Location

Yes, welcome. Sake Blue was a heaven sent when it planted its roots in Fern Creek. Slowly, businesses are starting to realize this area is not as dry as they had thought in the past.

[Robin Garr]

And over those 3 decades I have never seen an "upscale" restaurant, much less an "upscale independent" restaurant ever locate in this corridor.

Shelley, welcome to our forum!

With all respect, when I was dining critic at The Louisville Times (and later merged into the CJ) from 1984-1990, I reviewed a couple of "upscale independent" places that gave it a try. One was a seafood house (first place in Louisville to introduce dolphin, and they had to explain it was not Flipper); the other a bistro-style eatery.

You probably didn't notice them because neither one lasted more than six months.

And over those 3 decades I have never seen an "upscale" restaurant, much less an "upscale independent" restaurant ever locate in this corridor.

Shelley, welcome to our forum!

With all respect, when I was dining critic at The Louisville Times (and later merged into the CJ) from 1984-1990, I reviewed a couple of "upscale independent" places that gave it a try. One was a seafood house (first place in Louisville to introduce dolphin, and they had to explain it was not Flipper); the other a bistro-style eatery.

You probably didn't notice them because neither one lasted more than six months.

Hi, Robin, and thanks for the "welcome." I hope that you don't take my contrariness with your comments personally, but I feel I must defend our area from this sort of continuing bias. With all due respect back, I think that your first statement and even this one is somewhat disingenuous.

I'm not trying to be difficult, but I will openly challenge the "myth" that "upscale" restaurants, independent or otherwise, have actually tried to place themselves in the Dixie corridor and failed.

In the first place, the Dixie corridor is quite lengthy. It stretches from north of Algonquin, through Shively, through the Pleasure Ridge Parke area, all the way out to Valley Station. It changes character several times along that route. There are all sorts of challenges and opportunities in each area. And it is also true that all of those areas have gone through various changes over the past 20 to 30 years. The last 10 to 15 have been most positive, however, since there is institutional "memory" of some of the rough years, we are finding that perception bubble hard to pierce.

Second, again, with all due respect, a vague recollection of perhaps two restaurants that may or may not have been upscale indies that "tried" the Dixie corridor almost 2 decades ago really doesn't qualify your previous statement about "several" having tried and failed within a year. Your first comment gives the impression, intended or not, that somehow Dixie has been experimented with by quite a few (several) and came up lacking, somehow due to the location of Dixie itself.

If one cannot even remember their names, they must not have fared well anywhere else in the city either. And to have closed after only 6 months? Sorry, but that indicates many things to me, not the least of which being quite possibly bad management or bad business planning from the outset. What type of advertising or marketing did they do if neither myself nor any other "long timers" out here can recall their existence? I'm just saying, it's probably not fair to imply that it was simply their location.

How many restaurants fit that profile in all of the Metro area to begin with? I mean, 2 vague recollections in a very narrow time frame over 20 years ago? I would venture to bet that many more restaurants than that have followed a similar pattern of failure throughout the entire Louisville area in the last 20 years. To single out the Dixie corridor with 2 shadowy restaurants over 20 years ago, again, hardly supports the statement that the Dixie corridor has a history of failed upscale attempts. I could be wrong, and I apologize if I am, but that is what the initial comment made implies, at least to me. I'm hoping it was unintentional and that there wasn't really a genuine attempt to scare off potential opportunity.

The fact of the matter is we realize that there exists a bias against this area, that is perpetrated over and over again by statements such as that, that intimidates businesses from even looking into the area.

Again, I'm well aware of the challenges this corridor has had over 20 years ago and longer.

But the fact is, we are a strong, local business supporter and we have good (albeit often CASH) money to spend.

While we have homes that range anywhere from $100,000 to over $300,000 (and higher) in many areas up and down Dixie, the truth is many of those homes have long been paid for and many of our area residents use cash instead of credit cards, which can often make tracking disposable income difficult.

Anyway, I hope I haven't been too grumpy! My husband and I love to eat out, and spend a lot of time (and money!) on the "opposite" side of Metro. We'd LOVE to be able to spend those hours and dollars in our own community!

Loyal Southwest Louisville Supporter!

[Robin Garr]

Loyal Southwest Louisville Supporter!

No offense taken, Shelley! I'm sorry my fading memory doesn't have better details on the Dixie-corridor restaurants I'm thinking about from 20-plus years ago. I hear what you're saying and respect it, and I wish I had a better answer for you. I can only say that in my years as a Louisville-area dining critic I have tried NEVER to limit my scope to the East End, and have ALWAYS gone out of my way to review, and publicize, new indie arrivals in the South End, out Preston and Dixie, and in Southern Indiana, too.

You may have better explanations than I have about the Dixie problem. All I know is what I've seen over 25 years as a local dining critic: Only the chains (and a few diners) seem to survive. Of course, until quite recently the same has been true of the Eastern suburbs, and now that seems to be changing fast, so maybe Dixie is next? I'll promise you this: If you build it, I'll come.

Loyal Southwest Louisville Supporter!

If you build it, I'll come.

LoL!

Trust me, if they build it, *we'll* come, too!

I understand what you are saying, and I have no doubt you have very little or no memory of reviewing many restaurants in this area! I know that had they been here, you would have. Quite frankly it's because they just weren't here! That's basically my point. We have pretty much been overlooked for this sort of growth. We do recognize why, but the time has come to cast off the old mindset and look at our area with fresh eyes.

We have some mediocre chains, and some of what I call "homestyle" eateries, blue-plate special sort of places, a'la Betty's Country Kitchen or Fork-in-the-Road. We are certainly not wanting for barbecue, either!

Okay, "mediocre" may be harsh in regards to the franchises, but really, is there that much difference between an O'Charley's, an Applebee's, a Texas Roadhouse or Logan's or Tumbleweed?

We are getting a new Bob Evan's, but again, that's sort of meh. Definitely not what I'd call upscale, but my grandson will love that he can get pancakes and eggs for lunch or dinner without me driving him 'cross town to the nearest Denny's!

Oh, and we finally got a Japanese-style steak house (with sushi bar and hibachi tables, yet!). (Fuji's)

This is huge for our area! And we (my family and neighbors and I) make sure to stop in there at least once a week, sometimes more for lunches.

A good Italian or seafood place would be awesome. I mean, something that doesn't serve pasta as a sidebar or after-thought to their core pizza menu! A Rocky's would kill here. But so would a Carrabas or even a Macaroni Grill, for that matter.

Granted, these are chains, too, but if some of these more up-price chains would break the ice, so to speak, then we could begin a legitimate argument to attract some of the more upscale indies.

Anyway, the point is, it's time for restaurateurs to take a look-see Southwest!

There's an untapped market here and we are eager for their business!

"Okay, "mediocre" may be harsh in regards to the franchises, but really, is there that much difference between an O'Charley's, an Applebee's, a Texas Roadhouse or Logan's or Tumbleweed?"

Other than food, service, management, and personal preference.

No.

"'d love to see something go into the Nio's building. Does anyone know what's happening with it?"

I heard on the street this weekend that is was going to become a Los Aztecas or a Sol Azteca. ( I always confuse those 2!)

As long as we are wishing for stuff in the Southend, how about waking up Jim Tedesco and telling him that people out here might actually like to eat some ice cream at Graeters without driving a thousand miles.

What does the forum think of the Seviche location on Goose Creek for a Furlongs....

From a VERY selfish perspective, I think that anytime a good restaurant opens outside the Watterson it is a great day to be us.