Weekend Adventures

A friend came to visit this past weekend, and she had never been to Louisville! Of course, me being me, we structured the whole weekend around where to eat. Wow. Having to figure out which of the myriad of places we should visit was extremely difficult…but delicious!

Friday night, we went to Ramsi’s Café on the World. I’ve been there many times and constantly rave about their Sloppy Falafel ($7.99), Medjool Dates ($6.90), and eclectic ambience. The last time I went, I had the Smoked Salmon Panini ($9.40, I asked them to lose the hard-boiled egg) and considered getting it again. However, we decided to tour our way through their extensive appetizer menu. We started with Madame Tussauds empanadas ($7.99). An unbelievable, Philly-cheesesteak-like combination of London broil, Kenny’s sharp cheddar cheese, portobella mushrooms, and onions. We paired that with the Potato Latkes ($5.25) which were just how they should be: a soft, tasty mixture of mashed potatoes, formed into patties and fried, rather than being a large tater tot. Following that, we delved into our sweet sides with the Brie Bernadette ($7.99), brie rolled in toasted almonds and pecans, fried and then drizzled with honey. After sitting for a bit, I convinced her that she MUST have the Medjool Dates stuffed with goat cheese and she convinced me that we MUST order the Fried Plantains drizzled with maple syrup and served with ginger whipped cream ($3.50). Well, if we must, we must…needless to say, we did not finish. Half the dates and the majority of the plantains came home with us, and were just as tasty the next night!

Saturday morning rolled around and brought with it the burning question, “Where do we go for breakfast?” You might guess that I said, “Wild Eggs,” but to do Louisville right, for her first time with the proper “Louisville” experience, we went to Lynn’s Paradise Café. It’s kitschy, a little overpriced, and does not have great service, but still…it’s Lynn’s! You go for the experience and to spend some time in the “World of Swirl.” After waiting the requisite 40+ minutes shopping around, and of course purchasing some goofy things for ourselves, we were seated. To drink, I had a Bloody Mary, which is usually the epitome of Bloody Marys for me with a full skewer of olives and peppers, but this time it was a little watered-down. My friend had a Mimosa, which she said tasted less like orange juice and more like orange drink, not completely yummy when mixed with champagne. We ordered fried green tomatoes to start, which were thinly sliced and lightly battered. What makes them is the parmesan mayo served alongside. I had my usual, the Wild Mushroom scramble with cheese grits and a biscuit (make sure to ask for the sorghum butter!), and she ordered the signature Bourbon Ball French toast, which was featured on Throwdown with Bobby Flay. I must say, I commend Lynn’s for allowing patrons to order half orders of most things on the menu. We saw a full order of the French toast come out…no way, so she asked for a half order and they accommodated without any issue. Overall, it was a good meal at Lynn’s and I still recommend it to anyone traveling through out great city.

After all that, we wanted to work off a little of what we had consumed, so we proceeded down the street to Cherokee Park. The Scenic Loop has always lived up to its name. We strolled along and ventured up the bird sanctuary trail. It was a beautiful walk for a crisp autumn afternoon. We then decided to visit Glassworks and when we got there, a tour was just starting so we joined in. It was very informative and enjoyable and for the price tag (around $6) it was well worth it. After shopping for a while, it was getting towards 5 o’clock, so we ventured home to take care of my pup and plan the dinner attack.

We decided to continue the café theme and head to Café Lou Lou in St. Matthews. I stuck with the Shoofly Shiraz (still yummy) and she had a “Relaxation” cocktail, a mixture of fruit juices and vodka that is not overly sweet. After splitting a bowl of Shrimp & Grits, we ordered the small Smoked Salmon Pizza. A perfectly done, chewy crust topped with smoked salmon, goat cheese, capers, Kalamata olives, artichoke hearts, and mozzarella cheese. It was listed to have marinara sauce on it, but we both thought that would not be the best choice, so we asked to replace the sauce with the garlic sauce listed on other pizzas. It sounds like an odd combination for a pizza, but it was excellent. They didn’t go heavy on the salmon, which I was very happy about, and the salty bite of the olives and capers kept it from being too heavy.

Now I need to go run for two days straight to work off all the calories! But it was completely worth it!

Mexican in Louisville

I love Mexican food! What's not to love? Lots of cheese, a little spice, and tons of flavor. Louisville has many choices in this cuisine, and I'm not talking Tumbleweed. Many are small chains; however, the taste and quality can vary greatly among different locations with the same name. My all-time favorite, as evidenced by the fact that I held my rehearsal dinner there, is the El Nopal in Jeffersontown at the corner of Taylorsville and Watterson Trail. Do not be fooled by imitators. First of all, their chile rellano. It is the epitome of chile rellanos. A simple combination of poblano pepper, stuffed with chihuahua cheese, and dipped in a light egg batter and fried. The peppers are always just the right level of heat. I usually get the combo that includes the rellano, a burrito (always shredded beef, never ground), and a chalupa. Heaven on a plate.

But I've branched out and I am perfectly willing to give credit where credit is due. A few weeks ago, I visited the Los Aztecas in downtown Louisville at the corner of Main and Sixth. As I used to work downtown, I have frequented this establishment often, and was never really impressed. I must say, they have improved. Their margaritas were perfect and were available in three sizes, regular, medium, and Oh my dear Lord. :-) I had the medium and it was more than enough. Their queso was perfect, as was the guacamole. All of us got various basic entrees, and they were all just how they should be, tasty and piping hot.

My newest find is Fiesta Time on Chamberlain Lane. Once again, for the most part, pretty basic and a good Mexican fix. But the last time I was there I discovered their hidden gem. The grilled shrimp entree. Two skewers of perfectly grilled shrimp, seasoned lightly with garlic and salt, glazed with queso blanco; served alongside a pile of rice and their "Guacamole Mario." It's the Guacamole Mario that sent me over the top. A light, but decadent combination of avocado with chopped tomatoes, onions, and cilantro. They offer it on the appetizer menu, as well. Definitely worth any cost. As far as I could see, the only entree that included a serving of it was the grilled shrimp. Darn, guess that means I'll just have to eat more shrimp. Whatever will I do?

Serafini's

My department went out for lunch to celebrate the upcoming nuptials of one of our coworkers, and to do so, we visited Serafini's, an upscale restaurant in downtown Frankfort across from the old Capitol building. I had been to Serafini's once before at dinnertime but this was my first lunchtime visit.

I have to say, they definitely have the ambiance down. This is the perfect restaurant for a romantic dinner for two with white tablecloths, soft lighting, and unobtrusive music. They also have a small, private dining room that is good for get togethers, such as ours.

Serafini's is owned by the same family that runs Portofino in Lexington (another excellent place to eat) and definitely leans more towards the Italian end of the spectrum for their offerings, including alfredo, pizza, and a lasagna that my boss raves about. However, they also had a rueben sandwich and a fried catfish sandwich on their lunch menu today, as well as today's special, meatloaf. A friend and I both chose cups of the soup of the day to start with, sauteed onions and leeks in a rich, creamy broth. A cup was only $3, so I felt it was worth a shot. It was absolutely yummy, if a bit difficult to eat due to the long, thin strips of onion that just would not seem to stay on the spoon to make it to my mouth. My friend and I decided to split two meals so we could try some different things. I ordered the goat cheese and apple salad, which is available in regular ($6) and large ($9). Given the plan to split I ordered the large size, and while the salad is absolutely beautiful and unbelievably delicious, I felt a bit let down at the portion size for $9. A bed of greens with wafer-thin slices of granny smith apple, large crumbles of creamy goat cheese, and sweet candied walnuts all drizzled with house dressing. It was good, but maybe not nine dollars good.

The sandwich, on the other hand, was worth every penny. She ordered the catfish sandwich with french fries ($9). A palm-sized piece of catfish, battered and fried to a perfect, golden brown, drizzled with just a touch of lemon juice and served on a toasted bun with tomato and lettuce. The tartar sauce, which looked like it was freshly made, was served on the side to allow the diner to add just the amount they desire and was perfectly tangy. The fries were crisp and golden, quite obviously done in peanut oil, given the characteristic taste. After finishing, our boss ordered tiramisu for the table...don't know the cost, but it's worth any price! The balance of coffee, chocolate, and cream was just right and the presentation, scooped into a thin-stemmed cocktail glass, beats any presentation anywhere else. Probably the best tiramisu I've had from any restaurant (but nothing beats Mom's!) Overall, I would love to visit Serafini's with the hubby and have a candlelight dinner, but it would take some saving beforehand given that the prices take a significant jump after nightfall. If visiting for the first time, give it a try for lunch so you won't lighten your pocketbook unnecessarily.

Wild Eggs part deux and dinner at home

I warned you I loved Wild Eggs...so when hubby came home today from a business trip, I once again dragged him there. This time we visited the Dutchman's Lane location rather than Westport Village. As usual, a somewhat lengthy wait, but well worth it, as always.

I decided to continue my culinary excursion around the menu rather than going to my fave Border Benedict. I toyed with the idea of partaking of one of the sweet treats, such as stuffed french toast or Bananas Foster waffles, but my final choice was between the Breakfast Burrito, $8.95 for a flour tortilla stuffed with scrambled eggs, chorizo, cheddar jack cheese, poblano pepper and onion, topped with queso fundido, sour cream, pico de gallo, avocado and green onion, served with skillet potatoes and black beans; or the Mexico City Maria's Chilaquiles, $7.95 for a Mexican-style breakfast casserole with corn tortillas, refried beans, salsa verde, queso blanco and a sunny side up egg, served shot of jugo de limon y chile. The chilaquiles won, but I chose to get a poached egg rather than the sunny side up simply due to personal preference.

When it came out, it looked absolutely delicious. It didn't disappoint. The corn tortillas were layered with beans and salsa verde and the queso and poached egg were perched on top. I liked that they didn't overdo it with the cheese, the beans were perfectly creamy, and the salsa verde had a nice crisp bite to cut through it all. As ususal, the poached egg was perfectly done and I only used a bit of the "jugo de limon y chile," translation-lemon juice and chiles, which is exactly what it tastes like! :-) It gave even more of a bite than the salsa verde, as well as a serious kick in the spice level. The menu fails to state that you also get a decent serving of skillet potatoes with this dish and today's were spot on!

My husband had his usual Farmers Market Skillet, ($9.95) a skillet full of bell pepper, onion, zucchini, yellow squash, wild mushrooms, skillet potatoes, broccoli and oven roasted tomato, melted cheddar jack cheese, topped with two basted eggs. Of course, him being him, he got it minus the bell peppers and tomatoes, but he loves it and, I have to admit, every time I take a nibble I think it's delicious. Overall, yet another perfect trip to Wild Eggs and the only reason I don't rate it "Out of this world" is nothing beats the Border Benedict...yet!

After leaving my heaven on earth, we ran errands and shopped at various stores throughout the day and decided to have a nice, quiet dinner at home. Being the chicken lover he is, my husband requested my chicken stroganoff, which is unbelievably easy. Take one large chicken breast, cut into 1 inch pieces, and sautee in butter-flavored cooking spray over medium-high heat until golden brown. While it's cooking, cook one full bag of extra-wide egg noodles in a pot of boiling water, open and drain two small cans of sliced mushrooms, and mix two packages of McCormick stroganoff mix into 2 cups of water. When the chicken is almost done, add all the mushrooms and allow to cook with the chicken until they are sizzling well. Dump the stroganoff mixture into the chicken and stir. As it cooks, the sauce will start to thicken. When the chicken is thoroughly cooked, turn down the heat and add 1-2 cups of sour cream (I use light.) After mixing well, pour the mixture into the cooked, drained noodles. This is good comfort food and it took less than 30 minutes! If I were to fix this for company, I would use fresh mushrooms instead of canned and rather than pouring all the stroganoff into the noodles before serving, I would place the egg noodles onto dinner plates and spoon the sauce and meat on the top, or, alternately, cook one chicken breast for each person and keep it intact, finishing off with a little chopped fresh parsley on top of the sauce. Sure to be a tasty hit with just about anyone. Enjoy!

Wild Eggs

After a meeting downtown last Friday, I was able to meet my husband for a bite to eat before going into the office. Being the wonderful man he is, he let me choose the place. I chose Wild Eggs. If you haven't heard of Wild Eggs, you're living under a rock and I invite you to venture into the sun. Wild Eggs is billed as serving breakfast, brunch, and lunch. I have to say, breakfast or brunch highly appeals to me. Which is odd since I hated eggs when I was little. The only way I would eat them was deviled. I'm glad my tastes have changed.

I have been to Wild Eggs multiple times and usually have Kalamity Katie's Border Benedict ($9.95), a mind-blowing take on your typical Eggs Benedict with a chili-corn cake, chopped chorizo, poached eggs (the only restaurant in town who can get them right), queso fundido, and a wonderfully fresh pico de gallo and avacado garnish served with skillet potatoes. Out of this world. I dream about this dish, it tops the list when people ask me what they should have.

However, the Surfer Girl Omelette has been on my mind and I finally gave in. The Surfer Girl ($8.95) has fresh spinach, wild mushrooms, tomato, cream cheese, and onion, topped with diced fresh avocado, pico de gallo, sour cream, and fresh alfalfa sprouts. The eggs were just a bit overdone for my taste, but still tasty, and the toppings made it yummy (excepting the sprouts, which I usually love, but these tasted a bit old). Not as decadent as the Border Benedict, but a worthy dish served with either grits, grits of the day, or skillet potatoes, as well as an Everything Muffin. I chose the grits of the day, sausage and cream cheese. I didn't much care for them. The sausage seemed like either a sliced link sausage or small smoked sausage pieces, and while the grits between the sausage were tasty, the sausage just seemed off. It would have been much better if it had been a basic breakfast sausage cooked and crumbled. Honestly, I've usually been disappointed with their grits of the day, and that comes from their seeming need to pack the grits of the day with meat, be it bacon or sausage, which just overwhelms the delicate flavor of the grits. I am far from a vegetarian, but I think keeping the grits more simple would improve them overall. While the omelet was good, the highlight of the meal was the Everything Muffin. Tender, crumbly, moist, savory...there aren't enough adjectives in the world.

To sum up, if I could eat at Wild Eggs every day of the week, I would be a VERY happy girl. 200 pounds heavier, but happy!

Cafe Lou Lou

Last night I met up with a bunch of girlfriends who have started the "Tuesday Night Supper Club." Where was I when my friends started this??? The group is working its way through the alphabet and each member picks a restaurant corresponding with their assigned letter. We are meeting once a month, so it prevents any huge issues with scheduling. I missed A in June and B in July, but thankfully I was there for C this month...Cafe Lou Lou! (St. Matthews location.) Sad to say, I had never been there, but had always wanted to experience it, so I was thrilled with the choice.

As I do every time I plan to visit a new restaurant (and sometimes to dream about old ones) I looked up the menu online to plan my attack! I had it on my agenda to feast on the shrimp and grits to start with, but their special appetizer trumped my plans. Baked brie with pineapple compote, green apples, golden raisins, and garlic bread. Absolutely sumptuous! There was enough that most of the girls joined in and we all got to have a good nosh without getting too filled up. We also ordered a bottle of Shoofly Shiraz 2004 to split amongst us. I have to say, it tops the list as my new favorite wine. Full and fruity, great body, started out a little woody but it mellowed and was absolute heaven. It would be perfect on a cold winter's day in front of a fire, but regardless of temp, I would never turn it down!

When it got around to ordering entrees, where do I start? Everything sounded decadent and perfect that there seemed no way to choose. I was leaning towards the Mediterranean pizza, but the cheese tortellini with shrimp in pesto cream sauce won out. Yes, I was aiming to be just a little bit "bad." :-) I did order the smaller size dish, and when it came out, it was still a hefty serving. The tortellini was perfect, if unsurprising (as most cheese tortellini is) but there was good pesto flavor in the sauce. I was disappointed in the amount of shrimp that came in the dish...three. Just three. I thought that was a little skimpy, although they were perfectly cooked and had that right "pop" in my mouth that all shrimp should have.

One of my girlfriends ordered the seared scallops and orzo pasta. The scallops were perfection, buttery and smooth, but I wasn't blown away by the orzo. The texture was perfect, it was just a little bland for me, my friend was raving about it though--it's all subjective!

I definitely have Cafe Lou Lou on my radar to hit again, as soon as possible, and continue down the menu. I plan to make the shrimp and grits my meal next time 'round and if I have an adventurous friend along with me, a go at the Mediterranean pizza might be in order. Also want to say thanks again to Seth, our server, who was knowledgeable, polite, funny, and all-around great guy. :-)

Marikka's Restaurant

Obviously, given this blog's name, I love food. But some types of food hold a special place in my heart and, as my family is from Germany, German would be at the top of the list. So when my husband and I decided to visit my parents yesterday to take advantage of their pool with the wonderful 90 degree weather and 90% humidity (don't we all LOVE Kentucky?) I decided to sweet-talk him into hitting a Lexington German restaurant, Marikka's. My parents have been there multiple times and my father raves about it, so my hopes were high.

Maybe too high.

First of all, I have to say I was impressed with their beer selection. They had an extensive draft list and a lasciviously long bottled list to choose from, that I won't begin to try to describe. The draft list, besides the basics like Budweiser and other national and local American brews, there were also authentic German tastes, such as Hoegaarden and Franziskaner, along with other nationalities, such as Kirin Ichiban! Odd, but a good beer nonetheless. Besides the normal 12 ounce serving, you can have a half liter or liter draft of your choice served in a stein you can take home for $10 or $16, respectively.

We started with their soft Bavarian pretzel ($6.99) and beer cheese (additional $3). The pretzel was huge (the size of a dinner plate), deliciously toasty, and without salt, which it didn't need with all the flavor from the perfectly browned exterior. The beer cheese, while good, was obviously just scooped from a tub, cold as ice, and the ¼ cup serving did not deserve the $3 price tag. I ordered their Goulasch mit Spaetzle und Rotkraut ($10.95), described as "paprika seasoned beef tips in gravy with German noodles and red cabbage." Hardly. The meat pretty much tasted like Armour beef stew. The spaetzle was done well, but I got green beans instead of the red cabbage I was expecting. I'm sure they would have remedied that, but I didn't realize the mistake until after the meal was over due to the overwhelming disappointment with the goulasch. My husband ordered the Huehnerschnitzel mit Kartoffelbrei und Gruenen Bohnen (also $10.95), described as "breaded chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans." If you've read my other posts, you're not surprised by this. :-) However, it must be said, his was much better than mine. The breading on the pounded chicken breast was light and crisp with well-balanced seasoning and the whole thing was tender and not over cooked. The mashed potatoes were basic, as were the green beans. Nothing extraordinary, but good, filling food. We did order a side of sauerkraut for him to top his potatoes, but were disappointed in that as well since it was obviously straight from a can. Once again, not at all worth the $4.49 price tag. Talking to my mom later, she commented that my dad usually gets one of the sausage platters and seems to enjoy that, so other choices might have been better.

Their decor was also woefully underdone. Plain white walls with a few scattered prints and a turned-spindle divider painted as the German flag. There were tablecloths, albeit plastic, and an attempt to have centerpieces consisting of cheap glass vases with artificial flowers and marbles holding them in place. Very Chinese-buffet.

Overall, I would go to Marikka's again to get Hoegaarden on tap and enjoy a soft pretzel, with the complimentary mustard rather than beer cheese, but if I want a true German dish, I'll stick to Gasthaus in Louisville or, better yet, Hofbrauhaus at Newport on the Levee. Either one is well worth a trip just to feel true German atmosphere.

Weekend Cooking

Still enjoying my culinary exploits sans husband. Last night I fixed myself a beef tenderloin from Kroger's. Just one of those pre-packaged ones, with au jus flavoring. Simple, but good. With that, I made roasted vegetables (squash, zucchini, mushrooms, and red onions) and roasted red potatoes with rosemary. I opened a bottle of Gnarly Head Old Vine Zinfandel to have with it, absolutely yummy and inexpensive at less than $10 a bottle! Because the tenderloins are so large, I have some wonderful cold steak salads and sandwiches in my future!

This morning, I put some fresh basil a coworker brought to me to use. Three eggs, beaten well and poured into a small skillet, topped with basil chiffonade, diced cherry tomatoes, a dash of salt and a sprinkling of mozzarella. Let it cook on med-high heat, WITHOUT STIRRING, and when the edges are set, put it in the oven on the low broil setting until the top is set as well. Congrats, you just made a frittata! This is enough to serve two people if you include a breakfast meat and hashbrowns or another side with it. Or, it could be just for you on its own...keeping it all for yourself is perfectly understandable. :-)

Simple Decadence

Sometimes it's the simple things in life that make you happy. This is the time of year all the tomatoes start getting ripe...mmmmm...nothing like home-grown from my mama's garden. I just had a dinner of a HUGE bowl of said tomatoes, dressed with nothing but salt, and a bowl of chicken tortilla soup from Qdoba. Simple, but yummy.

However, I titled this "Simple Decadence" and while my dinner was yummy, it wasn't decadent...but my lunch was! I was in northern Kentucky this morning for a meeting and on my way back, decided to take a little detour through Owenton. If you are a true foodie, you already know what's coming. Elk Creek vineyard. Their cafe menu is heaven on earth. My boss was with me, so we decided to each order a different sandwich and split. She ordered the "Chardonnay Gourmet Grilled Cheese" and I had the "Tuscan Meat Combo." Oh...My...Lord. The grilled cheese has layers of swiss, smoked gouda, and havarti with fresh basil and tomato on grilled flatbread and the combo has salami, capicolla, prosciutto, mozzarella, lettuce, tomato, red onion, olives, sliced pepperoncinis, and drizzled with chateau dressing on baguette. Seeing the decadence yet? The only way the meal could possibly be improved was if I hadn't had to head back to work and could have had a glass of their Syrah. The hubby will be dragged up there soon to have a nice, simple dinner and enjoy the live music they have every Friday and Saturday. If you haven't been there...GO! Enjoy a wine tasting and sample their cheese plate. That's next on my agenda!

Cooking for one...

The hubby being out of town isn't always a bad thing. I get to branch out in what gets prepared in my own kitchen! Tonight, I feasted on seared scallops, risotto with asparagus and peas (I also added a 1/4 cup shredded mint), and cucumber and tomato salad. I also picked up a bottle of Ferrari Carano Fume Blanc. I have to say, I learned my lesson about preparing the scallops in a non, non-stick pan! Stainless steel is NOT the way to go. Either that, or I did something really wrong. :-) While the risotto didn't turn out as creamy as it normally does (I dumped too much broth in on the last addition, destroyed the perfect consistancy I had going) it was still really, really good. The mint may sound like a weird addition, it was excellent.

Catching Up

I obviously have not written in awhile. Pursuing my MBA and being more conscientious of what I’m eating have put a damper on my epicurean habits. However, I do still have wonderful meals from time-to-time, and I firmly believe that low-fat does NOT mean low-flavor! So, off we go for more reports on what is worth eating in Louisville…but, fear not gentle viewers, I refuse to make this a diet blog! Food is where it’s at!

To start off, I saw a true food geek movie last night. Julie & Julia. I highly recommend for any fellow foodies. If you don’t walk out of that movie dying to try to make the bœuf bourguignon talked about, you are no foodie, begone from this blog! :-) I told my husband I want a copy of Julia Child’s cookbook (yes, I’m ashamed to admit, I don’t have it) and start cooking away. I also thought I wanted a copy of Julie Powell’s book until I went to Amazon and read the comments, as well as the first ten pages. Not so much now. In her book she seems a little…snotty…among other adjectives. But in the movie, Amy Adams is absolutely adorable and makes the character lovable. My wonderful mother came with me to see this pre-screening and we had a simple dinner of Penn Station before the show. OH MAN, their fries I could eat for days. Peanut oil and skins left on just make them for me. We both had the artichoke sandwich, but I added onions to mine. My mouth is watering just thinking about it! However, with as good as that was, their Philly cheese steak remains my favorite. While I may be a food geek, I greatly appreciate the finer points of our fast-food establishments.

I made myself an excellent dinner the other night. Roast a piece of cod in the oven at 475° with pepper and a little chili powder. While cooking, mix a tablespoon of olive tapenade (made with kalamata rather than green olives), ½ tablespoon butter, ¼ teaspoon dried basil, and a full tablespoon of Dijon mustard together. It sounds weird, but when that fish was done and hot and I spread the mixture on it…it just melted…mmmmm…I’ll never use tartar sauce again (well, maybe that’s not true!) I also boiled some red skin potatoes and steamed green beans. I tossed the potatoes with a little olive oil, salt, fresh cracked pepper, and dried rosemary. That was by far the best meal I’ve fixed myself in a loooong time. The hubby really needs to learn to expand his horizons on the eating front. I swear it is one of life’s cruel jokes to be such a food geek and marry a man that only eats chicken fingers…ARRRRGH! Luckily, he’s out of town, so tonight I plan to make myself another feast. What will be served? You shall soon see!