Just so you’ll know, Food & Wine magazine, in a long listicle mentioning every state, has weighed in on its nominations for the best “classic” restaurants in every state, naming Jack Fry’s and Shirley Mae’s as Louisville’s top spots. Continue reading Jack Fry’s and Shirley Mae’s named top “classics”
Category Archives: Commentary
Robin Garr’s musings about food and restaurant matters that don’t fit neatly into the “review” category.
A Kitchen Conversation, Translated
A sous chef speaks to a server in a steamy kitchen. “Okay, that’s the special eighty-sixed. Eighty-sixed, you hear me? And if I get one more order for it, I’m gonna lose my -” (ticket printer chirrups) “OH MY GOD! Get me Lance right now!” Continue reading A Kitchen Conversation, Translated
Everything is good at Ramen House
Thoughts upon eating edamame at Ramen House: If you’re supposed to get at these delicious little underripe-soybean snacks by popping the beans out of the inedible pod, what’s the point in seasoning the outside of the pod? Continue reading Everything is good at Ramen House
Happy New Year, Alexa!
Per my request, Santa brought me an Amazon Echo Dot for Christmas, pre-loaded with everyone’s favorite virtual assistant, Alexa.
This morning as I was settling in at my writing desk, I asked: “Alexa: how many days until the Kentucky Derby 2020?”
“2020 Kentucky Derby is in 128 days, on May 2, 2020,” she replied cheerfully.
“What is the date of Mother’s Day, 2020?” Continue reading Happy New Year, Alexa!
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
Jasmine Bistro impresses with Chinese regional flavors
I still vividly remember the excitement of my first tastes of Sichuan cuisine. We had to travel to New York City, San Francisco or Chicago to get such goodies back in the late ‘70s, but Sichuan, aka Szechwan, fare did get to Louisville finally, and for a decade or two, these spicy regional cuisines were among the city’s most popular dining options. Continue reading Jasmine Bistro impresses with Chinese regional flavors
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.
Two Tales of Heroism in Restaurant Service
I recently stopped in on a Monday for breakfast at a diner near where I work. The place was busy, but not full. I wasn’t greeted, as I had been on each previous visit. Continue reading Two Tales of Heroism in Restaurant Service
You’ll love the chicken at The Charcoal Restaurant
Humans have been cooking over open fires at least since the Paleolithic era, and 200,000 years later, homo sapiens still loves food cooked over charcoal. The folks who’ve recently opened The Charcoal Restaurant get this. Continue reading You’ll love the chicken at The Charcoal Restaurant
That’s Showbiz, Folks!
The scenario: An alarm goes off in a dark bedroom. A lamp switches on. A man arises, dons a starched white chef jacket, places a coffee pod briefly in a shiny, complicated-looking appliance, and enjoys the beverage that emerges. Before leaving home, he grabs a hand-made shopping basket he picked up on his last trip to Guatemala, and says goodbye to his faithful dog. Continue reading That’s Showbiz, Folks!