In the heart of the Highlands, ROC produces genuine Italian delicacies with numerous substances imported from Italia. 

We were seated by the restaurant’s namesake, Rocco, who checked in with us numerous times all over the night. Concerning the made-from-scratch pastas, the layout of classes on the menu and the intimate location, ROC feels like a tiny Manhattan bistro ideal out of tiny Italy.

Obtaining the most effective variety of Michter’s I have ever seen, I made a decision my imbibing would have a decidedly Shively-distillery theme for the night starting off with a incredibly properly-priced, generous pour of Michter’s 10 yr ($10/ounce) bourbon with just one huge “roc” of ice. With my other fist also offered for consuming, I joined my spouse in her variety of a gentle, crisp Benito Ferrara Greco di Tufo that is imported from the owner’s region of Italy. 

They have an extensive by-the-glass wine list that is incredibly affordable, but if you are on the lookout for anything wonderful and you’re the one particular that just received the billion in the lottery, they have some incredibly exceptional options that would make any sommelier proud. Like the wine list, they have an obtainable mid-shelf spirits listing (like a $7 Woodford Reserve Double Oak or Rock Hill Farms at $5 a finger). 

We had been break up between the caprese salad with buffalo mozzarella ($15) and the caprese fresca (with new burrata, $15), so we acquired both of those.  Hope and I have been on a burrata kick around the final 12 months of the apocalypse. Their burrata was severed around warm, thinly slash zucchini and eggplant accented with a balsamic reduction. The caprese had a generous ball of imported mozzarella about contemporary tomatoes with a basil olive oil drizzle that added aromatics and a zesty burst of savory. Just about every was awesome, but we combined and matched flavors across the two antipasti. 

For my second spirit of the night, I went for the Michter’s Barrel Toughness Constrained Launch Rye ($20). I also included a dice of ice to open the nose and a little bit decreased the proof. It beverages additional like a bourbon… which I am great with. Hope stuck with the Sorrento vino from spherical a single. 

For a most important class (opting to skip a pair courses from the traditional Italian 5 hour, 7 program nightly meal), I requested the penne and greens with vodka sauce ($19) and subbed the gluten free pasta for an excess $2. The trouble with wonderful gluten free of charge pasta is that I close up inquiring the server 12 or 13 periods if they are confident it is GF. This was just one of individuals pastas served with crisp carrots, zucchini and microgreens with a savory orange vodka sauce with some clean Parm on best. The sauce did the significant lifting listed here with a elaborate taste without having currently being far too prosperous or masking the veggie paste goodness down below. 

Hope had the Scottish salmon (assume of English salmon that you just can’t understand and will get in much more fights), a generous lower of fish served with asparagus, and butternut squash plated in a mustard sauce. Hope stated the fish was perfectly seared, and the blend of veggies and the sauce allowed her to generate sweet, savory and umami bites. 

Hope is not a enormous sweets person, but we discovered a thing on the dessert menu to tempt her… a dessert cheese plate. With favorites like aged Parmigiano Reggiano, manchengo, dolce gorgonzola served with micro greens, huge parts of crostini (not GF) and a significant ramekin of warm honey. It was pretty a plate of foods, so we wanted additional imbibing materials for parings applications. Hope stayed with the Italian topic with a bubbling glass of Prosecco, and I made the decision to indulge with a finger of Michter’s 20 calendar year bourbon. Only the 2nd time I have at any time experienced the 20, and it was as excellent as I remembered. The honey with the two the moderate and bolder cheeses was an superb combo, but paired with remarkable spirits, it is a thing to savor.

ROC
1327 Bardstown Rd., Louisville, KY 40204
459-7878
rocrestaurant.com