Sneak peek: Inside ItalX, new downtown Italian restaurant from popular local chef
Officially opening to the public Tuesday, ItalX welcomed diners early over the weekend for a “soft opening” that, after months of deprivation, seemed just what Lexington diners were eager to embrace and enjoy.
The Herald-Leader was invited for a “sneak peek” at what the new restaurant will have to offer.
The setting, directly across from 21c Museum Hotel in the new City Center complex, strikes a tasteful balance between Rome and New York, warm but edgy, with arches and tile patterns that recall ancient designs but are distinctly modern.
Instead of an Italian sunset, diners bask in the muted, modern overhead lighting and the glow of backlit wine bottles ranged along glass walls. Taking a hint, presumably from the couches Romans lounged on during long repasts, ItalX has a range of subtly upholstered banquettes that seat diners on one side of a table.
Saturday evening guests seemed happy with the experience at this new venture from the team of chef Jonathan Lundy, sommelier T.J. Cox and developer Lee Greer as they ate, drank, talked and laughed at discreet distances from one another while mask-clad servers and Cox roamed the floor.
The food at ItalX, like the setting, strikes a balance between old and new. Forget the heavy tomato sauces and greasy breadsticks that too often characterize so-called Italian restaurant offerings but don’t worry about walking away hungry.
Over a year ago when everything was different and the team first promised to bring ItalX to Lexington diners, they described it as a modern reinterpretation of Italian classics using fresh, simple ingredients creatively prepared.
And they delivered on that promise.
Lundy has long had a devoted following in the region based on his knack for making something old new again and wrapping it all up in appealing settings.
His Jonathan’s at Gratz Park Inn reinterpreted Southern favorites in a comfortable, club-like atmosphere. At Corta Lima in the once-beleagured space at West Short and Limestone, Lundy and Cox in 2017 created a downtown mainstay with fresh re-interpretations of Southwestern and Latin American dining and drinking in a space that feels airy and welcoming.
At ItalX, again, Lundy and his partners have produced a welcoming, fresh space and a small menu that only occupies one side of a standard sheet of paper with the wine and other drinks on the reverse.
At Saturday night’s first seating diners seemed more than satisfied with everything from chick pea flatbread to prime strip steak.
Italian cocktails also figure in the mix. A Negroni – a flavorful mixture of gin, red vermouth and a bitter with an orange twist – was delightful while the wines – Italian of course – include offerings rarely found in Lexington.
Lundy said in an interview as the finishing touches were being put on the open, airy space that there would be a special area for hand-making the pastas that ItalX will serve.
The local, light touch with the pasta was clear in one of the wonderful dishes we sampled Saturday night, spaghetti carbonara. A Roman standard, ItalX uses guanciale (made from pork jowl rather than the belly or back like bacon and pancetta) to great effect with the flavorful, beautifully textured pasta.
And under no circumstances skip dessert. You find it by training your smart phone on the code embedded in a coaster. The chocolate budino – something between a cake and a pudding — we uncovered there was enough to have anyone leave smiling.
The coronavirus pandemic has been a tough spell for everyone but particularly for people who love to eat good food in a lovely, lively and relaxing setting.
Lundy, Cox and Greer have done a service opening ItalX under very difficult circumstances. Here’s hoping everyone stays healthy and Lexington diners will continue to be able to enjoy good food and drink in this lovely setting.
ItalX
Where: 160 W. Main St.
Open: 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday
Online: ItalX.com
Call: 859-407-5100
This story was originally published October 5, 2020 at 7:29 AM with the headline "Sneak peek: Inside ItalX, new downtown Italian restaurant from popular local chef."