Volare--whoa-oh-oh-oh!

My friend and I went to Volare for dinner Friday night. It was the first time I have ever been, and my Louisville Originals gift certificate was about to expire.

The meal was fabulous! I had the carpaccio, which was very tender and perfectly prepared, and came with shved cheese (asigo?), arugula, and capers. I had the soup of the day, which was a cream of mushroom with fried shallots, and it was so good I could have had 2 more bowls! The flavors worked really well together. For dinner, I had the osso buco--man, that marrow stuff is addictive! My friend had the veal saltimbocca with a side of pasta with vodka sauce--her dishes were also very delicious. Our server, Michal, was very accomodating and friendly.

We will definitely be going back!

Just an excellent restaurant that continues to improve in every way. Very smooth service, delicious, authentically prepared Italian food, an above average wine program. Really, for Italian fine dining there is no place else to go in the 'ville right now.

Just an excellent restaurant that continues to improve in every way. Very smooth service, delicious, authentically prepared Italian food, an above average wine program. Really, for Italian fine dining there is no place else to go in the 'ville right now.

I couldn't agree more. For the "white linen" Italian restaurant we have Volare. For family outings and a bit more informal I think you cannot go wrong with Mellilo's.

yes, Melillo's, Come Back Inn and a few others leap to mind for a more casual, family type Italian meal.

Absolutely. I forgot about the Come-Back. Although I'd put Michelle a step ahead for food and ambience. What about Primo's?

Primo is really in neither camp. It is not a family Italian red sauce joint like Mellilo's or Come Back, and it is not going for the white tablecloth, veal marsala experience of Volare. This is what I like about Primo so much; it fills a niche in the Louisville dining scene. You can go there and blow it out with a three course meal of Tuscan-influenced Italian cuisine, or two people could go in and do pizza and salad a bottle of wine from the list of wines for $20.

[Robin Garr]

Primo is really in neither camp. It is not a family Italian red sauce joint like Mellilo's or Come Back, and it is not going for the white tablecloth, veal marsala experience of Volare. This is what I like about Primo so much; it fills a niche in the Louisville dining scene. You can go there and blow it out with a three course meal of Tuscan-influenced Italian cuisine, or two people could go in and do pizza and salad a bottle of wine from the list of wines for $20.

I would also add that, as we were saying about its pizza, Primo is pretty serious about replicating serious Italian regional cuisine rather than all the usual Italian-American suspects.

do they really replicate regional Italian cuisine? the steak fiorentina isn't as much a replication...more an inspired by. I feel Primo, like most Italian - Italian/American restaurants in Louisville, offers food that is inspired by the regional cuisine - with the exception of their pizza. Volare comes closest to replicating the cuisine.

[Robin Garr]

do they really replicate regional Italian cuisine? the steak fiorentina isn't as much a replication...more an inspired by. I feel Primo, like most Italian - Italian/American restaurants in Louisville, offers food that is inspired by the regional cuisine - with the exception of their pizza. Volare comes closest to replicating the cuisine.

I like Volare a lot, too, but I'm not so sure I agree with this ... it seems to me that Volare presents a sort of idealized Italian cuisine that's popular in the US, but when I come back from Italy (where I just spent two weeks of eating and drinking way too much), I find that the dishes at Primo seem more like what I've been experiencing than do those at any of our other Italian spots.

do they really replicate regional Italian cuisine? the steak fiorentina isn't as much a replication...more an inspired by. I feel Primo, like most Italian - Italian/American restaurants in Louisville, offers food that is inspired by the regional cuisine - with the exception of their pizza. Volare comes closest to replicating the cuisine.

That's not been my experience. I think Volare is excellent. But, I think it is doing the type of high-end Italian-American cuisine that has been a hallmark of Italian fine dining in this country.

Primo, on the other hand, is doing something totally different. From the wine list to the cuisine, it is much more authentic in terms of replicating the cuisine of Italy and not really doing the Italian-American thing. The winelist alone shows you just how intent Primo is on providing an authentic Italian experience.

Again, I don't think one type of cuisine is superior, just different. The kitchen at Volare is turning out some amazing food, and I have loved my meals there.

I really can't agree with lumping Primo together with other Italian-American restaurants in Louisville like Lentini's, Ferd Grisanti's, Bucca di Beppo, etc.

Don't forget Porcini's

It is very hard for me to drive past Volare in order to dine at Porcini's.

amy lyons wrote:
do they really replicate regional Italian cuisine? the steak fiorentina isn't as much a replication...more an inspired by. I feel Primo, like most Italian - Italian/American restaurants in Louisville, offers food that is inspired by the regional cuisine - with the exception of their pizza. Volare comes closest to replicating the cuisine.

I most recently joined and this is my first posting but I have been a lurking ghost to this wonderful site for a very long time and have quite enjoyed the commentary and reading posts from such a diverse group of those who enjoy the experiences of all types of dining. This one post caught my eye and having worked with Bim Dietrich at Primo I actually became immersed in almost everything Italian and trust me, in the beginning we had to dive into the food, beautiful wines and language. Being a little bit of a history buff as well I wanted to comment on a posting about the steak fiorentina; Italian translation Bistecca alla Fiorentina which is probably one of Tuscany's most famous dishes with the one difference that it traditionally uses Chianina Beef and is always served rare. With Primo's new weekly menu I feel that Bim Dietrich and Chef Michael Hargrove catch the essence of traditional Italian cuisine and for the love of life in wine creates an experience that for those seeking something different and a trip to another country without leaving their own city; it is unforgettable.