A few weeks back, someone I worked with briefly at another restaurant opened a restaurant of his own, with partners. They’d renovated and re-fitted an empty restaurant which had been a neighborhood institution years ago. Continue reading Love, War and Restaurant Openings
Eat the flan first? It’s all good at Cancun
I’ve never had all that much of a sweet tooth. When it comes to the flan at Cancun Mexican Restaurant, though, that’s a whole ‘nother story: I might even eat dessert first. Yes, it’s that good. Continue reading Eat the flan first? It’s all good at Cancun
Ikebana fills long-vacant Red Pepper space
I still mourn the 2010 departure of Red Pepper, Louisville’s best Chinese restaurant ever. As good as it was, Red Pepper owner Yuan Hua told me when it closed, the combination of a $5,000 monthly lease payment and a respected Sichuan chef who required fair payment for his skills, sent it on to restaurant Nirvana after a short, bright two-year tenure.
Now, eight years later, the exotic-looking building on Lower Brownsboro is lighted up again: Ikebana Japanese Restaurant & Sushi has come to fill the space. Continue reading Ikebana fills long-vacant Red Pepper space
Cottage Inn going strong near century mark
Quick! What’s the longest-lived Louisville restaurant that’s been in continuous business at its original location? I’m going to say Cottage Inn, where we, our parents, and maybe even our great-great grandparents have been enjoying hearty down-home country fare since 1929. Continue reading Cottage Inn going strong near century mark
Get your power bowl at plant-based Inwave
I’d been meaning to make a stop at Inwave, a locally owned fast-food spot near Middletown that features power bowls, acai bowls, vegan fare, juices and smoothies. It’s a fast-casual setup in which you walk down the line choosing grains, nuts, seeds and toppings for your individualized bowl. It’s an interesting concept, with the glitzy look of a chain-in-the-making. Continue reading Get your power bowl at plant-based Inwave
Kaelin’s 80/20 soft opening
Thanks to HotBytes Forum member Mary Anne for contributing these photos from a recent soft opening event at Kaelin’s 80/20, soon to open as successor to the beloved Kaelin’s (“If you can’t stop, please wave”) on Newburg Road. Continue reading Kaelin’s 80/20 soft opening
Artesano bounces back from spring flood
Certainly no one expected the monsoon-like rain storm and hail that smashed across Westport Road in February, dealing Artesano Vino Tapas y Mas a damaged roof and flooded dining room. The repair job took about two months, and the occasion for a reboot prompted a new look, some new dishes, and a new executive chef, Brian Curry, who came over from Napa River Grill to tweak the menu and oversee Artesano’s April reopening.
We dropped in the other night with a group of friends, and I’m delighted to report that the new Artesano is just as good as ever, maybe even a small step up the evolutionary ladder. Continue reading Artesano bounces back from spring flood
Couvillion is tres bon, I garontee.
I really like Couvillion. I like the Cajun-country catfish dish, and I like the new Germantown restaurant. I can hardly wait to tell you about this. But first: What the hell is a Couvillion, and how do you even say it? Continue reading Couvillion is tres bon, I garontee.
A Yelp in the Wilderness
I answered the phone at work the other day, and a guy from Yelp was on the line. He gave off sort of a greasy vibe, if you know what I mean. Continue reading A Yelp in the Wilderness
Naïve’s sustainable ethos yields delicious fare
It is so tempting to start with a joke about a restaurant named Naïve that I’m just going to resist temptation and not even go there. Seriously, the ethos behind the name of this charming new spot on the edge of Butchertown is so sweet that it deserves to stand on its own:
“We see the world as a place of hope,” Naïve’s owners write on the restaurant website. “Maybe that’s naive. But maybe it’s one of our greatest strengths. Because we’re not afraid to think big, with no preconceived notions. With a connection to what’s real, from the food we eat to the relationships we nourish.” Continue reading Naïve’s sustainable ethos yields delicious fare