Good Time of Year for AZUR to be Seen

The best part about this time of year for AZUR is we can be seen from Harrodsburg Road for the next several months. Yes, the leaves have fallen from the trees and you can see our restaurant sign and the blue lights in trees on the patio. Just after passing New Circle Road as your heading south on Harrodsburg Road, look to your right and you'll be able to see us. It's the simple things in this world that make us happy.

AZUR Ups & Downs

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, the brightly colored Shade Sails were lowered and stowed for winter. When they come down, patio season is officially over. On the brighter side, their removal allows more light into the garden area. As for the "ups", the holiday decorations are going up at AZUR and will remain until after our New Year's/Fourth Anniversary party on December 31. Yes, this year is AZUR's 4th full year! This proves that Lexington does enjoy a culinary adventure.

Thanksgiving Day Will Be Silent at AZUR

AZUR will be closed on Thanksgiving so our staff may spend the holiday with their families and friends. Everyone deserves a break. We'll re-open on Friday morning at 11:00 a.m. AZUR just introduced the winter lunch and dinner menus for the day after turkey alternatives.

AZUR Blues & Bourbon Chef Series Sell Out

There was not an empty table in the house tonight! Denny Potter of Maker's Mark gave an informal talk on Maker's Mark and bourbon in general. Then the first course of BBQ was served. Bryan Himes and Willie Eames entertained everyone with the blues and everyone had a wonderful pre-Thanksgiving evening at AZUR. For all of you that were able to obtain reservations, we hope you enjoyed the evening and hope to see you at the next AZUR Chef Series dinner. If you wish to be added to the email list, please send an email request to fwohlstein@azurrestaurant.com and tell your friends.

Celebrated Lovely Birthday Party

AZUR celebrated a Lovely birthday party last night! Yes, co-owner Bernie Lovely had his 60th birthday bash on AZUR with several friends, family and guests from all over. The weather turned mild and the night was filled with live music and celebration. We don't know how he plans to top this one!

Words That Compose AZUR

Adventuresome, House made, Creativity, Chef driven, Hand crafted, Bold, Professional, Upscale, Unique, Independent, Fresh, Contemporary, Ambiance, Attentive, Local, Elegant, Kentucky Proud, Quality, Cutting-edge, Casual and Variety.

Support Your Local Restaurant

"Actually, there is a very good reason. If everyone suddenly gives up restaurant-going when times are tough, those favorite restaurants may no longer be around when times get better. Which means it's a good thing, every once in a while at least, to give in to that cabin fever and go out for dinner.Oh, eating in every night is fun for a while. Cozy family meals on weeknights, dinner parties or potlucks on the weekends, pancakes Sunday morning. But then there's the shopping, the cleaning up -- the claustrophobia. Only you and your dear ones. And piles of dishes to wash up." [Los Angeles Times, S. IRENE VIRBILA, Restaurant Critic November 19, 2008] AZUR truly appreciates your support through the years.

Bourbon Review Visiting AZUR

AZUR will be visited by The Bourbon Review magazine this coming Tuesday night. They will be writing an article about the Blues & Bourbon Dinner which seems to be a hot ticket this Thanksgiving week. Currently, AZUR has a waiting list for this event. For those of you with reservations, AZUR will definitely be "Little Memphis" for the night!

Cold Temperatures but Warm AZUR Welcome!

The weather has definitely turned cold the last few days but you can expect to receive a warm welcome at AZUR. We have hot (in more ways than one) daily specials and some home made soup waiting. And the staff will greet you warmly too. Coming to AZUR is the next best thing to a fireplace. Why not warm yourself up and let us do the cooking?

Tis the Season for AZUR Gift Certificates

Thanksgiving is just around the corner. This means that holiday shopping will soon follow on "Black Friday". For those of you that wish to avoid the crowds or need something for that hard to shop for person, AZUR has gift certificates available in any amount. This year we are able to accept phone or fax orders with a credit card. Plus, we'll take care of mailing them for you via U.S. Mail at no additional cost. You can even include you own personal message. Fax or email your request for an order form so you can shop from the comfort of your home. The fax number is toll-free at 800-895-AZUR [2987] or email at fwohlstein@azurrestaurant.com

Blues & Bourbon Dinner Is SOLD OUT!

AZUR is officially at capacity (SOLD OUT) and then some for the Blues & Bourbon Chef Series Dinner on Tuesday, November 25. We are maintaining a wait list in the event of a cancellation. The event is still over a week away so there may be some individuals with plans that change between now and then. Sorry.

AZUR Hits Quintar Mark!

AZUR has reached 100 Fans on Facebook! We wanted to create a more fluid connection to our guests with Facebook and we seem to be doing just that. One can see photographs of plate presentations just after their made; pictures of artists, guests and staff; and learn all about what is going on with AZUR including articles, specialty dinners (e.g. Blues & Bourbon) and future plans. Thanks for connecting to AZUR! We appreciate your loyalty and interaction with us.

AZUR is Turning Red!

AZUR has been moving toward the Red the last few days. That's Maker's Mark Red! We already have taken several reservations for the Blues & Bourbon dinner. And we are worried about being able to accommodate all the people that wish to attend. AZUR went through several seating configurations to fit large table requests. Plus, we need to reserve space for the blues duo. No worries.

Music & AZUR

Several years ago, AZUR made a commitment to bring diverse, live music to the restaurant because the south side of Lexington did not have any outlets. Residents had to travel downtown to enjoy live performances. Josh Brown handles booking a variety of performers each month that include: jazz, blues, Motown, classical, Americana and more. AZUR is pleased to offer this music venue on Friday and Saturday nights.

Why Does AZUR Blog Anyway?

AZUR wanted to share some insights to what makes AZUR with those that were interested. We are proud of what we have done and what we continue to do. Starting a restaurant in any economy is a risky venture. There is some much more than just serving food to think about and worry about. AZUR is locally owned and the owners live in the local community. If anything is out of sorts, we not only hear about it, we react. Many of the improvements we have made to AZUR over the years have come directly from customer feedback. Hence, the main reason AZUR blogs is to share another part of us. It is personal.

What's AZUR's Gimmick?

AZUR has a simple gimmick. It's fresh, innovative cuisine complimented by professional service and European ambiance. We have been true to this since the beginning. AZUR is not afraid to be adventuresome and unique. Plus, we strive to support the Lexington community as well. Tonight, Executive Chef - Jeremy Ashby will be conducting cooking classes at God's Pantry. He is donating his time and talents to help raise funds for their program. This is just one example of how AZUR gives back locally.

AZUR and Our Location

AZUR often reads customer's comments about AZUR being locating in a strip center. It is one of the most frequent. We realize that in many cities this is odd but in Lexington, Kentucky it is fairly common for an upscale restaurant to be located within another retail building or complex. Plus, we thoroughly enjoy the surprise that guests experience the first time they walk through the doors and state that they feel like they are in one of the coastal cities. Priceless.

Warm Weather & AZUR's Patio

With the unseasonal warm weather, AZUR has been able to continually open the patio for lunch and dinner. Yes, we are in November and the patio is open! In fact, AZUR is able to open the patio on any day when the weather permits even if it's in January. With our awning and patio heaters, we are able to take advantage of marginal days as well. If the weather allows it, the AZUR patio will be open.

AZUR & Maker's Mark Bourbon

AZUR has partnered with Maker's Mark bourbon to bring an evening of Blues music & bourbon. The Blues & Bourbon Chef Series Dinner will feature Blues music from Bryan Himes & Willie Eames and Kentucky bourbon from Maker's Mark (www.makersmark.com). Executive chef - Jeremy Ashby will pay tribute to American Bar-B-Q with three regional styles of Bar-B-Q from Memphis, Kansas City and Texas. Seating is limited. Please reserve your table by calling AZUR at 859.296.1007. Cost is $35.00 per person (including bourbon).