Category Archives: BY PRICE FOR TWO

$$ Modest ($30-$50), Baxter, Bardstown, Highlands, Brunch, Mexican, Cuban, Caribbean

La Suerte serves a fine Latin-style brunch

By Robin Garr
LouisvilleHotBytes.com

In the joy of this almost post-pandemic summer, diners are rushing back to local restaurants. But servers, line cooks and other restaurant workers aren’t in such a hurry, so if you’re dining out in Louisville these days, you may encounter a wait.

You’ve heard the stories: A three-hour delay at a popular riverside fried-fish eatery. Two hours for seating at a popular watering hole, with many open tables in sight. Kitchens so backed up that you can’t even place an order. Harried staffers pulling multiple duty as greeter, server, cook, and cashier.

Indeed, a host warned of a “15-minute hold” at La Suerte recently, when the brunch crowd was apparently slamming the kitchen and slowing the pace of orders coming out. Continue reading La Suerte serves a fine Latin-style brunch →

$$ Modest ($30-$50), St. Matthews, Westport Village, and environs, Vegetarian/Vegan

We welcome Half Peach back after a rough spell

By Robin Garr
LouisvilleHotBytes.com

It has been almost two years since a maintenance-related roof collapse abruptly closed four popular restaurants in the Gallerias at St. Matthews strip on Oechsli Avenue in St. Matthews.

The roof remains unrepaired, the building is up for sale, and litigation is pending. Under the added weight of the Covid-19 pandemic, each of the four eateries – Del Frisco’s, Havana Rumba, Charim Korean Restaurant, and Half Peach Bakery & Cafe – has struggled to deal with insurance and legal issues as they fought to recover and relocate. Continue reading We welcome Half Peach back after a rough spell →

$$ Modest ($30-$50), Chinese, St. Matthews, Westport Village, and environs

Jasmine Asian Bistro offers first-rate Chinese fare

By Robin Garr
LouisvilleHotBytes.com

If you’ve got a hankering for Chinese food, you can take comfort in this statistic: According to the trade journal Chinese Restaurant News, there were more than 43,000 independent Chinese restaurants in the United States in 2019.

The pandemic has surely seen closures, but still, that was triple the 13,443 U.S. McDonald’s locations in 2021. I’d much rather have a bowl of Jasmine Asian Bistro’s Sichuanese cucumber salad than a Big Mac anyway. Continue reading Jasmine Asian Bistro offers first-rate Chinese fare →

$$ Modest ($30-$50), Commentary, Hurstbourne, Middletown, Jeffersontown, Indian

Clay Oven’s star shines in our Indian galaxy

By Robin Garr
LouisvilleHotBytes.com

Let us take a moment to mark the virtual extinction of the all-you-can-eat buffet. Rendered terrifying by the pandemic and images of contagious hands dipping into communal pans, the restaurant buffet has all but disappeared from our lives.

I for one won’t mourn it much, with a solitary exception: I miss Indian restaurant buffets, and you should, too. My reasoning on this is simple: A lot of people are still discovering Indian food, and the buffet makes it easy. Even if you don’t know the difference between aloo and bhindi (all right, potato and okra), you can learn a lot by grazing the buffet. Try a little taste of this, a dab of that, and before long you’ve gotten to know the cuisine. Continue reading Clay Oven’s star shines in our Indian galaxy →

$$ Modest ($30-$50), Italian (and Pizza), Northeast Metro, Outer East End

Old School NY Pizza adds authenticity to Norton Commons

By Robin Garr
LouisvilleHotBytes.com

If you can’t make it to Southern Italy to indulge in traditional Neapolitan-style pizza at the source, New York City’s take on pizza is arguably second-best: And you won’t find a better slice in Louisville than at Old School NY Pizza.

A round of thin, crisp crust bearing portions of spicy sauce, melty cheese, and topping toppings discreetly applied so all remains in balance, fired in a high-temperature gas or wood oven until the cheese bubbles: That’s the recipe for Gotham’s finest, and Old School does it right. Continue reading Old School NY Pizza adds authenticity to Norton Commons →

$$$ Upscale ( $50 - $80), $$$$ Luxury ($80 and up), Baxter, Bardstown, Highlands, White tablecloth, deluxe, World Food

Seviche always satisfies

By Robin Garr
LouisvilleHotBytes.com

More than a year later, when the local food critic finally heads out to a fine local restaurant for a relaxing sit-down dinner, where does he go? For me, the answer is simple: It has to be Seviche.

I’m always reluctant to name any restaurant my Number One, as any of five or ten favorites could wear the crown on any given day. But Seviche always makes me happy. Continue reading Seviche always satisfies →

$$ Modest ($30-$50), Mexican, Cuban, Caribbean, Northeast Metro

Taco Week lures us to Limón y Sal

By Robin Garr
LouisvilleHotBytes.com

Bam! The notification popped up on the top of my screen with an attention-getting tone: “Louisville Taco Week,” it read. “Because Taco Tuesday isn’t enough! We’re bringing you $2 tacos from some of Louisville’s most popular taco joints.”

What’s not to like about that? Who doesn’t love tacos? It got my attention anyway, and sent me on a taco quest that ended up at the suburban Mexican eatery Limón y Sal. (I’m sorry to have to tell you that the April 12-18 feature ended before you saw this, but hey, tacos are good cheap eats even when they’re not on sale.) Continue reading Taco Week lures us to Limón y Sal →

$ Budget (under $30), Black-owned, Breakfast and lunch spots, sandwich spots, Soul Food, St. Matthews, Westport Village, and environs

Lonnie’s hot dogs deliver Chicago flavor

By Robin Garr
LouisvilleHotBytes.com

Spring is fully sprung, more than one-fifth of Americans are vaccinated, and the Cubs return home to Wrigley Field to play the Pirates on Friday, April 16. Wrigley Field? Now I want a Chicago-style hot dog. Continue reading Lonnie’s hot dogs deliver Chicago flavor →

$$ Modest ($30-$50), St. Matthews, Westport Village, and environs

BurgerIm adds delicious Indian-flavor burgers

I don’t normally go back to a place I’ve reviewed only a year or so ago, but I’m making an exception for BurgerIM. Why? Grace under pressure merits applause. Also, Indian food!

Here’s what I’m talking about: The owners, the husband-and-wife team of Nermal Raj and Veronica Michel, opened their doors in mid-March last year, just a few days before the pandemic shut down in-restaurant dining. Continue reading BurgerIm adds delicious Indian-flavor burgers →

$$ Modest ($30-$50), Hurstbourne, Middletown, Jeffersontown, Pacific Rim, St. Matthews, Westport Village, and environs

Simply Thai makes takeout delicious and easy

Now that I’ve resumed dining in with last week’s Monnik Beer Co. review, it’s back to sitting down at a restaurant table every week, right?

Well, no, not necessarily. This week, for instance, I got takeout from Simply Thai. Before I tell you about the food, let’s talk about this. Continue reading Simply Thai makes takeout delicious and easy →