Portofino Restaurant Lexington, Kentucky

On the last weekend in July, we visited Lexington, Kentucky for my great nephew's wedding.  We had Scott's parents (Moomaw and Pappadoo) who could watch our kids while we went out to eat.  I decided to go with an Open Table selection because it seemed easier for me.  Pappadoo doesn't use Open Table.  He just has his favorite restaurants programmed into his phone.  Our selection, Portofino, made his phone list. 

Portofino had a nice patio area.  The patio area was fenced with flowers boxes covering the walls.  Unlike Paducah in July, the temperature at 7 p.m. was about 80 degrees.  It bills itself as an Italian restaurant.  I had the soup of the day:  Vegetable.  For secondo, I had diver's scallops described on the menu as "coriander-crusted and dressed with a blood orange gastrique alongside root vegetable fries with jalapeno aioli and shredded pecan brussel sprouts."  Scott had the goat cheese and apple salad and Seared Sesame Tuna: "Yellowfin Tuna with chili plum sauce and steamed baby bok choy tossed in Asian viniagrette with basmati-almond rice." 

A trick I have learned is to take a picture of the menu that way I can quote it later.  As a copyright attorney, I would argue my quotation of the menu is fair use for a news-related article or critique.

Our entrees were as well-prepared as they were described although I did have a question about Scott's rice.  Our waiter was very knowledgeable about the food and promptly answered my question about was in Scott's rice: orange lentils.  I don't think I have ever had ORANGE lentils.

When I saw gastrique on my selection, I immediately thought about the television show CHOPPED on the Food Network.  It seems that almost every contestant makes a gastrique.  I wasn't sure what a gastrique was so I consulted wikipedia.  Wikipedia says that it is "caramelized sugar, deglazed with vinegar, used as a flavoring for sauces."  Blood oranges are a prettier color than regular oranges.  Maybe they also taste a little better or maybe I am just convinced that they are special by their color.

The meal was fabulous!  We finished it off with a wonderful chocolate torte.