The Kentucky Hot Brown

If you do not watch the Food Network and if you have never heard of Bobby Flay...shame on you. Flay is a Chef out of New York that hit huge success on television but it all began with his culinary skills on the grill with a fusion of Southwestern style. One of Bobby's restaurants (he has four different ones: Mesa Grill, Bar Americain, Bobby Flay Steak, and Bobby's Burger Palace) featured a decadent temptation that forced the crew to make the hike down to NYC and get our hands on the unique, delicious, and indulgent dish known as THE KENTUCKY BROWN. For Bobby Flay to create this dish in a high-end atmosphere is a testament to the philosophy Flay exhibits in every one of his menus: food that is exploding with taste and focus on the way textures combine together.

Bar Americain is a beautiful restaurant. If you get a chance, try the one in Mohegan Sun (even though the Kentucky Brown is a lunch item at the NYC locale, Mohegan only does dinner). It is slightly expensive with appetizers running from no lower than 16 dollars all the way up to 120 (not pesos folks) and about 10 or so entrees ranging from no lower than 26 dollars a piece. However, when you find something so unique as the Kentucky Brown, money should never be in your mindset.



The sandwich consists of this from bottom to top: piece of thick, egg-battered bread, turkey, an explosion of Gruyere cheese, beefsteak tomato (slightly grilled), and two pieces of extra thick bacon crossed off at the top. Essentially, it is an open faced turkey sandwich but like nothing you have ever tasted before. What really works here is the meshing of different textures starting at the very top...the BACON. Listen close, this bacon ain't the type of bacon you get at The Brass House...this stuff is REAL bacon--thick, fatty, and salty. The next bite you get to experience the sweet, juicy, and fresh taste of the tomato against the salty bacon. Paul commented that the tomato really made the difference...without it, it was difficult for your taste buds to distinguish each and every flavor (the reason why you're given Ginger at a sushi restaurant).

The turkey breast was moist, not dry, and was cut into slabs, not slices. The Gruyere cheese really made a difference as well. Gruyere is a cheese that is both creamy and nutty. Many chefs like to use it because it is a cheese that does not overwhelm the taste of other ingredients and is optimal for baking. Finally, the bread was thick, Texas-style french toast that was large enough to soak up the cheese and strong enough to uphold the rest of the toppings.

ALL IN ALL, if you are ever in New York and want to impress someone, take them here. If not, do try the one in Mohegan because dinner there is fantastic as well. Recommend the pizza for an appetizer and the Pork Chop entree. Ultimately, Bobby Flay gave me a reason to care about Kentucky.

4 out of 4 Belly Bustins