A Single Platter

As a single lady, I have the opportunity to dine whenever, wherever, and however my heart desires. I feel blessed that I'm able to spend time on weekends breaking bread with family, close friends, interesting new acquaintances, and even the occasional date. However, when it comes to dinner on weeknights, it's just me, myself, and I - a single platter. I am not much of a cook and as some of you can relate, cooking for one is no picnic. Sometimes I get really excited to make a casserole on Sunday evening, with the idea of eating leftovers for lunch or dinner throughout the week. This plan hardly ever works and I'm left throwing out over half and feeling wasteful. Even when I discover a new dish that seems super easy to make, I rarely follow through. Honestly, cooking is the last thing I want to do after a long day at work, especially since I am the only one to feed. So I usually find myself popping in a frozen meal, snacking, or drinking a glass of wine for dinner (bad, I know).

Recently it occurred to me that I don't need a dining companion to enjoy a meal from one of my fav local restaurants. So I've started doing carry-out orders once or twice per week and now I live to eat a single platter!! Allow me to share a few spots that are fairly new on my radar.

Nam Nam Cafe serves up phenomenal Vietnamese cuisine. Located in the heart of St. Matthews, this is a tiny spot with friendly wait staff and affordable prices (and when I say affordable I mean nothing over $10, with most options around $7). I went for the Vietnamese Tacos with lemongrass chicken. If you like spicy, you will love their Sriacha aioli sauce, complemented by the pickled carrots, refreshing cucumbers, and cilantro, all wrapped in a corn tortilla. I added a veggie Imperial Roll for an extra buck fifty and could not get enough of the Nuoc Mam sauce which was sweet and savory. The roll was similar to a Chinese Egg Roll but better. I've heard great things about the Crepe and plan on trying it next time.

Note: There is a ten dollar minimum for carry-outs which I was unaware of until I went to pay. The staff were gracious enough to let me off the hook though.

Another spot I've discovered is Chicago Gyros It's located off Brownsboro Road, adjacent to the "Dirty Kroger" and conveniently down the road from my crib. Try not to be deceived by it's shady appearance including the poster signs which display menu items. This place is the real deal when it comes to their specialty, The Mediterranean Gyro!!! I made the mistake of ordering it with chicken once and although it wasn't bad, the lamb in the Med Gyro holds the key. It comes with banana peppers, green peppers, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, feta cheese, and homemade Tziki Sauce. I tried a side of their hummus of a recent jaunt and would say it's pretty standard, nothing special. Then again, when it comes to hummus I have been spoiled by another great spot near my workplace called the Burning Bush Grille This Mediterranean cafe is in Oldham County and I highly suggest trying it if you are venturing out that way. I am in love with their flavorful hummus that I believe to be the best in town. Service at both of these spots is very personable and attending and has drawn me as a loyal customer.

 

So remember the next time you are popping in a frozen meal, whipping out a bag of chips, or about to throw in the towel and drink your dinner, just call up one of these great spots for a delicious carry-out meal . Hopefully by this time next year, I will have someone to carry-out with but in the mean time I will live to eat a single platter!

Cafe Lou Lou

http://www.cafeloulou.com/d/

Back in my mid-twenties, I often found myself heading out for drinks and dinner in the Clifton Area of Louisville. My "Bicardi and Diet"-loving roomies introduced me to a cozy little spot called Cafe Lou Lou. The atmosphere had me under it's spell immediately with funky Pop Art, bold colored walls, and a wait staff that were hip in a non-pretentious way. These were the days when I went to dinner for the drinks and the gossip. Great food was just an added bonus - a far cry from my current foodie state. I was a little baffled by the menu selections that feature Italian-Mediterranean-NOLA style cuisine. However, I fell in love with the first thing I ordered here. Simply, the Grilled Chicken Roll, which includes fresh greenes and tomatoes, pesto aioli, roasted red peppers, and feta cheese, all wrapped in lovely lavish bread. I would kill for it! With a choice of spicy Cajun Crisps (fries), Mediterranean pasta salad, or sauteed veggies, this roll has and will always be my Lou Lou favorite. My roomies had their order down to a science - Hummus appetizer, split the Four Cheese Calzone with a side Caesar Salad and keep the Bicardi and Diets coming...

Our hearts were shattered when we heard the news that Cafe Lou Lou was moving to the St. Matthews area. While I dearly adore this part of town, I was scared that Lou Lou would change it's ways in order to cater to a BMW driving crowd. Fortunately this has not been the case at all. My beloved Lou Lou remained much the same. In fact the decor, menu, and wait staff didn't change at all! When it first opended, the old roomies and I headed to new Lou Lou on a few Wednesdays for half-priced wine bottles. About a year later we moved to the Highlands and were elated to learn that a second location was opening. And even better...they deliver!! God knows how many Chicken Rolls were delivered to that address.



Over the past few years, I have sampled a handful of other menu options. You can't go wrong with any of their specialty Gourmet Pizzas such as Smoked Salmon, Buffalo Chicken, Mediterranean, and Hot Brown. There is also a "Build your Own" pizza option, several other types of Rolls, Sandwhiches, Pastas, Soups, and Salads. The prices are so reasonable that the dinner menu almost seems like lunch prices. I am not familiar with their beer menu but have heard it's good, offering a handful of options from BBC - a great local brewery, and some other micro-brews nearby. I might have to check out the beer next time I go, along with the  Black Bean Lasagna or perhaps the Jambalaya, both are known to be convicted killers. What can I say? I like to live dangerously. Until next time, Live to eat Cafe Lou Lou!!