

Drive-through the original take-away joint (entrance off Lexington Rd.) or walk into the little space at Spalding, for your morning latte, coldbrewed iced coffee drinks., or excellent whole beans roasted on the premises. $

KAELIN’S COFFEEHOUSE 1801 Newburg Rd., 6322818. This bright addition to the breakfast and caffeine needs of the west side of the Highlands is physically attached to Mulligan’s Bar, which, of course, squats in the space forever to be known as “the old Kaelin’s.” Strong coffee, pleasant service and breakfast choices, from bagels to egg sandwiches, have made it a hit. $ B L

SMOKEY’S BEAN 1451 S. First St., 749-6900. Located on the corner of 1st and Burnett, this coffeehouse and sandwich shop gives good choices to Old Louisville residents. Locally roasted coffee plus frappes. On Friday and Saturday nights sit down and puff on a hookah until 2 a.m. $ hf

LOUISVILLE TEA COMPANY 9305 New LaGrange Rd., 365-2516. Teas of all sorts, pastries and cookies make for a perfect morning snack the English call “elevenses.” $ B L

SONOMA COFFEE CAFÉ 3309 Poplar Level Rd., 3840044. The first outlet in Kentucky of this franchise coffeteria. Rich pastries and smoothies are available along with the coffee $

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VINT COFFEE 2309 Frankfort Ave., 894-8060, Now owned by Heine Bros. this Crescent Hill location is the only one that keeps the name that reflects the concept that all their beverages — coffee, tea, ale and wine — will “have a vintage, an annual release cycle.” $ f

2 DIPS AND A SHAKE 321 W. Main St., 566-3258.

Got an ice cream craving? Specifically a Comfy Cow craving but you don’t have the time to rush from downtown to the ’burbs to sate it? Then visit this spot across the street from Actors Theater to get your fix. $ f

BEAN STREET COFFEE CO. 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. $

THE HOBKNOBB ROASTING CO. 3700 Paoli Pike, Floyds Knobs IN, 923-1458. HobKnobb offers fresh hot coffee, espresso drinks and fresh baked pastries, cakes and cookies. $ fe

TAZZA MIA 9700 Bluegrass Pkwy. (Ramada Plaza Hotel), 499-9719. 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. $

SISTER BEAN’S 5225 New Cut Rd., 364-0082. $ f

BREAD AND BREAKFAST 157 E. Main St., New Albany IN, 725-5983. Baker Laura Buckingham made a solid reputation selling her artisan baked goods at a roadside stand and at farmers markets.

Now she’s moved to downtown New Albany building where she makes breads, scones, muffins and savory items such as cheese panini with bacon, pepperoni or spinach, strata and bacon cinnamon rolls. $ B L BREADWORKS 3628 Brownsboro Rd., 893-3200, 2420 Lime Kiln Ln., 326-0300, 2204 Dundee Rd., 452-1510, 11800 Shelbyville Rd., 254-2885. $ B CAKE FLOUR 909 E. Market St., 719-0172. This little bakery, with its all-natural ethos and locavore connections, has expanded physically and conceptually. Its crisp dining area opens to the street in good weather, and serves lunch as well as breakfast quiches, along with its popular brownies, cookies and scones. $ f CELLAR DOOR CHOCOLATES 1201 Story Ave., 5612940, 7900 Shelbyville Rd. (Oxmoor Mall Kiosk).

Erika Chavez-Graziano continues her chocolate explorations at her artsy shop in the Butchertown Market building on Story Ave., as well as at a kiosk in Oxmoor Mall. Look for esoteric, but luscious, inventive chocolate confections such as beer flavored truffles and avocado soft-centers. $

RED = Advertiser B = Breakfast Br = Brunch L = Lunch D = Dinner

h = Late Night

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THE COMFY COW 1301 Herr Ln., 425-4979, 2223 Frankfort Ave., 409-4616, 339 W. Cardinal Blvd., 409-5090. 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). Now fans can also find their favorite flavors in Crescent Hill and near U of L, as well as its first franchise operation in southern Indiana. $ hf COPPER CUPCAKE 10616 Meeting St., 708-2418. The goodies in this gourmet bakery in Norton Commons are baked by a California Culinary Academy graduate who touts using premium ingredients in her confections. On offer are seasonal breakfast breads, regular and filled cupcakes, cookies, whoopie pies and even peanut butter woofers — bone-shaped crunchy chews for “man’s best friend.” $ 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. $ DESSERTS BY HELEN 3500 Frankfort Ave., 451-7151.

Helen Friedman has earned a loyal clientele since the 1970s with her elegant cakes, tempting pies and tortes and designer cookies. $$ DUNKIN DONUTS 1250 Bardstown Rd., 290-3865.

You will find hot sandwiches as well as doughnuts and coffee, just what you need to get you going in the morning or to get you steady enough to get home at night. $ B L h

JASMIN BAKERY 3825 Bardstown Rd., 458-0013. This “European-style” bakery offers fresh breads and rolls, as well as Eastern Mediterranean fare, such as gyros and baklava, at reasonable prices. $ B L MARLYCE’S PLACE 1404 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville IN, 551-5577. A Triangle Center stop for anyone needing a sweets fix. Come in to see the line up of elaborately decorated cakes, custom cookies, cupcakes, pies, fudge and sweet breads. Need a cake in the shape of an enchanted castle for your little princess’s birthday? Call Marlyce. $ 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. $ B 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. $ B 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. $ B 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. $ B

by mid-morning. Coffee to go too, of course, and even little half-pints of chocolate milk. $ B SWEET FROG 10494 Westport Rd., 423-3993, 1401 Veterans Parkway Ct., Clarksville IN, 725-7765, 5909 Timber Ridge Dr., 228-3535, 1987 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 499-9964. The four locations of this chain offer a wall of sixteen live-culture self-serve yogurt dispensers in non-fat and low-fat versions, and several sorbet flavors. A toppings bar provides up to 80 choices: gummi frogs, sprinkles, chocolate and butterscotch sauces, graham crackers — and on and on. Up to eight core yogurt flavors are standard, with the others swapped out seasonally with some of the companies 50 or so additional choices. $ B SWEET STUFF BAKERY 323 E. Spring St., New Albany IN, 948-2507. This long-time southern Indiana home-style bakery is noted for baked goods just like your grandmother made. Its specialty: painted sugar cookies, with designs in white chocolate that change with the seasons and holidays.

Also custom cookie and cake designs. $ B SWEET SURRENDER 1804 Frankfort Ave., 899-2008.

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. $$ hf SWEETS & SUCH BAKERY 3947 Dixie Hwy., 4491008. A Shively area neighborhood bakery.

Cupcakes and cookies, brownies and cake, but its renown stems from the Presidential donut, a cream-filled concoction that won Bill Clinton’s admiration. $

STATE DONUTS 12907 Factory Ln., 409-8825. $

WILLIAM’S BAKERY 1051 N. Clark Blvd., Clarksville IN, 284-2867. $ B

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

WILTSHIRE PANTRY BAKERY AND CAFÉ 901 Barret Ave., 581-8561 (See listing under Cafés.)

THE FUDGERY 416 S Fourth St.(Fourth Street Live), 409-7484.$ GELATO GILBERTO 9434 Norton Commons Blvd., 423-7751. Justin and Kristin Gilbert so loved the gelato they ate as students in Italy that they returned there after graduating to study gelato making. Their popular store draws fans out to Norton Commons, though owners can often be found scooping cones and cups at special events. Their store menu includes pies and crepes as well. $ h 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. $ GREAT HARVEST BREAD COMPANY 1225 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 412-8573 $ B L HEITZMAN TRADITIONAL BAKERY & DELI 9426 Shelbyville Rd., 426-7736. 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, 3113 Blackiston Mill Rd., Clarksville IN, 590-3580, 2232 Frankfort Ave., 409-6100. $ L D hf 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. $ B

p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music  = Delivery: TakeoutTaxi.com

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MAP INDEX

MAP INDEX

MAP # DIRECTION PAGE # DOWNTOWN 88 1 downtown louisville 89 NEAR EAST 2 highlands – crescent hill 90 NEAR EAST 3 st. matthews 91 SOUTH EAST 4 hikes point – buechel 92 EAST 5 hurstbourne – anchorage 93 EAST 6 hurstbourne s. – jeffersontown 94 NORTH EAST 7 indian hills – westport 94 FAR NORTH EAST 8 westport rd. – gene snyder NA NEW MAP 9 under construction 95 NORTH EAST 10 prospect 95 SOUTH EAST 11 fern creek 96 SOUTH WEST 12 shively – pleasure ridge 97 SOUTH 13 old louisville – airport 98 INDIANA 14 new albany – floyds knobs 99 INDIANA 15 clarksville 99 INDIANA 16 jeffersonville

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MAP • 1 DOWNTOWN 88 Spring 2014 www.foodanddine.com

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(NEAR EAST) HIGHLANDS – CRESCENT HILL – CLIFTON

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MAP • 3 (NEAR EAST) ST. MATTHEWS 90 Spring 2014 www.foodanddine.com

MAP • 4 (SOUTH EAST) HIKES POINT – BUECHEL www.facebook.com/foodanddine Spring 2014 91

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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

MAP • 10

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(SOUTH WEST) SHIVELY – PLEASURE RIDGE

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MAP • 13 (SOUTH) OLD LOUISVILLE – AIRPORT www.facebook.com/foodanddine Spring 2014 97

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(INDIANA) NEW ALBANY – FLOYDS KNOBS

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(INDIANA) JEFFERSONVILLE

(INDIANA) CLARKSVILLE

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