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MEDMEN
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Fantasy Restaurant Draft
Whiskey Row Resurrection
Vinyl’s New Grooves
THE
FANTASY RESTAURANT DRAFT
TEAM
Inglorious
Gastronomes
Duley Louisville Magazine
TEAM OWNER Melissa
associate editor and editor of EATS
Michelin Stars
Stephen Hacker Louisville
Magazine food critic
Round 1 1. Proof on Main
2. Rye
Round 2 10. Hammerheads
9. Blue Dog Bakery
Round 3 11. Wiltshire on Market
12. Eiderdown
Round 4 20. 211 Clover Lane
19. Roots
Round 5 21. Decca
22. NamNam Cafe
Round 6 30. Dragon King’s Daughter
29. Anchorage Cafe
Round 7 31. Lilly’s
32. Coals Artisan Pizza
Round 8 40. Volare
39. Jasmine
Round 9 41. Sari Sari
42. Doc Crow’s
Round 10 50. Silver Dollar
[4 4 ] LOUISVILLE MAGAZINE 8.12
49. Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse
Photos by Nicholas Karem and Ted Tarquinio
Huddle up.
How do you combine restaurants and football in a way that interests both foodies and pigskin fans? Easy
—let Shawn Ward, the chef at Jack Fry’s, spike a head of lettuce on a football field. OK, let us back up. This
past March, five editors and contributors holed up in a conference room for Louisville Magazine’s inaugural
(and extremely opinionated) fantasy restaurant draft to determine the city’s top 50 places to eat. Why the
lead time? Research (that is, going to these places so each writer could comment on his or her team of 10)
takes time.
Go ahead and skip to the next paragraph if you play fantasy football. For the rest of you, here’s how it
worked: Every local restaurant — instead of football players — was up for grabs. We drew names out of a
hat (OK, a cup) to see who had the first-overall pick, the second, on down through five. This was the draft
order. We reversed that order each round so the person with the last pick in the first round wasn’t always
getting the short end of the stick.
As you can imagine, many great spots went undrafted. There was no lollygagging allowed, so chalk
some of that up to draft-day nerves and hurried decisions. But only some. Because frankly, there’s just too
much amazing dining in this town to include everybody. Oh, and one more thing:
Hut-hut! Eat!
From left: Chefs William Tyler Morris of Rye, Brian Morgan of Eiderdown, Coby Ming of Harvest, Chase Mucerino of Hammerheads,
Adam Burress of Hammerheads, Anthony Lamas of Seviche and Shawn Ward of Jack Fry’s.
Busboys and Poets
Appetizer Freak
Microwave Nachos
Zach Everson Louisville.com
Mary Welp Louisville Magazine
Josh Moss Louisville
3. Blind Pig
4. Basa
5. Jack Fry’s
8. Le Relais
7. La Bodega
6. Harvest
13. Seviche
14. Mayan Cafe
15. El Mundo
18. 610 Magnolia
17. Queen of Sheba
16. Hillbilly Tea
23. Palermo Viejo
24. Mojito
25. Holy Grale
28. De la Torre’s
27. Vietnam Kitchen
26. Havana Rumba
33. Garage Bar
34. Majid’s
35. Maido
38. The English Grill
37. Caffe Classico
36. Le Gallo Rosso
43. Oishii Sushi
44.Taco Punk
45.Toast
48. Wagner’s Pharmacy
47. Simply Thai
46. Papalinos
editor
“Dine In” columnist
Magazine managing editor
8.12 LOUISVILLE MAGAZINE [ 4 5 ]
TOP FREE AGENTS
Inglorious Gastronomes
La Coop (732 E. Market St.)
Guaca Mole
(9921 Ormsby Station Road)
Bluegrass Burgers
(3334 Frankfort Ave.)
1 Proof on Main
I was blinded by thoughts of the octopus bagna cauda
appetizer (garlic and lime elevate this dish to a sublime
level), rarified cocktails (bartenders concoct them with
seasonal ingredients) and art (honestly, sometimes it
makes me feel icky — looking at you, Anthony Goicolea).
But Proof always brings it’s A game and rarely misses
with a solid playbook of expertly executed, ahead-of-thetrend dishes. I made the pick before chef Michael Paley
announced he was leaving. Pressure’s on, new guy. (702
W. Main St.)
— Melissa Duley
2 Rye
Young, fresh, full of energy — Rye is the blue-chip rookie
who could be the cornerstone of my championship franchise, with the skills to back up the attitude. Strong in
just about every position, from bar snacks to dessert,
the kitchen effortlessly cranks out highlight-reel-worthy
efforts such as Salt of the Earth, a chocolate cream
pudding with salted caramel and potato-coffee crunch.
Score. (900 E. Market St.)
— Stephen Hacker
3 Blind Pig
Serve me this Butchertown gastropub’s bacon-infused
Manhattan, pork rillettes and house-made chorizo sandwich and I’m as happy as a pig in, er, a poke. Yet I considered passing on the Blind Pig in the first round in
hopes that it would slide, with my competitors instead
opting for something flashier, like a pop-up artisanal pupusa stand that two hipsters were going to open under an
undisclosed NuLu manhole. If they got around to it. But if
my favorite Louisville restaurant wound up on somebody
else’s roster, the rest of the draft wouldn’t have mattered.
My squad would have been like a BLT with no B. An easy
first choice that I would’ve made even if I’d had the top
pick overall. (1076 E. Washington St.)
— Zach Everson
4 Basa
OK, so the Ton brothers pretty much own this eatin’ town,
and each one of their new endeavors (Doc Crow’s, La
Coop) draws a bigger, hipper crowd. For me the origi[4 6 ] LOUISVILLE MAGAZINE 8.12
nal, Basa, is still their raison d’etre. At first, being the
fusion-resistant type that I am, I wanted nothing to do
with Vietnamese food that wasn’t strictly Vietnamese.
But then, whoops, I got a taste of the Frenchy things
these guys do with mollusks and crustaceans and all
of the fishes in the sea. I defy anyone out there to find
a more perfect pairing for aubergine than Basa’s Japanese eggplant with garlic chips, noodles and aromatic
wild mushroom ragoût. (2244 Frankfort Ave.)
— Mary Welp
5 Jack Fry’s
Almost passed — because, well, what’s left to say
about the most reliable quarterback in the city? — but
couldn’t let a restaurant worthy of the first-overall pick
fall any farther. I’ve gone on about the black-and-white
photos and the burger’s caramelized onions and the
piano player and the pork chop and the and the and
the. Before this story, basically the only thing I’d not
had at Jack Fry’s was the shrimp and grits, which people haven’t shut up about since I came to town five
years ago. (Actually, I’d never had grits period.) The
dish isn’t on the lunch menu, but the kitchen does a
handful of them every afternoon. I called and there was
one left. “Hold it for me?” I asked. “No problem,” the
hostess replied. (And I told myself I wouldn’t mention
the service.) In a lagoon of red-eye gravy, portly sautéed shrimp buried themselves in a steaming island of
silky grits, dusted with shavings of Parmigiano-Reggiano. Oh. Oh, my. So this is what grits taste like? (1007
Bardstown Road)
— Josh Moss
6 Harvest
I enjoy McDonald’s breakfast every now and again, so
it’s easy for me to interpret the gazes from the farmers pictured on Harvest’s walls as judgmental. They’d
make me squirm, but I don’t make eye contact because the luscious buttermilk fried chicken — with
it’s just-sweet-enough hoecake and smoked-peppercorn gravy, which delivers a spicy drop kick — forces
me to chew, blissfully, with my eyes closed. (624 E.
Market St.)
— JM
TOP FREE AGENTS
Michelin Stars
Guaca Mole
(9921 Ormsby Station Road)
Charim Korean (4123 Oechsli Ave.)
La Coop (732 E. Market St.)
7 La Bodega
10 Hammerheads
There was a time in the ’Ville when only Spanish teachers knew the definition of tapas and only La Bodega was
serving them. There was a time when people would ask,
“What goes on in that funky little bar area next to De la
Torre’s?” But all along, La Bodega was where the real
fun happened. And it’s only gotten better since being
reconstructed and expanded following a restaurant fire
a couple of years back. While the menu gets updated
fairly frequently, old standbys such as grilled sardines
and crab-stuffed piquillo peppers are there for a reason.
A wisely edited wine list is a pleasure. But Dame Maggie de la Torre behind the bar (at least until she retires)
certainly knows her way around the cocktail shaker, too.
(1606 Bardstown Road)
— MW
Recently, someone in this magazine said this place serves
“stoner food.” If that means whilst dining you think it is the
best food you’ve ever tasted and you can’t shove it into your
pie hole fast enough, then I agree. But this menu is not for
your average Cheech and Chong. Man, it’s got, like, duck tacos, barbecue lamb ribs, elk and venison burgers and truffle
fries. Never mind that you’re actually eating in an old walkout basement. (921 Swan St.)
— MD
8 Le Relais
The host in a suit-sans-tie and fashionable dark-framed
glasses greets my wife and me through a thick accent.
Behind me, a group of smartly dressed young professionals toast and toast and toast with generous pours of red
wine. A table over, a gentleman with salt-and-pepper hair
strokes the exposed back of his younger blond companion. Our waitress tells us the special is beef bourguignon
(because of course it is), which will pair nicely with a glass
of Pinot Noir (because of course it will). I order both, with
escargot as my hors d’oeuvre. Our meals arrive, and I
lower my head over the bowl to inhale that most French
of meals. My wife takes a delicate bite of her pancettasprinkled scallops and looks at me — even the bistro’s
dim lights dazzle in her blue eyes — and says, “Holy crap
this is good!” The guillotine falls on my illusion of life in
Le Marais. Le Relais, I’ll be back — next time, though,
maybe with my mistress. (2817 Taylorsville Road) —ZE
9 Blue Dog Bakery
Like a baseball pitcher throwing a no-hitter on LSD, Blue
Dog has such a solid set of skills it can deliver even when
things get crazy. Ordering and even waiting for a table
can be confusing and hectic, but grab a seat and get
ready for house-cured pork in the bocadillo trio, on what
is not only undoubtedly the best bread in town but quite
possibly the best in the world. (2868 Frankfort Ave.) — SH
11 Wiltshire on Market
A continually changing menu keeps things inspired and
fresh. Unfussy yet sophisticated, this spot regales diners with local ingredients without hitting you over the head
with the concept. The charcuterie plate is my go-to. It is an
always-different, but never disappointing, combination of
cheeses, compotes, tasty toasty things and salty meats.
(636 E. Market St.)
— MD
12 Eiderdown
Scouting report says: unpretentious, down-to-earth performer. Comes from a local Germantown beer background,
with a varying menu often based on the beverage. Eiderdown is sometimes erratic with its creativity but always delivers excellent sausages and beer cheese. (983 Goss Ave.)
— SH
13 Seviche
Blood and entrails don’t diminish my appetite for raw seafood; when fishing, that chum looks mighty tasty. Yet raw
fish marinated in citrus juice — the standard preparation of
seviche — was always too harsh for me, the citrus overwhelming the fish’s natural flavor with a sharp after-bite I felt
in the back of my jaw. (I have a similar rationale for swilling
sparkling whites but abhorring mimosas.) But chef Anthony
Lamas’ innovative approach to this traditional Latin American fare, using ingredients like wasabi mustard, watermelon
and vodka — everything goes better with vodka — had me
repudiating my previous stance on seviche. It’s one thing for
a restaurant to dazzle with a dish you already like; it’s even
more impressive when it gets you craving one you didn’t.
(1538 Bardstown Road)
— ZE
8.12 LOUISVILLE MAGAZINE [ 4 7 ]
TOP FREE AGENTS
Busboys and Poets
Zaytun Mediterranean Grill (2286
Bardstown Road)
Wild Eggs (several area locations)
Ghyslain (721 E. Market St.)
14 Mayan Cafe
Before East Market Street was hip, before anyone had even
dreamed up the name NuLu, before Louisvillians understood there was a difference between Mayan and Mexican
food, there was the Mayan Cafe. First called the Mayan
Gypsy, the place once shared its east-of-downtown block
with Wayside Christian Mission. And even then, people who
otherwise prefer not to be reminded that homelessness exists would brave the mean streets to eat Bruce Ucan’s salbutes, jicama salad and incomparable chiles relleno. Now
those same people brave Hipster Central. And the Mayan is
still, by a longshot, the best place to eat on Market Street.
I’ll even up the ante: It’s the best place to eat downtown.
(813 E. Market St.)
— MW
15 El Mundo
Two things: 1. This is actually my favorite restaurant, from
the cramped everything to blunt owner Bea Chamberlain
— aka my trash-talking wideout — who once got frustrated
with my line of questioning about a dish and said, “I’m not
telling you what’s in it!” I took a chance and hoped it would
fall to me in the third round. 2. The spicy chipotle aioli that
comes with the fish-of-the-day tacos? Drug dealers should
sell it. (2345 Frankfort Ave.)
—JM
16 Hillbilly Tea
There’s a White Castle across the street. The odd downtown location of this sleeper (Hillbilly Tea is at least worthy
of a second-round pick) makes me feel like I’m in on some
secret every time I enter, which is at least two Saturdays
a month for breakfast: poached eggs on a buttermilk biscuit, all drowning in a mushroom-gravy flood. I don’t have
a gourmet chef aunt who lives in Appalachia, but I’m assuming this is what eating would be like if I did. Smoked
chicken salad, corn pone, succotash, “stale” bread. One
of the most memorable burgers I’ve eaten — in this or any
other city — was at Hillbilly Tea. It came on one of those
biscuits. (120 S. First St.)
—JM
17 Queen of Sheba
Yowza! Bring a crowd! Plates here are literally as big as
the table itself. And no forks! You have to eat with your
hands! Fussbudgets not allowed. Here’s what you do: Get
together six adventuresome eaters who are afraid neither
[4 8 ] LOUISVILLE MAGAZINE 8.12
of bold flavor nor of the phrase “Ethiopian food,” head out
toward Bowman Field, park at the place that looks like an old
used-car dealership, step inside and tell the friendly owner
that you want her to bring you three of Sheba’s best dishes.
These will likely include doro wot, gomen wot and sega tips.
If you don’t know what these words mean, you’ll soon discover why you should. Share! (2804 Taylorsville Road)
— MW
18 610 Magnolia
Seventeen picks in and the restaurant of a James Beard finalist, Top Chef contestant and Louisville media darling is
still available. Am I the only person drafting not to get a text
alert that chef Edward Lee just severed a ligament in his
knife-wielding hand? (610 W. Magnolia Ave.)
—ZE
19 Roots
Quiet, calm, focused and fiercely committed, Roots is the
place to go for truly fresh tofu, made mere steps away from
your table every day in a gleaming machine. The fried tofu
squares or the wonton soup are excellent. (1216 Bardstown
Road)
—SH
20 211 Clover Lane
Lurking in the jungles of St. Matthews, this spot tends to fly
under the radar. Sure it is tucked away in a suburbia shopping center, but once inside, the French cottage atmosphere
lends a tranquil respite. Chef Troy Schuster’s deft hand in the
kitchen effortlessly pulls off a seasonal menu (look for anything from rabbit to trout) that is both European and a little
Kentucky. (211 Clover Lane)
—MD
21 Decca
This new player on the scene has a vibe that would be right
at home on the West Coast — perhaps because both chefs
hail from San Francisco. The basement and patio are hauntworthy. And the food: On my first visit I had the spaghettini
with sea urchin, spring peas and toasted garlic, and thought
Decca should change its name to Mecca because I wanted
to worship at the foot of my plate. (812 E. Market St.) —MD
22 NamNam Cafe
This phenom gets overlooked in field reports, possibly due
to its cramped cinderblock storefront stuffed next to a St.
25 Holy Grale
My roster would’ve been a bust without this beer haven
(heaven?) occupying a former church. It is my in-town European escape. Joshua Lehman has been the chef for about
nine months, and his goals go beyond pommes frites and
pretzel loaves with beer cheese. “We’re still figuring things
out,” Lehman says. “I tell my staff, ‘We’re gonna be just as
good as Jack Fry’s across the street.’” I believe him. My favorite Louisville meal of all time was Easter Sunday at the
Holy Grale. (That counts as going to church.) My wife and I
split maple syrup-lacquered fried chicken confit and waffles,
plus a duck hash with russet potatoes, pickled ramps, apples, fried duck egg. (1034 Bardstown Road)
—JM
Matthews convenience store. But behind the humble exterior lies a solid performer, a kitchen that turns out the best
Asian food in town. Don’t miss the Vietnamese tacos. (318
Wallace Ave.)
—SH
23 Palermo Viejo
This selection earns the Sleeper Pick of the Draft Award, an
honor I both invented and bestowed. That this Argentinean
restaurant — with its free-range beef prepared on charcoal
grills and affordable, smart wine list — was still available
isn’t a surprise, though: Its media buzz pales compared
to its diners’ roar (seriously, it’s loud inside). I’m normally
a pesce vegetarian. For my wife’s birthday and last night
out before giving birth, she craved carnes a la parrilla (grilled
meats). See the last line of my Seviche entry. (1359 Bardstown Road)
—ZE
24 Mojito
Mojito is one of those big ol’ dining troughs where you’d
think a customer would just figure out a couple of things
to order and stick with them. But guess what? You can’t!
Not only because the menu is constantly evolving but also
because the chef does everything well and you pretty much
want to try it all. The restaurant is in a Super Kroger parking
lot, folks. Take along as many friends as you can; Mojito is
one of the few places on my team that easily accommodates
a large group. Just make sure someone orders the Tabla de
Chimichurri. And the paella. And, and, and…the guacamole
that comes with hot and crispy fried plantain chips. Chase
it all down with a pitcher of mojitos. (2231 Holiday Manor
Center)
— MW
26 Havana Rumba
My sentimental choice. Usually once a month, my parents
in Cincinnati come down to take me to dinner. “Want to try
Rye?” I ask. My dad nods politely. It’s inevitable: “What about
Havana Rumba?” he says. I’m basically an expert on Cuban
food now because this is the only place we go. Plantains
and yuca. If you want a sandwich, get the one with Spanish chorizo, roasted pork and Serrano ham. The shredded
beef in the ropa vieja stew is the best thing on the menu.
And just wait until you hear my dad pronounce “fricase de
pollo.” Sounds like he’s rapping. (4115 Oechsli Ave., 12003
Shelbyville Road)
—JM
27 Vietnam Kitchen
Finally, finally, finally, Louisville has enough Viet-ish dining
spots that I don’t have to drive all the way to Iroquois Manor
every single time I need a fix of bún tôm thit nuóng chá giò
(that’s the “J5” vermicelli noodle bowl to you, mister), but
none of the wannabes is anywhere nearly as smack-upsidethe-head authentically delicious as the real deal. Since the
first time I stepped inside this unassuming dive in the 1980s,
it has been — and remains — my favorite restaurant in the
city. The only debate, really, is whether to abide with your
craving for the tried-and-true or to order something new.
Fortunately, you can do both and take the remainder home
for the next day. Nothing makes me happier in the morning
than to remember that I have a carryout box from VK in the
fridge. If you’ve never tried a Vietnamese iced coffee, this is
the place to take the plunge. So much sweeter than amphetamines! (5339 Mitscher Ave.)
— MW
8.12 LOUISVILLE MAGAZINE [ 4 9 ]
TOP FREE AGENTS
Appetizer Freak
La Coop (732 E. Market St.)
Gasthaus (4812 Brownsboro Center)
Charim Korean (4123 Oechsli Ave.)
28 De La Torre’s
32 Coals Artisan Pizza
With its emphasis on simple meats, seafood and cheeses —
to say nothing of sangria — Spanish cuisine is my favorite.
But despite living three minutes away, I was yet to visit this
upscale restaurant, instead repeatedly looking in the window,
then opting for the same owners’ livelier, more casual tapas
bar next door, La Bodega (both will be closing in the near-ish
future). But I had room under the salary cap for an upscale
meal. The cheese plate, grilled calamari and juicy Castilianstyle roasted lamb had me regretting not visiting earlier, even
if it had been at my own expense — the true mark of a food
writer’s endorsement. (1606 Bardstown Road)
—ZE
Every team needs a specialist, and Coals fits that bill nicely,
delivering a variety of Italian treats such as arancini. But the
real reason to go is a great selection of crisp-crusted pizzas,
including The Waverly, with prosciutto, fig jam, Asiago, fresh
mozzarella and Gorgonzola. (3730 Frankfort Ave.)
—SH
29 Anchorage Cafe
Barely inside the metro boundary, Anchorage Cafe is an island
of local eating in the middle of an industrial pizza mogul’s empire. (This is literally Papa John’s land.) There are many hits —
for breakfast, lunch and even small plates — including a delightful egg sandwich with house-made pork sausage. (11505
Park Road in Anchorage)
—SH
30 Dragon King’s Daughter
I have eaten heroic amounts of sushi here. Both cooked and
uncooked rolls are prominently featured, but there is more
than sushi. I know it is cliché, but really, there is something for
everyone. Even my grandmother, who likes to go to Frisch’s
Big Boy, happily ventures outside her box ordering from a
menu that includes sashimi flatbread, kimchee beef tacos and
even a selection of quesadillas. (1126 Bardstown Road)
—MD
31 Lilly’s
Chef and owner Kathy Cary is the original purveyor of farm-totable cuisine in this city. And almost 25 years later, she is still
turning out inventive, perfectly executed dishes with nods to
local farms. On a recent visit (the menu changes quite often)
I ordered a Bibb salad that involved a honey-bourbon vinaigrette I wanted to drink with a straw. The crowd is usually
made up of regulars, who have probably been eating at Lilly’s
for that quarter-century. But don’t be deterred by an atmosphere that seems less-hip when compared with some newcomers. Fine food trumps all here. (1147 Bardstown Road)
—MD
[5 0 ] LOUISVILLE MAGAZINE 8.12
33 Garage Bar
In Louisville Magazine’s ranking of top pizzas (“Pizzas
That Deliver!,” December 2011), this NuLu service-stationturned-pizza-restaurant placed only ninth. I picked Garage
Bar to proclaim in front of millions of readers what I’ve been
ranting about privately since I first ate here: You naysayers
don’t know a damn thing about pizza. Do fresh, seasonal
and local ingredients bother you? Do you not like a salty and
chewy crust with a crispy outside, baked to perfection in a
wood-fired, Italian-made brick oven? (700 E. Market St.)
—ZE
34 Majid’s
Yes, yes, Majid’s decor remains a bit trapped in the 1980s,
when disco was queen and the whole Western world looked
like one big cruise ship, possibly headed for Las Vegas. But
get past the lavender-colored walls that match the servers’
ties and you will discover an eclectic menu unlike any other
in the area. Majid Ghavami has always known his way around
classic Persian approaches to lamb, grilled vegetables and
fish, so in many ways the menu here is a carryover and upgrade of the menu at Saffron’s, which he used to own. One
of the best-kept secrets of this St. Matthews hideaway is the
lounge menu, where almost all of the 15 small plates cost $8
or less, and you’ll always find deals on unusual wine bottles
from unexpected regions of viniculture. Standout plates are
the lamb pops, the stuffed quail and the kashke bademjon
(roasted eggplant with homemade yogurt). That last one:
so fun to say, so delectable to swallow. (3911 Chenoweth
Square) — MW
35 Maido
Sushi on a patio that would fit right in on a California beach.
(1758 Frankfort Ave.)
—JM
36 Le Gallo Rosso
38 The English Grill
I’ve described the mozzarella-stuffed meatballs here as softballs, bocce balls, meaty orbs and “as big as Magic 8 Balls.”
I’m all for the handmade pasta at Mozz and for Vincenzo’s
being, well, Vincenzo’s. But sometimes I just want a mound of
spaghetti from a box, some unpretentious tomato sauce and
spheres of meat I could shot-put. (1325 Bardstown Road)
—JM
Not that I had reservations about the talent of my picks,
but my young team needed veteran leadership, as the
restaurant business can be brutal and tedious. The
90-year-old Brown Hotel’s fine-dining establishment can
be called on for a locker-room pep talk should my young
guns suffer from poor morale because of, say, a deepening recession. Restaurants aren’t like humans; they have
to excel and not just exist to make it into their 80s. (335
W. Broadway)
—ZE
37 Caffe Classico
When Caffe Classico first opened, it was for lunch only. I
would meet my friend Alan there usually twice per week. We
loved the clean, well-lighted Scandy quality of the place. On
alternating days, each of us would order a favorite salad while
the other got a sandwich, and we would split them. We never got tired of that wasabi tuna, not once. Then Alan moved
far away, and I was bereft. Until…owner Tommie Mudd expanded both the size of the restaurant and the scope of its
menu, which now includes, among many other bistro selections, gourmet pizzas and, hands-down, the best French fries
in town. So now I’m back again every week, this time with
my teenage son, who would seriously elect to eat at Classico
three times per day if allowed. (2144 Frankfort Ave.) — MW
39 Jasmine
Amateurs eat fried rice; serious people go for Szechuanstyle beef maw and tendon. Jasmine brings out the big
guns (intestines, ears, thousand-year eggs) while still doing the timid right. Whether you crave the numbness of
Szechuan pepper in Mala radish or the safety of sweetand-sour chicken, Jasmine will make you happy you
took the trip to Middletown. (13825 English Villa Drive)
—SH
8.12 LOUISVILLE MAGAZINE [ 5 1 ]
40 Volare
I spent my formative years in New Jersey. Now I live here,
which means I haven’t had a good cannoli in years. Hadn’t,
that is, until Volare. And it is not just the cannolis that take
me back to my Jersey roots. Granted, I like my Italian with
Godfather music playing in the background and heavy linens. But if you’re not into all the formalities of sitting at a
table, the bar is the spot to eat. The pizzas are extraordinary
and the pastas would make Vito Corleone smile. My advice
is to take the cannoli and get around to trying the rest of the
menu, too. (2300 Frankfort Ave.)
—MD
41 Sari Sari
A hybrid player of sorts, this tiny storefront restaurant is
decorated with splashes of tropical color with a laid-back
feel to match. Grab a seat at one of the half-dozen or so
tables and get ready for perspiration-inducing native dishes
from the Philippines, with influences from India, Spain and
China. Chef Lourdes Fronteras is an ace at global, homestyle cooking. If she is running the fish taco as a special, get
it. (2339 Frankfort Ave.)
—MD
42 Doc Crow’s
Doc Crow’s seems designed for the tourist trade, a please’em-all palace strongly supported by our city’s urban boosters. Despite its air of artificiality, the restaurant does manage to turn out a pretty good barbecue sandwich and ably
shows off its former distillery space. (127 W. Main St.)
—SH
43 Oishii Sushi
Late in a draft, the strategy shifts from just choosing the
best available to filling roster holes. In this instance: 1. I have
two kids younger than three and none of my earlier picks
specialize in takeout, and 2. Marco Polo didn’t hit the road
for 24 years for Italian to be my easternmost cuisine. My
inaugural meal from Oishii Sushi also marked the first time
[5 2 ] LOUISVILLE MAGAZINE 8.12
this veteran chopsticks user had to break out a knife for
the rolls. All six types of Kentucky-sized pieces and rolls I
sampled were as fresh and flavorful as any sushi I’ve had.
Roger Sterling would rethink his position on the Japanese if he ate here. (2810 Taylorsville Road)
—ZE
44 Taco Punk
Louisville foodies will know that Taco Punk was recently
savaged in the semi-alternative media, aka the Louisville
Cardinal. The scurrilous screed had valid points to make
about the gentrification of NuLu, but yo, people! Taco
Punk is not the enemy. Yes, you can find better tortillas at,
say, Trader Joe’s, and yes, you really need to douse your
entrée in one of the dozen salsas at hand (but at least
they have those salsas!). Two major things Taco Punk has
going for it: 1. It’s considerably cheaper than anywhere
else on East Market, which means 2. At any given hour,
you will find patrons of varying age, class and color inside and out. The hipster vibe here is not, for once, only
young, rich and white. Plus, it’s kind of fun to belly up to
the cafeteria line and say, “Gimme a punk platter.” Bonus:
There’s barely any markup on the wine and beer prices.
(736 E. Market St.)
— MW
45 Toast
I started at this magazine in January 2007 and have basically wanted to write about Toast’s bacon-and-egg
sandwich ever since. But each time we do a food-related
package, some jerk editor shoots me down. Oh, how I’ve
waited for this. Here goes: They meet between airy ciabatta halves, that handsome over-medium egg and the
stunning Dijon vinaigrette. The rich Gorgonzola excites
things. Long slices of bacon. Some biting. The yolk explodes. (620 E. Market St., 141 E. Market St. in New Albany)
—JM
TOP FREE AGENTS
Microwave Nachos
Bluegrass Burgers
(3334 Frankfort Ave.)
Cumberland Brews
(1576 Bardstown Road)
Santa Fe Grill (3000 S. Third St.)
48 Wagner's Pharmacy
46 Papalinos
Geez, how about that dude freaking out about his pick of
Garage Bar at 33? And that other guy choosing Coals one
slot earlier? Both places do fine pies. The problem is their
kitchens ration toppings. Not at Papalinos. Worker behind
the counter convinced me to go with the house-cured bacon, and I folded the slice in half to create a fat calzone. (947
Baxter Ave., 337 W. Cardinal Blvd.)
—JM
47 Simply Thai
The last thing Simply Thai needs is any more publicity. Try
(go on, just try) to get a reservation any night of the week
between 6:30 and 8. Well, maybe if you booked half a year in
advance. The place is huge compared to the space it once
occupied across the street on Wallace Avenue, begging the
question: How the heck much carryout service did it provide
back then? But never mind. Let’s focus on now. Simply Thai
is the perfect spot for a family-friendly Southeast Asian dining experience. Lots of big, roomy booths and large tables
surrounded by a dozen tables for two. You might imagine
this would make for a loud outing, yet it’s easier to hear your
tablemates here than it is in many allegedly more intimate
interiors. Maybe my favorite thing about ordering at Simply
Thai is that you can convey to the waiters that when you
say, “Hotter than five — I want it Thai hot,” you mean it. And
when your kid says, “Me, I want zero heat,” they get that,
too. Don’t even think of placing an order that does not include the edamame dumpling appetizer. (323 Wallace Ave.)
— MW
European comfort food, French, Latin American, new American, Argentinean, Spanish, pizza, traditional American,
Japanese: The flavor my squad needed most with my last
pick was local. Sure, there’s not a chain in the bunch, but
you could plop any of my restaurants in a major U.S. city
and they wouldn’t be out of place. What’s more Louisville
than a good affordable hot meal, Derby memorabilia and
Vicodin? (3113 S. Fourth St.)
—ZE
49 Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse
The Jeff Ruby’s experience is much like an NFL offensive
lineman in an expensive suit. Beefy, bling-y and most likely
stuffed with steroids, Ruby’s is the place your Axe-spraying,
chain-wearing, lounge-lizard uncle spends his racetrack
winnings on expensive feedlot steak “crowned” (translation:
flavor-boosted) with stuffed asparagus, crabmeat and béarnaise sauce. Spend the extra money for the bone-in, “better
aged” beef, and live it up like you’re in Vegas. Jeff Ruby’s:
Classy with a capital “K.” (325 W. Main St.)
—SH
50 The Silver Dollar
My pick for a scrappy running back. Housed in an old firehouse (added bonus: on cool days, the restaurant raises
the old garage doors), its highlights include a big 42-foot
wooden bar, a bourbon-and-Mexican-tequila-dominated
drink menu and anyone from the likes of Merle Haggard to
Johnny Cash playing on vinyl. The Mexican/Southern-style
food is perfect for soaking up copious amounts of aforementioned spirits. But it is the honky-tonk atmosphere that
keeps my friends and I sidling up to this bar — just don’t
crack a beer bottle over anybody’s head. (1761 Frankfort
Ave.)
—MD
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