“Restaurant Review: Bouré”
from The Local Voice #32: Download PDF
Ninth Stop: Bouré
309 N. Lamar Blvd. Oxford, Mississippi
662-234-1968
Liz (the meat eater)
As this column’s self-proclaimed “meat eater,” many of you may be waiting for me to pull up my chair to a big hunk of USDA Prime beef instead of the chicken or fish I’ve been ordering lately. Well, the wait is over, because my recent visit to Bouré found me indulging in a huge 12-ounce slab of beautifully prepared prime rib. Oh, yeah! Granted, I couldn’t finish it all in one sitting (it sure made for some tasty leftovers), especially when it was served with my picks of a cheesy twice-baked potato and perfectly seasoned fire-roasted veggies. It was truly a classic meat lover’s meal.
Did I mention that I saved room for dessert? I wanted to try the Big Otis (homemade ice cream sandwiched between two big oatmeal cookies and topped with chocolate syrup), but sadly, it’s no longer offered. So Tracy and I shared warmed peach cobbler with homemade vanilla ice cream. Oh man, my mouth is watering just thinking about it.
Not the first time I’ve been to Bouré—and certainly not the last—I appreciate that, as one of the more expensive eateries in town, the wait staff always goes above and beyond to make sure your meal is to your liking. Mine always is.
After several meals here, I feel like something of a Bouré veteran. I know which vegetarian choices to avoid (the white bean hummus, mac and cheese, and spinach and artichoke dip have failed to impress in the past) and which are reliably right-on. As for the good, think anything fried: Onion rings, cheese fries, cheese fritters and sweet potato fries are always well-seasoned and can be dunked into one of several dipping sauces—thick ketchup, Bouré’s house dressing, ranch or honey mustard, among others.
On this trip, I ordered the spinach salad (plus sun-dried tomatoes, which the staff was happy to add, and in heaps) and sweet potato fries. I also added a side—chardonnay mushrooms, because the mushroom sandwich on the lunch menu is always tasty—and nothing disappointed (you think it’s difficult to mess up a salad and fries until you have a bad version of either). The mushrooms boasted a piquant blend of spices, and the peach cobbler we had for dessert, while not a standout, was good enough to inspire a second wave of gluttony.
Bouré is not the most exceptional of restaurants, but the select consistently well-made menu options, huge portions and friendly service encourage multiple visits. Add in a groovin’ soundtrack (often blues and soul) and a well-stocked bar, a few more ingredients in the recipe that keeps me coming back.
