New MeeshMeesh Incubator Kitchen Launches with Thai Concept at Trellis Brewing
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Press Release
Khao Boys, Thai-Inspired Thai, invites the public to an opening party Sunday, April 13 at Trellis Brewing.
A new MeeshMeesh incubator kitchen is now open at Trellis Brewing.
Buds, a MeeshMeesh Concept Kitchen, has opened at 827 Logan Street, inside the food truck at Trellis Brewing. Buds will periodically rotate new concepts in and out of its space, offering guests a unique sneak peek at restaurant and menu development from 2025 James Beard Award finalist, Chef Noam Bilitzer and his team behind MeeshMeesh Mediterranean.
Buds opens with its first concept, Khao Boys, Thai-Inspired Thai, from MeeshMeesh chef de Cuisine Alex Hamrick. The Khao Boys menu features crispy, aromatic Thai fried chicken, Southern Thai-style vegan yellow curry, and som tum, a spicy green papaya salad. The current menu is gluten free and offers vegan options, as well.
Bilitzer describes Buds as an evolving creative space where his team has the opportunity to explore potential restaurant ideas in a low-risk environment.
“It’s creative empowerment,” Bilitzer said. “Buds is open to our team to explore and further develop an idea without the capital investment typically needed.
“We all know Louisville eaters appreciate thoughtful food. So this is a way for us to continue providing our community with interesting and engaging concepts,” he said.
Khao Boys is inspired by Bilitzer and Hamrick’s time in Thailand. Bilitzer spent a summer backpacking throughout the country and Hamrick moved to Thailand in 2021, enrolling in Khon Kaen University. During his free time, Hamrick says he immersed himself in learning Thai cuisine and even picked up shifts cooking in Thai restaurants. For Bilitzer and Hamrick, Khao Boys is about sharing those personal experiences.
“For me, our som tum is the most special thing on the menu,” Hamrick said. “It’s a dish that’s on nearly every table in Thailand. It’s a spicy, sour, crunchy element that you can use to build your own small bites with the other dishes on the table.”
The Thai New Year kicks off this weekend and to celebrate new beginnings, Khao Boys will throw a Thai New Year party at Trellis Brewing on Sunday, April 13 from 2–5 p.m and will be open to the public to join.
At the New Year party, Hamrick notes they will offer additional food specials inspired by his travel and will donate a portion of sales to aid in the relief efforts following the destructive earthquake that affected Myanmar and Thailand. For their part, Trellis Brewing will tap a keg of Paddy Cakes, a limited release of an unfiltered Carolina Gold paddy rice lager, brewed in collaboration with Ethereal Brewing.
Khao Boys menu, currently 100% gluten free, features:
Som Tum: A spicy, sweet, sour, crunchy green papaya salad that balances out rich and fatty bites. A vegan tea leaf dressing is also available.
Extra Crispy Thai-Style Fried Chicken: Original or Nam Prik Pao, a palm sugar and tamarind chili jam spooned over fried chicken. A vegan crispy fried cauliflower alternative is also available.
Vegan Southern Thai-Style Yellow Curry: Rich yellow curry loaded with Barr Farms sweet potatoes, braised cabbage, and aromatics over jasmine rice.
Khao Boys is currently open 5–8 p.m. Thursdays, 5–9 p.m. Fridays, 2–10 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays. The Trellis Brewing taproom is family-friendly and features ample indoor seating with a large outdoor patio area.
Bilitzer anticipates Khao Boys to remain at Buds until at least the end of summer, at which point a new dream concept from the team will take over the space.
“Our goal with Buds is to create a pathway for creative concepts that are fun, energetic, and still feel elevated,” Bilitzer said. “And being in a brewery, our dishes will pair great with Trellis’ selection of beers.”
Why It’s Newsworthy:
Behind-the-Scenes Dining: Guests get an insiders look at restaurant development and get a chance to have a hand in the process.
Empowerment Over Ego: Chef Noam gives his team creative leadership opportunities.
James Beard meets grassroots: A semifinalist showcases his team’s ideas.
About Buds, MeeshMeesh Concept Kitchen
Buds is an incubator kitchen from the group behind MeeshMeesh Mediterranean where team members have the opportunity to pitch and bring an idea to life with full creative and financial support from Chef Noam Bilitzer. Khao Boys is the first featured test concept inside Buds. Each new test concept may live at Buds from a few weeks up to six months.
About Trellis Brewing
Trellis Brewing is located in a former icehouse at 827 Logan Street in Louisville’s Smoketown neighborhood. The brewery is focused on producing fresh-made beer using local grains, fostering a vibrant Smoketown community, and developing partnerships that make an impact for good.