Located in the Gothic Revival National Bank Building of 1889, Dudley’s on Short (259 W Short St., Lexington; 859-252-1010; dudleysrestaurant.com) just might be the crossroads of Lexington, Kentucky. The last time we had dinner there, mayor Jim Gray—resplendent in a seersucker suit—stopped by the table to greet some of our local tablemates. And after dinner, we were nearly waylaid from our next whiskey bar by garden designer Jon Carloftis and his partner Dale Fisher, two of the city’s legendary bon vivants and owners of the historic estate Botherum profiled in Garden and Gun.
The menu is calculated to encourage conviviality. The list of dishes “for the table” is nearly as long as the entrées and some of the “snacks and bites” (house fries with green goddess and smoky aioli, for example) as well as some of the “short plates” (steamed mussels) can also be shared while everyone enjoys a cocktail or two. Who’s in a rush? The rest of the menu includes big plates of meat and fish as well as au courant dishes such as kale and parmesan salad or crispy cauliflower with cracked pink peppercorns and chèvre.
Dudley’s moved to its current location five years ago and has been a hit ever since. The ground level bar is the liveliest scene, but the most coveted seats are on the second level outdoor deck, which is a perfect blend of al fresco dining and restaurant buzz. The peekaboo plantings that alternately hide and reveal other tables were cleverly designed by Jon Carloftis Fine Gardens.
Of all the dishes to share, we were especially taken with the Black-eyed Pea Hummus, which is a little exotic yet very much of Kentucky. Dudley’s serves it with garlic flat bread (somewhere between pizza crust and focaccia) and grilled vegetables. We found that a squeeze of lemon on top really brought out the mellow garlic and nutty peanut flavors. Owner Debbie Long was kind enough to share the recipe.
DUDLEY’S BLACK-EYED PEA HUMMUS
2 cups cooked black-eyed peas
2 cups cooked garbanzo beans
1/4 cup torn basil leaves
5 cloves of roasted garlic
3 chives, chopped
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter or sesame tahini
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup grassy extra virgin olive oil
Combine all ingredients except oil in a food processor and purée. With motor running, add oil in a steady drizzle until incorporated. Continue processing to desired texture. (We like it a little lumpy.)