Basa Modern Vietnamese
2244 Frankfort Ave., (502) 896-1016. www.basarestaurant.net .Seats: 76.Cuisine: contemporary Vietnamese.Specialties: Gulf Coast prawns with roasted garlic, scallion oil and jasmine rice; shaking beef—cubed filet mignon, garlic, watercress, organic cherry tomatoes, red onions and jasmine rice; Japanese eggplant with egg noodles, garlic chips and wild-mushroom ragoût.Main courses: $14-$27.Chef-owner: Michael Ton.Co-owner: Steven Ton.
Corbett’s “An American Place”
5050 Norton Healthcare Blvd., (502) 327-5058. www.corbettsrestaurant.com .Seats: 120.Cuisine: American.Specialties: black bass and crab with pine nut-and-apple stuffing, vegetable ragoût and natural velouté; wild-mushroom risotto, truffle oil, pearl onions and butternut squash; “almond joy”–chocolate torte, coconut sorbet and spiced almonds.Main courses: $22-$49.Chef-owner: S. Dean Corbett.
Mojito Tapas
2231 Holiday Manor Center, (502) 425-0949.Seats: 115.Cuisine: Latin American.Specialties: Rioja short ribs with red wine over Manchego cheese and mashed potatoes; blue mussels sautéed with olive oil, sofrito, tomatoes, garlic and red onions and finished with wine and cilantro; sushi-grade tuna crusted with sesame seeds, seared and served with baby greens, soy-ginger glaze, wasabi, pickled ginger and oranges.Tapas: $5-$12.Chef-owner: Fernando Martinez.Co-owner: Marcos Lorenzo.
Seviche—A Latin Restaurant
2929 Goose Creek Rd., (502) 425-1000. www.sevicherestaurant.com .Seats: 140.Cuisine: Latin American.Specialties: beef tenderloin seviche with serrano chile, red onion and toasted garlic mojo; roasted vegetable and Kenny’s Kentucky gouda chimichanga with roasted butternut squash, serrano chile sauce, toasted pumpkinseed rice and tomato butter; pan-roasted halibut with yellow-tomato gazpacho and hearts of palm salsa.Main courses: $15-$35.Chef-owner: Anthony Lamas.
Varanese
2106 Frankfort Ave., (502) 899-9904. www.varanese.com .Seats: 150.Cuisine: Mediterranean.Specialties: pan-seared red snapper on bed of pancetta and smoked mozzarella grits with sage-lemon butter sauce; grilled marinated prime rib with infused mushroom and Parmesan risotto and natural reduction; grilled marinated quail with sweet potato-almond dressing and blueberry-red wine reduction.Main courses: $13-$20.Chef-owner: John Varanese.
