Category: Kentucky

Barn 8 – Goshen, KY

Barn 8 is a beautiful old horse barn that has been converted into a Farm-to-Table restaurant.

It is located at Hermitage Farm just outside of Louisville, Kentucky.

The interior of the restaurant is unique. You can still see the stalls that were used for the horses. Some have been converted into gift shops and tables have been set up in others for a more intimate dinner setting.

The walls are decorated with barrels from all the great Kentucky distilleries.

Towards the back of the barn is where you will find the bar. This quiet spot is great for enjoying a glass of wine or a glass of bourbon before dinner.

As soon as we sat down, we ordered the Cast Iron Cornbread. This is because it takes about 15 minutes for it to be made. When it came out it was so hot, the brown butter melted instantly as it was placed on a piece. The corn bread was sweet, and the butter added a nice salty element.

The Burrata and Prosciutto was ordered as an appetizer for the table. When the burrata mozzarella was cut into, the soft curd and cream just poured out.  The thinly sliced prosciutto had a salty taste that paired well with the creamy burrata.

I ordered the Spaghetti Limone for my dinner. The homemade pasta was tender and cooked perfectly. It was tossed with preserved lemon, shallots, black lemon, garlic, and parmigiano. I never had black lemon before. It offered a sweet and tart flavor. The garlic aroma shined through each bite of pasta. Overall, the dish felt light and fresh.

I also got to try the Tortellini. This was a homemade spinach pasta that was stuffed with cheese. They served it with a butter sauce and peas. It was a simple sauce, but it was rich in flavor.

For dessert we started with the Banana Cheesecake. This cheesecake was served in a peanut-cashew crust, with cherry Chantilly cream, and a peanut-cashew crunch. There was cherry ice cream along with cherry coulis and ruby chocolate.  The cheesecake was very soft, not the firm NY style that I am used to. I really enjoyed the cherry ice cream that was homemade and extremely creamy.

The other dessert we ordered was the Tiramisu. This lady fingers were soaked with coffee and chocolate. They were layered with chocolate and raspberry mascarpone filling, and raspberry shrub caramel. This had an amazing flavor of coffee with a hint of richness from the chocolate. The mascarpone filling was extremely creamy.

Once you have finished dinner, take a stroll on the grounds of the farm. They have a wonder Art Walk that follows along the Little Sinking Creek behind the garden. Walk on a boardwalk through trees that are completely lite up and have video projections shining on them. There is music playing that helps to make this a tranquil experience. The photos do not do this luminescent art justice. It is a must see in person.

If you are in the Louisville area, take a drive over to Barn 8 for a fantastic meal. They will not be disappointed. Check them out at www.hermitagefarm.com/food-bourbon/barn8-restaurant

Enjoy!

T

Down One Bourbon Bar – Louisville, KY

While visiting Louisville, Kentucky, you will notice that it is all about bourbon and horses. Part of the Bourbon Trail starts in downtown Louisville. After having a few tastings, you need to make sure to eat something.

We picked Down One Bourbon Bar to grab some lunch.

The restaurant has a fun vibe. There are humorous signs all around that were entertaining.

I started off with a Kentucky Iced Tea. This was the quintessential Kentucky drink. They used Evan Willaims Bourbon, Rittenhouse Rye, Carpano Antica formula vermouth, peach schnapps, peach puree, Goslings ginger beer, and lime. There was a lot going on with this cocktail. It had a slight kick from the bourbon but was sweet because of the peach puree and schnapps. It was not a cocktail you could drink really fast.

The Masa Fried Cheese Curds were ordered. The cheese was breaded and fried up to be crispy. They served them with shaved jalapenos. This added a little spice when eaten with the cheese curd. They made a homemade ranch dipping sauce. This had a great tangy taste. The cheese curds were creamy with a nice salty taste. They were small pieces so it was easy to pop them in your mouth.

The Smothered Nachos were good for sharing because they were so big. It was easy to get full on eating these. The nacho chips were topped with pork carnitas, queso, cilantro crème, and pico de gallo.

I saw two sides on the menu that I ordered to complete my lunch. The Cilantro Lime Rice, was simple, just steamed white rice that was blended with fresh lime juice and fresh cilantro. The lime gave it a little bite and the cilantro added a little spice. It was light and refreshing for a side dish.

I also ordered the Street Corn. They took the corn off the cob and charred it. That gave the corn a slight smokey taste. Then they mixed it with mayonnaise, chili lime seasoning, cilantro, and cotija cheese. There was a sharpness to the flavor. Between the mayonnaise and the chili lime seasoning, the corn was very tangy. The cotija cheese added texture. It was a lot less messy eating the corn out of a bowl than on the cob.

This was a great spot to hit in between bourbon tastings. Check them out at www.downonebourbonbar.com

Enjoy!

T