John Varanese has a long history of concocting dinner specials at his namesake restaurant on Frankfort Ave., and he has another special coming up celebrating Jefferson Reserve Bourbons. He is also offering month-long special dinner pricing on select dishes at his newest operation, River House, 3015 River Rd.
- All during the month of January, River House Restaurant & Raw Bar is offering special dinners on Mondays and Tuesdays. The Monday dinner special, served from 4 to 11 p.m., will be All-You-Can-Eat Snow Crab Legs for $37.99.
On Tuesdays, also from 4 to 11 p.m., a Peel & Eat Shrimp Boil for two, including 1 pound of shrimp is priced at $25. Reservations for both special events are recommended; call (502) 897-5000.
- Tuesday, January 10, Varanese, 2106 Frankfort Ave., will host a 4-course Bourbon dinner featuring the world release of Jefferson’s Bourbon Voyage 9, a bourbon flight including Jefferson’s Small Batch, Jefferson’s Reserve and Ocean’s Voyage 9, and 3 Bourbon cocktails created by Varanese bartenders. The Ocean Voyage Bourbon is bottled from selected barrels that were loaded onto a cargo vessel that sailed for 6 months, crossing the equator several times. The variations in temperature and humidity, and the motion of the ship, add special flavor notes to the Bourbon.
Special guest for the dinner will be owner of Jefferson’s Bourbon, Trey Zoeller, whose family has been in the liquor business for 8 generations.
The dinner will start with a “Dark Cherry Mule” cocktail at the reception. The first course will be a soft shell crab slider on a king Hawaiian roll served with pomme frites, followed by a clam and roasted corn chowder with crispy shrimp toast. The entrée will be butter-poached black cod finished with a crawfish beurre blanc, paired with a “Bourbon Cynar” cocktail. Dessert will be Bourbon cake with banana and vanilla custard, paired with a “Toasted Marshmallow Cocktail.”
The cost of the dinner and Bourbon tastings and cocktails will be $60. Call (502) 899-9904 or email letsdine@varanese.com.
