Locals Near Corner of Hurstbourne and Shelbyville...

[Robin Garr]

Thank you, Andrew, for educating me on Jason's Deli ... I was not aware they were a chain. I'll do more research before posting next time.

Don't worry about it overmuch, Rebecca. I count the day wasted when I don't make at least one misteak.

Also, it was my understanding from the sushi chef himself at The Fresh Market that he was a local contracting with Fresh Market for his sushi. I must have misunderstood him. Thanks for the update ... regardless, I still love his sushi.

I think it's entirely possible that you and Andrew are both right. Fresh Market is certainly a chain; the sushi guy may well be a local contractor. I'd like to get out and try his work - does he do nigiri sushi (the rice balls with fish on top) as well as rolls?

Point is, a variety of answers to questions like this is a GOOD thing, and Jason's - chain or no - certainly is a reasonable lunch option in the region under question. It's not like you sent him to Pizza Hut!

Also, it was my understanding from the sushi chef himself at The Fresh Market that he was a local contracting with Fresh Market for his sushi. I must have misunderstood him. Thanks for the update ... regardless, I still love his sushi.

Fresh Market is not local, however the sushi chef may well have been correct. Two of my knife sharpening customers (Amazing Grace and Rainbow Blossom) had that type of arrangement. The sushi chefs had to pay me direct when I sharpened their knives. They used the fancy Japanese knives instead of the house knives.

Yes, Fresh Market is a chain, a small one mostly in the southeast owned by a single family. They do make an effort to buy local and the sushi chef is local and a contractor with FM. I am not sure about the nigiri, but I will have Richard ask. I have gotten several orders of custom-made rolls from there.

Plainview Shopping Center gives you

Joe's ok Bayou
Slice of NY pizza
Sichaun Garden

slip out onto Hurstborne and you slide into corp restaurant places which you can probably see from your office.

How is Slice of NY? It always smells so good, but the hubby and I have never made it in.

How is Slice of NY? It always smells so good, but the hubby and I have never made it in.

ive only ever had one slice of cheese, but it was decent, good crust. (someone at work ordered it for lunch) I was looking at their website and they really seem to focus on lunch, except for the weekend.

since I didnt see a review on the main site, Ill post a link to the site

http://www.sliceofnypizzeria.com/

[Robin Garr]

since I didnt see a review on the main site, Ill post a link to the site

http://www.sliceofnypizzeria.com/

I really need to fix that. I went in to review them and they were having such a rough day - Pop had left the teen-age boys in charge and they didn't want to be there or to work - Pop came back and gave them hell - that it was a truly atypical visit and I didn't feel comfortable reviewing it even as a joke.

It has potential, though, and the pizza was a pretty good NYC-style slice. Thanks for the reminder, I'll plan to get out that way fairly soon.

Thanks for all the suggestions folks. I've got a task ahead of me. Andrew mentioned Pig City. I always thought that was a mini-chain out of Cincinnati? Anyone have the scoop? Its one of my favorite places, but since I've made a concerted effort to support as many locals as much as possible, I haven't been back for awhile.

If you go to the Pig City web page, they talk about Louisville being the only restaurant (although one reference mentions more, possibly coming). I don't think it's out of Cincy, tho I could be wrong.

Personally, I'm one of the more "pro-chain" forumites. I'd prefer to support locals, but we do go to chains, and the better ones have their place. For deli, I'm still a proponent of Jason's over Stevens & Stevens, for example (if you haven't been, I'd highly recommend it for lunch!).

The whole discussion on "allowing" Fresh Market for sushi because the sushi chef is an independent contractor is fascinating. There is a range here:

Evidently, an independent chef in a "chain" like Fresh Market is acceptable, even though I'm positive Fresh Market limits what he can make and has a supervisory relationship with him (for their own safety!)
A franchise like Famous Dave's, locally owned, and where the local owner has a lot of discretion in food preparation is still loudly denounced as being a "chain"

I can understand Red Lobster, Mimi's, others where the ownership is centralized, the menus are centralized, and the money leaves our community. I don't understand franchises where locals own the restaurant, there is some menu flexibility, and (other than franchise and/or advertising fees) most of the money stays here. And, many of the chains fit somewhere in the middle (e.g.: Cheesecake Factory, with centralized ownership and money collection, but local chefs encouraged to bring new menu items to corporate, and founded from a "real" local restaurant rather than a corporate concept).

If one doesn't want any chains for any reason, that's fine, and I really don't want to re-start the whole flaming sessions yet again, but when you're looking for a cheap fast lunch places like Jason's and Fresh Market sushi carry-out aren't all that bad, and some are quite good.

Thanks Andrew, I definitely don't want to re-start the whole chain/anti-chain war. I'm just trying to be considerate of where I eat. I probably have a slant that is more similar to yours just without knowing the score about who's "semi"-local.

since I didnt see a review on the main site, Ill post a link to the site

http://www.sliceofnypizzeria.com/

I really need to fix that. I went in to review them and they were having such a rough day - Pop had left the teen-age boys in charge and they didn't want to be there or to work - Pop came back and gave them hell - that it was a truly atypical visit and I didn't feel comfortable reviewing it even as a joke.

It has potential, though, and the pizza was a pretty good NYC-style slice. Thanks for the reminder, I'll plan to get out that way fairly soon.

=]

That's cool. I certainly wasnt trying to say you were slackin' or anything. =]

Not sure if Great Harvest in the Plainview shopping center is local or not, but it's pretty good, and even if it's part of a chain the local operators are very present and very involved.

I don't think I've seen Brownie's "The Shed" on Whittington Parkway mentioned in this thread (sorry if I missed it). I have a new baby and thus haven't been there in months, but they used to offer $.99 brats on Wednesdays.

Great Harvest is indeed a chain. We also had one in Tucson They do have great bread though...

Furlongs is coming there very soon....9601 Shelbyville Road

OK, maybe I'm missing something, but Jasons, Fresh Market, and Home Run Burgers are national chains, NOT local places.

For local (in addition to others recommended):

Sesame (right on corner! not the best Chinese, but decent)
Further East on Hurstbourne are Turkey Joe's, Tony Boomboz, and (for lunch) Limestone (more expensive for dinner)
West on Hurstbourne are Shalimar (and - in the same shopping center - the Chinese Buffet, good & with a primarily Asian clientele)
In Stoneybrook are the old Two Hans and the new Thai replacement for Sala Thai
Around the Cheddar Box are Pig City and Mazzoni's

Happy Eating!

I didn't think Home Run Burgers was a chain. I can't find any web page or reference to it. It certainly isn't run like a chain. In fact, everything about it screams "locally owned and operated".

Does anyone know for sure?