So apparently Kentucky is considering grocery store wine sales again. I've always found it a little wacky that when I vacation on the Gulf Coast of Alabama - a state, by the way, that bans sex toys - I can pick up a few bottles of wine as I do my grocery shopping, but when I come home it's back to the liquor store.
I do feel for the local wine shops that could be affected by this. On the other hand, though, Kentucky is one of only 16 states that don't allow wine sales in grocery stores, and I feel certain that those other 34 states still have plenty of wine and spirit shops. When I'm looking for something special I'm going to go to Old Town, but when I want a cheap bottle of whatever to go with a week-night dinner, I would love to be able to pick it up at Kroger along with my dinner ingredients. The wine I would buy at the the grocery store would be in addition to the wine I get at my favorite wine shops, not instead of it.
But wait! Wine in grocery stores could "expose more children to alcohol products"! Which is why they don't sell beer at the grocery store. Or liquor at the drug store. Or... oh, yeah. Nice try, Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of Kentucky!
I really hope this passes. I know we all have much bigger political fish to fry right now, but this - unlike, say, the Wall Street bail-out - would have a direct and immediate positive impact on my life. If we're all going to be forced into the bread line, we ought to have some wine to go with it!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Danny Mac's Cheesesteaks
My dad is from outside of Philadelphia, and one of my favorite things about going to visit that side of the family is gettin
g an authentic cheesesteak. In particular, there's a grungy little basement place on South Street that I always try to make it into called La Pizzeria. Truth be told, I might go for the atmosphere as much as I do the cheesesteaks, especially around Christmas when the place is decorated with slightly sad, ancient-looking tinsel. The cheesesteaks are definitely good, though. As you can see from the photo, they're loaded with shredded beef, cheese, peppers, onions, and mushrooms, and served on a nicely toasted bun. Neil, pictured below at La Pizzeria, had never had a cheesesteak, authentic or otherwise, until I took him to Philly a few years ago. He was immediately hooked, and we often wondered whether a decent cheesesteak was to be found anywhere in our fair River City.
I had heard over at Louisville HotBytes that a place in Louisville called Danny Mac's was serving up authentic Philly cheesesteaks, but for some reason, we never got around to checking them out. Then a few weeks go we accidentally drove by the place and realized that it's about five minutes from my house. Friday night we decided it was high time we give Danny Mac and his cheesesteaks a try.
Danny Mac's doesn't have a website per se, but they do have a rather bombastic little blog trumpeting the superiority of their food. We called to confirm that they were in fact open after the Great Wind Storm and Subsequent Blackout of 2008 and headed over.
Neil and I both ordered cheesesteaks with everything (peppers, onions, and mushrooms) and were informed that they'd be ready in 15 minutes. Because I recently started watching Battlestar Galactica on DVD and have been having trouble dragging myself off Neil's sofa to do anything else, we decided to get the steaks to go, and also to run over to the liquor store while they were being made to get a 6-pack of the BBC's Dark Star Porter. We got our beer, went back to Danny Mac's, and waited. And waited. Fifteen minutes ended up being more like 25 or 30. But friends, these cheesesteaks were worth the wait.
We got home, settled in with our BSG and beer, and opened our styrofoam boxes. Inside were huge (and very hot) foiled-wrapped packages of heaven. We unwrapped our sandwiches to find big, perfectly toasted rolls overflowing with meat and toppings, served with cups of au jus. They were every bit as good as any cheesesteak I've ever had in Philly (and definitely better than some). Neil and I were giddy. As good as it was, I couldn't even finish mine. Neil was all too happy to help.
I'm eager to try Danny Mac's pizza and see if it lives up to all of its creator's hype. I'd typically be skeptical, but that cheesesteak has made me a believer.
Danny Mac's Pizza
1014 Clarks Ln (right off Poplar Level, not far from Eastern Pwky)
502 635-7994
g an authentic cheesesteak. In particular, there's a grungy little basement place on South Street that I always try to make it into called La Pizzeria. Truth be told, I might go for the atmosphere as much as I do the cheesesteaks, especially around Christmas when the place is decorated with slightly sad, ancient-looking tinsel. The cheesesteaks are definitely good, though. As you can see from the photo, they're loaded with shredded beef, cheese, peppers, onions, and mushrooms, and served on a nicely toasted bun. Neil, pictured below at La Pizzeria, had never had a cheesesteak, authentic or otherwise, until I took him to Philly a few years ago. He was immediately hooked, and we often wondered whether a decent cheesesteak was to be found anywhere in our fair River City.
I had heard over at Louisville HotBytes that a place in Louisville called Danny Mac's was serving up authentic Philly cheesesteaks, but for some reason, we never got around to checking them out. Then a few weeks go we accidentally drove by the place and realized that it's about five minutes from my house. Friday night we decided it was high time we give Danny Mac and his cheesesteaks a try.Danny Mac's doesn't have a website per se, but they do have a rather bombastic little blog trumpeting the superiority of their food. We called to confirm that they were in fact open after the Great Wind Storm and Subsequent Blackout of 2008 and headed over.
Neil and I both ordered cheesesteaks with everything (peppers, onions, and mushrooms) and were informed that they'd be ready in 15 minutes. Because I recently started watching Battlestar Galactica on DVD and have been having trouble dragging myself off Neil's sofa to do anything else, we decided to get the steaks to go, and also to run over to the liquor store while they were being made to get a 6-pack of the BBC's Dark Star Porter. We got our beer, went back to Danny Mac's, and waited. And waited. Fifteen minutes ended up being more like 25 or 30. But friends, these cheesesteaks were worth the wait.
We got home, settled in with our BSG and beer, and opened our styrofoam boxes. Inside were huge (and very hot) foiled-wrapped packages of heaven. We unwrapped our sandwiches to find big, perfectly toasted rolls overflowing with meat and toppings, served with cups of au jus. They were every bit as good as any cheesesteak I've ever had in Philly (and definitely better than some). Neil and I were giddy. As good as it was, I couldn't even finish mine. Neil was all too happy to help.
I'm eager to try Danny Mac's pizza and see if it lives up to all of its creator's hype. I'd typically be skeptical, but that cheesesteak has made me a believer.
Danny Mac's Pizza
1014 Clarks Ln (right off Poplar Level, not far from Eastern Pwky)
502 635-7994
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Mojito Again
If my admittedly amateurish recent review of Mojito did not convince you of its awesomeness, perhaps you should check out Robin Garr's review instead. After reading that it's all I can do not to abandon my sensible roasted chicken dinner plans and go stuff myself with tapas!
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Corbett's: An American Place
There comes a certain level of dining at which I am wholly unqualified to write a review. Corbett's is at that level. I simply don't know enough about food or fine dining to really do it justice. But, as the saying goes, I know what I like, and I can at least tell you that I liked Corbett's very much.
There's been an awful lot of buzz about this restaurant since it opened. It was quickly relegated to the "maybe someday" category as far as I was concerned; this place is in the top echelon of Louisville dining, and I just don't have that kind of scratch right now. But then I read that they were offering a prix fixe lunch menu for the incredibly reasonable prix of $20. So I decided to take Neil for his birthday. We rounded up our friend Devon, an experienced fine diner, and made a reservation a week in advance.
Devon picked us up Saturday afternoon and off we went to the east end. And I have to say, the setting in which Corbett's is located is utterly ridiculous. Imagine this, if you will. The restaurant is located in a beautifully restored 1850 farmhouse. There are huge, ancient trees out front. A wide porch wraps around the front. It's really quite lovely and idyllic. Now allow your mental camera to pull back a bit. You will realize that this farmhouse is situated immediately in front of a Costo. Practically in their parking lot, in fact. Pull back a little farther and you will see sprawl at its very worst; shopping center after shopping center, ugly cookie-cutter house after ugly cookie-cutter house. You realize that Corbett's might be the only building in the area that's more than five years old. Corbett's and its mature trees sit like a defiant island in the middle of all this, and the effect is honestly a little horrifying. (It's also worth noting, by the way, that this charming old house is located on a street called Norton Healthcare Boulevard. How quaint.)
No matter. Once you're inside it's easy enough to forget the nightmare of urban planning that surrounds you. I could describe the interior, but you could just go to their website for a look; the photo on the front page is exactly where we were sitting. (Aside: Look how white and affluent-looking everyone is! That's how you know it's really Fine Dining!) Anyway, we were right next to a window, and the dining room was light-filled and airy. We all immediately felt that we were somewhere special.
Our server was a very nice young man named TJ. (I feel like I'm 60 years old referring to anyone as a "young man," but he mentioned that he is in fact the same age as Chef Dean Corbett's other restaurant, Equus - 23. And TJ was awfully competent and knowledgeable for someone his age, so it's worth noting.)
Neil and I ordered iced tea, while Devon selected a bottle of wine. Since Devon was driving, we felt obligated to share with him. I don't know what he ordered - it was a Riesling of some sort - but it was delicious. I'll have to ask him what it was.
Anyway, we all decided to go for the prix fixe menu. To start, we had a choice of a Bibb lettuce salad or the soup of the day. I opted for the salad, which came lightly dressed and with strawberries, feta, and carmelized onions. Neil and Devon chose the soup, which I don't remember much about. It featured some kind of grain that I don't think I'd ever heard of - TJ compared it to barley - and vegetables and country ham. Neil and Devon approved, and I liked what I tasted of it, though I found it to be a bit salty.
For our main courses, I chose the tomato and goat cheese tart, while Neil and Devon opted for the cracker crusted chicken. My tart was eggy and filled with veins of creamy goat cheese, with halved grape tomatoes adding a nice tang. It came with a side of mixed greens with a balsamic vinaigrette. The chicken was served with a summer vegetable medley and a mountain of mashed potatoes. I tasted the chicken and potatoes and both were fine.
For dessert Neil and I chose the berries and cream, which came to the table in a feathery phyllo shell. It was beautiful and delicious. Devon had a chocolate cake with blueberry sauce, which he seemed to enjoy.
Overall, it was a wonderful meal in a beautiful setting with good service. Quibbles:
1. The music. It was clearly selected with a Baby Boomer audience in mind. It was like listening to my parents' copy of Reader's Digest's Most Beautiful Songs of the Century. Or possibly Lawrence Welk. And while it certainly wasn't anywhere near too loud to talk over, it was a little too loud to ignore. I would have been much happier with some jazz.
2. I used my knife for my salad and never got a new one for my entree. I actually have no idea if it's proper to use your knife for your salad, but there wasn't really any other way for me to get Bibb lettuce into my mouth without making a mess. And I've been to other restaurants (L&N comes to mind) where I've used my knife before the main course and had it replaced without my having to ask. Yes, this is minor, but at a certain caliber of restaurant, I think it's to be expected.
3. Related to #2, TJ never came to check on us during the meal, so I had no opportunity to ask for a knife. I hate it when servers won't leave you alone and let you eat, but I do like to be be checked on one during the entree. This lack of knife meant that I had to be extremely gauche and cut the crust of my tart with the side of my fork. Neil had to look away, lest he lose his appetite completely.
Those are really my only complaints. I'm looking forward to someday returning to Corbett's for dinner, although with dinner entrees averaging in the $30 range, it's going to be a while. I'd better start saving.
There's been an awful lot of buzz about this restaurant since it opened. It was quickly relegated to the "maybe someday" category as far as I was concerned; this place is in the top echelon of Louisville dining, and I just don't have that kind of scratch right now. But then I read that they were offering a prix fixe lunch menu for the incredibly reasonable prix of $20. So I decided to take Neil for his birthday. We rounded up our friend Devon, an experienced fine diner, and made a reservation a week in advance.
Devon picked us up Saturday afternoon and off we went to the east end. And I have to say, the setting in which Corbett's is located is utterly ridiculous. Imagine this, if you will. The restaurant is located in a beautifully restored 1850 farmhouse. There are huge, ancient trees out front. A wide porch wraps around the front. It's really quite lovely and idyllic. Now allow your mental camera to pull back a bit. You will realize that this farmhouse is situated immediately in front of a Costo. Practically in their parking lot, in fact. Pull back a little farther and you will see sprawl at its very worst; shopping center after shopping center, ugly cookie-cutter house after ugly cookie-cutter house. You realize that Corbett's might be the only building in the area that's more than five years old. Corbett's and its mature trees sit like a defiant island in the middle of all this, and the effect is honestly a little horrifying. (It's also worth noting, by the way, that this charming old house is located on a street called Norton Healthcare Boulevard. How quaint.)
No matter. Once you're inside it's easy enough to forget the nightmare of urban planning that surrounds you. I could describe the interior, but you could just go to their website for a look; the photo on the front page is exactly where we were sitting. (Aside: Look how white and affluent-looking everyone is! That's how you know it's really Fine Dining!) Anyway, we were right next to a window, and the dining room was light-filled and airy. We all immediately felt that we were somewhere special.
Our server was a very nice young man named TJ. (I feel like I'm 60 years old referring to anyone as a "young man," but he mentioned that he is in fact the same age as Chef Dean Corbett's other restaurant, Equus - 23. And TJ was awfully competent and knowledgeable for someone his age, so it's worth noting.)
Neil and I ordered iced tea, while Devon selected a bottle of wine. Since Devon was driving, we felt obligated to share with him. I don't know what he ordered - it was a Riesling of some sort - but it was delicious. I'll have to ask him what it was.
Anyway, we all decided to go for the prix fixe menu. To start, we had a choice of a Bibb lettuce salad or the soup of the day. I opted for the salad, which came lightly dressed and with strawberries, feta, and carmelized onions. Neil and Devon chose the soup, which I don't remember much about. It featured some kind of grain that I don't think I'd ever heard of - TJ compared it to barley - and vegetables and country ham. Neil and Devon approved, and I liked what I tasted of it, though I found it to be a bit salty.
For our main courses, I chose the tomato and goat cheese tart, while Neil and Devon opted for the cracker crusted chicken. My tart was eggy and filled with veins of creamy goat cheese, with halved grape tomatoes adding a nice tang. It came with a side of mixed greens with a balsamic vinaigrette. The chicken was served with a summer vegetable medley and a mountain of mashed potatoes. I tasted the chicken and potatoes and both were fine.
For dessert Neil and I chose the berries and cream, which came to the table in a feathery phyllo shell. It was beautiful and delicious. Devon had a chocolate cake with blueberry sauce, which he seemed to enjoy.
Overall, it was a wonderful meal in a beautiful setting with good service. Quibbles:
1. The music. It was clearly selected with a Baby Boomer audience in mind. It was like listening to my parents' copy of Reader's Digest's Most Beautiful Songs of the Century. Or possibly Lawrence Welk. And while it certainly wasn't anywhere near too loud to talk over, it was a little too loud to ignore. I would have been much happier with some jazz.
2. I used my knife for my salad and never got a new one for my entree. I actually have no idea if it's proper to use your knife for your salad, but there wasn't really any other way for me to get Bibb lettuce into my mouth without making a mess. And I've been to other restaurants (L&N comes to mind) where I've used my knife before the main course and had it replaced without my having to ask. Yes, this is minor, but at a certain caliber of restaurant, I think it's to be expected.
3. Related to #2, TJ never came to check on us during the meal, so I had no opportunity to ask for a knife. I hate it when servers won't leave you alone and let you eat, but I do like to be be checked on one during the entree. This lack of knife meant that I had to be extremely gauche and cut the crust of my tart with the side of my fork. Neil had to look away, lest he lose his appetite completely.
Those are really my only complaints. I'm looking forward to someday returning to Corbett's for dinner, although with dinner entrees averaging in the $30 range, it's going to be a while. I'd better start saving.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Goat's Milk
I get pretty regular cravings for goat's milk. I never actually act on these cravings, because I'm not much of a milk drinker to begin with, and I can't imagine myself sitting down with a nice tall glass of goat's milk - at least not often enough to go through a whole carton of the stuff without it going bad.
The other day I had a rather random idea about how to serve goat's milk. A very small cup of it, heated, served with a couple of exceptionally good ginger snaps. I think the sweetness and slight bite of the cookies would be a nice compliment to the creamy funk of the milk.
I have a set of demitasses that I inherited from my grandmother (along with several gorgeous tea sets) and I think they'd be well-suited to this idea. Now I just have to find at least one other person who's willing to drink goat's milk with me! I love this idea as an after-dinner dessert, but I don't think many of my friends would go for it. Neil probably would, to humor me. Perhaps I'll try it on him and see what happens.
The other day I had a rather random idea about how to serve goat's milk. A very small cup of it, heated, served with a couple of exceptionally good ginger snaps. I think the sweetness and slight bite of the cookies would be a nice compliment to the creamy funk of the milk.
I have a set of demitasses that I inherited from my grandmother (along with several gorgeous tea sets) and I think they'd be well-suited to this idea. Now I just have to find at least one other person who's willing to drink goat's milk with me! I love this idea as an after-dinner dessert, but I don't think many of my friends would go for it. Neil probably would, to humor me. Perhaps I'll try it on him and see what happens.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Mojito = Goat Cheese Heaven
Tonight my parents took me and Neil to dinner at Mojito for Neil's birthday, which was Wednesday. (Neil and I, by the way, have gotten back together. That's good news for this blog, because I had kind of lost my joie de food blogging without him. But all of that is for another entry.) I had read on Louisville HotBytes about their new, more Spanish-influenced menu, and I was excited about trying it.
We got there at 5:45 (we planned to go early to beat the rush) and were seated immediately on the patio. The weather was perfect. It took a little longer than expected for anyone to offer us drinks, but eventually they did, and Neil, my dad and I all enjoyed mojitos. If someone makes a better mojito than Mojito does, I would like to try it. They are just fantastic.
Someday I will get used to being a food blogger and I will actually make notes about the names and contents of the dishes that I eat. But I'll try to describe it as best I can. Neil and I had two favorites from the old menu that had made the cut and two new items. We started with our beloved Ensalada Mediterranea (lettuce, Marcona almonds, pine nuts, shaved fig bread, feta cheese, olives, grapes, raisins, and cucumbers with a muscatel dressing). (I actually lifted that description from a previous Blog Tartare entry about Mojito and I'm not sure if it's still entirely accurate, but the salad was still entirely delicious!) Then came the Queso Fundido, a bowl of melted cheese mixed with chorizo and (I think) Serrano ham, served with bread. Next we had a dish whose name escapes me; it was a mushroom gratin with goat cheese and potatoes, also served with bread. And finally we had flat bread topped with duck confit, marmalade, greens, and goat cheese. We ended the meal with goat cheese flan and Cuban coffee.
Everything was fantastic. The service was a little off; drink refills were kind of hard to come by, and at least four times (possibly five) various servers tried to deliver food to our table that didn't belong to us. But the lovely weather and outstanding food made up for it.
I must say, between this dinner and having recently seen Vicky Cristina Barcelona, I'm dying to go back to Spain. I could do some awesome food blogging there. Someone should give me some grant money!
We got there at 5:45 (we planned to go early to beat the rush) and were seated immediately on the patio. The weather was perfect. It took a little longer than expected for anyone to offer us drinks, but eventually they did, and Neil, my dad and I all enjoyed mojitos. If someone makes a better mojito than Mojito does, I would like to try it. They are just fantastic.
Someday I will get used to being a food blogger and I will actually make notes about the names and contents of the dishes that I eat. But I'll try to describe it as best I can. Neil and I had two favorites from the old menu that had made the cut and two new items. We started with our beloved Ensalada Mediterranea (lettuce, Marcona almonds, pine nuts, shaved fig bread, feta cheese, olives, grapes, raisins, and cucumbers with a muscatel dressing). (I actually lifted that description from a previous Blog Tartare entry about Mojito and I'm not sure if it's still entirely accurate, but the salad was still entirely delicious!) Then came the Queso Fundido, a bowl of melted cheese mixed with chorizo and (I think) Serrano ham, served with bread. Next we had a dish whose name escapes me; it was a mushroom gratin with goat cheese and potatoes, also served with bread. And finally we had flat bread topped with duck confit, marmalade, greens, and goat cheese. We ended the meal with goat cheese flan and Cuban coffee.
Everything was fantastic. The service was a little off; drink refills were kind of hard to come by, and at least four times (possibly five) various servers tried to deliver food to our table that didn't belong to us. But the lovely weather and outstanding food made up for it.
I must say, between this dinner and having recently seen Vicky Cristina Barcelona, I'm dying to go back to Spain. I could do some awesome food blogging there. Someone should give me some grant money!
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