Reviews
According to legend, Avalon was the "Island of Apples" on which there was a beautiful, enchanted lake. When Arthur was led to Avalon by Merlin, an arm gripping the sword Excalibur emerged from the water and presented the weapon to the young king.
It might raise false expectations to give a new restaurant the same name as such a magical place. (Though it makes a better moniker than, say, Hogwarts.) But dinner at Avalon, while falling short of legendary, was filled with many almost-magical bites enjoyed in a beautiful new setting.
The Bardstown Road building that most recently housed Bobby J's has been strikingly redecorated. Walls have been removed to open up the multi-level space. The interior has been painted pumpkin orange and covered with intriguing works of contemporary art. The overall effect is bright, light and hip. Not the least of this energy comes from a staff that seems thrilled to be there and eager to welcome diners sampling chef Nathan Carlson's ambitious, creative cuisine.
Fresh ingredients are assembled in dishes with familiar names that offer a bit of a twist. For example, among the appetizers are fried risotto and Gouda spheres dressed in a smoky tomato vinaigrette; and smoked salmon with rasti potatoes (a Swiss version of hash browns), pancetta and creme frache.
Calamari takes on an Oriental accent in the fried squid with Vietnamese dipping sauce ($7), which a friend and I shared. It had been coated with a feathery tempura batter to amplify the seafood flavor and was further jazzed up by the dipping sauce.
Salads also combine ingredients not usually found in each other's company. There's a spinach salad with potato olive ceviche and a goat cheese cake, as well as one made with mixed greens, Israeli couscous, fried peas and roasted tomato.
We tried a different pair. The corn bread salad ($7) used torn bits of the bread as the base for a bed of greens and white beans all dressed in a sweet roasted onion vinaigrette. The mixed greens with Asian barbecued duck ($8) was served with a subtle, multi-layered cucumber and carrot vinaigrette. Each bite provided a new combination of flavors.
Carlson pays homage to Southern cooking traditions in entrees such as a pork chop with maple sugar chipotle glaze and succotash and seared scallops with stone-ground grits flavored with country ham hock. But there are internationally inspired dishes too.
Falling-apart braised beef short ribs ($15) are seasoned with soy and pepper and served with a generous side of thin rice noodles mixed with slivers of carrot, onion, zucchini and sweet red pepper tossed with cucumber relish.
The bone-in rib-eye steak ($18) was as flavorful a cut of beef as you'll find anywhere, made even more so with a cabernet demi glace and supported by a savory (and very rich) mushroom risotto.
The Avalon wine list has a selection nicely divided over several varietals. So we were able to drink a spicy, fruit-filled red a bit beyond the ordinary. The bottle of 1999 Chateau Potelle Old Vine zinfandel ($33) was splendid with both of our beef dishes.
Avalon's imaginative offerings extend to dessert. We shared the fried apple cheesecake ($6), a turnover of flaky pastry filled with sweet cream cheese topped with diced apples sitting in a lake of rich caramel sauce with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Excalibur, indeed!
Avalon ... in Celtic mythology, it is the Island of the Blessed Souls, the home and last resting place of King Arthur. It's also the name of a quaint village on Catalina Island, a relaxing getaway off the Southern California shore.
Both these images inspired restaurateur Steve Clements' choice of names for this fine new Bardstown Road establishment. And I'm pleased to report that the paradisical metaphor is well chosen: Within weeks of its pre-Derby opening, Avalon earns my four-star rating as one of the city's top spots.
Students of local-restaurant genealogy will want to follow closely to keep the bloodlines straight: Avalon occupies the space formerly filled by Bobby J's, but the eponymous Robert "Bobby J" Johnson is no longer involved; he sold the premises to Clements last autumn, then moved a few blocks out Bardstown Road to open Steam-Fire & Ice last month.
The spacious facilities sprawl across several levels, with a cozy bar placed discreetly off to one side on the ground level, a large dining area up a half-level via a broad staircase, and private rooms farther upstairs. The walls are several shades of mustard - Coney Island in the front, Dusseldorf in the back - and a spectacular sculpted aluminum art object highlights a soaring wall space that rises high above the upper level.
Hard edges, undraped black tables and simple black chairs contribute to a happily noisy atmosphere. A lot of effort has gone into the small touches: Brushed stainless flatware is exceptionally fine, and bright rectangular ceramic bread dishes add more spots of eye-catching color and shine. Napkins fall down just a bit - made of shiny black polyester, they're surprisingly slick, the unabsorbent kind that insist on sliding off your lap onto the floor. This may seem like a nitpicky point, but it stands out in a place that comes so close to perfection in so many ways.
The menu is billed as "fresh American cuisine," and our exceptionally polite and helpful server added that it is American with a discreet Southern accent. I would have called it international, although you could argue that risotto, ragout, rosti and wasabi all manage to fit into an all-American melting pot.
About 18 appetizers, soups and salads range from $5 (for soups or a classic Caesar salad with "Lincoln Log" croutons) to $9 (for a tempura tuna nori roll, just one of the many tempting options that push the limits of the "Fresh American" concept). Other intriguing starters include fried risotto and Gouda cheese spheres ($6), a mushroom Napoleon with goat cheese ($6), an Asian BBQ duck salad ($8), and my appetizer choice, the rock-shrimp-stuffed hush puppy ($8).
Dinner selections are eclectic and innovative, including a half-dozen pasta and sandwich items (from $10 for a veal and foie gras burger to $16 for "big ravioli" with your choice of duck confit, rock shrimp or truffled veggies) and about a dozen full entrees (from $15 for Atlantic cod with Hoppin' John or soy and pepper braised short ribs on rice noodles to $24 for a veal chop with "a mess o' spinach").
The wine and drink list is both extensive and interesting, with a broad selection of before- and after-dinner drinks and an exceptionally well-chosen wine list with close to 100 items (including a selection of half-bottles), most available by the glass for one-fourth of the bottle price. A few pricey items hold down the high end, including 1993 Dom Perignon for $175 and the popular though overrated Far Niente Chardonnay for $93; but there's a large selection under $30, including a good choice of not-so-commonplace items categorized under "Interesting Whites" and "Interesting Reds." It's clear that someone here knows his wine and enjoys nudging diners to try something new.
The complimentary bread basket made it clear from the start that this is no ordinary eatery: It featured a noteworthy variety of first-rate warm breads: Sweet, addictive coarse yellow corn muffins; crisp foccacia-style bread, like herb-dotted quarters of pizza crust; and more traditional white dinner rolls, tender and white with a tangy breath of sourdough.
A mixed-greens salad ($6), served as an appetizer, went far beyond the standard, offering fresh lettuce tossed with hailstone-size balls of Israeli couscous and addictive crunchy fried peas along with feta cheese and tomato bits in a delicate vinaigrette.
My choice, recommended by the server as Avalon's signature "Southern-style" starter, was the stuffed hush puppy ($8). A generous portion of tiny, perfectly cooked rock shrimp was turned into a spicy salad with capers, chopped scallions and a creamy remoulade, all piled into a hollowed-out hush puppy almost as big as a baseball but much more appetizing, plated on a crisp and sweet-tangy red-cabbage slaw. Delicious!
The veal and foie gras burger ($10) was thick and flavorful, bringing together delicate veal and earthy foie gras chopped together in a light but rich package, grilled medium-rare and served on an English-muffin-style bun. It came with an artful, tongue-in-cheek dressing package, strips of juicy tomato and onion bound in a fresh green envelope of lettuce. Thick and fruity plum ketchup was served on the side, with a ration of French fries tucked into a tin ring, Belgian style, a pretty but slightly malfunctional presentation that allowed the otherwise estimable pepper-dotted fries to overcook in their own heat, which made them go limp but didn't detract from their flavor.
My choice, the olive marinated lamb loin ($23) was a triumph: Three butter-tender strips of lamb tenderloin, rare as ordered, were served atop a perfect risotto studded with meaty shiitake mushrooms and dripping with fruity olive oil. The lamb was topped with an odd and intriguing preserved-lemon relish that added a tangy and very salty piquancy to the dish.
The vegetable garnish, an element that's all too easy to kiss off, received VIP treatment here. It was an impressive ragout of shiitake and button mushrooms, tender and sweet brussels sprout quarters and sauteed red and yellow bell pepper, a side item so appealing that it could justify menu placement as a vegetarian dinner in its own right.
An offbeat wine selection, Spy Valley 2000 Marlborough (New Zealand) Pinot Noir ($28), managed to bridge our disparate entrees. A pretty cherry color, not overly dark, with the pleasantly "green" tobacco-leaf aromas typical of New Zealand Pinot, brought bright and pleasantly herbaceous tart-cherry fruit to the party. Fruity, not sweet, it sang with both the lamb and the veal-foie gras burger.
With food this good, we resisted the impulse to skip dessert and were rewarded with the "Crisp Rice Dome Trio" ($6). Three small balls of rich, dense ice cream - chocolate, raspberry and orange - were rolled in Rice Krispies, a conceit that's intresting enough, although we would have been just as happy with the unadorned ice cream. Artfully plated, the "domes" were served on a Jackson Pollock spatter of raspberry, chocolate and creme anglaise sauces, with "C'est la vie" spelled out in cursive dark-chocolate script.
Straightforward espresso ($2.50) made a fine finishing touch to an outstanding dinner that came to $89.48 including the wine. A tip for exceptional service rounded the total up to $108, a tab that we couldn't help but note came within $1 of matching the price of a similar dinner at Mr. Johnson's Steam. $$$$
Whether the concept Avalon, of one of Louisville's top bistros, was derived from the majestic resting place for King Arthur or that of scenically breathtaking Catalina Island, Avalon is both splendid and magnificent. Owner Steve Clements, who by no means is new to Louisville's dining scene, has crafted an architectural and culinary winner with Avalon, a boast and toast to fresh American cuisine.
Executive Chef Nathan Carlson exudes with confidence, "Our passion is creating exceptional cuisine". A perusal of the menu reveals a list of offerings as creative and unique as Avalon's own environment. Throughout the three levels of dining area are walls adorned with dazzling artwork, murals, and sculptures. In fact, make it a point to wander through the restaurant and check out the collection. If you're lucky, proprietor Steve Clements will play docent as you meander throughout the "gallery".
The atmosphere at Avalon is upscale causal. Seating is well designed and thankfully not over-crowded, enhancing an intimate dinning experience. Several booths are inconspicuously located which makes for quite a romantic setting. Brand new to Avalon is Louisville's newest alfresco experience. The patio, which fronts Bardstown Road, is a continuation of artistic wonder from the indoor dining area. Tones of the stained cement floor, a brick walled fireplace, ample outdoor heating for brisk evenings, and a cozy bar are just a few extras which make this Louisville's newest and hottest outdoor dining experience.
Let's not forget what Executive Chef Nathan Carlson is creating in his kitchen. Carlson boasts with confidence "Our passion is creating exceptional cuisine". The appetizers are exuberant and delectable. Totally unique, savory, and daring is the fried risotto and Gouda "spheres" with smoked tomato vinaigrette. Regardless of your choice---they're all first rate.
Creativity hallmarks the entrees, which are all wonderfully prepared. Mediterranean spiced lamb loin with ragout of Fava beans, potato gnocchi and mushrooms ---- now that's what we're talking about, 'flair!'Â Additionally, several pasta, seafood, and meat entrees and sandwiches are available. The soft-shell crab sandwich with avocado, remoulade and shoestring potato - now there's a sandwich to satisfy any kid from Baltimore.
The wine list boasts over 40 wines 'by-the-glass' which, is unheard of at most restaurants. Complimenting that list is a wonderful selection of full bottles including some unique red wines. One of the top list in the city and a well deserved Wine Spectator Award winner. The most prestigious award for Avalon is the foodboyz.com top bathroom in the city.
Be it appetizers, entrees, salads or desserts, the service staff is exceptional at explaining each dish on the menu.
For a bit of artistic culture, intimate dining, and outstanding cuisine check out one of Bardstown Roads favorite dining locations, Avalon, Fresh American Cuisine.©
