By Stefanie Gans and Rina Rapuano
Tuscarora Mill
Leesburg | Modern American | $$$
Walk into the restaurant affectionately known as Tuskie’s, and the first thing you’ll notice is a convivial bar scene. Move past the hubbub toward the back, and find a bustling white-tablecloth crowd pleaser that’s just the ticket for multigenerational groups. (Ask for table 20 if you prefer privacy.)
Crab cakes are a perennial favorite—and for good reason since they burst with luscious crabmeat. Corn soup puts the sweetest of the season to work in a buttery broth loaded with veggies and bacon, while a flank steak’s bourbon glaze lends flavor without overpowering the tender meat. Ending with the Key lime tart cupped by a graham-cracker crust or the butterscotch bread pudding is the pro move. Is Tuskie’s in any way boundary-pushing, avant garde or pioneering? No. And we wouldn’t have it any other way. // 203 Harrison St. SE, Leesburg