Look a new Mexican place!!

No, really, not a joke...well my enthusiasm for another Mexican restaurant is a joke...a restaurant by the name of "El Rio Grande" is going into what was Limestone on Hurstbourne Pkwy. Is it a chain? A local yokel? I have no clue and Google hasn't been too helpful. Just about a spit from Guaca Mole and two spits from my new favorite La Cocina de Mama...do we really need yet another Mexican place? I guess I am assuming it is a Mexican restaurant, maybe it's something completely different? Need it or not, the sign on the door says open soon.

I saw that the other day to and was also wondering what it's going to be. I found one of the restaurant by that name in Dry Ridge Kentucky which is off of I 75 halfway between Lexington and Cincinnati. I doubt it's an extension of that one but maybe it is. It's certainly going to have an uphill battle getting established based on the other 2 great Mexican restaurants in the area that you mentioned. They both serve completely different segments of the market but are both great. I also have to believe that location is going to be quite expensive so they are going to have to do a lot of business to stay open.

[Robin Garr]

I also have to believe that location is going to be quite expensive so they are going to have to do a lot of business to stay open.

The other possibility would be a different order of cuisine and service. Something akin to Rick Bayless' Topolobampo in Chicago - white-tablecloth Mexican regional cuisines, chef-driven ... something like Seviche only regional Mexican - might work in that space. I kind of doubt that's what we have here, but who knows? It pretty much has to be something better capitalized than a taqueria to even think about going into a space that formal and that large.

We could be lucky enough to get a white tablecloth Mexican place could we? I think it's actually something that would go over quite well here in Louisville and it's a market segment that we don't have anything to compete with it. I certainly agree that I don't think the members would work for a taqueria. If Limestone had trouble making the numbers work for that space they certainly would.

[Robin Garr]

Thinking out loud with no information, but letting intuition run free, it's worth noting that "El Rio Grande" MAY suggest Tex-Mex more than regional Mexico.

And that makes me think that Chuy's is apparently thriving in a space of similar size (and maybe similar numbers) over by Oxmoor. Maybe this is something more like Chuy's? Familiar-to-anglos Tex-Mex fare with a big bar? Not as exciting as Topolobampo, but now that I think about the moniker, maybe more likely?

Or maybe this is Fernando's still-secret NEXT venture?

Or maybe this is Fernando's still-secret NEXT venture?

That certainly wouldn't surprise me! If you look at everyplace he's opened, it's got into where a restaurant previously used to be that failed for one reason or another. It fits his model very well.

Mayan Cafe is kind of a white tablecloth Mexican. I was pretty sad that Don Juan didn't make it. It wasn't white tablecloth, but it was a genuine attempt to raise the bar on casual, authentic, mid-range Mexican. That's a niche we need more of -- like Guacamole, which is good.

There are a couple of Rio Grande restaurants in West Virginia. I can't imagine them going into such a space here in Louisville. Their stuff is low end 2-3 of the same sauces and Lunch Special #1,2,3, etc.

In any event, they'll have to go on the bottom of my list after about 27 other places that serve Latin-Mexican "inspired" food. I'm becoming less "inspired" as they pile up.

That space has been through so much trouble (the center, not just the former Limestone space) that I wouldn't be surprised to see them rent to something much lower-scale than Limestone was. Anxious to see what it is, though, since it's a stone's throw from my office.

Another plus one for La Cocina de Mama from our house! We have been eating there probably at least once per week, and getting queso dip about every other week for when I actually cook.

That space has been through so much trouble (the center, not just the former Limestone space) that I wouldn't be surprised to see them rent to something much lower-scale than Limestone was. Anxious to see what it is, though, since it's a stone's throw from my office.

Always hated trying to get in or out of there when it was Limestone.

Difficult to enter or exit??? Maybe you have confused the former Limestone location with another defunct restaurant? Say what you will about the location, ease of access is not one of them. There are lights at both ends of the access roads with safe turn arrows.

Difficult to enter or exit??? Maybe you have confused the former Limestone location with another defunct restaurant? Say what you will about the location, ease of access is not one of them. There are lights at both ends of the access roads with safe turn arrows.

Hurstbourne Lane is, quite often, a parking lot, even much later into the day. I realize there are lights, but I don't get anywhere near Hurstbourne if I can help it, unless it's super early, or super late at night (neither are times I tend to be eating out). It doesn't matter if you have a turn signal if 4 or 5 cars get through each red light. Perhaps that area has gotten better since I've last been over. Don't know. Like I said, I won't get on Hurstbourne if I can help it -- only road in Lou I avoid assiduously

Difficult to enter or exit??? Maybe you have confused the former Limestone location with another defunct restaurant? Say what you will about the location, ease of access is not one of them. There are lights at both ends of the access roads with safe turn arrows.

What ??? A Louisvillian actually use a regulated intersection when there is an opportunity to turn left across four lanes of busy traffic at an -unregulated- intersection ???.....I'll believe it when I see it

Lol!! Some of us with graduate degrees have the brains to avoid those "death defying" left hand turns! As to Hurstbourne Parkway being a parking lot; the poster must be confusing the section around I-64 with the old Limestone location. Traffic moves fairly well between Shelbyville Road and Westport Road.