My first visit to DeVassa began with an uncomfortable conversation with my mom. I had told her we were going to a tapas bar for dinner. She heard “topless bar” and some awkward silence over the phone ensued. This is apparently a common misunderstanding when telling people you are going to Victorian Square for a tasty and unique to Lexington meal.

DeVassa features Brazilian inspired tapas that go from one bite morsels up to near entrée sized plates. The food is designed to be had with a group of friends so you can select several and try a little bit of everything. Even better if you can snag a table out on the sidewalk and take in the scenery of Downtown. DeVassa also hosts some live music events, but in full disclosure, we’ve only had the food. Check out their site for a listing of events.

Having been to DeVassa on a few occasions, we haven’t ever had anything we disliked. Maybe a few things we wouldn’t order again, but nothing that was just terrible. The Batana Gratinada (lacking flavor) wasn’t a favorite nor was the Alcaxofra y Camarao (way too much artichoke and every other flavor got smothered).However, we have loved the Empadinhas in every form that we’ve had them. They are just a little different each time, with a different meat or different spice, but always great. We’ve also enjoyed each of the mini Panini we’ve tried. A particular favorite was the Pork Panini with apple butter which has mysteriously disappeared from the menu. We are assuming/hoping that it’s just seasonal. It has gone down in MTBG’s lore as a hallmark of deliciousness.

Also not to be missed are DeVassa’s signature drinks, the Caipirinha. They tout it as “a traditional, Brazilian drink” and we’re not going to argue. We can just say that it’s fruity, refreshing, and if you are sitting outside on a warm day at DeVassa, you have to have one. The Farmer’s Market Caipirnha is the consistent favorite among our group with the Batida de Maracuja coming in a close second. The Premium Hurricane was also sweet and delightful. We might also point out that the drinks seem to have an inconsistent mix of alcohol, so you may get a pretty weak one, but your next might more than make up for it.

We should also offer a few quick words from experience: lots of the dishes feature cheese. Pay attention to what dishes you are ordering and don’t overload yourself on it. We are always fans of cheese in just about any form, but we can now say we have foundered on it. It’s no fault of the restaurant, just our inattention in ordering. Also, we have a few multilingual people in our group and we still can’t pronounce most of the things on the menu. So, we’ve resigned ourselves to just ordering by number and the waiters don’t appear to think less of us.

On the whole, DeVassa is a great option for Downtown dining. Its cuisine is certainly unlike anything you’ll find anywhere else in Lexington and it can be had for fairly cheap. A 3 tapas combo can be had for about $20 and it’s a pretty good deal. The individual tapas run from $3.99 up to $9.99. DeVassa also has salads, sandwiches and Panini for reasonable prices. So, get down to DeVassa for tasty tapas, and let your mom think what she will.

“The Penguin” is a dueling piano bar that is located at 517 West Main Street. The basic premise is you request a song by giving one of the piano players a tip with a slip of paper. Whichever piano player is getting the most tip money is the piano player that takes the lead.

It goes without saying that something like “The Penguin” is needed in Downtown Lexington. Granted, it isn’t going to show off local talent or bring some great indie groups into town and it probably won’t do much to actually push the arts scene forward. However, what it will do is provide something new that will likely get some people Downtown.

We’ve given “The Penguin” two chances and what we’ve learned is that it’s mandatory to get there early and get a table. Our first experience was just wandering in around 11pm (there is a $5 cover) and the place was standing room only. We could barely see the stage and it felt like an inferno. In that experience, we surmised the only thing “The Penguin” could be good for was a “see and be seen” kind of place.

We gave “The Penguin” another go a few weeks later and ended up being much happier. We got there around 8pm and got a table near the stage. When you have a table, you have a waitress which can be helpful if you don’t want to slog through the crowd to get to the bar when the place fills up. However, completely by chance, we went upstairs when we first arrived and chatted with the bartender. That ended up being pretty beneficial. She didn’t get as many customers throughout the night and it ended up being worth the trip upstairs to get quick service and a friendly chat.

As far as the actual dueling pianos, you have to give it to the guys, they are really talented. They seem to know just about every song ever written. They do a pretty good job of involving the crowd and keeping people entertained. In all honesty, these guys are working hard. The only criticism that can be made is that their humor skews pretty juvenile. We’ll admit that sounds pretty snotty, but if you can imagine the potty humor and sex jokes of a middle school boys’ locker room, that’s the humor that permeates both times we’ve been. It just felt a little stale and like they were trying a little too hard.

Overall, “The Penguin” can be a fun experience and it’s certainly a good addition of something different to add to Lexington’s nightlife. But, it probably wouldn’t be an every weekend hang out spot and you certainly want to get there early to get a table. Now, if you are looking to get all dressed up and go find someone to swap phone numbers with, “The Penguin” could certainly prove to be a productive night out.

“The Penguin” is bringing something new to the Downtown scene and it is probably going to get some people Downtown that may not go there otherwise. Also, you could certainly spend an entire night out there. However, drinks aren’t as cheap as you can find them other places Downtown and you have to put up with the juvenile humor of the performers that gets old pretty fast.