Indiana-Kentucky

This is one of those older trips I mentioned on the thread I started a little while ago.
We were visiting my wife's friends in Bloomington, IN and took a little side trip. In a small town balled Brownstown in southern Indiana, we stopped off at a classic little small-town luncheonette called Brock's Restaurant for lunch.
My wife, her friend and I all had the day's special, which was a pan-fried chicken platter with mashed potatoes and vegetables. I also had a very good piece of coconut pie, while my wife and her friend enjoyed their rhubarb pie:






 
In Bloomington, we went to a place called Bub's. I believe there is one other Bub's in Indiana. They make both beef and elk burgers. I had an elk burger. The picture isn't very good because the cheese gets in the way. But I liked the taste of the elk and will probably go back there the next time we're in Bloomington. We all shared sweet potato waffle fried, which came with a marshmallow dipping sauce. One of the people we were with also ordered a chocolate malt:

We made it to Louisville during that trip and had breakfast at Lynn's Paradise Cafe:


 
 
From Louisville, we moved onto Ownensboro, where the main attraction was, of course, Moonlight Barbecue.
My first plate with brisket, pork, mutton, ham biscuit, broccoli casserole, creamed corn, and mac and cheese:

My wife's plate:

Back in Indiana, we stopped off at the site of the cabin Lincoln lived in from around age 6 through the when he struck off on his own to Illinois as a young man. The cabin is a model. The other photo is of the spot where the actual cabin was:



 
We have another tentative trip to Bloomington scheduled for next year and intend to hit central Kentucky, for Lincoln's birth site, not to mention some good country ham and pie!
 
Our other major food stop on that trip was at Gray Bros. Cafeteria in Mooresville, IN. The tray with more food on it is mine (roast beef with mac, and cheese, green beans and a yeast roll; the pie was banana-cream). My wife had some kind of beef and noodle dish:



 

The whole Indiana/Kentucky area has quite a few places to visit.  Research them on this site.  As to the area around the area of Lincoln's birth, I haven't been able to find much outside of of The Whistle Stop Cafe in Glendale, Kentucky, south of Louisville.
 
http://www.whistlestoprestaurant.net/
216 East Main Street
Glendale, KY 42740
(270) 369-8586
 
It's kind of a barren food area around there that ranges from the same-old-same-old chains to some non-chains that serve food that you could prepare better at home.
 
In Bardstown, KY they have the Old Talbott Inn on the city square, but after it burned down about a dozen years ago, once it was rebuilt the food has not maintained the quality it had, although I think they try.
 
As to the Indiana side, a trip to Ireland, IN (just four miles west of Jaspar) is The Chicken Place.  As several who frequent this board can attest, they have pretty good fried chicken.
 
The Chicken Place
4970 W State Rd 56
Ireland, IN 47545
(812) 482-7600
Hours: Mon-Fri 4 pm - 9 pm / Sat 3:30 pm - 9 pm
 
And if you come as far as Owensboro, just 25 miles farther west will put you at the table of the Bon Ton Mini Mart, which has some fried chicken that goes well beyond what passes for normal, as many on this board will also attest.  A check out Cecif's thread on "Trip Reports" for a tour of the western Kentucky area,  the Bon Ton included.
 
http://www.roadfood.com/F...fetbuster-m532913.aspx
 

Thanks Louis. I couldn't help but notice the preponderance of chain restaurants when researching the area around Lincoln's birth home. I did bookmark the Whistle Stop.
I also noticed this place in Elizabethtown: www.backhomerestaurant.com/index.php
and this one right in Hodgenville: www.wrolenpincafe.com
 
 

Thanks phlmaestro! I bookmarked those restaurants and will visit them when I am in the area again.  Of course, as is my wont, I am always on the hunt for something that just bowls me over and is not merely passable.  But that's the fun of restaurant exploring: the hunt for the extraordinary dish, the flavor of which that can be found nowhere else.  I won't make a recommendation unless a restaurant passes that test.  There are about a dozen restaurants in a 100-mile radius around me that qualify, and I've mentioned them over the last decade on this site.
 
Now having said that, I don't think The Whistle Stop is in that taste league, but it is the best that I've been able to find in that area so far.  But maybe your recommendations will turn into "taste bud gold."  A visit to them will tell the tale.
 

There is another Bub's in Carmel.  It was featured in an episode of Man vs Food.  If you are going to go to Bloomington again, I can give some suggestions for some places as I grew up there and my parents still live right outside of town.  I've listed a few before so you might have found them on a search but I would be happy to list again if you would like.

Hatteras,
If I'm not mistaken, we discussed Bloomington area places a few years back. We both expressed a fondness for a little burger place on the outskirts of town, the name of which is escaping me at the moment.

My wife went to IU and one of her closest friends still lives in Bloomington. So that's almost a guaranteed place to visit for us at least once every few years. 
 

I remember the name of that burger place in Bloomington! It's Hinkle's.

Nice job, Maestro!  I'll definitely keeps Brownstown and Brock's in mind for my next trip through that part of Indiana.
 
Brad

I'm always excited to see a place that offers the "pulleybone" as a fried chicken option! They are rare these days. Hollyhock Hill in Indianapolis does it, but I'll have to make a trip to Brock's the next time I'm in Indiana.
 
I used to love the Whistle Stop Cafe in Glendale. They had excellent hot browns (which you could get by the half order), served soft drinks by the carafe, and had delicious brown sugar cream pie.  They opened an outpost in Elizabethtown that was in a strip mall, and unfortunately, the entrees were . . . awful.  I hate to say that, but it is true. The brown sugar cream pie was still very good, though.  We haven't been back to Glendale for quite some time, as we've switched our allegiance to the Science Hill Inn in Shelbyville. We go there for lunch when we're staying at Beaumont Inn in Harrodsburg.  Science Hill has fantastic brown sugar cream pie, very good fried chicken, and superb biscuits and hot water corn bread.  Good hot browns, too, and my husband is addicted to their chicken salad. And if they have fresh fish of the day, order it.  It's not a typical Roadfood place -- sort of a genteel ladies-who-lunch tearoom with white tablecloths. But the serving staff have been there forever, and they're wonderful, and the food is just great.  http://www.sciencehillinnky.com/Menu.html

phlmaestro


I remember the name of that burger place in Bloomington! It's Hinkle's.

You got it.  Double cheeseburger, extra onion, and potato cakes.  Possibly my favorite lunch in the world.

ScreamingChicken


Nice job, Maestro!  I'll definitely keeps Brownstown and Brock's in mind for my next trip through that part of Indiana.

Brad

 
Too late! I just saw on a couple different web sites that it's out of business. Too bad. I hope Brownstown gets something decent in place of it.

I have spent entirely too much time in IN over the last few years. On the upside, I found some great restaurants there. When I have enough posts/time on the board I can post some links and photos. Suffice it to say, if ever stuck in NWI, head to Valpo. Great food to be found.

Next time you are in Southern Indiana I encourage you to visit Madison, Indiana.  There are several independant options: 
 605 Grille- excellent fresh and mostly local ingrediants.  On our last visit I had the black bean burger and my husband had a good looking sirloin.  The menu changes and is somewhat small, but always delicious.
Bistro 1:  The special occasion place in town.  Owned by chef Nick from Cypress self proclamed king of hummus.  Last visit I had walnut encrusted tilapia and hubby had petit filet. Entrees are served with a copper skillet with veggies and garlic pasta.
Francos:  Italian owned by real italians.  I am addicted to the lasagna and the veggie sandwich.  Soups are extrordinary.
Red Pepper:  Great for lunch.  All home made and fresh.  Really good soups
These places are all downtown on historic main st. there are plenty of other eating options so I won't prattle on (anymore) but plan to stay a day or 2.  You won't regret it

Had two wonderful southern  Indiana dinners-one was  Hubers Family Farm. The other was at a good friend's house. Love the area!

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll look those places up.

kmacree


Next time you are in Southern Indiana I encourage you to visit Madison, Indiana.  There are several independant options: 
605 Grille- excellent fresh and mostly local ingrediants.  On our last visit I had the black bean burger and my husband had a good looking sirloin.  The menu changes and is somewhat small, but always delicious.
Bistro 1:  The special occasion place in town.  Owned by chef Nick from Cypress self proclamed king of hummus.  Last visit I had walnut encrusted tilapia and hubby had petit filet. Entrees are served with a copper skillet with veggies and garlic pasta.
Francos:  Italian owned by real italians.  I am addicted to the lasagna and the veggie sandwich.  Soups are extrordinary.
Red Pepper:  Great for lunch.  All home made and fresh.  Really good soups
These places are all downtown on historic main st. there are plenty of other eating options so I won't prattle on (anymore) but plan to stay a day or 2.  You won't regret it

I've eaten at these places.  Don't forget there is also a Hinkle's on that main drag through downtown.
And for a taste of regional cooking, drop into the Nashville House in Nashville, IN, roughly halfway between Bloomington and Gray Bros.

For the Kentucky leg of this year's trip, after visiting Lincoln's birth site, we'll be heading east to the Beaumont Inn. I've got a reservation and can't wait to try their fried chicken and country ham combination.
 

I'm sure you'll enjoy Beaumont Inn.  I'm going back in mid-March.  I've been staying and eating at Beaumont Inn since I was a small child in the late 1950s.  Be sure to have the corn pudding and the seasoned green beans along with your "Beaumont Dinner."

We've made a commitment this year to take in the Kentucky Bourbon Trail along with our annual trip to the Indy 500. So we'll be all over Indiana and Kentucky in May. My surname ancestors lived near what is now Fort Knox from ca. 1778 to 1909 when my grandfather moved to Indianapolis.

Davydd- Keep in mind that we are located between Louisville and Corydon, IN, just a couple of miles off of I-64 or IN-62. I'll be in touch via PM if you might be interested in a stop in or near here...
AL

IndianaPete


And for a taste of regional cooking, drop into the Nashville House in Nashville, IN, roughly halfway between Bloomington and Gray Bros.

Good to know.  I'm thinking about an overnight stop at Brown County State Park later this year and if I have the time I'd like to check out Nashville.  The menu looks inviting...
 
Brad

ScreamingChicken

IndianaPete


And for a taste of regional cooking, drop into the Nashville House in Nashville, IN, roughly halfway between Bloomington and Gray Bros.

Good to know.  I'm thinking about an overnight stop at Brown County State Park later this year and if I have the time I'd like to check out Nashville.  The menu looks inviting...

Brad

 
Two words, Fried Biscuits!

I loved their burgoo when I was there.
 
DT

phlmaestro


For the Kentucky leg of this year's trip, after visiting Lincoln's birth site, we'll be heading east to the Beaumont Inn. I've got a reservation and can't wait to try their fried chicken and country ham combination.

kmacree


Next time you are in Southern Indiana I encourage you to visit Madison, Indiana.  There are several independant options: 
605 Grille- excellent fresh and mostly local ingrediants.  On our last visit I had the black bean burger and my husband had a good looking sirloin.  The menu changes and is somewhat small, but always delicious.
Bistro 1:  The special occasion place in town.  Owned by chef Nick from Cypress self proclamed king of hummus.  Last visit I had walnut encrusted tilapia and hubby had petit filet. Entrees are served with a copper skillet with veggies and garlic pasta.
Francos:  Italian owned by real italians.  I am addicted to the lasagna and the veggie sandwich.  Soups are extrordinary.
Red Pepper:  Great for lunch.  All home made and fresh.  Really good soups
These places are all downtown on historic main st. there are plenty of other eating options so I won't prattle on (anymore) but plan to stay a day or 2.  You won't regret it

 
Also in Madison
 
Mundt's Candies - RF reviewed
http://www.roadfood.com/R...ew/1962/mundts-candies
 
Key West Shrimp House - Not a chain but a family run place over looking the river always good food.
http://www.keywestshrimphouse.com/index.htm
 
and my FAVORITE PLACE and will be reviewed on RF next time I get down there
HINKLE'S SANDWICH SHOP - grease at it's best.
http://www.hinkleburger.com/
 

mayor al


Davydd- Keep in mind that we are located between Louisville and Corydon, IN, just a couple of miles off of I-64 or IN-62. I'll be in touch via PM if you might be interested in a stop in or near here...
AL

and I am only 90 minutes from AL and would love to meet up with yall

phlmaestro


Back in Indiana, we stopped off at the site of the cabin Lincoln lived in from around age 6 through the when he struck off on his own to Illinois as a young man. The cabin is a model.

If you ever want to see a real log cabin you can go to Saunders Spring Nature Preserve in Radcliff, KY near Fort Knox and see a Lincoln era log cabin that my great great grandfather built in 1836. It was moved to the preserve in 2004 but I got to it in 1997 at its original location not too far away. There are a couple of other log cabins there including one built by my great great uncle.

Very impressive, Davydd! I'll check the map to see if we'll be near there at some point in April.

rumaki


I'm sure you'll enjoy Beaumont Inn.  I'm going back in mid-March.  I've been staying and eating at Beaumont Inn since I was a small child in the late 1950s.  Be sure to have the corn pudding and the seasoned green beans along with your "Beaumont Dinner."

Have spent several enjoyable weekends at Beaumont Inn.  Best breakfast I've ever had. Wife hates lima beans, but will eat theirs.