By Lisa Schilling
Louisville is known for its abundant selection of distinctive cuisine and beverage joints. Hillbilly Tea, located at the intersection of First Street and Main Street, near the new KFC Yum! Center, is no exception. I am not a coffee drinker, so in a city littered with coffee houses, I was pleased to hear Louisville has another tearoom to add to the list of a half dozen or so. Hillbilly Tea is also a nice alternative to other eating establishments near the downtown arena.
My friend and I loved the ambiance as soon as we entered Hillbilly Tea. The dim lights hanging from the high ceiling softened the brick walls with a warm glow. Despite a full house, the noise level was remarkably minimal. All of this, along with the classic blues music, provided a relaxing and pleasant atmosphere.
Charming touches were numerous throughout. Unfortunately, the Appalachia hillbilly branding that is portrayed is not convincing. The decor was more of a southern plantation theme than hillbilly. I expected banjos, fiddles, overalls, bandanas and quilts, but got china teacups, mismatched fine silverware, and little glass vases filled with dried herbs. However, a smidgen of Appalachian cuisine scattered about the menu compensated the claim, with braised greens, chow-chow, succotash and corn pone.
The sparse and unusual dinner menu selections surprised us. After much deliberation, I decided on the Billybox Buffalo Billy Burger, the only sandwich offered for dinner. My friend ordered the corn-fried tofu and the sorrel and potato soup.
The tea selections equally troubled us. I wanted a nice refreshing glass of strong southern brewed iced tea – the kind one would expect from a so-called hillbilly restaurant. The teas were an eclectic mix of black, green and rare hot teas, with few iced tea offerings. I ended up with a weak herbal tea. It was a bad sign that I could see straight through the jar. My friend, however, ordered the hot berry black tea. The flavor was splendid and the aroma made us forget any displeasure thus far.
Eventually, the server placed a wooden crate in front of me with my bison burger, sweet potato chips and chow-chow relish. The burger itself was a little small. It came served on a biscuit, which I thought was a great idea until I took the first bite and it crumbled into a million pieces. I ate the rest with a fork. The relish was a perfect blend of tangy and sweet. And the sweet potato chips were dipped in the house barbecue sauce.
My friend’s tasty sorrel and potato soup was served in a single-serving, stoneware-lidded dish. I thought the fried tofu tasted like a wet sponge breaded in cornmeal, but she thought it tasted like chicken nuggets and was pleased with her choice.
Our dining experience ended on a somewhat sour note, with a disappointing chocolate layer cake. It was extremely dry and had very little flavor. My friend ordered the cinnamon pumpkin bar. It was good, but we thought it needed more pumpkin filling. The cow patty looked interesting enough to try on another visit.
Lunch menu prices are reasonable. Everything on the menu is $5 to $8. Beverages are a bit pricey, ranging from $3.25 to $4.25, but comparably priced with other cafe houses. The restaurant also serves breakfast, with as many unique items as lunch and dinner. Breakfast is the only time of day that coffee is available.
Overall, we really enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere. Those looking for a cheap meal should go for lunch, not for breakfast or dinner.
