Winter 2004-05 (Vol. 07)

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WINTER 2005

700 and

restaurant reviews inside!

MAPS to them all

if you knew

sushi

american dreamers immigrant restaurateurs

tour louisville’s ethnic neighborhoods

recipes California roll $ 4 . 9 9 U. S .

plus more ethnic fusion delights

www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

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Z’s steaks are selected from Prime mid-western aged beef, hand-cut to order and cooked the way you like it.

Z’s seafood is purchased directly from “day boat fisherman,” prepared simply and cooked to perfection. Don’t call prior to 4:00 p.m. about seafood specials for the evening… Chef is still at the airport… we just don’t know, yet!

Z’s oyster lovers can select from both East and West Coast oysters!

Lunch

Monday – Friday

11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Dinner

Monday – Thursday Friday – Saturday Sunday

5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

5:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Louisville’s ★The Courier-Journal ★★★&◆◆◆◆ Restaurant Opened in October 2000, Z’s Oyster Bar & Steakhouse is independently owned and operated.

101 Whittington Parkway Louisville, KY 40222 Telephone (502) 429-8000 Facsimile (502) 339-0335 www.zsoysterbar.com

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Are you ready for some

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HAVE A SEAT IN “LOUISVILLE’S LIVING ROOM” AND SAMPLE OUR SELECTION OF OVER

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Choose Your Dealership

As Carefully as You Choose Your Car.

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WINTER 2005 PUBLISHER / EDITOR IN CHIEF JOHN CARLOS WHITE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ROBIN GARR VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS DANIEL F. BOYLE COLUMNISTS ROGER A. BAYLOR ROBIN GARR RON JOHNSON DAVID LANGE JERRY SLATER

NORTH END CAFE & BAR

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS DAVID DOMINE ELLEN BIRKETT MORRIS CONTRIBUTING CHEFS JOHN CASTRO JOHN RICHARDS CHIEF RESTAURANT CRITIC ROBIN GARR CONTRIBUTING RESTAURANT CRITIC MARTY ROSEN CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER DAN DRY GRAPHIC DESIGN KATHY KULWICKI STEFAN TAMBURRO COPY EDITOR KAREN BOSC ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES ANNETTE B. WHITE TOM SFURA

Happy Hour Everyday 3 6

Sun–Wed 7am–12am Thurs–Sat 7am–2am 1722 Frankfort Avenue

–

502.896.8770

Food & Dining Magazine® is published quarterly by Louisville Dining Magazine, Inc. P.O. Box 665, Louisville KY. 40201.

Single copies $4.99, Annual Subscriptions rate $18.00. Submit subscription requests to: Food & Dining Magazine® P.O. Box 665, Louisville KY 40201, or call (502) 493-5511 ext. 540 or subscribe online at www.foodanddiningmagazine.com 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. Food & Dining Magazine® and Louisville Dining Magazine Inc. are in no way affiliated with Louisville Magazine® or any of its affiliates.

Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.

All rights reserved.

For Advertising information call (502) 493-5511 ext. 550

ON THE COVER

BREAKFAST 4

Winter 2005

LUNCH

DINNER

www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

PRIVA TE DINING

CA TERING

LOUNGE

From Shogun Japanese Steakhouse, a roll of maguro (tuna) and cucumber garnished with Japanese bean sprouts.

Photo by Dan Dry

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contents

FEATURES

10

IF YOU KNEW SUSHI

WINTER 2005

Writer Ellen Birkett Morris opens our eyes to this artful Japanese treat.

LOUISVILLE’S ETHNIC FLAVOR

32

A user-friendly dining guide to the area’s ethnic neighborhoods.

10

40

AMERICAN DREAMERS

Five of Louisville’s immigrant restaurateurs tell of their inspiring journeys.

COLUMNS NEWS AND NOTES Comings & Goings

8

Recent restaurant openings, closings, moves & changes.

LIQUIDS

40

22 CORK 101: Pairing wine & ethnic food 24 HIP HOPS: Winter heavyweights 26 SPIRITS: Rum – Imperfectly flavorful

Imperfections define beauty: Drinks expert Jerry Slater talks about rum.

Robin Garr offers a few practical tips on matching wine with ethnic fare.

32

Brew guru Roger A. Baylor wants hearty fare and brews when the weather outside is frightful.

28

COFFEE: Size does matter

David Lange tells how to make your coffee measure up.

TRAVEL ROAD TRIP! Cincinnati

30

Columnist Ron Johnson takes us to the Queen City.

RECIPES

52

20

LOUISVILLE’S RESTAURANT FAVORITES Fuji’s California Roll – Chef Peter Jung shows us how to make America’s most popular sushi.

52

TOP CHEF RECIPES Hot and cold fusion. A zesty mix of cultures, flavors and culinary traditions from Sullivan University guest chefs.

RESTAURANT GUIDE DINING GUIDE

22

56

Restaurant reviews and contact info for more than 900 regional restaurants.

MAPS

88

From the smallest hole-in-the-wall to the fanciest table, you will find all 900 restaurants conveniently mapped out here. www.foodanddiningmagazine.com Winter 2005

5

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It’s rare to find a menu this well done.

Open for dinner nightly and at noon on Sunday.

Extensive Wine List and Full Service Bar. Private dining room and priority seating available.

Gift Cards available.

s t o n e y r i v e r. c o m

3900 Summit Plaza Drive • At the Summit Plaza Shopping Center • Louisville, KY • (502) 429-8944 ©2005 10998

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A HIGHER STATE OF RUM. Please be as mature as our Estate Rums. Drink responsibly.

Appleton® Estate V/X Jamaica Rum, 40% Alc. by Vol., Imported by Brown-Forman Spirits Americas, Louisville, KY ©2004.

w w w. a p p l e t o n r u m u s . c o m

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news and notes

&goings

comings

The last three months of 2004 were a relatively quiet period on the Louisville dining scene, and the good news —from the standpoint of diners, restaurant owners and investors—is that openings outnumbered closings by three to one. Here’s our quarterly update on arrivals, departures and other new business.

OPENINGS Two recent arrivals boosted the diverse entertainment scene at Fourth Street Live while just about filling the place to capacity.

Howl at the Moon, a piano bar with twin “dueling pianos,” invites you to sing along. The Pub Louisville, outpost of a Cincinnati group that also runs Lexington’s popular deSha’s, offers upscale “nouveau pub cuisine” in an atmosphere that’s veddy British.

Going back to its roots after multiple moves, the funky Pigasus is open again in the small house at 822 State Street in New Albany where it all started a few years ago. Original proprietor Gary Needham is no longer associated with the eatery, but his excellent barbecue recipes remain a draw. In another Lazarus act, the impressively renovated Old Louisville storefront that all too briefly housed Chef ’s Table is open for business again under new management as Leander’s on Oak, 1160 S. First Street.

If you’re pulling an all-nighter on Restaurant Row, you’ll want to check out Rendezvous Diner, 1126 Bardstown Road, where diner fare and a few Middle Eastern dishes keep coming from sundown until dawn.

Three new independent coffee shops make it all the easier to quench your caffeine jones with a cup of quality brew: Sunergos Coffee & Micro-Roastery, 2122 S. Preston Street, roasts its own in a shiny high-tech device at the back end of a dark and cozy Germantown shop; Artisan’s Coffee Café, 2415 Lime Kiln Lane, offers estimable coffees in more modern suburban quarters, and The Hobknobb Roasting Co., 3700 Paoli Pike, brings artisanal coffee roasting to Floyds Knobs.

Speaking of Southern Indiana, there’s more restaurant action: Shane’s, 1004 10th Street, and Fratello’s Pizza, 735 Ewing Lane, are among recent arrivals in Jeffersonville, while another branch of McAlister’s Deli is now open at 1305 Veterans Parkway in Clarksville.

Finally, welcome new arrivals Fiesta Time Mexican Grill, 11320 Maple Brook Dr., and the city’s fourth Panera Bread outlet, 10451 Champion Farms Drive, both in far Eastern Jefferson County.

CLOSINGS Year’s end marked final call for several local spots.The demise of Chester’s Tavern, 5444 New Cut Rd. near Iroquois Park, added unfortunate credibility to the legend that upscale eateries face tough sledding in the South End. 8

Winter 2005

www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

Somewhere in Thyme ended its run in the historic Seaton House at 10320 Watterson Trail on Jeffersontown’s Town Square, but the owners are reportedly looking at another historic venue farther east in the rural Fisherville area.

Benny B’s, 3801 Willis Avenue, closed early in the New Year, but the good news for lovers of Benny’s memorable sandwiches is that much of its menu will remain available at its sister establishment, Tony Boombozz, 3334 Frankfort Avenue. The Boombozz folks have a history of using the tiny Willis Avenue building to experiment with new casual restaurant “concepts.”

We’ll be watching to see what they come up with next.

Also closing were Rollo Pollo, 4975 Shelbyville Road, Múse Café, 3110 Frankfort Avenue, Highland Wildflower & Java, 1559 Bardstown Road, and J.J.’s Café, 1515 Lynch Lane in Clarksville.

THIS AND THAT In a variety of other developments on the local restaurant scene, Café Emilie, in the Burdorf ’s building at 3939 Shelbyville Road, announced plans to expand its dinner hours from weekends only to a full Monday through Saturday schedule.

North End Café, 1722 Frankfort Avenue, has completed its expansion into the renovated space next door, doubling the size of its dining room and adding a full bar. Nearby in the increasingly hot Clifton-Butchertown restaurant community, L&N Wine Bar & Bistro has added Sunday dining from 5 to 10 p.m.

Finally, looking forward into the New Year, watch for Bluegrass Brewing Company to open the city’s first downtown microbrewery on Theater Square before Derby time, in a joint venture between the proprietors of Third Avenue Café and BBC Taproom on Main Street. F&D

(Do you have information on something we missed? Send it to editor@foodanddiningmagazine.com)

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about food sushi

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BY ELLEN BIRKETT MORRIS | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

if you knew Strange as it may seem, sushi is just about everywhere.

You can find it in groceries, specialty shops and on the menus of fine-dining establishments across the city.

The ancient culinary art of sushi arose from necessity—the need to pickle fish for preservation.

As far back as the seventh century, Japanese cooks packed fish with rice and found the result delicious. Later versions of sushi introduced rice vinegar. By the 1820s, seafood and vinegared rice, along with sashimi (fresh sliced raw fish), were served from sushi stalls on the streets of Tokyo.

Pressed, rolled, hand-shaped or scattered, sushi has spread from the West Coast across America. A nationwide study in 2000 by the National Restaurant Association, Ethnic Cuisines II, showed that sushi has enjoyed a significant growth in popularity in recent years, along with other newly popular ethnic cuisines such as Thai and Middle Eastern food.

Ethnic foods, it seems, are more easily available these days, so people find these once-exotic dishes familiar and more mainstream.

LEFT: Shogun’s lomi lomi salmon. RIGHT: Sapporo’s scallop tornado (marinated scallops wrapped in sugar cured bacon and grilled).

OPPOSITE: An artistic display of sashimi from Fuji. Clockwise from top: maguro (tuna), saba (mackerel), ama ebi (sweet shrimp), buri

(large yellow tail), shiro maguro (white tuna), tai (red snapper), sake (salmon) and tako (octopus).

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Like many other consumer goods— music or clothing, for instance—sushi’s popularity is driven by a strong youth market. According to the restaurant association study, Generations X and Y— those between 18 and 34—were exposed to more exotic foods by their parents at an early age and are willing to explore new foods. In their eyes, sushi is just another option in an expanding array of choices.

What does this mean for diners in Louisville? A growing number of sushi bars are competing for your dining dollar, and competition inspires better, more innovative offerings.

In addition to all the sushi bars, some fine dining restaurants are getting in on the sushi action. Jeff Jarfi, owner of Jarfi’s Bistro in the Kentucky Center for the Arts, thought sushi would be a good fit with his restaurant’s international bistro concept.

“The sushi bar represents 15 to 20 percent of sales,” Jarfi said. “My goal is to raise that to 25 to 30 percent of sales. We have more people trying it every day. I have even made the amuse (a complimentary bite offered to diners at the start of the meal) sushi in order to get people comfortable with it. Now they are coming back and ordering it.”

Sushi bars are holding their own as stand-alone spots and as alternatives within Japanese steakhouses. Sammy Sa, the manager of Fuji Japanese Steakhouse in Middletown, has worked at the old Benihana Japanese Steakhouse and other restaurants in Louisville for 15 years. He has seen the Asian dining landscape in Louisville change dramatically.

“Shogun was one of the first restaurants to serve sushi in the early ’90s, and people (mistakenly) thought it was all raw fish. Three or four years later sushi became really popular. After Sapporo opened, Louisville began to get more sushi restaurants,” said Sa. Sushi chefs are quick to tout its health benefits as a low-fat, low-cholesterol food rich in healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Still, they acknowledge that some diners may be reluctant to try sushi without an introduction to its charms. Education— and the occasional free sample—has been essential to awakening the public to the joys of sushi and increasing its popularity.

“The personality of a sushi chef is important, especially here in the U.S. They have to be able to teach the novice TOP: ebi (shrimp), kani kamaboko (crab) and tai (red snapper) nigiri-zushi from Fuji. RIGHT: Sapporo’s tuna cocktail (chopped fresh tuna, marinated in a spicy sauce, on a bed of scallions, chives and ginger root, garnished with fish roe).

12 Winter 2005 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

Page 12

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customer and get them excited about sushi,” said John Chung, manager of Shogun Japanese Steakhouse.

Mike Park, sushi chef for Sapporo Japanese Grill & Sushi, said he begins by introducing people to cooked items, such as California roll, which is made of cooked crab, avocado and cucumber.

Ryan Umbal, sushi chef at Fuji, said the next step for many people is sampling raw tuna, salmon or red snapper, which have a good flavor on their own. “Little by little they let themselves enjoy a new taste.Then they start to crave it and before long they are eating the (raw) fish by itself,” he said.

Education is not the only important aspect of selling sushi. Artistry has always been an important part of its appeal. Troy Riddell, sushi chef at Bendoya Sushi Bar, observed, adding, “I try to come up with something to tease the customer’s eyes so their tummies might want it.” This past Christmas, for example, he created a North Pole Roll of red tuna and white albacore tuna, cucumber and avocado, shaped to resemble a candy cane.

Other seasonal rolls abound on the menus of local establishments. Sapporo offers a Derby roll made with crabmeat, asparagus and shrimp to resemble horses and riders. Shogun’s Derby roll evokes images of a racetrack.

“We focus on artistic presentation.

We’re able to include a variety of colorful vegetables and fish and present them in a way that is timely,” said Chung, who noted that the ability to create new rolls is limited only by the chef ’s imagination.

A sushi chef also needs to adapt recipes to appeal to the palate of the local customer, Chung said, adding,“In the South people tend to like Cajun flavors; on the West Coast people favor Pacific Rim tastes, and in the Midwest you are more likely to find sushi that has a meat-andpotatoes feel to it.”

Park agrees that it’s important to appeal to customers’ tastes. His answer is a fusion of styles that range from the Mexican-inspired Triple X roll to the more American Sunday Morning roll, a deepfried roll filled with salmon and cream cheese.“There is no perfect sushi chef.We just have to keep working to create new things,” said Park.

TOP: Shogun’s Valentine’s Roll (makizushi roll with crab meat and asparagus wrapped in rice, nori, tuna and salmon garnished with shrimp salad and fresh lime juice). LEFT: Fuji’s own creation— Sun Rise, maguro (tuna) stuffed with sushi rice and topped with tobiko (flying-fish eggs) and uzura no tamago (quail egg yolk). www.foodanddiningmagazine.com Winter 2005 13

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Coming Soon to a Grocery Near You You know a food has become mainstream when you can find it in the deli section near the pimento cheese and potato salad. Such is the case with sushi.

Doll’s Market on Brownsboro Road has carried sushi for five years. Sashee Gaslin, director of the deli and bakery at Doll’s, said they began stocking sushi after receiving requests from customers.

“People wanted it immediately. We didn’t need to grow the market,” said Gaslin.

Kroger was not far behind. The supermarket chain operates across the United States except for the Northeast, the Dakotas and Florida. Kroger started selling packaged sushi in 2001 and has been slowly expanding the concept. In the past year there has been a push to increase the number of stores with sushi, which has resulted in a spate of openings in East End locations, including Prospect, the Highlands, Springhurst and Hubbards Lane.

Kroger now has sushi at 19 stores in Louisville, Lexington, Nashville and Bowling Green, all operated by Advanced Fresh Concepts, a California-based franchise operation that has seen sales grow from $300,000 in 1987 to $185 million in 2003.

“Demographics are definitely a factor in deciding where to place sushi. It is a high-end item, and we find that our best buyers are well-traveled or affluent,” said Joe Hildesheim, assistant deli merchandiser for the Louisville division of the Kroger Company. He said stores near university campuses also do a brisk business, thanks to adventurous students and a concentration of Asian customers. He said it often takes four or five weeks for customers to notice the addition of sushi before sales begin to increase.

While sushi is not a large portion of Doll’s deli business, Gaslin said, it is a consistent seller with a loyal customer base. “Our best customers for sushi are teenagers and young adults.”

Neither Gaslin nor Hildesheim expressed surprise at the continued popularity of sushi. “If you think about it, sushi is the perfect food. It’s low-fat, low-calorie and all natural. A nine-piece California roll has just 240 calories, and it will fill you up,” said Hildesheim. F&D (see sushi primer p. 16) TOP: An assortment of the day’s fresh sashimi at Sapporo. LEFT: Sake

(salmon) with ikura (salmon roe) and cucumber from Shogun.

14 Winter 2005 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

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A Sushi Primer Maki-zushi - Sushi “roll.” Usually made with nori (seaweed) wrapped around rice with fish or vegetables in the center and sliced into bite-size rounds; but “insideout” maki—like California and rainbow roll—have the rice outside.

Nigiri-zushi - A hand-formed rice ball topped with a dab of wasabi horseradish and a bite-size piece of fish or shellfish.

This and maki-zushi are the two most common forms of sushi.

Temaki-zushi - Similar to maki-zushi, but the rice, fish and vegetables are wrapped in a hand-rolled cone of nori seaweed and served whole.

Chirashi-zushi - Literally “scattered sushi,” rice in a bowl or box topped with bites of raw-fish sashimi, often nine of them, as that’s a lucky number in Japanese.

Oshi-zushi - “Pressed” sushi, made by shaping sushi ingredients and cooked rice in an oblong wooden mold.

Gunkan-maki - Nicknamed “battleship roll” because it is an oval, boat-shaped maki, usually topped with oysters, roe, scallops and other soft items.

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Louisville’s favorite sushi Straight No Chaser (Nigiri-zushi)

Rolling on the River (Maki-zushi)

1

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

California Roll - Surimi crab “shape,” avocado and cucumber in an “inside-out” roll decorated with toasted sesame seeds and colorful roe. Popular with less adventurous diners because it contains no raw fish.

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Yum Yum Roll - Crab and cucumber with spicy hot sauce in a roll.

Fried Shrimp Roll - Roll filled with deep-fried batter-coated shrimp.

Spider Roll - Roll filled with a deep-fried soft-shell crab.

Crab - Surimi crab “shape” on rice. Not raw.

Shrimp (Ebi) - A butterflied cooked shrimp neatly formed on a rice ball.

Tuna (Maguro) - Dark red and beefy, tender and not at all fishy.

An excellent starting point for those trying sushi for the first time.

Salmon (Sake) - Golden orange veined in white, delicately flavored, another good “starter” sushi choice.

Cucumber (Kappamaki) or Avocado Roll - Vegetables only, no seafood or fish in a rice roll.

Smoked Salmon (Kunsei Sake) - Can you say “lox”?

Another familiar and cooked alternative for the wary.

Tuna Roll (Tekkamaki) - Strips of fresh raw tuna rolled in rice and seaweed.

Super White Tuna (ShiroMaguro) - High-quality albacore tuna, pure white and silken.

Philadelphia Roll - Roll filled with salmon and cream cheese. (Sunday Morning Roll is made the same then deep-fried).

Eel Roll (Unagi) - Grilled eel and avocado, usually drizzled with thick, sweet sauce and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds.

Rainbow Roll - A colorful variation on California Roll, with thin slices of raw tuna, salmon and white fish and cooked shrimp artfully arranged on the exterior.

Futomaki - “Giant maki,” a variety of sweet Japanese vegetables enclosed in an extra-large maki roll.

Yellow Tail (Hamachi) - Just off-white to reddish pink, tender and sweet, a very fine sushi choice.

Sea Bass (Suzuki) - Glistening white, firm fish, fresh as a sea breeze.

Red Snapper (Tai) - Pretty pale pink color and delicate flavor make this a favorite.

Scallop (Hotategai) - Usually served barely cooked, tender and sweet. Sometimes served chopped, with a dab of mayo, spicy sauce and a colorful garnish of flying fish roe.

www.foodanddiningmagazine.com Winter 2005 17

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Where to find sushi

restaurants

Arirang, 4160 Bardstown Road Asian Buffet, 3813 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, Indiana Bendoya Sushi Bar, 217 S. Fifth Street Café Mimosa / Eggroll Machine, 1216 Bardstown Road Dynasty Buffet, 2400 Lime Kiln Lane Fuji Japanese Steakhouse, 3576 Springhurst Boulevard; 12905 Shelbyville Road Ichiban Samurai, 1510 Lake Shore Court Jarfi’s Bistro, Kentucky Center for the Arts, 501 W. Main St. Jumbo Buffet, 2731 S. Hurstbourne Parkway; 701 E. Highway 131, Clarksville, Indiana Kim’s Asian Grille, 813 E. Market Street King Buffet, 1801 Priority Way Kobe Japanese Steakhouse, 301 S. Indiana Avenue, Jeffersonville, Indiana Maido Essential Japanese, 1758 Frankfort Avenue New World Buffet, 9228 Westport Road Onion Restaurant & Tea House, 4211 Charlestown Road, New Albany, Indiana Oriental Express, 12567 Shelbyville Road Osaka Sushi Bar, 2039 Frankfort Avenue Sakura Blue, 4600 Shelbyville Road Sapporo Japanese Grill & Sushi, 1706 Bardstown Road Shogun Japanese Steakhouse, 9026 Taylorsville Road; 4110 Hampton Lake Way Tokyo Japanese Restaurant, 2416C Lime Kiln Lane University of Louisville, SAC Food Court, Belknap Campus

markets

Jarfi’s Bistro Casablanca roll, a maki-zushi roll topped with maguro (tuna), sake (salmon) and ebi (shrimp) 18 Winter 2005 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

Amazing Grace Whole Foods, 1133 Bardstown Road Doll’s Market, 3620 Brownsboro Road Fresh Market, 10432 Shelbyville Road Jay C Market, 815 Highlander Point, Floyds Knobs Indiana Kroger - Highlands, 2440 Bardstown Road; Stonybrook, 9080 Taylorville Road; Prospect, 9151 U.S. Highway 42; Springhurst, 9440 Old Brownsboro Road; St. Matthews, 279 N Hubbards Lane Paul’s Fruit Markets, 3905 Chenoweth Square; 4946 Brownsboro Road; 3704 Taylorsville Road Prospect Fish Market, 9219 U.S. Highway 42 Rainbow Blossom Natural Food Store, 3738 Lexington Rd.; 3608 Springhurst Boulevard Seafood Connections, 10516 Fisher Park Drive Wild Oats Natural Marketplace, 4600 Shelbyville Road Whole Foods, 4944 Shelbyville Road

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recipes louisville’s restaurant favorites

BY ROBIN GARR | PHOTOS BY DAN DRY

Fuji’s California Roll Can an amateur cook of average skills learn to make sushi at home?

When I posed this provocative question to Chef Peter Jung, the man behind the sushi bar at Fuji Japanese Steakhouse, he tossed me an inscrutable grin and invited me to guess how long it took him to learn the tricks of the sushi chef ’s trade.

“Ten years,” he added, triumphantly, when my estimate fell way short. What’s more, Jung warned, proper sushi must be made from perfectly fresh fish of rare and exceptional quality, not easy for most of us to acquire at the neighborhood grocer.

Maybe it’s best to leave it to the pros, hinted the amiable chef, who served his sushi apprenticeship in San Francisco before coming to Louisville as head honcho of the Fuji restaurant at 12905 Shelbyville Road in Middletown.

But if you’re intent on rushing in where many fear to tread, Jung suggests a compromise: Don’t start with the most refined forms, the elegant sashimi (pieces of raw fish, artfully cut and displayed) or the tempting nigiri-zushi (bite-size bits of fish and other goodies perched atop tender balls of sushi rice). Begin

instead with maki-zushi, the popular and relatively unchallenging sushi “roll” that’s made by forming a cylinder of rice and edible nori seaweed around strips of fish, shellfish and vegetables, then slicing the result into bite-size rounds that are as easy on the eyes as they are on the palate.

One of the most popular maki is California roll, invented in the Golden State a generation ago as a way to make sushi more accessible for those not quite ready to dine on raw fish. Built around crab (or, more commonly, the “crab shapes” called surimi) plus silken strips of avocado and crunchy bites of cucumber, California roll contains nothing to worry the most squeamish diner, yet it includes all the things that make sushi a delight, incorporating an intriguing contrast of colors, textures and flavors in a bite-size treat.

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For the rice: 2 cups Japanese short-grain or medium-grain rice 3 cups water 4 tablespoons rice vinegar 11/2 tablespoons white sugar 1 /2 tablespoon salt Chef Jung has staff to cook his sushi rice, but you don’t, so start well in advance by cooking the rice, which will need time to cool before you can start the rolls.

Put the rice in a large strainer and rinse it well until the water running off is clear.

Put it in a bowl with plenty of water and let it soak for 20 minutes. Drain the rice, put it in a saucepan, and add the 3 cups water.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a bare simmer. Cover tightly, cook for 17 minutes, then turn off heat and leave the pan covered for another 10 or 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the rice vinegar, sugar and salt and heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Let it cool. Spoon the rice into a large bowl, and gently stir in the vinegar mixture, taking care not to mash the grains.

For the sushi: 1 cucumber 2 avocados Lemon juice Packaged “crab shapes” (surimi) or fresh crab-leg meat if you prefer Small jar flying-fish roe or inexpensive red caviar (optional) 4 sheets of nori (dried seaweed sheets) Peel the cucumber, slice it lengthwise and scoop out and discard the seeds. Cut four long, thin strips of cucumber, reserving the rest for another purpose. Peel the avocado and cut it into quarters, gently removing the large seed. Cut eight strips for your sushi, again reserving the rest for another meal. Squeeze a little lemon juice over the avocado to keep it from discoloring. Take four crab “shapes” from the package and carefully cut them in half lengthwise. (If you’re using fresh crab, set up eight neat pieces of leg meat.) If you’re using the roe or caviar, spread it out thinly on a clean plate.

Page 21

Now the construction begins!

1. Take one sheet of nori (which should be roughly 4 by 6 inches—you may trim it with scissors or a knife if needed) and place it flat on a clean countertop. Wet your hands, pick up about one-fourth of the rice and form it into a ball. (“A little smaller than a baseball,” Jung says.) Press the rice onto the nori, pushing it into a neat, even rectangle that just covers the seaweed. Turn the assembly over so the rice is down and the greenish-black seaweed faces up.

2. Align two strips of surimi (or crab legs) end-to-end along the exact middle of the longer dimension. Then put a long strip of cucumber next to them, and two strips of avocado on top.

3. Carefully roll the rice-lined seaweed around them so you end up with a cylinder with crab, cucumber and avocado on the inside, surrounded by a sheet of seaweed, with rice on the outside.

4. Gently press this rough cylinder into a neat log shape. Then take your bamboo mat, line it with plastic wrap, and—with the bamboo strips parallel with the sushi roll— press it down over the “log” to make an even more precise cylindrical shape. You want to press out any excess air and ensure a firm, even shape, but don’t press so hard that the ingredients pop out the ends. Repeat the process to make three more rolls.

5. Then cut each roll in half to make two shorter rolls, using a very sharp knife and dipping its blade in water before each cut so the rice won’t stick. Dip one side of each roll into the caviar so a bit sticks to the top. Then cut each of the eight rolls into four short, even rounds and arrange them on a serving plate, garnished with pickled ginger, wasabi (reconstituted into a paste by stirring a little water into the powder) and soy sauce on the side.

Condiments: Wasabi (Japanese horseradish) Soy sauce (Japanese brand such as Kikkoman preferred) Pickled ginger

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PREP TIP Unless you have an unusually exotic larder, you’ll need to make a shopping trip to pick up some of the more unusual ingredients, including nori seaweed, Japanese short-grain rice, rice vinegar and those standard sushi-bar condiments, pickled ginger and the pungent, sinusclearing horseradish powder called wasabi. These can be found at Asian markets such as Oriental Garden, 4210 Bishop Lane, and Oriental Supermarket & Gift Shop, 1211 Gilmore Lane, as well as specialty shops like Rainbow Blossom, Lotsa Pasta, Whole Foods or Wild Oats. While you’re shopping, take a moment to pick up one of those table mats made from spaghetti-thin strips of bamboo tied together in parallel lines. It’s an indispensable tool in shaping up your roll. F&D www.foodanddiningmagazine.com Winter 2005 21

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BY JERRY SLATER

Mojito

I

f winter weather doldrums get you thinking about warmer climates, warmer climates might get you thinking about rum.That’s where my spirits-inclined mind wanders when thoughts of beaches and fresh fruit come to mind. There is a reason that we think of rum while daydreaming about the tropics: It is no coincidence that rum mixes well with the native tropical fruits of those Caribbean islands where many of us long to be in wintertime.

Matching local food and drink makes a good rule of thumb for most classic regional pairings. Epoisses cheese works well with the native white Burgundy that is used to wash the cheese before it ages. In similar fashion, the grease-cutting carbonation of an English ale makes it a natural match with fish and chips.

Whichever came first—the local beverage or the food—the other half of a classic pairing was not far behind.This is especially true of rum. Daiquiris, mojitos, piña coladas and other rum-based drinks are the refreshing trademarks of a culture drenched in sun, where there’s abundant tropical fruit and lots of sugar cane.

Sugar cane, a fast-growing grass, is believed to have originated in New Guinea and was introduced to the West Indies by Christopher Columbus. This brought on a lucrative sugar industry, sparked by a British sweet tooth and fueled with slave labor.

Cane juice, made by pressing the thick, woody stalks, was used as the base for a distilled liquor called kill-devil or rumbouillon. This process is simpler and cheaper than that used to make other spirits like Bourbon or vodka, in which natural grains must first be converted to sugar. Cane juice or molasses (a derivative of the sugar making process) may be fermented with yeast without any intermediate processing needed before it can be distilled into high-proof spirits.

Rum is made in a wider variety of types and a broader flavor profile than most liquors. White rum (or “silver” as its leading proponent Bacardi calls it), fresh from the still and lacking strong flavors, is the traditional mixer for tropical drink favorites. Some rum is aged in barrels (often used Bourbon barrels), which impart a golden color. Deeper in flavor, this

22 Winter 2005 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

rum

Imperfectly Flavorful style of rum is preferred for drinks in which the caramelized taste of brown sugar will come through. Rums given extended barrel aging, like the 21-year-old from Appleton Estate, emerge as beautiful sipping liquors that are best enjoyed “neat,” perhaps sipped from a snifter like fine brandy. A favorite among bakers and chefs, dark rums—such as Myers’s or Cruzan Blackstrap—retain the rich, full flavors of the molasses used to make them.

Rum was submitted to additional flavor treatment long before this process became popular with vodka. Two wellknown examples are Captain Morgan’s, the most popular of the spiced category, and Malibu, a rum flavored with coconut.

To quote the rock band Widespread Panic, “You can break them open They smell like ladies lying in the sun.” The flavored-rum category has gotten a boost lately with Bacardi’s full line, which includes such flavors as vanilla and orange. Captain Morgan’s threw its hat into the flavor ring recently with Parrot Bay, which includes mango, coconut and pineapple.

Let’s talk about another aspect that makes rum unique. When pure sugar-cane

juice is distilled, the process of heating the fermented, low-alcohol “wine” and condensing it into a high-alcohol spirit can be done at a relatively low heat.This lower rate of distillation allows impurities, called “congeners,” to remain in the finished product.These “imperfections” differentiate rum from other spirits that are distilled at higher heat, especially vodka. Because the sugars are not put through an initial cooking conversion (in contrast with the grain in Bourbon and the wheat or rye in vodka), and because intriguing impurities are not banished by high-heat distillation, rum retains more flavor components than many other spirits. This is especially true of rums from the French Caribbean islands such as Martinique. Martinique is the only French territory outside continental France that has been awarded an appellation d’origine controlee (AOC), a quality-control label given to French wines, liquors and cheeses that are considered to represent the character that typifies the products of its region.

Rums made from molasses, a leftover after sugar processing, contain more than the usual amount of sulfur. To remove this potentially bad-flavored impurity, these

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PHOTO BY DAN DRY

rums must be distilled at higher heat, leaving fewer congeners. This results in a cleaner tasting but less flavorful product; however, it has its place in mixing cocktails, and rums of this type tend to show appealing barrel flavors when aged.

All this talk of distillation and barrel aging may have you thinking of our native spirit, Bourbon.To bridge the gap between rum and Bourbon and to help break winter cabin fever, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s try a mojito, a rum drink reminiscent of our own mint julep.

This mojito recipe comes from one of my favorite mixologists, Gary Regan. F&D _______________

Mojito Lime wedges 2 to 3 teaspoons granulated sugar 8 to 10 fresh mint leaves 2 ounces light rum Club soda 2 or 3 mint sprigs for garnish Muddle the lime wedges, sugar and mint leaves in a mixing glass until the sugar is completely dissolved, all the juice is extracted from the limes, and the mint is thoroughly integrated into the juice. Add ice and the rum to the mixing glass, shake briefly and strain into a Collins glass filled with crushed ice. Top with club soda and add the garnish.

Recipe from The Joy of Mixology by Gary Regan; New York: Clarkson Potter; 2003 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com Winter 2005 23

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BY ROBIN GARR

Pairing Wine & Ethnic Food I enjoy matching the food of a country with its regional wine, picking Italian vino with Italian cucina, French vin with French cuisine and ... well, you get the idea. It just makes sense that the people of countries with a long wine-making tradition might have created foods and wines that go well together. I find it pleasant to bring together the food and wine (and maybe even background music and table decorations) of a specific region and culture.

Please note that this is not a firm rule.

Wines and foods from disparate places work well together too, and in some cases these “cross-cultural” pairings can be even better than the traditional match. As one wild example, I like Argentine Malbec even better than the customary Chianti with pizza, the Italian-American treat.

What’s more, this system breaks down completely when we get into one of my favorite dining categories: What about choosing wine to go with ethnic fare from countries and regions that don’t make wine?

Discounting a few offbeat and obscure examples that aren’t likely to turn up on wine lists, you’re not likely to find a bottle of local wine to go with your dinner at a Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, Middle Eastern, Cuban, African or Mexican eatery, particularly in the restaurant category that we affectionately nickname “hole-in-the-wall.”

In my experience, dry table wines in the European and American tradition go surprisingly well with non-Occidental foods, subject to the limits imposed by hotand-spicy fare.

In overview, I’ve found that a few specific wines and grape varieties seem to go well with a broad range of flavors, and these wines seem to perform even with foods from all around the world. Among red wines, Pinot Noir is exceptional in its amiable attitude toward all sorts of flavors, and its somewhat lower-rent cousin Gamay, the grape of Beaujolais, does, too.

Riesling is without question the most food-friendly white wine grape, with Chenin Blanc in a strong second place.

The conventional wisdom nominates Gewurztraminer as the wine of choice

with Asian fare, but I’m frankly not persuaded by this argument, finding “Gewurz” a little too aromatic to work and play well with others.

The first and most basic rule is simple: Choose a wine to match the primary meat, poultry or seafood ingredient, using principles as simple as “red wine with red meat.” Then consider whether the sauce or accompaniments would alter the equation, particularly if they add salty, sweet, bitter or hot-and-spicy flavors. One example: Cabernet Sauvignon ought to work with pepper beef, a simple Cantonese beef-andgreen-pepper stir-fry; but a spicy Thai beef salad with nam pla fish sauce and hot chile peppers would kill a Cabernet. Frankly, with the Thai dish I would call for a cold beer.

That’s true in general of fiery dishes, from spicy Thai and Vietnamese fare through Indian curries and vindaloos to the more spicy dishes of Ethiopia, the Caribbean and Mexico. I find it difficult to marry these cuisines with dry table wines because the alcohol in wine tends to convert the otherwise pleasant heat of chile peppers into a more painful burning sensation. Dairy drinks (like the Indian yogurt lassi or Thai iced coffee) actually work best to quench the fires, but if you really want wine, try Champagne (or a less pricey sparkling wine) or even the much maligned Italian

fizzy red wine Lambrusco, which gains an unexpected dimension with fiery fare.

With the heat turned down a little, I like fruity reds like Pinot Noir, less blockbuster-style Zinfandels or Petite Sirah with Mexican dishes. Cuban cuisine, which is bold but not usually hot and spicy, aligns nicely with South American and Spanish wines, both reds and whites as the maincourse ingredient dictates. Japanese cuisine, particularly sushi, is a natural with wine:Think crisp, dry whites like Sauvignon Blanc or the lightly fizzy Italian Prosecco for many of the sushi chef ’s delights, but don’t be shy about trying bolder combinations, including Pinot Noir with the salmon, tuna and mackerel bites, or very fresh uni seaurchin roe with an exceptionally fine, offdry demi-sec Vouvray.

And when it comes to exploring the diverse realms of Chinese cuisine, a culinary landscape that’s every bit as diverse and interesting as French or Italian, the whole world of wines is open to you.

Start with Pinot Noir and Riesling, but don’t be hesitant to experiment, remembering that food-and-wine matching is fun because food and wine are made to go together. Most combinations work, and only a few obvious exceptions (Shiraz with delicate Dover sole, maybe) are likely to fail. F&D

PHOTO BY DAN DRY 24 Winter 2005 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

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liquids hip hops

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BY ROGER A. BAYLOR

Winter Heavyweights A menacing queue forms before me.

Lined up for a piece of me are well-intentioned nutritionists, crusading physicians, profiteering diet planners and congenital killjoys. In this nastiest of personal nightmares, they have gathered to demand that I eschew the habits of my expansive past, to convert, to see the light … to eat and drink “right.”

Stubborn and unrepentant, I point defiantly to the thermometer. It’s not a fit night out for man or beast; Louisville is cold. Salade Nicoise, gazpacho, watermelon and corn on the cob all seem inadequate.

Waxen imitation veggies need not apply.

No! I want food to warm the bones, to arouse the slumbering genes of my ancestors on the steppes and in the forest, those enduring and resourceful people who during winter reached for the pickled vegetables, delved into the cellar for potatoes, beets and onions, and cracked open stocks of salted beef and fish.

I demand hearty ingredients for soups, stews, goulash, cabbage rolls and casseroles. Fur thermore, I want beer styles to match them! Beer that is cool, not cold; strong, not puny; challenging, not simple.

Winter provides the most suitable conditions for sampling and studying the heavyweight classics that have come to us from Old World brewing cultures and have been embraced and redefined by America’s innovative microbrewers.

Among them are multifaceted imperial stouts, deeply affecting barley wines and big, brawny German “double” bocks. Not only do these beer styles provide ample warming for bodies chilled in the great outdoors, but they 26 Winter 2005 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

also stick to the food that sticks to your bones when it matters most.

Imperial Stout Just as exuberantly hoppy India Pale Ale evolved along the shipping lanes from Great Britain to searing colonial India, robust and jet-black Imperial Stout was adapted by English brewers and traders as the ideal export beverage for northerly markets in Russia and the port cities of the Baltic Sea. Highly alcoholic, displaying intensely roasted and deeply fruity flavors, Imperial Stout is perhaps the only style of beer that can be termed “thick as oil” without a trace of exaggeration.

Imperial Stout spawned numerous imitators along the shores of the blustery, chilly Baltic, the survivors of which are often designated as Porters and are brewed as lager beers, eliminating the fruity character of top-fermented ales but retaining the style’s signature full-bore intensity.

It is often recommended that Imperial Stout accompany desserts, but I favor drinking my Stout with staples of Northern European and Scandinavian cuisine, especially fish like smoked salmon or mackerel, served with buttered new potatoes with dill, and perhaps an opening course of pickled vegetables.

Samuel Smith Imperial Stout remains the best readily available English example, but for an incredible glimpse into the tastes of the past, search for A. Le Coq Double Imperial Stout—elusive, expensive, but singular. Bell’s Expedition Stout (Michigan) and Stone Imperial Stout (California) are fine American versions. Louisville’s Bluegrass Brewing Company annually releases Imperial Stout, and the New Albanian Brewing Company in New Albany brews Solidarity, a textbook Baltic-style Porter.

Barley Wine In archaic Brit-speak, the term “barley wine” refers rather vaguely to a style of high-gravity ale with an alcoholic strength approaching that of wine. Interpretations faithful to the English alemaking tradition are noteworthy for their complex maltiness, tending toward flavors like caramel, biscuit and sherry.

English examples are less alcoholic and not as aggressive as most American microbrewed adaptations, which in addition to mouth-filling malt PHOTO BY DAN DRY usually emphasize sticky and

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citrusy West Coast-style hops and as a result are massive in every respect. Unlike most beers, bottled Barley Wine can be aged and its vintages compared and contrasted.

Barley Wines are wintertime fireplace ales writ large, ser ved at cellar temperature, for contemplative armchair sipping with a captivating novel, perhaps some mixed nuts, certainly a cheese plate, and even a cigar closer to the end of the session so as to permit a proper appreciation of the genre.

In ascending order of strength, look for Old Nick (U.K.), Anchor Old Foghorn and Sierra Nevada Bigfoot (both from California), and Rogue Old Crustacean (Oregon). Our most renowned local example is Bluegrass Brewing Company’s Bearded Pat’s Barley Wine, a two-time gold medal winner at the Great American Beer Festival and a feather in the wool cap of brewer David Pierce.

Doppelbock A utilitarian meal in a glass, devised by monks and brewed at a high gravity with ample residual sugars for a sweet, fullbodied, belly-filling beverage that joyfully lessened hunger pangs during the Lenten fast, “Double bock” should have a burnished and rich brown color, a clean but complex malt flavor, and just enough noble German hops for balance.

By Bavarian tradition, Doppelbocks bear the suffix “-ator” (in honor of Paulaner’s pioneering commercial entry, Salvator), and often are represented visually by a goat on the label.

At around seven percent alcohol by volume, the style is less alcoholic than others in the same range but more filling than most, and mankind has yet to create a sweetly malty beer that is better suited to accompany Bavarian-style Schweinehaxe (pork knuckle) with its crisply chewy rind.

It is the lager of choice to drink with steaming tureens of bean, cabbage or sauerkraut soup, with or without pork.

Louisville’s own Eileen Martin of Browning’s Brewery provides a taste of Bavaria with her seasonal Doppelbock, while originals from the Old World are easy to find, among them Salvator and Spaten Optimator, both from Munich, and the glorious Celebrator, which is brewed by a smaller, family-owned brewery in Aying, located just south of the Bavarian metropolis. F&D

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BY DAVID LANGE

with coffee,

Sizedoes

Matter

W

hether they come from the lush mountainous regions of Central Costa Rica, the plantations of Mount Kenya overlooking the East African plains or the volcanic richness of Sumatran soil, they are culinary jewels. The coffees from these exotic locations are gaining popularity among admirers of the brown elixir.

Since West Coast coffee trends started reaching the Louisville area a decade ago, many once-casual coffee drinkers have become java gurus, exploring and experimenting with single varieties and blends to satisfy their coffee craving. However, obtaining these diverse and sought-after coffees does not guarantee a cup that will put an earlymorning smile on the face of the drinker.

Even if your coffee comes from the famous Blue Mountain plantations in Jamaica or the Hawaiian Kona coast, some effort is needed to ensure pleasing results.

For one thing, the amount of coffee used is probably just as important as the quality of the bean. In 1994, when frost in Brazil alarmingly escalated the price of green coffee beans, many thrifty individuals started cutting back on the amount of coffee they were using for each brew.

What may have been saved in cost, however, was grossly sacrificed in flavor and quality. At the same time, super-fineground coffees were being introduced, and “high yield” coffees appeared on grocery store shelves. The rich and flavorful brews that had flourished in the coffee culture of 28 Winter 2005 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

the 1930s and ’40s were replaced with thin, watery renditions of what coffee could be. Coffee, after all, is 98 percent water, and if you scrimp on coffee at the beginning, you will be sadly disappointed with your end result.

So how much coffee will do the trick?

I recommend the standards suggested by the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), a trade organization that recognizes excellence in brewed coffee by awarding the Golden Cup Award to restaurants and retailers that

meet its standards. The SCAA recommends the ratio of 3.25 ounces of coffee to 64 ounces of water. Let’s translate this from restaurants and the neighborhood coffee shop to your home coffee maker.

Most home coffee brewers are either 8or 10-cup models that produce 42 ounces or 53 ounces of finished product.

Using the SCAA’s coffee-to-water ratio, this works out to 2.1 ounces coffee for an 8-cup brewer or 2.7 ounces for a 10-cup model.This may sound awfully precise, but it will yield better-tasting coffee.

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Many people fear that using more coffee will result in a finished brew thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strong and bitter. Quite the opposite is true. Coffee is meant to be a flavorful drink, not a weak, watery concoction.

When you use more coffee, more soluble solids are released into the beverage, which results in more flavor, better color and sensory appeal and less bitterness. Indeed, the chances are that if you encounter a bitter cup of coffee, whoever made it was not using enough coffee in the brew.

Here is a simple and enlightening experiment that you can try at home to illustrate this: First, brew coffee just as you regularly do, using a normal amount of coffee. Pour it into a clear cup or glass and look at the color. Does it appear rich and full-bodied or weak and lifeless? Take a good sniff. Does it invite you to partake, or inspire you to take a raincheck? Finally, taste it. Is it rich and flavorful or bitter and bland? Now for the remarkable part: Pour a small amount of cream or half-and-half into the cup and watch what happens. Does the cream swirl together with the coffee or does it form layers? Do the coffee and cream blend to a rich mocha color or does the coffee take on a greenish hue? The layers and hue are the results of not having enough soluble solids in the coffee. Now try the same experiment using the increased recommended amount of coffee. Again, notice the color, aroma and taste, and finally conduct the cream test.

Immediately you should see, smell, and taste the way coffee is to be enjoyed.

Your coffee will be rich and aromatic, and you will notice the various nuances of each blend or variety.

So the next time that you make that journey to find unusual and evocative coffees, whether it be Ethiopian Yrgacheffe, Papua New Guinea, or the elusive Kopi Luwak, remember while the coffee is important, the amount you use is just as important. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t scrimp; savor your experience. F&D

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www.foodanddiningmagazine.com Winter 2005 29

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BY RON JOHNSON

L

ouisville is often described as “the northernmost Southern city.” While this opinion may be debatable, it does help explain why some regard a trip across the Ohio River as a voyage into strange and foreign lands. Cincinnati may not be all that exotic a destination, but it does offer a decidedly different experience for the weekend traveler.

Cincinnati offers a bustling and vibrant downtown with a decidedly big-city feel, as well as esoteric and historically significant neighborhoods. The city’s restaurants are varied and exciting at every price point.

Some provide an excuse to prowl the hilly and narrow streets of Mount Adams; others are worthy destinations in their own right.

Even if you’re drawn to Cincinnati primarily for the shopping, you can’t miss two of its most exciting dining destinations smack-dab in the middle of the busy downtown commercial and shopping district. Both Pigall’s and Bistro Jean Ro are run by the exuberant French Chef Jean Robert de Cavel.

Pigall’s is the high-end entry of the duo, and it demonstrates what de Cavel

30 Winter 2005 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

can do with true French haute cuisine: He can do a lot. Pigall’s menu, changing seasonally, lets diners sample three courses for $75 or pull out all the stops with the five-course Gourmand menu for $140 per person. Either way, Pigall’s is an excellent choice to celebrate a special occasion, perhaps as the culinary chapter of a romantic getaway.

Bistro Jean Ro may be the little brother of the de Cavel pair, but the food is for grown-ups. Chef de cuisine Michael Cuffaro serves gutsy yet refined bistro cuisine amid vintage French art posters and a large blackboard boasting the plats de jour. Open for lunch as well as dinner, Bistro Jean Ro is favored by the business set, tourists and downtown shoppers alike.

Perhaps the most scenic destination in Cincinnati is Mount Adams, a hilltop community of quaint Victorian cottages overlooking downtown to the west and the Ohio River valley on its south side.

Having undergone significant gentrification in the last couple of decades, the neighborhood is home to some of Cincinnati’s most innovative and expensive restaurants, yet it has never lost the bohemian flair that keeps it grounded.

Those seeking Italian fare will find both fine-dining and casual options. Guido’s

Lounge offers monster-size panini, a variety of Italian-themed bar food and more than 60 brands of beer, in a red and green décor that won’t let you forget that this place is all Italian. Mangia Osteria is relaxed and comfortable, too, but offers decidedly more upscale cuisine. The menu is apt to change daily, but Italian classics like veal shanks ossobuco are regularly available and highly recommended. A wine list that features fun selections, mainly under $30, is a bonus as well.

The current darling among Cincinnati “foodies” is D¯aVeed’s at 934. David Cook is the chef at his sort-of-eponymous restaurant that showcases serious new American cuisine in a comfortable and relaxed setting. Diners can order à la carte from the exciting menu or opt for the “Adventurous Diner” menu (available weeknights only) and receive a blind tasting menu, the chef ’s choice of three to 12 courses paired with table wines and Champagne.

A more traditional option in the same eclectic neighborhood is the Mt. Adams Fish House. Not to be pigeonholed as a typical American fish house, it also offers a tantalizing sushi menu. Serving signature items like Fish House chowder, planked pecan salmon and sesame bluefin tuna, the Mt. Adams Fish House has developed a loyal clientele of locals and tourists alike.

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There is more to Cincinnati than downtown and Mount Adams, and there is more to Cincinnati dining than high-end joints and haute cuisine. Northside easily qualifies as Cincinnati’s most diverse neighborhood, and the crowd at The Comet demonstrates this reality daily.The bar and restaurant is known for a rocking jukebox and beer list. The menu is limited to burritos and quesadillas, but they are done well and come in endless variations.

In the Clifton Gaslight district near the University of Cincinnati campus, those in the know flock to Biagio’s for delicious and inexpensive meals. Immediately upon entering this cozy and slightly funky space the diner is confronted by a display case laden with banana cream pies and tiramisu. Perhaps it’s just Biagio’s way of reminding us to save room, but the menu of hearty sandwiches and pasta makes that a difficult task.

When Cincinnati folks talk about dessert, the discussion invariably gets around to the Grand Finale. The name of this Glendale restaurant declares its specialty, and Grand Finale delivers with an astounding selection of post-meal confections. Cheesecake is king, and a

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true aficionado should insist on the “cheesecake, cheesecake, cheesecake” platter, which features a trio of slices: traditional, apple cinnamon and the daily special. For those sticklers who insist on a savory course beforehand, the Grand Finale does offer a full menu of continental fare with a focus on seafood.

No trip to Cincinnati food destinations is complete without a visit to Jungle Jim’s. Located in suburban Fairfield, Jungle Jim’s International Market is a food emporium that defies definition.

The brainchild of Jim Bonaminio, the market offers everything from ethnic foods to wines from around the world, often at attractively affordable prices. Kitschy artwork and jungle themes pervade a store that never takes itself too seriously, but serious gourmets will find a kindred spirit in Jungle Jim. Whether you go for a Reds game, a weekend shopping spree or a celebratory occasion, Cincinnati has much to offer in the way of good food. Whether you partake of high-end haute cuisine downtown or savor pub grub on Mount Adams, a road trip to Cincinnati offers a great excuse for lots of good eats. F&D

Jean-Robert at Pigall’s Maine lobster salad with papaya, grapefruit and avacado

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people and places neighborhoods

BY ROBIN GARR | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

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ake a yellow highlighter and mark a broad stroke down a map of Louisville’s South End. Start around the University of Louisville and mark down past Churchill Downs and the tree-lined Beechmont neighborhood toward Iroquois Park. As you near the park, make the stripe wider, coloring in the stretch between Southside Drive and New Cut Road.

Within this narrow, teardrop-shaped pendant you’ve pictured an increasingly multicultural international community that in the past generation has become a virtual polyglot village.

Modest but attractive neighborhoods of trim houses and red-brick apartments largely built after World War II, Beechmont and Iroquois were long stereotyped as blue-collar communities as white as Wonder Bread.

Now, thanks to years of active efforts by nonprofit organizations that have made Louisville a welcoming home to refugee families from all over the world— many of them getting their start in and around the South End’s Americana Apartments—it’s no longer unusual to hear Vietnamese, Arabic, Russian, Spanish, Bosnian and many other languages. www.foodanddiningmagazine.com Winter 2005 33

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O

ur new neighbors are worth getting to know—and one easy way to meet them is by trying out all the new restaurants that are proliferating in this end of town. Clusters of Vietnamese, Bosnian and Mexican restaurants, Vietnamese groceries and even the city’s first Asian bakery—not to mention Cuban, Chinese and more— make the Iroquois section in particular an intriguing destination for food lovers in search of ethnic experiences.

But that’s not all: Hang on to that highlighter and draw another stripe down Preston Highway, from the Watterson Expressway all the way out to Blue Lick Road. Now you’ve identified Louisville’s Latino belt, a stretch of authentic restaurants and tacquerias where you don’t need a passport to enjoy excellent Mexican food, although a Spanish-English dictionary might not be a bad thing to have in your pocket.

For the purpose of this culinary expedition, we’ve declared a broad swath of the city and suburbs as “South.” From Buechel on the east to Valley Station on the west, and from U of L’s campus out to the Jefferson-Bullitt County line, we’ve identified some four dozen “ethnic” restaurants, groceries and specialty-food stores, defining ethnic in the narrow sense of national and regional cuisines rooted in the parts of the world less familiar to Westerners: outside North America and Western Europe.

Some dishes at ethnic eateries won’t seem unfamiliar to the most cautious palate. Bosnian pljeskavica could pass for an American hamburger on a pita. And hardly anyone is befuddled by a burrito.

Strange names and unfamiliar flavors may deter some people from trying the new and unusual. We may have been nervous at our first Chinese restaurant; now we love sweet and sour pork. A first encounter with sushi might be even more challenging (“Raw fish? I don’t think so!”).

When I first made this leap, I found that it helped to remind myself that 125 million Japanese can’t all be wrong.

If you’re already excited about ethnic fare, you won’t need our persuasion. But if you still feel a little skittish about unfamiliar food, here’s a pocket guide to ethnic eats in Southern Louisville and its suburbs. We’ve subdivided the region’s ethnic-dining

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scene by country, telling you where to find it, how to pronounce it and what to expect when you find it on your plate.

Vietnam Let’s begin on the far side of the globe with Vietnam, then work our way back toward home. Vietnamese dishes may have been Louisville’s first taste of truly exotic cuisine after we got used to the simpler pleasures of Chinese and, say, Italian.

After the war in Vietnam ended with the fall of Saigon in 1975, Louisville— thanks largely to efforts by Catholic Charities—became one of the nation’s most welcoming homes to Vietnamese refugees; and groups of immigrants came to the South End. Desperately poor but entrepreneurial, many of them pursued the American dream by opening small businesses—including some very interesting restaurants.

Vietnamese cuisine superficially resembles Chinese in dishes that offer delicious contrasts of flavors, textures and colors in chopsticks-friendly, stir-fried bite-size, bits, often accompanied by steaming white rice or tender noodles.

It’s almost invariably light, healthy fare, with an emphasis on seafood and subtle, aromatic flavors. Some dishes may be hot and spicy, but they’re rarely painfully fiery. Watch for chile-pepper symbols on your menu, and ask your server for suggestions if you’re doubtful. Soup— called “Pho” in Vietnamese—comes in meal-size portions with varied ingredients piled into an oversize bowl with noodles and salty broth, along with mixed fresh herbs and lettuces and hot sauce on the side.

One of the city’s first Vietnamese restaurants, Vietnam Kitchen (5339 Mitscher Ave., 363-5154) remains among the most popular. Discovered early by local “foodies,” it became a destination for curious diners from all over town, lured by well-crafted, subtle dishes.

Another South End Vietnamese favorite is Annie Café (308 W. Woodlawn Ave., 363-4847), which replaced the popular Pho 777 at that location. Annie Café is particularly noted for its Vietnamese desserts, which feature exotic goodies like sweet beans and “sticky” rice.

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Korea Vietnam offers only one of the many threads in Asia’s rich tapestry of cultures and cuisines. You’ll find plenty of Korean options in the South End, too. Located on a peninsula that borders East China in the China Sea, Korea endures long, icy winters that foster a hear ty, stick-to-your-ribs cuisine with plenty of red meat, cabbage, root vegetables and Asian-style fried or steamed dumplings along with noodles and rice. A Korean table will bear a startling array of dishes, including meat, poultry and seafood, lots of small dishes of relishes and pickled condiments (including kimchee, a trademark Korean dish of fermented cabbage saturated with fiery spices).Try it with care, but in the context of a Korean meal you may just find it addictive.

The city’s first Korean eatery, Lee’s (1941 Bishop Lane, 456-9714), remains vaguely mysterious because it’s not easy to find: It’s in the back room of what appears to be an all-American coffee shop in a Watterson City office building. But say the secret woid, and you’re ushered into a more stylish room with a menu that’s all Korean. Try the Be-Bim-Bop, a hearty rice bowl full of tender bits of beef and crispstir-fried veggies, topped with savory Korean sauce and a soft-fried egg.

The name of Koreana II (5009 Preston Highway, 968-9686) is a bit of a mystery too, since there’s no sign of a Koreana I. It’s one of the city’s best Korean restaurants, with a wide selection of Korean dishes featured on a bilingual menu that explains it all to you. I invariably start my meal with a half-dozen man-doo, crispy fried dumplings that resemble Japanese gyoza or Chinese pot-stickers.

On the far eastern edge of our broadly defined “South End,” Arirang Korean (4160 Bardstown Road, 4951004) is cunningly hidden on the far side of a large industrial-type building in Buechel. It’s worth the effort to find it, for TOP: This savory red curry dish blends Chinese and Southeast Asian flavors with lamb, vegetables and pineapple with coconut milk.

BOTTOM: A Vietnamese signature dish: grilled pork and shrimp with cucumber, lettuce, bean sprouts, carrots, and peanuts topped with red chile peppers and a sliced eggroll. www.foodanddiningmagazine.com Winter 2005 35

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its multi-ethnic blend of Korean and Japanese dishes (including a small but pleasant sushi bar) amid perhaps the most upscale setting of the city’s Korean spots.

Thailand More than a dozen Thai restaurants have appeared in the metro area in recent years, a development apparently fueled more by the demonstrated popularity of this aromatic, spicy cuisine with Westerners than immigrant demographics. Many of the Thai entrepreneurs have sought an East End market; but the South hasn’t been entirely overlooked.

Like Vietnamese cuisine, Thai dishes resemble Chinese in that many of the dishes are quickly prepared, stir-fried presentations served with rice. Lying on the western edge of Indo-China, though, adjacent to Burma, Thailand adds an exotic touch of India and a hint of the tropics to its melting pot of flavors, including inventive use of coconut milk and a variety of curries that range from mild to wild. (Hint: Keep an eye on the menu, count those chile peppers, and consult the server if you’re dubious.) The classic Thai dish is Pahd Thai, a filling but not usually fiery meal that usually features chicken, shrimp, tofu, scrambled egg and the exotic nam pla (fish sauce) over a mix of rice noodles and bean sprouts that, if handled well in the kitchen, presents an appealing contrast of textures between tender pasta and crunchy sprouts.

Thai Smile 5 (5800 Preston Highway, 961-9018) succeeds the short-lived Thai Smile 4, which remained open for less than a year on Hurstbourne Parkway.The latest entry in a small regional chain (the parent store is in Frankfort, Kentucky, with other branches in Muncie, Indiana, and Chattanooga, Tennessee), Thai Smile pleases with authentic Thai fare, prepared well and served in a recycled fast-food environment.

TOP: Pad Thai, the national dish of Thailand, features tender rice noodles and crisp bean sprouts with a stir-fry of chicken, pork and beef, with egg, ground peanuts and tofu.

BOTTOM: Sarma is the Bosnian version of a Middle Eastern tradition: grape leaves stuffed with rice, vegetables and seasoned ground beef.

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Thai Kitchen (5203 Dixie Highway, 448-4710) is a real mom-and-pop shop, run by a Thai family in the good-size, ’60sstyle building that for many years was home to House of Chen, one of Louisville’s original Chinese restaurants that closed last year after nearly a halfcentury in business. By popular demand, Thai Kitchen retains a number of Chen’s familiar Chinese dishes, including its famous egg rolls. I go for the Thai food, though. A spicy, garlicky eggplant curry dish here was one of the best Thai entrees I ever ate.

only one Middle Eastern entry remains South of the Watterson. It’s a good one, though: Caspian Grill (4218 Bishop Lane, 479-0062) offers an excellent interpretation of authentic Iranian cuisine in a thoroughly refurbished strip-mall location that once housed a Long John Silver’s. Iranian cuisine, descended from the fare of the ancient Persian royal court, features meats, pilaf-style rice and flatbreads enhanced with the subtle and aromatic flavors of exotic spices that range from heady golden saffron to smoky, purplish sumac.

China

Africa

Chinese restaurants have become so familiar in Louisville since our grandparents’ time that they hardly count as any more “ethnic” than, say, pizzerias.

The South End, like the rest of the metro area, is awash with shopping-center storefronts that all seem to share the same menu and the same choice of decor.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that, when you’re in the mood for beef with orange sauce, moo goo gai pan or what have you.

A couple, however, stand out: Great Wok (2502 Preston Highway, 634-1918) is a bit larger and a tad more thoughtfully decorated than most, and its extensive menu of more than 100 dishes shows the telltale signs of an unusually skilled hand in the kitchen.

Another recent entry, Bakelicious (6915 Southside Drive, 363-9040), isn’t really a restaurant at all but the city’s first Asian bakery, offering an intriguing mix of Western and Asian baked goods that range from Vietnamese-style French loaves (crisp, golden crust surrounds an almost sweet, feather-light white interior in a loaf that bears a surprising resemblance to excellent Cuban bread) to a variety of bao, Chinese steamed buns stuffed with meat. A variety of Vietnamese-French-style sandwiches are available for takeout or dining in at one of the tables in a corner of the small, spick-and-span storefront.

Two of Louisville’s African restaurants reside in the south-of-the-Watterson swath, with the recent arrival of Queen of Sheba Ethiopian (3315 Bardstown Road, 459-6301), the new incarnation of the former Abyssinia on Frankfort. A sumptuous all-you-can-eat buffet gives way to a substantial Ethiopian menu by night. At either hour, this is an exotic but intriguing cuisine wor th discovering, featuring a variety of wots (stews) made with beef, chicken or lamb, served over thin, spongy injera bread that’s used as an edible eating utensil. Ethiopian food is traditionally eaten with the hands, using bits of injera to pick up each bite. If you’re not fond of fiery fare, Ethiopian may not be for you: It’s possible to put together a dinner of mild dishes here, but most of the dishes are hot and spicy.

From Ethiopia on the eastern side of Africa we travel west (both literally and figuratively) to Chez Seneba (1215 Gilmore Lane, 968-8659), which offers us the native fare of Senegal on Africa’s western coast. This tiny eater y incorporates just three tables and a large space heater in a tiny space that looks a bit like the back end of a semi-trailer.

Louisville’s small but enthusiastic Senegalese community dines here, and you’re welcome too, with the understanding that the menu is bilingual but the staff may not be. Point at the names of the dishes in English and enjoy. The maffe (lamb stew with peanut sauce and palm oil) and African-style fried chicken (skinless and stuffed with black pepper and savor y spice) are par ticularly recommended.

Middle East With Babylon Iraqi restaurant having moved from its original quarters on Strawberry Lane to Clifton last year,

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people and places neighborhoods

Bosnia

Mexico

In the sad dynamic of refugee life, another war—the evil “ethnic cleansing” of the former Yugoslavia—has brought another vibrant immigrant community to Louisville from war-torn Bosnia. A number of Bosnian restaurants enliven the city’s dining scene, including several in the South End. With its four tables (plus a beer bar), Sarajevo (3825 Bardstown Road, 4561919) contends with Chez Seneba for the title of tiniest eat-in restaurant in town. But very fine meat-based Bosnian goodies like bureks (meat turnovers in flaky pastry) and cevapi (beef sausages) are worth a special trip to this ethnic enclave in Buechel. If you drop by when they’re grilling a whole baby lamb over coals—an occasional weekend specialty worth calling ahead for— you’ll enjoy an unforgettable eating experience. In the same shopping center, Jasmin European Bakery (3825 Bardstown Road, 458-0013) is an excellent, ar tisanal Bosnian baker y, with excellent gyros sandwiches available in a small cafe at the rear.

Sharing space in Iroquois Manor shopping center with Vietnam Kitchen, Djuli Restaurant (5312 S. Third St. Rear, Suite 101, 368-5199), offers another Bosnian option, as does Behar Cafe (5600 National Turnpike, 3685658), which appears to be the neighborhood tavern of choice for the local Bosnian community. If you don’t speak a Slavic language, you may feel a little lonely here, but the food is fine and the service friendly.

Louisville’s growing cadre of Mexican restaurants ranges all the way from thoroughly Americanized “Tex-Mex” spots to truly authentic tacquerias where Spanish is the first language … but Norteamericanos are always welcome, and if there’s a slight language barrier, an English-language menu will invariably be available, and pointing, gestures and a friendly smile will get you through.

Looking first at the Latino corridor along Preston Highway, my current top pick is Rosticeria Luna (5213B Preston Highway, 962-8898). No mere taco shop, Luna specializes in roast chicken, Mexicanstyle; and these crisp, golden, juicy birds will redefine your idea of chicken in a way that the Colonel could never comprehend.

Another favorite is a Latino spot that seems to change its name and management regularly but stays the course with first-rate Mexican dishes and a friendly attitude that transcends language barriers. Now La Embajada (formerly Rancho Alegre), it’s at 7502 Preston Highway (962-4458).

Also on Preston, El Paraiso (6201-E Preston Highway, 968-4873) occupies large quarters at the back end of a shopping center.You have to drive around behind the building to find it. A popular Latino dance club, it’s a large and stylish place, fully bilingual, so it’s easy to order whatever you like from the exceptionally broad menu.

Out front in the same shopping center, Tacqueria La Mexicana (6201-J Preston Highway, 969-4449) is another Spanishonly, but welcoming, tacqueria. They do a particularly good job with the lengua (beef tongue) taco. And if you’re adventurous enough to try it, sample the weekend

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special menudo, the spicy Mexican beeftripe stew that’s considered the world’s most effective hangover cure.

Way out Preston at Blue Lick Road, La Tapatia (8106 Preston Highway, 9619153), which shares strip-mall space with a Mexican grocery, video-rental store and other shops, was one of the region’s first tacquerias and remains one of its best. Long since discovered by Anglos, its staff has become particularly good at handling orders in Spanish or English.

Other South End Latino favorites range from the tiny, bilingual Lolita’s Tacos (4222 Poplar Level Road, 459-4356) to Santa Fe Grill (3000 S. Third St., 6343722), a Churchill Downs-area favorite of Spanish-speaking folks from the race track).

El Tarasco (5425 New Cut Road, 3685628) is a strong entry in the intermediate category of large, fully bilingual Mexican eateries with a full bar and a broad menu of favorites. Ditto Jalapeno’s (4430 Dixie Highway, 448-5678), Louisville’s outpost of a Lexington-based restaurant group that may be just a bit more tilted toward gringo taste buds than most. Also in the Pleasure Ridge Park area, Mexico Tipico (6517 Dixie Highway, 933-9523) was one of the region’s first authentic Mexican eateries and remains justly popular for food and friendly, fully bilingual service.

Finally, as long as you’ve got your Spanish dictionary out, let’s wrap up this restaurant tour of the world back in Iroquois Manor, where Mambo Cuban (5309 Mitscher Ave., 363-1160) joins Vietnam Kitchen, Djuli Bosnian, Hong Kong Chinese and the multi-ethnic Valu Market grocery (5301 Mitscher Ave., 361-9285) in what has to be Louisville’s most diverse pocket of good times and good eats. F&D

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people and places profiles

BY DAVID DOMINE | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

American Sharing the Flavor Call it “melting pot” or call it “mosaic,” an important part of the beauty of America stems from the international roots from which our national heritage grows.

One of the most exciting aspects of Louisville’s restaurant scene is our growing mélange of ethnic restaurants. Here are the stories of five immigrant entrepreneurs who had to overcome daunting barriers just to get here. Now they share the flavor of their national cuisines as they pursue the American dream.

fernando martinez Havana Rumba 4115 Oechsli Avenue 897-1959

N

ine years ago, drifting in the warm, shark-infested waters of the Caribbean, Fernando Martinez never imagined the turns his life would take. Fernando, his mother and seven friends had fled their native Cuba with only one thing on their minds—arriving safely in the United States. “We left on a Friday night in a very small raft, and we almost didn’t think we were going to make it. There was a terrible storm all day Saturday, and then there were the sharks we saw the whole time we were at sea.” It took the ragtag party three days to cover

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the 90-mile stretch between Cuba’s northern coast and Key West, Florida. “But when we landed on American soil, we knew it would be worth it,” Martinez said.

Like so many Cuban refugees in this country, Martinez and his mother took desperate measures to escape the hardships and lack of opportunity at home.

“We had been operating a paladar for three years when the secret police stormed in one night and closed us down.”

A paladar, Martinez explained, is an illegal restaurant run out of one’s home. Cubans and tourists often prefer these family-run establishments because the food is cheaper—and may be better—than that at state-run hotels and restaurants. The income also goes directly to the people.

“When they shut us down, we decided to leave,” he said.

After stays in Miami and San Diego, Martinez came to Louisville, at the behest of Cuban acquaintances who had already settled here. “There are quite a few Cubans in Louisville,” he said, “thanks to Catholic Charities and the network of support and assistance they’ve developed here.” Martinez, who had been a student at Cuba’s elite, state-run culinary institution, was soon plying his trade for hungry Louisvillians. After stints in the kitchens of Ernesto’s Mexican Restaurant and the now-closed Salsa South Beach, Martinez and his wife, Christina, decided to branch out on their own. They chose a small storefront in the St. Matthews neighborhood and stayed with what they know best: Cuban cooking.

While Mexican restaurants are commonplace, other authentic LatinAmerican dining options—Cuban eateries in particular—have been more limited in this region. But Havana Rumba now offers guests a taste of the Caribbean at this new restaurant, which joins Mambo Cuban Cuisine, 5309 Mitscher Ave., on the city’s short list of Cuban eateries. Much as Cuban dances like the rumba reflect in music the various cultures that make up this island nation, the specialties at Martinez’s establishment draw on Cuba’s Spanish, African and indigenous heritage for culinary inspiration. Distinctly different from the Mexican fare that many Americans consider typical of Latino cuisine, the menu at Havana Rumba offers exotic dishes that are easy to enjoy, both in flavor and colorful presentation.

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The Martinezes have decorated the restaurant in bright and sunny yellows and reds that provide an appropriate backdrop for the lively dishes. Custom-made tables have Cuban cigar boxes laminated on the surfaces.The bar offers a good assortment of Spanish and Latin American wines and beers.Wood-and-leather Cuban-style chairs called taburetes add an authentic touch, as do tropical ceiling fans and vintage Cuban travel posters. Lively paintings, soft Cuban background music and Caribbean-inspired bric-a-brac such as straw planters’ hats and drums round out an island theme that evokes the life Martinez and his family left behind.

Martinez and his wife have come up with a wide variety of appetizers and main courses at Havana Rumba that satisfy their craving for a taste of home.

Their menu offers diners in the Derby City

Havana Rumba’s Pollo Asado, a slow roasted half of a chicken marinated in a mixture of sour orange, garlic and spices. Served with sweet plantains, rice and black beans.

a transplanted version of a cuisine that has been off-limits to U.S. citizens on its home ground since the trade embargo effectively cut off the flow of American tourism to the island in the 1960s. Martinez says his favorites at the restaurant include empanadas de picadillo (light and flaky turnovers with a savory ground beef filling laced with olives and raisins) and tostones con pollo (mashed green plantain patties fried and topped with grilled chicken). The thick black-bean soup with onions, Martinez said, is perhaps the most popular item overall, since most Americans consider it the traditional Cuban dish. Like many of the offerings at Havana Rumba, www.foodanddiningmagazine.com Winter 2005 41

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the recipe for the black beans comes from Martinez’s mother, and much of the menu draws on his repertoire from the illegal paladar in Cuba.

“The things you get at Havana Rumba are the kinds of things Cubans eat at home,” he said.“I use typical ingredients like rice, black beans, green bananas, yuca and tomato presented in many different ways.”

In Cuba, where the scarcity of ingredients can be a chef ’s challenge, resourceful cooks have mastered the art of producing variety from limited resources. For example, rice might take the guise of arroz blanco (steamed white rice), arroz amarillo (yellow with saffron) or congris, the ubiquitous Cuban staple of rice mixed with black beans, also known as moros y cristianos. By the same token, the starchy tuber called yuca and the plantain show up at almost every meal and may be boiled, broiled, braised, mashed, bashed, smashed, stuffed or stewed.

True to Cuban culinary fashion, Martinez has divided the entrée items on his menu into beef (carne), pork (puerco), chicken (pollo), seafood (mariscos) and vegetarian (vegetarianos) selections. He says some of the more popular entrées include lechón asado, succulent, slow-roasted pork marinated in citrus, garlic and spices; and masas de puerco, the Cuban version of Mexican carnitas, bite-sized chunks of juicy pork that have been deep-fried to lock in flavor and add crunch. Other favorites are pollo asado (roast chicken) and ropa vieja with beef or chicken. Translated as “old clothes” in Spanish, ropa vieja refers to the shredded, tattered appearance the beef and chicken take on after hours of slow cooking with wine, Creole spices, tomatoes and onions.

Desserts at Havana Rumba rely on typical Latino standards such as arroz con leche (rice pudding) and flan, the traditional Spanish caramel custard, which comes from an aunt’s recipe. An assortment of Cuban coffee drinks make an appropriate ending to dinner at Havana Rumba.

Martinez says he’s glad that trip from Havana brought him to Louisville. “I love it here!” he said with an energetic nod. Just a few months after opening the doors to his St. Matthews establishment, he says business is “much better” than he ever expected. So good, in fact, he hopes to open a second restaurant—perhaps in downtown Louisville —sometime next year.

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fannie chiu Oriental House 4302 Shelbyville Road 897-1017

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annie Chiu looks on with a contented smile as a burly man in overalls and a tractor hat deftly uses his chopsticks to fish something out of a delicate porcelain bowl. Fannie watches tentatively while the man and his wife take turns sipping the scallion-laced, amber broth, then nibble at an unidentifiable item lifted from the soup. “You like?” she asks.

They eat with obvious delight. “Not bad, not bad at all … Who would have thought duck feet could taste so good?” Satisfied, Fannie walks back to the kitchen at Oriental House and informs her husband that they have won another set of converts with what they call Chinese-for-Chinese food.

“This is what real people in China would eat,” she said.“We offer our diners a typical, Americanized version of the menu, and a more limited one with truly authentic, hard-to-find dishes and house specialties as well.” Oriental House employee Michael Ang says this concept seems to be going over well with many Chinese-food fans in Louisville. Only a few menu items are as challenging as duck feet for most non-Chinese diners. “Most Americans steer away from certain dishes that are an acquired taste, like the fried rice with chicken and salted fish, but all in all, they seem eager to try new things,” Ang said, “especially when they learn that what they consider authentic Chinese cooking may not necessarily be what your average person in China would eat.” The salted fish used at Oriental House—and found in many Asian markets—has an intensely pungent flavor that offends the palates of many Westerners, he explained.

In addition to such “acquired” tastes, Ang thinks many Westerners would be squeamish about having a whole fish— head and all—on their plates. Needless to say, the prospect of consuming sinewy, webbed duck feet might be off-putting to some—no matter how well the dish is prepared. Nevertheless, the adventurous

Fannie Chiu, co-owner of Oriental House

can try duck “webs” two ways at Oriental House: slowly braised with spices in a rich soy-infused sauce, or simmered in a flavorful broth with shiitake mushrooms.

In contrast with the exotic nature of a few items, most of the 49 dishes on Oriental House’s “House Specialties” list seem almost commonplace: shrimp sautéed with salt and pepper, fresh Chinese broccoli, egg noodle soup with roasted pork and steamed fish with soy sauce and ginger. Fannie Chiu says these are nutritious, satisfying dishes that people in Canton, China, would eat daily. Other enticing offerings include eggplant with

garlic sauce, pan-fried egg noodle with beef and stir-fried fresh lobster with ginger and green onion. According to Chiu, all of these offerings are faithful re-creations of regional fare in her native Canton. When she convinces guests at Oriental House to give her Chinese-for-Chinese menu a try, she said,“they’re very pleased.” She likes to draw attention to the fresh shrimp sautéed with glazed pecans, which has been a resounding success “because—just as in the south of China—people in the southern United States love their pecans.”

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people and places profiles province in China, which includes Canton and Hong Kong.The many miles of coastline make fresh seafood a natural on Cantonese menus; but spicy, hot dishes are rare in that part of China. The focus is on fresh items incorporated in regional dishes that make use of citrus fruits, ginger, spring onion, sugar, soy sauce, rice wine and oils for flavor.

The Chius hope to introduce Louisville restaurant-goers soon to their version of another Cantonese specialty, dim sum.

Literally translated as “touch your heart,” dim sum—or Chinese brunch, as some call it—consists of dumplings, meatballs, steamed dishes and other sweet and savory goodies such as egg custard tarts.

Fannie Chiu and her husband—whom she calls simply Mr. Chiu—took ownership of Oriental House last year after 15 years

working in San Francisco, their original port of entry in America. They had made their way to Louisville once before, coming because of the laid-back existence and relative normalcy. After a short time, however, they realized that a stint back in California would boost their economic resources and make it easier for them to own their own restaurant in Louisville someday. When Oriental House, a fixture on the Derby City dining scene since the 1960s, came on the market, the Chius seized the opportunity to create “a restaurant like no other in Kentucky.” They decided to keep the archetypical ChineseAmerican menu, with its fried rice, sweetand-sour dishes, egg foo yung and chop suey, that had made the Shelbyville Road eatery a local institution, but they would also

introduce the city’s more adventurous diners to a taste of the real China.Thus the savory Oriental stews, rich braises, flavorful hot pots and fresh stir-fries that highlight the house specialties. “These are hearty, stickto-your-ribs kinds of dishes that Americans usually enjoy, when they give our special menu a try,” she said. Adventurers can sample such items as seafood and fish-maw soup, braised sea cucumber and shiitake mushrooms, and a famous Cantonese specialty, shark fin and chicken soup. And if diners feel extra daring, they can try a bit of braised duck web, too.

Oriental House serves up Peking roasted duck, the classic Mandarin Chinese banquet dish known for its crisp, glassy skin and tender meat, decorated with artful garnishes.

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manoosh khosrowshahi Manoosh’s Mediterranean Restaurant 558 South Fifth Street 584-0004

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s a youngster in the 1960s, Manoosh Khosrowshahi used to watch his mother, Robeh, stuff grape leaves in the kitchen of their family home in Azerbaijan, a nation that borders Iran and Russia. “I was fascinated,” Manoosh recalled, “and I would spend hours watching her at work. She was a professional cook, and people loved how she used herbs and spices in her food.” But it was only after persistent begging that Manoosh’s mother finally allowed him to help. “My mother was a perfectionist and very meticulous, and she told me I wouldn’t roll them the right way,” he said.

“Each one had to be identical … and she was afraid mine wouldn’t look right.”

So began Manoosh Khosrowshahi’s love affair with food and cooking, an odyssey that would one day find him operating a restaurant in Louisville. “I finished school in Tabriz and had to fulfill my service in the Azerbaijani army before I could come to the USA and pursue my studies … in mechanical engineering,” he said.“But I was able to cook in the army for six months, and that provided me the perfect chance to prepare all the traditional dishes I had learned from my mother.” He completed his military service and then headed for the United States. He took English classes in Chicago for three months, and in 1976 he arrived in Louisville.

“While I was studying at the Speed School, I needed money, so I naturally looked to kitchens for work,” Manoosh recalled, adding that he decided to stay in food service even after he received his degree in engineering. “I worked at Grisanti’s for 10 years—where I worked my way up from busboy to captain.” He then worked at other popular local establishments, including Hasenour’s and Remington’s.

In 2001 Manoosh opened his own place in a small downtown storefront.

Cooking for his fellow soldiers in Azerbaijan had also shown him that he could deal with the intricacies of cooking for large numbers. He didn’t feel daunted by large crowds: “My father had three

brothers, and they—and their families— lived with us in one home,” he recalled.

“Over 40 of us lived all together. It made for some interesting times.”

It’s little wonder, then, that Manoosh is unfazed by the lively din that usually fills his Fifth Street restaurant. Relying on the

secrets of herbs and spices garnered in his mother’s kitchen—coupled with the practical aspects of mess hall cooking—he creates an authentic experience for a loyal clientele that he says he considers “family.”

He describes the cuisine as largely Azeri, but Greek, Italian, Mexican and American influences have also found their way onto the menu. Initially at a loss as to what to call the restaurant, he first went with “Manoosh’s Ethnic Restaurant,” then changed it to “Manoosh’s Mediterranean Restaurant” because most of the countries that provide inspiration for his menu are

Manoosh Khosrowshahi, owner of Manoosh’s Mediterranean Restaurant

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Grilled rack of lamb topped with mulberry sauce and served with basmati saffron rice and fresh grilled vegetables from Manoosh’s.

close to the Mediterranean Sea. Azerbaijan, though, is on the Caspian Sea, sharing borders with Iran, Georgia, Russia and Armenia. The small nation, which achieved independence in 1991 after the collapse of the Soviet Union, is predominantly Turkish-Muslim, a population that influences its food and culture. Some have described Azeri cuisine as akin to Turkish food, a culinary bridge between the Middle 46 Winter 2005 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

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East and southern Europe. Rice, fresh vegetables and olive oil are key players, along with beef, chicken and lamb. But after so many years of Soviet control and influence, many in Azerbaijan today have come to reexamine the identity of the national cuisine.

During the Soviet period, Azerbaijan’s state employees and students ate in free, government-run cafeterias, where they ate nutritious meals every day.This freed many Azerbaijani women from housework by enabling them to spend less time cooking for their families. The dishes prepared in these cafeterias were usually the same as

in cafeterias throughout the Soviet Union—cabbage and potatoes, meat cutlets, goulash, borscht and fish stews.The Soviet government viewed such culinary standardization as a way to create one Soviet people. Although not nearly as disastrous, the effects this had on traditional Azerbaijani cuisine could be compared to those suffered in American kitchens during the convenience-crazed years of the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s.

Manoosh has chosen to keep traditional Azerbaijani cuisine alive, and hungry restaurant-goers can sample a wide array of specialties that incorporate his mother’s recipes and mastery of authentic spices and herbs.These spices— turmeric, cinnamon and cumin—surface in many of the dishes and underscore the savory tomato-based sauce that flavors one of his most popular entrée items, showraw. Described as an “ethnic pot roast,” chunks of Black Angus steak slowcook in a clay pot with potatoes and garbanzo beans to produce a succulent braise. Another favorite, he says, is the kufteh tabrizi, a concoction of ground chuck, potatoes, dates and herbs in the form of an oversize meatball that is simmered and served in its own juices with pita bread. For those who like lamb, shorbah is a seasoned lamb shank stewed with potatoes.

Many versions of kabob are prepared at Manoosh’s.The most recognizable, shish lick (shish kabob) offers chunks of marinated steak grilled on a skewer and served with basmati rice. Kabob ghafgazi offers a combination of skewered chicken, flank steak, seasoned ground beef and vegetables, all char-broiled and served with rice. For starters, guests can choose items such as the Greek salad, hummus and pita bread or mirza ghausemi, an Azeri variation of baba ganoush, the eggplant and tahini puree of Middle Eastern origin.

Manoosh is obviously at ease in his own kitchen, and he remembers his mother’s teaching as he seeks to keep the family culinary tradition alive. Although it’s a world apart from Tabriz, he describes Louisville as his “new hometown,” a place where he and his American wife,Tina, have raised their three children. His small family is a far cry from the large extended family he grew up with in Azerbaijan, but he has his mother’s recipes—and his cooking—to keep those memories alive.

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balwinder singh Kashmir Indian Restaurant 1528 Bardstown Road 473-8765

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he Punjab district of northern India is a land of golden wheat fields and friendly faces, a fruitful region known as the Bread Bowl or the Land of Milk and Honey, says Rehan Haddad, the manager of Kashmir Indian Restaurant.

Legend tells that the Punjabi people— apart from other cultures of the world— have a unique, unmatched fragrance that reflects the scent of their fertile soil and natural bounty: It is known as hospitality.

According to Dr. Judy Cato, a specialist in Indian culture and professor of Religious Studies at Indiana University Southeast, an old Indian proverb also advises that a guest in Punjab is considered a representative sent by God. “As a result, Punjabi communities take enormous pride in this unique tradition of hospitality, believing that hospitality promotes brotherhood and brings people closer together,” she said.This holds true for Punjabi communities outside of India as well, a comforting thought since the Punjabi—purportedly one of the most widely dispersed ethnic groups in the world—profess this kind of hospitality wherever they go.

Punjabis have won a reputation for open-mindedness and acceptance as well.

This is one reason why Balwinder Singh’s brother, Kashmira Singh, a Punjab from the city of Chandigarh and the chef-owner of Kashmir Indian Restaurant, enjoys his location on busy Bardstown Road. “The people here are very friendly and tolerant, and they enjoy the hospitality we show them,” he said. A disastrous fire several years ago could have brought a quick end to this casual Indian eatery known for its curries and samosas, had it not been for Singh’s loyal clientele. Cato, who counts herself in this number, especially enjoys coming in to celebrate Indian festivals. Her favorite is Diwali, a five-day celebration of lights that symbolizes the illumination of the mind and marks the approach of winter.

For Singh, Diwali is a time to share Punjabi hospitality with people in his adopted hometown of Louisville. “Diwali is as important to Hindus as Christmas is to

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Christians,” he said. “In India people decorate the entrances of their homes with beautiful rangoli sand art, and each house is decorated with earthen oil lamps called diyas.” People get together and exchange greetings, distribute sweets, eat lots of food and show off new clothes. Each year the holiday is celebrated in either October or November, depending on the lunar calendar—this year it started on November 12. During Diwali, Singh transports hungry guests from the small shotgun house that houses Kashmir to a different world where they’re free to enjoy the festival atmosphere of an Indian village.

Diwali combines the best that American holidays have to offer, Cato said. “It’s like New Year’s because the old year is ending and people renew friendships and make

sometimes fiery curries and liberal usage of spicy chutneys, chiles, and tangy tamarind, some aficionados might opt for words such as “energetic,” “enthusiastic” or “exciting” instead. As Singh points out, Punjabi cuisine is not subtle in its flavorings; nor is it miserly in its use of seasoning. In keeping with this culinary exuberance, there are no dainty marinades or delicate, exotic sauces, but rather full-bodied masalas (spice blends) for foods cooked with liberal amounts of ghee (clarified butter) and sometimes served with a generous helping of cream or yogurt.

Milk and butter form an integral part of basic Punjabi cookery, and curd and buttermilk often make appearances at everyday meals.

At Kashmir, Singh invites diners to sample a taste of Punjabi exuberance Balwinder Singh, co-owner of Kashmir Indian Restaurant

resolutions for the coming year,” she said.“In addition, it compares to Christmas —with its gifts and lights—and the Fourth of July, with its fireworks.” Indians also view it as a time to give thanks, like Thanksgiving in the United States; and, like Halloween, it’s a time of year for tricksters and pranksters. “As with most holidays and festivals in India,” she said,“this is a time for exuberance and color.

You see it in the traditional dress, the festive music and dancing, the decorations and— especially—in the food.”

For many people “exuberant” might be just the word to capture the essence of Singh’s rendition of Indian food, especially with its brightly colored spices like turmeric, saffron, paprika and cayenne. With its

throughout the year, although he admits the Diwali celebration of lights is perhaps the best time to experience Indian hospitality at its finest. His menu features some 50 dishes and at least a dozen Indian breads, and his staff will make suggestions and recommendations in surroundings redolent of cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, coriander and cloves.

Cato recommends the tandoori chicken.

“I love the aromatic steam it gives off when they bring it to the table on the steel plate, sizzling with onions,” she said, “and the color is so beautiful, with its brilliant orange-red pepper and garam masala spices. I could eat it every day of the year. www.foodanddiningmagazine.com Winter 2005 47

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rafael luna Rosticeria Luna 5213B Preston Highway 962-8898

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ike Kentucky, the state of Puebla in central Mexico is known for colorful characters, legends and good, regional cooking. Other than that, the two states “don’t have much in common,” says Rafael Luna, the owner of Rosticeria Luna.

“Oh ...” he adds, “in both places they’re famous for the ways they prepare chicken.”

Luna specializes in Mexican-style rotisserie chicken, a savory but time-consuming spitbroiled preparation that yields a succulently tender bird seasoned with the secret blend of herbs and spices that his mother and brothers used in their small grocery and restaurant back home in Mexico. “I use an adobo or rub of seasonings on the chicken that includes a certain amount of garlic, guajillo chile, cumin and crushed black pepper,” he said.

One of the most commonly grown chiles in Mexico, the guajillo [gwah-HEE-yoh] is a thick and leathery, dark reddish-brown pepper known for its mildness and moderate heat. Rather than overpowering a dish with fire, the guajillo imparts a pleasant earthiness and meaty, smoky richness that complements the chicken, he said.

Luna knows his chicken, having worked 11 years at the corporate level for Pollo Loco, a chain specializing in flamegrilled chicken that started on Mexico’s northern Pacific Coast in 1975. The first Pollo Loco north of the Rio Grande opened in Los Angeles in 1980, becoming an overnight sensation at the start of a fitness-crazed decade when North Americans started to look for healthier fast-food alternatives. Within a year, franchises started popping up throughout the Southwest, and Pollo Loco soon spread to other parts of the globe when Denny’s acquired the chain’s non-Mexican locations in 1983. Luna opened stores in

Tandoori and Tikka chicken served with nan bread and a side of rice from Kashmir Indian Restaurant.

OPPOSITE:

Rafael Luna, owner of Rosticeria Luna

L.A.’s San Fernando Valley and in Manila, the capital of the Philippines.

When he arrived in Louisville several years ago, Luna decided to stick with what he knows best. Today, he operates two restaurants in Kentucky and is considering a third.The other Luna eatery—in Lexington —specializes in Mexican-American fare.

In Louisville—where more authentic Mexican eating places abound—Luna realized he’d need to offer diners something out of the ordinary if he wanted to make a name for himself, especially if he wanted to compete with the many small establishments on Preston Highway that cater to a mostly Mexican clientele and that offer such once hard-to-find items as menudo, the restorative spicy tripe soup Mexicans claim can cure anything from a cold to a hangover, and pozole, the rich and savory pork stew studded with white hominy. Like so many of Louisville’s ethnic chefs, Luna decided to stick with the regional cooking he grew up with, the dishes he remembered his mother, María Díaz Sanchez, preparing in the family kitchen in Coatepec, a small town in a region known for its savory guisados [wee-

SA-doze] or stews. It was a kitchen perfumed with the aroma of toasted pumpkin seeds, onions, garlic, cilantro, chiles and cumin—just a few of the items that might be found in the region’s most famous and most distinctive dish, mole poblano, or mole “from Puebla,” considered by many to be the national dish of Mexico.

Mole poblano is another one of the chicken preparations that restaurant-goers can choose at Rosticeria Luna. Recipes for this specialty are as numerous and varied as those for an American apple pie, but several elements constitute the backbone of the dish. The most important and defining ingredient, though, is chocolate. As Luna points out, it’s not the kind of sweet chocolate you’ll find in a brown Hershey’s wrapper, but raw, unsweetened Mexican chocolate that relies on its earthen bitterness to pack a subtle punch that will keep the remainder of the plucky components in line. Ingredients for the time-consuming sauce that will eventually cloak chicken or turkey can number in the hundreds, but most Mexican chefs agree that the cocoa flavor works well with toasted nuts, chiles, onions, garlic, tomatoes, spices www.foodanddiningmagazine.com Winter 2005 49

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Modern American Cuisine

Upscale Casual Dining Culinary Cocktails Sunday Brunch

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50 Winter 2005 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

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such as cumin and cinnamon, and perhaps dried fruit like raisins or prunes. These are all finely ground (hence the name mole, which comes from the Spanish “moler,” “to grind”), then blended and simmered for hours to produce an intensely rich, pungently nutty sauce redolent of a Mexican harvest.

Luna invites guests to sample his authentic chicken preparations for a taste of real Mexican cookery. “The mole sauce is sometimes too rich for Americans who aren’t used to such a savory, spicy blend of chiles, chocolate, nuts and herbs, but it’s one of the most authentic ways to get a taste of the real Mexico,” he said.

Another typical Mexican dish served at Rosticeria Luna’s Posolé de cerdo (Mexican pork and corn stew) served with a side bowl of chopped radishes, green onion, cilantro and shredded lettuce.

Luna’s is huaraches (wah-RAH-chase), a flat, elongated dish fancifully named after the huaraches sandals usually worn by poor Mexican country folk. This dish employs nopal, a paddle-shaped piece of a prickly pear cactus, which—after the thorns are removed, of course—is stuffed with cheese, deep-fried in a light egg batter and served with red chile sauce, much like chiles rellenos (Mexican stuffed peppers). “I spent a lot of time in Puebla City, and these are the kinds of things we used to eat all the time,” he recalled, pointing out that a taste of his rotisserie chicken, mole poblano and huaraches offers a culinary visit to this south-central part of Mexico.

The generic, strip-mall atmosphere of the tiny, unassuming restaurant on Preston Highway is a far cry from the old-world, south-of-the-border charm of many of Puebla’s cafés and lunch parlors. But just a taste of Rafael Luna’s Mexico paints an appetizing picture of the real thing. F&D

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recipes top chef recipes

BY ROBIN GARR | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

worldly wonders What do you get when you ask a couple of creative American chefs to come up with a few good ethnic recipes?

“Fusion,” of course, says Chef John Richards. Like the classic American melting pot itself, fusion cuisine brings together a zesty mix of cultures, flavors and culinary traditions to create new delights that showcase traditional heritage with innovative twists that add excitement to the blend.

“It’s not ‘ethnic’ but ‘fusion,’ ” Richards said. “Consider what American cuisine itself has become: a fusion of the world’s cuisines.” In creating “fusion” dishes, he said, he seeks to incorporate a whole variety of experiences in every bite, including such diverse elements as sweet, sour, hot, cold, crunchy, soft, smooth and coarse. “I want to have a total yin-yang

Chef John Richards’ key lime chipotle goat cheese cake

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Chef John Castro’s pan seared quail with Asian lemon ginger sauce

Chef John Castro’s Mojo Risin’

Chef John Richards’ hot and sour scallops

experience of every sensation,” he said. “To the eyes, even to the ears as the dish is being prepared, and most of all to the palate.”

In Food & Dining’s quarterly recipe challenge, we invited Richards, who was once proprietor of Louisville’s late, lamented Zephyr Cove, and now is on the faculty at Sullivan University, and his Sullivan compadre John Castro (who is also executive chef at Winston’s at Sullivan and is a partner in Yang Kee Noodle at Oxmoor) to tantalize us with ethnic—well, fusion—recipes for intriguing dishes that you can fashion at home.

Richards offers two dishes that he used to serve in the Chef ’s Room at Zephyr Cove, a 10-seat side room that was reserved for what he calls “an 11-course, threehour excursion into some culinary abyss,” for which he would create innovative dishes designed to tantalize the diner with “a 30-, 45- or 60-second taste experience with every bite.”

Consider the key lime chipotle goat cheese cake presented here, for instance: “It starts out smooth, then sweetness hits your tongue; then the pucker of key lime will hit the sides of your tongue; the creaminess of the goat cheese smooths it all away. Then you sense the slight heat of the chipotle pepper, and then it’s all gone.

Then you take another bite. It might take you 15 minutes to get through a small dessert if you are truly experiencing each bite.”

Richards’ other offering, hot and sour scallops with Peruvian brandade and sugar snap pea sauce, works in a similar fashion, he said, offering eye appeal in its bold colors, with a melody of contrasting but harmonious textures, aromas and flavors.

Richards offers this sage advice to the home cook: Don’t be afraid to experiment.“Any component in these recipes can be traded out for something you like better.

If you don’t like pickles, put in mushrooms. If you don’t like shrimp with the potato brandade, put in scallops or cod. Or go back to the dried salt cod used in the ethnic original, if you like it and know how to handle it.”

John Castro also marries a variety of ethnic strains in his two dishes. A seafood medley that he calls Mojo Risin’ was inspired by a dish he found in Hawaii, he said, adapted for Winston’s, where kicking it up with a little more intrigue and a little extra flavor has made it one of the restaurant’s most popular selections.

“Its beginnings are really kind of French,” he said.“It’s encased in papillote (with modern aluminum foil substituting for the traditional parchment envelope), and the dish itself has a mojito sauce, a strong sauce. There can be a number of different varieties of it; this one has a great deal of cilantro, garlic and cumin.”

Castro’s other dish, pan-seared quail with Asian lemon ginger sauce on a bed of buckwheat soba noodles with sesame and cucumbers in miso dressing, has a distinct Asian accent, “fusing” a typical Southern U.S. quail preparation with tangy flavors and sauces that bespeak the mysterious East while evoking that Cantonese classic, lemon chicken. www.foodanddiningmagazine.com Winter 2005 53

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Mojo Risin’ SERVES 4-6 For the mojo sauce: 2 green peppers 2 tablespoons cumin seeds 6 cloves garlic 21/2 cups cilantro leaves (about two grocery-store bunches) 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt 1 /4 cup sherry vinegar 1 cup olive oil

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1 teaspoon sesame oil 8 quail 1 /2 cup white flour 1 /4 cup cornstarch 1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons peanut oil

1. Peel the ginger and cut it into thin julienne strips. Put it in a bowl with the lemon juice, tamari, scallions, mirin, sugar and sesame oil and stir to blend. Place the quail in this mixture and marinate for two hours, turning 1. Cut the green peppers into large pieces, the quail once after about an hour. discarding the seeds and interior ribs.Toast 2. Lift the quail out of the marinade and the cumin seeds in a small, dry skillet until drain. Put the marinade in a saucepan, bring to a boil and reserve. (Note: This they are aromatic. Peel the garlic. sauce may be used either hot or 2. Place all ingredients in a blender at room temperature.) and puree until the pieces of 3. Combine flour and cornstarch. cilantro are about the size of a Season the marinated, drained quail match head. Place in a container with salt, and dredge each piece in and reserve in refrigerator. the flour-cornstarch mixture.

Note:The sauce will lose flavor if 4. Heat the peanut oil in a large you keep it longer than two or sauté pan. Place the quail breastthree days. side-down and cook until brown and crisp; turn and finish the other For the mojo: Chef John Castro side. Drain pan drippings and 4 tomatoes reserve.

2 pounds crab meat 12 ounces chicken or clam stock For the soba noodles: 12 littleneck clams 1 250-gram (8.8-ounce) package 12 large (“10-count”) shrimp Japanese buckwheat soba noodles 8 three-ounce pieces of any fish you like 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil 8 large (“10-count”) “dry” sea scallops (not chemically treated) 1. Cook soba noodles according to 1. Chop the tomatoes. For a more refined package directions. When the noodles are dish, peel them and discard the skin and just finished, “shock” them by dipping in a seeds. Pick over the crab meat and dispose bowl of ice water to stop cooking.

2. Drain the noodles and toss them with of any pieces of shell. the sesame oil.

2. Heat the stock to the boiling point.

3. Arrange all the seafood in an ovenproof For the miso dressing: dish.Add hot stock, mojo sauce and tomato.

1 /3 cup rice vinegar 4. Seal the entire dish in aluminum foil and 2 tablespoons light colored miso paste bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Note: 1 tablespoon minced basil If the bag is sealed properly, it will inflate.

2 cloves garlic, peeled 5. Remove from the oven and serve with 1 /4 teaspoon Korean Chili Flake or dried grilled breads. red-pepper flakes 2 /3 cup grapeseed oil Pan Seared Quail with Asian 2 carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces Lemon Ginger Sauce on a bed of

Buckwheat Soba Noodles with Sesame and Cucumbers in Miso Dressing SERVES 4 AS AN ENTRÉE OR 8 AS AN APPETIZER For the quail: 4-inch piece of fresh ginger, enough to make about 1/2 cup when peeled and sliced 1 /4 cup fresh lemon juice 1 /2 cup tamari sauce 1 bunch scallions cut into 1-inch lengths 1 tablespoon mirin (Japanese rice wine) 1 tablespoon palm sugar (brown sugar may be substituted) 54 Winter 2005 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

Place all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Refrigerate until chilled.

Assembly: The quail The soba noodles The miso dressing 1 cucumber 1 teaspoon sesame seeds 4 scallions Reserved marinade and pan drippings 1. Peel the cucumber and scoop out the seeds. Cut the remainder into julienne

strips. Toast sesame seeds in a dry skillet until they start to turn golden. Trim the scallions and cut them into 1-inch lengths.

2. Place a serving of soba noodles in the center of each plate. Place two quail on each serving of noodles. Drizzle miso dressing over the quail and noodles.

Garnish with julienne cucumbers, toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallions, and serve the reserved marinade and pan drippings as dipping sauces. _________________________________

Hot and Sour Scallops with Peruvian Brandade and Sugar Snap Pea Sauce SERVES 4 For the scallops: 1 cup whole fresh spinach leaves 4 large diver scallops 12 hot-and-sour pickle chips 6 slices of bacon 1. Bring a large pot full of salted water to a boil and blanch the spinach leaves by dunking them for just a second; “shock” with cold water so they won’t overcook.

2. Chill the scallops, then cut each into four thin slices.Assemble by placing a pickle chip on top of one of the scallop slices; spread a piece of blanched spinach on top of the pickle, and continue layering until you have used all four pieces of one scallop. Repeat this procedure with the remaining scallops.

3. Place the bacon slices between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound them almost paper-thin. Carefully wrap each scallop in a piece of pounded bacon, putting the seams on the bottom. Place in the refrigerator for one hour.

4. Season the bacon-wrapped scallops with salt and pepper, and put in a very hot sauté pan, seam side down. Carefully cook until all sides of the bacon are caramelized, about three to four minutes. Remove from the pan and slice in half lengthwise.

For the Peruvian brandade: 6 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 12 Peruvian purple potatoes, peeled, boiled and cubed 3 tablespoons roasted garlic puree 1 tablespoon shallots, minced 1 /2 cup butter 21/2 tablespoons olive oil 21/2 tablespoons heavy cream salt and black pepper 1. Place the shrimp in a saucepan with boiling water and simmer for 3-5 minutes.

2. Remove the shrimp from the water and put into mixer with a paddle attachment and slowly beat it at medium speed until shrimp turn fluffy.

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3. Add the warm potato bit by bit, until whipped into shrimp paste.

4. Beat in the roasted garlic puree and shallots.

5. With the mixer still at medium speed, add the butter, then slowly drizzle in the olive oil and then the cream.

6. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For the sugar snap pea sauce: /2 cup shucked sugar snap peas and their shells 1 /4 cup water 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1 /4 cup basil 2 ounces olive oil salt and black pepper 1

Page 55

6. Line a 6-by-6-inch pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil, extending the foil over the edges of the pan, and press the crust mixture into the bottom of the pan.

For the cheesecake: 1 cup heavy cream 1 /2 cup sugar 6 ounces goat cheese 6 ounces cream cheese 2 eggs Scraped-out pulpy interior of 1 vanilla bean 2 seeded chipotle peppers 4 ounces key lime juice

1. In a medium saucepan, combine cream and sugar and 1. Quickly blanch the peas and simmer for 15-20 minutes, shells in boiling salt water for 30 reducing mixture by half. Remove to 45 seconds. Immediately from the heat and let cool slightly. shock in ice water and drain.

2. In a mixer, cream the goat 2. Puree half the peas and all of cheese and cream cheese the shells with the water, lemon together. Add the sweetened juice, basil and olive oil. Reserve cream and eggs and mix until the remaining peas. smooth to make a batter mixture.

Chef John Richards 3. Season with salt and pepper 3. Place half of this mixture in a to taste. separate bowl and mix in the vanilla bean pulp.

Assembly: 4. Remove and discard the chipotle The brandade pepper seeds. In a blender, puree the The hot-and-sour scallops chipotle peppers and key lime juice.

Reserved peas 1 carrot, peeled, diced fine and blanched 5. Combine the key lime and chipotle mixture with the half of the cheese batter Place a mound of the brandade in the mixture from Step 2 that was not used in center of each plate. Place two halves of Step 3. Spread this batter into the crust, the hot-and-sour scallops against the and refrigerate for 30 minutes until it brandade. Spoon some of the sugar snap firms slightly. pea sauce around the plate and garnish 6. Spread the vanilla batter from Step 3 on with remaining peas and fine-diced top of the chilled key lime batter. Bake the pie in a water bath (surrounded by hot blanched carrots. water in a larger pan) at 325 degrees for 45 minutes, or until the pie filling is set and Key Lime Chipotle a knife inserted into its center comes out Goat Cheese Cake clean. Refrigerate overnight before finishing SERVES 6 with the following key lime sauce.

For the crust: 1 /2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed 1 For the key lime sauce: /4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar 2 ounces sugar 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 ounces water pinch of salt 2 ounces key lime juice 3 tablespoons melted butter 1. In a mixer, cream the cubed butter and /4 cup sugar until smooth.

2. Add the flour and salt and mix until combined.

3. Roll out the dough 1/4-inch thick. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

4. Place dough on parchment-lined sheet pan and bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.

5. Let cool, then finely crumble into a mixing bowl. Add the melted butter and 2 tablespoons of the sugar and mix well.

1

1. Make a simple syrup by boiling the sugar in the water, taking care that the sugar is fully dissolved.

2. Add the key lime juice to the simple syrup and continue boiling until the liquid is reduced by two-thirds.

Assembly: Lift the cheesecake out of the pan and cut it into 2-by-3-inch pieces. Spoon key lime sauce over each piece. Decorate the plates with seasonal fruit. F&D

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56 Winter 2005 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

Page 56

Alphabetical Index

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

56

[ ] DENOTES UNMAPPED MULTIPLE LOCATIONS. RESTAURANT

Cuisine Style

60

ASIAN/CHINESE ASIAN/JAPANESE ASIAN/KOREAN ASIAN/THAI ASIAN/VIETNAMESE BAR & GRILL BARBECUE BISTROS CAFÉS CAFETERIAS CAJUN/CREOLE CASUAL DINING COFFEE HOUSE DESSERTS/BAKERY ENTERTAINMENT DINING EUROPEAN/BOSNIAN EUROPEAN/GERMAN EUROPEAN/GREEK EUROPEAN/IRISH EUROPEAN/ITALIAN FINE DINING HOME STYLE COOKING INDIAN INTERNATIONAL LATIN AMERICAN/MEXICAN MICROBREWERIES MIDDLE EASTERN PIZZA SANDWICH/DELI SEAFOOD STEAKHOUSE UPSCALE CASUAL

76 78 79 79 79 74 74 64 62 70 76 66 85 85 71 80 80 80 80 80 60 70 81 82 82 84 84 71 72 65 66 61

Area Maps

86

MAP # DIRECTION PG # Overview 86 (Index) Downtown 88 1 (Downtown Louisville) Near East 89 2 (Highlands – Crescent Hill) East 90 3 (St. Matthews) South East 91 4 (Hikes Point – Buechel) East 92 5 (Hurstbourne N. – Lyndon) South East 93 6 (Hurstbourne S. – Jeffersontown) North East 94 7 (River Rd. – Brownsboro Rd.) North East 94 8 (Westport Rd.) Far East 95 9 (Middletown) North East 95 10 (Prospect) South East 95 11 (Fern Creek) South 96 12 (Airport – Okolona) South West 97 13 (Shively – Pleasure Ridge Park) Indiana 98 14 (New Albany – Floyds Knobs) Indiana 99 15 (Clarksville) Indiana 99 16 (Jeffersonville)

PAGE #/CUISINE STYLE

2 Hahn’s Mongolian Grill 211 Clover Lane 610 Magnolia A Nice Restaurant Alameda Alley Cat Café Amazing Grace Deli Anchor Inn Angilo’s Pizza Angio’s Restaurant Annie Café Annie’s Pizza Ann’s by the River Another Place Anthony’s Anytimes Apple Annie’s Café Applebee’s Appleby’s Café Arirang Arni’s Pizza Aroma Café Artemisia Artisan’s Coffee Café Asian Buffet Asian Pearl Asiatique Atmosphere Atomic Saucer Atrium Café August Moon Austin’s Avalon Azalea Babby’s Steakhouse Babylon Backyard BBQ Backyard Burger Bahama Breeze Baja Fresh Mexican Grill Bakelicious Bake’s Barbeque The Bakery Bamboo House Bank Shot Billiards Barbara Lee’s Kitchen Baxter Station Bazos Mexican Grill BB’s Chicken & Ribs Bean Street Café Bearno’s Pizza Beef O’Brady’s Beg for More Café Behar Café Bendoya Sushi Bar Bentley’s Big Dave’s Outpost Big Hopp’s Big Subs Binky’s of Chicago Blimpie’s Subs Blue Dog Bakery Blue Mule Sports Café Blue Peppermill Café Bluegrass Brewing Co. Bluegrass Café Bombay Int’l. Market Bonefish Grill Bootleg Barbecue Co. Brandon’s Bar-B-Que Bravo!

Breadworks Brick Oven Bristol Bar & Grille Browning’s Brewery Buca Di Beppo Buckhead Mountain Grill Buck’s Buffalo Crossing Buffalo Wild Wings Bull Frog Garden Bulldog Café The Butterfly Garden Café

MAP #

76 Asian/Chinese 6 60 Fine Dining 3 60 Fine Dining 1 66 Casual Dining 14, 16 82 Latin Amer/Mex 2 62 Cafés 9 72 Sandwich/Deli 2 70 Home Style 9 71 Pizza 13 71 Pizza 4 79 Asian/Vietnamese 12 71 Pizza 1, 13 70 Cafeterias 16 72 Sandwich/Deli 1 72 Sandwich/Deli 1 66 Casual Dining 7 62 Cafés 4 66 Casual Dining [9] 63 Cafés 16 79 Asian/Korean 4 71 Pizza 14 66 Casual Dining 14 61 Upscale Casual 1 85 Coffee House 7 76 Asian/Chinese 14 76 Asian/Chinese 6 61 Upscale Casual 2 74 Bar & Grill 2 85 Coffee House 1 64 Bistros 5 76 Asian/Chinese 2 61 Upscale Casual 7 61 Upscale Casual 2 61 Upscale Casual 7 66 Steakhouse 16 84 Middle Eastern 2 74 Barbecue 14 72 Sandwich/Deli 6 82 International 3 82 Latin Amer/Mex 2 85 Desserts/Bakery 12 74 Barbecue 13 85 Desserts/Bakery 4 77 Asian/Chinese 12 72 Sandwich/Deli 1 70 Home Style 2 64 Bistros 2 82 Latin Amer/Mex 3 74 Barbecue 3 85 Coffee House 14 71 Pizza [12] 66 Casual Dining 3, 8, 9, 12 63 Cafés 12 80 Euro/Bosnian 12 78 Asian/Japanese 1 66 Casual Dining 1 75 Bar & Grill 2 66 Casual Dining 1 72 Sandwich/Deli 13 72 Sandwich/Deli 1 72 Sandwich/Deli 2, 4, 6 63 Cafés 2 75 Bar & Grill 6 63 Cafés 14 84 Microbreweries 1, 3 63 Cafés 4 81 Indian 2 65 Seafood 5 74 Barbecue 11, 12 74 Barbecue 8 66 Casual Dining 3 85 Desserts/Bakery 2, 7, 9 80 European/Italian 6 61 Upscale Casual 1, 2, 5 84 Microbreweries 1 80 European/Italian 6 67 Casual Dining 4, 5, 12, 16 60 Fine Dining 1 71 Ent. Dining 6 75 Bar & Grill 2,3, 6, 8, 9, 13 67 Casual Dining 11 63 Cafés 12 63 Cafés 2

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C.A.P.P.P.’s Deli 72 The Café at the Antique Mall 67 Café Chardeau 63 Café Emilie 63 Café Fraiche 63 Café J 63 Café Kilimanjaro 82 Café Lou Lou 63 Café Metro 60 Café Mimosa 79 Caffe Classico 85 California Pizza Kitchen 71 Captain’s Quarters 67 Cardinal Hall of Fame Café 67 Carolina Shrimp & Seafood 65 Carolyn’s 70 Carrabba’s Italian Grille 80 Caspian Grille 84 Champions Grill 67 Ch¯ eba Hut 72 Check’s Café 70 Cheddar Box Café 63 Cheddar’s Casual Café 63 Chez Seneba African 82 Chick Inn 67 The Chicken House 70 Chicken King 67 Chili’s 67 China Buffet 77 China Garden 77 China Inn 77 China King 77 China King Palace 77 Chinatown 77 Chinese Chef 77 Chinese Express 77 Chinese Restaurant 77 Chong Garden 77 Chopsticks 77 Chopsticks House 77 Chung King 77 Ciano’s 72 Cici’s 71 City Café 63 City Wok 77 Clark Boy Bar-B-Que 74 Clarksville Seafood 65 Cleon’s Rib Shack 74 Cleo’s Coffee 85 Clifton’s Pizza 71 Club Grotto 61 Coach Lamp 61 Coffee Beanery 85 Coffee Pot Café 85 Colonnade Cafeteria 70 Come Back Inn 80 Corner Café 61 Cottage Café 70 Cottage Inn 70 Country Kitchen 70 Cravings a la Carte 70 Cribstone Pub 67 Crystal Chinese 77 Cumberland Brews 84 Cunningham’s 67 Cutting Board Café 67 Cyclers Café 63 Damon’s 74 Danish Express 72 Day’s Espresso 85 De La Torre’s 61 Deke’s Marketplace Grill 68 Del Frisco’s 66 Delta Restaurant 75 Derby Café 63 Derby City Café by Dalal 63 Derby Dinner Playhouse 71 Desserts by Helen 85 De-ville’s 70 Diamante 64 Diamonds 61 Diefenbach Café 63 Dillon’s Steakhouse 66 Dino’s Down to Lunch 72 Ditto’s Grill 68 Dixie Cup Café 63 Dizzy Whizz Drive-In 72 Djuli 80

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MAP #

Sandwich/Deli Casual Dining Cafés Cafés Cafés Cafés International Cafés Fine Dining Asian/Vietnamese Coffee House Pizza Casual Dining Casual Dining Seafood Home Style European/Italian Middle Eastern Casual Dining Sandwich/Deli Home Style Cafés Cafés International Casual Dining Home Style Casual Dining Casual Dining Asian/Chinese Asian/Chinese Asian/Chinese Asian/Chinese Asian/Chinese Asian/Chinese Asian/Chinese Asian/Chinese Asian/Chinese Asian/Chinese Asian/Chinese Asian/Chinese Asian/Chinese Sandwich/Deli Pizza Cafés Asian/Chinese Barbecue Seafood Barbecue Coffee House Pizza Upscale Casual Upscale Casual Coffee House Coffee House Cafeterias European/Italian Upscale Casual Home Style Home Style Home Style Cafeterias Casual Dining Asian/Chinese Microbreweries Casual Dining Casual Dining Cafés Barbecue Sandwich/Deli Coffee House Upscale Casual Casual Dining Steakhouse Bar & Grill Cafés Cafés Ent. Dining Desserts/Bakery Home Style Bistros Upscale Casual Cafés Steakhouse Sandwich/Deli Casual Dining Cafés Sandwich/Deli Euro/Bosnian

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

Page 57

RESTAURANT

PAGE #/CUISINE STYLE

Dmitri’s Deli D’Nalley’s Restaurant Domino’s Pizza Don Pablos Dooley’s Bagels Double Dragon Double Dragon 8 Double Dragon 9 Double Dragon Buffet Double Dragon II Downtown New Orleans Dragon Garden Dutch’s Tavern Dynasty Buffet Eastern House Edna’s Good Stuff Eggroll King Eggroll Machine El Caporal El Mundo El Nopal El Nopalito El Paraiso El Rey Mexican El Rodeo Mexican El Tarasco Emperor of China Empress of China Encore at Actors Theatre The English Grill Equus Erika’s German Rest.

Ermin’s French Bakery Ernesto’s Euro Market Expressions of You Famous Dave’s Bar-B-Que Fast Break Pizza Fat Jimmy’s Federal Hill Feed Bag Deli Ferd Grisanti Fiesta Time Mexican Grill Fifth Quarter Figaro’s Pizzeria Finley’s BBQ Firehouse BBQ First Wok The Fish House The Fish Hut The Fishery The Fishery Station Flabby’s Schnitzelburg The Flagship Flanigans Ale House Fork in the Road Formosa Chinese Fountain Room Four King’s Café Frank’s Steak House Frascelli’s N.Y. Deli Fratello’s Pizza Frolio’s Pizza Fuji Steakhouse Furlong’s Fusion Garden Room Café Garrett’s Hickory Grille Gasthaus Gavi’s Restaurant Geli Cakes Genny’s Diner Germantown Café Gerstle’s Place Golden Buddha Golden Corral Golden Wall Goose Creek Diner Gourmet Grazing Grand Buffet Granville Inn Grape Leaf Grapevine Pantry Great American Grill Great Wall Great Wok Hall’s Cafeteria Happy Dragon

MAP #

72 Sandwich/Deli 1 70 Home Style 1 71 Pizza [20] 83 Latin Amer/Mex 5, 15 72 Sandwich/Deli 3, 5, 7, 9, 14 77 Asian/Chinese 2 77 Asian/Chinese 1 77 Asian/Chinese 6 77 Asian/Chinese 5 77 Asian/Chinese 5, 8, 11 76 Cajun/Creole 1 77 Asian/Chinese 2 75 Bar & Grill 3 77 Asian/Chinese 7 77 Asian/Chinese 13 82 International 6 77 Asian/Chinese 13 77 Asian/Chinese 2 83 Latin Amer/Mex 4,6,12,15 83 Latin Amer/Mex 2 83 Latin Amer/Mex 6, 8, 12 83 Latin Amer/Mex 2, 4, 11 83 Latin Amer/Mex 12 83 Latin Amer/Mex 4 83 Latin Amer/Mex 13 83 Latin Amer/Mex 3, 12 77 Asian/Chinese 7 77 Asian/Chinese 4 61 Upscale Casual 1 60 Fine Dining 1 60 Fine Dining 3 80 European/German 6 63 Cafés 1, 10, 14 83 Latin Amer/Mex 3, 5, 12, 16 63 Cafés 8 85 Coffee House 1 74 Barbecue 6 71 Pizza 8 71 Pizza 2, 5 63 Cafés 14 72 Sandwich/Deli 3 81 European/Italian 6 83 Latin Amer/Mex 8 66 Steakhouse 12 71 Pizza 9 74 Barbecue 1 74 Barbecue 4, 11 77 Asian/Chinese 13 65 Seafood 2 65 Seafood 1 65 Seafood 3 65 Seafood 11 75 Bar & Grill 1 60 Fine Dining 1 75 Bar & Grill 2 70 Home Style 13 77 Asian/Chinese 14 61 Upscale Casual 1 68 Casual Dining 4 66 Steakhouse 16 72 Sandwich/Deli 7 71 Pizza 16 71 Pizza 12 78 Asian/Japanese 8 76 Cajun/Creole 2 61 Upscale Casual 2 64 Cafés 1 68 Casual Dining 5 80 European/German 7 82 International 1 72 Sandwich/Deli 2 70 Home Style 2 64 Cafés 1 75 Bar & Grill 3 77 Asian/Chinese 12 68 Casual Dining 4, 12, 15 77 Asian/Chinese 12 70 Home Style 8 64 Cafés 10 77 Asian/Chinese 13 75 Bar & Grill 1 84 Middle Eastern 2 64 Cafés 9 75 Bar & Grill 12 77 Asian/Chinese 2 77 Asian/Chinese 1 70 Cafeterias 2 77 Asian/Chinese 1

RESTAURANT

PAGE #/CUISINE STYLE

Hard Rock Café Harper’s Restaurant Harvest Moon Havana Rumba Hazelwood Restaurant Heather’s On The River Heavenly Ham Heine Brothers Coffee Heitzman Bakery & Deli Highland Coffee Co. Highlands Taproom Hitching Post Inn Hobknobb Roasting Co. Holly’s Legal Street Hometown Buffet Hometown Pizza Hong Kong Chinese Hong Kong Fast Food Hoops Grill and Sports Bar Hooters House of Dragon Howl at the Moon Huttster’s Burger Ichiban Samurai Imperial Palace Indi’s Restaurant India Palace Indigo Bistro & Bar The Irish Rover Iroquois Pizza J. Alexander’s J. Graham’s Café J. Harrods Jabber’s Sports Grill Jack Fry’s Jack’s Lounge Jade Palace Jalapeño’s Jane’s Cafeteria Jarfi’s Bistro Java Brewing Co. Jay’s Cafeteria Jazz Factory Jersey Mike’s Subs Jessie’s Restaurant Jicama Grill Jillian’s Jimbo’s BBQ Jimmy’s on the River Joe Huber Restaurant Joe Muggs Joe’s Crab Shack Joe’s O.K. Bayou Joe’s Older Than Dirt John E’s JoJo’s Fish Market Juanita’s Burger Boy Jucy’s Smokehouse Julie’s of Jeffersonville Jumbo Buffet Kaelin’s Restaurant Kashmir Indian Kern’s Korner Kim’s Asian Grille King Buffet King Wok Kingfish King’s Buffet Kings Fast Food King’s Fried Chicken Kobe Japanese Steak Koreana II KT’s Kunz’s KY Taco L&N Wine Bar and Bistro La Bamba La Bodega La Embajada La Herradura La Marimba La Peche II La Petit Patisserie La Tapatia Le Relais Leander’s on Oak Lee’s Korean Legend’s

MAP #

68 Casual Dining 1 68 Casual Dining 5 77 Asian/Chinese 5 83 Latin Amer/Mex 3 70 Home Style 13 68 Casual Dining 7 72 Sandwich/Deli 4, 9, 14 85 Coffee House 2, 3 85 Desserts/Bakery 5 85 Coffee House 1, 2 71 Pizza 2 75 Bar & Grill 11 85 Coffee House 14 70 Home Style 1 70 Home Style 6, 8, 13, 15 71 Pizza 7, 9, 13 78 Asian/Chinese 14 78 Asian/Chinese 12 75 Bar & Grill 8, 12 68 Casual Dining 3,12,13,15,16 78 Asian/Chinese 3 71 Entertainment Dining 1 68 Casual Dining 2 78 Asian/Japanese 6 78 Asian/Chinese 11 68 Casual Dining 1, 3, 12 81 Indian 5 61 Upscale Casual 3 80 European/Irish 2, 7 71 Pizza 13 61 Upscale Casual 3 64 Cafés 1 61 Upscale Casual 3 76 Bar & Grill 11 61 Upscale Casual 2 76 Bar & Grill 3 78 Asian/Chinese 7 83 Latin Amer/Mex 13 70 Cafeterias 4 62 Upscale Casual 1 85 Coffee House 1, 2, 3, 9, 10 70 Cafeterias 1 65 Bistros 1 72 Sandwich/Deli 5, 6, 8 70 Home Style 13 83 Latin Amer/Mex 2 68 Casual Dining 2 74 Barbecue 12 68 Casual Dining 16 71 Ent. Dining 14 85 Coffee House 3, 8 65 Seafood 1 76 Cajun/Creole 6 68 Casual Dining 5 62 Upscale Casual 4 65 Seafood 4 73 Sandwich/Deli 1 74 Barbecue 5 73 Sandwich/Deli 16 78 Asian/Chinese 6 68 Casual Dining 2 81 Indian 2 68 Casual Dining 2 79 Asian/Korean 1 78 Asian/Chinese 6 78 Asian/Chinese 3 66 Seafood 4, 6, 7, 13, 16 78 Asian/Chinese 12 70 Home Style 13 70 Home Style 1 79 Asian/Japanese 16 79 Asian/Korean 12 62 Upscale Casual 2 60 Fine Dining 1 83 Latin Amer/Mex 11 65 Bistros 2 83 Latin Amer/Mex 2 82 International 2 83 Latin Amer/Mex 12 83 Latin Amer/Mex 15 83 Latin Amer/Mex 11 68 Casual Dining 7 64 Cafés 1 83 Latin Amer/Mex 12 60 Fine Dining 4 68 Casual Dining 1 79 Asian/Korean 12 68 Casual Dining 14

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RESTAURANT

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Hours: Lunch Tuesday thru Friday 11am til 2pm Dinner Tuesday thru Saturday begins at 5pm

Featuring wines from Felice Vineyards and Brown-Forman.

Imported Italian Beers.

For our story and menu:

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Come experience and play on Louisville’s only Bocce Ball Court.

58 Winter 2005 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

PAGE #/CUISINE STYLE

Lemongrass Café 79 Lentini’s 81 The Lighthouse 68 Lilly’s 60 Limestone 62 Lindy’s 70 Little Caesar’s Pizza 71 Little Chef 73 Little Saigon 79 Logan’s Roadhouse 66 Lolitas Tacos Inc. 83 Lone Star Steakhouse 66 Longhorn Steakhouse 66 Longino’s Grill 68 Lonnie’s Taste Chicago 70 Los Aztecas 83 Los Indios Mexicano 83 Lotsa Pasta 73 Louisville Pizza Co. 72 Luchessi’s Ravioli & Pasta Co. 81 Lucky Dragon 78 Lucky House Buffet 78 Lucky Strike Lanes / Felt 62 Luigi’s 81 Lunch Today 73 Lynn’s Paradise Café 68 Ma Zerellas 72 Magic Corner Bakery 85 Maharaja Indian Restaurant 82 Maido Essential Japanese 79 Mai’s Thai Restaurant 79 Main Eatery 73 Main Menu 68 Main Street Grind 64 Maker’s Mark Lounge 62 Mama Rosa 83 Mambo 83 Manchu Wok 78 Mancino’s Pizza 72 Manhattan Grill 68 Manoosh’s 82 Mark’s Feed Store 74 Martini Italian Bistro 81 Masterson’s 68 Max & Erma’s 68 Mayan Gypsy 84 Mazzoni’s Oyster Café 66 McAlister’s Deli 73 Melillo’s 81 The Melting Pot 68 Meridian Café 64 Mexico Tipico 84 Michael Murphy’s 76 Mike Linnig’s 66 Mitchell’s Fish Market 66 Moe’s Southwest Grill 84 Molly Malone’s 80 Morton’s of Chicago 66 Mr. Gattis 72 Mr. Lou’s 70 Mr. Z’s Kitchen 64 My Favorite Muffin 85 My Old KY Dinner Train 71 Naiman’s Deli 73 Nancy’s Bagel Grounds 64 Napa River Grill 62 Neil’s Place 70 Nermana’s Cuisine 80 Nero’s 62 New Direction Bar & Grill 76 New World Buffet 78 Nik’s Restaurant 80 Nord’s Brown Bag Deli 73 North End Café 64 O’Charley’s 68 O’Dolly’s 70 O’Shea’s Irish Pub 80 The Oakroom 60 Old Spaghetti Factory 81 Old Stone Inn 62 Ole Hickory Pit BBQ 74 The Olive Garden 81 Olive’s on Fourth 70 Ollie’s Trolley 73 Olmecas 84 Omar’s Gyro 84 On the Border 84 Onion Rest.Tea House 78

MAP #

Asian/Vietnamese 2, 8 European/Italian 2 Casual Dining 16 Fine Dining 2 Upscale Casual 5 Home Style 12 Pizza 6, 11, 12 Sandwich/Deli 14 Asian/Vietnamese 8 Steakhouse 3, 13, 15 Latin Amer/Mex 12 Steakhouse 5 Steakhouse 6 Casual Dining 12 Home Style 3 Latin Amer/Mex 1, 6, 7, 10 Latin Amer/Mex 14 Sandwich/Deli 3 Pizza 6 European/Italian 7 Asian/Chinese 7 Asian/Chinese 4 Upscale Casual 1 European/Italian 1 Sandwich/Deli 16 Casual Dining 2 Pizza 15 Desserts/Bakery 1 Indian 2 Asian/Japanese 2 Asian/Thai 16 Sandwich/Deli 1 Casual Dining 14 Cafés 14 Upscale Casual 1 Latin Amer/Mex 4 Latin Amer/Mex 12 Asian/Chinese 5 Pizza 7 Casual Dining 1 International 1 Barbecue 2, 9, 13, 15 European/Italian 8 Casual Dining 1 Casual Dining 6, 8, 10 Latin Amer/Mex 1 Seafood 4 Sandwich/Deli 5, 6, 7, 11, 15 European/Italian 1 Casual Dining 6 Cafés 3 Latin Amer/Mex 13 Bar & Grill 1 Seafood 13 Seafood 8 Latin Amer/Mex 3, 6 European/Irish 2 Steakhouse 1 Pizza 1, 4, 5, 6, 12, 13 Home Style 13 Cafés 1 Desserts/Bakery 4, 5 Entertainment Dining 12 Sandwich/Deli 5 Cafés 2 Upscale Casual 3 Home Style 14 Euro/Bosnian 2 Upscale Casual 14 Bar & Grill 8 Asian/Chinese 8 European/Greek 6 Sandwich/Deli 1 Cafés 2 Casual Dining 3,6,8,12,13,15 Home Style 13 European/Irish 2 Fine Dining 1 European/Italian 1 Upscale Casual 6 Barbecue 11 European/Italian 6 Home Style 1 Sandwich/Deli 1 Latin Amer/Mex 2 Middle Eastern 2 Latin Amer/Mex 8 Asian/Chinese 14

RESTAURANT

PAGE #/CUISINE STYLE

Oriental Express 78 Oriental House 78 Oriental Star 78 Osaka Sushi Bar 79 Oscar Brown’s Southbeach 62 Otto’s Café 68 Outback Steakhouse 66 Pa Pa Murphy’s Pizza 72 Palermo Viejo 68 Panda Chinese 78 Panera Bread Co. 73 Papa Johns Pizza 72 Papillon Grill & Bar 80 Park Place Restaurant 60 Parrott Beach 62 Pat’s Steak House 66 The Patron 64 Paul’s Fruit Market 74 Peking City 78 Penn Station 74 Pepper Shaker Bar-B-Q 74 Perkfection 85 Pesto’s Italian 81 Piccadilly Cafeteria 71 Picnicaters BBQ 74 Pie in the Sky 72 Pigasus 74 Pit Stop Bar-B-Que 74 Pizza Box 72 Pizza By The Guy 72 Pizza Hut 72 Pizza King 72 Pizza Magia 72 Pizza Place 72 Plehn’s Bakery 85 Po-Boy Shoppe 74 Ponderosa Steakhouse 66 Porcini 81 Portico 60 Prospect Fish Market 66 The Pub Louisville 69 Puerto Vallarta 84 Qdoba Mexican Grill 84 Queen of Sheba 82 Queenie’s Pizza & Such 72 Quick Wok 78 Quizno’s Subs 74 R Place Pub 76 Rafferty’s of Louisville 68 Rainbow Blossom 85 Ramsi’s Café 68 Ranch House 68 Ray Parrella’s 81 Red Cheetah Lounge 62 Red Horse Grille & Bar 68 Red Lounge 65 Red Star Tavern 62 Rendezvous Diner 82 Rich O’s Public House 84 Rincon Latino 84 River Creek Inn 66 River Grille 69 Roadway Wings 70 Rockwall Bistro 62 Rocky’s Italian Grill 81 Romano’s Macaroni Grill 81 Rosticeria Luna 84 Royal Garden 78 Rubbie’s Bar-B-Que 74 Ruby Tuesday 69 The Rudyard Kipling 69 Rufad’s Kebob 80 Rumors Raw Oyster Bar 66 Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse 66 Ryan’s Steakhouse 66 Saddle Ridge Saloon 76 Saffron’s 84 Saint’s 76 Sakura Blue 79 Sala Thai 79 Sam’s Food & Spirits 69 Santa Fe Grill 84 Sapporo Japanese Grill 79 Sarajevo 80 Schlotzsky’s Deli 74 Scotty’s Ribs 74 Sesame Chinese 78 Shalimar Indian 82

MAP #

Asian/Chinese 9 Asian/Chinese 3 Asian/Chinese 12 Asian/Japanese 2 Upscale Casual 1 Casual Dining 1 Steakhouse 3, 8, 11, 12, 15 Pizza 3, 8, 12 Casual Dining 2 Asian/Chinese 10 Sandwich/Deli 3, 6, 8 Pizza [30] Euro/Bosnian 2 Fine Dining 1 Upscale Casual 1 Steakhouse 2 Cafés 3 Sandwich/Deli 3, 4, 7, 9 Asian/Chinese 8 Sandwich/Deli [11] Barbecue 12 Coffee House 16 European/Italian 1 Cafeterias 5, 6 Barbecue 1 Pizza 6 Barbecue 14 Barbecue 1 Pizza 8 Pizza 5 Pizza [15] Pizza 14, 16 Pizza [13] Pizza 4 Desserts/Bakery 3 Sandwich/Deli 2 Steakhouse 7 European/Italian 2 Fine Dining 14 Seafood 10 Casual Dining 1 Latin Amer/Mex 14 Latin Amer/Mex 2,3,5,8,15 International 4 Pizza 1 Asian/Chinese 1 Sandwich/Deli [15] Bar & Grill 12 Casual Dining 3, 8 Desserts/Bakery 8 Casual Dining 2 Casual Dining 14 European/Italian 2 Upscale Casual 1 Casual Dining 12 Bistros 2 Upscale Casual 1 International 2 Microbreweries 14 Latin Amer/Mex 8 Seafood 7 Casual Dining 1 Home Style 13 Upscale Casual 14 European/Italian 16 European/Italian 5 Latin Amer/Mex 12 Asian/Chinese 12 Barbecue 12 Casual Dining 3, 6 Casual Dining 1 Euro/Bosnian 2 Seafood 9 Steakhouse 3 Steakhouse 11, 12, 13, 15 Bar & Grill 1 Middle Eastern 1 Bar & Grill 3 Asian/Japanese 3 Asian/Thai 6 Casual Dining 14 Latin Amer/Mex 12 Asian/Japanese 2, 9 Euro/Bosnian 11 Sandwich/Deli 8, 9, 12 Barbecue 9 Asian/Chinese 5 Indian 6

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Shane’s 69 Shanghai Restaurant 78 Shenanigan’s Irish Grille 76 Shogun 79 Shoney’s 69 Sichuan Garden 78 Skyline Chili 69 Smokey Bones BBQ 74 Soupy’s 74 South Side Inn 71 Spaghetti Shop 81 Spinelli’s Pizzeria 72 Sportstime Pizza 72 Stan’s Fish Sandwich 66 Star of Louisville 71 Starbucks Coffee 85 Starving Artist Café 64 Steak N Shake 69 Steinert’s Grill & Pub 76 Stevens & Stevens 74 Stoney River 66 Strawberry Patch Deli 74 Stumler Rest. & Orchard 69 Sub Station II 74 Sully’s Saloon 76 Sunergoss Coffee & Roastery 85 Sweet ‘N’ Savory Café 64 Sweet Surrender 85 Tacqueria La Mexicana 84 Tailgaters Sports Bar 76 Taj India 82 Texas Roadhouse 66 TGI Friday’s 69 Thai Café 79 Thai Kitchen 79 Thai Siam 79 Thai Smile 5 79 Thai Taste 79 The Other Place 69 Third and Main Café 64 Third Avenue Café 64 Thyme Café 64 Tijuana Flats Burrito Co. 84 Tokyo Japanese 79 Toll Bridge Inn 70 Tologono 65 Tommy Lancaster 70 Tony Boombozz 72 Tony Impellizzeri’s Pizza 72 Tony Roma’s 74 Trellis Restaurant 70 Trestle Sports Café 76 Tucker’s 70 Tumbleweed 66 Twiams Chicken & Waffles 70 Twice-Told Café 64 Twig & Leaf Restaurant 70 Two Bucks 74 Two Guys and a Grill 74 Uno Chicago Bar & Grill 72 Uptown Café 62 Vic’s Café 76 Vietnam Kitchen 79 The Villa Buffet 70 Vince Staten’s BBQ 74 Vincenzo’s 60 Vito’s Pizzeria 72 Volare 81 W.W. Cousin’s 70 Wagner’s Pharmacy 70 Wall Street Deli 74 Wang’s Wok 78 Webb’s Market 70 Whitney’s Diner 64 Wicks Pizza 72 Wild Oats Market 74 Willie’s Italian 81 Winston’s 60 Wok Express 78 Wonton Express 78 Woodford Reserve Grille 76 Yaching’s East West Cuisine 62 Yang Kee Noodle 78 Yen Ching 78 You-Carryout-A 78 ZaZoo’s 76 Zen Garden 80 Z’s Oyster Bar 60

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MAP #

Casual Dining 10 Asian/Chinese 1 Bar & Grill 2 Asian/Japanese 6, 8 Casual Dining 2, 6, 12 Asian/Chinese 6 Casual Dining 1, 2, 3, 6, 13 Barbecue 6 Sandwich/Deli 4, 6, 8, 13 Cafeterias 14 European/Italian 11, 14 Pizza 2 Pizza 14 Seafood 3 Ent. Dining 16 Coffee House [11] Cafés 5 Casual Dining 4,6,8,12,13,15 Bar & Grill 14 Sandwich/Deli 2 Steakhouse 8 Sandwich/Deli 9 Casual Dining 14 Sandwich/Deli 12 Bar & Grill 1 Coffee House 1 Cafés 2 Desserts/Bakery 2 Latin Amer/Mex 12 Bar & Grill 12 Indian 6 Steakhouse 2, 12, 13, 15 Casual Dining 1, 6, 7 Asian/Thai 7 Asian/Thai 13 Asian/Thai 4 Asian/Thai 12 Asian/Thai 2 Casual Dining 2 Cafés 1 Cafés 1 Cafés 1 Latin Amer/Mex 7 Asian/Japanese 7 Home Style 14 Bistros 3 Casual Dining 14 Pizza 2, 3 Pizza 2 Barbecue 5 Casual Dining 1 Bar & Grill 6 Casual Dining 14 Steakhouse 2,4,6,8,12,13,14,15,16 Casual Dining 13 Cafés 7 Casual Dining 2 Sandwich/Deli 8 Sandwich/Deli 7 Pizza 11 Upscale Casual 2 Bar & Grill 1 Asian/Vietnamese 12 Casual Dining 14 Barbecue 10 Fine Dining 1 Pizza 12 European/Italian 2 Casual Dining 3 Home Style 12 Sandwich/Deli 1 Asian/Chinese 9 Home Style 1 Cafés 11 Pizza 2, 8, 9, 13 Sandwich/Deli 3 European/Italian 13 Fine Dining 4 Asian/Chinese 1 Asian/Chinese 4 Bar & Grill 12 Upscale Casual 1 Asian/Chinese 5 Asian/Chinese 6 Asian/Chinese 14, 15, 16 Bar & Grill 3 Asian/Vietnamese 2 Fine Dining 5 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com Winter 2005 59

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UNLESS NOTED OTHERWISE, ALL RESTAURANTS ARE LOCATED IN LOUISVILLE. ALL KENTUCKY PHONE NUMBERS LISTED ARE IN THE 502 AREA CODE, INDIANA PHONE NUMBERS ARE IN THE 812 AREA CODE. RED DENOTES AN ADVERTISER.

$ $$ $$$ $$$$

p f

e

= = = = = = =

Average Entrée under $8 Average Entrée $9–$14 Average Entrée $15–$20 Average Entrée $21 & up Full Bar Outdoor Dining Live Music

FINE DINING 211 CLOVER LANE RESTAURANT 211 Clover Ln., 896-9570. 211 Clover’s longtime manager Andy Smith now owns the place, but its upscale atmosphere and creative cuisine of this stylish spot in St. Matthews continue to rank it among the city’s top tables. $$$$ p f 610 MAGNOLIA 610 Magnolia Ave., 636-0783. A full year after taking over 610 Magnolia from longtime chef/owner Ed Garber, Chef Edward Lee has put his own individual stamp on the restaurant, and it remains one of the city’s top tables. We love it as much as ever. $$$$ p f BUCK’S 425 W. Ormsby Ave., 637-5284. Eclectic Victorian with tongue-slightly-in-cheek, pleasant and not overstated, this fine dining room on the ground floor of Old Louisville’s genteel old Mayflower Apartments combines a welcoming attitude with high-quality fare and atmosphere that’s frankly stunning. $$$ p e CAFÉ METRO 1700 Bardstown Rd., 458-4830. A local tradition that helped establish Bardstown Road as one of the city’s “restaurant rows” a generation ago, Café Metro remains an upscale landmark; current Chef Michael Crouch continues to please Metro’s loyal fans. $$$ p ENGLISH GRILL 335 W. Broadway (The Camberly Brown Hotel), 583-1234. This elegant oak-paneled dining room is the same downtown landmark that our parents and grandparents enjoyed. Chef Joe Castro continues to win raves for creative, inventive (and expensive) fare that makes the Brown a major player in the downtown-hotel dining sweepstakes. $$$$ p EQUUS 122 Sears Ave., 897-9721. Tucked away in a simple white-brick building, Equus is a block off the main drag in St. Matthews, but happy diners beat a path to its door. Very fine international cuisine, a stylish setting and first-rate service combine to make it one of the city’s top dining rooms. $$$$ p THE FLAGSHIP 140 N. Fourth St., 589-5200. The best thing about the Flagship is its romantic, spectacular view of the city from its revolving quarters atop the Galt House hotel. It offers fine white-tablecloth dining with service to match. $$$$ e KUNZ’S FOURTH AND MARKET 115 S. Fourth St., 585-5555. One of the oldest restaurants in Louisville, Kunz’s has moved from one downtown location to another. Its old German accent has muted a bit with time; with a new menu in place, it now offers a choice of old-fashioned, hearty steak and seafood and stylish modern fare. $$$ p LE RELAIS 2817 Taylorsville Rd., (Bowman Field), 4519020. Another longstanding contender for the city’s top table, this stylish art deco spot beautifully uses a historic 1920s airport building to present elegant modern French cuisine from Chef Daniel

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Stage. It’s not just the city’s best French restaurant but a contender for best of the region, and an outstanding wine list adds value. $$$$ p f e LILLY’S 1147 Bardstown Rd., 451-0447. Chef Kathy Cary seems to spend as much time in New York City as she does in Louisville. As a repeat invitee to Manhattan’s James Beard House, she shares her Kentucky-accented cooking skills with the rest of the nation. Lilly’s combines style and Cary’s creative cookery to keep this landmark near the top of the city’s dining list. $$$$ p e THE OAKROOM 500 S. Fourth St., (Seelbach Hotel), 585-3200. Executive Chef Walter Lefler and Chef de Cuisine Todd Richards have maintained fourstar food and service in this elegant, historic hotel dining room that ranks among the “must-visit” destinations for visitors and locals alike. $$$$ p PARK PLACE RESTAURANT 401 E. Main St. (Slugger Field), 515-0172. With Anoosh Shariat as executive chef and Jerry Slater as General Manager, the signature restaurant in Louisville Slugger Field has moved beyond its origins as a steakhouse to join the city’s top tier of upscale dining rooms. $$$$ p f e PORTICO Caesars Indiana Casino, Elizabeth, IN, 888766-2648. High-end luxury and style bring a taste

of Las Vegas to Metro Louisville in this pricey, white-tablecloth eatery located on the grounds of Caesars Indiana. You don’t have to be a high roller to enjoy its luxury fare and service. $$$$ p VINCENZO’S 150 S. Fifth St., 580-1350. Known for its suavely professional service, high-end Northern Italian fare and some trademark dishes prepared at tableside, Vincenzo’s owns a place as one of Louisville’s top tables. Some find its mood and attentive service a little overbearing; others love the luxury. $$$$ p WINSTON’S RESTAURANT 3101 Bardstown Rd., (Sullivan University Campus), 456-0980. Culinary arts students at Sullivan University staff this finedining restaurant on the campus, under the guiding hand of Chef John Castro. Several of the city’s top chefs got their training here. Open Fri. Sun. Only. Reservations suggested. $$$$ p Z’S OYSTER BAR & STEAKHOUSE 101 Whittington Pkwy., 429-8000. This exciting spot brings a level of fine dining to the suburbs that’s previously been hard to find outside the city. Armed with excellent, oversize steaks, extraordinary seafood, fine service and clubby ambience, Z’s thoroughly outguns the upscale steakhouse competition. $$$$ p

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UPSCALE CASUAL ARTEMISIA 620 E. Market St., 583-4177. As the bustling arts scene in this east-of-downtown neighborhood has blossomed, Artemisia has evolved right along with it. A favorite dinner venue in a gallery setting, Artemisia offers fare to please both vegetarians and omnivores, plus an attractive alfresco dining option in its enclosed courtyard. $$$ p f e ASIATIQUE 1767 Bardstown Rd., 451-2749. Chef Peng Looi, who has won diners’ raves and many culinary awards during Asiatique’s long tenure in St. Matthews, transplanted his innovative Asianfusion restaurant to larger and even more striking quarters on the busy Bardstown Road corridor, where he has kicked things up still another notch. $$$ p f AUSTIN’S 4950 US 42, 423-1990. Big, crowded and bistro-style, with heavy emphasis on the bar, this suburban watering hole taps the same vein as the national franchise booze ‘n’ beef genre, and does so well, offering satisfying dining at a fair price. $$ p AVALON 1314 Bardstown Rd., 454-5336. Fresh American and international cuisine come together in this stylish Bardstown Road spot that has become a favorite. Heaters and shelter make the adjacent patio a popular option much of the year. $$$ p

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new digs in Indiana last year, was eager to move back to the city. Meanwhile, "Bobby J" Johnson closed Steam Fire & Ice. Quick as a wink, Timothy's moved in, changing its name to Diamonds but, we're reliably informed, retaining its upscale-casual style and comfortable gourmet fare (including the trademark white chili). $$$ pe ENCORE RESTAURANT AT ACTORS THEATRE 316 W. Main St., 561-3344. Not so much a destination restaurant as a decent place to dine before the theater, Encore offers a short but eclectic bill of fare that will satisfy your palate and get you to your seat before the curtain rises. $$ p FOUNTAIN ROOM AT THE GALT HOUSE 140 N. Fourth St., 589-5200. This comfortable space features both buffet and menu dining. One price covers the fresh and hot buffet and salad bar. The menu often includes regional and contemporary selections and daily chef specials. $ p FUSION 1605 Story Ave., 582-1801. This good-size Butchertown spot has been home to a series of eateries, from the original "Dirty" Min's cafeteria to Greek Paradise. Welcome the latest and fanciest tenant, Fusion, where former Bluegrass

Brewing Co. chefs Chris Gibson and David Salvo present an eclectic mix of international cuisines along with a short, well-chosen wine list. $$$ p INDIGO BISTRO AND BAR 3930 Chenoweth Sq., 893-0106. The name may sound famliar, but the name “Indigo” is all that this pleasant, if informal, American-style eatery shares with the more upscale and fancy Indigo that used to occupy this suburban space. $$ p f e J. ALEXANDER’S RESTAURANT 102 Oxmoor Court, 339-2206. This comfortably upscale venue, a Nashville-based chain, features “contemporary American” fare with a broad menu that ranges from burgers and sandwiches to such upscale eats as grilled tuna or a New York strip steak. $$$ p J. HARROD’S 7507 Upper River Rd., 228-4555. J. Harrod’s is discreetly tasteful and pleasantly comfortable. The food is competitive in both quality and value. It’s an appealing, upscale blend of bistro fare and old-fashioned country cooking. $$$ p JACK FRY’S 1007 Bardstown Rd., 452-9244. If you want to give visiting friends a one-shot sample of Louisville’s urban dining style, there’s no better destination than Jack Fry’s. This popular spot (now a non-smoking venue) is always packed. It saves just

AZALEA 3612 Brownsboro Rd., 895-5493. Another of the city’s longtime favorites, Azalea—the Louisville outpost of a popular Atlanta eatery— delights with creative American and fusion-style fare whether you dine in or enjoy the open air of its shady, brick-walled patio. Ask about “wine-down” specials with attractive pricing. $$$ p f BRISTOL BAR & GRILLE 1321 Bardstown Rd., 4561702, 300 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 426-0627, 100 E. Jefferson St., 540-3214, 614 W. Main St., 582-1995, 2035 S. Third St., 634-2723. The Bristol has been a star on Louisville’s bistro scene since it helped kick off the Bardstown Road restaurant renaissance some 25 years ago. Old standards like the green-chile won tons and the Bristol Burger are always reliable, and the wine program is exceptional. $$ p f CLUB GROTTO 2116 Bardstown Rd., 459-5275.

International touches by Chef Kristopher Bates make Club Grotto’s bill of fare memorable. Its comfortable, romantically dim and stylish environs and excellent service add value points. Sometimes overlooked, but worth making a special effort to remember. $$$ p COACH LAMP RESTAURANT 751 Vine St., 583-9165.

This urban neighborhood tavern serves “pub grub” for lunch, but Coach Lamp turns into a serious dining room Wednesday through Saturday evenings with well-prepared dishes that range from down-home favorites to pastas. With former Brown Hotel Chef Jerome Pope in the kitchen, this is a place to watch. $$$ 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, as we can tell from the neon signs across its front windows listing its fields of specialization: “Italian, Cajun, seafood, pizza and subs and more.” $$ p DE LA TORRE’S 1606 Bardstown Rd., 456-4955.

From Central Spain, authentic Castilian food ranging from tapas to a memorable paella make this Bardstown Road standby a unique experience reminiscent of dining on a square in Madrid. $$$ DIAMONDS 2427 Bardstown Rd., 454-9944. OK, pay attention. This gets a little complicated.

Timothy's, which abandoned East Broadway for

winston’s

Sullivan University Campus 3101 Bardstown Road Louisville, KY 40205 Reservations are recommended

502-456-0980

restaurant

Friday & Saturday Lunch 11 am - 2 pm Dinner 5:30 pm - 10 pm Sunday Brunch 9:30 am - 2 pm

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a whiff of the raffish aspect of its 1960s-era predecessor, a local saloon, but upgrades it with creative American fare in a bistro setting. $$$$ p e JARFI’S BISTRO 501 W. Main St., 589-5060. The affable Jeff Jarfi is the eponymous host of this sharp, stylish venue in the Kentucky Center for the Arts. Eclectic cuisine - including sushi! - plus popular lunch and pre-theater buffets are attracting happy crowds. $$$ p JOHN E’S 3708 Bardstown Rd., 456-1111. This old Louisville tradition earns a warm recommendation.

From its cozy setting in a historic Buechel home (once a log cabin) to its down-home service to its good American-style fare at reasonable prices, this comfortable place is a prime choice for a family get-together. $$$$ p e KT’S 2300 Lexington Rd., 458-8888. It’s hard to argue with success, and KT’s has earned its popularity by providing good American-style bar and bistro chow and a modern bar scene for a price that’s fair. $$ p f LIMESTONE 10001 Forest Green Blvd., 426-7477. To succeed in the restaurant business, keep doing what you do best. Chefs Jim Gerhardt and Michael Cunha have followed this simple formula

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with considerable success at Limestone, transporting the concept that brought them international culinary kudos at the Seelbach’s Oakroom with good effect in these modern quarters in the East End. $$$ p LUCKY STRIKE LANES / FELT Fourth Street Live, 560-1400. An upscale bowling alley? A classy poolroom? Who knew! These twin concepts from Jillian's founders Stephen and Gillian Foster -- 14 lanes of bowling at Lucky Strike, 10 tables of serious billiards at Felt - light up Fourth Street Live with a stylish blend of '50s-style retro and high-tech modern, plus a menu by Chef David Himmel that serves both establishments with much more than mere bar food. $$ p f MAKER’S MARK BOURBON HOUSE & LOUNGE Fourth Street Live, 568-9009. Under a licensing agreement with the management of Fourth Street Live, 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. The draw is a magisterial bar featuring more than 60 Bourbons (including the namesake brand, of course), along with an attractive menu featuring traditional Kentucky fare $$$ p f

Louisville’s Best Catch.

NAPA RIVER GRILL 3938 Dupont Circle, 893-0141.

Spanning California and the Pacific Rim, this starkly modern St. Matthews spot has gained a reputation for consistent quality and service, featuring well-prepared California cuisine and an extensive, fairly priced wine list adds to its appeal. $$$ p f NERO’S Caesars Indiana Casino, Elizabeth, IN, 888766-2648. Joining Portico as the second high-end, fine-dining restaurant at Caesar’s Indiana, Nero’s— located on the casino boat’s Fourth Deck— complements Portico’s all-American steak-andseafood theme with a broader international menu that ranges from Tuscan fettuccini to Memphis BBQ pork ribs. $$$ p OLD STONE INN 26905 Shelbyville Rd., Simpsonville, KY, (502) 722-8200. This historic stone building east of Louisville in Simpsonville, housed a popular restaurant for more than a generation. After a brief resurrection by Simpsonville’s sausage-making Purnell family, it is now under the management of Paul Crump, formerly of Porcini. Crump’s skills and the comfortably nostalgic atmosphere make this a hot spot. $$$ p f OSCAR BROWN’S SOUTHBEACH STATION 252 E. Market St., 581-1222. Chef Nick Sundberg features an American bistro style at his casual-upscale restaurant in the increasingly active east downtown neighborhood. His menu showcases Caribbean influences from Cuba, Jamaica and Trinidad (plus a few regional items). $$ p e PARROTT BEACH Fourth Street Live, 589-5336. $$ pf e RED CHEETAH LOUNGE Fourth Street Live, 5890695. $$ p e

Equus Restaurant has a tradition of serving the best Parmesan-Coated Sea Bass and USDA Prime Beef Steaks in town.

Equus has been preparing fine continental cuisine with Kentucky accents for 19 years.

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?

RED STAR TAVERN Fourth Street Live, 568-5656.

Billed as “a hip, contemporary version of the classic American tavern,” this new chain operation in the rehabilitated former Galleria features steaks, chops and seafood in an atmosphere that’s upscale and clubby, with entrees from about $12 to $24, and an extensive bar as a key part of the action. $$$ p f ROCKWALL BISTRO 3426 Paoli Pike, Floyds Knobs, IN., 948-1705. This stylish spot takes full advantage of an old rock-quarry location in scenic Floyds Knobs to offer an atmospheric eatery, with a creative menu that features a light Louisiana accent, and an interesting, affordable wine list. It’s well worth the 15-minute trip across the Ohio for one of the metro area’s most enjoyable dining experiences. $$ p f UPTOWN CAFÉ 1624 Bardstown Rd., 458-4212.

Across the street and a step downscale from its partner, Café Metro, the Uptown Café (now a nonsmoking venue except for the bar) offers similar fare with a bit more of a bistro feel for quite a few bucks less. $$ p f YACHING’S EAST WEST CUISINE 105 S. Fourth St., 585-4005. Restaurateur Laura Tao’s stylish downtown restaurant promises “an eclectic menu of contemporary Asian fusion cuisine.” It’s an attractive mix of East and West, sufficient to give just about everyone something to enjoy, regardless of which compass point attracts your taste buds. $$$ p

CAFES 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. $

EQUUS RESTAURANT 1 2 2 S E A R S AV E N U E • S T. M AT T H E W S • ( 5 0 2 ) 8 9 7 - 9 7 2 1 62 Winter 2005 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

APPLE ANNIE’S AT HEALTH & HARVEST 3030 Bardstown Rd., 451-6772. Explore the vast grocery section before coming to rest for coffee, tea, juice, pastries and sandwiches—all prepared with organic ingredients and many vegetarian and vegan selections. $

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APPLEBY’S CAFÉ AND CATERING 201 Spring St., Jeffersonville, IN, 283-3663. This café and catering business offers a variety of daily lunch specials plus gourmet coffees and a tempting array of desserts. $ f BEG FOR MORE CAFÉ 380-0085. $

8402 National Turnpike,

BLUE DOG BAKERY AND CAFÉ 2868 Frankfort Ave., 899-9800. This bakery with its $50,000 Spanish wood-fired oven makes artisanal bread as good as you’ll find in the US, and competitive with the best in Europe. Its comfortable, upscale café offers a short selection of tasty dishes made to show off the fine breads. $$ f BLUE PEPPERMILL CAFÉ 1882 Blackiston Mill Rd., Clarksville, IN., 945-5830. Any city would be lucky to have this superb little bistro with a Hoosier twist. The fare ranges from down-home to upscale. The atmosphere is happy and bright; the service personal and quick. It’s a bit hidden away, but worth the search. $$ p BLUEGRASS CAFÉ 3255 Bardstown Rd., (Holiday Inn) 454-0451. This casual family dining spot in a motel complex on Bardstown offers traditional favorites that range from the Hot Brown to fried chicken. A menu of freshly made soups, salads, appetizers and desserts serves the light diner. $ p

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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 this growing local chain of quick, simple but excellent spots for lunch. $ f CYCLERS CAFÉ 2295 Lexington Rd., 451-5152. Is it a bicycle shop or a restaurant? Well, it’s both. Filling in the small quarters that August Moon vacated to move next door, this informal spot will sell you a first-rate sandwich, soup or salad or a tire for your bike—or the whole darn bike! $ f DERBY CAFÉ 704 Central Ave., (Kentucky Derby Museum), 634-0858. Lunch served year-round in the dining area adjacent to the Derby Museum with such regional favorites as meaty Burgoo, and the Hot Brown. $ f

DIXIE CUP CAFÉ 4637 Dixie Hwy., 448-6999. Former Simpsonville, Ky. postmaster Pam Hale changed careers to open this welcoming spot on Dixie near the Watterson Expressway, and we’re glad she did.

Although it’s billed as a “gourmet coffee shop,” warming chili, soups and salads and alluring desserts make it a full-scale lunch destination. $ ERMIN’S FRENCH BAKERY & CAFÉ 1201 S. First St., 635-6960, 723 S. Fourth St., 587-9390, 454 S. Fourth Ave., 585-5120, 9550 U.S. Hwy 42, 2287210, 211 E. Main St., New Albany, IN, 941-8674.

Founded by an immigrant baker from Bosnia who has since moved on, these popular bakeries still attract crowds looking for an enjoyable soup and sandwich lunch highlighted by French-style breads and pastries. $

DERBY CITY CAFÉ BY DALAL 3819 Bardstown Rd., 454-6160. Most of the dining crowd comes for the cream cheese and olive sandwiches, veggie pockets and Kentucky’s own Benedictine creations. $

EURO MARKET 12907 Factory Ln., 243-0000. It looks like a neighborhood convenience store and bottle shop, but when you get inside, it contains a delicious surprise: an appetizing service counter offers a variety of goodies to take out or eat in. Don’t miss the excellent fried-oyster box, as well as an intriguing selection of quality beers and fine wines. $

DIEFENBACH CAFÉ 128 S. New Albany St., Sellersburg IN, 246-0686. $$ p e

FEDERAL HILL 310 Pearl St., New Albany IN, 9486646. $ f

BULLDOG CAFÉ 10619 W. Manslick Rd., 380-0600. $fe THE BUTTERFLY GARDEN CAFÉ 1325 Bardstown Rd., 456-4500. Tiny but tastefully attractive, this little cafe is hidden at the back of a Victorian house filled with gift shops that share a quaint, welcoming ambience. Typical luncheon fare is skillfully prepared. $ f CAFÉ CHARDEAU 359 Spring St., Jeffersonville, IN, 288-1050. Co-owners Becky Hutchens and Charlotte McGinnis may have built their reputation on catering, but you don’t have to plan a party to enjoy a taste of their stylish fare. Open for lunch weekdays. $ CAFÉ EMILIE 3939 Shelbyville Rd., 719-9717. Tucked into a corner of a tasteful furniture shop, Café Emilie is worth a visit. This French-accented East End eatery is a recent and welcome addition to the neighborhood’s casual dining options. $ f CAFÉ FRAICHE 3642 Brownsboro Rd., 894-8929.

Cuisine from around the world is featured at this East End neighborhood cafe, featuring homemade soups, breads and a variety of entrees on a seasonally changing menu. $ CAFÉ J 3600 Dutchmans Ln., (Jewish Community Center) 459-0660. This authentic delicatessen in the Jewish Community Center carefully follows traditional requirements to ensure fully kosher fare, Homemade soups, salads and wide-ranging hot entrees are available. $ f CAFÉ LOU LOU 1800 Frankfort Ave., 893-7776.

Bright and bold and artsy, this Clifton neighborhood restaurant and pub offers Chef Clay Wallace’s affordable edibles from wraps and calzones to handmade pizzas among the best in town. $$ f CHEDDAR BOX CAFÉ 12121 Shelbyville Rd., 2452622, 3909 Chenoweth Sq., 893-2324. Ladies who lunch often do so here, and more than a few gents join them, lured by an attractive selection of luncheon fare that ranges from soups and salads to tasty sandwiches ... and, it goes without saying, desserts. $ f CHEDDAR’S CASUAL CAFÉ 10403 Westport Rd., 339-5400. A distinct buzz surrounded the arrival of Cheddar’s, Louisville’s first outpost of a Dallasbased chain. It’s drawing big, happy crowds with its large bar and familiar “casual to upscale American” dishes. $ p CITY CAFÉ 1907 S. Fourth St., 635-0222, 505 W. Broadway, 589-1797, 1250 Bardstown Rd., 459www.foodanddiningmagazine.com Winter 2005 63

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GARDEN ROOM CAFÉ 911 S. Brook St., 625-1900.

Louisville's historic Male High School has come back to life as The Spectrum Building, an office complex, and its onetime cafeteria now houses Gumby's Garden Room Café, an attractive, casual American-style restaurant operated by longtime local caterer Phyllis "Gumby" Cornwell. $ f GERMANTOWN CAFÉ 1053 Goss Ave., 637-9412.

One of the many old-fashioned, simple and welcoming bars serving pub grub in Louisville’s old Germantown neighborhood is as good a spot as any for a hot burger and a cold beer. $ p f e GOURMET GRAZING 9550 US 42, 228-0464. This Prospect Point eatery offers a variety of pastas, crab cakes, salmon, sandwiches and desserts for carry out from its well-stocked catering cases. $ f GRAPEVINE PANTRY & GIFT SHOP 11418 Old Main St., Middletown, KY, 245-1569. Off the beaten path, the Middletown Historic District is booming with bucolic storefronts, restaurants and a laid back glimpse of the past. The Grapevine Pantry serves up homemade soups, sandwiches and salads, and a selection of cakes and pies. $ J. GRAHAM’S CAFÉ & BAR 335 W. Broadway (The Camberly Brown Hotel), 583-1234. The Brown’s casual cafe offers an alternative to the pricey and upscale English Grill. $ p LA PETIT PATISSERIE 1036 E. Burnette Ave., 6343004. A Butchertown landmark has changed hands as the old family-run Heitzmann’s Bakery assumes an upscale look and a fancy French name under new management. There’s a short sandwich menu and a remarkable collection of soft drinks, but the Patisserie aptly shines in the pastry department with its memorable desserts. $ MAIN ST. GRIND 155 E. Main St., New Albany, IN, 944-2326. $ MERIDIAN CAFÉ 112 Meridian Ave., 897-9703. This little lunch spot occupies a cozy old house in St.

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Matthews. Service is competent and polite, the place is sparkling clean, and the luncheon-style fare ranges from good to excellent. $ MR. Z’S KITCHEN 869 S. Third St., 584-8504. It’s run by a friendly immigrant family from Eastern Europe, but the food is all-American at Mr. Z’s Kitchen. It offers an appetizing option for a hearty diner-style meal. $ NANCY’S BAGEL GROUNDS 2101 Frankfort Ave., 895-8323. A friendly and casual neighborhood gathering spot. Offerings include soups, snacks, coffee drinks and bagels made on the premises to its own rather idiosyncratic formula. $ f NORTH END CAFÉ 1722 Frankfort Ave., 896-8770.

This atmospheric Clifton spot in an artfully redesigned old shotgun house has become one of the city’s most popular spots, prompting a recent expansion and the addition of a full bar. The eclectis menu offers diverse tapas and interesting entrees, plus a bargain-seeker’s wine list. It’s an appealing, affordable place to dine. $ f THE PATRON 3400 Frankfort Ave., 896-1661.

Viewed from the perspective of an evening meal, the Patron offers some of the best cooking in town. Chef Amber McCool offers a dinner menu that changes frequently, based on what’s available and perhaps the chef’s whim. It’s not just adventurous but civilized. $ THE STARVING ARTIST CAFÉ & DELI 8034 New Lagrange Rd., 412-1599. $ SWEET ‘N’ SAVORY CAFÉ 1574 Bardstown Rd., 456-6566. Hearty brunch fare with a vegetarian accent makes Sweet ‘n’ Savory a popular destination for the Bardstown Road bunch. $ THIRD AND MAIN CAFÉ 220 W. Main St., 587-6171. $ f THIRD AVENUE CAFÉ 1164 South Third St., 585-2233.

One of my favorite places for a casual meal, this exceptionally pleasant neighborhood eatery is

attracting loyal crowds with excellent fare and a cozy setting that brings you back for more. $$ p f e THYME CAFÉ 711 S. Third St., 587-0400. This spicy eclectic café serves up big taste with special tuna, ham and chicken entrees and sandwiches. Fresh basil tomato soup with the BLT on grilled sourdough is a fast-rising favorite in the neighborhood. $ TWICE TOLD PERFORMANCE CAFÉ 3507 W. Hwy. 146, LaGrange, 222-4506. An eclectic urban café in a village setting, about 20 minutes east of downtown in LaGrange. The casual menu lists sandwiches, fruits and veggies; daily soups and entrees. Live music every night—folk, spoken word, blues, jazz. $ e WHITNEY’S DINER 5616 Bardstown Rd., 239-0919. $f

BISTROS ATRIUM CAFÉ 9940 Corporate Campus Dr., (Embassy Suites), 426-9191. An eclectic bistro atmosphere in the spacious heart of the hotel.

Specials run from their popular crab cakes and array of pasta dishes to a Reuben sandwich or fruit pie. $$ p BAXTER STATION BAR & GRILL 1201 Payne St., 584-1635. This cozy spot looks a lot like a neighborhood saloon, but the eclectic menu and unique atmosphere (a railroad theme and airy patio in season) take it a notch upscale. Take particular note of an impressive beer list to go with your meal. $$ p f DIAMANTE 2280 Bardstown Rd., 456-1705. Chef Mike Driskell, formerly of Club Grotto, has upgraded the old Diamond Station bar and moved it significantly upscale with this new concept, which features an eclectic bill of fare and trendy libations in an attractive modern setting. $$ f

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JAZZ FACTORY 815 W. Market St., (Glassworks), 992-3242. Louisville’s restored Glassworks building makes a natural home for this edgy, stylish venue for serious, live jazz. Chef Jeff Jarfi’s eclectic and innovative fare offers an extra incentive for a jazz-filled evening. $$ p e L&N WINE BAR AND BISTRO 1765 Mellwood Ave., 897-0070. If you’re enthusiastic about good wine, you’re going to be excited about L&N Wine Bar and Bistro. The fruit of the vine takes center stage in a vast, fairly priced wine list and imposing Cruvinet dispenser, with over 100 wines available by the glass. Comfortable exposed-brick atmosphere and excellent bistro fare add to the draw. $$ p RED LOUNGE 2106 Frankfort Ave., 896-6116. It’s loud.

It’s smoky. It’s slick and glitzy and fun. Red Lounge is a bar first and an eatery second, but the fare, a short list of gourmet pub grub, is very good. $ p f e TOLOGONO 3702 Lexington Rd., 899-2005. In an intriguing twist on takeout food, Tologono’s firstrate chefs will make you a gourmet-style meal to take out and enjoy in the comfort of home. I’ve found the dishes fully competitive with local bistro fare, and more than competitive in price. $$

SEAFOOD BONEFISH GRILL 657 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 4124666. This franchise concept from the Floridabased Outback Steakhouse chain offers impressive seafood in a comfortable setting. Add Bonefish to your short list of suburban chain eateries that do the job right. $$$ p CAROLINA SHRIMP & SEAFOOD 3922 Westport Rd., 894-8947. In an East End neighborhood rich with seafood eateries, Carolina offers a tasty option within walking distance of downtown St. Matthews. This spartan little joint features shellfish and cod, much of it healthfully steamed, not fried, in an affordable family setting $ 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. $ THE FISH HOUSE 1310 Winter Ave., 568-2993.

Louisville is as overflowing as a well-stocked lake with fish-sandwich houses, and The Fish House is right up there with the best. Crisp breading laced with black pepper is the signature of Green River fried fish from Western Kentucky, and we’re mighty glad to have it here. $ f THE FISH HUT 550 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 585-3474.

If this trailer’s not fryin’, you’ll go away cryin’. Known for their fried catfish, the only thing missing from this little fry shanty is a pond out back. $ f THE FISHERY 3624 Lexington Rd., 895-1188. The original fried-fish eatery in a neighborhood that’s now awash with them, The Fishery remains justly popular for its quick, sizzling hot and affordable fish and seafood meals. $ f THE FISHERY STATION 5627 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. For the landlubbers there are cheeseburgers and fries. $ p JOE’S CRAB SHACK 131 River Rd., 568-1171. The fake crab shack setting is bright, noisy and fun, and the servers keep everyone entertained. But the food is the bottom line, and I’m pleased to report that we’ve found the seafood at Joe’s uniformly fresh and fine. $$ p f JOJO’S FISH MARKET 2902 Bardstown Rd., 4517100. This small Highlands shop, vacant since the www.foodanddiningmagazine.com Winter 2005 65

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closing of the short-lived Highland Fish Market, is frying fish again, with decor and style so little changed that they're still using the same sign out front. Fried fish sandwiches, oversize fish tacos and other seafood goodies are first-rate and fairly priced. $ KINGFISH RESTAURANT 3021 Upper River Rd., 895-0544, 3401 Bardstown Rd., 459-1432, 7483 Dixie Hwy., 933-3474, 1610 Kentucky Mills Dr., 2400700, 601 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville, IN, 2843474. Fried fish in a family dining setting has made this local chain a popular favorite for many years. Two of its properties—upper River Road and Riverside Drive—boast river views. $$ p f

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its ski-lodge atmosphere in a historic Louisville home. It ranks among the most affordable quality steak dinners that the city has to offer. $$ p FIFTH QUARTER STEAKHOUSE 1241 Durrett Ln., 3612363. The Fifth Quarter has that touch of class that evokes family nostalgia and romantic interludes. An attentive staff serves the sirloin your way. Some of the city’s best ivory masters are at the piano to enhance the dining experience. $$$ p f e FRANK’S STEAK HOUSE 520 W. Seventh St., Jeffersonville IN, 283-3383. A longtime north-ofthe-river favorite, this neighborhood steak house is known for comfort and hearty meals without pomp or circumstance. $$ p

MAZZONI’S OYSTER CAFÉ 2804 Taylorsville Rd., 451-4436. A history that dates to 1884 makes Mazzoni’s one of the city’s longest-running restaurant acts. It moved from downtown to the suburbs a generation ago, but kept its historic serving bar and its urban feeling, with pub grub, cold beer and the famous rolled oyster. $

LOGAN’S ROADHOUSE 5055 Shelbyville Rd., 8933884, 5229 Dixie Hwy., 448-0577, 970 Hwy. 131, Clarksville, IN, 288-9789. 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. $$ p

MIKE LINNIG’S 9308 Cane Run Rd., 937-1235. 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. $ f

LONE STAR STEAKHOUSE & SALOON 340 Whittington Pkwy., 339-9495. Lone Star rises above the median for franchised chain establishments on the basis of popularity and style and very friendly service, with decent grub amid Texas-style surroundings and country music. $$ p f

MITCHELL’S FISH MARKET 4031 Summit Plaza Dr., 412-1818. The decor of this upscale, Columbusbased chain evokes the feeling of a large fish market, with an open kitchen that offers views of chefs at work. Quality seafood and service has made this a popular destination, and everything we’ve tried here has been fresh and wellprepared. $$$ p f

LONGHORN STEAKHOUSE 2535 Hurstbourne Ln., 671-5350. Order your sirloin on the flat-top or pork chops on the char; also prime rib, baby back ribs and a complete line of chicken entrees. All dinners come with salad and potato choice. $$ p

PROSPECT FISH MARKET 9521A US 42, Prospect, 228-6962. A great place to get an oyster, a seafood dinner or a fine fried-fish sandwich. And if you’re on the eastern edge of the metropolitan area, Prospect Fish Market offers good, affordable fish in a pleasant shopping-center setting. $ RIVER CREEK INN 6301 Upper River Rd., 228-3625.

There’s something mighty pleasant about sitting on the dockside patio on the banks of Harrods Creek. It’s a favorite place to catch a quick dinner of fried fish and ice-cold beer. $ p f RUMORS RESTAURANT & RAW BAR 12339 Shelbyville Rd., 245-0366. Visualize Hooter’s without the scantily-clad waitresses, and you’ve drawn a bead on Rumor’s, the original Louisville home of the bucket-of-oysters and impressive raw bar. $$ p f STAN’S FISH SANDWICH 3723 Lexington Rd., 8966600. The fish is the thing at Stan’s, where the owner is a perfectionist who won’t sell any but the freshest fish, perfectly prepared. I’ve never had a better fish sandwich anywhere. Watch for daily specials that take advantage of fresh product. $ Z’S OYSTER BAR & STEAKHOUSE (see listing under Fine Dining)

STEAKHOUSE

MORTON’S 626 W. Main St., 584-0421. The steaks are as good as it gets, the atmosphere is elegant without being stuffy, and the service is outstanding. This downtown outpost of a Chicago chain earns a solid three stars and ranks among the top tier of Louisville’s upscale dining choices. $$$$ p OUTBACK STEAK HOUSE 4621 Shelbyville Rd., 8954329, 6520 Signature Dr., 964-8383, 9498 Brownsboro Rd., 426-4329, 8101 Bardstown Rd., 231-2399, 1420 Park Place, Clarksville, IN, 2834329. The name suggests Australia, and so does the shtick at this popular national chain, but the food is pretty much familiar American, and the fare goes beyond just steak to take in chicken, seafood and pasta. $$$ p PAT’S STEAK HOUSE 2437 Brownsboro Rd., 8969234. A visit to Pat’s may not be exactly like a trip back to the ‘50s, but when I ate there last, I think I saw Ozzie and Harriet. A local favorite, its combination of quality beef and hospitality rank it among the best steak houses in town. Bring cash: No credit cards accepted. $$$$ p PONDEROSA STEAKHOUSE 11470 S. Preston Hwy., 964-6117, 816 S. KY 53, La Grange, KY, 222-1226.

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 available in addition to an a la carte menu. $

BABBY’S STEAKHOUSE 108 S. Fourth St., Utica, IN., 288-2411. This independent-minded steakhouse is one of the metro area’s best values for expertly prepared steaks. They come in all the usual sizes and configurations, but someone in the kitchen has definite opinions about seasoning and grilling.

The result is a distinctive approach that rewards a visit. $$ f

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

DEL FRISCO’S 4107 Oechsli Ave., 897-7077. Once ranked among the city’s top steakhouses, Del Frisco’s remains strong in its core competency.

For deeply marbled, fork-tender prime steaks, it’s still hard to beat on quality points. $$$$ p

RYAN’S FAMILY STEAKHOUSE 7405 Preston Hwy., 964-1748, 5338 Bardstown Rd., 491-1088, 4711 Dixie Hwy., 447-4781, 636 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville, IN, 282-8520. This popular North Carolina-based chain offers family dining with good variety: Its diverse and extensive buffet features over 150 items. $

DILLON’S STEAKHOUSE 2101 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy, 499-7106. Dillon’s has a distinctly different atmosphere from more pricey steakhouses, with 66 Winter 2005 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

STONEY RIVER LEGENDARY STEAK 3900 Summit Plaza Dr., 429-8944. Stoney River in the sprawling

Springhurst shopping center is one of the chain’s first properties outside its Georgia home. It draws big crowds with its memorable steaks and trimmings, with extra points for friendly service and a comfortable atmosphere. $$$ p TEXAS ROADHOUSE Green Tree Mall, Clarksville, IN, 280-1103, 4406 Dixie Hwy. 448-0705, 6460 Dutchman’s Pkwy., 897-5005, 3322 Outer Loop, 962-7600. The spirit of the West sets the theme for this popular steak house. Salads, vegetables and breads with hearty side dishes round out your meal options. This is family-style dining, with no tray sliding—service at your table. $$ p TUMBLEWEED SOUTHWEST GRILL (19 locations).

Tumbleweed, which started as a humble Mexican restaurant in New Albany, eventually came to dominate Louisville’s Tex-Mex niche with colossal margaritas, gigantic burritos and spicy chili con queso. But what started as a sideline, mesquite grilled steaks, chops, and chicken, has become the main draw. These days, diners are more likely to dig into a perfectly grilled steak and baked potato as into a burrito. With its new Southwest focus, large and varied menu and added wine list, “The Weed” still has diners returning in droves. $$ p Z’S OYSTER BAR & STEAKHOUSE (see listing under Fine Dining)

CASUAL DINING A NICE RESTAURANT 3105 Blackiston Mill Rd., New Albany IN, 945-4321, 2784 Meijer Dr., 280-9160. A Nice Restaurant, billed as “New Albany’s Finer Diner,” is, well, nice. This sunny corner shop in the Old Mill Shopping Center specializes in breakfast and lunch. The fare is down-home and simple, at a price you can afford. $ ANYTIMES AT THE RAMADA INN 1041 Zorn Ave., 897-5101. Serving dinners only, the spacious restaurant opens at 4 p.m. and begins serving appetizers, salads, entrees and desserts. A steak dinner is billed as the specialty of the house. $$ p APPLEBEE’S (9 locations) This cheery national chain features an eclectic assortment of salads, steaks, ribs, poultry and pasta as well as full bar service. It’s as consistent as a cookie cutter, but competent execution makes it a good bargain for those whose tastes run to mainstream American cuisine. $$ p AROMA CAFÉ Caesars Indiana Casino, 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. $ BEEF O’BRADY’S 239 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 2542322, 5628 Bardstown Rd., 239-2226, 106 Sears Ave., 897-3725, 10000 Brownsboro Rd., 327-8881.

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 that will suit Mom and Pop and the kids too. $ BENTLEY’S 120 W. Broadway (Holiday Inn), 5822241. Enjoy a Kentucky hot brown or the all-youcan-eat prime rib buffet on Saturday nights. Each day features a pasta dish, a hearty soup and salad bar, as well as favorites from the cutting board and grill. $$ p e BIG HOPP’S 800 W. Market St., 589-6600. A wide variety of family-style fare, from fettuccine alfredo to fried chicken, is dished up with friendly, welcoming service at this popular local spot, now in modern quarters in the busy Glassworks district. $pf 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

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chains.” A Roman-ruin setting houses abundant Italian-American style fare. We particularly enjoyed appetizers and first-rate grilled meats. $$ p f BUCKHEAD MOUNTAIN GRILL 3008 Bardstown Rd., 456-6680, 4112 Outer Loop, 966-5555, 10430 Shelbyville Rd., 245-6680, 707 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville IN, 284-2919. Despite a mountain lodge theme that might make you think of the Colorado Rockies, this growing chain is based in Louisville. Upscale bar food and a sizable bar to match make these popular destinations. $$ p f BULL FROG GARDEN 5440 Del Maria Way 4990393. Another of Louisville’s hidden secrets, this family eatery in the Fern Creek area is popular with its neighbors and is earning a broader reputation for pub grub at reasonable prices, prepared with care and served in a friendly setting. $$ p e

SANDWICHES HOMEMADE DESSER TS STEAKS FRESH SEAFOOD PASTAS SALADS 12 BEERS ON TAP DAILY SPECIALS

Deke says, “Join us downtown for great food and libations!”

Celebrating 55 years as Louisville’s hometown favorite for top quality seafood and much, much more.

THE CAFÉ AT THE LOUISVILLE ANTIQUE MALL 900 Goss Ave., 637-6869. One of the city’s most attractive spots for antique and junque-shopping, this cavernous old factory building on Goss Avenue offers a similarly attractive place to catch lunch while you shop, offering a selection of luncheon fare competently made with fresh ingredients. $ 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 bistrostyle fare that won’t disappoint. Summer or winter, it’s a delightful place to dine. $$ p f e CARDINAL HALL OF FAME CAFÉ 2745 Crittenden Dr., 635-8686. This oversize eatery at Gate 4 of the Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center celebrates U of L sports with a “walk of fame” loaded with awards, photos, game balls and lots more Cardinal memorabilia. What? You want food too? Sure!

Casual American dining features everything from a “Cardinal Burger” to steaks and prime rib. $$ p

Free Lunch Delivery Downtown Call for Delivery Area

FOUR CONVENIENT LOCATIONS: On the River: 3021 Upper River Road ■ 895-0544 (Just east of Zorn Ave @ I-71) Corner of Third & Market 301 West Market Street • 584-8337

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

Around Town:

Dine In, Carry Out or Delivery - Outdoor Dining

3401 Bardstown Road ■ 459-1432

11AM - 10PM Monday thru Thursday 11AM - 11PM Friday and Saturday

1610 Kentucky Mills Dr. ■ 240-0700

Happy Hour 4PM - 7PM Monday thru Friday

(Blankenbaker @ 1-64)

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. $$ p e CHICK INN 6325 Upper River Rd., 228-3646. Now in completely new quarters rebuilt after a fire gutted the old building in December 2002, Louisville's familiar Chick Inn is back, and we're delighted to report that the new place feels much like the old.

Best of all, the excellent fried chicken is still among the bset in town. $$ p f CHICKEN KING 639 E. Broadway, 589-5464.

Formerly a Bojangles, Chicken King has changed little but the sign since it came under independent management a while back. Spicy, crunchy and sizzling hot fried chicken remains the primary draw on a short, affordable menu. $ CHILI’S 421 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 425-6800. More than just a place to chow down on baby back ribs, this national chain has a wide selection including fajitas, burgers, sandwiches and veggies. $ p CRIBSTONE PUB 1202 Bardstown Rd., 459-3339. This tiny Bardstown Road eatery turns a neighborhood bar into a lobster and steak house, where fine seafood and beef is served without pomp or circumstance in a setting so casual that you can wear your shorts and T-shirt to dine. $$$ p CUNNINGHAM’S 630 S. Fourth St., 587-0526. The historic brick building at Fifth and Breckenridge Streets that housed the original Cunninghams for 131 years was destroyed by fire in 2001. But its new downtown home captures much of the nostalgia of the old, and standing-room-only crowds are just as pleased with its fish sandwiches and pub grub. $ f CUTTING BOARD CAFÉ 2905 Goose Creek Rd., 4239950. There’s a lot of potential in this East End

Voted #1 Steak House* Family owned and operated since 1958.

Specializing in steaks, chops, chicken, and seafood.

The perfect atmosphere for rehearsal dinners, small receptions, birthdays, anniversary parties, and business meetings.

Three private rooms and Irish pub located upstairs for private parties.

Outside Garden Bar Open Friday & Saturday Nights 2437 Brownsboro Road

893-2062

Come Visit Our Historic Louisville Irish Landmark

*Pat’s Steak House wants to thank their loyal customers for voting them #1 Steak House in Louisville Magazine, LEO, Kentucky Monthly, and CitySearch.com.

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storefront. Management’s interest in food extends to having the cable FoodTV channel on the tube in its simple, spartan dining room. The bill of fare is mostly sandwiches, panini and wraps, but they’re creative and generally well-made. $ DEKE’S MARKETPLACE GRILL 301 W. Market St., 584-8337. It starts as a downtown bar, a favorite hangout for lawyers and the Courthouse crowd, but Deke’s goes beyond the obvious to offer steaks, burgers, pasta dishes and more. The decoera architecture adds to the soul of each appetizer and entrée. $$$ p f DITTO’S GRILL 1114 Bardstown Rd., 581-9129. The bill of fare offers a large and eclectic selection that ranges from bar-food munchies to an appetizing mix of exotic items and down-home dishes like Mom used to make. $$ p FOUR KINGS CAFÉ 4642 Jennings Ln., 968-2930.

Steam-table service featuring spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna and chicken attract a hungry lunch crowd at this casual spot, and brunch specialties are just as popular. $ p GARRETT’S HICKORY GRILLE 9601 Shelbyville Rd., 327-8143. Whether your pleasure is a steak or a slab of juicy ribs or something healthy like a plate of pasta, you’ll find it easy to satisfy at this familystyle restaurant located in a historic coach house. $$ p f GOLDEN CORRAL 4032 Taylorsville Rd., 485-0004, 8013 Preston Hwy., 966-4970, 1402 Cedar St., 258-2540. Buffet style family dining—one price, all you can eat. Steaks are served beginning at 4 pm. $ HARD ROCK CAFÉ Fourth Street Live, 568-2202.

Louisville’s Fourth Street Live opened with a bang amid hammering guitars and happy throngs as the city gained its first branch of this popular shrine to rock with its giant neon guitar to show you the way.

The music scene is the draw, but you’ll have no complaints about Hard Rock’s standard American cuisine. $$ p f e HARPER’S RESTAURANT 871 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 425-2900. Harper’s draws a happy crowd of regulars with a large bar and big menu that offers a wide range of American-style fare, with management that takes quality seriously. Gourmet pizzas and fine libations are a specialty, and the prices are right. $$ p f HEATHER’S ON THE RIVER 1900 Victory Ln., 2284359. The banks of the Ohio in Oldham County make a pretty setting for this barge-based eatery that's been through several theme changes. Once The Famous Dog, it later became a private club where suburbanites could enjoy a drink in otherwise "dry" surroundings. It's now open to the public as a fine-dining, American-style restaurant ... and tiki bar. $$ p HOOTERS 4120 Dutchmans Ln., 895-7100; 4948 Dixie Hwy., 449-4194; 7701 Preston Hwy., 9681606; 700 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville, IN, 2189485; 941 East Hwy. 131, 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 more. Extra points for the company’s regular involvement in community causes. $ p f e HUTTSTER’S BURGER 2900 Brownsboro Ln., 8991964. Just about as basic as an eatery gets, this little white house in Crescent Hill (originally a Heitzman's Bakery and later the home of Melillo's) now houses Huttster's, a jockey-themed hamburger shop that's reminiscent of the 1950s in its style and, best of all, the kind of oversize, old-fashioned juicy burgers and crispy fries that you'll rarely see anymore. $ f INDI’S RESTAURANT 1033 W. Broadway, 589-7985, 3820 W. Market St., 778-5154, 4901 Poplar Level Rd., 964-5749, 3353 Fern Valley Rd., 969-7993, 5009 S. Third St., 363-2535. Grown from a tiny 68 Winter 2005 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

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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. $

MAIN MENU 3306 Plaza Dr., New Albany, IN., 9486501. $$ MANHATTAN GRILL 200 S. 7th St., 561-0024. $

JILLIAN’S 630 Barret Ave., 589-9090. Louisville’s outpost of the Boston-based billiard-themed restaurant concept, this big and noisy bar, food and billiards scene is housed under the towering concrete columns of a former grain elevator just east of downtown. Always filled with a happy crowd, it’s the place to go for casual food and fun. $ p f e

MASTERSON’S 1830 S. Third St., 636-2511. A fine, family Louisville tradition, this familiar Tudor structure near the U of L campus is the state’s largest full-service restaurant and the city’s largest caterer. Serving lunch buffet Mon.-Fri., 10am-2pm only. Sunday Jazz Brunch. $ e

JIMMY’S ON THE RIVER 100 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville IN, 282-2500. The menu at this friendly bar and eatery features affordable bar food and munchies, but the fastidious may choose from the menu’s “Lighter Side.” Hearty meals at budget prices and a striking riverside view from two great decks makes for the quintessential moonlit night on the Ohio. $ p f e

MAX & ERMA’S 6051 Timberbridge Dr., 292-2779, 2901 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 493-9662, 3921 Summit Plaza Dr., 412-5229. Max & Erma’s, a national chain that started in Columbus, Ohio’s German Village in 1972, has grown to nearly 100 properties with a steady formula of friendly service and casual-dining fare that ranges from specialty burgers, soups and salads to more weighty entrees. $$ p f

JOE’S OLDER THAN DIRT 8131 New Lagrange Rd., 426-2074. Going strong after many years in this Lyndon location, Joe’s has gradually grown from a little house to a sprawling complex of indoor and outdoor tables with live music many evenings. Excellent barbecue is a specialty, and so is ice-cold beer. $ p e KAELIN’S RESTAURANT 1801 Newburg Rd., 4511801. This Highlands tradition has been around for almost 70 years, and their cheeky claim to have invented the cheeseburger actually seems to have some basis in fact. It’s faring well with no real changes under new ownership. $ KERN’S KORNER 2600 Bardstown Rd., 456-9726.

This family-owned tavern has been a popular neighborhood pit stop since 1978. Kern’s offers freshly made ham, chicken salad sandwiches and burgers, as well as a menu of soups, chilis and appetizers. $ p LA PECHE II Holiday Manor Shopping Center, 3397593. If you want to enjoy much-honored Chef Kathy Cary’s imaginative cooking without paying the prices at Lilly’s, this sibling spot is the place to go. Take-out or eat-in, offering a good variety of creative salads, sandwiches and cold pasta dishes. $$ f LEANDER'S ON OAK 1160 S. First St., 569-6981.

Opened in December in the nicely renovated storefront that briefly housed Chef's Table, Leander's is operated by restaurateurs Nick Layman and Amy Tuinstra, who bring experience in Chicago and Texas to bear in Old Louisville. The eatery offers an eclectic American casual bill of fare with international accents. $$ p LEGENDS AT CAESARS Caesars Indiana Casino, Elizabeth, IN, 888-766-2648. The hot and cold short orders are served up with riverboat hospitality, but in a Las Vegas atmosphere. A well stocked bar and a live stage welcome the best of regional and visiting national acts from Wednesday through Saturday nights. $$ p e 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.

A full bar in back and dining area in front serviced by a friendly staff invites regular return trips. $ LONGINO’S GRILL 4041 Preston Hwy., 363-2266.

Home-style cooking at this popular South End family restaurant runs the gamut from grilled steaks and chops to chicken with buttery mashed potatoes and hot vegetables. $ p LYNN’S PARADISE CAFÉ 984 Barrett Ave., 583-3447.

One of the most popular places in town for brunch (and dinner too), Lynn’s Paradise Café lures happy, hungry crowds with its hearty fare and funky decor.

Lynn’s sponsors the State Fair’s tongue-in-cheek Ugliest Lamp Contest, but there’s nothing ugly about the delicious and filling food. $$ p

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, from cheese fondue to beef fondue to its spectacular trademark chocolate fondue, served in a classy, upscale environment at white-tablecloth prices. $$$ p O’CHARLEY’S (6 locations) O’Charley’s, Inc. could serve well as the picture in the dictionary next to “American casual dining.” The Nashville-based chain operates 206 properties in 16 states in the Southeast and Midwest, serving a straightforward steak-and-seafood menu with the motto “Mainstream with an attitude.” $$ p 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 (with Bourbon-bread French toast) and the Executive Express Lunch Buffet. $ PALERMO VIEJO 1359 Bardstown Rd., 456-6461.

This eatery’s name may sound Italian, but is, in fact, Louisville’s only source of Argentinian cuisine. Steaks seared on authentic parrillada charcoal grills are a primary draw, but there’s excellent chicken, seafood and much more—plus an affordable selection of intriguing Argentinian wines. $$ p f PETRUS 116 E. Main St., 583-3772. “Petrus” is also the name of one of the most expensive wines in the world, but this inviting “American casual” restaurant offers sandwiches, salads and soups with lunch for less than Chateau Petrus prices. $$ p RAFFERTY’S OF LOUISVILLE 988 Breckenridge Ln., 897-3900. 3601 Springhurst Blvd., 412-9000.

This full-service, casual dining establishment has a hearty menu. Specialties like Red Alfredo Pasta showcase the gourmet offerings along with some of the largest and most creative salad combinations in town. $$ p RAMSI’S CAFÉ ON THE WORLD 1293 Bardstown Rd., 451-0700. Small, funky and fun, this favorite spot of the Highlands’ Generation X crowd attracts foodies of all ages with its friendly setting, reasonable prices and well-prepared international cuisine. The downtown branch is similar. $$ RANCH HOUSE Highlander Point Shopping Center, Floyds Knobs, IN, 923-1435, 2611 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 944-9199. The menu and the retro 1950s decor hark back to the original Bob Colgazier’s restaurants that Baby Boomers remember fondly from days gone by. $ e RED HORSE GRILLE & BAR 4004 Gardiner Pt., (Holiday Inn) 753-4413. Not your ordinary hotel restaurant. Specializing in Black Angus steak dishes but a varied, well thought out menu has

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enough variety to suit most any party. At lunch their signature burgers feature specials such as the Wild Western, Buffalo Bonanza and the spicy Backdraft. $$ p f e RIVER GRILLE 140 N. Fourth St., (Galt House) 5895200. Gaze upon the lazy Ohio while enjoying an early bacon and eggs or enjoy a late night burger and fries. Casual and accommodating for guests on the go, the fast and friendly service awaits you on the second floor. $$$ p RUBY TUESDAY 5001 Shelbyville Rd., 897-0200, 11701 Bluegrass Pkwy., 267-7100. If success demonstrates quality, then Ruby Tuesday’s 600 international properties and 30,000 employees can stand up with pride. They’ve been upholding the slogan “Awesome Food. Serious Salad Bar” in Louisville for a generation. $$ p

GREAT VIEW OF THE OHIO RIVER (Located six blocks from the Kennedy Bridge)

Casual Dining at its Best Daily Lunch, Dinner and Drink Specials

THE RUDYARD KIPLING 422 W. Oak St., 636-1311.

The word “eclectic” fits this Old Louisville eatery in just about every dimension, from its funky decor to its diverse bill of fare, not to mention an array of entertainment that bridges the generations from Generation X’ers to aging hippies. $ p f e

1 Domestic Longnecks

$

SAM’S FOOD & SPIRITS 3800 Payne Kohler Rd., Clarksville, IN, 945-9757, 724 Highlander Point Dr., Floyds Knobs, IN, 923-7979. Opened by a man named Sam some 16 years ago, the two locations feed an army of happy diners. You’ll find seafood, steaks, pastas, salads, appetizers and desserts.

The menu is extensive and child friendly. $$ p

Sunday, Monday & Thursday

Karaoke with R/T Express

SHANE'S 1004 10th St., Jeffersonville, IN, 218-9769. $ SHONEY’S 1890 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-6870, 811 Eastern Pkwy., 636-1043, 6511 Signature Dr., 9698904. 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. $

Tuesday, Friday & Saturday 100 W. Riverside Drive • Jeffersonville, IN • 282-2500

SKYLINE CHILI 1266 Bardstown Rd., 473-1234, Plainview Village Center, 429-5773, 392 Dutchman’s Ln., 895-7578, 6801 Dixie Hwy., 9374020, 426 W. Market St., 561-9999. 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. $ STEAK N SHAKE 3232 Bardstown Rd., 456-2670, 4913 Dixie Hwy., 448-4400, 4545 Outer Loop, 9663109, 2717 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-3397, 10721 Fischer Park Dr., 326-3625, 980 E. Hwy. 131, Clarksville, IN., 285-1154. One of the oldest fastfood 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. $ STUMLER RESTAURANT & ORCHARD 10924 St. John’s Rd., Starlight, IN, 923-3832. Fresh produce is available in the big shed a few steps away, and that fresh produce shows up on the tables here in mammoth portions. Combine that with honest fried chicken, big ham steaks, roast beef, and sandwiches, and you can’t go wrong. $$ f TGI FRIDAY’S 9990 Linn Station Rd., 425-8185, 2311 Lime Kiln Ln., 327-8443, Fourth Street Live, 5853577. The original place to loosen the tie and congregate after the whistle blows. TGIF carries on its party atmosphere tradition with American bistro dining and libations. The bill of fare ranges from baskets of appetizers on up to contemporary entrees. $$ p f

Hurstbourne 2901 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy

Prospect 6051 Timber Ridge Drive

THE OTHER PLACE 1600 Bardstown Rd., 458-2888. $fe THE PUB LOUISVILLE Fourth Street Live 569-7782.

Owned by Cincinnati's The Tavern Restaurant Group, The Pub features "nouveau pub cuisine"

The Summit THE HOMETOWN FAVORITE®

Brownsboro Road at Gene Snyder

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ranging from shepherd's pie and fish and chips to more Continental dishes like fried calamari and a seared ahi tuna entrée. $$ p f TOMMY LANCASTER RESTAURANT 1629 E. Market St., New Albany, IN, 945-2389. Value and variety are the strong points of this community tradition and the fare goes from burgers to lobster tails.

Friday or Saturday evenings feature a buffet. $ p TRELLIS RESTAURANT 320 W. Jefferson St., (Hyatt Regency), 587-3434. Dine on café fare in the Hyatt’s lofty atrium lobby while you take advantage of an environment made for people-watching. The extensive menu ranges from drinks to desserts, a club sandwich to a filet mignon. The Trellis also offers a popular and expansive Sunday brunch. $$ p TUCKER’S 2441 State St., New Albany, IN, 9449999. Tucker’s gives you a little bit of everything with a down-to-earth flair, offering burgers, ribs, steaks, a variety of appetizers, pastas and Mexican fare. $ p TWIAMS CHICKEN & WAFFLES 2517 Dixie Hwy., 775-0216. Former U of L basketball star Tony Williams now presides over Twiams, an attractive West End eatery that impresses the visitor with cordial service and quality fare. The name of the place pretty much describes the menu, which also features other soul-food favorites. $ 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. $

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of American comfort food, including green beans, dumplings, and mashed potatoes. $$ 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 Louisville Hot Brown. $ COTTAGE INN 570 Eastern Pkwy., 637-4325. Now, this is down-home dining. Tucked away under big shade trees on Eastern Parkway not far from the University of Louisville’s Belknap Campus, Cottage Inn has been happily doling out excellent food for more than 70 years. $ COUNTRY KITCHEN 1506 Berry Blvd., 367-5995.

Cafeteria style or dining room menu service: it’s up to you. This south end establishment serves up a variety of home-style food from sweet iced tea and biscuits to the country-fried steak and a fluffy mountain of real mashed potatoes and gravy. $ p f DE-VILLE’S 4900 Poplar Level Rd., 961-9102. De-Ville’s has made a science out of soul food, with collard greens, buttermilk cornbread, pork chop sandwiches and fried ribs. $ f D’NALLEY’S 970 S. Third St., 583-8015. Dirt-cheap blue-plate specials and hearty breakfasts bring droves to the counters and booths of this classic greasy spoon. Saturday morning hours are sporadic, but for a quick plate of meat loaf, green beans, and mashed potatoes, D’Nalley’s is a hard place to beat. $ FORK IN THE ROAD RESTAURANT 4951 Cane Run Rd., 448-3903. $

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. $$ MR. LOU’S COUNTRY COTTAGE RESTAURANT 5408 Valley Station Rd., 933-0806. Biscuits and red-eye gravy, country ham and grits show off Mr. Lou’s country cooking style. Roast chicken is a dinner favorite, and so are homemade pies. $ NEIL’S PLACE 7611 IN 311, Sellersburg, IN, 246-5456.

Best known for the specially seasoned fried chicken.

Neil’s also makes excellent pastas, steaks, seafood, and salads. Homemade soups are created daily and coffee and desserts are always fresh. $$ p O’DOLLYS 7800 Third St. Rd., 375-1690. Homestyle steam-table favorites are available from breakfast through dinner, not to mention full bar service that makes O’Dollys a Southwest Louisville destination. $ p f OLIVE’S ON FOURTH 570 S. Fourth St., 588-9003.

No matter what you’re hungry for, chances are Olive’s has it—from steam-table fare to pizza and calzones. Linda Zeisloft, longtime manager of The Bakery at Sullivan University, is owner and chef. $ f ROADWAY WINGS 708 Cecil Ave., 774-5543. $ f TOLL BRIDGE INN 3300 Northwestern Pkwy,, 7765505. A rich and colorful history surrounds the century-old frame building in Portland that now houses the Toll Bridge Inn, a neighborhood favorite for simple, filling down-home fare. $ f

THE VILLA BUFFET Caesars Indiana Casino, Elizabeth, IN, 888-766-2648. The Villa Buffet offers an impressive choice of international dishes, with some 150 selections. A seafood buffet is featured on Fridays. $$

GENNY’S DINER 2223 Frankfort Ave., 893-0923.

What’s the difference between Genny’s Diner and a saloon? You can take the kids to Genny’s. Better still, you can get a darn good meal at Genny’s, provided that you set your expectations for hearty, filling and well-prepared diner food. $ p e

WAGNER’S PHARMACY 3133 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.” $

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. $

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. $

WEBB’S MARKET 944 E. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 5830318. Webb’s is deli sandwich market style dining.

Country ham sandwiches and the half-pound cheeseburger are a specialty. $

HOME STYLE COOKING ANCHOR INN 1500 Evergreen Rd., 245-7121.

Enjoying new life under the same management, the former Abruzzi has switched from ItalianAmerican fare to American home-style cuisine.

But the best part—its upscale casual style in the park-like setting of suburban Anchorage—is just as good as ever. $$ p f 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. $ CAROLYN’S 3822 Cane Run Rd., 776-9519. The steam table classic, the “meat ‘n’ two” gives you the roast chicken, green beans and mashed potatoes. Or pork chops, applesauce and limas. $ CHECK’S CAFÉ 1101 E. Burnett Ave., 637-9515. You can scent a whiff of Louisville history coming off the old walls of this quintessential Germantown saloon, along with years of frying grease. The bar food here is about as good as bar food gets, and that’s not bad. The chili and the bean soup are particularly recommended. $ p f e 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 70 Winter 2005 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

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. $ HOLLY’S LEGAL STREET CAFETERIA 715 W. Jefferson St., 584-4080 A longtime favorite of the Courthouse crowd, Holly’s steam table and grill consistently please, as does its full bar. $ p HOMETOWN BUFFET 1700 Alliant Ave., 267-7044, 3710 Chamberlain Ln., 326-9777, 6641 Dixie Hwy., 995-3320, 757 Hwy. 131, Clarksville, IN., 285-1893.

This national chain serves up nostalgic dishes, casseroles, meats and desserts that allow you to set an all-American supper table with the all-youcan eat price tag. $

CAFETERIAS 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. $ COLONNADE CAFETERIA 455 S. Fifth St., 5846846. Sometimes cafeteria fare hits the spot, and this much-loved local landmark in the basement of the Starks Building has won a multigenerational crowd of loyal fans. $

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

CRAVINGS A LA CARTE 101 S. Fifth St., (National City Tower), 589-4230. Sequestered beneath the National City Tower, this thrifty deli offers a variety of build-your-own sandwiches, a soupand-salad bar, and specialty bars featuring baked potatoes, Mexican pizzas, and a monthly ethnic creation. $

KINGS FAST FOOD 2101 W. Broadway, 772-7138.

This tiny, colorful West End eatery, open for takeout only, offers a vast selection of filling, affordable urban fare that ranges from hot-andspicy chicken wings to rib tips and more. $

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. $

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

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. $

LINDY’S 5110 Preston Hwy., 964-6428. Open 7 days a week, this establishment is a local favorite for family dining. Variety is the key to Lindy’s reputation with buffet or full service menus available. Enjoy daily specials and down home selections from franks and kraut to steak dinners. $

JAY’S CAFETERIA 1812 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 583-2534. Jay’s big, well-scrubbed new building

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wouldn’t be out of place on Hurstbourne Lane.

Cafeteria fare is consistently fine, and hungry diners from all over town find a warm welcome at this popular West End location. $

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. $

PICCADILLY CAFETERIA 2131 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 493-9900, 133 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 423-1733. 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. $

BEARNO’S PIZZA 131 W. Main St., 584-7720, 2900 Taylorsville Rd., 458-8605, 6101 Bardstown Rd., 231-2222, 135-F Marketplace Dr., 957-5100, 10117 Taylorsville Rd., 267-2549, 1318 Bardstown Rd., 456-4556, 8019 Preston Hwy., 968-6060, 4105 Dixie Hwy., 449-4141, 9222 Westport Rd.,423-1224, 7895 Dixie Hwy., 937-1234, 1923 S. Fourth St., 6345155, 3002 Charlestown Crossing, 949-7914.

Bearno’s is known for its Italian entrees, generous salads, and Chicago-style pizza. If you prefer something more substantial, Bearno’s also offers spaghetti, marinara and meatballs. $ p

SOUTH SIDE INN CAFETERIA 114 E. Main St., New Albany, IN., 945-9645. This venerable familyowned cafeteria is the very essence of cafeteria dining. Roast beef, fried Alaskan whitefish, spaghetti and meat sauce, pies chock full of fruit and old-fashioned vegetables come in huge portions for low prices. You’ll be hard pressed to spend five bucks here, and you’ll get a lunch or dinner that will leave you napping. $

ENTERTAINMENT DINING BUFFALO CROSSING 1140 Bagdad Rd., Shelbyville, KY, (502) 647-0377. If you’d like to combine a day trip with a culinary adventure, consider a drive to Buffalo Crossing in Shelby County. This agricultural amusement park features a 500-head buffalo herd and an oversize dining room where you can give this healthy red meat a try. The food here is country-style and so are the friendly servers. $$ f DERBY DINNER PLAYHOUSE 525 Marriott Dr., Clarksville, IN, 288-8281. The play’s the thing at Derby Dinner Playhouse, Louisville’s long-running entry in the dinner-theater sweepstakes ... but the expansive buffet dinner adds value to the mix. $$$$ e HOWL AT THE MOON Fourth Street Live, 562-9400.

What'll they think of next? How about a nightclub that features a "dueling" piano bar with two pianos and a sing-along concept? You'll find it at Fourth Street Live, where this 4,000-square-foot club is now open on the ground level. $ p e JOE HUBER FAMILY FARM & RESTAURANT 2421 Scottsville Rd., Starlight IN, 923-5255. A pleasant 20-minute drive from downtown Louisville, Huber’s has built a solid reputation for simple farm fare that’s well-made, fresh and good. Some of the produce is grown on the premises in season. $$ p f e MY OLD KENTUCKY DINNER TRAIN 602 N. Third St., Bardstown, KY, (502) 348-7300. Talk about a nostalgia trip: My Old Kentucky Dinner Train offers a four-course meal during a two-hour voyage along scenic Kentucky railroad tracks near Bardstown in vintage 1940s-era dining cars.

Reservations are strongly recommended. All aboard! $$$$ p STAR OF LOUISVILLE 151 W. Riverside Rd., Jeffersonville, IN, 589-7827. The Ohio River cruise is the best thing about this Love Boat-style yacht that makes nightly all-you-can-eat cruises up the river. $$$$ p f e

PIZZA ANGILO’S PIZZA 1725 Berry Blvd., 368-1032. The local favorite is the steak hoagie, dripping with pizza sauce, pickles and onions. Angilo’s also offers a wide selection of hot pizza pies and cold beer. $ ANGIO’S RESTAURANT 3731 Old Bardstown Rd., 451-5454. This small Buechel eatery attracts a friendly neighborhood crowd with hefty subs and quality pizzas, along with cold beer. $ ANNIE’S PIZZA 2520 Portland Ave., 776-6400, 4007 Cane Run Rd., 449-4444. Annie’s has made-toorder pizza and a variety of stacked sandwiches such as the Big Daddy Strom with beef, Italian sausage, onions and banana peppers. $

CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN 7900 Shelbyville Rd., (Oxmoor Center), 425-5125. California pizza became a trend when famous chefs gave this simple Italian fare a multi-ethnic spin with nontraditional Pacific Rim toppings. CPK successfully translates this trend for the mass market. $$ p f CICI’S PIZZA 470 New Albany Plaza, New Albany, IN., 944-4942. Serious bargain-hunters will find Cici’s culinary offer hard to beat. This Dallasbased chain’s New Albany pizzeria, the first of 10 planned metro locations, serves up all the pizza you can eat for only $3.99. $ CLIFTON’S PIZZA 2230 Frankfort Ave., 893-3730.

Clifton’s pizza appeals to me with its adult style, full of the bold flavors of herbs and spices and available with grown-up toppings like anchovies and artichoke hearts. All this and funky, fun decor makes it one of my favorite local pizzerias. $ f e DOMINO’S PIZZA (20 locations) $$ FAST BREAK PIZZA 6825 Central Ave., 243-1101. $ FAT JIMMY’S 9901C LaGrange Rd., 339-8111, 2712 Frankfort Ave., 891-4555; 2208 Bardstown Rd., 479-1040. 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; the Crescent Hill eatery reflects its urban setting. $ FIGARO’S PIZZERIA 16201 Eastwood Cut-Off Rd., 254-7220. So far out in the East End that it’s almost at the county line, this quaint little country storefront houses something just a bit more urban: an excellent pizzeria featuring both thincrust and delicious thick Chicago-style pies. $ FRATELLO'S PIZZA 735 Ewing Ln., Jeffersonville, IN, 284-1234. Family owned and operated, Fratello's offers fresh, homemade pies. Tangy, spicy sauce and a chewy crust with a distinctly garlicky flavor define Fratello's pizza; add points for warm and friendly hospitality $ 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-caneat pizza-and-salad lunch special. $$ f HIGHLANDS TAPROOM 1279 Bardstown Rd., 4592337. This cozy nook for Bardstown Road music and microbrew fans features tavern fare and munchies, a full bar and thirteen beers on tap.

Eclectic rock, folk and blues round out a popular and late night live music scene. $ p f e HOMETOWN PIZZA 11804 Shelbyville Rd., 245-4555, 8442 Dixie Hwy., 935-3555, La Grange Square Shopping Center, 222-4444. Pasta dishes, hoagies, stromboli and cold beer are available, and so is the one-of-a-kind Bacon Cheeseburger pizza. $$ IROQUOIS PIZZA 6614 Manslick Rd., 363-3211. $$ LITTLE CAESAR’S PIZZA 816 Kenwood Dr., 3665599, 9017 Galene Dr., 267-8600, 5622 Preston Hwy. 966-5800, 6714 Outer Loop, 966-3111. This Detroit-based pizzeria chain lost market share in www.foodanddiningmagazine.com Winter 2005 71

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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. $$ LOUISVILLE PIZZA CO. 3910 Ruckriegel Pkwy., 2671188. Also known as Chubby Ray’s, this local pizzeria makes good, fresh pizzas and ItalianAmerican sandwiches. $ p f MA ZERELLAS 949 S. Indiana Ave., Sellersburg, IN, 246-9517. A pleasant family-run-for-family-fun establishment. Pizza, pasta, salads and subs served for lunch and dinner seven days a week. $ MANCINO’S PIZZA & GRINDERS 12488 Lagrange Rd., 241-9902. Oven-baked and stuffed with all your favorites, a “grinder” is a one-step hungerslaying sandwich.

The local favorite is the Mancino’s Pride, which is topped with every veggie in the kitchen plus ham, pepperoni and sausage. $ MR. GATTI’S 5600 S. Third St., 363-2211, 8594 Dixie Hwy., 935-0100, 3319 Bardstown Rd., 451-0540, 9010 Taylorsville Rd., 499-9804, 1108 Lyndon Ln., 339-8338, 2247 S. Preston St., 635 –6708, 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, thincrust pizzas a popular draw for nearly 30 years. $$ PA PA MURPHY’S PIZZA 291 N. Hubbards Ln., 8956363, 5016 Mud Ln., 962-7272, 9501 Taylorsville Rd., 266-7000. $$ 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. $$ PIE IN THE SKY 10301 Taylorsville Rd., 240-9988.

This pizzeria offers up pies with fresh ingredients and hand-tossed dough. The selection of beer is wide and so is the TV screen for those weekend gatherings. Pasta, salads and sandwiches— including the popular Hot Sicilian—round out the casual dining menu. $$ PIZZA BOX 4111 Murphy Ln., 423-0530. Workers at the nearby Ford Kentucky Truck Plant make this bar and pizzeria a popular gathering place, but it’s more than just a blue-collar pub: the pizzas here are excellent, and an extensive brew list makes it a destination for serious beer lovers from all over. $ PIZZA BY THE GUY 8109 Lagrange Rd., 426-4044.

This locally owned franchise is famous for its extra spicy, hand-tossed dough. Come and get it, literally, because there’s only a cozy table for three at the store and most folks pick up their pie or have it delivered. $ PIZZA HUT (15 locations) $$ PIZZA KING 3825 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 945-4405, 1066 Kehoe Ln., Jeffersonville, IN., 2828286. The pizza at Pizza King is baked in a sturdy, clay stone oven and hand-tossed with thinner crust where the ingredients go all the way to the edge. $$ PIZZA MAGIA (13 Locations) This newcomer Louisville-based chain is making waves in the lowcost/high quality pizza biz. In addition to a variety of pizzas, it offers Stromboli, Sweetie Pie (an Italian dessert pastry crisscrossed with icing) wings and both cheese and traditional breadsticks. $$ PIZZA PLACE 2931 Richland Ave., 458-9700. $ QUEENIE’S PIZZA & SUCH 2622 S. Fourth St., 6363708. Queenie’s stuffed Chicago-style and crispy thin-crust pizzas offer whichever option a pizza lover desires. An active participant in its

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neighborhood, Queenie’s often donates a percentage of its proceeds to church and civic programs. $ SPINELLI’S PIZZERIA 614 Baxter Ave., 568-5665.

This tiny storefront in the city's nightclub zone offers a tasty option for the wide-eyed-late-atnight crowd seeking good cheap eats; it's open until 5 a.m nightly from Wednesdays through Saturdays. Better yet, it gives Louisville an authentic taste of Philadelphia specialties: Phillystyle pizza and real Philly cheese steaks. $ f

BINKY’S CHICAGO STYLE DELI 528 S. Fifth St., 568-2606. If you’re in the mood for a real Chicago-style hot dog or a delicious brothdripping Italian beef sandwich in the traditional style of the Windy City, you’ll find Binky’s a great place to grab a good, cheap lunch. $ f BLIMPIE’S SUBS & SALADS 1971 Hurstbourne Pkwy., 495-6565, 2020 Brownsboro Rd., 899-7960, 3360 Hikes Ln., 451-5480. Sublime subs—fast and fresh.

Blimpie’s is all that … and a bag of chips. $ C.A.P.P.P.’S DELI 4010 Dupont Cir., 895-7064. $

SPORTSTIME PIZZA 3312 Plaza Dr., New Albany, IN, 944-2577. Touting “the best pizza in southern Indiana” is quite a boast, but when the pizza biz is part of the New Albanian Brewing Company, the boast carries weight. The N.A.B.C. is the newest offshoot of Rich O’s, nationally noted for its huge selection of microbrews and hard-to-find imports.

Try the “Herbavore” with spinach, sliced tomatoes and roasted garlic for a sizzling start. $

¯ BA HUT 947 Baxter Ave., 454-5507. Spawned CHE by a small but growing sub sandwich chain based in the Phoenix area, Ch¯ eba Hut's slogan observes that "the only thing fried is an occasional customer." The marijuana theme is so pervasive that it's safe to assume this is the least likely place in town for actually scoring weed. $ f

TONY BOOMBOZZ 3334 Frankfort Ave., 896-9090, 1448 Bardstown Rd., 458-8889. 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. $$

DANISH EXPRESS PASTRIES 3713 Lexington Rd., 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. $

TONY IMPELLIZZERI’S PIZZA 2306 Bardstown Rd., 451-7177. The pizza at Impellizzeri’s is something like a special effect from a Hollywood f/x lab: massive disks, broad and thick, almost unrealistically oversized. They’re good, too. $$$

DINO’S DOWN TO LUNCH CAFÉ 239 S Fifth St. (Kentucky Home Life Building) 585-2874. $

UNO CHICAGO BAR & GRILL 6501 Bardstown Rd., 239-0079. This successful franchise serves up Chicago style pizza—deep dish with more toppings than crust. Steaks, pastas, sandwiches and burgers complement the full service menu. $$ p VITO’S PIZZERIA 3213 Preston Hwy., 634-5400.

Reasonable people can differ on the subject, but Vito’s fans say the sizzling, oven-charred pies at this downscale little place on Preston are among the best pizzas in town. $$ WICKS PIZZA PARLOR 975 Baxter Ave., 458-1828, 2927 Goose Creek Rd., 327-9425, 12717 Shelbyville Rd., 213-9425, 10966 Dixie Hwy., 995-4333. Wick's wins popularity with a welcoming mix of good pizza, a quality beer list and a friendly neighborhood feel at all three of its eateries. The pies are straightforward, made with ample toppings. "The Big Wick" is a favorite. $ p

SANDWICH/DELI AMAZING GRACE WHOLE FOODS DELI 1133 Bardstown Rd., 485-1122. If you think “vegan” means only raw carrots, bean sprouts, seeds and roots, think again. No animals were harmed in the making of the tasty alternative sandwiches and other dishes at this neat little deli attached to a spiffy local organic-foods grocery. $ ANOTHER PLACE SANDWICH SHOP 119 S. Seventh St., 589-4115. If you want to buy a car, go to a car dealer. To buy a carpet, patronize a carpet shop.

And if you’ve got a sandwich on your to-do list, it makes sense to go to a sandwich shop. Another Place, now in this west-downtown location, has been making good ones for years. $ ANTHONY’S 22 Theater Square, 584-0364. $ f 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. $ f BANK SHOT BILLIARDS 403 E. Market St., 587-8260. $ BIG SUBS 9811B Old Third Street Rd., 933-2010. $

CIANO’S 11904 Shelbyville Rd., 245-6997. $

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. $ f DMITRI’S DELI 521 S. Third St., 584-8060. A downtown deli favorite. Daily specials are surrounded by an impressive variety of sandwiches, soups and salads. $ f DOOLEY’S BAGELCATESSEN 12903 Shelbyville Rd., 245-3354, 216 N. Hurstbourne Ln., 394-0021, 980 Breckenridge Ln., 893-3354, 2241 State St., New Albany, IN, 981-0124, 2226 Holiday Manor Center, 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. $ THE FEED BAG DELI 133 Breckenridge Ln., 896-1899.

The grilled salmon burger is worth the visit, as well as the Triple Crown wrap with three meats or a fresh veggie wrap. Soups, desserts top off the lunch-only schedule. $ FRASCELLI’S NEW YORK DELI 6247 Crestwood Station, 243-9005. Small and spartan, this tworoom storefront in the newish Crestwood Station shopping center just out from Pewee Valley offers a broad selection of Italian-style deli sandwiches, plus a shorter list of home-style Italian hot dishes from lasagna to baked ziti. $ GELI CAKES 1589 Bardstown Rd., 456-2466. It’s a delight to have this casual eatery on Bardstown Road. The specialty is Italian gelato, and it comes pretty close to the real thing. But don’t start with dessert; the panini (Italian grilled sandwiches) are first-rate, and it’s also open for weekend brunch. $ f HEAVENLY HAM 11606 Shelbyville Rd., 245-1527, 3000 Bardstown Rd., 451-6110, Northgate Center, New Albany IN, 941-9426. $ 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. $

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JUANITA’S 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 Juanita’s counter right now, recovering from last night’s excesses. $ JULIE’S OF JEFFERSONVILLE 326 Spring St., Jeffersonville, IN, 218-0318. Located in historic downtown Jeffersonville, this eatery is known for its Reuben plate, tomato basil soup or any of the desserts that Julie creates each day. $ f LITTLE CHEF 147 E. Market St., New Albany, IN, 949-7567. Every city needs a postage-stampsized spot that knows how to fry potatoes and grill up a burger. In New Albany, the place is Little Chef. Biscuits and gravy, fried eggs, and burgers, in a joint that seems like a throwback to the heartland of America, circa 1940. $ f LOTSA PASTA 3717 Lexington Rd., 896-6361. As the name suggests, Lotsa Pasta originated as an Italian specialty-food store, and it has been a local favorite since it opened over 20 years ago. It now offers deli meats and cheeses and an eclectic international selection of sausages and cheese.

You can’t dine in, but an excellent deli counter fashions New Orleans-style muffulettas and other sandwiches to go. $ LUNCH TODAY 590 Missouri Ave., Jeffersonville, IN, 282-1005. This outfit prepares its share of the soups, salads and sandwiches that the downtown workforce needs to re-energize. $ f MAIN EATERY 643 W. Main St., 589-3354. Smack dab in the middle of the Main Street historic district, this fashionable deli lures the savvy business midday crowd. $ f MCALISTER’S DELI 10041 Forest Green Blvd., 4258900, 2721 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 671-2424, 2400 Lime Kiln Ln., 339-8544, 6508 Bardstown Rd., 239-9997, 1305 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 282-3354. 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 and lemon. $ f NAIMAN’S DELI 237 Whittington Pkwy., 423-1414.

Les Naiman returns to the deli business nearly 20 years after he closed his old Nosh Box in this very shopping center off Hurstbourne Pkwy. Naiman’s offers a good selection of deli meats and homemade lunch-counter goodies to tempt the taste buds, plus a gigantic Sunday buffet. $ f NORD’S BROWN BAG PUB & DELI 2100 S. Preston St., 634-0931. This simple little neighborhood spot near the University of Louisville may not be much for atmosphere, but well-fashioned if simple diner fare vaults it into the realm of serious destinations for hard-core "foodies," with extra credit for friendly, welcoming cafeteria-style service. $ 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. $ PANERA BREAD CO. 5000 Shelbyville Rd., 8999992, 6221 Dutchmans Ln., 895-9991, 601 S. Hurstbourne Ln., 423-7343, 10451 Champion Farms Dr., 426-2134. Warm breads finish-baked on the premises make a tasty base for a variety of sandwiches. Soups, salads, coffee drinks and a free WiFi hotspot make Panera’s outlets popular gathering places. $ f

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PAUL’S FRUIT MARKET 3905 Chenoweth Sq., 8968918, 4946 Brownsboro Rd., 426-5059, 12119 Shelbyville Rd., 253-0072, 3704 Taylorsville Rd., 456-4750. One of Louisville’s popular sources for produce, cheeses, deli items, and the like. Deli sandwiches and salads are available (takeout only). $ PENN STATION (11 Locations). Billed as the East Coast Sub Headquarters, this sandwich kitchen does a brisk business here in the Louisville area. $ PO-BOY SHOPPE 2286 Bardstown Rd., 454-0424. If you think "Po-boy" describes yourself on the weekend before payday, you might want to consider an educational trip to this casual new storefront, where they specialize in this hearty Louisiana-style sandwich treat plus more Cajun and Creole favorites. $ QUIZNO’S SUBS (15 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. $ SCHLOTZSKY’S DELI 4259 Outer Loop, 969-0506, 10531 Fischer Park Dr., 425-844, 12915 Shelbyville Rd., 244-9069. The original Schlotzsky’s offered just one kind of sandwich—“The Original”—when it opened its first eatery in Austin, Texas, in 1971. Now this national chain vends a full selection of deli-style fare, with one significant improvement on the traditional deli: the servers are invariably polite. $ f SOUPY’S 3019 Breckenridge Ln., 451-5325, 4632 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 499-4404, 4590 Dixie Hwy, 449-2000, 9493 Westport Rd, 425-2549, 2930 Dr. William Weathers Dr., 774-2500. 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 you meat, cheese and veggie sandwiches according to your custom design, scoop up tuna and chicken salads and barbecue, or grill you a burger. $ STEVENS & STEVENS 1114 Bardstown Rd., 584-3354.

Sharing space with the popular Ditto’s, Stevens & Stevens is primarily known for catering and takeout fare. They cook just as well if you choose to stay in, though, offering appealing sandwiches and deli fare with a healthy twist. $ STRAWBERRY PATCH DELI 11616 Shelbyville Rd., 254-1440. This Middletown deli offers healthy food with a dash of gourmet and a sprinkle of southern. $ 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. $ TWO BUCKS 4113 Murphy Ln., 429-9902. $ TWO GUYS AND A GRILL Center, 893-5118. $

pe

4806 Brownsboro

WALL ST. DELI 225 Abraham Flexner Way at 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. $ WILD OATS NATURAL MARKETPLACE 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 721-7373. This national natural-food grocery includes a sit-down café where you can order pizzas, sandwiches, or even sushi. $ f

BARBECUE BB’S CHICKEN & RIBS 318 Wallace Ave., 259-9936.

This might seem an unexpected venue to find authentic urban barbecue, but don’t dismiss it just because it’s in the ’burbs. The ribs here are fine, and the barbecued chicken good enough to make you want to slap the Colonel. $ 74 Winter 2005 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

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BACKYARD BBQ & GRILL 223 W. Fifth St., New Albany IN., 945-8310. A wide variety of barbecue, in generous portions, with exceptional side dishes make this large dining hall in New Albany well worth a trip. $ f BAKE’S BARBEQUE 5427 Valley Station Rd., 9350999. Bake’s ribs are smoked to such tender perfection that the meat slides off the bone. This is four-star barbecue, fully competitive with the region’s best. $$ 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 Kentucky-style mutton barbecue. $ f BRANDON’S BAR-B-QUE 9246 Westport Rd., 4266666. Service is cafeteria-style in this shoppingcenter establishment featuring Tennessee-style barbecue, where hickory-smoked barbecue sandwiches and filling, affordable dinners are the specialty. $ CLARK BOY BAR-B-Q 6728 Johnsontown Rd., 9335577. If it’s a little off the beaten path, there’s nothing the matter with that. Clark Boy’s reasonably priced Western Kentucky-style barbecue is well worth a special trip. Like many mom ’n’ pop eateries, it accepts cash only, no plastic. $ CLEON’S RIB SHACK 701 Algonquin Pkwy., 6350750. It’s a shack, for sure, and Cleon keeps some weird hours, but that’s part of the mystique, and if you can catch him when the smoke is rising, you’re in for some manly spare ribs and soulful sides. $ f DAMON’S 1876 Hurstbourne Pkwy., 495-6111. If you’ve got a hankering for oversize ribs and a sports-bar environment for noisy fun, Damon’s might be just the place for you. But then, if you’re in the mood for a quiet steak dinner in a quieter environment, Damon’s can deliver that too. Award-winning ribs and big-screen entertainment are the primary draw at the local outpost of this 140-unit chain. $$ p FAMOUS DAVE’S BAR-B-QUE 8605 Citadel Way, 493-2812. This franchise chain operation may be based in the twin cities, but it looks like a Georgia gas station with its exuberant, if tongue-in-cheek faux country decor. The important thing, though, is the food, and Dave’s excels with genuine, hickory-smoked barbecue. $$ p f FINLEY’S HICKORY SMOKED BAR-B-Q 1500 W. Broadway, 581-0298. Rib tips are the specialty but you’ll find turkey legs, ham, half-chickens, pork chops and shredded beef and pork—all for dinners or sandwiches, and barbecued pig’s feet for the BBQ purists. $ f FIREHOUSE BAR B Q 6435 Bardstown Rd., 2397800, 3065 Breckinridge Ln., 459-5201. Fire fighters, it is said, eat heartily and well. It’s no coincidence, then, that Firehouse Bar B Q pays homage to fire departments in general and the Fern Creek Fire Department in particular. The barbecue and country fixin’s stand comparison to the best firehouse cuisine. $ f 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. $ JUCY’S SMOKEHOUSE BAR-B-QUE 7626 Lagrange Rd., 241-5829. Jucy’s offers exceptionally good Texas-style barbecue from a little wooden shack that looks just like a country BBQ joint should.

Highly recommended. $$ f MARK’S FEED STORE 11422 Shelbyville Rd., 2440140, 1514 Bardstown Rd., 458-1570, 10316 Dixie

Hwy., 933-7707, 513 E. IN Hwy. 131, Clarksville, IN, 285-1998. Named for its first restaurant’s location in a former feed store with that down-home country feel, Mark’s impresses with high-quality hickory-smoked pork and chicken, and rich, silken South Carolina barbecue sauce, the yellow mustard-based variety. $$ f OLE HICKORY PIT BAR-B-QUE 6106 Shepherdsville Rd., 968-0585. Located in an attractive house not far from General Electric’s Appliance Park, this Louisville relative of a famous Western Kentucky barbecue pit is well worth the trip from anywhere in town. $ PEPPER SHAKER CHILI & BAR-B-Q 4912 Preston Hwy., 964-3011, 4918 Poplar Level Rd., 962-7077.

Looking for the real thing in barbecue? Whoop!

Here it is! This tiny spot near Standiford Field offers few amenities—it’s primarily for take-out— but a squadron of heavy black-iron smokers burn through cords of hickory to turn out some of the town’s best barbecue at a price that’s right. $ p PICNICATERS BBQ & CATERING 514 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 584-7427. Located across from Louisville Gardens, this place puts the hot sauce, wings and chops right in the middle of a hungry business district. $ f PIGASUS 822 State St., New Albany, IN, 949-7427.

Hoping that the fourth time is a charm, this funky barbecue joint returns to the small New Albany house where it started. The original proprietor, Gary Needham, is no longer involved, but management reportedly has preserved some of his memorable smoked-meat recipes. $ PIT STOP BAR-B-QUE 612 S. Fifth St., 584-4054.

Genuine Texas barbecue, dry and tender meat, red-rimmed and savory from hours in the smoker, is the style served here. March up to the window, place your order, bus your own plate. No muss, no fuss, and it is very good. $ f RUBBIE’S BAR-B-QUE & BREW 6905 Southside Dr., 367-0007. This South End family knows how to do BBQ. It may be off the beaten path for some folks but here you’ll find the bounty of secret BBQ recipes. $ p f e SCOTTY’S RIBS AND MORE 14049 Shelbyville Rd., 244-6868. Ribs, pork, chicken a la carte and dinners. The small East End venue moves a lot of pizzas and salads as well. $$ p SMOKEY BONES BBQ 2525 Hurstbourne Gem Ln., 491-7570. A newish “concept” of the Orlandobased Darden chain that runs Olive Garden, Red Lobster and Bahama Breeze, this hot Hurstbourne spot offers good ribs in a noisy sports-bar environment that emulates a Colorado ski lodge. $$ p TONY ROMA’S 150 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 327-8500.

From the tomato tang to a smoky Blue Ridge savor, Roma’s advertises its ribs as the best dressed in town. Burgers, chicken and steaks are available as well, but we recommend the racks and baby backs of pork and beef. $$$ p VINCE STATEN’S OLD TIME BARBEQUE 9219 US 42, 228-7427. Author Vince Staten, who literally wrote the book on barbecue (Real Barbecue), makes his own in this Prospect storefront, and the smoked goodies here rate as good as any I ever ate. $

BAR & GRILL @MOSPHERE 917 Baxter Ave., 458-5301. One of the hottest spots on the local club scene, this oversize spot on Baxter flows through 4,000 square feet on several levels, including the tasteful, clubby rooms that once housed Jupiter Grill and briefly a branch of Bazo’s. On the eatery side, it features well-crafted upscale pub grub, sandwiches and salads at affordable prices, topping out at $7.25 for the chargrilled rib eye. $ p f e

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BIG DAVE’S OUTPOST 1801 Bardstown Rd., 4593290. Now open in the old house at Bardstown Road and Speed Avenue recently vacated by Judge Roy Bean, Big Dave's evokes a hint of the happy memory of the old Fat Cats that once held court here: In similar fashion, it's a casual, laidback neighborhood saloon, where libations and simple pub grub are the order of business. $ p f e BLUE MULE SPORTS CAFÉ 10301 Taylorsville Rd., 240-0051. Longtime buddies John O’Connor and Jim “Mule” Riley talked for years about opening a restaurant and sports bar. Riley died before their dream came true. But now O’Connor proudly presides over this 90-seat casual Jeffersontown eatery and watering hole, and he has named it in affectionate memory of his friend “Mule.” $ p e BUFFALO WILD WINGS (BW-3’S) 6801 Dixie Hwy., 935-1997, 3900 Shelbyville Rd., 899-7732, 9134 Taylorsville Rd., 499-2356, 3584 Springhurst Blvd., 394-9596, 12901 Shelbyville Rd., 254-9464, 1055 Bardstown Rd., 454-3635. As much a sports bar as a restaurant, this national franchise chain offers tasty snack-type fare, including the chain’s trademark Buffalo chicken wings. $$ p f DELTA RESTAURANT 434 W. Market St., 584-0860.

It’s not quite as historic as Gideon Shryock’s Jefferson County Courthouse around the corner, but this popular bar and short-order spot seems as if it has been a hangout for lawyers and the courthouse crowd for just about as long as there’s been a Courthouse. $ p DUTCH’S TAVERN 3922 Shelbyville Rd., 895-9004.

Do you like guitars with your grub? A popular half-way-home hangout for decades in the heart of St. Matthews, this no-frills but all charm pub serves up a hardy plate lunch by day and amps up the action with music by night. $ p e FLABBY’S SCHNITZELBURG 1101 Lydia St., 637-9136.

Family-owned since 1952, Flabby’s is a quintessential Germantown saloon. It’s also one of the city’s top destinations for inexpensive downhome eats, from authentic German dishes to fantastic fried chicken on weekends. $

LIVE BAND Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday (No Cover)

R Place Pub KARAOKE Wednesday and Sunday

The East End’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill Full Pub Menu SAND VOLLEYBALL BILLIARDS DARTS

9603 Whipps Mill Rd. (Across from N.E. YMCA)

425-8516

FLANAGAN’S ALE HOUSE 934 Baxter Ave., 5853700. Gourmet pizzas, hoagies, and an enormous beer selection draw Highlands folks to this cozy neighborhood pub. For a late night pizza (the kitchen’s open until 2 a.m.), it’s one of the best options in the city. $$ p GERSTLE’S PLACE 3801 Frankfort Ave., 899-3609.

A popular St. Matthews neighborhood tavern since 1924. Although dining is secondary to booze and sports here, the food goes well beyond mere pub grub. $ p e GRANVILLE INN 1601 S. Third St., 635-6475. A longtime gathering place for U of L students, faculty and fans, this sturdy redbrick tavern just north of the university campus offers a good variety of bar munchies, sandwiches and simple grilled fare plus pizza. It’s perhaps best known, though, for the signature Granville Burger, widely reputed as one of the best burgers in town. $ GREAT AMERICAN GRILL 2735 Crittenden Dr., (Hilton), 637-2424. Located in the Louisville International Airport Hilton. Salads, burgers, pastas and sandwiches are available for the casual diner; main entrees include New York strip, filet of salmon and more. $ p f HITCHING POST INN 7314 Fegenbush Ln., 2394724. In addition to its full bar and beer garden, and lively conversation, the Hitching Post Inn offers an array of pub grub, including burgers, chicken tenders, and sandwiches. $ p HOOPS GRILL AND SPORTS BAR 12205 Westport Rd., 327-8002, 6733 Strawberry Ln., 375-4667.

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place in these friendly neighborhood spots where hot wings and hoops reign supreme. $ p f HOOTERS 4120 Dutchmans Ln., 895-7100; 4948 Dixie Hwy., 449-4194; 7701 Preston Hwy., 9681606; 700 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville, IN, 2189485; 941 East Hwy. 131, Clarksville, IN 284-9464.

JABBER’S FAMILY SPORTS GRILL 6121 Bardstown Rd., 231-3687 $$ p JACK’S LOUNGE 122 Sears Ave., 897-9026. A sophisticated, elegant bar associated with the Equus restaurant next door, Jack’s offers a short but excellent menu featuring appetizers and light bites, along with a drinks list beyond reproach. $ p MICHAEL MURPHY’S RESTAURANT 701 S. First St., 587-7916. This full service restaurant and bar has accommodated hardy thirsts and appetites for a couple of generations. Despite the Irish appeal, the food is American and lots of it. One particular claim to fame is their hamburger menu. $ p

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before co-owner Cres Bride's wife Tiffany became the chef and introduced a hearty plate lunch, with daily main course and choice of two sides. Diners also give thumbs up to first-rate chicken wings and the famous R Place burger with Maker's Mark sauce. $ p e SAINT’S 131 Breckinridge Ln., 891-8883. Almost like two restaurants in one, Saints—occupying the St. Matthews space formerly known as Jake & Elwood’s—features both a small, intimate, candlelighted room and a larger, happily boisterous main room with the look and feel of a sports bar. Saints is mostly about the bars and the music, but don’t overlook its casual fare, from salads to pasta and excellent pizzas. $$ p e SADDLE RIDGE SALOON Fourth Street Live, 5693507. $ p f e

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

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. $ p f e

R PLACE PUB 9603 Whipps Mill Rd., 425-8516. A neighborhood landmark for 15 years, R Place used to be known mostly for its libations. But that was

STEINERT’S GRILL & PUB 2239 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 945-8827. This is a cross between an old fashioned neighborhood tavern (with an

tastefully exciting. casually chic.

aged and cozy ambience) and a trendy sports bar (with leanings in the direction of IU). Hearty burgers, rich soups, salads, and a full bar make this a hidden gem. $ p e SULLY’S SALOON Fourth Street Live, 585-4100. $$ pf TAILGATERS SPORTS BAR & GRILL 2787 S. Floyd St., 637-5241. Tailgating? No need to open your lawn chair on the Papa John’s Stadium parking lot before the U of L game now that Tailgaters is here.

Billed as a premier destination for good food and lots of fun, this casual spot features classic American favorites and seafood specialties, plus a full bar, TVs and an expansive game room. $ p fe THE TRESTLE SPORTS CAFÉ 263-7130 $ p VIC’S CAFÉ 4338. $ p

3701 Hopewell Rd.,

E. Market St., New Albany, IN, 944-

WOODFORD RESERVE BAR & GRILLE Louisville International Airport, 363-2526. Named after local distiller Brown-Forman’s artisanal brand of Bourbon, this is the airport’s fine-dining facility, serving Kentucky-style dishes in a sit-down environment. $ ZAZOO’S 102 Bauer Ave., 894-8030. Although we still lament the loss of the lovable Irish brogue that prevailed when Kitty O'Kirwan's was here, ZaZoo's offers a mighty appealing alternative with its laidback, casual and welcoming neighborhood-bar feeling. The fare is simple but well-prepared, and goes a bit beyond pub grub to cover quick bites like chicken tenders and a "pizza burger." $ p f e

CAJUN/CREOLE DOWNTOWN NEW ORLEANS 1157 S. Second St., 797-5644. The smallish Old Louisville storefront offers a Cajun-style setting that’s worth a visit if you like the spicy goodness of Louisiana-style eats. $ f e FURLONG’S 2350 Frankfort Ave., 896-2610. This Louisiana-style restaurant in Crescent Hill boasts a horse-racing theme that unites the spirits of Kentucky’s and Louisiana’s racing industries. A comfortably cozy spot, it offers a memorable selection of Cajun fare. $$$ f p JOE’S OK BAYOU 9874 Linn Station Rd., 426-1320.

Perhaps the best Louisiana-style fare you’ll find in Louisville is served at this East End shoppingcenter eatery. A lengthy menu and fishing-shack decor showcases authentic Cajun and Creole chow cooked by a New Orleans-born chef. $$ p

ASIAN/CHINESE 2 HAHN’S MONGOLIAN GRILL Stonybrook Shopping Center, 493-0234. Thirteenth Century Mongol warriors used to turn their steel shields to use as frying pans over the campfire, using their swords as spoons. 2 Hahn’s carries their spirit forward. This all-you-can-eat buffet is fun, and the food is fine. $$ p ASIAN BUFFET 3813 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 945-1888. Competent cookery and careful management that ensures buffet offerings stay fresh and hot makes this Southern Indiana buffet a good choice among the growing crowd of allyou-can-eat Asian spots. $ ASIAN PEARL 2060 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 4956800. Asian Pearl advertises its Chinese Grand Buffet as “The Largest Buffet Selection in Kentuckiana,” prompting a trip to check it out. It stands out from the crowd by offering a selection of Thai dishes in addition to the usual Chinese. $ AUGUST MOON 2269 Lexington Rd., 456-6569.

August Moon’s secret ingredient is the culinary oversight of Chef Peng Looi, better known as the

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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 an alfresco dining experience overlooking shady Beargrass Creek. $$$ p f BAMBOO HOUSE 4036 Poplar Level Rd., 451-3113.

An old-timer among local Chinese restaurants, this Southeastern Louisville spot may not offer the trendiest Asian fare, but it’s a reliable source for the familiar Cantonese-American standards. $ CHINA BUFFET 706 E. Hwy 131, Clarksville, IN, 2888989. 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 runof-the-mill places typical of the genre. $ CHINA GARDEN 7309 Preston Hwy., 968-4672. A busy restaurant with the double pleasure of Chinese and American menu items. $ CHINA INN 1925 S. Fourth St., 636-2020. It’s not the posh, private Faculty Club, but this little Asian spot may be one of the most popular eateries around the University of Louisville’s Belknap Campus. It’s generally packed with students, professors, and a squadron of campus police so large that one wonders who’s watching the campus. $

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EASTERN HOUSE 5372 Dixie Hwy., 568-2688.

Serving Chinese and American food from the menu or the buffet. $

sweepstakes, Formosa offers a hearty buffet and, Chinese friends report, “a Taiwanese taste.” $ GOLDEN BUDDHA 8000 Preston Hwy., 968-7700. $

EGGROLL KING 4819 Dixie Hwy, 449-3614. $

GOLDEN WALL 3111 Fern Valley Rd., 968-9717. $

EGGROLL MACHINE 1216 Bardstown Rd., 459-1259.

A Highlands staple for good reason. This portion of the Mimosa Café does a brisk business. The Sesame Chicken is one of our publishers’ favorites. $$ p

GRAND BUFFET 5362 Dixie Hwy., 447-8833. $

EMPEROR OF CHINA 2210 Holiday Manor Shopping Center, 426-1717. One of Louisville’s fanciest and most noteworthy Chinese restaurants, the Emperor’s quarters are stylishly strewn across multiple levels of a former suburban movie theater. Outstanding. $$ p EMPRESS OF CHINA 2249 Hikes Ln., 451-2500. Older sister to The Emperor of China, the Empress was one of Louisville’s first serious, authentic upscale Cantonese restaurants, and its fare still stands up to fancy spots in New York’s Chinatown. $$ p FIRST WOK 3967 Seventh St. Rd., 448-0588. $ FORMOSA CHINESE RESTAURANT 2116 State St., New Albany, IN, 948-2540. One of the leading Southern Indiana entries in the Chinese-restaurant

GREAT WALL 2206 Brownsboro Rd., 891-8881. This Clifton restaurant ranks high up in the fast-food Chinese pack. Offering steaming-hot, competently prepared and flavorful dishes. $ GREAT WOK 2502 Preston Hwy., 634-1918. Just about every shopping center in town has a fastfood Chinese spot, but this one stands out, generating a buzz of word-of-mouth publicity about its well-crafted Chinese dishes at a bargainbasement price. $ HAPPY DRAGON 2600 W. Broadway, 778-2573.

Catering to office and residential customers, this Chinese restaurant has served the West Broadway community for many years. $ f HARVEST MOON 10476 Shelbyville Rd., 245-2100.

Modern and efficient in its East End shopping center location, Harvest Moon is a cut above fastfood Chinese; better yet, it adds a few Vietnamese dishes to the bill of fare. $

CHINA KING 3830 Ruckriegel Prkwy., 240-0500. $ CHINA KING Highlander Point Dr., Floyds Knobs, IN., 923-1288. $ CHINA KING PALACE 6203 Old Shepherdsville Rd., 969-9696. On the edge of the county line, there’s a bustling kitchen that prepares sweet, sour and spicy Asian and Chinese entrees and a la carte items to go. Carry out service only. $ CHINATOWN 4000 Dutchmans Ln., 896-9888, 4214 Outer Loop, 968-2688. If you’re hungry, you can get more to eat here for less than just about anyplace else in town, and the weekend seafood buffet in particular is a deal that’s hard to beat. $ CHINESE CHEF 2619 S. Fourth St., 634-0979. $ CHINESE EXPRESS 3228 Crums Ln., 448-1360. $ CHINESE RESTAURANT 8605 Preston Hwy., 9687450. $ CHONG GARDEN 10341 Dixie Hwy., 935-1628. $ CHOPSTICKS 416 E. Broadway, 589-9145. $ CHOPSTICKS HOUSE 2112 W. Broadway, 772-3231. $ CHUNG KING CHINESE AMERICAN RESTAURANT 110 E. Market St., 584-8880. $ CITY WOK 526 W. Main St., 583-7238. $ CRYSTAL CHINESE 3901 W. Market St., 776-9702. $ DOUBLE DRAGON 1255 Goss Ave., 635-5656. A standout among fast-food shopping-center Chinese eateries, Double Dragon hits on all cylinders, turning out consistently well-prepared and flavorful fare. $ DOUBLE DRAGON II 12480 LaGrange Rd., 241-7766, 9901 LaGrange Rd., 326-0099, 6832 Bardstown Rd., 231-3973. $ DOUBLE DRAGON BUFFET 233 Whittington Pkwy., 339-8897. A sizable buffet in a chic East End shopping strip, offers a good range of Chinese treats on its all-you-can-eat buffet. The fare seems prepared with attention and care. $ DOUBLE DRAGON 8 231 S. Fifth St., 587-8686. $ DOUBLE DRAGON 9 9501 Taylorsville Rd., 267-5353. $ DRAGON GARDEN 2120 Bardstown Rd., 459-3311. $ DYNASTY BUFFET 2400 Lime Kiln Ln., 339-8868.

The continuing proliferation of all-you-can-eat Chinese buffets never fails to amaze me. Most of them look pretty much alike, and the food tends to be similar too. But I’m happy to report that Dynasty Buffet ranks well above the median. $$

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HONG KONG CHINESE RESTAURANT 345 New Albany Plaza, New Albany, IN., 945-1818. $ HONG KONG FAST FOOD 5312 S. Third St., 3678828. One of the many international eateries in Iroquois Manor, this fast-food Chinese spot offers Cantonese standards hot and fast and inexpensively. Check the daily specials for an occasional intriguing item. $ HOUSE OF DRAGON 126 Breckenridge Ln., 8937994. Not just fast food, this longtime St. Matthews favorite offers an extensive menu of Chinese regional dishes in an attractive sit-down setting. $$ IMPERIAL PALACE 5316 Bardstown Rd., 491-8228. $ JADE PALACE 1109 Herr Ln., 425-9878. When I’ve got a hankering for brunch, I choose Chinese.

Jade Palace is a decent place for Chinese food at any time, but don’t miss it at mid-day Friday through Monday, when it offers the metro area’s only dim sum (Chinese brunch) menu. $$ p JUMBO BUFFET 2731 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 4950028, 701 E. Hwy 131,Clarksville, IN, 283-6868.

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. $$ KING BUFFET 1801 Priority Way, 266-8886. Another in the growing niche of glitzy Chinese chromeand-plastic buffets, King Buffet offers a standard selection of all-you-can-eat dishes, with a few sushi items. $ 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. $ KING’S BUFFET 5538 New Cut Rd., 375-2236. $

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LUCKY DRAGON 809 S. KY Hwy 53, Lagrange, KY, 222-1568. The pastoral setting of Oldham County surrounding the Day’s Inn Motel might not be the first place you would look for upscale Mandarin style dining, but prepare to be surprised. Guests are treated to Far East hospitality and a varied menu. $

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. $ PANDA CHINESE RESTAURANT 9543 US 42., 2286400. $

LUCKY HOUSE BUFFET 4030 Taylorsville Rd., 4591188. A fresh idea on Asian dining, this generous Hikes Point buffet serves the menu classics from China as well as some Japanese and American entrees. $$

PEKING CITY 3571 Springhurst Blvd., 425-0188. The regular menu features Chinese-restaurant standards. If you have a yen for the exotic, see if you can get the authentic Taiwanese menu—an intriguing regional cuisine new to Louisville, but not always offered to non-Chinese. $

MANCHU WOK 7900 Shelbyville Rd., (Oxmoor Shopping Center), 429-8207. $

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

NEW WORLD BUFFET 9228 Westport Rd., 4231788. I rate this one of the city’s best (if not quite the biggest) all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet, not only because it offers a good selection of Chinese dishes but, more important, because it shows a consistent commitment to quality. $ 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 dozens of other Asian spots in the Louisville area.

Beer and wine are available. $$ ORIENTAL EXPRESS 12567 Shelbyville Rd., 2449838. This spot in Middletown stands a cut above its shopping-center status in its atmosphere, and maybe two cuts above the median in its food, a smorgasbord of both Chinese and Japanese fare that is good enough to justify a special trip. $ ORIENTAL HOUSE 4302 Shelbyville Rd., 897-1017.

One of the oldest continuously operated Chinese restaurants in Louisville, this St. Matthews landmark moves up a notch under new owners, featuring both traditional Chinese-American and now, authentic Cantonese. $ p

ROYAL GARDEN 5717 Preston Hwy., 969-3788. $$ SESAME CHINESE RESTAURANT 9409 Shelbyville Rd., 339-7000. Not just another shopping-center Chinese restaurant, this East End eatery has provided some of the best fine-dining Chinese meals I’ve enjoyed in Louisville. $$ p SHANGHAI RESTAURANT 526 S. Fifth St. 568-8833. $ SICHUAN GARDEN 9850 Linn Station Rd., 4266767. One of my favorite Chinese restaurants in Louisville and another 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. $ WANG’S WOK 11517 Shelbyville Rd., 244-9898. This bright and attractive spot in Middletown is a step above your usual Chinese fast food. Dishes are served on attractive gold-rimmed white china, and there’s table service with a friendly, fluent hostess. Worth a special trip. $ WOK EXPRESS 234 W. Broadway, 583-8988. This corner spot has housed a variety of restaurants over the years. The latest tenant isn’t the fanciest, but it might be one of the most affordable. $ WONTON EXPRESS 3000 Hikes Ln., 452-2646.

Traditional Chinese fare. Family-owned-andoperated, this popular neighborhood establishment has enjoyed a steady patronage for seventeen years. $ YANG KEE NOODLE 7900 Shelbyville Rd., (Oxmoor Center), 426-0800. This locally owned and operated Oxmoor spot is colorful and stylish.

It offers an intriguing array of appealing noodle and rice dishes from all over Asia with fast-food efficiency and prices happily matched by sitdown restaurant quality and style. $ f YEN CHING 1818 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-3581. $ YOU-CARRYOUT-A 1551 E. Tenth St., Jeffersonville, IN, 288-8313, 827 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville, IN, 282-8881, 3308 Plaza Dr., 944-9866. $

ASIAN/JAPANESE BENDOYA SUSHI BAR 217 S. Fifth St., 581-0700.

Adding international flair to its downtown neighborhood, Bendoya Sushi Bar is a genuine, serious sushi bar in a storefront just across the street from the courthouse. $ 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, sip your tea while the artist creates edible delights. This suburban sushi bar does the job well. $$ p ICHIBAN SAMURAI 1510 Lake Shore Ct., 412-3339.

This large Japanese-farmhouse building housed Benihana for many years. New management offers similar delights, with the traditional sliceand-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. $$$ p

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KOBE STEAK HOUSE 301 S. Indiana Ave., Jeffersonville IN, 280-8500. Southern Indiana’s first serious Japanese restaurant is drawing crowds with its exceptional sushi bar, with skilled and friendly chefs who can be relied on to fashion fresh and tasty bites that are just about certain to please. $$$ p MAIDO ESSENTIAL JAPANESE 1758 Frankfort Ave., 894-8775. Not just another sushi bar, cool and stylish Maido is Louisville’s first and only “izakaya”style restaurant in the style of Kansai, the region surrounding Japan’s second city, Osaka. It’s also a sake bar, pouring a good variety of artisanal rice wine. $$ f OSAKA SUSHI BAR 2039 Frankfort Ave., 894-9501.

This bright and cheery Japanese restaurant and sushi bar is named after Japan’s second largest city and the home of one of its most historic samurai castles. Sushi Chef James Lae presides, and that’s a good thing: a first-rate sushi chef, his welcoming presence and excellent English makes diners feel at home. $$ SAKURA BLUE 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 897-3600.

Located in elegant, upscale quarters in a St. Matthews shopping center, Sakura Blue — direct descendant of the old, popular Bonsai — ranks among the city’s top sushi bars. $$ SAPPORO JAPANESE GRILL & SUSHI 1706 Bardstown Rd., 479-5550. Trendy, even glitzy, with hard-edged industrial decor—and most important, excellent food—Sapporo ranks in my ratings as the city’s No. 1 spot for sushi and Japanese fare. $$$ p SHOGUN JAPANESE STEAK HOUSE 9026 Taylorsville Rd., 499-5700, 4110 Hampton Lake Way, 394-0123. Shogun’s decor is attractive, and quality food and service make it a pleasant dining destination. It’s unthreatening enough to appeal to those who find exotic cuisine “challenging,” but good enough to satisfy just about anyone who craves a Japanese dinner or a bite of sushi. $$$ p

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ASIAN/THAI 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 I've enjoyed in New York, San Francisco and Seattle. $ SALA THAI 9114 Taylorsville Rd., (Stony Brook Shopping Center), 493-3944. Fine and fancy, Sala Thai offers Louisville an upscale Thai alternative, presenting ethnic fare in a stylish setting that places it among the best, and certainly the most upscale, of the city’s growing cadre of Thai eateries. $$ p THAI CAFÉ 2226 Holiday Manor, 425-4815. You’ll find this small café tucked into a corner of the “Holiday Manor Walk.” Owner Chavantee Snow and her family offer a small but well-prepared selection of authentic Thai dishes at very reasonable prices. $ THAI KITCHEN 5203 Dixie Highway, 448-4710. The historic House of Chen, one of the city’s first and longest-lived Chinese restaurants, is no more, but you can still get its famous egg rolls and other Chinese specialties—and Thai goodies too—under new management that has brought the Dixie corridor its first local taste of Thai. $ THAI-SIAM 3002 Bardstown Rd., 458-6871. Thai food—a fiery-aromatic cuisine that perches somewhere between China and India on the world culinary spectrum—is worth getting to know. This Highlands spot is Louisville’s first and oldest Thai eatery. $$ THAI SMILE 5 5800 Preston Hwy., 961-9018. The small but popular Thai Smile restaurant group, with properties in Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana, lost Thai Smile 4 to a lease issue this

summer. Now Thai Smile 5 comes up to bat on the South Side, keeping this small but popular familyowned mini-chain alive in Louisville. $ 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. $

ASIAN/VIETNAMESE ANNIE CAFÉ 308 W. Woodlawn, 363-4847. Annie Café ranks not just as one of my favorite 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. $ CAFÉ MIMOSA 1216 Bardstown Rd., 458-2233.

Dating back to the ‘80s as the city’s first serious restaurant in the French-Vietnamese tradition, its current management still offers a short selection of good Vietnamese food plus Chinese-American fare, as well as one of the city’s more interesting sushi bars. $ p LEMONGRASS CAFÉ 1019 Bardstown Rd., 238-3981, 11300 Maple Brook Way, 412-8606. Lemongrass Café offers an appealing blend of Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese fare in a simple setting on Bardstown Road’s Restaurant Row that transcends an obviously low budget with style and grace. $ LITTLE SAIGON 3598 Springhurst Blvd., 425-4351.

Louisville’s Vietnamese restaurant community, no longer limited to the ethnic South End, now boasts a modern, stylish outpost in the Eastern suburbs. Quality, authentic Vietnamese dishes at moderate prices burnish its allure. $ VIETNAM KITCHEN 5339 Mitscher Ave., 363-5154.

This little South End storefront is well worth

TOKYO JAPANESE RESTAURANT 2415C Lime Kiln Ln., 339-7171. It’s appealing, pleasant in atmosphere and friendly in service, and most important, this East End sushi bar serves excellent Japanese treats, prepared with care and flair from high-quality, impeccably fresh ingredients. $$

ASIAN/KOREAN ARIRANG 4160 Bardstown Rd., 495-1004. The sign out front indicates (in English) that it’s both a Japanese sushi bar and a Korean BBQ, and a couple of lines of Korean lettering presumably say the same. More elegant than the industrial-style exterior suggests, this is a worthy stop for a fine Asian meal. $$ KIM’S ASIAN GRILLE 813 E. Market St., 595-7025.

This lovable little Korean and Pan-Asian eatery occupies unimposing quarters on a gritty urban block east of downtown. Despite its downscale look, you won’t want to miss its extensive selection of Korean and Japanese favorites. Hot and sour soup may be the city’s best. $$ f KOREANA II 5009 Preston Hwy., 968-9686. One of the city’s few restaurants devoted entirely to authentic Korean fare, Koreana is worth a special trip for this ethnic cuisine that offers a hearty, spicy alternative to the more familiar Chinese. $$ LEE’S KOREAN RESTAURANT 1941 Bishop Ln., 4569714. 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. $$

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seeking out. The chef goes beyond the ordinary, preparing authentic Vietnamese dishes of unusual subtlety and flavor. I have yet to be disappointed with the quality of the food or service. $ ZEN GARDEN 2240 Frankfort Ave., 895-9114. A vegetarian restaurant must pass one simple test: at the end of the meal, I must not miss meat. Zen Garden passes this test with flying wok and chopsticks. $ f

EUROPEAN/BOSNIAN

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SARAJEVO CAFÉ & RESTAURANT 325 Old Bardstown Rd., 456-1919. In the running for tiniest restaurant in town, this four-table spot is more beer bar than eatery, but the meat-based ethnicBosnian goodies like bureks (turnovers) and cevapi (beef sausages) are excellent. If you can get in when they’re grilling a whole baby lamb over coals, it’s an experience not to miss. $

EUROPEAN/GERMAN

BEHAR CAFÉ 5600 National Turnpike, 368-5658.

This shopping-center storefront has become a popular after-work gathering spot for the city’s growing community of immigrants from Bosnia, for whom it’s a comfortable place to get a drink, a sausage, and feel at home. $ DJULI 5312 S. Third St., 368-5199. Bosnian fare is the specialty in this tiny spot in the increasingly international culinary smorgasbord at Iroquois Manor shopping center. Bosnian immigrants appear to be the primary clientele, but everyone’s welcome to discover this hearty Yugoslavian cuisine. $ NERMANA’S CUISINE 2250 Frankfort Ave., 721-8998.

One of the city’s more recent Bosnian arrivals has gained wide popularity for its fine fare and excellent service. This family operation in a small, cozy and inviting old frame house in Crescent Hill offers a good sampling of hearty and warming Bosnian cuisine. $$ f e PAPILLON GRILL & BAR 1616 Grinstead Dr., 562-0058.

This friendly little Eastern European spot is run by Bosnian immigrants who offer tasty fare and casual elegance in a serious effort to become the city’s first white-tablecloth example of fine Balkan cuisine. $$ p RUFAD’S KEBOB 1613 Bardstown Rd., 479-9796.

Arslan Redsepovic—a refugee and restaurateur from the former Yugoslavian countries Bosnia-

A

welcoming pub with an authentic Irish accent, this is a delightful place for a tall glass of Guinness, a snack and a bit of Irish music. I recommend the fish and chips. $ p f

Herzegovina and Montenegro—introduces us to the delights of Bosnia’s cuisine at a fair price. $ f

ERIKA’S GERMAN RESTUARANT 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. $$ GASTHAUS 4812 Brownsboro Center, 899-7177. The Greipel family comes straight from Bavaria to Eastern Louisville with Gasthaus, a destination for local lovers of Germanic fare. The setting has as authentic a feeling as the hearty and delicious German dishes here. $$$

EUROPEAN/GREEK NIK’S RESTAURANT 1915 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 2611450. Nik’s menu combined “Continental dining with a Mediterranean flair” and offers both standard American fare and Mediterranean specialties with a distinct Greek-American accent that reflects the owners’ heritage. $$ e

EUROPEAN/IRISH IRISH ROVER 2319 Frankfort Ave., 899-3544, 117 E. Main St, LaGrange, 222-2286. A warm and

R E T U R N

MOLLY MALONE’S 933 Baxter Ave., 473-1222. A carefully constructed replica of a modern urban Irish pub, Molly Malone’s is worthy addition to the city’s eating and drinking scene, as authentically Irish as the Wearin’ o’ the Green. $$ p f e O’SHEA’S TRADITIONAL IRISH PUB 956 Baxter Ave., 589-7373. A steady schedule of music, and an assortment of beers may be traditionally Irish, but the food here is mainstream American pub grub, from the cheesy fries to the Rueben sandwich. $$ p f e

EUROPEAN/ITALIAN BRICK OVEN ITALIAN EATERY 9910 Linn Station Rd., 425-4310. There’s nothing that tastes and smells as good as Northern Italian cuisine as it comes out of a brick oven. The cutting board is a blur with sandwiches, salads and appetizers and the wine is red and dry. $ BUCA DI BEPPO 2051 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 4932426. Buca di Beppo’s recipe has all the necessary ingredients: huge portions of excellent food served with flair and the Buca scene is fun, a conscious parody of the exuberant decor of family ItalianAmerican restaurants of the 1950s. $$ p CARRABBA’S ITALIAN GRILL 617 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 412-2218. Carrabba’s isn’t your ordinary suburban shopping-center franchise eatery. This place dramatically exceeds expectations. From warmed bread dishes with quality olive oil to first-rate ItalianAmerican fare at reasonable prices. $$ p f COME BACK INN 909 Swan St., 627-1777, 415 Spring St., Jeffersonville IN, 285-1777. With both its branches located in urban neighborhoods, Come

T O

Traditional Regional Italian Cuisine

A Little Bit of Italy Here in Louisville

Open Since 1962

Extensive Italian Wine List

A Louisville tradition for over 40 years.

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S E A S O N A L ■

S T E A K S

S P E C I A L T I E S ■

C H O P S

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Private Dining Rooms Available

80 Winter 2005 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

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Join Us For Dinner Tuesday through Sunday Reservations Recommended

1 5 4 3 BA RD S T OWN R D .

BARD

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Back Inn looks pretty much like any other neighborhood saloon. But unlike most Louisville neighborhood saloons, this one houses a family Italian spot that wouldn’t be out of place in Chicago or Brooklyn. $ p

MELILLO’S 829 E. Market St., 540-9975. Adjacent to the locally owned and operated Felice Vineyards on East Market, Melillo’s offers hearty and delicious home-style Italian-American fare—and you can enjoy it with a glass of vino. $ p f

FERD GRISANTI 10212 Taylorsville Rd., 267-0050. An East End landmark for 30 years, Ferd Grisanti’s is as comfortable as a close friend’s home. Friendly and unpretentious hospitality, the quiet but not staid atmosphere, and the fine Italian food prompts the comment, “They do everything so well, and they make it look so easy.” $$$ p

OLD SPAGHETTI FACTORY 235 W. Market St., 5811070. One of the original ventures of a national firm that places its properties in renovated urban buildings, this favorite lights up the historic Levy Brothers’ department store. Bright and noisy, it offers well-made if basic Italian family fare and dishes it out for surprisingly low prices. $$ p

LENTINI’S 1543 Bardstown Rd., 459-3020. The more things change, the more they stay the same, and happily for hungry Louisvillians, this old saying holds true at Lentini’s, where it’s all-Italian, all of the time, with old family recipes, authentically prepared and served with style in a classic Italianeatery setting, plus a first-rate Italian wine list with many selections available by the glass. $$ p

THE OLIVE GARDEN 1320 Hurstbourne Pkwy., 3397190. The top property of the Orlando-based Darden chain, Olive Garden now operates more than 500 properties and bills itself as the leading Italian restaurant in the casual dining industry.

Hearty pastas of all shapes and sauces, appetizers and combo platters all carry the Italian theme. $$ p

LUCHESSI’S RAVIOLI & PASTA CO. 2225 Holiday Manor, 719-0060. This Holiday Manor storefront, an Italian deli with a small dining room in the back, is the first expansion here of a popular Memphis specialty-grocery chain, featuring ready-tomicrowave Italian-style fare. $ LUIGI’S 702 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 in the Derby City. $ MARTINI ITALIAN BISTRO 4021 Summit Plaza Dr., 3949797. The American-accented Italian fare at this Ohio-based chain might be a little closer to Bayonne, New Jersey than Florence, but it’s good, featuring a short but diverse selection of hearty pastas, pizzas and Italian-style entrees. Martini’s quality has quickly built a loyal crowd of regulars. $$ p f

PESTO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT 566 S. Fifth St., 584-0567. Offices for blocks around empty into this bustling Italian eatery for weekday lunches featuring hearty platters of lasagna, zesty salads, red wine and iced tea. On Saturdays, the kitchen switches over to a special Persian menu. $ PORCINI 2730 Frankfort Ave., 894-8686. An expanded dining room and a stylish alfresco patio facing busy Frankfort Ave. make Porcini’s an even more popular destination, a place to see and be seen—and, while you’re at it, enjoy a drink and a decent Italian-American dinner. $$$ p

a good selection of bottled beers and a select choice of Italian-American entrees, with a great view of the city from its riverside location. $ p f ROMANO’S MACARONI GRILL 401 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 423-9220. The Italian-style menu at this casual, Dallas-based family chain includes appetizers, salads, pastas, veal and desserts. Chefs entertain while creating wood-fired pizzas. $$ p SPAGHETTI SHOP 4657 Outer Loop, 969-5545, 2669 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 9445400. Baked pasta dishes, subs, salads and appetizers are prepared while you wait. $ VOLARE 2300 Frankfort Ave., 894-4446.

Benvenuto "Benny" Siddu brings to Louisville the upscale Italian concepts he built in Chicago with the Sinatra-evoking Volare and Cantare. It makes its mark on the local dining scene with a broad range of Italian dishes, suave service and a luxurious but comfortable setting. $$$ p f WILLIE’S ITALIAN 8533 Terry Rd., 933-1080. $

INDIAN BOMBAY INTERNATIONAL MARKET 1591 Bardstown Rd., 473-2077. The familiar landmark building that used to house the Bonnycastle Pharmacy has turned into an ethnic convenience store. Its all-youcan-eat Indian buffet may be the cheapest lunch you’ll find in the neighborhood. $ f e

RAY PARRELLA’S ITALIAN CUISINE 2311 Frankfort Ave., 899-5575. Old-fashioned Italian-American family fare is served up with a warm and casual welcome at Ray Parella’s, the latest venture of a family that’s been pleasing locals for a generation. $ f

INDIA PALACE 9424 Shelbyville Rd., 394-0490. This longtime local Indian restaurant, originally on Bardstown Road and now housed in this exoticlooking East End building that has housed a string of well-known eateries, is a contender for the city’s top Indian spot. The expansive lunch buffet is well handled and a particularly good value. $$ f

ROCKY’S ITALIAN GRILL 715 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville IN, 282-3844. This longtime Southern Indiana favorite earns its popularity with fine pizzas,

KASHMIR INDIAN RESTAURANT 1285 Bardstown Rd., 473-8765. One of the city’s most popular Indian restaurants, Kashmir is casual, neither posh

Indian Restaurant Come In and See What’s

NEW! NEW MENU! NEW PATIO! Interior Renovated & Upgraded!

LUNCH HOURS: Monday - Friday ✦ 11:30a - 3:00p

Lunch Buffet: Saturday & Sunday ✦ 11:30a - 3:00p DINNER HOURS: Sunday - Thursday ✦ 5:00p - 10:00p Friday & Saturday ✦ 5:00p - 10:30p Take Out & Catering Available 1285 Bardstown Road (Across from Mid-City Mall)

(502) 473-8765

✦

473-2078

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nor expensive, and it produces an extensive menu of seemingly authentic Indian fare. $$ f

Jamaican jerk cuisine to the comforting soul food of the American South. $ p f

MAHARAJA INDIAN RESTAURANT 2901 Brownsboro Rd., 721-7200. Back in the late 1980s, an upscale Indian restaurant featuring the cuisine of the Moghuls, India’s royalty, led a short life in this rather exotic looking building. It recently returned to its original roots, with stylish Indian fare prepared in an open kitchen by the same management as suburban Shalimar. $$ p

CHEZ SENEBA AFRICAN RESTAURANT 1215 Gilmore Ln., 968-8659. Add yet another interesting ethnic cuisine to Louisville’s increasingly international dining scene. Friendly folks serve generous portions of filling, spicy Senegalese cuisine from West Africa in this tiny (three-table) free-standing building at Gilmore and Preston Highway. $

SHALIMAR INDIAN RESTAURANT 1820 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 493-8899. Modern and sleek in appearance, modest in price, this Indian restaurant has become the patriarch of local Indian restaurants. With a substantial lunch buffet and a full range of Indian dinner items, it has built a loyal clientele. $ p TAJ INDIA 9904 Linn Station Rd., 412-5579.

Formerly Annapurna’s, this popular Plainview Indian eatery is now for omnivores, with many of the familiar vegetarian dishes still on the menu but offering a broader range that includes standard Indian meat, poultry and seafood dishes, too. $

INTERNATIONAL BAHAMA BREEZE 104 Oxmoor Court, 423-9040. It’s a long way from Oxmoor Center to the Florida Keys, but this chain-operated eatery does a good job of bridging the gap, offering a happy beachjoint experience without the ocean view. Bahama Breeze is stylish and upscale, with a good selection of island fare and a great bar. $$ p f e CAFÉ KILIMANJARO 649 S. Fourth St., 583-4332.

Café Kilimanjaro showcases Black-heritage cuisine, offering well-prepared treats from Africa, the Caribbean and Black America ranging from fiery Ethiopian wots (meat barbecue) to spicy

EDNA’S GOOD STUFF 9810 Taylorsville Rd., 2677500. Add another Asian cuisine to the increasingly diverse selection available in Louisville. Edna’s is good Filipino stuff, filling rice-and-noodle fare that blends influences of Spain, China and the Americas in a cuisine that’s very easy to like. Popular dishes include lumpia (Filipino egg roll) and pancit (a delicious noodle stir-fry). The all-you-can-eat Sunday buffet offers exceptional value. $$ GAVI’S RESTAURANT 222 S. Seventh St., 583-8183.

This family-owned eatery has been around for more than 20 years. Standard casual American cuisine adds a few Russian-style specialties such as homemade borsht and potato soups and beef Stroganoff. Daily lunch specials include lots of fresh vegetable dishes. $ LA BODEGA 1604 Bardstown Rd., 456-4955. Nextdoor to the excellent De La Torre’s Spanish restaurant, La Bodega offers diners the city’s most authentic Spanish-style tapas bar, featuring the small bites originally invented in the outdoor cafés of Jerez to provide an edible lid for your glass of Sherry. $$ p f MANOOSH’S 558 S. Fifth St., 584-0004. At lunch time, Manoosh’s is an above average downtown eatery. Come back for dinner, though, and you’ll find owner-chef Manoosh Khosrowshahi turning out an exotic mix of Italian, Greek, Mexican and American dishes, plus Iranian goodies from his native Azerbaijan. Recently renovated, it’s better than ever now. $ f

QUEEN OF SHEBA ETHIOPIAN 3315 Bardstown Rd., 459-6301. Fans of Abyssinia, the Ethiopian restaurant on Frankfort Avenue, will be pleased to learn that Queen of Sheba is their old favorite, with the same owners and essentially the same menu, now moved to the small motel on Bardstown Road that formerly housed India Palace. New is an all-you-can-eat Ethiopian lunch buffet on weekdays. $ RENDEZVOUS DINER 1126 Bardstown Rd., 585-1116.

This comfy-casual new Highlands eatery, open all night, offers an interesting menu that blends familiar diner-style dishes with a few more exotic flavors of the Middle East. We've found the atmosphere cozy, the service friendly, the prices affordable, and the food and mood just fine. $$

LATIN AMERICAN/MEXICAN ALAMEDA 1381 Bardstown Rd., 459-6300. After a brief sojourn into Northern Italy, reinvented as Mezzaluna Tuscan Grill, Alameda has returned in the face of what management calls "popular demand." The familiar Southwestern favorites are back, and so is the casual feel, complete with attractive renovations. $ p f BAJA FRESH MEXICAN GRILL 1255 Bardstown Rd., 657-6000. I give this glittery new fast-food stop high-fives for its variety of fresh, tasty Southwestern-style dishes prepared while you wait. Pick from Baja-style tacos, "lifestyle" choices including low-fat items and several "high protein" selections for Atkins dieters. $ f BAZO’S FRESH MEXICAN GRILL 323 Wallace Ave., 899-9600. Bazo’s Fresh Mexican Grill (formerly Baja Grill) is an inexpensive, casual spot where you’ll find the best fish tacos this side of San Diego as the highlight of its simple fast-food Mexican fare. $ f

Others Claim to be “Authentic” – not us, We Claim to be “The Best!”

EVERY THURSDAY IS

MARGARITA DAY

82 Winter 2005 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

Sunday –Thursday 11am - 10pm Friday & Saturday 11am - 10:30pm 4430 Dixie Highway

448-5678

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DON PABLOS MEXICAN KITCHEN 615 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 425-8780, 940 E. IN 131, Clarksville, IN, 284-1071. Born in North Texas and now based in Atlanta, this 100-property MexicanAmerican chain, offers full bar service and a variety of dishes that range from sizzling fajitas with portabello mushroom, beef or chicken to crisp salads tossed in a fajita shell. $$ p EL CAPORAL 7319 Preston Hwy., 969-9693, 2209 Meadow Dr., 473-7840, 1901 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 515 E. Highway 131, Clarksville, IN, 282-7174.

Louisville’s growing Mexican-American community has fostered a happy trend: excellent, authentic Mexican food. El Caporal bridges the gap between the Latino and Anglo communities. $ p EL MUNDO 2345 Frankfort Ave., 899-9930. This crowded, noisy little Crescent Hill storefront offers creative renditions of Mexican regional specialties that make most diners want to yell “Olé!” The setting may lack the trendy flair of Rick Bayless’s Frontera Grill in Chicago, but the fare mines a similar vein and does so nearly as well. $ p f EL NOPAL 9473 Westport Rd., 327-6551, 11336 Preston Hwy., 961-9851, 10500 Watterson Tr., 2665956. Associated with the same family that runs the smaller El Nopalito, (or “the little cactus”), El Nopal (“the cactus”) offers similar delicious, authentic and inexpensive Mexican fare in somewhat larger and more comfortable surroundings. $ p f EL NOPALITO 4028 Taylorsville Rd., 458-7278, 6300 Bardstown Rd., 231-4249, 2319 Brownsboro Rd., 893-9880. This modest little eatery used to be a Taco Bell, but you’ll never find comidas like this at the Bell! Run by a family from Mexico, it’s truly authentic and delicious. $ p f EL PARAISO 6201 Preston Hwy., 968-4873. On weekend nights, it’s one of the hottest Latino spots in town, attracting Louisville’s Hispanic community (and Anglos, too) for music and dancing. It’s less frenzied by day, but if you like excellent Mexican food and don’t mind a bargain, it’s well worth making the trip. $ p EL REY MEXICAN RESTAURANT 2918 Hikes Ln., 454-6520. Although it’s more Mexican-American than hard-core ethnic Mexican, El Rey earns my recommendation for tasty fare, cordial service in a pleasant fast-Mexican-food environment, and affordable prices. $ f EL RODEO MEXICAN RESTAURANT 9070 Dixie Hwy., 995-8722. At El Rodeo, you’ll find a blend of Tex-Mex and other Latin American classics from salty margaritas to sweet sopapillas. $$ EL TARASCO 5425 New Cut Rd., 368-5628, 110 Fairfax Ave., 895-8010. Add El Tarasco to the happy new genre of restaurants run by Latinos and offering authentic Mexican food and atmosphere, but that reach out to Anglos and make it easy to enjoy a South-of-the-Border culinary adventure without compromise. $ p e ERNESTO’S 10602 Shelbyville Rd., 244-8889, 6201 Dutchmans Ln., 893-9297, 7707 Preston Hwy., 962-5380, 700 Riverside Dr., Clarksville, IN, 2800032. 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 in an enjoyable atmosphere. $ p f e

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providing friendly English-speaking service in an appealing, rather upscale setting, with bountiful servings of Cuban fare as good as I've enjoyed in Key West or Miami. Try the ropa vieja, tostones and a medianoche sandwich for a taste of Old Havana. $ p f JALAPEÑO’S 4430 Dixie Hwy., 448-5678.

Jalapeño’s (Louisville’s first outpost of a Lexington-based mini-chain) is owned and operated by folks of Mexican heritage, but its fare and its flair make it comfortable for wary “gringos” in search of a mellow Margarita and mild, familiar Mexican food. $$ p e JICAMA GRILL 1538 Bardstown Rd., 454-4383.

Popular, youngish chef Anthony Lamas shares the culinary fruits of his Puerto Rican and Mexican heritage with delighted diners in this perennially trendy Nuevo Latino spot, specializing in South American goodies but ranging northward to a taste of Cuba and a hint of Mexico. $$$ p f KY TACO 6911 Shepherdsville Rd., 962-8526.

Traditional Mexican fare from the Ramirez family. $ 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 fastfoodish, it pleasantly suprises with genuine Mexican fare and Latino flair. $ LA EMBAJADA 7502 Preston Hwy., 964-8775. $ LA HERRADURA 615 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville, IN., 280-8650. Is it possible to enjoy truly authentic tacqueria cuisine when the management speaks mostly Spanish and you speak only English? These friendly folks make it simple: a handy bi-lingual menu and a smiling staff make you feel at home.$ LA MARIMBA 5412 Del Maria Way, 493-0201. $

LA TAPATIA RESTAURANT 8106 Preston Hwy., 9619153. One of the most authentic ethnic Mexican restaurants in Louisville, this little storefront offers memorable tacos and burritos and more. You might run into a slight language barrier, but don’t be shy—Anglos are welcome here, and the staff is used to working through language differences. $ p LOLITA’S TACOS 4222 Poplar Level Rd., 459-4356.

This tiny place may look like a fast-food joint, but the food is about as authentic Mexican as you’ll find. Crisp or soft tacos and burritos the size of paper-towel rolls turn a meal here into a real bargain. $ f LOS AZTECAS 530 W. Main St., 561-8535, 1107 Herr Ln., 426-3994, 9606 Taylorsville Rd., 297-8003, 9207 U.S. Hwy 42, 228-2450. Authentic Mexican cuisine has become a viable option in Louisville, thanks to a growing immigrant community. With fresh bar and blender offerings, creative appetizers and comfortable seating, Los Aztecas is one of the best, with tasty Mexican dishes good enough to lure us back again and again. $ p LOS INDIOS RESTAURANTE MEXICANO 2743 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 941-9770, 730 Highlander Point Dr., Floyds Knobs, IN, 923-2929.

“Why have Tex-Mex when you can have MexMex?” is asked in fun on the servers’ T-shirts. This eatery is well worth the trip to Southern Indiana for high-quality Mexican dishes. $ p MAMA ROSA 4157 Bardstown Rd., 671-7025, 3061 Breckenridge Ln., 485-1811. Located in a shoppingcenter building that formerly housed another fast-food restaurant, Mama Rosa offers Mexican standards and a few more exotic Peruvian dishes. $pf MAMBO CUBAN CUISINE 5309 Mitscher Ave., 3631160. Authentic island fare and very friendly service (plus live music many evenings) make this good-

ONE OF THE FIRST

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502.266.9605 Clarksville Location: 515 E. Hwy. 131 812.282.7174

HOURS: M-TH 11–10 FRI 10–11 SAT 12–11 SUN 12–9

A Delicious Way To Remember

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FIESTA TIME MEXICAN GRILL 11320 Maple Brook Dr., 425-9144. $ p HAVANA RUMBA 4115 Oechsli Ave., 897-1959 This bright little spot in St. Matthews gets Cuban fare right, with hosts Fernando and Christina Martinez

$5.00 AUTHENTIC MEXICAN CUISINE

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any order of or more with hotel room key!

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size, stylish South End room the city’s place to go when you’re in the mood for Cuban cuisine. $$ p e MAYAN GYPSY 624 E. Market St., 583-3300. It may have evolved from a mobile taco van, but Bruce Ucán’s high-style Yucatan and tropical Mexican cooking shows his creative genius in the kitchen: subtle and complex, sometimes spicy but never fiery, it is fully competitive in quality with the city’s best restaurants. $$$ f

L“TheOSBestAMexican ZTECAS Food & Margaritas in Louisville” FOUR LOUISVILLE LOCATIONS:

530 W. Main St. • 502.561.8535 9207 U.S. Hwy. 42 502.228.2450

9606 Taylorsville Rd. 502.297.8003

1107 Herr Ln. 502.426.3994

Mon.-Thur. 11am-10pm • Fri. 11am-11pm Sat. Noon-11pm • Sun. Noon-9pm

www.losaztecas.net

CLUB SALSA Friday & Saturday 10:30pm-4am 530 W. Main St. – 2nd Floor Los Aztecas Mexican Restaurant 502.561.8535

“Taste The Rest Now Taste The Best!”

“Louisville’s Only Upscale Mexican Restaurant”

MEXICO TIPICO RESTAURANT 6517 Dixie Hwy., 933-9523. It’s a bit of a trip out to Pleasure Ridge Park for those who don’t live nearby, but this little neighborhood restaurant, one of the city’s longerestablished Mexican spots, offers good and authentic dishes. $ p e MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL 2001 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-1800, 1001 Breckinridge Ln., 893-6637.

“Welcome to Moe’s!” rings the merry shout of staff whenever anyone walks in the door. 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. $ OLMECAS 1582 Bardstown Rd., 454-0180. MexicanAmerican entrepreneur Saul Garcia, having built a loyal following for his family’s excellent mini-chain of Los Aztecas restaurants, now moves upscale.

Olmecas offers an attractive blend of style and fine Mexican Gulf Coast gourmet fare that includes, but goes well beyond, the usual tacos and burritos. $$ p f ON THE BORDER 10601 Fischer Park Dr., 412-2461.

From Dallas-based Brinker International, the food-service chain that also operates Chili’s and the Macaroni Grill, this contemporary spin on traditional favorites offers a range of delights from the Ultimate Fajita to margaritas in a setting that emulates Old Mexico décor. $$ p f PUERTO VALLARTA 4214 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 945-3588. $$ p QDOBA MEXICAN GRILL 1500 Bardstown Rd., 4543380, 970 Breckinridge Ln., 721-8100, 4059 Summit Plaza Drive, 429-5151, 100 Daventry Ln., 412-6202, 4302 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 941-9654. This chain operation boasts five local outlets plus more in Lexington and Frankfort. Fastfoodish in style, Qdoba edges out its competitors on the basis of variety and interesting salsas, plus sizable portions at a price you can afford. $ f RINCON LATINO 2840 Goose Creek Rd., 425-4548.

Truly authentic and ridiculously inexpensive fare attracts a largely Spanish-speaking clientele. This little spot offers one of the East End’s most appetizing Mexican options. $ ROSTICERIA LUNA 5213B Preston Hwy., 962-8898.

Tiny and cluttered and very friendly, this little spot on Preston looks like another tacqueria (and the tacos, in fact, are very fine), 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. $ 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. $

1582 Bardstown Road

(Corner of Bonnycastle & Bardstown Road)

(502) 454-0180 Open 7 Days M-Th: 5pm-10pm • Fri: 5pm-11pm Sat: Noon-11pm • Sun: Noon-9pm

Party Rooms Available 84 Winter 2005 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

TACQUERIA LA MEXICANA 6201 Preston Hwy., 969-4449. The tacos are fine at this tiny storefront, next door to a Latino grocery store.

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. $

TIJUANA FLATS BURRITO CO. 2420 Lime Kiln Ln. , 412-6700. Another entry in the growing niche of "fast casual Tex-Mex" eateries, specializing in burritos made from fresh ingredients while you wait. $$ TUMBLEWEED SOUTHWEST GRILL (19 locations) (see listing under Steakhouse)

MIDDLE EASTERN BABYLON 1971 Brownsboro Rd., 899-9100. With excellent if simple authentic Iraqi fare at rockbottom prices and an attitude that says “Welcome, we’re glad you’re here!” — plus belly dancing on weekends — Babylon offers a powerful reason to head straight for the East End and a meal at this charming little place. $ f CASPIAN GRILLE 4218 Bishop Ln., 479-6222.

Louisville boasts three Persian (Iranian) restaurants, a surprising number for a city our size. Caspian Grille is a worthy entry, with a good variety of affordable dishes that comprise a tasty sampling of Persian delicacies, including a variety of skewered kabob dishes and the rich Persian stew called Khoresht. $ f GRAPE LEAF 2217 Frankfort Ave., 897-1774. Yet another Middle Eastern eatery, yet another good inexpensive source of food on Frankfort Avenue. $ f OMAR’S GYRO 969 Baxter Ave., 454-4888. No matter whether you pronounce it “Ghee-ro” or “Gyro,” you won’t be disappointed with the classic Greek sandwich served at Omar’s Gyro, a tiny Highlands shop with a simple, short and inexpensive bill of fare that seldom fails to please. $ f SAFFRON’S 131 W. Market St., 584-7800. Majid Ghavami, a veteran of Casa Grisanti and Vincenzo’s, has elevated this Persian (Iranian) restaurant far beyond a mere ethnic eatery. It transcends its location, a small urban-renewal building, with stylish decor, an intriguingly exotic menu, and a level of careful, professional service worthy of a white-tablecloth dining room. $$$ p

MICROBREWERIES BLUEGRASS BREWING COMPANY 3929 Shelbyville Rd., 899-7070, 636 E. Main St., 584-2739, Theater Square. A must-stop destination for beer lovers on the national artisanal-brew trail, but it’s more than just a brewpub. BBC’s management gives equally serious attention to both liquid and solid fare, making this a great place to stop in for both dinner and a beer. $ p f e BROWNING’S BREWERY 401 E. Main St., (Slugger Field), 515-0174. Making beautiful use of the historic red-brick building that houses Slugger Field, Browning’s offers first-rate brewpub beers and tasty, informal fare that ranges from pub grub to pastas, to pizza. $$ p f e 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 hand-crafted artisan beers. $ f e RICH O’S PUBLIC HOUSE 3312 Plaza Dr., New Albany IN, 949-2804. Decent barbecue and pub grub make Rich O’s a popular hangout, and his remarkable beer list of more than 100 selections from around the world—and now locally brewed craft beers—attracts beer lovers from all over. $ e

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COFFEE HOUSE ARTISAN'S COFFEE CAFÉ 2415 Lime Kiln Ln., 4120360. In Glenview Plaza off US 42, Artisan’s offers fresh gourmet coffee espresso drinks, upscale teas and baked goods. Bring your portable computer and enjoy WiFi Internet access with your cappuccino. $ e ATOMIC SAUCER 1000 E. Oak St., 637-5399. $ BEAN STREET CAFÉ 2736 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 944-6262. New Albany’s first gourmet coffee shop, Bean Street, introduced the Sunny Side to the joys of serious espresso. Like all good coffee shops, it’s not just an eatery, but a cultural hangout with an IUS flavor. $ f CAFFE CLASSICO 2144 Frankfort Ave., 894-9689.

Not just another funky neighborhood coffee shop, Caffe Classico is sleek, modern and very European in style. Outstanding espresso drinks, teas and pastries are bolstered with a short lunch menu including fine panini, and it differs dramatically in mood and personality from many of its competitors. $ f CLEO’S COFFEE AND MORE Caesars Indiana Casino, Elizabeth, IN, 888-766-2648. Open 24 hours a day, the coffeeshop at Caesars serves hot and fresh java, breakfast orders, cutting board sandwiches, pastries and a hamburger as big and smile-provoking as a slot-machine payoff. $ COFFEE BEANERY 7900 Shelbyville Rd., (Oxmoor Center), 339-0738. $ COFFEE POT CAFÉ 234 E. Gray St. (Medical Tower South), 584-5282 $ f DAY’S ESPRESSO AND COFFEE BAR 1420 Bardstown Rd., 456-1170, 720 W. Main St., 5844932. Dark and cozy, with an old-fashioned feeling, Day’s Bardstown branch has everything you would expect in a college-neighborhood coffee shop except a college near by. $ f EXPRESSIONS OF YOU 1800A W. Muhammad Ali, 584-6886. $ f e HEINE BROTHERS COFFEE 2714 Frankfort Ave., 899-5551, 1295 Longest Ave., 456-5108, 2200 Bardstown Rd., 515-0380, 118 Chenoweth Ln., 893-5103. Spartan, friendly and affordable, with good coffee roasted on the premises and a short list of pastries, desserts and panini sandwiches, Heine Bros. has earned its outstanding local reputation. $ f e HIGHLAND COFFEE CO. 1140 Bardstown Rd., 4514545, 627 S. Fourth St., 540-9909. Offering two ways to get wired, this cozy neighborhood coffee shop also functions as one of Louisville’s top Internet cafes, where you can enjoy a hot cappuccino while you surf the ‘net in a WiFi hot spot. Funky Seattle-style ambience is a plus. $ f THE HOBKNOBB ROASTING CO. 3700 Paoli Pike, Floyds Knobs, IN, 923-1458. Said to be the Southern Indiana's first retail source of fresh roasted coffee beans, HobKnobb offers fresh hot coffee, espresso drinks and fresh baked pastries, cakes and cookies. $ f JAVA BREWING COMPANY 2910 Frankfort Ave., 893-6996, 9561B US Hwy 42, 292-2710, 516 W. Main St., 568-6339, 135 S. English Station Rd., 489-5677, Fourth Street Live, 561-2041, 4013 Dutchmans Ln., 895-3115. Another of Louisville’s many atmospheric coffee houses, this casual neighborhood spot boasts the comfortable ambience of a friendly old-fashioned book shop, with comfortable seating, a good selection of pastries, and quality coffee from Seattle. $

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PERKFECTION 359 Spring St., Jeffersonville, IN, 2180611. $ e STARBUCKS COFFEE (11 locations) $ f SUNERGOS COFFEE & MICRO-ROASTERY 2122 S. Preston St., 634-1243. 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, another in the growing cadre of espresso bars in Louisville's Germantown neighborhood. $

DESSERTS/BAKERY BAKELICIOUS 6915 Southside Dr., 363-9040. The region's first Asian bakery, offering goodies that Chinese-American families have heretofore had to travel to Chicago to find, Bakelicious offers a bewildering range of baked buns filled with curry meats, hot dogs, omelets, barbecue and custard. $ THE BAKERY 3100 Bardstown Rd., 452-1210. Not just a fine bakery but a place where bakers learn their business, this excellent establishment—like the nearby Winston’s—is part of the culinary program at Sullivan University. A recent renovation adds a touch of European style. The deli option is no more, but you can’t 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. $ DESSERTS BY HELEN 2210 Bardstown Rd., 451-7151, 9209 US Hwy. 42, 228-8959. Helen has enjoyed a local clientele in Prospect for years. Now a second location brings her sweet addition to the Highlands community, with elegant cakes, tempting pies and tortes and designer cookies. $ HEITZMAN TRADITIONAL BAKERY & DELI 9426 Shelbyville Rd., 426-7736, 428 W. Market St., 5842437. The Heitzman family has been baking in the Louisville 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. $ MAGIC CORNER BAKERY 335 W. Broadway (Camberley Brown Hotel), 583-1234. Pastry Chef Brian Logsdon has opened this gourmet bakery on the hotel's main floor, offering a variety of artisan breads, pastries and cakes during a fourhour window around midday. $ MY FAVORITE MUFFIN 3934 Taylorsville Rd., 4850518, 9800 Shelbyville Rd., 426-9645. All the muffins are made right in the store, including such popular choices as the Cinnamon Crumb and the Turtle Muffin, a double chocolate with caramel and pecans. $ 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 hand-decorated birthday cake, breakfast rolls or colorful cookies to be boxed. $ RAINBOW BLOSSOM BAKERY 311 Wallace Ave., 897-3648. Organic and vegan pastries, rolls, breads and cookies, all in the tradition of freshness, and healthiness. $ SWEET SURRENDER 1416 Bardstown Rd., 458-6363.

Some of the city’s best desserts and pastries are available at this first-rate pastry shop. Debbie Richter-Keller, featured in Southern Living magazine among other local and regional publications, has a way with Belgian chocolate that every sweet tooth should experience. $

JOE MUGGS 994 Breckenridge Ln., (Books-a-Million), 894-8606, 4300 Towne Center Dr., 426-2252. $ f

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Come out to any of our three convenient locations and experience one of Louisvilleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest dining traditions with our relaxing atmosphere, delectable foods and incredible list of fine wines.

1321 Bardstown Rd. Louisville, KY 40204 456 .1702 300 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy.

Louisville, KY 40227 426. 0627 614 W. Main St. Louisville, KY 40202 582.1995 Catering and banquet rooms are available at our Bardstown Road and Downtown locations.

www.bristolbarandgrille.com

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DOWNTOWN > DOWNTOWN

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NEAR EAST > HIGHLANDS/CRESCENT HILL

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EAST > ST. MATTHEWS

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SOUTH EAST > HIKES POINT/BUECHEL

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EAST > HURSTBOURNE N./LYNDON

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SOUTH EAST > HURSTBOURNE S./JEFFERSONTOWN

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7 > NORTH EAST > RIVER RD./BROWNSBORO RD.

MAP

8 > NORTH EAST > WESTPORT ROAD

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11 > SOUTH EAST > FERN CREEK

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SOUTH > AIRPORT/OKALONA

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SOUTH WEST > SHIVELY/PLEASURE RIDGE PARK

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INDIANA > NEW ALBANY/FLOYDS KNOBS

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WATCH ALL YOUR FAVORITE SPORTING EVENTS ON OUR

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106" LARGE SCREEN T.V.

Appetizers, Sandwiches, Salads & Pizza Drink Specials Daily Entertainment – Thur.-Sat. www.zazoosbarandgrill.com HOURS:

Mon.-Fri. 4-4 • Sat. & Sun. 12-4

102 Bauer Avenue • 894-8030 (between Frankfort Ave. & Lexington Rd across from Tom Payette Jaguar)

15 > INDIANA > CLARKSVILLE

(WITH 5 OTHER T.V.’s THROUGHOUT)

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PATIO DINING AVAILABLE FULL-SERVICE BAR LIVE MUSIC Thursday – Saturday

CATERING AVAILABLE DAILY LUNCH ESPECIALS

PARTY ROOM AVAILABLE

DINE IN ONLY

at our Dutchmans Lane location only Call 261-8232 for information.

MONDAY Speedy Gonzalez. . . . . . . . . . 4.25 Beef enchilada, beef taco, with mexican rice or refried beans.

Chicken Taquitos . . . . . . . . . 4.99 Laredo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.99 Bean burrito covered with cheese dip sauce, served with mexican rice and beans.

Nachos Supremos. . . . . . . . . 5.50

TUESDAY Numero Dos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.25 Beef burrito, mexican rice and refried beans.

Order of Tacos . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.25 Chicken or Beef (Three) Matamoros. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.50 Giant flour tortilla taco shell stuffed with seasoned chicken, lettuce, anejo cheese and sour cream, served with mexican rice and refried beans.

Juarez. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.25 Crispy corn tortilla, refried beans, chicken, lettuce, anejo cheese and mexican cream. Served with rice.

WEDNESDAY Numero Tres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.25 Cheese enchilada, bean burrito, and mexican rice.

Tijuana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.50 Two beef enchiladas served with rice or beans.

El Paso . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.99 Two giant chicken flautas topped with lettuce, cheese and mexican cream.

Served with rice.

Piedras Negras. . . . . . . . . . . . 5.25 Mashed potato burrito covered with cheese and delicious onion/tomato sauce, served with rice and beans.

THURSDAY Numero Uno . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.25 Taco, chile relleno, guacamole salad and beans.

Eagle Pass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.75 One beef burrito and One beef taco.

Calexico. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.75 Chicken mini chimichanga topped with cheese dip sauce, served with lettuce, sour cream and mexican rice.

Myquesadilla. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6.25 Large flour tortilla quesadilla-style stuffed with cheese and chicken served with lettuce, sour cream, cheese and pico de gall.

FRIDAY Crazy Taco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.75 Burrito Supremo. . . . . . . . . . 4.75 Beef burrito enchilada style with sour cream, lettuce, cheese and tomato.

Rio Grande . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.75 Chile poblano relleno with chihuahua cheese served with mexican rice and refried beans.

Reynosa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.50 Two chicken enchiladas served with lettuce, sour cream, cheese, and mexican rice.

mexican buffet Preston Hwy. – MON.- SUN. 11am-2pm Jeffersonville – MON.- FRI. 11am-2pm Look for our discount coupons in Valpak®.

FOUR LOUISVILLE AREA LOCATIONS:

7707 Preston Hwy. MONDAY - SUNDAY

11:00am - 10:30pm

962-5380 10602 Shelbyville Rd. MONDAY - SUNDAY

11:00am - 10:30pm

244-8889 6201 Dutchmans Ln. MONDAY - SUNDAY

11:00am - 10:30pm

893-9297 700 W. Riverside Dr. Ste. B (Jeffersonville, IN) MONDAY - SUNDAY

11:00am - 10:30pm

280-0032 LATINO DANCE NIGHTS (21 and over only please) FRI. & SAT. 11pm-4am Prices subject to change.

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HARDROCK.COM

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Anti-established in 1971 in London, Hard Rock Cafe has been serving up great tunes and even better tasting food for millions of rockers around the world. And we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t intend to stop anytime soon.

LOUISVILLE

LOCATED AT 4TH STREET LIVE

PHONE: 502-568-2202

l

424 SOUTH 4TH ST.

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