Discussion of Robin Garr's Harvest review

[Robin Garr]

Bringing in the Harvest on East Market
LEO's Eats with Robin Garr

Looking for ramps in season? Garlic scapes? Fancy purple kale? Or maybe a tasty omelet fashioned from just-laid free-range eggs? You’ll find it all at the Bardstown Road Farmers Market where Ivor Chodkowski’s Field Day Family Farm booth is the place to go for what’s arguably the fanciest produce on the premises.

Chodkowski is a leader in the region’s burgeoning small-farm and locavore movement; he runs a community-supported agriculture operation, has been involved in the Community Farm Alliance, and set up Grasshoppers Distribution, which creates markets for local small farmers by connecting them with local restaurants.

So it should come as no surprise to see Chodkowski at the helm of Harvest, a new restaurant in lavishly restored quarters on East Market, an eatery that’s a virtual celebration of all that’s flavorful, natural and local.

Harvest pledges to keep its bill of fare at least 80 percent from local farmers. You’ll spot many of them in sepia portraits on Harvest’s walls, and an intriguing “foodshed” map of central Kentucky and Southern Indiana spotlights the farmers who supply the restaurant and pinpoints their farms.

Talk about the elements for success: Take sustainably produced food from regional farmers. Add a warm, comfortable (if somewhat noisy) environment that was once the old Mayan Gypsy location (later a short-lived restaurant “incubator” that endowed the space with a large, modern kitchen). Plug in an all-star team in the kitchen (at the top of the batting order, Chef Coby Ming, formerly at Wiltshire on Market, and Chef Josh Lehman from Bank Street Brewhouse) and in the front of the house (where Cassandra Hobbic, Proof on Main’s first maitre d’, now presides). This is an impressive combination, and it yields a high-scoring product.

The menu changes frequently to accommodate the seasons and the quantity and supply issues that accompany working with small, local farms. Fear not, it’s consistently good. ...

Read the full review on LouisvilleHotBytes,
http://www.louisvillehotbytes.com/bring ... ast-market

And in LEO Weekly:
http://leoweekly.com/dining/bringing-ha ... ast-market

Harvest Restaurant
624 E. Market St.
384-9090
http://www.harvestlouisville.com
Rating: 94

Not a whole lot to add to the glowing review other than to say my wife and I went twice in the span of 3 days last week and it was fantastic both times. If you haven't been, go now it is great.

Very nice review Robin and a well deserved 94 for Harvest. Though you did somewhat flubb who is at the helm with Coby, Chef Andy McCabe is the Sous Chef (Formerly of L2O and Blackbird) and he's working his ass off over there. Chef Lehman does help to round out the rather all-stat cast though.

Very nice review Robin and a well deserved 94 for Harvest. Though you did somewhat flubb who is at the helm with Coby, Chef Andy McCabe is the Sous Chef (Formerly of L2O and Blackbird) and he's working his ass off over there. Chef Lehman does help to round out the rather all-stat cast though.

Damn. Ryan beat me to it.

I'd go as far to wager that Andy is the only chef in Louisville who has spent time employed (not staging) in a Michelin 3-star kitchen (L2O).

Whether or not anyone cares about those sort of things in Louisville, I have no clue.

Regardless, he's busted his ass in some insanely tough kitchens during his time in Chicago, and I know all of his friends are incredibly proud of him for all he's accomplished.

He's definitely put in his time over the years and as Ryan noted, working his ass off at Harvest... and deserves his dues.

[Robin Garr]

Very nice review Robin and a well deserved 94 for Harvest. Though you did somewhat flubb who is at the helm with Coby, Chef Andy McCabe is the Sous Chef (Formerly of L2O and Blackbird) and he's working his ass off over there. Chef Lehman does help to round out the rather all-stat cast though.

Hmm, is Andy a late addition? I went with what Ivor told me (in Email) around the time of opening. I decided not to review them too early, especially after the CJ gushed over them in their first couple of weeks.

[Robin Garr]

Damn. Ryan beat me to it.

Ethan, first, let me add my voice to the "welcome home" chorus.

As I told Ryan here, my bad ... I don't sneak into the kitchen or do anything else to reveal that I'm on the premises when I review, even if someone in the shop (in this case Ivor) knows me. But I went with what I had from him at opening time, which was Coby and Josh. That already sounded like a hell of a team to me, so add in a guy with famous Chicago eateries on his resume, and ... whoa!

Very nice review Robin and a well deserved 94 for Harvest. Though you did somewhat flubb who is at the helm with Coby, Chef Andy McCabe is the Sous Chef (Formerly of L2O and Blackbird) and he's working his ass off over there. Chef Lehman does help to round out the rather all-stat cast though.

Hmm, is Andy a late addition? I went with what Ivor told me (in Email) around the time of opening. I decided not to review them too early, especially after the CJ gushed over them in their first couple of weeks.

Andy was on the opening staff and literally moved back from Chicago to help open the restaurant.

I'd guess the news of Josh leaving Bank Street to join Harvest probably gave the indication he was assuming the Sous position. In fairness, I read that article; and if I wasn't privy to the inside information, I would have assumed such.

Very nice review Robin and a well deserved 94 for Harvest. Though you did somewhat flubb who is at the helm with Coby, Chef Andy McCabe is the Sous Chef (Formerly of L2O and Blackbird) and he's working his ass off over there. Chef Lehman does help to round out the rather all-stat cast though.

Hmm, is Andy a late addition? I went with what Ivor told me (in Email) around the time of opening. I decided not to review them too early, especially after the CJ gushed over them in their first couple of weeks.

Andy was on the opening staff and literally moved back from Chicago to help open the restaurant.

I'd guess the news of Josh leaving Bank Street to join Harvest probably gave the indication he was assuming the Sous position. In fairness, I read that article; and if I wasn't privy to the inside information, I would have assumed such.

Damn, beat me to the answer Ethan.

Andy shouldn't be overlooked though he is a great addition to the Louisville food scene.

Damn. Ryan beat me to it.

Ethan, first, let me add my voice to the "welcome home" chorus.

As I told Ryan here, my bad ... I don't sneak into the kitchen or do anything else to reveal that I'm on the premises when I review, even if someone in the shop (in this case Ivor) knows me. But I went with what I had from him at opening time, which was Coby and Josh. That already sounded like a hell of a team to me, so add in a guy with famous Chicago eateries on his resume, and ... whoa!

Thanks Robin. It's good to be back.

And no worries,
It's one thing to be working in the industry and have the inside scoop.
I lived with Andy off and on for the majority of time I was in Louisville (during and after culinary school),
and count him among my closest of friends... so perhaps I'm a little protective of making sure he's not overlooked (he's incredible humble and not joining to make any mention of it... even if his friends will).

Like I said, all his friends are incredible proud of him for what he's accomplished.
From his 5+ years with Daniel Stage at Le Relais, to his time in world-class restaurants in Chicago...

Seriously... Harvest has a band of rock stars in their kitchen.

Damn, beat me to the answer Ethan.

Andy shouldn't be overlooked though he is a great addition to the Louisville food scene.

AMEN.

Great review of a great addition to the dining scene. I want to try every thing on the menu.

Thanks, Robin, for not mentioning the boisterous table of 20+ that was there at the same time as you. We could have been part of the reason for the "if somewhat noisy."

I agree wholeheartedly with your review, but found this comment interesting:

Lucinda’s choice, ricotta-herb gnocchi ($16), may have been the hit of the evening. Tender pale-green gnocchi (say “N’yoke-key” three times fast) swam in a remarkable Bolognese-style broth accented with crispy ground pork; it was edibly decorated with crisp, paper-thin seeded lavash bread.

It's interesting in light of the utter bashing that same dish took on a prior thread. I haven't had it yet, so can't comment either way, though it seemed that the two diners that were so unpleased with that dish were so unpleased because it wasn't an "authentic" Bolognese sauce. Perhaps you deal with that by noting it was a "Bolognese-style broth."

[Robin Garr]

It's interesting in light of the utter bashing that same dish took on a prior thread. I haven't had it yet, so can't comment either way, though it seemed that the two diners that were so unpleased with that dish were so unpleased because it wasn't an "authentic" Bolognese sauce. Perhaps you deal with that by noting it was a "Bolognese-style broth."

If I am not mistaken, that criticism came from the same place as the bashing of Village Anchor's Reuben (or Rueben ) because it wasn't the same as a New York deli Reuben, which is odd since the original Reuben cam from Omaha anyway. I don't have any problem when a creative chef rings changes on a traditional recipe and comes up with something ambitious and new that gives homage to its progenitor. But then, I'm open-minded.

[Robin Garr]

I lived with Andy off and on for the majority of time I was in Louisville (during and after culinary school),
and count him among my closest of friends... so perhaps I'm a little protective of making sure he's not overlooked (he's incredible humble and not joining to make any mention of it... even if his friends will).

Like I said, all his friends are incredible proud of him for what he's accomplished.
From his 5+ years with Daniel Stage at Le Relais, to his time in world-class restaurants in Chicago...

Seriously... Harvest has a band of rock stars in their kitchen.

FYI, I'm filing an update with the editors at LEO, so Andy should get his due in a blurb in next week's issue. Thanks for catching me up on that, Ethan.

I wanted to mention this as they are listed as open for brunch Xmas Eve.
Finally stopped by for lunch on a rare trip downtown recently and was fairly stupified by how awesome Harvest is. I just had a burger (really unique) and the soup and while the food was noteworthy enough and not at all overpriced considering what they do with it, the service and overall attentiveness was the best I have ever experienced in any restaurant in my life, period, and that's from a life of eating at more than 700 restaurants in this metro area. A couple of guys checked with each table and since they didn't appear to have any other duties at the time I figure they are owners or managers. Others tending my table included a waitress, food runner, beverage topper & busser. Every Harvest staffer was friendly and wanted diners to have a good experience without being in the least overeager or intrusive. It was all well-timed, upbeat, relaxed concern. Man, that is a difficult balance to achieve during a lunchtime when there's not just one or two tables to worry about. Every single one of these folks gave the gift of their full presence during interaction; none were just checking a table off their list of spots they needed to hustle between. It was like having great seats at the Bolshoi but knowing it was going to ruin you for expectations in the future.