Whenever I go out to dinner, whether it be with friends or family, I almost always order salmon. My friends and family typically know before I look at the menu what I'll order. Maybe it’s the fact that this fish is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and is a great source of protein that makes it so appealing to me. Or maybe it's simply the savory taste of the tender grilled fish that makes it my go-to eat out option. Check out this article to learn why Salmon is such a healthy meal option. If you’re looking for the best salmon in town, here are the top five salmon dishes in Lex ranked:
#5 The Palms
The Palms is one of my favorite go-to restaurants in Lexington because it offers a variety of sandwiches, salads, burgers and entrees all at a reasonable price (many of the restaurants in Lexington can afford to charge more due to the location of the in-the-middle-of-nowhere town). I tried the Char Grilled Salmon twice in the past two weeks and both times I was satisfied, but also a little bit disappointed. The dish itself is interesting with a red pepper puree and quinoa, but the salmon is quite bland. If I do order the salmon here I normally go for the salmon salad, because to me it offers more flavor.
#4 Rocca
Rocca is a cozy Italian Ristorante with a great terrace when it’s warmer outside. I ordered the salmon dish once here and I was not impressed at all. It came in a wine sauce, but the salmon tasted overwhelming like alcohol. If I do get the salmon I prefer to get it over a salad without the wine sauce and once I figured out how to manipulate the menu, I was pleasantly surprised with the flavor. The salmon was perfectly grilled with a nice charred flavor, but only when I asked for it medium-well to well done. If I don't ask for it that way, it tends to be undone in the middle. But also, if you're a fan of food doused in wine, the salmon here may be your number one.
#3 Southern Inn
Southern Inn tends to change up their menu every now and then, so I've had several different salmon dishes here, and they've all been consistently good. Most recently I had the grilled salmon with a curry sauce served with a noodle cake and fresh vegetables. I was skeptical to try this, because the noodle cake sounded weird and I don’t like curry, but I was surprised at how well the flavors worked together and made the dish well-balanced.
#2 Haywood’s
For the longest time, this was my favorite salmon dish in town and it arguably still is depending on the menu changes of other restaurants. I find that the salmon filets at Haywood’s are consistently very fresh and grilled to the perfect temperature. They used to be served with risotto and carrots, which I loved, but recently switched to a risotto and carrots with an herbed seasoning and olive oil, which brings out the flavor of the salmon even more. This salmon is a reliable dish that has never disappointed before.
#1 Bistro
My top ranked salmon dish in Lex is the one from Bistro, but it used to be my least favorite. I never was a huge fan about the salmon at Bistro, because there was nothing special about it. It was an ordinary grilled salmon with not much seasoning served with mashed sweet potatoes and sautéed spinach. Since I'm not the biggest fan of either of those sides, it didn’t appeal to me. However Bistro recently introduced a salmon in a soy sauce glaze with sesame seeds, served with root vegetables and sautéed broccoli. I like this one the most because it reminds me of the salmon my mom makes at home and in my opinion salmon and soy sauce marinade go incredibly well together.