Woven Shrimp for Number 33

I turned 33 last week. And I emphasize the word week because the celebrations lasted roughly 7 days. Around here we believe that celebrating just one day simply isn’t enough.

In honor of the big day, there was one specific meal I wanted. Nothing else would do.

That meal was Woven Shrimp from Azur Restaurant and Patio in Lexington, KY.

If you find yourself in Lexington you should find yourself a seat at Azur, but don’t look for it downtown. Azur is actually located in a strip mall on the southwest side of the city. But don’t let the description of the location fool you. This modern establishment which serves lots of local products such as Kentucky beef and Kentucky seafood from our up and coming aquaculture farms, also boasts an inviting patio area.

So back to that Woven Shrimp. Actually let’s go back to the first course because those were equally exciting.

We opted for a Saturday lunch and settled in on the patio with jackets and the space heaters going (it was just too beautiful not to sit outside) and ordered a Kentucky Ale.

Next up for me, well, us, were Truffle Fries. These are one of life’s simple pleasures. No French Frie tastes the same after you’ve had one graced by the presence of truffle oil.

My husband ordered his favorite, Lobster Crepes. Crepes with a creamy lobster-based filling set on top of guava sauce and garnished with microgreens. Sweet, salty, rich – this is the crepe of all crepes.

We enjoyed our starters to their fullest extent and some a bit longer. We had to keep fries on the table and nibbled throughout our meal. You don’t just give Truffle Fries back to the waitress. You finish them even if you are full. I mean, it’s truffle oil!

Now on to the main course which for my husband was actually a starter. He was sold on the Fried Calamari which came topped with sautéed peppers, onions and Napa cabbage. This was a bowl of perfection. The calamari was light and tender. It almost melted in your mouth.

Now for this woven shrimp. To get you thinking in the right direction, consider coconut shrimp with three times the flavor and ten times the creativity.

Woven shrimp is jumbo shrimp covered with shredded filo and fried until crispy. Good, but it gets even better. It is set on top of risotto. Creamy coconut risotto with edamame and corn. Then it’s topped with a chili sauce.

It’s brilliant, classic and a bit breathtaking all at the same time. Hands down my favorite dish at a restaurant.

So remember, Azur, Lexington, Woven Shrimp.

Birthdays aren’t complete without dessert. My mom is a fabulous cake decorator and has owned a shop for years, so growing up I was never without a beautiful birthday cake. Now that I’m all grown up, I usually still get one, but it’s when we are able to get together near my birthday, not always on it.

So I usually have a substitute the day of and this year my husband went to Twisted Sifter, a nearby bakery whom I also mentioned in my post about Danville, Kentucky. On a side note, I might have mentioned rather strongly that I wanted a cake from there.

Inside this beautiful cake was the seasonal flavor, pumpkin pecan with a cream cheese filling covered in buttercream frosting. We kept saying we would freeze part of it, but then we made an excuse everyday as to why we needed another piece. Needless to say, we’ll just have to order another when we get a craving because none made it past my birthday week!

Thirty-two was a big year for me. We got a new pug, I published my first book, I ran my 2nd half marathon and we visited a few new places. All of that has me more than ready to face 33 and excited to find out what’s in store!