Love at First Bite at Lucretia's Kitchen

It’s an exciting time to be a foodie in Louisville.  New restaurants are opening up all the time, blink and you’ll miss it.  I’m all for the underdog though, so what I’m most excited about are the restaurants opening in parts of town that are less affluent, with foods that draw people in rather than a heavily filtered Instagram account.  This week I’m excited to share with you Lucretia’s Kitchen, a new restaurant located inside Chef Space in West Louisville that should definitely be on your list of places to visit.

Lucretia’s is not a standalone restaurant, but rather one of the many entrepreneurs using the space offer by Chef Space to prep and sell their food.  Chef Space is a kitchen incubator, a project supported by Community Ventures, offering commercially-licensed kitchen spaces, equipment inventory and business support services for food industry entrepreneurs.  Members pay a monthly fee to access the facility and services.  Currently, Chef Space has 20 vendors (V-Grits is the most recognizable), some utilizing its space to prepare food for distribution off site, a few offer food directly onsite, like Lucretia’s Kitchen.

Look for a large new building near the corner of 18th and Muhammad Ali, there’s plenty of parking in the back or on the street, right outside the front door.

Chef Space. Photo Source.

Once you entered the building, you’ll see a spacious community room with tables and chairs, Lucretia’s has her table set up at the back corner.  The menu changes daily, so you can check their Facebook page for the most updated list or look at the hand written board near the order table.

Inside community room

You can eat in or take out.

Lucretia’s offers a small menu of southern and soul food dishes, traditional sides and desserts, some from Norma Jean’s (also a Chef Space success story).  Expect to see salmon croquets, fried chicken, BBQ ribs, chicken salad, etc.  Below is a sample of the menu.

I had the fried catfish dinner my first time, which came with a large piece of catfish and 2 sides.  The fish was fresh and crunchy.  The green bean was cooked just right, not too mushy like some places, and has a bit of a tang to it.  I could eat at least 2 containers full.  I also enjoyed the potato salad, it has a special seasoning I can’t really place; it reminds me a bit of curry.  My lunch came out to be $12, a large satisfying meal that makes me want to come back to try other items on the menu.

Fried catfish

My friend had the chicken salad that day and enjoyed it as well.  This humongous salad was filled to the brim and can easily feed two.  A steal at $8.

Chicken salad, $8

I ordered the salmon croquet for my co-worker on another occasion, like before, the portion was large.  She enjoyed it but reported that it’s a little dry.  On my second go around, I ordered 4 jumbo fried chicken wings, large enough to feed two people.  They were crunchy with the right amount of seasoning but a little dry in some parts; still good chicken wings.

The star is apparently the Liquid Gold BBQ (I'll have to verify this on my next visit). My coworker said it was amazing and actually called Lucretia's Kitchen to give her a compliment.

It’s a new venture so expect a few kinks.  The wait time is LONG, Seafood Lady long.  On our first visit, I waited 40 minutes for my food, my friend waited close to an hour.  However, the food comes out fresh.  To keep your wait time to a minimal, call before they open and place your order before coming in.  The staff was always gracious and welcoming.  Lucretia came out and greeted everyone personally.

A special deal:  There’s currently a Groupon for Lucretia’s Kitchen, you pay $12 and will get $20 to spend on the food here (the Groupon says BBQ, but you can spend it on anything). For the next 2 days, Groupon also has an extra 20% off on local deals, so use the code sale3 and you'll end up paying only $9.60 for $20 worth of food!

If you’re looking for an off the beaten track lunch or dinner venue, I recommend this place for the consistency in the quality of food it produces, generous portions and good value for your money.  Words are getting out about this place and the lines are already getting long.  So skip your usually lunch spot and head west to support this great new venture.

Lucretia's Kitchen
1812 W. Muhammad Ali
Louisville, KY 40203
502-294-8143
Wednesday - Friday: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Soul Food Sunda: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Occasionally you'll see other vendors selling food in the same venue.  Lollie's Kitchen has some decent fusion soul and Jamaican food.

Soul Food Tour - Miss Ada's Kitchen and Catering

Miss Ada's Kitchen and Catering feels somewhat like a myth.  I've heard of it, seen brief mentions of it in a few food forums but I can't find much information on it. This unique downtown breakfast and lunch spot is so obscure that I can't even find a phone number online! But no worries, I got a photo tour of this one of a kind family owned and operated institution.

How to get there
The cafeteria style eatery is located inside the American Red Cross Building, at the corner of Chestnut and Jackson.  There's plenty of FREE parking on the back side of the building.

View from the side.

Once you entered the building, sign in with the security guard to your immediate right. You'll get one of these babies:

Proceed to the elevators and go to the second floor.  Walk down the hallway immediately to the left of the elevators and you'll see a small black sign perched on top. Fresh home cooking beckons within.

The Menu
Miss Ada's offers a rotating menu of southern comfort food, changing daily and monthly.  You can expect to see around 2 entrees each day with an array of side dishes.  Favorites like fried chicken, meatloaf, fried fish, smothered pork chop, chicken and dumplings, etc. are on the menu.  They can fax you the month's menu or just call before you come to see what they're offering.

January's menu

There's also a hearty and reasonably priced breakfast menu.

The kitchen takes up a majority of the tiny room, with a small counter and display case of side dishes and desserts.  You order directly with the cook and he makes it fresh right in front of you.

Kitchen and counter

Fried catfish/cod and chicken wings were on the menu the day of my visit.  Sides included mashed potatoes, green beans and cabbage.  The friendly cook asked me if I wanted fried corn bread, then to my delight, proceed to pouring the batter and made it right on the spot.

My fried catfish was large and good but not the best I've had.  It's a little softer than I would've liked and not as fresh. The green beans and cabbage, however, were some of the best I’ve had anywhere.  It was naturally sweet, tender and delicious.  Entree, two sides and a drink came out to be $9.22. Very reasonable for freshly made home cooking right in the heart of downtown.

It's strictly a take out place, so you'll have to take your to go box down the hall to the employee lounge or back to your office.

Though my entree was a bit of a dud, my delicious side dishes spoke volumes about the potential of other menu items here.  I've heard my coworkers raved about the quiche and ribs.  So, I’m reserving judgment for now and am looking forward to trying other items in the future.  If you work in downtown Louisville, I recommend stopping by for a visit.  Friendly staff, reasonably priced hot meals and the appeal of a secret lunch spot make it worth the visit.

Miss Ada's Kitchen and Catering
510 E. Chestnut Street
Louisville, KY 40202
502-561-3762
Monday - Tuesday: 7:30 a.m. - 1:30 a.m.
Wednesday - Friday: 7:30 a.m. - 2:30 a.m.
Closed Saturday and Sunday
Free parking on back.  $3 credit card minimum.
Take out only

Soul Food Tour - Dasha Barbours Southern Bistro

Venture off the well-worn path to Bardstown Road and the NuLu District and you’ll be rewarded with a delicious surprise at Dasha Barbours Southern Bistro.  This off the beaten path restaurant is a perfect example of the gems hidden all over the city waiting to be discovered.

The address is listed as 3825 Bardstown Road but the restaurant is actually on Bradford Drive, one block before the intersection of Bardstown and Six Mile (if you’re heading south).  Turn left onto Bradford Drive from Bardstown Road and it’s at the end of a small shopping strip on the left, right next door to a Mediterranean & a Middle Eastern grocery store.  The restaurant is small but clean and inviting.

In front of the restaurant

Inside

Owner Aaron, a Hart County native, said he wants to cook the type of food he grew up eating in the country.  That simple philosophy is reflected in the small menu of roughly 11 items.  This is what you can expect to see, with some variations.  Sorry in advance my menu photo is not that great!

Appetizers:
Fried mushrooms
Fried green tomatoes ($4.65)

Entrees:  
Chicken & Waffles ($8.50)
Chop and Waff ($8.50)
Chicken Dinner/2 sides ($6.99 + many size options)
Pork Chops w/ 2 sides (~$11.50)
Cheese Burger w/ Fresh Cut Fries ($8.80)
Boneless Chicken Breast w/2 sides
Fish Dinner (Catch of the day) ($10.25)
Hot Wings, Sweet & Spicy, Ranch, Lemon Pepper (several prices)
Salmon Croquets w/ 2 sides ($9.90)
Pizza
Shrimps and sides

Sides ($3.75/each): 
Collard Greens; Mac & Cheese; Sweet Potato Casserole; Fried Corn on the Cob; Fresh Cut Fries; Hash Brown Casserole; Cole Slaw

Drinks include can sodas, bottled water ($1) and homemade sweet ice tea ($1.99).  I highly recommend this as you get unlimited refills and it’s delicious!

On my first visit, I got the chop and waff (pork chop and waffles), especially after Aaron said his restaurant is the only one in the city with this dish. My husband went for the burger and fries (yeah, he’s pretty boring).

Everything here is made fresh to order but the wait is not too bad.  My fried pork chop came out piping hot and glistened with fat, just the way fried food should be.  I love that it’s a thick cut, battered and seasoned on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside. I can still see the clear juice and steam oozing out of it as I type this.  It was delicious!  My husband really liked his juicy burger; the fries were different as they were seasoned with a batter much like the one you find on Indi’s wedges.

Burger and fries ($9.80 w/bacon)

Chop and Waff ($8.50)

On our second visit, we got the fried green tomatoes. They packed a lot of heat, temperature and taste wise, so take your time.  That ranch and pepper sauce wa amazing, creamy and spicy.  I would buy jars of that stuff if available.  

Fried green tomatoes ($4.65)

They didn't skim on the salmon and it was spicy.  My husband raved about the cheesy hash brown casserole and mac & cheese.

Salmon Croquet, hash brown casserole, mac & cheese ($9.90)

All reviews swear by the fried chicken here so I had to order some.  The batter is thicker than what I normally prefer but it was crunchy and the meat was moist and tender.

Chicken and waffles ($8.50)

2 piece chicken dinner, collard greens, fried corn ($6.99)

Subtle signs reveal that Aaron and his wife haven’t been in the restaurant business for long and that this place is a labor of love.  Aaron works in the front and his wife cooks in the back, he knows his customers by name and made an effort to get to know us.  He’s young and genuinely excited to share his food with customers.  You won’t find that anymore in other overcrowded and established restaurants.

Discovering great food and meeting new people at restaurants like Dasha Barbour’s made my food adventure in Louisville so rewarding.  Come here for lunch or dinner one day and you’ll also be tempted to stray off the beaten path more often.

Dasha Barbours Southern Bistro | Rating: 8/10 
3825 Bardstown Road (the restaurant actually faces Bradford Dr.)
Louisville, KY 40218

502-882-2081
Monday – Wednesday, Sunday: 11:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Thursday – Saturday: 12 a.m.. – 8 p.m.
Sunday: 12:30 p.m. - 8 p.m.
(They close at 8 p.m. everyday, but call to see when they open, above is from memory)
average $5 - $15
Park in the front 

Soul Food Tour - Southern Express Soul Food

Southern Express Soul Food is a foodie’s wish answered.  This west end take out/drive thru eatery offers delicious soul food for $1, on ALL the menu items.  Now, that's my kind of place!

The restaurant is located at the corner of West Market and 23rd in a white brick building, right at the curve.  The inside is spacious, set up cafeteria style.

Outside of the building.

The menu is high above the wall on your right, the food is displayed in trays behind thick glass panels on your left.  You will have 5 types of meat to choose from, chicken (fried or baked), pork chops (fries or smothered), pepper steak, fried fish, chitterlings and gumbo. Sides include: collard green, corn, sweet potatoes, potato salad, mac n cheese, cabbage, corn bread, rice, mashed potatoes etc. I think the choices vary light each day. They had pulled pork the day I was there even though it’s not listed on the menu.

Large menu on the wall.

Entrees.

Side dishes.

I ordered a piece of fried chicken breast, one piece of baked chicken, greens and sweet potatoes.  My total came out to be a whopping $4 and I was happily stuffed. The fried chicken wasn't as crispy as I would’ve liked but still delicious, the meat was juicy and tender. The baked chicken was my favorite, full of flavors and the meat felt right off the bones. I enjoyed the greens as well but the potatoes were a little too sweet for me.

Expect quick and efficient service, but nothing warm and cuddly.  Everything is done in front of a glass panel.  The food is even deposited to you through a cubby hole. These security measures make me wonder what happened here to make them take such extreme precautions.

Overall, the food here is good, made better by the super low prices.  The quality of food however doesn’t compare to other soul food restaurants I’ve reviewed.  But considering the price, I think you’ll walk away satisfied.

If you don’t want to come down to the West End, they have another location on Oak Street.  I haven’t been there but expect to see the same menu and offerings.

*Update: A friend reported that the prices have changed.  They now offer $1, $3 and $5 options.  She said the $1 size is very small.  I contacted the people at the Southern Express and they said, "It's still the same dollar menu, it's just different meal options available".  Still worth a visit if you're in the area!

Southern Express Soul Food
2300 W. Market Street
Louisville, KY 40214
502-778-8700
Monday - Saturday: 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
$1 - $5

418 W Oak St
Louisville, KY 40203
502-634-3240

Soul Food Tour - Big Momma's Soul Food Kitchen

Long before I had much introduction to soul food, Big Momma's Soul Food Kitchen was the number one recommendation among my African American friends for good soul food in the city.  It’s a West End institution and a longtime favorite for those living in the area and for foodies outside of it.

Head west on Broadway as far as you can, a block before the last light, you’ll see Big Momma's in a small white building to your left.  Like most good and interesting places to eat, the outside is not much, a concrete building that looks like it has seen better days.  The lot in front is tiny so the best place to park is on the street.

Big Momma's is that small white building. Src: Google

The inside is SMALL, immediately evident when you first walked in. If my arms are just a bit longer, I can literally touch the entrance door and the order counter at the same time.  You’ll see maybe 5 or so barstools by the window but half of that space is taken up by a gentleman selling bootleg DVDs, his wares spread out for all to see.  Yup, this place definitely has characters!

Behind the counter and glass partition are trays of food, giving you a preview of the good stuff to come.  Above the counter is the menu with changing entrees for each day of the week.  When you're ready, order by speaking into the microphone at the counter, the ladies behind the glass will fill it up in a Styrofoam to go container.  Main dishes vary slightly between salmon croquet, ribs, baked chicken, smothered pork chops, fried fish, etc.  Fried chicken is offered every day.  Side dishes include cabbage, mac & cheese, beans, mash potatoes, okra, etc.  An entrée and 2 side dishes will cost you around $8 or $9.

Menu. Source: Momma's FB

My fried chicken was fresh and delicious, I got at least 4 large pieces of wings and thighs.  Mashed potatoes was salty but I enjoyed my cabbage cooked with pork.  I ordered the sweet lemon ice tea and unexpectedly got a small jug of the best ice tea I’ve had in a while.  My 2 lunch mates did not enjoy their baked chicken, they said wasn’t flavored well but they are willing to come back for a second try.  I, however, enjoyed my meal!



Big Momma’s is the kind of place whose main focus is on the food rather than on the décor, with a reputation built by satisfied diners rather than big ads or a fancy website. It’s one of those rare local neighborhood gems that offers good simple home cooking that’ll remind you of your own momma (although it’ll have to be a momma that likes to cook and cook soul food well).

Big Momma's Soul Kitchen
4532 W. Broadway
Louisville, KY 40211
502-772-9580
Monday - Friday:  12 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Saturday - Sunday: 1 p.m. - 7 p.m.
around $9
Parking on the streets or the park
Take out only

Soul Food - Lonnie's Best Taste of Chicago

Step into Lonnie’s  ( 121 St. Matthews Ave, 40207) and you’ll feel as if you were somehow transported to a cramp and busy New York/Chicago diner, the kind of place where only the locals know about and its delicious goodness is your secret alone.  You order at the counter and they make it right there behind the bar where you can see it.  It’s a family owned and operated business so the level of commitment to service and food is evidenced.  The people are nice and the service quick, regulars and owners know each other by name. 

This is not primarily a soul food place, they offer soul food only on Wednesdays but I want to include it because I like everything else about it so much.  The main attractions here are the hotdogs and sandwiches.  On the menu are 6 types of hotdogs and Italian beef sausages, burgers, gyros and other special items like poboys and chicken dishes.

I love that Clark Street hot dog has large pieces of tomatoes, cucumber, peppers and relish.  Pair that with gooey melted cheese and chili on top of freshly made fries and your crappy day will magically be better.  The best part is the hot dog is only $3.59 and the fries only $2.49, great for a cheap and quick meal.

 

Soul food is on the specials menu on Wednesdays only.  You’ll have to come early or it’ll go quick.  I came at around 1:30 p.m. one Wednesday and luckily grabbed the very last portion.  The special that day was fried pork chops, greens, cornbread and sweet yams for around $8.  The pork chops was huge, battered and then deep fried, drizzled on top with a lightly sweet and sour reddish sauce.  That sauce made all the difference, adding flavors to an otherwise simple pork dish.  I wasn’t a big fan of the cornbread as it was a little dry or the overly sweet yams (keep in mind though that I don’t like sweets).  The greens here is my favorite of all the places I’ve tried.  It was simple but flavored just right to bring out the unique taste of the collard greens.  Top that off with chopped tomatoes and you get a perfectly simple and delicious side dish.

  

The place is small and the parking can be tricky.  The lot in the back is a bit tight and you’ll have to park at your own risk at nearby businesses with their “customers only” signs.



The owners are African American and came here from Chicago in the 1990s so you know you’re getting the authentic Chicago dog and diner experience.  I love that the food here is simple, good and cheap.  The atmosphere is laid back and the owners neighborly.  I look forward to other soul food Wednesdays but I’m also perfectly happy with hotdogs and fries all the other days of the week.

Lonnie's Best Taste of Chicago
121 St. Mathews Ave
Louisville, KY 40207
502-895-2380
Monday - Friday , 11 a.m. -  7 p.m.
Saturday, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
$9 and under
Parking in the back, street or on lots of nearby businesses

Soul Food Tour - Shirley Mae's Cafe and Bar

The first stop on my Soul Food Tour was also my most memorable dining experience in Louisville.  It’s not in any fancy top eats list or located in a trendy refurbished space that’s so popular among the foodie crowd.  More than likely, you’ve probably have never heard of it.  But it’s a place well-loved and often praised by locals who know of its secrets.  I’m glad I finally tried it after so many recommendations.

Shirley Mae’s Cafe and Bar (802 S Clay Street, 502-589-5295) is a small family owned and operated eatery in the heart of Smoketown, at the corner of Lampton and Clay, in a neighborhood that’s often associated with crimes, poverty and neglect.  The only other business in the neighborhood is the liquor store across the street. 

My sister was my dinner mate on that drizzly and cool Friday afternoon.  We were a bit apprehensive, as anyone would in a new neighborhood and a new place where new faces are not seen often.  Soulful streams of blues music drifted out from the open door immediately lured and welcome us into its cocoon.  There’s no fancy decoration or wait staff, just a few tables, a bar area and an opened kitchen where you see the cook preparing the food. Knick knacks and mementos cluttered the space, making it less a restaurant and more a place of gathering.  Almost everyone who came in was greeted by name and a bright smile.

We sat down and ordered our food from a small paper menu while most patrons came directly to the small counter by the kitchen to order.  This is what you can expect to see on the menu.

My sister ordered fried chicken with corn and mac and cheese.  I opted for just the fried fish because of a late lunch.  The food took a while to cook since everything is made fresh to order but I was glad for the wait. 

We spent the next 30 minutes or so learning about segregated Louisville from Ms. Dee, the daughter of Shirley Mae and who is also the house DJ.   She told stories of her mom's childhood, her siblings and the business.   Her sister and mom cook in the kitchen, her brother is the waiter and another sister hangs out in the restaurant.  She was warm, charming and had a little bit of a theatrical flair.  The details of our conversation are a bit fuzzy now but it’s hard to forget how welcomed she made us feel.  Having that opportunity to learn from her and to connect to a part of Louisville we don't now much about made the experience memorable for my sister and I.

Ms. Dee's first selfie

We really enjoyed the food when it finally came out.  The fried chicken was crispy and hot, we had to wait a while for it to cool enough to eat.  The corn and mac & cheese were standard of what you would find in any restaurant.   However, the crunchy fried cornbread here was amazing and made me a lifelong fan.  I enjoyed my fried catfish as well; it was crunchy and lightly battered.  Large portions and reasonable prices made this one a keeper.  Our introduction to the food here made us eager to come back again soon.

Here are a few tips and things to know before coming:

• They are only opened on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
• Cash only
• Parking on the streets
• The neighborhood is a little rough so use common sense.  If you have valuables in your car, pack it away in your trunk before you come. 
• It's a humble place so don't expect any fancy restaurant amenities. 
• Here’s an article from WDRB with a little more history on the place. 

It’s not just the food that made this a memorable experience for me, but the friendly people and cozy atmosphere.  It might be rough around the edges, but every underneath shines.