i was really hungry.

i have dreamt of lynn’s paradise cafe for so long and built it up so much in my head that i cannot even begin to explain to you what it was like when the lady in my GPS told me in her cold, emotionless, digital voice that i was approaching my destination on the right. i felt like a buddhist reaching nirvana when i saw the giant red teapot off in the distance. I HAD FINALLY ARRIVED.

after i parked the car, i practically ran across the parking lot to the blue and highlighter-pink cow and the giant red cat. i got my picture taken with my face in the spoon, and of course in front of the huge red teapot with a giant, yellow, bubbling teacup. it was like my greatest dream turned reality and more!

we went inside and sat down. IT WAS SO COOL. there were mismatching chairs, different colored walls, kites, paper lanterns, a tree, and no shortage of ugly lamps. (lynn’s hosts an ugly lamp contest in august, around state fair time.)

a pair of legs dangled from above the window behind our booth.

our waitress brought us menus. it was like, number 4 or 5 on one the list of the top 10 most exciting things to ever happen to me. the menu was full of tooooo muuuuch goood foood. do i eat a paradise hot brown? a fried green tomato BLT? pan-fried pecan chicken in a woodford reserve mustard maple cream sauce!? how could i ever pick just one!? what about sides?! coleslaw is boring.. cheese grits? roasted garlic mashed potatoes? rosemary cabbage? baked mac and cheese? herb braised lima beans?!? at this point i wished i’d had a bottomless stomach and a jaw i could unhinge. i finally decided to get the grilled portobello wrap: marinated grilled portobello mushrooms wrapped up inside of an herb garlic tortilla with basil feta mayonnaise, feta cheese, baby spinach, organic brown rice and roasted red pepper, and a side of southern-style green beans with bacon. it came with a “louisville pickle” which did not taste noticeably different than any other dill pickle, but since i drove six hours to eat it - holy crap was it good.

chris got fried catfish with pan-fried apples, and some kind of sauce on the side. it is unknown to me what kind of sauce it was because, well, i forgot. i am FREAKED OUT by catfish. i do not like things that taste like where they lived when they were alive, and catfish tastes like dirty lake water. i guess if i liked the way dirty lake water tastes, then this would have been good fried catfish…i think.

if i was of legal drinking age i would have ordered a mint julep. not because i am big on, or even like, alcoholic beverages, but because i have a freakish love affair with derby food. and i want a mint julep. i really screwed up by not eating derby pie while i was in kentucky, but i am learning to deal and live with such a tragic occurance (plus you can order frozen derby pies online from honey baked ham and atasteofky.com!!)

we were too full for dessert, so we paid our bill and prepared to leave…but not before stopping in the WORLD OF SWIRL!, the lynn’s paradise cafe gift shop. i of course bought a postcard, but was too cheap to buy a t-shirt (a common theme throughout my life.)

if it were up to me i would drop everything and drive back to lynn’s right now and be there just in time for a plate of paradise pancakes, but the rest of the world has other plans.. so for now i will look at this picture of me and a big tea pot and pretend as if i am there again.

 

lynns paradise cafe - 984 barrett ave, louisville, KY