Dana McMahan| Special to Courier Journal
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If you live inside the Watterson Expressway, you may have been teased by friends outside the loop that you don't need a passport to travel beyond Interstate 264.
Those of us living in the urban core of Louisville tend to stay put when it comes to dining out — after all, why leave when we have so many great restaurants in such a concentrated area? Believe me, I'm just as guilty as the next person. When I can walk to Bar Vetti, 800 S. Fourth St., from my house, why would I driveanywhere?
But Louisville's food scene extends beyond that imaginary border and if you don't eat outside the box — that is the downtown/Highlands/NuLu/Germantown box — you're definitely missing out.
When I sit down to a slice of pizza bliss at Bonnie & Clyde's Pizza Parlor, 7611 Dixie Highway, or a perfect bowl of mango sticky rice that takes me back to Bangkok at Thai Noodles, 5800 Preston Highway,I feel awfully silly for staying in my downtown bubble.
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I'm sure others will feel the same way, too. What else is to be found beyond the Watterson? I asked a few food-loving Louisville residents for their favorite picks around town and while some have garnered a well-earned reputation, even I learned about a couple of new spots to try.
So this weekend when you're looking for that perfect dinner spot, give one of these places a try:
Con Huevos
4938 U.S. 42;502-384 3744
"Louisville needs more breakfast places. Especially if you live on the East End, like I do. My husband and I became early fans of Con Huevos Restaurant. We frequently trekked over to Frankfort Avenue just to visit the authentic fast-casual Mexican restaurant.This past year Con Huevos opened a second location in Northfield near the Holiday Manor Shopping Plaza, and I couldn’t be happier about it.
I love the no-nonsense attitude of the restaurant. You order at a counter. You sit. Servers bring food and refill coffee and waters. You eat. It’s quick and straightforward, just like the menu.
My favorite dish is the signature Huevos Rancheros. Picture a corn tortilla topped with refried beans, salsa and avocado chunks, sprinkled with queso fresco and topped with a dollop of avocado mousse (a mild guacamole). Two sunny side-up eggs perch on top. I prefer my eggs poached over easy, which Con Huevos will easily prepare.The ingredients are always fresh—even the salsa is housemade. It’s a great dish to fill up with when you’re starting your day.
Speaking of which, get to Con Huevos early. Word has gotten out on the east side about this daytime spot and lines are likely to appear after 10 a.m.
Trust me. The food is worth the wait." — Melanie Wachsman, Springhurst
Dakshin
4742 Bardstown Road;502-491-7412
"I thought I would never see good, simple and delicious Indian food after I left Manhattan. But Dakshin is a stunner: great imported beers, their palak paneer is spicy and creamy and I actually dream about their fluffy and crispy naan."— Nicole Stipp, Old Louisville
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John O’Bryan’s Tavern or 'O’Bryan’s'
4123 Flintlock Drive;502-449-4940
"The building looks as though it may collapse if the termites were to stop holding hands. It’s cash only, no WiFi, and kind of loud; DO NOT judge this book by its cover.
If you crave a cold beer and fish 'n chips this is the best kept secret in the city. The fried fish plank is the size of a dinner plate, definitely bring someone to share it with you." — Eric Cowley, Old Louisville
Koreana Restaurant II
5009 Preston Highway;502-968-9686
"Is there any better group dining experience than Korean BBQ? I used to work in KoreaTown in NYC and I missed those late-night BBQ spot, where you throw some of the most tender meat — Bulgogi — on a grill, and cook yourself an amazing small plate while sipping a cold beer. If you're not in to the super fun of communal cooking, the stone bowl Bibimbab is delicious. Don't snooze on the pickled sides and their specialty chili sauce!" — Nicole Stipp, Old Louisville
Mojito Tapas
2231 Holiday Manor Center;502-425-0949
"We are working our way through the menu but every visit we order the mushroom cocas (Catalan Flat Bread).We learned after our first two visits to limit ourselves to three selections — maybe fourif we are super hungry.We also like the stuffed dates but only order them if we are with another couple or more as they are very rich." — Kirk & Steph Tittle,Goshen
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Recbar
10301 Taylorsville Road;502-509-3033
"Somewhere between Louisville's highest-rated eateries and fast-casual restaurants is Recbar, and it just happens to be my favorite dining spot. It's Jeffersontown to a T. It's friendly, quirky and not trying too hard to impress anyone. My whole family loves the mix of classic arcade machines and airbrush-style murals, with plenty of space to move around. The food is always satisfying. I especially love the tots and fried pickles."— Eileen Murphy Holston, Jeffersontown
Selena's at Willow Lake Tavern
10609 La Grange Road;502-245-9004
"Don't missthe beignets on Sunday morning. The patio is perfection on a good day. Worth the drive from anywhere." – Leslie Holland, Highlands
Sisters Tea Parlor
4765 Fox Run Road;502-222-6420
"Sisters Tea Parlor is hidden away in a shopping mall in Buckner, Kentucky. They offer bottomless pots of tea, trays of savory and sweet bite-sized fare and even hats and gloves to try on to complete the experience. It's a great place to go to show off your Kentucky Derby hat more than once a year! They encourage people to linger and it's a great place to catch up with friends. The atmosphere is whimsical and the best thing on the menu is the tomato crisp...but you have to go in the summer to get it while it's in season." — Jesse Hendrix-Inman, Parkway Village
Thai Cafe
2226 Holiday Manor Center;502-425-4815
"Thai Cafe is great for takeout.I love the Red Curry and Kirk can't get enough of the sweet corn cakes.The staff is very welcoming and quickly recognize a face or maybe we take out too much."— Kirk & Steph Tittle,Goshen
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A Taste of Thai
6549 State Highway22;502-365-1809
"Our newest find is in Crestwood – A Taste of Thai. It was a huge surprise as I grew up in Oldham County and either ate at home or traveled across the county line for food. This is our favorite takeout. We both love spicy but our server warned that they lean a bit on the hot side.I'm normally a three or fourpepper gal and Kirk is four or five.When we order I opt for twoand Kirk does three or four Again, working our way through the menu, we have yet to be disappointed."– Kirk & Steph Tittle, Goshen
Vietnam Kitchen
5339 Mitscher Ave.;502-363-7535
Vietnam Kitchen earns high marks in Courier-Journal review
Vietnam Kitchen in Beechmont earned a favorable rating in our recent review. Sept. 5, 2017
Lucas Aulbach/The Courier Journal/USA TODAY Network/Wochit
"If you don't mind taking a gorgeous drive through Beechmont (I guess I just envy those big yards and those beautiful craftsman houses), you find yourself at Vietnam Kitchen. I don't care how many more pho places make their way downtown, this one is always number one in my heart." — Nicole Stipp, Old Louisville
If you'd like to add to this list with your west end and southern Indiana favorites, we want to hear from you. Email Dana at thecjdish@gmail.com.
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