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[caption id="attachment_3042" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Red Hog Tapas at Blue Dog Bakery and Café include specials like this rare Ahi Tuna."] [/caption]
Early this month, Blue Dog Bakery and Café owners Kit Garret and Bob Hancock started opening on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings as Red Hog Tapas, serving a wide variety of appetizers or snacks, with a focused menu of beer and wine. They gave the Red Hog concept a trial run, or soft opening, over the recent year-end holidays, and decided to move forward with a fluid menu inspired by their trips abroad.
But before I get ahead of myself, let me offer a bit of background for those who have not yet discovered Blue Dog.
If you’ve spent any time in Louisville without treating yourself to a morning stop at Blue Dog Bakery and Café, don’t wait another day. Give yourself a little extra time in the a.m. to visit 2868 Frankfort Ave., not far from the intersection of Stilz and Frankfort, just a stone’s throw from the Louisville Water Company plant.
[caption id="attachment_3043" align="alignright" width="246" caption="Blue Dog Authentic Artisan Bread"] [/caption]
Blue Dog Bakery and Café, open since 1997, is named after “Blue,” the late Australian Blue Heeler Bob and Kit owned for 17 years. The bakery is one of the best reasons to live in Crescent Hill. In fact, Blue Dog is a good reason to put a Sale sign in your front yard and move to Crescent Hill like I did a few years ago. You’re in Paris when you jump in for a quick coffee and a croissant on the way to work, or sit down to a creative breakfast or lunch selection. The menu items always include artisan breads, but also feature a rich assortment of local produce, eggs, meats and cheeses.
So, what’s with the Red Hog?
Well, Kit and Bob raise and cure their own pork. The Red Wattle is a large, red hog with a fleshy wattle attached to each side of the neck. Thus, the name – and you’ll find pork creatively woven into the menus of both Blue Dog Café and Red Hog Tapas.
[caption id="attachment_3036" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Red Hog Pizza with egg, house cured bacon and arugula."] [/caption]
Last night, my cohabitante Sarah and I decided not to slave in the kitchen, but to venture out. We’re very well acquainted with the abundant assortment of excellent eateries within walking distance of our Crescent Hill home,...
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