Silks Lounge bar is new, but its home has a rich history.
Sandy Fields, owner of the Rosebud, has leased the building at 125 North Mill Street since 1996 for La Petite Rose and Scarlett Lounge. She bought it last summer, and the renovations are now complete.
The building dates to 1837, built by by French confectioner Monsieur Giron.
“Ballroom dancing lessons, cotillions and banquets were held on the second floor of the building,” Fields said. “Half of the building was demolished in the early 1900s and is the site of the Rosebud, but the Silks building is original and the oldest commercial building in Lexington, according to David McKnight of the Blue Grass Trust.
“We uncovered the original tin ceiling, magnificent columns, which originally led to an outside courtyard,” she said.
The Rosebud was named for Old Rosebud, the 1914 Derby winner.
“I felt Silks Lounge, and jockey memorabilia, would link the two bars even though Rosebud is a pub and Silks is fancy, upscale,” Fields said.
Silks is open 4 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. daily. Call (859) 254-1907.
Fine dining on the go
Restaurants in the Old Vine dining district will have a progressive dinner on Monday.
Cocktail hour will begin at 6:30 p.m. at The Julep Cup, 111 Woodland Avenue. Guests will walk to Annette’s, 431 Old Vine Street, for the main course and dinner wines, then have dessert and after-dinner wines at the Bistro at Wines on Vine, 400 Old Vine Street.
The Julep Cup will serve country ham and collard green pot stickers, and salmon croquettes. Annette’s will serve spring lamb with mint sauce, duck breast with Woodford Reserve cherry-rhubarb glaze, and battered shrimp on a grits cake. Dessert at the Bistro includes devil’s food chocolate cake with a caramel icing layer, topped with chocolate ganache.
Tickets are $95. Call (859) 296-6444 or go to www.annettescatering.com.
New menu at Jonathan
Jonathan at Gratz Park, 120 West Second Street, has a new menu for spring. It includes a deviled-egg trio (asparagus and chive, house-smoked salmon, country ham); grilled rack of lamb with house-made mint jelly and goat cheese-scalloped potatoes; black-eyed pea-crusted rainbow trout with wilted limestone Bibb lettuce; and King crab cornbread cakes served with arugula and roasted-corn aioli. Call (859) 252-4949 or go to www.jagp.info.
Spring brunch at Doodle’s
Doodle’s Breakfast and Lunch, 262 North Limestone, has new hours for its spring brunch, and new menu items fresh from the farmers market. Brunch hours are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Regular hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call (859) 317-8507 or go to www.doodlesrestaurant.com.
Easter eating
Easter Sunday is a huge day for eating out, so make reservations early. Here are places offering special menus.
■ Bayou Bluegrass Catering at The Red Mile will have a lavish buffet and egg hunt from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 12. The buffet will be open in the clubhouse from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering chef’s stations for waffles, breakfast, salads, entrees and desserts. The cost is $27.95 for adults and $13.50 for children ages 4 to 8. The egg hunt will be at 12:30 p.m. and is included in the price of the buffet; the egg hunt only is $5. Call (859) 233-0814 or go to www.bayoubluegrass.com.
■ Istanbul Palace Turkish restaurant will serve brunch instead of its usual Sunday buffet on April 12. There will be roast leg of lamb, roast beef, chicken in cream, zucchini pancake and falafel. The price is $14.95. Call (859) 231-1792.
■ Jean Farris Winery is serving brunch Easter weekend. Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. April 11 and noon to 3 p.m. April 12. An Easter egg hunt will take place in the vineyard for guests’ children at 1:30 p.m. both days. A three-course prix fixe menu with wine pairings is $45. Call (859) 263-9463.
■ Easter treats at Tinker’s Cake Shop include bunny-shaped cakes, cupcakes, petits fours, strawberry shortcake, Key lime cheesecake and coffee cakes. The deadline for Easter orders is Wednesday. Call (859) 224-0639. The bakery is at 109 Springdale Drive, in the Paddock Shops in Nicholasville.
Mutton and more, with sauce
Got a craving for barbecued mutton? J.J. McBrewster’s American Smokehouse, 3101 Clays Mill Road, serves Western Kentucky-style barbecue featuring locally raised meats from Bluegrass Goat and Lamb. Smoked meats include pork, salmon, chicken, turkey and beef. Owner Susan Mirkhan said the sauce recipe has been in her family for five generations. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Call (859) 224-0040.
Seafood with a Thai touch
Thai Orchid Café, 1030 South Broadway, is offering a seafood special through Easter. Included are three-flavor shrimp, ginger-steamed salmon, butter and garlic shrimp, coconut curry shrimp. The dessert special, served Fridays and Saturdays, is mango and sweet sticky rice drizzled with coconut cream sauce. Call (859) 288-2170.
A sip of Patron
The Thoroughbred Shop, 2005 Versailles Road, will offer samples of Patron XO Café, a blend of tequila and coffee liqueur, 4 to 7 p.m. Friday. Call (859) 254-0358.
Crawfish after the races
Furlongs Catering and Shades of the Bluegrass will have a crawfish boil after the races on Saturday. The party will be at Riptide on the River, 9079 Old Richmond Road. Call (859) 263-3286 or go to www.riptideontheriver.com. Steve Norman’s band will entertain.
Campbell’s goes Cajun
Campbell’s in Paris, 519 Main Street, offers a Cajun seafood special on its dinner menu Saturday. Call (859) 987-5164.
Farmers market at the show
The Lexington Farmers Market will be at this weekend’s Central Kentucky Home, Garden & Flower Show through Sunday. Market vendors will have spring greens, lettuces, organic meats, eggs, and cheese. The event will be at Rupp Arena and Heritage Hall.
