Downtown Chattanooga Archives - Page 20 of 21

Urban Stack Burger Lounge-November 18, 2011

November 24, 2011

Last Saturday, Philip and I had several options that we were considering for our Saturday blog post restaurant outing. We’ve not been eating out much lately, and in fact have decided to focus on the blog when we go out to eat, which means that our eating out needs to center around local restaurants. I was craving a burger, so when Philip suggested Urban Stack, I was game. I had heard mixed reviews about Urban Stack, which is owned by the same proprietors that own Taco Mamacita. I hadn’t actually heard anyone say that it was bad, but I had heard reviews from great to okay. So….we headed downtown.

When we headed into Urban Stack, we were greeted by a very friendly hostess and seated immediately (we got there just in time, because by the time we got our food there were people waiting outside). We immediately noticed the cool, dark wood and interesting decor. The atmosphere in this eatery is great…so I was sold there. I was also sold by the poster hanging right above our table that explained Urban Stack’s commitment to local foods, which, if you have read my blog for long, you know is very important to me:

Urban Stack takes pride in our community and region. We work with local farmers and vendors for the absolute best quality of meats and ingredients available. We have specifically chosen a wide variety of meats that are either all-natural, organic, grass fed, free-range or from sustainable and humane farms. We are committed to freshness, quality and homemade goods. We would like to thank our local vendors and friends: Benton’s Family Farm, Clumpie’s Ice Cream, Niedlov’s Breadworks, Sequatchie Cove, Sweetwater Valley Farm, and Springer Mountain Farm.

Urban Stack is the home of “killer burgers and manly drinks.” I don’t know about the drinks….although they did have quite a lengthy beer, wince, and drink menu. Of course, I had water. I was hoping that the killer burger part was true, of course. As you might expect the burger selection was massive-20 in all, including two turkey burgers, a mushroom burger, a veggie burger, and a lamb burger. The standard burger is 100% Angus, but you can substitute a chicken breast for $2.00 or Wagyu (from the same type of cattle that brings us Japanese Kobe beef) for $3.00 (although a couple of the burgers include Wagyu). Burgers are served on a Niedlov’s bun made especially for Urban Stack, which can be subbed with a whole wheat Niedlov’s bun or a lettuce wrap (which makes me ask-why? Didn’t the low-carb craze end about 5 years ago? Give me my carbs!!!! But I digress.).

I toyed with the idea of ordering the gourmet bacon cheeseburger: American Kobe-style Wagyu beef, bacon-onion compote, lettuce, and gruyere-blue cheese sauce. Ultimately, though, I decided I wanted a basic, classic burger for my first try. I figured that would make it easier for me to compare the Urban Stack burger to other burgers that I’ve had. I decided on the basic Bacon Cheeseburger: Benton’s bacon, Tillamook cheddar, chipotle ketchup, house sauce, balsamic onions, tomato, and lettuce. Philip decided on the Farm Burger: 100% grassfed beef, sun-dried tomato relish, Sequatchie Cove Cumberland cheese, celery mayo and lettuce. The server asked us if we wanted “pink or no pink”; of course, we both ordered pink (don’t lecture me about e coli! I’m a healthy adult. I’ll take my risks.). He ordered house-cut fries, and I ordered onion rings.

The food came out within 10 or 15 minutes and looked fantastic. Each burger had a small condiment cup with housemade pickles (I am assuming that these were refrigerator pickles-they were still very fresh-tasting and not super vinegary. They were slightly spicy and the red pepper flakes were visible). We bit into our burgers….and they tasted fantastic too. The pink was slight but not pervasive-I don’t like to feel like I’m eating raw ground beef. The thick-cut Benton’s bacon was fantastic, and the balsamic onions added a hint of sweetness. The onion rings were very large and not greasy. Philip also loved his burger. We’re big grass-fed beef fans, and if you’ve ever had it, you know that there is a definite difference in the flavor from grain-fed. Philip could definitely taste the “grass-fed” flavor in his burger. The hand-cut, skin-on fries were hot and very crispy and delicious. I think, though, that our favorite item at Urban Stack was the chipotle ketchup. If you aren’t a chipotle fan, you won’t like it…but if you like chipotle, you will love it. We definitely did.

Bacon Cheeseburger: 100% Angus Beef burger with Benton's Bacon, Tillamook Cheddar, House Sauce, Chipotle Ketchup, Lettuce, Tomato, and Balsamic Onions, with a Side of Onion Rings

The Farm Burger: 100% grassfed beef, sun-dried tomato relish, Sequatchie Cove Cumberland cheese, celery mayo and lettuce, with a side of housecut fries

As I neared the last third of my burger, I informed Philip that I was going to finish it. That was saying a lot, because it was huge….but I was feeling it, and I did. I can pack away a lot of food when I’m hungry. When I was done, though, I was definitely done, and dessert was the last thing on my mind. I didn’t even notice the “five-dollar shakes” section on the menu, featuring shakes made with Clumpies ice cream. Five dollars is a bit steep for a shake anyway, though, at least for someone who rarely bothers with dessert in restaurants…which leads me to my one complaint about Urban Stack. Their menu does not say that a side is included with the burgers, so I was wondering if sides were a la carte….and when our server asked me if I wanted a side, that confirmed it. The burgers appear to be priced the same as what you might order in a casual dining chain (mostly $7-$8 range), but remember that this does not include a side, which will run you anywhere from $2.50 (fries or rings) to $5.00 (steakhouse sides like mac & cheese or creamed spinach). Now, I don’t have a problem with the cost…..but I would venture to guess that most people don’t even give a second thought to the concept that fries aren’t included, so they are probably a little shocked to get their bill. I found that a bit misleading.

That, however, was my only problem…so when you go, just be aware of that! I’ll admit, Urban Stack was not my favorite burger-that honor still belongs to The Terminal-but it was definitely a runner-up. I can’t wait to go back and order the aforementioned Gourmet Bacon Cheeseburger, or maybe the Good Day Sunshine, which includes a fried egg (!). Oh yeah, the menu also includes salads….but it’s a burger joint, so I won’t be ordering those anytime soon.

Try Urban Stack! They are located at 12 W. 13th Street, Chattanooga, TN 37402. Their hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday. You can call them at 423-475-5350, or check them out online http://urbanstack.com or on Facebook or Twitter .

Good Dog-November 12, 2011

November 13, 2011

Let me tell you about me and hot dogs. We have a sullied past relationship. I have hated hot dogs since I was a very small child. I married a man, however, who thinks that hot dogs are just fabulous. He looks forward to my nephews’ birthday parties every year because odds are good that he will get a hot dog, which, until recently, has been a pretty rare phenomenon for him. About a year and a half ago, though, I decided to give them another try. I went to the store and spent $5.00 on a pack of Applegate Farm all-beef dogs, and Philip grilled mine to death. I topped it with lots of stuff, and I ate it. I decided hot dogs weren’t so bad after all, as long as they were on my terms. No boiled dogs, and no mystery dogs. I’ll gladly spend five bucks on dogs I trust.

Anyway, Philip’s sister gave us an Adventures in Dining coupon book for Christmas last year, and there was a buy one get one free coupon for an entree at Good Dog, a hot dog restaurant on Chattanooga’s North Shore. Good Dog also serves frites-twice fried, hand-cut, skin-on fries, which is one of the foods that I am quite certain will be served in Heaven….so I decided that I wanted to give it a try. We are not too big on downtown just because of the parking situation, but we have recently discovered the parking lot of a business that closes early on a Saturday and does not have restricted parking (i.e. a tow-away policy) for non-patrons parking in their lot during non-business hours. For that, I salute them. So, we decided to head downtown for some hot dogs yesterday, because Philip had been wanting one.

When we walked into Good Dog, we were impressed by the atmosphere. It’s really funky with wooden tables and a really cool facade on the counter. The floors are hardwood and there are interesting hangings on the wall. We were immediately greeted by a very friendly employee who gave us menus and explained them to us. She told us that they use Sequatchie Cove meat for the brats and sausages, which they case in-house. They also offer veggie dogs, and their hot dogs are all beef. You can order your hot dogs or frites (Belgian-style fries) plain, topped according to menu suggestions, or topped with any variety of the toppings and sauces available on the menu. The options are limited. They also serve beer from Chattanooga Brewing Company and house-made cupcakes (on this day they had red velvet, pumpkin, carrot, and devil’s food with peppermint buttercream. All sounded delish to me but we decided to forego the cupcakes….). We took our menus to the table to peruse and ordered at the counter. And both of us forgot about the coupon. Drats! Oh well….we’ll just have to find an excuse to go back before 12/31!

Philip decided on the classic brat: simmered in beer and onions and topped off on the griddle, then served with Bertman’s brown mustard and topped with crisp kraut. Not my thing, but he was pretty excited. I decided on the pimento cheese dog: a hot dog with pimento cheese, frites sauce (I’ll talk about that in a minute), and tomatoes. We also ordered a large cone of frites to share. Since the brats take a little while to cook, they went ahead and brought our frites out to us. We decided not to have them topped, but we each got a small cup of frites sauce, or Remia fritessaus, a Dutch mayo-based sauce; there is also a selection of sauces on each table, including wasabi ketchup, curry ketchup, honey mustard, and regular old Heinz ketchup. I tried them all, but I honestly did not think that the curry ketchup was quite as good as that at The Honest Pint, and I couldn’t really taste the wasabi in the wasabi ketchup (but Philip could). The “fritessaus” was definitely my favorite. The frites were amazing….I just love skin-on fries. They are served in a paper cone that the server sets down in a hole in your table. Fun!

Frites: Belgian-style Fries, Hand-cut, Skin-on, and Twice-fried. WORD.

Finally, the moment of truth came. Honestly, I was scared to death that I was going to hate this hot dog, since it was not grilled to death. I mean, seriously. I char my dogs at home. This was griddled, but not charred. There was not so much pimento cheese that it was overwhelming. The bread was very fresh and soft. I took a bite….and I loved it! It was absolutely delicious. I think I probably could have eaten one without toppings! That’s saying something.

Pimento Cheese Dog: Hot Dog with Frites Sauce (or Fritessaus!), Pimento Cheese, and Chopped Tomatoes

Before Philip bit into his brat, he commented that it smelled terrible. He even told the server it smelled like a dead man’s feet. But when he bit into it, his eyes rolled back into his head and I could tell that the taste did not mirror the smell. He said that it was absolutely fantastic. Kraut doesn’t smell good….but, according to Philip, it tastes good, and so, apparently, did the brat itself. He was a very happy man.

Classic Brat: Bratwurst with Bertman's Brown Mustard and Crisp Kraut

As we were eating, I laughed about the fact that a couple of years ago I never would have imagined myself sitting in a restaurant eating a hot dog. Honestly, I doubt that there are many restaurants around where I would do that now. Good Dog, though, has earned my seal of approval. I will definitely go back, and really look forward to seeing the periodic changes that they make to their menu. And next time, I’ll be ordering one of their beautiful (but not overly-iced!) cupcakes! And maybe some BLT frites. By the way, Good Dog also serves a selection of salads and soups, and in addition to the frites they also had some veggie side specials, including (I think) sweet potatoes and turnip greens. I wasn’t paying too much attention to that part, since I knew I’d be ordering frites!

Good Dog is located at 34 Frazier Avenue, Chattanooga, TN 37405. You can call them at 423-475-6175. They are open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday-Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Check out their website or find them on Facebook or Twitter.

Eat at Good Dog!

River Street Deli-October 20, 2011

October 23, 2011

In my recent post about Tubby’s Real Burgers, I mentioned that I worked at a store named Monkey Business while in college…that’s how I discovered Tubby’s. Another eatery that I learned about while I worked at the Monkey was River Street Deli, which was right under our store. My boss’s husband was the manager, and he and the owner, Bruce, were “real” New Yorkers who started a real New York deli right here in little old Chattanooga. I was too young and stupid about food to know that I should eat there. My main experience was with the free drinks that we got from there every day…but I do recall trying a fantastic dessert called “Snicker bread pudding” (think chocolatey, cakey, caramelly, yummy…..), and I also recall that RSD is the first place where I ever tried a turkey sandwich with cranberry sauce, and, if I remember correctly, cream cheese.

Back in 1999, it sounded like an odd combo….but now it’s one of my favorites.

Fast-forward a few years….I definitely wouldn’t call myself a regular, because I don’t exactly frequent a lot of downtown establishments (due to my whole working 2 miles from my house and all)….but now I know a whole lot more about what constitutes a good deli, and, my friends, Subway ain’t it (not that I never eat Subway). RSD, though, has a great menu, with daily specials and all the classics you’d expect to find on any good deli menu.

A few months back one of my friends posted a pictures on Facebook of a fantastic-looking brisket sandwich and a bowl of cream of spinach soup. I asked her about it, and she told me that it was a River Street special served on Thursday. So, last Thursday, I suggested to Philip that we jaunt on down there and try it out.

The brisket sandwich is described as “Brooklyn-style, with slaw and Russian dressing on a Kaiser roll.” Both of us were practically salivating by the time we got there at 12:30ish, trying to avoid the heavy part of the downtown lunch crowd. Dumb move, it turns out, because they were already sold out of brisket. Frowny face! Bruce offered me a sandwich made in the same style as the brisket sandwich but with their fabulous rare roast beef, and I happily accepted. I also ordered a “mini soup”, because I love spinach soup. Philip decided to try the Tuscan turkey panini, described as “regional flavors and tastes of Italy grilled to perfection on homemade focaccia bread”. He also ordered a mini soup. We both ordered waters; drinks are self-serve. Our food came out within 10 minutes.

While I was disappointed that I didn’t get to try the brisket-and will definitely have to make a trip back on a Thursday (super-early!)-I was very happy with my meal. Let me tell you, this was a 5-napkin sandwich. It was sufficiently drippy with the homemade Russian dressing (which, in case you didn’t know, is similar to a non-chunky Thousand Island, made with mayo and ketchup), and I love, love, love their roast beef (their roast beef sandwich is made with Boursin cheese and is to die for). The soup was even better, and I have to try to figure out how to make it at home. It did not contain cheese, but was buttery and creamy with the perfect amount of spinach-enough to taste, but no so much as to make the soup stringy. It was served with a few very crunchy pieces of baguette to float in the soup. I ate all of the soup and about 2/3 of the sandwich. I probably could have finished the sandwich, but I probably would have needed to be carried out on a stretcher.

Roast Beef Sandwich, "Brooklyn Style", and Cream of Spinach Soup

Philip said something in regard to his panini that I found very surprising. I am fairly certain that I have mentioned it before, but Philip loves brisket. LOVES it. On this day, however, he actually said he was glad that they didn’t have the brisket because he loved his panini so much. Normally, he likes paninis, but finds them to be a little bit greasy due to the oil or butter that they are usually coated with before being pressed. He said that this one was not greasy and did not seem to have any fat added to the outside, which he found to be a definite plus. The sandwich had thick slices of turkey and grilled vegetables (red pepper, onion, zucchini). I should have taken notes, because Philip couldn’t remember if it had cheese or not; if it did, it didn’t make much of an impression on him-but the sandwich itself definitely did.

Tuscan Turkey Panini and Cream of Spinach Soup

Before we left, I introduced myself to Bruce and let him know I would be posting a blog about River Street Deli soon. He told me that they make everything from scratch-a definite plus in my book-and that next time I come on a Thursday I should come early, as the brisket sells out quickly. He also told me about a sandwich with roast beef and garlic aioli he had been experimenting with. Sounds like a winner to me! If you are looking for something fairly quick and absolutely delicious for lunch (or an early dinner) on the North Shore, definitely check out River Street Deli!

River Street Deli is located at 151 River Street, Chattanooga, TN 37405. You can call them at 423-756-3354, or check out their website or Facebook page. River Street Deli is open Monday-Friday, 10:30-4, Saturday, 10:30-5, and Sunday, 11-5. On some Fridays, they offer a reservations-only themed dinner, with seating starting at 6:30; find more details at the website. You can also find their menu here.

Tubby’s Real Burgers-October 15, 2011

October 17, 2011

When I was in college, I had the ultimate sorority girl job at Monkey Business, a cute little shop on Frazier Avenue, on downtown Chattanooga’s North Shore. We sold jewelry, candles, and all sorts of fun, kitschy stuff in a fun atmosphere that closed by 7 p.m. daily (!). It was a dream, and I loved working there….but alas, Monkey Business closed not all that long after I left. What I was left with, though, was the memory of the chicken fingers and fries that Jan, the owner, used to bring us from Tubby’s Real Burgers. Back in the day, Tubby’s was just a little walk-up hamburger stand on Cherokee Boulevard (the less, um, desirable end of Frazier), and I had always assumed that it wasn’t any good. I mean, back then, a great hamburger to me was a quarter-pounder (my, how things change!). But I digress…..

Back to the chicken fingers and honey mustard. Honestly, I don’t really remember that much about the chicken fingers and fries that Jan brought us….I just remember the honey mustard. You see, I am a honey mustard fanatic. When I went to UTC I could frequently be found buying chicken fingers and fries in the University Center just to dip them in the Naturally Fresh honey mustard offered there (I also kept a jar in my fridge). I knew all the places to get the best honey mustard. The honey mustard at Tubby’s was a revelation. Seriously. I am going to venture to say that it was my first experience with homemade honey mustard, and it’s still some of the best I’ve had. Jan had asked for the recipe, but it’s a secret….so we all just had to settle for dipping our Tubby’s chicken fingers in it. Sigh.

Saturday night, Philip and I met some friends at Tubby’s for dinner (I just realized that 3 of my most recent restaurant posts have been with other people-what’s up with us actually being social? Anyway….). For years, I had to beg Philip to go there, but now he loves it, and it was actually his suggestion to go there.

Tubby’s is no longer a walk-up stand, although it is still on Cherokee Blvd., which is a lot nicer now than it was in 1999. They have a 2-room set-up: an indoor dining room and an outdoor, open air dining room where smoking is allowed. The only problem that I have with it at all is that they are sandwiched between two apartment buildings, and I guess the tenants of the apartments use the parking lots. The parking lot was nearly full, and we assumed that there were a ton of people inside….but when we walked in, only a couple of tables were occupied.

Now, I’m not going to make any bones about it. This place is a greasy spoon. Personally, I’m okay with that. They’re not putting on airs, and they don’t need to. They serve typical hamburger stand fare-a few burgers, a few appetizers (fried pickles!), a few other sandwiches (chicken, grilled cheese, etc.), a few dinner plates, fries, onion rings, tots, etc. I, however, did not consult the menu. I wanted a chicken fingers dinner, no ifs, ands, or buts. Philip ordered a 1/2-pound bacon-cheddar burger with everything (lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, mayo, mustard, and ketchup) and tots.

The food took about 10 minutes to come out, which is perfectly acceptable-that way I know that it’s being made when I order it. The guy is grilling the hamburgers about 4 or 5 feet behind the counter, and it’s an actual grill (with flames) and not a flat-top griddle. When they brought out our friends’ food, one of their burgers was wrong: he had ordered just lettuce and onion, and they brought it without lettuce and onion, but quickly fixed it. Ours was just right, so we took our pictures and dug in.

Philip says this is his favorite burger in Chattanooga. It’s just the right amount of greasy with just the right amount of grilled flavor. I tasted it, and it was great. It was definitely huge, and very drippy…just the way I like it. The tots were just regular old tots, out of a bag, I’m sure….but then, what restaurant makes their own tots???? Our friends both enjoyed their burgers too. Tubby’s actually serves a full-pound burger called “The Gut-Buster.” I’m scared.

1/2-pound Bacon Cheddar Burger with Tots

My chicken fingers dinner came with slaw, grilled buttered toast, and skin-on fries. I am not a huge fan of slaw (except on my barbecue sandwiches at Rib & Loin), so I only took a bite or two. It tasted fine….but I just wasn’t interested. I don’t know if Tubby’s chicken fingers are homemade. They aren’t outstanding, but they’re pretty good. The fries, though…..the fries. I love skin-on fries (well, I love fries, period, but skin-on are my favorite), and I love to dip my fries in honey mustard. I think what I’ll do from now on is order a burger then order fries and honey mustard (hopefully they allow that!). The outside of the fries is very crispy, and the inside is very soft and fluffy. That’s a perfect fry, my friends.

Chicken Fingers Dinner: 4 chicken fingers, skin-on fries, slaw, toast, and honey mustard.

So, if you are a fan of yummy greasy spoon fare, don’t let Tubby’s Real Burgers pass you by. Get a burger and fries (and honey mustard!). You won’t regret it!

Tubby’s Real Burgers is located at 710 Cherokee Boulevard, Chattanooga, TN 37405. You can call them at 423-265-0069. At this time, they don’t have a website or a Facebook page. You can view their menu on Urbanspoon.

The Terminal BrewHouse-August 20, 2011

August 21, 2011

So….Wednesday was my birthday. Alas, we went out to dinner on Tuesday night because we were short on time and I was craving queso….so on Wednesday I forced myself to use up the eggplants I bought at the farmers market to make eggplant parmesan. Anyway this has been a stressful couple of weeks (school started on the 10th, and the first month of school is always the most stressful!) and I was definitely getting a decent meal out somewhere, although until last night I wasn’t sure where. When I got home from work yesterday, though, Philip showed me a picture of the pimento cheese fritters that he had tried while eating lunch with friends at The Honest Pint. If you’ll remember my Honest Pint post, I mentioned that The Terminal and The Pint are owned by the same people….so that made me start thinking about the terminal, and my mind was made up. Lunch today would be had there.

We’ve been to The Terminal a lot, and we’ve never been disappointed (well, except for the time that we tried to go there with a group of four friends on a Saturday night and couldn’t get seated for an hour…so we had to go elsewhere. That was disappointing). The Terminal BrewHouse is located next to the Chattanooga Choo Choo (THE Terminal) in the Stong (no, there is NOT an R in that word) building, a posh hotel back in the day. It is fully renovated (clearly) with wooden booths and cool tables made from reclaimed pine, a large bar taking center stage downstairs, brick walls, three floors, and a “green roof” where you can sit outside and they often host musical acts.

The Terminal is called a BrewHouse because the are a microbrewery, with six beers brewed on the premises. Their website promises that “the beer you hold in your hand is pulled fresh from the tank,” and also reminds diners that they “do not order more beer, [they] craft more beer,” and therefore some of their beers may be temporarily unavailable. I don’t really drink beer….I don’t really drink alcohol at all….but I have great respect for restaurants that are going out of their way to craft something-anything-from scratch. Great beermaking is a science and an art, and from everyone that I’ve heard from, The Terminal has mastered it.

Since Philip and I started going to The Terminal, I have heard more than one person say, “Isn’t that a bar? I don’t like bar food.” This is not bar food, my friends. This is just good food. The menu is divided into nine sections: beer, appetizers (“Start Me Up”), soup and salad “stylings”, entrees (Market & Main dishes), “outstanding” pizzas, “Galactically Famous BrewHouse Burgers, sandwich shop, sides, and desserts (happy endings). The menu items have funky names, like Mr. Frog’s Super Happy Fun Journey (an appetizer sampler), Navin R. Johnson (a salmon entree), and the FruFru, a grilled chicken, brie, and pear sandwich.

Our server, Jennifer, came to our table within 15.2 seconds and took our drink order, then as she walked back by Philip asked her to bring us an order of FESTO (Feta Basil Pine Nut Olive Oil spread, or Feta Pesto, baked to “gooey perfection” on Niedlov’s bread). The FESTO came out quickly, and we scarfed it down just about as quickly. This stuff is so good. It has the salty briny taste of feta with the nutty bite of pine nuts, all bound together with olive oil, spread on crust bread, baked until the edges are just perfectly crispy, and sprinkled with basil. Oh my. We get this every time we go. I keep thinking that we need to order another appetizer, like Twisted Hummmmmmmus (“Tahini and Garbanzo mixture tweaked out with black bean and roasted red pepper goodness. Served w/ fresh chips and pita bread”) or the BrewHouse Nachos (not on the online menu, these are back by popular demand-slow cooked maple chipotle pot roast, queso, onions, and diced tomatoes on corn chips. I’m thinking that’s more of a meal than an appetizer, and that’s probably how I’ll order it)….but we just can’t ever bring ourselves to not order the FESTO.

Feta Basil Pine Nut Olive Oil Spread: We call it FESTO - Slathered on fresh bread from around the corner and baked to gooey perfection.

It didn’t take me long to decide what I wanted. In fact, I knew what I was going to order before I walked in the door. I gave the menu a quick once-over just in case I changed my mind, but I didn’t. I had been craving a West By God salad for about a month. I couldn’t possibly order anything else. Now, I almost never order salads as my meal in a restaurant. In fact, this is the only one. I’ve never had a salad like this anywhere else (unless you count the copycat that I make at home). The West By God is described in the menu as “Grilled steak and French fries over house greens, candied pecans, tomatoes, onions and bleu cheese. We climbed the mountain and brought down this West Virginia classic (we left the crushing poverty though).” I order it with the Terminal’s housemade Ranch dressing, as recommended by the server the first time I ordered it. I realize that for some, French fries on a salad may seem strange, but don’t knock it till you try it. The combination of grilled steak (it’s shaved before it’s grilled, so it is similar to what you might find on a Philly cheesesteak as opposed to if you grilled it first then sliced it), French fries, and bleu cheese is not to be believed. It’s like a sandwich….on a salad….and the candied pecans are icing on the cake. Of course, I order mine without the onions, because raw onions make me want to cry (and it’s not the automatic eye-watering effect that comes from slicing an onion. I love cooked onions but I HATE raw). The ranch dressing-wow. If you’ve never had ranch dressing that didn’t come from a bottle, I encourage you to try it. Here’s the recipe I use. It’s fresh, herby, and delicious, and it’s the perfect compliment to the wonderful-ness of this salad, which contains delicious bitterness from the mixed greens, grilled spiciness from the steak, warm, salty, crispiness from the hand-cut, skin-on fries, pungent tanginess from the bleu cheese, and sweet toastiness from the pecans. Do you get my point? This salad has so many flavors going on that you might think it would be too much…but it isn’t. It’s a perfect salad. Perfect.

West By God: Grilled steak and French fries over house greens, candied pecans, tomatoes, onions and bleu cheese. We climbed the mountain and brought down this West Virginia classic (we left the crushing poverty though).

Philip took a little bit longer than I did to decide what he was going to order, but not long. He considered the bison burger (which he’s ordered before) and even looked at the Philosopher’s Burger (which is new and not yet on the online menu-ground lamb, seasoned with cinnamon, oregano, shallots, and sea salt, served with feta aioli and candied red onion on a Niedlov’s bun) before settling on a regular beef burger with cheddar cheese and bacon, fully dressed with lettuce, tomato, onion, mustard, and mayo, with hand-cut fries. We always order our burgers here medium. Now, the menu doesn’t point out where the beef comes from, and I didn’t think to ask, but so many of their ingredients are locally sourced that I am going to assume that I can trust their beef. Besides, they have a statement in their menu (I wish I’d written it down!) about the doneness of their burgers. They’ll cook it any way you want it. Medium is the way to go….but then, if you know me, you know I’d rather poke my eye out than eat overcooked beef. Some people are grossed out by pink-ness. I am grossed out by brown-ness, black-ness, charred-ness. What’s the point? But I digress. This burger is just amazing. So far, it’s my favorite burger in town (I love FoodWorks’s burger….but The Terminal has them beaten by a smidge). The handmade Niedlov’s kaiser roll is amazing, the meat is perfect (it’s just the right amount of greasy!)….it’s so fresh, the vegetables are always right. I can’t say enough good things about this burger. It’s also gigantic, so if you order it, prepare to be stuffed because if you’re like me, you won’t be able to leave any on your plate (and you know my rule that I always-almost always, anyway-leave something on my plate).

Galactically Famous BrewHouse Beef Burger: All burgers are ½lb and fully dressed with lettuce, tomato, onions, mustard, and mayo on a Niedlov’s Kaiser. Served with fries or Sweet potato fries.

When we were done, Jennifer tried to tempt us with dessert. Specifically, she tried to tempt us with floats made from Clumpie’s ice cream and beer. Now, that doesn’t sound like my thing, but if you are a beer lover, perhaps it’s yours. People tend to have very strong feelings about mixing/not mixing their beer with things. What does sound tempting, though, is the Brewer’s Wife Stout Bundt Cake. Alas, we were stuffed, and dessert was not to be had. Someday.

If you aren’t in the mood for a burger or salad, I’ve heard great things about (but have yet to try) the pizzas. The stuffed sandwiches are great and made a convert of a friend of mine who for some reason did not like the food on his first visit. The It’s Always Sunny In Philly (cheesesteak) is great, and Philip really liked the Dirty Hippy, a mushroomy vegetarian sandwich.

If you haven’t tried The Terminal BrewHouse, I encourage you to give up your notions of “bad bar food” and give it a try. Tell them Chattavore sent you. The Terminal is located at No.6 14th Street, Chattanooga, TN 37408 (right next door to the Chattanooga Choo Choo). They can be contacted at 423-752-8090. Check out their website and their Facebook page.

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