By Dana McMahan, FoodConnect Louisville
dana@foodconnect.com

I read a line once in a travel guidebook for the South, I don’t remember which one, an offhand remark that Louisville is not a great restaurant town. I almost threw the book down in disgust and disbelief. Have they been to my city? Louisville is a fantastic restaurant town, and a great food town in general.

I have a lot of favorite haunts in my city, and I’ll introduce you to them in the coming weeks. I hope if you’re ever in Louisville you’ll make it a point to visit some.

Up first: Lotsa Pasta. This “international food shop, ” a Louisville staple for more than 25 years, is tops on my list of places a foodie in this town can’t do without. It’s a rare dinner in my house without at least one ingredient from this tiny emporium. They focus on fresh pastas, offering up more than 50 varieties, but have so much more.

Cheese from around the world tempt from the wrap-around cheese case. Have a question about which cheese to stuff in your fresh manicotti shells? Ask the guy at the counter. He’ll quote French food writers from centuries ago and point you to a fontina. I discovered I would actually eat a ricotta from America at Lotsa Pasta, having always compared the delights of Italian ricotta with the dry nasty stuff in the grocery stores here. Thank goodness for the recommendation of the staff there. I can eat this creamy delight with a spoon (and often do while making dinner).

Israeli couscous? They’ve got you covered. Everything you need to make a fig and goat cheese pizza? Local goat cheese, check. Dried figs, check. No-fail pizza dough, check. Everything from grits to aged balsamic vinegars lines their shelves. And if they don’t have it, just ask. They’ll track it down.

While it’s by no means a discount store, deals are available. Fresh herbs sell for half the price of the chain grocery stores. And parmesan rinds are free — help yourself. (Throw them into a pot of soup or pan of cooking risotto). And advice (and food philosophy) is always freely given.

Lotsa Pasta
3717 Lexington Rd
Louisville, KY 40207
(502) 896-6361

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