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.

Mark Your Calendar: The Louisville Original second-quarter discount gift certificate sale will begin at 10 a.m. on July 16. [Originals]

Contemporary Piano Bar: Dress up like F. Scott Fitzgerald and bring your date to the Brown Hotel lobby bar on Thursdays and Fridays from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. to enjoy half-price signature cocktails and tapas while listening to Broadway and jazz-era hits by professional pianist Sue Ann Stone.

More Music and Deals: On Thursdays evenings this month from 6 to 9 p.m., you can enjoy live music and half-price wine at the Prospect Bristol Bar and Grille.

Better than a Date at Olive Garden: Be at the old Ferd Grisanti Restaurant on June 14 to experience Taste of Italy, an Italian buffet feast featuring dishes from several local Italian Restaurants. Proceeds of this event will benefit victims of the April 6 earthquake in L’Aquila, Italy. [Courier]

More Tastes: The 2009 Taste of Frankfort Avenue is set for June 28 in the Clifton Center. The event features tasty fare from 28 local restaurants. [Clifton]

What More Could You Ask For: Anything that combines books and food sounds like a good time to me. On the second Wednesday of every month, The White Oak (at the old Artemesia location) is hosting a dinner and book club discussion featuring books with a food theme. [Courier]

Read more from Jessica at her About Louisville blog. 

The online magazine has named the Louisville restaurant one of “America’s Top 10 Most Romantic Restaurants,” and it finds itself in the company of other prestigious restaurants such as New York’s River Café and Azul in Miami. According to renowned food writer John Mariani, the author of the article, the food had to be at least the equal of the atmosphere to make his list for the country’s most romantic eateries; he chose the English Grill for its romantic, spacious setting that is ideal for couples and its refined menu.

“With an AAA Four-Diamond award, the restaurant does indeed have the sophisticated, warm, wood-paneled, stained-glass charm of a Noël Coward salon, and a new chef from Montreal has crafted one of the most delectably festive menus in the city, with specials like a seared veal chop with garlic, local corn, sorghum syrup and a lick of Buffalo Trace bourbon. The coffee-rubbed venison loin with wild mushrooms and blackberries is absolutely irresistible,” he said.

The English Grill is located on the 2nd floor of The Brown Hotel. Executive chef Laurent Géroli serves a contemporary American menu with seasonal and regional influences. Hours of operation are 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. daily. Reservations are suggested and can be made by calling (502) 583-1234.

by David Dominé, The Bluegrass Peasant

It’s sure to get your sweetie in the mood, and you’ll be happy when the check comes and you see how much you saved by eating in. For under $50, you can use recipes from my first cookbook, Adventures in New Kentucky Cooking and the upcoming Bourbon Cookbook to whip up something as good as you’d find at any local restaurant. All the recipes are designed to serve six, so make the necessary adjustments or invite two more couples over and make a night of it. Don’t forget the roses and champagne.

To start, mix up a batch of shrubs. Raspberry shrub was one of the most popular drinks in the America of the 1800s and owes much of its popularity to the Temperance Movement, which promoted it as an alternative to hard spirits and beer. The word shrub comes from the old Arabic word meaning drink and amounted to a tart, fruit-based syrup that would be cut with cold water and sometimes alcohol to produce a refreshing summertime beverage. In Kentucky, as in most parts of the country, shrubs were also known as vinegars, no doubt because vinegar was a key ingredient used to macerate the fruit, and they could be made from a wide variety of fruits and berries. Not surprising, Kentuckians often added bourbon whiskey to their shrubs for a more potent concoction. The beautiful pink color makes this the perfect Valentine’s Day cocktail.

Raspberry Bourbon Shrubs

• 4 cups fresh raspberries (frozen will work)
• 2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• Sparkling water
• Bourbon

Simmer the raspberries and vinegar in a large saucepan for 20 minutes or until the berries have started to break down. Transfer the mixture to a blender and purée. Once the mixture has cooled slightly, strain it through a sieve to remove all the seeds and pulp. There should be at least 3 cups of juice, if not, you’ll have to add some water to make up the difference. Transfer to a saucepan with the sugar and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the sugar is dissolved and the syrup is thick and ruby red. For each shrub, you will need to mix together 1 part syrup with 2 parts sparkling water and a splash of bourbon. You won’t even taste the vinegar, by the way.

Read the rest and get the recipes after the jump…

Then, start off with the following appetizer using one of my favorite local delicacies, smoked spoonfish. The spoonfish, also known as the paddlefish or spoonbill catfish, is one of the tastiest byproducts of recent trends in which Kentucky tobacco farmers have turned to aquaculture as a way of diversification. This relative of the sturgeon has firm, white flesh that has become a favorite with seafood aficionados across the country.

Lewis Shuckman, a third-generation fishmonger who operates the family business at his west Louisville smokery, has won numerous awards for his smoked treats. His smoked spoonfish has also gained national recognition for its exceptional quality, and Kentucky spoonfish caviar such as that produced at Schuckman’s has received attention around the world for its exceptional quality. Paired up with savory pancakes flavored with sweet potato, the smoked fish is sure to be a hit.

Smoked Spoonfish with Sweet Potato Pancakes

• 1 ½ cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 ¼ cups cooked mashed sweet potato
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk
• ¼ cup melted butter
• Vegetable oil for frying
• 1 cup flaked smoked spoonfish
• Unsweetened whipped cream and chopped green onion for garnish

Sift all the dry ingredients together into a mixing bowl. Combine remaining ingredients and add to flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Drop by tablespoons onto a hot greased griddle or skillet and fry, turning once, until browned on both sides. Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream topped off with flaked spoonfish and green onion.

After you’ve finished the appetizers and cocktails, move on to the soup, which you can make in advance and reheat to serve. Although it has a wonderfully creamy texture, there’s no dairy here, other than a bit of butter. If you want to make it vegan, use olive oil and vegetable stock instead. Now might be the time to pop the cork on that bottle of champagne.

Bourbon Butternut Squash Soup

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 4-5 cloves fresh garlic, smashed
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 6 cups butternut squash, diced, peeled and deseeded
• 1 cup bourbon
• 3 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoons nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• 6 cups chicken broth
• ¼ cup honey
• Pumpkin seed oil

Sauté onions and garlic with the butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium heat until onions become translucent. Add squash and cook an additional 5 minutes. Turn up the heat and add bourbon, cooking until the liquid has reduced by half. Stir in salt, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper and cumin. Pour in chicken stock and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes or until the pieces of squash have started to break down. Add honey and use a handheld blender to puree the soup in the saucepan until perfectly smooth. Correct the seasoning and enjoy with a healthy drizzle of pumpkin seed oil.

Now, it’s time for the salad course. This creation is another take on the famous open-faced sandwich from Louisville’s celebrated Brown Hotel, and incorporates all of the main ingredients from the original, but adds the crisp crunch of iceberg lettuce and the tangy zing of bourbon and buttermilk in the dressing. Pop open another bottle of bubbly if you’re out, or switch to a bottle of sauvignon blanc if you’re in the mood for something else.

Cold Brown Salad with Bourbon Buttermilk Dressing

• 1 head iceberg lettuce
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons bourbon
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
• 2 large tomatoes, sliced
• 1 small turkey breast, cooked and chopped (about 2 cups)
• 6-8 slices cooked bacon
• Asiago cheese
• Toast points

Wash the lettuce and cut into 6 wedges. Prepare the dressing by whisking together the buttermilk, mayonnaise, vinegar, bourbon, salt and pepper. Assemble individual salads by laying several slices of tomato over each wedge of lettuce and drizzling with buttermilk dressing. Top with chopped turkey and bacon, and garnish with slivers of Asiago cheese and toast points.

For the main course, try one of my most popular recipes: filets of beef marinated in bourbon. The steaks need to sit in the bourbon for a while, so make sure you do that before your date arrives. As a side, make a skillet of corn and lima bean maque choux, a Louisiana-inspired succotash. If you want, you could open a bottle of cabernet sauvignon to go with the entree, but everybody knows champagne goes with everything, so pop open another bottle and fill up your glasses. Or, switch over to a bottle of rose champagne. Trust me, it’s not the pink champagne that your parents drank on the night of their honeymoon. Any decent wine shop will have a couple of varieties of this trendy sparkling wine. And it’s pink: think cupid and roses.

Bourbonnaised Filet Mignon

• Six 4-ounce filet mignons
• 1 cup bourbon
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons brown mustard
• ¾ cup heavy cream

Lay the filets in a single layer in a shallow dish and pour in the bourbon and lemon juice. Place the dish in the refrigerator and let marinate for at least four hours, turning each filet over at least once to ensure an even marinade. To cook the filets, melt the butter in a well-seasoned skillet over medium-high heat. Remove the beef from the marinade and pat dry with a paper towel. Season each side with salt and rub with a bit of the brown sugar. Once the butter has started to sizzle, sear each filet for about 4 minutes on each side. Remove the steaks to a plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm. To make the sauce, turn the heat under the skillet up to high and add the leftover bourbon marinade. Once it begins to boil, whisk in the mustard and cream and reduce the sauce by half. Correct the seasoning. Spoon over the filets and enjoy.

Corn and Lima Bean Maque Choux

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• ½ cup diced red bell pepper
• ½ cup diced green bell pepper
• ¼ cup diced celery
• 4 cups corn (about 6 ears)
• 2 cups frozen lima beans, thawed
• 1 cup bourbon
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ cup heavy cream

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the onions, peppers and celery for 2-3 minutes. Add the corn, limas, bourbon, and salt. Cook, stirring often, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the cream and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, correct the seasoning and serve piping hot with a garnish of chopped parsley.

And, for the piece de resistance: everybody’s favorite, crème brûlée, for dessert. The flavors of orange and bourbon are perfect together in this creamy, not-too-sweet finish to your Valentine’s Day feast courtesy of the Bluegrass Peasant.

Orange Bourbon Crème Brûlée

• Juice of 4 large oranges, about 1 cup
• 1/3 cup bourbon
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 8 large egg yolks
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups heavy cream
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon iodized salt
• Sugar for the top

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Whisk together the orange juice, bourbon and sugar in a heavy skillet and cook over medium heat until the liquid reduces by half and forms a syrup. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. There should be around ½ cup of syrup. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks with the sugar until pale yellow and frothy, about 10 minutes. Whisk in the cream, vanilla, and salt. Add the cooled orange-bourbon syrup and continue whisking. Divide the mixture between 6-8 ramekins and transfer the individual ramekins to a large baking dish. Set on the middle rack of the oven and add enough very hot water so that at least half of the ramekin sits below the surface of the water. Close the door and bake in this bain marie for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 250 degrees and cook for another 45 minutes. Remove the hot water bath and allow the custards to cool in the water. Once they have cooled, sprinkle about a teaspoon’s worth of sugar over the top of each and caramelize under a broiler or with a kitchen torch to achieve the signature sugar crust.

So, pop open another bottle of champagne and get out that box of chocolates. Turn the light down a little more, and get out the candles. You can leave the dishes for tomorrow. I got you started; now the rest is up to you.

by David Dominé, The Bluegrass Peasant

Through March 31st they will be offering a special “Winter Break Weekend Package” that includes a one-night stay in either a Luxury King or Club Deluxe King room with dinner and breakfast. The dinner for two is a three-course feast at the English Grill where guests can choose from the regular a la carte menu. Selections include items such as filet mignon, crab cakes, pork chop, and curry-marinated seared tofu.

The next morning guests will enjoy to a large breakfast buffet at J. Graham’s Café. The Luxury King package is $293 and the Club Deluxe King is $323. The Brown Hotel’s Luxury King rooms average 500 square feet and would be considered Junior Suites in many hotels. A Club Deluxe King room has access to the Club Lounge to enjoy a complimentary continental breakfast, afternoon snacks, hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer and soft drinks and other additional free treats. Prices are inclusive of tax and gratuity, but alcohol is extra.

This deal has limited availability and is not offered on Valentine’s Day weekend. Guests purchasing the Winter Break Weekend Package have the option of adding additional nights at the hotel’s best available rate, plus taxes. Reservations can be made online or by calling (502) 583-1234.

by David Dominé, The Bluegrass Peasant

Around here, everyone knows that The Brown Hotel has been a Louisville destination for romance for nearly a century, offering Louisvillians a place to fall in love and to hold their dream weddings. This February 14th will mark their 85th Valentine’s Day, and to commemorate the event, The Brown will be pulling out all the stops and offering a variety of romantic packages and menus with amorous amenities that include roses, gourmet dinner and luxurious accommodations for two. Reservations may be made by calling Neal Ward, English Grill Manager, at (502) 736-2998.

Here are some of the options, according to a recent press release:

♥   An Evening with Jack Jones and The Louisville Orchestra

This Valentine’s Day, you can cuddle up with your sweetie and enjoy the romantic styling of composer Jack Jones. Aside from being the musical genius who wrote the theme to The Love Boat, Jones gave us “Call Me Irresponsible” and “The Impossible Dream” as well. This special package includes two $60 tickets to see Jack Jones with The Louisville Orchestra on Saturday, February 14, a Luxury King room at The Brown Hotel, valet parking, a gourmet three-course dinner in The English Grill, a breakfast for two in J. Graham’s Cafe, and all taxes and gratuities for only $549. (If your spouse is the demanding kind, this is a steal!)

But, if you’re the stick-in-the-mud kind of person who doesn’t like to spend the night away or stay out too late, don’t worry, because executive chef Laurent Géroli and his culinary team have created a special meal sans room for $149 per person which includes the three-course dinner with wine pairings, gratuity, tax, self-parking, and tickets for the Jack Jones performance at 8:00 p.m. at The Palace. Dinner is also available on its own for $55 per person, excluding wine, tax and gratuity, but tables must be vacant by 7:30 p.m.

For the meal, guests will be offered a choice of Roasted Beet Salad with Capriole Farms Goat Cheese, micro basil and sherry vinaigrette or Serrano Ham-wrapped Shrimp with smoked tomato risotto and Manchego cheese for appetizers. Entrée choices include Roasted Farm Raised Scottish Salmon with green asparagus gratin, pomme étagère and Minus 8 vinaigrette glaze; Wild Mushroom Stuffed French Cut Chicken with fingerling potatoes, haricots verts and truffle cream sauce; or Cast Iron Roasted Angus Petit Filet Mignon of Beef with rösti potatoes and caramelized carrots in a peppercorn sauce. This romantic dinner will end with Chocolate Raspberry Dome with spun sugar and Chambord reduction.

There will also be a special Valentine’s Day menu available that includes five courses for $85 per person plus tax and gratuity, with seating available between 8:00 and 9:00 p.m. The menu starts with a soup of Truffle Chanterelle Bisque with pistachio bourbon candies; a salad of White Asparagus Terrine with pumpkin seed oil and red grape emulsion; and an appetizer of Foie Gras on toasted brioche with seared scallop and Minus 8 vinegar reduction. After an intermezzo, entrée choices will include Poached Lobster in lavender honey butter, capellini pasta, morel mushrooms, and baby Brussels sprout hazelnut vinaigrette; Cast Iron Roasted Angus Filet Mignon of Beef with rösti potatoes and caramelized carrots with a peppercorn sauce; or Moroccan Seasoned Oven Roasted Rack of Lamb with sweet potato goat cheese gratin and orange scented saffron jus. A Chocolate Raspberry dome with spun sugar and Chambord reduction will provide a sweet ending to the evening.

More Ideas after the Jump…

Other room packages include:

♥   Be My Valentine

Treat your Valentine with an overnight stay in a Deluxe King room on a privately keyed club level floor. This allows access to the Club Lounge with continental breakfast, afternoon snacks during the day and complimentary hors d’oeuvres, wine, beer and soft drinks at night. The Be My Valentine package also includes the five-course gourmet dinner for two in The English Grill with seating between 8:00 and 9:00 p.m., complimentary valet parking, breakfast for two in J. Graham’s Café and all taxes and gratuities for just $458.

♥   Celebrate Our Love

Celebrate the love of your life in your choice of a Deluxe or Club Deluxe King room. This package includes complimentary valet parking, one dozen roses, a bottle of Gruet sparkling wine, a specially crafted chocolate chest filled with petit chocolates and breakfast for two in J. Graham’s Café. All taxes and gratuities are included. Deluxe will cost just $314; Club Deluxe will cost $351.

♥   Valentine Escape Package

Enjoy a romantic Valentine escape in a one-bedroom suite. A gourmet three-course dinner for two will be served in your suite, complete with a bottle of Moët et Chandon Imperial Rose and one dozen red roses. Breakfast will be served to you in your room the next morning! All taxes and gratuities are included for only $729.

For more information about The Brown Hotel, located at Fourth and Broadway, or to book a romantic package, you may also visit The Brown’s website or call 502-583-1234.

by David Dominé, The Bluegrass Peasant

The special dinner begins with a reception at 6:30 p.m. with canapés such as Potato Cube served with crème fraîche caviar and micro beets, and Roasted Squab with cassis reduction on toasted foie gras brioche paired with Gruet Brut, New Mexico NV, and dinner follows at 7:00 p.m. Tramonto’s executive chef, Tim Graham, will also be on hand to orchestrate the memorable evening.

The special menu is as follows:

Amuse-Bouche

Tête de Cochon,

Lentil Salad, Truffle Powder

Sarsaparilla Quail

Smoked Cipollini, Fig, Hazelnut

Torbreck “Woodcutter’s” Semillon, Barossa Valley 2006

Olive Oil-Poached Salmon

Daikon Noodles, Thai Long Peppercorn

Arlaud Morey-Saint-Denis 1er Cru “Les Ruchots” 2003

Intermezzo

Lemon Rosemary

Pâte de Fruit

Prosciutto-Wrapped Rib-eye

Whipped Raclette, Paprika Jus

Saggi by Ambrogio and Giovanni Folonari, Columbia Valley 2005

Dessert

Chocolate Pomegranate Pavé

Sea Salt Caramel Mousse

Pomegranate Reduction

Sugar Stick

Mas Amiel Maury, Roussillon 2006

The cost is $115 per person, and tax and 20% gratuity are additional. Tramonto will also be on hand to sign copies of his cookbook “TRU,” which will be available for purchase for $35. David DuBou, wine specialist for Vintner Select will be available to comment on the wine pairing. Reservations are required for this event and can be made by calling English Grill manager Neal Ward at 502-736-2998 or by visiting The Brown’s website or calling 502-583-1234.

Corbett’s, an American Place, will greet the New Year with a seven-course dinner for $100 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Chef Dean Corbett has created an elegant menu just for the occasion. His culinary team, including chef Chris Howerton and corporate chef Kevin Rice, will prepare the meal, and director of wine and spirits Troy Ritchie will ensure that each guest has a glass of bubbly for the New Year’s toast.

This year’s menu will include corned beef and cabbage rolls as the first course and then move on to lobster medallions with white lentils and pickled yellow beets, followed  by a salad of Bibb lettuce, blood oranges, applewood smoked bacon, and blue cheese vinaigrette.

The fourth course attraction will be sautéed bluenose grouper with fried Weisenberger grit cake, asparagus, and chestnut cream sauce, and mimosa sorbet will set the stage for the fifth course, which is seared Tanglewood duck breast, accompanied by bourbon-smoked barley, winter squash, and huckleberry reduction. For the sixth course, diners will tuck into Creekstone prime beef tenderloin with creamy fingerling potatoes, haricot vert, and truffle demi-glace. The meal will conclude a chocolate trilogy, followed by mignardises, those tiny, bite-sized goodies that have become all the rage at trendy restaurants.

Corbett’s, located at 5050 Norton Healthcare Boulevard in Old Brownsboro Crossing in east Louisville, will have New Year’s Eve seatings available until 10:00 p.m., and reservations can be made my calling (502) 327-5058.

More New Year’s Choices after the Jump…

At Equus, chef Josh Hillyard will wow guests with a celebratory five-course dinner for parties of five to 10 people, which will cost $85 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Seating will be available through 10:00 p.m., with a complimentary champagne toast at midnight.

The special New Year’s Eve menu will feature signature modern-American dishes with sophistication and an emphasis on the edible delights found across the Bluegrass. “Having been open for over 20 years, we’ve learned how important it is that guests end the year on a high note,” says Hillyard. “This year, in order to reach that goal, we’ve contacted our very best Kentucky suppliers and created five-courses that will not only please our guests for the evening, but give them a sense of Kentucky pride to take into the New Year.”

This year’s menu will begin with pumpkin-lobster bisque with crème fraîche and then progress to Kentucky Bibb salad with pickled pearl onions, and orange-fennel citronette. The third course will feature pan-roasted Kentucky striped bass served with creamed leeks and roasted chestnuts, and for the fourth course diners will be treated to Creekstone Farms beef tenderloin with roasted parsnips and apple compote. The repast will end with a “banana prepared three ways.”

Jack’s Lounge, located next door to Equus, will also be open and serving its regular menu. However, they will also offer some special dishes and drinks. Equus is located at 122 Sears Avenue. Normal hours of operation are Monday through Saturday from 6:00 to 10:00 pm. For more information or to make reservations, call (502) 897-9721.

At the English Grill in the Brown Hotel at Fourth and Broadway revelers can enjoy a five-course New Year’s Eve Dinner that includes an appetizer of sautéed scallops followed by Malpeque oyster soup and an intermezzo. A choice of entrees such as sautéed marlin log, filet mignon or pan-seared venison loin comes after that, and the meal concludes with a salad of butternut squash and eggplant goat cheese terrine on winter baby spinach and a dessert of chocolate Grand Marnier mousse cake. The price is $135 per person, which includes tax and gratuity, party favors, live music and dancing, and a midnight champagne toast. Seating times are 7:30 p.m., 8:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. For reservations, call Neal Ward at 502-736-2998.

In addition, hotel packages are available that include the Private Party for Two (a club deluxe room; an elegant three-course dinner for two in your room; a bottle of Moët et Chandon Impèrial Rosè; continental breakfast in the club lounge and valet parking) for $459, the Celebration Package (a luxury king room; bottle of sparkling wine; chocolate-covered strawberries; breakfast buffet for two in J. Graham’s Café and valet parking) for $269, and the English Grill Gala Package (a five-course dinner at The English Grill; a midnight champagne toast; party favors; live music and dancing; choice of a deluxe, luxury or club room; breakfast for two in J. Graham’s Café and valet parking) that starts at $469. Reservations for room packages can be made by calling 502-583-1234. For more information, visit The Brown’s website or call 502-583-1234.

Bardstown Road’s Asiatique will offer a spectacular four-course dinner that features flavors of the Pacific Rim for New Year’s Eve. For $65 per person, which does not include alcohol, tax or gratuity, guests will start off with a salad of local hydroponic baby lettuces and sweet chili-basil or hoisin-truffle vinaigrette and then choose a “first flavor” as an appetizer.

On offer will be Asiatique crabcake, sashimi of ahi tuna, Indocine-inspired grilled angus beef satay and asian pesto, wok-fried spicy lamb with red pepper and maui onion on sweet potato basket, Vietnamese-inspired shrimp-pork ‘cha gio,’ slow-cooked bbq pork rib and pickled root vegetables, and ‘Capriole Farms’ goat cheese with crabmeat spring roll and spiced miso aioli. For the main course, choices will include triple-crusted ahi tuna, wok-seared Pacific salmon with roasted shallot and Sichuan hot oil, lemongrass-scented angus beef medallion with sauteed grilled vegetables and wilted spinach, wok fried tiger shrimp with scallop and garden vegetables, and bacon-wrapped pork roulade with goat cheese, spinach and red pepper, just to name a few. To finish the whole thing off, dessert options such a trio of creme brulee with blackberry gastrique, and vanilla cheese cake with strawberry compote and peppercorn caramel sauce will be available.

All reservations made and seated before 6:00 will only cost $50 per person. However, all seatings are for two hours from the reservation time and are subject to additional charges for reservations seated past the two-hour limit. All reservations must be accompanied by a credit card and are subject to a 48-hour cancellation policy. Call (502) 451-2749 for reservations or for more information.
Over in Midway at Holly Hill Inn $75 will get you a multi-course menu designed by chef owner Ouita Michel with chive-and-potato blini, pulled lobster that is folded into sauce verte and served with basmati rice and avocado and sweet pepper aioli, creamy parsnip Vichyssoise with crispy Jerusalem artichoke chips, a salad of Belgian endive with sliced orange and spiced walnuts, extra-petite poussan on fallen mushroom soufflé with sauce supreme, a choice of carved filet mignon or roasted sea bass, and “spectacular desserts by Stella.” You’ll also be sent home with brioche for New Year’s morning. For $65, a vegetarian option can be had. Make reservation with Donna at (859) 846-4732.

by David Dominé, The Bluegrass Peasant

Although most of the city’s eateries shut down in observance of Christmas, there are several options for those wanting to eat out on December 25th.

Red Pepper Chinese Cuisine (502) 891-8868 at 2901 Brownsboro Road will be open until at least 9:30 p.m. and Kashmir Indian Restaurant (502) 473-8765 at 1285 Bardstown Road will serve lunch from 11:30 a.m to 3:00 p.m. and dinner from 5:00 to 10 p.m. And the old standby for Louisville’s population of Christmas Day refugess, Vietnam Kitchen (502) 363-5154 at 5339 Mitscher Ave, will serve from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

If your taste buds would rather stay in this hemisphere, there’s always the list of ever-reliable hotel restaurants that cater to stranded travelers and buffet nuts. One of my favorites is the Christmas Day menu at The English Grill in the Brown Hotel.

The cost is $58 per person, plus tax and gratuity, which includes an appetizer buffet with soup, antipasto, salads, seafood and assorted breads and breakfast pastries. For the main course, entrees such as sautéed George Bank cod, prime petit beef filet and braised lamb loin will be served. A Viennese dessert display will feature Grand Marnier vanilla mousse, chocolate opera cake, mini savarin and assorted mini tartlets and orange madeleines. Seating times are 12:30 p.m., 12:45 p.m., 1:00 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 3:45 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. For reservations, call Neal Ward at (502) 736-2998.

by David Dominé, The Bluegrass Peasant

Two of my favorites are the English Grill and J. Graham’s Café  at the historic Brown Hotel. On Thursday, November 27 the English Grill has dinner seating times at 12:30, 12:45, 1:00, 3:30, 3:45 and 4:00 p.m. For $58 per person the dinner includes live piano music and a lavish appetizer buffet, as well as a decadent Viennese dessert display. Entrée choices include roasted turkey breast and leg with fig and chestnut stuffing, sweet potato pancake, haricots vert and Yukon mashed potatoes; sautéed Arctic char with truffle, diced potatoes and grilled corn; and pan seared filet with honey lavender crust, cauliflower gratin and spinach béchamel.

J. Graham’s Café will feature a Thanksgiving Day buffet with all the traditional favorites for $32 per person and $16 for children 12 and under. Buffet seating will be from 12:15 to 12:45 p.m. and 2:30 to 3:00 p.m. Guests will enjoy dishes such as Kentucky ham with pineapple glaze; roasted turkey with cranberry sauce and giblet gravy served with traditional cornbread stuffing with walnut; roasted pork loin with Calvados apple sauce; sautéed green beans with roasted almonds; and Yukon garlic mashed potatoes. The Thanksgiving feast will end with dessert options like pineapple upside-down cake, pecan pie and pumpkin pie.

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Or, if the Brown isn’t what you’re looking for, let award-winning chef Michael Paley and the red penguins pamper you at 21c. Proof on Main at 702 W. Main St. will offer from 2:00 to 8:00 p.m.  a Thanksgiving Day menu featuring smoked Tallgrass Farm heritage turkey served with fig sausage, locally grown sweet potato puree and Tuscan green beans. Also featured will be such seasonal dishes as chestnut ravioli with treviso and brown butter. Call (502) 217-6360 or go online for reservations.

In addition, the Bristol Bar & Grille will be serving Thanksgiving buffets at all but the downtown locations from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. $19.95 for adults; $4.95 for children ages 4 to 11 years old. What’s on the menu? Roast turkey with cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, roast beef, honey-glazed ham, poached salmon, sweet potatoes, country-style green beans, brussels sprouts, corn pudding, asparagus vinaigrette, fresh cranberry sauce, wild rice salad, spinach salad, pecan and pumpkin pies. Go online or call for more information. 1321 Bardstown Road, (502) 456-1702; 6051 Timber Ridge Drive, Prospect, (502) 292-2585; 300 North Hurstbourne Parkway, (502) 426-0627; 700 West Riverside Drive, Jeffersonville, Indiana, (812) 218-1995. By the way, the Bristol in Jeffersonville will open at 6:30 a.m. for breakfast for those planning an early day of shopping on Friday, November 28.

Captain’s Quarters Riverside Grille, 5700 Captain’s Quarters Road, Harrods Creek, will serve a buffet from 10:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Breakfast items will be served until 1 p.m. Thanksgiving menu will include turkey with oyster stuffing, fried chicken, baked tilapia with teriyaki orange glaze, carved roast beef, pastas, salads and desserts. $21.95 for adults; $13.95 for children ages 6-12; and children ages 5 and under eat free. Call (502) 228-1651 or go online for reservations.

And, like the Brown, the Galt House at Fourth Street and River Road will offer two Thanksgiving dinner options. Rivue will serve a traditional feast from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. that starts with relish trays on each table and salads served by captains. ($49.95 for adults; $19.95 for children ages 4 to 10; free for children under 3 years) Then comes turkey carved tableside with family-style sides, with baked ham and fried oysters available as well. Turkey, beef, pork, stuffed flounder and various side dishes will be on the buffet in the Fountain Room from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Included in the $29.95 price are salad bar and dessert station. $9.95 for children ages 4 to 10; free for children under 3 years. Parking is free. Call (502) 589-5200 or go online.

by David Dominé, The Bluegrass Peasant