The Hot Brown is all that.

I just got finished eating my first Hot Brown at the English Grill in Louisville, Kentucky. I didn't know about the dish being so renowned until last night when one of my great friends gave me the heads up. It just so happens that I am staying at the Brown Hotel for work this week, the same location as the English Grill.

Let's get to the food...

The ambiance was upper class and vintage. Can I say vintage? I don't know. The restaurant was really nice. All the walls had custom woodwork and you can tell that it was original, or at least very old. There were many horse paintings with museum style lighting above each.

After ordering a beverage, they brought me a large sampling of breads and a fancy cup of butter with shapes carved into the spread. Each one I tried was tasty. Then my Hot Brown arrived. I snuck in a quick pic to show to my viewers...then I started eating. I would describe the dish as a medley of home cooking and fine dining. Large hand carved thick slices of turkey surrounded by broiled tomatoes, pieces of bread with the crusts cleanly cut off, and smothered with a gravy cheese sauce. All topped with 2 slices of bacon and some shredded cheese.

The portion appeared small to medium upon arrival but set me on my way with a smile and a full belly. I claim the middle ground of home cooking and fine dining because the dish was something you could create at home, but I was spoiled at my table for 1. You should know this type of fancy restaurant...multiple servers every few minutes helping you out. I haven't had this good of service since Ola.

I'll close by saying this won't be my last Hot Brown and that I just took away a better impression of the Brown Hotel.

Another thing I have learned outside the doors of where I am working this week is Louisville is pronounced "lu-i-vil" as one one syllable and not "louie-vil", the "i" is pronounced like the "i" in the word "it" without the "t". This is my best attempt at the phonetic spelling. I welcome comments.