Category Archives: $$$$ Luxury ($80 and up)

Meesh Meesh is good good

By Robin Garr
LouisvilleHotBytes.com

I’m going to come right out and say it: Meesh Meesh is one of the best new restaurants to come along in Louisville lately.

But wait! What’s with that repetitive rhyming name? The restaurant’s website explains it all for us: MeeshMeesh means “apricot” in both Arabic and Hebrew.

With the sad fighting going on in Israel and Palestinian Gaza right now, a restaurant that celebrates both of those cultures seems like a good place to be. Continue reading Meesh Meesh is good good

Nami: Korean-style fare with a side of Ed Lee

By Robin Garr
LouisvilleHotBytes.com

If you haven’t heard about Chef Edward Lee’s new Korean restaurant Nami by now, it’s probably only because you haven’t been paying attention. The news about this Korean-American top chef opening his first Korean restaurant since his 20-something youth in New York City has been all over the place.

Nami, which opened on May 2, has been jammed since the start. If you want a seat, especially on weekends, you should get a reservation will in advance or plan to arrive before 6 p.m.

Regardless, you should definitely go. Continue reading Nami: Korean-style fare with a side of Ed Lee

Anoosh Bistro delights as always

By Robin Garr
LouisvilleHotBytes.com

Between the budget impact of the pandemic and the time most of us spent hiding in our houses, I haven’t been to many fancy, upscale restaurants lately.

Did I say “Lately”? Let’s say I might have had one, maybe two, pricey dinners out since March 2020! I imagine a lot of you are in a similar place.

But sooner or later, it’s time to dine. And so, to celebrate my birthday last month, we dressed up and headed out to Anoosh Bistro. Continue reading Anoosh Bistro delights as always

Barn 8 delivers culinary treats in a delightful farm setting

By Robin Garr
LouisvilleHotBytes.com

If you haven’t made your way out to Barn 8 Restaurant at Hermitage Farm in Goshen, take my advice: You ought to give it a try soon. You’ll be glad you did.

Walk in the front door of the black, red-trimmed former horse barn on U.S. 42, and one of the first things you see will be a small painting of local art enthusiast and 21c hotel founder Steve Wilson, showing a big smile and his trademark red glasses.

Yep, Barn 8 is related by family to Proof on Main, 21c’s much-lauded downtown eatery. I might not call Barn 8 “Proof East” or “Proof in the countryside,” but it’s fair to point out the similarities, and there are plenty of them. Continue reading Barn 8 delivers culinary treats in a delightful farm setting

Seviche always satisfies

By Robin Garr
LouisvilleHotBytes.com

More than a year later, when the local food critic finally heads out to a fine local restaurant for a relaxing sit-down dinner, where does he go? For me, the answer is simple: It has to be Seviche.

I’m always reluctant to name any restaurant my Number One, as any of five or ten favorites could wear the crown on any given day. But Seviche always makes me happy. Continue reading Seviche always satisfies

Chef changes keep Mesh on tasty track

As smoothly as a runner receiving the baton in a fast relay, new hands have taken charge of the kitchen at Mesh restaurant without missing a step. If you’re looking for casual modern elegance for holiday-season dining, Mesh should definitely be on your list. Continue reading Chef changes keep Mesh on tasty track

However you pronounce SOU, we sure like it.

SOU might mean “South.” It could represent “soul.” Yet the proper way to pronounce the name of this new Plainview-area eatery is not “sow” or “soo” but “So-you.” Intentional ambiguity seems to lie at the heart of this upscale dining room in a thoroughly renovated former Skyline Chili parlor, and that’s all right. Continue reading However you pronounce SOU, we sure like it.

Palatucci’s offers Italian flair with a Bronx accent

A little piece of the Bronx has broken off and come to Louisville, and we couldn’t be happier. Especially since the chunk of Jonas Bronck’s old dairy farm that landed here reminds us of Arthur Avenue, the Bronx’ memorable slice of Little Italy.

So say hello to Palatucci’s Italian-American Ristorante, opened last month in the quarters previously occupied by Gary’s on Spring. Chef Richard Britney, who owns the place with his wife, Tamara, traces his roots, and his love of Italian food, to a grandmother who lived in the Bronx. Continue reading Palatucci’s offers Italian flair with a Bronx accent

The 502 Bar & Bistro, a jewel in Norton Commons

For any chef, an invitation to come cook at James Beard House in New York City is an honor devoutly to be wished. To get there before turning 30 marks a young chef as a rising culinary young gun. Now meet Louisville’s Chef Ming Pu, 29-year-old executive chef at The 502 Bar & Bistro: This king of the kitchen is heading for Beard House this coming Tuesday, July 16, for his third visit in the past two years. Continue reading The 502 Bar & Bistro, a jewel in Norton Commons

So long, Artesano. Welcome Steak & Bourbon!

I’m not going to lie about this: I miss Artesano. It was a favorite. This does not mean that I don’t like Steak & Bourbon, its recent successor under the same management. But steakhouses are a dime a dozen around here. Serious Spanish tapas eateries are thin on the ground, so the loss of a favorite is a significant hit.

All my whining won’t bring Artesano back, I know, so let’s move on. We dropped in to Steak & Bourbon with a group of friends the other night and had a fine time. Continue reading So long, Artesano. Welcome Steak & Bourbon!