Flavors of Kentucky

Midway School Bakery has a variety of pastries and breads.

Ouita Michel and her culinary team from Holly Hill Inn have opened ­Midway School Bakery.
Pastry chef Carrie Warmbier is running the bakery, at 510 South Winter Street. The menu features currant and oatmeal scones, sugarless blueberry cheesecake squares, and handmade bagels with home-cured lox.
Hours are 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Call (859) 846-4336.
Also, Michel will celebrate the ­heritage of the French restaurant with Holly Hill Inn’s first Bastille Day Supper on Saturday.
All summer, Michel’s multicourse Tour de France menus have featured the best and freshest of Bluegrass farm products in her favorite French recipes. The Bastille Day Supper honors the influence of the French Revolution on the modern restaurant. The cost is $50; a sommelier’s pairing of French wines is $35.
Holly Hill is at 426 North Winter Street, Midway. Call (859) 846-4732 or to go Hollyhillinn.com.
Specials
■ Hanna’s on Lime, 214 South ­Limestone, is serving its farmers market specials on Wednesdays. Selections include corn on the cob, kale, squash, eggplant, green beans, peppers, new potatoes, tomatoes and melon. The cost is $8.25. Call (859) 252-6264.
■ Natasha’s Bistro & Bar, 112 ­Esplanade, is offering weekend fish ­specials with seafood provided by Lexington Seafood Co. This week at Natasha’s “All Summer Long Seafood Festival,” the menu features Portuguese-style mahi mahi with savory polenta cakes and grilled green beans. Call (859) 259-2754 or go to Beetnik.com.
■ Ramsey’s Diners are using fresh local corn in a variety of dishes for the next several weeks. The corn is grown in Shelby County by Gallrein Farm. Dishes include corn on the cob, fried corn, creamed corn and Parmesan deep-fried corn. Also on the menu are okra from Berries on Bryan Station and tomatoes from Lincoln County. Go to Ramseysdiners.com for locations.
Events
■ Winchell’s, 348 Southland Drive, is having a pig roast from 4 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. Sides include baked beans, potato salad and corn on the cob, with fruit cobbler for dessert. The menu ­includes smoked chicken chili. Call (859) 278-9424.
■ The Julep Cup, 111 Woodland Avenue, is celebrating Bastille Day on Friday and Saturday. The menu includes escargot and sweet bread torte, duck confit and frisée with poached egg; sole with vegetable ribbons; and entrecôte, a classic French steak, with house-made fries and French herb sauce. Call (859) 226-0300.
■ Thai Orchid Cafe will hold a Noodle Fest at West Sixth Brewing Co., 501 West Sixth Street, at 5 p.m. Monday. Dishes include basil beef bowl, coconut noodle bowl and won ton nachos. Call (859) 288-2170 or go to Thaiorchidcafe.net.
■ Oliva Bella is planning a trip to ­Sicily, and you can go along to ­experience the olive oil and wine ­harvests. Two 10-day trips are ­scheduled for Sept. 26 to Oct. 6 and Oct. 10 to 20. The cost is $5,882. Call (859) 983-3567 or email Olivabella@olivabella.com
Farmers market reports
■ Azur Restaurant’s farmers bazaar is open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays on the patio. The market features local farmers and artisans. Products include produce, eggs, cheese, meats, pasta, hand-dipped chocolates, flowers, plants, baked goods and crafts. Azur is at 3070 Lakecrest Circle. Call (859) 296-1007 or go to Azurrestaurant.com.
■ Bluegrass Farmers Market has corn, melons, tomatoes and berries. Locations and hours are: 3450 Richmond Road, in the Pedal the Planet and Fast Signs parking lot, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and 3 to 6 p.m. Tuesday; and 730 Millpond Road, in the parking lot of the Willow Oak Pool, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday. Go to Localharvest.org/blog/29529.
■ Winchester/Clark County Farmers Market is open 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesdays and 8 a.m. to noon Saturdays in the parking lot of Bluegrass Heritage Museum, 217 South Main Street.

Stanley J’s New York Style Deli closed in September to the dismay of many, but now an Italian deli has taken its place. ­Rosalia’s Old World Italian Deli serves authentic recipes from the Italian grandmother of owners and sisters Claira Reynolds and Noelle Rayan.

Rodney Reynolds and Khalid Rayan have joined their wives in helping them realize their dream of owning an Italian restaurant that has the flavor of their Italian grandmother’s kitchen on Sundays.

The women grew up in the restaurant business. Their father, John Mione,  owned several Mione’s delis in Southern California, but the love of Italian food was born at the table of their grandmother Catherine “Rosalia” Mione.

The menu includes corned beef, Reuben and pastrami sandwiches, soups, salads, cannolis and tiramisu. Coffee is 25 cents. The dinner menu offers spaghetti and lasagna. Hours are 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Call (859) 223-3354  or go to Rosaliasoldworld.com.

Special events

■ Jonathan at Gratz Park, 120 West Second Street, is having a wine dinner Tuesday featuring wines from Justin, a winery in Paso Robles, Calif., on the state’s central coast. Justin makes Bordeaux-style blends and single varietals, combining Old World tradition with New World techniques. Wines include Justin chardonnay, 2008; Justification, 2008; Isosceles, 2008; and Obtuse, 2009. The five-course dinner, at 7 p.m., is $75. Call (859) 252-4949  or go to Jagp.info,  or Justinwine.com.

■ Rodney’s on Broadway, 222 North Broadway in Georgetown, will have a wine dinner at 6 p.m. Wednesday featuring wines from Austria, Australia and Argentina. A guest speaker from Winebow Imports will introduce each wine. The cost is $60. Call (502) 868-7637.

■ Hanna’s on Lime, 214 South Limestone, will celebrate Leap Day on Wednesday by offering turkey and dressing as the daily special for $7.95. Side dishes include mashed potatoes with turkey gravy, kale, green beans, ­macaroni and cheese, baked sweet potato, corn pudding, broccoli casserole, and lima beans. Delivery is available. Call (859) 254-6264  or go to Hannasonlime.com.

■ As part of the Community Table at Oliva Bella series, owner Lea Ann Vessels and guest Paolo Capretti will co-host “Eat, Drink, Learn Italian” from 6:30 to 8 p.m. March 7. On Wednesday evenings for four weeks, a different region of Italy will be featured and guests will learn about the food, wine, culture, and basic Italian language. Puglia is the first region to be spotlighted. The cost is $100. Oliva Bella is at 400 Old Vine Street. Call (859) 983-3567.

Specials

■ The Julep Cup, 111 Woodland ­Avenue, is offering ahi tuna sashimi with tempura rock shrimp; black ­grouper with mixed grains; and red curry lamb stew as weekend specials. Phil Copeland and Friends will entertain Friday and Bruce Lewis on Saturday. Call (859) 226-0300.

■ Thai Orchid Café, 1030 South Broadway, is having a seafood feast on weekends through Easter. The menu includes shrimp and coconut cream soup, Thai shrimp trio, salmon hot pot and seafood coconut curry. Call (859) 288-2170 or go to Thaiorchidcafe.net.

■ The Town Branch Market & Deli, 233 East Main Street, has expanded its deli menu to include breakfast biscuits and English muffins with sausage or bacon, egg and cheese. The store now sells donuts from Donut Days Bakery. For lunch, the deli is now preparing hot pressed sandwiches, chili dogs and 7-inch pizzas. Call ahead at (859) 280-2122, and your order will be ready when you arrive.

■ On Fridays through April 6, Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill is having Friday Night Fish Fry at the Trustees’ Office Dining Room. Hours are 5:30 to 8 p.m. The cost is $12.95. Call 1-800-734-5611, Ext. 360.

■ Rossi’s Restaurant, 1060 Chinoe Road, offers daily dinner specials and happy hour at the bar from 5 to 7 p.m. every night, and all day Sunday. Also featured are half-price bottles of wine on Tuesdays. Call (859) 335-8788  or go to Rossis-restaurant.com.

■ Detroit Coney Island is serving its fish sandwich for the Lenten season. Locations are 1301 Winchester Road in Eastland Shopping Center, (859) 280-9138; and 825 Lane Allen Road, (859) 278-3982.

Openings

■ Jeff and Kim Bullock, former owners of Friends & Co., are now back in the same location with The Secret Bar & Grill. The restaurant at 841 Lane Allen Road now serves some of the original Friends & Co.’s favorite homemade pies. New menu options include ­Calabash seafood. Call (859) 317-8673.

A new restaurant in Midway, 815 Prime, was born because its building needed renovating.
When Sarah and Rob Vandegrift bought Quirk Café in 2007, they leased the space that at one time was a hardware store. “The electrical capacity in the building wasn’t sufficient,” Sarah Vandegrift said, “so we purchased the building in 2008 and upgraded the electric, and have been renovating and upgrading … ever since.”
Last year, they renovated the ­basement, which had been a book store for years, and created a full-service pub called Tavern 815. “When the ­renovations were complete, we … realized we had a totally different restaurant and we needed a totally different chef and a totally ­different name to match the extraordinary changes,” she said.
They hired Nicolas Trueblood, a ­Boston native and formerly of The Mansion at Griffin Gate, as executive chef. He calls his menu “contemporary American cuisine with a European flair.”
Lunch is served Wednesday through Sunday, and dinner Tuesday through Saturday. The restaurant is at 131 Main Street. Call (859) 846-4688 or go to 815prime.com.

Here’s the story behind the name:

Why 815?

“It’s not our address so it isn’t that simple. We purchased the restaurant in 2007 and the building in 2008 and since then Rob has worked constantly and diligently to get the improvements completed.  The longest project was the beautiful bar downstairs which took nearly a year to complete and Rob was constantly asked “when’s the bar going to open”?  Rob would reply, “at 8:15 tonight” which became a running joke for many months.  When it came time to name the bar Rob thought it would be funny to call it 8:15 and as it turned out, it opened on 8/15/10 so the name stuck.  The colon did not however.  Several people told us they thought it meant that the bar didn’t open until 8:15 at night and others asked if the 8:15 was a biblical reference.  We dropped the colon but not before I checked biblical references out of curiosity and when I found this one, I knew we had the right name,” Sarah Vandegrift said.

“Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat and to drink and to be merry; for that shall abide with him of his labour the days of his life which God giveth him under the sun”  Ecclesiastes 8:15

Special events

■ The 6 Friends Cafe, 191 Kentucky Avenue, is sponsoring a benefit/concert/
silent auction for the Stephanie Lynn Padgett family from 5 to 11 p.m. Saturday. Musicians Sylvia Villegas will entertain at 6:30 and Andrea Wirth at 8:30. Call (859) 309-0123. Donations will be accepted in lieu of a cover charge to help the Padgett family pay the funeral expenses of Chase and McKenna Padgett, who died after a traffic accident in Danville on May 31. Fifty percent of all café proceeds Saturday will be given to the family. Donations also may be made to the Stephanie Lynn Padgett benefit fund at Chase Bank.
Also, Bourbon n’ Toulouse, 829 Euclid Avenue, will donate 20 percent of its proceeds Wednesday to the family. Call (859) 335-0300.
■ The Crossroad on Southland, 286 Southland Drive, is having a pancake breakfast fund-raiser from 8 to 10 a.m. Saturday for Lafayette Football Boosters. Chef/owner Steve Atkins will prepare ­pancakes, sausage and fresh-squeezed ­orange juice. “This also will serve as a ‘kick off’ to our weekend breakfast service,” Atkins said. Starting Sunday, breakfast hours will be 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Call (859) 309-3904.
■ Winchell’s, 348 Southland Drive, is having its annual lobster boil ­Wednesday, with New England clam chowder, whole Maine lobster, corn on the cob, new potatoes and fruit cobbler. Hours are 9 to 4:30 p.m. Call (859) 278-9424.
New on the menu
■ Hanna’s on Lime will featuring a farmers market special on Wednesdays throughout the summer. Chef/owner Beth Hanna will present six items selected from Tuesday’s market. The cost is $7.95. Hanna’s is at 214 South Limestone, with parking available in the adjacent Calvary Baptist Church lot. Call (859) 252-6264. Delivery is available.

Farmers market report

■ Bluegrass Farmers Market will have tomatoes, blueberries, green beans, eggs, lettuce, kale, zucchini, rhubarb, onions, herb seasoning, jams, baked goods, cut flowers and floral hanging baskets.
■ Lexington Farmers Market has summer squash and zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, peppers, onions, sugar snap peas, raspberries, Southern peaches, fresh pasta, artisan breads and desserts, Abigail’s locust honey, sorghum, bicycle-powered smoothies, sorbetto, fresh flowers, bedding plants, hanging baskets.

It’s all about mushrooms at the Mountain Mushroom Festival on Saturday in Irvine.
Activities include educational panel discussions on mushroom hunting, and cooking competitions for morel, oyster and shiitake mushrooms. Susan Licholat, executive chef at Natural Bridge State Resort Park, will present a demonstration on cooking morels, oysters and shiitakes.
Mushrooms will be for sale at the Mushroom Market which opens at 9 a.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. Sunday. Call (606) 723-5694 or (606) 723-1233.
Activities will take place at Broadway and Court Street in Irvine. Go to Mountainmushroomfestival.org.
After a visit to the festival, drive to Ravenna and stop by Michael’s Restaurant, 100 Third Street. The restaurant serves a country buffet. Call (606) 723-9997.

New menus and specials

■ Caramanda’s Bake Shoppe is adding a hot fudge sundae to its lineup, but there’s no ice cream in it. The hot fudge sundae cupcake features Caramanda’s chocolate cake with chocolate chips, filled with chocolate Bavarian cream, and paired with homemade vanilla buttercream frosting, and a hot fudge drizzle, rainbow sprinkles, and a cherry on top.
Locations are at 332 Southland Drive, 3805 Dylan Place, a kiosk at Fayette Mall, and at 12003 Shelbyville Road in Middletown. Call (859) 278-7172.
■ Bd’s Mongolian Grill is introducing a new line-up of “appeteaser crowd pleasers” that also can be combined with soup or salad for a light lunch or dinner. The promotion runs through May 15. Included are chicken quesadilla, “wham bam shrimp” and buffalo wings. Returning to the menu is the peanut butter mousse mini. Bd’s is at 2309 Sir Barton Way. Call (859) 264-0686 or visit GoMongo.com.
■ The Julep Cup, 111 Woodland Avenue, is offering Rolex weekend specials that include Angus prime rib, Kentucky lamb tenderloin, and coquilles St. Jacques.  Ben Lacey and Bob Bryant will entertain Friday, John Hedger on Saturday, and Tony Lovello on Monday. Call (859) 226-0300.

Special occasions

■ The Appalachian Artisan Center Café in Hindman is serving a Mother’s Day brunch at 10 a.m. May 7. If you don’t have time to shop, you can pick up Mom’s gift while there. The Artisan Center shop is filled with handcrafted items from more than 200 artisans. Call (606) 785-9855 or visit Artisancenter.net.
■ The Cellar Bar and Grill, 3256 Lansdowne Drive, will host a High Liquor brands kick-off party at 8 p.m. Friday. Signature cocktails are $4. Call (859) 317-8301.

Expanded parking spaces and hours

■ Hanna’s on Lime, 214 South Limestone, now has parking spaces available in the Calvary Baptist Church lot adjacent to the restaurant. Entrances are on Limestone and High Street. Call (859) 254-6264.
■ Wallace Station Deli and Bakery, 3854 Old Frankfort Pike near Midway, now is open for dinner weeknights and Saturday nights. New hours are 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Call (859) 846-5161 or go to Wallacestation.com.

Farmers market report

■ The Bluegrass Farmers Market will have asparagus, lettuce, greens, rhubarb, carrots, onions, herb seasoning, jams, baked goods and honey on Saturday. The market is open 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 3450 Richmond Road in the parking lot of Pedal the Planet and Fast Signs. Visit Localharvest.org/blog/29529.
■ Adriel Gray, of Stone Cross Farm in Spencer County, will introduce a new line of  English-style raw milk cheese at Blue Moon Farm’s booth on Saturday at Lexington Farmers Market at Fifth Third Bank Pavilion at Cheapside Park. Blue Moon also is selling baby green garlic, baby lettuces, spring mix, red Russian kale, and spinach along with Colcord Farm’s organically grown asparagus. Visit Bluemoongarlic.com.

It’s finally open: Gigi’s Cupcakes. The store at 2703 Richmond Road, next to ­Starbucks, makes such an array of cupcakes, you’ll be planning daily trips.
Ten to 12 flavors are ­offered each day. Friday’s choices include spumoni (cherry cake filled with chocolate ganache, with pistachio ­buttercream frosting), tiramisu (coffee- and Kahlúa-flavored cake filled with cream cheese, with coffee- and Kahlúa-flavored frosting), and “tiger tails” (yellow cake with raspberry filling, with ­buttercream frosting).
“Top hats” (devil’s food cake piled high with ­buttercream frosting and dipped in ­chocolate ganache) is one of the flavors each Thursday.
Cupcakes are $3 each, or $2.75 each by the dozen.
Gigi’s is open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call (859) 269-4444or go to www.gigiscupcakesusa.com.

Something Stinky
A new downtown Winchester restaurant could have been named Don’s Grill or Parsons’ Diner, but that wouldn’t have spoken to customers the same way that Stinky & Coco’s does.
Don Parsons chose to use the names of his cats for his diner at 1 North Main Street, at Main and Broadway.
Parsons, who managed ­restaurants in Chicago, ­followed a love to Winchester in 2008 and stayed. The spot is open 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Specialties include shrimp and grits, and scrambled omelets. Call (859) 744-8100.

Beer and food fest
Saul Good and Goose Island Beer are teaming up for a beer & food event. Lindsey Shafer from Goose Island will talk about the beer. The dinner, from 8 to 10 p.m. Jan. 27 is $30. Call (859) 273-4663.

Valentine’s at Varden’s
Varden’s Bistro, 509 Main Street in Paris, is celebrating Valentine’s Day with its first dinner in its new addition.
Executive Chef Matt ­Corbin’s menu features traditional Southern dishes combined with elements of continental cuisine. He buys Bourbon County beef and lamb, and seasonal ingredients from local vegetable producers.
The Valentine’s Eve dinner, 5 to 9 p.m. Feb. 13, is $50. Entrees for the four-course dinner include chicken and grit cakes, grilled filet mignon, pork roulade, and grilled scallops. Call (859) 987-4700 or go to http://vardens.com.

Tinker’s makes a move
Tinker’s Cake Shop has left the Nicholasville suburbs and moved to 317 West Maxwell Street, between Mill Street and Broadway in downtown ­Lexington. The new shop is open by appointment and ­specializes in wedding cakes and large party cakes. Call (859) 252-9636 or go to
www.tinkerscakeshop.com.

Hanna’s helps Haiti
Beth Hanna, owner of Hanna’s on Lime, is helping the American Red Cross in its ­effort to help the people of Haiti. Hanna will donate 10 percent of the restaurant’s ­February receipts to the relief effort. This will include in-house dining and delivery, she said. Hanna’s is at 214 South Limestone. Call (859) 252-6264.

Spaghetti specials
The Julep Cup, 111 ­Woodland Avenue, is warming up customers with Monday night spaghetti dinner specials. There’s also live jazz from 8 to 10 p.m. Fridays in the lounge, and Ben Lacey and Bob Bryant will ­entertain Jan. 29. The kitchen closes at 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 10 p.m. ­Friday and Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday. Call (859) 226-0300 or go to www.thejulepcup.com.

Sunday brunch at Max & Erma’s
Max & Erma’s, 1848 ­Alysheba Way in Hamburg Pavillion, is serving Sunday brunch from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The menu includes omelettes, eggs Benedict and French toast. The restaurant’s winter hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday and Monday, and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Call (859) 543-8111.

Orchid Flower’s happy hour
Orchid Flower, 3090 Old Todds Road, now has happy hour from 5 to 7 p.m. ­Tuesday through Friday. ­Appetizers feature Indonesian-style chicken wings with homemade ­dipping sauces. Call (859) 543-1126 or go to www.orchidflowerrestaurant.com.

This is the time of year for a special meal with Santa, dinner with friends, or just a night out on the town. Here are some places that are ready to entertain you this holiday season.
■ Buddy’s Bar & Grill, 854 East High Street, is having Santa over for dinner on Tuesday. Bring the kids and join Santa from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Youngsters eat free with a purchase of a $12 entrée. Call (859) 335-1283 or go to www.buddysbarandgrill.com.
■ The Dish, 438 South Ashland Avenue, is offering a deal for early diners.
“’Tis the season to be a smart shopper,” chef/owner Trish Tungate said. “We have some great specials running through the month of December. First, anyone who comes for dinner by 6:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday will receive 20 percent off their entire bill. Also, anyone who comes in for dinner by 6:30 on Friday and Saturday can get half off select glasses and bottles of wine.”
Go to www. thedishlexington.com cq or call (859) 317-8438.
■ Franky and Annette’s at The Signature Club of Lansdowne, 3256 Lansdowne Drive, is hosting brunch with Santa on Saturday. There will be cookie decorating and crafts for children. Hours are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cost is $30 for adults and $15 for children ages 5 to 12. Proceeds go to Growing Together Preschool. Call (859) 277-6600, Ext. 1.
■ Hanna’s on Lime, 214 South Limestone, will have a pre-holiday special on Wednesday. The menu includes turkey and dressing. Call (859) 252-6264.
■ Oliva Bella is throwing a customer appreciation party from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at the tasting room, 406 South Broadway. In addition to product tastings, there will be mulled wine and cider, traditional Italian foods and sweets. Call (859) 983-3567.
■ Vardens, 509 Main Street in Paris, is having a night of champagne and cupcakes on Tuesday. Steve Walton is serving his favorite cupcakes which are made by Naticakes in Franklin, TN. The party is from 6 to 8 p.m. Call (859) 987-4700.
■ Vito and Mary Ciepiel, owners of Vito’s Café in Fort Thomas, are planning a White Christmas Eve candlelight buffet. Hours are 5 to 9 p.m. Cost is $35. Vito’s annual New Year’s Eve Gala will feature a five-course Italian dinner prepared by chef Gina Puopolo. Seatings are at 6 and 9 p.m. Cost is $65. Vito’s is at 654 Highland Avenue. Call (859) 442-9444.
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The Julep Cup, 111 Woodland Avenue, has put the final touches on its New Year’s Eve menu. Dinner begins at 7:30 p.m. and entertainment, with Phil Copeland, will be from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Cost is $75. Call (859) 226-0300.
Featured are Pacific oysters on the half shell with celery Mignonette; potato dumplings in beef consommé with confit mushroom and shaved Oregon truffles; butter-poached Maine lobster tail with tomato tarragon broth and cheesy grits; house-made smoked salmon “cheesecake” with mixed herb salad and ravigote sauce; Maine diver sea scallops; steak Diane; bourbon-glazed half duck with caramelized quinoa wild rice; and chocolate lava cake baked to order.
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Max & Erma’s has added some new items to its value menu. Included are a six-ounce sirloin with garlic mushroom sauce for $9.99 and funnel cake fries with a strawberry dipping sauce for $ 3.99. The restaurant will give a free $5 gift card with every $25 gift card purchase through Dec. 31. Max & Erma’s is at 1848 Alysheba Way in Hamburg Pavillion. Call (859) 543-8111.
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Not everyone enjoys spending Christmas with the relatives and some people might be looking for a place to escape. If your restaurant or bar is open on Christmas day or night, let us know. E-mail swthompson@herald-leader.com before noon on Dec. 22.

The holiday season is ­almost here, and ­restaurants and wineries are making plans.
■ To help you celebrate Thanksgiving, ­winemakers at Horseshoe Bend Vineyards in ­Willisburg recommend their Rose of Cabernet, Golden Sun and Red Jester Chambourcin for the holiday meal.
Horseshoe Bend will have tastings on Saturday and Nov. 21. The cost is $10 and includes hors d’oeuvres. A fall ­dinner is planned for Nov. 14 and features ­shepherds pie with lamb; the cost is $35.
The winery will be closed Nov. 26 for Thanksgiving, but will be open Nov. 27 and 28. Call (859) 375-0296 or go to www.horseshoebend-ky.com. The winery is at 1187 Lawson Lane.
■ Equus Run Vineyards ­officially releases its 2009 Holiday Blush on Saturday. Also Saturday, the vineyard is having its 10th annual Pouring for the Pantry open house from noon to 5 p.m. To get it, bring two or more non-perishable food items for God’s Pantry Food Bank. Call (859) 846-9463 or go to www.equusrunvineyards.com.
■ Hanna’s on Lime, 214 South Limestone, will have a pre-Thanksgiving special Wednesday. Turkey, dressing and fresh cranberries with one side is $7.65.
Also, chef/owner Beth Hanna has implemented her “South Lime Stimulus Plan — Phase 2”: Guests may pick up a card at the restaurant that will get them their 16th lunch free after buying 15. This is dine-in for lunch only, she said. Call (859) 252-6264 or go to www.
hannasonlime.com.
■ Kentucky State Resort Parks will serve Thanksgiving Day buffets at all 17 restaurants. Entrees include turkey and dressing, baked ham, carved roast beef and fried chicken. Vegetables include candied yams, country-style green beans, and mashed potatoes with gravy. The cost is $16.95. Hours are noon to 8 p.m. Go to www.parks.ky.gov for locations and more information.
Putting the vines to bed
Lovers Leap Vineyards and Winery will have a hibernation celebration as its tucks in the vines for winter. The Saturday event begins with “wine in the vines” at 5 p.m. Entertainment will be provided by Roger BonDurant and the Gray Squirrels from 6 to 9 p.m. Chef ­Katie Payne will prepare a Kentucky Proud supper that includes butternut squash soup, barbecued chicken on the pit, purple cabbage slaw with bleu cheese, kale greens with country ham bits, sweet potato fritters, corn ­muffins and apple pie. The cost is $25 for ­dinner, $10 for entertainment only. Call (502) 839-1299 or go to www.lovers
leapwine.com. The winery is at 1180 Lanes Mill Road in Lawrenceburg.
Tapping into True Blue beer
Bluegrass Brewing Co. in Louisville is introducing True Blue Kentucky beer this fall.
It’s a Belgian-style wit beer made with Kentucky hops and ­blackberries grown on Paige and Dan Short’s ­Windsong Farm in Paris.
The beer is expected to be available in mid- to late November, but only in restaurants and bars at first, brewery owner Pat Hagan said. Details about where you can find it are being worked out, but he expects it to be on tap at several bars in Lexington and definitely at BBC, 3929 Shelbyville Road in the St. Matthews area of Louisville.
Call (502) 899-7070 or visit www.bbcbrew.com.
A menu makeover for Natasha’s
Natasha’s Bistro, 112 Esplanade, has added hearty steak and pot roast dishes to its menu. Natasha’s new chef, Elizabeth Maggi, formerly of Phat Pies, once lived in Key West, Fla.; during her time there she created her own recipe for shrimp scampi. It’s served with garlic-lemon butter sauce and whole wheat pasta. Maggi also brought her specialty, chicken pot pie, to Natasha’s. The new menu also offers sandwiches and a children’s menu. Call (859) 259-2754 or go to www.beetnik.com.
Closing, but only temporarily

Often when a restaurant closes for vacation, rumors fly about the business.
When you see the sign on the door at Istanbul Palace, rest assured it will reopen. It will close Nov. 13 and reopen Nov. 20. The restaurant, at 393 Waller Avenue, offers lunch buffets and live Turkish music on Friday night. Call (859) 231-1792.
Also closing temporarily is Thai Orchid Café. It will be closed Thursday through Dec. 2.
Owners Toa and Mike Green will be ­volunteering with the Jimmy and ­Rosalynn Carter Work Project with Habitat for Humanity in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The Greens and a group of 13 other volunteers from ­Lexington will help build 82 homes. Thai Orchid is at 1030 South Broadway. Call (859) 288-2170.
Farmers market report
The Lexington Farmers Market ­continues to operate outdoors on ­Saturday in Cheapside Park and on Short Street behind the Lexington History Museum. Weekday markets are Tuesdays and Thursdays at South ­Broadway and West Maxwell Street. Seasonal items include winter squashes, spinach, potatoes, sweet potatoes, ­cooking greens, fresh herbs, artisan cheeses, beef, chicken, and turkey.