Spring/Summer 2009 (Vol. 24)

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SPRING - SUMMER 2 009 | MAY - JUNE - JULY

farmers market

guide and seasonal harvest chart

let’s party kentucky style!

Profiles

900

restaurant listings with reviews & maps

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inspired recipes

z’s fusion|211 clover lane|simply thai|wagner’s $ 4 . 9 9 U. S .

www.foodanddine.com

Z’s Fusion’s pineapple barbecue sesame tuna with a mix of edamame and greens, seaweed salad and a Sicilian caponata.

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SUMMER 2009 PUBLISHER JOHN CARLOS WHITE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF SARAH FRITSCHNER VICE PRESIDENT PAUL M. SMITH COLUMNISTS ROGER A. BAYLOR JAY FORMAN SCOTT HARPER DAVID LANGE JERRY SLATER ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS-AT-LARGE TIM & LORI LAIRD CONTRIBUTING WRITERS BILL DOOLITTLE GREG GAPSIS MICHAEL L. JONES CONTRIBUTING CHEFS STEPHEN ATKINS MICHELLE BARTHOLOMEW DAVE MOELLER

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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 f or misprints, typographical errors or misinformation. The opinions expressed herein are those of the writ ers and do not nec essarily reflect the opinion of the publisher. +Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.

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www.foodanddine.com For Advertising information call (502) 493-5511 ext. 550 ON THE COVER

Z’s Fusion’s pineapple barbecue sesame tuna with a mix of edamame and greens, seaweed salad and a Sicilian caponata.

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Photo by Dan Dry

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SPRING - SUMMER 2009

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PROFILES Z’s Fusion: This stunning new space is equally matched by the clean and crisp flavors the kitchen delivers.

211 Clover Lane: Combining homegrown ingredients and a seasoned chef, 211 Clover Lane has a winning recipe.

Simply Thai: Although small in size, Simply Thai delivers big with fresh and vibrant dishes.

Wagner’s Pharmacy: An old-fashioned lunch counter that serves up classics steeped in horseracing history.

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COLUMNS

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STARTERS

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COMINGS & GOINGS

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

SIDE DISHES Who’s doing what in the local culinary landscape.

HUMOR: Finger frappé One man’s mission to make warning labels meaningful again.

FROM THE EDITOR Quick, easy and delicious — potstickers are a bargain and come with a wide variety of fillings.

FARMERS MARKET GUIDE A tour of the growing number of area farmers markets.

LIQUIDS CORK 101: Six wines under $10 Six white wines we found to be great values.

COFFEE: Iced coffee cocktails Straight up, on the rocks, shaken or stirred.

SPIRITS: A true neighborhood spirits shop Old Town Wine & Spirits has a funky character, knowledgeable staff and thoughtful inventory.

HIP HOPS: In search of good beer

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Looking beyond package stores, our resident expert finds good beer at the local supermarket.

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RECIPES

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36 RESTAURANT FAVORITES 42 Cheddar Box Café’s Curry Chicken Salad recipe.

COOKING CLASS: Cooking with tomatillos 52 Sullivan University chefs share recipes cooked with this earthy fruit.

EASY ENTERTAINING: Let’s party – Kentucky style Local farm products give this party real Southern flavor.

RESTAURANT GUIDE DINING GUIDE Our comprehensive listing of over 900 area restaurants complete with reviews. Now with more user-friendly features.

MAPS Find all of the restaurants in our Dining Guide on 16 area maps.

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starters comings & goings

comings

& goings

As fitting with the uncertain times, the news from Louisville’s restaurant scene is muted.

There are fewer new players on the scene this quarter, compared to previous surveys of openings, but also relatively few closings. Seventeen new restaurants have opened recently, four have added locations to existing franchises, and only nine have closed. All things considered, that seems a comforting ratio.

OPENINGS The most notable opening is paradoxically one of the most modest. After more than two years absence from the scene, Anoosh Shariat is returning with, first, a little burger joint, Bunz Restaurant, at 969 1/2 Baxter, in the space that recently housed Omar’s Gyros.There he will serve just burgers, fries, soda and beer — but excellent burgers, fries and beer, with lots of cheese choices for those cheeseburgers.

Bunz will get Anoosh’s energies and cash flow fired up as he and partner Paula Barmore reopen Browning’s at Slugger Field, 401 E. Main St. It will return as a brewpub, with Brian Reymiller crafting the beer and Shariat returning to the kitchen to serve some of Browning’s favorites, such as the micro burgers and the beer-battered grouper, but adding some of his own touches too.

He will also use the adjacent Park Place space for catering and special events.

And still in the works are plans for Anoosh’s Bistro in Holiday Manor Center, which stalled with the economic downturn, but are still in negotiation. From no restaurants under his direction to perhaps three within a year sounds sort of crazy, but in the restaurant biz things happen fast.

Susan Hershberg has been catering with her Wiltshire Pantry for 20 years, serving her excellent food while avoiding the hassles of running a restaurant. But she has gotten bold as she has matured, and has opened Wiltshire on Market, 636 E. Market St. Open Thursdays through Saturdays, the restaurant will feature small plates prepared by Wiltshire chef Coby Ming, who, Hershberg says, was eager for the chance to be creative in a restaurant setting.

Another familiar face, Coco Tran, who has delighted and satisfied vegan diners at Zen Garden on Frankfort Ave. for a number of years, has opened Zen Tea House two doors away at 2246 Frankfort Ave. With the opening of VT’s Bubble Cup at 1043 Bardstown Road, serving bubble tea (a concoction using tapioca) perhaps we are seeing the start of a new trend in tea houses.

For those who want a more robust libation, Food & Dining beer columnist Roger Baylor opened Bank Street Brewhouse at 415 Bank St. in New Albany as an outlet for his New Albanian 4

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Brewing Company craft beers. He will stock a wide range of micro brews and imports, and chef Joshua Lehman will serve Belgianstyle bistro pub food, with the promise of lots of moule frites — mussels and French fries — and other dishes.

Harley’s House of Brews will carry on the tradition of Zena’s at 122 W. Main St., with blues (and other music genres), cold beer and “kicked up pub grub” at lunch and late into the night. The owners also operate Amici on Ormsby in Old Louisville.

For those who want the stimulation of caffeine, a new franchise coffee outlet, Sonoma Coffee Company, has opened at 3309 Poplar Level Road. But more comforting to its fans, Quills Coffee Shop has re-opened at 930 Baxter Ave. Irreconcilable differences with the landlord at their first Kentucky Street location forced them to close last year, leaving bereft the regulars attracted to the quiet, comfy and ar ty atmosphere, as well as the wellbrewed coffee and tasty pastries.

A couple of new ethnic eateries are now serving up a variety of chow. Choi’s Asian Food Market, 607 Lyndon Lane, will be serving hot table lunches. Oasis Japanese Restaurant, operated by the same people who serve up sushi at Bendoya downtown at Market and Fifth streets has opened at 3311 Preston Highway. A little closer to town on Preston, at 1272, Omar’s Fast Food Restaurant will be serving south Asian food prepared by the owner’s wife, who studied cooking in Pakistan.

Five other new places have opened around the area.

Harlow’s Bar & Grill is at 2787 Floyd St., Joe Davola’s will be serving lunches at 901 Barret Ave., the Quarter Rest Café will serve breakfast at the Hurstbourne Music Center, 3640 Hurstbourne Pkwy., Captain Pepper Jack’s Aero Bistro will have an aeronautical theme, across from Bowman Field at 2810 Taylorsville Rd., and Police Doughnuts, 12416 Shelbyville Rd., operated by a retired cop, has opened with lots of smiles at its tongue-in-cheek name.

Four existing restaurants have expanded into new locations.

Jason’s Deli has a new outlet at 4600 Shelbyville Plaza, Jimmy John’s will be serving sandwiches at 3001 Charlestown Crossing

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Way in New Albany. Puerta Vallarta has opened a new location at 7814 Beulah Church Road, and Our Best Restaurant has opened at 5612 Bardstown Road.

CLOSINGS The most notable loss from the dining choices this past quarter is the demise of Kaelin’s, which Carl and Margaret Kaelin opened in 1934. Whether or not historians can document the birth of the cheeseburger there, Kaelin’s has been an institution on Newburg Road. In 2004 the restaurant was sold to Daniel Spath and Kevin Wagner, who leased the building from John and Tim Clark.Various legal notices have the Clarks filing for a retail liquor and wine by the drink license, and a sign on the door recently said “Closed for remodeling.” Rumor has it that the location will reopen under the moniker Kaelin’s 2nd Chance, but the Clarks, owners of the Fishery in St. Matthews, are mum on their exact plans. Fans of the old place hope that they will do their best to resurrect the much-loved restaurant.

Another eatery with many fans, Grapevine Pantry in Middletown, 11418 Main Street, has closed, its owner deciding to retire to Florida. No word on whether it will be sold to another restaurateur.

Another lunch spot, Bluegrass Bistro at the Derby City Antique Mall, 3819 Bardstown Road in Buechel has closed, as has the Brown Bag Deli & Pub, 2100 S. Preston St., and Karma Café, 1126 Bardstown Road.

Blue Nile Ethiopian couldn’t find a customer base downtown at 558 S. Fifth St., nor could Orchid Asian Café, 400 W. Main, which

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has also closed. Three other small restaurants are gone, Ninny’sN-New Albany, 506 W. Main St., New Albany, Ind., Sammi Jo’s Sandwiches & More, 1496 S. Shelby St., and Small Times Bakery, 2956 Richland Lane.

Three multi-outlet restaurants have closed a location, but remain open in others. India Palace at 408 E. Lewis and Clark Parkway, Clarksville, Ind., J. Gumbo’s at 6661 Dixie Highway, and La Perla del Pacifico at 4906 Preston Highway have ceased operation, but their parent businesses are still serving.

MOVES AND CHANGES A few places have changed hands and then reopened in the same location. Lucky Strike Lanes at Fourth Street Live closed, but the entertainment complex’s owner, Cordish, has opened the Sports & Social Club. Bentley’s Sports Bar & Grill at 2800 Crums Lane closed, but locals needing a place to grab some beers while they watch a game can go to Slammers Sports Bar & Grill in the same location. Gilman’s Point closed at 3930 Chenoweth Square in St. Matthews, but Wathen’s Kentucky Bistro has opened.

Finally, the Tony BoomBozz Pizzeria at 1448 Bardstown Road, at the corner of Eastern Parkway, has expanded into BoomBozz Pizza & Tap House, which will feature an expanded menu of appetizers and pastas, an extensive craft beer selection and indoor and outdoor seating. F&D We regret any omissions, but invite the restaurant community to keep us informed. Send information by E-mail to publisher@ foodanddine.com or give us a call at (502) 493-5511, ext. 501.

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PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

side

dishes

ON THE MOVE A few food-world personnel shifts are notable.

After executive chef Todd Richards and his chef de cuisine Dwayne Nutter left The Oakroom at the Seelbach Hilton last year to open a restaurant at the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta, a national search was started to find a replacement. As he had been twice before, Jim Gerhardt was asked to help in the search.

Gerhardt had been the chef at The Oakroom for eight years before leaving to start his own restaurant, Limestone, off Hurstbourne Parkway. He had consulted about his own replacement in 2003, and helped hire Richards two years later. As the new search progressed, Seelbach general manager John McFarland quickly saw that bringing Gerhardt — who first earned the restaurant its AAA Five Diamond rating — back to refocus the kitchen would be a brilliant move.

Gerhardt will continue to operate Limestone, splitting his time as necessary.

He will be the public face of the dining room, and intends to reinvent the menu, using locally-sourced products with the best of international ingredients.

Fernando Martinez of Havana Rumba and Mojito Tapas Restaurants

Oakroom chef Jim Gerhardt

One of Louisville’s rising star chefs — Fernando Martinez, cofounder of Mojito Tapas Restaurant and Havana Rumba — could not refuse the opportunity to develop a restaurant and resort in the Caribbean, on Margarita Island off the coast of Venezuela.

The Cuban native first opened Havana Rumba, in St. Matthews, which quickly became a hit with diners who had not realized how much they desired the hearty, home-style cuisine of Cuba that he introduced to them. A number of his Havana Rumba dishes, such as the Cuban black bean soup, the bocadillos and the masas de puerco, have become great local favorites.

Two years ago Martinez and his partners opened Mojito, in Holiday Manor, an upscale tapas bistro which instantly became a hit with the East End crowd, who packed the place nightly, sipping sangria and tropical cocktails and gorging on fusion-inspired small plates.

He is selling his interest in both Havana Rumba and Mojito to his two partners and co-founders, Pedro Hernandez and brother-inlaw Marco Lorenzo who helped him start the popular restaurants.

Fans of the two restaurants can rest easy.There are no plans to make any changes to either location. Lorenzo said he will spend time at both restaurants as general manager as he has done since the beginning and Hernandez will remain the chef over Mojito’s kitchen.

“Fernando is family and you hate to see family move away. But at the same time we are excited for him,” Lorenzo said. “Pedro and I look forward to continuing the tradition we all started together.”

“I love Louisville, it is my second home,” Martinez said. “The people here are some of the most generous and kind people I www.foodanddine.com Summer 2009

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have ever met. I will miss them and this city very much but this was an opportunity I could not pass up. It is time for the next chapter for me and my family’s life.” Martinez plans to move at the end of June but will remain longer if necessary to ensure a smooth transition.

And long-time Louisville wine guru and corporate wine director at Bristol Bar & Grille, Scott Harper, who is a candidate for the Master Sommelier certification from the Court of Master Sommeliers, is extending his public outreach in wine education by joining Food & Dining as a contributing columnist. His first contribution in this issue points readers to several value white wines, just the thing for summer sipping.

AWARDS AND HONORS National noteworthy honors have been bestowed on several Louisville and Kentucky restaurants and restaurateurs. Forbes Traveler magazine named The English Grill at The Brown hotel as one of the nation’s ten most romantic restaurants. Forbes Traveler writer John Mariani was impressed by the “sophisticated, warm, wood-paneled stained glass charm” of the room’s decor, and called chef Laurent Geroli’s menu “one of the most delectably festive” in the city.

And the March issue of Esquire ran 610 Magnolia chef Edward Lee’s recipe for jalapeno and ancho oatmeal, a breakfast bowl sure to get your engines revving on a cold winter morning. In the same issue, the breakfast at Wagner’s Pharmacy across from Churchill Downs was cited as one of the best in the country. For more Wagner’s history and lore, and a luscious photo of one of their belly-filling breakfast platters, see the article on page 48 of this issue.

Ouita Michel, co-owner and chef of Holly Hill Inn in Midway, has been named a semi-finalist for the James Beard Foundation’s 2009 Best

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610 Magnolia chef Edward Lee

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Chef Southeast award.The winners will be announced in New York City May 4.

As a bestower of culinary honors, Food & Dining publisher John Carlos White has had a busy season. In February he was one of a panel of judges who elevated their blood sugar at Desserts First, the annual fundraiser for the Kentuckiana Girl Scouts.

Chefs from across the city were invited to create desserts and appetizers using Girl Scout cookies as a major ingredient.

White and his cohort of judges awarded the Golden Whisk for best dessert to BLU Mediterranean Grill, and the Golden Grater for best appetizer to the team from Jefferson Community & Technical College. The People’s Choice award for dessert went to Bistro 301 and for appetizer to FB3 Development.

A month later, White was on the panel assessing the entries in Sushi in the City, a benefit for Family Scholar House, which provides support programs for single-parent students in finishing college.

At that event, the judges gave top honors to newcomer Z’s Fusion (see our profile of Z’s Fusion on page 18 of this issue). The People’s Choice award went to Sake Blue.

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Never one to turn down an offer of free eats,White will return as judge in early June at the 4th Annual Fort Harrod Beef Festival at the Mercer County Fairgrounds in Harrodsburg. He is prepping for that event by getting his cholesterol under control with rigorous workouts and twiceweekly fasts.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR Back in 2004, Anthony Lamas of Seviche — A Latin Restaurant, 1538 Bardstown Road, won a recipe contest sponsored by Woodford Reserve Bourbon.

The recipes were included in the Official Woodford Reserve Cookbook, and he won a trip to New York City to present that menu at the James Beard House.

This May 28, Food & Dining will cosponsor an evening at Seviche where chef Lamas will recreate the prize-winning dinner in honor of the Derby season.

The evening will begin with a reception at 6:30, featuring a variety of Woodford Reserve cocktails. Food & Dining Entertainment Editor-at-Large and BrownForman staffer Tim Laird will serve as guest mixologist. At 7:15 the dinner will star t

with several bocaditos — little dishes — culminating in the main dish, the 2004 grand prize winner, an adobo-rubbed pork tenderloin with a Woodford Reser vechipotle-orange glaze ser ved with a Weisenberger grits cake. Dessert will be a fried banana roll with toasted pecan bourbon dulce de leche. Wine pairings will be included in the $95 cost.

At the dinner, the Woodford Reserve Cookbook, which has photographs by Food & Dining staff photographer Dan Dry, will be available for signings by Lamas. Call (502) 473-8560 to make your reservation. F&D

S U B S C R I B E TO FOOD & DINING Sign up for one year for $18, and we’ll give you four quarterly editions and pay you back in full with $18 in local-restaurant gift certificates. Better still, take two years for $26, we’ll send you eight issues and send you $36 worth of gift certificates.

Subscribe online at:

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Z’s Fusion crawfish and mango roll won top honors at the 2009 Sushi in the City event.

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BY JAY FOREMAN

Finger Frappé

I

One man’s mission to make warning labels meaningful again In case you’ve ever wondered why appliance manufacturers put those amusing stickers on their products along the lines of “Warning: Toaster not for use in the Bathtub” or “Do Not Use this Hair Dryer While Asleep” the question is now answered: they are directed at people like me. Because despite the Cuisinart Corporation’s best efforts to make their immersion blender idiot proof, I nevertheless managed to work one of my digits into the business end and hit the switch, resulting in finger frappé.

It all started innocently enough and before I had coffee, as these things often do. I decided to make breakfast one bright Saturday morning. I had Big Ideas.To get Phase I off the ground, I would require some maple-sugar infused whipped cream to go with the strawberry waffles. There was, however, a hitch: I only had a few ounces of cream. As this was not enough to effectively whisk, I decided to pour what little I had into a ramekin and hit it with an immersion blender.

For those of you out there without wedding registries, this is a sort of “blender on a stick” — a handheld electric wand with a trigger on one end and a spinning blade inside protective housing on the other. At first it all went well; it whipped the cream quickly and efficiently. Pleased with my ad-libbed kitchen smarts, I then worked my finger inside the housing to scoop out the trapped whipped cream. At the same time I shifted the way I was holding the gizmo with the other hand. While doing so, I accidentally pressed the button, and — BBBBZZT — it was off to the ER. Again.

This is not the first time a cooking mishap has sent me to the hospital, but it is probably my most ingenious victory at circumventing all safety features built in to the device to prevent exactly something like this from happening.

The last time I went to see the docs, I’d split my pinkie down the middle attempting to crack open a spaghetti squash by whacking a chef ’s knife across the top of it then banging the whole ensemble repeatedly on a countertop until, 10 Summer 2009 www.foodanddine.com

well, you can probably guess what happened next … It goes without saying that my wife won’t leave me alone in a room with a coconut, and now has serious

reservations about my declaration to deep-fry a turkey this Thanksgiving, despite my repeated promises that I will do so outside and not in the living room.

Another ingredient which is off the list for me is live lobsters which, frankly, is fine. For as much as I love to eat them, I can’t bring myself to put them in the pot.

I’ve come up with a very humane method of preparing lobster:

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I go into the bedroom, turn up the stereo, crawl under the comforter and let my wife be their executioner.

Granted, it is humane for me, not for the lobsters, but hey. You gotta start somewhere.

However, the logic of my reservations collapses under even the slightest examination. We have crawfish boils every spring and summer here in New Orleans, and I have no problem dumping buckets of live mudbugs into a cauldron of deliciously spiced, boiling water. And what are crawfish but tiny little lobsters?

It must be a size thing. Or maybe it is a question of numbers: If I boiled lobsters by the dozen it may not affect me, but I’ll never know this as I can’t afford to conduct such an experiment. But if you ever decide to serve one at your house, feel free to give me a call.

My peculiar anti-logic applies to crabs as well. Live blue crabs? No problem — I’ll gladly put them in the pot.

I enjoy catching, cooking and eating the guys. I justify this by my belief that crabs just look angry and are asking for it, and would do the same thing to me if given half a chance. But now a live softshell crab? Whoa boy. The less you know about what it takes getting those poor bastards ready for the frying pan, the better.

Actually there was a time when, as a child, I refused to eat carrots. Not because I didn’t like their taste, but because my Uncle Paul pulled me aside one day and whispered that “the government secretly builds giant machines used to record the carrots’ screams as they are being ripped from the ground.” It took me years to get over that one, and my mom never forgave Paul for it. Now that I’m thinking about it, I need to dust that one off for my nieces. They are about the right age for that story.

Crawfish and crabs aside, animals in general should feel safe around me — clearly, when left to my own devices, I’m more of a danger to myself than to them. In any case I need to be eating healthier these days. I’m thinking more fruit smoothies, but to make good ones I’ll be needing one of those $400 VitaMix 4500 Turbo Blenders. And a quality pair of chain mail gloves. F&D www.foodanddine.com Summer 2009

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starters from the editor

BY SARAH FRITSCHNER | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

Potstickers — Quick, Easy and Delicious These frozen Asian dumplings ar e a bargain and come in a wide variety of fillings that ar e sure to satisfy most palates

T

There was a time when food snobs eschewed frozen food.

I was one. I’m big enough to admit it. And there’s a reason.

Many of them taste alike, and not great. Good enough for the office microwave at lunch, but not great.Whey by-products, dried parsley flakes and gum stabilizers make consistent appearances on the list of ingredients so that frozen lasagna tastes familiarly like that beef vegetable Merlot medley.

Frozen food is also the purview of “family style” chain restaurants, where you can count on the latest variation of boneless, skinless chicken breast (Toscana? Veracruz?) to appear on your plate the same in Louisville as in Lubbock: pre-portioned, pregrilled, and, is that a whey by-product I’m tasting?

But there are frozen foods I can’t live without. My children’s lives would have been completely different without supermarket cheese-filled ravioli and tortellini, the latter of which my son will eat frozen while he’s waiting for his portion to cook, and without both of which my husband would surely starve.

I also rely heavily on a mixture of frozen diced onions and multi-colored bell peppers. They start off my black-bean and sausage chili, my bean soup and often my fried rice. I don’t buy Sister Schubert’s rolls often, but am never disappointed when I do, and if I were diagnosed with a fatal disease tomorrow I would buy a pan of her cinnamon rolls to polish off all by myself.

The convenience of all these foods is important, but what matters is that they are high quality, reliable products that improve our quality of life by factors other than saving time. For me,“it’s so easy” is not a reason for serving food. It’s a bonus, but the thing has to taste good for me to serve it.

Like potstickers. Little dumplings stuffed full of miscellaneous fillings sold in bags by the score at Asian markets around town.

The bigger the store, the more choices of dumplings you have. My favorite place to get them is at the Oriental Supermarket, 1211 Gilmore Lane. Though it isn’t the biggest store (that’s probably Da Hua, 7100 Preston Highway), it’s a good compromise between diverse content and distance from my house.

Potstickers are half-moon shaped pasta casings pinched over fillings of everything from pork, beef, or shrimp minced with various combinations of leeks, greens, onion, cabbage and other vegetables. There are also all-vegetable fillings for — if I may project here — those of you who have vegetarian offspring.Their edges are sometimes ruffly, sometimes flat.

The fillings are, shall we say, minced, so there’s no real definable piece of cabbage or leek. Their flavors are surprisingly distinctive — one I bought tasted very 5-spicy — but I am not loyal to any one specific combination or label.

I’ve been buying frozen potstickers for probably 5 years, and when I started the all-vegetable ones were less than $4 a bag

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(bags are usually more than a pound but less than 2 pounds).

During that time, I ran into frozen potstickers at one of the big box liquor stores and the comparable price was $11. Except for those with “shrimp” fillings, potstickers cost from $4 to $7 a bag.

I buy five or six bags at a time.

Potstickers are called that because — guess what — their little flat bottoms stick to the pan you cook them in. So I put 2 tablespoons of oil in a very inexpensive non-stick skillet and turn the heat on high as I add about a dozen potstickers, which begin to spit like crazy as the pan heats up. Cover the pan to contain the spitting oil and cook the dumplings until their bottoms turn a fairly rich brown (turn down the heat and wait several seconds before you take the top off to check). Then add about 1/4 cup water, turn the heat to medium-low, cover and let the dumplings cook at least 10 minutes. Remove the top and let excess water boil away. The tops should be steamed, the bottoms chewy and brown.

I pan fry a dozen when I’m working at home and need an easy lunch, but six is the usual serving for appetizers at a restaurant.

Potstickers are served with an incredibly delicious dipping sauce. Made mostly with soy sauce, the special tang comes from Chinkiang black vinegar.

There are many black vinegars from China, and some of the local Asian markets sell a variety. But Chinkiang is the best tasting — at least the best you can buy here — and it makes a delicious dipping sauce. Made with rice, Chinkiang vinegar is dark, slightly sweet and a little smoky. People say you can substitute balsamic vinegar, but I never have.

My recipe for dumpling dipping sauce starts with “4 parts soy sauce, 1 part black vinegar … ” and so on. I’ve translated “parts” into measurements in the following recipe (in picture on right), with the admonition that you should increase or diminish the amount you make according to your desires. The sauce never goes bad; it probably doesn’t even need refrigeration, though I store it chilled. I mix it by the 11/4 cupful or so and keep it on hand for frequent lunches I have at home.

“Good tasting soy sauce” is soy sauce that has been naturally fermented, such as Kikkoman, which I buy by the half gallon or gallon (again, it never goes bad). You may choose Chinese soy or other versions, but avoid the supermarket varieties that list caramel coloring on the ingredient list.Those versions don’t taste like soy sauce should taste.

A lunch or snack (or appetizer for dinner) made with frozen potstickers could definitely be called “easy” — the dumplings are frozen, the dipping sauce requires 4 ingredients — but “easy” doesn’t mean you must sacrifice a great dining experience.

See the following page for a list of local Asian markets.

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Easy Chinese dipping sauce 1 cup good tasting soy sauce (reduced-sodium works fine) 1 /4 cup Chinkiang black vinegar 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon red pepper seasoning or red pepper flakes, or to taste Combine all ingredients in a jar, close the lid tightly and shak e to dissolve sugar. Serve in small dishes along with dim sum, or sprinkle sparingly over steamed or roasted vegetables.

Makes 1 1/4 cups.

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Louisville has a healthy variety of Asian markets where you can find the ingredients for the previous recipe and a world of other flavors. Here is a quick guide to these Asian gems.

Anna’s Oriental Food Store, in Clarksville, 426 Kopp Lane, 282-4186, near the Eastern Boulevard exit, between I-65 and Value City. Small but adequately stocked with the basics anyone would need to cook Chinese food.

Binh Phuoc, 5301 S. Third St., across from Iroquois Manor Shopping Center, 366-7002.Vietnamese-oriented market has a vast freezer section and grocery section, along with a wide array of shelf-stable products.

Choi’s Asian Market, (502) 426-4441, 607 Lyndon Lane, just north of the intersection of Lyndon Lane and La Grange Road.

Da Hua, 7100 Preston Highway, 964-4447. Huge Asian market, with live seafood, meats and more.

Dixie Oriental, 3900 Bardstown Road, 473-1922.

Located in Buechel, Dixie Oriental is probably the city’s oldest Asian food store (named for its former location on Dixie Highway). Korean and Japanese emphasis.

Dong Phuong, 6705 Strawberry Lane, 363-0208. A Laotian acquaintance once said, “You don’t get any good fish in this country, and when you do, they’re dead.” Not so at the Vietnamese store Dong Phuong, where there are several types, including tilapia, crab, and the occasional eel swimming in the tanks on Friday, and as long afterward as the supply lasts.

Lanceta Trading Company, 3435 Breckinridge Lane in Breckinridge Plaza, 495-0255. Principally Filipino, with additional Asian ingredients.

Oriental Garden, 4210 Bishop Lane, 479-9830; near the corner of Newburg Road. Dim sum of every conceivable filling possibility (shockingly inexpensive). Good Chinese selection.

Oriental Supermarket & Gift Shop, 1211 Gilmore Lane in Lynnview Shopping Center, 966-0400. A large, wellstocked store, that carries a wide selection of Asian ingredients.

Vietnam, 5019 S. Third St., 361-7846. Lots of fresh fish on ice. The produce section includes many fresh herbs critical to Southeast Asian cooking. F&D

14 Summer 2009 www.foodanddine.com

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Dine Out Louisville!

This city’s greatest treasure is our incredible dining scene.

Reducing Your Costs by Going Green green.whatchefswant.com www.foodanddine.com Summer 2009 15

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food farmers market guide

BY SARAH FRITSCHNER

From Farm — via the City — to Table With fresh ingredients on consumers’ minds, local farmers markets have grown in numbers and popularity There are 20 farmers markets or more in Louisville Metro, depending on what you call a farmers market, and at least a half dozen more in Southern Indiana. A few sell foods that weren’t raised by farmers in Kentucky or Southern Indiana, which disqualifies them according to some definitions.

Every day of the week, morning and afternoon, you can find a farmers market open.

Each market has its own personality. In Crescent Hill, the market opens at dawn on Mondays and Fridays in the parking lot of the Crescent Hill United Methodist Church on Peterson Avenue. It’s an all-business market with just a few farmers.

Shoppers come in, they shop, they leave. There’s little lingering.

At Norton Commons, it’s a different story. Up to 18 farmers and even a masseur show up every Saturday for a market that opens leisurely at 9 a.m.There’s often music, chefs, or maybe kids’ activities.

Neighbors greet each other, visitors linger over freshly made crêpes and omelets. It’s a destination, and people don’t hurry.

Fifteen years ago, there were maybe three markets. The season was June through September; virtually all the product was fresh produce and even at that, it was limited to what you would call “summer garden vegetables”: tomatoes and corn, green beans and squash. Nobody bothered to set up in May to sell lettuce or radishes or green onions; you never saw asparagus, and there certainly wasn’t any weird stuff like mushrooms or edamame.

These days seasons are lasting longer. The Bardstown Road market officially declares itself open April through December but, really, a few farmers show up every Saturday even in January and February.

While some of the smaller weekday markets may have little beyond fresh produce, the general landscape has become sophisticated and varied. Certainly at Saturday markets you can find a variety of meats (beef, pork and chicken and sometimes lamb), mushrooms, honey, eggs, jams and preserves, baked goods and sometimes crafts, in addition to cut flowers and perennials.

Kentucky ranks fourth among states with the highest number of family farms.Though support for tobacco is waning now, it was the highly lucrative and predictable tobacco market that secured the income of these farmers, and it is one reason we have so many farms.

Consumers shop at farmers markets for any number of reasons. Some like the social atmosphere. Some like knowing where their food is grown, or that it’s probably fresher than the supermarket’s fresh produce. Some enjoy eating with the seasons. Others look for specialty products like grassfed beef or farm fresh eggs. Plus, paying for food grown locally keeps the economy robust.

But in the end, it’s the flavor of the food that is its own reward. Nothing tastes like a Trimble County peach.

18th Street Farmers Market (year-round) Wednesdays - Saturdays 11 a.m.-7 p.m., 1811 Standard Avenue, 778-1672.

Hikes Point-Meadowview Farmers Market (May 29 - Oct. 1) Fridays 3-6 p.m., 2944 Breckenridge Lane (Meadowview Presbyterian Church parking lot), 648-0148.

Amerigo Farmers Market (May 3 - Oct. 31) Saturdays 8 a.m.-noon, 1871 S. Hurstbourne Parkway (Amerigo Restaurant parking lot), 426-4040.

Bardstown Road Farmers Market (April 4 - Dec. 19) Saturdays 8 a.m.-noon and Thursdays 4-6:30 p.m. Also (Jan. 3 - March 28) Saturdays 10 a.m.-noon, 1722 Bardstown Road (Presbyterian church parking lot).

Beechmont Open Air Market (June 13 - Sept. 26) Saturdays 8 a.m.-noon. Southern Parkway and Wellington Avenue (Beechmont Baptist Church parking lot), 367-2652.

Broadway Baptist Church Farmers Market (May 9 - Sept. 26) Saturdays 8 a.m.-noon. 4000 Brownsboro Road.

Jeffersontown Farmers Market (May 2 - Nov. 7) Saturdays 7 a.m.noon and Tuesdays 4-6:30 p.m., 10434 Watterson Trail (under the Jeffersontown Pavilion), 267-1674.

Middletown Farmers Market (May 30 - Sept. 5) Saturdays 8:30 a.m.-noon, 11800 Shelbyville Road (Village Square Shopping Center parking lot).

Norton Commons Farmers Market (April 4 - Nov. 7) Saturdays 9 a.m.-1 p.m., 9420 Norton Commons Boulevard.

Old Louisville Farm Works Market (June 3 - Oct. 21) Wednesdays 3-6 p.m., 1143 S. Third (Walnut Street Baptist Church parking lot).

Phoenix Hill Farmers Market (May 12 - Oct. 27) Tuesdays 3-6:30 p.m., 829 E. Market Street (Felice Plaza parking lot), 583-7133.

Crescent Hill Farmers Market (May 29 - Oct. 30) Mondays and Fridays 7-10 a.m., 201 S. Peterson Avenue (Crescent Hill United Methodist Church parking lot). (812) 968-3693.

Rainbow Blossom Farmers Market (May 17 - Nov. 1) Sundays noon-4 p.m., 3738 Lexington Road, 896-0189.

Gray Street Farmers Market (June 4 - Oct. 29) Thursdays 11 a.m.

-3 p.m., 400 E. Gray Street.

Southwest Farmers Market (June 6 - Oct. 31) Saturdays 9 a.m.-1 p.m., 10200 Dixie Highway (Valley High School parking lot), 649-4970.

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St. Francis of the Fields Farmers Market (May 2 - Oct. 31) Saturdays 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and (June 2 - Oct. 31) Tuesdays 4-6:30 p.m., 6710 Wolf Pen Branch Road, (812) 968-3693.

St. Matthews Farmers Market (May 16 - Sept. 26) Saturdays 8 a.m.noon, 4100 Shelbyville Road (Beargrass Christian Church), 896-1161.

Smoketown-Shelby Park Farmers Market (May 16 - Oct. 31) Saturdays 9 a.m.-noon, 828 S. Jackson (Meyzeek Middle School).

Suburban Christian Church Farmers Market (May 14 - Oct. 29) Thursdays 3-7 p.m., 7515 Westport Road, 425-2266.

Victory Park Farmers Market (June - Oct.) Saturdays noon-3 p.m., 22nd and Kentucky streets. Community Farm Alliance, 775-4041.

Westport Village Farmers Market (May 30 - Oct. 28) Saturdays 8:30 a.m.-noon, 6500 Westport Road.

Whole Foods Farmers Market (April 22 - Oct. 28) Wednesdays 3-7 p.m., 4944 Shelbyville Road, 899-5545.

INDIANA Jeffersonville Farmers Market (May 9 - Oct. 31) Saturdays 9 a.m.noon and (starting June 2)Tuesdays 3-6 p.m., Market and Pearl streets (Preservation Park) Jeffersonville, IN. (812) 283-0301.

New Albany Farmers Market (May 9 - Oct. 31) Saturdays 8 a.m.1 p.m. and Wednesdays (starting June 3) 4-7 p.m., 202 E. Market Street, New Albany, IN. (502) 905-3640.

The Farmers Market at Sam’s (May 30 - Sept. 26) Saturdays 8 a.m.noon, 3800 Payne Koehler Road (Sam’s Food & Spirits parking lot), New Albany, IN. (812) 246-2673.

Note: At press time, a new non-profit organization — Louisville Farmers Market Association — was taking shape. It intends to serve as the community’s resource for all information regarding farmers markets in Louisville Metro. Founder Russ Meredith tells us the organization hopes to have its website up sometime in May. Visit them at louisvillefarmersmarkets.com or drop them an email at lfmainfo@gmail.com.

April May June July Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec VEGETABLES ASPARAGUS BEANS BROCCOLI CABBAGE CAULIFLOWER CORN (SWEET) CUCUMBERS EGGPLANT LETTUCE OKRA ONIONS ONIONS (GREEN) PEAS PEPPERS POTATOES PUMPKINS SQUASH (SUMMER) SQUASH (WINTER) TOMATOES TURNIPS

’Tis the Season Your guide to the seasonal harvest schedule Now that y ou kno w wher e t o go, we can help with what you will find and when.

FRUITS APPLES BLACKBERRIES BLUEBERRIES CHERRIES CANTALOUPE GRAPES PEACHES PEARS PLUMS RASPBERRIES STRAWBERRIES WATERMELONS www.foodanddine.com Summer 2009 17

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people and places profiles

BY MICHAEL L. JONES | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

A New Jewel in Downtown’s Crown Z’s Fusion’s stunning new space is equally matched by the clean and crisp fla vors the kitchen delivers

Z

Z’s Fusion is located in the former home of Kunz’ Fourth and Market, but other than that it has little in common with any other restaurant that has ever existed in downtown Louisville. The restaurant transports its visitors to a world where the boundaries between East and West, contemporary and traditional, are blurred to the point of being meaningless.

Most striking are the thin bands of blue neon light that weave through the restaurant like a glowing river. The aquatic imagery is reinforced by the several large, circular pools of light scattered about the dark ceiling.They resemble blue neon lily pads.

“This restaurant is a fusion cuisine, it’s European and Asian. Basically, we’re East meets West, so I wanted that reflected in the look,” said owner Mehrzad Sharbaiani, who spent nearly $2 million renovating the 10,500 square foot space. “We took some of the traditional rich wood look and mixed it with some Asian elements. It is designed to create an atmosphere that feels comfortable and elegant, but is unique.”

Prime filet with polenta, long beans, mushrooms, peppers and a port wine reduction.

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The “Z” in Z’s Fusion, restaurateur Mehrzad Sharbaiani.

Z’s Fusion Because of its location directly across the street from the Kentucky Convention Center, Sharbaiani sees Z’s Fusion as a downtown amenity on par with Fourth Street Live!, the Muhammad Ali Center, and the Louisville Slugger Museum. It is too early to tell if convention organizers are as attracted to the new restaurant as they are to those other places, but Z’s Fusion is already proving to be a magnet for local diners in search of culinary adventures.

Not long after the restaurant opened in January, Sharbaiani received an enthusiastic letter from a man who had attended a party there. The customer raved about the restaurant’s food, its service, and even its prices. But it was the last line that made Sharbaiani grin.The man wrote, “I know

(502) 855-8000 115 S. Fourth Street

you can get more for your food, but please don’t.”

For Sharbaiani, that letter validated the reasoning behind opening a new venture in the middle of a national economic downturn.

“People ask me, ‘Why at this time?’ Because at this time people don’t open restaurants, they close restaurants,” he said. “I truly believe that when you have a vision, it doesn’t matter when you open your business. If you’re serving your community, your community will respond.”

Sharbaiani speaks from experience: This community has been responding to him for more than three decades. The 51-year-old Iranian native came to America in 1976 to study engineering at University of Louisville’s Speed School. Initially, www.foodanddine.com Summer 2009 19

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The restaurant’s décor suggests throughout subtle hints of the sea. Below, the entry lounge’s yellow-lighted metal sculptures flow like deep sea swells. Left, the swooping wine racks are reminiscent of cresting waves and crashing surf. Top left, an overhead river of blue neon runs the length of the restaurant. Above, Executive Chef Dallas McGarity serves up seared Hawaiian walu with a miso mushroom ragout, truffled potatoes and bok choy.

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restaurants were just a way to make money while Sharbaiani attended school, but by the time he graduated they were a passion.

Sharbaiani worked in management at Casa Grisanti’s, the Seelbach Hotel, and the Brown Hotel before striking out on his own with the now defunct restaurant Indigo in St. Matthews. In 2000, he opened the first location of Z’s Oyster Bar and Steakhouse, 101 Whittington Parkway, near Middletown. He opened a second location in Indianapolis in 2007. With the opening of Z’s Fusion, Sharbaiani said his career has come full circle.

“Downtown is growing,” Sharbaiani said.“I really believe in downtown. Once they build some more residences here, there will be a great scene downtown. This specific location is great because the convention center is across the street and there are about 4,000 hotel rooms. It may take a couple of years for the downtown market to be thriving, but it’s a good investment. That’s why I decided to do this restaurant; otherwise I’d do my oyster bar concept in other cities.”

Z’s Fusion uses many of the same ingredients and vendors as Sharbaiani’s two Z’s Oyster Bars.

The difference is in how they are used. One of Z’s Fusion’s most popular menu items is an appetizer, the Rock Shrimp Potstickers, which are made with bacon, sriracha, sweet pea sauce, and white truffle oil. ($5.95) The restaurant’s signature dish is the Pineapple Barbecue Sesame Tuna ($24.95), which combines Asian items like Korean barbecue sauce and seaweed salad with European touches like the Sicilian caponata.

“I wanted to take clean favors from basic Asian and European flavor profiles and blend them together to make them taste like something totally different,” executive chef Dallas McGarity said.“I use a lot of Japanese ingredients, a lot of miso paste, different soys, and sesame oils and I blend it with some Hawaiian stuff. I use … European techniques on top of that, a lot of braising, a lot of ragus … ”

Artistic detail can be found throughout Z’s. Like the imported glass tile wall leading to the waiting lounge.

Glass enclosed and adorned with art, the wine cellar is the center focus of the space.

Executive Chef Dallas McGarity

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(above) Chinese tea egg and poached asparagus salad with white truffle oil, ricotta salata and a miso vinaigrette reduction. (right) Pineapple barbecue sesame tuna with a mix of edamame and greens, seaweed salad and a Sicilian caponata. (below from left) Managers Kelsey Hughes, Kelly Weller and general manager April Adams.

McGarity is a graduate of the noted culinary program at Johnson and Wales University in Charleston, South Carolina. He worked at Volare Italian Restaurant on Frankfort Avenue and the Wildwood Country Club before Sharbaiani approached him about taking part in Z’s Fusion. The idea of transposing elements from different parts of the world into one dish appealed to him. One such blend: miso-onion soup. “I used a traditional recipe, but instead of beef, I used miso.

It was totally vegetarian and it tasted nothing like the traditional soup. We have a lot of vegetarian dishes; this style of cuisine kind of lends itself to that.”

The style leads to unpredictable flavor combinations. Z’s Fusion’s menu includes everything from Lemongrass Crab Cakes ($12.95) to Miso Roasted Pulled Pork ($8.95). Because the restaurant serves the tourist crowd as well as the foodies, Z’s Fusion also serves staples like the Prime (8ounce) Filet ($28.95), sushi (Crawfish Mango Crunch Sushi Roll, $6.95, among others), and the club sandwich, although the Fusion Club ($8.95) is served on flatbread with a five-spice mayonnaise.

“I’m trying to take what people know in Louisville and blend it with something outrageous that people have never heard of before,” McGarity said.

Because of its location and unique cuisine, Z’s Fusion draws a crowd that differs from Z’s Oyster Bar, according to general manager April Adams. Z’s Fusion gets a lot of pre-theater business and patrons stopping in before or after hitting the downtown bars.

“This is a kind of cutting edge, hip urban environment,” Adams said.“There is more of a downtown energy here.” F&D

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people and places profiles

BY MICHAEL L. JONES | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

Best in Show with a Kentucky Flair

N

211 Clover Lane’s seasoned chef parlays homegrown into an odds-on dining e xperience

No matter how well a chef masters the various cooking techniques, it’s impossible for them to create something great without the right ingredients. This is a fact that Troy Schuster, the executive chef at 211 Clover Lane, accepted long ago. Schuster’s affiliation with the advocacy group Community Farm Alliance connects him with farmers from all over Kentucky. These connections give him access not only to fresher seasonal products, but it also widens the flavor options for his dishes.

“When you start out with a fresher product everything is going to be better, from the taste to the cost as well,” Schuster said. “I just had a farmer come by with some baby pea shoots and it got me excited because it’s a new product to play with. It’s not the same old stuff all (that) produce companies have to offer. It gives me a little more, a fresher product so less of it ends up in the trash.When I get something from a produce company, who knows how long it’s been sitting on their shelves before I got it.”

Schuster, a veteran of Azalea’s and Le Beaujolais, said working with local suppliers means that his menu is constantly in flux, dependent on the season and the ingredients available to him. 2ll Clover Lane’s current menu includes: pan roasted duck breast with sweet potato gnocchi, green lentils, red wine, and onion marmalade ($27); diver scallops with braised leeks, roasted potatoes, and bacon butter ($28); and grilled Indiana pork tenderloin with red cabbage and crispy polenta ($24).

“We change our menu on a daily basis,” said Andrew Smith, 211 Clover Lane’s owner.“We print everything in house.That gives

211 Clover Lane owner Andrew Smith

211 Clover Lane us flexibility. If Troy sees some great eggplant or squash that day, we can have it on the menu the same night. Almost every day, a farmer pulls his truck up behind the restaurant and lets Troy scavenge through it for ingredients.”

Smith’s current personal favorite dish at his restaurant is the Waterworks Farm Chicken with wild mushroom risotto, truffle oil and parmesan ($25). He said the dish’s unique flavor combinations are a testament to the wisdom of using local suppliers.

“We get the chickens from a farm in Henry County,” Smith said.

24 Summer 2009 www.foodanddine.com

(502) 896-9570 211 Clover Lane

“The mushrooms come from an area grower. That chicken dish is the best example of farm to table, a real blueblood Kentucky dish.”

Using locally-grown vegetables and meat has become a trend in the last few years due to rising national interest in eating seasonally, rising food prices and the fluctuation of fuel costs for shipping products.

But Smith said 211 Clover Lane was working with local suppliers even before he bought the restaurant in 2004, and said the practice will continue as long as he owns the restaurant.

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Grilled Colorado lamb chops with tomato marmalade, flageolets, eggplant timbale and lamb jus.

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“A lot of people are doing different things because of the economy,” Smith said,“but the chef and I pretty much decided that we just want to hone our craft, do things as well as we can do them. We haven’t lowered our menu prices like some restaurants have, we haven’t changed our concept. We’re just trying to do what we do really well. Don’t get me wrong, we’re pricing things as reasonably as we can. I feel like once you change, it’s hard to go back.”

Smith, 32, grew up in rural Southeastern Ohio, although his mother is originally from Louisville. In 1999, he graduated from Centre College with a degree in history. He moved to Atlanta to live with his sister while he plotted his next career move, but it found him. Being in Atlanta exposed Smith to fine dining, international markets, and boutique wine stores. He moved to Louisville in spring of 2000 with the intention of learning the restaurant business. He started as a server at 211 Clover Lane and in a short time worked his way up to general manager before purchasing the restaurant five years ago. Not much has changed since then. Smith said the stability is the key to 211’s success.

“It was always a great restaurant,” he said. “In service, we have the same people that worked here five years ago.That’s true not only with the servers, but the front of the house management and the kitchen as well. In fine dining that is extraordinarily important. If you have chef turnover, it is a battle.”

211 Clover Lane is located in the Colony Center, a colonial-style retail mall located near the intersection of Clover Lane and Westport Road. The restaurant is designed to invoke the French countryside.

Instead of one big main dining room, 211 has several small rooms, each with just a few tables. The small size of the dining rooms, the French and American antiques situated all about the restaurant, and the subtle

Cioppino, a seafood stew of diver scallops, gulf shrimp, clams and mussels in a tomato saffron broth.

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lighting create a cozy atmosphere. For those interested in dining outside, there is also a charming patio area.

Smith recently added a new party room located on the opposite side of the Colony Center. The 800-square-foot room is decorated similarly to the main restaurant.The new space allows 211 Clover Lane to host large cocktail and dinner parties while maintaining the intimate ambiance in the other dining rooms.

“When you have a big party in a small restaurant like we have, it obviously affects everything around it, noise level especially,” Smith explained. “Because (211) is such a quaint place, it tends to be generally quiet. This is a nice luxury to be able to have a separate party room where you can pass around hors d’oeuvres, and have a prix fixe dinner with a limited menu and pre-selected wine.”

Schuster has total control over the kitchen side of the restaurant.

Smith acts as general manager and handles most of the ordering. He said the recent economic downturn has him working from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. most days. He’s even washing dishes on occasion to help out the back of the house. Even with these challenges he’s optimistic about the future. He’s even considering the possibility of opening a second restaurant one day.

But, for the moment, he’s satisfied just keeping 211 Clover Lane in the upper echelon of Louisville eateries. F&D

(above) Executive Chef Troy Schuster, (below) Roasted poussin with a Sheltowee mushroom risotto and finished with Parmesan Reggiano cheese.

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liquids cork 101

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0 $ 1 6

BY SCOTT HARPER

U

nder

Grillo Feudo Arancio 2007 (Sicily, Italy) Sicilian wine is hot; with a host of indigenous and unique varietals that are value priced, you can’t go wrong.

This wine is made from 100% Grillo grapes, on the south coast of the island.

While this wine is nothing like Marsala, the Grillo grape is one of the grapes used to make Marsala. Feudo Arancio has a stateof-the-art winery, 1,500 acres of land in Sicily and it is owned by Gruppo Mezzacorona.

Yellow-gold color gives away to the flavors of tangerine, minerals, yellow apple and lemon in this Arancio. It is mediumbodied, dry with a touch of orange spice.

This producer also makes a hearty red — try their Nero d’Avola.

28 Summer 2009 www.foodanddine.com

Pinot Grigio Mezzacorona “Vigneti Della Dolomiti” 2008 (Alto Adige, Italy) Known in other countries such as France as Pinot Gris, Pinot Grigio is one of the most popular wines from Italy. This Pinot Grigio is from the Northeast area of Italy called Alto Adige; the grape is at its best when it hails from this cooler part of Italy.

Mezzacorona has been making wine at the foothills of the Dolomites since 1904.

It is one of the largest producers of Pinot Grigio in Italy. This 100% Pinot Grigio is estate-bottled which is remarkable for such a large producer.

The color is straw yellow; the nose has the delightful aromas of white flowers and melon.The wine is light, dry, crisp, fresh and clean with the flavors of lemon, apple and minerals.

Viognier Cline 2007 California Viognier originally hails from the Rhone Valley of France, from regions such as Chateau Grillet and Condrieu. It has become a little more popular since prices have come down since spreading to California. It is one of the most aromatic white wine grapes you will ever try.

Cline was originally founded in 1982 with a small inheritance from the famous Jacuzzi Spa company.The Cline’s relocated their winery from Oakley to Carneros, California in 1991.

The color is a pale yellow-gold; the ripe peach, apricot, pear and honeysuckle aromas leap from the glass in this extremely aromatic varietal. The wine has a full body with a rich, lush and creamy texture. It exhibits the same ripe fruits in the palate as it does in the nose.

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Spring has arrived, and with that we look forward to warmer weather and lighter foods and wines.

Great v alues ar e alw ays a good w ay t o s tart the ne w season of wine drinking. “Gr eat v alue” means delicious, flavorful wines for around $10 or less. The search is always a fun challenge: It ’s more exciting than spending $30 on a wine that darn w ell better be good. T he six wines I r ecommend for spring and summer sipping are from Portugal, Ar gentina, Italy, South A frica and Calif ornia. They are from diverse backgrounds but all have one common denominator — value!

Sometimes wines of gr eat value are a little off the beat en path. W ith the exception of Pinot Grigio , you may not have tried some of the sugges ted wines. I encourage you to expand your wine vernacular to these more obscure wines, for they perhaps offer a greater value than the more common wines you see daily.

We checked around and here are a few wine shops that you are sure to find some of the selections: Old T own W ine & Spirits, W estport Whisk ey & W ine, Prospect Party Center, Gemelli Wine & Spirits, Taste Fine Wine & Spirits and Keg Liquors (in Clarksville).

Sauvignon Blanc Astonvale Zandvliet 2007 (Robertson, South Africa) The Rober tson district is located within the Breed River Valley region and is noted for three things other than wine, two of which are similar to Kentucky: limestone soil and horses. The third is ostrich farms.

The Sauvignon Blanc grape seems to be par ticularly suited for this relatively cool growing area.

This family-owned winery has ties to horse farms in Robertson and Kentucky, and was founded in 1867 by the de Wet family. They make a full range of red and white wines.

This wine has a medium-yellow color with slightly herbaceous flavors along with ripe honeydew. It is dry and mediumbodied with a light crispness and a fairly round texture for Sauvignon Blanc.

Torrontes Elsa Bianchi 2007 (San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina) The yellow straw color pales in comparison to this wine’s floral nose. Take a whiff of this wine and it’s like sticking your nose in a fantastic bouquet of fresh cut flowers. The wine is dry with just a touch of fruity sweetness, light body, crisp, and fresh with the flavors of apricot, peach and pear.

Mendoza, and Argentina in general, is known for the red wine grape Malbec, but its white wine specialty is Torrontes. The Torrontes grape is thought to be originally from Spain, but now it is more known and labeled in Argentina. This wine is 100% Torrontes and is from a cool area in San Rafael, a sub region of Mendoza. An Italian immigrant, Valentin Bianchi, started the winery in 1928, and this wine comes from the single vineyard estate Dona Elsa.

Vinho Verde Aveleda Fonte non vintage (Minho, Portugal) Pale yellow in color, this wine is effervescent, vivacious and lively with the flavors of lemon, lime and apple. It is dry, light and crisp and perfect as an aperitif.

Vinho Verde literally means green wine, and is made in the northwest region of Minho, Portugal. It is made from a blend of the Loureiro, Trajadura, Arinto and Azal grapes.

These grapes are indigenous to Portugal and are rarely seen anywhere else. It is typical not to vintage date Vinho Verde.The wine is meant to be consumed quite young and to that point you can find the bottling date on the official guarantee seal of Vinho Verde.

This wine was bottled in July of 2008.

Avelede Fonte is one of the largest producers of Vinho Verde and a major winery in Por tugal. They produce over 214,000 cases of this Vinho Verde a year. The winery was established in 1671 and is family-owned and operated. Avelede Fonte makes 90% white wine and also produces cheese at their estates.

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BY DAVID LANGE | PHOTOGRAPH BY DAN DRY

Iced Coffee Cocktails Straight up, on the rocks, shaken or stirred

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Everyone is familiar with how well hot coffee and liqueurs or other spirits go together. This combination has warmed many a frigid evening. But few realize how those same combinations can relieve the summer heat when meshed together in a cold application.

Making iced coffee cocktails merges two of my favorite passions, coffee and alcohol. Nothing can be as refreshing on a torrid summer afternoon as a cocktail that blends that exotic liqueur and soothing coffee.

But before you start your bartending skills, there are some tips that you might want to consider when making these cocktails.

First use a good quality alcohol when preparing your coffee cocktails.Whether it’s gin, rum, Bourbon, or vodka, be sure that you use the good stuff. Skimping on this element will only lead to disappointment later. And of course, use a good quality coffee, preferably a darker roast, to further enhance your coffee concoction.

First, you need to make the iced coffee. Just follow these simple steps: 1. Brew up a fresh pot of coffee. Remember to make the coffee significantly stronger than usual, as it loses a bit of its flavor when ice begins to melt in an iced coffee drink.

2. Once a pot of coffee has been freshly brewed, transfer the coffee into a carafe or pitcher. Don’t ever place a pot of hot coffee directly into the refrigerator — the rapid change in temperature may crack the glass.

3. Leave the coffee standing at room temperature for three to five hours or refrigerate for an hour and a half to three hours.

Another trick is making coffee-flavored ice cubes. By using these, your coffee drinks will not get watered down. Pour your iced coffee or leftover espresso into a clean ice cube tray and place into the freezer. Once frozen, remove the coffee cubes from the tray and place into a re-sealable plastic freezer bag.This will keep your precious coffee cubes from sponging up other freezer moisture or aromas and from becoming dehydrated and shrinking in the freezer.

One cool variation for these cubes is adding a cream layer.

Make your cubes the same way, filling the trays only half full. Once frozen, top the coffee with half-and-half and replace in the freezer.

When frozen, store in the freezer bag and they will stay usable for 10 days. Or for a real treat, make liqueur-laced coffee cubes by adding a shot of your favorite liqueur to the espresso or coffee before freezing.

So now that you have all of the components, how can you compose an iced coffee symphony to combat the sweltering temperatures?

Martinis have made a comeback lately and coffee can become part of the fun.The basic Espresso Martini starts this way:

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Espresso Martini 1. Place 4 ounces of cold espresso or cold coffee, 2 ounces of vanilla-flavored vodka, 6 to 8 ice cubes, and a dash of half-andhalf into a martini shaker.

2. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds.

3. Strain into a chilled martini glass, add a dusting of cocoa powder and serve.

This basic martini can be jazzed up by adding Galliano, Frangelico, Kahlua, Bailey’s or your favorite liqueur to the basic espresso martini recipe. One variation that has become a favorite of mine is called Coffee Sands. It is rich, decadent, and very addicting.

1. Place 4 ice cubes into a brandy snifter.

2. Pour 2 ounces of cold espresso or coffee over the ice and let it rest for a minute.

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3. Very slowly pour 1 ounce each of white crème de cocoa, Kahlua, and half-andhalf, one by one into the glass by dribbling off the back of a spoon.

4. Mix with a chocolate straw and serve.

Another elixir that you can create is the Java Mojo.This is a combination of three legendary cocktails and beverages in one — Cuban coffee, Cuba libre, and Mojito!

1. Moisten the rim of a chilled tall clear glass with a wedge of lime and dip the wet rim into a small flat dish filled with 2 teaspoons of sugar. Rotate gently to evenly coat the glass rim.

2. Place 8 to10 fresh mint leaves and 2 tablespoons of lime juice in the sugar remaining on the dish.

3. Lightly crush the mint with the back of a spoon, and place the entire mint mixture into the prepared glass.

4. Fill the glass with ice cubes and add 11/2 ounces of white rum and 2 ounces of cold espresso or strong coffee.

5. Fill the rest of the glass with club soda and stir well. Garnish with a lime wedge or sprigs of fresh mint.

To make the next drink, you will need to make coffee-flavored vodka. Soak 1/4 cup of whole (unflavored) coffee beans in 1 cup of premium vodka for 2 or 3 days. Strain the vodka and discard the beans. The vodka will have taken on the coffee flavor.

Now you can make a Coffee Champagne Cocktail.

1. Pour 11/2 ounces of iced coffee into a chilled martini glass. Add 21/2 ounces of the coffee-flavored vodka.

2. Top off with champagne.

3. Stir the ingredients together slowly.

4. Garnish with a lemon twist wrapped around a coffee bean.

Recently my wife and I traveled throughout Italy and were introduced to their version of iced coffee.The traditional Italian Iced Coffee recipe calls for freshly made espresso, shaken with ice in a cocktail shaker and strained into a cocktail glass. Surprisingly, the iced coffee will not be a dark espresso brown color, but creamy beige. You’ll find the chilled Italian espresso is second to none.

These are just a few of the many iced coffee recipes that I enjoy. But remember, part of the fun is experimenting. Try out your own combinations. F&D www.foodanddine.com Summer 2009 31

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BY JERRY SLATER | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

A True Neighborhood Spirits Shop

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Old Town Wine & Spirits delivers with a thoughtful inventory, knowledgeable staff and a funky character

A girlfriend’s father once asked me what my hobbies were. For a guy that fished a lot and was good at fixing things, he was doing his best to connect.

Having just walked home from Old Town Wine & Spirits (1529 Bardstown Road) with a bottle of wine for dinner, I realized that my career in food and beverage was also my hobby and interest.

I get the same excitement walking through the narrow aisles of Old Town Wine & Spirits that I imagine a handyman would get discovering an old-fashioned hardware store, where you can find the exact part, or inspiration for a project, and where the staff is plentiful, knowledgeable and unobtrusive.

As a spirits columnist and restaurateur, I sometimes find inspiration to write about a liquor I haven’t seen before, or get ideas to complete a new beer list for my patrons. As a former Highlands neighborhood resident, sometimes I just needed a bottle of wine. It was great to walk down the street and have all three needs met by friendly and knowledgeable staff: people that probably know your name after two or three visits.

How did a relatively small bottle shop become my muse? Old Town has been around for 38 years, but Gordo and Claudia Jackson bought it around 14 years ago. Gordo told me how the store used to be across the street from a blood bank and the original owners mostly cashed checks and sold lots of jug wine. But the Jacksons saw potential in both the store and the neighborhood, where they themselves live.

As the neighborhood gentrified, so the store has changed. The bars came off the windows, but the drive-thru remains. The big difference is on the inside. For its size, the selection is unmatched. The emphasis is on quality, not necessarily price. So, while you can find some rare bottles, like winemaker Kongsgaard, usually reserved for restaurants, you are more likely to find excellent wines that just happen to be value priced.“We like to tell people what we’ve tasted lately that is amazing,” Jackson said. He and his staff are constantly educating themselves about what they are selling in order to help the clients choose what is right for them.

But it’s not just the stock that makes Old Town stand out, it’s the service. As Gordo says,“You can tell someone ‘aisle 13,’ or you can walk them to what they want. Customer service costs us nothing, and the return is so great.” While some people may save on labor, Old Town always seems staffed enough for the well-trained recommendation or direction.

Being a knowledgeable salesperson at Old Town is no easy feat.

Not only is the middle of the store crowded with some of the world’s best wine, an intimidating subject for most folks, but in every nook and cranny there seems to be quality spirits, beer, food, cigars, and accessories. While working downtown, I sent many Bourbon-seeking tourists to Old Town, and the beer drinker can find everything from PBR to domestic micro-brews, from Belgian to English ales.

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Old Town Wine & Spirits 1529 Bardstown Road (502) 451-8591

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In addition, the store stocks almost a dozen types of bitters (essential for making good cocktails), along with Stirring’s cocktail mixers and even fresh limes at the counter. And the latest expansions into food — expertly picked cheeses, charcuterie, frozen specialties from local retailer Lotsa Pasta, and gourmet chocolates (think Vosges bacon and smoked sea salt candy bar) — complete the party picture.

While on the subject of food, I would be remiss not to mention Old Town’s sister store, The Wine Market (1200 Bardstown Road). Just eight-tenths of a mile down the street, the two stores do not compete for customers, but complement each other.

Housed in an 1865 building, the Wine Market concentrates its inventory on value-priced wine selections, usually in open boxes on the floor. When I spoke with Gordo Jackson, he was elbows deep in construction, remodeling the shop. The newly renovated store will include an emphasis on cheese.

In many ways, Old Town Wine & Spirits and The Wine Market are much like their proprietor and his neighborhood.

Gordo is a motorcycle enthusiast, who often builds his own bikes, yet knows more about the Cote de Rhone wine region of France than most sommeliers. He will pull up to the most exclusive wine tasting on his custom chopper with his plaited ponytail, and be warmly welcomed for his knowledgeable presence.That wonderful dichotomy makes for the comfortable atmosphere of his stores where artisan wines hang out with high-proof Bourbon, and the well-moneyed stand in line with tattooed skater kids, where all get a smile and whatever potion they are after. F&D

Old Town is wellknown f or its knowledgeable and friendly staff. On any given day you can find someone on duty that specializes in what y ou ar e looking f or. T he da y we visited we spoke with the on-duty wine e xpert, Carmen T hornton. W e put her on the spot and asked her to give us her personal top 10 list of wines they carry. In short or der she pr oduced an eclectic list that is sur e to please. Four on the lis t cost less than $15.

Rocket Science 06 (Red) – $49.99 The Prisoner 07 (Red) – $34.99 Shinas The Guilty 06 (Red) – $18.99 Borsao Tres Picos 06 (Red) – $14.99 Gravity Head Old Vine 06 (Zinfandel) – $9.99 Melville Viognier 07 (White) – $21.99 The Furst Gewurztraminer 07 (White) – $17.99 Burgans Albarino 07 (White) – $12.99 Fool’s Bay Unoaked 08 (Chardonnay) – $10.99 Duval-Leroy Brut NV (Champagne) – $36.99

Old Town owners Gordo and Claudia Jackson pose on his custom chopper in front of the hand-painted mural that adorns the entire North wall of their store.

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BY ROGER A. BAYLOR

In Search of Good Beer Looking beyond package stores, our resident expert finds good beer at the local supermark et

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Beer is my life, and to assist in furthering the imperatives of my preferences, I’ve carefully arranged the world around me into searchable categories.

These mental filing cabinets detail the styles of beer suitable for the weather and season, those capable of matching best with different foods, the restaurants, bars, ballparks and concert venues where I can find the beers I prefer (and, as a corollary, the ones where I cannot), and the lengths to which I’m prepared to go to procure these beers.

Fanatics like me generally agree that the best retail source for a diverse selection of good bottled (and sometimes nowadays, canned) beers is a package store that has made the conscious decision to specialize, and where the beer selection is determined not only by simple consumer demand, but by the knowledge and enthusiasm of an in-house beer buyer or manager.

In such a manner, new levels of consumer demand are created and nurtured, not merely satisfied. Moreover, the choice of which beers to stock in such settings is not left entirely to the everchanging whim of wholesaler representation, which has its own profit-based imperatives, ones that are not always compatible with the broader ideals of a beer snob.

But what if circumstance ordains otherwise? What if the package store is closed or beyond easy reach, and a beer aficionado like me finds himself high and dr y, with the only alternative being the neighborhood supermarket?

First, it might help to define “good” beer.

For me, a good beer selection is one that reflects some measure of stylistic diversity from both domestic and imported brands, including choices beyond various shades of light golden lager. Is there a dark lager, wheat ale and a stout available?

Ideally, and in spite of what we all accept as inevitable about the competition for shelf space at a supermarket, there should be representation from non-corporate, regional American brewers, i.e., not annoying “mockrobrews” like Anheuser-Busch’s Landshark Lager, which only masquerades as a micro, but real ones from smaller players around the region.

The Louisville metro area straddles both banks of the Ohio River, and this fact points to another important consideration: Alcohol laws and product availability vary widely from state to state.

Indiana’s Kroger stores can sell beer, wine and spirits within the confines of their main floor space, but they cannot sell cold beer, and they cannot sell any alcohol on Sunday because carryout sales are banned in Indiana.

Conversely, a Kroger supermarket in Louisville can sell cold beer to go on weekdays and Sundays, but it cannot stock wine and spirits within the main retail area (see Lake Forest on the next page for the answer to this quandary).

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The good news is that the beer selection at a typical Louisville-area Kroger supermarket has come a long way since the generic (Neolithic?) days of Kroger Cost Cutter Beer, a cheap, lowgravity and contractbrewed abomination that came in sixpacks of yellow cans bearing illustrations of scissors.

The bad news?

The beer selection at the Kroger supermar kets of today remains overwhelmingly multinational and industr ially macrobrewed in nature, as evidenced by row upon row of tastealike lagers and various deceptive mockrobrew spin-offs (Blue Moon, Shock Wave, Moe’s) foisted on an unsuspecting public by whomsoever currently owns the Budweiser, Miller and Coors factories.

I visited four area Kroger supermarkets in late March, and here’s what I found.

First up was New Albany, Indiana (200 New Albany Plaza, 948-2817), and unsurprisingly, there isn’t much to say about the beer selection at the Kroger where my family usually shops. The highlights are meager pickings from Sierra Nevada and Samuel Adams, which should be viewed as bare minimum defaults in this day and age. Grade: D-minus. Recommended choice: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, the yardstick for measuring American-style Pale Ale, and about the only beer here worth purchasing. Remember: Warm beer only in Indiana.

In Louisville, I started at the Kroger in the Clifton neighborhood (2200 Brownsboro Rd., 897-1133). Clifton’s urban demographics are delightfully mixed, and we’ve been known to drive over from Indiana on Sunday for cold, locally-brewed Bluegrass Brewing Company bottles from behind the Kroger cooler doors while waiting for Chinese carry-out from the adjacent Great Wall eatery. This Kroger’s funky ambience makes up for the sub-par beer selection, which is heavy on corporate mockrobrews.

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My grade is C, and my suggestion is an old Wisconsin standby: Leinenkugel remains a “family” brewery after a fashion, and the brewery’s new Classic Amber reflects its lager brewing heritage. It’s a wor thy summer cookout brew.

The Kroger at 2440 Bardstown Rd. (459-9805) in the Highlands has been recently remodeled and is immaculate in comparison with the Clifton location. The open-face, chilled beer cooler isn’t as large as one might imagine given the store’s overall size, and the beer selection is predictably heavy with mass-market brands … but oddly, on the day of my canvass, 750-ml bottles of imported Delirium Tremens and Rare Vos (Belgian-owned, brewed by Ommegang in New York) were on a shelf — virtually hidden, and yet available. They are my recommended choices, boosting the grade to B-minus, and providing something to accompany the cheese shop’s numerous offerings.

Finally, motoring into the Great American Exurb, we located the Kroger at 12501 Shelbyville Road (near Lake Forest, 244-7957). The main area of the store boasts a lengthy chilled beer section, with door after door of Bud Light, Miller Chill and Coors Light, a few interesting bottled six-packs of major brewery affiliates Redhook and Goose Island, and better choices from BBC, Schlafly (St. Louis) and Magic Hat (Vermont).

However, a superior bounty awaits mere yards away at the Lake Forest Kroger’s stand-alone beer, wine and liquor shop. Quality imports like the Samuel Smith line (United Kingdom) are wellrepresented, alongside advanced microbrews from Rogue (Oregon) and Bell’s (Michigan). Of the four Louisville metropolitan Kroger food stores that I surveyed, the Shelbyville Road/Lake Forest location was by far the best for “good” beer by virtue of its own stand-alone vending area, and merits a B-plus. In addition to the preceding, you may support your local breweries with a BBC APA or Kentucky Ale, decant the ale into a mug, and enjoy the sunset from your patio.

The overall verdict? Not as bad as I imagined, and not as progressive as possible. Beer snobs might utilize Louisville area Kroger stores in a pinch, but only then.

Otherwise, we’ll continue to forge good relationships with our favorite package store operators. F&D

Now Serving Breakfast, Brunch & Lunch in Westport Village!

‘‘Wild Eggs ... I Think I Love You.’’

DUTCHMAN’S LANE AND W E S T P O RT V I L L A G E crackinwildeggs.com

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easy entertaining kentucky style

BY TIM AND LORI LAIRD | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

Let’s Party — Kentucky Style Local and seasonal f arm products give this party real Southern fla vor

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Kentucky Derby season gives everyone an excuse to bring out their grits recipes, their country ham biscuits, their chocolate chip nut pies.

But Kentucky has such exquisite agricultural bounty, such a network of farmers markets and such a rich entertaining background that it seems a shame to highlight Kentucky cuisine only once a year.

It’s natural to serve strawberries and asparagus and mint for a Kentucky Derby brunch or cocktail par ty.

Spring is their season and we’ve featured recipes here for asparagus and a Southern Indiana goat cheese flavored with mint. But we also are in love with so many Kentucky foods that we can highlight Kentucky products any time of year: A midsummer meal would have to feature Kentucky peaches and corn, Kentucky bison is available all year at

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specialty groceries and of course, Kentucky Bourbon tastes great in everything!

All these choices and more mean you don’t have to depend on culinary clichés to put on a great spread that reflects the region. For this party, we’re using Kentucky paddlefish caviar, which tastes fabulous and will be a complete surprise to many of your guests.

And while Kentucky mint juleps are a must at Derby, we often find the Kentucky Oaks Lily — a drink Tim invented — to be more universally popular. Made with vodka, cranberry juice and Triple Sec, the color resembles that of the Stargazer lily. A blanket of Stargazers is draped over the filly that wins the Kentucky Oaks.

Kentucky farmers and a little Kentucky-inspired music create a great party even when it isn’t Derby season.

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▲

The Oaks Lily

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This drink made its debut a t the 132 nd Oaks Da y and was created by Tim Laird as the first signature drink of this pres tigious r ace, run on the F riday bef ore Derb y Day. The color of the drink emula tes that of the Stargazer lily which is the flo wer in the priz ed blank et awarded t o the winning horse of the K entucky Oaks, known as the Fillies f or the Lilies.

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

By the drink: 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) Finlandia vodka 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) sweet and sour mix 3 ounces ( 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) cranberry juice Splash of Triple Sec 1 blackberry, optional Put all ingr edients in a shak er with ic e. Shake until cold; s train int o a tall glas s filled with crushed ic e.

Garnish with a blackberry, if desired.

By the pitcher (SERVES 8): 8 8 24 1 /2 8

ounces (1 cup) Finlandia vodka ounces (1 cup) sweet and sour mix ounces (3 cups) cranberry juice ounce Triple Sec blackberries, optional

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Mix all ingr edients. Pour int o a tall glas s filled with crushed ice. Garnish with blackberries.

Easy Mint Juleps

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

By the drink: 2 ounces Woodford Reserve Bourbon 1 ounce simple mint syrup Crushed ice Garnish with Kentucky mint sprig

By the pitcher: 16 ounces Woodford Reserve Bourbon 8 ounces simple mint syrup Mix Bourbon and mint s yrup. Pour int o a tall glass filled with crushed ic e. G arnish with a sprig of mint and a sipping s traw.

To make mint simple syrup: Combine 1 part water and 1 part sugar . Bring sugar and w ater t o a boil while stirring to dissolve. Add 1 part loosely-packed mint lea ves and r emove fr om heat. L et s tand f or 2 0 minut es then s train int o a t empered glas s jar, let cool and refrigerate until ready to use. If you use 1 cup each of w ater and sugar , y ou’ll mak e about 1 cup (8 ounc es) of syrup. www.foodanddine.com Summer 2009 37

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â–˛

Kentucky Eggs Benedict (SERVES 6)

Eggs can be poached a da y ahead of time and k ept in the refriger ator in a bo wl of c old w ater. Rehea t before serving b y dipping them in a pan of slightly boiling water.

2 egg yolks 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1 /2 cup butter (1 stick), cut into tablespoon size pieces 1 /4 cup boiling water Dash salt Dash ground cayenne pepper 12 thin slices cooked Kentucky country ham 2 tablespoons white vinegar 12 Kentucky farm fresh eggs 6 English muffins, split, toasted and buttered Paprika

â–˛

In the top of a double boiler, whisk egg yolks and lemon juic e t ogether. Add 3 tablespoons of butt er.

Place double boiler o ver simmering water. Cook, beating c onstantly, until butt er melts and sauc e begins t o thick en. A dd 3 mor e tablespoons of butter, stir until butt er melts, then add r emaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Slowly whisk in boiling water.

Continue c ooking o ver simmering w ater, s tirring, until mixture thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in salt and ca yenne pepper.

Place ham slic es on r ack of br oiler pan. Br oil 4 inches from heat f or about 4 minut es, or until ham begins to brown.

While ham is br oiling, pour about 3 inches of water into a pan. A dd white vinegar and lightly salt the water; bring t o a boil. Car efully put eggs in the water, breaking into a cup firs t, then gently slipping them into the water one at a time .

Simmer eggs f or 3 t o 4 minut es or until set.

Remove with slott ed spoon, dr ain, pat dry with a dish or paper towel.

Place English muffins on serving plat e, top with a slic e of ham and a poached egg. Spoon a little sauce over the egg and sprinkle with paprik a. Serve immediately.

Grilled Fresh Kentucky Asparagus (SERVES 6)

When choosing your asparagus look for firm stalks with firm deep green or purplish tips. T rim off the tough bott om of the spear a t leas t tw o-thirds of the way down. If stalks are thick, you may prefer to use a paring knif e or v egetable peeler t o peel off the out er skin of the lo wer half of the remaining stalk.

1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and peeled 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon salt Fresh ground pepper Preheat grill t o medium high. Drizzle oliv e oil over the aspar agus and turn spears until the y are coated. Sprinkle with salt and pepper . Grill f or 5 minutes. Roll the asparagus from time to time so it is e venly br owned but not charr ed. R emove fr om grill and serve immediately.

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Caviar

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(SERVES 6)

We recommend Shuckman’s Spoonfish Ca viar which is r aised in K entucky and hand-pack ed for freshness. It is unc ommonly mild and flavorful with rich luscious bright berries. It can be found at local specialty markets.

4 ounces Kentucky Spoonfish Caviar 4 slices white bread, sliced thin 2 tablespoons butter, softened

Optional Garnishes:

Lightly t oast the br ead so it is soft, not crumbly lik e cr ackers. Spr ead one side with butter, cut off the crusts and cut diagonally twice so y ou end up with 4 mini-triangles of t oast.

Repeat with the remaining pieces of bread.

Let y our gues ts build their o wn t oasts as they wish with just the plain caviar (our recommendation) or with the optional garnishes.

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Red onion, minced Hard boiled egg yolk, minced Hard boiled egg white, minced Capers, minced Sour cream

Kentucky Bison St ew (SERVES 6)

Don’t be intimidated by the long lis t of ingredients. T here really isn’t much w ork involved, just adding e verything to the slow cooker and turning it on.

2 pounds buffalo cube steak or stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes 1 /4 cup flour 1 /2 teaspoon salt 1 /2 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 bay leaf 1 teaspoon paprika 1 /4 teaspoon dried thyme 1 /4 teaspoon dried oregano 1 /4 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium beef broth 1 /4 cup Old Forester Bourbon 3 potatoes, diced 4 carrots, sliced 1 stalk celery, chopped 1 cup frozen pearl onions, thawed Place meat in slo w c ooker. In a small bo wl mix together the flour , salt and pepper; pour o ver meat and stir t o c oat meat with the flour mixtur e. A dd r emaining 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 crus ty bread. www.foodanddine.com Summer 2009 39

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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 t o 1 1/2-inch r ounds out of br ead using a cookie cutt er or t op of jar . Y ou should be able t o get approximately 3 rounds per slice of bread. Spread mayonnaise on one side of each slic e of br ead r ound. Plac e onion slic e on br ead r ound. Top with t omato slic e. Top with sec ond piec e of br ead. Spr ead a thin la yer of mayonnaise ar ound the outside edge of the sandwich.

Place chopped parsle y on a flat plat e. R oll ma yonnaise edge of the sandwich in chopped parsle y.

Bluegrass Peaches with Ic e Cream (SERVES 6)

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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. Plac e on a shallo w baking sheet, ca vity side up . Fill each cavity with 1 t easpoon br own sugar, 1/2-tablespoon of butt er, 1 tablespoon of Bourbon and 1 dash of cinnamon. Bak e until sauce is melt ed and peach is soft, appr oximately 10 t o 15 minutes. Serve over scoop of ice cream.

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Herbed Goat Cheese ▲ with Kentucky Mint (SERVES 8)

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

12 ounces soft goat cheese, room temperature 3 tablespoons milk 2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds 1 teaspoon dried dill weed 1 /2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 20 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 bo wl until smooth. C over. Chill f or at leas t 1 hour .

Flavor is best if it rests overnight.

Transfer cheese t o a platt er, f orm int o a mound, sprinkle with mint lea ves then drizzle with olive oil. Serve with crackers.

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Timeline

Shopping List

1 week ahead

2 hours ahead

Kentucky Spoonfish Caviar White bread (1 loaf) Red onion Capers Capriole goat cheese (12 ounc es) Kentucky mint leaves (2 bunches) Crackers (water or seeded) Roma tomatoes (5) Sweet onion (1) Italian parsley (2 bunches) Asparagus (1 pound) Kentucky ham (12 slices, cooked) English muffins (6) Buffalo cube steak or stew meat (2 pounds) Low-sodium beef broth Potatoes (3) Carrots (4) Celery (1 bunch) Frozen pearl onions (1 bag) Kentucky peaches (3) Vanilla ice cream Blackberries (1 pint) Sweet and sour mix Cranberry juice Old Forester Bourbon Woodford Reserve Bourbon Finlandia vodka Triple Sec

Cut and toast the bread for the caviar Make the sauce for the Eggs Benedict

Also pick up if not alr eady in your pantry

1 hour ahead

Unsalted butter Kentucky farm fresh eggs (2 dozen) Sour cream Milk Cumin seeds Dried dill weed Black pepper Salt Garlic (1 bulb) Extra virgin olive oil Mayonnaise Lemon (1) Cayenne pepper White vinegar Paprika Flour Bay leaves Dried thyme Dried oregano Dried basil Worcestershire sauce Brown sugar Cinnamon Sugar

Shop for non-perishable groceries Order caviar

2 days ahead Shop for last minute groceries Set up your music playlist Pick up caviar Make the Simple Mint S yrup

1 day ahead Make the garnishes for the caviar Make the Herbed Goat Cheese Clean the asparagus, store in plastic bag in refrigerator Poach the eggs Make pitchers of The Oaks Lily Make pitchers of Easy Mint Juleps

Morning of the party Chop the mint for the Herbed Goat Cheese Stamp out bread rounds for Tomato Sandwiches and store in plastic bag Slice Roma tomatoes Slice sweet onion Chop Italian parsley Prepare the Kentucky Bison Stew Measure and portion the ingredients for the Bluegrass Peaches so that you just have to assemble and bake when you are ready for dessert.

Plate the Herbed Goat Cheese Grill and plate the asparagus, serve at room temperature Reheat the eggs and as semble the Eggs Benedict Assemble and plate the Tomato Sandwiches, cover with plastic wrap until serving

Just before the party Plate the caviar Reheat the sauce for the Eggs Benedict and pour o ver at the last minute Set out all food items Check bar, put ice in bucket, set out pitcher drinks, sodas and water Turn on your playlist

Party Playlist Ideas “The Sounds of Kentucky” by Angela Bartley “Appalachian Swing!” by The Kentucky Colonels “A Hundred Miles or More” by Alison Krauss “Pickin’ on Dolly Parton: A Bluegrass Tribute” by Various Artists “Good Thing Going” by Rhonda Vincent and The Rage

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recipes louisville’s restaurant favorites

Cheddar Box Café’s

Curry Chicken Salad

M

Michelle Bartholomew, owner of the Cheddar Box Café in Middletown, could be called something of a chicken salad expert.

She and her staff make tons of chicken salad every year.

Plain chicken salad with mayonnaise and celery, honey-pecan with honeyed mayonnaise, dried cranberries and no onions. The curry chicken salad alone is made in 46pound batches three times a week. “We sell sandwiches, we sell salad in the café and we sell it by the pound,” says Michelle. People buy it in five- and 10-pound batches.“We go through a lot of chicken salad.”

The 13-year-old mostly-lunch spot is a soup, sandwich, salad place that offers carryout entrées in its deli. But there are hot lunch specials too — potato-chip crusted fried white fish on Wednesday and Friday; specialty pizzas (including Thai chicken and roasted new potato pesto) are served Tuesdays and Thursdays.

When it opened, the café offered lunch, a variety of specialty cheeses and frozen hors d’oeuvres. Over time, the cheeses have been phased out, the frozen hors d’oeuvres have stayed and the entrée and salad selections have grown, says Michelle. Most offerings in the entrée case change daily, always featuring a meat, a fish and a chicken.

Each one has a side dish of some sort, like pork tenderloin with molasses apples and raisins; lemon tarragon chicken with orzo

42 Summer 2009 www.foodanddine.com

BY SARAH FRITSCHNER | PHOTO BY DAN DRY

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and spinach; and/or cilantro roasted chicken with marinated squash salad.

These offerings — both at lunch and in the entrée case — change frequently. “We always try to have things that are fresh and new,” says Michelle. Often, the featured soup or salad might be a customer’s recipe or request. “If a customer gives a recipe, we’ll try it. If people like it, we add it,” she says.

And if customers request dishes, they’ll try those too. It was a customer who requested they add the honey-pecan chicken salad and now it, like curry chicken salad, is made three times a week in 46-pound batches.

To make honey-pecan chicken salad, follow the recipe below, but add honey to the mayonnaise recipe instead of chutney. Leave the onions and curry powder out. Add cranberries instead of grapes, pecans instead of almonds.

The Cheddar Box Café is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Carry-out is available 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Tuesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Monday and Saturday.

“ ?\ @WYa D_YabWki YWd m_d j^[ CWij[hi Wj *," ? YWd m_d j^[ A[djkYao :[hXo Wj +*$

”

— Willie Shoemaker

6cY ]Z Y^Y! WZXdb^c\ i]Z daYZhi _dX`Zn id l^c i]Z @ZcijX`n 9ZgWn# >c i]ZhZ X]VaaZc\^c\ i^bZh lZ XVc aZVgc [gdb i]Z XdjgV\Z VcY VYb^gZ i]Z eZghZkZgVcXZ d[ gVX^c\ aZ\ZcY L^aa^Z H]dZbV`Zg# 9ZgWn ^h g^\]i VgdjcY i]Z XdgcZg VcY djg `cdlaZY\ZVWaZ hiV[[ add`h [dglVgY id ]Zae^c\ l^i] Vaa

Curry Chicken Salad

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(SERVES 8 TO 10)

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To toast the curry powder, put it in a small pan over medium heat and stir it until it darkens a little and becomes aromatic.

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

cups cooked, diced chicken cup sliced red grapes cup toasted, slivered almonds tablespoons diced red onion cup diced celery tablespoons Madras curry powder, toasted (see above) 2 1/4 cups chutney mayonnaise Combine all ingredients except curry powder and chutney mayonnaise. Mix well.

Add curry to chutney mayonnaise and blend well. Add chutney mayonnaise mix to chicken.

Chill before serving.

C h u t n ey M a yo n n a i s e 2 cups good quality mayonnaise 3 tablespoons mango chutney Combine chutney and mayonnaise in food processor or by hand. F&D

&*'. 7VgYhidlc GdVY lll#DaYIdlcL^cZ#Xdb lll#@n7djgWdc#cZi DeZc , YVnh V lZZ` *%'#)*&#-*.&

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people and places profiles

BY GREG GAPSIS | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

A Far East Journey of Flavor

O

Although small in siz e, Simply T hai delivers big with fr esh and vibrant dishes

Once rare, ethnic restaurants have dramatically multiplied in Louisville over the past 20 years. One can now choose among multiple iterations of North and South American, European, African, Middle Eastern and Asian cuisines — each often expressed by proud immigrants who celebrate their homeland’s culture with a culinary joie de vivre.

One of the bes t such plac es is Simply T hai, a tin y jewel box venue tucked on the edge of a s trip center in the heart of St. Matthe ws. Its sparse, modern décor in r efined shades of purple and la vender communicates an ambienc e that exceeds the modest, 20-seat interior — it’s especially cozy at night.

Simply Thai Regular lines and busy take-out business confirm that something special is going on inside. And in two years, it has garnered acclaim from professional reviewers and the general public alike.

Proprietors Mahn and Chaveewan Saing — and their three sons, Jade, Gene and Jeffery — are the heart and energy behind this family run restaurant. And its success contains a story of perseverance and adaptability coupled with a love for good food served up on every plate.

DANGEROUS AND ROMANTIC JOURNEY Mahn Saing, an articulate and personable native of Burma (Myanmar), talks with simple candor about the political turmoil that forced him to end his career as a physician and go underground as an opposition leader after the 1962 military coup. He fled to Thailand with the deposed prime minister, U Nu, and became a guerilla battalion commander along the Burmese-Thai border in a fight to reclaim democracy.

In a tale worthy of a film script, he and Chaveewan met at a party in Bangkok, fell in love and married. She soon joined him in the north.

“One day she came out of the city and up to the mountains on a motorcycle,” Mahn said.“We lived in the jungle for two years with snakes under our pillows!”

Chaveewan, who first seems more reserved and quiet, dismisses the snakes reference with a laugh, “Maybe under his pillow, not mine!”

Life changed after a reconciliation amnesty was declared in 44 Summer 2009 www.foodanddine.com

(502) 899-9670 318 Wallace Avenue

1980.The young family moved to Rangoon and settled into something more normal until another military crackdown in 1988 forced Mahn to flee to India and Chaveewan, with their three children, to Bangkok.

“I could not go to Thailand,” Mahn said. “Because Burmese officials at the border would have arrested me and killed me.”

The family remained separated nearly three years until Mahn got an Indian passport, which allowed him to travel to Bangkok and apply for political asylum in the U.S. Today, Chaveewan Saing is the taste and standard setter at Simply Thai, reflecting skills learned in her childhood and honed working with her mother during the three years she and Mahn were separated. Jade is the sushi chef, Gene and Jeffery are wok chefs, and even Mahn is engaged — responsible for the curries — in this family team operation.

“I started out as a fan of her cooking,” Mahn said. “I love to eat and notice all the subtle differences in taste. But she taught me to cook.”

Mahn says the level at which the restaurant performs is a result of Chaveewan’s upbringing.

“They (his in-laws) always ate very nice in their family. They ate in style and were always used to good Thai food.”

Chaveewan’s grandmother, Tsong Suk, trained under and worked with the chef to Thailand’s royal family. Her mother, Ura, ran a restaurant named Banrai in the capital city, Bangkok.

Fortunately, Chaveewan’s sister, Chavantee Snow, had settled in Louisville years earlier after marrying a U.S. serviceman. Mrs.

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Simply Thai’s Pineapple Curry Shrimp

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Snow, who operates the well-regarded Thai Café in Holiday Manor, became a bridge to resettling.

“I started working with my sister until we were ready to try our own restaurant, the Bangkok Buffet,” Chaveewan said.

Unfortunately, that venture fell against stiff competition that didn’t share the Saings’ commitment to fresh ingredients and fresh preparation.

“At the time, some Chinese buffets were offering over a 100 selections, taking stuff right from Sysco (a wholesale supplier) and putting it out,” Mahn recalled. “We tried to do everything fresh, everything to order. We never saw the sun or moon. We were constantly working.”

Simply Thai’s appropriately named Amazing Sea Bass

Closing shop in 2000, the Saings adapted. Mahn spent the next five years selling cars while Chaveewan became the sushi chef at Amazing Grace natural food store and deli. When their eldest son, Jade, returned home after a four-year tour in the Marines, she trained him in the craft and together they partnered in catering, and won awards, with Jeff Jarfi of Jarfi’s Bistro.

But biding their time never meant giving up on their dream.

“When we found out the owner of the Double Dragon was struggling and hoping to return to China, we negotiated to buy out his lease,” Mahn said. “Then we spent three months cleaning, renovating and remodeling this place before opening in October 2006.”

COOKING WITH HEART Both the focus and execution at Simply Thai is driven by a value system ingrained in the Saings’ upbringing and culture.

“There is a Buddhist saying in Pali, ‘Say da na,’ for which there is no English equivalent but means ‘love’ or ‘good will’,” Mahn explained. “In preparing food, it translates into wanting it to taste very good, to be generous, and to be pleasing to your guests.”

Thai cuisine represents a crossroads between China, India and the Asian subcontinent and is characterized by an emphasis on fresh ingredients, including herbs and spices, combined with rice noodles or an indigenous, aromatic jasmine rice.

Dishes are broadly broken down into typical lunchtime fare of soups, salads or stir-fried noodle dishes, and traditional evening meals of vegetable rice combinations, longer-simmered curries or seafood and meat specialties.

Proprietors Mahn (left), Jade and Chaveewan (seated) Saing

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Eggplant and tofu in a Thai basil garlic sauce But what is so engaging, sometimes mesmerizing, is all Thai cuisine involves a balancing of five flavor elements: sweet, sour, salty, heat (spicy) and sometimes bitter.

Simply Thai’s flavorful dishes result from the intentional convergence of fresh ingredients, cooking technique, and a kitchen process that allows them to adjust spice levels for each diner.

“Fresh, fresh, fresh, that is something we always emphasize,” Mahn said, while describing daily shopping trips for top quality produce at up to six locations, rather than relying on one supplier.

“At home we also grow as many peppers as possible, two to three hundred plants in our yard each year, as well as lemon and Kaffir lime trees in large containers,” Mahn continued. “That way we can pick the same day we will use them in the kitchen.”

As for technique, Thai cooking involves changing the heat during different stages of preparation to both create its distinctive sauces and curries and infuse those flavors into softened noodles or rice.This implies an engaged and attentive chef.

AMENDABLE HEAT In consideration of sometimes timid and less experienced American palates, the Saings have developed a system to consistently adjust spice levels by measured portions of the firery Thai Bird pepper. The Saings suggest heat levels on a scale of 1 to 5, but can go well beyond for those seeking a special experience.

For example, a level five green curry hits the tongue and palate with a peppery jolt, but it neither hides nor dominates the underlying mélange of sweet flavors. If you prefer a more moderate spice, ask for a lower number. But if you want a Scoville unit rush to make your lips tingle and cheeks sweat, ask for a level of eight or ten.

“We had one diner request a 16, which we provided,” Chaveewan said chuckling. “His face became flushed and he drank water after each bite. But he came back.The second time he asked for a 10.”

Additional flexibility is available by asking for traditional green or red chile (nam prik) or fish sauce (nam pla) to be brought to the table, depending on whether you want to add a smokey or fresh heat or the slap of a salty exclamation point.

MENU Simply Thai offers an impressive spectrum and, with twothirds available either as vegetarian or vegan, an oasis for the non-meat eater.

Appetizers range from delightful Edamame Dumplings ($4.50); and Grilled Chicken Salad ($6.50); to Fresh Spring Rolls ($4.50) that come stuffed as big around as a doorknob. Traditional noodle dishes — Pad Thai with fish sauce, Pad Se Jew and green sauce, or Pad Ke Mow with Thai basil ($7.50 at lunch, $8.00 dinner) — will compete to become your favorite. And tasty curries blend coconut milk and lemongrass with either roasted red chiles, green chiles and Thai basil, pineapple sweet and sour, or a more traditional Indian tumeric and curry ($8.50 at lunch, $10 for dinner).

Dinner-only specialties range from Basil Chicken with a red pepper sauce ($10); and Herbed Pork Loin medallions ($14); to Amazing Sea Bass ($19), a pan-seared wonder served with rice noodles and zucchini and a green curry sauce.

“Once a customer came in and ordered the sea bass and wanted it to go,” Chaveewan said. “They said they were going to take it to a 5-star chef to show him how cooking can be done.” F&D www.foodanddine.com Summer 2009 47

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people and places profiles

BY BILL DOOLITTLE | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

A Diner with a T horoughbred Legacy Wagner’s Pharmacy is an old-f ashioned lunch counter that serves up classics steeped in horseracing history

O

One of the better moments in Wagner’s Pharmacy history came just last spring when famed restaurateur and popular television chef Bobby Flay breezed in with a camera crew to challenge Wagner’s chef Pam Pryor to a “Throw Down.”

A few minutes later, it was all over but the bow down.

“I beat him,” Pryor says proudly. “We have an omelet we call Jack’s Omelet ($6.99).That’s what I made. He made some kind of little omelets, but they didn’t beat mine. He wound up eating mine and gave his away to some of the customers. I swear he did.”

But no hard feelings.

“Bobby’s a sweetheart,” says Pryor.“We had a great time with him. And I know he’ll be coming back for the Derby this year. I’m not thinking we’ll be doing another ‘Throw Down,’ but I know he’ll be in.”

That’s because Flay is an avid racing fan and horse owner, and the kind of celebrity who wouldn’t dream of coming to the home of the Kentucky Derby without stopping in for lunch at Wagner’s.

One of the many breakfast dishes — eggs, bacon, potatoes, tomatoes and a biscuit — served all day at Wagner’s.

There was a time when the drug store lunch counter was a thriving part of the American restaurant scene.The five-and-dime soda fountains, the little lunch places. Swiveling stools, plate lunches and newspapers propped up against coffee creamers.

Places that served good, hot meals to very loyal customers — at a reasonable price.

Today, there aren’t many lunch counters left. But there’s one in Louisville — and it’s not just hanging on by a thread to yesteryear. Wagner’s is doing a booming business — partly because it is located on the backstretch doorstep of Churchill Downs, but also because it offers that most essential staple of all successful restaurants: good food.

And it helps to know what day to drop in.

Like Wednesday. That’s a big day at Wagner’s, with the roast beef and mashed potatoes special ($6.99) that packs in the patrons. A rather common selection, you’d think, until Pryor reveals that she and the Wagner’s staff begin Wednesday mornings

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Wagner’s third generation owner, Brenda Smyth, granddaughter of founder Leo Wagner Sr.

Wagner’s by peeling at least 50 pounds of potatoes. “It’s all about fresh food,” says Pryor. “We don’t buy anything frozen in a box. It’s all fresh food made right here every day.”

Take the Friday fish special ($6.99). It has to be special to succeed in a town full of folks who try to catch the best fish sandwiches on Friday.

Pryor came up under longtime Wagner’s cook Kitty Wainscott, who handed Pryor the keys to the grill after a 25-year career.

“It took us a while to decide on what kind of fish we wanted,” explains Pryor. “We tried several kinds of fish before we finally decided the Atlantic white cod was the very best. And we bread it ourselves.” Same with the cheeseburgers ($3.25), made with fresh (not frozen) black Angus beef. Not expensive stuff, but fresh.

If it’s breakfast, a Wagner’s waitress will always ask if you want sliced tomatoes.

Tomatoes? For breakfast?

“Come summer time, our customers are tomato freaks,” Pryor explains. “They love tomatoes off the vine. So I have two people who come in to sell them to me, and we go through them like crazy.They love tomatoes at breakfast and we can stuff ’em at lunch, as a salad ($4.99).”

And not just any tomatoes.

“We have a place over on Taylor where a fellow has a little

Pharmacy (502) 375-3800 3113 Fourth Street fruit and vegetable stand,” says Pryor. “I don’t know where he gets them, and they’re little bitty ones. But they are so good.”

This place is on Taylor Boulevard? asks an admitted tomato freak.

“Across from Wendy’s,” says Pryor.

“By the Dollar General store,” she tries again.

“Next to Deja Vu,” she says finally.

“Ah, yes,” chuckles the fella.“Why is it everyone knows where Deja Vu is?”

“I have no idea,” says Pryor.“But I thought I’d float it out there and see if you knew.”

Yes, lunch at Wagner’s comes with good humor.

And sometimes romance.

On one Thursday of each month, the Pot Luck Special ($6.99) is spaghetti and meat sauce. Pryor says regulars call a day or two ahead to find out if the coming Thursday is the right Pot Luck Thursday for Pam’s spaghetti special.

They like it that much?

“I have gotten marriage proposals for my spaghetti and meat sauce — I swear to God,” says Pryor.“At least two proposals every time I make that, somebody wants to marry me.”

“Three times, one day,” chimes in Wagner’s server Jo Ann Hellmann. www.foodanddine.com Summer 2009 49

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And what does Pryor say to these proposals?

“I ask them how much money they have.”

Which is a pretty good joke around a racetrack — where a suitor might be brimming with bills. Or totally tapped out.

Pryor says there is no special secret to her spaghetti sauce. “I don’t know, I just mix the regular stuff together,” she says.

“Don’t let her fool you,” cautions Hellmann. “She’s got a little packet of stuff in her pocket she puts in there when nobody is looking.”

Pryor isn’t talking. “I can’t give all my secrets out.”

It also helps to know what’s not on the menu. Like every Pot Luck Thursday, Wagner’s serves butter bean soup and corn bread, though it’s not on the printed menu. Or you could probably order an omelet with salsa and pepper cheese ($6.49), since Pryor keeps those ingredients in stock just as a favor to trainer Lynn Whiting, who won the Kentucky Derby with Lil E Tee. Horse trainers are definitely the royalty at Wagner’s. Regulars include Bob Holthus, Jimmy Baker, Greg Foley and Dallas Stewart.

But the chef ’s favorite is (no surprise) two-time Derby winning trainer Nick Zito. “Oh, I love Nick Zito,” she swoons. “He is just the sweetest man on the face of the earth.”

Which is a slightly different category of affection than that held by Churchill’s horseman’s representative Buck Wheat. “Mr. Buck, as I call him — Julian Wheat. He’s my favorite man in the whole world.”

University of Louisville basketball coach and racehorse owner Rick Pitino comes in with his staff.

“What we try to do,” says Pryor, “is keep everybody off him while he’s eating and talking with his coaches. If you want to catch

Wagners’ ties to horseracing history are hard to ignore with the bounty of photos that adorn every wall.

Coach Pitino when he’s checking out (with longtime cashier Diane Underhill), that’s more than fine, and he’s always gracious about signing autographs. But we don’t let people mess with him while he’s trying to eat.”

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Wagner’s owner Brenda Smyth, a granddaughter of founder Leo Wagner Sr. and daughter of late owner Lee Wagner, can click off a ton of celebrities.

“One of the most fun days we had was with Orlando Bloom and Kirsten Dunst sitting in a booth under some Derby pictures,” recalls Wagner’s Smyth. “(Director) Cameron Crowe rented the whole restaurant for a day to shoot a scene for the film ‘Elizabethtown.’ I think they had a great time because the place has such atmosphere and tradition.”

The scene did not make the final cut — which, coupled with a weak ending, no doubt dulled the film’s box office performance.

But they take all that in stride at Wagner’s, where there’s no shortage of days in the spotlight.

“When that track opens in April, we’ve got cameras in here just about every day,” says Pryor.“That’s just part of the great time we all have.”

The news people and celebrities, in fact, aren’t half as interesting as the photos on the wall.

“The customers love the pictures,” says Pryor. “They come in here and take pictures of the pictures. And the out-of-towners, the first thing they’ll look for is Secretariat. The first one they go look for every time,” she says.

A personal favorite is the official win photo of a race at Cincinnati’s River Downs, in which a horse who has fallen in the mud is sliding on his side, head first under the finish line, winning the race.The rule is, a horse must finish with his jockey aboard — but

Simple but classic — eggs, potatoes and country ham. (below) Wednesday’s special at Wagner’s — roast beef sandwich and mashed potatoes.

there’s no problem here. Jockey Bernie Saylor has come out of the irons and off his saddle — but is perched on the horse’s neck, still holding the reins as they slide under the wire. Like he’s water skiing. The stewards conferred for some time before making the race “official.”

You know, you can go to some fancy turf club at Belmont Park, or Royal Ascot, or someplace, and they’ll have expensive oil paintings of noble steeds hung all over the walls. But they don’t have anything like Bernie Saylor sliding to victory at River Downs.

About ten years ago Smyth took over keeping the books for the various Wagner’s businesses — which include the pharmacy, restaurant, tack shop, veterinary supplies and making of jockey silks. When Lee Wagner died in 2008, the family decided to keep the businesses going, and Smyth took over its management. “(Lee) loved horse racing and horse people,” recalls Smyth.“If someone came in who was sick, he would find a doctor to see them to write a prescription. And if they couldn’t pay, he would help them with that.The place is just all tied up in the memory he created.”

The current Wagner’s is the second incarnation of the family pharmacy founded in 1922.The original was about 100 feet north, on the northeast corner of Fourth and Central — a narrow little place almost taller inside than it was wide, with important stuff hanging almost to the ceiling, a long lunch counter, with the pharmacy at one end and stacks of Daily Racing Forms at the other. A widening of Central Avenue took out the building, and Wagner’s moved to its new location.

“We tried to make it look exactly the same, everything was lifted off the walls and brought over here. But we have much more room here for the fountain area,” says Smyth.

And more room for pictures. Photos of Derby winners go back beyond Gallant Fox, the Triple Crown winner of 1930.

There’s also Man o’ War, who didn’t run in the Derby, as well as dozens of lesser and long forgotten steeds. Old photos with guys in overcoats and fedoras and gals in flowery print dresses.

“You step back in history when you walk in here,” says Smyth.

The customers made the move with the photos and tradition — and new ones arrive every day.Word travels fast on hot horses and great lunch places.

Here’s a tip: The perfect time to visit Wagner’s is in the spring weeks leading up to — but not including — Derby Week.

It’s just too crowded Derby Week, and the restaurant goes with a shortened menu to accommodate the throngs. But two or three weeks before the Derby is ideal.The barn area at Churchill is filling back up with horses, and Wagner’s is full of Derby Talk.

This writer’s routine is to clock a few horses in the early hours over at the track, then come across the street for breakfast when the backside hubbub begins to die down about 9:30 a.m. A suggested Light Breakfast order : two eggs scrambled, bacon, wheat toast, two pancakes, milk, orange juice, coffee — and sliced tomatoes ($14.29). Add the Daily Racing Form ($5.50).Talk horses.

If you come in later, try the specials, and maybe an oldfashioned malted milk shake ($3).

But stay away from the spaghetti and meat sauce — unless you’ve brought along a nice ring and plenty of money. F&D www.foodanddine.com Summer 2009 51

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recipes cooking class

PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

Cooking with Tomatillos A staple in Mexican cooking, the tomatillo is now widely available and adds an earth y, tart flavor to dishes

F

For many of us, Mexican green sauces are the beginning and end of what we know about tomatillos.

These little fruits are odd, but not difficult to grow.They are about the size of cherry tomatoes, though they can grow as large as golf balls. When they grow, a papery husk forms first and the fruit grows and then ripens inside. The husk is removed and discarded before using the tomatillo.

Tomatillos, like more familiar red tomatoes, are native to this hemisphere, but unlike red tomatoes, haven’t been embraced into scores of other cuisines.

But that doesn’t slow David Moeller.

When Moeller is asked to create a dish using tomatillos, this classically-trained chef at Sullivan University reaches into his

French lexicon. “The flavor of a tomatillo — it’s like a firm, tart tomato,” he says. “I think of what balances that tartness … ” The verdict: fatty, rich food, like foie gras and tuna. Chefs often pair sweet and acid with foie gras, and Moeller thinks of tomatillos as a perfect candidate for the tart counterpoint. Always one to “kick it up a notch,” Moeller adds another Western native, the habanero pepper, to his chutney.

Using the model of green-tomato chow chow, Moeller cooks up a tomatillowatermelon relish to complement a quickly-grilled tuna, making it the perfect entrée for a summer night.

Chef Steve Atkins, who formerly taught at Sullivan’s Lexington campus, was guided by the same concept: fatty and

tart. “You should always balance textures and flavors,” he says.

Salmon and venison are each rich and substantial foils to tomatillos. But Atkins wanted something more in his dishes. “I wanted to add a touch of novelty or whimsy to the dish, which sorta describes myself,” he says, “sorta goofy.”

The whimsy of his salmon dish is a haystack of deep-fried plantain strips used as a crunchy counterpar t to the silky sautéed salmon with a side of Caribbeaninspired tomatillo relish.

Atkins says the character of venison loin chops can stand up to an aggressive spice rub and a tomatillo-jicama sidekick that he calls a “sofrito” after the Latin American sauce. But with all that refreshing jicama, it might just as well be called a salad.

Seared foie gras with tomatillo-habanero chutney

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Grilled salmon with shrimp and tomatillo relish

Seared coriander and cumin-crusted venison loin with tomatillo and jicama sofrito

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Guest Chef

Stephen Atkins Seared Coriander and Cumin-Crusted Venison Loin with Tomatillo and Jicama Sofrito (SERVES 2)

Venison often needs to be ordered from a specialty butcher shop. Order the chops “Frenched” and the butcher will trim the bones.

1

1 /2 2 2 1 /2 1 /2 2

teaspoons granulated garlic teaspoons ground cumin tablespoons ground coriander teaspoon salt teaspoon freshly ground pepper venison loin chops, bone in and bones trimmed (“Frenched”) 1 egg white, beaten until frothy 2 teaspoons salad oil 1 /2 teaspoon butter

Combine garlic, cumin, coriander, salt and pepper. Dip venison chops in egg white to coat, then sprinkle the spice mixture all over the chops to cover them. Heat oil and butter until very hot, and cook quickly on both sides to set the egg. Reduce heat to medium and cook to a medium-rare in pan without charring crust. Finish in a 425 degree oven just prior to service.

Tomatillo and Jicama Sofrito To roast tomatillos, remove and discard their papery husks, wash them, then cut in half and toss with a little olive oil. Spread halves on a baking sheet and bake at 450 degrees until the tomatillos soften and turn brown in spots, about 20 minutes.

8 1 1 1/2 1 1 1 1/2 1 /3

2

ounces bacon, minced yellow onion, very finely diced cloves garlic, minced pound tomatillos, roasted and chopped jicama, peeled and diced tablespoons red wine vinegar cup olive oil Juice from half a lime Salt and pepper to taste tablespoons of cilantro leaves, chopped

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Heat the bacon in a heavy saucepan over high heat for a minute. Stir; reduce heat to medium and add onion and garlic.

Cook, stirring occasionally, until bacon is cooked and onion is limp. Add vinegar and reduce by one-quarter. Add tomatillos and cook 2 or 3 minutes, until they have released some of their liquid into the pan. Stir in remaining ingredients. Serve slightly warmed.

Assembly Plate the venison chop and top with a 1 /2-cup portion of the ‘Sofrito.’

Grilled Salmon with Shrimp and Tomatillo Relish (SERVES 2)

2 5-ounce salmon fillets 2 tablespoons olive oil Salt Black pepper 1 avocado, sliced (for garnish) 4 sprigs cilantro (for garnish)

Rub salmon fillets with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place salmon on a very hot grill (you should not be able to hold your hand over the top of the center of the grill longer than a count to three).

Cook about 21/2 minutes per side — the middle of the salmon should have darker pink streak. Set fish aside.

Tomatillo Relish 1 cup julienne red onion 1 /2 cup extra virgin olive oil 10 jumbo shrimp (uncooked, tails off), quartered lengthwise 1 pound fresh tomatillos, diced 2 tomatoes, cored, seeded, diced 1 clove garlic, sliced paper thin 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped Juice of 1 lime 1 pinch cayenne pepper Salt Black pepper

Sauté red onion in 1/4-cup olive oil on medium-high heat until it becomes slightly browned. Add shrimp and continue cooking until the shrimp is opaque. Add tomatillos, diced tomatoes, garlic, lime juice and the remaining olive oil. Cook until slightly warmer than room temperature. Finish with cayenne pepper and cilantro. Salt and pepper to taste and serve as soon as possible.

Plantain Vermicelli 1 barely ripe plantain 3 to 4 cups vegetable oil Blackening seasoning Garlic powder

Julienne plantain on a mandoline to create long, skinny strips. Place in deep fat fryer set at 275 degrees and fry until crisp.

Remove to a paper towel and season with blackening seasoning and garlic powder to taste.

Assembly Place grilled salmon fillet slightly perched atop vermicelli.Top each fillet with a 1/2-cup portion of tomatillo and shrimp relish. Garnish with three avocado slices and a sprig of cilantro.

Guest Chef

Dave Moeller Seared Foie Gras with Tomatillo-Habanero Chutney (SERVES 4)

Foie gras is often available at Creation Gardens, 609 E. Main St., (502) 587-9012.

8 ounces foie gras Salt Black pepper 1 cup all-purpose flour 4 ounces (about 1/2 cup) of the tomatillo-habanero chutney 4 toast points 2 cups baby lettuce greens

Slice foie gras 1/4-inch thick and season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a sauté pan over high heat. Dredge foie gras in flour and shake off excess. Sear foie on both sides until golden brown. Place on toast point, top with chutney and garnish with baby greens.

Toast points: To make toast points, toast 2 slices of good quality white sandwich bread, remove crusts, then cut toast on diagonal to create triangles.

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Tomatillo-Habanero Chutney 1 6 6 3 1 /2 2

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Seared ahi tuna salad with tomatillo-watermelon relish

tablespoon oil medium tomatillos, washed, diced tablespoons champagne vinegar tablespoons sugar habanero pepper, diced fine mint leaves, chopped

Heat oil in heavy skillet over high heat.

Add tomatillos and quickly sauté, shaking pan — less than a minute — just as they start to soften. Add vinegar and sugar and cook until almost syrupy in consistency.

Add habaneros and mint. Chill.

Seared Ahi Tuna Salad with Tomatillo-Watermelon Relish (SERVES 4)

Relish 1 cup champagne vinegar 4 tablespoons sugar 6 to 8 medium-sized tomatillos (washed, cut into wedges) 1 cup seeded, diced watermelon 1 /2 cup red onion, julienne 2 jalapeño peppers (or substitute birdseye or habanero, if more heat is desired) 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

Combine vinegar and sugar in a bowl and whisk until sugar is dissolved. Combine all other ingredients and add to bowl.

Allow to sit overnight.

Ahi Tuna Salad 2 tablespoons grape seed oil 1 pound Ahi tuna, cut into 4 equal portions, 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick Salt Black pepper 2 cups lightly packed mixed salad greens (such as Mache, Bibb or Frisee)

In a very hot sauté pan, heat grape seed oil. Season tuna with salt and pepper and sear on all sides, being careful to only sear long enough to lightly brown each side then remove from pan and chill.

Assembly Season greens with salt and pepper then place on plates. Slice tuna and shingle over greens. Top each with two tablespoons of relish and serve. F&D

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Alphabetical Index

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

UNMAPPED [ ] DENOTES MULTIPLE LOCATIONS.

Cuisine Style

RESTAURANT

dining guide

AFRICAN 74 ASIAN/CHINESE 74 ASIAN/FILIPINO 75 ASIAN/JAPANESE 75 ASIAN/KOREAN 76 ASIAN/THAI 76 ASIAN/VIETNAMESE 76 BAR & GRILL 73 BARBECUE 72 BISTRO/CONTEMPORARY 63 CAFÉS 64 CAFETERIAS 69 CAJUN/CREOLE 79 CARIBBEAN/CUBAN 79 CASUAL DINING 66 COFFEE/TEA HOUSE 80 DESSERTS/BAKERY 81 ENTERTAINMENT DINING 69 EUROPEAN/BOSNIAN 77 EUROPEAN/GERMAN 77 EUROPEAN/IRISH 77 EUROPEAN/ITALIAN 77 EUROPEAN/SPANISH 78 FINE DINING 60 HOME STYLE/SOUTHERN 68 INDIAN 78 MEXICAN 79 MICROBREWERIES 74 MIDDLE EASTERN 78 PIZZA 69 SANDWICH/DELI 70 SEAFOOD 65 SOUTHWEST/TEX MEX 80 STEAKHOUSE 66 UPSCALE CASUAL 61

Area Maps MAP # DIRECTION

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

82 PG #

Overview (Index)

82

Downtown

84

Near East

85

East

86

South East

87

East

88

(Downtown Louisville) (Highlands – Crescent Hill) (St. Matthews) (Hikes Point – Buechel) (Hurstbourne N. – Lyndon)

South East

89 (Hurstbourne S. – Jeffersontown) North East 90 (River Rd. – Brownsboro Rd.) North East 90 (Westport Rd.) Far East 91 (Middletown) North East 91 (Prospect) South East 91 (Fern Creek) South 92 (Airport – Okolona) South West 93 (Shively – Pleasure Ridge Park) Indiana 94 (New Albany – Floyds Knobs) Indiana 95 (Clarksville) Indiana 95 (Jeffersonville)

56 Summer 2009 www.foodanddine.com

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#1 Asian Buffet 74 211 Clover Lane 60 60 West Bistro 61 610 Magnolia 60 732 Social 61 8 China Buffet 74 A Nice Restaurant 66 A Taste of China 74 A.J.’s Coffee & Cream 80 Adriann’s Around the Table 64 Adrienne & Co. Bakery Café 81 Adrienne’s Italian 77 Al Watan 78 Alexander’s Pizzeria 69 Amazing Grace Deli 70 Amerigo 77 Amici´ 77 Angelina’s Café 77 Angilo’s Pizza 69 Angio’s Restaurant 69 Ann’s by the River 69 Annie Café 76 Annie’s Pizza 69 Another Place 70 Applebee’s 66 Arni’s Pizza 69 Aroma Café 64 Artemisia 61 Asahi Japanese 75 Asian Buffet 74 Asiatique 61 Aspen Creek Restaurant 66 Atrium Café 63 August Moon 74 Austin’s 61 Avalon 61 The aWay Café 64 bd’s Mongolian Grill 74 B.J.’s Restaurant & Brewhouse 66 Babby’s Steakhouse 66 Backyard Burger 70 The Bakery 81 Bamboo House 74 Bank Shot Billiards 70 Bank Street Brewhouse 74 Barbara Lee’s Kitchen 68 Basa Modern Vietnamese 62 Baxter Station 63 Bazos Mexican Grill 79 Bean Street Café 8o Bearno’s Pizza 69 Beef O’Brady’s 73 Behar Café 77 Beijing Grill & Sushi Bar 75 Bendoya Sushi Bar 75 Big Al’s Beeritaville 73 Big Momma’s Soul Kitchen 68 Bistro 301 63 Bistro Le Relais 63 Blackstone Grille 62 Blimpie’s Subs 70 BLU Mediterranean Grille 62 Blue Dog Bakery 64 Blue Mountain Wine Bar 64 Blue Mule Sports Café 73 Bluegrass Brewing Co. 74 Bluegrass Grill & Bar 66 Bombay Grill 78 Bonefish Grill 65 Boombozz Pizza & Taphouse 69 Bootleg Barbecue Co. 72 Bosna-Mak 77 Bourbons Bistro 63 Brandon’s Bar-B-Que 72 Bravo!

62 Breadworks 81 Brendan’s Restaurant & Pub 77 Bristol Bar & Grille 62 Brix Wine Bar 63 Brownie’s Grille & Bar 73 Browning’s Brewery 63 Bruce’s Smokehouse 72 Bruno’s Pizza 69 Bruno’s Pizzeria & Pub 69 Buca Di Beppo 77 Buck’s 60 Buckhead Mountain Grill 66 Buenos Dias Café 79

MAP #

Asian/Chinese 2 Fine Dining 3 Upscale Casual 3 Fine Dining 12 Upscale Casual 1 Asian/Chinese 6 Casual Dining 14, 16 Asian/Chinese 1 Coffee House 14 Cafés 9 Desserts/Bakery 16 European/Italian 16 Middle Eastern 4 Pizza 16 Sandwich/Deli 2 European/Italian 5 European/Italian 12 European/Italian 5 Pizza 12 Pizza 4 Cafeterias 16 Asian/Vietnamese 12 Pizza 1, 13 Sandwich/Deli 1 Casual Dining [8] Pizza 14 Cafés 14 Upscale Casual 1 Asian/Japanese 3 Asian/Chinese 4, 14, 15 Upscale Casual 2 Casual Dining 11 Bistro/Contemporary 5 Asian/Chinese 2 Upscale Casual 7 Upscale Casual 2 Cafés 14 Asian/Chinese 6 Casual Dining 5 Steakhouse 16 Sandwich/Deli 6, 7 Desserts/Bakery 4 Asian/Chinese 12 Sandwich/Deli 1 Microbreweries 14 Home Style/Southern 2 Upscale Casual 2 Bistro/Contemporary 2 Mexican 3 Coffee House 14 Pizza [13] Bar & Grill 8, 9, 12, 14, 15 European/Bosnian 12 Asian/Japanese 14 Asian/Japanese 1 Bar & Grill 2 Home Style/Southern 1 Bistro/Contemporary 1 Bistro/Contemporary 4 Upscale Casual 10 Sandwich/Deli 2 Upscale Casual 1 Cafés 2 Cafés 1 Bar & Grill 6 Microbreweries 1, 3 Casual Dining 7 Indian 5 Seafood 5 Pizza 2 Barbecue 11, 12 European/Bosnian 4 Bistro/Contemporary 2 Barbecue 5 Upscale Casual 3 Desserts/Bakery 2, 7, 9 European/Irish 3 Upscale Casual 1, 2, 5, 10, 12, 16 Bistro/Contemporary 8 Bar & Grill 5 Bistro/Contemporary 1 Barbecue 4 Pizza 14 Pizza 12 European/Italian 6 Fine Dining 12 Casual Dining 4,8, 12, 16 Mexican 15

RESTAURANT

PAGE #/CUISINE STYLE

Buffalo Wild Wings 73 Buffalo Wings & Rings 73 Bulldog Café 64 Bunz Restaurant 66 Butcher’s Best Deli 70 Butterfly Garden Café 64 Cachito Mio Cuban Café 79 Café 360 78 Café Fraiche 64 Café Lou Lou 63 Café Magnolia 66 Café Metro 60 Café Palacio 70 Café Thuy Van 76 Caffe Classico 80 Cake Flour 81 California Pizza Kitchen 69 Calistoga Bakery Café 70 Cancun Mexican Grill 79 Captain Pepper Jack’s 78 Captain’s Quarters 66 Cardinal Hall of Fame Café 67 Carly Rae’s 67 Carolina Shrimp & Seafood 65 Carolyn’s 68 Carrabba’s Italian Grille 77 Caspian Grill Persian Bistro 78 Cat Box Deli 71 Catfish Haven Restaurant 65 Caviar Japanese Rest.

62 Champions Grill 67 Champion’s Sports Rest. 73 Charlestown Pizza Co. 69 Chatter’s Bar & Grill 73 Check’s Café 68 Cheddar Box Café 64 Cheddar’s Casual Café 67 The Cheesecake Factory 62 Chez Seneba African 74 The Chicago Gyro 71 Chick Inn 67 The Chicken House 68 Chicken King 68 Chili’s 67 China 1 74 China Buffet 74 China Castle 74 China Garden 74 China Inn 74 China King 74 China Taste 74 Chinese Chef 74 Chinese Express 74 Choi’s Asian Food Market 75 Chong Garden 74 Chopshop Salads 67 Chopsticks 74 Chopsticks House 74 Chrisanta’s Café 64 Chung King 74 Cici’s 69 City Café 64 Clark Boy Bar-B-Que 72 Clarksville Seafood 65 Clifton’s Pizza 69 Club Grotto 62 Coach Lamp 62 Coco’s Bakery 81 CoCo’s Chocolate Café 81 Coffee Crossing 80 Coffee Pot Café 80 Colonnade Café 64 Come Back Inn 77 Connor’s Place 73 Corbett’s ‘an American place’ 60 Corner Café 62 Cottage Café 68 Cottage Inn 68 Crave Café & Catering 64 Cravings a la Carte 69 Creekside Outpost & Café 64 Crystal Chinese 74 Culver’s 67 Cumberland Brews 74 Cunningham’s 67 The Cupcake Shoppe 81 Cutter’s Wharf 67 Cyclers Café 64 Dakshin Indian Restaurant 78 Danish Express Pastries 71 Danny Boy’s 73 Danny Mac’s Pasta & Pizza 69 Day’s Espresso 80 De La Torre’s 78 Del Frisco’s 66 Delta Restaurant 73 Dem Bones BBQ 72 Derby Café 64 Derby City Dogs 71 Derby City Espresso 80

MAP #

Bar & Grill2,3, 6, 8, 9, 13, 15 Bar & Grill 8, 11 Cafés 12 Casual Dining 2 Sandwich/Deli 10 Cafés 2, 3 Caribbean/Cuban 8 Middle Eastern 2 Cafés 7 Bistro/Contemporary 2,3 Casual Dining 1 Fine Dining 2 Sandwich/Deli 3 Asian/Vietnamese 12 Coffee House 2 Desserts/Bakery 1 Pizza 5 Sandwich/Deli 1,3 Mexican 6 Middle Eastern 4 Casual Dining 10 Casual Dining 12 Casual Dining 1 Seafood 3 Home Style/Southern 13 European/Italian 5 Middle Eastern 2 Sandwich/Deli 1 Seafood 13 Upscale Casual 1 Casual Dining 16 Bar & Grill 1 Pizza 16 Bar & Grill 6 Home Style/Southern 1 Cafés 9 Casual Dining 8, 15 Upscale Casual 3 African 12 Sandwich/Deli 2 Casual Dining 10 Home Style/Southern 14 Home Style/Southern 1 Casual Dining 4, 5, 8, 12 Asian/Chinese 3 Asian/Chinese 15 Asian/Chinese 13 Asian/Chinese 12 Asian/Chinese 12 Asian/Chinese 6 Asian/Chinese 16 Asian/Chinese 12 Asian/Chinese 13 Asian/Japanese 5 Asian/Chinese 13 Casual Dining 1 Asian/Chinese 1 Asian/Chinese 1 Cafés 2 Asian/Chinese 1 Pizza 4, 14 Cafés 1, 2 Barbecue 13 Seafood 15 Pizza 2 Upscale Casual 2 Upscale Casual 1 Desserts/Bakery 12 Desserts/Bakery 2 Coffee House 14 Coffee House 1 Cafés 1 European/Italian 1, 16 Bar & Grill 14 Fine Dining 8 Upscale Casual 5 Home Style/Southern 9 Home Style/Southern 12 Cafés 2 Cafeterias 1 Cafés 14 Asian/Chinese 1 Casual Dining 6 Microbreweries 2 Casual Dining 1, 10 Desserts/Bakery 3 Casual Dining 10 Cafés 2 Indian 11 Sandwich/Deli 3 Bar & Grill 16 Pizza 2 Coffee House 2 European/Spanish 2 Steakhouse 3 Bar & Grill 1 Barbecue 16 Cafés 12 Sandwich/Deli 2 Coffee House 1

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MAP #

Derby Dinner Playhouse 69 Entertainment Dining 16 The Dessert Gallery 81 Desserts/Bakery 5 Desserts By Helen 81 Desserts/Bakery 2, 1 Devino’s 71 Sandwich/Deli 1 Diamond Pub & Billiards 73 Bar & Grill 3 Dinner Is Done 68 Home Style/Southern 6 Dino’s Down to Lunch 71 Sandwich/Deli 1 Ditto’s Grill 63 Bistro/Contemporary 2 Dizzy Whizz Drive-In 71 Sandwich/Deli 1 D’Nalley’s Restaurant 68 Home Style/Southern 1 Domino’s Pizza 69 Pizza [20] Don Pablos 79 Mexican 15 Dooley’s Bagels 71 Sandwich/Deli 3, 7 Double Dragon 74 Asian/Chinese 2 Double Dragon II 74 Asian/Chinese 5, 8, 11, 12 Double Dragon 8 74 Asian/Chinese 1 Double Dragon 9 74 Asian/Chinese 6 Double Dragon Buffet 74 Asian/Chinese 5 Dynasty Buffet 74 Asian/Chinese 7 Eastern House 74 Asian/Chinese 13 Einstein Brothers Bagels 71 Sandwich/Deli 1 El Burrito de Oro 79 Mexican 15 El Caporal 79 Mexican 4,6,12,15 El Mundo 79 Mexican 2 El Nopal 79 Mexican 6, 8, 9, 12, 14 El Nopalito 79 Mexican 2, 4, 11 El Rey Mexican 79 Mexican 4 El Rodeo Mexican 79 Mexican 13 El Tarasco 79 Mexican 3, 5, 6, 12 El Toro Resaurante Mexicano 79 Mexican 6 Emperor of China 74 Asian/Chinese 7 Empress of China 74 Asian/Chinese 4 The English Grill 60 Fine Dining 1 Equus 62 Upscale Casual 3 Erika’s German Rest.

77 European/German 6 Ermin’s Bakery & Café 64 Cafés 1, 10, 14 Ernesto’s 79 Mexican 3, 5, 6 Eva Mae’s Creekside 67 Casual Dining 10 The Falafel House 78 Middle Eastern 2 Famous Dave’s Bar-B-Que 72 Barbecue 6, 15 Fat Daddy’s Pizza 69 Pizza 12 Fat Jimmy’s 70 Pizza 1, 2, 9 Feed Bag Deli 71 Sandwich/Deli 3 Fiesta Time Mexican Grill 79 Mexican 8 Fifth Quarter 66 Steakhouse 12 Finley’s BBQ 72 Barbecue 1 Fire Fresh Bar B Q 72 Barbecue 1, 11, 13 Fireside Bar & Grill 67 Casual Dining 14 First Wok 74 Asian/Chinese 13 The Fish House 65 Seafood 2 The Fishery 65 Seafood 3 Five Guys Burgers & Fries 67 Casual Dining 14 Flabby’s Schnitzelburg 73 Bar & Grill 12 Flanagans Ale House 73 Bar & Grill 2 Fork in the Road 68 Home Style/Southern 13 Forty Acres And A Mule 68 Home Style/Southern 12 Four King’s Café 73 Bar & Grill 4 Fox & Hound 73 Bar & Grill 3 Frankfort Ave. Beer Depot 72 Bar & Grill 3 Frascelli’s N.Y. Deli & Pizza 71 Sandwich/Deli 7 Frolio’s Pizza 70 Pizza 12 Frontier Diner 68 Home Style/Southern 13 Fuji Japanese Steakhouse 76 Asian/Japanese 8, 9 Fun Food Café 64 Cafés 2 Furlongs 79 Cajun/Creole 5 Gasthaus 77 European/German 7 Gavi’s Restaurant 67 Casual Dining 1 Genny’s Diner 68 Home Style/Southern 2 Gerstle’s Place 73 Bar & Grill 3 Golden Buddha 74 Asian/Chinese 12 Golden Corral 68 Home Style/Southern 4,12,15 Golden Palace 74 Asian/Chinese 12 Golden Star Chinese 74 Asian/Chinese 12 Golden Wall 74 Asian/Chinese 12 Goose Creek Diner 67 Casual Dining 8 Granny’s Apron 68 Home Style/Southern 12 Granville Inn 73 Bar & Grill 12 Grape Leaf 78 Middle Eastern 2 Great American Grill 73 Bar & Grill 12 Great Life Café 71 Cafés 6,8,15 Great Wall 74 Asian/Chinese 2 Great Wok 74 Asian/Chinese 12 Hall’s Cafeteria 69 Cafeterias 2 Hanabi Japanese Restaurant 76 Asian/Japanese 10 Happy Dragon 74 Asian/Chinese 1 Hard Rock Café 63 Bistro/Contemporary 1 Harley’s House Of Brews 73 Bar & Grill 1 Harlow’s Bar & Grill 73 Bar & Grill 12 Havana Rumba 79 Caribbean/Cuban 3 Hazelwood Restaurant 68 Home Style/Southern 13 Heavenly Ham 71 Sandwich/Deli 14 Heine Brothers Coffee 80 Coffee House 2, 3 Heitzman Bakery & Deli 81 Desserts/Bakery 5 Highland Coffee Co. 80 Coffee House 2 Hiko A Mon Sushi Bar 76 Asian/Japanese 7 Hill Street Fish Fry 65 Seafood 12 Hitching Post Inn 73 Bar & Grill 11 Hobknobb Roasting Co. 80 Coffee House 14 Homerun Burgers & Fries 67 Casual Dining 6 Hometown Buffet 68 Home Style/Southern 6, 3 www.foodanddine.com Summer 2009 57

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Hometown Pizza 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 India Palace Indigo Joe’s Sports Pub Intermezzo Café & Cabaret The Irish Rover Iroquois Pizza Islamorada Fish Co. J. Alexander’s J. Graham’s Café J. Gumbo’s J. Harrods J Train Pizza & Pub Jack Binion’s Steakhouse Jack Fry’s Jack’s Lounge Jade Garden Buffet Jade Palace Jake’s & Mr. G’s Jane’s Cafeteria Jarfi’s at Glenmary Jarfi’s Bistro Jarfi’s Café Jasmine Jason’s Deli Java Brewing Co. Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse Jerry’s On The River Jersey Mike’s Subs Jersey’s Café Jessie’s Restaurant Jimbo’s BBQ Jimmy John’s Sub Shop Jockamo’s Pizza Pub Joe Davola’s Joe Huber Restaurant Joe Muggs Joe’s Crab Shack Joe’s O.K. Bayou Joe’s Older Than Dirt John E’s Johnny V’s Juanita’s Burger Boy Jucy’s Smokehouse Jumbo Buffet Just Fresh Bakery & Café Kansai Japanese Rest.

Karem’s Kashmir Indian Kayrouz Café KC’s Chicago Hotdog Stand Kentucky BBQ Co. Kern’s Korner King Wok Kingfish Kings Fast Food King’s Fried Chicken Kobe Japanese Steak Koreana II Kreso’s Restaurant KT’s L&N Wine Bar and Bistro La Bamba La Bodega La Gallo Rosso Bistro La Herradura La Monarca La Perla del Pacifico La Que La Rosita La Rosita Mexican Grill La Tapatia La Vida Java Coffee Co. Lancaster’s Cafeteria Las Gorditas Lee’s Korean Legend’s Lemongrass Café Liang’s Café The Lighthouse Lil’ Loafers Bakery Lilly’s Limestone Ling Ling Little Caesar’s Pizza Little Chef Liu’s Garden Logan’s Roadhouse Lolitas Tacos Inc. Longhorn Steakhouse

8:42 AM

MAP #

70 Pizza 7, 9 71 Sandwich/Deli 3, 11 74 Asian/Chinese 14 74 Asian/Chinese 12 73 Bar & Grill 12 67 Casual Dining 3,12,13,15,16 69 Entertainment Dining 1 75 Asian/Chinese 11 76 Asian/Japanese 6 67 Casual Dining 15 69 Entertainment Dining 8 68 Home Style/Southern 1,3,12 78 Indian 5 73 Bar & Grill 7 62 Upscale Casual 1 77 European/Irish 2, 7 70 Pizza 12 65 Seafood 15 62 Upscale Casual 3 64 Cafés 1 79 Cajun/Creole 1, 2, 5, 6, 8, 12 62 Upscale Casual 10 70 Pizza 16 60 Fine Dining 14 62 Upscale Casual 2 64 Bistro/Contemporary 3 75 Asian/Chinese 2 75 Asian/Chinese 7 73 Bar & Grill 5 69 Cafeterias 4 62 Upscale Casual 11 62 Upscale Casual 2 64 Cafés 1 75 Asian/Chinese 9 71 Sandwich/Deli 3, 5 80 Coffee House 1, 2, 9, 10 66 Steakhouse 1 73 Bar & Grill 16 71 Sandwich/Deli 5, 6, 8 73 Bar & Grill 15 68 Home Style/Southern 13 72 Barbecue 12 71 Sandwich/Deli 1, 2, 3, 6, 14 70 Pizza 12 71 Sandwich/Deli 2 69 Entertainment Dining 14 80 Coffee House 3, 8 65 Seafood 1 79 Cajun/Creole 6, 14 67 Casual Dining 5 62 Upscale Casual 4 70 Pizza 6 71 Sandwich/Deli 12 72 Barbecue 3 75 Asian/Chinese 6 71 Sandwich/Deli 2 76 Asian/Japanese 15 67 Casual Dining 8 78 Indian 2 64 Cafés 3 71 Sandwich/Deli 2 72 Barbecue 2 67 Casual Dining 2 75 Asian/Chinese 3 65 Seafood 6, 7, 16 68 Home Style/Southern 13 68 Home Style/Southern 12 76 Asian/Japanese 16 76 Asian/Korean 12 62 Upscale Casual 12 62 Upscale Casual 2 64 Bistro/Contemporary 2 79 Mexican 2 78 European/Spanish 2 77 European/Italian 2 79 Mexican 15 79 Mexican 11 79 Mexican 8 77 Asian/Vietnamese 2 79 Mexican 15 79 Mexican 14, 15 79 Mexican 2 80 Coffee House 7 69 Cafeterias 14 79 Mexican 11 76 Asian/Korean 12 67 Casual Dining 14 77 Asian/Vietnamese 3, 9 75 Asian/Chinese 8 73 Bar & Grill 16 71 Sandwich/Deli 12 60 Fine Dining 2 60 Fine Dining 5 75 Asian/Chinese 5 70 Pizza 6, 8, 11, 12 71 Sandwich/Deli 14 75 Asian/Chinese 9 66 Steakhouse 3, 13, 15 79 Mexican 12 66 Steakhouse 6, 8, 15

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RESTAURANT

PAGE #/CUISINE STYLE

Lonnie’s Taste Chicago Los Aztecas Lotsa Pasta Louisville Pizza Co. Luigi’s Lunch Today Lylia’s Encore Lynn’s Paradise Café Ma Zerellas Macca’s Florida Seafood Maggie’s Mai’s Thai Restaurant Maido Essential Japanese Main Eatery Maker’s Mark Lounge Manhattan Grill Mark’s Feed Store Market Street Fish House Martini Italian Bistro Masterson’s Max & Erma’s Mayan Café McAlister’s Deli The Melting Pot Meridian Café Mexican Fiesta Mexicano Mexico Tipico Michael Murphy’s Mikato Japanese Steakhouse Mike Linnig’s Mimi’s Café Mitchell’s Fish Market Moe’s Southwest Grill Mojito Tapas Restaurant Molly Malone’s The Monkey Wrench Morris Deli & Catering Morton’s of Chicago Mr. Gattis Mr. Lou’s Mr. Z’s Kitchen My Bar My Favorite Muffin My Old KY Dinner Train My Patria Nancy’s Bagel Box Nancy’s Bagel Grounds Napa River Grill New Albanian Brewing Co. New China New Direction Bar & Grill Nord’s Bakery North End Café NV Tavern O’Charley’s O’Dolly’s O’Shea’s Irish Pub The Oakroom Oasis Japanese Restaurant Oceanside Restaurant Oishii Sushi Old Chicago Pasta & Pizza Old Louisville Coffee House Old Spaghetti Factory Old Stone Inn Ole Hickory Pit BBQ The Olive Garden Olivia’s Restaurant Ollie’s Trolley Omar’s Fast Food On the Border Onion Rest.Tea House Orders Up Café & Deli Oriental Express Oriental House Oriental Star Original Impellizzeri’s Osaka Sushi Bar Otto’s Café Our Best Restaurant Outback Steakhouse P. F. Chang’s China Bistro Pa Pa Murphy’s Pizza Palermo Viejo Panda Chinese Panera Bread Co. Papa Johns Pizza Passtime Fish House Pat’s Steak House The Patron PattiCakes Café Paul’s Fruit Market Penn Station Peppers Bar and Grill Perkfection Pesto’s Italian Pho Binh Minh Piccadilly Cafeteria Picnicaters BBQ

MAP #

71 Sandwich/Deli 2, 3 79 Mexican 1, 7, 10 71 Sandwich/Deli 3 70 Pizza 6 70 Pizza 1 71 Sandwich/Deli 16 62 Upscale Casual 1 67 Casual Dining 2 70 Pizza 15 65 Seafood 7 67 Casual Dining 6 76 Asian/Thai 16 76 Asian/Japanese 2 72 Sandwich/Deli 1 62 Upscale Casual 1 67 Casual Dining 1 72 Barbecue 2, 9, 13, 14 65 Seafood 14 78 European/Italian 8 67 Casual Dining 12 67 Casual Dining 6, 8 79 Mexican 1 72 Sandwich/Deli 5, 6, 7, 9, 11,15 62 Upscale Casual 6 64 Cafés 3 79 Mexican 4, 11 79 Mexican 11 79 Mexican 9, 13 73 Bar & Grill 1 76 Asian/Japanese 3 65 Seafood 13 67 Casual Dining 5 65 Seafood 8 80 Southwest/Tex Mex 3,6,9,11,15 78 European/Spanish 7 77 European/Irish 2 67 Casual Dining 2 72 Sandwich/Deli 1, 2 66 Steakhouse 1 70 Pizza 4, 5, 12, 13 68 Home Style/Southern 13 65 Cafés 1 73 Bar & Grill 14 81 Desserts/Bakery 5 69 Entertainment Dining 12 79 Mexican 5 72 Sandwich/Deli 1 72 Sandwich/Deli 2 63 Upscale Casual 7 70 Pizza 14 75 Asian/Chinese 9 73 Bar & Grill 8 81 Desserts/Bakery 12 63 Cafés 2 73 Bar & Grill 2 67 Casual Dining 3,6,8,12,13,15 68 Home Style/Southern 12 77 European/Irish 2 60 Fine Dining 1 76 Asian/Japanese 12 78 Middle Eastern 4 76 Asian/Japanese 2 70 Pizza 6 80 Coffee House 12 78 European/Italian 1 63 Upscale Casual 9 72 Barbecue 11 78 European/Italian 6, 8, 15 63 Upscale Casual 12 72 Sandwich/Deli 1 78 Middle Eastern 12 80 Southwest/Tex Mex 8 75 Asian/Chinese 14 72 Sandwich/Deli 9 75 Asian/Chinese 9 75 Asian/Chinese 3 75 Asian/Chinese 12 70 Pizza 2, 10 76 Asian/Japanese 2 67 Casual Dining 1 68 Home Style/Southern 11,12,16 66 Steakhouse 3, 8, 11, 12, 15 63 Upscale Casual 5 70 Pizza 3, 8, 9, 11, 13, 15 78 European/Spanish 2 75 Asian/Chinese 10 72 Sandwich/Deli 1, 3, 6, 8, 12, 15 70 Pizza [30] 66 Seafood 6 66 Steakhouse 2 63 Upscale Casual 3 65 Cafés 2 72 Sandwich/Deli 3, 4, 7, 9 72 Sandwich/Deli [16] 67 Casual Dining 1 80 Coffee House 16 78 European/Italian 1 77 Asian/Vietnamese 12 69 Cafeterias 5, 6 72 Barbecue 1

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The Pie Pantry 81 Pig City BBQ 72 Pink Door Noodles & Tea Lounge 76 Pit Stop Bar-B-Que 72 Pita Delights 78 Pita Hut 78 Pizza By The Guy 70 Pizza Hut 70 Pizza King 70 Pizza Place 70 Plehn’s Bakery 81 Police Doughnuts 81 Ponderosa Steakhouse 66 Porcini 78 Proof On Main 60 Pub Louisville 67 Puccini’s Smiling Teeth 70 Puckers Bar & Grill 73 Puerto Vallarta 79 Qdoba Mexican Grill 79 Quarter Rest Café 80 Queen of Sheba 74 Queue Café 65 Quick Wok 75 Quill’s Coffee Shop 80 Quizno’s Subs 72 Rafferty’s of Louisville 67 Ramsi’s Café 64 Raw Sushi Lounge 76 Ray Parrella’s 78 Ray’s Monkey House 80 Red Pepper Chinese Cuisine 75 Red Robin Gourmet Burgers 67 Red Star Tavern 63 Red Sun Chinese 75 Ri Ra Irish Pub 77 Rite Way Bar-B-Cue House 72 River City Coffee House 80 Rivue 60 Road to Morroco 78 Rocky’s Italian Grill 78 Romano’s Macaroni Grill 78 Roosters 67 Rosticeria Luna 80 Royal Garden 75 Rubbie’s Bar-B-Que 73 Ruben’s Mexican Restaurant 80 Ruby Tuesday 67 The Rudyard Kipling 67 Rumors Raw Oyster Bar 66 Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse 66 Ryan’s Steakhouse 66 Saffron’s 78 Safier Mediterranean Deli 78 Sage Indian Restaurant 78 Saint’s 74 Sake Blue Japanese Bistro 76 Sakura Blue 76 Sala Thai 76 Salsarita’s Fresh Cantina 80 Sam’s Food & Spirits 67 Santa Fe Grill 80 Sapporo Japanese Grill 76 Sari Sari Exotic Filipino Cuisine 75 Savino’s Italian Food 78 Schlotzsky’s Deli 72 Scotty’s Ribs 73 Selena’s at Willow Lake Tavern 79 Senor Iguana’s 80 Sesame Chinese 75 Seviche A Latin Restaurant 60 Shack In The Back BBQ 73 Shady Lane Café 72 Shah’s Mongolian Grill 75 Shalimar Indian 78 Shane’s Rib Shack 73 Shanghai Restaurant 75 Sharom’s 66 Shenanigan’s Irish Grille 77 Shiraz Mediterranean Grill 78 Shogun 76 Shoney’s 68 Sichuan Garden 75 Sicilian Pizza & Pasta 70 Simply Thai 76 Sir Dano’s Pizza Parlor 70 Sister Bean’s 80 Sitar Indian Restaurant 78 Skip Jack’s 66 Skyline Chili 68 Slammer’s Sports Bar & Grill 74 Smoketown USA 73 Smokey Bones BBQ 73 Snappy Tomato 70 Sol Aztecas 80 Son Of A Sailor Seaf ood 66 Sonoma Coffee Café 80 Soupy’s 72 Spaghetti Shop 78 Spinelli’s Pizzeria 70

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Desserts/Bakery 13 Barbecue 9 Asian/Korean 2 Barbecue 1 Middle Eastern 1 Middle Eastern 2 Pizza 5 Pizza [15] Pizza 14, 16 Pizza 4 Desserts/Bakery 3 Desserts/Bakery 9 Steakhouse 7 European/Italian 2 Fine Dining 1 Casual Dining 1 Pizza 3 Bar & Grill 12 Mexican 11, 14, 16 Mexican 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 12, 15 Coffee House 6 African 4 Cafés 1 Asian/Chinese 1 Coffee House 2 Sandwich/Deli [16] Casual Dining 3, 8 Bistro/Contemporary 2 Asian/Japanese 1 European/Italian 2 Coffee House 2 Asian/Chinese 2 Casual Dining 3, 8 Upscale Casual 1 Asian/Chinese 4 European/Irish 1 Barbecue 1 Coffee House 2 Fine Dining 1 Middle Eastern 1 European/Italian 16 European/Italian 5 Casual Dining 12 Mexican 12 Asian/Chinese 11, 12, 13 Barbecue 12 Mexican 15 Casual Dining 6, 15 Casual Dining 1 Seafood 9 Steakhouse 3 Steakhouse 11 Middle Eastern 1 Middle Eastern 1 Indian 3 Bar & Grill 3 Asian/Japanese 11 Asian/Japanese 3 Asian/Thai 1 Southwest/Tex Mex 3 Casual Dining 14 Mexican 12 Asian/Japanese 2 Asian/Filipino 2 European/Italian 13 Sandwich/Deli 8, 9 Barbecue 9 Cajun/Creole 5 Mexican 12, 15 Asian/Chinese 5 Fine Dining 2 Barbecue 12 Sandwich/Deli 7 Asian/Chinese 6, 12 Indian 6 Barbecue 7 Asian/Chinese 1 Seafood 11 European/Irish 2, 7 Middle Eastern 2, 5, 7, 9 Asian/Japanese 6, 8 Casual Dining 2, 12 Asian/Chinese 6 Pizza 1 Asian/Thai 3 Pizza 15 Coffee House 12 Indian 2 Seafood 15 Casual Dining 1, 2, 3, 6, 13 Bar & Grill 13 Barbecue 1 Barbecue 6 Pizza 3, 8, 10 Mexican 2 Seafood 7 Coffee House 2 Sandwich/Deli 4 European/Italian 11, 14 Pizza 2

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The Sports & Social Club 74 Bar & Grill 1 Sportsville Grill & Bar 68 Casual Dining 12 Stan’s Fish Sandwich 66 Seafood 3 Star Cruises 69 Entertainment Dining 16 Starbucks Coffee 80 Coffee House [35] Starving Artist Café 72 Sandwich/Deli 5 Steak N Shake 68 Casual Dining 4,6,8,12,13,15 Stevens & Stevens 72 Sandwich/Deli 2 Steve-O’s Italian Kitchen 78 European/Italian 7 Stoney River 66 Steakhouse 8 Stop Lite Café 65 Cafés 1 Studio’s Grille & Pub 74 Bar & Grill 14 Stumler Rest. & Orchard 69 Entertainment Dining 14 Sub Station II 72 Sandwich/Deli 12 Sully’s Saloon 74 Bar & Grill 1 Sunergos Coffee & Roastery 80 Coffee House 12 Sweet ‘N’ Savory Café 65 Cafés 2 Sweet Surrender 65 Cafés 2 The Sweet Tooth 81 Desserts/Bakery 3 Taco Bueno 80 Mexican 6, 16 Taco Tico 80 Mexican 13 Tacqueria La Mexicana 80 Mexican 12 TanThai Restaurant 76 Asian/Thai 14 Tea Station Chinese Bistro 75 Asian/Chinese 8 Tengo sed Cantina 74 Bar & Grill 1 Texas Roadhouse 66 Steakhouse 2, 12, 13, 15 TGI Friday’s 68 Casual Dining 1, 6 Thai Café 76 Asian/Thai 7 Thai Orchids 76 Asian/Thai 6 Thai Siam 76 Asian/Thai 4 Thai Smile 5 76 Asian/Thai 12 Thai Taste 76 Asian/Thai 2 The Back Door 74 Bar & Grill 2 The Bodega 72 Sandwich/Deli 1 The Café 65 Cafés 1 The Cheddar Box 65 Cafés 3 The Lunch Pail 65 Cafés 12 Third Avenue Café 65 Cafés 1 Thornberry’s Deli & Pies 72 Sandwich/Deli 12 Tiffany Cellar Café 65 Cafés 9 Toast on Market 68 Casual Dining 1 Tokyo Japanese 76 Asian/Japanese 7 Tommy Lancaster’s Rest. 68 Casual Dining 14 Toni’s More Than Pizza 70 Pizza 12 Tony Boombozz 70 Pizza 3, 8 Tony Impellizzeri’s Italian 70 Pizza 5 Tony Roma’s 73 Barbecue 5 Trailside Café 80 Coffee House 7 Trellis Restaurant 68 Casual Dining 1 Tubby’s Pizza 70 Pizza 7 Tucker’s 68 Casual Dining 14 Tumbleweed 80 Southwest/Tex Mex 1,2,4, 6,8,12,13,14,15,16 Turkey Joe’s 74 Bar & Grill 8 Tuscany Italian Restaurant 78 European/Italian 12 Twig & Leaf Restaurant 68 Casual Dining 2 Uptown Café 63 Upscale Casual 7 Varanese 63 Upscale Casual 2 Varsity Pizza & Pints 70 Pizza 8 Vic’s Café 74 Bar & Grill 14 Vietnam Kitchen 77 Asian/Vietnamese 12 The Villa Buffet 68 Casual Dining 14 Vince Staten’s BBQ 73 Barbecue 10 Vincenzo’s 61 Fine Dining 1 Volare 78 European/Italian 2 VT’s Bubble Cup 81 Coffee House 2 W.W. Cousin’s 72 Sandwich/Deli 3 Wagner’s Pharmacy 68 Home Style/Southern 12 Wall Street Deli 72 Sandwich/Deli 1 Wathen’s Kentucky Bistro 64 Bistro/Contemporary 3 Webb’s Market 68 Home Style/Southern 1 Westport General Store 68 Casual Dining 7 Wet Willie’s 66 Seafood 1 Whitney’s Diner 65 Cafés 4 Wicks Pizza 70 Pizza 2, 8, 9, 13 Wild Eggs 65 Cafés 3, 7 Wiltshire On Market 63 Upscale Casual 1 Windsor Restaurant & Garden 63 Upscale Casual 14 Windy City Pizzeria 70 Pizza 12 The Wing Zone 68 Casual Dining 12 Wings To Go 70 Pizza 14 Winston’s 61 Fine Dining 4 Wok Express 75 Asian/Chinese 1 Wolfgang Puck Express 65 Cafés 1 Wonton Express 75 Asian/Chinese 4 Xavier’s 68 Casual Dining 1 Yaching’s East West Cuisine 63 Upscale Casual 1 Yafa Café 65 Cafés 1 Yang Kee Noodle 75 Asian/Chinese 5 Yen Ching 75 Asian/Chinese 6 You-Carryout-A 75 Asian/Chinese 15, 16 Yummy Chinese 75 Asian/Chinese 12 Za’s Pizza 70 Pizza 2 Zaytun Mediterranean Grill 79 Middle Eastern 2 ZaZoo’s 74 Bar & Grill 3 Zen Garden 77 Asian/Vietnamese 2 Zen Tea House 81 Coffee House 2 Zeppelin Café 65 Cafés 12 Z’s Fusion 61 Fine Dining 1 Z’s Oyster Bar 61 Fine Dining 5

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GUIDE KEY Average Entrée Price:

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

RED = ADVERTISER

p = FULL BAR

h = LATE NIGHT

OPEN PAST 10 P.M.

✿ = VEGETARIAN f = OUTDOOR MENU ITEMS DINING AVAILABLE LIVE e = MUSIC = MENU ON-LINE ONLY ALL RESTAURANTS ARE LOCATED IN LOUISVILLE (unless noted otherwise).

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

211 CLOVER LANE RESTAURANT 211 Clover Ln., 896-9570. Owner and manager Andr ew Smith has recently added a 1300 bottle wine cellar and private dining r oom t o burnish the upscale atmosphere and creative cuisine of this stylish spot in St. Matthews. It consistently ranks among the city’s top tables. $$$$ p f ✿ 610 MAGNOLIA 610 Magnolia Ave., 636-0783. Chef Edward Lee’s creative international prix fixe menu has kept this elegantly comfortable Old Louisville restaurant a top table for more than 25 years. His monthly family style pasta and bistro dinners across the street in the Wine Studio give diners a way to appr eciate his skills at a lower price point. $$$$ p f ✿

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BUCK’S 425 W. Ormsby A ve., 637-5284. Elegant but not overstated, this fine dining r oom in the Mayflower Apar tments has been quietly ser ving high-style lunches and dinners for over two decades. No longer an owner , namesake and house manager Buck Heath gr eets everyone with bonhomie. $$$ p f e ✿ CAFÉ METRO 1700 Bardstown Rd., 458-4830. New chef Gary Byler is gradually putting his mark on this anchor of Bar dstown Road’s “restaurant row,” preserving favorite dishes and adapting to a new generation of upscale diners. $$$$ p e ✿ CORBETT’S ‘AN AMERICAN PLACE’ 5050 Norton Healthcare Blvd., 327-5058. Dean Corbett, longtime fixture on the Louisville dining scene, went all-out with his new East End destination. Housed in the stunning former V on Allmen mansion, Corbett’ s kitchen is state of the ar t, the dining r oom amenities include a chef ’s table with closed cir cuit TV connection to the kitchen, and his menu has been earning raves. W orth the trip and the price. $$$$ p f

Cary, continues to be as fresh as the locally-sourced foods she featur es on her Kentucky-accented menus. Her fr equent special wine dinners ar e among the more affordable and creative in the area. $$$$ p e ✿ LIMESTONE 10001 For est Gr een Blvd., 426-7477.

Chef Jim Ger hardt and former par tner Michael Cunha have established a stylish and elegant dining experience in the East End. Cunha’s friendly departure to train the next generation of chefs at Sullivan leaves the kitchen in Ger hardt’s capable hands. $$$$ p ✿ THE OAKROOM 500 S. Fourth St. (Seelbach Hotel), 585-3200. After six years operating his own East End r estaurant, Jim Ger hardt has r eturned as executive chef to the Oakr oom which, during his prior eight-year run, helped attain a AAA four diamond designation. He intends to keep his rating by melding local pr oduce and specialty items like spoonfish caviar with classic continental cuisine. $$$$ p ✿

ENGLISH GRILL 335 W . Br oadway (The Br own Hotel), 583-1234. This landmark, formal dining room has enter ed a new chapter under Chef Laurent Geroli, who brings an international sophistication to the menu, and a wider exploration of cuisines with occasional special wine dinners. W e recommend booking the chef ’s table for an especially memorable evening. $$$ p ✿

PROOF ON MAIN 702 W. Main St., 217-6360. Diners are as stimulated by the often star tling contemporary art on the walls of this stylish spot in the posh, nationally noticed 21C Museum Hotel as they are by Chef Michael Paley edgy menu, which includes house-cur ed pastrami, bison shor t ribs and sea-salt caramel gelato. A hot tip: the restrooms won a national award for excellence. $$$ p ✿

JACK BINION’S STEAKHOUSE Horseshoe Casino Hotel, Elizabeth, IN, 888-766-2648. Housed in the Horseshoe Casino (formerly Caesar’ s), Jack Binion’s, a stylish, upscale place, is no gamble for hearty dining. A traditional steakhouse, but one that aims high: top quality meat, impeccable service, a high-roller’s ambience. $$$$ p h ✿

RIVUE 140 N. Four th St., (Galt House Hotel) 5684239. You can still get a r evolving view of the city in this upscale dining room. But a major makeover in 2007 has completely transformed the dark old Flagship Room into a sleek black and white modern fantasy right out of an old Fr ed Astair e movie. $$$ p h ✿

LILLY’S 1147 Bardstown Rd., 451-0447. A Louisville institution appr oaching it’s quar ter-century mark, Lilly’s, under much heralded owner -chef Kathy

SEVICHE A LATIN RESTAURANT 1538 Bardstown Rd., 473-8560. Featur ed on the menu is s eviche, the Latino seafood dish “cooked” in tar t citrus

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juices, but Chef Anthony Lamas’ s menu of fers a broad, eclectic range of Latin American dishes.

Nationally noted in many food magazines, Lamas has exposed diners to the cooking traditions of the Americas with his always inter esting Gusto Latino wine dinners, another fine value in the dining scene. $$$$ p f h ✿ VINCENZO’S 150 S. Fifth St., 580-1350. Known for its suave pr ofessional ser vice, high-end Nor thern Italian fare and many trademark dishes finished at tableside, Vincenzo’s continues to hold its own against growing downtown competition. $$$$ p e h ✿ WINSTON’S REST AURANT 3101 Bar dstown Rd., (Sullivan University Campus), 456-0980. Renovated quarters kick W inston’s up a notch as culinar y arts students at Sullivan University staf f this finedining r estaurant on the campus, under the guiding hand of Chef John Castro. Open Fri. - Sun. only. Reservations suggested. $$$$ p ✿ Z’S FUSION 115 S. Fourth St., 855-8000. A considerable buzz surr ounded the r ecent arrival of this classy dining r oom in the former Kunz’ s, with an all-star team of Mehrzad Sharbaiani (Z’s Oyster Bar and Steakhouse) and Chef Dallas McGarity. “Fusion” cuisine, uniting dif ferent ethnic influences in creative blends, has been ar ound for a while, but a chef of McGarity’ s skill should be able to make it look new. $$$$ p ✿ Z’S OYSTER BAR & STEAKHOUSE101 Whittington Pkwy., 429-8000. This exciting spot brings a level of fine dining to the suburbs that makes it stand out in the chain-rich envir ons outside the Watterson. Splendid steaks, extraordinary seafood, fine service and clubby ambience give Z’s the tools to dominate in the steakhouse competition. $$$$ p

60 WEST BISTRO & MARTINI BAR 3939 Shelbyville Rd., 719-9717. 60 W est combines a comfortable dining room with a lar ge, friendly bar with an imposing list of mar tinis and mar tini-style cocktails.

Chefs T im Smith and Chris V anhoozer o ffer an appealing, fairly priced eclectic inter national menu. $$ p f e ✿ 732 SOCIAL 732 E. Market St., 583-6882. Br others Steven and Michael T on, who pr esent high-style Asian fusion food in Clifton at their Basa Modern Vietnamese, opened 732 Social in the Market Street arts district in Februar y. Small and intimate and featuring inventive small plates, with r oom for 60 diners who’ll dine “in close interaction with the working kitchen and guests,” 732 is alr eady being likened to Chicago’s trendy Avec. $$$ p f ✿ ARTEMISIA 620 E. Market St., 583-4177. Of fering stylish fare to please both vegetarians and omnivores, Artemisia rates as a favorite dinner venue in an artful gallery setting that fits nicely with the bustling east-of-downtown arts scene. $$$ p f e ✿ ASIATIQUE 1767 Bar dstown Rd., 451-2749.

Fifteen years ago Chef Peng Looi intr oduced 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 pr esent often startling flavor combinations. His wok-seared salmon has long been a local favorite. $$$ p f h ✿ AUSTIN’S 4950 U.S. 42, 423-1990. Big, crowded and bistro-style, with heavy emphasis on the bar , this suburban watering hole taps the same vein as the national franchise booze ’n’ beef genre, and does so well, offering satisfying dining at a fair price. $$ p ✿ AVALON 1314 Bardstown Rd., 454-5336. W ith renovation complete, and new chef Laur ence Agnew redirecting the kitchen, this stylish spot on Bardstown Road is in the pr ocess of r einventing itself, moving towar d a lounge dining concept, with new fixtures, sofas replacing some tables, and a lower price point. $$$ p f ✿

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BASA MODERN VIETNAMESE 2244 Frankfort Ave., 896-1016. Chef Michael Ton brought a new style of Asian fusion cuisine to Louisville, playing entertaining rif fs of f V ietnamese cooking, with daring choices like caramelized catfish claypot and tamarind-sriracha gelato. Housed in an unpr etentious Clifton shotgun house, the interior is crisp and sophisticated. $$$ p BLACKSTONE GRILLE 9521 U.S. 42, Pr ospect, KY, 228-6962. Rick Dissell, formerly of the eponymous Rick’s Ferrari Grille in Chenoweth Squar e, moved east last year to this new restaurant in the Prospect Center. The menu of fers no surprises to Rick’ s fans: sandwiches and the expected array of bistr o entrées — pasta, seafood, beef and chicken, including Rick’ s fried chicken livers and “light” fried chicken. $$$ p f ✿ BLU ITALIAN MEDITERRANEAN GRILLE 280 W. Jefferson St. (Louisville Marriott), 627-5045. BLU offers upscale Italian Mediterranean cuisine in striking surr oundings highlighted by Mexican limestone and Italian marble. For those seeking a relaxing libation and a quicker snack, the Bar at BLU offers a more casual alternative. $$$ p ✿ BRAVO! 206 Bullitt Ln. (Oxmoor Center), 326-0491.

Management describes the Ohio-based Bravo! chain as “a fun, white-tablecloth casual eatery … positioned between the fine-dining and casual chains.” A Roman-ruin setting houses abundant Italian-American style fare. We particularly enjoyed appetizers and first-rate grilled meats. $$ p f ✿ BRISTOL BAR & GRILLE 1321 Bardstown Rd., 4561702, 300 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy ., 426-0627, 614 W. Main St., 582-1995, 6051 T imber Ridge Dr ., 292-2585, 2035 S. Thir d St., 634-2723, 700 W .

Riverside Dr ., Jef fersonville, IN, 218-1995. A cornerstone of Louisville’s restaurant Renaissance, The Bristol started 3 decades ago on Bardstown Road.

Now with 6 venues around town, diners can always find dependable pub grub, eclectic entrées, and evergreen standards like the gr een-chile won tons and the Bristol Burger. F&D columnist Scott Harper has crafted an exceptional wine selection. $$ p f ✿ CAVIAR JAPANESE RESTAURANT 416 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 625-3090. Sammy Sa, the genial host of the Fuji r estaurants in the East End, adds a downtown pr esence with this stylish Japanese eatery next door to the Seelbach Hotel. Eat at the sushi bar, choose a comfortable table or reserve the traditional Japanese-style T atami Room for your group. $$$ p h ✿ THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY 5000 Shelbyville Rd., 897-3933. “Cheesecake” is its name, and this glitzy shopping-mall eatery of fers 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 far e plus full bar service. $$ p h ✿ CLUB GROTTO 2116 Bardstown Rd., 459-5275. Club Grotto’s stylish and romantically dim environs add up to a comfor table, familiar Highlands spot that’s w orth making a special ef fort to r emember. $$$ p ✿ COACH LAMP REST AURANT 751 V ine St., 5839165. This urban neighborhood tavern serves “pub grub” for lunch, but Coach Lamp turns into a more serious dining r oom Wednesday through Saturday evenings with dishes that range fr om down-home favorites to pastas. $$$ f ✿ CORNER CAFÉ 9307 New Lagrange Rd., 426-8119.

There’s nothing fancy or overly elegant about this suburban neighborhood old favorite, but the term “eclectic” fits it well. $$ p ✿ EQUUS 122 Sears A ve., 897-9721. W ith the newish Corbett’s in the East End hitting on all cylinders, veteran Chef Dean Corbett has r eturned to his flagship St. Matthews r estaurant, r edesigning the room for a more casual atmosphere, and refocusing 62 Summer 2009 www.foodanddine.com

RED = ADVERTISER

the menu on comfor t foods, with no entrée over $19. Though the prices ar e lower, we don’t expect the quality of fare to follow suit. $$$ p ✿ INTERMEZZO CAFÉ & CABARET 316 W. Main St., 584-1265. The elegant r estaurant space in Actor’ s Theatre of Louisville’ s historic building featur es casual American bistr o fare in an attractive dining room, plus nightly entertainment in a cabaret style. $$$ p e ✿ J. ALEXANDER’S RESTAURANT 102 Oxmoor Court, 339-2206. This comfor tably upscale venue, a Nashville-based chain, featur es “contemporar y American” fare with a broad menu that ranges from burgers and sandwiches to such upscale eats as grilled tuna or a New York strip steak. $$$ p f ✿ J. HARROD’S 7507 Upper River Rd., 228-4555. J. Harrod’s is discr eetly tasteful and pleasantly comfortable. The food is competitive in both quality and value. It’s an appealing, upscale blend of bistro fare and old-fashioned country cooking. $$$ p ✿ JACK FR Y’S 1007 Bar dstown Rd., 452-9244. If you want to give visiting friends a one-shot sample of Louisville’s urban dining style, ther e’s no better destination than Jack Fr y’s. This popular spot is always packed. It saves just a whif f of the raf fish aspect of its 1960s-era pr edecessor, a local saloon, but upgrades it with cr eative American far e in a bistro setting. $$$$ p e h ✿ JARFI’S AT GLENMARY 10200 Glenmary Farm Dr., 239-3500. Longtime r estaurateur Jeff Jarfi — with his Jar fi’s Bistr o in the Highlands, his catering operation and a café in the Muhammad Ali Center — is skillfully dir ecting the dining r oom at Fern Creek’s Glenmar y Countr y Club, ser ving lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch to members and public alike. $$$ p f ✿ JARFI’S BISTRO 1543 Bardstown Rd. 589-5060 Jef f Jarfi has put his own mark on the Bar dstown Road space that old timers still call the old Lentini’ s.

With a sushi bar and menu that r eflects his Moroccan heritage and eclectic influences, he has made the r oom into something mor e elegantly continental. $$$ p f ✿ JOHN E’S 3708 Bar dstown Rd., 456-1111. This old Louisville tradition earns a warm recommendation.

From its cozy setting in an historic Buechel home to its down-home ser vice to its good Americanstyle fare at reasonable prices. $$$$ p e ✿ KRESO’S RESTAURANT 218 N. Third St., Bardstown KY, 348-9594. A former theater now houses a charming r estaurant run by a friendly Bosnian couple. Lunch and dinner feature eclectic fare from Bosnian salads to W ienerschnitzel and goulash.

There’s a lar ge bar , and the r enovated theatr e is available for parties and receptions. $$$ p KT’S 2300 Lexington Rd., 458-8888. It’s hard to argue with success, and KT’s has earned its popularity by providing good American-style bar and bistro chow for a price that’s fair. $$ p f h ✿ LYLIA’S ENCORE 501 W. Main St., 245-7734. After two fine-dining shows (Kentucky Cove and Jar fi’s Bistro) went dark, management has appar ently decided to pr ovide food ser vice at a lower pr ofile: Lylia’s Encor e, operated by popular local Ladyfinger’s Catering, will be a buf fet-style eatery, open only before shows in the Center. $$$ p MAKER’S MARK BOURBON HOUSE & LOUNGE 446 S. Four th St., (Four th Street Live) 568-9009.

Kentucky’s Maker’s Mark Distiller y lends its name and its signatur e r ed-wax image to this stylish restaurant and lounge in the booming downtown entertainment complex. A magisterial bar featur es more than 60 Bourbons, and the menu of fers traditional Kentucky fare. $$$ p f h ✿ MELTING POT 2045 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-3125.

This Florida-based chain brings back pleasant memories of fondue par ties of the ’70s. If you can

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melt it and dip things in it, the Melting Pot probably has it on the menu. $$$ p ✿ NAPA RIVER GRILL 1211 Herr Ln., 893-0141.

Innovative wine-country cuisine, excellent ser vice and fine California-focused wine collection can be found in the stylish new quar ters of this popular , decade-old East End r estaurant. With an expanded menu ser ving both lunch and dinner , it’ s now anchoring W estport V illage center , a tr endy new hangout. $$$ p f h ✿ NORTH END CAFÉ 1722 Frankfort Ave., 896-8770.

Known for their hear ty and inter esting br eakfast choices, The Nor th End also satisfies diners at lunch and dinner. With an eclectic menu of diverse tapas and inter esting entrées, it’ s an appealing, affordable place to dine. $$$ f h ✿ OLD STONE INN 6905 Shelbyville Rd., Simpsonville, KY, (502) 722-8200. For many years diners have happily driven out to Simpsonville to enjoy both the historic building and the traditional Kentucky menu of this dining institution. Those in the know or der the fried chicken and country ham. $$$ p f e ✿ OLIVIA’S ON GOSS 946 Goss A ve., 409-6160. This huge, redbrick 19th century factory location houses the Goss A venue Antique Mall and this stylish luncheon spot. Open 7 days a week, Chef T ravis Hall (formerly of Eva Mae’s) offers soups, salads and daily specials. $ f ✿ 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. T o its cr edit, ever ything is pr epared well and service is consistently fine. $$ p h ✿ THE P ATRON 3400 Frankfor t A ve., 896-1661.

Viewed fr om the perspective of an evening meal, the Patron offers some of the best cooking in town.

Chef Amber McCool of fers a dinner menu that changes fr equently, based on what’ s available and perhaps the chef ’s whim. It’s not just adventur ous but civilized. $$ p ✿

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

ATRIUM CAFÉ 9940 Corporate Campus Dr. (Embassy Suites), 426-9191. An eclectic bistro atmosphere in the hear t of the hotel. Specials run fr om their popular crab cakes and array of pasta dishes to a Reuben sandwich or fruit pie. $$ p ✿ BAXTER STATION BAR & GRILL 1201 Payne St., 584-1635. This cozy spot looks a lot like a neighborhood saloon, but the eclectic menu and unique atmosphere take it a notch upscale, and the weatherized patio is comfortable almost year-round.

Take particular note of an impressive beer list to go with your meal. $$ p f ✿ BISTRO 301 301 W. Market St., 584-8337. Quality contemporary American cuisine in a stylish environment makes Bistro 301 a reasonable alternative when you’r e looking for upscale-casual dining downtown. $$$ p f ✿ BISTRO LE RELAIS 2817 Taylorsville Rd. (Bowman Field), 451-9020. This ar t deco spot makes stylish use of an historic 1920’s airport building to present elegant modern French cuisine. After a long run as a fine dining establishment, owner Anthony Dike has r ecently r einvented his r estaurant as a bistr o, sparked by the arrival of new chef Bill Lynch. $$$$

pfe✿ BOURBONS BISTRO 2255 Frankfort Ave., 894-8838.

Bourbon, Kentucky’ s traditional nectar , owns a place of honor in Louisville eateries and watering holes that showcase its pleasur es. Bourbons Bistr o

combines a fine bar and comfor tably upscalecasual r estaurant featuring what must be the world’s most comprehensive Bourbon list. The bill of far e is well-matched with the excellence of its libations. $$$ p f ✿ BRIX WINE BAR 12418 La Grange Rd., 243-1120.

The use of an exceptionally obscure wine term (it’s pronounced “bricks” and refers to the sugar content of ripe grapes at harvest) hints that the proprietors of this wine bar know their vino. Interesting wines and a shor t bistr o-style menu make it a welcome suburban alternative. $$ h e BROWNING’S BREWER Y 401 E. Main St., After a brief closing, Br owning’s will r eopen in mid-May with Anoosh Shariat back at the helm as chef and now co-owner with par tner Paula Barmor e. Look for the return of Browning’s favorites, such as microburgers and the beer -battered gr ouper, along with new touches, “pub far e with Anoosh’ s flar e.” The micro-brewery will return as well, with beer and ale crafted by brewmaster Brian Reymiller. $$ p f ✿ CAFÉ LOU LOU 106 Sears A ve, 893-7776, 2216 Dundee Rd., 459-9566. This popular spot wins critical raves and packs in cr owds. Owner -Chef Clay Wallace is comfor table with his international bill of fare and laissez les bon temps r ouler mood.

A second location in the Douglass Loop, is drawing equally-pleased crowds. $$ p ✿ DITTO’S GRILL 1114 Bar dstown Rd., 581-9129.

Highlands favorite. Chef/Co-owner Domonic Serratore — a pioneer of the local dining scene — offers an internationally eclectic bill of far e that ranges fr om Kansas City ribs and New England crab cakes to Thai chicken wings and Chinese burritos. $$ p h ✿ HARD ROCK CAFÉ Fourth Str eet Live, 568-2202.

Louisville’s Fourth Street Live echoes with a bang amid hammering guitars and happy thr ongs at the local branch of this popular shrine to r ock. The

RED ST AR T AVERN 450 S. Four th St., 568-5656.

Billed as “a hip, contemporary version of the classic American tavern,” this chain operation in Four th Street Live features steaks, chops and seafood in an atmosphere that’s upscale and clubby, with an extensive bar as a key part of the action. $$$ p f h UPTOWN CAFÉ 1624 Bar dstown Rd., 458-4212.

Across the str eet and a step downscale fr om its partner, Café Metr o, the Uptown Café of fers excellent far e with a bistr o feel for quite a few bucks less. $$ p f ✿ VARANESE 2106 Frankfor t A ve., 899-9904. Chef John Varanese has made even old-timers forget that this stylish venue was once a gas station. W ith a slate interior water fall and a fr ont wall that folds open in good weather , the dining r oom is as interesting as the lively , international seasonal menu. Live jazz, contemporary ar t and urban style complete the mood. $$$ p f e ✿ VOLARE 2300 Frankfort Ave., 894-4446. (See review under European/Italian) WILTSHIRE ON MARKET 636 E. Market St., 5895224. Long-time cater er Susan Hershber g has taken the plunge into the r estaurant world with this minimalist room on Gallery Row. The walls are stripped back to the plaster and bricks, the tables have been hand-made by a local ar tisan, and the food is all small plates, with no dish over $15. The menu changes weekly and uses ingr edients all as locally-sourced as possible. $$ f ✿ WINDSOR RESTAURANT & GARDEN 148 E. Market St., New Albany, IN, 944-9688. With New Albany on the rise, new chef Cor y Cuff is making his mark on this upscale casual restaurant, housed in an historic hotel building. When weather permits, diners can enjoy the charming courtyard. $$$ p f e ✿

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music scene is the draw , but you’ll have no complaints about Har d Rock’ s standar d American cuisine. $$ p f e h ✿ JACK’S LOUNGE 122 Sears A ve., 897-9026. A sophisticated, elegant bar associated with the Equus restaurant next door, Jack’s offers a short but excellent menu featuring appetizers and light bites, along with a drinks list beyond reproach. $ p h ✿ L&N WINE BAR AND BISTRO 1765 Mellwood Ave., 897-0070. If you’r e enthusiastic about good wine, you’re going to be excited about L&N. The fruit of the vine takes center stage in a vast, fairly priced wine list and imposing Cruvinet dispenser , with over 80 wines available by the glass. Comfor table exposed-brick atmosphere and excellent bistro fare add to the draw. $$ p f h ✿ RAMSI’S CAFÉ ON THE WORLD 1293 Bardstown Rd., 451-0700. Small, funky and fun, this favorite spot of the Highlands’ Generation X crowd attracts foodies of all ages with its friendly setting, reasonable prices and well-pr epared international cuisine. $$ f e h ✿ WATHEN’S KENTUCKY BISTRO 13930 Chenoweth Sq., 893-0106. The owners of the former Limestone Bay Y acht Club on River Road have moved into the Chenoweth Squar e space once occupied by Rick’s Ferrari Grill, ser ving Kentucky and southern cuisine, ribeye steak and filet, and pastas. The house bourbon is namesake W athens, but imbibers can choose fr om many small batch bottlings. $$ p f h

ADRIANN’S AROUND THE T ABLE CUISINE 14041 Shelbyville Rd, 244-9695. Located out beyond the Snyder in the far East End, Adriann’ s offers family style diner far e ranging fr om sandwiches and wraps to fried chicken $ ✿ AROMA CAFÉ Horseshoe Casino Hotel, Elizabeth, IN, 888-766-2648. Grab a bite befor e hitting the casino. Sandwiches, salads, sides, cold beverages and cof fee will fuel you for a night of enter tainment. $ h ✿ AWAY CAFÉ 302 Pearl St., New Albany , IN, 9419025. After spending time traveling ar ound Europe, Pete L yons wanted a gathering place like the cafés of France and Italy — and decided to open one. Slated to open around the ides of March, the aW ay Café will of fer an eclectic menu, including scones and rolls in the morning, a global assortment of lunch soups and sandwiches, and light, healthy dinner offerings. $ h ✿

CHRISANTA’S CAFÉ 1812 Br ownsboro Rd., 6182250. Don’t blink when you pass this small Clifton storefront down at the lower end of Brownsboro in Clifton, or you might miss your chance for a charming lunch. Mediterranean bistro fare includes a variety of panini, kabobs and comfortable Persian home cooking. $ CITY CAFÉ 505 W . B roadway, 589-1797, 1250 Bardstown Rd., 459-5600, 500 S. Pr eston St., 8525739. Chef Jim Henr y, a long-time star in the city’s culinary firmament, brings his cooking skills and insistence on fr esh, quality ingr edients to these simple, but excellent, spots for lunch. $ f ✿ COLONNADE CAFÉ 834 E. Broadway, 749-3104. The Louisville Antique Mall moves from Goss Avenue to East Br oadway, and the familiar Colonnade, mourned upon its eviction from the Starks Building last year, comes back to life on the Antique Mall’ s fifth floor as a sit-down lunch spot with blue-plate menu specials. Works for us! $ p ✿ CRAVE CAFÉ & CA TERING 2250 Frankfor t A ve., 896-1488. Experienced cater ers and chefs of fer casual but quality café far e in this comfor table old frame house in Clifton. $ ✿ CREEKSIDE OUTPOST & CAFÉ 614 Hausfeldt Ln., New Albany IN, 948-9118. This atmosphere is something you won’t see every day — or week, month or year, for that matter. The Creekside Outpost warps customers back into the days of general stor es and maintains ever y bit of old fashioned charm. The Ladyhawk Café ser ves up lean buf falo, elk and surprisingly good bur gers. Exotic foods including Shinnecock ice fish, black bear , ostrich and kangaroo (when available) round out an excellent, traveled menu. $$ f ✿ CYCLERS CAFÉ 2295 Lexington Rd., 451-5152. Is it a bicycle shop or a r estaurant? Well, it’s both. This informal spot will sell you a first-rate sandwich, soup or salad or a tire for your bike — or the whole darn bike! $ f ✿ DERBY CAFÉ 704 Central A ve. (Kentucky Derby Museum), 634-0858. Lunch ser ved year-round in the dining area adjacent to the Derby Museum with such r egional favorites as meaty Bur goo, and the Hot Brown. $ f ✿

BLUE DOG BAKER Y AND CAFÉ 2868 Frankfort Ave., 899-9800. This bakery with its $50,000 Spanish wood-fired oven makes ar tisanal bread as good as you’ll find in the U.S., and competitive withthe best in Eur ope. Its comfor table, upscale café of fers a short selection of tasty dishes made to show off the fine breads. $$ p f ✿

ERMIN’S BAKER Y & CAFÉ 1201 S. First St., 6356960, 723 S. Four th St., 587-9390, 455 S. Four th Ave., 585-5120, 9550 U.S. Hwy . 42, 228-7210, 2736 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 941-8674.

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

by French-style breads and pastries. $ ✿

BLUE MOUNTAIN COFFEEHOUSE & WINE BAR 400 E. Main St., 582-3220. Host Nicholas Arno adds a Jamaican accent, and Jamaican Blue Mountain cof fee is the specialty , at this sleek and sophisticated spot across Main from Slugger Field.

A coffee house by day, it adds a wine-bar vibe in the evenings. $ f h ✿

FUN FOOD CAFÉ 1860 Mellwood Ave., 895-1003. $ ✿

BULLDOG CAFÉ 10619 W. Manslick Rd., 380-0600. $fh✿ BUTTERFLY GARDEN CAFÉ 1327 Bar dstown Rd., 456-4500, 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 895-1474. This tasteful little spot offers teas and lighter lunch far e in an attractive old-house setting. $ f ✿ CAFÉ FRAICHE 3642 Br ownsboro Rd., 894-8929.

Cuisine from around the world is featur ed at this East End neighbor hood café, featuring homemade soups, br eads and a variety of entrées on a seasonally changing menu. $ ✿ 64 Summer 2009 www.foodanddine.com

CHEDDAR BOX CAFÉ 12121 Shelbyville Rd., 2452622. An attractive — and busy — Middletown lunch spot, owner Michelle Bar tholmew ser ves popular salads, sandwiches and soups, as well as hot entrées such as potato-chip-crusted whitefish, specialty pizzas, and lemon-tarragon chicken with orzo. Pick up some frozen appetizers for your next cocktail party. $$ f ✿

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J. GRAHAM’S CAFÉ & BAR 335 W. Broadway (The Brown Hotel), 583-1234. The home of the legendary “Hot Br own” sandwich, J. Graham’ s offers a mor e casual bistr o-style alternative to the upscale English Grill, with choice of menu ser vice or buffet dining. $ f p JARFI’S CAFÉ 144 N. Sixth St. (Muhammad Ali Center) 992-5329. $$ ✿ KAYROUZ CAFÉ 127 Wiltshire Ave., 896-2630. The younger generation of a long-standing local restaurant family offers soup and sandwich favorites and some Lebanese specialties in this small but stylish St. Matthews building. $ f ✿ MERIDIAN CAFÉ 112 Meridian Ave., 897-9703. This little lunch spot occupies a cozy old house in St. Matthews. Ser vice is competent and polite, the

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place is sparkling clean, and the luncheon-style fare is consistently fine. A selection of appetizing breakfast items rounds out a tasty mix. $ f ✿ MR. Z’S KITCHEN 869 S. Thir d St., 584-8504. It’ s run by a friendly immigrant family fr om Eastern Europe, but the food is all-American at Mr . Z’ s Kitchen. It offers an appetizing option for a hear ty diner-style meal. $ ✿ PATTICAKES CAFÉ 1860 Mellwood Ave., 238-7387.

Located in the Mellwood Ar ts Center , Patticakes serves homemade soups and sandwiches — and cake, of course. Owner Patti Fadel offers more than 50 varieties of pound cake! $ f ✿ QUEUE CAFÉ 220 W. Main St. (LG&E Building), 583-0273. $ f ✿ STOP LITE CAFÉ 1348 River Rd., 584-3746. $ SWEET ‘N’ SA VORY CAFÉ 1574 Bar dstown Rd., 456-6566. Hear ty brunch far e with a vegetarian accent makes Sweet ‘n’ Savory a popular destination for the Bardstown Road bunch. $ ✿ SWEET SURRENDER 1804 Frankfor t A ve., 8992008. Sweet Surr ender, with Jessica Haskell at the helm, has r eturned to its original Clifton neighborhood to pr ovide elegant desser ts as well as signature vegetarian lunches. $$ f THE CAFÉ 712 Br ent St., 637-6869. Long hailed as one of the city’s most attractive places for a simple but stylish lunch, this local institution has moved from the old Louisville Antique Mall on Goss Avenue, to a mor e easily accessible stor efront location just off East Broadway. $ f THE CHEDDAR BOX 3909 Chenoweth Sq., 8932324. $ f ✿ THE LUNCH P AIL 502 E. W arnock St., 634-7116.

Offering yet another quick and comfor ting lunch option near U of L, this family-owned spot features warming soups and filling sandwiches. Lunch is offered year -round, with a dinner menu added from April through September. $ f ✿ THIRD AVENUE CAFÉ 1164 South Third St., 5852233. W ith a menu featuring many vegetarian and vegan options, this pleasant neighbor hood eatery attracts loyal cr owds with excellent far e and a cozy setting that brings you back for more. $$ p f e ✿ TIFFANY CELLAR CAFÉ 4411. $ f ✿

11601 Main St., 245-

WHITNEY’S DINER 3061 Br eckenridge Ln., 4545955. For many years a Fern Cr eek landmark before a shor t move west, Whitney’ s r emains a comfortable spot for a casual, diner-style breakfast, lunch or dinner. $ ✿ WILD EGGS 3985 Dutchmans Ln., 893-8005, 1311 Herr Ln., 618-2866. The owners of Napa River Grill have hit a home run with these popular , highquality spots, the first two in a growing mini-chain.

Wild Eggs, ser ving br eakfast, brunch and lunch, features traditional favorites and specialty omelets, with upscale touches at moderate prices. $ p ✿ WOLFGANG PUCK EXPRESS 221 S. Fourth St., 5620983. Bearing the name of the celebrity Austrian chef, this downtown lunch spot in the corner of the convention center of fers tasty wraps, sandwiches and soups. $$ f YAFA CAFÉ 22 Theater Sq., 561-0220. $ f h ✿ ZEPPELIN CAFÉ 1036 E. Burnett St., 365-3551. $$ h ✿

BONEFISH GRILL 657 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy ., 4124666. This franchise concept fr om the Floridabased Outback Steakhouse chain of fers impressive seafood in a comfor table setting. Add Bonefish to your shor t list of suburban chain eateries that do the job right. $$$ p ✿

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CAROLINA SHRIMP & SEAFOOD 3922 Westport Rd., 894-8947. In an East End neighbor hood rich with seafood eateries, Carolina offers a tasty option within walking distance of downtown St. Matthews.

This spartan little joint featur es shellfish and cod, much of it healthfully steamed, not fried, in an affordable family setting. $ f CATFISH HA VEN LAKE & RESTAURANT 7208 Whipple Rd., 937-7658. If you like to fish, or if you like to eat fish, you’ll likely enjoy Catfish Haven, a simple, down-home eatery in Southwestern Jefferson County. Seafood is the specialty. Fishermen will enjoy their stocked pay-to-fish lake. Note though, it’s not possible to have your catch fried for dinner . $$ f CLARKSVILLE SEAFOOD 916 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville, IN, 283-8588. As the only sur viving 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, ser ved on paper trays — but it is consistently excellent and affordable. $ THE FISH HOUSE 1310 W inter Ave., 568-2993.

Louisville is as over flowing as a well-stocked lake with fish-sandwich houses, and The Fish House is right up ther e with the best. Crisp br eading laced with black pepper is the signatur e of Gr een River fried fish from Western Kentucky. $ f THE FISHER Y 3624 Lexington Rd., 895-1188. The original fried-fish eater y in a neighbor hood that’s now awash with them, The Fishery r emains justly popular for its quick, sizzling hot and af fordable fish and seafood meals. $ f ✿ HILL STREET FISH FR Y 111 E. Hill St., 636-3474.

This Old Louisville tradition is small and easy to miss, but it’s worth the effort to get by. It’s oversized fried whitefish sandwich is the flagship dish, but a varied menu is also available. $ f ISLAMORADA FISH COMPANY 951 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 218-5300. Spawned by a beachside eatery in the Florida Keys, Islamorada Fish Company has locations in many of the nation’s 30 Bass Pr o Shops, including Clarksville’ s gigantic entry in the former River Falls Mall. Beach-shack decor adds fun, and its expansive menu of fers a broad selection of seafood and fish. $$ p JOE’S CRAB SHACK 131 River Rd., 568-1171. The setting on the edge of River front Park is bright, noisy and fun, with a wraparound deck providing a panoramic river view. $$ p f KINGFISH REST AURANT 3021 Upper River Rd., 895-0544, 1610 Kentucky Mills Dr., 240-0700, 601 W. Riverside Dr ., Jef fersonville, IN, 284-3474.

Fried fish in a family dining setting has made this local chain a popular favorite for many years. T wo of its properties — upper River Road and Riverside Drive — boast river views. $$ p f e MACCA’S FLORIDA SEAFOOD GRILL & BAR 1315 Herr Ln., 618-2770. Upscale casual seafood and fish, this popular spot in W estport Village is upscale in menu and design but af fordable for families. $$ p f e h MARKET STREET FISH HOUSE 133 E. Market St., New Albany, IN, 590-3377. Owner Dave Himmel had a vision — creating a place where you can get a typical Kentucky Catholic church fish fry every day.

The out-going Hemill achieves this with fr esh fish cut on-site, fried up with car e and passion. Located in the r ecently booming downtown New Albany dining corridor. $ 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 r emains immensely popular . Ther e’s indoor seating and a bar, but the picnic gr ove with its giant shade tr ees makes Linnig’s a special place in season. $ f MITCHELL’S FISH MARKET 4031 Summit Plaza Dr., 412-1818. The decor of this upscale eater y

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evokes the feeling of a lar ge fish market, with an open kitchen that of fers views of chefs at work.

Quality seafood and ser vice has made Mitchell’ s a popular destination. $$$ p f ✿ PASSTIME FISH HOUSE 4633. $$ f e

10801 Locust Rd., 267-

RUMORS REST AURANT & RA W BAR 12339 Shelbyville Rd., 245-0366. Visualize Hooter’s without the scantily-clad waitresses, and you’ve drawn a bead on Rumor’ s, the original Louisville home of the bucket-of-oysters and impressive raw bar. $$ p f SHAROM’S 5637 Outer Loop, 968-8363. Family owned and family style dining with a wide net of seafood dinners and appetizers. Lunch and dinner menus also include such delicacies as fr og legs, shrimp and alligator. $$ p

MORTON’S 626 W. Main St., 584-0421. The steaks are as good as it gets, the atmospher e is elegant without being stuffy, and the service is outstanding.

Morton’s earns a solid three stars and ranks among the top tier of Louisville’ s upscale dining choices. $$$$ p OUTBACK STEAK HOUSE 4621 Shelbyville Rd., 895-4329, 6520 Signatur e Dr ., 964-8383, 9498 Brownsboro Rd., 426-4329, 8101 Bar dstown Rd., 231-2399, 1420 Park Place, Clarksville, IN, 2834329. The name suggests Australia, and so does the shtick at this popular national chain, but the food is pretty much familiar American, and the fare goes beyond just steak to take in chicken, seafood and pasta. $$$ p

SON OF A SAILOR SEAFOOD REST AURANT 617 W. Jefferson St., LaGrange, KY, 265-2202. Son Of A Sailor of fers seafood Calabash-style (“bound” breading with seasoned flour and cornmeal, popular in the Carolinas.) Munch the free, slightly sweet hush puppies while you wait. $$ f

Celebrating 58 years as Louisville’s hometown favorite for top quality seafood and much, much more.

WET WILLIE’S 441 S. Four th St., 581-1332. Stand Up Live, melding the Florida-based seafood chain Capt. Brien’ s Seafood with W et W illie’s, adds a comedy club … with seafood … to the action at Fourth Street Live. $$$ p f e h ✿

DEL FRISCO’S 4107 Oechsli A ve., 897-7077. Once ranked among the city’ s top steakhouses, Del Frisco’s remains strong in its core competency. For deeply marbled, fork-tender prime steaks, it’ s still hard to beat on quality points. $$$$ p FIFTH QUARTER STEAKHOUSE 1241 Durrett Ln., 361-2363. The Fifth Quarter offers steaks and beef in a nostalgic family atmosphere. $$$ p f e JACK BINION’S STEAKHOUSE Horseshoe Casino Hotel, Elizabeth, IN, 888-766-2648. (see listing under Fine Dining) JEFF RUBY’S STEAKHOUSE 325 W. Main St., 5840102. Cincinnati restaurateur Jeff Ruby, who owns five upscale eateries in the upriver city and one at Indiana’s Belterra Casino, now hosts this glitzy Louisville pr operty, an upscale steak house that bears his name. Fine beef is the main draw , with seafood and even sushi as a plus. $$$$ p e LOGAN’S ROADHOUSE 5055 Shelbyville Rd., 8933884, 5229 Dixie Hwy ., 448-0577, 970 Hwy . 131, Clarksville, IN, 288-9789. W ith mor e than 100 properties in 17 states, this Nashville-based chain parlays peanut shells on the floor and steaks on the table into a popular formula. $$ p LONGHORN STEAKHOUSE 2535 Hurstbourne Ln., 671-5350, 9700 V on Allmen Ct., 326-7500, 1210 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN. 284-5800. Oversize steaks and a “big sky” western theme ar e the draw at this chain eatery , although most of its properties are east of the Mississippi. $$ p 66 Summer 2009 www.foodanddine.com

A NICE REST AURANT 3105 Blackiston Mill Rd., New Albany IN, 945-4321, 2784 Meijer Dr ., 2809160, Jef fersonville, IN, 404 Lafollette Station, Floyds Knobs, IN, 923-7770. A Nice Restaurant, billed as “New Albany’s Finer Diner,” is, well, nice enough to have launched two mor e branches. All specialize in simple, down-home br eakfast and lunch at affordable prices. $ APPLEBEE’S (8 locations) This cheery national chain features an eclectic assor tment of salads, steaks, ribs, poultr y and pasta as well as full bar ser vice.

It’s as consistent as a cookie cutter , but competent execution makes it a good bargain for those whose tastes run to mainstream American cuisine. $$ p h ASPEN CREEK REST AURANT 8000 Bar dstown Rd., 239-2200. The entr epreneur who cr eated T exas Roadhouse and Buckhead’ s is back with a concept that’s both old and new — a lodge-style r estaurant that invokes the rustic feel of the Rockies, and of fers a menu of pastas, bur gers, and poultry at prices that aren’t mountain high. $$ p h ✿

] BABBY’S STEAKHOUSE 1207 E. Market St., Jeffersonville, IN., 288-2411. This independentminded steakhouse is one of the metr o area’s best values for exper tly prepared steaks. They come in all the usual sizes and configurations, but someone in the kitchen has definite opinions about seasoning and grilling. The r esult is a distinctive approach that rewards a visit. $$ f

TEXAS ROADHOUSE Green Tree Mall, Clarksville, IN, 280-1103, 4406 Dixie Hwy . 448-0705, 6460 Dutchman’s Pkwy., 897-5005, 3322 Outer Loop, 962-7600. The spirit of the West sets the theme for this popular steak house. Salads, vegetables and breads with hearty side dishes round out your meal options. This is family-style dining, with no tray sliding — service at your table. $$ p TUMBLEWEED SOUTHWEST GRILL (17 locations) (see listing under Southwest/Tex Mex)

SKIP JACK’S 1418 Blackiston Mill Rd., Clarksville IN, 282-7557. $

STAN’S FISH SANDWICH 3723 Lexington Rd., 8966600. The fish is the thing at Stan’ s, wher e the owner is a perfectionist who won’t sell any but the freshest fish, per fectly pr epared. Known for their fish sandwich, daily specials take advantage of fresh product. $ ✿

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 Geor gia home. It draws big crowds with its memorable steaks and trimmings, with extra points for friendly ser vice and a comfortable atmosphere. $$$$ p h

THREE CONVENIENT LOCATIONS: On the River: 3021 Upper River Road ■ 895-0544 (Just east of Zorn Ave @ I-71)

601 W. Riverside ■ 284-3474 (On the Jeffersonville riverfront across from Louisville)

Around Town: 1610 Kentucky Mills Dr. ■ 240-0700 (Blankenbaker @ 1-64)

PAT’S STEAK HOUSE 2437 Br ownsboro Rd., 8969234. A local favorite for fifty years and as traditional as a steakhouse gets, Pat Francis, like his father befor e him, cuts the meats himself. Its combination of quality beef and hospitality rank it among the best steak houses in town. Be sur e to bring cash: No credit cards accepted. $$$$ p f PONDEROSA STEAKHOUSE 11470 S. Pr eston Hwy., 964-6117, 816 S. KY 53, La Grange, KY, 2221226. Family-style dining with the ranch theme kept alive with the open flame fr om the grills. An extensive buf fet with hot and cold foods, salads and desserts is also available. $ ✿ RUTH’S CHRIS STEAKHOUSE 6100 Dutchman’ s Ln., 479-0026. The Robb Report magazine has declared Rolex the world’s best watch, Armani the best men’s suit, Cohiba the best cigar and Ruth’ s Chris the best r estaurant. It ser ves an excellent steak in an atmospher e of elegance that will make you feel pampered, at a price to match. $$$$ p RYAN’S FAMILY STEAKHOUSE 5338 Bardstown Rd., 491-1088. This North Carolina-based chain of fers family dining with good variety: Its diverse and extensive buffet features over 150 items. $$ RED = ADVERTISER

B.J.’S RESTAURANT & BREWHOUSE 7900 Shelbyville Rd., 326-3850. This Southern California chain arrived east of the Mississippi, including a lar ge and imposing brewhouse at Oxmoor Center. A full range of made-in-Nevada craft beers is dispensed, along with upscale-casual pub grub. $$ p h BLUEGRASS GRILL & BAR 1041 Zorn A ve., 8975101. Formerly Anytimes, this Ramada Inn dining room now features Kentucky products from catfish to pork barbecue with traditional Henr y Bain sauce. $$ p f e h BUCKHEAD MOUNT AIN GRILL 3020 Bar dstown Rd., 456-6680, 4112 Outer Loop, 966-5555, 707 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville IN, 284-2919, 10206 Westport Rd., 339-0808. Buckhead’s combination of mountain lodge atmosphere and American-style fare make these popular destinations. The large menu features down-home staples like meat loaf, pot pies, steak, ribs, and lighter far e for warm weather dining. The view of Louisville’ s skyline fr om the riverfront location is not to be missed. $$ p f h ✿ BUNZ RESTAURANT 969 1/2 Baxter Ave., You’ll find only burgers here, and fries, soft drinks and beer .

But Anoosh Shariat, of Shariat’ s and Br ownings, is the owner, and so you will find top-quality ground beef, fresh cut fries, and a big choice of cheeses for those cheeseburgers. $ h CAFÉ MAGNOLIA 140 N. Four th St. (Galt House), 589-5200. The Galt House’ s quick and casual second-floor dining alternative, this spacious venue of fers a range of far e for guests on the go, from bacon and eggs to a late-night bur ger and fries. $$$ p ✿ CAPTAIN’S QUAR TERS 5700 Captain’ s Quar ters Rd., 228-1651. One of the city’ s most attractive eateries for atmosphere, Captain’s Quarters matches

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the beautiful setting with quality bistr o-style far e that won’t disappoint. Summer or winter , it’s a delightful place to dine. $$ p f e ✿ CARDINAL HALL OF FAME CAFÉ 2745 Crittenden Dr., 635-8686. This oversize eatery at Gate 4 of the Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center celebrates U of L spor ts with a “walk of fame” loaded with awards, photos, game balls and lots more Cardinal memorabilia. What? Y ou want food too? Sur e!

Casual American dining features everything from a “Cardinal Burger” to steaks and prime rib. $$ p h CARLY RAE’S 103 W . Oak St., 365-1003. This attractive Old Louisville spot with its beautiful patio offers a diverse and appealing menu with an unusually wide variety of casual dining options. $$

pfh✿ CHAMPIONS GRILL 505 Marriott Dr. (Holiday Inn), Clarksville, IN., 283-4411. Known by locals for its Saturday night buffet of New York strip, ribeye and prime rib. Salads, sandwiches, soups and a kidfriendly menu round out the selection. $$ p e ✿ CHEDDAR’S CASUAL CAFÉ 10403 W estport Rd., 339-5400, 1385 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 2809660. This p opular Dallas-based chain, drawing big, hungry crowds with its lar ge bar and familiar “casual to upscale American” fare. $ p h ✿ CHICK INN 6325 Upper River Rd., 228-3646.

Louisville’s familiar Chick Inn moved into upgraded quarters after a fire several years ago, but regulars still call it the “new place.” The fried chicken remains estimable, and a local cr owd calls it home base. $$ p f CHILI’S 421 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy ., 425-6800, 3623 Bardstown Rd., 301-8888, 11600 Antonia W ay, 301-8181, 9720 V on Allmen Ct., 301-8880. Mor e than just a place to chow down on baby back ribs, this national chain has a wide selection including fajitas, burgers, sandwiches and veggies. $$ p ✿ CHOPSHOP SALADS 436 W. Market St., 589-2467. $✿ CULVER’S 4630 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy ., 671-2001.

When the trademark item is called a “ButterBurger” and fr ozen custar d tops the desser t menu, you know you’re not in for diet far e. Quality fast food and friendly service make this chain a popular new East End arrival. $ f CUNNINGHAM’S 630 S. Fourth St., 587-0526, 6301 Upper River Rd., 228-3625. Carrying on into its third century in modern quarters that capture much of the nostalgia of its history, Cunningham’s vends fine fish sandwiches and pub grub in this downtown location and in a second eater y on Harr ods Creek. $ f CUTTER’S WHARF 1902 Victory Ct., Prospect, 2283100. This floating r estaurant near Harmony Landing in Oldham County r eplaces Har vey’s On The River . In its curr ent incarnation, diners will find fish, steaks, pastas and home-made pizzas, along with the requisite river-rat bar foods.(Closes for winter — reopens in March.) $$ p f h EVA MAE’S CREEKSIDE 6313 River Rd., 614-6338. $$ p f FIRESIDE BAR & GRILL 7611 IN 311, Sellersbur g, IN, 246-5456. Best known for the specially seasoned fried chicken. They also make excellent pastas, steaks, seafood, and salads. Homemade soups ar e created daily and cof fee and desser ts ar e always fresh. $$ p ✿ FIVE GUYS BURGERS & FRIES 2221 State Str eet, New Albany, IN, 944-9958, 4320 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 944-7370. Based in V irginia, this burger chain invokes the early days of fast food with fr eshly-grilled bur gers, big, smoky Kosher dogs, enough condiments to satisfy any craving, fresh-cut fries that ar e out of this world and a cheery rock’n’ roll sensibility. $ h

h = LATE NIGHT

GAVI’S RESTAURANT 222 S. Seventh St., 583-8183.

This family-owned eater y has been ar ound for decades. Standard casual American cuisine adds a few Russian-style specialties such as homemade borsht soup and beef Str oganoff. Daily lunch specials include lots of fresh vegetable dishes. $ ✿

Erma’s, a national chain that star ted in Columbus, Ohio’s German Village in 1972, has grown to nearly 100 pr operties with a steady formula of friendly service and casual-dining far e that ranges fr om specialty bur gers, soups and salads to mor e weighty entrées. $$ p f ✿

GOOSE CREEK DINER 2923 Goose Creek Rd., 3398070. Goose Cr eek Diner of fers old-fashioned comfort food, as the name “diner” suggests, but transcendently adds a gourmet taste to the downhome eats. $

MIMI’S CAFÉ 615 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy ., 426-6588.

This California chain, a subsidiar y of Bob Evans, goes urban and upscale where farmer Bob is folksy and country. This new East End location is drawing crowds, building its r eputation on those familiar with the chain from other places. $$ ✿

HOME RUN BURGERS & FRIES 2060 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 409-7004. Burgers, dogs and fries and drinks with a baseball theme highlight this suburban spot, and mor e than 20 toppings of fer you a fielder’ s choice of options to dress your burger. $ f ✿ HOOTERS 4120 Dutchmans Ln., 895-7100, 4948 Dixie Hwy., 449-4194, 7701 Pr eston Hwy., 9681606, 700 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville, IN, 2189485, 941 East Hwy. 131, Clarksville, IN 284-9464.

Hooter’s may draw cr owds with its long-standing reputation as a par ty scene, but you’ll stay for the food, an appetizing selection of soups, salads, seafood and of course wings. $ p f e h INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OF P ANCAKES 1220 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN. 285-1772. This is currently the familiar IHOP franchise’ s sole property in the Louisville area. $ h ✿ JOE’S OLDER THAN DIRT 8131 New Lagrange Rd., 426-2074. Going str ong after many years in this Lyndon location, Joe’s has gradually gr own from a little house to a sprawling complex of indoor and outdoor tables with live music many evenings.

Excellent barbecue is a specialty, and so is ice-cold beer. $ p e h KAREM’S 9424 Nor ton Commons Blvd., 327-5646.

Karem’s Grill & Pub, one of the first r estaurants to open in the village-like Nor ton Commons, carries the look and feel of a neighbor hood watering hole inside and out. The test of a r estaurant, though, is the food, and Karem’s is excellent. $ p f KERN’S KORNER 2600 Bar dstown Rd., 456-9726.

This family-owned tavern has been a popular neighborhood pit stop since 1978. Kern’ s of fers freshly made ham, chicken salad sandwiches and burgers, as well as a menu of soups, chilis and appetizers. $ p LEGENDS Horseshoe Casino Hotel, Elizabeth, IN, 888-766-2648. The hot and cold shor t or ders ar e served up with riverboat hospitality , but in a Las Vegas atmospher e. A well stocked bar and a live stage welcome the best of r egional and visiting national acts fr om W ednesday thr ough Satur day nights. $$ p e h LYNN’S PARADISE CAFÉ 984 Barret Ave., 583-3447.

One of the most popular places in town for brunch, Lynn’s Paradise Café lur es happy, hungr y cr owds with its hear ty far e and funky decor . L ynn’s sponsors the State Fair’ s tongue-in-cheek Ugliest Lamp Contest, but ther e’s nothing ugly about the delicious and filling food. $$ p ✿ MAGGIE’S 9909 Taylorsville Rd., 267-9604. Just of f Jeffersontown’s old T own Squar e, this neighborhood gathering place of fers casual diner-style far e in a spor ts bar setting with a fine fireplace to add atmosphere. $$ p f h ✿ MANHATTAN GRILL 429 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 561-0024. $ ✿ MASTERSON’S 1830 S. Thir d St., 636-2511. A fine, family Louisville tradition, this familiar T udor structure near the U of L campus is the state’ s largest full-ser vice restaurant and the city’ s largest caterer. Scaling back in r esponse to economic conditions, Masterson’ s now is open only for Sunday Jazz Brunch. $ e MAX & ERMA ’S 2901 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy ., 4939662, 3921 Summit Plaza Dr ., 412-5229. Max &

✿ = VEGETARIAN MENU ITEMS

= MENU AVAILABLE ON-LINE ONLY

THE MONKEY WRENCH 1025 Barret Ave., 582-2433.

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

The rooftop patio, scheduled to open soon, will add another dimension to the fun. $ p f e h ✿ O’CHARLEY’S (6 locations) O’Charley’ s, Inc. could serve well as the pictur e in the dictionar y next to “American casual dining.” The Nashville-based chain operates 206 pr operties in 16 states in the Southeast and Midwest, ser ving a straightfor ward steakand-seafood menu with the motto “Mainstream with an attitude.” $$ p h OTTO’S CAFÉ 500 S. Four th St. (Seelbach Hilton Hotel), 585-3201. Southern cooking with gourmet flair makes Otto’ s an intriguing alternative to the Seelbach’s more upscale Oakr oom. Check out the Southern Br eakfast Buf fet and the Executive Express Lunch Buffet. $ PEPPERS BAR & GRILL 320 W. Jefferson St., (Hyatt Regency) 587-3434. The casual-dining facility in the Hyatt Regency of fers a full dinner menu for hotel guests and outside visitors as well. $$$p h ✿ PUB LOUISVILLE Fourth Str eet Live 569-7782.

Owned by Cincinnati’ s The T avern Restaurant Group, The Pub featur es “nouveau pub cuisine” ranging from shepherd’s pie and fish and chips to more Continental dishes like fried calamari and a seared ahi tuna entrée. $$ p f h RAFFERTY’S OF LOUISVILLE 988 Br eckenridge Ln., 897-3900. 3601 Springhurst Blvd., 412-9000.

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

The Robin, a Seattle-based chain well r egarded for “gourmet burgers” and trimmings, has now landed in two East End locations. Despite a full bar , it reportedly attracts hordes of happy youngsters. $$

pfh ROOSTER’S 7405 Pr eston Hwy ., 964-9464. This Columbus-based wings-and-br ews chain conquered Ohio and is now spr eading its franchise wings acr oss the Eastern U.S. Its first Louisville property is gaining popularity for a lively sports bar setting and oversize wings. $ p f h RUBY TUESDAY 11701 Bluegrass Pkwy ., 267-7100, 1354 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN. 288-5010. If success demonstrates quality, then Ruby T uesday’s 600 international properties and 30,000 employees can stand up with pride. They’ve been upholding the slogan “A wesome Food. Serious Salad Bar” in Louisville for a generation. $$ p h ✿ THE RUDYARD KIPLING 422 W. Oak St., 636-1311.

The word “eclectic” fits this Old Louisville eater y 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 fr om Generation X’ers to aging hippies. $ p f e h ✿ SAM’S FOOD & SPIRITS 3800 Payne Kohler Rd., Clarksville, IN, 945-9757. Opened by a man named Sam some 16 years ago, this popular Southern www.foodanddine.com Summer 2009 67

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Indiana institution feeds an army of happy diners.

You’ll find seafood, steaks, pastas, salads and desserts. The menu is extensive and child friendly . $$ p h ✿ SHONEY’S 811 Eastern Pkwy ., 636-1043, 6511 Signature Dr ., 969-8904. For nearly 50 years, Shoney’s r estaurants have been one of America’ s top choices for fast r oadside dining, and happily they’ve kept up with the times. $ SKYLINE CHILI 1266 Bar dstown Rd., 473-1234, Plainview V illage Center, 429-5773, 4024 Dutchman’s Ln., 721-0093, 6801 Dixie Hwy ., 937-4020, 426 W . Market St., 561-9999 721-0093, 4024 Dutchman’s Ln. Louisville’ s outposts of a famous Cincinnati chili r estaurant, these casual eateries offer the r egional favorite (r eally it’ s Gr eek spaghetti sauce, but keep it quiet) and other fastfood dishes. $ h ✿ SPORTSVILLE GRILL & BAR 4004 Gardiner Point Dr., 753-4413. Y ou’ll find a varied menu and a sports-bar theme at Spor tsville Grill, dining r oom of the Holiday Inn Airport East. $$ p ✿ STEAK N SHAKE 3232 Bar dstown 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. Hwy .

131, Clarksville, IN., 285-1154. One of the oldest fast-food chains in the U.S., Steak N Shake traces its ancestry to an Illinois roadside stand in 1934. It now boasts 400 outlets in 19 states but still sticks to the basics: quality steak burgers and hand-dipped shakes served, if you dine in, on real china. $ h ✿ TGI FRIDA Y’S 9990 Linn Station Rd., 425-8185, Fourth Street Live, 585-3577. The original place to loosen the tie and congr egate after the whistle blows. TGIF carries on its par ty atmosphere tradition with American bistro dining and libations. The bill of fare ranges from baskets of appetizers on up to contemporary entrées. $$ p f h ✿ TOAST ON MARKET 736 E. Market St., 569-4099. A historic theater building (long a landmark junque shop) lends a funky atmospher e to T oast, a local breakfast and lunch favorite. Chef Geor ge Morris’ simple yet exciting menu adds a tongue-in-cheek bistro spin to traditional diner far e. $ p f ✿ TOMMY LANCASTER’S REST AURANT 1629 E. Market St., N ew A lbany, IN, 945-2389. V alue and variety ar e the str ong points of this community tradition and the far e goes fr om burgers to steak.

Friday or Saturday evenings feature a buffet. $$ p TRELLIS RESTAURANT 320 W. Jefferson St. (Hyatt Regency), 587-3434. Dine on café far e in the Hyatt’s lofty atrium lobby while you take advantage of an environment made for people-watching. $$ p TUCKER’S 2441 State St., New Albany, IN, 944-9999.

Tucker’s gives you a little bit of ever ything with a down-to-earth flair, offering burgers, ribs, steaks, a variety of appetizers and pastas. $ p TWIG & LEAF RESTAURANT 2122 Bardstown Rd., 451-8944. A popular Highlands hangout, the “Twig” is probably at its best for breakfast — whether you’re enjoying it while venturing out on a leisur ely Sunday morning or heading home ver y late on a Saturday night. It’ s a place to grab a quick, filling bite, and doesn’t pretend to be more. $ h ✿ THE VILLA BUFFET Horseshoe Casino Hotel, Elizabeth, IN, 888-766-2648. The V illa Buf fet offers an impressive choice of international dishes, with some 150 selections. A seafood buf fet is featured on Fridays. $$ ✿ WESTPORT GENERAL STORE 7008 Hwy . 524, Westport, KY., 222-4626. Only a half-hour’ s drive up the Ohio fr om Louisville, pr oprietors Will and Laura Crawfor d welcome visitors to this cozy destination, of fering a comfor tably sophisticated bill of fare that would in no way be out of place in a fancy city bistro. $$ ✿ 68 Summer 2009 www.foodanddine.com

THE WING ZONE 905 Hess Ln., 636-2445. Another new wings emporium situated to catch the fancy of U of L fans, Wing Zone excels with jumbo wings in 25 flavors, including traditional Buffalo-style wings that range from Mild to Nuclear. $ f h XAVIER’S 120 W. Broadway (Holiday Inn), 582-2241.

The dining r oom in the Holiday Inn Downtown sports a moniker that evokes memories of the historic St. Xavier High School building that stood on this site for mor e than a century until the Holiday Inn was built in 1963. $$ p ✿

BARBARA LEE’S KITCHEN 2410 Br ownsboro Rd., 897-3967. Barbara Lee’ s has been a late-night refuge for years. It’s a r eliable standby for those in search of traditional blue-plate special lunch food.

Honest grub, honestly priced, in a r ootsy atmosphere. $ h BIG MOMMA’S SOUL KITCHEN 4532 W. Broadway, 772-9580. Big Momma’ s may be the most hospitable place in the W est End to get genuine soul food. A different main course is featured daily, all home-cooked food, including such goodies as baked chicken, smother ed pork chops, meat loaf, catfish … and fried chicken every day. $ ✿ CAROLYN’S 3822 Cane Run Rd., 776-9519. The steam table classic, the “meat ‘n’ two” gives you the roast chicken, gr een beans and mashed potatoes.

Or pork chops, applesauce and limas. $ CHECK’S CAFÉ 1101 E. Burnett Ave., 637-9515. You can whif f a scent of Louisville history coming of f the old walls of this quintessential Germantown saloon, along with years of fr ying grease. The bar food her e is about as good as bar food gets, and that’s not bad. The chili and the bean soup ar e particularly recommended. $ p f e 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 ver y hear t of American comfor t food, including gr een beans, dumplings, and mashed potatoes. $$ CHICKEN KING 639 E. Br oadway, 589-5464. Spicy, crunchy and sizzling hot fried chicken is the primary draw on a short, affordable menu. $ h COTTAGE CAFÉ 11609 Main St., Middletown, 2449497. This nostalgic old house in the countr yside offers a taste of Kentucky-style cookery in an array of lunch specials that range from homemade soups and sandwiches to the traditional Hot Br own. $ ✿ COTTAGE INN 570 Eastern Pkwy ., 637-4325. Now under new management by the Kreso family, Cottage Inn spor ts a bright new look, and it continues happily doling out the kind of excellent downhome food it has ser ved for more than 70 years. $ DINNER IS DONE 3830 Ruckriegel Pkwy., 267-8686. $ D’NALLEY’S 970 S. Thir d St., 588-2003. Dir t-cheap blue-plate specials and hear ty br eakfasts bring droves to the counters and booths of this classic greasy spoon. Satur day morning hours ar e sporadic, but for a quick plate of meat loaf, gr een beans, and mashed potatoes, D’Nalley’ s is a har d place to beat. $ FORK IN THE ROAD F AMILY RESTAURANT 4951 Cane Run Rd., 448-3903. $ FORTY ACRES AND A MULE REST AURANT 1800 Dixie Hwy., 776-5600. $ FRONTIER DINER 7299 Dixie Hwy., 271-3663. The name “diner” says it all, and this friendly neighborhood spot on Dixie Highway delivers just what you’d expect in down-home comfor t far e. The word on the str eet, though, is simple: Go for the pancakes. They’re worth a special trip. $ ✿ RED = ADVERTISER

GENNY’S DINER 2223 Frankfor t A ve., 893-0923.

What’s the difference between Genny’s Diner and a saloon? You can take the kids to Genny’ s. Better still, you can get a darn good meal at Genny’ s, provided that you set your expectations for hear ty, filling and well-prepared diner food. $ p e GOLDEN CORRAL 4032 Taylorsville Rd., 485-0004, 8013 Pr eston Hwy ., 966-4970, 1402 Cedar St., Clarksville, IN. 258-2540. Buffet style family dining — one price, all you can eat. Steaks are served beginning at 4 p.m. $ GRANNY’S APRON 2605 Rockfor d Ln., 449-9026.

Everything at Granny’ s Apr on is homemade by owner Jan Bradley , and it tastes that way: Dinner here will r emind you of a trip back in time to Grandmother’s house, assuming that Grandmother was a really good cook. $ HAZELWOOD REST AURANT 4106 T aylor Blvd., 361-9104. Whether you like your eggs over easy, or your cheesebur gers well done, you’ll like the Hazelwood Restaurant. Standar d shor t or ders cooked with lots of character and a low price. $ HOMETOWN BUFFET 1700 Alliant Ave., 267-7044, 6641 Dixie Hwy., 995-3320. This chain ser ves 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. $ ✿ INDI’S RESTAURANT 1033 W. Broadway, 589-7985, 3820 W. Market St., 778-5154, 4901 Poplar Level Rd., 964-5749, 2901 Fern V alley Rd., 969-7993, 5009 S. Thir d St., 363-2535. Gr own fr om a tiny West End takeout spot to a mini-chain, Indi’s vends a variety of af fordable soul food and barbecue specialties to take out or eat in. $ h ✿ JESSIE’S FAMILY RESTAURANT 9609 Dixie Hwy ., 937-6332. Countr y cooking is Jessie’ s specialty , with hearty breakfast, lunch and dinner platters to fill the inner person. $ KINGS FAST FOOD 2101 W. Br oadway, 772-7138.

This tiny, colorful West End eater y, open for takeout only, offers a vast selection of filling, affordable urban fare that ranges fr om hot-and-spicy chicken wings to rib tips and mor e. $ h KING’S FRIED CHICKEN 1302 Dixie Hwy., 776-3013. $ MR. LOU’S COUNTR Y COTT AGE REST AURANT 5408 V alley Station Rd., 933-0806. Biscuits and red-eye gravy, country ham and grits show of f Mr. Lou’s countr y cooking style. Roast chicken is a dinner favorite, and so are homemade pies. $ ✿ O’DOLLYS 7800 Third St. Rd., 375-1690. Homestyle steam-table favorites ar e available fr om br eakfast through dinner, not to mention full bar service that makes O’Dollys a Southwest Louisville destination. $pfh✿ OUR BEST RESTAURANT 5404 Antle Dr., 969-6410, 2835 Holman Ln., Jef fersonville, IN, 288-8133, 5612 Bar dstown Rd., 239-2656. The original Our Best, a fine family r estaurant in Henr y County, is rapidly growing into a chain, with thr ee properties in the big city now. $$ 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 r ound.

Racing history on the walls and ser vers who’ll call you “hon.” $ WEBB’S MARKET 944 E. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 5830318. An old-line neighborhood corner grocery store houses a delicious secr et: At the back you’ll find a steam table loaded with exceptional comfor t food.

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

p = FULL BAR

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that fresh produce shows up on the tables her e in mammoth por tions. Combine that with honest fried chicken, big ham steaks, r oast beef, and sandwiches, and you can’t go wrong. $$ f ✿

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

ALEXANDER’S PIZZERIA 1611 Charlestown-New Albany Rd., Jeffersonville, IN, 284-9000. $$

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

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 . $✿

HALL’S CAFETERIA 1301 Stor y A ve., 583-0437.

Hall’s Cafeteria has been doing a brisk business on the steam tables since 1955, attracting customers from Butchertown’s truck loading docks and fr om offices downtown. $ ✿

ANGIO’S REST AURANT 3731 Old Bar dstown Rd., 451-5454. This small Buechel eater y attracts a friendly neighborhood crowd with hefty subs and quality pizzas, along with cold beer. $ ✿ ANNIE’S PIZZA 2520 Portland Ave., 776-6400, 4007 Cane Run Rd., 449-4444. Annie’ s has made-toorder pizza and a variety of stacked sandwiches such as the Big Daddy Str om with beef, Italian sausage, onions and banana peppers. $ h ✿

LANCASTER’S CAFETERIA 223 W. Fifth St., New Albany, IN, 949-2400. Troy Lancaster, the grandson of Southern Indiana catering king T ommy Lancaster, recalls the family’s culinary heritage with this family-friendly buffet-style cafeteria. $ f

ARNI’S PIZZA 1208 State St., New Albany , IN, 9451149, 3700 Paoli Pike, Floyds Knobs, IN, 9239805. A favorite Hoosier pizza and sandwich stop.

Insist on getting the Deluxe. $ ✿

DERBY DINNER PLA YHOUSE 525 Marriott Dr ., Clarksville, IN, 288-8281. The play’ s the thing at Derby Dinner Playhouse, Louisville’s long-running entry in the dinner-theater sweepstakes … but the expansive buf fet dinner adds value to the mix. $$$$ e ✿

BRUNO’S PIZZA 5170 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 944-5050. $$ BRUNO’S PIZZERIA & PUB 1919 S. Pr eston, 6341003. $$ p f h ✿

JANE’S CAFETERIA 4601 Jennings Ln., 454-7286. This 40-year-old family-owned restaurant knows how to cook for folks missing their home table. Count on an attentive staff and fresh southern fare. $ ✿

PICCADILLY CAFETERIA 2131 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 493-9900, 133 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy ., 4231733. An east end favorite for variety , Piccadilly offers r oast beef, fried chicken, cod, steak and shrimp dinners, a gardener’s list of vegetables and a few ethnic dishes for global measur e. $ ✿

Bardstown Road people parade fr om the extensive patio seating. $$ f e h ✿

BEARNO’S PIZZA (13 locations) What began as a simple, family-run pizzeria near Bowman Field has morphed into a local chain with, at last count, 15 locations. $ p ✿ BOOMBOZZ PIZZA & TAP HOUSE 1448 Bardstown Rd., 458-8889. The Tony Boombozz Pizza empire is expanding into a sit-down pizza and taphouse experience. The menu will extend into appetizers, sandwiches and pasta, and 21 craft beers can be quaffed at the fr osted metal bar top (think your mother’s old ice trays). Dine inside, or watch the

CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN 7900 Shelbyville Rd. (Oxmoor Center), 425-5125. California pizza became a trend when famous chefs gave this simple Italian fare a multi-ethnic spin with non-traditional Pacific Rim toppings. CPK successfully translates this trend for the mass market. $$ p f ✿ CHARLESTOWN PIZZA COMP ANY 850 Main St., Charlestown IN, 256-2699. This welcoming venue on Charlestown’s town square, a short trip upriver from Jef fersonville, is run by folks who learned their pizza and beer at New Albanian Br ewing Company. That’s a fine pedigr ee, and it shows in impressive quality. $$ ✿ CICI’S PIZZA 470 New Albany Plaza, New Albany , IN., 944-4942, 3093 Br eckinridge Ln., 452-6700.

Serious bar gain-hunters will find Cici’ s culinar y offer har d to beat. This Dallas-based chain ser ves up all the pizza you can eat for only $3.99. $ ✿ CLIFTON’S PIZZA 2230 Frankfor t A ve., 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 gr own-up toppings like anchovies and artichoke hearts. $ f e h ✿ DANNY MAC’S P ASTA & PIZZA 1014 Clarks Ln., 635-7994. $ DOMINO’S PIZZA (20 locations) $$ ✿ FAT DADDY’S PIZZA 10611 W. Manslick Rd., 3637551. $ h ✿

HOWL A T THE MOON Fourth Str eet Live, 5629400. What’ll they think of next? How about a nightclub that featur es a “dueling” piano bar with two pianos and a sing-along concept? Y ou’ll find this 4,000-square-foot club at Fourth Street Live on the ground level. $ p e h INCREDIBLE DAVE’S 9236 Westport Rd., 426-4790.

“Awesome dining, extr eme fun, wher e family fun hits maximum over drive” is the pr omise at this giant dining and enter tainment venue. It’s not just for kids: an upscale menu in a signatur e dining room is at the center of it all. $$ p h ✿ JOE HUBER FAMILY FARM & RESTAURANT 2421 Scottsville Rd., Starlight IN, 923-5255. A pleasant 20-minute drive from downtown Louisville, Huber’s has built a solid reputation for simple farm fare that’s well-made, fresh and good. Some of the pr oduce is grown on the premises in season. $$ p f e MY OLD KENTUCKY DINNER TRAIN 602 N. Third St., Bardstown, KY, (502) 348-7300. T alk about a nostalgia trip: My Old Kentucky Dinner T rain offers a four-course meal during a two-hour voyage along scenic Kentucky railr oad tracks near Bardstown in vintage 1940s-era dining cars.

Reservations are strongly recommended. $$$$ p ✿ STAR CRUISES 151 W. Riverside Rd., Jeffersonville, IN, 218-1565. The Ohio River cruise is the best thing about this Love Boat-style yacht that makes nightly all-you-can-eat cruises up the river. $$$$ p f ✿ STUMLER RESTAURANT & ORCHARD 10924 St. John’s Rd., Starlight, IN, 923-3832. Fr esh produce is available in the big shed a few steps away , and

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FAT JIMMY’S 2712 Frankfor t A ve., 891-4555, 2208 Bardstown Rd., 479-1040, 13829 English V illa Dr., 244-0840, 528 S. Fifth St., 589-8559. This friendly neighborhood nook of fers a cold mug of beer and a hot slice of pizza, along with sub sandwiches, pasta dishes and salads. The L yndon spot lur es a friendly biker cr owd; the Cr escent Hill eatery r eflects its urban setting. $ ✿ FROLIO’S PIZZA 3799 Poplar Level Rd., 456-1000.

Just ar ound the corner fr om the Louisville Zoo, Frolio’s is a neighborhood pizzeria with a cozy, dim Italian-American mood and an all-you-can-eat pizza-and-salad lunch special. $$ f ✿ HOMETOWN PIZZA 11804 Shelbyville Rd., 2454555, La Grange Squar e Shopping Center , 2224444. Pasta dishes, hoagies, str omboli and cold beer ar e available, and so is the one-of-a-kind Bacon Cheeseburger pizza. $$ h ✿ IROQUOIS PIZZA 6614 Manslick Rd., 363-3211. $$ ✿ J TRAIN PIZZA & PUB 201 Spring St., Jef fersonville, IN, 283-3663. Owner Joel Stinnett of fers New York style pizza in this eater y named for the New Y ork subway line he rode when he lived in the Big Apple. $$ f e h ✿ JOCKAMO’S PIZZA PUB 983 Goss A ve., 637-5406.

Old-timers ar e delighted to see Jockamo’ s Pizza Pub back in business in Germantown, more than a decade after it depar ted Bardstown Road. Some of the original owners (except the late Dave W ilder) have r ecreated the style, the mood and the live music, of the original. $$ e ✿ JOHNNY V’S 10509 Watterson Trail, 267-0900. $$ p f LITTLE CAESAR’S PIZZA 816 Kenwood Dr ., 3665599, 9017 Galene Dr ., 267-8600, 5622 Pr eston Hwy. 966-5800, 6714 Outer Loop, 966-3111, 12418 LaGrange Rd., 241-5445. This Detroit-based pizzeria chain lost market shar e in the ’90s, but business analysts say the company known for its two-for-one “pizza pizza” deal has turned things around with a renewed commitment to quality and service. $$ h ✿ LOUISVILLE PIZZA CO. 3910 Ruckriegel Pkwy ., 267-1188. Also known as Chubby Ray’ s, this local pizzeria makes good, fr esh pizzas and ItalianAmerican sandwiches. $ p f h ✿ LUIGI’S 712 W. Main St., 589-0005. If you think one pizza is pretty much like another, you may not have sampled New Y ork City-style pizza, a tr eat that you’ll find on just about ever y str eet corner ther e, but only Luigi’s offers in its authentic form here. $ ✿ MA ZERELLAS 949 S. Indiana A ve., Sellersburg, IN, 246-9517. Pleasant family-run-for -family-fun establishments. Pizza, pasta, salads and subs served for lunch and dinner seven days a week. $ ✿ MR. GATTI’S 5600 S. Third St., 363-2211, 8594 Dixie Hwy., 935-0100, 3319 Bar dstown Rd., 451-0540, 1108 Lyndon Ln., 339-8338, 2247 S. Pr eston St., 635-6708, 4200 Outer Loop, 964-0920. This Austin-based chain was one of the first national pizzerias to r each Louisville in the 1970s, and quality ingredients — plus Gattiland playgr ounds for the kids — have made its crisp, thin-crust pizzas a popular draw for nearly 30 years. $$ ✿ 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 Spor tstime Pizza with the pub formerly known as Rich O’ s, Publican Roger Baylor’s remarkable beer list, with mor e than 100 selections fr om ar ound the world — plus locally brewed craft beers — has won international awards.

A pizza like the famous “Herbivore” (spinach, sliced tomatoes and roasted garlic) makes a sizzling treat, with a world-class beer to wash it down. $

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takes the local mini-chain’s winning pizza concept to a higher level. Featuring the awar d-winning Boombozz pizzas and paninis available at its other mostly takeout shops, but presents it for dining in a striking “urban loft” setting with Italian-made furniture to add an upscale accent. $$ p h ✿

OLD CHICAGO P ASTA & PIZZA 9010 Taylorsville Rd., 301-7700. This gr owing chain specializes in both thick Chicago-style and thin traditional pizza, plus an imposing list of 110 beers from around the world. $$ p f h ✿ ORIGINAL IMPELLIZZERI’S 1381 Bar dstown Rd., 454-2711, 4933 Br ownsboro Rd. Impellizzeri’ s pizza, a Louisville icon known and loved for its massive pies for a generation, has r eturned to the Highlands! Benny Impellizzeri’ s latest ventur e is already attracting happy cr owds to the quar ters vacated by Alameda. $$$ p f h ✿ PA PA MURPHY’S PIZZA 291 N. Hubbards Ln., 8956363, 5016 Mudd Ln., 962-7272, 9501 Taylorsville Rd., 266-7000, 161 Outer Loop, 361-3444, 4607 Outer Loop, 964-7272, 12535 Shelbyville Rd., 2539191, 6756 Bar dstown Rd., 239-8282, 1305 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 280-7272. $$ ✿ PAPA JOHN’S PIZZA (30 locations) “Papa” John Schnatter got into the pizza game as a Southern Indiana high-school student in 1984 and has built his business into a 3,000-r estaurant international chain on the basis of a simple formula: traditional pizza, made fr om quality ingr edients in a straightforward style. $$ ✿

TONY IMPELLIZZERI’S 108 V ieux Carr e Dr., 4290606. The original Impellizzeri’s Pizza is gone from the Highlands, but this decade-old strip-center storefront near Hurstbourne houses br other Tony’s venture. If you like the massive, heavily loaded Impellizzeri pizza style, it’s a treat not to be missed. $$$$ ✿ TUBBY’S PIZZA 103 Quar termaster Cr t., Jeffersonville IN, 288-8870. Jef fersonville’s venerable quadrangle — it dates back to the Civil W ar — is the per fect setting for settling back over a pitcher of beer, a Hoosier-style pizza (sliced in squar es) and catching a game on one of the wall-mounted flat-screen TVs. $$ h VARSITY PIZZA & PINTS 6825 Central A ve., Crestwood, KY, 243-1101. $$ p f h ✿

PIZZA HUT (15 locations) $$ ✿

WICKS PIZZA PARLOR 975 Baxter Ave., 458-1828, 2927 Goose Cr eek Rd., 327-9425, 12717 Shelbyville Rd., 213-9425, 10966 Dixie Hwy., 9954333. W ick’s wins popularity with a welcoming mix of good pizza, a quality beer list and a friendly neighborhood feel at all thr ee of its eateries. The pies ar e straightfor ward, made with ample toppings. “The Big Wick” is a favorite. $ p h ✿

PIZZA KING 3825 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 945-4405, 1066 Kehoe Ln., Jeffersonville, IN., 2828286. The pizza at Pizza King is baked in a stur dy, clay stone oven and hand-tossed with thinner crust where the ingredients go all the way to the edge. $$

WINDY CITY PIZZERIA 2622 S. Fourth St., 636-3708.

Stuffed Chicago-style and crispy thin-crust pizzas offer whichever option a pizza lover desir es. $$ WINGS TO GO 4324 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 941-9464. $ h ✿

PIZZA PLACE 2931 Richland Ave., 458-9700. $ h ✿

ZA’S PIZZA 1573 Bardstown Rd., 454-4544. $$

PIZZA BY THE GUY 814 Lyndon Ln., 426-4044. This locally owned franchise, now in lar ger quar ters, wins its fans’ praise for extra spicy sauce and handtossed dough. $ h ✿

PUCCINI’S SMILING TEETH 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 721-0170. A small but gr owing pizza chain based in Indianapolis opens its first Louisville pr operty on Shelbyville Road. Thin pizza by the slice and other Italian-American dishes ar e ser ved in an attractive setting that’s a cut above fast food. $$ ✿ SICILIAN PIZZA & P ASTA 631 S. Four th St., 5898686. Ready for takeout or eat-in, this downtown storefront offers good, standard (not Sicilian) pizza and other familiar Italian-American dishes. $ h SIR DANO’S PIZZA P ARLOR 469 N. Indiana A ve., Sellersburg IN, 246-3346. $ f ✿ SNAPPY TOMATO 4005 Shelbyville Rd., 895-7511, 10000 Brownsboro Rd., 412-6205, 13206 W. Hwy. 42, 228-9990. A Midwestern pizza-deliver y chain based in Nor thern Kentucky, Snappy Tomato says its pizzas are made with fresh ingredients (including an unusual cinnamon-apple pizza “pie”); and the chicken wings are impressive. $$ h ✿ SPINELLI’S PIZZERIA 614 Baxter A ve., 568-5665.

This tiny stor efront in the city’ s nightclub zone offers a tasty option for the wide-eyed-late-at-night crowd seeking good cheap eats; it’s open until 5 am nightly fr om Wednesday thr ough Satur day. Better yet, it gives Louisville an authentic taste of Philadelphia specialties: Philly-style pizza and r eal Philly cheese steaks. $ f h ✿ TONI’S MORE THAN PIZZA 3213 Pr eston Hwy ., 634-5400. Friendly ser vice and sizzling pies make this neighbor hood pizzeria a favorite under any name. $$ ✿ TONY BOOMBOZZ 3334 Frankfort Ave., 896-9090, 12613 Taylorsville Rd., 261-0222. Boombozz wins praise for exceptionally high quality pizza and other quick Italian-style far e. Tony’s pizzas include both traditional pies and gourmet-style specialties that have won awards in national competition. $$ h ✿ TONY BOOMBOZZ PIZZA & VINO 2813 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy ., 394-0000. Flagship of the Boombozz flotilla, this East End establishment RED = ADVERTISER

p✿

AMAZING GRACE WHOLE FOODS DELI 1133 Bardstown Rd., 485-1122. If you think “vegan” means only raw carr ots, bean spr outs, seeds and roots, think again. No animals wer e harmed in the making of the tasty alternative sandwiches and other dishes at this neat little deli attached to a spiffy local organic-foods grocery. $ ✿ ANOTHER PLACE SANDWICH SHOP 119 S. Seventh St., 589-4115. If you want to buy a car , go to a car dealer . To buy a carpet, patr onize a carpet shop. And if you’ve got a sandwich on your to-do list, it makes sense to go to a sandwich shop. $ ✿ BACKYARD BURGER 1800 Priority Way, 240-9945, 11201 Oscar Rd., 339-2908. The open flame at these counter-service diners pr ovide the next best thing to a family cookout. Sandwiches, fr esh salads, fruit cobblers and old-fashioned hand-dipped milkshakes enhance the nostalgic theme. $ ✿ BANK SHOT BILLIARDS 403 E. Market St., 5878260. $ h BLIMPIE’S SUBS & SALADS 2020 Brownsboro Rd., 899-7960. Sublime subs — fast and fresh. Blimpie’s is all that … and a bag of chips. $ ✿ BUTCHER’S BEST MEA TS & DELI 9521 US Hwy. 42., 365-4650. This fully staf fed meat stor e in Prospect offers custom-cut beef, lamb, pork, bison, chicken and veal, plus a well-stocked deli and specialty foods, with skilled butcher Jimmy Mike at the helm. $ f CAFÉ P ALACIO 4010 Dupont Cir cle, 708-1818.

Serving lunch to workers in the Dupont ar ea five days a week. $ ✿ CALISTOGA AR TISAN SANDWICHES 4000 Dutchmans Ln., 895-3779, 401 E. Chestnut St., 561-9092. “Papa” John Schnatter , founder of the worldwide pizza chain that bears his name, is taking another shot at the fast-food world with the

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more upscale Calistoga Ar tisan Sandwiches that some have likened to Panera Br ead. $ f ✿ CAT BOX DELI 500 W. Jefferson St., 561-6259. The name of this cozy downtown deli in the PNC Bank building might warrant a double-take, but its feline theme and kitty car toons earn a smile. Open for breakfast and lunch, it of fers a good selection of sandwiches, panini and wraps at budget prices. $ ✿ THE CHICAGO GYROS 2317 Brownsboro Rd., 8953270. $ f e ✿ DANISH EXPRESS PASTRIES 102 1/2 Cannons Ln., 895-2863. Just a few tables turn this takeout nook into a sit-in breakfast and lunch spot for a handful of diners at a time. Full breakfasts and light lunches are available, but as the name implies, Danish pastries are the specialty, and they’re fine. $ ✿ DERBY CITY DOGS 960 Baxter Ave., 561-2880. This walk-up hot-dog stor efront ser ves Nathan’s brand all beef hot dogs with gourmet style toppings, bratwurst, corn dogs, veggie dogs, side dishes, ice cream and smoothies — they’ll even give your r eal doggie a tr eat if she’ s along with you. Catering to the nightclub cr owd, it’s open until 5 a.m. on the weekends. $ f h ✿ DEVINO’S 104 W. Main St., 569-3939. This stylish deli of fers another lunch and dinner option downtown. Sandwiches ar e made fr om quality Boar’s Head meats and cheeses cut on the premises, with dining inside and on the patio; package beer and wine is also available. $ f DINO’S DOWN TO LUNCH CAFÉ 239 S Fifth St. (Kentucky Home Life Building) 585-2874. $ ✿ DIZZY WHIZZ DRIVE-IN 217 W. St. Catherine St., 5833828. This neighborhood eatery is an institution. It goes back mor e than 50 years and hasn’ t changed much. It opens early and stays open late and of fers good value for what you’d expect. $ f

JASON’S DELI 410 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 412-4101, 4600 Shelbyville Plaza, 896-0150. Don’ t look for a New Y ork kosher -style deli at this T exas-based chain, but suburbanites are lining up at its multiple locations for oversize sandwiches, salads, wraps and more. $ f ✿ JERSEY MIKE’S SUBS AND SALADS 10266 Shelbyville Rd., 244-1991, 10519 Fischer Park Dr., 425-1025, 9156 T aylorsville Rd., 499-9830.

East Coast-style sub shop with local faves that includes cheese, ham, pr osciuttini, capicola, salami, pepperoni and fixings. $ ✿ JIMMY JOHN’S SUB SHOP 967 Baxter Ave., 587-0550, 4000 Shelbyville Rd., 894-3331, 3901 Dutchmans Ln., 894-9393,415 W. Jefferson St., 625-7101, 1321 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 425-4515, 3001 Charlestown Crossing W ay, New Albany , In. 725-8580. This national sandwich-shop chain offers a wide selection of over stuf fed subs that benefit fr om fr esh quality ingredients. But what sets them apart from the rest is their value — and they deliver. $ f h ✿ JOE DAVOLA’S Joe Davola’s, 901 Barret Ave., 690-5377.

Near the government center in the lower Highlands, this sandwich shop will featur e healthful choices for lunch. $ ✿ JUANITA’S BURGER BOY 1450 S. Br ook, 635-7410.

For a r eal slice of Louisville life, this weather ed greasy spoon at the corner of Br ook and Burnett is the real thing. Neighborhood denizens drink coffee and chow down on bur gers and breakfast until the wee hours (the joint is open 24 hours). If Louisville is home to a budding Charles Bukowski, ther e’s a good chance he’ s sitting at Juanita’ s counter right now, recovering from last night’s excesses. $ h JUST FRESH BAKER Y CAFÉ & MARKET 1255 Bardstown Rd., 451-2324. A national chain of fers fast-food fare billed as healthy and natural. $$f ✿

DOOLEY’S BAGELCA TESSEN 980 Br eckenridge Ln., 893-3354, 2415 Lime Kiln Ln., 426-3354.

This convenient deli specializes in bagels, as the name implies. Br eakfast means fr esh bagels with an array of cream cheese, sausage, eggs and coffee.

At lunchtime lines form for sandwiches — subs, panini, wraps, hot melts and cold cuts. $ ✿

KC’S CHICAGO HOT DOG STAND 1770 Bardstown Rd., 454-9727. Walk up to this small stand and load up a V ienna All Beef hotdog “Chicago style” with mustard, ketchup, onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, salt, pepper and neon-green relish. There’s also corn dogs, and Hawaiian shave ice. No indoor dining, but some seats out front. $ f ✿

EINSTEIN BROTHERS BAGELS 320 W. Jef ferson St., (Hyatt Regency) 217-6046. Nothing beats a bagel and a schmear of cr eam cheese — unless it’s a bagel, a schmear , and a gener ous slab of lox. For those who don’ t live on bagels, a good selection of soups, salads and sandwiches offer quick sustenance at this branch of the national chain. $ f ✿

LIL’ LOAFERS BAKER Y 8522 Pr eston Hwy ., 9693990. For years, hair dresser Sheryl Lukenbill used to bake banana br eads and other tr eats as gifts for her customers. Her goodies wer e so popular that now Sheryl and her husband Paul have gone fulltime with Lil’ Loafers Bakery. $ ✿

THE FEED BAG DELI 133 Br eckenridge Ln., 8961899. The grilled salmon bur ger is worth the visit, as well as the Triple Crown wrap with thr ee meats or a fr esh veggie wrap. Soups, desser ts top of f the lunch-only schedule. $ ✿ FRASCELLI’S NEW YORK DELI & PIZZERIA 6010 Crestwood Station, 243-9005. This Oldham County shop offers Italian-style deli sandwiches and pizza, plus home-style Italian hot dishes fr om lasagna to baked ziti. $ p h ✿ GREAT LIFE CAFÉ 9565 Taylorsville Rd., 297-8807, 9463 W estport Rd., 420-0707, 951 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 284-5624. This small but growing local chain, founded in 2006 by Steve and Jill Mazzoni and their friend Jason McCune, specializes in health and nutrition supplements and vitamins. $ ✿ HEAVENLY HAM 3602 Nor thgate Cr t, New Albany , IN, 941-9426. This franchise location of the “spiralsliced, honey-spice glazed” ham-to-go chain of fers sandwiches of the trademark pr oduct. There’s also smoked turkey, as well as box lunches, ham and smoked turkey by the pound or in bulk. $ HONEYBAKED CAFÉ 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 8956001, 6423 Bardstown Rd., 239-9292. $

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LITTLE CHEF 147 E. Market St., New Albany , IN, 949-7567. Ever y city needs a postage-stamp-sized spot that knows how to fry potatoes and grill up a burger. In New Albany , the place is Little Chef.

Biscuits and gravy , fried eggs, and bur gers, in a joint that seems like a thr owback to the hear tland of America, circa 1940. $ f h ✿ LONNIE’S BEST T ASTE OF CHICAGO 121 St. Matthews Ave., 895-2380, 1034 Bardstown Rd., 4512965. This appetizing operation offers genuine Chicago hot dogs and a taste of Chicago atmosphere for a price that won’t hurt your wallet. Make Lonnie’s the place to go when you’ve got a hankering for Windy City fare. $ LOTSA PASTA 3717 Lexington Rd., 896-6361. Lotsa Pasta originated as an Italian specialty-food stor e, and it has been a local favorite for mor e than 20 years. It now of fers deli meats and cheeses and an eclectic international selection of sausages and cheese. A large sit-down section offers a comfortable place to enjoy cof fee, pastry and sandwiches made to order in the deli. $ ✿ LUNCH TODAY 590 Missouri Ave., Jeffersonville, IN, 282-1005. This outfit pr epares its shar e of the soups, salads and sandwiches that the downtown workforce needs to re-energize. $ f

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MAIN EA TERY 643 W. Main St., 589-3354. Smack dab in the middle of the Main Str eet historic district, this fashionable deli lur es the savvy business midday crowd. $ f ✿ MCALISTER’S DELI 10041 Forest Green Blvd., 4258900, 2721 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 671-2424, 2400 Lime Kiln Ln., 339-8544, 6510 Bar dstown Rd., 239-9997, 12911 Shelbyville Rd., 244-5133, 1305 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 282-3354. Emphasizing quality customer ser vice, this delicatessen ladles up such soups as gumbo and chicken tortilla along with cutting boar d favorites. They have a special way with a tumbler of sweet iced tea and lemon. $ ✿ MORRIS DELI & CATERING 2228 Taylorsville Rd., 458-1668, 555 S. Second St. (YMCA building), 587-2353. Many locals still know this small, popular Highlands deli as Kar em Deeb’s after its longtime previous owner. Mostly for takeout — it packs in a few cr owded tables — it’ s known for high-quality, hand-made deli far e. A second location is now open in the YMCA downtown. $ ✿ NANCY’S BAGEL BOX 651 S. Fourth St., 589-4004.

An outpost of Nancy’ s Bagel Gr ounds in Clifton, this new outlet in the new downtown Gourmet Market (the old Kentucky Theater building in Theater Squar e) of fers a similar mix of light far e and Nancy’s unique take on the bagel. $ ✿ NANCY’S BAGEL GROUNDS 2101 Frankfor t Ave., 895-8323. A friendly and casual neighbor hood gathering spot. Of ferings include soups, snacks, coffee drinks and bagels made on the pr emises to its own rather idiosyncratic formula. $ f ✿ OLLIE’S TROLLEY 978 S. Thir d 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 sur viving tr olleys of the Louisvillebased chain that spr ead acr oss the nation in the ’70s. Oversize bur gers with a spicy , homemade flavor are just as good as ever. $ ORDERS UP CAFÉ & DELI 1981 Nelson Miller Pkwy., 245-5991. Quick and casual, Or ders Up of fers the inviting atmospher e of dr opping in to someone’ s home for lunch. Soups salads and fr eshly made sandwiches ar e uniformly appetizing, and sandwiches are affordably priced at $5 or less. $ ✿ PANERA BREAD CO. 5000 Shelbyville Rd., 8999992, 6221 Dutchmans Ln., 895-9991, 601 S. Hurstbourne Ln., 423-7343, 10451 Champion Farms Dr., 426-2134, 3131 Poplar Level Rd., 6359164, 1040 V eterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 2889400, 400 W. Market St., 540-5250. W arm breads finish-baked on the premises make a tasty base for a variety of sandwiches. Soups, salads, cof fee drinks and a fr ee W iFi hotspot make Panera’ s outlets popular gathering places. $ f ✿ PAUL’S FRUIT MARKET 3922 Chenoweth Sq., 8968918, 4946 Br ownsboro Rd., 426-5059, 12119 Shelbyville Rd., 253-0072, 3704 T aylorsville Rd., 456-4750. One of Louisville’ s popular sour ces for produce, cheeses, deli items, and the like. Deli sandwiches and salads are available (takeout only). $✿ PENN ST ATION (16 Locations). Billed as the East Coast Sub Headquarters, this sandwich kitchen does a brisk business here in the Louisville area. $ ✿ QUIZNO’S SUBS (16 locations) Toasted breads, a sandwich selection of meats, veggies and fish are built to fight hunger. Fresh soups ar e available daily, from chili to chowder; so are salads and desserts. $ ✿ SCHLOTZSKY’S DELI 10531 Fischer Park Dr ., 4258447, 12915 Shelbyville Rd., 244-9069. The original Schlotzsky’s of fered 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 far e, with one significant improvement on the traditional deli: the servers are invariably polite. $ f ✿ 72 Summer 2009 www.foodanddine.com

SHADY LANE CAFÉ 4806 Brownsboro Center, 8935118. Another attractive East End stor efront, Shady Lane Café, has been earning good r eviews for simple br eakfast and lunch far e ser ved in friendly surroundings. $ ✿

based in the twin cities, but it looks like a Geor gia gas station with its exuberant, if tongue-in-cheek faux country decor. The impor tant thing, though, is the food, and Dave’ s excels with genuine, hickory-smoked barbecue. $$ p f

SOUPY’S 3019 Br eckenridge Ln., 451-5325. In the soup kettles you will find such classics as cheesy potato, bean and ham, br occoli and cheese, chicken and dumplings and mor e. At the cutting board they’ll make your meat, cheese and veggie sandwiches according to your custom design. $ ✿

FINLEY’S HICKOR Y SMOKED BAR-B-Q 1500 W. Broadway, 581-0298. Rib tips ar e the specialty but you’ll find turkey legs, ham, half-chickens, pork chops and shr edded beef and pork — all for dinners or sandwiches, and barbecued pig’s feet for the BBQ purists. $ f

THE STARVING ARTIST CAFÉ & DELI 8034 New Lagrange Rd., 412-1599. $ ✿

FIRE FRESH BBQ 6435 Bar dstown Rd., 239-7800, 211 S. Fifth St., 540-1171, 8610 Dixie Hwy ., 9957585. Fir e fighters, it is said, eat hear tily and well. It’ s no coincidence, then, that Fir eFresh Bar B Q pays homage to local fire departments in its restaurant’s decor. The barbecue and country fixin’s stand comparison to the best fir ehouse cuisine. $ f

STEVENS & STEVENS 1114 Bar dstown Rd., 5843354. Sharing space with the popular Ditto’ s, Stevens & Stevens is primarily known for catering and takeout far e. They cook just as well if you choose to stay in, though, of fering appealing sandwiches and deli fare with a healthy twist. $ ✿ SUB ST ATION II 3101 Fern V alley Rd., 964-1075.

The har dy No. 19, a six-meat-and-cheese super sub, keeps the stor e buzzing. An array of sandwiches, salad sides and desser ts fill out an appetizing lunch menu. $ ✿ THE BODEGA 829 E. Market St., 569-4100. At the back of the Felice Plaza east of downtown, the Bodega combines a small specialty-food market, wine-and-beer shop and deli under one compact roof. They’ll build your lunch to dine in or enjoy on their sunny patio. $ f ✿ THORNBERRY’S DELI & PIES 367-8394. $

5103 S. Thir d St.,

W.W. COUSINS REST AURANT 900 Dupont Rd., 897-9684. This locally owned and operated eater y looks a lot like the national Fuddruckers chain, but the local boys do a better job, with huge burgers on magisterial home-baked buns and a Metr opolitan Museum of toppings. $ ✿ WALL ST. DELI 225 Abraham Flexner W ay (Jewish Hospital) 585-4202. Of fering New York style with Kentucky flair, this busy downtown deli will ser ve in-house diners or take or ders for deliveries.

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

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

Bootleg Barbecue of fers a touch of rusticity and a good helping of country hospitality, as it dishes out hearty por tions of well-pr epared and af fordable smoked meats and fixin’s. It’s one of the few places in Louisville where you can get Western Kentuckystyle mutton barbecue. $ f BRANDON’S BAR-B-QUE 9901 LaGrange Rd., 4266666. Featuring hickor y-smoked T ennessee-style barbecue sandwiches and filling, af fordable dinners. $ BRUCE’S SMOKEHOUSE & BALLP ARK GRILL 3065 Breckenridge Ln., 459-5201. $$ CLARK BOY BAR-B-Q 6728 Johnsontown Rd., 9335577. If it’ s a little of f the beaten path, ther e’s nothing the matter with that. Clark Boy’ s r easonably priced W estern Kentucky-style barbecue is well worth a special trip. Like many mom ’n’ pop eateries, it accepts cash only, no plastic. $ DEM BONES BBQ 1703 Charlestown-New Albany Rd., Jeffersonville, IN, 282-2277. Ribs, brisket and pulled pork dominate the menu at this diminutive family-operated smokehouse. The sauce has a sweet tang, the baked beans a rich, long-simmer ed flavor, and though tables ar e few , ever ything is available to go — in any quantity desir ed. $ FAMOUS DA VE’S BAR-B-QUE 8605 Citadel W ay, 493-2812, 1360 V eterans Pkwy ., Clarksville, IN, 282-3283. This franchise chain operation may be RED = ADVERTISER

FRANKFORT AVENUE BEER DEPOT 3204 Frankfort Ave., 895-3223. A neighborhood bar that welcomes all comers. Ser vice can be erratic, but the ’cue is worth waiting for. (Play putt-putt golf or cornhole out back while you’re waiting) The burgoo and the baked beans rank as some of the best in the city and the pulled pork by the pound is value wor th taking home. $ p f h JIMBO’S BBQ 801 Kenwood Dr ., 375-1888. This South End barbecue shack, an outpost of a popular spot in Corydon, IN, offers a fine range of barbecue meats skillfully smoked on the pr emises, with sauce served on the side as it should be. $ JUCY’S SMOKEHOUSE BAR-B-QUE 7626 New Lagrange Rd., 241-5829. Jucy’s offers exceptionally good T exas-style barbecue fr om a little wooden shack that looks just like a countr y BBQ joint should. Highly recommended. $$ f KENTUCKY BBQ CO. 1800 Frankfor t A ve., 8953419. Actual brothers — Dave and Greg Kastan — offer first-rate ribs and smoked meats in this older Clifton venue. Theme dinners once a month explore the wider world of the barbecue tradition. $$ p 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. Named for its first r estaurant’s location in a former feed stor e with that down-home countr y feel, Mark’ s impr esses with high-quality hickor y-smoked pork and chicken, and rich, silken South Carolina barbecue sauce, the yellow mustard-based variety. $$ f OLE HICKORY PIT BAR-B-QUE 6106 Shepherdsville Rd., 968-0585. Located in an attractive house not far fr om General Electric’ s Appliance Park, this Louisville r elative of a famous W estern Kentucky barbecue pit is well worth the trip. $ f PICNICATERS BBQ & CATERING 514 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 584-7427. Located across from Louisville Gardens, grills outdoors year ‘r ound, placing hot sauce, wings and chops right in the middle of a hungry business district. $ f PIG CITY BBQ 12003 Shelbyville Rd., 244-3535.

Down-home and honest, the name of this popular Middletown barbecue eater y pr etty much says it all. Smoke ’em if you’ve got ’em — and they do — with all cherry wood. $$ f PIT STOP BAR-B-QUE 13303 Magisterial Dr ., 2536740. This familiar old local brand, long a downtown fixtur e, now of fers its smoky T exas barbecue in an East End industrial park just off the Gene Snyder Freeway and Old Henry Road. $ RITE WAY BAR-B-CUE HOUSE 1548 W. St. Catherine St., 584-9385. Open since 1943, this W est End landmark in a one-time neighbor hood gr ocery, offers exceptional urban barbecue, including ribs that rank with the city’s best. $ f h

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RITE WAY BAR-B-CUE HOUSE 300 W. Chestnut St., 922-3156. Barbecue meister Kalvin Br own, who presided over the smokers at the W est End RiteWay for many years, now brings his skills to a downtown establishment with similar far e but no business connection to the original. $ p e h RUBBIE’S BAR-B-QUE & BREW 6905 Southside Dr., 367-0007. This South End family knows how to do BBQ. It may be of f the beaten path for some folks but here you’ll find the bounty of secr et BBQ recipes. $ p f e h SCOTTY’S RIBS AND MORE 14049 Shelbyville Rd., 244-6868. Ribs, pork, chicken a la car te and dinners. The small East End venue moves a lot of pizzas and salads as well. $$ p SHACK IN THE BACK BBQ 406 Mt. Holly Rd., 3633227. $ f e SHANE’S RIB SHACK 12420 Lime Kiln Ln., 4293907. “Rib” may be its middle name, but you can also fill up on wings, chicken tenders, sandwiches and more at this growing Atlanta-based chain, now open in this former Tijuana Flats facility. $$ f h SMOKETOWN USA 1153 Logan St., 409-9180. The name “Smoketown” does double-duty at this T exMex storefront just east of Old Louisville in the the Smoketown neighbor hood. Ribs ar e juicy and smoky; the pinto beans and the Blue Bunny ice cream from Texas are not to be missed. $ f ✿ SMOKEY BONES BBQ 2525 Hurstbourne Gem Ln., 491-7570. A pr operty of Orlando’ s Dar den fastfood chain, which also runs Olive Gar den and Red Lobster, this noisy Stony Brook-area eatery conveys more of a spor ts-bar than barbecue concept, but the ribs are fine. $$ p TONY ROMA ’S 150 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy ., 3278500. From the tomato tang to a smoky Blue Ridge savor, Roma’s advertises its ribs as the best dr essed in town. Bur gers, chicken and steaks ar e available as well, but we r ecommend the racks and baby backs of pork and beef. $$$ p VINCE STATEN’S OLD TIME BARBEQUE 13306 W. U.S. 42, 228-7427. Author Vince Staten, who literally wrote the book on barbecue (Real Barbecue), has moved on, but his name remains on this neighborhood joint out the road in Oldham County. $

BEEF O’BRADY’S 239 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 2542322, 5628 Bar dstown Rd., 239-2226, 10000 Brownsboro Rd., 327-5496, 3101 S. Second St., 637-3737, 105 LaFollette, 923-1316, 1450 Veterans Pkwy., Jeffersonville, IN, 285-9464. 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 spor ts pub,” of fering a wholesome environment. $ h BIG AL’S BEERITAVILLE 1715 Mellwood Ave., 8934487. Good people, good food, cold beer: The sign out fr ont says it all, and we might add “cool atmosphere” in praise of this small but friendly Butchertown oasis. $ p f e BLUE MULE SPORTS CAFÉ 10301 Taylorsville Rd., 240-0051. Longtime buddies John O’Connor and Jim “Mule” Riley talked for years about opening a restaurant and spor ts bar . Riley died befor e their dream came true. But now O’Connor pr oudly presides over this 90-seat casual Jef fersontown eatery and watering hole, and he has named it in affectionate memory of his friend “Mule.” $ p e BROWNIE’S “THE SHED” GRILLE & BAR 237 Whittington Pkwy ., 326-9830. Restaurant owner and namesake Keith Br own used to host neighborhood gatherings in a shed at his home. Now he brings the same sociable concept to his pub and eatery. Br ownie’s may be the closest thing

h = LATE NIGHT

Hurstbourne has to a Germantown neighbor saloon. $ p h

hood

BUFFALO WILD WINGS (BW -3’S) 6801 Dixie Hwy., 935-1997, 4600 Shelbyville Plaza, 899-7732, 9134 Taylorsville Rd., 499-2356, 3584 Springhurst Blvd., 394-9596, 12901 Shelbyville Rd., 254-9464, 1055 Bar dstown Rd., 454-3635, 1112 V eteran’s Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 283-9464. As much a sports bar as a r estaurant, this national franchise chain offers tasty snack-type far e, including the chain’ s trademark Buffalo chicken wings. $$ p f h BUFFALO WINGS & RINGS 2610 Chamberlain Ln., 243-4464, 6501 Bardstown Rd., 239-0029. $ p f h CHAMPIONS SPOR TS REST AURANT 280 W .

Jefferson St. (Louisville Marriott), 671-4246.

Another popular option at the striking new downtown Marriott, Champions pr ovides a fun, casual dining alternative with a Kentucky sports theme — and a galler y of big-scr een televisions to keep the sports action flowing as fr eely as the libations and upscale pub grub. $$ p f h CHATTER’S BAR & GRILL 2745 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 961-9700. $$ p f ✿ CONNOR’S PLACE 132 E. Market St., New Albany , IN, 590-3377. Hoosier Restaurateur Dave Himmel has moved Connor’ s Place to a new location, retaining the casually upscale mood and food that he made a trademark in the original venue. $ p f e h DANNY BOY’S 1101 S. Clark Blvd., Clarksville IN, 283-3566. $ p e h DELTA RESTAURANT 434 W. Market St., 584-0860.

It’s not quite as historic as Gideon Shr yock’s Jefferson County Cour thouse ar ound the corner , but this popular bar and shor t-order spot seems as if it has been a hangout for lawyers and the courthouse crowd for just about as long as ther e’s been a Courthouse. $ p ✿ DIAMOND PUB & BILLIARDS 3814 Frankfort Ave., 895-7513. $ p f h ✿ FLABBY’S SCHNITZELBURG 1101 L ydia St., 6379136. Family-owned since 1952, Flabby’ s is a quintessential Germantown saloon. It’s also one of the city’s top destinations for inexpensive downhome eats, fr om authentic German dishes to fantastic fried chicken on weekends. $ ✿ FLANAGAN’S ALE HOUSE 934 Baxter A ve., 5853700. Gourmet pizzas, hoagies, and an enormous beer selection draw Highlands folks to this cozy neighborhood pub. For a late night pizza (the kitchen’s open until 2 a.m.), it’ s one of the best options in the city. $$ p f h FOUR KINGS CAFÉ 4642 Jennings Ln., 968-2930.

Steam-table ser vice featuring spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna and chicken attract a hungry lunch cr owd at this casual spot, and brunch specialties are just as popular. $ p FOX & HOUND 302 Bullitt Ln., 394-7620. A “British pub” concept operated by a W ichita, Kansas-based chain, Fox & Hound features a “mid-casual” menu with burgers, pizza, chicken and pot roast, in a large venue with plenty of billiar d tables and an ample supply of large-screen televisions. $$ p f h ✿

GREAT AMERICAN GRILL 2735 Crittenden Dr .

(Hilton), 637-2424. Located in the Louisville International Airpor t Hilton. Salads, bur gers, pastas and sandwiches ar e available for the casual diner; main entrées include New York strip, filet of salmon and more. $ p f HARLEY’S HOUSE OF BREWS 122 W. Main St., 384-0151. Long-standing blues bar Zena’ s closed, but fans can take hear t with the r eopening of the funky space by the owners of Amici in Old Louisville, who pr omise great music and gr eat bar food. $ p e h HARLOW’S BAR AND GRILL 2787 S. Floyd St., 6371788. If you can’ t get into Papa John’ s Stadium nearby, hunker down with satisfying bar food and drinks, either at the sprawling bar or on the patio in good weather and keep on eye on the games on the tube. $ p f e h HITCHING POST INN 7314 Fegenbush Ln., 2394724. In addition to its full bar and beer gar den, and lively conversation, the Hitching Post Inn offers an array of pub grub, including bur gers, chicken tenders, and sandwiches. $ p h HOOPS GRILL AND SPORTS BAR 6733 Strawberry Ln., 375-4667. The name says it all: spor ts, casual dining and good things to drink all find their natural meeting place at this friendly neighborhood spot wher e hot wings and hoops r eign supreme. $ p f h ✿ INDIGO JOE’S SPOR TS PUB & REST AURANT 1321 Herr Ln., 423-1633. Louisville’ s first outpost of a growing Los Angeles-based chain, Indigo Joe’ s is a family-friendly American-style spor ts bar . It features large portions and 44 flat-screen televisions, with speakers on the tables so diners can tune in the sporting event of their choice. $$ p f JAKE’S & MR. G’S 10432 Shelbyville Rd., 244-0165 $ p JERRY’S ON THE RIVER 100 W . Riverside Dr ., Jeffersonville, IN, 282-2500. The river view outshines the menu at this r estaurant that looks acr oss the Ohio with a sweeping view of Louisville. The fare is fair — sandwiches, seafood, and a few Mexican specialties, but the long bar , the outdoor deck, and the big picture windows make this a great spot for watching the towboats stream up and down the river. $ p f JERSEY’S CAFÉ 1515 L ynch Ln., Clarksville, IN, 288-2100. Quality, af fordable far e that goes well beyond pub grub to include an awesome smokehouse bur ger and barbecued ribs so tender , they say, that you can just tap the end of the bone on your plate, and the meat falls of f. $ p e h ✿ THE LIGHTHOUSE 202 Main St., Jef fersonville, IN, 283-0077. This lighthouse has been a beacon of casual, home cooking and tavern envir onment for years. Daily specials, appetizers, chicken and fish baskets, salads and desserts round out the menu. $ ✿ MICHAEL MURPHY’S RESTAURANT 701 S. First St., 587-0013. This full ser vice restaurant and bar has accommodated hardy thirsts and appetites for a couple of generations. Despite the Irish appeal, the food is American and lots of it. $ p

GERSTLE’S PLACE 3801 Frankfort Ave., 742-8616.

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

MY BAR 3306 Plaza Dr., New Albany IN, 948-6501. $

GRANVILLE INN 1601 S. Thir d St., 635-6475. A longtime gathering place for U of L students, faculty and fans, this stur dy r edbrick tavern just north of the university campus of fers a good variety of bar munchies, sandwiches and simple grilled far e plus pizza. It’ s per haps best known, though, for the signatur e Granville Bur ger, widely reputed as one of the best bur gers in town. $

NV TAVERN 1202 Bardstown Rd., 452-6101. $

✿ = VEGETARIAN MENU ITEMS

= MENU AVAILABLE ON-LINE ONLY

pfeh NEW DIRECTION BAR & GRILL 2630 Chamberlain Ln., 243-8429. $ p e h

pf

eh PUCKER’S BAR & GRILL 4041 Preston Hwy., 3647250. This South-end spot of fers a good-size dining r oom and a par ticularly attractive alfr esco patio. The bill of fare appears longer and more varied than your typical bar menu, our corr espondent reports. $ p f e h www.foodanddine.com Summer 2009 73

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SAINT’S 131 Breckinridge Ln., 891-8883. Almost like two r estaurants in one, Saints featur es both a small, intimate, candle-lighted r oom and a lar ger, happily boister ous main r oom with the look and feel of a sports bar. $$ p e h ✿ SLAMMERS SPOR TS BAR & GRILL 2800 Crums Ln., 618-3588. It used to be Bentley’ s Spor ts Bar. New owners have changed little inside. Expect plenty of oppor tunity to drink beer and chow down on pub grub while catching any game you want. $ p f e h THE SPORTS & SOCIAL CLUB 427 S. Four th St., 568-1400. Replacing Lucky Strike Lanes in 4th Street Live, this Cordish-owned spot will have four bars, plenty of TVs to catch every game, and even a “stadium style spor ts media r oom.” Chow down with the usual bur gers, sandwiches and wings. $$

ph✿ STUDIO’S GRILLE & PUB 207 E. Main St., New Albany, IN, 590-3171. Add Studio’ s to the downtown New Albany Renaissance. T rish Meyer’s fine dining r oom and bar of fers an historic envir onment, a stylish outdoor cour tyard and a galler y of local art. $$ p f h SULLY’S SALOON 434 S. Four th St., (Four th Street Live) 585-4100. $$ p f h TENGO SED CANTINA 432B Fourth St., 540-1461.

“Tengo Sed” is Spanish for “I’m thirsty,” and if that’s your pr oblem, you can easily solve it in this popular Latino-accented watering hole in Four th Street Live. A selection of Cancun-style star ters, tacos and sandwiches is available. $$ p f h THE BACK DOOR 2787 S. Floyd St., 637-5241. Longtime owners John Dant and Mike Ewing are known for running one of the city’s friendliest pubs at this Mid-City Mall saloon. Limited bar far e, but don’ t miss the chicken wings. $ p f h TURKEY JOE’S 2809 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy ., 3279464. Turkey Joe’s advertises “Wings, Burgers and More,” but hot wings are the specialty, and you can take your pick of chicken, turkey or boneless chicken pr epared by a Sullivan-trained chef in a comfortable sports-bar setting. $ p h VIC’S CAFÉ 1839 E. Market St., New Albany , IN, 9444338. $ ZAZOO’S 102 Bauer Ave., 894-8030. If you’re looking for casual dining, ZaZoo’s offers a mighty appealing option with its laid-back and welcoming neighborhood bar feeling. $ p f e h ✿

BANK STREET BREWHOUSE 415 Bank St., New Albany, IN, 725-9585. W ith long-time Le Relais sous-chef Joshua Lehman at the helm, the food focus of this of fshoot of F&D columnist Roger Baylor’s New Albanian br ewing empir e has sharpened into a Belgian-style bistr o cuisine.

Mussels and frites will always be available, and croques monsieurs et madames to go with the beer brewed on the premises. $$ p f ✿ BLUEGRASS BREWING COMP ANY 3929 Shelbyville Rd., 899-7070, 636 E. Main St., 584-2739, 2 Theater Square, 568-2224. A must-stop destination for beer lovers on the national ar tisanal-brew trail, but it’ s mor e than just a br ewpub. BBC’ s management gives equally serious attention to both liquid and solid fare, making this a great place to stop in for both dinner and a beer . $ p f e ✿ BROWNING’S BREWER Y 401 E. Main St., (see listing under Bistros) CUMBERLAND BREWS 1576 Bar dstown Rd., 4588727. Giving new meaning to the term “micr obrewery,” Cumberland Br ews may be one of the smallest eateries in town. It’s usually packed, earning its crowds the old-fashioned way by providing very 74 Summer 2009 www.foodanddine.com

good food, friendly service, and high-quality handcrafted artisan beers. $ f e h ✿ NEW ALBANIAN BREWING CO. 3312 Plaza Dr., New Albany, IN, 944-2577. (see review under Pizza)

CHINA TASTE 135 Quar termaster Ct., Jef fersonville, IN, 284-5580. $ ✿ CHINESE CHEF 2619 S. Fourth St., 634-0979. $ ✿ CHINESE EXPRESS 3228 Crums Ln., 448-1360. $ ✿ CHONG GARDEN 10341 Dixie Hwy., 935-1628. $ ✿

CHEZ SENEBA AFRICAN REST AURANT 4218 Bishop Ln., 473-8959. Offering another interesting ethnic cuisine to Louisville’ s international dining scene, with gener ous portions of spicy Senegalese cuisine from West Africa. $ 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 far e is made for sharing and eating with the fingers, but they’ll gladly make forks available for the finicky. $ ✿

CHOPSTICKS 416 E. Broadway, 589-9145. $ ✿ CHOPSTICKS HOUSE 2112 W. Broadway, 772-3231. $ ✿ CHUNG KING CHINESE AMERICAN REST AURANT 110 E. Market St., 584-8880. $ ✿ CRYSTAL CHINESE 3901 W. Market St., 776-9702. $ ✿ DOUBLE DRAGON 1255 Goss Ave., 635-5656. A standout among fast-food shopping-center Chinese eateries, Double Dragon hits on all cylinders, turning out consistently well-pr epared and flavorful fare. $ ✿ DOUBLE DRAGON II 12480 LaGrange Rd., 241-7766, 9901 LaGrange Rd., 326-0099, 6832 Bar dstown Rd., 231-3973, 3179 S. Second St., 367-6668. $ ✿ DOUBLE DRAGON 8 231 S. Fifth St., 587-8686. $ ✿

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

Not just another in the her d of all-you-can-eat Chinese buf fets, this 350 seat eater y is the first between-the-coasts outpost of the original #1 buffet in NYC. $$ ✿ 8 CHINA BUFFET 1850 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 4933884. $ ✿ A TASTE OF CHINA 1167 S. Fourth St., 585-5582. $ ✿ ASIAN BUFFET 3813 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 945-1888, 1305 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 285-8888, 3646 Mall Rd., 479-9989. Competent cookery and car eful management that ensur es buffet of ferings stay fr esh and hot makes these buffets a good choice among the growing crowd of all-you-can-eat Asian spots. $ p ✿ AUGUST MOON 2269 Lexington Rd., 456-6569.

August Moon’ s secr et ingr edient is the culinar y 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 fr om the staf f makes it a top spot for Asian far e. A lovely patio at the r ear affords an alfr esco dining experience overlooking shady Beargrass Creek. $$$ p f ✿ 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.

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

An old-timer among local Chinese restaurants, this Southeastern Louisville spot may not of fer the trendiest Asian fare, but it’s a reliable source for the familiar Cantonese-American standards. $ ✿

DOUBLE DRAGON 9 9501 Taylorsville Rd., 267-5353. $ ✿ DOUBLE DRAGON BUFFET 233 Whittington Pkwy., 339-8897. A sizable buf fet in a chic East End shopping strip, of fers a good range of Chinese treats on its all-you-can-eat buf fet. The far e seems prepared with attention and care. $ ✿ DYNASTY BUFFET 2400 Lime Kiln Ln., 339-8868.

The continuing pr oliferation of look alike, taste alike, all-you-can-eat Chinese buffets never fails to amaze me. But I’m happy to r eport that Dynasty Buffet ranks well above the median. $$ ✿ EASTERN HOUSE 5372 Dixie Hwy., 568-2688. $ ✿ EMPEROR OF CHINA 2210 Holiday Manor Shopping Center, 426-1717. One of Louisville’ s fanciest and most noteworthy Chinese restaurants, the Emper or’s quar ters ar e stylishly str ewn acr oss multiple levels of a former suburban movie theater.

Outstanding. $$ p ✿ EMPRESS OF CHINA 2249 Hikes Ln., 451-2500.

Older sister to The Emperor of China, the Empress was one of Louisville’s first serious, authentic upscale Cantonese restaurants, and its fare still stands up to fancy spots in New York’s Chinatown. $$ p ✿ FIRST WOK 3967 Seventh St. Rd., 448-0588. $ ✿ GOLDEN BUDDHA 8000 Preston Hwy., 968-7700. $ ✿ GOLDEN PALACE BUFFET 161 Outer Loop, 3682868. $ ✿ GOLDEN ST AR CHINESE REST AURANT 3681833, 3458 Taylor Blvd. $ ✿ GOLDEN WALL 3201 Fern Valley Rd., 968-9717. $ ✿

CHINA 1 123 Breckinridge Ln., 897-6511. $ ✿

GREAT WALL 2206 Brownsboro Rd., 891-8881. This Clifton r estaurant ranks high up in the fast-food Chinese pack. Offering steaming-hot, competently prepared and flavorful dishes. $ ✿

CHINA BUFFET 706 E. Hwy . 131, Clarksville, IN, 288-8989. Chinese buffets are ubiquitous, but this one is squar ely in the upper range. Regularly refreshed steam tables, attentively fried rice, and properly spicy General Tso’s Chicken raise it above the run-of-the-mill places typical of the genre. $ ✿

GREAT WOK 2502 Pr eston Hwy ., 634-1918. Just about every shopping center in town has a fastfood Chinese spot, but this one stands out, generating a buzz of wor d-of-mouth publicity about its well-crafted Chinese dishes at a bar gainbasement price. $ ✿

CHINA CASTLE 7420 Third Street Rd., 367-4272. $ ✿

HAPPY DRAGON 2600 W . Br oadway, 778-2573.

Catering to of fice and r esidential customers, this Chinese restaurant has ser ved the W est Broadway community for many years. $ f ✿

CHINA GARDEN 7309 Pr eston Hwy., 968-4672. A busy restaurant with the double pleasure of Chinese and American menu items. $ ✿ CHINA INN 1925 S. Fourth St., 636-2020. It’s not the posh, private Faculty Club, but this little Asian spot may be one of the most popular eateries around the University of Louisville’s Belknap Campus. $ ✿ CHINA KING 3830 Ruckriegel Pkwy., 240-0500. $ ✿

RED = ADVERTISER

HONG KONG CHINESE REST AURANT 345 New Albany Plaza, New Albany, IN., 945-1818. $ ✿ HONG KONG F AST FOOD 5312 S. Thir d St., 3678828. One of the many international eateries in Iroquois Manor, this fast-food Chinese spot of fers Cantonese standar ds hot and fast and inexpen-

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sively. Check the daily specials for an occasional intriguing item. $ ✿ HUNAN WOK 231-0393, 6445 Bardstown Rd. $ ✿ JADE GARDEN BUFFET 1971 Brownsboro Rd., 8930822. Y et another lar ge, shiny , all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet featuring mostly Chinese dishes with a few American-style items and sushi r olls. $ ✿ 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 thr ough Monday, when it of fers the metr o ar ea’s only dim sum (Chinese brunch) menu. $$ p ✿ JASMINE 13823 English V illa Dr ., 244-8896. A charming Asian eater y, wher e you can enjoy familiar Chinese-American plates or indulge your more adventur ous side with a selection of mor e unusual authentic dishes fr om the “Chinese Menu,” available on request. $ f ✿ JUMBO BUFFET 2731 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy ., 4950028. Housed in a good-looking dining room, high on Chinatown-style glitz and glitter, Jumbo offers a standard all-you-can-eat Chinese buf fet, with a larger-than-average selection of American dishes for those who want something less exotic. $$ ✿ KING WOK 291 N. Hubbar ds Ln., 899-7188.

Another of the city’ s many tiny shopping-center fast-food Chinese eateries, King W ok offers all the familiar standards plus a small lunch buf fet. $ ✿

ROYAL GARDEN 5717 Pr eston Hwy ., 969-3788, 6801 Dixie Hwy., 937-0428, 5316 Bar dstown Rd., 491-8228. $ ✿ SESAME CHINESE RESTAURANT 9409 Shelbyville Rd., 339-7000. Not just another shopping-center Chinese r estaurant, this East End eatery has provided some of the best fine-dining Chinese meals I’ve enjoyed in Louisville. $$ p ✿ SHAH’S MONGOLIAN GRILL Stony Brook Shopping Center, 493-0234, 423 E. W arnock St., 409-5029.

Thirteenth Century Mongol warriors used to turn their steel shields to use as frying pans over the campfire, using their swor ds as spoons. Shah’ s carries their spirit for ward. This all-you-can-eat buffet is fun, and the food is fine. $$ p ✿ SHANGHAI RESTAURANT 526 S. Fifth St. 568-8833. $✿ SICHUAN GARDEN 9850 Linn Station Rd., 4266767. Another Asian r estaurant that has stood the test of time, Sichuan Gar den of fers high-end Chinatown style and well-made dishes, plus a few Thai specialties to spice up the bill of far e. $ ✿ TEA ST ATION CHINESE BISTRO 9422 Nor ton Commons Blvd., 423-1202. This comfor table, sitdown Chinese r estaurant owned and operated by Paul and Amy Y ang joins the small but gr owing cluster of businesses in the Nor ton Commons village center. $$ f ✿

LIANG’S CAFÉ 3571 Springhurst Blvd., 425-0188.

Genial host Roland W ong keeps Liang’s in the top tier of local Chinese dining rooms with both authentic Chinese cuisine and fine Chinese-American dishes in this airy, stylish dining room. $ ✿

WOK EXPRESS 234 W. Broadway, 583-8988. $ ✿

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 V ietnamese dishes to the bill of fare. $$ ✿

YANG KEE NOODLE 7900 Shelbyville Rd. (Oxmoor Center), 426-0800. This locally owned and operated Oxmoor spot is color ful and stylish. It of fers an intriguing array of appealing noodle and rice dishes from all over Asia with fast-food ef ficiency and

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. $ ✿

prices happily matched by sit-down r quality and style. $ f ✿

estaurant

YEN CHING 1818 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-3581. $ ✿ YOU-CARRYOUT-A 1551 E. Tenth St., Jeffersonville, IN, 288-8313, 827 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville, IN, 282-8881, 3308 Plaza Dr., 944-9866. $ ✿ YUMMY CHINESE REST AURANT 968-7450, 8625 Preston Hwy. $ ✿

SARI SARI FILIPINO CUISINE 2339 Frankfort Ave., 894-0585. The city’ s sole Filipino eater y of fers a tasty introduction to the Malayo-Polynesian fare of this Southeast Asian island nation. Filipino dishes are af fordable during the dinner hour and downright cheap on the lunch buf fet. $

ASAHI JAP ANESE 3701 Lexington Rd., 895-1130.

This small r oom in a new St. Matthews building houses this neighborhood sushi spot where awardwinning Chef Y ong Bong T ak, formerly of Osaka, works his magic at the sushi bar. $ ✿ BEIJING GRILL AND SUSHI BAR Sellersburg IN, 248-0900. $ ✿

8007 Hwy . 311,

BENDOYA SUSHI BAR 217 S. Fifth St., 581-0700.

Adding international flair to its downtown neighborhood, Bendoya Sushi Bar is a genuine, serious sushi bar in a stor efront just across the street from the courthouse. $ ✿ CAVIAR JAPANESE RESTAURANT 416 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 625-3090. (See listing under Upscale Casual) CHOI’S ASIAN FOOD MARKET 607 L yndon Ln., 426-4441. This suburban Asian grocery now serves hot table fare to enjoy between shopping. $ ✿

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 fr esh, competent cooker y and cour teous, friendly ser vice that makes you feel like you’r e visiting a Chinese family at their home. $$ ✿ NEW CHINA 231 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 254-9299. $ ✿ ONION REST AURANT TEA HOUSE 4211 Charlestown Rd., New Albany , IN, 981-0188.

Masterful Chinese and Japanese cuisine (including magnificent hotpots, donburi dishes, and woodenbucket steamed rice) set this airy r estaurant apart from the horde of other Asian spots. $$ ✿ ORIENTAL EXPRESS 12567 Shelbyville Rd., 2449838. $ ✿ ORIENTAL HOUSE 4302 Shelbyville Rd., 897-1017.

New owners continue the tradition at this longstanding St. Matthews r estaurant, featuring both traditional Chinese-American and now , authentic Cantonese, menus. $ p ✿ ORIENTAL ST AR 4212 Bishop Ln., 452-9898. A long-time ar ea favorite in this heavy traf fic lunch area. This establishment is quite good with Lo Mein Noodles, and Sweet and Sour Chicken. $ ✿ PANDA CHINESE REST AURANT 9543 U.S. 42., 228-6400. $ ✿ QUICK WOK 801 W. Broadway, 584-6519. $ ✿ RED PEPPER CHINESE CUISINE 2901 Brownsboro Rd., 891-8868. W ith a skilled Sichuanese chef who’s owned a r estaurant in Chicago’s Chinatown and cooked at Chinese embassies ar ound the world, Red Pepper starts out in the top tier of local Chinese r estaurants. Chinese-American standar ds are well done, but we r ecommend the authentic Chinese menu, which is available in English $ ✿ RED SUN CHINESE RESTAURANT 499-7788, 3437 Breckinridge Ln. $ ✿

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FUJI JAP ANESE 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 or der, then sit back and sip your tea while the ar tist creates edible delights. This suburban sushi bar does the job well. $$ p ✿ HANABI JAP ANESE REST AURANT 6027 T imber Ridge Dr., 228-8244. A hospitable welcome, casual setting, and well-fashioned sushi and Japanese specialties have made this family run Prospect spot a worthy alternative in the East End dining scene. $$ p ✿

SAKURA BLUE 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 897-3600.

Located in elegant, upscale quar ters in a St. Matthews shopping center , Sakura Blue — dir ect descendant of the old, popular Bonsai — ranks among the city’s top sushi bars. $$ ✿ SAPPORO JAPANESE GRILL & SUSHI 1706 Bardstown Rd., 479-5550. Ensconced in the middle of Bardstown Road’ s “r estaurant r ow,” tr endy, glitzy Sapporo steadily ranks as one of the city’s top spots for sushi and Japanese far e. If fr esh, well-made sushi is what you ar e hungr y for , you can’ t go wrong with a stop at Sappor o’s bar. $$$ p h ✿

SALA THAI 526 W. Main St., 493-3944. After a move to a smaller, more casual downtown venue, Sala Thai continues its run as one of the best Thai r estaurants in town. $$ p f ✿

ICHIBAN SAMURAI 1510 Lake Shor e 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 of fer lasts: All-you-can-eat sushi nightly until the karaoke starts at 9 p.m. $$$ p ✿

SIMPLY THAI 318 W allace A ve., 899-9670. Owner Mahn Saing is Burmese; his wife, a classically trained chef, is Thai. They’ve beautifully made over this little St. Matthews spot, of fering a small menu of traditional Thai dishes, well-made sushi and a few upscale Thai-style “fusion” dinner items. $ f ✿

KANSAI JAP ANESE STEAKHOUSE 1370 V eterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 218-9238. T raditional Japanese dishes and sushi ar e available her e, but like most Japanese Steakhouses, choose the grill tables with their slice-and-dice Japanese chef show for maximum entertainment. $$$ p ✿

TAN THAI REST AURANT 4510 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 948-2012. It’ s in a strip mall, but the folks who run T anThai cr eate 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. $ ✿

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

THAI CAFÉ 2226 Holiday Manor, 425-4815. You’ll find this small café tucked into a corner of the “Holiday Manor Walk.” Owner Chavantee Snow and her family offer a small but well-pr epared selection of authentic Thai dishes at very reasonable prices. $ ✿

MAIDO ESSENTIAL JAPANESE 1758 Frankfort Ave., 894-8775. Not just another sushi bar , cool and stylish Maido is Louisville’s first and only “izakaya”style r estaurant in the style of Kansai, the r egion surrounding Japan’s second city , Osaka. It’ s also a sake bar, pouring a good variety of ar tisanal rice wine. $$ f ✿

THAI ORCHIDS 9114 Taylorsville Rd. (Stony Br ook Shopping Center), 493-4073. This location has been known for good Thai r estaurants, and the short history of Thai Orchids shows that they have picked up the mantle, providing Jeffersontown-area lovers of southeast Asian cuisine with excellent noodles and curries. $$ ✿

MIKATO JAP ANESE STEAKHOUSE 3938 Dupont Circle, 891-0081. $$ p f h ✿

OISHII SUSHI 2245 Bardstown Rd., 618-2829. This small, attractive Highlands spot, operated by sushi chefs who’ve put in time at the popular Sappor o, has been attracting raves fr om neighborhood sushi lovers. $$ ✿ OSAKA SUSHI BAR 2039 Frankfort Ave., 894-9501.

This long-standing Clifton favorite ser ves up sushi and other Japanese dishes in a bright and cheery environment to a loyal clientele. $$ ✿ RAW SUSHI LOUNGE 520 S. Four th St., 585-5880.

Raw makes good use of hip quar ters in a glitzy renovation of the old Marmaduke Building (next to the Seelbach). Diners may choose fr om a br oad selection of competent sushi and Japanese fair, plus fine international seafood dishes at dinner , in a sophisticated lounge atmosphere. $$$ p f e h ✿ SAKE BLUE JAP ANESE BISTRO 9326 Cedar Center Way, 708-1500. This welcome addition to the Fern Cr eek dining scene of fers the “fullservice” Japanese r estaurant experience of hibachi grill tables and sushi bar , along with a traditional dining r oom and cocktail bar . $$ p

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PINK DOOR NOODLES & TEA LOUNGE 2222 Dundee Rd., 295-2441. This popular Highlands spot boasts an edgy, high-tech Japanese style, complete with a live video wall. Look for lighter Asian far e, noodle dishes and sushi, along with a wide variety of teas, sakes and techno-Japanese cocktails. $ p ✿

MAI’S THAI REST AURANT 1411 E. T enth St., Jeffersonville, IN, 282-0198. With a broad range of well-prepared and authentic Thai dishes, Mai’ s is the eater y to beat among the metr o ar ea’s Thai restaurants. For both authenticity and quality , it’s right up ther e with the top Thai places in New York, San Francisco and Seattle. $ ✿

HIKO A MON SUSHI BAR 1115 Herr Ln., 365-1651.

Japanese-trained sushi chef Norihiko Nakanashi has earned quite a local following at Shogun. Now he brings his sushi knives to this sushi bar and Japanese grill in W estport V illage. In addition to fine dining at the bar or in traditional Japanese dining rooms, Hiko A Mon of fers sushi-grade fish from a small fish market. $$$ p ✿

OASIS JAP ANESE REST AURANT 3311 Pr eston Hwy., 375-8766. Owners of downtown’ s Bendoya sushi r estaurant have opened this Japanese restaurant on Preston Highway. $$ h ✿

looks like a diner in an of fice building, but push past the counter to the back r oom, wher e you’ll find generous heaps of really authentic Korean food for next to nothing. $$ ✿

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

It’s unthr eatening enough to appeal to those who find exotic cuisine “challenging,” but good enough to satisfy just about anyone who craves a Japanese dinner or a bite of sushi. $$$ p ✿ TOKYO JAPANESE RESTAURANT 2415C Lime Kiln Ln., 339-7171. It’ s appealing, pleasant in atmosphere and friendly in ser vice, and most impor tant, this East End sushi bar ser ves excellent Japanese treats, pr epared with car e and flair fr om highquality, impeccably fresh ingredients. $$ ✿

THAI SIAM 3002 Bardstown Rd., 458-6871. Louisville’s first Thai r estaurant, this Gar diner Lane spot has built a loyal audience over the years, per haps responding to its r egular visitors’ pr eferences with food that’s a bit on the tame side for Thai. $$ ✿ THAI SMILE 5 5800 Preston Hwy., 961-9018. Part of a regional mini-chain, Thai Smile 5 serves up simple but well-prepared Thai far e. Don’t ask for the fivechile-pepper heat unless you really mean it! $ ✿ THAI TASTE 1977 Br ownsboro Rd., 897-7682. The owner-host of this friendly, casual spot in Cr escent Hill had a r estaurant in Bangkok befor e moving to Louisville, and his experience shows. The warmth of his welcome — and the quality of the food — make Thai Taste special. $ ✿

KOREANA II 5009 Preston Hwy., 968-9686. One of the city’ s few r estaurants devoted entir ely to authentic Kor ean far e, Kor eana is wor th a special trip for this ethnic cuisine that offers a hearty, spicy alternative to the more familiar Chinese. $$ ✿

ANNIE CAFÉ 308 W. W oodlawn, 363-4847. Annie Café ranks not just as one of the better V ietnamese restaurants, but one the city’ s best of any variety , particularly when value and price ar e taken into account. Authentic V ietnamese food is made with care and served with pride. $ ✿

LEE’S KOREAN REST AURANT 1941 Bishop Ln., 456-9714. This little spot has been a secr et since the ’70s, and it just keeps on going. Walk into what

CAFÉ THUY VAN 5600 National Turnpike, 366-6959.

A bit of f the beaten track, this South End spot is true, authentic V ietnamese. Friendly ser vice over-

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comes any language barrier , and prices ar e hard to beat. Don’ t miss the Banh Mi, traditional Vietnamese sandwiches. $ ✿ LA QUE 1019 Bar dstown Rd., 238-3981. Replacing the original Lemongrass in the Highlands (which continues to operate its suburban pr operties), La Que offers a similar blend of Vietnamese and other Asian cuisine. $ f h ✿ LEMONGRASS CAFÉ 11606 Shelbyville Rd., 2447110, 106 Fairfax Ave., 893-7757. Lemongrass Café offers an appealing blend of V ietnamese, Thai and Chinese fare in a simple setting that transcends an obviously low budget with style and grace. $ h ✿ PHO BINH MINH 6709 Strawberry Ln., 375-9249.

Tiny and lovably cozy , this six-table South End spot is true authentic V ietnamese, and so ar e the proprietors. There’s some language barrier, but the owners are so friendly, and the food so good, that it’s worth the ef fort if you love r eal Asian far e and inexpensive prices. $ ✿ VIETNAM KITCHEN 5339 Mitscher Ave., 363-5154.

This little South End stor efront is well wor th seeking out. The chef goes beyond the or dinary, preparing authentic V ietnamese dishes of unusual subtlety and flavor. We have yet to be disappointed with the quality of the food or ser vice. $ ✿ ZEN GARDEN 2240 Frankfor t A ve., 895-9114.

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

BEHAR CAFÉ 5600 National T urnpike, 368-5658.

This shopping-center stor efront has become a popular after -work gathering spot for the city’ s growing community of immigrants fr om Bosnia, for whom it’s a comfor table place to get a drink, a sausage, and feel at home. $ h ✿

MOLLY MALONE’S 933 Baxter A ve., 473-1222. A carefully constructed r eplica of a modern urban Irish pub, Molly Malone’s is worthy addition to the city’s eating and drinking scene, as authentically Irish as the Wearin’ o’ the Green. $$ p f e h ✿

AMICI´ 316 Ormsby A ve., 637-3167. Restaurateurs Sharon and Scott Risinger host this inviting Italianstyle restaurant that brings a touch of T uscany to this attractive and historic Old Louisville building. $$ p f ✿

O’SHEA’S TRADITIONAL IRISH PUB 956 Baxter Ave., 589-7373. Celebrating its 50th anniversar y this year, O’Shea’s offers a steady schedule of music, an assor tment of beers and mainstr eam American pub grub, fr om the cheesy fries to the Reuben sandwich. $$ p f e h ✿

ANGELINA’S CAFÉ 1701 UPS Dr ., 326-5555. Y ou don’t have to be an Italian grandfather to play bocce, now that ther e ar e several venues ar ound town for this amiable game. The six-cour t suburban Gotcha Bocce, run by spor tscaster Bob Valvano, also houses this casual all-Italian eater y, with dishes based on Bob’s family recipes. $ ✿

RI RA IRISH PUB 427 S. Four th St. (Four th Str eet Live) 587-1825. Pr omising patr ons “an authentic Irish experience,” this gr owing chain opened last year in a sizable 9,000-square-foot space in Fourth Street Live. Ri Ra (Gaelic for “celebration and good fun”) decorates its pubs with authentic furnishings from Ireland. $$$ p f e h ✿ SHENANIGAN’S IRISH GRILL 1611 Norris Pl., 4543919. Not just a neighborhood tavern (although it’s a fine neighbor hood tavern), Irish-accented Shenanigan’s goes an extra step with an estimable selection of memorable burgers. $ p f e h ✿

ADRIENNE’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT 129 W. Court Ave., Jef fersonville, IN, 282-2665. The owners of popular Adrienne’ s Baker y in Jef fersonville have recently opened this new sit-down dining spot with an Italian theme. $$ f ✿ AMERIGO 1871 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy ., 426-4040.

Chef Anthony Lorie, once a chef at RA W and later a co-owner of Bluegrass Bistr o in the Derby City Antique Mall, now takes the helm of this new Italian-style East End spot, first Louisville outpost of a small but gr owing Nashville-based chain that has won applause for quality. $$$ p f h ✿

BUCA DI BEPPO 2051 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy ., 4932426. Buca di Beppo’ s recipe has all the necessar y ingredients: huge portions of excellent food served with flair and the Buca scene is fun, a conscious parody of the exuberant decor of family ItalianAmerican restaurants of the 1950s. $$ p ✿ CARRABBA’S ITALIAN GRILL 617 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 412-2218. Not your or dinary suburban shopping-center franchise eatery . This place dramatically exceeds expectations. Fr om warmed bread dishes with quality olive oil to first-rate ItalianAmerican fare at reasonable prices. $$ p f ✿ COME BACK INN 909 Swan St., 627-1777, 415 Spring St., Jef fersonville IN, 285-1777. W ith both its branches located in urban neighbor hoods, Come Back Inn looks pr etty much like any other neighborhood saloon. But unlike most Louisville neighborhood saloons, this one houses a family Italian spot that wouldn’ t be out of place in Chicago or Brooklyn. $ p ✿ LA GALLO ROSSO BISTRO 1325 Bar dstown Rd., 473-0015. This small but attractive Highlands spot in the Shoppes on the Alley ser ves casual Italian and Continental food in a cozy family-style setting. $$ f ✿

BOSNA-MAK 3825 Old Bar dstown Rd., 456-1919.

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

ERIKA’S GERMAN REST AURANT 9301 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy. 499-8822. For a city with a str ong German heritage, Louisville is woefully shor t on authentic German r estaurants, but this genuinely Germanic eatery attracts hungr y cr owds to Hurstbourne. Take care not to miss its former fastfood quarters just off I-64 local access ramp. $$ GASTHAUS 4812 Brownsboro Center, 899-7177. The Greipel family comes straight fr om Bavaria to Eastern Louisville with Gasthaus, a destination for local lovers of Germanic far e. The setting has as authentic a feeling as the hear ty and delicious German dishes here. $$$

BRENDAN’S RESTAURANT & PUB 3921 Shelbyville Rd., 895-1212. Owner Tom O’Shea (also of Flanagan’s and O’Shea’s) has done a gr eat job of endowing this old St. Matthews saloon with an upscale feel, gourmet-style dining options and a ver y popular bar. $$ p e h ✿ IRISH ROVER 2319 Frankfort Ave., 899-3544, 117 E. Main St, LaGrange, 222-2286. A warm and welcoming pub with an authentic Irish accent, this is a delightful place for a tall glass of Guinness, a snack and a bit of Irish music. W e recommend the fish and chips. $ p f ✿

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MARTINI ITALIAN BISTRO 4021 Summit Plaza Dr., 394-9797. The successful formula of this Ohiobased chain featur es hear ty and well-fashioned Italian entrées, pastas and pizzas ser ved up in a comfortable appr oximation of a T uscan trattoria.

An open kitchen with wood-fired oven gives a peek at the culinary goings-on. $$$ p f h ✿ OLD SPAGHETTI FACTORY 235 W. Market St., 5811070. One of the original ventur es of this national firm. Bright and noisy , it of fers well-made if basic Italian family fare and dishes it out for surprisingly low prices. $$ p h ✿ THE OLIVE GARDEN 1320 Hurstbourne Pkwy ., 339-7190, 9730 V on Allmen Ct., 425-3607, 1230 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 218-8304. The top property of the Dar den chain, Olive Gar den now operates more than 500 properties and bills itself as the leading Italian r estaurant in the casual dining industry. Hear ty pastas of all shapes and sauces, appetizers and combo platters all carry the Italian theme. $$ p ✿ PESTO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT 566 S. Fifth St., 584-0567. Of fices for blocks ar ound empty into this bustling Italian eatery for weekday lunches featuring hear ty platters of lasagna, zesty salads, red wine and iced tea. On Satur days, the kitchen switches over to a special Persian menu. $ ✿ PORCINI 2730 Frankfor t A ve., 894-8686. An expanded dining r oom and a stylish alfr esco patio facing busy Frankfor t Ave. make Por cini’s an even more popular destination, a place to see and be seen — and, while you’re at it, enjoy a drink and a decent Italian-American dinner. $$$ p ✿ RAY PARRELLA’S ITALIAN CUISINE 2311 Frankfort Ave., 899-5575. Old-fashioned Italian-American family fare is ser ved up with a warm and casual welcome at Ray Parr ella’s, the latest ventur e of a family that’s been pleasing locals for a generation. $$ f ✿ ROCKY’S IT ALIAN GRILL 715 W . Riverside Dr ., Jeffersonville IN, 282-3844. This longtime favorite earns its popularity with fine pizzas, a good selection of bottled beers and a select choice of Italian-American entrées and a view of the Louisville skyline that’s hard to beat. $ p f ✿ ROMANO’S MACARONI GRILL 401 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 423-9220. The Italian-style menu at this casual, Dallas-based family chain includes appetizers, salads, pastas, veal and desser ts. Chefs entertain while creating wood-fired pizzas. $$ p ✿ SAVINO’S ITALIAN FOOD 8533 Terry Rd., 933-1080. $✿ SPAGHETTI SHOP 4657 Outer Loop, 969-5545, 4510 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 944-5400.

Baked pasta dishes, subs, salads and appetizers ar e prepared while you wait. $ ✿ STEVE-O’S ITALIAN KITCHEN 4205 W. Hwy. 146, LaGrange, KY, 222-0300. Outstanding pizzas and fine family-style Italian-American dishes make this casual eatery just of f I-71 at Buckner well wor th a special trip out from the city. $$ f ✿ TUSCANY ITALIAN RESTAURANT 165 Outer Loop, 363-0308. Adding an appetizing option to a stretch of the South End that hasn’ t been over -served by restaurants, this good-sized stor efront near New Cut Road boasts a Mexican chef who demonstrates an exper t’s hand with hear ty, r ed-sauced ItalianAmerican fare at a price that’s right. $$ h ✿ VOLARE 2300 Frankfor t Ave., 894-4446. The name evokes Sinatra, pasta with tomato sauce and candles in Chianti bottles, but stylish V olare kicks that image up a notch. W ith a combination of Italian standards and monthly menu updates, Chef Josh Moore and host Majid Ghavami have secur ed Volare as the city’s top spot for suave Italian dining. $$$ p f ✿

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Watan a destination for lovers of fine Middle Eastern fare. $ h ✿ DE LA TORRE’S 1606 Bar dstown Rd., 456-4955.

Authentic Castilian far e includes a majestic paella. but the renewed focus at this Highlands standby is tapas, in such variety that you can have anything on the menu in small-plates form. $$$ ✿ LA BODEGA 1604 Bardstown Rd., 456-4955. Nextdoor to the excellent De La T orre’s Spanish restaurant, La Bodega of fers diners the city’ s most authentic Spanish-style tapas bar , featuring the small bites originally invented in the outdoor cafés of Jerez. $$ p f h ✿ MOJITO TAPAS RESTAURANT 2231 Holiday Manor Shopping Center , 425-0949. Gifted young chef Fernando Mar tinez (also of Havana Rumba) hits the culinary jackpot with this East End hot spot.

His international array of Spanish inspir ed small plates (“tapas”), imposing paella and libations has won critical acclaim and made Mojito a local favorite. $ p f h ✿ PALERMO VIEJO 1359 Bar dstown Rd., 456-6461.

This eater y’s name may sound Italian, but is, in fact, Louisville’s only source of Argentinian cuisine.

Steaks seared on authentic parrillada charcoal grills are a primar y draw, but ther e’s excellent chicken, seafood and much more. $$ p f ✿

BOMBAY GRILL 216 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy ., 4258892. W ith its br oad array of Indian r egional specialties including the requisite lunch buffet, this spot in The Forum on Hurstbourne is winning praise for its ar omatic flavors and bountiful portions. $$ ✿ DAKSHIN INDIAN RESTAURANT 4742 Bardstown Rd., 491-7412. Owned and operated by the same family that brings us Kashmir Restaurant and Bombay Gr ocery in the Highlands, this addition brings aromatic and spicy Southern Indian far e to the Buechel-Fern Cr eek neighbor hood in the Eastland Shopping Center. $$ ✿ INDIA PALACE 9424 Shelbyville Rd., 394-0490. This longtime local Indian r estaurant is a r egular contender for the city’ s top Indian spot. The expansive lunch buf fet is well handled and a particularly good value. $ f ✿ KASHMIR INDIAN RESTAURANT 1285 Bardstown Rd., 473-8765. One of the city’ s most popular Indian restaurants, Kashmir is casual, neither posh nor expensive, and it pr oduces an extensive menu of seemingly authentic Indian fare. $$ f ✿ SAGE INDIAN REST AURANT 4123 Oechsli A ve., 896-0025. St. Matthews diners now have a local purveyor of fine ar omatic Nor thern Indian meat and vegetarian cuisine in Sage Indian Restaurant. $$ p ✿ SHALIMAR INDIAN REST AURANT 1820 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 493-8899. Modern and sleek in appearance, modest in price, this r estaurant has become the patriar ch of local Indian r estaurants.

With a substantial lunch buf fet and a full range of dinner items, it has built a loyal clientele. $$ p ✿ SITAR INDIAN RESTAURANT 1702 Bardstown Rd., 473-8889. Named after the Indian stringed musical instrument that Ravi Shankar made famous, Sitar features a full Indian menu and buf fet. It’s the first Louisville property for a tiny new chain with four places in Tennessee and one in Alabama. $$ ✿

AL W ATAN 3713 Klondike Ln., 454-4406. Classic Arabic dishes home-cooked by friendly people in a cozy environment. That’s the r ecipe that makes Al RED = ADVERTISER

CAFÉ 360 1582 Bardstown Rd., 473-8694. The latest in a long series of eateries in this pleasant Highland’s building offers an eclectic and international menu, with Southern fried catfish and Indian lamb bir yani in immediate juxtaposition. You can get it all, dinerstyle, just about 24/7. $ p f h ✿ CAPTAIN PEPPER JACK’S AERO BISTRO Taylorsville Rd., 454-2777. $$ p h ✿

2810

CASPIAN GRILL PERSIAN BISTRO 1416 Bardstown Rd., 365-3900. Joining the growing ranks of Louisville’s Persian restaurants, this small Highlands dining room is gaining good wor d-of-mouth for well-pr epared food and cordial service. $ ✿ THE F ALAFEL HOUSE 1001 Bar dstown Rd., 4544407. This small Highlands spot is strategically situated to of fer quick and af fordable sustenance along the Bar dstown-Baxter enter tainment strip.

Look for the usual Middle Eastern far e in a casual, quick-service setting. $$ f h ✿ GRAPE LEAF 2217 Frankfor t A ve., 897-1774.

Relatively r ecent r enovations and an expanded menu have elevated the Grape Leaf to destination status, placing it well above the generic Middle Eastern eater y niche. Prices r emain af fordable, while the food and mood now justify a special trip. $$ f ✿ OCEANSIDE RESTAURANT 3707 Klondike Ln., 4543737. This Hikes Point spot, run by a friendly Moroccan couple, offers a variety of fish and seafood dishes (plus chicken wings and other munchies), with a Middle Eastern accent. A couple of Moroccan dinner items are available in the $10 range. $ OMAR’S F AST FOOD REST AURANT 1272 S. Preston St., 637-1515. Comfor t food south-east Asian style. The owner’s wife brings family r ecipes and culinary study in Pakistan to bear on familiar fare such as chicken korma, chicken handi and biryani, and the Omar kebab, made with gr ound beef, onions and tomatoes. $ ✿ PITA DELIGHTS 1616 Grinstead Dr., 569-1122. This Near Eastern eater y in the Highlands of fers a splendid mix of gyr os, felafel and other pita-based goodies. $ f ✿ PITA HUT 1613 Bardstown Rd., 409-8484. Pita Hut offers Mediterranean-Middle Eastern favorites, with the addition of a few “American” sandwiches — on fresh pita, of course. $ ✿ ROAD TO MOROCCO 308 W. Chestnut St., 376-5855.

You can browse Moroccan arts and crafts and pick up a bottle of Mor occan wine at this little shop in the renovated Henry Clay building downtown, and stay for a light lunch that features Moroccan dishes and a broader range of Middle Eastern fare. $ f e ✿ SAFFRON’S 131 W . Market St., 584-7800. Owner Majid Ghavami has elevated this Persian (Iranian) restaurant far beyond a mer e ethnic eater y. Stylish decor, an intriguingly exotic menu, and a level of careful, pr ofessional ser vice wor thy of a whitetablecloth dining room. $$$ p ✿ SAFIER MEDITERRANEAN DELI 641 S. Fourth St., 585-1125. You can get standar d American far e at this welcoming downtown quick-eats spot, but who’d do that when you can enjoy such appetizing Arabian delights as hummus, mutabal, falafels and the gyros-like (only better) shawarma beef-on-pita sandwich. $ f ✿ SHIRAZ MEDITERRANEAN GRILL 2011 Frankfor t Ave., 891-8854, 2226 Holiday Manor , 426-9954, 153 S. English Station Rd., 244-1341, 201 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 426-3440. Of fering authentic Persian (Iranian) cooking, Shiraz quickly gr ew out of its tiny original location to occupy a bright and colorful stor efront in the new Clifton Lofts complex; now it is expanding into a local mini-chain. In

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-grilled

ZAYTUN MEDITERRANEAN GRILL 2286 Bardstown Rd., 365-1788. Fine, freshly prepared seafood is part of the draw in this upper Highlands Middle Eastern eatery—excellent gyros kick it up a notch. $ h ✿

FURLONGS 9601 Shelbyville Rd., 327-9299. The many fans of this popular eatery , distraught about its abrupt depar ture fr om Clifton, r ejoiced and returned in droves when Furlong’s reopened in the East end, in the lovely old house that was long home to Garrett’s. The menu offers well-conceived Cajun-style far e with a few surprises. W e suggest you don’t miss the mushr oom stuffed with shrimp and crabmeat on the appetizer list. $$$ p f h ✿ J. GUMBO’S 2109 Frankfor t A ve., 896-4046, 947 Baxter Ave., 454-5507, 531 Lyndon Lane, 425-0096, Fourth Street Live, 589-9245, 3115 S. 2nd St., 3638888, 4005 Summit Plaza Dr., 326-3070, 8603 Citadel W ay, 493-4720. Former jockey Billy Fox has cr eated a popular mini-chain ser ving hear ty, affordable Cajun cuisine. A wor d of warning: Don’t order the drunken chicken if you ar e pr one to addictions. $ f

EL BURRITO DE ORO 1927 Gr eentree Blvd., Clarksville IN, 285-8820. $ ✿ EL CAPORAL 7319 Pr eston Hwy., 969-8243, 2209 Meadow Dr., 473-7840, 1901 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 515 E. Highway 131, Clarksville, IN, 282-7174.

Louisville’s gr owing Mexican-American community has foster ed a happy tr end: excellent, authentic Mexican food. El Caporal bridges the gap between the Latino and Anglo communities. $ p ✿ EL MUNDO 2345 Frankfor t A ve., 899-9930. This crowded, noisy little Crescent Hill storefront offers creative renditions of Mexican r egional specialties that make most diners want to yell “Olé!” The setting may lack the tr endy flair of Rick Bayless’ Frontera Grill in Chicago, but the far e mines a similar vein and does so nearly as well. $ p f ✿ EL NOP AL (10 Locations) These locally owned restaurants have become a gr owing mini-chain, winning popularity on the basis of delicious, authentic and inexpensive Mexican far e in comfortable surroundings. $ p f ✿ EL NOPALITO 4028 Taylorsville Rd., 458-7278, 6300 Bardstown Rd., 231-4249, 2319 Br ownsboro Rd., 893-9880. This modest little eater y used to be a Taco Bell, but you’ll never find comidas like this at the Bell! Run by a family fr om Mexico, it’ s truly authentic and delicious. $ p f ✿

JOE’S OK BAYOU 9874 Linn Station Rd., 426-1320, 4308 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 948-2080.

Fine, filling and authentic Louisiana-style far e is the draw at Joe’ s. A lengthy menu and bayou fishing-shack decor showcases authentic Cajun and Creole chow. $$ p

EL REY MEXICAN REST AURANT 2918 Hikes Ln., 454-6520. Although it’ s mor e Mexican-American than har d-core ethnic Mexican, El Rey earns our recommendation for tasty far e, cordial service in a pleasant fast-Mexican-food envir onment, and affordable prices. $ f ✿

SELENA’S A T WILLOW LAKE T AVERN 10609 LaGrange Rd., 245-9004. No longer a neighborhood saloon, the old Willow Lake Tavern is looking great these days as Alan Salmon and his family have transplanted Selena’ s, their longtime T ampa Bay eatery, into this much-r enovated East End venue.

Cajun, Creole and Italian dishes satisfy, and a large, comfortable bar doesn’t diminish the dining room’s family-friendly status. $$ p f h ✿

EL RODEO MEXICAN REST AURANT 9070 Dixie Hwy., 995-8722. At El Rodeo, you’ll find a blend of Tex-Mex and other Latin American classics fr om salty margaritas to sweet sopapillas. $$ ✿

CACHITO MIO CUBAN CAFÉ 11316 Maple Br ook Rd., 326-3544. This East End spot is primarily a Cuban-accented coffee shop, but you can also get a fine Cuban sandwich, pastries and empanadas.

There’s also a small specialty gr ocery with Cuban and Brazilian goods. $ ✿ HAVANA RUMBA 4115 Oechsli A ve., 897-1959. A true taste of Old Havana, this bright, inviting Cuban restaurant is sibling to the equally popular Mojito T apas Restaurant. Bountiful ser vings of Cuban fare as good as any in Key W est or Miami, not to mention a hopping mojito bar , have earned Havana Rumba a place on our shor t list of local favorites. $ p f ✿

BAZO’S FRESH MEXICAN GRILL 4014 Dutchmans Ln., 899-9600. Now moved fr om the hear t of St. Matthews to Dupont Cir cle, Bazo’s Fresh Mexican Grill is an inexpensive, casual spot for fine fish tacos and simple fast-food Mexican far e. $ f ✿ BUENOS DIAS CAFÉ 1703 Charlestown NA Pike, Jeffersonville, IN, 282-2233. $ ✿ CANCUN MEXICAN GRILL 9904 Linn Station Rd., 327-0890. $ e ✿ DON PABLOS MEXICAN KITCHEN 940 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 284-1071. Based in Atlanta, this Mexican-American chain, of fers full bar ser vice and a variety of dishes that range from sizzling fajitas to crisp salads tossed in a fajita shell. $$ p ✿

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EL T ARASCO 5425 New Cut Rd., 368-5628, 110 Fairfax Ave., 895-8010, 9901 LaGrange Rd., 3269373, 9606 T aylorsville Rd., 297-8003. Add El Tarasco to the happy new genr e of restaurants run

by Latinos and of fering authentic Mexican food and atmosphere, but that r each out to Anglos and make it easy to enjoy a South-of-the-Bor der culinary adventure without compromise. $ p ✿ EL TORO MEXICAN REST AURANT 1810 Hurstbourne Parkway, 491-7272, 10602 Shelbyville Rd., 489-3839. One of the top Mexican restaurants in the metro, El Toro earns our recommendation for food, service and envir onment. Tex-Mex dishes ar e fine, but save r oom for the authentic Mexican seafood specialties. $ p f ✿ ERNESTO’S 10430 Shelbyville Rd., 244-8889, 6201 Dutchmans Ln., 893-9297, 4632A S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 671-5291. One of the first of the mor e authentic locally-owned Mexican restaurant groups, Ernesto’s r emains consistently r eliable. F rom the crispy home-fried chips to filling Mexican main courses and tasty desserts, it’s a worthy destination for good Mexican food and excellent value in an enjoyable atmosphere. $ p f e ✿ FIESTA TIME MEXICAN GRILL 11320 Maple Brook Dr., 425-9144. $ 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 eater y 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 far e and Latino flair. $ h ✿ LA HERRADURA 615 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville, IN., 280-8650. Is it possible to enjoy truly a uthentic tacqueria cuisine when the management speaks mostly Spanish and you speak only English?

These friendly folks make it simple: a handy bilingual menu and a smiling staf f make you feel at home.$ ✿

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LA MONARCA 6501 Shepherdsville Rd., 969-7938. $ ✿ LA PERLA DEL P ACIFICO 2840 Goose Cr eek Rd., 969-4445. You may want to bring a Spanish phrase book to this East End spot, wher e English is sometimes tentative. It’ s wor th the ef fort though, for excellent authentic Mexican seafood and fish dishes that go well beyond taqueria status. $$ ✿ LA ROSITA MEXICAN GRILL 1515 E. Market St., New Albany, IN, 944-3620, 113 Grant Line Ctr ., 948-7967. Housed in an historic stor efront, this Mexican r estaurant br eaks fr om the pack by presenting traditional Mexican dishes not found elsewhere. The Grant Line spot provides quick but fine taqueria fare. $ f ✿ LA ROSIT A T AQUERIA 1404 Blackiston Mill Rd., Clarksville, IN, 284-1362. $ LA TAPATIA RESTAURANT 8106 Preston Hwy., 9619153. One of the most authentic ethnic Mexican restaurants in Louisville, this little storefront offers memorable tacos and burritos and mor e. $ p ✿ LAS GORDITAS 4756 Bardstown Rd., 492-0112. As Louisville’s small but thriving Latino community grows, it’ s now possible to enjoy an authentic Mexico City-style dining experience at this taco and gor dita wagon that r olls up in the Eastland Shopping Center every Friday thr ough Monday evening. Family owners and chefs Pat and Esperanza Costas and Ofelia Or tiz are completely bilingual, and as friendly as can be. $ f ✿ LOLITA’S TACOS 4222 Poplar Level Rd., 459-4356.

This tiny place may look like a fast-food joint, but the food is about as authentic Mexican as you’ll find. Crisp or soft tacos and burritos the size of paper-towel r olls turn a meal her e into a r eal bargain. $ f ✿ LOS AZTECAS 530 W. Main St., 561-8535, 1107 Herr Ln., 426-3994, 9207 U.S. Hwy . 42, 228-2450.

Authentic Mexican cuisine has become a viable option in Louisville, thanks to a gr owing immigrant community . W ith fr esh bar and blender offerings, cr eative appetizers and comfor table seating, Los Aztecas is one of the best, with tasty Mexican dishes good enough to lur e us back again and again. $ p ✿ MAYAN CAFÉ 813 E. Market St., 566-0651. Chef Bruce Ucán earned four -star praise for years with his creative take on Mayan (Yucatan/Guatemala) cuisine at Mayan Gypsy. He carries on this winning tradition with similar inspiring cuisine her e. $$ ✿ MEXICAN FIEST A 5414 Bar dstown Rd., 762-0840, 4507 Bardstown Rd., 491-2922 $ ✿ MEXICANO 6911 Shepher dsville Rd., 962-8526.

Traditional Mexican fare from the Ramirez family. $ ✿ MEXICO TIPICO REST AURANT 6517 Dixie Hwy ., 933-9523, 12401 Shelbyville Rd., 253-9828. One of the r egion’s first authentic Mexican eateries, Mexico T ipico has built a loyal following in for good Mexican food and friendly , fully bilingual service; now it r eaches the East End with a brandnew property in the Middletown area. $ p e ✿ MY PATRIA 808 Lyndon Ln., 339-9420. $ ✿ PUERTO V ALLARTA 4214 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 945-3588, 125 Quar termaster Ct., Jeffersonville, IN, 288-2022, 7814 Beulah Cur ch Rd., 239-4646. $$ p ✿ QDOBA MEXICAN GRILL 1500 Bar dstown Rd., 454-3380, 970 Breckinridge Ln., 721-8100, 4059 Summit Plaza Drive, 429-5151, 100 Daventr y Ln., 412-6202, 2730 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy ., 4939606, 3021 Poplar Level Rd., 637-5405, 4302 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 941-9654, 1321 Herr Ln., 618-3622, 11910 Standifor d Plaza Dr ., 736-6198. This chain operation extends fr om Louisville to Frankfor t and Lexington. Fastfoodish in style, Qdoba edges out its competitors www.foodanddine.com Summer 2009 79

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on the basis of variety and inter esting salsas, plus sizable portions at a price you can af ford. $ f ✿ ROSTICERIA LUNA 5213B Preston Hwy., 962-8898.

Tiny and cluttered and very friendly, this little spot on Pr eston looks like another tacqueria but the specialty, Mexican-style roasted chicken, takes it to another level, juicy and succulent and r oasted golden br own. Chicken simply doesn’ t get any better than this. $ ✿ RUBEN’S MEXICAN REST AURANT 1370 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN. 258-0417. $$ p ✿ SANTA FE GRILL 3000 S. Third St., 634-3722. This tiny eater y in a centur y-old r ed-brick South End storefront near Chur chill Downs never fails to satisfy with genuine Mexican tacos and other simple fare at prices that will leave you plenty of change for an exacta bet at the races. $ ✿ SEÑOR IGUANA’S 1415 Br oadway St., Clarksville, IN, 280-8555, 3105 S. Second St., 368-0876. These two Mexican-American eateries — the Indiana venue is in the former Jerry’s — are known for their hearty, well-prepared Mexican food, and plenty of it, in a casually laid-back, comfor table spor ts-bar atmosphere. $ p f ✿

western far e adds steaks and grilled far e to the familiar Tex-Mex with a formula that continues to draw diners in dr oves, but the ’Weed doesn’t stray far from its roots. $$ p f h ✿

Bardstown Rd., 515-0380, 118 Chenoweth Ln., 893-5103, 1449 Bar dstown Rd., 454-5212, 4123 Shelbyville Rd., 894-9413. Spar tan, friendly and affordable, with good coffee r oasted on the premises and a shor t list of pastries, desserts and panini sandwiches, Heine Br os. has earned its outstanding local reputation. $ f e

A.J.’S COFFEE & CREAM 9280 IN 64, Georgetown, IN, 951-1715. Despite the name, the specialty at this Southern Indiana r oadside spot is excellent, authentic Gr eek gyr os. Ther e’s no indoor dining, but plenty of picnic tables out fr ont; or you can do carryout. Another happy surprise: home made potato chips! $ f ✿

HIGHLAND COFFEE CO. 1140 Bardstown Rd., 4514545. Of fering two ways to get wir ed, this cozy neighborhood coffee shop also functions as one of Louisville’s top Internet cafés, wher e you can enjoy a hot cappuccino while you sur f the ’net in a WiFi hot spot. Funky Seattle-style ambience is a plus. $ f

BEAN STREET CAFÉ 101 Lafollette Station, Floyds Knobs, IN, 923-1404. Bean Str eet intr oduced the Sunny Side to the joys of serious espr esso. Like all good coffee shops, they’re not just an eater y, but a cultural hangout. $ f

THE HOBKNOBB ROASTING CO. 3700 Paoli Pike, Floyds Knobs, IN, 923-1458. HobKnobb of fers fresh hot cof fee, espr esso drinks and fr esh baked pastries, cakes and cookies. $ f

SOL AZTECAS 2427 Bar dstown Road, 459-7776, 2350 Frankfort Ave., 895-3333. Saul Gar cia, who’s known for the local chain of Los Aztecas eateries, has star ted this new chain, raising the bar with a broader menu. His many Los Aztecas fans will find familiar dishes, along with some pleasant surprises. $ph✿

JOE MUGGS 994 Br eckenridge Ln. (Books-aMillion), 894-8606, 4300 T owne Center Dr ., 4262252. $ f ✿ LA VIDA JA VA COFFEE CO. 1301 Herr Ln., 4129393. La V ida Java of fers espr esso drinks and pastries in this welcoming spot in the W estport Village shopping center. $ f

TACO BUENO 2909 Hwy. 62 Jef fersonville IN, 2844073, 2350 Shane Dr ., 493-2008. This gr owing Texas-based chain, a competitor to Taco Bell, now has two locations in the Louisville metr o. Early reports declare it “better than the Bell.” $ f ✿

OLD LOUISVILLE COFFEE HOUSE 1489 S. Fourth St., 635-6660. $ f ✿ PERKFECTION 359 Spring St., Jef fersonville, IN, 218-0611. $ e

TACO TICO 5925 Terry Rd., 449-9888. Founded in Wichita in 1962, the same year as T aco Bell was born in Southern California, The T aco Tico chain has been gone fr om Louisville for mor e than a decade. Its happy r eturn has been drawing remarkable crowds out to this Southwest Louisville location. $ ✿

QUARTER REST CAFÉ 3640 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy ., 491-9396. Inside the huge new Hurstbourne Music Center, music lovers can find music-themed breakfast dishes to fortify them as they shop for instruments or practice their craft. $ f e QUILL’S COFFEE SHOP 930 Baxter Ave., 742-6129.

Closed for the last six months, Quills has reopened, good news for faithful fans who have waited patiently for the new location to be finished.

The ambience is ar ty but r elaxed, and the book selection is always quirky. The joe is fine, as are the pastries, and everyone lingers, with laptops and knitting. $

TACQUERIA LA MEXICANA 6201 Pr eston Hwy ., 969-4449. The tacos are fine at this tiny storefront.

This is seriously ethnic stuf f, but Anglos ar e thoroughly welcome, the staff is bilingual, and they will happily pr ovide a menu with all the English translations written in. $ ✿

MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL 2001 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-1800, 1001 Br eckinridge Ln., 8936637, 12001 Shelbyville Rd., 245-6250, 1020 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, (812) 288-6637, 9310 Cedar Center W ay, 614-7722. The food may be mor e fast-food Mexican-American than authentic South-of-the-Border fare, but it is freshly made fr om quality ingr edients and comes in oversize portions, and that’s not a bad thing. $ ✿ ON THE BORDER 10601 Fischer Park Dr ., 4122461. A contemporary spin on traditional favorites offers a range of delights fr om the Ultimate Fajita to margaritas in a setting that emulates Old Mexico décor. $$ p f ✿ SALSARITA’S FRESH CANTINA 285 N. Hubbards Ln., 897-5323. Another entry in the hot “Fr esh Mexican” niche that featur es gigantic burritos made to order. Its colorful free-standing building houses a sit-in r estaurant and an inviting bar . $

pf✿ TUMBLEWEED SOUTHWEST GRILL (17 locations).

Tumbleweed started as a humble Mexican restaurant in New Albany and eventually came to dominate Louisville’s Tex-Mex niche with colossal margaritas, gigantic burritos and spicy chili con queso. South80 Summer 2009 www.foodanddine.com

JAVA BREWING COMP ANY 9561B U.S. Hwy . 42, 292-2710, 516 W . Main St., 568-6339, 135 S. English Station Rd., 489-5677, Four th Street Live, 561-2041, 2309 Frankfor t A ve., 894-8060. These casual spots boasts the ambience of a friendly oldfashioned book shop, with comfor table seating, a good selection of pastries, and quality cof fee from Seattle. $

RAY’S MONKEY HOUSE 1578 Bardstown Rd., 4594373. A very nice fit with its crunchy-granola Highlands neighborhood, this “progressive coffee shop and gathering place” is consciously child-friendly .

Look for quality or ganic cof fee r oasted on the premises and vegetarian/vegan snacks. $ f e ✿ CAFFE CLASSICO 2144 Frankfort Ave., 894-9689. $ COFFEE CROSSING 4212 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 981-2633. $ COFFEE POT CAFÉ 234 E. Gray St. (Medical Tower South), 584-5282 $ f ✿ DAY’S ESPRESSO AND COFFEE BAR 1420 Bardstown Rd., 456-1170. Dark and cozy , with an old-fashioned feeling, Day’ s has ever ything you would expect in a college-neighbor hood cof fee shop except a college near by. $ f DERBY CITY ESPRESSO 331 E. Market St., 4420523. A highlight in Louisville’ s r oster of serious coffee shops, Derby City featur es quality cof fee from several ar tisanal r oasters, plus fine tea, pastries, and now craft beers including a cof feebourbon flavored Stout. $ f e ✿ HEINE BROTHERS COFFEE 2714 Frankfor t A ve., 899-5551, 1295 Longest A ve., 456-5108, 2200 RED = ADVERTISER

RIVER CITY COFFEE CAFÉ 2900 Brownsboro Rd., 618-2308. Don’t let the wor d “coffee” in the name fool you: This Cr escent Hill spot isn’ t just a cof fee shop. You can enjoy breakfast and lunch, including a good array of soups, salads, sandwiches and burgers. $ f ✿ SISTER BEAN’S 4956 Manslick Rd., 364-0082. $ f ✿ SONOMA COFFEE CAFÉ 3309 Poplar Level Rd., 384-0044. The first outlet in Kentucky of this franchise coffeteria. $ STARBUCKS COFFEE (35 locations) $ f SUNERGOS COFFEE & MICRO-ROASTER Y 2122 S. Preston St., 634-1243. Matthew Huested and Brian Miller used to r oast their own cof fee beans as a hobby. Their friends said they did it so well, they should turn pr o — the r esult is Suner gos Cof fee, another in the gr owing cadr e of espr esso bars in Louisville’s Germantown neighborhood. $ ✿ TRAILSIDE CAFÉ 1321 Herr Ln., 423-1545 $

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VT’S BUBBLE CUP 1043 Bardstown Rd., 452-8899.

Tea houses ar e a new rage. This Highlands place features a cute variation, bubble tea — a tapiocabased soft drink. Japanese teens love it. $ h ✿ ZEN TEA HOUSE 2246 Frankfor t A ve., 618-0878.

Another entr y in the T ran family’s Frankfor t Ave. restaurant r ow, Coco T ran’s new ventur e is just north of her nephew’ s restaurant, two doors fr om her long-time vegan eater y, Zen Gar den. Ther e is tea, of course, black, gr een, and white and herbal infusions, spring r olls, soups, and paninis, all vegetarian. $ f e h ✿

ADRIENNE & CO. BAKER Y CAFÉ 129 W. Cour t Ave., Jef fersonville, IN, 282-2665. If you need something for your sweet tooth and won’ t be denied, count yourself lucky if the craving strikes when you’re in the vicinity of this cozy Southern Indiana spot, with its good selection of homemade cakes and treats. $ f ✿ THE BAKER Y 3100 Bar dstown Rd., 452-1210. Not just a fine baker y but a place wher e bakers learn their business, this excellent establishment is par t of the culinar y program at Sullivan University . It’s hard to beat the quality breads and pastries offered here to eat in or carry out. $ ✿ BREADWORKS 3628 Br ownsboro Rd., 893-3200, 2420 Lime Kiln Ln., 326-0300, 2204 Dundee Rd., 452-1510, 11800 Shelbyville Rd., 254-2885. $ ✿ CAKE FLOUR 909 E. Market St., 719-0172. This tiny, take-out-only spot is building a tr emendous buzz.

A lar ge selection of baked goods ar e made with organic flour and sugar . W e walked in, took a sample of brownie so spectacular that it made our knees buckle, and departed with a 10-pound bag of goodies. Cake Flour is to pastry as Louisville’s Blue Dog is to artisan bread: Top tier. $ f ✿

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COCO’S BAKERY 6915 Southside Drive, 368-9280. $ COCO’S CHOCOLATE CAFÉ 1759 Bar dstown Rd., 454-9810. Stylish, ar tisanal chocolates and baked goods made on the pr emises make this tiny Highlands spot a stylish place to stop and linger over for a dessert and a cup of cof fee. $ f THE CUPCAKE SHOPPE 3701 Lexington Rd., 8992970. You won’ t need thr ee guesses to name the specialty at this little St. Matthews baker y, which has gained instant popularity for its wide variety of moist, tender cupcakes, always made in house. $✿ THE DESSERT GALLERY 9305 New LaGrange Rd., 326-0700. Y ou’ll find just about anything you could want in the way of a desser t at this East End shopping center storefront, from cakes to brownies and cookies, and it’ s all hand-made fr om natural ingredients. $ DESSERTS BY HELEN 2210 Bar dstown Rd., 4517151, 9219 U.S. Hwy . 42, 228-8959. Helen Friedman has earned a loyal clientele since the 1970s with her elegant cakes, tempting pies and tortes and designer cookies. $ HEITZMAN TRADITIONAL BAKERY & DELI 9426 Shelbyville Rd., 426-7736, 428 W. Market St., 5842437. The Heitzman family has been baking in the Louisville ar ea since your gr eat-aunt was a girl ordering dinner r olls. Made fr esh daily, the pies, cakes, cookies and specialty pastries pr ovide tasty nostalgia for all who visit. $ ✿

sucker for over -the-top excess, tr y the caramel donut topped with — yes, it’s true, bacon. $ THE PIE PANTRY 9208 Dixie Hwy., 384-0743. Lunch is served at this Southwest Louisville eatery but the main focus — and the strongest reason to drive out that way — is the dozens of varieties of homemade pies. Portions are large and the selection extensive. $f✿ PLEHN’S BAKERY 3940 Shelbyville Rd., 896-4438. A neighborhood institution, this baker y is as busy as it is nostalgic. Enjoy the hometown soda fountain with ice cr eam while you wait for your handdecorated birthday cake, breakfast rolls or colorful cookies to be boxed. $ ✿ POLICE DOUGHNUTS 12416 Shelbyville Rd., 2458808. The owner is an ex-cop with a sense of professional self-ir ony. The pr emise, of course, is no one knows doughnuts better than the police.

Middletown locals like the joke, and the sinkers, for this neighbor hood carb dispenser is of f to a strong start. $ THE SWEET TOOTH 3110 Frankfort Ave., 895-4554.

You’ll find an enticing collection of cakes, pies and other homemade goodies, plus excellent cof fee and a selection of loose-leaf teas, in this cozy little spot. $ ✿

MY FAVORITE MUFFIN 9800 Shelbyville Rd., 4269645. All the muf fins are made right in the stor e, including such popular choices as the Cinnamon Crumb and the Turtle Muffin. $ NORD’S BAKERY 2118 S. Preston St., 634-0931. This old-school, family-owned baker y on the edge of Germantown has a devoted following, drawn by divine Danish, donuts, and gr eat cof fee fr om the nearby Sunergos micro-roastery — and if you’r e a

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MAP INDEX

MAP INDEX

MAP # DIRECTION PAGE # DOWNTOWN 84 1 Downtown Louisville NEAR EAST 85 2 Highlands – Crescent Hill EAST 86 3 St. Matthews SOUTH EAST 87 4 Hikes Point – Buechel EAST 88 5 Hurstbourne N. – Lyndon SOUTH EAST 89 6 Hurstbourne S. – Jeffersontown NORTH EAST 90 7 River Rd. – Brownsboro Rd. NORTH EAST 90 8 Westport Rd. FAR EAST 91 9 Middletown NORTH EAST 91 10 Prospect SOUTH EAST 91 11 Fern Creek SOUTH 92 12 Airport – Okolona SOUTH WEST 93 13 Shively – Pleasure Ridge Park INDIANA 94 14 New Albany – Floyds Knobs INDIANA 95 15 Clarksville INDIANA 95 16 Jeffersonville

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Bardstown Road 502.456.1702

Downtown

502-582-1995

Hurstbourne 502.426.0627

Prospect

502.292.2585

Jeffersonville 812.218.1995

(Sheraton Riverside Hotel) www.bristolbarandgrille.com www.foodanddine.com Summer 2009 83

MAP INDEX

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DOWNTOWN > DOWNTOWN

MAP • 1

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MAP • 2

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NEAR EAST > HIGHLANDS/CRESCENT HILL

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EAST > ST. MATTHEWS

MAP • 3

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MAP • 4

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SOUTH EAST > HIKES POINT/BUECHEL

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EAST > HURSTBOURNE N./LYNDON

MAP • 5

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MAP • 6

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SOUTH EAST > HURSTBOURNE S./JEFFERSONTOWN

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MAP

7 > NORTH EAST > RIVER RD./BROWNSBORO RD. MAP

8 > NORTH EAST > WESTPORT ROAD

MAPS • 7 • 8

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MAP

11 > SOUTH EAST > FERN CREEK

MAPS • 9 • 10 • 11

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9 > FAR EAST > MIDDLETOWN 10 > NORTH EAST > PROSPECT

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MAP MAP

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SOUTH > AIRPORT/OKALONA

MAP • 12

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SOUTH WEST > SHIVELY/PLEASURE RIDGE PARK

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INDIANA > NEW ALBANY/FLOYDS KNOBS

MAP • 14

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15 > INDIANA > CLARKSVILLE

MAPS • 15 • 16

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MAP

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16 > INDIANA > JEFFERSONVILLE

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MAP

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hungry? like the wolf?

louisville

424 south 4th street 502-568-2202 • hardrock.com the official food of rock

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