By Robin Garr
LouisvilleHotBytes.com
Every now and then I’ll see an email or social-media ad that inspires immediate action. The new iPhone is available! Two-for-one sale on Häagen-Dazs! And, just the other day, “Tomato season has returned, and so has the beloved Haymarket BLT!”
Continue reading Haymarket lures us with farm-to-table BLTBy 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 rightBy Robin Garr
LouisvilleHotBytes.com
Louisville seems to be having a ramen renaissance right now, and I am here for it.
Yes. we’ve had access to genuine ramen that didn’t come from a cheap supermarket packet for a while. Of course you can still get your ramen fix at full-service Japanese and other Asian restaurants. And we’re not even talking about all the tasty Vietnamese pho and Thai yum, which are delicious soups-as-a-meal too but entirely different.
But there’s no substitute for those memorable places where the chefs treat ramen as a calling, a spiritual experience that must be done properly and consumed with respect but quickly, before the broth cools.
Continue reading Kiwami brings the ultimate ramenBy Robin Garr
LouisvilleHotBytes.com
I have this funny reaction to Indian food: The minute I start thinking about it, I want to go get some.
The only issue is where to go! Louisville is currently blessed with enough good Indian eateries that I’d be hard pressed to declare one of them the local G.O.A.T. It would be like trying to pick this year’s Derby winner without a photo!
But I’ll say this for sure: Clay Oven in Middletown is a strong contender for the prize.
Continue reading Clay Oven inspires an Indian food craveBy Robin Garr
LouisvilleHotBytes.com
I really wanted to enjoy an al fresco lunch last Saturday. Conditions were perfect. Spring’s green had grown into a summery green canopy, and mild weather had finally shown up after a long, cool spring.
Then I heard an annoyed yell from the other room. Mary had just checked the weather forecast! Midday temperatures in the upper 50s, partly cloudy, with steady north winds and gusts to 24 mph?
Continue reading Naive’s patio offers comfort on a chilly dayBy Robin Garr
LouisvilleHotBytes.com
One of the many memorable immigrant stories in Louisville culinary history wrapped up last month when Chef Anoosh Shariat concluded a 30-year career in local kitchens, retiring from his namesake Anoosh Bistro. Over a year earlier, Shariat had trimmed his workload by selling his other popular East End eatery, Noosh Nosh.
New management at both establishments was quick to assure a wary public that no major changes would be forthcoming at either of the restaurants, which are situated just across a parking lot from each other at Brownsboro Center.
Continue reading Anoosh has left the building, but Noosh Nosh keeps up the paceBy 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 PostBy 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 MarketBy Robin Garr
LouisvilleHotBytes.com
Kathmandu: Even the sound of the name of Nepal’s historic capital, gateway to the Himalayas, evokes feelings of romance and exotic travel. The bustling, noisy city of 850,000 lies in a green valley at 4,500 feet above sea level. It’s not even as high as Denver, but on a clear day you can see Mount Everest from historic Durbar Square in the old city, home to seven Unesco World Heritage sites.
Want to go? It will take you maybe 26 hours including layover time to get to Kathmandu from here. The price? Don’t even ask.
But here’s an easy workaround: Head to Kathmandu Kitchen on Old Bardstown Road in Buechel, and you can enjoy a fantastic Nepalese meal without all the hassle of international travel.
Continue reading Kathmandu Kitchen: A taste of NepalBy Robin Garr
LouisvilleHotBytes.com
You probably didn’t even notice that I didn’t bother to talk about fried fish for Lent this year. Everyone else was doing it, it seemed, including our pals at LEO Weekly, so why add another voice to the chorus?
Plus, to be frank, with more than one-fourth of Americans now describing their religious affiliation as “nothing in particular,” and no more than one-tenth of the remaining religiously affiliated strictly observing abstinence from meat during Lent, it felt like the pressure was off.
On the other hand …
Continue reading It doesn’t have to be Lent to enjoy Sharks Seafood
