Winter 2005-06 (Vol. 11)

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WINTER 2006

PLUS

700 RESTAURANT

REVIEWS INSIDE!

SWEET! chocolate surrender

our love affair with chocolate

pastry chef profiles we introduce you to four sweet artists

$ 4 . 9 9 U. S .

just desserts

delicious meal-ending recipes

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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

2005 America’s Top 10 Seafood Houses

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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Choose Your Dealership

As Carefully as You Choose Your Car.

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Quality automobiles. Competitive prices. Outstanding service. Once you see all that the Sam Swope Auto Group has to offer you will understand why‌

Swope Discount AutoCenter I I-64 & S. Hurstbourne Parkway I Louisville, KY 40299

502-499-5000 I www.SamSwope.com

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WINTER 2006 PUBLISHER JOHN CARLOS WHITE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ROBIN GARR VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS DANIEL F. BOYLE COLUMNISTS ROGER A. BAYLOR JAY FORMAN ROBIN GARR RON JOHNSON DAVID LANGE JERRY SLATER CONTRIBUTING WRITERS MICHAEL L. JONES MARTY ROSEN CONTRIBUTING CHEFS BECKY BLIEDEN DEREK SPENDLOVE CHIEF RESTAURANT CRITIC ROBIN GARR CONTRIBUTING RESTAURANT CRITIC MARTY ROSEN CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER DAN DRY GRAPHIC DESIGN KATHY KULWICKI STEFAN TAMBURRO COPY EDITOR MARY W. JOHNSON ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES ANNETTE B. WHITE TOM SFURA

Food & Dining Magazine ® is published quarterly by Louisville Dining Magazine, Inc. P.O. Box 665, Louisville KY 40201 Single copies $4.99, Annual subscription rate $18.

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 f or misprints, typographical errors or misinformation. The opinions expressed herein are those of the writ ers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher. Food & Dining Magazine® and Louisville Dining Magazine Inc. are in no w ay 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 Desserts by Helen’s decadent chocolate raspberry cake topped with chocolate curls and fresh raspberries. Food styling

by Gary Bowman of The Blossom Shop.

Photo by Dan Dry

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contents

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WINTER 2006

FEATURES A LOVE AFFAIR WITH CHOCOLATE

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SWEET ARTISTS—PASTRY CHEFS

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BAKER’S MAN

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Who doesn’t love chocolate? Writer Marty Rosen tells us just about everything we need to know about the addictive stuff.

It has been said that the pastr y chef must be part scientist and part artist.We introduce you to four of the city’s best.

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44

Bread, the staff of life: Louisville boasts a healthy and diverse array of bakeries.We give you the guided tour.

COLUMNS NEWS AND NOTES COMINGS & GOINGS

Our comprehensive quarterly report keeps tab on local restaurant openings, closings, moves and changes.

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HUMOR SO WHY SHOULDN’T VEGGIES GLOW IN THE DARK?

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TRAVEL ROAD TRIP! New York

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LIQUIDS HOT CHOCOLATE

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CORK 101: Dessert Wines

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HIP HOPS: Closers

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SPIRITS:The Parting Glass

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RECIPES TOP CHEF RECIPES: Just Desserts

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RESTAURANT FAVORITES: Caramel Apple Cobbler

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Jay Forman, humor columnist and obligate carnivore, takes a skeptical look at fruits and vegetables.

Ron Johnson takes us on a gastronomic tour of the Big Apple.

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Nothing warms you up better than hot chocolate lik e Mom used to make.

Looking for an alternative to desserts? A luscious after-dinner wine fills the bill.

Looking for a nightcap that’s deliciously different? Roger Baylor recommends these hearty, warming beers.

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After-dinner cocktails can satisfy your sweet tooth with something less filling.

Sullivan University guest chefs share recipes for four delicious items.

Jack Fry’s shares its popular signature recipe.

RESTAURANT GUIDE DINING GUIDE

A comprehensive listing of 900+ restaurants with 700 reviews.

MAPS

Find all of the restaurants in our Dining Guide on 16 ar ea maps.

52 82

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news and notes

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&goings

comings

Every three months, Food & Dining reviews restaurant openings, closings and other dining-industry changes in the metro area during the past quarter. This time around, like the quarter before it, saw considerable activity, with the good news that openings (including more than 30 new-business starts and about 10 additional locations for existing businesses) again significantly outnumbered the bad news of 20 restaurant closings.

OPENINGS

As Food & Dining went to press, perhaps the loudest restaurant-news buzz of the season accompanied plans f or four hot new spots that were set to launch during the early months of the new year.

Par tners David Grace (once Jillian’ s GM) and Anthony Noland plan to open Raw Sushi Lounge around the end of February in the old Marmaduke Building, near the Seelbach Hotel at 500 S. Fourth Street. Shooting for an audience perhaps a bit more upscale and mature than the young crowd drawn by nearby Fourth Street Live, they’ll offer exotic sushi in a sophisticated, glitzy lounge atmosphere.

Speaking of upscale , the posh 21C Hotel, going into nicel y renovated older b uildings at 702 W. Main Street this spr ing, will house Proof On Main, a stylish spot from New York’s wellregarded Myriad Restaurant Group, featuring “American cuisine with Tuscan influences” and a fancy Bourbon bar.

Two hot spots coming soon in Crescent Hill are Danielle’s in the old O’Donnell Building, 2206 Frankfort Avenue, where Chef Allan Rosenberg, formerly Chef Anoosh Shariat’s chef de cuisine at Park Place, will open his o wn signature restaur ant; and the tentatively named Sweet Peas Southern, 2350 Frankfort Avenue, a second restaur ant for Christopher Seckman of the popular North End Café.

Coming soon in the b ustling East-of-Downtown arts district is Jenicca’s, 636 E. Market Street, a stylishly casual spot that metamorphoses from a coffee shop by day to a wine bar at night.

Sweet Peas Southern & North End Café’s Chef/Owner Christopher Seckman

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Returning lights and action to the restaur ant space in Actors Theatre of Louisville’ s historic building, welcome Intermezzo American Café & Cabaret, 316 W. Main Street.

Think history never repeats itself? Check out these five spots that recycle old favorites, to our delight:The next Kayrouz generation takes over where their parents left off with Kayrouz Café, in the tiny St. Matthews building that’s held a ser ies of eateries at 127 Wiltshire Avenue. Jockamo’s Pizza Pub , a longtime Highlands landmark (later replaced b y Za’s), gets a new star t at 983 Goss Avenue in Ger mantown. Lentini’s, 1543 Bardstown Road, bounces back from bankr uptcy with new o wners; Longino’s turns up intact at 1506 Ber ry Boulevard after closing its old quarters on Preston; and Pita Delights gives it a third try in the little house vacated by Papillon at 1616 Grinstead Drive.

Intriguing new ethnic spots include La Rosita Taqueria, rated by aficionadoes as one of the metro’s top authentic Mexican taco stands, tucked into the cor ner of Shireman’s Farm produce market at 2535 Charlestown Road.

Out Oldham County wa y, Steve-O’s Italian Kitchen is drawing attention with outstanding pizzas and other Italian-style fare at 4205 W. Highway 146, in the former home of Backwoods BBQ where Buckner meets LaGr ange. Taste Of Jamaica brings the color and spice of Jamaican fare back to to wn in the former Shemroun’s space at 2017 Brownsboro Road; and #1 Asian Buffet offers a big, glitzy room and an o versize if somewhat variable Asian-international buffet in the Mid-City

Danielle’s Chef/Owner Allan Rosenberg

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Mall, 1250 Bardstown Road. (A similar concept takes an offbeat twist with a f ew Louisiana-style choices that prompt the name Cajun Kitchen on a mostl y Chinese buffet at 4645 Outer Loop.)

Finally, although it’s never too late to correct the record, welcome Will and Laura Crawford’s year-old Westport General Store to our listings. It’s well worth the half-hour dr ive up the Ohio to this lovely bistro in the reno vated old grocery store at 7008 Highwa y 524 in the riverside village of Westport, Kentucky.

More additions, listed alphabetically: Aver’s Gourmet Pizza, 4610 Taylorsville Road; Brownie’s Grill & Bar , 237 Whittington Parkway; Camille’s Sidewalk Café, 2060 S. Hurstbourne Parkway; China 1, 123 Breckinridge Lane; Frontier Diner, 7299 Dixie Highwa y; Golden Palace Buffet, 161 Outer Loop; Groove Café, 1882 Blackiston Mill Road,Clarksville; Islamorada Fish Co ., 951 E. Lewis & Clark Parkway, Clarksville; Jake’s & Mr .

G’s, 10432 Shelbyville Road; Macvittie’s, 106 Sears Avenue; Prado’s Pizza, 12935 Shelbyville Road, and Zap’s, 423 W. Muhammad Ali Boulevard.

CHANGES

Topping the list of local spots expanding into additional locations, the deservedly popular Saffron’ s establishes a second presence as the all-y ou-can-eat, lunch-only Saffron’s Buffet, in the former Manoosh’s at 558 S. Fifth Street.

In New Albany, the owners of La Rosita Taqueria are opening a second branch in the former California’s at 1515 E. Market Street.

Saffron’s Owner Majid Ghavami

PHOTO BY DAN GOLDBERG

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Other such additions include new iterations of Asian Buffet, 3646 Mall Road; Beef O’Brady’s, 105 Lafollette, New Albany; Coffee Crossing, 13825 English Villa Drive and 4212 Char lestown Road; Panera Bread, 1040 Veterans Parkway, Clarksville; Rocky’s Italian Grill, 10206 Westport Road, and Royal Garden, 6801 Dixie Highway.

Over in New Albany, Bean Street Café moved about three blocks down the pike, from 3003 to 2736 Charlestown Road.

Three local spots changed their names: Windy City Pizz eria, 2622 S. Fourth Street, changed its name from Queenie’s to better reflect its emphasis on thick, hearty Chicago-style pizza; and two Chinese restaurants picked new monikers.

Harvest Moon, 10476 Shelbyville Road, became Ling Ling, while Imperial Palace, 5316 Bardstown Rd., became Royal Garden.

CLOSINGS

The abrupt closing of Furlongs, 2350 Frankfort Avenue, deprived Crescent Hill of a longtime Cajun-Creole fa vorite, although it had been reported slipping in recent months.

Other particularly regrettable closings involved Manoosh’s, 558 S. Fifth Street, where lunch b usiness had been br isk but management repor tedly found it profoundly difficult to lure hungry crowds the block over from b usier Fourth Street.

Perhaps discovering that Greek cuisine was simply too “ethnic” for the chain-eater y style of the far East End, Nik’s Riviera Café shut down at 1915 Blank enbaker Parkway; and Benny Impellizeri’s pizzeria at 808 Lyndon Lane was open f or such a short time that passers-by who blinked too long may have missed it entirely.

Other eateries that w e really wish we could have kept around: Shemroun’s Persian Grill, 2017 Brownsboro Road; Twiams Chicken & Waffles, 2517 Dixie Highway, Bakelicious, the charming if hard-to-find little Hong Kong/ Vietnamese bakery at 6915 Southside Drive; La Petit Patisserie, the equally charming French-style pastr y-and-coffee shop in Ger mantown at 1036 E. Burnett Avenue, and the excellent but perhaps too isolated Figaro’s Pizzeria, 16201 Eastwood Cut-Off Road.

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Anchor Inn, which never seemed to quite find its niche in the f ormer Abruzzi space, finally sputtered to a halt 1500 Evergreen Road in Anchorage; we hope another restaurant will eventually settle in its pretty, park-like setting.

A moment of silence for these other closed spots, listed alphabetically: Big Ben’s Barbeque, 1331 E. Eighth Street, Jeffersonville; California’s Coffee House, 1515 E. Market Streeet, New Albany; Country Kitchen, 1506 Berry Boulevard; Dixie Cup Café , 4637 Dixie Highwa y; Gourmet Grazing, 9550 U.S. 42; Highlands Taproom, 1279 Bardstown Road; Holly’s Legal Str eet, 715 W. Jefferson Street; Jabber’s Family Sports Grill, 6121 Bardstown Road; Lindy’s, 5110 Preston Highwa y, and Roadway Wings, 708 Cecil Avenue.

Finally, Bazo’s Fresh Mexican Grill closed its Middleto wn eatery at 12401 Shelbyville Road, and the Beef O’Brady’s chain abandoned its St. Matthews property at 106 Sears Avenue.

A SAD FINAL NOTE

Gail Schwartz, co-owner of Louisville’s Artemisia restaurant, died January 7th after a long battle with cancer . Gail was one of the people in the Louisville restaurant community who people seemed to genuinely appreciate. She’ll be missed.

Expressions of sympath y may be directed to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society c/o Finance Department, 1311 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY 10605, www.LLS.org/donate. F&D

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Burgers, Pastas, Salads, Steaks and More!

For any reason that you can think of to get family and friends together, Max & Erma’s is the one-size-fits-all, come as you are, good food, good times place that everyone can agree on!

Hurstbourne 2901 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy Artemisia’s co-owner Gail Schwartz

The Summit Brownsboro Road at Gene Snyder www.foodanddiningmagazine.com Winter 2006

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humor fruits and veggies

BY JAY FORMAN

so why shouldn’t veggies

glow in the dark?

I

t is no secret that guys a void eating fruits and vegetables whenever possible.

And who can b lame them? Fr ankly, eating produce can be extremel y dangerous. Nature has spent millions of years equipping her plants with hor rifying ways of protecting themselves from animals seeking a snack. Since modern humans have only been around f or 150,000 years or so , plants have the home-court advantage when it comes to self-defense.

And I’m not just talking about rare and exotic flora from deep in the hear t of the Amazon rainforest. Ordinary, everyday produce, if left to its own nefarious devices, can kill a man. So you like apricots? Did you know that their pits contain cy anide?

Potatoes can dev elop dangerous lev els of solanine, a toxic alkaloid. Rhubarb leaves contain high levels of oxalates, but this doesn’t really matter because nobody really knows what rhubarb is used for, anyway.

Even the har mless-seeming tomato was thought to be poisonous until w ell into the 19th centur y, and with good reason: Tomatoes belong to the same family as deadly nightshade. Therefore, the male urge to resist green things on his plate might actuall y be rooted in an unconscious, primitive, and potentially very sensible fear rather than per sonal taste. In the face of such per il, junk food suddenly makes more sense: A Twinkie might not be good for you, but it is not going to kill you. At least, not right away.

Bearing in mind the ob vious threat that vegetables pose, I am not ashamed to say that I’m in fa vor of geneticall y modified foods. For me, the main issue about bioengineered crops is not so much the mor ality of it: I’d eat a potato with a curly tail if it tasted like applesmoked bacon. Rather, my problem is that the big companies don’t seem willing to modify their crops in a wa y that appeals to me personally.

If the scientists w ere really smart, they’d figure out a wa y to have all fr uits

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come in banana form.The banana is, after all, one of nature’s best-designed foods. It has a nice , protective outer coating that doubles as a wrapper and a handle.There are no bother some seeds to spit out or cores to eat around, no fruity goo or stickiness to deal with (unless y ou are especially uncoordinated, in which case you should probably eat your fruit out of a tiny jar with a picture of a bab y on the label). Bananas boast intuitive controls, are very affordable, and taste pretty good.

If Japanese engineers ever sat down to design a fruit, they would come up with the banana. Whereas if German engineers ever sat do wn to design a fr uit, they would come up with the ar tichoke: heavily armored, dangerous, confusing and expensive … and not reall y a fruit. If you, the consumer, ever complained that the artichoke was not really working for you, that would be your problem, not theirs.

Now consider the mango. Personally, I think the mango is the best-tasting fruit out there. In fact, I do not see ho w anyone could not lik e a mango . But the prob lem with mangoes is they are slimy to peel and they have a large, confounding seed.

Complicating the issue is that there is really no strict demarcation between where the edible flesh ends and the seed begins, like you’ve got with an a vocado (arguably the Lexus LS300 of the fr uit kingdom).

Now, imagine if y ou could peel a mango like a banana and eat the whole damn thing. No muss, no fuss, all mango.

That would be the perfect marriage of taste and design. That’s the direction Monsanto should point its R&D depar tment. Something like that would just fly off the shelves. And if it happens to glow in the dark, so much the better. But of cour se, they never bothered to ask me .

Given the sorry state of men’s eatinggreen-stuff instinct, it’s probably just as well that men have women in their lives, periodically haranguing them to eat their fruits and vegetables. Here in the South, it is said that the only way to get rednecks to

eat fruit is to hide it in b locks of marshmallow-encrusted JELL-O. The idea is that the redneck sees a tempting, jiggly, candy-like cube, instinctively reaches for it, stuffs it into his mouth and—Whammo!— He’s been tricked into eating a couple of grapes.

In fact, if it weren’t for women, most guys would think that the produce section of the super market was just f or decoration—a mildly pleasant, colorful bit of scenery on the wa y to the deli counter.

Without girlfriends, mothers, and wives, the vast American vegetableindustrial complex w ould collapse faster than a post-Hallo ween jack-o-lantern.

That’s Monsanto’s Achilles heel. How do I know this? Look at the proof: Miniwatermelons, last year’s biggest fr uit sensation. They resonated with consumer s on many levels.They were practical, in that they could f it in a refr igerator produce drawer. They were seedless, which made eating them less of a mess.

They only required 1/3 the amount of v odka as regulation-sized watermelons in order to work properly.

But the biggest reason wh y they flew off the shelv es was simple—w omen thought they were cute. Call it the Teacup Chihuahua Effect. But whatever you call it, one thing is clear—those big companies aren’t looking to guys to fatten up their bottom line. We’re too smar t for them.

We’ll stick with the Twinkies, thank you very much. F&D

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travel road trip

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BY RON JOHNSON

New York, NY I

f you don’t think of New York City as a road trip destination f or Louisvillians, you might want to re-think y our definition of “road.” So many of us mak e the trek these days that we’re supporting 16 daily non-stop flights from the Derb y City to Gotham. A scant tw o hours away by air, the Big Apple is America’s greatest city. Briefly down but never out after the tragedy of 9/11, New York City has rebounded as the ultimate weekend tourist destination. The hotels are full, the museums are packed, and the city’s restaurant scene has never been better.

New York is America’s most important restaurant city: Nearly every great development in American cuisine happened there.

Thanks to a huge multi-ethnic population, the country’s largest creative class and nearly immeasurable wealth, New York City is that unique place where nothing is off-limits or out-of-bounds. You want chocolate sauce with fish? You’ve got it. How about awardwinning sushi at 3 a.m.? You’ve got it.

Lavender donuts? Braised goat hear ts with cumin? A $28 dollar foie gras hamburger?

Check. Check. Check. If you can dream it up, you can probably order it.

The upside to this frenzied melting pot of culinary traditions and cutting-edge ingenuity is a restaur ant scene so div erse and of such high quality that dining options are virtually limitless. You cannot afford to waste a meal dur ing a w eekend in New York. Sound overwhelming? Not reall y. As long as you skip the tourist traps that litter Times Square and m uch of Midtown, you are bound to f ind one good meal after

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another. Jump on the subwa y to a nearb y outer borough station, and you’ll find bargains to boot.

If the most impor tant meal of the day is breakfast, don’t waste it on an o verpriced room-service meal. Those in the know head way up to the Upper West Side for lox and eggs at Barney Greengrass.

The Nova lox scrambled with eggs is a favorite, and celebrity sightings are not unusual. A more genteel en vironment is found at Balthazar. A spot-on reproduction of a classic Parisian Bistro, Balthazar is almost too cro wded at night when Manhattan hipsters vie for seats on the red leather banquettes. At breakfast, when excellent French pastries and sophisticated egg dishes dominate the bill of fare , the scene is inf initely more pleasant and subdued. For those with a mor ning sweet tooth, the only way to go is do wn to the Lower East Side for a visit to the Donut Plant. This is the place f or serious donutphiles. The oversize, square jelly donut features artisan-quality preserves nestled in each corner rather than in the middle, so a squirt of jam is guar anteed in every bite.

A logical lunch choice in New York is pizza. Given that an entire style of pizza is named after the city , it’s no w onder that slices are available on nearly every corner.

The best pizzeria in New York is DiFara’s in Midway, Brooklyn. A pleasant r ide to Avenue J on the subway will drop you steps from DiFara’s, where you can see Dominic DiMarco at work making the same pizzas he’s been selling f or 50 y ears. Both Neapolitan and twice-bak ed, thick-crust

Sicilian pies are a vailable here. Dominic is fanatical about using the best quality cheese and ingredients. Try the ar tichoke and sausage pie if it’ s available. Second place is a toss-up (no pun intended) betw een Patsy’s, Totonno’s, and Lombardi’s. All three are old-school, and use the famous coal-fired ovens.Totonno’s requires a bit of a trek, as it is all the wa y out b y Coney Island. Patsy’s is located in rapidly gentrifying Spanish Harlem at 2nd Avenue and 117th Street. A relative newcomer is 28 Carmine, located in Greenwich Village at the address indicated by its name . Run by a band of brothers from Naples, this tiny pizzeria sells only authentic Neapolitan pies baked quickly in a w ood-burning oven. English is barely spoken, and service is spotty at best, but the pizzas are delicious.

Ethnic eats are the real strength of New York’s culinary scene, and unfortunately the best eateries are largely ignored by most mainstream media. This may be because most of these restaurants are located in the outer boroughs; but with the city’s fast and excellent subway system, Queens, Brooklyn and the Bronx are easily reachable destinations. In Queens, Sripriphai has been turning out shockingly good and spicy Thai food for more than a decade . The fried watercress salad and por k laab are both standout dishes. Also in Queens, Ali’s Kebab Café is the mecca f or lovers of Middle Eastern food and offal. Ali, the affable Egyptian owner, presides over this tiny restaurant and provides hospitality that makes you feel as if you’ve been invited into his living room.The best plan of action

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is to eschew the men u and simply ask Ali to cook for your table. Course after course of sumptuous dishes will keep coming until you have to beg him to stop. For the more adventurous diner, Ali will prepare an entire meal of offal, including kidneys, hearts, livers and any other part of the lamb or goat that you are willing to tr y.

Chinese food is in a categor y by itself in New York. Forget what you know about Chinese food when y ou step f oot in Manhattan’s Chinatown, and allow yourself to try some reall y authentic cuisine . The best place f or such an exper ience is Canton Garden.The menu is lengthy, but full of interesting and extremel y tasty dishes that just can’t be found in Louisville.

Another good option is Dim Sum Go Go, which is slightly more accessible to the average Joe looking for good Chinese food.

For those wanting the real dim sum experience in lieu of a weekend brunch, try Pings.

Chances are you’ll be seated with a Chinese family at one of the lar ge round tab les where you might lear n the name f or some of the delicacies that are offered from carts rolled to your side.

Although not located in Chinato wn, another worthy Chinese restaurant is Grand Sichuan International . It has multiple locations in Manhattan, but the best tw o are on 9th Avenue and 2nd Avenue in the mid-fifties.This is real Sichuan cuisine, fiery hot and comf orting, especially on a chilly New York evening.

For most, New York City is synon ymous with Italian f ood. There is a lot of truth to that belief. Whether it be oldschool red-sauce joints like the Flash Inn, or cutting-edge cuisine from specific regions of Italy like the Alto Adige, New York is full of great Italian restaurants.The Flash Inn in Harlem is just across the br idge from Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, and has long been a hangout for baseball players and wiseguys. Speaking of Yankee Stadium, it is the name of the greatest sandwich in New York. Mike’s Deli sells the so-named sandwich from a counter in the rear of the Italian Market in the all-Italian neighborhood on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx. Just make sure you ask for a hero or roll, not a sandwich. I made the mistak e of asking for the sandwich and caught a lot of good-natured ribbing from the tough guys behind the counter. A hint on New York sandwich terms: a hero is a bigger version usually enough f or two, while a roll is smaller and ser ved one well.

The hottest Italian restaur ant in New York is undoubtedl y Babbo. Mario Batali

operates the flagship of his restaurant empire from a beautifully restored carriage house in the Village. Signature dishes like mint love letters in spicy r agu share the men u with inspired Italian fare such as beef cheek ravioli and war m lamb’s tongue salad.

Reservations are extremel y difficult to obtain, but well worth the effort. For those interested in a slightly more casual exper ience, Lupa served the food of Rome in a cozy setting just north of Soho. Also run by Chef Mario, Lupa is quickl y becoming as popular as Babbo and represents even more of a bargain.When money is not a concer n, most folks head to San Domenico for Italian fare. Located on Central Park South, this swank Italian eatery is more traditional than the downtown competition.The truffle menu is amazing, and breathtakingly priced.

I am al ways inclined to f ollow the locals when seeking great restaur ants in a new city. In the case of New York, most locals head to Hearth. This warm and inviting restaurant in the hear t of the East

“

A few chefs have come and gone, but the menu has always been pure Ducasse with prices to prove it. This is not a cheap restaurant, but the f ood is exquisite and the service surprisingly friendly for being so polished.The wine list is extraordinary, but do not be shock ed to f ind many bottles priced well-ahead of a decent used car. Running neck and neck with Alain Ducasse are Jean-Georges and Le Bernardin. The former is named f or chef-owner Jean Geor ges Vongerichten, and it has solidl y maintained its w elldeserved four-star New York Times rating since it opened. Vongerichten plays with Asian flavors and ingredients in dishes built on tr aditional French technique and bold fusion concepts. The Le Ber nardin menu reads like a love song to the sea.

Chef Eric Ripert features seafood in his highly polished and w ell-conceived cuisine. Pristine fish and shellfish come to the table in perf ect sauces in his m ulticourse meals.

Just behind these top three are solid contenders that can match or ev en surpass the leaders on any given night. Daniel Boulud has become justly famous for his restaur ant Daniel, his Café Boulud and his more casual DB Bistro Moderne, where a $28 foie gras selection anchors the menu.

At Daniel the service can be stuffy, but the room is breathtaking and there is no mistaking Boulud’s cuisine f or anything other than pure genius. More imaginative is David Bouley, whose restaurant Bouley avoids the familiar environs of Midtown and the Upper East Side for more spacious digs downtown. Bouley’s food is slightly more aggressive than one would expect in such a toney restaur ant, but it is ref ined and delicious at the same time. A final nod in this categor y should go in the direction of March. Located in a quaint townhouse on Sutton Place , March features the exuberant multi-course tasting men us of Chef Wayne Nich. Often overlooked, March is both a very romantic restaurant and a very good one.

This list is far from complete . There are countless other excellent dining options in the Big Apple, and part of the fun is finding your own favorites. Someone once asked me what I do f or fun in New York. “Eat,” I simply replied. Incredulous, my friend asked about the Broadwa y shows, the museums, and the sight-seeing. “Who has time f or that?” I said. So many restaurants, so little time. F&D

New York is America’s most important restaurant city: Nearly every great development in American cuisine happened there.

”

Village is where most serious foodies in Manhattan return for comforting Tuscaninspired cuisine. Chef Marco Canor a cut his teeth at Gr amercy Tavern and Cr aft under celebrated restaurateurs Danny Meyer and Tom Colicchio. He learned his lessons well. Fairly priced and imaginative, the menu is full of gems lik e feathery gnocchi lightly dusted in gr ated cheese; grilled octopus, and savory roasted v eal breast. The wine list f eatures artisan producers from Europe and the United States, and many bottles are sur prisingly affordable. Another destination for locals is Landmarc in Tribeca where the hanger steak and frisee salad are usually on every table and for good reason.

Of course, no list of New York restaurants is complete without naming the all-stars. New York has long been home to the white table-clothed, French inspired temples of haute cuisine. Over the years, the names have changed and a f ew old favorites have quietly closed their doors, but high-end dining will nev er go out of style in a to wn like New York. Alain Ducasse graced America with his presence when he opened Alain Ducasse Ne w York in the Essex Hotel a f ew years ago.

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about food chocolate

BY MARTY ROSEN | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

CHOCO

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OLATE C

hocolate may be the most universally loved foodstuff in the world. It’s been used as both currency and confection.

Americans eat more than three billion pounds of it a y ear, spending more than $14 billion on the addictiv e stuff; worldwide, it’s a $60 billion industry. Scientists tout chocolate as both a healthful anti-oxidant and a mood-lifting anti-depressant.

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about food chocolate

R

omantics claim that chocolate is an aphrodisiac—no other f ood is so closely associated with love.

Everyone can appreciate it: A simple chocolate bar lights up the faces of unsophisticated children, while the more complex varieties intrigue the palates of jaded connoisseurs. And just as trendsetting consumers now seek ev er more interesting flavors in wine, cheese, beer, and bread, chocolate-lovers likewise are looking for ever more intense chocolate experiences. This issue we examine chocolate: its origins, history, science, manufacture, and—most important—how to buy and taste it.

Origins and History Linguistic evidence tr aces chocolate’s beginnings to the ancient Americas. By around 1000 B.C. the Olmecs had domesticated the cacao tree, Theobroma cacao— Theobroma, by the way, translates as “fruit of the gods. ” Historical linguists ha ve traced the w ord kakawa back to the Olmecs, and it’s clear that they passed along both the w ord and the secret of cultivating chocolate to the Ma yans, for whom chocolate became the stuff of myth, ritual and commerce.

Surviving manuscripts, vases, murals and evidence from royal gravesites of classic Mayan culture (250 A.D. to 800 A.D.) depict elabor ate and var ied rituals around chocolate, suggesting that the Mayans worshipped a cacao god. Royal families valued cacao enough to ensure that their tombs w ere often stocked with cacao and the equipment necessar y to make and ser ve chocolate dr inks in the afterlife. Mayan heaven offered no fudge or brownies, though, because for the Mayans—and for everyone for hundreds of years to come—chocolate was, like coffee and tea, consumed as a beverage.

By 1519, when Cortez reached Tenochtitlán, the Aztec capital that we now know as Mexico City , Mayan culture had given way to the cultur ally diverse Aztec Empire and its elaborate network of commercial relationships. The title of one scholarly dissertation describes the time of 18 Winter 2006 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

BY MARTY ROSEN | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

the Aztecs as “When Money Grew On Trees,” because the Aztecs didn’t just eat and drink their cacao, they also used cacao beans as cash. Cacao was used to pa y wages and debts, and the beans w ere treasured and protected like cash. In The True History of Chocolate , author Sophie Coe reports that the storehouses where the Aztec rulers kept their cacao beans had all the trappings of a modern Fort Knox.

Chocolate didn’t immediately capture the fancy of Europeans, but when a group of Dominican monks took a delegation of Guatemalans to meet Prince Philip of Spain in 1544, they brought along chilies and quetzal f eathers … and some chocolate, too. By the end of that centur y, hot chocolate—usually sweetened with sugar and mix ed with spices lik e anise, cinnamon, black pepper or chilies—was rising in popularity in the courts and monasteries of Spain. It was not onl y a treat, but a medicine that could cure fevers and intestinal disorder s, as well as stimulating sexual desire , suggesting that chocolate may have been the f irst Viagra.

Over the next 50 y ears, chocolate as a beverage would spread through Europe, to Italy, France, the Habsburg Empire, and Britain. Along the wa y it w ould stimulate ecclesiastical controversies that would engage generations of Roman Catholic clergy.Was it a food or a drink? This was of vital importance for chocolate lovers, since if it was f ood, it couldn’t be consumed on fast days or during Lent.

While that mor al dilemma preoccupied the cler ical minds of Europe , another moral conundrum would only slowly rise to the surface of the Western conscience: Cultivating chocolate is an intensely laborious business, and when the conquered population of Centr al America died off, labor was in short supply. The colonial solution was slavery, of course, and chocolate became one of the l ynchpins of the “Three Way Trade,” which sent manufactured goods to Africa, where it was bartered for slaves, who were transported to plantations in the Americas, where they could work the fields and har vest cotton, chocolate, and other good things, which could then complete the tr iangle by being sent to consumers in Europe.

As the colonial powers of Europe became increasingly addicted to chocolate, they distributed its cultivation to other parts of the w orld, especially Africa, which now produces more than half the world’s cacao, much of it in the Iv ory Coast, and the islands of the Indian Ocean.

Meanwhile, the middle-class population of Europe grew in economic clout—and perhaps no drink is as closely associated with the r ise of the bourgeoisie in Spain and Fr ance as hot chocolate. During the 1700s, Sophie Coe repor ts, in Madrid alone the guild of chocolate gr inders numbered 150 members. Chocolate was consumed throughout the da y, and chocolate grinders (who ser ved a six-y ear apprenticeship) traveled from house to house, grinding chocolate on the premises. In Italy, chocolate began to be used in puddings, cakes, sorbets—even in such exotic dishes as sliced liv er, dipped in chocolate , floured, and fried.

Chocolate was used, too, to cover the taste of poison. Pope Clement IV was, it is believed, assassinated by poisoned chocolate. In France and England, respectively, such luminaries as Voltaire and Jonathan Swift were chocophiles. By the middle of the nineteenth centur y, the Swiss chemist Henr i Nestle w ould invent a method f or making po wdered milk through evaporation, and in 1879 the Swiss chocolatier Daniel Peter used that powder in milk-chocolate bars, creating the moder n revolution in chocolate making.

At the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893, Milton Hershey, a maker of caramel candy, got a glimpse of European chocolatemaking machinery in an exhibit. After the fair ended, he bought the equipment and started making chocolate coatings f or his candy. Later, after a visit to Europe , he got out of the caramel business altogether and built a massiv e milk chocolate factor y, supplied with milk b y his o wn herd of Holsteins in P ennsylvania and his o wn sugar mill in Cuba.

While mass-market chocolates proliferated around the world during the twentieth century, gourmet chocolate makers were meeting the needs of

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Café Metro’s Concorde— alternating layers of chocolate mousse and chocolate meringue topped with curls of chocolate meringue.

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connoisseurs in Fr ance, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, and, by the end of the century, in America as well.

Over the last 10 y ears, just as Americans have become increasingl y fascinated by wines, cheeses, beers, and breads, they have also begun to search out new and more interesting chocolates.

Artisanal makers are rising to meet that demand with inno vative products that promise intense and interesting flavors.

Science Apart from its taste , chocolate has always been a subject of scientif ic and medical interest. When it was f irst introduced to Europe , physicians and natural philosophers touted its medicinal value, its ability to stim ulate both the intellect and the libido , its ability to cure digestive ills, freshen the breath, clear the mind, and heal all manner of ills.

What does modern science tell us?

As it tur ns out, those early philosophers weren’t far from the tar get.

We now know that chocolate contains the alkaloids caffeine and theobromine and the hormone serotonin.

The alkaloids, like those in coff ee and tea, promote blood circulation and centr al nervous system activity . Depending on how it’s brewed, a cup of coff ee contains perhaps 150 milligrams of caffeine, a cup of tea perhaps half that, and a cup of hot cocoa perhaps 25 milligrams of caffeine—a small dose, but still enough to ha ve an effect. Serotonin is associated with inducing positive changes in one’ s outlook. And though the scientif ic evidence f or chocolate’s aphrodisiac powers remains unclear, it’s been par t of chocolate lore for 500 years or so—and wh y not? If stimulation and high spirits can’t generate a little love, what can?

As for its other dietar y effects, chocolate is high in stear ic acid, which is known to lo wer cholesterol lev els (hey, why not chocolate-coated Lipitor!). It’s known to reduce lev els of bad (LDL) cholesterol. And most important, cacao beans contain the most concentr ated levels of anti-o xidants found in nature— and anti-oxidants are strongl y associated with suppressing compounds that are known to damage cells in the body.What’s more, the darker the chocolate , the

higher the concentration of antioxidants. Dark chocolate contains twice as many units of anti-oxidants per 100 grams as milk chocolate, and even milk chocolate outstrips the next f oodstuff on the list: prunes.

For folks who prefer their drugs more recreational, chocolate is also kno wn to contain cannabinoid compounds (y es, the word is der ived from cannabis) and compounds similar to those f ound in the illegal drug Ecstasy.

Food for the gods, indeed. And best of all, it’s legal.

Making Chocolate There are sev eral varieties of the cacao tree, but the onl y one that m uch matters for chocolate lovers is Theobroma cacao. T. cacao breaks down into three important subspecies: Forastero, Criollo, and a h ybrid called Trinitario. Forastero accounts for about 80 percent of the global cacao crop; Criollo 5-10 percent, and Trinitario 10-15 percent. Forastero is the easiest subspecies to cultivate and work—and it will come as no surprise that its beans have a rather simple, onedimensional flavor. Criollo trees are considered closest to the original wild T. Cacao species.Though it’s a sensitive critter, prone to all manner of disease and nev er produces as big a harvest as the Forastero, it rewards those who cultivate it with notably superior flavor. Trinitario trees are more robust than Cr iollo, with a fla vor profile that—as with any good hybrid— mixes the char acter of Cr iollo and Forastero.

In their tropical setting, the trees produce flowers, buds, and fruits throughout the y ear. The fruit, a roughtextured pod that looks rather like a greenyellow-orange winter squash, contains a sweet pulp and a few dozen bitter seeds.

The seeds—the cacao beans—are placed in earthen pits or w ooden crates, mixed with the pulp, covered (usually with banana leaves), fermented for five or six days, then dried in the sun for a couple of weeks.

After this process, the beans are shipped to chocolate mak ers around the world for roasting—the essential process that turns the beans into chocolate—and crushing and grinding, a process that separates the inedib le fragments (the

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shell, for instance) from the edib le pieces, called nibs.

The nibs, which these da ys can be purchased as-is in specialty shops, are crunchy and bitter ; they’re about 54% cacao butter (a waxy, sensuous, ivory colored fat with v ery little taste—cacao butter is processed with sugar , milk, and vanilla to make white chocolate) and 46% cacao solids, the dark intensely flavored stuff that gives chocolate its flavor.The nibs may be bitter, but their taste is the essence of chocolate, and their fla vor is highl y addictive. Chocolate makers bring together a b lend of nibs—usuall y from different sources, based on the desired flavor profile—and grind them into the liquid paste called cacao liquor. During the grinding process, called conching, other desired ingredients are also incor porated: sugar, vanilla, or milk, for instance. The end product can then be shipped to candy manufacturers in liquid f orm or shaped into pistoles (tin y kiss-shaped pieces, for use by bakers) or bar s, to be shipped f or further processing or sold directl y to consumers.

Each step in the manufacturing process bears on quality , but artisanal chocolate makers are par ticularly concerned with careful roasting, meticulous blending of chocolate and other ingredients, and conching: longer conching usuall y corresponds to more luxur iant textures and flavors.

Buying and Tasting Supermarket checkout aisles brim with candy bars, most of which are either chocolate or chocolate coated. Gourmet shops offer chocolates from Belgium, Berkeley, (California), Switzerland, France, Italy, and increasingly from Centr al and South America and Africa. For chocolate lovers, the proliferation of choices is no burden. A bar of ev en the most elegant chocolate doesn’t come close to the pr ice tag you’ll find on a bottle of decent wine or single-malt Scotch. Once you’ve moved beyond mass-market candy bar s, the only important measure of quality is your own palate—and in chocolate , as in wine and whiskey, your palate will change as it grows more educated. And when it comes to self-improvement projects, think about it: what could possib ly be more fun than to

Sweet Surrender’s Belgian chocolate brownies.

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spend some time systematicall y educating yourself about chocolates?

Here’s how to go about it: Be systematic. No matter what y ou’re tasting, wine, Scotch, cheese, or chocolate, it makes sense to have a system.

Two strategies suggest themselves: First, you could taste a var iety of chocolates from a single mak er. Within any line of good chocolates—sa y Scharffen Berger (Berkeley, California), Lindt (Switzerland), Michel Cluizet (France), Perugina (Italy), or Jamieson’s (Mt. Sterling, Kentucky), the chocolates will fall into categories ranging from milk chocolate—a light colored chocolate in which perhaps 30 percent of the w eight comes from the cacao bean, and the rest comes from sugar (b y volume usually the largest non-cacao ingredient in chocolate), milk powder and other i ngredients—to very dark chocolates with as m uch as 90 percent cacao bean content. As the percentage of cacao content r ises, the other ingredients decline, and the impression of sweetness is less.Though some of the best high-end chocolate mak ers (Scharffen Berger, Lindt, Cluizel, and Jamieson’s, for instance) specifically identify the percentage of cacao content, most do not, preferring to use descr iptive terms like “milk,” “semi-sweet,” “bittersweet,” and “unsweetened,” “bitter,” or “baking” chocolate. For eating out of hand, many connoisseurs value the increasingly intense flavors and aromas that come with higher cacao content. And for chefs who are trying to calibr ate the sw eetness of their dishes, the more inf ormation they ha ve about the sugar content of the chocolate , the more precisel y they can control the flavor profile of the finished dish.

To get a sense of what happens to flavor as sw eetness drops and chocolate content rises, start with the sw eeter chocolates and proceed to the more bitter varieties.Taste along the spectrum of cacao content, perhaps by trying the Cluizel chocolates (available in a n uanced broad range of increments—99%, 85%, 66%, 65%, 50%, and so f orth, as well as chocolates harvested from single estates) or the Jamieson’s chocolates (perhaps compar ing the 47%, 60% and 70% chocolates).

Once you’ve established your comfort zone in terms of cacao content, it’s time to start tasting across mak ers. Assemble an assortment of 60 percent cacao chocolates from local gourmet shops (or head to the

Internet, where an enor mous variety of artisan chocolates can be ordered from sources around the countr y and around the world) and star t comparing makers.

What should you look for as you taste a variety of chocolates?

First: how do they look? Fine chocolate should ha ve a b urnished glow that suggests freshness and careful, luxuriant processing; its outer texture should have fine, smooth appearance— unless it’s a specialty chocolate , like some of the r ustic Mexican chocolates that are starting to appear in gour met shops, like Zingerman’s delicatessen in Ann Arbor , Michigan (www.zingermans.com).

Second: what happens when y ou break off a piece? Good chocolate should break apart with a palpab le snap that indicates structural firmness in the chocolate’s underlying crystalline structure.

Third: how does it smell? As with fish, wine, or any foodstuff, aroma is the f irst and perhaps the ultimate indication of quality. Take some time to inhale the chocolate’s perfume—in good chocolate , as in fine wine, there may be a m ultiplicity of aromatic notes.

Fourth: let a tiny bit melt on your tongue; pay attention to the chocolate’ s texture, and as it spreads through y our mouth, try to detect its combination of sweet, bitter, and other fla vors. As with wine, each taste of chocolate has a narrative arch that flows from beginning to end, and each distinctive part of that narrative has diff erent elements that y ou can pick out and concentr ate on. Notice whether the fla vor fills your mouth, whether it linger s, and how it dev elops over time as the chocolate tr ansforms from room temper ature firmness to a melting liquid on the tongue .

Fifth: Taste again, and this time chew a bit of the chocolate to br ing out new flavors and textures. Experts recommend tasting each chocolate at least twice , and clearing the palate between chocolates with a good, neutral bread (probab ly not sourdough). Avoid drinking cold or strongly flavored beverages between chocolates, which tend to numb the tongue.

Most important: repeat all five steps as often as humanly possible. F&D

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recipes top chef recipes

PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

Do you dread winter? Let’ s take a culinar y trip around the w orld. If we can’t tak e ourselves to warmer climes, at least we can find some international desserts that are easy to make at home.

“Nice desserts can be intimidating if y ou don’t cook ev ery day,” says Sullivan University Chef Instructor Becky Blieden. Chef Derek Spendlove, head of Sullivan’s baking and pastry arts program, agrees: “Especially after the holidays we are focused on New Year’s resolutions and looking for healthier and interesting alter natives for desserts.”

Blieden and Spendlove, Sullivan’s guest chefs for this issue, offer a few tricks of the trade to make dessert-making easy. They have chosen an assor tment of desser ts, ranging from heavy to light, that will complement your family meal with diverse flavors, textures and colors that can be presented easily to highlight a special evening.

Chef Blieden’s Austrian Strudel

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Chef Spendlove’s French chocolate mousse

Chef Spendlove’s Caribbean grilled pineapple stack

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recipes top chef recipes Chef Blieden’s recipes are an Austrian Strudel and English Pavlova.The strudel is a beautiful dessert that can be presented all year around. “It is a v ery nice desser t for winter because of its combination of ingredients and spices that can be incorporated, such as apples, pears, nuts, and various dried fruits that can be easil y found during the winter months,” Blieden says. “Traditionally, strudel dough is timeconsuming and requires a great amount of skill to produce . However, we have found ways you can use ph yllo dough or puff pastry which are readily available.”

If you are calorie-conscious, consider a delicate Pavlova. Light and air y, fresh and fruity, this dessert is composed primarily of egg whites and fresh seasonal fr uit of your choice. “In today’s fast-moving track, this dessert can be produced in a v ery short period of time and with the potential to dazzle your guests,” Spendlove said.

Spendlove’s recipes include a French Chocolate Mousse and a Caribbean Grilled Pineapple Stack, the latter inspired b y Sullivan Chef Instr uctor Jim Quinter. “The French Chocolate Mousse is a light yet decadent dessert,” Spendlove says.

Although mousses can be intimidating to

Chef Blieden’s English Pavlova

PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

Austrian Strudel

Chef Becky Blieden

the home bak er, this non-traditional variation can be done at home in just three easy steps. Its unusual ingredients infuse well with other flavors, Spendlove said.“For example, adding the fla vor of or ange through Grand Marnier or adding texture by including various ground, toasted nuts of your choice enab les the home bak er to personalize this desser t.”

Spendlove’s final dessert is a fun spinoff from the classic Napoleon.

The Caribbean Grilled Pineapple Stack with a hint of r um can be prepared in advance , then assembled just bef ore serving. The combination of puff pastr y, grilled fruit and your choice of fla vored cream creates a warm-weather getaway for the winter months. Blieden likes to complement this dessert with toasted-coconut ice cream.

SERVES 8-10 1 box phyllo 2 large green apples 1 cup raisins 1/4 cup brandy 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon allspice 1/2 teaspoon ginger 1/2 cup glacé red cherries 1/2 cup breadcrumbs or cake crumbs 1/2 stick butter Vanilla bean ice cream (optional) Whipped cream (optional) 1. Defrost phyllo dough as instr ucted on package.

2. Peel apples and cut them into 1/8 inch slices.

3. Plump raisins by placing them in a saucepan with 1/4 cup of brandy and heat slowly.

4. Add apples, sugar, allspice, ginger and cherries to the plumped r aisins.

5. Incorporate breadcrumbs or cak e crumbs into the mixture and allow to cool.

6. Melt the b utter and br ush between eight layers of unfolded phyllo.

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7. Place the filling down the center of the phyllo, fold over the ends and roll.

8. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with a little more sugar.

9. Bake at 375 degrees f or 30 minutes or until golden brown.

10. Allow to rest bef ore slicing (can be served hot or cold).

11. Serve with vanilla bean ice cream or whipped cream.

English Pavlova SERVES 4 For the meringue: 3 egg whites at room temperature 6 ounces sugar 1 tablespoon white vinegar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 tablespoon cornstarch Seasonal fruit and berries Whipped cream (as desired) 1. Make meringue by whisking egg whites and sugar slowly until they form stiff peaks.

2. Gently fold vinegar, vanilla and cornstarch into the meringue.

3. Spoon the meringue into four mounds spaced evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

4. Bake in o ven at 225 degrees f or 11/2hours until dry.

5. Decorate with fresh fruit and cream.

Chef Derek Spendlove

French Chocolate Mousse SERVES 4 8 ounces dark chocolate 1/2 cup olive oil 1 cup whipping cream 1 ounce Bourbon 1. Put the chocolate and the oliv e oil in large mixing bowl.

2. Heat over a gentle double boiler, stirring occasionally, only until chocolate is completely melted.

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3. Whip cream to stiff peaks; gently fold in the Bourbon, and fold into the chocolate mixture.

4. Form the mousses in molds as desired.

Caribbean Grilled Pineapple Stack SERVES 4 1 box puff pastry 1/2 cup butter 1 pineapple (fresh or canned, sliced) 1/2 cup sugar 1/4 cup rum 1 cup whipping cream 1. Defrost puff pastr y as instr ucted on package.

2. Brush puff pastry with melted butter and sprinkle heavily with sugar.

3. Roll out puff pastr y into thin 1/8 inch thick ovals.

4. Place on parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

5. Sprinkle pineapple slices with sugar and grill until golden.

6. Add rum to cream and whip until it forms medium peaks.

7. Assemble by alternating puff pastry, whipped cream, pineapple and repeat ending with puff pastr y.

8. Serve with coconut ice cream (below).

Coconut ice cream 11/2 cups half and half 1/2 cup sweetened cream of coconut 1/3 cup sugar 6 egg yolks 11/2 cups whipping cream 11/4 cups toasted flaked coconut 1. Place half and half and cream of coconut into sauce pan and br ing to a simmer.

2. Combine sugar and egg yolks and add to sauce pan.

3. Stir continuously over medium low heat until the contents f orm a custard thick enough to coat the back of wooden spoon (about 5 minutes). Do not allow it to boil.

4. Strain, cool and add the whipping cream and toasted, flaked coconut.

5. Refrigerate until cold.

6.Transfer to ice cream maker and process.

7. Freeze until firm. F&D

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liquids hot chocolate

BY DAVID LANGE

I

have always had f ond memories of m y Mom f ixing hot chocolate for my sister and me during those cold Louisville winters. This was not that po wdered stuff that y ou mix with water. It was the real thing made with milk, cocoa, sugar and a lot of love. No matter ho w cold it got outside , this inspired treat always did the trick of warming us up in Mom’s kitchen.

Hot cocoa and hot chocolate are not the same thing. The terms are often used interchangeab ly, but technically they are as different as, say, white chocolate and bitter sweet chocolate. Hot cocoa is made from cocoa po wder, which is what’ s left of chocolate after the r ich fat of cocoa b utter has been remo ved, taking away its r ichness. Real hot chocolate is pure chocolate melted into cream—a rich and decadent drink.

Archaeologists tell us that the Olmecs,the oldest civilization of the Americas, who lived from 1500 to 400 B.C., were probably the first users of cacao. Then came the Maya, who consumed drinks made from cacao beans gro wn on their plantations in the Chontalpa region of what is now eastern Tabasco in Mexico.They fashioned a drink called “chocolatl” from roasted cocoa beans,water and a little spice … and they valued cocoa beans as a currency.

The Spanish explorer Hernando Cortez was fascinated when he discovered Montezuma’s custom of drinking “xocalatl,” a bitter, unsweetened drink made b y whisking together cr ushed cocoa beans and cold water and consumed sev eral times a da y from special gold beakers. For relief from the bitter fla vor, the wealthy added vanilla or chili powder and sometimes sweetened their drink with honey. The Spanish soon lear ned to mix xocalatl with hazelnuts, almonds or cinnamon.

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Quickly recognized as a stim ulant, chocolate won favor in Spain as a breakfast dr ink. The Spanish exper imented with using boiling water and adding ginger or n utmeg for seasoning. Sugar was occasionally used, but generally the dr ink was consumed unsweetened.The Spanish became so fond of this concoction that they didn’t tr y to expor t it to the rest of Europe . For a centur y, they kept it to themselves. However, we can thank Italian explorers for exposing the secret. Before long, chocolate houses—taverns that specialized in chocolate—spr ung up, first in Vienna, then in London. By 1657, chocolate houses were popular with those who had over-indulged in alcohol the night before, the new drink being hailed as a hangover cure, perhaps due to the bitterness.

By the end of the 1600s, hot cocoa had emerged in its modern form, mixed with hot milk and sugar , although such odd mix-ins as pepper and m ustard were still in existence . Soon, though, chocolate would reach its moder n status as a conf ection, no longer considered an exotic spice .

With that as background, let’s take a look at some var iations of this enticing concoction.

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MAYAN HOT CHOCOLATE 1 chile pepper, cut in half, seeds removed 2 cups boiling water 5 cups light cream or whole or nonfat milk 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise 1 or 2 cinnamon sticks 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate or 3 tablets Mexican chocolate , cut into 1/4-inch pieces 2 tablespoons sugar or honey, or to taste l tablespoon almonds or hazelnuts, ground extra fine Whipped cream In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add chile pepper to boiling water. Cook until liquid is reduced to one cup . Remove chile pepper ; strain water and set aside. Combine cream or milk, vanilla bean and cinnamon stick in a saucepan over medium heat and cook until bubbles appear around the edge . Reduce heat to low; add chocolate and sugar or honey; whisk occasionally until chocolate is melted and sugar dissolves.Turn off heat; remove vanilla bean and cinnamon stick. Add chile-infused water, a little at a time, tasting to make sure the flavor isn’t too strong. If chocolate is too thick, thin with a little more milk. Serve in small cups and off er ground almonds or haz elnuts and whipped cream as accompaniments.

In central and souther n Mexico, people commonly drink chocolate twice a day year-round. Having a layer of foam on hot chocolate is as impor tant today in Mexico as it was in ancient times. Mexicans believe the spirit of the drink is in the foam.

The chocolate is whipped to a froth with a carved wooden utensil called a molinillo and served in mugs.

MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE 6 cups milk 1/2 cup granulated sugar 3 ounces unsweetened Mexican-style chocolate, coarsely chopped 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla Stick cinnamon (for optional garnish) In a large saucepan, combine milk, sugar, chocolate, ground cinnamon and salt. Heat,

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stirring constantly, until the chocolate has melted and the milk is very hot. (Do not let the milk come to a boil.)

Beat eggs in a mixing bo wl. Stir one cup of the hot mixture into the eggs, then return this mixture to the saucepan. Cook 2 to 3 min utes more over low heat, still stirring.

Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Beat with a molinillo or a rotary beater until it is very frothy.

Pour into m ugs, garnish with cinnamon sticks, and serve. Makes about six ser vings.

The Angelina Café in Paris, open since 1903, serves a thick hot chocolate in demitasse cups with a tiny dollop of sweet Italian mascarpone cream cheese and whipped cream. They are famous f or making hot chocolate from melted chocolate bars. It is incredib ly easy to prepare this drink by mixing chocolate shavings with hot water. You can ser ve it in small cups or in 17th-centur y style chocolate pots and demitasse cups such as those sold in gourmet shops.

ANGELINA’S HOT CHOCOLATE 6 ounces fine-quality semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped 1/4 cup water, room temperature 3 tablespoons hot water 3 cups hot milk, divided Sugar to taste Whipped cream, if desired

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In a doub le boiler o ver low heat, combine chocolate and 1/4 cup water until melted, stirring occasionally; stir until smooth.

Remove the top pan of the doub le boiler from heat and, off heat, whisk in three tab lespoons hot water. Pour into pitcher or divide among four individual mugs. Either stir 3/4 cup hot milk into each mug or serve milk in a separate pitcher.

Pass sugar and whipped cream in separ ate bowls; add to taste. Makes four servings.

The next time that cold winter wind whistles around the corner and chills your soul, remember the words of James Beard: “A steaming cup of hot chocolate with buttered toast is surel y one of the most heartwarming, body-warming, and taste-satisfying combinations kno wn to man.” F&D

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BY ROBIN GARR

W

hat’s for dessert? If chocolate cak e, lemon pie and even the traditional banana split star t to pall, perhaps it’s time to consider something a little more grown-up: As an alternative to the decadent but calorific dessert course, why not try a glass of desser t wine?

It’s certainly possible to ha ve the best of both w orlds by pairing an after -dinner wine (or other sw eet libation) with a delicious dessert. But many wine enthusiasts find the joys of quality dessert wines so complete that they need no accompaniment.

Even after w e begin to comprehend the vast and var ious world of dry table wines, many wine enthusiasts still find the realm of dessert wine a bit m ysterious. These rich, sweet and luscious wines are easy to lik e, but so div erse in their geogr aphy, production and even flavor profiles that it can be a challenge to get an intellectual grip on them.

Dessert wines can be enjo yed all y ear ’round, but there’s something about their war ming nature that mak es a glass seem just right on b lustery winter ev enings, perhaps with a cozy f ire crackling in your fireplace. Here are a few quick facts about dessert wines that we hope will help you make a good selection the next time someone hands y ou the wine list and sa ys, “Here, you decide!”

Curiously, dessert wine differs from most wine because it is sweet. Standard table wine is grape juice that has had all its natural sugar converted into alcohol through f ermentation with yeast. To make a dessert wine, the producer must take steps to retain some of the wine’s fruit sugar so it won’t turn “bone dry.”

One common way of doing this is to “fortify” the wine by adding a dose of brandy to the fermenting juice while it’s still very sweet.This procedure halts fermentation, with the happy result of creating a wine that’ s not only deliciously sweet but also strong enough to war m the cockles of y our heart while relaxing your backbone. Fortified wine is an old tr adition in Europe, where we find it in Port, Madeira and the sweeter types of Sherry, as well as such obscure goodies as Mar sala and Malaga. At the high end of the budget scale, vintage Ports and Madeiras are capable of aging, and gaining wondrous complexity, for decades or even a century or more.

The other major type of desser t wine is called “late harvest,” because it’s made from grapes that have been left hanging on the vines for weeks past nor mal harvest time, over-ripe and loaded with so m uch sugar that it w on’t all f erment, leaving plenty of natural sweetness in the f inished wine. Wines in this categor y include French Sauter nes, German Trockenbeerenauslese and Hungarian Tokaji, and New World wines made in a similar fashion.

According to legend, the first late-harvest wine was made by accident when a traveling king (Charlemagne himself, according to some stories) was weeks late returning home in the autumn, and 30 Winter 2006 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

PHOTO BY DAN DRY

his vine-growing serfs w ere afraid to proceed with the har vest until he came back to giv e his ro yal permission. The wine that came from these tardy gr apes, it is said, was such an unexpected treat that the king extended his autumn vacation ev ery year thereafter.

Late-harvested grapes also often develop an ugly but beneficial mold, “botrytis,” that further concentrates the wine b y shriveling the gr apes into super-sweet raisins; and in a f ew frigid wine-making sections of Ger many and Canada, wine makers kick the sweetness level up still another notch by waiting to har vest until grapes are frozen hard on the vine, yielding the rare and very pricey “ice wine.” F&D

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Here are a few mouth-watering dessert treats I’ve enjoyed in recent months. All should be available at Louisville-area wine shops.

GRAHAM’S “SIX GRAPES” PORTO ($22.39) This is a non-vintage Rub y Port, made in a style sometimes called “Vintage Character” because its full-bodied structure emulates that of the more pricey vintage Port. Very dark purple, its flavors focus on plums and dried fruit, very sweet but crisp and full.

CHAMBERS ROSEWOOD VINEYARDS RUTHERGLEN MUSCAT ($16.99) This golden Australian item is so sweet that it demonstr ates why Ozzies call their sweet wines “stickies.” Intense aromas of dr ied apricots add hints of mint and milk chocolate in a luscious and very sweet dessert wine.

QUINTA DO NOVAL 10 TEN YEAR OLD TAWNY PORTO ($25.99) Tawny Port is aged in oak bar rels for years, turning from red to a bro wnish color (hence the name) as it gains lush, mellow character. This one’s a winter delight, redolent of dr ied plums and prunes, warm brown spices and a hint of caramel.

BROADBENT MADEIRA 10 YEARS OLD MALMSEY ($44.99) Madeira, from a P ortuguese island in the Atlantic, was a fa vored wine in Colonial America and holds its popularity in moder n times. Dried dates and apricots add a whiff of dark chocolate in the aroma and flavor, with luscious natural sweetness nicely balanced by tart, lemon-squirt acidity. www.foodanddiningmagazine.com Winter 2006 31

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BY ROGER A. BAYLOR

PHOTO BY DAN DRY

T

he after-dinner drink, the nightcap, the parting glass … assuming the presence of a designated dr iver, that “one more f or the road” can be a strong libation such as single-malt Scotch, or a sweet and rich one, like vintage Port.

Alternatively, you may choose something lower in strength, perhaps a nutty or fruity liqueur. Or Irish coffee, which combines caffeine with alcohol: Up with down, rush with mellow, sweet with roasted. Why try to match it with cheese , tart or pudding, when it’s just fine by itself?

These are the “closers” on the alcoholic beverage roster. They play the role of desser t in a signature glass, and they can be agents of thoughtful discourse, taking on a whole new dimension when the weather outside is frightful.

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But it’s not just about liquor.The world of beer has its own range of styles that stand ready to help put balm y finishing touches on a wintry evening filled with fine food, great people and rare times.

Serve these ales at a mid-Jan uary’s cellar temperature, and if at all possib le, pour them not into a mere m ug but a goblet or chalice (some ev en suggest a thistle as traditional vessel for Scotch Ale).

This is a profoundly civilized presentation, which allows one to scr utinize the hear ty hues of most dessert-style beers, and to bring the nose up close and per sonal with the enticing aromatics.

There’s a legitimate case to be made for certain lager beers in this warming context, among them Doppelbocks, bottomfermented Baltic Porters, the mighty oneoff Samichlaus, and the stray Christmas or Easter lager from nor thern Europe and Scandinavia. Belgian Trappist and specialty ales are w orthy, too, and we’ll consider them in another essay for another day.

But the fact remains that it’ s the hearty ales—tracing their historical origins to what is now the United Kingdom—that constitute the best pool of talent from which to pluck the ideal evening’s ending.

IMPERIAL STOUT

As the name implies, Imperial Stout is the biggest and boldest member of the stout family, with a histor y perhaps as apocryphal as the Russian predilection f or strong drink. These intense and alcoholic ales were part and parcel of the luxur y trade between royal courts, brewed in England and shipped through the chill y Baltic to the Tsar’s retinue; but chances are that the Francophile Russian aristocracy of days gone b y consumed far more wine than strong, black British ale.

In our day and age, Imperial Stout reaches its apogee in the f orm of A. le Coq Imperial Extra Double Stout, a rigorously authentic modern recreation of the classic style, with incredibly concentrated roasted and ev en burnt malt char acter refined into an almost vinous funk by slight

exposure to wild y east. A. le Coq stands proudly alongside the world’s finest parting glasses, but get ready for the difference!

Other personally recommended examples are Samuel Smith Imperial Stout from Yorkshire, Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout (North Coast Brewing, California) and Rogue “XS” Imperial Stout (Oregon)—all available year-round, as is A. le Coq.

SCOTCH ALE

We speak here of “Scotch” as opposed to “Scottish,” with the former term denoting the Wee Heavy interpretation suited for relaxed fireside contemplation, and the latter usually indicating good ale of lesser strength.

The finest Scotch Ales are ruddy, copper-brown draughts that are long in the kettle and consequently boast caramelized malt flavor. At best, their bitter hoppiness walks in precar ious balance with a veritable avalanche of sweet malt flavor, making Scotch Ale full in the mouth b ut decidedly not bitter.

Readily available brands include Old Jock and Belhaven Wee Heavy, both in the range of six percent alcohol by volume, and Traquair House, which ups the ante a point or tw o and gestures in the direction of the Old Ale and Barley Wine beer styles. American microbreweries brew credible versions of Scotch Ale that shift direction away from the caramelized component toward greater use of hops.

Three Floyds Robert the Bruce (Indiana) and Founders Dirty Bastard (Michigan) are f ine regional examples of this hybridized approach.

BARLEY WINE

So dubbed because its alcoholic strength can approach the lev el of wine , Barley Wine is an English creation that has migrated to America with a v engeance, becoming the framework for mad craftbrewing scientists to gr aft multitudinous hops and heft in search of the perf ect winter warming vehicle—a quest that succeeds in innovative and delicious ways.

Color can var y from deep or ange to amber and sometimes bro wn. Absent the roasted and burnt flavors of Imperial Stout, Barley Wine is a showcase for extremely expressive fruity malts, and it ampl y illustrates the contribution of alcohol to the flavor profile of strong ale.

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Traditional English f ormulations (i.e., Young’s Old Nick ) rarely top out at more than eight percent alcohol, while American versions regularly climb abo ve ten percent and are unapologetically and exuberantly hopped with pound after pound of bitter West Coast hops.

Locally, BBC Bearded Pat’s Barley Wine remains the y ardstick for the American interpretation of Bar ley Wine, while Rogue Old Crustacean, Sierra Nevada Bigfoot and Anchor Old Foghorn carry the banner f or the Pacific Rim. Only Rogue’s impossibly huge entrant comes to us year-round; the others are seasonal, and are accompanied in winter by many other versions, most of them worthy examples.

OLD ALE

Sometimes referred to as “stock” ales, and inhabiting a r ather vague space within the stylistic pantheon of beer s, Old Ales are more often than not lo wer in carbonation than Bar ley Wines or Scotch Ales, yet with a similar and corresponding broadness of malt body and a complex univ erse of fla vors, perhaps sweetish like Port, maybe with traces of plum, prune or r aisin, and sometimes nutty like an Italian liqueur.

Thomas Hardy’s Ale, recently revived after a per iod off the mar ket, and Theakston’s Old P eculier are two outstanding Old Ales brewed in the UK, with the Hardy’s being the r are example of ale suitable for cellaring, and Old Peculier better for drinking within the year of its bir th. In Michigan, the Kalamazoo Brewing Company’s Third Coast Old Ale approximates these English examples, adding a hoppier American layer of flavor, and veering more closely to Barley Wine in the process.

However, it is the Manchester-brewed JW Lees Vintage Harvest Ale that provides the perfect ending both to an evening and to this list of recommendations. Vintage Harvest Ale can be readil y found straight and in its or iginal form, but also comes to us bottled from batches of ale that ha ve been aged in bar rels previously used for Port, Sherry, Calvados and Scotch whiskey.

Each wine and spir it leaves a distinctive stamp on the ale , both in the nose and in the mouth, marrying intensities that seem onl y to enhance the nutty, curvaceous viscosity of the liquid, rendering ale that is greater than the sum of its par ts. F&D www.foodanddiningmagazine.com Winter 2006 33

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BY JERRY SLATER | PHOTOGRAPH BY DAN DRY

Mocha latte martini

H

ere’s the scenario:You are at your favorite restaurant and have just finished your last savory course. The meal was gr eat, but you ate mor e than y ou anticipated. The appetizer was large … the chef r ecognized you as a “regular” and added a piece of beautiful rare tuna to your salad … and you opted for the larger bone-in cut of meat,knowing it would be more flavorful.

It was delicious … but now dessert seems obscene. On the other hand, your date has been anticipating the crème brûlée all evening.To indulge your companion’s post-prandial indulgence while satisfying your own sweet tooth with something less filling, I suggest a dessert cocktail.

Sipping a martini glass full of cr eamy, stomach-settling, chocolate or coffee scented sweet goodness could be just the way to pass the time while obliging your partner’s custard craving.

Most restaurants have dessert cocktails in their repertoire, and a patient bartender should be willing to be guided through the steps of your favorite concoction.

There are as many variations on creamy dessert drinks as there are bartenders. Start the decision process with a few questions.Would I have chosen the tiramisu? Does a latte sound good? Try a cocktail made from a coffee-based liqueur. Starbucks has just introduced two such

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products: Starbucks Coffee Liqueur boasts more espresso flavor than the traditional Kahlua; Starbucks Cream Liqueur bears a subtle similarity to Bailey’s Irish Cream, but winds up with a more latte-like finish.

Here is my recipe for a Mocha Latte Martini: 1 oz Absolut Vanilla 1 oz Starbucks Cream Liqueur 1 oz Godiva Milk Chocolate Liqueur Shake all to gether with ice and strain into a chilled mar tini glass.

Garnish with chocolate shavings.

Speaking of Godiva, its corporate venture into the w orld of spirits off ers a choice of Dark, White or Milk Chocolate Liqueur.They’re all delicious simply on the rocks, but The Oakroom bartender Janet South mixes it into a sinfully good martini called the Evil Twin.You can designate it as your alter eg o and blame e verything on your “twin.”

11/4 oz Godiva White 11/4 oz Godiva Dark 1 /2 oz Rain vodka 1 /2 oz Chambord Raspberry Liqueur Shake all to gether with ice and strain into martini glass.

Looking for a more traditional drink in this category? The classic is the Brandy Alexander. But bartenders cringe at having to run to the kitchen f or ice cr eam and later cleaning up a blender mess. In fact, some fine-dining establishments don’ t have a blender behind the bar because of the noise. Remember our scenario , too: We’re looking f or something lighter .

Here’s a formula from Stuart Walton’s The Ultimate Book of Cocktails, a variation that likely predates the ice cr eam version and makes a more elegant and refreshing end to your meal. Cheers!

1 measure cognac 1 measure brown crème de cacao 1 measure heavy cream Shake the ingr edients thoroughly with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Scatter ground nutmeg or grate a little whole n utmeg on top, or if you prefer, sprinkle with grated dark chocolate. F&D www.foodanddiningmagazine.com Winter 2006 35

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people and places profiles

BY MICHAEL L. JONES | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

If no great meal is complete without a decadent desser t, then we owe a special debt to the pastry chefs and desser t cooks who specializ e in those last bites that f inish the evening with a lingering taste of something rich, memorable … and sweet.

Kitchen lore has it that the chef who cooks y our dinner can be a madman at the sto ve, throwing ingredients together and adding a little of this, a little of that, tasting and inventing as he goes along.The pastry chef, in contrast, must be a scientist as well as an artist, tapping the same culinary creativity b ut practicing techniques that require precision and care in propor tion, measurement, temperature and time. There’s not much room for fooling around when the goal is a towering, airy cake, a perfect crème brûlée or a soufflé that floats lik e a cloud.

Sweet Surrender’s sour cream pound cake layered with strawberry preserves and a butter cream frosting.

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debbie richter sweet surrender 1416 BARDSTOWN ROAD 458-6363

D

ebbie Richter wasn’t one of those girls who grew up in the kitchen baking cookies with her mother .

Conversation at the Richter dinner tab le was more lik ely to be about Gr ay’s Anatomy than Betty Crocker.

“My mother is a chemist and a pharmacist,” said Richter, who bucked the family tradition to become the propr ietor of Sweet Surrender. “I have a sister with a nursing degree and another who works in a doctor’s office. Everything in my family is geared to wards medicine. I was a psychology major in college , but I decided that I couldn’t do it everyday of my life.The semester before I was to graduate, I switched to culinary school. My mother was supportive, but she was also like, ‘What are you doing? ’” Richter grew up in New Jer sey, and learned to bake as a way to fight loneliness while home alone . “I would bake a lot at night, because my mother w ould work,” she said. “I grew up outside of New York, where pastries were all around. That was my big influence.”

After culinary school, Richter got a job at The Magic Pan, a chain restaurant in the World Trade Center. In 1980, the company wanted to tr ansfer her to a North Miami outlet, but Richter asked for an assignment to a calmer location and ended up at the compan y’s Louisville eatery in Oxmoor instead.

Eventually she grew bored with the corporate baking w orld and star ted looking around f or more creativ e kitchen work. Luckily, a friend who was dating a captain at Casa Gr isanti told her about an opening at the then-famous local Italian spot. Richter spent f ive years baking desserts for Grisanti’s and Sixth Avenue, which was also o wned by the Gr isanti family. Later she w ent on to w ork for another restaurant run by a Grisanti graduate:Vincenzo’s.

After nine y ears baking f or other people, Richter decided to star t her o wn business. “They were having success selling

my products. I decided if there was a niche in Louisville, I’d try to tap into it for myself.”

The name Sw eet Surrender came from her gr andmother who wasn’t allowed to eat sw eets because of a medical condition. “It is a James Taylor song, but that’s not really what I was thinking of, ” she explained. “It’s about that decadent thing that you probably don’t need, but you give in to anyway. My grandmother would sneak a cookie or a piece of cak e and end up in the doctor’s office. She just didn’t care.”

Sweet Surrender started out as a wholesale business, located on Fr ankfort Avenue in Clifton bef ore the neighborhood had become quite so fashionab le.

“People said I was cr azy,” Richter remembered. “There was nothing there b ut Another Place Sandwich Shop . That was before everything got renovated.”

Pastry Chef Debbie Richter

In 1989, Richter opened Sweet Surrender for retail b usiness, but rising rents promoted a mo ve to its cur rent location on Bardsto wn Road. Sweet Surrender may have become an institution for local fans of sw eets, but it remains a business in tr ansition. Richter said she is considering a mo ve back to Fr ankfort Avenue, and is negotiating the sale of par t of the b usiness to someone who will assume day-to-day control.

“I need to mak e my life more manageable,” said Richter, who is also in charge of catering for the Hyatt Regency Louisville. “The restaurant business and catering is a great industr y if you want to dedicate 150 percent of y ourself. But I want to devote more time to my children.

I had to ask myself, ‘At 50, do you want to be on your feet 12 hour s a day?’ I can do it, but do I want to?”

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people and places profiles

helen friedman desserts by helen 2210 BARDSTOWN ROAD 451-7151 9209 U.S. HWY. 42 228-8959

H

elen Friedman doesn’t look lik e anyone’s Public Enemy Number One. But Friedman, who operates two locations of the conf ectionery shop Desserts By Helen, laughs that she did once, back in the ’80s, find herself on the wrong side of the law.

BY MICHAEL L. JONES | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

“After I got divorced, I was a mother with three kids, ” Friedman explained. “I didn’t have what I considered to be mar ketable skills. I had been a fulltime housewif e—I could sew, I could clean and I could cook.

“I heard that Casa Gr isanti was looking for a baker, so I took them a cake. From there I star ted getting one more and one more customer , and I built up that wa y. Eventually, I had a commercial kitchen in my basement. I was making deliveries with m y kids in a small station wagon until someone turned me in to the city.”

Friedman was cited because her home was not proper ly zoned for a

commercial venture. What could ha ve been an embarrassing incident turned into a lucky break because it spur red her to open the first Desserts By Helen shop— properly zoned, of course—in Prospect.

She credits family support for the success of the venture.

“My parents loaned me the money for the store,” she said. “They were always helpful to me. My sister Harriet gave me a recipe for chocolate cake that doubled my business.”

Friedman said her own love of sweets started young: “When I was in gr ade school I used to sneak to this bak ery before class to b uy fresh doughn uts,” she remembered. “I guess that was a sign, but I

Helen Friedman

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didn’t know it at the time . I was going to love sweets.”

After she was married, Friedman continued to indulge her sw eet tooth. She spent three y ears in Europe with her husband and remember s pushing her newborn baby in his stroller from bakery to bakery through the streets of Paris.

“I could get my exercise and my sugar fix at the same time,” she joked. “I acquired a taste f or European desser ts. I love the eye-appeal, as well as the taste of them.”

Friedman’s sense of adventure and her old-school taste quickly made Desserts By Helen a success. “I was on a shoestr ing budget and I relied on w ord of mouth f or advertising,” she said.

Friedman’s middle child, Craig, said most of his ear ly memories involve the bakery. “I remember doing things when I was a child like making cake boxes,” he said.

“I think I spent most of m y childhood stirring custard for her.”

The original store is now 16 years old.

Six years ago, Friedman opened a second location on Bardstown Road, but it proved too small, so she bought and mo ved to the former Tumbleweed commissary on Mellwood Avenue six months ago . Craig now operates the commissary, which doesn’t have a retail outlet.

“When I gr aduated from the University of Kentucky in 1999, going into the family business seemed like the perfect thing to do,” he said. “I’m not made out for a desk job or being the cor porate type. I think we make good products and we have things that are not everywhere. I saw room for growth.”

The Desserts By Helen men u ranges from traditional delights such as apple pie to the decadent truffle cup, which consists of a chocolate cup filled with tr uffle cream and garnished with a liqueur ball. The chocolate raspberry Grand Marnier cake, which serves 16, features layers of fudge cake filled with raspberry and chocolate ganache and iced with chocolate butter cream.

Friedman said the success of her small baking empire sur prised no one more than her. “I started out with a little hand mixer,” she said. “Now, I have two 140-quart mixers. I have heavy equipment.

I even own a forklift. It wasn’t a dream that came true. It was just how things worked out. I’m lucky, I guess.”

Desserts By Helen’s cheesecake with assorted fruit topping.

Desserts By Helen’s Italian cream cake topped with white chocolate curls.

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people and places profiles

robbin hill jack fry’s 1007 BARDSTOWN ROAD 452-9244

R

obbin Hill likes to present traditional American desserts with a sophisticated twist. Her offbeat twist on the banana split, for instance includes cilantro , sorbet, homemade ice cream and an almond-based cookie cup.

Hill is the pastry chef at Jack Fry’s. She attributes her culinar y creativity, what she

BY MICHAEL L. JONES | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

calls her “Southern Twang,” to her upbringing.

“My mother was an excellent cook. She is basically who I learned from,” Hill explained. “My dad was a major dessert eater. He got to eat his dessert before dinner because he might be too full afterward. I started out baking muffins for family that was visiting from out of town. At six years old, I was already altering the recipes with different flavors of Jello.”

Hill, a Hoosier, grew up in Virginia and Louisville, moving here with her famil y when her father , who worked for a company that made bar rels for BrownForman. She graduated from Westport

High School and attended culinar y classes at Jefferson Community College. Even as a college student, it seems, she stood out from her peers.

“The chefs from Casa Gr isanti came to my class one da y to give a fish-boning demonstration,” she remembered. “I catch on to things reall y quickly. They liked my work and offered me a job in the kitchen.”

That job, she said, proved to be both a blessing and a cur se. She worked in a competitive environment full of top chefs; but as a vegan, she said,“I was making things that I wouldn’t want to eat myself.”

“It was a high-volume business,” she said. “I decided to quit and do m y own thing,” working with organic ingredients.

Jack Fry’s Chocolate Pavé

Pastry Chef Robbin Hill

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A few years of freelance baking and catering followed. She made a lot of wedding cakes and other specialty items, also turning in stints at Parisian Pantry and LaPeche before returning to JCC to pursue a degree in hor ticulture.

“I love to garden,” she said,“that is my other passion.” She buys many of her ingredients, including edible flowers, from local farmers and friends.

Hill never finished her horticulture degree. Before she finished, she got a call from Susan Seiller , owner of Jack Fr y’s, who told Hill she had a job if she wanted it. She did, and in March 2006, Hill will celebrate her seventeenth anniversary at the Highlands restaurant.

Jack Fry’s pineapple upside-down cake with coconut sauce and r uby red grapefruit syrup.

Jack Fry’s dessert menu changes often, but the cob bler is a y ear-round signature dish—only the filling changes to take advantage of fruits in season. It might be raspberries and chocolate in the winter, apples and pear s during warmer times of year. Another customer fa vorite is the roasted pear and goat cheese tor te.

“I like to play around with recipes, ” Hill said. “I’ll take a simple dessert and make it fancy b y adding a couple of sauces or liqueur or doing a sorbet. You can make a showstopper out of a piece of pound cake.”

Hill and her assistant, Amanda Johnson, handle all of the baking duties at Jack Fry’s, including the restaur ant’s soda

bread; other artisanal loaves come from Blue Dog Bakery.

Hill will consider special order s from customers, but she does ha ve her limits.

“No more wedding cakes,” she said. “I’ve done enough w edding cakes. Wedding cakes are a hassle.”

Ironically, however, she said she recently earned memorable praise for her wedding cake when a restaur ant patron thanked Hill f or one she made years ago. “She said that they still talked about that w edding cake,” Hill said. “I’m glad it was special to them. It’s all about experimenting—trying and failing—trying to get it right.That’s what I’ve been doing since I was a child.”

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people and places profiles

jenna miller

was in it, ” Miller said, adding that she often needs a detectiv e’s interviewing skills to help f olks remember the details of a halfremembered delight.

“There is a lot of creativity in this job, especially when it comes to cheesecake. Any flavor can become a cheesecake,” Miller said, recalling one popular exper iment, a gingerbread cheesecake with molasses. She also created a cr ustless cheesecake at a customer’s request.

“There have been a few flops,” she admitted. “Things that look good, but you wouldn’t want to eat them. Sometimes things will sound totall y good to us and nobody will eat them. One item lik e that was a ginger cheesecake with pineapple on top. I love the taste of ginger. But ginger and pears are two things that don’t work here.

uptown café & café metro 1624 BARDSTOWN ROAD 458-4212 1700 BARDSTOWN ROAD 458-4830

J

enna Miller is pastr y chef at Café Metro and the Upto wn Café, but she says she often functions more as a detective than a chef, sleuthing through all the possibilities in search of new flavor combinations that will dazz le diners.

Sometimes her customers call on her as a culinary Sergeant Joe Fr iday when they want to revisit a dessert experience.

“People call and remember they had a dessert, but they don’t remember what

Pastry Chef Jenna Miller

BY MICHAEL L. JONES | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

I don’t know what it will take to get people in Louisville to eat pear s.”

Miller attributes her outgoing and sparkly personality to life growing up on a farm with two older brother s; the kitchen was always a hangout f or youngsters, and all three of them spent time there.

Miller’s culinary education consisted solely of lessons from her mother and grandmother, who was renowned among her neighbors as a cook and bak er. “There were a lot of mistak es, but you learn by trial and error, she said, adding that she did attend Sullivan College—b ut not its respected Center f or Hospitality Studies.

Initially she opted f or computer science, but it didn’t tak e her long to realiz e that she wasn’t made for a desk job.

“There was nothing that I liked about sitting behind a computer all da y,” Miller said. “In 1988, I quit school and a friend of mine who was w orking at Café Metro told me they w ere looking f or a pastr y chef. All of my friends knew how much I liked to bake. Not having a culinary education turned out to be a plus for me, because some restaur ants have a particular way of doing things and they want to teach you their way.”

Miller and her par tner Gina Mooser create all of the desser ts for Café Metro and the Upto wn Café. Miller said they get an extr a thrill when people call to request desser ts that ha ve special meaning for them.

“It has been nice when people call back and sa y, ‘That’s exactly what I was thinking,’” she explained. “Usually, it is something they had in their childhood or something a fr iend described. People are really gracious in those situations.”

Miller and her husband Kenny, a postal worker, live in Fer n Creek. She said she would like to live even further away from the city if she could. Although she enjo ys working in the Highlands area, she is not much for the urban environment.

“I’m the kind of per son that lo ves to visit big cities, but I could never live in one,” Miller said.“Maybe it comes from growing up on a farm. I don’t enjoy the noise and traffic.”

Right now, her creative energies are focused on crème brûlée. “Crème brûlée is fun,” she said. “You start with a vanilla base and y ou can do almost an ything from there.”

Except add ginger, we suspect. F&D

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Uptown Café’s Trifle—thin layers of rum- and brandy-soaked sponge cake with pastry cream, whipped cream and raspberry preserves.

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people and places bakeries

BY ROBIN GARR | PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAN DRY

“ Pattycake, Pattycake,

BAKER’S MAN, bake me a cake as fast as you can!”

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A GUIDE TO LOUISVILLE AREA BAKERIES

Y

ou want pastry? Here’s pastry: In Lisbon’s historic seaport neighborhood called Belem, where the sprawling Gothic Monasterio dos Jerónimos memorializes the fleets that Pr ince Henry (“The Navigator”) sent out to discover the New World, a quaint blue-and-white pastry shop lights up a nar row side street.

Pastéis de Belém (“Pastries of Belém”), a local tradition since 1837, draws happy, hungry crowds of P ortuguese and tour ists alike, all there to enjo y the snack treat that gives the bak ery its name . It’s a shor t, rich pastry, a single-serving tart stuffed with eggy, creamy custard, made in a locked back room using an ancient secret recipe that’ s said to have been handed down from the nuns at the Convento dos Jerónimos. Wash it do wn with strong coffee or a glass of sw eet Port, and you’ll enjoy an authentic taste of Belém.

It’s the same all o ver Europe, where every country, every city and to wn, and virtually every neighborhood boasts its own signature br and of pastr y or bread, and bread tr uly is the “staff of life.” There’s the jelly-filled Berliner pastry of Germany— immortalized when JFK, mixing up his genders, declared, “Ich bin ein Berliner,” or, literally, “I am a jell y doughnut,” drawing www.foodanddiningmagazine.com Winter 2006 45

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Blue Dog Bakery’s croissants and morning buns.

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cheers from cro wds who under stood what he meant, not what he said.

Italy has its immor tal regional breads, from the Pugliese of Southern Italy’s “boot heel” region to the Milanese ciabatta, which means “slipper” (based, one hopes, on its appear ance and not its scent). It’s the same in France, where every region from chic Monaco with its pain de gruau to Paris, where pilgrims troop to the boulangerie of M. Lionel Poilane when nothing but his epon ymous loaves will do. From Yugoslavia’s meat-filled burek pastry turnovers to the classic Danish pastry, there’s no question about it: The Old Country knows its breads.

But how about the New World? With all these ethnic str ands woven into our national mosaic or melting pot, American’s No. 1 offering appears to be Wonder Bread, a product that ma y be so named because we wonder why anyone would eat something so white and so bland, so soft that an entire loaf can be rolled into a ball the size of a pea.

If the bad news is that this American pain ordinaire is lackluster and f orgettable, the good news is that in just about ev ery good-size city, someone’s immigrant ancestors brought over a bread or pastr y tradition and carry it on, for the benefit of everyone who cares to look f or it.

So it is in Louisville , where the city’s old, core German heritage has brought many generations the joys of kuchen and stollen, not to mention jell y doughnuts. In addition to a broad—albeit gr adually fading—base of Ger man-style bakeries, moreover, our city has ev olved a United Nations diversity of w orld breads and pastries. From the classic European loa ves and other goodies that Blue Dog Bak ery bestows from its massiv e brick and steel ovens in Crescent Hill, and Lotsa P asta’s first-rate Italian breads, Louisvillians can venture into such exotic realms as Bosnian, Palestinian and Mexican bakeries.

We mourn the short-lived Bakelicious, but hope another immigrant entrepreneur will soon bless our city with another Asian bakery offering the intr iguing, Frenchaccented bread and pastry goods of China and Southeast Asia.

Let’s take a quick tour of a per sonal and idiosyncratic selection of our city’ s favorite bakeries, starting with the German sector, a bakery tradition that’s been with

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us since mostly Catholic immigr ants from Germany and Austria began arriving in this river city in the ear ly 1800s.

Two centuries later, Louisville’s German heritage remains apparent mostly in odd street names and famil y monikers like “Oechsli” and “Oertel” that only natives know how to pronounce; an affection for beer (especiall y at autumn Oktoberfests), and the af orementioned German pastries like kuchen (“Koo-ken,” often shortened to “Kooka”), a buttery pasty baked in a sheet pan, usually topped with fruit, pecans or cinnamon; stollen, a German Christmas fruitcake; strudel, fruit fillings rolled in flaky puff pastr y, and such other seasonal goodies as Pfeffernussen (“pepper nuts”), hard Christmas cookies scented with anise and black pepper.

Recent generations have seen Louisville’s German accent star t to fade , and with it w e’ve mourned the loss of quite a f ew old famil y-owned German neighborhood bakeries like Ehrmann’s in the Highlands (famed for ice cream so rich that it contained little balls of b utter), Wohlleb’s in Hikes Point, and most of the neighborhood bakeries in the local Heitzman’s chain. Four Heitzman’s remain around town, however, along with neighborhood favorites such as Bussman’s in Clifton, Hadorn’s in Shively, Nord’s in Shelby Park and, surely the most popular, Plehn’s Bakery, 3940 Shelbyville Road in St. Matthews, a long-lived neighborhood institution known for its ice cream and its doughnuts.

There’s more to the w orld of bakeries and baking than doughn uts, though; and when it comes to quality artisanal bread, I’ll immodestly assert that Louisville boasts one of the nation’ s best: The 1998 ar rival of Blue Dog Café and Bakery, 2868 Frankfort Ave., with its expert baker, Bob Hancock, ranks as one of the best culinar y happenings in Louisville in moder n times. This artisanal bakery with its $50,000 Spanish w oodfired oven, inspired by the notew orthy Acme Bakery in Berkeley, California, didn’t merely raise the bar ; it set an entirel y new standard f or quality bread in Louisville.The later installation of high-tech Blue Dog bakers at work. (TOP) Bakers Josh McDermott (left) and Michael Boyle; (MIDDLE) Lead Baker Todd Hancock, and (BOTTOM) Pastry Chef Kara Hancock.

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Hot out of the oven—a list of local area bakeries A Piece of Cake Adam Matthews Inc. Adrienne & Co. Confectioners Al Watan Bernie’s Delights Blue Dog Bakery & Café Breadworks Breadworks Breadworks Breadworks Bussmann Bakery Cake Ladies Dream Shoppe Danish Express Desserts by Helen Desserts by Helen Dooley’s Bagels Ermin’s Bakery & Cafe Ermin’s Bakery & Cafe Ermin’s Bakery & Cafe Ermin’s Bakery & Cafe Ermin’s Bakery & Cafe Fisher’s Baked Goods Great Harvest Bread Co. Great Harvest Bread Co. Hadorn’s Bakery Heitzman Bakery Heitzman Bakery Heitzman Bakery & Deli Heitzman Bakery & Deli Homeade Ice Cream & Pie Kitchen Homeade Ice Cream & Pie Kitchen Homeade Ice Cream & Pie Kitchen Howard’s Bakery Jasmin Bakery La Espiga La Espiga De Oro La Espiga De Oro La Favorita La Guadalupana Lamanda Bakery Lotsa Pasta Mexico Bakery My Favorite Muffin My Favorite Muffin Nancy Bagel Grounds Nord’s Bakery Panera Bread Panera Bread Panera Bread Panera Bread Panera Bread Pastry Plus Plehn’s Bakery Star Bakery Sweet Surrender Sweets & Such Bakery The Bakery The Cheddar Box The Sweet Tooth Thornberry Pie Shop Williams Bakery 48 Winter 2006 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

8102 Blue Lick Rd. 2104 Plantside Dr. 129 W. Court Ave., (Jeffersonville, IN) 3711 Klondike Ln. 221 S. 39th St. 2868 Frankfort Ave. 2420 Lime Kiln Ln. 3628 Brownboro Rd. 2204 Dundee Rd. 11800 Shelbyville Rd. 1906 Frankfort Ave. 1223 State St., (New Albany, IN) 1021/2 Cannons Ln. 9209 US Hwy 42 2210 Bardstown Rd. multiple locations 9550 US Hwy 42 1201 S. First St. 723 S. Fourth St. 455 S. Fourth St. 211 E. Main St., (New Albany, IN) 200 Grant Line Rd., (New Albany, IN) 1225 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy.

4214 Charlestown Rd., (New Albany, IN) 1800 Dixie Hwy 3800 Shepherdsville Rd. 804 Eastern Pkwy.

9426 Shelbyville Rd. 425 W. Market St. 2525 Bardstown Rd. 3737 Lexington Rd. 12003 Shelbyville Rd. 335 N. 23rd St. 3825 Bardstown Rd. 5318 S. 3rd St. 7200 Preston Hwy. 5213 Preston Hwy. 6201 Preston Hwy. 4906 Preston Hwy. 3352 Lester Ave. 3717 Lexington Rd. 1013 Eastern Blvd., (Clarksville, IN) 9800 Shelbyville Rd. 3934 Taylorsville Rd. 2101 Frankfort Ave. 2118 S. Preston St. 6221 Dutchmans Ln. 601 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy .

5000 Shelbyville Rd. 10451 Champion Farms Dr 1040 Veterans Pkwy., (Clarksville, IN) 7407 Fegenbush Ln. 3940 Shelbyville Rd. 5030 Poplar Level Rd. 1416 Bardstown Rd. 3947 Dixie Hwy. 3100 Bardstown Rd. 3909 Chenoweth Sq. 3110 Frankfort Ave. 5103 S. 3rd St. 1051 N. Clark Blvd., (Clarksville, IN)

968-3749 499-1244 282-2665 458-6000 776-9331 899-9800 326-0300 893-3200 452-1510 245-2268 893-3822 948-0326 895-2863 228-8959 451-7151 228-7210 635-6960 587-9390 585-5120 941-8674 944-4067 412-8573 945-4422 774-2610 452-1891 635-2651 426-7736 584-2437 459-8184 893-3393 244-2552 774-1700 458-0013 363-6999 966-3242 966-3254 964-2639 962-1030 375-2941 896-6361 284-1240 426-9645 485-0518 895-8323 634-0931 895-9991 423-7343 899-9992 426-2134 288-9400 231-1633 896-4438 968-8344 458-6363 449-1008 452-1210 893-2324 895-4554 367-8394 284-2867

steam-injection ovens to allo w for a broader range of baked goods made the best even better. Blue Dog bread is as good as an y bread you’ll find in the U .S., and competitive with the best in Europe .

Speaking of Europe , although John and Vicki Hale may not be Italian, they’ve done a mighty good job of em ulating a fine Italian specialty shop and bak ery at Lotsa Pasta, 3717 Lexington Road, a Louisville institution f or well over 20 years. It has gro wn into a tr uly international grocery, but the f eel is still as Italian as its name, and the Italian breads produced on premises seem as authentic as those I’ve enjoyed at Italian bakeries in New York City—and in Italy.

International breads are the dr aw, too, at The Bakery, 3100 Bardstown Road, which is operated and staffed by students and faculty in the baking and pastr y arts program at Sullivan University’s Center for Hospitality Studies. Recently renovated with a European f eel, The Bakery offers a beautiful range of European-style ar tisanal breads and pastr ies, made in high-tech steam-injection ovens. If a bit more “commercial” than Blue Dog’s full-bore ar tisanal breads, it’s still a wor thy alternative.

Also producing ar tisanal style breads is Breadworks, a locally based mini-chain with a fr anchise feel, featuring straightahead European-style breads, bagels, cookies and pastry goods at four locations, all on the easter n side of the city and its suburbs.

There’s a French accent, too, at the lovable little La Petite Patisserie & Café, run by a Sullivan gr aduate in a f ormer Heitzman’s bakery facility at 1036 E. Burnett Avenue in Germantown.

The Ermin’s mini-chain, originally founded by a master Bosnian baker who’s since moved on, also declares its outlets “French bakeries” and offers credible baked goods. For true Bosnian baking in an Eastern European fashion, though, you must travel to Buechel for a visit to Jasmin Bakery, 3825 Old Bardstown Road, where the baked goods are authentic Bosnian and first-rate.

More ethnic accents are f ound at Danish Express, recently moved to 102 1/2 Cannons Lane in St. Matthews, where genuine Danish pastr ies are the pr imary draw: Giant, cardamom-scented and r ich,

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you can ha ve your choice of fr uit, cinnamon or cheese f illings in remar kable pastries big enough to feed two.

If Mexican is y our style, you’ll find a growing collection of authentic South-ofthe-Border bakeries in the city’ s growing taqueria zone, near Churchill Do wns in South Louisville and all along the Preston Highway strip from Camp Taylor out through Okolona. Look for La Espiga De Oro, La Favorita and La Guadalupana, among many more.

Finally, for memorable Mideastern ethnic baking, don’t miss Al Watan, 3711 Klondike Lane in Hikes Point, a Palestinian bakery so “ethnic” that the signs on the front of the building appear in Arabic only.

(English speakers will f ind reassurance in bilingual signs on poles out front.) A fullservice bakery, Arabic grocery and tiny sitdown restaurant, Al Watan fashions the most tender and sw eet pitas y ou’ll ever eat, along with a wide var iety of more exotic breads and cookies, including a remarkable ring-shaped savory loaf, baked dark golden-brown and covered with fresh, nutty sesame seeds, an Arabian goodie that I absolutely cannot resist.

Of course there’s always room f or dessert, and Louisville’s bakers are ready to step up to the plate—the dessert plate, that is—with calor ific and succulent delights.

A longtime favorite, Homemade Ice Cream & Pie Kitchen, came under new ownership by cheesecake king Adam Matthews last y ear, and is quickl y evolving from its or iginal home at 2525 Bardstown Road into a local chain, with new outlets in the old Vogue Theater building in St. Matthews, 3727 Lexington Road, and, opening in ear ly 2006, in Middletown at 12003 Shelbyville Road.

Still got room for more? Let’s wrap it up with a random selection of more of the city’s dessert and pastr y favorites: The Cheddar Box, 3909 Chenoweth Square; Desserts by Helen, 9209 U.S. Highway 42 and 2210 Bardsto wn Road; Sweet Surrender, 1416 Bardstown Road; Sweets & Such Bak ery, 3947 Dixie Highwa y; The Sweet Tooth, 3110 Frankfort Avenue, and Thornberry Pie Shop, 5103 S. 3rd Street.

What a gallery of breads, pastries and desserts our city boasts! It’ s no w onder that the short-lived Atkins Diet fad never got much traction here. F&D www.foodanddiningmagazine.com Winter 2006 49

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recipes louisville’s restaurant favorites

If you happen to o verhear somebody talking about ha ving eaten a tasty cobbler, the chances are that you are not listening in on a conversation among cannibals who’v e just dined on haunch of shoemaker.

If you’re hanging around Louisville’ s Jack Fr y’s restaurant, it’s almost certain that the edib le cobbler under discussion is a succulent sample of the popular local spot’s signature dessert.The central ingredient ma y change with the seasons, but summer, winter, fall or spring, you can bet that Pastry Chef Robbin Hill will have one on the menu.

Food historians say the cobbler is one of America’s oldest and most traditional desserts. Sort of lik e a pie b ut simpler still, the

BY ROBIN GARR | PHOTOS BY DAN DRY

cobbler is a deep dish filled with fruit, baked with a piecrust on top.

Requiring only fresh seasonal fruit and the most basic pantry staples, it was an easy treat for pioneers living hard times on the frontier.

Naming these desserts was apparently almost as much fun for our early American ancestors as eating them: The cobbler family includes a bewilder ing variation of goodies with memor able monikers like pandowdy, shoofly pie, fool, buckle, crumple, slump, bramble and grunt. Let’s hear you say that two times fast.

Cobbler brings a long histor y through the y ears, and it’s just as good, and just as easy to mak e and enjoy, in 2006 as it was in the 1700s. Here’s a hear ty, seasonal apple-and-caramel version from Robbin Hill.

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For the pastry: 11/2 cups flour 1 /4 teaspoon baking powder 1 /4 teaspoon salt 1 /4 pound cream cheese 11/8 stick butter 3 /4 tablespoon cider vinegar 1 /3 cup ice water 1. Chill the cream cheese . Chop the b utter into 1/2-inch cubes and put it in the freez er until hard.

2. Put all the dr y ingredients and the cream cheese and butter in an electr ic-mixer bowl and mix on low speed until the cream cheese and butter are incor porated into the dr y ingredients in about the siz e and shape of small peas 3. Turn off the mix er. Add the vinegar and water. Mix on low speed just until the dough forms a ball.Take the dough out of the mixer, form it into a disk,and cover it in plastic wrap.

Refrigerate for at least four hours. (It will keep for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.)

For the caramel sauce: 11/2 cups heavy cream 1 /2 stick butter 1 /2 vanilla bean 1 /4 cup corn syrup 1 cup sugar 1. Heat the heavy cream, butter and the seeds and pulp scraped out of the vanilla bean in a small saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts. Set aside.

2. Bring the corn syrup to a boil over medium heat in another saucepan. Gradually stir in the sugar, 1/4 cup at a time , using a w ooden spoon. (Turn the heat do wn if the mixture starts turning dark before all the sugar is added.) Continue stirring until the mixture turns a medium amber color.

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3. Turn off heat and gradually stir in the heavy cream mixture , a little at a time . Be careful when adding the cream—it will boil up quickly and is very hot. Always make sure the liquid stops boiling before you add more heavy cream. Pour into a container and store in the refrigerator.

For the apple filling and assembly: 12 Golden Delicious apples 1 tablespoon flour 2 cups light brown sugar Juice of two lemons 6 tablespoons apricot jam Pinch of salt 1. Peel and slice the apples into w edges, then mix all the above ingredients together.

2. Roll out the prepared dough about 1/4inch thick, and place one round of dough over each of six 4 1/2-inch-diameter baking dishes.

Make sure the edges of the dough hang w ell over the sides of the dishes, with enough to wrap over the top of the cobbler later.

3. Place one tablespoon of the car amel sauce in the bottom of each dish, taking care to save about half of it for use in step six below. Divide the apple filling evenly among the dishes.

4. Bring up the overlapped dough to enclose the apple filling in a cr ust. Make sure all the dough stays inside the dish so it will bak e evenly. Place one tab lespoon of apr icot jam on top of each cobbler in the middle.

5. Place the cobblers on a baking sheet and bake them in a preheated 400-degree o ven for 25 minutes. Then turn the oven down to 350 degrees and bak e for another 20 or 25 minutes, until the crust is golden.

6. Remove and top each cob bler with one tablespoon of caramel sauce. Serve with your choice of ice cream. F&D www.foodanddiningmagazine.com Winter 2006 51

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dining guide

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

Alphabetical Index

[ ] DENOTES UNMAPPED MULTIPLE LOCATIONS. RESTAURANT

Cuisine Style

56

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

73 73 75 76 76 76 72 71 59 60 67 79 79 64 81 81 67 77 77 77 77 78 56 66 78 79 73 78 68 70 62 81 63 57

Area Maps

82

MAP # DIRECTION PG # Overview 82 (Index) Downtown 84 1 (Downtown Louisville) Near East 85 2 (Highlands – Crescent Hill) East 86 3 (St. Matthews) South East 87 4 (Hikes Point – Buechel) East 88 5 (Hurstbourne N. – Lyndon) South East 89 6 (Hurstbourne S. – Jeffersontown) North East 90 7 (River Rd. – Brownsboro Rd.) North East 90 8 (Westport Rd.) Far East 91 9 (Middletown) North East 91 10 (Prospect) South East 91 11 (Fern Creek) South 92 12 (Airport – Okolona) South West 93 13 (Shively – Pleasure Ridge Park) Indiana 94 14 (New Albany – Floyds Knobs) Indiana 95 15 (Clarksville) Indiana 95 16 (Jeffersonville)

PAGE #/CUISINE STYLE

#1 Asian Buffet 2 Hahn’s Mongolian Grill 211 Clover Lane 316 Ormsby 610 Magnolia A Little Taste of Heaven A Nice Restaurant A Taste of China Al Watan Alameda Alley Cat Café Amazing Grace Deli Angilo’s Pizza Angio’s Restaurant Ann’s by the River Annie Café Annie’s Pizza Another Place Anthony’s Anytimes Applebee’s Appleby’s Café Arni’s Pizza Aroma Café Artemisia Artisan’s Coffee Café Asian Buffet Asiatique Atomic Saucer Atrium Café August Moon Austin’s Avalon Aver’s Gourmet Pizza Azalea Babby’s Steakhouse Backyard BBQ Backyard Burger Bahama Breeze Bake’s Barbeque The Bakery Bamboo House Bank Shot Billiards Barbara Lee’s Kitchen Baxter Station Bazos Mexican Grill 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 Blimpie’s Subs BLU Mediterranean Grille Blue Dog Bakery Blue Mule Sports Café Bluegrass Brewing Co. Bluegrass Café Bombay Int’l. Market Bonefish Grill Bootleg Barbecue Co. Bourbon Bros. BBQ Bourbons Bistro Brandon’s Bar-B-Que Bravo!

Breadworks Bristol Bar & Grille Brownie’s Grill & Bar Browning’s Brewery Buca Di Beppo Buck’s Buckhead Mountain Grill Buffalo Crossing Buffalo Wild Wings Bull Frog Garden Bulldog Café The Butterfly Garden Café C.A.P.P.P.’s Deli Café 360 The Café at the Antique Mall Café Emilie Café Fraiche

MAP #

73 Asian/Chinese 2 73 Asian/Chinese 6 56 Fine Dining 3 59 Bistro/Contemporary 1 56 Fine Dining 1 60 Cafés 6 64 Casual Dining 14, 16 73 Asian/Chinese 1 78 Middle Eastern 4 81 Southwest/Tex Mex 2 60 Cafés 9 70 Sandwich/Deli 2 68 Pizza 13 68 Pizza 4 67 Cafeterias 16 76 Asian/Vietnamese 12 68 Pizza 1, 13 70 Sandwich/Deli 1 70 Sandwich/Deli 1 64 Casual Dining 7 64 Casual Dining [9] 60 Cafés 16 68 Pizza 14 60 Cafés 14 57 Upscale Casual 1 81 Coffee House 7 73 Asian/Chinese 4, 14, 15 57 Upscale Casual 2 81 Coffee House 1 59 Bistro/Contemporary 5 73 Asian/Chinese 2 57 Upscale Casual 7 57 Upscale Casual 2 68 Pizza 6 57 Upscale Casual 7 63 Steakhouse 16 71 Barbecue 14 70 Sandwich/Deli 6 79 Caribbean/Cuban 3 71 Barbecue 13 81 Desserts/Bakery 4 73 Asian/Chinese 12 70 Sandwich/Deli 1 66 Home Style/Southern 2 59 Bistro/Contemporary 2 79 Mexican 3 81 Coffee House 14 68 Pizza [12] 72 Bar & Grill 8, 9, 12, 14 61 Cafés 12 77 European/Bosnian 12 75 Asian/Japanese 1 64 Casual Dining 1 72 Bar & Grill 2 64 Casual Dining 1 70 Sandwich/Deli 13 70 Sandwich/Deli 2, 4, 6 57 Upscale Casual 1 61 Cafés 2 72 Bar & Grill 6 73 Microbreweries 1, 3 61 Cafés 4 78 Indian 2 62 Seafood 5 71 Barbecue 11, 12 71 Barbecue 2 59 Bistro/Contemporary 2 71 Barbecue 8 57 Upscale Casual 3 81 Desserts/Bakery 2, 7, 9 57 Upscale Casual 1, 2, 5 72 Bar & Grill 5 73 Microbreweries 1 77 European/Italian 6 56 Fine Dining 1 64 Casual Dining 4, 5, 12, 16 67 Entertainment Dining 6 72 Bar & Grill 2,3, 6, 8, 9, 13 64 Casual Dining 11 61 Cafés 12 61 Cafés 2 70 Sandwich/Deli 3 78 Middle Eastern 2 61 Cafés 1 57 Upscale Casual 3 61 Cafés 7

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Café J Café Kilimanjaro Café Lou Lou Café Metro Café Mimosa Caffe Classico Cajun Kitchen California Pizza Kitchen Camille’s Sidewalk Café Captain’s Quarters Cardinal Hall of Fame Café Carolina Shrimp & Seafood Carolyn’s Carrabba’s Italian Grille Champions Grill Champion’s Sports Rest.

Ch¯ eba Hut Check’s Café Cheddar Box Café Cheddar’s Casual Café Cheesecake Factory Chez Seneba African Chick Inn The Chicken House Chicken King Chili’s China 1 China Buffet China Garden China Inn China King China King Palace China Sea Buffet Chinatown Chinese Chef Chinese Express Chinese Restaurant Chong Garden Chopsticks Chopsticks House Chung King Ciano’s Cici’s City Café City Wok Clark Boy Bar-B-Que Clarksville Seafood Cleo’s Coffee Cleon’s Rib Shack Clifton’s Pizza Club Grotto Coach Lamp Coffee Beanery Coffee Crossing Coffee Pot Café Colonnade Cafeteria Come Back Inn Corner Café Cottage Café Cottage Inn Coys’ Cravings a la Carte Crawdaddy’s Café Cribstone Pub Crystal Chinese Cumberland Brews Cunningham’s Cutting Board Café Cyclers Café Danielle’s Danish Express Day’s Espresso DBL Shotz De La Torre’s Deke’s Marketplace Grill Del Frisco’s Delta Restaurant Derby Café Derby City Café by Dalal Derby Dinner Playhouse Desserts By Helen De-ville’s Diamante Diamond Pub & Billiards Diefenbach Café Dillon’s Steakhouse Dinner Is Done Dino’s Down to Lunch Ditto’s Grill Dizzy Whizz Drive-In Djuli

MAP #

61 Cafés 3 73 African 1 59 Bistro/Contemporary 2 56 Fine Dining 2 77 Asian/Vietnamese 2 81 Coffee House 2 79 Cajun/Creole 12 68 Pizza 5 61 Cafés 6 64 Casual Dining 10 64 Casual Dining 12 62 Seafood 3 66 Home Style/Southern 13 77 European/Italian 5 64 Casual Dining 16 72 Bar & Grill 1 70 Sandwich/Deli 2 66 Home Style/Southern 1 61 Cafés 3, 9 64 Casual Dining 8, 15 57 Upscale Casual 3 73 African 12 64 Casual Dining 10 66 Home Style/Southern 14 70 Sandwich/Deli 1 64 Casual Dining 5 73 Asian/Chinese 3 73 Asian/Chinese 15 73 Asian/Chinese 12 73 Asian/Chinese 1 73 Asian/Chinese 6, 14 73 Asian/Chinese 11 73 Asian/Chinese 9 73 Asian/Chinese 3, 12 73 Asian/Chinese 1 73 Asian/Chinese 13 73 Asian/Chinese 12 73 Asian/Chinese 13 73 Asian/Chinese 1 73 Asian/Chinese 1 73 Asian/Chinese 1 70 Sandwich/Deli 9 68 Pizza 4, 14 61 Cafés 1, 2 74 Asian/Chinese 1 71 Barbecue 13 62 Seafood 15 81 Coffee House 14 72 Barbecue 1 68 Pizza 2 57 Upscale Casual 2 57 Upscale Casual 1 81 Coffee House 5 81 Coffee House 9, 14 81 Coffee House 1 67 Cafeterias 1 77 European/Italian 1, 16 57 Upscale Casual 5 66 Home Style/Southern 9 66 Home Style/Southern 1 64 Casual Dining 12 67 Cafeterias 1 79 Cajun/Creole 16 72 Bar & Grill 2 74 Asian/Chinese 1 73 Microbreweries 2 64 Casual Dining 1 61 Cafés 8 61 Cafés 2 57 Upscale/Casual 2 70 Sandwich/Deli 3 81 Coffee House 1, 2 81 Coffee House 16 78 European/Spanish 2 59 Bistro/Contemporary 1 63 Steakhouse 3 72 Bar & Grill 1 61 Cafés 12 61 Cafés 4 67 Entertainment Dining 16 81 Desserts/Bakery 2, 10 66 Home Style/Southern 12 59 Bistro/Contemporary 2 72 Bar & Grill 3 61 Cafés 15 63 Steakhouse 6 66 Home Style/Southern 6 70 Sandwich/Deli 1 59 Bistro/Contemporary 2 70 Sandwich/Deli 1 77 European/Bosnian 12

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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 Duke’s Grille & Bar Dutch’s Tavern Dynasty Buffet Eastern House Eggroll King Eggroll Machine El Caporal El Mundo El Nopal El Nopalito El Restaurante Chiquito El Rey Mexican El Rodeo Mexican El Tarasco Emperor of China Empress of China The English Grill Equus Erika’s German Rest.

Ermin’s Bakery & Café Ernesto’s Euro Market Eva Mae’s Expressions of You Famous Dave’s Bar-B-Que Fast Break Pizza Fat Jimmy’s Fat Tony’s Pizza Federal Hill Feed Bag Deli Ferd Grisanti Fiesta Time Mexican Grill Fifth Quarter Finley’s BBQ Fire Fresh Bar B Q 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 Fox & Hound Frank’s Steak House Frascelli’s N.Y. Deli Fratello’s Pizza Frolio’s Pizza Frontier Diner Fuji Steakhouse Garden Room Café Gasthaus Gavi’s Restaurant Geli Cakes Genny’s Diner Germantown Café Gerstle’s Place Golden Buddha Golden Corral Golden Palace Golden Wall Goose Creek Diner Grand Buffet Granville Inn Grape Leaf Grapevine Pantry Great American Grill Great Wall Great Wok Groove Café Gumbo A Go-Go Hall’s Cafeteria Happy Dragon Hard Rock Café Harper’s Restaurant

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70 Sandwich/Deli 1 66 Home Style/Southern 1 68 Pizza [20] 79 Mexican 15 70 Sandwich/Deli 3, 5, 7, 9, 14 74 Asian/Chinese 2,3 74 Asian/Chinese 1 74 Asian/Chinese 6 74 Asian/Chinese 5 74 Asian/Chinese 5, 8, 11, 12 79 Cajun/Creole 1 74 Asian/Chinese 2 64 Casual Dining 12 72 Bar & Grill 3 74 Asian/Chinese 7 74 Asian/Chinese 13 74 Asian/Chinese 13 74 Asian/Chinese 2 79 Mexican 4,6,12,15 79 Mexican 2 79 Mexican 6, 8, 12 80 Mexican 2, 4, 11 80 Mexican 14 80 Mexican 4 80 Mexican 13 80 Mexican 3, 5, 12 74 Asian/Chinese 7 74 Asian/Chinese 4 56 Fine Dining 1 56 Fine Dining 3 77 European/German 6 61 Cafés 1, 10, 14 80 Mexican 3, 5, 12, 16 70 Sandwich/Deli 8 64 Casual Dining 16 81 Coffee House 7 72 Barbecue 6, 15 68 Pizza 8 68 Pizza 2, 5 68 Pizza 6 61 Cafés 14 70 Sandwich/Deli 3 77 European/Italian 6 80 Mexican 8 63 Steakhouse 12 72 Barbecue 1 72 Barbecue 4, 5, 9, 11, 13 74 Asian/Chinese 13 62 Seafood 2 62 Seafood 1 62 Seafood 3 62 Seafood 11 72 Bar & Grill 1 56 Fine Dining 1 72 Bar & Grill 2 66 Home Style/Southern 13 74 Asian/Chinese 14 64 Casual Dining 1 72 Bar & Grill 4 72 Bar & Grill 3 63 Steakhouse 16 70 Sandwich/Deli 7 68 Pizza 16 68 Pizza 12 66 Home Style/Southern 13 75 Asian/Japanese 8 61 Cafés 1 77 European/German 7 64 Casual Dining 1 70 Sandwich/Deli 2 66 Home Style/Southern 2 61 Cafés 1 72 Bar & Grill 3 74 Asian/Chinese 12 66 Home Style/Southern 4,12,15 74 Asian/Chinese 13 74 Asian/Chinese 12 66 Home Style/Southern 8 74 Asian/Chinese 13 72 Bar & Grill 1 78 Middle Eastern 2 61 Cafés 9 72 Bar & Grill 12 74 Asian/Chinese 2 74 Asian/Chinese 1 61 Cafés 15 79 Cajun/Creole 2 67 Cafeterias 2 74 Asian/Chinese 1 59 Bistro/Contemporary 1 59 Bistro/Contemporary 5

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Havana Rumba 79 Hazelwood Restaurant 66 Heavenly Ham 70 Heine Brothers Coffee 81 Heitzman Bakery & Deli 81 Highland Coffee Co. 81 Hitching Post Inn 72 Hobknobb Roasting Co. 81 Hometown Buffet 67 Hometown Pizza 68 Hong Kong Chinese 74 Hong Kong Fast Food 74 Hoops Grill and Sports Bar 73 Hooters 64 Hot Dog Heaven 70 Howl at the Moon 67 Ichiban Samurai 75 Indi’s Restaurant 67 India Palace 78 Intermezzo American Café 57 The Irish Rover 77 Iroquois Pizza 68 Islamorada Fish Co. 62 J. Alexander’s 57 J. Graham’s Café 61 J. Harrods 57 Jack Fry’s 57 Jack’s Lounge 60 Jade Palace 74 Jake’s & Mr. G’s 73 Jalapeño’s 80 Jane’s Cafeteria 67 Jarfi’s Bistro 58 Jasmine 74 Java Brewing Co. 81 Jay’s Cafeteria 67 Jazz Factory 60 Jennica’s 61 Jersey Mike’s Subs 70 Jersey’s Café 73 Jessie’s Restaurant 67 Jillian’s 68 Jimbo’s BBQ 72 Jimmy’s on the River 64 Jockamo’s Pizza Pub 68 Joe Huber Restaurant 68 Joe Muggs 81 Joe’s Crab Shack 62 Joe’s O.K. Bayou 79 Joe’s Older Than Dirt 64 John E’s 58 JoJo’s Fish Market 62 Juanita’s Burger Boy 70 Juan’s Mexican Restaurant 80 Jucy’s Smokehouse 72 Juke Box 64 Julie’s of Jeffersonville 70 Jumbo Buffet 74 Kaelin’s Restaurant 64 Karma Café 78 Kashmir Indian 78 Kayrouz Café 61 Kern’s Korner 64 Kim’s Asian Grille 76 King Buffet 74 King Wok 74 Kingfish 62 King’s Buffet 74 Kings Fast Food 67 King’s Fried Chicken 67 Kobe Japanese Steak 75 Koreana II 76 KT’s 58 Kunz’s 56 KY Taco 80 L&N Wine Bar and Bistro 60 La Bamba 80 La Bodega 78 La Embajada 80 La Herradura 80 La Marimba 80 La Peche II 60 La Rosita Taqueria 80 La Tapatia 80 Lazy Jane Café 61 Le Relais 56 Leander’s on Oak 60 Lee’s Korean 76 Legend’s 65 Lemongrass Café 77 Lentini’s 77

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

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The Lighthouse 73 Lilly’s 56 Limestone 58 Ling Ling 74 Little Caesar’s Pizza 68 Little Chef 70 Liu’s Garden 74 Logan’s Roadhouse 63 Logos Coffee House 81 Lolitas Tacos Inc. 80 Lone Star Steakhouse 63 Longhorn Steakhouse 63 Longino’s 67 Lonnie’s Taste Chicago 70 Los Aztecas 80 Los Indios Mexicano 80 Lotsa Pasta 70 Louisville Pizza Co. 69 Lucky Dragon 74 Lucky House Buffet 75 Lucky Strike Lanes / Felt 68 Luigi’s 77 Lunch Today 70 Lynn’s Paradise Café 65 Ma Zerellas 69 Macvitte’s 73 Magic Corner Bakery 81 Mai’s Thai Restaurant 76 Maido Essential Japanese 75 Main Eatery 71 Main Menu 65 Main Street Grind 62 Maker’s Mark Lounge 58 Manchu Wok 75 Mancino’s Pizza 69 Manhattan Grill 65 Marimba Mexican Rest 80 Mark’s Feed Store 72 Martini Italian Bistro 77 Master’s International 81 Masterson’s 65 Max & Erma’s 65 Mayan Gypsy 80 Mazzoni’s Oyster Café 62 McAlister’s Deli 71 Melillo’s 77 The Melting Pot 58 Meridian Café 62 Mexican Fiesta 80 Mexico Tipico 80 Michael Murphy’s 73 Mike Linnig’s 62 Mitchell’s Fish Market 62 Moe’s Southwest Grill 81 Molly Malone’s 77 The Monkey Wrench 65 Morton’s of Chicago 63 Mr. Gattis 69 Mr. Lou’s 67 Mr. Z’s Kitchen 62 My Favorite Muffin 81 My Old KY Dinner Train 68 Nancy’s Bagel Grounds 71 Napa River Grill 58 Neil’s Place 67 Nero’s 58 New Direction Bar & Grill 73 New World Buffet 75 New York Capri Pizza 69 Nord’s Brown Bag Deli 71 North End Café 62 O’Charley’s 65 O’Dolly’s 67 O’Shea’s Irish Pub 77 The Oakroom 56 Ocean Buffet 75 Old Spaghetti Factory 77 Old Stone Inn 58 Ole Hickory Pit BBQ 72 The Olive Garden 77 Olive’s on Fourth 67 Ollie’s Trolley 71 Omar’s Gyro 78 On the Border 81 On The River Dining 65 Onion Rest.Tea House 75 Oriental Express 75 Oriental House 75 Oriental Star 75 Osaka Sushi Bar 75 Oscar Brown’s Southbeach 60 54 Winter 2006 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

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

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Otto’s Café 65 Outback Steakhouse 63 P. F. Chang’s China Bistro 58 Pa Pa Murphy’s Pizza 69 Palermo Viejo 78 Panda Chinese 75 Panera Bread Co. 71 Papa Johns Pizza 69 Park Place Restaurant 56 Pat’s Steak House 63 The Patron 58 Paul’s Fruit Market 71 Pearly’s Seafood 62 Peking City 75 Penn Station 71 Pepper Shaker Bar-B-Q 72 Perkfection 81 Pesto’s Italian 77 Petterson’s Bar-B-Q Barn 72 Piccadilly Cafeteria 67 Picnicaters BBQ 72 Pie in the Sky 69 Pit Stop Bar-B-Que 72 Pita Delights 78 Pizza Box 69 Pizza By The Guy 69 Pizza Hut 69 Pizza King 69 Pizza Place 69 Plehn’s Bakery 81 Ponderosa Steakhouse 63 Porcini 78 Portico 56 Prado’s Pizza 69 Primo 78 Proof On Main 56 Prospect Fish Market 62 The Pub Louisville 65 Puerto Vallarta 80 Qdoba Mexican Grill 80 Queen of Sheba 73 Quick Wok 75 Quizno’s Subs 71 Rafferty’s of Louisville 65 Rainbow Blossom 81 Ramsi’s Café 60 Ranch House 65 Raw Sushi Lounge 76 Ray Parrella’s 78 Red Cheetah Lounge 58 Red Lounge 60 Red Star Tavern 58 Rich O’s Public House 73 Rick’s Ferrari Grille 58 Rincon Latino 80 River Grille 65 Rockwall Bistro 58 Rocky’s Italian Grill 78 Romano’s Macaroni Grill 78 Rosticeria Luna 80 Royal Garden 75 Rubbie’s Bar-B-Que 72 Ruby Tuesday 65 The Rudyard Kipling 65 Rumors Raw Oyster Bar 62 Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse 63 Ryan’s Steakhouse 63 Saddle Ridge Saloon 73 Saffron’s 78 Saffron’s Buffet 78 Safier Mediterranean Deli 79 Saint’s 73 Sakura Blue 76 Sala Thai 76 Salsarita’s Fresh Cantina 81 Sam’s Food & Spirits 65 Santa Fe Grill 80 Sapporo Japanese Grill 76 Schlotzsky’s Deli 71 Scotty’s Ribs 72 Sesame Chinese 75 Seviche A Latin Restaurant 56 Shalimar Indian 78 Shane’s 65 Shanghai Restaurant 75 Shenanigan’s Irish Grille 77 Shogun 76 Shoney’s 65 Sichuan Garden 75 Skyline Chili 65 Smokey Bones BBQ 72

MAP #

Casual Dining 1 Steakhouse 3, 8, 11, 12, 15 Upscale Casual 5 Pizza 3, 8, 11, 12, 15 European/Spanish 2 Asian/Chinese 10 Sandwich/Deli 3, 6, 8, 15 Pizza [30] Fine Dining 1 Steakhouse 2 Upscale Casual 3 Sandwich/Deli 3, 4, 7, 9 Seafood 7 Asian/Chinese 8 Sandwich/Deli [11] Barbecue 12 Coffee House 16 European/Italian 1 Barbecue 15 Cafeterias 5, 6 Barbecue 1 Pizza 6 Barbecue 1 Middle Eastern 1 Pizza 8 Pizza 5 Pizza [15] Pizza 14, 16 Pizza 4 Desserts/Bakery 3 Steakhouse 7 European/Italian 2 Fine Dining 14 Pizza 9 European/Italian 1 Fine Dining 1 Seafood 10 Casual Dining 1 Mexican 14 Mexican 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 15 African 4 Asian/Chinese 1 Sandwich/Deli [17] Casual Dining 3, 8 Desserts/Bakery 8 Bistro/Contemporary 2 Casual Dining 14 Asian/Japanese 1 European/Italian 2 Upscale Casual 1 Bistro/Contemporary 2 Upscale Casual 1 Microbreweries 14 Upscale Casual 3 Mexican 8 Casual Dining 1 Upscale Casual 14 European/Italian 8, 16 European/Italian 5 Mexican 12 Asian/Chinese 11, 12, 13 Barbecue 12 Casual Dining 3, 6 Casual Dining 1 Seafood 9 Steakhouse 3 Steakhouse 11, 12, 13, 15 Bar & Grill 1 Middle Eastern 1 Middle Eastern 1 Middle Eastern 1 Bar & Grill 3 Asian/Japanese 3 Asian/Thai 6 Southwest/Tex Mex 3 Casual Dining 14 Mexican 12 Asian/Japanese 2, 9 Sandwich/Deli 8, 9, 12 Barbecue 9 Asian/Chinese 5 Fine Dining 2 Indian 6 Casual Dining 10 Asian/Chinese 1 European/Irish 2 Asian/Japanese 6, 8 Casual Dining 2, 6, 12 Asian/Chinese 6 Casual Dining 1, 2, 3, 6, 13 Barbecue 6

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Smokin BBQ 72 Barbecue 16 Snappy Tomato 69 Pizza [13] Sol Aztecas 80 Mexican 2 Soupy’s 71 Sandwich/Deli 4, 6, 8, 13 South Side Inn 67 Cafeterias 14 Spaghetti Shop 78 European/Italian 11, 14 Spinelli’s Pizzeria 69 Pizza 2 Sportstime Pizza 69 Pizza 14 Stan’s Fish Sandwich 62 Seafood 3 Star of Louisville 68 Entertainment Dining 16 Starbucks Coffee 81 Coffee House [11] Starving Artist Café 71 Sandwich/Deli 5 Station House Grill 65 Casual Dining 7 Steak N Shake 65 Casual Dining 4,6,8,12,13,15 Steinert’s Grill & Pub 73 Bar & Grill 14 Stevens & Stevens 71 Sandwich/Deli 2 Stoney River 63 Steakhouse 8 Strawberry Patch Deli 71 Sandwich/Deli 9 Stumler Rest. & Orchard 68 Entertainment Dining 14 Sub Station II 71 Sandwich/Deli 12 Sully’s Saloon 73 Bar & Grill 1 Sunergos Coffee & Roastery 81 Coffee House 1 Sweet ‘N’ Savory Café 62 Cafés 2 Sweet Peas Southern 60 Bistro/Contemporary 2 Sweet Surrender 81 Desserts/Bakery 2 The Sweet Tooth 81 Desserts/Bakery 3 Tacqueria La Mexicana 81 Mexican 12 Tailgaters Sports Bar 73 Bar & Grill 12 Taj India 78 Indian 6 Taste of Jamaica 79 Carribian/Cuban 2 Tequila Mexican Rest.

81 Mexican 12 Teranga African Rest.

73 African 4 Texas Roadhouse 63 Steakhouse 2, 12, 13, 15 TGI Friday’s 65 Casual Dining 1, 6, 7 Thai Café 76 Asian/Thai 7 Thai Kitchen 76 Asian/Thai 13 Thai Siam 76 Asian/Thai 4 Thai Smile 5 76 Asian/Thai 12 Thai Taste 76 Asian/Thai 2 The Other Place 65 Casual Dining 2 Third and Main Café 62 Cafés 1 Third Avenue Café 62 Cafés 1 Thyme Café 62 Cafés 1 Tijuana Flats Burrito Co. 81 Southwest/Tex Mex 7, 8 Time to Eat Café 62 Cafés 2 Tokyo Japanese 76 Asian/Japanese 7 Toll Bridge Inn 67 Home Style/Southern 14 Tommy Lancaster 66 Casual Dining 14 Tony Boombozz 69 Pizza 2, 3 Tony Boombozz Pizza & Vino 69 Pizza 8 Tony Impellizeri’s Italian 69 Pizza 5 Tony Roma’s 72 Barbecue 5 Tran Japanese Steakhouse 76 Asian/Japanese 14 Trellis Restaurant 66 Casual Dining 1 Trestle Sports Café 73 Bar & Grill 6 Tucker’s 66 Casual Dining 14 Tumbleweed 81 Southwest/Tex Mex 1,2,4, 6,8,12,13,14,15,16 Twice-Told Café 68 Entertainment Dining 7 Twig & Leaf Restaurant 66 Casual Dining 2 Two Guys and a Grill 71 Sandwich/Deli 7 Uno Chicago Bar & Grill 69 Pizza 11 Uptown Café 58 Upscale Casual 2 Vic’s Café 73 Bar & Grill 1 Vietnam Kitchen 77 Asian/Vietnamese 12 The Villa Buffet 66 Casual Dining 14 Vince Staten’s BBQ 72 Barbecue 10 Vincenzo’s 56 Fine Dining 1 Vito’s Pizzeria 69 Pizza 12 Volare 78 European/Italian 2 W.W. Cousin’s 71 Sandwich/Deli 3 Wagner’s Pharmacy 67 Home Style/Southern 12 Wall Street Deli 71 Sandwich/Deli 1 Webb’s Market 67 Home Style/Southern 1 Westport General Store 66 Casual Dining 7 Whitney’s Diner 62 Cafés 11 Wicks Pizza 69 Pizza 2, 8, 9, 13 Wild Oats Market 71 Sandwich/Deli 3 Willie’s Italian 78 European/Italian 13 Windy City Pizzeria 70 Pizza 1 Winston’s 56 Fine Dining 4 Wok Express 75 Asian/Chinese 1 Wonton Express 75 Asian/Chinese 4 Woodford Reserve Grille 73 Bar & Grill 12 Yaching’s East West Cuisine 58 Upscale Casual 1 Yang Kee Noodle 75 Asian/Chinese 5 Yen Ching 75 Asian/Chinese 6 You-Carryout-A 75 Asian/Chinese 14, 15, 16 Zap’s 71 Sandwich/Deli 1 ZaZoo’s 73 Bar & Grill 3 Zen Garden 77 Asian/Vietnamese 2 Z’s Oyster Bar 57 Fine Dining 5

louisville • 424 south 4th street 502-568-2202 • hardrock.com

©2006 Hard Rock Cafe International, Inc. All rights reserved.

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UNLESS NOTED OTHERWISE, ALL RESTAURANTS ARE LOCATED IN LOUISVILLE. ALL KENTUCKY PHONE NUMBERS LIS TED ARE IN THE 50 2 AREA C ODE, 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

2 11 CLOVER LANE RES TAURANT 2 11 Clover Ln., 896-9570. 2 11 Clo ver’s longtime manag er Andy Smith now owns the place, but its upscale atmosphere and cr eative cuisine of this s tylish spot in St. Matthe ws continue to rank it among the city’s top tables. $$$$ p f

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610 MAGNOLIA 610 Magnolia Ave., 636-0783. Chef Edward Lee’s distinctive, eclectic take on creative international cookery places his personal signature on every dish at this elegantly comfortable Old Louisville restaurant, which c onsistently ranks among the city’ s top tables f or food, drink and service. $$$$ p f BUCK’S 42 5 W. Ormsby Ave., 637-52 84. Eclectic Victorian with t ongue-slightly-in-cheek, pleasant and not overstated, this fine dining room on the ground floor of Old L ouisville’s genteel old Mayflower Apartments c ombines a w elcoming attitude with high-quality f are and atmospher e that’s frankly stunning. $$$ 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 Metr o 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 r aves for creative,

inventive (and e xpensive) fare that mak es the Brown a major pla yer in the do wntown-hotel dining sweepstakes. $$$$ p EQUUS 122 Sears Ave., 897-9721. Tucked away in a simple white-brick building, Equus is a block off the main drag in St. Matthe ws, but happy diners beat a path to its door. Fine international cuisine, a stylish setting and firs t-rate service combine in one of the city’s top dining rooms. $$$$ p THE FLAGSHIP 140 N. Fourth St., 589-5200. $$$$ e KUNZ’S FOURTH AND MARKET 115 S. F ourth St., 585-5555. One of the oldest restaurants in Louisville, Kunz’s original German accent has muted with time , and it no longer r anks among the city’s top tables, but it s till provides oldfashioned, hearty steaks and seafood. $$$ p LE RELAIS 2 817 Taylorsville Rd. (Bo wman Field), 451-902 0. Another longs tanding contender for the city’s top table, this s tylish art dec o spot beautifully uses a historic 192 0s airport building to present elegant modern Fr ench cuisine fr om Chef Daniel Stage . It’s not jus t the city’ s best French restaurant but a contender for best of the region. $$$$ p f e LILLY’S 1147 Bardstown Rd., 451-0447. Chef Kathy Cary seems to spend as much time in New York City as she does in L ouisville. As a r epeat invitee to Manhattan’s James Bear d House, she shar es her Kentucky-accented cooking skills with the r est of the nation. Lilly’s combines style and Cary’s creative cookery to keep this landmark near the t op of the city’s dining list. $$$$ p e THE OAKROOM 500 S. Fourth St. (Seelbach Hotel), 585-32 00. Chef de Cuisine T odd Richards has found his o wn voice at the Seelbach, adding innovative touches while he maintains the quality that has earned this elegant hotel dining room its four-star rating. $$$$ p PARK PLACE RESTAURANT 401 E. Main St. (Slugger Field), 515-017 2 . With Anoosh Shariat as executive chef and Jerry Slater as GM, the signature restaurant in L ouisville Slugger Field has moved beyond its origins as a s teakhouse to join the city’ s top tier of upscale dining rooms. $$$$ p f e PORTICO Caesars Indiana Casino, Elizabeth, IN, 888766-2648. High-end luxury and s tyle bring a tas te of Las V egas to Metro Louisville in this pric ey, white-tablecloth eatery located on the grounds of Caesars Indiana. You don’t have to be a high roller to enjoy its luxury fare and service. $$$$ p PROOF ON MAIN 702 W. Main St., 217-6360. Perhaps the loudest restaurant buzz in Louisville this winter attends the arriv al of Pr oof, a s tylish spot in the posh new 2 1C Hotel at Seventh & Main. Under General Manager Cassandra Hobbic (long of Lilly’s) and Executive Chef Michael P aley, this r estaurant planned by NYC’s Myriad R estaurant Group will feature modern American cuisine with T uscan influences, plus an upscale Bourbon bar. $$$ p f SEVICHE A LA TIN RESTAURANT 1538 Bardstown Rd., 473-8560. Chef Anthon y Lamas has been winning national praise for his creative cookery, frequently appearing in national f ood media and making a r egular trek to James Bear d House in NYC. Seviche, as the name implies, specializ es in the Latino seaf ood dish “cooked” in tart citrus juices. $$$$ p f VINCENZO’S 150 S. Fifth St., 580- 1350. Known for its suavely professional service, high-end Northern Italian fare and some tr ademark dishes prepared at tableside, Vincenzo’s owns a place as one of Louisville’s top tables. $$$$ 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

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guiding hand of Chef John Cas tro. Several of the city’s top chefs got their training here. Open Fri. Sun. Only. Reservations suggested. $$$$ p

than just cheesecake, though, with a wide-ranging menu of California, Southwestern and Pacific Rim fare plus full bar service. $$ p

Z’S OYSTER BAR & S TEAKHOUSE 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

CLUB GROTTO 2 116 Bardstown Rd., 459-52 75.

Following a series of changes in leadership at this Highlands favorite, longtime Chef Michael Ne w is back at the helm after a few years away. With New’s international bistro dishes and Club Grotto’s stylish and romantically dim en virons, this sometimes overlooked spot is worth making a special effort to remember. $$$ p

ARTEMISIA 62 0 E. Mark et St., 583-4 177. As the bustling arts scene in this east-of-downtown neighborhood has blos somed, Artemisia has evolved right along with it. A f avorite dinner venue in a gallery setting, Art emisia offers fare to please both v egetarians and omniv ores, plus an attractive alfresco dining option in its enclosed courtyard. $$$ p f e ASIATIQUE 1767 Bardstown Rd., 451-2749. Chef Peng Looi, who has won diners’ raves and many culinary awards during Asiatique’ s long t enure in St. Matthews, transplanted his innovative Asian-fusion restaurant to larger and even more striking quarters on the bus y Bardstown Road corridor, where he has kicked things up still another notch. $$$ p f AUSTIN’S 4950 US 42, 423-1990. Big, crowded and bistro-style, with hea vy emphasis on the bar , this suburban watering hole taps the same v ein as the national franchise booze ‘n’ beef genre, and does so well, offering satisfying dining at a fair price. $$ p AVALON 1314 Bardstown Rd., 454-5336. This stylish spot on Bardstown Road offers a fresh and creative bill of f are that pr esents American and international cuisine with a distinct Southern accent. Extra points for the popular outdoor patio that’s open for a good part of the y ear. $$$ p f AZALEA 3612 Brownsboro Rd., 895-54 93. Another of the city’ s longtime f avorites, Azalea delights with creative American and fusion-s tyle fare whether you dine in or enjo y the open air of its shady, brick-walled patio. $$$ p f BLU ITALIAN MEDITERRANEAN GRILLE 2 80 W. Jefferson St. (L ouisville Marriott), 671-42 85. The signature restaurant in the city’s newest convention hotel, BLU offers upscale Italian Mediterranean cuisine in s triking surroundings highlighted by Mexican limestone and Italian marble . For those seeking a relaxing libation and a quicker snack, the Bar at BLU offers a more casual alternative. $$$ p

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

This urban neighborhood tavern serves “pub grub” for lunch, but C oach Lamp turns int o a serious dining r oom Wednesday through Saturday evenings with well-prepared dishes from Chef Jerome Pope that r ange from down-home favorites to pastas. $$$ CORNER CAFÉ 9307 New Lagrange Rd., 426-8119.

There’s nothing fancy or overly elegant about this suburban neighborhood old favorite, but the term “eclectic” fits it well. $$ p DANIELLE’S 2 2 06 Frankfort Ave., 893-7677. The Frankfort Avenue restaurant renaissance continues as Chef Allan R osenberg, packing e xperience in

New York City and several years as Chef Shariat’s chef de cuisine at Park Place, opens his signature restaurant in Mar ch. Featuring fresh American cuisine with an e xtensive all-American wine lis t, expectations are high. $$$ p INTERMEZZO AMERICAN CAFÉ & CABARET 316 W. Main St., 584- 12 65. The elegant r estaurant space in A ctor’s Theatre of L ouisville’s historic building is back in busines s in this ne w incarnation, featuring casual American bistro fare in a fully r enovated dining r oom, plus nightly entertainment in a cabaret style. $$$ p e J. ALEXANDER’S RESTAURANT 102 Oxmoor Court, 339-2 2 06. This comfortably upscale venue, a Nashville-based chain, features “contemporary American” fare with a br oad menu that r anges from burgers and sandwiches to such upscale eats as grilled tuna or a New York strip steak. $$$ p J. HARROD’S 7507 Upper Riv er Rd., 2 2 8-4555. J .

Harrod’s is discr eetly tasteful and pleasantly comfortable. The food is competitive in both quality and value. It’s an appealing, upscale blend of bis tro fare and old-fashioned country cooking. $$$ p JACK FRY’S 1007 Bardstown Rd., 45 2 -92 44. If y ou want to give visiting fri ends a one-shot sample o f

Louisville’s Best Kept Secret.

“Equus is not only one of the city’s best, it is absolutely one of the best.”

Susan Reigler, The Courier-Journal, October 2004

Equus has been preparing American-regional cuisine with Kentucky accents for 20 years.

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?

BRAVO! 2 06 Bullitt Ln. ( Oxmoor Center), 32 6-0491.

Management describes the Ohio-based Br avo! chain as “a fun, white-tablecloth casual eatery ... positioned between the fine-dining and casual chains.” A R oman-ruin setting houses abundant Italian-American style fare. We particularly enjoyed appetizers and first-rate grilled meats. $$ p f BRISTOL BAR & GRILLE 132 1 Bardstown Rd., 4561702, 300 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 426-0627, 100 E. Jefferson St., 540-3214, 614 W. Main St., 582-1995, 2035 S. Third St., 634-2723. The Bristol has been a star on L ouisville’s bistro scene since it helped kick off the Bardstown Road restaurant renaissance some 25 years ago. Old standards like the green-chile won tons and the Bris tol Burger are always reliable, and the wine pr ogram is exceptional. $$ p f CAFÉ EMILIE 3939 Shelbyville Rd., 719-9717. Tucked into a c orner of a tas teful furniture shop, Café Emilie is worth a visit. T his French-accented East End eatery is a r ecent and w elcome addition t o the neighborhood’s casual dining options. $$ f CHEESECAKE FACTORY 5000 Shelbyville Rd., 8973933. “Cheesecake” is its name , and this gli tzy shopping-mall eatery offers a wide variety of rich, calorific choices to eat in or take out. It’s more

EQUUS RESTAURANT/ JACK’S LOUNGE 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 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com Winter 2006 57

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Louisville’s urban dining s tyle, there’s no bett er destination than Jack Fry’ s. This popular spot is always packed. It sa ves just a whiff of the r affish aspect of its 1960s-er a predecessor, a local saloon, but upgrades it with cr eative American f are in a bistro setting. $$$$ p e JARFI’S BISTRO 501 W. Main St., 589-5060. The affable Jeff Jarfi is the epon ymous host of this sharp, stylish venue in the K entucky Center for the Arts. Eclectic cuisine—including sushi!—plus popular lunch and pr e-theater buffets are attracting happy crowds. $$$ p JOHN E’S 3708 Bardstown Rd., 456-1111. This old Louisville tradition earns a warm recommendation.

From its c ozy setting in a his toric Buechel home to its do wn-home service to its good Americanstyle fare at reasonable prices. $$$$ p e KT’S 2 300 Lexington Rd., 458-8888. It ’s hard to argue with success, and KT’s has earned its popularity by providing good American-style bar and bistro chow for a price that’s fair. $$ p f LIMESTONE 10001 Forest Green Blvd., 426-7477. To succeed in the r estaurant business, keep doing what you do best. Chefs Jim Gerhardt and Michael Cunha have followed this simple f ormula

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with considerable success at Limestone, transporting the c oncept that br ought them international culinary k udos at the Seelbach’ s Oakroom with good eff ect in these modern quarters in the East End. $$$ p MAKER’S MARK BOURBON HOUSE & LOUNGE Fourth Street Live, 568-9009. Under a lic ensing agreement with the management of Fourth Street Live, Kentucky’s Maker’s Mark Dis tillery lends its name and its signature red-wax image to this stylish restaurant and lounge in the booming downtown entertainment complex. The draw is a magisterial bar featuring more than 60 Bourbons, along with an attr active menu f eaturing traditional Kentucky fare $$$ p f 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. $$$ p NAPA RIVER GRILL 3938 Dupont Circle, 893-0141.

Spanning California and the Pacific Rim, this starkly modern St. Matthews venue has earned its reputation as one of the city’ s top tables on the basis of consistent, top-quality fare and excellent

service. Innovative wine-country cuisine prepared with skill combines with a well-chosen, fairly priced wine c ollection that sho wcases the California wine scene. $$$ p f NERO’S Caesars Indiana Casino, Elizabeth, IN, 888766-2648. Joining Portico as the se cond high-end, fine-dining restaurant at Caesar ’s Indiana, Nero’s complements Portico’s all-American steak-andseafood theme with a broader international menu that ranges from Tuscan fettuccini to Memphis BBQ pork ribs. $$$ p OLD STONE INN 6905 Shelbyville Rd., Simpson ville, KY, (502) 722-8200. This historic stone building east of Louisville in Simpson ville, housed a popular restaurant for more than a generation. After a brief resurrection by Simpsonville’s sausage-making Purnell family, it is no w under the management of Paul Crump, formerly of Porcini. Crump’s skills and the comfortably nostalgic atmosphere make this a hot spot. $$$ p f THE PATRON 3400 Frankfort Ave., 896-1661.

Viewed from the perspective of an evening meal, the Patron offers some of the bes t cooking in town. Chef Amber McC ool offers a dinner menu that changes fr equently, based on what ’s available and perhaps the chef’s whim. It’s not just adventurous but civilized. $ P.F. CHANG’S CHINA BISTRO 912 0 Shelbyville Rd., 32 7-7707. Surrounded by an immense buzz, this Arizona-based chain r estaurant with a Chinese theme has been drawing massive crowds since its September opening. It’s a loud, happy scene with Chinese-style dishes. T o its cr edit, everything is prepared well and service is consistently fine. $$ p RED CHEETAH LOUNGE Fourth Street Live, 5890695. $$ p e 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 atmospher e that’s upscale and clubby, with an e xtensive bar as a k ey part of the action. $$$ p f RICK’S FERRARI GRILLE 3930 Chenoweth Ln., 8930106. Sometimes things come full circle, and sometimes we’re very glad. Popular local restaurateur Rick Dissell has returned to his original home, returning the name “Rick’ s” to the first restaurant that bor e his name . Look for the same familiar combination of excellent libations and upscale American fare. $$ p f e

winston’s

restaurant

ROCKWALL BISTRO 3426 Paoli Pike, Floyds Knobs, IN., 948-1705. This stylish spot takes full advantage of an old r ock-quarry location in s cenic Floyds Knobs to offer an atmospheric eatery, with a creative menu that f eatures a light L ouisiana accent, and an interesting, affordable wine list. It’s well worth the 15-minute trip across the Ohio f or one of the metro area’s most enjoyable dining experiences. $$ p f UPTOWN CAFÉ 162 4 Bardstown Rd., 458-42 12 .

Across the s treet and a s tep downscale from its partner, Café Metro, the Uptown Café (now a nonsmoking venue except for the bar) off ers similar fare with a bit more of a bistro feel for quite a few bucks less. $$ p f

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

502-456-0980

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

YACHING’S EAST WEST CUISINE 105 S. Fourth St., 585-4005. R estaurateur 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 e veryone something t o enjoy, regardless of which c ompass point attracts your taste buds. $$$ p

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316 ORMSBY 316 Ormsby Ave., 637-9899. More than just another neighborhood café, this s tylish spot in an attr active Old L ouisville building off ers a nice blend of comfort and sophistication. Ownerchef Tony Efstratiadis, late of Napa Riv er Grill, shows his creative spirit here with a nicely balanced formula that’s plain enough f or a quick lunch and f ancy enough f or a w eekend date destination. $$ p f e ATRIUM CAFÉ 9940 Corporate Campus Dr .

(Embassy Suites), 42 6-9191. An eclectic bis tro atmosphere in the spacious heart of the hot el.

Specials run from their popular crab cakes and array of pas ta dishes t o a R euben sandwich or fruit pie. $$ p BAXTER STATION BAR & GRILL 12 01 Payne St., 584-1635. This cozy spot looks a lot like a neighborhood saloon, but the eclectic menu and unique atmosphere (a r ailroad theme and airy patio in season) tak e it a not ch upscale. Take particular note of an impressive beer list to go with your meal. $$ p f BOURBONS BISTRO 2 2 55 Frankfort Ave., 8948838. Bourbon, K entucky’s traditional nectar, owns a place of honor in L ouisville eateries and watering holes that sho wcase its pleasur es.

Bourbons Bistro combines a fine bar and comfortably upscale-casual restaurant featuring what must be the w orld’s most comprehensive Bourbon list. The bill of fare is well-matched with the excellence of its libations. $$$ p f CAFÉ LOU LOU 1800 Frankfort Ave., 893-7776.

Bright and bold and arts y, this Clift on neighborhood restaurant and pub off ers Chef Clay Wallace’s affordable edibles from wraps and calzones to handmade pizzas among the bes t in town. $$ f

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Great Food Great Time Live Jazz New American Bistro Cuisine

1007 Bardstown Road Louisville, KY 40204 502.452.9244

DEKE’S MARKETPLACE GRILL 301 W. Market St., 584-8337. It starts as a do wntown bar, a favorite hangout for lawyers and the C ourthouse crowd, but Deke’s goes be yond the ob vious to offer steaks, burgers, pasta dishes and more. The decoera architecture adds t o the soul of each appetizer and entrée. $$$ p f DIAMANTE 2 2 80 Bardstown Rd., 456-1705. Chef Mike Driskell, formerly of Club Gr otto, has upgraded the old Diamond Station bar and moved it significantly upscale with this ne w concept, which features an eclectic bill of f are and tr endy libations in an attractive modern setting. $$ f DITTO’S GRILL 1114 Bardstown Rd., 581-912 9 . With fresh and gener ous portions, I lea ve stuffed and happy every time I visit this s tylish yet casual Highlands favorite. Chef/Co-owner Domonic Serratore—a pioneer of the local dining scene— serves up fr esh and gener ous portions fr om a menu that offers an internationally eclectic bill of fare that r anges all o ver the map . From Kansas City ribs and New England crab cakes to Thai chicken wings or Chinese burritos. $$ p HARD ROCK CAFÉ Fourth Street Live, 568-2 2 02 .

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 sc ene is the dr aw, but y ou’ll have no complaints about Hard Rock’s standard American cuisine. $$ p f e HARPER’S RESTAURANT 871 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 42 5-2 900. Harper’s draws a happ y crowd of regulars with a lar ge bar and big menu that off ers a wide r ange of American-s tyle fare, with management that takes quality seriously. Gourmet pizzas and fine libations are a specialty. $$ p f

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JACK’S LOUNGE 12 2 Sears A ve., 897-902 6. A sophisticated, elegant bar as sociated with the Equus restaurant next door, Jack’s offers a short but excellent menu f eaturing appetizers and light bites, along with a drinks list beyond reproach. $ p JAZZ FACTORY 815 W. Market St. (Glassworks), 992 -32 42 . Louisville’s restored Glassworks building makes a natur al home f or 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 BIS TRO 1765 Mellwood Ave., 897-0070. If you’re enthusiastic about good wine, you’re going to be excited about L&N. The fruit of the vine takes center stage in a vast, fairly priced wine list and imposing Cruvinet dispenser , with over 100 wines a vailable by the glas s.

Comfortable exposed-brick atmosphere and excellent bistro fare add to the draw. $$ p f LA PECHE II Holiday Manor Shopping C enter, 3397593. If y ou want to enjoy much-honored Chef Kathy Cary’s imaginative cooking without paying the prices at Lilly’s, this sibling spot is the place to go. $$ f LEANDER’S ON OAK 103 W. Oak St., 569-6981. Once an Old L ouisville neighborhood mark et, this attractively renovated Old L ouisville storefront is operated by restaurateurs Nick and Amy Layman.

The eatery offers Chef Charlie Ow en’s eclectic American casual bill of f are with int ernational accents, and, when the w eather permits, boas ts one of the city’ s most attractive alfresco dining facilities. $$ p f OSCAR BROWN’S SOUTHBEACH STATION 2 52 E. Market St., 581-12 2 2 . Chef Nick Sundberg features an American bis tro style at his casual-upscale restaurant in the increasingly active east downtown neighborhood. An early f ocus on Caribbean f are has given way to upscale American bar and grill dishes. $$ p e RAMSI’S CAFÉ ON THE W ORLD 12 93 Bardstown Rd., 451-0700. Small, funky and fun, this f avorite spot of the Highlands’ Generation X crowd attracts foodies of all ages with its friendly setting, reasonable prices and w ell-prepared international cuisine. $$ f 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 SWEET PEAS SOUTHERN 2 350 Frankfort Ave. The premises recently vacated by Furlong’s won’t stay empty long, as Christopher Seckman, having built North End Café into a popular success, plans another Crescent Hill property, this one f eaturing innovative touches on Southern traditions. $ p f

A LITTLE T ASTE OF HEA VEN CAFÉ Watterson Trail, 297-8191. $ f

10320

ALLEY CAT CAFÉ 11804 Shelbyville Rd., 2 45-6544.

This suburban Alley Cat is a cozy and bright little place, and the lunch-only menu is aff ordable and appealing. $ APPLEBY’S CAFÉ AND CA TERING 2 01 Spring St., Jeffersonville, IN, 2 83- 3663. This café and catering business offers a v ariety of daily lunch specials plus gourmet c offees and a t empting array of desserts. $ f AROMA CAFÉ Caesars Indiana Casino, Elizabeth, IN, 888-766-2 648. Grab a bit e before hitting the casino. Sandwiches, salads, sides, c old beverages and coffee will fuel you for a night of entertainment. $

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BEG FOR MORE CAFÉ 380-0085. $

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8402 National T urnpike,

BLUE DOG BAKER Y AND CAFÉ 2 868 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 t o show off the fine breads. $$ f BLUEGRASS CAFÉ 32 55 Bardstown Rd. ( Quality Inn), 454-0451. This casual family dining spot in a motel complex on Bar dstown offers traditional favorites that range from the Hot Br own to fried chicken. A menu of fr eshly made soups, salads, appetizers and desserts serves the light diner. $ p BULLDOG CAFÉ 10619 W. Manslick Rd., 380-0600 . $fe THE BUTTERFLY GARDEN CAFÉ 132 7 Bardstown Rd., 456-4500. Tiny but t astefully attractive, this little café is hidden at the back of a V ictorian house filled with gift shops that shar e a quaint, welcoming ambience. $ f THE CAFÉ A T THE L OUISVILLE ANTIQUE MALL 900 Goss Ave., 637-6869. One of the city’ s most attractive spots f or antique, this ca vernous old factory building off ers a similarly attr active place to catch lunch while you shop, offering a selection of competently made luncheon fare. $

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ERMIN’S BAKERY & CAFÉ 12 01 S. Firs t St., 6 356960, 723 S. Fourth St., 587-9390, 454 S. Fourth Ave., 585-5120, 9550 U.S. Hwy 42, 228-7210, 211 E. Main St., New Albany, IN, 941-8674. These popular bakeries attract crowds looking f or an enjoyable soup and sandwich lunch highlight ed by Frenchstyle breads and pastries. $ FEDERAL HILL 310 Pearl St., Ne w Albany IN, 9486646. $ f GARDEN ROOM CAFÉ 911 S. Br ook St., 62 5- 1900.

Louisville’s historic Male High School, no w The Spectrum Building, houses Gumby’s Garden Room Café, a casual American-s tyle restaurant operated by longtime local cat erer Phyllis “Gumby” Cornwell. $ f GERMANTOWN CAFÉ 1053 Goss Ave., 637-9412 .

One of the man y old-fashioned, simple and welcoming bars serving pub grub in L ouisville’s old Germantown neighborhood is as good a spot as any for a hot burger and a cold beer. $ p f e GRAPEVINE PANTRY & GIFT SHOP 11418 Old Main St., Middletown, KY, 2 45-1569. The Middletown Historic District is booming with storefronts, restaurants and a laid back glimpse of the pas t.

The Grapevine Pantry offers homemade soups, sandwiches and salads, cakes and pies. $

GROOVE CAFÉ 1882 Blackiston Mill Rd., Clarksville, IN, 949-3105. Clarksville music-industr vet Jeremy Stark hosts Groove Café, where we expect the live entertainment to be as fine as the a wesome burgers. $ e J. GRAHAM’S CAFÉ & BAR 335 W. Broadway (The Camberly Brown Hotel), 583-12 34. The Brown’s casual café offers an alternative to the pricey and upscale English Grill. $ p JENICCA’S 636 E. Market St., 587-872 0. Scheduled for opening soon as this edition goes t o press, Jennica’s should be a w orthy edition t o the booming arts dis trict east of do wntown. It will operate as a coffee shop by day and convert to a casual wine bar by night. Watch for it. $ f KAYROUZ CAFÉ 12 7 Wiltshire Ave., 896-2 631. Those who were saddened b y the los s of St. Matthe ws landmark J.P. Kayrouz will be delighted to learn that another Kayrouz generation is back in busines s, starting small in the tiny spot that once housed the original Tony Boombozz. They’ve made good use of the spac e, offering many of the f amily’s old favorites in a stylishly renovated setting. $ f LAZY JANE CAFÉ 2 339 Frankfort Ave., 896-2 2 30.

Clean and bright, simple buttery colors, attractive

CAFÉ EMILIE 3939 Shelbyville Rd., 7 19-9717. (see listing under Upscale Casual) CAFÉ FRAICHE 3642 Brownsboro Rd., 894-892 9.

Cuisine from around the world is featured at this East End neighborhood café, f eaturing homemade soups, breads and a variety of entrées on a seasonally changing menu. $ CAFÉ J 3600 Dutchmans Ln. ( Jewish Community Center), 459-0660. This authentic delicatessen in the Jewish Community Center offers fully kosher fare including homemade soups, salads and wideranging hot entrées. $ f CAMILLE’S SIDEWALK CAFÉ 2060 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 493-2005 $ f CHEDDAR BOX CAFÉ 12 12 1 Shelbyville Rd., 2 452622, 3909 Chenoweth Sq., 893-2324. Ladies who lunch often do so her e, lured by an attr active selection of luncheon soups, salads and sandwiches .and desserts. $ f CITY CAFÉ 1907 S. Fourth St., 635-02 2 2 , 505 W. Broadway, 589-1797, 12 50 Bardstown Rd., 4595600, 500 S. Pr eston St., 85 2 -5739. Chef Jim Henry, a long-time star in the city’s culinary firmament, brings his cooking skills and insistence on fresh, quality ingredients to these simple, but excellent, spots for lunch. $ f CUTTING BOARD CAFÉ 2905 Goose Creek Rd., 4239950. There’s a lot of pot ential in this Eas t End storefront. The bill of f are is mos tly sandwiches, panini and wr aps, but the y’re creative and generally well-made. $ CYCLERS CAFÉ 2295 Lexington Rd., 451-5152. Is it a bicycle shop or a r estaurant? Well, it’s both. This informal spot will sell y ou a firs t-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 DERBY CITY CAFÉ BY DALAL 3819 Bardstown Rd., 454-6160. Most of the dining crowd comes for the cream cheese and oliv e sandwiches, v eggie pockets and K entucky’s own Benedictine creations. $ DIEFENBACH CAFÉ 12 8 S. New Albany St., Sellersburg IN, 246-0686. $$ p e

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art and whit e café curtains lend clas s to a tin y spot where you can enjoy a quality breakfast and well-made soups, sandwiches and desserts. $ f MAIN ST. GRIND 155 E. Main St., Ne w Albany, IN, 944-2326. $ MERIDIAN CAFÉ 112 Meridian Ave., 897-9703. This little lunch spot occupies a cozy old house in St. Matthews. Service is c ompetent and polit e, the place is sparkling clean, and the luncheon-s tyle 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 f ood is all- American at Mr . Z’s Kitchen. It offers an appetizing option for a hearty diner-style meal. $ NORTH END CAFÉ 172 2 Frankfort Ave., 896-8770.

This atmospheric Clift on spot in an artfully redesigned old shotgun house has bec ome one of the city’s most popular s pots, prompting a r ecent expansion and the addition of a full bar. The eclectic menu offers diverse tapas and int eresting entrées, plus a bar gain-seeker’s wine li st. It’s an appeali ng, affordable place to dine. $ f SWEET ‘N’ S AVORY CAFÉ 1574 Bardstown Rd., 456-6566. Hearty brunch f are with a v egetarian accent makes Sweet ‘n’ Sa vory 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 m y favorite places for a casual meal, this exceptionally pleasant neighborhood eat ery 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 entrées and sandwiches. Fr esh basil tomato soup with the BL T on grilled sourdough is a f ast-rising favorite in the neighborhood. $ TIME TO EAT CAFÉ 1605 Story Ave., 583-0038. This familiar old Butchertown spot now houses this cozy diner that r eminds us mor e than a little of the comfortable old Min’s. $ f WHITNEY’S DINER 5616 Bardstown Rd., 239-0919. $ f

BONEFISH GRILL 657 S. Hurs tbourne Pkwy., 412 4666. This franchise concept from the Floridabased Outback St eakhouse chain off ers 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 392 2 Westport Rd., 894-8947. In an East End neighborhood rich with seafood eateries, Carolina offers a tas ty option within w alking distance of do wntown St. Matthews. This spartan little joint f eatures shellfish and cod, much of it healthfully s teamed, not fried, in an affordable family setting. $ CLARKSVILLE SEAFOOD 916 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville, IN, 2 83-8588. 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 tr ays—but it is consistently excellent and affordable. $ THE FISH HOUSE 1310 Winter Ave., 568-2 993.

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 signatur e of Green River fried fish from Western Kentucky. $ 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 mis sing from this little fry shanty is a pond out back. $ f 62 Winter 2006 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

THE FISHERY 362 4 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 aff ordable 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 alligat or. For the landlubbers there are cheeseburgers and fries. $ p ISLAMORADA FISH CO. 951 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 218-5500.

JOE’S CRAB SHA CK 131 River Rd., 568- 1171. The setting is bright, noisy and fun, and the servers keep everyone entertained. But the f ood is the bottom line, and I’m pleased t o report that the seafood at Joe’s uniformly fresh and fine. $$ p f JOJO’S FISH MARKET 2 902 Bardstown Rd., 4517100. This small Highlands shop, vacant since the closing of the short-lived Highland Fish Market, is frying fish again, with dec or and s tyle so little changed that they’re still using the same sign out front. Fried fish sandwiches, oversized fish tacos and other seafood fare are first-rate and fairly priced. $ KINGFISH RESTAURANT 302 1 Upper Riv er Rd., 895-0544, 1610 Kentucky Mills Dr., 240-0700, 601 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville, IN, 284-3474. Fried fish in a f amily dining setting has made this local chain a popular favorite for many years. Two of its properties—upper River Road and Riv erside Drive—boast river views. $$ p f MAZZONI’S OYSTER CAFÉ 2 804 Taylorsville Rd., 451-4436. A history that dates to 1884 makes Mazzoni’s one of the city’s longest-running restaurant acts. It mo ved from downtown to the suburbs a gener ation ago, but k ept its his toric serving bar and its urban f eeling, with pub grub , cold beer and the famous rolled oyster. $ MIKE LINNIG’S 9308 Cane Run Rd., 9 37-1235. Mike Linnig’s has been dishing up tas ty fried fish and seafood at family prices since 192 5 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 MITCHELL’S FISH MARKET 4031 Summit Plaza Dr ., 412 -1818. The decor of this upscale , Columbusbased chain e vokes the f eeling of a lar ge fish market, with an open kit chen that offers views of chefs at w ork. Quality seaf ood and servic e has made this a popular destination. $$$ p f PEARLY’S SEAFOOD 6301 Upper Riv er Rd., 2 2 8362 5. The cozy old creekside quarters that long housed Bus P arson’s has r eceived a mak e-over that gives the place an inviting Key West look. The menu has been kicked up a notch, too, with such goodies as conch fritters and bouillabaisse added to the familiar fried seafood and fish. $$ p f PROSPECT FISH MARKET 952 1A US 42 , Pr ospect, 2 2 8-6962 . If y ou’re on the eas tern edge of the metropolitan area, Prospect Fish Mark et offers good, affordable fish in a pleasant shoppingcenter setting. Don’t car e for fish? No pr oblem: Choose chicken or other entrées plus tw o sides from its s team table, run b y the f ormer proprietors of Rollo Pollo. $ RUMORS RESTAURANT & RAW BAR 12339 Shelbyville Rd., 2 45-0366. 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 an ywhere. Watch for daily specials that take advantage of fresh product. $ Z’S OYSTER BAR & STEAKHOUSE (see listing under Fine Dining)

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parlays peanut shells on the floor and s teaks on the table into a popular formula. $$ p BABBY’S STEAKHOUSE 108 S. Fourth St., Utica, IN., 2 88-2 411. This independent-minded s teakhouse is one of the metr o area’s best values for expertly prepared steaks. They come in all the usual siz es 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 DEL FRISCO’S 4107 Oechsli A ve., 897-7077. Once ranked among the city’ s top steakhouses, Del Frisco’s remains strong in its core competency.

For deeply marbled, fork-tender prime steaks, it’s still hard to beat on quality points. $$$$ p DILLON’S STEAKHOUSE 2101 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy, 499-7106. Dillon’s has a dis tinctly different atmosphere from more pricey steakhouses, with its ski-lodge atmospher e in a his toric Louisville home. It ranks among the most affordable quality steak dinners that the city has t o offer. $$ 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. $$$ p f e FRANK’S STEAK HOUSE 52 0 W. Seventh St., Jeffersonville IN, 2 83-3383. A longtime north-ofthe-river favorite, this neighborhood s teak house is known for comfort and hearty meals without pomp or circumstance. $$ p LOGAN’S ROADHOUSE 5055 Shelbyville Rd., 8933884, 52 2 9 Dixie Hw y., 448-0577, 970 Hwy. 131, Clarksville, IN, 2 88-9789. With more than 100 properties in 17 s tates, this Nashville-based chain

LONE STAR STEAKHOUSE & S ALOON 340 Whittington Pkwy., 339-9495. Lone Star rises above the median f or franchised chain es tablishments on the basis of popularity and style and very friendly service, with dec ent grub amid T exas-style surroundings and country music. $$ p f LONGHORN STEAKHOUSE 2 535 Hurstbourne Ln., 671-5350. Order your sirloin on the flat-top or pork chops on the char; also prime rib, baby back ribs and a c omplete line of chick en entrées. All dinners come with salad and potato choice. $$ p MORTON’S 626 W. Main St., 584-0421. T he steaks are as good as it gets, the atmosphere is elegant without being s tuffy, and the servic e is outstanding. Morton’s earns a solid thr ee stars and ranks among the top tier of L ouisville’s upscale dining choices. $$$$ p OUTBACK STEAK HOUSE 4621 Shelbyville Rd., 895432 9, 652 0 Signature Dr., 964-8383, 94 98 Brownsboro Rd., 42 6-432 9, 8101 Bardstown Rd., 2 31-2 399, 142 0 P ark Place, Clarksville, IN, 2 834329. The name suggests Australia, and so does the shtick at this popular national chain, but the food is pr etty much f amiliar American, and the fare goes be yond just steak to take in chick en, seafood and pasta. $$$ p PAT’S STEAK HOUSE 2 437 Brownsboro Rd., 8969234. A visit to Pat’s may not be exactly like a trip back to the ‘50s, but when I at e 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. K Y 53, La Gr ange, KY, 2 2 2 -12 2 6.

Family-style dining with the r anch theme k ept alive with the open flame fr om the grills. An extensive buffet with hot and c old foods, salads and desserts is also available. $ RUTH’S CHRIS STEAKHOUSE 6100 Dutchman’s Ln., 479-0026. The Robb Report magazine has declared Rolex the world’s best watch, Armani the best men’s suit, Cohiba the best cigar and Ruth’s Chris the bes t restaurant. It serv es an e xcellent steak in an atmosphere of elegance that will make you feel pampered, at a price to match. $$$$ p RYAN’S FAMILY STEAKHOUSE 7405 Preston Hwy., 964-1748, 5338 Bardstown Rd., 491-1088, 4711 Dixie Hwy., 447-4781, 636 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville, IN, 282-8520. This popular North Carolina-based chain offers family dining with good v ariety: Its diverse and extensive buffet features over 150 items. $ STONEY RIVER LEGENDARY STEAK 3900 Summit Plaza Dr., 42 9-8944. St oney River in the Springhurst shopping center is one of the chain’ s first properties outside its Georgia home. It draws big crowds with its memor able steaks and trimmings, with e xtra points f or friendly servic e and a comfortable atmosphere. $$$ p TEXAS ROADHOUSE Green Tree Mall, Clarksville, IN, 2 80-1103, 4406 Dixie Hw y. 448-0705, 6460 Dutchman’s Pkwy., 897-5005, 332 2 Out er Loop, 962-7600. The spirit of the W est sets the theme for this popular s teak house. Salads, v egetables and breads with hearty side dishes r ound out your meal options. This is family-style dining, with no tray sliding—service at your table. $$ p TUMBLEWEED SOUTHWEST GRILL (19 locations) (see listing under Southwest/Tex Mex) Z’S OYSTER BAR & STEAKHOUSE (see listing under Fine Dining)

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

Free Lunch Delivery Downtown Call for Delivery Area

THREE CONVENIENT LOCATIONS: On the River: 3021 Upper River Road

■

895-0544

(Just east of Zorn Ave @ I-71)

601 W. Riverside ■ 284-3474

(On the Jeffersonville riverfront across from Louisville)

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

Corner of Third & Market 301 West Market Street • 584-8337 Dine In, Carry Out or Delivery - Outdoor Dining 11AM - 10PM Monday thru Thursday 11AM - 11PM Friday and Saturday Happy Hour 4 PM - 7PM Monday thru Friday

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The local Mountain escape

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A NICE RESTAURANT 3105 Blackiston Mill Rd., New Albany IN, 945-4321, 2784 Meijer Dr., 280-9160. A Nice Restaurant, billed as “Ne w 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, entrées and des serts. A s teak dinner is billed as the specialty of the house . $$ p

A neighborhood favorite for over 10 years, Buckhead Mountain Grill combines the comfort of home cooking in a unique mountain lodge atmosphere.

Meat Loaf • Pot Pie Steaks • Ribs Vegetarian Large selection of micro-brewed beers

APPLEBEE’S (9 locations) This cheery national chain features an eclectic as sortment of salads, steaks, ribs, poultry and pas ta as well as full bar service. It’s as c onsistent as a c ookie cutter, but competent execution makes it a good bargain for those whose tastes run to mainstream American cuisine. $$ p BENTLEY’S 12 0 W. Broadway (Holiday Inn), 582 2 241. Enjoy a Kentucky hot brown or the all- youcan-eat prime rib buffet on Saturday nights. Each day features a pasta dish, a hearty soup and salad bar, as well as favorites from the cutting board and grill. $$ 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, in the busy Glassworks district. $ p f BUCKHEAD MOUNTAIN GRILL 3008 Bardstown Rd., 456-6680, 4112 Outer Loop, 966-5555, 10430 Shelbyville Rd., 2 45-6680, 707 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville IN,2 842 919 .

Buckhead’s combination of mountain lodge atmospher e and American-style fare make these popular destinations. The large menu f eatures downhome staples like meat loaf, pot pies, s teak, ribs, and lighter fare for warm weather dining. T he view of L ouisville’s skyline from the riv erfront location is not to be missed. $$ p f

Four convenient locations serving lunch and dinner for dine in or carry out

BULL FROG GARDEN 5440 Del Maria W ay 4990393. Another of L ouisville’s hidden secrets, this family eatery in the F ern Creek area is popular with its neighbors and is earning a br oader reputation for pub grub at r easonable prices, prepared with care and served in a friendly setting. $$ p e

4112 Outer Loop (near Preston Hwy.) in Okolona 502.966.5555

CAPTAIN’S QUARTERS 5700 Captain’s Quarters Rd., 2 2 8-1651. One of the city’ s most attractive eateries for atmosphere, Captain’s Quarters matches the beautiful setting with quality bis trostyle fare that won’t disappoint. Summer or winter, it’s a delightful place to dine. $$ p f e

10430 Shelbyville Rd. (U.S. 60) in Middletown 502.245.6680 3008 Bardstown Rd. (off I-264)

502.456.6680 707 West Riverside Dr. (off I-65) with scenic views on the River in Jeffersonville, IN 812.284.2919

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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 mor e Cardinal memorabilia. What? Y ou want food too? Sure!

Casual American dining features everything from a “Cardinal Burger” to steaks and prime rib. $$ p CHAMPIONS GRILL 505 Marriott Dr. (Holiday Inn), Clarksville, IN., 2 83-44 11. Known by locals f or its Saturday night buff et of Ne w York strip, ribeye and prime rib . Salads, sandwiches, soups and a kid-friendly menu round out the selection. $$ p e CHEDDAR’S CASUAL CAFÉ 10403 Westport Rd., 339-5400, 1385 Veteran’s Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 2 80-9660. This popular Dallas-based chain, drawing big, hungry cr owds with its lar ge bar and familiar “casual to upscale American” f are, now adds a sec ond property in Southern Indiana. $ p

CHICK INN 6325 Upper River Rd., 228-3646. Now in completely new quarters rebuilt after a fire gutted the old building in Dec ember 2 002 , Louisville’s familiar Chick Inn is back, and w e’re delighted to report that the new place feels much like the old.

Best of all, the e xcellent fried chick en is s till among the best in town. $$ p f CHILI’S 421 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 425-6800. More than just a place to chow down on baby back ribs, this national chain has a wide selection including fajitas, burgers, sandwiches and veggies. $ p COY’S 4041 Preston Hwy., 363-2 2 66. A change in management prompts a ne w name and spring cleaning for the old, f amiliar Longino’s Grill, but we’re counting on similar friendly service and oldfashioned comfort fare to maintain the popularity of this casual South End des tination. $$ p f CUNNINGHAM’S 630 S. F ourth St., 58 7-052 6. The historic brick building at Fifth and Br eckenridge Streets that housed the original Cunninghams f or 131 years w as destroyed by fire in 2 001. But its new downtown home captures much of the nostalgia of the old, and s tanding-room-only crowds are just as pleased with its fish sandwiches and pub grub. $ f DEKE’S MARKETPLACE GRILL 301 W. Market St., 584-8337. (see listing under Bistro/Contemporary) DUKE’S GRILLE & BAR 4413. $$ p f

4004 Gardiner Pt., 753-

EVA MAE’S 6313 Upper River Rd. $ f FOUNTAIN ROOM A T THE GAL T HOUSE 140 N. Fourth St., 589-5 2 00. This comfortable space features both buffet and menu dining. One pric e covers the fresh and hot buffet and salad bar. The menu often includes r egional and c ontemporary selections and daily chef specials. $ p GAVI’S RESTAURANT 2 2 2 S. Seventh St., 583-8183.

This family-owned eatery has been around for more than 2 0 years. Standard casual American cuisine adds a few Russian-style specialties such as homemade borsht and potat o soups and beef Stroganoff. Daily lunch specials include lots of fresh vegetable dishes. $ HOOTERS 412 0 Dutchmans Ln., 895- 7100; 4948 Dixie Hwy., 449-4194; 7701 Preston Hwy., 9681606; 700 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville, IN, 2 189485; 941 East Hwy. 131, Clarks ville, IN 2 84-9464.

Hooter’s may draw crowds with its long-s tanding reputation as a party sc ene, 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 JIMMY’S ON THE RIVER 100 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville IN, 2 82 -2 500 . The menu at this friendly bar and eat ery features affordable bar food and munchies, but the f astidious may choose from the menu’ s “Lighter Side.” Hearty meals at budget pric es and a s triking riverside view. $ p f e JOE’S OLDER THAN DIRT 8131 New Lagrange Rd., 42 6-2 074. Going s trong after many years in this Lyndon location, Joe’s has gradually grown from a little house t o a spr awling complex of indoor and outdoor tables with liv e music man y evenings. Excellent barbecue is a specialty, and so is ice-cold beer. $ p e JUKE BOX Highlander Point Shopping Center, Floyds Knobs, IN, 923-1435. $ e KAELIN’S RESTAURANT 1801 Newburg Rd., 4511801. This Highlands tradition has been around for almost 70 years, and their cheek y claim t o have invented the cheeseburger actually seems to have some basis in f act. It’s faring well with no r eal changes under new ownership. $ f KERN’S KORNER 2 600 Bardstown Rd., 456-9 72 6.

This family-owned tavern has been a popular

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neighborhood pit s top since 1978. Kern’s offers freshly made ham, chicken salad sandwiches and burgers, as w ell as a menu of soups, chilis and appetizers. $ p LEGENDS AT CAESARS Caesars Indiana Casino , Elizabeth, IN, 888- 766-2 648. The hot and c old short orders are served up with riv erboat hospitality, but in a Las Vegas atmosphere. A well stocked bar and a live stage welcome the best of regional and visiting national acts fr om Wednesday through Saturday nights. $$ p e LYNN’S PARADISE CAFÉ 984 Barret 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 Stat e Fair’s tongue-in-cheek Ugliest Lamp Contest, but there’s nothing ugly about the delicious and filling food. $$ p MAIN MENU 3306 Plaza Dr., New Albany, IN., 9486501. $$ MANHATTAN GRILL 200 S. 7th St., 561-0024. $ MASTERSON’S 1830 S. T hird St., 6 36-2 511. A fine , family Louisville tradition, this familiar Tudor structure near the U of L campus is the s tate’s largest full-service restaurant and the city’s largest caterer. Serving lunch buff et Mon.-Fri., 10am-2pm only. Sunday Jazz Brunch. $ e MAX & ERMA ’S 2 901 S. Hurs tbourne Pkwy., 4939662 , 392 1 Summit Plaza Dr ., 412 -52 2 9. Max & Erma’s, a national chain that started in Columbus, Ohio’s German Village in 1972, has grown to nearly 100 properties with a s teady formula of friendly service and casual-dining fare that ranges from specialty burgers, soups and salads to more weighty entrées. $$ p f THE MONKEY WRENCH 1025 Barret Ave., 582-2433.

A popular spot in the urban neighborhood wher e the Highlands meet Germant own, The Monkey Wrench offers comfort food with a s tylish spin, accompanied by good music, a r elaxed ambience and exceptionally welcoming service. $ p f O’CHARLEY’S (6 locations) O’Charley’s, Inc. could serve well as the picture in the dictionary ne xt to “American casual dining.” The Nashville-based chain operates 2 06 properties in 16 s tates in the Southeast and Midwest, serving a straightforward steak-and-seafood menu with the mott o “Mainstream with an attitude.” $$ p ON THE RIVER DINING 1900 Victory Ln., 228-4359.

Restaurateur-hosts Cherri and Rick Br own have taken over management of this f amiliar bargebased eatery on the banks of the Ohio in Oldham County (formerly Heather’s On T he River), and they’ve throttled back a bit on the fancy fare in favor of old-f ashioned down-home cooking. It’s still your rest stop on the water, accessible by land or by water as you please. $ p f OTTO’S CAFÉ 500 S. F ourth St. (Seelbach Hilt on Hotel), 585-3201. Southern cooking with gourmet flair makes Otto’s an intriguing alt ernative to the Seelbach’s more upscale Oakroom. Check out the Southern Breakfast Buffet and the Executive Express Lunch Buffet. $ RAFFERTY’S OF L OUISVILLE 988 Breckenridge Ln., 897-3900. 3601 Springhurst Blvd., 412-9000.

This full-service, casual dining establishment has a hearty menu. Specialties lik e Red Alfredo Pasta showcase the gourmet offerings along with some of the largest and most creative salad combinations in town. $$ p RANCH HOUSE 2611 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 944-9199. The menu and the retro 1950s decor hark back t o the original Bob C olgazier’s restaurants that Baby Boomers remember fondly from days gone by. $ e

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RIVER GRILLE 140 N. Fourth St. (Galt House), 5895200. Gaze upon the lazy Ohio while enjo ying an early bacon and eggs or enjoy a late night burger and fries. Casual and ac commodating for guests on the go, the fast and friendly service awaits you on the second floor. $$$ p RUBY TUESDAY 5001 Shelbyville Rd., 897-02 00, 11701 Bluegrass Pkwy., 2 67-7100. If suc cess demonstrates quality, then Rub y Tuesday’s 600 international properties and 30 ,000 employees can stand up with pride . They’ve been upholding the slogan “Awesome Food. Serious Salad Bar” in Louisville for a generation. $$ p THE RUDYARD KIPLING 42 2 W. Oak St., 6 36-1311.

The word “eclectic” fits this Old Louisville eatery in just about e very dimension, fr om its funk y decor to its diverse bill of fare, not to mention an array of ent ertainment that bridges the generations from Generation X’ers to aging hippies. $ p f e SAM’S FOOD & SPIRIT S 3800 Payne Kohler Rd., Clarksville, IN, 945-9757, 724 Highlander Point Dr., Floyds Knobs, IN, 9 2 3-7979. Opened b y a man named Sam some 16 years ago, the two locations feed an army of happy diners. You’ll find seafood, steaks, pastas, salads and des serts. The menu is extensive and child friendly. $$ p SHANE’S 1004 10th St., Jeffersonville, IN, 218-9769. $ SHONEY’S 1890 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-6870, 811 Eastern Pkwy., 636-1043, 6511 Signature Dr., 9698904. For nearly 50 y ears, Shoney’s restaurants have been one of America’s top choices for fast roadside dining, and happily they’ve kept up with the times. $ SKYLINE CHILI 12 66 Bardstown Rd., 473-12 34, Plainview Village Center, 42 9-5773, 392 Dutchman’s Ln., 895-7578, 6801 Dixie Hwy., 937402 0, 42 6 W . Market St., 56 1-9999. Louisville’s outposts of a f amous Cincinnati chili r estaurant, these casual eat eries offer the r egional favorite (really it’s Greek spaghetti sauc e, but k eep it quiet) and other fast-food dishes. $ STATION HOUSE GRILL 6000 Crestwood Station, 2 43-8334. The sign out fr ont bears a ne w name and the menu is much expanded since this Crestwood favorite changed its name fr om Laine’s Latte Café. But its lo yal clientele will be pleased to know that Laine Spooner still presides, and the bill of f are remains focused on w ellfashioned family fare at affordable prices. $$ p STEAK N SHAKE 32 32 Bardstown Rd., 456-2 6 70, 4913 Dixie Hwy., 448-4400, 4545 Outer Loop, 9663109, 2 717 S. Hurs tbourne Pkwy., 491-3397, 1072 1 Fischer Park Dr., 32 6-362 5, 980 E. Hw y. 131, Clarksville, IN., 2 85-1154. One of the oldest fastfood chains in the U .S., Steak N Shak e 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 s teak burgers and hand-dipped shakes served, if you dine in, on real china. $ TGI FRIDAY’S 9990 Linn Station Rd., 425-8185, 2311 Lime Kiln Ln., 32 7-8443, Fourth Street Live, 5853577. The original plac e to loosen the tie and congregate after the whis tle blows. TGIF carries on its party atmospher e tradition with American bistro dining and libations. The bill of fare ranges from baskets of appetizers on up to contemporary entrées. $$ p f 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” ranging from shepherd’s pie and fish and chips to more Continental dishes like fried calamari and a seared ahi tuna entrée. $$ p f

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TOMMY LANCASTER RESTAURANT 1629 E. Market St., New Albany, IN, 945-2 389. Value and variety are the strong points of this c ommunity tradition and the f are goes fr om 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 f are in the Hyatt’s lofty atrium lobb y while y ou take advantage of an en vironment made f or peoplewatching. 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. $$ p TUCKER’S 2 441 State St., Ne w Albany, IN, 9449999. Tucker’s gives you a little bit of e verything with a do wn-to-earth flair, offering burgers, ribs, steaks, a variety of appetizers, pastas and Mexican fare. $ p TWIG & LEAF RES TAURANT 2 12 2 Bardstown Rd., 451-8944. A popular Highlands hangout, the ”Twig” is pr obably at its bes t for breakfast— whether you’re enjoying it while v enturing out on a leisurely Sunday morning or heading home very late on a Saturday night. It’s a place to grab a quick, filling bit e, and doesn’t pr etend to be more. $ THE VILLA BUFFET Caesars Indiana Casino, Elizabeth, IN, 888-766-2 648. The Villa Buffet offers an impressive choice of international dishes, with some 150 selections. A se afood buffet is featured on Fridays. $$ WESTPORT GENERAL S TORE 7008 Hwy 52 4, Westport, KY., 222-4626. Only a half-hour ’s drive up the Ohio from Louisville, proprietors Will and Laura Crawford welcome visitors to this c ozy destination, offering a comfortably sophisticated bill of fare that would in no w ay be out of plac e in a fancy city bistro. $$

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BARBARA LEE’S KIT CHEN 2 410 Brownsboro Rd., 897-3967. Barbara Lee’s has been a lat e-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 r ootsy 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 L ouisville history coming off the old w alls of this quint essential Germantown saloon, along with years of frying grease. The bar food here is about as good as bar f ood gets, and that’s not bad. T he chili and the bean soup a re particularly recommended. $ p f e THE CHICKEN HOUSE 7180 Hwy. 111, Sellersburg, IN., 2 46-9485. The parking lot of this whit e frame building in rur al Indiana is pack ed on w eekend nights as families from throughout the area wait on delectable fried chicken. This is the very heart of American comfort food, including green beans, dumplings, and mashed potatoes. $$ COTTAGE CAFÉ 11609 Main St., Middlet own, 2 449497. This nostalgic old house in the c ountryside offers a tas te of K entucky-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., 637-432 5. Now, this is down-home dining. Tucked away under big shade trees on Eastern Parkway not far from the University of L ouisville’s Belknap Campus, Cottage Inn has been happily doling out excellent food for more than 70 years. $

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 DINNER IS DONE 3830 Ruckreigel Pkwy., 267-8686. $ f D’NALLEY’S 970 S. Third St., 583-8015. Dirt-cheap blue-plate specials and hearty br eakfasts bring droves to the counters and booths of this classic greasy spoon. Satur day morning hours ar e sporadic, but for a quick plate of meat loaf, green beans, and mashed potat oes, D’Nalley’s is a har d place to beat. $ FORK IN THE ROAD RESTAURANT 4951 Cane Run Rd., 448-3903. $ FRONTIER DINER 72 99 Dixie Hwy., 2 71-3663. The name “diner” says it all, and this friendly neighborhood spot Dixie High way delivers just what you’d expect in do wn-home comfort fare.

The word on the s treet, though, is simple: Go f or the pancakes. They’re worth a special trip. $ GENNY’S DINER 2 2 2 3 Frankfort Ave., 893-092 3.

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 Genn y’s, provided that you set your expectations for hearty, filling and well-prepared diner food. $ p e GOLDEN CORRAL 4032 Taylorsville Rd., 485-0004, 8013 Preston Hwy., 966-4970, 1402 Cedar St., 2 58-2 540. Buffet style family dining—one price, all you can eat. Steaks are served beginning at 4 pm. $ GOOSE CREEK DINER 2923 Goose Creek Rd., 3398070. Goose Cr eek Diner off ers old-fashioned comfort food, as the name “ diner” suggests, but transcendently adds a gourmet taste to the down-home eats. $ HAZELWOOD RESTAURANT 4106 Taylor Blvd., 3619104. Whether y ou like your eggs o ver easy, or

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your cheeseburgers well done, you’ll like the Hazelwood Restaurant. Standard short orders cooked with lots of character and a low price. $ HOMETOWN BUFFET 1700 Alliant Ave., 2 67-7044, 3710 Chamberlain Ln., 326-9 777, 6641 Dixie Hwy., 995-332 0, 757 Hwy. 131, Clarksville, IN., 2 85-1893.

This national chain serv es up nos talgic dishes, casseroles, meats and des serts that allow you to set an all-American supper table with the all-youcan eat price tag. $ INDI’S RESTAURANT 1033 W. Broadway, 589-7985, 382 0 W. Market St., 778-5154, 4901 Poplar Level Rd., 964-5749, 3353 F ern Valley Rd., 96 9-7993, 5009 S. Third St., 363-2 535. Grown from a tiny West End tak eout spot t o a mini-chain, Indi’ s vends a v ariety of aff ordable soul f ood and barbecue specialties to take out or eat in. $ JESSIE’S FAMILY RESTAURANT 9609 Dixie Hw y., 937-6332 . Country cooking is Jes sie’s specialty, with hearty breakfast, lunch and dinner platters to fill the inner person. $ KINGS FAST FOOD 2 101 W. Broadway, 772 -7138.

This tiny, colorful West End eat ery, open f or takeout only, offers a v ast selection of filling, affordable urban f are that r anges from hot-andspicy chicken wings to rib tips and more. $ KING’S FRIED CHICKEN 1302 Dixie Hwy., 776-3013. $ LONGINO’S 1506 Berry Blvd., 361-9153. Don’t let the Italian family name f ool you, this local fixtur e recently moved from its longtime home on Preston to this new spot near Churchill Downs— features down-home cooking, mostly, ranging from fried green tomatoes to hearty meat loaf t o “The Manhattan.” $ 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. $

ANN’S BY THE RIVER 149 Spring St., Jeffersonville, IN., 2 84-2 667. This bustling eatery is caf eteria 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 w on a multigenerational crowd of loyal fans. $ CRAVINGS A LA CARTE 101 S. Fifth St. (National City Tower), 589-4230. Sequestered beneath the National City T ower, this thrifty deli off ers a variety of build- your-own sandwiches, a soupand-salad bar, and specialty bars featuring baked potatoes, Mexican pizzas, and a monthly ethnic creation. $ 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. $ JANE’S CAFETERIA 4601 Jennings Ln., 454- 72 86.

This 40-year-old family-owned restaurant knows how to cook for folks missing their home table.

Count on an att entive staff and fr esh southern fare. $ JAY’S CAFETERIA 1812 W. Muhammad Ali Blv d., 583-2 534. Jay’s modern, w ell-scrubbed building wouldn’t be out of plac e on Hurs tbourne Lane.

Hungry diners fr om all o ver town find a w arm welcome at this popular West End location that’s now run as a c ommunity-development program by two local churches. $

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 v egetables and a f ew ethnic dishes for global measure. $ SOUTH SIDE INN CAFETERIA 114 E. Main St., Ne w Albany, IN., 945-9645. This venerable familyowned cafeteria is the v ery essence of caf eteria dining. Roast beef, fried Alask an 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 her e, and y ou’ll get a lunch or dinner that will leave you napping. $

BUFFALO CROSSING 1140 Bagdad Rd., Shelb yville, KY, (502) 647-0377. If you’d like to combine a day trip with a culinary adventure, consider a drive to Buffalo Crossing in Shelb y County. This agricultural amusement park f eatures a 500-head buffalo herd and an o versize dining room where you can give this healthy red meat a try. The food here is c ountry-style and so ar e the friendly servers. $$ f DERBY DINNER PLAYHOUSE 525 Marriott Dr., Clarksville, IN, 288-8281. The play’s the thing at Derby Dinner Playhouse, Louisville’s long-running entry in the dinner-theater sweepstakes ... but the e xpansive buffet dinner adds value to the mix. $$$$ 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 tw o pianos and a sing-along c oncept? You’ll find this 4,000-square-foot club at F ourth Street Live on the ground level. $ p e

NEIL’S PLACE 7611 IN 311, Sellersburg, IN, 2 46-5456.

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 t o mention full bar servic e that makes O’Dollys a South west Louisville destination. $ p f OLIVE’S ON FOURTH 570 S. Fourth St., 588-9003.

No matter what y ou’re hungry f or, chances are Olive’s has it—fr om steam-table fare to pizza and calzones. Co-owners Linda Z eisloft and V icky Wright bring long back grounds at Sulliv an University to this comfortable downtown spot $ f SWEET PEA’S SOUTHERN (see listing under Bistro) TOLL BRIDGE INN 3300 Northwestern Pkwy,, 7765505. A rich and c olorful history surrounds the century-old frame building in Portland that no w houses the T oll Bridge Inn, a neighborhood favorite for simple, filling down-home fare. $ f 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 C okes and an early bird “trainer’s” breakfast can be enjo yed all y ear round. Racing history on the walls and servers who’ll call you “hon.” $ 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. $

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JILLIAN’S 630 Barret Ave., 589-9090. Louisville’s outpost of the Bos ton-based billiard-themed restaurant concept, this big and noisy bar, food and billiards scene is housed under the t owering concrete columns of a former grain elevator just east of downtown. Always filled with a happ y crowd, it’s the place to go for casual food and fun. $ p f e JOE HUBER F AMILY FARM & RES TAURANT 2421 Scottsville Rd., Starlight IN, 923-5255. A pleasant 2 0-minute drive from downtown Louisville, Huber’s has built a solid r eputation for simple farm fare that’s well-made, fresh and good. Some of the pr oduce is gr own on the pr emises in season. $$ p f e LUCKY STRIKE LANES / FEL T Fourth Street Live, 560-1400. An upscale bowling alley? A classy poolroom? Who knew! These twin concepts from Jillian’s founders Stephen and Gillian F oster light up Fourth Street Live with a stylish blend of ’50sstyle retro and high-t ech modern, plus a menu that serves much more than mere bar food. $$ p f 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 f our-course meal during a tw o-hour voyage along scenic Kentucky railroad tracks near Bardstown in vintage 1940s-er a dining cars.

Reservations are strongly recommended. All aboard! $$$$ p STAR OF LOUISVILLE 151 W. Riverside Rd., Jeffersonville, IN, 589-7827. The Ohio River cruise is the best thing about this Love Boat-style yacht that makes nightly all-you-can-eat cruises up the river. $$$$ p f e STUMLER RESTAURANT & ORCHARD 1092 4 St. John’s Rd., Starlight, IN, 923-3832. Fresh produce is available in the big shed a f ew steps away, and that fresh produce shows up on the tables here in mammoth portions. C ombine that with hones t fried chicken, big ham s teaks, roast beef, and sandwiches, and you can’t go wrong. $$ f TWICE TOLD PERFORMANCE CAFÉ 3507 W. Hwy. 146, LaGrange, 222-4506. An eclectic urban café in a village setting, about 2 0 minut es east of downtown in LaGr ange. The casual menu lis ts sandwiches, fruits and v eggies; daily soups and entrées. Live music every night—folk, spoken word, blues, jazz. $ e

ANGILO’S PIZZA 1725 Berry Blvd., 368-1032. The local favorite is the s teak hoagie, dripping with pizza sauce, pickles and onions. Angilo’ s also off ers a wide selection of hot pizza pies and c old beer. $ ANGIO’S RESTAURANT 3731 Old Bar dstown Rd., 451-5454. This small Buechel eat ery 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 v ariety of s tacked sandwiches such as the Big Daddy Strom with beef, Italian sausage, onions and banana peppers. $ 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. $ AVER’S GOURMET PIZZA 4610 Taylorsville Rd., 6711999. This growing regional mini-chain has no w expanded to Louisville, boasting a “gourmet pizza to go” concept that features “exotic” pizza combos like “Cream & Crimson, ” featuring potatoes and bac on, Alfredo sauce and cheese .

Takeout and delivery only. $$ BEARNO’S PIZZA 131 W. Main St., 584- 7720, 2900 Taylorsville Rd., 458-8605, 6101 Bardstown Rd., 68 Winter 2006 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

2 31-2 2 2 2 , 135-F Mark etplace Dr., 957-5100, 10117 Taylorsville Rd., 2 6 7-2 549, 1318 Bar dstown Rd., 456-4556, 8019 Pr eston 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. $ p CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN 7900 Shelbyville Rd. (Oxmoor Center), 42 5-512 5. Calif ornia pizza became a tr end when f amous chefs ga ve 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 , 3093 Breckinridge Ln., 45 2 -6700, 52 2 6 Dixie Hwy., 448-8895. Serious bargainhunters will find Cici’s culinary offer hard to beat.

This Dallas-based chain’s New Albany pizzeria, the first of 10 planned metr o locations, serves up all the pizza you can eat for only $3.99. $ CLIFTON’S PIZZA 2 2 30 Frankfort Ave., 893-3730.

Clifton’s pizza appeals t o me with its adult s tyle, full of the bold fla vors of herbs and spic es and available with gr own-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, 2 712 Frankfort Ave., 891-4555; 2 2 08 Bar dstown 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. $ FAT TONY’S PIZZA 9910 Linn Station Rd., 339-3553.

Formerly Brick Ov en Pizza, F at Tony’s has been attracting big lunchtime crowds to Plainview with authentic New York-style pizza, the thin-crus t kind with oversize slices that you have to fold in half in order to make a mouth-size portion. Other basic Italian-American pasta dishes add t o the appeal of this casual, affordable spot. $$ FRATELLO’S PIZZA 735 Ewing Ln., Jeff ersonville, IN, 2 84-12 34. Family owned and oper ated, Fratello’s offers fresh, homemade pies. Tangy, spicy sauce and a che wy crust with a dis tinctly 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 c orner from the L ouisville Zoo, Frolio’s is a neighborhood pizz eria with a c ozy, dim Italian-American mood and an all- you-caneat pizza-and-salad lunch special. $$ f HOMETOWN PIZZA 11804 Shelbyville Rd., 245-4555, 8442 Dixie Hw y., 935-3555, La Gr ange Square Shopping Center, 2 2 2 -4444. P asta dishes, hoagies, stromboli and c old beer ar e available, and so is the one-of-a-kind Bac on Cheeseburger pizza. $$ IROQUOIS PIZZA 6614 Manslick Rd., 363-3211. $$ JOCKAMO’S PIZZA PUB 983 Goss Ave., 637-5406.

Old-timers are agog o ver the r esurrection of Jockamo’s Pizza Pub, a longtime Bardstown Road landmark long sinc e replaced by Za’s. Now the original owners (except the late Dave Wilder) are returning—this time in Germant own—hoping to replicate the style, and the live music, of the original. $$ e LITTLE CAESAR’S PIZZA 816 Kenwood Dr., 3665599, 9017 Galene Dr., 2 67-8600, 562 2 Preston Hwy. 966-5800, 6714 Outer Loop, 966-3111. This Detroit-based pizzeria chain los t market share in the ‘90s, but busines s analysts say the c ompany known for its tw o-for-one “pizza pizza” deal has turned things around with a renewed commitment to quality and service. $$

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LOUISVILLE PIZZA CO. 3910 Ruckriegel Pkwy., 2671188. Also kno wn as Chubb y Ray’s, this local pizzeria makes good, fr esh pizzas and ItalianAmerican sandwiches. $ p f

until 5 a.m nightly fr om Wednesdays through Saturdays. Better yet, it gives Louisville an authentic taste of Philadelphia specialties: Philly style pizza and real Philly cheese steaks. $ f

Boombozz pizzas and paninis with a w ell-chosen wine and beer lis t, in a a s triking “urban loft ” tangerine and jade setting with Italian-made furniture to add an upscale accent. $$ p

MA ZERELLAS 949 S. Indiana A ve., Sellersburg, IN, 2 46-9517. A pleasant f amily-run-for-family-fun establishment. Pizza, pasta, salads and subs served for lunch and dinner seven days a week. $

SPORTSTIME PIZZA 3312 Plaza Dr., New Albany, IN, 944-2 577. Touting “the best pizza in southern Indiana” is quite a boast, but when the pizza biz is part of the Ne w Albanian Brewing Company, the boast carries w eight. The N.A.B.C. is the ne west 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. $

TONY IMPELLIZZERI’S 108 Vieux Carre Dr., 42 90606. T he original Impellizz eri’s Pizza is gone from the Highlands, but tw o Impellizzeri brothers still produce the f amily’s memorable pies in the suburbs. This strip-center storefront near Hurstbourne houses brother Tony’s venture. If you like the massive, heavily loaded Impellizzeri pizza style, it’s a treat not to be missed. $$

MANCINO’S PIZZA & GRINDERS 12 488 Lagrange Rd., 2 41-9902 . Oven-baked and stuffed with all your favorites, a “ grinder” is a one-s tep hungerslaying sandwich. The local favorite is the Mancino’s Pride, which is t opped with e very veggie in the kitchen plus ham, pepperoni and sausage. $ MR. GATTI’S 5600 S. T hird St., 36 3-2 2 11, 8594 Dixie Hwy., 935-0100, 3319 Bardstown Rd., 451-0540, 1108 Lyndon Ln., 339-8338, 2 2 47 S. Pr eston St., 6 356708, 42 00 Out er Loop, 964-092 0. This Austinbased chain was one of the first national pizzerias to reach Louisville in the 19 70s, and quality ingredients—plus Gattiland playgrounds for the kids—have made its crisp , thin-crust pizzas a popular draw for nearly 30 years. $$ NEW YORK CAPRI PIZZA 1503 Lynch Ln., Clarksville, IN, 284-1480. $

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-s tyle specialties that have won awards in national competition. $$ TONY BOOMBOZZ PIZZA & VINO 2 813 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 394-0000. Boombozz has taken its pizza concept to a new level with the opening of Pizza & V ino in Springhurst. The new “fast casual” f acility features the a ward-winning

UNO CHICAGO BAR & GRILL 6501 Bardstown Rd., 2 39-0079. 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 32 13 Preston Hwy., 634-5400.

Reasonable people can diff er 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., 458-182 8, 2927 Goose Creek Rd., 327-9425, 12717 Shelbyville Rd., 213-9425, 10966 Dixie Hwy., 995-4333. Wick’s

PA PA MURPHY’S PIZ ZA 2 91 N. Hubbards Ln., 8956363, 5016 Mud Ln., 962-7272, 9501 Taylorsville Rd., 2 66-7000, 6 756 Bardstown Rd., 2 39-82 82 , 1305 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 280-7272. $$ PAPA JOHN’S PIZ ZA (30 locations) “Papa” John Schnatter got into the pizza game as a Southern Indiana high-school student in 1984 and has built his business into a 3,000-restaurant international chain on the basis of a simple f ormula: traditional pizza, made fr om quality ingr edients in a straightforward style. $$ PIE IN THE SK Y 10301 Taylorsville Rd., 2 40-9988.

This pizzeria offers up pies with fr esh ingredients and hand-tossed dough. The selection of beer is wide and so is the TV scr een for those weekend gatherings. Pasta, salads and sandwiches— including the popular Hot Sicilian—r ound out the casual dining menu. $$ PIZZA BOX 10331 Champion F arms Dr., 42 3-0530.

Moved early in 2 005 from its longtime, spartan quarters near the Ford Kentucky Truck Plant, Pizza Box now boasts more modern and stylish quarters in Springhurst. It’s still a popular gathering plac e, and the excellent pizzas are still a draw, even if they’ve cut back on the once imposing beer list. $ PIZZA BY THE GUY 8109 Lagrange Rd., 426-4044.

This locally owned franchise is famous for its extra spicy, hand-tossed dough. C ome and get it, literally, because ther e’s only a c ozy table f or three at the store and most folks pick up their pie or have it delivered. $ PIZZA HUT (15 locations) $$ PIZZA KING 382 5 Charlestown Rd., Ne w Albany IN, 945-4405, 1066 Kehoe Ln., Jeffersonville, IN., 2 82 8286. The pizza at Pizza King is baked in a s turdy, clay stone oven and hand-tossed with thinner crust where the ingredients go all the way to the edge. $$ PIZZA PLACE 2931 Richland Ave., 458-9700. $ PRADO’S PIZZA 12935 Shelbyville Rd., 254-722. $$ SNAPPY TOMATO (13 Locations) A gr owing Midwestern pizza-delivery chain based in Northern Kentucky, Snappy Tomato moved into the Louisville market this summer, taking over all the properties vacated in Pizza Magia’ s demise.

Pizzas are made with fresh ingredients (including an unusual cinnamon-apple pizza “pie”), and the chicken wings are impressive. $$ SPINELLI’S PIZZERIA 614 Baxter Ave., 568-5665.

This tiny storefront in the city’ s nightclub zone offers a tas ty option f or the wide-e yed-late-atnight crowd seeking good cheap eats; it ’s open www.foodanddiningmagazine.com Winter 2006 69

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wins popularity with a w elcoming mix of good pizza, a quality beer lis t and a friendly neighborhood feel at all thr ee of its eat eries. The pies are straightforward, made with ample toppings. “The Big Wick” is a favorite. $ p WINDY CITY PIZ ZERIA 2 62 2 S. F ourth St., 6 363708. Stuffed Chicago-style and crispy thin-crust pizzas offer whichever option a pizza lo ver desires. $$

AMAZING GRACE WHOLE FOOD S DELI 1133 Bardstown Rd., 485- 112 2 . If you think “vegan” means only raw carrots, bean sprouts, seeds and roots, think again. No animals w ere harmed in the making of the tas ty alternative sandwiches and other dishes at this neat little deli attached to a spiffy local organic-foods grocery. $ ANOTHER PLACE SANDWICH SHOP 119 S. Seventh St., 589-4115. If you want to buy a car, go to a car dealer. To buy a carpet, patr onize a carpet shop .

And if you’ve got a sandwich on your to-do list, it makes sense to go to a sandwich shop . Another Place, now in this w est-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 c ounter-service diner provides the next best thing to a family cookout.

Sandwiches, fresh salads, fruit c obblers and oldfashioned hand-dipped milkshak es enhance the nostalgic theme. $ f BANK SHOT BILLIARDS 403 E. Market St., 587-8260. $ BIG SUBS 9811B Old Third Street Rd., 933-2010. $ 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. $ CH¯ EBA HUT 947 Baxter Ave., 454-5507. Spawned 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 oc casional customer.” The marijuana theme is so perv asive that it’s safe to assume this is the least likely place in town for actually scoring weed. $ f CHICKEN KING 639 E. Broadway, 589-5464. Spicy, crunchy and sizzling hot fried chick en is the primary draw on a short, affordable menu. $ CIANO’S 11904 Shelbyville Rd., 245-6997. $ DANISH EXPRESS PASTRIES 102 1/2 Cannons Ln., 895-2 863. Just a f ew tables turn this tak eout nook into a sit-in breakfast and lunch spot f or a handful of diners at a time. Full breakfasts and light lunches are available, but as the name implies, Danish pas tries are the specialty , and they’re fine. $ DINO’S DOWN TO LUNCH CAFÉ 2 39 S Fifth St. (Kentucky Home Life Building) 585-2874. $ DIZZY WHIZZ DRIVE-IN 217 W. St. Catherine St., 5833828. This neighborhood eatery is an ins titution. 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 52 1 S. T hird St., 584-8060 . A downtown deli favorite. Daily specials are surrounded by an impr essive 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, 2 2 41 State St., New Albany, IN, 981-012 4, 2226 Holiday Manor Center, 42 6-3354. This convenient deli specializes in bagels, as the name implies. Br eakfast means 70 Winter 2006 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

fresh bagels with an arr ay of cr eam cheese, sausage, eggs and coffee. At lunchtime lines form for sandwiches—subs, panini, wr aps, hot melts and cold cuts. $ 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 servic e counter offers a variety of goodies t o take out or eat in. Don’t mis s the excellent fried-oyster box, as well as an intriguing selection of quality beers and fine wines. $ THE FEED BAG DELI 133 Breckenridge Ln., 896-1899.

The grilled salmon bur ger is w orth 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 62 47 Crestwood Station, 2 43-9005. Small and spartan, this tw oroom storefront in the ne wish Crestwood Station shopping center just out from Pewee Valley offers a broad selection of Italian-s tyle deli sandwiches, plus a shorter list of home-style Italian hot dishes from lasagna to baked ziti. $ GELI CAKES 1589 Bardstown Rd., 456-2 466. It’s a delight to have this casual eat ery on Bardstown Road. The specialty is Italian gelat o, and it comes pretty close t o the r eal thing. But don’t start with des sert; the panini ar e first-rate, and it’s also open for weekend brunch. $ f HEAVENLY HAM Northgate Center, New Albany IN, 941-9426. $ HOTDOG HEAVEN 209 E. Main St., 222-2626. $

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JERSEY MIKE’S SUBS AND S ALADS 10266 Shelbyville Rd., 2 44-1991, 10519 Fischer P ark Dr., 42 5-102 5, 9156 T aylorsville Rd., 4 99-9830. East Coast-style sub shop with local faves that includes cheese, ham, pr osciuttini, capicola, salami, pepperoni and fixings. $ JUANITA’S BURGER BOY 1450 S. Brook, 635-7410.

For a r eal slice of L ouisville life, this w eathered 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 t o a budding Charles Bukowski, there’s a good chanc e he’s sitting at Juanita’s counter right now, recovering from last night’s excesses. $ JULIE’S OF JEFFERSONVILLE 32 6 Spring St., Jeffersonville, IN, 2 18-0 318. Located in his toric downtown Jeffersonville, this eatery is known for its Reuben plate, tomato basil soup or an y of the desserts that Julie creates each day. $ f LITTLE CHEF 147 E. Mark et St., Ne w Albany, IN, 949-7567. Every city needs a postage-stampsized spot that kno ws how to fry potat oes and grill up a burger. In New Albany, the place is Little Chef. Biscuits and gr avy, fried eggs, and bur gers, in a joint that seems lik e a thr owback to the heartland of America, circa 1940. $ f LONNIE’S BEST TASTE OF CHICAGO 121 St. Matthews Ave., 895-2 380. This appetizing operation offers genuine Chicago hot dogs and a taste of Chicago atmosphere for a pric e that w on’t hurt y our wallet. Make Lonnie’s the place to go when you’ve got a hankering for Windy City fare. $$ LOTSA PASTA 3717 Lexington Rd., 896-6361. 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 .

Now with an e xcellent deli counter fashions New Orleans-style muffulettas and other sandwiches. $ LUNCH TODAY 590 Missouri Ave., Jeffersonville, IN, 2 82 -1005. This outfit pr epares its shar e of the

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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 Str eet 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 Bar dstown Rd., 2 39-9997, 1305 V eterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 282-3354. Emphasizing quality cus tomer 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 NANCY’S BAGEL GROUNDS 2 101 Frankfort Ave., 895-832 3. A friendly and casual neighborhood gathering spot. Off erings include soups, snacks, coffee drinks and bagels made on the premises to its own rather idiosyncratic formula. $ f NORD’S BROWN BAG PUB & DELI 2100 S. Preston St., 635-6747. 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 f ast-food history remains on an urban street corner in Old L ouisville. It’s one of the nation’s few surviving tr olleys of the L ouisvillebased chain that spr ead across the nation in the ‘70s. Oversize burgers with a spicy , homemade flavor are just as good as ever. $ PANERA BREAD C O. 5000 Shelbyville Rd., 8999992 , 62 2 1 Dut chmans Ln., 895-9991, 601 S. Hurstbourne Ln., 42 3- 7343, 10451 Champion Farms Dr., 42 6-2 134, 1040 V eterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 2 88-9400 . Warm breads finishbaked on the pr emises make a tas ty base f or a variety of sandwiches. Soups, salads, c offee drinks and a fr ee WiFi hotspot mak e Panera’s outlets popular gathering places. $ f PAUL’S FRUIT MARKET 3905 Chenoweth Sq., 8968918, 4946 Brownsboro Rd., 42 6-5059, 12 119 Shelbyville Rd., 2 53-0072 , 3704 Taylorsville Rd., 456-4750. One of L ouisville’s popular sour ces for produce, cheeses, deli it ems, and the lik e.

Deli sandwiches and salads ar e available (takeout only). $ PENN STATION (11 Locations). Billed as the Eas t Coast Sub Headquart ers, this sandwich kit chen does a brisk business here in the Louisville area. $ QUIZNO’S SUBS (17 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 42 59 Outer Loop, 969-0506, 10531 Fischer Park Dr., 42 5-844, 12 915 Shelbyville Rd., 2 44-9069. The original Schlotzsky’s offered just one kind of sandwich—“T he 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 impr ovement on the traditional deli: the servers are invariably polite. $ f SOUPY’S 3019 Breckenridge Ln., 451-532 5, 46 32 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 499-4404, 4590 Dixie Hwy, 449-2 000, 9493 Westport Rd, 42 5-2 54 9, 2 930 Dr. William Weathers Dr., 774-2 500. In the soup kettles you will find such classics as cheesy potato, bean and ham, br occoli and cheese , chicken and dumplings and mor e. At the cutting board they’ll make you meat, cheese and v eggie sandwiches according to your custom design. $ THE STARVING ARTIST CAFÉ & DELI Lagrange Rd., 412-1599. $

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STEVENS & STEVENS 1114 Bardstown Rd., 584-3354.

Sharing space with the popular Ditt o’s, Stevens & Stevens is primarily kno wn 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., 2 54-1440. This Middletown deli off ers 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 des serts fill out an appetizing lunch menu. $ TWO GUYS AND A GRILL Center, 893-5118. $

4806 Brownsboro

W.W. COUSINS RESTAURANT 900 Dupont Rd., 897-9684. This locally owned and operated eatery looks a lot lik e the national Fuddruck ers chain, but the local bo ys do a bett er job, with huge burgers on magis terial home-baked buns and a Metropolitan Museum of toppings. $ 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 tak e 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-do wn café wher e you can order pizzas, sandwiches, or even sushi. $ f ZAP’S 423 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 587-0251 $

BACKYARD BBQ & GRILL 2 2 3 W. Fifth St., Ne w Albany IN., 945-8310. A wide variety of barbecue, in generous portions, with exceptional side dishes make this lar ge dining hall in Ne w Albany well worth a trip. $ f BAKE’S BARBEQUE 542 7 Valley Station Rd., 9 350999. Bake’s ribs ar e smoked to such t ender perfection that the meat slides off the bone . This is four-star barbecue, fully c ompetitive with the region’s best. $$ BOOTLEG BARBECUE COMPANY 9704 Bardstown Rd., 2 39-2 72 2 , 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 w ell prepared and affordable smoked meats and fixin’ s. It’s one of the few places in L ouisville where you can get Western Kentucky-style mutton barbecue. $ f BOURBON BROS. BBQ 2900 Brownsboro Rd., 8962486. A big black smoker signals a new tenant in the little white cottage that previously housed the first incarnation of Melillo’s, then Huttster’s Burgers. Bourbon Br os. BBQ v ends well-crafted smoked meats including pork ribs that, on their best days, approach competition quality. An added plus is f or interesting sauces including at least one that ’s amply dosed with the eat ery’s namesake booze. $ f BRANDON’S BAR-B-QUE 9246 Westport Rd., 4266666. Service is caf eteria-style in this shoppingcenter establishment featuring Tennessee-style barbecue, where hickory-smoked barbecue sandwiches and filling, aff ordable dinners are the specialty. $ CLARK BOY BAR-B-Q 672 8 Johnsontown Rd., 9 335577. If it’s a little off the beaten path, there’s nothing the matter with that. Clark Bo y’s reasonably priced Western Kentucky-style barbecue is w ell worth a special trip. Like many mom ’n’ pop eat eries, it accepts cash only, no plastic. $

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CLEON’S RIB SHA CK 701 Algonquin Pk wy., 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 FAMOUS DAVE’S BAR-B-QUE 8605 Citadel W ay, 493-2 812 , 1360 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 282-3283. This franchise chain operation may be based in the twin cities, but it looks like a Georgia gas station with its exuberant, if tongue-in-cheek faux country decor. The important thing, though, is the food, and Dave’s excels with genuine, hickory-smoked barbecue. $$ p f FINLEY’S HICKORY SMOKED BAR-B-Q 1500 W. Broadway, 581-0298. Rib tips are the specialty but you’ll find turk ey legs, ham, half-chick ens, pork chops and shredded beef and pork—all for dinners or sandwiches, and barbecued pig’ s feet for the BBQ purists. $ f FIRE FRESH BBQ 6435 Bardstown Rd., 2 39-7800, 3065 Breckinridge Ln., 459-5201, 808 Lyndon Ln., 32 7-6304, 8610 Dixie Hw y., 995-7585, 12 2 16 Shelbyville Rd., 2 45-2 2 73. Fire fighters, it is said, eat heartily and well. It’s no coincidence, then, that FireFresh Bar B Q pa ys homage to local fire departments in its r estaurant’s decor. 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 outpos t of a popular spot in Corydon, IN, offers a fine range of barbecue meats skillfully smok ed on the premises, with sauc e served on the side as it should be. $ JUCY’S SMOKEHOUSE BAR-B-QUE 7626 Lagrange Rd., 2 41-582 9. Jucy’s offers exceptionally good Texas-style barbecue from a little w ooden shack that looks jus t like a c ountry BBQ joint should.

Highly recommended. $$ f MARK’S FEED S TORE 1142 2 Shelbyville Rd., 2 440140, 1514 Bardstown Rd., 458-1570, 10316 Dixie Hwy., 933-7707, 513 E. IN Hw y. 131, Clarksville, IN, 285-1998. Named for its first restaurant’s location in a f ormer feed store with that do wn-home country feel, Mark’s impresses with high-quality hickory-smoked pork and chicken, and rich, silken South Carolina barbecue sauce, the yellow mustard-based variety. $$ 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 f amous Western Kentucky barbecue pit is well worth the trip. $ 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! T his tiny spot near Standif ord 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 PETTERSON’S BAR-B-Q BARN 7705 Hwy 311, Sellersburg, IN, 2 48-9063. Another ne w and welcome entry in Southern Indiana, w e’re reliably informed that this down-home-style barbecue eatery offers comfort food “as good as pock et aces and Texas hold ’em.” $

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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 f amily knows how to do BBQ. It ma y be off the beat en 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., 2 44-6868. Ribs, pork, chick en a la cart e and dinners. The small East End venue moves a lot of pizzas and salads as well. $$ p SMOKEY BONES BBQ 2525 Hurstbourne Gem Ln., 491-7570. A ne wish “concept” of the Orlandobased Darden chain that runs Olive Garden, Red Lobster and Bahama Br eeze, this hot Hurstbourne spot off ers good ribs in a nois y sports-bar environment that emulates a Colorado ski lodge. $$ p SMOKIN’ BBQ 1611 Charlestown-New Albany Pike, New Albany, IN, 283-4061. $ f TONY ROMA’S 150 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 327-8500.

From the t omato tang t o a smok y Blue Ridge savor, Roma’s advertises its ribs as the bes t dressed in town. Burgers, chicken and steaks are available as w ell, but w e recommend the r acks and baby backs of pork and beef. $$$ p VINCE STATEN’S OLD TIME BARBEQUE 13306 W. US 42 , 2 2 8-742 7. Author Vince Staten, who literally wrote the book on barbecue (Real Barbecue), is moving from a Prospect storefront to the historic old Melrose Inn a mile or so out the road into Oldham C ounty. Vince’s “cue” in this evocative setting should mak e a very good thing even better. $

BEEF O’BRADY’S 2 39 Blankenbaker Pkwy., 2 542 32 2 , 562 8 Bardstown Rd., 2 39-2 2 2 6, 10000 Brownsboro Rd., 32 7-8881, 3101 S. Second St., 637-3737, 105 LaF ollette, 92 3-1316. If y ou think your basic sports pub is only suitable f or guys guzzling beer, take another look: Beef O’Br ady’s puts the “family” in “family sports pub,” offering a wholesome environment. $ BIG DAVE’S OUTPOST 1801 Bardstown Rd., 45932 90. Now open in the old house at Bar dstown Road and Speed A venue 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 f ashion, it’s a casual, laidback neighborhood saloon, wher e libations and simple pub grub are the order of business. $ p f e BLUE MULE SPORT S CAFÉ 10301 Taylorsville Rd., 240-0051. Longtime buddies John O’C onnor and Jim “Mule” Riley talked for years about opening a restaurant and sports bar. Riley died before their dream came true . But no w O’Connor proudly presides over this 90-seat casual Jeff ersontown eatery and watering hole, and he has named it in affectionate memory of his friend “Mule .” $ p e BROWNIE’S GRILL & BAR 326-9830. $ p

2 37 Whittington Pkwy.,

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 busines s district. $ f

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, 12 901 Shelb yville Rd., 2 54-9464, 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

PIT STOP BAR-B-QUE 612 S. Fifth St., 584-4054.

Genuine Texas barbecue, dry and t ender meat, red-rimmed and savory from hours in the smoker, is the style served here. March up to the window,

CHAMPIONS SPORTS RESTAURANT 2 80 W. Jefferson St. (L ouisville Marriott), 6 71-42 46.

Another popular option at the striking new downtown Marriott, Champions pr ovides a fun,

72 Winter 2006 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

casual dining alt ernative with a K entucky sports theme—and a gallery of big-scr een televisions to keep the sports action flo wing as fr eely as the libations and upscale pub grub. $$ p f CRIBSTONE PUB 1202 Bardstown Rd., 459-3339. This tiny Bardstown Road eatery turns a neighborhood bar into a lobster and steak house, where fine seafood and beef is serv ed without pomp or circumstance in a setting so casual that y ou can wear your shorts and T-shirt to dine. $$$ p DELTA RESTAURANT 434 W. Market St., 584-0860.

It’s not quit e as his toric as Gideon Shry ock’s Jefferson County Courthouse around the corner, but this popular bar and short-or der spot seems as if it has been a hangout f or lawyers and the courthouse crowd for just about as long as there’s been a Courthouse. $ p DIAMOND PUB & BILLIARD S 3814 Frankfort Ave., 895-7513. $ p f 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. Matthe ws, this no-fril ls 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, fr om authentic German dishes t o fantastic fried chicken on weekends. $ FLANAGAN’S ALE HOUSE 934 Baxter Ave., 5853700. Gourmet pizzas, hoagies, and an enormous beer selection dr aw Highlands f olks to this c ozy neighborhood pub. For a lat e night pizza (the kitchen’s open until 2 a.m.), it ’s one of the bes t options in the city. $$ p FOUR KINGS CAFÉ 4642 Jennings Ln., 968-2 930.

Steam-table service featuring spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna and chick en attract a hungry lunch crowd at this casual spot, and brunch specialties are just as popular. $ p FOX & HOUND 302 Bullitt Ln., 394-7620. A “British pub” concept operated by a W ichita, Kansasbased chain, F ox & Hound’ s new free-standing property at Oxmoor Center features a “midcasual” menu with burgers, pizza, chicken and pot roast, in a large, classy venue with plenty of wood paneling, billiards tables and an ample supply of large-screen televisions. $$ p f GERSTLE’S PLACE 3801 Frankfort Ave., 899-3609.

A popular St. Matthe ws neighborhood ta vern 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 plac e for U of L s tudents, faculty and fans, this sturdy redbrick tavern just north of the univ ersity campus off ers a good variety of bar munchies, sandwiches and simple grilled fare plus pizza. It ’s perhaps bes t known, though, for the signature Granville Burger, widely reputed as one of the bes t burgers in town. $ GREAT AMERICAN GRILL 2 735 Crittenden Dr. (Hilton), 637-2 42 4. Located in the Louisville International Airport Hilton. Salads, burgers, pastas and sandwiches ar e available for the casual diner; main entrées include New York strip, filet of salmon and more. $ p f HITCHING POST INN 7314 Fegenbush Ln., 2 394724. In addition t o its full bar and beer gar den, and lively conversation, the Hit ching Post Inn offers an arr ay of pub grub , including bur gers, chicken tenders, and sandwiches. $ p

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HOOPS GRILL AND SPORT S BAR 12205 Westport Rd., 32 7-8002 , 6733 Strawberry Ln., 3 75-4667.

The name sa ys it all: sports, casual dining and good things to drink all find their natural meeting place in these friendly neighborhood spots where hot wings and hoops reign supreme. $ p f JAKE’S & MR. G’S 10432 Shelbyville Rd., 244-0165 $ p JERSEY’S CAFÉ 1515 Lynch Ln., Clarksville, IN, 2882100. $ p THE LIGHTHOUSE 2 02 Main St., Jeff ersonville, IN, 2 83-0077. This lighthouse has been a beac on of casual, home c ooking and ta vern environment for years. Daily specials, appetiz ers, chicken and fish baskets, salads and desserts round out the menu. $ MACVITTIE’S 106 Sears Ave., 895-2599. An intriguing range of casual, homemade vittles, er , vitties that range from German Jaeger Schnitz el to beef stew in a bread-loaf “bowl” highlight the bill of fare at this friendly, locally o wned St. Matthe ws spot that f or many years was home to Asiatique. $ 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 NEW DIRECTION BAR & GRILL 2 630 Chamberlain Ln., 243-8429. $ p e SADDLE RIDGE S ALOON Fourth Street Live, 5693507. $ p f e SAINT’S 131 Breckinridge Ln., 891-8883. Almos t 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 f are, from salads to pasta and excellent pizzas. $$ p e STEINERT’S GRILL & PUB 2 2 39 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 945-8827. This is a cross between an old f ashioned neighborhood ta vern (with an aged and cozy ambience) and a trendy sports bar.

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., 637-52 41. Tailgating? No need t o open y our lawn chair on the P apa John’s Stadium parking lot before the U of L game no w that Tailgaters is here. Billed as a pr emier destination for good food and lots of fun, this casual spot f eatures classic American f avorites and seaf ood specialties, plus a full bar , TVs and an e xpansive game room. $ p fe THE TRESTLE SPORTS CAFÉ 263-7130 $ p VIC’S CAFÉ 4338. $ p

3701 Hopewell Rd.,

E. Market St., Ne w Albany, IN, 944-

WOODFORD RESERVE BAR & GRILLE Louisville International Airport, 363-2526. Named after local distiller Brown-Forman’s artisanal br and of Bourbon, this is the airport’s fine-dining facility, serving Kentucky-style dishes in a sit-down environment. $ ZAZOO’S 102 Bauer A ve., 894-8030. If y ou’re looking for casual dining, ZaZ oo’s offers a mighty appealing option with its laid-back 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

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BLUEGRASS BREWING COMPANY 3929 Shelbyville Rd., 899-7070, 636 E. Main St., 584-2 739, 2 Theater Square, 568-2 2 2 4. A mus t-stop destination for beer lo vers on the national artisanal-brew trail, but it ’s more than jus t a brewpub. BBC’s management giv es equally serious attention to both liquid and solid f are, making this a gr eat place to stop in f or 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 r anges from pub grub to pastas, to pizza. $$ p f e CUMBERLAND BREWS 1576 Bardstown Rd., 458872 7. Giving ne w meaning t o the t erm “microbrewery,” Cumberland Br ews may be one of the smalles t eateries in town. It’s usually packed, earning its cr owds the old-f ashioned way by providing very good f ood, friendly service, and high-quality hand-cr afted artisan beers. $ f e RICH O’S PUBLIC HOUSE 3312 Plaza Dr ., New Albany IN, 94 9-2 804. 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 w orld—and now locally br ewed craft beers—attracts beer lovers from all over. $ e

CAFÉ KILIMANJARO 649 S. F ourth St., 583-4332 .

Café Kilimanjaro showcases Black-heritage cuisine, offering well-prepared treats from Africa, the Caribbean and Black America r anging from fiery Ethiopian w ots (meat barbecue) to spicy Jamaican jerk cuisine to the comforting soul food of the American South. $ p f CHEZ SENEBA AFRICAN RESTAURANT 1215 Gilmore Ln., 968-8659. Add yet another int eresting ethnic cuisine to Louisville’s increasingly international dining scene. Friendly f olks serve generous portions of filling, spic y Senegalese cuisine fr om West Africa in this tin y (three-table) free-standing building at Gilmore and Preston Highway. $ QUEEN OF SHEBA ETHIOPIAN 3315 Bardstown Rd., 459-6301. The region’s only fully authentic Ethiopian restaurant, Queen of Sheba off ers a wide selection of intriguing Ethiopian dishes, including a variety of vegetarian selections as well as the traditional beef and chicken specialities.

Ethiopian fare is made for sharing and eating with the fingers, but they’ll gladly make forks available for the finicky. The all-you-can-eat Ethiopian weekday lunch buffet is a best buy. $ TERANGA AFRICAN RES TAURANT 3904 Bardstown Rd., 458-7172. This bright and sunn y new spot in Buechel houses v ery friendly f olks who’ll introduce you to the culinary delights of West Africa. The sparkling venue is on the lo w-budget side, but where else in town can you enjoy intriguing African dishes while w atching Senegalese music videos on satellite TV? $

HAHN’S MONGOLIAN GRILL Stonybrook Shopping Center, 493-02 34. 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 A TASTE OF CHINA 1167 S. Fourth St., 585-5582. $ ASIAN BUFFET 3813 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 945-1888, 1305 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, IN, 2 85-8888, 3646 Mall Rd., 479-9989. Competent cookery and car eful management that ensur es buffet offerings stay fresh and hot mak es these buffets a good choice among the growing crowd of all-you-can-eat Asian spots. $ p AUGUST MOON 2 2 69 Lexington Rd., 456-656 9.

August Moon’s secret ingredient is the culinary oversight of Chef Peng Looi, better known as the force behind Asiatique. Housed in a soaring, open space with a Zen master’s style. Consistent commitment in the kit chen and fr om the s taff makes it a t op spot for Asian fare. A lovely patio at the r ear affords an alfr esco 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 ma y not off er the trendiest Asian f are, but it ’s a r eliable source for the familiar Cantonese-American standards. $ CHINA 1 123 Breckinridge Ln., 897-6511. $ 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, att entively fried ric e, and pr operly 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 mos t popular eat eries around the University of L ouisville’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. $

CHINA KING 3830 Ruckriegel Pkwy., 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 entrées and a la cart e items to go. Carry out service only. $ CHINA SEA BUFFET 0838. $

12 689 Shelbyville Rd., 2 45-

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. $

#1 ASIAN BUFFET 12 50 Bardstown Rd., 451-60 33.

Not just another in the her d of all- you-can-eat Chinese buffets, this recent entry in the Mid-City Mall seats 350, boasts a private party room, and, says owner Steven Yuan, is the first between-thecoasts outpost of the original #1 buffet in NYC. $$

CHONG GARDEN 10341 Dixie Hwy., 935-1628. $ CHOPSTICKS 416 E. Broadway, 589-9145. $ CHOPSTICKS HOUSE 2112 W. Broadway, 772-3231. $ CHUNG KING CHINESE AMERICAN RES TAURANT 110 E. Market St., 584-8880. $

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CITY WOK 526 W. Main St., 583-7238. $ CRYSTAL CHINESE 3901 W. Market St., 776-9702. $ DOUBLE DRAGON 12 55 Goss Ave., 635-5656, 318 Wallace Ave., 894-8887. A s tandout among fastfood shopping-center Chinese eat eries, 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., 32 6-0099 , 6832 Bar dstown Rd., 231-3973, 3179 S. Second St., 367-6668. $ DOUBLE DRAGON BUFFET 2 33 Whittington Pkwy., 339-8897. A sizable buff et in a chic Eas t End shopping strip, offers a good r ange 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 2 400 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 f ood tends

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to be similar t oo. But I’m happ y to report that Dynasty Buffet ranks well above the median. $$ EASTERN HOUSE 5372 Dixie Hw y., 568-2 688.

Serving Chinese and American f ood from the menu or the buffet. $ EGGROLL KING 4819 Dixie Hwy, 449-3614. $ EGGROLL MACHINE 1216 Bardstown Rd., 459-1259.

A Highlands staple for good reason. This portion of the Mimosa Café does a brisk busines s. The Sesame Chicken is one of our f avorites. $$ p EMPEROR OF CHINA 2210 Holiday Manor Shopping Center, 42 6-1717. One of Louisville’s fanciest and most noteworthy Chinese r estaurants, the Emperor’s quarters are stylishly strewn across multiple levels of a former suburban movie theater. Outstanding. $$ p EMPRESS OF CHINA 2249 Hikes Ln., 451-2500. Older sister to The Emperor of China, the Empr ess was one of L ouisville’s first serious, authentic upscale Cantonese restaurants, and its f are still stands up to fancy spots in New York’s Chinatown. $$ p FIRST WOK 3967 Seventh St. Rd., 448-0588. $

FORMOSA CHINESE RES TAURANT 2 116 State St., New Albany, IN, 948-2 540 . One of the leading Southern Indiana entries in the Chinese-restaurant sweepstakes, Formosa offers a hearty buff et and, Chinese friends report, “a Taiwanese taste.” $ GOLDEN BUDDHA 8000 Preston Hwy., 968-7700. $ GOLDEN PALACE BUFFET 161 Outer Loop, 368-2868. $ GOLDEN WALL 3111 Fern Valley Rd., 968-9717. $ GRAND BUFFET 5362 Dixie Hwy., 447-8833. $ GREAT WALL 2206 Brownsboro Rd., 891-8881. This Clifton restaurant ranks high up in the f ast-food Chinese pack. Offering steaming-hot, competently prepared and flavorful dishes. $ GREAT WOK 2 502 Preston Hwy., 634-1918. Just about every shopping center in town has a f astfood Chinese spot, but this one s tands out, generating a buzz of w ord-of-mouth publicity about its well-crafted Chinese dishes at a bargainbasement price. $ HAPPY DRAGON 2 600 W. Broadway, 778-2 573.

Catering to office and residential customers, this Chinese restaurant has serv ed the W est Broadway community for many years. $ f HONG KONG CHINESE RES TAURANT 345 New Albany Plaza, New Albany, IN., 945-1818. $

tastefully exciting. casually chic.

HONG KONG FAST FOOD 5312 S. T hird St., 36 7882 8. One of the man y international eateries in Iroquois Manor, this fast-food Chinese spot offers Cantonese standards hot and f ast and inexpensively. Check the daily specials f or an occasional intriguing item. $ JADE PALACE 1109 Herr Ln., 42 5-98 78. When I’ve got a hank ering for brunch, I choose Chinese .

Jade Palace is a decent place for Chinese food at any time, but don’t mis s it at mid-da y Friday through Monday, when it off ers the metro area’s only dim sum (Chinese brunch) menu. $$ p JASMINE 1382 3 English Villa Dr., 2 44-8896. A charming Asian eatery, where you can enjoy familiar Chinese-American plates or indulge y our more adventurous side with a selection of mor e unusual authentic dishes from the “Chinese Menu,” available on request. $ f JUMBO BUFFET 2 731 S. Hurs tbourne Pkwy., 4950028. Housed in a good-looking dining room, high on Chinatown-style glitz and glitt er, Jumbo offers a standard all-you-can-eat Chinese buff et, with a larger-than-average selection of American dishes for those who want something less exotic. $$ KING BUFFET 1801 Priority Way, 266-8886. Another in the gr owing niche of glitzy Chinese chr omeand-plastic buffets, King Buffet offers a standard selection of all-you-can-eat dishes. $ 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 f amiliar standards plus a small lunch buff et. $ KING’S BUFFET 5538 New Cut Rd., 375-2236. $ LING LING 10476 Shelbyville Rd., 245-2100. Modern and efficient in its Eas t End shopping c enter location, Ling Ling is a cut above fast-food Chinese; better yet, it adds a f ew Vietnamese dishes to the bill of fare. $ LIU’S GARDEN 11517 Shelbyville Rd., 244-9898. This new Asian spot in Middletown is much more than just another in the growing cadre of fast-food Chinese. Small but charming, with whit e tablecloths and soft Chinese music, f amily-run Liu’s gains our appr oval with fr esh, competent cookery and courteous, friendly service that makes you feel like you’re visiting a Chinese family at their home. $$ LUCKY DRAGON 809 S. KY Hwy 53, Lagrange, KY, 2 2 2 -1568. The pastoral setting surr ounding the Day’s Inn Mot el might not be the firs t place you

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would look for upscale Mandarin style dining, but prepare to be surprised. Guests are treated to Far East hospitality and a varied menu. $ LUCKY HOUSE BUFFET 4030 Taylorsville Rd., 4591188. A fresh idea on Asian dining, this gener ous buffet serves the menu classics from China as well as some Japanese and American entrées. $$ MANCHU WOK 7900 Shelbyville Rd. ( Oxmoor Shopping Center), 429-8207. $ NEW WORLD BUFFET 92 2 8 Westport Rd., 42 31788. I rate this one of the city’ s best (if not quite the biggest) all-you-can-eat Chinese buff et, not only because it offers a good selection of Chinese dishes but, mor e important, because it sho ws a consistent commitment to quality. $ OCEAN BUFFET 11300 Maple Brook Way, 425-9025. $ ONION RESTAURANT TEA HOUSE 4211 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 981-0188. Mas terful Chinese and Japanese cuisine (including magnific ent hotpots, donburi dishes, and w ooden-bucket steamed rice) set this airy restaurant apart from the dozens of other Asian spots in the L ouisville area.

Beer and wine are available. $$ ORIENTAL EXPRESS 12 567 Shelbyville Rd., 2 449838. This spot in Middletown stands a cut above its shopping-center status in its atmospher e, and maybe two cuts above the median in its f ood, a smorgasbord of both Chinese and Japanese fare that is good enough to justify a special trip. $ ORIENTAL HOUSE 4302 Shelbyville Rd., 89 7-1017.

One of the oldest continuously operated Chinese restaurants in Louisville, this St. Matthews landmark moves up a not ch under ne w owners, featuring both tr aditional Chinese-American and now, authentic Cantonese. $ p ORIENTAL STAR 4212 Bishop Ln., 452-9898. A longtime area favorite in this hea vy traffic lunch area.

This establishment is quit e good with L o Mein Noodles, and Sweet and Sour Chicken. $ PANDA CHINESE RESTAURANT 9543 US 42., 2286400. $ PEKING CITY 3571 Springhurst Blvd., 425-0188. The regular menu f eatures Chinese-restaurant standards. If you have a yen for the exotic, see if you can get the authentic T aiwanese menu—an intriguing regional cuisine ne w to Louisville, but not always offered to non-Chinese. $ QUICK WOK 801 W. Broadway, 584-6519. $ ROYAL GARDEN 5717 Preston Hwy., 969-3788, 6801 Dixie Hwy., 937-042 8, 5316 Bardstown Rd., 4918228. $ SESAME CHINESE RESTAURANT 9409 Shelbyville Rd., 339-7000. Not just another shopping-center Chinese restaurant, this East End eatery has provided some of the bes t fine-dining Chinese meals I’ve enjoyed in Louisville. $$ p

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offers an intriguing arr ay of appealing noodle and rice dishes from all over Asia with f ast-food efficiency and pric es happily mat ched by sitdown restaurant quality and style. $ f YEN CHING 1818 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 491-3581. $ YOU-CARRYOUT-A 1551 E. Tenth St., Jeff ersonville, IN, 2 88-8313, 82 7 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville, IN, 282-8881, 3308 Plaza Dr., 944-9866. $

BENDOYA SUSHI BAR 2 17 S. Fifth St., 581-0 700.

Adding international flair t o its do wntown neighborhood, Bendoya Sushi Bar is a genuine , serious sushi bar in a s torefront just across the street from the courthouse. $ FUJI JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE 3576 Springhurst Blvd., 339-1978, 12 905 Shelbyville Rd., 2 53-0036.

Part of the fun of sitting at th e sushi bar is that you get to watch the chef at work. Put in your order, then sit back, sip y our tea while the artis t creates edible delights. This suburban sushi bar does the job well. $$ p ICHIBAN SAMURAI 1510 Lake Shore Ct., 4 12 -3339.

This large Japanese-farmhouse building housed

Benihana for many years. New management offers similar delights, with the tr aditional sliceand-dice food show and good sushi. Bes t deal, while the offer lasts: All-you-can-eat sushi nightly until the karaoke starts at 9 p.m. $$$ p KOBE STEAK HOUSE 301 S. Indiana A ve., Jeffersonville IN, 2 80-8500 . Southern Indiana’ s first serious Japanese restaurant is drawing crowds with its exceptional sushi bar, with skilled and friendly chefs who can be relied on to fashion fresh and tasty bites that are just about certain to please. $$$ p MAIDO ESSENTIAL JAPANESE 1758 Frankfort Ave., 894-8775. Not just another sushi bar, cool and stylish Maido is L ouisville’s first and only “izakaya”-style restaurant in the s tyle of K ansai, 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 r estaurant and sushi bar is named after Japan’s second largest city.

Local sushi aficionados sa y it’s lost a s tep since the departure of founding chef James Lae, but it’s still a decent neighborhood Japanese spot. $$

Come savor Chef Looi's wildly successful exotic Pacific Rim fusion.

SHANGHAI RESTAURANT 526 S. Fifth St. 568-8833. $ SICHUAN GARDEN 9850 Linn Station Rd., 42 66767. One of m y favorite Chinese r estaurants in Louisville and another that has s tood the test of time, Sichuan G arden offers high-end Chinatown style and well-made dishes, plus a few Thai specialties to spice up the bill of f are. $ WOK EXPRESS 2 34 W. Broadway, 583-8988. T his corner spot has housed a v ariety of r estaurants over the years. The latest tenant isn’t the fanciest, but it might be one of the mos t affordable. $ WONTON EXPRESS 3000 Hikes Ln., 45 2 -2 646.

Traditional Chinese f are. Family-owned-andoperated, this popular neighborhood es tablishment has enjo yed a s teady patronage for seventeen years. $ YANG KEE NOODLE 7900 Shelbyville Rd. (Oxmoor Center), 42 6-0800. This locally o wned and operated Oxmoor sp ot is c olorful and s tylish. It

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RAW SUSHI LOUNGE 52 0 S. F ourth St., 585-5880 .

Raw, opening in lat e February, bids t o be downtown’s hottest new thing since Fourth Street Live, boasting local o wnership, a big-city vibe .

Housed in hip quart ers in a glitzy r enovation of the old Marmaduk e Building ( just south of the Seelbach), it will off er exotic sushi and mor e in a sophisticated lounge atmosphere. $$$ p f e

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permits the mor e adventurous diner t o experiment with the jo ys of sushi, while mor e cautious eaters can s tick with tempura or enjoy the slice-and-dice show at the Japanese grill. $$

SAKURA BLUE 4600 Shelbyville Rd., 89 7-3600.

Located in elegant, upscale quart ers in a St. Matthews shopping c enter, Sakura Blue—direct descendant of the old, popular Bonsai—r anks among the city’s top sushi bars. $$

KIM’S ASIAN GRILLE 813 E. Mark et St., 595- 702 5.

This lovable little K orean and P an-Asian eatery occupies unimposing quart ers on a gritty urban block east of do wntown. Despite its do wnscale look, you won’t want to miss its extensive selection of K orean and Japanese f avorites. Hot and sour soup may be the city’s best. $$ f

SAPPORO JAPANESE GRILL & SUSHI 1706 Bardstown Rd., 4 79-5550. Trendy, even glitzy, with hard-edged industrial decor—and most important, excellent food—Sapporo ranks in m y ratings as the city’ s No. 1 spot f or sushi and Japanese fare. $$$ p

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 off ers a hearty , spicy alternative to the more familiar Chinese. $$

SHOGUN JAPANESE STEAK HOUSE 9026 Taylorsville Rd., 499-5700, 4110 Hampton Lake Way, 394-012 3. Shogun’s decor is attractive, and quality food and service make it a pleasant dining destination. It’s unthreatening enough t o appeal to those who find exotic cuisine “challenging,” but good enough t o satisfy jus t about an yone who craves a Japanese dinner or a bite of sushi. $$$ p TOKYO JAPANESE RESTAURANT 2415C Lime Kiln Ln., 339-7171. It’s appealing, pleasant in atmosphere and friendly in service, and most important, this East End sushi bar serves excellent Japanese treats, prepared with care and flair from high-quality, impeccably fresh ingredients. $$ TRAN JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE 4317 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 941-02 00. Southern Indiana is catching up with the Louisville side of the Ohio in its selection of Japanese r estaurants, and Tran offers yet another estimable Hoosier option. Tran

LEE’S KOREAN RESTAURANT 1941 Bishop Ln., 4569714. This little spot has been a secr et since the ‘70s, and it jus t keeps on going. W alk into what looks like a diner in an offic e building, but push past the c ounter to the back r oom, where you’ll find generous heaps of r eally authentic K orean food for next to nothing. $$

MAI’S THAI RES TAURANT 1411 E. T enth St., Jeffersonville, IN, 282-0198. With a broad range of well-prepared and authentic T hai dishes, Mai’ s is the eatery to beat among the metr o 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 T hai alternative, presenting ethnic f are in a s tylish setting that

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places it among the bes t, and certainly the most upscale, of the city’s cadre of Thai eateries. $$ p THAI CAFÉ 2 2 2 6 Holiday Manor, 42 5-4815. Y ou’ll find this small café tuck ed into a c orner of the “Holiday Manor W alk.” Owner Cha vantee Snow and her f amily offer a small but w ell-prepared selection of authentic T hai dishes at v ery reasonable prices. $ THAI KITCHEN 5203 Dixie Highway, 448-4710. The historic House of Chen, one of the city’ s first and longest-lived Chinese restaurants, is no more, but you can s till get its f amous egg r olls and other Chinese specialties—and Thai goodies too—under new management that has br ought the Dixie corridor its first local taste of Thai. $ THAI-SIAM 3002 Bardstown Rd., 458-68 71. Thai food—a fiery-aromatic cuisine that per ches somewhere between China and India on the world culinary spectrum—is worth getting to know. This Highlands spot is L ouisville’s first and oldest Thai eatery. $$ THAI SMILE 5 5800 Preston Hwy., 961-9018. The “5” represents the number of restaurants in this Frankfort-based mini-chain, which has restaurants in K entucky, Tennessee and Indiana.

The “Smile” r epresents my reaction to its simple but very well prepared Thai fare. Don’t ask for the five-chile-pepper heat unless you really mean it! $ THAI TASTE 1977 Brownsboro Rd., 89 7-7682 . The owner-host of this friendly , casual spot in Crescent Hill had a r estaurant in Bangkok before moving to Louisville, and his experience shows.

The warmth of his w elcome—and the quality of the food—make Thai Taste special. $

ANNIE CAFÉ 308 W. Woodlawn, 363-4847. Annie Café ranks not jus t as one of m y favorite

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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 12 16 Bardstown Rd., 458-2 2 33.

Dating back to the ‘80s as the city’ s first serious restaurant in the Fr ench-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, 11606 Shelbyville Rd., 2 44-7110. Lemongrass Café offers an appealing blend of Vietnamese, Thai and Chinese fare in a simple setting that transcends an obviously low budget with style and grace. $ VIETNAM KITCHEN 5339 Mitscher Ave., 363-5154.

This little South End s torefront is w ell worth seeking out. The chef goes be yond the ordinary, preparing authentic Vietnamese dishes of unusual subtlety and flavor. I have yet to be disappointed with the quality of the f ood or service. $ ZEN GARDEN 2 2 40 Frankfort Ave., 895-9114. A vegetarian restaurant must pass one simple t est: at the end of the meal, I mus t not miss meat. Zen Garden passes this t est with flying w ok and chopsticks. $ f

BEHAR CAFÉ 5600 National T urnpike, 368-5658.

This shopping-center storefront has bec ome a popular after-work gathering spot f or the city’ s growing community of immigr ants 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 tin y spot in the incr easingly international culinary smor gasbord at Ir oquois Manor shopping center. Bosnian immigrants appear to be the primary clientele, but everyone’s welcome to discover this hearty Yugoslavian cuisine. $

Page 77

pub grub, from the cheesy fries to the Rueben sandwich. $$ p f e SHENANIGAN’S IRISH GRILL 1611 Norris Pl., 4543919. Not just a neighborhood tavern (although it’s a fine neighborhood ta vern), Irish-accented Shenanigan’s goes an extra step with an estimable selection of memorable burgers. $ p f e

BUCA DI BEPPO 2 051 S. Hurs tbourne Pkwy., 4932426. Buca di Beppo’s recipe has all the necessary ingredients: huge portions of excellent food served with flair and the Buca sc ene is fun, a c onscious parody of the e xuberant decor of f amily ItalianAmerican restaurants of the 1950s. $$ p CARRABBA’S ITALIAN GRILL 617 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 412 -2 2 18. Carrabba’s isn’t y our ordinary suburban shopping-center franchise eatery. This place dramatically exceeds expectations. From warmed bread dishes with quality oliv e oil to first-rate ItalianAmerican fare at reasonable prices. $$ p f COME BACK INN 909 Swan St., 627-1777, 415 Spring St., Jeffersonville IN, 2 85-1777. With both its branches located in urban neighborhoods, C ome Back Inn looks pr etty much lik e any other neighborhood saloon. But unlik e most Louisville neighborhood saloons, this one houses a f amily Italian spot that w ouldn’t be out of plac e in Chicago or Brooklyn. $ p FERD GRISANTI 10212 Taylorsville Rd., 267-0050. An East End landmark f or 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 f ood prompts the c omment, “They do e verything so well, and they make it look so easy.” $$$ p LENTINI’S 1543 Bardstown Rd., 459-3020. Showing as many lives as the pr overbial cat, L entini’s is back

again, reopened by new owners in the aft ermath of the previous team’s bankruptcy. The ’50s-style Italian-American velvet decor with menu to fit don’t appear to have significantly changed. $$ p f LUIGI’S 702 W. Main St., 589-0005. If y ou think one pizza is pretty much like another, you may not have sampled New York City-style pizza, a tr eat that you’ll find on j ust about e very street corner there, but only Luigi’s offers in its authentic form here. $ MARTINI ITALIAN BISTRO 4021 Summit Plaza Dr., 3949797. The American-accented Italian f are at this Ohio-based chain might be a little closer to Bayonne, New Jersey than Florence, but it’s good, featuring a short but diverse selection of hearty pastas, pizzas and Italian-style entrées. Martini’s quality has quickly built a loyal crowd of regulars. $$ p f MELILLO’S 82 9 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 OLD SPAGHETTI FACTORY 235 W. Market St., 5811070. One of the original v entures of a national firm that places its properties in renovated urban buildings, this favorite lights up the his toric Levy Brothers’ department s tore. Bright and nois y, it offers well-made if basic Italian family fare and dishes it out for surprisingly low prices. $$ p THE OLIVE GARDEN 132 0 Hurstbourne Pkwy., 3397190. The top property of the Orlando-based Darden chain, Oliv e Garden now operates more than 500 properties and bills itself as the leading Italian restaurant in the casual dining indus try.

Hearty pastas of all shapes and sauc es, appetizers and combo platters all carry the Italian theme. $$ p PESTO’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT 566 S. Fifth St., 584-0567. Offices for blocks ar ound empty int o this bustling Italian eat ery for weekday lunches featuring hearty platters of lasagna, z esty salads,

ERIKA’S GERMAN RESTAURANT 9301 N. Hurstbourne Pkwy. 499-882 2 . For a city wi th a s trong German heritage, Louisville is w oefully short on authentic German restaurants, but this genuine ly Germanic eatery attracts hungry crowds to Hurstbourne. Take care not to miss its former fast-food quarters just off I-64 local access ramp. $$ GASTHAUS 4812 Brownsboro Center, 899-7177. The Greipel family comes straight from Bavaria to Eastern Louisville with Gasthaus, a destination for local lovers of Germanic f are. The setting has as authentic a f eeling as the hearty and delicious German dishes here. $$$

IRISH ROVER 2319 Frankfort Ave., 899-3544, 117 E. Main St, LaGr ange, 2 2 2 -2 2 86. A w arm and welcoming pub with an authentic Irish accent, this is a delightful plac e for a tall glas s of Guinness, a snack and a bit of Irish music. I r ecommend the fish and chips. $ p f MOLLY MALONE’S 933 Baxter Ave., 473-12 2 2 . A carefully constructed replica of a modern urban Irish pub, Molly Malone’s is worthy addition to the city’s eating and drinking sc ene, 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 ma y be tr aditionally Irish, but the food here is mainstream American

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red wine and ic ed tea. On Saturdays, the kitchen switches over to a special Persian menu. $ PORCINI 2 730 Frankfort Ave., 894-8686. An expanded dining room and a stylish alfresco patio facing busy Frankfort Ave. make Porcini’s an even more popular des tination, a plac e to see and be seen—and, while you’re at it, enjo y a drink and a decent Italian-American dinner. $$$ p

LOS AZTECAS “The Best Mexican Food & Margaritas in Louisville” 530 WEST MAIN

502.561.8535

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

PRIMO 445 E. Market St., 583-1808. Restaurateur Bim Deitrich has been a leader in the city’ s restaurant scene since the 19 70s, and his mos t recent effort may be his best yet. Primo takes his Allo Spiedo concept and moves it upscale, with well-crafted Italian specialties fr om pizzas and pasta to steak Florentine, served with panache in sleek new quarters. $$$ p RAY PARRELLA’S ITALIAN CUISINE 2311 Frankfort Ave., 899-5575. Old-fashioned Italian-American family fare is served up with a w arm and casual welcome at Ray Parella’s, the latest venture of a family that’s been pleasing locals f or a generation. $ f ROCKY’S ITALIAN GRILL 715 W. Riverside Dr., Jeffersonville IN, 2 82 -3844, 102 06 Westport Rd., 339-0808. Now with a second location in Louisville, this longtime Southern Indiana favorite earns its popularity with fine pizzas, a good select ion of bottled beers and a select choic e of ItalianAmerican entrées, with a great view of the city from its riverside location. $ p f ROMANO’S MACARONI GRILL 401 S. Hurs tbourne Pkwy., 42 3-92 2 0. The Italian-style menu at this casual, Dallas-based f amily chain includes appetizers, salads, pastas, veal and desserts. Chefs entertain while creating wood-fired pizzas. $$ p SPAGHETTI SHOP 4657 Outer Loop, 969-5545, 2 669 Charlestown Rd., Ne w Albany, IN, 9445400. Baked pasta dishes, subs, salads and appetizers are prepared while you wait. $

Authentic Mexican Cuisine

VOLARE 2300 Frankfort Ave., 894-4446. The name evokes Sinatra, pasta with t omato sauce and candles in Chianti bottles, but stylish Volare kicks that image up a not ch. Initially the L ouisville outpost of a Chicago Italian eat ery, it’s now locally owned and oper ated, and seems t o be hitting its s tride with a br oad range of Italian dishes and vino , suave service and a luxurious but comfortable setting. $$$ p f WILLIE’S ITALIAN 8533 Terry Rd., 933-1080. $

DE LA T ORRE’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 squar e in Madrid. $$$

459-7776 2427 Bardstown Road (across from Kroger)

Mon.-Tue. 11am-10pm N Wed.-Thur. 11am-11pm Fri. 11am-Midn. N Sat. Noon-Midn. N Sun. Noon-9pm

78 Winter 2006 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

LA BODEGA 1604 Bardstown Rd., 456-4 955. Nextdoor to the e xcellent De La T orre’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 PALERMO VIEJO 1359 Bardstown Rd., 456-646 1.

This eatery’s name ma y sound Italian, but is, in fact, Louisville’s only sour ce of Ar gentinian cuisine. Steaks seared on authentic parrillada charcoal grills ar e a primary dr aw, but ther e’s excellent chicken, seafood and much mor e—plus an affordable selection of intriguing Ar gentinian wines. $$ p f

BOMBAY INTERNATIONAL MARKET 1591 Bardstown Rd., 473-2 077. The familiar landmark building that used to house the Bonn ycastle 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 INDIA PALACE 9424 Shelbyville Rd., 394-0490. This longtime local Indian r estaurant, originally on Bardstown Road and no w housed in this e xoticlooking East End building that has housed a s tring 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. $$ f KASHMIR INDIAN RES TAURANT 12 85 Bardstown Rd., 473-8765. One of the city’ s most popular Indian restaurants, Kashmir is casual, neither posh nor expensive, and it produces an extensive menu of seemingly authentic Indian fare. $$ f SHALIMAR INDIAN RES TAURANT 182 0 S. Hurstbourne Pkwy., 493-8899. Modern and sleek in appearance, modest in pric e, this Indian restaurant has bec ome the patriar ch 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. This Plainview Indian eat ery, popular with L ouisville’s Indian community, attracts vegetarians and omnivores alike with an excellent selection of meatless dishes on a menu that also pr ovides Indian meat, poultry and seaf ood dishes made in an authentic style. $

AL WATAN 3713 Klondike Ln., 454-4406. Clas sic Arabic dishes home-cooked by friendly people in a cozy environment that’s not unlik e your neighbor’s kitchen—assuming that your neighbor is Arabic and a r eally great cook: That’s the recipe that mak es Al W atan a des tination for lovers of fine Middle Eastern fare. $ CAFÉ 360 1582 Bardstown Rd., 4 73-8694. T he latest in a long series of eat eries in this pleasant Highland’s building off ers an eclectic and international menu, with Southern fried catfish and Indian lamb biry ani in immediat e juxtaposition. You can get it all, diner-style, just about 24/7. $ p f GRAPE LEAF 2 2 17 Frankfort Ave., 897-1774. Yet another Middle Eas tern eatery, yet another good inexpensive source of f ood on Fr ankfort Avenue. $ f KARMA CAFÉ 112 6 Bardstown Rd., 58 7-0062 .

Rendezvous Café didn’t last long, but its Karma, evidently, has been r eincarnated in this somewhat similar dining room. Karma Café, too, stays open lat e and off ers a similarly eclectic meld of diner-style courses and Middle Eas tern fare in a casually artsy and informal setting. $ f OMAR’S GYRO 969 Baxter Ave., 454-4888. No matter whether you pronounce it “Ghee-r o” or “Gyro,” you won’t be disappoint ed with the classic Greek sandwich served at Omar’s Gyro. $ PITA DELIGHTS 1616 Grinstead Dr., 569-112 2 .

Recently resurrected in its thir d location, the former home of P apillon Bosnian, this Near Eastern eatery offers a s tandard mix of gyr os, felafel and other pita-based goodies. $ f SAFFRON’S 131 W. Market St., 584- 7800. Owner Majid Ghavami has elevated this Persian (Ir anian) restaurant far beyond a mere ethnic eatery.

Stylish decor, an intriguingly e xotic menu, and a level of car eful, professional service worthy of a

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white-tablecloth dining room. Saffron’s has added a satellite operation, SAFFRON’S BUFFET, 558 S. Fifth St., 58 7-8679, where you can enj oy Persian delicacies on a quick, aff ordable all-you-can-eat lunch-only buffet. $$$ p SAFIER MEDITERRANEAN DELI 641 S. Fourth St., 585-112 5. Another ethnic option joins the increasingly diverse set of lunchtime choic es downtown. Yes, you can get standard American fare here, but who’d do that when y ou can enjoy such appetizing Ar abian delights as hummus, mutabal, falafels and the gyr os-like (only better) shawarma beef-on-pita sandwich. $ f

CAJUN KITCHEN 4645 Outer Loop, 964-5200. $ CRAWDADDY’S CAFÉ 12 07 E. Mark et St., Jeffersonville, IN., 282-6561. Cajun favorites “with a twist” are promised at this Southern Indiana spot. The chef, a veteran of Simpsonville’s Old Stone Inn, should bring the culinary expertise needed to make this new entry a winner. $$ f DOWNTOWN NEW ORLEANS 1157 S. Sec ond St., 797-5644. The smallish Old L ouisville storefront offers a Cajun-s tyle setting that ’s worth a visit if you like the spicy goodnes s of L ouisiana-style eats. $ f e GUMBO A GO-GO 2 109 Frankfort Ave., 896-4046.

This small eat ery that sits w ell back fr om Frankfort Ave. gained a sparkling new personality that outguns a couple of lackluster predecessors in the space. Casually informal and very affordable, with all dishes pric ed at $5. W e’re talking about serious L ouisiana Creole and Cajun cookery, dispensed with a friendly Ne w Orleans accent amid downscale Mardi Gras colors. $ f

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JOE’S OK BAYOU 9874 Linn Station Rd., 426- 1320, 4308 Charlestown Rd., Ne w Albany, IN, 9482 080. Fine, filling and authentic L ouisiana-style fare is the dr aw at Joe’ s, which no w serve both ends of the metr o area with r estaurants in Plainview on the East side and New Albany, Indiana (as well as one in Lexington, Ky.). A lengthy menu and ba you fishing-shack dec or showcases authentic Cajun and Creole chow. $$ p

BAHAMA BREEZE 104 Oxmoor Court, 423-9040.

It’s a long w ay from Oxmoor C enter to the Florida Keys, but this chain-oper ated eatery does a good job of bridging the gap , offering a happy beach-joint experience without the ocean view. Bahama Breeze is stylish and upscale, with a good selection of island f are and a gr eat bar. $$ p f e HAVANA RUMBA 4115 Oechsli Ave., 897-1959 A true taste of Old Ha vana. Hosts Fernando & Chris tina Martinez and Mar cos Lorenzo preside over this bright, inviting Cuban r estaurant, recently renovated to double its dining spac e and add a hopping mojito bar. Bountiful servings of Cuban fare as good as I’ve enjoyed in Key West or Miami have earned Havana Rumba a plac e on my short list of local f avorites. Now with an e xpanded menu, there is even more to love. $ p f TASTE OF JAMAICA 2 017 Brownsboro Rd., 8961055. This stylish space in Clift on that briefly housed Shemroun Persian has a new ethnic flavor, thanks to co-owner Warren Glave, who has returned authentic Jamaican cuisine t o a city t oo long starved for a taste of jerk chicken, curry goat and other such Caribbean goodies. $

BAZO’S FRESH MEXICAN GRILL 323 Wallace Ave., 899-9600. Bazo’s Fresh Mexican 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 DON PABLOS MEXICAN KIT CHEN 940 E. IN 131, Clarksville, IN, 2 84-1071. Born in North T exas and now based in Atlanta, this 100-property MexicanAmerican chain, off ers full bar servic e and a variety of dishes that r ange from sizzling f ajitas with portabello mushr oom, beef or chick en to crisp salads tossed in a fajita shell. $$ p EL CAPORAL 7319 Preston Hwy., 969-9693, 2 2 09 Meadow Dr., 473-7840, 1901 Blank enbaker Pkwy., 515 E. High way 131, Clarks ville, IN, 2 82 - 7174.

Louisville’s growing Mexican-American community has fostered a happ y trend: excellent, authentic Mexican food. El Caporal bridges the gap between the Latino and Anglo communities. $ p EL MUNDO 2 345 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 f are mines a similar vein and does so nearly as w ell. $ p f EL NOPAL 9473 Westport Rd., 32 7-6551, 11336 Preston Hwy., 961-9851, 10500 Watterson Tr., 2665956, 5444 Ne w Cut Rd., 380-844 7. Associated with the same f amily 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

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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EL NOPALITO 402 8 Taylorsville Rd., 458- 72 78, 6300 Bardstown Rd., 231-4249, 2319 Brownsboro Rd., 893-9880. This modest little eat ery used t o be a Taco Bell, but y ou’ll never find comidas like this at the Bell! Run b y a family from Mexico, it’s truly authentic and delicious. $ p f EL RESTAURANTE CHIQUITO 624 Cherry St., Ne w Albany, IN,944-2660. $ p EL REY MEXICAN RES TAURANT 2 918 Hikes Ln., 454-652 0. Although it ’s more Mexican-American than hard-core ethnic Me xican, El R ey earns m y recommendation for tasty fare, cordial service in a pleasant fast-Mexican-food environment, and affordable prices. $ f EL RODEO MEXICAN RES TAURANT 9070 Dixie Hwy., 995-8722. At El Rodeo, you’ll find a blend of Tex-Mex and other Latin American clas sics from salty margaritas to sweet sopapillas. $$

Call 452-1210

EL TARASCO 542 5 New Cut Rd., 368-562 8, 110 Fairfax Ave., 895-8010, 9901 LaGrange Rd., 3269373. Add El Tarasco to the happy new genre of restaurants run b y Latinos and off ering authentic Mexican food and atmospher e, but that reach out t o Anglos and mak e it eas y to enjoy a South-of-the-Border culinary adventure without compromise. $ ERNESTO’S 10602 Shelbyville Rd., 2 44-8889, 62 01 Dutchmans Ln., 893-92 97, 7707 Preston Hwy., 962 -5380, 700 Riverside Dr., Clarksville, IN, 2 800032 . One of the firs t of the mor e authentic locally-owned Mexican restaurant groups, Ernesto’s remains consistently reliable. From the crispy home-fried chips t o filling Me xican main courses and tas ty desserts, it’s a w orthy destination for good Mexican food and excellent value in an enjoyable atmosphere. $ p f e FIESTA TIME MEXICAN GRILL 1132 0 Maple Brook Dr., 425-9144. $ p JALAPEÑO’S 4430 Dixie Hw y., 448-5678.

Jalapeño’s is o wned and oper ated by folks of Mexican heritage, but its f are and its flair mak e it comfortable for wary “gringos” in sear ch of a mellow Margarita and mild, familiar Mexican food. $$ p e JUAN’S MEXICAN RES TAURANT 3061 Breckenridge Ln., 451-2827. $ p KY TACO 6911 Shepherdsville Rd., 962 -85 2 6.

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 eat ery that is more than it appears t o be, and that goes for both quality and quantity. Franchised and fastfoodish, it pleasantly surprises with genuine Mexican fare and Latino flair. $ LA EMBAJADA 7502 Preston Hwy., 964-8775. $ LA HERRADURA 615 Eastern Blvd., Clarksville, IN., 2 80-8650. Is it pos sible 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 ROSITA TAQUERIA 2535 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 948-0401, 1515 E. Mark et St., Ne w Albany, IN, 944- 362 0. One of m y favorite authentic Mexican eateries in the metro. Offering indoor and out door seating t o enjoy a short, affordable menu of firs t-rate Puebla-style tacos and other excellent Mexican dishes. $ f LA TAPATIA RESTAURANT 8106 Preston Hwy., 9619153. One of the mos t authentic ethnic Me xican restaurants in Louisville, this little storefront offers memorable tacos and burritos and more. $ p

3100 Bardstown Road Louisville, KY 40205 80 Winter 2006 www.foodanddiningmagazine.com

LOLITA’S TACOS 42 2 2 Poplar L evel Rd., 459-4356.

This tiny place may look like a fast-food joint, but the food is about as authentic Me xican as y ou’ll find. Crisp or soft tac os and burrit os the siz e of

paper-towel rolls turn a meal here into a real bargain. $ f LOS AZTECAS 530 W. Main St., 561-8535, 1107 Herr Ln., 42 6-3994, 9606 T aylorsville Rd., 2 9 7-8003, 92 07 U.S. Hwy 42 , 2 2 8-2 450. Authentic Mexican cuisine has become a viable option in Louisville, thanks to a growing immigrant community. With fresh bar and blender off erings, 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 RES TAURANTE MEXICANO 2743 Charlestown Rd., Ne w Albany, IN, 94 1-9770, 730 Highlander Point Dr., Floyds Knobs, IN, 923-2929.

“Why have Tex-Mex when y ou can ha ve MexMex?” is asked in fun on the servers’ T-shirts. This eatery is well worth the trip t o Southern Indiana for high-quality Mexican dishes. $ p MARIMBA MEXICAN RESTAURANT 2901 Brownsboro Rd., 721-7200. At first glance, Marimba looks a lot like a lot of the other authentic Me xican eateries that have been cropping up all o ver town. But this new entry in the Moorish-looking building that recently housed Mahar ajah Indian ma y be just a cut above much of its competition. The expansive Mexican lunch buff et is a particularly good deal. $ p MAYAN GYPSY 624 E. Market St., 583-3300. It may have evolved from a mobile tac o van, but Bruc e Ucán’s high-style Yucatan and tr opical Mexican cooking shows his creative genius in the kit chen: subtle and c omplex, sometimes spicy but ne ver fiery, it is fully competitive in quality with the city’s best restaurants. $$$ f MEXICAN FIESTA 5414 Bardstown Rd., 762-0840. $ MEXICO TIPICO RESTAURANT 6517 Dixie Hw y., 933-9523. It’s a bit of a trip out to Pleasure Ridge Park for those who don’t live nearby, but this little neighborhood restaurant, one of the city’s longerestablished Mexican spots, offers good and authentic dishes. $ p e PUERTO VALLARTA 42 14 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 945-3588. $$ p QDOBA MEXICAN GRILL 1500 Bardstown Rd., 4543380, 970 Breckinridge Ln., 7 2 1-8100, 4059 Summit Plaza Driv e, 42 9-5151, 100 Da ventry Ln., 412 -62 02 , 8602 Citadel W ay, 493-9606, 4302 Charlestown Rd., New Albany IN, 941-9654. This chain operation boasts five local outlets plus more in Lexington and Fr ankfort. Fast-foodish in s tyle, Qdoba edges out its c ompetitors 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 ine xpensive fare attracts a largely Spanish-speaking clientele. This little spot off ers one of the Eas t 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 lik e another tac queria but the specialty, Mexican-style roasted chicken, takes it to another level, juicy and suc culent and roasted golden brown. Chicken simply doesn’t get an y better than this. $ SANTA FE GRILL 3000 S. Third St., 634-3722. This tiny eatery in a c entury-old red-brick South End storefront near Chur chill Downs never fails to satisfy with genuine Mexican tacos and other simple fare at prices that will lea ve you plenty of change for an exacta bet at the races. $ SOL AZTECAS 2 42 7 Bardstown Road, 459-7776.

Saul Garcia, who’s been associated with the local chain of Los Aztecas eateries and the short-lived Olmeca’s, brings his br and of authentic Me xican fare to the Douglas s Loop quarters that previously housed Steam Fire and Ice. Fans of Los Aztecas will find f amiliar food and mood her e in the same affordable price ranges. $ p

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TACQUERIA LA MEXICANA 62 01 Preston Hwy., 969-4449. The tacos are fine at this tin y storefront, next door to a Latino grocery store.

This is seriously ethnic s tuff, but Anglos ar e thoroughly welcome, the s taff is bilingual, and they will happily pr ovide a menu with all the English translations written in. $ TEQUILA MEXICAN RESTAURANT 7803 Old Third Street Rd., 368-3591. $

ALAMEDA 1381 Bardstown Rd., 459-6 300. 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 f eel, complete with attractive renovations. $ p f

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DAY’S ESPRESSO AND C OFFEE BAR 1420 Bardstown Rd., 456- 1170, 72 0 W. Main St., 5844932 . Dark and cozy, with an old-fashioned feeling, Day’s Bardstown branch has e verything you would expect in a college-neighborhood coffee shop except a college near by. $ f DBL SHOTZ 1315 Spring St., Jeff ersonville, IN, 2 82 7000. $ EXPRESSIONS OF YOU 1800A W. Muhammad Ali, 584-6886. $ f e HEINE BROTHERS COFFEE 2 714 Frankfort Ave., 899-5551, 12 95 L ongest Ave., 456-5108, 2 2 00 Bardstown Rd., 515-0 380, 118 Cheno weth Ln., 893-5103. Spartan, friendly and aff ordable, with good coffee roasted on the premises and a short list of pas tries, desserts and panini sandwiches, Heine Bros. has earned its outs tanding local reputation. $ f e

MOE’S SOUTHWEST GRILL 2 001 S. Hurs tbourne Pkwy., 491-1800, 1001 Breckinridge Ln., 893-6637, 12 001 Shelbyville Rd., 2 45-62 50. “Welcome to Moe’s!” rings the merry shout of s taff 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 fr eshly made from quality ingr edients and c omes in o versize portions, and that’s not a bad thing. $

CLEO’S COFFEE AND MORE Caesars Indiana Casino, Elizabeth, IN, 888-766-2648. $ COFFEE BEANERY 7900 Shelbyville Rd. ( Oxmoor Center), 339-0738. $ COFFEE CROSSING 4212 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 981-2633, 13825 English Villa Dr., 254-7040. $ COFFEE POT CAFÉ 234 E. Gray St. (Medical Tower South), 584-5282 $ f

PERKFECTION 359 Spring St., Jeffersonville, IN, 2180611. $ e STARBUCKS COFFEE (15 locations) $ f SUNERGOS COFFEE & MICRO-ROASTERY 2 12 2 S. Preston St., 634-1243. Matthew Huested and Brian Miller used t o roast their o wn coffee beans as a hobby. Their friends said the y did it so w ell, they should turn pro—the result is Sunergos Coffee, another in the gr owing cadre of espresso bars in Louisville’s Germantown neighborhood. $

HEITZMAN TRADITIONAL BAKER Y & 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 r olls. Made fr esh daily, the pies, cakes, cookies and specialty pas tries provide tasty nostalgia for all who visit. $

TUMBLEWEED SOUTHWEST GRILL (19 locations).

Tumbleweed, which started as a humble Me xican restaurant in Ne w Albany, eventually came t o dominate Louisville’s Tex-Mex niche with colossal margaritas, gigantic burrit os and spi cy chili con queso. But w hat started as a sideline , mesquite grilled steaks, chops, and chicken, has become the main draw. These days, diners ar e more likely to dig into a perfectly grilled steak and baked potato as into a burrit o. With its ne w Southwest focus, large and v aried menu and added wine lis t, “The Weed” still has diners returning in droves. $$ p f

CAFFE CLASSICO 2144 Frankfort Ave., 894-9689. $ f

4806

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 s weet addition t o the Highlands community, with elegant cak es, tempting pies and tortes and designer cookies. $

TIJUANA FLATS BURRITO CO. 2420 Lime Kiln Ln. , 412 -6700, 3598 Springhurs t Blvd., 339-2 311.

Another entry in the growing niche of “fast casual Tex-Mex” eateries, specializing in burritos made from fresh ingredients while you wait. $$

BEAN STREET CAFÉ 3003 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, IN, 944-6262. New Albany’s first gourmet coffee shop, Bean Str eet, introduced the Sunn y Side to the joys of serious espr esso. Like all good coffee shops, it’s not just an eatery, but a cultur al hangout with an IUS flavor. $ f

MASTER’S INTERNATIONAL COFFEE Bardstown Rd., 495-6484. $ f

BREADWORKS 362 8 Brownsboro Rd., 89 3-32 00, 2420 Lime Kiln Ln., 326-0 300, 2204 Dundee Rd., 452-1510, 11800 Shelbyville Rd., 254-2885. $

SALSARITA’S FRESH CANTINA 2 85 N. Hubbar ds Ln., 897-532 3. Another entry in the hot “Fresh Mexican” niche that f eatures gigantic burritos made to order. Its c olorful free-standing building houses a sit-in restaurant and an inviting bar. $ f p

ATOMIC SAUCER 1000 E. Oak St., 637-5399. $

LOGOS COFFEE HOUSE 2250 Frankfort Ave., 8972272. $ f

THE BAKERY 3100 Bardstown Rd., 45 2 -12 10. 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 Sulliv an University. A r ecent renovation adds a t ouch of European style. The deli option is no mor e, but y ou can’t beat the quality breads and pastries offered here to eat in or carry out. $

ON THE BORDER 10601 Fischer Park Dr., 412-2461.

A contemporary spin on traditional favorites offers a range of delights from the Ultimate Fajita to margaritas in a setting that emulat es Old Mexico décor. $$ p f

ARTISAN’S COFFEE CAFÉ 2415 Lime Kiln Ln., 4 12 0360. In Glenview Plaza off US 42, Artisan’s offers fresh gourmet coffee espresso drinks, upscale teas and baked goods. $ e

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

MAGIC CORNER BAKERY 335 W. Broadway (Camberley Brown Hotel), 583-12 34. Pastry Chef Brian Logsdon has opened this gourmet bak ery on the hot el’s main floor , offering a v ariety of artisan breads, pastries and cakes. $ MY FAVORITE MUFFIN 3934 Taylorsville Rd., 4850518, 9800 Shelb yville Rd., 42 6-9645. All the muffins are made right in the store, including such popular choices as the Cinnamon Crumb and the Turtle Muffin. $

HIGHLAND COFFEE CO. 1140 Bardstown Rd., 4514545, 62 7 S. F ourth St., 540-9909 . Offering two ways to get wi red, this c ozy neighborhood coffee shop also functions as one of L ouisville’s top Internet cafés, wher e you can enjo y a hot cappuccino while you surf the ‘net in a WiFi hot spot. Funky Seattle-style ambience is a plus. $ f THE HOBKNOBB RO ASTING CO. 3700 Paoli Pike, Floyds Knobs, IN, 9 2 3-1458. HobKnobb off ers fresh hot coffee, espresso drinks and fresh baked pastries, cakes and cookies. $ f JAVA BREWING C OMPANY 2 910 Frankfort Ave., 893-6996, 9561B US Hw y 42 , 2 9 2 -2 710, 516 W .

Main St., 568-6 339, 135 S. English Station Rd., 489-5677, Fourth Street Live, 561-2 041, 4013 Dutchmans Ln., 895- 3115, 2 309 Fr ankfort Ave., 894-8060. These casual spots boas ts the ambience of a friendly old-f ashioned book shop, with comfortable seating, a good selection of pastries, and quality coffee from Seattle. $

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 ic e cream while y ou 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 v egan 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 Keller has a way with Belgian chocolate that every sweet tooth should experience. $ THE SWEET TOOTH 3110 Frankfort Ave., 895-4554.

You’ll find an enticing collection of cakes, pies and other homemade goodies, plus e xcellent coffee and a selection of loose-leaf teas, in this cozy little spot between Crescent Hill and St. Matthews. $

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MAP INDEX

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Come out to any of our three convenient locations and experience one of Louisville’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.

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MAP INDEX

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DOWNTOWN > DOWNTOWN

MAP • 1

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EAST > ST. MATTHEWS

MAP • 3

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SOUTH EAST > HIKES POINT/BUECHEL

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EAST > HURSTBOURNE N./LYNDON

MAP • 5

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MAP • 6

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SOUTH EAST > HURSTBOURNE S./JEFFERSONTOWN

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MAP

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

8 > NORTH EAST > WESTPORT ROAD

MAPS • 7 • 8

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MAP

11 > SOUTH EAST > FERN CREEK

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SOUTH > AIRPORT/OKALONA

MAP • 12

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MAP • 13

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SOUTH WEST > SHIVELY/PLEASURE RIDGE PARK

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INDIANA > NEW ALBANY/FLOYDS KNOBS

MAP • 14

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If it ain’t messy, it ain’t good!

MAPS • 15 • 16

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So the next time you’re craving a nice Bar-B-Q dinner, just bring your appetite and head to the Big Red Barn known as Petterson’s We Deliver!

Open seven days a week Monday - Saturday 11am - 9pm Sunday 11am - 8pm 812-248-9063 7705 Highway 311 Sellersburg, IN

15 > INDIANA > CLARKSVILLE

Mouth Watering Ribs Pulled Chicken & Pork Daily Lunch Specials

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16 > INDIANA > JEFFERSONVILLE

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Since 1982, our passion for teaching has produced some of the finest chefs, cooks, pastry chefs, catering professionals and hotel & restaurant managers in the country. With 100% graduate employment since the beginning, the ingredients are here for an exciting, rewarding career. Give us a call to see what we can do for you!

Information and Admissions

502.456.6505

3101 Bardstown Road • Louisville, KY 40205

800.844.1354 www.sullivan.edu

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