LEO's Eats with Robin Garr
Ah, the holidays! Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, stockings hung by the chimney, lights and ornaments carefully placed on the tree, jingle bells and endless carols … I swear, if I hear “The Little Drummer Boy” one more time I’m not going to be responsible.
OK, let’s see a show of hands: Talking about the secular commercializing and greedy materialistic excess of the holidays here, is everybody as tired of Christmas as I am?
I thought so. And here’s my plan: Once Christmas Day responsibilities are clear, let’s celebrate with a delicious Vietnamese dinner! As a local dining critic, I get lots of restaurant questions, and at this time of year, “Where can we get Christmas dinner?” is one of the most frequent. It’s one of the major holidays when even people in the hospitality industry get a rare break, and the city’s streets can look pretty much like a ghost town when the majority of the population gathers around holiday tables with family or friends.
For those in pursuit of a traditional American Christmas with turkey and the trimmings, the city’s hotel dining rooms usually fill the gap. If that’s what you’re seeking, give your favorite hostelry a call, although be aware that the more lavish holiday dinners are usually booked up by now.
If you’re willing — or even eager — to step outside the box, though, many of Louisville’s Asian restaurants will be open and eager to serve. Most authentic Asian restaurants are run, by and large, by good neighbors who don’t come from the Western tradition and for whom Christmas is pretty much just another work day; possibly one of their busiest days until the Chinese lunar new year.
And if you can’t get roast turkey and dressing, why not try General Tso’s chicken or a steaming bowl of beef pho instead?
One customary Christmas retreat for those seeking Asian respite from the drumbeat of “Drummer Boy” is Vietnam Kitchen in Iroquois Manor, the grandpappy of the city’s South End Vietnamese spots. I love it and have enjoyed many memorable meals there. This year, though, I’m looking at Annie Café, another well-established South End Vietnamese spot.
Read the full review on LouisvilleHotBytes,
http://www.louisvillehotbytes.com/annie ... s-pho-real
And in LEO Weekly:
http://leoweekly.com/dining/place-pho-real
Annie Café
308 W. Woodlawn Ave.
363-4847
Web: http://www.anniecafe.com
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/anniecafe
Rating: 89