Last week my wife, friends, and I made several trips to Goss Ave. to the strip between Sarino and Hauk Corner. We were heading to the couple months old AF restaurants (named for Allan Rosenberg and Fred ???). As of now there are two places open (Pizza AF open for dinner, and Breakfast AF for breakfast and lunch, share a space), but an adjacent building wlll be a bakery possibly opening even this weekend, and the seafood is coming next. Behind the buildings they have taken over all the yards of 4-5 buildings, unifying them into one huge outdoor patio for dining, playground areas for kids, and even a screened-in space for private parties!
I did not know either of the owners before visiting, but did meet Alan during breakfast as he made rounds, bussed tables, helped carry food (they are QSR), and was always busy.
Breakfast AF was wonderful, my new favorite menu and food in the city. They have a broad, all-inclusive menu ranging from many unusual items (my shrimp & grits were the best I’ve ever had, delivering just right heat along with a poached egg on top) to standards (omelets with cheese and any 3 ingredients from a huge list). The plating was exceptional, the omelets coming with a very fresh small salad, the shrimp & grits in a soup bowl to contain the runny egg, and – on other tables – what appeared to be whipped cream on pancakes that I believe to have been piped mounds of whipped maple butter. Drinks were available for self-service in a fridge (cans and bottles), large shelves (coffees, creams, etc.), and an ice chest and water dispense if that’s your choice. One other point: watching around five people in a ballet in a large closet space / open kitchen confirmed that this was a trained team!
Dinner AF was a smaller and simpler menu. While there were huge and delicious-looking calzones and good-looking salads, we concentrated on the pizza side of the menu. My one complaint: all pizzas are 18” and (from experience) serve at least four (four of us got two pizzas, as we could not agree on sauce or ingredients). We left stuffed, carrying the next day’s lunch as we rolled out the door. The pizzas were exceptional with perfect relationships between cheese, crust (only one offered), and ingredients. Most pies were $32, a fair price given the size and quality of the final products. Note that people may disagree on the pizzas, as generally diners like the type of pizzas they grew up with, and these were somewhat more sparing of ingredients than many in Louisville (although the four of us thought them perfect).
We can’t wait for the seafood option!
