Dish | Local chefs tout must-try dishes
People know Kentucky for bourbon and fried chicken, and when it comes to Louisville they know the Hot Brown, but our culinary offerings go far beyond these things. We asked local chefs what people should think of when they think Kentucky or Louisville food and drink, and — whether visitor or born and raised — what should they be sure to try at least once?
Kathy Cary, Lilly's
When I think of Louisville food, the first thing that comes to mind is fresh, local ingredients. The farm-to-table movement has spread throughout the city and chefs are now centering their menus around seasonal ingredients from our local farmers. With so many new restaurants popping up, one would think there would be some parity in the menus, but it is the exact opposite. Louisville is filled with creative chefs who aspire to innovate, not imitate.
Bourbon will always be Louisville's signature cocktail … However, right behind bourbon is craft beer. Most restaurants have a very diverse beer list and it is becoming similar to wine in that people are becoming connoisseurs.
If you are visiting or even from Louisville, the hardest part is picking a restaurant or bar from the long list of respectable establishments. If you are looking for a great hand crafted cocktail, I would recommend Silver Dollar, 1761 Frankfort Ave. If you are looking for signature dishes on a menu other than the stereotypical Hot Brown or fried chicken, I would recommend Weisenberger Grits, Jay Denham's charcuterie, and the classic Bibb salad. With so many great restaurants and chefs, it is hard to recommend one place over another. If you are visiting Louisville, then all I can say is — eat local because we all rock!
Anthony Lamas, Seviche, @anthony_lamas
I think Louisville has proven itself as one of America's best dining destinations and we're serving much more than fried chicken and Hot Browns. Chefs like Annie Pettry and Edward Lee are gaining national recognition and, of course, chefs like Kathy Cary and Anoosh Shariat started it all and continue to put out amazing food. I'm proud to be the chef to introduce Latin food in the south ... If you're here for one night you must try Blue Dog Bakery, 2868 Frankfort Ave. From their bread to their house cured meats, and maybe a sandwich at Morris Deli, 2228 Taylorsville Road. Oh yeah — and my place for some of the best ceviches in the country!
Peng Looi, Asiatique
Like most progressive cities, Louisville has come along a long way. This city is more cosmopolitan than most in the state and and has more than just fried chicken and bourbon. From Asiatique's modern Asian fusion cuisine, Bruce Ucan's beautiful Mayan/Latin offering to the French influenced menus like Corbett's, 5050 Norton Healthcare Blvd., and Anoosh Bistro, 4864 Brownsboro Road, Louisville has a varied culinary offering available. I certainly wish some of the writers would take the time to do more research and dine around Louisville, rather than just downtown.
Josh Moore, Volare
I would hope people that come visit Louisville are just blown away by the number of passionate chefs we have here in our city. You can have a week or more of near perfect dinners at different places each night. Our food scene is diverse and eclectic and exciting. Everyone is doing something a little different than the other. I just had the opportunity to have my first fish sandwich at Mike Linnig's, 9308 Cane Run Road. Everyone should go sometime, sit outside, have a fish sandwich and a cold beer.
Chocolate chip cookie from Please and Thank You, 800 E Market St.; top shelf margarita from El Mundo, 2345 Frankfort Ave.; speculous crepe from Gralehaus, 1001 Baxter Ave.; chicken wings from The Backdoor, 1250 Bardstown Road; chili-cheese hash browns from Silver Dollar; Hemingway daiquiri from El Camino, 1314 Bardstown Road; burger from Grind, 3311 Preston Hwy.
Ryan Rogers, Feast BBQ, @FeastBBQ
Kentucky has been the home to or laid claim to many culinary creations that far exceed the gut bomb that is the Hot Brown. I have done some preliminary research in this field and am happy to share my findings.
•Beer Cheese — For my money, you're going to The Holy Grale, 1034 Bardstown Road; their pretzel and beer cheese is one of the best in town. Eiderdown, 983 Goss Ave., also crafts a superb take on beer cheese with their own beer cheese fondue.
•Rolled Oysters — Garage Bar, 700 E Market St., is one of the last places in town you'll find this bastion of the 1800s.
•Benedictine — Watch for this to show up as a special at the Gralehaus; their take on benedictine with green strawberries made the dish more relevant than it has ever been.
•Derby Pie — Hit up the freezer aisle at a grocery store. It's the same pie you'll pay good money for at any restaurant in town that bares the name on the menu.
•Modjeska — Muth's Candies, 630 E Market St., has been making candies for 94 years. They must be doing something right.
• Kentucky Common Ale — Look for it on draft at Against The Grain, 401 E Main St., one of only a handful of places still making this traditional ale.
Dustin Staggers, Roux
Kentucky and Louisville should be known for so much more than the Hot Brown and bourbon. Our central location geographically allows us to source from so many different local vendors and farms — Jay Denham and Woodland Park Ham; Fox Hollow Farm and their beef; Jim Fiedler and his pigs; Marksbury Farm's whole operation; Brooke Eckman and her fresh produce. These just only scratch the surface of what is available to chefs here in Louisville and allows for amazing diversity of food.
Bruce Ucan, The Mayan Cafe, @TheMayanCafe
I think the thing that sets us apart is the incredible bounty of fresh produce you can get here between May and October. The farm-to-table movement is really taking hold in Louisville and in other parts of the states, and it's definitely something that both locals and visitors can and should appreciate. I would tell folks to be sure to come to our place (selfishly!) and try whatever is on our monthly seasonal special menu because that will feature the freshest fruits and vegetables available in Ky. at that time of year.
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