dinner review: tuscarora mill;
A few weekends ago, T and I made a long (45+min) trip out to Leesburg. I wanted to get my 2017 planner (yes, I realize I’m still about 3 months early, but I already have things I need to write down for next year) and I can order it online, but I can save a few bucks by picking it up in store, plus it comes with instant gratification. It’s an Emily Ley simplified planner and super expensive planner in the grand scheme of things, but as I use it almost every day and it makes me significantly less stressed in my life. So for me personally, it’s worth it. Okay I’ll stop rambling about planners now because I realize I’m weird and find organizing fun which most people do not. ^-^ But that’s the backstory to why we were all the way out in leesburg!
So we decided that since we were out there, we should find a fun fancy restaurant and try something new! So T set up a reservation at the nearby Tuscarora Mill, which turned out to be a wonderful decision! The lighting, as you can tell is more of that “mood lighting” style, so please excuse the darkness in the photos.
We started off the meal with some wine and beer, me a new zealand sauvignon blanc and T with a tripel. Both yummy. They started us off with bread that was delightfully soft and give you olive oil and pepper for dipping. The chef also gives you “complimentary tastes” of something from the kitchen, for us it was a crostata topped with tomato, brie, and a dollop of pesto. It was yummy and fancy, but nothing over the top special.
We ordered the crab and artichoke dip as an appetizer, which had a light kick of heat to it, and was served with old bay spiced flatbreads and more toasted bread. Was rich and creamy, and had only one or two flatbreads left after the dish which I appreciate–I feel like typically you eat all the dip, and then still have half the bread left and none of that yummy deliciousness to go with it!
As for entrees, they offer “medium plates” and “main courses”, which when I asked the waitress, the medium plates are still filling, but supposed to be slightly smaller portion sizes. But since we were living it up, T and I skipped those and went straight for the goodness: Duck and Waffles (him), and the Harris Ranch Filet Mignon. The Duck and waffles was a suprising twist on your chicken and waffles, and definitely elevated from the typical grease and carbs (delicious grease and carbs, mind you) that is fried chicken and waffles. My filet was done to perfection, and T even commented that he was surprised I was eating it since it had that red raw center, to which I replied, true but it was warm all the way through. I think that really made the difference for me, since it was warm, and you really got that “melt like butter” in your mouth thing.
Overall, a solid 4 out of 5 chips (read: stars)! Both of us mentioned before the meal was over that we’d like to come back, and we joked with our lovely waitress about how we really needed to come back and work our way through the menu. Although we did pass a pizza place just next door that smelled amazing that I also want to try! So might have to make an excuse to wander out toward Leesburg again!
Tuscarora Mill
Tuscarora Mill Website
203 Harrison Street
Leesburg, VA 20175
