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The Red Hen in downtown Lexington

Howard and I had a lovely date last night at the "Sample of the City" event in downtown Lexington. It reminded me of how quaint and lovely Lexington is while opening my eyes to some dining options I had previously not considered.

Roanokers may think of Lexington as a far drive for a weeknight - I admit to brushing it off myself from time to time - but the zip up and down I-81 went fast and gave us a chance to unwind and recap the events of our days. We left about 4:45 p.m. (the event started at 5, so we were about a half-hour late getting started) and made it home before 9 p.m.

Our first stop on the restaurant tour was The Red Hen. I admit to being very curious about this new establishment, which is situated in a tiny, red building that has been completely renovated on the inside and out with beautiful wood accents. The Red Hen almost exclusively uses local ingredients, and last night was no different. Chef Tucker Yoder served up a tasting plate of fresh grass-fed beef tenderloin over grits with brown butter powder. On the side was a golden beet risotto that proves beets can truly provide a golden opportunity when they are in the right hands! This restaurant is a MUST TRY. But the seating is very limited and the prices are on the high end, so make it a special occasion or at least make reservations.

Next stop: Bistro on Main, where we were served beef tips in a mushroom and red wine sauce over rice with diced tomatoes. The ambiance at Bistro was nice, though a bit less warm and inviting than some of the other eateries we visited. The flavors in the dish were enjoyable, but the beef could have been more tender. I don't know what cut they used, but it felt like flank. At that point, though, I was probably spoiled by the beef at The Red Hen. The star at Bistro was the beer bread, which was soft on the inside with a crunchy, sweet crust on the outside. If they had given us any more than they did, I might have been in trouble.

We headed next to Tuscany, but the service was moving slow and we only had until 7:30 p.m. to finish the tour. We got seated at Tuscany, but a harried waiter told us the bathroom was flooding. We decided to move on to the next stop and hoped to make it back to Tuscany, but ran out of time. Others on the tour declared that the Italian restaurant, which reportedly served chicken Parmesan, white pizza and a cold pasta salad, was their favorite of the tour.

The Sheridan Livery Inn was next. Now this place has ambiance. A little dark, very cozy, with beautiful, huge windows at one end of the dining room. The food delighted me, too. We were served a chunk of roasted pork shoulder over mashed potatoes with a red pepper cream sauce. The pork was fork tender and delicious. It was a dish I would certainly order next time I go.

At the Southern Inn, just up the street from the Sheridan Livery, we were ushered into the bar area for little crab croquettes and sweet potato pancakes with a sweet pear/golden raisin topping. Both were very tasty, though the fruit topping was almost cloyingly sweet - better for dessert than a standard meal. I could have eaten about a half-dozen more of those croquettes.

With about 20 minutes left on the tour, we had a decision to make: head to the Patisserie, which was all the way up on the other end of downtown, go to Sweet Treats Bakery or go to Salerno's Italian restaurant. Howard won the argument and we headed to Salerno's (my husband is a sucker for pizza and sub shops). It turned out to be a great decision, because the folks at Salerno's rolled out a HUGE spread, including two penne pasta dishes, salad, bruschetta and their popular chicken ranch pizza. The pizza was more like a thick, soft bread piled with huge chunks of chicken, ranch sauce and melted cheese.

Also inside Salerno's was Barb's Bakery, a new sweet shop operated by a relative of the Salerno's owners. Barb outdid herself -- she laid out plain cheesecake, chocolate cookie dough cheesecake (the best), carrot cake (tied for the best), a marble layer cake, fruit tarts and cookies.

After Salerno's, it was 7:35 p.m. We took turns rolling each other back to the car and piled in for the drive home feeling fat and happy. The next time I go to Lexington for a fancy dinner, I'll hit the Sheridan Livery Inn or The Red Hen. For more casual, less expensive fare, I'd certainly try out The Southern Inn or Salerno's again. Heck, it would only be fair to give Tuscany and Bistro a chance, as well. They were definitely not operating under normal conditions.

The Sample of the City was one of the best food events I've attended in Southwest Virginia. I hope other towns and cities will consider doing something similar -- this would be a great event out at the lake. For $25 per person, it was a super value and a wonderful way to get a sneak peek at some unfamiliar restaurants.