Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Ramsi’s Café on the World

This is a stellar restaurant nestled in the heart of the highlands supporting a range of clientele (from late night goers drinking the P.B.R. on tap and eating dessert to after-church brunchers enjoying a decadent buffet on Sunday mornings). The mowhawk-haired walk by as the mowhawk-hatted sit inside enjoying seviche, fish tacos, or lamb shanks.
The menu is endless and offers many items from all over the world. There are several asian dishes that include both Thai and Indian fare. There is traditional American continental cuisine that is outstanding (think the biggest ribs you’ve ever seen and excellent salads that are cheap and fresh and unique).
This past Sunday I went there to get their Sunday brunch, which I’ve had twice. For 14 dollars you get a breakfast bar of croissants, Indian naan, pita, French toast made on sourdough with cinnamon, pancakes, fresh fruit galore, grits and oatmeal. The dinner buffet includes the vegan queso and regular queso that scrumptiously accompanies the CuBean burrito from the dinner menu. The homemade tortilla chips are to die for as well. The tortellini from the evening as well as the gorgonzola chicken round out the buffet offerings as well. The bbq ribs and jerk chicken is present too. The spinach salad and mixed greek salad is also there. It’s tough to pass up the queso, for me at least, on my many rounds through the buffet.
The buffet also includes a dessert bar, omelet bar and coffee and orange juice in its price. These items are all difficult to consume alongside the gorging that you would have just endured from the rest of the place. I approached the dessert table on my “round two” to the buffet this weekend, saying that I don’t think I could stomach any dessert. A larger woman serving herself cheesecake said, “oh trust me, honey. You will.” And I did find room for mousse and cheesecake in the hours that we spent chatting and indulging at Ramsi’s.
The décor is interesting. There are four dining areas. An outside only area that isn’t open in the winter, a plastic enclosed heated outdoor area that is offered in the winter, a large secondary room that is a lightly lit, and then a smaller main room that I am used to eating in from my childhood. We used to go there for the burrito, which is only a mass of black beans and queso and their goat-cheese dip. This room has a wonderful bar to the right and is decorated to be somewhat like the inside of a 17th century sugar cane plantation in the West Indies.
I would not hesitate to dine at this underpriced invitation to the world’s table-of-a-restaurant any day.

3 comments:

  1. Best food in Louisville! My favorites include the Pollo Neuvo Havana, the Tortellini, the Jerk Chicken Sandwich, and also the Basil Salmon Sandwich. I also had a bite of someone's quesidilla once, and it was delectable. You simply can't go wrong at this restaurant. There's something for everyone, even those picky eaters.

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  2. It's not the best food in Louisville. I've been several times and have never been impressed with the quality, although the price is right.

    How was that mouse dessert?

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  3. Mouse was killer - it had cinnamon extract in it, which I just adore (I love it in canolli to be exact, which you can only find in cleveland and probably new york too).

    I agree with aspects of both comments: the selection is great; however, I do admit to having bad experiences there (I'm thinking of my eggplant parmasean) and finding better all around restaurants in town. Try Meridian Cafe!

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