There's been a lot of culinary action lately in the green hills of Kentucky, with the recent opening of the area's latest upscale shopping mall, Crestview Hills Town Center. A total of nearly 20 dining and drinking establishments will appear during the next few months in this $80 million development, ranging from Starbucks to barbecue to upscale steakhouse. ... One of the more highly pedigreed establishments at Crestview Hills is MIKE & JIMMY'S CHOPHOUSE GRILL (2809 Dixie Hwy.), which opened in late October. Taking its name from co-owners, Cincinnati native Jim Gerhardt and his business partner Mike Cunha, Mike & Jimmy's is their third collaboration (following award-winning restaurants Limestone, and The Oakroom at the Seelbach Hotel in Louisville). The restaurant specializes in Chicago chophouse-inspired steaks, chops and seafood. 859-653-4070. ... In the same complex is THE PUB CRESTVIEW HILLS (2853 Dixie Hwy.), another upscale eating cum drinking place owned by Cincinnati-based Tavern Restaurant group (deSha's, Nicholson's, Polo Grille, The Pub at Rookwood Mews). The Pub opened in late September, serving a large selection of English, Scottish, Irish and domestic beers, as well as a menu spanning traditional pub fare like Fish & Chips and Shepherd's Pie, to more ambitious offerings like Crab-Crusted Halibut. 859-426-7827. ... Also of note is THE ARGENTINE BEAN (2875 Town Center Blvd.), a coffee/wine bar inspired by the rich culinary and cultural heritage of Argentina. It opened in late October and is owned by two sisters of Argentinean descent who are from the Cincinnati area. The Bean hopes to be jumping all day and night -- serving coffee in the morning, lunch at midday, and morphing into a tapas bar/lounge after dark. Throw in live music on Saturday night (when they're open until 2 a.m.) and this could be a fun, quirky place to soak up some international café culture. 859-426-1042. ... Still on the Kentucky side, Newport on the Levee recently announced that PACIFIC MOON CAFÉ will open a second area location at the Levee next spring. The new Moon will be run by Alex and Barbara Chin, longtime owners of local favorite Pacific Moon in Montgomery. With a broad mix of chain and locally owned restaurants like Pacific Moon, Newport on the Levee is fast becoming a culinary destination in its own right. Not bad for a scrappy little Kentucky river town. In the meantime, across the water, Cincinnati's deserted, stadium-dominated riverfront continues to molder away.