Tuesday, June 30, 2015
The first ever Lexington BURGER WEEK is July 6-12th! It doesn't get better than this! There are 20 restaurants participating from all over town and each one is creating a special $5 that isn't on their regular menu. The chefs are competing for the most unique burger in town. The hardest part of the whole week is going to be deciding which restaurant to visit first!
The Five Commandments of Burger Week
1. They will run out. The restaurants are going to be making A LOT of these burgers, so try to understand if they run out. There will be 19 other restaurants also serving burgers that are just as tasty that you should try next!
2. There will be waits. Be prepared to have to wait for a table. This event is going to be very popular, so try to go early or make sure to be patient with our restaurants.
3. Tips are appreciated. $5 brings out the cheap in all of us, but really, you're getting a $10-15 burger (many restaurants go way overboard with ingredients, trying to outdo each other), so please tip at least 20%. The people who are serving you are working harder during Burger Week than at any other point in the year. A kind word will also be welcome - these people are our friends and neighbors.
4. You really should buy a drink or other food. While extra purchases are not a requirement, I think it says something good about you if you show a little love to a restaurant going above and beyond to bring you an awesome burger. Pick up some fries and a pint of Kentucky Ale. You'll enjoy yourself more.
5. Check Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Restaurants are encouraged to post their waits and remaining burgers for the day. Go to lexingtonburgerweek.com and don't forget to tag your Instagram photos and tweets with
#lexburgerweek.
Now to the good stuff, the burgers!
1. The Pole Dancer from A La Lucie
Two Angus beef patties with a bourbon soaked Bellavitano and Swiss mac and cheese waffle in between, topped with applewood smoked bacon, onion ring, pickle, tomato, chopped lettuce and a Dijon mayonnaise “special sauce.” The Dancer will be served on a split-top potato bread bun and skewered. Best paired with: Kentucky Ale
2. Two Drunken Burgers from Enoteca
Two red wine-soaked burger sliders covered in melted drunken goat cheese from Spain, topped with house cured pork belly, green peppers cooked in Kentucky Ale, and baby greens served on brioche buns with house aioli on the side. Best paired with: Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale
3. Smokin' Beer Cheese Burger from JDI
An Angus patty topped with in-house smoked pulled pork, JDI beer cheese made with Kentucky Ale, fresh red onions; breaded and fried with lettuce, and tomato. Best paired with: Kentucky Ale
4. The Animal Club from Country Club
A Kentucky beef patty from Marksbury Farm Foods, seared with mustard bbq sauce, 2 slices American cheese, smoked onions, pickles, lettuce, Garey Farm heirloom tomato, BBQ 1000 Island, on a toasted Sunrise Bakery bun. Best paired with: Kentucky White Ale
A beef burger blended with Bourbon butter crimini mushrooms, topped with Kenny’s Swiss cheese, house-pickled Garey Farms kale kraut and our Russian dressing. We’ll also offer a lentil patty using the same treatment for vegetarians. Best paired with: Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Stout
6. Far East Bound & Down O'Round from Shamrock Bar and Grill
O’Round with a dollop of Sriracha, fire roasted green chiles, pepperjack cheese, finished with garden fresh leaf lettuce, diced red onion, and a hand breaded, Panko fried green tomato with a butter grilled bun lathered with Sriracha aioli. Best paired with: Kentucky Old Fashioned Barrel Ale
7. Best Friend Burger from Best Friend Bar
A beef patty topped with house made pimento cheese, fried green tomato, fried shallots, Sriracha mayo, tomato onion jam and fresh cilantro on a potato bun. Best paired with: Kentucky IPA
8. Five Buck Burger from Drake'sA ginormous 100% USDA beef patty with honey-jalapeno barbecue sauce, heaps of American cheese, and house fried onion straws. Best paired with: Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale
9. Beef WELL-ington Burger from Smithtown Seafood
Locally sourced beef burger with mushroom duxelles, coffee stout demi-glace, crumbled Kenny’s Barren County bleu cheese, crispy buttermilk onions, roast garlic aïoli, and FoodChain mustard microgreens on a croissant. Best with: Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Stout
10. Backyard Voodoo Burger from Lynagh's
A perfectly seasoned ground sirloin patty on a toasted brioche bun, topped with caramelized onions and drenched in a root beer and onion sauce so damn good it can only be called Voodoo. Best paired with: Kentucky Kolsch
11. Rising Sun Burger from Alfalfa Restaurant
A 1/4 lb Local Stone Cross Farms beef burger topped with tamari marinated grilled onions, tempura battered shiitake mushrooms, cucumber-ginger pickle and wasabi mayo on a housemade sesame bun using Weisenberger Mill flour. Best paired with: Kentucky Ale
12. Thai Me Down Burger from Lexington Diner
A 1/3 lb. local Cooper Brothers burger with Thai Peanut Sauce, mushrooms, caramelized onion, smoked gouda, and Asian vegetables with a sweet jalapeno chili sauce on a Sunrise Bakery brioche bun. Lexington Diner does not serve beer.
13. Lum's Olie Burger from The Ketch Seafood Restaurant
A 6 oz. Angus chuck patty seasoned with the original Lum’s Burger Spice Mix, cooked over white oak coals, topped with provolone, Romano & Parmesan cheese and served on our house baked, toasted bun with Original Lum’s Sauce. Try it with an order of spicy Lum’s Fries. Best paired with: Kentucky Ale
14. Hot Diggity Dog Beer Cheese Burger from Columbia Steakhouse
An 8 oz. burger with a chargrilled 100% beef hot dog, our artisan top-secret beer cheese and leafy green lettuce. Served on a butter-toasted sesame seed bun. Best paired with: Kentucky Ale
15. Western Burger from AP Suggins
An 8 oz. burger topped with a spicy Kansas City style BBQ sauce, hickory smoked bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, a beer battered onion ring, romaine lettuce and sliced tomato on a toasted bun. Best paired with: Kentucky Ale
16. Caballero Steak Burger from Coba Cocina
A steak burger with arugula, queso fresco and chimichurri. Best paired with: Kentucky Kolsch
17. West Kentucky Blue Jack Mutton Burger from Billy's BBQ
A fresh rosemary and garlic infused mutton burger with melted bleu cheese crumbles or pepperjack cheese topped with pickles, lettuce, onion and tomato on a sesame seed bun. Best paired with: Kentucky Ale
18. Beaumont Bomber Burger from BRU Burger
A tri-cut blend of sirloin, chuck, and brisket topped with chorizo, white cheddar, sauteed peppers, eggs, hashbrowns, and a star anise gravy, sitting on a brioche bun. Best paired with: Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Stout
19. Bite the Bulleit Burger from The Cellar
An 8 oz. burger smothered in a bourbon glaze, caramel onions, bacon and two slices of smoked gouda cheese topped with a toasted sesame seed bun. Best paired with: Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale
20. Drunken Cajun Butter from Bourbon & Toulouse/CCI
A 1/4 lb. beef patty mixed with bourbon smoked garlic salt, minced onion, sharp cheddar cheese, creole spiced bread butter, Cajun power hot sauce and Sadistic Mistress homemade ketchup. Best paired with: Kentucky Ale
Now comes the hard part...what's going to be your first stop!? Visit www.lexingtonburgerweek.com for more information!
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
We're looking forward to one of our annual traditions, the sixth annual Ball Homes Night of Hope. This year’s event takes place on Thursday, November 13th at 7pm, at the Lexington Opera House. This year's featured speaker is country singer/songwriter Jimmy Wayne, the author of Paper Angels and the new book Walk to Beautiful, the story of his inspiring journey to raise awareness of homeless children.
Jimmy Wayne survived an abusive childhood and years of shuffling through the foster care system, eventually ending up homeless. He was taken in by a couple who fostered his love of music and helped him get his education. After completing his associates degree in criminal justice, he auditioned for a songwriting job for Acuff-Rose, and in 2008 had his first Billboard Top 40 country hits, including the #1 hit "Do You Believe Me Now." Jimmy Wayne never forgot his past though, and on January 1, 2010, he set out on a 1700 mile solo hike from Nashville to Phoenix to raise awareness of homeless youth. Called the "Meet Me Halfway" campaign, he walked 25 miles a day, and was covered by major national media, including People and USA Today. The story of this journey is chronicled in Jimmy's newest book, Walk to Beautiful.
All proceeds from the evening’s festivities go to the Hope Center, to help battle homelessness, addiction and mental illness across Kentucky.
Friday, November 8, 2013
Since our founding over 50 years ago, Ball Homes has made it a priority to partner and support various organizations and charitable causes. We actively and enthusiastically partner with organizations that work to improve the quality of life in the communities where we live and work. We would like to share information about some of the non-profit organizations that have impressed us with their commitment to serve, their success rates, and their overall willingness to take on difficult tasks and provide services to those who need them.
The University of Kentucky's Sanders-Brown Center on Aging was established in 1972 and is one of the original 10 National Institute of Health (NIH) Alzheimer's Disease Centers. They conduct research, education and outreach, and clinical programs on healthy brain aging and neurodegenerative disorders. According to the director of Sanders-Brown Center on Aging, the ultimate goal of the SBCoA is to develop innovative and outstanding research while ensuring a more rapid rate of progress toward new therapies to delay or prevent age-related brain disorders, so that our human volunteers, patients and caregivers become the beneficiaries of their advances in knowledge.
Each year, the Sanders-Brown Center on Aging holds a benefit dinner to raise money for ongoing research, education and outreach programs. The twenty-seventh annual dinner, held on Monday, November 11, will feature Dr. Ronan Tynan as the honored guest and keynote speaker. Dr. Tynan is a well-renowned Irish tenor singer, Gold medal Paralympic athlete and admired physician.
As a sponsor of An Evening with Irish tenor Dr. Ronan Tynan, we're honored to be able to partner with the Foundation on such an important cause. For tickets to this special event, contact the Foundation office by calling 859.323.5374 or email lisa.greer@uky.edu.
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Ball Homes is again looking forward to one of our annual traditions, the fifth annual Ball Homes Night of Hope. This year’s event takes place on Tuesday, October 29th at 7pm, at the Lexington Opera House. This year's featured speaker will be former NBA player Chris Herren, author of Basketball Junkie and subject of the ESPN documentary Unguarded.
Chris Herren was a high school basketball legend from Fall River, Massachusetts, who realized his lifelong dream of playing for the Boston Celtics only to lose it all to alcohol and drug addiction. In his inspiring way, he draws on his own history to convince audiences that it is never too late to follow your dreams and urges audience members to overcome their setbacks and start making the right choices. Chris now dedicates his life to recovery, family and giving back.
All proceeds from the evening’s festivities go to the Hope Center, to help battle homelessness, addiction and mental illness across Kentucky.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Since our founding over 50 years ago, Ball Homes has made it a priority for our company to support various charitable causes. We actively and enthusiastically partner with organizations that work to improve the quality of life in the communities where we live and work.
We would like to share information about some of the non-profit organizations that have impressed us with their commitment to serve, their success rates, and their overall willingness to take on difficult tasks and provide services to those who need them.
This week, we’re featuring Junior Achievement of the Bluegrass. JA of the Bluegrass has been serving Central Kentucky since 1963, impacting over 350,000 young people and celebrating their 50th anniversary in November. During the 2011-2012 school year alone, they reached 18,047 students in Fayette and 11 surrounding counties with various classroom and after school programs that educate and inspire young people about business, economic, and free enterprise.This year, Ball Homes has partnered with the Junior Achievement of the Bluegrass in their Adopt-a-School program. This program allows us to sponsor a local school and provide them with the materials and equipment necessary to continue the program. This is our 11th year as a partner and we’re excited to continue our participation and commitment to help JA of the Bluegrass empower Central Kentucky students to own their future economic success.
For more information on how you can get involved in the Junior Achievement of the Bluegrass, visit their website or connect with them on Twitter.