Appetizer and Drink Date Night

With so many great dining options in Louisville I often find myself having trouble deciding where to go for a night out on the town. My favorite solution to this problem is the “appetizer and drink date night.” This past weekend my husband and I decided to try out several different places that we had never been before. At each stop we limited ourselves to appetizers and one cocktail a piece. This was a great way to become familiar with the restaurants while being able to visit several in one night.

The first stop of the night was Wiltshire on Market. The quaint restaurant took us in right away without reservations at the bar. We decided to order two bourbon cocktails off of the menu, that kicked off our night with a bang. Our first appetizer was a warm kale, feta, and artichoke dip that was served with homemade pita chips. The dish came out piping hot and was made with the freshest ingredients. The star of our “light meal” was what came next; the potato, leek, and truffle soup. Each bite sent a powerful punch of flavor over my taste buds causing my husband and I to fight over each bite. Wiltshire on Market’s menu changes weekly based on seasonal ingredients and the full menu reflected this farm to table approach. I will definitely be revisiting Wiltshire on Market soon for a full meal.

Our next stop was a restaurant we had both been wanting to try for a while, Basa, a modern Vietnamese restaurant on Frankfort Avenue. Basa was packed, but there were two seats at the bar with our names on them. This time we stuck with cocktails we knew well, simple bourbon and cokes. Basa has an extensive bourbon list that we were happy to choose from. This restaurant is an excellent place to go if you are looking for a place for appetizers and drinks because of their small plates menu. We decided to choose four out of seven of the options on the small plates menu, and let me tell you it was not an easy task. All of the options on the menu looked delicious and before I tasted one dish I was planning my return trip to try the options I did not get to order. The appetizers we decided on were the grilled beef scewers, garlic noodles, shrimp spring rolls, and crab tempura. The portion sizes were generous and the flavors were spot on. I wouldn’t order the noodles again because although the taste was delicious, the angel hair pasta was hard to eat and underwhelming. A big negative of Basa was the long wait for the food. I had a clear view of the kitchen from my seat and it was a mess. Servers, managers, and bartenders were lined up in the kitchen waiting for their orders to come out, only causing more disarray. Hopefully Basa can get there stuff together.

Our last stop was just down the street at Sweet Surrender. After all these wonderful savory dishes I was ready for something sweet. Even at Sweet Surrender, where my piece of red velvet cake was bigger then my head, I wouldn’t let my husband have a bite (I did take half of it home though where I think he snuck some). My husband got a piece of cheesecake, and of course he finished the whole thing. I have no complaints whatsoever about Sweet Surrender. Delicious cake served in a cute little house turned restaurant, whats not to like?