Restaurants Archives - Page 14 of 49

Reader Roundup – Restaurant Pet Peeves

February 10, 2016

I asked Chattavore’s Facebook followers to share their biggest restaurant pet peeves. Here’s what they came up with.

Restaurant reviews on Chattavore kind of ebb and flow. I’m going to back off of doing weekly reviews for a month or two, mainly because I want to go back to some old favorites and we don’t want to eat out too often. Plus, it gives me the opportunity to do fun lists. I’ve really enjoyed getting you guys involved.

This week’s list involves my-and your-biggest restaurant pet peeves. Food, atmosphere, service, whatever…nothing is off limits.

I’ll start with mine. My biggest pet peeves are:

When restaurants serve frozen food that is easy to make from scratch. Fried okra is the biggest offender, but biscuits, fried pickles, and burgers are at the top of the list too. I hate getting okra with that thick “jacket” of coating. I usually give a pass for fries, only because SO many restaurants do it, but I really wish they wouldn’t.
Fake butter. I really hate going to a restaurant and being served margarine or, as it is often called, “buttery spread”. This is especially insidious in a Southern cooking restaurant. Several readers echoed this sentiment on Facebook.
Along those same lines…when restaurants serve pancake syrup instead of maple syrup. At the very least, give me an option!
When I walk into a restaurant and it is unclear whether I should seat myself or wait to be seated. I really, really hate this. Put up a sign, people.
When a restaurant is just ridiculously loud, particularly when it is because of the music or atmosphere and not just because there are a lot of diners.

A lot of you hate loud restaurants, apparently, because that definitely topped the list of your grievances. Some of the others:

Stephanie – “When mac and cheese is the vegetable of the day.”
Chris – “One of the worst is so many restaurants having the inability to cook your steak the way you ask.”
Hollie – “I hate it that most kids items are fried, cheesy, potatoey, carby, and unhealthy. So, I usually share a healthier plate with veggies with the kiddo from the regular menu.”
Sande – “Margarine, fake mashed potatoes, fountain sodas that do not taste like the original, substituting or leaving off sides that were listed as part of the dish without even asking me, or leaving out items in a salad (or any dish) that were listed as part of it on the menu, iceberg lettuce, and don’t even try to give me items that are not 100% real dairy.”
April – “I hate it when the only vegetarian option is just all of their side items. That, and bottled dressings.”
Steph – “Soda that doesn’t have enough carbonation and those “freestyle” soda machines that make the soda taste like chemicals, cold fries, bottled salad dressings, packaged lemon juice, wilted lettuce or bad tomatoes on salads or sandwiches.”
Danny – “Restaurants that flood the salad in the dressing. I try to remember to ask for the salad dressing on the side, so I can put the amount on there pleasing to me.”

When it comes to atmosphere and service, you had a lot of thoughts:

Holli – “Too loud you can’t have conversation”. This was a sentiment echoed by a LOT of readers. Loud music was a big complaint.
Chris – “Lack of consistent, thorough customer service. For example…asking/assuming folks at a table need more napkins(than the one the silverware is wrapped with), offering any extra sauces/dips for the food, offering water in addition to whatever drink the person orders, and so on.”
Kristy – “Sweeping/cleaning under the table you are eating at.” (Apparently this actually happens, because several people mentioned it. I cannot imagine.)
Carla – “When the server asks, “Do you need change?” instead of saying, “I’ll be back with your change.”
Melinda – “Terrible lighting either too bright or dim and too loud.”
Rachel – “I think I’m outnumbered here, but I don’t like a quiet restaurant. I don’t want to hear other conversations or utensils clanking. I don’t mind shouting and I like to hear music playing. Also, I want hot food to be served hot not warm. And I hate waiting in line for a table more than just about anything!” I’m with Rachel on waiting for a table. We never go at times that we will have to wait.
Tanya – “Terrible service has obviously been said but untrained service probably would be mine. I get very frustrated with a server unfamiliar with the menu or professional service. Also a restaurant that doesn’t have at least a few gluten free alternatives (or stating what is gluten free on the menu) I get that it’s a lot to ask but it makes a huge difference to someone like me and I can’t tell you how appreciated it is.”
Tiffany – “So many. But one I can’t stand is sitting down at a table that is still sopping wet, and when the server complains about their job.” I was trained to wipe the table with a napkin after cleaning it, and I cannot stand when my server (or cashier, or clerk, or whatever) complains about their job!
Valerie – “Being seated in a noisy crowded area just because you have a child with you (I guess they assume your child is loud too), cold food, waiters/waitresses that don’t provide the things you ask for, when the music is too loud you can’t hear the other person talking, when other customers talk so loud you can join in their conversation.” Several people did mention unruly children as a problem, but we probably shouldn’t make assumptions that every child that walks through the door is going to fit that description!
Rachel – “Getting seated in the “no service zone” where there isn’t a server assigned. So you end up seated for 10 minutes or so and no one even acknowledges your presence or asks what you would like to drink. This happened 3 times in a row at a particular chain place, and I haven’t been back.” This drives me crazy!
Jessie – “Once a waiter made fun of how much I drank (not DRANK, just water or Coke or whatever). That was ridiculous. No judgy waiters. Also waiters who refill your waiter every 20 seconds. I don’t want to be hovered over.” Ohhhh, judge waiter = bad.
Dana – “Food gets dropped off by NOT my server. Never see the server again until the check comes. I’ve gone to the prep station myself to refill my water many times.” I don’t mind if someone else brings the food as long as my server is not suddenly impossible to find. On our wedding night this happened to me and Philip and we actually found the server that did help us and gave her a tip. I guess we looked too young to be good tippers. Servers, NEVER make this assumption!
Carla – “Booths that are connected. Have you ever sat at a booth just to have a kid or someone sit in the one behind you and flop down or won’t be still. The whole time your seat is shaking or feels like someone is punching you in the back.” I have actually had my entire seat move before.
Robin – “Empty glasses or plates left on the table during the meal. I don’t like the tables being cluttered or too small.”
Nathan – “Empty drink glasses and waiting on my check.” Bendy elaborated a little bit – “Having to wait too long for your check. When I’m ready to go I want to go! Then they bring your check….then it takes forever to get your card back. Drives me crazy!!” Philip gets very upset when we have to wait too long on the check.
Sande – “Servers calling me something like Honey, Baby, Sweetheart, Sugar…. And I know people will disagree with this one, but I actually don’t like servers refilling my glass or bringing me a fresh drink when I haven’t asked, especially when I’ve barely touched the drink.” Philip says only servers at Waffle House are allowed to call him pet names.
Brooke – “Strong cleaning sprays being used on the surrounding tables while I’m eating …or vacuuming while I’m eating I’m mean I’m thankful they’re cleaning but cringe at the thought of what particles may be floating into my food?.” And Betsy echoed Brooke’s sentiment – “I know several have said sweeping/vacuuming, but slightly worse is when someone sprays cleaner on a table near you and suddenly instead of your delicious burger you are tasting/inhaling Clorox!!! And there’s no use in saying anything, because it’s already permeated the air and it’s too late.”
Sam – “Having spent a lifetime in the restaurant business, there are too many to count! But my earliest pet peeve is servers who deliver beverages with their hands around the top half of the glasses. This happens a lot!” Gross.
Ashley – “When they don’t give my two year old silverware! Might seem minor, but REALLY bugs me. I never say anything, but I kind of want to!”

What are your biggest restaurant pet peeves?

2 Crazy Greeks

February 5, 2016

2 Crazy Greeks is bringing delicious and casual Greek dining to Hixson!

As we were driving home from our “meh” Chinese dining experience the weekend before last, we drove past 2 Crazy Greeks on Hixson Pike (next to Krystal) and I was all, “Dang! We should have gone there!” I’ve been craving Mediterranean food ravenously for the last couple of weeks for whatever reason. Suddenly, I knew that I had to have Greek food ASAP.

I rarely get office hours in my job but one day last week I had a few glorious hours to work on a PowerPoint for a presentation that I needed to do. Since I was going to be in Hixson, I asked Philip to come eat lunch with me at my office. We never get to eat lunch together, so that was a nice change of pace…and it was also nice to eat lunch at my desk rather than in my car.

Philip called in our order to 2 Crazy Greeks and I stopped by and picked it up. They told him that it would take ten minutes, which was definitely quicker than I expected…but we ordered right when they opened. It’s good to be on the ball. Now…in case you didn’t know, 2 Crazy Greeks is a food stand, not a restaurant…i.e. there’s no seating. There was a lady there placing an order when I arrived but they took my name and quickly got my order for me. The lady who waited on me was very friendly…I paid, took my order, and got to the office.

I like that the menu is small…I always think that when menus are kept small that restaurants can focus on the few items on the menu. I decided on the falafel. In case you aren’t familiar with falafel, it’s fried patties made from chickpeas and herbs. They are served on a pita with lettuce, tomato, and onion (which I promptly removed, of course) and tzatziki sauce, which is a sauce made with yogurt, cucumber, garlic, and dill. The sandwich was nice and warm and the falafel patties were very hot, a perfect foil for the cool vegetables and the tzatziki. Guys, this sandwich was amazing…very flavorful. The only thing that I would have changed (besides ordering it without onions next time) would be to have the tzatziki on the side so I could put it on myself and make it a little less messy to eat.

Philip decided to get the gyro. The traditional beef and lamb gyro is made with ground beef and ground lamb mixed with herbs and spices, spit-roasted, and shaved. Like my falafel, it was also served with lettuce, tomato, onion, and tzatziki on a pita. The meat was tender and delicious, very well-seasoned…and there was a huge portion of meat on the sandwich. In fact, Philip wasn’t able to finish it because it was so large (don’t worry…I finished mine). He did say that he thought it probably could have used a little less tzatziki…but I think again that serving it on the side would fix the problem, which was basically that all the tzatziki was at the top of the sandwich so it made it very messy to eat.

We split an order of feta fries. They were hand-cut fries with herbed feta cheese (oregano was a very prominent flavor in the cheese) and drizzled with olive oil. As is typical with hand-cut fries, they weren’t super-crispy…and that’s okay with me. I love hand-cut fries and everything about them. They were salted perfectly and, despite the olive oil drizzle, not greasy. Because of the feta cheese, these fries were best eaten with a fork.

One thing that I read in one of the reviews on Facebook or Yelp was that it was pricy for the amount of food that you get. My falafel ($6), Philip’s gyro ($6.75), and the feta fries ($4.75) cost a total of $19.12 including tax. I felt that the portions were very generous, certainly plenty for us, and I didn’t think it was pricy at all considering the quality and flavor of the food. I wouldn’t bat an eye at paying that at a full-service restaurant. I thought it was worth it! If you’re a fan of Greek food, you definitely need to check out 2 Crazy Greeks!

2 Crazy Greeks is located at 4848 Hixson Pike, Hixson, Tennessee, 37343. They are open Sunday-Wednesday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m., and Thursday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. You can call them at 423-710-2829. They do not have a website, but you can “like” 2 Crazy Greeks on Facebook.

Las Morelianas

January 21, 2016

If you don’t know that Las Morelianas is there, you might miss it. They serve great Mexican food in Hixson!

I love getting restaurant recommendations from readers. Love it! Keep them coming, you guys. It might take me a little while to get to them, but I promise that I listen when people tell me to go somewhere. A few months back, a reader sent me a message on Facebook and told me that I needed to get to Las Morelianas. When I asked him where it was, I was surprised to find out that it was in Hixson. Turns out it’s contained within the Mexican grocery store on Highway 153, near Wal-mart.

We finally made it in there this past weekend. If I hadn’t done a little reading on Yelp, I would have had no idea where to find the restaurant. If you walk in the door on the left side of the building, take a left by the cash register, then take a right, you’ll end up in the restaurant. A very friendly man greeted us and brought us menus and drinks.

The menu that I had seen online had an extremely limited selection, but the menus we were given had several pages. There are several appetizers, lunch specials, and a couple of burritos. There are a wide variety of tacos and some sandwiches (aka tortas), quesadillas, and some homemade specialties. The menu features quite a few seafood dishes and some specials, like chilaquiles and fajitas. There are also several specials listed above the counter that come with just chicken or beef and include a 16-ounce drink.

We ordered some chips and salsa, of course. How do you go to a Mexican restaurant and not eat chips and salsa? And how many of you can relate to the sentiment below? Origins of this meme unknown. The chips were very good, obviously freshly fried because there were a couple with soft spots in them. I didn’t mind that because I knew they were made there. The salsa was extremely tasty, with lots of cilantro, lime, and salt balanced with onion and garlic and tomatoes that weren’t too chunky but not too smooth either. We were also served several different smooth salsas with our meal (the orangey one was automatically brought to our table, but our server told us about the green salsa and the red, which is habanero). All three of those were too spicy for me…I am a lightweight (you guys know that) but Philip liked them all and said they were delicious.

I teetered on the edge of ordering a Milaneza torta, chicken or steak pounded thin, breaded, and fried, served on a torta roll (a special bun) ? with lettuce, tomato, onion, jalapeño, and avocado plus a side of fries. I decided ultimately that my first visit called for tacos ?, though, so I went for the carnitas (seasoned, shredded pork) and pescado (fish). The tacos are served traditional-style…two corn tortillas, chopped onions, and cilantro, plus lime wedges. Oddly, this is the only way that I can eat raw onions without feeling like I’m going to burst into tears. The carnitas were amazing…very tender, perfectly seasoned, and finely shredded. The fish was also delicious, seasoned well and shredded, topped with some tomato in addition to the onion and cilantro and served with a chipotle for drizzling.

Philip took one look at the menu and knew exactly what he was going to order: lengua tacos. Yes, that’s tongue. If you read my Taqueria Jalisco post, you know that not only is he not afraid to eat things that make other people shudder, he loves beef tongue. Honestly, while it does freak me out just a little too much to actually order it in a restaurant, I have tasted his and it really is quite good…like a very tender pot roast. He said that it was very good…I didn’t taste these so I’ll just have to take his word for it!

We also ordered some beans and rice. It was a generous portion of each, enough for us to share. The beans were well-seasoned and were mashed but not pureed to a smooth consistency like some of the refried beans that you might end up with at a Mexican restaurant. They were very good. The rice had lots of vegetables and was also well-seasoned and a nice texture. I am a weirdo, I know, but I thought the little crocks they served them in were cute as well.

After we finished eating (by the way, our pre-tip total was $16 and some change…not bad at all!), we perused the grocery store for a few minutes. There are tons of hard to find products, like dried chilies, tamarind pods, and other spices used in traditional Mexican cooking. I almost bought a bag of limon y sal (salt and lime) Fritos, after hearing Matthew and Molly talk about them on the Spilled Milk podcast, but decided to hold off until I need Fritos to go with chili or something like that since I knew I wouldn’t be able to stay out of the bag once it was opened. And…I finally found a place to get locally made tortillas and sorta rolls!

So, if you never knew that Las Morelianas existed, now you know. It’s definitely not fancy but it sure is delicious. Obviously I am not one to speak to authenticity of a Mexican joint but there were quite a few Hispanic folks dining in there so I am guessing it’s pretty legit….but they definitely have some options for the more timid gringos too. Go check it out!

Las Morelianas is located at 5622 Highway 153, Hixson, Tennessee, 37343. You can call them at (423) 877-7115. They are open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., though I am not sure if those hours are for both the grocery store and the restaurant. If anyone knows, please let me know! They do not have a website or an “official” Facebook page, but you can “like” this page on Facebook to see others’ reviews and check-ins. By the way, Las Morelianas has a 5-star rating on Yelp out of quite a few reviews.

Monkey Town Brewing Company

January 13, 2016

Monkey Town Brewing Company is Dayton, Tennessee’s first brewpub. They serve lots of great food and great beer!

I’ve done a couple of posts about restaurants in Cleveland recently and this past weekend we decided to head to another neglected area area-Dayton, Tennessee-to check out a spot that several readers and friends have told me that we need to try. Monkey Town Brewing Company opened just seven months ago in June 2015 as Dayton’s first brewery and brewpub. Started by father and son team Alan and Kirby Garrison, Monkey Town started off serving high-quality food and great craft beer from other breweries while they got their own brewing operation off the ground. It took a little bit to get all the permits and licenses straight but after a few months they were able to start selling their own brews as well.

Monkey Town Brewing Company is located in downtown Dayton. They don’t have a parking lot but there is free parking on the street and in a public parking lot across the street (there is also another parking lot down the street beside the public library. When we arrived on Saturday afternoon around 2:00 p.m. the place was not crowded but there were quite a few tables occupied. We were honestly a little concerned because there was only one server, Jory, working (with a little help from the bartender), but she is pretty good at her job because she juggled all those tables pretty stealthily. The bartender brought us our menus and grabbed our waters while we perused them.

The menu is divided into appetizers/shared plates, salads/soups, sandwiches, and entrees. They also have an extensive draft beer list and wines/cocktails. There are also daily specials, which, on this day, included Cajun chicken pasta (which I saw a lot of people eating), salmon Oscar, a steak dish, and one other item (I should have taken photos of the specials, apparently, since I can’t remember them now). Philip decided to get a flight (4 5-ounce samples) with Monkey Town’s “Do You Even IPA, Bro?”, Lagunitas Nighttime American Black Ale, Founders Porter, and Black Horse Vanilla Cream Ale. I obviously can’t go into any details about his beers, but he did say that the Monkey Town IPA was very good (and he is not a big IPA fan these days). The flight was $11 (usually $7, but there is an uncharge for high-gravity beers).

We also decided to order an appetizer, beer cheese. The beer cheese is served with your choice of grilled pita, French fries, or tortilla chips. Since we were planning to try the fries with our entrees, we decided to get tortilla chips with our beer cheese. The beer cheese was thick but “dippable” with some herbs mixed in. It tasted fairly hoppy so Philip thought it might have been made with the Monkey Town IPA, but Jory told us that right now their supply just isn’t big enough. I would have liked to have had more chips, but since we didn’t we had some beer cheese left over to dip our fries into. If you go with a group, ask for extra chips or get two orders of beer cheese.

I got stuck between the Philly cheesesteak with sliced New York strip steak, cheese sauce, peppers, and onions on a flour-dusted hoagie roll, or the fish & chips, battered cod served with fries, coleslaw, and tartar sauce. I asked Jory for her opinion and she told me that she would go for the fish & chips, mainly because she’s just never been a fan of Philly cheesesteak sandwiches. I usually go with my server’s recommendation, so I did just that. You can get a full order (two 5-ounce cod fillets) or a half order (one 5-ounce cod fillet) so I went with the half, which I think was more than generous. The batter on the fish was perfectly brown, crispy, and delicious and clung to the fish perfectly, which can be a rarity. The tartar sauce was very good, very “pickle-y”, which I consider a plus, and they had malt vinegar, which is essential if you are eating fish & chips. The fries are very unique-they are cut in a twisty shape and have a crust that makes them seem battered, so they are very crispy; they are also very well-seasoned. The coleslaw consisted of shredded cabbage, grated carrots, a light and slightly sweet mayo dressing, and celery seeds. It was quite good.

Philip decided on the burger, which was served on a bakery bun with lettuce, tomato, and onion. He also added American cheese ($0.50) and bacon crumbles ($0.75). The bun was nice and soft and the meat was cooked to have a nice crust on the outside while still being nice and juicy on the inside. The condiments (mayo, mustard, and ketchup) are served on the side so that you can add your own to get the right ratio. Unfortunately, after we ate, I heard Jory telling the couple next to us that though it isn’t on the menu, you can order the burger with beer cheese…next time we’ll have to try that. Definitely a great burger.

While we were finishing up our lunch, a couple around the corner from us was served a big, delectable-looking hunk of bread pudding topped with whipped cream. We were quite tempted to order some as well (the other desserts available were chocolate lava cake and cheesecake) but we would have needed to be rolled out. Everything that we ate was amazing so we would have loved to have checked out the dessert menu. The prices weren’t terrible either-including beer cheese ($6), fish & chips ($7), a bacon cheeseburger ($9), and Philip’s beer flight (the most expensive part of our tab at $11), our pre-tip total was $35.42.

The atmosphere at Monkey Town Brewing Company has a great vibe, with dark wood and metal paneling and large chalkboards with specials and the beers on tap listed. You can see the brewing space through large windows and Kirby (who is the brewer) gave Philip a “tour” of the brewing space (it’s a very small space and they only brew one type of beer at a time). He also took some time to talk to us about why they chose Dayton as opposed to Chattanooga: they knew that they could have more of an impact in an area that doesn’t have a restaurant/brewery on every corner. I would say that’s a fair assessment. Dayton has some good restaurants but nothing quite like this. If you are looking for a great restaurant with fantastic, fresh food and great beer (and live music or trivia from time to time!), check out Monkey Town Brewing Company!

Monkey Town Brewing Company is located at 287 1st Avenue, Dayton, Tennessee, 37321. They are open Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. You can call them at (423) 775-1800. Check out Monkey Town Brewing Company’s website, monkeytownbrewing.com. You can like Monkey Town Brewing Company on Facebook, follow @MonkeyTownBeer on Twitter, and follow @MonkeyTownBrewingCo on Instagram.

Molcajete Mexican Restaurant

December 25, 2015

Molcajete Mexican Restaurant is a beautiful restaurant on Lee Highway in Chattanooga, Tennessee that serves delicious Mexican food!
A couple of months ago, I posted on my Facebook page asking what everyone’s favorite Mexican restaurant in the Chattanooga area was. I got a ton of responses-several of which corresponded to my personal favorite (Delia’s, DUH) but lots of which I had never heard of. You’ll forgive me if there’s a disproportionate number of Mexican restaurant reviews for the next few months, right??? I’ve got a lot of work to do!

One restaurant that several people mentioned was Molcajete. Philip actually ended up eating there a couple of weeks ago and really liked it, so we decided to go back last weekend. We went at about 1:30 or 2:00 on Saturday afternoon, and while there were quite a few people in the restaurant, we were seated immediately. Our chips and salsa were delivered quickly and our server, Grace, took our drink orders. We also ordered a small bowl of queso because why not??? I will tell you that one of my readers highly recommended the choriqueso (queso with chorizo) but I didn’t want to go that heavy plus we typically order regular queso so I wanted a point of reference.

The chips, salsa, and queso were all pretty standard Mexican restaurant versions. The chips were thin, very crispy, and not too greasy. The salsa was just slightly spicy and pretty smooth (which is how I like it-I don’t care for chunky salsa) with a decent amount of cilantro. The queso was very thin and not very spicy. ⬅️I feel like these are very bland descriptions. Everything was good, but like I said, pretty standard…so I just don’t have much to say!

I decided to order the taquitos with ground beef. Taquitos are rolled corn tortillas stuffed with meat and fried (flautas are the flour tortilla version). Their taquitos are served with guacamole salad (basically just guacamole and shredded lettuce), shredded cheese, rice, and beans. I have to admit, the taquitos were delicious. The tortillas were very crispy-impressively so-and the meat was very well seasoned. On its own, I found the guacamole to be a little too spicy (it had chunks of jalapeño in it), but scooped onto the taquitos it worked perfectly. The beans were, again, pretty standard. Not bad but not earth-shattering. The rice was well seasoned and well-cooked.

Philip decided quickly on a chimichanga (pretty much his standard order) but then noticed the chimiRica-a chimichanga filled with grilled chicken or steak, onions, chorizo, and special sauce, topped with queso sauce. He ordered the small with beef, and I’m pretty sure that if he had ordered the large we would have been in bad shape. In fact, he didn’t even finish the small! It was pretty gigantic. The meat and onions were well-cooked and the cheese sauce made it super-gooey. He didn’t really notice the special sauce, though. His one complaint was that it didn’t come with rice and beans and that, a la carte, they would have cost $4 ($1.99 each) extra. I had plenty, though, so I shared with him.

The decor at Molcajete is very nice. The servers and other staff were very friendly and the food was tasty and fresh. The menu is extensive. It’s definitely (at least mostly) Americanized Mexican food, but that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t taste good. They have a full bar as well. The prices were on par with other similar restaurants-our total for the queso and two entrees (we drank water) was $18.00 pre-tip. If you are in the Brainerd/Lee Highway area, give Molcajete Mexican restaurant a try!

Molcajete Mexican restaurant is located at 6231 Perimeter Drive, Suite 127, Chattanooga, Tennessee (in the same complex as Sportsman’s Warehouse and Pin Strikes). They are open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday. You can call them at 423-760-8200. You can like Molcajete on Facebook.

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