Upscale Southern soul food: New Lexington restaurant serves ‘flavors of family love’
A new Lexington restaurant is bringing home-style Southern comfort food back to the corner of Woodland and High streets.
Sassy Bleu Fine Southern Dining, a new venture from chef Sabrina Booker with her brother Herbie Booker, opened at 496 High St., on Dec. 4. The restaurant is in the former original location of Ramsey’s Diner, which for decades served traditional Southern meat-and-three meals.
Sabrina Booker said that she used to come frequently to Ramsey’s and when it became empty she decide, “I want that building. I love the area. Met some really nice neighbors and felt like this would be a good place to continue the Southern comfort on this corner.”
She said the atmosphere might be upscale, but the food is all comfort.
“It’s not just your average soul food restaurant. We use quality ingredients. Every dish means something to us,” she said.
How would she describe the menu? “Flavors of family love,” Booker said. “We liked the name Sassy, because a lot of our dishes are sassy ... deep Southern recipes, bringing all the flavors out in each and every bite.”
The menu includes catfish, fried chicken, mac and cheese, sweet potato casserole and some items with a twist, like the “soul rolls,” an egg roll made with sweet potato, fresh collard greens and mac and cheese rolled up and fried.
“It’s amazing,” Booker said. “A little crunch with lots of flavor on the inside.”
Dishes such as the collard greens are made fresh daily, cooked with turkey for flavor.
Booker said she learned some of the recipes from her late sister. Her family also had input on what to put on the menu, such as a particular salmon pasta that her family urged her to include. More pasta dishes will be coming.
Other specialties include her lamb chops, chicken & housemade waffles and Bleu Gourmet Burger, topped with bleu cheese.
The restaurant has a full menu of entrees and “Sassy Sandwiches” and salads, including several vegan and vegetarian options. There also is a kids’ menu as well as desserts such as the Warm Skillet Cookie served in cast iron and a Peach Cobbler, which is available but isn’t on the menu yet.
There’s also a bar menu of quesadillas, wings, onion rings and fries as salmon bites available with lemon butter or dill sauce. The restaurant has a full bar and will serve beer, wine and cocktails.
The restaurant will seat 76 inside, with a patio for outdoor dining. Carryout also is available as well as catering.
The restaurant also will feature live music, Booker said.
Sassy Bleu Fine Southern Dining
Where: 496 E. High St.
Hours: Monday 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Wednesday, Thursday,Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Closed Tuesday.
