Sorry, it goes on and on. I usually de-hype these ...
Garage Bar Brings Artisan Pizza and Southern Sensibility to Louisville’s Vibrant NuLu Neighborhood
Chef Michael Paley and 21c Museum Hotels Open Anticipated New Restaurant and Bar Louisville, KY, July 12, 2011 – Garage Bar opens tonight at 700 East Market Street, occupying a former auto service garage in downtown Louisville’s East Market or NuLu neighborhood. The casual restaurant and bar features Chef Michael Paley’s artisan pizza, country ham, freshly shucked oysters and a selection of Southern inspired snacks and house specialties. With a nod to the building’s historic roots as a saloon, Garage Bar serves up an eclectic list of draft and bottled craft brews, Kentucky Bourbon, and a small list of wines and seasonal cocktails.
Pizza is the heart of the menu. Each pie is 100 percent handmade, naturally leavened, and cooked in a wood-fired brick oven that was built in Naples, Italy by Stefano Ferrara. Pizzas are baked quickly at 850 degrees to produce a thin, chewy crust that is lightly blistered and crisp on the outside. The list of eight pies will change regularly and currently includes White Pizza with Ricotta, Pecorino, Taleggio, Sea Salt and Charred Spinach; Country Ham with Milled Tomato, Mozzarella, Basil and Parmigiano; and Sweet Corn with Roasted Garlic, Basil, Cream and Bacon.
The rest of the menu is anchored by the ham bar, which serves up local and regional Country Hams served with Toast and Red Eye Aioli alongside an ever-changing selection of freshly shucked oysters. The ham bar seats seven diners and offers full menu service with a view of the open kitchen and pizza oven. Among other tasty offerings are: Parsley Salad with Warm Pancetta, Buttermilk, Lemon and Parmigiano; Housemade Pickles and Pimento Cheese on White Bread. Specialties of the house are served as entrée portions and will rotate frequently to include dishes like Hominy Stew with Soffrito, Tomato Jam and Spiced Buttermilk and Crispy Turkey Wings with Sweet and Hot Peppers.
“In Italy, pizza is about regionality. The crust, toppings and shape of the pizza are dependent on whether you are in Rome or Naples. The Southern specialties that we serve at Garage Bar are a reflection of our own regionality. Making pizza is an art and I love that aspect, but I also wanted to highlight the people and producers from Kentucky and the surrounding states that have a lot of passion for what they do,” says Paley.
Beer is the star of the beverage program with eight rotating taps and a selection of 30 bottled beers. The list features a variety of styles from hefty porters to hoppy pale ales and refreshing Belgian witbiers. Craft brewers from around the U.S. like Three Floyds, Founders and New Holland are highlighted alongside international breweries such as Rochefort (Belgium) and Hitachino Nest (Japan). For those seeking a little nonalcoholic nostalgia, Southern sodas by the bottle are on offer including Big Red (TX), Cheerwine (NC) and Nehi (GA) as well as crème, ginger and lime ‘fountain’ sodas.
Garage Bar is housed in a former auto service garage in NuLu. The neighborhood has been an engine of revitalization in Louisville, and is known for its locally owned art galleries, specialty stores and a growing number of restaurants. The exterior of the building was minimally changed with the exception of a large sign proclaiming, “Brick Oven Pies, Best Hams in Town and Clean Restrooms,” painted by local artist Monica Mahoney. Light streams in through the original garage doors, which were retained along with the windows and some of the masonry walls. Exposed ductwork, corrugated metal, and steel surfaces contrast with the warm, natural woods of the ceiling and floor. Two communal tables add to the convivial atmosphere; these were fabricated by woodworkers at Woodland Farm from poplar joists reclaimed during the restoration of 21c Museum Hotel. The ham bar seats seven diners and allows guests to watch the action of the pizza oven and open kitchen, while enjoying full menu service.
Garage Bar is open Monday through Thursday 5:00pm – Midnight (late night menu 11pm – Midnight), Friday and Saturday 5:00 pm – 1:00 am (late night menu Midnight – 1:00 am), and Sunday 5:00pm – Midnight (late night menu 10:00 pm – Midnight). Pizzas range from $11-$17 and Entrees are $16-$19. For more information call 502.749.7100 or visit
http://www.garageonmarket.com.
About 21c Museum Hotels
Founded in 2007, 21c Museum Hotels is a growing company that oversees the expansion of the 21c Museum Hotel and Proof brands nationally. 21c Museum Hotel opened in 2006 in Louisville, Kentucky by Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson, philanthropists and arts patrons, who had a vision for bringing art into people’s daily lives and supporting the revitalization of their hometown. 21c is a 90-room boutique hotel, contemporary art museum, award-winning restaurant, and cultural civic center. Voted the #1 Hotel in the U.S. and #6 in world in the 2009 and 2010 Condé Nast Traveler annual Readers’ Choice Awards, 21c Museum Hotel is redefining the art of hospitality. With strong local partners who share a similar passion for their respective hometowns, 21c is expanding outside of Louisville. 21c in Cincinnati, Ohio is under construction and a property in Bentonville, Arkansas is scheduled to open in late 2012. For more information visit
http://www.21cMuseumHotel.com.
About Michael Paley
Michael Paley is the Executive Chef at Proof on Main restaurant located in downtown Louisville’s award-winning 21c Museum Hotel. Under Paley’s leadership, Proof on Main has become a showcase for the bounty of the Ohio River Valley. His exciting menu combines the culinary influences of Italy and the American South and pays homage to organic gardening, local farmers, artisanal producers, and sustainable agriculture. Proof on Main was honored to be named one of the "Best New Restaurants 2006," by Esquire, and garnered the highest score in the country in the dining category of the Condé Nast Traveler Top 100 Readers’ Choice Awards. As an official part of Louisville’s Urban Bourbon Trail, the restaurant and bar stocks over 50 of Kentucky’s finest Bourbons. Prior to joining Proof in 2005, Paley worked in South Florida with some of the nation's top chefs including John Belleme at Zemi, Daniel Boulud at Café Boulud Palm Beach, and Carey Savona at Lucca in the Boca Resort. For more information visit
http://www.ProofOnMain.com.
