A top table - in my own city - Forks.ca, the edible blog

A top table - in my own city

Posted by Dana McMahan on March 30, 2008

For some reason I think of fine dining as something I do when I travel. I splurge on great meals in other cities -- Chicago, Las Vegas, Paris. When we're home, we cook at home -- mainly because I think my husband's cooking is as good or better than that I'd find in most restaurants. Because of this I think I may be missing out on some fabulous food in my own city of Louisville.

This was confirmed last week when my colleague shared the news that our very own English Grill landed on Forbe's Traveler list of the ten best chef's tables in America. (If the Brown rings a bell it's because the Hot Brown sandwich was invented here in the 1920s.)

What's a chef's table?

If you can stand the heat, you can eat in the kitchen. That is basically the premise of the Chef’s Table concept, whereby you eat in or adjacent to the kitchen, and the chef cooks a special meal just for you. Air-conditioning, of course, makes the atmosphere a lot cooler than it is behind the stoves, and since such tables are usually set for half a dozen people or so, the interplay of chef and guests shows just how amazing the craft of cooking really is.

In addition, your dinner is special -- those out-of-the-loop diners out in the dining room must order from the regular menu while you feast on the chef's selections.

So what landed the English Grill on this top-10 list?

Forbes Traveler says:

The rarefied confines of the English Grill and the excellence of Kentucky-based cuisine make this one of the finest restaurants in the nation. Chef Laurent Géroli really shows his stuff, though, with his eight-course (with wine pairings) at $150. As a courtesy, guests can request to be picked up or dropped off by the hotel van, so no designated driver is necessary.

I've had the pleasure of bar snacks from the English Grill once, and if they were any indication I certainly understand the accolades. While relaxing with drinks with some colleagues one night following a work event, a surprise mini-feast greeted us: A scallop with roasted tomato with a balsamic reduction topped with a green pea frappe, followed by lobster macaroni + cheese with cavatappi noodles with smoked gruyere, truffle and lobster. Mind you, these were after-dinner drinks. But I found room to tuck into these delights. (Don't expect this to replace the Terra Chip they generally offer bar patrons -- my colleague has connections!)

This reminder from Forbes Traveler is a wake-up call. I needn't board a plane or change time zones or currency for great food. "The excellence of Kentucky-based cuisine" is indeed something I need to explore more. While I don't anticipate booking the English Grill Chef's table anytime soon, I do hope to repeat my drink and snacks visit.

What dining gems are you overlooking in your own region?

TAGS: English Grill, Kentucky, Louisville, Restaurant, Top 10
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