CJ loves the English Grill, but loses its fourth star

[Robin Garr]

It appears that Marty had a wondrous time at the Brown Hotel's English Grill, although local-restaurant statistics-followers will be intrigued to note that he gave it a 3 1/2 star rating. I believe this is the first time in many years that the CJ has bestowed less than four stars on either the Brown's or the Seelbach's flagship restaurants.

Frankly, it's hard to tell from the narrative just where this pricey old landmark fell short of its fourth star (he gives it a 3 1/2 rating at the end of a glowing, full-length 593-word review). The only slightly negative note that I could find was an appropriate swipe at the "outrageous" pricing for his wine selections by the glass. (Personally, I think he doubly erred there, selecting two glasses that came close to the price of a modest bottle <i>and</i> choosing suprisingly pedestrian items.) On the whole, though, it's a highly positive review of what was clearly an excellent dining experience.

He does go on a bit about the eatery's "Southern" charm, perhaps for the entertainment of Derby visitors. I think he missed an opportunity to take note of a more interesting development: Over the past year or so, both the English Grill and the Seelbach's Oakroom have distinctly moved <i>away</i> from upscale Southern-influenced cuisine favor of much more international bills of fare. At the risk of starting another of <i>those</i> long threads, I've never really seen the benefit of the city's top tables putting on an affected drawl and purporting to be more Southern than we really are.

[url=http://cityguide.courier-journal.com/fe/RestaurantReviews/Profile.asp?businessid=46856]In safe hands
English Grill is still bold, promising and full of Southern warmth[/url]

<b>The English Grill</b>
The Brown Hotel
335 W. Broadway
(502) 583-1234
http://www.brownhotel.com/dining.php3

A generous pork chop ($24) on the bone was grilled to a fine pink color and served with firm lentils, a vibrant tomato ragout and crisp green haricots verts.

But hints of apple cider brine and a dollop of mustard seed chutney added little to a dish that lapsed into dullness.

It's like his 610 Magnolia review. At a restaurant like this, anything less than perfection is 3.5 stars.

[Robin Garr]

It's like his 610 Magnolia review. At a restaurant like this, anything less than perfection is 3.5 stars.

Okay, good catch. I read right past that.

It's exactly this kind of issue, though, that prompted me to go over to a more nuanced 100-point scale, in which a score between 90 and 100 maps to an "A" grade, the equivalent of four stars. It opens up the field a little more and doesn't penalize the very, very good by denying them an accolade reserved for perfection, an essentially unattainable goal.

The only negative I found was this about his porkchop:

But hints of apple cider brine and a dollop of mustard seed chutney added little to a dish that lapsed into dullness.

[Robin Garr]

The only negative I found was this about his porkchop:

But hints of apple cider brine and a dollop of mustard seed chutney added little to a dish that lapsed into dullness.

That, and his correct "outrageous" comment about the wine-by-the-glass pricing.

Assuming that the CJ's policy is to reserve the fourth star for absolute flawless perfection, then it's a fair rating. But even the top table in town can't hit perfection every night, so as I said in the other post, I'm more comfortable with a rating system that divides restaurants into four broader categories, reserving the top ("A" or 90-100) score for restaurants of real excellence rather than demanding the nearly-impossible and then throwing all the rest into a second-tier category.

I've never really seen the benefit of the city's top tables putting on an affected drawl and purporting to be more Southern than we really are.

At what "top tables" are the drawls affected?

I've never really seen the benefit of the city's top tables putting on an affected drawl and purporting to be more Southern than we really are.

At what "top tables" are the drawls affected?

I can't say I've been to them all, but I've dined at Z's, Vincenzo's, Cafe Metro, the Oakroom, the English Grill, Jeff Ruby's, Ruth's Chris and Proof and haven't heard the alleged affected drawl. I am wondering what top tables in town are guilty of such a travesty.

By the way, I can see awarding the English Grill 3.5 stars based on what Marty wrote about his experience. A great score, but I'm sure not what the English Grill would've liked to have seen.

[Robin Garr]

At what "top tables" are the drawls affected?

Mainly, as I said, both the Oakroom and the English Grill before they both moved back to a more international bill of fare. Limestone still does it.

"Affected drawl" was poetic license, but it still goes back to the same ongoing debate: It's funny when restaurants in Louisville position themselves as "Southern" by offering sophisticated variations on country fare that most people who grew up in the city never ate. It's like a Lake Forest suburbanite mounting a Confederate Battle Flag license plate on the front of his Escalade.

It's like a Lake Forest suburbanite mounting a Confederate Battle Flag license plate on the front of his Escalade.

What a great visual, Robin.

As in

"Middle Eastern Polenta with Smoked Sea Salt Duck Breast served on a bed of Kentucky Bibb Lettuce with a red eye gravy reduction"?

or


"Wutch y'all drinkin' tonight, Hon?"

Fortunately, I keep my feathers numbered for just such an occasion.

Very funny! And a perfect example as well.

There's not enough foghorn leghorn references in this world. Thank you.
b

[Robin Garr]

As in

"Middle Eastern Polenta with Smoked Sea Salt Duck Breast served on a bed of Kentucky Bibb Lettuce with a red eye gravy reduction"?

Egg-ZACK-ly!

"Wutch y'all drinkin' tonight, Hon?"

That'll do it, too.

Another question about the review--Isn't "red capsicum peppers" redundant?

[Robin Garr]

Anotheer question about the review--Isn't "red capsicum peppers" redundant?

Sort of ... more to the point, it's awfully obscure. If I were the editor, I'd have changed it to "red bell peppers" (assuming that's what he meant).