CJ discovers Corbett's

[Robin Garr]

Marty rather belatedly gets over to Corbett's - An American Place for this week's Scene, and to no great surprise is abundantly smitten, as just about everyone else has been, with Dean Corbett's latest venture. The CJ story lavishes praise without providing much new information - it reads as if it's telling last December's story of this new place to the last person in town who hasn't already heard it. Still, it's a strongly positive (four-star) review for an establishment that is quickly earning its place in the city's absolute top tier, and that's a good thing. Word count is a possible record 776, meaning that this article alone has about as many words as the rest of the entire Scene.

Corbett's — An American Place
Corbett's exudes excellence

Corbett's — An American Place
5050 Norton Healthcare Blvd.
(502) 327-5058

Nice review today! I really enjoyed reading the feature Voice Tribune article on the History of Casa and all the great people who came from such a grand place which brings me such very fond memories...always makes me happy when people succeed with a dream!

[Robin Garr]

Nice review today! I really enjoyed reading the feature Voice Tribune article on the History of Casa and all the great people who came from such a grand place which brings me such very fond memories...always makes me happy when people succeed with a dream!

That really was a good piece in The Voice! Food & Dining, in one of its earlier editions, had a somewhat similar story several years ago about the Casa heritage on the Louisville dining scene. Written by ... Marty!

I did think it a bit odd that he referred to Casa today as "continental," since the Gristantis were so proudly Italian, but I guess he's driving at the way that it evolved into something more upscale and worldly than the red-sauce pasta house that it started out as. (I would have called Sixth Avenue more of an aftershock than an epicenter, too, although it was also most excellent.)

Marty rather belatedly gets over to Corbett's ...

I think the timing of the review is fair. It gave Dean and the crew enough time to get the kinks worked out that are inevitable in any new operation. If I recall some of the very early reviews on this forum nitpicked service issues that were probably nothing more than a result of being so new.

I was one of those earlier "service nit-pickers," and I can't wait to get back to Corbett's to give them another go. I'm really pleased to see Marty crack into the four star territory. I wish he would do more reviews of the top tier spots, but I also understand the need for him to serve the CJ audience.

[Robin Garr]

I was one of those earlier "service nit-pickers," and I can't wait to get back to Corbett's to give them another go.

I don't entirely disagree, but something about the overall tone of Marty's review struck me as odd ... while I don't quibble too much with his waiting three months to go, it does seem to me that the story is written as though all this was fresh news. Certainly every "foodie" in town is well aware of Corbett's by now ... but maybe you're right, Scene's core audience probably isn't really the foodie crowd.

I agree, Robin - it was written as if it was still a very new concept. Maybe that is because the typical Scene audience member isn't rushing to get to a new white tablecloth spot? That sounds arrogant to me, but I'm just sayin' ....

Scene's core audience probably isn't really the foodie crowd.

I think this is true. It doesn't bother me that it's true, but that the CJ doesn't make much of an attempt to cultivate a foodie audience. Lisa Hornung at least admitted as much in regard to Velocity reviews.

Scene's core audience probably isn't really the foodie crowd.

I think this is true. It doesn't bother me that it's true, but that the CJ doesn't make much of an attempt to cultivate a foodie audience. Lisa Hornung at least admitted as much in regard to Velocity reviews.

Lisa said that the Velocity target audience was the younger people. I sometimes pick up the Velocity and it usually takes 15 minutes to read. Most of that time is spent turning pages. Of course I am nowhere their target audience in age. That doesn't mean that the CJ aims a LITTLE higher.

Nice review today! I really enjoyed reading the feature Voice Tribune article on the History of Casa and all the great people who came from such a grand place which brings me such very fond memories...always makes me happy when people succeed with a dream!

A bit off topic, but thanks for the tip about the Casa history. I enjoyed the learning.

I'm in their former building on East Liberty quite a bit working with New Directions Housing, the current occupants. I'm too young to have experienced the original restaurant but everyone who works there now still calls it the Casa and they keep a painted portrait of Albert Grisanti on the wall. Though not dining related, I hope it's nice to know good, community changing work is still going on there that's respectful of the place's history.

That is wonderful that they keep a portrait of Mr. Grisanti on the walls! I always felt so fancy and adult-like going to dinner at Casa's-we would come in usually with 8 kids strong plus Mom and Dad-always GREAT service even though since I was so young, I was not really experiencing the whole wonderment of the food and atmosphere--just making sure I had good manners so Dad would not get upset...Thanks Casa and past staff!

Scene's core audience probably isn't really the foodie crowd.

I think this is true. It doesn't bother me that it's true, but that the CJ doesn't make much of an attempt to cultivate a foodie audience. Lisa Hornung at least admitted as much in regard to Velocity reviews.

Lisa said that the Velocity target audience was the younger people. I sometimes pick up the Velocity and it usually takes 15 minutes to read. Most of that time is spent turning pages. Of course I am nowhere their target audience in age. That doesn't mean that the CJ aims a LITTLE higher.

This is what I was referring to:

My reviews are targeted to a younger audience who aren't foodies,

I think that Marty is definitely writing with an older audience in mind, but I still don't believe the Scene is geared toward foodies. Nor should it be. The C-J's mission when it comes to coverage of restaurants is much different than what we do here, and I don't mean that as a criticism. It can't be all things to all people.

Congrats Dean, Chris and crew. Awesome review and the Beard House in the same weekend!