Category Archives: Germantown

$$$ Upscale ( $50 - $80), A RESTAURANT LISTING..., Bistros, Farm-to-table, Germantown, Italian (and Pizza)

Perso gets the small things and the big things right

By Robin Garr
LouisvilleHotBytes.com

One of the first things I noticed when I took my seat at a table in Perso was the high quality of the table itself: Burnished wood, smooth as silk, it reminded me of the work of Shaker artisans.

Then I unrolled the black cloth napkin and noticed something unusual about the quality stainless flatware: Every surface was mirror-shiny, without a single dishwasher spot in sight, almost as if each piece had been wiped clean by hand before service.

And speaking of service, that was great too: Friendly but not smarmy, attentive but not bothersome, there when we needed them, good with eye contact and a smile.

So what, you say? How about the food?

Continue reading Perso gets the small things and the big things right →
$$ Modest ($30-$50), A RESTAURANT LISTING..., Germantown, Italian (and Pizza)

Looking for Mr. Goodpizza: The Post

By Robin Garr
LouisvilleHotBytes.com

I love pizza. You know that. I consider it one of nature’s most perfect foods, a balanced and nutritious blend of fat, protein, and mmm, mmm. carbs in a delicious meal on a plate that you can eat with your fingers or, if you must, knife and fork.

I’m so fond of this treat from Naples by way of New York City, widely modified across the United States and made indisputably our own, that I could review it every week if only my editors would let me.

But lately, it seems, I’ve been striking out on pizza just often enough to make me wonder if my tastes are changing or if pizza is.

Continue reading Looking for Mr. Goodpizza: The Post →
A RESTAURANT LISTING..., Baxter, Bardstown, Highlands, Germantown, World Food

Fun, music, and five local eateries at The Village Market

By Robin Garr
LouisvilleHotBytes.com

Here’s the thing you should probably understand about the five restaurants that line the walls of cavernous Village Market in Paristown: This is a place to have fun and grab a bite and a drink and enjoy music, and that’s a good thing.

Just don’t expect a destination dining experience. That’s my conclusion after a Saturday visit and stops for a bite at each of the five eateries and a long look at its extensive bar.

Continue reading Fun, music, and five local eateries at The Village Market →
$$ Modest ($30-$50), A RESTAURANT LISTING..., BBQ, Burgers & Down-Home, Black-owned, Germantown

Four Pegs scores with smoky wings, ribs, and … jackfruit!?

By Robin Garr
LouisvilleHotBytes.com

It’s easy to run out of superlatives when we’re talking about the barbecue at Four Pegs in Germantown.

  • You’ve got those hefty, flavorful wings that come in a squadron of memorable flavors.
  • You’ve got those firm, flavorful, impeccably sauced baby back ribs.
  • And you’ve got that tender, mouth-watering pulled jackfruit

What?

Continue reading Four Pegs scores with smoky wings, ribs, and … jackfruit!? →
$$$ Upscale ( $50 - $80), Bistros, Bourbon, Germantown

You don’t need artificial intelligence to love North of Bourbon

By Robin Garr
LouisvilleHotBytes.com

“I recently had the pleasure of dining at North of Bourbon, a New Orleans-style restaurant in Louisville. From the moment I walked in, I was transported to the vibrant, colorful world of the Big Easy.

“The atmosphere at North of Bourbon is lively and energetic, with good music, colorful Christmas decorations, and the smell of good food and spices in the air. The menu is filled with classic New Orleans dishes as well as more unusual offerings. The portions are generous, and the flavors are bold and spicy.

“But the real star of the show is the bourbon.”

Okay, hold it right there. Continue reading You don’t need artificial intelligence to love North of Bourbon →

$$ Modest ($30-$50), BBQ, Burgers & Down-Home, Germantown

Hauck’s Corner returns, dainty and all

By Robin Garr
LouisvilleHotBytes.com

Last summer, 110 years after Hauck’s Handy Store opened as a neighborhood grocery on a Schnitzelburg street corner – and three years after it closed following the death at 100 of owner and patriarch George Hauck – this local landmark returned as a restaurant and bar.

In 1912 you could buy a baloney sandwich on white bread at Hauck’s and get change from a dime. Today, a century and $1 million in renovations later, you can still get something like that, but they spell it “bologna” now, and it will cost you $14.95 for a thick-cut, smoked slice perched on a brioche bun with stone-ground mustard, pimento cheese, pickles, and an over-easy egg. Continue reading Hauck’s Corner returns, dainty and all →

$$ Modest ($30-$50), Baxter, Bardstown, Highlands, BBQ, Burgers & Down-Home, Breakfast and lunch spots, sandwich spots, Germantown

Big Bad Breakfast brings another morning option

By Robin Garr
LouisvilleHotBytes.com

After Lynn’s Paradise Cafe closed abruptly in 2013, it left a vacant building and a crowd of nearby merchants crying over the loss of a neighborhood commercial anchor.

Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint filled the space for a couple of years, but soon became a victim of the pandemic.

It took another year for the latest occupant to fill the space again. Bad Breakfast looks like a good fit, though. Like Lynn’s, the new entry – first Kentucky franchise of a small but growing chain based in Oxford, Mississippi – offers hearty breakfast and lunch dishes in a down-home setting. Continue reading Big Bad Breakfast brings another morning option →

$$ Modest ($30-$50), Baxter, Bardstown, Highlands, Germantown, Pacific Rim

For a good pho, call Eatz Vietnamese

By Robin Garr
LouisvilleHotBytes.com

Last week I had to try calling Vietnam Kitchen a half-dozen times before I could break through the busy line. I guess I wasn’t the only Louisville foodie aching to find out for sure if they were really back from a month-long vacation.

But one reality remains: Vietnam Kitchen, the beloved South End storefront eatery that introduced many of us to Vietnamese cuisine, isn’t going to stay the same, assuming it stays at all. The shop is definitely on the market as a turnkey operation, and owner Alex Lam will eventually either hand it over to new owners or close it.

We wish the Lam family and Vietnam Kitchen’s many fans well, but let’s face it: If you haven’t done this already, it’s past time to begin exploring the metro’s other Vietnamese restaurants. There are at least a dozen, and each has its own particular pleasures. But when I’m hankering for pho, the traditional and soul-consoling Vietnamese soup, I head for Eatz Vietnamese. Continue reading For a good pho, call Eatz Vietnamese →

$$ Modest ($30-$50), Baxter, Bardstown, Highlands, Germantown, Pubs, Brew Pubs, GastroPubs, Vegetarian/Vegan

V-Grits is head-spinning good, even if you’re not vegan

I had a pit beef barbecue sandwich the other day that was so good it made my head spin. And here’s the kicker: This sandwich was vegan, made entirely from vegetables without a trace of meat.

How can this be? This sandwich, so delicious that I can still taste it in my mind’s palate a couple of days later, came from V-Grits, not just one of my favorite vegan restaurants but one of my favorite restaurants … period. Continue reading V-Grits is head-spinning good, even if you’re not vegan →