Spring 2012 (Vol. 35)

SPRING 2012 | FEB - MAR - APR

profiles

www.foodanddine.com

wild eggs|martini italian bistro|namnam shawn ward|troy schuster|tavis rockwell

restaurant guide

over 1,000 restaurant listings and maps to them all

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pictured: 211 Clover Lane’s pan-seared

foie gras with pear panna cotta, sauterne gelee and caramelized pear.

easy entertaining – crawfish boil about lagers|dessert wines|humor

SPRING 2012 PUBLISHER / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF JOHN CARLOS WHITE BUSINESS MANAGER PAUL M. SMITH ASSOCIATE EDITOR STEVE COOMES CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT DAVID BARHORST COLUMNISTS ROGER A. BAYLOR JAY FOREMAN GREG GAPSIS SCOTT HARPER ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS-AT-LARGE TIM & LORI LAIRD CONTRIBUTING WRITERS GREG GAPSIS J. CHRISTIAN WALSH KATY YOCOM CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER DAN DRY MAGAZINE DESIGN & LAYOUT JOHN CARLOS WHITE GRAPHIC DESIGN KATHY KULWICKI STEFAN TAMBURRO COPY EDITOR KATHY KULWICKI SALES MANAGER GINA R. WOLFE ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES ANNETTE B. WHITE BART WHITEHOUSE IN FOND MEMORY OF OUR DEAR FRIEND DANIEL F. BOYLE

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

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www.foodanddine.com facebook.com/foodanddine follow us on Twitter @FDzine For Advertising information call (502) 509-EATS (3287) ON THE COVER: 211 Clover Lane’s foie gras with pear panna cotta. (see story page 13) Photo by Dan Dry 4

Spring 2012 www.foodanddine.com

contents

SPRING 2012 - VOLUME 35

RESTAURANT GUIDE

34

52

DINING GUIDE Our comprehensive listing of over 1,000 area restaurants complete with reviews.

MAPS (RESTAURANT LOCATOR)

82

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

FEATURES CHEF Q & A: Three chefs — Troy Schuster, Shawn Ward and Tavis Rockwell — answer some questions you’ve always wanted to ask.

22

PROFILES WILD EGGS: The concept: great upscale breakfasts.

13 22

The dream: the world!

MARTINI ITALIAN BISTRO: The manager becomes the owner, and a chain restaurant becomes an independent eatery with a local focus.

13

NAMNAM CAFÉ: Big Asian flavors draw crowds to this tiny St. Matthews restaurant.

34 44

COLUMNS

28

STARTERS

6

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

NEWS & NOTES Noteworthy restaurant and culinary news and happenings.

HUMOR

8 10

Chefs do some crazy things. But don’t try this at home!

FOOD

44

EASY ENTERTAINING: Cajun crawfish boil

28

Transport yourself to the Delta with this easy-to-do Louisiana feast.

FROM THE EARTH: Shuckman’s Fish Company

40

Locally smoked fish and American caviar find a place in top restaurants.

LIQUIDS HIP HOPS: Tough love for lager From the revolutionary to the mundane, and back again.

CORK 101: Five dessert wines

20 32

Drink your dessert: rich complex flavors end a meal elegantly. www.facebook.com/foodanddine Spring 2012

5

starters comings & goings

comings

&

goings

Whew! Has there been a lot of movement in the Louisville restaurant scene! Twenty-six new restaurants have opened, or are planning on opening imminently, and five other existing restaurants have opened new outlets. And none of them, this past quarter, have been chains moving into this market — over two dozen new locally-owned businesses.

But, 30 restaurants have closed, and four more with more than one location have contracted back to one. That’s a total of 31 new joints against 33 closings — all but a wash.

Considering the times we live in, staying even is nothing to grouse about.

OPENINGS Two of the new restaurants are brick and mortar motherhouses for food-truck pioneers. Taco Punk has taken over the big, funky space that housed Toast on Market at 736 E. Market St., after it moved into the somewhat more sedate space up the street that was the long-time location of Artemisia (and later White Oak) at 620 E. Market St. MozzaPi is still renovating its new home base at 1015 Bardstown Rd., and looking toward a spring opening.

Rye has opened in the very nicely renovated Hausman Jeep office building at 900 E. Market St. Of the more than two dozen new restaurants, it has the most upscale ambitions, in both its menu and its bar program.

The Goss Avenue corridor in Germantown continues to impress, with the opening of Four Pegs Beer Lounge at 1053 Goss. Early fans are touting it as Eiderdown meets Against the Grain Brewery, and starting some buzz.

Pizzameister Tony Impellizzeri has had some ups and downs, but has now definitely returned to the scene after an absence, with the opening of his namesake pizzeria at 5170 Charlestown Rd., New Albany. Another new pizza purveyor in southern Indiana, FX Pizza at 4865 Old Vincennes Rd., in Floyds Knobs, hopes to attract families with its miniature golf layout as well as hot pies.

Two notable lunch spots are attracting new customers.

Nonnie’s Kitchen, 11601 Main St., in Middletown has taken the former Tiffany Cellar space. And long-time St. Matthews lunch purveyor and caterer The Cheddar Box has opened The Cheddar Box Too across the Chenoweth Square parking lot (109 Chenoweth Ln.), to expand their sit-down trade.

A novel idea, The PBJ Shop, has opened downtown at 440 S. Third St., offering umpteen variations on every kids’ favorite lunch. And, they cater!

Hilltop Tavern has opened in the Clifton space that originally housed Café Lou Lou at 1800 Frankfort Ave. Grady’s Burgers & Wings meets those needs at 3825 Taylor Blvd., in Shively. The South End now has Derby City BBQ and Catering at 2932 S. Fourth St., and those heading back to the eastern ’burbs on River Road can pick up take-out ’cue at River Road BBQ, 3017 River Rd. Also new to the South End is Bela’s Café, 2933 S. Fourth St., 6

Spring 2012 www.foodanddine.com

and new to downtown is SaE Café, 200 S. Seventh St. The latter is a soup and sandwich lunch spot operated by two friends, Sarah and Emily.

And that brings us to the new ethnic eateries in town. Eleven such places have opened, if you count the Fish-Fry House, 2280 Bardstown Rd., operated by Shahram Pouranfar, who has operated Zaytun and Sharom’s, but is now focusing on fried fish and the fixin’s.

For fans of Asian cuisines, choices now include Soora Korean Restaurant, 2840 Goose Creek Rd., and Charim Korean, 4123 Oeschli Ave. Cheer King Star, 231 S. Fifth St., is another entry in the seemingly endless choices of Chinese buffet joints. Hibachi Sushi Buffet puts a Japanese accent to Asian lunch buffets at 5316 Bardstown Rd. Pearl, a new entry in the dining choices at Horseshoe Casino, is touting itself as a quiet sanctuary amid the usual casino brouhaha. And who knows? Perhaps Tambayan Karaoke Bar & Filipino Restaurant, 9601 Newbridge Rd., could be fun.

More Mexican/Latino/Caribbean restaurants have sprouted.

El Ranchero is at 2918 Hikes Ln., El Rincon Cuban Restaurant is at 8118 Preston Hwy., and Las Palmas Cuban Bakery & Café is at 4806 Bardstown Rd. Al Nuur, at 2933 S. Fourth St., offers African/Arabic food.

Five local restaurants have found business good enough to warrant opening additional outlets. Drake’s now offers its goodtime aura to patrons of The Summit (3921 Summit Plaza Dr.), and Indi’s is offering its signature hot wings and potato wedges at 1085 Market St., in Charlestown, Ind. Homemade Pie Kitchen & Café has opened its tenth location at 2232 Frankfort Ave., while North End Café has extended its reach to the Douglass Loop, taking over the old Grotto space at 2116 Bardstown Rd. And Simply Thai is now offering its satisfying just-spicy-enough dishes to Middletown, at 12003 Shelbyville Rd.

CLOSINGS Among the more notable losses are Stumler’s Restaurant and Orchard, a long-time player in Starlight, Ind.; Third Avenue Café, 1164 S. Third St., in Old Louisville; and Michele’s on Goss,

946 Goss Ave., in the old factory-cumantique mall.

Fleur de Lis CafÊ found it just wasn’t making the grade at 1574 Bardstown Rd., and a little closer into town, Funmi’s CafÊ, serving Nigerian food at 1043 Bardstown Rd. has closed, but the owner thinks he will reopen elsewhere.

The Blue Lagoon, 2280 Bardstown Rd., closed, but was promptly succeeded by the Fish-Fry House. Likewise, Tiffany Cellar CafĂŠ ended its run at 11601 Main St., in Middletown, but that space was reclaimed

by Nonnie’s Kitchen. And Derby City Espresso, 331 E. Market St., has transformed into the Haymarket.

Among the ethnic restaurants that have closed are Dynasty Buffet at 2400 Lime Kiln Rd.; 8 China Buffet at 1850 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy.; Liang’s CafÊ, 3571 Springhurst Blvd.; and InFusion Foods USA, 815 Blankenbaker Pkwy.

Also closed recently are Mr. Pollo, 3606 Klondike Ln.; Preston Street Fish & Chicken, 1272 S. Preston St.; T Bone’z, 6501 Bardstown Rd.; Big Blue Country, 426 Baxter Ave.; Naked Pizza, 139 Breckenridge Ln.; Blimpie’s Subs & Soups, 2020 Brownsboro Rd.; Windy City Pizzeria, 2622 S. Fourth St.; Germantown’s Zeppelin CafÊ, 1036 E. Burnett St.; and both locations of Carmen’s Cupcakes (1401 Bardstown Rd. and 10616 Meeting St.) came to a bittersweet end.

Simply Splendid Salads at 203 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., wasn’t splendid enough for the long haul, and Zivio, 711 S. Third St., an effort by the owners of Le Gallo Rosso to tap the downtown lunch market, did not work out.

Over in Indiana, Clarksville saw the closing of Don Pablo’s, 940 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy.; Ruben’s Mexican Restaurant at 1370 Veterans Pkwy.; and Boulevard CafÊ, 1015 Eastern Blvd. New Albany saw the departure of Patticakes & Pies CafÊ, 155 E. Main St., and Little Chef, a corner fast-food institution seemingly forever at 147 E. Market St. And finally, a few double-outlet businesses have scaled back to a single location.

Royal Garden has closed the location at 5316 Bardstown Rd.; Taco Tico closed the store at 7416 Preston Hwy.; and Rumball’s Family Sports Bar closed at 10000 Hwy. 22; and the Frankfort Avenue Beer Depot is now back to its namesake with closing of the (1202) Bardstown Rd., location. F&D

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7

starters news & notes

The best moments LAST FOREVER

news

BY STEVE COOMES

notes

&

Awards & Honors With only four episodes remaining as of press time, Edward Lee, chef-owner at 610 Magnolia, is one of the last five chefs still standing, out of an initial 29 that started this season’s series of culinary battles on Top Chef. The Bravo TV cooking reality show places chefs in head-to-head cooking challenges in which their food is judged by other nationallyknown chefs. Lee, typically soft-spoken and quietly-focused, has shown his spiritedcompetitor side throughout the show’s twelve episodes that have aired. In 2011, he was a featured challenger on the Iron Chef show, when he unseated Iron Chef JosÊ Garces.

John Varanese, chef-owner of Varanese, is headed to the James Beard House in Manhattan to cook a Kentucky-centered dinner on March 13. This is the Cleveland native’s first trip to what many consider a culinary mecca, and he’s understandably excited. “This is something I’ve been waiting to do for a long time, something you can bet is on most chefs’ bucket list,� said Varanese. Because the restaurateur will pay all his expenses to travel to and stay in New York, and donates the food and labor as a fundraiser for the Beard Foundation, “It’s not a cheap trip. But it is something you believe will help gain national recognition for your restaurant, another piece of the puzzle of creating and owning a concept that’s well appreciated and enjoyed.�

Dean Corbett, chef-owner of Equus, Jack’s Lounge and Corbett’s: An American Place, was recognized in December by Independent Restaurateur magazine for outstanding community service. Among multiple charities helped by Corbett’s restaurants, his leader ship of the Bourbon and Bowties dinner at Corbett’s this past summer raised nearly $300,000 for Kosair Children’s Hospital. “I’m absolutely blown out, exhausted, but as happy as I’ve ever been,� Corbett said groggily the morning after B&B. “When you learn about the little kids this helps, you can’t help but be compelled to do something.�

Coby Ming, executive chef at Harvest, got a nice national news nod when she was featured in a video done by ABCNews.com. Ming conducted a demonstration of a dish of seared pork belly and grits with sweet potato puree.

Harvest, it’s worth noting, will celebrate its first birthday about the time this magazine hits the newsstands. Happy Birthday to a great restaurant!

Proud of Our Own

8

Spring 2012Â www.foodanddine.com

“Mushroom Man�

DAN DRY

Mall St. Matthews 502.749.4310

We’ve always known that Food & Dining’s chief photographer, Dan Dry, was among the nation’s best shooters, but in January, he was named Photographer of the Year by the Kentucky News Photographers Association. In December, Dry also received a Gold and four Silver Awards for Photography at the LGDA 100 Show, sponsored by the Louisville Graphic Design Association. One of the Silver awards was for the photo “Mushroom Man,� Dan’s feature

photo in the story about Sheltowee Farm mushrooms that ran in Food & Dining’s Winter 2011 “From the Earth” column.

That same shot was also par t of the KNPA prize-winning portfolio submitted

by Power Creative, the design firm where Dry is Senior Vice-President and Chief Visual Officer.

We are proud to announce that Food & Dining’s Restaurant Guide has been chosen by Louisville’s Convention and Visitors Bureau as its official dining guide. By the end of February, readers will be able to go online to the bureau’s www.gotolouisville.com (a mobile version will be available as well) and access this unrivaled dining resource, with its accurate, up-to-the-minute listings of over 900 area restaurants, with detailed maps to them, as well as info about each one’s offerings.

Facebook Top Hits If you’ve never visited our highly popular Facebook Page (facebook.com/ foodanddine), you really should! Here’s a look at a few of our top-read stories of the last few months: Penzeys Spices, a 65-unit spice store chain with a national web order following, plans to open a store in Louisville’s Shelbyville Road Plaza in March. Visit it to smell and taste for yourself why this company has built a cult following.

The Kentucky Bourbon Trail passport program set an attendance record in 2011, topping a record set in 2010. If you don’t know much about the Bourbon Trail, then be sure to get a copy of our summer issue, which will have a feature article on this increasingly popular tourist attraction.

Menu trends that mean something: Too often annual stories about menu trends lack good research and insight, but this 2012 trends piece was penned

by Nation’s Restaurant News food editor, Bret Thorn, a former chef, student of the restaurant trade, and nationally respected columnist.

Ever heard of Corsair Artisan Distillery in Bowling Green, Ky.? You might want to know it’s producing not only award-winning gin, but rums and whiskeys as well. Cur rently those spirits can be found on the bars at a few Louisville restaurants and at Westport Whiskey & Wine in Westport Village on Herr Lane. F&D www.facebook.com/foodanddine Spring 2012

9

humor

BY JAY FOREMAN

I’m hangin’ with the

WRONG crowd!

Uh-oh.

One of the problems with having a wife who is a pastry chef is that she tends to be friends with other pastry chefs, some of whom are English, are named Tariq Hanna, and are very bad influences. You might remember him from some of my earlier columns, when we deep-fried Easter Peeps in five gallons of peanut oil (not recommended — they dissolve into a weird yellow foam). But the chief risk stems from the fact that chefs like this have access to foodstuffs about which mere mortals should have no knowledge. It was from Tariq that I recently learned that those crunchy little cereal marshmallows can be purchased in bulk from www.cerealmarshmallows.com in 95-pound sacks, should such quantities be desired.

And like Pandora (the lady from Greek myth, not the music service) discovered, once these evils have been released into the world, they are impossible to stuff back into the box.

For me, the bulk marshmallow thing is kind of a big deal.

Who among us has not wasted hours of our childhood eating around the boring oat puffs in Lucky Charms, sometimes flicking them aside so as to leave a bowl filled with nothing but milk and brightly colored marshmallow slurry? The ability to buy these en masse ensures that we no longer need to pick the useless cardboard-colored flotsam out of our morning bowl of goodness. Now we can tap straight into the mainline. The truly hardcore can even avoid the milk altogether and just snack out of the bag by the fistful.

Not that I would do anything like that; I’m just sayin’ it is there if you want.

As the executive pastry chef at Sucré (www.shopsucre.com), a high-end pastry shop in New Orleans, Tariq gets some high-profile gigs like appearances on TLC’s “Ultimate Cake Off ” and Food Network dessert competitions. Sometimes, after he is done with prep for these events, he has some leftover raw material that he bestows upon me. Swag I’ve accrued includes huge 2-pound sheets of Rice Krispie Treats, which served as the edible plywood for his attempt at candy-based recreation of London Bridge. It makes sense — when you are building a real structure, you get a stack of 4 x 8 foot half-inch ply for sheeting the outside, and when you are building a candy structure, you get a stack of Rice Krispie sheets.

In my mind, Rice Krispies beats out old-school gingerbread for candy construction any day (gingerbread served as Tariq’s raw material for his recreation of Frank Lloyd Wright’s house Falling Water). My reasoning is that the thicker and more deliciously insulating Rice Krispie Treats have a much higher R-rating and are therefore more energy-efficient. That 10 Spring 2012 www.foodanddine.com

is, until the walls get eaten. These jumbosized Rice Krispie treat sheets decorated my office, until I finally gave them to my nieces (much to my sister’s chagrin) as they were calling to me for mid-afternoon snacking and I feared I could no longer resist their siren song.

Sometimes, the swag can be dangerous. Take Pop Rocks. We all know about these little retro treats that fizz on the tongue. Harmless, right? Well, Tariq slid me a one-kilo bag of bulk Pop Rocks (generic name: “Pastry Rocks”). This was exciting enough, but at some point along the way (perhaps I left it in a hot car) all the ittybitty Pastry Rocks fused into one single two-plus-pound pastry boulder. Like a WWII mine whose high explosive has become unstable with age, this lump sits on my bookshelf at the office, commanding respect. I am in awe of it, and in fear also, because if this sucker ever falls to the floor I fear it will detonate like an antitank mine and take out half the building.

If you find this kind of thing alluring, the Internet is a great resource, blurring boundaries and bringing offbeat and professional-grade sweets within easy reach of the amateur or home cook. Chef Rubber is one good site (www.shopchefrubber.com) where pastry products and molecular gastronomy tools collide in one potentially catastrophic bazaar. A 25-liter Dewar for holding liquid nitrogen can be yours for just $875 (the dipper is just $85 extra). I’m not sure if they sell the nitrogen with it, but either way it doesn’t matter because there is no way my wife would allow that in the house. I already have a propensity for harming myself with ordinary knives and garden-variety blenders, so the risk inherent in rolling chemistry-lab grade equipment into the kitchen means I just have to dream. So while there are few things I would like more than to have my home kitchen look like Walter White’s meth lab on AMC's “Breaking Bad,” I know I might have to let that one go. But not entirely, because when Pandora opened her box and all the evils escaped, she managed to shut it just in time to catch and hold onto one small thing: Hope, which springs eternal. F&D

New Menu

Winston’s has a new menu focused on classic entrees and small plates designed for sharing.

However with food this delectable, you might not want to share. Selections from our carefully created wine list and cocktail menu will complement any meal. Make a reservation to experience Winston’s award-winning cuisine.

502-456-0980 | winstonsoflouisville.com

Reservations recommended | 3101 Bardstown Road Lunch: Friday & Saturday 11am-2pm; Sun. 10am-2pm Dinner: Friday & Saturday 5:30pm-10pm

www.facebook.com/foodanddine Spring 2012

11

Q C A hef &

You may not know the names Troy Schuster, Shawn Ward or Tavis Rockwell.

All are chefs, but none have been on Iron Chef, Top Chef or any glitz-glam TV cooking show — yet. The Louisville kitchens each man commands, however, are among the city’s finest.

And busiest. Trying to get a table at 211 Clover Lane (where Schuster is executive chef), Jack Fry’s (where Ward is executive chef) or Equus and Jack’s Lounge (where Rockwell is executive chef) without a reservation on a weekend will send you seeking sustenance elsewhere. Their regular customers might not know the chefs’ names either, but, make no mistake, they know the food they prepare is some of the best in town.

With the aim of spotlighting these sort-of-secret Louisville chefs, Food & Dining sat down with each for a Q&A. We wanted to plumb beneath the surface of these consistently-creative kitchen pros to get to know them a little better.

So turn the page to gain a bit more insight into this issue’s trio of inspired chefs. (from top) Chef Schuster’s chestnut parfait with shortbread; Chef Ward’s lamb with an English pea, sautéed spinach and celery puree; Chef Rockwell’s grilled pork chop with a potato gratin, Brussels sprouts and a Bourbon sage sauce. www.facebook.com/foodanddine Spring 2012 13

people and places profiles

BY KATY YOCOM | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

CHEF TROY SCHUSTER Age: 37 Current Restaurant: 211 Clover Lane Previous Restaurants: Le Beaujolais; Bottega Restaurant and CafĂŠ (Birmingham, Ala.); Azalea (Birmingham); Azalea (Louisville) Neighborhood (current): Germantown Hometown: Louisville (high school: Eastern) Significant Other: Single Kids: None Favorite Hobbies: Whitewater kayaking, bow hunting for deer, turkey hunting Favorite Cookbook: Chez Panisse Desserts by Lindsey R. Shere Favorite Kitchen Gadget: Microplane grater/zester 14 Spring 2012Â www.foodanddine.com

QA &

What is your first food memory?

“My grandma, baking cakes. She made a walnut eggnog cake that was pretty awesome.”

Who has influenced your cooking the most?

“Frank [Stitt, owner of Bottega Restaurant in Birmingham]. When I went to work for him, I was going from Azalea, which was fusion, where they threw three or four countries into one dish. With Frank I was learning simplicity. The local ingredient thing. Not overcomplicating things. Starting with the best product possible that just shows off itself.”

Why did you become a chef?

“I’ve always had the interest in cooking.

When I went to the University of Louisville I started working at Azalea, and worked my way up.”

What did you want to be when you grew up?

“I always wanted to be a chef. I always watched Yan Can Cook and that Cajun guy, back before the Food Network.”

Which seasonings don’t you respect?

“Old Bay.”

Which are underrated?

“I’d say salt and pepper. A lot of people are afraid to use it, and they don’t season things enough. Also marjoram.”

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

“I don’t think there are any big trends I’m into, aside from what I’ve always done, the local stuff. I just cook simple French and Italian food.”

Any trends you consider overrated?

“The whole chemistry stuff — molecular gastronomy. Some of it’s kind of neat. But I don’t see it lasting.”

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

“Horsemeat. They just legalized it for consumption here. It won’t go over well in Kentucky, but I could see people eating it in New York.”

What’s your favorite go-to ingredient?

“Pancetta.”

Who are your favorite chefs?

“Frank, because I worked for the guy. Paul Kahan up at Blackbird in Chicago. David Chang at Momofuku.”

Is there a guilty-secret ingredient in your kitchen — something you’d rather not be spotted using?

“I try to keep all that shit out of my kitchen.

I can’t think of anything.”

Besides 211 Clover Lane, what is your favorite restaurant in Louisville?

“I don’t get out much. I guess I’d have to say La Rosita in New Albany. It’s just real authentic Mexican. I like Nam Nam Café.

Basa’s good too. I like Juicy’s Barbecue.”

What’s in your fridge at home?

“I’ve got a freezer full of venison, a bottle of champagne, a few beers and a bunch of condiments. Pickles, mustard. And that’s it.

A total bachelor fridge right there. I don’t cook at home very often.”

Is there anything in that home fridge you’d rather not admit to having?

“The champagne, I guess, because I’m not a big champagne drinker. It’s Cava, at least.

Not Andre.”

What food is your guilty pleasure?

“Double Dragon pot stickers and General Tso’s chicken.”

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

“Lamb fries.”

Your favorite quick meal to prepare at home?

“Pan-seared steak and broccoli or Brussels sprouts.”

Your worst kitchen nightmare?

“I had a dishwasher strain a stockpot full of demiglace. He put the strainer in the sink and strained it and left the bones.”

Best cooking tip for a novice?

“Season everything. And always start with a hot pan.”

What’s your last meal on earth, if you had the chance to choose?

“Probably a big foie-gras sandwich. Yeah — a sixteen-ounce dry-aged ribeye with a slab of foie gras and demiglace.” (below, from left) Pan-seared foie gras with pear panna cotta, sauterne gelee and caramelized pear; Ahi tuna crudo with fried capers, micro cress and radish; Seared and braised duck with fingerling potatoes, rapini and cherry port jus.

people and places profiles

BY KATY YOCOM | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

CHEF SHAWN WARD Age: 45 Current Restaurant: Jack Fry’s Previous Restaurants: Louis’ Charleston Grill (Charleston, S.C.), The Train Station in Anchorage, and Grove Park Inn (Asheville, N.C.) Neighborhood (current): Crescent Hill Hometown: Louisville (high school: St. Xavier) Significant Other: Allison Edeburn, fiancée Kids: stepson Tristan, 11, and Laela, 14 months Favorite Hobbies: Snowskiing Favorite Cookbook: Cooking with Daniel Boulud Favorite Kitchen Gadget: “It’s kind of silly. A fish spatula.”

16 Spring 2012 www.foodanddine.com

QA &

What is your first food memory?

“That’s easy. My mother had a pot of chili or bean soup or vegetable soup on the stove at all times. There are six kids in my family.”

Who has influenced your cooking the most?

“The region, really. We try and do as close to farm-to-table as we possibly can. We make phone calls every morning and get what’s freshest. And the customers. You get a feel for what people like.”

Why did you become a chef?

“Growing up, people always told me to do what I enjoyed because you’re going to be doing it for a very long time. I really enjoy the cooking and the restaurant atmosphere and the people.”

What did you want to be when you grew up?

“I got lucky and fell into what I really liked early. When I was 15, my first restaurant job I worked at Jack Fry’s as a dishwasher.

This is all I’ve ever done.”

Who are your favorite chefs?

“There are so many. I really enjoy Alain Ducasse. Daniel Boulud. I like a lot of what Thomas Keller does — he’s a fascinating man.”

Besides Jack Fry’s, what is your favorite restaurant in Louisville?

“So many of my friends here locally do an outstanding job. I’m really good friends with Dean Corbett. Edward Lee. Troy over at 211. There’s so many fabulous people in town. Peng Lui. Daniel Stage.”

Which seasonings don’t you respect?

“I refuse to use blackening spices.”

Which are underrated?

“I like thyme, and use it quite a bit.”

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

“I like the sous-vide type stuff. You can braise an item for sixteen or eighteen hours at a very low temperature and it’s a beautiful product. It’s one of the best ways to cook a tough piece of meat, but the machines are very costly.”

Any trends you consider overrated?

“I know they’re very hot right now, but I don’t use any gums or chemicals to cook with. It’s a beautiful presentation, but it’s not something I’d personally do.”

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

“I think we’re gonna stick more with where your food comes from, locally. I hope this trend keeps evolving because it’s doing wonders for the food products I can get.”

What’s your favorite go-to ingredient?

“Butter.”

Is there a guilty-secret ingredient in your kitchen — something you’d rather not be spotted using?

“No ma’am. I’ve never used anything canned in eighteen years. Everything’s from scratch.”

What’s in your fridge at home?

“Right now a lot of baby stuff.”

Is there anything in that home fridge you’d rather not admit to having?

“I like Miller Lite.”

What food is your guilty pleasure?

“El Churasco, in Saint Matthews. I like their pork carnitas.”

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

“Not really.”

Your favorite quick meal to prepare at home?

“Veal piccatas take about a minute and a half.”

Your worst kitchen nightmare?

“That’d be a fire. It’s happened several times but, thank God, nothing we couldn’t handle.”

Best cooking tip for a novice?

“Read a lot of cookbooks. Don’t try to go over your head. Do your research and get all your ingredients together and then go for it.”

What’s your last meal on earth, if you had the chance to choose?

“A nice coq au vin and a really nice bottle of wine is good enough for me.” (b e l o w, f r o m l e f t ) Veal with roasted vegetables and a toasted almond, shallot and prosciutto butter; Venison over a savoy cabbage slaw with candied turnips and apples; Marlin with a sweet potato puree, crimini mushrooms and candied figs.

people and places profiles

BY KATY YOCOM | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

CHEF TAVIS ROCKWELL Age: 25 Current Restaurant: Equus & Jack’s Lounge Previous Restaurants: Corbett’s: An American Place; Captain’s Quarters; Bahama Breeze; internship at Jack Fry’s.

Neighborhood (current): Highlands Hometown: Gosport, Indiana (pop. 780) Significant Other: Engaged to Sarah Leopold, co-executive chef at Corbett’s Kids: Two cats, Cash and Lydia Favorite Hobbies: Hiking and camping Favorite Cookbook: “Different cookbooks for different things.”

Favorite Kitchen Gadget: “I love my knife.”

18 Spring 2012 www.foodanddine.com

QA &

What is your first food memory?

“My grandpa’s fresh-baked bread. My grandma’s popovers. Good, down-home farm cooking.”

Which are underrated?

“I’m a big fan of thyme and rosemary and sage. Sage can be so much more than grandma’s turkey.”

Who has influenced your cooking the most?

“My mom. She’s not a great cook and she made me want to cook better. I still call her the casserole queen.”

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

“The pork trend is my favorite. I’m making my own bacon over at Jack’s tonight.”

Why did you become a chef?

“I loved food. I fell in love through the Great Chefs of the World show that was on TV when I was younger. Cooking — it’s my art palette. You’re not doing anything that’s never been done, but it’s your take on it.”

What did you want to be when you grew up?

“I decided when I was nine or ten years old that I wanted to be a chef.”

Who are your favorite chefs?

“I really like Mario Batali. Michael Chiarello.

Thomas Keller. Chef [Daniel] Humm at 11 Madison [Park, in New York]. Dean Corbett.”

Besides Equus & Jack’s Lounge, what is your favorite restaurant in Louisville?

“McDonald’s? No, I’m just kidding. We like to eat around a lot. Ethnic places like Queen of Sheba, Sitar, Havana Rumba. You can actually pick up some flavors from their cooking and pull it into your palette, like cinnamon in a savory dish.”

Which seasonings don’t you respect?

“People overuse truffle oil and it can get disgusting.”

Any trends you consider overrated?

“Molecular gastronomy. You’re making food neat and interesting and pretty, but it doesn’t always taste good. It can get a chemical taste.”

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

“Interactive tastings. And small bites, where you get maybe four small plates that could be an entrée but aren’t entrée size.”

What’s your favorite go-to ingredient?

“Pork.”

Is there a guilty-secret ingredient in your kitchen — something you’d rather not be spotted using?

“Boxed cake mix. You would never know [what dish it’s in]. It’s not boxed cake mix when it hits the table.”

What’s in your fridge at home?

“A roasted turkey we got at Costco.

Carrots and hummus. Lots of beer — everything from your easy drinker to Skull Splitter, Dogfish Head, Great Lakes, and Brooklyn. Tomorrow, who knows?”

Is there anything in that home fridge you’d rather not admit to having?

“I’m a huge fan, for some odd reason, of Tennessee Pride frozen sausage biscuit sandwich.”

What food is your guilty pleasure?

See above. “And I always put yellow mustard on it.”

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

“I can always bring myself to eat anything at least once.”

Your favorite quick meal to prepare at home?

“Pasta.”

Your worst kitchen nightmare?

“For the ANSUL fire suppression system to go off. It’s the powder foam that sprays out on the whole kitchen. You have to shut down for 48 hours. I’ve seen it happen, but it’s never happened to me.”

Best cooking tip for a novice?

“Don’t overthink it. It’s just food.”

What’s your last meal on earth, if you had the chance to choose?

“A bone-in ribeye cooked to perfection with crispy edges. And some potato hash with some ham, and some wilted greens.

That sounds pretty fantastic right there.” (below, from left) Cornmeal crusted frog legs with a country slaw and roasted red pepper remoulade; Bay scallops and mussels over parmesan grits with a dill beurre blanc sauce; Poached duck egg over a potato latke with Iberico ham and hollandaise sauce.

liquids hip hops

BY ROGER A. BAYLOR

TOUGH LOVE FOR LAGER Moving past the mainstream to recapture lost glamour.

It was the summer of 1985, and my very first time in Germany, with exact whereabouts in the Alpine foothills of Bavaria lost to posterity, but the specific scene is still quite clear: A small-town train station buffet of the old-fashioned variety, sparse and efficient, framed in glass, wood and stainless steel. Thirty-odd minutes remained until the next train, so I did what any commuter would do and ordered a draft beer to accompany my sausage.

The man behind the counter handed me a tall half-liter glass filled with cool, straw gold liquid of the sort I’d seen and consumed my whole life, but this enticingly elegant Helles wasn’t my granddaddy’s six-row Sterling. It was clean, crisp, medium-bodied and malty sweet, though not too much. The hops served as underpinning, with emphasis remaining on the barley. Overall, the balance was markedly different than that of a Pilsner.

She was exquisite — and I can’t even remember her name.

While it’s true that back then, I knew very little about beer, broader knowledge wasn’t necessary to appreciate the olfactory qualities marking my Helles (meaning light or pale in color) as a “classic” German brewing creation. What’s far more surprising is the familiar style’s relative youthfulness, because Helles was born at Munich’s famous Spaten brewery in 1895.

Bavaria’s claims to beer fame originally tended to be brown, black and strong: Dunkel, Schwarzbier and Doppelbock. Further down the periodically blue Danube in Vienna, amber-red lagers were the regional specialty. These were, and remain, exemplars of beer as liquid bread — a handy dietary supplement for when calories aren’t so easy to find.

Verily, the 19th-century was prime time for lager’s steady, ever-growing hegemony. Clean, hop-accented, golden beers started being made in Bohemia and the Czech lands in the 1830s. As science and technology enabled humanity to analyze and harness natural processes toward focused outcomes, best-guesswork was replaced by concrete insight, and brewing consistency benefitted immeasurably.

Advances in malting techniques rendered the fermentable content of barley malt more dependable, and introduced reproducible varieties of color to the finished glass.

Hops were hybridized, and methods of processing their bitter essence were improved.

Microscopes revealed the rich inner lives of yeast, which then could be engineered to work in cooler temperatures, reducing esters, phenols and fermentation by-products. The result was lager, the bounty of a different way of brewing, and proof of mankind’s ability to tame its environment.

20 Spring 2012 www.foodanddine.com

Lager became more than a beer. It was a way of life, and a symbol of progress. Lagers were the new sensation, the latest version, a different model — seemingly the revolutionary stylistic choice for increasingly industrial societies becoming more consumer oriented, and seeking to achieve unity through reducing regional and local differences.

Thankfully, every revolution breeds counter-revolution. As diminished into taste-alike commodities by the bean-counting corporatism of multinationals, lagers only loosely patterned on the 19th-century tradition very nearly succeeded in killing ale in the decades following World War II, but the pendulum swung again, first with the militancy of the Campaign for Real Ale in the UK during the 1970s, then the Long March of American craft beer, and now via local uprisings across the world. Ale thinking and drinking has returned with a startling vengeance, and trendy cachets.

Lager — although admittedly still the default choice of the majority as mass-marketed in its wretched light, lighter and lightest varieties — now appears profoundly unhip.

These days, lager has a low reputation in contemporary beer geek circles, but it isn’t fair to dismiss all lager owing to the multitudinous sins of Corona, MGD and Stella. At the same time, precisely because lagers take longer to brew than ales, and craft brewing largely originated as a reaction against lager’s predominance, few lagers have a place in the day-to-day, core portfolios of American craft brewers.

The irony in this is that while lager takes extra time to brew, it is ready to drink immediately upon release; darker and heavier sub-styles (Doppelbock and Eisbock) can be cellared, but the

general rule is to drink lager when it is freshest. Consequently, although lagers from Bavaria and the rest of Germany remain among the best choices for consumers, one must be cautionary: How were they handled? How long was their transit time from Europe? Unfortunately, it is often impossible to know for sure.

My personal lager consumption strategy can be summarized by these four points.

1. Visit the Hofbrauhaus in Newport, Kentucky. Lagers are brewed on site to Bavarian standards, and are invariably both fresh and stylistically accurate. Closer to home, the Gasthaus (4812 Brownsboro Center, Louisville) does not brew, but keeps a welltended selection of imported lagers to accompany the best German food I’ve ever eaten in America.

2. Watch for seasonal lager releases from Louisville-area craft brewers. Against the Grain has brewed a Smoked Marzen; Cumberland Brews a Bock; and Bluegrass Brewing Company an Oktoberfest. NABC recently has created a Helles, and it may become an everyday lager in 2012.

3. Out-of-state craft brewers offer fine, fresh examples, including Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold, Victory Prima Pils, Three Floyds Munster Fest, Bell’s Consecrator and Schlafly Pilsner.

4. When shopping for lagers imported from the Fatherland, patronize package stores and eateries with quick turnover of beers kept in stock, and get to know the beer buyers. The year-old Jever Pilsener can’t possibly be in peak form, but the Celebrator Doppelbock of the same age may be just right. Ask good questions, and expect reasonable answers. You’ll be respected for it. Prosit! F&D

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people and places profiles

BY KATY YOCOM | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

Scrambling Expectations Wild Eggs raises the breakfast bar

J

J.D. Rothberg got an early start in the working world. The son of small-business owners in Denver, at the age of nine or ten, he’d spend Saturdays at his dad’s wholesale clothing company, helping unload trucks. When his mom opened a Western store, J.D. helped stock and sell. He learned “a hard day’s work for a decent day’s pay,” he says, “and how important it was to be in the work environment.”

Now Rothberg is a youthful 50, with a boyish face and closecropped hair, and the drive he learned early is visible even when he’s sitting at a table at Wild Eggs, sipping a cup of decaf (no caffeine necessary — he’s already fueled up on sugar). Even seated, his compact body gives off a vibe of contained energy.

As president and CEO of Wild Eggs’ parent company, Eggheadz LLC, he’s instilling those values into his own kids. At Wild Eggs in Westpor t Village, you might find yourself seated by Kelsey, Rothberg’s 22-year-old daughter. Her twin, Katie, serves at Wild Eggs’ location in Denver, where she’s in culinary school. Bonnie, 15, hostesses and buses tables on the weekends, and Zax, 5, has a few years before he starts rolling silverware. “It’s kind of a family affair,” Rothberg says. Like their dad, the younger generation is learning a strong work ethic, and according to Rothberg, “They’re held to a very high standard.”

Which is really what Wild Eggs is all about: Breakfast at a very high standard. The tables are laid with cloth napkins. Servers offer fresh-cracked pepper for your plate. The feel is casual and comfortable, but the service is snappy, and there’s a real chef in the kitchen. It’s all about “bringing the features of an upscale dinner restaurant to breakfast,” Rothberg says. “It’s about plate presentation, big flavors, high-touch service.”

Taking dinner to breakfast Rothberg learned the upscale-breakfast model at the source when he got a management job in 1981 at Le Peep in Denver, a restaurant that pioneered the trend. Working there, he recognized opportunity. “Everybody eats breakfast,” he says. And breakfast is more or less breakfast — unlike dinner restaurants, which focus more narrowly (think Mexican, continental, burgers and fries).

Rothberg decided that one day, he’d open his own upscale breakfast place.

But breakfast would have to wait. Rothberg hired on with the Grisanti team in Denver in August 1993 and came to Louisville a few months later, where he worked his way up to Director of Operations for Grisanti’s Inc. After Mamma Grisanti folded in 1999, the team — Rothberg, Michael Grisanti, and business partner Simon Fields — traveled to the California wine country, fell in love with the region’s casually elegant approach to food, and within months launched Napa River Grill in Mamma Grisanti’s old 22 Spring 2012 www.foodanddine.com

J.D. Rothberg Dupont Circle location. Napa quickly developed a reputation as one of the city’s finer restaurants, offering creative menu items at prices that leaned toward the expensive.

After four successful years, Rothberg and Napa’s general manager, Shane Hall, started thinking about how they could transfer the Napa experience to breakfast. And in October 2007, Wild Eggs was born, with Rothberg and Hall as co-owners and J.J. Kingery as executive chef. The first Wild Eggs restaurant opened a stone’s throw from Napa River Grill. In June 2008, Rothberg and his Napa business partner Fields (who together had bought Grisanti out in 2002) moved Napa from Dupont — a former restaurant enclave that had largely given way to doctors’ offices —

Chicken Enchilada and Eggs: Flour tortillas topped with poached chicken breast, cheese, enchilada sauce, pico de gallo, avocado, sour cream and topped with a pair of eggs.

to Westport Village, where they became an anchor business in the up-and-coming retail center. The move was so successful that in February 2009, Rothberg and Hall opened a second iteration of “Eggs” (as they call it) just across the parking lot. Since then, Eggheadz has opened a third location at Landis Lakes in eastern Jefferson County and a fourth in Denver, licensed to Rothberg’s brother.

Elevating the humble egg Unlike many breakfast places, Wild Eggs is a chef-driven concept. Sauces, soups, and batters are made from scratch. They use only USDA AA jumbo eggs, and they source a host of Kentucky Proud ingredients: Weisenberger grits, pickles from Pops Pepper Patch, and most of their dairy and meat. Orange juice and lemonade are fresh-squeezed. Their house blend of coffee is made from Sumatra and Java beans.

That attention to quality and freshness, as well as innovative menu items, explains why executive chef J.J. Kingery was invited to prepare brunch at the Beard House in New York this past September. The Beard Foundation described it thus: “At the smart and upscale Wild Eggs, brunch is king and eggs are exalted.

They’re also prepared beautifully, with a cheeky, globally influenced, egg-focused menu.”

“Everything we did at the Beard House came off our menu, with some modifications,” Rothberg says proudly. For an extra touch of sophistication, Kingery added fresh-shaved white truffle to the Wild Mushroom and Roasted Garlic Scramble ($10.99).

Honoring the popularity of the Kalamity Katie’s Border Benedict ($9.99), he served it exactly as it appears on the menu. (“It’s our best-selling item,” Rothberg notes, “after build-your-own omelets.”)

Kingery offered the whimsically named Leggo My Egg Roll (a smoked-salmon sushi roll, $11.99) for its global touch but also included a nod to the brunch’s Kentucky roots with the Sweet Home Apple Bourbon Crepes ($9.49).

Hatching a plan for the future With four stores up and running, what’s next? “We’d like to become a regional concept,” Rothberg says. The first step toward that goal has involved analyzing the current business model and tweaking it where necessary. Weekday sales are challenging, Rothberg says; across all four restaurants, fully 45 percent of sales happen on Saturdays and Sundays. The Dupont and Westport

(left) Kalamity Katie’s Border Benedict: Green chili cheddar corn cakes topped with chorizo, two poached eggs, queso fundido, pico de gallo, sour cream and avocado. (below) The King Would Eat These: Buttermilk pancakes topped with peanut butter syrup, chocolate chips and whipped cream.

Kelsey “KY” Brown: Toasted sourdough bread, roasted turkey, applewood-smoked bacon, diced tomato, white cheddar Mornay and a fried egg.

Village stores are strong because they attract business diners, a clientele lacking at the suburban east-county Landis Lakes and Denver locations.

Driving weekday business is all about grassroots marketing, like the media-ready, par ty-hats-and-giant-check “millionth-egg” promotion, in which the customer who’s served the millionth egg wins a weekly breakfast for a year. (Wild Eggs sold its three millionth egg in early February.) To spread the love and the marketing value, a customer in each store wins a millionth-egg prize.

On their way to expansion, the Eggheadz to-do list also includes tweaking their business, marketing and operations infrastructure. Denver has taught the partners the challenges of running a store a thousand miles away. The biggest lesson? They needed to hire a marketing person. (When this story was filed, the partners were close to making the hire.) The other missing factor was a full-time focus on operations, so in June, Hall stepped down from his GM role at Napa to serve exclusively as operations director for Wild Eggs. Hall’s new focus has already helped bring down costs and increase productivity and quality.

26 Spring 2012 www.foodanddine.com

(above) Coco’s Chocolate Concoction: Chocolate waffle topped with Bonnie Brae chocolate ice cream, chocolate chips, marshmallow cream, mini marshmallows, toasted almonds and powdered sugar. (left) Leggo My Egg Roll: Sushi rice, smoked-salmon, scallion, cucumber, roasted red pepper, cream cheese and thinly cooked egg.

As president and CEO, “I’m the development and direction guy,” Rothberg says. Hall adds that Rothberg scouts potential store locations, works out leases, secures financing, and deals with the inevitable lawyers. Hall describes Rothberg as a “hard-nosed, straight-faced business guy. He’s got that poker face at the negotiating table.”

With the team coming into fighting shape, they’re closing in on expansion — looking first at Lexington and Covington. But there are decisions to make.

“We’re really evaluating how we want to grow the concept,” Rothberg says.

“Do we want to franchise? Do we want to keep it company owned?”

The idea is a small chain of 15 to 20 restaurants. But there’s some fluidity to that plan. “We’ve had bigger dreams,” Rothberg admits. “We’ve seen a lot of local restaurants go big. I’m sure John Schnatter, when he was doing pizzas out of a closet, didn’t think he’d end up with a billion-dollar business.”

True to his roots, Rothberg is thinking about the future in terms of both business and family. “I’m fifty,” he says. “It’s a toss-up. Do you grow to that $100 million restaurant company where you’re engulfed in the business, or do you get just big enough where you can have some fun, give people a great experience, and enjoy life? Ask me on any given day,” he says, “and the answer might change.” F&D

Wild Eggs 1311 Herr Ln. (502) 618-2866 3985 Dutchmans Ln. (502) 893-8005 153 S. English Station Rd. (502) 618-3449 www.facebook.com/foodanddine Spring 2012 27

easy entertaining crawfish boil

BY TIM AND LORI LAIRD | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

Cajun Crawfish Boil Up here, north of Bayou Country, Cajun food is party food, the mark of a celebration that includes spicy sausage and seafood, rice and okra, catfish, gumbo, maque choux…. And the epitome of Cajun party food is the crawfish boil.

Interestingly, crawfish boils resemble the traditional New England lobster dinner. French settlers of the Canadian Maritime Provinces (known as Acadians), assimilated many culinary elements of the Northeast into their own cuisine before moving south to flee British hegemony over Canada in the 1700s.

Joining earlier French settlers in Louisiana, the Acadians soon Anglicized their regional name to Cajun, established themselves as a working class in the bayous of the Mississippi Delta, and settled down to develop their unique culture, patois and cuisine.

Of the indigenous Louisiana foods they quickly adopted, the crawfish (or crayfish, or mudbug) is among the most loved. One charming legend has it that after the Acadians’ expulsion from the Maritime Provinces, the lobsters of the North Atlantic so longed for them that they set off to find them. The effort so taxed the lobsters that the stress of the long journey left them permanently miniaturized — though bearing a new earthy flavor.

In Louisville, 5-pound bags of cooked, frozen crawfish can be found at Highland Fishmarket in Middletown. Live crawfish can also be ordered online from a variety of companies, most of which are based out of Louisiana and require overnight delivery. Before cooking live crawfish, they should be cleaned (purged) in a solution of salt water (see Purging Crawfish page 31).

A real crawfish boil is no tea party with lifted pinkies and proper linen; it’s a working man’s celebration. Instead of using china and crystal, pour the steaming hot shellfish right onto a paper-covered table for hands-on disassembly. Don’t know the routine? Find a generous and hospitable Cajun who will be happy to show you how to break open that little shell, pull out its tail meat and then suck out the sweet and fatty morsels remaining in the head. Yes, the head.

Dig in, all, and pass those paper towels. After all, this is a party.

‌Made Easy

Craw f i s h B o i l

S h rimp Boil

(SERVES 8 –10)

(SERVES 6 – 8)

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

2 3 2 4 5

3-ounce bags Zatarain’s crab boil cup Kosher salt cup cayenne pepper lemons, cut in half head cauliflower, cut into large florets heads broccoli, cut into large florets bunches asparagus pounds small redskin potatoes, scrubbed onions, peeled and quartered garlic bulbs, cut in half pounds smoked sausage, cut into large pieces ears corn, cut into thirds pound bag crawfish, frozen (cooked) Crusty bread, such as French baguette

In a very large stockpot, add 4 gallons water, crab boil, salt, cayenne, squeeze of lemons and lemon rinds. Cover the pot, turn on high heat and bring to a boil. Let boil for 5 minutes to season then add the cauliflower, broccoli, asparagus, potatoes, onions, garlic, sausage and corn. Boil for 5 minutes until just cooked, then add the crawfish. Boil for another 5 minutes until the crawfish are hot, then turn off the burner. Cover and let soak for 10 minutes.

Remove ever ything from the pot, using a slotted spoon, or pour into a large strainer to remove the liquid.

To serve the traditional way, cover a table with thick layers of newspaper and pour the contents of your boil onto the table. Enjoy with crusty bread.

2 3-ounce bags Zatarain’s crab boil /2 4-ounce Zatarain’s bottled liquid crab boil 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 onion, peeled, cut in half 1 garlic bulb, cut in half 1 /4 cup Kosher salt 1 /8 cup cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon hot sauce 1 lemon, cut in half 3 pounds jumbo shrimp (21-25 count) frozen, raw, peeled Cocktail sauce 1

In a large pot, add 2 gallons (32 cups) of water.

Add the dry and liquid crab boil, Worcester shire sauce, onion, garlic, salt, cayenne pepper and hot sauce. Squeeze the lemon into the pot then add the rinds. Bring to boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the shrimp, bring back to a boil, simmer for 3 minutes until pink. Turn off the heat and allow shrimp to sit for 10 minutes to season. The shrimp should be tender, pink and not over-cooked. Serve with cocktail sauce.

To cool down your shrimp or crawfish boil, enjoy this refreshing beverage, which has a little kick of its own!

Tropical Heat Wave Cocktail (SERVES 1)

11/2 ounces Southern Comfort Fiery Pepper 2 ounces lemonade 1 ounce pineapple juice Combine ingredients in a mason jar with ice, shake and enjoy!

There is no shame in ser ving a good-quality, store-bought fruit pie or cobbler for dessert, especially if you garnish it with this slightly tipsy topping.

Bourbon Whipped Cream (SERVES 4 – 6)

1 pint heavy whipping cream /4 cup powdered sugar 2 tablespoons Old Forester Bourbon

1

Crawfish are freshwater crustaceans. If, for some reason, you are averse to eating crawfish, you can do what Cajuns do when crawfish are out of season — eat saltwater crustaceans, shrimp. The same eating etiquette applies.

30 Spring 2012 www.foodanddine.com

In a mixer with a wire whisk attachment, combine cream, powdered sugar and Bourbon. Whip on low for 30 seconds to incorporate, then on high for 3 to 4 minutes until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to over-whip. Dollop on top of your favorite pie or cobbler. F&D

Purging Crawfish If you decide you want to go totally authentic and order your crawfish alive and kicking, you will need to purge your crawfish before you boil them.

Here’s how: Place live crawfish into a large tub or ice chest, pour a 26ounce box of salt over top, and add enough water to just cover crawfish. With a large paddle, stir gently 3 minutes to blend salt and water, then pour off brine and rinse crawfish with clean water.

Don’t over-purge. Doing so risks killing them before cooking.

Dead crawfish will float to the top, so be sure to discard them. Also be sure to keep your crawfish cold until it’s time to cook them.

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liquids cork 101

5

BY SCOTT HARPER | PHOTOGRAPHS BY EDIS CELIK

DW

essert ines

Nachtgold Eiswein (Rheinhessen, Germany) 9.5% abv 750 ml A gold-colored wine with light copper highlights. This ice wine tastes of fresh pears in syrup, honey and apricot, is very sweet, and is very creamy in a dense, full body. Try with crème brûlée.

Nachtgold comes from an unusual blend of German grapes: Silvaner, Kerner, Scheurebe and Morio-Muskat. It is produced by Burgherrn Weinhandels. The name Nachtgold means gold of the night and refers to the fact the grapes are picked at night in temperatures below 19 degrees Fahrenheit to preserve their frozen quality. This is a value-priced Eiswein. Around $20

32 Spring 2012 www.foodanddine.com

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What better way to finish a delicious dinner than with an excellent dessert? I say with a luscious dessert wine — a dessert in a glass or the perfect accompaniment to a dessert. Keep in mind: one key when making your match is to be sure the wine is at least as sweet as the dessert, lest the wine seem sour.

Every grape has sugar in it. In a dry wine the sugar and yeast combine to make alcohol. So the sugar is fermented out during the creation of alcohol. In each of our featured dessert wines the process is not allowed to ferment all of the sugar, leaving behind that luscious sweetness.

In a Late Harvest wine the grapes are allowed to stay on the vine after the normal harvest, creating more sugar to leave behind after fermentation.

In Ice Wine or as the Germans say, Eiswein, the grapes are actually left on the vine after the initial harvest until the temperature drops to freezing. When the grapes are pressed they are frozen. Many of the ice crystals do not go into the fermentation tank. This creates a higher sugar to juice ratio as it effectively dehydrates the juice and again all the sugar is not fermented out.

A Botrytis wine is a wine that is attacked by the fungus Botrytis. The fungus punctures the skins of the grapes, dehydrating them as if they were raisins.This too creates a higher content of sugar in the resulting wine.

Fortified wines are fortified with pure un-aged grape brandy. The fortification halts the fermentation, leaving the wine naturally sweet with its own grape sugar and between 15 and 20 percent alcohol.

Madeira is a fortified wine. The unique characteristic of Madeiras is that they undergo a heating process for several months after fermentation. This practice evolved in the 18th century when it was noticed that wines improved significantly when they were shipped through the tropics.

These brief explanations of a few dessert wines should give you an idea how these sublimely delicious wines are made.

Blandy’s Malmsey 10 Years (Madeira, Portugal) 19% abv 750 ml A mahogany-brown colored wine. Sweet, yet with crisp, racy acidity, which causes it to finish clean. Flavors of baked fruits, honey, spice, chocolate, espresso and dried fruits pervade this complex, fullbodied and rich wine. Pairs well with caramelized walnuts and almonds.

This is the grape known as Malvasia in Italy. Malmsey makes the richest and lushest of all Madeiras. Madeira is made in the sub-tropical island of the same name. Blandy’s was founded in 1811 and is still owned and managed by the direct descendants of the founder. Under $35

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Chapoutier Banyuls 2008 (Languedoc-Roussillon, France) 16.5% abv 500 ml

A medium purple-red colored wine with the flavors of raspberries, cherries, black berries, chocolate, baking spice and red anise all deliciously sweet and in a full body. This is the wine for chocolate; just be sure the chocolate is not too sweet. Made from 100% Grenache Noir.

Michel Chapoutier is the owner and winemaker of this famed Rhone winery that branches out in the Banyuls region of the South of France to make this fortified wine; packaged with a Braille label. Around $25

Saddle up and Ride!

Prepare for Derby with the

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class of a thoroughbred.

Open 7 Days a Week in

Royal Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos 2006 (Tokaji, Hungary) 10% abv 500 ml

Louisville’s Historic Highlands.

An intense full golden color with copper highlights, this Tokaji delivers flavors of cinnamon, vanilla, mandarin orange, apricot, honey, beeswax and light minerals. A fantastic wine with a rich, sweet and seductive round texture that is extra-long and finishes with balancing acidity. A classic dessert wine that pairs well with blue cheeses.

This wine is made from the indigenous Hungarian grapes Furmint, Harslevelu, and the international grape Muscat de Lunel when they have been lucky enough to have been infected with the Botrytis fungus. The winery was co-founded in 1990 by British wine writer Hugh Johnson (who helped fuel the Tokaji renaissance). Around $35

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

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Kiona White Riesling Late Harvest 2008 (Columbia Valley, Washington) 10.5% abv 750 ml

Our knowledgeable staff

This wine is yellow-gold. Flavors are of honey, honeysuckle, peach, apricot, vanilla and beeswax. Soft, richly textured, sweet and medium-bodied with low acidity and lingering flavor of allspice. Try with lightly sweet fruit tarts.

The winery is located in Red Mountain region within the Columbia Valley; Kiona is the original Indian name for the Red Mountains, meaning brown hills. Kiona’s first vineyards were planted in 1975 and it is owned by the Williams family, and founded by John Williams. Around $13

1529 Bardstown Road www.OldTownWine.com 502.451.8591

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House-made three cheese ravioli

people and places profiles

BY J. CHRISTIAN WALSH | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

Breaking the Chain Now locally-owned, Martini Italian Bistro shakes its corporate, out-of-state ties

L

Louisville means business when it comes to buying local.

An increasing number of consumers insist on frequenting independent shops, as organizations around the city continue to develop the hometown brand. A local restaurant association called “Louisville Originals,” an annual “Buy Local First Fair” and those omnipresent “Keep Louisville Weird” bumper stickers regularly remind us to support our neighbors’ businesses over massive, publicly traded ones. Doing so keeps about three times as much revenue within this community that, because of its indigenous restaurants, craft breweries and cafes, doesn’t look like just another exit on the interstate.

Last November, a solid, mid-range, Italian restaurant joined the ranks of the proudly local. But the twist in the breadstick that is Martini Italian Bistro is that, until recently, the eatery was just one rib in a sizeable, corporate umbrella. The Ohio-based Cameron Mitchell Restaurants once spanned nine states and consisted of 33 outlets, including steakhouses, Asian cuisine and seafood markets. After a merger with an even larger company in 2008, and following a three-year tap dance with the constricting credit markets that followed the sub-prime mortgage collapse, Jim Davis, a Louisvillian and longtime General Manager at Martini’s, finally wrested ownership of the bistro from its parent company.

Three years later, true to his word, Mitchell signed the papers. Davis lost a boss, but gained a bistro.

“It was an amazing deal,” says Davis. “For me, I come from England, so coming over here is kind of what you hear about the “American dream.” Who would have ever thought that this would be possible? Cameron is just a great mentor and encouraged me a lot and made it work for me.”

Davis can make it sound as if his meal ticket simply fell from the sky, but in fact the newly-minted restaurant owner has been building up to this moment with decades in the food and beverage industry. His resume includes sixteen years tending bar in England, four years as a pub owner in Cambridge, then management stints in the U.S. with Disney, Planet Hollywood

Big fish, little fish While trolling the waters for what’s commonly referred to as a “second growth vehicle” in the world of Mergers and Acquisitions, Ruth Chris Steakhouse set its sights on Mitchell’s Fish Market, a sister company and next-door neighbor to Martini’s.

After unloading the fish markets and other establishments for a cool $92 million, Cameron Mitchell, a big-time, Columbus restaurateur, was left with a single business in Louisville: Martini Italian Bistro. Mitchell became interested in cutting ties here and asked his loyal GM what his future plans were.

As if to reward Davis for his years of service, Mitchell offered the Bistro at a price well below market value. Davis jumped at the opportunity, but was unable to secure financing.

The deal looked as though it might slip off of the hook, but Mitchell was determined to get his protégé and trusty employee set up, reducing the price once more and bringing a closing date within reach. For his part, Davis promised to work the place for Mitchell until the funding was in order.

Martini’s new owner Jim Davis www.facebook.com/foodanddine Spring 2012 35

and Bahama Breeze. With each of these stops, Davis and his wife were picking their way closer to Louisville — Mrs. Davis is a Kentucky gal.

Finally, Davis landed a gig in Louisville, serving as Beverage Director for Chi Chi’s until that operation left town. Then Martini’s arrived at The Summit and Davis signed on for what he calls the best job he’s ever had.

“I joined Cameron Mitchell Restaurants and thought, ‘I’m never going to leave.’ Little did I know. I never really left the restaurant, but now I own it!”

Davis looks right at home here, revealing that, as the son of a British military man, his time in Louisville is the longest he’s remained in one city.

Asked about his view of the local appetite and whether he expects an up-tick in sales since the ownership change, Davis says: “People in Louisville are very partial toward the independent restaurant and local ownership. We’d always done well, but I had noticed that stigma of being part of something corporate. And now that we are independent, I’ve seen people coming in who said they would never have if we’d still been corporate.”

You just bought a restaurant. Now what?

(clockwise from above) Spaghetti primavera with zucchini, yellow squash, garbanzo beans, onions, mushrooms, spinach and zesty marinara; Jumbo sea scallops seared with lemon garlic white wine sauce, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes and crispy capers; Martini’s daily house-made bread; Risotto de Pesce — Aborio rice tossed with salmon, jumbo shrimp, mussels and tomatoes in saffron-infused wine garlic sauce.

36 Spring 2012 www.foodanddine.com

Even before handing over the keys, Mitchell told Davis to run the place as if it were his own.

Now that the corporate training wheels have come off, Davis and Executive Chef Allen Hubbard are still easing into their new freedoms. For the time being, as far as their guests can see, it will be business as usual at Martini’s. No reason to hastily fix what isn’t broken, as the ownership sees it.

Although there are no drastic menu or décor transformations planned, a move toward seasonal dishes is already in the works. (Previously, the billof-fare remained unchanged year-round.) Also in 2012, the kitchen will seek out more local ingredients from smaller purveyors that are based closer to home.

“Going local is definitely on the books. We’re making a steady progression into that. We want to be Kentucky Proud,” Davis reports.

The new boss also expects Hubbard, a chef who has never had a problem going off-book, to show off more of his signature flare. The former military cook and alumnus of the upscale Vincenzo’s claims that the menu is merely a guideline for him.

Hubbard actually relishes those finicky guests who issue special requests or have specific dietary needs.

If he has what you want on hand, Hubbard is happy to oblige. Challenge me, is a familiar refrain heard around his kitchen. Vegetarians are people too, is another, as well as, It’s not about me.

So, how did this African-American ex-Marine come to specialize in Italian cuisine? Hubbard

recounted his youth in downtown Louisville to answer this.

“I knew by 8 or 9 that I was going to be an Italian chef. We used to have this guy who’d come over way back in the day — Pasquale. Little, bitty, old Italian dude. Thing I loved about his food was that it was fresh. Everything fresh. It was beautiful.

Plus, he had his glass of wine, always having a good time, a smile on his face. Italy to me is, like, the best!”

Scanning the contented dining room on a busy night at Martini’s, Pasquale’s legacy feels palpable. It looks as though Hubbard and crew have done well at recreating the happy atmosphere once enjoyed in the kitchen with his old friend.

The lasting effect also shows up on the plates here, where the kitchen keeps things fresh with sauces, stocks, meatballs, breads and desserts all made from scratch.

Mangia! Mangia!

Although the menu is filled with what we think of as classic Italian, Hubbard is trying to move things a step or two toward the Mediterranean. Hubbard, who feels fortunate to have “grown up in the garden,” looks to implement some of Italy’s lighter, regional standards with an assortment of vegetarian and seafood choices.

This new attitude reveals itself with the Risotto di Pesce ($15.99), an Aborio rice dish loaded with frutto de mare — salmon, shrimp and mussels — and served with a saffron-infused white wine sauce.

The Mediterranean Scallops ($19.99) is another recent addition. The entrée features giant, U-10 Sea Scallops seared and plated on a vivid, aromatic arrangement of spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, crispy capers and a lemony garlic sauce.

For those diners not concerned with dress size, Hubbard recommends the Pork Chop Italiana ($19.99), a heartier item added to the new seasonal menu this winter. The center cut chop rests on a bed of garlic mashed potatoes, topped with a Dijon-cream-spinach sauce and served with a side of sweet spaghetti squash.

“This one will put you to sleep! This one’s for my big guys. Guys like me, who come to eat,” Hubbard advises. “Some people come to dine — know what I’m saying? Some come to be social. I’m an eater! When I go out, I’m not trying to dine. I’m gonna eat some good food, spill a little bit on my chin and not be pretentious about it.”

Grilled pork chop with a balsamic glaze, sautĂŠed peppers and onions, roasted potatoes and Italian skillet beans.

Those craving the starchy, creamy, deliciously cheesy, old-school ItalianAmerican favorites of yore can rest assured. Martini’s Spaghetti and Meatballs ($13.99), served with chef ’s house-made marinara and grandma-style meatballs of veal and beef, will satisfy anyone’s need for the familiar. The Three Cheese Ravioli ($12.50) should also fit this bill. The kitchen “overstuffs” these with goat cheese, Boursin and Parmigianno, and bakes them with Alfredo sauce and breadcrumbs before dressing the dish with an argyle crisscross of pesto and marinara.

When in Rome Before returning to the kitchen, Hubbard pulled a brand-new passport from his back pocket and waved it proudly.

“I got this today,” he says.

Hubbard, who caught the travel bug while in the service, reported that come February, he’ll be on a plane to Rome for the first time — a gift to himself for turning 44. The trip has actually arrived a year earlier than expected. As a boy, Hubbard made a promise to himself that he’d get to Italy before his 45th birthday. While speaking of this pledge, the chef brightened, much in the way he did when recounting the “little, bitty, old Italian dude” who first turned him on to his favorite cuisine.

Expect good things to come out of the chef ’s field research.

As for Martini’s new proprietor, Davis says the biggest difference between having a boss and being one is that suddenly, the livelihood of sixty employees is resting on his every move. The cautious managerturned-owner feels a special pressure on seeing that everything is done right on his end, so that his team continues to have a place to work. The people who make this place go seem to be what Davis is most proud of. This measured businessman didn’t beam often during our interview, but he sure did light up when mentioning that no one on his staff was lost during the change of ownership. F&D

Martini Italian Bistro 4021 Summit Plaza Dr. (502) 394-9797 www.facebook.com/foodanddine Spring 2012 39

about food from the earth

BY GREG GAPSIS | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

From the Earth Shuckman’s Fish Company A Kentucky original smoking a new path

W With a ready laugh and sparkle in his eyes, Lewis Shuckman projects an easy-going joie de vivre, perhaps evidence of his satisfaction heading the third generation of a family business founded in 1919.

At Shuckman’s Fish Co. & Smokery, he handles production of about 1,000 pounds of smoked fish and seafood spreads each week, and maybe 50 pounds or more of their famous paddlefish caviar when in season, while his wife Vicki and oldest daughter Lauren handle the front office.

“Fish tremble at the sound of my name,” he booms with a laugh in the middle of describing how over the last three decades he’s developed a product line considered one of the finest examples of Kentucky Proud. With processes using Kentucky Bourbon, native hickory, apple wood and alder, even the char from recycled Bourbon barrels, Shuckman is a one-man spark plug stimulating Kentucky trout, paddlefish and catfish aquaculture.

No stranger to modern science, Shuckman still hews closely to traditional techniques and the quality represented in small batch, hands-on production.

Lewis Shuckman

40 Spring 2012 www.foodanddine.com

“We use curing and smoking techniques developed by Native Americans hundreds of years ago. And you know what? They work.

You can taste it in the product,” Shuckman said. “We’re not in a hurry to get it out the door. Mass produced is not what we do here.”

Tradition Innovation has been a hallmark of the family business ever since Shuckman’s grandfather, Isia, a master butcher, came to Louisville from Chicago in 1919 and opened his shop on West Kentucky Street, serving hotels, fine restaurants, and the many private rail cars that would come into town for the Derby. His son, A.J., is reputed to be the first to introduce self-service, pre-cut meats in 1954. They moved to their present location on West Main Street in Portland in 1964. There they continued to supply wholesale meats and added processing chickens for a young, burgeoning restaurant chain called Kentucky Fried Chicken.

Lewis Shuckman learned one had to respond to changes in the market and he and his father sensed a big one starting in the late 1980s.

“For health reasons, people were eating less meat and consuming more fish,” Shuckman said. “The air freight business also really sparked the fish industry and I started exploring the smoke house idea. I got with Marshall Taylor in Elizabethtown, who supplied all the trout to the State Fair, and after five months had a good product.”

The reception was positive and enthusiastic. But it was another lucky coincidence in the early 1990s which led to Shuckman catching lightning in a bottle — his trying fish eggs from a Kentucky paddlefish, and the fall of the Soviet Union.

“The paddlefish roe was delicious and the caviar market was just going crazy,” Shuckman said. “Without regulation, exploitation led to overfishing on both the Caspian and Black Seas and prices skyrocketed. While foreign sturgeon once held sixty percent of the market, it reversed in two years and a robust domestic market was created.”

“Caviar doesn’t have to be expensive to be good,” Shuckman said. “And it’s a social thing, part of an intimate experience you can share with other people, like fondue. You have your crackers or blini, your crème fraiche, capers, minced onions and eggs, and you sit around in a circle and enjoy it and each other’s company.”

Shuckman hints he was asked to leave more than one kitchen when he first tried promoting the new product, but some chefs were encouraging, including Jim Gearhart, then executive chef at the Oak Room in the Seelbach Hotel.

“Jim Gearhart was really exploring all the Kentucky products that could be used in fine dining and they used both the smoked trout and our Kentucky Spoonfish Caviar® in a big dinner in 1994,”

Shuckman said. “His assistants, Adam Seger and Michael Cunha, were very positive and helped energize both my ambition and determination.”

Shuckman went on to earn national attention for his Kentucky Caviar and smoked fish in media outlets like the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and the Discovery Channel. At the same time, he used his success in the caviar market to build a strong product line of smoked fish and, more recently, very popular spreads made with salmon, whitefish, crab and shrimp. “‘Pure, Fresh, and Natural,’ is our slogan for the spreads,” Shuckman says. “No flavorings, no preservatives, no imitation crabmeat, etc., and they’re really affordable. I think of them as our gateway product, something which lets people enjoy how good a flavor smoking imparts. Then, hopefully, they will try what else we do.”

Alchemy What Shuckman does is perform magic, balancing spices, brine, and even Pappy Van Winkle 10 Year Bourbon, in both dry and wet curing processes, and then smoking the fish with various woods, sometimes adding char from recycled oak Bourbon barrels, to impart flavors and character rarely found anywhere else.

“Hard Smoking” and “Cold Smoking” are the alternative processes which take place inside a stainless steel chamber as high and wide as a person. The former, at temperatures up to 200 degrees, completely cooks the fish. Cold smoking is done at 55 degrees for up to 12 hours to impart special flavoring and finish.

Shuckman hard smokes whitefish, trout and salmon (and

Shuckman’s Kentucky Spoonfish Caviar®

www.facebook.com/foodanddine Spring 2012 41

paddlefish when in season November through April) with alder, hickory or apple woods until they are flake-tender. He cold smokes his Nova Salmon, (often called “lox” at cafés and bagel shops) to impart both Bourbon and vanilla tones to sushi-like flesh whose amber orange color looks like molten bronze.

A lot of local chefs list Shuckman’s on their menus and you can frequently find it from high-end restaurants like the Oak Room, Proof on Main, 211 Clover Lane, Jack Fry’s, Gary’s on Spring or the newly-opened Rye, to smaller shops like Please & Thank You and Mister B’s Bagels. Retail distribution is also robust locally at Rainbow Blossom, Valu Market, Whole Foods, Liquor Barn and food co-ops from Knoxville, Tenn. to Bloomington, Ind. Shuckman is an ar tist, both in his exploration of fine taste, and continued development of new products. This year several new products — whole Lake Michigan smoked whitefish, a new applewood-smoked paddlefish and an Italian sausage made with smoked salmon — will be available at the Rainbow Blossom on Lexington Road and Valu Market in Mid City Mall. They are just a few more reasons to discover a true Kentucky original. F&D (above) From Jack Fry’s — Shuckman’s Pappy Van Winkle smoked trout and salmon Napoleon with chive crème fresh and quail egg. (below) From Rye — Shuckman’s smoked whitefish with chickpeas, fried capers, red watercress in a lemon and yogurt sauce. (left) From Rye — twice baked marble potatoes, crème fresh and dill topped with Shuckman’s Kentucky Spoonfish Caviar®.

www.facebook.com/foodanddine Spring 2012 43

people and places profiles

BY GREG GAPSIS | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

A Vietnamese Jewel Box in St. Matthews

SHINES

I

It’s said that the best presents come in small packages; and that’s true of NamNam, David Truong’s new Vietnamese café at 318 Wallace Ave., in St. Matthews.

In a structure no larger than a garage, tucked in behind the Speedy Mart off busy Lexington Road, NamNam has twenty seats in a small dining area, which can almost be spanned with outstretched arms. When weather permits, an outdoor patio is set up to almost double the seating.

Inside, a spare, modern aesthetic is expressed with deep red and cream-yellow walls, light oak floors, and black café tables matched with metal chairs with red upholstered seats. Under stated club music, ranging between bossa nova and techno, adds to a relaxed but contemporary vibe.

There are only two pictures — one a meditating seated Buddha, the other a large black and white photo of a crowded Koi

pond in which one bright orange fish stands out. It exactly states the ambition of the place.

“I wanted something newer and contemporary. There are some nice Vietnamese restaurants (in Louisville) but not as good as I thought was possible,” Truong said. “At NamNam we’re trying to do traditional Vietnamese food but with better, fresher, local ingredients. We keep it small but also very good. Other places have pages and pages and pages of dishes.”

Truong, 31, is no stranger to the restaurant trade, having spent the past eight years working at August Moon before leaving to start NamNam. But he’s been in and out of the kitchen for closer to 20 years.

“I grew up in Texas, which has a

David Truong

Bun Throng (Vermicelli Bowl)

NAMNAM CAFÉ 318 Wallace Ave. (502) 891-8859 huge Asian and Vietnamese community, and both my father and Mom are experienced cooks. They started me wok cooking at 14 to pay them back for some juvey fines I earned for an episode with someone else’s car,” Truong said. “When we moved to Louisville, my Dad (Kahn) was the chef and Mom (Mai) worked the front at the Oriental House. Later they started their own place, China Palace.”

At 19, to expand his skills, Truong worked at Harper’s on Hurstbourne, where he picked up Carolina-style Southern cooking and wood-fired pizzas, before he left for Florida to explore college work in radiology.

“I almost finished before I realized I probably didn’t want to work in small, windowless rooms most of the time,” Truong said. “Besides, I like interacting with people who aren’t standing or lying stock-still for a scan.”

After returning to Louisville, and eight years at August Moon, Truong was ready to set out on his own.

NamNam is a tight-knit affair with David as executive chef and Jeff Allgier, an old colleague, as sous chef.

Truong’s parents add both recipes and their experience, and brother Christopher pitches in when not in school.”

“I always knew I wanted my own place and knew quality would be our hallmark,” Truong said. “Everything is made-to-order. Some may take a little longer but nothing is pre-cooked.”

To help with quality ingredients, Truong asked Blair Leano, the coordinator of the Douglas Loop Farmers Market, for advice on local growers, which led to a relationship with Stone Cross Farms in Taylorsville. NamNam serves their free-range beef and pork, which is raised free of antibiotics, steroids, or added hormones. Similar relations developed with produce suppliers, whom Truong uses as local growing seasons permit.

Truong is dedicated to local ingredients as much as practicable but is willing to import if it is necessary for the authentic results he’s seeking, like flying in a special kind of French bread from out of state for the Vietnamese Sandwiches (Banh Mi) or a special herb blend for the Pho (pronounced “Fuh”) which he or relatives bring back by the kilo from annual trips to Saigon.

“The French baguettes we get in are made with rice flour, which makes them super crunchy and super light,” Truong said. “Most baguettes here are too dense.” www.facebook.com/foodanddine Spring 2012 45

people and places profiles

BY GREG GAPSIS | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

Truong’s point comes home when you wrap your hands around one of the toasted loaves crammed full of your choice of pork, lemongrass chicken, tofu or pork pâté and salami ($6 to $6.50). A big bite leads to the discovery of cooling cilantro and cucumber along with pickled carrots, jalapeno and aioli, blending into a distinctive experience.

Likewise, the Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup (Pho), makes you take note of its blend of subtle and fresh flavors. Made with de-fatted beef broth (made in-house from Mai Truong’s recipe) it has an unaccustomed delicacy which can be surprising even before adding your choice of beef tenderloin, brisket or meatballs ($7.50 to $9) and the traditional accompaniments of green onion, bean sprouts and cilantro. A vegetarian option is available with carrots, tofu and mushrooms along with the fresh herbs ($7.50).

The rest of the menu of only 12 entrées similarly stays

focused on refined flavor combinations and mixed textures typical of Southeast Asian cuisine.

Tofu Eggplant in a clay pot is exemplary. Stir-fried eggplant and tofu are blended with crisp sweet onions in a flavorful spiced sauce all topped with green onion ($8, add pork for $2). Served over steamed white rice, it urges the diner to slow down and pay attention to the delightful play of flavors.

Other traditional dishes like Saigon Noodles, Vietnamese Crêpes and the Vermicelli Bowl continue on this theme. Saigon Noodles blends spicy noodles in a stir fry with cabbage, celery, onions, bean sprouts, egg and curry paste with your choice of chicken, pork, beef or tofu ($8, add $1.50 for shrimp).

The crêpes (Banh Xeo) are made from a delicious rice flour and coconut batter and stuffed with shrimp, pork, bean sprouts and onions ($9). They are served with NamNam’s distinctive

(below) Banh Mi (Vietnamese Sandwich) — grilled chicken with pickled carrots, cilantro, jalapenos, cucumber and aioli on a crispy French baguette; (right) Bo Luc Lac (Shaking Beef) — wok shaken cubes of marinated filet mignon with seasonal greens, tomatoes and pickled red onions with a lime pepper dipping sauce.

Vietnamese Tacos — grilled pork, pickled carrots, cilantro, jalapenos and cucumber on a corn tortilla topped with spicy Sriracha aioli.

Nuoc Mam dipping sauce, a fish sauce with garlic and lime juice.

The Vermicelli Bowl (Bun Throng) blends the textures and flavor of noodles, bean sprouts, cucumber, and pickled carrots with shallots, herbs, and peanuts. It comes with Nuoc Mam sauce and your choice of pork, beef, tofu or grilled lemongrass chicken ($8, add $1.50 for shrimp).

Truong also likes to experiment with new dishes. One which made the menu is grilled lemongrass chicken, pork or tofu tacos which he discovered in San Francisco. They are made with a blend of pickled carrot and cucumber along with cilantro and jalapenos, all served with a spicy Sriracha aioli on corn tortillas ($6).

“People really like them,” Truong said.

“We have a couple of people who come in from the Crane House to have them for lunch.”

The focused menu also includes salads and four different Asian-style rolls for anyone looking for a light snack, and French press coffees along with creamy flan or a Kahlua Mocha Cream Cake for the dessert-minded. Also, with a new beer license, NamNam offers an impressive selection of craft beers.

“I really wanted to have good craft beer, which we’ll change with seasonal specialties,” Truong said. “We have “33” Export Lager from Vietnam, but all the rest are from some of the best microbreweries in the country.”

The current list includes selections from Bell’s, DogFish, Harpoon and Upland, as well as the local New Albanian Brewing Company.

“The response has been good,” Truong said. “Honestly, I expected a younger crowd but we’re attracting a broad age spectrum and from all across town.”

This success has Truong hoping next summer might allow building out to enclose the patio space and, perhaps a little further down the road, to try a new concept — an Asian tapas bar — perhaps in the NuLu district downtown.

For now, NamNam is keeping its focus and serving very good food. F&D Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 11:30 to 2:30 and 4:30 to 9 p.m.

(Friday and Saturday to 9:30 p.m.)

Sunday 4 to 7 p.m.

Closed Monday

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www.facebook.com/foodanddine Spring 2012 49

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New restaurants and shops, public ar t and histor y, and a Greenway along the river, beckon you to relax and recreate in an historic setting on the Ohio River.

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▲

Alphabetical Index

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

UNMAPPED [ ] DENOTES MULTIPLE LOCATIONS. RESTAURANT

Cuisine Style 72 72 73 73 74 74 74 75 71 70 58 60 66 78 78 63 80 80 66 76 76 76 76 77 56 65 77 78 72 78 66 68 62 80 62 56

Area Maps

82

dining guide

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

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

52 Spring 2012 www.foodanddine.com

PAGE #/CUISINE STYLE

MAP #

211 Clover Lane 56 Fine Dining 3 60 West Bistro 56 Upscale Casual 3 610 Magnolia 56 Fine Dining 13 A Nice Restaurant 63 Casual Dining 14, 16 A Taste of China 72 Asian/Chinese 1 A.P. Crafters Kitchen & Bar 58 Bistro/Contemporary 5 Addis Grill 72 African 1 Adobo Mexican Restaurant 78 Mexican 11 Adrienne & Co. Bakery Café 80 Desserts/Bakery 16 Adrienne’s Italian 76 European/Italian 16 Against The Grain Brewery 72 Microbreweries 1 Al Nuur 72 African 13 Al Watan 78 Middle Eastern 4 Alexzander Taqueria 78 Mexican 13 Alley Cat Café 60 Cafés 5 Amici 76 European/Italian 13 Anchorage Café 60 Cafés 5 Angilo’s Pizza 66 Pizza 13 Angio’s Restaurant 66 Pizza 4 Ann’s by the River 66 Cafeterias 16 Annie Cafe 75 Asian/Vietnamese 13 Annie May’s Sweets Café 80 Desserts/Bakery 3 Annie’s Pizza 66 Pizza 1, 12 Another Place 68 Sandwich/Deli 1 Anselmo’s Italian Bistro 76 European/Italian 2 Applebee’s 63 Casual Dining [6] Arni’s Pizza 66 Pizza 14 Aroma Café 60 Cafés 14 Asahi Japanese 73 Asian/Japanese 3 Asian Buffet 72 Asian/Chinese 4, 14 Asian Moon 72 Asian/Chinese 4, 6 Asiatique 56 Upscale Casual 2 Aspen Creek Restaurant 63 Casual Dining 11 Atrium Café 58 Bistro/Contemporary 5 August Moon 72 Asian/Chinese 2 Austin’s 57 Upscale Casual 7 Avalon 57 Upscale Casual 2 BD’s Mongolian Grill 74 Asian/Mongolian 6 B3Q BBQ 70 Barbecue 14 B.J.’s Restaurant & Brewhouse 63 Casual Dining 5 Baby D’s Bagels & Deli 68 Sandwich/Deli 2 Backyard Burger 68 Sandwich/Deli 6 The Bakery 80 Desserts/Bakery 4 Bamboo House 73 Asian/Chinese 13 Bank Street Brewhouse 72 Microbreweries 14 Barbara Lee’s Kitchen 65 Home Style/Southern 2 The Bard’s Town 66 Entertainment Dining 2 Basa Modern Vietnamese 57 Upscale Casual 2 Baxter’s 942 Bar & Grill 71 Bar & Grill 2 Baxter Station 58 Bistro/Contemporary 2 Bazos Mexican Grill 78 Mexican 3, 6 Bean Street Coffee Co. 8o Coffee/Tea House 14 Bearno’s Pizza 66 Pizza [13] Beef O’Brady’s 71 Bar & Grill 5, 12, 13, 14, 15 Beijing Grill & Sushi Bar 73 Asian/Japanese 14 Bela's Café 72 African 13 Bendoya Sushi Bar 73 Asian/Japanese 1 Big Al’s Beeritaville 71 Bar & Grill 2 Big Momma’s Soul Kitchen 65 Home Style/Southern 1 The Bistro 66 Cafeterias 3 Bistro 301 58 Bistro/Contemporary 1 Bistro 42 76 European/Italian 10 Bistro Le Relais 58 Bistro/Contemporary 4 Blackstone Grille 57 Upscale Casual 10 The Blind Pig 58 Bistro/Contemporary 2 Bloom’s Café 60 Cafés 3 BLU Mediterranean Grille 57 Upscale Casual 1 Blue Dog Bakery 60 Cafés 2 Blue Horse Café 63 Casual Dining 13 Bluegrass Brewing Co. 72 Microbreweries 1, 3 Bluegrass Burgers 63 Casual Dining 3 Bombay Grill 77 Indian 5 Bonefish Grill 62 Seafood 5 Bonnie & Clyde’s Pizza 67 Pizza 12 Boombozz Famous Pizza 67 Pizza 3 Boombozz Pizza Bistro 67 Pizza 6 Boombozz Pizza & Taphouse 67 Pizza 2, 5 Boomer’s Café 60 Cafés 1 Bootleg Barbecue Co. 70 Barbecue 11, 13 Borromeo’s Pizza 67 Pizza 13 Bosna-Mak 76 European/Bosnian 4 Bourbons Bistro 58 Bistro/Contemporary 2 Brandon’s Bar-B-Que 70 Barbecue 5 Bravo!

57 Upscale Casual 3 Breadworks 80 Desserts/Bakery 2, 5, 7 Brian’s Deli 68 Sandwich/Deli 1 Brickhouse Tavern & Tap 63 Casual Dining 6 Bristol Bar & Grille 57 Upscale Casual 1,2,5,10,13,16 Brix Wine Bar 58 Bistro/Contemporary 8 Brownie’s Grille & Bar 71 Bar & Grill 5 Buca Di Beppo 76 European/Italian 6 Buck’s 56 Fine Dining 13 Buckhead Mountain Grill 63 Casual Dining 4, 8, 16 Buffalo Wild Wings 71 Bar & Grill 2,3,5,6,8,12,15 Buffalo Wings & Rings 71 Bar & Grill 8

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Bungalow Joe’s 71 Bunz Restaurant 63 Burger Boy 68 Burning Bush Grille 78 Butcher’s Best 69 Butterfly Garden Café 60 Café 360 78 Café Fraiche 60 Café Lou Lou 58 Café Magnolia 63 Café Mimosa 75 Café Montagu 60 Café Palacio 69 Café Thuy Van 75 Caffe Classico 58 Cake Flour 80 California Pizza Kitchen 67 Calistoga Bakery Café 69 Captain’s Quarters 63 Cardinal Hall of Fame Café 63 Carley Rae’s 65 Carrabba’s Italian Grille 76 Cast Iron Steakhouse 62 Cat Box Deli 69 Caviar Japanese Restaurant 57 Cellar Door Chocolates 80 Champions Grill 63 Champions Sports Bar 71 Charim Korean Restaurant 74 Charlestown Pizza Co. 67 Check’s Café 65 Cheddar Box Café 60 Cheddar’s Casual Café 63 Cheer King Star 73 The Cheesecake Factory 57 Cheezy’s Pizza 67 Chez Seneba African 72 Chicago Gyros 69 The Chicken House 65 Chicken King 66 Chili’s 63 China 1 73 China Buffet 73 China Café 73 China Castle 73 China Garden 73 China Inn 73 China King 73 China Taste 73 Chinese Chef 73 Chinese Express 73 Choi’s Asian Food Market 74 Chong Garden 73 Chopshop Salads 63 Chopsticks 73 Chopsticks House 73 Chung King 73 Chuy’s 80 City Café 60 City Girl Farm Coffee Co. 80 Clarksville Seafood 62 Clifton’s Pizza 67 Clucker’s Wings 71 Coach Lamp 63 Coals Artisan Pizza 67 CoCo’s Chocolate Café 81 Coffee Crossing 80 Come Back Inn 77 The Comfy Cow 81 Corbett’s ‘an American place’ 56 Corner Café 58 Corner Door Bar & Grill 71 Cottage Café 66 Cottage Inn 66 Crave Café & Catering 61 Cravings a la Carte 66 Creekside Outpost & Café 61 Cricket’s Café 61 Crystal Chinese 73 Cuban Flavor 78 Cubana Restaurant 78 Culver’s 63 Cumberland Brews 72 Cunningham’s 63 The Cupcake Shoppe 81 Dakshin Indian Restaurant 77 DaLat’s Gateaux & Bakery 81 Danish Express Pastries 69 Danny Mac’s Pasta & Pizza 67 Dave & Peg’s Copper Kettle 66 Day’s Espresso 80 De La Torre’s 77 Del Frisco’s 62 Derby Café 61 Derby City BBQ 70 Derby Dinner Playhouse 66 Desserts By Helen 81 Devino’s 69 Diamond Pub & Billiards 71 Difabio’s Casapela 77 DiOrio’s Pizza & Pub 67 Dish On Market 59 Ditto’s Grill 59 Dizzy Whizz Drive-In 69 D’Nalley’s Restaurant 66 Doc Crow’s 58

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

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Dooley’s Bagels 69 Sandwich/Deli 7 Double Dragon 73 Asian/Chinese 1, 2 Double Dragon II 73 Asian/Chinese 8, 11, 12, 13 Double Dragon 9 73 Asian/Chinese 6 Dragon King’s Daughter 74 Asian/Japanese 2 Drake’s 71 Bar & Grill 3, 8 DuValle Grub N Scrub 70 Barbecue 13 Eagle Lake & Restaurant 62 Seafood 12 Earth Friends Café 61 Cafés 14 Eastern House 73 Asian/Chinese 12 Eddie Merlot’s 62 Steakhouse 1 Edesia Gardens 64 Casual Dining 6 Eggroll Machine 73 Asian/Chinese 2 Eiderdown 76 European/German 13 Einstein Brothers Bagels 69 Sandwich/Deli 1 El Burrito de Oro 78 Mexican 15 El Caporal 78 Mexican 4, 6, 15 El Mariachi 78 Mexican 5 El Mundo 78 Mexican 2 El Nopal 79 Mexican [16] El Ranchero 79 Mexican 4 El Rincon Cuban Restaurant 78 Caribbean/Cuban 13 El Rodeo Mexican 79 Mexican 12 El Sombrero 79 Mexican 16 El Tarasco 79 Mexican 3, 5, 6, 13 El Toro Cantina & Grill 79 Mexican 6 Emperor of China 73 Asian/Chinese 7 Empress of China 73 Asian/Chinese 4 The English Grill 56 Fine Dining 1 Equus 58 Upscale Casual 3 Erika’s German Restaurant 76 European/German 6 Ermin’s Bakery & Café 61 Cafés 1 Ernesto’s 79 Mexican 5, 6 Expression Of You 80 Coffee/Tea House 2 The Falafel House 78 Middle Eastern 2 Famous Dave’s Bar-B-Que 70 Barbecue 6, 15 Famous Mike’s Steak & Lemonade 64 Casual Dining 13 Fat Daddy’s Pizza 67 Pizza 13 Fat Jimmy’s 67 Pizza 2, 5 Feed Bag Deli 69 Sandwich/Deli 3 Fiesta Time Mexican Grill 79 Mexican 8, 11 Fire Fresh Bar B Q 70 Barbecue 1, 12 Firehouse Subs 69 Sandwich/Deli 5 First Wok 73 Asian/Chinese 12 The Fish House 62 Seafood 2, 5 The Fishery 62 Seafood 3, 5 Fish-Fry House 62 Seafood 2 Five Guys Burgers & Fries 64 Casual Dining 8, 14 Flabby’s Schnitzelburg 64 Casual Dining 13 Flanagans Ale House 71 Bar & Grill 2 Forty Acres And A Mule 66 Home Style/Southern 13 Four King’s Café 71 Bar & Grill 4 Four Pegs Beer Lounge 59 Bistro/Contemporary 13 Fox & Hound 71 Bar & Grill 3 Franco’s Restaurant 66 Home Style/Southern 12 Frankfort Ave. Beer Depot 70 Barbecue 3 Frascelli’s N.Y. Deli & Pizza 69 Sandwich/Deli 7 Frolio’s Pizza 67 Pizza 13 Frontier Diner 66 Home Style/Southern 12 Fuji Asian Bistro 74 Asian/Japanese 12 Fuji Japanese Steakhouse 74 Asian/Japanese 5, 8 FX Pizza 67 Pizza 14 Garage Bar 64 Casual Dining 1 Gary’s On Spring 58 Upscale Casual 2 Gasthaus 76 European/German 7 Gavi’s Restaurant 64 Casual Dining 1 Gerstle’s Place 72 Bar & Grill 3 Ghyslain On Market 59 Bistro/Contemporary 1 Gigi’s Cupcakes 81 Desserts/Bakery 6 Golden Buddha 73 Asian/Chinese 13 Golden Corral 66 Home Style/Southern 4,13,15 Golden Palace 73 Asian/Chinese 13 Golden Star Chinese 73 Asian/Chinese 13 Golden Wall 73 Asian/Chinese 13 Goose Creek Diner 64 Casual Dining 8 Grady's Burgers & Wings 64 Casual Dining 13 Granny’s Apron 66 Home Style/Southern 13 Granville Inn 72 Bar & Grill 13 Grape Leaf 78 Middle Eastern 2 Great American Grill 72 Bar & Grill 13 Great Harvest Bread Co. 81 Desserts/Bakery 5, 14 Great Life Café 69 Sandwich/Deli 6, 8, 15 Great Wall 73 Asian/Chinese 2 Great Wok 73 Asian/Chinese 13 Green Room Coffee 80 Coffee/Tea House 6 Habana Blues Tapas 78 Caribbean/Cuban 8,14 Hall’s Cafeteria 66 Cafeterias 2 Hammerheads 59 Bistro/Contemporary 1 Hanabi Japanese Restaurant 74 Asian/Japanese 10 Happy China 73 Asian/Chinese 6 Hard Rock Café 59 Bistro/Contemporary 1 Harley’s Hardwoodz Bar-B-Q 70 Barbecue 16 Harvest 58 Upscale Casual 1 Havana Rumba 78 Caribbean/Cuban 3, 5 Hawksview Gallery 58 Upscale Casual 13 Hazelwood Restaurant 66 Home Style/Southern 12 Heart & Soy 74 Asian/Japanese 2 Heine Brothers Coffee 80 Coffee/Tea House 2,3,4,5,13 Heitzman Bakery & Deli 81 Desserts/Bakery 1, 5 Hibachi Sushi Buffet 73 Asian/Chinese 11 Highland Coffee Co. 80 Coffee/Tea House 2 Highland Morning 61 Cafés 2 Hiko A Mon Sushi Bar 74 Asian/Japanese 5 Hill Street Fish Fry 62 Seafood 13 Hillbilly Tea 59 Bistro/Contemporary 1 Hilltop Tavern 72 Bar & Grill 2 www.facebook.com/foodanddine Spring 2012 53

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Hitching Post Inn 72 Bar & Grill 11 Hobknobb Roasting Co. 80 Coffee/Tea House 14 Holy Grale 59 Bistro/Contemporary 2 Home Plate Café 61 Cafés 1 Home Run Burgers & Fries 64 Casual Dining 3, 5, 6, 13 Homemade Ice Cream & Pie Kitchen 81 Desserts [9] Hometown Buffet 66 Home Style/Southern 6, 3 Hometown Pizza 67 Pizza 7 Honey Creme Donut Shop 81 Desserts/Bakery 14 Honeybaked Café 69 Sandwich/Deli 3, 11, 14 Hong Kong Chinese 73 Asian/Chinese 14 Hong Kong Fast Food 73 Asian/Chinese 13 Hoops Grill and Sports Bar 72 Bar & Grill 13 Hooters 64 Casual Dining 3,13,12,15,16 Howl at the Moon 66 Entertainment Dining 1 Hunan Wok 73 Asian/Chinese 11 I Luv Sushi & Teriyaki 74 Asian/Japanese 2 Ichiban Samurai 74 Asian/Japanese 6 IHOP 64 Casual Dining 6, 15 Improv Comedy Club 66 Entertainment Dining 1 Incredible Dave’s 66 Entertainment Dining 8 Indi’s Restaurant 66 Home Style/Southern 1,3,13,16 Intermezzo Café & Cabaret 58 Upscale Casual 1 The International Mall 77 European/Italian 1 The Irish Exit 76 European/Irish 14 The Irish Rover 76 European/Irish 2, 7 Iroquois Pizza 67 Pizza 13 J. Alexander’s 58 Upscale Casual 3 J. Graham’s Café 61 Cafés 1 J. Gumbo’s 78 Cajun/Creole 1,2,5,6,13 J. Harrods 58 Upscale Casual 10 Jack Binion’s Steakhouse 56 Fine Dining 14 Jack Fry’s 56 Fine Dining 2 Jack’s Lounge 59 Bistro/Contemporary 3 Jackson’s Seafood 62 Seafood 14 Jade Palace 73 Asian/Chinese 5 Jamie’s 14K Cupcakes 81 Desserts/Bakery 2 Jane’s Cafeteria 66 Cafeterias 4 Jasmine 73 Asian/Chinese 5 Jason’s Deli 69 Sandwich/Deli 3, 5 Java Brewing Co. 80 Coffee/Tea House 2,5, 10 Jazzyblu 59 Bistro/Contemporary 1 Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse 62 Steakhouse 1 Jersey Mike’s Subs 69 Sandwich/Deli 5, 6, 8 Jersey’s Café 72 Bar & Grill 15 Jessie’s Family Restaurant 66 Home Style/Southern 12 Jimbo’s BBQ 70 Barbecue 13 Jimmy John’s Sub Shop 69 Sandwich/Deli [9] Joe Davola’s 69 Sandwich/Deli 2 Joe Huber Restaurant 66 Entertainment Dining 14 Joe’s Crab Shack 62 Seafood 1 Joe’s O.K. Bayou 78 Cajun/Creole 6 Joe’s Older Than Dirt 64 Casual Dining 5 John E’s 58 Upscale Casual 4 John O’Bryan’s Tavern 72 Bar & Grill 12 Johnny Brusco’s Pizza 67 Pizza 8 Johnny V’s 67 Pizza 6 Jucy’s Smokehouse 70 Barbecue 5 Jumbo Buffet 73 Asian/Chinese 6 Kailana Sushi 74 Asian/Japanese 11 Kansai Japanese Rest.

74 Asian/Japanese 15 Karem’s 64 Casual Dining 8 Kashmir Indian 77 Indian 2 Kayrouz Café 61 Cafés 3 Kenna’s Korner 67 Pizza 8 Kern’s Korner 64 Casual Dining 2 King Wok 73 Asian/Chinese 3 Kingfish 62 Seafood 6, 7, 16 King’s Fried Chicken 66 Home Style/Southern 13 Kobe Japanese Steak 74 Asian/Japanese 16 Koreana II 74 Asian/Korean 13 KT’s 58 Upscale Casual 2 Kum’s Kafe 66 Home Style/Southern 13 L&N Wine Bar and Bistro 60 Bistro/Contemporary 2 La Bamba 79 Mexican 2 La Bocca 77 European/Italian 14 La Bodega 77 European/Spanish 2 La Colombiana 77 European/Spanish 8 La Gallo Rosso Bistro 77 European/Italian 2 La Hacienda Guadalajara 79 Mexican 13 La Monarca 79 Mexican 11 La Pasadita 79 Mexican 16 La Que 75 Asian/Vietnamese 2 La Rosita Mexican Grill 79 Mexican 1, 14 La Rosita Taqueria 79 Mexican 5, 13, 15 La Tapatia 79 Mexican 2, 13 Lancaster’s Cafeteria 66 Cafeterias 14 Las Gorditas 79 Mexican 11 Las Palmas Cuban Café 78 Caribbean/Cuban 11 Lee’s Korean 74 Asian/Korean 13 Legend’s 64 Casual Dining 14 Lemongrass Café 75 Asian/Vietnamese 5 Lenny’s Sub Shop 69 Sandwich/Deli 4 The Lighthouse 72 Bar & Grill 16 Lilly’s 56 Fine Dining 2 Limestone 56 Fine Dining 5 Ling Ling 73 Asian/Chinese 5 Little Caesar’s Pizza 67 Pizza 5, 6, 8, 11, 13, 14, 16 Little India Café 78 Indian 4 Liu’s Garden 73 Asian/Chinese 5 Logan’s Roadhouse 63 Steakhouse 3, 6, 12, 15 Lolitas Tacos Inc. 79 Mexican 13 Longhorn Steakhouse 63 Steakhouse 6, 8, 15 Lonnie’s Taste Of Chicago 69 Sandwich/Deli 2 Los Aztecas 79 Mexican 1, 5, 10 54 Spring 2012 www.foodanddine.com

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Los Mezcales 79 Mexican 13 Lotsa Pasta 69 Sandwich/Deli 3 Louis Le Francais 60 Bistro/Contemporary 14 Louisville Pizza Co. 67 Pizza 6 Luigi’s 67 Pizza 1 Lunch Today 69 Sandwich/Deli 16 Lynn’s Paradise Café 64 Casual Dining 2 Ma Zerellas 67 Pizza 15 Maa Sha Allah 72 African 4 Mai’s Thai Restaurant 74 Asian/Thai 16 Maido Essential Japanese 74 Asian/Japanese 2 Main Eatery 69 Sandwich/Deli 1 Main St. Tavern 72 Bar & Grill 1 Majid’s St. Matthews 60 Bistro/Contemporary 3 Maker’s Mark Lounge 58 Upscale Casual 1 Manhattan Grill 64 Casual Dining 1 Mark’s Feed Store 70 Barbecue 2, 5, 12, 14 Martini Italian Bistro 77 European/Italian 8 Masa Japanese 74 Asian/Japanese 5 Mayan Café 79 Mexican 1 McAlister’s Deli 69 Sandwich/Deli [9] The Melting Pot 58 Upscale Casual 6 Meridian Café 61 Cafés 3 Mexican Fiesta 79 Mexican 4 Mexico Tipico 79 Mexican 12 Mexico Viejo 79 Mexican 2 Mikato Japanese Steakhouse 74 Asian/Japanese 3 Mike Linnig’s 62 Seafood 12 Mike’s Tavern 72 Bar & Grill 14 Mimi’s Café 64 Casual Dining 5 Ming’s Buffet 73 Asian/Chinese 2 Mirage Mediterranean Grill 78 Middle Eastern 13 Miss C’s Kitchen & Pantry 66 Home Style/Southern 1, 2 Mitchell’s Fish Market 62 Seafood 8 Moe’s Southwest Grill 80 Southwest/Tex Mex 3,6,8,11,15 Mojito Tapas Restaurant 77 European/Spanish 7 Molly Malone’s 76 European/Irish 2, 3 The Monkey Wrench 64 Casual Dining 2 More Shenanigan’s 76 European/Irish 4 Morris Deli & Catering 70 Sandwich/Deli 1, 2 Morton’s of Chicago 63 Steakhouse 1 Mozz Mozzarella Bar 56 Fine Dining 1 MozzaPi 67 Pizza 2 Mr. Gattis 67 Pizza 5, 12, 13, 15 Mrs. Potter’s Coffee 80 Coffee/Tea House 1 Mulligan’s Pub and Grill 64 Casual Dining 2 My Favorite Muffin 81 Desserts/Bakery 5 My Old KY Dinner Train 66 Entertainment Dining 13 The NA Exchange 60 Bistro/Contemporary 14 NamNam Café 75 Asian/Vietnamese 3 Nana’s Country Kitchen 66 Home Style/Southern 12 Nancy’s Bagel Box 70 Sandwich/Deli 1 Nancy’s Bagel Grounds 70 Sandwich/Deli 2 Napa River Grill 58 Upscale Casual 5 Neighborhood Café 61 Cafés 3 Neil & Patty’s Fireside Grill 64 Casual Dining 14 New Albanian Brewing Co. 67 Pizza 14 New China 73 Asian/Chinese 5 New Direction Bar & Grill 72 Bar & Grill 8 Nonnie's Kitchen 61 Cafés 5 Nord’s Bakery 81 Desserts/Bakery 13 North End Café 61 Cafés 2 NuLu East Market Lounge 58 Upscale Casual 1 O’Charley’s 64 Casual Dining 3,6,8,13,12,15 O’Dolly’s 66 Home Style/Southern 13 O’Shea’s Irish Pub 76 European/Irish 2 The Oakroom 56 Fine Dining 1 Oasis Sushi & Soul 74 Asian/Japanese 13 Oishii Sushi 74 Asian/Japanese 2, 4 Old Chicago Pasta & Pizza 68 Pizza 6, 8 Old Louisville Coffee House 80 Coffee/Tea House 13 Old Spaghetti Factory 77 European/Italian 1 Old Stone Inn 58 Upscale Casual 5 Ole Hickory Pit BBQ 70 Barbecue 11 The Olive Garden 77 European/Italian 6,8,11,15 Ollie’s Trolley 70 Sandwich/Deli 1 Onion Restaurant & Tea House 73 Asian/Chinese 14 Oriental House 73 Asian/Chinese 3 Oriental Star 73 Asian/Chinese 13 Original Impellizzeri’s 68 Pizza 1, 2, 10 Osaka Sushi Bar 74 Asian/Japanese 1, 2 Otto’s Café 64 Casual Dining 1 Outback Steakhouse 63 Steakhouse 3, 8, 11, 13, 15 The PBJ Shop 70 Sandwich/Deli 1 P. F. Chang’s China Bistro 58 Upscale Casual 5 Palermo Viejo 77 European/Spanish 2 Panda Chinese 73 Asian/Chinese 10 Panera Bread Co. 70 Sandwich/Deli [9] Papa John’s 68 Pizza [30] Papa Murphy’s Pizza 68 Pizza 3,4,5,8,11,12,14,15,16 Papalino’s NY Pizzeria 68 Pizza 2, 13 Passtime Fish House 62 Seafood 6 Pat’s Steak House 63 Steakhouse 2 Patrick O’Shea’s 76 European/Irish 1 Paul’s Fruit Market 70 Sandwich/Deli 3, 4, 5, 7 Paula Deen Buffet 64 Casual Dining 14 Pearl 76 Asian/Vietnamese 14 Peking City Bistro 73 Asian/Chinese 5 Penn Station 70 Sandwich/Deli [17] Peppers Bar and Grill 64 Casual Dining 1 Perfetto Pizza 68 Pizza 6 Perkfection 80 Coffee/Tea House 16 Pesto’s Italian 77 European/Italian 1 Petra Mediterranean 78 Middle Eastern 4 Pho Binh Minh 76 Asian/Vietnamese 13

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Piccadilly Cafeteria 66 Cafeterias 6 Pina Fiesta Mexican Grill 79 Mexican 12 Pit Stop Bar-B-Que 70 Barbecue 5 Pita Delights 78 Middle Eastern 1 Pita Hut 78 Middle Eastern 2 Pita Pit 78 Middle Eastern 6 Pizza King 68 Pizza 14, 16 Pizza Place 68 Pizza 4 Please & Thank You 80 Coffee/Tea House 2 Plehn’s Bakery 81 Desserts/Bakery 3 Police Donuts 81 Desserts/Bakery 5 Ponderosa Steakhouse 63 Steakhouse 13 Porcini 77 European/Italian 2 Potbelly Sandwich Shop 70 Sandwich/Deli 1 Proof On Main 58 Upscale Casual 1 Pub Louisville 64 Casual Dining 1 Puccini’s Smiling Teeth 68 Pizza 3 Puerto Vallarta 79 Mexican 11, 14, 16 Qdoba Mexican Grill 79 Mexican [12] Queen of Sheba 72 African 4 Queenie’s Soul Cuisine 66 Home Style/Southern 4 Queue Café 61 Cafés 1 Quick Wok 73 Asian/Chinese 1 Quill’s Coffee 80 Coffee/Tea House 2, 13, 14 Quizno’s Subs 70 Sandwich/Deli [7] Rafferty’s of Louisville 64 Casual Dining 3, 8 Ramsi’s Café 60 Bistro/Contemporary 2 Red Hog Tapas 60 Bistro/Contemporary 2 Red Hot Roasters 80 Coffee/Tea House 1, 2 Red Robin Gourmet Burgers 64 Casual Dining 3, 8 Red Sun Chinese 73 Asian/Chinese 4 Red’s Comfort Food 70 Sandwich/Deli 1 Ri Ra Irish Pub 76 European/Irish 1 Rite Way Bar-B-Cue House 70 Barbecue 1 River City Winery 60 Bistro/Contemporary 4 River Road BBQ 71 Barbecue 7 Riverside Café 61 Cafés 16 Rivue 56 Fine Dining 1 Rocky’s Sub Pub 68 Pizza 16 Romano’s Macaroni Grill 77 European/Italian 5 Roosters 64 Casual Dining 12, 13, 15 Rootie’s Sports Bar & Grille 72 Bar & Grill 8 Roots 74 Asian/Japanese 2 Rosie’s Pizza 68 Pizza 5 Rosticeria Luna 79 Mexican 13 Royal Garden 73 Asian/Chinese 13 Rubbie’s Southside Grill & Bar 71 Barbecue 13 Ruby Tuesday 65 Casual Dining 6, 15 The Rudyard Kipling 65 Casual Dining 1 Rumball’s Family Sports Bar 72 Bar & Grill 12 Rumors Raw Oyster Bar 62 Seafood 5 Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse 63 Steakhouse 3 Ryan’s Steakhouse 63 Steakhouse 11 Rye 58 Upscale Casual 1 S’way 65 Casual Dining 1 SaE Café 70 Sandwich/Deli 1 Saffron’s 78 Middle Eastern 1 Safier Mediterranean Deli 78 Middle Eastern 1 Saigon Café 76 Asian/Vietnamese 3 Saigon One 76 Asian/Vietnamese 13 Saint’s 72 Bar & Grill 3 Sake Blue Japanese Bistro 74 Asian/Japanese 11 Sakura Blue 74 Asian/Japanese 3 Sal’s Pizza & Wings 68 Pizza 5 Salsarita’s Fresh Cantina 80 Southwest/Tex Mex 3 Sam’s Food & Spirits 65 Casual Dining 14 Santa Fe 79 Mexican 16 Santa Fe Grill 79 Mexican 13 Sapporo Japanese Grill 74 Asian/Japanese 1, 2 Sari Sari Filipino Cuisine 73 Asian/Filipino 2 Sato’s Zen Sushi & Sake 74 Asian/Japanese 3 Schlotzsky’s Deli 70 Sandwich/Deli 8 Scotty’s Ribs & More 71 Barbecue 5 Scotty’s Village Market 70 Sandwich/Deli 8 Selena’s at Willow Lake Tavern 78 Cajun/Creole 5 Senor Iguana’s 80 Mexican 5, 6, 13, 15 Sergio’s World Beers 72 Bar & Grill 2 Seviche A Latin Restaurant 56 Fine Dining 2 Shack In The Back BBQ 71 Barbecue 13 Shady Lane Café 70 Sandwich/Deli 7 Shah’s Mongolian Grill 74 Asian/Mongolian 6, 13 Shalimar Indian 78 Indian 6 Shane’s Rib Shack 71 Barbecue 7 Shanghai Restaurant 73 Asian/Chinese 1 Sharom’s 62 Seafood 11 Shenanigan’s Irish Grille 76 European/Irish 2 Shiraz Mediterranean Grill 78 Middle Eastern 2, 5, 7, 13 Shirley Mae’s Café 66 Home Style/Southern 1 Shogun 74 Asian/Japanese 6, 8 Shoney’s 65 Casual Dining 2,5,13 Sichuan Garden 73 Asian/Chinese 6 Sicilian Pizza & Pasta 68 Pizza 1 The Silver Dollar 60 Bistro/Contemporary 2 Simply Thai 74 Asian/Thai 3, 5 Sir Dano’s Pizza Parlor 68 Pizza 15 Sister Bean’s 80 Coffee/Tea House 13 Sitar Indian Restaurant 78 Indian 2 Skyline Chili 65 Casual Dining 2, 3, 6, 12 Smashburger 65 Casual Dining 1, 5 Smokehouse BBQ 71 Barbecue 11 Smoketown USA 71 Barbecue 1 Smokey Bones BBQ 71 Barbecue 6 Smokey’s Bean 80 Coffee/Tea House 13 Snappy Tomato 68 Pizza 8 Sol Aztecas 80 Mexican 1, 2

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Sonoma Coffee Café 80 Coffee/Tea House 2 Soora Korean Restaurant 74 Asian/Korean 8 Soupy’s 70 Sandwich/Deli 4 Spaghetti Shop 77 European/Italian 11, 14 Spinelli’s Pizzeria 68 Pizza 1, 2, 3, 8 Sporting News Grill 72 Bar & Grill 13 The Sports & Social Club 72 Bar & Grill 1 Spring St. Bar & Grill 72 Bar & Grill 2 Starbucks Coffee 80 Coffee/Tea House [35] Starving Artist Café 70 Sandwich/Deli 5 Steak N Shake 65 Casual Dining4,6,8,13,12,15 Stevens & Stevens Deli 70 Sandwich/Deli 2 Steve-O’s Italian Kitchen 77 European/Italian 7 Stevie B’s Burgers & More 65 Casual Dining 15 Stoney River 63 Steakhouse 8 Stop Lite Café 61 Cafés 1 Straight Out Da Kitchen 78 Caribbean/Cuban 13 Stricker’s Café 61 Cafés 16 Studio Pizza 68 Pizza 15 Sub Station II 70 Sandwich/Deli 13 Sugar & Spice Donut Shop 81 Desserts/Bakery 11 Sully’s Saloon 72 Bar & Grill 1 Sunergos Coffee 80 Coffee/Tea House 13 Sweet Stuff Bakery 81 Desserts/Bakery 14 Sweet Surrender 81 Desserts/Bakery 2 Sweets & Such Bakery 81 Desserts/Bakery 12 Taco Punk 65 Casual Dining 1 Taco Tico 80 Mexican 12 Tacqueria La Mexicana 80 Mexican 13 Taj Palace 78 Indian 8 Tambayan Filipino Restaurant 73 Asian/Filipino 11 TanThai Restaurant 75 Asian/Thai 14 Tazza Mia 80 Coffee/Tea House 6 TC’s Sandwich Shoppe 70 Sandwich/Deli 1 Tea Station Chinese Bistro 73 Asian/Chinese 8 Texas Roadhouse 63 Steakhouse 2, 12, 13, 15 Texicans BBQ Pit 71 Barbecue 7 TGI Friday’s 65 Casual Dining 1 Thai Café 75 Asian/Thai 7 Thai Orchids 75 Asian/Thai 6 Thai Siam 75 Asian/Thai 4 Thai Smile 5 75 Asian/Thai 13 Thai Taste 75 Asian/Thai 2 The Back Door 72 Bar & Grill 2 The Bodega 70 Sandwich/Deli 1 The Café 61 Cafés 1 The Cheddar Box 61 Cafés 3 The Cheddar Box Too 61 Cafés 3 Theater Square Marketplace 60 Bistro/Contemporary 1 Thornberry’s Deli & Pies 70 Sandwich/Deli 13 Tilted Kilt 65 Casual Dining 3 Toast On Market 65 Casual Dining 1, 14 Tokyo Japanese 74 Asian/Japanese 7 Tomo 74 Asian/Japanese 14 Tony Impellizzeri's 68 Pizza 14 Trailside Café 80 Coffee/Tea House 5 Troll Pub Under The Bridge 72 Bar & Grill 1 True Thai 75 Asian/Thai 11 Tucker’s 65 Casual Dining 14 Tumbleweed 80 Southwest/Tex Mex 1,2,4,6,8,12,13,14,15,16 Tuscany Italian Restaurant 77 European/Italian 13 Twig & Leaf Restaurant 65 Casual Dining 2 Uncle Maddio’s Pizza Joint 68 Pizza 2 Uptown Café 58 Upscale Casual 7 Varanese 58 Upscale Casual 2 Verbana Café 62 Cafés 8 Vic’s Café 72 Bar & Grill 14 Vicario’s 77 European/Italian 14 Vietnam Kitchen 76 Asian/Vietnamese 13 Village Anchor Pub & Roost 60 Bistro/Contemporary 5 Vincenzo’s 56 Fine Dining 1 Vint Coffee 80 Coffee/Tea House 1,2,3,7 Vito’s Pizza 68 Pizza 13 Volare 77 European/Italian 2 W.W. Cousin’s 70 Sandwich/Deli 3 Wagner’s Pharmacy 66 Home Style/Southern 13 Wall Street Deli 70 Sandwich/Deli 1 Wasabiya Japanese Rest. 74 Asian/Japanese 2 Webb’s Market 66 Home Style/Southern 1 Westport General Store 65 Casual Dining 10 Wick’s Pizza 68 Pizza 2, 5, 6, 8, 14 Wild Eggs 62 Cafés 3, 5 Wild Ginger Sushi & Fusion 74 Asian/Japanese 2 William’s Bakery 81 Desserts/Bakery 15 Wiltshire On Market 58 Upscale Casual 1 The Wing Zone 65 Casual Dining 13 Winston’s 56 Fine Dining 4 Wok Express 73 Asian/Chinese 1 Wolfgang Puck Express 62 Cafés 1 Wonton Express 73 Asian/Chinese 4 Yaching’s East West Cuisine 58 Upscale Casual 1 Yafa Café 62 Cafés 1, 13 Yang Kee Noodle 73 Asian/Chinese 5 Yellow Cactus 80 Mexican 14 Yen Ching 73 Asian/Chinese 6 You-Carryout-A 73 Asian/Chinese 15, 16 Za’s Pizza 68 Pizza 2 Zanzabar 72 Bar & Grill 13 Zaxby’s 65 Casual Dining 16 Zaytun Mediterranean Grill 78 Middle Eastern 2 Zen Garden 76 Asian/Vietnamese 2 ZiaLaLa Café 62 Cafés 5 Zoe’s Kitchen 78 Middle Eastern 1, 8 Z’s Oyster Bar 56 Fine Dining 5

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GUIDE KEY Average Entrée Price:

$$ = under $8 $$$$ = $15-$20 $$ = $9-$14 $$$$ = $21 & up RED = Advertiser B = Breakfast Br = Brunch L = Lunch D = Dinner

h = Late Night

p

= Full Bar

f e

= Outdoor Dining = Live Music

OPEN PAST 10 P.M.

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. This stylish spot in St. Matthews continues to rank among the city’s top tables. Ownermanager Andrew Smith and long time Chef Troy Schuster have burnished the upscale atmosphere and creative menu, moving 211 Clover Lane to a destination dining spot. $$$$ Br L D pf 610 MAGNOLIA 610 Magnolia Ave., 636-0783. Chef Edward Lee’s creative international prix fixe menu has kept this elegantly comfortable Old Louisville restaurant a top table for more than 25 years. His monthly family style pasta and bistro dinners across the street in the Wine Studio give diners a way to appreciate his skills at a lower price point. $$$$ D pf

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

The quality of food and service remains high, and Rick Bartlett continues his long tenure at the piano. $$$ L D hpfe CORBETT’S ‘AN AMERICAN PLACE’ 5050 Norton Healthcare Blvd., 327-5058. Dean Corbett, longtime fixture on the Louisville dining scene, went all-out with his East End destination. Housed in the stunning former Von Allmen mansion, Corbett’s kitchen is state of the art, the dining room amenities include a chef’s table with closed circuit TV connection to the kitchen, and his menu has been earning raves. Worth the trip and the price. $$$$ L D hpf ENGLISH GRILL 335 W. Broadway (The Brown Hotel), 583-1234. This landmark, formal dining room is firing on all cylinders under Chef Laurent Geroli, who brings an international sophistication to the menu, and a wider exploration of cuisines with occasional special wine dinners. We recommend booking the chef’s table for an especially memorable evening. $$$ D p JACK BINION’S STEAKHOUSE Horseshoe Casino Hotel, Elizabeth, IN, 888-766-2648. Housed in the Horseshoe Casino, Jack Binion’s, a stylish, upscale place, is no gamble for hearty dining. A traditional steakhouse, but one that aims high: top quality meat, impeccable service, a high-roller’s ambience. $$$$ D hp JACK FRY’S 1007 Bardstown Rd., 452-9244. Good times or bad, weeknights or weekends, this Louisville institution — the remnant of a 1930s saloon — is always crowded and buzzing. Stephanie Meeks has taken over from long-time owner Susan Seiler, but the upscale bistro fare, like shrimp and grits and spicy fried oysters, is as good as ever. $$$$ L D hpe LILLY’S 1147 Bardstown Rd., 451-0447. A Louisville institution for more than a quarter-century, Lilly’s,

under much heralded owner-chef Kathy Cary, continues to be as fresh as the locally-sourced foods she features on her Kentucky-accented menus. Her frequent special wine dinners are among the more affordable and creative in the area. $$$$ Br L D p LIMESTONE 10001 Forest Green Blvd., 426-7477. Chef Jim Gerhardt has established a stylish and elegant dining experience in the East End. Seasonal theme dinners and the Feed Me Chef ad hoc dinners offer special values. $$$$ L D hpf MOZZ MOZZARELLA BAR & ENOTECA 445 E. Market St., 690-6699. Matthew Antonovich and Michael Cooper, alumni of Casa Grasanti’s, have energized their corner space on the edge of NuLu. Choose your dining locale:the fresh mozzarella bar, the upscale enoteca section emphasizing “rustic earth-to-table eating,” or the trendy NuLu East Market Lounge. $$$ D hpe THE OAKROOM 500 S. Fourth St. (Seelbach Hotel), 585-3200. Executive Chef Jim Gerhardt (who also operates Limestone in the East End) and his chef de cuisine Bobby Benjamin continue to make the Oakroom worthy of its AAA five-diamond designation. The menu is refined but lively, melding local produce and specialty items like spoonfish caviar with classic continental cuisine. $$$$ Br D pe RIVUE 140 N. Fourth St., (Galt House Hotel) 568-4239.

The sleek black and white moderne decor, slowly spinning to give a panorama of the city, brings to mind an old Fred Astaire movie. Chef Brian Riddle’s menu, with a local emphasis and upscale flourishes, adds another top hotel dining experience to the city. $$$ Br D hp SEVICHE A LATIN RESTAURANT 1538 Bardstown Rd., 473-8560. Featured on the menu is seviche, the Latino seafood dish “cooked” in tart citrus juices, but Chef Anthony Lamas’ menu offers a broad, eclectic range of Latin American dishes.

Lamas has recently been getting national notice in Esquire and on TV’s “Extreme Chef,” and with the renovation and expansion of the restaurant now complete, he is setting a new standard of cool for the Bardstown Road eating scene. $$$$ D hpf VINCENZO’S 150 S. Fifth St., 580-1350. Known for its suave professional service, high-end Northern Italian fare and many trademark dishes finished at tableside, Vincenzo’s continues to hold its own against growing downtown competition. $$$$ L D hpe

The Perfect Location for Every Occasion

WINSTON’S RESTAURANT 3101 Bardstown Rd., (Sullivan University Campus), 456-0980. Higher education meets higher cuisine at this elegant oncampus restaurant staffed by Sullivan culinary arts students. But this is no college lab; it’s an attractive and stylish restaurant. Chef John Castro runs the staff through its paces guaranteeing that while students are learning their craft, your dinner will ace the test. Open Fri. - Sun. only. Reservations suggested. $$$$ Br L D p Z’S OYSTER BAR & STEAKHOUSE 101 Whittington Pkwy., 429-8000, 115 S. Fourth St., 855-8000. The successful upscale steak and oyster concept that has worked so well in the Hurstbourne suburbs will now also be the theme at Z’s sleek downtown venue. Splendid steaks, extraordinary seafood, fine service and clubby ambience will give conventioneers and other visitors another center-city choice. $$$$ L D hp

KENTUCKY’S Y’S FIRST AND ONLY AAA FIVE DIAMOND AWARD RESTAURANT

Located in

500 South Fourth Street www.TheOakroomLouisville.com (502) 807-DINE

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

The menu offers fairly priced Contemporary American bistro fare. $$$ D hfe ASIATIQUE 1767 Bardstown Rd., 451-2749. Fifteen years ago Chef Peng Looi introduced Louisville diners

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

to pan-Asian Pacific Rim fusion cuisine. In his sophisticated, multi-level, Bardstown Road restaurant he continues to offer clean, simple, elegant dishes that present often startling flavor combinations. His wok-seared salmon has long been a local favorite. $$$ Br D hpf AUSTIN’S 4950 U.S. 42, 423-1990. Big, crowded and bistro-style, with heavy emphasis on the bar, this suburban watering hole taps the same vein as the national franchise booze ’n’ beef genre, and does so well, offering satisfying dining at a fair price. $$ Br L D p AVALON 1314 Bardstown Rd., 454-5336. Now serving a value-oriented casual menu, with $30 Thursdays couples specials and Wednesday Ladies Night with half-price drinks and appetizers, Avalon continues its tenure as one of the snazzy joints along the Bardstown Road corridor. We always try to sit on the three-season patio, one of the best in the city. $$$ L D hpfe BASA MODERN VIETNAMESE 2244 Frankfort Ave., 896-1016. Chef Michael Ton brought a new style of Asian fusion cuisine to Louisville, playing entertaining riffs off Vietnamese cooking, with daring choices like caramelized catfish claypot and tamarind-sriracha gelato. $$$ D hp BLACKSTONE GRILLE 9521 U.S. 42, 228-6962.

Longtime restaurateur Rick Dissell, formerly of Rick’s Ferrari Grille, continues to please his many fans at his latest restaurant in the Prospect Center.

The menu offers sandwiches and an array of bistro entrées — pasta, seafood, beef and chicken, including Rick’s fried chicken livers and “light” fried chicken. $$$ Br D pf THE BLIND PIG 1076 E. Washington St., 618-0600.

(See listing under Bistro/Contemporary.)

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

Management describes the Ohio-based Bravo! chain as “a fun, white-tablecloth casual eatery … positioned between the fine-dining and casual chains.” A Romanruin setting houses abundant Italian-American style fare. We particularly enjoyed appetizers and firstrate grilled meats. $$ Br L D hpf

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D I N I N G

Wiltshire On Market

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

D I N I N G

A N D

C A T E R I N G

www.WiltshireOnMarket.com Evenings Thursday-Sunday Seasonal menu changes weekly 636 East Market Street Reservations suggested 502.589-5224

h = Late Night p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music

B Y

W I L T S H I R E

www.WiltshirePantry.com Innovative custom designed menus, delicious cuisine, excellence in presentation and attention to detail.

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

There’s nothing fancy or overly elegant about this suburban neighborhood old favorite, but the term “eclectic” fits it well. $$$ L D hp DOC CROW’S 127 W. Main St., 587-1626. Doc Crow’s solidly anchors the dining choices on Whiskey Row. Oysters from both coasts, raw and fried, fried green tomatoes, pork rinds, shrimp and grits, all served in a handsome renovation of one of Main Street’s classic cast-iron front buildings. $$ L D hp EQUUS 122 Sears Ave., 897-9721. With the newish Corbett’s in the East End hitting on all cylinders, veteran Chef Dean Corbett has returned to his flagship St. Matthews restaurant, redesigning the room for a more casual atmosphere, and refocusing the menu on comfort foods, with no entrée over $19. Though the prices are lower, we don’t expect the quality of fare to follow suit. $$$ D p GARY’S ON SPRING 204 Spring St., 584-5533. Harold Baker, formerly chef at Westport General Store, is at the helm of this new Irish Hill upscale casual spot.

His menu features appetizers such as a baby Hot Brown and chicken fritters with red chili sauce, a buffalo mozzarella salad, bison burgers, oyster po’ boy sandwiches, bison ribeye, Bourbon Street scallops and eggplant napoleon. $$$ D phpfe HARVEST 624 E. Market St., 384-9090. Agricultural entrepreneur Ivor Chodkowski’s venture into the restaurant world focuses on locally sourced foods (Chodkowski and Chef Coby Ming are shooting for 80% from within 100 mile radius), which limits the fish selection, but increases diners’ awareness of how much local food producers can do. Dishes such as smoked goat cheese ravioli and buttermilk fried chicken with arugula hoecake show what they have in mind. $$$ Br L D hpf HAWKSVIEW GALLERY AND CAFÉ 170 Carter Ave., Shepherdsville, KY, 955-1010. In this “American bistro with a Southern twist,” diners eat amidst a gallery of hand-crafted glass art. Daily specials are inspired by world cuisines and the “confectionary artist” creates sweets like Linzer tortes and extreme turtle cheesecake. Watch glass being blown as you dine. $$ Br L D e INTERMEZZO CAFÉ & CABARET 316 W. Main St., (Actors Theatre) 561-3344. The elegant restaurant space in Actors Theatre of Louisville’s historic building features casual American bistro fare in an attractive dining room, plus nightly entertainment in a cabaret style. $$$ D p J. ALEXANDER’S RESTAURANT 102 Oxmoor Court, 339-2206. This comfortably upscale venue, a Nashville-based chain, features “contemporary American” fare with a broad menu that ranges from burgers and sandwiches to such upscale eats as grilled tuna or a New York strip steak. $$$ D hp J. HARROD’S 7507 Upper River Rd., 228-4555. J. Harrod’s is discreetly tasteful and pleasantly comfortable. The food is competitive in both quality and value. It’s an appealing, upscale blend of bistro fare and old-fashioned country cooking. $$$ D p JOHN E’S 3708 Bardstown Rd., 456-1111. Owner John Shanchuck caters to the horseracing crowd. Thirty years of framed Derby programs and winning tickets line the walls. But you don’t have to place a bet to enjoy this rambling Buechel restaurant. The Porterhouse steak tastes good in the Bob Baffert Room whether or not your horse came in. $$$$ Br L D pfe KT’S 2300 Lexington Rd., 458-8888. It’s hard to argue with success, and KT’s has earned its popularity by providing good American-style bar and bistro chow for a price that’s fair. $$ Br L D hpf MAKER’S MARK BOURBON HOUSE & LOUNGE 446 S. Fourth St., (Fourth Street Live) 568-9009.

Kentucky’s Maker’s Mark Distillery lends its name and its signature red-wax image to this stylish restaurant and lounge in the booming downtown entertainment complex. A magisterial bar features 58 Spring 2012 www.foodanddine.com

more than 60 Bourbons, and the menu offers traditional Kentucky fare. $$$$ L D hpf MELTING POT 2045 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-3125.

This Florida-based chain brings back pleasant memories of fondue parties of the ’70s. If you can melt it and dip things in it, the Melting Pot probably has it on the menu. $$$ D hp NAPA RIVER GRILL 1211 Herr Ln., 893-0141. Innovative wine-country cuisine, excellent service and fine California-focused wine collection can be found in the stylish quarters of this popular East End restaurant. With an expanded menu serving both lunch and dinner, it’s become one of the anchors of trendy Westport Village center. $$$ L D hpf NULU EAST MARKET LOUNGE 445 E. Market St., 690-6699. The popular E. Market Street restaurant Mozz expands its space in the Cobalt Ventures building with this new supper club environment.

The lounge features a piano bar and octagonal “culinary theatre” complete with mozzarella-making stations, a gelato freezer and a Champagne and caviar bar. Late Night at NuLu will transform the space into a retro discotheque complete with disco ball and light show. $$$ D hpe OLD STONE INN 6905 Shelbyville Rd., Simpsonville, KY, (502) 722-8200. For many years diners have happily driven out to Simpsonville to enjoy both the historic building and the traditional Kentucky menu of this dining institution. Those in the know order the fried chicken and country ham. $$$ Br L D pfe P.F. CHANG’S CHINA BISTRO 9120 Shelbyville Rd., 327-7707. This Arizona-based, Chinese themed restaurant offers a loud, happy scene with Chinesestyle dishes. To its credit, everything is prepared well and service is consistently fine. $$$ L D hpf PROOF ON MAIN 702 W. Main St., (21c Hotel) 2176360. Seasoned executive chef Michael Paley’s everchanging creative menu continues to make Proof a destination dining spot, the culinary equal of the quirky 21c Museum Hotel which has garnered national notice. Mediterranean in focus, with a commitment to using local products as much as possible, the adventurous dishes (grilled octopus, bison burgers, beef marrow, sea salt caramel gelato) are made with the freshest ingredients. $$$ Br L D hpf RYE 900 E. Market St., 749-6200. After a long apprenticeship in the New York restaurant world, Michael Trager-Kusman has returned to his hometown where he and his partner, Aaron Yarmuth, have invested in the renovation of the old Hausmann Jeep Eagle building on far east Market St. Operating the restaurant is front-of-the-house manager Erin McDonald, who came from Chicago, and Chef Tyler Morris, a veteran of The Breslin in New York. $$ L D hpf UPTOWN CAFÉ 1624 Bardstown Rd., 458-4212.

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

WILTSHIRE ON MARKET 636 E. Market St., 5895224. Understated elegance and creative dishes characterize this NuLu restaurant. Owner Susan Hershberg set the benchmark for fine catering in Louisville with Wiltshire Pantry, which she continues here with her finely crafted small plates

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

A.P. CRAFTERS KITCHEN & BAR 1321 Herr Ln., 690-5000. Tony Palombino stretches beyond his gourmet pizza with this new venture in Westport Village. The decor echoes the place’s name, with floor to ceiling shelving stocked with vintage cookware, distillery and brewer’s supplies. The menu concept is Euro gastropub, with upscale comfort food, craft beers and “Prohibition-style” cocktails. $$ L D hpf ATRIUM CAFÉ 9940 Corporate Campus Dr. (Embassy Suites), 426-9191. An eclectic bistro atmosphere in the heart of the hotel. Specials run from their popular crab cakes and array of pasta dishes to a Reuben sandwich or fruit pie. $$ B L D hp BAXTER STATION BAR & GRILL 1201 Payne St., 5841635. The corner bar with the railroad theme is also an ambitious restaurant, known for surprises like Cajun linguini with andouille sausage, homemade desserts (from pastry chef Amy Berry) and lunchtime “steam table” plates. Take particular note of an impressive beer list to go with your meal. $$ L D pf BISTRO 301 301 W. Market St., 584-8337. Quality contemporary American cuisine in a stylish environment makes Bistro 301 a reasonable alternative when you’re looking for upscale-casual dining downtown. $$$ L D pf BISTRO LE RELAIS 2817 Taylorsville Rd. (Bowman Field), 451-9020. This art deco spot makes stylish use of an historic 1920s airport building to present elegant modern French cuisine. Chef Bill Lynch and owner Anthony Dike’s refocus of the restaurant around a bistro menu continues its popularity. $$$$ D pfe THE BLIND PIG 1076 E. Washington St., 618-0600.

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

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

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

The use of an exceptionally obscure wine term (it’s pronounced “bricks” and refers to the sugar content of ripe grapes at harvest) hints that the proprietors of this wine bar know their vino. Interesting wines and a short bistro-style menu make it a welcome suburban alternative. $$ D hpe CAFÉ LOU LOU 106 Sears Ave, 893-7776, 2216 Dundee Rd., 459-9566. This popular spot wins critical raves and packs in crowds. Owner-Chef Clay Wallace is comfortable with his international bill of fare and laissez les bon temps rouler mood. A second location in the Douglass Loop is drawing equally-pleased crowds. $$ Br L D hp CAFFE CLASSICO 2144 Frankfort Ave., 895-0076. At first a coffee bar, but over the years the classy space at Clifton and Frankfort has matured into an elegant bistro serving an eclectic menu — salmon

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

croquettes with wasabi aioli, empanadas, an international array of salads, panini, bocadillos and pizzas. A stylish place for lunch, or a hip stop for a late-night supper. $$ B L D fe DISH ON MARKET 434 W. Market St., 315-0669.

Former Asiatique bar manager Anderson Grissom has stepped into the venerable lawyers’ lunch space on Market Street, renovating the kitchen and some interior space of the old Delta Restaurant into a somewhat upscale spot now open breakfast through dinner. $ B Br L D pf DITTO’S GRILL 1114 Bardstown Rd., 581-9129.

This informally whimsical Highlands space masks the work of classically trained owner-chefs Dominic Serratore and Frank Yang. Sure, take note of the fanciful artwork adorning the exposed brick walls and the gargoyles in the ceiling. But don’t overlook Serratore’s “gourmet casual” menu of New England crab cakes, fanciful salads and Sunday brunch egg dishes. $$ Br L D hpf FOUR PEGS BEER LOUNGE 1053 Goss Ave., 6341447. Taking over the space vacated by the Germantown Pub, Four Pegs offers craft beer at approachable prices, as well as well-priced pub grub such as a chicken and waffle sandwich and a pork chop sandwich served with a Granny Smith apple slaw.

Chef Matt Flink, formerly of Browning’s, helms the kitchen here. $ D h GHYSLAIN ON MARKET 721 E. Market St., 690-8645.

In a carriage house behind the building that houses the corporate offices of Creation Gardens, a French bistro, run by French Canadian chocolatiers who are expanding their Indiana patisseries into restaurants and Kentucky. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, serving grilled baguettes, croque monsieurs, panini, quiches, soups, salads, and fine chocolates. $$ L D HAMMERHEADS 921 Swan St., 365-1112. Two veterans of the upscale kitchens along Bardstown Road have taken over the old Swan Dive space, and patrons of the previous vegan haunt are quickly becoming fans. Vegetarian selections such as crispy mushroom medley and veggie tacos join interesting oddities like duck sliders and bacon plantain croquetas. Also pulled pork and brisket, crab cakes, and a reasonable beer selection. $ D h HARD ROCK CAFÉ 424 S. Fourth St. (Fourth Street Live), 568-2202. Louisville’s Fourth Street Live echoes with a bang amid hammering guitars and happy throngs at the local branch of this popular shrine to rock. The music scene is the draw, but you’ll have no complaints about Hard Rock’s standard American cuisine. $$ L D hpfe HILLBILLY TEA 120 S. First St., 587-7350. This eccentric breakfast, lunch, dinner and tearoom space has expanded into the second floor, still offering well-prepared nouveau country cuisine, an exotic selection of teas, and killer pastries and desserts. $ Br L D HOLY GRALE 1034 Bardstown Rd., 459-9939. The owners of the Louisville Beer Store have converted a former church to a beer pub and restaurant. Twenty taps offer a rotating choice of international brews, and an eclectic menu offers Belgian fritjes, pretzels and beer cheese, tacos and crostini. $ L D he JACK’S LOUNGE 122 Sears Ave., 897-9026. A sophisticated, elegant bar associated with the Equus restaurant next door, Jack’s offers a short but excellent menu featuring appetizers and light bites, along with a drinks list beyond reproach. $ D pf JAZZYBLU 815 W. Market St., 992-3243. The basement space at Glassworks that formerly housed The Jazz Factory is bopping again with regularly scheduled live jazz performances Thurs. - Sun. nights, and southern comfort food style lunch buffets Tues. - Fri. $ L D hpe

h = Late Night p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music

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L&N WINE BAR AND BISTRO 1765 Mellwood Ave., 897-0070. If you’re enthusiastic about good wine, you’re going to be excited about L&N. The fruit of the vine takes center stage in a vast, fairly priced wine list and imposing Cruvinet dispenser, with more than 80 wines available by the glass. Comfortable atmosphere and excellent bistro fare with a creative twist add to the draw. $$$ D hpf LOUIS LE FRANCAIS 133 E. Market St., New Albany IN, 944-1222. The New Albany dining renaissance gains a French bistro to extend the range of international dining options. Louis “Louis the Frenchman” Retailleau will serve prix-fixe dinners typical of the cuisine of his native southwest France. $$$$ D p MAJID’S ST. MATTHEWS 3930 Chenoweth Sq., 6182222. Long-time restaurateur and top-notch host Majid Ghavami’s has a track record of making flailing restaurants successful. His newest venture, in a St. Matthews space that has been problematic for others, offers a Mediterranean-American menu.

The wine bar serves small plates, and focuses on American wines and an eclectic list from unusual locations — Lebanon, Israel, Greece and the Balkans. $$$ Br D pfe THE NA EXCHANGE 3306 Plaza Dr., New Albany IN, 948-6501. In the kitchen of the new gastropub is Dave Clancy, who spearheaded the revival of downtown New Albany dining with the Bistro New Albany a few years back. His American bistro style food will be available from lunch to late night.

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

Jamaican. Greek. Middle Eastern. Moderate prices, a weekend brunch and late night hours add to the draw. $$ L D hpf RED HOG TAPAS 2868 Frankfort Ave., 899-9800. By day, it’s the Blue Dog Bakery and Café, but on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights it takes on its new identity as a tapas bar, featuring, among other dishes, the cured pork products that coowner Bobby Hancock creates from his own red wattle hogs. A nice beer wine and spirits selection, to go with the fish flautas, catfish brandade and charcuterie. $$ p D hp RIVER CITY WINERY 321 Pearl St., New Albany IN, 945-9463. Ten of owners Gary and Melissa Humphrey’s wines medaled in the June 2011 Indy International Wine Competition. Their honest, straightforward wines and Italian-inspired menu, featuring brink-oven pizzas, draw appreciative crowds. Don’t miss the crab cakes with black-eyed pea salsa. $$ Br L D e THE SILVER DOLLAR 1761 Frankfort Ave., 259-9540.

The old firehouse in Clifton is now a honky tonk bar and restaurant, the music (all on vinyl) focused on the “Bakersfield sound” — a fusion of Mexicali and American roots music. The southern country-style nemu with sophisticated nuances has been an immediate hit. Choose from more than 80 Kentucky Bourbons, ryes, tequila and mescal, but no “foreign whiskey” like Scotch or vodka. $$ Br L D hpf THEATER SQUARE MARKET PLACE 651 S. Fourth St., 625-3001. Up front in the old Kentucky Theater is a deli and gourmet grocery. Behind the circular bar is the serene dining room, with a central hearth, and beyond that, a large enclosed patio. Chef Dallas McGarity’s seasonal menu cleverly fuses culinary concepts: crawfish arancini, duck confit ragout and curry-seared scallops, for instance. $$ L D hpf VILLAGE ANCHOR PUB & ROOST 11507 Park Rd., 708-1850. In the heart of Anchorage at the old train station is this two-level Euro-village inspired

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concept. On the upper level, a French bistro a la Moulin Rouge with an outdoor terrace. Downstairs at The Sea Hag the ambience is a British pub. The hearty upscale comfort food-style menu is served lunch and dinner with weekend brunch. A short, well-selected wine list and ambitious beer list with more than 50 craft and import choices accompany 55 Bourbons to boot. $$$ Br L D hpf

ALLEY CAT CAFÉ 11804 Shelbyville Rd., 245-6544.

This suburban Alley Cat is a cozy and bright little place, and the lunch-only menu is affordable and appealing. $ L THE ANCHORAGE CAFÉ 11505 Park Rd., 708-1880.

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

Sandwiches, salads, sides, cold beverages and coffee will fuel you for a night of entertainment. $ B L D hp BLOOM’S CAFÉ 307 Wallace Ave., 896-8008. After a brief interruption this summer, this long-time St. Matthews ladies’ lunch spot is open again for sitdown business (it was carry-out only for a few months). The renovated space is a bit smaller, but the home-style cooking is as fresh and satisfying as ever. $ B L BLUE DOG BAKERY AND CAFÉ 2868 Frankfort Ave., 899-9800. Still a popular breakfast and lunch spot as well as an artisanal bakery, producing hearty European-style breads that can be found on restaurant tables and in better grocery stores around town. But on Thursday through Saturdays nights, owners Kit Garrett and Bobby Hancock have started tapas service, many small plates featuring pork cured by Hancock from his own heritage pigs (see the blurb at Red Hog Tapas). $$ B L f BOOMER’S CAFÉ 722 W. Main St., 585-4356. In the midst of the booming West Main Street arts and museum district, this lunch spot offers standard American café fare. $ L BUTTERFLY GARDEN CAFÉ 1327 Bardstown Rd., 456-4500, 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 895-1474. Both locations of this long-time ladies’ lunch favorite, in an attractive old-house on Bardstown Road and inside Dolfinger’s in St Matthews, offer interesting, pleasant lunch fare, with very appealing dessert choices. $$ L CAFÉ FRAICHE 3642 Brownsboro Rd., 894-8929.

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

Chef Jim Henry, a long-time star in the city’s culinary firmament, brings his cooking skills and insistence on fresh, quality ingredients to these simple, but excellent, spots for lunch. $ L

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

CRAVE CAFÉ & CATERING 2250 Frankfort Ave., 896-1488. Experienced caterers and chefs offer casual but quality café fare in this comfortable old frame house in Clifton. $$ L D CREEKSIDE OUTPOST & CAFÉ 614 Hausfeldt Ln., New Albany IN, 948-9118. The Creekside Outpost warps customers back into the days of general stores and maintains every bit of old fashioned charm.

Serving up buffalo, elk and surprisingly good burgers.

Exotic foods including Shinnecock ice fish, black bear, ostrich and kangaroo (when available) round out an excellent, traveled menu. $$ B L f CRICKET’S CAFÉ 7613 Old Hwy. 60, Sellersburg IN, 246-9339. Offering breakfasts and lunch to local Hoosiers and travelers who take exit 7 off I-65. Full breakfasts, omelets, and breakfast sandwiches. A full range of standard lunch sandwiches, with Reubens, Philly steak and cheese, and daily specials.

Homemade soups and salads, too. $ B Br L f DERBY CAFÉ 704 Central Ave., (Kentucky Derby Museum) 634-0858. Lunch served year-round in the dining area adjacent to the Derby Museum with such regional favorites as meaty burgoo, and the Hot Brown. $ L pf EARTH FRIENDS CAFÉ AND COFFEE BAR 3211 Grant Line Rd., New Albany IN, 725-9393. Vegetarians and vegans can find a lot to love here in the sandwich, salad and soup sections of the menu, but they will have to co-exist with carnivores. The menu insists, though, that “all meats [are] produced from humanely raised, grass-fed animals and are produced without added hormones.” $ B Br L ERMIN’S BAKERY & CAFÉ 1201 S. First St., 6356960, 455 S. Fourth St., (Starks Bldg.) 585-5120.

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

by French-style breads and pastries. $ B L HIGHLAND MORNING 1416 Bardstown Rd., 3653900. You can order breakfast anytime at this

Highlands space, with an eclectic menu that also encompasses brunch, burgers, soul food, Southern dishes and vegetarian fare as well. $ B L D h HOME PLATE CAFÉ 400 E. Main St., 618-4205. The former Blue Mountain Coffee House site on the corner of Main and Preston, across from Slugger Field, is serving up salad, soups and sandwiches. $ B L J. GRAHAM’S CAFÉ & BAR 335 W. Broadway (The Brown Hotel), 583-1234. The home of the legendary “Hot Brown” sandwich, J. Graham’s offers a more casual bistro-style alter na tive to the upscale English Grill, with choice of menu service or buffet dining. $$ B L pf KAYROUZ CAFÉ 3801 Willis Ave., 896-2630. Tucked in among St. Matthews sidestreets is one of the best sandwich places in Louisville. The tuna salad, Portobello mushroom Reuben, fish, chicken and hamburger — all are innovative and all come with some of the best fries in town. $ L D f MERIDIAN CAFÉ 112 Meridian Ave., 897-9703. This little lunch spot occupies a cozy old house in St. Matthews. Service is competent and polite, the place is sparkling clean, and the luncheon-style fare is consistently fine. A selection of appetizing breakfast items rounds out a tasty mix. $ B L D f NEIGHBORHOOD CAFÉ 119 St. Matthews Ave., 893-4434. A St. Matthews soup and sandwich haven with a twist. Serving everything on the menu but the soups in a house-made waffle cone — really. Settle down morning or afternoon with a latte or cappuccino (not available in a cone). $ B L NONNIE’S KITCHEN 11601 Main St., Middletown, 245-4411. Picturesque downtown Middletown needs pleasant places for ladies to lunch, and Nonnie’s Kitchen now occupies the space that once housed Tiffany Cellars Cafe. A mother-son team from Chicago has hit the ground running, with a menu of soups, salads, sandwiches and desserts that have delighted early adopters. $ L f

h = Late Night p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music

NORTH END CAFÉ 1722 Frankfort Ave., 896-8770, 2116 Bardstown Rd., 690-4161. Now with a second location in Douglass Loop, folks in the Highlands, as well as Clifton, can enjoy North End’s hearty and unusual breakfast, or satisfying lunches and dinners. With an eclectic menu of diverse tapas and interesting entrées, it’s an appealing, affordable place to dine $$ B Br L D hpf QUEUE CAFÉ 220 W. Main St. (LG&E Building), 583-0273. $ B L f RIVERSIDE CAFÉ 700 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville IN (Sheraton Hotel), 284-6711. The breakfast room and bar of the Sheraton Riverside. Breakfast served until 10:30 a.m. Unwind at the bar at night. $$ B pf STOP LITE CAFÉ 1348 River Rd., 584-3746. $ L STRICKER’S CAFÉ 2781 Jefferson Centre Way, Jeffersonville IN, 218-9882. Family style restaurant serving hearty soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers, melts and breakfast too, in suburban Jeffersonville. $ B L THE CAFÉ 712 Brent St., 637-6869. Now well-settled in its new location just off East Broadway, The Café serves an eclectic breakfast and lunch menu, including old favorites like tomato dill soup and chicken salad. And the new space retains the old place’s yard-sale look of mismatched furniture and chandeliers and doorways to nowhere. $ B Br L f THE CHEDDAR BOX 3909 Chenoweth Sq., 893-2324.

For more than 25 years this St. Matthews tradition has delighted ladies who lunch, hungry students who munch, and just about everyone else with their sandwiches, pasta salads and tasty desserts. It caters parties with almost 50 choices of appetizers, party sandwiches, dips, cheese rings and crostini. $ L f THE CHEDDAR BOX TOO 109 Chenoweth Ln., 893-2324. Tenant turnover in Chenoweth Square opened up a space for long-time Cheddar Box owner Nancy Tarrant to extend her presence in St. Matthews with a cafe. Look for the same tasty

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salads, soups and desserts that have made her takeaway business so popular. $ B L VERBENA CAFÉ 10639 Meeting St., 425-0020.

This Norton Commons eatery is open early for breakfast and serves hearty lunches till midafternoon, but you can order breakfast or lunch at any of those hours. $$ B L f WILD EGGS 3985 Dutchmans Ln., 893-8005, 1311 Herr Ln., 618-2866, 153 S. English Station Rd., 618-3449. Specialty omelets, the everything muffin, spicy egg salad sandwiches — these dishes and more have made Wild Eggs a wildly popular breakfast and lunch spot. Prized seats at weekend brunch can now be found at this growing minichain’s third outlet. $ B Br L p WOLFGANG PUCK EXPRESS 221 S. Fourth St., 562-0983. Bearing the name of the celebrity Austrian chef, this downtown lunch spot in the corner of the convention center offers tasty wraps, sandwiches and soups. $$ L YAFA CAFÉ 22 Theater Sq., 561-0222, 1489 S. Fourth St., 618-4201. $ L D hf ZIALALA CAFÉ 12220 Shelbyville Rd., 713-5803.

The owners, of Venezuelan and Italian backgrounds, tout their Middletown eatery as a “Latin cafe with a European flair.” The eclectic menu includes arepas, pizzettes (individual thin-crust pizzas), muffuletta, egg salad sandwiches, panini and empanadas with Chilean, Puerto Rican and Jamaican flavors. $ L D f

BONEFISH GRILL 657 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 4124666. This franchise concept from the Floridabased Outback Steakhouse chain offers impressive seafood in a comfortable setting. Add Bonefish to your short list of suburban chain eateries that do the job right. $$$ D hp

CLARKSVILLE SEAFOOD 916 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville IN, 283-8588. As the only surviving descendant of Louisville’s old Cape Codder chain, Clarksville Seafood upholds a long and honorable tradition.

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

Seafood is the specialty. Fishermen will enjoy their stocked pay-to-fish lake. Note though, it’s not possible to have your catch fried for dinner. $$ L D f FISH-FRY HOUSE 2280 Bardstown Rd., 632-2583.

The owners of Sharom’s and Zaytun have opened a new fish house, serving up the crisp, fresh fried seafood that made Sharom’s an Okolona favorite. $$ L D hp THE FISH HOUSE 1310 Winter Ave., 568-2993.

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

This Old Louisville tradition is small and easy to miss, but it’s worth the effort to get by. It’s oversized fried whitefish sandwich is the flagship dish, but a varied menu is also available. $ L D f JACKSON’S SEAFOOD 400 W. Main St., New Albany IN, 945-3474. Joe Jackson, 13-year veteran of locallyfamed Clarksville Seafood, serves up fried, broiled

or blackened fish, and rolled oysters. Fans of Jackson’s former employer will find many similarities in the food, but offered with customer-friendly service and rational, predictable hours. $ L D JOE’S CRAB SHACK 131 River Rd., 568-1171. The setting on the edge of Riverfront Park is bright, noisy and fun, with a wraparound deck providing a panoramic river view. $$ L D hpf KINGFISH RESTAURANT 3021 Upper River Rd., 895-0544, 1610 Kentucky Mills Dr., 240-0700, 601 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville IN, 284-3474. Fried fish in a family dining setting has made this local chain a popular favorite for many years. Two of its properties — upper River Road and Riverside Drive — boast river views. $$ L D hpfe MIKE LINNIG’S 9308 Cane Run Rd., 937-9888. Mike Linnig’s has been dishing up tasty fried fish and seafood at family prices since 1925 and remains immensely popular. There’s indoor seating and a bar, but the picnic grove with its giant shade trees makes Linnig’s a special place in season. Out of season — Nov. to Jan. — the family shutters the place and takes a nice vacation. $ L D f MITCHELL’S FISH MARKET 4031 Summit Plaza Dr., 412-1818. The decor of this upscale eatery evokes the feeling of a large fish market, with an open kitchen that offers views of chefs at work.

Quality seafood and service have made Mitchell’s a popular destination. $$$ L D hpf PASSTIME FISH HOUSE 10801 Locust Rd., 2674633. If you are looking for an honest fish sandwich and a cold beer or two, with no frills, this southside tavern is just the ticket. Belly up, place your order, and be sure to have cash — no credit cards accepted here. $$ L D fe RUMORS RESTAURANT & RAW BAR 12339 Shelbyville Rd., 245-0366. Visualize Hooter’s without the scantily-clad waitresses, and you’ve drawn a bead on Rumor’s, the original Louisville home of the bucketof-oysters and impressive raw bar. $$ L D hpf SHAROM’S 5637 Outer Loop, 968-8363. Family owned and family style dining with a wide net of seafood dinners and appetizers. Lunch and dinner menus also include such delicacies as frog legs, shrimp and alligator. $$ L D f

CAST IRON STEAKHOUSE 1207 E. Market St., Jeffersonville IN, 590-2298, 6325 River Rd., 3847466. Buck’s owner Curtis Rader’s idea to cook steaks and sides in cast iron pans at moderate prices hit such a popular nerve that he opened two more locations on the Kentucky side of the river.

The ambience of all his places is upscale with “no peanuts on the floor, antlers on the wall or country music,” Rader promises. $$$ D hpf DEL FRISCO’S 4107 Oechsli Ave., 897-7077. Loyal Louisville beefeaters continue to fill up this 28year-old St. Matthews steakhouse, with its brick walls and beamed ceilings. Any red meat enthusiast would know to order the filet or Porterhouse, but only regulars know the glories of something called green phunque. $$$$ D hp EDDIE MERLOT’S PRIME AGED BEEF 455 S. Fourth St., (Fourth Street Live) 584-3266. The sumptuous renovation of the space at the corner of Fourth and Muhammad Ali has resulted in one of the largest dining spaces in town. The Ft. Wayne-based small chain with big ambitions boasts glittering mosaic artwork, a handsome bar opening onto Fourth Street, and luxurious seating in secluded nooks and corners. The menu focuses on high end steaks, well prepared seafood and seasonal specials. $$$$ L D hpe JEFF RUBY’S STEAKHOUSE 325 W. Main St., 5840102. This Cincinnati restaurateur has made an impact in Louisville with his outstanding steaks, 62 Spring 2012 www.foodanddine.com

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

glittery bar, urban vibe and top-notch service. The rooms have Churchill Downs themes. The steaks take the rail with seafood and sushi coming up fast on the outside. $$$$ D hpe LOGAN’S ROADHOUSE 5055 Shelbyville Rd., 8933884, 5229 Dixie Hwy., 448-0577, 970 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 288-9789, 1540 Alliant Ave., 266-6009. With more than 100 properties in 17 states, this Nashville-based chain parlays peanut shells on the floor and steaks on the table into a popular formula. $$ L D hp LONGHORN STEAKHOUSE 2535 Hurstbourne Gem Ln., 671-5350, 9700 Von Allmen Ct., 326-7500, 1210 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN. 284-5800. Oversize steaks and a “big sky” western theme are the draw at this chain eatery, although most of its properties are east of the Mississippi. $$ L D hp

is, well, nice enough to have launched two more branches. All specialize in simple, down-home breakfast and lunch at affordable prices. $ B L APPLEBEE’S (6 locations) This cheery national chain features an eclectic assortment of salads, steaks, ribs, poultry and pasta as well as full bar service. It’s as consistent as a cookie cutter, but competent execution makes it a good bargain for those whose tastes run to mainstream American cuisine. $$ L D hp ASPEN CREEK RESTAURANT 8000 Bardstown Rd., 239-2200. The entrepreneur who created Texas Roadhouse and Buckhead’s is back with a concept that’s both old and new — a lodge-style restaurant that invokes the rustic feel of the Rockies, and offers a menu of pastas, burgers, and poultry at prices that aren’t mountain high. $$ L D hp

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

CHAMPIONS GRILL 505 Marriott Dr. (Holiday Inn), Clarksville IN. 283-4411. Known by locals for its Saturday night buffet of New York strip, ribeye and prime rib. Salads, sandwiches, soups and a kid-friendly menu round out the selection. $$ B Br L D pe

PONDEROSA STEAKHOUSE 11470 S. Preston Hwy., 964-6117. Family-style dining with the ranch theme kept alive with the open flame from the grills. An extensive buffet with hot and cold foods, salads and desserts is also available. $ L D

CHEDDAR’S CASUAL CAFÉ 10403 Westport Rd., 339-5400, 3521 Outer Loop, 966-3345, 1385 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 280-9660. This popular Dallas-based chain draws big, hungry crowds with its large bar and familiar “casual to upscale American” fare. $ L D hpf

RUTH’S CHRIS STEAKHOUSE 6100 Dutchman’s Ln., 479-0026. The Robb Report magazine has declared Rolex the world’s best watch, Armani the best men’s suit, Cohiba the best cigar and Ruth’s Chris the best restaurant. It serves an excellent steak in an atmosphere of elegance that will make you feel pampered, at a price to match. $$$$ D hpe

CHILI’S 421 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 425-6800, 3623 Bardstown Rd., 301-8888, 11600 Antonia Way, 3018181, 9720 Von Allmen Ct., 301-8880. More than just a place to chow down on baby back ribs, this national chain has a wide selection including fajitas, burgers, sandwiches and veggies. $$ L D hp

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

A NICE RESTAURANT 3129 Blackiston Mill Rd., New Albany IN, 945-4321, 2784 Meijer Dr., 2809160, Jeffersonville IN, 280-9160. 404 Lafollette Station, Floyds Knobs IN, 923-7770. A Nice Restaurant, billed as “New Albany’s Finer Diner,”

CAFÉ MAGNOLIA 140 N. Fourth St. (Galt House), 589-5200. The Galt House’s quick and casual secondfloor dining alternative, this spacious venue offers a range of fare for guests on the go, from bacon and eggs to a late-night burger and fries. $$$ L D hp

CARDINAL HALL OF FAME CAFÉ 2745 Crittenden Dr., 635-8686. This oversize eatery at Gate 4 of the Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center celebrates U of L sports with a “walk of fame” loaded with awards, photos, game balls and lots more Cardinal memorabilia. What? You want food too? Sure! Casual American dining features everything from a “Cardinal Burger” to steaks and prime rib. $ L D hp

PAT’S STEAK HOUSE 2437 Brownsboro Rd., 8969234. A local favorite for fifty years and as traditional as a steakhouse gets, Pat Francis, like his father before him, cuts the meats himself. Its combination of quality beef and hospitality rank it among the best steak houses in town. Be sure to bring cash: No credit cards accepted. $$$$ D pf

TEXAS ROADHOUSE 757 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy.

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

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

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

CAPTAIN’S QUARTERS 5700 Captain’s Quarters Rd., 228-1651. One of the city’s most attractive eateries for atmosphere, Captain’s Quarters matches the beautiful setting with quality bistro-style fare that won’t disappoint. Summer or winter, it’s a delightful place to dine. $$ Br L D pfe

OUTBACK STEAK HOUSE 4621 Shelbyville Rd., 8954329, 6520 Signature Dr., 964-8383, 9498 Brownsboro Rd., 426-4329, 8101 Bardstown Rd., 231-2399, 1420 Park Place, Clarksville IN, 283-4329. The name suggests Australia, and so does the shtick at this popular national chain, but the food is pretty much familiar American, and the fare goes beyond just steak to take in chicken, seafood and pasta. $$$ D hp

STONEY RIVER LEGENDARY STEAK 3900 Summit Plaza Dr., 429-8944. Stoney River in the Springhurst shopping center is one of the chain’s first properties outside its Georgia home. It draws big crowds with its memorable steaks and trimmings, with extra points for friendly service and a comfortable atmosphere. $$$$ D hp

IN, 284-2919, 10206 Westport Rd., 339-0808. The deck of the riverfront location in Jeffersonville, with its view across the river, is a great place for a lazy summer meal, when the familiarity of allAmerican fare like meat loaf, pot pies, steak or ribs and a couple of cold ones is all you want. The big square bars in all three locations, with multiple TV screens, make for excellent sports viewing as well.

New delivery and catering operations extends the brand beyond the three locations. $$ L D hpf

B.J.’S RESTAURANT & BREWHOUSE 7900 Shelbyville Rd.(Oxmoor Mall), 326-3850. This Southern California chain arrived east of the Mississippi, including a large and imposing brewhouse at Oxmoor Mall. A full range of made-in-Nevada craft beers is dispensed, along with upscale-casual pub grub. $$ L D hp BLUE HORSE CAFÉ 830 Phillips Ln., (Crown Plaza Hotel) 367-2251. $$$ L D hp BLUEGRASS BURGERS 3334 Frankfort Ave., 6146567. Four women restaurateurs have partnered to offer a gourmet burger concept. Choose your burger — grass-fed Kentucky beef or bison, tuna or veggie (or grilled chicken, cheese steak or franks) — and then head for the topping bar. $ L D f BRICKHOUSE TAVERN & TAP 871 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 326-3182. The Brickhouse Girls, wearing tight black baby Ts and denim minis, serve typical bar food, beer and ale and cocktails, and encourage patrons to play beer pong. This has to be a winning corporate concept, don’t you think? $$ L D hpf BUCKHEAD MOUNTAIN GRILL 3020 Bardstown Rd., 456-6680, 707 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville

h = Late Night p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music

CHOP SHOP SALADS 436 W. Market St., 589-2467, 126 Breckinridge Ln., 384-4252. The two-handed mezzalunas rock steady as the line cooks chop up lettuce, vegetables and meats into hearty salads or wraps. Mostly a to-go place with limited seating, the steady lunchtime crowds attest that office workers see a need for fresh light lunch fare. $ L D COACH LAMP RESTAURANT 751 Vine St., 5839165. Hurricane Katrina blew chef Richard Lowe into town, bringing from New Orleans his Cajun/ Creole/Caribbean magic to Coach Lamp’s kitchen.

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

When the trademark item is called a “ButterBurger” and frozen custard tops the dessert menu, you know you’re not in for diet fare. Quality fast food and friendly service make this chain a popular new East End arrival. $ L D f CUNNINGHAM’S 630 S. Fourth St., 587-0526, 6301 Upper River Rd., 228-3625. Carrying on into its third century in modern quarters that capture much of the nostalgia of its history, Cunningham’s vends fine fish sandwiches and pub grub in this downtown location and in a second eatery on Harrods Creek. $ Br L D hpf www.facebook.com/foodanddine Spring 2012 63

EDESIA GARDENS 10212 Taylorsville Rd., 263-7100.

Named after the Roman goddess of gourmet foods, this banquet and events space also offers a Sunday brunch buffet to the public. $$ Br FAMOUS MIKE’S STEAK & LEMONADE 3052 Wilson Ave., 618-0102, 4918 Poplar Level Rd., 962-9999. At first a curious culinary combination — steak and lemonade — but this little near-West End place (that has just opened a second location) is a gem offering an eclectic range of quick comfort foods: chicken gizzard baskets, pizza rolls, cheese steaks, burgers and subs. $ L D h FIVE GUYS BURGERS & FRIES 2221 State Street, New Albany IN, 944-9958, 4320 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 944-7370, 4116 Summit Plaza Dr., 426-1702. Based in Virginia, this burger chain invokes the early days of fast food with freshlygrilled burgers, big, smoky Kosher dogs, enough condiments to satisfy any craving, fresh-cut fries that are out of this world and a cheery rock’n’ roll sensibility. $ L D

KAREM’S 9424 Norton Commons Blvd., 327-5646.

Karem’s Grill & Pub, one of the first restaurants to open in the village-like Norton Commons, carries the look and feel of a neighborhood watering hole inside and out. The test of a restaurant, though, is the food, and Karem’s is excellent. $$ L D h KERN’S KORNER 2600 Bardstown Rd., 456-9726.

This family-owned tavern has been a popular neighborhood pit stop since 1978. Kern’s offers freshly made ham, chicken salad sandwiches and burgers, as well as a menu of soups, chilis and appetizers. $ L D pf LEGENDS Horseshoe Casino Hotel, Elizabeth IN, 888-766-2648. The hot and cold short orders are served up with riverboat hospitality, but in a Las Vegas atmosphere. A well stocked bar and a live stage welcome the best of regional and visiting national acts. $$ L D hpe

FLABBY’S SCHNITZELBURG 1101 Lydia St., 290-7273.

Since 1952, serving up rolled oysters, German comfort food and fried chicken to Germantown residents and fans from far and wide. Where else can you find limburger and braunsweiger with onions on rye and Warsteiner on draft? $ D f

the Highlands meet Germantown, The Monkey Wrench offers comfort food with a stylish spin, top flight music, a relaxed ambience and welcoming service. A rooftop patio packs them in on warm evenings. $ L D hpfe MULLIGAN’S PUB AND GRILL 1801 Newburg Rd., 632-2818. Neighborhood institution Kaelin’s is gone, but Mulligans’ now holds down the fort.

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

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

Breakfast served until 2 p.m. $$ Br L D p O’CHARLEY’S (6 locations) O’Charley’s, Inc. could serve well as the picture in the dictionary next to “American casual dining.” The Nashville-based chain operates 206 properties in 16 states in the Southeast and Midwest, serving a straightforward steak-andseafood menu with the motto “Mainstream with an attitude.” $$ Br L D hp

GARAGE BAR 700 E. Market St., 749-7100. This new venture from Michael Paley of Proof, housed in a former service station in NuLu, serve up draft and bottled craft beers, Bourbons, seasonal cocktails and wine, pizzas from a wood-fired brick oven and Southern specialties, with an emphasis on fresh, local ingredients. $$$ D hpf

OTTO’S CAFÉ 500 S. Fourth St. (Seelbach Hilton Hotel), 585-3201. Southern cooking with gourmet flair makes Otto’s an intriguing alternative to the Seelbach’s more upscale Oakroom. Check out the Southern Breakfast Buffet and the Executive Express Lunch Buffet. $$ B Br L

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

This family-owned eatery has been around for decades. Standard casual American cuisine adds a few Russian-style specialties such as homemade borsht soup and beef Stroganoff. Daily lunch specials include lots of fresh vegetable dishes. $ B L GOOSE CREEK DINER 2923 Goose Creek Rd., 3398070. Goose Creek Diner offers old-fashioned comfort food, as the name “diner” suggests, but transcendently adds a gourmet taste to the down-home eats. $ B Br L D

PAULA DEEN BUFFET Horseshoe Casino Hotel, Elizabeth IN, 888-766-2648. Bubbly Paula extends her food empire to Horseshoe Casino. Modeled after her restaurants, the motif is based on the architecture of Savannah, Ga., where she lives. Of course, there’s a shop attached, where you can purchase aprons, cookbooks, cookware and her new furniture line. $$$$ B Br L D

GRADY’S BURGERS AND WINGS 3825 Taylor Blvd., 361-1106. The name says most of what you need to know. Ten flavors of wings, breaded, fried and sauced.

The hot wings and the honey BBQ are the biggest sellers. Deli sandwiches and gyros too. $ L D f

PEPPERS BAR & GRILL 320 W. Jefferson St., (Hyatt Regency) 587-3434. This newly renovated casualdining facility in the Hyatt Regency offers a full dinner menu for hotel guests and outside visitors as well. $$ D hp

HOME RUN BURGERS & FRIES 2060 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 409-7004, 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 365-3388, 12949 Shelbyville Rd., 384-8403, 303 W. Cardinal Blvd., 708-1818. Burgers, dogs and fries and drinks with a baseball theme highlight this suburban spot, and more than 20 toppings offer you a fielder’s choice of options to dress your burger. $ L D f

PUB LOUISVILLE 412 S. Fourth St. (Fourth Street Live), 569-7782. Owned by Cincinnati’s The Tavern Restaurant Group, The Pub features “nouveau pub cuisine” ranging from shepherd’s pie and fish and chips to more Continental dishes like fried calamari and a seared ahi tuna entrée. $$ L D hpfe

HOOTERS 4120 Dutchmans Ln., 895-7100, 4948 Dixie Hwy., 449-4194, 7701 Preston Hwy., 968-1606, 700 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville IN, 218-9485, 941 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 284-9464.

Hooter’s may draw crowds with its long-standing reputation as a party scene, but you’ll stay for the food, an appetizing selection of soups, salads, seafood and, of course, wings. $ L D hpfe INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OF PANCAKES 1220 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN. 285-1772, 1401 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 618-2250. The familiar IHOP franchise across the river has now been joined by another outlet along the franchise restaurant row on Hurstbourne. $ B L D h JOE’S OLDER THAN DIRT 8131 New Lagrange Rd., 426-2074. Going strong after many years in this Lyndon location, Joe’s has gradually grown from a little house to a sprawling complex of indoor and outdoor tables with live music many evenings.

Excellent barbecue is a specialty, and so is ice-cold beer. $ L D hpfe 64 Spring 2012 www.foodanddine.com

LYNN’S PARADISE CAFÉ 984 Barret Ave., 583-3447.

A serious restaurant hides behind the funky décor and madcap events (like the annual New Year’s Eve pajama party and the Ugly Lamp contest). The Bourbon Ball French toast beat Bobby Flay on a Throwdown. And everyone loves the fried green tomato BLT. The World of Swirl store in the front has been described as “Cracker Barrel on acid.” $$ B Br L D pf MANHATTAN GRILL 429 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 561-0024. $ B L MIMI’S CAFÉ 615 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 426-6588.

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

A popular spot in the urban neighborhood where

RAFFERTY’S OF LOUISVILLE 988 Breckenridge Ln., 897-3900. 3601 Springhurst Blvd., 412-9000.

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

This Seattle-based chain serves up its well regarded “gourmet burgers” and trimmings in two East End locations. Despite a full bar, it reportedly attracts hordes of happy youngsters. $$ L D hpf ROOSTER’S 7405 Preston Hwy., 964-9464, 4420 Dixie Hwy., 384-0330, 1601 Greentree Blvd., Clarksville IN, 590-3391. This Columbus-based wings-andbrews chain conquered Ohio and is now spreading its franchise wings across the Eastern U.S. Its first three Louisville properties have gained popularity for a lively sports bar setting and oversize wings. $ L D hpf

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

RUBY TUESDAY 11701 Bluegrass Pkwy., 267-7100, 1354 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN. 288-5010. If success demonstrates quality, then Ruby Tuesday’s 600 international properties and 30,000 employees can stand up with pride. They’ve been upholding the slogan “Awesome Food. Serious Salad Bar” in Louisville for a generation. $$ L D hp THE RUDYARD KIPLING 422 W. Oak St., 6361311. The word “eclectic” fits this Old Louisville eatery in just about every dimension, from its funky decor to its diverse bill of fare, not to mention an array of entertainment that bridges the generations from Generation X’ers to aging hippies. The owners are scaling back, though, and opening only on Fridays and Saturdays. $ D hp S’WAY 320 W. Jefferson St. (Hyatt Regency), 5873434. Dine on café fare in the Hyatt’s lofty atrium lobby while you take advantage of an environment made for people-watching. $$ B L p SAM’S FOOD & SPIRITS 3800 Payne Kohler Rd., Clarksville IN, 945-9757, 702 Highlander Point Dr., Floyds Knobs IN, 923-2323. Sam Anderson has been running his popular Southern Indiana institution for over 17 years now, feeding an army of happy diners. You’ll now find his extensive and child friendly menu at a second location in Floyds Knobs. $$ L D hp SHONEY’S 811 Eastern Pkwy., 636-1043, 6511 Signature Dr., 969-8904, 9921 Ormsby Station Rd., 423-6388. For nearly 50 years, Shoney’s restaurants have been one of America’s top choices for fast roadside dining, and happily they’ve kept up with the times. $ B L D SKYLINE CHILI 1266 Bardstown Rd., 473-1234, 9980 Linn Station Rd., 429-5773, 4024 Dutchmans Ln., 721-0093, 6801 Dixie Hwy., 937-4020. Louisville’s outposts of a famous Cincinnati chili restaurant, these casual eateries offer the regional favorite (really it’s Greek spaghetti sauce, but keep it quiet) and other fast-food dishes. $ L D h

TILTED KILT 6201 Dutchmans Ln., 409-8458. A franchise restaurant, notable for its skimpily plaidclad servers as much as its pub-style food. The aggressively cute menu offers “big-arse” burgers, various sandwiches, salads and wraps, entrées ranging from lasagna to “Longshanks” sausage platter to “Fat Bastard’s” meatloaf sandwich. Pizza and a short beer list are also available. $$ D hpf TOAST ON MARKET 620 E. Market St., 569-4099, 141 E. Market St., New Albany IN, 941-8582. This local breakfast and lunch favorite has gained a loyal following and tremendous word-of-mouth, and opened a second outlet across the river. The original NuLu location has moved out of the funky, cavernous old theater building to the former Artemisia a few doors west. $ B Br L pf TUCKER’S 2441 State St., New Albany IN, 944-9999.

Tucker’s gives you a little bit of everything with a down-to-earth flair, offering burgers, ribs, steaks, a variety of appetizers and pastas. $ L D hp TWIG & LEAF RESTAURANT 2122 Bardstown Rd., 451-8944. A popular Highlands hangout, the “Twig” is probably at its best for breakfast — whether you’re enjoying it while venturing out on a leisurely Sunday morning or heading home very late on a Saturday night. It’s a place to grab a quick, filling bite, and doesn’t pretend to be more. $ B L D h WESTPORT GENERAL STORE 7008 Hwy. 524, Westport KY, 222-4626. It may be in the country, and you may feel far from the big city, until the food comes. Along with the requisite meat loaf and pork chops, you’ll find such ambitious fare as chicken buccatini and blackened scallops. $$$ D pe 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. $ L D hf

ZAXBY’S 2740 Allison Ln., Jeffersonville IN, 9200080. They have been all around us out in the state, but now Louisville has its own Zaxby’s, the casual dining chain that cutens its menu with a lot of “z’s”: zappetizers, zalads, platterz, wings and fingerz — that sort of thing. $ L D h

BARBARA LEE’S KITCHEN 2410 Brownsboro Rd., 897-3967. Barbara Lee’s has been a late-night refuge for years. It’s a reliable standby for those in search of traditional blue-plate special lunch food. Honest grub, honestly priced, in a rootsy atmosphere. $ B L D h BIG MOMMA’S SOUL KITCHEN 4532 W. Broadway, 772-9580. Big Momma’s may be the most hospitable place in the West End to get genuine soul food. A different main course is featured daily, all homecooked food, including such goodies as baked chicken, smothered pork chops, meat loaf, catfish … and fried chicken every day. $ L D CARLY RAE’S 103 W. Oak St., 749-6665. The Old Louisville corner place with the great fenced-in patio has reopened with the same name, but new owners, with a focus on soul food. $$ L D hpfe CHECK’S CAFÉ 1101 E. Burnett Ave., 637-9515. You can whiff a scent of Louisville history coming off the old walls of this quintessential Germantown saloon, along with years of frying grease. The bar food here is about as good as bar food gets, and that’s not bad. The chili and the bean soup are particularly recommended. $ L D pf THE CHICKEN HOUSE 7180 Hwy. 111, Sellersburg IN, 246-9485. The parking lot of this white frame building in rural Indiana is packed on weekend nights as families from throughout the area wait on delectable fried chicken. This is the very heart of American comfort food, including green beans, dumplings, and mashed potatoes. $$ L D

SMASHBURGER 9409 Shelbyville Rd., 326-4141, 312 S. Fourth St. A growing chain located mostly in the West and the South now has two Kentucky location serving made-to-order Angus beef burgers, and is looking to open up to four more locations. $ L D f STEAK N SHAKE 3232 Bardstown Rd., 456-2670, 4913 Dixie Hwy., 448-4400, 4545 Outer Loop, 966-3109, 2717 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-3397, 10721 Fischer Park Dr., 326-3625, 980 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville IN., 285-1154. One of the oldest fast-food chains in the U.S., Steak N Shake traces its ancestry to an Illinois roadside stand in 1934. It now boasts 400 outlets in 19 states but still sticks to the basics: quality steak burgers and hand-dipped shakes served, if you dine in, on real china. $ B L D h STEVIE B’S BURGERS & MORE 1401 Veterans Pkwy, Clarksville IN, 288-8365. Located near WalMart and I-65. Stevie B’s lures hungry shoppers to dress their own burgers at the toppings bar. Or, fuel up on Philly cheesesteaks, cheese chicken sandwiches, or a quarter-pound chili dog. $ L D TACO PUNK 736 E. Market St., 584-8226. Gabe Sowder, formerly of 610 Magnolia, set out on his own serving funky tacos at the Douglass Loop Farmer’s Market.

But now the Iron Chef alum (he was part of Edward Lee’s 2010 winning team) has taken over the old Toast on Market space to continue his exploration of everyone’s favorite “Mexican” food. House-made tortillas packed with ingredients ranging from traditional to the unique — duck, lamb and chorizo — make up the bill of fare. $ L D hf TGI FRIDAY’S 416 S, Fourth St. (Fourth Street Live), 585-3577. The original place to loosen the tie and congregate after the whistle blows. TGIF carries on its party atmosphere tradition with American bistro dining and libations. The bill of fare ranges from baskets of appetizers on up to contemporary entrées. $$ L D hpf

h = Late Night p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music

www.facebook.com/foodanddine Spring 2012 65

CHICKEN KING 639 E. Broadway, 589-5464. Spicy, crunchy and sizzling hot fried chicken is the primary draw on a short, affordable menu. $ L D h COTTAGE CAFÉ 11609 Main St., Middletown, 2449497. This nostalgic old house in the countryside offers a taste of Kentucky-style cookery in an array of lunch specials that range from homemade soups and sandwiches to the traditional Hot Brown. $ L COTTAGE INN 570 Eastern Pkwy., 637-4325.

Longtime neighborhood fixture Cottage Inn has a bright new look, and continues happily doling out the kind of excellent down-home food it has served for more than 70 years. $ L D D’NALLEY’S 970 S. Third St., 588-2003. Dirt-cheap blue-plate specials and hearty breakfasts bring droves to this classic greasy spoon. Saturday morning hours are sporadic, but for a quick plate of meat loaf, green beans, and mashed potatoes, D’Nalley’s is a hard place to beat. $ B L D DAVE & PEG’S COPPER KETTLE 276 Main Cross St., Charlestown IN, 256-4257. $ B L D FORTY ACRES AND A MULE RESTAURANT 1800 Dixie Hwy., 776-5600. $ L D FRANCO’S RESTAURANT & CATERING 3300 Dixie Hwy., 448-8044. Jay’s Cafeteria lives on in Shively. Jay’s former owners are now serving up Southern Soul food at family-friendly prices. Look for smothered pork chops, collard greens, fried chicken, fried catfish and fruit cobbler. $ L D FRONTIER DINER 7299 Dixie Hwy., 271-3663. The name “diner” says it all, and this friendly neighborhood spot on Dixie Highway delivers just what you’d expect in down-home comfort fare. The word on the street, though, is simple: Go for the pancakes. They’re worth a special trip. $ L D GOLDEN CORRAL 4032 Taylorsville Rd., 485-0004, 8013 Preston Hwy., 966-4970, 1402 Cedar St., Clarksville IN. 258-2540. Buffet style family dining — one price, all you can eat. Steaks are served beginning at 4 p.m. $ B L D GRANNY’S APRON 2605 Rockford Ln., 449-9026.

Everything at Granny’s Apron is homemade by owner Jan Bradley, and it tastes that way: Dinner here will remind you of a trip back in time to Grandmother’s house, assuming that Grandmother was a really good cook. $ B L D HAZELWOOD RESTAURANT 4106 Taylor Blvd., 3619104. Whether you like your eggs over easy, or your cheeseburgers well done, you’ll like the Hazelwood Restaurant. Standard short orders cooked with lots of character and a low price. $ B L D HOMETOWN BUFFET 1700 Alliant Ave., 267-7044, 6641 Dixie Hwy., 995-3320. This chain serves up nostalgic dishes, casseroles, meats and desserts that allow you to set an all-American supper table with the all-you-can eat price tag. $ B L D INDI’S RESTAURANT 1033 W. Broadway, 589-7985, 3820 W. Market St., 778-5154, 2901 Fern Valley Rd., 969-7993, 5009 S. Third St., 363-2535, 2970 Tenth St., Jeffersonville IN, 288-8980, 1085 Market St., Charlestown IN, 256-3780. Grown from a tiny West End takeout spot to a mini-chain, Indi’s vends a variety of affordable soul food and barbecue specialties to take out or eat in. $ L D h JESSIE’S FAMILY RESTAURANT 9609 Dixie Hwy., 937-6332. Country cooking is Jessie’s specialty, with hearty breakfast, lunch and dinner platters to fill the inner person. $ B L D KING’S FRIED CHICKEN 1302 Dixie Hwy., 776-3013. $ LDh KUM’S KAFE 4125 Preston Hwy., 964-6336. Crispy fried chicken and fried catfish, as well as daily Asian specialties. $ L MISS C’S KITCHEN & PANTRY 1319 Story Ave., 759-1085, 308 W. Chestnut St., 992-3166. You will 66 Spring 2012 www.foodanddine.com

find traditional recipes using locally-sourced foods, such as pimento cheese made with Kenny’s white cheddar and tuna salad using the recipe from Stewart’s Orchid Room at both the Butchertown and new downtown location. $$ L NANA’S COUNTRY KITCHEN 5300 Cane Run Rd., 384-6525. When you want home-style cooking, you will want it like it is served here. Breakfast all day, lunch and dinner too. The regulars like the meatloaf and the chicken fried steak. $ B L D O’DOLLYS 7800 Third St. Rd., 375-1690. Homestyle steam-table favorites are available from breakfast to dinner, not to mention full bar service that makes O’Dollys a Southwest Louisville destination. $ B L D hp QUEENIE’S SOUL CUISINE 2956 Richland Ave., 4514698. Queenie has been cooking for her 13 siblings since she was a teenager. Finally she is getting paid to do it. She and her son serve breakfast, lunch and dinner: chicken and waffles, meatloaf, a soul burrito, chicken (fried, smothered or baked) and daily specials. $$ L D f SHIRLEY MAE’S CAFÉ 802 Clay St., 589-5295. This Smoketown institution draws hungry locals as well as celebrities in town hungry for the soul food of their youth. BBQ ribs, and hot-water cornbread cooked in a cast iron skillets. Pig’s feet and chicken wings and collards, all seasoned with Shirley Mae Beard’s spice rack—salt and pepper. $ L D WAGNER’S PHARMACY 3113 S. Fourth St., 375-3800.

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

Racing history on the walls and servers who’ll call you “hon.” $ B L WEBB’S MARKET 944 E. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 5830318. An old-line neighborhood corner grocery store houses a delicious secret: At the back you’ll find a steam table loaded with exceptional comfort food.

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

ANN’S BY THE RIVER 149 Spring St., Jeffersonville IN, 284-2667. This bustling eatery is cafeteria style dining done well. They serve up the standard steam table meat-and-three menu items as good as any. With the Ohio River a block away, it’s aptly named. $ L D THE BISTRO 3701 Frankfort Ave., 714-5586. A gem hidden away in The Olmsted, on the Masonic Home grounds in St. Matthews. This little spot has earned terrific word-of-mouth buzz. Soups, sandwiches, salads, pastas are the mainstay of the menu, with a four-item lunch buffet that changes weekly. $ B Br L D f CRAVINGS A LA CARTE 101 S. Fifth St. (National City Tower), 589-4230. This thrifty deli offers a variety of build-your-own sandwiches, a soup-andsalad bar, and specialty bars featuring baked potatoes, and a monthly ethnic creation. $ L HALL’S CAFETERIA 1301 Story Ave., 583-0437. Hall’s Cafeteria has been doing a brisk business on the steam tables since 1955, attracting customers from Butchertown’s truck loading docks and from offices downtown. $ B L D 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. $ B L LANCASTER’S CAFETERIA 223 W. Fifth St., New Albany IN, 949-2400. Troy Lancaster, the grandson of Southern Indiana catering king Tommy Lancaster, recalls the family’s culinary heritage with this family-friendly buffet-style cafeteria. $ L D

PICCADILLY CAFETERIA 2131 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 493-9900. An east end favorite for variety, Piccadilly offers roast beef, fried chicken, cod, steak and shrimp dinners, a gardener’s list of vegetables and a few ethnic dishes for global measure. $ L D

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

On the ground floor a 60-seat restaurant and 30seat lounge. On the second floor is the 70-seat Bard’s Town Theatre home to a resident troupe dedicated to producing new works from Kentucky playwrights and beyond, to other theatre, poetry and musical acts from around the country. There is food and beverage service, but it is not a dinner theater. $$ Br D hpfe DERBY DINNER PLAYHOUSE 525 Marriott Dr., Clarksville IN, 288-8281. The play’s the thing at Derby Dinner, Louisville’s long-running entry in the dinner-theater sweepstakes … but the expansive buffet dinner adds value to the mix. $$$$ L D pe HOWL AT THE MOON 434 S. Fourth St. (Fourth Street Live), 562-9400. What’ll they think of next?

How about a nightclub that features a “dueling” piano bar with two pianos and a sing-along concept? You’ll find this 4,000-square-foot club at Fourth Street Live on the ground level. $ D hpfe IMPROV COMEDY CLUB & WET WILLIE’S 441 S. Fourth St. (Fourth Street Live), 581-1332. The menu is no joke at this downtown club. Chow down on well-grilled steaks, fresh seafood and ribs that rank with the best in the city before the nationallyknown comedy acts start. $$$ L D hpf INCREDIBLE DAVE’S 9236 Westport Rd., 426-4790.

“Awesome dining, extreme fun, where family fun hits maximum overdrive” is the promise at this giant dining and entertainment venue. It’s not just for kids: an upscale menu in a signature dining room is at the center of it all. $$ L D hp JOE HUBER FAMILY FARM & RESTAURANT 2421 Scottsville Rd., Starlight IN, 923-5255. A pleasant 20-minute drive from downtown Louisville, Huber’s has built a solid reputation for simple farm fare that’s well-made, fresh and good. Some of the produce is grown on the premises in season. $$$ L D pf MY OLD KENTUCKY DINNER TRAIN 602 N. Third St., Bardstown KY, (502) 348-7300. Talk about a nostalgia trip: My Old Kentucky Dinner Train offers a four-course meal during a two-hour voyage along scenic Kentucky railroad tracks near Bardstown in vintage 1940s-era dining cars. Reservations are strongly recommended. $$$$ L D p

ANGILO’S PIZZA 1725 Berry Blvd., 368-1032. The local favorite is the steak hoagie, dripping with pizza sauce, pickles and onions. Angilo’s also offers a wide selection of hot pizza pies and cold beer. $$ L D ANGIO’S RESTAURANT 3731 Old Bardstown Rd., 451-5454. This small Buechel eatery attracts a friendly neighborhood crowd with hefty subs and quality pizzas, along with cold beer. $$ L D ANNIE’S PIZZA 2520 Portland Ave., 776-6400, 4771 Cane Run Rd., 449-4444. Annie’s has made-toorder pizza and a variety of stacked sandwiches such as the Big Daddy Strom with beef, Italian sausage, onions and banana peppers. $$ L D h ARNI’S PIZZA 1208 State St., New Albany IN, 9451149, 3700 Paoli Pike, Floyds Knobs IN, 923-9805.

A favorite Hoosier pizza and sandwich stop. Insist on getting the Deluxe. $$ L D h BEARNO’S PIZZA (13 locations) What began as a simple, family-run pizzeria near Bowman Field has morphed into a local chain with, at last count, 13 locations. $$ L D h

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

BONNIE & CLYDE’S PIZZA 7611 Dixie Hwy., 9355540. It may look like a dive that hasn’t been renovated in ages, the service can be surly at times, and you have to pay in cash, but devoted fans of its thin-crust pizzas and hoagies keep coming back and talk it up with their friends. $$ L D h BOOMBOZZ FAMOUS PIZZA 3400 Frankfort Ave., 896-9090. This handsome space at the corner of Frankfort and Cannons Lane is another idiosyncratic link in the Boombozz chain. The taphousestyle menu of pastas and sandwiches along with award-winning pies carves its own niche with bottled beer exclusively. $$ B Br L D hf BOOMBOZZ PIZZA BISTRO 12613 Taylorsville Rd., 261-0222. Boombozz wins praise for exceptionally high quality pizza and other quick Italian-style fare. Tony’s pizzas include both traditional pies and gourmet-style specialties that have won awards in national competition. $$ L D hp BOOMBOZZ PIZZA & TAP HOUSE 1448 Bardstown Rd., 458-8889, 1315 Herr Ln., 394-0000. The Boombozz Pizza empire has expanded in concept, and the menu now extends into appetizers, sandwiches and pasta, and 21 craft beers on tap. The Highlands location boasts one of the only “frost bars” in the area — a refrigerated rail designed to keep your brew cool. $$ L D hpf BORROMEO’S PIZZA 9417 Smyrna Pkwy., 9687743. Serving up old-school thin-crust pizzas to chowhounds south of the Gene Snyder. $$ L D h CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN 7900 Shelbyville Rd. (Oxmoor Mall), 425-5125. California pizza became a trend when famous chefs gave this simple Italian fare a multi-ethnic spin with non-traditional Pacific Rim toppings. CPK successfully translates this trend for the mass market. $$ L D pf CHARLESTOWN PIZZA COMPANY 850 Main St., Charlestown IN, 256-2699. This welcoming venue on Charlestown’s town square, a short trip upriver from Jeffersonville, is run by folks who learned their pizza and beer at New Albanian Brewing Company. That’s a fine pedigree, and it shows in impressive quality. $$ L D CHEEZY’S PIZZA 801 E. Market St., Jeffersonville IN 288-8500. Fans of the former Tubby’s Pizza and owner Tubby Muncy can smile again. He’s back in the kitchen in a little local pizza joint just east of downtown J’ville, serving up well crafted traditional pies whole or by the slice. $$ L D h CLIFTON’S PIZZA 2230 Frankfort Ave., 893-3730.

One of the originators of “Louisville style” of pizza, with additional toppings placed over the cheese.

The venerable Clifton’s Pizza appeals with its adult style, full of the bold flavors of herbs and spices and available with grown-up toppings like anchovies and artichoke hearts. $$ L D hpe COALS ARTISAN PIZZA 3730 Frankfort Ave., 7428200. The coal-fired oven bakes at 1000 degrees F, charring and crisping the crust in 4 minutes. The dough rises for three days, making for a lighter, more developed crust. Topping are fresh, regionallysourced, with specialty concepts. Look for local craft beers and house-made soups and salads in addition to pizzas. $$ L D hpf DANNY MAC’S PASTA & PIZZA 1567 S. Shelby St., 635-7994. $$ L D h DIORIO’S PIZZA & PUB 310 Wallace Ave., 618-3424.

The former Karem’s Deli location in St. Matthews finally has a new tenant, serving pizza by the slice, as well as a mammoth 30-inch pie. Also grilled sandwiches, salads, wings, and queso sticks, and a good selection of domestic and import beers, including some BBC brews. $$ L D hpf FX PIZZA 4865 Old Vincennes Rd., Floyds Knobs IN, 903-0086. The Newton brothers of Southern Indiana, veterans of the corporate chain pizza world, have named their own pizzeria after their

grandfather, Francis Xavier. In addition to handtossed thin-crust, New York-style pies, FX offers chicken wings and breadsticks, and its owners are planning a nine-hole miniature golf course. $$ L D FAT DADDY’S PIZZA 10619 Manslick Rd., 363-7551. $$ L D h FAT JIMMY’S 2712 Frankfort Ave., 891-4555, 2208 Bardstown Rd., 479-1040, 12216 Shelbyville Rd., 244-2500. This friendly neighborhood nook offers a cold mug of beer and a hot slice of pizza, along with sub sandwiches, pasta dishes and salads. The Lyndon spot lures a friendly biker crowd. $$ L D h FROLIO’S PIZZA 3799 Poplar Level Rd., 456-1000.

Just around the corner from the Louisville Zoo, Frolio’s is a neighborhood pizzeria with a cozy, dim Italian-American mood and an all-you-can-eat pizza-and-salad lunch special. $$ L D h HOMETOWN PIZZA 11804 Shelbyville Rd., 2454555. Pasta dishes, hoagies, stromboli and cold beer are available, and so is the one-of-a-kind Bacon Cheeseburger pizza. $$ L D h IROQUOIS PIZZA 6614 Manslick Rd., 363-3211. $$ L D h JOHNNY BRUSCO’S PIZZA 10600 Meeting St., 749-8400.

The Kansas City chain has opened its first location in Kentucky, in Norton Commons, offering New York style pies, subs, calzones, pasta and salads. $$ L D JOHNNY V’S 10509 Watterson Trail, 267-0900. $$ L D hp KENNA’S KORNER 4111 Murphy Ln., 426-8340. $$ L D he LITTLE CAESAR’S PIZZA (9 Locations) This Detroit-based pizzeria chain lost market share in the ’90s, but business analysts say the company known for its two-for-one “pizza pizza” deal has turned things around with a renewed commitment to quality and service. $$ L D h LOUISVILLE PIZZA CO. 3910 Ruckriegel Pkwy., 267-1188. Also known as Chubby Ray’s, this local pizzeria makes good, fresh pizzas and ItalianAmerican sandwiches. $$$ L D hpf LUIGI’S 712 W. Main St., 589-0005. If you think one pizza is pretty much like another, you may not have sampled New York City-style pizza, a treat that you’ll find on just about every street corner there, but only Luigi’s offers in its authentic form here. $$ L MA ZERELLAS 949 S. Indiana Ave., Sellersburg IN, 246-9517. Pleasant family-run-for-family-fun establishments. Pizza, pasta, salads and subs served for lunch and dinner seven days a week. $$ L D h MOZZAPI 1015 Bardstown Rd. The wood-fired pizza ovens on the popular food truck have found a permanent space in the lower Highlands. With the goal of “moving beyond the franchised and corporate pizza chains,” this family-run operation sources locally and keeps experimenting, trying to find the best balance of crust, sauce and topping flavors. $$ L D h

SERIOUSLY

GOOD

PIZZA, CALZONES

AND 110 BEERS. Since 1976, Old Chicago has been serving up fresh-made food, 110 beers from around the world and great times.

MR. GATTI’S 703 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 283-5005, 8594 Dixie Hwy., 935-0100, 1108 Lyndon Ln., 339-8338, 4200 Outer Loop, 964-0920.

This Austin-based chain was one of the first national pizzerias to reach Louisville in the 1970s, and quality ingredients — plus Gattiland playgrounds for the kids — have made its crisp, thin-crust pizzas a popular draw for nearly 30 years. $$ L D NEW ALBANIAN BREWING CO. 3312 Plaza Dr., New Albany IN, 944-2577. Touting “the best pizza in Southern Indiana” is quite a boast, but pizza only tells half of this tasty story. NABC combines the fine pies of Sportstime Pizza with the pub formerly known as Rich O’s. Publican Roger Baylor’s remarkable beer list, with more than 100 selections from around the world — plus locally brewed craft beers — has won international awards. A pizza like the famous “Herbivore” (spinach, sliced tomatoes and roasted garlic) makes a sizzling treat, with a world-class beer to wash it down. $$ L D h

h = Late Night p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music

Eat. Drink. Be Yourself.™

10601 FISCHER PARK DRIVE 502.657.5700 9010 TAYLORSVILLE ROAD 502.301.7700 www.facebook.com/foodanddine Spring 2012 67

OLD CHICAGO PASTA & PIZZA 9010 Taylorsville Rd., 301-7700, 10601 Fischer Park Dr., 657-5700.

This growing chain specializes in both thick Chicago-style and thin traditional pizza, plus an imposing list of 110 beers from around the world. $$ L D hp ORIGINAL IMPELLIZZERI’S 1381 Bardstown Rd., 454-2711, 4933 Brownsboro Rd., 425-9080, 110 W. Main St., 589-4900. Impellizzeri’s pizza, a Louisville icon known and loved for its massive pies for a generation, has opened a handsome new site near the new arena on Main, in addition to its Highlands and Brownsboro Road locations. $$$$ L D hpf PAPA JOHN’S PIZZA (30 locations) “Papa” John Schnatter got into the pizza game as a Southern Indiana high-school student in 1984 and has built his business into a 3,000-restaurant international chain on the basis of a simple formula: traditional pizza, made from quality ingredients in a straightforward style. $ L D h PAPA MURPHY’S PIZZA (11 Locations) $$ L D PAPALINOS 947 Baxter Ave., 749-8515, 337 W. Cardinal Blvd., 365-1505. After satisfying Highlands customers with his crispy-crust New York-style pizzas — specializing in premium, made in-house toppings — former restaurant chef turned pizza guy Allan Rosenberg has opened a second store, near U of L. The college trade can share his 18-inch pies, scarf down an oversized slice for a snack, or make a meal from the calzones, breadsticks and short list of salads and desserts. $ L D h PERFETTO PIZZA 9910 Linn Station Rd., 426-4644.

Located in the old Slice of NY space off S. Hurstbourne Parkway, Perfetto carries on the New York style tradition: pies by the slice, just like on Flatbush Avenue. Hand-tossed crust, all kinds of toppings, plus Italian sausage and meatball sandwiches. $$ L D

PIZZA KING 3825 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 945-4405, 1066 Kehoe Ln., Jeffersonville IN, 2828286. The pizza is baked in a sturdy, clay stone oven and hand-tossed with thinner crust where the ingredients go all the way to the edge. $$ L D PIZZA PLACE 2931 Richland Ave., 458-9700. $$ L D

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PUCCINI’S SMILING TEETH 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 721-0170. A small but growing pizza chain based in Indianapolis opens its first Louisville property on Shelbyville Road. Thin pizza by the slice and other Italian-American dishes are served in an attractive setting that’s a cut above fast food. $$ L D ROCKY’S SUB PUB 715 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville IN, 282-3844. Rocky’s is reinventing itself by going back to its roots. Gone is the “Italian Grill” appelaton, and back is the Sub Pub theme, along with a growing selection of craft and import beers and a select choice of Italian-American entrées. Go to enjoy a pizza, some baked ziti or chicken parmigiana, and some hoppy draft as you contemplate the Louisville skyline. Or call in for delivery to Jeffersonville, Clarksville or Louisville. $ L D hpf ROSIE’S PIZZA 13829 English Villa Dr., 244-2484.

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

Pizza, calzones, chicken and salads join the food choices in the Lyndon strip mall that also houses other ethnic restaurants. $$ L D hpf SICILIAN PIZZA & PASTA 629 S. Fourth St., 5898686. Ready for takeout or eat-in, this downtown storefront offers good, standard pizza and other familiar Italian-American dishes. $$ L D hf SIR DANO’S PIZZA PARLOR 496 N. Indiana Ave., Sellersburg IN, 246-3346. $$ L D hf

SNAPPY TOMATO 10000 Brownsboro Rd., 4126205. $$ L D SPINELLI’S PIZZERIA 614 Baxter Ave., 568-5665, 2905 Goose Creek Rd., 632-2832, 4001 Shelbyville Rd., 895-0755, 239 S. Fifth St., 749-0919. This locally-owned pizzeria, widely known for their massive pizza by the slice, has expanded into St. Matthews, and now downtown too. All four locations are open until 5 a.m. nightly Wednesday through Saturday, offering Philly-style pizza and real Philly cheese steaks. $ L D h STUDIO PIZZA 1401 Veterans Pkwy, Clarksville IN, 288-6600. Owner Steve Baldwin serves up Chicagostyle pie, calzones and other tipico Italiano fare, with a performance stage ready for pro performers or karaoke. $$ L D TONY IMPELLIZZERI’S 5170 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 949-3000. Long-time Louisville pizzamaker moves across the river to fill the cravings of Hoosiers. $$$ D UNCLE MADDIO’S PIZZA JOINT 2011 Grinstead Dr., 690-8871. Finally the attractive space at the corner of Bardstown Rd. and Grinstead is luring some commercial occupants. The first restaurant in there is a pizza concept from the guys behind Moe’s Southwest Grill. Order at the counter from a range of custom choices and your pizza gets delivered to your table. $$ L D VITO’S PIZZA 1919 S. Preston St., 634-1003. A little neighborhood pizza pub on the edge of Germantown has been serving up its signature pies to neighbors and commuters who pick up pies before they get on nearby I-65 to head home. $$ L D hp WICK’S PIZZA PARLOR 975 Baxter Ave., 458-1828, 2927 Goose Creek Rd., 327-9425, 12717 Shelbyville Rd., 213-9425, 225 State St., New Albany IN, 945-9425, 9700 Bluegrass Pkwy., (Ramada Plaza) 409-4267. Wick’s wins popularity with a welcoming mix of good pizza, a quality beer list and a friendly neighborhood feel at all five of its eateries. The pies are straightforward, made with ample toppings.

“The Big Wick” is a favorite. $$ L D hpfe ZA’S PIZZA 1573 Bardstown Rd., 454-4544. $$ L D hpf

ANOTHER PLACE SANDWICH SHOP 119 S. Seventh St., 589-4115. If you want to buy a car, go to a car dealer. To buy a carpet, patronize a carpet shop. And if you’ve got a sandwich on your to-do list, it makes sense to go to a sandwich shop. $ L BABY D’S BAGELS & DELI 2009 Highland Ave., 365-3354. This new Highlands deli serves steamed bagel sandwiches and wraps, made with housesmoked and roasted meats. Look for funky sandwich names and desserts such as chocolatecovered bacon. Open for breakfast and lunch every day and late-night Thursday-Saturday. $ B L D h BACKYARD BURGER 1800 Priority Way, 240-9945.

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

Sandwiches, fresh salads, fruit cobblers and oldfashioned hand-dipped milkshakes enhance the nostalgic theme. $ L D BRIAN’S DELI 531 S. Fourth St., 561-0098. Between Chestnut Street and Muhammad Ail Boulevard, Brian’s services the downtown lunch crowd with soup, salads, sandwiches and snacks. $ L f BURGER BOY 1450 S. Brook, 635-7410. For a real slice of Louisville life, this weathered greasy spoon at the corner of Brook and Burnett is the real thing.

Neighborhood denizens drink coffee and chow down on burgers and breakfast until the wee hours (the joint is open 24 hours). If Louisville is home to a budding Charles Bukowski, there’s a good chance he’s sitting at their counter right now, recovering from last night’s excesses. $ B L D h 68 Spring 2012 www.foodanddine.com

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

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

but growing local chain, founded by Steve and Jill Mazzoni and their friend Jason McCune, specializes in health and nutrition supplements and vitamins. $ B L D

CALISTOGA ARTISAN SANDWICHES 4000 Dutchmans Ln., 895-3779. “Papa” John Schnatter, founder of the worldwide pizza chain that bears his name, is taking another shot at the fast-food world with the more upscale Calistoga Artisan Sandwiches that some have likened to Panera Bread. $ B L D f

HONEYBAKED CAFÉ 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 8956001, 6423 Bardstown Rd., 239-9292, 3602 Northgate Crt., New Albany IN, 941-9426. Before holidays, you go in and carry out huge spiralsliced hams or turkey breasts or beef roasts for your own parties. In the off season, you sit down in the cafe and order generous, filling sandwiches made from those same meats, served on rolls or croissants, cold or with a hot cheese melt. Soup and salads too. And cookies. $ L D

CAT BOX DELI 500 W. Jefferson St., 561-6259. The name of this cozy downtown deli in the PNC Bank building might warrant a double-take, but its feline theme and kitty cartoons earn a smile. Open for breakfast and lunch, it offers a good selection of sandwiches, panini and wraps at budget prices. $ L

JASON’S DELI 410 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 412-4101, 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 896-0150, 1975 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 493-4130. Don’t look for a New York kosherstyle deli at this Texas-based chain, but suburbanites are lining up at its multiple locations for oversize sandwiches, salads, wraps and more. $ L D f

CHICAGO GYROS 2317 Brownsboro Rd., 895-3270.

Gyros, of course, and substantial ones, traditional beef and lamb, chicken, BBQ chicken and even vegetarian. But Philly steak sandwiches too, and catfish sandwiches, Chicago style hot dogs and burgers. Chicken wings, hummus, Greek salads as well. And, they deliver. $ L D

JERSEY MIKE’S SUBS AND SALADS 10266 Shelbyville Rd., 244-1991, 10519 Fischer Park Dr., 425-1025, 9156 Taylorsville Rd., 499-9830. East Coast-style sub shop with local faves that includes cheese, ham, prosciuttini, capicola, salami, pepperoni and fixings. $ L D

CAFÉ PALACIO 4010 Dupont Circle, 708-1818.

Serving lunch to workers in Dupont area five days a week. $ B L

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. $ B L DEVINO’S 104 W. Main St., 569-3939. This stylish deli offers another lunch and dinner option downtown. Sandwiches are made from quality Boar’s Head meats and cheeses cut on the premises, with dining inside and on the patio; package beer and wine is also available. $ L D f DIZZY WHIZZ DRIVE-IN 217 W. St. Catherine St., 5833828. This neighborhood eatery is an institution. It goes back more than 50 years and hasn’t changed much. It opens early and stays open late and offers good value for what you’d expect. $ L D hf DOOLEY’S BAGELCATESSEN 2415 Lime Kiln Ln., 426-3354. This convenient deli specializes in bagels, as the name implies. Breakfast means fresh bagels with an array of cream cheese, sausage, eggs and coffee. At lunchtime lines form for sandwiches — subs, panini, wraps, hot melts and cold cuts. $ B L EINSTEIN BROTHERS BAGELS 320 W. Jefferson St., (Hyatt Regency) 217-6046. Nothing beats a bagel and a schmear of cream cheese — unless it’s a bagel, a schmear, and a generous slab of lox. For those who don’t live on bagels, a good selection of soups, salads and sandwiches offer quick sustenance at this branch of the national chain. $ B L f THE FEED BAG DELI 133 Breckenridge Ln., 8961899. The grilled salmon burger is worth the visit, as well as the Triple Crown wrap with three meats or a fresh veggie wrap. Soups, desserts top off the lunch-only schedule. $ L FIREHOUSE SUBS 215 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 3653473. Another national chain joins the party on S. Hurstbourne, this one touting the fact that they steam their meat and cheese sandwiches. Specialty subs carry out the Firehouse theme and the kids meals include a little fire helmet. $ L D FRASCELLI’S NEW YORK DELI & PIZZERIA 6010 Crestwood Station, 243-9005. This Oldham County shop offers Italian-style deli sandwiches and pizza, plus home-style Italian hot dishes from lasagna to baked ziti. $ L D hf GREAT LIFE CAFÉ 9565 Taylorsville Rd., 297-8807, 9463 Westport Rd., 420-0707, 951 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 284-5624. This small

JIMMY JOHN’S SUB SHOP 976 Baxter Ave., 5870550, 4000 Shelbyville Rd., 894-3331, 3901 Dutchmans Ln., 894-9393, 415 W. Jefferson St., 625-7101, 301 E. Market St., 587-7888, 1321 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 425-4515, 3001 Charlestown Crossing Way, New Albany IN. 725-8580, 1116 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 288-6700, 12903 Shelbyville Rd., 384-8884, 341 W. Cardinal Blvd., 634-3334. This national sandwich-shop chain offers a wide selection of over stuffed subs that benefit from fresh quality ingredients. But what sets them apart from the rest is their value — and they deliver. $ L D f JOE DAVOLA’S 901 Barret Ave., 690-5377. Near the government center in the lower Highlands, this popular sandwich shop features healthful choices for lunch. $ L LENNY’S SUB SHOP 3942 Taylorsville Rd., 4547831. Another semi-national chain, covering mostly the South and Midwest, brings a selection of familiar subs, sandwiches and salads to Louisville diners eager for more standardized semifast food. $ L D f LONNIE’S BEST TASTE OF CHICAGO 121 St. Matthews Ave., 895-2380. This appetizing operation offers genuine Chicago hot dogs and a taste of Chicago atmosphere for a price that won’t hurt your wallet. Make Lonnie’s the place to go when you’ve got a hankering for Windy City fare. $ L D f LOTSA PASTA 3717 Lexington Rd., 896-6361. A Louisville pioneer in gourmet cheeses, oils, dips, hummus and, of course, pasta. They are mainly an eclectic specialty-food store but fans stand threedeep at the sandwich counter every afternoon. And next door is a comfortable place to have coffee and pastry or to eat your sandwich. $ L D f LUNCH TODAY 590 Missouri Ave., Jeffersonville IN, 282-1005. This outfit prepares its share of the soups, salads and sandwiches that the downtown workforce needs to re-energize. $ L MAIN EATERY 643 W. Main St., 589-3354. Smack dab in the middle of the Main Street historic district, this fashionable deli lures the savvy business midday crowd. $ L MCALISTER’S DELI 10041 Forest Green Blvd., 4258900, 2721 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 671-2424, 2400 Lime Kiln Ln., 339-8544, 6510 Bardstown Rd., 2399997, 12911 Shelbyville Rd., 244-5133, 1305 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 282-3354, 1200 S. Floyd St. (U of L), 825-2285, 4677 Outer Loop, 969-3328, 980

h = Late Night p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music

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Breckenridge Ln., 895-1698. Emphasizing quality customer service, this delicatessen ladles up such soups as gumbo and chicken tortilla along with cutting board favorites. They have a special way with a tumbler of sweet iced tea. $ L D MORRIS DELI & CATERING 2228 Taylorsville Rd., 458-1668, 555 S. Second St. (YMCA building), 5872353. Many locals still know this small, popular Highlands deli as Karem Deeb’s after its longtime previous owner. Mostly for takeout — it packs in a few crowded tables — it’s known for high-quality, hand-made deli fare. A second location is now open in the YMCA downtown. $ L NANCY’S BAGEL BOX 651 S. Fourth St., 589-4004.

An outpost of Nancy’s Bagel Grounds in Clifton, this little outlet, inside Theater Square Marketplace, offers a similar mix of light fare and Nancy’s unique take on the bagel. $ B L NANCY’S BAGEL GROUNDS 2101 Frankfort Ave., 895-8323. A friendly and casual neighborhood gathering spot. Offerings include soups, snacks, coffee drinks and bagels made on the premises to its own rather idiosyncratic formula. $ B L f OLLIE’S TROLLEY 978 S. Third St., 583-5214. A little piece of fast-food history remains on an urban street corner in Old Louisville. It’s one of the nation’s few surviving trolleys of the Louisvillebased chain that spread across the nation in the ’70s. Oversize burgers with a spicy, homemade flavor are just as good as ever. $ L PANERA BREAD CO. 7900 Shelbyville Rd. (Oxmoor Mall), 899-9992, 6221 Dutchmans Ln., 895-9991, 601 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 423-7343, 10451 Champion Farms Dr., 426-2134, 3131 Poplar Level Rd., 635-9164, 1040 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 288-9400, 400 W. Market St., 540-5250, 1801 Rudy Ln., 710-0297, 1534 Bardstown Rd., 459-8160.

Warm breads finish-baked on the premises make a tasty base for a variety of sandwiches. Soups, salads, coffee drinks and a free WiFi hotspot make Panera’s outlets popular gathering places. $ B L D f THE PBJ SHOP 440 S. Third St., 439-8443. Yep, it’s all peanut butter and jelly, plain or snazzy, with honey or banana slices or bacon strips or a slab of bologna. A choice of jelly flavors and breads, of course, or you can forgo the bread and have your PB on apple slices or celery. And, they cater! $ B L PAUL’S FRUIT MARKET 3922 Chenoweth Sq., 8968918, 4946 Brownsboro Rd., 426-5070, 12119 Shelbyville Rd., 253-0072, 3704 Taylorsville Rd., 456-4750. One of Louisville’s popular sources for produce, cheeses, deli items, and the like. Deli sandwiches and salads are available (takeout only). $ L D PENN STATION (17 Locations). Billed as the East Coast Sub Headquarters, this sandwich kitchen does a brisk business here in the Louisville area. $ L D POTBELLY SANDWICH SHOP 302 S. Fourth St., 5401100. Downtown lunch goers have a new sandwich choice in this Chicago-based chain that is now franchising. The Fourth and Jefferson St. location is run by two escapees from the financial services world who depended on Chicago Potbelly sandwiches to get them through grueling trading sessions. $ L D QUIZNO’S SUBS (7 locations) Toasted breads, a sandwich selection of meats, veggies and fish are built to fight hunger. Fresh soups are available daily, from chili to chowder; so are salads and desserts. $ L RED’S COMFORT FOOD 514 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 587-7337. Across from Louisville Gardens, “Red” offers gourmet wieners and sausages, chicken barbecue topped with coleslaw and vegetarian side dishes, many made with locally sourced products.

Red closes for the winter, though, so his fans have to wait til spring. $ L f SAE CAFÉ 200 S. Seventh St., 585-3400. This spunky new downtown breakfast and lunch place has goals of serving more healthful — and tasty — choices.

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Muffins and other breakfast pastries are by Najla’s, a Louisville baker that uses no trans-fats, corn syrup or preservatives. The sandwiches have clever names — Angry Bob, Hail to the Chief, Mexi Mama wrap and the Knuckle sandwich — and there are also salads and daily soup specials. $ B L SCHLOTZSKY’S DELI 10531 Fischer Park Dr., 4258447. The original Schlotzsky’s offered just one kind of sandwich — “The Original” — when it opened its first eatery in Austin, Texas, in 1971.

Now this national chain vends a full selection of deli-style fare, with one significant improvement on the traditional deli: the servers are invariably polite. $ B L D f SCOTTY’S VILLAGE MARKET 10640 Meeting St., 384-6338. A grocery store and deli joins the retail mix at Norton Commons. In keeping with the Village theme, the store will evoke the feel and ambience of the old local grocery, in addition to doing on-site baking, smoking meats, and offering full to-go dinners. $ L D f SHADY LANE CAFÉ 4806 Brownsboro Center, 8935118. Another attractive East End storefront, Shady Lane Café, has been earning good reviews for simple breakfast and lunch fare served in friendly surroundings. $ Br L f SOUPY’S 3019 Breckenridge Ln., 451-5325. In the soup kettles you will find such classics as cheesy potato, bean and ham, broccoli and cheese, chicken and dumplings and more. At the cutting board they’ll make your meat, cheese and veggie sandwiches according to your custom design. $ L D THE STARVING ARTIST CAFÉ & DELI 8034 New Lagrange Rd., 412-1599. $ L STEVENS & STEVENS 1114 Bardstown Rd., 5843354. This authentic New York-style deli occupies the rear third of the Ditto’s space in the heart of the Highlands. Take out or eat in one of the booths, you’ll get piled-high pastrami, brisket and corned beef and you’ll love lox and a schmear on your bagel — even if you don’t know what a schmear is. $ L SUB STATION II 3101 Fern Valley Rd., 964-1075.

The hardy No. 19, a six-meat-and-cheese super sub, keeps the store buzzing. An array of sandwiches, salad sides and desserts fill out an appetizing lunch menu. $ L D TC’S SANDWICH SHOPPE 438 W. Market St., 5819200. $ L 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. $ L D f THORNBERRY’S DELI & PIES 5103 S. Third St., 367-8394. $ L W.W. COUSINS RESTAURANT 900 Dupont Rd., 897-9684. This locally owned and operated eatery looks a lot like the national Fuddruckers chain, but the local boys do a better job, with huge burgers on magisterial home-baked buns and a Metropolitan Museum of toppings. $ L D h WALL ST. DELI 225 Abraham Flexner Way (Jewish Hospital) 585-4202. Offering New York style with Kentucky flair, this busy downtown deli will serve in-house diners or take orders for deliveries.

Authentic Nathan’s Hot Dogs are a specialty. $ L D

B3Q BBQ 8271 State Rd. 64, Georgetown IN, 9513900. Ribs, pulled pork and beef brisket, served up as sandwiches, wraps or platters. Also, smoked baloney and chicken, smoked turkey and sirloin tips, and plenty of side choices. Carry out and catering only. $ L D f

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

Bootleg Barbecue offers a touch of rusticity and a good helping of country hospitality, as it dishes out hearty portions of well-prepared and affordable smoked meats and fixin’s. It’s one of the few places in Louisville where you can get Western Kentuckystyle mutton barbecue. $ L D f BRANDON’S BAR-B-QUE 9901 LaGrange Rd., 426-6666.

Featuring hickory-smoked Tennessee-style barbecue sandwiches and filling, affordable dinners. $ L D DERBY CITY BBQ AND CATERING 2932 S. Fourth St., 690-4204. $ L D DUVALLE GRUB-N-SCRUB 3501 Cane Run Rd., 7721277. Pull into this Shively carwash and get some Boss Hog’s BBQ while the boys detail your wheels.

Ribs and rib tips, chicken wings, hamburgers, pulled pork and chicken, milk shakes, and soft serve cones. $ L D FAMOUS DAVE’S BAR-B-QUE 8605 Citadel Way, 493-2812, 1360 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 282-3283. This franchise chain operation may be based in the twin cities, but it looks like a Georgia gas station with its exuberant, if tongue-in-cheek faux country decor. The important thing, though, is the food, and Dave’s excels with genuine, hickory-smoked barbecue. $$ L D hpf FIRE FRESH BBQ 211 S. Fifth St., 540-1171, 8610 Dixie Hwy., 995-7585. Fire fighters, it is said, eat heartily and well. It’s no coincidence, then, that FireFresh Bar B Q pays homage to local fire departments in its restaurant’s decor. The barbecue and country fixin’s stand comparison to the best firehouse cuisine. $ L D FRANKFORT AVENUE BEER DEPOT 3204 Frankfort Ave., 895-3223. A neighborhood bar that welcomes all comers with some of the most notable ’cue in town. The burgoo and the baked beans rank as some of the best in the city and the pulled pork by the pound is value worth taking home. $ L D pf HARLEY’S HARDWOODZ BAR-B-Q 1703 CharlestownNew Albany Pk., Jeffersonville IN, 284-4490. Owner Frank Harley said “I found my calling, which is barbecue.” He smokes up barbecue pork, chicken and brisket, marinated in Harley’s own barbecue sauce.

A menu specialty: smoked chicken white chili. $ L D JIMBO’S BBQ 801 Kenwood Dr., 375-1888. This South End barbecue shack, an outpost of a popular spot in Corydon, IN, offers a fine range of barbecue meats skillfully smoked on the premises, with sauce served on the side as it should be. $ L D f JUCY’S SMOKEHOUSE BAR-B-QUE 7626 New Lagrange Rd., 241-5829. Jucy’s offers exceptionally good Texas-style barbecue from a little wooden shack that looks just like a country BBQ joint should. Highly recommended. $$ L D f MARK’S FEED STORE 11422 Shelbyville Rd., 2440140, 1514 Bardstown Rd., 458-1570, 10316 Dixie Hwy., 933-7707, 3827 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 285-1998. Mark Erwin started this chain in an old Hancock’s Feed Store. Today, Mark’s routinely takes local honors for its sauces, sandwiches and its meaty baby-back ribs. And don’t miss the smoked take-home turkeys at Thanksgiving. $$ L D h f OLE HICKORY PIT BAR-B-QUE 6106 Shepherdsville Rd., 968-0585. Located in an attractive house not far from General Electric’s Appliance Park, this Louisville relative of a famous Western Kentucky barbecue pit is well worth the trip. $ L D f PIT STOP BAR-B-QUE 13303 Magisterial Dr., 2536740. This familiar old local brand, long a downtown fixture, now offers its smoky Texas barbecue in an East End industrial park just off the Gene Snyder Freeway and Old Henry Road. $ L D RITE WAY BAR-B-CUE HOUSE 1548 W. St. Catherine St., 584-9385. Open since 1943, this West End landmark in a one-time neighborhood grocery,

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

offers exceptional urban barbecue, including ribs that rank with the city’s best. $ L D RIVER ROAD BBQ 3017 River Rd., 592-7065. Right next to the Water Tower, this little take-out only place smokes brisket and pork: some days one sells out, on other days the other. Winter hours are 116 or until the meat runs out. Potato salad, slaw and drinks. Buy it by sandwich or by the pound. $ L D RUBBIE’S SOUTHSIDE GRILL & BAR 6905 Southside Dr., 367-0007. This South End family knows how to do BBQ. It may be off the beaten path for some folks but here you’ll find the bounty of secret BBQ recipes. $ L D hpfe SCOTTY’S RIBS AND MORE 14049 Shelbyville Rd., 244-6868. Ribs, pork, chicken a la carte and dinners. The small East End venue moves a lot of pizzas and salads as well. $$ L D hp SHACK IN THE BACK BBQ 406 Mt. Holly Rd., 3633227. This Fairdale institution since 2004 smokes and serves slow-smoked pulled pork, brisket, ribs and a dozen sides (including Nanny’s potato salad) from an 1896 log house. House specialty is hickory-grilled steaks on Friday and Saturday nights. $ L D fe SHANE’S RIB SHACK 2420 Lime Kiln Ln., 429-3907.

“Rib” may be its middle name, but you can also fill up on wings, chicken tenders, sandwiches and more at this growing Atlanta-based chain, now open in this former Tijuana Flats facility. $$ L D f SMOKEHOUSE BBQ 5414 Bardstown Rd., 239-4422.

A new smokery on Bardstown Road just past Hurstbourne offers baby back and spare ribs, pulled pork, brisket, chicken and burgers, along with home-cooked sides like collard greens, sweet potato fries and onion loaf. Finish off with a coconut cream pie or chocolate cobbler. $$ L D p SMOKETOWN USA 1153 Logan St., 409-9180. The name “Smoketown” does double-duty at this TexMex storefront just east of Old Louisville in the Smoketown neighborhood. Ribs are juicy and smoky; the pinto beans and the Blue Bunny ice cream from Texas are not to be missed. $$ L D f

BROWNIE’S THE SHED GRILLE & BAR 237 Whittington Pkwy., 326-9830. Restaurant owner and namesake Keith Brown used to host neighborhood gatherings in a shed at his home. Now he brings the same sociable concept to his pub and eatery. Louisville’s official home for Cincy Bengals fans, Brownie’s may be the closest thing Hurstbourne has to a Germantown neighborhood saloon. $ L D hpfe BUFFALO WILD WINGS (BW-3’S) 6801 Dixie Hwy., 935-1997, 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 899-7732, 9134 Taylorsville Rd., 499-2356, 3584 Springhurst Blvd., 394-9596, 12901 Shelbyville Rd., 254-9464, 1055 Bardstown Rd., 454-3635, 1112 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 283-9464. As much a sports bar as a restaurant, this national franchise chain offers tasty snack-type fare, including the chain’s trademark Buffalo chicken wings. $$ L D hpf BUFFALO WINGS & RINGS 2610 Chamberlain Ln., 243-4464. $ L D hpf BUNGALOW JOE’S BAR & GRILL 7813 Beulah Church Rd., 931-5637. A “family friendly sports bar and grill” in the Fern Creek area sports 23 HDTVs including a 5- by 7-foot HD projector for 3D football viewing. A game room for kids, and plenty of wings, shrimp, burgers and beer. $$ L D hpfe

habanero-based sauce that has a legit name. Also breaded and grilled tenders, chicken sandwiches, appetizers and salads. $ L D hpf CORNER DOOR BAR & GRILL 2222 Dundee Rd., 708-2885. This Douglass Loop spot features craft brews on tap, a tasteful selection of wine, and reasonably priced food, including the signature Zip Burger and ribbon fries. The Facebook page also boasts “the best-looking bartenders and wait staff in the Highlands.” $ L D hpfe DIAMOND PUB & BILLIARDS 3814 Frankfort Ave., 895-7513. $ L D hpfe DRAKE’S 3939 Shelbyville Rd., 614-7327, 3921 Summit Plaza Dr.,384-3921. Lexington-based Bluegrass Hospitality Group now has two Louisville outlets, the first in the old Burdorf’s building in St. Matthews and the second at The Summit. Twenty-four craft beers on tap to wash down the traditional pub grub of tacos, ribs and — these days — sushi. Familyfriendly by day and a hoppin’ spot at night, with music videos and a DJ. $$ L D hpf FLANAGAN’S ALE HOUSE 934 Baxter Ave., 585-3700.

Gourmet pizzas, hoagies, and an enormous beer selection draw Highlands folks to this cozy neighborhood pub. For a late night pizza (the kitchen’s open until 2 a.m.), it’s one of the best options in the city. $$ L D hpf

CHAMPIONS SPORTS BAR AND GRILL 280 W. Jefferson St. (Louisville Marriott), 6714246. Another popular option at the striking new downtown Marriott, Champions provides a fun, casual dining alternative with a Kentucky sports theme — and a gallery of big-screen televisions to keep the sports action flowing as freely as the libations and upscale pub grub. $$ L D hp

FOUR KINGS CAFÉ 4642 Jennings Ln., 968-2930.

Steam-table service featuring spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna and chicken attract a hungry lunch crowd at this casual spot, and brunch specialties are just as popular. $ L D p

CLUCKERS WINGS 4308 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 944-8100, 100 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville IN, 590-3662, 313 W. Cardinal Blvd., 365-1665. At this growing chain, you can get your wings doused in an array of sauces, from honey barbecue to spicy garlic barbecue to sweet Thai chili to inferno — a

FOX & HOUND 302 Bullitt Ln., 394-7620. A “British pub” concept operated by a Wichita, Kansas-based chain, Fox & Hound features a “mid-casual” menu with burgers, pizza, chicken and pot roast, in a large venue with plenty of billiard tables and an ample supply of large-screen televisions. $$ L D hpfe

SMOKEY BONES BBQ 2525 Hurstbourne Gem Ln., 491-7570. A property of Orlando’s Darden fastfood chain, which also runs Olive Garden and Red Lobster, this noisy Stony Brook-area eatery conveys more of a sports-bar than barbecue concept, but the ribs are fine. $$ L D hp TEXICANS BBQ PIT 6608 Hwy. 146, Crestwood. 2419227. A small, neighborhood place just off I-71 in Crestwood pleases fans with standard barbecue fare — pulled pork, brisket and ribs — as well as smoked sausage, chicken and boneless chops.

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

BAXTER’S 942 BAR & GRILL 942 Baxter Ave., 4099422. The latest addition to the Baxter corridor, open after a long renovation, offers bar food, luring both rockers and good ol’ boys with a combination of rock and country and western in its music plan. $ L D hpfe BEEF O’BRADY’S 241 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 254-2322, 5628 Bardstown Rd., 239-2226, 3101 S. Second St., 637-3737, 105 LaFollette Ct., 923-1316, 1450 Veterans Pkwy., Jeffersonville IN, 285-9464, 5501 Valley Station Rd., 933-5919, 11324 Preston Hwy., 966-8515. If you think your basic sports pub is only suitable for guys guzzling beer, take another look: Beef O’Brady’s puts the “family” in “family sports pub,” offering a wholesome environment. $ L D hf BIG AL’S BEERITAVILLE 1715 Mellwood Ave., 8934487. Good people, good food, cold beer: The sign out front says it all, and we might add “cool atmosphere” in praise of this small but friendly Butchertown oasis. $ L D hpf

h = Late Night p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music

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

A popular St. Matthews neighborhood tavern since 1924. Although dining is secondary to booze and sports here, the food goes well beyond mere pub grub. $ L D hpfe GRANVILLE INN 1601 S. Third St., 637-9128. A longtime gathering place for U of L students, faculty and fans, this sturdy redbrick tavern just north of the university campus offers a good variety of bar munchies, sandwiches and simple grilled fare plus pizza. It’s perhaps best known, though, for the signature Granville Burger, widely reputed as one of the best burgers in town. $ L D hp GREAT AMERICAN GRILL 2735 Crittenden Dr. (Hilton), 637-2424. Located in the Louisville International Airport Hilton. Salads, burgers, pastas and sandwiches are available for the casual diner; main entrées include New York strip, filet of salmon and more. $ Br D pf HILLTOP TAVERN 1800 Frankfort Ave., 742-2908.

The Skelton brothers (John is an alum of Seviche) have taken over this prime Clifton location, once the original location of Cafe Lou Lou. Their tavern fare is focused on barbecue, with pulled pork and beer-butt chicken specialties, along with hefty sandwiches (their meatloaf is a standout). $ D hp HITCHING POST INN 7314 Fegenbush Ln., 2394724. In addition to its full bar and beer garden, and lively conversation, the Hitching Post Inn offers an array of pub grub, including burgers, chicken tenders, and sandwiches. $ L D hpf HOOPS GRILL AND SPORTS BAR 6733 Strawberry Ln., 375-4667. The name says it all: sports, casual dining and good things to drink all find their natural meeting place at this friendly neighborhood spot where hot wings and hoops reign supreme. $ L D hpf JERSEY’S CAFÉ 1515 Lynch Ln., Clarksville IN, 2882100. Quality, affordable fare that goes well beyond pub grub to include an awesome smokehouse burger and barbecued ribs so tender, they say, that you can just tap the end of the bone on your plate, and the meat falls off. $ L D hpf JOHN O’BRYAN’S TAVERN 4123 Flintlock Dr., 4494940. $ B L D THE LIGHTHOUSE 202 Main St., Jeffersonville IN, 283-0077. This lighthouse has been a beacon of casual, home cooking and tavern environment for years. Daily specials, appetizers, chicken and fish baskets, salads and desserts round out the menu. $ L D pe MAIN ST. TAVERN 122 W. Main St., 384-0151. Longstanding blues bar Zena’s closed, but fans were relieved when the funky downtown space was reopened by the owners of Amici in Old Louisville, who continue to offer great music and even better bar food. $ L D hpe MIKE’S TAVERN 3521 Paoli Pike, Floyds Knobs IN, 945-8915. A tavern that serves a full breakfast — eggs, bacon, hotcakes. For lunch, a varied 1/2-pound burger menu — jalapeno burger, bacon burger, mushroom burger — plus a 2-pounder that is free if it can be eaten in 60 minutes. Breakfast or lunch served anytime. $ L p NEW DIRECTION BAR & GRILL 2630 Chamberlain Ln., 243-8429. $ L D hpfe ROOTIE’S SPORTS BAR & GRILLE 12205 Westport Rd., 365-4681. The first entry of the Buffalo-based chain to open in the area. Rootie’s angle is charcoalgrilled wings with a thick, hickory-smoked spicy sauce. $ L D hpf RUMBALL’S FAMILY SPORTS BAR 5901 Terry Rd., 365-2781. A family-centered sports bar, with a welcome focus on scratch cooking (the chicken strips are cut in-house from actual chicken breasts) with a “Little League Menu” to appeal to the small

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fry. Along with wraps and salads, the regulars like the deep-fried burger. $$ L D hpf SAINT’S 131 Breckinridge Ln., 891-8883. Almost like two restaurants in one, Saints features both a small, intimate, candle-lighted room and a larger, happily boisterous main room with the look and feel of a sports bar. $$ L D hpfe SERGIO’S WORLD BEERS 1605 Story Ave., 618-2337.

Despite minimal signage, Sergio’s Butchertown digs pull in his fans, who dig the quirky website, and the whole aura of haughty mystery. What you really need when you locate the place is a desire to explore Sergio’s world beer inventory, nearing 1000 different brews. $$ D h THE SPORTING NEWS GRILL 6551 Paramont Park Dr. (Holiday Inn), 966-0000. Just what you want in a sports bar: seven 52-inch screens, subscriptions to all the pro and college sports networks, and hearty appetizers, Angus burgers, steaks, shrimp and salmon. $$$ L D hpf THE SPORTS & SOCIAL CLUB 427 S. Fourth St., (Fourth Street Live) 568-1400. This Cordish-owned spot has four bars — including one that opens out onto the street — plenty of TVs to catch every game, and even a “stadium style sports media room.”

Chow down with the usual burgers, sandwiches and wings. $$ L D hpf SPRING STREET BAR & GRILL 300 S. Spring St., 584-6630. A classic American bar and grill, open late on weekends, dispensing cold beer, burgers, sandwiches and good cheer in a friendly atmosphere.

The decor includes a collection of old bicycles hanging from the ceiling, and amenities include several video games and pool tables. $$ L D hp SULLY’S SALOON 434 S. Fourth St., (Fourth Street Live) 585-4100. $$ L D hpfe THE BACK DOOR 1250 Bardstown Rd., (Mid City Mall) 451-0659. You need a bit of perseverance to track down this saloon on the back side of Mid-City Mall. When you do, you will find one of the city’s friendliest pubs, with a reputation for the best pour of drinks around. Limited bar fare, but don’t miss the chicken wings. $ D hpf TROLL PUB UNDER THE BRIDGE 150 W. Washington St., 618-4829. On the downslope alongside the Clark Memorial Bridge, a large troll beckons the adventurous into the newest addition to the Whiskey Row. Excavated out of the lost space in the old whiskey warehouse, the renovation boasts lots of dark, brink-walled spaces, as well as a funky outdoor dining area in the lightwell. The menu offers stacked sandwiches, bison burgers and sweet potato tots, and ribeye steaks. $$ L D hpf VIC’S CAFÉ 1839 E. Market St., New Albany IN, 9444338. $ L D ZANZABAR 2100 S. Preston St., 635-9227. An icon of the ’70s bar scene, the Zbar has resurrected itself at its original location in Germantown. The stylish tile front has been recreated anew, and chef Jack Tapp is pushing the envelope on bar food, with items such as pulled pork smoked on site, sesame seed-crusted tuna salad, and peppercorn-crusted rib eye. “Pub grub” like this and top-flight live music is satisfying oldtimers and the newly hip late into the night. $ L D hpfe

brewing empire has sharpened into Belgian-style bistro cuisine. Mussels and frites will always be available, and croques monsieurs et madames to go with the exceptional beer brewed on the premises. $$ L D pf BLUEGRASS BREWING COMPANY 3929 Shelbyville Rd., 899-7070, 636 E. Main St., 584-2739, 660 S. Fourth St., 568-2224, 300 W. Main St., 562-0007.

More than just a brewpub. BBC’s management gives equally serious attention to both cooking and brewing, making this a great place to stop in for both dinner and a beer. Now serving at a third restaurant site near the new arena. $$ L D hpfe CUMBERLAND BREWS 1576 Bardstown Rd., 4588727. Giving new meaning to the term “microbrewery,” Cumberland Brews may be one of the smallest eateries in town. It’s usually packed, earning its crowds the old-fashioned way by providing very good food, friendly service, and high-quality handcrafted artisan beers. $ L D hf NEW ALBANIAN BREWING CO. 3312 Plaza Dr., New Albany, IN, 944-2577. (See review under Pizza.)

ADDIS GRILL 109 S. Fourth St., 581-1011. The signage of this downtown ethnic eatery promises “Mediterranean & Ethiopian Cuisine,” but the menu offers mostly Mediterranean standbys — kabobs, hummus, baba ghannouj, dolmades, tabbouleh. $ L D h AL NUUR 2933 S. Fourth St., 210-7623. Another outlet for Arabian food, but one that goes beyond the usual. You can find long-braised lamb shank and roasted goat, as well as shish kebabs, fish and spaghetti. Take out or eat in. $ L D BELA’S CAFÉ 2933 S. Fourth St., 681-4909. This little Somali cafe caters mostly to the Muslim community settling in around Churchill Downs, offering cheap, filling, and interestingly spiced foods such as sambusas and nafaqo — a hardboiled egg in a crust of potato and ground beef, a kind of African Scotch egg.$ L D CHEZ SENEBA AFRICAN RESTAURANT 4218 Bishop Ln., 473-8959. Offering another interesting ethnic cuisine to Louisville’s international dining scene, with generous portions of spicy Senegalese cuisine from West Africa. $ L D h MAA SHA ALLAH 4113 Bardstown Rd., 491-3152.

The name is an Arabic blessing or expression of joy, meaning “Whatever Allah wants to give.” This little Buechel storefront is another example of the entrepreneurial spirit of recent immigrants, in this case from Senegal and Sierra Leone. The menu is African, the ambiance modest, the food spicy and tasty. $$ L D QUEEN OF SHEBA ETHIOPIAN 2804 Taylorsville Rd., 459-6301. This authentic Ethiopian restaurant offers a wide selection of intriguing Ethiopian dishes, including a variety of vegetarian selections as well as the traditional beef and chicken specialties. Ethiopian fare is made for sharing and eating with the fingers, but they’ll gladly make forks available for the finicky. $ L D

A TASTE OF CHINA 1167 S. Fourth St., 585-5582. $ L D AGAINST THE GRAIN BREWERY 401 E. Main St., 515-0174. Slugger Field once again has a beer-pub.

The owners, veterans of the local brewing revival, have worked out an ambitious rotating beer selection and a smokehouse theme for the kitchen, with an emphasis on seasonal dishes. $$ L D pf BANK STREET BREWHOUSE 415 Bank St., New Albany IN, 725-9585. The food focus of this offshoot of F&D columnist Roger Baylor’s New Albanian

ASIAN BUFFET 3813 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 945-1888, 3646 Mall Rd., 479-9989. Competent cookery and careful management that ensures buffet offerings stay fresh and hot makes these buffets a good choice among the growing crowd of all-you-can-eat Asian spots. $ L D ASIAN MOON 1915 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 261-9998, 3360 Hikes Ln., 451-0077. $ L D AUGUST MOON 2269 Lexington Rd., 456-6569. August Moon’s secret ingredient is the culinary oversight of

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

Chef Peng Looi, better known as the force behind Asiatique. Housed in a soaring, open space with a Zen master’s style. Consistent commitment in the kitchen and from the staff makes it a top spot for Asian fare. A lovely patio at the rear affords a pleasant alfresco dining experience. $$$ L D hpf

GOLDEN PALACE BUFFET 161 Outer Loop, 368-2868. $$ L D

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

An old-timer among local Chinese restaurants, this Southeastern Louisville spot may not offer the trendiest Asian fare, but it’s a reliable source for the familiar Cantonese-American standards. $ L D

GREAT WALL 2206 Brownsboro Rd., 891-8881. This Clifton restaurant ranks high up in the fast-food Chinese pack. Offering steaming-hot, competently prepared and flavorful dishes. $ L D h

CHEER KING STAR 231 S. Fifth St., 587-8686. Just what downtown needed — a Chinese buffet for quick lunches. Mostly the familiar, a mix of Cantonese, Szechuan and Hunan choices for those who need a little spice to fire them up to get back to work. $ L D CHINA 1 123 Breckinridge Ln., 897-6511. $ L D CHINA BUFFET 706 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 288-8989. Chinese buffets are ubiquitous, but this one is squarely in the upper range. Regularly refreshed steam tables, attentively fried rice, and properly spicy General Tso’s Chicken raise it above the other places typical of the genre. $ L D CHINA CAFÉ 8625 Preston Hwy., 968-7450. $ L D CHINA CASTLE 7420 Third Street Rd., 367-4272. $ L D CHINA GARDEN 7309 Preston Hwy., 968-4672. A busy restaurant with the double pleasure of Chinese and American menu items. $ L D CHINA INN 1925 S. Fourth St., 636-2020. It’s not the posh, private Faculty Club, but this little Asian spot may be one of the most popular eateries around the University of Louisville’s Belknap Campus. $ L D CHINA KING 3830 Ruckriegel Pkwy., 240-0500. $ L D CHINA TASTE 135 Quartermaster Ct., Jeffersonville IN, 284-5580. $ L D CHINESE CHEF 2619 S. Fourth St., 634-0979. $ L D CHINESE EXPRESS 3228 Crums Ln., 448-1360. $ L D CHONG GARDEN 10341 Dixie Hwy., 935-1628. $ L D h CHOPSTICKS 416 E. Broadway, 589-9145. $ L D CHOPSTICKS HOUSE 2112 W. Broadway, 772-3231. $ L D CHUNG KING CHINESE AMERICAN RESTAURANT 110 E. Market St., 584-8880. $ L D CRYSTAL CHINESE 3901 W. Market St., 776-9702. $ L D DOUBLE DRAGON 1255 Goss Ave., 635-5656, 2600 W. Broadway, 778-2573. A standout among fast-food shopping-center Chinese eateries, Double Dragon hits on all cylinders, turning out consistently wellprepared and flavorful fare. $ L D DOUBLE DRAGON II 12480 LaGrange Rd., 241-7766, 6832 Bardstown Rd., 231-3973, 3179 S. Second St., 367-6668, 5222 Dixie Hwy., 448-1988. $ L D DOUBLE DRAGON 9 9501 Taylorsville Rd., 267-5353.$LD EASTERN HOUSE 5372 Dixie Hwy., 568-2688. $ L D EGGROLL MACHINE 1543 Bardstown Rd., 459-1259.

The Chinese side of the menu at Café Mimosa is presented as The Egg Roll Machine, as opposed to the Vietnamese dishes on the fine dining Mimosa menu. All the expected Chinese favorites are here, including combination platters. $ L D hp EMPEROR OF CHINA 2210 Holiday Manor Center, 426-1717. One of Louisville’s fanciest and most noteworthy Chinese restaurants, the Emperor’s quarters are stylishly strewn across multiple levels of a former suburban movie theater. Outstanding. $$ L D hp EMPRESS OF CHINA 2249 Hikes Ln., 451-2500.

Older sister to The Emperor of China, the Empress was one of Louisville’s first serious, authentic upscale Cantonese restaurants, and its fare still stands up to fancy spots in New York’s Chinatown. $$ L D hp FIRST WOK 3967 Seventh Street Rd., 448-0588. $ L D h GOLDEN BUDDHA 8000 Preston Hwy., 968-7700. $LDh

GOLDEN STAR CHINESE RESTAURANT 3458 Taylor Blvd., 368-1833. $ L D h GOLDEN WALL 3201 Fern Valley Rd., 968-9717. $ L D

GREAT WOK 2502 Preston Hwy., 634-1918. Just about every shopping center in town has a fast-food Chinese spot, but this one stands out, generating a buzz of word-of-mouth publicity about its well-crafted Chinese dishes at a bargain-basement price. $ L D

ORIENTAL HOUSE 4302 Shelbyville Rd., 897-1017.

New owners continue the tradition at this longstanding St. Matthews restaurant, featuring both traditional Chinese-American and now, authentic Cantonese, menus. $ L D p ORIENTAL STAR 4212 Bishop Ln., 452-9898. A longtime area favorite in this heavy traffic lunch area.

This establishment is quite good with Lo Mein Noodles, and Sweet and Sour Chicken. $ L D PANDA CHINESE RESTAURANT 9543 U.S. 42., 228-6400. $ L D PEKING CITY BISTRO 12410 Shelbyville Rd., 2536777. A step up from the usual Chinese hot table fare. Chef Chen, highly thought of in the Chinese community, runs the kitchen. $ L D

HAPPY CHINA 9106 Taylorsville Rd., 493-1001. $ L D

QUICK WOK 801 W. Broadway, 584-6519. $ L D

HIBACHI SUSHI BUFFET 5316 Bardstown Rd., 4918228. Capitalizing on two seemingly persistent trends in American dining, this new hot table place offers standard Chinese buffet dishes, and standard sushi choices. Cashew chicken, shrimp with garlic sauce, Dancing Dragon roll, spring and summer maki — it is all here. $$ L D

RED SUN CHINESE RESTAURANT 3437 Breckinridge Ln., 499-7788. $ L D

HONG KONG CHINESE RESTAURANT 345 New Albany Plaza, New Albany IN, 945-1818. $ L D HONG KONG FAST FOOD 5312 S. Third St., 3678828. One of the many international eateries in Iroquois Manor, this fast-food Chinese spot offers Cantonese standards hot and fast and inexpensively. Check the daily specials for an occasional intriguing item. $ L D h HUNAN WOK 6445 Bardstown Rd., 231-0393. $ L D h JADE PALACE 1201 Herr Ln., 425-9878. Jade Palace is a decent place for Chinese food at any time, but don’t miss it at mid-day Friday through Monday, when it offers the metro area’s only dim sum (Chinese brunch) menu. $$ Br L D hp JASMINE 13823 English Villa Dr., 244-8896. A charming Asian eatery, where you can enjoy familiar ChineseAmerican plates or indulge your more adventurous side with more unusual authentic dishes from the “Chinese Menu,” available on request. $ L D f JUMBO BUFFET 2731 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 495-0028.

Housed in a good-looking dining room, high on Chinatown-style glitz and glitter, Jumbo offers a standard all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet, with a larger-than-average selection of American dishes for those who want something less exotic. $$ L D h KING WOK 291 N. Hubbards Ln., 899-7188. Another of the city’s many tiny shopping-center fast-food Chinese eateries, King Wok offers all the familiar standards plus a small lunch buffet. $ L D h LING LING 10476 Shelbyville Rd., 245-2100. Modern and efficient in its East End shopping center location, Ling Ling is a cut above fast-food Chinese; better yet, it adds a few Vietnamese dishes to the bill of fare. $$ L D LIU’S GARDEN 11517 Shelbyville Rd., 244-9898. Small but charming, with white tablecloths and soft Chinese music, family-run Liu’s gains our approval with fresh, competent cookery and courteous, friendly service that makes you feel like you’re visiting a Chinese family at their home. $$ L D MING’S BUFFET 1971 Brownsboro Rd., 893-0822.

Yet another large, shiny, all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet featuring mostly Chinese dishes with a few American-style items and sushi rolls. $ L D NEW CHINA 231 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 254-9299. $ L D ONION RESTAURANT TEA HOUSE 4211 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 981-0188. Masterful Chinese and Japanese cuisine (including magnificent hotpots, donburi dishes, and wooden-bucket steamed rice) set this airy restaurant apart from the horde of other Asian spots. $ L D f

h = Late Night p = Full Bar f = Outdoor Dining e = Live Music

ROYAL GARDEN 5729 Preston Hwy., 969-3788. $ L D SHANGHAI RESTAURANT 526 S. Fifth St., 568-8833. $LD SICHUAN GARDEN 9850 Linn Station Rd., 426-6767.

Another Asian restaurant that has stood the test of time, Sichuan Garden offers high-end Chinatown style and well-made dishes, plus a few Thai specialties to spice up the bill of fare. $ L D TEA STATION CHINESE BISTRO 9422 Norton Commons Blvd., 423-1202. This comfortable, sitdown Chinese restaurant owned and operated by Paul and Amy Yang joins the small but growing cluster of businesses in the Norton Commons village center. $$ L D h WOK EXPRESS 234 W. Broadway, 583-8988. $ L D h WONTON EXPRESS 3000 Hikes Ln., 452-2646. Traditional Chinese fare. Family-owned-and-operated, this popular neighborhood establishment has enjoyed a steady patronage for seventeen years. $ L D YANG KEE NOODLE 7900 Shelbyville Rd. (Oxmoor Mall), 426-0800. This locally owned and operated Oxmoor spot is colorful and stylish. It offers an intriguing array of appealing noodle and rice dishes from all over Asia with fast-food efficiency and prices happily matched by sit-down restaurant quality and style. $ L D f YEN CHING 1818 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-3581. $ L D YOU-CARRYOUT-A 1551 E. Tenth St., Jeffersonville IN, 288-8313, 827 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville IN, 282-8881. $ L D

SARI SARI FILIPINO CUISINE 2339 Frankfort Ave., 894-0585. The city’s first Filipino eatery offers a tasty introduction to the Malayo-Polynesian fare of this Southeast Asian island nation. Filipino dishes are affordable during the dinner hour and downright cheap on the lunch buffet. $ L D TAMBAYAN KARAOKE BAR & FILIPINO RESTAURANT 9601 Newbridge Rd., 749-2727. $$ L D h

ASAHI JAPANESE 3701 Lexington Rd., 895-1130.

This small room in St. Matthews houses this neighborhood sushi spot where award-winning Chef Yong Bong Tak, formerly of Osaka, works his magic at the sushi bar. $ L D BEIJING GRILL AND SUSHI BAR 8007 Hwy. 311, Sellersburg IN, 248-0900. $ L D h BENDOYA SUSHI BAR 217 S. Fifth St., 581-0700.

Adding international flair to its downtown neighborhood, Magic Fingers is a genuine, serious sushi bar in a storefront just across the street from the courthouse. $$ L CAVIAR JAPANESE RESTAURANT 416 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 625-3090. (See listing under Upscale Casual.) www.facebook.com/foodanddine Spring 2012 73

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

Part of the fun of sitting at the sushi bar is that you get to watch the chef at work. Put in your order, then sit back and sip your tea while the artist creates edible delights. This suburban sushi bar does the job well. $$ L D hp HANABI JAPANESE RESTAURANT 6027 Timber Ridge Dr., 228-8244. A hospitable welcome, casual setting, and well-fashioned sushi and Japanese specialties have made this family run Prospect spot a worthy alternative in the East End dining scene. $$ L D hp HEART & SOY 1216 Bardstown Rd., 452-6678. To the left is Roots, a sit-down restaurant. To the right is Heart & Soy, serving vegetarian “street food,” and entertaining passers-by with a glass-walled tofumaking room. State-of-the-art equipment from Taiwan transforms organic soy beans from Ohio into soy milk and then coagulates and presses it into tofu as you watch. $ L D

for lunch and dinner, the standard menu is bolstered by daily chef’s specials. Lunch specials include the Japadawg, a hot dog with Japanese toppings, a range of teriyaki choices and ramen noodles, Japanese style. $$ L D h MIKATO JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE 3938 Dupont Circle, 891-0081. An upscale hibachi grillhouse in the popular restaurant ring in the Breckinridge Lane — Dupont Circle area. Pleasant decor, entertaining grill chefs, fresh sushi preparations, and sometimes glacial service. $$ L D hpf OASIS SUSHI & SOUL 3311 Preston Hwy., 3758766. Owners of downtown’s Bendoya sushi restaurant have opened this Japanese restaurant on Preston Highway. $$ D h OISHII SUSHI 2245 Bardstown Rd., 618-2829, 2810 Taylorsville Rd., 365-3474. This small, attractive and popular sushi spot has opened a second location in the Upper Highlands. $$ L D h OSAKA SUSHI BAR 2039 Frankfort Ave., 894-9501, 426 W. Market St., 588-8899. This long-standing Clifton favorite also has a second location downtown, serving up sushi and other Japanese dishes in a bright and cheery environment to a loyal clientele. $$ L D ROOTS 1216 Bardstown Rd., 452-6688. Coco Tran, who has nurtured a loyal Clifton-area fan base with her Zen Garden, looks to seduce the vegan/ vegetarian world of the Highlands with this crisp, elegant room. Eat at tables in the front, enjoy smoothies and tea at the bar, or snuggle down in a Japanese pit table in the back. Choose from an international selection of small plates. $ L D

HIKO A MON SUSHI BAR 1115 Herr Ln., 365-1651.

Japanese-trained chef Norihiko Nakanashi brings his artistic skills to this sushi bar and Japanese grill in Westport Village. In addition to fine dining at the bar or in traditional Japanese dining rooms, Hiko A Mon offers sushi-grade fish from a small fish market. $$$ L D hp

SAKE BLUE JAPANESE BISTRO 9326 Cedar Center Way, 708-1500. This Fern Creek restaurant brings the “full-service” Japanese restaurant experience to the southeast part of Louisville Metro. Look for hibachi grill tables and a sushi bar, along with a traditional dining room and cocktail bar. $$ L D hp

I LUV SUSHI & TERIYAKI 2017 Brownsboro Rd., 893-8226. This bargain-priced Clifton spot has pleased its patrons with eclectic Asian food such as noodle dishes and Korean-inspired fare as well as the sushi. $$ L D h

SAKURA BLUE 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 897-3600.

Located in elegant, upscale quarters in a St. Matthews shopping center, Sakura Blue — direct descendant of the old, popular Bonsai — ranks among the city’s top sushi bars. $$ L D h

ICHIBAN SAMURAI 1510 Lake Shore Ct., 412-3339.

This large Japanese-farmhouse building, originally a Benihana, offers similar delights, with the traditional slice-and-dice food show and good sushi. Best deal, while the offer lasts: All-you-can-eat sushi nightly until the karaoke starts at 9 p.m. $$$ L D p

SAPPORO JAPANESE GRILL & SUSHI 1706 Bardstown Rd., 479-5550, 649 S. Fourth St., 589-3333. With its original location in the middle of Bardstown Road’s “restaurant row,” trendy, glitzy Sapporo has established itself as one of the city’s top spots for sushi and Japanese fare. Its second location is in a beautifully designed space in Theater Square off Broadway downtown. $$$ L D hp

KAILANA SUSHI 6435 Bardstown Rd., 614-7244. Fern Creek gets another choice in sushi bars, with generous rolls priced competitively — nothing over $12. Four levels of 13-piece, mix and match lunch specials, as well as rice, noodles and salads. $$ L D h KANSAI JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE 1370 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 218-9538. Traditional Japanese dishes and sushi are available here, but like most Japanese Steakhouses, choose the grill tables with their slice-and-dice Japanese chef show for maximum entertainment. $$$ L D hp KOBE STEAK HOUSE 301 S. Indiana Ave., Jeffersonville IN, 280-8500. Southern Indiana’s first serious Japanese restaurant has been drawing crowds with its exceptional sushi bar, with skilled and friendly chefs who can be relied on to fashion fresh and tasty bites that are just about certain to please. $$$ L D p MAIDO ESSENTIAL JAPANESE 1758 Frankfort Ave., 894-8775. Toki, the original owner of Louisville’s first and only “izakaya”-style restaurant, is back at the helm, serving elegant Japanese cooking in the style of Kansai, the region surrounding Japan’s second city, Osaka. It’s also a sake bar, pouring a good variety of artisanal rice wine. $$ D hf MASA JAPANESE 12336 Shelbyville Rd., 409-5040.

Middletown, too, joins in the sushi expansion. Open 74 Spring 2012 www.foodanddine.com

SATO’S ZEN SUSHI & SAKE 285 N. Hubbards Ln., 608-1866. The menu of this new Japanese restaurant boasts “Zen salads,” soups, sushi, green tea, red bean and tempura ice cream, and a variety of flavored sakes. $$ L D h SHOGUN JAPANESE STEAK HOUSE 9026 Taylorsville Rd., 499-5700, 4110 Hampton Lake Way, 3940123. Shogun’s decor is attractive, and quality food and service make it a pleasant dining destination.

It’s unthreatening enough to appeal to those who find exotic cuisine “challenging,” but good enough to satisfy just about anyone who craves a Japanese dinner or a bite of sushi. $$$ L D hp TOKYO JAPANESE RESTAURANT 2415 Lime Kiln Ln., 339-7171. It’s appealing, pleasant in atmosphere and friendly in service, and most important, this East End sushi bar serves excellent Japanese treats, prepared with care and flair from highquality, impeccably fresh ingredients. $$ L D TOMO 4315 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 9410200. This Japanese hibachi steak house offers a good show of knife skills and tableside grilling, as well as sushi. Patrons seem to admire the oversize sushi rolls, the salads with ginger dressing, and the grilled chicken and scallops.$$ L D p

WASABIYA JAPANESE RESTAURANT 972 Baxter Ave., 618-2460. A neighborhood sushi bar, with a chef from Boston with fusion cuisine intentions.

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

CHARIM KOREAN RESTAURANT 4123 Oeschli Ave., 290-8900. This St. Matthews site behind the Old Sears building housed several other restaurants, and now the promise of Korean food in St. Matthews has many ethnic food fans salivating. $ L D KOREANA II 5009 Preston Hwy., 968-9686. One of the city’s few restaurants devoted entirely to authentic Korean fare, Koreana is worth a special trip for this ethnic cuisine that offers a hearty, spicy alternative to the more familiar Chinese. $$ L D LEE’S KOREAN RESTAURANT 1941 Bishop Ln., 456-9714. This little spot has been a secret since the ’70s, and it just keeps on going. Walk into what looks like a diner in an office building, but push past the counter to the back room, where you’ll find generous heaps of really authentic Korean food for next to nothing. $$ L D h SOORA KOREAN RESTAURANT 2840 Goose Creek Rd., 339-5888. The big space on Goose Creek has seen a lot of ethnic food service in the last few years — Latino, Turkish, and now Korean. If you are familiar with Korean foods, there will be little to surprise you. Barbecues and bee bim bop. $$ L D

BD’S MONGOLIAN GRILL 1890 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 499-4406. The proprietors of this Michiganbased East End chain invite you to “go Mongo,” building your own choice of ingredients and sauces for the chefs to stir-fry. $$ L D hpf SHAH’S MONGOLIAN GRILL 9148 Taylorsville Rd., 493-0234, 423 E. Warnock St., 409-5029.

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

MAI’S THAI RESTAURANT 1411 E. Tenth St., Jeffersonville IN, 282-0198. With a broad range of well-prepared and authentic Thai dishes, Mai’s is the eatery to beat among the metro area’s Thai restaurants. For both authenticity and quality, it’s right up there with the top Thai places in New York, San Francisco and Seattle. $ L D SIMPLY THAI 323 Wallace Ave., 899-9670, 12003 Shelbyville Rd, 690-8344. Owner Mahn Saing is Burmese; his wife, a classically trained Thai chef have built upon the popularity of their St. Matthews spot and opened a second location in Middletown. Their menu of traditional Thai dishes, well-made sushi and a few upscale Thaistyle “fusion” dinner items use many ingredients from their small home garden. $$ L D f

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TAN THAI RESTAURANT 4510 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 948-2012. It’s in a strip mall, but the folks who run TanThai create a distinctive atmosphere by hanging sheer white scrims that divvy the room up into serene little chambers. The menu of Thai specialties is small — just a dozen or so entrées — but nicely executed and beautifully presented. $ L D THAI CAFÉ 2226 Holiday Manor Center, 425-4815.

You’ll find this small café tucked into a corner of the “Holiday Manor Walk.” Owner Chavantee Snow and her family offer a small but well-prepared selection of authentic Thai dishes at very reasonable prices. $ L D f THAI ORCHIDS 9114 Taylorsville Rd., 493-4073. This location has been known for good Thai restaurants, and the short history of Thai Orchids shows that they have picked up the mantle, providing Jeffersontown-area lovers of southeast Asian cuisine with excellent noodles and curries. $$ L D THAI SIAM 3002 Bardstown Rd., 458-6871. Louisville’s first Thai restaurant, this venerable spot has built a loyal audience over the years, perhaps responding to its regular visitors’ preferences with food that’s a bit on the tame side for Thai. $$ L D THAI SMILE 5 5800 Preston Hwy., 961-9018. Part of a regional mini-chain, Thai Smile 5 serves up simple but well-prepared Thai fare. Don’t ask for the fivechile-pepper heat unless you really mean it! $ L D THAI TASTE 1977 Brownsboro Rd., 897-7682. The owner-host of this friendly, casual spot in Crescent Hill had a restaurant in Bangkok before moving to Louisville, and his experience shows. The warmth of his welcome — and the quality of the food — make Thai Taste special. $ L D TRUE THAI 8125 Bardstown Rd., 231-1992. A bright, attractive little place (just 4 tables) run by a former employee of Thai-Siam, one of Louisville’s longest running Thai restaurants. Thirty standard Thai dishes (pad thai, curries, fried rice) priced under $10. $ L D

ANNIE CAFE 308 W. Woodlawn Ave., 363-4847.

Annie Cafe ranks not just as one of the better Vietnamese restaurants, but one the city’s best of any variety, particularly when value and price are taken into account. Authentic Vietnamese food is made with care and served with pride. $ L D CAFÉ MIMOSA 1543 Bardstown Rd., 459-1259.

Owner Phat Le, serving his Vietnamese, Chinese and pan-Asian dishes to happy regulars, might finally wean Louisvillians from referring to his building as the former Lentini’s. $ L D hp CAFÉ THUY VAN 5600 National Turnpike, 366-6959.

A bit off the beaten track, this South End spot is true, authentic Vietnamese. Friendly service overcomes any language barrier, and prices are hard to beat. Don’t miss the Banh Mi, traditional Vietnamese sandwiches. $ L D LA QUE 1019 Bardstown Rd., 238-3981. La Que provides the lower Highlands with a dependable, economical Vietnamese menu that includes some dishes from other Asian cuisines. $$ L D hf LEMONGRASS CAFÉ 11606 Shelbyville Rd., 2447110. Lemongrass Café offers an appealing blend of Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese fare in a simple setting that transcends an obviously low budget with style and grace. $ L D h NAMNAM CAFÉ 318 Wallace Ave., 891-8859. This small St. Matthews Vietnamese restaurant has gained many enthusiastic fans who flock there for the pho, the bahn mih and other authentic Vietnamese dishes. $ L D f

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PEARL Horseshoe Casino Hotel, Elizabeth IN, 888-7662648. Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine, elegantly served, Pearl is the newest dining choice at Horseshoe Casino. Signature dishes include Vietnamese spring rolls, pho, ginger and scallion fried lobster and crispy salt and pepper shrimp. $$ L D hp

chefs in Bosnia and Macedonia in the Balkans and picks up a few culinary additions from their time in Germany. $ L D

PHO BINH MINH 6709 Strawberry Ln., 375-9249.

Tiny and lovably cozy, this six-table South End spot is true authentic Vietnamese, and so are the proprietors. There’s some language barrier, but the owners are so friendly, and the food so good, that it’s worth the effort if you love real Asian fare and inexpensive prices. $ L D

EIDERDOWN 983 Goss Ave., 290-2390. The owners of the Germantown watering hole Nachbar also operate the popular Eiderdown, serving Southern comfort food influenced by the owners’ German and European heritage. Dreams of a microbrewery there also dance in their heads; in the meantime, diners are satisfied with a large selection of European craft beers on tap. $$ L D h

SAIGON CAFÉ 108 Fairfax Ave., 893-7757. St. Matthews diners can find tasty and inexpensive Southeast Asian fare here — Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese dishes are all choices on the menu. $$ L D h SAIGON ONE 333 W. Cardinal Blvd., 638-8989. Vietnamese cuisine joins the choices for residents, with this newest addition to the dining array at the new university dorm and restaurant row at Cardinal Towne (where Masterson’s used to be). $ L D h VIETNAM KITCHEN 5339 Mitscher Ave., 363-5154.

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

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

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

Friendly and exceptionally hospitable, family-owned BosnaMak celebrates the heritage of the owners and

ERIKA’S GERMAN RESTAURANT 9301 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy. 499-8822. For a city with a strong German heritage, Louisville is woefully short on authentic German restaurants, but this genuinely Germanic eatery attracts hungry crowds to Hurstbourne.

Take care not to miss its former fast-food quarters just off I-64 local access ramp. $$ D GASTHAUS 4812 Brownsboro Center, 899-7177.

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

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

The Irish Exit (a tongue-in-cheek name referring to the quiet, no-farewell leave-taking of inebriated Hibernians) serves pub fare and entertains patrons with karaoke and acoustic music, pool tables and dart boards. $ D hpe IRISH ROVER 2319 Frankfort Ave., 899-3544, 117 E. Main St, LaGrange, 222-2286. Owner Michael Reidy

is the Irish rover, having come to the U.S. from County Clare in 1984. His saloons are as smooth as Guinness, as warm as fish and chips, as genuine as Scotch eggs. The Frankfort Avenue building dates from 1859. $ Br L D pf MOLLY MALONE’S 933 Baxter Ave., 473-1222, 3900 Shelbyville Rd., 882-2222. A carefully constructed replica of a modern urban Irish pub, Molly Malone’s, a worthy addition to the city’s eating and drinking scene, has added a second, suburban location. Both are as authentically Irish as the Wearin’ o’ the Green. $$ L D hpfe MORE SHENANIGAN’S 4521 Bardstown Rd., 4933585. $ L D hpfe O’SHEA’S TRADITIONAL IRISH PUB 956 Baxter Ave., 589-7373. One of the most popular watering holes in the entire Bardstown-Baxter corridor.

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

ADRIENNE’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT 129 W. Court Ave., Jeffersonville IN, 282-2665. A part of the dining renaissance on the sunny side of Louisville, Adrienne’s has been pleasing Indiana diners with home-style Italian dishes. The owners also operate Adrienne’s Bakery in Jeffersonville. $$ L D AMICI 316 W. Ormsby Ave., 637-3167. Satisfying traditional Tuscan dishes are served in this interesting — and supposedly haunted — Old Louisville building. Dine inside or on the romantic patio on a lovely summer evening, There’s no extra charge if the ghosts want to share your penne alla Lorenzo or Valpolicella. $$ L D pf ANSELMO’S ITALIAN BISTRO 1511 Bardstown Rd., 749-0444. This Italian bistro quickly took over the spot vacated by Istanbul Café, and offers what one would expect: pizza, pastas, lasagna — at reasonable prices. $$ L D hp BISTRO 42 6021 Timber Ridge Dr., 632-2552. Another entry in the dining choices at Prospect Village shopping center. This little family-run place, serving pasta, sandwiches and Italian and American dishes is proud of its 5-cheese 3-meat Bistro lasagna and their 3-hour honey-baked ham, offered at an attractive price. $$ L D hpfe BUCA DI BEPPO 2051 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 4932426. Buca di Beppo’s recipe has all the necessary ingredients: huge portions of excellent food served with flair and the Buca scene is fun, a conscious parody of the exuberant decor of family ItalianAmerican restaurants of the 1950s. $$ L D hp CARRABBA’S ITALIAN GRILL 617 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 412-2218. Not your ordinary suburban 76 Spring 2012 www.foodanddine.com

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shopping-center franchise eatery. This place dramatically exceeds expectations. From warmed bread dishes with quality olive oil to first-rate ItalianAmerican fare at reasonable prices. $$$ L D hpf COME BACK INN 909 Swan St., 627-1777, 415 Spring St., Jeffersonville IN, 285-1777. With both its branches located in urban neighborhoods, Come Back Inn looks pretty much like any other neighborhood saloon. But unlike most Louisville neighborhood saloons, this one houses a family Italian spot that wouldn’t be out of place in Chicago or Brooklyn. $$ L D p DIFABIO’S CASAPELA ITALIAN RESTAURANT 2311 Frankfort Ave., 891-0411. DiFabio’s Casapela has made its mark in this Crescent Hill space, with a menu that harks back to the red-checked tablecloth and Chianti bottle era of Italian restaurants. Look for baked stuffed mushrooms and toasted ravioli, veal parmesan and chicken piccata, and your choice of pastas with your choice of sauce. $$ D f THE INTERNATIONAL MALL 737 S. Eighth St., 561-8871. $ L D LA BOCCA 134 E. Market St., New Albany IN, 725-9495.

This addition to the dining explosion in New Albany serves Italian cuisine, such as chicken piccata and rigatoni Bolognese. Zeppole on the dessert menu bespeaks the New York bono fides of the owner. $$ L D pf LA GALLO ROSSO BISTRO 1325 Bardstown Rd., 4730015. This small but attractive Highlands spot in the Shoppes on the Alley serves casual Italian and Continental food in a cozy family-style setting. $$ D f MARTINI ITALIAN BISTRO 4021 Summit Plaza Dr. 394-9797. Now locally owned, Martini’s continues to serve hearty, well-fashioned Italian entrées, pastas and pizzas a comfortable approximation of a Tuscan trattoria. An open kitchen with wood-fired oven gives a peek at the culinary goings-on. $$$ L D hpf MOZZ MOZZARELLA BAR & ENOTECA 445 E. Market St., 690-6699. (See review under Fine Dining.)

STEVE-O’S ITALIAN KITCHEN 4205 W. Hwy. 146, LaGrange KY, 222-0300. Outstanding pizzas and fine family-style Italian-American dishes make this casual eatery just off I-71 at Buckner well worth a special trip out from the city. $$ L D

restaurant feature the arepa, a thick corn cake, including huevos pericos conrepa, a brunch dish.

Look for plenty of beef on the menu, including lengua, tongue. Friendly service and no language barrier. $$ L D p

TUSCANY ITALIAN RESTAURANT 165 Outer Loop, 363-0308. Adding an appetizing option to a stretch of the South End that hasn’t been over-served by restaurants, this good-sized storefront near New Cut Road boasts a Mexican chef who demonstrates an expert’s hand with hearty, red-sauced ItalianAmerican fare at a price that’s right. $$ L D hp VICARIO’S 7773 Hwy. 311, Sellersburg IN, 246-1000. $$ L D hp VINCENZO’S 150 S. Fifth St., 580-1350. (See listing under Upscale Casual.)

VOLARE 2300 Frankfort Ave., 894-4446. The name evokes Sinatra, pasta with tomato sauce and candles in Chianti bottles, but stylish Volare kicks that image up a notch. With a combination of Italian standards and monthly menu updates, Chef Josh Moore has secured Volare a top spot for suave Italian dining. Its U.S.D.A. Prime barrel-cut beef program has received rave reviews. $$$ D hpfe

MOJITO TAPAS RESTAURANT 2231 Holiday Manor Center, 425-0949. An offshoot of the popular St. Matthews Cuban restaurant Havana Rumba, Mojitos quickly established its own identity as the East End spot for Spanish-inspired small plates with a global taste profile. Always crowded on weekends; no reservations, but call ahead to get high on the waiting list. $$ L D hpf

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

Authentic Castilian fare includes a majestic paella. but the renewed focus at this Highlands standby is tapas, in such variety that you can have anything on the menu in small-plates form. $$$ D hp LA BODEGA 1604 Bardstown Rd., 456-4955. Next door to the excellent De La Torre’s Spanish restaurant, La Bodega offers diners the city’s most authentic Spanishstyle tapas bar, featuring the small bites originally invented in the outdoor cafés of Jerez. $$ D hp LA COLOMBIANA 808 Lyndon Ln., 742-1179. Colombian cuisine is a variant of Latino cooking new to the area. Many of the dishes at this Lyndon-area

PALERMO VIEJO 1359 Bardstown Rd., 456-6461.

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

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

With its broad array of Indian regional specialties including the requisite lunch buffet, this spot in The Forum on Hurstbourne is winning praise for its aromatic flavors and bountiful portions. $$ L D DAKSHIN INDIAN RESTAURANT 4742 Bardstown Rd., 491-7412. Owned and operated by the same family that brings us Kashmir Restaurant and Bombay Grocery in the Highlands, this addition brings aromatic and spicy Southern Indian fare to the Buechel-Fern Creek neighborhood in the Eastland Shopping Center. $$ BL D p KASHMIR INDIAN RESTAURANT 1277 Bardstown Rd., 473-8765. One of the city’s most popular Indian restaurants, Kashmir is casual, neither posh nor expensive, and it produces an extensive menu of seemingly authentic Indian fare. $$ L D hf

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

ROMANO’S MACARONI GRILL 401 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 423-9220. The Italian-style menu at this casual, Dallas-based family chain includes appetizers, salads, pastas, veal and desserts. Chefs entertain while creating wood-fired pizzas. $$ L D hp SPAGHETTI SHOP 4657 Outer Loop, 969-5545, 4510 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 944-5400.

Baked pasta dishes, subs, salads and appetizers are prepared while you wait. $ L D

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LITTLE INDIA CAFÉ 3099 Breckenridge Ln., 479-3353.

It’s sort of an Indian fast-food place, set up in a former Quizno’s. The menu includes appetizers such as lentil soup and mirchi bajji — fried lentil-battered stuffed peppers — followed by Northern lamb and vegetarian entrées, tandoori chicken and kebabs.

There’s also a selection of Indian breads. A Punjabistyle (Northern Indian) lunch buffet is for those who want really fast service. $ L D f SHALIMAR INDIAN RESTAURANT 1820 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 493-8899. Modern and sleek in appearance, modest in price, this restaurant has become the patriarch of local Indian restaurants.

With a substantial lunch buffet and a full range of dinner items, it has built a loyal clientele. $$ L D SITAR INDIAN RESTAURANT 1702 Bardstown Rd., 473-8889. Named after the Indian stringed musical instrument that Ravi Shankar made famous, Sitar features a full Indian menu and buffet. It’s the first Louisville property for a tiny new chain with four places in Tennessee and one in Alabama. $$ L D TAJ PALACE 2929 Goose Creek Rd., 423-9692. Focused on Northern Indian cuisine, the menu offers a wide range of chicken, lamb, seafood and vegetarian dishes.

Spiciness can be decided by the customer. Lunch buffet and dinner menu. $$ L D f

once-tiny spot, more diners can enjoy MediterraneanMiddle Eastern favorites, as well as the addition of a few “American” sandwiches — on fresh pita, of course. $ L D PITA PIT 9816 Linn Station Rd., 565-1220. A franchise operation dedicated to cramming all sorts of fillings into a flatbread pocket. Chomp on a chicken Caesar pita, or a Philly steak pita. Many veggie selections, from garden vegetables to falafel to hummus and baba ganoush. They’re open for breakfast too: ham ’n’ eggs and sausage scramble to go. $ L D SAFFRON’S 131 W. Market St., 584-7800. Although Majid Ghavami has sold his interest in his downtown Persian restaurant, he sold it to Reza and Mimi Dabbagh, (she also co-owns August Moon), who are keeping on most of the staff and continuing with the popular menu: rack of lamb, roasted duck fesenjoon, salomon and kebabs. $$$ L D pf SAFIER MEDITERRANEAN DELI 641 S. Fourth St., 585-1125. You can get standard American fare at this welcoming downtown quick-eats spot, but who’d do that when you can enjoy such appetizing Arabian delights as hummus, mutabal, falafels and the gyros-like (only better) shawarma beef-on-pita sandwich. $ L D f

AL WATAN 3713 Klondike Ln., 454-4406. Classic Arabic dishes home-cooked by friendly people in a cozy environment. That’s the recipe that makes Al Watan a destination for lovers of fine Middle Eastern fare. $ L D

SHIRAZ MEDITERRANEAN GRILL 2011 Frankfort Ave., 891-8854, 2226 Holiday Manor Center, 4269954, 201 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 426-3440, 3521 Poplar Level Rd., 632-2232. From a tiny neighborhood storefront, Shiraz quickly grew out of its original location and expanded into a local minichain. In all its locations, Shiraz shines with authentic Persian (Iranian) cooking, such as char-grilled kebabs, fine pitas and lavish bread. $ L D f

BURNING BUSH GRILLE 13206 W. U.S. Highway 42, 228-7776. A franchisee of the popular Shiraz local mini-chain has struck off on his own, cooking healthy Mediterranean foods — kebabs, steak, fish and lamb, salads, pizza, gyros and Balkan burgers. $ L D f

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. $ L D h

CAFÉ 360 1582 Bardstown Rd., 473-8694. Highlands diners enjoy an eclectic and international menu at the friendly corner place, with Southern fried catfish and Indian lamb biryani in immediate juxtaposition. You can get it all, diner-style, just about 24/7. $ B L D hpf

ZOE’S KITCHEN 500 W. Jefferson St., 585-0000, 4126 Summit Plaza Dr., 329-8963. This chain has been growing throughout the South and Southwest, and now has two Louisville locations.

An eclectic menu offers kabobs, hummus, quesadillas, roll-ups, pita sandwiches and chicken, tuna and shrimp salads. $ L D

THE FALAFEL HOUSE 1001 Bardstown Rd., 4544407. This small Highlands spot is strategically situated to offer quick and affordable sustenance along the Bardstown-Baxter entertainment strip.

Look for the usual Middle Eastern fare in a casual, quick-service setting. $$ L D hf GRAPE LEAF 2217 Frankfort Ave., 897-1774. Relatively recent renovations and an expanded menu have elevated the Grape Leaf to destination status, placing it well above the generic Middle Eastern eatery niche. Prices remain affordable, while the food and mood now justify a special trip. $$ L D f MIRAGE MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT 4100 Preston Hwy., 363-7788. The owners of Little Jerusalem lost their lease on Taylor Blvd., and found a new location in a former pizza joint out on Preston, which continues to grow its own international restaurant row. Gyros, hummus, falafel — what one would expect, but done with attention to details and a flair for flavor. $$ L D f PETRA MEDITERRANEAN RESTAURANT 3904 Bardstown Rd., 749-0924. Another addition to the ethnic choices out in Beuchel. As with many “Mediterranean” restaurants around, the fare is largely confined to that of the Levant schwarmas and hummus and felafel. $$ L D h PITA DELIGHTS 1616 Grinstead Dr., 569-1122. This Near Eastern eatery in the Highlands offers a splendid mix of gyros, felafel and other pita-based goodies. $$ L D PITA HUT 1613 Bardstown Rd., 409-8484. After its expansion more than doubled the space in this 78 Spring 2012 www.foodanddine.com

J. GUMBO’S 2109 Frankfort Ave., 896-4046, 531 Lyndon Ln., 425-0096, 416 S. Fourth St. (Fourth Street Live), 589-9245, 3115 S. Second St., 3638888, 8603 Citadel Way, 493-4720, 3017 Poplar Level Rd., 690-8080. Former jockey Billy Fox has created a popular mini-chain serving hearty, affordable Cajun cuisine. After a stint focusing on expansion, he is now back in the saddle and in the kitchen again, to the delight of his fans. The drunken chicken is addictive. $ B L D f JOE’S OK BAYOU 9874 Linn Station Rd., 426-1320.

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

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

CUBAN FLAVOR 5700 Outer Loop, 618-2181. The flowering of Cuban/Caribbean cuisine is reaching out beyond the city. This little place, in a strip mall,

of course, brings black beans and rice and pork asado to Okolona.$ L D CUBANA RESTAURANT 2206 Frankfort Ave., 4094828. Cuban food, a growing segment of the ethnic offerings in town, has another outlet in the busy upper Clifton/lower Crescent Hill dining core.

Usimg local, seasonal food sources, the menu offers weekly specials that tap into the larger Caribbean/ Central American food traditions. $$ L D pf EL RINCON CUBAN RESTAURANT 8118 Preston Hwy., 742-2768. Bringing Cuban cuisine to Okolona.

Along with familiar dishes such as arroz con pollo, the menu also includes specialties such as tasajo (braised beef in tomato sauce), ajiaco (a root vegetable stew made with malanga, yucca and corn) and cremas — a variety of pureed vegetable soups. $ L D HABANA BLUES TAPAS RESTAURANT 148 E. Market St., New Albany IN, 944-9760, 2813 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 423-4434. Habana Blues’ success in New Albany has encouraged it to branch out with a new location in Louisville’s East End as well. The extensive Cuban menu has a few international dishes, too, and a nice selection of tapas. Also a half-dozen bocaditos (sandwiches) and a few dinner dishes such as paella Valenciana and arroz con pollo. $$ L D pfe HAVANA RUMBA 4115 Oechsli Ave., 897-1959, 12003 Shelbyville Rd., 244-5375. A true taste of Old Havana, this bright, inviting and consistently busy Cuban restaurant has opened a second location, in Middletown, in the strip mall location formerly occupied by Pig City BBQ. Bountiful servings of Cuban fare as good as any in Key West or Miami, not to mention a hopping mojito bar, have earned Havana Rumba a place on our short list of local favorites. $$ L D pf LAS PALMAS CUBAN BAKERY AND CAFÉ 4806 Bardstown Rd., 290-5690. Billing itself as the “first authentic Cuban bakery in town,” this little eatery out on Watterson Trail offers Cuban sandwiches, desserts (including tres leches cake) and a variety of pastries. $ L D STRAIGHT OUT DA KITCHEN 1610 Dixie Hwy., 4096565. Soul food with a Jamaican accent at this little take out place just west of Old Louisville. $$ L D

ADOBO MEXICAN RESTAURANT 5612 Bardstown Rd., 618-3430. Fern Creek gets some spicy Mexican with this eatery. The guacamole bar offers a huge portion in a rough stone mortar, just the thing to munch on while sipping a margarita special. $$ L D p ALEXZANDER TAQUERIA 8206 National Turnpike, 384-2530. Open til 2:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday to satisfy your late-night taco cravings. $ B L D BAZO’S FRESH MEXICAN GRILL 4014 Dutchmans Ln., 899-9600, 1907 S. Fourth St., 899-9746. A downtown location joins its Dupont Circle sibling, offering fine fish tacos and simple fast-food Mexican fare in an inexpensive, casual atmosphere. $ L D f EL BURRITO DE ORO 1927 Greentree Blvd., Clarksville IN, 285-8820. $ L D h EL CAPORAL 2209 Meadow Dr., 473-7840, 1909 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 515 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 282-7174. Louisville’s growing Mexican-American community has fostered a happy trend: excellent, authentic Mexican food. El Caporal bridges the gap between the Latino and Anglo communities. $ L D p EL MARIACHI 9901 La Grange Rd., 413-5770. Early fans of this Mexican restaurant, situated between a bakery and an ethnic grocery, have found much to rave about: tacos and burritos made with the bakery’s fresh tortillas, funky authentic fillings, and quick, friendly service. $ B L D p EL MUNDO 2345 Frankfort Ave., 899-9930. This crowded, noisy little Crescent Hill storefront offers creative renditions of Mexican regional specialties

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

that make most diners want to yell “Olé!” The setting may lack the trendy flair of Rick Bayless’ Frontera Grill in Chicago, but the fare mines a similar vein and does so nearly as well. $ L D pf

authentic ethnic Mexican restaurants in Louisville, this little storefront has opened a second location, both offering memorable tacos and burritos and more. $ L D p

EL NOPAL (16 Locations) These locally owned restaurants have become a growing mini-chain, winning popularity on the basis of delicious, authentic and inexpensive Mexican fare in comfortable surroundings. $ L D pf

LAS GORDITAS 4756 Bardstown Rd., 492-0112. As Louisville’s small but thriving Latino community grows, it’s now possible to enjoy an authentic Mexico City-style dining experience at this taco and gordita wagon that rolls up in the Eastland Shopping Center on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only. Family owners and chefs Pat and Esperanza Costas and Ofelia Ortiz are completely bilingual, and as friendly as can be. $ D hf

EL RANCHERO 2918 Hikes Ln,. 410-5668. Formerly El Rey’s, the new owner has spiffed the space up a bit, and aficionados of Mexican food speak well of the nacho grande, tostadas de ceviche and spicierthan-usual queso. $$ L D p EL RODEO MEXICAN RESTAURANT 9070 Dixie Hwy., 995-8722. At El Rodeo, you’ll find a blend of Tex-Mex and other Latin American classics from salty margaritas to sweet sopapillas. $$ L D p EL SOMBRERO 2784 Meijer St, Jeffersonville IN, 2850109. An Indianapolis restaurant group has taken over the old Bearno’s near Meijer in J’ville, and opened this “Americanized Mexican” restaurant. $ D p EL TARASCO 5425 New Cut Rd., 368-5628, 110 Fairfax Ave., 895-8010, 9901 LaGrange Rd., 3269373, 9606 Taylorsville Rd., 297-8003. Add El Tarasco to the happy new genre of restaurants run

by Latinos and offering authentic Mexican food and atmosphere, but that reach out to Anglos and make it easy to enjoy a South-of-the-Border culinary adventure without compromise. $ L D p EL TORO CANTINA & GRILL 1810 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 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 environment. Tex-Mex dishes are fine, but save room for the authentic Mexican seafood specialties. $ L D pf ERNESTO’S 10430 Shelbyville Rd., 244-8889, 4632 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 671-5291. One of the first of the more authentic locally-owned Mexican restaurant groups, Ernesto’s remains consistently reliable. From the crispy home-fried chips to filling Mexican main courses and tasty desserts, it’s a worthy destination for good Mexican food and excellent value. $ L D pfe

LOLITA’S TACOS 4222 Poplar Level Rd., 459-4356. This tiny place may look like a fast-food joint, but the food is about as authentic Mexican as you’ll find. Crisp or soft tacos and burritos the size of paper-towel rolls turn a meal here into a real bargain. $ L D f LOS AZTECAS 530 W. Main St., 561-8535, 1107 Herr Ln., 426-3994, 9207 U.S. Hwy. 42, 228-2450. Authentic Mexican cuisine has become a viable option in Louisville, thanks to a growing immigrant community. With fresh bar and blender offerings, creative appetizers and comfortable seating, Los Aztecas is one of the best, with tasty Mexican dishes good enough to lure us back again and again. $ L D pf LOS MEZCALES 7502 Preston Hwy., 964-3466. A “family Mexican restaurant” on a strip with plenty of such to choose from. Serving huevos ranchero, burritos, chicken a la plancha and camarones a la diabla. $ L D MAYAN CAFÉ 813 E. Market St., 566-0651. Chef Bruce Ucán arguably kicked off the restaurant renaissance in the E. Market St. Nulu district. opening his stylish bistro, serving distinctive cuisine from Ucán’s native Yucatan Peninsula, before NuLu was fashionable. For the second year his Market Mondays promote locally-raised pastured meats. $$ L D

MEXICAN FIESTA 4507 Bardstown Rd., 491-2922 $ L D hp MEXICO TIPICO RESTAURANT 6517 Dixie Hwy., 9339523. One of the region’s first authentic Mexican eateries, Mexico Tipico has built a loyal following for good Mexican food and friendly, fully bilingual service; now it reaches the East End with a brandnew property in the Middletown area. $ L D pe MEXICO VIEJO 2319 Brownsboro Rd., 893-9880.$LDp PINA FIESTA REAL MEXICAN GRILL 7895 Dixie Hwy., 995-6775. Fans of Mexican food have another place to try, out along the wide, wide highway. You won’t find anything new here, but they say it will be real. $ L D p PUERTO VALLARTA 4214 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 945-3588, 125 Quartermaster Ct., Jeffersonville IN, 288-2022, 7814 Beulah Church Rd., 239-4646. $$ L D p QDOBA MEXICAN GRILL (12 locations). This chain operation extends from Louisville to Frankfort and Lexington. Fast-foodish in style, Qdoba edges out its competitors on variety and interesting salsas, plus sizable portions at a price you can afford. $ L D f ROSTICERIA LUNA 5213 Preston Hwy., 962-8898.

Tiny and cluttered and very friendly, this little spot on Preston looks like another tacqueria but the specialty, Mexican-style roasted chicken, takes it to another level, juicy and succulent and roasted golden brown. Chicken simply doesn’t get any better than this. $ L D hp SANTA FE 318 Main Cross St., Charlestown IN, 2562595. $ L D SANTA FE GRILL 3000 S. Third St., 634-3722. This tiny eatery in a century-old red-brick South End storefront near Churchill Downs never fails to satisfy with genuine Mexican tacos and other simple fare at prices that will leave you plenty of change for an exacta bet at the races. $ L D

FIESTA TIME MEXICAN GRILL 11320 Maple Brook Dr., 425-9144, 8133 Bardstown Rd., 231-2444. $ L D p LA BAMBA 1237 Bardstown Rd., 451-1418. La Bamba boasts of its “burritos as big as your head.” It may be Louisville’s most startling case of an eatery that is more than it appears to be, and that goes for both quality and quantity. Franchised and fast-foodish, it pleasantly surprises with genuine Mexican fare and Latino flair. $ L D h LA HACIENDA GUADALAJARA 4132 Outer Loop, 384-6427. $$ B L D LA MONARCA 6501 Shepherdsville Rd., 969-7938.$LD f LA PASADITA 245 Market St., Charlestown IN, 2567918. $ B L D LA ROSITA MEXICAN GRILL 336 Pearl St., New Albany IN, 944-3620, 252 E. Market St., 589-5220. Starting as a little walk-in space, the popularity of La Rosita’s traditional Mexican food led to a move to a huge, former department store space near the action in the New Albany downtown renaissance. Continued consumer satisfaction has resulted in opening a second outlet on the edge of NuLu. $ B L D LA ROSITA TAQUERIA 8730 Westport Rd., 618-4588, 5059 Preston Hwy., 618-2833, 1404 Blackiston Mill Rd., Clarksville IN, 284-1362. For those who crave tacos, you want them convenient when the urge to scarf one down strikes. These authentic little places will certainly satisfy those cravings. $ L D LA TAPATIA RESTAURANT 8106 Preston Hwy., 7423485, 3022 S. Third St., 638-0300. One of the most

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SEÑOR IGUANA’S 1415 Broadway St., Clarksville IN, 280-8555, 3105 S. Second St., 368-0876, 9424 Shelbyville Rd., 425-4581, 9909 Taylorsville Rd., 409-9565. These four Mexican-American eateries are known for their hearty, well-prepared Mexican food, and plenty of it, in a casually laid-back, comfortable sports-bar atmosphere. $ L D hpfe

CAFFE CLASSICO 2144 Frankfort Ave., 895-0076.

(See review under Bistro/Contemporay.)

SOL AZTECAS 2427 Bardstown Road, 459-7776, 2350 Frankfort Ave., 895-3333, 520 S. Fourth St., 315-0666, 129 W. Main St,. 583-5505. Saul Garcia, owner of this expanding chain, seems to have a knack for finding hot locations to serve his satisfying fare. He was down on Main St.’s museum row before the museums were, took over the former Raw space on the southern edge of the hot Fourth St. Live corridor, and now has his classiest location on Whiskey Row, a handsome renovation with a more sophisticated Mexican decor, and a broader Mexican menu. $ L D hpf

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

TACO TICO 5925 Terry Rd., 449-9888. Founded in Wichita in 1962, the same year as Taco Bell was born in Southern California, The Taco Tico chain has been gone from Louisville for more than a decade. Its happy return has been drawing remarkable crowds. $ L D TACQUERIA LA MEXICANA 6201 Preston Hwy., 969-4449. The tacos are fine at this tiny storefront.

This is seriously ethnic stuff, but Anglos are thoroughly welcome, the staff is bilingual, and they will happily provide a menu with all the English translations written in. $ L D YELLOW CACTUS 3620 Paoli Pk., Floyds Knobs IN, 903-0313. A yellow neon cactus draws diners to this Indiana Tex-Mex restaurant that offers standard Mexican cantina fare, as well as steak and chicken in both American and Mexican styles, and a few seafood dishes. $ L D hp

CHUY’S 104 Oxmoor Crt., 327-3033, 1440 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 282-2489. The Austin, Texas “unchain,” has two area locations, offering a complimentary happy hour nacho “car bar” set in the back end of a 50s era auto, plenty of Elvis memorabilia, and a wall of chihuahua photos. Oh, and Tex-Mex food at reasonable prices. $$ L D hpf MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL 2001 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-1800, 1001 Breckinridge Ln., 8936637, 4652 Chamberlain Ln., 425-3330, 1020 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 288-6637, 9310 Cedar Center Way, 614-7722. The food may be more fast-food Mexican-American than authentic South-of-the-Border fare, but it is freshly made from quality ingredients and comes in oversize portions, and that’s not a bad thing. $ L D SALSARITA’S FRESH CANTINA 285 N. Hubbards Ln., 897-5323. Another entry in the hot “Fresh Mexican” niche that features gigantic burritos made to order.

Its colorful free-standing building houses a sit-in restaurant and an inviting bar. $ L D f TUMBLEWEED TEX MEX GRILL & MARGARITA BAR (15 locations). Starting as a humble Mexican restaurant in New Albany, Tumbleweed grew to become an area favorite serving bold, southwest-inspired food such as burritos, spicy chile con queso, mesquitegrilled steaks, fish and chicken. Each Tumbleweed Margarita Bar offers two dozen tequila varieties and dozens of sweet and tangy margarita combinations.

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

BEAN STREET COFFEE CO. 101 Lafollette Station, Floyds Knobs IN, 923-1404. Bean Street introduced the Sunny Side to the joys of serious espresso. Like all good coffee shops, they’re not just an eatery, but a cultural hangout. $

80 Spring 2012 www.foodanddine.com

CITY GIRL FARM COFFEE 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 384-3280. This Middletown coffeehouse and café promises locally roasted coffee and fresh bakery and lunch items made from locally-sourced ingredients. $ f

DAY’S ESPRESSO AND COFFEE BAR 1420 Bardstown Rd., 456-1170. Dark and cozy, with an oldfashioned feeling, Day’s has everything you would expect in a college-neighborhood coffee shop except a college near by. $ hf EXPRESSIONS OF YOU 1800 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 584-6886. $ fe GREEN ROOM COFFEE 3640 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-9396. Inside the Hurstbourne Music Center, music lovers can find music-themed breakfast dishes to fortify them as they shop for instruments or practice their craft. $ e HEINE BROTHERS COFFEE 2714 Frankfort Ave., 899-5551, 1295 Bardstown Rd., 456-5108, 2200 Bardstown Rd., 515-0380, 119 Chenoweth Ln., 893-5103, 1449 Bardstown Rd., 454-5212, 4123 Shelbyville Rd., 895-9388, 3060 Bardstown Rd., 458-7770, 1301 Herr Ln., 425-9199, 822 Eastern Pkwy., 637-1060. Spartan, friendly and affordable, with good coffee roasted on the premises and a short list of pastries, desserts and panini sandwiches, Heine Bros. has earned its outstanding local reputation. $ hfe HIGHLAND COFFEE CO. 1140 Bardstown Rd., 4514545. Offering two ways to get wired, this cozy neighborhood coffee shop also functions as one of Louisville’s top Internet cafés, where you can enjoy a hot cappuccino while you surf the ’net in a WiFi hot spot. Funky Seattle-style ambience is a plus. $ hf THE HOBKNOBB ROASTING CO. 3700 Paoli Pike, Floyds Knobs IN, 923-1458, 419 State St., New Albany IN, 944-4555. HobKnobb offers fresh hot coffee, espresso drinks and fresh baked pastries, cakes and cookies. $ fe JAVA BREWING COMPANY 9561 U.S. Hwy. 42, 2922710, 135 S. English Station Rd., 489-5677, 1707 Bardstown Rd., 384-3555. These casual spots boasts the ambience of a friendly old-fashioned book shop, with comfortable seating, a good selection of pastries, and quality coffee from Seattle. $ fe MRS. POTTER’S COFFEE 718 W. Main St., 581-1867.$f OLD LOUISVILLE COFFEE HOUSE 4956 Manslick Rd., 364-0053. $ f PERKFECTION 359 Spring St., Jeffersonville IN, 218-0611.$ PLEASE AND THANK YOU 800 E. Market St. Another addition to the burgeoning choices in NuLu district, this little coffee house with a difference serves breakfast and lunch, and offers an eclectic selection of vinyl records, which can be sampled in a listening room. Try the ganache latte, Thai iced coffee, granola parfait, Capriole cheese with honey and grapes on a baguette, or a field greens salad with dried cherries and blue cheese. $ f QUILL’S COFFEE SHOP 930 Baxter Ave., 742-6129, 327 W. Cardinal Blvd., 137 E. Market St., New Albany IN. This local purveyor of excellent coffee and provider of amenable working spaces has opened two new locations, in the new U of L.student housing, and in the midst of the NuLu action. $ f RED HOT ROASTERS 1402 Payne St., 569-0000, 901 S. Fourth St. (Spalding University), 585-9911.

The drive-through take-away joint (entrance off Lexington Rd.) has added a space at Spalding, with an expanded menu and new cold-brewed iced coffee drinks. Excellent whole beans roasted on the premises are also available at groceries. $ SISTER BEAN’S 5225 New Cut Rd., 364-0082. $ f

SMOKEY’S BEAN 1451 S. First St., 749-6900. Located on the corner of 1st and Burnett, this new coffee house and sandwich shop gives more choice to Old Louisville residents. Locally roasted coffee plus frappes. On Friday and Saturday nights sit down and puff on a hookah till 2 a.m. $ hf 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 2122 S. Preston St., 634-1243, 306 W. Woodlawn Ave., 368-2820. Matthew Huested and Brian Miller used to roast their own coffee beans as a hobby. Their friends said they did it so well, they should turn pro — the result is Sunergos Coffee. $ e TAZZA MIA 9700 Bluegrass Pkwy., (Ramanda Plaza Hotel) 491-4830. The Cincinnati-based coffee shop joins the food options at the Ramada Plaza in eastern Jefferson County. Patrons can find breakfast pastries such as Danishes and muffins along with the house-roasted coffees. $ TRAILSIDE CAFÉ 1321 Herr Ln., 423-1545. $ VINT COFFEE 462 S. Fourth St., 561-2041, 516 W. Main St., 568-6339, 2309 Frankfort Ave., 8948060, 4901 Brownsboro Rd., 425-3688, 3600 Dutchmans Ln., 459-0660. Five Java Brewing Co. locations have assumed a new identity as VINT (although three other locations will remain under the Java name). The rebranding of the these spots reflects their assertion that all their beverages — coffee, tea, ale and wine — will “have a vintage, an annual release cycle.” Re-furbished interiors invite you in for morning coffee, afternoon tea or an evening of libations. $ f

ADRIENNE & CO. BAKERY CAFÉ 129 W. Court Ave., Jeffersonville, IN, 282-2665. If you need something for your sweet tooth and won’t be denied, count yourself lucky if the craving strikes when you’re in the vicinity of this cozy Southern Indiana spot, with its good selection of homemade cakes and treats. $ f ANNIE MAY’S SWEETS CAFÉ 3110 Frankfort Ave., 384-2667. The only gluten and nut-free bakery in the state caters to customers with dietary issues such as celiac disease and allergies. Cookies, brownies, cakes, pies, wedding cakes all made without wheat, dairy, eggs, soy or tree nuts. Arrive early, before the vegan and allergen-free oatmeal cream pie cookie sells out. $ THE BAKERY 3100 Bardstown Rd., 452-1210. Not just a fine bakery but a place where bakers learn their business, this excellent establishment is part of the culinary program at Sullivan University. It’s hard to beat the quality breads and pastries offered here to eat in or carry out. $ BREADWORKS 3628 Brownsboro Rd., 893-3200, 2420 Lime Kiln Ln., 326-0300, 2204 Dundee Rd., 452-1510, 11800 Shelbyville Rd., 254-2885. $ B CAKE FLOUR 909 E. Market St., 719-0172. This jewel box shop serves up precious French pastries, quiche, scones and sweets seven days a week. The chef’s all-natural ethos and locavore connections make for exquisite tastes. $ f CELLAR DOOR CHOCOLATES 1201 Story Ave., 561-2940, 140 N. Fourth St. (Galt House) 588-4097.

Erika Chavez-Graziano has added a downtown outlet, along with her confectionary operation to the artsy Butchertown Market building on Story Ave., Look for esoteric, but luscious, inventive chocolate confections such as beer flavored truffles and avocado soft-centers. $

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

COCO’S CHOCOLATE CAFÉ 1759 Bardstown Rd., 454-9810. Stylish, artisanal chocolates and baked goods made on the premises make this tiny Highlands spot a stylish place to stop and linger over for a dessert and a cup of coffee. $ hf THE COMFY COW 1301 Herr Ln., 425-4979, 2223 Frankfort Ave., 409-4616, 339 W. Cardinal Blvd., 409-5090. This “new-fashioned” ice-cream parlor made an immediate splash in its original Westport Village location with its intriguing range of flavors (salted caramel, fresh roasted coffee, peanut peanut butter butter), and is in the throes of expansion, into the historic building on Frankfort next to the old Genny’s Diner and in the U of L project at the old Masterson’s site in Old Louisville. $ hf THE CUPCAKE SHOPPE 3701 Lexington Rd., 8992970. You won’t need three guesses to name the specialty at this little St. Matthews bakery, which has gained instant popularity for its wide variety of moist, tender cupcakes, always made in house. $ DALAT’S GATEAUX & BAKERY 6915 Southside Dr., 368-9280. It’s a French bakery, run by a Vietnamese family, which makes perfect sense. Order French pastry, cakes and cookies as well as Vietnamese specialties. Savory choices, such as pork pate wrapped in choux pastry are also available. $ DESSERTS BY HELEN 2210 Bardstown Rd., 451-7151, 9219 U.S. Hwy. 42, 228-8959. Helen Friedman has earned a loyal clientele since the 1970s with her elegant cakes, tempting pies and tortes and designer cookies. $$ GIGI’S CUPCAKES 1977 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 4994998. The first outpost of the Tennessee bakery chain in Kentucky, this little shop offers a changing selection of high-end cupcakes in designer flavors — Bailey’s Irish cream, apple spice, coconut snowball, and so on. $ GREAT HARVEST BREAD COMPANY 1225 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 412-8573, 4214 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 945-4422. $ B L

HEITZMAN TRADITIONAL BAKERY & DELI 9426 Shelbyville Rd., 426-7736, 428 W. Market St., 5842437. The Heitzman family has been baking in the Louisville area since your great-aunt was a girl ordering dinner rolls. Made fresh daily, the pies, cakes, cookies and specialty pastries provide tasty nostalgia for all who visit. $ HOMEMADE ICE CREAM & PIE KITCHEN 2525 Bardstown Rd., 459-8184, 1041 Bardstown Rd., 618-3380, 3737 Lexington Rd., 893-3303, 12613 Taylorsville Rd., 267-6280, 3598 Springhurst Blvd., 326-8990, 12531 Shelbyville Rd., 245-7031, 5606 Bardstown Rd., 239-3880, 1370 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville IN, 288-6000, 2232 Frankfort Ave., 409-6100. $ L D hf HONEY CREME DONUT SHOP 514 Vincennes St., New Albany IN, 945-2150. Off the beaten track, this down-homey bakery in a plain white building offers a wide selection of doughnuts, fritters and Danish that keeps the shop’s fans coming back again and again. $ B JAMIE’S 14K CUPCAKES 938 Baxter Ave., 3651440. The cupcake shop has been a suburban mall phenomenon until now. Jamie’s offers Highlands residents many varieties of this currently trendy nosh, including cake pops and vegan and gluten free choices. $ MY FAVORITE MUFFIN 9800 Shelbyville Rd., 4269645. All the muffins are made right in the store, including such popular choices as the Cinnamon Crumb and the Turtle Muffin. $ B NORD’S BAKERY 2118 S. Preston St., 634-0931. This old-school, family-owned bakery on the edge of Germantown has a devoted following, drawn by divine Danish, donuts, and great coffee from the nearby Sunergos micro-roastery — and if you’re a sucker for over-the-top excess, try the caramel donut topped with — yes, it’s true, bacon. $ B

PLEHN’S BAKERY 3940 Shelbyville Rd., 896-4438. A neighborhood institution, this bakery is as busy as it is nostalgic. Enjoy the hometown soda fountain with ice cream while you wait for your handdecorated birthday cake, breakfast rolls or colorful cookies to be boxed. $ B POLICE DONUTS 12416 Shelbyville Rd., 244-1880.

The first incarnation of this jokey concept did not quite work out, but new ownership is trying again, putting out good bakery products at reasonable prices. $ B SUGAR AND SPICE DONUT SHOP 5613 Bardstown Rd., 231-1411. This Fern Creek bakery has loads of loyal fans, who often buy out their favorite donut by mid-morning. Coffee to go too, of course, and even little half-pints of chocolate milk. $ B SWEET STUFF BAKERY 323 E. Spring St., New Albany IN, 948-2507. This long-time southern Indiana home-style bakery is noted for baked goods just like your grandmother made. Its specialty: painted sugar cookies, with designs in white chocolate that change with the seasons and holidays.

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

Sweet Surrender, with Jessica Haskell at the helm, has returned to its original Clifton neighborhood to provide elegant desserts as well as signature vegetarian lunches. $$ hf SWEETS & SUCH BAKERY 3947 Dixie Hwy., 4491008. A Shively area neighborhood bakery.

Cupcakes and cookies, brownies and cake, but its renown stems from the Presidential donut, a cream-filled concoction that won Bill Clinton’s admiration. $ WILLIAM’S BAKERY 1051 N. Clark Blvd., Clarksville IN. 284-2867. $ B

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MAP INDEX

MAP INDEX

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

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MAP INDEX www.facebook.com/foodanddine Spring 2012 83

MAP • 1 DOWNTOWN 84 Spring 2012 www.foodanddine.com

www.facebook.com/foodanddine Spring 2012 85

(NEAR EAST) HIGHLANDS – CRESCENT HILL – CLIFTON

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MAP • 3 (NEAR EAST) ST. MATTHEWS 86 Spring 2012 www.foodanddine.com

MAP • 4 (SOUTH EAST) HIKES POINT – BUECHEL www.facebook.com/foodanddine Spring 2012 87

88 Spring 2012 www.foodanddine.com

(EAST) LYNDON – HURSTBOURNE – ANCHORAGE – MIDDLETOWN

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(EAST) HURSTBOURNE SOUTH – FOREST HGILLS – JEFFERSONTOWN

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90 Spring 2012 www.foodanddine.com

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(FAR NORTH EAST) WESTPORT RD – GENE SNYDER

(NORTH EAST) INDIAN HILLS – WESTPORT

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(SOUTH EAST) FERN CREEK

(NORTH EAST) PROSPECT

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92 Spring 2012 www.foodanddine.com

(SOUTH WEST) SHIVELY – PLEASURE RIDGE

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MAP • 13 (SOUTH) OLD LOUISVILLE – AIRPORT www.facebook.com/foodanddine Spring 2012 93

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(INDIANA) NEW ALBANY – FLOYDS KNOBS

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(INDIANA) JEFFERSONVILLE

(INDIANA) CLARKSVILLE

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