LouLife

Midway’s main street, split by railroad tracks, has been turned into an almost Disney-esque re-creation of a railroad junction town, with bright, clean facades holding antique and art galleries as well as a number of restaurants catering to a celebrity horse set that includes such folks as Sam Shepard and William Shatner. Restaurants like Bistro La Belle and The Black Tulip are adding needed panache to the rather lackluster Bluegrassdining scene.

Heirloom is a study in off-whites and beige tones, from the exterior to the striped carpet inside. On my first visit, I thought the atmosphere reflected a serviceable restaurant with some pretensions toward haute cuisine. Then my first plates arrived, and I realized the pretense may have been my own.

Even though I’m not fond of chicken livers, I decided to order Heirloom’s version ($9) because of the promise of lemon ricotta ravioli, garlic, basil and creme fraiche. I also ordered a shiitake and goat cheese tart ($10), thinking it would be a comforting rebound after yet another heartbreak in my history with chicken livers.

The tart was, in fact, very tasty — the mushrooms were tenderly sauteed and blended with a red-wine reduction and a Vidalia onion marmalade atop the sharp, warm cheese. But instead of enjoying it, I found myself wanting more and more of the chicken livers.

In a later conversation, chef/owner Mark Wombles told me how he makes chicken livers so delicious even I wind up craving them — and confessed that he doesn’t even like them. “I ate them as a child,” he said, “but I don’t eat them now, and I’ve cooked thousands since we’ve been open (15 months).”

Wombles trims all the sinew and fatty tissue from each liver and cooks them in a hot, hot pan. “The hotter the better,” he said. “You want to get them crisp.” So instead of my usual disappointment, I enjoyed livers crusted a golden brown, their (to me) iron flavor actually accenting the tastes of garlic, sour cream and lemon. Joined by some house-made ricotta ravioli and topped with arugula, these livers were so good I ordered them again on my second visit — and again cleaned my plate.

Wombles told me that, while the popularity of the dish “really helped us succeed as a restaurant,” he wants something more for Heirloom’s menu — an idea reflected in the restaurant’s name. “We try to use everything we can from Kentucky, especially in the warm months,” he said. “We change the menu at least four times a year, with every season, but we might change it more, depending on the kind of produce that’s available.” That doesn’t mean he avoids non-Kentucky ingredients. “I’m not a ‘Kentuckychef,’” he says. “I just want to do good food.”

So while my Prosciutto-Wrapped Mozzarella ($8) wasn’t local, it was darned good. The wraps were like a classy ham-and-cheese sandwich, with crusty-from-the-grill prosciutto enclosing soft, creamy cheese. It came with what may possibly be the best panzanella I’ve ever had. The salad featured diced tomatoes and Italian bread dressed simply in olive oil. The juicy tomatoes and oil merged without taking away the crispness of the bread, and again I managed to eat every bite.

My gluttony continued through dishes such as Ragout of Duncan Farms Rabbit ($20). The thick noodles were a chewy counterpoint to the delicate rabbit, and both the mild meat and pasta didn’t hide the freshness of carrots, mushrooms and other vegetables in a delicate sauce. And my table also managed to devour a Pike Valley Farm roasted half chicken ($24), the flavorful bird nested in a light tomato-balsamic vinaigrette along with sweet corn puree and grilled zucchini.

Trained at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, chef Wombles worked at Michael Mina’s Aqua there, then had stints at Cincinnati’s Maisonette and Lexington’s GratzParkbefore landing in Midway. Asked for his philosophy, he spoke about being “committed to quality, but I like to stay up on trends. A few years ago it was intense flavors, lots of acidity, sweetness, etcetera — but now it’s becoming simple.”

My perfectly cooked New York Strip au Poivre ($26) was a good example, served pre-sliced to show off its medium-rare interior contrasting with a well-seasoned crusty outside. The light touch of truffle oil on crispy french fries and a creamed spinach that balanced the bitter green with sweet cream better showed me that the chef knows how to bring glorious flavor out of even these simple menu ideas.

I will say that a fennel-and-garlic-crusted pork tenderloin didn’t get completely eaten. While the pork was juicy and delicious, it and some delicate braised endive were overpowered by the strong flavor of a potato-Roquefort tart. This dish wasn’t bad — just not as outstanding as the rest of my courses, including dessert.

From house-made Rocky Road ice cream ($6) to a molten Valrhona chocolate cake ($10), my meals at Heirloom ended sweetly. The ice cream was a decadently thick mass of nuts, marshmallow and chocolate, and the rich, gooey cake also came with a tasty scoop of malted vanilla ice cream. Also, an apple crisp ($7) was very simple and very good, with a touch of cinnamon and a very homey flavor. (Further kudos for serving adequately strong coffee with dessert, a rarity among area restaurants.)

Midway might be a little off-center in terms of distance from Louisville, but it’s definitely worth the trip even if you’re not heading to Lexington. I can’t say exactly what will be on the menu when you visit, but you can be sure those chicken livers will be there. “It’s amazing we’ve had this kind of response over chicken livers,” said Wombles.

If You Go

Heirloom Restaurant, 125 E. Main St., Midway, 859-846-5565
Open for lunch Tuesday through Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; dinner, 5:30 p.m. to close. Reservations strongly recommended.