I know a lot of bartenders and servers. None of them go to work hoping to be able to deny service to a guest. And yet it happens frequently. It’s never good, and it’s never fun, but some occasional situations call for it. Continue reading To Serve or Not to Serve
Fork & Barrel’s brunch soothes and satisfies
There is something indulgent about brunch that we don’t often experience at even a lavish dinner. It’s not necessarily a matter of gluttony: I’d rather choose from a selection of chef-created morning and midday dishes rather than dive into a gigantic buffet spread under plastic hoods known as sneeze guards. Ick.
No, the joy of brunch has something to do with comfort food – breakfast for lunch – elevated by culinary touches that we aren’t likely to replicate at home. Continue reading Fork & Barrel’s brunch soothes and satisfies
Around the world on a plate at Diamond Street Grub
I’m generally a bit skittish about restaurants that offer a mix of different world cuisines that extend well beyond the chef’s personal DNA. How can one chef master so many culinary arts?
So I wasn’t sure what to expect when Diamond Street Grub & Hops came to town last summer: Its international menu draws randomly from the street-food traditions of an edible United Nations. Continue reading Around the world on a plate at Diamond Street Grub
Treats in Town 2/8
National Pizza Day – Feb. 8
More than 3 billion pizzas are sold in the USA each year, and I eat more than my share of them. An estimated one of every six restaurants in the U.S. are pizzerias. How will you celebrate? Continue reading Treats in Town 2/8
Galan’s offers a tasty oasis in a West End food desert
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
Treats in Town 2/3
OPEN Monday Launch Night – Feb. 3
The Chasse is on! Starting tonight, February 3, La Chasse will be opening Monday evening! For their first Monday, 5-9 p.m. tonight, they’re offering half-price bottles of wine, along with live music, specials, and more. Details on La Chasse’ Facebook event page, OPEN Monday Launch Night!
Jack Fry’s and Shirley Mae’s named top “classics”
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”
Treats in Town 2/2
National Tater Tots Day – Feb. 2
Hey, boys and girls! What’s tomorrow? Super Bowl Sunday, you say? Nope. Groundhog Day? Not that, either.
Better yet: It’s #NationalTotsDay! Continue reading Treats in Town 2/2
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
Noche, the church of Mexican BBQ
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