Category Archives: BY LOCATION

Mirin, Hai!

Did you ever wait in line at Rumplings? I sure did. And I hated it when that little ramen-and-dumpling place just off Bardstown Road went away after only seven months.

So here’s good news: Griffin Paulin, one of the minds behind the original Rumplings team has opened Mirin, a new ramen-and-more shop on Frankfort Avenue in Clifton. Continue reading Mirin, Hai!

When we say “Ciao” to Ciao, we mean hello and welcome

Ciao!” Pronounce it “chow,” or something close to that, which makes it an ironically cheeky name for a friendly eatery. There’s ambiguity in this Italian greeting, though: Much like “Aloha” or “Shalom” or maybe even “Good Day,” you can use it to say hello, and you can also use it to say goodbye.

So let’s say “Ciao,” meaning “howdy,” to Ciao Ristorante, the warm and inviting establishment that has finally filled the long-vacant space where the beloved Baxter Station sadly said its “Ciao” as farewell in the summer of 2013. Continue reading When we say “Ciao” to Ciao, we mean hello and welcome

Get on the bridge of your choice and go to Portage House

The East End Bridge will open this weekend, and when it does, Louisville will have more ways to get across the Ohio River than ever: four by car, two by train, and one on foot or via bicycle.

This is good news, because Southern Indiana has more good places to eat and drink than ever these days, and it would be foolish for hard-core Louisvillians to stay rooted sullenly on the Kentucky side when it’s time for dinner.

Today let’s thank Paul Skulas, past chef at Holy Grale and Gralehaus and now owner and chef of Jeffersonville’s new Portage House, for the latest and one of the most attractive new arrivals on the “Sunny Side.” Continue reading Get on the bridge of your choice and go to Portage House

We dine on the fat of the land, er, lamb, at Fat Lamb

When you think about a place named The Fat Lamb, if you think about it at all, you would probably imagine a temple of carnivorous delights.

And just as you would expect, Louisville’s new Fat Lamb offers some of Chef Dallas McGarity’s appealing takes on lamb, pig, cow, chicken, a bulging net full of seafood and fish. What’s more, there’s a similarly delicious cornucopia of healthy veggies. Continue reading We dine on the fat of the land, er, lamb, at Fat Lamb

Korean food, a warming choice for chilly days

I’m wild about Asian food. From India across Southeast Asia to Japan and China in all its regional delights, my Asian culinary favorite is usually whichever I had last.

But winter’s coming on now – believe it, even if the leaves are still mostly green and the breezes balmy as I write this – and cold weather makes my Asian dining fancy lightly turn to thoughts of Korean food. Continue reading Korean food, a warming choice for chilly days

Garage Bar summons our meditative mindfulness

Garage Bar: It’s noisy, it’s fun, it’s all about artisanal pizza and fine country ham, not to mention a companionable bar scene in a cheekily renovated old auto service station. What’s so Zen about that?

Bear with me, Grasshopper, and I shall explain. Continue reading Garage Bar summons our meditative mindfulness

We find friendly folks and good East African eats at Safari Grill

How big is Africa? Africa is so big that you could fit the U.S., China, India, Japan and most of the countries of Europe neatly within its borders and still have plenty of nooks and crannies left for more. You’ve probably seen the colorful map that shows this; it’s all over the Internet.

How big is Africa? About 1.5 billion people live there, or almost 1 out of every 7 humans on Earth. That’s about the same as the total population of Europe, North and South America.

So riddle me this: How come so many of us know so little about Africa? And getting to the point, how come Louisville has so doggoned few African restaurants? Continue reading We find friendly folks and good East African eats at Safari Grill

Roots will make you eat your vegetables, and like them

Vegetarian and vegan lifestyles are on the rise, and this really shouldn’t surprise anyone. After all, the Baby Boom is growing older and more health-conscious, while a lot of Millennials are looking at a self-destructing world and worrying about a sustainable future for themselves and their children. Put these trends together, and it’s no wonder that more and more people are giving up meat.

This also may help explain why Louisville’s Roots and Heart & Soy restaurants have won a large and faithful audience since their opening in 2011. Continue reading Roots will make you eat your vegetables, and like them