Voice-Tribune/HotBytes review: The Joy Luck

[Robin Garr]

Soup dumplings? Soup in dumplings wins at The Joy Luck
Voice-Tribune review by Robin Garr

When I was a child, country-style chicken and dumplings wasn't a thing in my citified family, but I wanted them to be. I would read about dumplings in children's books and dream of tasting these succulent-sounding goodies.

"You wouldn't like them," my mother said, declining to make some for the family table.

Eventually I got to try some, and sure enough, Mom was right as usual. Thick rectangles of flabby dough, floating in chicken stew? Meh.

But that was before most folks in these parts knew of Chinese dumplings. Won tons, whose poetic named is Cantonese for "swallowing clouds," give a whole new meaning to those boring little squares that disappointed me as a child.

Now put your hands together for The Joy Luck, which introduces us to soup dumplings ($7), the Chinese dumpling lifted to culinary nirvana. These babies go a step beyond, made with a teaspoon-size sip of tasty pork broth sealed inside.


Read my full review on LouisvilleHotBytes.com:
http://www.louisvillehotbytes.com/soup- ... e-joy-luck
and in the Voice-Tribune:
http://www.voice-tribune.com/life-style ... -joy-luck/

The Joy Luck
1285 Bardstown Road
238-3070
http://thejoyluck.com
https://facebook.com/thejoyluck
Robin Garr's rating: 87 points

Soup dumplings (xiao long bao) have been on the "authentic" menu at Peking City Bistro since they opened; they were not introduced by Joy Luck.

In fact, Marty Rosen wrote a long review highlighting them back four years ago: http://www.courier-journal.com/article/ ... ity+Bistro

[Robin Garr]

Soup dumplings (xiao long bao) have been on the "authentic" menu at Peking City Bistro since they opened; they were not introduced by Joy Luck.

In fact, Marty Rosen wrote a long review highlighting them back four years ago: http://www.courier-journal.com/article/ ... ity+Bistro

Thanks, Andrew. Noted.

Which reminds me, I could almost swear that I've seen the Joy Luck hostess working at Peking City, although of course it could be a case of mistaken identity.

Quickly becoming one of our favorites. We had a fantastic lunch/snack on Saturday.


DUCK & CORN RANGOON $9

KIM CHI QUESADILLA $6

SPICY WON TON $7

[Robin Garr]

Ha! I wondered what brought this 2014 review back. Glad to hear it's still good. We've been back once or twice, but keeping up with new places makes it hard to hang out often at the rest.

Joy Luck has definitely become our favorite Chinese place. I've never had a bad meal there.

Quickly becoming one of our favorites. We had a fantastic lunch/snack on Saturday.

Did you go to the original restaurant in the Highlands, or the newer location out near Cabela's? I'm glad to see more locally owned restaurants opening in that part of town.

Quickly becoming one of our favorites. We had a fantastic lunch/snack on Saturday.

Did you go to the original restaurant in the Highlands, or the newer location out near Cabela's? I'm glad to see more locally owned restaurants opening in that part of town.

Saturday we went to the Highlands location, but the east end location is also good.

Hit Joy Luck for lunch, The Eagle for drinks and to watch the football game, had a drink at The Manhattan Project, then walked to Red Hog for dinner. We truly live in a great city.