Garr Has One Bad Lunch, Blames Hotbytes; Rosen Revels In Rubbies' Rub

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Never let it be said that Robin Garr does not follow a crowd, nor leap to conclusions. After "it seemed to fill the CJ guy all full of warm fuzzies" and "received positive reviews on the LouisvilleHotBytes.com forum," Garr deigns to check Ginza out for lunch one single time. This lone, somewhat defensively described "substantial, multi-course" meal allows Mr. Garr to opine that Ginza exhibits "a consistent pattern of careless kitchen work and … past-prime ingredients." Does Robin go back again to see if Ginza was having a bad day? He does not, choosing instead to find his terrible lunch "particularly disappointing because this spot had received positive reviews" from his "foodie" forum members, making Ginza's fall from grace even more dreadful.

Garr likes Ginza's style and service ("fluent English speakers"), but is shocked by overage salmon and undercooked chicken. While citing his minions' high opinion of Ginza's "high-end sushi rolls," Garr's lunchtime salmon roll arrives with a "strong, unappetizing fishy stench." An egg-drop soup is "disastrous," Garr's tempura appetizer "crisp, but very greasy," and only Ginza's Thai red curry offers "some respite" with "lots of crisp, fresh, stir-fried veggies." Garr's "Chinese moo goo gai pan … appeared pink and raw," with "gooey white breading dripping off the meat in globs." A lunch so bad it leaves Robin Garr with no one paraphrase but Ronald Reagan, advising: "If you go to Ginza … trust, but verify." [LEO Weekly]

Though he admits "it took me 25 years to find my way inside Rubbies Southside Grill & Bar," it only takes thirty minutes for Marty Rosen to decide he is "going to become a regular." Perhaps that was the time it took Rosen to sample "the best collection of draft and bottled beers to be found in the South End," or maybe how long it takes to drink a Rubbies Bloody Mary, which Rosen deems "a destination drink." Vodka, blended with "barbecue sauce and rub spices … garnished with lime, celery and a couple of fresh, hot, skewered smoked wings," and rimming the glass with more barbecue rub achieves what Rosen calls "an appetizer in a glass." (Though if you're drinking on Sunday, he cautions, "it's just the prelude to sausage, eggs, biscuits and gravy.")

While Rosen believes barbecue alone "would make Rubbies a pretty special place," he heaps even more praise on the restaurant's fried chicken wings and especially "an exquisite concoction known colloquially as Motor Oil," the wings' accompanying Worcestershire-laced pan sauce. "Real roast beef," "meaty, marvelous smoked wings" and Rosen's "fish sandwich …cloaked in a tender cracker crumb breading" also gain high marks, as does the Rubbies Burger, which "tasted like a time traveler from … before fast food restaurants ruined the modern burger." [Courier-Journal]
· Ginza glitters, but ultimately disappoints [Courier-Journal]
· Ginza [Official Site]
· Rubbies Southside Grill & Bar adds creative flair to old-school traditions [Courier-Journal]
· Rubbies Southside Grill & Bar [Official Site]
· All Eater Week In Reviews [~ELOU~]