Out to Eat: Tousey House Tavern
originally ran August 5, 2008 in CiN Weekly (link)
Burlington is a small town with a lot of history. In the heart of this town is the Tousey House Tavern, whose owners
respect that history. They've had previous success with the Greyhound Tavern in Fort Mitchell and use the same formula
for success in their newly opened venture.
From the spacious outdoor patio to dining rooms immaculately decorated with Colonial details, the restaurant takes you
back to the early nineteenth century, when Erastus Tousey built the house. But the cuisine and modern details - such as the
flat-screen TV in the bar - keep the Tousey House dining experience totally of this century. You'll get a warm reception
here, with Southern-style hospitality and comfort food with creative twists.
COZY AND PRIVATE
Recently, my girlfriend and I had dinner at the Tousey House Tavern on a Saturday night. After confirming our
reservation, we were led to a window seat on the second floor in what I imagine was a converted bedroom. The advantage
of eating in a former house is that the dining areas are separated by hallways and split into rooms, which gives each space a
cozy feeling and gives you a little more privacy.
We started things off with a couple of white wines - she tried the Dry Creek Fume Blanc ($6), while I opted for the
Chateau Ste. Michelle Sauvignon Blanc ($6.50). We decided to live large and ordered the lobster and corn fritters ($9.25)
for our appetizer. Fortunately the fritters were light, crispy and not too filling. The spicy remoulade sauce on the side
provided a nice punch to the mild fritters.
THE MAIN COURSE
When it came time to order entrees, we both had difficulty making our final picks. My girlfriend settled on the glazed pork
chop ($21.50), which was decked out with an ancho-raspberry glaze, homemade mashed potatoes and Boone County crispy
tobacco onions (a nod to the locals). It looked fantastic. The taste matched: crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, while
the glaze added a spicy sweetness.
I knew we'd be in for a big meal, so I took a chance on the lighter Tousey's pasta ($16.95), a linguini tossed with tomatoes,
garlic, shrimp and grilled asparagus. My strategy of "like the ingredients/love the dish" worked: The perfect combination
of flavors was topped with Parmesan cheese. Delicious.
OLDE AND NEW
Although we were stuffed, we still decided to split a dessert. We passed on the fruit pie and instead opted for the French
silk pie ($4.25), which I felt would better complement our coffee. The pie was good, but there was a slight case of
orderer's regret as we wondered what the fruit pie might've been like.
Four courses and two hours later, we left satisfied. I decided that despite the restaurant's historic atmosphere, our dining
experience at the Tousey House Tavern had a distinctly modern flair. Which is good - if you really need shepherd's pie,
period costumes and a guy dressed up as Ben Franklin, you could always take a trip to colonial Williamsburg.