Quality of Meal: 3 = Good; 4 = Very good; 5 = Extraordinary. Price Range: $ = $10 or less; $$ = $20 or less; $$$ = $30 or less; $$$$ = more than $30. (Per person for a meal without tip or tax.) HA = Wheelchair accessible. Descriptions are summaries of previously published dining reviews by Marty Rosen (MR), Kevin Gibson (KG) and Paul Kopasz (PK).

EUROMARKET
CAFÉ/DELI
Rating: 3 $ HA
12907 Factory Ln. 243-0000
EuroMarket is a nice change of pace for lunch. It’s not far from The Summit and lots of traffic, but the out-of-the-way location helps you forget that other stuff exists. The interesting mix of wine store, café and bakery is just the start — there are also four lunch menus. Daily specials like chicken marsala are listed on a blackboard. The roast beef melt comes with chips, and it’s worth the extra buck to add greens. Portions are ample and orders are served to patrons seated in a quaint, quiet area. Definitely try the desserts; the homemade rum balls were very tasty. 3/1/06 KG

FAMOUS DAVE’S
BARBECUE
Rating: 4 $$
1360 Veterans Pkwy., Clarksville, 282-3283.
Famous Dave’s offers the usuals — barbecue sandwiches, ribs, brisket and lots of combos — but has an expansive menu otherwise, complete with appetizers like catfish fingers and smoked salmon spread, numerous soups and salads as well as fish dinners, burgers and desserts. Essentially, it’s like Applebee’s gone barbecue. Five different sauces are on the tables — Rich and Sassy, Sweet and Zesty, Texas Pit, Georgia Mustard and Devil’s Spit. The service is impeccable and geared toward the dining experience. 6/29/05 KG

FOX AND HOUND PUB AND GRILLE
CASUAL DINING
Rating: 3 $$ HA
302 Bullitt Ln. 394-7620.
Sure, it sounds like an English pub. But then again, O’Charley’s sort of sounds Irish, now doesn’t it? Kidding aside, Louisville’s Fox and Hound is clean and bright, housed in a nondescript but friendly looking building. The menu is extensive with starters ranging from cheese sticks to Asian chicken lettuce cups. The fish and chips is a gargantuan serving, and the pizza is especially good. Also, the extremely friendly service lends itself to family dining. 10/19/05 KG

GASTHAUS
GERMAN
Rating: 4 $$ HA
4812 Brownsboro Rd. 899-7177.
Gasthaus German Restaurant is like the perfect male fantasy: good beer, plenty of beef and pork on the menu, and a waitress who looks like Daryl Hannah in a dirndl who is ready to bring you anything you need. The chef, influenced by a mix of French and German, creates a formidable alliance of continental cuisine that translates into brilliantly engineered dishes, meticulous techniques, lovely sauces and a focus on house-made dishes prepared from hand-selected ingredients. Excellent potato-based dishes include kartoffelknodel and bratkartoffeln, while pork, beef, chicken and veal dominate the menu. 7/13/05 MR
GAVI’S
RUSSIAN-AMERICAN
Rating: N/A $ HA
222 S. Seventh St. 583-8183.
Gavi’s is humble and self-effacing, nearly everything is done just as it should be. Lunches and breakfasts are bargain-priced, and the staff is friendly. You’ll hear the lilt of Russia in the voices of the staff, and find specials like beef stroganoff, Russian baked fish in carrot sauce, Russian vegetable soup or borscht. The menu describes the food as “home-style Russian and American cooking,” and the description is borne out, quite well, in dishes like meatloaf, baked chicken, cabbage rolls, soups made of lentil or split peas, and a list of sandwiches. 5/25/05 MR

GUMBO A GO-GO
CAJUN/CREOLE
Rating: 4 $ HA
2109 Frankfort Ave. 896-4046.
There’s no need to miss New Orleans with Gumbo A Go-Go in town. This quaint restaurant’s simple décor mirrors the exquisite simplicity of the menu — everything is $5. Appetizers like crawfish cheese dip and spinach and artichoke dip are available. Entrees include red beans and rice, crawfish etoufee and the spiced-up drunken chicken. Be sure to wash it all down with an Abita — Amber or Turbodog — or with a $1 Bud Light draft on Tuesdays and Thursdays. 8/10/05 MR

IRISH ROVER TOO     
IRISH
Rating: 4 $$ HA
117 E. Main St., La Grange, 222-2286.
Irish Rover Too’s a sprawling spot with an airy bar, a large, divided dining room, mustard walls, ancient hardwood floors and the burnished glow of an ancient tavern. Except for afternoon tea, with tea sandwiches, scones and quality loose-leaf teas (2-5 p.m.), the menu here looks like the menu at the Frankfort Avenue location, but the overall the execution and service at the La Grange location was actually a notch better. The menu includes Irish standards like Guinness beef stew, fish and chips, leek and potato soup, Shanagarry fish cakes, a mix of cod and salmon, Scotch eggs and more. Then there’s the cinnamon-infused bread and butter pudding, with its hefty dose of plump raisins and a sauce that’s mostly caramel, with a nearly undetectable hint of whiskey. 6/22/05 MR

ISLAMORADA FISH COMPANY
SEAFOOD
Rating: 72 $ HA
(Inside Bass Pro Shop) 951 E. Lewis & Clark Pkwy., Clarksville, Ind., (812) 218-5300
Islamorada offers an impressive seafood selection. It’s named after a beachside marina eatery in the Florida Keys (pronounced “Eye-lah-mah-rah-dah”) that’s the grandpappy of the growing chain, which has tie-in locations at many of the 30 Bass Pro Shops around the nation. The restaurant offers an expansive menu of seafood and fish plus meatier selections for landlubbers. Service was first-rate and so was the wacky scene, but the food was mediocre. 5/24/06 RG

JAY’S CAFETERIA
CAFETERIA
Rating: 3 $ HA
1812 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd. 583-2534.
In an area dominated by fast food outlets and rib shacks, Jay’s is one of the few restaurants west of the downtown area that offers a truly comfortable dining atmosphere. The menu includes standard cafeteria fare: fried and baked chicken, meatloaf, barbecued ribs and chicken, fried cod and catfish, side dishes like greens, macaroni and cheese, yams, spinach and tossed salads, soups and the like. As for desserts, the peach cobbler ($2) is more savory than sweet, and alone is well worth a visit. 11/09/05 MR

JESSIE’S FAMILY RESTAURANT
CASUAL DINING
Rating: 2 $ HA    9609 Dixie Hwy. 937-6332
Jessie’s Family Restaurant boasts home cooking, and for the most part, sticks to its guns. While nothing really sticks out as great, dinner selections are passable. The meatloaf is a nice surprise, although the sauce detracts slightly from the overall flavor. The baked cornbread is so-so, while the fried variety seems to be the specialty. The service is friendly but the place needs some polish and scrubbing, possibly because the place gets a lot of traffic. 3/08/06 CH

JUCY’S SMOKEHOUSE BARBEQUE
BARBEQUE
Rating: N/A $ HA
7626 LaGrange Rd., Pee Wee Valley, 241-5829
Barbeque conjures images of great meat that has been seasoned and cooked to smoky, mouth-watering perfection. Enter Jucy’s Smokehouse Barbecue. Just a little off the beaten path (as a great barbecue joint should be), the moment you pull into the parking lot, you know you’re in for more than just another cookie-cutter dining experience. Jucy’s offers a standard menu of meats and sides, from sandwiches to platters to samplers. Sides include a choice of potato salad, cole slaw, country beans, mac-and-cheese and more. 4/26/06 KG

KAELIN’S
AMERICAN
Rating: 3 $ HA
1801 Newburg Road 451-1801.
The brand new patio at Kaelin’s, the supposed birthplace of the cheeseburger, is a lovely place to enjoy both a plate of comfort food and a leisurely, guilt-free cigarette. The quality level is consistent, which explains why the place has been around so long. The menu is short on exotics and long on heartiness and quantity. There are plenty of meat-free options, but who are we kidding? Kaelin’s is mainly about the cheeseburgers, the ribs and the steaks. There is also a modest offering of desserts, including homemade pies. 9/28/05 PK

KASHMIR INDIAN RESTAURANT
INDIAN
Rating: 3 $ HA
1285 Bardstown Rd. 473-8765.
Nestled in an old house across from Mid-City Mall, Kashmir dishes up spicy, brightly colored food served in hearty portions at moderate prices. The prevailing culture seems to emphasize the hot and serious, and the service is more business-like than personal, but it’s worth a visit. Plenty of vegetarian options are available. The dessert menu can end a meal wonderfully. Kulfi ($2) is an excellent ice cream with the grainy texture of ground pistachios, almonds and cashews, and lassi, the Indian yogurt shake, is available in sweet and sour variations for $2.50. 12/7/05 MR

LA ROSITA
MEXICAN
Rating: 3 $ HA
2535 Charlestown Rd. 948-0401.
La Rosita is a nifty postage stamp-sized place nestled against a produce stand, serving tacos, burritos, huaraches (those little sandal-shaped sandwiches), tortas and the like, filled with the usual assortment of sausage, beans, beef, chicken, tongue and ribeye. But even the usual assortment seems special at La Rosita, where fresh cilantro is sprinkled all over the place, and where curds of soft white Chihuahua cheese melt into the warm ingredients, lending everything a delightfully creamy texture. Urns of freshly made red and green salsa and bowls of pickled jalapenos are available for those who want to kick up this fresh, flavorful food with extra flavor. 10/12/05 MR

LEE’S KOREAN RESTAURANT
KOREAN
Rating: N/A $$ HA
1941 Bishop Ln., 456-9714.
Lee’s, a calmly lighted sanctuary for Korean food, has been around for 25 years and continues to impress. The menu includes lunch options, and the dinner menu includes a mix of rice and noodle-based dishes and soups that will serve vegetarians or carnivores with a taste for seafood, chicken, pork or, the menu’s most prominent meat, beef. There are hot and cool dishes to meet your temperature needs, and a Chinese menu if you’re not up on Korean cuisine. 7/06/05 MR

LONNIE’S BEST TASTE OF CHICAGO
AMERICAN
Rating: N/A $ HA
121 St. Matthews Ave., 895-2380
Lonnie’s has a wide-ranging menu that includes several types of hot dogs, sausages, sandwiches and more. The Chicago-style piccalilli relish glows like a Pink Floyd poster under black light. With its reasonable prices and fast service, Lonnie’s offers a great alternative to unspectacular fast-food drive-thru fare. 5/17/06 PM

MONKEY WRENCH
AMERICAN
Rating: N/A $$
1025 Barret Ave. 582-2433.
Artful walls and lighting fixtures, and a curtain that can be drawn around the bar area to reduce secondhand smoke in the dining area, give this restaurant a nice look. One starter, the breaded asparagus spears, was crisp, tender and flavorful. White bean soup, salads, pierogies, fried fish and roast beef au jus are just some of the choices offered; the latter two being served with crisp homemade potato chips. One oustanding dessert option was a fried banana encrusted with brown sugar and drizzled with honey and chocolate. 5/18/05 MR

NIO’S AT 917
INTERNATIONAL
Rating: 91 $$
917 Baxter Ave., 456-7080
Local foodies who assumed that owner Jun Eugenio would come forward with a menu resembling Jicama Grill’s Nuevo Latino bill of fare got a surprise, as Chef Dave Nelson presents something more varied, an appetizing assortment of more than two dozen “small plates” and salads, priced and sized to invite indulgent grazing. 5/31/06 RG

PITA DELITES
INTERNATIONAL
Rating: 4 $$, HA
1616 Grinstead Dr. 569-1122
After a two-year hiatus, Pita Delites is back and it’s upped the ante. Diners can still purchase a pound of baba ganoush and hummus, some of the best in town, and pita bread to boot. Spotty service appears to be a thing of the past, and the lentil soup offers a good kick at a nice price. The shawarma lacks punch, but falafel appetizers were fun to eat, and the roasted lamb accompanied by tzatiski sauce just might convert you to ethnic food. 1/25/06 MR

PRIMO
ITALIAN
Rating: 5 $$$ HA
445 E. Market St. 583-1808.
Bim Deitrich’s newest venture instantly leaps into the elite ranks of Louisville restaurants as he pulls together the best themes and variations from his long experience as a restaurateur. Although the focus is on fine dining, it is fine dining with a populist edge. The seafood salad is flawless while the salmon is simple and perfect. The rack of lamb looks like a Flemish masterpiece; it seems almost a shame to slice into it. Also, wine connoisseurs will be intrigued by a wine list that spans the Italian landscape. 10/26/05 MR

PROOF ON MAIN
FINE DINING
Rating: 90 $$$ HA
702 W. Main St., 217-6360
Proof on Main, an upscale eatery with strong New York City connections, opened at the beginning of March. Proof doesn’t hold back at lunch time: The lunch menu is pared down a bit from the dinner selection but still offers a good selection of the restaurant’s international if slightly Italian-accented foods, with more than a dozen main lunch courses ranging in price from $9-$15. Portions are ample, preparation is generally four-star, and service is fine. 6/07/06 RG

QUEEN OF SHEBA
ETHIOPIAN
Rating: 4 $, HA
3315 Bardstown Rd. 451-6301
What’s better than quality meats and exquisite veggie dishes? Mammoth portions of both, of course. Expect to leave full of flavorful, spicy food after dining at the Queen of Sheba. Appetizers like the beyaynetu sampler, kosta or fossolia taste great for less. Sambussa rounds out the impressive list of appetizers, though the timatim fit-fit lacks the expected depth of flavor. Vegetarian combos offer two entrees. Exotic atmosphere combined with great value and festive food. 2/01/06 MR

RAW SUSHI LOUNGE
SUSHI
Rating: 76 $$$ HA
520 S. Fourth St., 585-5880
We’ve found the food good but short of compelling on several visits, with service ranging from courteous to enthusiastic and from competent to addled. The menu is heavy on seafood, as you would expect, but enhanced with a selection of rather pricey main courses that go beyond seafood and range around the world. Sushi is not a budget adventure. We spent upwards of $40 for lunches and close to $80 plus tip for dinner. 5/10/06 RG

SAFFRON’S BUFFET
PERSIAN
Rating: NA, $$ HA
558 S. Fifth St. 587-8679
Saffron’s Buffet serves up dinner like Mom used to make, using foods Mom has neither seen nor heard of. The offerings are a nice hodgepodge of Persian, Indian, Asian and Middle-Eastern cuisines. Dishes vary daily, but favorites include grilled salmon, saffron-scented braised chicken thighs and herbed beef stew, a classic Persian dish. Expect to be full for a fair price. 4/12/06 RG

SALA THAI
THAI
Rating: 4, $$, HA
9114 Taylorsville Rd. 493-3944.
Sala Thai looks like any other restaurant from the outside; however, the inside décor is modern and clean with plenty of Thai accents, and service was impeccable. The breadth of the selection at Sala is incredible — there are appetizers, salads, soups, noodle dishes, curries and a number of traditional Pad Thai dishes, not to mention a separate vegetarian menu and a full lunch menu. 11/23/05 KG

SEVICHE
LATIN AMERICAN
Rating: 5 $$ HA
1538 Bardstown Rd. 473-8560.
It’s almost impossible to drive past Seviche without thinking about one of chef Anthony Lamas’ signature ceviches — a cool, colorful concoction of pristine fish and seafood marinated in combinations of citrus and spice. The menu abounds with Nuevo Latino choices in the way of seafood and meat, and offers them sauced in many variations of mojo and chimichurri themes. The green chile Caesar salad is no slouch in the flavor department, and the grilled salmon is wonderfully crisp and moist. 7/27/05 MR

SOL AZTECAS
MEXICAN
Rating: 3 $ HA
2427 Bardstown Rd. 459-7776.
Sol Aztecas, a sister restaurant of Los Aztecas, has a bit of an upscale feel versus the informal, relaxed environment of most Mexican restaurants. All in all, Sol Aztecas is a worthy stop, with extensive lunch and dinner menus of varying ingredients, including traditional Mexican staples like fajitas, rellenas and enchiladas plus a special seafood menu and various house specialties. 11/16/05 KG

TASTE OF JAMAICA
INTERNATIONAL
Rating: 3, $$, HA
2017 Brownsboro Rd. 896-1055
As a fresh-faced restaurant, some polish and décor are needed to spice up this tiny establishment. Starting with curry goat, the menu will surprise first-timers and entice the jerk chicken fan. Service could be more attentive; appetizers were good but arrived with the meal. Chicken selections may be the most tender you’ve tasted, and the portions are ample. Some of the veggies were bland, but overall the food is tasty, not too spicy, and Red Stripe is offered (even if it isn’t listed on the menu).  3/15/06 KG

TERANGA!
SENEGALESE
Rating: 4 $ HA
3904 Bardstown Rd. 458-7172.
Teranga! is a delight for discovery diners. Main dishes focus on lamb, chicken and beef, some grilled, some served as stews in peanut or tomato sauces, some served with rice, others with couscous. The lunch menu is uniformly priced at $7 and features tbiebu jeune, a stewed fish considered a Senegalese signature. Dinner options include chawarma, skewers of stuffed, roasted lamb shank or a splendidly grilled roasted chicken. The couscous are heavenly. 8/3/05 MR

TONY BOOMBOZZ PIZZA-VINO
ITALIAN
Rating: 3 $$ HA
2813 Hurstbourne Ln., 394-0000.
A new dine-in Tony Boombozz Pizza-Vino pizzeria (as well as the take-outs on Frankfort Avenue and Bardstown Road) offer not only “regular” pizza assortments, but gourmet, including toppings like roasted potatoes, feta, prosciutto, ginger chicken and fresh spinach. Their pies are reliable and handsome: light brown bubbles encircled the rim, with nary a pool of oil to be found. Pizza-Vino offers a full-fledged, attractive dining room and a serviceable list of beers and wines. 1/4/06 MR

TRAN JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE AND SUSHI
JAPANESE
Rating: 3 $$
4317 Charlestown Rd., New Albany, (812) 941-0200.
This Japanese Steakhouse boasts eight hibachi grills, a sushi bar, a separate dining room and a special private party room with four additional grills. The casual dining atmosphere is accentuated by Japanese décor. Lunch menu is affordable and varied, including grill items ranging from $5.95-$15.95 for sushi specials. Dinners include steak, chicken, lobster and shrimp entrees. 12/21/05 KG

WESTPORT GENERAL STORE
CASUAL DINING
Rating: 4 $$ HA
7008 Highway 524 in Westport 222-4626.
The Westport focus is upscale vittles served in an atmosphere of cozy rusticity. The menu includes a range of sandwiches, salads, soups and entrees, from pulled pork sandwiches to tournedos of beef with sautéed wild mushrooms to eggplant Napoleon. Local and regional ingredients also make up excellent sides, like the Weisenberger Mill grits. Various wines are available, but take advantage of the nightly specials. To get the most out of your trip to Oldham County, homemade carrot cake or walnut pie are a must. 11/02/05 MR

ZAP’S GOURMET HOTDOGS
AMERICAN
Rating: N/A $ HA
423 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 587-0251
At Zap’s, Chicago-style hot dogs are all the fuss. You choose a type of dog — ranging from the signature Zapernak to a Kentucky Bison dog — then add your choice of as many as four toppings free of charge. Their deep golden-brown homemade chips don’t disappoint. 5/17/06 PM