Chapeze House, Bardstown

The Chapeze House was such a lucky find! Entering through the living room, we were invited into the tiny bar area by Margaret Sue, our hostess and chef for the evening, who told us "The Colonel" would be with us shortly. The Colonel, aka Michael Masters, welcomed us shortly, gave us a brief education on bourbon and offered a selection of various tasting options. We chose to share a tasting of 5 local bourbons ($30). As he loving poured our selections, Margaret Sue brought out a small platter of crackers and Benedictine, a light, refreshing cream cheese and cucumber spread that proved to be a perfect palate cleanser. Michael escorted us to the intimate, elegant dining room and informed us we were their only dinner guests that evening. While a couple of other small groups came in for bourbon tastings, we were indeed the only dinner guests. And what a delicious dinner it was! We were treated to crispy fresh slaw, perfectly cooked corn, and perhaps the best pork chop we had ever tasted (dinner was prix fixe - $35.00 each). The green beans, cooked with a ham hock, were the best I've had since my North Carolina grandmother last made them more than 25 years ago. Our meal was accompanied by Michael's to-die-for mint juleps and followed by a yummy dessert of tiny creme puffs topped with chocolate sauce. We had only two teeny-tiny complaints - really more like suggestions: 1) While the table cloths were linen, the napkins were paper - and cheap paper, at that. And 2) The music was a selection of miscellaneous classical "top hits." Attention to the details would add to the already elegant hospitality The Chapeze House delivers. Our dinner with Margaret Sue and The Colonel was the highlight of a wonderful trip to Bardstown.