White House Inn
Atmosphere, heartland cooking make you feel more like houseguest than patron
DAVID CLARK | CIN WEEKLY
I-75's Union Centre Boulevard exit continues to grow chain restaurants at an alarming rate. You name it, and Union Centre's got one. Dare I say it's the new Fields Ertel?
But it's a non-chain two miles away that has delivered one of the most favorable dining experiences in the area since before the Union Centre chains arrived. And everything about the White House Inn has a very unchainlike feel (not that there's anything wrong with chains ...).
COMFY AND COZY
Once a farmhouse, the Inn has seven dining rooms, four fireplaces, two outdoor patios, a gazebo, gardens and a loft. The nice thing about the small dining rooms is non-smoking really means non-smoking; it's not like sitting in a "non-smoking section" where the person at the next table is trying to set the Guinness record for cigarettes smoked in an hour. The only downside to being in the small room: It's hard to ignore loud talkers. (Of course, loud talkers can rear their ugly heads at any restaurant.)
My wife, Shannon, and I got started with a Diet Coke ($1.75) and a Newcastle draft ($4.25). The meal includes an impressive variety of fruity libations, but Shannon is pregnant and umbrella drinks aren't really my thing. The list of eight or nine beers on tap includes three of my Top 10.
BRIE, IT'S WHAT'S FOR DINNER
We requested a pair of appetizers: the Baked Brie and Raspberry ($8.50) and the loaded Idaho Spuds ($7.50). The Brie, which is warm and surrounded by a puff pastry with raspberry sauce, is otherworldly. It's not too sharp and it melts in your mouth. I know what you're thinking: "You don't do umbrella drinks, but you'll eat Brie with raspberry sauce?!" Damn straight. And you should too at the White House Inn. It's outstanding. It's accompanied by apple slivers, a bowl of seedless red grapes and a loaf of warm, toasty sourdough. The portion size is just right for two to share (as long as you don't fill up on the entire loaf of bread). The potato skins, with cheese and bacon, are also very good.
We also got indications early on in the meal that our server was really on the ball. I could only get out, "Could we get ...?" when he stepped into the kitchen and reappeared in an instant with more sour cream and chives for the skins. How'd he know?
My sea scallops ($18.50) were large, tender and succulent. There were six or seven of them, and the creamy sauce and tasty mushrooms that accompanied them were perfect complements. Shannon enjoyed her pasta (in alfredo) with vegetables ($15.95) and had enough for leftovers the next day. (The vegetables, by the way, were carrots, cauliflower and broccoli.)
Two side dishes come with your entree. And if you like applesauce, this HAS to be one of your sides. We both ordered it; oddly, mine was served hot and Shannon's was served cold. But both were chunky, mixed with cinnamon and great hot or cold. We also gave the mashed potatoes and gravy and garden salad thumbs up.
MY DESSERT BOX IS EMPTY
Even though we were stuffed, the menu describes the caramel apple pie ($4.50) as "smooth and creamy, swirled with caramel and warmed until gooey." How could we resist? We got a slice and a chocolate mousse ($4.50). Somehow the pie - served á la mode - tasted even better than that description. It's one of the best you'll ever have. The mousse, chilled with whipped cream on top, rivals that of other restaurants that serve mousse. But as long as you like apple pie and caramel, dessert is a no-brainer.
