Ever since I moved to Kentucky, I've kept a running list of restaurants I'd like to try. Whenever someone recommends an eatery or I hear about another spot that's opening soon, I add it to my list. I have yet to cross everything off — and the way new places keep popping up, I probably never will — but that's something I love about Louisville.

A few months ago, I finally made it over to Porcini, an Italian restaurant on Frankfort Avenue that's been on my list for quite some time. And this week, I touched base with general manager Jason Hester, who describes the eatery as a cozy, Crescent Hill landmark. "We opened in 1992," he told The Courier Journal. "There was a lot going on (in) this side of town (back then), so it was a bit of a risk, to say the least."