New to Louisville

We are new to Louisville from Milwaukee and are on a restaurant safari. We have enjoyed some and experienced:
Proof - High style and raging scene
Avalon - Fun bar and excellent food especially the rib appetizer
Equus - Nice Southern cooking but actually enjoyed Jacks better
Blue Dog Bakery - Great spot and we love Frankfort Ave.
Jack Fry's - We go about twice a week and have not had a bad meal.
L & N Wine Bar - Great wine selection and surprisingly good food
Limestone - What a disappointment! Mediocre food, pretentious wine presentation and Ramada Inn decor. Are we missing something since this chef gets rave reviews?
North End Cafe - Great for breakfast but weak lunch selections
Toast - Fabulous for breakfast and brunch
Pat's Steak House - I expected better steaks. Perhaps I have been spoiled by Milwaukee
Z's Oyster Bar and Steakhouse - The Rib Eye was great but the New York Strip mediocre
Porcini - My wife is Italian and we are hard to please. I liked the bar scene more then the food.
Uptown Cafe - Great desserts and a perfect lunch spot
Vincenzos - I loved it but my wife felt it was just too classic and not creative enough
Cafe Metro - I did not enjoy the atmosphere. The food was okay.
Varanese - We went to a great wine dinner there last night and have enjoyed this place tremendously.
Selenas - We love this little place out in Anchorage. It reminds me of Wisconsin.

Questions:
Are there any spots that we call "supper clubs" in Wisconsin? These are unpretentious restaurants that serve simple but good American fare. Usually they are out in the country.

Where do the hipsters that frequent Proof go besides Proof? We have not seen artsy people anywhere else.

Where can we find gourmet groceries other then Jerrys, Lotsa Patsa, and Whole Foods?

We know no one in town and need to make friends. Are there any food or wine clubs to join?

Thank you for any help you can provide.

Phil

Phil, come to this viewtopic.php?f=3&t=5406 and you will instantly make 2 dozen new friends. Glad to have you aboard and I am sure you'll receive many replies to your post. Welcome to the Ville.

Welcome to Louisville!!!! I've always been a big Brewer fan, and try to make it upthere once or twice a year. One thing you'll enjoy is that the weather is better hear and the food is definately a lot better. Enjoy River City!!

Welcome to the area.

In regards to the supper clubs, I do not know of anything around here similar to what they have in Wisconsin. My wife's family is from the Green Bay area, and I was introduced to the supper club concept on one of my first visits up there. Great home-style cooking, relatively cheap, and a very laid-back family friendly atmosphere. Frank's Steak House in Jeffersonville, was the closest example of that style that I remember, but they sadly went out of business last year. I'm sure some of the foodies on the forum can help out with other places in the area based on the description/example I gave.

Edit: One quick one I thought of, when I re-read your post. The out in the country reminded me of this, but the Huber Family restaurant up in Starlight, Indiana is very similar to the supper clubs in Wisconsin. You can order meals, or get things family style. Great country cooking. Not as reasonable as the supper clubs we went to in the great white north, but excellent food, nonetheless.

Thank you for all your responses. Any help is appreciated. Being new to a city creates a multitude of issues. Thanks again

I moved here from Kenosha in 1988. My husband, a Chicago native, and I have a little Italian place you might enjoy. It's Italian-American Pub food. I am usually hostessing and my husband Mark is always behind the bar. Please come by for a bite and introduce yourselves.
Regards,
Gena Wagner
Come Back Inn
909 Swan Street
40204
(google map it, it's not the easiest of places to find)

Phil, go to Come Back Inn. You will not regret that you did. One of my fave places in the Ville.

Phil,

Welcome to Louisville and to the Forum!

There is a dining club called Bon Vivant Savant- the owner/organizer Jo posts on here sometimes. Their website is: http://www.bonvivantsavant.com. There is also a local chapter of AIWF, but they unfortunatelty seem to have become a lot less active.
For Groceries- Doll's, and Pauls's Produce on 22 has a great selection of gourmet foods. If you are into cooking, you have to make a trip to Creation Gardens ( downtown)- they sell to many of the top restaurants you named and also sell retail. Also, there used to be this great litle place out on the East End called " Gourmet for Everyone'...But that's another story...

Lots more wonderful places to add to your list; these come immediately to mind:
Seviche- a "must visit". They also host monthly Latin Wine/Food dinners each featuring the foods/wines of a different Latin country- they might be a good way to meet "like-minded" people.
Volare
Corbett's
Mojitos
Z's Fusion
Artemesia
Lilly's
Meridian Cafe ( breakfast or lunch)
Cafe Lou Lou
Comeback Inn
The Oakroom
Jeff Ruby's ( best Steak in town in my opinion- I never "got" Pat's; I've been told it's a Louisville thing)
Captain's Quarters Riverside Grille
Carly Rae's

Deb

Welcome to Louisville, Phil....looks like you've already visited a representative sampling of Louisville's finest, and there have been many other suggestions, but here are a couple more.....if you enjoy Oriental cuisine, you might visit "Vietnam Kitchen" (Vietnamese) along with "Sesame" and "Tea Station Chinese Bistro" (both Chinese)....for a taste of some down home country cookin', try "Our Best Restaurant"....there are locations in Louisville and just across the river in Southern Indiana, but the original is in Smithfield, KY (located Henry County, NE of Louisville)....it's a bit of a drive, but if you're looking to get out one Sunday and see some of the countryside, it's worth the trip.

I always like to throw in (and feel it gets unfairly overlooked often here) Club Grotto on Bardstown Road.

I ditto Brad on Club Grotto- (though I admit I haven't been there for years).

Deb

Welcome Phil, it's great fun learning the ville's food scene. I moved here 4 years ago and did just about the same tour you just described.
I second Deb's suggestion of Seviche- really interesting flavors and combinations.
Also Basa on Frankfort- delicious Asian-Fusion and often overlooked. They are opening a new place on Market Street soon.
Maido, also on Frankfort, is a traditional Japanese sake bar with a large selection of beers and wonderful little dishes and sushi.
Please say hi when you visit Jack's.

Some other places not to be overlooked are Shiraz, Bombay Grill, Al Watan, Chicago Gyro, Safier and the taco trailer in Lyndon. These are all very casual places but sure do hit the spot. Here are 2 links to restaurant menus you may find handy.
http://www.louisvillediner.com/
http://menusoflouisville.com/default.aspx

Gary beat me to Basa! lol

May I also point out Red Pepper.

Perhaps some river dining: Kingfish is a Louisville staple. So is Captain's Quarter's. I haven't been there myself, but Rivue provides a nice view of the river as well. Speaking of atmosphere, Lynn's hasn't disappointed me as well...

Another overlooked spot: 211 Clover Ln.

And have we mentioned 610 Magnolia?

I have a question for you....
Will you adopt me? hahaha