The arrival of autumn seems to be the time for restaurants to rethink their offerings, and expand their services. That is the case for several notable eating spots around town, who have introduced new lunch service, menu specials or other enhancements for dining interest. Let’s start with lunch.
Dallas McGarity, owner/chef at The Fat Lamb, 2011 Grinstead Dr., has started to focus on the business lunch crowd, offering a menu that will get diners in and out in under an hour. According to a story in the Courier-Journal , McGarity said, “The lunch menu is built on quality and speed of execution but we have some really good stuff on there that can give people a sense of what we do at dinner.”
The menu choices include a lamb burger, with tzatziki, feta, red onions and arugula, served with fries, a fried chicken sandwich marinated in hot sauce and served with sweet chili lime sauce, cabbage “slaw,” and fries, a panko fried cod sandwich and curried chickpea burger. Small plates include lamb meatballs, ricotta brioche toast with marinated tomatoes and dressed greens, and kale and beet salad. Entrées will be ricotta gnocchi and norma sauce, and shrimp and polenta “grits.”
The lunch menu is served 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
The Red Herring Cocktail Lounge & Kitchen, 1757 Frankfort Ave., also has started lunch service from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Chef Jacob Coronado’s lunch menu includes pimento beer cheese fries, hot sandwiches like a grilled cheese made with herbed cream cheese, Kenny’s Farm House St. Jerome and house mozzarella and a fried bologna sandwich with house American cheese, Smoking Goose mortadella, fried egg, house dill pickles and Wiltshire buttermilk bread.
Or choose cold dishes such as Groce Farm southwestern spicy chicken salad sandwich, antipasto salad with Cerignola olives, Gentle Giant salumi, sweet peppers, greens and Sweetwater smoked buttermilk cheddar or ricotta toast with house whipped ricotta, blistered sweet peppers and pickled Pink Elephant Farm tomatoes.
Mad Men ad execs may have indulged in more than one martini at their lunches, but Red Herring has developed a range of non-alcoholic fountain sodas made at the bar. House-made cola, lemon-lime, melon and ginger ale can be sipped straight, or can be embellished into an ice cream float. Other frozen drink choices include the original Clifton Donut milkshake and a frosted orange and chocolate malt.
Red Herring also provides a selection of breakfast items – pastries, coffee drinks, breakfast sandwiches and breakfast cocktails – beginning at 7 a.m. daily.
And as October starts its march toward Hallowe’en, Levee at the River House, 3015 River Rd., will get people in the mood with showings of movies on the patio. In conjunction with the Louisville Film Society, Levee will show the original “Friday the 13th” on Friday, Oct. 13. On Sunday, Oct. 29, the 1978 classic “Halloween” will be the movie. According to a story in Insider Louisville , the license for an outdoor public screening of this film hasn’t been available for the last 10 years, making the Levee’s showing a rare opportunity for those nostalgic for classic horror.
All screenings are free and will take place on the lawn and patio at Levee. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets, since seating is limited. The films will start at dark, which should be around 8:30 p.m. each night. Drink and food specials will be offered as well.
