Many of Louisville’s West End neighborhoods are defined as food deserts, places where low-income neighbors don’t have easy access to supermarkets. But Carlos Galan is trying to do something about that.
Galan, who came to Louisville from Florida five years ago with his wife, Kim, saw potential in the West End, and he is taking practical steps to bring food to the Market Street neighborhood where Russell meets Portland. Continue reading Galan’s offers a tasty oasis in a West End food desert
The tall gray stone sanctuary of Calvary Lutheran Church was approaching its 90th anniversary when its congregation, aging and declining in numbers, regretfully decided to pack it in. “Emptying the building. Sad work,” the Rev. Austin Newberry wrote in February 2016 in the final post on Calvary’s Facebook page.
But now the lofty nave is filled with a new kind of spirit as Noche Mexican BBQ, opened early in August, settles in. Continue reading Noche, the church of Mexican BBQ
It came as no real surprise when I discovered that Las Margaritas Mexican Cuisine features margaritas at its well stocked bar. After all, lots of Mexican restaurants do. But this place takes it to the next level, offering a choice of a dozen house margaritas, from traditional models built with tequila or mezcal to hibiscus, prickly pear or jalapeño models and – wait for it – a bourbon margarita. Continue reading Las Margaritas isn’t just about the margaritas
There’s a special place in my heart for Mexican eateries like La Sierra Tarasca.
First, and not least, in a time when the president calls our Latin American neighbors thugs, criminals and rapists and orders refugee families separated at the border, it’s time for the rest of us to stand up for our Latinx brothers and sisters, whether they have green cards or not. That matters.
Second, but far from least, I love Mexican food, especially carnitas. Continue reading La Sierra Tarasca’s carnitas warms our hearts
While I was binge-watching the Taco Chronicles on Netflix last week, I got to the sequence on carnitas, and immediately realized that I had to get up and go either to Michoacán or, at the least, to a really good local taqueria. Once I checked my wallet, La Catrina Mexican Kitchen in New Albany got the nod. Continue reading La Catrina deliciously satisfies our taco craving
Let me tell you why I love El Mariachi so hard: Even the chips and salsa that drop on your table the moment you take a seat are exceptional. These thick, deeply corn-flavored treats, fashioned on the premises from fresh-made tortillas, are positively addictive. They’re so crunchy that I had to look twice to persuade myself that they weren’t lightly breaded before they were fried.
Yes, the salsa is first-rate, too, a finely mashed reddish-brown puree of red chiles, tomatoes, and herbs, just spicy enough. But those chips? Perhaps the best I ever ate, I really could make a meal of them, if that didn’t involve missing out on the rest of the menu. But I can’t do that. It’s too good to skip. Continue reading El Mariachi is so good that even the chips excel
A couple of weeks ago, I started getting glowing reports from friends and readers who urged me to check out a new little South End Mexican breakfast spot called Chilakiles.
But when I asked Google to search, Google fought back.
“Did you mean: chilaquiles?”
No! I said “Chilakiles,” and “Chilakiles” is what I meant.
Google didn’t believe me! I say “Chilakiles,” Google says “Chilaquiles.” Let’s call the whole thing off? Nope, can’t do that. It sounded too good. Continue reading Chilakiles has delicious Mexican breakfast and more
Some time during recent months, pushed by the arrival of the excellent taquerias Taco City in the Highlands and Taco Choza in St. Matthews, the metro area quietly, without any publicity, achieved full taco.
What’s that, you ask? Simple. The numbers are a little vague, but by my best count, hungry Louisvillians now have at least 65 locally owned, independent places to buy tacos, surpassing the roughly 60-plus local pizzerias.
Given all the cranky jokes about this being a city with a pizzeria on every corner, this is no small achievement. Continue reading Tacos surpass pizza as Taco City and Taco Choza arrive
I’ve never had all that much of a sweet tooth. When it comes to the flan at Cancun Mexican Restaurant, though, that’s a whole ‘nother story: I might even eat dessert first. Yes, it’s that good. Continue reading Eat the flan first? It’s all good at Cancun
Three years ago two interesting new locally owned fast-casual eateries came to town, and I loved them both: Con Huevos set a new standard with its delicious, chef-driven Mexican breakfast and lunch. Joella’s first introduced us to Nashville-style hot chicken, a feisty genre that might remind you of Indi’s hot fried chicken but that’s really not the same.
Both eateries have recently opened branches in the metro’s eastern suburbs. Naturally I had to check them out. Continue reading Go East to Con Huevos and Joella’s
