Fringe vs. Edge

What restaurants do you think are on the fringe vs. being on the edge?

To define, I am talking about acceptability into the mainstream. The edge would be 'the next thing,' the fringe is the next couple generations of culinary thought, right or wrong.

Well.... that guy at the state fair with "gizzards on a stick" was pretty fringy.

Well.... that guy at the state fair with "gizzards on a stick" was pretty fringy.

Were they fried (OK, that might be redundant for State Fair Food)? I love me some battered & fried gizzards!

Oh yeah, DEEP fried. What was it about putting them on a stick that made me wince?

Oh yeah, DEEP fried. What was it about putting them on a stick that made me wince?

Maybe it looked like something Vlad the Impaler would serve for hors d'oeuvres?

LOL! Real L!

I can't think of a single example of either "fringe" or "edge" in Louisville. Which isn't to say that there aren't some excellent places here, just that there's not the kind of culinary innovation that you'd find in, say, New York or Barcelona (and that is not a complaint).

It seems to me that certain restaurants were "edge" when they first arrived in Louisville, because there was nothing else like them in the city (or anywhere all that close, really). The city surely had not seen anything like Jicama when it hit the scene, and Asiatique is another example. Now those places (Jicama in its Seviche reincaration), while fantastic and among the best tables in the city, have become part of the scene and don't seem quite so edge anymore.

That being said, I can't think of anything in the city would be considered "edge" or "fringe" by occupants of cities like New York or LA.

Speaking of Asiatique - I snacked on the salmon and goat cheese quesadilla Saturday night at Lounge A. So so good.

[Robin Garr]

I'd say Edward Lee at 610 Magnolia is capable of edgy stuff, if not fringy, particularly at his special events. I'm kind of inclined to agree that fringy is a little too close to the brink for long-term success in Louisville. Even when the Oakroom guys were doing foams, I know there was a lot of excitement there, but they were pretty well behind the bigger cities even if they did put some new spins on it.

What restaurants do you think are on the fringe vs. being on the edge?

To define, I am talking about acceptability into the mainstream. The edge would be 'the next thing,' the fringe is the next couple generations of culinary thought, right or wrong.

Wow, that is a great question considering that fine dining establishments are dropping like "leaves after the first frost"

It takes a lot to build a rapport with a customer base and for the most part..Louisville is not quite on the cutting edge mainly because of the dining public's perception of what they think a "Great Meal" is...

I'm not saying that there isn't a "Foodie" crowd here..But if you're in The BIZZ you gotta cater to the crowd and most of the time in our fair city it is the lowest common denominator.

There is a fine line with Quality, Quantity, Service and Overall Atmosphere that most of us(Including myself) have yet to figure out....

An edgy dish for most folks in this town would be something like a "Deconstructed Hot Brown" ..Simply laying all of the elements on a platter(House smoked turkey, Grafton sharp Cheddar, Gettlefinger Farms Heirloom Tomato, crispy Father's Bacon and a toasted round of Blue Dog Levain surrounded by a little reduced cream with a touch of freshly shaved nutmeg)

Now,I just described a dish that should cost at least $22.00....
But how many of the locals would ACTUALLY pay for it? especially when you can go to several other places and just get a "Hot Brown"....Edgy maybe..On the Fringe definitely not