le gallo rosso

Tucked behind The Butterfly Garden Cafe and just behind the alley of The Bristol, a true dining secret can be discovered. Le Gallo Rosso's location may seem inconvenient or easily missed in the Highlands dining scene, but the location adds to its unique and sumptuous quality. Brightly colored laterns hang from vine covered walls in the entrance, encapsulating you in a cove of benevolent Italian bistro cuisine. The stucco walls are washed in a salmon color mixed with veritable rooster accents lending itself to a comfortable and homey decor. Patrons are allowed to bring their own wine (free of corkage fees), making any guest feel as though they are truly at a gathering for a good meal and festive evening. The restaurant is small, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in sheer savory delight on their brief but perfectly edited dinner menu.

Every entree comes included with salad and freshly baked bread, a rare find in the neighborhood. The salad comes wrapped in a beautiful bouquet of fresh mixed greens, pine nuts, and gorgonzola cheese that unravels perfectly on the plate from the ribbon of cucumber. It's just enough salad to satisfy your initial hunger but also enough to complement and hold over your appetite for the main course.

The House Salad with a sweet but tart Balsamic Vinaigrette
My party of eight selected everything from their gargantuan lasagna infused with layers of pasta; ground pork; veal; fresh tomato sauce; and cheeses, their wild mushroom and truffle oil alfredo, traditional spaghetti and meatballs (the size of softballs) and a ravioli special that was beyond perfect.
Lasagna, $13.95
Wild Mushroom Alfredo, $13.95I chose the chicken entree that was cooked in a white wine, sun dried tomato, and artichoke sauce served with risotto and green beans. The flavors were well worth not ordering a traditional pasta dish.
Chicken Entree, $15.95
Dinner concluded with some of the best tiramisu ($5.95) I've ever had. The portions in general were large but it wasn't obnoxious, more so exciting that in the morning leftovers would be the real treat from the previous evening. Everyone was satisfied with their meals as well as the friendly and warm service. As we left wafting in the utter delight that was our dining experience, the charm and well-executed service and food begged for another visit. With food like that the temptation will not be difficult to resist.

Le Gallo Rosso
1325 Bardstown Rd.
Louisville, Ky