Garage Bar summons our meditative mindfulness

Garage Bar: It’s noisy, it’s fun, it’s all about artisanal pizza and fine country ham, not to mention a companionable bar scene in a cheekily renovated old auto service station. What’s so Zen about that?

Bear with me, Grasshopper, and I shall explain. Continue reading Garage Bar summons our meditative mindfulness

We find friendly folks and good East African eats at Safari Grill

How big is Africa? Africa is so big that you could fit the U.S., China, India, Japan and most of the countries of Europe neatly within its borders and still have plenty of nooks and crannies left for more. You’ve probably seen the colorful map that shows this; it’s all over the Internet.

How big is Africa? About 1.5 billion people live there, or almost 1 out of every 7 humans on Earth. That’s about the same as the total population of Europe, North and South America.

So riddle me this: How come so many of us know so little about Africa? And getting to the point, how come Louisville has so doggoned few African restaurants? Continue reading We find friendly folks and good East African eats at Safari Grill

Roots will make you eat your vegetables, and like them

Vegetarian and vegan lifestyles are on the rise, and this really shouldn’t surprise anyone. After all, the Baby Boom is growing older and more health-conscious, while a lot of Millennials are looking at a self-destructing world and worrying about a sustainable future for themselves and their children. Put these trends together, and it’s no wonder that more and more people are giving up meat.

This also may help explain why Louisville’s Roots and Heart & Soy restaurants have won a large and faithful audience since their opening in 2011. Continue reading Roots will make you eat your vegetables, and like them

Red Barn Kitchen is newer than dirt, and it’s good.

Now and then I crack that the Martinez family’s Olé Restaurant Group is “The Energizer Bunny of Louisville dining.” All together now, let’s say that again: I’ve just returned from my third review of an Olé Group eatery, and I’m delighted to award Red Barn Kitchen my “Recommended” gold star.

But something about this restaurant is different from all the rest. Continue reading Red Barn Kitchen is newer than dirt, and it’s good.

We try not to go all snob on Guy Fieri’s Smokehouse

Guy Fieri has brought his brand to town, and local foodies are all atwitter. The jokes just write themselves, and you can find them all over social media.

I’ve been trying to stay above the fray by ignoring it. I sent regrets on an invitation to a public relations extravaganza at the new Guy Fieri’s Smokehouse in Fourth Street Live. Apparently, if my colleague Michael Powell is to be believed, that soiree attracted a deplorable pack of food writers and bloggers with noses uniformly raised and pinkies delicately extended. Continue reading We try not to go all snob on Guy Fieri’s Smokehouse

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