Lexington Report: National Boulangerie

Some restaurants simply inspire a road trip. Friends and I had talked about making a Lexington visit for some time. When I shared a link about National Boulangerie, it clinched the deal. We set a date and got serious.

Taking its name from the street it's located on, National Boulangerie is located near downtown Lexington in an area filled with businesses devoted to interior design.

Inside, this gem makes you feel as though you've been transported to Paris. Cases upon cases of French pastries awaited us, holding breads, breakfast tarts, sandwiches, croissants, and more.

Behind another counter: desserts, coffees, and teas.

And behind the counters, a rustic communal table where we sipped and savored our selections and  chatted with folks who snapped a photo of our group.

It was a most memorable breakfast.

I'd love to return later in the day to check out more provisions.

The Voltaggio Brothers and More from the KY Incredible Food Show

Thanks for bearing with my circuitous series of Lexington trip reports. The impetus for my weekend getaway, as you may recall, was the Kentucky Proud Incredible Food Show. It led me to dinner at Jonathan’s at Gratz Park and brunch at Jean Farris Winery and Bistro, but the food show itself was such a full day of inspiration that I’m doubling back to share more. I wrote about a few of the 100+ vendors and their products here, but there were so many activities and demos going on concurrently I sometimes had trouble choosing.

This is just the schedule for the “Culinary Seminars,” in the smaller break-out room.

The Kids Craft Café offered youngsters the opportunity to create their own artwork with painted toast, eggshell mosaics, pumpkin painting, and other activities. “Exhibit Space H” featured cooking demos by Chef Tom Mackinnon of BlueFire Grill at the Lexington Regency Hyatt.

Barnes + Noble turned a section of the show into a cookbook store, with food titles by lots of Kentucky authors and this huge display of advance copies of Volt ink., set for wide release tomorrow, by headliners Michael and Bryan Voltaggio of Top Chef fame, performing at 11:00 and 3:00 in adjacent Rupp Arena.

B+N held book signings by local authors throughout the day, as well as one by the Volt Bros. Yes, I walked away with an autographed copy.

And then there was the jam-packed schedule for the demonstration stage sponsored by Sullivan University’s Lexington culinary program, where I spent a good chunk of my day getting my food geek on.

I decided to skip the potential mayhem of the Voltaggios’ morning show in favor of the Heritage Meats Master Class. “I’m glad you’re here instead of watching those foodie chefs,” said the Sullivan University chef-instructor leading the demo, nodding toward Rupp Arena. “You can see them anytime on TV, but what we’re going to show you here you can see only once a year.” Not quite accurate, but it drew an appreciate chuckle from the crowd.

As three students broke down a Katahdin lamb raised in Lincoln County, KY, before us, I learned that Katahdin, also called hair sheep, is a heritage breed developed in Maine in the 1950s. Rather than being covered in wool, which requires shearing, these sheep develop a heavy coat of hair during the winter, then shed it in spring. Absent the lanolin in wool, which can impart a gamey taste, this breed produces a fine-grained, well-marbled meat that is mild in flavor.

The instructor discussed the different cuts of meat, their best uses, and how to make sausage and stock to utilize every part of the animal. Thanks to the large-screen monitors, we also got to see knife techniques demonstrated, like Frenching the bones of a lamb loin.

A later highlight on the Sullivan University Stage would be a live-taping of a TV program called “Secrets of the Bluegrass Chefs.” While the crew was setting up for that, three Sullivan graduates did a Q+A session spotlighting their different paths in the culinary profession.

Natalie Blake (left), who appeared on “Hell’s Kitchen,” is presently sous-chef at the Beaumont Inn in Harrodsburg, Kentucky, and dreams of eventually having a food truck she can take throughout the state of Kentucky. Allison Davis (center) is the owner of Wild Thyme in Lexington, which does catering and offers cooking classes. The fellow on the right, whose first name is Ryan (alas, I didn’t catch hear his last name well enough to be able to figure out how to spell it), is the director of a school food program. He said the tack he takes is to look at the typical food choices made by kids, throw them out, then figure out how to replicate them more healthfully, like offering panko-breaded chicken tenderloin in place of chicken fingers. He also talked about getting kids involved in the edible garden on the school grounds, which has gotten his students to be more willing to try different foods and is helping them learn to think more seasonally about food. And he touted the advantages of having a culinary position that follows an academic schedule, compared to the hours worked by most restaurant chefs.

Next up was the actual taping of “Secrets of the Bluegrass Chefs.” Host Tim Laird travels throughout the state spotlighting fine-dining as well as casual restaurants. The first segment showed Sullivan chef-instructor John Foster preparing gnocchi (from local Lexington Pasta Company, who’d done a demo earlier showing how to make gnocchi from scratch) with a fresh tomato sauce.

The second featured Chef Jeremy Ashby of Lexington’s Azur Restaurant and Patio preparing braised short rib wrapped in caul fat around goat cheese from nearby Capriole Farm, with maitake mushrooms (found by one of his foragers, he said), mashed potatoes with porcini powder, and corn pudding garnished with pea shoots and “onion glass.”

I was intrigued by Chef Ashby's commitment to local ingredients and his inventive preparations. He joked that “Azur” stands for come “as you are,” saying that while his restaurant offers dishes that may be upscale, it’s a casual environment. Azur is definitely on my list to visit next time I’m in Lexington.

“Secrets of the Bluegrass Chefs” airs on two Lexington channels and, I’m guessing, stations elsewhere in Kentucky too. Videos of prior shows can be found on the Kentucky Proud website here, and here are Part 1 and Part 2 of a 2009 episode that will give you a favor of the show, Azur, and Ashby’s culinary style. What can I say? I was intrigued enough to go google this stuff.

As if all of this wasn’t tantalizing enough, I still had the Voltaggios’ afternoon demo to look forward to. Check out my post on All Top Chef for that report.

All in all, I found the Incredible Food Show to be an impressively well organized event that was fun, informative, and well worth the admission price. It’s great to meet the people who produce your food, and the vendors were very outgoing. The Sullivan University staff and students shouldered a huge role in the day’s events and did the school proud. The organizers also did a great job of enlisting sponsors and making this a very professionally produced event. I came away inspired, and with a long list of Kentucky food producers to keep an eye out for – on restaurant menus, on the web, or to visit in person when I travel through the state. Regardless of who the headliners are next year, I plan to be back.

Lexington Trip, Part 3: Jean Farris Winery and Bistro

Before heading back to Cincinnati after the Kentucky Proud Incredible Food Show, I had time for one more meal. So, without a reservation, I headed for Jean Farris Winery and Bistro. I've seen the winery's name on a brown interstate sign designating "local attraction" many times as I drove to and from Tennessee but never realized it also features a restaurant until I started investigating the day before this trip. It's only three or eight miles off I-75 (depending on which exit you take), about 20 minutes from downtown Lexington. But you're out in the rolling hills of Kentucky horse country.

A short drive through the rows of vines that front Richmond Road . . .

. . . takes you to this structure, which houses an intimate bistro and the enormous side porch you can see on the left.

Although it was a tad chilly when I arrived at 11:30 that Sunday, I asked to be seated on the porch, where I got a lovely view of the surroundings. The high-ceilinged porch is equipped with outdoor heaters and zip-up plastic windows for cooler weather.

Decisions, decisions. I sipped a cup of coffee and nibbled this delectable chocolate chip muffin while struggling to settle on my order.

I wasn't going to miss the opportunity to try the charcuterie board, even though it was early in the day. At dinner as well as weekend brunch (11:00 to 3:00 both Saturday and Sunday), the restaurant offers a rotating variety of cheeses and housemade charcuterie you can mix and match (one for $6 or three for $14). Mine were served on this long, narrow weathered board; similar boards of different shapes and sizes were served to other diners.

With plenty of lovely accompaniments, this could have been a meal in itself. From front to back, here are toasted pecans, freshly grilled links of fennel and milk-fed veal sausage (outstanding!), and raisin compote.

Then there was a chunk of a sheep's milk cheese called Appalachian, duck liver paté topped with blackberry gelée, and housemade crackers at the back.

As much as I enjoyed the charcuterie, one of my favorite components was the miniature pickled heirloom tomatoes you can see nestled between the cheese and the paté served in a shot glass. If I come back again for dinner, I will definitely try a glass of Jean Farris wine with another one of these samplers.

There were lots of tempting entrées to choose from on the brunch menu as well.

I finally settled on this omelette filled with housemade ricotta, Kentucky mushrooms, and Newsom's prosciutto, made in Princton, Kentucky, southwest of Louisville.

And at last I got my grits on, with this Weisenberger grits cake – light and creamy on the inside, crisp and crunchy on the outside.

Whether you're brunching or not, enjoy your Sunday. I'm off to the Cincinnati Chocolate Festival, and with any luck I'll double back for one more installment from the Incredible Food Show later in the week.

Lexington Trip, Part 2: Jonathan's at Gratz Park

Goodness, these Scallop Hot Browns seemed to get my readers' tastebuds tingling when I posted a preview to my Lexington trip report. So let’s plunge into my dinner at Jonathan's at Gratz Park, shall we?

I'd originally planned to attend the Kentucky Proud Incredible Food Show just as a day trip. But Friday was one of those gloriously warm fall days that makes you feel downright festive. By the time I got home from work, I'd talked myself into staying overnight after the Saturday food show and checking out a couple of Lexington's restaurants, even if meant scrambling to make arrangements. Without my usual drawn-out googling when visiting an unfamiliar city, I came up with a short list of restaurants that appealed to me, phoned Jonathan's at Gratz Park to see if I could get a reservation on such short notice (yes, they could accommodate my one-top in the bar at 6:30), booked a hotel with similar haste, checked mapquest for directions, threw some clothes in my overnight bag, and tried to get to bed early enough I wouldn't sleep through my alarm clock and could make the hour and a half trip down I-75 in time to arrive at the food show by 9:00 a.m. Although Cindie called at 10:30 p.m. and we didn't get off the phone until 11:30, I made it to Rupp Arena by 9:20 the following morning, which I count as a personal victory.

After a fun day at the show (and, thankfully, pacing myself with all the available food samples), I was relaxed – and hungry – by the time I arrived at Jonathan's, a fine-dining establishment in the Gratz Park Inn, on a narrow side street in a picturesque historic district near the heart of Lexington's downtown. The main dining room was already crowded by 6:30, so the hostess walked me down the Inn's central corridor to my table in the bar, whose two-tops, four-tops, and an eight-top between me and the flat-screen TV were nearly full. I was a bit surprised to see a flat-screen TV in a white-tablecloth restaurant, but then again, not only was this the bar, I was in University of Kentucky country, where Wildcats fans do not want to miss their sports.

I ignored the TV and perused the evening's menu, a little different than what I'd seen online, but not a surprise given the changing seasons. I was curious to check out the restaurant's spins on Southern classics by chef Jonathan Lundy (a native Kentuckian who got his start in the restaurant biz in New Orleans working with Emeril Lagasse before attending Johnson + Wales and eventually returning home). Gone from the summer appetizer menu were his Boiled Peanut Hummus, Pickled Watermelon and Shrimp served in a Mason jar with Corn Bread Crackers, and Asparagus Spring Rolls with Bourbon Barrel Aged Kentucky Soy Sauce and Hot Pepper Jelly. But the Pimento Cheese Grit Fries, the Burgoo, and those Sea Scallop Hot Browns were still there. I wouldn't be surprised if they never leave.I was powerless to pass up the Hot Browns. Since scallops are often paired with bacon, this dish made sense to me as soon as I read the description. The Newsom’s country ham as porky counterpoint was exceptional, as was the classic Mornay sauce, and I was glad each round of airy brioche was topped with just a thick slice of perfectly broiled sea scallop rather than entire scallop, or I have cried uncle  after my next course.

I was seated close enough to the next table to be able to admire their salads (Succotash Salad with fresh corn, heirloom tomatoes, soy beans, cornbread croutons, and fresh herb vinaigrette; Fried Green Tomato Salad with Limestone bibb lettuce, buttermilk crème fraiche dressing, and shiitake “bacon”). I, however, opted for this Root Vegetable Waldorf from the evening’s specials, with cubes of squash and sweet potato augmenting traditional celery and apple in a mayonnaise dressing topped with fresh greens and toasted pecans. While I enjoyed the flavors, the salads here are on the large side, and between the size and the sweetness of my Waldorf, I was starting to fill up. My entrée was ready before I finished my salad (this has happened to me several times lately – should I inform my servers I’m a slow eater?). In this instance, I was ready to move on.

It’s not uncommon to find on Kentucky fine-dining menus elevated versions of shrimp and grits (I was holding out on that possibility for my Sunday brunch) or entrées in various bourbon preparations (Jonathan’s offers a Maker’s Mark 46 roasted salmon with maple mustard glaze, potato salad, hard-boiled eggs, and capers). I was also intrigued by the Cola-Braised Short Ribs and the Sweet Tea Brined Pork Loin with grilled lemon, orange blossom honey, mint, sugar snap pea slaw, and goat cheese whipped potatoes. But I was reticent about going with something too sweet.

So I chose the Mushroom Dusted Beef Tenderloin with asparagus, mashed potatoes, and demi-glace, partly because it came with that “crispy shiitake bacon” that had roused my curiosity earlier.

I did like these shiitakes (although I couldn’t quite decide how “bacon-esque” I found them), and the tenderloin was cooked perfectfly to my requested medium rare. It satisfied my beef craving that evening (and no doubt fills that slot on the menu for customers who want to spend their money on beef), but in retrospect I wish I had been more adventuresome. Most entrées are in the $28-$35 range, and the portions are large. I knew I wouldn’t be able to make it through mine, so I asked to have half of it boxed up.

My server not only was great at checking on me without rushing me, he was extremely knowledgeable from the culinary side. He knew the evening’s specials as well as the dishes on the fixed menu inside out. His descriptions of ingredients and preparations were spot on, and he was great at answering my questions. I saw him guide the nearby eight-top with equal aplomb about portion size, etc. as they selected their dishes.

When it came to dessert, there was no printed menu for me to peruse, just my server’s descriptions. I had pretty much convinced myself I had no room left for another course, but didn’t want to miss learning what Jonathan’s had to offer. I was almost scott-free until my server recited the last one, blackberry balsamic sorbet – two flavors that piqued my interest, in what surely had to be the lightest-sounding option on the dessert menu. I’m glad I gave in.

While not overtly tasting of balsamic vinegar (whose sweet-ish, deep-aged fermented flavor is a classic combination with fresh berries), each bite was full of beautifully rounded blackberry that hit just the right balance between sweet and tart. My only disappointment was that, once again, the portion was huge and sadly I could not feasibly take my leftovers with me.

Miraculously, I managed to wake up hungry enough the next morning to tackle brunch in the Lexington environs before heading home. I'll be back with another installment of my trip report about that.