return to Dining > Restaurant Reviews

May 2011  |  By Julie Chernoff  |  Comments

Townhouse: Taking Up Residence in Deerfield

Rising from the figurative ashes of the late Red Star Tavern is Townhouse Kitchen & Bar, another concept from the same parent company.

But don’t be distracted or dissuaded by that, because Townhouse is a much better restaurant than its predecessor.

A lunchtime visit is a little jarring because the room is so dark; the windows that would face out onto Deerfield Road are treated as wall rather than glass. We found that the lodge-like wood paneling, comfy booths and attentive service lightened the feeling.

Unlike many multiple restaurants (there’s a Townhouse in downtown Chicago, and another in California), the menu is not cookie cutter. Though they share a few dishes, there are many that are particular to this location. It’s definitely one of those menus where choosing is difficult – it all sounds promising.

Deviled Eggs ($6) were a bit of a let down. Lots of bells and whistles (smoked honey bacon bits, Creole mustard aioli, sriracha sauce), but the yolk – the true heart of the dish – was dry in texture and much too dense.  A little more mayonnaise would have helped.

Couldn’t find fault with the Free-Range Chicken Crisps ($8), accompanied by Red Rooster Buffalo sauce, aerated J. Hill bleu cheese, and carrot-celery “barigoule” (here, cooked, marinated veggies). The chicken was terrific, full of moist flavor, lightly battered and not at all oily. The whipped bleu cheese sauce was a successful riff on an old fave.

Our Seared Shrimp Tacos ($5 each) provided some lively textural contrast with the crunchy napa cabbage, smooth tequila-lime cream, slightly spicy shrimp and the cool, chunky avocado-pineapple salsa (billed as mango on the menu, a different fruit showed up in the dish; truth be told, I would have preferred the mango).

We split the huge full Chop Chop salad (half $7/full $11), mixed greens laden with “apple bacon” (I assume they mean applewood-smoked), chopped roasted beets, tomatoes, hearts of palm, chickpeas, corn, cucumbers and more, all tossed in a light herb vinaigrette. So fresh tasting.

It is not hyperbole when I say that Townhouse produced an Asian Turkey Burger ($10) that was the best I’ve ever had of any turkey nationality! Perfectly cooked, still moist, filled with the flavors of Vietnamese pho spices, smeared with Teriyaki Aioli, and topped with crunchy Napa slaw piled high on a Honey Whole Wheat Kaiser roll. Yowza. I’ll go back for that one again and again. It’s just loaded with umami.

The sandwich menu was especially well chosen, with lots of interesting twists on old standards. The Ducktrap Vodka and Pepper-Cured Salmon ($14) with tomato, cucumber, smoked bacon, dill cream cheese and lemon chive aioli (whew!) on multi-grain bread was a messy handful, but well worth the effort. Sandwiches come with a cone of serious French fries, not to be trifled with.

Our Anglophile friend relished the Bell’s Beer-Battered Fish & Chips ($14), flash fried and oh so tasty. It was really an excuse to slather on the delicious lemon-caper aioli (full disclosure: we were also eating the teriyaki aioli with a spoon and on the French fries. I’m not proud.)

Mixed reviews on the “Baked” (my quotation marks, not theirs) Mac & Cheese ($11) with tomato fennel chutney and white truffle breadcrumbs. First of all, there was nothing baked about it. These were noodles in a tasty cheese sauce, and there was no hint of truffle in the breadcrumbs. Not that that’s a bad thing, because really, don’t you feel like truffle oil has become the most overused flavor going? Some places bathe the food in it. I’m just saying. But I do believe in truth in advertising.

Dessert? Maybe just a wafer-thin piece… we shared a bowl (read: vat) of the Banana-Nutella Bread Pudding ($8), which was too big (you heard me) for four of us to finish. Nice subtle flavors, but a bit too firm. I like my bread pudding a little more custardy, you know?

On our way out, the manager was handing out free drink cards to celebrate the first few weeks in business, and to encourage our return. But as long as they keep that turkey burger on the menu, you know I’ll be back.

Townhouse
Deerfield