by Blake N » Fri Mar 20, 2009 8:48 am
Warning: much wordage and strong opinions ahead.
I am a 20-year Lexington resident. I concur that Holly Hill Inn is the best that you can find in our area, and it compares well with Louisville fine-dining. Lexington also has a few good Asian and Indian places (especially Banana Leaf, a dedicated South Indian spot), some Taquerías, and Old San Juan, a mom-and-pop Cuban place. We also have decent New York style pizza at Brooklyn Pizza. Other than that, I have a low opinion of Lexington cuisine, especially the fine-dining options. Louisville's best places (our favorites are Seviche, Mayan Cafe, Mojitos, and Proof) are in a different league when compared to Lex spots like Azur, Jonathon's, Murray's, Merrick Inn, Portofino's, and Malone's. It wouldn't even be reasonable to compare them, except that the price points are the same (at Mayan Cafe, in fact, we pay about $20-$30 less than we do for a similar amount of food+wine at typical Lex fine-dining). I have felt robbed over and over again at Lexington fine-dining restaurants. These days, we make the trip to Louisville or the Holly Hill Inn (which truly is a special place) if we want true fine-dining.