Derby Week in Central Kentucky

Everyone is Derby crazy right now in central Kentucky. At AZUR, we will be running specials (food & adult beverage-mint julep) on both Friday and Saturday nights. Though the Derby is 75 miles away, we will have our share of enthusiasts watching via television. The Kentucky Derby is the most exciting two minutes in sports but there are 23 hours 58 minutes left to fill!

Distilled AZUR Concept Dinner

After working several weeks on the next Chef Series theme which is using a different distilled spirit within each course, it's finally coming together. Rum is the obvious choice for most chefs but being AZUR, we wanted to be different and take the road less travelled. The menu will be posted very soon. Also, the presentation itself will be unique and something that will be remembered by those that attend. We'll keep you posted.

The Peanut in PB & J

Actually, the peanut isn't a nut. It is a member of the pea family. 99% of the U.S. peanut crop comes from eight states with the majority being grown in Southeastern states. Half of the peanuts grown in the United States are made into peanut butter. The non-edible parts of the peanut are used to manufacture products such as: fireplace logs, kitty litter and fiber roughage for livestock feed. Thick about it the next time you have PB & J sandwich.

We Take Dining Seriously

At AZUR, we take dining seriously. We are about introducing new tastes to our guests with unique offerings. Chef Jeremy Ashby enjoys taking guests on a journey with his tour de force composed menu of three, five or seven course dinners. It's about slowing down and enjoying not only the food but one's company as well. On Friday and Saturday nights, live music enhances the dining experience.

Morels Coming Into Season!

We all know that April showers bring May flowers but the rains also bring tasty Morel mushrooms into season! Last year was a bumper crop of very large Morels but due to a late hunt, only a few precious pounds were harvested. This year, the planets are lining up and the hunt will be well timed. Will be heading to the favorite forest hunting ground with large sacs ready to be filled. These are true farm-to-table fungi delectables.

Caution: There are several types of morels, some edible and others poisonous. If you don't know one from the other and they are very similar in appearance to the inexperienced eye, please stay out of the woods.

Horse Events Abound!

The last several weeks, Lexington has been on fire with horse events including the Keeneland Spring Meeting and the Kentucky Rolex 3 Day Event. These, of course, will be followed by the Kentucky Derby. It's a great time to be visiting Lexington! AZUR is very pleased with the number of guests visiting us after these daily events and is happy to see both old and new friends at the restaurant. Thanks for coming out and supporting both the horse industry and yours truly - a Lexington independent restaurant. We appreciate your support! As always, you are welcome to send feedback to us at info@azurrestaurant.com.

AZUR Patio Comes Alive!

Patio season is officially here! Like the return of the Swallows to Capistrano, our patio guests have returned to the patio. Maybe it's the flowers in bloom, the blue LED lighting in the trees or the sounds of live music echoing from the brick walls. Perhaps, it's a combination of all these things as well as the culinary creations from the kitchen. Whatever the reason(s), let summer begin!

Can You Say Strawberries?

The first fruits of spring are coming on right now! Of course, we are talking about strawberries which begin in April and carry through to June. Commercially, 88% of the U.S. crops are grown in California. Looking forward to the juicy farm-to-table strawberries at AZUR.

Next AZUR Chef Series Dinner

AZUR has been working on a concept dinner which involves the interplay of food and spirits (e.g. fermented corn yields bourbon, fermented potatoes yield vodka, and so on). The idea is to have the distilled ingredient compliment the entree. Anyone have any comments or suggestions to share. This is uncharted territory.

It's Tax Day People!

If you haven't dropped your "bundles of joy" in the mail yet, you better do it early as many U.S. Post Offices will not have the traditional extended hours this year. Once you finish that chore, stop by AZUR for tax relief. We have both solid and liquid form available. We're in this together.

Have You Filed Your Taxes Yet?

Looking forward to being able to concentrate on the daily business again after Wednesday, April 15. Everyone wants a slice of the pie (pardon the expression). With Keeneland, Easter and taxes, AZUR cannot catch it's breath. Hope everyone is able to find the deductions they need. May we suggest a good meal for "tax relief"?

Happy Faces and Sunshine

It is so good to see so many happy faces (race fans, horse owners and jockeys) at AZUR after the long cold winter. Just a few more degrees and the patio will be in full swing again as well. We are looking forward to more specialty dinners and the sounds of music into the night air. Time to reconnect to friends over dinner and a nice bottle of wine. Life is good.

Lexington Kentucky and Horses

In the midst of the Keeneland Spring meet, we read an interesting statistic in the current issue of the Commerce Lexington Business Focus. In the horse capital of the world, there are approximately 16.5 horses per resident of Lexington-Fayette county (17,000 horses vs. 280,000 residents). And people wonder why we are so crazy over horses, sales of horses and thoroughbred horse racing here in central Kentucky.

After the Races, Don't Head for the Barn (Home)

Slide out the Keeneland exit and over to AZUR for dinner. You'll see several other race fans and horse owners unwinding from a day at the races. Here in Lexington, Kentucky, we never grow tired of talking about horses. Plus, ending the day with good food, friends and spirits makes it a memorable outing.

Breaking Out of the Comfort Zone

AZUR knows that there is a fine line between creativity and oddity with cuisine. Although our guests desire less commonly found taste combinations presented in an artful way, they do not want bizarre combinations. AZUR likes to coax patrons from their comfort zones to open a new world of tastes without crossing the line to absurdity. Part of AZUR's identity, as a fine dining restaurant, is presenting adventuresome cuisine. We want to introduce our customers to something new in order to inspire their interest in food. To us, food is more than just satisfying one's hunger. Sometimes a dish doesn't work but we are not afraid to break out of our comfort zone.

Winter Makes One Last Run

After coming off a beautiful weekend with temperatures in the mid 70's, winter returns to the Bluegrass tonight (snow?). We are hoping that our tulips on the patio, which just started to bloom, will survive for Easter Sunday. AZUR had high hopes of alfresco seating on the patio but we may be gazing outside longingly this Sunday.

AZURInsider is Back!

The AZURInsider was away sampling other independent restaurants in the Sunshine state. Discussions with other restaurant owners, only confirmed that they have been experiencing the same struggles as AZUR. Though it helps to know that sales have been down across the country and it is no fault of the restaurant owners, we would love to see a faster recovery from this economy. One equation to remember is "local restaurants=local economy".