Louisville Magazine's Top 50

Linda this will take you to the August issue. http://loumag.epubxp.com/i/75209

The article being discussed is on pages 44-53.

To Greg R,

There will always be, and have always been, expensive restaurants that will charge an arm and a leg for their dining experience. An expensive restaurant has little effect on the pervasive national values I am referring to. Diners have choices in all price ranges and a great slice of pizza tantalizes me as much as a three star Michelin restaurant. Yet, when I see marketing be so pervasive and obtrusive in our culture and manipulation and propaganda for a purely financial motive considered good business, it makes me shudder. That is what I meant.

There are some great restaurants in that article...I'm confused, does the OP just disagree with the ordering? Or the fact that they were selected in the manner of a fantasy football draft? Or is he suggesting that it just just a marketing ploy which is unfair to those who could not afford to participate?

I did think the mentioned piece was tongue in cheek......but as I went down the list I too kept saying "Where is Varanese"??? I was a little peeved that John never even merited a mention? I second the post that we have never had a bad meal or a bad time there. Definitely one of our favorites.

I'm with you Jason, I don't understand why Phil is so apoplectic about the article. By the way Phil, I don't hate you, I don't know you. It was a fun article I thought.

There are some great restaurants in that article...I'm confused, does the OP just disagree with the ordering? Or the fact that they were selected in the manner of a fantasy football draft? Or is he suggesting that it just just a marketing ploy which is unfair to those who could not afford to participate?

It's so funny- Phil just can't stay away. You go boy. Tell us like it really is.

Looks like that soup is definitely going back. Welcome back, Phil!

To simply explain, without my usual passion, it seemed by both what the editors chose and what they omitted, that there must have been some omniscient force dictating their lists. Although I abhor ranking anything in some arbitrary order, restaurant lists are important and inevitable. I get that. However, in a ranking of 50 restaurants in a medium sized city such as Louisville, you don't have to be Gault or Milleau to name some obvious choices. When I noticed what was left off their list, my emotional sensibilities were aroused and it illuminated a couple aspects of Louisville that induce my rage. It literally made no sense, and a foul aroma of "small town" influence and oligarchical control leaked out. In fact, I am rather surprised that no else felt infuriated by what seemed nefarious and unfair to me. I then remembered that another aspect of this city that riles my soul is that most folks here avoid confrontation about as much as Lindsay Lohan avoids restraint. Do the avid members of this forum truly believe that a "Top Fifty" list of restaurants in Louisville Magazine will not have an effect on the financial success of those places omitted or at the bottom of this list? If so, I am amazed again how out of touch I am with the sociology of Louisville.

It literally made no sense, and a foul aroma of "small town" influence and oligarchical control leaked out. In fact, I am rather surprised that no else felt infuriated by what seemed nefarious and unfair to me.

Personally, i dont get the foul aroma you refer to, but i do relate to the "small town" feel. probably in part because i come from another "small town" area of roughly 1 million or so. i would guess that it is part of being from here that no one became infuriated as you did....and i think that OK.

I then remembered that another aspect of this city that riles my soul is that most folks here avoid confrontation about as much as Lindsay Lohan avoids restraint.

Im completely puzzled, well maybe im not, by that fact that people avoiding confrontation "riles your soul". i find it quite becoming.

I am amazed again how out of touch I am with the sociology of Louisville.

if i recall correctly, you are not from Louisville.... so it is completely acceptable that you do not understand the sociology of "Luhvul".

Phil,
Very clear statements in paragraphs 2 and 3 shoot down the points you've tried to make. i.e. Acknowledgement of the randomness in the picks. Also, "As you can imagine, many great spots went undrafted." and "Because frankly, there's just too much amazing dining in this town to include everybody."

Phil is right. I can't speak for the other team owners, but upon getting the assignment, I went restaurant to restaurant, shaking them down for payola. Blind Pig offered me pork entails; hence it got my top pick. Wagner's snuck into my 10th spot with a box of complimentary suppositories.

I didn't draft Varanese because this one time, near the Spanish Steps, I got swindled into paying 12.50€ for a gelato and I'm still fuming at the Italians because of it. If Varanese can get me into a bunga bunga party though, I'll see if the magazine can issue a retraction.

If you're a restauranteur and want in on next year's squad, please notify me privately and we can discuss payment options (I accept payment in unpasteurized cheeses). Cheers!

[Robin Garr]

Blind Pig offered me pork entails; hence it got my top pick.

Well played!

Blind Pig offered me pork entails; hence it got my top pick.

Well played!

Lol! Love it Zack!

I can emphatically and honestly say that is not the reality for 99% of the good people who live in Kentucky.

Or Nawbony, for that matter.

If you're a restauranteur and want in on next year's squad, please notify me privately and we can discuss payment options (I accept payment in unpasteurized cheeses). Cheers!

Privately, schmivately; I'll do it right here. Bribery to get a Hoosier into Louisville's own Magazine is no dishonor, unless we already were on the list, in which case permit me to express my solemn horror at payola.