Hello again. You might remember me from a post I made a short while ago. My wife and I were traveling from Maine to Louisville, and I asked for restaurant recommendations. We've been there and back and I thought you might like a view of Louisville eats from a traveler's perspective.
First off, I have to say that everybody we met in your city was kind and friendly. From the staff at the hotel and restaurants to the folks in the shops, we felt welcome from the beginning of our trip to the end.
The response to my original post was overwhelming. Suggestions ranged from the simple to fancy and all points in between. I compiled the resulting list into a spreadsheet, making a note of the number of times a restaurant was suggested. We used this list as a general guide, but the final decision had as much to do with where we ended up when we were hungry. With one exception we were walk-ins without reservations, though this didn't seem to pose a problem at all.
Cafe Lou Lou – The first stop on our visit, and a true pleasure. We ordered the baked brie and chutney with pita points special for a shared appetizer. Barbara ordered a Cobb salad for her main course, and I had the Penne pasta with chicken and mushrooms in a sundried tomato alfredo sauce. This was all washed down with a couple of BBC beers. Although my pasta entree was a half order, I ended up packing a third of that in a doggie bag. For dessert we shared bananas foster bread pudding. This creative combo was tasty, and left us sorry we didn't get to meet its creator. Seth was our server here, and he provided attentive service without hovering.
Havana Rumba – My sister and her beau drove down from Indy on Saturday and joined us for lunch here. Among the four of us we ordered the Vaca Frita (shredded beef grilled until crispy with bell peppers, onions, garlic and lime juice), the grilled grouper filet sandwich, and Havana Rumba hot press Cuban bread sandwich. Once again, everything was cooked to perfection, and the fried sweet potatoes were a real treat. Our server Hector delivered the dishes in a friendly and punctual manner.
Sweet Surrender – After walking off our Cuban lunch on the chilly waterfront, we headed to this home of decedent treats. The four of us surrendered to three pieces of heaven, including chocolate caramel cake, oreo cake, and yellow cake with citrus frosting. The cakes were wonderful; sweet without being too much so, and chased down with a glass of cold milk.
Lynn's Paradise Cafe – Sunday morning found us searching out a place to catch some breakfast before we checked out some of Louisville's homes for sale by way of open houses. This place was the eclectic trip, just as advertised. The kitch is a welcome change from the norm, but most of all the food was great. Barbara ordered a frittata with cheese grits, and I had the Kentucky scramble. We waddled out of there fully satisfied that we would have no problem skipping our next meal. Since we arrived at prime time for a Sunday breakfast there was a small wait for a table, but once seated our service was fast and the food was hot.
el Nopalito – Sunday evening found us jonesing for some spicey heat, so we found ourselves at this Mexican restaurant on the east side, though it was not one of your suggestions. We both ordered chile rellenos combos. The sauce was a bit thin for my taste, but the food was good and very reasonably priced. Service here was quick and our food arrived hot.
Uptown Cafe – We were joined here for lunch on Monday by one of this board's regulars, Dan Thomas. Barbara decided to take a chance and order the Hot Brown (when in Rome, after all...). She christened it very satisfying and wouldn't have a problem ordering it again. I was in the mood for a burger so I ordered the Uptown, served on an English muffin – this hit the spot for me, especially accompanied by the BBC lager. I didn't catch our server's name, but he was attentive and did his job well. The high point of this meal for us was meeting Dan, who gave us an insider's view of Louisville and the surrounding area. His information was very helpful, and it was nice of him to take time out of his day off to meet a couple of pale strangers from the frozen northeast. It's clear he's truly a Nice Guy, and we understand he plays a mean guitar.
Jack Fry's – This was the only disappointment of our dining experience in Louisville. This Louisville dining institution was just okay. Though it's obvious that this restaurant is designed to have a clubby atmosphere, it seemed somehow dingy and time-worn. That our tablecloth had a hole in it didn't help this perception. Our Stilton and hearts of palm salads were a fine starter, but the entrees were met with mixed reviews. Barbara ordered the NY strip with poblano peppers, which was served up with sugar snap peas. The steak was cooked as ordered, but peppers did not offer a sufficient amount of zip, and the sugar snap peas were kind of brown. I had the pork chop served with a medley of roasted new potatoes, asparagus, apple smoked bacon, garlic and shiitakes. The chop was good, though I was hard pressed to find anything besides potatoes in the medley. Service here was very good, though it did not make up for the shortcomings with the food.
Wild Eggs – Our last full day in Louisville found us here for breakfast. This establishment is bright and cheery, a perfect atmosphere for breakfast. I ordered the mushroom and garlic scramble, and my sweetie had the chorizo omlette. Both dishes were a delicious start to our day, if a bit average. The muffins that came with our meals were a pleasant addition though, and service was flawless.
Equus – For our last dinner in town we decided to try the Tuesday special tasting menu for April here. This was certainly one of the high points of our dining experience. The six courses showed off great creativity and style, without becoming overly pretentious. Since it's all about the food for us, we were pleased to find the perfect balance of presentation and taste. Besides the food, the ambiance in their dining room was wonderful. The staff, led by our server Allan was highly skilled at their craft. They provided a friendly welcome, patiently answering all questions, and kept the service moving, though not rushed in the least. The wine selection was extensive, and we chose a Shiraz that complemented the meal. If you haven't tried this special menu, run, don't walk.
So there you go. Besides our positive dining experience, we were able to see a good bit of what your city has to offer as a place to live (it was a busy five days), and have come away fully impressed. Louisville offers lots of attractions, but the people truly make the place.
