Louisville | Travel By Jury

Great Eat: Simply Thai, Louisville, KY

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Admin of TBJ

As a native Louisvillian, I have paid tribute to great eats of the area such as Kashmir, Seviche, and Harvest. But somewhere in the middle of all that great eat melee a very VERY great eat got lost: Simply Thai of Louisville. Located in the trendy St. Matthews area (we do have Mellow Mushroom if you’re not feeling too adventurous), Simply Thai is – and take it from someone who spent a month eating home-cooked Chinese food in China – the only place in Louisville to get tofu just right. Their pineapple fried rice with raisins and tofu? To die for. Their pad thai? Out of this world. The “appetizer” spring rolls – tofu, shrimp, chicken; however you want ‘em – are full portion size, and they will serve you the aforementioned pineapple fried rice dishes in a pineapple in their “to go” presentation, by the way – you do not want to miss this place. All of their curries are awesome and they are simply a local pleasure – go and eat there now! You must!

Filed under: Great Eats, North America | Tagged: asian food Louisville, Asian fusion, fresh vegetables, good eats louisville, great eat, Kentucky, Louisville, Mellow Mushroom, pad thai, Pineapple Fried Rice, raisins and tofu, shrimp spring rolls, Simply Thai, St. Matthews, tofu, US, USA, vegetarian spring rolls | Leave a Comment »

Great Eat: Hammerhead’s, Louisville KY

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Admin of TBJ

One of Louisville locals’ favorite restaurants is Hammerheads, if the lines out the door tell you anything. Tucked away in Germantown, this local dive has been an eatery of some sort for the better part of the city’s 20th century, and its local incarnation as a gastropub has made the spot hot again. I, a local, go for the pretzel buns on my elk burger – the meat is local and the pretzel buns are made on site, and it is a delicious pleasure. The house hummus isn’t bad, and the baked beans are outta sight. The shrimp and grits leave this Carolina native a bit unenthused, but the sweet potato fries in duck fat make up for that particular slight. I have not been brave enough to try the bacon brownie, but I see it ordered every time I’ve been to Hammerheads, so it can’t be too awful. The Garcia Burger – a veggie burger made with sun-dried tomato and shittake mushrooms (and, somehow, falafel) – remains one of my fellow Louisvillians’ sole reason for repeatedly returning to Hammerheads. The beer list boasts a lot of local and craft beers, but you can also get a can of PBR. Make sure to get to Hammerheads early, or you’ll be waiting in line with a lot of local, hungry people.

Filed under: Great Eats, North America | Tagged: bacon brownie, baked beans, burgers, craft beers, elk burger, falafel, Garcia burger, gastropub, Germantown, good eat, great eat, great eats, Hammerheads, hummus, Kentucky, KY, local, local beers, locavore, Louisville, pretzel buns, shrimp and grits, sweet potato fries in duck fat, veggie burger | Leave a Comment »

LR/Great Eat: Harvest, Louisville KY

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Admin of TBJ

The locavore movement is a great thing, because it has resulted in a slew of awesome new restaurants in Louisville. One of the best ones is Harvest, located next to a few of the other “we only use seasonal and local ingredients” new spots on Market Street in Louisville’s “NuLu” area downtown. Harvest is a fan of pork, so jowls and bacons and fresh meat dishes revolving around pig are common and delicious. Sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and plenty of tasty items on Harvest’s ever-changing menu will appeal to any visitor, however, and the dessert and appetizers of the day are just as mouth-watering as any other item on the menu. Even though I’ve sampled “burger master” Bobby Flay’s burger at NYC’s Mesa Grill, I have to say Harvest’s, with it’s hog jowl jam, was the best burger I’ve ever had, hands down. Harvest has an excellent wine menu and even the most basic arugula salad was delicious – look, if you can find a restaurant that makes me go ga-ga over beets, I think we have a winner. If you’re in “Possibility City,” it is impossible for you to have a bad meal at Harvest!

Filed under: Great Eats, North America | Tagged: appetizers, arugula, beet, Bobby Flay, burgers, downtown Louisville, farm to fork, fresh ingredients, good eat, great eat, Harvest, Kentucky, KY, Local Review, locavore, Louisville, Market Street, Mesa Grill, NuLu, pork, salad, vegetarian options, wine | Leave a Comment »

JR/Great Eat: Potbelly Sandwich Shop; Louisville, KY

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Admin of TBJ

The sandwiches at Potbelly Sandwich Shop – on 4th and Jefferson St in downtown Louisville, KY – are tasty and on par with other hot sub shops (e.g., Penn Station, Firehouse Subs, Jersey Mike’s, etc.), and the place makes for a solid lunch stop. I went and got “A Wreck” – salami, roast beef, turkey and ham with swiss cheese – with a chocolate milkshake. They custom-build your sandwich in front of you Subway-style and warm it up just right — not burnt like Quiznos. The shakes were very good and came with a couple of tiny sugar cookies around the straw. All was reasonably priced, and even though there were a lot of people in there, the line moved fast thanks to a good assembly-line setup and technology (an order-taker greeted me with a tablet and submitted my order before I reached the counter). They also have soups, serve breakfast, and have in-house music appearances.

I’d go again.

Juror #14

Filed under: Great Eats, North America | Tagged: A Wreck, breakfast, chocolate milkshakes, custom-built sandwiches, downtown Louisville, fast service, Firehouse, great eat, ham, heated subs, Jersey Mike's, juror #14, Juror Review, Kentucky, KY, Local Review, Louisville, lunch, Potbelly Sandwich Shop, Quiznos, roast beef, salami, soups, subway, sugar cookies, swiss cheese, Turkey | Leave a Comment »

LR: Sweet Treats for Summer in Louisville, KY

Posted on July 26, 2011 by Admin of TBJ

One “Great Eat” review of all the delectable cool summer sweets available in Louisville, KY wouldn’t be adequate; there are so many great spots in Possibility City to grab an icy treat! For those who just want straight up ice cream, there’s no better place to go than Graeter’s. Homemade ice cream in varying flavors (as well as a rotation of sought-after seasonals, like the Buckeye Blitz and Cherry Chip) can be whipped into a sundae (there are several signature ones) or a milkshake, or enjoy your ice cream on a waffle cone. Grater’s also has home-made fudge and ice cream cakes, if you’re not already counting the calories you just added to your waistline. If healthier fare is more your speed, check out Sweet CeCe’s, where you pick a frozen yogurt flavor and then top it off with a multitude of fresh and fun toppings, like fruit (oranges, strawberries, pineapple, blueberries) or something more sinful (hot fudge, chopped up Reese’s, brownie bits, pulverized graham crackers, Andes mints, Skittles, and M’n'Ms are some of the favorites); your special concoction is weighed for the price. Even healthier hot-weather treats can be found right across the street (corner of Bardstown and Eastern Parkway) at Ce Fiore (try the acai berry natural yogurt with oat bits mixed in, mmm!) or Sweet Surrender (gluten-free and no-sugar added vegan chocolate cake!). As you sweat your way through summer, don’t forget to grab a tasty treat once in a while to satisfy your need for cool sweets in good ol’ Louisville, Kentucky.

Filed under: Great Eats, North America | Tagged: acai, Andes mints, Ce Fiore, desserts, fresh fruit, fresh ingredients, fudge, gluten-free, Graters, great eat, great eats, hand made ice cream, healthy desserts, hot fudge, ice cream, Kentucky, KY, Louisville, make your own dessert, milkshakes, MnMs, oats, sundaes, Sweet CeCe's, Sweet Surrender, sweets, toppings, treats, vegan cake, waffle cones, yogurt | 1 Comment »

LR/Great Eat: Proof on Main, Louisville KY

Posted on March 1, 2011 by Admin of TBJ

One of the funny things about living in a decent-sized city is that often you seek out your own little hidden favorite eats and bars, neglecting the ones always raved about by visitors to your city. But there’s no excuse to ignore Proof on Main, one of Louisville’s most highly-touted bars and eateries. The Southern-Italian-Spanish menu is innovative and boasts tons of local and fresh ingredients, but it’ll put a hole in your wallet (mains from $18, tasting platters from $17 with a wide selection of meats and cheeses that you’ll not find anywhere – think buffalo carpaccio or pecorino ginepro – artisan sheep cheese). The main reason to go to Proof, however, is to enjoy the atmosphere and take in one of the spot’s signature mixed drinks, like the robust “Strapping Lad” or the sweet “Barbarella.” Proof is also a hotel and art gallery (well, attached to 21c Hotel and Gallery, but it feels like one big establishment), which means you can grab a drink view tons of unique and interesting art and installation pieces. There are even wild pieces in the bathroom – the men’s room features a sort of two way mirror with a perpetual waterfall urinal! You can also interact with several of the cool installation pieces – my favorite is Camille Utterback & Romy Achituv’s “Text Rain” (by the elevators) where anyone can move and bat letters around as they fall from the ceiling. Proof on Main is a total gem in downtown Louisville – next time you’re in town, you gotta check it out!

Filed under: Great Eats, North America | Tagged: 21c Gallery, 21c Hotel, art, art gallery, artisan cheese, atmosphere, Barbarella, buffalo carpaccio, Camille Utterback & Romy Achituv, expensive, fresh fruit, fresh ingredients, great eat, hotel, installation, Italian food, Kentucky, KY, local food, local meat, Local Review, Louisville, LR, mixed drinks, pecorino ginepro, Proof on Main, sheep cheese, Southern food, Spanish food, Strapping Lad, Text Rain | Leave a Comment »

LR/Great Eat: Kashmir; Louisville, KY

Posted on January 25, 2011 by Admin of TBJ

Check your Urban Spoon app, Google it, Yelp it, Yahoo it – everyone agrees and this Louisville local can concur – Kashmir is Louisville’s best Indian restaurant, hands down. It’s won the local independent paper, the LEO‘s, “Best Indian Restaurant” every year since 2002; the only reason it didn’t win in 2010 was due to a fire that closed the (ultimately relocated, one renovated house down) restaurant for most of the year. Kashmir has bounced back, however, and the place is hopping; if you go on a weekend (or during a warm evening) you can expect to wait, as Kashmir’s excellence is no secret around town. Not only do they have a tasty lunch buffet, but their dinner menu is huge. Think the usual tandoori (but never dry!), several different types of fresh-made nan, vindaloo and saag dishes, but you have to sample their curries – they are flavorful and bright and oh-so-yummy. You either get low heat (“mild”) or high octane (“hot”) in terms of your spice choices, but if the waiter recommends a level to you, take their advice – lamb briyani (infused with raisins, nuts, and fresh peas) is plenty spicy, even at the mild level. Their vegetable samosas are the best I’ve ever had, and you’d be a damn fool to pass up their chana masala. There’s not a bar, but they have a decent wine and beer list to help you cool off your exotic-spiced tongue – that is, if you’re not feeling the pistachio-colored and delectable kulfi ice cream. The family-operated business offers absent-minded but friendly service with a smile, and, as you roll yourself back to your car (park across the street to save hassle) you’ll be so glad you took a little trip to Northern India via Louisville.

Filed under: Great Eats, North America | Tagged: beer, curry, family business, fire, fresh vegetables, friendly folk, Google, great eat, Indian food, Kashmir, kulfi ice cream, KY, lamb briyani, LEO, local favorite, Local Review, Louisville, lunch buffet, masala, nan, Northern Indian cuisine, Northern Indian food, popular, re-opened, saag, tandoori, Urban Spoon, vegetable samosas, vegetarian, vindaloo, wait, wine, Yahoo, Yelp | 1 Comment »

LR/Great Eat: El Mundo’s; Louisville, KY

Posted on January 11, 2011 by Admin of TBJ

El Mundo’s claims that it’s open throughout the week for lunch and dinner, but it’s really only open for dinner, and locals know you’d better be there by 5 o’clock on the dot in order to get a seat, because El Mundo’s fills up fast, nightly, and stays packed with a wait list (especially in weather where their outdoor seating area becomes a moot point) into the evening. The size of the restaurant is part of the problem – Like many Great Eats, the establishment’s refusal to expand past its small space on historic/artsy/foodie Frankfort Avenue make it’s popularity seem larger than it might be. Like any good Louisville restaurant, the menu boasts local fare, like Kentucky-raised Bison and seasonal greens, and many items can be made vegan if they aren’t already vegetarian. Along with their use of black beans and red rice instead of the normal Mexicali-joint’s refried beans and white rice, El Mundo’s makes a point of keeping their Mexican fare tasty, so leave room for Oaxacan-style chocolate and chile pot of gooey goodness. As for your choices, the Southwest Green Chile enchiladas, complete with shredded chicken (or pork or beans or beef or bison), are fantastic. Many people swear by El Mundo’s fish tacos and tamales, but one of the biggest draws to El Mundo’s are their one-of-a-kind, strong as steel blood-orange martini’s; you get two servings, by the way, so take the TARC bus if you’ve ordered over your limit. El Mundo’s is one of the many excellent restaurants on Louisville’s Frankfort Avenue, and is well worth a stop if yummy, Mexican-with-a-twist is your pleasure.

Filed under: Great Eats, North America | Tagged: bison, black beans, blood orange martini, chicken, chocolate and chile, dessert, El Mundo's, fish tacos, Frankfort Avenue, great eat, Kentucky, Kentucky bison, KY, local greens, local meat, Louisville, Mexican, pork, red rice, shredded meat, southwest green chile enchiladas, tamales, TARC bus, vegan, vegetarian | Leave a Comment »

Great Eats: Seviche, Louisville, KY

Posted on October 18, 2010 by Admin of TBJ

If you’re roaming around Louisville looking for food, there’s plenty of great spots to chose from; the city’s refugee population has influenced the city’s variety in terms of food, so you can find everything from Indian dishes to Vietnamese and Ethiopian cuisine, but one of the best spots in town is Seviche. Not only has chef Anthony Lamas earned the 2010 LEO award for best chef in the city, but the restaurant makes a big effort to buy local (notably Kentucky Bison) and use fresh, organic ingredients. The fish dishes (ceviches) are some of the best I’ve ever had, and I’ve had fresh Panamanian ceviche; the salmon and ahi tuna are to die for. The menu can change depending on local ingredients, but the tilapia and sea bass are primo, and the chorizo and shrimp are divine. Red meat lovers will love the beef tenderloin, but I’d encourage sticking with the seafood – the mussels (mejillones en caldillo) will make you moan with delight. There’s a full bar, and, on the whole, for the quality of the food you’re getting, you won’t spend too much. Check out Seviche next time you’re up for Derby – you’ll be amazed that such terrific food is buried next to the Ohio River.

Filed under: Great Eats, North America | Tagged: 2010, ahi tuna, Anthony Lamas, bar, bison, ceviche, chorizo, Derby, fish, fresh fish, great eat, Kentucky bison, KY, LEO, local, Louisville, mussels, salmon, seviche, wine | Leave a Comment »

LR: Louisville, KY

Posted on July 21, 2010 by Admin of TBJ

Louisville has a lot of places to eat pizza and get drinks – Bardstown Road/Baxter Ave has the Highlands (microbrew) Brewing Company, and the Irish pubs like Molly Malone’s or Flannigan’s are good spots for the annual St Pat’s parade, as well as bar food and various music nights/trivia nights. Pizza includes everything from Za’s to Wick’s (the best, but long delivery wait and poss. eat in wait) to Spinelli’s (open late). There’s also the Louisville Bats and the parks, like Cherokee Park, which is good for trails and sledding in the winter. Dog parks require permit. Downtown has lots of neat eats and spots to hang out, but the Seelbach is the best spot to watch the Derby without having to deal with the traffic/crowds. Grater’s is ice cream heaven; go there – and Shenanigan’s on Norris is a great local dive. Louisville is Possibility City!

Filed under: North America | Tagged: Bardstown Road, Baxter Ave, Cherokee Park, Derby, dog parks, Graters, KY, Louisville, Louisville Bats, Molly Malone's, Seelbach, Shenanigan's, Spinelli's, Wick's, Za's | Leave a Comment »

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