Now Eat This! : New Dining Experiences in the Bluegrass

Clamatos

Clamatos Sign

Where it is: 2304 Versailles Rd (859) 260-8925‎ Map

When: Mon.-Thurs: 10-10 Fri.-Sat. 10-10:30 Sun. 10-10

What it will cost: $10-14 entree

Clamatos

I’ve been hearing about Clamatos from friends for the last few months, usually referenced as ‘that Mexican seafood place on versailles road.’ Well, I’m very happy to say I finally found it and it is everything I heard it was and more. What I heard was that it was excellent, and I wasn’t let down. Having first had fish tacos on the west coast, my mouth was watering at the prospect of getting some good fish tacos and then some. If you’ve never had fish tacos, or if you really love them, I’d heartily recommend Clamatos as a place you should go.

Starters

To be perfectly honest, I only ate one or two chips, not because they’re not good. Quite the contrary they’re delicious. The salsa is freshly made and tangy. I didn’t eat may chips because I hadn’t been there very long before my beer and Tostada arrived. This tostada is unlike any tostada I’ve had before, and I’m sure to go back for more. It’s topped with shrimp, ocotopus, avacado and the fresh lime adds zing. The taste of all of these flavors combined together was entirely refreshing and the perfect appetizer for what was to come.

Fish Taco

Next came my fish taco, which was a melt in you your mouth lightly breaded and fried whitefish (shame on me, I forgot to ask what kind of fish was in the taco) topped with a sauce and veggies. The sauce was incredible, and hard to describe as it blended so well with the fish that they became just one thing…delicious. I only had one, but I can easily see ordering a handful of these as a meal in itself.

Veracruz style fish / Pescaldo a la Veracruzana

If you love green olives, this is the dish for you! It is covered with them, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The fish was a perfectly grilled (after being spread with olive oil) orange roughy topped with a veracruz style sauce, tomatoes, onions and green peppers. Perhaps in time I can describe such flavors better. The rice was fresh and moist, and the beans were your standard refried beans. The flavors of the veracruz style fish are complex but without being overwhelming. If you want to try something a little different than you’re used to, I recommend this dish.

Flan

How could I have such a great meal without some flan? I think it would in fact be heresy. All I can say is that it was sweet custardy goodness and the honey glaze is fantastic!

About Clamatos

Eddie, the manager told me that when they opened in 2002 it was a foregone conclusion that they would serve seafood as well as standard tex-mex fare. They are one of the only Mexican restaurants in town that does seafood and does it so well, so I’m glad that Eddie and his family decided to open their restaurant. Eddie didn’t want me to take his picture but recommended that I photograph two of the very friendly servers. I highly recommend that you try Clamatos.

Marisol and Rquelle

Their Favorites

Marisol: Fajitas Mix (chicken, shrimp and beef)

Raquelle: Steak con camaron

2009 09 26 the Eatnic posts Comments (0) Permalink

Han Woo Ri

Where it is: 371 S. Limestone (859) 258-2208 Map

When: Mon.-Sat: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. & 5 p.m – 9 p.m. Closed Sun.

What it will cost: $8-10

Han Woo Ri

It’s nice to have a Korean restaurant near campus, near downtown. Han Woo Ri is an excellent lunch or dinner spot if you live on campus, downtown or just want to try something new. I recommend having a little extra time to spare as they usually run with a small staff and it can get quite busy*. Having said that, it’s totally worth it.They offer complimentary hot tea and soup with each meal. The soup is stock, spices and some scallions.

Gim Bab & Spicy Bul Go Gee

Gim Bab is essentially sushi with rice, bits of beef, crab meat, egg and veggies. It’s not usually served with any kind of sauce (which mystifies me) but they do have soy sauce available if you ask for it. It’s quite fresh and filling, plus there’s plenty for two. I recommend getting an order of Gim Bab as well as an order of Bul Go Gee (korean grilled spicy pork) and splitting it with a friend. The Bul Go Gee comes with rice and kim chee. The pork is spicy but also slightly sweet and savory.

There are 15 items on the menu, which is limited for Korean food, but it’s a great campus restaurant that should be enjoyed. If you’ve never had Korean food before this place is a good introduction. You can drop by Sqecial Media, CD Central or one of the other local shops after your meal to buy something nice for a loved one.

*This post is quite brief in part due to the fact that out of a handful of times I’ve been to Han Woo Ri, they’ve been too busy to talk to me about their restaurant (however they fully approved of me doing a writeup about them.)

2009 09 19 the Eatnic posts Comments (0) Permalink

Tofu Shrimp Vegetable Stir Fry

Tofu Shrimp Vegetable Stir Fry

Here’s a simple but delicious stir fry you can try at home. I usually cook rice ahead of time as I like to have a little rice around for when I need it. This meal was inspired by a recipe I saw in Runner’s World…I just varied it somewhat on the veg. Serves 2.

Half a block of Firm Tofu
Shrimps, peeled and de-veined
Portabello or Shitake mushrooms, Onion, Garlic, Carrot, Green Pepper, Jalapeno, Zuccini or Squash

First, chop everything up, peel and de-vein the shrimps, pat dry the tofu and cube it up. Then with some oil in a hot wok, fry the mushrooms until they’re brown and maybe a little crispy.

Remove the mushrooms and set them aside. Add all of the veg to the wok with some more oil and fry it up!

Then add the shrimps and the tofu and cook til the shrimps turn pinkish.

Add the mushrooms and soy sauce or a stir fry sauce.

put over some rice. Put away the leftover veggies.

Enjoy! :)

2009 09 17 the Eatnic I like to cook Comments (1) Permalink

Punjab II

Punjab II Sign

Where it is: 341 S. Limestone St. (859) 243-0768 Map

When: Lunch buffet served: Monday-Friday: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Sat. & Sun. 11:30-3 p.m.

Dinner served: Monday-Saturday 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. Sunday 5 p.m.-9:30 p.m.

What it will cost: around $10-15 with appetizer, nan and drink

Punjab II

Punjab II opened in 2008, in the same space which many will remember was once occupied by Kashmir. Punjab still offers an excellent lunch buffet as well as a wide variety of menu items. The Paudel’s, who own and operate Punjab II, are Nepalese and all of the noodles they offer are Nepalese style. There’s also a Turkey Momo dish which is Chinese based, but done the Nepalese way. They told me that they were afraid to simply open an all-Nepalese restaurant, given that many people in the area may be afraid to try the different cuisine. They plan to add more Nepalese items as they go along.

Pakoras and Mango Lassi

Our vegetable Pakoras came out fresh and crispy. Just enough crunch but soft in the middle…delicious. As Mango Lassis go, this is one of my favorites. Very thick and heavy on the mango, just as I like it. I’ve had them with ice added, and that’s fine, though I find it to be a bit on the cold side that way, and they can end up being watered down. The temperature was cold, but not overly cold, if that makes a difference to you. I recommend getting the Nan basket sampler, especially if there are 3 or more people. The garlic nan (how did I not get a picture of the nan?) is fantastic, and crispy if you like it that way. The sweet nan is kind of like a thin berry cobbler, and the vegetable cobbler is quite the savory.

Lamb Korma

I have a special fondness in my heart for lamb, and I generally go for the korma when I eat at an Indian restaurant. There’s just something so inviting and comforting about the succulence of lamb mixed with the sweet and buttery korma. Together they make for a wonderful combination. I find they compliment each other very well, as the lamb meat isn’t overpowered by the sauce, and neither is the korma too light to reckon with the lamb. Punjab II does an excellent job of the lamb korma, it is spicy but not overwhelmingly so, and of course you can ask them to make it as spicy as you can handle. I recommend getting it mild your first time to get a read on what the particular Indian restaurant thinks is mild.

Sandy and her father Kashi Paudel

Their Favorites

Sandy: Saag Panneer, Lamb Rogan Josh or Lamb Masala

Punjab II is yet another fine restaurant that on South Limestone that is presently obscured by all the construction. I recently heard that the construction is a month ahead of schedule and that multiple working shifts are being discussed. Multiple shifts would certainly help construction to finish sooner and would lessen the impact that it’s having on local businesses. I recommend Punjab II as an excellent lunch or dinner soon!

2009 09 12 the Eatnic posts Comments (0) Permalink

Pho BC

Sign1

Where it is: 171 W. Lowry Lane Suite 176 Lexington (859) 276-0557 Map

When: Mon, Wed, Thu: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Fri,Sat: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sun: noon-9 p.m. Closed Tuesday

What it will cost: $9-14 with a drink and appetizer

“Pho BC”

Pho BC is one of the best Vietnamese restaurants I’ve ever been to. My first Pho experience was in Seattle, and until Pho BC, the only Pho I’d ever had was in the Pacific Northwest. Granted, the owners of Pho BC used to run restaurants in Washington State, so the dishes, their preparation and presentation are very familiar to me from what I’d had before. What they do differently is use only the freshest ingredients. Bright and crisp basil and sprouts, juicy jalapenos. From the opening Soursop smoothie and egg rolls to the Pho itself, everything that landed in front of us was freshly made and fresh fresh fresh.

Soursop Smoothie & Eggrolls

The Soursop smoothie offered at Pho BC is a one of a kind treat that shouldn’t be missed. Given how unique it is, it is sometimes sold out so you may have to go back in order to try it. The Jackfruit smoothie is also a good bet. The flavor of the Soursop fruit, which I’m told is similar to the Pawpaw, is unlike anything that I have tasted before. Imagine if you will the flavors of refreshing mango mixing together with cheddar cheese. That’s not a typo, and I haven’t fallen off the wagon, it does indeed have these flavors. There’s something so peculiar and wonderful about this smoothie that I was stunned and had to keep sipping it to make sure that I had it right. Eventually I ran out, and I am going back for more soon. It is a wonderful compliment to the Pho and egg rolls that we had, but I cam imagine having it on its own just to treasure the interesting and refreshing character.

The egg rolls were crisp, and fresh, with a spicy-sweet dipping sauce. One order is perfect to share amongst two or three people. This was a perfect appetizer for the Pho to come.

Pho Ga

Ahh, Pho Ga (Pho with chicken) is probably my favorite comfort food when it’s chilly, when I feel a cold coming on, or just when I want to be comforted. This dish is perfect for chilly weather, but totally enjoyable in the thick of summer as well. Served with a plateful of very freshly picked basil, lime wedges, bean sprouts and freshly sliced jalapenos, the Pho sparkled with flavors. The broth was the perfect temperature, and stayed warm through the entire meal. I’ve had Pho come out lukewarm and I’ve also had it come out so piping hot that I had to wait a while before I could dig in, so this was much appreciated.

This chicken noodle soup requires a little fixing up. If you’ve never had it, Pho is a great and unique experience. You can eat it as is, which is fine, or you can mix in the basil, lime, jalapenos and sprouts that it comes with. The pleasure of this is that as you break up the fresh basil, it gets all over your fingers and you can smell the pungent aroma of the basil. The lime drips on your fingers as you squeeze its juices into the soup. It’s hard to resist eating a few sprouts from the plate as you’re adding them to the Pho. Once I mixed everything together, each spoonful of broth, each chopstick grab of the perfect noodles, sprout, chicken or basil was scrumptious. Pho is one of those dishes you can really sit and talk over, relish and enjoy. The comfort of the healing broth is very soothing and I always leave a Pho restaurant feeling calm and relaxed, ready for the next part of my day or evening. The atmostphere in Pho BC is relaxed and there is a wonderful fish tank to look at. Pho BC does Pho right, and I highly recommend you try it whether you’re new to Pho or an old pro. And do yourself a favor and try the Soursop Smoothie.

Kim and Xing

Kim and Xing

Kim and Xing used to run two restaurants in Washington State, one Chinese, the other Vietnamese. Xing is Chinese and Kim is Vietnamese. They opened Pho BC on December 12, 2007 and have been doing well. Rather than open another Chinese restaurant, which are plentiful in Lexington, they took a chance and opened what is one of only two (that I know of) Vietnamese restaurants in Lexington. Xing says that at first he wasn’t so keen on Vietnamese food but that now it’s basically all that he eats. They are a delightful couple and make you feel comfortable and taken care of.

Their Favorites

Kim: Salad Noodle Bowl. She loves it because it is fresh, healthy and low fat.

Xing: Pho Beef. Xing has learned to cook Vietnamese food to excellence and you can tell he’s honed his skills by daily allotments of Pho.

2009 09 05 the Eatnic posts Comments (1) Permalink

Sav’s Grill

savs_sign

Where it is: 304 s.limestone street (859) 368-7287 Map

When: See the Sav’s Website for details (including full menu)

What it will cost: $7-14 with a drink

“Sav’s Grill”

To eat at Sav’s Grill is a singular experience. To begin with, West African cuisine is not generally standard fare, no matter where you go in the States, so the fact that Lexington has this kind of food is a small miracle. Furthermore, the quality of the dishes, the price and the genuinely comfortable and inviting atmosphere make Sav’s one of those places that you want to eat at on a regular basis. Sav’s offers a variety of dishes one can try in numerous configurations, which allows you to be surprised if you’re feeling adventurous, while still getting your regular favorite if you know precisely what you want.

Most of the dishes at Sav’s I would classify as stews. Not being a chef, I may have this wrong technically, but they are essentially stews. However, this isn’t your grandma’s beef or vegetable stew…unless of course your grandma made West African food, in which case, lucky you! These stews are served in a large bowl over rice or fufu, which is made with plantains and as Sav’s menu says, “is a staple food for most of Africa.” Can you believe that there is a restaurant offering this in Lexington? The stews are available with chicken, beef, goat or vegetarian, and I know a Vegan who eats there regularly.

The stews are generally mild, but Sav offers zing with his “piment” hot sauce which I hear is made from his own habaneros. A complimentary side of piment is given with each stew, and more can be purchased for those who really want the heat. And trust me, it’s hot stuff, very tasty. I would recommend using just a little if you’re not as into the hot stuff, and if you are into the hot stuff, you should buy the extra and enjoy. In addition to the stews, Sav’s also offers Cornish Hen and ribs. These come with sides like cheese grits or attiéké, which is sort of like cous cous, topped with vegetables. All this is truly as good as it sounds.

Peanut Sauce with Local Goat

For this excursion to Sav’s I enjoyed the peanut sauce with local goat meat. I happen to be a big fan of lamb and goat, and if you are as well, this dish is a real treat. The goat is tender, fall-off-the bone succulent. You can tell it’s been cooked nice and slow and seasoned well. The peanut sauce is light in flavor, and doesn’t overpower the goat, but compliments. This isn’t like the thick, dipping type peanut sauce that you’d get with a spring roll at a Thai restaurant, but is more like a light gravy flavored with peanuts. With the goat meat, be prepared for a bone or two on occasion. For me, this only makes the experience that much better. The rice is always freshly steamed and goes perfectly with the stews.

Sav’s offers a variety of cold beverages to choose from and the ginger beers are the way to go. The brown bottled one, which I had with this meal, has an apple tone to it, while the green bottle is more straight ginger in flavor. Either way, they provide a great cleansing and refreshing gulp between bites of any Sav’s feast.

Sav and his Son

Mamadou Savane and son Bangaly

Mamadou Savané and his son Bangaly were working the afternoon I went in. You can read the basics of his story, having grown up in Guinea and moving to the States with his wife, on his website. One thing that I have grown to really love about eating at Sav’s is Sav himself. Every time I’ve eaten there, he warmly goes from table to table, asking how your food was, how you are and generally making sure you have everything you need, or removing your empty bowl when you’re done. He says that at first it was hard learning to run the business aspect of things, while the cooking came more easily. In my view, Sav has more acumen with running a business than many, realizing that his customers are important and taking extra time to make sure they’re content.

Their Favorites

Mamadou: Cornish Hen with Attiéké Salad and Ginger Beer

Bangaly: Mafen Beef on Fufu with Ting soda.

Enter Construction

As you probably know, South Limestone is under construction, and will be for the foreseeable future. The picture I took of the Sav’s storefront is littered with tell-tale signs of that construction, and as you can imagine, life is a little harder now for businesses on South Limestone. I recommend you get to Sav’s and get their often, because this gem in our city is not only a haven of wonderful food and great atmosphere, it is in many ways a symbol of many of the things that are very right about Lexington. Support Sav’s and you will be rewarded by many years of wonderful, memorable meals.

2009 08 29 the Eatnic posts Comments (0) Permalink

Bangkok House

Sign

Where it is: 275 Avenue of Champions (859) 226-9711 Map

When: Mon.-Thurs: 11 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Fri: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sat: Noon-10 p.m. Closed Sun.

What it will cost: $9-14 with appetizer and drink

“Bangkok House”

Ahh, the words evoke such a pleasant and comforting feeling, whether spoken or thought. If this isn’t true for you, put down what you’re doing right now, and go eat at Bangkok House. I realize that Thai food isn’t every one’s particular favorite, but if you haven’t tried it before, you should, and soon.

I’ve been eating at Bangkok house since the mid 90’s, and it’s consistently remained a favorite of mine over the years. Even while living in Oregon, amidst more Thai restaurants than I could shake a stick at, I dreamt of Bangkok House. Why? For one thing, Bangkok House’s pad thai has a much drier noodle than any other place I’ve tried, on the west coast or anywhere else for that matter. I happen to prefer my pad thai that way. That’s just me. Another reason would simply be that Bangkok House has always been there, I’ve always gone there, it’s always been good, and the people that work there have not only remembered my face and what I usually order, but my name as well. Even after I moved back from Oregon. So color me a fan, you should know that going into this writeup. I’ve tried many dishes at Bangkok House, the pad thai being a favorite, as well as the Ginger and Basil dishes.

Enter Green Curry

In keeping with the ‘new’ part of new dining experiences, I decided to try something that I’ve never had at Bangkok House, the Green Curry. I’m genuinely glad that I did. Generally, I’ve avoided the curries, and I have to be completely honest here, I’m not sure why. I think I had Indian curry in mind, which I don’t like all that much, and I was quite mistaken. The Green Curry comes on two dishes, one is a medium-sized bowl with fluffy and freshly steamed rice, the other being a small boat with the curry. The curry is coconut milk, bamboo shoots, curry, basil and spices. I chose pork for the meat. Vegetarian is also available. It comes spicy and it can be spiced up to your liking. I asked for mild spicy and was pleased that it had some zing but that I wasn’t sweating and reaching for the water glass constantly. Some of you (you know who you are) like that sort of thing, and Bangkok House is a good place to get your heat on if you so desire.

The Green Curry is a new favorite. It has a delicate, soothing flavor and texture. The rice soaks up the coconut milk and curry nicely and the fresh basil complements the curry flavor perfectly, without overpowering it. The bamboo shoots are tender and seem to melt in your mouth, without being mushy or overdone. All in all, this dish is refreshing, filling and with just enough spiciness to liven up your day.

I had Thai iced tea to drink. I find that the Thai iced coffee and tea are perfect complements, or after meal drinks for the offerings at Bangkok House, especially the spicier numbers. The sweetness of these drinks soothes the subtle burn of the hot chilies and besides, they are just so tasty.

About Bangkok House

Bangkok House has been in its current location since 1993, but had different owners until the Bunchatheeravate family took it over in 1995. Boonlert Bunchatheeravate is a veterinarian from Thailand who had wanted to open a farm, but as his son Pom tells it, his bad english got him into some trouble with a horse and he decided against farm life. His wife Pitchya was a waitress at Bangkok House and had been an excellent cook in Thailand, so she began to make suggestions about the dishes. When the owner decided to sell the restaurant, the family decided to take it over.

Boonlert, Pitchya and Pom have been running the family business together for years. After Pom graduated from college, he helped his parents adapt the recipes for the locals, and Pitchya continues to innovate with new dishes like Pumpkin Curry and Longan Curry (available on weekend dinners.) I’ve yet to try either of these and they are next on my list. The family has a personal touch that makes for a lovely dining experience. The music and decor are pleasant, and even features a painting made by an elephant, which Boonlert picked up when he was in Thailand.

Pitchya, Boonlert, Pom

Their Favorites

Pitchya: Green Curry or Drunken Noodle and Pad Thai is her appetizer :)

Boonlert: Green Curry

Pom: Garlic Chicken

One final note, Bangkok House makes its own red chili sauce and if you like a little spicy flavor in your food, ask them for it.

Get thee to Bangkok House! -the Eatnic

2009 08 22 the Eatnic posts Comments (1) Permalink

Welcome to Now Eat This!

Now Eat This! is a blog devoted to discovering new dining experiences in the Bluegrass. We say ‘dining experiences’ because we’re interested in more than food. The food is of course the main attraction, but atmosphere counts for a lot as well. We’ll post at least one new post a week once we get going.

Thanks for visiting!

The Eatnic

2009 08 19 the Eatnic posts Comments (1) Permalink

Now Eat This!

Clamatos

Han Woo Ri

Tofu Shrimp Vegetable Stir Fry

Punjab II

Pho BC

Sav’s Grill

Bangkok House

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