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.
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