LouLife

By Melanie Wolkoff Wachsman

While Bourbons Bistro revolves around a bar — with more than 130 types of bourbon — the place is also serious about food. When we first entered, it teased us into thinking otherwise with its front-and-center scene of crowded, smoking bar-goers. But the dining room is spacious and surprisingly quiet despite being steps away from this hubbub. Notes of sophistication are evidenced by the all-black-clad wait staff, black ceiling and brick walls painted brown. The feeling is contemporary but warm, with huge black-and-white photos of old distilleries and the bourbon-making process adorning the walls.

Kentucky plays muse on this menu, as well, where country comfort food such as garlic fried chicken with country ham stuffing harmoniously shares space with prosciutto-wrapped grouper with black pepper thyme cream or a squash flan. Having recently returned to Louisville from Texas, executive chef Jack Tapp began his Bourbons Bistro tenure this past November. He plans to turn the menu up a notch while maintaining its Southern roots. Certain staples popularized by former executive chef Chris Howerton remain, including the fried green tomatoes with garlic and chive aioli ($6). It’s an engaging appetizer, with a flaky coating properly capturing the juicy tomatoes and an aioli that is a good foil for their tartness.

The crawfish macaroni and cheese with pomme frites appetizer ($7) didn’t quite fit the description, but was well-received. A hot skillet loaded with baked penne pasta was covered in a white, creamy mascarpone sauce that leaned more toward sweet than cheesy. Peas were mixed with the penne and tender crawfish. The heap of pomme frites on top reminded me of french-fried onions and added a nice crunch. I enjoyed the dish, but craved more of the ooey-gooey cheesiness that makes macaroni and cheese so comforting.

For my entree on one recent visit, I ordered the iron-seared filet with bourbon demi-glace ($27), but not at first. After I’d completed my appetizer and salad, I was informed by the server that my original entree selection (braised short ribs) was no longer available. I overcame my disappointment when a thick, perfectly seared piece of beef arrived as the alternative. Tender, with a melt-in-your-mouth consistency, the selection was a fine substitute, and my only complaint was the lack of enough demi-glace. The accompanying mashed potatoes and haricots vert were average.

On another occasion, I ordered the vanilla roasted duck breast served on wilted spinach with bacon, soft-boiled eggs and roasted fingerling potatoes ($21). The ingredients evoked an image of a playful twist on a classic spinach salad. What appeared was a piece of artwork. Two plump sauteed duck breasts leaned up against each other while the spinach and potatoes formed a mound underneath. A sole vanilla bean stood between the pieces of duck. Instantly the whiff of vanilla created a mouth-watering aroma. That vanilla, rather than overpowering the delicate duck meat, enhanced it with subtle hints of flavor.

Duck is a tricky poultry to prepare. Too often it becomes a fatty, greasy mess. This duck was tender, moist and juicy, with a dark, crisp crust that sealed in its natural juices. The wilted spinach, with its peppery and somewhat bitter nuances, provided a nice contrast, and the roasted potatoes were well-seasoned and slightly crunchy. I even enjoyed the not-fully-hard-boiled eggs (cooked a specific six minutes) for their added protein boost and color. Despite the plate’s many components, I wasn’t overly full, which was a good thing.

My fri/files/storyimages/could have licked clean his plate of pesto-crusted salmon with creamy risotto and oven-roasted tomato jus ($18). After he spared me a bite, I understood why. The jus alone made the dish worth ordering, featuring freshly charred tomatoes together with balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, olive oil and stone-ground mustard. Bourbons also mastered its risotto, which was creamy and rich, not gummy or runny, and a fine accompaniment to the succulent salmon.

One of the restaurant’s star items is the vanilla roasted duck breast served on wilted spinach with bacon, soft-boiled eggs and roasted fingerling potatoes.

The restaurant also offers a vegetarian special. I give the kitchen props for effort, but the special I sampled, panko-crusted rice fritters filled with goat cheese ($14), fell flat. The dish wasn’t fully warmed when it arrived — and lost the benefit of what should have been its star, the goat cheese, which emerged in a big, cold clump.

For dessert we tried the berry fruit crisp ($7), which came bubbling-hot in a skillet. While hot raspberries and blueberries topped with vanilla ice cream form a pleasing juxtaposition, the dish lacked the crustiness I associate with a crisp. Berry fruit soup is a more accurate description. A better option was the baked apple ravioli with vanilla ice cream ($5). What can be more heavenly than four mini homemade apple pies? The raviolis lent a doughy, buttery texture to go with a warm apple filling.

All in all, Bourbons Bistro prepared its dishes with care and precision. If Jack Tapp continues to build on this quality, this bourbon bar could become known as much for its entrees as for its cocktails.