The first thing that you should know about Louisville eats is how to build a ‘Hot Brown,’ the open-faced sandwich first concocted at the city’s legendary Brown Hotel.
Listen and you’ll see why so many of them are vanishing into ravenously open mouths during the run-up to the Kentucky Derby. The Kentucky delicacy combines roasted turkey breast and toast with Mornay sauce and Parmesan geese. The assembly is baked golden brown and garnished with bacon and tomatoes. That’s how you do classic Hot Brown – although the city serves up lots of intriguing variations.
You’ll find one of them at Wild Eggs, one of Louisville’s highest-rated restaurants. Open for breakfast, brunch and lunch only, one of their star creations is the Kelsey “KY” Brown: toasted sourdough bread, roasted turkey, applewood smoked bacon, white cheddar Mornay, diced tomato, fried egg and smoked paprika.
One of the things you’ll discover about Louisville straightaway: this town is no cultural desert. Not by a long shot. One of the country’s top culinary schools is here, Sullivan University. How’s that translate into something you can consume? Just this: It’s teaching restaurant is Winston’s. They serve up a variation on the Hot Brown dubbed “Not Brown.” The differences are profound, yet the Mornay sauce remains. Not Brown marries fried green tomatoes, shrimp, crab, bacon, spinach…and Mornay.
If that’s not exotic enough for you come back home to chicken livers, one of the all-too-neglected ingredients among certain circles. Winston’s does them justice, combining them with sweet chili, banana pepper tartar and spicy Hollandaise sauces.
This may be the prelude to the Kentucky Derby, but we’re not going to recommend a Mint Julep. Not just yet. Save that for the race. Instead ask the server’s suggestion for a nicely chilled bottle chardonnay. They know how to properly pair fruit of the vine with wondrous food in Kentucky culinary capital.
Story by Jerry Chandler
(Image: Antalya1997)
