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