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

Jake’s Burgers & Beer – Dallas, TX

I have been to Dallas, Texas many, many times. Usually when I visit, I am looking for some authentic Tex-Mex or BBQ. This visit I was wanting a nice juicy burger. So that is why I visited Jake’s Burgers and Beer, voted best burger in Dallas/Ft. Worth.

Since I was there on a Sunday, I started off by ordering a mimosa. It is not the best pairing with a burger, but I still enjoyed it.

There were a few starters that were shred around the table.  The Hot Hatch Cheddar Tots was a great sharable. They covered crunchy tater tots with Hot Hatch chilis and then melted a ton of cheddar cheese. The cheese was creamy and crispy from the oven. The chilis were not that spicy and gave great flavor with the mild heat they did give off. There was a slight sweetness to them as well that was off set by the sharp flavor from the cheddar cheese.

Another starter that the entire table agreed we had to try was the Kickin’ Chicken Fried Bacon. We could not wait to try this unique item. With all my travels, I have never seen anything even remotely similar.

This was center cut slices of bacon that were battered and deep fried to a golden brown. The bacon was so crispy not just on the outside but the bacon itself was crispy underneath all that batter. They served a side of maple syrup and gravy for dipping.

The gravy was that white country gravy that normally comes with chicken fried steak/chicken. It had a peppery taste that complemented the outside batter. The maple syrup, which was my favorite, complemented the bacon. Tis was a unique item and very delicious. I am glad I had other people to help me eat this because I would have felt so guilty eating all of this by myself.

The main reason I came to Jake’s was because I wanted a burger. I ordered the Double Cheeseburger. This juicy, double patty was a perfect medium and served on a poppy seed bun. I got American cheese on top, which is my favorite cheese on a burger. It was also loaded down with onion, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mustard.

I took the onion off halfway through eating the burger because it was just too strong in flavor for me. The pickle was my favorite condiment. The dill flavor went perfectly with the grilled flavor of the beef patty. The poppy seed bun helped make this the best burger. The poppy seed did not add a ton of extra flavor but there was a nuttiness that really worked with the burger as a whole. I was afraid that a double patty would be too big, but it was the perfect amount.

I loved the unique menu items that Jake’s Burgers offered. I can also see why they were voted best burger. Jake’s is a must visit when visiting Dallas/Ft. Worth. They have several locations now, so check out their website at www.jakesburgersandbeer.com

Enjoy!

T

Hole in One Donuts – Lakeland, FL

I love freshly made donuts. There is something special about biting into a warm don’t and having it just melt in your mouth. These are the types of donuts that Hole in One Donuts makes daily. They open super early each day, before the sun even rises. They do close early in the afternoon, so it is important to get there early so they do not run out.

I got there a few hours after they opened. They will had a decent amount of donuts to choose from. Plus, they had a few other items too.

I tired one of their sausage rolls. These are very similar to kolaches that I get in Texas. Their yeast roll was so sweet. The sausage on the inside was not spicy but had a great flavor from the seasoning. The saltiness from the sausage complemented the sweetness from the roll.

Now the reason I came to Hole in One Donuts was for donuts. I did get a classic glaze. It was larger in size than what you would get from one of those national chains. There was a nice amount of sweet glaze on the donut. When I took a bite, I noticed right away how soft and gooey the dough was. The glaze did not crack and fall off as I continued eating the donut. It stayed attached to the dough. It showed just how well this donut was made.

The second donut I got was the éclair. I shred this one because it was so big. The soft donut was topped with a sweet, creamy chocolate icing. It was a nice, thick layer of icing. On the inside was a creamy vanilla pudding. There was a generous amount that was piped through the entire éclair. Every bite had the perfect ratio of dough, filling, and icing.

The donuts were amazing. The sausage roll was a great, warm breakfast item. I cannot wait to go back and get a dozen of each.

Check them out of Facebook at www.facebook.com/holeinonelakeland

Enjoy!

T