A North Lexington restaurant gets a new look, menu following its neighborhood’s lead
There’s a new kid on the 800 block of North Limestone, well, sort of.
Robbie Morgan, who opened the Lexington branch of the Louisville chain J. Gumbo’s here in 2018, re-opened this month with a new concept.
Morgan, creator of Crave + Food Music Festival, has re-branded the restaurant in the hope of better fitting in with the artsy vibe of the neighborhood. It appears the newly named Belt Line Southern Grill + Gumbo is poised to do just that.
North Limestone neighborhood influences
This area of North Limestone, or NOLI, is equal parts grit and artistic expression. Colorful murals splash across the sides of buildings and large-scale street art pops up between bicycle shops and bars.
In recent years, eclectic businesses have cropped up, from North Lime Coffee and Donuts to Broomwagon Coffee and Bikes; from Wild Fig for vintage books to Arcadium for vintage cocktails.
Morgan watched the development with growing interest, and when the Greyline Station & Market opened across the street in November of 2020, she knew the timing was right.
“I waited to see how the renovation of the Greyline would affect the neighborhood, and I quickly realized that with its opening we had the right mix,” says Morgan.
She embarked on a rigorous month-long re-vamping of the 40-seat restaurant, and it does indeed make a statement true to the NOLI aesthetic.
It has a décor heavy with plants and southern art; the secluded courtyard was built by her husband Chad Leet, an emergency room nurse; the exuberant young staff beaming smiles, and Morgan herself is a dynamo in perpetual motion.
Belt Line menu
Morgan also has plans to shake up the kitchen. While she has retained most of her current staff, she has also brought in some new faces. Emerson Thompson, previously at Sunrise Bakery, has come in as sous chef, while Paula Laurick, with 15 years experience in the kitchen at Kroger’s, is the prep captain.
The biggest change in the kitchen will be the arrival of Daniel Boone Holeman as executive chef. If you’re looking for culinary chops, Holeman has them. An Alabama native, he worked with James Beard Award-winning chef Frank Stitt in Birmingham before relocating to Kentucky to serve as sous chef at Bon Appetit’s Café at Transylvania University.
Chef Daniel will be bringing his love for Gulf Coast cuisine to add to Morgan’s current menu of Cajun and Creole dishes. For instance, he will be adding his own family recipe for gumbo, says Morgan.
Devotees of the J. Gumbo’s menu need not worry about losing some of their favorite dishes, however. Many will remain on the menu. That includes appetizers such as Maque Choux & Bleu, a black bean stew with corn, tomatoes and onions topped with bleu cheese crumbles and green onions and served with tortilla chips.
They’ll also be able to order the Drunken Chicken (shredded slow cooked chicken, tomatoes, garlic, bell peppers, spices and beer) and Calvin’s Cracker Rolled White Fish, an homage to Morgan’s grandfather.
Vegetarians need not worry either as the Goodness Gracious Bowl will remain. The bowl is a concoction of seasoned wheat berries, dried tomatoes, roasted fennel, spiced sweet potatoes, marinated Cremini mushroom, braised greens and onions, boiled egg, avocado, and house black walnut pesto.
“These dishes and others like our hush puppy poutine Gullah style will always be on the menu,” says Morgan, “but we will also change it up based on what’s available seasonally.”
That’s good news for fans of J. Gumbo who will doubtless become fans of The Belt Line Southern Grill and Gumbo.
The Belt Line Southern Grill + Gumbo
Where: 808 N. Limestone #1, Lexington
Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.; Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Contact: 859-286-9239; beltlinelex.square.site
