RE: Louisville
Tue, 11/18/08 6:10 PM
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Dear group: I just returned from my weekend trip to Central Kentucky.
I wanted to report that I loved the fried chicken at Kaelin's. I ordered the half chicken dinner, which was supposed to be the standard assortment: leg, thigh, breast and wing. The kitchen gave me a wing, leg and two breasts. I was delighted, because I prefer white meat. The chicken was delicious. I would have it again! I had green beans and mashed potatoes and gravy as my side dishes. Loved the green beans. The potatoes themselves were good, but the gravy had some flavor in it -- I can't describe it, exactly, but it seemed to be some sort of additive or "base" -- that I didn't care for. The roll that came with the meal was also fine -- not outstanding, but fine. My husband had a "dressed" cheeseburger (without onion) which he enjoyed very much. He enjoyed the french fries less -- said they were too greasy for his taste. Next time, he'd ask to substitute a different side dish. We also had a huge "half order" of fried pickles. They were very salty. Most likely an acquired taste. The service was outstanding.
We stayed at Beaumont Inn, and had Saturday dinner and Sunday brunch buffet there. This is an old favorite of ours -- I've been going to Beaumont Inn since I was a small child. As ever, the chicken was very good, as were the side dishes (I chose green beans and mashed potatoes, as well as the corn pudding everyone gets). The salad was sort of weird -- a lettuce wedge served with slivered almonds and something else -- maybe dried cranberries? I forget. Anyway, it was supposed to come with ranch dressing, but I asked for blue cheese as a substitute. It was fine, but I prefer the tomato aspic and seasoned cottage cheese, which is not on their fall menu. My husband had the country ham, which is what he always has, and my brother had the veal liver, which he said was outstanding. Incidentally, my brother ate at the Old Owl Tavern on the premises on Friday night before my husband and I arrived. He had what he described as a "mountain" of delectable fried chicken livers.
On Saturday, we went to the Schmidt Museum of Coca-Cola History in Elizabethtown (which has a fabulous collection of memorabilia put together by the family that used to own the bottling plant), and had Saturday lunch at "The Caboose," a branch of the Whistle Stop in Glendale. We haven't eaten at the Whistle Stop in several years. They used to have a great hot brown. I don't know whether they still do. In any event, the hot brown at "The Caboose" was not very good -- processed deli-style ham and turkey roll, with a gloppy bright yellow cheese sauce and a sprinkling of bacon bits. At the Whistle Stop, they used a superior cheese sauce that was broiled to finish, and much more appetizing. However, the pies -- especially the brown sugar cream -- are excellent at The Caboose, just as they were at the Whistle Stop. And, my brother enjoyed his cheese broccoli soup.
On Sunday night we ate at the Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill. This was the best meal I've had at this place (I think we've eaten there 3 or 4 times previously over the years), and certainly a highlight of our trip. You start the meal with a basket of mini corn sticks that are addictive, and a relish tray with, among other things, excellent homemade pickled okra. (My husband loves the okra so much that he asked for extra. The waitress brought him a plateful, and we ended up taking the leftovers back home to Minneapolis.) I chose the "gelatin salad of the day" as my first course, which was cranberry gelatin and very refreshing. I had fried chicken, green beans and mashed potatoes. Very good fried chicken -- it might even be pan-fried, though I'm not sure of that. The entree also comes with watermelon pickle and pickled beets, and good yeast rolls. My brother had the fried catfish; my husband, the roast pork. They both had the tomato-celery soup, which they liked a lot, as their first course. In short, we all loved our meals and were too full for dessert.
All in all, it was a delicious weekend. Thanks again for all the suggestions.
And buffetbuster -- go to Kaelin's and try the fried chicken!!! It is so convenient to the Louisville airport -- this will be a "must" stop for us in the future.
