Varanese – named for chef John Varanese, who’s been chef at the Cardinal Club and the late, great Azalea – opened last month in the old Red Lounge on Frankfort Avenue. The space has been completely renovated, and the food recalls Azalea. Photo by Robin Garr.
LEO’s Eat ‘n’ Blog with Louisville HotBytes
I was really excited when I heard about this new restaurant. Its name sounded like “Veronese.” Verona! The legendary home of Romeo and Juliet is one of my favorite cities anywhere, and Veronese food and wine rank among my favorite cuisines. If this new place was going to feature the delicious dishes of Northeastern Italy’s Veneto region, I would be a happy boy.
Duh. I wasn’t listening close enough. That’s VarAnese, not VerOnese. Never mind!
In fact, this new dining room – it opened Aug. 20 in the former Red Lounge – is named for its owner and chef, John Varanese; and that’s not a bad thing, not bad at all. Continue reading By any name, Varanese is a winner→
(The Feed Bag Deli and Catering, Voice-Tribune, Sept. 13, 2007)
Okay, it’s not quite as hard to get into the Feed Bag as it was to gain entry to a Prohibition-era speakeasy: No one will challenge you through a peephole or insist that you prove you were invited. In fact, if you’re having a tough time finding your way to this almost-hidden St. Matthews treasure, chances are someone will offer directions with a smile.
Nevertheless, The Feed Bag isn’t exactly high-profile. First there’s the small matter of its location: Despite its Breckenridge Lane address, it’s not really visible from this or any other thoroughfare. Continue reading Digging into the Feed Bag→
Back Door wings are legendary. Have them mild, medium, hot or “Burner.” LEO Photo by Nicole Pullen.
LEO’s Eat ‘n’ Blog with Louisville HotBytes
(Nine fine spots for wings)
The calendar says it’s September, and just about everybody in town is fired up for the Cards vs. Cats weekend. So where are the colorful leaves, that hint of wood smoke in the air and the crisp, hazy autumn afternoons that define “football weather”?
OK, so it’s a little early for that, with temperatures still hitting the 90s and few signs of autumn around. But one constant of the season remains: Whether you’re tailgating at the stadium or planning a hearty repast for an afternoon of football on TV, it’s hard to imagine a better football snack than a mess of spicy, crispy Buffalo-style chicken wings. Continue reading On wings of fire→
(Shane’s Rib Shack and Pig City BBQ, Voice-Tribune, Aug. 31, 2007)
For many years, when I’ve been in the East End and craved excellent barbecue, my go-to spots have been Jucy’s near Pewee Valley and Vince Staten’s in Anchorage.
Jucy’s remains a favorite, but Staten’s, sadly, has lost a step since local writer Vince Staten (co-author with the C-J’s Greg Johnson of the fine book “Real Barbecue“) moved to Tennessee and the eatery that still bears his name moved out U.S. 42 to new shopping-center quarters on the site of the old Melrose Inn in Oldham County.
While the barbecue at Vince’s (without Vince) remains acceptable, it’s no longer memorable; so I’ve been looking for some new go-to places in the neighborhood when I’ve got a hankering for smoked ribs, pulled pork, brisket and all the fixins. Continue reading The quest for great ‘cue→
A crowd of LouisvilleHotBytes.com Forum participants took over a luxury box at Slugger Field for a Louisville Bats game Tuesday evening. The Bats nearly blew an early 9-1 lead but hung on to win 9-8 over the Toledo Mudhens, and the happy foodies worked their way through a sampling of ballpark fare from nachos and dollar hot dogs to fish sandwiches and more.
Our Forum is the online gathering place for food lovers and food-industry professionals throughout the region. If you aren’t already a “regular,” we hope you’ll start taking part in forum conversations – and real-world activities – today. Just click to the Forum home page to get in on the fun. Registration is free and easy, but please read the rules about using real names before you sign up.
The Speakeasy in New Albany was modeled after Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London. The idea originated from proprietors and local musicians Lori (pictured above) and Brad Tharp. Photo by Nicole Pullen.
LEO’s Eat ‘n’ Blog with Louisville HotBytes
(Treet’s Bakery Cafe, Speakeasy, Connor’s Place)
With three interesting new restaurants recently joining Bistro New Albany, Federal Hill, La Rosita and others in historic downtown New Albany, Louisville’s Sunny Side is looking mighty bright these days.
I’ve been eager to get over and check it out, but the scare stories about miles-long traffic backups during the recent I-64 construction had me so nervous that I wimped out and asked a Hoosier buddy, GREG GAPSIS, to pick up his knife and fork and tell us what’s going on over there. Continue reading Things are looking bright on the Sunny Side→
Caffé Classico stands out on Frankfort Avenue for its cool, sophisticated Euro-style atmosphere and excellent coffee and espresso drinks. Owner-chef Tommie Mudd recently introduced a full dinner menu. Photo by Nicole Pullen.
LEO’s Eat ‘n’ Blog with Louisville HotBytes
(Caffé Classico dinner, Mojito brunch, Original Impellizzeri’s)
In a world where MBAs rule and where economic terms like “monetization” and “quarterly balance sheet” and even the blunt “bottom line” hold sway, it sometimes seems as if the simple concept of succeeding through high quality and honest service at a fair price has become old-fashioned and even a bit naive.
Happily for local food lovers and the restaurant-going public, though, these sweetly antiquated concepts remain alive and well among many of Louisville’s excellent local, un-chained restaurateurs.
