2015 Year in Review: Changes in Local Food Culture Bring the Community Closer Together
BY ATANAS GOLEV
When I was in college there were three restaurants (in Lexington) where you could get food late night, says Ralph Quillin, owner of Paris s Rooster Brew1, and developer of an upcoming joint project with Gastro Gnomes in Lexington s Distillery District. He adds, There was really no ethnic, no farm to table Jerry s, McDonald s, and KFC were big.
The times, they are a-changin .
The progress in the Lexington food scene continued in 2015. There were arguably more major changes in the local food landscape than in any year past.
2015 was the year of the Neighborhood in Lexington, as new and emerging corridors evolved and further found their voice and audience: the Distillery District2 made infrastructure gains; Buster s closed3, but has been re-born4 as the Manchester Music Hall; National Avenue grew5 to the railroad tracks; North Lime continued infill6; and the Short Street corridor got a pedestrian-friendly makeover during the Breeders Cup7.
Popular events kept foodies busy all year, like the Chew dinner series, Pen to Plate at Morris Book Shop, Food Truck Fridays, the Feeders Cup Invitational8, the Bourbon Social, and the Jefferson Street Soiree9.
Lexington Restaurant Week, on hiatus in 2015, will return in 2016.
The More Things Change
In all the comings and goings, has there been any fundamental shift in our culinary landscape this year?
Lexington food blogger and author Rona Roberts10 says not quite.
So far, our tradition of supporting franchised food outlets remains firmly in place With some exceptions, Lexington s culinary scene evolves slowly, without a huge embrace of trends like food trucks and local-centric cuisine and sourcing that have accelerated culinary life in some other cities.
According to Roberts, the least dramatic change has been in restaurants, despite the recent closings of longterm restaurant vets like Bellini s, Billy s, Natasha s, Atomic 11Caf , and a la lucie1213.
Other longtimers continue to thrive.
She says, Long-established local-friendly restaurants like Dudley s, Alfalfa, Azur and Stella s continue Some newer places aim for some local sourcing when possible. These include The Sage Rabbit, Heirloom, Smithtown Seafood, County Club, Graze, and Windy Corner Market, and possibly Herbe.
The Cup Runneth Over
Roberts does say that Lexington has seen fundamental changes in three areas in particular: bourbon14, coffee15, and craft beer16.
Bourbon has become a flavor we want in meals, desserts, cocktails, and straight up in pretty glasses. Bourbon-themed events spread annually like dandelion seeds.
Coffee has led to another local boom.
Locally roasted coffee has been part of the local food scene for a bit longer than bourbon and beer, but new coffee places, which become virtually instant community gathering places, abound. Some of these are coffee plus places like Broomwagon (plus bicycles) and Wild Fig Books & Coffee (plus books and literary paraphernalia). Others, like Southland Perk, Daily Offerings Roastery, and Cup of Commonwealth, join treasured, established coffee-centric places like Third Street Stuff & Coffee, Common Grounds, Coffee Times, and Coffea. We are not seeing a similar increase in freestanding franchise coffee shops, although some have set up new locations inside other businesses or institutions, mainly near and on the University of Kentucky s campus.
And let s not forget about the beer17.
Craft beer (that s liquid food right?) now delights Lexingtonians18 on tap and in portable containers in a way unthinkable even four years ago In some cases, like the happy marriage between West Sixth Brewing and Smithtown Seafood as well as the somewhat more dispersed alcohol-and-food scene on the Pepper Campus in the Distillery District19, craft breweries are linked with new eateries20. In some cases, the breweries connect to and boost our still embryonic food truck options.
More fruits of this cooperation are coming soon.
Food truck Gastro Gnomes and Paris craft brewery Rooster Brew21 are collaborating on a new project scheduled to open in the Distillery District in 2016. This will be the first brick and mortar location for the Gastro Gnomes and an expansion for Rooster Brew. They plan to have about 20 local brews on tap, 10 Rooster Brews and 10 from other local brewers. Their location on the Pepper campus will be in the old Pepper Bourbon Barrel House s first floor.
Rooster Brew s Ralph Quillin with Lexington architect Rebecca Burnworth
According to Quillin, who is collaborating again with Lexington architect Rebecca Burnworth, the ambitious new place will be spacious inside, with 15-foot tall ceilings, and a clean ascetic atmosphere. That means you ll be able to see the chefs cooking, the back bar, the pilot brewery, and everything else in the 3,600 sq. ft. space.
The Gnomes came to us with the proposal, Quillin said. How could you turn down an offer that to Donna and I felt like one of the greatest compliments we could have ever been paid?
He welcomes the collaborative proposition.
If a beer overpowers a meal then the brewer has failed, said Quillin. For me this was the evolutionary course I had innocuously charted, not making MORE beer but combining food, drink and the experience plus leveraging our farm acreage to explore farm to table OUR farm to OUR table.
Our partnership with the Gnomes, the first food truck / brewery collaboration brick and mortar we know of, is what I think the evolution of Lexington is all about. Collaboration with growers, chefs and brewers, chef inspired menus and absolute excellent service.
21c: A Work in Progress
More and more cooperation can be seen throughout the community, and its effects can be pivotal.
Lexington Diner s Chef Ranada West-Riley22 (coming soon to Cutthroat Kitchen on the Food Network) has aimed to create collaboration between chefs, growers, and the community.
Chef Ranada with Cutthroat Kitchen s Alton Brown
We are always using local ingredients and seeking out Kentucky Proud vendors to use in our recipes. It s just what we do and our customers love it.
The place feels like home not just because of the fresh, locally grown products, though.
The Lexington community really responded to us, especially when we suffered a couple months due to construction, said West-Riley.
The construction has been a problem mostly with communication which has changed for the better over the past month. I know that we will only reap business when 21C opens, it s just getting past all the inconveniences to make it until then, said West-Riley. There were a couple months that it seriously hurt us due to utility work in the streets.
But the future is looking bright.
I think (the Short Street food corridor) will continue to grow and become one of Lexingtons hottest spots for diverse culinary eats, Chef Ranada says.
Despite the downtown growing pains, Roberts says, The long-term impact, I hope, will be positive I expect Lockbox at 21c on Main Street the highest profile new downtown restaurant in years will influence our restaurant scene positively toward local sources. That could mean a more sustainable and resilient local food economy more food-producing farms that can succeed.
Home Cookin
Although the local food economy has been making strides23, there s still a lot of work to do24.
I consider a rich farm-to-table restaurant economy to be a sign of growing up into full-fledged restaurant city status, Roberts says. We are not there yet. Progress is slow. Customers do not yet expect restaurants to support local growers. Some restaurants see no need to tout their local purchasing, apparently sensing that they gain no market advantage from supporting local farms and processors.
There are also issues with infrastructure. According to Roberts there need to be improvements in areas as diverse as transportation, processing, aggregation, and distribution of individual farms products.
The University of Kentucky s recent move to privatize dining services has also been a step back25 for the community s relationship with local food.
University of Kentucky s decision (provided) corporate food to students instead of seizing an opportunity to cultivate students life-long commitment to Kentucky-grown food and cuisine, says Roberts. UK Dining/ Aramark s corporate/franchise orientation fails to build in future Kentucky adults the habit of long-term enthusiasm for locally grown ingredients, offered in locally owned Kentucky restaurants. In addition, while this may change over time, UK administration s pro-corporate decision26 has yet to support the genuine local food economy at large scale.
There are many bright spots, though.
Restaurants like Ouita Michel s empire (Holly Hill Inn etc) , deserve accolades for their commitment to locally grown food, says Roberts.
Locally-raised farm to table ingredients have skyrocketed in Lexington, adds Lexington Diner s West-Riley. It s becoming more mainstream, almost expected, and I just love that. It builds relationships within the community and keeps the money local. It s a win -win and it seems even large corporations are on board as well.
The increased interest in local products has also been acknowledged by Ed Puterbaugh, owner of Boone Creek Creamery. Puterbaugh opened a Kentucky Proud Store27 on Palumbo Drive at the end of November because of the shift in how much Lexingtonians care about local.
Boone Creek Creamery is an artisan cheese producer in Lexington. Puterbaugh explains, Visitors tour the cheese making operation, watch a nice informational video and sample some of our cheeses. Then they are welcome to purchase cheese and browse the Kentucky Proud Store.
He says, When we started selling cheese at the Farmer s Markets a few years ago, our customers were all foodies, says Puterbaugh. We have seen a huge shift in the past couple of years to soccer moms and people who just want better food and are willing to pay a little more to support local producers. That trend is growing every day.
Kentucky native and food author Ronni Lundy28 (now living in North Carolina) published Sorghum s Savor in 2015. She told us29 during the book tour, The people I ve met in Kentucky in the last couple of year working in food economies, small farming and producing, are incredibly smart and aware of what s going on. They just need support from the state and from their neighbors.
Crank & Boom / Thai and Mighty owner Toa Green agrees.
I think Lexington s culinary scene has really evolved in the variety in styles and cultures that have emerged in the last few years. I also think diners are becoming more educated and sophisticated in their palate and are demanding delicious food that s interesting and well made.
Green is also grateful for the community s support. New fans are surprised to find out that we started in the back of a Thai restaurant and that having an ice cream company was never a part of any plan. That the idea just happened by accident and has grown organically I think that is a major part of our success.
Crank and Boom s Toa Green with the mama who started it all
The new Crank & Boom location is another recent addition to the burgeoning Distillery District. And Green thinks that there will be more to come.
As more businesses open in the next year, I think the Pepper Campus is going to become even more of a destination for locals and for visitors. The Pepper Campus is unique in that not only are all the business owners local to Lexington, the building owners are also all local. So we all have a strong incentive to make the campus as fun and inviting as possible.
With the evolution of the food scene in Lexington, especially within the last year, the consensus seems to be that a focus on food is bringing the community closer together.
The times, they are a-changin . But the community spirit remains the same.
A great community is defined by its art/culture (food is included here) and how it treats it citizens, says Quillin. Start there and there is no downside.
The Year in Review: Obits and Resurrections
a la lucie s chef/owner Lucie Slone
a la lucie at 159 North Limestone ended an era in Lexington dining when it closed November 30. Chef/owner Lucie Slone opened in 1985 at a time when larger-than-life women chefpreneurs weren t yet trendy in Lexington (or anywhere else). A longtime anchor of downtown dining, a la lucie was a noisy, lively place with a cosmopolitan, eclectic feeling unique to Lexington. Slone isn t retiring or even leaving the restaurant business; she plans to open a new concept farther down Limestone in Lexington s emerging NoLi corridor. Slone wants to transform the empty corner garage of North Limestone and Loudon into an eclectic meeting place to dine and be social; it will feature a mermaid bar and plenty of open air dining. The project has been backburnered since the purchase of the building back in 2009, but with the closing of a la lucie, it has become Slone s new focus.30
Atomic Cafe at the corner of Limestone and Third Street closed after a long run offering Caribbean fare (jerk chicken and sweet potato fries) and at one time one of the most popular patio spots in town.
Bellini s, a longtime Italian staple on Main Street, just across from the CentrePointe crater, closed in January 2015. The restaurant opened in 2003.
Billy s BBQ, a Chevy Chase mainstay since 1978, closed at the end of November.
Bour-bon in Paris closed as a restaurant, but remains available as a private venue.
Amid significant neighborhood protest, the Kroger on Romany Road (a.k.a. Krandall s, Krolex) closed on September 1231. The nearby Chinoe Kroger recently completed its remodel, and the new Kroger on Euclid32 opened in Spring of this year. In other Kroger news, the chain also announced that it will offer online grocery shopping at the Lexington locations on Richmond Road and Beaumont as early as the end of the year (order online and pick up at the store). The new Versailles Kroger already offers online shopping.
The Melting Pot at 152 West Tiverton Way in Lexington closed this summer after seven years in business.
Natasha s Bistro and Bar closed its doors indefinitely in November.
Willie s on Broadway closed; moving to Southland early next year.
Willie s Locally Known on North Broadway also closed, but for a relocation33. Willie s will re-open34 on 286 Southland Drive in 2016. The new location will come with a larger venue and a larger menu. Owner Wilson Sebastian said, under the direction of our talented new chef Tanner Stiff, we plan on offering almost all of our current menu items, but also adding more salad options for those looking for a lighter Willie s option, Kentucky burgoo and Texas Chili, Nashville hot chicken, BBQ and spicy chicken wraps, and a strong oyster presence. We re going to shuck oysters behind the bar at the new place, which is something I think no one else is doing in Lexington at the moment.
Yamaguchi s Sake and Tapas closed at the end of November, breaking culinary hearts35 all over Lexington. Yamaguchi s has long been one of Lexington s best kept secrets ( Kue, Hirasuzuki, Kasago, Seki-aji. The finest ingredients you can find. You do not have to go to NY or LA. They are right here hidden in Codell Dr. ) and a cult favorite among fans36 of authentic Japanese cuisine, who never objected to the 8 pm open time, not when it meant the best prep in town on fare like barracuda, pork jowls, and steamed monkfish liver ( foie gras of the ocean ). Offering an intimate and idiosyncratic setting and menu, the husband-wife proprietors (executive chef Hidenori Yamaguchi and Shima Yamaguchi) received premium seafood from Japan every Wednesday, which usually meant a wildly popular slightly limited menu and half-price sake on Tuesdays. Small parties of well-behaved adults were welcome, and the owners were frank about their preferences in customers via social media, Normal conversations of 7 or more people is TOO LOUD for your very next table to enjoy conversations in normal volume, and the two are much beloved among Lexington food fans who appreciated a true Japanese tapas menu.
The Year in Review: BIRTHS and Transitions
In addition to a food cart/kiosk at the newly opened Disco Kroger on Euclid, Athenian Grill opened up a second location just off of Richmond Road, on Locust Hill Drive. Athenian Grill s food truck didn t drive away into the sunset; it s still roaming around.
Brusters Ice Cream opened in April on 220 Ruccio Way, off of W. Reynolds Road.
The former office space at 109 North Mill (between Main and Short) has been transformed into Buddha Lounge, a sushi and tapas spot. The extensive renovation of the unique building just off Main Street is a microcosm of the downtown development boom.
Chef Allison Davis (Wild Thyme) opened Caldo, Lexington s first bone broth emporium, on North Ashland Avenue offering locally sourced grass-fed bone broth, raw salads, fermented foods, smoothies and more.
Javier Lanza (Sabio) and Aimee Lanza (former proprietor of the Jax) opened Centro in September in the former Courtyard Deli location on Cheapside.
The Cheezy Mac opened its second location in Fayette Mall. (The first location is near the corner of Richmond Road and Locust Hill, in front of the Kroger.)
Courtyard Deli, a 25-year mainstay of Cheapside Square, moved to Church Street.
The Boom continues: Crank and Boom Ice Cream and Middle Fork Kitchen Bar both opened their doors37 in Lexington s burgeoning Distillery District. Middle Fork features a custom-made Argentinian wood-fired grill where chef Mark Jensen continues to serve the globally-inspired food that made Fork in the Road a Lexington food truck favorite. Jensen built the new place by hand, literally. We ve built the tables and the bar, we ve upholstered the stools, we ve built the wood-fireplace, we ve even carved the tap handles.
Gastro Gnomes and Rooster Brew are partnering on a new project that will open next summer in the Pepper Distillery District. This will be the first brick and mortar location for the Gastro Gnomes and an expansion for Rooster Brew.
Lexington culinary empire builder Ouita Michel opened a Kentucky Proud-certified cafe at Woodford Reserve Distillery. Glenn s Creek Cafe in the Distillery s visitor center serves sandwiches, soups, and salads, as well as Kentucky Proud sweets from Michel s Midway School Bakery and a coffee menu featuring bourbon specials.
High on Art and Coffee, a new cafe and coffee shop on 523 E. High Street, opened its doors early this year.
Honnah-Lee Bubble Tea, a bubble tea and gourmet popsicle business, opened in a new location near the corner of Harrodsburg Road and Lane Allen.
HopCat opened in October in the Square. The new bar is serving as many as 140 craft beers, about 40 from Kentucky, and food your mom would make if she loved craft beer.
Locals Craft Food & Drink opened on 701 National Ave in the booming WaBlo district near the railroad at National Avenue.
21c Museum Hotel Lexington announced Jonathan Searle will be executive chef at Lockbox. Lockbox will be located in Lexington s new 21c in the National Bank building at the corner of Main and Upper.
Food Truck Lyles BBQ Company debuted its brick and mortar restaurant on June 6. (Brick and Mortars that added food trucks include The Cheezy Mac and Great Bagel.)
The Macho Nacho opens on December 14 as the next restaurant replacing the former Glenn s Creek Brewery in Chevy Chase on High Street (formerly Buddy s, and prior to that Roy s Diner). Delivery will be offered in the adjacent neighborhoods.
Mad Mushroom opened up a new location at 1093 South Broadway Road, near Gumbo YaYa and First Watch.
La Madeleine Country French Cafe opened their first Kentucky location at The 90 on UK s campus.
Lexington Pasta s Pasta Garage opened on Delaware in July.
Pho Saigon opened in the Woodhill Plaza Center, located on 155 E New Circle Road. It serves traditional Vietnamese food.
Sayre grads opened Pie Five Pizza in Fayette Mall. They offer build-your-own pies in a casual setup similar to Chipotle.
Pies & Pints, home of craft pizza and craft beer, opened in Victorian Square (now The Square) early this year.
The Press Juice Bar and Cafe opened in the former La Petite Creperie location.
Lexington s growing food truck trend scored another success as Rolling Oven opened inside Dodd s Corner in Nicholasville.
Chef John Foster s Sage Rabbit opened on S. Ashland this July. Best known for a decade at Dudley s and a brief tenure operating the Harvest in Chevy Chase, Foster has also chaired the culinary program at Sullivan University s Lexington campus.
Street Craves opened up over the summer, taking over the location that was formerly Hugh Jass and prior to that the first home of the legendary Tolly Ho.
The upscale Tony s Steak and Seafood (of Cincinnati) opened a two-level fine dining restaurant in The Square.
Travinia Italian Kitchen opened at the Mall in April.
Vinaigrette Salads opened a second location in The Square in April. Its Townley location also opened a drive-thru window.
The Louisville-based Wild Eggs breakfast franchise opened a second location in Lexington, this one in Hamburg, near Malone s, at 1925 Justice Drive. The first Lexington Wild Eggs opened in Palomar Center in 2014. Be sure to order the ACE (because with a name like that, it s gotta be good).
This article also appears on pages 6-7 of the December 2015 printed issue of Ace.
Subscribe to the Ace e-dition38 for Lexington news, arts, culture, and entertainment, delivered to your inbox every Thursday morning.
References
^ Paris s Rooster Brew (www.aceweekly.com)
^ the Distillery District (www.aceweekly.com)
^ Buster s closed (www.aceweekly.com)
^ has been re-born (www.aceweekly.com)
^ National Avenue grew (www.aceweekly.com)
^ continued infill (www.aceweekly.com)
^ Breeders Cup (www.aceweekly.com)
^ the Feeders Cup Invitational (www.aceweekly.com)
^ the Jefferson Street Soiree (www.aceweekly.com)
^ author Rona Roberts (www.aceweekly.com)
^ Atomic (www.aceweekly.com)
^ Caf (www.aceweekly.com)
^ a la lucie (www.aceweekly.com)
^ bourbon (www.aceweekly.com)
^ coffee (www.aceweekly.com)
^ craft beer (www.aceweekly.com)
^ the beer (www.aceweekly.com)
^ delights Lexingtonians (www.aceweekly.com)
^ Distillery District (www.aceweekly.com)
^ new eateries (www.aceweekly.com)
^ craft brewery Rooster Brew (www.aceweekly.com)
^ Lexington Diner s Chef Ranada West-Riley (www.aceweekly.com)
^ making strides (www.aceweekly.com)
^ a lot of work to do (www.aceweekly.com)
^ a step back (www.aceweekly.com)
^ pro-corporate decision (www.aceweekly.com)
^ opened a Kentucky Proud Store (www.aceweekly.com)
^ food author Ronni Lundy (www.aceweekly.com)
^ told us (www.aceweekly.com)
^ emerging NoLi corridor (www.aceweekly.com)
^ closed on September 12 (www.aceweekly.com)
^ new Kroger on Euclid (www.aceweekly.com)
^ but for a relocation (www.aceweekly.com)
^ will re-open (www.aceweekly.com)
^ breaking culinary hearts (www.aceweekly.com)
^ a cult favorite among fans (www.aceweekly.com)
^ both opened their doors (www.aceweekly.com)
^ Subscribe to the Ace e-dition (aceweekly.us5.list-manage1.com)