Kentucky eateries offer fare for a variety of tastes

Kentucky is also home to numerous other restaurant chains. An assessment follows:

Tumbleweed, Inc.

On June 29, Tumbleweed Inc. filed with the FCC to go public. The company plans to issue 1,200,000 shares at $10 a share. "We plan to use the proceeds of the offering to build new restaurants, reduce corporate debt and for general corporate purposes," says Jones.

Texas Roadhouse, founded in 1993 by Kent Taylor, has headquarters in Louisville. The chain has 36 restaurants in 1o states, six company owned and the rest either joint ventures or franchises. Karen Hill, spokeswoman for the company, says that the Texas Roadhouse has a family/casual atmosphere, and has as its slogan: "Hearty, killer ribs and ice cold beers."

Founded in Bowling Green in 1981, Rafferty’s now has 15 locations in seven states. It is currently run by Mid-South Management Group. Six additional restaurants openings have been announced:

Louisville in August of 1998: Gainsville, Fla. In November of 1998: Atlanta, Ga. On March of 1999:Columbia, SC in July of 1999: Lexington in November of 1999 and Charlotte, NC in August of 2000. Rafferty’s offers casual dining with a unique interior design that allows guests to view the chefs and food preparers at work.

Tacos Too! and Bagel Bay

Business and Development Services has been in the restaurant business for over thirty years, says company spokesman, David Hasser. The company started Tacos Too! in 1992 and and currently has eight Tacos Too! outlets in Kentucky. In 1994, the company founded Bagel Bay with four locations currently in Lexington. In addition to the wide variety of bagel offerings, Bagel Bay has added East Coast Grinders to the menu. The company is also developing wholesale distribution of bagel products to the institutional market and by August will be marketing to 10 states under the name of Bagel Bay Gourmet Bagels. "After fully growing East Coast Grinders in the Lexington market," says Hasser, "we will look at franchising both Bagel Bay and East Coast Grinders together or seperatly." He says that the company plans to grow Tacos Too! by licensing to convenient stores or co-branding with existing chains.

Rio’s Steakhouse

Started in Frankfort in 1992, Rio’s Steakhouse now has seven restaurants, six in Kentucky and one in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Mike Miller, Director of Operations, describes the concepts as "roadhouse" – complimentary bowls of peanuts, a full service bar and a menu that includes steak, chicken, ribs and seafood. Rio’s is in the process of franchising 10 locations, Miller says.

Columbia Steak House

Columbia Steak House has been around for 50 years, says Greg Penn. The Penn family acquired the Lexington-based Columbia restaurants in 1991. A Columbia’s Mountain Grill has opened in Berea, and Columbia Steak Express, which specializes in steak delivery, has opened locations in Lexington and Lawrenceburg. There is a franchised Columbia Steak House in Paintsville, and Penn says that prospective buyers are looking at the franchise package.

This Louisville-based chain now has five locations – three in Louisville, one in Lexington and one in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Tom Denton, Operating Manager, describes Buckhead as a "lodge-type setting with a Rocky Mountain flair." A wide range of menu items includes ribs and pot pies. Denton said the chain is always looking for growth, but there are no immediate plans.

Jozo’s Bayou Gumbo

Jozo’s ("a true taste of New Orleans") opened in Lexington in 1989. There are currently four locations in Lexington, with a fifth to open in northern Kentucky in September. Owner Gary Stafford wants to have 15 company stores in operation before franchising. Menu items include: Jambalaya, Gumbo, Chicken Creole, Red Beans and Rice and Lobster Bisque.

King Fish

King Fish is in the midst of celebrating its 50^th anniversary. There are currently five King Fish restaurants in the Louisville area, all are company owned. The restaurants are designed to resemble paddle-wheeel boats, with a boat-like interior for the dining experience. The main fair is seafood, fried or grilled. "We just opened a new restaurant in March in jeffersonville," says Laura Vance, spokes-woman for the chain.

Mark’s Feed Store

Barbeque is the specialty at Mark’s Feed Store, says Amy Goukola, General manager. The first location opened in Louisville in1988, and two more locations have been added to the Louisville market. A fourth restaurant has located in Clarksville, Indiana. Other sites are being considered, and the company has developed a franchise package.

The Bristol

Last, but not least, is The Bristol with three locations in Louisville. The founder and principal owner is Doug Gossman, who opened the first Bristol in 1977 on Bardstown Road. "We are sometimes characterized as a bistro family restaurant," says MARK Aavig, Operations MANAGER. "Some people characterize us as fine dining." He says The Bristol offers a diverse menu of moderately priced food. Two European chefs work for the company, and each restaurant has core items along with chef specialties. "We are growth oriented," Aarvig says, "but there’s nothing on the drawing board right now.

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