Cafe Benelux- Milwaukee

Any place that has a beer book is alright by me.  My parents and I ended up at Cafe Benelux for dinner after a suggestion from some coworkers.  To drink I ordered a Bier Pallettes with 4 taster sized beers, all which were great.  As an appetizer we decided on Pork Belly Sliders (my father wanted tater tots, I over-ruled).  Served on pretzel bread with a cilantro sesame slaw and a sambal aioli they were delicious, the best part of the meal according to my father.   He eventually chose the bier battered walleye, which he said wasn’t that great, he wished the fish had been flakier.  My mother went with the kulminator, a grilled cheese with 4 cheeses, bacon, and tomatoes on 9-grain bread.  Following the waitress' advice she got the farmhouse tomato soup.  Both were great, the soup having a perfect hint of basil in it.  I fell for the basque mussels, steamed with tomatoes, chorizo, chilies and scallions.  They were fantastic, actually fan-freaking-tastic.  I used the bread to soak up the leftover jus, then I used some frites after that was gone, it was worth it.  Overall good atmosphere, good beer, really good food.

 

Gyro Palace- Milwaukee

If you have read any of my previous blogs you know the following things: I love local, I think the best way to experience a new city is through their food, and I don’t judge a book (or in my case a restaurant) by the cover.  My first venture out into the Milwaukee epicurean realm was Gyro Palace.  Yes I am fully aware that this will now make my fourth blog about gyros, but as I explained before I freaking love these things.  I also know what you are probably thinking.  “But HC, gyros are not quintessential ‘Milwaukee fare’ and they don’t originate in Wisconsin.”  Yup, I know.  But that’s what my stomach wanted, and I don’t argue with it, no point, it doesn’t listen at all.  This is not the best looking restaurant, tucked away in a little strip mall on the south side.  The inside just has a walk-up counter and some booths, nothing special and not all together too inviting.  I honestly didn’t mind, I was grabbing to-go on my way to work anyways.  So I ordered a gyro and took it to the arena.  Opening it at my desk I was so excited.  This was the most meat I had ever seen on a gyro, ever.  It was tasty, the tzatziki meeting all of my qualifications; creamy with just the right amount of cucumber mixed in.  There was so much to this “sandwich” that I left half of it for dinner.  Overall not a bad experience, not the best gyro I’ve tasted, but definitely the most filling.  Next time I will go some where a little more archetypical Wisconsin.

Hiatus Comes to a Halt

It’s been a long time since I’ve taken the time to write.  Work has transferred me to Purdue University, so I no longer live in Louisville.  My heart still and will always belong to the Ville.  However, I love being at Purdue, my alma mater is always a great place to be.  Writing for me has always been a way to get my energy out.  I’m able to leave my thoughts, frustrations, feelings, and opinions on the page.  Today I realized that I miss writing this little blog and trying new food.  Sometimes people get caught up with the everyday life and forget that the things which make you happy should be brought to the forefront.  So with that epiphany I will be resuming my blog.  After being transferred to Purdue, I am now supporting in Milwaukee.  No longer will I be visiting Louisville eateries, it’s the land of beer and cheese for me.  Stay tuned, stick around, suggest somewhere if you would like and as always thanks for reading.

Artists Colony Inn- Nashville, Indiana

Never have I seen a restaurant so mismanaged as the Artists Colony Inn.  I don’t mind waiting for a table, that isn’t a big deal to me, but when the reason I am waiting for a table is because of the way management has staffed, set up the dining room, and executed I tend to be a bit irritated.  Honestly I should have known we were in for a bad experience when an older couple was telling the manager how disappointing their experience was and he seemed not to care at all.  After we were sat it took the waiter a minute to come over, when he finally brought beverages he managed to spill water all over the place.  At first I thought it was our waiter who wasn’t that great, then we began to slowly realize that wasn’t it at all.  His section was huge, literally reaching from one wall to another and outside.  He probably had at least 9 tables, and was not only taking orders, delivering orders but also busing as well.  Looking around we noticed that it wasn’t just him; all of the staff was stretching super thin.  How could the manager not have looked at the weather report, known that we were going to get a break in the crazy heat, and seen the possibility that they were going to get slammed?  The disappointing part of the whole thing was that the food actually wasn’t too bad with the exception of my salad which I sent back because it tasted dirty.  During the entire time we were there the manager never once did a table visit.  He was too busy running in and out of the kitchen, busing tables, and generally looking displeased at his staff.  Excuse me sir, but your lack of planning is no fault of the people who are busting their hump to try and work.  Also, I might recommend that you get a couple 2-tops since most of your dinning room was being wasted by two people sitting at tables designed for four, sometimes six, people.  The kitchen was slow, neither the soup and grilled cheese, or the pot pie that we ordered should have taken long at all.  It is a shame when a waiter has to deal with a rough kitchen and a worthless manager.  And it wasn’t just our table that struggled.  We watched an elderly couple be almost completely ignored, wait about 45 minutes for some soup and have it immediately followed up by their entrée only to then again be left to the point that the man eventually got up, tracked down his waitress and handed her his card.  I honestly would not return to this restaurant if it was the only one open in town.

Sun Spot Cafe

I am making this city mine.  Seriously I have walked all over the place.  That translates to me getting hungry.  So the other day in between hitting up the Botanical Gardens, Smithsonian American Indian Museum and Smithsonian Natural History Museum (all located on my Smithsonian App) I became a bit famished.  I picked a direction, walked a few blocks and then flipped on my Urbanspoon App to see what was nearest to me.  I ended up at the Sun Spot Cafe; a small, convenient storesque, deli like restaurant.  Grabbing a Dr. Pepper I ordered a gyro and a Greek salad and sat down for a minute.  My food was ready pretty quick.  The salad was just ehh, I’ve had better.  The gyro was more a wrap then a traditional gyro, the pita being some sort of pita-tortilla hybrid.  The meat was fairly good but the lettuce tended to mask the taste of the sauce.  On a scale from 1 to the best gyro I’ve ever tasted I give this a C (yes I just made a scale based on numbers, experiences and letters, deal with it!).

Ebenezers

I have been sitting in Ebenezers Coffeehouse for a good 3 hours now.  Usually, as you can tell, I am not at a loss for words, but for some reason writing a “Statement of Purpose” for acceptance into grad school is blocking my brain waves.  The words even seem daunting, Statement of Purpose, what is that?  Of course I have a purpose, but now you want me to put it into words?  Crap.  Anyways I digress.  Ebenezers is located on the corner of F and 2 St NE with both downstairs and street level seating.  It is a cute brick building with inviting decorations, coffee, non-coffee drinks, and food to snack on.  My iced vanilla chai was good, just the way a chai should be, nothing life altering, but just simply good.  Eventually I got hungry so I ordered an Italian Cold Cut Wrap.  The tortilla used for the wrap was brilliant.  The wrap in general was one of the better ones I have had.  Overall I really enjoy Ebenezers, I’m sure if I lived here this would become a normal hang out for me.  Now enough of the distractions, back to writing my STATEMENT OF PURPOSE.

Brunch at Montmartre

There is no better way to start a lazy weekend day then waiting until about 11 to be productive.  Brunch baby!  I love breakfast, I just really hate getting up for it, and therefore you can understand why I love brunch.  It’s like I am cheating on breakfast with lunch, but it’s masquerading as breakfast.  We headed to Washington DC’s Eastern Market for just such a thing on Saturday.  Under the constructional eves of scaffolding sits Montmartre.  As you step in it’s as if you are silently transported into the kitchen of a chic house in the French countryside.  Large wooden tables are scattered through out the dinning room with an open kitchen peering at you from the corner.  We quickly got a table for three and sat down to a round of bloody marys (a staple for my brunch as I am allergic to oranges).  Brunch is served on the weekends here from 10:30-3, a perfect time frame if you ask me.  The three of us ordered Eggs Benedict, two with smoked salmon, mine with prosciutto.  It was creamy, rich, and perfectly textured.  I would personally thank both the inventors of Eggs Benedict and Hollandaise sauce, but oddly enough there are debates on both fronts, so I will just take this moment to thank the chicken, for without her there would be no egg to make either.  Montmartre was a great way to start my week in DC.

And So it Begins: Rusty Scupper

I flew into Baltimore early on a Friday morning and had the day to waste before catching the Amtrak to Washington DC to start my week there.  I stopped at the cab line with the intention of grabbing a cab and taking it into the city.  When the cabbie asked where I was headed I replied “Not sure, you tell me.  I want to see 3 things: 1) the harbor 2) the best crab cakes in the city and 3) one other cool thing you think I should see.”  With that he informed me that it was much cheaper for me to take the metro into the city, for $3.50 I could get a whole day’s pass and get pretty much anywhere I wanted to go.  He also told me that the best crab cakes weren’t actually in the city but located about 4 miles from the airport (sadly at 9am they weren’t quite ready for me).  Lastly his “cool place” suggestion was a mile and a half long mall (not this girl’s idea of a cool place to go so I skipped that).  I will probably never in my life say this again, but I was glad United decided to lose my luggage, it meant that I didn’t have to cart it around the city while I toured and it showed up to my door in DC when I finally got there.  No United, this is not an open invitation to do this every time I fly with you.  So with that I was headed off to the Inner Harbor to see what I could take in.  Give me a historical artifact and I will be a happy girl no matter what (102 degree temperature and all).  The USS Constellation gave me something to do for a while, including getting to see a cannon being fired, score.  Then I headed to the National Aquarium, I love aquariums, something about them I just can’t get enough of, my favorite being the Chattanooga Aquarium.  I highly recommend spending the $5 extra dollars to watch the 4d movie.  Because I am a nerd I watched the Planet Earth movie, but I could have enjoyed Happy Feet as well I am sure.  By this point in the afternoon I was starting to get hungry.  Across the harbor was a building with large letters announcing the Rusty Scupper restaurant.  I figured they should have some crab cakes, so off I went.  The inside was nicely decorated, and the prices seemed to reflect that.  But they had no issue with me being in my shorts and flip flops, at least I had a nice shirt on.  I sat at the bar, my favorite place to sit when you happen to be dinning alone for whatever reason.  The bartender was attentive and friendly.  She brought out some fresh bread with a homemade roasted red pepper, garlic, and almond dipping sauce.  The sauce was both sweet and savory, good, but I liked the bread better without it.  I of course 

ordered the Broiled Crab Cake with three mustard butter sauce.  It was simple and delicious.  Often times I find that crab cakes have too much breading and other ingredients, hiding the taste of the crab.  This however had none of that.  It was almost totally crab and the butter sauce was a perfect flavor additive.  I enjoyed the rice that accompanied my crab cakes, I could have done without the vegetable of the day, a green bean and carrot mixture, just wasn’t that great.  The price was a bit steep, but I was eating crab cakes on the harbor in Baltimore, pretty sure the crab had been swimming around not more then a few hours earlier, so the price was comparable to the experience.  It was a fairly befitting way to start my Julapolooza, I’m glad I had fresh catch crab cakes in Baltimore, can’t wait to see what I get into next.  Oh, one last note, I have found that the best thing in travel life is to upgrade to business class on the Amtrak, bigger seats that recline, plugs for my dying phone and IPod, and more leg room, I will not travel any other way again.

JULYAPOLOOZA

I’m on vacation!!!  FOR AN ENTIRE MONTH! BAM!!!  Yes, I realize an entire month of vacation sounds a bit ridiculous, but it’s the trade off for not having hardly any other time off for most of the year, and oddly I am finding it a pretty fair trade.  Dubbed “Julyapolooza” I have vowed to make this month one of the best months of my life thus far.  Here is my itinerary for the month with a tentative list of where I will be, and where I will be reviewing:

-          Baltimore

-          Washington DC

-          Lancaster PA

-          Home to Indiana for a few days (Mom’s food and Tippecanoe County Fair food)

-          A few days of breather open for suggestions of places to go

-          Girls weekend in Brown County Indiana

After my whirlwind tour I will be transferred to Purdue University to work the football season.  With all of that said it may be a while before I get back to the Ville to enjoy the food, but that doesn’t mean I won’t be blogging as I travel!  Happy Julyapolooza people!!!

Pita Delights

I love gyros.  True statement, I feel like we are all friends now so I can let you know that, I am in love with them.  Again these were one of those things I didn’t eat growing up.  Lamb?  No way, forget the fact that I grew up in a farming community that had a large sheep influence.  Now they have come to hold a special place in my heart.  So when it was time for my weekly dinner with J last Tuesday and the question was posed what should we eat, for some odd reason my cravings were for either a gyro or red meat.  And for some reason a steak house just didn’t fit the bill, so gyro it was.  There are a few places in town to get such an item and we ended up picking one we had never been.  Off to Pita Delights we ventured.  Located off Grinstead and Bardstown sits a little building, and while the outside doesn’t look like much, the inside is cute, with deep colors and dark wood accents.  We both ordered the beef and lamb gyros which came with salads and rice.  The salads were both good, refreshing with the fresh cucumbers, bell peppers, and other vegetables.  Then came out our gyro and rice, the rice was just ehhh.  The gyro was giant, the pita delicious and warm.  I like for my gyro to be topped with tomato and onion and the cucumber to come finely chopped in the sauce, this however had chunks of cucumber, which was my only issue with the gyro itself.  The only other thing we both wished Pita Delights had was a liquor license so we could have enjoyed a nice beverage with our meal.  But as far as the gyro goes, there is little to complain about.

Four Pegs Beer Lounge

When everywhere you walk into has at minimum an hour long wait, you know one of three things.  1) You have excellent taste in food 2) You should have made a reservation 3) Time to formulate a new plan.  This is how I and three others ended up at Four Pegs last night.  I had originally wanted to take my father, uncle and friend to Harvest, and then when they were full we walked to Garage Bar, that was a no go.  I had heard about Four Pegs Beer Lounge a while ago, but just have never made it there.  The concept is simple enough; chalk board with beer, chalk board with food, order from the bartender when you are ready.  I like the vibe of the place, the history involved with the building (ask about the mirror behind the bar, my uncle did, good story), but that is where my adoration for the establishment starts to waver.  The bartender was slow, and he was not at all busy, and when you have to order drinks and food from him that’s never a good thing.  We ordered beer cheese and pretzel bread, I have found myself basing my judgment of establishments such as this on their beer cheese.  It was good, a cold beer cheese, which if not done right can be a bad experience, but this was tasty and had a kick. The three of them had the Angus burgers, my father having the beer glazed one, and I had the chicken and waffle sandwich.  They all enjoyed their hamburgers, and we all thought the fries were really good.  My chicken and waffles were a huge let down.  My chicken was really dark, dry, and the waffle I believe was an Eggo, I could be completely wrong, but that’s what it looked and tasted like to me.  The whole thing was covered in the syrup and almost too sweet to eat.  I’m glad the burgers were good, because I always feel awful when I take people from out of town to get food and it turns out to be less than what the city has to offer, which is, as a general rule of thumb, pretty stellar.

Taquería Maranthara

Food Truck.  Mexican Food.  Backside of Churchill Downs.  This should be good.  For those of you that aren’t from the city, or don’t work near or understand Churchill Downs let me explain.  A lot of the hardworking individuals who both work and live on the backside of CHD are Hispanic, so any Mexican food around there should be good!  I have seen this little white truck in the 5/3 bank parking lot at the corner of 4^th and Central for some time now.  I’m usually too busy, or don’t have cash so until today I haven’t eaten there.  Honestly I didn’t even know the name of the truck, just that the big letters on the side said tacos, tamales, quesadillas.  Turns out it’s called Taquería Maranthara.  For $4 I got a carne asada taco, pollo asada taco, and a puerco tamale.  $4?!  Awsome.  They were all delish, the carne taco being my personal favorite.  I will be going back to try the rest of the menu, everything looked good.  For those of you that are skeptics about food trucks please don’t be.  They proudly displayed their permits in the window and I saw everyone wearing gloves, sanitation doesn’t seem to be an issue in any of the food trucks I have eaten at.  Stop by, see the ladies in the food truck, have a lunch that’s light on your wallet and good in your stomach.

El Mundo

Let’s get one thing straight before we get started here, I was born and raised until I was 10 about 5 miles from Mexico, I know what Mexican food is supposed to taste like.  While other kids babysitters had them playing with play-doh mine had me rolling out tortillas.  So when I say that El Mundo is my favorite Mexican food in town, please do not take that lightly as some blue eyed girl thinking Taco Bell could be considered authentic, I’m down with the Mexican food. 

Frankfort Avenue’s El Mundo is always busy, ranging from two to three seating areas depending on the season.  Last Tuesday I met up with J and we sat in the downstairs patio area.  It had finally cleared up from the storms and there was a slight breeze, honestly it was perfect patio weather.  We both ordered margaritas, I personally think the best in the city, strong to boot, and had some queso.  J had the chili relleno, it’s always delicious.  I normally try and get one of the specials, this visit was no different.  The ropa vieja chimichangas with blackberry mole and a habenero sour cream seemed to be calling my name, and I am glad they did.  The mole wasn’t too sweet and the sour cream had the perfect amount of heat to it.  This particular day we went early enough that there wasn’t a wait, but that happens few and far between, most visits you can be prepared to wait (I’ve found the best way is with margarita in hand).  If you sit upstairs all of your food comes up in a dumb waiter, not everyday that happens.  Like I said, this isn’t Mexican food done in a shoddy way; this is innovative, good tasting, worth the wait food.  

Meat

Sometimes you just need to get together with some friends, have a few drinks, take in the time that has gone by and catch up.  And when the drinks happen to turn out being creative and tasty it’s even better time spent.  Above The Blind Pig in Butchertown is Meat.  After rambling up the stairs, walking past what looks like a meat locker full of fresh cuts, guests push back a heavy curtain and are instantly transported back to a time when speakeasies were the only place to get a drink and the light bulbs were all a bit dimmer.  A small room with some of the most gorgeous wallpaper I have ever seen in a bar lies in wait, with a wooden bar taking focus in the room, a few couches and chairs placed around and an awesome table for one large group Meat is cozy and inviting.  We went right after work on a Tuesday so there was no one else there, but really it didn’t matter.  The bartender gave us a menu, let us know they were in the process of changing out their drinks, and then waited for us to decide what we wanted.  Because the cocktails are ever changing it may be possible that what we had this time will not ever be available again.  I enjoyed both my drinks.  The menu does have a ton of drinks on it, so it’s easiest to narrow it down to either something you really want in your drink or something you don’t want.  For me the fact that I am allergic to oranges came in really handy, quickly eliminating about half the menu.  This is strictly a bar, no food, no appetizers, just good drinks.  There is a snack station with a bunch of different options in jars with bags for patrons to get what they need. We all decided we would come back again, perhaps a little later in the evening to see how the crowd gets.  Overall good drinks, great atmosphere, good concept.

Smoketown USA

Character.  Louisville is chalked full of it.  From our “Keep Louisville Weird” bumper stickers to the Zombie Walk we definitely have a distinctive personality. The proprietors of local eateries here in the Ville are no exception, heck the restaurants are character rich as well.  Last week my buddy and I had a much needed two days off after a crazy month of planning and prepping for Derby week.  We had some shopping and errands to do and decided to grab lunch as well.  I have been to Smoketown USA twice before, each time I love it, so I decided to take my buddy.  Before we went I made the disclaimer that everything in the building is pretty much for sale and that the owner will guaranteed come up and talk to our table. 

We went later in the afternoon so there was one other group in there and normally that makes me a little nervous when people aren’t in a place.  But like I said, I’ve been here before so I wasn’t at all worried.  We sat down, ordered our drinks, looked over the menu, and then placed our order.  I had the rib basket with potato salad and greens; she had the pulled chicken sandwich with greens and green beans.  On our way I had told her that before this place I didn’t eat greens.  To be honest with you I’m not really sure why I didn’t, but for some reason it was just never one of those things I had ever eaten or really cared to, but one taste there and I was hooked.  The meal was great, the sauce not too over powering, on the table if you wanted more, and of course the greens are where it’s at.

While the food is delicious, the character of this place is what keeps me coming back, and that lies in two very different things.  As I believe I have said before I am a history nerd, and Smoketown is located in a Civil War era building that once housed a grocery, feed/seed store, and livery.  To me a building with that character given a new chance at life is something worth checking out.  But then in walks Eric, the owner of Smoketown USA, in his bib overalls and giant smile and you can’t help but know you have made a good choice.  This particular day he greeted us with a “Hey hot girls how you doing?”, then came over to chat with us.  A self described “Jewish redneck massage therapist who loves to hunt and fish and who owns a restaurant but his wife owns him”  Since I told him I had been there before he asked my buddy who she was, and when she said her name he said “No I mean who are you?”  Seriously?!  Life defining questions from the guy in overalls who makes the best greens in town, this, my friends, is why I love Louisville.

Against the Grain

On a warm sunny day three 20-something girls get off of work from Churchill, the CVB, and Frazier respectively, and meet up in their dresses for what else, a nice cold beer on a patio next to a ball park.  I can’t even tell you what the inside of Against the Grain looks like, but what I can tell you is that the patio is inviting, and the beer is on tap.

Located right outside of the Louisville Slugger Field, home of the Bats, ATG boasts being Louisville’s only Brewer-owned brewery.  There are 6 different types of beer to choose from (hop, smoke, dark, malt, session, and whim) that are always in rotation, changing constantly.  During the meal we consumed 3 hops, 1 session, and a whim (I don’t know the name of the actual beers but they were all tasty).  Sharing a smoked beer cheese with house kettle chips we caught up and watched as the city ended its day and went about getting ready for the evening.  I personally was not a fan of the beer cheese but the other two enjoyed it.  We finally decided on some dinner ordering the following: The Angry Bovine, The Carolina, and The Memphis.  For the most part we found the meat to be dry and the coleslaw to be smoky but not in a good way.  My suggestion is if you are headed to a game and want to get a craft beer before going in to watch the Bats that you do so at ATG, but the food could be passed by and you would not be amiss. 

Coals Artisan Pizza

I saw someone with a piece of pizza on Friday and that started a craving.  Luckily for me my parents happened to be driving through town on their way back home from Easter week vacation in Louisiana.  Perfect reason to go out to eat (not that I really need an excuse)!  Normally when they are in town I ask what they want and take that into consideration, this time I just said, “We are going to get pizza hope you didn’t eat it yesterday.”  There are so many different pizza places and types of pizza places in town: by the slice, whole pizza, giant pizza, New York Style, Chicago style, chain, privately owned, regular, gourmet.  I decided on Coals Artisan Pizza, one I have been to a few times.

Coals is located off of Frankfort Ave in St. Matthews. It has a great ambiance to it, and there is a little space you can look through to see brick oven ablaze.  Because I went with my parents I asked them to send me their thoughts, I have to tell you, my father may be a professional, or at least he thinks he is “The water was crisp and refreshing, with just the right twist of lemon.”  We ordered the Coal Oven Wings, fired in the oven and covered in rosemary, lemon and garlic.  They were a great change from the ordinary wings you get at most places, which was good for my mother because she is not normally a wing fan not liking buffalo sauce, but she thought “the garlic butter offered a great taste.”  We ordered the Middletown pizza with fennel sausage, margarita pepperoni, mushrooms, fresh mozzarella, and Pecorino Romano.  The pizza, we all thought, was good could have used a bit more toppings and my dad said the crust on a few of his pieces was burnt.  Overall it had a great flavor, the sausage being a bright spot.

With so many pizzas’ to choose from and the option to create your own I am sure there is something everyone can find to their liking.  Add the full bar and wine selection and you have yourself a place that is worth giving a shot.

Let Me Tell You Why Louisville Is My City

Louisville.  I don’t know how else to put this into words so I am just going to throw it out there.  I freakin’ love this city.  Seriously you guys, this city is that place in my heart that I will always find home.  I literally had a moment last night where I was sitting under an old fire escape ladder, eating a gourmet food truck burger, drinking a tasting of beer, watching burlesque dancers get ready for their show and all I could think was “Am I really that farm kid from the middle of nowhere Indiana right now?”  I mean don’t get me wrong, I have been a lot of places, done a lot of amazing things in my short time here on earth so far, but sometimes it just hits me, this city is cool.  While we may not be what some consider a “big city” we are big enough for me, and all without losing that southern charm I love so much.  I have a lot of things I want to review in this blog so let me cease and desist on my adoration of the Derby City and get started on things.

First let me start with the newest food truck in Louisville, Grind.  Can I just say that the opening of this truck was a show of social networking at its best.  J and I showed up around 8:30 to see a line which I can only assume started forming way before the 7:30 opening.  A brand new food truck and the power of the internet in a city that loves local, gourmet, and supporting each other; awesome.  While there was a wait, I am not at all going to grumble about it, it is what it is and honestly it didn’t take all that long.  When we got to the front of the truck we were greeted by Liz who was personable and stoked about the turn out.  There were 3 options: classic burger, b&b (bacon and brie), and veggie burger.  J and I are not veggie burger kinda girls, especially when bacon and brie are options.  We both ordered the b&b with red pepper jelly.  We waited a bit longer to get our food (again expected and not at all an issue, it means my burger was freshly cooked) and we were finally called to pick up our white boxes with the prize inside.  The buns were AMAZING. They were buttery, almost like a croissant but with the consistency of a bun.  I don’t know where you guys got these buns but whatever you do, please, never change them. The brie/bacon/red pepper combo of savory/salty/sweet was great.  However, with all of those combos going on I will admit, I can’t really tell you what the hamburger itself tasted like.  We both would have liked a say in how done our burgers were, not that they were overcooked, and I realize that would have added to the wait time.  Something to maybe think about once all the kinks are worked out and it’s not opening night with a line half a block deep!  We both agreed that the price was a little steep.  It’s hard to justify a $9 burger that you have to stand to eat when benches aren’t readily available.  None the less J and I both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves and would proudly sport Grind t-shirts around town.

The truck was parked outside of Haymarket Whiskey Bar.  The bar harkens back to prohibition era days, and it doesn’t hurt that it’s in a building built in 1885.  While I love the building, the bar itself, not so much.  Haymarket knew the food truck was going to be coming, knew that they were going to have a live band (I’m getting to that review) and a burlesque troupe (hang on that’s coming too), and still they had 1, let me repeat that, 1 bartender.  The place was packed, and the area is tiny.  I can forgive them for only having one bathroom, not much you can do about that, but 1 bartender, come on guys.  Not only was there only one bartender, but to top it of he was snide and rude.  I will not be making a special trip to visit this bar again anytime in the near future. 

As for the entertainment, it was fun and well, entertaining. Billy Goat Strut Revue was great, lending to the prohibiton era vibe with their jazzy classics.  I am not afraid to admit I now have a crush on the upright bass player (if you have a wife please don’t let her come after me).  The Scarlet Jazzibelles were my first burlesque show; I give those women’s props.  NABC was on hand with some beers to taste and taste we did.  They were pretty good, the IPA was a little bitter after a while, but was still not bad. 

Overall, I came away with this: there was nowhere else I would have rather been on a crisp Friday night in April then in the city I love the most.  We may not be LA, Chicago, or New York, but we have a lot to offer.  Heart, soul, pride in local ownership, and a community that supports and cares for each other.  Here is to you Louisville: may you never change and if you do may it be in a way that makes you even better!

A Living Life First

It is not my common practice to announce where I am going to be going next, but there are first’s for everything.  I am a huge fan of the food truck movement.  And am especially happy for the fact that Louisville’s seems to keep on thriving.  A few months ago I found out that fellow bloggers Liz & Jesse were going to venture into the food truck business.  Score!  Of course you know I am going to back another writer’s endeavor, especially if it means I get to eat in the process.  This Friday is the day when their gourmet burger truck Grind is going to roll out and greet the city.  And I for one will be in line at Haymarket Whiskey Bar  (bonus live music!) to see if the burger lives up to the Louisville cuisine.  (My money is on yes!)  I encourage the rest of you to come down and join.

My Own Louisville Plate

Some days the best restaurant experience isn’t actually a restaurant at all.  As big of a proponent for supporting locally owned restaurants as I am, I am just as big on shopping locally as well.  So this isn’t as much of a restaurant review as me going to a few local grocers/meat markets/specialty stores, picking up some ingredients, and making my own Louisville plate.  Originally I had gone into Kinglsey’s Meat and Seafood to get some ground beef for hamburgers; I normally try and get all of my meat here.  There is just something about going to a butcher for meat that I love more then the large chain grocery.  I love the thought that the only thing they are giving me there is the freshest cuts of meat possible.  Anyways, I ended up browsing the other coolers and came across some orange ruffy stuffed with crab, JACKPOT.  Needless to say I made this little fish my own.  Next stop Paul's Fruit market.  I was in the market for vegetables, and good ones at that.  Picking up a few potatoes, celery, bell peppers (already sliced and ready for the grill), asparagus, avocadoes, and tomatoes I was ready to move on.  One last stop and I have the makings for my dinner.  Lotsa Pasta pretty much has a bit of everything in it.  This particular stop I decided on a few different cheeses and some basmati rice.  Basmati is a rice grown in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan and the word basmati is Sanskrit for “fragrant one.”  Now I grilled the vegetables the day before for another meal, but had some left over.  I then decided it would be great in my rice and threw the peppers and some onions and peas in there, boiling it in a beef broth instead of just the normal water, to give it that extra rich flavor.  The fish was easy enough, throw it in the oven for 25 minutes at 350 and BAM, dinner is done.  Just for funsies I put my Bloody Mary in a mason jar and called it a meal.  Like I said, not your typical restaurant review, but none the less, very Louisville, very food oriented, and all three places are very much recommended.  Make your own restaurant in your kitchen, and do it while supporting local.

Joe's Older Than Dirt

I love food.  I’m talking good food.  It doesn’t matter if it’s expensive or cheap, ultra healthy or really greasy; if it tastes good I love it.  I have been gone from Louisville for essentially 3 months for work; first to Memphis and then to Palm Springs, CA.  Memphis I ate pretty much southern fried greasy food.  Palm Springs I had sushi and avocados almost every day.  My last meal in Palm Springs was at Cliffhouse.  It was a nonstop gluttonous affair of epic proportions with 8 coworkers where we sampled most of the menu, if you have the chance to go I suggest it.  When I finally got home to the Ville all I wanted to do, besides try and get back on some sort of normal schedule, was eat some down home food.  So a buddy and I decided to hit up Joe’s Older Than Dirt in Lyndon. 

It was more that we wanted, as my friend put it “a low key, country music, summer around the corner kinda place” than a 5 star meal.  Who can beat $2 beer, a fried pork tenderloin sandwich and onion rings on a lazy first day of spring?  My buddy had one of the fish platters, it came with a bonus crab cake she said was delicious. A good lunch, a cold beer, a laid back atmosphere, and all for $12, welcome back to Kentucky me.

Joe's OK Bayou

Cheeseburgers.  This blog is not about cheeseburgers, but rather the quest to ignore my craving for one and follow lent on a Friday.  It seems like anytime you can’t have something you really want it.  This was no different.  All I wanted was an amazing burger with fries.  Instead I was committed to a no mammal no poultry Friday in March.  With so many choices in the Ville that are seafood places alone I knew there was something I could find to eat on this stormy night.  My thought on lent fish specials is that they are normally exceptional, I don’t know if it’s because the restaurants bring their A-game when they think someone bigger is watching or what, but for the most part they are normally always good.  I didn’t want a great piece of fish though, I wanted an experience.  I’m about to head to California for most of March and I know there will be plenty of fish available.  So J and I ended up at Joe’s OK Bayou.  Now I have been here once before, with my parents, and to this day if you ask my father what his favorite restaurant in town is he will say Joe’s.  I think it is because he really likes frog’s legs and there aren’t many places to get them. 

As we walked in we noticed it was busy, and there was a guy playing guitar and singing in the corner.  We were quickly sat at a table; both ordered an Abita Golden (beer from Louisiana) and started mulling over the menu.  Now there were a bunch of different fish options as lent specials, but I was looking for something a bit different.  I thought about the soft shell crab, oysters, and my father’s favorite frog legs.  Eventually I settled on the boiled crawfish.  Now being that my mother’s family is from Louisiana I am always down for Cajun, and I know that in order to eat crawfish you must suck the juice from the head and eat the tails.  The honey mustard dipping sauce was a great additive even though the crawfish itself had great spicy seasoning on it.  J decided on the Cajun Combo and ordered Crawfish Etouffèe and Crawfish Creole.  She said it was the way to go because by the time she started getting tired the ettouffèe she switched to the Creole and the tomato base really came alive. 

Although we both thoroughly enjoyed our meals there were a few things we wished were different.  For one the menu is huge, with so many options and sizes.  Then, as far as we could tell, there are no “normal” side options (fries, things of that nature).  Everything comes with an option of a side portion of the Cajun Entrees.  So, it’s a lot of food with more food on the side.  If you are looking for a place with lots of food for your money, you are in the right place.  I am sure that during Mardi Gras this was the place to be in the Ville, and I would have loved some Zydeco music this particular evening.  Nothing like a washboard, an accordion and a plate of crawfish (which is the largest freshwater aquaculture industry in the US by the way) to make you feel like you are really near the gulf.  Overall this was a successful quest for a lent friendly Friday, good food, good beer, and a good friend to hang out with.

Taco Punk/ Homemade Ice Cream & Pie Kitchen

Hooray!  Back in Louisville for a second, when I say a second I mean I leave Saturday to head to Palm Springs for business for two and a half weeks.  You know I’m trying to soak as much of the Louisville food as I can in such a short time.  My father happened to be in town on Tuesday so he and I went to dinner and a bonus dessert!  In NuLu where Toast used to be is the new Taco Punk.

Being raised on tacos and Mexican food I am always down for a good taco and I was hoping this trip would be no different.  Both my dad and I decided to get the punk platters which come with two tacos, one side, chips and salsa.  What really clenched my decision to go that way was that they let me mix my two tacos.  I chose the Barbeercoa (beef braised in Goose Island beer with peppers and onions) and the Grilled Adobo Chicken with a side of queso.  My father went for the Chorizo and Potato taco, the Yucatecan Style Fish and a side of guacamole.  We of course tried bites of everything and decided that the fish taco was our favorite.  The guacamole and queso were both good; the later having three different types of cheeses and Goose Island Beer in it (I am seeing a trend here).  The salsa’s there to chose from were quite tasty.  I was really surprised by the Pineapple Habenero salsa.  When you first taste it all you get is the sweetness of the pineapple, then all of the sudden your taste buds are like “hold up a minute, something is about to get spicy” and the habenero kicks you in the mouth, but in the most brilliant way possible. I would like to note I wasn't a big fan of the house-made tortillas, weren't the greatest I've ever had.  But with specials like duck with pumpkin and corn salsa and 7 tacos always on the menu there is a something that I am sure you will find to fit your taste.  Just don’t go in expecting to find Toast, they’ve moved down a bit.

As for our bonus dessert we hit up Homemade Ice Cream & Pie Kitchen for some cupcakes.  I had the upside down yellow cupcake with maple frosting, dad got a Snickers cupcake.  Both were delicious, rich, and great to wash down with a glass of milk.

Petra Cafe- Memphis

My mother always warned me that going to the grocery store without a list and on an empty stomach will lead to a higher bill and stuff you really don’t need.  Because of this I recently ended up at Petra Café while out running errands.  I was starving and about to run into the grocery store, list in hand (well actually on my phone, but hey I’m a kid of that generation) and budget on my mind.  When faced with the decision of quick meal on-the-go, there are always a few choices, this case was no different.  In my vicinity were of course the normal giant corporate chains and then there was Petra Café.  If you have read any of my other posts you know I will, hands down, without a doubt choose the non-chain option every time.  Plus, I have been craving a gyro for weeks now.

So into Petra I stepped: small, clean, clothed tables with glass toppers and a friendly hello greeted me as I walked in; all good signs.  I came in after lunch time so there was no wait.  Quickly I walked up and placed my order: Classic Greek Gyro and a fountain Dr. Pepper to go.  I watched as the beef/lamb combo was carved off the vertical spit, topped with red onions, tomatoes, and tzatziki sauce and rolled into my pita bread.  I’m going to be honest with you; I could not wait to bite into this.  The meat was tender, with a perfect amount of flavor and the sauce was just right hints of cucumber not overwhelming but not getting lost somewhere in translation.  The pita itself was soft and the ratio of filling to wrap could not have been better.  To say that I devoured the thing is an understatement, ate it like I hadn’t eaten in weeks is a more accurate description.  With options of pita sandwiches, deli sandwiches, Panini’s, salads and sides I was a bit disappointed I only got the gyro.  I will definitely be back to try something else.  When given the chance between the big name burger joint, and the smaller local restaurant, please please I beg you, go for the smaller place.  I don’t care if their marketing isn’t as good and your kid doesn’t get a toy with their meal, it will in most cases be ten times better.

Alfred's on Beale- Memphis

Beale Street in Memphis has a long history and tradition of music and food.  Started in 1841, named for a Military hero Beale began hosting musicians in the 1860s.  In 1986 Alfred’s opened and has been providing food, drink and music to the city ever since.
For lunch Alfred’s has its regular menu, and then a rotating menu for each week day with your choice of meat and two vegetables, meat and three vegetables, or a vegetable plate.  All of their vegetables are fresh, never coming from a can, something I fully support.  So on a Friday afternoon, with a few coworkers we walked across the street and pulled up a stool at the bar in Alfred’s.  I decided on Golden Fried Chicken Tenders, Homemade Mac & Cheese, and Fried Okra.  The tenders reminded me of the type my mom used to make whenever she would make homemade chicken tenders, lightly breaded, white meat, tasty.  The fried okra was on point, but I wish they would let the oil drain off of them a little more before they were served; mine were sitting in a little pool.  Now this may be un-American, but I am not the biggest fan of mac & cheese, for some reason that day it just sounded good.  It was pretty good, really cheesy, but after about three bites I was done with it.  One thing I don’t think I will be getting used to in Memphis is smoking in the restaurants and bars, but that is to no fault of Alfred’s what-so-ever.  Overall good vibe, good history, good food.

Little Italy Pizza- Memphis

I know Memphis is home to BBQ and Blues, and believe me I have partaken in both since being here.  But I have yet to find my favorite, so until then let me hold off on a blog for that.  Instead let’s talk about Little Italy Pizza.  In a strip on Union next to a cigar shop sits a tiny little unassuming pizza joint.
The guys who run Little Italy were personable and chatted us up while we decided what to order.  In a small bakery style showcase sits strombolis, pizzas, and garlic knot rolls.  You can also get a whole pizza or pizza by the slice.  This is New York style pizza, thin crust, large slice, fold it up and eat it.  The sauce is tasty, not too much, and the crust has a great crunch.  I ordered a slice of pepperoni and added tomato to it.  I was hoping for the option of adding bacon as well (which is what I do at my favorite pizza joint back in the ‘Ville) but that was a no go.  The tomatoes were a really good add to my slice.  The guys I was with had Stromboli and said they were good; lot’s of cheese but could have had a bit more meat in it.  I enjoyed the pizza for sure and will have to try again before my stay in the city is up.