Category: Tennessee

Soy Bistro – Brentwood, TN

There is a Korean restaurant in Brentwood, TN that is hidden in between a bunch of building. I had driven past Soy Bistro many times without realizing it was there. I wasn’t until I was watching Diners, Drive-ins, And Dives and they featured the restaurant that I realized where they were located.

The next time I visited Brentwood, I made sure to stop by. They had just opened for lunch and there was already a line out the door. Inside it is kind of small, there are not that many tables. Luckily by the time I ordered a table had opened up.

Their menu is on colorful boards as you walk in. Since there was a line, it gave me a chance to look over all the boards. There were so many dishes that sounded good.

The starter that was shared around the table was the Chicken Dumplings. These dumplings were deep fired so the dough puffed up and got crispy. The chicken on the inside was like a ground chicken that was mixed with a variety of spices. I definitely tasted some ginger and lemongrass. It had a refreshing taste. They served a Thai chili dipping sauce that was amazing. It was slightly spicy and full of sweetness. It accented the chicken well by enhancing the flavor of the seasoning. The crispy texture of the dumpling dough allowed me to hold it for dipping in the sauce.

The main dish that was featured on Triple D was the Hot Chicken. This was a Korean dish that paid tribute to the Hot Chicken that Nashville is famous for. The chicken was cooked three different ways, it was steamed, then chargrilled and finished off with a pan sear. It was at this point those Korean spices were added in, coating every piece of chicken. They placed the chicken on top of a house made cole slaw.

The chicken was spicy; the spice flavor was distinctly Korean to me. Korean heat is a long, slow build up that has an impactful punch. It was hotter than some of the hot chicken I have had around town. It was also nice that their chicken was not breaded because it made this dish even more special.

I also ordered the Teriyaki Udon Noodle Bowl. I love Udon noodles. They are a thicker noodle compared to a thin Singapore noodle or a traditional Chinese lo mein noodle. The noodles were cooked Hibachi style with carrots, onions, broccoli, scallions, and edamame.  I could have added chicken to the bowl, but I decided to keep it just the vegetables and noodles.

They served the teriyaki sauce on the side. This was good because it allowed me to customize how salty I wanted to make the dish. Even without the sauce the noodles and vegetables had a smokey taste from the wok it was cooked in. The noodles soaked up the flavor of the teriyaki sauce, which was the perfect blend of sweet and salty.

There was one more dish that was ordered, the Gochujang Chicken. This was a pan seared chicken in a gochujang sauce. Gochujang is a sweet and spicy sauce that is bold and full of umami flavor (umami meaning savory). They put the chicken over rice and then an over-easy egg was placed on top of the chicken.

To me this was the Korean version of the hangover burger because they included an egg. The yoke from the egg added a rich, creaminess to the chicken. The flavor of the gochujang sauce was amazing. It really had a bold, unique taste to it. I did not eat a lot of this dish because someone else had ordered it, but I was grateful I got to try it.

Soy Bistro was amazing. I want to come back to try so many of their other dishes. I did get to see Guy Fieri autograph on the wall before walking out the door. If you want to check out their episode, check it out at

https://m.facebook.com/DDD/videos/hot-chicken-at-soy-bistro-from-ddd/992665847986052/?__so__=permalink&__rv__=related_videos&locale=ne_NP&_rdr

I highly recommend you check them out. They are worth the short drive from Nashville to get to Brentwood. Visit their website at www.soybistro.com

Enjoy!

T

The Pickle Barrel – Chattanooga, TN

There are several great bars and restaurants in downtown Chattanooga. I have tried several of them during my trips there. It was recommended that I check out The Pickle Barrel on my most recent visit. It is a corner building that has a cool look.

There is a spiral staircase that you can climb to get to their roof top seating. The staircase is a little scary when you come down because your eyes play tricks on you.

The views are great from the roof top. You can watch the hustle and bustle on the street or look at the beautiful building architecture.

It was lunchtime so I ordered a couple of things. The Pickle Fries were the first thing that came out. They were not even on the menu. The waiter recommended them. These were thinly sliced pickles that were dipped on a batter and deep fried. They looked like fried green beans when they came out.

The dill flavor of the pickle was amazing, especially in contrast to the sweet batter. There was a nice crunch to the pickles too. A dill dipping sauce came on the side. This added even more dill flavor. These were better than any fried pickle I have ever had.

When The Pickle Barrel was recommended to me, I was told I had to try the chicken wings. So, I made sure I ordered a few. They can be ordered wet or dry. I got them wet with the hot sauce.  I did ask for them extra crispy. They came out perfectly cooked the way I like them. The hot sauce was not hot at first but then the heat creeped up on me. It did make my nose run a little. The meat on the wings was juicy.

I also got one o their Stuffed Spuds. This was an extra-large baked potato that was loaded with chili, cheese, butter, and bacon. The potato came out piping hot. The chili was not spicy but had a great salty taste with lots of meat and beans. The cheese added creaminess and the bacon added crunch. It was a perfect add on topping to the chili. It was a filling potato.

The Pickle Barrel was a fun place to hang out. They have a large assortment of cocktails to choose from for an after-work event. This place is for 21 and older so keep that in mind when making your plans.

Check them out at www.picklebarreltn.com

Enjoy!

T

Gus’s Fried Chicken – Memphis, TN

Years ago, I was visiting Memphis, Tennessee and had some of the best fried chicken at Gus’s. They are a Memphis institution. When I visited recently, I wanted to go back. To my surprise they had a new location. It was a bigger restaurant, and it was packed when I got there.

Their menu is still simple, but there is no reason to complicate it.

I got a 2pc white meal that was a breast and wing. You can pick two sides to go with the chicken. I went for the baked beans and potato salad.

My boyfriend got different sides so I could try those too. He got the fried okra and mac and cheese.

The chicken was exactly how I remembered. It was extra crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. There was so much meat on this chicken breast. The breading was not spicy but had some seasoning to it. It was perfectly cooked fried chicken. The wings were plump and juicy too. They were slightly larger than a typical chicken wing.

The sides were the perfect accompaniment to fried chicken. The baked beans provided a nice sweetness to complement the slight saltiness from the chicken breading. The potato salad was creamy and had a slight tangy taste because of the mustard they put in. The fried okra was soft inside and crunchy on the outside. They were perfect for popping in your mouth. The mac & cheese was my favorite side. It was super creamy and salty from all the cheese they used.

Gus’s Fried Chicken was just as good as I remembered. There might be a wait for the chicken because they are making it fresh but it is totally worth the wait. They have a bunch of locations now, so check out their website at www.gusfriedchicken.com

Enjoy!

T

National Artichoke Heart Day

I love artichokes. I enjoyed the day with some crispy artichokes with melted Manchego cheese, chives, and a Caesar dipping sauce.

Try them at Del Friscos!

www.delfriscosgrille.com

Enjoy!

T

Freiberg’s – Johnson City, TN

Johnson City is one of three cities in Eastern Tennessee know as the Tri-Cities. Their quaint downtown is seeing a resurgence of development with an array of shops, restaurants, and breweries. It is also not far from the campus of East Tennessee State University.

One of the restaurants in the heart of downtown is Freiberg’s. It is an authentic German restaurant making classic dishes from scratch.

When you walk through the doors, it feels like you are transported to a restaurant in Germany.

As soon as we were seated the waitress brought us some homemade fresh bread with a dill butter. This butter was unique. The butter itself was light and creamy, the flavor of the dill was just like a pickle. There was something addicting about the butter. I could not get enough on the bread, especially as it melted on the warm bread.

We started off with an appetizer to share around the table. We ordered the Kartoffelhaut aus Sachsen. This is basically loaded potato skins.

They took potato haves and covered them with a cream cheese and spinach dip, Swiss cheese, and bacon pieces. These are then baked to warm the dip and melt the cheese. These were definitely different from a typical potato skin. The spinach, cream cheese dip worked so well with the potato. The sharp taste of the Swiss cheese accented the dip which had a slight sweetness to it. The bacon added a great crunch to the overall texture. These potato skins are filling so it is good to share them if you are ordering additional dishes.

For my meal I ordered the Chicken Cordon Bleu. They took a chicken breast and filled it with ham and Swiss cheese. Then they hand breaded it. There was not an oily texture, so I think they baked the chicken. Then they melted a little more Swiss cheese on top. The chicken was tender and moist. The have gave it a salty taste and the cheese gave it a creamy texture. The ham and chicken paired perfectly together.

I also got freshly made sauerkraut and Bavarian potato salad. The sauerkraut was warm and tangy. The bite was exactly what you would want from sauerkraut. Having it warm verses cold gave it a comforting feeling.

The potato salad also came out warm, which is typical for this German side dish. It also had a nice tanginess to it because of the vinegar-based dressing that the potatoes were tossed in. They gave such large portions of these sides.

Another dish that was ordered that I got to try was the Cheddar Bratwurst. This homemade sausage was juicy and had amazing flavor from the spices that were infused. The cheddar cheese that was mixed in added a creaminess to the bratwurst. This also came with their homemade sauerkraut.

The Schnitzel Sandwich was also ordered, and I got to try that. This was a pork loin that was breaded and pan fried. They served this on a fresh pretzel roll, along with tomato, onions, mayo, and slices of Muenster cheese. This sandwich was large. The pork was crispy on the outside. That crunchy coating helped lock in the moisture of the pork. It was extremely juicy. The Muenster cheese gave a great creamy texture to the pork.

One of the sides that came with this sandwich was the Bratkartoffeln. These are pan fried potatoes with onion and bacon. The potatoes were nice and crispy. The onions added sweetness, while the bacon accented the starchy potato with a little saltiness. They reminded me of home fries that I get at some breakfast restaurants.

Finding this authentic German restaurant in this small, southern town was fantastic. The food was amazing. I would love o go back during Octoberfest. I sure it is a blast there.

Check them out at www.eatbrats.com

Enjoy!

T

Brentwood Market & Deli – Brentwood, TN

There is a neighborhood market that serves up homemade foods, snacks, and ice cream. Brentwood Market & Deli offers items that are already prepared, or they can be orders hot and fresh. They have picnic tables inside the market that you can sit at and enjoy some food.

I ordered a chili cheese dog. They make a homemade chili that they covered the grilled hotdog with. They sprinkled shredded cheddar cheese on top so that it would melt. There was no way I could pick up this hotdog. It would have been so messy. I ate it with a knife and fork. The chili was not spicy, it was mild and had a generous amount of eat and beans. I would have liked a little more cheese on top since there was so much chili.

I also got to try the Reuban Sandwich. They made the sandwich on Marble Rye that was toasted up on the flat top grill. This allowed for a little crispiness. The corned beef was nice and salty. It was thinly sliced which made it easy to bite in to. The melted Swiss cheese helped calm that saltiness. The sauerkraut added a great sour, tanginess. The Russian dressing (which is basically mayonnaise and ketchup) helped tie it all together with a slight sweetness.

There was a side of tater tots that came with the sandwich. There was nothing fancy about these, just simple tots that were crispy from the fryer.

They make homemade Pork Rinds at the market. They are a popular item. They come plain with a little salt or with spicy seasoning for a little kick. It is so cool to watch them being made. They take the raw pig skin and drop it into hot oil. As the skin starts to cook, it puffs up to create an airy texture. While I was there, I was able to get a fresh made batch. These were still warm when I got the bag. They had a great crunch, and the spicy seasoning added the right amount of heat.

During my visit, they were making some of their homemade ice cream. This is also a popular item with their customers. They offer a variety of flavors, including peach, that is a seasonal flavor.

The one being made was Mint Chocolate Chip. They made this ice cream by hand not with a machine. I was lucky to get to try some of it, even though the cream mixture was not frozen yet.

The mint flavor was strong but not overpowering. There was a richness to it along with a creamy texture. I could only imagine how delicious this would be once it was frozen.

This is a great neighborhood market. It is perfect to pop in for a quick bite to eat or grab something to make at home. Check them out at www.thebrentwoodmarket.com and help support this local business.

Enjoy!

T

Stir – Chattanooga, TN

I was looking for a great place to have brunch in Chattanooga. It was recommended that I check out Stir.

They were very busy when I walked in the door. Luckily, I found seats at the bar.

I was excited to find out that they had $1.00 mimosas. This was clearly a popular item because they kept popping bottles of champagne all morning.

Their brunch menu was interesting. They had classic breakfast items but also some unique dishes. I was excited to try the Breakfast Chicken Piccata. Chicken piccata is one of my favorite Italian dishes so I could not wait to see what the breakfast version was all about.

They cooked the chicken in a white wine beurre blanc sauce with capers. They put the chicken on top of scrambled eggs with spinach and breakfast potatoes.

The beurre blanc sauce soaked into the breading of the chicken cutlet. This made each bite of chicken full of flavor. The only downside is there was not a lot of extra sauce on this plate. The capers gave the chicken a nice bite.

The scrambled eggs also soaked up a little of the sauce, which was great. It made the eggs more interesting. The breakfast potatoes were seasoned nicely but did not have any of the piccata flavor. I ended up eating those with a little ketchup. It would have been better if the potatoes were chopped up into smaller pieces and cooked with onions and peppers.

I also got to try the Baja Omelet. This large omelet was filled with peppers, onions, and a blend of cheeses. On top they sprinkled homemade Pico de Gallo, sliced avocado, charred salsa, and a Mexican crema.

I loved all the flavors that this omelet had going on. The peppers and onions inside the omelet added nice flavor and texture to the eggs. The Pico de Gallo added a great fresh element. The avocado added a creamy texture that really popped in taste when combined with the charred salsa. This was a filling dish. There was really no need for the potatoes that came with it.

Before ending brunch, the bartender suggested we try the Expresso Martini. They used a local roasted espresso bean from Chattz Coffee. The martini has a nice frothy topping, and it was smooth in taste. It did pack a punch of coffee flavor.

If you like coffee this is a must try. It will wake you up.

The food was great at Stir. It looks like their brunch menu may change so I would check out their menu at www.stirchattanooga.com . Get there early because they do get busy.

Enjoy!

T

Flying Squirrel – Chattanooga, TN

Chattanooga is a fun town that keeps growing every year. There is a fun Southern restaurant downtown called Flying Squirrel. They have a unique menu that I felt had an Asian influence in dishes and flavors. There were several items on the menu that came highly recommended.

The Charred Cauliflower were cut into bite size pieces that were breaded in a spicy chili batter and deep fried till crispy. They covered the cauliflower in a sweet ginger cream. The ginger flavor was subtle but helped sooth the heat from the chilis in the batter. They tossed the cauliflower with toasted hazelnuts that added extra crunch. There was also a hint of lime juice and mint. The cauliflower had great flavor and were still tender on the inside after being fried.

The Spicy Miso Brussels Sprouts were amazing. The brussels sprouts were chopped up to make them easier to eat. They were charred up perfectly so there was a nice crispiness to them. They were covered in a glaze made of honey, orange, mint, and a miso-sesame mayo. The earthy flavor from the miso-sesame complemented the bitterness from the brussels sprouts. The honey added a subtle sweetness.

The Karaage was a Japanese fried chicken. They chopped up tender pieces of chicken and tossed with a black garlic molasses, Japanese mayo, and togarashi (a Japanese chili pepper mixture). This dish was the spiciest I tried this evening. The garlic molasses added a great sweetness that complemented the heat of the togarashi. The Japanese mayo was creamier than a typical aioli. It too helped calm the heat with adding some tanginess.

The final item was the House Cut Fries. These were fresh cut fried that were covered in garlic and spicy seasoning. The fries were crispy and slightly sweet. They were not too spicy; however, they used a ton of garlic. All this garlic made the fries so flavorful that no ketchup was needed.

I enjoyed all the dishes I tried at Flying Squirrel. I would love to go back and try several of their other dishes on the menu. They also have a beautiful bar that you can sit at for a nice, crafted cocktail.

Check out their website at www.flyingsquirrelbar.com

Enjoy!

T

Community Pie – Chattanooga, TN

Downtown Chattanooga has really grown and redeveloped over the last several years. They have so many restaurants and bars to choose from. If you are wanting good pizza, then Community Pie is a must visit.

They have many pizza options to choose from, pus you can create your own. All their pizzas are cooked in their wood fire ovens.

During my visit I ordered the Little Italy pizza. This pie included Italian sausage, pepperoni, fresh Ricotta cheese, Calabrian chiles, fresh garlic, basil, and pecorino Romano cheese.

The crust had a great crunch and charr on it because of the fire oven. It added a slight smoky taste. This is the best way to have pizza cooked. The sausage had a fantastic fennel taste to it. The pepperoni was extra crispy because of the oven too. I loved crispy pepperoni. The Ricotta cheese added a creaminess to the pizza; it also helped calm the spiciness that came from the Calabrian chiles. The chilies were smoky and spicy and packed a punch of heat.

This was a delicious pizza. The one thing I wanted to note about their red pizza sauce, it does contain bacon. It adds a great flavor but obviously would not be suitable for Vegans and Vegetarians. They do have other sauce options.

If you are in Chattanooga and get hungry, stop by Community Pie.

Visit their website at www.communitypie.com

Enjoy!

T

Rio de Brazil – Johnson City, TN

If you have never been to a Brazilian steakhouse, you are in for a treat. It is a parade of meats, coming direct to your table. It was exciting to take someone who had never been before. I knew it would be a fun experience at Rio de Brazil in Johnson City, Tennessee.

To start off with, you must understand the color-coded cards that are on the table.

  • GREEN = Yes, I want meat, please come over to the table
  • RED = No, I am full so you can pass by

The next thing to know about Brazilian steakhouses are the salad bars. They are awesome but remember do not fill up on all of that. You must save room for the meat, that’s the main reason to visit. The salad bar had so many options.

I tried some pasta salad, fresh tomato and mozzarella, and a fresh broccoli salad. I figured this would be a light enough starter. The broccoli salad had a nice sweetness to it. They also had shrimp cocktail which is a great way to start with protein. There were creamy mashed potatoes with gravy on the bar too. I knew this would be the perfect side with steak.

The first meat that came to the table was the bacon wrapped chicken. The bacon was crispy on the outside. The bacon fat helped add to the taste of the chicken as it cooked. The chicken was tender and moist. The flavor they marinated the chicken in had a light teriyaki taste. It was really delicious.

The next skewer of meat to come to the table was the bacon wrapped filet. As soon as I cut into the filet, the juices just poured out. The meat was cooked perfectly with a little pink. The seasoning they put on the meat was savory and it made each bite more addicting. The bacon added a little extra salty with a crunch.

The flank steak was thin slices of tender meat. I did not even need a knife to cut it. I ate it so fast I forgot to take a picture.

In between the meats, the waiter brought some bananas to the table. This was like a dessert. The bananas were cooked in cinnamon and sugar. The bananas were soft, and the sugar created a caramelization on top. It was a great cleanser to eat a few bites in between the salty meat.

One of the last meats I tried was the garlic steak. The meat tasted like it was marinated in a garlic butter sauce. The garlic complemented the savory flavor from the meat. Even this cut of meat was tender.

I was starting to develop a meat coma. I was surprised when the waiter came around with a skewered pineapple. The pineapple was coated on the outside with cinnamon and sugar. As it rotated over the flame, the sugar melted and caramelized. It was fantastic on the pineapple. The grill gave it a little different texture. It was really delicious. This is something I might try on the grill at home.

The meat was fantastic at Rio de Brazil. The sides were great too even though I did not try many of them. It is a fun restaurant to go to so you can try a variety of things. It is definitely a place to check out.

Visit their website at www.Riodebrazilsteakhouse.com

Enjoy!

T