Burgers and breakdancing: What to know about the new dining option at Tussey Mountain
Snow hasn’t been the only thing drawing visitors to Tussey Mountain this winter. The ski area in Boalsburg recently opened a new dining option that’s attracting visitors with its eclectic menu.
According to director of food and beverage Jennifer Swistock, Tussey Bär and Kitchen is part of a greater effort to capture audiences that have yet to experience Tussey Mountain, expanding entertainment options and broadening the food and beverage presence. As the winter ski season winds down, the restaurant will introduce additional offerings for patrons to enjoy post-hike or bike ride at Rothrock State Forest.
“Beginning in the spring, we’ll have our own culinary garden, which will allow us to provide guests with the freshest possible ingredients,” Swistock said. “We will have outside seating on the back patio at the base of the mountain, in addition to a beer garden offering assorted pizza at the front of the lodge. We want to take advantage of the spectacular views on both sides of the lodge...”
The result will be multiple dining experiences under (and outside) one roof, whether guests want to enjoy fine dining with a view, pizza and cornhole in the beer garden, drinks at the bar or live music stage-side.
The Tussey Bär and Kitchen menu draws inspiration from the staff’s differing culinary backgrounds, for a global fusion mix of light bites, entrees, desserts and Sunday brunch.
Korean, French, Indian, American, Mexican, Italian and Greek influences can all be found on the menu, Swistock said, describing the atmosphere as relaxed and casual.
“Being located on a town mountain in an Austrian-style lodge provides a unique experience for our guests,” she said.
Menu options that Swistock said have proved popular thus far include the Flaming Cheese Skillet, which is pan-fried Greek sheep’s milk cheese that’s flambéed tableside in brandy, in dramatic fashion, and finished with pistachio pesto, lemon and parsley before being served with a French baguette. Other favorites include the house-cut fries with tikka masala, truffle parmesan, gochujang or salt and pepper; the buttermilk fried chicken served with potato cheddar waffles; and the candied pork belly confit sliders on bao buns.
After visitors have taken in the regular menu, though, the dessert and brunch options are not to be missed. Swistock particularly recommends the Grooms Cake for dessert, a chocolate mousse cake filled with Biscoff cookies and topped with chocolate ganache, a berry sauce and whipped cream, and the brunch burger (topped with an over-easy egg, blue cheese, roasted tomato, Hollandaise and bacon) or avocado toast (topped with smashed avocado, beet hummus, roasted tomato, arugula, goat cheese and Hollandaise) for brunch.
However, the food isn’t the only exciting thing the restaurant is serving up this season. Tussey Mountain has enlisted Tussey Bär and Kitchen chef Cameron Beckham to host a series of three, six-week breakdancing courses starting in April, with options for beginner, intermediate and advanced students.
“In 2024, breakdancing will be in the Olympics and I felt like it would be a great move to jump on board and get people involved in it. I’ve decided to partner with Tussey to help better spread the culture, art form and sport of breakdancing to State College,” said Beckham, who’s originally from Philadelphia. “This dance is positive, fun and healthy. Spreading positivity and promoting great health habits is the name of the game.”
Beckham will kick off the offering Thursday, March 16, with a demonstration — complete with a dance crew and DJ — performance during the restaurant’s regular Taco’s ‘N Tunes night, which pairs, of course, a taco menu with live music.
For those interested in the courses, the cost for each six-week session is $280 and participants can attend four classes a week for those six weeks, with multiple time slots available to accommodate differing schedules. Students can sign up on the Tussey Mountain website.
“You don’t need experience to breakdance. The only thing you will need is the desire to learn. Dance experience is a plus. All levels are welcome,” said Beckham.
For those who aren’t quite ready to hit the dance floor just yet, though, they can simply check out the new Tussey Bär and Kitchen Thursday and Friday, 5-10 p.m., Saturday noon-10 p.m. or Sunday 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
