Seelbach Hotel's Oakroom Gears Up For 131st Running Of The Kentucky Derby

Seelbach Hotel's Oakroom
Gears Up for 131st Running of the Kentucky Derby
Culinary Tribute to the "Greatest Two Minutes in Sports" Includes
4,000 Green peas, 500 Lobster Tails, 16 Bottles of Bourbon and Much More

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (April 14, 2005)  What do 4,000 green peas, 500 lobster tails and 16 bottles of bourbon have in common with the "Run for the Roses?" They are just a few of the many items you'll find in The Oakroom kitchen come the first weekend in May.

This isn't just any Kentucky Derby for the historic Seelbach hotel and its AAA Five-Diamond restaurant; the hotel is celebrating its 100th anniversary almost to the day. In anticipation of this weekend, Chef de Cuisine Todd Richards and The Oakroom culinary team began preparing long before Smarty Jones ever took the Winner's Circle last year.

Inspired by the enthusiasm of its racing patrons, the culinary team will come out of the gate with visually stunning and equally appetizing "Culinary Art of the Bluegrass," which is themed around the Derby and Kentucky's finest products. They will be slicing and dicing their way through 40 lbs. of morel mushrooms; 300 onions; 400 Lady apples and bushels of heirloom tomatoes, limestone lettuce and kumquats. And that's just the beginning. To cover the entrie needs, Chef Richards has ordered 500 lobster tails, 120 lbs. of Kobe beef; 80 duck breasts; 300 lbs. of flounder; 280 lbs. of salmon; and 150 racks of lamb.

Some of the featured dishes include: "Jockeying for Position" ― Lemon Pepper Dusted Lobster Tails with Caramelized Apples, Morel Mushrooms, Licorice Froth and Caviar; "The Home Stretch" ― Trifecta of Lamb including Lamb Rack, Lamb Sausage, and Truffle Goat Cheese Lasagna with Crispy Sweetbreads and Deconstructed Heirloom Tomato Sauce; and "Spoon, Cup & Saucer"― Praline Crhme Brulee, Frozen Bourbon Hot & Chocolate Baked Rice Pudding (Full menu included below.)

Chosen as one of "Southern Living's Most Romantic Restaurants," The Oakroom was also the only Kentucky destination to be named to the list of America's 50 Best Hotel Restaurants by Food and Wine Magazine and is the winner of the Wine Spectator's Best of Award of Excellence.

For reservations or more information, call The Seelbach Hilton at (502) 807-DINE, (800) 333-3399 or visit www.seelbachhilton.com.


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The Seelbach Hilton has received a Four-Diamond rating by AAA for 18 consecutive years and a Four-Star rating by Mobil Travel Guide. It is the only Kentucky property in Conde' Nast Traveler's 2002 Gold List and has been featured on the Travel Channel, the Food Network and the History Channel. The Oakroom, which has maintained its hold as Kentucky's first and only AAA Five-Diamond restaurant for the past six years, was inducted into the Fine Dining Hall of Fame by Nation's Restaurant News.




KENTUCKY DERBY MENU

THE OAKROOM
SEELBACH HOTEL
LOUISVILLE, KY
FRIDAY & SATURDAY


"AND WERE OFF"
AMUSE

"JOCKEYING FOR POSITION"
LEMON PEPPER DUSTED LOBSTER TAIL
CARAMELIZED APPLES, MOREL MUSHROOMS, LICORICE FROTH,
CAVIAR

"COMING AROUND THE FIRST TURN"
BOURBON WOOD SMOKED SALMON CARPACCIO
CUCUMBER SAUCE, LIMESTONE LETTUCE, MEYER LEMON VINAIGRETTE

"HALF MILE MARK"
ASIAN STYLE DUCK
SWEET & SOUR KUMQUATS,
BBQ UNAGI STICKY RICE, CURRIED CAULIFLOWER PUREE

"UP BY TWO LENGTHS"
FLOUNDER
BURGOO OF VEAL POT ROAST, OKRA & CHICK PEAS
PRESERVED GREEN TOMATO

"THE HOME STRETCH"
TRIFECTA OF LAMB
LAMB RACK, LAMB SAUSAGE,
TRUFFLE GOAT CHEESE LASAGNA, CRISPY SWEETBREADS
DECONSTRUCTED HEIRLOOM TOMATO SAUCE
~OR~
TENDERLOIN OF KOBE BEEF
BLUE CHEESE STUFFED ONION,