Jeff ruby’s in lexington
My pretty lady and I are planning a special day in downtown Lexington tomorrow. We’ve been going back and forth on where we should have an early dinner before the UK game. And there’s always a chance we will pop in Jeff Ruby’s for a cocktail or two before or after the game. What I’m about to share may come as a surprise to many readers. I had never experienced Jeff Ruby’s until June of last year. It was my pretty lady’s birthday and Jeff Ruby’s is her favorite restaurant. She makes dinner reservations for her birthday at least eight months in advance. Her birthday is Father’s Day weekend, so reservations are secured early!
If I asked which locations are her favorite, I am confident she would rank Lexington first, Nashville second, Cincinnati, and then Louisville. In June when we went, our besties from Northern Kentucky met us! We started the evening with a glass of champagne at the Marriott then walked over to Jeff Ruby’s.
The restaurant’s decor swept me off my feet. As we followed the hostess to our seats I was taking in the timeless beauty and loving the refined elegance. I was very impressed with the polished and professional look of the servers. They looked as sophisticated as my pretty lady! It was obvious to me why Jeff Ruby’s is her favorite place to dine.
My bestie Mark and I ordered a smoked old-fashioned. The ladies ordered an exotic drink with Wheatley vodka, house-made lavender syrup, lemon, and Prosecco. Mark mentioned he had never had raw oysters so of course we had to order them. They were delicious!
The bread served was outstanding along with the truffle. Even though she has told me many times the best French toast is made with Jeff Ruby’s bread it wasn’t until I experienced Jeff Ruby’s bread firsthand that I realized their is truly exceptional. The bread was crusty on the outside yet soft and fluffy on the inside, making it the perfect canvas for French toast.
I ordered the 22 oz 70-day dry-aged bone-in ribeye. It was tender and juicy with a nice sear on the outside. The center was warm and pink just the way I like it. My pretty lady ordered lamb chops and the baked macaroni and cheese (with 6 imported cheeses). She immediately busts her phone out to record up close the cheesiness as she dips the spoon in and out of the dish. And the exclaimed the macaroni and cheese is award-winning! I have no reason to doubt her. It looked and tasted incredible. I ordered the cream spinach and brussell sprouts as well.
The server was outstanding. And if you downloaded my service guide on my home page you know that “outstanding” is the word I use when my experience is positive and memorable. He was very attentive and not intrusive. Without my pretty lady noticing I was able to let the server know I wanted the three-layer carrot cake with birthday sparkler. She was definitely surprised, and her face lit up when it came out. She quickly scooted over the complimentary slice of butter cake to her friend Lauren.
Her face also lit up as Coach Vince Marrow walked into the dining room to say hello to the nice people at the table next to us. Not knowing my pretty lady has had many pictures with Big Dawg over the years I rushed to get him over to our table. She was excited and Big Dawg was so gracious to visit with us for a minute. If it sounds like I’m becoming a UK fan it’s because I am!
We continued birthday festivities in the bar area where a band was performing. The lead singer caught my pretty lady’s attention because she had a presence like Tina Turner. The Queen of Rock and Roll died less than a month prior and my pretty lady was still very much grieving. We chanted “Tina, Tina, Tina . . . “ on and off for about thirty minutes. Finally, the band started playing “Let’s Stay Together” and my pretty lady’s heart started to heal. Turns out the performer was Sheryl Rouse from Louisville. We connected with her on Instagram and have been attending her concerts all over town. Sheryl is incredible and Jeff Ruby’s needs to have her back. The crowd loved her and we loved dancing all night!
Since that night in June at Jeff Ruby’s we have visited their newest location in downtown Cincinnati. I’ll save my commentary for a future post!
I have been under the weather this week trying to get better for Saturday. On Sunday my besties are coming to town, and we are going to Neat Bottle Bar. Stay tuned for pics.
I also want to thank everyone for reading my blog posts and hitting me up on IG. Your support means so much to me. If you haven’t signed up for my service excellence guide on my home page hit me up for it! It’s my little way of saying thank you for your support!
And I want to know . . .have you been to Jeff Ruby’s?
Let me know how you liked it! IG: @bourbondappergent
