Where can you find ‘White Lightning’ burgers and orange juice cakes? Try Frankfort.
Sitting at a front table at Serafini, I thought there couldn’t be a better restaurant view in Kentucky. Through the large glass windows, the Old State Capitol was perfectly framed – its Greek Revival architecture illuminated against the night sky.
What was happening inside matched the extraordinary view outside. As Frankfort’s only fine dining restaurant, Serafini is one of a triad of restaurants owned by Wayne Masterman, who also owns Portofino in Lexington and Goose & Gander in Midway.
A favorite with the state’s political elite, the menu offers dining capital style. Start your meal with an appetizer such as fried oysters with chili plum sauce for dipping or grilled brie with sweet fig preserves.
While I was tempted by both of the above, I finally settled on fried green tomatoes served with house-made remoulade and tomato jam.
Follow that with the soup of the day or the always popular Tuscan bean soup. Opt for a cup rather than a bowl if you are planning to order an entrée as these soups are filling as well as delicious.
The pasta selection is small but select as are the Italian specialties. My choice, chicken Parmesan tossed in their special sauce, was mouth-watering. Other options include Cajun shrimp & grits with beer cheese grit cake and collard greens; bison meatloaf; and pan-seared pork loin topped with a sorghum apple compote served with a sweet potato and Brussels sprout hash.
Try to save room for dessert, especially one of the ice creams made by UK student Taylor Cook who started her business as a 4-H project when she was still in high school. All I can say is – watch out, Ben & Jerry.
Serafini may go the full white-tablecloth route, but Frankfort is a diner town at heart. I had been warned that Main Street Diner was pretty crowded at lunch, so I opted for breakfast. I’m glad I did. My three-egg omelet (you can design your own) was one of the fluffiest I’ve ever eaten.
They have it all here – from biscuits smothered in gravy to a vegetarian omelet – all served in a no-frills setting straight out of “Happy Days,” with black and white tiled floors, Formica tables and ‘50s tunes piped throughout the dining room.
If you want to brave the lunch crowds, the fried green tomato BLT is the best seller, according to Main Street Diner’s co-owner Megan Farney. It might be worth fighting the crowd for this or other Southern specialties such as country-fried chicken smothered in Weisenberger white pepper gravy.
For those in search of an extra dose of nostalgia, try one of their hand-churned homemade milkshakes or a root beer float.
Meanwhile, over at another diner, Cliffside Diner, the music is country instead of ‘50s rock and roll, but the vibe is the same — casual and down-home friendly. You’ll hear lots of “hons” and “sweethearts” from the staff, who, depending on the meal, always seem to be bustling around with coffee pot or iced tea pitcher in hand.
The 35-seat diner, with its long counter and red-checked curtains, sits at the base of the cliff directly below the Governor’s Mansion. My friend, Ann Evans, executive director of the mansion, says that there are days when the smell from the burgers cooking, “necessitates a run down the hill,” as she puts it.
Burgers are the top draw here, but coney dogs and open-faced roast beef sandwiches also appeal to regulars such as former Gov. Julian Carroll.
If I didn’t know better, I’d think Rick Paul was in the witness protection program – what else could explain a CIA-trained chef hiding out in a hole-in-the-wall diner with menus plastered on the exterior, just across from Frankfort’s Singing Bridge?
Rick’s White Light Diner has achieved notoriety well beyond the boundaries of the Kentucky River, as witnessed by its recognition by Guy Fieri on his “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” TV program.
Some stuffy restaurant’s loss is definitely Frankfort’s gain as Rick does Memphis-style pulled pork barbecue and Louisiana Cajun dishes (the oyster po-boy and crawfish etouffee make me long for my New Orleans days).
Lest you think he has left the commonwealth out of his geographical culinary equation, just try his signature “White Lightning” burger and Kentucky bourbon pie.
If you’re vegan, you might be wondering if there is any retreat from all this carnivore fare. Take heart and make your way to the Kentucky Coffeetree Cafe on West Broadway across from the railroad tracks.
Although not strictly vegan or even vegetarian (the Turkey BLT with pesto on a pretzel bun is delicious), there are an adequate number of vegan dishes on the menu, including eggplant panini, tofu salad, black bean salsa wrap, and a daily vegan soup.
The Coffeetree has a nice selection of wines by the glass, beer and bourbon for hand-crafted cocktails. It also offers breakfast, happy hour, outdoor dining, live music and a cozy place to hang out with your favorite book.
If you’re one of those with an incurable sweet tooth, you’ll want to stop in at B’s Bakery just a few doors down from the Main Street Diner. B, who answers to the name of Beth Greenwell Carter, is as sweet as her confections.
I met her as she was carrying a large tray of cupcakes elaborately iced to look like a garden of brightly colored tulips. They looked so adorable I just had to comment. Apparently, I’m not alone in my appreciation.
“The Food Network just selected us as one of the places having the cutest food in the country,” Carter beamed proudly.
That isn’t her only claim to fame, however. Before opening her bakery in Frankfort, she had such high-profile gigs as chef to pop star Taylor Swift and caterer for the production crew of the Pioneer Woman with Ree Drummond.
If that isn’t enough to get you through the doors, consider this. At B’s everything but the macarons are made from scratch, including elaborate dishes such as the chocolate confection affectionately called Plops.
“It got its name because we call that chocolate swirl on the top of the cake a plop,” says Carter. “I also describe it as a Ho-Ho on steroids.”
The bakery’s best-selling item, however, is her orange juice cake, made with love from her grandmother’s recipe.
“I always tell my customers that if they want one, the best chance of getting it is the end of the week,” says Carter.
While best known for its sweet (and cute) bakery items, B’s also has a deli where customers can pick up homemade soups and gumbo, paninis, chicken salad, beer cheese and lasagna.
From burgers and fries to ice cream and pies, this is dining Capitol style.
Frankfort dining guide
Serafini, 243 West Broadway, 502-875-5599; serafinifrankfort.com. Open Monday through Saturday for lunch and dinner.
Main Street Diner, 227A West Main St., 502-682-9195; links2thebluegrass.com. Open daily, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Cliffside Diner, 175 Old Lawrenceburg Rd., 502-352-2454. Open daily, but hours fluctuate.
Rick’s White Light Diner, 114 Bridge, St.; 502-6969104; whitelightdiner.com. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 8a.m. to 3 p.m.
Kentucky Coffeetree Café, 235 W. Broadway; 502-875-3009; kentuckycoffeetree.com. Open daily but hours fluctuate.
B’s Bakery, 241 W. Main St.; 502-699-2222. Open Monday through Saturday, 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.