Category Archives: $ Budget (under $30)

The Table does well by doing good

Wouldn’t it be a wonderful thing if every restaurant followed the pay-what-you-can model of The Table in Portland? What if Vincenzo’s or Jeff Ruby’s, for example, made its menu pricing variable depending on what the diner could afford? Or offered creative alternatives like putting in a few hours serving tables or helping out with kitchen chores? Or invited you to pay your tab forward so someone else could take a seat at the table?

Yeah, I know. Not. Going. To. Happen. Continue reading The Table does well by doing good

Six Forks: simple, affordable quality

A restaurant doesn’t have to be expensive to be good, and it doesn’t have to be elegant to be pleasing. I present in evidence Six Forks Burger Co., an amiable little eatery that specializes in hamburgers, hot dogs, and more.

Six Forks recently arrived in a Shelby Park street-corner storefront that, in years past, housed Louisville’s only Pakistani restaurant and later a fried chicken-and-fish shop. Continue reading Six Forks: simple, affordable quality

More biscuits? Brunch at Gracious Plenty

Speaking of biscuits, we stopped by Gracious Plenty’s Prospect location on a Saturday recently with our friend Ann, and I was pleasantly surprised to discover its weekend-only brunch menu. Continue reading More biscuits? Brunch at Gracious Plenty

La Sierra Tarasca’s carnitas warms our hearts

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

Burger Girl fills our diner needs whenever we’re up

I got the jingle “two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun” stuck in my head the other day, and there was no way to stave off the crave. So I blasted off to get one. No, not Mickey D’s. Better. The double bison burger at the new Burger Girl Diner takes two all-beef patties to a whole new level. Continue reading Burger Girl fills our diner needs whenever we’re up

Al Hamra’s lavish buffet takes us to Jordan and more

Pulled chunks of Al Hamra’s whole roast lamb are surrounded by a stuffed grape leaf, okra, rice, hummus, yogurt-cucumber mix, and tomatoes, eggplant and lamb.
Pulled chunks of Al Hamra’s whole roast lamb are surrounded by a stuffed grape leaf, okra, rice, hummus, yogurt-cucumber mix, and tomatoes, eggplant and lamb.
Here’s something you won’t often hear me say: I love an all-you-can-eat buffet. Specifically, I love the buffet at Al Hamra Halal Mediterranean Buffet at Mid City Mall. Buffet, schmuffet: This is the only place I know of where you can fill up on Jordanian specialties and pull forkfuls of tender, juicy meat off a whole roast lamb. Continue reading Al Hamra’s lavish buffet takes us to Jordan and more

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.

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

Tacos surpass pizza as Taco City and Taco Choza arrive

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

Ehrler’s is back, and it’s good

Nothing goes much better to rid your palate of the sad and mournful taste of raw kale than a scoop of delicious, creamy ice cream, and the serious shot of bourbon in Ehrler’s bourbon pecan fudge ($3.60 for a kiddie cup big enough for two kiddies) did the trick for me. Continue reading Ehrler’s is back, and it’s good