North Carolina fast-food hamburger chain restaurant Cook-Out has opened on South Broadway, at the former site of Stanley Demos’ Coach House and most recently, Casanova. The menu includes char-grilled burgers, chicken, BBQ, and hot dogs, plus 40 varieties of milkshakes.
Empty Bowls 2014 is scheduled for September 20. Moveable Feast Lexington presents this all day event, during which you can receive a free Bourbon n’ Toulouse entree in the Kentucky Mudworks bowl you purchase. Proceeds benefit Moveable Feast.
Grace Café, soon to be located in Danville, KY, is a nonprofit, pay-what-you-can community restaurant committed to serving delicious, fresh, locally-sourced, organic-when-possible, highly-nutritious food for everyone in the community. The first of its kind in Kentucky, Grace Café will provide menus prepared with local, seasonal options, funded by donations, and fundraising. If a guest is unable to pay for their meal, volunteer work hours may be exchanged for meals.
Harry’s at Lansdowne closed on August 23rd and will be undergoing a transformation into a tavern-style restaurant. Co-owners Brian McCarty and Bruce Drake said that the yet-to-be-named new dining place will feature a selection of bourbon, wine, and food offerings. The restaurant is scheduled to open mid-October.
On September 10th, from 6 – 10 pm, Jefferson Street will be home to the Jefferson Street Soiree, a block party highlighting the Jefferson Street culinary corridor. It will feature food and drink tastings from restaurants and bars including The Grey Goose, Stella’s Kentucky Deli, Nick Ryan’s Saloon, Wagon Bones Grill, Wine + Market, Enoteca, The Blue Heron Steakhouse, Chase Tap Room, The Green Lantern Bar, County Club Restaurant, Blue Stallion Brewing, West Sixth Brewing and Smithtown Seafood. There will also be live music on a stage between Grey Goose and Wine + Market. Jefferson Street will be closed from Short to Second streets for the event.
The Lexington Women Chefs Dinner Series took August off, but will be back this month. On September 28th, the group will hold a Farm to Table Brunch on the campus of Montessori Middle School of Kentucky. The meal will feature eggs and produce harvested by the farm.
The Mary Todd Lincoln House will hold its annual Lincoln Dinner at Malone’s banquet room (Tates Creek) on Wednesday evening, September 17, at 6 pm. The dinner will be followed by a presentation by Thomas Mackie, Director of the Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum. Reservations are required by September 12th. Call 859.233.9999.
Thursday, September 18, Maker’s Mark Distillery will open its doors for the second annual Delectable Distillery Tour, a bourbon-inspired dinner and drinks walking tour through the entire distillery. Rob Samuels, Maker’s Mark Chief Operating Officer, and Bill Samuels, Jr., Maker’s Mark Chairman Emeritus, will host the evening’s festivities, though guests should be assured they’ll take no part in the cooking. Entrees and cocktails will be provided by an all-star lineup of chefs and bartenders, including Chef Dean Corbett of Corbett’s; Chef John Plymale of Porcini; Chef Dallas McGarity of Marketplace Restaurant; Chef Joshua Moore of Volare Italian Ristorante; Joy Perrine, mixologist at Equus & Jack’s Lounge; and Isaac Fox, bar manager and mixologist at Volare Italian Ristorante. Dinner seating times, which can be selected during the ticket purchasing process, are offered nine times between 6 pm and 8 pm. Ticket sales benefit APRON, Inc.
Every Sunday in September, Moveable Feast Lexington will sponsor a gathering at a different historic, architecturally significant Lexington home with a special host to celebrate art, music, and literature. These events are being called September Sunday Salons. Each event will be uniquely styled by the individual hosts. Also, each will serve up food, drink, and plenty of interaction with the arts and fine art collections. Tickets are $75 and space is limited. Call Moveable Feast Lexington at 859.252.2867 for reservations. All Salons will be from 2:30 pm till 5:30 pm.
Jeff Mayer, Saul Good‘s chef, developed a Bloody Mary cocktail featuring the yellow heirloom tomato and is hoping to use it to compete in a Food Network contest in NYC. Mayer has entered his recipe in the Chopped contest, along with contestants from every state. Other Kentucky entrants are Natasha’s Robbi McGregor’s Mango Mary and Wild Eggs’ Travis Hall’s signature Bloody Mary.
Tony’s Steak and Seafood (of Cincinnati) will open a two-level fine dining restaurant in (the former) Victorian Square, now known as The Square. West Virginia-based chain Pies and Pints will also open an outlet in the former Victorian Square later this fall.
Fayette Mall has announced the upcoming addition of Travinia Italian Kitchen, a chain restaurant originating in South Carolina. It will be located near Cheesecake Factory (scheduled to open on October 28).
On Saturday, September 20, Woodford Reserve Distillery Chef-de-Cuisine and shrimp farmer Nat Henton will harvest freshwater shrimp and serve up a low country shrimp boil. The distillery tour will end at the Dryer House, where the Shrimp Harvest Dinner will be served. Included with the meal are two Woodford Reserve Cocktails.
To submit a Lexington, Kentucky food, wine, or spirits news item for consideration in Ace’s Best Bites, email ace list at aceweekly.com. To submit a Lexington Food, Wine, or Spirits Event to be considered for the Ace calendar, please go to the Ace online calendar, and click “Submit” (upper right on the Menu bar). For Lexington restaurant advertising, call Ace Advertising at 859.225.4889 x229.
This article also appears on page 16 of the September 4, 2014 print issue of Ace.
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