Category Archives: Hurstbourne, Middletown, Jeffersontown

$ Budget (under $30), Baxter, Bardstown, Highlands, Commentary, Frankfort Ave., Clifton, Crescent Hill, Hurstbourne, Middletown, Jeffersontown, LEO's Eats, World Food

J. Gumbo’s feeds our Mardi Gras faces.

If you woke up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed this morning, ready to get to work, you probably did not celebrate Mardi Gras in the traditional way last night. Lent starts today, and for those who observe the penitential season, there’ll be no more joyful excess until Easter arrives on April 21.

But we’ve got you covered! Even if you missed Mardi Gras, J. Gumbo’s is still good and affordable. Even after Fat Tuesday has come and gone, it stands ready to meet your Cajun dining needs. Continue reading J. Gumbo’s feeds our Mardi Gras faces. →

$ Budget (under $30), Commentary, Hurstbourne, Middletown, Jeffersontown, Indian, LEO's Eats, New and noteworthy, Vegetarian/Vegan

Shreeji brings street-style Indian fire and flavor

Even if you think you know something about Indian food, the chances are that the first time you see the menu at Shreeji Indian Vegetarian Street Food, you’re going to be bewildered by a lot of names of dishes that you don’t recognize at all.

Only seasoned travelers or natives of the subcontinent are likely to be familiar with such deliciousness as vada pav, dabeli, methi gota, or bhel.

But here’s great news: It doesn’t matter. Not only will the friendly people behind the counter explain it all for you, but even if you simply dive in and choose at random, you really can’t go wrong. It’s all delicious, bold, aromatic and colorful, so good that you won’t regret any choice you make. Continue reading Shreeji brings street-style Indian fire and flavor →

$$$$ Luxury ($80 and up), Commentary, French, Hurstbourne, Middletown, Jeffersontown, LEO's Eats

Brasserie Provence takes us to France, très bon!

Say what you will about the French, they are a carnivorous people. French cuisine is full of beef, lamb, pork, chicken, fish, toutes les viandes! All the meats!

But I’m pretty sure Julia Child’s recipe box never contained a recipe for tofu. When I walk into a French restaurant, I expect a bill of fare centered on meat, poultry, and fish, because that’s how the French roll. Or cook. Continue reading Brasserie Provence takes us to France, très bon! →

$$ Modest ($30-$50), Hurstbourne, Middletown, Jeffersontown, LEO's Eats, Vegetarian/Vegan

Get your power bowl at plant-based Inwave

I’d been meaning to make a stop at Inwave, a locally owned fast-food spot near Middletown that features power bowls, acai bowls, vegan fare, juices and smoothies. It’s a fast-casual setup in which you walk down the line choosing grains, nuts, seeds and toppings for your individualized bowl. It’s an interesting concept, with the glitzy look of a chain-in-the-making. Continue reading Get your power bowl at plant-based Inwave →

$$ Modest ($30-$50), Hurstbourne, Middletown, Jeffersontown, LEO's Eats, World Food

Arepas y mas! Nahyla’s brings us Venezuelan delights

Our immigrant neighbors have taught us to love tacos. They’ve introduced us to gorditas, and roti, chapatis and naan, bao and banh mi and pitas and lavash and much, much more; and for all these carb-loaded delights we are much in their debt.

Now say hello to the Venezuelan arepa, yet another appealing way to enclose something good to eat within a tasty wrapper, a hand-held treat that long pre-dates the invention of Lord John Montagu, fourth Earl of Sandwich. Continue reading Arepas y mas! Nahyla’s brings us Venezuelan delights →

$$ Modest ($30-$50), Hurstbourne, Middletown, Jeffersontown, LEO's Eats, Mexican, Cuban, Caribbean, Outer East End, QuickBytes, Southern Indiana

On the Mexican road again …

“On the road again” … “En la carretera nuevamente …” Hmm. Willie Nelson’s classic ballad doesn’t translate very well, rhythmically speaking. You just can’t make the syllables fit the notes. But that’s not important right now. What’s important right now is Mexican food, because it’s filling and spicy and delicious.

I like Mexican food, and I like languages, and I’ve still got a lot to learn about both things. But there’s always room for more learning, both in the food department and the linguistic department. Like most Americans — er, Norteamericanos, that is — my language skills are weak.

“Eureka,” I said, an exclamation that works in English, Spanish and Greek. “Why don’t I go eat at some Mexican restaurants? I can practice my Spanish on the servers!”
Continue reading On the Mexican road again … →

$ Budget (under $30), Downtown, NuLu and Butchertown, Hikes Point, Hurstbourne, Middletown, Jeffersontown, Northeast Metro, QuickBytes, South End, Southern Indiana, St. Matthews, Westport Village, and environs, Vegetarian/Vegan

Signs of the apocalypse: The White Castle veggie slider

I can’t resist mentioning this briefly, since my mini-report on the HotBytes forum and Facebook on New Year’s Day blew up with “Likes” and comments, hinting that there’s public interest in this bizarre development: White Castle, at least for a while, now offers a veggie burger, of all things. They’re only 99 cents each, cheap, but like their meatful siblings, it takes a few to satisfy an appetite.
Continue reading Signs of the apocalypse: The White Castle veggie slider →

$$$ Upscale ( $50 - $80), Bistros, Hurstbourne, Middletown, Jeffersontown, LEO's Eats, White tablecloth, deluxe

Brasserie Provence soothes the savage critic

“Music hath charms to soothe the savage breast.” Or maybe “beast.” Everybody thinks the Bard wrote this, but it was actually William Congreve, a decidedly lesser poet who lived a century or so after Bill Shakspear trod the boards.

Whatever.

My breast was savage, and so was my beast, the other day. I was crabby. I’ll admit it. And I showed few signs of getting better. What was gnawing at my liver? Let me count the ways. (The Bard really did say that.)
Continue reading Brasserie Provence soothes the savage critic →

$ Budget (under $30), Hurstbourne, Middletown, Jeffersontown, LEO's Eats, World Food

This locavore makes an exception for Noodles & Company

If you’ve been reading my gustatory musings for any time, you know that I bring a strong locavore sensibility to this work. I like to eat local food, and I prefer to dine at local restaurants. When I do business with a bank, grocer, optician, investment adviser, newspaper and, most definitely, restaurant, I like to know that the owner herself is available for a conversation, will look me in the eye, shake my hand, and offer me a fair deal.
Continue reading This locavore makes an exception for Noodles & Company →