Serafini

I have always enjoyed breaking the monotony of driving west along I-64 to partake in some gourmet dining, whether it be midway, Lexington, or most recently Frankfort. This city sat in a holding pattern of moderate to below average establishments for as long as i have been alive. there was always Jim's seafood and a few of the higher end chains, but if you wanted a special meal, you left town. well, this does not have to happen anymore. on monday night i ventured down across the railroad tracks, parked in front of the old capital and crossed the street to Serafini, a wonderful bistro with views of that elm tree where the governors were sworn in.


once inside we were immediately shown to our table on the left side of the restaurant. the decor of the prime location has changed, there is now a feel of modern whimsical art in place around the dining area. dogs, cats, and other metal animal sculptures are part of the theme. the plates have become more fun feeling as well. the 3 appetizers we ordered all came plated on bright spring colors and none matched. this is where the whimsy stops- the kitchen had tightened the straps and become much more serious about what they send out of the kitchen. don't get me wrong, the first three times i ate here i liked it. but on this visit i remarked that what was happening here was wonderful for the city of Frankfort, they no longer fill a need, they have become a reason to leave Louisville or Lexington for a really fine meal.


For starters, Jennifer had a house salad that was fresh and the tomatoes looked extremely good for this time of year. Bob had an ice blue salad (an iceburg wedge with blue cheese that seemed to be gorgeous if not a tad bit overpriced at $8). I had the calamari and as the garcon left it in front of me without sauce i almost asked what was up, but told myself i needed to try the dish before i said it needed something else. it did not. cabbage had been shredded and placed atop the fire-battered rings. the cabbage provided just enough cooling effect to the wonderful breading. the calamari was fresh from blue fin in louisville, flown in that morning.


For entrees we each went quite different ways, Bob had a cheeseburger that came with a heavily grilled bun and some hand-cut french fries that he was still raving about the next day- he says you gotta hand cut to get that flavor. The burger had two slices of cheese and was very plump. Jennifer had the lasagna. i had eaten the previous version before, but this one has trumped the last that was good, but not great. this lasagna rang out with flavor as it tickled my taste buds. the ricotta cheese was of very high quality, and the mixture of meat sauce, noodles, and cheese had a very balanced composition. i feel my dish was the best out of all of the tables'. it was an orzo alfredo with shrimp scampi and fried basil leaves. the shrimp were very large and plump, the alfredo perfectly creamy and complex. the pasta very fresh and lent perfect textural pairing to the shrimp. the only problem with this dish is that sierra loved it. i am very happy her palate is ahead of schedule, but i am withering away. she ate most of my shrimp and a lot of the pasta.



our server was very knowledgeable and was happy to be working. the atmosphere was lively, UK was playing Creighton and the bar was quite full. the dining room was also about 1/3 full, not bad for a Monday night. we always make a walk past the harley-davidson clan around the corner when arriving to feel that the capital city might be experiencing a little bit of a revitalization. and serafini is at the forefront of the dining movement. very good ***1/2