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Brown-Forman shows Old Forester some love with a new distillery 

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Finally, Old Forester bourbon is getting the love it deserves from its owner, Brown-Forman.

Over the past two years the historic bourbon has gained three line extensions and a mega-sports sponsorship of the Kentucky Derby. But most significantly, on July 22, its owner threw a party signifying the start of construction of a new $45 million OId Forester distillery.

This for a brand that’s been sold without fanfare for decades, if not most of its 145-year life.

I know I’m not the only one saying, “It’s about time Old Fo got its due.” Customers have loved Old Forester for years, especially in its hometown, Louisville, Ky. And if you can get Brown-Forman employees to speak privately, many will tell you they prefer it over the far younger B-F flagship bourbon, Woodford Reserve.Old Forester distillery

Until recently, Old Forester never enjoyed the marketing muscle, promotional drive or stunning visitors center given Woodford. And it’s left many on the outside wondering why such a good product with a highly marketable heritage–and so much of selling bourbon is about selling a brand story–got so little exposure beyond its retail shelf presence.

Not only does it taste fantastic whether sipped or stirred in a cocktail, Old Forester costs almost 50 percent less than Woodford.

A few years, ago, Brown-Forman recognized the untapped potential in Old Forester and it set in motion a plan to capitalize on both its quality and its heritage. Created by George Garvin Brown in 1870, it was the company’s first significant brand. It survived Prohibition as “medicinal whisky” that doctors could and did prescribe with amazing frequency. When the curse of Prohibition was lifted, production of the bourbon resumed apace. It had a huge start on competitors, but it never took the commanding lead it might have.

In modern times, it also never gained the cache Woodford has, nor Woodford’s sales numbers. Woody’s annual case counts are triple that of Old Fo’s.

So credit Brown-Forman for its change of heart on its legacy brand, and celebrate its greenlighting Old Forester’s limited production releases: Birthday, Single Barrel, 1870 and 1879 Bottled-in-Bond. All have been hits, and if I had my choice among them all, the BiB is my pick. Just outstanding.

But at $39-$69 per bottle for all four expressions, those are special occasion picks for me. So if I want a daily drinker, I’m hard pressed to overlook a $19 1 liter bottle of 100 proof Old Forester Signature (yep, that’s what I paid recently). I can’t think of a better bourbon value for the money, and it’s my prediction that Signature and its 86 proof brother will remain the brand’s backbone for a long while.

So about the new distillery commemoration: Since there was no ground to break, there was no de rigeur shovel brigade and staged photo ops. All the expected swells were there: Campbell Brown, Old Forester’s president, Paul Varga, B-F CEO, Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, and on and on. Add in about 200 others and it was an impressive turnout for a warm workday morning in summer. The backdrop to the event was the 150-year-old Whiskey Row building (on Louisville’s Main Street) where the distillery will be built.

Reporters go to loads of press events, but none are as fun as those tied to potent-potables. And when you can get a stout sip of a quality bourbon before lunch, it’s easy to listen to the quote machines who take the podium in the runup to the group toast.

Nearly two weeks ago, there was a devastating fire on Whiskey Row that consumed the bones of four buildings. Yet the fact that those buildings’ historic cast-iron and brick facades remain standing is a testament superb and sturdy construction done so long ago. And it’s a fitting symbolic acknowledgement that a well-made bourbon that’s also stood the test of time will be made there in 2017.

Ever been to a serious country ham dinner?

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Tonight is your chance—though certainly not the last one—to enjoy a fantastic country ham-inspired dinner at Azur Restaurant in Lexington. Executive chef Jeremy Ashby will put on this four course feast beginning at 6:30 p.m., though no one will mind if you show up early for cocktails, which is what I’ll be doing.

In case you’ve seen me promote past dinners, but didn’t know what they’re about, here’s a general summary of what happens at all of them:

6 ham sliced

We start the meal with a comparative ham tasting, a side-by-side look at three types of country hams. Tonight we taste my 10-month-old ham, Ashby’s prosciutto-style ham, and Harper’s Country Ham, made in Clinton, Ky. It’s important to note that Harper’s ham was a Kentucky State Fair Grand Champion in 2013, so it’s got creds. Also, Brian Harper, vice president at the Harper’s, which is Kentucky’s largest country ham producer, will be our special guest.

The point of the side-by-side tasting is to understand that country ham is no single product, that not only does each ham maker’s influence on the meat play a large role in its final flavor, but so does the place at which it’s made. Each ham house comes with its own flavors, be they created by smoke, decades of use, influence of both inside and outside air or mold. Yes, mold. In the same way that some aged cheeses get flavor from molds, country hams do, too. When it comes to flavor, mold is a good thing, but many country ham makers don’t like the effort required to scrub it off. I can understand that in the case of a brand like Harper’s, which makes more than 200,000 hams a year; scrubbing mold off that many hams can be a hassle.

So we talk about that, taste them simply sliced—not cooked—like prosciutto. I also like to get a ham maker talking about his or her technique and also gauge diners’ opinions on what they’re tasting, what they like and dislike. At two previous tastings, we’ve had ham maker Jay Denham talk about his Cure House hams made from Woodlands Pork hogs. Dude was a rock star at one tasting.

Sometimes there’s bourbon involved, and tonight, that’s on the menu. Not only is bourbon an historic part of Kentucky food, its natural smokiness makes it an excellent complement to country ham. Its sweetness helps offset some of the ham’s saltiness, and the sharp edge of the alcohol—yes, we sip it straight and slow during the tasting—cuts through any fattiness provided by the ham.

I’ve done this a few times before, and it’s a terrific treat to watch people understand how well they pair together, “play together,” some chefs like to say, and how diners begin to understand how delicious both are when consumed unadulterated. Aged tequila works equally well in the side sipper role.

Adulteration comes in with the rest of the meal when we eat several courses prepared using country ham as an ingredient. No fried ham steak and redeye gravy tonight, just fabulous food influenced by country ham. You’ll know it’s in there. Trust me.

So join us at Azur Restaurant in Lexington tonight. (Click here to see the menu.) The price is a ridiculous bargain at $45.95, plus tax and gratuity. I’ll be selling personalized copies of my book, “Country Ham: A Southern Tradition of Hogs, Salt & Smoke” for a special-event only price of $15 each. Great way to stock up on early Christmas gifts!

Country ham book interview on WDRB-41

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The lovely Rachel Collier from WDRB-41 interviewed me on Aug. 21 at the Kentucky State Fair, giving me a chance to talk about my book, “Country Ham: A Southern Tradition of Hogs, Salt & Smoke.”

At the very least, it’s worth watching just to see the 2014 Grand Champion country ham, which later that day, was auctioned for charity for $2 million.

That’s $153,846 per pound!

The winning bidders were Steve Wilson and wife Laura Lee Brown, restaurant mogul Junior Bridgeman, and banker Steve Trager.

WDRB Ham breakfast interview

Top local chefs creating country ham-inspired dinner commemorating book release by local author, food writer

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Dean Corbett, Shawn Ward, Mark Stevens, Ouita Michel, Richard Lewis and Jay Denham to cook country-ham centered dinner celebrating release of “Country Ham: A Southern Tradition of Hogs, Salt & Smoke.”

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Aug. 13, 2014)—Six of Kentucky’s top chefs will gather to prepare a country ham-inspired dinner to commemorate the publishing of the book, “Country Ham: A Southern Tradition of Hogs, Salt & Smoke,” written by local author, Steve Coomes.

The dinner, scheduled for Aug. 28 at Corbett’s: An American Place, will be prepared by Dean Corbett (chef-owner, Corbett’s and Equus/Jack’s Lounge), Shawn Ward (executive chef, The Brewery), Mark Stevens (chef-owner, Stevens & Stevens Deli and Catering), Ouita Michel (chef-owner of Holly Hill Inn, Wallace Station and Midway School Bakery in Midway, and Windy Corner and Smithtown Seafood in Lexington), Richard Lewis (corporate executive chef, Morrison Healthcare Management) and Jay Denham (master charcutier, Woodlands Pork, former chef at Park Place).

The seven-course affair will begin with a 6:30 p.m. reception in Corbett’s courtyard, where guests will enjoy passed hors d’oeuvres, bourbon cocktails and Prosecco. Dinner will follow in Corbett’s main dining room and include cleverly prepared dishes accented by smoked cured Kentucky hams.

“Mark, Richard, Steve and I cooked together at Sixth Avenue in the early 1980s, so since we go a long way back together, this gives us an excuse to throw a great party,” said Dean Corbett. “When I talked to the other chefs about doing a dinner that tied into Steve’s book, they all wanted in because we love cooking together and we love country ham.”

Coomes’s book details the American South’s centuries-old country ham culture and the people who still practice the ancient art of curing hindquarters. Guests of the dinner will share platters of country ham from multiple Kentucky producers, and listen to Denham, one of the nation’s premier ham makers, explain the unique nuances of each. Guests will also get to meet Ronnie and Beth Drennan, owners of Broadbent’s Country Hams and 2014 Kentucky State Fair Country Ham Grand Champions.

“What we take for granted in the South as ‘just country ham,’ is regarded by chefs around the nation as a treasure, a sort-of American prosciutto,” Steve Coomes said. “While it’s often cooked here, chefs elsewhere serve it as charcuterie so diners can experience its full flavor and texture. There will be a lot of examples of both preparation styles during this dinner.”

Cost of the dinner is $95 per person, wine and cocktail pairings with each course, and a signed copy of Coomes’s book. (Tax and gratuity are not included.) Reservations can be made by calling Corbett’s at 502-327-5058.

The evening’s menu includes:
Reception: Passed Hors D’Oeuvres, Corbett’s courtyard

 

Mark Stevens: Country ham fritter with corn relish

Richard Lewis: “Ham and Egg,” on toasted brioche, sliced ham, garnish of salt-cured eggs

Jay Denham: Bruschetta of grilled peaches, pickled peppers and Woodlands Pork Back Bacon

Dean Corbett: Choice of Corbett’s Bourbon Lemonade Hayride or Prosecco

 

Appetizer: A Discussion of Kentucky Country Hams

Jay Denham: Platters of three famed Kentucky hams (Woodlands Pork, Broadbent’s Country Ham and Col. Bill Newsom’s Aged Kentucky Country Ham) served with pickled fruits and vegetables, Midway School Bakery beaten biscuits, paired with Old Forester Bourbon cocktail

 

Pasta

Mark Stevens: House-made ravioli stuffed with baby spinach, ricotta cheese, butternut squash served with browned butter, sage and country ham twille, paired with rosé

 

Salad

Ouita Michel: Organic Woodford County Kale, wilted with sorghum vinaigrette, tossed with Happy Jack’s charred sweet corn, roasted peppers, smoked baby cherry tomatoes, Good Shepherd cheese and shaved country ham, paired with sauvignon blanc

 

Intermezzo

Dean Corbett: Melon and country ham sorbet

 

Entrée

Shawn Ward: Seared diver scallop with kohlrabi puree, truffled ham broth, bean salad, garnish of country ham chips, paired with chardonnay

 

Dessert

Richard Lewis: Beignets tossed with country ham “dust” and powdered sugar, accompanied by red-eye ice cream, paired with Corbett’s coffee and Herradura Tequila Añejo

Ouita Michel: Mignardise of Midway School Bakerysweet-and-savory corn cookies

 

About Corbett’s: An American Place:

A multiple AAA Four-Diamond award-winning restaurant, Corbett’s is consistently regarded one of Louisville’s most outstanding fine dining restaurants. Led by veteran chef and restaurateur, Dean Corbett, the restaurant operates in the historic Von Allmen mansion, once home to Kentucky’s first working dairy farm. Its stunning interior design balances reserved Southern elegance with modern décor matched by a dynamic and inventive menu, an extensive wine list, impressive artisanal cheese selection and an interactive digital chef’s table. It is located at 5050 Norton Healthcare Boulevard. Reservations for lunch, brunch and dinner can be made by calling 502-327-5058.

Modernizing the Mexico image

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A snippet of my profile for The Drinks Report:

Pepe Hermosillo’s entry to the business marked the seventh generation of tequila makers, though he insisted his would be something different, “a modern representation of Mexico”.

His training: “Totally on the job, hands on.” He was 19 when his father died, leading him to supervise the family’s construction company until taking it public and freeing him to focus solely on tequila. [Read more…]

It’s a sin to waste rare tequila

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TEQUILA, MEXICO–Most spirits tastings are pretty standard: Someone explains how they’re made, how they’re aged, what aromas and flavors to look for—and then you smell, taste and savor.Tequila-tasting-shot

Shattering that standard into a thousand pieces is to enjoy a tasting at the actual distillery—such as in the barrel aging room at Casa Noble Tequila, in Tequila, Mexico.

And have the master distiller, Juan “Pepe” Hermosillo, lead the tasting, teaching about the climate and granular soil that make blue agave largely rare outside of the country.

In near-perfect English he leads us through sips of silver, reposado and anjeo, and the expected oohs and ahhs follow. It’s really good stuff.

Then he stands, grins almost mischievously and adds, “But I have one more surprise for you,” and he directs us to a row of barrels. Atop one barrel is its removed bung beside a crystal thief, which Hermosillo dips deep into the barrel.

“This anjeo has been aging five years in a 300-liter barrel,” he begins. “We’re trying some fun things. We want to see what flavors we’ll get from this extended time.”

The anjeo is more golden than the distillery’s standard 2-year-old anjeo tasted moments before, and its full body makes nearly no noise as it leaves the thief and accumulates in our glasses.

It’s rich, mouth coating, ripe with cinnamon, honey, vanilla and a backnote of agave.

No oohs and ahhs at first, just slow blinking and big smiles. “Wow,” one of my colleagues says, summarizing for all of us.

“Pretty special, isn’t it,” Hermosillo acknowledges.

Juan-with-thief

Casa Noble master distiller Juan Hermosillo drains the barrel thief of a five-year-old anejo.

He offers a second taste and no one refuses. It is the best tequila I’ve ever had.

Then, putting down the thief, Hermosillo says slowly with an even wider grin, “But I have just one more surprise for you. Come this way.”

Gesturing with his head, he motions us toward a large coffee table bearing a lone bottle of deep amber-gold tequila.

“We poured this out a little earlier, and it came from this barrel,” Hermosillo says, pointing to a vessel much smaller than the last. “This also has been aged five years, but this is a 100-liter barrel, which, I think you’ll notice, imparts much more flavor. It’s much more complex.”

Complex is too tame a word. The “juice” as another colleague on the trip calls it, is as big bodied as a linebacker, yet rolls across the tongue soft as silk. Every standard note comes through loud and clear: wood, vanilla, agave, cinnamon, caramel, honey … and then smaller notes, lavender, citrus, faint herbs.

Soft wows evolve into, “Unbelievable.” “Freaky good.” “Fantastic.”

“Can I have another taste?” I ask, and Hermosillo quickly obliges.

I’ve never tasted a spirit this good, this balanced, this freakishly soft and so devilishly seductive. Including the tequila sipped in our tasting, most of us have sipped at least 3 ounces, and it’s not even lunch time. And we had at least that much the night before.

Yet Hermosillo offers yet another splash, and I oblige, my glass held out greedily.

Golden-tequila

The best tequila I’ve ever had, a five-year-old anejo from a 100 liter barrel.

Superb, supple, surreal. And that’s just the aroma.

The group starts shuffling toward a table outside already set for lunch. With some five-year-old still tequila in my glass, I don’t move a muscle. Nor does Aaron, another reporter on the trip about twice my size who knows what he’s drinking and has more body mass to absorb the amount he’s consumed.

“She left some in her glass,” I say to Aaron, pointing to what must be a full ounce abandoned by another reporter who declared, “I’ve had enough,” a moment before.

When his eyes dart to the woman and back to her abandoned glass, I know either he or I will claim it momentarily. “There. Is. No. Way. That’s. Going. To. Be. Wasted.” I tell myself, so I wait and continue sniffing sipping, picking up a hint of banana, some surprise vegetal notes and a dash of brown sugar.

Aaron tips his glass back, empties it, looks at me and says, “Lunch!” and walks toward the open door. As he steps outside, he says excitedly, “Cocktails!” takes his seat before a clever mango margarita and lights a cigarillo.

I’m now alone in the darkened corner of the barrel room, admiring the last of the long, sticky legs stretched out inside my now-empty glass. It’s peaceful here, nearly quiet save for the tequila-giddy conversation of my colleagues drifting in from 10 yards away.

I eye the abandoned ounce and think, “What’s tackier? Finishing someone’s abandon tequila, or abandoning tequila that, when bottled, might fetch $200 for a 750ml?”

The answer lies somewhere in between: I take the woman’s glass and pour her neglected tequila into mine, begin sipping anew and head out to lunch.

Questionable? Zagat Guide says Michael’s Pizzeria best in U.S.

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Montanara finishedMichael’s Pizzeria in Long Beach, Calif., is the best pizzeria in America.

According to the Zagat Guide.

I don’t buy it. No matter how good Michael’s is and no matter how many Michael’s customers Zagat said it contacted.

Saying, “You’ve got to taste this—it’s great!” is one thing, but saying, “This is the best!” is a claim that’s hard to back and an inane one for Zagat to make.

Tim and Nina’s Zagat Guide used to be a reliable source for restaurant recommendations—until they sold it to Google. They had every right to so—especially since they got somewhere between $100 million and $200 million for the business.

But Google is all about Google, which means its goal with every business is to drive traffic through Google and wave said business’s flag at the same time. Making claims that one pizzeria is America’s best is one way to do that.

A ham-fisted way.

Pizza preferences are more diverse, numerous and passion-based than opinions on this week’s government shutdown. (Woody Allen once said, “Sex is a lot like pizza. When it’s bad, it’s still pretty good.” You can’t say that about the U.S. government. Even when it’s pretty good, it’s still really bad!) With equal fervor, people love really good pizza and really crappy pizza, and for reasons that go far beyond a pizza maker’s flour or oven choice.

Food is emotional and, arguably, none more so than pizza since it’s communal food. Pizza is at its best when delivered straight from the oven and served immediately. That means it’s served in a particular setting that provides context which influences how we experience it. Much as we like to think so, it’s not all about the food.

Which is one reason why it’s hard to make the claim that any one pizzeria is the best. Sometimes people get all misty eyed over average pizza because they grew up eating it with their family at a particular parlor—and there’s real meaning tied to that. Their experience might have been “the best” even though the pizza might not have been, and I don’t think it’s fair or realistic to disregard that.

I’ve covered the World Pizza Championships in Salsomaggiori, Italy, and even the Italians make no claim that one is the best.

That’s because there are multiple styles cooked in multiple types of ovens, and those 300 or so entries are placed before multiple panels of judges, meaning no one team of officials tastes every pizza.

So we’re only talking about 60 judges tasting what are some of the finest pizzas in the world, and yet Zagat says it did extensive customer surveys to make the claim Michael’s is the best.

Ridiculous, because among those surveyed were fans of Michael’s will assumedly say it’s the best.

It may be truly fine, but there are arguably 10,000 other examples of “truly fine” pizza in the U.S. worth considering, pizza styles not everyone knows about, and locations in cities they’ve never visited.

So dump the hype, Zagat. Just get back to making suggestions and skip the puffy proclamations.

Take note, indie eateries, chain restaurant survey says booze drives frequency

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A recent survey by Consumer Edge Insight says a good portion of chain restaurant customers frequent those establishments because of a good selection of properly priced alcoholic beverages.

If there were one bit of information independent restaurant operators could use in their struggle against chains, that’s it.

Not only do many independents have better bars, they have better selections and more skilled bartenders. They have neighborhood ambiance that attracts loyal patrons and they typically can get away with charging a tad more than a chain—something they need to do remain profitable and competitive against chains’ volume-purchasing power.

The survey results, reported by NBCNews.com, pointed to Buffalo Wild Wings as the best at working this angle. Its promotional efforts reflect this nicely and concisely: “Wings. Beer. Sports.” We’ll feed you, “water” you and show you games while we’re doing it. A largely affordable but simple experience, just what Americans want from most restaurants.

Indie ops fight similarly, but their moves often lack finesse. Vinyl signs screaming “2-1 Bud Light” say only “me, too,” not “we’re doing something different, come see.”

Is there a craft beer special you can offer?

A house-specialty cocktail—sorry, no Cosmos, tasty as they are, they’re out of style—you can offer for a deal on certain days?

As the survey’s results imply, patrons do like consistency, but they like it to be a bit different than what’s in the fridge or on the shelf at home. If it’s not different, then why would they leave the La-Z-Boy to pay triple the cost for the same thing at a restaurant?

This also stands out from the “Wings. Beer. Sports.” tagline from BW3: The experience marketed is exactly the experience you get. It’s billed as advertised.

This is not a white tablecloth restaurant promising a dissonant experience of party in the bar, serious eatin’ business in the dining room. Nothing reeks of desperation like an upscale restaurant offering 2-1 apps and half-price wine all week.

Those operators must do something alcohol-centered but contextually appropriate, such as wine flights, bourbon tastings, craft gin or craft tequila specials, something intriguing that implies, “You don’t have these on your shelf at home, so come let us introduce you to them. We promise, it’ll be fun!”

Survey says, “It’s all about the booze,” but reality says that booze has to be unique, different and interesting enough to go buy away from home.

A good independent operator can do that as easily as any chain operator.

The Colonel’s logo left behind with creation of KFC eleven

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“You won’t find the colonel on the marquee or signage,” KFC president John Cywinski told the Associated Press yesterday, “but you’ll find more abstract references to our heritage.”

That’s in reference to the absence of Kentucky Fried Chicken founder Col. Harland Sanders’ image on anything tied to its new fast casual restaurant project, KFC eleven.

  • The cornpone character who figured out the correct combination of 11 herbs and spices that flavored the world’s most popular fast-food chicken …
  • The most recognizable face in the world save for Jesus’s …
  • The man whose chicken launched a million heart bypasses … is done as far as this new concept goes.

I get it. It’s the chain’s way of saying “the Colonel is the past, this is au courant,” that it needs a clean break from the proud but calorie-laden legacy of Kentucky Fried Chicken built by Sanders.

And perhaps it’s right, that a new look and public image will make a fresh start for what is supposed to be a fresher food chain, one with food targeted to more health-conscious types rather than tailgaters, couch potatoes and picnickers.

Yet contained in its logo are to undeniable links to the past: the mention of “eleven” and the silhouette of a chicken.

Not exactly what I’d call a clean break, but who asked me?

McDonald’s could get away with dumping Ronald McDonald. I scarcely remember the last time I saw his made-up mug on any of its products—mostly because I scarcely ever go to McDonald’s—so we’re comfortable with just seeing the Golden Arches on boxes, cups and wrappers.

And I suppose KFC could just use KFC branded packaging and signage sans le Colonel and still get the message across.

But to create a logo that says “you can get chicken here, and it’s seasoned liked the original recipe you get at our original chain—but we don’t want you to think of the Colonel” just seems odd.

I haven’t talked to him yet about this, but I have no doubt that Fmr. Kentucky Gov. John Y. Brown, Jr. one of two men who bought Kentucky Fried Chicken from Sanders in 1964, will not approve. Last we talked—in fact every time we have talked over the last few years—the Colonel and his remarkable popularity after a half century always comes up. To him, the chain and the man are inseparable.

But then again, this is not the same chain—if it lives long enough to become a chain. Currently one is under construction at the end of Bardstown Road in the Highlands. Rumor has it another is under construction in Louisville’s south end on Preston Hwy., though I’ve not verified it.

Those test units, I’m sure, will endure rigorous scrutiny before any future rollout occurs. And even if the corporation deems the concept worthy of duplication, will KFC franchisees be willing to build them—maybe even convert current KFCs to KFC eleven?

Brown’s growth formula was, “If one works, build a second, and if that works, do it again.” That was a hell of a lot easier in the 1960s and early 1970s, when KFC grew from 650 to 3,500 units—without closing a single store. But there’s no way that’s going to happen with KFC eleven. The domestic marketplace has no room for it—without killing off competitors, anyway. And my, my, the competition is really good.

While it’s not as though the chain is killing off the Colonel—which, if eleven scores a perfect 10, it’s not out of the realm of possibility it could happen in the KFC chain—it’s a bit of a sad day seeing the ol’ boy’s face shelved. It certainly served the company well in its expansion to more than 10,000 stores, yet now the corporation says it’s time to give it a rest.

What do you think: Is this good or not for KFC? Feel free to comment.

Heads up: Lexington, Ky., fast becoming a terrific restaurant town, Part 2

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(Editor’s note: If you haven’t read Part 1 of this two-part post, know that it’s about the explosion of great food and drink options in downtown Lexington. This second part touches on restaurants just a couple of blocks away, to some several miles away, that should be added to your “must visit” list.)Saul-Good-Salad

Doodles: This fast-casual breakfast and lunch operation is located about two blocks from downtown and less than a block from Transylvania University. If Lynn Winter hadn’t shuttered Lynn’s Paradise Café and considered doing a fast-casual version of that restaurant, this might be what it would have looked like.

Open just four days a week, the menu changes from Thursday toSunday. You can find everything from omelets to huevos rancheros to corned beef hash to a Kentucky hot Brown quesadilla, and that’s just for starters.

Prices are modest, you fetch your own food and coffee refills, seat yourself, and leave when you’re ready. It’s that casual.

Read more …