Scott S.
Yelp
Unbelievably good! Fabulous! Superb! 10 stars!!!
Yes, this place is amazing. The Holly Hill Inn is in Midway, KY, about 15 miles outside of Lexington, KY. Of all the places to have such a restaurant. Think the French Laundry of Kentucky as you do have drive to get here, but you're so thankful when you arrive and dine at the Holly Hill Inn.
We went here for brunch. Brunch is often an overrated and uninspired meal. Not at the Holly Hill Inn. While this is regrettably my only meal here, I suspect the chefs/owners pour as much effort into the Sunday brunch as they do lunch and dinner because I have NEVER had a brunch so good and why work so hard for a Sunday mid-meal if you're not devoting as much or more to dinner and lunch?
We began with a chocolate chip muffin with coconut stressuel topping. These muffins melted in your mouth, made even tastier with some butter. Our server then presented us with a small cup of fresh sliced strawberries and grapes.
There were six entrees for brunch. My friend and I both ordered the Poached Eggs Providence. Think poached eggs on crispy fish cakes covered with Hollandaise sauce. The fish cakes are made from fresh fish along with some shrimp and scallops. Fried to perfection, the fish cakes went perfectly with the eggs. These fish cakes were moist and lightly seasoned, with a nice crunch as you bit into the fried part, to be followed by the hot fish cake insides. Topping off the eggs and Hollandise sauce were two sprigs of dill which looked and tasted good with the eggs and fish cake.
Along with your entree, you are given four side dishes, served family style. We received herb buttered new potatoes, roasted baby vegetables, Weisenberger cheese grits and a green salad with apples, sugared walnuts and Liberty Hall vinaigrette. Normally, I avoid grits as they're just nasty. My friend said, you've got to try these grits. I reluctantly tasted a spoonful. Oh my God! Who knew grits could taste so good??? Creamy, the grits had a wonderful mouth feel to them. The cheese flavor wasn't overpowering, but subtle. The grits were also seasoned with just enough hot pepper to give some heat to them as you swallowed. I wonder if I beg the chefs, they'll share their recipe? Perhaps a bribe?
The green salad was the usual mix of small greens, generously laced with julienned apples and sugared walnuts. The Liberty Hall vinaigrette was a perfect counterpoint to the sweetness.
Just as my friend and I looked at each other, stuffed, our server brought out a small dessert also part of the brunch. "Just a small sweet thing" she smiled sitting down a coconut and carmel topping over a cheesecake filling thick graham crust. We slowly ate, savoring the dessert.
It gets better. How you may wonder? I was expecting this to cost me $30 or $40 per person. This sumptuous feast was $15 a person!!! I am not sure how the Holly Hill Inn makes money on brunch. Everything was fresh, obviously handmade with care and delicious. I'm so sorry I won't be back soon, but if I am ever in the area, I'll make the Holly Hill Inn my first stop.