If you could only have 4 meals..

I am coming to Louisville this weekend which affords me the opportunity to sample some of your fine restaurants. If you could only have four meals: two lunches, two dinners, where would you go? Oh, and they should feature ethnic cuisine.

Thanks in advance..
JuliaB

I am coming to Louisville this weekend which affords me the opportunity to sample some of your fine restaurants. If you could only have four meals: two lunches, two dinners, where would you go? Oh, and they should feature ethnic cuisine.

Thanks in advance..
JuliaB

Ethnic ? You can get "ethnic" anywhere. I'd suggest trying some of the awesome regional dishes KY is known for. Country Ham, KY Hot Brown, Barbecue, Shrimp and Grits, Green River style Fish, Fried Oysters, Anything with Bourbon in it, etc, etc.

Very tough question. For one lunch I would have to say go Indian, and on the weekends Bombay Grill has the most authentically spiced cuisine around. I'm totally with Annemarie on that.

For one dinner, you have to go to Havana Rumba. It is absolutely the best Cuban I have ever had, and that includes a couple of places in Southern Florida.

If price isn't a concern at all, you should hit up 610 Magnolia for a dinner. They try to work with local goods as much as possible, and Chef Lee was recently featured in a 15 page spread that Gourmet Magazine published last month. However their prix fixe meal is (I believe) $75, so it is really on the expensive side.

A slightly less pricey dinner is to be had at Proof on Main. They try to utilize local ingredients as well, and the restaurant/hotel doubles as a gallery of modern art. Definitely worth checking out.

For the other lunch I'll have to suggest New Albanian's Bank Street Brewhouse (across the river) if you are a beer person at all. This is Roger Baylor's new Belgian-style brasserie in downtown New Albany and, once again, they seek to be locavores and use ingredients produced nearby. The pommes frittes and mussels are phenomenal. If you're a hop head, you should really try Hoptimus, but all of the beers are great and the staff is knowledgeable. At this location he features only his own beer, which is brewed on site. They also have the Sunday, Bloody Sunday Bloody Mary bar open on (you guessed it) Sunday if you're not a beer person.

Also, if you are a beer person, you should head over to Sergio's World Beer downtown. He has over 1000 beers available, and he has a wider breadth of beer knowledge than any other person I know. He also features a lot of beers on tap that aren't sold as such anywhere else near here. (Examples include the Duchesse de Bourgogne, Dogfish Head's Midas Touch, Chimay Blanc, and Tripel Karmeliet)

Hope that helps, and let us know where you go!

Also, where are my manners? Welcome to the forum Juila! From whence do you hail, and what perchance brings you to our fair hamlet?

Alright, that was a bit over the top even for me! Regardless, I am interested in where you're from, what brings you here, and how you found us? (LHB that is)

Vietnam Kitchen
Las Gorditas
Palermo Viejo
Red Pepper

Captains Quarters - Brunch on the River
Bourbons Bistro - Dinner followed by a flight of top shelf Bourbons
Lynns Paradise Cafe - Quirky Breakfast spot
Brown Hotel - Classy

Corbett's for lunch or dinner
Seviche for dinner
Mojito's for lunch
Volare for dinner
Mayan Cafe for lunch or dinner
Jack Fry's for dinner

Ethnic options:
Vietnam Kitchen
Red Pepper (Chinese)
Dakshin (Indian)
Las Gorditas (Mexican Street Food) as a snack between meals or for the ride home.

I can eat more than one lunch or dinner a day.

Mayan Cafe
Palermo Viejo
Red Pepper

A number of options after that including Indian (Kashmir, Bombay), Vietnam Kitchen, Havana Rumba and other ethnic joints. I'd go for something local though. I think Limestone does an interesting take on Southern fine dining comfort food. Not to knock the local Indian places, but you can get "that" anywhere. I'd go ethic Kentucky with Limestone.

Or go get a Hot Brown...

For first day lunch. The buffet at Shalimar is top notch and has more choices than most other Indian restaurants.
For dinner I would suggest Equus, Jack Fry's, Z's Fusion or Varenese. Any of these would be a great place for a nice dinner if you don't mind spending a little.
For second day lunch, you really can't do better than Havana Rumba. It should be on your "Must Have" list while you are here.
For your second day dinner, I would suggest something more casual. Cafe Lou Lou, Uptown Cafe, Avalon, Bristol or Bourbon's Bistro would all be great choices.
Any of these establishments would show how lucky we are to have so many GOOD restaurants in this city.
This list is by no means complete. But If I was showing off what we have to offer to out of town guests, I would have no reservations about taking them to any of these establishments.

Wow! Robin told me that this group could steer me in the right direction, he wasn't kidding! Thank you all for your responses. It is abundantly clear that 4 meals is just not enough; guess we'll have to return another weekend.

The short list for now includes Havana Rumba, Seviche, Brown's for hot browns (maybe), and..aaaaauuugh, only one spot left! Decisions, decisions...

I'll report back. I greatly appreciate your input.
Cheers!
JuliaB

Also, where are my manners? Welcome to the forum Juila! From whence do you hail, and what perchance brings you to our fair hamlet?

Alright, that was a bit over the top even for me! Regardless, I am interested in where you're from, what brings you here, and how you found us? (LHB that is)

HI Paul,
Thanks for the welcome and the info. I live in a small town 25 miles north of Dayton, Ohio..a barren wasteland for restaurants. Our dining choices range from McDonalds to Red Lobster..yes, I said "range". That's it. So, in response to Steve's "you can get ethnic anywhere" um, well..yes, there is Taco Bell. This is an especially sad predicament for us, as we are foodies.

My husband and 25 year old son will be attending some gun show at the convention center, which is the primary reason we're coming down. The secondary reason is to go to some museums and of course, EAT! I will looking for something to keep me busy while they are at the gun show...maybe scouting out the next restaurant?

Thanks again for the welcome and wealth of information!
JuliaB

For the other lunch I'll have to suggest New Albanian's Bank Street Brewhouse (across the river) if you are a beer person at all. This is Roger Baylor's new Belgian-style brasserie in downtown New Albany and, once again, they seek to be locavores and use ingredients produced nearby. The pommes frittes and mussels are phenomenal. If you're a hop head, you should really try Hoptimus, but all of the beers are great and the staff is knowledgeable. At this location he features only his own beer, which is brewed on site. They also have the Sunday, Bloody Sunday Bloody Mary bar open on (you guessed it) Sunday if you're not a beer person.

Also, if you are a beer person, you should head over to Sergio's World Beer downtown. He has over 1000 beers available, and he has a wider breadth of beer knowledge than any other person I know. He also features a lot of beers on tap that aren't sold as such anywhere else near here. (Examples include the Duchesse de Bourgogne, Dogfish Head's Midas Touch, Chimay Blanc, and Tripel Karmeliet)

Hope that helps, and let us know where you go!

Paul,
I'm more of a wine person, but the rest of the fam are serious about their micro and import brews. I will thank you in their behalf for this little nugget!

JuliaB

Havana Rumba
Rivue
Sunday Brunch at the Oak Room
Blackstone in Prospect

For the other lunch I'll have to suggest New Albanian's Bank Street Brewhouse (across the river) if you are a beer person at all. This is Roger Baylor's new Belgian-style brasserie in downtown New Albany and, once again, they seek to be locavores and use ingredients produced nearby. The pommes frittes and mussels are phenomenal. If you're a hop head, you should really try Hoptimus, but all of the beers are great and the staff is knowledgeable. At this location he features only his own beer, which is brewed on site. They also have the Sunday, Bloody Sunday Bloody Mary bar open on (you guessed it) Sunday if you're not a beer person.

Also, if you are a beer person, you should head over to Sergio's World Beer downtown. He has over 1000 beers available, and he has a wider breadth of beer knowledge than any other person I know. He also features a lot of beers on tap that aren't sold as such anywhere else near here. (Examples include the Duchesse de Bourgogne, Dogfish Head's Midas Touch, Chimay Blanc, and Tripel Karmeliet)

Hope that helps, and let us know where you go!

Paul,
I'm more of a wine person, but the rest of the fam are serious about their micro and import brews. I will thank you in their behalf for this little nugget!

JuliaB

L&N Wine Bar for dinner, since you are a wine person.
Vietnam Kitchen is semi-close to the gun show.
Havana Rumba
Richos/Sportstime - Pizza and beer

I live in a small town 25 miles north of Dayton, Ohio..a barren wasteland for restaurants.
JuliaB

Troy? Piqua? Those are my first two guesses, based on your geographical description.

I graduated from UD 5 years ago. Have some friends growing families in the Troy area. That area might be a wasteland, but it's got nothing on areas north (all the way to BG) and west (like Delphos, an old weekend stomping ground of mine).

I think you'll be happy with the restaurant selection in Louisville. As you said, you'll just have to make a return trip. It's not a bad drive, as long as you miss the Cincy/NKY traffic! Safe travels...