Review: New American restaurant is dramatic, elegant, neoclassical revival of old favorite
Practice makes perfect.
From the time they were little ones, this trio of siblings — Sean Tuohy, Kimi Tuohy-Dziubek and Audra Tuohy-Tannenholz — practiced and played restaurant in their grandfather’s Queens, New York, apartment. While their grandfather cooked in the kitchen, the kids were learning through play, setting up tables and chairs in the living room, seating aunts and uncles, and serving dinner as they dreamed of having their own restaurant someday.
Through the years, they have been experimenting, learning and perfecting the craft in others' restaurants.
Fast forward to today, this trio of entrepreneurs, along with Audra’s fiancé, Billy Eggers, have presented to Vero Beach their lovely dream of a restaurant, Tuohy’s Downtown. The sisters speak so proudly of their brother back in the kitchen, Chef Sean, and it’s clear they all love building this dream together.
All things food: Roundups of new restaurants, best restaurants, restaurant reviews and inspections
They have rescued the space of the former Osceola Bistro on 13th Avenue and put it through a neoclassical metamorphosis. The interior design is so simply dramatic and elegant, I felt transported to a far more sophisticated locale as soon as I walked through the door.
The Touhys have retained the lovely fountain and garden in the courtyard patio for dining alfresco. Both indoor and outdoor dining spaces are beautiful, but the quieter option is the patio.
Our debonair waiter, Emileo, capably saw to our every need and made us feel like valued guests.
Everyone seated around us was full of compliments for the food. We heard oohs and aahs over the raw, on the half shell Gulf oysters, the Guinness cottage pie, and the Italian sausage and peppers. Not to be influenced by others, we first shared the amazing filet eggrolls ($15), flash-fried eggrolls stuffed with beef filet tips, Gorgonzola cheese and caramelized onions. They were served with a Bordelaise dipping sauce that was out of this world.
Moving on to a cup of the creamy sweet onion soup ($6), we spooned up the lusciously slow-cooked sweet onions in a rich cream bouillon, topped with shredded cheddar cheese and green onions.
Salad was warm kale, tricolored quinoa, roasted walnuts, golden raisins, red onions, dried cranberries, roasted red bell pepper and Roma tomatoes, tossed in a house-made citrus vinaigrette ($13).
Two hearty grilled slices of meaty and mushroomy meatloaf ($19) were served with mashed potatoes and green beans. Yum! And the crispy, juicy, lightly breaded chicken Milanese ($18) was served over mashed potatoes and under tomatoes and arugula, dressed with Parmesan cheese and balsamic drizzle. This dish earned a double yum!!
A slice of refreshing Key lime pie ($8) finished us off.
Entrees do not include many vegetarian options, but with the delicious meatless soups, flatbreads and salads, I think just about anyone could cobble together a terrific meal at Tuohy’s Downtown.
Tuohy’s Downtown
Cuisine: American
Address: 2045 13th Ave., Vero Beach
Hours: 4-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 4-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; closed Sunday
Phone: 772-213-3842
Alcohol: Full bar
Online: tuohysdowntown.com
Maribeth Renne dines anonymously at the expense of TCPalm. Contact her at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Restaurant review: Tuohy’s Downtown, Vero Beach has New American food
