Fernando has done it AGAIN!

Thank you for all the kind words Stephen and everybody. I'm just happy to be part of the food revolution happening in our city right now, the guys from Hammerhead putting out crazy good food, Ryan Rogers doing amazing BBQ, Coals pizza, Mayan Cafe and all the other great restaurants. I hope Mussel & Burger Bar becomes another great option. We have a great team and I really put these guys thru a lot, opening Mussel & Burger Bar in less than a month, they prepped the menu and learned it in less than a week and a half. I'm happy with the food we are putting out in such a small amount of time. I hope to see everybody there to enjoy some mussels and burgers.

Beth, (and anyone else who wants to know), in my opinion, the kinks are minimal...if any. Thursday night was very smooth and have heard from a couple of others who have gone after that they were non-existent.....so I'd say 'let 'er rip'.....

I, too, had an opportunity to dine at a pro-opening. Thank you so much, Christina and Fernando! I can't express enough how generous it is that they open their doors to so many of us for complimentary food. I know that dry-runs are standard, but the fact that they involve so many of the people that they do in these dry runs is just plain sweet. I was there via "vendor invite", and that was a first for me. I really am touched. And these people are simply melting my heart in many many ways.

So to begin with, I knew this menu well going in and already knew what I would order. I had the Moules Basquaise, with chorizo, olive oil, lobster sofrito broth, piquillo peppers, Piment d'Espelette, and onion. With ingredients like that, it's needless to say that it was delicious. It wasn't too spicy, but flavor deep. Served with a crusty square of baguette to tear pieces from at will. We also added a side of Truffle Steak Fries with Truffle Aioli. I. Love. Truffle. They also had other options for frites added on to mussels for $3 or $4 dollars, depending on whether they were with or without truffle oil.

I really wanted to try a burger, but I was on a sexy date , and decided to keep it light with the Chevre Fig Salad - baby crest, fig vinaigrette, goat cheese croquettes, fennel, oranges, dry fig, marcona almonds, and radish. The Goat cheese croquettes were about two inch rounds, three for the salad, and the accompanying ingredients could not have been better proportioned. I'm so pleased to have an option like this and the greens were a big part of that feeling. EVERYTHING on this menu is so well thought through, and out of the ordinary.

My date went with a second appetizer order of mussels for his entree, which makes me really wonder what the entree portion is. $8 for the app, $10 for the entree - as someone previously mentioned, with the price point of this menu, you kind of feel like you're getting away with something. I can NOT emphasize that enough. His sauce this time was the curry cream - lemongrass, curry, shallots, lemon zest, chili oil. Unbelievable tasty.

I can't stop thinking about this concept. I absolutely love burgers, but was not in the mood for one last night. That said, the burger menu looks like the best I've ever seen in my life. The CEO (mentioned above) has an option to add foie gras for $7 - SEVEN DOLLARS!!! You can also get a Foie Gras appetizer for $10 - TEN DOLLARS!!!

And by the way - their hamburger meat is Creek Stone Black Angus ground IN HOUSE. Served on House made buns.

I love Mussel & Burger Bar more than I've loved anyplace in a long time. Thank you again, Christina and Fernando. (But my praise does not mean that you can not give me grief if my service fails you - I promise this is not an attempt to schmooze!)

P.S. I'm going to start a new thread with the content of this to be sure that the name "Mussel and Burger Bar" is the thread title. The location is a little off beat and the word really needs to get about them.

They are located at 9200 Taylorsville Rd, Louisville, KY and their facebook page has menu details and a very nice gallery of photos:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Musselbu ... 97?fref=ts

Was just telling my wife about the new place, and some of the awesome menu items I'm seeing on Facebook. Her reaction: "does that guy ever sleep?" Hahah. She's drooling over the short rib grilled cheese. Can't wait to try it out!!!

Michelle Jones just posted my review of our Saturday evening trip on Consuming Louisville.

We had a wonderful (and delicious) time. Chef Fernando and Cristina are such great hosts. Cristina also mentioned that they plan on ramping up a lunch menu down the road, which has me excited since our office is right around the corner.

http://consuminglouisville.com/2013/02/ ... er-bar.php

We went tonight. Both food and service were excellent. We can't wait to go back!

Thank you for all the kind words Stephen and everybody. I'm just happy to be part of the food revolution happening in our city right now, the guys from Hammerhead putting out crazy good food, Ryan Rogers doing amazing BBQ, Coals pizza, Mayan Cafe and all the other great restaurants. I hope Mussel & Burger Bar becomes another great option. We have a great team and I really put these guys thru a lot, opening Mussel & Burger Bar in less than a month, they prepped the menu and learned it in less than a week and a half. I'm happy with the food we are putting out in such a small amount of time. I hope to see everybody there to enjoy some mussels and burgers.

Congratulations on your latest venture and continued success. I will be in within the next month without a doubt. I greatly look forward to it.

You can see the menu here:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Musselbur ... 497&type=1