Bistro 1860 to open in former L&N
An “upscale-casual” restaurant focusing on small plates is slated to open late this fall in the building that most recently housed L&N Wine Bar and Bistro, at 1765 Mellwood Ave. Chef Michael Crouch is moving down the street from his position at Bourbons Bistro to head up the kitchen at Bistro 1860, owned by Ron Kayrouz and Terry Fereday.
The building has been “gutted out completely,” with an “all new design,” according to Crouch. The bistro is named for the year the building was constructed, and the new design will pay homage to the historical nature, with elements like black-and-white photos on the walls. A new feature is a lounge upstairs, where Crouch says diners can have cocktails before dinner and relax in comfortable chairs. In addition to “old school cocktails,” Crouch says the bistro will heavily focus on wine tasting.
The menu will feature three options for nearly every dish, Crouch explains. “There will be an individual petite portion, an appetizer size — something to share, and a small entree portion. Nobody has a design like that in town. I thought I’d give it a whirl. Foodies like to try several things and not be stuck with one dish.”
Among the dishes Crouch plans are a porcini mushroom flan with bacon brittle and champagne vinaigrette; lobster hushpuppies with a blood orange gastrique and a lemon hollandaise; oysters on the half shell with a habanero cilantro mignonette and a horseradish vodka creme fraiche; and rabbit fritters with a Dijon cream.
A garden planted earlier this year on the grounds will supply fall produce for the restaurant when it opens Dec. 1, according to Crouch.
Anchorage Cafe introduces ‘Cafe-To-Go’
Fans of the locally sourced meals at Anchorage Cafe, 11505 Park Road, can now enjoy the meals at home. The cafe has added a refrigerated “Cafe-To-Go” case where diners can “grab and go,” according to manager April Adams.
“It’s gonna be good. I’m excited about it,” says Adams. “Chef (Andy Myers) is coming up with rustic, hearty type of entrees and farm type of sandwiches. Anybody who works around here, lives around here or is doing the Anchorage Trail, they can just pop right in and grab a dinner that’s already made for them.”
The meals come packaged to serve two to four people and will range in price from about $12 to $20. Among the offerings: roasted Marksbury Farm chicken, Lexington Pasta’s mac and cheese with brioche crumbled topping, butternut squash soup, “really nice meatloaf” and other dishes that will reflect the season.
“As far as sourcing the best ingredients and local foods, I think Anchorage Cafe takes the lead in the community,” says Adams. “(Myers) has a major commitment to local farmers.”
Also new at the cafe is the lineup at the espresso bar, which features Argo Sons coffee. Salted caramel mocha, cherry almond mocha and maple spice latte are among the new offerings. A new autumn morning and lunch menu features house-baked treats, such as a fig, Greek yogurt and honey tart; savory tomato and goat cheese tart; and Nutella tartlets, as well as farm egg sandwiches on Klaus pretzel bread.
More information: (502) 708-1880 or www.theanchoragecafe.com.
Majid’s to host ‘ultra foodie dinner’
A Cabernet Cabaret dinner at Majid’s (3930 Chenoweth Lane) at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 30 promises to be an “ultra foodie dinner,” according to bar manager Stephen Dennison. Reservations are required for the event.
“The overriding concept is to provide the guest with various price points for enjoying great cabernets, from daily consumption to the special occasion, to use in cocktails,” says Dennison. At the dinner, he will speak about the effect of terroir on a single grape.
“I really enjoy the menu,” Dennison says. “We have some fun twists on classics. I have gone out of my way to incorporate a sense of fusion on this menu, just because I think that our concept lends itself to such an approach. The Persian Empire was huge and brought a number of cultures together.”
The dinner begins with a filet mignon tartare paired with Pierano Estates, Lodi 2010. Up next is wilted spinach salad with roast cipollini and braised and pulled wild boar served with Louis Martini, Sonoma 2010. Peking duck follows, moo-shu style, with confit accompaniments, along with B.R. Cohn, North Coast 2009. Surf-n-turf follows — dry-aged prime rib and Persian pistou lobster mashed potatoes — paired with Silver Oak, Alexander Valley 2007. For dessert: bread pudding with bacon lardon, shiitake mushrooms and thyme, served with Umami sangria.
The dinner is $70 plus tax and tip. Call (502) 618-2222 for reservations. More information: www.majidstmatthews.com.
News bites
The English Grill’s new fall menu features seasonal entrees including braised beef short ribs with roasted onions, Brussels sprouts and red wine veal reduction; roasted lamb loin with fingerling potatoes graisse de canard, braised carrots, cipollini onions and lavender merlot gastric; and seared curry dusted tofu steak with ponzu infused shiitake mushrooms, lemongrass broccolini, and carrot ginger sauce.
Taco Punk, 736 E. Market St., will host TacoPocalypse Saturday at noon. The event benefits the Slow Foods Agri-Wish grant program. Six Louisville restaurants will battle for taco supremacy. The event will also feature a farm market, live music, locally brewed beer and spontaneous artistic performances.
The Comfy Cow has released an ice cream called Granny’s Sweet Potato Casserole Ice Cream at all three locations. The concoction features sweet potatoes, candied pecans and bits of marshmallow. The flavor is available through Nov. 15, and 20 percent of the proceeds benefit the Food Literacy Project.
Theater Square Marketplace, 651 S. Fourth St., has new items on the menu, including duck confit and caramelized onion flatbread pizza with garlic ricotta cheese; and Eden Farms Berkshire pork steak with onions and greens, sweet potato puree, tomato jam and balsamic.
Each BoomBozz location (except for the Jeffersontown store) will give away 50 of their new fried pizzas (the Montanara) on Monday starting at 11:30 a.m.
Tell Dana! Send restaurant “dish” to thecjdish@gmail.com.
