Babalu: Where To Eat Tapas In Lexington, Kentucky

Hey, y’all!

I was recently invited to check out Babalu, which is located in the amazing Summit at Fritz Farm in Lexington, Kentucky.

The brainchild of restauranteurs Bill Latham and Al Roberts, Babalu focuses on executing Latin-inspired cuisine. Their tapas menu was derived from a respect, love, and admiration for the guaracha, cha-cha, and latin jazz music. The restaurant is named in honor of composer and singer Miguelito Valdes, a.k.a. “Mr. Babalu”, and after the signature song of the television character Ricky Ricardo, played by Desi Arnaz in the television comedy series I Love Lucy.

My best friend Shelby and I got to sample several items on the menu and it was a fantastic afternoon to say the least.

Now to the food:

Babalu makes guacamole table side; naturally, I couldn’t say no!

Crab croquettes (crispy crab cakes, comeback sauce, and cilantro-vinegar slaw).

The queso was one of our favorites. It’s a blend of melted Monterey Jack and chihuahua cheeses in a skillet, very reminiscent of the base for queso fundido.

I sampled three of the tacos: the blackened fish (comeback sauce, cilantro slaw, radish), the fried shrimp (comeback sauce, cilantro slaw, radish), and the chorizo (roasted poblano salsa, pico de gallo, avocado). All three were great, though my favorite was the blackened fish.