We were in Lexington last night, and ended up in a hotel adjacent to a shopping center with mainly chains to pick from (didn't want to drive any more). After walking around a bit, and deciding that Appleby's was likely the best bet, we ended up at Azur Restaurant and Patio (http://www.azurrestaurant.com/).
It was one of the luckiest picks we’ve ever made!
The restaurant has a new/modern décor, with two outdoor patios (effectively each equal in size to the indoor dining room), one under roof (non-smoking when we ate) and one open-air (populated heavily by smokers). There was life jazz entertainment all evening outdoors (3 piece band plus male singer).
Started with the chef’s choice of bruchetta @ $8. We got three medium slices of good baguette toast, one with tomato/basil/olive/shallot topping, one with prosciutto/fresh mozzarella/aged balsamic, and the third (chef’s choice) with a cantaloupe/prosciutto salad. Great start to the meal, although the cantaloupe – while refreshing – was actually the least of the three. Here (continuing throughout), our waiter Gerald steered us right, pushing the three different sections rather than focusing on only one (as we had asked originally).
For main dishes, my wife had the shrimp in a nest ($24). This dish (note that the web page has an older menu, which among other changes does not list this) won a “best of the bluegrass” contest within the last month. Think of a standard “cocoanut shrimp” dish, but done right! Four huge shrimp, perfectly coated with cocoanut and fried, served over a risotto cooked with mushrooms, corn, and vegetables in a cocoanut milk broth. While very rich, we were fighting over portions!
I was led to the rabbit braised in bourbon ($22). Now, while I love rabbit, I rarely order it, mainly because I personally hate picking over the multitude of tiny bones throughout. Azur’s chef had pretty much boned the dish! The loin was breaded and pan sautéed, and the rest was mainly boned (with a couple of long bone exceptions easily found – a leg bone, thigh bone, and maybe one other) and braised in bourbon and served over a cheesy polenta, served with grilled asparagus. I totally cleaned my plate- even to mopping up all gravy!
For dessert, they had a number of interesting selections, most at $6 (I think the chocolate fondue was $11, but others were $5.95), plus something I wish more places here had . . . the top 3 desserts could be ordered in a $1 portion! I had all three at a total of $3 (bourbon chocolate chip cookie ala mode, poached pear, and peach bread pudding) and it was perfect!
They have a very nice wine list, and a good bar.
With one appetizer, two entrees, wine, drink, and dessert, good music, great service, and a 24% tip, total was $103.96 – and we feel as if we got a bargain!