“The next wave of hot restaurants could be a basket full of biscuit concepts,” the trade journal Restaurant Business prophesied in 2016, focusing on Cracker Barrel’s planned biscuit-eatery spinoff Holler & Dash. Continue reading Biscuit Belly boosts the biscuit trend
Category Archives: Commentary
Robin Garr’s musings about food and restaurant matters that don’t fit neatly into the “review” category.
The wurst is good at The Hall
Many years ago, we were wandering around Europe on a Eurailpass when one of us said, “Let’s go to Munich,” just on a whim. That’s how I found out what a beer hall is, and Oktoberfest, too.
Ah, memories. Memories of friendly Germans lined up along long communal tables, drinking excellent beer out of sturdy steins, chowing down on delicious sausages, and singing.
Now we have the Hall on Washington, and it’s something like that too, but with a Louisville twist, no singing, and a strong sense of history thanks to its location in the walkout basement on the Washington Avenue side of Whiskey Row. Continue reading The wurst is good at The Hall
Speaking of Sending Things Back
“The sea was angry that day, my friends, like an old man trying to send back soup in a deli.” –George Costanza, “The Marine Biologist” Seinfeld, Season 5 Episode 14, February, 1994
President Donald Trump’s visit to Louisville last week got me thinking about how to properly, politely and successfully send a dish back in a restaurant with minimal disruption to your or your companions’ meals. (“Send It Back! Send It Back!”) Continue reading Speaking of Sending Things Back
Wiltshire at the Speed makes a museum visit even better
I’m not enough of an architect to describe the design of the expanded and improved Speed Museum and the way it seamlessly blends the old and the new, the traditional and the modern. In fact, I’m not an architect at all. But I know what I like, and I like the looks of the museum. I like the art within. And as a certified foodie, I really like what Chef Reed Johnson has done with its stunning cafe, Wiltshire at the Speed, the museum’s outpost of Susan Hershberg’s Wiltshire restaurant group. Continue reading Wiltshire at the Speed makes a museum visit even better
La Catrina deliciously satisfies our taco craving
While I was binge-watching the Taco Chronicles on Netflix last week, I got to the sequence on carnitas, and immediately realized that I had to get up and go either to Michoacán or, at the least, to a really good local taqueria. Once I checked my wallet, La Catrina Mexican Kitchen in New Albany got the nod. Continue reading La Catrina deliciously satisfies our taco craving
Hype, Man
The Hype Man got me this week.
If you’re not sure what a Hype Man is, just picture Flava Flav, the guy from Public Enemy who sports the giant clock pendant and oversize sunglasses. His entire function in the band was to get the crowd going, praise the lead singer, and make the people want more. Continue reading Hype, Man
Taste of Independents!
Join APRON Inc. on Sunday afternoon, July 14, for Taste of Independents, its annual Louisville tasting event. This is a wonderful way to spend a lazy summer Sunday afternoon; enjoying tastings from over 30 independent restaurants and vendors, bidding on a silent auction, and enjoying the smooth jazz of the Robbie Bartlett Duo.
All proceeds go to support APRON Inc, serving independent restaurant employees since 2011.
Tickets are $50 and may be acquired online at this link.
For more details, see the Taste of Independents Facebook page
2019 Taste of Independents
Sunday, July 14, 2019, 1-4 p.m.
The Olmsted at The Masonic Home, 3701 Frankfort Ave.
The mission of APRON Inc is to provide temporary, limited financial relief to professional food and beverage industry workers in the Louisville, KY metro area who work at locally owned establishments and who are experiencing financial distress due to illness, injury or other issues. Go to the APRON Inc Facebook Page.
Milk Crate Blues
Like the general population, professional cooks come in a whole spectrum of shapes, sizes and personalities, ranging from angels to assholes. But there’s one thing most of us have in common on a daily basis: we’re hungry. Continue reading Milk Crate Blues
So long, Artesano. Welcome Steak & Bourbon!
I’m not going to lie about this: I miss Artesano. It was a favorite. This does not mean that I don’t like Steak & Bourbon, its recent successor under the same management. But steakhouses are a dime a dozen around here. Serious Spanish tapas eateries are thin on the ground, so the loss of a favorite is a significant hit.
All my whining won’t bring Artesano back, I know, so let’s move on. We dropped in to Steak & Bourbon with a group of friends the other night and had a fine time. Continue reading So long, Artesano. Welcome Steak & Bourbon!
Sharpening the Axe
Abraham Lincoln once said “Give me six hours to chop down a tree, and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe.” In a restaurant, “sharpening the axe” is all the prep that goes into a successful service. Continue reading Sharpening the Axe