Louisville, Kentucky is full of wonderful, unique placesto dine. And often, my buddy- Ken- and I will seek out something new anddifferent for our weekly culinary sojourn. It was with this intrepid attitude,that I decided it was time to try a place I had never eaten before, but about whichI had heard much. Ditto’s is a shotgun restaurant on Bardstown Road in theheart of the U of L college community. A road lined with boutiques, eccentricand eclectic shops, and a host of bars and diners, it is the hub of the “indie”and hip scene of Louisville. It is here in these rows of youthful trends thatthe slogan “Keep Louisville Weird” was born. And Ditto’s has long been a partof this Louisville tradition with an equally eclectic and diverse menu for alltastes and desires.
As usual, we headed out on a Saturday afternoon, but muchearlier than normal. This part of town can be fairly crowded on the weekend, sothe least amount of traffic we had to bear the better. We were delighted thatwhat with parking being such a commodity on Bardstown road, we were easily ableto saddle up beside the building and get in well before the dinner crowd. Theatmosphere of Ditto’s is particularly comfortable: wide open, lots of seating,but with a communal ambience. Our server was a gentleman of Hispanic descentwho goes by the name Cookie, and was a delight to talk to. I only mention hisethnicity here because he embodied the fun-loving hospitality I have alwaysassociated with the Latin community that I have come to know. He was gracious,playful and attentive to our culinary needs.
Per my usual M.O., I had scanned the menu online beforecoming in, and had my eyes set on a particular appetizer: Ditto’s Famous Dip,consisting of Etouffe sausage, chili and cheddar cheese with hearty heaps ofguacamole, sour cream and fresh salsa with green onions. With possibly theexception of the White Queso at Mexico Tipico, Ditto’s Famous Dip is the best Ihave ever had. Ken and I shared the Dip. I should mention, that Ken was not asfond of the Dip as I was. He felt there was too much chili. I, on the otherhand, say you can never have too much chili.
We both indulged in Caesar Salad before our entrée, adelightful mix of fresh Romaine lettuce, crisp slices of red bell pepper, andtangy dressing.
On to the main course, Ken opted for a heaping Beef andCheddar sandwich with Au Jus. Ken’s exact words, “the beef is very tender andthe au jus is perfect.” His sandwich was accompanied by French fries, which Kenfelt were of average quality. I decided to partake of one of the healthyalternatives on the Ditto’s Menu, the Crispy Chicken Breast & Tomato GarlicPasta with Broccoli. Quite a mouthful to both say and taste. The chicken wasindeed crispy on the outside, cooked in a panko-esque crumb breading that waslight, and succulent and juicy on the inside. The pasta in question was in factbow-tie, which can be difficult to cook well. Most pasta should be cooked aldente when prepared, especially due to the fact that it will often get cookedmore in the secondary process. Because bow-tie pasta is so often added todishes at the end of the cooking process, al dente often leaves it too rubberyor chewy. I am happy to report that this was not the case with this dish. The bow-tie was absolutely perfect,and the Italian seasonings were beautifully infused. And now, I have to talkabout the broccoli. I am not so often driven to such definitive measures whentalking about vegetables, but I was so taken by the broccoli in this dish, thatI could not stop talking about it. The stalks were crisp as I like it. Uponbiting down on the moist crown of the broccoli an explosion of Italian flavorsfilled my mouth. It was unlike any broccoli I have tasted before; immaculate inflavor and consistency.
Ken and I were both well sated at the end of our dining andsorely glad for our decision to endeavor a meal at Ditto’s. Considering I hadnever been there, and Ken’s previous encounter many years ago had beenlackluster, we were both greatly appreciative of the fantastic meal we hadthere. We had a pretty good idea it was going to be a good experience when uponpouring our first glass of tea, Ken jokingly said “great, you brought a pitcher”and “I’ll go through that in no time”. Cookie gladly dropped the pitcher on thetable for us and provided us with more ice as needed. While I may sometimes beeasily appeased, I am not easily “impressed”. But, I have to say, I was trulyimpressed with every aspect of our meal, and will be returning to Ditto’s inthe near future to try more dishes from their menu.
The average cost of an appetizer is around $7, and theaverage cost of an entrée is around $12, with a few exceptions. It is certainlyan inexpensive place to eat for friends, dates, etc. If you want to learn moreabout Ditto’s Grill, get directions in Louisville, or visiting from out of townand want to experience a Louisville original, check them out at their officialwebsite here: http://www.dittosrestaurant.com/
Wolf’s Rating: * * * * *
Ken’s Rating: ** * *
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