Places to Eat and Drink

The Bristol Bar & Grille - This place is a Louisville institution, as are their Sweet Chili Wontons. I usually start with some of those and then have the Sweet Chili Linguini. The Bardstown Rd location has a very nice patio that's lovely when the weather's good.

City Cafe - All things considered, I probably eat at City Cafe more than any other restaurant. There's one within walking distance of where I work and another conveniently located next to Baxter Ave Theatres. In addition to a good selection of sandwiches and salads, they also prepare two daily specials (one meat, one veg) every day. The specials aren't always to my tastes, but they're usually quite good and occasionally (in the case of the chicken and black bean burrito, for example) outstanding. My coworkers and I delight each week in receiving the specials via email and checking to see if our favorites are coming up.

Clarksville Seafood - Cheap and delicious seafood. I'm not sure if they sell anything that's not fried. Their scallops are heaven in my mouth. They keep very weird hours though, so don't just show up expecting to eat. (See the review I linked to for more info.)

Heine Brothers' Coffee - Heine Bros. is very close to my heart because it was my very first coffee house. I have passed many, many hours on the patio at their Longest Ave location. Delicious fair trade coffee and Kizito cookies - what more do you need? And it doesn't hurt that the Longest Ave location is connected to Carmichael's Bookstore, which allows me to feed two addictions at once.

Highland Coffee - I only started frequenting Highland after I started working downtown and found that there was one quite nearby. I quickly become totally addicted to their green tea blended freezes. But the thing I most love about Highland is their lunch! They serve regular sandwiches and paninis and both come with chips and orange slices. The turkey and goat cheese w/ sundried tomato panini is amazing.

Homemade Ice Cream & Pie Kitchen - All you really need to know is this: warm caramel Dutch apple pie with creme brulee ice cream. Or if that's not your thing, I'm sure they have something that is. They have a huge selection of pies and ice cream flavors, and it's aaaaaall good. Yum.

The Irish Rover - Neil's mom takes us out to eat fairly often (bless her!) and among the three of us this is one of our favorites. Their Fish & Chips are outstanding, but I'm mad about the Smoked Salmon & Potato Gratin. For starters, try a Scotch Egg or some Cheese & Chive Fritters. And I don't even have to mention beer, do I?

Lynn's Paradise Cafe - Just look at this place, will you? Do I even need to say anything else to convince you to eat there? In case I do, rest assured that Lynn's food is as good as her decor is wacky. Her brunch is one of the best in the city (as are her bloody maries) and you can't go wrong with sweet potato fries. You'll probably have to wait for a table, but time passes quickly in the weird and wonderful gift shop.

Maido - A fantastic sake bar with a huge selection of small plates and a great beer list. Go with a group, order a ton of different things, and go crazy tasting stuff. It's as much an adventure as a meal!

The Nachbar - How do I love the Nachbar? Let me count the ways. 1) It's around the corner from my house. 2) It has a fantastic beer list. 3) It attracts a wide array of people. 4) It's okay to go down the street to Jockamo's for pizza and bring it back to the bar. 5) It has a large patio. Does it really get any better?

Ramsi's Cafe on the World - With its crazy variety of international foods, Ramsi's has something for everybody. Some of my favorites here are the Cafe on the World Salad, Pork Port & Pears, and the Curried Chicken & Shrimp Paella. I found their eggplant parmesan to be a little uninspiring, but I can't say I've ever had a bad meal there. Beware of the obnoxious piano player (aka The Piano Douche) they have on Friday and Saturday nights, though. If he's there you can forget about conversing with your dinner partners.

Sakura Blue - This is my favorite sushi bar. They do the basics well and their specialty rolls rock my world. (Try the Hawaii roll! Yum!) The friendly sushi chefs always make me feel right at home, too.

Shalimar - By far the best Indian lunch buffet in the city. Their dinner entrees are excellent too, but the buffet is really what it's all about. The offerings change slightly each day but are always fresh and delicious.

Shriraz Mediterranean Grill - Neil and I have gotten into the habit of getting carry-out from Shiraz most Thursday nights to eat while we watch Grey's Anatomy. Joojeh Kabob + Lentil Rice + Tzatziki Sauce = Love. And cheap, too!

Simply Thai - I was a little skeptical of this tiny restaurant at first; it's attached to a convenience store, and, contrary to its name, it advertises sushi. Non-Japanese restaurants with sushi always cause me to raise my eyebrow. But I tried it anyway and was rewarded with some of the best pad thai I've ever had, as well as sublime tofu spring rolls. I've not yet tried their sushi but I've heard that it's quite good as well.

Vietnam Kitchen - I've been to Vietnam Kitchen many times and have only ever had one entree there, the H.6 (a squid curry). I love it so much that I've never tried anything else! However, I've been assured by numerous dining companions that their other dishes are equally yummy. Also recommended: the spring rolls and Vietnamese coffee.