Review: Browning's

(Credit: Josh Thomas)

Last October, local beer lovers emitted a collective gasp when Browning’s Restaurant and Brewery shut its doors. Aside from brewing some of the finest beer in town — thanks to brewmaster Brian Reymiller — Browning’s was a great place to grab a meal before catching a Bats game at Slugger Field. It was a wakeup call both for brewheads as well as those keeping a close eye on the health of local restaurants.

In the months to follow, Reymiller kept the Browning’s name alive by pumping out some of his signature beers for local restaurants, bars and liquor stores. Still, however, a gaping hole was left in the hearts of the faithful.

In April, it was announced that Browning’s would reopen in the same location at Slugger Field with veteran Louisville chef and restaurateur Anoosh Shariat at the helm. And of primary importance for those who love the heart-gladdening foamy concoction, Reymiller would again be able to flex his brewing muscle with full vigor.

On a recent Wednesday afternoon, my wife and I headed down to Browning’s to check in on the resurrected local favorite to sample the food and grab a couple late-afternoon beers.

Because we went on a non-game day, the place was loosely populated and we were seated immediately at a corner booth. A few obvious regulars joked at the bar, taking advantage of the multitude of TVs visible from nearly every spot in the bar.

For the most important choice of the evening — the beer! — I selected a Browning’s Blacksmith Porter (a lean $3.25 with the dollar-off happy hour price), while my fellow Bar Hopper went with the Resurrection Stout ($3.25), a delicious nod to the Phoenix-like return of the establishment.

A quick glance at the menu revealed that Browning’s is still heads and shoulders above your average pub food. Sure, you’ve still got your fried cheese sticks and boneless Buffalo wings, but you’ve also got entrees like grilled Atlantic salmon and the Main Street Pasta with grilled chicken, artichoke hearts and roasted red peppers.

I decided to stick with the beer theme, ordering a Helles Battered Grouper ($10) with sweet potato fries (an extra $1.50), while Lindsay ordered a smoked-chicken wrap ($8) with grilled chicken, avocado, hummus, lettuce and tomato. Both dishes were pretty tasty, but it was the fries — complete with honey for dipping — that left me wanting more.

Browning’s sky-high ceilings give the place a spacious feel, despite not being an overly roomy spot. While you’re admiring the room, it’s hard not to be drawn to the shiny copper fermentation vats that populate the second and third levels of the place, open to viewing with huge glass walls. If you want to sit outside, there is a spacious patio that looks out on East Main Street.

Thankfully, not much has changed at Browning’s. It’s not often we get a second chance to throw some love at a local favorite, but this is your opportunity, Louisville.

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