Per my request, Santa brought me an Amazon Echo Dot for Christmas, pre-loaded with everyone’s favorite virtual assistant, Alexa.
This morning as I was settling in at my writing desk, I asked: “Alexa: how many days until the Kentucky Derby 2020?”
“2020 Kentucky Derby is in 128 days, on May 2, 2020,” she replied cheerfully.
“What is the date of Mother’s Day, 2020?” Continue reading Happy New Year, Alexa!
As smoothly as a runner receiving the baton in a fast relay, new hands have taken charge of the kitchen at Mesh restaurant without missing a step. If you’re looking for casual modern elegance for holiday-season dining, Mesh should definitely be on your list. Continue reading Chef changes keep Mesh on tasty track
I still vividly remember the excitement of my first tastes of Sichuan cuisine. We had to travel to New York City, San Francisco or Chicago to get such goodies back in the late ‘70s, but Sichuan, aka Szechwan, fare did get to Louisville finally, and for a decade or two, these spicy regional cuisines were among the city’s most popular dining options. Continue reading Jasmine Bistro impresses with Chinese regional flavors
SOU might mean “South.” It could represent “soul.” Yet the proper way to pronounce the name of this new Plainview-area eatery is not “sow” or “soo” but “So-you.” Intentional ambiguity seems to lie at the heart of this upscale dining room in a thoroughly renovated former Skyline Chili parlor, and that’s all right. Continue reading However you pronounce SOU, we sure like it.
I recently stopped in on a Monday for breakfast at a diner near where I work. The place was busy, but not full. I wasn’t greeted, as I had been on each previous visit. Continue reading Two Tales of Heroism in Restaurant Service
The bright mustard-yellow exterior paint job that made Bistro 1860 (2013-2018) stand out is gone, replaced by tasteful off-white with light sage-green trim. The huge 54-unit Cruvinet wine dispensing machine that made L & N Wine Bar (2004-2012) special is gone, too, a victim of disuse.
But the latest occupant in the historic 19th century brick farmhouse at the corner of Brownsboro Road and Mellwood Avenue, Hearth on Mellwood Eatery (2019- ), is looking good. Continue reading Cozy comfort and creative cookery at Hearth on Mellwood
If language reflects culture, then it’s fair to assume that the people of the Philippines love to eat. Tagalog, the Filipino national language, is the only language I know with a special greeting, tucked between “good morning” and “good afternoon,” to wish people a good lunchtime.
So let’s say “Magandang tanghali po” to Lola’s Kitchen, serving Filipino fare in the Clifton quarters long occupied by Zen Garden. Continue reading Lola’s Kitchen, Filipino food for a “Happy lunchtime”
Humans have been cooking over open fires at least since the Paleolithic era, and 200,000 years later, homo sapiens still loves food cooked over charcoal. The folks who’ve recently opened The Charcoal Restaurant get this. Continue reading You’ll love the chicken at The Charcoal Restaurant
The scenario: An alarm goes off in a dark bedroom. A lamp switches on. A man arises, dons a starched white chef jacket, places a coffee pod briefly in a shiny, complicated-looking appliance, and enjoys the beverage that emerges. Before leaving home, he grabs a hand-made shopping basket he picked up on his last trip to Guatemala, and says goodbye to his faithful dog. Continue reading That’s Showbiz, Folks!
It came as no real surprise when I discovered that Las Margaritas Mexican Cuisine features margaritas at its well stocked bar. After all, lots of Mexican restaurants do. But this place takes it to the next level, offering a choice of a dozen house margaritas, from traditional models built with tequila or mezcal to hibiscus, prickly pear or jalapeño models and – wait for it – a bourbon margarita. Continue reading Las Margaritas isn’t just about the margaritas
