If you follow our blog and social media, you know we love to take an occasional break from talking about trucks to share our favorite dining spots around the Louisville area. Hands down, one of our favorites is Brasserie Provence. We recently had the opportunity to visit for lunch and sit down with the owner, Guy Renoud. Guy is from the city of Cannes along the French Riviera, and came to the states 12 years ago after meeting his wife, Stacy Duncan, in Washington D.C. while visiting a friend in Virginia. Stacy is a professional photographer, and you can see much of her beautiful work featured on Brasserie Provence's website. 

Guy has always loved cooking, and started working in the industry when he was only 16 years old. He majored in Biology, while in school in London, but always dreamed of opening his own restaurant. After moving to Louisville, he worked for the Brown Hotel as a general manager, and the Marriott in food & beverage. Guy never lost the dream of opening his own restaurant, and began looking in 2013 for the perfect spot. He secured the location at 150 North Hurstbourne Parkway in July of 2013, and Brasserie Provence opened for business on October 7th of 2013. Guy and his family managed to renovate the space in only 3 months and did many of the renovations on the restaurant themselves. 

The menu is as authentic as they come, with most of his recipes being that of his or his family’s. Brasserie means "brewery" in french, however it does not exactly translate to what we think of a brewery here in America. In France, a Brasserie is bistro-style local food, which can range from an informal and relaxed bar serving simple comfort food, to a fancy steakhouse or seafood restaurant. 

The majority of the menu is gluten-free, with many vegan and vegetarian options. 80% of the menu stays consistent, so you know you can always order the classics you love! Some of their classics to try include their French Onion Soup (better than in France!), the Mussels Frites (mussels & fries) or Steak Frites (steak & fries), and of course the Escargot. Guy mentioned that if you had eaten the escargot when they first opened, they will taste exactly the same if you ordered them today- classic and delicious!

Our Lunch at Brasserie Provence

We started our meal with the Escargot, of course. Oven-roasted Burgundy snails Pernod in walnut garlic butter. The texture was perfect, and they came out sizzling with an aroma that will make your mouth water instantly.

Next we tried the tomato goat cheese tart... It was a fantastic combo of flavors... the roasted tomato paired perfect with the distinct flavor of the goat cheese.

We then tried the Pasta Du Jour which was a cavatappi in a cream sauce with salmon. The flavors were excellent, and it was not overly heavy as many cream-based pastas can be. The vegetables and salmon were fresh and delicious. 

If we could encourage you in one thing, it would be to not skip on dessert. Brasserie Provence sources their desserts from Ghyslain here in Louisville, and they are as tasty as they are beautiful.

For those of you reading from here in Louisville, KY, we hope you will make Brasserie Provence next on your list of restaurants to visit. For those of you from out of town, if and when you are in Louisville next, stop in for lunch or dinner- you will not be disappointed. As always, follow along on our blog, Facebook, LinkedIn & Twitter as we continue to share about all things Ottawa, our Louisville Switching culture, and of course our favorite places to dine!