by John LaFollette
‘Ville Voice Eats Correspondent

English Take on Kobe Beef: Chef Laurent Geroli is trying his take on the Kobe beef dinner—first offered to the Louisville public by chef John Varanese—at the chef’s table at the English Grill on Friday, Sept. 4.  Each of the 12 seats at the chef’s table, which was once named one of the top-10 in the country, will cost a cool $295, and will get you a three-course dinner.  Geroli says he “threw caution to the wind,” in preparing this one, and, it sounds like, spared no expense.

What Would the Cost Per Bite Be? The 2009 Kentucky State Fair Grand Champion ham sold at auction for a record $1.3 million.  The Sutherland Foundation and Republic Bank matched bids to produce the record, with half going to U of L’s Bucks for Brains program.  Sutherland is donating its half of the ham to Proof on Main’s Bucks for Brains fund-raiser, which will feature the ham on its menu.  The ham was a big ‘un, weighing in at just under 16 lbs.

Prospect Pasta Place: The Prospect Plaza shopping center has a new tenant in Bistro 42, set to open on Sept. 1.  Home-style Italian is the fare, with a focus on pasta dishes.

A Cause for September: This month’s charitable promotion at North End Café benefits Community Health Charities, which helps place the needy with services they need.  CHC is asking for donations of most any kind, from manila envelopes to children’s development toys to postage stamps.  Anyone who brings in a donation during the month of September will receive a five-dollar discount.