3 minute read
A PLACE OF HIS OWN
A PLACE OF HIS OWN
Anoosh Shariat makes a triumphant return to the kitchen in an eponymous bistro.
Written by Bridget Williams
Photography by Andrew Kung
There was shouting coming from the kitchen, not frantic but firm. “Wait! Wait!” cried out the chef, who held in his hand a pair of tweezers that were delicately pinching a miniature bouquet of herbs and edible flowers. The server quickly stopped in his tracks so that the chef could carefully place the assemblage atop a succulent piece of salmon. “There,” he sighed, as though he’d just avoided a near catastrophe.
As I came to find out, such an eye for precision comes naturally to Anoosh Shariat, the chef/owner of Anoosh Bistro, who studied electrical engineering and had planned to work in that field before necessity dictated a career change. “There just weren’t jobs to be had in my field at that time. I’m a picky eater and didn’t like what was being served at home, so I started cooking,” Shariat explained. His persnicketiness has since paid off for legions of Louisville diners who have followed his three-decade career trajectory and anxiously awaited his return to the kitchen following a brief hiatus as a restaurant consultant.
Taking over Henry’s Place in situ provided Shariat with some benefits – namely an established upscale clientele – along with some challenges, such as forging a unique identity without closing for renovations. “It really came down to location, location, location,” said Shariat, who added that after doing three years of out-of-town consulting work, he was ready to settle down and be closer to his family in Louisville.
When asked about his culinary style, Shariat speaks poetically about his craft.
He also provides some measure of creative freedom to his kitchen staff, saying that if they aren’t feeling inspired then he’s not doing his job.
The menu at Anoosh Bistro is roughly classified as New American, but Shariat is quick to point out that the term encompasses influences from around the globe. “America is a melting pot and that is refected in our cuisine, which is constantly evolving with each new culture that comes in,” he said, adding that at present there are palpable Korean and Vietnamese elements running throughout the menu, which he intends to update on a seasonal basis.
A longtime vegetarian, Shariat is cognizant of consumers’ increasing awareness for vegetarian and vegan options but says he is most noted for his preparation of lamb and fish. His bone-in lamb shank is slow-braised and topped with mirepoix (a mixture of chopped onions, carrots and celery) and burgundy sauce and resting on a bed of fluffy mashed potato. Seafood offerings of note include the Asian-inspired scallop and Tai shrimp from the small plates offerings and the Verlasso organic salmon, which is pan-seared and served with leek fondue, seasonal vegetables and forbidden rice, an ancient grain that legend says was once eaten exclusively by the Emperors of China.
Te vegan entrees on the menu were added “for selfish reasons,” joked Paula Barmore, Shariat’s wife and business partner, who also happens to be vegan. I will attest that the Garden Vegetable Platter, a hearty mix of fried tofu, spaghetti squash, roasted cauliflower, grilled asparagus, seasonal mushrooms, quinoa, and vegan hollandaise, was quite satisfying and didn’t have me missing meat one bit.
Despite jesting that as a chef/owner he “wears many hats, none of which fit,” Shariat is affectingly enthusiastic about his latest venture, and he is a frequent and friendly fixture in the dining room, stepping out of the kitchen to converse with patrons. “I am so very grateful for the many people who have supported us and genuinely like what we’re doing.”.
