By: Mary Daniels
In the midst of the hustle and bustle of Bardstown Road sits a quiet, classic diner with a treat for you.
The diner has an old-school Kentucky aesthetic that’s complete with a bar area in the middle, a picture of Muhammad Ali, a photo of the Kentucky Derby and a painting of a father and son enjoying milkshakes in a similar diner. It’s all sure to make you feel at home.
Twig and Leaf located at 2122 Bardstown Road is local favorite, serving the Highlands area all day breakfast, lunch and dinner. The food is reasonably priced, with nearly everything under $10. I ate an entree and side for just $6.25.
All of the food is freshly made, and you can watch as the chef prepares your meal. The diner also includes an ice cream bar to satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth.
The menu features a variety of specialty sandwiches, including the restaurant’s famous Twig and Leaf, a quarter-pound burger with double seasoning. For those who are not burger fans, the diner provides options such as the roast beef Manhattan, with thin slices of roast beef served with mashed potatoes and gravy. For dessert, customers can choose among an assortment of ice creams from vanilla to a banana split. Toppings such as whipped cream are available for an extra 50 cents.
I decided to order a simple grilled cheese sandwich with a side of macaroni and cheese. The wait time was roughly 10 to 15 minutes. When the food arrived, I was shocked at how small the bowl of macaroni and cheese was. It only held half a cup of macaroni, but to my delight, Twig and Leaf packs quite a tasty punch in a tiny package.
As the waitress informed me, the restaurant has recently decided to start making the macaroni and cheese on site. The chef executed it perfectly. The cheese doesn’t overwhelm, and the macaroni has a smooth buttery texture to it.
The grilled cheese was not soaked in butter like it is at Bellarmine’s dining locations. Instead, the focus was on the cheese, which meant layering the sandwich with a double stuffing of cheese. It was a different and pleasant taste. The food is sure to remind of meals back home and may even give your mother a run for her money.
I was the only customer in the restaurant at the time. It is a great place to hide away during finals or midterms to study in silence and get a quick bite to eat. There is parking behind the restaurant and metered parking along the street.
The staff is very small, which makes for a more intimate dining experience. There were only two staff members there when I went in: the waitress and a chef. The waitress stayed nearby and checked roughly every couple of minutes to see if I needed anything. I also didn’t have to wait for her to come take my order or bring me refills. If you’re short on time, this diner may the place for you.