Sometimes a little knowledge is not so much a dangerous thing as just a boring thing. When I learned that a new restaurant called Zoë’s Kitchen had arrived in the autumn of 2012 in the reconstructed space that long had held Stan’s Fish Sandwich, for instance, my wandering mind immediately wandered down a narrow space that holds my limited knowledge of Biblical Greek.
“Zoe,” I thought. “That means ‘life,’ in ancient Greek, or more specifically spiritual life, as opposed to ‘Bios,’ biological life. What a cool name for a restaurant!”
Imagine, if you will, a really excellent, life-like diorama, one of those fascinating museum displays that you’ll find in New York’s Museum of Natural History or Chicago’s Field Museum. It’s a large, almost life-size three-dimensional display that re-creates a historical scene, freezing a moment in time for our intrigued inspection. Continue reading Pat’s Steak House is a retro diorama of good eats→
Just imagine what it would be like if you had a good friend who was Indian, and he invited you over for dinner while his grandmother was visiting from Mumbai. If you enjoyed Indian food at all, much less loved it as much as I do, you would surely look forward to these authentic goodies with great anticipation. Continue reading Bring patience and an appetite to Little India Café→
Here’s bad news for Baby Boomers (and a cautionary note for the rest of you): As we get older, we can’t get away with eating as much as we used to. Our metabolism slows over time, and chances are our lifestyle slows down, too. Continue reading Counting Calories And Loving It At Heart & Soy→
Before we break to the food, let’s devote a moment or two to the appreciation of modern American folk art. Seriously, now, work with me on this. Visualize, if you will, Edward Hopper’s 1942 painting “Nighthawks,” three anonymous figures and a short-order cook seen through the plate-glass windows of a spartan diner on an empty city street very late at night. Continue reading Ramiro’s Cantina backs curb appeal with decent Mexican chow→
Americans have long formed a ready market for new things made to look old. From suburban tracts full of “colonials” to the Ethan Allen furniture company, we love the feeling of historical things around us, as long as we don’t have to live with sketchy wiring, noisy heating systems and plumbing that requires frequent professional assistance.
But now and then something that was old becomes new again and it works just right. I submit in evidence St. Charles Exchange, the lovely, appealing dining room and watering hole that appeared last spring in one of the oldest buildings on West Main Street. Continue reading Old-school comfort and fine dining at St. Charles Exchange→
First your tongue and your lips burn. Then your eyes water. Your nose runs, and then you break out in a sweat. And you are loving it. Why do we humans enjoy tormenting ourselves with hot peppers? Because it hurts so good! Continue reading Get your Scoville on at Simply Thai→
“Good Day! I am the nephew of Dr. Gen. Col. Robin Mkborumi Bmaka Grrrr, the infamous Bean Factotum and former Royal Food Evaluator of Krakatoa. I am contacting you for your consideration in liberating a Treasure of Delicious, Memorable Good Things To Eat. Have you ever eaten the rare and delicious food of Nigeria? It is very rare and difficult to find, but I am prepared to part with 20 percent of the proceeds to be gained from your help and assistance in liberating this great African cuisine for the people of Louisville.”
If you’re not convinced that the world is about to turn, consider this: Bill Clinton is a vegan now. Long a fanatical devotee of McDonald’s burgers bought by the sack, our ex-prez is now on a plant-based diet. Continue reading Meat-free dining goes mainstream→
Turn the hands of your food-memory clock, if you will, back to 1987 or 1988. It was a very good time for Louisville restaurants – and when hasn’t it been?
The upscale bistro movement that had started with the Bristol, Formally Myra’s, Jack Fry’s and others a decade earlier had matured and blossomed. Our chop suey Chinese-American tradition had evolved into spicy regional eateries serving fare from Hunan and Sichuan. Fine French dining was here in the form of Le Relais. Authentic New Mexico cooking had arrived with Chico’s; our first sushi with Sachicoma, our first Korean hidden in the back room at Lee’s, and our first Thai at Thai Siam.
