LEO's Eats with Louisville HotBytes.com(By Paige Moore-Heavin. LEO photo by Ron Jasin)
The top current food trend can be summed up in one word: local. The Obamas have planted a garden at the White House. Farmers markets are all the rage. Even big chain groceries spotlight a bit of local produce.
In 2009, farming is cool.
"Animal, Vegetable, Miracle," Barbara Kingsolver's account of eating homegrown and regionally produced food, has gotten me on the local bandwagon, too. Enter The White Oak, now open in the East Market Street space formerly occupied by Artemisia. Chef and co-owner Allen Heintzman (who was chef at Artemisia from 2005 to 2008) said on LouisvilleHotBytes.com that the restaurant would feature "Kentucky comfort food" and "almost 100 percent local" ingredients. Locavore and progressive, like many of you, I had to check it out.
The long, narrow main dining room has undergone more than just a name change. Gone are the dark red walls, replaced with lighter colors, soft yellow and fresh green tones that complement the works of local artists on the walls. Like to eat al fresco? The shady patio remains an option.
My friend Jennifer and I chose a booth in the main dining room, and our server, Carrie, promptly described the evening's five featured side dishes and answered our questions. She was well informed about the menu, preparation methods and the chef's vision. She described how Heintzman, a transplant from New Orleans, aimed to combine his appreciation of French cuisine with down-home Kentucky country cooking.
Read the full review online. Because there's an apostrophe in the review URL, this link takes you to an entry page from which you have to click through to get to the full report on the LEO Website:
http://www.leoweekly.com/dining
Alternatively, read it at this link on
LouisvilleHotBytes.com.
The White Oak at Artemisia Gallery
620 E. Market St.
583-4177
Rating: 90 points