LEO/LHB: Urbane renewal in the heart of St. Matthews

[Robin Garr]

<table border="0" align="left" width="310"><tr><td><img src="http://www.louisvillehotbytes.com/bbc03.jpg" border="1" align="left"></td></tr><tr><td>The 15-year-old Bluegrass Brewing Co. emerged from cosmetic surgery last week with a new look and an updated menu, including a hot bacon and spinach salad and fried polenta fingers. Photos by Robin Garr.</td></tr></table>LEO's Eats with Louisville HotBytes
Urbane renewal in the heart of St. Matthews
(Bluegrass Brewing Co.; 60 West Bistro and Martini Bar)

With a history that dates to 1779 and bragging rights as one of Louisville's first suburbs, St. Matthews owns a long-standing reputation as a quiet, family-oriented community, a safe and frankly conservative kind of place to bring up the kids.

Indeed, the community signaled its social conservatism way back in 1850, on the fateful day when its upright burghers decided to change the town's name from "Gilman's Point" (chosen in honor of the local saloon) to "St. Matthews" (in honor of a more "suitable" namesake, its then-new Episcopal church).

From that day to this, St. Matthews' churches and watering holes have co-existed in usually comfortable harmony. So it's no real surprise that you'll find at least three bars, a brewpub and a martini bar within an easy crawl of the intersection of Shelbyville and Westport roads and Chenoweth Lane, the exact corner where Gilman's Tavern once stood.

Two of those popular spots have undergone significant recent transformation, as the 5-year-old Cafe Emilie reinvented itself with a new name and image as 60 West Bistro and Martini Bar, while the 15-year-old Bluegrass Brewing Co. emerged from cosmetic surgery last week with a new look and a menu updated by BBC Fourth Street Chef Marshall Jewel.

<b>Bluegrass Brewing Co.</b>
3929 Shelbyville Road
899-7070
http://www.bbcbrew.com
Robin Garr's rating: 83 points

<b>60 West Bistro and Martini Bar</b>
3939 Shelbyville Road
719-9717
http://www.60westbistro.com
Robin Garr's rating: 84 points

Full reports in LEO and on LouisvilleHotBytes.

[Robin Garr]

I belatedly realized that, in addition to my mention of regular forum participant Dave "Land of Misfit Clowns" Clancy consulting at BBC, my review should have given name billing to Marshall Jewel, chef at BBC Fourth Street, who is wholly responsible for the excellent menu and dishes that I reported in this review.

I expect Marshall and Dave together will kick things up yet another notch when the summer menu rolls out later on. But Marshall deserves the credit for all the good things I reported in this review, and I was neglectful in failing to mention him. I'll update the LouisvilleHotBytes review so readers (and Google!) will recognize him by name.

Might be noted that Marshall was the longtime chef and manager at Kathy Carys (now closed) Lepeche in the Holiday Manor shopping center.

Robin,
Glad you gave it an 84 because the food was definitely worth it (deconstructed iceberg wedge, classic caesar, Suzuki Snapper and the special of the day salmon dishes were all excellent) when we dined there this past Saturday around 8 (our first visit), but we found the dining room a little on the bright side for a "bistro." Hope that they will have turned the lights down a bit when we return.

I belatedly realized that, in addition to my mention of regular forum participant Dave "Land of Misfit Clowns" Clancy consulting at BBC, my review should have given name billing to Marshall Jewel, chef at BBC Fourth Street, who is wholly responsible for the excellent menu and dishes that I reported in this review.

I expect Marshall and Dave together will kick things up yet another notch when the summer menu rolls out later on. But Marshall deserves the credit for all the good things I reported in this review, and I was neglectful in failing to mention him. I'll update the LouisvilleHotBytes review so readers (and Google!) will recognize him by name.

Thanks Robin! I did not re-invent this wheel and ALL of the credit goes to Marshall. I am here (flying under radar for myriad reasons) but Marshall should have gotten the praise as you know. Regardless, good things are happening at BBC for everyone...

Robin,
Thank you so much for the wonderful review I am extremely glad you enjoyed yourself the other night! Also to let you know we do have half price wine on Friday nights as well and half price martini's on Thursday and Saturday. We really look forward to seeing you soon and hopefully we will be one of your regular spots soon.
Thanks to everyone for your support during this revamping of our restaurant, we needed a face lift and a new spark and I feel we got it. Thank you Laura for your kind words and I will make sure that the lights are at the right dimness from now on, that was just an oversight on the staff that night. Look forward to seeing you all soon!
Emilie

Thank God you realized that Marshall was the drive behind the new menu. I can't imagine how you would feel to read such a positive review and being the drive behind it, then getting no credit. Kudos to Marshall for offering up those wonderfully addictive polenta fries mentioned, and kudos to Clancey for executing them so well.

Thank God you realized that Marshall was the drive behind the new menu. I can't imagine how you would feel to read such a positive review and being the drive behind it, then getting no credit. Kudos to Marshall for offering up those wonderfully addictive polenta fries mentioned, and kudos to Clancey for executing them so well.

My thought's exactly!! (I would be so pissed that there would not be a round pan left in the kitchen....)

Thanks Robin for the lovely review! It was nice to finally meet you and I hope to see you again soon!

Cheers,
Becca at BBC