#1 Mike Linnig's - Louisville, KY

Let's start this list off with on of my all time favorite restaurants, Mike Linnig's in my hometown.

My Uncle Dude, a real character in every way, loved Mike Linnig's so much that we would have to go with him every time he came to Louisville to visit us. Not that I minded. I loved Mike Linnig's too. Some of my earliest memories of eating out are in a back room in the restaurant or being called from the swings outside when the food arrived.

Uncle Dude was so fond of the seafood that he would sometimes fly his small private airplane from his home in Franklin, Ky up to Louisville, a trip of about 125 miles, and rent a car at the airport just to drive to Mike Linnig's for supper and then fly home again. He would always call and ask if we wanted to meet him there.

I've grown up now and sadly Uncle Dude is no longer with us, but I still love going to Mike Linnig's.

When I first bought the Roadfood books, long before the website was created, I was shocked to not see Mike's included. Thankfully the Sterns have since been and are able to share this wonderful old fashioned "fish camp" with the world.

A few words of advice:

Go in the summer and sit outside (when I was a kid it was closed in the winter).

If you don't like fried seafood, don't go. Oh, I guess they might serve something that isn't fried, but I've never bothered to look. Get the Seafood Plate or Frog Legs. Get plenty of Tartar Sauce. Get the sweet tea. And enjoy life.

And tell'em Uncle Dude sent ya.

Mark


Mike Linnigs Website - http://www.mikelinnigsrestaurant.com/
Listen to J&M talk about Mike Linnings here - http://splendidtable.publicradio.org/whereweeat/stern_linnigs.html
A review by Marty Rosen of the Courier Journal - http://www.realpagessites.com/linnigsmike/page2.html


Mike Linnigs appeared on the Roadfood.com Website

PS Mike Linnigs is a "Fish Camp". Fish Camps were popular many years ago and there were hundreds of the lining the backroads of America. Mike Linnigs is one of only a handful remaining. If you know of one for us to try please leave a comment.

Thanks.