Dinner at Texas de Brazil in Lexington's Summit at Fritz Farm

{Disclosure: Texas de Brazil provided a complimentary dinner for two in exchange for this review; no additional compensation was provided and all opinions are my own.}

Bob and I had the opportunity to visit Texas de Brazil in Lexington's The Summit at Fritz Farm over the weekend. We love Texas de Brazil for special occasion meals and were excited to sample the dessert menu! Texas de Brazil celebrates their 20th anniversary soon, and are offering all desserts for 20 cents on Monday nights in July with a meal purchase!

Now, as I'm sure you know, Texas de Brazil is a Churrascaria, colloquially known in the US as a Brazilian Steakhouse. Churrascaria a fun and delicious dining concept in which the gauchos carve charcoal-grilled meat tableside. It makes for a fast-paced sampler of meats! But, did you know that the salad bar at Texas de Brazil is pretty amazing as well? 

I'd eaten at Texas de Brazil locations in Lexington and in Memphis before, but I'd never spent a lot of time with the salad area before. I started with a cheese plate for Bob and me to share. The tangy goat cheese, fresh mozzarella, and salty parmigiano were great accompaniments to the rich meats. The prosciutto was a fantastic quality, and the pineapple carpaccio was amazing! (If limitless meat isn't your jam, you can actually order the salad area only as your entree!)

We also tried some seafood. The shrimp salad was so great that I hope to recreate the recipe soon -- it had the heat of jalapeño and the tang of lime juice. 

We also loved the Moqueca cod fish -- a traditional Brazilian fish stew made with coconut milk.

Of course, the star of any Texas de Brazil experience is the meat. As usual, the Churrascaria did not disappoint. When you're seated for churrasco service, each diner is given a two-sided card to indicate whether the gauchos should bring more meats to the table.

The filet was a standout, along with the flank steak. The lamb was perfect -- rich and well seasoned. We enjoyed a great assortment!

We made sure to save room for dessert, though. I had the Brazilian cheesecake, which had a rich fudge base and a caramel glaze.

Bob opted for a refreshing key lime pie. Both were fantastic.

Stop by the Texas de Brazil in Lexington for special promotions over the next few months for special 20th anniversary celebrations. It's a fantastic date night spot, or great for a family celebration!

Thanks so much to Texas de Brazil for inviting us to dinner! We'll be back soon!

Star Hill Provisions at Maker's Mark

Maker's Mark is one of my very favorite distilleries to visit. I love how the Victorian buildings have been so lovingly restored and maintained, keeping true to Margie Samuels's original vision. 

Maker's Mark's Loretto, Ky distillery is so beautiful in the springtime. I love seeing the flowering trees in the gorgeous setting.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend a press preview for the new Star Hill Provisions restaurant at Maker's Mark. For longtime Maker's visitors, the restaurant is located in the old Master Distiller's House. 

Star Hill Provisions was named for Star Hill Farm, the original T.W. Samuels family farm and distillery prior to the establishment of Maker's Mark. Y'all, that kind of attention to hyperlocal detail is apparent in everything at this restaurant. In fact, Chef Newman Miller grew up, by his own estimation, about 7 minutes away from the Maker's Mark Distillery. Chef Newman clearly marries his love for the locale with a commitment to great food. A graduate of Sullivan University's culinary program, he worked at Louisville's legendary Brown Hotel, cooked briefly in Scotland, and then worked as a corporate chef in Chicago before returning to Bardstown to open the highly regarded Harrison-Smith House.

The first course of our tasting menu was a huge hit, even in a room of food writers.  We started with one of the restaurant's signature cocktails, Maker's and Ale-8 slushies topped with just enough Angostura bitters to add spice and depth, served alongside the best sausage balls I'd ever encountered. According to Chef Newman, the secret is local sausage sold at a nearby gas station, along with house-made beer cheese and a hint of crumbled saltines. These were savory and hearty, and a perfect complement to the sweet cocktail.

Now, I never say no to a hot brown, and the Star Hill Provisions hot brown is a truly great one! Chef Newman joked that, as a former employee of the Brown Hotel kitchen, he's allowed to make a few adjustments to the recipe, serving the iconic sandwich in the Lexington style with the addition of country ham. Since tomatoes are out of season, the hot brown was topped with a roasted tomato half, which added sweetness and depth to the rich, salty mix.

The steak tartare and pork short ribs were delicious as well. The tartare mixed oh-so-well with a delightful little touch of siracha!

We finished up with a truly spectacular chocolate bread pudding served with a Maker's Mark caramel sauce. As I sat on the porch of Star Hill Provisions, taking in the scenery and discussing the Maker's Mark tradition with a few close colleagues, I promised myself I'd be back to Star Hill Provisions soon. It's a great new addition to the already-amazing Maker's Mark distillery site.

Visit Star Hill Provisions at Maker's Mark Distillery, 3350 Burks Spring Road, Loretto KY 40037. Restaurant hours are Wednesday - Sunday 11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.