Eat & Swig [1]

Levee at the River House [4] is a small-plate, big-bar concept from Chef John [5]Varanese [5] — a runoff/sister spot to Varanese’s other recently-opened eatery, River House Restaurant and Raw Bar [6]. Levee is the place you’ll want to go after dinner for drinks and dessert and jazz (lots of live music is planned), or for a light meal on the patio with a gorgeous view of the river.

 

 

We got a sneak peek of Levee’s menu at their soft open. Levee at the River House opened to the public April 13 at 4 p.m. Here’s what to order:

 

Start with a drink, any drink. Like any Louisville establishment worth its salt, Levee’s got an expansive selection of beer, wine, house cocktails, etc. Additionally, Levee’s bar program has been augmented with “innovative frozen cocktails infused with fresh herbs and other culinary ingredients.” We started the evening with Levee’s well bourbon: Old Crow.

 

 

From the cold plates portion of the menu, try the warm brie and Bibb salad ($9) topped with toasted almonds and dried cherry/bourbon vinaigrette. Also from the cold plates, the grilled shrimp and spicy greens ($12) with dried chorizo and goat cheese comes topped with corn nuts; they added a pleasant and crispy crunch.

 

Image: Elizabeth Myers [7]

 

Moving on to the hot plates at Levee: the crispy Asian BBQ pork belly ($12) topped with pickle slaw was sweet, thick, meat-candy goodness. The kimchi pancake beneath the pork belly soaked up the zing of sesame oil and the umami-laden lard from the meat.

 

Image: Elizabeth Myers [7]

 

Levee has an assortment of tacos, sliders and flatbreads: classic bar food with a gourmet twist. Try the grilled steak sliders ($11) with sundried tomato goat cheese and lemon-caper aioli, or the smoked bacon and caramelized onion jam flatbread ($12) featuring Levee’s house-made boursin cheese.

 

Image: Elizabeth Myers [8]

 

End your evening with cheesecake balls. Yes, cheesecake balls. Vanilla bean cheesecake ($8) topped with fried fig and bourbon jam.

 

 

Levee opened to the public April 13 at 3015 River Rd. The hours of operation are Wed. – Thurs. 4 p.m. – 12 a.m. Fri. – Sat. 4 p.m. – 2 a.m. and Sun. 4 p.m. – 12 a.m. They will be closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Follow them on Facebook [4] or visit their website here. [9]